Best Reads of Fall 2024

Of the 65 books I read, these were my favorites. 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

I'm Sorry You Got Mad by Kyle Lukoff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I never ever ever EVER tell my students to say they're sorry. If they are truly sorry, then they should apologize without me making them. And if they aren't ... then we have other problems. Hoping this book will help with a conversation that too many kids need to have ... empathy is sorely lacking these days.

 

I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Deep breath. Be here now.

 

Look by Gabi Snyder
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

LOVE the illustrations!

Lunch Every Day by Kathryn Otoshi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I'm crying a little right now after finishing the book.

Chapter Books / Graphic Novels

Weirdo by Tony Weaver Jr.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rare is the graphic novel with Newbery-worthy writing. This one packed a few gut-punches, not the least of which Weaver tried to end his life as a kid. Jesus.

p. 33: What if instead of one plant, we're actually gardens. What if we're a combination of many things? Some parts are massive centerpieces, and others are accents, but every detail is important. If the possibilities are endless ... what could I be? What seeds have I been planting? What will bloom in me?

p. 231: They both had feelings. Just because those feelings weren't the same doesn't make either of them wrong for having them.

p. 261: They say everyone is the hero of their own story. But if you're the hero, somebody has to be the villain.

Nonfiction

Evidence!: How Dr. John Snow Solved the Mystery of Cholera by Deborah Hopkinson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love plagues.

 

Claudette Colvin: I Want Freedom Now! by Claudette Colvin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Is "Where is Japan?" really a "big" question?

That is my only issue with this book ... which is not the first to point out that Rosa Parks was inspired by Claudette. I like that this included her being annoyed about Rosa becoming a celebrity.

 

A Tree Is a Community by David L. Harrison
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Such a fun book! Love the evocative language and gorgeous illustrations.

 

Hello, I'm a Sloth by Hayley Rocco
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I've been doing a sloth fiction v. nonfiction unit for years, but this book taught me a few things I didn't already know - unfortunately, many of them were in the back matter, which I generally don't read out loud to the students. However, these facts were in the main text:

- they swim well because of being GASSY
- there are six kinds
- beetles live in their fur
- people are building rope bridges for them

Will definitely be adding to my K lesson and probably using for Mock Sibert with 2 and 3 this year.

 

Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a Whale Fall by Lynn Brunelle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disgusting and gross yet very informative. Too long for Mock Sibert, but I will consider purchasing for my 1st grader who loves blue whales. Although he may be traumatized by her dying.

Question: King crabs live in the deepest darkest most pressure-filled levels of the ocean? How are we catching them to eat?

 

Erno Rubik and His Magic Cube by Kerry Aradhya
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A few years ago, cubes were the rage in my elementary school. Not so much now, but maybe I'll shepherd in a resurgence by reading this to the kids for Mock Sibert. Will also have them play with tangrams and pentominoes.

 

Butt or Face?, Vol. 2: Revenge of the Butts by Kari Lavelle
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Will Lavelle win our Mock Sibert for the second year in a row? Time will tell!

 

Fighting with Love: The Legacy of John Lewis by Lesa Cline-Ransome
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

All kids should know who John Lewis was! And as a librarian, I was happy with the way they cited the quote sources. However, while I know that his faith was important to him, the mentions of God rankled. "God's gonna take care of his children" ... and let them get their skull cracked on a peaceful march?

For Grownups

How to Age Disgracefully by Clare Pooley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such fun! (said in Miranda's mom's voice)

 

Meredith, Alone by Claire Alexander
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The flashback structure was effective, but OH! How evil was her mother?

 

The Husbands by Holly Gramazio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Completely original premise, but I am conflicted about the ending. And unsure why it switched POV? Still, a good read that I would recommend.

 

Wrong Place Wrong Time by Gillian McAllister
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

McAllister skillfully revealed information as Jen moved backwards in time, and I really enjoyed the book overall. But the ending was unsatisfying (even though it was meant to tie things up neatly). And I was puzzled by the Pauline bit.

Mock Newbery 2025 - December List

I missed the first meeting, and was dismayed by how many books I thought were subpar were kept on the list. But that's ok. There is time to cut them! I read 11 (and abandoned 1) of the 19 books on the list, and here's what I thought of the ones that weren't discussed in October:

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

So good. The story just flowed, even if the time travel mechanics didn't QUITE make sense. But will they ever? I did appreciate that they did extensive research in the future on locations, to make sure nobody apparated inside a tree or under water. And Ridge's studied "slang" was hilarious. There was a good balance of adventure and FEEL-ings.

Most of all, I LOVED THE UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE, my alma mater, and the mention of the Christiana Mall ... I literally JUST took a photo of it from the highway a couple of weeks ago to send to my family as R. and I drove home to RI from DC.

VERDICT: Keep



And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fipps describes Joe's hunger and fear effectively ... reading this book was was very stressful! And underscores why I don't think teachers should have their kids do stuff for Mother's Day and Father's Day. Because some parents SUCK. But this book doesn't.

p. 11: The longer I wait for her, / the more nervous I get / that she won't ever return, / and yet / the more I fear her coming home.

p. 24: Nobody even looked at us. / We were invisible. / People didn't want to see us, / because if they did, / they'd get scared that one day / they could be us.

p. 142: For some reason the game Rock, Paper, Scissors / pops into my head. / Hakeem's strong / like a rock. / I'm a lightweight / like paper. / Paper beats rock. / But Hakeem's words cut like scissors. / 'Cause they're true.

Quibble: Would 6th graders really be sitting crisscross applesauce on carpet squares for a readaloud?

VERDICT: Keep

Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II by Candace Fleming
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Well written, because Fleming, but I had a hard time remembering who was who and what their jobs were. Also, many of the jobs were confusing. How was Mavis able to figure out Italian phrases if she didn't speak Italian? I did not understand the Bombes or Baudot-Murray code even though Fleming tried to explain.

Anyways, may we never ration, because 1 egg, 2 ounces of butter, and an ounce of cheese is pretty much my typical breakfast.

VERDICT: Drop

  

Other drops that had been keeps, all of which I'm fine with:

• Jupiter Rising by Gary D. Schmidt 
  
  
• Max in the House of Spies by Adam Gidwitz 
  
  
• Plain Jane and the Mermaid by Vera Brosgol 
  
  
• The Selkie’s Daughter by Linda Crotta Brennan