Brown Girl Dreaming

by Jacqueline Woodson

Woodson, J. (2014). Brown girl dreaming. New York: Penguin.

Jacqueline Woodson and her family live in Ohio, but her mother's love for Greenville, South Carolina, lulls her back. The three children make the move, but, sadly, their father remains in the north. Growing up in the south has its pros and cons. Extended family is a pro. Segregation and prejudices are cons. Becoming a Jehovah's Witness falls somewhere in the middle. Eventually, the family moves to New York. Through it all, Jacqueline learns the value of family and finds her gifts of storytelling and writing.

This autobiography is written by Jacqueline Woodson in free verse. Because it spans the 1960s and 1970s, it is a fantastic historical account of what it was like to grow up in both the North and South during the civil rights movement. It was interesting to read since I was born in the late 1960s in the South, but also spent some of my childhood living in the North. The world that we live in today is quite different than it was then. I think that  Brown Girl Dreaming will help those who read it to learn about the past and help to preserve pieces of our nation's history, some good and some bad, that we need to remember. In addition, this book does an excellent job in conveying that every person is designed for a purpose and in encouraging each to seek it out.

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Author, Jacqueline Woodson's website: http://www.jacquelinewoodson.com/

Book trailer:

Hear from the author:

The Three Pigs

by David Wiesner

Wiesner, D. (2001). The three pigs. New York: Clarion Books.

The big bad wolf huffs and puffs and blows down a little pig's house of straw, but...his gust of air also blows the pig out of the story! When he moves on to the house of sticks, the first pig calls the second off of the page to safety. The third pig joins them, and together they go on an adventure through other stories. When the pigs return back to the story with some new friends, the wolf receives a surprise he never expected.

This picture book starts out in the expected tradition of The Three Little Pigs, but then suddenly changes in an unexpected way. Wiesner's active imagination comes to life when his characters literally step off of the page. This unique point-of-view creates an interesting story. His illustrations are necessary to understand what is happening. They are particularly creative in how they display the animals one way when they are inside the story and differently when they are outside the story. I especially loved the black and white dragon story compared to the colorful, scaly dragon after he crawled off the page. I also think that the speech bubbles helped distinguish between the "real" animals versus the animals as characters within the various stories. Oh, and the way the letters scattered near the end of the book...clever!

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Author, David Wiesner's website: http://www.hmhbooks.com/wiesner/

Book trailer:

Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade

by Melissa Sweet

Sweet, M. (2011). Balloons over Broadway: the true story of the puppeteer of Macy's parade. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

Tony Sarg was born in 1880. As a creative and inventive child, he made contraptions that would accomplish his early morning chores while allowing him to remain in bed. When he became an adult, he fashioned such incredible marionettes in London that Macy's department store in New York sought him out to design their holiday window displays. This led to another job: creating a Thanksgiving day parade. That first parade in 1924 was so successful that it continued every year, becoming more spectacular as Sparg's balloons evolved over time.

This biography of Anthony "Tony" Frederick Sarg is written and illustrated by Melissa Sweet in a way that is interesting. I love the way she used varied mediums throughout the book. For example, before the title page, she included a picture of an actual page from The Tony Sarg Marionette Book which highlights Sarg's toy collection. The title page is also intriguing with the book title hooked up to a pully and pictures of replicas of some of Tony's toys. A photograph of Tony working with his art supplies reminds the reader that this is a biography, but then the story of his life is presented as a narrative with drawn illustrations. Overall, this is an informative and interesting story designed in a thoughtful and effective format. It was neat to hear how the Thanksgiving Day parade I see every year came into being.

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An interview with Melissa Sweet: http://www.artofthepicturebook.com/-check-in-with/2014/10/6/an-interview-with-melissa-sweet

Book trailer:

A little about Tony Sarg: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-puppeteer-who-brought-balloons-to-the-thanksgiving-day-parade-180947863/

Pictures from the 2017 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade: http://www.cnn.com/2017/11/23/us/gallery/macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-2017/index.html

It's a Book

by Lane Smith

Smith, L. (2010). It's a book. New York: Roaring Brook Press.

A "donkey" with a laptop continuously questions a monkey about what he is holding. Unfamiliar with books, the "donkey" cannot comprehend what it is or how it works. Regardless, he becomes engrossed, once he begins reading it. When he refuses to return the book, monkey decides to go to the library...but only after mouse makes a snarky comment.

Smith's illustrations are expressive of the emotions of each character, especially the eyes. They really support the text. I think this picture book is hilarious. It is such a reflection of our current society. I wonder if there will soon be people who truly don't know what a book is because everything has gone electronic. I hope not. Clearly, so does Lane Smith, the author. The only part I wish were different in the book is the tech-savvy character's name. Although it does convey Smith's attitude, it might cause parents to withhold the book from their young children, which would be unfortunate because it conveys a relevant message for young and old alike.

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Author, Lane Smith's website: http://www.lanesmithbooks.com/LaneSmithBooks/Lane_Smith_Books.html

Book trailer:

Mirror Mirror

by Marilyn Singer

Singer, M. (2010). Mirror mirror. New York: Dutton Children's Books.

Fourteen poems spotlight multiple fairy tales and then are reversed to provide a different perspective. Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Rapunzel are a few of those which are included.

Writing poems that are reversible is an incredible talent. Marilyn Singer's attempt in Mirror, Mirror is quite successful! I've never read anything quite like it. The fact that she writes about familiar fairy tale characters makes the poems even more enjoyable since background knowledge already exists. The colorful illustrations provided by Josée Masse serve to enhance the poems and their reverse meaning when they are penned with lines in opposite order and only changes in punctuation. Young readers will be enchanted and motivated to try their hand at writing this interesting form of poetry themselves.

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Author, Marilyn Singer's website: http://marilynsinger.net/

Marilyn Singer reads three of her poems:

Where the Wild Things Are

by Maurice Sendak

Sendak, M. (1963). Where the wild things are. New York: HarperCollins.

When a young boy named Max gets a little too rowdy one night, his mother sends him to bed without dinner. While there, his dreams transform his room into a fantasy world full of wild things. They make him king and submit to his authority. Smells of yummy things to eat draw him back to reality and he awakes to a lovely surprise.

This picture book has truly stood the test of time. It won the Caldecott medal in 1964, was turned into a feature film in 2009, and was voted the top picture book by School Library Journal readers in 2012. I think one of the reasons that it has remained so popular throughout the decades is because children will always act like children and moms will always be moms. The topic is easy to identify with, and readers of all ages relate to the book based on which phase of life they are in. The most endearing part of the story to me is when Sendak writes, "And Max the king of all wild things was lonely and wanted to be where someone loved him best of all." No matter how wild we get, and how much we might want to escape our situation, deep inside we all need to be loved...and know those who love us unconditionally, like Max's mom loves him.

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Maurice Sendak's biography: https://www.biography.com/people/maurice-sendak-9478893

Book trailer:

Official movie trailer:

Wonderstruck

by Brian Selznick

Selznick, B. (2011). Wonderstruck. New York: Scholastic Press.

Ben recently lost his beloved mother in a car wreck and now lives with his aunt, uncle and cousins. After surviving a lightning strike which causes him to lose his hearing, he sneaks out of the hospital and travels alone to New York in search of the father he's never met. Fifty years earlier, Rose, a young deaf girl, runs away to New York to see an actress by whom she is enamored. As Ben and Rose search to fill an emptiness in their hearts, their lives converge in an unexpected way.

This novel is appropriately titled, as it truly struck me with wonder. Ben's story is told in words, while Rose's is told in pictures. Brian Selznick alternates between these forms as he reveals bits of each character's story in a harmonious rhythm. While reading it, my mind  followed both story-lines, but was constantly working on another level to discover the commonality between the two. This book is a creative thinker. Don't let the thickness of it scare you away; it's over 600 pages long! However, I was able to read it and process the amazingly detailed sketches in about 3 hours. Beautifully done, unique, and worth the time!

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Wonderstruck website: http://www.wonderstruckthebook.com/

Author, Brian Selznick talks about Wonderstruck: https://vimeo.com/25236357

Book trailer:

Official movie trailer:

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!

by Laura Amy Schlitz

Schlitz, L. A. (2007). Good masters! Sweet ladies. Cambridge: Candlewick Press.

Set in an English medieval manor in the year 1255, the Lord's nephew, Hugo, hunts a wild boar. The blacksmith's daughter dreams about a beau when she meets Hugo. Stories of the plowboy, shepherdess, falconer's son, and even the mud slinger are included, along with background information on the three-field system, medieval pilgrimage, crusades, falconry, Jews in medieval society, and towns and freedom.

Want to become engrossed in medieval life and not realize that you are learning history? Then this is a great book for you! Out of the four core subjects, history, is my least favorite; but I really enjoyed this book. In Good Masters, Sweet Ladies, Laura Amy Schlitz plunked me down in the middle of a medieval village. The setting was creatively displayed in a 1255 map at the very beginning of the book and then a glimpse into the life of various community members was given. The glimpse was fun...especially how Schlitz wove the lives of the people together. On top of that, she wrote in poetic form! The background sections throughout provided a bit more history, but kept my attention because they were kept brief. In the Foreword section, Schlitz explained how she, the school librarian, wrote the book for for a group of students at her school. What a great role model she is for me and other aspiring librarians!

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About the author: http://inkwellmanagement.com/client/laura-amy-schlitz

Real Housewives of Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!

The Nest

by Kenneth Oppel

Oppel, K. (2015). The nest. New York: Simon & Schuster.

When Steve is stung by an unusual looking wasp which begins to build a nest in the eaves of his home and an angel-like creature starts visiting him in his dreams, he becomes consumed. The visitor has told him that the wasps can help make his baby brother, who has a congenital genetic disorder, whole. Steve says "yes" when asked if he will help, but begins to have doubts as the details are unveiled.

I'm not going to lie. This book creeped me out. The thought of a baby growing inside a wasp's nest and a child being recruited to switch it out with his real baby brother, whom the wasps are planning to eat, was quite disturbing on various levels. However, if I look past that, I can honestly say that Kenneth Oppel did an excellent job knitting this story together. I was guessing until the very end as to whether or not Steve was psychotic versus experiencing reality and whether the queen or Mr. Nobody was the good guy. It explores the spiritual realm, genetic anomalies, right vs wrong, and mental illness. The suggested age group for this fiction novel is ten and up. I definitely agree that the subject matter is too mature for children younger than this and that there is no age cap for this book. However, in my opinion, not all ten-year-olds will be ready for this thriller. Seventh grade might be a better starting age.

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Author, Kenneth Oppel's website: http://www.kennethoppel.ca/

Book trailer:

A word from the author:

We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball

by Kadir Nelson

Nelson, K. (2008). We are the ship: the story of Negro League baseball. New York: Hyperion.

Rube Foster founded the Negro National League in 1920. These baseball teams played with zest, which drew in spectators. As the teams pushed through the challenges of segregation and prejudice, they thrived with amazing players, many of whom were inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. In 1947, Jackie Robinson was accepted into the major league, paving the way for others to follow. The NNL then began to decline as more and more negro players made it to the major leagues until its end in 1960.

Anyone who loves baseball will enjoy this book. Kadir Nelson tells this nonfiction story from the point of view of a league player, so I felt like I was there, experiencing all of the authentic ups and downs along the way. It was neat to read how many of the players who I have heard of got their start before joining the majors. But, the most amazing part of this book to me were Kadir's gorgeous paintings. The detail in the faces, gentle folds in the uniforms, grain of the wood in a baseball bat, and sweat glistening off a player's skin are truly breathtaking. In addition, the heartfelt foreword by Hank Aaron and the closing appreciative words by the narrator were especially touching. This book commemorates the Negro National League and honors those who were involved in this phase of history.

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Author, Kadir Nelson's website: http://www.kadirnelson.com/

BBC World News Report on We Are the Ship, the Negro National League, and hear from the author:

More about the Negro National League: https://baseballhall.org/discover/inside-pitch/negro-national-league-is-founded

Rules

by Cynthia Lord

Lord, C. (2006). Rules. New York: Scholastic Press.

Catherine's younger brother, David, has autism. Although she's only twelve years old, Catherine takes on much of the responsibility for David, helping him navigate social situations by creating rules for him. When she makes friends with her new next door neighbor, Kristi, and a boy from David's occupational therapy office, Jason, things get complicated. Catherine must decide if she's going to abide by her rules or take a chance by moving past them.

In this realistic fiction novel, Cynthia Lord provides a peek into the world of autism and cerebral palsy. Written from the perspective of Catherine, Rules helps the reader to understand what life is like for the sibling of an autistic child. As readers empathize with Catherine, David, and Jason, they will likely begin to examine their own prejudices and fears, resulting in acts of kindness and a new understanding and acceptance of those who are different from themselves. We are all different; yet, we are all the same...this would be a good rule for Catherine's list.

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Author, Cynthia Lord's website: http://www.cynthialord.com/

Information about autism: https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism

Book trailer:

Skulduggery Pleasant

by Derek Landy

Landy, D. (2007). Skulduggery Pleasant. New York: HarperCollins.

Stephanie Edgley is living a relatively normal life as a twelve-year-old until her uncle Gordon dies unexpectedly. When she inherits his property and possessions and meets Skulduggery Pleasant at the reading of the will, she is plunged into a dangerous world of magic and sorcery. Through her adventures and quest to defeat evil, she discovers her true self and makes some unique friends.

I do not tend to read books containing evil magic and sorcery...the ideas seep into my dreams and freak me out. However, I really enjoyed this book and haven't had a single nightmare after reading it. Derek Landy interjects bits of humor throughout his book, especially in Skulduggery's comments, in a brilliant fashion. This takes the edge off of the evil slant. I wish that the cover art fit the initial description of Skulduggery in a tan overcoat with sunglasses and wild fuzzy hair. But, I suppose it was better for me to form my own mental picture of him. The book is recommended for ages ten and up. My daughter would not have been ready for this book at age ten; but, hopefully, readers will be self-aware and choose what they are able to handle. The book ends in a way that would easily transition to a sequel...which there is!  

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Author, Derek Landy's blog: http://dereklandy.blogspot.com/

Book series trailer:

Other Skulduggery Pleasant books:

It's So Amazing!

by Robie H. Harris

Harris, R. H. (1999). It's so amazing. Cambridge: Candlewick Press.

A narrator explains to a bird and a bee the facts of life. Popular myths are dispelled, the differences between males and females are explained, pictures of genders as they progress from baby to older grownup are shown, eggs and sperm are described, and the term "sex" is defined. The book then moves on to a discussion of love, how a baby grows in the womb, the way multiple births happen, chromosomes, families, and even sexual abuse.

Even as an adult, I was not looking forward to reading a book about eggs, sperm, birth, babies, and families. But I have to say that this one was done in a way that will appeal to children. All the facts are certainly in the text and drawings, but the presence of the two animal "mascots," the bird and the bee (tee-hee) make it fun, especially since readers will likely fall into one of the two categories that they represent. As vocalized on the cover by the bird, "Every single thing about where babies come from is SO-OOO A-MAZING to me!" and the bee, "Can we talk about something else? ANYTHING else?" Robie Harris and Michael Emberley really nailed it with their balance between comic-style anecdotes, anatomically correct drawings, and text. I think to a child, tween, or teen, this balance will help the book feel less embarrassing and possibly even fun. "The Amazing Egg Trip" was my favorite chapter due to the illustrations. Ultimately, I hope that parents will use this book as a tool to work in tandem with discussions they will have already had with their child rather than let the book do the educating on its own.

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Author, Robie Harris's website: http://robieharris.com/

Rapunzel's Revenge

by Shannon and Dean Hale

Hale, S. & Hale, D. (2008). Rapunzel's revenge. New York: Bloomsbury.

Rapunzel was stolen from her mother by the evil witch, Gothel, when she was a young girl. After Rapunzel discovers her secret, Gothel uses her growing power to form a tall tree with a chamber near the top. She places Rapunzel there and only visits her once a year. However, Rapunzel uses this time to master the use of her long hair. After escaping, she meets Jack. Together, they defeat Gothel and restore the kingdom, righting wrongs along the way.

By looking at the title alone, I expected Rapunzel to be angry and evil, seeking revenge as an outlaw. In reality, she is kind, innocent, and insists upon honesty when Jack attempts to steal. It was a breath of fresh air compared to other graphic novels I've seen. This graphic novel is adventurous, entertaining, and slips in a happily-ever-after love story. Rapunzel is an unlikely hero who uses her long hair as a lasso to help her defeat the bad guys and right the wrongs of the evil witch who claims to be her mother. Shannon and Dean Hale creatively incorporate the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk and even slip in references to the dwarfs and the Duggars. An informed reader will pick up on these nuances. Others will find the book entertaining nonetheless. The illustrations are well done. Nathan Hale artistically depicts Rapunzel as both lovely and strong. His full color pictures help bring the tale to life.

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A little about Shannon Hale: https://www.fantasticfiction.com/h/shannon-hale/

Co-author, Shannon Hale's official blog: http://www.squeetus.com/

Book trailer:

A short interview:

George

by Alex Gino

Gino, A. (2015). George. New York: Scholastic Press.

George is a fourth grader who was born with boy body parts, but thinks she is a girl. When auditions for the class play, Charlotte's Web, are announced, George decides to audition for the role of Charlotte. She is convinced that playing this part will help everyone, especially her mom, see that she is a girl, not a boy. When Mrs. Udell refuses to let George audition for a "girl's role," Kelly, George's best friend, comes up with a plan.

Transgender and other LBGTQ identities are a current hot topic of our times. Alex Gino is one of the first authors to write a novel for children aged nine-to-twelve related to this topic. Because the story is presented in a simplistic sort-of-way, it works. But, I personally think it would have been more realistic and effective in allowing readers to vicariously experience the struggles of a transgender youth if George had been in seventh grade or above since social identity is of such importance to this age group.

Gino's decision to write from a third-person perspective allows him to utilize pronouns such as "she" and "her" when referring to George. This creates a continuous tension between the pronouns and George's name which helps the reader understand George's identity struggles. In addition, the cover art corresponds well to Gino's description of George.

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Author, Alex Gin's website: http://www.alexgino.com/george/

Book trailer:

The Graveyard Book

by Neil Gaiman

Gaiman, N. (2008). The graveyard book. New York: HarperCollins.

An entire family is brutally murdered, with the exception of the one-year-old baby who, unaware of what is occurring, crawls out of his crib and walks out the open door and over to the local graveyard. The graveyard ghosts and an in-between-life-and-death guardian adopt the child, who they name Nobody (nicknamed Bod) Owens. Bod is in danger whenever he leaves the cemetery until a series of events change the potential for his future.

With the exception of the graphic, murderous opening scene, I enjoyed this book. Neil Gaiman had an extremely unique idea when he wrote this chapter book. In my experience, ghosts are either perceived as something extremely scary or friendly (think Casper the Friendly Ghost). However, Gaiman humanizes the ghosts by knitting them together into a "family" that cares for, teaches, plays with, and protects Bod. Gaiman sprinkles in a bit of history and fantasy as well. This book is rich with complex vocabulary which will stretch the reader's mind. Near the end of this chapter book, it gets a little confusing with all of the Jacks; but other than that, it was a good read.

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Author, Neil Gaiman's website: http://www.neilgaiman.com/

Official book trailer:

How They Croaked: The Awful Ends of the Awfully Famous

by Georgia Bragg

Bragg, G. (2011). How they croaded: the awful ends of the awfully famous. New York: Scholastic Inc.

From King Tut to Pocahontas to Albert Einstein! The lives and causes of death of nineteen famous people are explored. Most died young and from causes that modern medicine could cure today such as an infection.

Wow! I learned a lot from reading this book. Georgia Bragg included some very interesting, and sometimes a bit graphic and disturbing, little-known facts about a lot of famous people in her nonfiction book. I'm very glad that she included her sources at the end because some of the information is pretty unbelievable. Nineteen famous people who have passed are spotlighted. Each is given an attention-getting introduction and then about six pages of details. Bragg includes humor in her telling and Kevin O'Malley dramatizes each character with a sketch at the beginning of every section. The illustrations and humor work together to lighten the load of the heavy topic of death. Kids will be drawn to this book and it might even lead them to check out additional nonfiction books on one or more of the deceased. 

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Author, Georgia Bragg's website: http://georgiabragg.com/

Book trailer:

El Deafo

by Cece Bell

Bell, C. (2014). El Deafo. New York: Amulet Books.

Cece is a typical four year old until she contracts meningitis and loses her hearing. She starts school and is in a class with other kids who are deaf like she is. Cece is shocked when her family decides to move and she must navigate her way in a new school with all hearing kids. She feels lonely, embarrassed, and ashamed of her Phonic Ear which helps her hear her teacher. She imagines herself as a superhero, who she names El Deafo, to help her cope. Interestingly, it is her hearing aid that helps her connect with the students in her class. Ultimately, she learns that true friends like you for who you are.

El Deafo is an outstanding graphic novel. It is funny and inventive. I think it was an amazingly creative way for the author, Cece Bell, to choose to share her memoir with children. Kids who won't pick up a chapter book are drawn to graphic novels. Somehow, they do not seem as intimidating to read. Because of this, I believe more children will experience what it is like to grow up deaf and to have hearing aids than if Cece had written her memoir in a typical format. In addition, the simplistic drawings of rabbits as the characters will pull in even a younger audience and, thankfully, this story is appropriate for all age groups.

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Author, Cece Bell's website: https://cecebell.wordpress.com/

Book trailer:

Hear Cece talk about her book and life:

Link to information about the Phonic Ear: http://www.phonicear.com/

The Crossover

by Kwame Alexander

Alexander, K. (2014). The crossover. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Josh and Jordan (aka: JB) are twins and the stars of their junior high basketball team. Their father is basketball legend, Chuck Bell. Josh lives and breathes basketball until his world is rocked when he is suspended from playing basketball, his dad begins having serious health issues, and JB falls for the new girl at school.

Written as a series of poems, Kwame Alexander's novel is a breath of fresh air. Some poetry is almost painful to read and even harder to understand. But Alexander's work is smooth, rhythmic, and modern. What a talented writer he is to be able to compose a novel in verse that integrates basketball, family, first love, the bond of twins, loneliness, identity, death, and mourning, seamlessly. The arrangement of the words on the page dance and support the syntax, much like pictures support the text in a children's picture book. Multiple themes appear and are openly displayed throughout the book as Basketball Rules. Each caused me to stop and reflect on the story as well as on life.

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Author, Kwame Alexander's website: http://kwamealexander.com/

Book trailer:

A real, live Chuck Bell: https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bellch01.html

Crenshaw

by Katherine Applegate

Applegate, K. (2015). Crenshaw. New York: Harper Collins.

Jackson is a scientifically minded fifth-grader, so he is greatly concerned when his imaginary friend, Crenshaw, shows up. The last time he saw Crenshaw was right after he finished first grade, which was the first time his family had to live in their van. As his family perseveres through another difficult time financially, Crenshaw helps guide Jackson in understanding his own feelings and in communicating them to his parents.

Crenshaw is recommended for readers aged ten to fourteen. Due to the subject matter of homelessness, financial strain, and dealing with a parent's multiple sclerosis, I think that is a good guideline. Because Crenshaw is imaginary and is a giant talking cat, there is a bit of fantasy woven into this fiction chapter book. A story about being homeless written from the perspective of a child was interesting. However, at times I felt like the story dragged. Much more time was spent developing the subject matter of financial strain than on exploring Crenshaw's purpose which surprised me since the name of the book is Crenshaw. One thing that stood out to me, though, in Katherine Applegate's writing was what excellent transitions she utilized between chapters. Each chapter ended in a way that made me curious about the next. Overall, this book is great for allowing the reader to experience an aspect of life without having to actually go through it.

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Some information about author, Katherine Applegate: 
http://www.mackidsbooks.com/crenshaw/

Book trailer:


An interview with the author:

Bridge to Terabithia

by Katherine Paterson

Paterson, K. (1977). Bridge to Terabithia. New York: Harper Trophy.

Ten-year-old Jess lives in a rural home with his sisters and parents in Virginia. On the first day of fifth grade, he encounters the new girl, Leslie, when she beats everyone in the race he's been training for all summer. Although he resists accepting her, they are destined to become best of friends. Together, they create an imaginary kingdom in the forest across the river called Terabithia. Things seem perfect until an unimaginable tragedy strikes, which changes Jess's life forever.

This coming-of-age realistic fiction chapter book is a true gem. Katherine Paterson masterly develops deep multiple plot lines which connect with one another seamlessly. Her writing is imaginative and invokes various emotions. I laughed out loud multiple times while reading the book and cried a few times, too. This story is about life, love, friendship, family, and loss. It made an impression on me at the heart level, and I am quite sure that I will reflect back on the story frequently in the future. A must read, in my opinion.

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Author, Katherine Paterson's website: http://katherinepaterson.com/

Book trailer:

Movie trailer:

Annotated Bibliography: Geisel Awards

Annotated Bibliography: Coretta Scott King Winners

Annotated Bibliography: Pura Belpré Awards

Annotated Bibliography: New York Times Bestsellers