Water for Elephants

by Sara Gruen

Ordinarily a book about a circus wouldn't interest me, but this is such an interesting, well written story that it is probably the best book I've read all year. Jacob Jankowski is the ninety year old narrator. He is looking back on his incredible life with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. Orphaned and down on his luck, he joins the circus as the veternarian. He falls in love with Marlena, the star of the equestrian show and Rosie, the hopelessly stupid elephant. The bond between them enables them to survive the cruel world of a depression era circus. The end of the book is very satisfying. I also enjoyed the extra material in the book that explained how the author got the idea for writing the book and her research on this period of American History.

Read the Prologue

Al Capone Does My Shirts

by Gennifer Choldenko

I really like this story about a twelve-year-old boy named Moose who moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards' families were housed there. He has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister.

Gennifer Choldenko's Website