Lifesize by Sophy Henn

Lifesize by Sophy Henn was published in 2018. I read this book to Aria and it is grand-kid approved.

Each page has a life sized animal or part of a life sized animal for you child to compare their own body size.

In this book, you will see: elephant toenails, a bee hummingbird, polar bear paws, lampreys, a toucan beak, a parakeet, todies, a giant squid eye, a pea crab, a jellyfish, the open mouth of a Bengal tiger roaring, a tiger centipede, a leaf insect, a giraffe's tongue, a rainbow lizard, Kangaroo ears, and a desert scorpion. Other animals are shown and facts given, but they are not shown life size.

Any animal or fact loving child will enjoy this book. It is a Kane Miller book which means it is well made with a strong binding and nice thick pages if you get the hardback.

Link to our NICU book registry if you'd like to donate books to babies in the newborn intensive care unit so their parents can read to them while they grow. You can also donate gently used books to our project by sending them to me or to Angie. Email me for a mailing address. We can use both English and Spanish books. If you have a graduate of the NICU, or if you have a baby whose life you would like to honor by donating books to this project, let me know, and I can make a book plate with their name for the books you donate.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Rowling, Tiffany, and Thorne

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne was published in 2016. This eighth story of the Harry Potter saga is written as a play which makes it a very quick read. I found this copy in a local little free library.

I enjoyed this play that takes place nineteen years after Harry defeats Voldemort. His younger son, Albus, is headed to Hogwarts for the first time. He struggles with having Harry Potter as his dad - that and the fact he's named after two famous wizards - Dumbledore and Snape.

A time turner is discovered that may change everything for the worse and bring Voldemort back to the present.

Quotes I enjoyed:

Page 277 "People think they know all there is to know about you, but the best bits of you are - have always been - heroic in really quiet ways." (Ginny speaking to Harry)

Page 306 "Most people at least have a dad to base themselves on - and either try to be or try not to be. I've got nothing or very little."

I loved the time travel in this story.

If you are a Potter fan, you will want to read this play. If you are not a fan of reading plays, this one may change your mind.

Link to our NICU book registry if you'd like to donate books to babies in the newborn intensive care unit so their parents can read to them while they grow. You can also donate gently used books to our project by sending them to me or to Angie. Email me for a mailing address. We can use both English and Spanish books. If you have a graduate of the NICU, or if you have a baby whose life you would like to honor by donating books to this project, let me know, and I can make a book plate with their name for the books you donate.

Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze by Alan Silberberg

Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze written and illustrated by Alan Silberberg was published in 2011 and based on the cover, I had no idea the serious nature of the content inside.

Silberberg uses humor and cartoons to tell what is at many times a very serious and touching story. The illustrations and comic strips help lighten what might otherwise be a dark story. Milo has recently moved to a new house, but his mother died from cancer before this move and he is struggling with grief: missing her, his brain fog, things that remind him of her illness.

Silberberg at times brought me to tears and often, he brought me to laughter. He hits just the right balance of tenderness, sorrow, and laughter because that's how life is. We laugh, we cry, we mess up, and we find people to fill the holes in us.

Milo finds friends who help fill his holes, and the friendships are realistic. I think any middle grade or middle school student can relate to this book - the awkwardness, the fears of not fitting in, the trying to get courage to do the things you want to do. I also feel this book would help children understand someone who has lost a parent and how to best be their friend when things get hard for them because grief is a spiral.

I gave this book five stars and that doesn't happen very often. This book is great for younger readers that read above level because the content isn't too old for them. It carries a lexile of NC1110L, which means it's a non conforming book for younger readers of higher reading ability. That being said, I think my middle school students would have loved this book. There is plenty of white space on the page and the illustrations and comics make this a quick read.

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

Link to our NICU book registry if you'd like to donate books to babies in the newborn intensive care unit so their parents can read to them while they grow. You can also donate gently used books to our project by sending them to me or to Angie. Email me for a mailing address. We can use both English and Spanish books. If you have a graduate of the NICU, or if you have a baby whose life you would like to honor by donating books to this project, let me know, and I can make a book plate with their name for the books you donate.

Restart by Gordon Korman

Restart by Gordon Korman was published in 2017. I like the books he writes because kids can relate to them. This book is for middle grade and middle school age students - or old people like me because I enjoy a story that makes me think no matter whom it was written for.

The book begins with Chase waking up in the hospital after falling off a roof. The worst or best part is that he can't remember anything. As he reenters his life, he discovers that he has changed a lot - for the better.

The story is told in changing points of view, but each chapter tells you whose point of view is being shared, so I was never confused.

This would be a fun book to read as a book group with the intended age group as there are many talking points. This book made me think of the true story of Phineas Gage who suffered a brain injury and had his personality change, only his change was for the worse. I also thought about Chase's friends and how they didn't change, but how his father changed.

My favorite lines: "When a bunch of jerks see you as a victim, that's on them. But when it goes on so long that it's how you see yourself, it's very hard to climb out of that hole" (140).

"I know bricks and concrete are incapable of evil intent, but I can't shake the feeling that the building itself is out to get me" (140).

"This is not who I am, I tell myself. It's just something that happened to me" (212).

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

Link to our NICU book registry if you'd like to donate books to babies in the newborn intensive care unit so their parents can read to them while they grow. You can also donate gently used books to our project by sending them to me or to Angie. Email me for a mailing address. We can use both English and Spanish books. If you have a graduate of the NICU, or if you have a baby whose life you would like to honor by donating books to this project, let me know, and I can make a book plate with their name for the books you donate.

Ghosts I Have Been by Richard Peck

Ghosts I Have Been by Richard Peck was published in 1977 and is the second book in the Blossom Culp series. I enjoy ghost stories and found this book in a little free library on our way to Cedar City two months ago. This copy is pretty tattered, so I ordered a new one along with book one of this series.

I enjoy Peck's writing style, and I didn't feel lost in this story even though it is book two and I haven't yet read book one. His characters really come to life and he adds touches of humor to brighten the story. This story begins with Blossom pretending to be a ghost to prevent boys in her town from tipping over the outhouses on Halloween night.

Later in the story she helps a neighbor with a ghostly problem, she rescues a performing ghost, takes a trip on the Titanic, and gets to meet the Queen.

I like the touches of history included in this story, and I love the characters and their growth during the story.

My favorite lines: "Besides to turn me ladylike might have rendered me useless and possibly ornamental" (104).

"He's getting ganglier by the minute and was worse than a sack full of squirrels" (204).

I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

Link to our NICU book registry if you'd like to donate books to babies in the newborn intensive care unit so their parents can read to them while they grow. You can also donate gently used books to our project by sending them to me or to Angie. Email me for a mailing address. We can use both English and Spanish books. If you have a graduate of the NICU, or if you have a baby whose life you would like to honor by donating books to this project, let me know, and I can make a book plate with their name for the books you donate.

Replica by Lauren Oliver

Replica by Lauren Oliver was published in 2016, and I found this book in a local Little Free Library. This science fiction novel is two points of view in one book. One side is Lyra's story, a replica who lives at the Haven, a research facility that creates replicas or clones. Her life is limited and clones have no rights, limited education, and are considered an abomination. 

When you flip the book over, you get Gemma's story. She is rich girl who is teased at her high school for being a "Frankenstein". She's had a lot of health problems and surgeries. Because of her heart issues, she is unable to do much exercise and so she struggles with her weight. I like that a main character doesn't feel like she is popular or beautiful and is self-conscious of her body. 

They tell the same story, but no two people can ever be the same or see things the same. Their stories collide in this fast-paced novel that has constant danger for all the characters. This is the first book of a duo and both books are published. I need to buy the second book. 

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

Link to our NICU book registry if you'd like to donate books to babies in the newborn intensive care unit so their parents can read to them while they grow. You can also donate gently used books to our project by sending them to me or to Angie. Email me for a mailing address. We can use both English and Spanish books. If you have a graduate of the NICU, or if you have a baby whose life you would like to honor by donating books to this project, let me know, and I can make a book plate with their name for the books you donate.

Felipe and Claudette by Mark Teague

Felipe and Claudette by Mark Teague was published in 2019 and is a darling book that shows the importance of animal friendships.

Felipe and Claudette live in an animal shelter and on adoption day all the pets get adopted except for them. Felipe is a cat and Claudette is a crazy dog that barks, tears up her toys, runs in circles, and bounces against the walls. She drives Felipe crazy.

One day a man comes and adopts Claudette. He wants an active playful dog, but when he gets Claudette home, she does none of the things he is promised, so he brings her back because all she does is mope.

Claudette has missed her friend, Felipe, so another home must be found for both of them.

This book is sweet and helps children understand that animals can grieve and miss those they love - humans or other animals.

The pictures in this book are a lot of fun. Mark Teague is great at portraying emotions in his artwork.

Read to a child today even if that child is you. 

Brandon Hart's donation allowed us to purchase  books for our NICU book project. My friend, Marla gave us her Scholastic coupon, which allowed us to get an additional twelve books. I appreciate their support of our project. Fifty-two more books will head to the NICU.

Link to our NICU book registry if you'd like to donate books to babies in the newborn intensive care unit so their parents can read to them while they grow. You can also donate gently used books to our project by sending them to me or to Angie. Email me for a mailing address. We can use both English and Spanish books. If you have a graduate of the NICU, or if you have a baby whose life you would like to honor by donating books to this project, let me know, and I can make a book plate with their name for the books you donate.