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.

Better Dead than Red

Remember that phrase?  It was popular during the McCarthy Era, during which The Paper Cowboy takes place.  I didn't know what TPC was about when I bought the audiobook, I only knew that Kristin Levine who wrote the incredible and the 1954'd Lions of Little Rock had written it and so I was anxious to read it.  I was not disappointed.
There is a lot going on here.  This is an incredible piece of period fiction.  Or was McCarthyism an event, making it historical fiction?  I don't know!  But it was an incredible piece of fiction!  Levine writes that
TPC made Anderson's Mock 2015 Newbery List and it sure is worthy.  It just seems that there are so many fantastic books out this year!  I loved this 5-stars worth, for sure.  But I did love LOLR a wee bit more just because Tommy is so unlikable. But that was Levine's intent, so I really can't fault the book for that!   I really did like that the book is from the POV of a kid who bullies though, because as Levine said in her interview at the end of the audio, so much of the focus on bullying is on the victim, as it should be, but we need to pay attention to the kids who are doing the bullying, too.
My buddy Karen and I do this anti-bullying puppet show.  We focus on the characters who are engaging in bully behavior and we talk to the kids about that saying, "This is why you need to tell someone when there is bullying going on, because when you ask for help you are helping not only the person being picked on, but yourself and your whole community and you are also helping the one who is doing the bullying because often times they have a hurt in their heart that is so big, they don't know how to feel better and that is why they are being mean to others, just like Simone and Dwayne."
There are also some very beautiful words and scenes about sibling relationships in here.  I loved, loved the relationship between Mary Lou and Tommy and then the kind of brother that Tommy became to his younger sister.
Tommy has a lot of hurts in his heart, his mom is having some major mental health problems and his home life is a wreck because of it.
This book is just exceptional, truly.

Wondering Where the Lions Are

Yeah this was a song.  Not even one I liked, but it is stuck in my head.  The Lions of Little Rock is an amazing book.  Man.  I wish I had read it closer to the time I read Wonder.  Now I don't know which one really deserves the Newbery.  I need to read Wonder again to give it a fair shot, because now, I am all about Lions.
This was a painful book to read because again, it is just so unreal- the evils of racism and hatred.  It is so painful and horrific.  The book is based on the true events that took place in Little Rock, Arkansas in 1958, the lost school year of 1958-59.  It's the story of Liz and Marlee, two really bright 12/13 year olds and their friendship in the face of evil.
It was easy to hate so many characters in the book.  Even Marlee, at times, but man, this is just such a great, great book and Marlee is a lovely character and so is Liz and wow.  Just read this.  For sure.