#26--Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Auggie says, early on, "I won't describe what I look like.   Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse." He is an average 10-year-old in many ways except that he has never been in public school because of a facial deformity he was born with that has required numerous surgeries and hospital visits over the course of his young life. But Auggie is about to enter fifth grade at Beecher Prep.

This story follows Auggie, his family, and classmates through the year and how different people react, or don't, to Auggie. There are immediate friends, bullies, and eventual friends throughout the course of the year.

This was one of the best books I read this summer because it is an amazing story. It doesn't matter that Auggie is 10.  This book is geared for all ages because of Auggie and how he handles himself, his detractors, and his family and their apprehension about sending him to school.

I would recommend this book to everyone! Some of my teachers are thinking about using this book in their classroom as a read-aloud with their classes, which I am really excited about. I will also be adding this title to my book talk rotation too!

Happy Reading!!

#25--The Captive by Joyce Hansen

Kofi is the beloved son of an Ashanti chief who has been betrayed by a beloved family slave, kidnapped, and sold into slavery in Massachusetts, post American Revolution--when slavery was illegal, but often tolerated.  Kofi does not understand what is happening.  All he wants is to get back to his family and village. He even tries to convince his captors that if they return him they will be richly rewarded.  Which, of course, they all laugh at and continue in their nefarious ways.

On the route to America, he befriends two other young boys on the ship: one, Tim, is a white indentured servant, and the other, Joseph, a black orphan who was born on the ship.  These three boys become inseparable and are eventually purchased together by a Puritan man and his wife.  While slavery is illegal in Massachusetts, white indentured servitude is not.  The man is not kind to any of the help on the farm, but especially not to the three boys.  The mistress gives all three boys lessons and Kofi especially eats it up.  Kofi eventually tries to explain to the mistress, thinking she is his friend, that he wants to go back to Africa to his family and village.  She is horrified and from then on holds him at a distance, demanding that the three boys pray for their salvation--even though there is never any explanation to the boys why they go to a long building once a week or the purpose behind the kneeling every night while the master drones one.

Kofi and his two friends eventually escape and end up on a boat belonging to Paul Cuffe, who happened to be a free black and the captain of the ship, as well as a Quaker.  The boys are taken to jail because though the master claims he has paid good money for Tim's contract, the boys claim ill-treatment and that Kofi is a kidnapped African and Joseph is an illegal slave.  In order to sort everything out, there is a trial.  Paul Cuffe has promised to take the boys under his wing and make them his apprentices in ship-building.  The boys are eventually awarded their freedom and go to live with Cuffe and his family.

In the epilogue, Kofi is an adult, married, and working tirelessly with Joseph and other Quakers to end slavery and to make life better for blacks in America.

This book is based on a journal from the late 1700s.  I was able to find out a little more information about Paul Cuffe but Kofi is a creation of the author's imagination, based on the journal.

This was a quick, easy read that I will recommend to students interested in this time period, or to teachers working on a history of slavery lesson/unit.

Happy Reading!!

#13--Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip--Jordan Sonnenblick

I may have mentioned in the past that Jordan Sonnenblick has been a visiting author at my school....and we have been lucky enough to have him come TWICE!!

Curveball is his latest title to come out and it has been very popular with my students, so, since my goal was to read at least two books last week by previously visiting authors, I grabbed this one off one of my many stacks of unread books around my house.

At the end of his 8th grade year, star pitcher, Peter Friedman has a career-ending injury in his elbow.  After spending the summer in physical therapy after surgery, Peter isn't sure what his freshman year will be like since he is no longer an athlete.  His best friend, and pitching partner, AJ doesn't believe that Peter won't be back on the diamond come spring.  And he is working hard to get Peter back into peak physical condition, no matter what it takes.  Peter can't bring himself to tell AJ the truth--that he can never throw a ball again.

Fortunately, Peter also has photography--the passion that he and his grandfather, a professional photographer, both share.  When his grandfather realizes that he is beginning to suffer from signs of Alzheimer's, he gives Peter all of his high-grade camera equipment.  Peter has signed up for a photography class as one of his electives, and when he proves, on the first day, that he knows quite a bit about photography, the instructor sends him over to the advanced class....and within minutes, another cute freshman joins him...the only two freshmen in the class.  Peter and Angelika get paired together to work on projects, and Peter really likes her, but Angelika isn't interested in dating someone who can't be honest with those he cares about--Peter hasn't told AJ the truth, and he also hasn't told his parents what is going on with his grandfather.

One of the things that I really like about Sonnenblick is that he brings back main characters from other books as peripheral characters.  If you hadn't read his other books, the characters wouldn't necessarily jump out at you, but they are nice surprises every time it happens.  This time around, San and Emily from Zen and the Art of Faking It make an appearance, and it was nice to see them again, a little bit older in this outing.

This book made me both laugh and tear up, which Sonnenblick tends to do--and is the mark of a great book, in my mind.

Happy Reading!!!

#3 Shelter by Harlan Coben

I spent a long weekend this January in Phoenix, AZ.  I was there to attend a conference for work about what is new in YA literature.  I've been going to this conference annually since I started working as a librarian and I look forward to it every year.  The presenter is Patti Tjomsland and she is amazing!  I have actually travelled from PA to FL, VA, and now AZ to see her present!

My mom went with me and we made a girls' weekend out of it.  We spent some time hiking and just relaxing.  One of the places we went to was Tempe Marketplace, a beautiful open-air mall that had live music each night of the weekend.  We actually ended up at the Marketplace twice because the day we tried to go to the Phoenix Botanical Gardens there was a marathon and every road we tried to take was blocked for the race, so we gave up and headed to the Marketplace, simply because we knew we could get there!  We both grabbed a book to sit by one of the fantastic fireplaces situated throughout....

 



At several different junctures, Mom needed to get up and move around....while I sat glued to my seat to finish this story!  Mickey has witnessed his father's death and since his mom has been sent to rehab after spiraling down after her husband's death....and now Mickey is living with his Uncle Myron, much to his chagrin and dismay.  Right before school starts, Mickey goes to a meeting at his new school for all new students.  There he meets Ashley, who he quickly falls for.  They spend the next few weeks getting to know each other, until the day Ashley just disappears.  Being tired of losing so many people in his life, Mickey isn't about to let her go that quickly.  He goes to great lengths to find out what has happened to Ashley.  There are all kinds of twists and turns in this story that I didn't see coming.  There is a second book in this series, Seconds Away, and I can't wait to read it!!  Fortunately, my library has a copy of the second title.....but it is checked out, so it may be a while before I get the chance to read it.  But read it, I will!

Happy Reading!!!

#2 Leap Day by Wendy Mass

Imagine only celebrating your real birthday once every four years....that is what Leapers do.  Leapers are those special few people who are born on February 29.  Josie Taylor is one of those special few, and today is her 4th birthday...but she is actually turning 16.  The story takes place over the course of Josie's birthday and is told from a number of different points of view.  It follows Josie and her friends and family from the beginning of the day to an end-of-the-day celebration at the lake where one of her friends tells her a big secret.  The author gives insight as to the future of some of the characters and what they will be like, but not fore everyone.  If you're going to explore the future of several minor characters, why not do it for all? 

Wendy Mass was our visiting author several years ago and this is the second of her books that I've read.  I am rather ambivalent toward this title, but really liked the other title I read, A Mango-Shaped Space. 

Happy Reading!!

#43--Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Gordon Korman makes me laugh.  Everything I've read of his has, at some point, made me laugh out loud....sometimes even to the point of a snort :).  I grabbed this title off the new books pile last week and as soon as I finished The Fault in Our Stars, I picked up Ungifted, looking for a good laugh after a sobering, cancer-kid book.  And it didn't disappoint!  I found myself giggling through much of the first 100 pages yesterday and today there were even more giggles as I finished it.

Donovan Curtis is not known for thinking through his actions, which is what put him in detention in the first place.  Having been sent to the principal's office for a spitball incident with his two best friends, the Daniels, the PA microphone was too much of a temptation and he broadcast to the entire school "Our fans are great; our team is nifty!  We're going to get blown out by fifty!"  Not the best idea in the world on the day of the big game.  After sitting through much of detention, the Daniels help Donovan sneak out of the last ten minutes when the teacher leaves the room.  As he is running for freedom, he suddenly has the unstoppable urge to smack the statue of Atlas on the butt with a large branch....which snaps the single corroded bolt holding the earth on Atlas's shoulders, and sends it careening for the gym, where the big game is taking place.

As the globe is on a collision course, there isn't much Donovan can do to stop it.  Unfortunately for Donovan, the district Superintendent, Dr. Schultz, happened to be at the game and he caught Donovan, who he proceeds to haul off to his office for interrogation.  Fortunately for Donovan, Dr. Schultz is called back to the scene of the crime and he sends Donovan home for the night.  Little does Donovan know that Dr. Schultz has accidentally included Donovan's name on the list of students being recommended for the Academy of Scholastic Distinction. 

When Donovan gets the letter saying that he is being sent to ASD, he sees it as a golden opportunity to keep a low profile and out of Dr. Schultz line of sight.  It is apparent early on to his teachers and his fellow students that Donovan is not actually gifted, and no one is really sure why or how he came to be at ASD.  Over the course of the next month, Donovan makes friends and works hard at keeping his cover.  But what will happen when Dr. Schultz finds out where Donovan is hiding out? 

This story is told in alternating chapters between several different characters--something that Korman is rather adept at.  I typically enjoy seeing the same story from different angles from within the story itself. 

This title will definitely be added to the book talk rotation and I think that a few more copies will be making their way to the shelves in the library as well.

Happy Reading!!

#29--They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti

During the summer I always have great aspirations to getting lots of reading done....as is evidenced by the piles of books I pack anytime I go anywhere.  However, life, and this year, the Olympics, gets in the way. 

I finished They Almost Always Come Home several months ago, but never posted it....so, here goes....

The story opens with Libby fretting over whether dead people wear shoes....it seems like a waste since no one will see them, but "no outfit is complete without shoes".  Every time her husband goes away on one of his Canadian wilderness trips, Libby tends to over-dramatize if he is even the tiniest bit late....but Greg has never been this late before, and he has never been in the wilderness alone...

When he doesn't return home within a few days of the anticipated time, Libby files a missing persons report....and waits, and waits, and waits.  Her father-in-law, Frank, and her best friend, Jenika (Jen), are there by her side.  During her agonizing wait for Greg, Libby waffles between wishing she had left Greg before his trip, to wishing he were home again and by her side.  Part of her indecision lies in the fact that their daughter died a few years ago, and then everything changed. 

Jen is convinced that God wants Libby and Jen to find Greg....Libby's not so sure about that.  She is convinced that Greg is either dead or he has found a convenient way to leave her.  The fourth day after filing the missing persons report, Frank announces that he wants to go up to Canada to take a look around...hoping to see something the authorities missed, or to find "his boy".  Much to his chagrin, Libby and Jen insist on tagging along--two inexperienced and anti-outdoors women--to the wilderness of Canada.  And they only have one week to find him.

Along the way, Jen, Libby and Frank come across clues that indicate they are on the right trail....empty sunflower seeds, Greg's paddle that he made in high school wood shop.  And Libby also has one of Greg's journals that she reads at night while questioning God the whole time.

Two-thirds of the way into the book, the perspective switches to Greg's side of the story.  I don't want to give anything away....but I loved his side of the story just as much as Libby's and the ending was fantastic as well. 

Christian fiction can sometimes come across as preachy or trite, but this one doesn't.  Will definitely be checking out her future works.

Happy Reading!!

#28--Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein

It has been almost a month since my last post, but this title is definitely worth the wait!!

Code Name Verity is told in two parts, by two different characters.  The story opens in a prison in Nazi-occupied France where a British operative (she's Scottish, and you better not EVER call her English!) is being held.  The British operative is writing her story of how she came to be in France in exchange for more time alive.  The Nazis are expecting her to give up secret information about the Allies' plans to invade France, while she is weaving a narrative.  This operative goes by many names in the course of the book, some of which could give away part of the story, so I will just refer to her as Scottie (this is one of her nicknames in the book).

Scottie is from the upper, upper crust in Scotland, with royalty in her blood.  In the beginning of the war, she makes friends with a working-class girl, Maddie, and they soon become best friends, despite their differences.  Maddie is a pilot and a mechanic--on cars, motorcycles, airplanes, basically anything with an engine.  But she is working as a wireless operator since women haven't been called up to fly for the war effort yet.  Flying is what gives Maddie purpose.  Scottie is an invaluable asset because she speaks French and German, can think on her feet quickly, and likes to make up stories.  The two girls are first paired up to talk down a lost German pilot and get him safely to their English base.  Later, they are paired up in the drop that gets Scottie arrested.  (If I say much more here, I will give away some of the best parts of the plot, so I will stop.)

The two other minor supporting characters are the Gestapo officer, Hauptstrumfuhrer von Linden, and the female guard/interpreter, Anna Engel.  Neither of these characters are stock characters; both are rounded characters who have surprises in them that  you don't see coming. 

I was up until late last night/early this morning finishing this book, because I couldn't put it down.  I wanted to find out what happened at the end.  

There are lots of World War II and Holocaust books and books about men fighting and women at home, but this is the first book I've read about women being a part of the fighting and ferrying of planes, pilots and refugees and I hope to see more!

I was provided with a free galley copy of this title by NetGalley.  All statements are mine.  This book is now available for purchase, but in print and as an ebook.

I hope you find this one as enjoyable and not-put-downable as I did! 

Happy Reading!!