Happiness is

I remember this little Peanuts book that we had at our house when I was little. I loved that book!  It was one of the first books I read on my own!  The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcárcel is just outstanding.  Finding a book like this is happiness.  Just. Excellent. 

Since I Fell for Buyea

I have been a loyal fan and a very happy reader (listener) when Robert Buyea comes out with a new book.  I was super glad to see a second book with the characters from The Perfect Score and I hope there is another yet to come because The Perfect Secret was another great one, with real kids in real situations.  And this one addressed very timely issues.  Now that Andrew Clements has gone to his reward, it is even more important to have writers like Buyea who can preach without preaching and develop middle school characters who speak with authenticity. 

Don't They Know...

it's the end of the world?  That song always comes back to me.  The World Ends in April was quite good.  It was funny and it was real and it was the first book that didn't fall into the white default problem.  Every character was clearly described as white, black, Asian, etc.  And it wasn't clunky and it wasn't weird.  It was actually refreshing!

Novels in Verse

Already have a leg up for me.  And I really liked House Arrest.  I need to listen to the second one, that came out last year.  Great story.  Really heart-felt and honest.  A good one for reluctant readers, too, I think. 

HGS

I have been a fan of Holly Goldberg Sloan since Counting By 7s.  I really loved To Night Owl from Dogfish.  Meg Wolitzer is an author of primarily adult books, but this book proves she can write for any audience.  One of the many things that I loved about this book is that it contains a love story (more than one, really) and it just happens to be two men.  But it's not a big deal that they have the same body parts.  I have a dream that all books will deal with this "issue" in this way someday because they will be reflecting reality.  Where society is like God, not caring WHOM we love, just THAT we love.  Great book. 

The Winner!

This year's Newbery Winner was Merci Suárez Changes Gears.  For the past few years I have been following this group on Goodreads, but this year I decided that I won't do it just because last year there quite a few that I was unable to read because they were not available on audio.  It's a great group!  And if you can read a book and don't have to listen to it, you will really enjoy the group!  It has a lot of great members and everyone has great insight.  I don't think that this was one of the books that the group read last year, but I have to say, I found it to be very Newbery-Worthy.  It certainly was no 1954.  But I didn't like Merci all that much as a character.  But again, that probably just means it was a very well-written, realistic portrayal of a "real" person.   I still think Ghost Boys was my pick and I am surprised it didn't get named as an honor even.  But that's the way the Newbery goes sometimes.

WOW!

Joey Pigza.
I don't need to "get back to you on that" if asked what I think The Dented Head of Joey Pigza.  This is the sixth installment in one of my most favorite series.  Mr. Gantos has a heart as big as the world and talent to match.  Joey Pigza is wow.

This is actually the first in a NEW Joey Pigza series, The Hidden Files of Joey Pigza!

Not EVERYTHING

You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P.!  is a terrific book and very original, the only thing I think is a little odd is the title.  I mean it isn't a bad title, but for me the title just didn't click!  Tackles some important issues.  Just great.

So Glad!

When I saw that Front Desk came out on audio I was so excited!  This is on the list for possible Newbery winners with the goodreads group and I know that means that the publisher thinks it is possible, too. There are a couple that I still can't get to because they aren't yet on audio.  It is not too often that a book will be a winner without having had an audio version.  It's just because of buzz.  And the faith that the publisher has in the book.  But I can remember one time when the audio came out after the award was given so I still have hope that even if one wins that I can't listen to now, I will eventually! 
Front Desk was so good.  And it was semi-autobiographical which I didn't know until I heard the author's note at the end but that made it even better.  Kelly Yang has made me think about a lot here.  Just a fantastic book and such real characters and one that made me cheer and also brought tears to my eyes at tender moments and made me angry at the prejudice and hate in the world, which is all too real.  If this one the Newbery I would not be mad!  It isn't my total pick but I wouldn't be mad at all!  Great book! 

Influence

The Saga of Styx Malone was really, really good.  A great story about so many things.  Families for sure and brothers and fear and this world in which we live and the unfairness of it and foster care and just so much.  Kekla Magoon is an author I need to get to know better and I loved X so so so so so much, and she co-authored it and it was just so well done. 

Makes You Want to Run!

I have not been running as much lately...I had a fall and it kinda scared me, so I have been doing the elliptical and the stationary bike and running only a mile or two every day.  But man...the Track series by Jason Reynolds reminds me what it is like to feel the freedom and the strength that comes from running.  Reynolds just has that way....such a wonderful story, such great characters...Mr. Reynolds is just a master.  Lu was an excellent addition for those who run and those who want to run and those who feel and those who want to feel and for black skinned people and for white skinned people and for being who feel good in their skin and for being don't feel so good in their skin and well, just for humans in general.  I think that the best way to read this series or any of his book narrated by Guy Lockhard is to listen, because this man is just so excellent at reading and expressing the words of his friend. 

Aurora

I really didn't like Aurora.  At all!  Not one tiny bit!  I felt that her attitude was just terrible!  I mean, man, she just bugged me the whole time.  The only thing is, I loved So B. It and I love Sarah Weeks and I love this story so I couldn't give this less than five stars, but man...I would NEVER want to meet Aurora!  Haha!  Well...now that I look at the cover...and what it all means...and yeah...okay...Aurora, I do like you.  Soof. 

Something Else

Darius the Great Is Not Okay was a truly 5 star book.  I do think that this has great Printz potential.  Really, really good at showing insight into the Persian culture and Iran and how much alike we all are, no matter where we live or our DNA or our sexual preference or anything at all.  I loved this book.  This is the first book from Adib Khorram and already I can't wait for the next one.  I also learned a lot about tea!

So Glad

I am not a huge fan of the books of Rebecca Stead.  I know she is a good writer, she just is not my kind of writer.  And I have enjoyed books by Wendy Mass, but they have all been on the just-a-wee-bit-too-long side for me.   And so I was not even going to read Bob, but man, I am so glad that I did.  I ended up loving this very sweet story.  Magical, indeed.  I loved it.  I don't know if it is Newbery stuff, but I really did love it.

Beautiful

When My Heart Joins the Thousand was an exceptional book.  This quote:  “I wouldn’t give up a single minute of the time I’ve spent with you. Not even the difficult parts.,”   just said so much to me.  I feel this way.  And I hope someday someone (you know who you are) might feel the same way about me me, but I am VERY difficult so I don't know if that is realistic!  This book is about love.  And this book is about people who think differently than "the norm."  And this book is also about cowardly parents.  And this book is about winning.  In end, love wins, right? 

Bounce Back

Camilla's Roses was an incredible book.  I was so thankful to have read it after the bad run of books lately.  When I went to write this post I wanted to link it to my first McFadden experience which was Loving Donovan.  It was then that I realized that the post never saved!  I was very sad!  Because I remember writing and writing about how much I loved LD and had put CR on hold and that I couldn't wait to read more from BLMcF!  Dude!
McFadden is going to be a go-to author.  This book and LD were just so very, very well done.  I loved everything about them.  Especially the ending of CR.  The whole thing.  Man.  McFadden is a WRITER!  Wow! 
Both of these books made me laugh and cry.  A lot.  Just like life. 

The Jigsaw Jungle was wonderful.  I was so excited to see another book from Kristin Levine who wrote the exceptional The Paper Cowboy and one of my all time most favorite books The Lions of Little Rock.  This new book is just incredible.  It is really is.  This is the best book I have read so far this year.  What an important and, as far as I know, less talked about subject.  I don't want to give any of it away, but wow.  This is just such a book that everyone should read even if they aren't experiencing this.

I Wonder

what the stats are on series that make it all the way to 12, like DOAWK and haven't lost any of their magic.  This has to be a record.  The Getaway is great. 

Too Wild

I did love The Wild Robot.  But for me, it would have been a great stand-alone.  The Wild Robot Escapes is the sequel and I hope that will be it.  But for people who really enjoy a lot of descriptive action scenes, this might be much more enjoyable.  At first I really liked it but then it just seemed to go overboard with the action scenes.

Generations

You Bring the Distant Near was a "fall into this book" kind of book.  Mitali Perkins just writes so well and it just sucked me in and brought me into a world very different from my own.  Not just because my family isn't from India but also because our family tradition is one:  We have no traditions.  So I have no sense of family in that way.  Beautiful and engrossing.