West of the Moon by Margi Preus Amulet Books, 2014 224 pages You might have noticed that, lately, I've mostly been reviewing books for teens and young women. It hasn't been intentional - just the natural outcome of my recent reading patterns. My daughter is 11 now, and a wide-ranging and advanced reader. We still have a "bedtime" book … Continue reading West of the Moon
Grandma's Purple Flowers by Adjoa J. Burrowes Lee & Low Books, 2000 32 pages I've written before about the special relationship I had with my maternal grandmother, and about how devastated I was when she died, just a few months before I graduated from college. I know I was blessed to have her as long … Continue reading Grandma’s Purple Flowers
A Train in Winter: An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship, and Resistance in Occupied France by Caroline Moorehead Harper, 2011 374 pages I don't really remember when I first learned about World War II. Probably very early in childhood, since I grew up with a grandfather who often told stories of his time in "The … Continue reading A Train in Winter
Into the Woods by Lyn Gardner; ill. by Mini Grey Random House, 2007 488 pages I've written before about how much I love a good fairy tale reboot--and, more recently, about how interesting antiheroes can be. Into the Woods is a book that combines both, to inspiring effect. Here's the story: Storm Eden lives with … Continue reading Into the Woods
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley Random House, 2009 373 pages I think it was in one of my college lit classes that I first heard the term "antihero." Before that point, I had encountered the character type but had never had a name for it. For those who aren't … Continue reading The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie
Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr; ill. Ronald Himler G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1977 80 pages About four months ago, when I posted for Banned Books Week, I mentioned that inspiring books often push our boundaries or make us question long-held assumptions. In many cases, they challenge our ideas about what the world … Continue reading Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes
Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse Scholastic, 1997 227 pages I first read Karen Hesse's Out of the Dust several years ago (maybe around 2005?) and remembered it as an inspiring book, good fodder for Read Like a Girl. What I didn't remember is that it's also one of the rawest, heaviest books I've … Continue reading Out of the Dust
