Story Thieves by James Riley

 Story Thieves by James Riley was published in 2015 and is the first in a five book series. I listened to the audio version and it was well narrated by Kirby Heyborne. Kayana read this book and enjoyed it, so it it has the teen seal of approval. This book reminds me of Inkheart by Cornelia Funke because its it about book characters that have entered our world. 

Owen, the main character is bored and wishes he could have an exciting life like characters in books. When he sees his classmate, Bethany, climb out of a book, he is determined to find out how to get inside a book. Bethany is half fictional and is looking for her father who is somewhere inside a book. 

Owen agrees to keep Bethany's secret, but only if she'll take him inside his favorite series. Unfortunately, Owen may not be able to make it out of the book alive. 

This story has a lot of fun adventure. The pages have a lot of white space, which if you've read this blog before, you know I love that in books written for young readers as it helps them track better. 

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

Link to our NICU book registry 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.

Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce

Max and the Midknights by Lincoln Peirce was published in 2019 and is a fun adventure told with comics and prose. I listened to the audio version and it was done like a play with a different voice actor for each character. I think any young reader who likes adventure, wizards, dragons, and castles will enjoy this story. 

Max wants to be knight, but that is not likely as Max's uncle is a troubadour - a traveling actor, and children must be whatever their guardians are. When Uncle Budrick is taken prisoner by the evil King Gastley, Max must come to his rescue. Luckily Max makes some friends along the way to help the quest. 

I have some grandkids and students who will enjoy this book. Vincent, my grandson, is currently reading this, and each times he picks it up, he says "I'm going on a legendary adventure." 

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

Link to our NICU book registry 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.

2022 NICU Book Project Update

Our NICU book project is beginning its eighth year! My plan of doing a one time donation to honor my twins who did not survive pregnancy is now eight years old. We have placed thousand of books with families who often have an extended stay in the NICU. Each family gets a packet of five books with an insert that explains the importance of reading to their babies. 

I hope that by giving each baby five books, their literary palate will be awakened and they will seek out books, learning, and knowledge for the rest of their lives.

Angie has received emails from her coworkers saying that this is a much needed project. All of this does my heart good. I feel like the lives of our little ones matter and that they are blessing the lives of others.

Last year we placed 973 books with our babies thanks to our donors who helped me out by donating 492 books. That helped me reach twice as many babies as I could have done alone. We were able to give nearly 200 babies the gift of literacy. I appreciate every donation we receive - one book or one hundred books. 

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

Link to our NICU book project registry 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.

Braced by Alyson Gerber

Braced by Alyson Gerber was published in 2017 and is the story of Rachel, a girl with scoliosis who needs to wear a back brace 23 hours a day. This story covers Rachel's experience of trying to play soccer, fit in, do all the things she wants to do and wear a back brace. 

Rachel's mom also had to wear a brace, but her brace didn't work and she needed surgery. The brace causes a rift in Rachel's relationship with her mom as comparisons in their experiences are made. 

Rachel has good friends, but her friendships are changed by her needing to wear her brace. I like how the characters in this story grow, how the reader can see what it takes to be a good friend, and how kindness is always a good choice. This story shows how hard it is to feel like you belong when you are a teen. 

I like that the story shows how to set healthy boundaries, and how the things we go through often help us know ourselves. 

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

Link to our NICU book project registry 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.

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy was published in 2019 and is a quiet, kind, and gentle book. My only complaint with the book is the font used. I prefer a font that is more user friendly - especially for students with learning differences. 

This book could be used as journaling prompts. 

Quotes I like:

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" "Kind," said the boy. 

"Do you have a favorite saying?" asked the boy.

 "If at first you don't succeed, have some cake."

"I see; does it work?"

"Every time."

"Most of the old moles I know wish they had listened less to their fears and more to their dreams."

The entire book has so many great quotes. I did cry when I read some of them - probably because I needed the words in my life right now. 

I love the watercolor pictures in the book and think it will make a great addition to my classroom. 

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

Link to our NICU book registry 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.

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison

 Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison was first published in 1947, yet it is still applicable to today. Ellison tells the story of an unnamed black man who wins a scholarship to college. While there, he discovers that what he hoped was true was not, and he finds himself in New York on a new journey of discovery. 

Goodreads blurb: ". . . immediately hailed as a masterpiece, Invisible Man is one of those rare novels that have changed the shape of American literature. For not only does Ralph Ellison's nightmare journey across the racial divide tell unparalleled truths about the nature of bigotry and its effects on the minds of both victims and perpetrators, it gives us an entirely new model of what a novel can be.

As he journeys from the Deep South to the streets and basements of Harlem, from a horrifying "battle royal" where black men are reduced to fighting animals, to a Communist rally where they are elevated to the status of trophies, Ralph Ellison's nameless protagonist ushers readers into a parallel universe that throws our own into harsh and even hilarious relief. Suspenseful and sardonic, narrated in a voice that takes in the symphonic range of the American language, black and white, Invisible Man is one of the most audacious and dazzling novels of our century."

This book is a work of art, and I enjoyed every minute of it. I listened to the audio version that was most expertly narrated by Joe Morton who acted out every character and made the journey all the more enjoyable. I found this book thought provoking as it shows the effects of racism on all. This book is worth reading or listening to. Five stars.

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

Link to our NICU book registry 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.

This Is My America by Kim Johnson

This Is My America by Kim Johnson was published in 2020, and from the first page to the last, this story is compelling. The story begins with Tracy's letter to Innocence X on behalf of her father who was convicted of a double murder and is facing the death penalty in 275 days. Innocence X is a group that helps those who feel they were wrongfully convicted. 

Tracy's brother, Jamal, is a runner who will get to go to college on scholarship, but before that can happen, he is accused of murdering a girl in his town. He goes on the run because he doesn't trust the legal system in their Texas town. 

Tracy's little sister was born after their dad was arrested, so she has only known him since he has been a prisoner. 

Tracy continues to write to Innocence X, but they don't respond to her. She has the help of two friends: Dean - the white son of her mother's employers, and Quinton - the son of the man who was killed being arrested by police as her father's accomplice in the double homicide. 

As this mystery unfolds, Kim Johnson tackles systemic racism, bias, the complications and unfairness of the prison system, and the complications that can arise in friendship. So much in this book reminds me of the poetry of Langston Hughes and his words, "I, too, am America."

I love the cover of this book and all the details it contains: a girl with red and blue and stars and stripes woven in to her hair. She has one earring that is a handcuff and one earring the shape of Texas. I look forward to recommending this book to my students. Great read. 

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

Link to our NICU book registry 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.