Yak Butter & Black Tea, A Journey into Forbidden China by Wade Brackenbury. YYYY Our library has monthly themes and the set books out in the front foyer that have something to do with the theme. That is where I found this book. The title and the pictures on the cover called out to me. I generally read more fiction books than nonfiction so I actually read eight books before I finally got to this one. However, this book was wonderful! I wish I were adventurous and climbed mountains and hiked for eight hours a day... but I don't. This Wade guy is from Idaho and lives in Springville, so he was easy to relate to. They hiked into China and Tibet hiding from the authorities. Amazing.

Alphabet of Thorn, Patricia McKillip. YYYY Sorcery, a conquering King, a noble learning to be a mage and an orphan adopted by librarians who works as a translator and scribe; just a few of the characters in Alphabet of Thorn. This is my favorite book of Patricia McKillip that I have read this month. The story kept me captivated and I couldn't see how it was going to end, I like little surprises in books. Another thing I love about her books is the blury line between good and bad people. Her characters make some good choices and some bad choices and it is not always clear what they will choose when its time for a life changing desicion. Sometimes a character I thought was bad made a great choice that helped everything turn out better, and visa versa.

I bought these books for B and wanted to read them first. They are the Wicket Chronicles by Joan Lennon. The first book is Ely Plot. YY The book is probably better for B than for me, hopefully he likes them. The book was fine... it just lacked some spark, like more character development or something. I liked its setting during medieval times on the Fens or marshes. And the main character is a boy who's mother left him at the church before she died of Fen Fever. So, the book really was fine, just fine. Any who, we'll see if B likes it than I can tell more if it is a good book for kids.