Find Layla by Meg Elison

 Now that the weather is getting nicer, I am looking forward to reading more YA books outside.  This is one I ordered because I heard so many great things about it and it's been sitting on my shelf since the winter.  

This story is about Layla- a girl who does her best to go unnoticed because she knows that attention might attract people who ask questions.  Questions like why does she wear the same clothes everyday, why does she not wash her hair more often, what does she do for food and why can't she use her front door to get into her apartment?  However, the mean girls at school like to bring attention to her appearance by tweeting about it.  But Layla is determined to ignore the girls, focus on keeping her brother safe and following her love of science.  

When the science teacher assigns a project to record a biome, Layla chooses her apartment to share with the class. This includes the black mold, mushrooms and a fridge that cannot even be opened.  When her living conditions come to light- her video goes viral and suddenly, all the people and questions she was trying to avoid become unavoidable.  Layla must decide how to allow her reality to be known to all and how to move forward when everything she has known starts changing.  

Layla's story is quite heartbreaking.  It reminds me of how we as adults don't have any idea what is happening in children's homes.  

This book does have some mature content, there is some swearing, but it is appropriate for grades 7 and 8 students. 

 

George J. and the Miserable Monday by Sivan Hong

 I don't normally review picture books on my blog, although I don't know why, since I love a good picture book! I volunteered to review a book for the Multicultural Children's Book Day and this was the book I was sent to review.  

George J. and the Miserable Monday is a book about George, a little boy who does not like change.  His biggest concern is Mondays, he worries that things at school will change and he won't be ready for the change.   George's family helps him understand that change is part of life and that sometimes you have to be brave to face these changes.  When George goes off to school on Monday, he learns to be brave with the help of a friend from home.  

George reminds me of so many kids I see in the early primary grades.  They come to school and worry about all sorts of things and miss their families.  I love how Sivan captured these feelings so many students experience and also provides a simple solution to help them be brave. 

Linked by Gordon Korman

 I have been a fan of Gordon Korman since he wrote "This Can't Be Happening at McDonald Hall" in 1978!  I was so excited to see that he had a book on the Red Maple list for 2022.

Linked is the story of a small town with a racist past that nobody wants to discuss.  When Michael finds a swastika spray painted at the school, he is worried everyone will think it is him who drew it.  But it remains a mystery as to who would draw it and why they would do that.  For Dana, it really hits close to home because she comes from the only Jewish family in town.  When more and more swastika's start to appear, the school chooses to combat hate with an act of love and bringing the school together instead of tearing them apart.  As people are trying to discover which of the students has been vandalizing the school, they start to learn about the history of their town and the connection with the Klu Klux Klan.  Both past and present experiences leave the town exploring their own bias and how racism plays out in everyday life.  

I thought that Linked was a great story, with so many entry points for discussions with kids.  I am looking forward to talking to students about it.  I also think it would make a great read aloud for a class.  

Birdspell by Valerie Sherrard

 I've read several Valerie Sherrard books (although I haven't reviewed all of them apparently!) and I was very excited to see that one of her books was on the Red Maple list for 2022.  I am working my way through all of these books so I can talk to kids about them.  

Birdspell is the story of Corbin who has been trying to hold it together for a very long time.  His mother suffers from bipoloar disorder which means she struggles with highs and lows.  In dealing with her mental health, his mother tends to not be able to hang onto jobs, apartments, furniture and food, this has led to  Corbin having to start over many, many times.  Corbin is resourceful, he knows how to find food, odd jobs and how best to help his mom stay calm and under control.  At his new school, he finds himself making a friend, something he has tried to avoid because it just leads to too many questions.  His friend Izelle tells Corbin she needs to get rid of her pet bird, and since Corbin has always wanted a bird, this seems perfect.  But when Corbin's mom starts to experience another one of her lows, and she loses her job, Corbin is worried not only about his future, but his new pet's future as well.  

I loved reading this story, Corbin's situation was just so sad, and yet he handled it all so well.  He reminded me of so many students who deal with issues at home, and yet are so good at keeping that side of their life hidden.  

One other note about reading YA books- I have always loved reading YA books, but have struggled to read actual books (as opposed to books on my Kindle) during the school year.  However, I've just discovered that I can use Cloud Library on my iPad (and phone) and borrow books from the public library.  This is amazing, since it means I can now have the actual book to share with kids, but read the book digitally.  I anticipate I will be able to read way more YA books now! 

 

Here's to Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

 Here's to Us is the sequel to 'What if it is Us?' that I read this summer.  This book picks up two years after Ben and Arthur last saw each other at the end of What if it is Us.  

In Here's to Us, we catch up with Ben who has spent his first year of college in a creative writing class with Mario, who may or may not be his boyfriend.  Arthur is back in New York for the first time in two years working at his dream job being an intern in an off-Broadway play.  But back home, his boyfriend Mickey is waiting for him to return and trying not to worry that Arthur is in close proximity to Ben.   

Ben and Arthur are trying to remain friends, but both are grappling with see the other person with someone new while dealing with their feelings for each other.  Their friends are also trying to support them as they try and figure things out.  

I thought this book was great, I really enjoyed reading it - I read it on my Kindle- which is not something I usually do for YA books, however, I know that I won't be able to give this to any student in elementary school.  Ben and Arthur are in college, and are in mature relationships - even though the sexual content is a minimum, it wouldn't be appropriate to give to younger students.  However, secondary students who fell in love with Ben and Arthur (and Dylan and Samantha too) will love catching up with them and seeing where their life has taken them.  

Firefly by Philippa Dowding

 As I work my way through reading the Red Maple books this Winter Break, this was the first one I started to read.  

Firefly is the story of Fifi, aka Firefly who has just come to live with her Aunt Gayle after a traumatic event with her mom.  Aunt Gayle owns The Corseted Lady, a costume shop that hosts over 7 million pieces to choose from.  When Firefly has to start grade 9 at a school where she knows nobody, she decides to dress up in a different costume everyday- the options are unlimited.  But dressing up doesn't stop her from reliving the events that led up to moving in with Aunt Gayle.  Firefly needs to come to terms with her relationship with her mother while also learning about herself and meeting new friends and starting to trust others.  

I enjoyed this story.  Firefly's strength and determination reminds me so much of the students I come in contact with everyday, and it serves as a good reminder that we don't know what other people are dealing with.  

Houston, Is there a Problem? By Eric Walters

 Anyone who knows me, knows I love all books by Eric Walters and this one is no different!  It was my first YA read of Christmas 2021 holidays and what a great way to kick off two weeks of reading!  

Houston is a boy who has just graduated grade 8, he is a strong student who loves all things to do with space. What makes Houston unique is that he lives with his aunt, uncle and two nephews because his parents passed away in a car accident.  Houston is excited about grade 9, but nervous too.  He is looking forward to spending the summer working with his uncle and making a bit of money.  A surprise envelope in the mail is an all-expenses paid trip to a NASA Space Camp which leads to Houston meeting other teenagers with the same passion as him.  But this camp is only the beginning of exciting adventures for Houston, as he finds himself involved in a top-secret mission with NASA.  

I could not put this book down- Houston is a great character who reminds me of many students I've known over the years.  The other two main teenagers; Ashley and Teal are also very real, believable characters.  The story line was exciting, I loved learning about Houston's training and the dream of NASA astronauts.  The ending of this story gave me chills and I can't wait to read the next one.  

Any teacher (or student) in grade 6 needs to connect this book to their Space curriculum unit - I can see so many kids loving this story while learning about space and astronauts.