2019 Reading Update

Current Read: Carry On by Rainbow Rowell
Current Listen: The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century by Alex Ross
2019 Goodreads Reading Challenge Count: 121 out of 150 books

Hello, internet! It's been a looooooooooong time. In my defense, 2018 was a crazy, CRAZY year for me, and 2019 has mostly been me readjusting to my new normal. The crazy is still sort of ongoing, but I have the greatest people and they're helping me figure it out.

I gave myself a freakishly ambitious reading goal of 150 books for the year. I didn't set any goals other than the number this year--last year I tried to read a certain number of different genres and types of books, and I just found it to be too much to keep track of. If you're curious, though, here is the breakdown so far:

Illustrated children's books: 21
Middle-grade books: 19
Young adult books: 27
Adult fiction: 25
Non-fiction: 20
Graphic novels: 9

I have to say that I'm pretty pleased with myself. When I was counting, though, I noticed that more and more of what I read (and more and more of great fiction being written) defies being placed in one of these categories. For example, I powered through most of the Throne of Glass series this year. Those are always shelved with young adult, buuuuuuuuut are they really? They don't read like what you would expect YA to be. They are very well-written and there is so much violence and sex. And some adult fiction (romances in particular) are way easier to read than some YA. But this isn't what this post is about.

As I approach fall break, I want to hold myself accountable and let you know of some remaining books I would like to read before the end of the year. I'm going to list 5 and then--we'll see. 

Carry On and Wayward Son by Rainbow Rowell
These are Rainbow Rowell's version of a magic school/Chosen One sort of narrative, but they are not just an HP rip-off. Carry On is a re-read for me in anticipation of the sequel which comes out NEXT TUESDAY!!!!

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
I can't believe I haven't read this yet. With the movie out right now, I figured it was finally time. This seems like a love it or hate it, and I love being able to have an opinion on things like that.

The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Since I'm so far ahead of my goal, I figure I have time for a few gigantic tomes. I've heard awesome things about this one and it's just gorgeous on my shelf.

The Handmaid's Tale and The Testaments by Margaret Atwood
I'm really pumped about the sequel that just came out, and I figured I might as well re-read the first one since it's the bomb. Under his eye.

City of Lost Souls and City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare
I love these books, and I liked City of Fallen Angels. I would love to finish that trilogy before the year is over. I also try not to binge these ones, though. I have heard from several people that they get repetitive if you read too many in a row.

So by 5 I apparently meant 8. Oh well. My other reading-related goal is to write a blog post every other week. Hold me to that, will you?

Let me know in the comments if you have read anything on my list and what you want to read before the end of the year!

Top Movies of 2018

Current read: The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory
Current listen: The Poisoned City by Anna Clark

Hey gang! So I decided to do something different. This is still a primarily bookish blog, but if you know me, you know that in the months of October-February I set aside just about everything in my Oscar-buzz haze. I have a spreadsheet. It's color-coded. So people have been nagging me to blog about film more. I don't feel quite as qualified to talk about film, but I do love it. A lot. Over my winter break I went to the movies 13 times. Because of that, I decided to write about my favorite movies of 2018. These are in order, as much as it pained me to rank them. And there are a LOT of great movies that I couldn't include. Special shout-out to Roma. I already regret it not being on this list because it was outstanding and lovely and I want it to win things.

10. Love, Simon
Here's some bookish-ness! This movie is an adaptation of Simon Vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, one of my YA faves. I know this movie isn't art-house and it won't get nominated for any Oscars, but it was just so incredible to see a rom-com that centered around a same-sex couple. Also, this is the one that I will watch when I'm sad or stressed or want to regain some hope in humanity.

9. The Hate U Give
Another incredible YA adaptation, this time from the incomparable Angie Thomas. In my opinion, the movie's explorations of code-switching and how police brutality impacts communities of color are beyond excellent. Russell Hornsby gives the performance of his career, and Amandla Stenberg is definitely an up-and-comer to keep an eye on. If you haven't seen The Hate U Give, you best get your butt to the Redbox when it comes out in a few weeks. ESPECIALLY if you are in a position of privilege.

8. A Star Is Born
Gorgeous performance by Lady Gaga, both acting and singing. Incredible music. As far as directorial debuts go, this one is pretty fantastic. Also, I will never in my life forget Sam Elliott's face as he pulls out of the driveway. THAT is what great acting looks like.

7. If Beale Street Could Talk
This movie is the main reason that I didn't make this list until a week after the new year--it would be much easier to be a film buff if I lived in LA or New York. An unbelievably beautiful film. Every moment of it. The score, the cinematography, the acting, the story, the script...everything. Barry Jenkins is the future of film and I could not be happier about it.

6. Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse
As I write this, this film has just won the Golden Globe for best animated film. THANK GOODNESS. The most innovative animated film I've ever seen. One of those movies that is going to change how animated films are made. Great voice-acting, a great story, and a killer soundtrack.

5. Eighth Grade
A movie that was DEEPLY personal and made me cry almost as much as it made me laugh. I was that girl at the pool party. Bo Burnham wrote a masterpiece about what it's like to be young in a scary, changing world. So much of this movie is specific to 2018, but it also serves to remind audiences that the joys and the pains of growing up are completely universal.

4. Mary Poppins Returns
This. Movie. Made. Me. So. Happy. The music was incredible. The acting was great. Emily Blunt was FLAWLESS. The costumes. The animation. The photography. Everything. Gave the perfect amount of love to the original and had some truly incredible music, singing, and choreography. Those lamplighter silhouettes in Trip A Little Light Fantastic especially.

3. On The Basis of Sex
I just saw this movie. It's so important and everyone needs to see it. Felicity Jones is a fabulous RBG, and it's not just rehashing the content of the documentary, which I was very worried about. A timely reminder of the women who fought for the rights we take for granted. There are so, so many women alive today who lived in a time when they could not get a credit card in their name or go to college without being labelled a ball-buster or a shrew.

2. Black Panther
A game-changer. In so many ways. Representation matters, and this is a film about a superhero from Africa and the incredible strong women that he surrounds himself with. This movie paid attention to detail in the BEST ways. The costumes, the music, the sets, the language, the "what are those" joke. So much to love. So many ICONIC performances. This will be the movie of this year that has lasting impact.

1. The Favourite
I loved every second of this movie, including the ones that made me extremely uncomfortable. This is one that warrants multiple watches and lively discussions afterward. A story of three women surviving however they can in a world of men. It was just so nice to watch a movie in which the men are totally secondary and contribute almost nothing. I would like Olivia Colman to sweep best actress this year. In fact, I will be incredibly upset if she doesn't.

Alright. Welp. I have never noticed how much I like to capitalize adjectives for emphasis. This was a lot harder to write than a book review. Let me know what you think, and for now, that's all she...watched?

What A Year: My Favorite Reads of 2018

Current read: Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Current listen: My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan
2019 Goodreads Reading Challenge Count: 0 out of 150 books

Hello internet! It's been literally a year since my last post. Most of my readers (hi Kelly, hi Mom) know that it's been a trying year. I had a really heinous ankle break that is still healing after three surgeries. Despite that, I also traveled pretty extensively, had a very active summer with Circle City Chamber Choir, continued teaching, and got married! So the blog kind of...got left behind.

Fortunately, I did manage to do a LOT of reading this year. I went through a bit of a slump right after the accident (I pretty much only read Ms. Marvel comics and children's books for awhile) but I eventually shook it off and read a lot of great stuff. I completed the 2018 PopSugar Reading Challenge, surpassed my Goodreads reading goal, and helped found a book club among some friends. That being said, here are my favorite books of 2018.

Adult Fiction:
1. Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
I listened to this one on Audible. Normally I listen to audio books while driving or while doing chores, but for the last four hours of this one I was just sitting on my couch, crying much of the time. An unbelievably well-written character and a very beautiful story.
2. Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
This was a book club read! Another one that I listened to on Audible. Another story centered around an incredible woman overcoming adversity. I would particularly recommend the audio book, narrated by Cassandra Campbell. She nails the accents and just does a fabulous job with everything she narrates.
3. The Power by Naomi Alderman
Another powerful audio book. This is a work of speculative fiction about a future in which all the women in the world develop the power to conduct and control electricity through their bodies. It explores all the societal implications of such a future and leaves no stone unturned. It is a powerful statement on issues being faced by women throughout the world today.
4. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne and The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang
I am cheating a little bit with this one, but these two books are so similar and representative in a change in my attitude toward romance novels. I'm not sure when it happened, but I've been REALLY feeling contemporary, modern-woman-finds-love romance novels lately. I've got at least 3 more on deck to read in the near future. These are two EXCELLENT, steamy reads.
5. Still Me by Jojo Moyes
I never would have guessed that this would make my list. It was my last read of 2018, and I honestly only picked it up because it wouldn't renew at the library. It also, I found out, won the Goodreads Choice Award for fiction, and with reason. Jojo Moyes really focused on Louisa in this book and a lot less on the romance. There were some really great characters introduced and some truly moving plot lines. I think...I think it might be my favorite of the series.

Young Adult Fiction:
1. Strange the Dreamer by Laini Taylor
I finally read a Laini Taylor book! She's been on my radar for years, and I finally got to this one this year. It is, in a word, incredible. It follows Lazlo Strange, an orphan turned librarian who is obsessed with the mysterious city of Weep. Every character is detailed and complex, and the story is unlike anything I've ever read. The sequel, Muse of Nightmares, came out a few months ago, and you best believe it will be on my list for 2018.
2. The Illuminae Files by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff
I've written about this series in reviews before. The final book in the trilogy, Obsidio, came out early in 2018, and I decided to marathon them while recovering from the ankle break. Man, oh man, are these an incredible adventure. Some great romances, awesome characters, some temperamental AI...a wild ride.
3. Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia
I read this on a whim (it was on sale on Kindle), and ended up reading it until late in the night. Literally could not put it down. It follows Eliza, a girl who writes an incredibly popular web comic while coping with anxiety. The way Zappia writes about anxiety hit very close to home for me. After I finished it, I happily discovered that Zappia lives near Indianapolis and I got to meet her (albeit in a wheelchair, which was lame).
4. The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo 
This was another recovery read. This book is written in gorgeous free verse poems. It is the story of Xiomara, an Afro-Dominican teen coming of age in New York City. The best stories told in poems can stir even more emotion than a novel, and this one certainly succeeds in that respect.
5. Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it certainly lived up to my expectation (though sadly some members of my book club did not like it as much as I). This is the first book in a new fantasy series that takes place in an African mythology inspired world. The world-building in this first book was incredible, and I'm very excited to see where the story goes.

Nonfiction:
1. Educated by Tara Westover
EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO READ THIS BOOK. Tara is a historian who was raised by Mormon survivalists in rural Idaho and had no formal schooling until COLLEGE. Seriously. It's incredible.
2. Hunger by Roxane Gay
One of my first reads of 2018, this one has stuck with me. I am a huge Roxane Gay fan already (last year Bad Feminist made my top books list), and this book is a deeply personal exploration of her relationship with her body. Feelings.
3. Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup by John Carreyrou
Bought this one on Audible knowing very little about it and it did not disappoint. I think I listened to the whole thing in two days. A story of a GIGANTIC fraud commited by a biotech startup called Theranos. So interesting.
4. Evicted: Poverty and Profit in The American City by Matthew Desmond
This one is a Pulitzer winner, and it just completely blew my mind. Changed my worldview. Check your privilege, friends. I apologize to my friend Jeremy, the only person I knew who had already read this book, who fielded at least a dozen texts from me while I read this.
5. Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them by Jennifer Wright
I got this one on Audible after it was chosen as one of their favorite listens of the year, and I loved it a lot more than I thought I would. Jennifer Wright is a very funny writer, but this book is also very well-researched. The Spanish Flu was really messed up, friends. Also, you know a book is good when my husband demands to listen to it.

Alright, friends. I've made you read enough already. Stay tuned in the next few days for some statistics on my 2018 reading year and some goals for next year.

2018 Reading Resolutions

Current Read: Origin by Dan Brown
Current Listen: Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow
2018 Goodreads Reading Challenge Count: 13 out of 125 books

Hello, internet! I have an unexpected day off today since school is closed, so I thought the fates were telling me to write a blog post!

In my last post, my reading year in review, I included some statistics about my reading in 2017. I've never really analyzed my reading before this year, but I think from now on I will do it every year. I found it incredibly interesting. In case you missed it, here are the statistics I listed in the previous post:

-I read 23 books written by an author that is not American.
-I read 38 books written by people of color.
-I read 82 books written by women.
-I read 42 young adult fiction books (that is honestly not as high as I thought it would be).
-I read 26 middle grade and children's books.
-I read 22 graphic novels.
-I read 22 adult fiction books.
-I read 17 nonfiction books.

A few thoughts:

1. No one is surprised that the vast majority of my reading last year was YA, middle grade, and children's fiction. I am not at all ashamed of that. Last year was a PARTICULARLY good year for YA, and I feel like the YA community has done a great job encouraging and promoting diversity, which is very important to me. That being said, I have a problem--I buy a lot of adult fiction and nonfiction and then don't read it. I get distracted by YA new releases and everything else gets pushed aside. Despite the fact that I mostly read YA, the vast majority of the books I own are adult fiction and nonfiction titles.

RESOLUTION 1: I will read 30 adult fiction books in 2018.

2. As a follow-up to my first point, a lot of the books I buy and WANT to read are award-winning books. If a lot of other people love it, there is a pretty good chance that I will too. I have reading FOMO in a big way. Last year I did read Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, which won the Man Booker Prize, and The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, the 2017 Pulitzer Prize winner. I enjoyed being a part of the conversation around those books.

RESOLUTION 2: I will read 5 Pulitzer Prize-winning books in 2018.

(Side note: I know the Pulitzer Prize is arbitrary and I could have easily picked any number of literary prizes. But I happen to already own more than 5 Pulitzer winners, so that's what I picked.)

3. I am okay with the number of diverse books that I read this year. 38 books by people of color is not too shabby. I am VERY pleased with the number of books I read that were written by women. The YA community is bursting at the seems with women of color writing outstanding novels (Angie Thomas, Sandhya Menon, Sabaa Tahir, Marie Lu, and I could go on and on). The statistic that disappointed me the most was how many books I read that were not written by an American. And of those 23 not written by an American, most were written by a Canadian or a Brit. I would like to continue to read and support diverse writers, and I would especially like to branch out and read more writers from other parts of the world.

RESOLUTION 3: I will read 50 books by writers of color.
RESOLUTION 4: I will read 20 books by people not from the United States, Great Britain, or Canada.

4. Lastly, I would like to continue to expand by horizons by reading more nonfiction. I read some outstanding memoirs and essay collections last year, and I would like to add to those with some of the awesome histories, biographies, and narrative nonfiction that I own or can get from the library. I've already started with the AWESOME Chernow biography of Washington, and I have a collection of audiobook nonfiction that I need to get to this year.

RESOLUTION 5: I will read 25 nonfiction books.

I know this is a lot. I'm not going to be mad at myself if I don't complete every one of these goals. But I'm gonna try, dammit. And for now, that's all she read!

My Year In Books - 2017

Current Read: Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
Current Listen: The Refugees by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Hello, internet! Happy New Year! It's been a busy end of the year, as usual (there was one weekend in December where I sang 7 concerts between Friday night and Sunday night), but I have been able to get enough reading in to complete (and exceed) my reading goal for the year! My goal was to read 110 books in 2017, and I ended up reading 125. This year I decided to make a spreadsheet of my read this year so I could keep track of what kinds of books I read, particularly in terms of representation. If you're interested, here is a link to my 2017 list!

What books did Katie read in 2017?

Some statistics that I thought were interesting:

-I read 23 books written by an author that is not American.
-I read 38 books written by people of color.
-I read 82 books written by women.
-I read 42 young adult fiction books (that is honestly not as high as I thought it would be).
-I read 26 middle grade and children's books.
-I read 22 graphic novels.
-I read 22 adult fiction books.
-I read 17 nonfiction books.

Some interesting things for me to think about regarding what I like to read and what I could read more of. This year I am going to attempt to write down what my favorite books were this year. I always find this SUPER challenging, since on the whole I do not read a lot of books that I don't like. But we're gonna try. I've been agonizing over it, and I decided to do a top 5 for YA, a top 5 for adult fiction, and a top 5 for non-fiction. These lists will be in no particular order (because putting them in order would make it 10 times harder). 

TOP 5 YOUNG ADULT
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Warcross by Marie Lu

TOP 5 ADULT FICTION
Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz
Call Me By Your Name by Andre Aciman
The Red Rising trilogy by Pierce Brown
Artemis by Andy Weir

TOP 5 NON-FICTION
Bad Feminist by Roxanne Gay
Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance
So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson
Dear Ijeawele and We Should All Be Feminists by Chimimanda Ngozi Adichie (I'm gonna count these two as one because they are both about 50 pages each)
You Don't Have to Say You Love Me by Sherman Alexie

There are so many more that could have been included, but overall I think I am pretty happy with these lists. This has maybe been my best reading year ever, and in the next week I will be letting you all know what my reading resolutions are to make 2018 even better. That's all she read!

Let's Talk Graphic Novels

Current Read: The Reader by Traci Chee

Current Listen: Morning Star by Pierce Brown

2017 Reading Challenge Count: 98 out of 110 books

Hey internet! I have a bookish thing on my mind that I wanted to mull over. And that thing is graphic novels.

I feel that, on the whole, the book world tends snubs its nose at the graphic novel. Until quite recently (probably fall of 2016), I was guilty of this as well.

No longer, I say. My eyes have been OPENED.

I'm not sure if the graphic novel is experiencing a renaissance or if it has always been this good, but MAN! Some of the graphic novels being released are just...top-notch. I've even added a few to my all time favorites list. So I thought I'd give you a breakdown of some of my recent favorites. I feel it's my duty to expose more people to this magical world of great art.

Spill Zone

Written by Scott Westerfeld

Illustrated by Alex Puvilland

Colored by Hilary Sycamore

This book inspired me to write this post. I have never actually read a Scott Westerfeld novel (they're on the list, but so are a lot of things), but I heard a booktuber mention this and picked it up at the library. It takes place in the aftermath of some sort of nuclear event in Poughkeepsie, NY. It follows Addison, a teen who lives near the remains of the "zone" and illegally enters it to take pictures. Quite the intriguing concept by itself, but the artwork that accompanies it makes the story endlessly more compelling. The book uses two main color schemes, one for inside the zone and one for outside. Outside the zone uses mostly dark, muted colors and a lot of shadows, but when Addy enters the zone the color palate changes to sickly greens, oranges, yellows, and pinks. IT'S SO COOL.

My only complaint is that there is only one volume out so far.

The March Trilogy

Written by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin

Illustrated by Nate Powell

This is John Lewis' three volume graphic memoir of his involvement in the civil rights movement. That description alone was enough for me to SCRAMBLE to read them all, especially since the third came out fairly recently and I could marathon them. As a teacher, it is universally acknowledged that graphic novels are very helpful with reluctant readers. Part of the crazy acclaim for these books, then, has been that they take the civil rights movement and represent it with POWERFUL visuals that will help future generations understand the importance of these events. Additionally, they don't dumb anything down. The first book actually begins with John Lewis in early 2009 while attending Barack Obama's inauguration, which I thought was a cool way to begin the story. The first book then takes the reader through the founding of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, of which Lewis was a leading member. Books two and three then take us through the freedom rides, the drama between the SNCC and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the march on Washington, and the fight for the Voting Rights Act. I appreciated that Lewis did not shy away from telling of the ideological divisions that existed within the major players of the movement, and it seemed to me to be a fairly unbiased telling of the facts. To me, a memoir gives itself way more credibility if it does not sugarcoat things. And also, just look at these COVERS. 

Lumberjanes

Created by Grace Ellis and Shannon Watters

Illustrated and written by like...20 different awesome women

Lumberjanes is a graphic novel series that takes place at Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqui Thistle Crumpet's Camp for Hardcore Lady Types. It began from a desire to created a girl-focused comic book series and has more or less turned into a sensation. It has featured eight different illustrators and five different authors in its six volumes, all women. This maybe should have been confusing, but did not bother me at all. The storytelling for the books seems very consistent and I barely noticed that some volumes had very different artistic styles. The series centers around one cabin of girls at camp and their adventures while trying to earn different badges (the descriptions of which are VERY funny). Magic is incorporated into the plot of the books in a very smooth and almost casual way. The books are not about the magic, but rather about the relationships between the girls. Each character has grown and become more complex which each book, and I'm VERY MUCH invested in all of them (particularly in the great romance developing ever so slowly). A favorite feature of the books is how the exclamations of the characters will almost ALWAYS include the names of famous women, many of whom I have never heard of. The below blog compiled a list of every woman featured so far and did a great job: 

A Cheat Sheet for The Real Life Women Featured in Lumberjanes

Saga

Written by Brian K. Vaughan

Illustrated by Fiona Staples

One cannot, in my opinion, recommend graphic novels without talking about Brian K. Vaughan. I could, and probably will, write an entire post about him someday. Saga was repeatedly recommended to me by a friend, and I was soooooooo skeptical. Glad I finally caved, though, because it is one of the best stories I have ever consumed in any form. Written and conceived by Vaughan and illustrated BEAUTIFULLY by Fiona Staples, it is everything a space opera can and should be. It follows Alana and Marko, lovers from opposing sides of an opposing war, and every volume has enhanced the story's beauty like...10 times over. I have never for a moment considered owning a graphic novel series until this one. I have DEVOURED every volume and then often just turned back to the beginning and read them again. It has been praised for its representations of diversity in gender, sexuality, race, and socio-economic status, and it is one of the best stories about war and its impact that I've ever read. Also, there's a cat called Lying Cat who can tell when you are lying and will tell you so. I CANNOT PRAISE THIS SERIES ENOUGH. Someone please buy me all the volumes for Christmas. 

The beautiful Alana and Marko:                                   

And a scene with Lying Cat and a child rescued from sex trafficking that made me WEEP:

Brian K. Vaughan has also begun another series, Paper Girls, which has a much more Strangers Things vibe with fierce newspaper delivery girls and aliens and time-travelling and I LOVE IT JUST AS MUCH. Only three volumes are out so far, but I would accept those as Christmas gifts as well. 

Alright. Well I wrote WAY MORE than I planned to, but these books deserved to be loved. Some honorable mentions that I did not have time to talk about, but that are also great:

Paper Girls by Brian K. Vaughan

Nimona by Noelle Stevenson

Maus I/II by Art Spiegelman (all modern graphic novels owe their existence to these books)

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang

Fun Home by Alison Bechdel

El Deafo by Cece Bell

Thanks for sticking with me! Let me know if you have a favorite graphic novel that I need to check out! And with that, that's all she read! 

War...What Is It Good For?

Current Read: Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Lisa Lewis Tyre
Current Listen: A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon
2017 Reading Challenge Count: 88 out of 110 books

Hey internet! It's been...not quite 11 months.

In my defense, this summer was crazy. Two close friends got married, one in upstate New York. I saw Hamilton twice. I went on a cruise and got engaged.

But while all that was happening, I kept reading. And I knew that once things settled down I wanted to come back to this. So here we go!

Over Labor Day weekend, I read two middle grade books. I imagine people judge me for the number of middle grade books that I read, and I'll admit that I am occasionally embarrassed when strangers ask me what I'm reading--it generally ends with me mumbling something about how I know it's a kids book but I'm a teacher, I promise. Most often I read middle grade for the Young Hoosier Book Award program. Students at my school can read them and earn prizes, and I read them so they think I'm cool. I end up rating most of them three stars, since often they are not written with adults in mind and aren't super engaging for me.

Every year, though, there are one or two that astonish me.

This year one of those books was Pax, by Sara Pennypacker.
 
This book begins with a fox and a boy in the back seat of a car. The fox is concerned and confused, as his boy seems distressed. The fox is left in a forested area and the car drives away.

I will admit, I was not captivated right away. I picked this book up and read the first chapter over the summer and then dropped it for something more summer-y. But I'm so glad I picked it up again.

The storytelling and pacing that follows in this book is nothing short of masterful. The story is told from the perspectives of both Pax (the fox) and Peter (his boy). It is revealed early on that Peter has been left to live with his grandfather while his father goes to do...something. We quickly learn that whatever his father is doing must be related to a war that adults around Peter have been discussing. Peter, though, immediately deeply regrets leaving Pax and sets off on a foolhardy mission to find him. Pax, meanwhile, encounters a pair of foxes who, though very suspicious of his human-like scent, teach him to try to survive in the wild.

Through the perspective of a 13-year-old and a fox, Pennypacker manages to impart some gorgeous insight into the consequences of war. The foxes refer to the human soldiers as the "war-sick" and describe the horrible electrical smell of an area full of landmines. Peter is aided in his quest by a woman with PTSD who has lost a leg in this same war and has chosen to live completely off the grid. This book was like nothing I've ever read. It was so powerful to read about a war from those innocent, confused perspectives. It was a visceral experience as a reader, and the ending completely tore me apart. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the beautiful, stark illustrations. I finished this book four days ago, and it has stuck with me.

  

After I finished Pax, I unthinkingly grabbed John Boyne's The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. Readers who have read this book will immediately know that that probably was not wise. Whoops. I picked up an illustrated edition at the library after seeing it (and being vaguely aware of the movie) for years. It was also featured on an Amazon list of 100 Young Adult Books to Read in a Lifetime, and you guys know I can't resist a good reading list.



This story centers around Bruno, who has recently had to move from his very nice home in Berlin to a small house in a place called "Out-With." Again, I love the use of a child's perspective to discuss a dark topic. It's such an effective way to point out the illogical nature of war. He decides to explore his new home and encounters "the dot that became a speck that became a blob that became a figure that became a boy." He begins a secret friendship with this boy, Schmuel, who lives on the other side of the fence. The book is written with a gorgeous, sparse simplicity that very effectively evokes childhood, and the illustrations are mostly in black and white, with spots of color for details such as blue eyes or red arm badges.




The book, as you can imagine, ends tragically. But it is absolutely worth reading. I am continually amazed and heartened by the fact that the world has yet to run out of high quality Holocaust and World War II literature in all genres, and I am particularly impressed by literature for and about children.

Both Pax and The Boy in the Striped Pajamas seem like easy, throw-away reads, but nothing could be farther from the truth. And in these uncertain times, I can only imagine how much books like these about conflict (fictional or not), will give young people a little more understanding of the confusing decisions adults make that impact everyone and everything.

I promise to be back again soon, and for now, that's all she read.