Perfect for my students

More to the Story, by Hena Khan is a wonderfully engaging book. It centers on Jam (Jameela), a 7th grader who loves writing for her school, (and home) newspaper.  She has 3 siblings: Maryam is the oldest, Bisma is younger than Jam, and Aleeza is the youngest.  Each are nicely described, and Khan shares details that add more depth to each character as the story moves on.

Jam is dealing with quite a bit here! She is excited that she has been picked to be the features editor for her school paper. She has many supporters, but when one of her biggest, her dad, leaves for a job overseas, she starts dealing with some harder aspects in life.  In addition to that, her younger sister, Bisma get seriously ill. I thought the ways Jam dealt with this, what she thought, how people helped, how Bisma dealt with it, were all realistically portrayed.

I also thought the themes around the newspaper club were handled deftly.  I will share the story here with my media journalism class, as so many ethical issues were dealt with well.

While there are serious issues to contend with, humor abounds in this novel.  It is perfect for older ES students, and MS students.

I truly loved it.

I am a bit behind on my reviews, so am doing a post that briefly states what I read over the past couple of months.
1) The Guinevere Deception is a fun take on King Arthur/Camelot. It is the first of a series and I really enjoyed it.
2) Scars Like Wings is a debut, and is amazing. Erin Stewart the author visited our school, and gave a wonderful presentation, which I didn't see but did hear about (for 8th grade students). In short, a teen is recovering from a horrific fire, and is adjusting to going back to school. I predict pink wigs will soon be a fashion statement...statement being key.
3) Framed! A wonderfully fun start to a mystery series staring a 12 year old D.C student who assists the FBI. Great friendships, logic, and a good overall read for MS students
4) This Land is Our Land: should be required reading for all. It truly puts into perspective our history in the world, with our immigrants, and migration causes in general.
5) Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation. A fun, pretty wild espionage tale also featuring a 12 year old. Slightly less believable, but fun for students who love Spy School, and really love lots of chase scenes.

Historical Fiction

                                                                                              

I've read a few of Sepetys books, Salt to the Sea, and Between Shades of Gray being my favorites. They are both set during WW2, and like The Fountains of Silence, they were geared towards the YA audience. 

I knew a great deal about WW2 from classes in K-12, as well as a few history courses I took in college.  Somehow though I didn't know much about Franco.  Thus, reading this book took me more time than a typical read would.  I found myself looking so much up, and wondering if it all could be true.  Why didn't my courses teach me more about Franco?? All I knew was Hemingway and Orwell were there reporting during the civil war.

This is set in the mid to late 1950's, for the most part. 

The central issue in the book is how secretive the Spanish people feel they must be during Franco's reign. Those whose families fought against him, are especially secretive. 

The other aspect I learned, that is central to the story, is American Oil companies were making deals with the Franco government, and that too was a secret.  

It is heartbreaking to realize what families went through; murders, disappearances, and babies being kidnapped and sent to orphanages are a few of the issues addressed in this book. 

It is well written, but didn't flow as readily for me simply due to my lack of knowledge. This made me realize how difficult historical fiction has probably been for my 6th grade students. If they haven't studied a period in time, they too might wonder which parts are fictional and which are historical. 

I am rethinking my entire historical fiction unit now, and will do my utmost to coordinate with the history teacher on my team. 

The other historical fiction novel I read was The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehisi Coates 

This is so beautifully written.  It is full of magical realism as well.  Some might say that softens the horrors of slavery, but I felt it was depicted well (well, as well as I can imagine human bondage).  

The magical realism plays itself out most when dealing with the underground railroad, and I know some complain that this diminishes the hard work, and bravery of Harriet Tubman, but in many ways I think it was perfectly fitting.  It does seem like a miracle that so many were able to achieve a path to freedom, given the horrors of people attempting to capture them, and what they suffered when caught. She does play a central role in this story, so Moses as she was often called, is fully recognized.

There were many terrific lines in this book.  Here are just a few. Speaking of how they had to be in the household, Hiram, a slave, writes: "Sloth was literal death for us, while for them it was the whole ambition of their lives." 

Another quote that brings up incredible images, is this: "The Flesh-Traders, vultures of Natchez...They were a ghastly sight, the lowest of low whites, because unlike their brethren, these men, while originating in the bottom file, had grown wealthy from the flesh trade, but seemed to revel in their debased roots, their slovenly dress, their missing teeth, their foul orders, their habit of spitting tobacco wherever wished, as a kind of absurd show."

A great line is this one: "There was no peace in slavery, for every day under the rule of another is a day of war."

When speaking of all of the horrible family separations, as children were sold out from mothers, husbands from wives, the narrator states: "The tree of our family was parted---branches here, roots there---parted for their lumbar." 

When speaking of the white slave owners, and how they treated female slaves, one of the main characters states: "You don't remember what they do to the girls down here? And once they do it, they got you. They catch you with the babies, tie you to the place by your own blood and all, until you got too much to let go of to go."

Both of these books were overwhelming to read, especially back to back. I keep thinking humanity will change, but atrocities keep occurring.  Will we ever actually learn from our past?

A trio of world building

I had not been reading much, since school started. I had a slew of books on my TBR list. Some were physically piled up in various rooms from the library, and others were sample chapters waiting for me on my Kindle.

I finally managed to read a few, after I finished the 3rd week of school, which included our BTSN (back to school night).

I was reading The Bone Charmer, slowly, during down time at school, and at the same time I was reading The Institute, slowly at home, when I wasn't planning lessons etc. The third book, Pet, I picked up from the library on Saturday.  All three are incredible, but Pet blew me away.

I finished The Bone Charmer Saturday morning.  It is typical of the fantasy genre, wherein someone discovers their skills, and has choices to make. The world building here was amazing.  Initially I didn't think the author Breanna Shields would be able to pull it off.  The narrators are the same person, who, due to some unusual circumstances, is experiencing life via two parallel worlds.  The author pulls it off beautifully.  There are some wonderful characters you'll root for, as well as evil.  The ending was great; the book could be a stand alone, but I am kind of hoping it is the start of perhaps a trilogy.

I finished The Institute, Saturday evening. Stephen King has been a favorite of mine since I first read Carrie, in HS.  I love how he takes the ordinary, and makes it so extraordinary. In this book, children with special powers are kidnapped, and taken to a facility. A facility well hidden, and supposedly created to save the world. I was nervous through much of the book, as I of course was hoping the victims would find justice, and that all of them would survive.  The world King creates here is all to real; and sadly, the excuses of those doing evil resonates all too well in our world.  It is a great story. Probably one of his top 3 or 5. Hmm, maybe even his best due to the implications it can teach us all.



Wow, so Pet.  It is incredible. You are probably wondering what genre it is.  I want to say Allegorical, but in many ways, despite the incredible world created within, it is realistic fiction, told in a manner that is simply beautiful.  It is heart wrenching, yet hopeful at the same time.  It too, like King's book, is an important book for our current times. It should be read by all.  Truly, it should.  It is short but so extensive, that it takes your breath away.
This book is on the long list for the National Book Award for young people. I believe it will end up on the short list, and expect it will win. emezi is amazing. I am in awe of the skill shown in this book.

Student recommendation

I have been very busy with the start of the school year, but have managed to read a bit.  A student recommended Fake Blood, by Whitney Gardner.  It was a fun graphic novel; if you want a quick enjoyable read, check it out.

New School New Book

Just finished the teacher prep week at my new school.  A new school for teachers, students and families!  On Monday I didn't think it would be feasible to have students enter the next week, but we had a wonderful orientation on Thursday, and each day things looked better and better.
The construction crew, the custodial crew, admin and my new colleagues have all been amazing.
As I prepared my classroom, I was thinking of the new books I would be sharing with my students, read-alouds, discussions, and book talks.  I also came across a new title, that I just finished.  It is wonderful.  The 47 People You'll Meet in Middle School, by Kristin Mahoney will be the book I first read to my TA.  I highly recommend it.  A girl writes the book to her little sister, as a method of sharing what middle school will be like.  There are naturally 47 chapters that delve into friendships, teachers, finding "your people," family issues, and situations like bullying. All is adeptly told; I had only one little quibble, where the dance they have is called a Sadie Hawkins dance.  I thought those were last in style back when I was in school, an eon ago.

The characters are realistically depicted, and I really enjoyed how beautifully the author portrayed how friendships change, and how new ones can be formed.

Compelling

I had been reading this, and enjoying it (while reading other books as well), and towards the end, was so compelled to finish it, that I woke up at 3 a.m,, and couldn't bear to stop reading.  I was so terribly worried about choices some of the characters were making, that I absolutely couldn't go back to sleep.

A magnet public school for the gifted comes to Colorado. 4 women, and their families are deeply affected by this.  The parents motives, the children's actions and desires, are well developed. I enjoyed each of the parents, despite some dubious choices they made. 

The author portrays parental angst, and desire for their kids' success well.  The dialogue is quite good, as is some of the social commentary.  You will find yourself rooting for certain characters, and yelling at others.  The good, bad, beautiful, and ugly of each person is beautifully told.

Similarities

I read two books that have been compared to other works.  One was compared to Where'd You Go Bernadette, and the other to  Big Little Lies.

The first, The Floating Feldmans by Elyssa Friedland, was indeed an enjoyable read, and had some funny moments, but overall it didn't grab me as much as Bernadette did. 

Annette Feldman books a cruise to celebrate her 70th birthday.  She is hoping to bond with her children and grandchildren, as there have been some riffs and distance in recent years.  Much of the distance is due to miscommunication, misunderstandings, and secrets.  All of this is believable, and at times quite poignant. The humor is understated, and the relationships are authentic.

It was a truly enjoyable summer read, and the characters are generally likable, despite some questionable behaviors.  Most of their secrets are kept out of love for each other, and in the end all is resolved in a convincing manner.  I have never been inclined to take a cruise, and this truly confirmed for me that I won't ever book a cruise. I did think there was some nice social commentary regarding the cruise staff, and their reality (being away from their families for extended periods, while the cruise goers typically celebrate family events).

There is nothing truly displeasing about the book, but it wasn't as engaging for me, as Where'd You Go Bernadette was.  I do hope the film of that book, pulls off the warmth and hilarity of the book.

The other book is The Night Olivia Fell. 


It is told via multiple narratives, and starts with the tragedy then goes into the past.  This effectively builds the suspense, and it did keep me engaged and reading rather quickly, until I finished. It has been compared to Big Little Lies due to this narrative structure.  It doesn't though have the biting social commentary that Moriarty deftly utilizes in her book.

Christina McDonald does create some unique characters, that have interesting backgrounds.  She pulls off the narrative structure, and as I said builds suspense.  Olivia is a teenager, who is on life support after falling from a bridge.  Her life support would have effectively been pulled, since she is brain dead, but once it is discovered that she is pregnant, state laws preclude that until the birth of the baby.

Her mother misses, I think, important and obvious clues as she tries to figure out how the fall happened, and who is responsible for Olivia's eventual death. Despite those plot holes, I did enjoy the novel, and appreciated the character reveals.

21st reviewed

This was an exciting, fast paced narrative that is sure to hook many teen readers.  6 teens are given the opportunity to apply for a special CIA internship, that includes a college scholarship if selected.  The students are all hackers, mostly what are termed white hat hackers.

They soon discover that all is not what it seems, and set out to "save the world" from the nefarious group behind it all. I learned a bit about hacking, and leet speak.  Much seems implausible, but if you approach the book as kind of a teen/hacker version of Ocean's 11 etc., you will enjoy it.

The characters were interesting and varied.  The writing was nice, and the plot kept me reading.

Books read without reviews

I am going to post titles I read, that I didn't post reviews for (for various reasons).  I don't like publishing full reviews of books I disliked..it feels too mean spirited, but in case you've been tempted by some titles, these are my slight takeaways.

1) The Chain by Adrian McKinty (would have been an excellent short story)
2) Those People by Louise Candlish (heartbreaking for only character I liked)
3) Shelter in Place by Nora Roberts (intense start, with compelling characters...then...not so much)
4) The Lost by Natasha Preston (felt like this might be what those Saw type of movies would be in book form..haven't seen them, don't want to read those scenes).

First week of August

I was away for a few days, but still reading.  I read a few books that didn't grab me. One, was a YA novel that I thought involved kids getting taken into a computer game, perhaps Jumanji style. I had put it on my holds list at my local library, and often forget why I put a title on hold, but it is always exciting to read books as they arrive!
This one though didn't involve a computer game, but was rather more along the lines of those Saw movies.  I couldn't finish it. It shall remain unnamed, as I don't like posting really negative reviews. As always, if you want the titles of the books I deride, please post a comment, and I will let you know.

A couple of others were merely started, and didn't grab me.  One book I read and finished around August 8th, is The Lady in the Lake.


I love Laura Lippman's stand alone novels; by the time I discovered here if felt a bit too late to go back to the start of her series, but one day I will do that.  This novel is set in the 1960's in Baltimore. My son recently moved to Baltimore, and I enjoyed exploring it while visiting him. (and, as an aside a certain person has recently commented on Baltimore) thus, it felt a bit more relevant as I read it, than some books might.

Maddie, the main character has recently left her husband and is kind of finding herself.  In that process she makes some dubious decisions, including one involving a ring that leads her to meet a police officer, and that sets in motion a relationship and piques her curiosity in crime, and reporting.  I honestly found her a bit irritating and self-centered at times. Some have complained about the narrative structure of this novel, but I truly enjoyed all of the characters' chapters.  Many of these are only heard from once, but they added to the story, and I think were used to point out Maddie's self-absorption.  She was unaware of contributions others made, or their lives/interests and this structure added to that character trait, as well as to the story overall.

There are two murders and Maddie becomes involved in trying to solve both.  Both are based on murders that did take place in Baltimore in the 1960's. Cleo, the lady in the lake, is one of the characters that narrates some chapters, and I thought that was well done, and a nice contrast to Maddies'.

Overall, while it isn't my favorite Lippman book, I did enjoy it. There's a nice twist at the end.

Summer Reading #'s 18 and 19

This is pretty much a must read. I thought I knew all there was to know about the internment camps, but I was wrong.  I learned so much from this graphic novel.  It tells the story of his experiences, but also reveals so much about decisions that were made by families, individuals, supreme court justices and the FDR administration.  Various views regarding documents that needed to be signed, and how to handle living in these camps, are presented..thought provoking in many cases.

It is also so relevant today, and that is why I think all should read it.  I will be buying a copy (or two) for my classroom library.


This book is the Global Read Aloud pick for middle school students.  It is a beautifully told story, full of hope and heartache.  You will need a tissue box near you, especially as you approach the ending.

I love doing read alouds with my students, and will include this, but I know I will be bawling as I read certain sections.

# 17 Wow, just wow

Many people have raved about this, and I waited until now to read it.  Wow. I don't understand hashtags, and have never used one.  I don't though have the words to express how wonderful this book was.  So, I will just write a hashtag I have seen: All The Feels.

Get it, read it, and love it :-).

Thriller that works (for me) # 16

I might be actually on book 17, as I neglected to mention another thriller that I read.  It was one that was advertised everywhere, and I fell for it.  It apparently was originally a short story, and someone was intrigued by the premise and asked the author to make it a novel. Truly should have stuck to a short story as the plot only extended that far.

Onto this review.  I love Jeffery Deaver, and back when Borders was in existence saw him at author talks.  He was in my mind pretty funny in those; had a dry sardonic manner for the most part back then, and this novel kind of portrays that in the main character.

Colter has a background that is unusual, and slowly revealed at various points in the novel. The main case he is dealing with involves a computer game, and someone putting victims into various scenarios from the game. I enjoyed the false leads, and other characters that are introduced throughout this novel.  I also liked where one character pretty much shows Colter his methods aren't always effective, and he potentially has ruined a friendship as a result.

The book ends with some unresolved aspects, and I am already looking forward to the next in this new series.

15 is a home run Summer 2019

I absolutely loved this book.  Chinese folklore, an incredible protagonist, great characters, and a fun plot made for a wonderful read.

I am hoping this becomes a series. and hope if it does the humor continues.  Genie Lo discovers she needs to fight some demons when a new kid moves to town; their relationship current and in the past is original, and I loved learning a bit about Chinese folklore.  One legend deals with Guanyin, and coincidentally I saw her statue in an art museum in Baltimore, while reading the book. She is truly an interesting deity.

If you enjoy Rick Riordan books, and want to learn a bit about Chinese folklore, this book is for you. Even if you don't enjoy those books, you will enjoy this as it is aimed for an older crowd then the typical Riordan series is.

14 ummm, nope

I read a book by a well known writer, whose books I hadn't read previously.  It was pegged as a suspense/thriller, and while it had a good premise: a mass shooting where the planner isn't caught or even known to exist (as 3 killers die in the shootings) continues targeting people that were there that night. However, it truly slogged during the middle ( the author was trying to build up a romance in this part).  Some characters were entirely unbelievable, and aspects of the plot were as well.

I won't name the book or author though, as it pains me to write bad reviews. Even my brief description is a bit painful, but figured I'd acknowledge that book 14 was read :-).

# 13 is terrific

Wow.  I didn't know what to expect, but this is just a great novel.  A realistic look at what many kids are experiencing.  Poverty, domestic violence, fear, issues at school, a helpful teacher (that isn't unrealistically portrayed..it's not Dangerous Minds, it is reality here).

I loved the characters, and felt all were realistically presented. The dialog was spot on.

A heartfelt, wonderful read.  I highly recommend it.

Twelfth Book: Summer reading 2019

Powerful.  Alfonso is a young teen interested in history, the arts, and music.  His dad is soon to be released from prison where he was unjustly incarcerated (innocent in other words).  As Alfonso is buying a suit to welcome his dad home, he is shot and killed by a security officer who mistakes a hanger for a gun.

This book takes on police violence, and racism in a graphic novel format. Alfonso ends up being a ghost, which nicely ties in with his school production of Hamlet, that he would have participated in had he been alive.  Other ghosts teach him about their lives, that were cut down by police.  In some aspects it reminded me of A Long Way Down by Reynolds, since he is on a train and at various points meets other ghosts (like the elevator), and in other aspects it reminded me of Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes.  Both of those books were excellent, if you haven't had a chance to read them do so now.

All three books are strong; this book is particularly strong when it compares Alfonso's death with school shootings where suspects are "escorted" rather than being killed by police. I do think readers will want to research some of the ghosts portrayed, and the author nicely has a synopsis of each at the end of the book.

I do have a harder time reading graphic novels than narratives, but this book would make a nice addition to any MS or HS classroom library.

3 books at the cabin Summer 2019

While at a cabin on the Shenandoah river, I read 3 books.  One was a YA, one a thriller, and the other non-fiction.

The YA book was one I had been looking forward to for some time.


Blended, by Sharon Draper.  I love Draper's books, and have many in my classroom library. This centers on Isabella, an 11 year old whose mom is white and dad is black. She deals with their divorce in this book geared to younger students.  The initial part didn't engage me as much as I had hoped, but she soon gets the plot going as the book gets closer to the middle. The parents are getting remarried on the same day which causes conflict, Izzy's piano recital is approaching, a friend finds a noose in her locker, and then there is a police involved shooting.  My guess is Draper is presenting some of the racist incidents we hear about (or witness), and police shootings of young black people, in a book for a younger audience.  I think this aspect she handles well. If you have a student who might not be ready for All American Boys or The Hate U Give, they could start with this title. Though it doesn't get too in-depth, it is a nice light introduction to this type of narrative. It might get a young student curious enough to read more intense (perhaps also realistic) takes on racism.

The next book is by Joy Fielding.  I read See Jane Run when it first came out, and was blown away. Since then I have tried to read all of her novels. Her latest is All the Wrong Places. It kept me reading,

as I wanted to see how it resolves, if the killer is caught, who figures it out, etc., etc.  While the plot and premise were great, the execution of some aspects weren't as well written as her previous novels.  I felt the dialog, character development, and resolution were all more typical of a younger, debut novelist than one with Fielding's skills. Having said that, as I mentioned I did keep reading, so the thriller aspect ran true.

The final book I read at the cabin, is the nonfiction one.

I read this because my son mentioned it was part of his summer reading for law school in the fall. I was intrigued by the cover. It deals with the Haitian refugee crisis in the early 90's; they were held in Guantanamo. While it is fascinating, it is also depressing. Many of the statements made then about refugees, are being made now. And, you will come across many familiar names, like William Barr. 
Not a light summer read by any means, rather a truly worthy read.

Book 8 Summer reading 2019

This is kind of a typical summer read, since it is a thriller.  I have read many of Baldacci's books, mostly the Camel club series, but at one point stopped reading him when some of the plots and characters just became a bit too unbelievable.

This is the start of a new series, the Atlee Pine series. Atlee is a FBI agent in a one person office in Arizona.  She has an interesting background, with one main plot point being the center. Her twin sister was taken in the middle of the night, when they were 6.  She was never found. The start of the book deals with Atlee's investigation into that crime.  The majority of the book deals with a crime (conspiracy) that starts with a missing man and a dead mule in the Grand Canyon.

All thrillers have their moments that make you go, huh? Either due to a character doing something stupid, that you know will lead to problems (happens here a couple of times, but won't spoil things by detailing) or spies who randomly are able to fly, travel, get everywhere incredibly easily and quickly.  This part was a little more realistic than some series I have read. No one here travels to Europe from the states in just a few hours for example, but some aspects of their travels did have me not believing it could be pulled off.  But, hey it is a thriller, and a great summer read.  If you enjoy getting to know a character, or enjoy starting new series, this one is worthy of checking out.

Summer Reading 2019 Book 7 is a sweet YA read

I picked this book up at NOVA Teen Fest back in March, and finally read it.  It is a sweet, funny look at friendship, relationships, loss, forgiveness, and growing up.  The two main characters, Josie and Delia alternate chapters/narratives. The voice was honestly similar in both, but their concerns are different enough that it was easy to keep track of who was who. I loved the references to horror movies, and hosts of goofy horror shows, which the girls share as they are hosting a similar show on their local cable channel.  While it is a YA title, I think HS school students will appreciate it more than MS students. Some of the situations are a bit more mature, and the issues are more relatable to kids about to leave HS.

Summer reading 2019 Book 6

I adored this novel.  An English teacher is murdered, and one of the three narrators is her colleague, another English teacher.  Many references to Wilkie Collins, particularly his novel, The Woman in White.  I read that years ago, and loved it. The style is quite reminiscent of it.

I enjoyed each character's narration, Clare, the English teacher, her daughter Georgie, and the detective Harbrinder.  It had me guessing throughout, and well, it was just wonderfully written.

It isn't a quick read; I had to stop at times to simply absorb what I had read, and to take a break from the Gothic setting so to speak. I might need to start Elly Griffiths' Ruth Galloway series, but currently have too many other titles on my to be read list.

Summer books 4 and 5

Books 4 and 5 Notes From a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi was a very interesting read. It takes you up through the closing of Shaw Bijou, and ends prior to Kith and Kin. His life is very interesting, and the book was well written. The other book, Honey Trap by JJ Marsh is book 8 in a mystery/detective series I fell in love with. Beatrice Stubbs, the detective, is older/middle-aged. Her strengths and weaknesses are believable, all supporting characters are great; relationships are realistically detailed, and the mysteries of each book are engaging. All are set in Europe, with this one set in Naples. The first book is Behind Closed Doors.

Summer books 2 and 3

Summer reading: books 2 and 3. The Last Time I Lied by Rlley Sager alternates between present day and 15 years ago in a compelling mystery. It honestly dragged a bit for me in the middle, which is when I started Bottle of Lies (great/nonfiction). When I restarted it though, I enjoyed it and the ending was good. Focused by Alyson Gerber deals with a 7th grade girl discovering she has ADHD. Realistic fiction at its best. Students who have this, people who know people with it, and of course teachers, will find the scenes well done, and the issues of ADHD compellingly told.

Summer Reading 2019

First book of the summer isn't a typical summer read, but it is a must read. Seriously, if you or anyone you know takes medicine daily, for chronic conditions, read this. Really, all are in this boat at some point, so read it.
Very well written. Engaging and informative.