Book Review: Happy & Sad & Everything True

Sometimes I settle for a middle grade book out of sheer frustration over the content in women's fiction. I have recently read and tossed aside 3 or 4 books. In two different books, I waded through 4 or 5 CDs (1/2 the book) before coming upon content I just couldn't tolerate. So discouraging! Indeed, for our December book club meeting, we had a book exchange. I received a psychological thriller from a popular author. In seeking an audio book for my car trips, I selected one of her other books as an introductory sample. With that one, I overlooked smut until half-way through, when I just couldn't take it anymore. 

Thus, on the next trip to the library, I selected Happy & Sad & Everything True by Alex Thayer. Slated for readers 10 and up, it straddles the age brackets of children's and tween. The main character is in the 6th grade, but includes characters who are in 2nd. I appreciated a clean book for a change.

Dee is sure her mother doesn't understand. She expresses her devastation at being placed in a class apart from her best friend Juniper. Her mother says it will give her the opportunity to make new friends. But watching a best friend detach from you is never easy. As she hides out in the school bathroom, she discovers she is not the only one with problems. As she helps others, she heals her own wounds simultaneously.

Thayer has presented, as the title describes, a range of emotions that children face, and presented them with honesty. The reader cannot help but feel for Dee as she endures mortification, confusion, frustration, and hope. She is an empathetic character who draws empathy from the reader. This would make a good read-aloud, but I would steer it toward 4th or 5th graders.

As for the gifted book, I cannot decide if I will wade through possible cautionary content or not (easier when it is a physical book and you can skip a page). I'm not against psychological thrillers, and this author has quite a following. I just prefer not to get bogged down in sexual promiscuity with graphic details. So sad! It has become harder and harder to find clean women's fiction. Perhaps I will have to stick with Christian fiction and miss out on reading skilled writers who cannot write without bludgeoning the reader with language, filth, and smut.

Book Review: Lost on a Mountain in Maine

After seeing an enticing trailer for this Angel Studios movie, I wanted to read the book. Although written for kids, it holds interest for adults as well. Lost on a Mountain in Maine tells the true story of Donn Fendler, who, at age 12, got lost for 9 days on Mount Katahdin. I'm sure my love of Gary D. Schmidt's outstanding book, Trouble, which also involves a tween on that mountain, heightened my interest. 

What a harrowing tale! And how heart-wrenching those days must have been for his parents. I listened to the audio book on Hoopla. The primary narrator is a boy who presents the story from Donn's perspective. An adult narrator then provides tiny asides with deeper information and details about the story. Although I would love to see the movie, I'm not interested in getting the Angel app. I'm hoping my library will somehow secure a copy one day.

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Just discovered: My library has this movie available now on Hoopla! Hoping to find time to watch it soon!

2/23/25 - We watched the movie on Hoopla last night. READ the BOOK! Or watch the trailer. They must have taken every action moment and combined it into the trailer. It was heartbreaking, yes! But, oh so slow. As usual, the book is better than the movie. I was also surprised that an Angel Studios film would begin with so much casual cursing. At the outset, they are interviewing an old man about the occurrence and his language is not something you'd want your young children (who may be interested after reading the book) to absorb. Moreover, the book emphasizes Donn's reliance on prayer during his challenging days in the wilderness.

Book Review: Tree. Table. Book.

As soon as I saw this new title from Lois Lowry (Newbery award-winning author of The Giver), I put my name on my library's hold list. I read Tree. Table. Book. in one day. Lowry weaves an intergenerational tale of an 11-year-old girl, Sophie, whose best friend is her 88-year-old neighbor with the same name, Sophie. The young Sophie is anxious because the old Sophie is experiencing cognitive decline. Older Sophie's son is coming for a visit to take her to the doctor for some tests. Young Sophie decides she will test her best friend all on her own, using the Merck Manual. As she prods Sophie's memory, she learns stories of her past that have been long kept hidden. While the story is heart-wrenching, it provides a touching account of a child's encounter with dementia. Lowry once again taps in on deep emotional truths and presents a flawless story.

Book Review: Homeless Bird

I still adore Listening for Lions more than any other book written by Gloria Whelan. I gave Homeless Bird a try and wanted to love it more. It was a National Book Award winner. Sadly, I felt Listening for Lions was a far more compelling and inspiring story. Homeless Bird left me rather depressed. Even though the ending brought some happiness into the main character's life, her life's description until that point was tragic.

Thirteen-year-old Koly is getting married to the young man her parents have settled upon. This is not an unusual arrangement in India. Her parents hope she is marrying well. They will offer a pair of earrings for the dowry. However, the groom's parents have ulterior motives. They need the dowry to help pay for a medical cure for their son's illness. Koly's life progresses from one hardship to another. Eventually, she finds herself alone in a strange city. Her only hope lies in her expert ability with a needle.

The story is probably very true to life. Moreover, it opens young eyes to the difficulties some girls face in India. Yet, it was a hard read. Koly is a homeless bird longing for wings to fly. I can only say, I loved Listening for Lions. This one, not as much.

Book Review: Listening for Lions - Highly Recommend

During the 2005-2006 school year, I read Gloria Whelan's Listening for Lions, and absolutely loved the book. I was working as an individual aide in a 5th grade classroom at my son's school. Bursting with excitement, I begged the teacher to allow me to share this book during read-aloud time. (As teacher, I would hesitate to give up that coveted task.) I have delightful memories of drawing those students into the spell of many outstanding books!

Gloria Whelan has won over 30 awards for her children's books, including the National Book Award for her novel, Homeless Bird. She is a gifted writer. I always relish a chance to share her books with others. A few months ago, I joined a historical fiction book group on Facebook. What fun to find opportunities to share this amazing book there. I realized I was long overdue to read it again.

Listening for Lions begins in 1919 British East Africa, where twelve-year-old Rachel Sheridan lives with her missionary parents. Her father is a doctor and her mother is a teacher. When the Spanish Influenza reaches their missionary hospital, it turns Rachel's life upside down. She loves Africa, but greedy neighbors use her as a pawn in a plot of deception that takes her far away to England. Though she wants to speak the truth, she also desires to help others. Throughout her time in England, she lives with a longing for her home in Africa.

I love the relationship between Rachel and the grandfather. They form a beautiful bond over bird-watching. Rachel's plight is intriguing and realistic. She longs for freedom, honesty, and purpose. Yet, all the while she is in bondage, she determines to live as the lion, eagerly awaiting her opportunity to pounce and claim her home.

This book has so many wonderful aspects. It speaks of the triumph of women when they had to strive to earn their due. It provides a vivid picture of the African bush and the British countryside. The characters often stand in stark contrast, wicked and greedy, set against the honorable and good. It nurtures in the reader a longing for truth, integrity, and righteousness. It has the feel of The Secret Garden, paired with the missionary spirit of Gladys Aylward's biography, The Small Woman. If I had a daughter, we would have read this aloud together many times over.

Gloria Whelan is one of my favorite middle grade authors. I've read several of her books (I apologize as I wrote these reviews when my boys were small and I had less time for editing). Listening for Lions is still my favorite of her books, but you might also wish to check out Fruitlands, That Wild Berries Should Grow, A Time to Keep Silent, and The Locked Garden. I even found several more available on Hoopla through my library (including Homeless Bird).

Compilation - 15 Books About Victorian London

Photo by Hert Niks on Unsplash

My favorite era/location for study is Victorian England. As a teen, I fell in love with Dickens. As a young adult, I pursued a masters degree in history with a focus on Victorian history. Thus, I often read books set in that time/country. Here are some past reads (with links to my reviews) for those who might be interested in fiction or non-fiction about Victorian London:

Fiction:

1. 12 Days at Bleakly Manor by Michelle Griep - 1st in Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series
2. A Tale of Two Hearts by Michelle Griep - 2nd in Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series
3. The Old Lace Shop by Michelle Griep - 3rd in Once Upon a Dickens Christmas series
4. Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva
5. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 
6. At the Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald
7. The Clockmaker's Daughter by Kate Morton
8. Kidnapped by River Rats by Dave and Neta Jackson

Nonfiction:

1. Dirty Old London by Lee Jackson 
2. The Victorian City by Judith Flanders
3. A Metropolitan Murder by Lee Jackson (I apologize - on further review, this is a mystery novel)
4. London by A. N. Wilson
5. Victoria by Catherine Reef
6. The Wicked Boy by Kate Summerscale
7. The Five by Hallie Rubenhold

Compilation - 15 Noteworthy Middle Grade Historical Novels

For my 2024 compilation posts, I've decided to provide lists according to genre. I recently joined a Facebook group for historical fiction enthusiasts. No doubt some of them may wish to find historical fiction titles for their tweens. This month, I'm offering a list of middle grade historical fiction (presenting most recently read first). All of these titles garnered 4-1/2 or 5 stars in my estimation:

• More Than Grit by Gretchen A. Carlson - (ACFW Genesis Award Winner) A coming of age novel based on a true story. It is 1939 in Kansas and Sissy is desperate to help her family raise the necessary funds to bring electricity to their farm home.
• Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood - A riveting survival tale based on a true story. This novel in verse is set aboard a lifeboat during World War II.
• Rascal by Sterling North - (Newbery Honor Book) Set in 1918 in Wisconsin and published as fiction, this autobiographical tale tells of Sterling's adventures in his eleventh year, when he adopted a baby raccoon.
• We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly - (Newbery Honor Book) A novel about The Challenger Space Shuttle Expedition in 1986.
• Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt - (Newbery Honor Book) Set in New England in 1912, and based on a true story of a community's destruction, this book highlights a challenging friendship despite cultural prejudices.
• Penny from Heaven by Jennifer L. Holm - (Newbery Honor Book) A tale of an Italian-American family fighting prejudice after WWII in 1950s New Jersey.
• Bird in a Box by Andrea Davis Pinkney - Three kids fight their own battles as they follow the radio commentary of heavyweight champion, Joe Louis.
• Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder - Beginning in a log cabin in 1871, this is the first of the nine pioneering Little House books.
• A Faraway Island by Annika Thor - (Mildred L. Baltchelder Honor Book) Book One of the Faraway Island series. Two Jewish girls find refuge in Sweden in 1939.
• The Lily Pond by Annika Thor - (ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book) Book Two of the Faraway Island series. Stephie Steiner is sent to school on the mainland.
• A Night Divided by Jennifer A. Nielsen - Details a family divided by the rise of the Berlin Wall.
• Countdown by Debra Wiles - First in The Sixties Trilogy. A riveting book about an 11-year-old girl in 1962.
• Revolution by Debra Wiles - (National Book Award Finalist) Book Two in The Sixties Trilogy. Sunny experiences all the changes brought by Freedom Summer in 1964 Mississippi.
• Lily's Crossing by Patricia Reilly Giff - (Newbery Honor Book) Lily learns that lies have consequences when a Hungarian refugee comes to her Rockaway summer house by the Atlantic Ocean in the summer of 1944.
• Number the Stars by Lois Lowry - (Newbery Award Winner) During WWII, Annemarie's family take in her Jewish friend, concealing her as part of the family.

Book Review: More Than Grit - Highly Recommend

Let's imagine my husband had to identify one complaint about me (ha, only one?). It might be my propensity to seek bargains. I will admit, sometimes the bargain, once chased, ends up being less than a bargain (i.e., a pair of running shoes I purchased for $5 and then ended up donating because they hurt my feet). Sometimes, in pursuing the bargain, I waste time and money. But occasionally, I end up thanking God for the deal. (Some previous gems: our new-in-box treadmill, a solid wood lyre end table, my alto horn, the bench and end table in my book nook, and the book-themed desk and file cabinet.)

However, none of those finds netted the even greater find, a friend. Lately, I've been searching for a small table or cabinet to hold a sewing machine. After my mother-in-law's passing, her machine went to my niece and my niece offered me her old machine. So, there I was perusing Facebook Marketplace, when I saw an adorable Old Curiosity Shop knick-knack. I had just completed Great Expectations and was feeling my old author love spring anew. God turned this little transaction into a marvelous connection. It turned out the seller had just published her first book, like me. Eager to help a fellow author, I purchased her book More Than Grit.

If this is her debut effort, Gretchen Carlson can only have a bright future ahead. Billed as a middle-grade historical novel, with extended appeal to history-keen young adults and adults, More Than Grit tells a multi-layered story of belligerent bullies, fast friendship, and troubled times. It is 1939 in a rural Kansas town. Farmers and townspeople alike are abuzz with news of electricity. But times are tough and they require a $5 deposit in order to extend the resource. Twelve-year-old Sissy Grumme can tell her parents may struggle to secure the sum. She devises a plan that may place herself and others in danger.

I loved the way this story weaves in and out with a narrow and wide lens. On the one hand, you have Sissy's problem with a small-town bully. On the other, you have a much bigger bully, Hitler. Prejudices emerge on local and international scales. Sissy learns and grows through her encounters with a war-scarred recluse and her friendship with a gypsy girl. She struggles to balance duty and desire and learns that scarred, scared people can change. What a testament to the power of story! The reason our individual stories matter is that they play out in bigger arenas with universal appeal. What touches a person also touches a nation, which also touches an international sphere.

Gretchen's author website provides additional resources (discussion questions/activities arranged by chapter). This book would make an outstanding read-aloud, with a journal question or activity assigned for each read-aloud session. Each question/activity gives readers a chance to interact with the history and quotations from historical figures. They also encourage personal connections. Homeschooling families and mother-daughter book clubs will appreciate the many discussions the book prompts. Keep your eyes open for more, because I'm convinced that Gretchen Carlson has a significant gift for historical fiction. 

She also addresses my personal pet-peeve (mentioned here and here), by producing a book that is faith-affirming without hammering the message like an anvil over the heads of readers. She gets it right. Faith shines through on the strength of the story. Everyone can agree. We all face troubled times that will require more than grit. 

Book Review: Courage for Beginners

In skimming through my blog for entries in the 100 armchair travel post, I came across Karen Harrington's book, Sure Signs of Crazy, and remembered how much I enjoyed that one. Courage for Beginners tackles middle school problems, but it didn't resonate with me as much as the previous book. I'm not sure why. With plenty of conflict to fuel interest, I should have felt more engaged.

Mysti Murphy lives in Texas, but really lives inside the fabrications of her mind. This was tiresome instead of endearing. Throughout the book, sections begin with italicized sentences starting Here is a girl who... Now, I cannot complain, because I live in such fabrications myself at times. I imagine myself solving my problems in dramatic fashion or escaping the doldrums by embracing a different reality. And it is not as if Mysti lacks significant obstacles to inspire such dreams. She is up against the world.

Her father has fallen from a tree and is in a coma. This would be an ordinary challenge, except he holds the family together while agoraphobia cripples her mother. Now, with dad gone, and mom barely functioning, Mysti must carry them all. Perhaps she could lean on her friends. But no, her best friend is pretending he doesn't like her in a campaign to be cool. But is he pretending?

Since my response was less enthusiastic, I considered giving up on this author. However, then I read her acknowledgements page. Now, I am determined to give her books another go. Maybe this was just a case of a book not fitting at the right time or place. Of course, if you grew up with a mother with agoraphobia (and I knew a friend who may have struggled with that paralyzing ailment), the book might be a perfect fit.

Book Review: The Undercover Book List

The Undercover Book List, by Colleen Nelson, is like a tween version of The Reading List (reviewed here). Similarities abound. Both books highlight two unlikely individuals brought together by reading and a list. Both books reveal the chasm left behind in a father's absence. An aspect of anonymity drives both plot lines. Characters face family issues. Plus, each offers the reader a host of book suggestions and discussions.

Jane's best friend, Sienna, moves away and leaves her an opportunity to find a new best friend based on their shared passion for books. She initiates what she calls "the undercover book list," a secret correspondence carried out in the pages of their favorite book. Through this series of anonymous notes, X and Y recommend books to each other as their friendship blossoms. While Y knows who X is, X is in the dark. Will X be disappointed when she discovers the true identity of Y? Can Y fill the hole left by Sienna in Jane's life and in Jane's book quiz team?

Colleen Nelson understands middle school students. From her outstanding development of the misunderstood prankster to the intense ache Jane experiences missing her father, Nelson crafts tween characters that are sure to resonate with the intended audience. Thankfully, the book holds equal appeal for grown-ups who might read the book alongside their tweens. Yet another brilliant book stimulating further reading recommendation. This would make an outstanding classroom read-aloud!

Book Review: Spark

Before starting Spark, the fourth book in the Swipe series by Evan Angler, I dug again on the internet to see if I could learn anything more about the mysteriously absent author. I found this teen vlog by Celestria (note: spoilers). I am 100% with her! Where in the world is Evan Angler? Why did he ditch the series before finishing it? When, if ever, will we get another installment? I also agree with her assessment of this fourth book. Just didn't care for it all that much. The first irritation was the shift from familiar to foreign soil and language. It grows tiresome when you cannot read multiple lines and must glean possible meanings from the context. 

This time around, the main character is a street urchin in al-Balat. Unlike Logan Langley and his friends, she never wormed into my heart or affection. The plot is confusing and endlessly weaving. It was hard to tell where things were happening when the setting shifted again and again. The Antichrist character didn't ring true to me. He lacked the expected charisma and strode to power on the coattails of luck. It seemed a weak attempt to weave together these disparate characters (Logan and the Dust, Commander Cylis, and Ali, some sort of savior figure). 

Moreover, the virtual reality and technological aspects of the story's development didn't entice me. I still would happily read a fifth or sixth book, should they ever appear, but feel less driven for answers now. Will Evan Angler ever reappear? Will his books resume where they left off? Did he merely run out of ideas and material or is he being held by D.O.M.E. (the Department of Marked Emergencies), desperate to get back to Beacon? Ha!

I enjoyed the series (what we get of it). You might, too, so check out my previous reviews of book one, book two, and book three.

Book Review: Storm

Storm is the third book in Evan Angler's Swipe series. This book contains an unexpected, unique twist I've never encountered before - quite clever! I'm plowing through the series and hope to convince Sean to read them as well, before they are due back at the library. In this installment, Logan doesn't know if he can trust anyone, but a storm is brewing that threatens both marked and unmarked citizens. Some of the alignment with current scenarios is uncanny! Still cannot decide if they snatched this author for knowing too much or if his disappearance merely drives book sales. I recently learned that this was intended as a six-book series. Sadly, we are left with only four, so I'm sure the next installment will leave me hanging. I have already started book four. So far, the books are riveting.

Follow these links for reviews of Swipe (book 1) and Sneak (book 2) in the series.

Book Review: Swipe

What if you had to provide proof of a tangible mark in order to buy or sell, to get a job, or to have a bank account? Scripture has prophesied such a time is coming. Evan Angler, in this first book of his Swipe series, takes this premise, creates the hypothetical scenario, and places tween/teen characters into the mix. I think he does an outstanding job in fleshing out what, until now, seemed like science fiction. This premise is not science fiction. Today, we face a world none too different from the one Angler presents in these middle-grade apocalyptical books.

Back cover blurb: "Logan Langley is just months away from his thirteenth birthday and the biggest day of his life - the day he will finally be Marked. The Mark lets people get jobs, vote, even go out to eat or buy concert tickets. Becoming Marked means becoming free. Or so he is told. Five years ago when Logan's sister went to get her Mark she never came back. Now Logan can't shake the feeling he's being watched... and then he finds the wire."

Angler not only provides a believable scenario (a drive for comprehensive compliance that pressures the unmarked), but also believable characters. Logan wants to know what went wrong with his sister's marking ceremony. His new friend Erin wants to find a way back to her old home in Beacon, to a time when her family was still intact and her father not yet assigned his top secret mission. Together, these tweens chase down the truth. This book grabs you and doesn't let go. Now that I have both the first and second book (Sneak) under my belt, I'm anxious to read the final two in the series. I'm also eager to discover why Evan Angler's social media presence abruptly disappeared not long after the publication of his fourth book. Hmm. Is it a publicity ploy? Or does Angler's premise hold some truth others don't want him revealing?

Book Review: Sneak

I rarely purchase audio books, but am always on the look-out since I listen during every treadmill session and often during car trips. Trevor got his driver's license at the end of May. Before that, I spent lots of time in the car. Each trip to and from Trevor's ranch job took almost twenty minutes (plus I often killed time listening while waiting for him). Add on trips to take him to visit his girlfriend and trips to transport Sean from track practices and meets, and football practices, and we were putting about 600 miles a week on our vehicles (prime audio book time whenever the boys were not in the car with me).

Thus, when I happened upon this audio book, Sneak, at a thrift store for a couple bucks, I took a gamble. I discovered, post-purchase, that it is the second book in Evan Angler's Swipe series. If I hadn't purchased it, I might have given up after one disc. The first problem? Oasis Audio fails to track their CDs in 3-5 minute increments. Instead, the tracks run around 15-25 minutes long. Since my treadmill CD player doesn't skip to the middle of tracks, I'm often stuck waiting for a track to finish. Moreover, the narrator's voice was a bit grating. I applaud him for providing distinctive voices with so many characters, but still felt it came out whiny and high-pitched. Thankfully, I overlooked those two drawbacks.

Once two discs in, I was hooked on the story line and far more willing to continue. Indeed, I now hope to encourage my youngest son to read the middle-grade series. It has boy appeal and is a timely tale. Set in a future where you must receive a mark to "swipe" in order to buy goods and services, Logan Langly is on the run as a "mark-less" after escaping his marking ceremony. He hopes to find and rescue his older sister who disappeared after her marking ceremony. She is rumored to be held in a high-security prison called Acheron, where escape seems hopeless. Will the other mark-less, known as "the Dust," be able to help him evade D.O.M.E. (Department of Marked Emergencies)? Will they be able to rescue Lily? Can Logan find the answers to his many questions? This fast-paced tale could have been pulled from today's news. What a riveting introduction to this Christian apocalyptic series!

Book Review: We Dream of Space - Highly Recommend

Erin Entrada Kelly is a Newbery award-winning writer, yet I don't believe I've read any of her other books. I will remedy that! Her writing is impressive. We Dream of Space is an outstanding middle grade book about a girl, with a complicated home life, who longs to venture into space like her role models on the Challenger mission. I well remember, as I'm sure others do, the images of the Challenger explosion (the Y puffs of smoke) and the feelings of astonishment and devastation. The author steps into the shoes of those children who watched the televised launch while at school. 

Bird and her brothers, Cash and Fitch, each respond in their own way to the parental friction within their home. This proves, once again, that parents give their children an enormous gift when they strive to love one another. But family life is often complicated, and this novel will resonate with those who struggle with such difficulties. The book appeals equally to boys, as it outlines the pent-up rage of Fitch and the frustrating failures of Cash as they both try to find their place in the world. Kelly captures the emotions of tweens. She presents historical fiction sure to inspire young readers to reach for the stars.

Book Review: Out of my Mind

I saw Sharon Draper's Out of my Mind highlighted in a child's letter about their favorite literature in the 2016 Letters About Literature book. I added it to my lengthy list. It reminded me of Cynthia Lord's book Rules, because it portrays a handicapped individual who can neither walk nor talk. Both books will appeal to tween readers and foster greater understanding and empathy for special needs children.

Despite eleven-year-old Melody's vast intelligence and photographic memory, most kids think she is mentally defective. They shy away from her wheelchair. They stare when she drools. If only she could communicate! Countless words and thoughts spring to life in her brain but cannot make it to her lips. Trapped in a body racked with cerebral palsy, Melody outlines the frustrations of limitations she cannot override. Like the goldfish in her fish bowl, Melody longs to escape her imprisoned world. She is ecstatic when a computer allows her to find her voice. Will her newfound ability to communicate solidify or squelch acceptance from others?

I enjoyed this tender tale. Draper has experience parenting a special needs child. Thus, she portrays a believable and gutsy protagonist. The conflicts that arise propel the story into unexpected territory. Any reader will identify with Melody's feelings and frustrations. Moreover, nurturing acceptance for those who are different is always a timely task.

Book Review: The Next Great Paulie Fink

I often return to authors whose books have made it to my top ten countdown at the end of the year. In 2017, one of my favorite middle grade books was Ali Benjamin's The Thing About Jellyfish. It is a debut novel I still highly recommended! Noting the author's name, I snagged The Next Great Paulie Fink off the shelves. It took a while to get into this one, but it was another excellent example of writing sure to appeal to more than just middle-schoolers.

Typical middle school angst with a unique twist: Caitlyn Breen is the new girl at school. Her primary difficulty isn't in being new, but rather in feeling like she cannot replace the individual the other students were expecting to walk through the door, Paulie Fink. So where is Paulie Fink? Who was Paulie Fink? Why does he have such a dramatic following? If she can't fill his shoes, then who can?

Benjamin has a knack for including scientific and philosophical tid-bits surreptitiously. I'm sure young people don't even realize how much they are learning in the process. Initially it wasn't compelling enough because I didn't care about the unknown Paulie Fink. But, it was well-worth slogging through the preparation for not only the big reveal but also for the heart of the conflict when the protagonist realizes she doesn't want to leave her difficult new home. As Caitlyn discovers who she is in this crazy equation, she also discovers much about the difficulties of fully knowing another individual. So, amid discussions about Greek philosophers and tending to kindergartners and goats, a bigger picture develops. I finished the book with the rare tender feeling I get in my chest when a book triggers deeper thought and emotional truth than I expected. This book is an excellent follow-up to Benjamin's debut smash.

Book Review: Echo Mountain - Highly Recommend

Lauren Wolk is a marvelous writer. I loved Wolf Hollow and Beyond the Bright Sea. She deserves the title "Newbery Honor-winning author" and I will read anything she puts out. While unsure if I was up for a 356 page middle grade book, I should have figured Wolk would sweep me in right away.

Ellie is plucky and resilient. While her mother and sister long for the past life in town, before the Depression stripped her parents of their jobs and forced the family to move to the mountain, Ellie basks in the freedom and opportunity to learn fresh things. She has a brand new puppy and an anonymous friend in the woods who leaves her carved trinkets. All would be well for her there, if a tragic accident hadn't left her father in a coma. But even worse, her family blames her for the accident and resents her efforts to waken her father. Ellie feels sure the old hag who lives up the mountain can help. Ellie defies her mother and goes to the hag, but what she finds there only presents even further complications.

This book celebrates human resilience, friendship, and the power of possibility. The setting is part of the struggle. Readers will root for Ellie against every obstacle and cheer when she carves out her own path to healing. The writing sings and provides an interesting setting, a strong protagonist, overwhelming obstacles, and satisfying redemption. This would make an outstanding read-aloud. What a marvelous example of personal integrity and grit! Moreover, if you are looking for books to encourage girls to follow their goals and dreams, this is dynamite. I think it is my favorite of Wolk's books yet!

Book Review: Beverly, Right Here

Readers first met Beverly Tapinski in Kate DiCamillo's book, Rayme Nightingale. In Beverly, Right Here, we watch the fourteen-year-old run away from home to find a place for herself in the world. I struggled with the title. Plus, it features a cast of reprehensible characters: an absent father, a disinterested mother, a nosy neighbor, a vile bully, a shady boss, and a pushy evangelist (offering tracts and preying on innocent children with graphic images of snakes and devils). I worry the main character's actions might encourage young readers to have idealized views of running away, trusting strangers, stealing, and underage driving.

When Beverly's friend Louisiana moves away and her dog dies, Beverly is bereft. She hops a ride to another town, finds a job, and moves in with a friendly stranger in a trailer park. Desperation and genuine soul-ache ooze from the pages. The cover promises it will "break your heart and put it back together again." Sadly, I felt I only managed the broken heart. I simply wanted more redemption from the story. Despite plenty of random acts of kindness (tokens for the horse ride, tickets entered to win the world's largest turkey, offers to build a sandcastle, etc.), the disconnectedness of people pervaded. The writing is easily digested, the emotions tapped, but the resolution didn't satisfy sufficiently. I still think Kate DiCamillo spins gold, but this wasn't my favorite book.

Book Review: Peter and the Starcatchers

Peter and the Starcatchers provides a glimpse into the origins of Peter Pan. Authors Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson have imagined how Peter and the Lost Boys ended up in Neverland. The tale begins when Peter and other orphan boys are loaded onto a ship bound for another land. Also on board is a trunk full of a magical substance with powers unknown. The audio book was a delightful adventure, narrated by Jim Dale (narrator of the Harry Potter series - one I've never listened to, but can imagine he spins well). It would make a perfect accompaniment to a longer trip, if only my boys were still young enough for that sort of thing. Oh well, at least it promised a clean and wholesome listening experience.