Holiday in Your Heart by LeAnn Rimes and Tom Carter

From Goodreads,

"Many girls dream of becoming princesses, but for the heroine of Holiday in Your Heart, nothing could be better than singing at the Grand Ole Opry.  Teenaged singing sensation Anna Lee has realized her dream of performing a holiday concert on the fabled stage.  Yet her happiness is clouded by thoughts of her grandmother, stricken with a serious illness back in her native Mississippi and unable to see her beloved granddaughter triumph at this special time of year.  It takes the lessons of an older country singer, a musical legend now past her prime, to show the young woman that if you carry a holiday in your heart all year round, you'll always know which things really matter, which songs are the ones you have to sing.  LeAnn Rimes's legions of fans will find Holiday in Your Heart a tale as heartrending as the finest country ballad."

Goodreads - Holiday in Your Heart

December is almost over and this is the final Christmas book of this year.  I felt like it would be good to make this book the final Christmas book considering it is titled Holiday in Your Heart.  It seemed like a book that would be full of good things to carry into the new year. 

Holiday in Your Heart is about a young girl named Anna Lee who is a rising star getting read to play at the Opry.  While getting ready Anna meets a famous singer who decides she should show Anna what Nashville is really like.  Anna agrees to meet her the next day to get an official tour, but she doesn't realize that she is going to get the lesson of a lifetime.

This book wasn't what I was expecting.  It was really slow and pretty boring.  The chapters were drawn out and lacked any kind of exciting storyline.  In between the slowness and the long chapters, there was an important message.  Anna Lee is a rising star who finds out early on in the book that her grandmother is sick.  Her grandmother asks for her to come see her in the hospital, but Anna Lee decides to go ahead and go to the important meeting she has the following day.  After spending time with the old famous singer she realizes that family is more important than anything including careers.  I think this is such an important message because I am so guilty of spending so much time at my job or doing things for my job instead of spending time with family.  Jobs will come and go, but family is only here for a short time.

This book was a little bit of a let down as far as stories go, but deep down there was an excellent message.  A big reason I even read this book was because it was written by LeAnn Rimes.  It didn't meet my expectations and it lacked a good storyline.  I give this 2 stars.  If you like LeAnn Rimes then I would suggest reading this because it does have some ties back to her life, but otherwise it isn't an exciting story. 

Searching for David's Heart: A Christmas Story by Cherie Bennett

From Goodreads,

"When her older brother, David, dies in an accident, Darcy feels responsible for his death. Then she meets the boy who received David's heart in an organ transplant, and learns that life truly does go on.

A journey of faith, hope, and love.

Life at Darcy's house isn't always easy. Money is tight, and her parents argue a lot. Darcy's shy and quiet with most people, but it's not like that with her brother, David. He and Darcy are soul mates. Until David gets a girlfriend, that is, and starts to treat Darcy as if she were a pest. Darcy is hurt and humiliated, and one day after a huge fight, Darcy runs off. David chases after her and is killed in a shocking accident. Darcy is sure his death is her fault.

Then Darcy's parents decide to donate David's heart for transplant. Darcy believes that if she can find David's heart, even if it's beating in someone else's body, she will have found her brother, and in some way he will still be alive. And so the search for David's heart begins."

Goodreads - Searching For David's Heart

I love Christmas, but I also love the books that are about Christmas.  They always have an important message about believing in the spirit or in helping others.  But this book was different in the most wonderful way.  This book focused on healing and finding the ability to love and be loved again. 

Searching For David's Heart starts with a young girl named Darcy getting ready for a speech at school.  She talks with her brother David and he gives her advice about how to not be afraid.  Soon Darcy finds out that David has a girlfriend that he is apparently in love with.  Darcy becomes jealous, but becomes angry when she overhears David's girlfriend share that she picked out Darcy's birthday present.  Darcy gets angry and runs away with David chasing.  Darcy makes it across the street, but David doesn't.  In the months after Darcy must learn to heal and love again.  But to do that she sets off on an adventure to find her brother's heart.

I'm not going to lie this book started off extremely slow and slightly boring.  I was tired of it just a few chapters in, but after the accident the book picked up and took off.  While Darcy went on a physical journey, she also went on an emotional journey.  Darcy kept blaming herself for David's death and was bottling everything up.  As she went on the trip she was forced to face the truth and to truly let herself mourn away from her family.  I think that this book would be very beneficial to someone who had just lost someone in a tragic way.  Sometimes we have to take a step back and go on a journey to find ourselves and let ourselves truly heal. 

I also want to give some attention to the love and relationships that were in this book.  The first big one was Darcy and David's relationship.  Darcy looked up to her big brother in a way that a lot of younger siblings look up to older siblings.  David wasn't a jerk about the fact that Darcy admired him.  David took care of Darcy, gave her advice, and wanted her to be her best self.  He was ultimately her biggest fan and protector.  This was an excellent brother-sister relationship that was full of positivity and love.  The other big relationship was between Darcy and Sam her best friend.  Darcy and Sam had the ideal childhood friendship.  Both seem to be a little quirky and stick up for each other.  Sam has a lot of courage and charisma that Darcy ultimately needs once they set out on their journey to find David's heart.  At one point in the book Sam confesses that he loves Darcy and frankly, Darcy is a little bit of a jerk about it.  Darcy says that she doesn't love Sam and it really breaks Sam's heart.  The only complaint out of the whole book is that there wasn't ever a moment where Darcy admitted she loved Sam too.  I was hoping it would come near the end of the book, but it didn't.  Nonetheless they had a positive friendship where each was willing to do anything for the other.  I think that positive relationships in books are excellent examples of what things are supposed to look like.  This book was packed with these two positive relationships and it really enhanced the book.

I have nothing negative to say about this wonderful Christmas story.  It was full of tragedy and love and hope and healing.  Something strange however is that my copy of the book had two chapter eighteens and no chapter nineteen.  It was really weird, but I figured it was just a big typo.  I give this book 5 big stars and recommend it to anyone looking for a feel good Christmas read. 

The Promise by Jackie French Koller

From Goodreads,

"When his Labrador retriever survives a bear-mauling on Christmas Eve, Matt is convinced that her recovery is a miracle sent by his mother from heaven."

Goodreads - The Promise

It's time for another Christmas book, and I'm extremely excited about this book.  My previous Christmas book review focused on believing and hoping.  There was another important element to the book that I decided to ignore and not write about, but magically the same concept was brought up in this book.  I suppose that's a sign saying I need to talk about it.

The Promise is a book about a young boy named Matt who lives with his brother Jamie, his Pa, and his dog Sara. His Ma died and it is the first Christmas without her.  Matt wants everything to be like when Ma was still alive, and as a family they work together to make it the best they can.  On Christmas Eve, Matt goes to hang suet balls on the tree when a bear lumbers down the path.  The book comes to a dramatic conclusion as Matt and Sara run from the bear in hopes of surviving.

Apparently I missed some story in my childhood about animals being able to speak on Christmas at midnight.  Both On Christmas Eve and The Promise refer to animals having this gift on Christmas.  In The Promise Matt didn't believe it was possible, but went along with it because his Ma had said it was possible.  Eventually Matt finds out that it is true that animals get this power on Christmas at midnight.  It would be so cool to be able to speak to animals.  It definitely makes me think of my dog who passed away a year ago.  I honestly wish that I had been able to talk to him and he respond.  There are so many things that I would have said to him or asked him.  I had such a connection with him and honestly feel that he still understood me even though he couldn't talk to me.

This book had a quote that was mentioned a couple times and it really pulled the book together.  Ma had always told the family, "Some things you just got to take on faith."  This was an important phrase in the book because each of the characters needed the strength from the words.  They all needed to just believe.  Matt honestly had to "take it on faith" that Sara would be able to talk at midnight and that she would be okay after being attacked by the bear.  I think this is an important quote to carry with you through life.  Our society questions everything and I feel like we need to trust a little more and take it on faith.  There are times when we don't and can't have all the answers, we just have to believe, and that was an important message in this book. 

I love Christmas books because they really focus on believing in the magic of Christmas.  This is a book that I would absolutely read to my students in my classroom.  I think that many of them would connect with the animal aspect and the believing in the magic.  I give this 5 stars and recommend it to everyone for a quick read. 

On Christmas Eve by Ann M. Martin

From Goodreads,

"A heartfelt gift for every family, sure to be shared over and over each year.

Eight-year-old Tess is convinced this is the year she will finally meet Santa, and experience "the Christmas magic." She also wishes with all her heart that her best friend's ill father will recover. Tess' faith in the season results in a Christmas Eve so wondrous, so sparkling, readers won't be able to help but feel transformed. Like trimming the tree and "It's a Wonderful Life"; baking cookies and "White Christmas," ON CHRISTMAS EVE is sure to bring new holiday magic to readers' lives."

Goodreads - On Christmas Eve

I am beyond excited that December is finally here because that means Christmas is right around the corner!  Christmas is my favorite holiday because of the awe and magic that it holds.  Now that I'm older and a teacher, I get to share my hope and excitement with my nieces and nephews and with my students.  This book really captures the magic that Christmas holds.

Tess is just 8 years old when she feels something magical happen.  She thinks that it means she will meet the real Santa Claus on Christmas.  Tess believes in Santa with all her heart, despite her sister saying Santa isn't real.  In the weeks leading up to Christmas, Tess's best friend Sarah is spending lots of time with Tess's family because Sarah's dad is sick.  Tess decides that on Christmas she will ask Santa to grant Sarah her wish for her dad to be better.  The story reaches a magical point as Christmas Eve leads way to Christmas day.

This book was so much better than I thought it was going to be.  I love that one of the big messages in this book is believing and having hope.  Tess believed in the magic of Christmas even when everyone around her didn't.  People who believe in Santa Claus have an energy that is infectious.  They see the joy and excitement in everything that surrounds Christmas, and this is how Tess was.  However, at a certain point in the book Tess lost her hope in Santa Claus and she kept telling herself she still believed.  Tess's best friend Sarah had been through a lot and she still somehow had hope.  Tess had to realize that if Sarah could still have hope, then she could too.  This book proved that hope is a powerful thing.

This book was absolutely precious and I have nothing negative to say about it.  This is a wonderful and quick read about believing in the magic of Christmas.  I give it 5 stars and recommend it to everyone. 

Glass by Ellen Hopkins

From Goodreads,

"Crank. Glass. Ice. Crystal. Whatever you call it, it's all the same: a monster. And once it's got hold of you, this monster will never let you go.

Kristina thinks she can control it. Now with a baby to care for, she's determined to be the one deciding when and how much, the one calling the shots. But the monster is too strong, and before she knows it, Kristina is back in its grips. She needs the monster to keep going, to face the pressures of day-to-day life. She needs it to feel alive.

Once again the monster takes over Kristina's life and she will do anything for it, including giving up the one person who gives her the unconditional love she craves -- her baby.

The sequel to Crank, this is the continuing story of Kristina and her descent back to hell. Told in verse, it's a harrowing and disturbing look at addiction and the damage that it inflicts."

Goodreads - Glass

I read Ellen Hopkins' book Crank a while back.  After reading the book I went to a bookshop that sells used books and purchased all of the books I could find that were written by Hopkins.  The style is simple to read, and I definitely wanted to continue on the journey with Kristina to find out what happened to her.

Glass picks up right were Crank left off.  Kristina gives a brief refresher of what has happened in her life up to that that particular point.  As the book progresses we know that she has had the baby and that she is wanting to start using again.  The drug use spirals out of control as she moves from street crank to straight methamphetamine or glass.  She ends up with a new man in her life who is constantly using and dealing.  Soon Kristina is dragged back into the full lifestyle of glass by buying, selling, and using.  The book comes to an exciting climax when Kristina runs off with her boyfriend.

There are some books that have drug use that tackle the subject poorly.  All of the Anonymous books I have read so far, such as Lucy In The Sky or Go Ask Alice, seem to glamorize drug use.  The books by Hopkins are the first that I have read that really set it straight and share the highs and lows that are going to be experienced.  I think that this book was really better than the first one because it talked a lot about the signs and symptoms of drug use.  There was a specific point in the book when Kristina's mom pulled her aside and told her to stop using or to never come back.  She told Kristina that she knew what she was doing and she looked awful.  Kristina took a long look in the mirror and recognized that she had sores on her face and that her hair had lost all of its shine and color.  Kristina also talked about having the highs and the lows because of the drugs and that it made her feel lonely because she had lost everyone or they just didn't care.  I think that this book really characterized what drug use is like.  It's not all fun times and feeling good.  It honestly showed the downsides of using.  I think teenagers and adults alike need to be able to recognize drug use.  I love that Hopkins put the symptoms and appearances that a user will be exhibiting.  It could honestly save a life because someone knows what that looks like and can identify someone who is using.

This book was so unbearably long.  I understand that it is in poetry/prose format and it takes up more pages, but this book made me want to gouge my eyes out.  A problem with it being so long was that the book seemed so slow.  It got a little exciting at the beginning when Kristina started using again, but it hit a wall until Kristina ran away with her boyfriend.  Of course at the time of her running away there were about 20 pages left.  It just felt like the book dragged on for 500 pages.  I wish there had been more exciting events that happened throughout the book.  I think I would have enjoyed this more if there had been something big happen every 100-150 pages.

Overall, this book was a great sequel to the first book.  I would recommend that teens and adults alike read this.  It of course has some profanity in it, and there's obvious drug use.  I give this 4 stars.

Crank by Ellen Hopkins

From Goodreads,

"The #1 New York Times bestselling tale of addiction—the first in the Crank trilogy—from master poet Ellen Hopkins.

Life was good 
before I 
met 
the monster.


After, 
life 
was great, 
At 
least 

for a little while. 

Kristina Snow is the perfect daughter: gifted high school junior, quiet, never any trouble. 

Then, Kristina meets the monster: crank. And what begins as a wild, ecstatic ride turns into a struggle through hell for her mind, her soul—her life."

Goodreads - Crank

Awards and Nominations:

• Missouri Gateway Readers Award (2007)
• Soaring Eagle Book Award (2008)
• Green Mountain Book Award (2009)
• Lincoln Award (2009)
• Jugendliteraturpreis Nominee for Jugendbuch (2011)
• Goldener Lufti (2012)

I remember being in junior high when this book really took off.  I recall everyone trying to get their hands on this book to read it.  I went once or twice to try to get it, but it was always checked out.  It seemed like such a big thing for our small town because meth or crank was so prominent in the community.  Even now years later it is still there and more prominent than ever.

This book is written in prose and is told by Kristina.  She goes to visit her dad in New Mexico and in turn gets hooked on crank otherwise known as meth.  This book chronicles her tries to stop using, but wanting to constantly reach that high.  The book spirals to a climactic end which leaves the reader wanting more.

This book is a very complex book.  This book is a work of fiction, but Hopkins states that it is based on true experiences and events that happened with her daughter.  I feel like this book really characterizes what it is like to be addicted.  I love that Hopkins took her personal story to build and create this book.  This book did not sugar coat things like some drug themed books.  I have read a couple of the anonymous books and I feel like they over dramatized things.  However, this book was just perfect.  It was raw, but it also had the highs that made drugs seem so fantastic.  I think that Hopkins did an excellent job tackling such a sensitive topic that is a real problem in America.

One thing I found difficult was the varying ways this book was written.  This book is written in entirely prose and poetry format.  However the structure changed constantly throughout the book.  There were multiple "poems" that were staggered so that it was really two poems in one.  When the staggered poem was all read at once it had one meaning, but when you read just the staggered words it was a different message altogether.  There were hidden messages in a lot of the poems, but you had to realize what was happening to catch them.  I didn't like the inconsistency in the book, but it really helped the reader get into the mind of Kristina and her drug addiction.

Overall I can absolutely see why this book won the awards it did.  It was a very interesting book that really told a story about drugs and what it does.  The structure was irritating, but manageable.  I would definitely like to read the other books that follow Crank.  I give this 3.5 stars out of 5.  I think this is a good read for older students and adults.  

The Whipping Boy by Sid Fleischman

From Goodreads,

"A shout comes echoing up the stairway. "Fetch the whipping boy!"

A young orphan named Jemmy rouses from his sleep. "Ain't I already been whipped twice today? Gaw! What's the prince done now?" It was forbidden to spank, thrash, or whack the heir to the throne. Jemmy had been plucked from the streets to serve as whipping boy to the arrogant and spiteful Prince Brat.

Dreaming of running away, Jemmy finds himself trapped in Prince Brat's own dream at once brash and perilous.

In this briskly told tale of high adventure, taut with suspense and rich with colorful characters, the whipping boy and Prince Brat must at last confront each other.

Award-winning author Sid Fleischman again blends the broadly comic with the deeply compassionate in this memorable novel."

Goodreads - The Whipping Boy

Awards and Nominations:

• Newbery Medal (1987)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (1988)
• Charlie May Simon Children's Book Award (1989)
• Nene Award (1992)

I've had this book in my classroom library and the title has always steered me clear of this book.  I've never had an interest in reading a book called The Whipping Boy.  I just figured it would be about a person getting whipped, but I was very wrong.

In The Whipping Boy, no one is allowed to whip the prince, but they are free to whip his royal whipping boy.  The prince is constantly causing trouble, but he never pays the price for it.  One night the prince decides he is running away and taking his whipping boy with him.  They set off on an adventure together to see what trouble lies ahead.

This book was very short and very to the point.  While the title seems the book is about the whipping boy, it is really about the friendship that develops between the prince and Jemmy, his whipping boy.  I absolutely love that the prince learned acceptance and that he isn't so high and mighty.  It is great for young kids to learn that we are no greater than anyone else and that we should accept people for who they are.  This book really focused on both Jemmy and the prince learning acceptance. 

I also love that there's an author's note at the very end of the book that explains the book is fiction, but that princes used to have royal whipping boys.  As a teacher I think it would be great to use this book as the springboard to start a project based learning about the time period in which this book takes place.  I would have students research and learn about what life was like then as a whipping boy or as a prince.  This would be a great book to utilize in any classroom.

I really wish that this book had been longer and had more adventure and detail.  I feel like it would have had an even better story if there had been more that had gone awry when they ran away.  However, I understand that it was written for kids and it needed to get to the point.  I would love to read a second book that takes place years later when the prince is a king.  It would be wonderful to discover how the friendship continued between Jemmy and the prince.

This book was very good and I think most kids would enjoy it.  I would definitely use it as the start of a project based learning project.  I give this 4 stars and recommend it to teachers and to students in third through fifth grade.  

Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

From Goodreads,

"It begins, as the best superhero stories do, with a tragic accident that has unexpected consequences. The squirrel never saw the vacuum cleaner coming, but self-described cynic Flora Belle Buckman, who has read every issue of the comic book Terrible Things Can Happen to You!, is the just the right person to step in and save him. What neither can predict is that Ulysses (the squirrel) has been born anew, with powers of strength, flight, and misspelled poetry—and that Flora will be changed too, as she discovers the possibility of hope and the promise of a capacious heart. 

From #1 New York Times best-selling author Kate DiCamillo comes a laugh-out-loud story filled with eccentric, endearing characters and featuring an exciting new format—a novel interspersed with comic-style graphic sequences and full-page illustrations, all rendered in black-and-white by up-and-coming artist K. G. Campbell."

Goodreads - Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures

Awards and Nominations:

• National Book Award Nominee for Young People's Literature (2013)
• Newbery Medal (2014)
• Alabama Library Association Children's Book of the Year Nominee for 4-5 (2014)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2015)
• Pennsylvania Young Readers' Choice Award Nominee for Grades 3-6 (2015)

There are some books on the Newbery Award winning list that I've struggled to find.  I try to find the books used to save some money.  While I was searching the shelves at Saver's I was able to snatch up this wonderful book.  I was so excited because I had yet to find it used.  

Flora & Ulysses: The Illuminated Adventures tells the story of a young girl named Flora who wants to spend her summer reading comic books, despite her mother's protests.  But one day chaos happens outside when a squirrel gets sucked up into a vacuum.  Flora helps the dear little squirrel, but soon realizes he isn't just a regular squirrel anymore.  The squirrel she names Ulysses, has amazing strength and the ability to understand Flora along with other shocking skills. Flora and her superhero squirrel become an unlikely duo with a challenge to conquer the arch nemesis.  

There are some books on the Newbery winners list that I wonder how they received the award because I didn't feel it was notable or worthy of holding such a high honor.  There are other books that I absolutely agree with the decision for it to be a winner.  This book is one of them.  It absolutely deserved to be the 2014 Newbery Award winning book.  One of the things that I absolutely adored was that we saw the story unfold through both Flora and Ulysses.  It gave the book another dimension and truly allowed the reader to see and understand what Ulysses the squirrel was thinking and feeling.  It really showed how much Flora loved Ulysses, and how much Ulysses loved Flora.

This book has a wonderful message about learning how to love and accept people for who they are.  Two of the biggest transformations were Flora and her mother.  Her mother really struggled with flora being "normal", but by the end of the book she was accepting Flora for who she really was.  Flora claimed she was a cynic and that she didn't believe in the romance novels her mother wrote.  But the more time she spent with Ulysses the more she loved him.  Flora learned to accept that it is okay to love and to hope.  I think that it is important for kids to learn that they should accept people for who they are and to love them.  And honestly, many adults would benefit from reading this book about acceptance.

I've read a couple of books by Kate DiCamillo and this one did not disappoint.  This book was absolutely wonderful with an excellent balance of traditional book with comic book style graphics mixed in.  I think that this would be a wonderful read aloud for my students.  I think they would honestly love this book and the idea of a superhero squirrel.  I give this 5 stars and recommend it to teachers and third through fifth grade aged students.  

The Bitter Side of Sweet by Tara Sullivan

From Goodreads,

"Two young boys must escape a life of slavery in modern-day Ivory Coast

Fifteen-year-old Amadou counts the things that matter. For two years what has mattered are the number of cacao pods he and his younger brother, Seydou, can chop down in a day. This number is very important. The higher the number the safer they are because the bosses won’t beat them. The higher the number the closer they are to paying off their debt and returning home to Baba and Auntie. Maybe. The problem is Amadou doesn’t know how much he and Seydou owe, and the bosses won’t tell him. The boys only wanted to make some money during the dry season to help their impoverished family. Instead they were tricked into forced labor on a plantation in the Ivory Coast; they spend day after day living on little food and harvesting beans in the hot sun—dangerous, backbreaking work. With no hope of escape, all they can do is try their best to stay alive—until Khadija comes into their lives. 

She’s the first girl who’s ever come to camp, and she’s a wild thing. She fights bravely every day, attempting escape again and again, reminding Amadou what it means to be free. But finally, the bosses break her, and what happens next to the brother he has always tried to protect almost breaks Amadou. The old impulse to run is suddenly awakened. The three band together as family and try just once more to escape."

Goodreads - The Bitter Side of Sweet

Awards and Nominations:

• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2018)
• Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Nominee (2018)

As a teacher I dread November 1st because kids try to bring candy for snack and sneak it in to snack on in class.  This book shows the hard work that is put in to get the cacao we need for chocolate.  I know it is two days after Halloween, but I am so glad this review is posting so close to this candy filled holiday.  

Amadou and Seydou went to work at a cacao farm to earn money for their family.  They struggle to chop enough cacao pods, but for two years they have made it.  But one day a rebellious girl named Khadija shows up.  She fights against the bosses and continuously tries to run away.  Her brave spirit causes trouble for Amadou and his brother Seydou.  But one day, Amadou and Khadija decide they have had enough and they decide to work together to get Seydou to safety in hopes he will survive after a tragic accident.  

I loved this book in the same way that I love chocolate.  I never stop to think about how the chocolate we consume came to be.  This book really forced me to think about how the cacao pods were picked and how it was processed to become chocolate and other things such as coffee or cocoa.  Seydou and Amadou work on a cacao bean plantation and they are forced to cut the pods for no money.  Putting it in simple terms, they are slaves at the plantation.  This book really made me more aware of child slavery in the world.  There are undoubtedly children working to make our clothes or help make or process things that we consume.  It is so unsettling that children are working to make items and food products.  I think that as consumers we need to be more mindful about what we are buying and where it is from.  This book definitely left me wanting to contact my favorite chocolate companies to find out where they get their cacao from and if it is free of child slavery.  This really brought awareness to me and I think others would feel the same if they read this book.

There was a lot I loved about this book and one of them was the character transformations that happened with each of the main characters.  Seydou had to learn how to overcome and persevere in learning how to do things all over again after an accident at the plantation.  As the book progressed Seydou also went from being the helpless younger brother to the independent young boy.  He started to work to cut enough pods for himself to avoid a beating.  Khadija arrived at the plantation with fire in her belly and determination in her soul.  She was dead set on escaping the plantation no matter what happened to her along the way.  She really had to learn to control her desire to escape, and learn that if she would just roll with the flow and do as she was told she would find the perfect opening.  This was hard for her, but it ultimately helped everyone escape.  Amadou was the slowest transformation in my opinion.  He had to learn how to trust other people besides Seydou.  He also had to learn how to be brave.  He had tried to escape before, but had been caught.  As a result he was hesitant to try escaping again.  His braveness, thanks partly to Khadija pushing him, helped him escape along with Seydou and Khadija.  I think it is good for people to read books where the characters change and transform.  It is good to know that absolutely anyone can change who they are with a little hardwork and determination.

There was one particular part in the book that was brought up a couple different times after it happened, and it left me a little unsettled.  After Khadija arrives she gets in trouble and is put in the shed with Amadou.  The bosses at the plantation later open the shed door and Amadou watches while they do something to Khadija.  It is never said what exactly happened, but one can put the pieces together and assume that she was raped.  I understand that Sullivan included this to show the callousness of the bosses, but I felt like it was a bit much.

This book was an eye opener and a book full of transformations.  I highly suggest everyone read it to become more aware of the child slavery that is happening and how it impacts us.  I give this 5 stars.  If you like anything that has cacao in it, then you absolutely need to read this book.  

Mac Undercover by Mac Barnett

From Goodreads,

"Before Mac Barnett was an author, he was a kid.
And while he was a kid, he was a spy.
Not just any spy.
But a spy...for the Queen of England.

James Bond meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid with this groundbreaking fully-illustrated chapter book series Mac B., Kid Spy. The precious Crown Jewels have been stolen, and there's only one person who can help the Queen of England: her newest secret agent, Mac B. Mac travels around the globe in search of the stolen treasure...but will he find it in time? 

From secret identities to Karate hijinks, this fast-paced, witty and historically inspired chapter book will keep readers guessing until the very last page. With full-color illustrations and fascinating historical facts masterfully sprinkled throughout, this series offers adventure, intrigue, absurdity, history and humor. Discover this totally smart and side-splittingly funny new series, and experience what it's really like to be a kid spy."

Goodreads - The Mac Undercover

At the beginning of this school year I applied to be a part of the Scholastic Insider program.  The program sends teachers a book each month for them to review and share with their students.  Surprisingly I was able to get accepted into the program and I received my first book yesterday.  I was absolutely excited and sat down to read my first book, Mac Undercover. 

This book is about a young boy named Mac who gets a phone call from the Queen of England about her missing spoon.  He flies to England and decides to become a spy to help the Queen find her spoon.  As the story unfolds we find that Mac tries to steal the Mona Lisa, but fails when someone else steals it from him.  The book comes to a hilarious end that left me begging for a second book. 

I absolutely loved that this book was packed with historical references and locations.  For example one of the references was the Louvre.  Mac talks about some of the things housed there and informs us of which of them have good names.  I think that this book is packed with so many references that it could be used as a springboard for a research project to study famous buildings and pieces of art.  Students could research the details of the topic and really connect it back to the book.  I think that many of my students will have their interest piqued by something in this book and they will have a strong desire to research and investigate. 

This book was packed with illustrations that went along with the story.  I had mixed feelings with the fact that only a few colors were selected and used to color the pictures, but I eventually got over it.  The illustrations really gave the story a different dimension and they were kind of funny.  It made the book seem more interesting because it has the comical pictures to go along and help the story. 

I am so excited about sharing this book with my students.  I think that many of my boys are going to absolutely love this book, and honestly some of my girls may love it too.  I give this 5 stars. 

A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck

From Goodreads,

"Join Joey and his sister Mary Alice as they spend nine unforgettable summers with the worst influence imaginable--their grandmother!"

Goodreads - A Long Way From Chicago

Awards and Nominations:

• National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature (1998)
• Newbery Medal Nominee (1999)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2000)

I remember checking this book out when I was in school.  I tried to read it, but found it boring.  So naturally I hadn't planned on reading this book.  But I had planned on reading A Year Down Yonder because it is the 2001 Newbery Medal Winner and I'm reading through the list.  But once I realized that A Year Down Yonder is the second book of this trilogy, I knew I had to read the first book.  

This book is narrated by Joey as he tells of the summers he spends with his sister Mary Alice and his grandmother, Mrs. Dowdel.  They first visit in 1929 and end up visiting every summer.  Each chapter is the story and adventures of what happened that summer. 

I read through this book in a few hours.  It was so good.  This book is set up in a unique format because each chapter is a different year and snapshot of the summer that Joey and Mary Alice spent with their grandma.  At first I thought that I was really going to dislike the format and lack of a storyline, but it really grew on me.  The grandmother is very quirky and interesting.  I think that the book being in short story format really allowed the grandmother to be interesting, but also give her some mystery because the kids never knew what she was going to do next. 

This book also had some strong messages that I really loved.  One of my favorites was the strength of women and their independence.  Mrs. Dowdel is very independent in this book and she is strong for being a woman in the 30s.  She does what she wants, when she wants.  The expectations of women during this time were for them to be a housewife and mother.  They were expected to be prim and proper, but Mrs. Dowdel broke all the rules.  She stood up for what was right.  In today's world we see women being overly sexualized and they are seen as objects.  I think that young girls need good role models in literature, and Mrs. Dowdel is an excellent role model for being strong and independent.  

This book is so unique and interesting.  I am so glad that I read it and I'm extremely excited to read A Year Down Yonder.  I think that many kids would enjoy this book as a read aloud.  I am definitely considering reading this to my class.  I give this book 5 stars.  

Saving Winslow by Sharon Creech

From Goodreads,

"Perfect for fans of Charlotte’s Web and The One and Only Ivan, Saving Winslow is an uplifting modern classic in the making about a young boy who befriends an ailing newborn donkey and nurses him back to health, from New York Times bestseller and Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech.

Louie doesn't have the best luck when it comes to nurturing small creatures. So when his father brings home a sickly newborn mini donkey, he's determined to save him. He names him Winslow. Taking care of him helps Louie feel closer to his brother, Gus, who is far, far away in the army.

Everyone worries that Winslow won't survive, especially Louie’s quirky new friend, Nora, who has experienced loss of her own. But as Louie's bond with Winslow grows, surprising and life-altering events prove that this fragile donkey is stronger than anyone could have imagined.

Written in the spirit of Creech favorites Moo and Love That Dog, this standout tale about love and friendship and letting go will tug at the heartstrings."

Goodreads - Saving Winslow

I ordered this book through Scholastic.  Upon receiving my box I realized that this book was missing.  They sent me an e-mail and said that the book was on back order and that they would send it as soon as they had more in stock.  After school started I received the book in the mail.  I had some spare time while my kids ate snack and decided to start reading it.  As I read, my students would sit staring at me, mesmerized as I read to them.  It was the most amazing spectacle to see a group of kids so focused and interested in a book.

Saving Winslow is about a baby donkey that is quite sickly after it is born on Uncle Pete's farm.  Uncle Pete takes the baby donkey to his nephew Louie who decides he is going to save the poor donkey.  Louie names the baby donkey Winslow and vows to make sure he survives.  While he is trying to keep the baby donkey alive he continues to miss his brother Gus who is in the Army.  As time progresses Louie continues to miss his brother, but he also gets to experience Winslow growing up and going through firsts.  The book comes to an exciting climax as neighbors start complaining about Winslow being in the neighborhood.

Not only is this book adorable, it has a wonderful message about hard work, determination, and perseverance.  Everyone told Louie that the baby donkey was going to die, but Louie was determined to make it live.  He wanted to make sure that the donkey thrived the same way that he had as a baby.  Everyone around him continued to tell him how hard it was going to be to raise a baby donkey, but Louie still persevered and put in the hard work.  I think this is a wonderful message for kids.  They need to learn that if they want something bad enough they just have to be determined, put in the hard work, and persevere when it gets hard.

One thing that I didn't like about this book is the mystery of Louie's brother Gus.  We know that he is away in the Army and that Louie misses him.  But we don't know if he is gone to training or if he is gone to war.  There was a lot of mystery surrounding him and I felt like we just lacked information about him.  I think that my students would have enjoyed this book more if Gus had come home at the end of the book instead of Louie just getting a letter saying he was coming home.  My students and I wanted more closure with Gus and Louie and their relationship. 

Overall, this was a wonderful book.  My students really enjoyed it and they were sad when it ended.  I passed it on to another class and hope that they take the time to read it.  I give this 5 stars and recommend this to young students and to teachers.

What Waits in the Woods by Kieran Scott

From Goodreads,

"It's a beautiful, sunny day. Callie Velasquez holds hands with her boyfriend Jeremy as they follow Callie's new BFFs Penelope and Lissa up the trail. The four friends are embarking on a camping trip -- a trip that immediately goes awry. They lose their way on the trail, and encounter a charismatic stranger with questionable motives. And when Callie stumbles upon a dead body, it becomes clear that the danger that lies in the woods is deadlier than she could have ever imagined. Tensions mount and friendships are tested as these teenagers try to survive the most sinister of circumstances."

Goodreads - What Waits in the Woods

Awards and Nominations:

• Missouri Truman Readers Award Nominee (2018)

It is finally October which means I can break out all the scary and spooky Halloween movies!  When I was younger I never wanted to watch the scary movies.  I was worried they would give me nightmares.  Then one day I walked in on my brother-in-law watching Saw and was hooked on the horror movie genre.  While I have always said I would read any book, I think I may have found a genre that I'm not a fan of: horror/thriller mystery.  While this was a good book, I had some mixed opinions on it. 

What Waits in the Woods starts with a recovery journal entry by an unknown person.  The story then quickly begins with four friends setting off for a five day hiking and camping trip in the woods.  The first night three of the seasoned campers tell Chicago native Callie that the skinner murdered some teenagers in the same woods they are in.  Callie is obviously freaked out, especially when they all start hearing creepy laughing in the woods.  Things go fine for a couple days, but then they veer of course and find themselves face to face with a stranger who says he has a cabin not too far away.  All of the teenagers just hope and pray they will all make it back to civilization in one piece.  

I did enjoy this book, but I really would have enjoyed it in movie format instead.  There are two problems I had with this book.  One is the author's fault and the other is my fault because of the author.  My first problem is that the book was slow.  Super slow.  The book started out calm enough, but there wasn't any escalating events throughout the book.  People weren't getting attacked and they weren't dying.  I was almost to the end of the book before the first death happened and an injury just moments after the dead body was discovered.  The book lacked fire and pizazz.  If this book was turned into a movie it would have to be really beefed up to make it scary.  I felt very bored through the first two-thirds of the book.  

My next problem is due to the book being slow.  I ruined the book for myself.  The book wasn't progressing with exciting events and horror, so I went to the internet.  I googled who the killer was and ruined the ending.  No one in the book was being attacked or murdered, and frankly there wasn't anyone to point the finger at.  I couldn't take it anymore because it was taking so long to form a suspect list, so I just found out who the killer was.  It of course made the ending disappointing and then I was looking for signs throughout the entire book, but a decision had to be made.  I was either going to stop reading the book or find out who the killer was thanks to Google. 

I honestly feel like I was more bored than thrilled with this book.  The slow progression was irritating.  I like horror movies because I feel like I'm racing to figure out the killer, but with a book it just isn't the same.  If you do decide to read this book, DON'T go look up who the killer is.  Just read the book and let it play out.  I give this 3 stars out of 5.  I won't be putting this in my classroom library, but would recommend it to teenagers and fans of the mystery/murder genre.  

That's Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger

From Goodreads,

"It's been three years since the Virgil County High School Massacre. Three years since my best friend, Sarah, was killed in a bathroom stall during the mass shooting. Everyone knows Sarah's story--that she died proclaiming her faith. 

But it's not true. 

I know because I was with her when she died. I didn't say anything then, and people got hurt because of it. Now Sarah's parents are publishing a book about her, so this might be my last chance to set the record straight . . . but I'm not the only survivor with a story to tell about what did--and didn't--happen that day. 

Except Sarah's martyrdom is important to a lot of people, people who don't take kindly to what I'm trying to do. And the more I learn, the less certain I am about what's right. I don't know what will be worse: the guilt of staying silent or the consequences of speaking up . . ."

Goodreads - That's Not What Happened

One of my biggest fears as a teacher is that there will be a school shooting.  We have procedures in place and everyone knows what to do in the event of a lockdown.  Nonetheless, I am still terrified of it happening.  This book centers around a school shooting and the aftermath of the lies that spiraled out of control by hearsay and the media.

This book is told from the perspective of Lee, who is one of the survivors of the school shooting at Virgil County High School.  While there were many students who were in the building when the shooting happen, only six came face to face with the shooter and survived.  Each survivor has a piece of the story and a piece of the truth.  A lie spirals out of control about a victim of the shooting, and everyone believes it.  It is up to Lee to try to get the truth told and for each person to tell their piece of the story.

This story reminded me a lot of the book about Cassie Bernall who was a victim of the Columbine shooting.  The story went that Cassie was asked if she believed in God, and that she said yes and was shot.  I recall reading the book when I was in Junior High and I absolutely believed what I read.  However, after reading the book Columbine I realized it was far from the truth.  One student heard one thing, one heard another, and it came down to the fact that Cassie was actually never asked if she believed in God, that she in fact wasn't even asked a question.  This book reminded me so much of that same incident.  That's Not What Happened focuses on Sarah who was in the bathroom stall with Lee when the shooter came in.  The shooter did ask someone if they believed in God, but it wasn't Sarah.  Another student in the hall heard this and assumed it was Sarah responding.  While the stories were eerily similar, it also had an important message.  We can't believe everything we hear.  We need to get the facts straight from the people who were present, not the people who heard something in passing.  This is how gossip starts and snowballs.  One person says one thing, someone else passes it along with a little bit different information, and soon enough the story is out of control and far from the truth.  It is so important that we know the truth before we start running around and sharing information.  I think this could be a highly beneficial lesson to teach to students in middle school.

The format of this book was interesting the way it was written.  The first thing I noticed was that each chapter was labeled with XXX.  There were never any chapter numbers or titles.  I'm still not sure of the significance of the chapters the way they were.  I absolutely loved that throughout the book there were little informational pieces about each of the victims.  It was interesting to learn about them as a character in a book and not just a name on a plaque.  I also liked that the main character Lee asked for each of the survivors to write their story telling the truth of that day.  While some were reluctant, it honestly helped each one deal with the day and the demons they were harboring.  I've read other "school shooting" genre books and this is the first one that included the truth from the survivors and a small emphasis on the life of the victims.

This was a well written book by Keplinger.  While preparing this post I was shocked to find out that she wrote The DUFF.  I had no idea she was the mastermind behind that book. (I only watched the movie, but it was still really good!)  I think this would be a popular book with educators and with young adults.  The storyline of a school shooting is morbid, but it still has important messages.  Overall I give this book 4 stars out of 5.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

From Goodreads,

"Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.

Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author's own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings by Ellen Forney that reflect the character's art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live.

With a forward by Markus Zusak, interviews with Sherman Alexie and Ellen Forney, and four-color interior art throughout, this edition is perfect for fans and collectors alike."

Goodreads - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

Awards and Nominations:

• National Book Award for Young People's Literature (2007)
• Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award Nominee (2008)
• Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction (2008)
• American Indian Youth Literature Award for Best Young Adult Book (2008, Rescinded in 2018)
• Florida Teens Read Nominee (2009)
• The Inky Awards Nominee for Silver Inky (2009)
• Odyssey Award (2009)
• James Cook Book Award Nominee (2009)
• The Inky Awards Shortlist for Silver Inky (2009)
• California Young Readers Medal for Young Adult (2010)
• South Caroline Book Award Nominee for Young Adult Book Award (2010)
• Lincoln Award Nominee (2011)

This cover made me a little bit nostalgic.  The cowboy and indian figurine made me think of the times that I would play with my brother as a kid.  We had toy soldiers.  We had cowboys and indians.  We had a farm set with cows and fencing.  It really made me think of my childhood and the memories I have spending time with my brother.  However, the cowboy and indian on the cover of this book is there to represent Junior being an indian on the rez and a cowboy at school. 

This book is told by the main character Junior who lives on the Spokane Indian Reservation.  He has spent his whole life on the reservation dealing with a lazy sister and drunk parents.  But one day he has had enough.  He decides he wants to go to the white school Rearden for a chance at a better life.  He soon realizes he is facing one of the of biggest challenges of his life and that he will have to find the strength to overcome them.

This book really surprised me.  I thought this was going to be a light hearted book until I realized how many awards it had.  While the book had its funny moments, it also had a strong message about perseverance and strength.  The book focuses on the hardships that Native Americans face.  Junior talks about how there are casinos that people work at, but that everyone is still broke and drunk.  One of the early turning points in the book is when Junior gets a book in school that has his mother's name in it.  He realizes that it isn't fair that he is being taught from the same materials that his mother was taught from over thirty years ago.  At this point he decides he wants to transfer schools so that he can have a better chance at life.  I think this is an important message for everyone.  We as a society seem to do what we have done for the past thirty years because that's just "how we do it".  I think we need to start branching out of our comfort zones and start looking for opportunities to better ourselves.  It's hard for me to take my own advice because I'm comfortable.  But I know there are better opportunities for me in my career and in my education.  I have yet to get my master's because I am scared I don't have the strength to finish it.  If we all work on persevering and finding strength in ourselves we honestly can accomplish anything we want to. 

While this book had a strong message about strength and perseverance, it was also very vulgar.  There were repeated cuss words throughout the book along with absolutely filthy jokes.  There were sexual references in the book and frankly I was taken aback just a little.  I will read absolutely anything, but I honestly read with a teacher mindset.  I read so I can put books into my classroom library and so that I can recommend books to students.  This was not a book that I would recommend to a fourth grader.  This book was full of vulgar language and references. 

This book was humorous and had a strong message, but it was also vulgar in my opinion.  If you can overlook the language and dirty jokes then you will definitely enjoy this book.  It definitely took me a few chapters to get over it, and even then there were times when I was still in shock that such words would be written in a young adult book.  I give this book 3 stars out of 5.  

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

From Goodreads,

"From the author of the critically acclaimed Wolf Hollow comes a moving story of identity and belonging.

Twelve-year-old Crow has lived her entire life on a tiny, isolated piece of the starkly beautiful Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. Abandoned and set adrift on a small boat when she was just hours old, Crow's only companions are Osh, the man who rescued and raised her, and Miss Maggie, their fierce and affectionate neighbor across the sandbar.

Crow has always been curious about the world around her, but it isn't until the night a mysterious fire appears across the water that the unspoken question of her own history forms in her heart. Soon, an unstoppable chain of events is triggered, leading Crow down a path of discovery and danger.

Vivid and heart wrenching, Lauren Wolk's Beyond the Bright Seais a gorgeously crafted and tensely paced tale that explores questions of identity, belonging, and the true meaning of family."

Goodreads - Beyond the Bright Sea

Awards and Nominations:

• Goodreads Choice Nominee for Middle Grades & Children's (2017)
• Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction (2018)
• Carnegie Medal Nominee (2018)

The past couple of reviews I have been extremely obsessed with the covers of books.  I've said before that the cover has to sell the book before the reader ever picks it up.  I like covers that are colorful and catch my attention.  While scrolling through Scholastic I stopped at this stunning book and immediately added it to my cart without reading the summary.  I felt that the cover told enough about the story.  I believed that it would be about someone going on a journey, where a feather played some important role since there was a feather hidden in the water and the sun.  I was so excited to finally dive into this book and go on the journey with the main characters. 

This book is told by a girl named Crow who is wondering who she is and where she comes from.  She does know that she was placed in a skiff as a new baby and sent to sea, only to wash up on the shore of a small island inhabited by a man named Osh.  Crow grew up happy and knowing nothing different, but she began to wonder where she came from.  Osh told her what little he knew and shared a pieced together half missing letter with her and a gold ring.  Crow was immediately set on finding out where she came from and along the way finding out who she was. 

I love books where people make a journey of some sort.  I really expected Crow to make a long distance solo journey to find herself, but she only traveled to nearby islands with someone usually with her.  This was a very subtle and slow journey, not a grueling one that is often seen in young adult books.  I love that Crow's journey was slow and that Osh made her think about her decisions before she acted upon them.  Osh gave her plenty of room to make her own decisions and to learn and fail.  I see so many people making decisions for their kids when they are perfectly able to make the decision themselves.  Kids need to learn to consider the options, pick one, and handle the consequences.  They need to learn how to fail.  As adults we make decisions for kids because it is so much easier to make a decision for them than to let them think, decide, and possibly fail.  We are all on a journey and we must all learn to make our own decisions.  I love that Wolk wrote Crow in this manner because she is a perfect model of how we should be living.  We need to take our time, think things through, be true to ourselves, and make our decisions.  Life is a journey and it is our journey to make. 

This book was wonderful and I am so glad that I read it.  I absolutely plan to use this in my classroom or to have it in my classroom library.  I love the historical aspect of this book and think that some kids would really invest in the history side of it.  I also love that there is a journey happening and it shows that it is okay to make a decision and it be the wrong one.  Mistakes happen, but we must learn to deal with it and move on.  I give this 5 stars and recommend this to anyone and everyone.  

The Truth As Told By Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor

From Goodreads,

"From the critically acclaimed author of Waiting for Normal and All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook, Leslie Connor, comes a deeply poignant and beautifully crafted story about self-reliance, redemption, and hope.

Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason’s learning disabilities are compounded by grief. Fifteen months ago, Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family’s orchard. An investigation drags on, and Mason, honest as the day is long, can’t understand why Lieutenant Baird won’t believe the story Mason has told about that day.

Both Mason and his new friend, tiny Calvin Chumsky, are relentlessly bullied by the other boys in their neighborhood, so they create an underground club space for themselves. When Calvin goes missing, Mason finds himself in trouble again. He’s desperate to figure out what happened to Calvin, and eventually, Benny.

But will anyone believe him?"

Goodreads - The Truth As Told By Mason Buttle

Over 13 years ago my family purchased some land and decided to put a house on it.  It was an exciting change happening in my life and I was the first one that had my entire room packed up and moved.  At the time there was a small pond in front of our house with two big oak trees nestled in beside it.  I begged my dad for weeks to build a treehouse for me.  He ended up getting deployed and I never got my treehouse.  Still to this day I feel that I missed some magical part of childhood because I didn't have a treehouse to call my own.  The cover of this book absolutely pulled me in with the treehouse in the big tree and a sunset sky behind it.  Not to mention the boy and his dog that was featured on the cover.  I was so excited to jump into this book and hopefully get to experience the joys of a treehouse through the main character Mason Buttle.

Mason Buttle is not your average kid.  Mason is big, he sweats a lot, and he struggles to read because of his dyslexia.  Unfortunately Mason is caught in a pickle.  His best friend Benny died at the treehouse he built.  A police officer keeps coming around trying to pry information out of him even though he has said everything he knows.  Mason finally makes a new friend named Calvin.  Mason and Calvin are great friends, until Calvin goes missing.  Mason must try to find Calvin and figure out the truth about what happened to Benny before the police officer decides that Mason is guilty of everything.

This entire book was centered around friendship in the midst of chaos.  Mason was placed in an unfortunate spot more than once in this book, but he was always loyal.  He was loyal to Benny until the very end and he was loyal to Calvin.  I think it is great for students to read about good, healthy friendships.  I also think it is beneficial that there were bullies in this book because it is clear what can happen when someone takes "teasing" too far.  I plan on putting this in my classroom library with a huge part being because there is such a strong example set by Mason on what it means to be a friend.

One of the things I didn't like about this book was that Mason was so "extra".  I felt like Leslie Connor gave him too much going on with his life.  Mason has a condition where he sweats too much, he's dyslexic, he can see colors when there's a feeling, his Mom is dead, his Dad is gone, and his best friend is died in a freak accident.  I mean how much more can this kid have going on in life!?  I felt like the colors condition was a little far and the sweating was an unnecessary addition.  I feel like Connor was trying to relate to as many students as possible, whereas making Mason a regular kid who is big and bullied would have presented a more relatable front.

Overall I did enjoy this book.  However, there was a climactic point in the book where Calvin was missing and it ended rather quickly and disappointingly.  I would have liked for that to be extended a little longer to build more suspense.  When the book ended I was begging for a second book that told me what happened after it was discovered who was behind Benny dying.  I wanted to know how Calvin was and how Mason was doing.  I would love to see a second book that followed the same characters going through a trial with an upset town.  I give this book 4 stars out of 5.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

From Goodreads,

"Winner of the 2010 Newbery Medal. Miranda is an ordinary sixth grader, until she starts receiving mysterious messages from somebody who knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late. For ages approx 9-14.

Four mysterious letters change Miranda's world forever. 

By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it's safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner. 

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda's mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper: 

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own. 
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter. 

The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that have not even happened yet. Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she's too late."

Goodreads - When You Reach Me

Awards and Nominations:

• Andre Norton Award Nominee (2009)
• Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Young Adult Fiction (2009)
• Newbery Medal (2010)
• IRA Children's and Young Adult's Book Award for Young Adult-Fiction (2010)
• Indies Choice Book Award for Middle Reader (2010)
• Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Fiction and Poetry (2010)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2011)

I always read the summary/review of a book before I start reading it.  I know I shouldn't do this because it sets a tone before I ever start the book, but it is also good to have some kind of idea of what I'm getting myself into.  When I read through the Goodreads review for this book my first thought was that this sounded a LOT like the book Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  This gave me mixed feelings because I didn't really care for Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close when I read it, and I had to hope that When You Reach Me wouldn't disappoint.

When You Reach Me is told by Miranda who is in the sixth grade.  She knows that she has her Mom and Richard, her best friend Sal, the lunatic on the street corner, and her favorite book.  All of these things are consistent and always there.  But one day Sal gets punched by a boy named Marcus and Sal decides that he doesn't want to be friends with Miranda.  This flips her world upside down as she tries to make new friends.  One day Miranda receives a mysterious note.  Then another and another and another.  There were 4 in total that explained they were just trying to save her friend's life and his own.  Miranda must work to figure out who is leaving the notes and what it all means.

This entire book is a mystery and I was absolutely there for it.  The entire time I was reading the book I was wondering who was sending the notes and why.  I did feel like it was someone we were introduced to early in the book, and sure enough it was.  Once I figured out who it was and what was happening I gave a loud audible gasp in shock.  I think that some my fourth graders would enjoy this book since there is the entire element of mystery of who was sending the notes.  I think that Stead did an excellent job at including lots of little hints sprinkled throughout the book, while also keeping an element of surprise until exactly the right moment.

There were two things I didn't like about this book.  One was that it referenced the book A Wrinkle In Time which interestingly enough was a Newbery Medal book.  The title of the book is never mentioned, but after a few references to the same book I did a little research and discovered the title of the book.  It was frustrating that the title was never mentioned, but I figure it was due to copyright.  I feel like I would have understood parts of the book better if I had read A Wrinkle In Time prior to reading When You Reach Me.  That being said, there were discussions that took place between characters that concerned time travel.  They talked about jumping forward and back in the future and the whole concept of it, and honestly it got a little confusing at times.  I feel that those parts would be something that would push kids away from reading this book because I think kids would say it was "hard" to read or understand.  There were some abstract concepts in this book and I would be weary about handing this to just any student.

Overall, this book was different that what I expected.  It was a good solid mystery, but was a little confusing at times.  I give this 4 out of 5 stars.  I would recommend it to some of my advanced readers, and as always recommend this to anyone reading the full list of Newbery Medal winners.  

A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

From Goodreads,

"The story of Celadon pottery. From the Newbery Project: "2002 Newbery Medal Winner Tree-Ear is a young orphan boy who lives under a bridge with his companion, Crane-man, in 12th century Korea. The two friends never know where their next meal is coming from, but what is lacking in food and money is made up for in heart and friendship. When Tree-Ear is not scrounging for scraps of food, he watches master potter Min make his beautiful Korean Celadon pottery. One day he can't resist picking up a beautiful piece of pottery and ends up damaging the work. Because he can't repay Min in money, he agrees to work for Min to repay him in hopes of learning from this master potter. But Min has other things in store, and Tree-Ear finds himself doing excruciating manual labor. When the king sends his emissary to find potters for a lifelong commission, Tree-Ear finds himself going on a journey that forever changes his life. A Single Shard is a beautifully written and emotional novel about friendship, hope, love, and acceptance. Here's a passage near the beginning of the novel that particularly spoke to me: The gentle curves of the vase, its mysterious green color. The sharp angle of the plum twigs, their blackness stark amid the airy white blossoms. The work of a human, the work of nature; clay from the earth, a branch from the sky. A kind of peace spread through Tree-Ear, body and mind, as if while he looked at the vase and its branch, nothing could ever go wrong in the world. (p. 52) But things do go wrong in the world as we witness Tree-Ear on both his physical journey and his emotional journey in the book. Through Tree-Ear's story, the reader also learns a lot about pottery making during the 12th century and the hard work involved in creating one single piece of celadon pottery. The Author's Note at the end of the book along with an essay about celadon pottery teach us more about the time period and the art of creating this rare and beautiful pottery...""

Goodreads - A Single Shard

Awards and Nominations:

• Newbery Medal (2002)
• Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award Nominee (2003)
• Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature for Children and Young Adult Honor (2003)
• Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award Nominee (2006)

When I was in tenth grade I had to take a beginning art class as a part of my graduation requirements.  I was blessed to have an amazing teacher who introduced us to so many techniques and mediums.  One of them that was by far my favorite was pottery.  I loved working with clay.  I remember making an Egyptian tablet that had my name written on it.  I also remember making a bowl that had Native American symbols around it.  While they were not perfect, they were definitely one of a kind and special to me.  So naturally when I realized this book was on my list of Newbery winners I knew I needed to jump in and devour it.

This book tells the story of a young boy named Tree-ear who is an orphan.  He lives with Crane-man who took him in as a young child.  Tree-ear enjoys watching the many potters in his village, but he enjoys watching Min in particular.  One day Tree-ear gets too close and accidentally breaks a piece of his work.  Min has him repay his debts, which later led to Tree-ear gaining an apprenticeship with Min.  As time passes Tree-ear must find if he has the courage and strength to complete the task Min has given him in hopes of one day working with clay.

Thousand Cranes Vase

I was 18 pages into this book when my boyfriend asked me how it was going.  I said it was horrible so far as I made fun of the characters' names and mentioned that the book took place in the 12th century.  He laughed along with me and I knew I would have to trudge through this book because it was on the Newbery Medal list.  The longer I read the more I found myself overlooking the names of the characters and I completely forgot that this took place in the 12th century.  I begin to focus on the pottery and the history behind it.  At the end of the book a piece of pottery is mentioned called the Thousand Cranes Vase.  No one knows who made it or even when.  Linda Park worked this piece of art into the book to leave the reader wondering if the fictional Tree-ear had made the vase in honor and memory of Crane-man.  After further research into this vase I came across a website for Linda Park that explained that the book was fiction, but the pottery and history mentioned in the book was based on actual pieces.  You can check out her website here, Linda Sue Park - A Single Shard.  I love that there was so much history in this book.  Park took a lot of time to research the process and methods of making pottery during this era.  If I were an art teacher I would be begging the literacy teacher to incorporate this to do some integration across the subjects.

I didn't enjoy this book at the beginning, but the longer I read the more invested I became.  I settled into the names of the characters and the way of life.  I think I would have been more excited to read this book had my copy of the book had a different cover.  Like many award winning books there are multiple covers, and the copy I had had the cover that I included in this review.  The other cover was more updated instead of looking like it just came from the 80s.  I give this 5 stars and recommend this to teachers and artists alike.  I think both the teachers and students would benefit from this book integrated into the classroom.