The Book Search

It seems an appropriate time to talk about facing big challenges, since this whole virus-stay at home-school online thing is pretty challenging!  Thinking about different kinds of  challenges is kind of a nice diversion.  These books were certainly that. The first one is called "Like Nothing Ever Amazing Happened" by Emily Blejwas.  It's about Justin, a middle schooler who is struggling to adapt to a new normal.  His dad died awhile back and part of the problem with his dad's death is that there were a lot of unanswered questions.  Justin's dad was a Vietnam War vet that struggled with PTSD.  He didn't talk much about it and was careful with the words he did speak.  His dad was killed by a trolley and one of the things that Justin wonders is if his death was a suicide or just an accident.  His mom and older brother are doing the best they can to try to hold things together.  His brother is a talented athlete but has taken to working at...

Well, THIS is different, isn't it?  We started distance learning this week and after two days, it's going pretty well.  People are naturally worried about a lot of things that are different from learning in person but we seem to be figuring it out. What's also good is the number of amazing opportunities authors are putting out right now.  Authors,  illustrators, and publishers have been SO GENEROUS with their time and energy.  I know the kids must love seeing all the storytelling, drawing lessons, and writing lessons they've been offering.  I know I have! I was lucky enough to read some excellent middle grade fiction this week.  I'm a big fan of Rebecca Stead's work and her latest one is as least as good as her other work, maybe even better.  This one is called "The List of Things That Will Not Change".  It's about Bea, who has two parents who love her dearly, but live in separate houses now.  It's apparent from Bea's voice, almo...

Our spring break started today and for the first time in several years, we're NOT traveling.  I'm envious of myself in years past as the pictures keep coming up in my Facebook feed.  There are so many things I feel fortunate for!  Good books are among the things at the top of my list!  Here are two new ones to look for. The first one is called The Only Black Girls in Town by Brandy Colbert.  It's about Alberta who lives in Ewing, California, a small town on the coast near San Luis Obisbo.  Alberta loves to surf, has a best friend named Laramie and two loving dads.  The bed and breakfast next door to them has just sold and luckily enough, the people who bought it have a daughter just her age.  Alberta has visions of a new best friend.  What's great about this one is that although the plot sounds familiar, it has a lot of pieces that keep it really fresh.  Like, the fact that Alberta has two dads and a surrogate mom, who she knows, but i...

So now that I'm home for at least two weeks, I have PLENTY of time to get caught up on some of the book reviews I've been leaving until I had some free time!  YAY for an upside to all this crazy and what a better way to spend your time but wandering around in some worlds that are completely different and a little scary! The first one is called The Thieves of Wierdwood.  It's written by Christian McKay Heidicker.  It's about two twelve year old boys, Arthur and Willy who live in a pretty strange place.  It reminded me a bit of Victorian England, until things got, well, weird.  Arthur and Willy are thieves - they are part of a notorious Black Feather gang, but they aren't in very good standing.  Willy has a brother who is in a completely horrific sounding hospital and when Arthur gets in trouble, his dad, who is also thief, gets sent to the hospital too.  Both boys feel an urgent need to get them out, and take a huge risk to break into Weirdwood Manor,...

I read two books this week that both had to do with postwar trauma.  One is historical fiction and one is present day and they were both terrific! The first one is called "A Galaxy of Sea Stars" by Jeanne Zulik Ferruolo.  Jeanne wrote a terrific book last year called "Ruby in the Sky" that I really enjoyed, so I was delighted to see she had a new book out.  This one is just as good, and maybe even better!  In "A Galaxy of Sea Stars", Izzy, the main character is starting middle school.  She's nervous like most kids are but she's got a lot on her plate.  Her mom has gone to stay and work with her sisters in their family restaurant, and although it seemed like she would be gone just a short time, it's turning out to be longer than Izzy figured it would be.  Part of why her mom left, is that her dad is different now.  Her dad served in the army in Afghanistan and came back different.  He's had to take a different job, they've had to move ...

I'm a big fan of Linda Sue Park, so when I saw she had a new book, I couldn't wait to read it!  You might have read some of her other middle grade fiction, like "Long Walk to Water" or the Newbery award winning "The Single Shard".  Her latest one is called "Prairie Lotus" and it's a terrific combination of historical fiction and modern activism.  Hanna is 14 and she and her dad are traveling to an expansion town in South Dakota in hopes of settling there.  They are leaving California, where although the family had a successful business there, it cost them Hanna's mother.  Hanna's mom was injured during a riot and massacre of Chinese people and never fully recovered.  Hanna and her dad are trying to build a new life.  Hanna is hoping to go to school to get a diploma, something her mother wanted badly for her.  Hanna is also a talented dressmaker and she would like to pursue that as a career.  The new town has an ally-a friend of her dad...

I fell down into a well of grown up fiction that was just terrific but I'm finding my way back to middle grade fiction, because, well, because I can.  Here's some amazing books to look for! The first one is called Chirp by Kate Messner.  I was lucky enough to get to meet her in November at the FAME conference in Orlando and my friend David was brave enough to try the Chirp Challenge she describes in the book.  I'd been looking forward to reading it since November and I finally got to! It was totally worth the wait.  One of the things that Kate does so well is give you characters that are interesting and likable immediately, but there's always something bigger that comes as you read.  In this case, Mia and her family have moved back to Vermont to be closer to her grandmother.  Her grandmother had a small stroke and is recuperating well, but runs her own business, which Mia's parents would like her to sell.  Mia's grandmother sells crickets for food an...