Book: To Kill A Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird
by Harper Lee

Length: 376 pages

Format: Paperback
Price: $6.79 on Amazon

How I heard about it: I read it my freshman year of high school, but since we decided to take our seventh graders to a stage version, I thought it was a good time reread.

Basic Premise: Scout Finch's childhood in the 1930s in Maycomb, Alabama with her older brother Jem is full of fun, games and mischief, including spying on the reclusive neighbor, Boo Radley. But when her lawyer-father agrees to represent a black man in a notorious trial, Scout begins to understand that life isn't all fun and games.

My Take: 9 out of 10 (scale here)
In the fourth quarter, we teach a unit called "Guided by a Cause." In this unit we explore all sorts of issues and activists, and when we heard the local theatre was doing a production of this book, we jumped at it. Feeling that I should give the kids some background, prepared a prezi explaining the context and introducing Harper Lee and her characters and settled in to reread the book. I half read, half listened to Sissy Spacek's audio version through Hoopla. I really enjoyed listening, because she has a southern accent and it was easy to imagine Scout saying the same things in the same way. Regardless of the method, I was glued to this book from the moment I started. I bawled my eyes out at the end. WHAT a story. And the fact that  Lee, a white woman from the South, wrote it when she did (published in 1960), is all the more remarkable. The play was outstanding, and the kids LOVED it. I cried twice. What a story!

Book: Life on Mars

Life on Mars
By Jennifer Brown

Length: 256 pages

Format: Paperback
Price: Free - checked out from the school library
How I heard about it: it's a William Allen White Award book (I'm taking a break from my list and reading some of the William Allen White Award nominees for Battle of the Books at school)

Basic Premise: Arcturus Betelgeuse Chambers (Arty) comes from a family of stargazers (everyone, including is aunt Sarin, is named after a celestial body of some sort). All Arty has ever wanted to do is watch the stars, but when his dad announces they are moving to Las Vegas, the brightest city in the world, Arty believes his stargazing days are gone for good.

My Take: 7 out of 10 (scale here)
This book was fine. It's for younger kids (upper elementary), but I think reluctant readers will like it because Jennifer Brown and her characters are funny. There's all sorts of humor in the book, including a sister (Vega) whose boyfriend called "The Bacteria" and lots of factual information about astronomy and astrology that doesn't feel like a science lesson. The over-arching story involves an ailing neighbor who, at first, Arty believes is a serial killer, but upon actually meeting the man, he discovers they share a love of the sky. It's a cute story I plan to have on my shelf for next year!

Book: Rain Reign

Rain Reign
by Ann M. Martin

Length: 304 pages

Format: Hardback
Price: Free - checked out from the school library

How I heard about it: it's a William Allen White Award book (I'm taking a break from my list and reading some of the William Allen White Award nominees for Battle of the Books at school)

Basic Premise: Rose hasn't really felt at home in her house with her father since her mom left. School complicates things because, as hard as she tries to be normal, Rose just can't seem to squelch the urges her Autism seems to bring about in her. But when her father brings home a dog one day, Rose begins to feel understood for the first time.

My Take: 7 out of 10 (scale here)
This was a cute story about a girl with difficulties and a deadbeat father. It once again made me think of students like her with struggles at school and home and wish I could take them home. It also explored the relationship between Rose and her dog, which is something rather foreign to me. I didn't grow up with inside dogs, so I don't really understand the attachment people form with pets. (When dogs of friends die, I struggle to respond appropriately. I recognize that makes me a terrible person.) I appreciated this glimpse into that bond. Rose is fascinated with homophones and lists many throughout the book. It wasn't until I finished that I made the connection with the title. I think this is a great book for elementary schoolers, but my middle schoolers liked it too!

Book: El Deafo

El Deafo
by Cece Bell

Length: 248 pages

Format: Hardback
Price: Free - checked out from the school library

How I heard about it: it's a William Allen White Award book (I'm taking a break from my list and reading some of the William Allen White Award nominees for Battle of the Books at school)

Basic Premise: Cece isn't like the other kids...she's a superhero! She may look funny with her hearing aids and phonic ear, but these tools enable her to hear things the other kids at school only wish they could hear. It's her superpower!

My Take: 8 out of 10 (scale here)
This book was so cute. It's a graphic novel (bleh), but I actually enjoyed it. I have almost no experience with interacting with deaf children (or people, for that matter), so it was incredibly enlightening to read about a girl whose hearing was lost due to illness when she was 4. It was also the sort of book that really promotes empathy and understanding among students. One of my boys read it and he said it was actually really good, despite his expectations, for that reason. It's definitely a book I will read with Brother!