Sweeping Up the Heart

I recently received the latest Children and Libraries journal and read an article that was an interview with Kevin Henkes and his wife and collaborator, Laura Dronzek. It was a wonderful article, but in the reading of it, I also found that Kevin Henkes had a new novel that just came out--Sweeping Up the Heart. From the inside of the dust jacket: "All Amelia Albright wants is a fun vacation. She'd love to go on a trip. Maybe to Florida, or even to France! But Amelia's father thinks a trip is just too much adventure and too much trouble. So Amelia is stuck at home, probably the only kid in the entire seventh grade doing absolutely nothing for spring break. The week ahead promises to be boring until Amelia meets Casey at Louise's art studio, where Amelia goes to escape her quiet, lonely house. Amelia has never met anyone like Casey before, and when he claims to see the spirit of Amelia's mother (who died so long ago that Amelia doesn't really remember her), Amelia isn't sure what to think. Still, he could be right. It could be her. And what if it is?"

I just loved this book! It was a quick read and just so sweet and endearing. It was really interesting because I think this is only the second novel I've read by Kevin Henkes, and it totally had the same feel to it as the other I've read--The Year of Billy Miller. Like, it just reminded me of it in the style of writing and the way the words flowed. Kind of interesting that I could recognize the author's style in the writing. But anyway, I loved the plot and the characters and just how things came together. Really glad I read it.

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

Amina's Voice

I heard about Amina's Voice by Hena Khan during my last semester of school where I became much more educated about diverse books and diverse authors. From the author's website, here's a book summary: "Amina has never been comfortable in the spotlight. She is happy just hanging out with her best friend, Soojin. Except now that she’s in middle school everything feels different. Soojin is suddenly hanging out with Emily, one of the 'cool' girls in the class, and even talking about changing her name to something more 'American.' Does Amina need to start changing too? Or hiding who she is to fit in? While Amina grapples with these questions, she is devastated when her local mosque is vandalized."

I really loved this book. It was beautifully written and was completely engaging. The characters were well developed, and I felt like the book was filled with realistic conflicts and solutions. I really enjoyed the book, and I loved that it helped me learn about and understand a culture different than mine.

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

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus

My sister Molly recommended Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling. I'll share the summary from the back of the book: "Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again. Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms."

I started this book this morning...and finished it tonight. Such a good book! It had me laughing out loud at parts and was so engaging. I just loved the characters (mainly Aven and Connor) and seeing their struggles and watching their growth throughout the book. It was also great to learn more about Tourette Syndrome (Connor's disability). I just saw that there is a sequel coming out in October, so I'm looking forward to that, especially since I feel like there was kind of an unexpected and odd ending that maybe needed a little more fleshing out for me. I think this would be a great book for Emmeline to read in a year or two.

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

The Gown

I read The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson for book club. The book follows three narrators--Ann and Miriam in London in 1947, working as embroiderers for the wedding gown of the princess, and Heather in Toronto in 2016, who yearns to know more about her recently deceased grandmother's mysterious past.

This was a great read! I got engaged in the book pretty easily and then wanted to continually keep reading to see how things worked out. The book did have lots of things that were kind of "too good" or things that just worked out so nicely that I kind of had to chuckle, but I enjoyed that about it because it was just a pleasant read. The book did have some sad things too, including a kind of graphic scene, but it was overall a happy (and appropriate) read. The ending was super well concluded, but I almost didn't agree with how okay all the characters seemed with how things turned out. It seems like it shouldn't have been okay, but oh well. I really enjoyed the book and am glad I read it. Book clubs are great for getting me to read books I would have never read otherwise.

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

Pashmina

I saw Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani recommended when I was working on a school assignment last semester (gathering top books for children). It is a graphic novel about teenager Priyanka Das. The inside of the cover reads, "Priyanka Das has so many unanswered questions: Why did her mother abandon her home in India years ago? What was it like there? And most importantly, who is her father, and why did her mom leave him behind? But Pri’s mom avoids these questions―the topic of India is permanently closed. For Pri, her mother's homeland can only exist in her imagination. That is, until she find a mysterious pashmina tucked away in a forgotten suitcase. When she wraps herself in it, she is transported to a place more vivid and colorful than any guidebook or Bollywood film. But is this the real India? And what is that shadow lurking in the background? To learn the truth, Pri must travel farther than she’s ever dared and find the family she never knew."

This was a fun read. I was able to get through the book in like 20 minutes (an advantage of graphic novels!), but it was still a deep story with a lot to it. The illustrations were great, the characters were relatable, and the story was engaging. I also love that this is an Indian-American author/illustrator creating a book about that same culture, making the book very authentic and giving a diverse voice that's not often represented in children's literature (especially graphic novels).

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

Women Heroes of World War II

On D-Day, a Facebook page I follow called A Mighty Girl posted about a woman's heroic story during WWII and then recommended some books related to wartime, including Women Heroes of World War II: 26 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue by Kathryn J. Atwood. The book follows courageous, determined women from Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Denmark, Great Britain, and the United States and the impacts they made during WWII.

I loved this book and was immediately enthralled from the first story. It was amazing to hear the diverse, incredible stories of all these brave women and how much they risked and sacrificed. The book also provided a great overview of WWII country by country (how the book was organized), and I learned a lot. I didn't know how much resistance organizations worked to rescue Allied pilots whose planes were shot down. I was also inspired by the Jewish organization Yad Vashem and its Righteous Among the Nations award, given to non-Jews who risked their lives to help Jews during the war. I was also fascinated to learn that Dutch university students were required by the Nazis to sign a loyalty declaration to Germany in order to stay in school, and 80 percent refused to sign--many leaving to work for the Resistance instead. This book was a wonderful read, and I'm just so grateful I read it. I was left inspired and changed and motivated to stand up for what is good and right. And as a side note, even though I read lots of children's books, this book is better for older or less-sensitive teenagers and adults.

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

Save Me a Seat

I came across Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan while searching online for ideas for my book club, and while I didn't choose it for book club, I wanted to give it a try. It is about two fifth graders at Albert Einstein Elementary School--Joe, a kid who is bullied at school, and Ravi, who just moved to New Jersey from India. The book follows them through the first week of school (switching perspectives each chapter).

This was such a great book! It was a super quick read, mostly because it just hooked me and I wanted to keep reading it all the way through. I loved the two characters and watching how they saw the same situations from their different perspectives. I also loved reading in the authors Q&A at the end how the authors came together to write the book and how the background of Gita influenced Ravi's character. I think this is a great book for kids to see how assumptions are often wrong and about the importance of kindness. I think I'll pass this one onto my daughter next.

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

Just My Luck

I came across Just My Luck by Cammie McGovern online recently--either while searching for books for my girls' book club or while looking at book lists during my Children's Materials course in school...can't remember which. The book is about fourth grader Benny Barrows. When Benny's father has an accident, Benny's family's life changes forever. The book follows Benny and his friendships, his relationships with his family, including his brother George who has autism, and his efforts to find a way to stand out at school.

I just loved this book! I read it extremely quickly because it was just so engaging. I loved the characters and just loved how the book emphasized kindness and seeing the best in people. I felt for Benny and his family and all they went through with the dad's accident, and I really admired Benny for how having an autistic brother affected him in a positive way. One quote in the book stuck out to me in particular--it's a part where the dad is back in the hospital after another serious scare. Benny says, "Mom says this whole business with Dad reminds her of when George was little. 'You don't think you could ever, in a million years, handle it, and then it happens and you do. You just go one day at a time and suddenly you realize, here I am. I'm handling it'" (p. 159). I loved that because I feel like it totally just explained how the family coped, and I also have felt that same way in some of the difficult times in my life. Very relatable. I'd highly recommend this book.

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

The Night Diary

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani is another Newbery Honor book for 2019. Summary from Kirkus Review: "Nisha and her twin brother, Amil, celebrate their 12th birthday in their beloved town of Mirpur Khas, India, a month before their country receives independence from the British and splits into India and Pakistan. Painfully shy, Nisha, who lost her mother in childbirth and feels distant from her stern father and her elderly grandmother, is only able to speak freely with the family cook, a Muslim man named Kazi. Although Nisha’s mother was Muslim, her family is Hindu, and the riots surrounding Partition soon make it impossible for them to live in their home safely despite their mixed faith. They are forced to leave their town—and Kazi. As Nisha and her family make their way across the brand-new border, Nisha learns about her family history, not to mention her own strength."

This was a great book. It was extremely engaging and heart-wrenching. Again, it's been awhile since I read this since I'm playing catch-up but it was a good read and a well-deserved Newbery. It was maybe somewhere in between liked and loved, but I'll just put it down as loved. 

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

The Book of Boy

The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock is a Newbery Honor winner for 2019, so I got it from the library. The book takes place in medieval France, following Boy, who has a hump on his back and an ability to talk to animals. He's often mocked by others, but when a pilgrim named Secondus comes to town, Boy becomes his servant as they begin a journey to find seven relics of Saint Peter.

This was an extremely odd book for me. I definitely think it was well written, but the story was just kind of weird. It took me awhile to get through it. I probably wouldn't have finished it, but I did since it was a Newbery.

Rating: * (1/3 = It was okay)

Merci Suarez Changes Gears

Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina is the Newbery Medal winner for 2019. I'm feeling lazy, so I'm grabbing a sentence summary from Kirkus Review: "Merci navigates the challenges of being a scholarship kid at a posh South Florida private school and the expectations of and responsibilities to her intergenerational family."

This was a really sweet book. I loved following the well-developed characters and seeing where the story would lead. I finished this a few weeks ago and am just deciding to try to do some catch up on the blog, so that's about all I can remember to chime in on this book. But I thought it was a well-deserved Newbery. I also liked that this book has a diverse main character, which is not common enough in children's books (but luckily becoming more common). Just reading the book offered a window into a different culture, and I really enjoyed it.  It was maybe somewhere in between liked and loved, but I'll just put it down as loved. 

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