2019 #30BookChallenge by Ms. Bery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks Happy Reading! en-us 2019-05-14 18:09:38 UTC 2023-05-31 16:38:32 UTC hello@padlet.com A Spool of Blue Thread by Anne Tyler https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/367636258 It has been ages since I have had the chance to get lost in an Anne Tyler book. I used to love her in the 90s when she wrote some of my favorites like Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant, and Spool of Blue Thread reminded me of what I used to love. It is the story of a pivotal point in the life of one family. The parents are aging. The adult children have their own issues that somehow mirror what is unresolved in their parents' lives. The narrative skims over three generations, exploring the way family secrets and disappointments  fester. Still, somehow, this is a story about connections....between parents and children, between siblings, and between generations. I recomnend this book to anyone who likes a good psychological / emotional  story.]]> 2019-06-14 17:12:57 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/367636258 Good Enough by Jen Petro-Roy mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/367728537 Riley’s voice rings so true and I love how honestly the process of recovery is treated, and how the ups and the downs are acknowledged. Nothing is sugar coated, but neither is anything too dark - this is an incredibly valuable book for starting and having conversations about body image and disordered eating. I also deeply appreciate the fact that the impact of seemingly innocent parental remarks and attitudes towards weight and food is also highlighted. An important addition to middle school collections.]]> 2019-06-15 21:15:15 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/367728537 On Earth We are Briefly Gorgeous mpixley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/367807532 a stunning debut novel by poet Ocean Vuong, this book tells the story of a young boy who moves from Vietnam to America with his mother after the war. The two struggle to fit into this new world, haunted by his mother's PTSD. and held back by the struggle to  learn how to speak and write in a language that does not seem to fit in their mouths. Vuong's prose is lyrical and heartbreaking. His sentences play with grammar, with rhythm and sound and with multiple meanings, and therefore the poetry and heartbreak of words. This is all particularly fitting, since in many ways the novel is an ode to language -- to his mother and his "mother tongue." I am absolutely in awe. Do your soul a favor and read this. ]]> 2019-06-16 22:27:42 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/367807532 Krakatoa by Simon Winchester https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/367968458 Read (listened to) this for my book club (27 years going strong!).  Fascinating how several different sciences evolved as people around the world studied the short and long term effects of the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883:  meteorology (jet stream), geology (plate tectonics), botany (survival of the fittest).  It was the first event that was known about through globally telegraphy.  Winchester's Oxford English accent and use of multi-syllabic words I had to look up made for both fun and tedious listening.  His editor could have been more tenacious!  Still...I'm so glad to have read it and would recommend it for a long car ride.]]> 2019-06-17 18:20:05 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/367968458 Nantucket Nights https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368086188 2019-06-18 10:18:56 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368086188 Genesis Begins Again mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368562401 This book was really painful to read at times - the depth of Genesis' self-loathing and hatred of her dark skin leads her to try all sorts of measures, two of which were really difficult for me to read and get through (both because my heart ached for her as a character and because I was terrified about the physical damage she might do to herself). It took me awhile to get into it, but as I did, Genesis' voice grew stronger and I started to root for her, and my heart ached at the negative voices she hears, both internally and through her father. Colorism is not a topic that is often tackled in middle grade novels, nor is eviction (something Genesis' family has coped with multiple times). As unsatisfying as it can be for a reader, I also appreciate that the book didn't wrap up neatly - Genesis' father still struggled with alcohol abuse (there are scenes where he is nasty to her - not to the point of emotional abuse, but still gutting), he still didn't have a job, and things were still uncertain, but hopeful. And that's life, right? ]]> 2019-06-20 23:16:48 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368562401 Devil of a Duke mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368579571 This was a really engaging romance novel because the heroine is not your typical damsel in distress, but rather someone fighting to escape her upbringing as a professional thief. Good chemistry between the two main characters, and enough of a story to keep it from being a blazing fast read. ]]> 2019-06-21 02:12:05 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368579571 The Soul Will Save Us https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368643743 2019-06-21 13:29:37 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368643743 No Fixed Address mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368748835 I loved how the book explored how frighteningly easy it can be to become homeless and highlighted the challenges that kids who are homeless can face when going to school, even if they are smart and motivated and “should” be able to succeed (in many ways, Felix reminded me of @annbradenbooks’ Zoe), an important reminder for teachers. I also found myself angry at Astrid, his mother, not for her mental health issues, but her overall unreliableness. Her struggles with employment aren’t related to a serious issue, but in some ways, I think that makes their situation even more stark - you can hold down jobs (however briefly) and still struggle. There are a lot of scary moments in the book as an adult reader (insinuations of domestic violence, attempted assault, and an incident at the public library) but they aren’t delved into, and they are processed through Felix’s eyes and humor, which softens the horror and makes me OK with the idea of recommending this book to #middlegrade students instead of YA. A quick but satisfying read.]]> 2019-06-22 18:11:09 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368748835 The Island by Victoria Hislop https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368769423 Historical fiction- story of a family with a history of leprosy at a time when that diagnosis mandated exile to the island of  Spinalonga. This book brings humanity and sensitivity to a medical diagnosis that has instilled fear and disgust in many people throughout history. ]]> 2019-06-23 01:28:10 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368769423 The Alchemist ngreenwood2 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368991378 2019-06-24 19:20:36 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/368991378 Little Fires Everywhere https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369031624 2019-06-25 01:38:12 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369031624 The Clockmaker's Daughter https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369031799 2019-06-25 01:39:34 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369031799 The Tattooist of Auschwitz https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369144993 2019-06-25 16:42:47 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369144993 Where the Crawdads Sing https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369292847 This is the story of a young girl, abandoned to grow up in the swamps on the coast of North Carolina.  She meets with prejudice from the townspeople and becomes a suspect in a mysterious death.  The author is a wildlife scientist and first time fiction writer.  I loved her beautiful descriptions of the tidal marsh, and the main character’s connection to nature.  If you’ve ever read books by Barbara Kingsolver, you might like this one.]]> 2019-06-26 15:01:22 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369292847 Girls, Drums and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick mpixley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369431878 My son Benjamin has been raving about this book since reading it in 6th grade with Liz. He found it in a local bookstore, tore it from the shelf and demanded that I read it. I did, reluctantly at first -- but I was quickly drawn in to the story of an 8th grade boy who was learning to deal with living with a younger brother with Leukemia. There was so much heart and so much sweetness in this book, and I appreciated the way the author helped us to understand the emotional journey of each member of the family. Within a few chapters, I felt close and connected to each of them, and if I was a child with a sibling who was ill, I think this book would bring me comfort. Sometimes the main character seemed much younger than 14 -- I really imagined him more as a 6th grader -- Still a good read. Moving. ]]> 2019-06-27 13:21:57 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369431878 There’s Something about Sweetie mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369600478 Book #5 for my #30booksummer is “There’s Something About Sweetie” by @sandhyamenonbooks. A resounding 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 from me for this gem of a book which I loved even more than Dimple (and my love for Dimple and Rishi is pretty deep). I love Sweetie’s determination and zest for life and how she struggles to find her voice in her relationship with her mother. I love how she genuinely strives to love her body and embrace #bodypositivity and celebrate the amazing things her body can do. I love her relationship with Ashish and how he grapples with his own insecurities and heartbreak in a very real way. And I love seeing a diverse group of friends and progressive representations of Indian American teens. Oh, and the parrots. This book is so satisfying to read and so real. Love love love.]]> 2019-06-28 18:29:43 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369600478 All the Light We Cannot See https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369629085 2019-06-29 03:24:52 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369629085 Beyond the Bright Sea mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369703400 I can't believe it took me this long to read this book. What a beautifully written, poignant, quiet book (even with the suspense and danger that move the plot forward. I preferred this to Wolf Hollow, and I think I could sell this to some incoming 5th grade students who I could convince to give this a chance. ]]> 2019-06-30 09:47:07 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369703400 Girl, Wash Your Face https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369753132 2019-07-01 00:09:58 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369753132 Paper Things mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369759637 Another powerful look at homelessness and how it can impact kids, with bonus points for alternative family structures. Ari's brother Gage convinces her to leave their foster mother (a friend of their late mother) and move in with him. Only he doesn't have an apartment, and the two wind up patching together living arrangements through illicitly staying at a shelter and crashing on friends' couches. Along the way, Ari also has to balance the expectations that she will get into the gifted and talented middle school program, sinking grades, behavior issues, and social difficulties. Relatable and eye-opening, but without some of the scarier scenes (like the attempted assaults, insinuations of trading sex for shelter, and the masturbation incident in the library) of No Fixed Address. Would make a good companion to Benefits of Being an Octopus. 

]]> 2019-07-01 01:25:33 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369759637 The Missing Piece of Charlie O'Reilly by Rebecca K.S.Ansari lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369821322 Many of my students ask for mysteries, so I purchased this story that had wonderful reviews on Amazon. Before school finished, two of my students had 'devoured' it. Charlie's younger brother has gone missing, and no one, including Charlie's parents, remember his brother ever existing. Charlie's best friend, Ava, believes his story, and together they set out to solve the mystery. Dreams of Ireland in 1846, a baseball coach, an asylum for orphaned children,  secret passageways, and magical neck chains contain clues. A mixture of magic, love, mystery, and suspense with themes of love and forgiveness made this story an enjoyable middle grade book! ]]> 2019-07-01 12:31:55 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369821322 The One and Only Ivan mpixley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369870115 Oh my goodness, how I loved this book. I have to admit, I was not drawn in by the cover or the back jacket -- the story of a gorilla who had a friendship with an elephant seemed silly and too whimsical for my liking, but this book was anything but. (I'm glad I leafed inside and was immediately drawn in by the poetic, lyric language and the prose style that tugged at my heart from the first page). The One and Only Ivan is about a captured gorilla who is living in a mall off the highway, and how he slowly begins to realize that his soul is being broken. There were aspects of this book that reminded me of Charlotte's Web -- the wisdom and hearts of these creatures actually brought tears to my eyes on a few occasions. In the end it was really about humanity and how it is possible to make amends for our cruelty and wrongdoings. It is also a story about art and friendship and the power of a promise. ]]> 2019-07-01 22:11:01 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369870115 Book 1 - The Year I Didn't Eat https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369994990 14-year-old Max writes to his anorexia in a journal, titling his entries, "Dear Ana." The author himself suffered with anorexia, but much of this story doesn't ring true to me. I'm not sure I'll recommend this book to many boys, but perhaps some girls will enjoy it? It'll be interesting to see. ]]> 2019-07-02 19:14:39 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/369994990 The Undefeated by Kwane Alexander lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370017820 Beautifully illustrated by Kadir Nelson, Kwane's Alexander inspirational ode to the "unstoppable, unforgettable, unbreakable, and undefeated" poignantly portrays the trials and tributes of African Americans. The detailed notes at the back of the book share lots of information about the people referenced in the book. ]]> 2019-07-03 00:58:48 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370017820 A Tangle of Knots https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370118889 2019-07-03 18:38:31 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370118889 Humble Pi - A Comedy of Maths Errors ngreenwood2 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370119217 2019-07-03 18:43:22 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370119217 Book 2 - Other Words for Home https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370120761 Seventh-grader Jude and her pregnant mother emigrate from Syria to live with with her uncle, aunt, and cousin in Cincinnati. This beautiful story is told in equally-beautiful verse, and I loved every word of it! Jude notices differences in her new home (everything has a label) and in herself (she's no longer loud and confident), yet she doesn't necessarily equate different with better or worse. Islamophobia  plays a role, but this is more of a story about Jude finding herself and where she belongs. I think lots of 7th graders will relate and enjoy this one.]]> 2019-07-03 19:09:44 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370120761 Book 3 - The Next Great Paulie Fink https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370121352  It took me a while to get into this one, but then I was hooked. 7th-grade Caitlyn experiences complete culture shock when she moves from New York to a tiny town in Vermont where she is one of only eleven 7th-graders at her new school. All of the rules Caitlyn has learned about fitting in in middle school don't apply here, and Caitlyn is  lonely, judgmental, and miserable. The intermittent interviews and sometimes out-of-order chronology may confuse some kids, but I think 7th grade girls and boys will find something that resonates in this one. Note:  This book is by the author of The Thing about Jellyfish, which I *still* haven't read but definitely need to now!]]> 2019-07-03 19:20:18 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370121352 Uniquely Human https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370122799 Dr. Prizant is an SLP and world-renown expert on autism. This is a very readable book.  He illustrates his main points with engaging stories of the children with autism he has worked with over the years.  I love the title, uniquely human.  He frames autism in a positive way.  To help children with autism, “ . . .we don’t need to change them or fix them.  We need to work to understand them, and then change what we do.”]]> 2019-07-03 19:44:41 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370122799 Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds mpixley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370132638 A powerfu YAl novel in verse that takes place during one momentous elevator ride from the top floor to the lobby. William's brother has been shot and the rules of the street tell him he has got to exact revenge. With his brother's pistol in his back pocket, he steps into the elevator, ready to take another man's life, but in the course of this journey down, William learns that rules can haunt you, and if you don't learn from the mistakes of your loved ones, you might find yourself broken forever. ]]> 2019-07-03 22:25:19 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370132638 White Rose mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370141298 A novel in verse about Sophie Scholl, who was executed by the Nazis for spreading leaflets encouraging the overthrow of the Reich. The language is very simple and straight-forward, though the timeline jumps around a lot, and towards the end of the book, other voices are introduced as well. A good introductory book for students interested in the history of Nazi Germany/World War II without too much detail about the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis against the Jews and other "undesirable" groups. ]]> 2019-07-04 00:36:54 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370141298 The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370253837 Wow - absolutely loved this story! Maybe a Newbery! Gemeinhart is one of my favorite authors. 
After the death of her two sisters and mother, Coyote and her dad, Rodeo, abandon their life in WA for a life on the road aboard a refitted school bus. When Coyote discovers that her childhood park is going to be torn up, and the memory box she buried with her sisters and mother lost forever, she embarks on a journey home from somewhere in Florida. Along the way, they pick up some travelers: Lester, who is going to see his girlfriend in Idaho, Salvador and his mom who are trying to get to the midwest for a new life, and Val, who is heading toward Seattle after being kicked out of her home for being gay. Along with a cat named Ivan and eventually, a goat named Gladys, they all find themselves caught up in Coyote's mission to come face to face with her tragic past.]]> 2019-07-04 23:54:24 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370253837 There There https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370273536 2019-07-05 03:41:57 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370273536 Tomorrow Most Likely https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370304405 2019-07-05 11:13:09 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370304405 Born a Crime by Trevor Noah https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370334851 Autobiography of his childhood in South Africa.   Descriptions of apartheid and complex racial relationships are woven with stories from his childhood to create a story simultaneously funny and disturbing.  ]]> 2019-07-05 19:27:56 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370334851 Book 4 - Lizzie Flying Solo https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370345573 7th-grader Lizzie and her mother abruptly move to a transitional homeless shelter when Lizzie's father embezzles company money. Lizzie learns to gain strength by helping others through rough times, embracing a new normal after tragedy, and working for what she believes in. This book brought me back to the simple childhood stories I once enjoyed. It wasn't especially well-written (though it contains two beautiful poems), but it made me feel good. I expect this book will appeal to horse-lovers and most 7th-grade girls.]]> 2019-07-06 00:30:39 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370345573 Ruby in the Sky by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370386519 Another wonderful middle grade novel that I will be recommending to sixth graders, especially readers who enjoy heavily character driven stories in which the character must overcome an adversity.
Inside cover blurb:
"Twelve-year-old Ruby Moon Hayes does not want her new classmates to ask about her father. She does not want them to know her mother has been arrested. And she definitely does not want to make any friends. Ruby just wants to stay as silent and invisible as a new moon in the frozen sky. She and her mother won’t be staying long in Vermont anyway, and then things can go back to the way they were before everything went wrong.

But keeping to herself isn’t easy when Ahmad Saleem, a Syrian refugee, decides he’s her new best friend. Or when she meets “the Bird Lady,” a recluse named Abigail who lives in a ramshackle shed near Ruby’s house. Before long Ahmad and Abigail have become Ruby’s friends—and she realizes there is more to their stories than everyone knows.

As ugly rumors begin to swirl around the people Ruby loves, she must make a choice: break her silence, or risk losing everything that’s come to mean so much to her. Ruby in the Sky is a story of the walls we hide behind, and the magic that can happen when we’re brave enough to break free."

]]> 2019-07-06 19:14:56 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370386519 Warcross mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370393847 This was such a good read - I’m on a  quest to think of books to pair up with each other based on an idea from my local library, and I think I would pair this with Feed by MT Anderson. Emika Chen is a hacker and bounty hunter in a future NYC where the world is collectively obsessed with virtual reality glasses (like Google Glass) that happen to also link into a massive game called Warcross. A flashy hack lands Eri a spot as a wildcard player in the yearly Warcross tournament where she is tasked with tracking down a mysterious figure named Zero who appears to have malicious attempts. Amidst threats and danger, Eri finds herself falling for Hideo Tanaka, the genius behind Warcross, but  just as she thinks she has prevailed, she realizes things are not as they seem. An engaging story and some thoughtful commentary on the trade offs we are making now and will continue to make in the future with regards to the role of technology in our lives. Two swear words and two heavy makeout scenes (one of which takes place in an onsen, a traditional Japanese bath where you are naked - not explicitly stated but implied) means this is YA. It stays PG13. ]]> 2019-07-06 23:28:17 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370393847 The Casual Vacancy valerie_thomforde https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370417200 2019-07-07 11:36:17 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370417200 Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering valerie_thomforde https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370417224 2019-07-07 11:37:11 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370417224 Baby Owner's Manual valerie_thomforde https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370417357 2019-07-07 11:41:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370417357 The Day You Begin https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370433717 2019-07-07 16:50:57 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370433717 The Last Romantics https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370433733 2019-07-07 16:51:23 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370433733 Notorious RBG https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370548250 by Irin Carmon & Shana Knizhnik

Had this on my bedside table for a couple years.  So glad I read it!  Now she's truly my hero! Inspiring woman whose story follows her ethics. Determined equal rights fighter who lives her beliefs.  A well-told biography accessible for middle schoolers with an uncanny rap vibe.  Read it!]]> 2019-07-08 19:18:19 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370548250 The Poet X https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370548508 by Elizabeth Acevedo

Wow!  Voice, poetry, language, angst, identity, first love, power.
Loved languishing in the language and story of Xiomara as she figures out who she is and what it means to love. Her tense relationship with her Catholic mother is palpable. I want to read more about Xiomara.]]> 2019-07-08 19:22:20 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370548508 A Taste for Monsters by Matthew J Kirby lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370571730 I had two sixth grade boys this past year that enjoyed reading mysteries that were set during the Victorian period in London. In addition, students often ask for ghost stories.  These two reasons prompted me to order this book after I saw a positive review posted by a librarian. I enjoyed this haunting ghostly historical fiction,  and it caused me to research Joseph Merrick and "Leather Apron." I will not add it to my class library because of references to prostitution and the gory details of the murders.
Amazon's summary:
It's London 1888, and Jack the Ripper is terrorizing the people of the city. Evelyn, a young woman disfigured by her dangerous work in a matchstick factory with nowhere to go, does not know what to make of her new position as a maid to the Elephant Man in London Hospital. Evelyn wanted to be locked away from the world, like he is, shut away from the filth and dangers of the streets. But in Joseph Merrick, the Elephant Man, she finds a gentle kindred, who does not recoil from her, and who understands her pain.When the murders begin, however, Joseph and Evelyn are haunted nightly by the ghosts of the Ripper's dead, setting Evelyn on a path to facing her fears and uncovering humanity's worst nightmares, in which the real monsters are men.A terrifying and haunting tale from the Edgar and PEN Award-winning author of Icefall, Matthew J. Kirby.]]> 2019-07-09 01:38:56 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370571730 Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370657694 Merci Suarez lives with her extended Latino family in three small pink houses. The closeness of her family, along with the responsibilities of helping with the needs of different aged relatives, shapes her strong and honest character. She has a special relationship with Lolo, her grandfather, who is increasingly affected by Alzheimers (though no one tells her.) As she deals with friendship issues at the local private school she and her brother attend, she learns to handle hard situations and accept the changes she and her family are going through. A sweet story with a likable main character.. Took a bit to get into, then couldn't put it down. Still not getting why this won Newbury in light of other choices from 2019.]]> 2019-07-09 17:30:42 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370657694 Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370658927 Read this with Andrew for the second time.  First time was "before" and the second time was "after" his fresh cut.  We both "got it" as he walked out of his first black barber looking "so FLY!" Black boy proud! ]]> 2019-07-09 17:47:35 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370658927 The Governess Game mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370659084 There are very few romance writers who make me have uncontrollable giggles when I read them, but this book definitely succeeded. If you can read about two little girls who routinely cause their poor doll (Millicent) to perish nightly from varied and grim causes (consumption, drowning, the plague, etc) without laughing, then hats off to you. Bonus points for a strong heroine with an interest in astronomy and a mixed-race background as well as a touching sub-plot about earning the love and trust of children and what it means to be a family. ]]> 2019-07-09 17:49:12 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370659084 The Reading Strategies Book by Jennifer Serravallo lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370690506 A great practical resource with 300+ lessons/strategies that are grouped under 13 reading goals. Every reading teacher should own this book. ]]> 2019-07-10 01:25:12 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370690506 Last of the Name https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370704725 Book 5 - 12-year-old Danny and his older sister Kathleen escape Ireland to New York City in 1863. With no alternatives that would allow the siblings to stay together, Danny disguises himself as a girl, so he and Kathleen can gain employment as housemaids. This historical fiction novel delves into the Irish immigrant experience, the racial tensions and gender role expectations of the time, and the affects of the Civil War and draft. At the same time, Danny's musical heritage remains central to the story. I didn't love this book (Danny didn't ring true as a male protagonist to me), but I did like it. I'll recommend this to just about any 7th grader. ]]> 2019-07-10 03:57:22 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370704725 Book 6 - Orange for the Sunsets https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370705676 This story is told from two 12-year-olds Ugandan's perspectives:  Yesofu, a black African boy, and Asha, a brown Indian girl, who are best friends despite their racial and economic differences. When President Idi Amin demands in 1972 that all Indians leave Uganda, the pair's friendship is tested. Most of this book felt gritty and real to me (barring a few overly coincidental events). Lovers of history as well as realistic fiction should like this, and I'd recommend it to both male and female 7th graders.]]> 2019-07-10 04:12:48 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370705676 The Silver Star https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370769076 I enjoyed this author’s previous books - The Glass Castle (a memoir) and Half Broke Horses (a novel based on her grandmother’s life).  This one wasn’t great.  Read the others.]]> 2019-07-10 16:39:07 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370769076 The Girl with Seven Names https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370769276 This book reads like a thriller, and once you start reading it’s hard to put down.  A gripping true story about a girl who escapes from North Korea and all of the dangers she encounters along the way.  The author became famous because of a TED talk.  (Don’t watch the TED talk until you read the book).]]> 2019-07-10 16:40:58 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370769276 I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370781687 by Debbie Levy

This picture book simplifies her story too much. Glosses over the depth of her impact on laws about gender equity. May be a good intro for kids just learning about her. It hammers the "dissent" aspect and gets main message across, but at the expense of more interesting details.]]> 2019-07-10 19:17:16 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370781687 Missing Mike by Shari Green lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370803029 A novel-in-verse that will be enjoyed by 4th-6th graders who like hopeful dog stories. There are not many stories that are set in the middle of coastal wild fires. I enjoyed the way the protagonist (and reader) thinks about the different ways one can define "home." ]]> 2019-07-11 01:37:21 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370803029 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370857715 2019-07-11 12:09:35 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370857715 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370857764 2019-07-11 12:10:23 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370857764 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Audiobook valerie_thomforde https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370866284 My husband introduced me to the Jim Dale audiobook - his voices are fantastic!]]> 2019-07-11 13:35:09 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370866284 Where the Crawdads Sing valerie_thomforde https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370866371 My mother-in-law passed this on to me after she read it in her book group.  It is captivating!  It tells the story of Kya, who grows up in a marsh in North Carolina essentially alone after her family leaves her.  Coming of age story, murder mystery, nature book - it has everything!]]> 2019-07-11 13:36:14 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370866371 This Promise of Change: One Girl's Story in the Fight of School Equality by Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370902131 This beautifully written and powerful memoir told in verse tells the story of Jo Ann Allen, one of the "Clinton 12" who were among the first in the nation to attend a segregated high school in the South in 1956. The variety of poems and the first person point of view drew me into the story, and I can't wait to recommend it to students! It's a story about resilience, empathy, equality, despair, and hope. The epilogue, timeline, and photos at the end of the book are rich with additional information. A possible Newbery? ]]> 2019-07-11 20:25:45 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370902131 Me and Sam-Sam Handle the Apocalypse mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370961749 This has been getting a lot of praise for its portrayal of a main character (a girl!) who is autistic and it's easy to see why. Jesse's a fierce, feisty, clever kiddo who is also autistic, and I love how the facets of her autism are baked into the story seamlessly, from her talking about "brain itches" to the way her loved ones warn her "touch incoming" before they make physical contact. But what makes this book awesome is that her autism isn't the centerpiece of the story, it's just part of who she is. What is at the heart of the story is "the day the train came" and the money that is missing from her dad's drawer in his classroom, which leads to him being arrested. Determined to prove his innocence, Jesse teams up with her new friend Springer and her trusty Pomeranian Sam-Sam to try and figure out who is really responsible. The bullying scenes in this story are also incredibly intense at times and hard to read - I kept worrying that the danger was going to turn explicitly physical and cause harm to Jesse and Springer, and one scene at school does result in physical harm being done to both Jesse and her tormentor, though what happens to Jesse was much more terrifying. There's also a scene where a coach loses his cool with Springer that had me worried, but it tiptoed right up to the edge before pulling back. The jumps in time were a little hard to keep track of, but overall, this was a good mystery story with a wonderful heroine who will do a lot for fostering an awareness and a sense of empathy of why some kids need certain strategies to help them from melting down (weighted blankets, visualizations, breathing, stimming through counting, and brain itches vs fires are all discussed). ]]> 2019-07-12 11:00:35 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370961749 Beartown by Fredrik Backman https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370998642 Story of a town, hockey, social hierarchy, and relationship violence...exploration of family, friendships, loyalty, truth, and secrets.  As quoted on the cover of the book, "Packed with wise insights into the human experience." ~The Washington Times ]]> 2019-07-12 19:52:10 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/370998642 Baloney Henry P https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371010214 2019-07-12 22:48:57 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371010214 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371034285 A Mama for Owen]]> 2019-07-13 10:38:22 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371034285 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371034291 The Antlered Ship]]> 2019-07-13 10:38:58 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371034291 Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371062979 2019-07-14 01:42:20 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371062979 Wild Bird by Wendenlin Van Draanen lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371063973 I bought this story at the CPS book fair because many middle school  students love The Running Dream written by the same author. I really enjoyed this story about Wren, an 8th grader/freshman who is sent to a wilderness therapy camp by her parents in hopes to help her anger and her drinking and drug habits. The story alternates between the present day challenges at the survival camp and Wren's flashbacks to her challenges with her friends and family. The story nicely captures the physical and emotional struggles of a young teen who is trying to "discover" who she wants to be."  Older students will relate to Wren's problems at home and at school. I liked the way the author used metaphors of the Utah desert and some of the counselor's advice to represent the complexities of our lives. Students in 8th grade and older will love this story! ]]> 2019-07-14 02:17:45 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371063973 Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh mgleason11 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371116040 After many of you recommended this, I had to read it.  A slow read for me with many interruptions, but I really liked the story, even if some was not fully plausible.  I like the way Max grows into himself as he fights for Ahmed, who is a loveable character as well. The setting in Brussels made it more compelling, especially with the addition of current events. I will get this for my 5th grade library and recommend it.]]> 2019-07-15 00:58:17 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371116040 Fireboat: The Heroic Adventures fo the John J. Harvey by Maira Kalman mgleason11 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371117051 2019-07-15 01:08:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371117051 In Our Mothers' House by Patricia Polacco mgleason11 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371117235 2019-07-15 01:09:52 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371117235 Spy School: Secret Service by Stuart Gibbs mgleason11 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371181269  Such a fun series. Can't put them down. Full of cliff hangers and movie-like action scenes. 5th graders love these--boys and girls. Older kids will too. These make engaging re-reads as well. Ben Ripley, 13 y.o. math genius, is recruited to a secret CIA spy school. He gets involved in crazy missions. In this one, he is accused of trying to assassinate the president as he is trying to thwart an evil anti-gov organization. ]]> 2019-07-15 12:49:41 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371181269 Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D Williams lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371193204 Identity!! Colorism. A powerful story about growing up, self-worth, and navigating family and peer relationships. Thirteen-year-old Genesis hates her blackness (she doesn't pass the brown paper bag test) & kinky hair; her dad's alcoholism & gambling; and the evictions and new schools. Genesis discovers self-acceptance through the help of new friends, a caring teacher, and music! Told from a first person point of view, Genesis's voice is honest and authentic (lots of slang).Although Genesis deals with lots of issues, the author weaves the problems into the plot with a non-preachy and hopeful tone. A wonderful story for book clubs for mature 5th-8th grade readers.  ]]> 2019-07-15 14:41:41 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371193204 The Hate U Give https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371206759 2019-07-15 17:11:24 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371206759 Calypso by David Sedaris mpixley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371231900 I have always loved David Sedaris's personal essays. He has such an unusual and authentic voice, he is SO funny, and he is observant in a remarkably quirky way, and this book of personal essays  did not disappoint, but they had a depth and sense of gravity that some of his other books don't. The short stories in this book were about family and how aging challenges them. The stories are about being a sibling, a spouse and a son. They are about how to forgive yourself after tragedy and how to deal with your own mortality. Weighty subjects. But because this is David Sedaris, they were written with hilarious observations about life. I laughed so hard while reading at the beach, that people all around us turned around, and stared. I read passages out loud to my family. I have been talking about it non stop to anyone who will listen. ]]> 2019-07-15 23:18:19 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371231900 Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Mullaly Hunt lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371234460 It took me a few chapters to become engrossed with this story; however middle grade students, especially girls, will enjoy this character-driven tale. Set in local Cape Cod, Delsie, abandoned by her mother, lives with her Grammy. Delsie struggles with friendships (she was betrayed by her best friend), and the definition of family. She befriends, Ronan, who is caring and courageous, but troubled by his losses. Lots of "words for the wiser" and many (too many?) weather metaphors. ]]> 2019-07-15 23:51:07 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371234460 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371344366 2019-07-16 18:15:06 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371344366 Book 7 - Warcross by Marie Lu https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371354015 This book has it all -- action, suspense, thrill, romance -- all set in a sci-fi futuristic world in which everyone plays a virtual reality game called War Cross. 18-year-old Emika Chen puts her computer hacking skills to work for 21-year-old Hideo Tanaka, creator of War Cross. This was a page-turner that ends with a cliffhanger, compelling the reader to read the next in the series. This is definitely a YA, not middle grades, book; I find the kissing scenes a bit too intense for my comfort level in recommending it to beginning 7th graders, but by mid-school year, it's game on! ]]> 2019-07-16 20:24:09 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371354015 Book 8 - Picture Perfect by Jodi Picoult https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371354523 I took a break from middle grades/YA lit to read a big-girl book lol. This is very early Jodi Picoult, and it was okay but didn't satisfy my break-needing-self; hence books 9-12. :)]]> 2019-07-16 20:31:22 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371354523 Every Note Played https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371405335 2019-07-17 04:51:35 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371405335 News of the World https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371482583 The title refers to the main character, Captain Kidd, who travels through rural Texas in the 1870s making his living by reading aloud the news of the world from newspapers for paying audiences.  At one stop he is offered $50 to bring an orphan, captured by the Kiowa, back to her relatives.  The story is about their journey to her home, through dangerous landscapes, at the same time the girl relearns language and how to become civilized.  A novel about culture and human connections.  National Book Award Finalist in 2016.  I liked it.]]> 2019-07-17 19:53:11 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371482583 How I Became a Spy by Deborah Hopkinson lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371506430 I enjoyed this middle grade WWII historical fiction story and students will like the mystery & action, too!  Set in London 1944, this story is told through the eyes of thirteen year old Bertie, a civil defense messenger for the war effort. He, his dog, LR, and his two friends, David and Eleanor, have the adventure of their young lives as they search for Eleanor’s missing tutor, Violette, and work together to decipher her secret notebook. Along the way, they face danger and adventure as they help to unmask a traitor. Readers will have fun learning how to decipher codes with the examples at the back of the book. I appreciated the author’s notes at the end that included historical notes, as well as the definitions of terms used in the book. ]]> 2019-07-18 01:03:50 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371506430 Tight by Torrey Maldonado lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371624646 I had a difficult time loving this story. I liked the premise of it - a black teenager boy living in NYC projects; dad in & out of jail; an internal struggle of tough vs "soft" masculinity; peer pressure & choices; supportive strict mother; and the super hero/comic metaphors. I got tired of figuring out the urban vernacular. Also, I felt that some of the characters were weakly developed. I think it is important that students in Carlisle read stories that represent different ways of living; however, I question whether 5th & 6th graders will understand the slang well enough to have the stamina to stick with this short novel (177 pages long). ]]> 2019-07-18 23:43:02 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371624646 Forward Me Back to You by Mitali Perkins mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371714893 This was a powerful book, touching upon international adoption, human trafficking, and attempted sexual assault and the ensuing trauma it causes. Kat is a fierce junior in high school, renowned for her Brazilian jiujitsu skills, until one day, an attempted sexual assault in the school's stairwell derails her completely. Traumatized and struggling, she is sent to Boston to heal under the auspices of Grandma Vee, a Sierra Leonese immigrant who used to be a teacher and is the mother of Kat's mother's best friend, Saundra. In Boston, she meets Robin and Gracie through a youth group at Grandma Vee's church, and the three wind up journeying to Kolkata, India, for 10 weeks to work with an NGO that fights human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of young girls. Robin, born Ravi, was adopted from an orphanage in Kolkata and brought to live in Boston by his very white, very wealthy parents, the Thorntons. He loves them dearly, but the desire to know more about where he came from pulls at him. The story is told through Kat and Robin/Ravi's voices alternating, though Gracie plays a significant role as a secondary character in both their stories. I enjoyed this book, but I had a hard time envisioning it having wide appeal except to perhaps the most mature 8th grader (the book is sizeable in length at 432 pages). The complex issues the plot deals with are handled with empathy and sensitivity. Highly recommended, but for older readers. ]]> 2019-07-19 18:43:12 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371714893 Where the Heart Is by Jo Knowles mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371745770 The basic premise of this book is that Rachel's parents are struggling financially and are in danger of losing their home - her dad, a real estate agent, has seen business dry up, and her mother, a school librarian, has been laid off due to budget cuts. The story unfolds over the course of the summer, which sees Rachel trying to do her best to contribute by taking a job at the neighbors' farm tending to their animals while they're at their lake house. She's accompanied by her best friend, Micah, and her little sister, Ivy, all of whom read much younger than they are (Micah and Rachel are supposedly going into 8th grade, but read more like 5th graders, and Ivy is 8, but behaves like a kindergartner). Another major sideplot involves Rachel wondering about her sexuality - although it occupied far less attention than the jacket lead me to believe.  Overall, a nice book, but decidedly underwhelming. I think if Knowles had either focused just on the foreclosure/financial aspect or just on the sexuality aspect, it would have been a much stronger story, but the two storylines sit awkwardly side-by-side. Would recommend to kids who want a straightforward, linear realistic fiction story.  ]]> 2019-07-20 10:58:27 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371745770 The Lady's Guide to Petticoats and Piracy https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371763799 This is the sequel to "The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue". Definitely strong female role models in this book for teens and young adults.]]> 2019-07-20 21:19:27 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371763799 Verity https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371763959 Definitely a page turner, although the ending was a bit of let down for me.]]> 2019-07-20 21:24:26 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371763959 Creative You https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371764036 2019-07-20 21:26:32 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371764036 Echo's Sister by Paul Mosier lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371769127 I was drawn into this story very quickly - it's a sad one, and I shed tears! El's sister, Echo, is diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. Although cancer is a significant part of the plot, the story line really focuses on the struggles that surround having a family member ill. El's rollercoaster of emotions - loneliness, uncertainty, worry, the heartache, and compassion - drew me in. Equally important, the story is about the goodness of people - an important message in today's world. A beautifully written story that is heartfelt and accessible for middle school students. ]]> 2019-07-21 00:50:02 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371769127 The River https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371771297 2019-07-21 02:12:36 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371771297 The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding valerie_thomforde https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371817331 Hooray for the wonderful women of La Leche League who started a movement to revive breastfeeding when it had fallen out of fashion! Seems like this will be a useful reference in my near future...]]> 2019-07-21 23:47:40 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371817331 The Hate U Give valerie_thomforde https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371817377 I saw this on Jen's list and on the Lowell Summer Reading List.  Starr witnesses her friend, an unarmed black teenager named Khalil, killed by a police officer.  If you're looking for a happy-go-lucky beach read, this isn't it, but if you're looking for a powerful book that tackles police brutality, race relations, drug dealers, the effects of poverty, the difficulty of having two identities as a black girl from the projects who goes to a suburban private school, etc. etc., read it! ]]> 2019-07-21 23:48:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371817377 The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean Dominique Bauby mpixley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371968131 A memoir written by the former chief editor of Elle Magazine after he suffers a massive stroke and loses his ability to move or speak. On one hand, it is the story of "locked in syndrome," or full paralysis with no range of movement. The writer learns to communicate by blinking one eye and is eventually able to "write" by focusing on alphabet letters on a board. On another hand, it is a story of vivid imagination as the Bauby describes his own memories of life before the stroke.]]> 2019-07-23 02:04:29 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371968131 I Never Saw Another Butterfly: a Play by Celeste Raspanti mpixley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371969192 I'm considering directing this play next year for drama club: a full-length play containing poetry from children who died in Theresienstadt concentration camp. It blends from past to present, from prague to Terezin and then into a ghostly half-world of memory. Timely. Moving. ]]> 2019-07-23 02:13:29 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371969192 When Sadness is at Your Door https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371972512 2019-07-23 02:34:33 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/371972512 The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate ngreenwood2 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372043011 2019-07-23 15:17:36 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372043011 Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372169142 Oh, my heart. I am in tears after reading this poignant, lovely book about Jude, a Syrian refugee, as she adjusts to life in America with her mother. I love the straightforward verse, the depictions of Syria pre-war, Jude’s spirit, and an ache at realizing how much has changed since the Syrian civil war began (Jude and her mother enter America on visas, preceding the refugee wave). I also loved the hints about Jude’s half-white cousin, Sarah grappling with her own newfound sense of identity, and the way her friend Layla expresses the struggle of first-generation Americans (hi!) about never feeling like you truly belong in either place. A beautiful book that I can’t wait to share with kids. ]]> 2019-07-24 14:47:56 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372169142 Book 9-12 - Sullivan's Crossing Series by Robyn Carr https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372181356 I extended my break from middle grades/YA literature to read a romance series. Everyone lived happily ever after, which made me very happy. :)]]> 2019-07-24 17:11:50 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372181356 Book 13 - Wildcard by Marie Lu https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372181648 Loved this second-in-the-series book! Even more action-packed than Warcross (is that even possible?) but also more focused on the moral choice surrounding advances in technology. The focus on the love story between Emika and Hideo makes me think this book might lose male/gain female readers. This is definitely a YA, not middle grades book due to the one (not graphical, but it's there) sex scene. ]]> 2019-07-24 17:15:50 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372181648 Book 14 - A Story about Caner (with a happy ending) by India DesJardins chay3 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372197628 I didn't love it, but I liked it. This is a fictional account of a 15-year-old girl finding out her prognosis after 5 years of treatment for leukemia. It's a very short graphic novel but still manages to capture the protagonists feelings, especially about how others react to her. Quick read, and as intended by the author to "write a story about cancer with a happy ending." Many 7th graders will choose this either because it's short or because it's a graphic novel; nonetheless, it'll make them think!]]> 2019-07-24 21:15:10 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372197628 The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372214699 Book 19 for my #30booksummer  is the lovely, touching, makes-me-feel-all-the-things “The Mighty Heart or Sunny St. James” by @ashleyhblake which gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me. Just like Ivy did last year, Sunny has a permanent place in my heart. Sunny is undergoing a heart transplant in the opening chapter of the book, and the tensions between her and her legal guardian, Kate, around her health are a dominant theme throughout the book, but I love that we never once doubt Kate’s love and concern for Sunny. Kate has raised Sunny since she was four when her mother, Lena, gave her up due to struggles with alcohol. Now that Sunny is on the road to physically healing, she must also try to figure out how and if to let her mother back into her life. She’s also determined to be kissed by a boy by the time the summer is out, aided by Quinn, her new BFF. However, as Sunny and Quinn undertake this quest, Sunny begins to realize that maybe the part of her that used to wonder about kissing boys AND girls didn’t really disappear with her new heart. But will she be brave enough to be honest about how she feels? She’s a character with a lot of heart and personality, and she’s easy to love. A wonderful story that touches on lots of different topics and successfully integrates them all into one satisfying book. Highly recommend. ]]> 2019-07-25 00:43:08 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372214699 The Immortalists https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372329097 2019-07-26 00:31:11 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372329097 Book 15 - Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai chay3 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372348818 I purchased this book because it's a realistic fiction novel with graphic novel mixed in; I thought it'd stretch some kids who are hooked on graphic novels only. I ended up liking this one. It's young - the protagonist, Jingwen, is 11 years old, and his younger brother is 9, and there's talk of boogers/that type of humor.  It's about a family who leaves their (unspecified) Asian country to move to Australia. A lot of what Jingwen goes through feels authentic:  the sadness and guilt at the loss of his father,  the stupidity at his lack of English, anger at his mother for moving him to "Mars."  I think a lot of kids will like this one for its humor especially.]]> 2019-07-26 03:26:31 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372348818 If This Were a Story by Beth Turley mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372406355 This book has left me feeling unsettled, and not in a good way, which is a shame, because some of the writing is really beautiful. I read it because I'm trying to read more of my beginner chapter books, and this seemed like it belonged in that section based on the cover art and relative size. Wrong. It's 248 pages, and the plot is all over the place. Hannah is a fifth grader who loves big words and is a champion speller, but as the book opens, she gets a nasty note in class that says "nobody likes Hannah." This sets off a whole main plot of Hannah being bullied and a quest to find the perpetrator, including a meeting with parents and a police officer, but to no avail. There are two likely suspects: her frenemy Courtney, and Kimmy, a girl who lost her mother the previous year and is Hannah's top competition for being the top speller. We then start to find out that Hannah's home life is rough - her parents keep yelling at each other, her mother talks about walking on eggshells, and there's a flashback scene where Hannah sees her dad raise his hand but doesn't actually hit her mother but he asks her to never talk to anyone about it again after she winds up in the guidance counselor's office in 3rd grade. Other plot points include her 8th grade buddy sneaking out of their field trip to smoke and offering her one (uh WHAT?) and a scene where Hannah is possibly witnessing a sexual assault in the bowling alley, but we never find out what happens (she sees a boy kissing a girl on the cheek, she is pressed up against the wall and saying no, stop, someone is here - the boy doesn't stop, Hannah watches for the girl for the rest of the night and never sees her emerge...). Oh, and there's more. The narrator changes often, including snippets from Hannah's guidance counselor AND ALSO INANIMATE OBJECTS THAT HANNAH TALKS TO. None of this was handled well - I kept wondering if Hannah was having a trauma-induced breakdown, talking out loud to stop signs and mugs and her teddy bear, Ambrose. And then the ultimate plot twist - Hannah has been writing the notes to herself as  form of attention seeking to get her parents to stop fighting, and when they find out what she's doing, they resolve to do better and she goes home feeling happy and secure that all their problems are fixed. I cannot in good conscience recommend this to kids, and part of me wants to weed it because it was just so weird.  I will definitely be moving it out of my beginner chapter books, though. 

]]> 2019-07-26 18:38:37 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372406355 Book One Endling: The Last by Katherine Applegate. lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372421003 I bought this book last year because of the numerous starred reviews, but no one borrowed it from the classroom. Although I love Applegate's The One and Only Ivan and Wishtree, this fantasy story, set in a made-up world, was okay. This is a story of a young dairne (a dog-like anthropomorphic character) named Byx, who is thrust into an unplanned journey and a fight for survival. Along the way, she finds herself in the company of some unlikely creatures - a wobbyk, a felivet, and a young human - who join her in her quest to find others like her and to escape the evil plans of those who seek to harm and exploit her. I will suggest this story to readers who like Brandon Mull, Lloyd Alexander, Erin Hunter - animal fantasy; heroic quests; graphic battles; etc. This story was the first book of Applegate's trilogy. ]]> 2019-07-27 01:15:07 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372421003 The Silent Patient https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372448937 2019-07-27 16:47:49 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372448937 Transcription https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372489212 Transcription tells the story of Juliet Armstrong, who is recruited to be a spy in Britain during World War II.  Much of her job involves listening to recorded conversations and transcribing them.  The time frame in the book alternates between 1940 and Juliet’s life ten years later, when she becomes a radio producer at the BBC.  To me, Juliet seemed too passive, and reading the transcriptions of recorded conversations was tedious.  There were some exciting moments when she was undercover, but not enough.  Liz Hamlet got me hooked on this author’s detective novels starting with Case Histories.  I’d recommend those instead. 
 
]]> 2019-07-28 16:10:00 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372489212 The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (Young Readers Edition) valerie_thomforde https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372578611 I recently watched the movie with the same title - which I highly recommend!  William Kamkwamba (b. 1987) is an incredible man who grew up in Malawi.  Despite extremely limited schooling, he gathers parts from junkyards to build a fully functioning windmill to provide electricity and irrigation for his family and town.  (He does this while surviving a famine, no less.)  Chiwetel Ejiofor directed the movie, and he even learned the Chichewa language so that he could act in it (the movie is in both Chichewa and English).  

As for the book: without realizing it, I had checked out the Young Readers Edition, so now I am curious to read the original version.  It is an autobiography by Kamkwamba, written with the help of Bryan Mealer.  It definitely targets young American readers with details of how William's childhood was so different than the typical American experience, for instance, roasted grasshoppers are a delicacy.  The writing is informative and interesting, though not especially beautiful.  It was on a 9th grade summer list for Lowell Tech HS, yet would certainly appeal to younger readers.  Inspiring story!!]]> 2019-07-29 14:04:51 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372578611 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372591896 2019-07-29 16:53:21 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372591896 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372591910 2019-07-29 16:53:34 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372591910 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372613700 2019-07-29 22:19:06 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372613700 Greystone Secrets #1: The Strangers by Margaret Peterson Haddix lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372636742 A bit drawn out, but another great story for students who enjoy reading mystery and fantasy/sci-fi. The story is narrated from alternating points of view. Aside from the loss of their father and subsequent move, things were fairly normal for Chess, Emma, and Finn Greystone. Then they learn of the kidnapping of three children in Arizona...all with the same first and middle names, birthdays, and ages. It's startling. When their mom suddenly leaves and has them stay with a neighbor, it gets downright crazy. What ensues next is a journey into a parallel universe to find their mom and save the other kidnapped children. Secret tunnels, vacant houses, alternative worlds, complex codes, and strangers dressed in orange & blue add to the suspense of the plot. The story ends on a cliff-hanger. Parts of the plot may be too scary for some middle grade students. ]]> 2019-07-30 02:06:11 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372636742 Where the Forest Meets the Stars https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372703631 2019-07-30 15:49:21 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372703631 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372765119 Powerful- I had many misconceptions before reading this book and I feel much more informed (especially when teaching this part of history to students!)]]> 2019-07-31 02:31:30 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372765119 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372765584 2019-07-31 02:34:41 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372765584 Hillbilly Elegy by J.D Vance mpixley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372896682 is a memoir about the difficulty of upward mobility for poor white Appalachian families. I was interested in reading this book to better understand the perspective of white Americans who might have felt drawn to voting for our current president and why working class whites might feel disenfranchised  in our country. I had mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, his family story was fascinating, and I was drawn into the layers of disfunction in his family. From a psychological perspective, I was really hooked. On the other hand, I felt like the memoir seemed to confirm and magnify stereotypes, which seemed to me to run counter to the book's mission. ]]> 2019-08-01 03:13:44 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372896682 Book 16 - Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham and Charles Waters chay3 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372988558 This is a beautifully illustrated book of poems depicting the burgeoning friendship between a white girl and a black boy. Along the way, the friends challenge assumptions about race and learn from one another. I liked this collection. Many students will likely read it quickly, but hopefully they'll pause, think, and learn along the way -- just as I did!]]> 2019-08-01 21:33:00 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372988558 Book 17 - Stone River Crossing by Tim Tingle chay3 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372988790 I HATED this book. (Note:  rant ahead!) That said, the first part of the story was wonderful!  In it, a Choctaw community harbors a family of African-American slaves. The second part of the book attempts to incorporate Choctaw mythology/spirituality but ends up being a series of unbelievable magical stories that do nothing to move the story forward or help the reader learn about Choctaw beliefs. Apparently the author won tons of awards for a picture book about the same topic, and he decided to expand the story to a novel -- all the power to him. What busts my buttons is the fact that this book is getting such acclaim (Kirkus starred review, for example). Just because a book is about people from different races, cultures, places, experiences, etc. does not mean it is great! Ugh! I'd venture a guess that the picture book was amazing. This just wasn't, at least not for me -- and I don't think it'll resonate with my students, either. ]]> 2019-08-01 21:35:17 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/372988790 Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373005125 I've had this book in my classroom for a couple of years, and every student who has read it has loved the story. It is a perfect mystery and adventure story for 5th-7th graders, especially reluctant readers. The plot is fast paced and the chapters are short! I enjoyed it too!  
Penguin Random House's book blurb:
"Fifth grader Tamaya Dhilwaddi and seventh grader Marshall Walsh have been walking to and from Woodridge Academy together since elementary school. But their routine is disrupted when bully Chad Hilligas challenges Marshall to a fight. 
 
To avoid the conflict, Marshall takes a shortcut home through the off-limits woods. Tamaya, unaware of the reason for the detour, reluctantly follows. They soon get lost. And then they find trouble. Bigger trouble than anyone could ever have imagined. What they uncover might affect the future of the world.
 
FUZZY MUD is an imaginative and suspenseful story of the great lengths we’ll go to for friendship and family, the mishaps and breakthroughs that are made in the name of science, and the wonders of mud . . . fuzzy mud."]]> 2019-08-02 00:57:29 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373005125 All the Ugly and Wonderful Things https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373011908 2019-08-02 01:50:53 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373011908 The Cuckoo's Calling valerie_thomforde https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373142367 Another suggestion from my mother-in-law.  Crime fiction by Robert Galbraith, aka J.K. Rowling.  I enjoyed it much more than The Casual Vacancy.]]> 2019-08-03 21:57:19 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373142367 The Good Lord Bird https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373317163 The premise of the book is engaging – a young slave boy living in Kansas in 1856 is taken by the abolitionist John Brown, and ends up disguising himself as a girl to survive.  It is described as a “tragically funny satire.” National Book Award Winner in 2013.  I liked James McBride’s Song Yet Sung better. 
 
]]> 2019-08-05 19:28:59 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373317163 Blended by Sharon Draper lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373469858 I enjoyed this story and know that some middle schoolers will identify with Isabella's internal struggles. Some of the plot seems a bit forced, so I would not rate it as highly as other Sharon Draper novels (i.e. Out of My Mind).
Book Blurb from Simon & Schuster:
Eleven-year-old Isabella’s parents are divorced, so she has to switch lives every week: One week she’s Isabella with her dad, his girlfriend Anastasia, and her son Darren living in a fancy house where they are one of the only black families in the neighborhood. The next week she’s Izzy with her mom and her boyfriend John-Mark in a small, not-so-fancy house that she loves.

Because of this, Isabella has always felt pulled between two worlds. And now that her parents are divorced, it seems their fights are even worse, and they’re always about HER. Isabella feels even more stuck in the middle, split and divided between them than ever. And she’s is beginning to realize that being split between Mom and Dad is more than switching houses, switching nicknames, switching backpacks: it’s also about switching identities. Her dad is black, her mom is white, and strangers are always commenting: “You’re so exotic!” “You look so unusual.” “But what are you really?” She knows what they’re really saying: “You don’t look like your parents.” “You’re different.” “What race are you really?” And when her parents, who both get engaged at the same time, get in their biggest fight ever, Isabella doesn’t just feel divided, she feels ripped in two. What does it mean to be half white or half black? To belong to half mom and half dad? And if you’re only seen as half of this and half of that, how can you ever feel whole?

It seems like nothing can bring Isabella’s family together again—until the worst happens. Isabella and Darren are stopped by the police. A cell phone is mistaken for a gun. And shots are fired.]]> 2019-08-06 20:02:17 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373469858 The Silkworm valerie_thomforde https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373563387 2019-08-07 12:12:50 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373563387 The Lake House https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373629657 2019-08-07 20:14:16 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373629657 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373633993 To Night Owl From Dogfish]]> 2019-08-07 21:03:23 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373633993 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373651164 2019-08-08 00:29:08 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373651164 Commonwealth https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373874747 An uninvited guest at a christening party starts the story in motion, and events lead to the end of two marriages.  The six children impacted spend time together in the summer, and connections are formed and broken.  We learn about the lives of the parents and children over the span of 50 years.  Some memorable scenes set in everyday life.  ]]> 2019-08-09 13:58:49 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373874747 Educated https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373875326 This memoir was intense.  The author grew up in a survivalist family in Idaho.  She was taught to fear doctors and hospitals, public schools, and the government.  One of the main sources of family income came from scrapping metal, an extremely dangerous job.  Family members were violent and unpredictable.  When she does finally leave the family, Tara struggles with her lack of knowledge about the world, and whether to go against her family’s and her own long-held beliefs.  Highly recommend.]]> 2019-08-09 14:01:10 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373875326 Circe by Madeline Miller mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373978131 This was such gorgeous writing. The story was a bit slow at first, but before I knew it, I was pulled in to this magical world. It's rare to read a book where you feel like every word and phrase has been carefully chosen with great intent, but I came away feeling that way about Circe. I can see why it has such rave reviews. ]]> 2019-08-10 19:17:41 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373978131 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373998094 2019-08-11 07:04:03 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/373998094 Clara Lee and the Apple Pie Dream mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374034917 2019-08-11 23:25:45 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374034917 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374034941 This was a very quick graphic novel introduction to the Syrian Civil War and gives a good insight into the ways Syrians have fled the conflict and the dangers they faced. If it weren’t for a few scenes with blood and obviously dead bodies, I would put this in my general graphic novel section, but the scenes themselves are not explicit or gory. I do wish there was a little bit more attention given to how the war evolved from a political protest to a civil war to an international conflict (Russia’s involvement, for instance, is captured in one panel). Still, this is a great, accessible way to introduce the conflict to students and to foster empathy for the plight of refugees. ]]> 2019-08-11 23:26:00 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374034941 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374053845 2019-08-12 02:42:58 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374053845 Commonwealth by Ann Patchett https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374212197 2019-08-13 00:03:47 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374212197 The Perfect Score by Rob Buyea https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374212279 2019-08-13 00:04:21 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374212279 The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374212321 2019-08-13 00:04:44 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374212321 The Four Agreements https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374407550 2019-08-13 22:18:10 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374407550 The Plot Chickens https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374585838 Picture book.  Henrietta the chicken enjoys reading books so much, she decides to write her own story.  She gets a book out of the library that gives her rules for writing (such as use “all five senses”), which she attempts to follow.  Her fellow chickens comment on her writing process. There is so much to notice in this book: misspellings related to chickens (“eggshilarating”), misunderstandings due to multiple meaning words (“A plot of land?”), and humor hidden in the illustrations (the typewriter is made by Hunt & Peck).  A great read-aloud for third grade and up.  
 
]]> 2019-08-14 17:32:01 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374585838 The Panda Problem https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374586428 Picture book.  A narrator tries to tell a story but the panda, who is the main character, refuses to cooperate.  “What problem?”  Includes basic story element vocabulary (characters, setting).  I liked the beginning, but when the panda takes over it almost becomes too silly, and the storytelling message gets a bit lost.  A fun book for a read-aloud at second grade level.]]> 2019-08-14 17:34:12 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374586428 The Word Collector https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374586788 Picture book.  The story of a boy who loves to collect words.  He gathers words he hears, sees, and reads.  Fantastic vocabulary (ex. effervescent), charming illustrations, and a sweet message.  This is truly a book that’s best read aloud!  Although a picture book, it could serve as inspiration for students third grade and up.  This author wrote and illustrated two of my other favorites: The Dot, and Ish.  
 
]]> 2019-08-14 17:35:44 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374586788 The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374830898 2019-08-15 17:26:52 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374830898 The Rest of the Story, Sarah Dessen mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374850937  “The Rest of the Story” by @sdessen was a great way to finish off my #30booksummer goal. This was a really good story that explores issues of class and place alongside parental addiction without ever seeming preachy. The characters are all relatable, and the hints of romance make it a great pick for an upper MS collection (though be warned, there is a fair amount of underage drinking portrayed). I am an especially big fan of books with a male romantic lead who is a positive portrayal of teenage masculinity, which Roo (how I love his character!) definitely is. I will be buying this to beef up my YA offerings for sure. ]]> 2019-08-15 18:35:14 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374850937 Focused https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374912587 2019-08-16 00:56:22 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374912587 High Five https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374917519 2019-08-16 01:37:05 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/374917519 Enemy Pie by Derek Munson https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375142796 2019-08-17 01:57:54 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375142796 The Empty Pot by Demi https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375142888 2019-08-17 02:00:06 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375142888 How To Read A Book by Kwami Alexander https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143197 2019-08-17 02:07:31 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143197 There's A Dinosaur on the 13th Floor by Wade Bradford https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143279 2019-08-17 02:09:02 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143279 Thank You, Mr. Falker https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143345 2019-08-17 02:10:12 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143345 Her Right Foot by Dave Eggers https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143383 2019-08-17 02:11:08 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143383 Blizzard by John Rocco https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143478 2019-08-17 02:13:10 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143478 Big Boys Cry by Jonty Howley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143522 2019-08-17 02:14:00 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143522 My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother by Patricia Polacco https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143620 2019-08-17 02:15:58 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143620 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143688 2019-08-17 02:17:16 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143688 No Hug https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143833 2019-08-17 02:19:50 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143833 No Hugs Till Saturday by Julie Downing https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143835 2019-08-17 02:19:51 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143835 Lotus and Feather by Julie Downing https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143906 2019-08-17 02:21:17 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375143906 Bedtime for Little Bulldozer by Elise Broach https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144056 2019-08-17 02:24:23 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144056 Underwear! by Jenn Hareny https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144125 2019-08-17 02:25:28 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144125 Madame Martine by Sarah S. Brannen https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144218 2019-08-17 02:27:24 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144218 Madame Martine Breaks the Rules by Sarah S. Brannen https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144265 2019-08-17 02:28:15 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144265 A Boy Like You by Frank Murphy https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144378 2019-08-17 02:30:13 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144378 Snippets by Diane Alber https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144606 2019-08-17 02:34:49 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144606 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144742 2019-08-17 02:37:28 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144742 Warning Do Not Open This Book by Adam Lehrhaupt https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144886 2019-08-17 02:39:41 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375144886 What Can A Citizen Do? by Dave Eggers https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375145201 2019-08-17 02:45:22 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375145201 Bunny's Book Club by Annie Silvestro https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375145284 2019-08-17 02:47:16 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375145284 Bunny's Book Club Goes to School by Annie Silvestro https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375145343 2019-08-17 02:48:18 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375145343 Where the Crawdads Sing https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375204462 Slow start for me, but I ended up loving it!]]> 2019-08-18 00:56:11 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375204462 Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375279213 Loved this middle grade told in verse! Another Newbery contender - hopefully!!
Book Blurb from Harper Collins:
Jude never thought she’d be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives.

At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven’t quite prepared her for starting school in the US—and her new label of “Middle Eastern,” an identity she’s never known before.

But this life also brings unexpected surprises—there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is.

This lyrical, life-affirming story is about losing and finding home and, most importantly, finding yourself.

]]> 2019-08-19 00:09:00 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375279213 Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375280625 Thank you, Heather, for the recommendation posted in this Padlet! I loved the story and read it in one sitting (on the plane). ]]> 2019-08-19 00:20:57 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375280625 Child Soldier: When Boys and Girls are Used in War by Jessica Dee Humphreys & Michel Chikwanine lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375844694 Based on the author's experience, this graphic picture book shares the details of Michel's account in 1993 in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Insightful and heart wrenching! ]]> 2019-08-20 21:14:45 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375844694 Oh, Rats by Albert Marrin lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375862160 I am guilty of "book talking" more fiction novels than nonfiction texts. A personal goal this year is to advertise more nonfiction books. This book is one I feel comfortable advertising. I learned a lot! The various chapters include information on rodents, history of rats, diseases, scientific research, folklore, rats as a food delicacy, etc! Did you know that rats can birth up to 381 pups a year? Most rats die by the age of 15 months! People who are born in the Year of the Rat (1960, '72; '84; '96; '08; 2020) are usually successful. ]]> 2019-08-20 23:31:11 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375862160 Fish in a Tree https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375900870 2019-08-21 03:05:43 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375900870 After Zero by Christina Collins mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375915236 This seemed like a really promising read - a book about a girl with selective mutism that is steadily getting worse, but I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend this one to kids. At the outset, it becomes immediately clear that Elise and her mother have a difficult relationship, and her mother's behavior comes across as almost emotionally abusive/neglectful. By the end of the book, Elise has discovered that deep trauma is actually the cause of her mother's behavior. But that's not all - there are two scary bullying scenes in this book (one crosses the line into physical harm, the other comes very close), Elise appears to be having hallucinations, and some interpersonal drama with her former best friend and her mean girl friends. The storyline around Elise's anxiety and how it fuels her mutism was a great plot line, but it felt like there was too much other stuff thrown in and it didn't all gel together, making for a disappointing read. ]]> 2019-08-21 04:40:01 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375915236 The Lady's Command by Stephanie Laurens mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375915280 I've read dozens of her other works, and having been more immersed in reading younger, more diverse voices and stories in the Regency romance genre, this was downright terrible. I don't think I'll be reading anything from this author again. ]]> 2019-08-21 04:40:19 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/375915280 Black Potatoes: The Story of the Great Irish Famine by Susan Campbell Bartoletti lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376495661 As I was setting up my classroom, I came upon this nonfiction text and decided to read it. Having recently visited Ireland, the book piqued my interest. I enjoyed the information largely because I could picture the places, and I had greater background knowledge due to my recent trip. This personal connection to the text has caused me to reflect on ways to help students choose nonfiction books in my classroom. ]]> 2019-08-22 21:03:49 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376495661 Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D Schmidt lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376496962 2019-08-22 21:11:18 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376496962 Joan Proctor, Dragon Doctor by Patricia Valdez lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376531167 I knew nothing about Joan Proctor, before reading this informative picture book biography. She was a notable zoologist who became internationally recognized as a leading herpetologist in the early 1900s! A trailblazing woman of science! If you visit the London Zoo, look for a statue of her outside the Reptile House. This book will be added to the biography section of my classroom library. ]]> 2019-08-23 01:27:42 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376531167 Dude https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376546593 2019-08-23 03:04:19 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376546593 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376546725 The Secret Garden]]> 2019-08-23 03:05:36 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376546725 Beloved by Tony Morrison mpixley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376781723 2019-08-23 21:44:57 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376781723 Imperial Bedrooms by Brett Easton Ellis mpixley https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376781825 2019-08-23 21:46:13 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376781825 Thirty Minutes Over Oregon: a Japanese Pilot's World War II Story by Marc Tyler Nobleman lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376800496 An Orbis Pictus Honor book for Outstanding Nonfiction - In this important and moving true story of reconciliation after war, beautifully illustrated in watercolor, a Japanese pilot bombs the continental U.S. during WWII—the only enemy ever to do so—and comes back 20 years later to apologize.]]> 2019-08-24 02:22:25 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376800496 Voices in the Air: Poems for Listeners by Naomi Shihab Nye lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376800835 2019-08-24 02:28:14 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376800835 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376800854 2019-08-24 02:28:47 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376800854 Birthday by Meredith Russo https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376865725 Excellent YA novel]]> 2019-08-25 00:55:27 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376865725 Jabber-Walking by Juan Felipe Herrera (US Poet Laureate 2015-17) lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376907499 Must be read aloud! Unconventional! Playful! For a middle school and older audience. It's not an easy text to describe in words. Some students will get it, and others will say this book is "weird." Horn Book said the messiness of the text, “send[s] the message of encouraging young writers to let their words flow unstopped by convention or constraint, and to allow themselves to jump around and go on tangents and not worry about it."  I'm thinking that I might introduce students to the idea of "Jabber-Walking; Jabber-Writing" with the Quick Write Notebooks! ]]> 2019-08-25 16:29:22 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376907499 Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick Barnes lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376915582 I bought this book at the beginning of school - LAST year, and it's taken me an entire year to take the time to read it. SAD!! I absolutely loved this award winning (Newbery, Caldecott, Coretta Scott King) picture-poem book! I will definitely share it with my students!! ]]> 2019-08-25 18:29:15 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376915582 A Boy Named Beckoning: The True Story of Dr. Carlos Montezuma, Native American Hero lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376917937 A well-written, well- researched picture book biography. I am constantly amazed at how much I learn from the biographies written for children. Carlos Montezuma was a Native American activist. This story might be a good read aloud for the third grade curriculum. ]]> 2019-08-25 19:05:01 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376917937 Between the Lines: How Ernie Barnes went from the Football Field to the Art Gallery by Sandra Neil Wallace lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376918450 Another award winning beautifully illustrated biography with a wonderful life message! ]]> 2019-08-25 19:13:42 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/376918450 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/377129937 2019-08-26 15:00:06 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/377129937 The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/377187318 First book that made me cry is so long.  Wasn't expecting to love it so much because of the strange set up.  But it worked.  I loved Coyote and the bus-on-the-road life.  5th graders will love this.

]]> 2019-08-26 17:02:27 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/377187318 mbery https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/377188772 2019-08-26 17:05:39 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/377188772 The Line Tender by Kate Allen lgray10 https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/379434357 2019-09-03 13:24:18 UTC https://padlet.com/mbery/2019summerbooks/wish/379434357