Shelf Discovery

Did you know that there is a new book discussion group at the Foothills Library called Shelf Discovery? If you didn't know--now you do! It's a book group for adults (and teens) focusing on teen and new adult literature. We meet once a month on the first Tuesday evening of the month.

This month we read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. If you haven't heard about this book, it's about a teen boy named Jacob who travels to Wales to discover the truth behind his murdered grandfather's stories of his childhood. A mystery with historical fiction, fantasy, and science fiction thrown in to make one unique tale. One of the fascinating things about the novel are the old photographs scattered throughout the pages. The author collected the photos and used them to tell the story.

The discussion of the novel had some interesting twists based on adult and teen different perspectives. Personally, I believe that this is not a typical teen novel--nor is it a typical adult novel. I think it's one of those novels that have true crossover appeal. Only in the beginning before his grandfather's death, does Jacob act like the stereotypical teen in a novel. After that, while there is a touch of relationship issues, Jacob is delved into this new world--this time loop--that takes teenagers as we know them away and just made them into people. The peculiar children Jacob meets act primarily like children with just a few exceptions.  All in all, it made for a fun book discussion to kick off the start of the new book group. If you like Miss Peregrine's, then definitely check out the sequel Hollow City and Ransom Riggs' nonfiction book Talking Pictures. And be on the lookout, Miss Peregrine is coming to a theater near you next summer.

Interested in next month's book group meeting? It's on Tuesday, July 1st at 6:30 pm. We'll be discussing If I Stay by Gayle Forman.