The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins

 

In this prequel to The Hunger Games, Coriolanus Snow and his family have fallen on hard times.  He struggles to maintain his status in the Capital even though there is little to no money to keep up the illusion.  Everything rests upon his achievements in school, so being chosen to be a mentor to one of the tributes seems like an opportunity to shine.  However, his tribute is from the lowliest district, and she has the least chance to survive.  As the story unfolds, Coriolanus is constantly pulled between his desire to achieve and maintain the family reputation and his growing interest in his tribute.  Which will he eventually choose?  If you loved The Hunger Games, you will want to read The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.  

Houston, We've Had a Problem by Rebecca Rissman

 

If you follow this blog, you may have discovered that I don't read a lot of nonfiction.  I find most of it just a bit too much like a textbook.  Houston, We've Had a Problem by Rebecca Rissman was not like that at all.  Written clearly and concisely, the action in this book moves quickly.  This is the story of the Apollo 13 moon mission that nearly ended in disaster.  It tells what the astronauts and the people on the ground did to save the 3 man crew from being stranded in space.  With photographs and quotes from the actual people involved, this short book shares the timeline from blast off to splashdown, giving the reader a clear picture of the dangers faced by our astronauts and the responsibilities shouldered by the workers at NASA.  I would highly recommend this narrative piece of nonfiction.

Resistance by Jennifer A. Nielsen

 

In Resistance, the reader meets Chaya Lindner, a Jewish teenager in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II.  While most of her people are being forced into ghettos or removed to labor camps, she has chosen to use her blond, Polish looks and Polish accent to resist the Nazis.  She becomes a courier, someone who helps smuggle people out of the ghettos and smuggle food and information into the ghettos.  Soon, she is drawn into increasingly more dangerous work.  After her group is nearly destroyed, she is ordered to go with Esther to the Warsaw ghetto, where she will fight the Nazis directly.  As they travel, Chaya can't help but wonder if Esther is truly a member of the resistance, or someone who will get her killed.  If you are interested in World War II, this might be a good read for you.

Did you ever have a teacher who just got you?  Someone who seemed to like and understand you even if you weren't the greatest student?  Mine was named Mrs. Jerry Rae King, and the book Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John Anderson reminded me of her.  She was, as the three boys who share this story would say, one of "The Good Ones".  Topher, Steve, and Brand are three 6th grade misfits who have found each other and formed a friendship.  They also share their favorite teacher, Ms. Bixby.  When they discover that she is ill and will not finish the year with them, they are upset.  When she is too ill to make the party the class planned for her, they hatch a plan to bring the celebration to her.  Along the way, as they skip school and venture into unknown places and situations, their courage and friendship is tested, and we learn just how this teacher has touched their lives.  This is a wonderful novel, full of funny and tender moments, and I highly recommend it.
 

The House with Chicken Legs by Sophie Anderson

What a charming and heartwarming tale!  I thoroughly enjoyed The House with Chicken Legs.  At first, the story seemed a bit dark and strange, which I guess is to be expected when the central character is learning how to help the dead cross over, but Marinka's struggles to find her destiny and make a few friends drew me in.  Living in a house that is alive and travels where it pleases would seem to be a wonderfule adventure, but such is not the case for Marinka.  Her love for her grandmother fights with her reluctance to follow the role set out for her and leads to near disaster.  In the end, the house becomes the unlikely hero of the tale.  This book was an entertaining and satisfying read.

Belle's Journey: An Osprey Takes Flight by Rob Bierregaard

I don't often choose to read nonfiction, but something about the cover of Belle's Journey caught my interest.  I was pleasantly

surprised by this book.  The design was attractive, with a perfect balance of text and illustration.  The narrative style made it easy to read and understand.  I learned a lot about ospreys; did you know they migrate all the way to South America for the winter?  If you are interested in birds or even just a little curious, this book would be a good choice!

Look Both Ways by Jason Reynolds

Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks by Jason Reynolds was an interesting read.  Told in 10 short stories, it is a picture of the lives of 10 students after the bell rings and they begin their walk home.  The reader gets a view into the inner lives and thoughts of these students and the challenges they face.  The opening line:  This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy-- really grabbed my interest, but I felt it set the reader up for a bit of a disappointment at the end.  I kept waiting for the bus to fall (and it did, metaphorically), so I probably missed some of the nuance in the stories.  Still, it was a good read, if a bit unexciting.