libscote's Reviews (6.4k)

Jac has recently moved across the country with her mother for a fresh start. She's coming up on her five year anniversary of not having cancer, and it's weighing on her mind. Her mother seems to constantly worry too, which isn't helping. And now a mysterious house has appeared at the end of the cul-du-sac, and it's calling to her. If she goes in, will she ever get out? 

I found this book to be quite scary in places. Unlike in text form, I couldn't skim over the scary parts. I had to read them. The audio form was good for this book.

I liked but didn't love this book. Annabelle makes a new friend, Bailey, at school. Bailey is nonbinary and uses they/them pronouns. This causes Annabelle to learn new things about her family, and also about her school community, which may not be as welcoming as she thought. 

I think this book would be a good introduction for kids who don't already know a lot about the LGBTQIA+ community, as this book does a lot of explaining about the meanings of those terms (particularly the LGTQ parts). I had some questions about the behaviors of some people in the book, but after talking to friends who have a connection to the parts I had questions about, they seemed more realistic to me. Turns out I didn't know more than I thought! I do like that this book emphasizes that we are always learning about ourselves.

A view on a missed opportunity for kindness, suitable for a K-3 audience.

A connective thread about slave families down to today's family highlighting the importance of quilts and stories.

Three interlocking storylines about life. One is chapters from a book being challenged, one is the story of Donovan, the kid whose mother is challenging the book, and one from two boys who are falling in love. I liked Donovan's story best, as he struggles with disagreeing heartily with what his mother is doing and how to tell her about it.

I also appreciated that he eventually changed his mother's mind about the book.

Hannah travels back in time during one Passover to experience the horrors of the Holocaust. Written in an age appropriate way, although some readers may have difficulty with the historical inaccuracies. 

Continuing the avatar story!

mmm food and how empanadas (or bread folded around meat and vegetables) are common in many cultures.

A story about the power of believing in yourself.

Mac lives in a town with a lot of rules, most of whom seem to come from a local busybody who is also his sixth grade teacher. When assigned the book The Devil's Arithmetic , he notices that some words have been blacked out. He and his friends get upset, but the teacher and the principal don't take them very seriously, since they can still read the book, just not a few words. However, Mac's mom and granddad have taught him to stand up for what he wants, and they help him fight. Also in the background of this story is Mac's unreliable father, who is causing a lot of stress and trauma for Mac. A powerful look at masculinity and what's happening in schools today.