Always one of my favorites. Every year that I teach this play I get something more from it. I understand something more about the characters, about their portrayals, about Anne's maturity over the course of the play, about their constant and nagging worry... Every year after finishing the play I go home and keep silence for the rest of the day because it is absolutely devastating to commit myself so fully to being a memory keeper of Anne's story and of the tragic events of the Holocaust. 8th grade students always have a staggering amount of questions and outrage after finishing this play. But as important as it is to explore the valleys of our past, I can't leave my students there. I have to find a way to pull them back up to more level emotional ground. That gets harder for me to do each year as we have more neo-Nazi visibility, more religious-based hate crimes, and internment on our own boarders.
Anne's story and her words are just as relevant for us Americans today as they were for the world when she wrote them so many decades ago.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into with this one. I gathered from the title that this would be some retelling of The Once and Future King. I was pleasantly surprised by a female "Arthur" and then intrigued by the idea of the setting so far into the future. I wished for more details on the Mercer Corporation. It felt very flat and for a book on the legend of Arthur, politics and world building are essential. The book missed out on an opportunity there to have something beyond just a cartoon villain. It was clear early on that Mercer would not be explored in the depth I wish it would be.

I was thrilled by the LGBTQ representation in this book. Almost everyone is queer and I am here for it. It's so normalized by Ari's time that no one thinks anything of it. It was refreshing to read from that perspective and I hope that we can get to that point in our society in the future.

This book is strongest in its characterization, especially of Ari, Merlin, Gwen, and Kay. Characters help and hurt one another both intentionally and unintentionally. They have successes and failures. They make mistakes with real consequences. Occasionally the story needed to slow down and give the characters (and the reader) more time to soak things in, but Capetta nailed it with her characters.

I have an ARC of the sequel and I can't wait to read it.

** For parents and teachers, this book does contain some sexual encounters, but they are not graphic and no body parts or activities are explicitly described. There is a hint about masturbation. Many of these encounters involve LGBTQ characters. It's not any more than what you'll see in the average junior high or high school book.**

This book has been instrumental in the revival of education about Emmett Till and his brutal murder. Every year our students at the junior high learn about Emmett and are astounded and enraged that something like this could happen with no legal consequence and limited (in my opinion) social consequences. The author does a fantastic job of gathering facts and stringing them into a coherent and engaging narrative while still remaining true to some of the inconsistencies and mystery involved in the case. This is a relatively short book and can easily be implemented into a school curriculum, and in my opinion, it certainly should be added into the classic rotation of junior high literature. I'll e working to bring it into my curriculum, or perhaps begrudgingly give it to the other grade level English teacher at my school. Either way, this book will be joining my library and most likely my rotation of whole classroom novels.

** For teachers and parents, there are some descriptions and widely published photos of Emmett's beaten and mutilated body. They are there for a direct purpose and Emmett's mother chose an open casket viewing of the body and sanctioned publication of these photos in Jet Magazine. This is an account of graphic violence. It may be best to use your judgement as to when your student(s) is/are mature enough for this material and the discussions that should follow it.**

I have not yet read Columbine by this author, although it is on my list. I have read #NeverAgain and A Glimmer of Hope. I watched the tragedy at Margery Stoneman Douglas unfold live with my first class of students at my current school. I remember watching my students' horror as they received updates that day and the next when the death toll was finalized. I remember how fired up my students, over a thousand miles away from this tragic event, were so fired up. We cancelled two days of regular American History class for the students to lead an impromptu forum. I set the rules of discussion and only moderated, keeping time for the students speaking. It was amazing to see them discuss policy and change and bipartisanship. My kids didn't care about red or blue those days. They cared about change. I believe this generation will be the one to bring that change. They've grown up expecting a gunman to enter into their classroom, church, or movie theater. They see the issue differently.

Dave Cullen does an excellent job of capturing the energy of the MSD students and the March for Our Lives students (many of whom are in both groups). The shooting event was described in the first couple of chapters, the shooter was never named, and most of the book is focused on the will of the students to continue on in the work of healing and activism. This is the first of the three books I've read where I feel like I got to really know the kids behind the March for Our Lives movement. I'm so glad that the book went beyond the Washington march. This wonderful piece of journalism shows the impact of the movement and presents the students' case that gun issues do not have to be red or blue and that they are not untouchable topics in a campaign. Cullen includes stories of how the movement solidified and created sibling movements across the country, expanding its base and activism to cover all gun violence, not just that in schools. But this also took a toll on grades, on timelines of college admission, and on mental and physical health.

These kids haven't stopped either. March for Our Lives is still going strong and still affecting change. With the two year anniversary of the shooting and the March approaching quickly, this is a timely and poignant book to read. It can be a difficult book to read at times, but we owe it to our students to listen to them and their peers, educate ourselves, and then act accordingly.

** For parents and teachers, don't let this book's size or scope intimidate you. Students can handle it and will find the information fascinating and engaging. It's important that we advocate grade-level nonfiction reading, and this empowering book is perfect for junior high and high school students everywhere. **

4 Stars for this one.

Becky Albertalli is generally a go-to author for me. I've loved everything by her except [b:The Upside of Unrequited|30653853|The Upside of Unrequited (Simonverse #2)|Becky Albertalli|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1487956734l/30653853._SY75_.jpg|45749039]. So I was excited to see another collaboration between her and another author. This is, to the best of what I know, an #ownvoices Jewish and #ownvoices Muslim representation. Jaime Goldberg, written by Albertalli, is a rising senior whose family is obsessed with bat mitzvah decorations and campaigning for his mother's boss in the upcoming state senate special election. Maya Rehman, written by Saeed, is from a recently split Muslim family and is trying to navigate life within her parent's fractured marriage and her fractured friendships. I've seen some criticism for how liberal Maya is within her religion, as she does not wear hijab and considers dating. However, I do think it is important to say that one character cannot encompass the experiences of all Muslims. Perhaps Maya's character could have introduced us to more aspects of this beautiful faith, but for a YA novel, I think the concepts of hijab and fasting in Ramadan are a great introduction for a high school reader who might be unfamiliar with the religion. The different cultural elements that Jaime and Maya bring to the story are absolutely beautiful.
But this story is more than that. It's more than a romance too, although parts of this could definitely be considered romance.
This book shines a light on our current reality. There are corrupt politicians and blatantly discriminatory policies in our country right now. This book puts those policies and politicians in a human perspective. It also shows students that even if they are unable to vote, they are still able to (when they band together) create change and make a difference.
Some have criticized the ending of this story. I do feel like the climax on the romance portion was too late and too fast. It felt a little young compared to the rest of the story. I like that things are not perfect suddenly by the end. This is a lifelong fight to end discrimination and it won't be solved in one election or with one candidate. But we can focus on making the world a better place a little at a time.
I feel like the story just ended, though. It could have used a little more focus on the final few pages as well as more rounding of secondary characters. Over all though, I think this was a unique read and I enjoyed it!

I'm torn between 4.5 Stars and 5 Stars for this one. I think I'll go with 4.5. It's almost perfect.

This is the first thriller I've read in a while that actually made me nervous for the characters. Usually I don't wind up caring enough for the main character to ever really feel that they are in danger. I did feel that in this book. And even though Pippa made some very dumb decisions, such as not to trust anyone with the truth of the threats against her and to go into many situations alone, they did make sense in the context of the story.

Okay, so Pippa "Pip" Fitz-Amogi is a senior in high school who decides to take on the unsolved suspected homicide case of Andie Bell as her Senior Capstone Project. She doesn't have delusions of solving the crime, but she does want to investigate how media played a role in the case. She does secretly have some hope that she might uncover something that could point to the alleged killer's innocence. Nearly irrefutable evidence points to the guilt of Sal Singh. He had no alibi, blood under his fingernails, and a confession text message sent to his father. His body was found shortly after Andie Bell's disappearance. It sure looked like a textbook suicide.

But Pip isn't so sure. The Sal she knew could never have mistreated anyone, much less killed them. And he wasn't the type to just kill himself. Something was missing.

Over the course of the project, Pip very brazenly interviews those close to Andie Bell and those connected in any way with her disappearance. She sleuths through facebook profiles, personal cell phones, and even gives a try at breaking and entering. She has very little drive for self preservation, so when she gets threatening notes to stop digging around in the case, she ignores them. She starts working with Ravi Singh, Sal's brother, who also has a vested interest in proving his brother innocent.

This book is a quick read. You'll be turning the pages nonstop until you're finished. There are some situations where Pip acts so boldly that it doesn't quite feel believable for a seventeen year old sheltered girl who's more concerned with her grades than anything.

Slight spoiler here...

Spoiler

There's ALMOST no romance in this book and I loved that. Pip and Ravi were focused on working the case. Pip had zero romantic thoughts throughout all but the last five pages of the book and it felt like that really worked. The characters had chemistry as friends.
They didn't have that romantic spark or act in a romantic way. So, the kiss at the very end didn't really make sense to me. I think it could have ended more ambiguously on this issue with their clasped hands behind the podium at Pip's presentation. That could have been read simply as support for a massive public appearance and speech or as something more for those that wanted it.
Personally, I didn't ship these two characters together. Since Pip had no romantic or sexual thoughts through the first 99% of the book, it almost felt like aromantic or asexual representation. I'm definitely not against romance in books, but I don't care for it to come in randly in the last moments without proper build up. It just didn't feel real.

** For parents and teachers, this book does obviously explain a crime. There are some violent acts described in the book, some physical altercations and also a description of suicide. There are no sexual acts in the book, but roofies and rape are mentioned and treated as serious and morally reprehensible crimes. Drugs are present at parties and Pip does witness some drug use and drug deals as a part of her investigation. She herself does not partake. **

It's so nice to have a book that actually features Muslim characters. The main characters of this book (except Zayneb's aunt) are all Muslim. These characters aren't just there to fill some diversity quota for the publisher. The author showcases the beautiful variety within Muslim communities and elements of Islamic art, literature, and culture. I'm not Muslim, but I am so very glad for this book because it teaches us all that we are more alike than we are different. My students from rural America desperately need narratives like this that expose them to the wider world and to characters who do not look, think, act, or look like they do.

But this story is written in a way that even my rural American students will understand what these characters are thinking and feeling. Zayneb has a teacher that pushes his Islamophobia on students. (Now, hopefully my students don't relate to that, but I do expect they'll appreciate the fight against authority.) These characters are also dealing with real world issues. Zayneb is dealing with the consequences of her actions to stand up for justice as well as with her grief for her grandmother who died in Pakistan. Adam is also grieving the loss of his mother, even though it happened years ago. He tries to stay as strong as possible for his family and attempts to deal with his medical diagnosis on his own.

This book feels infinitely hopeful. Adam is able to rely on the kindness of strangers when he is need. Zayneb and Adam both have wonderful families and supportive friends. Through art and literature they connect with one another.

The writing flows effortlessly and teens will appreciate that these characters are more than just romantic feelings.

** For teachers and parents, there are no mentions of sexual content in this book. One kiss is mentioned in the book and it's pretty chaste. The characters do say a few curse words, like "ass". Islam is represented as a beautiful religion that doesn't fix problems, but helps people tackle them with a sense of peace. Issues like honor killings are addressed, especially in the ways that they contribute to false narratives that such issues only happen in Islamic culture. **

Have I never reviewed this book before?

My goodness. It's one of the best I've ever taught. Non-Readers will discover that they are readers through this book. I teach it every year and feel so privileged every year to be able to do so.

** I received an electronic ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this work. All opinions are my own. **

Okay, so it's no secret that I really did not enjoy [b:The Hazel Wood|34275232|The Hazel Wood (The Hazel Wood, #1)|Melissa Albert|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1500549460l/34275232._SY75_.jpg|53292100]. I thought the pacing was way off, Alice's character was strangely developed and that The Hinterland was not described with enough space or detail. The book tried to be a fantasy but felt more contemporary to me.

This book was able to improve on some of its predecessor's flaws. Pacing was somewhat better. I actually found myself wanting this book to be a little longer. I feel like I didn't have the time and space needed to absorb the horror of the last 10 to 15% of the book. We get an overview, like a reporter's newscast, about the effects of this horror on the "real" world, but not enough detail to truly "see" it. I was told about it, but not shown.

Alice is more bearable in this book as well. She isn't a horrible character, but her development is strange. She feels both dynamic and static, both flat and round. It makes for an incomplete character and I'm left to wonder if Alice is supposed to be an author or reader insert.

The author does an excellent job re-imagining the tales we heard as children and twisting them with dark magic and with the simple darkness we humans are able to all too easily inflict upon one another and upon ourselves.

** For teachers and parents, this book is intentionally dark and creepy. It is not for all students. There are numerous curse words, including f***. This is how Alice's inner monologue functions. You'll also see recreational drug use and the description of murders of Hinterland characters. It can get gorey. There are some mild sexual themes, but nothing that really stands out. Overall, your more mature junior high or high school readers will be fine. Language is the main concern here. **

I know, I know...

It feels a little bit like blasphemy to give a Jason Reynolds book three stars. But, that's where I am with this one. Now, keep in mind, on Goodreads, three stars means "I liked it". That mean's it's better than okay, but not to the point of, really liking it. This is probably where an average book falls for me.

I suppose I was expecting more narrative. This reads more like ten short stories that are tangentially connected. The first story was very funny. The rest were not nearly as effective for me. The tone of about eight of the ten stories felt like I was reading [b:Ghost|28954126|Ghost (Track, #1)|Jason Reynolds|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1468787024l/28954126._SY75_.jpg|49179183] by the same author. These stories cover some intense topics, from parents with cancer to homophobia to life threatening diseases. I think I just wanted one book about one or two of these topics instead of ten introductions to what could be books that cover so many topics but barely scratch the surface. These topics deserve more than stories that feel incomplete.

That said, this book could make a cool project for a blooming writer. Teachers or parents can have their student pick their favorite story and then flesh it out - outline it for a full book, or even write that book if they want to be ambitious. There's definitely potential for educational purposes and great family conversations here.

I feel like this one will be hit or miss for readers, but if you're looking for something you can read in short chunks of time, this will be a good fit.

** For parents and teachers - this book does cover some heavy topics, but in a very light-handed way. There are a couple of kisses in the book; nothing serious in the way of sexual content. Many of these topics may require some guidance for younger or less mature readers. I would put this one at a solid junior high level. **