The Year of Billy Miller

The Year of Billy Miller by Kevin Henkes is a 2014 Newbery Honor Book, and I'm working on reading all the 2014 Newberys right now.  This book is about second grader Billy Miller and his interactions with his teacher (part 1), dad (part 2), sister (part 3), and mom (part 4).  From making a diorama for school to dealing with his crying little sister to wanting to stay up super late, Billy is just your typical, likable kid.

This was a quick, cute read.  It was written for a much younger audience than books I usually read.  (This is a lower elementary book--like first through third grade readers.)  I only read it because it's a Newbery, and I have a goal to just read as many of them as possible.  It was a well-written book and a cute story, but I didn't really feel like I got much out of it...most likely since it was written for 7-year-olds.  :) There just wasn't any big climax or conflict or anything; rather, it was just more focused on Billy's day-to-day life.  But I think it will be a cute book to recommend to or read aloud with Emmeline when she's a little older.

Rating: * (1/3 = It was okay)

Paperboy

I saw Paperboy by Vince Vawter on the new children's book shelf at the library a couple months ago and checked it out, but I never got around to reading it.  Then the 2014 Newbery Medal and Honor winners were announced last month, and Paperboy was one of the honor winners.  So, I got the book from the library again and read it this time.  :)  The book tells the story of an 11-year-old boy with a stuttering problem.  When he takes over his friend's paper route for the summer, he experiences new situations and new interactions and begins to find himself.

This was a really nice read.  It was slower for me to get through at times, but I felt like it really did put me in the mind of this sweet, smart 11-year-old.  He had so much he felt and so much he wanted to say, but there was so little he could actually articulate without difficulty.  This book reminded me of books I've read in the past like Out of My Mind or Wonder, where a child who never really expresses him/herself shares his/her mind through the book.  I didn't love Paperboy quite as much as those two books, but I liked reading it.  I was especially touched when I read the Author's Note at the end of the book and realized that this book was more of a memoir than fiction--the author himself has stuttered since he was 5 years old (more than 60 years of stuttering).  He writes, "Have I been cured of my stutter? No. Have I overcome it? Yes." That was the message from the book itself--you aren't defined by your limitations.  A beautiful message.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

The Color of Water

I saw The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother in a pile of books my mom was giving away.  My sister said she had read it as an assignment in high school or college, and after reading the back, I was intrigued and decided to read it.  It is a memoir written by James McBride about his mother.  He grew up knowing his mother was different--he and most of his community was black, but his mother was white.  Not until he was an adult did James learn about his mother's past--growing up in a Jewish family in southern Virginia.  This book tells her story...and his.

This was a really interesting read.  Ruth (James's mother) had a very diverse and fascinating life, and the book kept me reading.  There were some parts that were a little repetitive, and the end dragged on a little,  but otherwise, I really enjoyed reading it and learned a lot.  It exposed me to several different time periods in a couple different places in the US, and I was able to see the racial divide from the point of view of one who was in both worlds.  I was also inspired and touched by all this woman overcame and what amazing children she raised even with so much difficulty. I really enjoyed the book.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Serafina's Promise

I saw Serafina's Promise by Ann E. Burg on the shelf of new children's books at the library.  It caught my eye because it was described on the cover as "a novel in verse," and the back cover included a review written by Karen Hesse (whose novel Out of the Dust was written in verse and was one of my favorite books when I was a kid).  This book follows Serafina, a young girl living in Haiti. Her family doesn't have much money, but Serafina dreams of being able to attend school so she can one day become a doctor--just like the woman who once tried to save her baby brother's life.  But Serafina's life is not easy, especially when a huge earthquake hits the city right by her home.

This was a beautifully written book.  It was completely engaging, and Serafina was an inspiring and hope-filled character.  I loved how the book captured the Haitian people and culture.  I also just felt so connected to all of the characters, who were so well-developed.  I really loved reading the book, and I would definitely recommend this quick read to others.

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

The Boy on the Wooden Box

I found this next book on the Provo City Library's children's book blog.  It is called The Boy on the Wooden Box: How the impossible became possible on Schindler's list.  This book is a memoir written by Leon Leyson, a child/teenager who survived the Holocaust.  He and his family lived a happy life in Poland until German soldiers took over and began to send Jews to ghettos and concentration camps.  It wasn't until Leon found himself and some of his family on a list of "necessary" workers--a list created by a Nazi named Oskar Schindler--that Leon realized he had a chance of surviving the war.

This was an amazing story.  Every Holocaust book I read just shocks me as I again realize the absolute horror the Jews had to go through during this terrible time.  Leon was an amazingly strong, brave kid to go through all that he did, and the book also helped me see the heroism of Oskar Schindler--one who did "the best of things in the worst of times."  This was a wonderful book, and I really loved the Afterword with words written by his wife and kids.  I'm so glad I read this book.

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

Written in Stone

Written in Stone by Rosanne Parry was recommended on the Provo City Library blog.  The book is about Pearl, a young Native American girl who is part of the Makah people.  They are whale hunters, but when Pearl's father is killed on a hunt and then the whales begin hiding from steam-powered ships, Pearl and her people are in trouble. Pearl must find a way to help protect her people and preserve their stories.

This was a nice read.  It had a super slow start, though, and I probably wouldn't have kept reading beyond the first few chapters except for the raving review the librarian gave on the Provo City site.  The book was described as "a fascinating, tender, totally respectful story of the Pacific Coast Indians, not to be missed."  So when I wasn't into the book at first, I knew I should maybe give it more time to see what the reviewer saw.  I was glad I kept reading because I became more interested as the book went on.  It was a sweet, tender story that captured the lives of Native Americans through the author's beautiful writing.  I also liked that the author's first job was teaching school on a reservation, so she really has a love and respect for Native American people.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)

Rooftoppers

I saw a review of Rooftoppers by Katherine Rundell on the Provo City Library children's book blog. The book is about Sophie, who as a baby was found floating in a cello case in the English Channel after a shipwreck.  Charles Maxim, the bachelor who found Sophie, becomes her guardian, and they live a wonderful life together.  But when child services questions a single man raising a young girl reaching young-adulthood, Charles and Sophie run away.  They run to Paris, hoping to find Sophie's long-lost mother.

This was a really cute book. It was a quick read and pretty engaging.  Sophie and Charles were such well-developed characters, and it was really fun to get to know their personalities.  Several parts of their relationship at the beginning just made me laugh out loud, and they were just endearing.  The book focused less on Charles as the book went on, which maybe made me like the second half slightly less than the beginning.  But this was a beautifully written book, and I really enjoyed it.

Rating: * * (2/3 = Liked it)