White Bird by R. J. Palacio

 

How do you find out about new books?  My daughter Penelope and I were at the movie theatre watching “Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret” where we watched a trailer for White Bird.  We thought it looked good and looked up and ordered the book when we got home.  We were both surprised to discover that it was a book from the world of Wonder, a book we had both previously enjoyed.  Penelope devoured White Bird and implored me to read it as soon as possible so we could discuss it.  I complied.

White Bird is a graphic novel.  The framing of the story is that Julian, the bully from Wonder, has a beloved Grandmother who tells him a story of her youth to help explain why she thinks it is important to always be kind to everyone.  Grandmere was a young Jewish girl growing up in France when the Nazis invaded.  Other Jewish children and her parents were taken away.  She was only able to survive because a crippled boy that the other kids disdained put his life at risk to help her.  The story is a harrowing tale of survival that shows there is always good in the world. 

This story was very engaging, and the graphics are wonderful.  It’s a heart-rending story.  My daughter gave me the book with tears running down her face . . . she also told me what was going to happen, so it wasn’t a surprise for me at the end.  It was still very sad to read.

I really liked the message of good people helping those in need, and that you should always be kind to those around you.  When you get to know other people, you can find new and wonderful friends. 

For those that want to know more, there is a great author’s note at the end that discusses the real-world inspirations for this book.  I thought it was very interesting and would be a great learning tool for those who want to learn more.  I also thought it was interesting that it noted many World War II fiction novels about the atrocities against Jewish people are told from the point of view of a non-Jewish person.  I had never thought about that before, but it is true.  I liked that this did tell the story from the Jewish child that has to go into hiding.

Overall, White Bird is a touching and meaningful book that is perfect for both kids and adults alike.  I can’t wait to see the movie based on this book!

Favorite Quote:

“Evil will only be stopped when good people decide to put an end to it.”

Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com.

 

Little Bigfoot, Big City by Jennifer Weiner

 

Title:  Little Bigfoot, Big City

Author: Jennifer Weiner

Narrated by:  Emma Galvin, Keith Nobbs, Jen Ponton

Publisher: Simon & Shuster Audio

Length: Approximately 7 hours and 43 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Shuster Audio.  Thank-you! 

Little Bigfoot, Big City is the wonderful follow-up novel to the Littlest Bigfoot.  Penelope and I really enjoyed the first book and were excited to read the second book. 

Alice Mayfair found at the end of the 1^st book that she is not exactly human. If she is not human, then what is she?  As Alice tries to investigate where she came from, her friend Millie, who is a little bigfoot, tries to figure out how to get on a singing show in New York City.  She uses her friend Jessica Jarvis to be her “face” while she provides the powerful singing voice.  Jeremy’s research into bigfoot has made him a target of a shadowy organization that is searching for the same thing.  Will our three heroes find their happy endings?

Penelope and I enjoyed this second book in the series.  The story is told in alternating chapters by the three different main characters.  Penelope really wanted to know more about what exactly Alice was and where she came. She said the mystery was her favorite part.  There were some satisfying answers, but the book ultimately was left with a cliffhanger.  We looked and didn’t see a book three.  NOOO!!!  I hope that a conclusion to this trilogy comes out at some point.  Penelope liked the friendship between Millie and Alice and the questions of belonging. 

My thirteen-year-old son Daniel listened with us as well.  He primarily liked Jeremy’s search for answers and the mystery.

Alicia Alonso Takes the Stage by Nancy Ohlin (Rebel Girls)

 Penelope and I have been enjoying the Rebel Girls series of chapter books about strong women who made a difference in the world.

 I had never heard of Alicia Alonso before reading this book and I enjoyed learning her story.  Alonso was a famous ballerina originally from Cuba.  As an adult she lost her sight, but she kept working towards her dream and became a world-famous ballerina.  Her story was very inspiring.  Penelope and I liked the illustrations and how the story started with Alicia as a child and followed her through adulthood.  We even found movies of her on YouTube to watch her dance.  We loved that she also taught others how to dance and kept on dancing into her old age at a professional level.

 Overall, Alicia Alonso Takes the Stage is a motivational story of a sight impaired woman who followed her dreams to become a famous ballerina.

 Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

Dork Diaries 14: Tales from a Not So Best Friend Forever by Rachel Renee Russell

 

Title: Dork Diaries 14: Tales from a Not So Best Friend Forever

Author: Rachel Renee Russell

Read by:  Jenni Barber

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Length: Approximately 3 hours and 53 minutes

Source: Review Copy from Simon & Schuster.  Thank-you!

 My ten-year-old daughter Penelope is a fan of the Dork Diaries series.  We enjoy reading the novels and listening to the audiobooks together.  We need to catch up with the books in the middle of this series!

 Dork Diaries 14:  Tales from a Not So Best Friend Forever finds our heroine Nikki and her friends spending the summer as the opening act for the world famous Bad Boyz boy band.  Things look perfect for Nikki and her friends until her enemy Mackenzie manipulates her way into an intern position working with social media for the tour.  Even worse, Mackenzie is her roommate and keeps trying to blackmail Nikki to get herself on stage.  Will Nikki survive the summer, and get to know the Bad Boyz?

 Jenni Barber was a great narrator and really seemed to inhabit Nikki’s character.  Penelope was very engaged in the plot and especially thought the quizzes that were sprinkled throughout the book on “which bad boy is for you” were funny.  I remember liking those types of quizzes as a kid.  We both were very amused by the humor in the book.  Penelope especially loved the Bad Boyz and Nikki’s interactions with them.

 Overall, Dork Diaries 14 was a funny audiobook and kept me and my ten-year old daughter entertained on our car trips.  It prompted fun discussions.  Penelope really wants this to become a Netflix series!

Madame C.J. Walker Builds a Business by Denene Miller (Rebel Girls series)

 My daughter Penelope just turned ten last week.  Over this past week, we’ve been enjoying reading about Madame C.J. Walker in the evenings together.  Madame C.J. Walker, or Sarah Breedlove, was the first female self-made millionaire in the United States.  She came up with hair products for African American women, manufactured them, and taught women to sell her products door to door.  I had never heard of Madame C.J. Walker until I heard a podcast about her on History Chicks.  Netflix had a great series about her this year as well that my husband and I enjoyed.  It was fun to learn more about her with my daughter.

 Penelope and I enjoyed this book.  She in particular liked how Madame C.J. Walker made products for hair and had salons that styled hair.  She also liked the relationship between Madame C.J. Walker and her daughter.  This book made Penelope question what lynching was and prompted a good discussion.  Madame C.J. Walker’s first husband was lynched leaving her a young widow.  Later in life, she worked on a variety of philanthropic works to empower African American people including working towards ending lynching. I was sad to realize we still don’t have the anti-lynching law at the federal level that she worked towards. 

 This book has great pictures and an engaging story.  We loved it.  I also love learning about history that was not part of history class.

 Favorite quote:  "I came from the cotton fields of the South.  I was promoted from there to the washtub.  Then to the kitchen and from there I promoted myself into the manufacturing business.  I have built my own factory on my own ground.  I am not ashamed of my roots, and they don't make me any less of a lady.  I know how to grow hair as well as I know how to grow cotton." 

 Overall, Madam C.J. Walker is a great book for kids to learn about great diverse people in our history.

 Book Source:  Purchased from Amazon.com

Warriors: Into the Wild by Erin Hunter

Title:  Warriors:  Into the Wild

Author: Erin Hunter

Read by:  MacLeod Andrews

Publisher: HarperCollins - HarperAudio

Length: Approximately 7 hours and 29 minutes

Source: Overdrive through the Kewaunee Public Library 

My fourteen-year-old son, Kile, has been obsessed with the Warrior series for the past four years.  Years ago, I read the first two books and enjoyed them.  When I heard there was now an audiobook version, I thought this would be a good audiobook to listen to on a family trip.  Kile was very happy to listen to the audiobook and share the story with his family.

Rusty is a housecat who longs for something more.  He discovers wild cats in the wood outside of his home and joins their clan, renamed Firepaw.  He learns the way of the clan and soon figures out that there is a threat to the clan from within.  Will Firepaw be able to save his clan?

My fourteen and twelve-year-old sons were into the story, but my 9-year-old daughter was not captivated by it.  She listened to it at times, but it did not capture her imagination.  Kile and I both agreed that we preferred reading the book rather than listening to it, but it was interesting.  Warning, there is cat violence and death in this book which would make it not for younger listeners.

The narrator did a good job of having a different voice for each of the characters.  The way he interpreted the characters kept us very entertained on the journey. 

Overall, Warriors: Into the Wild is an action adventure that entertained our family on a recent trip.  The narrator had great voices for the characters.