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.