The Woman They Could Not Silence by Kate Moore

 

Book Title: The Woman They Could Not Silence: One Woman, Her Incredible Fight for Freedom, and the Men Who Tried to Make Her Disappear
Author: Kate Moore
Audiobook Performer: Kate Moore
My Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Content Rating: PG-13
Quote: "From within the darkness of the Jacksonville insane asylum, a new moon rose, and her name was Elizabeth Packard." 

So I don't consider myself a feminist by any stretch of the imagination. But this book made me mad! It also made me really, really grateful I live now instead of in the mid-1850s. And I also felt a great deal of gratitude for those women, like Elizabeth Packard, who fought for women's rights at a time when so doing could land you in an insane asylum. 

This is the story of Elizabeth Packard. After 21 years of marriage to Theopholus Packard, a preacher 17 years her senior, he had her committed to an insane asylum; because she has disagreed with his doctrine and left his church, AND had the audacity to share her opinions on the matter freely. She had become, in a word, inconvenient. 

While locked away, Elizabeth (who is totally sane) witnesses the cruel treatments of the inmates of the asylum at the hand of its employees, including by the superintendent Dr. McFarland. She also sees that many other women are much like herself: sane, but committed for being a nuisance to their husbands. At a time when women were their husbands' property and certainly couldn't think for themselves (insert angry emoji here), this was more commonplace than we can now imagine. 

But Elizabeth was a woman of great fortitude. She would not be kept down, and she found ways to stand up and, eventually, to be heard. And, in time, she would help her sisters, too. 

Elizabeth Packard was an amazingly strong woman. I was in awe listening to this book. She was determined, a loving mother, and a compassionate friend. There is much I can say, but I will run out of room. This was a very good book (even if it made me mad). And I loved listening to Kate Moore's reading of it. I think anytime I read the name Packard in the future, I will always hear it pronounced just as Kate Moore does it here!

Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon by Paula Danziger

Book Title: Amber Brown is Not a Crayon
Author: Paula Danziger
Audiobook Narrator: Alica Witt
Book Series: Amber Brown series
Reading Level: early middle-grade (3rd through 4th grade)
My Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Content Rating: G

I've seen the Amber Brown books around since my days of working in the Children's Department of my local library (that was 1999, by the way). I never thought to pick them up. At 18, they were not high on my interest-level list. 

But I'm a mom now, and I have a 3rd grader. So I read a lot of middle-grade and YA. A friend gave me 3 bins of old books a year or so ago, and two Amber Brown books were inside! So I gave them a try (actually I did audio for time purposes). Well I loved the books! The first 3, at least (that's all I've listened to).

Amber Brown is in 3rd grade with her best friend Justin Daniels. Aside from her parents' recent separation (and her dad's job moving him to Paris for a year), life is pretty good. Amber and Justin help each other with school, hang out at recess, and save chewed gum to their joint chewed gumball. But Justin's dad has taken a new job in Alabama, and now their house has sold. Nothing will ever be the same again. 

So I'm actually grateful I never picked this up before now. Because I'd have probably forgotten all about it if I'd read it years ago. But this is perfect for my daughter right now. We currently live in Alabama, but we're moving to a new state soon. My husband, in fact, has gone ahead to start his new job, much like Justin's dad in the story. I'm hoping this book might help my daughter not feel quite so alone in this big move. 

Anyway, cute and fun and quick early middle-grade about growing up and learning that life changes. And the audio was well done too! Also recommend You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown and Amber Brown Goes Fourth.

Something Like Happy by Eva Woods

 

Book Title: Something Like Happy
Author:  Eva Woods
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Rating: R (mostly for a significant strong language in the second half of the book)

What would you do if your were given 100 days to live?

Polly Leonard has recently received such a dire prognosis, and she's decided to do one thing every day for the next 100 days that makes her happy. And she's determined to take Annie Hebden, her new friend (after all, day 1 is make a new friend) along for the ride, whether Annie wants to or not. 

Because Annie isn't currently living her best life. She's at rock bottom, and it doesn't appear that anything will ever get better. Despairing and jaded, Annie tries to refuse the attempts of her new "friend" Polly. But Polly doesn't give up easily, and maybe, for both of them, that's a wonderful and happy blessing indeed. 

This book was just something I needed. It gave me a lot of things to think about. It's so easy to just get in a rut with the day-in and day-out of daily life, and I know I often miss the beautiful moments. And I haven't been the best at creating those moments either.  So at the beginning of this year, our family started the tradition of sharing one happy thing that happened to each of us that day. I know there are so many beautiful blessings in every day I don't even recognize, but I want to! This book just kind of reminded me that I can choose to do and look for those little happy things. 

Content Warning: There are heavy topics in this book, such as death, dementia/alzheimers, infant loss, death of a child, marital infidelity, depression. Also the second half of the book has a lot of strong language. That list sounds depressing, but the book honestly doesn't feel depressing!

The Dark Hills Divide by Patrick Carman

Book: The Dark Hills Divide
Author: Patrick Carman
Series: The Land of Elyon
Reading Level: Middle-grade (I'd recommend for 5th to 7th)
My Rating: 3/5 stars
Content Rating: PG

Alexa is 12 years old when she travels with her father to Bridewell. She's lived her whole life behind the walls that protect the major cities from the mysterious and dangerous things in the Dark Hills. She's curious, though, about what lies beyond those walls. So when a chance presents itself to find out, she takes it. She learns about some sinister plots and a traitor in the city.  Soon she isn't sure who to trust. 

Well. I'm torn. I had really high hopes for this one. And while it doesn't have bad language or any obviously inappropriate content, there were things that really bug me about it. And I'm hesitant to give the go-ahead to my 8 year old at this point. For one thing, Alexa, the main character, does a lot of lying. She's very sneaky, and while this is practically required to further the story, it bugs me. I also found one of the characters very creepy. And yeah, he's supposed to be her nemesis, so he's written to be that way, but I felt uncomfortable with an adult character whose interactions with a child were what they are in the book, at least initially. The character's name doesn't do him any favors either. 

For me as a reader, the book also felt really unbelievable. I can let that go, though, as I'm obviously not the target audience. That said, I think there are many middle-grade reads that are well-developed and believable (even in the fantasy genre) even for adult readers. 

I did like the author's message about the walls we build and whether or not we should. 

In the end, I have decided we'll keep the book on our shelves and give it a couple years. This is strictly my feelings for my kids, and others may feel differently. 

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

 

Book Title: The Last House on the Street
Author: Diane Chamberlain
Audiobook Performer: Susan Bennett
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Rating: R (mature themes, racial injustice, violence, murder, language)

This was my first Diane Chamberlain book, and it did not disappoint! I went into this one mostly blind, which I don't typically do. But it was audio, so I didn't have a book jacket handy to read a run-down. I knew it had an eerie/creepy aspect to it, but not too scary. But beyond that, I really didn't know what to expect. 

This book is written in dual timeline (1965 and 2010), which is a format I really enjoy. We begin by meeting Kayla in 2010, an architect whose husband died after falling from a ladder while helping build their dream home. After a mysterious visit from a woman who advises Kayla not to move into the house at the end of the street, Kayla is understandably shaken.

Then we meet Ellie, a well-to-do white twenty year old who joins civil rights activists one summer in North Carolina, much to the chagrin of her family and friends.

As the two stories unfold, these two women will find themselves connected in unexpected ways. 

While I was able to figure out some of what was coming, there were a few extra twists I wasn't expecting. And the story itself was very compelling. I think the narrator did an excellent job, which is a big deal for me with fiction, it turns out. 

Definitely a good read, though it makes me sad to contemplate that these kinds of things really happened. Hate is so destructive. 

Content warnings: some language, racial injustice, murder

Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

 

Book Title: Ramona Quimby, Age 8
Author: Beverly Cleary
Book Series: Ramona Quimby series
Reading Level: middle-grade (3rd through 5th grade)
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: G
Tidbit: Eight-year old Ramona Quimby is just trying to survive 3rd grade and do as well as she possibly can at the job she's been assigned in her family.

Third grade isn't for wimps! Just ask Ramona Quimby. When Ramona's father decides to quit his job and go back to school, some things in the Quimby household have to change. Ramona's biggest responsibility is getting along with 4 year old Willa Jean, the granddaughter of the woman who watches Ramona and her sister after school. It's not a job Ramona enjoys. She also doesn't enjoy the cheaper meat her mom prepares for meals; nor her new classmate, whom she refers to as Yard Ape. When Ramona overhears something her teacher says after an egg-fad gone wrong, Ramona is sure this will be the worst year ever. She'll soon learn, however, that there are bright spots on even the cloudy days. 

So I loved this book! I dont think I ever read it when I was young. But I'm glad my daughter did! There were a few parts that made me chuckle out loud. I loved seeing things from an 8 year old's perspective. True, I was 8 once. But that was a very long time ago, and I don't remember how things felt. It was good to be reminded that the things that are hard for my daughter right now may not be hard for me, but they ARE hard for her! I also could identify so well with Ramona's parents, now that I'm of that general age.

My daughter loved this book. She is continuing the series (though I know now that this is book 6... oops).

The Last Green Valley by Mark Sullivan

 

Book Title: The Last Green Valley
Author: Mark Sullivan
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG-13, possibly R for war-time violence, Holocaust content, some language
Tidbit: The Martel family, seeking safety from the Russian Red Army, follows the Nazis from Ukraine amidst the final days of World War 2 and beyond.
Quote: "Can happiness be that easy? Finding little joys in the worst moments?" and "... in broken hearts and ruins, something always glows."

This is a book about miracles. 

It is based on the true story of the Martel family, German-Ukrainians who fled Ukraine as refugees at the end of World War 2 as the Soviet Red Army advanced. Having lived under Stalin's Communist rule prior to World War 2, Emil and Adeline Martel were determined never to do so again. So when the Nazis promised them protection if they followed with the Nazi retreat, they went, even though they did not believe in the Nazi cause. But when Berlin fell, they found themselves a people without a country living in less than ideal circumstances. The family would endure heartache, loss, and separation as they sought a better life in the West, hoping for a life of freedom in the last green valley of Adeline's dreams. 

This is a book about miracles. 

It is a book about great faith. 

And also a book about a crisis of faith. 

It is a book about despair. 

It is also a book about the indomitable spirit of hope. 

It put me on an emotional roller-coaster and tore at my mama heart. But then it also warmed my heart and drew my mind back to a book I reviewed a few weeks back titled Divine Signatures. I found myself wondering which parts actually happened and which were the fictionalized part, because miraculous is the only way to describe many of the things that happened (fortunately the author's note at the end answers some of this). And while the events may seem impossible, I believe they were possible; because I believe in a God of miracles. 

"Love life like it is a miracle every day, every moment, and dream in a way that helps others... "

 

April 2022 Mom & Me Book Club: Ramona Quimby, Age 8

 

Because this is my daughter's last full month of being 8 years old, I thought it'd be fun for us to read Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary for our Mom & Me Book Club!  I'm so glad I did.  I don't know if I read this when I was around 8 or not.  I mean, I've known it existed for as long as I can remember (I was born in 1980, and this book was originally published in 1981, so it's been around for as long as I can remember ;)).  Yet I can't recall ever reading it on my own.  

Well, I loved it!  I will write more about that in my review.  But I loved it.  And so did my daughter!  She is now wanting to read the whole series.  Turns out this one is #6 in the series, which I didn't realize.

We had a lovely little book club meeting.  And we even included my 6 year old son, since his siblings were napping and I know he gets bored.  Plus, he told me he read a little bit of it too (I'm guessing the first few pages, since he remembered that Beezus and Ramona are watched in the afternoons by a grandmotherly lady).  We enjoyed graham crackers and apple juice -- the after school snack Ramona has to eat every day at Mrs. Kemp's house after school.  And we had white chocolate Reese's eggs, since it's just after Easter and I actually had some!  And because we weren't going to have raw eggs to match the cover.  LOL.  

Here were the questions I asked and we discussed:

What did you think of Ramona Quimby, Age 8?

What was your favorite part of the book?

This book was written in 1981, and a lot of things have changed since then... do you think this is a book that stands the test of time (can be popular even after 40 years)?

Do you think Ramona's job in her family (to get along with Willa Jean) was a fair one for her? Or was it too much to ask?

What did you think about the egg fad? Would you be an egg rapper or an egg whacker? Are there fads at your school?

What did you think about the kind stranger at the end? Do you think things like that happen in real life?

I appreciated the opportunity to talk about fads and whether or not to follow along.  While the egg fad was no big deal (well, Ramona might disagree!), I was able to talk to my kids about more recent fads in our society which weren't so innocuous.  Like the tide pod challenge fad.  It was a great way to talk about thinking things through and not being afraid to say, "No I'm not doing that."  I also loved that I already knew the answer from both my kids about whether they'd be an egg rapper/tapper or an egg whacker.  Ha!  I have one of each (of the two who were at our book club), and I knew who would choose what!  I'm a total egg tapper.  

I also loved our discussion about the kind stranger at the end of the book.  When I asked if they thought those kinds of things happen still today, they kind of had to stop and think about it for a bit.  My daughter decided that it could if people wanted to.  I was so glad I could share examples of it actually happening in our day too.  There is still so much good in this world and in people.  And I loved that our discussion could touch on that!

Washington: a Life by Ron Chernow

 

Book Title: Washington: A Life
Author: Ron Chernow
Audiobook Performer: Scott Brick
My Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Content Rating: PG
Quote: "Never a perfect man, [Washington] had always had a normal quota of human frailty,... But over the years, this man of deep emotions and strong opinions had learned to subordinate his personal dreams and aspirations to the service of a larger cause, evolving into a statesman with a prodigious mastery of political skills and an unwavering sense of America's future greatness. In the things that mattered most for his country, he had shown himself capable of constant growth and self-improvement... For a quarter century, he had stuck to an undeviating path that led straight to the creation of an independent republic, the enactment of the Constitution, and the formation of the federal government. History records few examples of a leader who so earnestly wanted to do the right thing, not just for himself but for his country."

At 42 hours on audio, I can attest to the fact that this book was very thorough. While there were a few times I found my mind wandering more than I wanted it to, overall, I was engaged and I learned so much! (I definitely recommend speeding it up to at least 1.4x).

From birth to death, this is George Washington's life story. The book is very well-done, and it makes me excited that I have two more books by Chernow on my shelf to read. 

I can't possibly share everything I learned while listening, and I'm sure I did miss some awesome stuff (or have already forgotten it). But here are a few things that I didn't know before that really stood out: 

George Washington's father died when he was very young, and his mother didn't re-marry. 

Washington's relationship with his mother was never good, and, at least publicly, she was not proud of his accomplishments (and was very loyal to the King of England).

Washington never fathered any children and it is believed he may have been sterile. 

Martha had four children with her first husband, who passed away, and she outlived them all. 

This is ignorant of me, but I didn't realize The French Revolution took place so closely (time-wise) to the American Revolution. 

I also didn't realize Alexander Hamilton worked so closely with Washington. 

In the course of his life, Washington suffered  from dysentery, malaria, smallpox, and was terrified of dying from tuberculosis, as his brother died of that. 

Washington outlived all his siblings. 

Washington created The Purple Heart honor. 

Born Survivors by Wendy Holden

 

Book Title: Born Survivors: Three Young Mothers and Their Extraordinary Courage, Defiance, and Hope
Author: Wendy Holden
My Rating: 3.75/5 Stars
Content Rating: R for war violence and concentration camp atrocities
Tidbit: The stories of three Jewish women who carried and delivered their miracle babies while in concentration camps ruled by the Nazis.
Quote: "'The more people who know about what happened, the less likely it is to happen again, I hope,' [Anka] said. 'This is a story which should teach people that it mustn't happen again.'"

So many of the events during World War 2, and specifically the Holocaust, were horrifying and unbelievable. The worst atrocities imaginable... and then some. 

Yet even in the midst of all that unspeakable horror, there were miracles. This is the story of such a miracle. Three of them, in fact. This is the story of three Jewish women who experienced some of the worst things humans can do to each other.  But is also the story of the babies they each carried and then delivered in the worst of circumstances and the vilest conditions. It is the story of three miracle babies who were born survivors. 

I'm not sure the reason, but this book took me about 2 months to finish. Was it the heaviness of the content? Or was I just not giving it its due time, and was instead prioritizing other books over it? I'm not sure. I do feel the book was very detail heavy. The history of each mother was given before her time in the concentration camp. This one also ranks up there with one of the most raw World War 2 books I've ever read, as far as description of what life was like, particularly once these women had been taken into the concentration camp existence. It is not easy stuff. 

But so unbelievably amazing that these three women: Priska, Rachel, and Anka, fought to survive for the life they carried within them. While their bodies wasted away, another tiny body was growing within each of theirs. That alone seems impossible. Yet it happened. A true miracle. Three miracles. Proof that life - and love - can overcome hate and death. I believe, ultimately, that is the truth.

Xenocide by Orson Scott Card

Book Title: Xenocide
Author: Orson Scott Card
Book Series: Ender's Saga (book 3 of 9 total works)
Reading Level: Young Adult (YA) (but it felt like an adult book to me)
My Rating: 3/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG-13 for some language and mature themes
Tidbit: When humans feel threatened by the happenings on the faraway planet of Lusitania, they send a device to destroy the whole planet and all species on it.  Andrew "Ender Wiggins" and others on Lusitania must find a way to prevent this xenocide.

On the planet of Lusitania, a human colony has begun to build. They discovered a sentient species there, one with whom they also eventually discovered they could communicate and come to understand. This species is called the pequeninos, because they are small pig-like animals. The survival of the pequenino species depends on a virus the humans call the descolada. While it is vital for the pequeninos to live and reproduce, it's detrimental to humans. The only way the humans have survived being infected by the virus is by consuming food with antivirals in it daily. But the virus is smart and adapts quickly. It's only a matter of time before the virus can mutate faster than the humans can create a new antidote. As such, the humans in the Starways Congress have decided to destroy Lusitania to protect the rest of humanity from the descolada. A fleet has been dispatched with a device that will wipe out the planet and every living creature on it. Now those on Lusitania, humans and pequeninos alike with some help from the Buggers, the species which Ender almost annihilated 3000 years previously, must race against time to find a way to destroy the descolada without destroying the pequeninos AND prove that the Starways Congress has been responsible for it all.

This book is very philosophical. Which I should have known after reading book 2. That's not a bad thing. It just requires more thought than I was ready to give it. So many things to think about regarding relationships and science, and I think there are a lot of religious overtones as well. The author has a gift for creating a very complex story. The details are phenomenal. And there's some convoluted kind of stuff. Like I couldn't even begin to describe it all here because it's kind of crazy.

Now to decide if I should read the 4th in the series (according to publication date)... if I do, it won't be any time soon. My brain is tired.

Defy the Night by Brigid Kemmerer

 

Book: Defy the Night
Author: Brigid Kemmerer
Audiobook Performers: Christopher Ragland and Lexie McDougal
Series: Defy the Night (Book 1 of 2 currently announced/published)
Reading Level: Young Adult
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG-13 for some language, steamy scenes, violence
Tidbit: In the Kingdom of Kandala, a sickness rages.  Tessa, an apprentice apothecary, tries to help the poorer people get the medicine they need amidst political turmoil.
Quote: "I keep my eyes fixed ahead, on the flickering torches of the arch, watching how embers fall in tiny bursts, defying the night before burning out in the water below."

Tessa is an apothecary's apprentice in The Wilds. Though officially she makes tinctures and salves for skin conditions and other such minor maladies; in her off time, she and her friend Wes are smuggling an elixir made from stolen moon flower petals to the less affluent people of Kandala so they can survive while a sickness rages. Ever since watching her parents die at the hand of the night patrol, she's loathed King Harriston and Prince Corrick, the King's Justice. 

Meanwhile, in the palace, King Harriston and Prince Corrick have problems of their own. With moon flowers not in abundant supply, they rely heavily on certain areas of the kingdom to provide the life-saving petals. Smugglers are starting to attack the supply trains, and the King and his Justice will have to make examples of any who are caught to send a message. 

This YA fantasy is well-done, and I enjoyed it. I generally love books with dual perspectives, and this one did not disappoint. I listened to the audio, which was read by two people. I'm not going to lie: when Christopher Ragland was reading the dialogue for Tessa, I kind of cringed and had a hard time taking it seriously. In that respect, I think I would have enjoyed the hard copy more. But the story itself was good and engaging. I'll definitely read the next one (the cover has been revealed for it, so I'm guessing it'll be out soon-ish). 

There is some language, a steam level below Twilight (and though the romance aspect definitely plays a part in the story, there's much more to the story than that), and some pretty descriptive violence for a YA (in my opinion), but far less than in the Ember in the Ashes series (which is a series I loved).

The Way They Learn by Cynthia Ulrich Tobias

 

Book: The Way They Learn: How to discover and teach to your child's strengths
Author: Cynthia Ulrich Tobias
My Rating: 4.25/5 stars
Content Rating: G
Tidbit: A look at a variety of learning styles to help parents understand their children better.
Quote: "...each person is a complex and unique combination of natural strengths and preferences."

This was one of my backlist reads! My friend, who has home-schooled two of her daughters, shared it with me 3 or 4 years ago; because she knows I've considered home-schooling since before my oldest started Kindergarten. While we haven't chosen to home-school yet, it's always a possibility. So I was grateful for this read!

I enjoyed this one quite a bit. I chuckled a few times at the stories the author included (especially those about she and her husband who seem pretty much opposites). I also couldn't help seeing myself and my husband in a few of the category descriptions. And it explains SO much. 

To give you an example, I'm the kind of Concrete Sequential list-maker who adds items to my list that weren't originally on said list, but which I accomplished, just so I can cross them off. My husband optimizes EVERYTHING, including toilet paper, and I think it drives him crazy that my brain doesn't work that way.

That said, I love that she cautions us not to pigeon-hole ourselves or others, because though we may have certain dominant ways of learning and perceiving information, we still have aspects of other types. And we can learn other types too!

I just thought this book was a great look at different types of intelligences as well as different learning types. Now I'll try to notice how my kids learn best!

If I have any complaints, it's that I think it needed a little more editing checks.

I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, 79, A.D. by Lauren Tarshis

 

Book Title: I Survived the Destruction of Pompeii, 79 A.D.
Author: Lauren Tarshis
Book Series: I Survived (this one is book 10 out of 21 currently published)
Reading Level: middle-grade
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: G (no concerns, though there are more mature themes present, such as slavery and gladiator violence mentioned)

I really love this book series! They are short (about 100 pages) historical fiction stories about kid characters who survive the various disasters. What a FANTASTIC way to introduce historical events to young readers. Home-schooling has long been a consideration for our family, and I feel like it may be coming sooner than later. I am almost positive this series will play a role in our history curriculum!

This particular book is about Marcus, a young slave boy in Pompeii. He was separated from his father, who was sold away 2 months before. In recent days, the city has been experiencing tremors and rumbling. While most simply endure the brief shakings and move on with life, believing its just the beast asleep in the mountain, Marcus has reason to believe there's more to it. When his dad miraculously arrives in the city as a Gladiator contender, his beliefs are affirmed. Now he must free his father and they must both escape before the "beast" inside Mount Vesuvius awakes.

Mario and the Stones by Katy Sloop Roberts

Book Title: Mario and the Stones
Author: Katy Sloop Roberts
Series: Luna and Fortuna
Reading Level: early middle-grade
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Rating: G

Superstitious Mario has broken a mirror and anticipates many years of bad luck. Mario is also grouchy and lazy, and the result is people shy away from him in every town. Hungry and bedraggled, he rests among olive trees. Thus he meets Luna, the owner of the trees; and her black cat Fortuna, who he studiously tried to avoid crossing. For trespassing, she requests he help her build a higher wall around her trees. She agrees to feed him while he works. Mario isn't very good at holding up his end of the bargain, but then, Luna and Fortuna have a few secrets too.

This is a cute and fast read, and it is full of great lessons to discuss with kids! Honesty, work ethic, integrity, choices and consequences... There are some great discussion starters here. My husband read this one a few weeks back, and he still talks to me about some of the things he found interesting in the book. 

I also love the inclusion of Italian words! What a fun way to introduce a language to young readers!

My daughter read this one and said she thought it was great!  I asked her what she learned from the book, and she said she learned being lazy doesn't pay.  She was also super excited to learn there is another book coming out all about Fortuna in April!

Mom & Me Book Club -- March 2022

 

Wow!  Where did March go?  I swear it feels like it came in like the Road Runner and went back out the same way!  It's been a busy month for sure.  Not only am I totally slacking on getting this post written, but I also slacked on developing good questions for our Mom and Me book club discussion this month.  Yikes.  We actually had an impromptu book club discussion on the way to school after I'd dropped off her younger brother and it was just the two of us in the car.  

I vow to do better for April.  But even so, March wasn't a wash.  We definitely discussed some great stuff in the short time we had, and this time my daughter even asked questions of her own!

Her questions were largely trivia questions (which gave us an opportunity to define what trivia questions are and why they are fun and important!  One of her questions was why did Captain Cook start feeling sick.  And her other question was what the names of all the baby penguins born to Captain Cook and Gerta were.

My questions were a little more general this time, but I aimed for a few thinking questions.  Here they are:

Did you like Mr. Popper's Penguins?  Her answer was yes!  And I knew it would be.  She loved this book!

What did you like so much about the book? 

Do you think the book was realistic?  Could it really have happened?

What do you think about the decisions Mr. Popper made in regards to the penguins and to his family?

I have to say, I am so excited she loved this book.  As for me...  It wasn't really my favorite.  But because she loved it so much, it bumps it up for me quite a bit.  And it's so completely innocent and perfect for young independent readers, and I really love that about it! 

The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt

Book Title: The Wednesday Wars
Author: Gary D. Schmidt
Reading Level: middle-grade and up (I'd recommend for upper-middle grade)
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG (no language or other concerns, but the content is a bit more mature as it is a coming-of-age type novel)
Tidbit: In this coming-of-age story, 7th-grader Holling Hoodhood tries to navigate his life with his work-obsessed father, his on-the-sidelines mother, his flower-child sister, and his teacher Mrs. Baker, who he is pretty sure hates him; while also figuring out life during the political unrest of the Vietnam War and Civil Rights issues in America.
Fun Quote: "I never thought being in seventh grade would mean so many death threats."

This book was nowhere on my radar until I saw a popular bookstagrammer share her top 10 most recommended books. I'm SO glad I stumbled upon that post, because this book is an absolute gem! I'm almost 100% sure it'll make my top 10 list for this year. I loved it!

This coming-of-age story follows Holling Hoodhood, a 7th grader at Camillo Junior High on Long Island. It's the Fall of 1967, and between the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement, there is a lot of turmoil. But Holling's more immediate concern is how he going to survive Mrs. Baker's class on Wednesday afternoons when he is the only student who has neither Catechism nor Hebrew Class. Holling is pretty sure she hates him for that. 

Meanwhile, at home, he is trying to navigate the "perfect house," built by his architect father who can build houses but not homes; his high school sister who wants peace and not war; and a mom who watches from the sidelines. Yet in the middle of all this, Holling will learn about love, friendship, forgiveness, miracles, hope, and Shakespeare.

I can't even explain how much I loved this book. I laughed out loud so many times. And I FELT so much.  If you haven't read it, it is 100% worth your time. No content concerns, but it feels more mature in terms of understanding and relatability, so I recommend for 12 and up.

Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater

 

Book Title: Mr. Popper's Penguins
Authors: Richard and Florence Atwater
Reading Level: Middle-Grade (all middle-grade)
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: G (no concerns)
Tidbit: When house-painter Mr. Popper receives a package from Australia containing a penguin, hilarious antics ensue!

Mr. Popper makes a living by painting houses and wall-papering walls. But his real dream has always been to travel, especially to Antarctica. Since that isn't a possibility, he instead immerses himself in books and radio shows about penguins, the Antarctic, and the explorations there of Admiral Drake. One day, Mr. Popper gets the surprise of his life when he opens a large box shipped to him from Antarctica, and life gets kind of crazy in the Popper house!

I thought this story was cute, though definitely unrealistic. But my 8 1/2 year old LOVED it.  She kept laughing while reading, and when I would tell her what part I was in, she would say,  "isn't that hilarious!?!" That alone endears the book to me a bit more. And I think it would make a super-fun family read-aloud!

There was a movie made of this book in the 2010s, I believe.  It stars Jim Carrey.  I checked it out from the library and planned to have an enjoyable movie night with my kids.  Well, we lasted about 15 minutes.  My kids weren't all that interested, and honestly, they changed the details of the book almost from the word go; with Mr. Popper being a saavy and somewhat conceited sales-man in the movie. I was bummed we couldn't enjoy it, but it may be fun for others!

Look for my Mom and Me Book Club post coming soon for this book!  (I'm just slacking a bit on it.)

Empire of Pain by Patrick Radden Keefe

 

Book Title:  Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
Author: Patrick Radden Keefe
Audiobook Performer: Patrick Radden Keefe
My Rating: 5/5 Stars
Content Rating: R (for language, drug use)
Tidbit: A shocking look into the Sackler family and the drug that made them their billions (OxyContin) and helped America fall into an opioid crisis.

"Of course, Oxycontin was stronger than morphine, that was a simple fact of chemistry, but one that the company would need to carefully obscure. After all, there were only so many cancer patients... The real jackpot was non-malignant pain." 

My husband is sick of hearing me talk about this book, I'm sure. But I could not believe it. It completely blew my mind. Just this morning I was telling my dad about it. Let me go ahead and warn that my review will not do this book justice. I've been pondering this for a day and I know I won't find the right words. So check out my stories for the reviews that motivated me to read this book. 

I'm pretty naive in a lot of ways about the drug world. But even I had heard of the opioid crisis in America before this book. Well, this book takes you into the history of the Sackler family, the family who started Purdue Pharma. And Purdue Pharma produced and marketed OxyContin/Oxycodone. And that drug was largely responsible for the crisis. 

Deceit, infidelity, narcissism, greed, power, corruption (including in governmental agencies)... it's all here in the pages of this book. It kind of reminded me of another book I read about the Stock Market Crash in the 1980s called Den of Thieves. 

At 18 hours, this audiobook was a commitment... but I say this honestly: it never dragged for me. I was riveted. If you already have strong feelings against Big Pharma, this book won't give you warm fuzzies. 

"If the true personality of oxycodone was misunderstood by America's doctors, [Purdue] would not correct that misunderstanding; instead, they would exploit it."

Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko

 

Book Title: Al Capone Does My Shirts
Author: Gennifer Choldenko
Book Series: Tales From Alcatraz (Book 1 of 4)
Reading Level: Middle-Grade (I'd recommend for upper)
My Rating: 5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG
Tidbit:  Twelve-year old Moose Flanagan's family has just moved to Alcatraz Island where his dad is now a prison guard and electrician.  Moose will have to come to terms with all the growing up which will come along with the move.

"Now I understand. When you love someone, you have to try things even if they don't make sense to anyone else."

The Flanagan family has moved to Alcatraz Island, home (though not by choice) of the infamous Al Capone who is a resident of the prison. Moose Flanagan, whose father has taken on employment as a prison guard, is 12. He misses his old home and his old friends, and nothing about this new situation seems ideal. But it's 1935, good jobs are scarce, and Moose's parents are desperate to get his older sister Natalie (who loves lemon cake and counting things) into the Esther P. Marinoff school in San Francisco, a school that specializes in children with special needs. Though none of this is what Moose wants, he will learn that he can make new friends (even if one of them is the warden's daughter Piper, with whom Moose has a confusing relationship), and he'll learn a lot about love and what you might do for those you love. 

I love this book. I first read it when I was in library school, and the ending just gave me all the warm fuzzies. It's a beautiful coming-of-age story about a boy who comes to terms with being the younger brother of an autistic sister (though at the time the story is set, there was no term or diagnosis for Natalie's behaviors). 

We read this as a family read-aloud. My kids really enjoyed it, and I love that it gave us opportunities to talk about autism and how important it is for us to be loving and kind when others act differently. And the ending gave me just as many warm fuzzies this time as it did 15 years ago. 

That said, there are some mature themes in the book, which also led to some important conversations (like protecting our bodies and recognizing if someone is doing something wrong and what to do). And some puberty-related aspects of boyhood. I would definitely recommend parents be aware of the themes. And I would recommend for solo reading for 12+. I personally did some censoring while reading aloud to my 4 kids.

This is book 1 of the series of 4. I've read them all, but this one is my favorite.

Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin

 

Book Title: Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln
Author: Doris Kearns Goodwin
Audiobook Performer: Richard Thomas
Audiobook Length: 9+ hours
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG (no real content concerns, but probably not engaging for a younger audience)

"There was little to lead one to suppose that Abraham Lincoln, nervously rambling the streets of Springfield that May morning, who scarcely had a national reputation - certainly nothing to equal any of the other three - who had served but a single term in Congress, twice lost bids for the Senate, and had no administrative experience whatsoever, would become the greatest historical figure of the 19th Century."

This book was so good. Usually, when I think of Abraham Lincoln, my thoughts are focused on his role in the emancipation of the slaves and the Civil War, or his assassination. Those are, of course, such vital aspects of him and his presidency. But I loved that this book was about so much more than that. 

To learn that Lincoln was running for the Republican nomination against men who were much more qualified and much more well-known than he was eye-opening. I had no idea. I feel like that fact alone could qualify this story to be part of a book I read last November called Seven Miracles That Saved America. 

But then, to see that each of those men whom he beat out for the nomination were men he requested to be part of his Cabinet was amazing. That, plus his response to some underhanded things done by certain members of that Cabinet, speak volumes about his character. 

And I LOVED how his friendship with Seward developed. 

I found out at the end of the audiobook that this was the abridged version.  I was somewhat disappointed, because it was so good, I think I could have listened to the whole thing!  So I am contemplating ordering the hard copy so I can read the book in its entirety one day.

Moon Over Sasova by Christopher Shaffer

 

Book Title: Moon Over Sasova: One American's Experience Teaching in Post-Cold War Slovakia
Author: Christopher Shaffer
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG-13 for a couple instances of strong language and more mature themes

This book was a happy surprise for me! I bought it for two reasons: 1. because the author is a former boss of mine, and I like to support the dreams of people I know (and people I don't know too), and 2. I've never read anything about Europe post-Cold War, and the more I read about history, the more interested I am to learn about new things. 

This memoir is a collection of brief stories of the author's experiences teaching English in Slovakia for 6 months in 1993. This was less than 5 years after the Iron Curtain came down, so there were a lot of interesting things happening, especially to the view of an American. Though the focus is on Mr. Shaffer's experiences, I appreciate how he weaved bits of history and Slovak culture into the narrative. I feel like I learned quite a few things about Slovakia during the time when the people there were trying to break free from the communism way of life they'd been living under for so long. The author notes that there have continued to be changes for good in Slovakia in the years since his teaching stint in 1993 (he returned in 2007 for a visit). 

Perhaps it is because I know the author personally and could picture the events, but I laughed quite a few times. 

Lightning Down by Tom Clavin

 

Book Title: Lightning Down: A World War II Story of Survival
Author: Tom Clavin
Audiobook Performer: George Newbern
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG-13, possibly R for concentration camp related descriptions
Tidbit: When Joe Moser's P-38 Lightning goes down behind enemy lines, he finds himself a prisoner of war and resident of Buchenwald Concentration Camp.

Joe Moser was the pilot of a P-38 Lightning, one of the best American fighting aircraft of World War 2. While flying a mission over occupied France, his plane went down. He survived by was captured by the Nazis and, though it was completely against the Geneva Convention's terms, was taken to the Buchenwald Concentration Camp, rather than Prisoner of War camp as he expected. This is his story of surviving some of the most harrowing treatment of human beings during this war. 

I listened to this on audio, and for the majority of it, I was pretty committed to a 3.5 star rating. Not sure if it was just listening to it on audio that made it more "ok" to me than other WW2 books, or what. I struggled a lot on focusing with this one, but I also had trouble following when I was focused. I feel like the author brought in far too much "extra," which, while informative, I felt it detracted from Joe's story and so I felt less connected to him. For example, there was A LOT of mechanical/technical talk about the different jets being constructed for the war and by which companies at the beginning of the book. While somewhat interesting, I just didn't feel it added to Joe's story. The author also gave a lot of history about other captives in Buchenwald, such as how they got to be there. Again, interesting (and often very sad), but it took the focus away from Joe Moser's story for me. 

There was a lot I learned from this book, though. And what ultimately pushed my rating up was the end of the book. Tears came to my eyes several times hearing the descriptions of certain things. As a mother, I ached to think of what it must be like to rejoice that your son is in a POW camp because the alternative is that he is dead or missing. It broke my heart to hear that many Americans, because the concentration camps weren't widely known about, didn't believe the stories of those Allied airmen who endured Buchenwald. How upsetting that would be to one who endured such horrors. 

Despite the hard parts of the book, the end was wonderful.  I definitely think it's worth a read (or a listen!) if you are inclined toward WW2 reading.

Divine Signatures by Gerald N. Lund

 

Book: Divine Signatures: the Confirming Hand of God
Author: Gerald N. Lund
Series: Divine Guidance (Book 2 of 4)
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: G

"What we call coincidence is God's way of letting Himself be known."

There are many reasons I really enjoyed this book. It gave me so many warm fuzzy feelings. Because I 100% believe we are so loved by our Heavenly Father that He arranges blessings and circumstances in our lives to help us and show us His love. I know I've seen His divine signatures in my life... those little moments that can be dismissed as mere coincidence or luck, but I know they aren't.

This book is full of real-life examples of such divine signatures. I loved those best. Many of them gave me a happy tingly feeling. The other aspects of the book weren't as engaging, but were still good. This book was definitely a wonderful Sunday read for me.

And it was especially sweet as I turned the page today and found a scripture that has special significance to me. It was a sweet reminder that I needed today. I'm grateful to be reminded my Heavenly Father is aware of me and my little family in our tiny little corner of the universe.

Frindle by Andrew Clements

 

Book: Frindle
Author: Andrew Clements
Reading Level: Middle Grade (3rd through 5th grade would be most interested)
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: G

Fifth grader Nick Allen is a good student. At the same time, he is known for his streak of mischief. He's gifted at getting teachers side-tracked, thereby getting he and his classmates out of work. But the 5th grade Language Arts teacher has a reputation too: she knows all the tricks students try to pull, and there is no nonsense in her classroom. Nick has other plans, however, and after a class lesson about words, he decides to invent a new one and see how his teacher likes it. Then things go a little further then he had intended. 

Definitely a cute story! I chuckled out loud a couple times. A very fun premise, too!  Word origins have actually intrigued me, and I think it's funny that we have seen the creation of new words in our lifetimes, like texting and Instagram and Facebook!

Charlotte's Web by E. B. White

 

Book: Charlotte's Web
Author: E. B. White
Reading Level: Middle-grade
My Rating: 4/5 Stars
Content Rating: G

My daughter's 3rd-grade class started reading this, and I realized I've never actually read it! I've seen the cartoon movie (was it made in the 1980s? That's when I watched it!), so I knew the story. But I'd never read the book! So I set about to remedy that.

That cartoon movie follows the book so well that I almost feel as though I HAD read the book. And while reading the book, I couldn't help but hear the movie's songs in my head:

I open up and talk! Talk talk talk talk, I can talk!

The fair is a veritable smorgasbord...

I guess what struck me most with reading this book as an adult was how it deals with the topic of death (quite a bit) for a young audience in a way they can relate to. Death is a hard and heavy subject for most people, but especially for children. I think it's handled well here.

There are other, happier themes in the book too, though. Friendship, of course, and love. I think those themes help balance the heavier topics.

Chocolate Roses by Joan Sowards

 

Title: Chocolate Roses: A Jane Eyre Parody
Author: Joan Sowards
My Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG (no concerns, but not appealing to anyone younger than 18 most likely)

I don't generally gravitate toward romance books. And I didn't buy this book for myself. A very kind lady in my church congregation gave it to me, because she knows I love to read.  I stuck it on my bookshelf and mostly forgot about it. Then I tried to be cute for Bookstagram and read a romance for Valentine's Day. And stick with my goal to only read books from my tbr or my bookshelves. And this is how I ended up reading this book.

This book, which is said to be a parody of Jane Eyre, is about a young-ish chocolatier who is pining for one of her regular customers.  As the story unfolds, we learn his life is anything but convenient, and he's definitely not available. But somehow, our main character will find herself embroiled in the troubles of her dream-beau, and her life won't be so easy and predictable anymore.

Which can't really be said for the book.  It was quite predictable, and I had to suspend all belief while reading the story.  It's definitely for a Latter-Day Saint audience, but I felt the author's use of Latter-Day Saint culture was a bit (maybe more than a bit) over the top.

On the plus side: it's a super clean story.  There aren't any content concerns, and it could definitely be considered a palate cleanser between heavy reads.

Heidi by Johanna Spyri

 

Book Title: Heidi
Author: Johanna Spyri
Reading Level: Middle-Grade/YA (grade 5 through 8)
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Content Rating: G

I'm 41 years old and this is the first time I've ever read this sweet Children's Classic! This was our most recent family read aloud. I thought it was wonderful! My husband and kids enjoyed it as well (though my 6 year old son wasn't as enthralled as my girls were).

Heidi is a little orphan girl whose aunt takes her to live with her grandfather, the crotchety old man the villagers all call Alm-Uncle, high up in the Swiss Alps. But Heidi's innocence and pure love change her grandfather and all who come to know her in both the Alps and in Frankfurt where she is later taken to be a companion for a young girl who is wheelchair-bound.

There were some laugh-out-loud moments, and a lot of sweetness. And while I don't think it's an accurate depiction of real life, I still think it's a wonderful book with so much goodness. I can see why it's considered a classic.

The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

 

Book Title: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Author: Trenton Lee Stewart
Audiobook Performer: Del Roy
Series: The Mysterious Benedict Society
Reading Level: Middle-Grade (grade 5-7)
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Content Rating: G

I thoroughly enjoyed this middle-grade book!

Reynie, Kate, Constance, and Sticky are all very intelligent kids who never knew each other before they all passed Mr. Benedict's strange test - and who all happen to be orphans. But now they are the only hope to prevent the really bad thing that looms on the horizon. To fulfill their mission, they find themselves enrolled at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened in order to spy on Mr. Curtain and the curious things happening on Nomansan Island. But the mission is very dangerous, and they'll have to rely on each other if they hope to succeed.

The story was engaging and had a lot of depth. I definitely recommend! I enjoyed listening to it on audio and thought the performer did a fantastic job.

Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci

 

Book Title: Taste: My Life Through Food
Author:  Stanley Tucci
Audiobook Performer: Stanley Tucci
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG-13, possibly R for multiple uses of strong language
Tidbit: Stanley Tucci shares the stories of his life as it revolved around food from before his birth to almost-present day.

In this memoir, Stanley Tucci tells the stories of his life as they pertained to his culinary experiences.  The memoir is written mostly in chronological order, starting with a brief introduction of his parents and how they met and married.  The stories go right up through the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic of 2020.  

I listened on audiobook, and I liked that I recognized his voice from the movies in which I'd seen him in the past.  I did check out the hard copy for reference to the recipes he includes (which I think is a fun addition to his memoir).  

I started out really enjoying this book.  Some of his stories of his family, and the way he told the stories made me chuckle out loud.  About mid-way, though the strong language (particularly the F word) started being used quite a bit.  I may not have minded so much about that in the hard copy, since I can see it coming and skim over it.  But with an audiobook, I couldn't anticipate it, so I was stuck getting that full-force.  And he would often really emphasize and draw out the word, so that made it even less desirable for me.  And he also started coming across more snobbish and pompous as the book went on.  I wasn't expecting that, and I was kind of disappointed in it.  

So, while it was fun to hear about his life through food, it did lack some of the details I think would have been interesting, and there were a couple big things that didn't really work for me. 

InvestiGATORS Take the Plunge

 

Book: InvestiGATORS Take the Plunge
Series: InvestiGATORS (book 2 of 5 currently published + 1 announced)
Author: John Patrick Green
Reading Level: Middle-Grade
Genre: Graphick Novel
My Rating: 5/5 Stars!
Content Rating: G (potty humor present)
Tidbit: Mango and Brash are the InvestiGATORS, and they may or may not be responsible for some of the chaos in the city they've now been tasked with fixing.

I LOVE THIS SERIES! It makes me laugh! And I love all the allusions to other things that I'm certain go right over kids' heads, but hit their parents (like me) right on the target (Aisle of Dr. Morrow). And I love the way the end of each book leads you right into the next one. I'm so glad I have numbers 3 and 4 on my shelf already, and number 5 was just published! I need to get that one!

In this fun story, Mango and Brash inadvertently cause catastrophic Combinotron chaos. While being tasked with finding their nemesis Crackerdile in the sewers (using their cool plumber V.E.S.T.s), they will also have to figure out how to uncombine all the strange combinations which are cropping up following a city-wide flood!

Prior to picking up this series, I was totally not a fan of graphic novels. Kudos to Mr. Green for making a believer out of me!

If potty humor bugs you, be aware there is some of that in here.

If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't) -- Betty White

 

Book: If You Ask Me (And Of Course You Won't)
Author: Betty White
Audiobook performer: Betty White
My Rating: 3.25/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG
Tidbit: Ever optimistic, Betty White, at age 89, shares her thoughts on a variety of topics.

This was a fun, easy read/listen. Betty White shares her thoughts on a variety of topics from animals to death. But she does it with such optimism and humor! Betty White was a classy lady, and listening to this book made me want to read some of her earlier books to learn more about her life, since this one focused mostly on her later years to that point (she wrote this when she was 89). I loved that she seemed full of integrity and believed in hard work as well as treating everyone with respect and not getting a big head over her fame. While there was nothing earth-shattering or terribly new, I just enjoyed the light-hearted listen in the middle of some heavier reading I've been doing.

The Hundred Dresses -- Eleanor Estes

 

Book Title: The Hundred Dresses
Author: Eleanor Estes
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Content Rating: PG (Content warning: bullying)
Tidbit: After a girl who was teased by the kids in class moves away, Maddie contemplates her own actions and what she could have done differently.

Wanda is different.  Her last name is foreign, and she always wears the exact same blue dress.  When Wanda claims to have a hundred dresses in her closet at home, the other girls in class know it's a lie.  So Peggy begins to tease Wanda every day about those hundred dresses.  Maddie, not wanting the teasing turned on her, doesn't intervene.  So when Wanda stops coming to class, Maddie begins thinking about her own actions and contemplating what she could have done differently.  And when the drawing contest winners are announced, a new discovery is made about Wanda.

This short book is a must-read for every kid!  But especially for girls heading into their tween years.  It's a book about not being afraid to stand up for what's right, even if we stand alone.  It's a story of regret.  It's a book about choosing kindness and not fearing what is different.  Though the story is set in a completely different time period (1930s, maybe?), the story itself is timeless.  It's also a very quick read.  I think this will be a perfect read-aloud for my kids, so I'm adding it to my list to read aloud as a family, even though my 8 year old has now read it for our Mom and Me book club.

I really loved that the author's daughter included a little note to the reader at the beginning of the book.  This adds so much perspective to the story and I think is a great way to talk with kids about the choices we make and how we treat others.  This is another Newbery Award Book, and I think it's a wonderful one!

Mom & Me Book Club -- February 2022

For the month of February, my daughter and I read The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes!  I have seen this book on many middle-grade recommendation lists, but I had never read it.  Then a new "Bookstagram" friend shared a review of it and I decided I needed to read it.  When I commented on her post, she generously offered to send me one of her three copies of the book.  How sweet was that!?!  Bookstagram is a happy place full of kind people.  

Anyway, when making a list for books to read with my 8 year old this year, I felt like this one should be included.  Now that I've read it, I can see that it really is a timeless story that all "tween" kids should read or hear, especially girls. But I'll save the rest of my thoughts for my official review :).  

Below are the questions my daughter and I discussed after we'd both finished the book (some questions may be slight spoilers!):

Of the 3 main characters, who do you think you're most like?

Do you think Wanda realized Peggy was making fun of her?

Do you think Wanda was lying - or intentionally misleading - about the 100 dresses? Why or why not?

Were you surprised by who won the drawing contest and what that revealed about the story?

Do you think Peggy changed after this experience? If so, how? And if not, why not?

Do you think Maddie changed after this experience? If so, how? And if not, why not?

Have you ever been like Peggy? Or Wanda? Or Maddie?

That last question probably brought about the best discussion -- more on my part than on hers.  As a 6th grader, I can so vividly remember a time when I was a Peggy.  I regret that to this day.  And I'm grateful this book opened an opportunity to talk openly with my 8 year old, who is on the cusp of those hard middle-school years, about a poor choice I once made and how much I wish I could go back and fix it.  We all make mistakes, but we can learn from them and not repeat them.  Kindness is always the best choice.

 

Title: Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
Author: Angela Duckworth
My Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Content Rating: PG
Tidbit: Dr. Duckworth examines the importance of grit on success and debunks the idea that all success is talent-driven.

According to this book, I'm about 30% gritty. I'm not sure how I feel about that. Thankfully, Dr. Duckworth believes, and aims to prove, grit can be learned and is not fixed. 

As with most "self-help" books I've read (though I'll admit this may not entirely fit that category), there were things I agreed with and things I didn't. But at the end of it all, I do feel like I learned some stuff to benefit my life, and hopefully help me develop more grit (because, honestly, I've felt lacking in this area most of my life). I added this book to my tbr back in 2016 or 2017 after it was featured in the Costco Connection (anyone else find books this way?). 

I also feel like this helped change my perspective on things for parenting, and gave me ideas for how to help my children develop grit. 

Things I liked:

- the nod to Steve Young and his life that got me excited to read his memoir that is sitting on my shelf

- that I didn't feel completely lacking in grit (in fact, one thing she mentioned I have accomplished, but never thought of it as gritty, so that was nice to see it that way)

- it was a hopeful book 

Things I didn't enjoy so much:

- sometimes it felt long-winded 

Overall a worthwhile read with some good insights.