What a morning so far! Woke up out of a sound sleep to yowling right outside our bedroom door at 5 a.m. That's where Sophie's food dish is and one of the bush cats came in through the window and was eating her food. Well, she didn't like that and they got into a fight. There was fur all over and a poor Sophie has a bare raw spot on her front leg. Add my running over her tail with my desk chair the other day and this poor cat should be hiding under the bed, but she is such a sweetie she is keeping Steve company as he gets ready for work.

My Montessori guys are going to love The Hoopster by Alan Lawrence Sitomer. It's a Hyperion title that came out last month. Andre is the Hoopster and the Writer in his group of friends. His best friend Shawn is the white guy in the group and his cousin Cedric is the mouthy comedian. The antics of these three guys are sometimes gross (farting, picking noses, etc.) and sometimes down right funny. Shawn's consumption of vast amounts of food reminds me of growing up with three older brothers! Andre's life looks pretty good - a girlfriend and an internship at a small magazine. To top that off his article on prejudice has great reader support. But, not everyone is happy with Andre's article and he is viciously beaten up in the parking garage. Will this change how Andre views the world or will he keep the positive outlook he has always had? It is obvious from his adept character development of these teenage friends that Sitomer has experience working with urban teens - he is an English teacher in an inner city school in LA. Great guy book. Would love to use this one with a reading group.

Off to work.