Into the Land of Nede by J. Gilchrist

The author gets an A for effort for publishing her first book. It is an interesting idea and I would recommend it for a Christian family who wants to expose children Ages 8-12 to the story in Genesis of Adam and Eve. It is fun and full of adventure as Lincoln discovers a new world and learns some important lessons about family. I also think the illustrations add a nice quality to the story.

I did not like the book- 1) I do not think it captures the true voice of a ten year old; 2) The story does not flow, it jumps too quickly from one idea to next; 3) I really do not like the idea of a “white boy” as the hero necessary to save an Indian Tribe.

I particularly did not like this paragraph: “This is your land. You have gained access to it. You are the ruler of this Land of Nede. We are your people. What do you command of us?” page 89.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

This is one of those books that moves you to the core and changes the way you think about life. You are not only touched by the story being told but by the author as well. Rebecca Skloot was brave, determined and loving over the 10 years it took her to complete this book. There is intriguing scientific data as well as personal information about the Lacks family that draws you in and keeps you wanting to know more until the last page. This book is a must read.

Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, and more. Henrietta’s cells have been bought and sold by the billions, yet she remains virtually unknown, and her family can’t afford health insurance. From:  http://rebeccaskloot.com/the-immortal-life/