Wonder (& 2 bonus stories)

After lending Wonder by R.J. Palacio to a couple friends, I decided I should re-read it since it is one of my favorite books. And after re-reading it, I bought two of the bonus stories the author wrote--Pluto (a chapter from Christopher's perspective) and Shingaling (a chapter from Charlotte's perspective). Here's the link to first time I wrote about this book and the time I re-read it the first time, but basically this book is the story of fifth grader Auggie Pullman who is born with a craniofacial anomaly--which makes his face receive a lot of negative attention when he starts school for the first time. Wonder is about how he and the kids around him handle this year of school. The two extra chapters I read tell the stories of two other characters from the book during the same school year.

I loved Wonder again, and I also loved the two new stories. The stories helped me realize that kindness can be shown in a lot of different ways. Wonder always inspires me to be a better, kinder person and to raise my daughter to show kindness without reservation. If you haven't read this book, you really, really should. It is not very long and brings out laughter, tears, and deep thinking about life.

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

Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library

I saw Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Christ Grabenstein on the New York Times Bestsellers list for children's books, so I got it from the library. The book is about Kyle Keeley, a middleschooler who is selected with a few others to be part of a lock-in at the brand new library. A world-famous game maker designed the new library, and Kyle and the other kids have to find and follow clues to find their way out.

This was a fun read. The characters were entertaining and distinct, and it was fun to follow the mystery throughout the story. I only wish that I had been more observant while reading because the Author's Note at the end mentions an unsolved puzzle in the book. Oh well. :)

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

A Long Walk to Water

Sometimes I glance through the New York Times Bestseller Lists to find book recommendations, and the other day I saw A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park on the list of children's bestsellers. The book tells the story of two children in Sudan--Nya (in 2008) who walks to and from the pond twice a day every day (2 hours each way) to get water for her family and Salva (in 1985) who has to run alone to the bush to escape the war in his homeland.

This was an absolutely beautiful book. I was completely engaged from the beginning and didn't want to stop reading. It was a quick read but compelling, heartbreaking, and inspiring. At the end of the book, I found out that this was based on a true story, and I became even more fascinated and inspired. You HAVE to read this book and then visit www.waterforsudan.org. This was a life-changing book, and it made me feel like I really should be doing more good in the world.

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

The Heir

I've been anxiously awaiting The Heir by Kiera Cass--the fourth book in The Selection series (which was originally only supposed to be a trilogy). I was going to be on hold at the library for forever, but luckily a friend who I recommended the books to last year bought this new one--so I borrowed it. :) This book follows King Maxon and his wife's oldest child--a daughter Eadlyn who is next in line to the throne. In this book, Eadlyn reluctantly holds her own Selection to find a husband.

This was another great read. I just love this series--the books are both entertaining/funny and charming/chick-flick-y. I thought the author did a really good job in the book presenting the different characters and making me like (or dislike) them. I liked how she made Eadlyn come across as a likable main character but with obvious flaws that I noticed between the lines as the book went on. The author also kept me guessing on how things were going to turn out, so I liked that it wasn't predictable. This was a great book, and my only unhappiness with it is how it was very inconclusive at the end. Book 5 better come soon!

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

Focused

I borrowed Focused: Keeping Your Life on Track, One Choice at a Time from a friend after seeing an advertisement for it. This book is by Noelle Pikus Pace, a world champion and Olympic medalist in the Skeleton. I'd heard about her during the last winter Olympics because (1) she won the silver medal after having some big trials in the past (getting hit and seriously injured by a runaway bobsled just before the 2006 Olympics and then getting 4th when she had a comeback in the 2010 Olympics), (2) she was LDS (same religion as me), and (3) she had her husband and 2 young kids travel with her on her Olympic journey. This book tells of some of Noelle's experiences and how she chooses to move forward and be happy even during life's challenges.

This was a really good book. It was a quick read but very inspirational and motivating. I was impressed by how she didn't give up when life threw her curveballs, and I really respected how she stood up for the things she believes in. She also shares some experiences about how she learned to be confident in and accepting of herself. (I think this is probably a great book for teenage girls.) I enjoyed the read.

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