Tag: diversity

Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

out of my mind

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

out of my mindout of my mind (Atheneum, 2010) by Sharon M. Draper is one of those hard to put down incredible stories.

11-year-old Melody can’t talk, walk or feed herself, so most people think she’s not very smart. Not true, and fortunately she has some champions in her life who believe that just because her body is limited, doesn’t mean her mind is. Melody is an incredibly tough heroine in unfortunate circumstances.

I challenge you to pick up the story and start reading. I think, like it did for me, that the beginning will suck you in!

The book has gotten starred reviews. It it had been up to me, it would have been one of the Newbery winners!

Read about the award winning author and teacher on her site. Sharon M. Draper has written other great books, too.

Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Chains

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

American Revolutionary War from a different viewpoint…

chains.jpg13-year-old Isabel was promised her freedom on the death of her owner, but the old lady’s heir sells her and her sister Ruth to an awful New York couple who are selfish. Set during the American revolution, Isabel gets hooked up in the fight for the country’s freedom to gain her own freedom. Isabel has such mixed feelings about her involvement with the revolutionaries – she gets betrayed by them and the British.
Chains (Simon and Schuster, 2008) by Laurie Halse Anderson is really good–of course. The sequel, Forge, has recently come out and is on my to be read list. I heard Laurie talk about the research she does for her books when she visited Kansas City* in October. One fact for Chains that she used was about women of the time wanting bushy eyebrows and used mouse fur!
fever.jpgLast week I also finished another of Laurie’s historical thrillers (as she calls her historicals) set not that much later. Fever 1793 (Simon and Schuster, 2000) is about the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia. We often don’t appreciate how fortunate we are. This fascinating story reminds us.
Laurie’s site has extra information about both time periods, teacher resources, material aimed directly at students, and more.

*See my friend Lisha’s report with video.
Posted in Award Winners, So Many Good Books, YA Novels

The Red Umbrella

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

redumbrella_small.jpgCuba, 1961, Lucia and her little brother Frankie are glad that Castro has closed the schools and they get to laze on the beach, but the then truckloads of soldiers go by. Her parents make them stay in the house and the one time they go out, they see some businessmen being beaten. Lucia thinks they must be rebels. But then people start saying her father is a rebel and she sees the murdered body of her doctor who just wanted to discuss things. What will Lucia’s family do?
The Red Umbrella (Knopf, 2010) by Christina Diaz Gonzalez is an excellent historical book. It’s one of those that gives you an education without you realizing you’re being educated. That’s probably one of the reason it is winning awards!
I was fortunate to briefly meet Christina after I’d read her book. She’s very gracious and friendly. And, yes, as beautiful as her pictures. Read about her on her site, where she also has information about awards, her upcoming book, and a link to her blog. I especially enjoyed her entry about 20 things that stood out in her last year, posted on her birthday 8/20.

Posted in MG Novels, So Many Good Books

Escaping the Tiger

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

escaping the tigerEscaping the Tiger (Harper, 2010) by Laura Manivong is an eye-opening story that is so well written it reads like reality, not fiction. Inspired by her husband’s escape from Laos, this book is about 12-year-old Vonlai, nicknamed Skeleton Boy.
Go with him and his family on their journey to freedom. It’s a good reminder for all of us when we think life is tough. It’s a story kids need to hear!
Ms. Manivong has a blog on her website. A recent entry dealt with whitewashing of book covers. It’s an interesting read.

Posted in So Many Good Books, YA Novels

Good Books from Harper Teen – The Heart is Not a Size & The Life of Glass

Posted on by Susan Uhlig

heart-sizeThe Heart is Not a Size (2010) by Beth Kephart
Georgia talks her friend Riley into going on a humanitarian trip to Juarez, Mexico to the squatter village of Anapra where they work on building a home. How is Georgia going to deal with her anxiety attacks in another country and culture?
This book was so good – really had the feel of what it is like visiting a 3rd world country.
Read about the author here at her publisher’s site and check out her blog where she recently talked about having to “kill her darlings.”

LifeofGlassThe Life of Glass (2010) by Jillian Cantor deals with grief, growing up changes, and changes and adjustments within a family.
Melissa’s father has died, her best friend Ryan is falling for the new girl, she’s jealous of her older sister’s beauty and boyfriend, and now Mom is beginning to date. Will looking at her father’s journal be enough to keep him “there” for her?
Read about Jillian on her website and listen to a reading of her book on the February 28th entry on her blog.