Tuesday, June 9, 2015

More Books

I read some more books. They were good, real good. You should read some more books, too.

 Brown Girl Dreaming By Jacqueline Woodson
It's charming and touching. Jacqueline Woodson wrote her childhood story in poetry. It's the story of her experience growing up in the South and later in Brooklyn during the Civil Rights Movement, but it's not all about race and politics. Brown Girl Dreaming is about growing up, family, and dreams. Even though it's technically a children's book, it's got enough content to keep adult readers engaged (plus, it's got THREE medals on the cover, which says something).
 Half a World Away By Cynthia Kadohata
Another children's book, but oh boy, this will make you feel all the feelings. Jaden is 11 and Romanian, and he was adopted by his American parents when he was 8. Now his parents are adopting a baby from Kazakhstan, which must mean he's an "epic failure." The book is a first person narrative, and Jaden's pain was almost tangible as I read it. It's a short book, but it's powerful, and I cried at the end when Jaden finally recognizes and feels love. Read it if you have a difficult child or need a good cry or both. It was so good. It was sad, but it had a good ending, and I like books that make me feel things.   
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
(If I had to pick a favorite book out of everything I've read so far this year, this would be it. It's probably the best historical fiction I've ever read. I'll try to write about it without gushing.)

All the Light We Cannot See follows Marie-Laure, a French girl who went blind at six years old, and Werner, a German orphan who went to a Nazi academy to study engineering. As World War II erupts around them, Marie-Laure and Werner's paths begin to converge. All the Light We Cannot See is about finding light in darkness and strength in weakness.

Seriously, it's 500 pages and I read it in two days because I could not put it down. I wished it was longer. I loved it.

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