#IMWAYR December 19, 2016

Hurrah! #IMWAYR time again, when readers share what they have been reading and find out what others have been up to in the past week. The adult version of this meme is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date. The kidlit rendition is hosted by Jen at Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki at Unleashing Readers. Whatever you are looking forward to in your next great read, these are fabulous places to start your search.

It was a busy week. Our house is decorated, some projects are completed and I listened to a lot of books while doing it. I'm almost listened out but have two 1/2 more projects, and wrapping to complete first.

PICTURE BOOKS

5 stars

Little You by Richard Van Camp & Julie Flett (Illustrations)

I went shopping at Kidsbooks this morning and purchased two copies of this book for my grandbabies to come. It celebrates all the love and joy we feel for our children and all the love and joy they bring to us.

NOVELS

4 stars

Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk by Liesl Shurtliff Narrated by Bruce Mann

I absolutely loved this book! While components of the original tale make themselves known, this story goes far beyond its beginnings. On the one hand it is more terrifying, but on the other it's filled with such sweet tenderness. There are lessons here about what's truly important in life and how to get along with others no matter how different we might first seem.

3.5 stars

Red: The True Story Of Red Riding Hood  by Liesl Shurtliff Narrated by Tara Sands

While I enjoyed this one, I didn't connect with the characters and their situation in the same way as I did with Jack. I must admit though, that I found snippets of myself in Goldie, the girl who talks too much. What I like most about the series is how Liesl Shurtliff plays with and interrupts our preconceived notions of good and evil.

4 stars

The Case Of The Missing Moonstone (The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency, #1) By Jordan Stratford Narrated by Nicola Barber

I have had this book on my list for a very long time. I am so thankful that it became available as an audiobook so I could listen to it while I am working on Christmas projects. That this historical mystery series celebrates two strong, intellectual girls who really lived (even if they were not actually children together) makes me delighted. I love all the historical details about the characters and their lives.

The series posits that Ada Lovelace, nee Byron, and Mary Shelley, nee Godwin, become friends while sharing a tutor. Together they form the Wallstonecraft Detective Agency, a secret constabulary. Their goal is to apprehend clever criminals. In this first case the girls have to figure out why a lady's maid confessed to a theft she did not do.

4 stars

The Case Of The Girl In Grey (The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency #2) By Jordan Stratford Narrated by Nicola Barber

I wasn't impressed at first by Ada and Mary's sisters showing up and wanting to join the detective agency. However they did eventually show that they had their own unique talents to contribute. This second novel has the girls trying to figure out what is amiss with a young girl's fiancé. Then there is another young woman who has fled from an insane asylum. What makes these books work for me is that they highlight history from a feminine perspective and at the same time are loaded with suspense and adventure. However, while I enjoy this series, I suspect that readers with less background knowledge might not get as much out of them. 

3.5 stars

A Step Toward Falling by Cammie McGovern Narrated by Ashley Clements & Amanda Wallace

In spite of the fact that this book deals with traumatic event, it turned out to be rather sweet.

Belinda, a young girl with development disabilities is sexually assaulted. Emily is a thoughtful smart girl who witnesses the event, but doesn't act. The story is told from both their perspectives.

I am not an expert on developmental disabilities except to say that in my experience of students with them, they are all pretty much unique characters with unique challenges.

That's what I found here. I love that both these girls are complex, flawed characters. 

As their story progresses both of them learn about themselves and each other. The bit of romance is just right. I love that at the same time as the characters act out scenes from a play of Pride and Prejudice, the plot of that novel is played out in their own relationships.

NONFICTION

5 stars

Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet

There is so much to love here. The formatting of the book with gorgeous illustrations and chunks of text is a good start. I appreciated the lines of poetry and quotations from White's other writings. The section that shows White's different revisions as he worked towards the final beginning of Charlotte's Web provides an authentic lesson on writing for writers of all ages. 

After finishing this, I'm committed to to re-reading Charlotte's Web in 2017.

My thanks to Melissa Sweet for helping us understand and know this brilliant kindhearted man.  

I'll be unpacking this quote for some time, "To be free, in a planetary sense, is to feel you belong to the earth. To be free, in a social sense, is to feel at home in a democratic framework."

CURRENTLY

I'm listening to Goblins by Philip Reeve.

UP NEXT

I have no idea really. I've got a couple more books from my must read in 2016 to get to and hope to find time for them.