It's Monday - New Wow Books - One Old Discovery

              Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they've been reading, along with others who post their favorites.  Your TBR lists will grow! Happy Reading!
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           I hope all of you are doing well and doing the best you can during this time. Enjoy your family and Happy Summer!

         I have a second post today, a blog tour with a giveaway! Come visit here!

          The girl in this book is in seventh grade, but at least in my area, sixth graders begin middle school. My oldest granddaughter will be starting this strangest of growing-up experiences next year. Unlike Shayla, the protagonist in Lisa Moore Ramée's debut chapter book, my granddaughter is starting in a new school knowing very few students. I wish her well in navigating this time, hope she will find courage as Shayla did.

         Twelve-year-old Shayla is allergic to trouble, so much so that when she's really upset or nervous, inside, her hands itch. She really values following the rules and is looking forward to starting seventh grade with the United Nations (her two best friends from grade school). 

         Soon enough Shay realizes that rules change when kids get older. They want to be liked, girls and boys both. Her two friends are of different backgrounds, Latina and Asian. Shayla is black. Each wants something different and in this story, that means some disagreements, perhaps even friendships broken.

          Some at school are saying she's not black enough, doesn't mix enough with her black classmates! Different boys like Shayla, but she likes other boys. Sound familiar. Young teens are trying to figure out who they are, and Shay struggles with it all, too. Teachers and the principal also play a part in her life, mostly good, but when it comes to what's really important, Shay does figure out what is most important to her, wearing an armband to school in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

          Shay's older sister Hannah is involved in protests, but at first, as I wrote earlier, Shay really doesn't like breaking rules. She's learned from others, including her coach while doing track. And she's thinking more about what her favorite history teacher is saying, that we have to be ourselves, no matter what. 

          What I loved was reading the thoughts of this marvelous young woman that Lisa Moore Ramée has given us. If you know a young adolescent, you'll see how much they think about life and stuff, over and over again. Ramée has Shayla ending each chapter with a bit of learning, showing her grow and grow until she feels good about what happens, what she does even though it takes lots of courage. For example, Shayla says: "I never knew walking right into trouble would make me feel strong. Maybe it has to be the right type of trouble."

           It's a wonderful book that's so current, it feels as if Ramée wrote it yesterday. There are the students, the varied teachers, and the protests over another police officer getting off the hook for a shooting. It's about today!

           I was lucky to win this copy from Michele Knott's giveaway and it is terrific. Remember You Are (Not) Small? These two creatures are happily building a sandcastle when more than one creature you'll recognize from the earlier book needs to add some advice. This turns into quite an amazing structure, and a surprise! Everything 'perfect' is in the eye of the beholder, right? 

        This is an older book and when I shared that I found it donated at the used bookstore where I work, several said it was a favorite. It's new to me and a special story about a young girl who lives on a farm and discovers a mysterious "egg". Her father says to leave it alone, but she waits and waits, and it hatches her new friend, a baby dragon! "Hank" is well taken care of, and although farming turns out not to be the place he is really meant for, what he leaves as a gift is a loving surprise. It's a cute story that will be fun to read. Illustrations are lively and brightly-colored.

           Do you want your children or students to know what it means to be an activist? I just started reading this book with my two granddaughters, eleven and almost nine. We're reading a little at a time, savoring the words and discussing what they mean to them, to me, to the greater world. It's a collection of poems by Mahogany L. Browne, Elizabeth Acevedo and Olivia Gatwood sharing their special words that show the goodness of the fight for social justice.
              There are beautifully creative and emotional illustrations by Theodore Taylor, an intro by Jason Reynolds, what it means to be 'woke' by Mahogany Browne, and poems that include today's world for young people, for all of us! Knowing oneself, learning about others, too, and fighting for what's right are some topics of the poems included. It's a book to return to often as one begins to examine more about social justice. 

        Here's one more older book, one of four seasonal books by Steven Schnur all with gorgeous woodcut illustrations by Leslie Evans. I get these out every season to enjoy, love the acrostic poems that celebrate special things of the season. Daisy, Flags, Grapes, and Picnic are some of the topics Schnur writes about. If you don't know these books, find them!  

What's Next: Trowbridge Road by Marcella Pixley, an arc I have needed to read but haven't. Now it's time! And A High Five for Glenn Burke by Phil Bildner, another on the stack I've wanted to read. Looks like a nice week of reading ahead!