Being Brave

As Brave as You is an interesting title.  At first I didn't get why it was the title of the book (which is wonderful, by the way) but then I thought about it for a second and it is a great fit.  There are so many brave actions in this book.  From Genie to Ernie to Grandpop.  Great book about what scares us and what happens when we are brave or when someone is brave for us.  What other wonderful things can I saw about Jason Reynolds!

Lost and Found

The Search for Belle Prater is the sequel to Belle Prater's Boy.  I was so glad to see this available for download.  In it, Woodrow and Gypsy make some new friends who help them in their search for Woodrow's mother.  I liked also, being that the book is set in 1954 that the issue of prejudice and discrimination is addressed when the kids meet Joseph Lincoln, an African American boy who is looking for his father, like Woodrow is looking for his mom.

Belle of the Ball

Belle Ball is a pretty bad name.  I mean, I thought my name was bad.  But Belle Prater had Belle Ball as her name until she married her husband.  Yeah. Belle Ball.
That is neither here nor there!
I have often seen and heard tell of Belle Prater's Boy.
But I had not read it until now.
This is just SUCH a great book.
And it won a Newbery Honor!
This is the story of Gypsy and Woodrow, cousins.  Woodrow is Belle Prater's boy, Belle went missing, just up and left.  And Gypsy's dad died and I won't give away any more about that.  And they are both dealing with the loss of a parent.  And life and rumors in a small town.  And family secrets and just being middle school aged.  They live in the fictional town of Coal Station, VA and White's writing just brings the place to life.  There is also a sequel, The Search for Belle Prater, which I hope to read as well.

Mary Downing Hahn, is it time for a Newbery?

Where I Belong is the newest book from Mary Downing Hahn and it is more like Stepping on the Cracks than say, All the Lovely Bad Ones or Deep and Dark and Dangerous.

But where I belong is like all of the Mary Downing Hahn books I have read in that I couldn't put it down.  Real characters, so well written and original.  Easy to recommend to someone who wants a great, great read.  

She is one of those authors whose talents just make me say, "wow."  Hahn has never won a Newbery that I could see, or an Honor, but she should have either taken the whole deal or gotten an Honor for Stepping on the Cracks, for sure.  I really feel that she has a good chance this year with this moving story of a young boy who has been bounced around from foster home to foster home and put up with misery at school.  Now he finds himself looking for the Green Man in the woods near his current home.  I am not good at summing up books, and there is no need to, so I will only say that this book was excellent.  And if Newbery doesn't pull another 1954, then it should get some kind of recognition.