WWW Wednesday

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

Book review - My So-Called Family

 

Title: My So-Called Family

Author: Gia Gordon

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango

                      Looking for True by Tricia Springstubb

Rating:

well-written and realistic

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

Listen with me

 

Slouch by Christina Wyman

The story of a tall girl, uncomfortable with her body and frustrated by everyone's focus on sports and expectations of her, this book could be plenty awkward but relatable. Let's find out.

WWW Wednesday

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

Non-fiction book review - On Track

 

On Track by Tom Adams

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

Pick 6: humor

 If October is for all things spooky, let's shift gears and lean into the funny for November. Who doesn't love a good laugh while reading. Here's six funny novels published in the past six months.

Six new humor books:

1. The Monstrous Adventures of Mummy Man and Waffles by Steve Behling
2. An Unlikely Pair by Bob Scott
3. SCRAM by Rory Luchy
4. The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate Mckinnon
5. Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp
6. Pizza and Taco: Best Christmas Ever by Stephen Shasken

Muff - or - How to keep your bunny with you all the time

 My hands get very cold. I wear mittens as soon as it is chilly. But when I started spinning angora fiber I had a thought that I might make an old-fashioned muff from the yarn.

Here's the yarn

I had vague ideas about knitting that muff. But when I finished my first ball of yarn I got a little bit of "good yarn anxiety" and put it away for a while. I finally got my yarn out again with a clearer plan. Instead of knitting, I decided to nalbind my muff, making the exterior with wool yarn (for sturdiness and extra warmth). The inner part is all angora and having your hands inside is like petting a rabbit constantly. I don't have directions for you because my approach to nalbinding tends more towards "vibes" than set patterns.