We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Each year Candence, her mom, her mom's sisters and their families, and her grandpa head to their private island off of Cap Code for the summer. Candace loves the time with the four "Liars", but this summer is a little different...
I really enjoyed this book and totally did not see the end coming! The suspense built continually as the reader tries to figure the circumstances of Candence's accident. I think it is hard to find a truly intriguing suspense YA novel, but this book perfectly fits the bill. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a book that will definitely keep you reading!
- Rita Shaffer
Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff This book has a wonderful main character, Albie, who steals the heart of the reader. Albie struggles with school and remembering certain facts, but he can tell you the best way to travel from place to place in New York City or which bakery has the best donuts! Albie has some problems in school with other kids, who aren't always nice to him, and a mom and dad who don't always understand how Albie feels. I would highly recommend this heart-warming book that once again teaches the reader to be kind to others and that everyone is not the same, which is a wonderful thing. -Beth Honeycutt |
Upside Down in the MIddle of Nowhere by Julie T. Lamana
It is always difficult for me to read about the disaster that was (and still is) Hurricane Katrina. What a devastating time for the people of the Gulf Coast. This book does a wonderful job of painting a picture in the reader's mind of what it was like to live through the horrific storm and the days that followed for the survivors. Lamana uses her real-life experiences to explain the horrors that people had to endure after the storm - from finding loved ones to fleeing the city.
Armani is a resilient 10-year-old who faces many challenges, both before the hurricane hits and after the storm is gone. She has her moments of anger and confusion, but she does the best she can to keep her family together and to be a good big sister. The book is heart-warming and tragic. I had lots of tears throughout the book! If you read Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere and like it, I would also recommend Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhoades.
-Beth Honeycutt
It is always difficult for me to read about the disaster that was (and still is) Hurricane Katrina. What a devastating time for the people of the Gulf Coast. This book does a wonderful job of painting a picture in the reader's mind of what it was like to live through the horrific storm and the days that followed for the survivors. Lamana uses her real-life experiences to explain the horrors that people had to endure after the storm - from finding loved ones to fleeing the city.
Armani is a resilient 10-year-old who faces many challenges, both before the hurricane hits and after the storm is gone. She has her moments of anger and confusion, but she does the best she can to keep her family together and to be a good big sister. The book is heart-warming and tragic. I had lots of tears throughout the book! If you read Upside Down in the Middle of Nowhere and like it, I would also recommend Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhoades.
-Beth Honeycutt
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
This book is simply amazing! It is so different - written in verse, and a nonfiction account of Ms. Woodson's life. Jacqueline Woodson was born in Columbus, Ohio and lived in Nelsonville, Ohio for a few years before moving with her mother, sister and brother to South Carolina to live with her mother's parents. She tells of growing up during this tumultuous time in American history while also telling of her constant desire to write.
I loved this book! It was a quick read, but really made me think. The things Ms. Woodson describes are sometimes unbelievable; I find it so very sad that people treated each other so poorly. But she never stopped dreaming! This is truly a remarkable story that ALL should read!
-Rita Shaffer
This book is simply amazing! It is so different - written in verse, and a nonfiction account of Ms. Woodson's life. Jacqueline Woodson was born in Columbus, Ohio and lived in Nelsonville, Ohio for a few years before moving with her mother, sister and brother to South Carolina to live with her mother's parents. She tells of growing up during this tumultuous time in American history while also telling of her constant desire to write.
I loved this book! It was a quick read, but really made me think. The things Ms. Woodson describes are sometimes unbelievable; I find it so very sad that people treated each other so poorly. But she never stopped dreaming! This is truly a remarkable story that ALL should read!
-Rita Shaffer
Brotherhood by A.R. Westrick
Set in Richmond, Virginia, shortly after the Civil War, this story is interesting and frustrating (for a very Northern girl). The story of Shad and his struggle with reading intrigued me as a teacher. I honestly don't believe that I had thought about young students who had some form of dyslexia in the 1800's American educational system. Unfortunately, the person who can help Shad the most is a Northern teacher, who doesn't understand the race relations between whites and blacks in the post-Civil War South. I was often very angry with Shad's brother and the boys' involvement with the Ku Klux Klan.
The story moves pretty quickly and taught me things about Richmond and the surrounding areas that I didn't know before. An interesting read!
Set in Richmond, Virginia, shortly after the Civil War, this story is interesting and frustrating (for a very Northern girl). The story of Shad and his struggle with reading intrigued me as a teacher. I honestly don't believe that I had thought about young students who had some form of dyslexia in the 1800's American educational system. Unfortunately, the person who can help Shad the most is a Northern teacher, who doesn't understand the race relations between whites and blacks in the post-Civil War South. I was often very angry with Shad's brother and the boys' involvement with the Ku Klux Klan.
The story moves pretty quickly and taught me things about Richmond and the surrounding areas that I didn't know before. An interesting read!
Rain Reign by Ann M. Martin
This is a beautiful story of a young girl suffering from high-functioning Autism. Rose loves homonyms A LOT, and she loves her dog, Rain (which has two homonyms - rein and reign). Rose's life is complicated by a father, who doesn't understand her problems and who doesn't want to understand her problems, and a super storm, which devastates the area where she lives. Throughout the book, Rose receives support from her uncle (and sometimes from her teachers) as she becomes selfless and more mature. Fans of Out of My Mind (Draper) or Mockingbird (Erskine) will enjoy this lovely story. |