Have a Little Faith

I'm a huge fan of Mitch Albom. Tuesdays with Morrie is one of my favorite books of all time and since then, I've read everything else he's published. Have a Little Faith is his first nonfiction book since Morrie. Needless to say, I had high hopes.

This book is the true story of two, at first, vastly different religious leaders in two different states. Mitch is asked by his childhood Rabbi, Albert Lewis, to give the eulogy at his funeral. Mitch, while at first stunned by this request, spends a great deal of time getting to know Rabbi Lewis and his family. He learns a lot about tolerance and faith from this wise man.

To contrast with his experiences with the Rabbi, Mitch spends time getting to know a Detroit pastor, Henry Covington. Henry arrived at his role as a pastor in a way that shocks Mitch. Henry was a drug addict and ex-con. He uses his past to connect with and counsel his parishioners.

Mitch realizes that while the way that these two men lead is vastly different, their unwaivering faiths and passion for helping others are identical. Their faiths--Jewish and Christian--are not as different as Mitch once thought.

This book, as with all of them, is uplifting and inspiring. This book makes me want to be a better person.

Albom, Mitch. Have a Little Faith. New York: Hyperion, 2009.

A Little Bit Wicked

I've been reading a lot lately, due in part to the awesome teacher appreciation sale at Barnes and Noble. I purchased a lot of new books and, since I'm always trying to "beef up" the nonfiction section of my classroom library, picked up two great nonfiction books.

I love love love Kristin Chenoweth! I've been crazy about her since she was in the revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. I loved her in Wicked and about died when I met her after seeing her amazing performance in The Apple Tree. A Little Bit Wicked is her autobiography. She is very candid about growing up in Oklahoma and her road to fame. Kristin, who begins by telling the reader about finding out she was adopted and her early life as a beauty queen, is absolutely hilarious. Her book took me through all sorts of emotions and it was great to learn a little bit more about her.

Fans of Kristin will love this book!

Chenoweth, Kristin. A Little Bit Wicked: Faith, Love, and Life in Stages. New York:
Touchstone, 2009.

American Born Chinese

I've been on a graphic novel kick lately! Early this summer, I read American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. This fictional book is divided into three different, yet related, stories: a tale of the magical monkey king, the story of a Chinese boy named Jin Wang who struggles to fit in, and a middle school boy, Danny, who is embarrassed by his cousin Chin-Kee (an Asian stereotype). This is a quick, entertaining read, but don't be fooled--the author definitely has a message for us all at the end of it (and you'll have to read it to find out what that is)!

I have a copy of this book in my classroom and you can also check it out of our FC library.



Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. New York: First Second, 2006.

Maus

Last school year, I read these two FANTASTIC graphic novels by Art Spiegelman, Maus: A Survivor's Tale. My husband, a graphic novel enthusiast (borderline obsessed) told me that these books are by far the most famous graphic novels out there. Now I know why.

While the artwork seems fictional (Jews being depicted as mice, Nazis as cats, etc.), I assure you that these books are nonfiction. Art Spiegelman's parents survived the Holocaust. These books are his interviews with his frail father, Vladek (his mother, we learn, committed suicide). What sets this book apart from other Holocaust novels is Art's ability to retell his parents' story. He is really honest, too, about his at-times strained relationship with his father.

It's a tough read, as all Holocaust texts are, but a great one. I highly recommend these books to anyone who is a WWII buff and/or anyone interested in Holocaust literature. They can be found in our FC library, too!

Spiegelman, Art. Maus I: My Father Bleeds History. New York: Pantheon Books, 1973.
Spiegelman, Art. Maus II: And Here My Troubles Began. New York: Pantheon Books, 1986.