Books I Read in June

I did a lot of comfort reading in June with 7 adult books, 1 young adult, and 2 middle grade.  Here's my list!

Every Bride Needs a Groom | Janice Thompson | 4 Stars
This is a Hallmark type story set in Texas about a woman who wins a wedding dress in a contest but has a break up with her boyfriend and no wedding can be planned.  It is funny and I especially liked her brother's antics. A very sweet and clean romance.  I found this on my bookshelf and I am not sure where it came from.  There are more books in this series. 

Dear Evan Hansen: The Novel | Val Emmich | 3 Stars

This book is based on the broadway musical of the same name. It is about a lonely, anxiety-laden high school student who mistakenly is thought to be the best friend of a student who has died by suicide. He ends up rolling with it because it can't figure out how to tell the truth. It starts his own romance and a revolution of kindness in his school. I expected to be as moved as I was listening to the music but was let down a bit. I think in this case, the musical is better. This is a YA book and includes language and mature topics. A friend lent this book to me!

Indian No More | Charlene Willing Mcmanis | 5 Stars
This is a middle-grade book about a Native American family who leaves the reservation and moves to Los Angeles after the government declares they are no longer considered Native Americans.  I loved this book and I encourage everyone to read this book which illuminates a historical event most don't know anything about. I checked this book out of the library. 

Things You Save in a Fire | Katherine Center | 4 Stars

A woman firefighter moves from Texas to Boston to help her mother and join a new fire station. She ends up battling lots of prejudice and fighting for equality along with learning to forgive her mother. I loved this book and plan on reading more from her. I got this book from Book of the Month. 

The Ringmaster's Wife | Kristy Cambron | 4 Stars

Think Downton Abbey and Water for Elephants and The Greatest Show on Earth. There are two time periods to keep track of...but the author always gives a timestamp at the beginning of the chapter. One of the characters is based on Mabel Ringling who married John Ringling. Since there isn’t much information about her...the author imagines what she was like. I would love to visit their home in Sarasota, Florida now! I got this book from my church library. It is a clean read with messages of God’s love and forgiveness.

Out of Left Field | Ellen Klages | 4 Stars

It is 1957 and Katy wants to play little league but is rejected because she is a girl. She takes on a mission to find out the history of women in playing baseball in hopes to get them to change their minds. This is such a great story that promotes social change and women's rights. I really enjoyed this one. This is a middle-grade book and I got it from a school library. 

Chocolate Cream Pie Murder | Joanne Fluke | 3 Stars

This cozy mystery is about a cookie store owner in Minnesota who solves mysteries in her home town. It always includes lots of recipes and is really corny and sweet. It is really comfort reading.  I read this on Libby. 

When Love Calls | Lorna Seilstad | 4 Stars

This is a sweet vintage read set in Iowa about orphaned sisters. The oldest gets a job as a telephone operator and gives up her dreams of being a lawyer to provide for her sisters. Interesting to learn about the job of a telephone operator. I got this book series from my church library.

While Love Stirs | Lorna Seilstad | 4 Stars

The sisters move to St. Paul and the second sister follows her culinary dreams. One of her first jobs in promoting gas stoves by traveling around and doing cooking demonstrations. 

As Love Blooms | Lorna Seilstad | 4 Stars
The third sister follows her dream of horticulture and gets in involved in Como Park. I enjoyed this series because it really felt like a visit to local museum and learning about the family that lived there. They are also very charming and always promote women's suffrage and rights. 

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

5 stars | Grades 3-7 

This is a funny and heartwarming story about a girl who is a genius at math because of an electrical accident from lightning when she was 8. She had been homeschooled but at the age of 12, she returns to school. Yes, middle school. You know that will be difficult! Lucy knows she will face kids who will make fun of her. She's a savant when it comes to math but also deals with obsessive-compulsive behaviors. Now she needs to fit in and find friends! Throw in a pet shelter and rescue project and some quirky but loveable characters and you end up with a great book! I loved it!

This book reminded me a little of  Wonder by R. J.  Palacio but with more humor and math! This would also make an excellent read-aloud!

 

A Place to Belong by Cynthia Kadohata

  

4 stars | A Place to Belong | Cynthia Kadohata | Grade 4 and Up

An American Japanese family leaves an internment camp, renounces their American citizenship and gets on a ship to go back to Japan. The parents and their two children discover the horrific conditions in the destroyed city of Hiroshima as they pass through on their way to the grandparent's poor country home. The grandparents are so happy to see their son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren again. But, life is very hard in Japan, and getting even enough rice to eat is difficult. The book takes the reader along as the family struggles for how to survive and what difficult choices they may have to make.

This book would be a great teacher or parent read-aloud for kids so that lots of discussions can take place. Adults should read it for insight into Japanese Internment history. 

There is humor, heartbreak, joy, and sadness in this quiet and yet impactful novel. I want adults to read this book and then encourage kids to read it or read it to them. The cover and subject matter will not market to kids because this one needs some selling!

I am feeling inspired to promote middle-grade books through YouTube because of all of the people that inspire my reading from YouTube with their book reviews.  So, give a listen and subscribe to my channel!

Indian No More by Charlene Willing McManis

This is a book that I have been waiting for. It tells the struggle of a Native American family from Oregon who relocates to Los Angeles after the United States government tells their tribe that they have been terminated and they no longer exist.   Regina who is a 5th grader, her third-grade sister Peewee, her parents, and her grandmother relocate to a little house in LA.  Regina's father is excited to go back to school and then get a good job to provide for his family. When they arrive they are surprised at how small their house and yard are and miss space and nature they enjoyed in Oregon.  Regina and Peewee meet lots of kids in their neighborhood and it is very diverse...Black, Cuban, and German.  They learn a lot about racism personally as they encounter lots of stereotypes about Native Americans. They also experience racism toward others in their neighborhood. 

This book reminds me a little bit of a Beverly Cleary book about kids in a neighborhood who enjoy being neighbors together.  It also goes deeper as it includes the parents and the grandmother's struggles in starting over in a new city away from their family and friends in Oregon and the rich traditions they do not want to forget.  McManis also does a good job of showing racial stereotypes from the lens of a Native American. 

This book is based on the childhood experiences of McManis.  She completed the writing of this book but became ill before the final edits.  Traci Sorell stepped in to take the book to the final publication. At the beginning of the book, the author gives a note, a map, and a glossary. I appreciated having some of this background information before I began to read the story.  At the end, the notes from the co-author and the editor really showed how carefully this book was vetted for correct content. They felt like this was their chance and responsibility to have the microphone and speak for the Native American community. 

Parents and teachers should read this book and then share it with their children and students. It is a very important book to add to our understanding of the history of racial issues in the United States. 

I rate this book a 5 out of 5.  The book could be read by 3rd - 6th-grade students. 

Books I Read in May

I read nine books this month. I started and didn't finish a number of ebooks...but once I started reading print books, my reading took off. I don't know if it was because of the format or just a coincidence. I do love holding a paper book!

I have a rating system for my books that is as follows: 
5 Stars:  I really loved the book...and would recommend it highly for others to read. It was a perfect read for me.
4 Stars:  I really liked the book...and would recommend it highly for others to read. It was practically perfect.
3 Stars:  I liked the book...it would be a recommendation for some but not everyone.  It had a few distractions.
2 Stars:  It didn't care for the book...but I read it. I wouldn't recommend it.
1 Star: I didn't like the book at all. I don't give many of these out...because I usually will not finish the book instead. 

So here are brief summaries of each of my May books:

The Mother-In-Law by Sally Hepworth:  5 Stars  I loved reading this book! It is a family drama murder mystery set in Australia. I cared about the characters, couldn't guess the ending, and was very entertained. I found this book in a little library on my walking route!

The Printed Letter Bookshop by Katherine Reay: 3 Stars  This is a cozy, warm story about a bookshop that is willed to a niece by her aunt. It involves lots of interesting characters and their lives inside the setting of a book store.  I was a little distracted and confused by the different character changes and didn't totally settle into this book, however, overall, I liked this comfortable story. It was an eBook which might have been my issue of distraction.  

The Endless Beach by Jenny Colgan: 4 Stars   This is actually the third book written by Colgan about the Scottish Island of Mure. Here is the order of them:  The Summer Seaside Kitchen, A Very Distant Shore, The Endless Beach, and Christmas on the Island.  Even though I haven't read the other books, it didn't matter, I still enjoyed the book as a stand-alone.  This book is about Flora and Joel and their relationship, Flora's family, Flora's best friend, and the new doctor on the island.  And another character of this book is the actual setting of the island.  It is such an interesting place and probably a great island to visit. Flora runs the family restaurant and so if you like reading about food, there is a little of that as well.  

City Spies by James Ponti: 4 Stars  I love kids spy stories and this once was great!  I look forward to reading more in this series.  I wrote a review on this one and posted a video as well.  I hope to promote this book to lots of kids. 

Frankly in Love by David Yoon: 3 Stars   This is a high school angsty love story about a second-generation Korean American boy who has difficulty fitting into his Southern California high school life and his parent's Korean expectations.  Frank Li is dating the wrong girl and needs to keep this a secret. He gets the idea to pretend to date a girl in his parent's circle so that he can keep his parents off his back. She needs the same thing...because she is also not dating the right guy with a Korean background. You can imagine that this is complicated and feelings and love interests get very confused.  Frank Li also has to face a difficult family situation with his father as well.  This is usually not my favorite type of book and I am sensitive to lots of bad language and wanted to give this book a 2.  However, reading about Korean culture and getting a glimpse at the issues facing kids caught in between two cultures was very good. So many kids have faced this in the past and now. It just involves different races and countries. Something to think about.  

The Borrowers by Mary Norton: 4 Stars   This is a classic story written in the 1950s about small people who live under the floors in houses and borrow everything they need from the homeowners...in secret.  This book takes place in the late 1800s.  At this point, there is only one family left in the home. A mother, father, and young girl are living under the floor in the kitchen. They are very isolated since all the other little families who used to live in hiding have left because they were seen. When you are seen, cats or exterminators are called and it is too dangerous to stay.  At this point, only one elderly lady and her housekeeper live at the house. So, one night, the father takes his daughter borrowing to teach her this skill.  She discovers a boy and he discovers her. Even though they try to keep this a secret, it doesn't work. Now, the family has to get out before it is too late.   

Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin: 4 Stars   This is a reread for me.  I finished Jojo Moyes's book Giver of the Stars this spring which is about packhorse librarians in Kentucky.  I loved that book.  I remembered that I had read Wonderland Creek a few years ago and liked it a lot too. So, I decided to reread this one.  It is written by Lynn Austin and she always tells a great story.  This is a great book as well.  I had a few distractions with the mystery in this book which didn't let me give it a 5, but I would still highly recommend this book.  It is funny, entertaining, and also gives a message of faith which I enjoyed. The setting is very important to the story and I loved imagining the scenery of the  Kentucky forests.

Valentine by Elizabeth Wetmore: 2 Stars   I plodded through this story set in Texas in the 80s. It starts out with a terrible crime committed against a teenager. The result of this crime is wrestled within the family, town, and the courts.  Time and characters switch up throughout the book and I had a hard time keeping track of the plot.  Sometimes a character would be brought into the story and then not much happened with them later.  The plot was too busy and character-based for me.  I did try listening to this on Audible but it didn't help.  I made myself finish the book since it was a Jenna book club choice and she just raved about it. But, it didn't get better for me.  I did listen to Jenna talk to the author about this book and I found the interview very delightful.  I wish I had liked the book as much. 

Adequate Yearly Progress by Roxanna Elden: 3 Stars  This is a story about high school teachers in an urban school in Texas who are facing a new year with a superstar superintendent who claims he can fix the plight of poor schools.  Although, a funny and snarky take on education, it is also very familiar and many elements are very true.  This book focuses on the teachers and not the students and there are no easy answers written in the book to solve the problems.  The ending was a little rushed for me and I found the way storylines were tied up was a little unbelievable.  Although humor is a big part of the story...it also features some very sad plots too.  There is some language as well.  

City Spies by James Ponti

I am a cozy mystery lover and James Ponti does a good job with his mystery series for middle-grade readers. His Framed series are mysteries with plenty of action and humor but not too gruesome or violent. City Spies is his newest book and probably the beginning of a series. It is about five orphan kids from around the world who come together to live in Scotland to form a secret British spy team.  They live in an old castle and when not spying go to a local private school. They each have their own specialty from hacking to sleight of hand and together form a team to stop villains. 

The story starts in New York City where orphan Sara Martinez is facing juvenile detention and a ban from using computers for hacking into the foster care system software. A British spy sweeps in and gets her released into his custody. He brings her to Scotland to meet the other for kids who will be part of her new spy family. Everyone is named after the place they came. Sara now becomes Brooklyn.  Her hacking abilities are needed for the team's next mission which takes place in Paris. They are acting undercover in an international youth summit contest and trying to prevent the villains from destroying the world. Interestingly, a virus attack is one of the problems they face. This book came out in March 2020 right on the brink of sheltering orders for protection from COVID 19. I wonder if James Ponti knew his plot would be this close to reality. 

I enjoyed reading this spy adventure book and would rate it a 4 out of 4.  I can't wait for the next book!  

April Books

I read eleven books this month and I really liked all of them! April was a good reading month. 

The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes  (Adult)

I loved this historical fiction story about librarians on pack horses for the Appalachian people in the 1930's.  I rated it a 5!  This was so good.  (Book of the Month)

If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home By Now by Christopher Ingraham  (Adult)

Christopher Ingraham says he is a "born again Minnesotan". He moved from Maryland as a reporter for the Washington Post to live in Red Lake County, Minnesota. He had written about this area as being the worst county to live in Minnesota. When he visited, he realized he wanted to move to Minnesota to eliminate a crazy lifestyle!  I rated this a 4. (Libby EBook)

Funny, You Don't Look Autistic by Michael McCreary (Adult)

Michael tells about his life growing up autistic with humor and heart. A great memoir. I rated this book a 4. (Libby EBook)

The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming (Young Adult)

My book club read this book this month. It was such a good story about the lives of the last Tsar in Russia. So sad. This is non-fiction and the author does a great job explaining the complicated history of Russia. I rated this book a 4. (Libby EBook)

Becoming the Talbot Sisters by Rachel Linden (Adult)

Twin sisters live completely different lives but are able to come together to help each other out and change their lives and others. This story deals with sex trafficking, surrogacy, international aid, and food TV entertainment. I rated this book a 4. I listened to the audiobook and it was easy to follow with a good narrator. (Libby Audiobook)

Roll With It by Jamie Sumner (Middle Grade)

Ellie is in a wheelchair because of cerebral palsy. Her mother and her move to help their grandparents and find the transition difficult and yet Ellie finds the friendships she longs for. This is a great book and I rate it a 4.  (School Library)

The Path Between Us by Suzanne Stabile (Adult) 

This is a sequel to The Road Back to You which talks about the Enneagram and relationships.  Easy to follow and so encouraging. I rated it a 4. (Kindle Purchase)

The Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall (Adult)

This is the story of two pastors and their wives, their marriages, careers, ministry, and families who live in New York City. I really like this book and rated it a 4. (Libby Ebook)

Shine! by J. J. and Chris Grabenstein (Middle Grade)

Piper goes to an elite private school and despite thinking she is not talented becomes an example for everyone. Great story. I rated it a 4. (School Library)

All the Colors of Magic by Valija Zinck (Middle Grade)

Penelope's mother is in the hospital and now Penelope's gray hair turns red and she has magical powers. The road calls her to help rescue her father. I really liked this book and rated it a 4. (School Library)

Captain Superlative by J. S. Puller (Middle Grade)

A girl dressed as a superhero runs through the middle school helping kids and battles bullying and unkindness. Janey wants to know who is behind it. Bring your kleenex to this one. I rated it a 4. (School Library)

Strong Girl Characters!

Strong Girl Character Book Recommendations!

I am on a good reading streak and I have really liked almost everything I have picked up! I had the above stack of books on my desk and realized that all of the characters are really strong and charming characters filled with heart and spirit. Let me tell you about them.

Roll With It by Jamie Sumner

Ellie and her mother move to help take care of her grandfather during the middle of the school year. She is having to adjust to a new living and school situation which isn't easy since she has to use a wheelchair. She was born with cerebral palsy and isn't strong enough to walk. Her grandparent's home and her new school are not quite ready for wheelchairs. It seems like the challenges are too much, but Ellie begins making friends which makes this move one of the best things that have happened to her. 

I loved Ellie! She is a fighter who doesn't let her disability stop her. It is a fast read, about a 4th-grade reading level, and 250 pages long. I really liked it and give it a 4-star rating. 

All the Colors of Magic by Valija Zinck

The intense colors on the cover of the book drew me in. It is about a little girl who discovers she has magical abilities from her red hair. Her father has been missing since she was little and now Penelope is being led through a road and voices that she needs to go on a rescue mission. Hopefully, she will find out the mystery of where her father is on her journey. 

I found this book very compelling because it was so different and full of interesting magic and mystery. I really liked it and give it 4-stars.  It is about a 5th-grade reading level and is 279 pages long. 

Shine by J. J. and Chris Grabestein

Piper doesn't feel like she was born to shine or be a star but she loves the stars, as in astronomy. Her father lands a new music teaching job at a very elite private middle school. Piper is enrolled as a student and discovers she doesn't quite fit into the culture of the school. She is trying to find her way when a special contest is announced and everyone is school is doing all they can to win the prestigious prize. She faces some decisions about staying true to herself. 

This book was so funny!  I am pretty sure I laughed out loud. It is a story about someone who is not willing to compromise who she truly is. I really liked it and rate it 4-stars. It is a 4th-grade reading level and 210 pages. 

Captain Superlative by J. S. Puller

A girl with a red mask, blue wig, silver swimsuit, rubber gloves, torn tights, high-top sneakers and a cape is running through the halls of a middle school helping kids and preventing mishaps. Janey Silverman is curious and wants to find out who is behind the mask. She ends up finding out more than she had planned and her life along with her classmates are changed. 

Grab some tissues because you will probably need them. I really liked this book and rate it a 4-star. It is a 4th-grade reading level and is 245 pages long. 

All of these books are great character studies that are also fast and fun reads.  I recommend all of them. 

Sweep by Jonathan Auxier

This book was on so many recommended lists that I finally found a copy to read. Someone even said it would be a book they would take to a deserted island for reading. That really made me want to read it. It turned out that I loved this book too.  Stories about monsters or horror are not my go-to genre, but this isn't horror.  Think Mary Poppins, Oliver Twist, and Jewish folklore with fantasy and historical fiction. 

The story is set in Victorian London and the main character is an orphan who is raised by a chimney sweep until he has to leave her when she is only six years old. Nan ends up having to work for an evil chimney sweep lord who employs little children to clean out the chimneys in London.  The little ones are the only ones who can easily fit inside a chimney in order to clean it. When she is in a life or death situation, a small chunk of dust comes to her rescue! 

In the title, the book calls the creation Nan has a monster but I would say he is more like a gentle guide golem. A golem is a clay figure brought to life in Jewish folklore. The book refers to Jewish mythology, child labor, historical history, and a little bit of mysticism and magic. The writing is very beautiful and you can recognize the quality of this author's craft in this book.  It won the 2019 Sydney Taylor book award for an outstanding book for children that authentically portrays the Jewish experience.

This book gets a 5 rating from me.  I thought it was an amazing read!  It is about a 4th or 5th-grade reading level and is 368 pages long. 

Framed Series by James Ponti

I highly recommend the mystery series Framed by James Ponti.  The main characters are Florian Bates and his best friend Margaret. They are middle schoolers in Washington D. C. who get called by the FBI to help solve cases.  Florian has developed a T. O. A. S. T. theory which stands for theory of all small things which helps him solve life's mysteries. It reminds me of Sherlock Holmes's observation powers when he solved cases.  I love books where kids are asked to help with solving crime cases and mysteries. Florian and Margaret are great friends and fun characters to get to know. The stories are fast-paced, funny, and clever.  I don't always read an entire series, but I read all three of these stories!  I give them all 4-star ratings. 

Book 1:  Framed 
Florian and Margaret solve the mystery of stolen paintings from the National Gallery of Art.

Book 2:  Vanished
Florian and Margaret go undercover at a private school in Washington D. C. where the President of the United States daughter may or not be behind a series of middle school pranks.

Book 3:  Trapped
Florian and Margaret get involved in a spy ring and stolen books from The Library of Congress. Fascinating to get inside this library!

The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue by Karina Yan Glaser

I really like happy and neighborhood books. Not that there aren't difficulties and problems but that overall the kids and adults encourage, support and love each other through the tough times. Karina Yan Glaser has written three books about the Vanderbeeker family of seven who lives in Harlem, New York City.  Her fourth book in this series comes out in September.  I usually read the first book in most series and then move on but I just couldn't resist continuing to read about this family. They are perfect to read aloud to a range of ages since it is about the entire family of different ages. Also, a good read-aloud for younger grades. 

In The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street, the family finds out that they are not able to continue their lease on their brownstone and have to move out around Christmas. This devastating news makes the five children start to plot how to convince their landlord, who lives in the upstairs apartment, to change his mind. 

In The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden, the kids clean up a vacant lot by their brownstone to cheer up their beloved neighbor who has had a stroke.  Of course, they run into difficulties!

The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue was my favorite so far! In this saga, the Vanderbeekers keep finding stray animals at their door that they feel compelled to care for.  The only thing is, they need to get rid of their pets in order for their mother to pass the health inspection for her baking business which she runs in her home. 

I rate all of these books with 4 stars.  

Books I Read in March

I read 10 books this month:  3 adult fiction, 3 middle-grade fiction, and 4 graphic novels. 

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo:  4 stars
Dear Edward: 4 stars
Bear Town: 2 stars
Trapped: 4 stars
Vanished: 4 stars
The Doughnut King: 4 stars
Guts: 4 stars
Amulet: The Stonekeeper: 4 stars
Nat Enough: 4 stars
Best Friends: 4 stars

The Doughnut Fix and The Doughnut King by Jessie Janowitz

I picked up The Doughnut Fix one day because I was hungry for doughnuts and the cover called to me. I was delighted with this funny and charming book about a family and a small, quirky town. The story starts with Tristan's family moving from New York City to a very small town in upstate New York. It is a hard transition for Tris because the principal of the school recommends that the kids in their family wait until the beginning of the semester to start school. In the meantime, they are encouraged to come up with a project. Tristan discovers that there is a closed doughnut shop in the town. His family happens to love baking and so Tristan decides that he is going to reopen up the doughnut shop. But first, he needs the recipe and has to learn to start a business. 

Well, I didn't expect this book to be so funny!  It reminded me of the old TV show, Green Acres, where city folk moves to the country and all of the funny things that happen as they adjust to a new life. It was also just a warm and happy family story with a lot of baking going on. 

The Doughnut King is the sequel and it is also delightful. This time, Tristan cannot keep up with the demand of the doughnuts and is disappointing customers. He finds out that a 50,000.00 robot doughnut maker could be the solution. So, he gets on a kids cooking show in hopes of raising the funds. Again, you learn about business, cooking, and in this book, doing the right things. 

If you want to read a happy story with plenty of humor and throw in some baking and great friendships, then this is a good choice.  I rate both books a 4. I really liked them.

The book trailer for The Doughnut Fix:

The book trailer for The Doughnut King:

Do you want to learn how to make the winning cupcake recipe?  Watch this show!

White Bird by R. J. Palacio

Graphic Novels Win Awards!

The author of Wonder, R. J. Palacio, has written and illustrated a graphic novel about World War II and it is the story of Julian's grandmother as a young girl and her experiences during the war. Julian is one of the characters in Wonder who was a bully to the main character. 

First, this is a very moving and beautiful story of courage when living in a time when war made nothing normal. It is about fighting injustice, being kind, and doing the right things even when it is difficult. Next, it is just a gorgeously illustrated book. I admired many of the illustrations. 

I loved this emotional scene where Sara is enjoying time with her parents in a forest scene filled with bluebells; the illustrations were exceptional. I remember double checking on who was the illustrator and then realized that Palacio also did her own artwork. Impressive.

This book won the 2020 Syndey Taylor award which is presented annually to outstanding books for children and teens that authentically portray the Jewish experience. It is a great introduction to upper elementary and middle school students on WW II and Nazi topics. 

I think I could easily recommend this book to most 5th graders and up and I would especially press this book into the hands of adults. It is really an inspirational story. I give it a 5 rating for Amazing!

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei

Graphic Novels Win Awards

They Called Us Enemy won the 2020 Asian/Pacific American Award for Young Adult Literature. It is the memoir of George Takei (rhymes with OK), who is the actor from Star Trek who played Mr. Sulu.  This book has been put on many best-of lists and has received much press. 

Takei tells of the story of when he was a small child and his family was sent to an internment camp during WWII just because they were Japanese living on the West coast.  This is his first-hand account of life in a prison camp and his reactions as a small child. Sometimes it was very hard and then at times a new normal.  George Takei wrote this story so that the next generation will not forget this time of history and repeat it again. 

My book club read this book and we gave it high scores. It is a great historical memoir for teens and adults. I give it a 4 out of 4 rating. It is a must-read!

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Top Shelf Productions; First Edition edition (July 16, 2019)
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Stargazing by Jen Wang

Graphic Novels Win Awards

This year's winner for the Asian Pacific American Book Award for Children's Literature was Stargazing by Jen Wang. It is the story of a Chinese-American girl named Christine who meets Moon who is very different from her. 

Christine's family is Christian, strict and high expectations. Moon is Buddist, outgoing, confident, and has visions of celestial beings from the stars. Christine and Moon become friends but suddenly Moon is very sick. Christine has to figure out how this friendship can survive their differences. 

The author had a health situation when she was young that she draws upon for this story. It isn't a memoir but some of the storylines come from Wang's personal experiences.  She is able to show us that there are great differences in culture within the culture of the Chinese American and to notice the shades within a group of people. 

I really liked this book and rated it a 4 out of 4. It is a good choice for upper elementary students. I would call it a realistic school story. 

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 4
• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: First Second (September 10, 2019)
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New Kid by Jerry Craft

Graphic Novels Win Awards

New Kid is the first graphic novel to win the gold Newbery medal.  A few have been honor books in the past but this is the year that a graphic novel took top honors. It also won the Coretta Scott King Author Award and the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers' Literature. Not only that, but it was named Audible book of the year.  I noticed that it takes about 2 hours to listen to the audio version of this book.  They have a full cast of readers and music and I am really curious to see if you can only listen and get all the nuances of the plot. Otherwise, this would be a great book to listen to while looking at the graphics. 

The story is about a seventh-grader named Jordan Banks who is enrolled in a fancy private school and finds that he is one of only a few kids of color. His family isn't wealthy and he lives in an apartment in a not as affluent area of the city. Jordan is finding it difficult to fit in and uses his artist sketchbook to convey his feelings. He is talented at art and is hoping to someday go to a high school for the arts. 

This funny and yet thought-provoking story should be a hit with middle school kids. It is very current and full of pop-culture. It is a humorous school story.  I really liked it and give it a 4 out of 4 rating. 

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Quill Tree Books (February 5, 2019)

Graphic Novel Read-a-thon for Middle Grade March

Graphic novels are real books.

I am doing a graphic novel read-a-thon challenge for this month. I have been unpacking some brand new books and I saved a stack of graphic novels for myself to read. I will be sharing these books with you as I read them.

I am doing this challenge because I have not been making reading graphic novels a priority in my professional reading. My sense was that kids are reading them already and so I don't need to promote them as much with a book talk.  However, I noticed that graphic novels were huge winners in the recent American Library Youth Awards last month and the award committees are solidly supporting graphic novels as "real books". It is worth my while to intensify my support for this format of books with some dedication to reading and reviewing them. 

In reading a graphic novel, you will find that you can easily read some in as little as a half-hour.  Most of the middle-grade books I have picked up take me about an hour or more to read. You can't speed read because there are a lot of pictures to look at and "read". Sometimes I will go over a page several times as I try to understand what is going on and what each scene means to the story line. Take your time and slow down as you look at the pictures. They are essential to the flow of the plot as you make inferences about each graphic box; especially the ones without words. This type of reading is different from all text and you may find yourself a little confused if you just rush through the book and just read the words. It may feel strange...but keep reading and you should begin to find a rhythm. 

First up is the book Sheets by Brenna Thummler.  She is both the writer and the illustrator of this graphic novel. It is about a 13-year-old girl named Marjorie who is holding her family together while her father deals with depression and her mother's death.  Marjorie is also trying to keep the laundromat business going as well as going to school and feeling at a loss herself. A villain character tries to con the business from Marjorie's family and resorts to sabotage to get it done.  Meanwhile, a young ghost who isn't happy about settling into a typical ghost routine comes to the laundromat at night and manages to leave signs of his presence. He has to keep his "sheet" clean and finds the laundromat a good place to land. It turns out that the ghost and Marjorie need each other. 

This book deals with some sad themes such as depression, grief, feelings of hopelessness, abandonment, and money problems. The ghosts are cute and friendly and look like Casper and not really creepy. There are some moments of humor and levity in the story but I would not classify this book as humor. It is a mash-up of realistic fiction and fantasy. 

I rate this book a 3 out of 4. I liked it, but it was a sad story. Slow down and look at the pages carefully as you figure out the plot of the book. 

• Age Range: 9 and up
• Grade Level: 4 - 7
• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Oni Press (August 28, 2018)

I didn't read Anne until I was an adult and adored it and read the entire series.  When the new graphic novel came out which is written by Mariah Marsden and illustrated by Brenna Thummler, I heard it was terrific.  I was doubtful because I wasn't sure if the story would really translate well into graphics.  So, I read the book.  I loved it....and I laughed and cried. Another teacher read the book after my recommendation and felt the same.  The true test was giving the book to a teacher who hadn't read the book. Unfortunately, it fell flat for her.  She had a hard time figuring out the characters and didn't feel all of the emotions that I experienced.  I suspect that this graphic novel is best read by someone who has already read the novel. 

If you are a reluctant graphic novel reader. Try reading a book that has been made into a graphic novel that you are familiar with. See what kind of experience it is and how it compares with a book without graphics. 

I rate this book a 4 out of 4. I really liked it and the graphics were wonderful, especially the fall scenery. It was nice to reread "Anne" without the time commitment of the entire novel. 

• Age Range: 8 - 11 years
• Grade Level: 2 - 6
• Hardcover: 234 pages
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (October 24, 2017)