Born With - Erika and Gianni by Lorna Schultz Nicholson

 

I have read a few other books by Lorna Schultz Nicholson Bent Not Broken  and Fragile Bones are both books that share stories of high school students involved in the 'Best Buddies' program and really highlight how much we can all learn from each other.  

Born With is the story of Erika, a girl with Down Syndrome and Gianni, a boy who has been paired up with her at school.  Erika and Gianni are great characters, they both love to sing and act and are both auditioning for the play Grease put on at their high school.  Both Erika and Gianni have different problems that they must face.  While it is challenging for both of them, they learn from each other how to face these problems and move forward.

Once again, Lorna Schultz Nicholson does a great job describing the characters and situations that many people can relate to.  I would highly recommend this series of books!

Fragile Bones - Harrison and Anna by Lorna Schultz Nicholson

 Several years ago I read Bent not Broken  that told the story of the 'Best Buddies' program at a high school where special needs students are paired with a student in mainstream to have fun and learn about one another.  I really enjoyed Bent Not Broken, and then I realized that there were more books in the series.  

Fragile Bones is the story of Harrison, a boy in grade 10 who has autism and Anna, who is in grade 12 and is wanting to be a doctor.  The two are paired up because of Anna's interest in medicine and Harrison's love of knowing all of the bones in the human body.  When Harrison gets upset, he recites the bones in certain locations in the body.  As both Anna and Harrison learn about each other, they also learn about themselves as they are pushed to try different things.  

While this book is set in a high school, it is appropriate for Intermediate students.  I really love how Lorna Schultz Nicholson describes the characters, they are always very believable.   

Thirst by Varsha Bajaj

One of my friends asked me last week if I had read the Global Read Aloud section for this year- Thirst.  Since I've not read ANY  young adult books this summer, I thought I should probably pick it up.  

Thirst is a fairly easy read.  It is the story of Minni, a girl in grade 8 who lives in Mumbai.  Her family has very little money, but work very hard.  Each day, just getting water is an ordeal.  Her mother has to line up early in the morning in the hopes that she can get enough water to carry back home for her family.  There are times when there isn't enough water and there are thieves who steal the water and then sell it back to the community at a very high price.  One night, Minni sees this theft taking place which puts her and her family at risk.  As events play out, Minni begins to realize that in some homes in Mumbai, there is an abundance of water - in taps, toilets and even a swimming pool. Minni learns about how some people in some neighbourhoods don't warrant fresh running water, while others who can afford many luxuries, have water easily accessible.    

I enjoyed reading this story, I liked learning about life in Mumbai and it really made me think about water and how much of an impact not having it has on the people.  I can see late Junior classes really enjoying this story.  You can check out the Facebook group here for other classrooms reading this book in the Fall of 2022.

 

On the Line by Paul Coccia and Eric Walters

Well...Eric Walters has knocked it out of the park again with his newest book.  On the Line was written by both Paul Coccia and Eric Walters, but it didn't ever seem like it was written by two different authors.  

On the Line is a story about Jordan, a boy in grade 8 who loves basketball.  He has a great relationship with his parents, although he is frustrated by all of the fights they have.  The one thing he knows is that they are very supportive of his basketball, his parents attend his games and his father often coaches and plays against Jordan and his best friend Junior.  When his parents decide to separate, Jordan is upset, he misses his family and having his dad around all the time.  Then, he finds out his father is dating a man and Jordan needs to come to terms with this new reality.    

This story brings up so many important issues that need to be spoken about.  Being 13 isn't easy for anyone, but adding a divorce and learning that a family member has been hiding who they really are makes life that much more complicated. Jordan learns some very important lessons through his basketball team and his friends.  

I can't wait to share this with kids in the fall!  I know many students who are going to love it! 

  

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!