As much as I enjoy a bunch of silly decorations during the holidays, I also like to craft with purpose. So I try to make at least a couple of useful projects during my countdown. This headband would be nice for a chilly day and could also fit into a large Christmas cracker in place of a tissue paper crown. I used this pattern, if you'd like to make one of your own.
I hadn't intended to make any Doctor Who themed crafts this December, but as I was unpacking my decorations, a little Doctor Who display started coming together. All it needed was a couple of decorations for my miniature tree. So I whipped up a couple of adipose and a Lady Cassandra. It might still need a star but that's a project for another day.
It's December! That means I am back and beginning my annual holiday countdown where I share a Christmas or winter themed craft every day. Let's start with a simple one. I used a basic glass candle holder and decorated it with some paint. I was going for a rustic vibe here, so details were less important.
What are you currently reading?
The Keeper of the Key by Nicole Willson - Rachel doesn't want to move. She certainly doesn't want to move in with her mom's boyfriend Geoff in his creepy old house and too many rules. And now she's having visions in the dead of night, warning her of something worse coming.
What did you recently finish reading?
Midnights With You by Clare Osongco - Deedee can't seem to get along with her mom. They have an uneasy peace, mostly the result of Deedee following all of the rules, no matter how many times they change. She doesn't know why her mother is so strict but her interactions with the boy who just moved in next door lead her to dig deeper into her family history.
What do you think you'll read next?
The Boy Who Learned to Live by D. N. Moore
Author: Gia Gordon
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango
Looking for True by Tricia Springstubb
Rating:
.JPG)
Summary (provided by publisher): It’s the first week of middle school, and Ash (don’t call her “Ashley”) already has a class assignment: Make a family tree. But how can Ash make a family tree if she doesn’t have a family? Ever since she was four years old, Ash has been in foster care, living with one so-called family after another. Now she’s stuck with Gladys. And the only place Ash feels safe is in the branches of her favorite tree, drawing in her sketchbook, hidden from the view of Gladys’ son Jordan.
As Jordan becomes harder to hide from, and more dangerous to be around, Ash isn’t sure who she can trust. A new friend, an old friend, some teachers at school? Sometimes the hardest part of asking for help is knowing who to ask.
My opinion: I have read many books about kids in foster care. Kids finding their "forever family." Kids attempting to reconcile with biological families. Kids who are being abused. Ash's story doesn't match any of those narratives. The situation with Jordan is certainly concerning. It's a bit more gray and makes it more understandable that Ash is reluctant to speak up and ask for help. We see how systems that are set up to protect her are, in this case, letting her down. This is not always a comfortable read but its an important one.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
What are you currently reading?
Each Night Was Illuminated by Jodi Lynn Anderson - Cassie doesn't sleep. She spends her nights worrying about her family and climate change. Then she reconnects with Elias, a boy she spent one summer day with when they were children. Under Elias's influence she spends sleepless nights wandering the town and hunting for ghosts. And questioning everything she thought she knew.
What did you recently finish reading?
Snow Drowned by Jennifer D Lyle - There are stories on Fall Island that the snow swallows people. Consumes them. Gracie has never believed them. But a record breaking storm is coming and Gracie is trapped on the island. And something strange is in the air.
What do you think you'll read next?
My So-Called Family by Gia Gordon
We all know a train kid, the ones who love Thomas the Tank and live for a glimpse of a passing engine. Many grow out of it but some don't and those are the kids this book is meant for. Adams walks the reader step by step through the development of rail travel, each innovation and misstep. There is plenty of detail about the technology involved but also a lot of emphasis on social change. We're learning a great deal here about globalization and industrialization and how these changes had both positive and negative impacts on our lives. This is a great choice if you have any interest in transportation, history, or sociology. It can be read in short burst or all at once and would work well as a supplemental text for a classroom or homeschool setting.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
