Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

Why: My daughter asked me to read this after she did.

When: start 11/2/13, end 11/3/13

How: I read the hard copy that Jane's Nana sent to her.

Thoughts: This was a great book. And there's a sequel that we'll have to read next. There are seven 5th graders in this class taught by a new teacher, Mr. Terupt, and the point of view of the story moves between the seven students. It worked really well to see the story unfold from each of their perspectives. It was difficult to put the book down for sure. And I still need to ask my daughter what she learned from this book.

Click on the book image to get to the author's website.

Review Haiku:
one snowball of ice
changes everything because
of Mr. Terupt

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

why: book club and also I wanted to read this with my daughter.

when: start 8/3/13 end 8/17/13

how: As an ebook on my ipad (purchased as always from the local independent book store). And this is the first ebook my kid has read--normally she likes books with actual pages and stuff, but I convinced her to try this one on the screen.

thoughts: I loved this book. Just loved it. Take a wonderful child with a severe facial deformity who has been home schooled his whole life and send him to middle school. What happens? Well, that's what this book is about. It shows the courage of young people, both through the main character Auggie's experiences and through his friends' fierce devotion to him (even though some are slow to come around).

Click on the book image to get to information about the book from the author's website.

review haiku:
we can be so mean
met by of something different
accept--and we grow

A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

why: Jane asked me to read this to her (I haven't read a book to her for a long time! She reads on her own voraciously, but for some reason, she wanted me to read this one to her).

when: start 6/3, end 7/10

how: The photo is of my copy of this book that I've had since I was a child. Jane found it on her book case and asked me to read it to her. So I've read some to her at bed time when she gets to bed early enough for that. I also read a lot of this to her (and to the husband as well) while we were driving to and from Montana this summer.

thoughts: Such a great story. I haven't read it since I was a kid--yet it's just as vivid and wonderful now as it was then. It's amazing how clearly I do remember much of this book even though it has been so many years!

Click on the book image to get to the wikipedia entry on the book.

review haiku:
all is lost to Sara
but she doesn't change herself
and finds it all again

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

why: I picked this up for my daughter and I to read together as our second book club book. She loves animals and she's an artist, so I thought a gorilla who paints would grab her attention.

when: start 5/21/13 end 5/24/13

how: as an ebook on my ipad (purchased through the website of my local independent book seller of course!)

thoughts: I loved this book. I cried at the end, tears of joy for Ivan and Ruby and Bob and Julia. I love that this was inspired by an actual gorilla who spent over 20 years of his life living at a shopping mall. There wasn't an elephant in the real gorilla's life like there is in the book, but the real gorilla did paint like Ivan does. This book is about friendship and the ethical treatment of animals and imagining the mental and emotional worlds of animals and the role of art in creating empathy for the experiences of others. I loved it. This book won the Newbery Medal for 2013, by the way.

Click on the book image to go to the book's official website.

review haiku:
Ivan and Ruby
captive in a shopping mall
art sets them free

Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

Why: first book of the book club my kid has started with me!

When: start 3/5/13 finish 3/10/13

How: as an ebook on my iPad (she's reading it in hard copy-- of which she has two. I bought her one yesterday and she also checked it out from the library at her school!)

Thoughts: It's hard to believe this is the first Spinelli book I've read, but it is. I think that there will be more after this. My kid made it halfway through the book in only one day.

Loved this. The way that people responded to Stargirl really showed a lot about who they are themselves. I loved her personality and her confidence in who she is. If only more of us could be so brave to be ourselves.

Review haiku:

Ukelele, rat
long skirts, birthday songs, cheer all
We should be Stargirl