What am I reading today?

Apocalypse Taco by Nathan Hale

Total read in March thus far:22

What am I reading today?

Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure by Alex T Smith


Total read in March thus far: 17

Pick 6: Disabled characters

Fiction opens a door for the reader into life for other people. It helps us to understand the ways that we are all the same and the unique struggles some people face. Over the years I've tried to pay attention to the representation of various minority groups in youth fiction. The list I've curated this month includes protagonists with disabilities.

Six new books about disabled characters published in the past six months:

1. The Christmasaurus by Tom Fletcher
2. Last Pick by Jason Walz
3. Love Like Sky by Leslie C Youngblood
4. Sincerely, Harriet by Sarah Winifred Searle
5. Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
6. Squint by Chad Morris

What am I reading today?

Extreme Abilities by Galadriel Watson


Total read in March thus far: 14

Non-fiction book review - Can You Crack the Code

Can You Crack the Code? by Ella Schwartz

At the surface, this book walks the reader through the difference between a code and a cipher. We are given, first, a very simple example of each and then are introduced to increasingly complex types of codes and ciphers with extra emphasis on the latter. That will be interesting to most middle grade readers all on it's own. Then Schwartz introduces cipher wheels and the Enigma machine. It's an important turning point. Enigma taught the world a lot about cryptography and code breaking. And the study of Enigma leads directly into modern encryption. While this is a basic introduction to the concept, it's clear and accessible. I'd recommend it not only to kids with and interest in codes but also to adults who want to start understanding encryption.

More information: Can You Crack the Code? releases March 26.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

What am I reading today?

Geek and Ye Shall Find by Ellen Elliott

Total read in March thus far: 13

Book review - XL

Title: XL
Author: Scott Brown
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Noggin by John Corey Whaley
                      Nick and June Were Here by Shalanda Stanley
Rating:

thought-provoking

Summary (provided by publisher): Will Daughtry is a late bloomer--at least, that's what everyone tells him. On his sixteenth birthday, Will is just shy of five feet, and he is bitterly resigned to being tiny forever. His only comforts are his best friend and stepbrother, Drew (6'3"), and their pal Monica (5'10"), the girl Will's been quietly pining for since fifth grade. Everyone else literally overlooks him. But with them, he feels whole. That is, until things take an unexpected turn, and he realizes he's really and truly on his own.
That's when he starts to grow. And grow fast. Astonishingly fast. For the first time, Will's happy with his stature, and the world's at his feet (for a change). People see him differently; more important, he sees himself differently. But the highest heights come with some low, low lows, and his most precious relationships suffer excruciating growing pains. Will has to figure out what to do with himself--and all of this new "himself" he never expected to have.

My opinion: At first blush, it seems like the vehicle for change Brown is using is a simple one: Will begins to grow and it changes his relationship with is brother and his best friend. But as the plot progresses, we realize that the issues that come to light have been simmering for years, things they've all been pushing down and his change in stature causes them to reevaluate the balance of power between them and address those old issues. It's an intriguing exploration that is clearly paralleled in the gorillas. In both situations, Brown shows how a small change can have a devastating impact on an environment. The ending is somewhat ambiguous, creating a source for discussion and potentially for frustration.

More information: XL releases March 26.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.