Riding North

American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins kept popping up in my recommended books list, and I finally decided to dig in! I’m happy that I did as this is a book I won’t soon forget.

Lydia owns a book store and becomes close friends with her customer Javier, before discovering that he is head of a fierce cartel responsible for multiple murders in their area. After Lydia’s reporter husband writes a feature article about Javier, everything goes horrifically wrong.

Lydia and her son Luca are the only survivors when their entire family is gunned down during a party. Now they are desperately trying to outrun the cartel and certain death. We join them throughout their journey as they jump La Bestia, riding trains to take them from their starting point in Acapulco to their destination: the U.S. They meet two sisters during their travels, Soledad and Rebeca, who are also escaping terrible violence. They join forces through the many obstacles before them.

Their journey is full of indescribable sadness, danger and horror, but there is also friendship and unexpected kindness. Every decision is potentially life or death and every person’s strength and determination keeps them moving toward a new start. This is an amazing read for both plot and its writing!

A Different Path

This is How it Always Is by Laurie Frankel is an eye-opening (realistic fiction) look into the world of a transgender child. Claude is the fifth boy in his family, and he realizes before kindergarten that he is much more comfortable in girls’ clothing.

His parents, Doctor Rosie and writer Penn, come to embrace his inclination. Once they agree to let him wear girl accessories, they run into static at the school and with “friends.” After Rosie has an ER patient, killed for being transgender, she decides the family needs a fresh start somewhere more open.

They move and allow Claude the chance to be Poppy. In doing so, they decide it’s not necessary to let everyone know that Poppy is originally Claude. All is well until the secret comes out. Poppy withdraws and his mother decides to bring him to Thailand with her while she works in clinic there. This is an eye-opening experience for both of them; the change of lifestyle provides some clarity as to their next steps.

Throughout the book, we also get to know the rest of the family’s struggles and eccentricities. There are nuances to the story that I appreciated, such as Penn’s ongoing storytelling to mimic reality. Parenting as a team is an important component as well.

Prior to reading this book, I couldn’t quite wrap my head around a child of such a young age going through these feelings and incidents. I left the story feeling more open-minded and so sympathetic to Claude/Poppy’s character and to the parents. Choosing a complicated path littered with disdain/ignorance as the only way to feel authentic and happy is an incredible journey for anyone, let alone a child. This story attacks this choice in a thought-provoking way.

Pick One

The Wives by Tarryn Fisher hooked me from the start with all of its many problematic possibilities. The narrator, Thursday, excitedly awaits her husband’s arrival. This is her only night of the week with him, so she strives to make it special. He spends the other nights of the week with two other women. The first is his ex-wife Regina, a highly successful lawyer, and the other his third pregnant, wife Hannah.

Thursday is fine with this arrangement, or so she thought. She starts becoming obsessed with knowing and meeting both other women. During her investigation, she starts to fear her husband and worries that he may be harming his newest wife. Thursday may not be seeing everything clearly though.

While the beginning of the story hooked me, events started to jump all over. It felt chaotic. This may have been the desired effect, but it didn’t work for me. Overall, a decent read, but with the potential to be so much more.

Getting “Nutmeg”y – Part 1

Recently, I plowed through almost all of the 2021 Elementary Nutmeg nominees that I could I get my hands on from the public library. Rather than do a separate entry for each book, I will include a brief summary and review of each one here in the order that I read them.

Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams by Lesa Cline-Ransome is a direct, thought-provoking biography of the Williams sisters. There are many books about Venus and Serena Williams, and this one is just right for younger readers. The girls epitomize strength and perseverance as they practice and fight through obstacles to achieve their tennis dreams. This is a great story to inspire younger students whether they enjoy tennis or not.

Carter Reads the Newspaper by Deborah Hopkinson shares Carter Woodson’s life and role in activism. I enjoyed that the power of story and reading is a highlight through this book. Carter grew up listening to his parents’ tales of slavery, and he understood the importance of their stories. He used his ability to read in order to share knowledge with those around him. He became the founder of February as Black History Month. This book is both informative and inspiring with lots of teachable features such as lists of Black leaders, quotations and sources, timelines, Internet Resources/Bibliography and more.

The World is Not a Rectangle: A Portrait of Architect Zaha Hadid by Jeanette Winter is architect Zaha Hadid’s story (obvious from title). Nature inspired her unique designs, but being an Iraqi woman provided with different ideas made it difficult to break into the world of architecture. This is another story that showcases the need to be determined and to keep trying at your passions no matter what. Hadid’s beautiful buildings are depicted with drawings at the end of the book. I was pleased to learn about someone I have never heard of before, and would love to see some of her buildings in person one day.

Magic Ramen: The Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang is dedicated to noodle lovers! Ando saw the terrible poverty and hunger in Japan following WWII. He wanted to do something to help people and started experimenting with making an inexpensive noodle option that anyone could buy and easily make by adding hot water. After years of trying, he finally got it right… and that’s how Ramen started! This is another inspiring story of hard work and never giving up.

Borrowing Bunnies: A Surprising True Tale of Fostering Rabbits by Cynthia Lord is a sweet (those cute photos!!!) and informative book. Lord recounts fostering two special bunnies that change from scared to friendly with a special surprise! There are a couple sad moments in the story, but Lord writes them well (which I think will help young readers). A nice touch at the end reviews important questions to consider before getting a bunny as a pet!

Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes is based on Jessica and Patrick’s rescue dog, aptly named Rescue! The book shares Jessica and Rescue’s points of view before meeting each other. Rescue is the perfect match to help Jessica (an amputee). This is a touching story, and what makes it more interesting to me is that the authors are survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing.

Seashells: More Than a Home by Melissa Stewart is a beautifully illustrated and well-written book about shells (again, obvious). I liked how each new shell is described as a simple simile before getting into more detail. The author and illustrator notes are interesting to share with students to show the length of time and thought involved in a book’s research process. This book will appeal to any beach-goer, especially during summer months when they can try to find some of the shells!

After the Fall by Dan Santat is a cute story told by Humpty Dumpty. Falling gave him a fear of heights which keeps him from enjoying some of his favorite things. He tries other ways to find some fun, but ultimately realizes that he needs to face his fears. Readers find out that he is meant to be up high after all! This is a cute one with a nice lesson for kids about never giving up, and facing fears… notice the Nutmeg common theme here??

Ida, Always by Caron Levis and Charles Santoro is a tear-jerker! This story is based on the polar bears at NYC’s Central Park Zoo, Lou and Ida. They are buddies and spend their day enjoying their routines including the sights and sounds around them. When Ida passes away, Lou experiences terrible sadness and loneliness before realizing that she is always with him. This could be a good conversation starter with young readers.

We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan Higgins made me laugh out loud. This is a funny story about a little T-rex’s first day of school. She has a tough time adjusting since she keeps trying to eat the kids in her class until luckily “someone” teaches her a lesson. Kids will enjoy this one and it would be a great first day of school read aloud.

Jasmine Toguchi Mochi Queen by Debbie Michiko Florence is a short chapter book about Jasmine’s family tradition of celebrating Mochi-tsuki the Japanese New Year. She is only eight years old, so tradition dictates that she can’t be part of the family’s mochi making. Luckily for her, the story is about traditions, but also about breaking them. I was interested in learning about culture during this story, but otherwise it wasn’t a favorite for me.

The Infamous Ratsos by Kara Lareau is a humorous short chapter book in which Louie (5th grade) and brother Ralphie (3rd grade) desperately try to be tough to impress their dad Big Lou. Every time they try to do something bad, it turns around and looks like a good deed. Eventually this helps them have an important conversation with their dad. Maybe being tough/bad isn’t a great goal. This would be a fun book to read with kids.

Last but not least for now (there are still two nominees that were checked out) is Wedgie & Gizmo by Suzanne Selfors. This story switches between two pets’ points of view. Gizmo is Elliot’s guinea pig. Elliot and his dad moved to become a blended family with dad’s new girlfriend, her two kids and their family dog, Wedgie. Gizmo is determined to take over the world and Wedgie is your typical dog. The author does a great job creating these voices, especially Wedgie’s. Elliot and Gizmo struggle being in their new home, but eventually they realize that it’s not so bad after all. Kids will enjoy this one!

A Safe Place

Empty Mansions: The Mysterious Life of Huguette Clark and the Spending of a Great American Fortune by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr. took some time for me to finish. This isn’t my typical read, but I selected it after seeing the title listed on a friend’s post of current reads. I stuck with the book, even though I got bogged down a bit with my reading.

This book delves into the lives of the extremely wealthy Clark family with special attention to daughter Huguette Clark. It starts with a “tour” of her three mansions, all sitting empty, as she lived her final years in a NY hospital room. The homes are described in great detail.

Readers are then taken back in time to discover how Huguette’s father accumulated his wealth (and her life leading up to hospitalization). Their wealth is unlike anything I can even imagine, gained by shrewd risk taking in the upcoming industries of Clark’s time, copper and railroad to name a couple. Huguette grows up with great affluence, living in France, Butte (I think?) and New York. She eventually owns mansions in California, Connecticut and three huge apartments in a prime New York building spot overlooking Central Park.

Huguette has a unique personality, collecting and pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into dolls, doll houses, art and music. Not to mention the millions she gives to charity and to those people in her inner circle. Her primary nurse was gifted millions of dollars while taking care of Huguette in her final ten-twenty years or so of life (I forget the exact number). Huguette lived a long (over 100 years) and mostly secluded life with extended family erupting after her death to fight for an inheritance.

A standout moment for me is toward the very end of the book. The author recounts a memory of Huguette reciting a French poem about a cricket and butterfly. A cricket enviously watches as a beautiful butterfly flits about. Children chase after the butterfly until eventually catching it and tearing it apart in their desperate need to have it. The cricket decides it is happier in its safe, hidden world. I think this is the perfect lens to appreciate Huguette and her choices.

People who enjoy true family histories and reading about the lifestyles of the extremely wealthy will enjoy this book.

After the Crash

Dear Edward by Ann Napolitano – it may sound odd, but this is a book I tried to savor. I became immersed in the characters and Edward’s story and wanted to make it last.

Edward is the sole survivor of a plane crash. He was with his brother and parents flying from New York to their new home in California when the plane went down.

After the crash, Edward goes back to live with his aunt and uncle in New Jersey. Edward is numb. Seen as a miracle and an oddity by all, he survives each day in a trance. He is able to find comfort from his neighbor Shay, a girl his age who tells it like it is. Her frank, open company seems to be Edward’s only comfort.

Years pass before they discover locked duffel bags in his uncle’s garage. These bags hold hundreds of letters written through the years to Edward from family or friends of the plane’s deceased. All have special messages or requests for Edward on behalf of their lost loved ones. These letters have a profound effect on Edward. They begin to fully awaken him (while ironically allowing him his first real sleep in years).

Throughout Edward’s story after the crash, readers are given glimpses from during the flight. We gain knowledge of some of the other lives that are lost. Each character has his/her own unique addition to the story. These people are rediscovered in the letters.

The characters and events are interesting and satisfying. It’s hard to even begin to imagine how life could possibly go on after such a traumatic event. Healing takes time. And breakthroughs can occur in unexpected ways.

Ups and Downs

Front Desk by Kelly Yang is a close to firsthand account (based on the author’s note) of the lives of Chinese immigrants doing their best to provide for family in the face of adversity.

Mia’s parents moved from China a couple years before the story begins, and ever since have moved and changed jobs several times. The book centers on their time running a motel in California. They work around the clock every day of the week. The motel owner is an unpleasant, demanding man who has them working for nearly nothing, and his son is in Mia’s class. This in itself creates some unique conflict.

Mia is a pretty amazing kid. She works the front desk so that her parents can clean and manage the rest of the motel. She befriends their permanent residents while managing yet another new school. She dreams of getting her family off the poor roller coaster, an analogy shared by her friend Lupe, and decides to enter a writing competition to win their own motel. In order to do this, she needs to face insecurities her mom has instilled in her about writing in English. Mia learns that working on her writing is worthwhile; she has a powerful voice.

Mia is a witness to discrimination, dishonest and at times violent customers, poverty and her own struggles with trying to fit in. There is no denying that her character is destined for greatness based on her strength through all of life’s obstacles. Readers will find out how she helps her family and others.

This is an inspiring and important story.

Horror and Hope

The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris is a book that I will never forget.

Lale volunteers himself to go to a working camp as a representative for his family, but he ends up at the Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camps. By a strange twist of fate (and there are many), he is chosen to assist the tattooist until eventually becoming the full-time tattooist. He must tattoo the number on every person entering the concentration camp. This is a job he does in order to survive. It is how he first sees the woman, Gita, who becomes his true love and his reason for pushing on.

Lale and Gita’s relationship might be the truest love story I’ve ever read. They fall in love amidst the death and horror around them, and their love for each other gets them through terrible years in the camp. Together, they survive the atrocities that they witness.

Lale has a powerful personality and charm; I grew to care and admire him greatly throughout the book. He has intuition of when to be assertive or quiet, when to take risks or not, and a genuine care/interest in helping people that gets him out of near-death situations (more than once).

Lale and Gita endure three years as prisoners before finally gaining their respective freedom. It takes some time, but Lale is able to reunite with Gita so that they may live their promise with one another.

I wish my words could properly capture my response to this book. It’s a story of the concentration camps during WWII, a love story, a survival story, a story of terrible loss, horror and hope. It’s everything.

Manipulation

A Stranger in the House by Shari Lapena is built around the idea of how well you can really know someone. Tom and Karen Krupp have a seemingly perfect marriage until the night Tom comes home to find Karen missing. She ends up in a terrible accident that night in a bad area of town. Afterward, she has no recollection of why she was there in the first place. Tom is happy that she survived the crash, but now he can’t help but feel uncertainty toward his wife. What was she really doing?

All would end up fine except that a man was murdered during the time frame of Karen’s accident. Most concerning is that there is evidence tying Karen to the murder scene. Tom begins to find out that Karen isn’t exactly who she claimed to be. The murdered man is in fact someone from her past who she would have reason to kill. Tom must come to terms with Karen’s past while also dealing with their odd neighbor Brigid; she is someone Tom has had his own encounters with before meeting Karen.

Brigid hasn’t been completely honest either. She obsessively watches Tom and Karen from her home across the street. She has ulterior motives for wanting Karen to be convicted as a murderer. Ultimately, Karen and Brigid have met their match in each other. Both have unpleasant secrets, they are out for themselves and they are determined not to let anyone get in their way.

There are hints of the movies Single White Female and Sleeping with the Enemy in this book, but there are plenty of differences to keep things interesting.

Twisted Paths

Run Away by Harlan Coben includes everything I love about a book. It kept me turning pages (I finished it in two days); it’s action packed with interesting characters and surprising twists.

Simon Green is sitting in Central Park when he sees his apparently homeless/drug-addicted daughter playing music for money. She is dressed shabbily and is clearly not doing well. He attempts to approach her, but her boyfriend intervenes. All goes horribly wrong. He needs a lawyer for the fallout after punching her boyfriend Aaron, which goes viral almost immediately (“wealthy man punches homeless man”). Meanwhile Paige gets away. Readers will gradually find out how Paige ended up in this situation in the first place.

Some time passes after this incident before Aaron turns up viciously murdered. The police are looking at Simon and his wife as suspects. Meanwhile, a private investigator from Chicago ends up crossing paths with Simon. Both are searching for missing people connected by Aaron. They begin working together (as Simon’s wife recovers from an almost fatal gunshot wound) to investigate the whereabouts of their missing people.

Readers will be taken down the crazy paths of murder and missing people investigations while also switching to follow the actual murderers. Discovering the motives behind the multiple murders along with various family secrets all bring readers to the ultimate destination: answers. And it is quite the trip.