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MOTHERING MOTHER, by Carol D. O'Dell -- a writing friend of mine -- is by far the best book I've read about how it is when your parent is nearing life's end. I've lost both of my parents -- one to Alzheimers, one to leukemia, and so I know how it feels during those dark nights when someone who is part of your very DNA lies unconscious, slipping away to the next world.

Through taking care of her own mother as Parkinson's and Alzheimers took hold, Carol has captured this strange world in a way that feels like a hug. It'll make you laugh and it'll make you cry. Carol captures a sense of the sacredness, clarity, and confusion that this time brings. Read it then loan it to someone you love.

WHALES ON STILTS by MT Anderson is laugh-out-loud funny. And it's best when read aloud, like on a long car ride. There's a footnote about books left in beach houses which had me rolling in the floor. This book would be great for pretty much any age, from read-to-me preschoolers on up. The grown-ups will like it too.

HATTIE BIG SKY is the type of historical novel I fall into and don't want to leave. Author Kirby Larsen's first book is wonderful. If you enjoyed the Little House series as a kid, you'll enjoy HATTIE BIG SKY as a teen (or as an adult!). It's based on the true story of an orphaned teenage girl who homesteads by herself during WW I.

SAMURAI SHORTSTOP is not for the faint-hearted. Author Alan Gratz has drawn us into the strange world of 1890s Japan. It was a time of cultural struggle as the Samurai past gave way to the modern world. Toyo, the shortstop of the title, merges baseball (besuboro) with bushido (Samurai training) to become a leader in his school. Gratz faithfully portrays the commonplace violence of the day, but doesn't let it overshadow Toyo's courage. I'd recommend this book for ages 13 and up.

In SUMMER OF THE SKUNKS, by Wilmoth Foreman, Jill struggles to get her older siblings to treat her as one of them instead of lumping her with their little brother. When a skunk mama moves her babies under the house, it's the catalyst for all sorts of zany adventures. Wilmoth has written a book for all ages, from a "read-to-me" five year old to a teen.