This next book checks all but one of those boxes. Can you guess which one it does not? If you guessed football, you guessed correctly. (Tom Brady, I still love you forever.) So back to Macy McMillan... she's a hearing impaired girl being raised by a single mother whose life is pretty great. But all of that is about to change as her mother plans to remarry a guy with two kids of his own who lives on another side of town. Macy's best friend will no longer be within biking distance, and her new family is not yet fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). Macy can really only imagine a dim future. To make matters worse, Macy's mother insists that she go next door and assist her elderly neighbor in packing up her home for an eventual move into an assisted living facility. Macy has only ever known Ms. Iris to be cranky, and the older woman doesn't know a single sign (unless you count a pretty nasty face scowl as the universal language for 'get-off-my-lawn'). Yet upon entering Iris' house, Macy discovers rooms painted in beautiful rainbow shades, shelves full of carefully curated books, and the scent of cookies wafting from the kitchen. Iris is a woman with lots of stories to tell, and as the two women learn to communicate through notes and gestures, Macy begins to understand that a long view of time and friendship is the only way to weather the temporary swells and storms of life. This book provides a glimpse into the deaf experience, as well as a lovely perspective on aging and end-of-life issues. Definitely deserving of the various accolades it has so far received, Macy McMillan is a quick and delightful read about a girl who is really like all of us: yearning to be heard and understood. Want more? The following video shows multiple images and quotes that the author compiled to reveal important elements, themes, and moments of the story. It's just a fun, visual way to explore the story a bit!
Homemade tees: Iris is an expert baker and cookies sort of become a traded language throughout the story. Especially at her age, this shirt probably sums up Iris' philosophy regarding life and sweets:
Or, if you were wanting to show some specific love to Macy and other individuals with hearing impairments (or rainbow goddesses in general), try this shirt instead!
As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds (ISBN: 978-1481415910)
Guys, can we talk about how much I love Jason Reynolds? (Is he the next Walter Dean Myers... we shall see.) Also, anyone who knows me knows I love a good Schneider Family Book Award winner. So this book is the perfect formula for "a book Katelynn will love."
Set in Virginia (the rural version) in the summer of (insert recent year here), Genie and Ernie have to spend several weeks with their grandparents so that their marriage-on-the-rocks parents can spend alone time fixing their relationship. The boys are used to the streets of their native Brooklyn, not the hills and knolls of the South. To make matters even more complicated, their grandfather is completely blind and never really ventures outside of his house. While inside, you'd never guess that Grandpop is visually impaired; however, outside, a simple thing like walking through the grass can be an anxiety-inducing activity. Genie always thought his Grandpop was pretty brave, but some of his thinking shifts when he realizes how limited his grandfather's life really has become.
A young girl down the street inspires the boys to venture into the woods, where they uncover other family secrets about their deceased veteran uncle, and the tension between their dad and his father. Needless to say, there is a lot to be unpacked in this generational story about young African American boys figuring out how to function in the world and in their own family. The book addresses what true bravery really is, and how to be courageous in our relationships with each other. It will make you smile, and cry, and long for more pages at the end (why must good books always end??). It was a five out of five stars book for me, and I can't wait for students to read it too!
PS - it won a bunch of other awards too. Like... a bunch.
Want more? There are so many great videos of Jason Reynolds accepting awards and talking about reading, and just being generally awesome. But check out this one about why he thinks it's important that kids read:
Homemade tees: This book teaches the lesson that we can all learn from each other what it means to be brave through the situations of our lives. Check out this t-shirt for a beautiful visual reminder of this fact -
Every year, our school chooses books for students to read for summer reading. We're looking for about six options for our students this summer, and we'll be reading books for the next several months in a hunt for the best ones. Our theme this year is diversity, and not just racial diversity. You see, diversity is really all of the various parts of us that make us unique - it could be race, but also religion, gender, sexual orientation, cultural upbringing, languages spoken, adventures experienced, educational attainment, socioeconomic status, physical disabilities, learning styles, and so much more. Therefore, we want books that will give our students windows into the lives of other kids and teens around the world, and which will also provide some of them with mirrors to see that they are not alone in their experiences.
And so, we now enter Home of the Brave. I was looking for books that have characters from other places, and this book fits the mold. Kek lived in Darfur, Sudan (Africa) with his mother, father, and brother. But after tragedy strikes, only Kek and his mother survive. They become separated and Kek travels to the US to live with an aunt and cousin in Minnesota. Equal parts haunting and sad, heartwarming and funny, the story narrates how Kek learns to find his way in a strange new land. Thinking that the "washing machine" will help his aunt with her pile of dishes, he puts all of the plates and cups in only to find that the agitator breaks them all. Another young friend has to tell him that a washing machine for clothes and a dishwasher are two different appliances. Kek eventually discovers, not too far from the urban metropolis where he lives, a small farm with a forlorn cow. From a family of herders, Kek has finally found the familiar: a sad cow who just needs a bit of attention and who becomes like family. Despite struggling with a language barrier, missing his parents, attempting to acclimate to a whole new culture, and living with extended family with their own share of issues, Kek finds his own sort of success in the Home of the Brave.
The cover of the copy I read was so terrible. I thought to myself, "What kid is going to want to pick up this book?" Monochrome and sort of strange illustration, I had a negative initial reaction. But after only a few pages, I was hooked in this story. It is honestly one of the best books I've read about the refugee experience, and such an accessible story as it deals with common issues like loss, the desire to fit in, and friendship in unexpected places. I was so excited to discover that the book has been re-released with a fresh cover and I'm keeping all my fingers crossed that this book makes it to our final cut of summer reading options!
Want more? If you want to hear the author talk about the book in her own words, check out the following video!
Homemade tees: there are not a lot of shirts you can find with "Home of the Brave" on them without there also being American flags, bald eagles, and assault rifles on them. (This seems like a whole other blog post waiting to happen...) So instead, I'm going the route of diversity. How can you celebrate what makes your experience unique? How can we also find common ground with those around us? This shirt is a fun place to start!
The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall (ISBN: 978-0-553-49728-1)
Sometimes a book comes along that reminds you that you just love good books about real life. This is one of those books. Subtle, uncomplicated, sweetly told, predictably heartwarming. It's also an interesting piece of history about James Hampton's folk art - a piece of Americana that I was unaware of until reading this book. The story goes that Arthur Owens throws a brick at a man's head, and ends up in juvie court to discover his sentence. Rather than return to jail, he is sentenced to community service helping the very man he attacked. The Junk Man, aka: Mr. Hampton, is the neighborhood quirk though. He travels the streets with a rickety shopping cart, picking through trash cans to take tidbits that others have discarded. Arthur is definitely not excited about helping with this rubbish-collecting endeavor or what it will do for his reputation. To make matters worse, at his first day on the job, he's given a difficult list of the Seven Most Important Things to find: light bulbs, foil, mirrors, pieces of wood, glass bottles, coffee cans, and cardboard. Mirrors aren't just hanging out in everyone's garbage cans. For weeks, Arthur continues to trudge along, collecting these items. But it's one day that Arthur finally discovers what all of his collecting is for. Mr. Hampton is building, within a garage behind a tattoo shop, a creation beyond description. The Throne of the Third Heaven is pieces of what he believes Heaven will look like - but made out of... you guessed it... the Seven Most Important Things. Light bulbs covered in pieces of sparkly foil and cardboard attached to chairs to look like angels' wings. It's something to behold and Arthur begins to realize that his hours digging through refuse have paid off in a beautiful way. The ending of the book I'll protect - but I'll say that reading about a troubled young boy forming a tender relationship with an eccentric aging gentleman was really a treat. Anyone with a middle grade reader should encourage them to try this book, and then do a bit of Google image searching to learn more about the real artist behind the story. Yay! Want more? Watch this Vertigo-inducing video of the actual art display (seriously... something is up with this video quality - but it's still cool looking!)
Homemade tees: I sort of feel like this shirt would be perfect for Arthur or Mr. Hampton. Maybe you too could become a neighborhood recycler?
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (ISBN: 978-0-553-49668-0)
Okay, so I just reviewed Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon earlier this month, but I wanted to read her other book right away since I loved the first so much! Another beautiful cover, another story told in vignettes, I was just delighted to pick it up. I really did like this book too. As much as Everything, Everything? No... but it was still a really solid read. Natasha is a Jamaican American who was born on the island. Daniel is a Korean American who was born in the States. But both are dealing with the issue of straddling two worlds - parents at home who want their children to have respect for their culture, versus their own teenage inner desire to just fit in. They meet by chance on Natasha's worst day ever - she and her family are about to be deported because of her father's poor choices. Daniel, however, is having the kind of day where it seems like the universe is causing everything to come up roses. The initial spark of an interesting conversation, a bold proposal, a shared lunch, the confiding of secrets... all things culminate in a day that totally changes both of them forever. Can poetic Daniel persuade scientific Natasha to fall in love with him before she leaves the country forever? I won't give away the most important plot points or surprises - or even ruin the ending. But you know that feeling when you're getting closer and closer to the end of a book and you're worried that things are just not going to be resolved in the way you want them to? Then sometimes they just aren't. And you're a little bummed... almost like you spent all of those hours reading for nothing and you can't shake the unfinished feeling. That's how I felt with this book... until literally the last six words. Then all was right in the world. The. Last. Six. Words. It's a story you might like - especially if you love New York City, love stories that involve multicultural characters and references, or like a little bit of loaded-topic-exploring in your fictional reading material (aka: extramarital affairs, racism, immigration, birth order stereotypes, poverty, loss and grieving, drunk driving, etc.). Want to hear from the artist who created the beautiful cover for this book? Check it out!
And here's the author herself talking about this second book, the art, the format, the characters, and some of her difficulties in writing a book that takes place entirely within the span of 12 hours (with a tiny cheat at the end).
What shirts do you think Natasha and Daniel would wear? Why... these two, of course!
OR you could sport some band gear and wear this Temple of the Dog tee since it's while listening to "Hunger Strike" that Natasha first catches Daniel's eye. You know, it's whatever floats your boat.
Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon (ISBN: 978-0-553-49664-2)
I have tried starting this paragraph four times, and I don't even know where to begin. The cover! The clever format! The emotional moments of this book which caused me to use up 7 tissues between 10:30 and 12:15pm! The twist! Basically I loved Everything, Everything and everything about it. I was told about this book by a number of people, and it's been creating buzz in both entertainment and literary circles. I finally got around to reading it and have had the story re-running through my head ever since. I'm not going to lie - I do like a smidge of romance in my books - but I am not a romance-a-holic. It's not my favorite genre, and there needs to be something else holding me to the story. Like in The Fault in Our Stars by the wonderful John Green. Is there romance? Yes. But is there a depth to the story and characters that also holds you there? Yes. So it is with Everything, Everything. It made me laugh, and cry, and feel all the feels, and surprised me as well. Madeline cannot leave her house because of a rare disease in which she's essentially allergic to the entire world. She lives in a home that boasts a hospital grade HVAC system that completely clears the air of all toxins, and people cannot enter the front door without going through a special airlock. Madeline's mother, who is actually a doctor, as well as an in-home nurse are her only companions. But all of that is disrupted when a new family moves in next door, and she lays her eyes on the mysterious teen aged son Olly. They begin communicating using a bundt cake (yes, don't ask) and window sign-language. Eventually, she's able to text and e-mail with Olly, and her longing for friendship and the outside world grow. I can't say more... because that would start to ruin important parts of the plot... and I would never, ever, ever do that. Librarian's honor. One of the more delightful features about this book is the fact that it's interspersed with all kinds of fun formats: diary entries, text chains, emails, microscopic book reviews, imaginative sketches (drawn by the author's husband!), and more. Madeline loves architecture and at one point designs a restaurant where an astronaut might dine. I could go on, but you should really read this book to see for yourself what all of the buzz is about. Speaking of buzz, there is also a movie. I haven't seen it yet, but here's the trailer from YouTube. BUT WAIT - stupid movies... stupid trailers... they include spoilers! If you don't want to spoil the book, stop watching at 1:37. That is all.
Here's another little tid-bit of my own - my own teaser video featuring me and my cat. There are no spoilers. But there is a cat.
Need a tee or two for this book? Try these! First, you might want to take Madeline's advice and...
Or perhaps you want to take Olly's advice and do more...
Green, J. (n.d.). The fault in our stars [digital image]. Retrieved October 24, 2016 from http://www.johngreenbooks. com/the-fault-in-our-stars
Green, J. (2012). The fault in our stars. New York:
Penguin. ISBN 978-0-14-242417-9; $12.99 (paperback).
Hazel and Augustus – names that
might sound like your grandparents’ best friends – are really two teenagers
dealing with terminal cancer. Sounds
like a great plot for a book, right? Well
it is. It’s a really delightful story
about two people who decide that even though certain elements of their lives
are out of control (like having cancer), that they will still seek to make
happiness and light a part of what remains.
So Hazel and Augustus bond over their catastrophes, find ways to
strengthen one another and love one another despite the inconvenience of hospital
stays and oxygen tanks. Augustus spends
his Wish (like from the Make-A-Wish foundation) on a trip to Amsterdam with
Hazel so that she can meet the author of her favorite book. While the author visit does not go as
planned, the two teenagers discover along the way that sometimes just a glass
of champagne and a fancy dinner, or the ability to walk up a long flight of
stairs is all you really need in life to be happy. In the end, through all of the emotional ups
and downs of life and love and friendship, author John Green teaches us all that
while there are Faults in Our Stars, there is beauty in those constellations as
well.
* Starred reviews from Booklist, SLJ,
Publisher’s Weekly, Horn Book, and Kirkus
* CBC Awards, Teen Book of the Year
2013
* Book of the Year, Nickelodeon MPN
Awards, Brazil
HOMEMADE TEES: there is no shortage of fangirl shirt art available for this book. Having an awesome movie version starring two good-looking teen actors didn't hurt. But here are some of my favorite FIOS tees:
Green, J. (n.d.). Okay? okay. pullover hoodie [digital image]. Retrieved October 24, 2016 from https://store.dftba.com/products/ okay-okay-pullover-hoodie
This first one was designed by the author himself and is available from his website of fun gear, Don't Forget To Be Awesome. Making fun of two of their gushy friends who promise to "always... always" love each other, Gus and Hazel prefer to remind each other that sometimes, okay is enough.
Call Me Calliope. (n.d.). Stars I can't fathom into constellations [digital image]. Retrieved October 24, 2016 from https://society6.com/ product/stars-i-cant-fathom-into-constellations _t-shirt#s6-2215716p15a4v104a5v17a11v49
Then there is beautiful shirt available from Society Six that includes one of my very favorite quotes from the book. John Green has a way with words, and really captures the teen experience - sometimes your mind really is just too scattered to be anything other than random and beautiful.
Want more gear? Just peruse Pinterest - it's everywhere!
WANT MORE?
If you don't want to read this book by the end of this trailer, there is nothing I can do to help you... seriously. Read it. THEN go see the movie...
