THUG Life and Ghost Boys

 I know I am totally late in the game, but I finally managed to pick up The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.  It was sitting in my bookshelf for months when I finally decided that it was time to read it.  And yes, I admit that the fact that the movie is coming out soon encouraged me to choose it over something else!

I'm not going to go too much into what the book is about.  Most of you already know!  All I can say is that I don't think I was fully prepared for what The Hate U Give was going to dish out.  Being used to middle grade books, where everything wraps up into a neat little package, THUG didn't quite do that.  We are given answers, but I still had questions.  Ain't that the way life is...

Months before I read THUG, I read Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes.  It's along the same lines, but this is a book geared toward middle grades.   A young black kid named Jerome is shot and killed by a white police officer who mistook a toy gun for a real one.  Jerome comes back as a ghost and meets Emmett Till, who guides Jerome through his life story in order to prevent history from repeating itself.  The twist in the story is that Jerome can be seen by someone living.  Another young person whose life is affected by Jerome's death.  Sarah, the daughter of the white police officer, can see Jerome.  

And so, we have a very complex story about some very serious, very real current events.  

I loved Ghost Boys and so did my youngest, Sophie.  The book made her critically think about the world around her.  She, being 12 years old, is the same age as Jerome when he was killed.  The fact that something similar could happen to her is jolting.  But the difference for me between Ghost Boys and The Hate U Give, was that I still felt uneasy when I finished THUG.  Why is that?

After a long time of processing what I'd read, I resigned to the fact that The Hate U Give is a book for young adults.  It is meant for you to continue asking questions about what you've read.  I suppose I've spent so much time reading middle grade books, that I was looking for that firm closure.  

The main question that kept me thinking was whether or not Officer One-Fifteen felt any remorse for his actions.  How did his life change?  Did he have a family that was affected?  I won't get answers to these questions because this is Starr's story and no one else.  But they are things to think about either way.  The bigger picture...  What can we learn by looking beyond the headlines?

I would LOVE to start a Project LIT program at my kids school!

Our young adults need books like The Hate U Give.  They need to ask themselves questions about the world around them.  They need to look at the bigger picture.  They need to know that there are many sides to one story.  They need to speak up, to have a voice.  They need to read books outside of their comfort zone.  They need to know that there are books about kids like them.  They need more diverse books.

Obviously I need to expand my kid lit to include more young adult.  After all, these are the books that my own kids are reading.  I've already added to my bookshelf One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus, They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera, and Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds. I know that each one of these books will keep me guessing, keep me questioning, and keep me engaged.  

Book Review: Astrid the Unstoppable

Astrid: The Little Thunderbolt of Glimmerdal!

Like a beautifully crafted fairy tale, Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr will transport you to a hidden mountain town where anything can happen!  9-year-old Astrid is a spirited child that lives on the snowy hills of Glimmerdal.  In fact, Astrid is the only child that lives in Glimmerdal.  Her best friend is her 70-something year old godfather, Gunnvald, and Astrid wouldn’t have it any other way.   Told in 3rd person, we follow Astrid as she drives the owner of Hagen’s Wellness Retreat crazy, befriends some kids vacationing in Glimmerdal, and discovers a huge secret about Gunnvald; a secret that could damage their friendship forever.  Quoted as a cross between Pippi Longstocking and Heidi, middle grade readers will love adventuring with Astrid!

The first time I read a Maria Parr book was last year when her book Adventures With Waffles was nominated for the Grand Canyon ReaderAward here in AZ.  Her books are translated from Norwegian to English and beg to be read out loud.  Parr’s descriptive writing, along with Guy Puzey’s translation, will take you to another place and before you know it, you are completely engulfed in the story! 

The best part of this book is the friendship that Astrid has with old Gunnvald.  They are both fiery and stubborn, but love each other like family.  Like true best friends, they indulge in each other’s crazy ideas and comfort each other in times of need.

I would recommend this book to kids ages 7 – 12 or 2^rd graders with a high reading level (if reading independently, because of some difficult Norwegian names & words) up to 6^th graders.  I would also recommend this book to parents to read aloud to their children of any age! It is such an enjoyable book!

Astrid the Unstoppable comes out on November 13^th!  Just in time for the holidays!  Pre-order it here.

Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for this E-ARC!  I always love the opportunity to read and review.

Graphic Novel Review: Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theatre

Years ago, Sophie was given a gift from some family friends and the gift was the first two books in the Phoebe and Her Unicorn series.  Ever since then, Soph has been a huge fan of the easy-to-read graphic novels.  They were also AR books, so that was a plus!  These books remind us of Calvin and Hobbes where a little kid gets to go on (mis)adventures with their magical friend.  Even though Sophie is now in 7th grade, she still continues to enjoy the series.  They're fun to read and a great way to give your brain a break from daily life.  

With seven books in the series, Dana Simpson continues to charm graphic novel readers with her newest one: Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theatre!  In this book, Phoebe and her unicorn, Marigold, are headed to drama camp.  But Phoebe is irked when Marigold invites her sister to join them.  Marigold ends up spending all of her time with her sister instead of Phoebe and that’s when the green-eyed monster rears its ugly head.  How will Phoebe fix her friendship with Marigold?  It’s real life drama at drama camp!

Simple illustrations lend a hand in the storytelling in this book.  That, along with large word bubbles will make this a fun read for 2^nd – 4^th graders.  The theme of friendship and dealing with jealousy is straightforward enough for any young reader to understand and take to heart.  Another entertaining one in the Phoebe and Her Unicorn series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Andrews McMeel Publishing for this E-ARC! 

Add book 8 to your collection on October 23rd!  Pre-order Phoebe and Her Unicorn in Unicorn Theater here!

SWING is Almost Here!

I am SO excited that Swing comes out next Tuesday, October 2nd!  Being on the Swing Launch Team has been an awesome experience.  I've talked this book up mostly in person to other kids, but its pretty awesome to see how social media was also able to promote this book. 

I know, your book list is getting longer and the days are getting shorter and you don't have a lot of time to carve out for another book...  Well, I've got some good news for you!  You can now pre-order Swing on Audible!  Audible has just published it's list of The 100 Best Audiobooks for the Fall and Swing is on that list.  Check it!  There are a few on there that I plan to purchase, especially Blended by Sharon Draper.

I'm anxious to hear about what people think about Swing, but I think I'm more excited to finally hold the book in my hands.   I hope you all have had a chance to pre-order a copy for yourself!  If you haven't, it's not too late!  Pre-order here! 😄

Book Review: Beauty and Bernice

What a fun and unique book!  Beauty and Bernice by Nancy Viau follows 12-year-old Bernice, a grungy skater girl with zero social grace.  When Odelia, a real-life princess, and her godmother move into the neighborhood, Bernice can’t help but roll her eyes at this strange girl who wears fancy gowns and a tiara on her head.

Odelia’s godmother insists that she make friends with Bernice, but Bernice is too embarrassed to be seen with a princess.  Odelia flutters around Bernice with a notepad filled with lessons from “Odelia’s Guide to the Social Graces,” making sure that Bernice is always using her manners, making conversation, and using perfect posture.  When one of Odelia’s lessons helps Bernice talk to her skater boy crush, Wyatt, Bernice finds that she could learn a thing or two from Odelia… And soon Odelia finds that she could learn a thing or two from Bernice.

The first thing I thought of as I was reading this book was the Odd Couple.  It was so funny to picture Bernice swatting Odelia away when things got embarrassing, but it was also very heartwarming to see how both girls changed and balanced each other out as their friendship grew.  Two girls from two totally different backgrounds find similarities about each other in more ways than one!

This book is lighthearted and humorous and I would recommend it to 3^rd and 4^th graders or 8-10 year old readers.  It’s a great middle grade book because it focuses mostly on the theme of friendship with a light sprinkle of boy drama. 

Thank you to Schiffer Publishing and NetGalley for providing me with this E-ARC.  It is greatly appreciated!

Beauty and Bernice can be pre-ordered here!  It comes out September 28th, 2018.

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Book Review: Knock Out

I have no idea how I have never read a K.A. Holt book!  I love books in verse and for some reason I was never exposed to Holt's books.  At another of the many book workshops I attended last year, Knock Out by K.A. Holt was mentioned as a great book for those hesitant 5th - 8th graders.  Not just because it is a book told in verse, but because of things like this:

And this:

Levi was "medically fragile" when he was born and for most of his life, he was treated as such.  Now a 7th grader and virtually cleared of all symptoms from his disease, Levi is ready to take on the world with his best friend, Tam.  But his family and friends fail to see the new and improved Levi.  His brother, Timothy, continues to be overprotective of him and Tam's friend circle expands, leaving Levi feeling like the odd one out.

When Levi's dad encourages him to take up a sport, Levi isn't sure what to choose.  And there's a catch: Levi has to keep his new sport a secret from his mom and Timothy.  Dad suggests boxing and Levi decides to give it a try.  What Levi didn't expect was how much he would love it!  All of the problems he has with his mom, with Timothy, with Tam, with himself... disappear when he's in the ring.

Life gets even better for Levi when he finds out about Xaviers, a school with a competitive boxing team.  And the prospect of creating a new friend group where no one will think of Levi as fragile is tempting.  How will Levi come clean about his new found sport and convince his mom and brother that this school is the place for him?  How can he prove to everyone that he isn't as fragile as they think he is?

Knock Out is a companion novel to House Arrest, which I didn't read before KO.  In my opinion it isn't necessary to read them in order either.  I just fell in love with everything about Knock Out!  The writing, the characters, the word art!  Levi is perennially a positive thinker and although he makes many iffy decisions, you find yourself rooting for this kid the whole way.  I really like how honest Levi is with his emotions, which will make middle school kids relate to his character and his quest for independence.  Knock Out is fast paced and should appeal to 4th - 8th graders or 8 - 12 year old readers.

Book Review: Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas

Boy crushes!  Friend drama!  Annoying twin brother!  Cancer?!  Author Andrea Pyros has an incredible gift of speaking the language of your typical tween.  You can hear that voice in her newest book, Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas.  Josephine and her twin brother, Chance, have just learned that their mother has Stage 2 breast cancer.  While Chance reacts with asking their mom a million questions and trying to understand the disease, Josephine turns inward for fear that saying the word “cancer” out loud will be their mom’s death sentence. 

Josephine refuses to tell anyone, even her best friend Makayla, about her mom being sick.  After all, she hates being the center of attention.  Having a sick mom is a big deal, but so is the fact that Josephine and Chance have been invited to the biggest 7^th grade party of the year!  Josephine struggles with keeping her mom’s cancer a secret from her friends, especially when there’s a big party to plan for.  But when Chance dyes his hair bright pink in support of their mother, Josephine is mortified.  Now EVERYONE knows the big secret!    

Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book!  These kinds of books usually aren't my cup of tea.  At first I thought that Josephine was just being a bratty tween, but as you get to know her, you begin to understand her.  It was like peeking into a 7^th grade girl’s head.  The book is well written in the language that many tweens will relate to and the subject of cancer is also written in a modest manner.  This will be a great read for grades 4-7 or ages 9-13.

Thank you to NetGalley and Capstone for providing me with this E-ARC.   Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas will be released on 2/01/2019.  Pre-Order your copy of here!

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The Great American Read!

How can you choose just ONE great American read?  If you've been watching the PBS show The Great American Read, you will find that it is so difficult to choose.  Just take a look at the selection here. 

Is this the next Great American Read? I don't know, I never read it... 😂

 Everything from the classics to sci-fi/fantasy to Fifty Shades of Grey?! What's up with that, BTW??  Hey, if that's your thing that's totally cool.  At least you're reading!

My sister and I are totally fascinated with this show, though.  She messaged me last night to see if I was watching and I was so sad to realize that I wasn't tuned in.  Good thing PBS streams the episodes from their website!  I'm going to catch up on it now...  I hope you tune in as well and more importantly, you VOTE for your favorite book!

Learn more about The Great American Read, watch past episodes, and vote!

Book Review: Days of the Dead

Days of the Dead by Kersten Hamilton is a beautiful, complex story about family, tradition, and bravery.  Glorieta Magdalena Davis Espinoza doesn't want the memories of her mother to fade.  No one in her family speaks of her mother, since she is guilty of “mortal sin.”  Now that Glorieta’s father has remarried and her mother’s ashes tucked away, Glorieta decides that her mother deserves a rightful resting place in the town cemetery. 

But tradition prevents her mother from being laid to rest in a proper cemetery. And with Glorieta’s Tia Diosonita as the town’s La Patrona, the boss, there is no way Glorieta will be able to persuade her Tia to give her mother a proper burial.  To make things more problematic, the mounting “odio” (hate) Glorieta feels for her cruel stepsister, Lilith, helps fuel the fire for Glorieta to break tradition.  With the support of her best friend River and her cousin Matteo, Glorieta takes a stand to change the rigid old ways of her town.

I really enjoyed reading this book, even though there are some very heartbreaking parts to it.  It was like peeling away the layers of an onion.  The book touches on everything from grief and fear to religion, folk tales, and tradition.  You really feel for Glorieta because what she wants seems simple: to bury her mother with the rest of the Espinoza family.  It means a lot to her, especially with Dia de los Muertos coming soon.  As the layers of the onion shed, you find out more about Tia Diosonita and why she is so strict in her ways.  You peel even more layers and you find out why Lilith is such a bully.  Even the layers of Glorieta peel away when she experiences something so severe, that it changes the way she thinks about human life.  Once you get to the core of the story, you will find how all of this affects Glorieta and how she uses this new understanding of others to change the town’s deep-rooted ways.  I would recommend this book for grades 4-7.  A great read!

Thank you to Skyhorse Publishing,  Sky Pony Press, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC!

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A Tour of Our New House!

Well, not really.  Having been a military family, you would think that we would be pros at moving!  But we're not... 😂

The lovely thing about moving, is that you get to purge stuff you don't need or want anymore before they're boxed up.  But in this case, we did a few things out of order.  We found a house up north, put our PHX house on the market, packed everything up, and moved before the new school year began!  We didn't have much time to purge, so we ended up moving a lot of extra boxes of junk that we didn't need.

So here's a partial tour of our new house, as shown to you by our moving boxes!

The basement/office!

The garage!

The kitchen!

The upstairs landing!

Yeah, I know you were probably expecting to see the WHOLE kitchen, or the bedrooms, or the bathrooms, but no.  This is currently my personal hell and I really wanted to share it with you.

But, being the glass-half-full kind of gal, I'm taking advantage of the time I have with these moving boxes.  They won't be here forever!  I successfully sat comfortably inside of a wardrobe box just to see if I could fit.  I put Walter inside of a medium moving box to see if he might like it.  He didn't.  I stacked some bankers boxes filled with books as high as I am tall.  Do you know how many boxes I stacked?  

The answer is 6.  I am as tall as 6 bankers boxes. 😀

I didn't, or haven't yet built a cardboard castle but you never know!  It may seem like I have a lot of time on my hands since I'm not "working," but I don't.  I still spend most of my day reading ARC books and writing reviews, as well as exploring our new neighborhood and town.  So if I can get at least one or two moving boxes opened up and stuff put away on top of whatever else life brings, I will feel successful!

Special thanks to Matt & Kim and their latest album Almost Everyday for being my musical support during this magical time! 🦄

"I'd rather be making memories

Than reminiscing of the past, you see"

~ I'd Rather by Matt & Kim ~

A Time to Reflect, A Time to Remember

September 11th, 2001.  I remember exactly where I was when the attacks happened.  I was a college student at ASU and I was slowly waking up to get ready for class.  The radio was on as I was getting dressed, and even though I was hearing something on the radio, I was not really listening.  It wasn't until I tuned-in to the DJ screaming over the airwaves about a plane crashing into the South Tower of the World Trade Center, that I started processing what was happening.  I didn't know that just minutes earlier, the first plane crashed into the North Tower.  I turned off the radio, turned on the TV, and watched the rest of the events unfold.  I never made it to class.  Life was on pause for the rest of the day.  Even though I was all the way in AZ, that morning is forever etched into my memory. 

If you were old enough to remember the events on 9/11, then you have your own memories as well.  But for our children, these events are history- perhaps a social studies lesson in school.  This is why when the book Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes came out, I was ecstatic.  I hadn't seen a fictional book for young readers based on 9/11.  When I finished reading it, I knew right away that I needed to get it into the hands of my own kids. 

9/11.  Why does it matter?

Towers Falling came out two years ago and I still think about this book on a regular basis.  It made such an impression on me, even as an adult.  It helped me understand the way my kids (and kids in general) think about history.  It's like when my dad used to tell us stories about when the Japanese invaded the Philippines.  I would listen to the stories, laugh when my dad would shout out words in Japanese, and think that these stories were ancient history.  Why does it matter?

We have always talked about the significance of 9/11 with our kids and I think that they understand what an important time this was.  We didn't personally know anyone or have any family that was there, but it still matters.  History ALWAYS matters.  

0. May the lives remembered, the deeds recognized, and the spirit reawakened be eternal beacons, which reaffirm respect for life, strengthen our resolve to preserve freedom, and inspire an end to hatred, ignorance and intolerance. 
   ~ 9/11 Memorial ~

Book Review: Louisiana's Way Home

Such a beautiful book cover!  Do you agree?

At a children's book workshop I attended last year, the guest speaker called Kate DiCamillo "the oddest book author in children's literature."  Don't get me wrong, the guest speaker meant this as a compliment, not a criticism.  And thank goodness for her odd-ness, otherwise we wouldn't have this gem: Louisiana's Way Home!

I get it... When I worked at an elementary school library, I found that children either like Kate DiCamillo or they don't.  Most 2nd and 3rd graders start off with Because of Winn-Dixie, continue with The Tale of Despereaux, and then when they read Flora and Ulysses they stop.  Something about Flora and Ulysses makes them not want to read anymore Kate DiCamillo books.  Holy Bagumba!  Fortunately, I was able to steer them towards The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane or the Magician's Elephant because I honestly think that children need to be reading DiCamillo's books.  She can craft a new world in her books that you cannot resist.

Circling back to Louisiana's Way Home, I admit that I never got around to reading Raymie Nightingale before I read the ARC for Louisiana's Way Home.  It wasn't necessary, though, because Louisiana's story branches off from the story in Raymie Nightingale.  I did end up reading Raymie Nightingale after Louisiana's Way Home because I absolutely fell in love with these characters and I think you will too!  Pre-order Louisiana's Way Home here or get your copy at your local bookstore on October 2nd, 2018.

Kate DiCamillo has crafted another beautifully, bittersweet novel that is bound to engulf you into Louisiana Elephante’s world!  Louisiana’s Way Home is a powerful story that will challenge readers to think about who they are and who they want to become.  Raised by her Granny, Louisiana seemingly lives a nomadic life focused on escaping a family curse.  Unexpected circumstances force Louisiana to come to terms with her growing resentment towards her Granny.  She must make difficult choices that will form her future, which no 12-year-old should have to do.  With help from her new friend, Burke Allen, Louisiana navigates a new life path where she can surround herself with love, happiness, and perhaps grow some family roots.  Louisiana’s Way Home is a charming book full of humor, sadness, joy, and… peanuts! 

Thank you to Candlewick Press and NetGalley for providing me with this E-ARC.  It is greatly appreciated!

Rest in Peace, Stoney

My sweet Stoney died today.  She was 11 years old.  I know that 11 is an amazing age for a Great Dane, but it doesn't ease the pain.  It doesn't make it better that there is an extra large void in our family and in my heart.  I will miss her very much.

"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went."

~ Will Rogers ~

SWING! Batta, Batta, SWING!

 OK, so I will be the first to admit that I have no idea how to write a professional book review.  I saw an IG post about Kwame Alexander & Mary Rand Hess' new book titled Swing and I decided to try to get on the launch team.  Lo and behold!  I made the launch team, read the ARC, and posted a review via NetGalley.  Huzzah!  My first book review!

And then I read other reviews on the site and found that the meaning of "book review" is different for everyone...  Some were short & sweet and some were a little longer, but all were enthusiastic.  Mine was the looong, wordy, nerdy one that probably tasted like an un-buttered piece of Wonderbread toast (if it were food).  Snore.  Apparently I forgot how to write with enthusiasm and feeling!  All without giving away too much of the book.

So I scrapped my first review and rewrote it.  I was lucky enough to have Matt help me out with condensing the review.  He didn't read the book and didn't know what it was about, but he helped me touch on the important things to keep in the review and to do away with the other stuff.

All that aside, I genuinely hope that you read this book!  Swing by Kwame Alexander & Mary Rand Hess drops on 10/2/2018.  Pre-order it here!

No strikeouts here!  You will not want to put this book down!  Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess have created another incredible novel.  Written in verse, Swing is about two high school boys, Walt and Noah, and their quest to “find cool”.  Walt is obsessed with baseball and jazz music, and has an interesting knack for remembering how famous people died.  Noah is a realist and content with the way his life is, even though he is tortured by seeing his childhood crush with another boy.  Normal teenage boys with normal teenage lives make way for new issues and bigger problems.  They soon find out that the world doesn’t revolve around them and are forced to mature faster than they are ready for.  You will love the dynamic between these best friends, as they are full of laughter, sarcasm, and honesty.  Swing is thoughtfully written and it will speak to both teenage and adult readers alike.  Read this book and embrace the HUG LIFE!

Lost and Found

Whether or not it means anything to you, True Believer, I have decided to resurrect my blog from the dead!

Sock-footed and not pregnant.  Possibly resurrecting this blog to avoid unpacking moving boxes?

 Here is a short list of reasons of why I decided to start blogging again:

1. I have been mourning the loss of working in an elementary school library
2. My kids are in middle & high school now, so it's not like I spend a lot of time volunteering at their schools anymore
3. I have been lucky enough to find NetGalley and become a member, so now I get to read Advanced Reader Copies (ARC) of children's & YA books and post reviews here, there, and everywhere
4. I forgot how much I enjoy writing

Since I am not officially "working" right now, I get a lot of time to read, think, write, and talk to our dog Walter.  We just moved to a new town and I have spent a lot of time getting lost, which is actually fun for me because I like to rely on my bad sense of direction to try to get back home.  It's amazing what you will find when you get lost!

Anyhow, I will be using this platform a lot to post my book reviews and I hope you find them helpful.  I'm sure you're asking yourself, "Why didn't Elena just start a new blog dedicated to book reviews?"  Oh, the answer to that is easy: All the good book blog names were taken.  And let's face it, I'm not about to keep up with 2 blogs when I can do it all in one place!  It's my little corner of the internet universe, yo!  I do what I want!  😂

OK, True Believers, this is where I end this post!  Feel free to peruse the archives.  I warn you though, 2012 was a rough year...  Make it a great day, or not, the choice is yours.

"Every moment is a fresh beginning."

- T.S. Eliot from The Cocktail Party