Mr. Terupt Falls Again

After reading the first Mr. Terupt book, I got Mr. Terupt Falls Again by Rob Buyea from the library. This follow the same students from Mr. Terupt's original class. I don't want to elaborate on the plot so I don't give anything away from book 1, so you can just go back and read that first review.

This book was really good. I liked reading about the same characters again and seeing what happened next in their lives. I like how all the kids are so different yet work together and build friendships, and I like seeing how they overcome their diverse and sometimes difficult family situations. I liked this book a little less than the first one, just because I felt like it was too focused on crushes, periods, etc.--but I guess that is what makes it a good book for upper elementary kids who are soon facing a lot of those things. But for me, it was just a distraction from the content and plot.

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

Fish In a Tree

I saw Fish In a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt on Amazon as a book purchased by people who bought Wonder so decided to get it from the library. It is about Ally, a sixth grader who struggles in school and is made fun of by her peers and misunderstood by her teacher and principal. When a new teacher, Mr. Daniels, comes into the picture, Ally starts opening up and discovering her strengths.

This was a really beautiful book about the power of a teacher to reach a child. The title of the book is based on the quote, "Everybody is smart in different ways. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its life believing it is stupid." The book was a little hard to read sometimes because of how much Ally was struggling, but I loved seeing her change and gain confidence and then help others. I can't really decide whether to give this 2 stars or 3, so I'm going with 2--but know it's a high 2.

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

365 Days of Wonder

I got 365 Days of Wonder: Mr. Browne's Book of Precepts by R.J. Palacio from the library to finish up  all the Wonder books that are out. This is mainly a quote book--one precept for each day of the year--but in between each month's precepts are a few pages from Mr. Browne (the teacher from Wonder).

I really enjoyed this book. First, the pages from Mr. Browne added to the story of Wonder and answered unanswered questions from the book. It was nice to continue in the world of Wonder. I also really loved the collections of precepts. As a teenager, I was really into quotes and would collect quotes, so I think this book was just right up my alley. There were lots of inspirational quotes that stuck out to me and made me think. I think I'd like to own this book so I can just keep referring back to the quotes.

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

Some favorite quotes on kindness from the book:

Because of Mr. Terupt

Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea is another book I found on Amazon's "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section (for Wonder, I think), so I got it from the library. It is about a class of fifth graders and their new teacher, Mr. Terupt. The book follows the diverse perspective of 7 of the students through alternating chapters and how amazing Mr. Terupt somehow knows how to handle all of them. The kids have "girl wars" and disagreements, but when tragedy strikes, it will bring them all close together.

This was a great book. The first few chapters were a little slow for me, but once I got to know the different characters, I was hooked. It helped me remember that things are never what they seem in people's lives, and we should just be kind to everyone and give everyone a chance. I also loved how the class worked with the special needs classroom and following the kids' reactions to that. Once the turning point of the story hit, I could not stop reading and had to stay up late just to finish the book and see how things would end. I really loved the story, the characters, and the lessons the book teaches on forgiveness, kindness, and being different. I also just saw that there are two more Mr. Terupt books by the author, so I'm excited to read them as well.

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

The War That Saved My Life

I saw The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley on Amazon under a "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section for a book I was buying, so I got it from the library. It is about 10-year-old Ada who is kept locked up in her house by her cruel mother just because Ada has a crippled foot. When Ada's little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada sneaks along with him and experiences the world for the first time.

This was a beautiful book. It was hard to read sometimes because I was so frustrated by Ada's inability to love herself or recognize the love of others--but it also made sense because of the way her mom treated her. I loved learning about a different side of WWII (children evacuees) and following Ada, Jamie, and their new caretaker Susan. The main characters were all distinct and lovable, and the story kept me wondering how there could be a happy ending. I think the book also taught some important lessons about kindness and confidence.

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