Tom Lake by Ann Pachett

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the Albright College Zoom BookClub choice for April. I loved this audiobook read awesomely by Meryl Streep about family, friendships, love, life's journey, farming and acting. I loved Lara's "Emily" years as an actress and her romance with leading man, Peter Duke. Even better was Peter's brother Sebastian, tennis player & sideline support for his brother. Even better was her life after acting and Peter Duke with her three daughters, husband and their cherry farm. Highly recommended!

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Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart

Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Just as I loved The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise so so much, this new Coyote Lost and Found was just as wonderful! Coyote is honest, quirky, brash, and one of a kind. Her latest adventure will involve a journey yet again, fierce, hiding secrets, and sometimes not being nice to Candace, her father's friend & neighbor, along for the ride on Yager during Covid. Readers will love every character on this bus; they support one another, enjoy singing, laughing, and the awesome pets on this trip to find where to settle Coyote's mom's cremated remains. Coyote's insights are hysterical, fierce, and bold and the author treats us to many beautiful, sad and happy times as Coyote and Rodeo remember painfully their loved ones. A must read for all ages!

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Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca

Mirror to Mirror by Rajani LaRocca
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another Rajani La Rocca winner; this novel in verse about twin sisters with very different personalities was awesome; middle grade and young adult readers will enjoy the format, the girls' drama, and their summer camp escapades. Will Maya & Chaya find each other as their differences threaten to tear them apart? Highly recommended!

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The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee, illustrated by Dan Santat

The Misfits #1: A Royal Conundrum by Lisa Yee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Lisa Yee and illustrator, Dan Santat have crafted a great middle grade story of mystery, friendship, family that kept me turning the pages and rooting for these kids who become part of RASCH, trained to fight crime. A must read and a series I will be waiting to read and love!

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Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Michelle Romash for continuing to bring this book up through 2023 as one to read. I still cannot stop thinking about it!!! I was so drawn in by William's upbringing (or not), his friend, Kent and others as he played basketball and of course, the Padavano sisters!!! This family has so much history together (while William has none). Julia targets him in college and from there it is Julia and Walter as a couple becoming a part of the Padavano family. But even more, I loved their father, Charlie so much with his poetic soul, calling his daughter Julia (and all the other sisters, Hello Beautiful). This book deals with so much, I could not put it down! I loved the family issues, the basketball theme, so much going on there, and the tenderness of love within all these characters. This will be a favorite book of mine!

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Dear Mothman by Robin Gow

Dear Mothman by Robin Gow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A tough novel in verse about a 6th grade trans child Nora but his close family and friends call him Noah at this request. Noah was best friends with Lewis and they were both trans; after Lewis dies in a car accident, Noah tries to deal with his grief by writing in a journal and leaving it at a favorite tree for Mothman, a cryptid Lewis & Noah believe in. How will Noah survive without his best friend, this is a must read for everyone!

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Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay

Summer Reading by Jenn McKinlay
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to my librarian/reading partner, MaryAlice Briggs-Dicker for lending me this awesome rom-com. I loved the 2 main characters so much; Sam (dyslexic, reading averse chef) & Ben (librarian, reader extraordinaire) meet on a ferry to Martha's Vineyard, what results in a summer of adventure, laughs and falling in love. I learned so much about dyslexia from this book & I loved Sam's gigantic personality. Highly recommended!!!

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Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz

Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loved this book of 2 middle grade friends who are really tested when a freak accident occurs on a camping trip. Dani and Eric have been friends since 2nd grade & really do everything together. But while on a camping trip, there is a fire one night in their camper & Danny blames himself for forgetting to turn off the stove...as he wrestles with telling Dani, she is burned & told she can't be on the baseball team she just got on! Also she runs into a cool girl while in the hospital & this further drives a wedge between the friends. What will happen to Dani & Eric? I could not stop turning the pages, loved the characters, plot, & different settings. Kids will love this book of friendship, loyalty, and identity! A must read.

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Wave by Diana Farid

Wave by Diana Farid
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great book, everyone must read- they will love Ava (Persian American) and Phoenix's voices as OCD, cancer, surfing, families are discussed. The words are beautiful and the beauty of surfing and friendship made this reader so happy to have found this book!!!

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Detour Ahead by Pamela Ehrenberg & Tracey Lopez

Detour Ahead by Pamela Ehrenberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this story of the friendship between Jewish Gilah who is neurodiverse & Guillermo who has just moved to Washington, D.C. who becomes friends with Gilah as they navigate life, family & friendship in Washington, D.C. in this awesome middle grade novel in verse. A must read!

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Dear Student by Elly Swartz

Dear Student by Elly Swartz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As Autumn begins middle school, her best friend has moved away and she is devastated (but they do keep in touch!!!) She makes 2 new friends and is awarded the coveted SECRET Dear Students letters. This throws her life into turmoil because there are letters that cause much drama with Autumn caught between her 2 friends! What will she do? Keeping in touch with her friend who has moved away & the teacher who believes she is the best for this voice, help her as she navigates this year in school and life. I love Elly Swartz's book, everyone should read this one!

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Eb & Flow by Kelly J. Baptist

Eb & Flow by Kelly J. Baptist
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Two seventh graders get into a fight in the cafeteria; they are expelled and have 2 weeks to think about their actions...will they be able to look into themselves and see they are not so different? I loved this middle grade novel in verse about 2 black children getting to trouble and the resulting decisions they make through contemplation, discussions with family & friends & school teachers. A must read!

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Answers in the Pages by David Levithan

Answers in the Pages by David Levithan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This middle grade book is a must read for children and parents- using a book being read by a class- Donovan leaves his book out, his mother reads it & objects to him reading it and proceeds to start in motion a book challenge that divides everyone. The book also contains the story of The Adventurers book starring Rick & Oliver which contains the content Donovan's mom objects to. But Donovan & his mom do not talk about it...I loved the many students voices, their teacher, and the author of The Adventurers book---a tense book but a good book!

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Garvey in the Dark by Nikki Grimes

Garvey in the Dark by Nikki Grimes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this middle grade novel in verse from Garvey's viewpoint as COVID 19 hits California, the schools close down, his mom is a teacher (teaching from home) & his dad installs WIFI so he is an essential worker leaving their home each day. Garvey's voice, his friends and family are all so important to this timeline as the pandemic begins. The reader is once again gifted with Nikki Grimes beautiful novel in verse seeing the world gripped, viewing the events that happened (George Floyd & Breanna Taylor killings) while lockdown happens, school is online, quarantine for his father, & how it affects Garvey, his friends & his sister. A must read, highly recommended.

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Play Like a Girl by Misty Wilson

Play Like a Girl by Misty Wilson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Misty's 7th grade, being the only girl on the football team was so good! She loses her best friend who has changed, is a hit on the football team except for one nasty guy, and has the full support of her stepdad in all things having to do with the football team. I was glad to see Misty was able to have other girls from the cheer squad be her friends. The peer pressure was tough for Misty but she knew who she was (even when she tried to impress her friend who ditches her for a mean girl). A great middle grade graphic novel!

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Twin Cities by Jos Pimienta

Twin Cities by José Pimienta
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Twins, Fernando & Teresa live in Mexicali, Mexico but in the fall they will be going to different schools for the first time ever with Teresa crossing the border to a private school. There is the normal brother and sister drama but it reaches a hostile roar---will Fer & Teresa ever be close again? I learned alot about the different sides of the border and I loved the illustrations!

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No Matter the Distance by Cindy Baldwin

No Matter the Distance by Cindy Baldwin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this fiction novel in verse based on the author's cystic fibrosis and her life in middle school. Penny Rooney is a 6th grader with a supportive best friend and family. I learned so much about cystic fibrosis both from Penny's perspective, her parents, and also the dolphin who meanders into her creek. Immediately Penny can relate to this dolphin which she names Rose while her father contacts a friend who is a biologist and brings her team to the creek. As time passes, Penny and Rose forge a bond/friendship and as Rose battles a lung infection & Penny battles CF, it becomes critical to get meds into Rose & help her out to the ocean. I just loved so much about this book! Penny is so strong but the pain of CF is a daily, weekly, life long disability that she and her family deal with; the words Cindy Baldwin uses in this novel in verse sing to me, and the beauty in her words open a new world of Penny's life with this special dolphin in her life.

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When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn

When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved McDunn's book about the special bond between a brother and sister. Bex and Davey love exploring the salt marsh every summer; when they find a hand of a sculpture sticking out of the water mystery abounds as this duo deal with the drought, the purchase of their beloved marsh, and how each strengthens the other. I loved each and every word in this middle grade stunner. Characters were real, the setting--gorgeous even though there is a drought and the plot so strong, magical, beautiful and sad. A must read for all!

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Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee

Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another winner of the 2022 Nerdie Book Club Graphic Novels---Katie and Kacey are best friends until Kacey starts acting weird, but Katie has some ticks that she does not want anyone to know about because that would make her weird. Being home schooled she has her world of friends there but there are cracks in friendships, worry about getting braces & what is going on in her mouth? Middle Grade Readers will love Katie's story and enjoy her growth as she meets each challenge head on and has supportive parents who help her navigate the tough times. Highly recommended!

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Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to Casey Ciocca for lending me this book! It is also going to be our Albright College Zoom Book Club for April. This debut is a must read! The book starts with a huge mystery that is uncovered very slowly, rocking Bennie & Byron's world and everything they knew and believed. This book awesomely covers many years, many different characters, and many different plots yet Wilkerson weaves them seamlessly. The mysteries and betrayals as they are uncovered are mind altering---what will happen to Benny & Byron plus all the other characters that will be affected by the truth----too long in coming. Will Byron & Benny survive the audiotape their mother dictated before her death. A must read!


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