It's Monday What Are You Reading is hosted each week by Unleashing Readers and Teach Mentor Texts. If you are a person who loves kidlit, all you need to do to join is to blog about books you are reading on Monday, add your link to either of those two blogs, and post using the hashtag. I hope you will join in!
It was another week of trying to avoid counting down to the first days of school. The school system isn't making it easy, sending me my schedule and class list two weeks before the first day (which is actually a miraculous, wonderful thing for planning, but not for holding on to every second of summer.)
Middle Grade
Ten-year-old Della's life has never been easy, but at least she's always had her older sister Sukki to take care of her. She had Sukki after her mother almost blew the two of them up in a meth lab accident. She had Sukki when the two of them had to run away from their mother's boyfriend, who somehow got custody of them even though the things he was doing to Sukki were unthinkable. But now Sukki needs help and it's time for Della to be the one to fight for her. Kimberly Brubaker Bradley does a wonderful job of writing in an age-appropriate way about the very difficult topic of child sexual abuse. This is a book that I hope finds its way into the hands of those who need to read it. I wish no one needed to read it. Read with tissues on hand.
Young Adult
When Daisy and Noah are paired together for a duet, it is a step toward each of them fulfilling their dream of going to Julliard. But first, they will have to get along. The two of them are from different worlds with completely different experiences. Noah has the pressure of being part of a world-renowned musical family that pays attention to his every success and failure. Daisy's parents are so busy working to pay the bills for her and her four-year-old sister that they can barely focus on Daisy's dream. Somehow, the two of them still find a way to make music and fall in love. But when the video of Daisy and Noah's performance goes viral and everyone wants to use Daisy as a role model for kids with cerebral palsy, their fame threatens to destroy everything they have together. Daisy and Noah are wonderful characters you can root for. I know you will love them too.
Eva Tilling thinks she has the perfect life, the perfect boyfriend, and the perfect best friends until she wakes up in a hospital after surviving a hit and run. Turns out the boyfriend wasn't perfect and one of her friends may be trying to kill her and is killing others in her name. When Eva realizes her near-death experience has woken up the ability to see the death of those who touch her, figuring out who the killer becomes her new mission. A well-told murder mystery that science fiction lovers will enjoy as well. Told from multiple points of view, including the point of view of the killer.
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Stacy Barnett Mozer is a third grade teacher and a middle grade author. If you like what she's been reading follow her on Goodreads. Please leave a comment below.
I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't read Fighting Words, though I know it's an important book. Thanks for the others, too, Stacy, each one sounds great. Best wishes for clinging to your last days of summer. I've been there with those class lists arriving. The mind starts no matter how one tries to avoid. Have a very good week coming up!
ReplyDeleteFighting Words is incredible. I was totally pulled into the story from the very first page.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you had the chance to read Fighting Words, Stacy—that book is truly an incredible, heart-wrenching, awe-inspiring tale, and I am so glad it exists. I also made note of You, Me, and Our Heartstrings—I'm not usually much for YA romances, but that plot sounds really compelling! Thanks so much for the wonderful reviews!
ReplyDeleteI echo what Lisa and Max have said about Fighting Words. I know for some people, it is a book they are not able to read, but for others it is a must read. I agreed with you that she did such a brilliant job of handling the topic. The others are new to me, and like Max, I am not usually much for YA romances but that one sounds interesting.
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