Cloud and Wallfish by Anne Nesbet

Genre:  Middle Grade, Historical Fiction
Source:  I purchased a copy from Scholastic

Take one boy named Noah and give him a stutter so he is an outsider. then turn his world upside down. That is what Anne Nesbet, the author has done to her character Noah Keller. Noah leaves his fifth-grade classroom and finds his mom and dad in a rental car. It is on the ride that they explain to him that his mom has the opportunity of a lifetime.  She is working on her dissertation about schools and children with problems like her son's. Noah learns that all of the German lessons he has been taking had a purpose. They will be flying into East Berlin. Noah has a new name and new rules. He is now known as Jonah Brown. He can't do anything that will bring attention to himself or his parents. He must not question anything because the walls have bugs. He isn't allowed to go to school even though he has taken their test. He meets a girl in his apartment building named Claudia. Because of his stutter, he ends up calling her Cloud-Claudia. She names him Wallfish.  What happens when they are caught up in something that they were not a part of. How will the secret he knows about Claudia affect their friendship?
Because I'm an adult and remember the fall of the Berlin Wall, this book was so important for me to read. I have always been fascinated by this topic. My father was stationed in Berlin when he was in the Army. This is such an important piece of history that unfortunately isn't really taught in schools. I do my best to at least introduce it to my sixth graders to the topic. I want them to start their own research on such an important topic.  I am impressed with the way the author handled the topic. The reader is right there and can feel the strain the people living on the East side of the wall must have felt, especially if they didn't agree with the politics at the time.  This is a book I will definitely promote to my students.  I had an extra copy so I passed it along to my granddaughter who had picked it up to look at. Thank you Anne Nesbet for creating a perfect book at the perfect time.

Hunt For the Horseman - Gita V. Reddy

Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure, Mystery

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

For readers who have always loved the idea of exploring a house with hidden areas, this is the book for you. The children in this book are searching their ancestral home in India for a toy supposedly hidden by a cousin.  Family members for years have searched for this toy. Even more important they must try to find a very important paper. They are trying to save their ancestral home which is at risk of being taken from them. They need the paper to show they are the rightful owners of it.    Along the way the characters learn about their heritage. This was something I believe many of my students will be able to identify with.  Our school has a large Indian population.  I see the differences when some of them are born here in the United States and are clueless to their Indian Heritage. I also see how many of the students who were born in India and then moved to the United States handle the cultural differences.  I think a large part of the message found in this book is about family and embracing the differences within your cultural heritage. The adventure and mystery is something that kept me reading. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Alexander Hamilton: How the Vision of One Man Helped Shape Modern America by Teri Kanefield

Genre: Middle Grade, Biography
Source: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I love history. It amazes me how much I really do not know, especially about American History. Teri Kanefield has once again done an exceptional job of bringing history to life. Her book about Alexander Hamilton opened my eyes to a man I realized I really knew nothing about.  He starts off life in another country, poor, abandoned and making his own way in life. When given the opportunity to come to America he jumps at the chance.  His mind for learning amazed me.  I had no idea how much influence he had in shaping what we now call the United States of America.   He married a woman who came from a wealthy family with the understanding that he was poor and would probably always be that way. She loved the man he was and agreed to the marriage.  He put so much into this country. Through reading this book you get a well-rounded picture of the man and his love for this country. You get a first-hand look at how much he was willing to sacrifice for it.  I learned what an elegant writer he was.  For the history lover, this is a must read book. This is a book that will definitely go on my shelves. It is a book that I want my students to read. It is a book I will recommend to our History department as a valuable resource.  Teri has included some of his writings in the back of the book. More importantly was the timeline and endnotes she included.  Such a valuable resource, yet it held my attention and I read it in one sitting.  This is a must read book. This book will be published in March of 2017.
I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.