Words on Fire

I saw Words on Fire by Jennifer Nielsen on a list of books my sister was putting together for her library. The book description reads, "Danger is never far from Audra's family farm in Lithuania. She always avoids the occupying Russian Cossack soldiers, who insist that everyone must become Russian -- they have banned Lithuanian books, religion, culture, and even the language. But Audra knows her parents are involved in something secret and perilous. In June 1893, when Cossacks arrive abruptly at their door, Audra's parents insist that she flee, taking with her an important package and instructions for where to deliver it. But escape means abandoning her parents to a terrible fate. As Audra embarks on a journey to deliver the mysterious package, she faces unimaginable risks, and soon she becomes caught up in a growing resistance movement. Can joining the underground network of book smugglers give Audra a chance to rescue her parents?"

This was a great book. I thought it was really interesting to learn about this pocket of history that I knew pretty much nothing about, and I liked how the story emphasized the power of books. There were some clever twists in the story and endearing characters. The only thing I didn't like about this book is that it was pretty heavy with lots of bad stuff happening that couldn't balance out with good things. Books like that get a little heavy for me, so this was a slower book for me to get through. But it was definitely a good read.

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

Show Me a Sign

Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte has been on my to-read list for awhile since it won the Schneider Family book award. Here is the descriptino from the book jacket: "Mary Lambert has always felt safe and protected on her beloved island of Martha's Vineyard. Her great-great-grandfather was an early English settler and the first deaf islander. Now, over a hundred years later, many people there -- including Mary -- are deaf, and nearly everyone can communicate in sign language. Mary has never felt isolated. She is proud of her lineage. But recent events have delivered winds of change. Mary's brother died, leaving her family shattered. Tensions over land disputes are mounting between English settlers and the Wampanoag people. And a cunning young scientist has arrived, hoping to discover the origin of the island's prevalent deafness. His maniacal drive to find answers soon renders Mary a "live specimen" in a cruel experiment. Her struggle to save herself is at the core of this penetrating and poignant novel that probes our perceptions of ability and disability."

This was such a great book! It engaged me right away, and I was able to finish it super quickly because I was anxious to see how things turned out. I liked the characters, the special community and culture where Mary lives, the adventure in the story, etc. I took ASL in high school, so I also enjoyed reading a book since I have a background in sign language. The author of the book is also deaf, which is cool. This was a great read, and I just saw a sequel just came out so I excitedly put it on hold at the library.

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

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen!

I saw Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen! by Sarah Kapit on a list for the Schneider Family Book Award. I had forgotten about it until I was looking at something my sister was working on for her library--so I decided to check it out. This book is about Vivy, who has autism and loves baseball. She is an expert at the knuckleball pitch, and when she gets invited to join an all-boys Little League team, she is thrilled when her mom reluctantly agrees. The book is written as a series of letters Vivy writes with her major league baseball player pen pal VJ.

I loved this book! I finished it in like 24 hours because it was just an engaging story, and I wanted to see how things would pan out. I liked the letter format and thought Vivy was a really wonderful character. I found out afterward that the author has autism, which makes the story even cooler that it's written from an authentic perspective.

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

Ghost Squad

I read Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega for my girls' book club. It's the story of Lucely, who can interact with the ghosts of her ancestors who are fireflies. When something bad happens to the spirit of her grandmother, Lucely and her best friend Syd are desperate to help. They find a magic spell book and end up unintentionally awakening malicious spirits in their town.

This was a fun read. When I started out, it was the type of book I maybe wouldn't have stuck with because fantasty/ghosts isn't usually my preferred genre. But I'm glad I stuck with it because I enjoyed the book. I liked the characters, especially Syd's grandma Babette, and thought the story was clever and fun.

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

Lalani of the Distant Sea

I read Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly for my girls' book club. Here's the description from the book jacket: "Life is difficult on the island of Sanlagita. To the west looms a vengeful mountain, one that threatens to collapse and bury the village at any moment. To the north, a dangerous fog swallows sailors who dare to venture out, looking for a more hospitable land. And what does the future hold for young girls? Chores and more chores. When Lalani Sarita’s mother falls gravely ill, twelve-year-old Lalani faces an impossible task—she must leave Sanlagita and find the riches of the legendary Mount Isa, which towers on an island to the north. But generations of men and boys have died on the same quest—how can an ordinary girl survive the epic tests of the archipelago? And how will she manage without Veyda, her best friend?"

This was a fun read. I liked the setting and the way the author set up the story and enjoyed following Lalani's journey to find solutions to her problems. The book did take a long time to build up and then seemed to resolve really quickly at the end, but I didn't mind the happy conclusion. I also enjoyed the clever way the characters got rid of the villains of the story (though my sensitive 11-year-old thought that part was a little harsh). We enjoyed the book!

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

Midsummer's Mayhem

I read Midsummer's Mayhem by Rajani LaRocca for my girls' book club. This book tells the story of 11-year-old Mimi, who loves to bake. When a new bakery in town announces a baking contest, Mimi knows she has to enter. Unfortunately, her dad--a renowned food writer who is her best taste tester--comes home from a business trip and begins acting strange and distant. Then Mimi meets a new friend named Vik and with his help begins baking using exotic ingredients she finds in the woods in her search to pin down the perfect submission for the baking contest. But when weird things start happening to her siblings, Mimi begins to wonder if her new ingredients are the culprit.

This was a fun read. I definitely liked it more than I expected to. The story was interesting with fun characters and twists.

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

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle

I came across The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor when shelving books at the library where I volunteer, and it caught my eye--so I decided to read it. This story is best described by the description on the book jacket: "Mason Buttle is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade, and everyone knows he can barely read or write. Mason’s learning disabilities are compounded by grief. Fifteen months ago, Mason’s best friend, Benny Kilmartin, turned up dead in the Buttle family’s orchard. An investigation drags on, and Mason, honest as the day is long, can’t understand why Lieutenant Baird won’t believe the story Mason has told about that day. Both Mason and his new friend, tiny Calvin Chumsky, are relentlessly bullied by the other boys in their neighborhood, so they create an underground haven for themselves. When Calvin goes missing, Mason finds himself in trouble again. He’s desperate to figure out what happened to Calvin and, eventually, Benny. But will anyone believe him?"

This book was SO GOOD. It engaged me from the beginning while I tried to figure out what had happened with Benny, and Mason was just such a lovable character that I was rooting for the entire book. I also loved the school counselor Ms. Blinny, who makes her room a refuge for all the kids who need a safe place. It just touched my heart to read any part where she was in the story because she had created such a beautiful home within the school. Anyway, I just loved this book and highly recommend it. Even though there is some heavy content in there with death, I think it would be ok for my 11-year-old, so I'll recommend it to her next time she needs a book.

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