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Blogging For Books, Memoirs

Mother, Can You Not? by Kate Siegel

Michelle

Ages 18+

mother can you not.jpg

Mother, Can You Not? by Kate Siegel is a hilarious account of a daughter’s relationship with her mother. Laden with different text conversations and motherly advice, this book is definitely one for those women who love (and possibly love-hate) their mothers. Kate is a single girl whose mother wants her to always make sure her daughter gets married soon, hasn’t been raped and got home safe. This is definitely one I will recommend to my friends!

Thanks to BloggingForBooks.com for a review copy of this book.

Middle Grade Fiction

Look Both Ways in the Barrio Blanco by Judith Robbins Rose

Michelle

Grades 4-6

barrio.jpg 
In Look Both Ways in the Barrio Blanco by Judith Robbins Rose, Jacinta Juarez is a Mexican-American girl who moved back to Mexico soon after she was born. Now, at twelve, she’s living back in the U.S.

One day, she meets Kathryn Dawson Dahl, a reporter from 5 News when she comes for a visit at the Youth Center. Jacinta calls her “Miss,” and she quickly becomes Jacinta’s mentor and friend. Miss teaches her how to take discounted classes at the local recreation center and then she takes her to get a new bathing suit for the center’s pool.

Jacinta’s father warns her about her new friend, because he doesn’t want her to give too much information away about their family. Then Jacinta’s worst nightmare comes true when her Papi is deported. Will Jacinta’s world ever be right again? Read Look Both Ways in the Barrio Blanco by Judith Rose Robbins to find out what happens to Jacinta and her family!

Middle Grade Fiction

Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr

Michelle

Grades 3-5
waffles


Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr is a book about Lena and Trille, two friends who are neighbors. They have lots of adventures and love doing everything together, including eating Auntie Granny’s waffles! Then Trille’s world feels as if it’s falling apart when Lena moves away, and Auntie Granny goes to a better place. Will anything ever be okay again? Read Adventures with Waffles by Maria Parr to find out!

Graphic, Middle Grade Fiction

Sunnyside Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm

Michelle

Grades 4-6

sunny side

This is Sunnyside Up, a graphic novel by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm. It’s 1976, and ten-year-old Sunny has just arrived in Florida to spend the summer with her grandpa, who lives in a retirement community.

In the beginning, Sunny is bored because Gramps thinks outings like going to the post office and the grocery store are fun.

Finally, Gramps reveals that there is a pool where he lives. There, she meets a boy named Buzz and thinks start looking up.  They talk about comic books and collect runaway golf balls together.

To find out how the rest of the summer is for Sunny and Buzz, read Sunnyside Up by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm!

Historical Fiction, Middle Grade Fiction

It Ain’t So Awful Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas

Michelle

Grades 4-6

falafel

In It Ain’t So Awful Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas, Zomorod, also known as Cindy, is eleven years old, and is moving for the fourth time. It is the late 1970s and her family is from Abadan, Iran. Sometimes they move back to Iran, and sometimes it’s another city in California.

This time, they move to Newport Beach, California, to a condominium, where there are lots of rules they need to follow:  take out the trash on Wednesday nights, don’t leave the empty bins out, and never, ever lose the pool key!

In addition to getting used to her new town, Cindy has to come with her mom everywhere so she can translate things from English to Persian and vice versa. Can she remember all those rules, translate things for her mom and fit in at her new school? Read It Ain’t So Awful Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas to find out!

 

Fantasy, Independent Reading

Princess In Black and the Perfect Princess Party by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale

Michelle

Grades 2-3

princess

In Princess In Black and the Perfect Princess Party by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale, it’s Princess Magnolia’s birthday and she’s so excited! She wants everything to be perfect. She makes sure that the castle is clean, decorated and ready for her party. Then, there’s a monster attack! This is a job for Princess in Black, so Magnolia dresses in her black outfit and prepares to save the day! Read all about her adventures in Princess In Black and the Perfect Princess Party by Shannon Hale & Dean Hale.

 

Independent Reading

Heidi Hecklebeck Might Be Afraid of the Dark by Wanda Coven

Michelle

Grades 2-3

heidi

Heidi Hecklebeck Might Be Afraid of the Dark by Wanda Coven is book number fifteen in the Heidi Hecklebeck series. In this book, Heidi is afraid of the dark, and has to sleep with three lights on. Then she gets invited to her friend Lucy’s house for a slumber birthday party. What will she do when the girls sleep with all the lights off? Find out in Heidi Hecklebeck Might Be Afraid of the Dark by Wanda Coven.