Blood Will Tell

 

By April Henry 

     This is the second book in a series by April Henry.  Yet again we follow our three young Search and Rescue trainees as the venture towards certification.  This time they begin by searching and finding a young missing child followed the next day with an evidence search on a murdered young woman from Nick's neighborhood.  

     Unfortunately, Nick becomes the main suspect when his Familial DNA is discovered on the body.  That leaves the three young friends no other alternative to embroil themselves in another murder investigation.  Alexis and Ruby know Nick could never kill somebody, he vomits when he sees blood and they know something does not jive.  Nick's life is further up ended when he discovers that the father he idolized as a fallen war hero, is a murderer sitting in prison.  The noose of evidence further cinches as the DNA match is affirmed and the police converge on Nick's home to take him into custody, but NIck escapes out a window.  

     Who else to help Nick but Alexis and Ruby, in the mean time the murderer is convinced he has to kill again and frame Nick even more.  His victim of choice is one of the three musketeers.  Do the cops figure it our on time?  Do Nick, Alexis and Ruby live  through another murder investigation?  

     This is a murder mystery novel and definitely not appropriate for younger students seventh grade and up is the ideal ages, it does skew female, even with the main character being male.  I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars, it is entertaining but not really relatable for me.  

LInks 

Author: April Henry

Search and Rescue

Familial DNA

Making Bombs for Hitler

By Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

     This historical fiction is set in Germany during World War II.  We follow a young girl and her journey of survival, at a time when many children were killed.  Lida looses her sister at the onset of the story and the driving force of saving her younger sister keeps her motivated and alive.  The rest of her family has been killed and this Ukrainian young girl learns quickly to lie about her age, to be usefull and not to trust her captors.  

     Through a quirk of fate she convinces the Nazi's that she is older than 12 and she is an accomplished seamstress.  She begins her journey in the laundry helping Inge with the wash and fixing frayed sheets and shirts.  Her skill keeps her warm and out of the metalworks factory where many of her barrack mates work.  She discovers that there is a hierarchy to the camp, and nationalities are treated differently.  Unfortunately, her Ukrainian heritage brands her as Russian and on a very low rung of the system.  Her food is minimal, often rotten and comprises of turnips, water and worms.  Her captors consider her to be Russian swine.
     Things change rapidly in a war torn country like Germany  Lida is removed from her "cushy" laundry job and begins making bombs with other young girls.  They are kept separate from most of the other prisoners and are constantly being watched to insure that they are making good bombs.  As the Allied forces comes closer, guardsmen and other captors begin disappearing into the countryside.  The girls are given more opportunities to sabotage the ammunition, which they gleefully do so.  Finally, the camp is over run and many of the children escape into the forest, Lida however is captured and forced to move once again.
     As the war comes to an end, Lida is finally freed from her captors and is immediately sent to a hospital for treatment.  After the hospital she is sent to the closest refugee camp, where she hopes to reconnect with family or other camp children.  She learns another hard lesson, to not let others know that she is from Russia.  The Russians plan on collecting as many former citizens as possible and reintroducing them into the country through Siberian work camps.  Even though she had been a prisoner, she is viewed as a traitor by her former country.  Lida continues to hope and pray that she will one day be reconnected with her sister and continues to search through the Red Cross.
     I really enjoyed this book, too often one forgets that the holocaust did not just affect Jews, that it targeted all enemies of Germany's regime.  We also loose track of the concept of the lasting consequences of war and the damage that is wrecked on families and children.  World War II was a tragedy on many fronts and it forever changed the lives of millions of people.  I am giving this book a 4.5 out of 5 and think that it is appropriate for fourth grade up to eighth grade.

Links

Children of the holocaust

Non- Jewish victims of the Holocaust

Images of Children during Holocaust - warning some images are graphic

Other books by the Author

Stolen into Slavery: The True Story of Solomon Northup

By Judith and Dennis Fradin

     A captivating true story of a free black man and how he was sold into slavery and his hard fought twelve years to freedom.  Solomon awakens in a slave pen in Washington D.C. and tries to explain that this is a mistake and he is a free man.  But all of his papers and money have been stolen and he is beaten.  He looses his name and his identity as he is moved further into the South.  His first name becomes Platt and his last name changes every time he gets a new owner.  

     Solomon is a skilled individual, a carpenter and an accomplished violin player.  Due to the economy in the south, he changes hands several times, going further from home with each transfer.  Eventually, he lands at he Epp Plantation in the backwaters of Alabama.  His first attempt of contacting his family to the North, becomes a near miss and he learns to be weary of those around him.  He needs to find somebody who is willing to risk aiding him.  Finally, a travelling carpenter comes to help build a new house, and Epps has Solomon help build the homestead.  As they work, Solomon comes to believe that he has finally found somebody that would be sympathetic to his plight.  Letters are sent back to New York in hopes that somebody will somehow prove that he is free and help set him free.  

     This historical book is a true story of Solomon Northrup and his quest for freedom.  I am not going to tell you the ending, kinda makes reading it necessary.  This is a shortened version of Solomon's own autobiography, "Twelve Years a Slave"  and as such skims over many of the details.  Which is why I am only giving this book a 3 out of 5 stars.  I found it a trifle young and believe it would be appropriate for students fourth grade and up.  I do believe older students would read and enjoy the actual original transcript.  

Links 

Slavery in America

Author : Judith Fradin

The Same but Different

By Holly Robinson Peete

    This unique look into a family that has been affected by autism is eye opening.  Not only is this well written it's honestly written and real world.  Meet a set of twins one of them has autism and the other is "normal".  What this well crafted story achieves is different aspects of the twins lives from both view points.  As the teen twins enter into a new school year they have a host of new challenges.  To hear both aspects of their school day interesting to say the least.  

     Charlie is autistic and has been held back to repeat his freshman year in highschool.  He hates transferring between classes, likes to wear his hoodie, his music and one of his sister's friends.  He is looking forward to not  being watched by his sister this year.  

     Callie is going into the tenth grade is smart and very protective of her brother.  She is almost maternalistic and often has to protect and mother her twin.  She resents, at times, how much of her life is centered around her twin and wants her independence  

     The two learn to get on their own, handle first dates, body changes, bullying and a family vacation.  The only downfall to this book is it left me wanting me more insights I wanted to read more about their year and how they moved forward throughout the year.  For that reason only I am giving this book a 4 our of 5 stars.  I think this book is appropriate for all students in seventh grade and higher.  If you've ever wanted insight into autism or just want a good read, this is the book for you.  

Links

Holly Robinson Peete's Autism page

Book One : My Brother Charlie

Inside Out and Back Again

By Thanhha Lai

     This touching story of Ha and her family as they flee the fall of Saigon and the encroaching communist regime is poignant and heart warming.  This  book offers the reader a rarely seen glimpse of American History.  Ha has grown up the the beautiful city of Saigon, even as the Vietnam war comes closer she values her freedom and small treats.  When the family is then forced to flee amid thousands on ships full of squalor, she comes to realize that her life is in for a dramatic change.  Forced to sit still on a crowded ship and reduced to small rations, she hopes to be picked up by a foreign freighter.  Finally, they are found by an American ship and are transported to the United States.  

     This is just the beginning of her journey, they must wait in a refugee camp waiting for somebody to be willing to sponsor her family and give them a job and home.  Families move in and out of the camp while they wait finally someone who is looking for an auto mechanic is willing to sponsor the family and they move to Alabama.  Fitting into rural America is hard when you are from Vietnam.  The family is forced to regress in school, since they do not know the language.  They are viewed as stupid and inferior.  They are forced to conform to Christianity in an attempt to be accepted.  Ha is bullied incessantly and finally fights back.  Slowly and surely with the help from an understanding teacher Ha begins to feel at home and befriend her classmates.  

     This is a beautifully written story in poetic verse.  It is an easy and quick read, but the content is middle school or above.  Although, it is suitable for either gender, it definitely skews feminine.  I loved this story and this view of immigration in the United States and give it a 4.5 stars  I loved this book and encourage anyone to grab a copy.  

Links

Vietnam War

Vietnam Immigration

Fall of Saigon

Thanhhia Lai - author

The Witch of Blackbird Pond

                                                                                                  By Elizabeth George Spear 


    This Newbery Award winning book is a classic story that is well worth the read.  Young Kit has no where to go but to her Aunt's house in the New England Colonies.  Her non traditional upbringing on the island of Barbados has ill prepared her fot the harsh reality of the cold Connecticut winter.  The harsh weather is nothing compared to the strict Puritan community of Wethersfield.
     Kit does not fit into her adoptive family her town.  She was raised in love and kindness and quickly comes in contact with stern Puritan beliefs.  She finds some solace in the home of Hannah Tupper, a Quaker that lives nearby.  Even though Hannah is believed to be a witch, Kit continues to visit the pond and befriend the lonely woman.  This little shack in the marsh becomes Kit's sanctuary which she shares with the frightened Prudence.  Her staunch support of the widow Tupper comes to a head when Hannah is believed to have cast a spell on the town and many are sick and dying.  Kit saves her friends life, but puts her own existence in jeopardy.  By her acknowledgment of the friendship with Hannah, Kit is brought up on witch charges, arrested and brought into the lecture hall for arraignment.  Nat comes to her rescue and Kit is free to return to her family.
     Through this ordeal, Kit comes to a couple of realizations, one William is not the man for her, she knows who she loves and where she wants to live, now is the time to set her future in action.
     This is a story about the plight of early American colonists, the inequality of women and how one strong girl stood up for her own future.  Even though this is not a true historical fiction, it is a very good read. I would give this book a 3.5 stars out of 5.  Even though I enjoyed it, now sure how many young ladies will enjoy the story.  Definitely, do not feel that it would be attractive to most young men.  It is an interesting read, however, and is well worth a look into early colonial America.

Link 

Witch trials in the United States

The Caribbean Trade

Elizabeth George Speare

Colonial Connecticut

Falling Over Sideways

                                                                                          By Jordan Sonnenblick


     What an awesome story and a great way to look at a family tragedy.  Claire is definitely a character full of middle school drama.  It's hard to be the youngest with a perfect older sibling.  Nothing seems to go Claire's way, school, dance, friends and family life.  Nothing ever seems to go the right way for Claire, But her world is forever changed when her outgoing, creative dad the author has a stroke right in front of her. and she is alone.  She can not contact her mother and she has to call 911 and help her dad.  Due to her quick actions her father lives, but a stroke can be a debilitating health condition.
     Now on top of all of the other middle school drama, Claire has lost her father, he is a shell of what he used to be.  The emotions are overwhelming.  Claire's father is unable to communicate in a normal fashion, and has other deficits.  His road to recovery is going to be long and difficult.  He does slowly begin to recuperate, but has a second health crisis when he contracts pneumonia from attempting to swallow his Thanksgiving "Feast".  Of course Claire happens to be in her crazy Science class and they are in a lockdown when she gets the text message.  This does not go over well with the teacher who takes Claire's phone away, among some straight up rebellion from her classmates.  The teacher slaps Claire and the whole group has to meet with the principle the following day.
     Eventually, Claire's father returns home from the hospital, a little bit healthier and Claire becomes his inspiration for rehabilitation.  She is instrumental in motivating him to try to do his rehab exercises.  The school year ends and Claire normally would be looking forward to her dance recital and her first participation in the father daughter dance, but how can she look forward to something that is not going to happen?  How can she expect her father to dance, he can barely walk.  Her brother volunteers for the duty and Claire is able to participate in the number, but not how she had envisioned this landmark event.
     This book was a great read.  I really resonated with me on multiple levels.  As a realistic fiction story the characters and events were spot on.  The author, did an incredible job describing feelings and circumstances in a careful and touching voice.  As an individual that has had a loved one suffer a stroke, I was touched with how close the descriptions were to reality.  I am giving this book a 5 out of 5 and feel that it is appropriate for anyone over 5th grade on.  This is an incredible empathetic read and multifaceted in tone and nature, many teaching points.

Links 

Author: Jordan Sonnenblick

Symptoms of a stroke

Stroke Rehab

What is a stroke?