The Book Search

 We just finished our spring break and we had a great time!  One of the best things was having some time to catch up on some reading and wow, were there some great ones in my TBR pile!  Check these out! (no, really, go to the library and check them out!). The first one is by the amazing Angie Thomas.  You might remember a little book she wrote called The Hate U Give that a few people read (and then made a terrific movie about it).  I love the immediacy of her writing and her new one is no different.  It's so different!  It's called Nic Blake and the Remarkables.  It's speculative or fantasy fiction book about Nic Blake, who lives with her dad in Jackson, Mississippi.  Nic and her dad have moved around a lot and Nic really likes living in Jackson.  She finally has a best friend and that feels great.  She's super stoked because her favorite author is coming to town, he writes magical mystery adventures and she'll do anything to meet him, including sneaking out of the

 I feel like yesterday was Christmas and I blinked and here it is the middle of March.  I could explain that I've been busy (I'm pretty sure I have) but maybe I should just tell you about some of the amazing middle grade fiction I've been reading! The first one is called Izzy at the End of the World by K. A. Reynolds.  It's about Izzy who lives with her little sister and her grandparents.  Izzy is on the autism spectrum and she's learned some great coping strategies, including using her very good dog, Akka, to help.  Izzy is coping with grief from the loss of her mother as well as surviving middle school.  She's been having weird dreams, so when one day she sees some strange lights and the rest of humanity disappears, she is determined to get her family back.  She takes Akka and starts on a journey of self discovery and alien battling.  She meets Raven along the way, who seems to be the only other person alive and has understanding of some of Izzy's issues,