#MustReadin2019 Year-End Update

Happy New Year, Readers! 📚
I'm a little late with my year-end update. This was my original list. Since my last post, I only had Grenade and Children of Virtue and Vengeance (published on December 3) still to read. 

#MustReadin2019

Finished reading November 12, 2019

In the grand tradition of Alan Gratz titles, Grenade gutted me. The book begins on April 1, 1945. Hideki, a member of the Blood and Iron Student Corps (middle school students forced to fight for their country), is handed two grenades at graduation. One is to throw at the “American monsters”. “Then, after you have killed as many Americans as you can…you are to use the other grenade to kill yourself” (9). Ray Majors is an American Marine from Nebraska. To distract himself during the nauseating boat ride, he goes through his supplies. “Flashlight, pistol, canteen, first aid kit, extra cartridges for his M-1 rifle…And then there were the grenades. Two of them” (12). The book alternates between these two characters’ experiences. While I listed several favorite quotes in my reading journal, I don’t want to include any spoilers. Prepare yourself for several punches to the gut (I gasped aloud several times), and some heart-pounding situations, and DO NOT SKIP the author’s note! 

Finished reading November 26, 2019

This unexpected gem came to me by way of a Twitter giveaway from the author, Suzanne Nelson. I absolutely adored A Tale Magnolious! An orphan named Nitty Luce saves an elephant, The Great Magnolious (“Mag”), from her execution. They end up at the home of Windle Homes in a town called Fortune’s Bluff. It turns out the mayor of the town, Neezer Snollygost, doesn’t really have the townspeople’s best interests in mind. With some new friends, Nitty tries to help everyone she meets and save the day. BUT, there are SO MANY obstacles in their way…not the least of which are the catastrophic dust storms that threaten the entire town. The friendship between Nitty and Mag is heartwarming and kept me reading and sharing parts of the book with my students. This was my first book by Suzanne Nelson, and I look forward to reading more!

Takeaway quote: “Trying isn’t a small thing. Especially when everybody around you is giving up” (58). 

Finished reading December 19, 2019

I had heard wonderful things about Song For A Whale by Lynne Kelly on social media, so I purchased a copy for my classroom library, and it was my last MG book of 2019. This is a story about Iris, the only deaf girl in her school. One day in science class she learns about a whale named Blue 55. Iris feels a connection with him because 55 is unable to communicate with other whales. So, she works with Mr. Russell, the music teacher, and the band students to develop music that is in 55’s frequency. “We had the song that would tell 55 someone was out there” (87). The problem? Now Iris has to figure out how to play her song so that the whale can hear it. I especially enjoyed Iris's relationship with her grandmother, who is also deaf.

Takeaway quote: “Sound can move anything if it’s strong enough” (269).

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi was SUPPOSED to be my last book of the #MustReadin2019 challenge. I bought it the day it was published, but unfortunately was unable to read it before the year ended. Also, I’ve decided that I need to reread Children of Blood and Bone before diving into this one. 

So, sadly, I didn’t complete my challenge for 2019. However, with my adult book club choices, Project LIT Book Club titles, and the books I read just for me, it was definitely another fantastic year of reading!