Crossover

I saw that Crossover by Kwame Alexander won the Newbery Medal for 2015, so I checked it out from the library. It is about middle-schooler Josh, a star basketball player along with his twin brother Jordan. When Jordan gets a girlfriend and Josh's dad starts having health problems, Josh begins feeling isolated, and he learns some hard lessons along the way.

This was a quick read but a good one. The book is written in verse, and the author captures the story so well in this format. The characters were well-developed, and the plot was interesting. I enjoyed the book.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

Of Grace and Chocolate

My friend told me she got some books on clearance at Deseret Book (an LDS bookstore), so I borrowed Of Grace and Chocolate by Krista Lynne Jensen. It is about Jill, a young adult who works for a local publishing company and is writing a novel on the side. She has a pretty predictable life until her long-lost sister Evie shows up--bringing along a baby and crazy drug addicts on her trail. Jill finds herself in trouble and begrudgingly relies on help from Scott--a guy in her ward who broke Jill's heart when she was a teenager.

This was a fun read. I don't really read books like this, but it was a nice, light read. It was surprisingly action-filled and had some romance too. I liked how things came together and just enjoyed the read.

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

El Deafo

I saw El Deafo by CeCe Bell on the list of Newbery Honor winners for 2015, so I checked it out from the library.  This book tells the story of CeCe, a young girl who becomes deaf when she's four. With her huge Phonic Ear hearing aid and friends that never seem to last, CeCe experiences a lot of loneliness. But she imagines herself as a super hero (El Deafo) and doesn't give up on finding a friend who will like her for who she is.

This was a neat book. When I got it from the library, I was surprised to see that it was a graphic novel. I wasn't sure if I still wanted to read it, but after glancing through the first few pages, it caught my attention. It was an engaging story with lots of characters to love and hate. At the end, I realized that this book is a memoir based on the author's actual childhood--which made it even cooler. I really liked the "Note from the Author" at the end and her concluding words: "Our differences are our superpowers."

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