mamadaughterbookclub's reviews
42 reviews

emotional hopeful informative reflective sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

This book packs a lot in a slim 104 pages. A beautiful story covering a very dark part of Canada's history and its treatment of Indigenous children being sent to residential schools, and the abuse they endured. Summer is visiting her grandparents with her mom and younger brother Sage. They pass by a former residential school and learn that their Mosom (grandfather) had been sent to a school when he was only 5 years ago. Summer starts having dreams about a girl named Buffalo Dreamer who ran away from a residential school and got caught in a blizzard. She sets about discovering if the dreams are based on a real person.

Ultimately while the story is steeped in a sad part of history, this is ultimately a book about hope and how future generations can heal and thrive, while learning about their ancestors' pasts.

The Wrong Way Home by Kate O'Shaughnessy

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challenging emotional hopeful tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Incredibly well written middle grade contemporary fiction with a unique premise. 12 year old Fern and her mother live in an off the grid community in New York run by a man named Dr. Ben. It's been their home for 6 years. One night, Fern's mother has them leave their home behind, and they drive all the way across the country to California. Fern is confused and wants nothing more than to return to her home, as she starts to the experience the real world and learns that maybe things weren't quite what she thought they were.

I couldn't put this down. I was caught up in Fern's story and rooting for her and her mother to find their way away from their past life. I adored the people they met in Driftwood Beach and the friendships they developed. I was frustrated with Fern trying so hard to get back in touch with Dr. Ben but found it to be so realistic given how she had been raised.

Also loved that the fictional town was based on Rockaway Beach in Pacifica which is an area I know very well. And that the beloved tea shop was based on a local darling, Lovey's Tea Shop which is one of my favorite places to get tea!

Black Star by Kwame Alexander

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adventurous challenging emotional informative inspiring sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

This sequel to the Door of No Return takes place in the south during the Jim Crow era. The main character is Charlie, granddaughter

Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell

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emotional hopeful informative sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

This historical fiction middle grade book was excellent. Set in the 1930s in New York, the book starts when 10 year old Halle's mother comes down with tuberculosis (also known as consumption). Tuberculosis was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s and many people were afraid of getting it. There was no known cure in the 1930s and antibiotics did not exist yet. Halle's mother is sent to a sanatorium to recover, with a treatment focus of sunlight and fresh air. When Halle also becomes ill, she is admitted to the children's wing of the sanatorium.

I was captivated from the start and finished this in one day. Halle was a tremendous main character - courageous, empathetic, scared, and tenacious. Her relationships with each of her parents were an important part of the story, as well as the friendships she gained while at the sanatorium.

A touching and informative historical fiction that was riveting and hopeful. Recommended for ages 9+.

Content Warnings

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

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adventurous emotional funny informative mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I am really enjoying reading middle grade historical fiction! And this Newbery Award winning book captured my imagination and stole my heart, all while I learned a lot about the 2 time periods it alternated between.

First of all, the author captures the respective eras perfectly. There are two timelines, the first in 1918 follows a young boy nicknamed Jinx who comes upon the town of Manifest and befriends a 17 year old orphan named Ned. The two become friends and some of the folks from the small town, which already considers Ned an adopted son to all, takes a liking to Jinx as well.

The second timeline is in 1936. A young girl named Abilene Tucker has been sent to Manifest by her young father, who has decided that his lifestyle on the road is no longer suitable for a young girl. Abilene is upset but believes that she'll only be there for the summer. Still, she meets a couple of friends and uncovers a bit of a mystery early on, and she starts learning the backstory of the town of Manifest, and what potential ties her father had to the town.

Manifest is a mining town made up of immigrants from Europe who came to the US for a better life. It's just as important part of the story as the characters and plot. I've been reading a lot Newbery contender books this year, and in thinking through the selection criteria, I think Moon Over Manifest is one of the finest examples I've seen of delineation of setting. Manifest is such a unique setting and so important to both storylines and moving the overall plot forward. I really commend the author on this.

Full of twists and turns and hijinks and good old fashioned wholesome fun, this is a must read!

Deep Water by Jamie Sumner

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adventurous challenging emotional sad fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

Jamie Sumner sure knows how to write about mental health. This novel in verse that takes place over the course of a 6 hour marathon swim across Lake Tahoe is quite the powerful story. It handles the topic of depression with rawness, emotions, and truth. And it broke my heart.

Tully's mom has disappeared. She's not a bad mother, but she stopped taking her anti-depressants a few months ago, stopped therapy, and she hadn't been herself. She's been gone for a few months, and Tully and her dad are working through it. Tully, with the help of her best friend Arch who is her support crew, decide that Tully will do a 12 mile swim across Lake Tahoe in hopes of getting her mother to return home.

The way the book is structured is so interesting, and it's impossible to put down. This is easily a one sitting book. Every chapter represents an hour of the 6 hour swim. We're right there with Tully as she attempts the marathon swim, trying to be the youngest swimmer ever to do it. It's a seat of your pants read as we see Tully struggle and persevere and learn about her family's backstory.

A beautiful book that will tear your heartstrings.

Content Warnings