Agnes Parker ... Girl in Progress by Kathleen O'Dell - is very similiar to the Alice series by Naylor. Agnes is a 6th grader trying to copy with life's changes and new glasses and a class bully. It was ok, but I just couldn't finish it.

Not All Tarts are Apple by Pip Granger gives a nostalgic view of England Soho in the Fifties through the eyes of a seven year old waif named Rosie living her aunt and uncle above their London café. Rosis is a very mature seven year old who gives us child's view on adult topics. The story starts with her discovering that she is not the child of her aunt and uncle and that her mum is a tart from a classmate. She responds by punching her in the nose but later become best chums. An interesting array of drunks, tarts and thieves are sprinkled throughout this fast paced story. There is no real mystery though Rosie is kidnapped towards the end with an obvious conclusion. I enjoyed this historical look at Soho.

Shadow Game by Christine Feehan - Dr. Lily Whitney is the daughter of Dr. Peter Whitney who is working with the military to create a covert group of men that work as 'GhostWalkers'. Each man in the unit has his own powers, whether they are telepathic, telekinetic, clairvoyant, etc. The experiment begins to go horribly wrong and after the death of her father, Lily is the only one that can save the remaining GhostWalkers from death. Lily feels drawn to the commander of the group, Ryland Miller, but is her attraction real or the result of experimentation by her father? An ok thriller but more erotic than anything else.

Redwall by Brian Jacques - the book that started the series. When the peaceful life of ancient Redwall Abbey is shattered by the arrival of the evil rat Cluny and his villainous hordes, Matthias, a young mouse, determines to find the legendary sword of Martin the Warrior which, he is convinced, will help Redwall's inhabitants destroy the enemy. I've been recommending this series for years and never read it. So I got it on CD and really enjoyed the story. It is definitely good vs. evil. Looking forward to reading more in the series.

Possession by A. S. Byatt was a Booker Prize winning novel in 1990.

I remember reading this when Iived in Houston for our staff Library reading program in which we had to read an award book for adults. But I no memory of what it was about. So I decided to re-read it and found it on tape. So I've been enjoying it read to me. What a joy.

Roland is an academic researcher who discovers some important letters written by a famous Victorian poet, Randolph Henry Ash. Ash was presumed to have been totally devoted to his wife, but Roland finds letters written to another unnamed woman, and soon determines that the intended recipient was another, less well-known poet, Christabel LaMotte. Roland contacts Maud, an expert on LaMotte's life and work. Despite her skepticism, the two begin to investigate, and uncover a wealth of information about the affair between the two poets. But now there are others who know about it and the race is on to see who can discover the truth about this long over affair between two poets. And how will it affect each one.