Hear The Wolves by Victoria Scott

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction, Adventure
Source: I purchased a copy. The opinions expressed here are my own.

I buy books for my students. However, unless they ask for a specific title I choose them based on whether I want to read it. Unfortunately, this addiction has built up my TBR (to be read) pile faster than I can read them. I don't want to hold them back from my students. When they bring the card up to check them out I tell them to let me know their thoughts because I haven't read it yet the results vary. With this book, one of my "I'm not going to read unless you make me" students checked out the book because she liked the cover. She had to read because I gave them the entire period to do nothing but read. She returned the book the next day saying I had to read it. She had read it from cover to cover in one day. I took it home and did the same. This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I kept wondering what I would do if I was in the main character's shoes.  Sloan is left behind while her sister and father go on a trip. This is the first time she has been without one of them beside her in a long time. This is their way of helping her. She sets off to get more fuel to keep her house warm. She meets her teacher at the church and they both check the cellar for the extra supply of fuel only to find it empty. In stumbles Ethan and Mrs. Wade. She has been injured and needs medical help. Sloan goes to the village store to get supplies when Pilot, the store owner's son walks in. Together they will try to get Mrs. Wade to the river to get her to medical help. Along the way they pick up Pilot's abusive father Nash. They are sure they can get Mrs. Wade help until the wolves start stalking them.  

I understood why this student couldn't put this book down. Between the tension amongst the group and the fear of the wolves you had to keep reading to see if they would survive and how. This was a rollercoaster of a ride. I have recommended it to all of my students as one of the best reads of this year.

Home is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo

Genre: Young Adult, Poetry

Source: I received a copy from Netgalley. The opinions expressed here are my own.

 

            This was a new author for me, and I’m glad that I found her. I read this book from cover to cover in a little under two hours. This is the story of a young girl named Nima who is trying to find her place, and who she is.  Because she is of Arab decent, she is often bullied. She doesn’t feel like she fits in with her mother and the country she came from. She doesn’t feel like she fits in to her new country. She can deal with all of this as long as she has her best friend Haitham. But words have power and cost her the best friend she has.

            This is a wonderful book. It shows the depth of pain not only the main character goes through, but the pain of her mother and friends. When you don’t fit into your parent’s culture and you don’t fit into the culture of your own country things can be rough. The author didn’t sugar coat this subject. It is a raw and honest look of what people of Arab decent went through right after 9/11. The prejudice, hate and how when it comes down to bullying adults will often be just as bad.  I loved watching how she struggled to find her identity only to realize deep down she already knew who she was. This book comes out in March but it is one I will recommend to teachers and students alike.

Whirligig by Paul Fleischman

Genre:  Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: I purchased a copy

This is one of those books that is good on so many different levels. Another teacher recommended the book to me. The gist of the story is this Brent Bishop is in trouble. He caused the loss of another person’s life. He feels he deserves more punishment than he is given. The judge gives the victim’s parents the right to seek restitution. The victim’s mother meets with them and has an unusual request for restitution. Brent is to create four whirligigs and place them in four different states. She has even bought a bus ticket  for him. Against his parent’s wishes he accepts.  This is a journey that touches many different people and may actually bring about healing.  I got to the end of this book and cried. It is that touching. The main character is so well developed that you feel his pain as you read his story. The settings are so well depicted you feel like you are right there with Brent. You feel his pain and want healing to happen for him.  I could not wait to put this on my school shelves and recommend it.