Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan

From Goodreads,

"Charlotte Parkhurst is raised in an orphanage for boys, which suits her just fine. She doesn’t like playing with dolls, she can hold her own in a fight, and she loves to work in the stables. Charlotte has a way with horses and wants to spend her life training and riding them on a ranch of her own. 

The problem is, as a girl in the mid-1800s, Charlotte is expected to live a much different life – one without freedom. But Charlotte is smart and determined, and she figures out a way to live her dreams with a plan so clever and so secret – almost no one figures it out."

Goodreads - Riding Freedom

Awards and Nominations:

• Grand Canyon Reader Award for Immediate Book (2000)
• California Young Readers Medal for Intermediate (2000)
• Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award Nominee (2001)

In today's world, you can be anything and you can do anything you want.  Unfortunately, that was not always the case.  This book tells the story of a young girl named Charlotte who wanted to be adopted and to spend her time with horses.  When her best friend at the orphanage was adopted she decided it was time to take matters into her own hands.  She ran away, cut her hair, and dressed as a boy.  As time went on she was able to spend time with the horses living her life the way she intended it to be - free.

This was an exceptional book.  I loved that this was based on a true story and that many of the events in the book happened.  In the 1800s women were expected to cook, clean, and care for the children.  Charlotte knew that wanted a life spent with the horses that she had a special connection to.  Charlotte knew what would make her happy and she took matters into her own hands.  I think everyone can take this lesson and apply it to their own happiness in life.  I know that I would love to be a librarian and that to do that I will have to take matters into my own hands by going back to college and putting in the time and effort to get my masters.  No one is going to hand it to me and no one cares if I do or do not get my degree.  It is up to me to ensure that I find my happiness.  Charlotte knew this and she did what she had to do to make sure she was free of the expectations of women and that she was happy.

My only complaint with this book was that it was too short.  It is absolutely the perfect length for children, but as an adult, I wanted more.  I would love to read a book about her life.  I did a little research and found that she had apparently given birth at some point and that a baby's dress was found at her house.  I completely understand why details were omitted, but I would love to read an adult version of Charlotte's story.

Overall, I was very impressed with this book.  It had a strong female character in it who was determined to do whatever necessary to ensure happiness.  I give this 4 stars and think it would be a perfect read for students in 4th to 5th grade.

Shout by Laurie Halse Anderson

From Goodreads,

"A searing poetic memoir and call to action from the bestselling and award-winning author of Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson!

Bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson is known for the unflinching way she writes about, and advocates for, survivors of sexual assault. Now, inspired by her fans and enraged by how little in our culture has changed since her groundbreaking novel Speak was first published twenty years ago, she has written a poetry memoir that is as vulnerable as it is rallying, as timely as it is timeless. In free verse, Anderson shares reflections, rants, and calls to action woven between deeply personal stories from her life that she's never written about before. Searing and soul-searching, this important memoir is a denouncement of our society's failures and a love letter to all the people with the courage to say #metoo and #timesup, whether aloud, online, or only in their own hearts. Shout speaks truth to power in a loud, clear voice-- and once you hear it, it is impossible to ignore."

Goodreads - Shout

Last week I reviewed Anderson's book Speak.  The book focuses on the fictional story of Melinda who was raped by an older boy from her school.  Throughout the book, she struggles with finding her voice to tell what happened.  Shout is the moving and true story of survivors written in moving prose.

Shout is Laurie Halse Anderson's story.  It tells of her childhood and upbringing as she dealt with being raped when she was just thirteen.  The second part of the book is focused on telling the stories and interactions she has had with other survivors.  The last part is a conclusion telling of her family when she was an adult.

I absolutely loved this book.  And I mean LOVED this book.  This book was so raw and powerful.  Anderson didn't try to sugarcoat or hide anything.  She was open and honest about her own rape at the age of thirteen and how it affected her life.  As I was reading there were so many connections I noticed between Shout and Speak.  Speak felt more "real" because so many of the events in that book really happened.  I hate that Anderson had to go through the trauma she went through, but I'm glad that she was able to openly write about her experiences in both Speak and in Shout.  Anderson has helped so many people speak about their own experiences, all because she was able to open up about hers.  I honestly think that this newest book will encourage more people to step forward and tell their story.

The entire focus of this book was rape and sharing your story, but I want to focus on censorship.  There were multiple poems about teachers or administrators afraid of having Anderson's book in their schools or afraid of Anderson speaking in schools about sex, rape, and consent.  Reading about the fear that schools had, made me think of two things.  One was that I was very fortunate I went to a high school where any and all books were made readily available.  The second thing is that as a current teacher I have had coworkers who have encouraged me to not put books in my classroom library because of content.  I had a book about a boy who knows he is really a girl.  One of my coworkers told me that it was not appropriate for children and that I shouldn't put it in my classroom library because we live in a small town where being transgender isn't acceptable.  As a new teacher, I nodded my head and agreed.  Now that I think back on it, I really should have put the book in my library.  While it may offend people, it may resonate with just one kid who needed that book.  I feel like that is what Anderson's books are about.  They aren't for everyone, but they resonate with people who find themselves in the book, people who make a connection to a character.  Shout really pushed me to a point where I felt that we shouldn't be censoring books and content.  I think it is good for kids and young adults to be exposed to lots of different books with lots of different topics and content.  Kids and young adults alike have to learn to find a book that is appropriate for them.  If they find it offensive or it bothers them, then they need to find another book that is appropriate for them.

This book was moving and heartbreaking all at the same time.  I pretty much read straight through this book.  It was a quick read about a difficult topic.  I give this 5 stars.  If you have read ANY of Anderson's books then you need to read Shout.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

From Goodreads,

"The first ten lies they tell you in high school.

"Speak up for yourself—we want to know what you have to say." 

From the first moment of her freshman year at Merryweather High, Melinda knows this is a big fat lie, part of the nonsense of high school. She is friendless, outcast, because she busted an end-of-summer party by calling the cops, so now nobody will talk to her, let alone listen to her. As time passes, she becomes increasingly isolated and practically stops talking altogether. Only her art class offers any solace, and it is through her work on an art project that she is finally able to face what really happened at that terrible party: she was raped by an upperclassman, a guy who still attends Merryweather and is still a threat to her. Her healing process has just begun when she has another violent encounter with him. But this time Melinda fights back, refuses to be silent, and thereby achieves a measure of vindication. 

In Laurie Halse Anderson's powerful novel, an utterly believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice delivers a blow to the hypocritical world of high school. She speaks for many a disenfranchised teenager while demonstrating the importance of speaking up for oneself.

Speak was a 1999 National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature."

Goodreads - Speak

Awards and Nominations:

• SCBWI Golden Kite Award for Fiction (1999)
• National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature (1999)
• Edgar Award Nominee for Best Young Adult (2000)
• Michael L. Printz Award Nominee (2000)
• Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (2000)
• Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee (2001)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2001)
• Evergreen Teen Book Award (2002)
• South Caroline Book Award for Young Adult Book Award (2002)
• Oklahoma Sequoyah Award for YA (2002)
• California Young Readers Medal Nominee for Young Adult (2003)
• Lincoln Award Nominee (2005)

I faintly recall reading this book in junior high or high school.  I remember it was one of those moving books that everyone wanted to read and it was a pain to get your hands on a copy from the library.  I decided to reread this book since Anderson just released her newest book Shout.  I'm excited to get to review this book so that I can jump into her next book.  

This book is told from the teenage perspective of Melinda.  Melinda just wanted to be a normal high school freshman, but being at a party the summer before changed everything.  Melinda was raped at the party and she called the cops as a result but ran before they arrived.  Melinda walks around everyday living with what happened.  Her grades plummet and her social life sinks.  Melinda gets to a point where she stops speaking.  But she must decide if she has a voice or not because the monster who raped her walks the same halls as her. 

This book is honestly about rape and having the voice to stand up and tell what happened.  Melinda was terrified to say what happened.  She wanted to forget the whole thing, but every day she was struggling.  When she told one of her former friends what happened the friend told her she was just jealous and that she was a liar.  I feel like this book is more relevant now than it was years ago, especially with the #metoo movement.  More and more women are coming forward, sharing their stories of sexual harassment or rape.  Girls and women alike need to learn and understand that they have a voice and they need to use it if something happens.  I do feel like a shift is happening where it is becoming more normal to report and share what happened.  I honestly feel that books like this are what will make people speak up and report.

I have two complaints about this book.  One was that it felt so disoriented and scattered.  I understand that it was written this way so that the book was truly from the perspective of a teenager.  I, however, found it annoying and it kind of took away from the book.  My other complaint was that there wasn't any real healing after everyone found out what happened.  The book just kind of ended.  I would have loved to have read about her healing and how her parents handled the news.  I just felt like there was more story to be told, and it just wasn't told.

Overall, the book was good.  I give it 4 stars and recommend that teenagers read this, both boys and girls.  I think that everyone can learn something from this book.  I will say that this book has a rape trigger in it and warn people to take caution before reading. 

Sounder by William H. Armstrong

From Goodreads,

"Set in the Deep South, this Newbery Medal-winning novel tells the story of the great coon dog, Sounder, and the poor sharecroppers who own him.

During the difficult years of the nineteenth century South, an African-American boy and his poor family rarely have enough to eat. Each night, the boy's father takes their dog, Sounder, out to look for food and the man grows more desperate by the day.

When food suddenly appears on the table one morning, it seems like a blessing. But the sheriff and his deputies are not far behind. The ever-loyal Sounder remains determined to help the family he loves as hard times bear down on them.

This classic novel shows the courage, love, and faith that bind an African-American family together despite the racism and inhumanity they face. Readers who enjoy timeless dog stories such as Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows will find much to love in Sounder."
Goodreads - Sounder

Awards and Nominations:

• Newbery Medal (1970)
• Lewis Carroll Shelf Award (1970)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (1971)
• Nene Award (1973)

It's been a little while since I have read and reviewed a book on one of my reading lists.  I am currently reading through the Newbery Medal winners, the Coretta Scott King winners, the Charlie May Simon winners, the Missouri Gateway winners, and the Arkansas Teen Level 1 & 2 books.  It's quite the list, but it has been so much fun to read and compare the award-winning books and make my own decision if the book deserves the award.

This book is about a young African American boy who lives with his parents and siblings in a house way out of town.  The boy's dad has a dog named Sounder who is the best coon dog in the area.  The father and Sounder go out to hunt for food for the family.  Everything is fine until the father is arrested for stealing ham.  Sounder gets shot while trying to save his owner.  The boy must work to take care of the family and find his father, all while trying to get Sounder to bark again. 

There wasn't a lot that I liked about this book.  My favorite part was probably the loyalty and the relationship between Sounder and the father.  I think that anyone can relate to having a dog and the relationship you have with it.  It definitely made me think of my English Bulldog who passed away almost two years ago.  Anytime I was sick he would curl up with me.  If I was sad he would scratch and bump my bedroom door until I let him in.  The relationship I had with George was like none other.  This book has this kind of amazing relationship in it.  The dog is faithful and loyal to the family, but especially to the father.  This book shows what loyalty looks like in all aspects.  

This book had big-time jumps in it.  One minute the boy was just a boy and a few chapters later he was a young adult.  There was no real record of the time and the chapters weren't even marked by big events.  Each chapter was just more searching for his father.  The chapters were dull and all ran together.  I felt like the book lacked organization and a real storyline.  

Overall, this book lacked a lot in my opinion.  There was a great relationship between the family and the dog, but there was no story.  The entire book was just the boy wandering the state searching for his dad.  I have to give this book 2 stars.  

Five Feet Apart by Rachael Lippincott

From Goodreads,

"Stella Grant likes to be in control—even though her totally out of control lungs have sent her in and out of the hospital most of her life. At this point, what Stella needs to control most is keeping herself away from anyone or anything that might pass along an infection and jeopardize the possibility of a lung transplant. Six feet apart. No exceptions.

The only thing Will Newman wants to be in control of is getting out of this hospital. He couldn’t care less about his treatments, or a fancy new clinical drug trial. Soon, he’ll turn eighteen and then he’ll be able to unplug all these machines and actually go see the world, not just its hospitals.

Will’s exactly what Stella needs to stay away from. If he so much as breathes on Stella she could lose her spot on the transplant list. Either one of them could die. The only way to stay alive is to stay apart. But suddenly six feet doesn’t feel like safety. It feels like punishment.

What if they could steal back just a little bit of the space their broken lungs have stolen from them? Would five feet apart really be so dangerous if it stops their hearts from breaking too?"

Goodreads - Five Feet Apart

I love reading books that have a movie that goes along with it.  I love getting to compare the two and getting to decide which was better.  I try to read the book before I watch the movie, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way.  I happened to watch the movie about a month before reading the book.  My boyfriend and I went to watch the movie together and I loved it so much that I cried at the end.  He also enjoyed it, but no tears were shed.  I'm so excited to share this book review!

This book is about a girl named Stella who has cystic fibrosis.  She has been in and out of the hospital since she was six.  The older she gets the worse her lung function gets, and she is hoping for new lungs.  Everything is going accordingly until she meets Will, a cute boy with CF too.  She knows they have to stay six feet apart at all times to avoid catching each other's germs.  But as time goes on she starts falling for Will and decides that she is going to take back a foot so that she can live life like a normal teenager.

I feel like the "cancer" books are all the rage, but this is a nice change.  I love that this book is bringing light and awareness to cystic fibrosis.  It is something that isn't often discussed among young adults.  I love that this book really showed the "behind the scenes" of having CF.  It discussed all the medications they have to take, the treatments, the inability to breathe well, and dealing with getting new lungs or dying.  This book honestly made me step back and think about how lucky I am that my lungs do what they are supposed to do.  I am amazed every day by the strength of people who have life-threatening illnesses.  This book made me grateful for the life I have and to stop complaining about my health because things could be a lot worse.

This book is so much like The Fault In Our Stars.  I feel like this book was a little bit of a rip off of The Fault In Our Stars. It has the same storyline of two sick kids falling in love until someone gets too sick to continue.  I would have loved for this book to have a different more optimistic ending.  It felt way too similar to The Fault In Our Stars.

The movie and the book were very similar.  There were minor differences, but for the most part, it was exactly the same.  I enjoyed this book and shared it with one of my former students.  I give this 5 stars.  If you loved The Fault In Our Stars then you will definitely love Five Feet Apart.

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck

From Goodreads,

"Mary Alice remembers childhood summers packed with drama. At fifteen, she faces a whole long year with Grandma Dowdel, well known for shaking up her neighbors-and everyone else. All Mary Alice can know for certain is this: when trying to predict how life with Grandma might turn out . . . better not."

Goodreads - A Year Down Yonder

Awards and Nominations:

• Newbery Medal (2001)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2002)
• Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award Nominee (2003)

I read A Long Way From Chicago quite some time ago.  It started off slow, but the characters were always up to something with Grandma Dowdel leading the way.  I was excited to jump into this book to see what adventures and trouble Grandma Dowdel stirred up.  

Mary Alice spent multiple summers with her brother Joey at their grandmothers house.  Every summer was filled with some kind of trouble their Grandma Dowdel stirred up.  Joey is grown up and off working, and Mary Alice and her family is moving.  It was quickly decided that Mary Alice would live with Grandma Dowdel while her parents got settled.  Mary Alice dreaded the move to the middle of nowhere, but quickly found herself in all kinds of drama with her Grandma.

I liked this book more than I liked A Long Way From Chicago, which is saying a lot because I really liked the first book.  I loved that this book was told from the perspective of Mary Alice and that we got to see her grow and change over the course of a book.  I think that Mary Alice's transformation from hating being with her crazy Grandma to worrying about her was my favorite part.  At the beginning of the book she was just a normal teenager who cared only about herself.  As the book progressed I noticed she was worrying about her Grandma more and more until she didn't even want to leave her to go back home to her parents.  I think that young kids need to learn that their grandparents and even parents are older and that they should look out for them.  We need to take care of and look out for our elders.  We also need to spend as much time with them as possible because they won't be here forever.

I still love the short story format in which this book is written.  This book had a deeper connection between Mary Alice and Grandma Dowdel in my opinion.  I give this 5 stars and recommend it to everyone.  It's a great book with a great lesson about family.  

Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson

From Goodreads,

"High school senior Tyler Miller used to be the kind of guy who faded into the background—average student, average looks, average dysfunctional family. But since he got busted for doing graffiti on the school, and spent the summer doing outdoor work to pay for it, he stands out like you wouldn’t believe. His new physique attracts the attention of queen bee Bethany Milbury, who just so happens to be his father’s boss’s daughter, the sister of his biggest enemy—and Tyler’s secret crush. And that sets off a string of events and changes that have Tyler questioning his place in the school, in his family, and in the world.

In Twisted, the acclaimed Laurie Halse Anderson tackles a very controversial subject: what it means to be a man today. Fans and new readers alike will be captured by Tyler’s pitch perfect, funny voice, the surprising narrative arc, and the thoughtful moral dilemmas that are at the heart of all of the author’s award-winning, widely read work."

Goodreads - Twisted

Awards and Nominations:

• Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award Nominee (2008)
• South Carolina Book Award Nominee for Young Adult Book Award (2010)
• Missouri Gateway Readers Award Nominee (2010)
• Lincoln Award Nominee (2011)

In today's world we hear of young girls being raped at parties because they were intoxicated and were unable to say no.  In almost every case it is the woman's fault.  The men who did the heinous crime are never faulted.  It is always the woman who should say no, who should take care of yourself, etc.  This book should be a requirement for all boys and men so that maybe they can learn right from wrong.  

Twisted follows the story of a troubled boy named Tyler.  He is on probation after doing graffiti on the school, but he has spent his summer working to make amends and correct his behavior.  Tyler however is secretly in love with the girl down the street named Bethany, who also happens to be his Dad's bosses daughter.  Things progress until Bethany invites Tyler to a party.  They both attend and Bethany is soon intoxicated and tries to sleep with Tyler.  Soon it is clear that someone took photographs of Bethany and all fingers point to Tyler.  The book comes to a climax when it all becomes too much and Tyler take things into his own hands. 

As I said before, this book should be a requirement for all boys and men to read.  This book focuses a lot on the right and wrong of situations and about consent.  The entire book Tyler liked Bethany, but he always played by her rules and went at her pace.  He never once forced himself on her or tried to get her to do something she didn't want to do.  Bethany was drunk at a party and tried to force herself on Tyler, but Tyler was responsible and told her no.  He continued to keep an eye on her as best as he could for the rest of the party.  Boys and men alike need to learn that when a woman is drunk it doesn't mean she is giving consent.  Even if she is saying yes, she is intoxicated and is not thinking clearly.  Men need to be the ones to step up and say no.  That being said, I will also say that women need to protect themselves too.  They don't need to hope and trust that a guy will say no if she forces herself on them or that someone won't take advantage of her.  I believe that girls need to watch out for themselves and men need to be responsible with their actions.  We hear so cases of rape where a girl was intoxicated and that if a guy would have taken her home or watched out for her, she wouldn't have been raped.  Rape can be prevented, but it takes active action by all parties to prevent it.

One thing that I didn't like about this book was that it seemed to drag on.  There were a few exciting points throughout the book, but it wasn't very captivating.  After things were figured out about the party incident it seemed to plateau really quickly.  It felt like there needed to be a resolution between Bethany and Tyler that resulted in them dating or being good friends at the very least.  But instead, the book concluded with his family pulling their act together.  I just needed more fire and excitement throughout the book and definitely a stronger ending.

Overall, I felt okay at the end of this book.  It wasn't one that I would read again for the third time, but it was one that I would suggest to teenage boys.  I give this two and a half stars.  It was good, but it just wasn't there for me.  It lacked something, but was also a strong book at the same time.