The Description

on goodreads for A List of Cages doesn't really seem to capture this book.  But it's hard to capture this book.  I just thought it was terrific.  Terrifying and upsetting and yet loving.  And I loved Adam so much.  And I loved Julian, too.  And I loved all of Adam's friends.  And wow, this book was just something else.  I would be very happy to see this as a Printz Honor book.

Very Coordinated

Jump rope has always been hard for me.  Probably because of my size.  And lack of coordination. And fear of falling.

But Double Dutch by Sharon M. Draper was a book I really enjoyed, as I always enjoy a Draper book.  She is one of my favorite authors.

Delia is really good at Double Dutch and her school team is headed to the championships, but they might be going without.  The state test is coming up and those who do not pass the test, fail the school year.  

This is a really good middle school story, a sad one in a lot of places, because of Delia's fear and the fact that she has made it this far in school and no one has noticed that she is unable to read.  

Her friend Randy also has a huge worry, his father, a long-distance trucker has not been home in weeks, nor has he called.  And money is running out.  Randy is home by himself and too frightened to reach out for help.  

Folks Keep Telling Me

to read One for the Murphys by Lynda Mullaly Hunt but I haven't yet.  But I did read her new book Fish in a Tree and it was quite good and makes me think I do need to back and do OFTM.
It's a great, great story about a great, great kid named Ally who is a smart, smart kid but has trouble reading like other kids due to dyslexia, which none of her teachers have discovered yet.  They think she is lazy or a troublemaker.  A new teacher helps finds her the help that she needs.