It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey as a way to share what you have read and/or reviewed in the past week. It's also a terrific way to find out what other people are reading.

Jen Vincent, of Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee Moye of Unleashing Readers have given this meme a children's literature focus: picture books, middle grade novels, etc. They "encourage everyone who participates to support the blogging community by visiting the other bloggers that link up and leave comments for them.

It's getting spookier and spookier in the neighborhood. As the weather gets chillier and the leaves start changing, it really feels like a good time to curl up with a good story. Here's what I've been reading this week:

Middle Grade Fiction

Counting to Perfect by Suzanne LaFleur 

I had the opportunity to read a NetGalley digital ARC of this middle grade fiction novel in exchange for a review. This is a realistic look at the issue of teenage pregnancy from the point of view of eighteen-year-old Julia’s younger sister, Cassie. From the moment Julia’s family found out she was pregnant, the whole household seemed to revolve around being supportive and helpful to the expectant young mother. Feeling left out and forgotten, Cassie has built up a strong resentment to her family, especially Julia.

After dealing with the pressure of learning how to be a mother while earning her high school diploma, Julia decides to take the baby away with her. Borrowing Cassie’s life savings to make this summer road trip, Julia takes Cassie along, too. The girls get in the car and go hundreds of miles away to stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, go swimming, and enjoy perfect days together; all without getting their parents’ permission first.

I like that this story gives voice to the frustrations that younger siblings feel when there is a family crisis centered around an older brother or sister. All of the family’s attention and energy is given to the older child’s circumstances, leaving the younger child feeling abandoned and unimportant. In that way, this book reminds me of The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner (in which an older daughter’s drug addiction has this effect on her younger sister) and Still a Work in Progress by Jo Knowles (in which a middle school boy is impacted by his sister’s eating disorder). Middle grade students that have ever felt overshadowed by an older family member will be able to relate to this.

I also like the way the relationship between the two sister develops into something special during the course of this journey they are taking. The narration shifts back and forth in time; to the past when the family first found out about the pregnancy and the birth to the present adventure in the car. The story moves along quickly but left me satisfied that everything is going to turn out all right in this family.

Although this book deals with the topic of teenage pregnancy, I think it’s written in a way that is appropriate for middle school students grades six and up. While the book brushes the ideas of shame, disappointment, and judgmental busybodies, the main thrust of the book is on the way this pregnancy affects Cassie, the younger sister. Her anger is more about the family not coming to cheer her on during her swim meets, missed swim practices, and tensions with her own friends because of all this. This is a book that many kids will be able to recognize themselves in.

Love Like Sky by Leslie C. Youngblood

I had the opportunity to read a NetGalley digital ARC of this middle grade novel in exchange for a review. So many families experience stress when divorce occurs, and the original partners marry other people and bring different members together into what is called “blended families”. Children usually bear a large part of the burden when they have to adjust to two different households and build new relationships with stepsiblings. This realistic fiction story addresses that in a way that many middle grade students will be able to relate to.

Georgie reminds me of a lot of the fifth-grade students I used to teach. She is often in the middle of the drama of shifting friendships, peer pressure, and the beginning of interest in boys. But since her mother remarried and moved out to the suburbs of Atlanta, she is adjusting to a new neighborhood and a new, older stepsister that seems to dislike her intensely. But when suddenly her younger sister, Peaches, becomes critically ill, Georgie’s life is turned upside down. This book follows the whirlwind drama of Georgie trying to find a way to help her sister, help her best friend with a bullying situation, and get Tangie (the older stepsister) to like her.

The author does an excellent job of telling the story from Georgie’s point of view, using the authentic voice of an adolescent girl that is impulsive, argumentative, and immature. Middle grade readers will definitely recognize themselves in these interactions. There are some great learning moments for Georgie, as she learns just what family is and different ways of loving others. This book would be terrific for those who enjoy reading stories about all kinds of families.

Picture Books

Love, Agnes: Postcards from an Octopus by Irene Latham, Thea Baker (Illustrations) 

This lovely picture book would be fun to share with young readers who would like to learn more about this fascinating ocean creature. This narrative is presented in the form of postcards between Agnes, a giant Pacific octopus, and correspondents above and below the waves. Readers go along with Agnes as she moves from place to place taking care of her wonderful eggs that will become her babies. The end of the book presents more factual information and a list of resources for further research. This could be a great mentor text for informational writing.

Imagine by Juan Felipe Herrera, Lauren Castillo (Illustrations) 

The lyrical text along with the beautifully painted illustrations make this inspirational biographical picture book a must-have for all bookshelves and classrooms. Juan Felipe Herrera came to this country as a child, unable to speak English, and grew up to become the U.S. Poet Laureate from 2015 to 2017. This book would be wonderful to share with young readers as a way to promote a growth mindset and to let them know that anything is possible with hard work. 

The Day You Begin by Jacqueline Woodson, Rafael López (Illustrator) 

This book shares the universal feelings of isolation, anxiety, and sadness that comes from trying something new and scary. EVERYONE can definitely recognize themselves in this book that was written to help young readers realize that they're not alone and that friends can be found. This book reminded me of a quote from C.S. Lewis - "Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, 'What! You too? I thought I was the only one.'" With lovely poetical text and beautifully rendered illustrations, this book is definitely one to have on all bookshelves.