Best Reads of the Summer

Here's what I read and loved this summer. Several grownup books at the end! Click on the titles to read plot summaries. If you'd like to see all of my books, you can follow me on Goodreads.

Picture Books

Someone Builds the Dream by Lisa Wheeler
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have long been irritated at the general educational focus of getting kids into college. Learning to function as a productive member of society gets lost on the way, as does the importance of the trades. (My cousin's friend once remarked that if a job wasn't featured in Richard Scarry's "What Do People Do All Day?" then they wondered if it was truly necessary.)

This celebration of the people who do the hard physical work of building and creating is refreshing. It takes a team; nobody is more important than anyone else. Everyone's job has value. And Long's illustrations are fantastic.

 

Wishes by Mượn Thị Văn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Stunning in its simplicity.

 

The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Delightful.

I AM COMING CLOSER.

 

Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wonder a lot too.
Gorgeous illustrations.

Sunrise Summer by Matthew Swanson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

One of those books that introduces kids to a completely different experience than they are used to. (Unless they live in an Alaskan fishing village.) Lively illustrations accompany interesting text. My copy says pub date 2020, so I don't think I can use it for Mock Caldecott? But Amazon says 2021. Hmm.



My First Day by Phùng Nguyên Quang
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Hmm ... I want my kids to understand that not everyone lives a middle-class life in exurbia. Maybe I'll use this as a jumping-off point.

 

Mel Fell by Corey R. Tabor
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Extra star for the format. I can't believe nobody came up with it before! Will definitely make for good Mock Caldecott discussion.

 

Early Reader  

Stuck Together by Brian "Smitty" Smith
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness, this was great! "I done broke my pea-hind!" "I'm a marble!" My students will love it.

Middle Grade Novels

 

Starfish by Lisa Fipps
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not sure if this needed to be in "verse," but I stayed up and read it all in one sitting. Loved Ellie's voice. Loved that there were actual strategies shared by the therapist.

p. 31 - "It's unknown how many students' lives
librarians have saved
by welcoming loners at lunch."

p. 49 - "If I were an article, she'd put a giant X on me."

p. 59 - "Dr. Woodn't-You-Like-to-Know
shelves books based on color,
not alphabetically,
so I think she obviously can't be trusted."

p. 153 - "I saw bits and pieces of me
in the shards.
And it hit me.
That's how people see me,
as bits and pieces of fat.
Not as a person."

 

Too Bright to See by Kyle Lukoff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Not really a ghost story, first of all. I mean, yeah, there is a ghost, but this isn't quite what the kids who ask for "scary" books are asking for. However, it is so well written; I'm giving it an extra star for the actual text. But I kind of want to take away a star for the whiplash I got between p. 115 and p. 154. Really? A ghost haircut made you pull a 180? It kind of made it seem like the right haircut is all one needs to find one's identity. Within minutes.

Finally, school is 45 minutes away? Gross.


p. 15 - "Smiling seems like it would hurt, like clay has dried on my cheeks and a twitch of my lips would crack it off."

p. 29 - "[G]etting good grades just felt like playing a game, and winning."

p. 46 - "Even reading on the porch sounds more interesting when I pretend to be a character in a book doing it. Reading A Book On The Porch, instead of just reading a book on the porch."

p. 49 - " ... I'm panting, then sobbing, my shoulders quake and my palms press against my face slippery with tears and snot and that narrator that's always murmuring in my head suggests that this is the part of the story where I cry over my uncle's death and maybe start to heal but I don't think that's what's happening but I don't know what's happening ..."

Nonfiction

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am thinking about doing a Mock Sibert with my 2nd graders this year, but this one might be too traumatizing for 7 year olds. Maybe I'll read it to 5th grade? Unbelievable that it was covered up for so long.



The Highest Tribute: Thurgood Marshall’s Life, Leadership, and Legacy by Kekla Magoon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wow! This was really good. I think I will pair it with a book about RBG, which I had already done with 2nd last year, and ask the kids which laws they would change.

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Never Let a Ghost Borrow Your Library Book: Book Care Guidelines from Library Secret Service by Karen Casale
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So much more fun than some of the other book-care titles out there. Will be using for K. And 1, since they never had checkout during COVID times, just book giveaways. It's going to be a job explaining that they can't keep their books this year.

 

A Most Clever Girl: How Jane Austen Discovered Her Voice by Jasmine A. Stirling
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A focused picture-book biography that doesn't seem to have any gaping holes or shoehorned extra facts. Nicely done.

For Grownups

The Guest List by Lucy Foley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

PERFECT vacation read. Shifting perspectives, skeletons in closets, a body somewhere that we don't even know who it belongs to until the last few chapters. I guessed one twist, but not the other two huge ones. Highly entertaining.





Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal by Mary Roach
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Thanks to the "Nobody Listens to Paula Poundstone" podcast for introducing me to Mary Roach. I want to read all the things now! I kept driving my boyfriend crazy with "Did you know ..." statements. And feel vindicated for all the times people told me my food couldn't possibly have just come out of me already because it needs 24 hours. Nope! Just 5! And some of us have faster systems. So there.

 

The Other Mrs. by Mary Kubica
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Whoa, Nellie! I stayed up way too late last night devouring the this book. I half guessed one twist, but not the other two, and kudos to Ms. Kubica for her tricking me. However, the last few chapters got really bonkers and stuff seemed to happen way too fast, including Sadie's acceptance of a few things that were revealed and a crazy climax. I fell asleep thinking of plot holes and overwrought writing. But overall, a cracking summer vacation read.

 

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fantastic read. Would you trade your soul for freedom? What about if it meant living forever?

Best Reads T3 2020-2021

As the year wound down, here's what I read and recommend. Click on the titles to read plot summaries. If you'd like to see all of my books, you can follow me on Goodreads. 

Picture Book

Milo Imagines the World by Matt de la Pena
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh my god. The tears snuck up on me. Not sure what the kids will think, but I'm adding it to my Caldecott list. I want them to hear the message and see the illustrations.

Middle Grade Fiction

Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Good stuff. Harry Potter fans will gobble it up. The world-building is pretty even, and there are some SHOCKING twists. Will order for next year.

 

Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur T. Bradley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent introduction to the genre for middle grades. I saw some things coming, but there were a few twists that surprised me. Hoping that kids will ask for more books like this.




The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane by Kate O'Shaughnessy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness I ended up loving this one. The initial premise was a bit off-putting to me, but I kept going because I try to read all the RICBA books every year. And I'm so glad I kept with it. Loved the Three Musketeers learning to love and respect each other. Loved the sharing of secrets. Loved the character development.

 

Alone by Megan E. Freeman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Read this in one sitting, which is rare for me. Super fast-paced, and Freeman actually used poetic language v. just sticking returns in the middle of sentences. The barrels ringing was a gut punch. Loved that the library helped her so much. Became truly anxious over the lack of running water. And sad over the lack of produce. I don't think I would have survived. Docked one star for the unsatisfactory explanation of what really happened.

p. 82 - "Even if I liked it / my parents would murder me / if I started drinking alcohol / the minute I was left alone."

p. 107 - "Paradox. maybe God / sends us nightmares / so our living reality / doesn't seem so bad / when we wake up. // until we wake up / and remember / we are living in a nightmare / we can't escape / except by going / to sleep."

p. 206 - "Stick figures brandishing / totems of ecstatic idiocy ... Where is the sticker stepkid / with her sticker suitcase?"

p. 286 - "Can one lone girl be a civilization / all by herself?"

p. 319 - "I am the most ancient teenager / on the planet."


My Life as a Potato by Arianne Costner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

So refreshing to read a book where the most stressful central problem is having to hide your short stint as a mascot in the weeks leading up to a school dance. Nobody was dead or dying, there were no horrible family secrets coming to light. Extra star for being something my kids would actually read.

 

The Lion of Mars by Jennifer L. Holm
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Interesting, pretty fast-paced, and most of the questions I had were answered as the book went on. I would like to smack Sai, though. Moral of the story: Don't jump to conclusions.

p. 28 - "Just because everyone says something doesn't mean it's true."

 

On These Magic Shores by Yamile Saied Méndez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some flaws - I question the fairies and the hospital's lack of ID-ing the mom and contacting the kids - but another title I didn't think I would like and then finished in two sittings, interrupted only by sleep.




Anti/Hero by Kate Karyus Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A little confusing sometimes to tell who was who, but overall interesting and a solid foundation for a new series. Looking forward to hearing the backstory of The Bear and his daughter.

Nonfiction  

Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story of the Oldest Person to Ever Run a Marathon by Simrat Jeet Singh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well written, interesting, and inspiring text with a repeating motif: "But Fauja did not listen and Fauja did not stop." I love that when I had the kids write down the main idea as an assignment, half of them talked about the more philosophical aspects of the story. I hope he is still alive when I read it to the third grades his fall.

For Grownups

Sellevision by Augusten Burroughs
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Ridiculous fun. Highly recommended as a beach read, although it worked for bedtime during April vacation too.

 

 

The Smell of Other People's Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love when stories intertwine. The different narrators had distinguished enough voices. And the ending made me cry.

RICBA Nominees 2022

I already finished all 20! It helped that I had already read 6 before the list was announced. Here's what I thought of them ... favorites at the top.

I Am Every Good Thing by Derrick Barnes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

"I am a lightning round of questions, and
a star-filled sky of solutions."

Loved this.
Simple.
Powerful.
Joyous.
Proud.
Reflective.
So good.

 

The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane by Kate O'Shaughnessy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Oh my goodness I ended up loving this one. The initial premise was a bit off-putting to me, but I kept going because I try to read all the RICBA books every year. And I'm so glad I kept with it. Loved the Three Musketeers learning to love and respect each other. Loved the sharing of secrets. Loved the character development.

 

Midnight at the Barclay Hotel by Fleur T. Bradley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Excellent introduction to the genre for middle grades. I saw some things coming, but there were a few twists that surprised me. Hoping that kids will ask for more books like this.




Fauja Singh Keeps Going: The True Story of the Oldest Person to Ever Run a Marathon by Simrat Jeet Singh
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well written, interesting, and inspiring text with a repeating motif: "But Fauja did not listen and Fauja did not stop." I love that when I had the kids write down the main idea as an assignment, half of them talked about the more philosophical aspects of the story. I hope he is still alive when I read it to the third grades his fall.

 

The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I may need to add this into my K or 1 curriculum to try and get kids to understand that being able to read is a privilege. Gorgeous illustrations from Oge Mora as usual.

 

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Definitely would recommend for RI Children's Book Award. Although could 3rd graders handle the reference to the maxipad on p. 25? Hmm. Eh, bodies are bodies.

Yumi tries to pull off a crazy plan, and there is a calamitous climax, but all's well that ends well. I didn't find her stand-up hilarious, but Kim's overall writing is amusing. Yumi's path to figuring out how to stand up for herself is appealing if a little wackadoo, and I think some of my students will relate to her experience as a child of immigrants.

p. 108: "Dad's full of interesting ideas. Like the time he tried to solve our backyard rodent problem by hanging giant mobiles shaped like predatory birds he made out of Styrofoam. Only for them to be eaten by rats."

On These Magic Shores by Yamile Saied Méndez
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Some flaws - I question the fairies and the hospital's lack of ID-ing the mom and contacting the kids - but another title I didn't think I would like and then finished in two sittings, interrupted only by sleep.

 

Shirley and Jamila Save Their Summer by Gillian Goerz
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Were they REALLY expected to stay within the confines of the basketball court ALL DAY EVERY DAY? That was the one that bothered me. Otherwise, a nice spin on the "should I be their friend?" trope. And I liked that the mystery wasn't super easy to solve.

 

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Lots going on here - best-friend trouble, cupcake planning, trying to prove the innocence of one's imprisoned birth father ... Good for those who like happy endings (spoiler alert!). Under 300 pages, so maybe my students would read it? Also I grew up in Melrose, which is next to Medford, so that was kind of cool.

NOTE: Second book I've read this month that mentions "Ghost" by Jason Reynolds. The other was "Dress Coded."

 

Anti/Hero by Kate Karyus Quinn
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A little confusing sometimes to tell who was who, but overall interesting and a solid foundation for a new series. Looking forward to hearing the backstory of The Bear and his daughter.

 

Some Places More Than Others by Renée Watson
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A bit heavy-handed, but I can recommend to students.

 

Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Cute.

 

Packs: Strength in Numbers by Hannah Salyer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Suggested to one of my principals as a possible school-wide-meeting read because of the message of working together to achieve a goal.



The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked that Bea went to a therapist and had eczema - things I can relate to! "What does a feeling feel like?" But overall, just an ok book. And I don't think the corn bookends worked.

 

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Good information on racism in the past and present, and Stone has some good lines (see below), but plot-wise ... yikes. G'ma is out of control. And the ending ... did not like.

p. 26: "Scoob would never admit it to anyone, but there are books he's never finished because he liked imagining all the things that COULD happen. Knowing what DOES happen would take the fun out of it."

p. 40: "G'ma said they can't see [the stars] from Atlanta because there's too much LIGHT POLLUTION. Tonight, he learned more then he realized there was to know about a guy he'd always been told didn't matter. What else could Scoob not know about in the sky of his existence? Is there such a thing as LIFE pollution?"

p. 106: "Scoob feels like cracks are forming all over him and he's gonna break into a jillion and one pieces like a smashed Lego tower."



Feed Your Mind: A Story of August Wilson by Jen Bryant
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Ooh, that Morton Salt incident made me so mad!
And the Napoleon paper.

But why mention Romare Bearden and not have actual works of his as part of the illustrations?
And why use the N word several times but not give the full title of Ma Rainey?

I'm not sure that any of my kids are going to be that into this book. Although I do like the message of how Wilson educated himself at the library. Ties into a discussion we had in second grade about Frederick Douglass. But this is not a second-grade book.

 

Saucy by Cynthia Kadohata
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

So many exclamation points! I think it worked to put us in Becca's head! But she had lots of bad ideas! And I couldn't believe how destructive the pig was! And I was kind of shocked that after p. 53 said that they didn't have that much money, the parents forked over 3K to the sanctuary! Who knows how much they had to cough up at the end! I hope they never give Becca any allowance for the rest of her life!

 

A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart by Zetta Elliott
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I know it won the Caldecott, but I forgot to really look at the illustrations my first time through and was like, "ok, that's nice." Then I realized it followed a timeline.

 

Willa and the Whale by Chad Morris
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

So is Meg REALLY talking? Is she just a coping mechanism? I mean, she is kind of a dork, so maybe she is just an extension of Willa. And she repeated a line from the mom's journal, so ...

As far as the writing, my students may find all of the marine life facts interesting, but I found them annoying.

Other reviewers have compared this to "The Line Tender," and I agree that that book is far superior.

Still, this was the one the most kids were excited about reading when I showed them the RICBA trailers in June, so I guess I'll be trying to get my hands on extra copies.

 

Were I Not a Girl: The Inspiring and True Story of Dr. James Barry by Lisa Robinson
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I wanted way more information on the breakthroughs Barry made in the medical field. It was mentioned in one sentence among a bunch of other things. The sentence about his love of fashion had more detail! Wikipedia says this, which is MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT than just "delivered babies": "Barry also performed one of the first known successful Caesarean sections in which both mother and child survived; the child was christened James Barry Munnik in Barry's honour, and the name was passed down through the family, leading to Barry's name being borne by a later Prime Minister of South Africa, J. B. M. Hertzog."

And did we really need to know that he fought a duel, especially when the endnotes say it was over his falling in love with a married man? I read a bunch of articles and would much rather have his grumpiness and yelling at people all the time included. He had a fight with Florence Nightingale! He got shit done! He wanted soldiers to have libraries!

Best Reads T2 2020-2021

The second third of the school year was possibly even more insane than the first, as kids started trickling back full-time from their hybrid schedules. I still managed to read a few books. Here's what I recommend. Click on the titles to read plot summaries. If you'd like to see all of my books, you can follow me on Goodreads. 

Picture Books

There Is a Rainbow by Theresa Trinder
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lovely. The other side is on the horizon.

 

Jabari Tries by Gaia Cornwall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've read this to two classes so far for Mock Caldecott, and I love that they love the message. Keep trying, Jabari! Keep helping, Nika!




You Poop Here by Paul Meisel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My kids are going to lose their minds when I read this for Mock Caldecott next year.

Early Readers

What About Worms!? by Ryan T. Higgins
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Him running away screaming while they chase him with hugs made me laugh.

 

Flubby Will Not Play with That by Jennifer E. Morris
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Anyone who ever met a cat knows how this will end.

Middle Grade Fiction

Birdie and Me by J.M.M. Nuanez
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow! It took me a couple of chapters to get into this, and at first all I could think was "Really? More dead parents?" But the next thing I knew, it was an hour later, and I hadn't put it down. I ended up reading it all in one sitting and I cried at the end.

Fantastic multifaceted characters (at least the main ones - Ross and Teddy and the teachers suck) and sharp writing (ex., "... her eyes looking like little fires"). Mom had serious issues, but I want to play some of the games she invented, like the First-Class Quest.

One question: If the book takes place now, how the heck old is Carl if he fought in Vietnam? I know he is 15 years older than Mom, but the math doesn't seem to work. I still loved this book.

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was halfway through when we had our Mock Newbery voting meeting, and asked if it turned out that the dad went to therapy. He didn't. But I'm glad he changed.

I could maybe have done without Khalid's dream ramblings. Like "So in a way, all of us are already gone, and the entire universe has all started and expanded and ended, all in the same second."

But other than that, nicely plotted with a sense of place and evolving characters. And very relevant issues. I can see why it's getting so many awards.

Young Adult-ish

Dress Coded by Carrie Firestone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Fast paced with short chapters / podcast transcripts / lists / letters, anger-inducing issue, positive outcome - I loved this book!

For Grownups

Little Sister: A Memoir by Patricia Walsh Chadwick
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Started with audio version, but those first few chapters were too hard to follow. Once I got through them visually, the rest of the book was a good read ... I actually finished it all in one day! Sister Catherine was a hypocritical lunatic. Oh how I would love to be able to ask her husband some questions. The way that some of the other sisters - originally fun-loving coeds - became punishers was scary. I don't think Jesus approves of beating children or locking them in cellars. And yet Chadwick still donates to the order!