Not one that I have a particular attachment to, but it is very popular.

Totes adorb!

Duncan's crayons all have reasons they are unhappy. I thought the reasons were funny and realistic and I did mostly like the ending, if a bit predictable. I may make this my Friday afternoon craft exercise--read the book and challenge the kids to use colors in new and unpredictable ways.

I was nervous about reading this book. It has been hyped for so long by so many of my friends, and I've had a few experiences where all the hype seemed to ruin things for me. This was not one of those cases. Marie-Laure and Werner will stay with me for a while. I enjoyed reading about their lives and savoring the language Doerr uses to tell their tale.

Classic, fabulous.

Read it so many times.

I loved it, but I am wondering if kids are reading it, or if it is more adult friendly.

I ended up journaling about this book because it affected me so profoundly. I almost want to make it required reading for everyone, but I know that would turn them off this slim vessel of knowledge. Coates is a beautiful writer, and his book will speak to you no matter what. It made me realize how much more work I need to be doing to be a better ally. So, so good.

Where do I start with this book? It is beautifully written. I loved the poetic language. Anna is orphaned in Krakow during WWII. Her father leaves her with a local pharmacist, who chooses not to take care of her. Instead, she follows a thin, mysterious figure who she calls "the Swallow Man." He has the ability to talk to birds, and while friendly enough to Anna, also has an aura of danger around him. They do make a friend, Reb Hirschel, but mostly they spend their time wandering around Poland, avoiding the war as best they can. But they can't avoid it forever...

I would hesitate to call this a middle-grade novel. At times Anna is wise beyond her years, and situations at the end make me hesitate to recommend it to many younger than 8th grade or so.

The publisher generously sent me a copy for review.

A poignant look at one girl's journey through grief and the changes that come during middle school.