Month: March 2019

Shout, the new memoir-in-verse by Speak author Laurie Halse Anderson brings to life some familiar stories that may ring a bell from the characters in Anderson’s books. Anderson tells her tale from childhood until the present beautifully – especially focusing on the sexual assault she experienced as a teenager. She is honest on the topic and her rage and unapologetic ferocity to the issue of sexual abuse, rape, and the unforgivable way society treats women (and men) who find the courage to come forward and speak the truth is a reality check we all need.

 A middle school novel that connects both historical fiction and the current crisis in Syria, Gratz has tied together three refugee stories.  We meet Josef, a Jewish boy in 1940’s Nazi Germany who is fleeing the possibility of being captured and sent to a concentration camp; we meet Isabel, a girl from 1990’s Cuba who sets out on a raft hoping to make it to the United States and a better, safer life; we meet Mahmoud, a boy from Syria in 2015 who is fleeing the danger and violence of his country for safety and survival.  Three refugees from different parts of the world at different times in history tell their story of seeking refuge and a new homeland. Each story vastly different. Each story shockingly the same. Recommended grades 4 and up.

It’s hard to talk about this book without giving away too much. The Train I Ride by Paul Mosier  reveals information about the protagonist (Ryder) slowly and deliberately. Each drop of new information tugs on the heart strings. This book made me cry a lot, which very rarely happens. Ryder’s mother is an addict. Mosier doesn’t share anything graphic from Ryder’s life, only the hurt she comes to terms with as she rides the train to Chicago to stay with her new guardian following her Grandmother’s death. It is clear that Ryder has had a hard life filled with trauma – but she refuses to be a victim so she often lies to strangers about her life. The relationships that she forms with other passengers and transit workers on her journey are unique and heartfelt.

Ryder is 12 going on 13, so this is a good crossover book. I would HIGHLY recommend this book even for adults, and it is a short read!