The War That Saved my Life

Recently read and loved. Sad yet inspiring.

Fish in a Tree

I ,and my students, have loved this book " Fish in a Tree" about "that kid" who is covering up her weakness by acting out and being distracting so her teachers don't actually realize that Ally can't read. She is afraid to ask for help. She thinks there is something wrong with her but she is smart enough to fool everyone. Almost everyone. Her new teacher sees the bright young girl she is and is her equal in finding ways to make her see herself in a whole new light.

Echo

Imaginative and touching this book "Echo" by Pam Munoz Ryan relates the heart rendering stories of 3 children; the first, a young boy who tries to save his father during the Second World War in Germany, the second, an older boy who must look after his younger brother at any cost and the third, a young girl who faces the task of helping her family while overcoming challenges as a Latino migrant worker in California.

What connects these 3 is their intense love of music and the appearance in their lives of a special and almost magical harmonica that gives each strength and courage to tackle their trials.  Each story steals your heart and you ache for the characters not knowing what their ending might be.

Friends for Life

A very long time in writing but many, many books read.

I have just finished this one "Friends for Life" by Andrew Norriss, who has been one of my favourite go-to authors for light and humourous reads. Loved "Control-Z", loved "The Unluckiest Boy in the World". Sarah, at Vancouver Kidsbooks, put this one in my hands and said it was not like his others and a warning that it had mature content. I was intrigued and read it right away.
To say it is mature is right. It deals with students who do not fit in, who feel different and who sometimes feel like there is no future for them.
This journey begins with Francis who is such a student. With a passion for sewing doll's clothes and fashion he is indeed marginalized. As he sits on a bench outside of his school, alone and isolated, a girl wanders right up to sit beside him. This is the beginning of a very different friendship, for you see this girl is a ghost. Jessica has been wandering for a year and is amazed that Frances can actually see her. Frances is taken with her gentleness and support. The two form a very special bond. To this mix add 2 other characters who also do not fit in the standard mold, who are also outsiders but who also can see Jessica; Andi who has violent tendencies and who has been expelled from her previous school and Roland who uses food as his crutch and is overweight. Their connection is strong and gives them a new found confidence in themselves and their dark thoughts and fears slowly evaporate. Until it is discovered that Jessica has killed herself. Why is she still here wandering? Why is it she is drawn back to the hospital? Is it because there is someone else who needs her?
I love this book for the way it deals with the intense feelings of being alone and left out. Everyone needs to feel accepted. People say and do things with little understanding of the impact they are having. People need to have more empathy and to think before they speak.

I think that this book could initiate limitless conversations about all of these topics for older readers.