Monday, June 1, 2020

It's Monday! Books That Help Us Live Stories


              Visit Kellee and Ricki at UnleashingReaders and Jen at Teach Mentor Texts to see what they've been reading, along with others who post their favorites.  Your TBR lists will grow! Happy Reading!
          Share with the hashtag #IMWAYR

   
           I hope all of you are doing well and doing the best you can during this time. 






         I've read one other book by Monica Hesse, Girl in The Blue Coat, set during World War II Holland in the secret underground. In this new book, she has written the "after" of a story, the "after" concentration camps are liberated and the lives at least some of those who survived lived "after". Hesse, in her afterword, shares that most books set at this time usually finish the story at the end of the war. Few take the story further. I've read many books about the Holocaust, too, and she's right. While the books fill the stories with people of great courage, some who make it and some who do not, usually the ending is hopeful, but not detailed. 
         This story is of Zofia, a young woman recently liberated from a camp. She knows her family is gone, except for a young brother, nine, Abeck. She first travels to her old home with the help of a Russian soldier, only to find an empty ransacked place. She reunites with one old family friend, then moves on to a displaced persons' camp. Hesse lets us into the story by letting Zofia tell it. A first-person voice is powerful, and this time, particularly so because we are taken into her thoughts as she anguishes over decisions, analyzes what response is expected of her along with the response she could also give. Her mind twirls in choices, wondering what is right, what is not, how to protect herself. It's both a story to agonize over this life as a reader and one that made me wonder how the survivors managed? How did they create lives "after"? There are small bits of writing that show Hesse keeps the sad tone expertly. This is not a happy story. Once, upon waking, Zofia shares she must have slept longer than she thought, says, "It's still dark outside, but the sky is a dark bruise instead of an inky black." There are some moments of happiness of those who choose it with courage instead of sinking into the past. I kept hoping for Zofia while reading every page! Monica Hesse has given what must be only a glimpse of one person, but it opens new learning about the time in these lives I hadn't considered before. Her author's notes at the back are also wonderful to read.

Thanks to Candlewick Press for the copy!
         Khalil lives upstairs with his family ad Mr. Hagerty lives downstairs. They are old and young, love having cake and cold milk together to help cool off, and share a few secrets that make them smile. The story is about their days, told by Tricia Springstubb in a story of genuine empathy for others, made all the more wonderful by Elaheh Taherian's full-color illustrations. 




          A friend shared this on Instagram, then when I finally got it and read it, I wondered at the prescience of Deborah Underwood who knew such a message was needed all the more now during our "Stay at Home" time because of the pandemic? A young girl is shown at the center of her world. She is "inside" while page by page, "outside" beckons. She begins "Once  we were part of Outside, and Outside was part of us." Clearly, something changed, but with the words from Deborah, like "We forget Outside is there", Cindy Derby's gorgeous illustrations show that Outside continues to try so hard to be noticed. It is a book to be noticed and read, outside! 

           A young girl named Jeannette befriends a new girl at school. Little by little, readers learn that this new classmate came to America via a frightening voyage in a little boat. Each night, her mother helped her feel better by looking at the stars, which she says belong to everyone. Jeannette learns her name is lliana and because of the language barrier, they communicate through drawings. Stephanie Le Guen's story draws a portrait of what empathy can look like through Jeannette's actions, while learning of some experiences that refugees face. The drawings by Stephane Nicolet are rather whimsical, seem to lessen the seriousness of the story, perhaps for younger readers? This was first published in France.


What's Next - Still reading The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate but now with events happening, I have started 
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You: A Remix of the National Book Award-winning Stamped from the Beginning
 by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds.

19 comments:

  1. A couple of these are new to me. Outside In is definitely one I want to check out.

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    1. It is a special book, Lisa. I know I would have used it with my students when I was teaching. Enjoy!

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  2. They Went Left sounds excellent—it's great that it takes a look at how people had to put their lives back together after WWII. The Refuge sounds touching as well—I love how Jeannette put in the effort to talk to Iliana via drawings! Thanks so much for the great post!

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    1. Thanks, and yes, both are super books. The Refuge offers some nice ideas for young children.

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  3. I've also read and enjoyed three out of four of your books this week. I'm glad you like They Turned Left. I also found it interesting. And I loved the friendship of Khalil and Mr. Hagerty. My Kiddo had an elderly friend when she was young, but they bonded over music. He taught her so much about classical music. It was wonderful. I'll have to keep an eye out for Outside In.

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    1. Thanks, Alex, I love your personal story of your own child. Outside In is a special book for celebrating nature!

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  4. Thanks for the heads up about Khalil and Mr. Hagerty and the Backyard Treasures. I love stories of intergenerational relationships and this one, of intercultural ones, is truly needed today.

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    1. Terrific, it is just right for you and the grandchildren! Thanks, Cheriee!

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  5. They Went Left looks like an awesome read. I've put it on my ever-growing To Read list. Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful week!

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    1. It is, Jana, and I know what you mean by "ever-growing". Enjoy it when you can! Hope your week has been as good as it can be! Thanks!

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  6. Some great shares, I am interested in checking out all of them, but especially They Went Left. Thanks for the post!

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    1. Thanks, Aaron, I hope you do get to check them all & enjoy these new books!

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  7. I devoured WWII books as a kid and I would have loved They Went Left. I'll seek it out now. Thanks!

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  8. They Went Left sounds like something I need to find. I really enjoy historical fiction and already don't feel like I get to read enough adult literature, so I'm grateful to hear of this title. Do you think it would be helpful to read Girl in The Blue Coat, first? Thank you, Linda!

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    1. They are both in that line of YA to adult, Shaye. You don't have to read the first. They are separate stories. Hope you enjoy whatever you choose.

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    2. Fantastic! I just discovered they're both available through Overdrive (just have a waiting list), so I've bookmarked them. Thanks so much, Linda!

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    3. That's wonderful! Wishing you a good day of reading!

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  9. Outside in seems to be one I will want to grab. Thanks!

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