Oops

Remember when I had a reading blog?

Needless to say, I've been busy. I've still been blogging though. Check me out at my other blog, which is much more about being a first year teacher and less about what books this first year teacher is reading. Maybe one day I'll be back here...but until then, one blog at a time.

http://andrea-smalltowngirl.blogspot.com/

Life Changes

Hi all...just wanted to pop in and say that I'm still alive and I'm still reading, but I'm shockingly still reading the same book my "Currently Reading" tab says I'm reading. And I've been reading it for weeks...but not because it's a bad book. It's actually an awesome book and I'm loving it. I've just been a little preoccupied with my major life changes. But I've moved into my apartment and I'm currently settling my classroom and I'm adjusting and freaking out mildly and trying to pick away at the book for a few minutes each night while I'm still barely awake (only about 60 pages left), and I plan to have it done soon so I can tell you about it and move on to a new one. And hopefully I'll have some student input on here soon enough!

Where She Went

First, let me say that I love that cover. I seriously can't stop staring at it; so beautiful. Second, I also really love this book. Picking up three years after If I Stay ends, part two of Mia and Adam's story is told through Adam's perspective instead. I really don't want to give much away in terms of this plot or the way that If I Stay ends, so I'll just say that I wrestled quite a bit with frustration with characters as well as the paths I saw Forman taking the plot. I knew how I wanted it to go and I started to hyperventilate slightly every time I thought it wouldn't go that way. If that makes me seem like a shallow, too-girly reader...then I'd have to admit that that's probably true. I will say, though, that all of the twists and turns and emotional baggage that is explored and dissected throughout this book - all of which caused me to worry about the ending - I thoroughly loved every moment of this sequel. I think what I loved and appreciated the most is that Forman manages to write two different books about two very different plots that are told from the perspective of two incredibly different characters, but the two books still somehow feel as if they're woven together seamlessly. If I Stay is one hundred percent Mia and Where She Went is one hundred percent Adam, but I can hardly tell where one ends and the other begins. I felt comfortable inside the head of Mia in the first book, and I loved being inside the head of Adam during the sequel. The perfect blend of humor and heartache are continued throughout this plot just as they were in the first, and no matter how hard I tried not to I did end up crying during some unnamed scene towards the end. Just like the first book, I wouldn't want to include this one on my 7th grade classroom bookshelf, but it's perfect for mine. Loved, loved it.

The Widow's Broom

There's honestly not much for me to say about this book, except that it's super creepy and SUPER fun. A neglectful/forgetful witch lets her broom run out of juice and fall to the ground one night, and is taken in by a kindly widow who let's her recouperate from her fall in her home. The witch leaves in the middle of the night, however, leaving her supposedly dead and powerless broom behind. The widow soon discovers, though, that the broom is still more than capable of performing unique tasks like moving around on its own, gardening, and helping the widow take care of her home. When skeptical and angry neighbors become concerned about the broom's witchcraft and "devil's work," the widow has to take things into her own hands. It's a Chris van Allsburg book, so you know there's a nifty dose of surprise and spin to the ending as well.

This book would be a ton of fun for Halloween, but if you're looking for a deeper, more teacher-ey analysis then I would also say that it could work for a character study of the widow or a discussion of jumping to conclusions and assuming the worst.

Walking to School

This book is really interesting, mostly because it dives into a current story line that I'm ashamed to say I know very little about. Using the cultural war between the Catholics and the Protestants in Ireland, the issues of race, prejudice, and unfair assumptions are explored with a vehicle that's different from our somewhat typical go-tos of America's black versus white and Germany's Holocaust. Those examples are extremely powerful and necessary, but the truth is that these issues exist elsewhere as well. I love that this unique picture book gives teachers or parents the avenue to discuss them with a brief plot that opens many doors for discussion. What's also interesting - and realistic, I think - is that the young protagonist is able to see so clearly what the adults around her cannot: both sides of this feud see themselves as wholly pure and righteous in their actions but scrutinize every action of the other side as foul and deserving of punishment. It's just simply not the case, and even this young girl is able to see that as she listens and observes. This would be a great introduction to a unit to get conversations started with kids, and to perhaps introduce a world of other examples of prejudice from all over the world.

Betti on the High Wire

I first heard about this book, like almost everything I read, from a book blog. The person reviewing it was enthusiastic about it and I remember them saying that it was great. Based on the description alone, I figured I would love it. A young girl living in an abandoned circus in a war-torn country who gets adopted by Americans and has to adjust to a strange new world? I am more than slightly obssessed with anything involving adoption, and who wouldn't love a book about a circus girl? And the cover is gorgeous. I have to be completely honest, though, and say that even though it has a lot going for it, I didn't love it as much as I thought/hoped/assumed I would. And what's weird is that I still can't really pinpoint why.

The basic plot is pretty much what I just described. The plot is told from Betti's point of view, and after she arrives in America she has all kinds of funny and strange ways of interpreting the culture we so quickly think of as normal; that provides many moments of both humor and reflection as the reader sees their life through new eyes. Your heart breaks for Betti as you watch her try to communicate with people and fail, either because words she knows are forgotten in the moment of pressure or because she doesn't understand what's going on. Her adoptive parents, however, are gracious, patient, and unconditionally loving. No matter how many plans Betti enacts to try to convince them to send her back home, they forgive immediately and show her that they will never become so tired of her or so angry with her that they send her away. All of these are wonderful and endearing qualities in this book, and so I still can't figure out why I didn't love it even as I sit here and type this. But the truth is that I didn't love it...I liked it very much and I thought it was very sweet, but there I felt that the majority of the plot was slow and somewhat boring. I'm not sure if many middle school students would fall in love with it, but it's completely appropriate for the age group and will be included on my shelf if not only for the sake of having it available. Maybe a student will read it and be able to explain to me why I didn't love it...or maybe why I should, afterall.

Wintergirls

For all the intensity that Laurie Halse Anderson's famous book, Speak, provides, I have to say that Wintergirls provides more. Words that flashed through my mind while reading this book - which explores the world of teenage anorexia, cutting, and suicide - include heartbreaking, frustrating, haunting, and shocking. Anderson gives the reader a window into the mind of her main character Lia in a way that surpasses nearly every other fictional book that I've read. I know that's a bold statement, but let me put it this way: while reading this book, I caught myself turning down a muffin fresh out of the oven because I could be strong and resist. I am not exaggerating and I am not speaking lightly; this book gets inside your head as you get inside Lia's, and it's more than a little disturbing.

Lia and her best friend Cassie have been competing to be the thinnest for years; Lia's chosen method is anorexia while Cassie is bulimic. When Cassie kills herself, though, in the first few pages of the book, and Lia is left alone. Battling against her parents, doctors, teachers, and potential friends, Lia tries her hardest to cheat the systems set in place to protect her and continue spiraling downhill towards the "goals" she's set for herself, even though her best friend is no longer with her. Another small hiccup is that Lia and Cassie had abruptly gone their separate ways months before Cassie's death, creating a world of guilt and inner turmoil for Lia that she doesn't share with anyone but you are an eyewitness to. Just like Speak - and so many of Anderson's books, as I'm finally learning - this book immediately draws you in with its unique writing style, beautiful vocabulary choices, and heartbreaking honesty. I can't even begin to imagine the research that must have taken place in order to write from inside the mind of a girl struggling with anorexia and cutting, but it definitely paid off.

Despite its incredible positives, I am hesitant to bring it into my classroom, not because it's inappropriate but because it's so deeply disturbing and troublesome that I think it would be difficult for many 7th graders to read and appreciate fully. (By the way, I'll be teaching 7th grade this Fall...just found out!) There are definitely 7th graders who could handle it, but I wouldn't want to have it on a community shelf for anyone to pick up. It's deep, it's painful, and it seriously messes with you. I wasn't exaggerating at all about me starting to pay attention to what I ate and how often I was working out...I would never in a million years want an impressionable middle school girl to pick this book up and interpret the wrong message, leading to the development of an eating or exercise disorder. I may, however, consider having a "behind the teacher's desk" bookshelf, which contains books such as this that may be fine for some but not for all, and that, with teacher's and parent's approval, be specially checked out. I've seen 8th grade teachers do that and it worked well. That all being said, this book is excellent, and highly - if not cautiously - recommended by me.

Speak

There are some books that speak (no pun intended) to you so profoundly that you keep thinking about them long after you finish the last page. This is one of those books, as is the other Laurie Halse Anderson book that I've just finished and will be reviewed in the next post. Anderson's unique style of writing gives you a front-and-center vantage point to all the pain and inner thoughts of Speak's main character, Melinda, who is dealing with the aftershock of being raped as well as outcasted by her entire group of friends due to a misunderstanding. Anderson's choice of writing style, which feels like a stream of consciousness more so than a diary or a typical first-person narrative, allows the reader to see not only Melinda's actions but also her thoughts and motives behind those actions. Sarcastic wit and humor are sprinkled throughout the story to keep you laughing occasionally despite the majority of the plot's upsetting details. Melinda's coping mechanism of choice is to stop speaking almost entirely with the hope that she would just disappear. Shockingly, she almost succeeds. You get to witness her parents' indifference, her teachers' ignorance, and her friends hatred all from Melinda's honest perspective; this front row seat will break your heart.

Aside from the beautiful writing and heartwrenching plot, I love this book because Anderson manages to handle extremely difficult and graphic material in a completely appropriate way. With very little bad language and almost no sexual content (the description of Melinda's rape is handled with extreme grace), I would happily share this book with students. I will say, though, that I will be sharing it only with discernment and careful selection. This book probably won't be on my classroom bookshelf open to just anyone, only because I want the students who read this plot to be able to handle it maturely. Rape is an extremely sensitive issue, and I think students who open themselves up to this book should be sensitive enough to handle it. I'll get into that more with the review of Anderson's other book, Wintergirls, next.

The Last Song

I need to be clear: for most of my life now, I've been a Nicholas Sparks snob. I love the movie The Notebook, but I have quietly made fun of the other movies, seeing them as cheesy and predictable. I loved the book A Walk to Remember when I read it in high school, but I told no one and never mentioned it again. I can't really say where this snobbery came from, but it's been there and I need to confess it. When I dropped a copy of The Last Song into my shopping cart after it first appeared, I was confused by my own actions. Aside from this being a Nicholas Sparks book, it's also starring Miley Cyrus: the book was written FOR the movie and therefore the protagonist's role was written FOR Miley. As much as I haven't been a Sparks fan, I'm much less of a Miley fan. So I still really don't understand how I own it. Even though I bought it, I didn't read it for...what? A year? A year and a half? I started it once and couldn't get past the annoying Miley voice in my head so I put it down. But for whatever reason, I picked it up a couple days ago, and....I loved it. And I have some apologizing to do.

To be fair to myself, I need to comment on the fact that Sparks reuses themes and plot devices quite often, and that some of his dialogue is cheesy and weak, and that the Epilogue was a little bit too Band-Aidey. But with those criticisms said, I really did enjoy this book a lot. I got hooked almost immediately this second time around, and I only got more hooked the more I read. The romance was sweet and snagged me instantly (if you've read any of my other posts you know that I'm such an easy sell for an attractive male character, despite my best efforts), and I appreciated the lack of sexual content SO much. There were two almost-scenes that didn't amount to anything, which was refreshing. Foul language was also basically nonexistent. (If I sound a little bit like a prude, it's just because I don't ever want to be accused of supporting/recommending/promoting books that a parent would be offended by for their middle school student, and any book that I can peacefully choose to leave on my classroom shelf rather than take off of it is a book I appreciate.) The story of Ronnie's (aka Miley's) relationship with her estranged father and annoying little brother is wonderful, full of heartwarming and heartbreaking goodness. Contrary to what I expected, I also found lots of surprising plot twists scattered throughout that kept me guessing and wondering how it would all play out. The fact that chapters rotate narrator also provides a great opportunity to discuss voice and perspective between characters.

So...I'm sorry. I'm sorry Nicholas Sparks, and I'm sorry unnamed friend of mine whose favorite author is Nicholas Sparks. I never should have laughed/scoffed/turned up my prideful nose at either of you. Or the rest of the Sparks-loving world. I was wrong.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

This is another one of those books that I have seen around for so long and have witnessed kids get super excited about them, but I haven't made the time to read them yet. After reading this first one, though, I can see why they're so popular. This book is written in a diary style (obviously) and incoporates narrative and drawings into the story's plot. Greg, a slightly nerdy sixth grader wants desperately to be cool and normal, but keeps getting put into situations where he is seen as anything but. Between his awkward parents, mean big brother, annoying little brother, and socially inept best friend, Greg epitomizes the sixth grade experience that so many middle schoolers are either experiencing, afraid of experiencing, or have already experienced. Hilarious and unpredictable, you can't help but cringe and shake your head as you see this poor child's first semester of middle school take place. The fact that a lot of the book is made up of pictures also helps you breeze right through it quickly, despite your reading level. Struggling readers would also find comfort in the pictures, as they do a great job of explaining what the text describes. I highly recommend this book, and can't wait to read the other ones. (A quick note: I categorized this book as a graphic novel, even though it technically isn't; it's about as close to a graphic novel as you can get, though, so there it is.)

If I Stay

Before I get into my review/thoughts about this book, let me say this: I will not be putting it on my classroom shelf. With an - only slightly - graphic pre-sex scene and a healthy dose of f-words scattered throughout, I can't in good conscious put it on my classroom shelf. I would be happy to see my students reading it and will probably recommend it to specific students who I know don't have a problem with language or whose parents are okay with it, but I can't put it on my shelf and effectively endorse it for every student. I understand the reality of the language middle schoolers use and read and hear, but I've chosen to keep my classroom library as clean as possible for my own protection as much as for the protection of my students. That being said...

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. It's been on my list for years and so when I found a partially spent gift card in my purse I snatched the opportunity to get it. I wasn't disappointed (except for the f-words that will keep it off my classroom shelf...). Seventeen-year-old Mia has a semi-perfect life. She's an incredibly talented cellist who loves classical music despite her former rocker parents. She's dating a rockstar whose band is rising in popularity, has a great little brother, and she is relatively happy. When her family gets into a tragic snow day accident, however, and she is the only one who survives but is trapped in a coma, Mia has some choices to make. Will she stay and live her new life that barely resembles the one she loved, or leave to escape the pain of having lost everything?

This story was heartbreaking but sweet, emotional but joyful. I cried throughout the book, but not for the reasons I expected. The character development was phenomenal, the storytelling was fluid and endearing, and the twists and turns were so refreshing. I couldn't put it down, and I immediately passed it on to my sister who ate it up as well. We can't wait to get our hands on the sequel; the first chapter of Where She Went was in the back of my copy of If I Stay, and I have to say that I am already freaking out about the plot twists and unexpected direction that Gayle Forman is taking Mia's plot. Basically, read this book immediately (but maybe not if you're in middle school...unless your parent says it's okay or you're not bothered by repeated use of the f-word).

Antsy Does Time

It's been forever since I've updated this blog and posted anything, but I've been reading like a maniac. This book, even though I actually read it a couple weeks ago at this point, has made a lasting impression on me. I loved this book. LOVED it. I thought it was hilarious, unique, witty, and memorable. Since I finished it, I've tried to pass it on to several people - ranging in age from 10 to 17 to 30 - and even though I haven't gotten anyone to read it yet, I'm determined.

Antsy Bonano, protagonist/narrator, starts the plot's ball rolling when he makes a kind and seemingly harmless gesture toward a dying classmate, Gunnar: he signs over a month of his life. News of this gesture spreads throughout the school and ultimately the community, and Antsy quickly becomes the poster child for generosity and compassion. As more and more people decide to follow suit and sign over months of their lives to Gunnar as well, things begin to spiral out of control. Add in an involved Grapes of Wrath project, a crush on an older and beautiful girl, and parents who are highly distracted by the family-run restaurant, and Antsy Does Time comes together with an original and hilarious story. There's also no inappropriate content and very few - minor - curse words, which I always appreciate as well. I should also mention that this is technically a sequel, but I haven't read the first book, The Schwa Was Here, yet and it was completely fine. I never felt like I couldn't follow what was going on or that I was missing plot points from the first book. I loved it, and will be recommending it to as many people/students as I can.

Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire

This is another book that's been on my list for a long time, and I figured the summer before I myself am teaching like my hair is on fire might be a good time to actually read it. Although the author of this particular teacher memoir is an elementary teacher - and teaches at a school where homeroom teacher is also P.E. teacher, music teacher, and art teacher - and therefore teaches about six more subjects than I will, there was a lot that I learned from this book. To be completely honest, several chapters were skipped in the interest of relevance to me. One or two other chapters were skipped because the methods and activities he spends considerable amounts of time developing with his students are way more involved than I will be able to manage during my first five years of teaching at least. What was left, though, were excellent nuggets of advice and classroom management techniques that I will definitely think about and use when approaching the start of my classroom. He clearly shows the love he has for his job as he shares stories of students past and present, but also reveals valid and refreshing frustration with administration and policy that doesn't advocate for the best use of time or efforts as far as the students are concerned. I really enjoyed reading this book and will definitely reference several of the chapters and passages once the school year starts.

The Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero

Anyone who has read this blog in the last nine months or so knows that I am in love with Percy Jackson. I'm a huge, huge fan. So when I heard that Rick Riordan had started a new series featuring new demigods I got excited; when dear friends gave me the first book of that series to me as a graduation present I got really excited. I believe it goes without saying that I was not disappointed. I loved this book, and zoomed through the 557 pages in a couple of days.

The Heroes of Olympus series surrounds three new characters: Jason, Piper, and Leo. Jason wakes up on the first page of the book with complete amnesia of his entire life, and yet he seems to have an incredible knowledge of all things Roman (the Latin language, the Roman names of the gods, an "SPQR" tattoo on his forearm, etc.). Piper's father is a famous movie star who doesn't always have time for her, to which she responds with an impressive rap sheet and an uncanny ability to convince anyone to give her whatever she wants. Leo, highly ADHD, is a bit of a screw up who has many secrets surrounding the death of his mother and a certain terrifying babysitter who tried to kill him several times in his childhood. All three of these teenagers, as you might guess, are the children of gods and end up at Camp Half-Blood under the guidance of our favorite centaur, Chiron. An epic quest follows with enough monsters, angry gods and goddesses, and flying spirits to keep any struggling reader interested. Add a plethora of explosions, destructive storms, and an all-gold, fire breathing dragon and pretty much any reader will be interested. I miss Percy - minor spoiler alert: this series starts out with Percy mysteriously missing - but many of my old faves make appearances throughout the book which I always appreciate. The new characters are immediately endearing, which I also appreciate. Bottom line: I loved it and am anxiously awaiting the second book this Fall.

Special note as far as teaching purposes go: the chapters rotate perspective between the three main characters, providing a great example for a study on voice and perspective.

Maus I: A Survivor's Tale

Like many of the books on my list, I've been waiting to read this book for a long time. After hearing about it in a class a couple of years ago, I put it on said list - and then soon after bought it - but haven't had an opportunity to read it until now. Also, I have so many books on this list that it's hard to choose sometimes. But all of that said, I knew I would love this book and I was not disappointed. Not only am I excited to add a graphic novel to my library, but I always appreciate a new perspective on World War II and on the Holocaust specifically. Maus I: A Survivor's Tale offers both of these. Gritty and painfully honest, Art Spiegelman's account of his father's experiences in Europe as a Jew during World War II and the rise of the Nazi Party takes place alongside Spiegelman's present-day relationship with his father. Both story lines captivate and endear the reader; you can't help but read for fear of what will happen to war-era Vladek but also for curiosity of what the next interaction between Art and current Vladek will look like. You sympathize with the characters - both in the past and in the present - and you become increasingly more horrified as the Nazis gain more control. One of the most interesting elements of this particular graphic novel, though, is the way Spiegelman chose to draw each of the characters. Jews are depicted as mice while the Germans/Nazis appear as cats. The image of these animals, who are timeless enemies, pitted as enemies in this real life piece of history will stick with struggling readers in an unforgettable way. I highly recommend this book for teachers of Language Arts and History who are trying to communicate the Holocaust from a unique perspective and a reader-friendly format. Stay tuned for my review of the sequel.

Forged by Fire

After finishing Tears of a Tiger, I had no choice but to immediately launch into the sequel. I was actually introduced to Sharon Draper's Hazlewood High trilogy through my student teaching experience, and it was Forged by Fire that was being read as a read-aloud by my Cooperating Teacher. We hadn't gotten very far by the time I left the classroom, and I have honestly been looking forward to finding out what happens to Gerald and his family. And now that I've successfully read the book in its entirety, I can say that I loved this book just as much as I loved Tears of a Tiger. Everything I said about Draper's style in the first book - her graceful and careful handling of extremely difficult content - rings true here as well. Gerald's life, starting here in his toddler years and much before the timeline of Tears of a Tiger, is extremely difficult and heartwrenching to read, but Draper once again manages to write about these circumstances while keeping the book very PG-rated. This book ties into the plot of its predecessor well by beginning with Gerald as a toddler and then gradually moving forward in time until it "catches up to" Tears of a Tiger in the order of events. Because of this, the book - which would still be extremely powerful on its own as a stand-alone novel - becomes more emotional for readers who know what will happen to the boys as the plot continues because they have already read about the accident in the first book. Forged by Fire would be an excellent book to recommend to a student for silent, individual reading but would also be great for an engaging and emotional read-aloud as well. My only word of caution is that there are clear mentions and suggestions of sexual molestation in this plot that repeatedly comes up, so it would be wise to know where those parts are and know how you will skip over them and/or edit them for a read-aloud if you are uncomfortable reading them straight from the text. They are only implied and suggested, rather than described explicitly, but you may still feel that it's necessary to edit somewhat. Overall, though, the Hazlewood High trilogy continues to be fantastic, and I can't wait to get my hands on Darkness Before Dawn.

I'm Baaack!

Remember me? It's been approximately forever since I've written a post on this thing, but I HAVE been reading and I HAVE been thinking "Hey...I should probably post on that thing..." But I haven't. Mostly because it's summer and somewhat because the internet stinks at my house, but regardless of all reasons, I'm back. And I figured few things would be better to welcome my return to your inboxes and Google readers than a basically useless post from me that honestly tells you nothing.

...actual book reviews to follow soon.

Tears of a Tiger

I'm back! It's been a while, but grad school's got to get finished somehow and jobs don't get applied to for you. Graduation is tonight and the interviews are finally starting, though, so I'm back to casually reading on occasion. And the first one I picked up was Tears of a Tiger, written by Sharon Draper. I'd heard about this series for the first time during student teaching in the fall; the English department had been given sets of the trilogy and my Cooperating Teacher used the second book in the series as a Read-Aloud. I only got to hear some of the second book during my time in her classroom, but I was hooked and knew that I would want to read all three books at some point. So...here we go:

Andy and his good friends - including his best friend Robbie - are out celebrating that night's basketball victory over a rival school. They're riding around in Andy's car - after many drinks each - when the car crashes and Robbie is killed almost immediately. The other three boys, including Andy, manage to escape much physical damage but the emotional damage is endless. This becomes especially true for Andy, who was driving the car the led to his best friend's untimely death. Although many characters remain focal points throughout the story, the bulk of the plot surrounds Andy and the rest of his school year.

I think what I really appreciated about Tears of a Tiger is that even though Draper deals with realistic and heartwrenchingly mature themes, she does so in a really classy and appropriate way. I've read "Young Adult" books that focus on the same issues and same subgroup of adolescents and they were virtually unreadable because of the profanity and sexual content. Even if those elements are realistic of true life, we don't always need that level of reality in our faces when we're reading books aimed at young audiences. It really bothers me and has completely eliminated books from my teaching arsenal because I can't support or recommend them. This one, though, deals with traumatic storylines such as underage drinking, accidental death, teenage relationships, abusive parents, and suicide but manages to remain profanity and sex-free. Sometimes the effect is a little similar to watching the movie Remember the Titans: you know that these boys yelling at each other would be cussing each other out like crazy, and the lack of cussing seems a little corny but you appreciate the fact that you're not having to hear it. I truly do appreciate that. Beyond that, though, the plot is also really interesting and engaging. The end is fairly traumatic - even more so than the beginning - and I will say that it wouldn't be a light and fun Read-Aloud, but it would definitely provide good conversations about deeper subject matter than most books. The fact that it's written in a unique prose-ish format makes it easy to zip through as well (I read it in one day. I know I'm not a middle school student, but still). I highly recommend this one, and I'm excited to see what happens next in Forged by Fire!

Confession

I have a confession: I haven't gotten past the fourth or so page of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Granted, work has gotten busy again and schoolwork has really picked up and I'm in the midst of applying to every potential job in the state of Virginia (and then following up on all of those applications and hounding principals that I'm interested in working for...) and so I honestly don't have much time to be reading, but I miss it. I miss wanting to make time for reading and Roll of Thunder sadly isn't doing it for me. I'm not very far into it, and I know I'll love it some day when I pick it up again - it's one of those that I've owned for probably ten years but never read - but for now I think I'm going to need something with more immeditate grabbing capabilities.

Page [1]: Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Here's the first page [basically] of the book I'm reading, Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, written by Mildred Taylor:

"'Little Man, would you come on? You keep it up and you're gonna make us late.' My youngest brother paid no attention to me. Grasping more firmly his newspaper-wrapped notebook and his tin-can lunch of cornbread and oil sausages, he continued to concentrate on the dusty road. He lagged several feed behind my other brothers, Stacey and Christopher-John, and me, attempting to keep the rusty Mississippi dust from swelling with each step and drifting back upon his shiny black shoes and the cuffs of his corduroy pants by lifting each foot high before setting it gently down again. Always meticulously neat, six-year-old Little Man never allowed dirt or tears or stains to mar anything he owned. Today was no exception."

Stay tuned for my thoughts after I finish!