I worry

that the language used in Tyler Johnson Was Here will keep some schools from purchasing this book.  And this book needs to be purchased and it needs to be read.  I have read critics of the book say that it is racist.  I have heard that term "reverse racism" applied to the book.  And wow, how uneducated those people are.  How truly uninformed.
There are also those who say that the characters act like children.
Um....
well...
yeah...
because they are.
And then there was even someone who said there was too much use of Tupac.  REALLY?  Okay.
So I guess all of the books that fawn all over Jane Austen or Shakespeare or The Beatles or Harry Freakin Potter.  That's okay?
Um...yeah...
This was an excellent book and realistic and horrifying.  And it needs to be read.

Newbery

Jewell Parker Rhodes should have won the Newbery for Towers Falling.  She should win it next year for Ghost Boys.  This book is incredible.  JPR is one of the most talented writers to which I have ever been exposed.  Incredible.  Moving, honest, sadly "ripped from the headlines."  Creative, sad, hopeful.  Real. 

Wow

Speak No Evil was another "wow" book.  What a book.  Wow.  I learned a bit about Nigerian culture and Nigerian immigrants in the US and it was a reminder again that while the US has much more ground to cover regarding the rights of people who happen to love people with similar body parts.  It was also a cruel reminder that there are many people who say that they are following Christ, but are not really into what He said.  Very sad.

AGH!!

All American Boys was so good and so real that by the end of the second chapter I had to listen backwards. 
When a book is so heartbreaking/real/frightening I skip to the end and listen backwards, just to make the ending a little easier on myself it is a horrible ending and just to confirm it will "all be okay" if it is a hopeful ending.  I won't give away the ending here, but this was just so powerful, I had to take it in chunks.  Excellent. 

Dear Martin, You would love this book.

Dear Martin was just so excellent.  I bought it when I saw that it had made the list of finalists for the Morris Award.  May I also admit that the Morris Award was completely unknown to me before I saw the email from YALSA announcing the finalists?  I am embarrassed, but I am transparent!  Relevant, real, amazing writing. I didn't know until I looked at her web page that Nic Stone is female.  Not a big deal or even a deal, but I am always impressed when an author can just really speak in the voice of someone different from they.  So good.  This one should be a Printz Honor for sure.  Only Auma's Long Run is higher in my opinion.  But man, this is close!