I finally read Savvy, by Ingrid Law. This one was on my "to read" list for quite some time, 
and I'm glad I finally got around to reading it because I enjoyed it very much. The story is about a family who all find out what their special ability is on their 13th birthday. The main character is Mibs, and of course the story begins right around her 13th birthday and we wonder what her savvy will be. Complicating this, though, is the fact that her father is seriously hurt in an accident just before her birthday. Mibs is not allowed to visit him, but she thinks her new power is one that can help her dad recover, so she stows away on a salesman's bus. She thinks the salesman is heading close to the hospital but it turns out he's actually going in the opposite direction. I found that I was happy to accompany Mibs as she tried to get her family, and her life, back on track.
The Cardturner, as author Louis Sachar puts it, is a book about bridge.
He says he loves the game, and it is clear from the detail in his book that he knows it very well. I enjoyed this story about a young man who helps his blind uncle play tournament bridge. Who knew a card game could be so complicated? I'm afraid the passages which describe the details of how to play, strategies and such, were completely beyond me. This didn't spoil the book, though. It's hard to go wrong with Louis Sachar (Wayside School, Holes ...)
