What a simple, sweet story about being unique and standing out instead of trying to change to fit in.
Marlene dreads salon Sundays when she and her moWhat a simple, sweet story about being unique and standing out instead of trying to change to fit in.
Marlene dreads salon Sundays when she and her mom spend hours getting hair brushed out, straightened, and processed. Her straight her is beautiful, but she doesn't feel like herself and has to live her life avoiding sweating or getting any water on her hair. It also doesn't help that her cousin has straight, perfect hair and happily flaunts it.
Marlene must find away to stand up for herself, stand up to bullies, and learn how to care for the beautiful "frizzy" hair she has. This is a must read for anyone with hair struggles but also for those who have difficulties with people accepting their differences.
Diversity note: Marlene is black and Dominican, so there is representation for hispanic characters and Spanish is intermingled.
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy....more
This one felt like it was written for the teens who loved The Giver and were reading from an adult stage of life. It was darker and more twisted at tiThis one felt like it was written for the teens who loved The Giver and were reading from an adult stage of life. It was darker and more twisted at times, and the driving force of the story is a mother's love which may be a little out of touch for younger readers. It was nice to see all of the characters from throughout the series be featured throughout this book. This made it all make more sense (while still leaving many questions like most Lowry books do).
I would recommend this for middle/high school because of the violence and themes. ...more
I would have loved this one as a young reader. Amina struggles with many topics including making her parents proud, processing friend drama, being a gI would have loved this one as a young reader. Amina struggles with many topics including making her parents proud, processing friend drama, being a good friend even when you make mistakes, and dealing with an event of religious/ethnic persecution. Amina has to learn to be true to herself and overcome her fears of performing. This one is a slow paced book with rich characters and relatable struggles. There are many things here to unpack and discuss. ...more
I find memoirs fascinating and this one was an interesting insight into the world of Tom Felton. It’s difficult to write a memoir when you’re only in I find memoirs fascinating and this one was an interesting insight into the world of Tom Felton. It’s difficult to write a memoir when you’re only in your 30s though. This felt more like an interesting collection of short stories telling about some escapades he got into in his youth. I appreciated how honest and open he seemed to be about his dilemmas with drinking, weed, and mental illness. There was a strong uplifting message. The scrapbook picture collection at the end was great. ...more
This book felt very similar to books like Fish in a Tree, Out of My Mind, and Wonder. It celebrates individuality and reminds the reader that being a This book felt very similar to books like Fish in a Tree, Out of My Mind, and Wonder. It celebrates individuality and reminds the reader that being a bystander to injustice is problematic.
Addie becomes captivated by the topic of the witch trials that happened in her small Scottish town many decades ago. She begins a campaign to create a memorial for the victims who were wrongly accused. She is faced with adults who are skeptical of her interest. Addie relates on a personal level though. She is autistic and has always been labeled as 'different' and sometimes even 'dangerous.' She is sure that had she lived in that time period, she would have been among the women targeted.
She perseveres to try to teach the town the importance of acceptance while battling her own modern day bullies....more
This is a great survival story based on the true story of a wolf named Journey who traveled from Oregon to northern California after his pack disperseThis is a great survival story based on the true story of a wolf named Journey who traveled from Oregon to northern California after his pack dispersed. I loved the way the story was told fully from Wander's perspective. For example, he has been warned that men are dangerous because they can stare at you and kill you and make lightning come from black sticks. The road they drive on is a "frozen, black" river. This was really well told with lots of action and adventure. It would be a great addition to a collection on survival and nature.
I'm really glad my student loaned me his copy and HIGHLY encouraged me to read this! ...more
This is a graphic novel retelling of Anne of Green Gables. It's reimagined in a modern setting where Anne is fostered by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert This is a graphic novel retelling of Anne of Green Gables. It's reimagined in a modern setting where Anne is fostered by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert who live in an apartment complex named Avon-lea. The characters are a bit milder than the original story. Anne's flair for the dramatics is a bit more tamed, and Marilla's austere nature is much more softened. It still holds true to some of the original storyline including having Rachel Lynde make an appearance and Gilbert and Anne develop a comfortable friendship.
In this version, however, Anne's creativity is expressed through joining the zine club and her friendship with Diana turns into a romance. This version also has several mentions of LGBTQIA+ character coming out and characters share their preferred pronouns. The gay relationship is treated as very normal and there is no hatred or judgement against the girls. Readers who want to see a portrayal of positive gay characters would appreciate this book. ...more
What a fun, page-turning ride! I can see why my students love this series and highly recommend it. This is one of the better books in the dystopian geWhat a fun, page-turning ride! I can see why my students love this series and highly recommend it. This is one of the better books in the dystopian genre. I do feel like there were some small plot holes and red herrings. It also felt VERY similar to The Hunger Games... and it did not live up to that level of worldbuilding, so that comparison really causes its issues to become more obvious. Overall, I really enjoyed this and plan to continue in the series.
When students tell you two years in a road that this is a MUST READ, you have to listen to them. I'm so glad I made the time to start this series! ...more
This book was sweet with a cute message. The character struggles to fit in and react to friendships changing in middle school were very realistic and This book was sweet with a cute message. The character struggles to fit in and react to friendships changing in middle school were very realistic and well done.
I was so confused by the random fantasy moments that were never explained or developed, though. Was it all make believe? Did the kittens actually teleport? Was it supposed to be whimsical? Why was the opossum the only animal that came to life? ...more
Overall, this was a good book that felt mysterious with great historical/Civil Rights connections.
Plus Side - I love the integration of Civil Rights mOverall, this was a good book that felt mysterious with great historical/Civil Rights connections.
Plus Side - I love the integration of Civil Rights monuments and sites. Gma takes Scoob on a roadtrip to all of the places she and her husband (who was black) stopped during their roadtrip in the 60s. The history tidbits were really well done! - The incorporation of the Green Book was also a really intriguing part of history - Scoob and Gma's relationship is so tender and sweet. Scoob swings from being grandson to caretaker as Gma's lucidity fluctuates. - There are some Big Feelings discussed and processed including having resentment towards parents and seeing your elders complexly as not fully perfect or fully criminal
Down Side - The reveal at the end felt strange. I didn't like the direction the story took as Gma made her final confessions. I don't know why but it felt strange and unfinished, like maybe the topic was too complex for the way it was presented. - The ending seems to condone criminal activity? Maybe I'm misinterpreting. - The roadtrip premise made this feel kind of rushed at times. I would have liked fewer stopping points with a deeper history discussion. ...more
This was a sweet story of Odder, a wild otter who finds herself in need of help from humans several times. The story is told in three parts beginning This was a sweet story of Odder, a wild otter who finds herself in need of help from humans several times. The story is told in three parts beginning with Odder as a young adult full of adventure and curiosity. She finds herself having close calls with humans pretty frequently and after an extreme accident, she is taken to the aquarium for help. The second part is a flashback to her early pup days when her mom didn't return to her one day and she was taken into the aquarium area to learn how to be an otter. The book ends by going forward to the original timeline so readers can see what happens to her after the accident.
This book was intriguing, but since everything is told from Odder's perspective, there is a LOT of inferencing that must happen to understand what's going on. The novel being in verse may have contributed to some of this confusion as well. It's a great book to use to explain perspective. Odder doesn't know what scuba gear is or what an aquarium tank is, so she's constantly describing the human's seal-like slick skin to cover their furless body, or the clear hard sides of water that she accidentally swims into.
It's difficult to know what age group to present this to. The vocabulary and perspective challenged by 6th graders, but the content did not really engage their attention. It was good, but a somewhat strange fit of a book. We REALLY enjoyed the end Author's Note that told about the real otters the book was based on. I wish this book was more of that....more