Student Saturday: The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die by April Henry

Student Reviewer: Sophie H.

A 16 year old teenage girl wakes up in a cabin in the middle of the woods. She has no memory of who she is or how she got here. She is tied up, scared and confused. She has obviously been tortured and as she regains consciousness she overhears  two guys talking about killing her. She tries to stay one step ahead of the people after her. Aong the way she meets this guy named Ty. He helps her find a safe place to stay. The teenage girl is very strong and reminds me of the trait of perseverance. She goes 100% at any challenge she faces despite the difficulty or delay in her success. This reminds me of families. You have to trust your family because of how much you love and care for them. She also had to trust her fellow peer, Ty to help her get to a safe place and survive this mess she is in. I would recommend this book to my peers and young adults.

 

All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely

Genre: Middle Grade Realistic Fiction
Source: I own a copy

Jason Reynolds has written a powerful book here with a powerful message. Rashad Freeman is a young African American who has stepped into  a local store to buy a snack. His trouble begins when a white lady trips over him. The store owner causes him of trying to steal and the cop in the store takes things a little too far. Rashad is beaten to the point of being hospitalized.

Quinn Collins is a white boy on  his way to a party with friends when he heads to the local store to get some beer.  What Quinn gets is a front row seat to a young boy being beaten. The problem is that it is someone he knows and looks up to. 

What struck me was how the events that happened could have been ripped right out of the headlines today. As a teacher I could read how the teachers were feeling knowing they were told not to talk about it. I've been in their shoes where we've been told not to discuss certain incidents with students in the classroom.  I felt like some of the teachers were told how they were supposed to feel.

I was happy the way the author handled the tensions within the school and community. Awesome book everyone should read.

Kondi's Secret By Sylvia Stewart

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Christian, Mystery

Source: I own a copy

This is the third book in this trilogy. The author starts us off with a heart-stopping scene. Kondi is trying to cross the street to get to her house. She has just come from school. She sees her young brother in the front yard playing with a stick. She tries to call to him and tell him to go back to the house. Her brother hears her voice and sees her and heads for the ditch. The water filled ditch has a current that whips his feet out from under him. In a panic she darts across the street getting whacked by one car. She dives into the ditch grabbing for her brother. She saves her drowning brother but is injured.  My heart was ready to stop. I was so scared for both Kondi and her baby brother. It was obvious how much she loves her baby brother.

Kondi's best friend from the first book finds herself entangled in the same issue Kondi does. They and their family will need to rely on God when secrets become dangerous.

I love, love, love this series.  I need to see if this author has more.

Kondi's Joy by Sylvia Stewart

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Christian, Mystery

Source: I own a copy

This is the second book in this trilogy. Kondi has discovered the artist in her father. She openly embroiders and she and her mother have convinced her father to move to the city where he can set up shop and sell his paintings to tourists.  She is hesitant about leaving her friends behind and her church. Upon arriving at their new house she meets Maria a young girl her age who befriends her. We learn just how evil her uncle is and how God protects his own. A wonderful book that is full of hope. The author didn't sugar coat things. Often people wonder why God allows things to happen. Other people think that becoming a Christian means no more troubles. The author handled both of these ideas in her book with expertise. I can't wait to read the third book. These are quick reads and I highly recommend them.

Student Saturday: The Girl in the White Van by April Henry

 

Student Reviewer: Sophia H.

Savannah is a teenage girl who was kidnapped outside her Kung Fu class that she takes weekly. She needs to figure out how to escape herself, but also a girl named Jenny that has been there long before her. This story takes place in a trailer with a bunch of broken down cars around it, almost like a junk yard.

After Savannah has an argument with her mom's weird boyfriend she goes to her King Fu class. When she goes missing, people believe that she ran away because of the argument. They finally realize she was kidnapped. Her kidnapper has a vicious dog named Rex. After she is kidnapped she wakes up to find Jenny. Jenny nearly died trying to escape from the trailer. Will the two girls escape? They will have to work together to escape even if it ends badly.  

This book made me think of my 19-year-old who was being controlled by her boyfriend. She ran away for three months. These two settings are similar because they both are very harsh and sad stories. No matter who it happens to it will always be dramatic. I recommend this book to people who like a good mystery and a plot twist. It is a very good book for when you have time to keep reading because it keeps getting better and better. This book is good for ages 11-100. Maybe have some one read it to your from ages 80-100.

Kondi's Quest by Sylvia Stewart

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Christian, Realistic Fiction
Source: I own a copy

I actually purchased this book because it was the story of a young girl from Malawi. I have been fascinated with Malawi since I read the book "Laugh With the Moon" by Shana Burg. Her story inspired me to set up pen-pals with a school in Malawi. My students made dresses that were shipped over.  So when I saw this book I knew I had to read it. Once I finished it I found that there were two others and have purchased them. I will be reading them this week as well.

I loved this Christian Fiction book. Kondi is a young Malawian girl. She lives with her Mother and Father. Her father carries around an envelope and is very protective of it. When Kondi accidently spills hot tea on her father and his envelope he becomes enraged and beats her. Kondi believes her father doesn't love her. She keeps praying God will help her father love her. One night he comes in drunk and beats his pregnant wife sending her to the hospital. Kondi shares her feelings about her father with her best friend. She learns she must forgive her father even if she doesn't feel like she truly has. This is a message of hope and God's love for all of us. There are two other books in this series I want to read. Highly recommended.

The Yellow Star Shines Like a Candle in the Dark by Aaron Seth

 

Genre: Children, Middle Grade, Historical Fiction

Source: I own a copy

This is definitely an inspiring story. Aharon and his brother are attacked by a group of boys who hate Jews. They hit his brother in the head and throw dirt in his eyes. Someone comes to help them. Someone who is not a Jew. We learn there are consequences for people who stood up for the Jews. This is a simple yet powerful story. This is something I want to read to my students when we  talk about the difference between bystanders and upstanders during World War II. It should read this in class whenever the Holocaust is going to be taught.

Say Something by Jennifer Brown

Genre: Young Adult, Realistic Fiction
Source: I purchased a copy.

This novella is a continuation of Jennifer Brown's Book "Hate List".  There have been so many school shootings in the news in recent years. Everyone is always wondering what the shooter's motive was. How many actually look at what happens to those who survived. What happens to those who were friends, girlfriends, boyfriends of those who perpetrate the crime?  In this story we see Val, who was Nick's girlfriend. If you've not read the book Nick was the shooter and he and Val had created a "Hate list". These were people who went out of their way to make life miserable for others. David was a friend to Nick and had a crush on Valerie. He himself carries a lot of guilt. While Valerie is trying to move on, she carries a lot of mixed feelings. Even though she saved someone's life and was shot by her boyfriend, she is blamed and accused of knowing about the shooting. David has mixed feelings because he is carrying information he should have given out earlier and now it is eating him up inside. Jennifer Brown gives us a look at what those who knew the shooter were going through. A must read book for all who have read "Hate List".

Autism Goes to School by Dr. Sharon A. Mitchell

Source: Adult, Realistic Fiction
Genre: I purchased a copy

As a teacher I have taught students with varying levels of autism. Most of them were higher functioning. I have not been trained to work with them. However, I have had a couple of parents, and even the students themselves that have helped me understand people with autism a little bit more. This helped when my own grandson was diagnosed with autism. When my daughter would call me frustrated with her son’s meltdowns I thought I recognized the signs so I checked with another parent who told me to have her son tested. He is very high functioning. However, I now know things not to do and how to help him. So let’s get to the book.

This book is fiction. We have Ben a man who learned just three years before that he had a son and that he had autism. Jump forward to present time. Ben receives a call from his son’s mom. She can’t deal with their son Kyle. She is pregnant and engaged; she is dropping Kyle off to live with him. Knowing nothing about autism, Ben does everything wrong. He was under the impression that the therapy he had been paying for over the last three years would cure his son. On the first day of taking his son to school he witnesses the class his son will be put in. He berates the teacher for her methods only to learn that is the class his son will be placed in. Ben truly wants what is best for his son, as does Kyle’s teacher.

I loved that autism was  treated accurately in this book. We saw children of varying levels. We saw what happens to parents who hold their children back out of fear of the world hurting them. I found that this is the first book in a series. I most definitely will get the others to read.

Sled Dog School by Terry Lynn Johnson

Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure
Source: I purchased a copy.

I remember reading “Ice Dogs” by this author and recommending it to my students. When I brought this one in I didn’t get a chance to read it first. It was checked out and passed around my room. I understand why my students loved it so much.

Matt, the main character struggles with math and knows if he can’t get his grades up he will be put in remedial math. My students hate being in remedial class. I too struggled with math, so even I could identify with Matt.

Matt is given the opportunity of an extra credit project to keep out of the remedial class. He must create and start a business plan. What better way to teach math than through real world experiences. He begins the project creating a “Sled Dog School”. He learns how much he will have to juggle.

I think what kids take away from this is that sometimes they have to ask an adult for help. When I get those kids who are in remedial classes and don’t give it their best because they are embarrassed, I let them know that sometimes even adults must get extra help. I tell them that I had to take remedial math in college and even had to repeat a math class. I want them to understand it is okay as long as they are trying and learning.

I am glad I finally got the opportunity to read this book. This is the perfect book to teach kids problem solving. I loved how it showed how it is sometimes difficult to teach something to others. Just understanding yourself doesn’t mean it is always easy to teach.