In the Unlikely Event
written by Judy Blume
four stars
Although a fictional account, this book was inspired by actual events that happened to Judy Blume when she was a young girl. Three planes crashed over an eight week period in her hometown. The happenings that occur around these crashes are told in many voices, bu the main one is thirteen-year-old Miri. The short alternating chapters told from different characters' perspectives is one of our favorite writing gimmicks. People's reactions to the crashes, and the lives that both crumble and progress, kept us turning pages and begging for more. The novel also propels 35 years into the future, so the whole book is wrapped up quite nicely with a bow. This is definitely one of our favorite Blume books; it left us with a smile.
Dear Hank Williams
written by Kimberly Willis Holt
three stars
Are you a fan of unreliable narrators? Meet the sweetest, toughest, loving-est unreliable narrator we've ever run across: Tate P. Ellerbee. The cute premise has Tate writing her life story to Hank Williams via letters--they're pen pals, don'tcha know. The plotting is a bit slow (not bad, just slow), so this middle-grade novel may not be a good choice for struggling readers. This one will lend itself well to a discussion during/afterward.
The Silence of Our Friends
written by Mark Long and Jim Demonakos
illustrated by Nate Powell
four stars
Graphic novel fan? Of course. Civil rights buff? Yes, indeed. The Silence of Our Friends is a strong offering from First Second Books. It tells an important and interesting story about the struggle for civil rights in Texas, made even more engaging by its obscurity. Pair this with John Lewis's March for a well-rounded look at the civil rights movement portrayed in graphic novel format.
North Toward Home
written by Willie Morris
four stars
This memoir follows its author from Mississippi to Texas to New York. Sometimes we have to leave home in order to understand it better, and that's exactly what Morris did. He's a gorgeous writer, too--enjoy!
The Miseducation of Cameron Post
written by emily m. danforth
five stars
With lovely, lyrical prose and engaging, fleshed-out characters, emily danforth's The Miseducation of Cameron Post left us nearly reeling. It's a coming-of-age story that will make your chest ache. Reminiscent of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda or Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, it's a must-read.
Check back with us next week to see how we felt about these upcoming staff reads:
- The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven
written by Sherman Alexie - The Adventures of Superhero Girl
written and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks - The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
written by Marie Kondo
translated by Cathy Hirano - Dash
written by Kirby Larson - The Healing
written by Jonathan Odell
Until then, happy reading!
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