Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

I remember a lot of my classmates were assigned this book at some point in elementary school. Our class never read it, but I'm glad I picked it up now! This is a great fictional introduction to World War II for younger readers. While it avoids any sort of graphic images, it does still portray the fear and violence civilians faced during the conflict. I also learned a bit of history I didn't know about-the mass resistance of Danes by sneaking most Jews out of their country to Sweden. This book is really good, for any age!

137 pages

Read Harder Challenge Task #20

Last Minute Additions

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green

I loved his first book, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing,  in which metal alien statues-affectionately named Carl-land all over the planet and people go nuts. This sequel is even better! Carl is back, and saves a primary character through alien prosthetics, leaving her with an android-like appearance. The group of friends then have to face off against a hyper-realistic virtual reality gaming company with much more nefarious intentions.I think what I like most about these books is that the author is not afraid to comment on tough current issues-income inequality, social media conspiracies, information privacy, the list goes on and on. This was a very fun science fiction duology!

452 pages

Binti by Nnedi Okorafor

Binti is the first of her people to attend Oomza University, even though it means she will be ostracized by her community. However, trying to maintain her traditions in a high-tech society also does not help her fit in with her peers. Then the Meduse attack.. I was amazed at how much world building Okorafor was able to put into 90 pages. This was a really good novella, and I will probably pick up the others in the short series.

90 pages

Read Harder Task #17


Boy, Snow, Bird by Helen Oyeyemi

A loose retelling of Snow White set in a Massachusetts small town during the 1950's/60's. Boy escapes her abusive father, eventually falling in love with a carpenter. Their daughter, Bird, is dark skinned, and exposes them as African Americans passing for white. Honestly, I thought the plot dragged a bit, but that final plot twist at the end makes the story worth it.

308 pages

Read Harder Task #2



Fashion Jewelry: A beginner's guide to jewelry making by Courtney Legenhausen

I've been dabbling with some jewelry making for a while, and I thought I'd finally pick up a book to learn the actual techniques, instead of my current stumbling along with Pinterest and Youtube videos. Apparently I was opening jump rings wrong. I also know the correct way to finish a piece. And crimp beads are lifesavers. With lots of step by step pictures, I thought it was useful for a beginner.

175 pages




Florence Adler Swims Forever by Rachel Beanland

I wish they would have told me this was based on a true story up front, because I thought the premise was ridiculous-if this was fiction, why would someone write such a dismal novel? Florence, while training to prepare for her English Channel swim, accidentally drowns. Her family decides not to tell her sister, because they are afraid she will get upset and miscarry as she did before. So, we get six months of family members frantically trying to keep a secret. Meanwhile, there's a weird subplot about Florida real estate? I was not impressed.

309 pages




The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Xiomara feels unheard by her family, her church, and to some extent, her friends. Secretly dating Aman, and forced into confirmation classes by her mother, she channels her frustrations into her notebook. She finally finds her voice through an invitation to join her school's poetry slam club-allowing her to blossom. The audiobook of this is sooo good, and hearing the poetry spoken by the actual author is quite effective.

361 pages

Read Harder Task #8


The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue

This intense story follows the lives of three women in an Irish quarantined maternity ward over three days during the flu of 1918. The story is brutal, refusing to shy away from the reality of medical interventions, nauseating symptoms, and the brutality of poverty and the Irish orphanage system of the time. This book was very detailed, emotional and shocking. Definitely not for everyone, but I enjoyed it.

295 pages




Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh 

When Henry Silver arrives as a new resident of Greenhollow, his interest in folklore leads him to investigate the Wild Man of the wood. Dryads, old curses, a mysterious past, teen abductions, and a gentle romance compose this creative fantasy retelling of the Green Man myth. I thought it was a great debut, and I plan to look out for Tesh's next book.

109 pages




The Tea Dragon Festival by Katie O'Neill

A companion novel to The Tea Dragon Society, this graphic novel provides some backstory for two society members of the first book. They return to Silverleaf village, where everyone lives alongside tea dragons. we meet a young dragon who has just awoken from an unintended 80 year nap. Once again the artwork is beautiful, the characters are diverse, and the tea dragons are adorable. I never thought I would see sign language in a graphic novel-it was very well done!

131 pages



Too Much and Never Enough by Mary L. Trump

I've been trying to stay away from reading political stuff right now (easier said than done), but the premise for this family narrative and memoir was too tempting. Mary's personal experiences, familial knowledge and clinical Ph.D psychologist's expertise give us a unique character study that certainly explains... a lot. Toxic families create toxic people. A very interesting read.

225 pages





The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

The reviews for this book were so positive, but I thought it was so bad. I get it, it's a memoir about grief, but using obscure references to celebrities and writers just left me lost and confused. Way too much name dropping, and not really much emotion, considering her situation. If I wasn't listening to the audiobook, I probably would not have finished this one.

227 pages




You Brought Me the Ocean by Alex Sanchez, Julie Maroh (ill.)

A coming of age story about friends drifting apart, college applications, and discovering your truth. Of course, the main character lives in a desert and has magical powers that react to water-you know, just to make it interesting. I don't think I've ever seen a comic focused entirely on Aqualad. I love how DC has been embracing such diverse characters lately. This was fun!

186 pages



And now I am FINALLY caught up so I don't have to do these crazy long posts.

Graphic Novels Galore!

Fangs by Sarah Andersen

I love Sarah's Scribbles comics, so when i saw this e-galley available, I said, sure, why not? I thought the premise of vampire + werewolf romance was a bit cliche, but I was pleasantly surprised with this one. I liked how it poked fun at the cliches, but also presented a unique plot of its own. A fun little read for fans of funny comics. Definitely a better love story than Twilight.

112 pages



New Kid by Jerry Craft

I've seen this title pop up on so many book lists lately, I thought I'd check it out. Although this graphic novel is written for the middle grades, there are so many themes and issues relevant to adult readers. When his parents enroll him in a private school, Jordan has to adapt to a school where he is one of the few students of color. He has to learn how to make new friends while faced with racist microaggressions from his classmates and teachers. I would highly recommend this title for anyone and everyone.

249 pages




The Tea Dragon Society by Katie O'Neill

Greta, an apprentice blacksmith, discovers a new passion when she rescues a small dragon from a chaotic marketplace. She then discovers the world of the tea dragons, whose horns sprout tiny leaves harvested for tea by their caretakers. This story is so sweet, and the artwork is beautiful. A lovely fantasy tale of traditions, love, and friendship.

60 pages




Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Leigh Bardugo

I read this novel when it came out, but it's been a few years. When this popped up on a recommended list I thought, sure, why not? I remembered enjoying the novel, but didn't remember enough of the plot to make a reread too boring. Yet, this was so boring. The story was still exciting and upbeat, but the art was just... bleh. I'm not a fan of the blue-grey color scheme. It was nice to get a visual for some of the characters, but honestly? Just read the novel.

206 pages




Wonder Woman: Tempest Tossed by Laurie Halse Andersen, and Leila Del Duca (ill.)

Now this is Wonder Woman done right. Andersen is a powerful writer, and Del Duca makes the story pop with color. Diana's origin story is updated to reflect our current world, as she encounters refugees, activists, homelessness, corporate greed, human trafficking and other social issues. I love how many diverse wonder woman comics we've been getting lately, and I'd say this is one of the best ones I've read.

207 pages




Zatanna and the House of Secrets by Matthew Cody, and Yoshi Yoshitani (ill.)

We don't get a lot of Zatanna-featured comics, so seeing this one written for the younger crowd was a pleasant surprise. This book was a lot of fun! Zatanna is a normal girl living in a slightly abnormal house dealing with tricky middle school friendship troubles. Then, the son of a witch queen steals her pet rabbit's key collar and the magic house comes alive. Zatanna has to navigate the twists, turns, and terrors to rescue her father and discover her true inheritance. This book is a lot of fun!

146 pages

The Long Winter by Laura Ingalls Wilder

It snowed, and then there was a blizzard, a few sunny days, then more snow. Most of the book was talking about sitting in the dark around the cookstove trying to survive until the train arrived in the spring. It's a good survival on the prairie kind of story, just really repetitive. Also, again with the racist depictions of Native Americans, this time comparing them to wild animals... Really? Overall, this book just made me cold and bored.

Not the best Little House book... Is it spring yet?

334 pages

Green Lantern: Legacy by Minh Le

Thirteen year old Tai Pham inherits his grandmother's jade ring and learns he is inducted into the Green Lantern Corps! What a great twist to the Green Lantern series, where we see a young Vietnamese Boy learning to use his willpower to fight fear of the other in his own community. This is a great story, for kids and adults, and I hope to see more of Tai and maybe his grandmother in the main Green Lantern series.

A superhero comic for the middle grades, with positive themes of willpower and compassion.

151 pages

Diana, Princess of the Amazons by Shannon Hale

Awww, this comic is so cute! Little Diana is lonely because she is the only kid on the island, so she makes her own friend out of clay. But her new friend may not be the best influence on her... I love new twists on the Wonder Woman story, especially ones set on Themyscira.

A fun Wonder Woman comic for younger readers.

159 pages

By the Shores of Silver Lake by Laura Ingalls Wilder

A few months ago I started reading the Little House series. I never read them as a kid, because for whatever reason I thought pioneers were boring... Even though I loved camping and outdoors skills, and I already read a ton of historical fiction. Anyway, I have been enjoying this series as an adult and I think this was the best one yet! You get to see some of the history, such as workers' rights disputes, and settling the countryside, and Laura is really coming into her own identity as a person. I kinda wish we got more information about Mary's illness, and I still cringe at all the racism, but I can also see why these books have done so well, even today. Also, the audio books are very well done-I love hearing the fiddle and the narrator singing the old folk songs!

It's fun looking at how prairie life was back in the day.

290 pages

Black Canary: Ignite by Meg Cabot, and Cara McGee (ill.)

Middle School is hard enough without learning how to control your superpowers! This is a fun origin story for one of my favorite DC characters that has seemed to get more of a spotlight in recent years. Part of DC's recent imprint of comics for children and younger teens, done by the brilliant Meg Cabot.

A fun, colorful Black Canary comic great for younger readers.

160 pages

The Shadow Throne by Jennifer A Nielsen

"It would take entire lifetimes for the men... to deserve their women"  RT. *Clap back*
Women being fierce and amazing
Did I see some Christ imagery...yes I did. But put suffering in front of me, and that's what I'll see...You can't just talk about saints and priests and expect me to stay calm...
....What kind of plot twist was that...Is this a Snape thing.
My beautiful babies.
The bonus scene was amazing!
336 Pages

The Runaway King by Jennifer A Nielsen

Jaron....why...why are boys stupid. Why do they have hearts of gold and brains of mush. Someone teach this boy communication skills. I do love how he interacts with children and how he fights though... Cunning is important.
I love Harlowe. Too good for this world..Too pure...Does he remind me of the priest from Les Mis...Perhaps
Imogen deserves more credit. She smart. She fierce. And she don't need no man.
352 Pages

The False Prince by Jennifer A Nielsen

So I wasn't interested and I regretted reading it--because I'm the kind of person that has to read all the books of a series (I ain't no quitter). And then I didn't. Because plot twists, y'all.
..I am confusion...Is he or is he not... Oh my gosh...Seriously...Unreliable narrators. Curses. I'm mad at myself.
I do love royalty who act nobly...

352 Pages

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was obsessed with The Boxcar Children as a child. I mean what's not to love about a smart group of orphans who learn to survive on their own and do their best to stick together and protect each other? There are 4 of them, and I have 3 siblings, so I was sure that should the need ever arise, I would be ready to live with my siblings in a boxcar. In fact, I wanted to (not that I wanted anything bad to happen to my mom, but boxcar in the wilderness would have made a kickass club house).

Also, the children adopt an inured dog, even though feeding it means less food for themselves. I mean, come on! Could these children be any more amazing?

As an adult, I was curious to reread this to see if it still held the charm and whimsy of my childhood. I confess, I enjoyed reliving this book, but a bit of my realistic adult has snuck in at this point and therefore questions some of the things I never questioned as a child. Go figure. Growing up does seem to ruin a lot of good things, but it comes with some amazing perks, like being able to drink coffee without being told it will stunt your growth (clearly that was a lie, as I'm 5'10").

Anyway, long story short, this is a charming and fun read for elementary students. While I confess that I could have survived in the wilderness (and practically did) as a child, I don't think my nieces and nephews would far this well, which makes it even more interesting to me and probably also to them.

Pages: 160


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