37. Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

I read the actual hard-covered book, only the second one so far this year.
2018, Nancy Paulsen Books, Penguin Random House
176 pgs.
Middle Grade Realistic Contemporary Fiction
Finished  4/9/19
Goodreads rating:  4.30 - 3971 ratings
My rating:  3
Setting:  Contemporary Brooklyn, NY

First line/s:  "We think they took my papi."

My comments:  Hmmm.  This book is beautifully crafted, with kids opening up to each other in loving, generous ways.  But I have a few misgivings about it.  The six kids portrayed all have different difficulties, experiences, ethnicities ... too many to make it seem at all real, just convenient for a good story.  It's never revealed why they are all put into a "special" class of only six kids.  There seem to be no (or very few) learning disabilities, physical disabilities or particular special needs.  So why are they "special?"  I taught fifth grade for years, and I can't quite imagine something like this taking place without more goofing around, hurt feelings occasionally, more misunderstandings....  I feel badly that I can't rate it any higher, there are just too many things I'm left bothered by.
     Note:  The dialogue was not put within quotation marks, but italicized.  I really liked this.

Goodreads synopsis:  Jacqueline Woodson's first middle-grade novel since National Book Award winner Brown Girl Dreaming celebrates the healing that can occur when a group of students share their stories.
          It all starts when six kids have to meet for a weekly chat—by themselves, with no adults to listen in. There, in the room they soon dub the ARTT Room (short for "A Room to Talk"), they discover it's safe to talk about what's bothering them—everything from Esteban's father's deportation and Haley's father's incarceration to Amari's fears of racial profiling and Ashton's adjustment to his changing family fortunes. When the six are together, they can express the feelings and fears they have to hide from the rest of the world. And together, they can grow braver and more ready for the rest of their lives.

Picture Book - Emmanuel's Dream by Laurie Ann Thompson

The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah
Illustrated by  Sean Qualls

2015, Schwartz & Wade Books, Random House Children's Books

HC $17.99

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.38 - 2051 ratings

My rating:  5

Endpapers: A smudgy pinky, dusty solid

1^st line/s: 
"In Ghana, West Africa, a baby boy was born:
Two bright eyes blinked in the light,
two healthy lungs let oout a powerful cry,
two tiny fists opened and closed,
but only one strong leg kicked."

My comments: ONE PERSON CAN CHANGE THE WORLD.  This true story shows this  completely.  Born with a useless leg, Emmanuel was treated as and considered a beggar with no worth, but he wanted to EARN his way in the world.  This story shows how he really did make a difference, by proving to everyone that physical disabilities do not change a person's worth.  He biked - with one leg - for 400 miles across Ghana and had it recorded.  Because of his persistence and drive, Ghana's disability laws were changed!  This book is written really well and I totally enjoy the accompanying illustrations. A surefire winner for any "Making a Difference in the World" study!

Goodreads:  This picture book biography tells the true story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, who bicycled across Ghana--nearly 400 miles--with only one leg. With that achievement he forever changed how his country treats people with disabilities, and he shows us all that one person is enough to change the world.

POEM: Kids Who Are Different by Digby Wolfe

Kids Who Are Different

Here's to the kids who are different,

The kids who don't always get A's.

The kids who have ears twice the size of their peers',

And noses that go on for days . . .

Here's to the kids who are different,

The kids they call crazy or dumb,

The kids who don't fit, with the guts and the grit,

Who dance to a different drum . . .

Here's to the kids who are different,

The kids with the mischievous streak,

For when they have grown, as history's shown,

It's their difference that makes them unique.

                                     ~Digby Wolfe

Picture Book - Keith Haring: The Boy Who Just Kept Drawing by Kay A. Haring

Illustrated by  Robert Neubecker

2017 Dial Books for Young Readers

HC $16.99

40 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.20 - 560 ratings

My rating:  5 (and NOT just because he's one of my favorite artists!)

Endpapers:  White background with Haring's people/animals, movement lines completely covering it.  There must be a name for this piece?

Illustrations:  Both Neubecker's illustrations of Keith and his life, with lots and lots of actual reproductions of Keith Haring's work.

1^st line/s:   "There was a boy named Keith.  When he was little, his father taught him how to draw dogs and fish and funny things.  His dad would draw a line.  Then Keith would draw one.  Soon the whole page would be full.  From that time on, Keith never stopped drawing."  This end-part, "Keith never stopped drawing" was repeated throughout the book.

My comments: What a wonderful book to tell the story of Keith Haring to kids!  Not only do I love the way it's written, but I'm really taken with the illustrations...they compliment the story perfectly.  Including so many of Haring's actual artwork is a wonderful plus.  I've read this book over and over since it first came out, I really enjoy it.  And there's so much to learn about the person that Keith Haring was.  At the end there are four pages of author's notes, information about Haring, and photos of Keith and his siblings, the kind of additional information that will satisfy adult readers!

Goodreads: This one-of-a-kind book explores the life and art of Keith Haring from his childhood through his meteoric rise to fame. It sheds light on this important artist's great humanity, his concern for children, and his disregard for the establishment art world. Reproductions of Keith's signature artwork appear in scenes boldly rendered by Robert Neubecker. This is a story to inspire, and a book for Keith Haring fans of all ages to treasure.

Picture Book - She Made a Monster by Lynn Fulton

How Mary Shelley Created Frankenstein
Illustrated by Felicita Sala

2018, Alfred A. Knopf

40 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.02 - 396 ratings

My rating:  3.5

Endpapers:  Dark Green

Illustrations:  Mostly black & white with small amounts of faded-out color

1^st line/s:  'Two hundred years ago, on a wild, stormy night, in a beautiful house on the shores of Lake Geneva in Switzerland, a young woman named Mary sat at her dressing table.  She and her friends were staying in the house for the season, visiting Lord Byron, the famous English poet.  Mary could hear the others still talking downstairs while she brushed her hair by candlelight, thinking of stories: stories she'd read, stories she'd heard, stories she wanted to tell."

My comments: Not only is this a book that can be used to introduce Frankenstein to a high school class, but also for elementary kids to get an introduction to the actual book - not the movie - of Frankenstein.  In my opinion it's a little choppy, but interesting and fairly easy to follow.  The pictures are dark, but so is the story of Frankenstein, so....

Goodreads: On the bicentennial of Frankenstein, join Mary Shelley on the night she created the most frightening monster the world has ever seen.
          On a stormy night two hundred years ago, a young woman sat in a dark house and dreamed of her life as a writer. She longed to follow the path her own mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, had started down, but young Mary Shelley had yet to be inspired.
          As the night wore on, Mary grew more anxious. The next day was the deadline that her friend, the poet Lord Byron, had set for writing the best ghost story. After much talk of science and the secrets of life, Mary had gone to bed exhausted and frustrated that nothing she could think of was scary enough. But as she drifted off to sleep, she dreamed of a man that was not a man. He was a monster.
          This fascinating story gives readers insight into the tale behind one of the world's most celebrated novels and the creation of an indelible figure that is recognizable to readers of all ages.

Picture Book - Under the Bodhi Tree: A Story of the Buddha by Deborah Hopkinson

Illustrated by  Kailey Whitman

2018, Sounds True, Boulder, CO

HC $17.95

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.27 - 41 ratings

My rating:  4

Endpapers:  Three shades of simple bodhi leaves floating down the page of cream

1^st line/s:  "In a long-ago time and a faraway place, a baby boy was born.  His name ws Prince Siddhartha."

My comments:  This lovely, simple, peaceful beginning-of-a-biography is a wonderful introduction to the Buddha.  It sets the stage for further inquiry and information, and it sets that stage with a certain mindfulness that perfectly accentuates the entire subject!  I'm a fan, and I want to learn more.

From the Jacket Cover (there is no GoodReads summary):  Who was the Buddha?  Once upon a time in ancient India, a prince was born.  His name was Siddhartha, and one day he would inherit a powerful kingdom.  His father tried to protect him from the suffering and hardship beyond the palace walls, but just like children everywhere, the prince longed to see the world.
     Under the Bodhi Tree is the story of a boy and his journey for understanding that eventually led him to the path of peace.  Told in lyrical language, this excellent introduction to the story of the Buddha is beautifully illustrated and perfect for children who are curious about the real people who made history.

PICTURE BOOK - So Tall Within by Gary D. Schmidt

Sojourner Truth's Long Walk Toward Freedom
Illustrated by Daniel Minter

2018, Roaring Brook Press

$18.99 HC

48 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.51 - 282 ratings

My rating:  5

Endpapers:  Solid rusty cranberry

Dedication from the author:  For Ashley Bryan, with gratitude for a long friendship

1^st line/s:  Poetry:  "In Slavery Time, when Hope was a deed waiting to be planted,"
Prose:  "Isabella lived in a cellar where the windows never let the sun in and the floorboards never dept the water out."

My comments:  Okay, I loved this book.  Poetry, prose, and good storytelling. Lovely illustrations. Gary Schmidt makes this historical woman real, which is such a difficult thing to do.  Making real people from the past come to life is something not many people can do well, ti's certainly done well here.  What an inspiration!

Goodreads:  From celebrated author Gary D. Schmidt comes a picture book biography of a giant in the struggle for civil rights, perfectly pitched for readers today.
          Sojourner Truth was born into slavery but possessed a mind and a vision that knew no bounds. So Tall Within traces her life from her painful childhood through her remarkable emancipation to her incredible leadership in the movement for rights for both women and African Americans. Her story is told with lyricism and pathos by Gary D. Schmidt, one of the most celebrated writers for children in the twenty-first century, and brought to life by award winning and fine artist Daniel Minter. This combination of talent is just right for introducing this legendary figure to a new generation of children.

Movie - Five Feet Apart

PG-13 (1:56)

Wide release March 15, 2019: Streaming 6/11/19

Viewed April 6, 2019 with Ella Bella

IMBd: 7.2

RT Critic:  55  Audience:   79

Critic's Consensus:  Elevated considerably by Haley Lu Richardson's performance but bogged down by clichés, Five Feet Apart doesn't tug at the heartstrings quite as deftly as it should.

Cag:  4 Liked more than I care to admit, despite the tears....

Directed by Justin Baldoni

CBS Films

Based on the book by Rachael Lippincott

Haley Lou Richardson, Cole Sprouse

My comments:  I did not...I repeat I did NOT want to go see this movie, but Laura didn't want to either, so guess who took the person who really, really wanted to see it?  I knew it would be a tearjerker and I certainly wasn't wrong.  First half of the movie was great, learned a lot about cystic fibrosis.  I greatly enjoyed the splendid cast.  The second half of the movie is when all the tearjerking started.  Very poignant.  You could hear the sniffling and nose blowing throughout the theater.  Ella grabbed my hand many times.  She tried not to sob.  She'd read the book, so she knew what was going to happen and when I asked she said the movie was following the book fairly well.  I learned a lot, shed tears I did not want to shed, and was left terribly depressed.  How to rate?  Tough.  If I went with my emotions it would be very low, but it was well-done and memorable with terrific acting.

RT/ IMDb Summary:  Seventeen-year-old Stella spends most of her time in the hospital as a cystic fibrosis patient. Her life is full of routines, boundaries and self-control all of which get put to the test when she meets Will, an impossibly charming teen who has the same illness. There's an instant flirtation, through restrictions dictate that they must maintain a safe distance between them. As their connection intensifies, so does the temptation to throw the rules out the window and embrace that attraction.

36. Field Notes on Love by Jennifer E. Smith

Listened on Audible - in my library
read by Anthony Mark Barrow and Karissa Vacker
Unabridged audio (8:23)
2019 Delacorte Press
271 pgs.
YA CRF
Finished 4/4/2019
Goodreads rating: 4.06 - 882 ratings
My rating:  4
Setting: England & NY State, then cross country from NYC thru Chicago, Denver, to SF.

First line/s:  "Mae wakes, as she does each morning, to the sound of a train."

My comments:  When I read the synopsis for this book I was quite excited because traveling cross-country is my all-time favorite thing to do, or read about, or even think about.  The book was a lot more than that.  It was full of emotion and thoughtfulness, family and love.  Two very different families from two different parts of the world - a girl raised by two dads and her loving Nana in New York; and a boy from Surrey, England, who is the youngest in a group of famous sextuplets who has never - ever - been on his own.  Once I let go of the idea that this would be an adventurous summary of the sights and sounds across the United States, I let myself become absorbed in the thoughtful reverie of these two wonderful young people..  It was a good read, although not at all what I had anticipated.

Goodreads synopsis:  Having just been dumped by his girlfriend, British-born Hugo is still determined to take his last-hurrah-before-college train trip across the United States. One snag: the companion ticket is already booked under the name of his ex, Margaret Campbell. Nontransferable, no exceptions.
            Enter the new Margaret C. (Mae for short), an aspiring filmmaker with big dreams. After finding Hugo's spare ticket offer online, she's convinced it's the perfect opportunity to expand her horizons.
            When the two meet, the attraction is undeniable, and both find more than they bargained for. As Mae pushes Hugo to explore his dreams for his future, he'll encourage her to channel a new, vulnerable side of her art. But when life off the train threatens the bubble they've created for themselves, will they manage to keep their love on track?

Books about the Jewish Life and Experience

Adult:

Novels:
          Sotah (Ragen) 1992 Hasidic Jerusalem (4)

Historical Fiction:
         Museum of Extraordinary Things, The (Hoffman) 2014 (5)
          People of the Book (Brooks) 2008 (5) Back & Forth into History

Mysteries:
          Book of Names, The (Gregory & Tintori) 2007 (3)
           Invisible City (#1 Rebekah Roberts) Dahl, 2014 (4)
           Moses Expedition, The (Gomez-Jurado) 2010 (2)
           Run You Down (#2 Rebekah Roberts) Dahl

Young Adult:
         Bottle in the Gaza Sea, A (Zenatti) 2005 (5)
          Hired Girl, The (Schlitz) 2015 (4.5)
          Hush (Chayil) 2010 (4) OLDER YA

Middle Grades:
          Anne Frank Case, The (Rubin) 2009 (3.5)
          Brooklyn Bridge (Hesse) 2008 (5)
          Hereville (Graphic Novel) (Deutsch) 2010 (5)
          Who Was Albert Einstein? (Parker) 2002

Picture Books:

Hanukkah
          All-of-a-Kind-Family Hanukkah (Jenkins/Zelinsky) 2018 (4)
          Hanukkah, Oh Hanukkah (Roth) 2004 (3)
          Hanukkah Lights, Hanukkah Nights (Kimmelman/Himmelman) 1992 (3)
          Hanukkah Moon (daCoste) 2007 (3)
          Hooray for Hanukkah!  (Manushkin/Croll) 2011 (2.5)
          It's a Miracle!  A Hanukkah Storybook (Spinner/McElmurry) 2003 (4)
          It's Hanukkah! (Modesitt/Spowart) 1999 (2)
          It's Hanukkah Time! (Kropf/Cohen) 2004 (4)
          One Night, One Hanukkah Night (Backman) 1990 (3)
          Our Eight Nights of Hanukkah (Rosen/DiSalvo-Ryan) 2000 (5)
          Papa's Latke's (Edwards/Shuett) 2004 (5)
          Trees of Dancing Goats, The (Polacco) 2015? (4.5)
Holocaust
          Always Remember Me: How One Family Survived World War II (Russo) 2005 (5)
          Benno and the Night of Broken Glass (Wiviott/Bisaillon) 2010 (5)
          Let the Celebrations Begin! (Wild/Vivas) 1991 (5)
          Secret Seder, The (Rappaport/McCully) 2005 (4)
Immigration/Emigration
          Anna & Solomon (SnyderBloss) 2014 (4)
          Emma's Poem (Glaser) 2010 (4.5)
          Gittel's Journey (Newman/Bates) 2019 (4)
          Yuvi's Candy Tree (Simpson/Porter) 2011 (3.5)
Just for Fun/General
          Beautiful Yetta, the Yiddish Chicken (D. Pinkwater/ J. Pinkwater) 2010 (4.5)
          Hat for Mrs. Goldman, A (Edwards/Karas) 2016 (5)
          Someone for Mr. Sussman (Polacco) 2008
          Snow in Jerusalem (daCosta/VanWright & Hu) 2001 (4)
Passover
          Longest Night: A Passover Story (Snyder/Chien) 2013 (4)
          The Passover (Ziefert/Gudeon) 2010
          Pippa's Passover Plate (Kirkfield/Weber) 2019
          Secret Seder, The (Rappaport/McCully)
          Tale of Two Seders, A (Portnoy/Sis) 2010 (4)
          Yankee at the Seder, The (Weber/Gustavson) 2009 (4.5)
Purim
          Story of Queen Esther, The (Koralek/Holderness) 2009 (4)
Shabbat
          Baxter, the Pig Who Wanted to be Kosher (Snyder/Goldin) 2010 (5)
          Shabbat Puppy, The (Kimmelman/Zollars) 2012 (3.5)
Sukkot
          Shanghai Sukkah (Hyde/Tsong) 2015 (4)
Tashlich
          Tashlich at Turtle Rock (Schnur & Schnur-Fishman/Steele-Morgan) 2010 (5)
Tzedakah
          How Dalia Put a Big Yellow Comforter Inside a Tiny Blue Box (Heller//McQueen) TZEDAKAH, 2011 (4)

PICTURE BOOK - Gittel's Journey: An Ellis Island Story by Leslea Newman

Illustrated by  Amy June Bates

2019, Abrams Books for Young Readers

HC $17.99

40 light brown pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.18- 114 ratings

My rating:  4

Endpapers:  Woodcut ship/waves/sky/statue of liberty on blue
Borders of each page look like woodcuts, and there are larger prints of candlesticks and the statue of liberty on their own endpages.

Illustrations:  

1^st line/s:  " 'Gittel, will you write to me from America?' Raisa asked."

My comments:  This is a touching story, one that has been told in some version over and over.  This time, however, it's not a family coming to a new land, it's one single nine-year-old girl.  I can't even imagine, but it's based on a true story, although the "true story" girl was a few years older. Local illustrator Amy June Bates did a wonderful job with the illustrations, which include some lovely block prints (I do enjoy block prints!) Quite a bit of text, but the story is told well so that even quite young children will understand.

Goodreads:  Gittel and her mother were supposed to immigrate to America together, but when her mother is stopped by the health inspector, Gittel must make the journey alone. Her mother writes her cousin’s address in New York on a piece of paper. However, when Gittel arrives at Ellis Island, she discovers the ink has run and the address is illegible! How will she find her family? Both a heart-wrenching and heartwarming story, Gittel’s Journey offers a fresh perspective on the immigration journey to Ellis Island. The book includes an author’s note explaining how Gittel’s story is based on the journey to America taken by Lesléa Newman’s grandmother and family friend.

Early April, 2019 Postcards

1942.  Bonn, Germany

Kaiserliches Postamt Bonn 1879 (Old German Post Office)

Moin Chris,  I'm 45 y.o. and live with my lovely family in the 6th largest town of Schleswig-Holstein (SH) in the northernmost federal state of Germany.  Last week I visit with my husband and a girlfriend the "Leipziger Buchmesse."  (note from cag:  this is the Leipzig Book Festival, a huge event) It was really nice, but also really busy.  Best wishes from Mannela

1941.  Jacksonville, Florida

Ralston, NB:  92-year-old Grandma Hayes attributes her long life and good health to the fact that five pipefuls of tobacco are daily smoked by her!"  1925

Hello Chris, My name is Casey and I live in Jacksonville, FL.  I work as a tugboat captain along the Atlantic Coast.  Peace.

1940.  Southern Coast of England

Johannes Vermeer "Woman in Blue Reading a Letter" c. 1664

Hi Chris  I hope you like this painting.  The woman may not be reading a book but it looks as if she's completely engrossed by her letter.  I live, very quietly, in a small town near the sout coast of England.  I enjoy crochet but I've completely failed to get my mind (or my hands) around knitting!  I hope you're ejouying the spring and that you have a very happy birthday.  With best wishes, Serena

1936.  Cimetiere de Saint-Gilles, Uccle BELGIUM

Hi Chris, I am Lieve from Retri, a village in the north of Belgium (cag note: very close to the southern Netherlands border).  It really is spring weather today.  My laundry is drying in the sun and I washed my car, wil...I went to the carwash.)  My husband is away to his parents for an hour so time to write some cards.  Mustn't forget my laundry.  All the best, Lieve

1935.  Los Angeles, California

Hi Chris.  Greetings from Los Angeles, a city famous for its warm weather and bad traffic.  I was so happy to receive your contact info since I am also a retired teacher (K/1) and reading specialist.  It's always been a dream of mine to work at a library.  In fact, years ago I took an interest inventory and I scored really high as a librarian.  Like you I am fond of reading and am never without a book.  Have you ever visited the website Goodreads?  It's a wonderful resource for people who like to read.  Have you ever read Vacationaland by John Hodgman?  Lots of reference to you native Maine!  Take care, Mia

1934.  Lisboa: Campo de Ourique

Card sent from the Netherlands

Hello Chris,

Nice to meet you.  I got this card while on holiday in Portugal.  Their doors and windows are so much more colorful than the ones we have.  Sending greetings and all the best, Jeroen

1933.  Mystery card from Singapore

I love the shape of this card - a book - titled My Gtalian Pulldoyer.  Alexander McCall Smith has just published a new book called My Italian Bulldozer.  I wonder if this is related to that?  The card had no message at all, only my mailing address.

Postcards from Singapore

1933.  Mystery card from Singapore

I love the shape of this card - a book - titled My Gtalian Pulldoyer.  Alexander McCall Smith has just published a new book called My Italian Bulldozer.  I wonder if this is related to that?  The card had no message at all, only my mailing address.

Postcards Received from Iowa

1962.  Mason City, Iowa

Greetings from Mason City, Iowa, in the middle of the corn belt.  Mason City is the birthplace of Meredith Wilson, the composter of "The Music Man" and "The Unsinkable Molly Brown."  Needless to say the community is nuts about music.  I refer to Diet Coke as "My Preciousssss!"  Best wishes from the Prairie, Gary

1048.  Iowa

Iowa, the 29th state admitted to the Union, is one of the greatest farming states in the United States.  Farms cover over 90% of Iowa's land area, and Iowa is routinely one of the United States' leading producers of soybeans, hogs, and corn.

Hi Christine,  We're practically neighbors.  I camp on Lake Pymatuning on the OH/PA border.  It's about a 2-hour drive from Cleveland.  It's a beautiful area.  Joy.  11-21-17

35. Where'd You Go Bernadette by Maria Semple

listened on Audible
read by Kathleen Wilhoite
Unabridged audio (9:35)
2012, Little Brown
330 pgs.
Adult CRF
Finished 4/1/19
Goodreads rating: 3.90 - 341,732 ratings
My rating: 5
Setting: Contemporary Seattle, WA

First line/s: "The first annoying thing is when I ask Dad what he thinks happened to Mom, he always says, 'What's most important is for you to understand it's not your fault.' "

My comments: What a funky, funny, unusual novel.  (I can't say I was enamored with the reader, her voice got a little excessively overstimulated/excited in too many places.)  However - clever, over-the-top, and extremely humorous, the story kept me giggling, rolling my eyes, and completely hooked.  Written mostly as emails, letters, faxes, etc., the glimpses of Microsoft, Seattle, private schools, TED talks, architecture, the Antarctic, and five unique personalities are an absolute delight!

Goodreads synopsis:  Bernadette Fox has vanished.
          When her daughter Bee claims a family trip to Antarctica as a reward for perfect grades, Bernadette, a fiercely intelligent shut-in, throws herself into preparations for the trip. But worn down by years of trying to live the Seattle life she never wanted, Ms. Fox is on the brink of a meltdown. And after a school fundraiser goes disastrously awry at her hands, she disappears, leaving her family to pick up the pieces--which is exactly what Bee does, weaving together an elaborate web of emails, invoices, and school memos that reveals a secret past Bernadette has been hiding for decades. Where'd You Go Bernadette is an ingenious and unabashedly entertaining novel about a family coming to terms with who they are and the power of a daughter's love for her mother.