Book Recommendation #6 (Week 4)

If you are looking for a good poetry book to read to children of all ages, look no further. Any child and/or adult will be able to relate to the book "Fathers, Mothers, Sisters, Brothers; A Collection of Family Poems," by Mary Ann Hoberman. There is something for every family member in this book. Every poem is truly a celebration of family and clearly sends the message that there are all different kinds of families out there. The poems evoke emotion and make readers think of that special someone in their family that most closely reminds them of the poem. The book has a mixture of short and long poems and there are poems about moms, dads, grandfathers, grandmothers, adopted babies, older sisters, step-siblings, baby-sitters, and more. I never really like poetry growing up, but I wish I had read this one when I was younger because for any child, no matter what their family structure is like, will connect with several poems in this collection. Guaranteed to warm your heart! Pick it up!

Book Recommendation #5 (Week 3)

The book I am recommending this week is Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata - the same author that wrote Weedflowers, one of the books that a group in our class has to read for the young adult segment. Kira-Kira is a Newbery Award winning book, and rightfully so! Katie, the narrator, is the middle child in a hard working Japanese American family. Ever since she was a little girl, she idolized her older sister Lynn. Lynn pretty much taught her everything she knows - but the thing that sticks out in her mind the most after Lynn passes away from lymphoma is how to see everything in the world as glittery, sparkling things. This book touches on a lot of important issues such as racism being one of 32 Japanese American families in a town of 4200 people, and trying to keep the family together when a family member is ill. Students who've had a serious sickness or death in the family will be able to immediately make connections with the changes that occur within a household and the mixed emotions a sibling could feel. Kira-Kira is a great easy to read page-turner for the Middle School ages filled with multiple deep meanings.