December believes that the scar on her back is where her wings will eventually come out. At least that is what she tells herself and her multiple jumps from trees are to get the process going. She has been moved from foster home to foster home over the years for a variety of reasons. Her latest home is with Eleanor who works at an animal refuge and is also a taxidermist. At first December is quite leery but just like the owl that they help rehabilitate December finds her wings - and they don't come out of her back.
This story reminded me of quite a few that I've read but it grew on me...
2 books in a row with Lenore as the main character's name...
Lenore knows the summer will be boring - especially when she has to tag a long with her nanny. But when her nanny takes her to the library Lenore goes on a grand adventure through time and space.
This had a quirky, fun, light feel - glimpses of Narnia or Phantom Tollbooth. I enjoyed this light fantasy.
Lenny's mom has always known something wasn't right and when her brother just starts growing and growing her fears are confirmed. But Lenny and Davey have a really special relationship that centers around their fascination with the build it yourself encyclopedia that they won. Lenny becomes fascinated with beetles, Davey wants to run away to Alaska and loved birds like falcons. As Davey's issues progress - tumors, surgery, radiation, blindness, and the stress that the giantism puts on his body - the family grows closer together and discovers the community willing to help.
So darn sad... some of it was really cool, but so sad.
John and Slack are computer hackers. They love to play pranks using their skills but when they get caught after pranking their principal they are sent to a "school". Not such a bad punishment really. There they meet some top level programmers and some other cool kids like Salome and Eva. But weird things start happening - dreams, strange abilities that seem to just overtake them, and a vicious malware attack. In Tokyo, John's friend Akane, starts getting suspicious of where John is and starts digging. What she finds leads people to come after her and causes her to go searching for John to save him from those who want to manipulate his abilities.
This was a good start to a series. Some good sci fi, adventure, and friendship. That being said it really leaves on a cliff hanger.
It's always been just Fig and her dad. He is a musician but has not really done anything big since she was born. In fact he seems to be struggling more and more - acting very high strung and coming to school one day and other days barely getting out of bed. It has gotten so bad that social services have noticed and are keeping an eye on things. Fig knows they just have to get through the hurricane season - avoids the storms that seem to attract her dad and try to be "normal". But Fig is having a harder time helping her dad without jeopardizing her own well-being. When Mark moves in next door he becomes a friend to her dad but Fig is jealous that Mark is becoming more to her dad than she is. Can Fig and her dad figure things out?
I was kind of irritated with this book about 1/2 way through but then something that was bothering me was addressed. I know on our committee we often struggle with the sadness - dead parents or just bad parents in particular. Manic depression isn't often addressed so this did have that...
When Esther and her step-dad end up in a flash flood and have to walk to Esther's summer art camp they discover that somehow they ended up on the wrong mountain and are at a math camp instead. Stuck there at least until the truck is fixed Esther tries to make the best of it slowly making friends and even solving a difficult math problem. But when one of her new friends "leaves" without warning, mysterious clues start popping up, and then her step-dad disappears, Esther gets involved in what she thinks is a potential murder mystery. Can Esther crack the case before it's too late?
As a person who likes ciphers and logic problems I enjoyed this a lot. My concern will be in the solving of the actual logic problem. I read an arc so I am not sure if there will be a grid included to visually see the solution - it is hard just to read it.
What a serious mind trip. Masie is a genius but it comes at a price. She has skipped grades, she has no friends, and her sister seems to hate her. But she is turning 10 and that is cause for celebration. Except when she wakes up no one is around and everything outside is a vast void that seems to be absorbing everything around her. But, then in alternating chapters Masie's 10th birthday is going as planned. What is the truth? What is reality?
This was really something... trying to figure out what was actually going on. It did get a bit sad and then... mind blown... it didn't. Hard to explain but very interesting.
After losing their whole family in Ireland, Danny and Kathleen have high expectations for life in America. But what they find are the same prejudices, turmoil, and more poverty. They find work as house help but Danny has to dress as a girl. He longs to sing and dance and be himself and is able to find times to get away, run errands, and even earn a little money doing it. But with the war raging and the draft looming can they keep their employment or is there something better on the horizon?
This was a solid historical fiction. It was interesting to me that this is the second book I have read in the last week that deals with the draft riots and even the burning of the children's home during the riots.
This novel in verse tells the story of the White Rose movement mainly through the eyes of Sophie Scholl. While I have read other books on the topic including We Will Not Be Silent which was on the MSBA list a few years ago, I found this to be very touching and compelling. Verse has a way of making a text seem simple and yet profound as well. I really enjoyed the format of the book which went back and forth in time, especially at the end which went back to the mid 1930s and Sophie and her brother's initial feelings toward the Reich. Very well done.
Trace can't forget the accident that took his parents' lives. They wouldn't have been where they were if he hadn't made them go back for his iPod and he really can't figure out how he made it out of the car and they didn't. He is starting to adjust to life with his aunt but when he sees a mysterious boy several times he starts to think there may be a connection between what happened in the car and what's happening now. His school project on the 1860s and the relationship between an orphanage and the public library also starts to show a connection to his pwn family history. Can Trace find closure in the past and in the present?
This ended up being a pretty cool book but I was left wanting more - more maybe from the historical stand point.
Lexie and her cousin have been inseparable since they were babies and Lexie's presence helped Eleni during a hospital stay. But when a new relative arrives on the scene Lexie feels that their friendship is threatened. Then, after her grandmother's death and confusion over who should inherit a family necklace Lexie lies about what her grandmother told her and Eleni. To make matters worse, she actually steals the necklace. Can Lexie ever make things right?
This was a solid middle grade story - I wish there had been more about what was going on with Eleni during all the family turmoil though.
Cat has always helped take care of her brother Chicken. While not specifically stated in the book, Chicken is clearly on the spectrum and needs constant attention. Cat's mom is a busy author and illustrator so Cat often is responsible for Chicken. Just like Caterpillar in her's mom's book, Cat is the good one, the patient one. When plans fall through for their summer vacation Cat and Chicken end up on an island with the grandparents they have never met. Turns out they don't know much about their mom's childhood or why she hasn't talked to her father since before Cat was born.
Can Cat find a way to reunite them - maybe through fishing? And can she start to develop a life outside of just taking care of Chicken?
This was a sweet book. The mom's book characters, Cat and Chicken appeared to be a nod to Elephant and Piggie :) I enjoyed this story - there was some good tension near the end that resolved well.
I am seeing this everywhere - the cover, blog posts but I hate to be rude but it did nothing for me. It was sad - and I know the author just did a blog post about that - but more than that...nothing really happened. The main character is confused, she works for the neighbors taking care of their pets, her family loses their house, they move. I don't know - just not enough something for me.
