The Happiest Man on Earth

I had The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku on my to-read list (can't remember where I originally heard of it) and got it from the library. After I got it, one of my book clubs decided to do a read-any-memoir this month, so this worked out nicely. The book description says, "Born in Leipzig, Germany, into a Jewish family, Eddie Jaku was a teenager when his world was turned upside-down. On November 9, 1938, during the terrifying violence of Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, Eddie was beaten by SS thugs, arrested, and sent to a concentration camp with thousands of other Jews across Germany. Every day of the next seven years of his life, Eddie faced unimaginable horrors in Buchenwald, Auschwitz, and finally on a forced death march during the Third Reich’s final days. The Nazis took everything from Eddie—his family, his friends, and his country. But they did not break his spirit. Against unbelievable odds, Eddie found the will to survive. Overwhelming grateful, he made a promise: he would smile every day in thanks for the precious gift he was given and to honor the six million Jews murdered by Hitler. Today, at 100 years of age, despite all he suffered, Eddie calls himself the 'happiest man on earth.' In his remarkable memoir, this born storyteller shares his wisdom and reflects on how he has led his best possible life, talking warmly and openly about the power of gratitude, tolerance, and kindness. Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. With The Happiest Man on Earth, Eddie shows us how."

This was a super good read. I liked that it wasn't an overly long memoir--like the author just told his story in a succinct way without unnecessary tangents. It was a simple book that tells the story through a first-person narrative. I thought the book was well organized and easy to follow and also balanced out the story with advice and lessons learned. Eddie went through the unthinkable, and it was inspiring to read about his bravery and resilience and the power of friendship. True accounts of the Holocaust are always very heavy, but I also think it's important to read the stories of what happened so we never forget.

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

Unsettled

I saw Unsettled by Reem Faruqi on the library shelf, and it caught my eye because I've liked books by this author before, and with a glance inside, I saw it was written in verse. The book description says, "When her family moves from Pakistan to Peachtree City, all Nurah wants is to blend in, yet she stands out for all the wrong reasons. Nurah’s accent, floral-print kurtas, and tea-colored skin make her feel excluded, until she meets Stahr at swimming tryouts. And in the water Nurah doesn’t want to blend in. She wants to win medals like her star athlete brother, Owais—who is going through struggles of his own in the U.S. Yet when sibling rivalry gets in the way, she makes a split-second decision of betrayal that changes their fates. Ultimately Nurah slowly gains confidence in the form of strong swimming arms, and also gains the courage to stand up to bullies, fight for what she believes in, and find her place."

This was such a good book! I love books written in verse because they can be really quick reads. The author did a great job developing the characters for such a fast book. (I especially loved Nurah and her new friend Stahr.) The plot was engaging and I could just feel the emotions of all the different things going on. I also liked the lessons about kindness and finding yourself. At first I was in between for "liked it" and "loved it" for this book, but there were a few spots that I really just LOVED (the part about Stahr's mom helping Nurah's mom, Nurah's bravery on the bus, the kind girl at lunch, etc.), so that bumped it up. I also loved that the book is based on some of the author's own experiences.

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

Not Nothing

I saw Not Nothing by Gayle Forman on a list of Newbery contenders for next year, and it looked like the type of book I'd like. The book description says, "Alex is twelve, and he did something very, very bad. A judge sentences him to spend his summer volunteering at a retirement home where he’s bossed around by an annoying and self-important do-gooder named Maya-Jade. He hasn’t seen his mom in a year, his aunt and uncle don’t want him, and Shady Glen’s geriatric residents seem like zombies to him. Josey is 107 and ready for his life to be over. He has evaded death many times, having survived ghettos, dragnets, and a concentration camp—all thanks to the heroism of a woman named Olka and his own ability to sew. But now he spends his days in room 206 at Shady Glen, refusing to speak and waiting (and waiting and waiting) to die. Until Alex knocks on Josey’s door…and Josey begins to tell Alex his story. As Alex comes back again and again to hear more, an unlikely bond grows between them. Soon a new possibility opens up for Alex: Can he rise to the occasion of his life, even if it means confronting the worst thing that he’s ever done?"

This was such a great read. I got through it in just a couple days (partially because the kids and I had a readathon so I had some uninterrupted, dedicated reading time at my disposal). The story was super engaging with characters I loved. I really liked the messages in there about rising to the occasion, about a person's capacity to change, about the power of stories. The story got me teary-eyed at the end, and I think it was just a meaningful read.

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

Black Girl You Are Atlas

I saw Black Girl You Are Atlas by Renee Watson on a list of Newbery contenders for next year, and since I already love the author, I got this book from the library. The book description says, "In this semi-autobiographical collection of poems, Renée Watson writes about her experience growing up as a young Black girl at the intersections of race, class, and gender. Using a variety of poetic forms, from haiku to free verse, Watson shares recollections of her childhood in Portland, tender odes to the Black women in her life, and urgent calls for Black girls to step into their power."

This was a super quick read with BEAUTIFUL illustrations throughout (by Ekua Holmes). Some of the poems were just fine to me, but some I really liked. (Like the one "How to Survive Your Teen Years" I thought would be a nice read for my daughter.) Overall, it was a good read but not one I particularly loved.

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

Hotel Balzaar

I've been on hold for Kate DiCamillo's new book Hotel Balzaar and got it from the library this week. It's another "Norendy Tale," so basically a companion book in the same world as Puppets of Spelhorst. The book description reads, "At the Hotel Balzaar, Marta’s mother rises before the sun, puts on her uniform, and instructs Marta to roam as she will but quietly, invisibly—like a little mouse. While her mother cleans rooms, Marta slips down the back staircase to the grand lobby to chat with the bellman, study the painting of an angel’s wing over the fireplace, and watch a cat chase a mouse around the face of the grandfather clock, all the while dreaming of the return of her soldier father, who has gone missing. One day, a mysterious countess with a parrot checks in, promising a story—in fact, seven stories in all, each to be told in its proper order. As the stories unfold, Marta begins to wonder: could the secret to her father’s disappearance lie in the countess’s tales?"

I enjoyed this book. The small girl living in a hotel gave me the happy vibes of Eloise and A Gentleman in Moscow, both stories I really enjoy. I loved Marta as a character and her relationship with the countess and how things all tied together in the end. It was a short and sweet story and just the classic feel of the Kate DiCamillo writing style.

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

Fly on the Wall

I saw Fly on the Wall by Remy Lai on display at the library and started to read it while hanging out at the library for awhile (while Ollie was reading). The book description says, "Henry Khoo's family treats him like a baby. He’s not allowed to go anywhere without his sister/chaperone/bodyguard. And he definitely CAN’T take a journey halfway around the world all by himself! But that’s exactly his plan. After his family’s annual trip to visit his father in Singapore is cancelled, Henry decides he doesn’t want to be cooped up at home with his overprotective family and BFF turned NRFF (Not Really Friend Forever). Plus, he’s hiding a your-life-is-over-if-you’re-caught secret: he’s the creator of an anonymous gossip cartoon, and he's on the verge of getting caught. Determined to prove his independence and avoid punishment for his crimes, Henry embarks on the greatest adventure everrr. . . hoping it won’t turn into the greatest disaster ever."

This was a fun, quick read. It caught my interest right away, and I finished it within a couple days (which has not been my track record lately). I liked that it had some illustrations throughout, and I liked the journal format where Henry was just kind of figuring himself out. I thought it had some relatable messages for kids (helicopter parents, friendship issues, doing things you regret, etc.) and overall just an enjoyable read. I think I'll look for the author's other book Pie in the Sky next since I've heard good things about it.

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

Out of My Dreams

I was excited to see there was a book 3 in the Out of My Mind series and so got this one from the library right when it came out: Out of My Dreams by Sharon M. Draper. The book description says, "When Melody saves an elderly back-in-the-day actress’s life, the woman is so grateful—and impressed by Melody—that she nominates Melody to be a US spokesperson at an international symposium for kids with different abilities. To Melody’s utter shock and delight, she and two friends of her choice are chosen to participate—and this year’s symposium is in England! Melody finally gets to fly on an airplane, and even the airline’s somewhat clumsy handling of her wheelchair can’t dampen her excitement to be in London. There, Melody meets kids from all over the world who are rallying for greater accessibility and more thoughtful planning on how to make the world more equal for every kid, no matter the unusual challenges they face. As Melody’s time to speak approaches, she hopes she can find a way to make every word count and make an impact."

I liked getting back in the world with Melody, but this wasn't as engaging as I hoped it would be. I loved Out of My Mind so much and just loved that story, but I feel like the sequels haven't measured up. I almost had to force myself to keep reading this one because I just wasn't that invested in the story, and there were lots of things that just struck me as unrealistic throughout the book (like unrealistic enough that I was distracted from the story to comment on it to myself). I guess I liked that nothing that bad happened to Melody in the book because that would just be really unbearable for me, but I think the book's format of just describing a play-by-play of her trip with no major conflicts just didn't keep me super interested. But I still highly recommend book 1!

* (1/3 = It was okay)