The Emotional Lives of Teenagers

I read The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable, and Compassionate Adolescents by Lisa Damour after seeing the title on my friend's GoodReads page. Since I may have faced an emotional teenager at times, the book seemed relevant, so I got the audiobook from the library. The book description reads, "In teenagers, powerful emotions come with the territory. And as teens contend with with academic pressure, social media stress, worries about the future, and concerns about their own mental health, it’s easy for them—and their parents—to feel anxious and overwhelmed. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Parents who read this book will learn:
• what to expect in the normal course of adolescent emotional development and when it’s time to worry
• why teens (and adults) need to understand that mental health isn’t about “feeling good” but about having feelings that fit the moment, even if those feelings are unwanted or painful
• strategies for supporting teens who feel at the mercy of their emotions, so they can become psychologically aware and skilled at managing their feelings
• how to approach common challenges that come with adolescence, such as friction at home, spiking anxiety, risky behavior, navigating friendships and romances, the pull of social media, and many more
• the best ways to stay connected to their teens and how to provide the kind of relationship that adolescents need and want."

This was such a good read. I found it super relatable and relevant, and it was a great parenting guide on how to navigate interactions with teenagers in a healthier, more helpful way. I found myself laughing at times because it was describing things exactly how I've experienced them. Mostly it just helped me understand why teenagers have such emotional states at times and the importance of how I can best support my kids. This was a great book. I may purchase it so I have it to refer back to.

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

The One and Only Family

I was excited to see that Katherine Applegate had written another book in the One and Only Ivan series, so I got The One and Only Family from the library. The book description says, "Ivan has been happily living in a wildlife sanctuary, with his friend Ruby next door in the elephant enclosure, frequent visits from his canine friend Bob, and his mate Kinyani by his side. And in the happiest turn of all, Ivan and Kinyani have welcomed a set of twins to their family! Ivan loves being a papa, even though it can be hard sometimes. But as he navigates the joys and challenges of parenthood, he can’t help but recall his life before the glass walls of the mall circus, his own childhood in the jungle—and his own twin."

I really enjoyed this book. This is a great series with characters I really like, so it was fun to follow up with them again. I thought this one had a fun plot to follow as Ivan becomes a father and sorts through the trauma of his past. I definitely got teared up toward the end (during a tense situation when Ivan remembers the third rule for a silverback, and he steps up and saves the day). Great characters, great series. I definitely recommend this one if you've enjoyed the first three.

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

The Appeal

I read The Appeal by Janice Hallett for a book club with my mom and her friends. The book description says, "The Fairway Players, a local theatre group, is in the midst of rehearsals when tragedy strikes the family of director Martin Hayward and his wife Helen, the play’s star. Their young granddaughter has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, and with an experimental treatment costing a tremendous sum, their castmates rally to raise the money to give her a chance at survival. But not everybody is convinced of the experimental treatment’s efficacy—nor of the good intentions of those involved. As tension grows within the community, things come to a shocking head at the explosive dress rehearsal. The next day, a dead body is found, and soon, an arrest is made. In the run-up to the trial, two young lawyers sift through the material—emails, messages, letters—with a growing suspicion that the killer may be hiding in plain sight. The evidence is all there, between the lines, waiting to be uncovered."

This was an engaging book. I started out on audio, but after only a few minutes, I knew I wouldn't be able to follow it, so I switched to reading the hard copy. That was a great call because it was a unique book with lots of different characters and collections of evidence--email and text conversations between different people. I liked being able to look back at the list of characters at the beginning whenever needed. I still got confused at times, but overall it was a fun story that kept me guessing as to who to trust and what was really going on. The characters were fun to get to know and read into (though I don't know that I really particularly liked any of them), and there were some fun twists and turns. There were some weird things--like the two lawyers who are sifting through all this evidence seem to be told what to look for, like someone else already knows the truth, so why are they even doing it? or how people are sending emails to each other instead of texts, which seems kind of unrealistic. But still a fun and engaging read. (Note: There is a little bit of bad language in the book.)

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

Stella Diaz Never Gives Up

I read Stella Diaz Never Gives Up by Angela Dominguez for consideration for our one book, one school program. The book description says, "Stella gets a big surprise when her mom plans a trip to visit their family in Mexico! Stella loves marine animals, and she can't wait to see the ocean for the first time . . . until she arrives and learns that the sea and its life forms are in danger due to pollution. Stella wants to save the ocean, but she knows she can't do it alone. It's going to take a lot of work and help from old and new friends to make a difference, but Stella Díaz never gives up!"

This was a nice read. It was a little young for the type of books I usually read for my own interest so I didn't LOVE it, but it was a sweet story with likable characters that I think kids would relate to. There was some good diversity in there and good messages about taking care of our planet and not being wasteful with plastic. I did think there were a few times I questioned the author's vocabulary use (like Stella using the word mustn't), which didn't seem realistic, but that was just a small detractor to the book. I think my son may enjoy this series when he's a little older.

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

Kenny and the Dragon

I read Kenny and the Dragon by Tony DiTerlizzi for consideration for a one book one school program at my son's elementary school for next year. The book description says, "Kenny is a little rabbit with a very big problem. His two best friends are heading into a battle of legendary proportions—with each other! In one corner there’s Grahame, a well-read and cultured dragon with sophisticated tastes. In the other there’s George, a retired knight and dragon slayer who would be content to spend the rest of his days in his bookshop. Neither really wants to fight, but the village townsfolk are set on removing Grahame from their midst and calling George out of retirement. Can Kenny avert disaster?"

I loved this book! I thought it was such a fun read and is the perfect type of book for what we are looking for (which was so refreshing that I think it made me love the book even more). The book was super engaging with fun, likable characters, an exciting storyline, and great vocabulary. There are also fun pictures throughout. This would be a fun family read aloud for sure, so if we don't use it for our school program, I'd love to read it with my kids anyway.

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

Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions

I read Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions by Jeffrey Selingo for book club. The book description says, "Getting into a top-ranked college has never seemed more impossible, with acceptance rates at some elite universities dipping into the single digits. In Who Gets In and Why, journalist and higher education expert Jeffrey Selingo dispels entrenched notions of how to compete and win at the admissions game, and reveals that teenagers and parents have much to gain by broadening their notion of what qualifies as a 'good college.' Hint: it’s not all about the sticker on the car window.
Selingo, who was embedded in three different admissions offices—a selective private university, a leading liberal arts college, and a flagship public campus—closely observed gatekeepers as they made their often agonizing and sometimes life-changing decisions. He also followed select students and their parents, and he traveled around the country meeting with high school counselors, marketers, behind-the-scenes consultants, and college rankers. While many have long believed that admissions is merit-based, rewarding the best students, Who Gets In and Why presents a more complicated truth, showing that “who gets in” is frequently more about the college’s agenda than the applicant. In a world where thousands of equally qualified students vie for a fixed number of spots at elite institutions, admissions officers often make split-second decisions based on a variety of factors—like diversity, money, and, ultimately, whether a student will enroll if accepted."

This was an interesting read. The friend who suggested it has a daughter about to apply to college, so it was super relevant to her. For me, the book is not super applicable right now, but it was still interesting to learn about the process and the behind-the-scenes choices colleges make. The main gist of what I got out of the book is something an admissions officers said in the book is his advice for students: "Do the best you can, pursue your genuine interests, and let the chips fall where they may." You may or may not get into the college of your dreams, but that doesn't mean you weren't well qualified or aren't a great student or person. There are lots of factors considered in accepting students (including how many full-pay students a college needs or things like that).

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

I Hate the Ivy League

I listened to the audiobook of I Hate the Ivy League: Riffs and Rants on Elite Education by Malcolm Gladwell as a book on the side for my next book club meeting. (We're reading a different book about applying to college, and someone recommended this.) I don't know if it should even necessarily count as an audiobook since it's really a collection of podcasts that he's turned into an audiobook, but alas. The description reads, "Malcolm Gladwell has long relished the opportunity to skewer the upper echelons of higher education, from the institution of U.S. News & World Report’s Best College rankings to the LSATs to the luxe Bowdoin College cafeteria. I Hate the Ivy League: Riffs and Rants on Elite Education upends the traditional thinking around how education should work and tries to get to the bottom of why we often reward the wrong people. The higher education system follows a hierarchy that was created to primarily benefit top-tier, elite, well-off students, but Gladwell wants to find out how we can do a better job at educating the middle and make education more affordable, fair, and open to all."

This was an interesting listen. I really like Malcolm Gladwell, and I was definitely interested and entertained and wanted to keep listening. He made some excellent points throughout. I especially liked the part about the tortoise and the hare (in relation to the LSAT and standardized tests), and I also thought this made me reconsider how much value I give to the US News college rankings since the book really persuaded me about how that list really is just a list of the most privileged colleges. He had a lot of interesting facts and stats in there--definitely worth a listen.

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

Rock, Paper, Scissors

I read Rock, Paper, Scissors by Alice Feeney for my newer book club with friends from church. The book description says, "Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife. Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts--paper, cotton, pottery, tin--and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after. Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget."

This was an interesting read. The story kept me reading to see what was going to happen, and it definitely had some crazy and shocking twists and turns as the book went on. For a lot of the book (at least the first half), I was kinda confused trying to figure out where the book was going and even what genre it was. (Is this book realistic or fantasy? Is it turning into a horror book or is the character just paranoid?) I also didn't love this type of book where the narrators are unreliable and you're not really sure who to trust. I did think the unexpected twists were fun to follow in the end, but I was also just left with a lot of questions about how things came together. It was fun to talk about at book club.

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