The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill

The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill was published in 2000. The author was raised in Fairbanks, Alaska and taught school for more than thirty years, most of which was spent teaching in one-room schoolhouses in the Alaskan bush.

I liked this story set in 1948 because it shows a good teacher accepting the kids for who they are. She teaches with kindness and shows her students why it's important to learn the things she's teaching. I loved that she taught Fred's deaf sister, Bokko, sign language, and how the other children learned it and began communicating with her.

This teacher made a difference while respecting the culture of her students. She even taught the parents of the children.

This is a good book for middle grade students.

Lindsey brought by some T-shirts and buttons for me to make headbands for healthcare workers. She also brought books for my little free library, but I snagged some of them for the NICU. Thanks, Lindsey for gifts.

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.

All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot

All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot was published in 1973. I listened to the audio version which was expertly narrated. I didn't want it to end. I felt like I was listening to this old country veterinarian tell me stories from his life's practice in a soothing voice using humor and tenderness. This is the second book after All Things Great and Small which I am currently listening to.

James Herriot does all he can to help the animals he treats. He is not a perfect man but is flawed and likable. He described things in a manner that I felt like I was standing alongside him watching him work. He treats mostly farm animals, but he he treats domestic animals as well and is trying to grow that part of his practice when this story takes place. The stories in this book are from the late 1930s and early 1940s.

I think any animal lover will enjoy this book. You may even like this book if you don't like animals as the stories are told in an engaging and humorous fashion.

Herriot's books are soothing, tender, and funny - perfect for listening or reading during the pandemic.

One of our NICU's graduates recently held an Usborne book drive for our NICU to honor their first birthday. Here are the darling books we received from their family and friends. I love Usborne books. They are well made and have cute stories. Thank you for the donation and happy birthday. 

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.

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli

Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli was published in 2015 and quickly became the movie; Love, Simon. I enjoyed the movie and wanted to read this book.

I ended up listening to the audio version, which was well narrated, and I liked it more than the movie. There are two scenes in the movie that didn't ring true to me, but those scenes were handled much differently in the book, so the part of me that loves a good story was content.

This book is about Simon, a gay teen who is not yet out. We find out in the opening sentences that a classmate has read an email Simon sent to another gay teen. Simon's classmate proceeds to blackmail him into setting him up with a girl who Simon is friends with.

I like that this story deals with hard subjects such as the coming out story and who that story belongs to. This book addresses the fear of being shunned, teased, or not accepted when one comes out. The teens in this book are navigating friendships and betraying friends even when they don't mean to. It also talks about forgiveness - who to forgive and who not to trust again.

This book has an amazing theater teacher. All kids need a teacher like her.

This is a book for older teens as it contains adult language and situations, but it's an important story for many.

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.