Winter's Bone

"Never ask for what ought to be offered."

If not for the fact that a movie nominated for Oscars (review to come) had been made of this book, I might not have ever heard of it. Thank goodness for Oscar nominations! Daniel Woodrell has written a gritty but gorgeous novel, full of descriptions that put you in the Ozarks. However, these are not the Ozarks that have become a tourist destination.

Ree Dolly is living in extreme poverty, but wants to hold her family together despite the mental illness of her mother, the absence of her meth dealing father and her younger brothers who have come to rely on her for everything. The story of what happens when Ree learns that her father has disappeared after putting the family home up as bail, is a story that is both hard to read, and hard to put down.

Reading this story will make you both admire the determination a young girl has to make her life better, but feel depressed for her inability to escape from her desperate surroundings. Daniel Woodrell writes a heart-wrenching story of a clannish community that is well worth your time, it is a quick read, but a harsh story.

The Hunger Games

"And may the odds be forever in your favor."

This book was originally recommended to me when it was first published. However, I just couldn't see how a book about teens killing one another would be one that I could not only like, but really enjoy. How wrong I was!

Taking place in the future (but not something I would classify as a science fiction story), the United States is now a place where "The Capitol" rules the "districts" with an iron fist. To proof its power over and over again, the Capitol conducts a competition every year between the districts. However, the word competition is not strong enough to convey what is involved here. Two teenaged "players" are chosen from each district (one male, one female) and they are placed in an Capitol designed arena. There can only be one winner, and that winner is the one person who ends up as the sole survivor in the arena. Now, if you are like me, you will think this may not be your cup of tea, however, I highly recommend that you, too, give this series (as Hunger Games is the first in a trilogy) a try.

This generation's "1984" or "Brave New World", "Hunger Games" is a story that warns about the consequences of allowing political authority to rule unchecked, and how a hedonistic society can be the downfall of us all. In author Suzanne Collins' hands, this heavy sounding topic is not off-putting at all, in fact, she wields such an artful way with words, that she has us despising the Capitol, but at the same time, reading each detail of death with intense fascination. Drawing us in with the imperfect main character of Katniss Everdeen, we cannot help but root for her to end up as the victor in this brutal killing game.

Even knowing that this was only the first in a series, I had no idea just how the end would turn out. An enjoyable read, and one that I hated to put down, this story had me smiling, grimacing and tearing up as I saw the world through the eyes of Katniss Everdeen.

How to Train Your Dragon

"I...don't wanna fight dragons."

Hiccup, the Viking who would be voted the least likely dragonslayer, discovers a dragon and he not only doesn't slay the dragon, he befriends and trains the dragon. Because this wonderful story of two friends relies on gesture and visual interaction instead of dialogue, we are able to focus on the animation that DreamWorks has so artfully created. The movie begins and ends with battle sequences, which could be frightening to the youngest viewer, but the traits that Hiccup possesses such as cleverness and braveness, make this a good choice to watch with young ones. A highly principled young man who not only tolerates, but accepts someone who everyone tells him is the enemy, Hiccup is a good role-model to see and immulate. A beautiful film that can be enjoyed by all ages, "How to Train Your Dragon" is a delightful story that soars, and I recommend it.