This is a buoyant book, organized by month, celebrating the things Arab kids make and the time they spend with family and friends. As the flyleaf says, it is a portrait “of the rich culture and the blend of old and new that exists throughout the Arab diaspora.”
This is a page-turner. Children and adult readers will need to know what happens next. And the humorous tone of much of the book will keep them riveted.
In Starfish, Ellie is never far from thinking about her weight, thanks to the relentless bullies around her.
The first time I met Melody Brooks in Out of My Mind, I was so taken with this loquacious, caring 10-year-old girl who struggles to communicate with her family and her teachers, to let them know how smart she is, to express her wishes. She has no friends, but she has lots and lots of hope.
I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel about surfing before Samira Surfs. I was fascinated by the setting in Bangladesh, the sport, and the Rohingya culture, different than my own.
A bright bauble … you don’t need it and it’s not worth a great deal, but you take it, hiding it. Impulse control disorder, under which kleptomania is categorized, is rare but it affects people deeply.
Taking a road trip this summer? Traveling with the youngest among us? Be sure to pack this book.
When I finished, I immediately looked to see what else this author has written … thankfully, quite a lot. I know what I’m reading next.
Ellen Oh’s story is firmly rooted in the present-day United States where Junie Kim is waging her own battle against middle school bullies and racism and depression. She doesn’t know how to fight back and so she isolates herself from her friends.
It’s quite a feat to portray the future US Representative’s life in a step-by-step manner, recounting each setback and each way Patsy overcame the barriers she faced, all the while keeping the prose energetic and compelling. Several times I found myself gasping.