Touching Snow by M. Sindy Felin

Touching Snow is the story of Karina and her Haitian immigrant family during the summer between her 7th and 8th grade years. I was completely caught up in the story from page one and devoured the book in one sitting. Karina's extended family, including a stepfather, work very hard to live in "New York Country," but they hang on to a lot of what they were trying to escape in Haiti. The stepfather is the biggest problem. He beats Karina and all her sisters severely. The oldest sister, Enid, is beaten near death at one point. The police are eventually called, but much to the mother's dismay and no one is allowed to tell the truth because how would they survive without the stepfather there? To finally end it all, the girls "accidentally" kill their stepfather and set it up to look like an accident. Issues such as complex family relations, acclimation to a new country/culture and the pains of growing up anywhere are dealt with eloquently. The reader becomes a part of the story.

A lot of times, as teachers, we encounter student with families and home lives that we don't understand. We think of people as "bad" when judging them by our own standards. Reading this book gave me a new appreciation for what may be going on behind the scenes and the subtle cries for help that often go unnoticed.

Let it Shine: Three favorite spirituals by Ashley Bryan

This is a little embarrassing, but I have to be honest. I teared up a little reading through this book. I'm not sure if it is the pregnancy hormones, or what, but I was signing "He's Got the Whole World" and looking at the beautiful illustrations and I was just overcome with emotion. I can't tell you how excited I was to see "This Little Light of Mine" as the very first song too! I started singing and doing the hand movements we learned in Bible school when I was little. It's funny how those things come back to you, even if you haven't thought about them in 20 years! I started flipping through the book while talking to my sister on the phone and I actually squealed and said, "Oh! I have to get this for Alison! (my niece)." It's wonderful to have these songs written down and accompanied with vivid, beautiful illustrations for children to learn from. I especially liked the note from the author at the end when he points out the origin of these songs; there's a little history lesson here too.

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis

Elijah of Buxton is a wonderfully well-written compilation of lessons that readers can learn from because they are worth learning and, yet, not preachy. In the first half of the book, the reader is introduced to Elijah and the settlement of Buxton. Neighbors and friends are described including the Right Reverend Deacon Doctor Zephariah Connerly III. Elijah ultimately learns a lot from this character. He learns people are not always what they seem and they are not always as good as you would like to think. When Connerly absconds with Mr. Leroy's money to buy his family out of slavery, Elijah finds himself alone and hunting down the Preacher and wanting to rescue some slaves he encounters. This is an eye-opening experience for Elijah who has never known slavery. In this experience, Elijah also learns a hard lesson about growing up which is you can't save everyone, but he does the best that he can and saves who he can.

My favorite lesson in the story is one that Mr. Leroy teaches Elijah early on about using the "N- word." He impresses upon Elijah how the word is filled with hate when white people use it and filled with ignorance when black people use it. That is a lesson our young people can definitely use today. That horrible word is flung around quite a bit.

The White Darkness by Geraldine McCaughrean

I did not like this book. Not because it wasn't well written. It was. Not because there wasn't an intriguing story. There was. Not because the characters didn't come alive. They did. That is exactly the reason I didn't like this book. I spent all 300+ pages frustrated. Frustrated that Sym blindly followed "Uncle" Victor when she knew, deep down, that he was a scoundrel. Frustrated because she kept acting so clueless, even though she wasn't. Frustrated that Victor could con and hurt so many people, including Sym, her father and everyone else unfortunate enough to be a part of his con or on his expedition to the Antarctic, in pursuit of his obsession. No one was what they initially seemed. The book certainly did take some twists and turns. For that, I applaud the book, but it also made me angry. That's what a good book is supposed to do, isn't it? Make you feel.

Sym's story certainly does make you feel from the beginning and her belief that her late father hated her to her ill-fated trip to Paris with Victor where she first learns of his treachery, but refuses to believe it. Once the journey makes its way to Antarctica, things are downhill from there. Everyone falls in Victor's pursuit of Symme's Hole and an underground world. Even Sym herself was going to be a victim of him plan. Ultimately, Sym survives and it is Victor who destroys himself.

Glass by Ellen Hopkins

Glass is the continuing story of Kristina, a girl who suffers from meth addiction she obtained while visiting her father (also a meth addict) for the summer. Due to her lifestyle the previous summer, Kristina now finds herself a seventeen year-old mother. She had, thankfully, given up her addiction during her pregnancy, but four months after her son's birth, she starts up again. Kristina's life quickly goes down the toilet. She gives up her son to her mother, gets kicked out of her house, lives with two different drug dealers and becomes a dealer herself. With her "boyfriend", Trey, she gets herself arrested for felony transport of drugs across state lines and, while in jail, learns she is pregnant yet again. Her statement is, "I'll change, hopefully."

This book was seriously dark, pathetic, depressing and yucky (for lack of a better word). I just went through the death of my mother-in-law due to alcoholism and have a cousin who is messed up in the whole meth world. I don't ever want to get close to any kind of addiction and get drawn into this kind of existence, but I guess we don't always have control over that. I think middle-school kids through high school need to be exposed to this book and the real realities of drug abuse. I know a lot of the kids I teach have seen this first hand, but many of the other kids think getting high is "cool." They need to see it is, in no way, a cool way to live.

Your Own, Sylvia: a verse portrait of Sylvia Plath by Stephen Hemphill

Of course I have heard of Sylvia Plath, but that's about as far as my knowledge went-that and the fact that she had a tragic life and death. I've never been much of a poetry fan. I read what I had to in school and that was about it. To me, all poets are really old and from the 1800s. I know that's silly, but that's where my mind goes when I think poetry. So, this biography of Sylvia Plath was an eye-opener for me. It wasn't that long ago that she was writing her poetry.

The author chose to write this biography in poems that reflect Plath's own style. Her life from birth to her death is told through the voices of her family, friends and acquaintances. Additional biographical information is written as footnotes at the bottom of each page. I would never have picked up a biography on Plath. I would have never been aware of her poetry. This book changed my view and I'm all ready looking up Plath's own work.

Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins

I wasn't looking forward to reading this book. I had had my fill of depressing stories about drugs, suicide, death and deviance. I reluctantly cracked the book and began to read. I was pleasantly surprised. It was the opposite of what I expected. The book was hopeful. The main message I picked up was we should appreciate our lives while we have them and take advantage of the wonderful creation that we are and that is around us.

This story of hope is told through the eyes of a disgruntled peon from Hell who decides to take a break and experience what life is like as a human. He hijacks a teenage body to do this. The body had belonged to a boy named Shaun, but Shaun had been hit by a truck and killed while crossing the road. Kiriel, the demon, takes over his body before anyone can notice Shaun has died. Living as Shaun, Kiriel begins to appreciate Earth, humanity and all God created; something he was never able to do before.

There is so much going on in this book: criticism of the education system, a study of human emotions (guilt, shame), a discussion of the Seven Deadly Sins, sex, our insecurities in relationships with others, and the question most humans have at one point or another, does anyone care? Does God care? I can definitely see this book spurring some great discussion in a psychology/sociology class in high school. Of course, if this book would even be "allowed" in most schools...

Babies in the Bayou by Jim Arnosky

In Babies in the Bayou, young readers are told the story of the variety of animal life in the water. They are introduced to alligators, turtles, raccoons and ducks and some of their habits. One habit all these animals have in common is that their mothers work to keep the babies safe; just like their mothers keep them safe.

Beautiful full page pictures accompany the simple, yet powerful text. I really enjoy the fact that animals considered dangerous, like alligators, are also included in this story along with the cute ducklings and turtles in order to show all mothers care for their babies. Some of the survival techniques in the bayou are also touched upon such as the duck keeping her children away from the alligator and the raccoons digging for turtle eggs. I like the fact that the author shows how everything in nature is related.

Butterfly,Butterfly: A book of colors by Petr Horacek

Lucy is playing in the garden one day and finds a butterfly. She spends all day playing with the butterfly. When she looks for the butterfly the next day, it is nowhere to be found. She spends the whole day searching for the and discovers all the other creatures living in the garden. At the end, when Lucy relaxes and just stares at the sky, she finds her beautiful butterfly.

With cut outs that emphasize the colors of the garden creatures and a huge pop-up of the colorful butterfly on the last page, this is one of those books that always seemed magical to me as a small child. The interaction between the young reader and the book creates a relationship that is only built upon as the child reads more and more. This is a wonderful beginning book and a great introduction to colors and all the life outdoors as well.

Bob and Otto by Robert O. Bruel

The more children's books I read, the more the feeling of sitting and learning my first life lessons come back to me. Bob and Otto is no exception. Two friends, one an earthworm and the other a caterpillar learn than even though they may look different, they are both still equally important and necessary to each other. What a wonderful lesson that is and what adult still doesn't grapple with that same issue throughout their life?

Bob and Otto spend all their days together doing the same things until Bob decides to climb up a tree to see the view. He stays up there munching on leaves while Otto burrows under the ground making tunnels. Eventually, Bob turns into a beautiful caterpillar and goes down to see what Otto is up to. Otto feels bad because he doesn't have wings like Bob. But Bob reminds him that without Otto's work underground, the trees and leaves wouldn't grow for Bob to eat and he wouldn't have his beautiful wings. They need each other and they are both important even though they don't look the same anymore.

My Colors, My World; Mis colores, mi mundo by Maya Christina Gonzalez

A little girl (who is actually the artist/author) lives in the desert. After a sand storm, she searches for the colors in her world. She finds pink sunsets, purple irises, the blue night sky and the beauty of nature all around her. The little girls journey is accompanied by more abstract, whimsical illustrations in bold, bright colors. The English words are written on one page with the Spanish words written on the opposite page. What a wonderful way for children to learn and be exposed to another language; either Spanish or English. Learning colors in another language is fun and easy with bold pictures all in that color and the word for that color printed in that same color. There is also a bilingual color glossary in the back of the book.

I would like to see more books like this in other languages as well so our kids to be exposed to the rest of the world. I plan on buying this book as well as Los Gatos Black on Halloween for my neice.

Big Smelly Bear by Britta Teckentrop

I haven't been exposed to children's books for so long, I've forgotten how wonderful they can be! I absolutely loved this book! I want Big Smelly Bear to get a little older so I can use him in my middle school classroom too! This problem does not go away! If anything, it gets worse! We need you in the 8th grade, Big Smelly Bear!

Big Smelly Bear has no friends. Why? Well, because he's a big, smelly bear that never bathes! Due to being dirty, he gets an itch he can't reach. A big fluffy bear says she'll itch his back if he takes a bath. After much arguing, Big Smelly Bear agrees and finds he's not alone anymore if he takes care of himself and doesn't smell. He says he won't bathe again, but he does at night when no one is looking. As long as it gets done, if can happen anytime!

Marked: A House of Night Novel by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

I'm a big fan of the Twilight series. When I read the summary of this book, I thought, "Great! A Twilight knock-off! This is going to be cheesy!!" I was so wrong! Now, I'm going to have to read the rest of the series!

Zoey is a typical high school student with typical family problems in a not so typical world where vampyres are a way of life and have their own training school in town. Contrary to popular belief, you are not bitten by a vampyre in order to become one. You are marked and forced to make the change to vampyre, or die. Sometimes, the change doesn't work and you die as well. Since things aren't good at home, Zoey goes off to school at the House of Night and encounters a new world full of the same high school cliques and problems she is used to. She makes friends with Stevie Rae, Damien, Erin, Shaunee and her new love interest, Erik. There's also the the "bully, Aphrodite, and her group of Dark Daughters that cause havoc around the school. Along Harry Potter lines, Zoey has to learn to deal with the great powers she has been gifted while keeping the real dark powers at bay including the "ghosts" of fledgling vampyres who didn't make the change.

Nothing by John Agee

Otis runs an antique store. He has sold his last product and has absolutely nothing for sale. Suzie Grump comes in and wants to buy nothing. She pays $300 for the wonderful nothing! All the other shop owners in town throw out their goods in order to make money off of nothing. Eventually, Suzie Grump realizes she need something and goes back to Otis to buy everything she needs. Otis sells out again and the vicious cycle almost starts all over with Tubby Portabello, but Otis shoves him out of the store!

The story has short, quick sentences in a larger font and big pictures that start off in light colors then, when everyone is busy searching for nothing, the pictures become filled with activity and brighter.

This was a very humorous story and one that could easily strike up a quite in depth conversation with a child.

Mother Goose: Numbers on the loose by Leo and Diane Dillon

I was not a fan of this particular book. Perhaps I'm not a fan of Mother Goose like I thought. I only recognized a few of the rhymes and didn't like the ones I was unfamiliar with. Maybe this is just prejudice from my childhood and I only like the ones I was told growing up. Either way, this book really didn't do much for me. There are big illustrations in muted tones with the rhymes printed on the same pages. Whenever a number occurs in a rhyme, the number is highlighted and the pictures correlate to the number mentioned to help with counting. For example, in Baa, Baa, Black Sheep, the three in "Three bags full" is highlighted and the illustration has the master, the dame and the little girl down the lane with their bags. I do see how this is helpful, but I think there are better counting books available.

Fred Stays With Me by Nancy Coffelt

Any child, or adult for that matter, that has experienced divorce will relate to the story in Fred Stays with Me. The little girl is shuffled from her mom's house to her dad's house for visits. Things are different at each house. The only consistency she has is her dog Fred who travels with her everywhere she goes. Unfortunately, Fred makes messes and gets in trouble. Mom says, "Fred can't say with me!" and Dad says, "Fred can't stay with me," but the little girl corrects both of them when she says, "Fred doesn't stay with either one of you! Fred stays with me!"

Fred Stays with Me is a wonderful story of consistency needed for a child of divorce told from the child's perspective told with beautifully muter water color illustrations.

Little Rat Makes Music by Monica Bang-Campbell

In this short chapter book, Little Rat is a girl from a very musical family. She dreams of making music of her own on the violin. She begins lessons with Mrs. Wingbutton, a very stern and short-tempered instructor. Learning to play the violin is not exactly what Little Rat envisioned and she refuses to practice. Mrs. Wingbutton pairs her with an older student and she finally practices. She even plays at a concert with the older student. When Little Rat practices, tries her best and plays from the heart, she is successful and finds her new talent enjoyable. I liked the bright, bold pictures and, especially, the music notes drawn all over the page when Little Rat plays music. It's a great story of trying your best and succeeding.

When Dinosaurs Came With Everything by Elise Broach

What starts as an ordinary day turns into anything but when all of Mom's errands wind up giving a little boy more and more dinosaurs! The first stop is the donut shop, but instead of a donut, the little boy gets a dinosaur! Even a trip to the doctor results in a free dinosaur. Dinosaurs are everywhere in town following their new, young owners. After four dinosaurs, Mom has had enough and heads home. There, the boy plays with the dinosaurs in the backyard. Mom is nervous until the dinosaurs actually start helping out with household chores. Then she comes to accept them, as long as the boy is taking care of them.

Wonderful water-color illustrations accompany this fantastic story and show the expressions of the characters and make their thoughts quite obvious, even to the youngest reader.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman

I didn't think I was ever a fan of the Science-fiction genre, but the more I read, the more I realize I may very well be. Unwind is one of those books that made me rethink my own preferences.

Unwanted pregnancies that result in unwanted children are running rampant. The government decides to step in and make some changes. As seems to be status quo for government intervention, things getting taken a little further than intended and blown completely out of proportion. In this mess of bureaucracy and bipartisan politics is created the idea of unwinding. Rather than allowing abortions, the government has decided it is better to allow people to "stork" their unwanted babies. This means you leave the baby on a doorstep and the first person to see the baby is now responsible for them. You are off the hook and it is totally legal! The main purpose of unwinding, however, is to allow parents a sort of "reverse abortion." If their child is "troublesome" or not really going to amount to much in their opinion, they can sign papers to have their child "unwound." The child is not killed, but rather all of their body parts are harvested and used to repair medical conditions in others. In this way, the child is spread all over, but continues to live. Unwinding is an option until the child turns 18. Then, they are safe from this fate. This creates an entire group of unwanted teens with nothing to lose. Connor is one of those teens. His parents have decided to have him unwound do to his constant fighting, temper issues and low performance at school. Connor learns of their plan and escapes before he can be harvested. Risa is another unwind, as they are called. She is a ward of the state and is being unwound to save money and make room for others since she has no outstanding abilities or qualities. Lev is an unwind of a different type. He is a tithe, a religious offering born for the sole purpose of being unwound as his families offering on his 13th birthday. All three of these characters are thrust together in a strange twist of fate that leaves them running for their lives, literally. They run until they reach a sequence of safe houses that will lead them to a camp in Arizona bent on keeping the Unwinds safe until their 18th birthday.

Things seem to be going well until the bully, Roland, blows their cover. Roland, Connor and Risa are sent to a harvesting camp to be unwind. At this same camp, they run into Lev who they have been separated from for quite some time. Lev is changed. He is now a clapper and ready to detonate himself and close down the harvesting camp for good. In the end, all but Roland are saved from a horrible fate. However, part of Roland will always live on with Connor...

It may sound quite far-fetched, but in reality, is it? In a time where you can pick the sex of your baby, where cloning is a real life occurrence and no long science-fiction is this really that far off?

Safe by Susan Shaw

Rape is a difficult subject to discuss by itself. Add teenagers into the mix and it is almost unimaginable. Susan Shaw does a wonderful job portraying Tracy, a 13-year old girl raped by an 18-year old neighborhood kid on her way home from school. What should be an enjoyable summer vacation before her first year in high school becomes a time full of anxiety and fear as Tracy strives to feel safe again, even in her own home. The rape has even taken away Tracy's childhood memories of her mother who died.As she struggles with the reality of what happened to her and the fact that she can't hide forever, Tracy has the love and support of her father and friends like Caroline and the new found safety and security she finds in the music she makes on the piano. Piano lessons she once dreaded are now her outlet for all of her emotions. Tracy slowly realized her life can be "normal" and she can feel safe again. She also regains the memories of her mother.

I think this book is a very realistic look at the aftermath of traumatic events. Even if the perpetrator in in custody, the victim struggles to recover and feel safe. I think any adult would benefit from reading this book as well as any young adult.

Quaking by Kathryn Erskine

I read the summary for this book on the inside flap. It didn't grab my interest. As I sat down to start reading, I anticipating a boring book I would not be drawn into. I should have known better. It's a Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers for a reason! I was taken aback when I actually found myself enjoying the story.

Matilda, pardon me, Matt, is 14- years old and has all ready lived through more than any adult would care to even think about. She grew up with an an alcohol-abusing father who would also abuse her and her mother. From the young age of 4 or 5, Matt has memories of crouching under her bed and cowering with her mother to escape her father's anger. It only works for so long. Eventually, her father kills her mother and Matt is on her way to numerous "foster" homes with distant family members. Ultimately, she winds up with Sam and Jessica; two Quakers living in Pennsylvania. She enrolls in Franklin High School and is placed in AP classes for the first time in her life. She sees this as an escape. She can graduate early and move to Canada in order to escape her past. All she has to do is avoid detection on anyone's radar and avoid any sort of emotional connections. That'll make leaving easier. Unfortunately, the town is in turmoil over the war in Iraq. Living with Quakers, Matt is a sitting duck for the bullies (teachers included) such as the Rat and the Vermin (as she calls them). Against her will, Matt finds herself drawn into the family of Sam, Jessica and their adopted son, Rory. She starts to care. That caring helps her overcome her fear of confrontation and find her place in the world.

This book had the capability of being very predictable. A standard hard-case loved straight story. Although the ending was what I expected, the story itself was very well written and enjoyable.

Before I Die by Jenny Downham

I think I read these books in the wrong order. I went from a teenage girl who commits suicide to a teenage girl addicted to crystal meth to a teenage girl dying from cancer. Needless to say, quite a depressing few days. However, I did quite enjoy Tessa's story. It was a very different perspective on having a terminal illness than I have ever experienced before. Tessa is only 12-years old when she is diagnosed with leukemia. She is about 16 when the story begins. Her story deals with handling of impending death. One way she handles this fact that most adults can deal with is by creating a list of what she wants to do before she dies. At first, her list includes having sex, doing drugs, doing something illegal-all the things she feels she will miss out on experiencing. Closer to her death, the list becomes the more important things like really experiencing love and letting her family know she loves and cares about them.

Her love experience comes with the neighbor boy next door, Adam, who is always home looking after his mother who hasn't quite recovered from his father's tragic death. Tessa's family, each in their own way, have been a part of her illlness too. Her dad is the responsible parent who is always there. He takes Tessa to all of her appointments and looks for alternative ways to prolong, or even save, his daughter's life. Tessa's mom, on the other hand, is rarely present and has a hard time dealing wiht her daughter's illness. She left the family when Tessa was 12 and returned to the area when "things" got bad. Cal is Tessa's little brother. He treats her as any little brother does and is probably dealing with her illness the best out of the whole family. Along with the family is Tessa's friend, Zoey. Zoey, at the beginning, is a wild college kid up for anything and everything. She is more than willing to help Tessa accomplish the items on her list. However, Zoey experiences her own life-changing "diagnosis" when she discovers she is alone and pregnant.

Throughout the book, Tessa eloquently tells her story and feelings. Toward the end of her life, the tone of the writing changes. Her words become fewer and fewer as her body fails her.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Wow! This book had me from the opening sentence! I had to know what was in that box! What had Clay so upset? Inside the box we seven cassette tapes. Each tape was narrated by Hannah Baker, a potential love interest of Clay's that had recently committed suicide. The purpose of those tapes? To let all involved know how their actions affected her decision to end her own life. Whether intentionally cruel, indifferent or simply full of high-school stupidity, our actions can have more of an impact than we realize.

While listening to the tapes, Clay learns he is not to blame for Hannah's decision. They liked each other. He tried to reach out and help her. He only feels he should have tried harder. Are these tapes beneficial? Does Hannah's story change anything or anyone. Yes. Clay reaches out to another struggling soul, Skye-a girl he's known since middle school. Skye has changed since then. She's become withdrawn and a loner. Clay reaches out and I have a feeling he won't take no for an answer this time.

Someday this Pain will be Useful to You by Peter Cameron

What teenager can't relate to the pains of adolescence? James is 18 and dealing with the major issues everyone must grapple with while growing up: what is it all about? Who am I? James is depressed, antisocial, unhappy, lonely and confused. His parents constant fighting doesn't help either. Even though they are divorced, they still get in jabs anytime they can. They are totally encompassed in their own worlds of cosmetic surgery, money and new husbands. His sister is no help either. She is materialistic, haughty and "awful." His only outlets are the two people he respects John-his mothers gallery manager-and Nannette-his grandmother. Nannette is there to the end(her end) and the only one who seems to understand everything about James (the fact that he is gay as well, without making a big deal of it). John is chased away by a silly, half-brained, childish scheme concocted by James himself. After finally breaking down and actually talking during therapy, James starts to figure things out for himself. Just like all of us, James survives, even though he doesn't think he always will.

A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a boy soldier by Ishmael Beah

I can't believe this was happening to twelve-year-old boys during my lifetime. I was only a few years older than them while the civil war in Sierra Leone was raging-a sophomore in high school. My biggest concern was whether or not I'd be able to take driver's ed in the summer. I rode my bike across town to attend driver's ed that summer. However, unlike Ishmael, I did not have to worry about my "village" being attacked by rebels or losing my family to a tragic event. The realities of war, to me, belong in history books. They are the stories of old men long gone, not of people my own age. I know that this is naive and that war is the reality to children and young adults in many parts of the world.

Ishmael's story of being "recruited" to fight the rebels with boys even younger than him (at the age of 14/15), of his indoctrination into brutality, of his drug use and of his rehabilitation is remarkable. After moving in with his uncle's family in Freetown, the tragedy does not end. Rebels are still lurking and attacking. Even after speaking at a conference in New York City against using children in war, more heartbreak is to come. His uncle dies and Ishmael is forced to leave his country. Unlike many others he encountered, Ishmael's story continues. He survived the horror of war. Anytime war is discussed with students, we need to help them realize it is not all in the past. Many countries around the world are dealing with issues we assume are long gone.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

I have been a fan of Sheman Alexie for a while now. His first journey into Young Adult literature is no disappointment!

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is Junior's journey to live, to reach his potential and not lose hope amidst the cruel realities of alcohol and hopelessness on a Spokane Indian Reservation. At the prodding of reservation teacher Mr. P (who Junior "accidentally" hits with a textbook he flings at him in class), Junior decides to attend the nearby white school outside of the reservation. This is a very hard and dangerous decision to make and Junior knows that. He faces racism at his new school-along with the other mandatory entering-high-school-traumas. He also faces anger, rejection and disappointment on the reservation because most see him as a traitor for leaving. This story speak to anyone, from any race, who has ever broken the mold and tried to reach for more than what is offered around them. I was the first in my family to go to college and faced obstacles at almost every turn from frightened, unsure family members. I could relate, on some level, to Junior's experiences. Thrown into the mix of Junior's struggles to live, are the stories of his family and close friends waiting to die. Both parents and a close family friend (Eugene) are alcoholics as is his sister Mary who runs away to Montana in order to cling to what's left of her dreams. Junior's best friend, Rowdy, is struggling with the fact that he will probably become his father. Grandma is the only form of tolerance and stability in Junior's life. She is killed by a drunk driver. All of Junior's struggles are not resolved at the end, but he does see others are proud of him and he can be proud of himself.

The Cat: or how I lost eternity by Jutta Richter

I feel a little dense. I did not get this book. I had to read a review to see what others had to say this book was about. What I could discern from the book is that Christine hangs out and talks to a bald, white ,stray cat on her way to school every morning. Talking to the cat makes her late and she gets in trouble for being "willful." I thought, perhaps, the cat was the part of her own mind that makes her question everything. I didn't like the cat. The cat always told her she was stupid and was coming up with ways to get around doing what was expected. Eventually she stops talking to the cat. Eternity was gone. Does this mean her innocence or naivete is gone? I'm not sure.

This would be one of those books you had to decipher in freshman English that was completely lost to me. I'm sure others "got" the book and thought it was wonderful, but it wasn't for me.

Los Gatos Black on Halloween by Marisa Montes

Although the illustrations in this book were fabulously dark and spooky, I appreciated the story as well. The story begins be describing all the scary ghosts and ghouls that lurk around Halloween. In the description of these monsters, Spanish and English words are intermingled. When Spanish words are used, meanings are easily identified by the English words that follow. However, there is also a glossary in the back of the book. At the end of the story, we learn the only thing that scares all of these creepy ghouls are....little trick or treaters!

I think this is a really cool book and an easy way to introduce or reinforce a second language to a young child.

The Poet Slave of Cuba: A biography of Juan Francisco Manjano by Margarita Engle

Unless the student is exceptional, or they are really interested in a particular person, it is difficult to interest students in random biographies. Typically, biographies are not all that interesting. This biography, however, changes that. I had never heard of Juan Francisco Manjano. I must admit, I was not all that eager to read his biography. However, with his story told through poems, like the ones he wrote in his lifetime, and through different perspectives of those important in his life, such as his mother, Dona Beatriz; his father, Turibio and his jealous second owner La Marquesa de Prado Ameno, I learned about a remarkable human being I may have never heard of otherwise.

For students, I see this book being a wonderful way to discuss the complexities of slavery. The relationships between slave and owner are hard for us to really understand since they are not part of our own experiences. The fact that, as told in the story, slaves were treated like pets or could be envied by their owners seems incredible. The beliefs, duties and restrictions of the upper class are also described. Slavery and beliefs of the people at the time, almost robbed us of the work and art of this wonderful poet. A lot can be learned from his story.

Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer

Josie is a teen living with Cerebral Palsy, but she's "not retarded." She lives on what's left of her family farm with her mother and grandmother. Josie's story is told in seasons. As the seasons change, so does Josie and her relationships with her mother and grandmother. Josie's mom is very busy working and going to school. When she does have a minute to talk to Josie at home, it's usually to quiz her with flashcards or inform her of extra tutoring she will be taking. The constant push on Josie and extra "special" classes is the cause of many conflicts and, ultimately, lies between the two. Josie's grandmother, on the other hand, is always home and passing down her knowledge of flowers and gardening to Josie. When her grandmother has a stroke, the family is eventually brought together. Mother and daughter make up and learn to really talk and listen to each other.

Josie also finds a friend in the next house over. His name is Jordan and he sees past Josie's disorder to the person she really is. It is a real friendship with ups and downs, but lasting through them all.

As Josie grows and learns more about herself and what it means to grow up, there is a flower in the corner of each page that grows and blooms right along with her.

There is a Bird on Your Head! by Mo Willems

Following Elephant and Piggy, the two main characters of the story, we see two birds chose Elephant's head on which to build their nest and lay their eggs. Elephant is none to happy about this event! Much yelling ensues. Elephant cannot figure out how to get these birds off his head! Piggy is not much help either, but his expressions are priceless in the simple, beautiful and bright pictures! My favorite is how he grabs a tissue and tears up watching the eggs hatch! All the while, Piggy and Elephant are counting everything on his head: 3 baby chicks, 2 birds and a nest...In the end, Piggy suggests Elephant calmly asks the birds to move off his head. The birds reply, "No problem!" They move...to Piggy's head!! Love it!

THe Wall: Growing up behind the iron curtain by Peter Sis

As a history teacher, I know some of the hardest concepts for students, especially middle school students, to understand are that of government. What is a monarchy, what is a democracy, what is communism? The Wall, by Peter Sis, is a wonderful picture book that explains what is was like to live under complete government control because of communism. Through his own story of loving to draw and being denied that right, the author shows readers exactly what restrictions were placed on every day life under communism.

Readers are given definitions of the Cold War, the Iron Curtain and communism on the first page of the book. From there, wonderfully bright illustrations contrast the dark, gray, depressing illustrations to show freedom versus government restrictions. Excerpts from the author's own journal add personalization to the story to help readers really be in the situation and not just read about some foreign concept. They are actually there. I believe any age level can appreciate the story told in The Wall and gain much from what is being shared: what it's like to be completely controlled by the government, to lose your basic freedoms and have to live in constant fear.

The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Unfortunately, I think I kinda missed the point of this one. The only available copy of this book my library had available to me at the time was the audiobook. Missing the mark for a Caldecott winner, but the book was wonderful nonetheless.

In 1931 Paris, Hugo is an orphan who lives in a train station in the center of town. He has taken over maintaining the clocks in the station after his uncle, and caretaker, dies as well. However, all of this is kept a secret so he can remain with the strange drawings and the mechanical man he has discovered. The mechanical man is an automaton his father found at the museum he worked at before his death. All the mystery surrounding the automaton and strange drawing is revealed at the end when the connection between the drawing, the automaton, the toy shop owner known as Papa George and his goddaughter, Isabel. Papa George had made movies. Movies Hugo's father loved. Movies that the automaton recreates in his drawings. However, after tragic deaths of his crew, including Isabel's parents, George refuses to make any more movies. However, after Hugo's uncovering of events, Papa George and his movies are honored again.

Throughout the story, the idea that we all matter and all have a purpose is recurring. We should not squander our time and torture ourselves over events that we have no control over.

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

I, personally, believe this book should have been the Newbery Winner for 2008! It is a must read for not only students, but all teachers as well. If ever we wanted an insight into how our students see us, this book gives it! Why do our students do what they do? What could possibly be going through their minds? The Wednesday Wars gives us a good idea.

Holling Hoodhood is the only Protestant boy in his class and the only one who doesn't get to leave early on Wednesdays to attend a church function. Instead, he has to remain with Mrs. Baker and be tortured with the plays of William Shakespeare. Through the endless torture, Holling begins to understand relationships that his parents don't even seem to understand. He also suffers the required embarrassment and humiliation of middle school (picture prancing around on stage in front of your peers in yellow tights with feathers on your bum!) and the growing pains of dealing with bullies and realizing heroes are not always what they seem. Along for the ride with Holling are Meryl Lee, his girl-friend; Danny, his best friend; and Heather, his "flower- child" sister. Holling's parents are also in the mix, but are very cold, distant and distracted. They can't even bother to pull themselves away from the Bing Crosby Christmas special to pick him up after his stage debut.

The Wednesday Wars also offers a lesson in our more recent history discussing the turmoil at home created by the Vietnam War. This is displayed in the many teachers/staff members who have husbands fighting in the war and the relationship of Mai Thi, the Vietnamese refugee, to those women.

Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

"Everybody always seemed to be thinking of some other place." This line from Newbery Honor book "Feathers" sums up the whole book for me. Frannie attends Price School with her frriend Samantha and her nemesis Miranda on the "wrong side of the highway." While everyone around her struggles with where they are and what they have or don't have, Frannie appreciates the graffiti on her building, her brother Sean's deafness and tries to help her parents through the loss of multiple babies and make them see that hope still survives. When "Jesus Boy" attends her school many of her classmates start to struggle with with hope of their own. Is he really Jesus? Is he just some strange white boy who lives on the wrong side of the highway? Or is he just a kid, like they are, struggling to keep hope alive for himself? In the end, hope is all we have and what we really need.

I really enjoyed this book. The relationship between Frannie and Sean is beautiful. The bond and strength the family has is also striking. I think this book is a wonderful read for any young person to realize that, even though you may not have all you think you want/need, you can have love, hope and family and be happy and complete.

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!: Voices froma medieval village by Laura Amy Schultz

This 2008 Newbery Award winner was something I did not expect! I loved the idea that this book was created with the sole intent to teach and reach students by their librarian. It is a collection of monolouges (19) and dialouges (2) named for the different Medieval characters being discussed. Through the voices of these characters, the real life of those who live through Medieval times are described. Essential vocabulary words and explanations are given when necessary, as well. Historical explanation and artifacts are also mixed in with the fictional tales. These tales address many beliefs of the Medieval times such as death of children and what happens is you die from the wound of a boar.

Unless someone has an absolute love of this era, I can't see it holding student attention from beginning to end. However, each "play" has a different style to it ans would prove an interesting way to teach a unit on this time period. I would structure this book for 6-8th grades. Perhaps 5th grade and 9th grade could benefit from it as well.