One of the most highly anticipated films of the summer, The Help, graces the big screen on August 10th. Based on the widely-read and deeply moving novel by Kathryn Stockett, the story is set at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement, as three Mississippi women are about to take one extraordinary step that will put them all at risk.
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The following are lists of books releasing the weeks of August 1st and August 8th that we think will be of interest to Bookreporter.com readers.
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August 2011
In THE MAGICIANS, a cadre of young wizards --- and the fantasy genre itself --- learn to live in the real world. This fabulously rendered novel manages to completely ensnare readers by their escapist tendencies, then show how our dreams of happiness and magic never quite live up to the real thing. Reviewed by Max Falkowitz.
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August 1, 2011, 308 voters
On August 10th, one of the most talked-about books in years will grace the big screen. THE HELP is a deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor and hope, and the film version will surely bring this widely-read tale to even more people.
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Here are reading recommendations with your comments and a rating of 1 to 5 stars for August's contest period.
Aug 1, 2011
Walter Dean Myers has written more than 85 books for children and young adults, including the award-winning MONSTER, FALLEN ANGELS, SLAM!, JAZZ and HARLEM. Now, in the second installment of his Cruisers series, Myers explores the world of competitive chess as seen through the eyes of a group of middle-school misfits.
August is shaping up to be a big month for movie releases based on books. The eagerly awaited adaptation of The Help by Kathryn Stockett hits theaters on August 10th --- and I am seeing it with a few other staffers on Thursday; I’m sure many of you feel the same way. By the way, our intern declined to join as she had not yet read the book, which I think means "read the book first" skills have properly been impressed upon her! The Help was voted the top discussion book of the past 10 years in last year’s ReadingGroupGuides.com 10th Anniversary Contest and has been a fixture on the bestseller lists since its release in February 2009. I can’t wait to read your thoughts on the film version, and please let me know if your group is doing anything special to celebrate its release.
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August 1, 2011, 431 voters
Melissa Burke-Marquart, an 11th grade English teacher at St. Thomas More High School, a small Catholic high school in Champaign, Illinois, has been teaching graphic novels in the classroom on and off throughout her career. A lifelong comics fan and experienced educator, she says, "Years ago, I used superhero comics with my freshmen when I taught them the elements of fiction. I hear back from many of them—they're now grownups with families—that that was their all-time favorite lesson.
