Berry Song by Michaela Goade
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Berry Song by Michaela Goade
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Say What You Will by Cammie McGovern
I read this book in about 7 hours! I could not put it down. I HAD to know what happened next. Each chapter flowed right into the next one that I rarely noticed it was a new chapter. It was worth staying up until 4 am to finish it. 
Thankfully I am on winter break and didn’t need to worry about waking up early for work.
Amy has cerebral palsy and has always had adult aids help her throughout her day of school. Matthew is very quiet but tells Amy some hard truths she never thought of and decides her senior year she will have student aides to help her each day, including Matthew. Matthew can’t believe he agreed to do this each week and he has OCD which he thinks he is hiding from others. As they both navigate outside their comfort zones they are able to be themselves, especially Matthew who is usually quiet and shy and in the background unnoticed.
A must-have for middle and high school libraries.
Thank you A Mighty Girl for this booklist where I found the title. https://www.amightygirl.com/blog?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20201218&ts=20201218&p=30987
I had read many other titles on this list and plan to read a few more.
Cammie McGovern has other great titles that I have added to my To Be Read list too.
Possible spoiler alerts
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They both have so much to say to each other but don’t for too long. Say what needs to be said, life is too short. (No worries, no one dies). I felt like we all are always so worried to share our true feelings and that we don’t so we end up “wasting time” that could have been spent differently.
Gone to the Woods: Surviving a Lost Childhood by Gary Paulsen
I really enjoyed reading about Gary Paulsen’s childhood from about age 5 to his 20’s. It was an amazing life of surviving day-to-day. 
I saw Mr. Paulsen at a book signing many years ago and I remembered he said that the library, really the librarian saved him. It really stuck with me back then. I’m not sure if I was already volunteering in my own children’s library back then or if I was in grad school getting my master’s degree in Library and Information Science. I have loved reading his books for a long time and especially love sharing his books with students. Love hearing that a student loved reading “Hatchet” for the first time and that book was the first book they ever finished let alone enjoyed and asked for another book by him. When I tell them there is a sequel to “Hatchet”, I love to see their eyes light up and be able to continue the journey. Gary Paulsen did that for many, many young readers. Taught them to love reading.
I was hoping to read more about how he started writing books for children and teens. He does share how he started writing but I was hungry for more information. I felt like the ending was a huge cliffhanger for me. I wanted to read more about his adult life. Still worth reading like all of his books. A must-have for any library!
My Top 3 Books of 2017 (sort of)
Since about 2013 I have set a goal for myself to read 100 books. Some years I’ve made it (barely) other years to about 80+ books.
Goodreads helps me keep track of what I have read and what I want to read.
In 2017 I read 115 books in various genres across children’s and young adult books. I think this is the most I’ve read in one year. I kept finding great books after great books. I didn’t pause much in between books like sometimes happens. I dove right in to the next great book.
Now the hardest part of all…finding a new book to read tonight.
(All summaries are from MeL.org; books covers from Goodreads)
My Top 3 of 2017 (sort of)
Picture Books
Balderdash! : John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children’s Books by Michelle Markel ; illustrated by Nancy Carpenter
Summary: This rollicking and fascinating picture book biography chronicles the life of the first pioneer of children’s books—John Newbery himself. While most children’s books in the 18th century contained lessons and rules, John Newbery imagined them overflowing with entertaining stories, science, and games. He believed that every book should be made for the reader’s enjoyment. Newbery—for whom the prestigious Newbery Medal is named—became a celebrated author and publisher, changing the world of children’s books forever. This book about his life and legacy is as full of energy and delight as any young reader could wish.
An A from Miss Keller written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco
Summary: Trisha wants to write something that will please her demanding writing teacher, who is rumored to have never given a student an A.
Six dots : a Story of Young Louis Braille by Jen Bryant ; illustrations by Boris Kulikov
Summary: Presents the early life of the nineteenth-century Frenchman who developed the system of raised dots by which blind people read and write.
Elementary Fiction
Cody and the Fountain of Happiness (series) by Tricia Springstubb ; illustrated by Eliza Wheeler
Summary: For whimsical Cody, many things are beautiful, especially ants who say hello by rubbing feelers. But nothing is as beautiful as the first day of summer vacation, and Cody doesn’t want to waste one minute of it. Meanwhile, teenage brother Wyatt is moping over a girl, Mom is stressed about her new job as Head of Shoes, Dad is off hauling chairs in his long-distance truck, and even camp has been closed for the summer. What to do? Just when all seems lost, Cody bumps into a neighborhood boy named Spencer who is looking for a runaway cat. With a new friend and a soon-to-be-found cat, Cody is on her way to the fountain of happiness.
Dream on, Amber by Emma Shevah
Summary: Amber’s Japanese father left when she was little, and her sister Bella was just a baby, so now she fills in the frustrating gap in her life with imagined conversations, and writes letters to Bella that seem to come from their father.
Tied with her other book…
Dara Palmer’s Major Drama by Emma Shevah
Summary: Dara Palmer dreams of being an actress, but when she does not get a part in the school play she wonders if it is because of her different looks as an adopted girl from Cambodia, so Dara becomes determined not to let prejudice stop her from being in the spotlight.
Zoe in Wonderland by Brenda Woods
Summary; ” Introverted, daydream-prone Zoe is afraid her real life will never be as exciting as her imaginary one”– Provided by publisher.
Middle School Fiction
Greetings from Witness Protection! by Jake Burt
Summary: Thirteen-year-old Nikki Demere is an orphan and a kleptomaniac, making her the perfect girl to portray the Trevors’ daughter in witness protection, but she soon learns that the biggest threat to her new family’s security comes from her own past.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Summary: Although separated by continents and decades, Josef, a Jewish boy living in 1930s Nazi Germany; Isabel, a Cuban girl trying to escape the riots and unrest plaguing her country in 1994; and Mahmoud, a Syrian boy in 2015 whose homeland is torn apart by violence and destruction, embark on harrowing journeys in search of refuge, discovering shocking connections that tie their stories together.
Tied with his other book…
Projekt 1065 by Alan Gratz
Summary: It is 1943, and thirteen-year-old Michael O’Shaunessey, son of the Irish ambassador to Nazi Germany in Berlin, is also a spy for the British Secret Service, so he has joined the Hitler Youth, and pretending that he agrees with their violence and book-burning is hard enough–but when he is asked to find out more about “Projekt 1065” both his and his parents’ lives get a lot more dangerous.
Best. Night. Ever : a Story Told from Seven Points of View by Rachele Alpine, Ronni Arno, Alison Cherry, Stephanie Faris, Jen Malone, Gail Nall, Dee Romito
Summary: On the night of a middle school dance, excitement yields to complications for seven students, some who perform with their rock band, some who attend, and some who have other obligations
The Pants Project by Cat Clarke
Summary: Eleven-year-old Liv fights to change the middle school dress code requiring girls to wear a skirt and, along the way, finds the courage to tell his moms he is meant to be a boy.
Young Adult Fiction
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (This book is going to win so many awards this year!)
Summary: “Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life”– Provided by publisher.
Girls Like Us by Gail Giles
Summary: Graduating from their school’s special education program, Quincy and Biddy are placed together in their first independent apartment and discover unexpected things they have in common in the face of past challenges and a harrowing trauma.
Wild Bird by Wenedlin Van Draanen
Summary: 3:47 a.m. That’s when they come for Wren Clemmens. She’s hustled out of her house and into a waiting car, then a plane, and then taken on a forced march into the desert. This is what happens to kids who’ve gone so far off the rails, their parents don’t know what to do with them anymore. This is wilderness therapy camp. Eight weeks of survivalist camping in the desert. Eight weeks to turn your life around. Yeah, right. The Wren who arrives in the Utah desert is angry and bitter, and blaming everyone but herself. But angry can’t put up a tent. And bitter won’t start a fire. Wren’s going to have to admit she needs help if she’s going to survive.
Nonfiction
Positive : Surviving my Bullies, Finding Hope, and Living to Change the World : a Memoir by Paige Rawl with Ali Benjamin
Summary: “A teenager’s memoir of the experiences of bullying, being HIV positive and surviving the experiences to become a force for positive change in this world”– Provided by publisher.
Ugly by Robert Hoge ; illustrated by Keith Robinson
Summary: Robert Hoge was born with a tumor the size of a tennis ball in the middle of his face and short, twisted legs, but he refused to let what made him different stand in the way of leading a happy, successful life. This is the true story of how he embraced his circumstances and never let his “ugly” stop him from focusing on what truly mattered.”– Provided by publisher.
The 57 Bus : a True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater
Summary: “One teenager in a skirt. One teenager with a lighter. One moment that changes both of their lives forever. If it weren’t for the 57 bus, Sasha and Richard never would have met. Both were high school students from Oakland, California, one of the most diverse cities in the country, but they inhabited different worlds. Sasha, a white teen, lived in the middle-class foothills and attended a small private school. Richard, a black teen, lived in the crime-plagued flatlands and attended a large public one. Each day, their paths overlapped for a mere eight minutes. But one afternoon on the bus ride home from school, a single reckless act left Sasha severely burned, and Richard charged with two hate crimes and facing life imprisonment. The case garnered international attention, thrusting both teenagers into the spotlight.” — Amazon.com
My Daddy Rules the World : Poems About Dads poems and illustrations by Hope Anita Smith
Summary: “A picture book of poems that celebrate fathers from a two-time Coretta Scott King Honor-winning poet”– Provided by publisher
Branded by the Pink Triangle by Ken Setterington
Branded by the Pink Triangle by Ken Setterington
Branded by the Pink Triangle by Ken Setterington was a very interesting read. It is a different point of view of the Holocaust. The stories of gay men arrested and put into concentration camps because of who they are and who they love. Yes, it was at a different time from now but back before Hitler was in power German society was fairly unconcerned about gays and lesbians. There was a law, Paragraph 175, but not many were arrested under that law, many didn’t seem to care much. Once Hitler came into power the law was very much used to arrest many men. Lesbians weren’t arrested or harassed as much as the men were. This book gives tells the story of gay men who suffered terrible wrongs and torture and terrible treatments. There’s enough detail to get the big picture but I didn’t find it to be overly done for students to read. I was surprised to learn that after prisoners were liberated, those with the Pink Triangle were still treated as prisoners and some still had to ‘complete’ their sentencing. It’s definitely a must have addition for any library collection especially if students are studying the Holocaust.
The Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Gownley (2014)
Dumbest Idea Ever! by Jimmy Gownley
Great graphic novel about not giving up and keeping your dreams alive! Loved it! Couldn’t put it down. There aren’t any chapter breaks so it’s easy to lose track of time and just keep on reading away the afternoon. The art work reminded me of Raina Telgemeier’s work. She has done Smile, Drama and her upcoming book Sisters due out this August (can’t wait to read that too!). Jimmy Gownley’s art is easy on the eyes and not too cluttered. I find graphic novels a turn off when there is just way too much going on in a single frame or page. Reluctant readers will enjoy this book (and those who aren’t)!
Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell (2013)
Handbook for Dragon Slayers by Merrie Haskell
I understand why this book won the 2014 Schneider Family Book Award (middle school)!
<http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/schneider-family-book-award>.
I love reading from the award lists and I always balk when it comes to fantasy books. “Handbook for Dragon Slayers” grabbed me right away (surprisingly)! I was hooked right away.
Thirteen year old Princess Mathilda, or Tilda, as most people call her, is princess of Alder Brook. She was born with a deformed foot but it doesn’t stop her from going on an adventure she never thought she would be on. There’s upheaval in her town and she ends up with two dragon slayers. She doesn’t complain about her foot or that she can’t do certain things, she states facts about how much she can do or not do. She was told she couldn’t ride a horse and should stay clear of them. She ends up riding a horse and does a good job at it too. She learns a lot about herself by the end of the book.
I liked the fairy tale elements throughout the story and that Tilda wanted to write her own book and publish it for all to read. I have to admit there were a few words I didn’t understand even in context. I had to look them up.
As I read, I think of the reluctant reader or a reader who may struggle, and these words may turn off a reader. The overall wording sounds very modern considering it takes place during ‘castle and knight times’, with horses for transportation. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to everyone!
Grace Hopper Computer Pioneer by Joanne Mattern (2003)
Grace Hopper Computer Pioneer by Joanne Mattern
Grace Hopper Computer Pioneer by Joanne Mattern is a great biography for elementary students. It presents the information about the how Grace Hopper joined the Navy and worked with computers. A fun fact is that a moth had gotten into the computer she was using and stopped the computer from working. She ‘debugged’ the computer and started the term, we use still today, “debug”. She literally had to debug her computer to get it to work again. Grace Hopper Computer Pioneer is a great addition to any library.
Journey into Dyslexia (2011)
This past weekend I watched a DVD called Journey into Dyslexia. It was an HBO documentary from 2011. Here is the link to the trailer. It was really good in so many ways. It reminded me of the The Big Picture: Rethinking Dyslexia that I saw back in February 2014, directed by James Redford and he came to my school and talked with some parents before our big evening event where his film was shown to the community.
Journey into Dyslexia was a documentary on HBO. I don’t know how I missed it but I am glad a family friend told me to watch it. The film shows many students’ (mainly high school) struggles and how some were even suicidal (in the 6th grade). Many stories just tore at my heart strings. It amazes me what teachers have said to these students to tear them down more and most teachers who don’t understand different learners are likely to not even realize (or care) the devastation they are creating by putting a child down because they can’t write their own name or spell or read well, etc. They showed two schools (high schools) for different learners, one in NY and one in PA, and adults who are dyslexic and struggled terribly in school and succeeded in life. Many of the adults say they would never want to ‘get rid of’ their dyslexia today. “Dyslexia is a gift” it is what made them who they are today. In hindsight they would have done anything back in school to have gotten rid of their dyslexia and glad they couldn’t. it, it’s only 77 minutes long. Available on HBO Go, Amazon, Netflix and check your local public library. http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/journey-into-dyslexia#/
You Don’t Even Kow Me by Sharon G. Flake (2011)
I really, really enjoyed reading “You Don’t Even Know Me” by Sharon G. Flake. I usually do not like to read short stories; they usually don’t sit well with me; the stories may not connect well together and that turns me off (too much ‘jumping around’). The stories had a different main character but it worked well.
I was just talking with a coworker how this book would be perfect for high school students to choose a story and write/respond to the story. Students can respond to the literature instead of writing about “what makes me happy’, “what I did over break”, or some other topic. These stories will help students think more critically.
The stories had me on the edge of my seat, not knowing where they were heading. The stories were edgy enough but not over the top. I would think, ‘oh this story is going to be about…’ and took a dramatic turn that I didn’t expect. A few stories don’t have a ‘complete’ tidy ending. Students could elaborate on the endings in a class or small group discussions and have them share their point of view of what happened and what they think is going to happen if the author continued writing.