My Life as a Diamond by Jenny Manzer
I'm not a sports oriented person. At all. So I generally avoid sports themed books. The exception: when sports are a metaphor for a greater life lesson. And that's the case here. I find that baseball, in particular, is often used as a life metaphor and it works for me. This is a delightful, heartwarming story of self-acceptance and rising above other people's judgement.
It Wasn't Me by Dana Alison Levy
Breakfast Club meets school mystery. A disparate group of middle schoolers realize they don't know much about each other as they are forced to work through which of them committed an act of bullying. My expectations were pretty low but Levy blew me away. While the resolution is exactly what you might expect, the journey is worth it.
Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr
A clever, if decidedly foreign feeling, adventure for fans of Pippi Longstocking and the work of Polly Horvath.
All Our Broken Pieces by L. D. Crichton
Periodically, I read teen romances. Romance is in no way my favorite genre but on occasion a book transcends simple romance, tells a more complex story. This book makes a strong stab at being more. It is, at heart, still a romance and has some tropey, eye-rolling moments and overly convenient plot points. Still, a decent read.
Once again, I find myself generally obligation free during Dewey's Hour Read-a-thon so I figure I'll read today. This is my official starting line post. I'll be posting here as I finish books so check in with me through the day.
Romance is definitely not
my favorite genre. I try to read them occasionally just be aware of
what's out there. Here are 6 love stories published in the last 6
months.
6 new love stories:
- 29 Dates by Melissa de la Cruz
- Come Find Me by Megan Miranda
- Paper Girl by Cindy R Wilson
- Pretty in Punxsutawney by Laurie Boyle Crompton
- Rayne & Delilah's Midnite Matinee by Jeff Zentner
- Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E Smith
Follow Your Stuff by Kevin Sylvester and Michael Hlinka
One might not think that the global economy could easily be explained for a young audience but Sylvester and Hlinka put in a solid effort. Through three concrete examples they break down the minutiae of the cost of a product: raw materials, transport, marketing, and profit. Not only do they discuss the money, though. They devote a fair amount of space to ethics. Sure some products are cheaper but that means that someone in the chain is taking less money and that someone is usually low level workers. That or the product is being produced in a more ecologically destructive way. Through the text we're being asked to be more mindful consumers. And that's always a good thing.
More information: Follow Your Stuff releases April 9.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
