Told in two voices, this story follows Cody and Autumn as Autumn's single act of compassion takes the two on a journey through racism , poverty, and pTold in two voices, this story follows Cody and Autumn as Autumn's single act of compassion takes the two on a journey through racism , poverty, and privilege to a better understanding of kindness and how kindness changes people's lives....more
Paige worries about her autism affects herself, her family, her friend Mara, and how she interacts with school and social situations. Life is hard enoPaige worries about her autism affects herself, her family, her friend Mara, and how she interacts with school and social situations. Life is hard enough, but then she discovers that her parents enrolled her in an autism study program without her consent. When she was seven years old, her parents allowed a company to insert a monitor into her brain that has been tracking her and collecting data for five years. Believing that she can't talk to her parents about this, she and her friend Mara begin collecting information about the Dot and other "subjects" in the study. What Paige, Mara and a couple of others find makes them determined to expose and shut down the program. I loved the concept of this story and the related thoughts about bioethics, large corporations, and the use of data versus personal privacy. Overall, though, I found the pacing problematic and the solution to the problem somehow overly simplistic while simultaneously being dramatic....more
Olivia loves being dungeon master for her friends and has fun introducing new people to the game, but now she is feeling pressure to her family to groOlivia loves being dungeon master for her friends and has fun introducing new people to the game, but now she is feeling pressure to her family to grow up and put aside childish things to do something productive with her life. Maybe that is why she is suddenly afraid her talent to create complex stories is drying up. As Olivia struggles with her final year of middle school, friend Jess struggles with identity issues and friend Tyler struggles with bullying and making friends. As someone who recently acted as a dungeon master, this story resonated with me on several fronts...more
Savannah is having a hard time in her new home of Sandy Dune, Florida away from all of her friends who understood her. Although having cochlear implanSavannah is having a hard time in her new home of Sandy Dune, Florida away from all of her friends who understood her. Although having cochlear implants is making life easier, making new friends is not, especially after Sav makes a scene at the restaurant belonging to the family of her new acquaintance Tanner. Sav is horrified to learn that the soup she is served is made from shark fins. As an animal lover, her distress sends her on a quest to find out more about sharks. As a result, she begins to take action, and her actions get her and others into serious trouble. Eventually, Sav learns how to take action productively and makes some real friends. In the process, she changes from a charge-ahead-at-all-costs hothead to a more thoughtful, productive activist who learns how to galvanize people to action. ...more
Basil and Dahlia are on their way to a new home after their parents' deaths when they discover they will be placed separately. Dahlia, the impulsive sBasil and Dahlia are on their way to a new home after their parents' deaths when they discover they will be placed separately. Dahlia, the impulsive sibling, decides to jump off the slow-moving train and Basil follows her, if only to protect her. Through this and other devious ways, the two orphans reach New York City. Through a series of fortunate, or perhaps unfortunate, events, the two are taken in by Laurel Fox, a disgraced celebrity baker who sees the orphans are her way back to stardom. Little do the two realize that their new home will prove to be a prison and that Laurel Fox harbors sinister plans for them as well as for other orphans like them. I enjoyed the story once I got past what seemed like a slow start. This book reminded me of A Series of Unfortunate Events with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase thrown in for good measure, but in an entirely original story, which, satisfyingly, ends with a nod to Hansel and Gretel....more
I enjoyed reading the story of Sena and his relationship with his grandfather. Sena's grandfather taught him many things about living with the naturalI enjoyed reading the story of Sena and his relationship with his grandfather. Sena's grandfather taught him many things about living with the natural world , and Sena was able to use that knowledge to survive after he escaped from forced labor as a fisher boy on Lake Akosomba in Ghana. Sena experienced many changes in his short life, from moving to live with his grandfather, to his grandfather's death, to Sena's decision to go away and make money for his mother and siblings. I really enjoyed the first two parts of the book. I enjoyed the part after Sena's escape less and was not really satisfied with the ending. However, I think this is an important book that tells part of the story of the world's largest manmade lake and the people whose lives have been altered by its creation....more
The stories of Elisa, Lucia, and Alice are interwoven through first person accounts and letters to provide a basis for lasting friendship from three vThe stories of Elisa, Lucia, and Alice are interwoven through first person accounts and letters to provide a basis for lasting friendship from three very different girls who are living very different experiences. I found the character development of each girl interesting, but confess to enjoying the first-person accounts more than the letters....more
Another fun romp through the world of CIA operatives-in-training Ben, Erica, Zoe and Mike, with the added benefit of Murray Hill's escape to continue Another fun romp through the world of CIA operatives-in-training Ben, Erica, Zoe and Mike, with the added benefit of Murray Hill's escape to continue the tension in the series. This time, the operatives-in-training are up against a Russian agent determined to make the United States pay for Alaska. The operatives-in-training must provide proof the payment took place or face the destruction of the Alaska, and possibly, the world. Woven through the never-ending action is just a tidbit of history that makes me want to read more, and to go back to the original history to find out more....more
Atty is back, and this time, she is in love. She falls in love with a boy after just a few minutes of time with him at the fair. The only trouble is, Atty is back, and this time, she is in love. She falls in love with a boy after just a few minutes of time with him at the fair. The only trouble is, the boy is part of a family that owns the elephant used at the fair for rides. Atty, who is an animal advocate and has spent considerable time writing a proposal for a county no-kill animal shelter, is forced to choose between love and justice. The boy, Emory, also must make his choice. I enjoyed reading about one teen's struggle to align love with her moral code....more
For Wyatt, everything in life fits into a set of three, including his life plan to play pro baseball. Almost immediately after he achieves the first sFor Wyatt, everything in life fits into a set of three, including his life plan to play pro baseball. Almost immediately after he achieves the first step in his plan, however, life begins to go wrong. The racism and bullying he has been facing among his peers and on the team escalate and something strange happens in his body as well--smoke begins to rise from his feet. His friend Dallas, a Dakota Native, who is also on his team, doesn't seem to be helping. When Wyatt asks her to use her position on the middle school paper to write about the racism, she seems to refuse. As Wyatt's life spirals further and further out of his control, how can he get back on track? Finding out makes an engrossing read as the author blends everyday middle school events with a hint of fantasy and a gripping account of generational trauma linked to an actual event in America....more
Fitz is living a dream, at an FIT summer program to explore fashion. Even better, she is there with her girlfriend, Dani who is participating in an inFitz is living a dream, at an FIT summer program to explore fashion. Even better, she is there with her girlfriend, Dani who is participating in an internship for drama. One of her sisters is living in New York City and she sees an opportunity to reconnect with her much-older sibling and perhaps even feel like a real sister. She even has a chance encounter with a friend from her childhood, someone she has missed every day of the past seven years and is able to reconnect. How, then, does everything go wrong? Or does it? This book is an honest look at how people filter themselves to "make" them "acceptable." When Fitz learns to let people in instead of trying to be perfect for everyone, she discovers that maybe an imperfect self has more scope for really being who she wants to be. She can finally just be Fitz. I really enjoyed reading this story of imperfection and adjustment....more
Stanley doesn't expect his first day at a new school to go well, but even he couldn't have predicted being made invisible and squaring off against an Stanley doesn't expect his first day at a new school to go well, but even he couldn't have predicted being made invisible and squaring off against an equally-invisible supervillain! However, as with most stories, there is more to this one than first meets the eye. Stanley's ability to use his invisibility for good to change the world in small ways is both hilarious and heart-warming. The art is clean and crisp and adds dimensions to Stanley's story. I look forward to seeing his next adventure....more
Told through a mix of prose and verse, Victoria's insecurities about friends, family, and soon-to-be family are on full display. Victoria revisits theTold through a mix of prose and verse, Victoria's insecurities about friends, family, and soon-to-be family are on full display. Victoria revisits the previous summer's disaster and wars within herself about whether she should give her mother's new boyfriend, who soon becomes her fiancé, a chance. Ultimately, she decides to shut down the relationship with whatever means possible in order to save her family from further pain. Does that turn out to be the best option, though?...more
Olive has a hard time speaking up for herself, or even speaking much outside of her family or closest friend. However, after filming a disturbing scenOlive has a hard time speaking up for herself, or even speaking much outside of her family or closest friend. However, after filming a disturbing scene on the street where a woman chases a beaver away from her yard, Olive works to overcome her shyness and anxiety to help the cause of beavers in her home state of Oregon. While she is working to make her voice heard, however, a rift occurs with her best friend and Olive tries not to hear the old voices in her mind that tell her she is worthless and a failure. In the end, Olive knows what she must do to triumph. Can she take the actions she needs to?...more
Willow and Jake Grimm are not happy that they need to move from Los Angeles because their parents have accepted jobs in New Marburg, Idaho, especiallyWillow and Jake Grimm are not happy that they need to move from Los Angeles because their parents have accepted jobs in New Marburg, Idaho, especially since the jobs are top secret. When they arrive, the town is strange and their new teacher hates them because their father was hired over her for an important job at the Think Tank. Things become even weirder, though, when their entire town forgets who they are and then disappears. Willow and Jake are thrown into Grimmworld, a place of fairy tales that never have a happily-ever-after. How can Willow and Jake defeat the witch in the woods to save their town, their parents, and their new friends?...more
This story, told in two voices was strangely compelling, especially knowing that one of the characters was already dead. River Lang has been strugglinThis story, told in two voices was strangely compelling, especially knowing that one of the characters was already dead. River Lang has been struggling his senior year without his best friend Dylan at his side because Dylan had died in a car accident. Through a series of events stemming from an act of vandalism done in protest, River has signed up to be a test subject for an entire week in a mysterious study. Unfortunately for him, the study group of teens also includes all of the people he would most like to avoid. To add to his problems, the terms of the study seem to keep changing AND he seems to be seeing visions of his dead friend in various places during the study. Along the way, River and the other members of the study begin to suspect that all is not above-board, but the truth is something they never could have imagined. ...more
I enjoy embroidering on fabric, and in fact, have completed items of clothing with similar patterns to the ones in this story. I love how the author uI enjoy embroidering on fabric, and in fact, have completed items of clothing with similar patterns to the ones in this story. I love how the author used photos of the patterns to create a story and even made use of holes in the fabric as well as the reverse side to create characters and setting. It is very creative. Ii wish the story had been longer with more adventures for Leilah....more
This book had a lot of interesting information about Carol Gilligan and her championing of individual voice within society, especially in the telling This book had a lot of interesting information about Carol Gilligan and her championing of individual voice within society, especially in the telling of women's stories, but also her research into the reasons for loss of voice among children and teens. Since Gilligan specifically was instrumental in trying to help people develop a different voice, I was disappointed that the book didn't mention the attitudes of her husband and two sons toward her work. I would have thought that their voices would have added depth to Gilligan's story....more
Mamie Phipps Clark led an interesting life and her work had an enormous impact on the lives of all Americans through her work in psychology, and partiMamie Phipps Clark led an interesting life and her work had an enormous impact on the lives of all Americans through her work in psychology, and particularly in how Black children internalize the messages of society. I thought the format of the book was interesting, with sections of Clark's life told through a graphic novel format with other sections entitled Did You Know and Try This. I wish that more of the story were told through Clark's own voice and that more information about psychological studies and court cases was provided and discussed. ...more