It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

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.

 

We're getting closer and closer to Spring Break! Only four days this week and then the long awaited vacation will have arrived! I'm not sure who's more ready - the students or me! But I'm giddy with anticipation over the chance to rest and READ!!!!!

 

In the meantime, here's what I've been reading the past week:

 

 

 

The Girl in the Tower by Lisa Schroeder    I had the opportunity to read a digital-ARC of this book from NetGalley. I enjoyed reading it. For those who like to read fairy tale type books with princesses and castles and evil witches, this book will be fun to read. Violet and her mother have been held prisoner by the evil Queen Bogdana ever since Violet was born. The two have spent over ten years locked up in a remote tower on the castle grounds. Their caretakers, George and Maggie, bring them food and other items to make their lives tolerable. George, a gardener, has made a secret garden for Violet to visit. It is in the secret garden that she befriends a pair of hummingbirds, Pax and Peace.

The evil queen, who is really a nasty witch has plans to use feathers from the hummingbirds and a hair from Violet's head to concoct a magical potion that will make her beautiful. To that end, as Violet approaches her eleventh birthday, the Queen takes Violet to live in the castle and become her daughter and a princess. Violet's mother, Nuri, is banished from the castle grounds.

To read my complete review, please visit my blog post: http://www.janatheteacher.blogspot.com/2016/03/book-review-girl-in-tower-by-lisa.html

Two Friends: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass by Dean Robbins, Sean Qualls (Illustrations), Selina Alko (Illustrations)    This is a great historical fiction picture book celebrating the lives and friendship of two important figures in American history: Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. These two worked tirelessly to gain freedom and rights, namely the right to vote, for women and African Americans. The authors of this book extensively researched the time period in order to present the text and the art accurately. The illustrations, rendered in acrylic paint, collage and colored pencil, are beautiful and do a wonderful job setting the tone of the book. I love the opening of the book, with the paintings of Susan and Frederick sitting by candlelight, sipping tea. This is definitely a book I would love to have in my classroom library.

A Bear's Year by Kathy Duval    This is a gorgeous nonfiction picture book that let's the reader look at a year in the life of a bear. Told in rhyming text, we start the book as the bear starts to sleep for the winter, cuddling her newborn cubs. Next comes spring as the bears awaken and explore the world. The cubs have so much to learn over the summer. In the fall it's time to dig a new den and get ready for another winter. The illustrations, drawings and screen printing, were pieced together digitally. Maybe it's because I've been especially tired lately, but I absolutely adore the pictures of the bears snuggled together in their cozy den for the winter. This is a great book to enjoy for all ages, and I would love to have a copy for my classroom library.

Nanuk the Ice Bear by Jeanette Winter    This is a charming nonfiction book that shows us a year in the life of a polar bear. Nanuk hunts, swims, mates (appropriately, of course!), raises cubs, and worries as they go off on their own. The illustrations, which are framed in the center of each page, are lovely. My favorite shows Nanuk snuggled below ground during the dark winter, welcoming her two tiny cubs into the world. There are some references listed for further reading about polar bears and global warming. This book would be a good starting point for research on either of these two topics.

Sweaterweather: & Other Short Stories by Sara Varon    I checked this book out of my public library because I had heard good things about it and the author. My students really enjoy reading comics and graphic novels. Boy, I really enjoyed this book! I love that each comic has a brief note from the author/artist about the ideas behind it and personal memories attached to it! I always want to know more about the person who creates the stories I read and this one is perfect. I definitely want to get my own copy to have in my classroom library, as I believe it would serve as an awesome mentor text!

Go, Little Green Truck! by Roni Schotter, Julia Kuo (Illustrations)    This is a cute picture book that shows us life on a modern family farm. I think that's a good thing. As a teacher in an urban school district, many of my students don't have personal experience with rural situations and so it would be good to have this book as part of my classroom library. The story centers around an adorable, little green truck that is happy to be a part of the comings and goings of this busy farm. But then, as the farm gets bigger and the hauling needs grow, the little green truck is replaced by a big, blue pick-up truck. Will the family abandon the sweet, first vehicle for a big, gas-guzzling monster? The illustrations are bold, colorful and engaging and they help to support the story.

Duck, Duck, Dinosaur by Kallie George, Oriol Vidal (Illustrations)    This is a cute picture book that shows us that families come in all shapes and sizes. Mama Duck was so excited as she waited for her eggs to hatch. She couldn't wait to start loving her family. The first two eggs hatched, and the first two ducklings, Feather and Flap, were born. As they immediately began to argue about which one was bigger, the largest egg hatched. Spike, a dinosaur, put the size dispute to rest right away. Young children will giggle over the antics of this adorable family. Sibling rivalry runs rampant, but in the end they all love each other very much. The digital illustrations were created on a tablet, and they are bold, bright and very humorous. This book will be lots of fun!

One Big Family by Marc Harshman, Sara Palacios (Illustrations)    This is a charming picture book that shows the fun of traveling to visit relatives at a family reunion. This book reminds me of an updated version of The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. At the end of the summer, the family piles into the car for the long road trip to visit Grandma and Grandpa. The text is somewhat lyrical: "When the crickets sing and the end of summer is near, Grandma and Grandpa say COME." Each page has a similar cadence that ends in a verb. The digital pen and ink illustrations are so cheerful and fun, with pictures of the family in the car, everyone hugging and kissing upon arrival, eating around the table, swimming, campfires, and other lovely family moments. This book would be nice to have in my classroom library, especially in September as summer winds down and school is beginning.

 

Book Review: The Girl in the Tower by Lisa Schroeder

 

The Girl in the Tower by Lisa Schroeder

 

 

 

I had the opportunity to read a digital-ARC of this book from NetGalley.  I enjoyed reading it. For those who like to read fairy tale type books with princesses and castles and evil witches, this book will be fun to read. Violet and her mother have been held prisoner by the evil Queen Bogdana ever since Violet was born. The two have spent over ten years locked up in a remote tower on the castle grounds. Their caretakers, George and Maggie, bring them food and other items to make their lives tolerable. George, a gardener, has made a secret garden for Violet to visit. It is in the secret garden that she befriends a pair of hummingbirds, Pax and Peace.

 

The evil queen, who is really a nasty witch has plans to use feathers from the hummingbirds and a hair from Violet's head to concoct a magical potion that will make her beautiful. To that end, as Violet approaches her eleventh birthday, the Queen takes Violet to live in the castle and become her daughter and a princess. Violet's mother, Nuri, is banished from the castle grounds.

 

Young readers will be engaged as they read to find out whether Bogdana is able to make her beauty potion and if Violet and her family will ever be reunited. There are plenty of exciting turns of events as Violet makes new friends in the castle and Nuri tries to find her way back to her musical, minstrel family.

 

The characters all possess qualities and traits that are worth emulating (except for the evil Queen). Youngsters will be able to see a positive role model in Violet, as she always tries to make the best of her circumstances and she never loses hope in her family getting back together as free people. She loves beauty in the world around her and appreciates it without trying to possess what isn't hers.

 

The plot events move along quickly enough to hold the readers interest. Although, some parts are a little confusing as sometimes the motives for characters' actions are unclear. There are multiple goals the characters are trying to achieve: freedom, family, beauty, friendship, music... And while there is plenty of action and drama, there isn't any violence that I would be concerned about as a fifth grade teacher. I would be very comfortable having this book in my classroom library.

 

Hardcover, 256 pages

Expected publication: March 29, 2016 by Henry Holt



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 been a pretty busy week at school. Some bug is running rampant in our school, as quite a few teachers and students have been out sick. Unfortunately, there is a shortage of substitute teachers in our district. So, everyday I've wound up with five or six extra students in my room that aren't even in my grade level (third graders placed in a fifth grade classroom). As I scrambled to change plans and welcomed the guests in my room with activities that were engaging for all learners, I came home with lots of extra work to grade and little time for pleasure reading. Spring Break can't come fast enough, but we still have to get through this week and next!

 

At any rate, here is what I was able to enjoy reading last week:

 

 

 

 

The Inn Between by Marina Cohen, Sarah Watts (Illustrations)     I had the opportunity to read a digital-ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for this review. I enjoyed reading this book. It was a mystery book that pulled me in pretty quickly. Eleven-year-old Quinn is traveling through the desert Southwest with her best friend, Kara Cawston, and her family. The Cawstons are moving away from Denver, Colorado and Quinn is taking this last trip with them as a chance to have a vacation away from her own family. Things have been rough in Quinn's family since her younger sister, Emma, disappeared without a trace several months back.

Midway through the trip, the Cawston family stops to rest for a night at a strange hotel in the middle of the desert, The Inn Between. From the moment they check in, Quinn notices all sorts of strange things: weird guests hanging around in the lobby, no outgoing phone lines for hotel guests to use, no working television in the room. Everyone is so tired and hungry that no one thinks too much about it.

But then Kara's parents disappear without so much as a note to the kids. After eating a huge breakfast in the restaurant and spending time at the swimming pool, Kara's brother, Josh disappears too. Now Quinn and Kara must figure out what happened to the rest of the family and decide how to stay safe themselves!

For my complete review, please visit my blog post: http://www.janatheteacher.blogspot.com/2016/03/book-review-inn-between-by-marina-cohen.html

 

 

 

Bloom by Doreen Cronin, David Small (Illustrations)     This is an awesome picture book with a terrific message! Bloom was an unusual fairy with the magical gift of spinning sand into glass, turning weeds in blossoms, and growing a trickle of rainwater into a racing river. But she was so muddy and dirty, that she was sent away from the kingdom. Later when the glass kingdom starting falling apart, the royal family decided to try to get Bloom to come back an save the kingdom. Both the king and queen failed to get Bloom's help, so it was decided that they should send Genevieve, a small servant girl. Once she finds Bloom, not only does Bloom teach her how to save the kingdom, but she teaches her that girls can do extraordinary things. The ink and watercolor illustrations are fantastic, and do an awesome job of supporting the text. I definitely want to get my own copy to have in my classroom library!

Build, Beaver, Build!: Life at the Longest Beaver Dam by Sandra Markle, Deborah Hocking
This is a wonderful nonfiction picture book resource about a year in the life of a beaver family at Wood Buffalo National Park in Alberta, Canada. The beaver dam here, made of sticks and mud, is so long (2,788 feet), it's big enough to be photographed by satellites from space. This dam is believed to have been around since the 1970s, as one beaver family after another has lived there and added on to it. The illustrations are beautiful, and really help transport the reader to this wooded pond to see a young beaver grow up. I think my favorite illustration in the book is the scene of winter wonder and the beaver family all snuggled up in their lodge, resting and eating. The book is very informative and offers a wealth of other resources for readers to find out even more. I would love to have this book in my classroom library!

Always Remember by Cece Meng, Jago (Illustrations)     This is a beautiful picture book that deals with the subject death in a very appropriate and heartwarming way. At the opening of the book, an old sea turtle has passed away: "In the end, on his very last day, Old Turtle swam his last swim and took his last breath. With his life complete, the gentle waves took him away." The pages after that show each of Old Turtles friends remembering things he taught them, ways he made them happy, and ways he helped them when they were in trouble. The digitally created artwork is lovely. This would be a great book to help young people, or anyone for that matter, deal with the difficult topic of death.

Girl & Gorilla: Out and About by Rick Walton, Joe Berger (Illustrations)     This is a cute picture book about a girl and a gorilla. They're best friends and they are trying to go to the park. When their original plans don't work out, gorilla tries a bunch of different ways to get to the park. Eventually they walk and think, and wind up at the park. The story might be fun for younger readers. It might be good for teaching about making predictions and solving problems. The illustrations are a lot of fun and really add to the humor of the story.

By Mouse and Frog by Deborah Freedman     This is a cute story about a mouse that is trying to write a story and a frog that comes along and gets carried away adding details galore. Mouse gets upset because Frog has taken over the whole story and has made a mess of it. They work it out and decide to work together. This would be a fun book to share with young people to talk about working together and getting along. It also might be a fun mentor text as the addition of details by both Mouse and Frog make the story better and more interesting.

Three Aesop Fox Fables by Paul Galdone     I'm sharing fable books with my fifth grade students this week, as they will be writing their own fables. The three fables in this book show how fox is generally a trickster in these types of stories. This book includes "The Fox and the Grapes", "The Fox and the Stork", and "The Fox and the Crow". Simple text along with the moral of each story in bold type at the end of each tale will help this book serve as a mentor text for writing a story that teaches a lesson. The illustrations are bold and humorous in the 1970s style that I grew up with, which I enjoy very much.

 

Book Review: The Inn Between by Marina Cohen, Sarah Watts (Illustrations)

 

The Inn Between by Marina Cohen, Sarah Watts (Illustrations)

 

 

 

I had the opportunity to read a digital-ARC of this novel from NetGalley in exchange for this review. I enjoyed reading this book. It was a mystery book that pulled me in pretty quickly. Eleven-year-old Quinn is traveling through the desert Southwest with her best friend, Kara Cawston, and her family. The Cawstons are moving away from Denver, Colorado and Quinn is taking this last trip with them as a chance to have a vacation away from her own family. Things have been rough in Quinn's family since her younger sister, Emma, disappeared without a trace several months back.

 

Midway through the trip, the Cawston family stops to rest for a night at a strange hotel in the middle of the desert, The Inn Between. From the moment they checked in, Quinn notices all sorts of strange things: weird guests hanging around in the lobby, no outgoing phone lines for hotel guests to use, no working television in the room. Everyone is so tired and hungry that no one thinks too much about it.

 

But then Kara's parents disappear without so much as a note to the kids. After eating a huge breakfast in the restaurant and spending time at the swimming pool, Kara's brother, Josh disappears too. Now Quinn and Kara must figure out what happened to the rest of the family and decide how to stay safe themselves!

 

The characters seem pretty true-to-life. Three adolescent children and a couple of parents on a road trip is something many readers will be able to relate to. You can almost feel how hot, dusty, and exhausting this trip is for this family. Readers will also be able to picture this weird, old-fashioned hotel and imagine themselves as guests there.

 

The story is told from Quinn's point of view. The narrative shifts back and forth between the present and flashback scenes from when her sister disappeared and her family's reaction to the crisis. Emma's disappearance has had a profound effect on Quinn and her whole outlook on life, and this helps drive the events of the book forward.

 

As the family disappears, one-by-one, the suspense builds. It was very difficult to tear myself away, as I wanted to figure out what happened and what the girls were going to do about it.  Once I reached the end, I was still thinking about it later. The ending is such, that now I want to go back and reread parts of it. I love it when books leave me thinking and wondering about them and wanting to look back!

 

While there is some violence and some creepy parts to the book, none of it is over-the-top scary. I haven't experienced any bad dreams and I would be very comfortable having this book in my fifth grade classroom library. I think that many of my students who enjoy suspenseful books will like this one as well!

 

Hardcover, 208 pages

Expected publication: March 22nd 2016 by Roaring Brook Press



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.

 

I've had a pretty good reading week. I read two awesome middle grade novels and some picture books that I've been excited to get my hands on! As we get closer and closer to Spring Break, I'm really looking forward to having some vacation time to just relax and read. Hope you get some time to enjoy your reading as well! Here's a closer look at what I've been reading:

 

 

 

Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar   I had the opportunity to read a digital-ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for this review. I am so happy that I read this book, because it was just fantastic! I was expecting it to be pretty good, as a lot of people whose opinions I respect have said positive things about it. But I was still just blown away by how well-written and engaging this story is. I devoured the book in one day, because I just couldn't put it down!

For my complete review, please visit my blog post: http://www.janatheteacher.blogspot.com/2016/03/book-review-hour-of-bees-by-lindsay.html

 

 

 

 

Where You'll Find Me by Natasha Friend   I had the opportunity to read a digital-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this review. Wow! I absolutely loved this book. I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. When I read the description of this title on GoodReads, I thought it was going to be a bit of a downer. But, I was swept up into the story very quickly and found myself unable to put it down as I came to care about the characters and really wanted to see what was going to happen. At one point, I found myself grumbling because the phone rang a couple of times while I was reading and I didn't want to tear myself away to answer the call!

For my complete review, please visit my blog: http://www.janatheteacher.blogspot.com/2016/03/book-review-where-youll-find-me-by.html

 

 

 

The Night Gardener by Terry Fan, Eric Fan    This is an awesome picture book that tells the story of a beautiful, magical experience for the people of Grimloch Lane. We experience this story from the perspective of William, a lonely boy who lives at the Grimloch Orphanage. Each morning he awakens to a new topiary wonder on his street: an owl, a cat, a rabbit, and so on. As more and more of the neighborhood's trees become stunning works of art, there is more excitement and wonder. One night, William catches sight of the artist and follows him to the park. This debut book for Terry and Eric Fan has stunning illustrations rendered in graphite and colored digitally. I love how the limited palette at the beginning of the story, becomes more and more colorful as the story develops. I also love the contrast between the darkness in the neighborhood and the brightness coming from streetlights and lit up windows. I know this will be a terrific addition to my classroom library!

Before I Leave by Jessixa Bagley    This book is lovely and heartwarming. Before I even opened the book, the cover illustration of Zelda and Aaron playing on a swing together grabbed me and told me this was going to be a sweet story. The endpapers in the front show more scenes of these two best friends playing together in all seasons. And then the text begins with Aaron receiving the sad news that Zelda's family is moving away. Aaron looks forlorn as the packing process has begun. The illustrations really have the reader feeling the same way, especially as we recall these heartbreaking times in our own lives. Moving is often very difficult for both the person going and the person that will be left behind. And then Zelda suggests that before she leaves, they should play together one last time, "like nothing is changing." And they do, and then we find an awesome way that Aaron has helped Zelda adjust to this big change. This is a terrific book to help young readers deal with sad feelings that come whenever there is a move.

Arctic White by Danna Smith, Lee White (Illustrations)    I really enjoyed this picture book because it celebrates the special relationship between a young girl and her grandfather. The two live in the Arctic, where everything is white. The girl searches and searches for color in this cold, snowy world. At last Grandfather takes the girl on a special journey to see something spectacularly colorful. I love that what she sees is so beautiful, she is inspired to recreate it through art! Danna Smith brings this awesome relationship to life, and the watercolor and ink illustrations by Lee White make the beauty in this book complete!

 

Tiger and Badger by Emily Jenkins, Marie-Louise Gay (Illustrations)    This is a cute picture book about the ups and downs of being best friends. Aimed at younger children, Tiger and Badger are best friends one moment and then squabble over chairs, oranges, toys, etc. At one point they're not best friends anymore. And then they make up! Humorous, colorful illustrations and fights over things that little kids usually fight over will make this a good book to share with primary kids. Good starting point for discussions on how to get along with others.

Virgil & Owen by Paulette Bogan    This is a cute story about friendship. Virgil, the Penguin, finds a polar bear and proudly tells his mother that he's going to keep him. As Virgil commands the polar bear to come with him, he becomes increasingly frustrated as the polar bear splashes around with terns, slips and slides with seals, and twirled and whirled with other penguins. Virgil tries to get the polar bear to come and play with only him and the bear tells him "No." He also tells him his name is Owen and he wants to play with everyone. The tantrum that Virgil throws is cute. Those illustrations are my favorite! In the end, Virgil learns that everyone can be friends. This is a great story for young readers to learn how to play with each other!

Super Jumbo by Fred Koehler     This is a funny picture book about a little elephant that wants to be a superhero. He calls himself Super Jumbo, and goes around looking for people that need help. But like lots of little kids, his help isn't particularly helpful or appreciated. Eventually he finds one of his friends that needs help and realizes that it's awesome to help your friends out. Funny illustrations along with cute text will make this book popular with young readers.

Mr. Lincoln's Way by Patricia Polacco    I shared this book with my fifth grade students today and it was just terrific! It was very inspirational for everyone, the students and me! Mr. Lincoln is just the coolest principal ever. My students said he was cool because he spent time getting to know kids on the playground and finding out what kinds of things they like to do. When he built a relationship with Gene, the school bully, my students thought it was a great way to get Gene to turn his behavior around. The book led to a great discussion about ways we can reach out to people that are having a difficult time getting along with others. This might be a good book to read at the beginning of the school year. The illustrations are awesome (as they are in all of Polacco's books)!

Dr. Seuss by Charlotte Guillain    Because it was Dr. Seuss' birthday I shared this biography that I have in my classroom library. It includes great photographs and interesting facts and details about this famous author. It's a great place to start for anyone researching Dr. Seuss!

 

Book Review: Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar

 

Hour of the Bees by Lindsay Eagar 

 

 

 

I had the opportunity to read a digital-ARC of this title from NetGalley in exchange for this review.  I am so happy that I read this book, because it was just fantastic! I was expecting it to be pretty good, as a lot of people whose opinions I respect have said positive things about it. But I was still just blown away by how well-written and engaging this story is. I devoured the book in one day, because I just couldn't put it down!

 

The book opens with twelve-year-old Carolina on a hot, dusty ride in a pick-up truck with her father. Her mom and baby brother are following behind in another car. They are on their way to the desert ranch of Grandpa Serge, who is suffering from dementia. No one in the family is looking forward to this visit, as they are going to be getting the ranch ready to be sold and moving Grandpa into an assisted living facility. Carolina would much rather be spending the summer with her friends enjoying swimming, barbecues and shopping trips.

 

Carolina has never even met Grandpa Serge. But as her family is working long days packing, cleaning and repairing the decrepit property, Carolina finds herself looking after this prickly old man who often seems lost inside his own strange memories. The more time she spends with him, the more she feels drawn to him and his storytelling. Grandpa's story centers on a special tree that is a gift from God, a green-glass lake, and a love story for the ages.

 

The story that Grandpa Serge tells weaves its way through the history of the land and the family, with threads of magic and reality overlapping and intermingling with each other. As I was reading, Lindsay Eager's narrative style reminded me a lot of "Tuck Everlasting" by Natalie Babbitt and "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. There is a sense of timelessness in Grandpa's tale, and both the reader and Carolina can't be quite sure what is fantasy and what is reality. I love that even after I have finished reading the novel, I'm still wondering about it and drawing my own conclusions.

 

Eagar does a wonderful job of using description to help readers immerse themselves into the story right away. From the moment I started the book, I was there with this family, even though I have never been to the desert Southwestern part of our country. I'm with Carolina as she steps "onto the scorching desert dust, so hot my sandals are useless. The air feels like it'll drown me. I grab my Gatorade from the truck and take a swig."

 

In another passage: "The desert seems alive and breathing, a huge, sandy monster that sucks moisture from bones and blows the dry, dry air up, where it rolls and churns and boils."

 

The author also captures the thoughts and feelings of the characters as they all settle into the dismal circumstances of the summer. Carolina is only twelve and all of her life has been spent in the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She's used to being with her friends, and living in a comfortable house, and having all of the conveniences of modern life. She's never visited Grandpa Serge or this sheep ranch that is in the middle of nowhere. As she first begins talking to her dad's father she notices that "the name 'Grandpa' tastes weird. It doesn't fit. 'Grandpa' is for someone who always keeps his cookie jar full, someone who gives bear hugs, someone who keeps a straight face while spinning a yarn at the dinner table."

 

From the first day of this visit, it becomes clear that the desert surroundings are full of dangerous elements. They encounter rattlesnakes, coyotes, and blistering heat. "Death lurks around every corner of this ranch. It's under the porch, slithering around Lu (her baby brother). It's dragging sheep out of their pasture to eat them alive. It's sleeping in scaly piles on the ridge."

 

As the story unfolds, there is such beautiful character development as they learn the lessons and messages that are really perfect for everyone. This book is full of great messages for all readers. All of the installments of Serge's story are tied to the message that "the roots of a tree stretch deeper than you think; no matter how far away you are when you bloom, you are always tied to your roots."

 

As the family gets the house and ranch ready to be sold, the theme of "roots" is constantly at the forefront of the story. Everyone in the family has a lesson to learn about this. There are also lessons about how we measure time and how changes are one way of doing this. There is also a theme of circles in stories and in life: "Stories don't end, they just turn into new beginnings." And one of my favorite messages in this book is that being afraid to live is much worse than dying. "Squeeze the juice out of every day; do not be afraid to live...and you will not be afraid to die."

 

I'm so excited about this book. I know that I'm going to have to read it over and over again. It's definitely a book that I want to have in my classroom library. And I am quite certain that this will be a very important and popular book this year!

 

Hardcover, 368 pages

Expected publication: March 8th 2016 by Candlewick Press 

Book Review: Where You'll Find Me by Natasha Friend

Where You'll Find Me by Natasha Friend

I had the opportunity to read a digital-ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this review. Wow! I absolutely loved this book. I was surprised that I enjoyed it as much as I did. When I read the description of this title on GoodReads, I thought it was going to be a bit of a downer. But, I was swept up into the story very quickly and found myself unable to put it down as I came to care about the characters and really wanted to see what was going to happen. At one point, I found myself grumbling because the phone rang a couple of times while I was reading and I didn't want to tear myself away to answer the call!

Anna Collette is starting eighth grade with a lot of problems. Her best friend, Danielle Loomis, has friend-dumped her to hang out with the popular crowd. She has to stay at her dad's house with his young, new wife, Marnie, and their baby daughter, Jane after her mother attempted suicide with an overdose of Advil. Jane screams all through the night making it impossible for Anna to get any sleep.  With school, homework, her family's problems, and friend-drama, Anna is at the end of her rope.

I think that the author, Natasha Friend, has done an outstanding job writing characters who are very real. We are seeing this story from Anna's point of view and the thoughts, words, and actions of this character ring true for a thirteen-year-old in stressful and infuriating circumstances. Her interactions with her parents, her teachers, and her peers are dripping with anger, sarcasm, and humor.

But Friend also develops these characters so well. As Anna grapples with her mother's mental health issues, she begins to learn how to let others help her and how to help herself. She starts building relationships aside from her mother and soon develops a support system that helps her bring balance to her life. I love that the development isn't so sudden as to be unbelievable. Anna has her ups and downs. She'll attend a party and come out of her shell a bit. But then she'll still have anger issues that she'll have to work out. Just as in real life, things don't get better all at once.

So as the story goes along, the reader experiences Anna's sad circumstances. But then we also get to experience fun times as she makes a new set of friends and lets herself start to try new things. For example, Anna agrees to participate in the school's talent show with her friends. The girls name their singing group "Gobsmacked" and decide to do a mash-up. Each girl picks a song and they mix them together: "That's how we ended up with songs by Joan Jett, Sara Bareilles, and Israel Kamakawiwo'ole - a random combination if ever there was one." The scenes are so well written, that I can picture myself in the basement rehearsing with them, singing loudly and laughing into microphones.

I think this book will be very popular with middle school students. Parents and teachers should be aware that while the book is very appropriate for middle grade readers, there is some mature content. In the second chapter, Anna overhears her parents enjoying an intimate moment in their bedroom:

"I am in bed when I hear something. A soft moaning. The baby, I think. No. It's not that. The wind? It's not that either. The sound gets louder and louder and I know, suddenly, what it is. Marnie and my father, doing what couples do in the dark. I know because when Dani and I were friends we used to watch this movie her parents kept hidden in their room, "9 1/2 Weeks". It tells you everything you need to know about sex, even if you are not old enough to know it."

Hardcover, 272 pages

Expected publication: March 8th 2016 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)