And we're off!

I decided sort of last minute yesterday to participate in Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon, so I haven't done any of the typical readathon prep. But, since I find myself without obligations today, I'll give it a shot. This is my official starting line post. I'll be posting updates throughout the day.

Pick 6: grief

I'm always interested to see how novels treat sensitive topics. They explore an issue like grief from a number of perspectives. Here are six novels written in the last six months that have grief as a central issue.

6 new novels about grief

1. Fragments of the Lost by Megan Miranda

2. All Three Stooges by Erica S Perl

3. This is Not a Love Letter by Kim Purcell

4. Broken Beautiful Hearts by Kami Garcia

5. When Light Left Us by Leah Thomas

6. The Beauty that Remains by Ashley Woodfolk

Book review - Power in Numbers

Power in Numbers by Talithia Williams

Shorter profiles are my favorite way to introduce people to historical figures. By giving us five to ten pages of history and influence we're able to appreciate an overview and determine which figures we want to explore in greater detail. And what better way to inspire girls to innovate in STEM fields than to give them a host of brilliant women to model their lives after. Yes, we need to show them how cool STEM subjects are but we also need to show them that they have heroes already in the field.

More information: Power in Numbers releases May 8. 
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Running on the Roof of the World

Title: Running on the Roof of the World
Author: Jess Butterworth
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Escape from Aleppo by N.H. Senzai
                      What Elephants Know by Eric Dinerstein
Rating:

intriguing

Summary (provided by publisher):  A story of adventure, survival, courage, and hope, set in the vivid Himalayan landscape of Tibet and India.
In this contemporary story, Tash lives in Tibet, where as a practicing Buddhist she must follow many rules to avoid the wrath of the occupying Chinese soldiers. Lately, things have been relatively peaceful, as long as Tash and her family hide their religion and don’t mention its leader, the Dalai Lama.
The quiet is ruptured when a man publicly sets himself on fire in protest. Soldiers break into Tash’s house and seize her parents. She narrowly escapes, and soon she and her best friend, Sam, along with two borrowed yaks, flee across the mountains, where they face blizzards, hunger, a treacherous landscape, and the threat of discovery and capture. It’s a long, dangerous trip to the Indian border and safety—and not every member of the group will survive.
This page-turning high adventure introduces young readers to a fascinating part of the world and the threat to its people’s religious freedom. Running on the Roof of the World will appeal to fans of such topical survival adventure stories as A Long Walk to Water and Never Fall Down.

My opinion: I know very little about Tibet. We don't learn much in school, not about the culture nor about the invasion. This book gives us a brief glance into indigenous culture, but that's all. We see the restrictions on behavior, speech, religion. We get events, not motivations or historical context. I could see using this as part of an educational unit but I'm not certain it stands well on it's own.

More information: Running on the Roof of the World releases May 1.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Custom skirt

With Spring finally, actually here, I feel the need for a change in wardrobe. For me, that means a trip to the thrift store. One of my recent thrift finds was this sundress.
 

I'm not really big on sundresses but I liked the weight and color and with the elastic in the waistline I knew it wouldn't be difficult to convert it to a skirt. It did have a small grease stain on the skirt but that was easily covered with some art.

Anglerfish

I've got a couple of larger craft projects in the works but none of them are ready today. So, in the meantime, here's another page from my sketch book, the result of my brief obsession with the strange appearance of anglerfish.

 

Book review - The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

Title: The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl
Author: Stacy McAnulty
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee
                      OCDaniel by Wesley King
Rating:

delightful

Summary (provided by publisher):  Middle school is the one problem Lucy Callahan can't solve in this middle-grade novel perfect for fans of The Fourteenth Goldfish, Rain Reign, and Counting by 7s.
Lucy Callahan was struck by lightning. She doesn't remember it, but it changed her life forever. The zap gave her genius-level math skills, and ever since, Lucy has been homeschooled. Now, at 12 years old, she's technically ready for college. She just has to pass 1 more test--middle school!
Lucy's grandma insists: Go to middle school for 1 year. Make 1 friend. Join 1 activity. And read 1 book (that's not a math textbook!). Lucy's not sure what a girl who does calculus homework for fun can possibly learn in 7th grade. She has everything she needs at home, where nobody can make fun of her rigid routines or her superpowered brain. The equation of Lucy's life has already been solved. Unless there's been a miscalculation?

My opinion: This book was a genuine joy to read. Such a delight, in fact, that a small part of me wished I could play hooky from work so I could finish reading it. Is it a bit predictable? Perhaps, but no more so than any other middle grade novel. And Lucy is such a strong character that this is worth reading just for her emotional journey. It is pleasant to enter her world, to see her change and grow, to see possibilityg and hurt and friendship develop. And I appreciated the open ending. The point isn't that her future is all planned out but that she's open to new ideas. I'd easily recommend this to most middle grade readers.

More Information: The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl releases May 1.
Advanced Reader Copy provide by NetGalley.