Reasons to Look at the Night Sky

I saw Reasons to Look at the Night Sky by Danielle Daniel on a list of new books and so got it from the library. The book description says, "Luna has always loved the night sky. She's an eleven-year-old who knows everything there is to know about space, and dreams of one day becoming an astronaut. The first step in her plan to get there is to ace the space unit in her science class and secure a spot in NASA's summer space camp. But when Luna's teacher is unexpectedly replaced with a substitute, Ms. Manitowabi, who is looking to shake up science class by bringing in art, Luna's carefully laid plans are crushed. And that's not all that's shifting in Luna's life — changes at home and in her friendships have her feeling topsy-turvy. What on Planet Earth is happening?"

I thought this was a sweet read. It didn't particularly engage me, but I thought Luna would be a relatable character for kids as she encountered friendship issues, unexpected twists to things she was looking forward to, navigating school, etc. There was just a lot for middle grade kids to relate to. I also liked the tie-in to the Native American star stories and found that interesting. And the book cover is really beautiful! I feel like this book was kinda in between liked and it was okay, but it didn't quite make the cut to 2 stars.

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

North Woods

I read North Woods by Daniel Mason for book club. The book description says, "When two young lovers abscond from a Puritan colony, little do they know that their humble cabin in the woods will become the home of an extraordinary succession of human and nonhuman characters alike. An English soldier, destined for glory, abandons the battlefields of the New World to devote himself to growing apples. A pair of spinster twins navigate war and famine, envy and desire. A crime reporter unearths an ancient mass grave—only to discover that the earth refuse to give up their secrets. A lovelorn painter, a sinister con man, a stalking panther, a lusty beetle: As the inhabitants confront the wonder and mystery around them, they begin to realize that the dark, raucous, beautiful past is very much alive."

This was a unique read. I listened to a lot of it on audiobook and then switched over to the paper book for the last quarter or so when I finally had time to sit down and read. I thought it was a creative premise -- following one house and all the different people who live there over the years. There were a few disturbing stories/characters (especially Mary), and there was a kind of an interesting ending to the book. I found the book hard to follow at times since sometimes there were connections between residents and sometimes not, and I felt like I was losing track of things sometimes. I think this will be an interesting book to discuss at book club (especially the stories with Alice/Mary and Robert), though it wasn't really one I thoroughly enjoyed.

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

All the Blues in the Sky

I saw that Renée Watson had written a new book, so I got All the Blues in the Sky from the library. The book description says, "Sage's thirteenth birthday was supposed to be about movies and treats, staying up late with her best friend and watching the sunrise together. Instead, it was the day her best friend died. Without the person she had to hold her secrets and dream with, Sage is lost. In a counseling group with other girls who have lost someone close to them, she learns that not all losses are the same, and healing isn't predictable. There is sadness, loneliness, anxiety, guilt, pain, love. And even as Sage grieves, new, good things enter her life-and she just may find a way to know that she can feel it all."

I LOVED this book. It was beautifully written (not surprising since I love most anything Renée Watson writes). I loved Sage as a character and watching her work through her grief. The plot and side characters were just flawless in how everything came together. The book had me tearing up, and I feel like it was just an important, relatable book for young people who are dealing with the loss of someone they love. Great read.

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

Radiant

I don't even remember how I came across Radiant by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, but I put it on hold at the library. The book description says, "As school begins in 1963, Cooper Dale wrestles with what it means to 'shine' for a black girl in a predominantly white community near Pittsburgh. Set against the historic backdrop of the Birmingham church bombing, the Kennedy assassination, and Beatlemania, Radiant is a finely crafted novel in verse about race, class, faith, and finding your place in a loving family and a complicated world. Cooper’s primary concern is navigating fifth grade, where she faces both an extra-strict teacher and the bullying of Wade Carter, the only child of a well-to-do white family, whose home Cooper’s mother cleans for extra income. How can she shine when her mother works for the meanest boy in school? To make matters worse, Cooper quietly wishes she could be someone else."

I loved this book! It was a quick and engaging read, and I loved Cooper as a character. I loved that there was nothing overwhelmingly heavy in her life and instead she had deep empathy for someone else dealing with something heavy. (Just different than the plot of many books.) I thought the book had great messages and was just an uplifting read. I really enjoyed it.

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

The Daughter of Auschwitz

I got The Daughter of Auschwitz by Tova Friedman on audiobook after hearing it recommended somewhere. The book description reads, "Tova Friedman was one of the youngest people to emerge from Auschwitz. After surviving the liquidation of the Jewish ghetto in Central Poland where she lived as a toddler, Tova was four when she and her parents were sent to a Nazi labour camp, and almost six when she and her mother were forced into a packed cattle truck and sent to Auschwitz II, also known as the Birkenau extermination camp, while her father was transported to Dachau. During six months of incarceration in Birkenau, Tova witnessed atrocities that she could never forget, and experienced numerous escapes from death. She is one of a handful of Jews to have entered a gas chamber and lived to tell the tale. As Nazi killing squads roamed Birkenau before abandoning the camp in January 1945, Tova and her mother hid among corpses. After being liberated by the Russians they made their way back to their hometown in Poland. Eventually Tova's father tracked them down and the family was reunited. In The Daughter of Auschwitz, Tova immortalizes what she saw, to keep the story of the Holocaust alive, at a time when it's in danger of fading from memory."

I'm super glad I read this book. I think Holocaust stories--especially memoirs--are so important to read to just help us never forget all that happened. The phrase that kept coming to mind as I read this book was impossible choices. Honestly, Tova's parents were put in situations where they had to make choices that were so difficult. Who knows what you're supposed to do at times like that? It's unbelievable all Tova went through as a young child (facing horrific death in front of her eyes starting at age 4) and so inspiring that she was able to survive and raise a family and have grandchildren and continue to tell her story. Tova really went through the unthinkable as a young child, and I'm glad she was able to tell her story so it is available to future generations. It's a heavy story but a meaningful message.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)

One Big Open Sky

I got One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome from the library after seeing it won both the Newbery honor and Coretta Scott King honor. The book description says, "1879, Mississippi. Young dreamer Lettie may have her head in the stars, but her body is on a covered wagon heading westward. Her father, Thomas, promises that Nebraska will be everything the family needs: an opportunity to claim the independence they’ve strived for over generations on their very own plot of land. But Thomas’ hopes—and mouth—are bigger than his ability to follow through. With few supplies and even less money, the only thing that feels certain is danger."

This was a great read. It was written in verse but was a slower read than the usual books I read in verse. I really loved Lettie as a character and especially loved when Philomena joined the story--really loved her. I also liked a character named Mr. Cole. I liked that this book covered a historical time period/situation I didn't really know much about--black pioneers moving west during the Reconstruction time period. The book had some heavy stuff without being too sad to enjoy/keep reading, and it included some good messages. I think it's a well-deserved Newbery honor.

* * (2/3 = Liked it)