2023 Five Star Middle School Books

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It’s been another crazy year of reading, with my current total at 343. Much of that has been kids/teens reading through homeschooling and Cybils Awards first round panelist reading. So, like last year, I’m not picking favorites but highlighting my 5 star reads by category. Here are the 12 nonfiction and 2 fiction middle school books that I rated 5 * on Goodreads.

Muzoon: A Syrian Refugee Speaks Out by Muzoon Almellehan with Weandy Pearlman. 299 pages. 2023

What happened to Muzoon, age 14, and her family when the civil war in Syria started to hit too close to home? An escape that leaves the reality of ‘home’ a question. I think this will appeal to a lot of middle schoolers as well as teens. We need more Muzoons as role models for our kids (and even for adults like me!). Inspiring.  (Amazon)

Your Freedom, Your Power: A Kid’s Guide to the First Amendment by Allison Matulli with Clelia Castro-Malaspina, illustrator Carmelle Kendall. 192 pages. 2023

Do you have a political or current events kid? This is a visually inviting non-partisan book full of excellent information about the things Americans hold dear; freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly, and the right to petition. Told in a conversational manner with fun examples. (Amazon)

Plague-Busters!: Medicine’s Battles with History’s Deadliest Diseases by Lindsey Fitzharris and Adrian Teal. 176 pages. 2023

Do you have that kid that enjoys gross stories or interesting facts? This is sure to please. Full of fantastic illustrations and written with great humor and fun. It will teach them loads of history without them even realizing it! (Amazon)

Seen and Unseen: What Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adam’s Photographs Reveal About the Japanese American Incarceration by Elizabeth Partridge and Lauren Tamaki. 132 pages. 2022

A gorgeously illustrated book about the Japanese American incarceration during WWII, a terrible time in this country’s history. The photos and art make this feel like a graphic novel. While this is a middle school book, older teens would probably appreciate it more. (Amazon)

Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life by Jerry Pinkney. 160 pages. 2023

I ❤️ illustrator Jerry Pinkney and any fan of his over 100 children’s books is going to want to pick up this memoir. The copy was almost done, but only sketches of the final artwork were done before he died in 2021. The sketches were used in the book. This is for the artist in your life. (Amazon)

Stars of the Night: The Courageous Children of the Czech Kindertransport by Caren Stelson, illustrator Selina Alko. 40 pages. 2023

The story of the children put on trains by their parents to escape Nazi controlled homelands. The Kindertransport movement took almost 10,000 children to Britain at the outbreak of WWII. Most of them never see their families again. An important book. This is a picture book, but the content is best for middle schoolers. (Amazon)

The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain by Eugene Yelchin. 208 pages. 2021

A perfectly illustrated memoir about growing up in Cold War Russia. His observations on communism and his experience as a Jewish boy in Russia during the 1980s make this a compelling read. Told with great humor. (Amazon)

Climate Warriors: Fourteen Scientists and Fourteen Ways We Can Save Our Planet by Laura Gehl. 72 pages. 2023

Timely. Important, Inspiring. Tackled big things with approachable ways to make a difference at home. Science is always evolving and it’s imperative that we all stay up to date. For that kiddo who loves science or is interested on conservation. Colorful layouts make it fun. (Amazon)

Cities: How Humans Live Together by Megan Clendenan, illustrator Suharu Ogawa. 96 pages. 2023

A fascinating look at the old, the new and everything in between. It’s an oversized picture book, but with lots of reading on each page with huge pictures and graphics. This covers things like mapping out a city, getting around, water, electric, food, at different points in history.  (Amazon)

Rebel Girls Rock: 25 Tales of Women in Music. 68 pages. 2023

I loved the mix of women in this book! Most I’d heard of, but not all. I also loved the full page drawing of each. An entertaining and well laid out book sure to hold your musical middle schooler’s attention. (Amazon)

Astonishing and Extinct Professions: 89 Jobs You Will Never Do by Markus Rottmann, illustrator Michael Meister, translated by Ashley Curtis. 88 pages, 2023

This oversized, illustrated picture book was SO MUCH FUN. The professions start with the oldest and end with a job that Jason had when he was a teen, sadly extinct now. And, no, it wasn’t a professional fartist, walking toilet, or ornamental hermit, althought those are all in here! Buy it for a kid, but make sure you read it yourself first. (Amazon)

Benjamin Franklin’s Wise Words: How To Work Smart, Play Well, and Make Real Friends by KM Kostyal, illustrator Fred Harper. 127 pages. 2017

Presents 50 quotes from Poor Richard’s Almanac with a bit of history. I loved the full page illustrations. An appealing book that has bite-sized life lessons. (Amazon)

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness. 237 pages. 2011

This book was so good I didn’t even mind that it made me cry twice. Not just tears in my eyes, but having to close the book and grab some tissues.

Conor’s mom has been sick awhile and he’s having trouble at school. When a monster appears he’s scared, but nothing can be as scary as his nightly nightmare. The monster tells his stories and Conor’s life continues to get worse.

This is the illustrated version and it’s so good! This is a kids book, but it goes to dark places. I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s so much to say! 

This is a middle school book, but with teen issues. (Amazon)

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. 137 pages. 1989

Ann-Marie and her best friend Ellen are making the best of growing up with Nazis on every corner of their town, until one night the unthinkable happens at the local Jewish synagogue and now the Nazis have a list of Jews.  Ellen’s parents leave her with Ann-Marie’s family as they flee and what happens next is so emotional and horrifying that I became attached very quickly.  Ann-Marie and her family take extraordinary risks to do the right thing.

Historical fiction at it’s finest. This is was a Newbery Award Winner for a reason. (Amazon)

2023 Five Star Elementary Picture Books

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It’s been another crazy year of reading, with my current total at 343. Much of that has been kids/teens reading through homeschooling and Cybils Awards first round panelist reading. So, like last year, I’m not picking favorites but highlighting my 5 star reads by category. Let’s start with Elementary Picture Books (fiction) that I rated 5 * on Goodreads.

I’m recommending you put these under the tree for your littles, middles or put them on hold at your library. If you head over to my Instagram I’ll be including a quick video of each so that you can see some of the pages inside.

Your kid is never to old to read picture books. Give them one at breakfast and talk about it. Read it before dinner and discuss. So many picture books have great things to discuss. In particular, Addy’s Cup of Sugar and Last Flight will benefit older kids and the discussion will probably stick with them.

As I ‘tallied’ this list I was pleasantly surprised at how many countries are represented!

The Yellow Ao Dai by Hanh Bui, illustrated by Minnie Phan. 40 pages, 2023

A beautiful story on so many fronts. It showcases the history of the Vietnamese Fan Dance and the girl’s connection to it through her mother and grandmother. The small girl tries to hide something from her mother and the resolution of this was my favorite part and further enriched the circle of past and present. And to top it off, the illustrations are so colorful and fun. A perfect read aloud for elementary kids. (Amazon)

Addy’s Cup of Sugar: Based on a Buddhist Story of Healing by Jon J Muth. 32 pages. 2020

Have you had to deal with the death of a pet (or even a loved one) with a child? It’s tough enough for adults and a child has little way of making sense of it.

Addy’s cat was killed by a car and she asks Stillwater to help bring him back to life. Stillwater says he can help, but first Addy needs to borrow a cup of sugar from a neighbor, but not from any home who has lost a loved one. Sounds easy enough but as Addy learns, loss is a part of everyone’s life.

It’s based on the Buddhist legend, The Mustard Seed, but it is a book for any faith (or none at all). (Amazon)

Endlessly Ever After: Pick Your Path to Countless Fairy Tale Endings! by Laurel Snyder and Dan Santat. 92 pages. 2022

This oversized picture book is gorgeous. Gage loves choose your own adventure books and when I saw this I knew it would be fun lunchtime browsing material. After he chose at least a half a dozen endings he rated it a 10 out of 10.

There are a few favorite fairytale characters you can run into and some of them are scary 🐺. The illustrations are great and the reading level is maybe 3rd grade? It’s a great gift for your younger readers and one they can proudly display on their bookshelves. (Amazon)

Sister Bear: A Norse Tale adapted by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Linda Graves. 32 pages. 2011

This troll book based on a Noregian folktale about Halva and her foundling pet polar bear is a Christmas story sure to entertain the older elementary set. The troll illustrations alone are worth a look. (Amazon)

Rainbow Weaver by Linda Elovita Marshall and Elisa Chavarri. 34 pages. 2016

This is everything a kids picture book should be. A story set in modern day Guatemala about a little girl born of the Mayan weavers who finds a very timely and creative way to solve more than one problem. Based on what’s really happening. Gorgeous artwork and told in both English and Spanish 😍 (Amazon)

The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination by Brad Montague and Kristi Montague. 40 pages. 2023

A very creative story that will engage the older elementary kid. Ideas weren’t being shared and the inventions, songs, and performances were overwhelming the Cave of Untold Stories. Encourages creativity and putting thoughts and ideas out into the world. (Amazon)

The Pear Tree. A folktale retold by Luli Gray, illustrator Madelyn Goodnight. 40 pages. 2019

A great folktale about when Death comes to visit. I’m a sucker for a these folk retellings and this was well done. I’ll admit that the adult reading this to/with their child will get more out of it than the child. You’re welcome. This retelling is based on an old folk tale called Miseria y la Muerte. (Amazon)

Varenka by Bernadette Watts. 32 pages. 1971

A Russian folktale with the miracles of faith and the horrors of war. (Amazon)

One Little Bag: An Amazing Journey by Henry Cole. 42 pages. 2020

I’m not the biggest fan of wordless books, but this is the exception. It’s a fantastical story of a tree that’s made into a brown paper bag and given to a boy at the store. It’s conservation at its finest and will make kids think about reusing instead of throwing away or even recycling. (Amazon)

My Dragon Boat Festival by Bing Ge, illustrator Li Li. 32 pages. 2021

Every year a boy and his parents visit his grandparents for the Dragon Boat Festival. The festival honors the patriotic port Qu Yuan. I love the inclusion of so many Chinese traditions and foods as well as the end pages that give more information. For the older elmentary kiddo. (Amazon)

Last Flight by Kristen Mai Giang, illustrator Dow Phumiruk. 56 pages. 2023

Historical fiction at its finest. In 1975 the last flight out of Saigon, over 400 children flew out of war torn Vietnam. This is written by one of the children on that flight. This is mostly fact, not fiction, so please share with your child when discussing the Vietnam War or that some heroes you’ve never heard of do miraculous things, like Allan Topping and his adoption of 463 children so that they could escape the country before its surrender. There is additional historical information in the last few pages. This is for older elementary kids because of its length. (Amazon)

Come back tomorrow for more 5* recommendations!

September, October, November Movies

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In a comment, give me your 5 words (or less!) and earn $1 for charity. Once we get to $100 the person with the most reviews will choose the charity. Click here to see the past winners, the charities they chose and the other reviews you can add to. Anyone is welcome to join in at any time. Click here to see past movie posts.

We’re at $85 right now.  Your charity could be next 

The Adjustment Bureau, 2011 (Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, John Slattery, Michael Kelly, Terence Stamp) Grade B

Who decides what’s meant to be?

Cocaine Bear, 2023 (Keri Russell, Ray Liotta, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Isiah Whitlock Jr., Margo Martindale, Brooklyn Prince, Alden Ehrenreich, Christian Convery) Grade B

Don’t judge. This nonsense was exactly what I needed after the Ohio State-Michigan football game.

This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is image-4.pngOperation Petticoat, 1959 (Cary Grant, Tony Curtis, Joan O’Brien, Dina Merill, Gene Evans, Dick Sargent, Arthur O’Connell) Grade B

Generational gender stereotypes aside, Funny!

A Haunting in Venice, 2023 (Kenneth Branagh, Tina Fey, Michelle Yeoh, Jamie Dorman, Camille Cottin, Kelly Reilly, Riccardo Scamarcio, Kyle Allen, Jude Hill, Ali Kahn) Grade B

Venice is its own character.

To Catch a Thief, 1955 (Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams) Grade B-

Thief steals wealthy heiress heart.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, 2023 (Chris Pine. Michelle Rodriguez, Hugh Grant, Rege-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis) Grade B-

As D&D novice still enjoyed it.

Us, 2019 (Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elizabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker) Grade B-

Twinning is a bad look.

Good, 2008) (Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs, Jodie Whittaker) Grade C+

Is neutrality possible in 1930s Germany?

What Happens Later, 2023 (Meg Ryan, David Duchovny) Grade C

Scattered RomCom with likeable actors.

Locked In, 2023 (Famke Janssen, Rose Williams, Alex Hassell, Finn Cole, Anna Friel) Grade C-

Twisty, but marred with unlikeable characters.

Five Nights at Freddy’s, 2023 (Josh Hutcherson, Elizabeth Lail, Piper Rubio, Mary Stuart Masterson, Matthew Lillard) Grade C-

Best not to dwell on it.

Book Club – The Measure by Nikki Erlich

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Another amazing book club night with the Desperate Bookworms. What would happen if one day everyone woke up with a box on their doorstep with a string predicting the length of their life? And it was alarmingly accurate? Would you open the box? Would you throw it away without looking? Such is the story in The Measure by Nikki Erlich.

Jen (holding the book) did a very fun thing by having a box on each seat that we had to decide whether to open or not. I got a shorter string, but not the shortest 😬

Although I had some issues with the book and didn’t love it, it did lead to some fantastic discussion and I’d highly recommend for book groups.

Would you open the box? Would you want to know what month you died? Would the answer be different at various points in your life? I would not open the box for myself, but as long as I have a kid dependent on me I would choose to know.

This Week – Goodbye October

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October is such a wonderful month around here (2 birthdays, an anniversary, and a week long book sale to coordinate), but I’m always exhausted by Halloween. Now that November is here I’m deep into Cybils Awards reading . I’m a panelist for the first round of Nonfiction (elementary, middle, and high school). There are 205 books to read and I finished number 83 last night. This photo is my October reading with many of the picture books showing. I think elementary level reading accounts for about half of the books to read and the vast majority of what I’ve read so far. This week I need to start diving into more of the high school books.

Books read

I have SO MANY books in this house right now with so many different piles that I’m not even sure how many books I read YESTERDAY (but I know it was more than 5). Let’s just say that Goodreads tells me I’ve read 277 for the year and even if I’ve missed a book or two in the reading frenzy, I feel that’s fairly accurate.

Posts

I did manage to listen to an adult audio book and post about it! The Girl with All the Gifts. It’s an older book, but it was a fun Halloween-time apocalyptic horror thriller.

When Jason and I took a trip to the Finger Lakes region in New York, I stopped in a cute little bookstore and found a few books from a historical romantic suspense series that I loved. It encouraged me to post about it. The Deadly series by Brenda Joyce.

I’ve also posted about actor Viggo Mortensen and about the wonderful kids book A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness recently.

TV

Jason and I have worked our way through season 2 of The Wheel of Time series on Amazon with plans to watch the finale tonight. We’re also watching the Great British Bake Off on Netflix.

Plans for the weekend

It’s going to be 60 degrees here! Woo hoo! So, it’s the day to clean out the garage before it gets too cold. We bought a snow blower and we need to find room for it 🙂

Hopefully you’ve got more exciting plans.

The Girl with All the Gifts by MR Carey

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The Girl with All the Gifts. 4.25/5. Apocalyptic horror thriller?. 462 pages, 2014

Let’s talk about the 2014 The Girl With All the Gifts. This is an apocalyptic horror story, as far as I can say. We start with Melanie, a ten-year-old kept locked and chained unless during the week when she has class with other kids just like her. The doctor wants to slice her open, the sergeant is happy to let that happen, and the teacher just loves her the best she can.

I don’t read a lot of this genre, but I got sucked into this one and I’m so happy I picked it up. I loved the ending which took it to the next level. There’s a second book that I might check out, but it takes place before this book and I’m not sure I’m curious enough.

Do you like these types of horror/apocalypse/thriller type of books? Think Justin Cronin, Neil Gaiman, Dean Koontz.

Chapter 45

“What she thinks is: this could have been me. Why not? A real girl, in a real house, with a mother and a father and a brother and a sister and an aunt and an uncle and a nephew and a niece and a cousin and all those other words for the map of people who love each other and stay together. The map called family.

Growing up and growing old. Playing. Exploring. Like Pooh and Piglet. And then like the Famous Five. And then like Heidi and Anne of Green Gables. And then like Pandora, opening the great big box of the world and not being afraid, not even caring whether what’s inside is good or bad. Because it’s both. Everything is always both.

But you have to open it to find that out.”

A Favorite Series -Deadly series by Brenda Joyce

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It’s 1902 in New York City and Francesca, a 20-year-old bluestocking, openly works for reform while secretly attending Brainard College.  She is the youngest of three and still lives at home with her parents in what is called the Marble Palace because of its opulence.  Francesca is determined to get a journalism degree and become the first woman reporter for a major New York newspaper and her mother is just as determined to see her marry well.  Francesca is beautiful and wealthy and suitors have never been a problem, but she is known to be different from other girls her age, so her best friends are her sister Connie and her brother Evan.

If you like turn of the century New York, wealthy and powerful men and beautiful and smart women you should give it a try.  The mysteries are good and the romance is hot. If you are sensitive to the way alpha males treat the women they love then this may not be the series for you.  It’s a favorite series of mine and they really need to be read in order.

The series, each book linked to my thoughts.

#1 Deadly Love

#2 Deadly Pleasure

#3 Deadly Affairs

#4 Deadly Desire

#5 Deadly Caress

#6 Deadly Promise

#7 Deadly Illusions

#8 Deadly Kisses

#9 Deadly Vows

This series is on my Top 100 Series list.

Favorite Actor – Viggo Mortensen

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Today is Viggo’s 65th birthday.

It’s no shock that most of the women of the world fell in love with Viggo after watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy. I’d seen him in a few movies before, but it was really that trilogy that made me take notice.

But, it’s the movies since then that have secured his place as one of my favorite actors. He could have played the Aragorn character for the rest of his life, but he didn’t. I’ve loved the surprise of his choices.

Born in NYC in 1958, he’s lives all over the world. He has a son who was in Crimson Tide with him. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Studies.

As I watch more of these movies I’ll try to come back and update. I debated on whether to list the movies in chronological order or in the order I like them best. Since this is my blog I’m going with the way I like them best!

*1 The Lord of the Rings (2001, 2002, 2003) Aragorn

This trilogy has a permanent place on my Top 100 Movies list. I’ve linked to my thoughts.

*2 A Walk on the Moon (1999) Walker Jerome, the “Blouse Man’

A not-so-perfect love story and I loved it. It’s also on my Top 100 Movies list. I’ve linked to my thoughts.

3 Captain Fantastic ( 2016) Ben *nominated for Oscars Best Actor

Such a great movie. My 5 word review when I watched it was, “Family’s heartbreaking funeral road trip.”

4 21 Days (2000) Jasper

I rewatched this recently and liked it even better than I did the first time. It’s Sandra Bullock’s rehab movie, but Viggo brings a little heat.

5 Two Faces of January (2014) Chester

A fun, old timey thriller.

6 Eastern Promises (2007) Nikolai *nominated for Oscars Best Actor

Very violent, but he was fanastic.

7 Green Book (2018) Tony Lip *nominated for Oscars Best Actor

Based on the life of bouncer turned driver Tony Lip and pianist Don Shirley traveling the South during times of racial segregation.

8 Hidalgo (2004) Frank Hopkins

This horse racing movie was good but erroneously billed as a true story.

9 A History of Violence (2005) Tom Stall

I don’t remember much about this one except I liked it.

10 G.I. Jane (1997) Master Chief John James Urgayle

I liked this Demi Moore flick, even when I disliked Viggo most of the movie.

11 A Perfect Murder (1998) David Shaw

A thrilling murder thriller.

12 Good (2008) Professor John Halder

A professor is sucked into the Nazi world, even while trying to stay a step apart. A fantastic cast, but this fell a little flat for me.

13 Psycho (1998) Sam Loomis

This remake of a classic didn’t need to be made.

So, tell me, what’s your favorite Viggo movie?

He’s on my Top 100 Favorite Actor List

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, illustrated by

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A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim, Kay, story inspired by Siobhan Dowd. 4.5 stars, middle grade fiction, 206 pages, 2011

An unflinching, darkly funny, and deeply moving story of a boy, his seriously ill mother, and an unexpected monstrous visitor.

At seven minutes past midnight, thirteen-year-old Conor wakes to find a monster outside his bedroom window. But it isn’t the monster Conor’s been expecting– he’s been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he’s had nearly every night since his mother started her treatments. The monster in his backyard is different. It’s ancient. And wild. And it wants something from Conor. Something terrible and dangerous. It wants the truth. From the final idea of award-winning author Siobhan Dowd– whose premature death from cancer prevented her from writing it herself– Patrick Ness has spun a haunting and darkly funny novel of mischief, loss, and monsters both real and imagined. from Goodreads

If I know a book will likely make me cry, more often than not, I’ll skip it. Plenty of things to cry about in real life, I do not need to be sobbing when reading fiction.

This book was so good I didn’t even mind that it made me cry twice. Not just tears in my eyes, but having to close the book and grab some tissues. I can only speak to this illustrated version. The fantastic illustrations really added another layer to this story for me. They created just the the right amount of darkness and terror needed.

Conor’s mom has been sick awhile and he’s having trouble at school. When a monster appears he’s scared, but nothing can be as scary as his nightly nightmare. The monster tells his stories and Conor’s life continues to get worse.

This is a kids book, but it goes to dark places. I don’t want to give anything away, but there’s so much to say, but I don’t want to say all of the spoilery things.

Have you read it? I highly recommend, but would read it first before sharing it with your child. As a mom you want to be prepared to discuss.

“There is not always a good guy. Nor is there always a bad one. Most people are somewhere in between.”

“Stories are wild creatures, the monster said. When you let them loose, who knows what havoc they might wreak?”

“Your mind will believe comforting lies while also knowing the painful truths that make those lies necessary. And your mind will punish you for believing both.”

“Conor was no longer invisible. They all saw him now.
But he was further away than ever.”

September Favorites

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September is coming to a close and my favorite month is about to begin. Cheers to all you fall lovers! I read 15 books this month, bringing my 2023 total to 201. I read 6 picture books (3 fiction, 3 nonfiction), 2 romances, 3 fiction, 2 thrillers, 1 kids fiction, 1 inspirational.

HIGHLY RECOMMEND

Rainbow Weaver by Linda Elontz Marshall and Elisa Chavarri is everything a kids picture book should be. A story set in modern day Guatemala about a little girl born of the Mayan weavers who finds a very timely and creative way to solve more than one problem. Based on what’s really happening. Gorgeous artwork and told in both English and Spanish.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness, illustrated by Jim Kay. I just finished this last night, with tears rolling down my cheeks, so I need time to process. I’ll write up a review later this week. Have you read it?

Following the Path: The Search for a Life of Passion, Purpose, and Joy by Joan Chittister. I loved it. I always get something I need out of Joan Chittister’s books and this one was perfect for me during this transitional time of Gage going back to school after 3 years of homeschooling. When you’re at a crossroads, or even at a place where you’re acknowledging that there’s something unfinished in you, this is a nice read. I read a chapter every morning for a few weeks and it was a nice way to start the day. Clink on the link to get some of my favorite thoughts from the book.

ALSO VERY GOOD

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood is very similar to The Love Hypothesis by the same author. It’s set in academia, has offbeat heroines and stoic heroes (unless there’s sex and then all bets are off), and an obvious attraction seen by the reader even though the heroine misses it. But, in all of the ways that TLH went over the top and sometimes missed the mark, this one didn’t. It’s a more mature story, complete with cats and near death experiences.

The Enchanted Hacienda by JC Cervantes. I’m a sucker for all things magical realism. This was the perfect book at the perfect time. I love when that happens! It was magical, romantic, and fun.

The Estrada women are tied to their Mexican flower farm. Each one of them, for generations, has been born with special powers and the ability to help others through spells, like erasing memories or bonding to another person. Harlow didn’t have any such gift and always felt like the odd one out. When she goes home to regroup after a breakup she finds the magic she’s been looking for her whole life.

Hello Stranger is the latest feel good novel by Katherine Center. Sadie is an artist in her 20s living in a not-fit-to-rent apartment on a dime. She’s just reached the finals of a prestigious portrait competition, when an accident and subsequent surgery cause prosopagnodia, an inability to ‘see’ faces.

Sadie’s family story was the most moving part of the story for me. Her mom was gone, and she had an evil stepmother and stepsister to make her miserable while her father looked away. Needless to say, I was rooting hard for Sadie.

Her Lost Words: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley by Stepahnie Marie Thronton. Another one I just finished yesterday so I need to write a proper review. If you have an interest in Mary Shelley, Frankenstein, or women’s issues of the 1700-1800s then this historical fiction is for you.

The Secret Life of the Flying Squirrel by Laurence Pringle. It’s the story of Volans and life with her 3 pups. There’s a lot of information in these 40 pages! Sure to please any animal loving kid.

Sundiata: Lion King of Mali. I’m a David Wisniewski fan. I always love the historical tale and the paper cut illustrations. If you see his books make sure to take a look!

ALSO GOOD

A Picture Book of Anne Frank by David A Adler and Karen Ritz handled the story of Anne and her family perfectly for the older elementary, early middle school kids.

Long Shadows (Amos Decker #7) by David Baldacci. I wrote about this series here.

The Sentinel (Jack Reacher #25) by Lee Child and Andrew Child. I’ve read this series from book 1 and love the character of Jack Reacher. This was the first that Lee wrote with his brother and another solid addition to the series.

Flying Colors: One Man’s Magical Journey to Find Fulfillment by Christopher Laney. John meets a mysterious man in an airport who opens his eyes to a different way to live, to new possibilities never dreamt of before. When John arrives back home to a job that is ready to serve up the life he’s always wanted on a silver platter, the memory of the man in the airport has him questioning what it is he really wants.

Mysterious and mystical and a great first novel.

Tia Fortuna’s New Home: A Jewish Cuban Journey by Ruth Behar and Devon Holzwarth led to the most discussion in the house. A fictional story that teaches about the journey of the Sephardic Jews from Spain to Cuba and some of the traditions that went with them. Loved the whimsical illustrations.

Sometimes a book just doesn’t work for you. Such was the case with The Magician’s Visit: A Passover Tale by Barbara Diamond Goldin and IL Peretz.