I chose this book to read because when my son came home with his 8th grade honors ELAR syllabus this novel was listed for them to read this year. I like to see what other teachers recommend, and I enjoy reading what my son does, so we can discuss it (he may not enjoy this as much). I am a big Jacqueline Woodson fan, and although I thought this book was fine, it is not my favorite by her. I do understand why the teacher chose this book, however. The novel centers around Haley and five of her friends who are part of a special class of students who need additional supports. They forge a bond over the school year with each other as their teacher creates a weekly space for them to talk. Through their discussions the reader learns about their family concerns as well as their societal concerns. Issues like death of parents, parents in prison, illegal immigration and how it can impact families, bullying, racial profiling and more. Some deep conversations can be had while reading this book; although, I am not convinced my son and his class are going to enjoy this book. I hope they do. I hope they have some enlightening conversations and learn about issues that teenagers often face behind the scenes. Maybe it will help them build some empathy and understanding for others. Approximate Grade Level - 5th-8th - The reading level of the text is something that could be handled in 4th or 5th grade; however, I am not sure most students of this age will be able to grasp all of the concepts discussed within the novel. I would personally recommend the book for middle school aged kids.
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I did not go into reading this book with high hopes. I mean, let's face it, I am not a teenage girl which is the market audience for this book and the series, but I was pleasantly surprised. While The Summer I Turned Pretty is not a Literary masterpiece by any means, I can see the appeal. At the center of the story is Isabel or Belly, as she is know by her family and childhood friends, and a beach house in Martha's Vineyard's. The reader gets to hang around with Belly as she navigates the summer and grows into her new persona of being an attractive young woman instead of a little kid. There is a little drama and some romance as well as a bit of coming of age feel to the book. The story isn't too heavy and the writing and character development is well-done. There is some underage drinking and smoking, sexy actions and talk, and some sexual situations so definitely be advised before you decide if this book is a good fit for you or your intended reader. This is the first book in the series, so if you enjoy it, you have a few other books to continue the storyline. Approximate Grade Level- Grades 7th-10th - the overall reading level is not high but the content might be questionable for younger audiences. In her YA novel, Richards takes readers through a scavenger hunt which reveals clues Cleo must use to solve the mystery of who is sending her the clues and why. The clues all center around landmarks and experiences Cleo had with her ex-boyfriend Declan who she believes died in a rafting accident the year before. As the clues unravel Cleo, her friend Hope, and her brother Connor begin to question whether Declan is actually dead. Texts and videos begin to surface that shed light on the clue sender's motives and what actually happened during the rafting "accident". If you enjoy mystery and suspense, you might want to add this read to your list. Approximate Grade Level - 9th grade+ - Although this is considered a YA novel, there were some pretty "heavy" issues included within the pages such as physical abuse, drugs, blackmail, and violence. Because of aforementioned issues, I would not personally recommend the novel for middle schoolers despite it potentially being on the reading level of some 7th and 8th graders. The Last Cuentista has won several awards and received accolades. I wanted to love it, but I just didn't. To be fair, the novel is science fiction, and I am rarely a big fan of science fiction, but it was more than that really. I just did not connect with the characters or the storyline. I did enjoy how the author embedded folklore within the storyline and emphasized the importance of creativity and storytelling. Oftentimes the novel seemed to have a magical realism feel to it despite the overarching dystopian and science fiction elements. The plotline centers on the Earth being destroyed by a comet and only a few hundred people and their families being chosen to travel to a new planet. where the storyline lost me was the ship and the pods they traveled within culminating in them arriving hundreds of years later. It was all too much of a reach for me; however, if you are a science fiction lover, you might enjoy this book. Approximate grade level - 5th-9th - Sensitive readers might be disturbed by the plotline since the Earth is facing destruction and only a few are chosen to live, and the main character's family does not all reach their intended destination. I was looking for a book for my son to read and chose this one because he read the Scythe series by Neal Shusterman and enjoyed it. I'll just begin by stating that the premise of this book is disturbing (as is the Scythe series), so it isn't going to be for everyone. It is a dystopian novel set in a world where humans can no longer be terminated at conception, but can be "unwound" once they turn 13, until they turn 18. Unwinding means that their organs and body parts are harvested for others in need. The idea is that the human is not being put to death but lives in others. Like I said, disturbing. My son, however, tends to dig dystopian books. That being said, this one was not super intriguing for either of us. I just could not get invested in the storyline. It just seems really campy in places, and my son just felt the book was a little boring overall. This is the first book in a series, so perhaps it gets better as the series unwinds (see what I did there), but I think I will be skipping the rest of the series. Approximate Grade Level - 7th and up -My recommendation is to read the back of the book and the summary above to see if you feel like this is a suitable topic for you. I found this book to be an interesting and engaging read; however, it may be difficult for many readers due to the abuse and neglect the protagonist Ada receives at the hands of her mother. There is a particular scene where Ada is locked in a cabinet that is rather graphic. Ada is born with a club foot, and because of her deformity, her mother will not allow her outside of the house and verbally and physically abuses her. Ada, however, strengthens her foot so she can walk and takes her younger brother to live with another during WWII and the bombing in the city. They are taken in by Susan Smith who cares for them and along the way, Ada learns how to ride a horse and find worth in herself. The characters in the book are well-developed, and Ada is inspiring. I have read some controversy surrounding this book due to the homosexual undertones in the book. I will say, as I read, I did not pick up on this at all. Susan, the woman who ends up caring for Ada and her brother, mentions Becky who passed a way, and it can be inferred that the woman lived with her and she loved her deeply. The relationship between them is never specified, however, so the love could be platonic or romantic; it is never specified or explained. Approximate Grade Level: (4th-7th) Read the summary above for possible cautions regarding content. This book was weird and really dramatic, but I think a lot of high school students would likely enjoy it. I, however, found it kind of meh. The storyline centers around The Sinclair family who are affluent and spend their summers in Martha's Vinyard's. The younger Sinclairs plus a friend make up the "Liars" who are cousins and teenagers who spend their summers together lounging, talking about life, and spending time with their family. As the reader we find out that Cadence Sinclair, one of the "liars", was in an accident and has lost her memory. The whole of the story is her trying to piece together what happened to her until the book climaxes in a "shocking twist" ending that was not all that shocking, in my opinion. But, I won't ruin the ending for you here. Approximate Grade Level - Although the reading level could dip into the middle school grades, I would not recommend it for students below high school level. There are some graphically worded sentences, some mental health issues, and references to prescription drugs, sexual intercourse, and alcohol abuse. This book started slowly for me, but in the end, I enjoyed it. The story centers around Cat, a fifth grade girl, who takes on much of the responsibility of caring for her younger brother Chicken. Chicken has difficulty controlling his impulses and can be overwhelmed, and Cat is the one who soothes him. Although it is not ever explicitly stated in the book, the reader can infer that Chicken is likely autistic. I was not a fan of how far removed the mother seemed to be in caring for her children at times; however, I did enjoy the bond between Cat and Chicken. The siblings are sent to spend the summer with the grandparents they have never met, and while visiting, both Cat and Chicken get to grow and have some fun adventures. The characters in this novel are well-developed and the books is a wholesome read that I think most kids would enjoy. Approximate Grade Level - 4th-7th I was not immediately drawn into Daughter of Sparta by Claire Andrews. The story started slowly for me, and I was not immediately drawn to the protagonist, Daphne, but I stuck with it, and am glad I did because I ended up enjoying the book. The novel tells the story of Daphne who has spent her seventeen years of life working and training towards becoming a Spartan warrior, although she is not accepted by the Spartans. She is tasked by Artemis to find the nine items which have been stolen from Olympus and to return them before the gods of Olympus lose their powers and the world falls into ruin. Fans of Greek Mythology will recognize many of the cast of characters and may learn of some new ones while following Daphne's journey. You may also recognize the novel as a new interpretation and representation of the Greek Myth Daphne and Apollo. If you enjoy this read, there is also a sequel, Blood of Troy. Approximate Grade Level - (9th+) As with many Greek Mythological stories, this one contains some bloody fight scenes, betrayal by the gods, and some romantic longing (plus a spicy kiss scene). If you are not familiar with Greek Mythology, you may struggle with this one. Takedown by Laura Shovan is one of the novel choices I gave my students this school year. From a teacher perspective it contains some concepts I wanted to highlight - point of view, dynamic characters, figurative language, a male and female protagonist, and different perspectives; plus, it is a good story, Overall I feel like my students enjoyed this read that highlights two wrestlers (Lev and Mikayla) who become training partners and form a strong bond as they learn to stand up for each other and themselves while navigating the often difficult world of becoming a teenager. I also enjoyed that this novel highlights a sport that is not often presented in fiction - wrestling. My students seemed to be interested in learning about the sport and the moves mentioned within the book. They also related to the characters and the difficult decisions they had to make for themselves. As an added bonus, Lev is Jewish while Mikayla is not, so the reader was introduced to some religious and cultural elements of each protagonist. Approximate Grade Level - (5th-7th grade) Although students younger than 5th grade can most certainly read the book, I do not feel they will yet be able to fully relate to the eleven/twelve year-old-protagonists who are on the cusp of becoming teenagers. Be forewarned that there is a lot of "girl power" in this novel, as well as, some religious references (to people in the Bible and Jewish customs). |
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