Some Kind of Normal / Heidi Willis / 226 pages

Some Kind of Normal by Heidi Willis is a moving, emotionally gripping tale of faith and love.

Set in the Texas Hill Country, Some Kind of Normal asks the question “How far would you go to save the life of someone you love?” Would you turn your back on your church? Your family? Can faith and science share the same space?

When, after a bout with the flu, her daughter develops diabetes and nearly dies, first from a diabetic coma and then from a rare insulin allergy, Babs Babcocks struggles with both her faith in God and her faith in medicine, ultimately deciding it is up to her to save her daughter’s life. All that stands between herdaughter’s life and death is a tenth grade education, a zealous group ofBaptist ladies, and 1.8 million Google hits. 


Some Kind of Normal will appeal to readers of gripping, emotional stories and to those who enjoy reading about life in a small town. Similar titles include: Between Friends by Kristy Kiernan, Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky, and Before You Know Kindness by Chris Bohjalian.  

This is a wonderful book, but you might have to search for it! 

Calling Invisible Women/Jeanne Ray/246 pages

Ever feel like your family takes you for granted? Ever think they hear you but don't listen to you? Do they even see you? Clover Hobart never thought about that much until one morning she woke up and was invisible. But her family didn't even notice. No one, except her best friend, did. She went to the doctor to see what terrible disease makes a woman suddenly disappear, and no one from the receptionist to the nurse to the doctor looked up long enough to notice she wasn't there. What's an invisible woman to do? Find a support group, of course. Then find out what happened to them and how to reverse their invisibility. And maybe save the day a time or two. Because invisibility is a superpower.

This was a delightful read! Jeanne Ray hits it on the head about how people, especially family members, take each other for granted. Clover realizes the things she's been missing too. Very insightful and really just a hoot and a half. Be sure to check out the author's picture on the back jacket flap.

Monster Calls / Patrick Ness 205 p.

Patrick Ness writes this tale about a young boy and a monster from the final story of idea Siobhan Dowd. A monster takes the form of a giant yew tree and comes walking at 12:07 a.m. to tell three ambiguous tales to Connor and gives the command that Connor is tell the fourth tale and that is one that that “will tell me your truth”. Thirteen Connor’s beloved mom is running out of treatment options for her breast cancer. Connor is being bullied at school. He has alienated his friend. His father lives in the U.S. with a new wife and baby. What he most dearly wants is his mother to survive. Ness captures Connor’s emotional rollercoaster ride as he learns to accept his mother’s death. A memorable story.

2012 Notable Children's Books