ReadWonder: February 2021

Sunday, February 28, 2021

The Mending Summer by Ali Standish

How I Heard About It:
*I am a HUGE fan of Ali Standish. If you haven't read her previous novels, then you MUST. She writes an emotional and touching story. I was thrilled when I was able to download an e-galley of her upcoming middle-grade novel.

What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:

*Georgia is dealing with a lot. She loves her father, but she isn't too thrilled about "Shadow Man" who appears more and more often.

*She is surprised when her mother suggests she spend time at her great-aunt's farm out in the country. Georgia agrees with some reservations.

*Once out at the farm, Georgia and her aunt begin to get to know each other while slowly opening up about their own lives.

*One day, during a walk, Georgia stumbles across a magical lake. It is while she is at the lake, she meets another lonely girl named Angela.

*The two girls form a special friendship while testing the limits of the magic that lake seems to provide those around it.

What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:

*I so enjoyed reading the book and was so happy the story measured up to the top-notch material Ali has previously written.

*The magical elements combined with "real life" provided for a one of a kind reading experience.

*I can't remember reading a middle-grade novel dealing with a parent's alcoholism, but this will be an important story for many young readers.

*The difficult subject matter was handled with grace, dignity, and thoughtfulness.

*Everyone deserves an "aunt" like Ali portrayed within the pages and I could so easily picture her in my mind.

Who Should Read It:
*Just as with Ali's other novels, this new one could be shared in fourth, fifth, and/or sixth grade. The readers will be touched by Georgia's story and intrigued by the magic. I would also say the book could be used with all middle-school students. Happy Reading!

Rating: 5 STARS out of 5 Stars

The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas by Kimberly Willis Holt

How I Heard About It:
*I have been wanting to read this novel for quite some time. I loved When Zachary Beaver Came to Town and was excited to revisit the town and its characters. I decided to download the audio version and listen during my commute to and from the classroom. This was one of the most enjoyable audio experiences I've had in a long time.

What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*During the Vietnam era, Toby and Zachary had a summer they would never forget.

*Now it is 2001 and the story centers around Toby's daughter Rylee.

*Rylee is adjusting to life with a strange "vibe" between herself and her best friend Twig. Twig was on an airline flight on September 11, 2001.

*As she is getting use to time alone, she meets a new neighbor boy Joe who has just moved to Antler after losing his father during the 9/11 terrorist attack.

*Joe and Rylee join forces to locate the infamous Zachary Beaver and uncover what happened to him when he left Antler so many years ago.

What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:

*As I mentioned, this was one of the best audio "listens" I've had in recent times.

*Listening brought me back years to when I read I first read Zachary. Such great memories!

*The main character Rylee was thoughtful, sensitive, and authentic.

*I thought Kimberly Willis Holt did a phenomenal job of bringing Zachary's story and Rylee's story together and linking in the horrific events of September 11th.

*The themes of friendship, loyalty, and exploration came through on each and every page.

Who Should Read It:
*This story must be in every fourth, fifth, and sixth grade classroom library. I could see the novel being used as a class read aloud and/or put in the individual hands of a reader. The story would be perfect for the middle-school student. Happy Reading!

Rating: 5 STARS out of 5 Stars

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

How I Heard About It:
*We picked this as a BBC (Boy's Book Club Selection). We had read The Hate You Give and wanted to check out the prequel.

What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*Maverick gives it his best on the basketball court, in school, and on the streets.

*He might not be able to always make the right decisions, but every decision is for his family.

*While he is going through life with a great girlfriend, and friends on the side, he finds out he is a father.

*This news changes everything for Maverick.

*Wanting to be the best dad he can, Maverick must make some difficult and painful choices that affect everyone around him.

What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:

*I'm a reader who enjoys dialogue over long drawn-out descriptions with lots of minor details.

*When I began the book, I noticed there was a lot of dialogue and I was enjoying it. Through the course of the story, the "conversations" kept center stage and actually made it difficult for me to follow.

*I liked the character of Maverick and could "feel" the challenges he faced.

*Some young-adult novels I connect with on deep levels, and others I can tell are definitely for the younger reader. That was the case with this story.

*Angie's writing does a terrific job of putting the reader in the center of Maverick's life and connecting with his heart-ache.

Who Should Read It:
*As I mentioned, this is definitely a novel for the high-school and/or young adult reader. Readers who read The Hate You Give will want to check out the story that took places years before. Happy Reading!

Rating: 3 STARS out of 5 Stars

Game Changer by Neal Shusterman

How I Heard About It:
*The wonderful people at HarperCollins Publishers sent me an advanced copy of Neal Shusterman's newest work of fiction. I had heard a lot about the story so I was excited to read.

What It Is About - FIVE Things You Need to Know:
*Ash is like any other high-school football player, except he isn't.

*After getting hit during a game, Ash finds himself in another "world".

*At first, he just believes he is in a dream-state, but then life goes very off course.

*Just as soon as he finds himself back in the "real" world, he travels to other dimensions/worlds/states.

*While "visiting" he finds alternate realities with bits and pieces of his past mixed with a variety of people, events, and historical perspectives.

What I Thought Of It - Five Observations/Reflections:

*I have read other Neal Shusterman stories in the past so I know the experience will be like no other.

*The story of Ash and his "travels" was interesting, unique, and thought provoking.

*While reading, I was fascinated by the alternative worlds and how each world taught Ash an important lesson.

*I did get confused during some portions of the novel, but I kept going and focused on the overall plot.

*While this type of "genre" isn't my favorite, I did enjoy the book, the characters, and what Neal was trying to present within the pages of the novel.

Who Should Read It:
*Of course any Neal Shusterman fan would be the ideal audience for the new book. Of course readers in high-school and/or college would be the target group. I also know many adult readers who devour Neal's stuff and think they are the best. Happy Reading!

Rating: 3 STARS out of 5 Stars

Wednesday, February 24, 2021

Wonder Wednesday #366 (Reading Video)

Wonder Wednesday - Motivational Videos to Share with Readers

*Here are a few videos I've recently shared with my readers.

*They lead to wonderful discussions and hopefully even more of a motivation to be a life-long reader.

*Enjoy...

Monday, February 22, 2021

An Inside Look #163 (Author INTERVIEW)

An Inside Look with Barbara O'Connor

(Author of Halfway to Harmony)

*Welcome to my favorite feature of my blog.

*Season #ONE (June of 2016 to March of 2017)

*Season #TWO (Summer of 2017)

*Season #THREE (School Year 2017/2018)

*Season #FOUR (Summer/fall of 2018)

*Season #FIVE (School Year 2018/2019)

*Season #SIX (Summer 2019)

*Season #SEVEN (Fall 2019)

*Season #EIGHT (Winter/Spring 2020)

*Season #NINE (Fall 2020)

*I'm excited to be back for season #TEN with brand new interviews/authors.

*It has been such an honor to connect with authors and "chat" about their novel, characters, and thoughts about the story.

*This is the SIXTH interview in which I'm calling Season #TEN.

*Thank you to Barbara O'Connor for being the One-Hundred Sixty-Third author I've had the pleasure of interviewing. I truly appreciate it.

*Here is my Review of the Novel..

Halfway to Harmony Review

Halfway to Harmony

by Barbara O'Connor

(January 12, 2021)

How did you come to know Walter?
I spend a lot of time letting my characters form and grow in my head before I ever put pen to paper. (And, yes, I write first drafts by hand.) I needed Walter to be a character that readers would sympathize with, but also be very different from Posey.

What do you think is his most admirable quality?

Patience! He was very patient and tolerant of Posey’s over eager behavior sometimes. He was also much more sympathetic to Banjo than Posey was.

Is there anything you wish he would have changed or done differently in his story?

I don’t think so. Sometimes I think it would be fun to actually see Walter and Posey in school with their new-found friendship/confidence….but I like to leave my stories with something for the reader to imagine.

What do you think Walter can offer to other children that are experiencing similar situations to what he went through?

Walter is true to himself and has a strong sense of right and wrong. But he also tries hard to keep his connection to his brother and he prioritizes his promise to his brother, admirable traits for children to see.

Do you and Walter share any similarities?

I’m afraid Walter is much more patient than I am. I would have been annoyed with Posey and Banjo on more than one occasion.

What was the hardest scene to write about him?

The hardest scene was when Walter began to understand the dream. It was just a logistically tricky scene to write. I needed the tie-in of the dream to make sense.

Who do you think was his biggest supporter and why?

Actually, I think Posey was his biggest supporter. She wanted to help him become a bully thwarter. She was eager to go along with his need to find the balloon. And once she knew about Tank, she showed her kind-hearted side.

Why do you think some young people, need that one or two people to help them become their true selves, when maybe they weren’t able to on their own?

I think none of us is able to see ourselves exactly as others see us. So having a friend or loved one who can focus on our qualities and help us see our worth is invaluable.

What do you think Walter is doing as the present time?

Ha! He’s probably out there in the barn polishing that truck before heading to the woods with Posey.

*Here are links to the One Hundred Sixty-Two interviews...

SEASON #ONE (2016-2017)

Interview #1 with Elly Swartz (Author of Finding Perfect)

Interview #2 with Jeff Zentner (Author of The Serpent King)

Interview #3 with Nora Raleigh Baskin (Author of Nine, Ten, A September 11 Story)

Interview #4 with Cammie McGovern (Author of Just My Luck)

Interview #5 with Kate Messner (Author of The Seventh Wish)

Interview #6 with Paul Griffin (Author of When Friendship Followed Me Home)

Interview #7 with K.A. Holt (Author of House Arrest)

Interview #8 with Abby Cooper (Author of Sticks and Stones)