It's Monday! - Three Special Books

     

        Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they and others have been reading! Your TBR lists will grow!    

        I've been on vacation, a wonderful time in Costa Rica, and I wrote these days ago, yet don't want to miss sharing these three marvelous books! 

       Trapped in a world where 'beautiful' is everything, Vera Brosgol offers a new look at a heroine, "Plain Jane," who cannot inherit her family's fortune because she's female but also cannot get anyone to marry her (to get that fortune) because she's, well, "plain."  Magic helps Jane begin to look for a friend, who receives a lot of attention because he's cute but now is lost at sea. She has the capacity to breathe underwater for only three days, and what an exciting and perilous time she has. The visual art captured me as Jane swirls through the sea with mermaids, terrifying sea monsters, selkies, and more! Take time to immerse yourself in this fantastic adventure of a young girl who is not afraid to take risks by choosing to do right. It's a wonderful new graphic novel. Vera Brosgol writes a special author's note about her connection to the challenges of body image. 

         Hank Hooperman is such a wonderful "almost" twelve-year-old. When readers learn about him from page one and on, they will be shocked at all that he manages to do, especially for his three-year-old sister, Bridget (Boo is her nickname).  He's used to his mother not showing up for a day or two, yet this time, it's been a week! His dear grandmother passed away a year ago and he cannot rely on her anymore. They're out of money so they cannot go to the corner store for Cheetoes. The lights just went out; no more TV! And, the landlord is yelling and banging on their door, saying they're about to be evicted. Hank finds his permission slip where his mom has written a name, Lou Ann Adler, in case of emergency and her address. And, he finds a bus pass! Off they go into the unknown, because it has to be better than home, right? Gennifer Choldenko gives readers a character who will not be forgotten for his love and hope, for showing us his thoughts on the mistakes made, mistakes overcome, and mistakes allowed, especially for Boo. Don't miss learning the story of Hank and learn what kindness is about when someone needs it so very much. 

         Loren Long runs along a bike trail where he sees an abandoned yellow bus. More than once he imagines where, when, and who had been on that bus. That becomes this story of an object we all recognize, a vehicle that's been around for many years. Long, through his imagination for just the right words and sounds, plus his beautifully drawn illustrations, has given us a story that will never grow old. I imagine readers who will read this many years from now. After all, we all hold dear memories of our own "yellow bus"! Those in the future will, too!

Next? Reading two books for adults right now, and Harvest House by Cynthia Leitich Smith is next!