Brown Girl Dreaming

By Jacqueline Woodson

     This book is a beautiful surprise.  Many people have told me that they love this book and I now know why.  It is extraordinarily well crafted, the voice is honest and the imagery transcends time.  This is an incredible narrative through the craft of poetry.  In this tale you meet the Woodson family as they grow and move from their Ohio home, to South Carolina and than New York during in the  1960's.  A time when this country went through the civil rights movement and emotions were charged. 
     Jacqueline is the youngest of the Woodson family, initially, and as such feels constantly challenged by her older siblings.  Both Odell and Hope are seemingly very intelligent one loves science and the other can lose themself in a good book.  Young Jacqueline wants to be a writer, but the process of getting her beautiful stories on paper is a struggle.  At first, she does not know how to write, than she struggles finding words that she knows how to spell, so her writing does not flow nor is it fluent. 
     As time marches and the Woodson family moves from Ohio to South Carolina, to live with their grandparents, whom they love a great deal.  Jacqueline and her siblings learn to love the heat of the deep south, though they do not understand all of tension between everyone.  They are forced to become Jehovah's Witness, by their grandmother.  They love their grandfather, whom they consider their daddy.  Their mother leaves them in her parents care while she travels to New York looking for a job that could support their needs.  When she finally returns to bring them to the big city with her, she brings a baby, Roman.  Jacqueline misses her South Carolina family and dislikes their new home and the cold dreary New York weather.  This new time in her life brings her her best friend Maria and opens her up to new experiences, public school.  Yet the still spend their summers in South Carolina with their aging grandparents.  Daddy's health is beginning to wane as a life time of cigarettes takes a toll on him.  As Jacqueline ages she learns more words and how to spell and she is finally recognized as a writer. 
     I love this book, it was a nice read and it flowed beautifully.  The use of powerful poetry worked well with the imagery that the author projected.  I am giving this book a 5 out of 5 stars and feel that it is appropriate for fourth grade and up.  The content about discrimination, although beautifully done and not graphic at all needs to be above third grade.  What I appreciated the most about this book is the multiple layers to each chapter and the ease of the read, very enjoyable.  If you have not done so, pick up your copy today. 

Links 

Author Jacqueline Woodson

The history of the Civil Rights movement in South Carolina

The History of New York city

Chains

By Laurie Halse Anderson 

     The introduction to a trilogy about the birth of a nation.  Chains is an in your face tale about the harsh realities of slavery.  In this book you meet Isabel and her young sister as they are being sold after their owner has died.  Their mother has passed away a year earlier and Isabel feels that she is responsible for Ruth who is small and  "touched".  They are purchased by a Tory and his wife that are moving back to New York. At the docks they are met with resistance and a search that almost uncovers their secret.  

     The first day in New York, Isabel is told to go fetch the water from the Tea Well.  Since she is new to the city she is escorted by Curzon another enslaved individual.  As they walk to the well, Curzon tries to encourage Isabel to help the Patriots by spying on the loyalist couple, her owners, the Locktons.  Although, Isabel is not content in her current situation, she refuses to do anything that may endanger her or Ruth's lives.  As the siblings settle into the busy city life, tensions mount as rumors of a possible English attack rise.  Isabel is serving Master Lockton and his loyalist friends when they talk about bribing Patriots close to Washington, and feels that this may be a way to get freedom for her and her sister.  

     Everything that Isabel does is in an effort to get freedom and save her sister.  She endures hardship and beatings, a false arrest and detainment, a branding at the hands of her masters.  After the branding of the letter I onto her face she is recognizable by everyone.  So when she starts helping the patriots prisoners, including, Curzon she incites the wrath of Ms. Lockton.  She is strictly forbidden to help the patriots, yet Isabel contrives to be their saving grace and continues to bring food to the unfortunate lads.  Is she able to gain her freedom, can she save Curzon and find her sister?  

     I found this book very entertaining if a little bit hard to read easily.  I am giving this book a 3.5 stars out of 5.  It is a literary work of art just a bit difficult to read, just because of the amount of detail and back story that is required in a tale of this scope.  This is a great way to deepen the understanding and knowledge of the American Revolution and the plight of African Americans through out history.  This is definitely a story worth reading and a tale that needs to be told and remembered.  

Links

Laurie Halse Anderson - Author

African Americans in the Revolutionary War

New York during the Revolutionary War

Wonder

By R.J. Palacio 

     This is a great heart warming tale.  It is definitely an awesome feel good read!  I totally enjoyed this one of a kind story.  In this story you meet August Pullman as he prepares to enter school as a fifth grader.  He has never been to school due to health issues and has been home schooled up to this point.  His family is super supportive of him and still baby him a lot, but who can blame them.  He has a severe facial deformity and has had many health related issues since before he was born.
     To help the transition into a mainstream school, the Director of Beecher Prep. calls three students to meet Auggie over the summer.  They are reluctant but agree to give him a tour of Beecher Prep.  One of these becomes a new friend, one becomes his biggest tormentor and the third only does what is appropriate.  On the first day of school August is very nervous and is basically ostracized by the entire school.  Nobody wants to be the friend of the weird looking kid.  Things begin to look up when Summer decides to join Summer at his cafeteria table.
     Throughout the school year, Auggie is bullied by Julian and the popular boys.  They develop a game called the plague, they leave mean letters in his locker, they even start bullying his friends.  Slowly through being kind, August starts winning over his classmates and becomes a friend to all.  Auggie and his family have a lot to deal with, the death of their dog, among other things. 
     Since this is such an incredible read, I do not want to spoil your enjoyment of this inspiring tale.  I definitely give this book a solid recommendation with a 5 Plus star rating.  This is an incredible book and a great teaching tool, on acceptance and empathy! 

Links 

Author : R.J. Palacio 

Teaching Empathy in the Classroom

Treacher Collings Syndrom

Serafina and the Twisted Staff

By Robert Beatty 

     It is not too often that I say that a sequel is way better than the original, but I loved this book!  This book was highly entertaining and a pleasure to read.  The tale of the Twisted Staff begins shortly after the black cloak ends.  Serafina is in the forest and sees something she does not understand, the animals seem to be leaving the area, she is attacked by some large wolfhounds and she is saved by a mysterious boy, her mother and another mountain lion.  Her mother, a catamount, encourages her to return to the Biltmore Estate, she claims for her safety, but Serafina is sure that something is threatening her life, the estate and her loved ones.  As Christmas approaches the estate is filling with new guests and animals are going missing.  A detective enters the story, he is interested in what happened to Mr. Thornton.  He specifically asks to speak to Serafina and Braeden and is very curious about their actions on the night that Mr. Thornton went missing.  

    As more animals leave the Blue Ridge Mountains, Serafina looks to her Mother for more information.  Her mother is not to be found but the boy and her half siblings are around.  She hears that they plan on leaving the area with the other animals, in fear of the encroaching evil.  She finally talks to Braeden and they devise a plan on figuring out what is threatening their existence.  

   The animals that are still around are acting differently, they are going where they have never been before and they are attacking Serafina.  After a harrowing escape from the rafters above the ballroom, Serafina knows she has to do something drastic.  She goes out into the forest looking for answers finds, animals that have been caged, meets a man in a long cloak, and he magically takes away her breath and body.  After she is roused she returns home.  How is she going to overcome this new magic, how can she protect her loved ones and the Biltmore Estate?  Who is threatening the Blue Ridge Mountains?  

   This book is full of adventure, twist and turns and a flowing plot.  You hear more of the back story, surrounding the Biltmore Estate and discover who/what Serafina is intended to be.  I loved the story and the writing was phenomenal!  I could not put this book down, a real page turner.  Therefore, I am giving this book a 4.5 out of five stars and encourage all students grades 4 and up to check out it out.  

Links 

Author - Robert Beatty

The Vanderbilt Family

Blue Ridge Mountains

Irena's Children

By Tilar J. Mazzea

     This book touched me on several levels.  It is a very well written story about a time in history that I am sure many wish never happened.  With the uncertain times that we are currently embroiled, this book really opens ones eyes to the reality of racism, the danger of letting those in power go unchecked and how even the smallest defiance can make a world of change.  

     One is introduced to Irena, a student in Warsaw Poland at the beginning of World War II.  She has befriended many people at the University, including many Jews.  The encroaching German's have many concerned but no worried for their lives.  The small steps that the Gestapo utilized to immobilize the Jews, the ghetto and the erosion of their rights and humanity are frightening.  Many Jews planned on just making it through, never dreaming the depth of hatred that would fall upon their shoulders.  Irena is Christian, but since she works for the Welfare Department, she is enabled to enter the ghetto and move about freely.  She takes it upon herself to free as many children as possible from their German captors.  

     Irena manages a large network of resistance workers that help her move children to safety, whether it be orphanages, christian homes or into the countryside.  What is remarkable about her journey is that she maintained a very dangerous list, so that after the war, Jewish families may be reunited.  Irena did everything at great peril to herself and her loved ones, but she felt that she was not a hero, she was just doing what had to be done, for humanity.  Even when Irena is captured, she maintains her list and does everything she can to keep the children safely hidden.  She entrusts her list with a compatriot, and maintains silence through months of beating and threat of execution.  Zegota, another underground organization that helped Irena, finally manages to get free Irena and she goes into hiding.  Much of what she accomplished was through blatant disregard to the Germans, hiding in plain sight.  It is estimated that her network of helpers hid and saved over 2500 children.  This is incredible!  

     I know the aspect that really resonated in my heart is the constant lesson of doing what needs to be done, when a crime against humanity is occurring.  Not to sit idly and let something happen when you know it is not right.  To give a voice to those that can not speak or are afraid to speak.  All of the hatred that abounds in today's world, needs to be checked we need to be more accepting of each other, we do not want to relive another atrocity, let's learn from the past.  

     I love historical novels just for the lessons that be learned from the past, the are unapologetic and in your face.  I am giving this book a 4.5 out of 5 stars, I loved it, but I know over time, some of the details have been forgotten, and I missed those.  I loved the harrowing tales of how some of the children escaped and wished for more!  I think that this book is appropriate for all students in fifth grade and up.  Happy reading! 

Links 

Warsaw Ghetto 

Pawiak Prison

Concentration Camps

Author Tilar Mazzeo

Unfriended

By Rachel Vail

     What an eye opening read, I enjoyed this quick read fairly well.  This book has you one enthralled and engaged from the first page.  Meet a group of students in Middle School, they are all trying to either be popular or remain popular.  Middle school everyone is worried about perception and being accepted by your classmates.  Beautiful friendly Brook rules the school, she is friendly and outgoing and has a crush on her best friend Clay.  Clay is mr. Cool, he is athletic and all of the girls like him.  His problem is that his perfect older brother just went away to college and he is struggling with his own identity.  Natasha dated Clay briefly and is very self centered, she wants to be the queen bee and plots to overthrow Brook.  Meet Truly, she was Natasha's best friend until 6th grade, she wants to be liked by everyone, she joins the populars through a Natasha ploy.  Unfortunately, she leaves her best friend Hazel by the wayside, angered and hurt.  

     As  the story progresses other characters come into play, but the mechanizations of Hazel and Natasha destroy Truly's confidence and self worth.  They manipulate circumstances making Truly believe that she is a bad, evil individual, which is far from the truth.  Jack, who has a crush on Truly is one of the fw people believe in her innocence.  What this book really shows is how quickly things can spiral out of control in today's technology laden world.  Cyber- bullying is a very real and dangerous situation.  Smarrt phones and anonymous apps are the rage, and people are feeling emboldened by their hidden identity.  Does everyome back together, who ends up being popular or on the fringe, you gonna have to read the book to find out.  

     This book did a few things extremely well, it highlighted the dangers of apps, social media and cyber bullying which is necessary in today's environment.  It also altered the view point to each of the main characters, each chapter is from a different perspective.  So most of major occurrences you will see from varying characters eyes.  I am giving this book a 4 out of 5 stars, I am marking it down because I felt that the chunk of the climax was missing.  In fact, I thought I missed part of the book and reread the last couple of chapters a few times.  I do think this book is a great read and encourage any student from 5th grade up to give it a try.  

Links

Author - Rachel Vail

Stop bullying

Dangers of Anonymous Apps

Dangerous anonymous apps?

e

6

Olive's Ocean

By Kevin Henkes

    This coming of age book could be an incredible story, but it falls a little flat for me.  I think it tries to encompass too much.  It tries to cope with death of a classmate, first love, secret passion of writing a demanding sibling, parental discord and a lasting relationship with  a grandparent.  If one of the conflicts would be eliminated it would be a stronger read.  

     Martha's summer is going pretty well until she finds out that a classmate, Olive, has died in a tragic accident.  Even though they were never truly friends, Martha gets a surprise visit from Olive's Mom.  Martha receives a slip of paper from Olive's journal.  Martha gets a inside look into Olive's shy life.  Olive shares her desire to write and a wish to visit the ocean.  Of course, Martha spends part of every summer at her Grandmothers on the east coast.  Olive dwells on how to find closure for her dead classmate, has a romantic kiss, almost drowns before she safely returns home.
     Unfortunately, since  the main conflict was diluted there was no strong climax and no resolution that left the reader wanting more.  I am going to give this book a 3 out of 5, it was sufficient but I found it lacking.  This book is appropriate for readers 5th grade through 7th grade.

Links

Author Kevin Henkes

Dealing with the death of a classmate

Guide on how to become a writer