Five Stars for The Raven Boys!

Cozy Up with a Great Book, or Check Out an Audiobook

I cannot say enough good things about this next book from one of my ALL TIME favorite authors, Maggie Stiefvater. The Raven Boys is part sassy, part mystical realism, and full of finding yourself. Blue Sargent, independent, self-sufficient, and full of pizazz, is the daughter of psychic Maura Sargent. Blue is, disappointingly, NOT a psychic. However, she does have the ability to heighten the powers of anyone around her. 

Photo courtesy of A to Z Quotes

Blue Sargent has always been told that her first kiss will kill her true love. We meet Blue on the Corpse Road on St. Mark's Eve, waiting to take down the names of the ghosts of people who will die within the next year in Henrietta, Kansas. The family business dictates that they know such eccentric details. When Blue takes down the name of a young man, Gansey, her interest is peaked. His death must be tragic, as his ghost was disoriented yet full of life. It is only after Blue meets Gansey and his three friends later that week that she realize her path is intertwined with Gansey's and the Raven Boys.

The tale Stiefvater weaves about magic, mysticism, and the quest for your dreams will leave you chasing up hills and over streams, hoping to catch a glimpse of Ronan, Noah, Adam, Gansey, and Blue as they enter Cabeswater. Whether they actually return, or if it is in fact real, is still up for debate in book two of the Raven Cycle, The Dream Thieves, which I am currently polishing off like fine chocolate mousse. Delish! Can't get enough of The Raven Boys!

I hope you have been reading some great books as well. Please leave me a recommendation or picture of your current read, and by all means, consider trying an audio book if you are busy! Not only does the time fly by, you end up with the pleasure of a great book! Try MontanaLibrary2Go, Libby, or OverDrive for access to free audiobooks. I got my husband addicted to reading this way, and believe me he will never go back to working without his audiobooks preselected! Right, wayrog?  For other recommendations, check out Goodreads.com !

            

The photos

RBG for the WIN!

Welcome back to Dear Dragon, Love Bookworm! If you haven't been here before, this blog functions to recommend books and spread cheer. My next great read is Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Life & Work by Victoria Ortiz. I have been hooked on this book - not only for the rulings RBG has made but also for the interesting life she has led. Some of my students inspired me to pick up this book, and it definitely is a winner! Each chapter discusses part of Ginsburg's life, challenges she has had, and a corresponding situation that led to RBG ruling on a case. Whether the case was won or lost, the impact Ruth Bader Ginsburg has made is what struck me as important. I'd like to think that if I met her in the coffee shop (if she drank coffee, that is), we'd have smiled at each other and struck up a conversation. Can't wait to continue this one, as I am in the middle of it. I just thought I'd share this gem with you in case you've been looking to pick up something inspirational to read. Goodreads synopsis here.  Amazon synopsis here. 

Mirror Girls

 I've been on hiatus for a while, overwhelmed with teaching and taking college classes. But I am back to recommend excellent books to you! In today's post, I bring to you Mirror Girls by Kelly McWilliams. I  recently read this spine-tingling book, and let me tell you - it is suspenseful! This historical fiction novel has magical realism and some pretty scary ghosts. Twin girls are separated when young due to the difference in their skin color. Charlie is dark-skinned; she is sent to live with her grandmother in Harlem. Magnolia is light-skinned; she is sent to live with her grandmother in the South. Their lives are incredibly different. Neither girl knows about the other, and neither girl is aware of the terrible event that led to their separation as babies. Charlie, a black rights activist, is brought by her grandma to meet her sister, Magnolia, who has been passing as a white heiress to a plantation fortune. Both girls have life as they know it uprooted, and the spirits are looking for hell to pay. Will Magnolia choose to remain in her privileged life in the South? Will Charlie help eradicate the demon ghosts that haunt Heathwood Manor? This was a very exciting and suspenseful book. I am pleased to recommend it to anyone interested in a young adult novel set in the Civil Rights Era with a heavy theme regarding the strength of families, the paranormal, or just looking for a great read!

See the Goodreads synopsis here.

See the Amazon synopsis here.

Reading Group Recommendations

 As a reading teacher / dragon, I am always looking for books my kiddos will like. I know you will love the next three books that I chose.

First off, I chose A Long Walk to Water, by Linda Sue Park. I read this book because the cover intrigued me. I have to admit, the story hooked me immediately. The story is about two kids in Sudan, one in 1985 and one in 2008. Salva, a boy in 1985, is a refugee trying to survive in Africa. Nya, a girl in 2008, spends her days traveling to and from their local water source because her village doesn't have access to running water. The story isn't long, but boy is it powerful. The dual timelines end up intersecting, which is what really captured my heart. You are sure to love Salva's story as much as I did, especially knowing it is based on a true story!

The second book I chose is a Newbery Honor book: Rules by Cynthia Lord. Rules is a story about Catherine and her younger brother, David. Catherine is a budding young artist. At twelve years old, she just wants a normal life, but she is constantly trying to teach David the "rules." David is on the autism spectrum, and he doesn't always understand what it socially acceptable. As Catherine goes to his therapy appointments with him, she ends up making a friend with someone she doesn't expect. She uses her artistic gift to make his life better and ends up learning some rules of her own. I highly recommend Rules by Cynthia Lord. We've all had that moment where we had to learn the rules, and we've all experienced making friends at unexpected times. This book is honest, realistic, and full of lessons about how it feels to make mistakes even though you're just trying to do the right thing.

The third book I chose for my reading group is Ghost by Jason Reynolds. First of all, I am a HUGE Jason Reynolds fan. Secondly, I really connected to the heart in the main character (Castle) of this book. Castle Crenshaw is a kid who is always ready to run. He's had a hard childhood and is trying to move past some trauma he and his mom faced when he was a kid. One day, he accidentally challenges the local track star to a race. He ends up joining the track team, despite his self-doubt and sass. With the support of his coach and the team who rallies around him, Castle faces and tries to overcome the trauma of that dark night he and his mom had to run. The main character in this story sounds like so many kids I've met who had to live their lives and move on, despite the tragedies they face on a daily basis. I'm happy to say this book had a good ending and is just the first book in the Track series by Jason Reynolds. If you like sports books and have an urge to support the underdog, you're bound to love this one!

Hot Books for Summer

Hi there, Bookworms! Dragon here, back again to give you some book suggestions. I recently read Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling. 

Let me tell you, you are going to love this book! The main character, Aven Green, has such a great personality. In the beginning, Aven and her family move to Stagecoach Pass in Arizona because her parents get a job there. Aven struggles with the move, missing her friends, and feeling apprehensive about making new friends. You see, Aven was born without arms. When people ask her about it (which they constantly do) she usually concocts a crazy story to explain why she doesn't have arms. 

Through the course of the book, readers get to know Aven's personality. She lives her life in just a slightly different way and does almost anything a person with arms can do. Aven's upbeat, can-do attitude, and fun personality shine through, which she attributes to how her parents raised her. As Aven adjusts to living in Stagecoach Pass, at a theme park nonetheless, she starts to make connections with a couple of kids in her middle school. She connects with one of her classmates, Connor,  who also has some anxieties about making friends. Aven is a true friend to him, and Connor, in return, challenges Aven to keep chasing her dreams when she is uncertain if she can fit in. 

Along the way, there is even a mystery to solve as Aven notices odd things about the owner of the theme park. Why are the pictures of the owner all taken down? Why are Aven's initials all over boxes in the storage shed? What is up with the quirky old man at the ice cream shop who keeps calling her Aven, although he's never met her? As Aven begins to investigate, she starts to become more comfortable with the people of Stagecoach Pass, and even suggests a festival to boost the park's economy. It may just save her parent's job. I really liked the main character in this book. Aven is amazing - talented, funny, and great at making friends. This book will leave you with warmth in your heart, and wanting to read Momentous Events in the Life of a Cactus (book #2 where Aven enters high school. Eeep!). I hope you pick up a copy from our library, or get on Sora and read the eBook like I did. You won't be sorry! The humor in this book and the message it gives to readers is worth the journey to hot, dusty Stagecoach Pass.

The second book that I recommend to absolutely every middle grade reader fan is The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart. Coyote and her dad live in an old bus traveling across

the country to wherever their hearts take them. They seem carefree, but there's a sadness there, too, as you learn early on that the five years Coyote and her dad have been traveling stems from the death of Coyote's mom and sisters. Coyote feels the need to go "home" to retrieve a precious memento before it is lost to construction in her neighborhood. She makes a plan to get her dad to drive them home to Washington without him knowing what's up. Along the way, Coyote and her dad pick up some travelers, and chaos ensues. By the end of this book, I was loving Coyote and also crying about the loss of her family. This book does have a happy ending, but Coyote and her dad have to face their loss and lean on each other so they can heal. My favorite thing about this book besides the adventure is what I learned from Coyote Sunrise - even though a heart breaks, that is an opportunity for it to grow fuller and mend. This book was recommended to me by my favorite librarian, and I pay it forward by recommending it to you! 😊

Love to you all, 

Dragon

Two (or three) Middle Grade Recommendations to Brighten Your Day

Hello, fellow bookworms! Dragon here to give you some reading recommendations. If you are looking for some "good reads," these middle-grade novels are right up your alley!

First off is Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly. 

This book is about a girl named Iris. She has a gift for fixing anything electronic. Iris seems lonely, being the only deaf girl in her school. She learns about a whale, Blue 55, who is also alone. She starts to connect with him and soon wonders why he is always found by himself if whales generally live in pods and communicate by sound. The more she learns, the more Iris begins to think something is different about this whale. Blue 55 keeps trying to link up with various pods, but after a short period of time, he is off on his own again. Iris ponders this problem and thinks she can help. Her compassion, frustration with being alone and misunderstood, and her ability to tinker with electronics are the only thing Iris has to offer and could be just what Blue 55 needs to find a family. 

I really enjoyed this book. Song for a Whale tells a tale of deaf culture and what it is like to be a kid who is underestimated simply because of having a disability. Iris is rough around the edges, raw and real. This is what I love about her. These parts of her make her more capable of helping someone who she empathizes with to be in the same situation as herself. No matter if he is a whale and she is a girl. I would give this book 5 stars. It simultaneously breaks your heart (you grow to love both Iris and Blue 55) and lifts you up all within the span of 250 or so pages. Song for a Whale won the Schneider Family Book Award for Middle Grades, 2020.  

Lynne Kelly also wrote the book Chained, another middle-grade novel, published in 2012 by McMillan.

Chained also won literary awards, such as the California Young Reader's Medal Nominee for Middle School/Junior High (2015), Alabama Library Association Children's Book of the Year for 4-5 (2013), the Bluestem Book Award Nominee (2015), and SCBWI Crystal Kite Member Choice Award for Texas/Oklahoma (2013). While I haven't read Chained yet, it is on my TBR list (To-Be-Read) and it looks great! It is a story about a ten-year-old kid, Hastin, in northern India who volunteers to move from his home to work of the debt his family incurs after his sister was sick in the hospital. Hastin gets a job as an elephant keeper and works at a circus. The elephant he takes care of, Nandita, is chained up and at the mercy of the cruel circus owner. I don't know much more than that, but it sure looks like one you and I both might enjoy!  

Back to Song for a Whale: Here is my review on Goodreads (November 2019): 

I absolutely loved this book. From the angsty preteen Iris, who fights to have her ‘voice’ heard, to the sign language showcased in the book, to the relationship she has with her schoolmates and her grandparents. Also, the whale Blue 55 has me at hello. This story was beautiful! Iris’s desire to compose a song that would make Blue 55 feel at home, and the lengths she would go to make sure he could hear it. Loved the cruise ship scenes and how wonderful her grandma is!

Either book, Song for a Whale or Chained, are worth the read. If you are a person who loves animals and you are rooting for the kid to partner up with an animal to create an ever-lasting friendship, either of these might be the book for you!

I have one last book recommendation for today - a graphic novel you just HAVE to read (click the link for information about why you should read graphic novels). The book I'm about to recommend as one of the first graphic novels that unlocked my heart and propelled me to recommend it to my friends, my three children, students in my class, and pretty much anyone else that I knew needed a dose of a heartwarming story told through graphics. You just HAVE to read El Deafo by CeCe Bell. This is the story of a young girl who has to start a new school where no one else is deaf. CeCe wears a hearing aid to help her hear the teacher. This wasn't a problem at her old school, but now that she's changed schools, CeCe is having trouble making friends because she is different. She starts to discover that her hearing aid has given her a superpower - to hear far more than anyone thinks she can. This is the true story of the author's childhood, and it made me laugh and warmed my heart. We all know what it's like to try to make friends but feel on the outside looking in. CeCe's story reminds us that we all have a superpower inside of us and that we are far stronger than we give ourselves credit. I loved this book, and I know you will, too!

Well, that's it for now. I will have more book recommendations for you in my next blog. Leave a comment about what books YOU think I should read or any book recommendations you have.  I read just about anything, as long as it has a good story. 

Signing off, 

Dragon😉


Book cover images are from Goodreads.com and are allowable for use on this blog in the instance of a book review, which this is.

The link for the Reason To Read Graphic Novels is from www.today.com :

Garcia, K (2019, October 24). 5 reasons your child should read graphic novels. Today.com. Retrieved July 21, 2020 from https://www.today.com/parents/5-reasons-your-child-should-read-graphic-novels-t165336

Welcome to Dear Dragon...Love, Bookworm

Welcome to the first blog post of "Dear Dragon....Love, Bookworm"!

My name is Mrs. Rogers, and I work at Polson Middle School. The purpose of this blog is to update you on middle-grade fiction books, host student and staff reviews of books, and give you resources on diverse books for kids and families. The blog is titled Dear Dragon...Love, Bookworm because of the book Dear Dragon: A Pen Pal Tale by Josh Funk.

I added the "Love, Bookworm" to attribute the many young readers out there who are eager to submit their book reviews. 

This blog is a part of the Polson Middle School library website and maintained by myself, Mrs. Rogers. I am currently a classroom teacher training to be a librarian. The blog is updated weekly, and I encourage book review submissions or any suggestions you may have for my next read. Please leave comments about what books you think I should read, or submit any reviews for books you liked (or didn't). Thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy this blog! 😉