The Lion Women of Tehran

I read The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali for book club. The book description says, "In 1950s Tehran, seven-year-old Ellie lives in grand comfort until the untimely death of her father, forcing Ellie and her mother to move to a tiny home downtown. Lonely and bearing the brunt of her mother’s endless grievances, Ellie dreams for a friend to alleviate her isolation. Luckily, on the first day of school, she meets Homa, a kind girl with a brave and irrepressible spirit. Together, the two girls play games, learn to cook in the stone kitchen of Homa’s warm home, wander through the colorful stalls of the Grand Bazaar, and share their ambitions of becoming “lion women.” But their happiness is disrupted when Ellie and her mother are afforded the opportunity to return to their previous bourgeois life. Now a popular student at the best girls’ high school in Iran, Ellie’s memories of Homa begin to fade. Years later, however, her sudden reappearance in Ellie’s privileged world alters the course of both of their lives. Together, the two young women come of age and pursue their own goals for meaningful futures. But as the political turmoil in Iran builds to a breaking point, one earth-shattering betrayal will have enormous consequences."

WHAT A BOOK. I loved it! I listened to it an audiobook but was so engaged that I wanted to listen to it all the time and was even listening to it in between trick or treaters on Halloween night. (I was wishing I had a hard copy so I could just zoom through the end and see what happened.) The characters were just so real and meaningful. I loved Homa so much especially, but so many characters were just so distinct and deep. I loved how the author ended things as well. This was an amazing book that opened my eyes to what it would be like to be an Iranian woman. Just a beautiful book overall. So glad I read this. Thank you, book club!

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

When God Doesn't Fix It

I saw When God Doesn't Fix It: Lessons You Never Wanted to Learn, Truths You Can't Live Without by Laura Story advertised somewhere on the internet and decided to purchase it with some of my birthday money (since I'm a fan of the author's song Blessings). The book description says, "Laura's life took an unexpected turn when her husband, Martin, was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The fairy-tale life she had dreamed of was forever altered when they learned there was no cure to restore Martin's short-term memory, eyesight, and other complications. In When God Doesn't Fix It, Laura draws from her own journey through ongoing hardship and shares powerful biblical truths about trusting God when life doesn't unfold the way we planned. Yes, with God all things are possible. But what happens when God does not change the situation? As Laura wrestled with broken dreams, she discovered joy, deeper intimacy with Jesus, and a faith strong enough to endure unanswered questions. For anyone learning to walk by faith when God seems silent, distant, or unwilling to remove the pain, When God Doesn't Fix It offers an honest and hopeful look at the hard truths."

I loved this book! It was super engaging with lots of meaningful insights. I liked the way the book was written--in order as she faced the trial surrounding her husband's health but with regularly clearly explained lessons. I think this book would really benefit people struggling with trials in their lives that don't just "get better."

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Theo of Golden

I read Theo of Golden by Allen Levi for book club. The book description says, "One spring morning, a stranger named Theo arrives in the small Southern city of Golden. He doesn’t explain much about where he came from or why he’s there—but when he visits the local coffeehouse, where pencil portraits of the people of Golden hang on the walls, he begins purchasing them, one at a time, and giving each portrait to the person depicted. In exchange, he asks only for the person’s story. And so portrait by portrait, person by person, secrets are revealed, regrets are shared, and ordinary lives are profoundly altered. A story of giving and receiving, of seeing and being seen, Theo of Golden is an unforgettable novel about the power of generosity, the importance of connection, and the quiet miracles that happen when we choose kindness and wonder."

I LOVED this book! I didn't know anything about it when I started, but it was just such a pleasant read. I feel like it's so rare to read an adult book that is just happy and inspiring and not full of inappropriate content. This book was just a lovely read, though as it went on, I knew something bad was going to happen, which made me nervous to carry on. But in the end, I came away from the book really touched, and I loved how things came together. Theo was just a great character and someone we all should emulate. I loved lots of the side characters as well and how Theo just influenced everyone he came in contact with. It was also funny because I read this book on vacation, and I had at least two people walk by and comment on the book and how good it was. It does have a CRAZY long wait list at the library -- I made my book club wait a few months before picking it so we could all get further along on the hold list.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

A Year Without Home

I saw A Year Without Home by V.D. Bidania on a new book list and got it from the library. The book description says, "For eleven-year-old Gao Sheng, home is the lush, humid jungles and highlands of Laos. Home is where she can roll down the grassy hill with her younger siblings after her chores, walk to school, and pick ripe peaches from her family’s trees. But home becomes impossible to hold onto when the communist government takes over after U.S. troops pull out of the Vietnam War. The communists will be searching for any American allies, like Gao Sheng’s father, a Hmong captain in the Lao Army who fought alongside the Americans against the Vietnamese. If he’s caught, he’ll be killed. As the adults frantically make plans – contacting family, preparing a route, and bundling up their silver and gold, Gao Sheng wonders if she will ever return to her beloved Laos and what’s to become of her family now. Gao Sheng only knows that a good daughter doesn’t ask questions or complain. A good daughter doesn’t let her family down. Even though sometimes, she wishes she could be just a kid rolling down a grassy hill again. On foot, by taxi and finally in a canoe, Gao Sheng and her family make haste from the mountains to the capitol Vientiane and across the rushing Mekong River, to finally arrive at an overcrowded refugee camp in Thailand. As a year passes at the camp, Gao Sheng discovers how to rebuild home no matter where she is and finally find her voice."

This was a great read. It took me awhile to get through (which is surprising since it's written in verse and I usually breeze through these kinds of books), but once I got into it, I was engaged and kept wanting to pick it up. I was not sure to put this book as liked or loved, but once I finished and then read the Author's Note, it definitely moved into loved as I learned about the experiences being based on her family's real experience. I thought it was a powerful story, and the author wrote it perfectly well for children -- they can  understand the experiences of a refugee, but the book is never too heavy for this audience. I loved how the author portrayed Gao Sheng's feelings and her desire to find her place. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Anxietyland

I got Anxietyland by Gemma Correll (a graphic novel memoir) after seeing it on a new-book list at the library. The book description reads, "In 2018, Gemma Correll had a panic attack that lasted for weeks on end. Unable to do much more than walk aimlessly through the streets of Berkeley, Correll admitted herself to the hospital to reckon with The Bad Feeling that had been her companion since she was a child. With her ingenious and charming illustrations 'bursting with personality...peppered with witty asides' (Publishers Weekly), Correll leads readers through the amusement park in her own mind—featuring severe anxiety, depression, agoraphobia, and dissociation—a frightening and darkly funny world that 'feels like a place apart from "real" life.' A hilarious thrill ride exploring the mysteries of the mind-body connection, Gemma Correll’s graphic memoir is shot through with the absurd knowledge that there is no linear way through Anxietyland, nor any cure-alls—but there are ways to feel better if you keep trying to move forward."

This was an amazing book. I found the book relatable and both serious and funny. (Like she addressed everything related to her mental illness as real but somehow also made me laugh out loud.) The illustrations were amazing, and it was the type of graphic novel I enjoyed reading. I feel like she helped readers understand what it is like to live with mental illness. For those who don't have anxiety, she helped explain what the journey is like, and for those who do, it just helps them feel less alone. She was super vulnerable and authentic, and I just loved reading her experiences. I'm having my 15-year-old daughter read this next.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Anxious Generation

I have had The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt on my to-read list for awhile and finally got through the hold list on the library. The book description says, "After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures. Why? In The Anxious Generation, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out the facts about the epidemic of teen mental illness that hit many countries at the same time. He then investigates the nature of childhood, including why children need play and independent exploration to mature into competent, thriving adults. Haidt shows how the 'play-based childhood' began to decline in the 1980s, and how it was finally wiped out by the arrival of the 'phone-based childhood' in the early 2010s. He presents more than a dozen mechanisms by which this 'great rewiring of childhood' has interfered with children’s social and neurological development, covering everything from sleep deprivation to attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, social comparison, and perfectionism. He explains why social media damages girls more than boys and why boys have been withdrawing from the real world into the virtual world, with disastrous consequences for themselves, their families, and their societies. Most important, Haidt issues a clear call to action. He diagnoses the 'collective action problems' that trap us, and then proposes four simple rules that might set us free. He describes steps that parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments can take to end the epidemic of mental illness and restore a more humane childhood."

This was a great read. I was super engaged and was glad to see the author addressing these issues. I felt validated with some of the choices I've made with my kids regarding technology but also became aware of the choices I could make differently in terms of overprotecting my kids in the real world. I thought the book was super eye-opening, so I am planning to pick it for a future book club pick so I can discuss it with others. I thought the book made some great points about the impact it could make if lots of members of the community made the same choices to kind of change the expectations in our communities. This was a really thought-provoking read that addresses the current issues facing our kids--definitely would recommend.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

I Cheerfully Refuse

I read I Cheerfully Refuse by Leif Enger on audiobook for book club. The book description says, "Set in a not-too-distant America, I Cheerfully Refuse is the tale of a bereaved and pursued musician embarking under sail on a sentient Lake Superior in search of his departed, deeply beloved, bookselling wife. Rainy, an endearing bear of an Orphean narrator, seeks refuge in the harbors, fogs and remote islands of the inland sea. Encountering lunatic storms and rising corpses from the warming depths, Rainy finds on land an increasingly desperate and illiterate people, a malignant billionaire ruling class, crumbled infrastructure and a lawless society. Amidst the Gulliver-like challenges of life at sea and no safe landings, Rainy is lifted by physical beauty, surprising humor, generous strangers, and an unexpected companion in a young girl who comes aboard. And as his innate guileless nature begins to make an inadvertent rebel of him, Rainy’s private quest for the love of his life grows into something wider and wilder, sweeping up friends and foes alike in his strengthening wake."

I really enjoyed this book. The story was engaging, and it was beautifully written. There were parts (even on audiobook!) that just stuck out to me and made me want to write them down. Like Rainy's description of Lark as "making the world better by being in it." The book was one of those ones that just made me amazed how authors even come up with storylines because the book had so many twists and turns that I never really knew where things were going, but I enjoyed it all. I always loved Rainy as a steady character who stayed true to who he was. I loved Sol and the parts where Rainy was reading to her and teaching her the letters. There were super annoying characters (the grandpa) and characters who just made the book worth reading (can't think of their names at the moment but the couple who Rainy meets who helps him and then he goes back to them in the end) and characters who were disturbing (Werryck). The book also just had an underlying message about the power of books, which I thought was beautiful. The story had some heavy parts and parts where it was just another bad thing and I had to put the book down for a bit to just cope before I could bear it again, but that just shows how engaging the story was. Overall, this was a great read--I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Haven

I read Haven: A Small Cat's Big Adventure by Megan Wagner Lloyd for consideration for Ollie's school Every Lion, One Book program in the future and then ended up selecting it for my kids' book club--so read it a second time aloud to Ollie. The book description says, "A warm, cozy lap. The toasty smell of baking bread. Tasty food served in a bright-blue bowl. These make Haven’s life as an indoor pet heaven. All thanks to her beloved human and rescuer, Ma Millie. But when Ma Millie becomes too sick to care for her, the cat’s cozy life is turned upside down, and Haven decides she must seek out another human for help. Anything for Ma Millie! Her vow pulls her out of her safe nest into the shadowy forest and down unfamiliar and dangerous roads. When her first plan fails, Haven meets a wilderness-savvy fox who volunteers as an ally, and their perilous journey together brings some victories. But Haven finds herself pitted against creatures far wilder than she ever could be, testing her strength and spirit to their limits. Will her loyalty to Ma Millie—and her newfound confidence in herself—be enough to help Haven see the quest through to its conclusion? Can she stand up against the fierce predator that is tracking her every move?"

This is a really sweet book. When I read it to Ollie, I ended up pretty much bawling near the end and it was hard to get through it. But I thought this was just a beautiful read with an engaging story for kids. I liked it the first time I read it earlier in the month but probably liked it even more reading it with Ollie. The book was well written and exciting with likable characters.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Anne of Green Gables

I know I already have this book on the blog, but I read it again for book club. (Someone chose it who had never read it before.) The book description says, "For generations, readers have been charmed by the special world of Green Gables, an old-fashioned farm outside a town called Avonlea. Eleven-year-old Anne Shirley has arrived in this verdant corner of Prince Edward Island only to discover that the Cuthberts—elderly Matthew and his stern sister, Marilla—want to adopt a boy, not a feisty redheaded girl. But before they can send her back, Anne—who simply must have more scope for her imagination and a real home—wins them over completely."

This book was just a complete delight. I had forgotten how great it was, and it was just the joy I needed in my life. I honestly just kept thinking as I read it, "I love this book. Anne is just delightful." She would make me laugh out loud. Anne is just the most distinct, lovable character with so much personality. I loved reading this book.

* * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Snow Child

I read The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey for book club. The book description says, "Alaska, 1920: a brutal place to homestead, and especially tough for recent arrivals Jack and Mabel. Childless, they are drifting apart—he breaking under the weight of the work of the farm; she crumbling from loneliness and despair. In a moment of levity during the season's first snowfall, they build a child out of snow. The next morning the snow child is gone—but they glimpse a young, blonde-haired girl running through the trees. This little girl, who calls herself Faina, seems to be a child of the woods. She hunts with a red fox at her side, skims lightly across the snow, and somehow survives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. As Jack and Mabel struggle to understand this child who could have stepped from the pages of a fairy tale, they come to love her as their own daughter. But in this beautiful, violent place things are rarely as they appear, and what they eventually learn about Faina will transform all of them."

This book was so good! It took me awhile to start reading, but once I did, I was hooked and anxious to keep reading and see how the book would conclude. The writing was beautiful, and I loved the realness of the characters. I felt the pain of Jack and Mabel, loved Esther and her confidence and decisiveness, and was enchanted by Faina. I wasn't sure if I was going to be happy with the end of the book, but somehow the author made it beautiful even when things weren't all good. It was a great January read, especially since we had book club the day before a big snowstorm hits. :) The book lended itself to some great book club discussion. I'm really glad I read this one.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

My Story

I saw that there's a documentary about Elizabeth Smart coming out early next year, and it made me realize I never read her memoir and always wanted to -- so I got My Story by Elizabeth Smart and Chris Stewart on audiobook from the library. The book description says, "In this memoir, Elizabeth Smart reveals how she survived and the secret to forging a new life in the wake of a brutal crime. On June 5, 2002, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart, the daughter of a close-knit Mormon family, was taken from her home in the middle of the night by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Elizabeth was kept chained, dressed in disguise, repeatedly raped, and told she and her family would be killed if she tried to escape. After her rescue on March 12, 2003, she rejoined her family and worked to pick up the pieces of her life. With My Story, Elizabeth tells of the constant fear she endured every hour, her courageous determination to maintain hope, and how she devised a plan to manipulate her captors and convinced them to return to Utah, where she was rescued minutes after arriving. Smart explains how her faith helped her stay sane in the midst of a nightmare and how she found the strength to confront her captors at their trial and see that justice was served."

This was an engaging and inspiring read. I remember when Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped (it hit close to home because she was a member of the same religion as me and I was also a teenager at the time) and when she was found. At times reading this book was sickening and upsetting, just learning all that she went through and picturing it from the perspective of my daughter who is the same age. I was also inspired by Elizabeth's ability to make the most of her circumstances and thrive in her life after. This was one of those books that I always wanted to keep reading.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Sing Sing Files

I have had The Sing Sing Files: One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a Twenty-Year Fight for Justice by Dan Slepian on my to-read list for awhile and so got it on audiobook from the library. The book description says, "In 2002, Dan Slepian, a veteran producer for NBC’s Dateline, received a tip from a Bronx homicide detective that two men were serving twenty-five years to life in prison for a 1990 murder they did not commit. Haunted by what the detective had told him, Slepian began an investigation of the case that eventually resulted in freedom for the two men and launched Slepian on a two-decade personal and professional journey into a deeply flawed justice system fiercely resistant to rectifying―or even acknowledging―its mistakes and their consequences. The Sing Sing Files: One Journalist, Six Innocent Men, and a Twenty-Year Fight for Justice is Slepian’s account of challenging that system. The story follows Slepian on years of prison visits, court hearings, and street reporting that led to a series of powerful Dateline episodes and eventually to freedom for four other men and to an especially deep and lasting friendship with one of them, Jon-Adrian 'JJ' Velazquez. From his cell in Sing Sing, JJ aided Slepian in his investigations until his own release in 2021 after decades in prison. Like Bryan Stevenson’s Just Mercy, The Sing Sing Files is a deeply personal account of wrongful imprisonment and the flaws in our justice system, and a powerful argument for reckoning and accountability. Slepian’s extraordinary book, at once painful and full of hope, shines a light on an injustice whose impact the nation has only begun to confront."

This book was SO GOOD. It was a super engaging story and just alarming to read about the unfair justice system so many people have had to face. The book reminded me of the vibe of Just Mercy (I thought that before seeing that it's also mentioned in the book description above) and just opened my mind to so many things, especially how broken the police and court system can be in some cases. I thought this was a really meaningful read that just reminded me that there is more to every story. I came away inspired by Dan's dedication to the cases he looked into and the resilience of the innocent men wrongly imprisoned.

* * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Boys of Riverside

I got The Boys of Riverside: A Deaf Football Team and a Quest for Glory by Thomas Fuller on audiobook from the library after seeing it advertised somewhere. The book description says, "In November 2021, an obscure email from the California Department of Education landed in New York Times reporter, Thomas Fuller’s, inbox. The football team at the California School for the Deaf in Riverside, a state-run school with only 168 high school students, was having an undefeated season. After years of covering war, wildfires, pandemic, and mass shootings, Fuller was captivated by the story of this group of high school boys. It was uplifting. During the gloom of the pandemic, it was a happy story. It was a sports story but not an ordinary one, built on the chemistry between a group of underestimated boys and their superhero advocate coach, Keith Adams, a deaf former athlete himself. The team, and Adams, tackled the many stereotypes and seemed to be succeeding. Fuller packed his bags and drove seven hours to the Riverside campus. The Boys of Riverside looks back at the historic 2021 and 2022 seasons in which the California School for the Deaf chased history. It follows the personal journeys of their dynamic deaf head coach, and a student who spent the majority of the season sleeping in his father’s car in the Target parking lot. It tells the story of a fiercely committed player who literally played through a broken leg in order not to miss a crucial game, as well as myriad other heart-wrenching and uplifting narratives of players who found common purpose. Through their eyes, Fuller reveals a portrait of high school athletics, inspiring camaraderie, and deafness in America."

I LOVED this book! I was engaged from start to finish. I just loved the premise of the book, probably partially because I took ASL as my language in high school and college and have some background knowledge about Deaf culture. I loved hearing the stories about the coaches and players and how they rose up even when people underestimated them. And since I also enjoy watching football, it was fun to follow the descriptions of the games. This was an inspiring and enjoyable read. Definitely would recommend it to others.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Turtle of Oman

I've had The Turtle of Oman by Naomi Shihab Nye on my to-read list for awhile and recently got it on Kindle from the library. The book description says, "Aref does not want to leave Oman. He does not want to leave his elementary school, his friends, or his beloved grandfather, Sidi. He does not want to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where his parents will go to graduate school. His mother is desperate for him to pack his suitcase—but he refuses. Finally, she calls Sidi for help. But rather than pack, Aref and Sidi go on a series of adventures. They visit the camp of a thousand stars deep in the desert, they sleep on Sidi’s roof, they fish in the Gulf of Oman and dream about going to India, they travel to the nature reserve to watch the sea turtles. At each stop, Sidi finds a small stone that he later slips into Aref’s suitcase—mementos of home."

This was a beautiful read. I don't even know what it was, but it was just a gentle, happy book that addressed the hard things Aref was facing by showing the love and wisdom of his grandfather. I felt like the book was just so beautifully written, and then I saw at the end that the author was a former Young People's Poet Laureate, which makes a lot of sense. I just loved Sidi (Aref's grandfather) and the adventures they went on and the things they experienced and commented on. I also loved the introduction it gave me to Oman and their culture. This was just such a unique read, and I can't quite put my finger on why. But I really liked it.

* * * (3/3 = Loved it)

These Silent Woods

I read These Silent Woods by Kimi Cunningham Grant for book club. The book description says, "No electricity, no family, no connection to the outside world. For eight years, Cooper and his young daughter, Finch, have lived in isolation in a remote cabin in the northern Appalachian woods. And that's exactly the way Cooper wants it, because he's got a lot to hide. Finch has been raised on the books filling the cabin’s shelves and the beautiful but brutal code of life in the wilderness. But she’s starting to push back against the sheltered life Cooper has created for her―and he’s still haunted by the painful truth of what it took to get them there. The only people who know they exist are a mysterious local hermit named Scotland, and Cooper's old friend, Jake, who visits each winter to bring them food and supplies. But this year, Jake doesn't show up, setting off an irreversible chain of events that reveals just how precarious their situation really is. Suddenly, the boundaries of their safe haven have blurred―and when a stranger wanders into their woods, Finch’s growing obsession with her could put them all in danger. After a shocking disappearance threatens to upend the only life Finch has ever known, Cooper is forced to decide whether to keep hiding―or finally face the sins of his past."

This book was SO GOOD! I was just about 1 chapter in when we got on a flight to go to Utah and then read it and finished it during the flight because it was so engaging. I loved the story and characters. At first I felt like there was no way for the book to end well, but I was pretty satisfied with the ending. I was pretty much sobbing by the end of the book and had to try to not be an embarrassment to my family haha. I really enjoyed this read.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Scattergood

I read Scattergood by H.M. Bouwman after seeing it recommended on one of the children's book pages I follow on social media. The book description says, "Growing up a farm girl, Peggy’s life has never been particularly exciting. But a lot changes in 1941. Her friend Joe starts acting strange around her. The Quaker hostel nearby reopens to house Jewish refugees from Europe, including a handsome boy named Gunther and a troubled professor of nothing. And her cousin and best friend, Delia, is diagnosed with leukemia—and doesn’t even know it. Peggy has always been rational. She may not be able to understand poetry and speak in metaphors like Delia, but she has to believe she can find a way out of this mess, for both of them. There has to be a cure. And yet the more she tries to control, the more powerless she feels. She can’t make Gunther see her the way she sees him. She can’t help the Professor find his missing daughter. She’s tired of feeling young and naive, but growing up is proving even worse."

This was a really good read. I was super engaged in the story (enough that I had to return it to the library when it was overdue, so I went through the effort to put it on hold again and find my spot and continue reading). The book was heavy at times and had so many bad/sad/hard things happening that it was almost too much to bear. But things came around enough that I still loved the book. The characters were really real and complex, and I really loved Peggy. The book had me crying in the end (but I was sitting in public while my son had a class, so I had to keep it together) and just had some beautiful parts at the end. I really liked the part with Peggy and her mom where the mom said, "I think--I think it's okay to be mad at God....I think God can take our anger." Peggy responded, "I'm not mad at God....Not anymore....I don't believe in God." And her mom replied, "Well, I think God can take that, too."

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Wrong Way Home

The Wrong Way Home by Kate O'Shaughnessy has been on my to-read list ever since it won the Newbery honor this year, and I finally got it from the library to read on my Kindle. The book description says, "Fern’s lived at the Ranch, an off-the-grid, sustainable community in upstate New York, since she was six. The work is hard, but Fern admires the Ranch's leader, Dr. Ben. So when Fern’s mother sneaks them away in the middle of the night and says Dr. Ben is dangerous, Fern doesn't believe it. She wants desperately to go back, but her mom just keeps driving. Suddenly thrust into the treacherous, toxic, outside world, Fern can think only of how to get home. She has a plan, but it will take time. As that time goes by, though, Fern realizes there are things she will miss from this place—the library, a friend from school, the ocean—and there are things she learned at the Ranch that are just...not true. Now Fern will have to decide. How much is she willing to give up to return to the Ranch? Should she trust Dr. Ben’s vision for her life? Or listen to the growing feeling that she can live by her own rules?"

This was such a good read! I was engaged from the very beginning and loved following the story. There were great characters, some great/stressful action, and meaningful lessons learned. I loved Fern and enjoyed watching her figure out herself and her strengths. I definitely think this was a well-deserved Newbery and one I'll recommend to my daughter.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Trouble with Heroes

I read The Trouble with Heroes by Kate Messner after seeing it recommended on one of the children's book accounts I follow on social media. The book description says, "Finn Connelly is nothing like his dad, a star athlete and firefighter hero who always ran toward danger until he died two years ago. Finn is about to fail seventh grade and has never made headlines . . . until now. Caught on camera vandalizing a cemetery, he's in big trouble for knocking down some dead old lady's headstone. Turns out that grave belongs to a legendary local mountain climber, and her daughter makes Finn an unusual offer: she'll drop all the charges if he agrees to climb all forty-six Adirondack High Peaks in a single summer. And there's just one more thing--he has to bring along the dead woman's dog. In a wild three months of misadventures, mountain mud, and unexpected mentors, Finn begins to find his way on the trails. At the top of each peak, he can see for miles and slowly begins to understand more about himself and his dad. But the mountains don't care about any of that, and as the clock ticks down to September, they have more surprises in store. Finn's final summit challenge may be more than even a hero can face."

This was a great read. The story was super engaging, and it was one of those books with a beautiful character arc where you get to watch a character grow and change. I loved the premise of the book (paying back his mistake by climbing the peaks) and the message about the power of being out in nature. I liked that the author herself has climbed the 46 Adirondack High Peaks as well. The book also had some great side characters and some cool ways things came together in the end. This book was kinda in between liked it and loved it, but I think it made it into the loved it level.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

Octopus Moon

I saw Octopus Moon by Bobbie Pyron shared somewhere as a new book coming out and got it from the library. The book description says, "Pearl loves watching the majestic loggerhead turtles and octopuses glide through the water at the aquarium. Pearl finds it especially easy to identify with the octopuses, who have millions of touch receptors all over their bodies. They feel everything. Sometimes, Pearl wishes she was more like a turtle, with a hard outer shell—it hurts too much to feel everything.And the changes at the start of fifth grade don’t feel good to Pearl at all. New teachers, lockers, and being in different classes than her friends is unsettling. Pearl tries her best to pretend she’s fine, but she starts to struggle with things that used to come easy, like schoolwork, laughing and skateboarding with her best friend, Rosie, running and even sleeping. After a disastrous parent-teacher conference, her parents decide to bring Pearl to Dr. Jill, who diagnoses her with depression. At first Pearl is resistant to Dr. Jill’s help; she doesn’t like feeling different, but she also doesn’t want to continue feeling so bad all the time. When Dr. Jill asks Pearl to try one Impossible Thing each day, like running, skateboarding, or walking her dog Tuck, she decides to try. For each impossible thing she attempts, Pearl puts a bead on a string. Bead by bead, and with the support of family and friends, Pearl finds her way back to herself. She discovers just like the moon is always there in the sky, even if it isn’t full, she’ll always be herself even when she doesn’t feel whole."

This was a great read. I definitely liked it throughout, but once I finished it and read the author's note, I was like, wow, this was an amazing book, and I should share it with others. I think it would definitely be an important read for any child struggling with depression. I liked how there were a wide variety of characters in her life who all handled her depression in different ways (easy for the reader to know who you should be emulating if you have a friend who is struggling). The book was really real, and though it could be a little heavy at times, it was beautiful to watch Pearl work through things with Dr. Jill. I also loved that Dr. Jill was such a perfect therapist. Maybe not realistic but really nice for the book. :) I liked Pearl's relationship with her grandpa. Overall I think this was a great read.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)

The Strongest Heart

I saw The Strongest Heart by Saadia Faruqi on a list of new books and got it from the library since I've read other books by the author. The book description says, "Mo is used to his father’s fits of rage. When Abbu's moods shake the house, Mo is safe inside his head, with his cherished folktales: The best way to respond is not to engage. Apparently, his mama knows that too—which is why she took a job on the other side of the world, leaving Mo alone with Abbu. With Mama gone, the two move to Texas to live with Mo’s aunt and cousin, Rayyan. The two boys could not be more different. Rayyan is achievement-driven and factual; Mo is a 'bad kid.' Still, there is a lot to like about living in Texas. Sundays at the mosque are better than he’d expected. And Rayyan and his aunt become a real family to Mo. But even in a warm home and school where he begins to see a future for himself, Mo knows that the monster within his father can break out and destroy their fragile peace at any moment…"

This was a great read. The story immediately pulled me in, and I was really rooting for Mo. He had a heavy life he was carrying with both parents being difficult in different ways, so I was so grateful for his aunt and cousin that gave him some stability and made the read more bearable. I thought the book did great character development/growth and taught some important lessons about mental health conditions. The author's note at the end also shared that the book was based on the author's own experiences growing up, and I always appreciate authentic books like this.

Rating: * * * (3/3 = Loved it)