Tag Archives: Books

Review: The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

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The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow

The Sound of Stars
Alechia Dow
Inkyard Press
Published February 25, 2020

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About The Sound of Stars

Can a girl who risks her life for books and an alien who loves forbidden pop music work together to save humanity?

Two years ago, a misunderstanding between the leaders of Earth and the invading Ilori resulted in the deaths of one-third of the world’s population.

Seventeen-year-old Janelle “Ellie” Baker survives in an Ilori-controlled center in New York City. … Continue reading →

Review: The Year of the Book by Andrea Cheng

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year of the bookThe Year of the Book
Andrea Cheng
HMH Books for Young Readers

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When a social shift at school leaves Anna without her best friend, she turns to books for companionship. When she feels pressure in Chinese class because she doesn’t know as much as the other kids, books are her refuge. But as the people in Anna’s life begin to experience troubles of their own, she learns that sometimes, just like the heroes in her stories, she must step out into the unknown and offer help. Sometimes, Anna learns, this is precisely what makes for the best friendships.

Anna charmed me from the first page. I loved the descriptions of the stories she … Continue reading →

Cats In Literature

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cats-in-litThis week our family had to make a difficult decision. Our Siamese-Russian Blue cat battled serious health issues for some time. Because of her age, it wasn’t wholly unexpected. But she was in great pain, and we couldn’t let her continue to suffer. We said goodbye and brought her to our vet’s office to be humanely put to sleep.

She’d been a member of our family for nearly thirteen years, and we love and miss her. Probably none more so than her feline companion, who is now alone during the days for the first time since she was a kitten.

So… in honor of our loss, I’ve made a list of memorable cats in literature. Hope you enjoy.

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The Blessing of Books with Colleen Shine Phillips

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KidsAppreciating the Little Things

While thinking about how to start this blog post, something popped into my mind: how it’s so part of our nature to take things for granted. We expect the sun to rise every morning. If we have running water, we expect it to come out of the pipe when we open the spigot. If you live in the Western World, you might add driving to work every day, obtaining the latest technology, or ordering anything you want from Amazon. But after living in Chile for thirty-seven years, I’ve learned to be grateful for little things. Amazing as it might sound, one of those little things is books.

What if New Books Weren’t a Few Clicks Away?

Here, having a book is a commodity. … Continue reading →

Review: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief
Markus Zusak
Knopf Books for Young Readers
Published March 14, 2006 (Orig. published 2005)

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A mysterious narrator gives an account of a young girl who has an unusual vice: she steals books. Death comes for the girl’s brother as she and her mother wait for a train to take them to a foster home where the children will be safe. It is he, the collector of souls, who is the only witness to the girl’s first thievery, and he begins to follow her story.

Life in Liesel’s new home is a difficult adjustment, plagued with nightmares, but through them, she and … Continue reading →