Monday Reading - Beginning A New Year

          

    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 reading various things lately, trying to catch up with magazine articles. Now I have two books going, one from the Heavy Medal Mock Newbery list (It's almost time for the awards!) and one that will be published later in the month, an ARC from Publisher's Weekly. They are A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall by Jasmine Warga (imagination plus!) and Pam Jenoff's Last Twilight in Paris (intriguing so far, connecting in history from the Nazis in Paris to a future time). The holidays were wonderful with family and friends making merry! I hope all of you had a great time, however you celebrated!

       Happy New Year wishes to everyone!

Thanks to Candlewick Press
for my copy!

               This is such a sweet story that I read it very fast, but this time of year is busy so I'm just now sharing about it. Middle school boy Evan keeps to himself much of the time, has a few friends, but mainly on the bus ride home. He feels he doesn't fit much of anywhere, even at home with a mother who hardly speaks to him and a father immersed in carving wood creations, which make a lot of money. There are no money worries, but in this boy's life, loneliness worries until a border collie who seems to know the boy needs "something" starts following Evan and even joins him when he's running. Yet, like many stories, it gets complicated. Evan gains some better friends, and then the dog, after being gone for a while, arrives, clearly on a mission involving an abusive dog breeder. Added to that problem, a new "girl" friend enters Evan's life. She's witty but is on crutches, something to do with one of her legs. It's somewhat awkward on the bus when she joins right in! Not only do Dog (Yes, he really does "Answer to Dog") and Evan help each other, he helps the family, too. Hautman alternates the story-telling, letting both Evan and Dog tell their side of the story, an adventure in love and loss and, yes, also, hope and growing up. It's wonderful to be able to journey along! 

                  

         When you grew up, or perhaps when one of your parents grew up, was there a 'family' table that people treasured, making many memories there, at mealtimes, at big gatherings, or the regular ones? It seems to be what many remember! This book, written by  Wiley Blevins, raised in West Virginia, and Winsome Bingham, who immigrated as a child from Jamaica to the U.S. South, shows the joys and sorrows that happen around one table. For a long time at the table, a coal-mining family sits and eats, dyes Easter eggs, sews, and laughs, living their lives. Though they aren't rich with money, they are rich with love. Then, coal mines begin to close, and still, the bills arrive. The family must leave their home–and the table. 

         Later, a second family, driving home, spot a table (see that cover!). The father is a carpenter, brakes fast, and jumps out to examine it, sees that it's a unique piece of wood, well made. The memories begin again, as you can imagine, and one child wonders if sometimes, in the past, another child sat at the table. The table remembers! And Jason Griffin's illustrations show this history with loving expression. There are very personal letters from the authors and Griffin at the end. 

        What a wonderful thing it could be to have students write of personal memories at their tables! My brother uses our grandmother's beautiful round oak table, and he and I, along with our cousins, all have memories of sitting there for holidays or summer visits, doing projects! 

        Lives may vary, but no matter those differences, there is much that is similar within all of us, the love in families, sharing the time together, often around a table! 

 

         I love every book written by Atinuke, and now she and Angela Brooksbank collaborate again as they did on B Is For Baby and other "Baby" books. Here, Atinuke

takes us on a day's journey with a family, father, mother, four children, one a baby, on their way to the city, "L is for Lagos"! They come from a rural area, see "Lazy Lions", and a "Lonely Leopard", are "Lucky" to catch a bus after walking a while. Oh, my, the people and the jungle, then comes the city, which is "Large" and "Loud" as they "Listen". The story, with not many words, is told cleverly, weaving the appropriate "L" words in to tell about this exciting day, as Angela Brooksbank's lushly colored illustrations fill the pages with people and nature and city crowds surrounded by "large" buildings. One double-page spread is one where I Looked and Looked, a market with people selling and preparing and eating. And, the story, the "Last" (my "L" word) message is no matter where, "L is for Love"! 

        On a personal note, I also love the book because L is also for "Linda", my name! 

       It's a re-read, yet I'd forgotten most of it! This is the book that is said to have lifted Agatha Christie into the realm of "best" mystery writer, at least during her time. It also was criticized for breaking the rules of mysteries. You'll see. It's a curious story that will shock!

       Happy Reading!