This is a beautifully written book that made me weep with the truth of it. We must realize now that the old ways are the only path to a better future.

Ms Watson is an amazing storyteller with lovable characters. Nala makes me cringe every time she lies just a little to please new love interest Tye and, of course, it eventually all comes tumbling down. The cast of characters that make up Nala‘s family made me want to sit and have dinner with them on Aunt Liz‘s rooftop patio!!

Simu‘s story is uplifting, heartbreaking, and told with an energy befitting the hyperactive star of Kim‘s Convenience and Shang-Chi! Excellent!

This was a fun look at what your garbage reveals about you; a skill that Hugo picks up as a way to impress some friends. Friendship, standing up for yourself, and parenting are all part of this interesting middle grade fiction. .

Fun romance by Emily Henry. I liked both characters and the back and forth chapters of now and previous summer trips. The ending made me happy!

“We‘re all monsters now.” Last one in the series!

This started slow for me but I came upon a passage with words that fit together in a beautiful way and I couldn‘t put the book down.

“Life jackets!” screeched Jen‘s mother from the lawn. She held a wine bottle by the neck, a glass in the other hand, and wore a white bikini with red polka dots. The bottom exposed her ass crack and the top was pretty funny: her nipples showed through the white of the bra cups like dark eyes.

But you‘ve got to understand that we are still at war. It‘s not like we are fighting against America or the American people, but we are still defending who we are. It‘s a war to use, because if we don‘t fight for who we are we will be destroyed. We‘ll be destroyed by false ideas and phony Indians and all the good intentions of people who think they are helping us by making us act like white people.

I preordered this from The Ripped Bodice and I‘m ready to fall back in love with her characters. 💕💕💕

I had a sleepless night last night and managed to finish this book; I don‘t know if I was awake so I read the book or if I wanted to read the book so I didn‘t sleep but either way the story was interesting and I loved Hannah and Bailey together.

This kept me turning pages- a book within a book, a writer with a borrowed idea is haunted by someone who knows his secret.

I really enjoyed Cussy Mary Carter‘s story and learning more about the pack horse librarian as well Kentucky life. I thought the ending was hurried though but over all a very solid, quick read.

This had me reading all night just to figure it out. Chapters are short and there is a stiffness to the characters but I really enjoyed Shay‘s struggles to connect and her foray into new and exciting friendships.

Margery, Alice, Izzy, Beth, and Kathleen are all women I will remember for a long time. Thank heavens for book club choices bc this is one I might not have picked up in my own.

“This is why all your friends are either online or characters in books.” #truth #mystery #AmeliaEarhart #MG #smartgirls

Random stream-of-conscious story of Lizzie as she makes her way through the election year worrying about climate change and the apocalypse with a very sharp wit!

I‘m reading this one for our next book club and I wasn‘t sure about its unique slower pace but I‘m getting into the story and her independence is striking for the era! #southernlife #plantations #womenareboss

I loved Front Desk and now that we are on summer break I can finally get to this one. Yang starts off strong with immigration laws and other racist behavior. #friendship #California #motels #AsianAmericans

Rahul is trying to be the best at something but he‘d like it to be something cool like football or celebrity. When neither works out he resigns himself to signing up for Mathletes ; he is great at math but he doesn‘t like being classified as a nerd. Friendship troubles and a search for his true identity make this a great story for middle grade students.

This was didn‘t thrill me because the main character Jacob Firestone is so heroic and lucky that it becomes unbelievable. Students may enjoy this but I‘m not sure it sends the right message.

Curmudgeon Olive discovers a whole new life after her husband dies but she‘s still cranky! Told through a community of characters this book emphasis the connections we make as humans

This was a delightful tale about how one can still grow and learn in to your elder years. Veronica‘s story is complex and somewhat tragic until she decides on a plan of action to find her grandson and discover more about a research group taking care of penguins in Antarctica. 🐧

Beautiful written and great details about the how and why of the attack on the World Trade Center and the ensuing war on terror. This would make a great read aloud for social studies students (and beyond). #hardhistory #Afghanistan #NYC

I loved her first book, The Mother‘s, and anxiously awaited for this book to fall into my hands. This was a beautifully written tale of two twins who are so connected during childhood but then make a fateful decision to runaway to New Orleans. Their lives will never be the same. #family #historical #fiction #racism #mothers

Delightful tale that has Winnie-the Pooh qualities. This is a perfect chapter book for 1st-3rd grade. With gorgeous illustrations. #childrensliterature #animals #friendship

Olive is a cantankerous older woman who struggles with her relationship with her own adult son and daughter-in-law yet also can be kind to complete strangers and community members who are struggling. She visits a friend in a nursing home weekly and begins to visit a young woman with a terminal disease. She‘s often not an easy character.

I loved her first book Homegoing so was anxious to read this one and it was quite good. Gifty struggles with her family history as her depressed mother comes to live with her. Gifty is in a doctoral program working with lab mice to discover more about the brain. She questions her family‘s history with religion and faith and what she is doing with her life. How can one be happy with so much tragedy around you? #depression #immigration #addiction

Great friendship story mixed with an underlying creepiness of old ghosts, scarecrows and promises to the smiling man...
Well-written and just the stuff of nightmares!

I loved this story from one of my favorite storytellers. The 1953 Termination bill written by a senator from Utah who wanted to help Native People to “assimilate” was a central point that I was not aware of and the characters Erdrich creates are so memorable.

This is a great follow up to New Kid. Filled with good times and all the cringe-worthy micro aggressions one would expect. These two titles should be required reading for humans everywhere especially if you are in education.

This is a beautiful middle grade story written in magical realism. Lily, her sister Sam, and their mom move from CA to WA to take care of their halmoni, grandmother in Korean. Lily sees a large tiger in the middle of the road and this begins a quest for her.

Sometimes you pick up a book off a random stack in your house and you are overwhelmed by the beauty and sadness of the writing. This was the case of When All is Said, a magnificent story. #ARC #Ireland #perfection #debut

This book is jam-packed with important information about what we eat and how it affects our overall health. I was happy to find I eat many of the recommended foods and now will add more to eat with more intention.

The characters and the world Adeyemi created is spectacular and this one ended on a total cliffhanger! #fantasy #magic

Someone gifted this to me for Christmas and it is a joy.

I‘m very excited to continue the journey with Jane and Katherine as they take down the dead. #nationofzombies

This was not as satisfying as I wanted it to be. I felt hit over the head with good intentions. #native #Minnesota #ALS

I‘m partway through this engaging story about two sisters who‘ve had a tough life with their incarcerated mother and are left with her boyfriend after the fact. #fostercare #sisters #family

I had a fantastic year of reading! One bonus of 2020‘s pandemic.

Reading this for Iowa Children‘s Choice nominees. Rob Buyea creates interesting characters. #testing #schoolstory #best old school #teacher

This. Amazing.

This was a portrait in humanity; how do we react in a time of crisis when we know nothing of what is happening...? #dystopian #thedeer #flamingoes #family

My brother sent this to me after reading it. It takes me awhile to get through nonfiction but I‘m going to begin! #pulitzerprize #discontent #nonfiction

I‘m reading this because Colby Sharp said it was well worth it!! #schools #yarn

Oh my heavens! What a read. This will be my #1 Christmas gift to friends and family. The Lorax message all grown up. Nine characters all converge on the same wavelength: trees matter and we as humans are really in their space. #global #chestnuts #pulitzerprize #understory

This is a story to love! I enjoyed this family‘s ups and downs, so much relates to great parenting but yet the truth is bad stuff happens. 💕💕💕

Wow! I loved this historical fiction slash zombie story. Jane McKeene is a character I will not forget! Rise Up. #herstory #diversecharacters

I loved the deep look into this island‘s history and the matriarchy of female divers but I was frustrated with the two friends for not being honest with each other and especially Young-Sook who will never let her anger go.

Told in two middle school voices from Karina and Chris as they experience a hate crime and the aftermath of healing. Touches on inter generation families, Indian culture, racism, and neighbors. I appreciated that Chris and his parents learned to open up to Mr. Chopra. #diversebook