Short by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Grades 6+
You will love this very heartwarming, funny and engaging middle grade book. I also am a big fan of Holly's book Counting by 7s. Julia is mourning the loss of her dog, but still looking forward to her summer vacation. Her parents worry about Julia because of her attachment to poor deceased Ramon, but also because of her small size. She is just so ...... (we won't say the word). Julia ends up cast in a summer musical production of The Wizard of Oz as - you guessed it - a Munchkin. Without any singing, dancing or acting talent, she ends up leading the students - and adults. She also bonds with some adult cast members who suffer much more than Julia for being little people. I enjoyed this book for the characters and heartwarming connections Julia makes with the adults. Like the main character in Counting by 7s, Julia makes life better for the people around her even though she is suffering with her own pain and problems. I also really liked the realistic portrayal of a not-so-perfect family in Julia's life. I thought it was really cool to see a busy mom who runs the landscape department at a big box store, struggling with working - just like real life. I love Julia's friendship with Olive, a fellow cast member who will never be tall, and her neighbor Mrs. Chen who is a talented costume designer and suffering from terrible grief. READ THIS>. YOUNG ADULT SELECTION - TEEN (Please check Common Sense Media for information.)
I loved the academy award winning Spanish language film version of Pan's Labyrinth (Rated R - sorry girls and guys), but ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK. So be warned - there is some ugliness and horror in this book. -But It is a beautifully written story, and an excellent demonstration of how classic fairytales and folktales draw parallels between imaginary monsters, and the monsters in real life. Pans labyrinth is a combination of historical fiction and fantasy for grade 7+. Young Ophelia is taken to the Spanish countryside by her mother and new stepfather – a truly horrible man who is part of Franco’s military force. He is a real life monster fighting rebels during the Spanish Civil War. Upon arriving in the countryside, Ophelia learns she is really the daughter of the fairy king from another realm. A mythical faun directs her through a series of challenges to prove her worthiness to rule the fairy kingdom. There are multiple stories connected to this main story, so this is a book for a mature and committed reader. There are also some scary scenes with a child-killer monster, a horrible wound, and ugly military violence. Who said fairy tales are happily ever after?!? From the story: "You're getting older, and you'll see that life isn't like your fairy tales. The world is a cruel place. And you'll learn that, even if it hurts." You won't be disappointed if you dare to enter ... Pan's Labyrinth. Good Read's Reviews
Harbor Me is an excellent middle grade story about a group of students whose teacher provides them with a tween-only time to talk. It is a two thumbs up from Mrs. Finley if you like realistic character-focused fiction that touches modern issues. The problems they discuss affect students all over the country. The truth is that trauma and tragedy could be occurring in the life of the student sitting next to you in math class. How would you ever know if you didn't talk to each other? That is what these kids get - A Room To Talk. Despite their apparent differences, they come to understand and bond with one and other, and to even defend a friend they never dreamt they would like.
Here is Jaqueline Woodson talking about her book: |
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