The Book Search

I caught a stupid cold this week and although I never really felt rotten enough to stay home from school, it slowed me down enough to take the time to read a bit more than I have.  Isn't that weird?  Probably- gratitude for a cold!  Anyway, I got to read a couple of terrific chapter books this week. The first one is called "The Memory of Forgotten Things" by Kat Zhang.  I was sure I had read (and enjoyed) her other books so I dove into this one.  Except, as it turns out, I hadn't read any of her books after all (I blame the nasal congestion).  But, it's completely ok, because this wasn't a sequel or connected to any of her books.  It's about a girl named Sophia who feels somewhat isolated-her mom died when she was small and Sophia misses her terribly.  But Sophia's been having these memories of things that actually never happened but could have, if things had been different-like a birthday cake that her mother made when she was 10, except that h...

I belong to a group on Goodreads called Mock Newbery and they try to choose books that they think will be Newbery contenders. They aren't always right about who wins, but they always have great new book suggestions. For September, they are reading "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds.  I read his book last year called "The Boy in the Black Suit" and liked it a lot too.  This one has that same fresh voice.   It's about 12 year Castle who is having a hard time.  His mom works a lot AND is trying to go to school so she can get a better job.  They live in a small apartment in a bad neighborhood.  Castle has trouble in school because he gets really angry and either strikes out or runs away.  He's very good at running.  One day when he's hanging out, he comes across a running team with a coach.  He hears some of the kids trash talking so he goes to prove that they aren't all that.  He runs as well as one of them and earns himself a spot on the team. ...

I've been on a real reading jag this week.  The stars have aligned and I have had both time and opportunity so I have made the most of it. I started with "The Red Umbrella" by Christina Diaz Gonzalez.  I met Christina a few years ago at an April is for Author's event and I wanted to read her book then and something happened (something shiny!  Or maybe a squirrel!) and I completely forgot about it.  Until this week when I was wandering through the YA section at my local library and found it again.  What a treat this book is.  It's about a girl living a privileged life in Cuba just as the Revolution starts.  Her biggest worries are what her hair looks like and if her nails match her outfit.  Things change fast though and at first, Lucia just wants to play along.  She wants to go to parties with her friends (even if they are sponsored by the party), she wants to go shopping, she wants to read fashion magazines but her mom wants her stay in the...