One Chapter

Last Witnesses: An Oral History of the Children of WWII

These stories lives came with a punch, they struck viciously against my heart as I read them. To think that all of these individuals were children, innocent little people, who did nothing yet they received such a life-altering experience, that still haunts them today. I didn’t and I couldn’t read this book, all in one sitting. From the beginning, I wanted to appreciate each chapter: each individual’s situation and account. Upon reading, I realized that this is not a book that I could read straight through. The emotions and the energy in each of their stories lives, makes it a book that needs space.

From the voices of Russian children, we hear their side of what occurred to them during WWII. From a few pages to up to six pages, they tell us what they remembered. The children were affected in a variety of ways by the war: many had to leave their homes, some watched their fathers leave to fight in the war hence leaving them with lots of questions running through their minds, some children had to prepare for the war themselves and some even tried to stay in their own homes while the war ragged outside. They told their account and it was translated but the tone and the feelings are still in the words on the page. It’s as if these survivors were sitting with me, telling me how they reacted to a world that had turned upside down on them.

I could tell you about many of the individuals in this book as every story life in this book is worth mentioning. Their stories are different but every single one of them, are forever changed. How many times I read the word, “Mama!” I cannot count them all. How many times I read, “I was hungry,” I cannot count them all. How many times I read about death, how it had become part of these children’s regular, daily schedule, I cannot count them all.

There was Marlen, age 11, who is now a member of a town council. Marlen remembers always being hungry while living in the orphanage. He remembers needing to be first in line or you might not get anything to eat. With it being -20 degrees outside, Marlen takes off his hat and had a soldier ladle some soup into his hat instead of finding a metal tin. Marlen quickly runs back to the orphanage. He now has frostbite on his ears but he has supplied frozen soup to everyone there. Now, this adventure puts a smile on my face.

This is a book worth reading. I enjoyed this book and I appreciate the individuals who shared their stories lives with me.

The Chain by Adrian McKinty

When I first saw the cover for this book, I was intrigued and then, when all the reviews started popping up saying how great it was, I put myself on the list to read it. As I started reading it, I couldn’t stop thinking about it and then, I started applying the book to my own personal life. What would I do if I was in Rachel’s shoes? How far would I go? I was literally sucked into this book! In the end, what really surprised me, was how involved Rachel became. I was captivated by what was happening inside these pages but Rachel was possessed.

Kylie was taken from the bus stop. As she makes her way into their car, Kylie’s mind reflects back to all the warnings that she had received over the years about getting into a stranger’s vehicle. Yet, here she was, sitting next to a hooded man, driven by a woman she didn’t know.

Her mother, Rachel will soon receive the first of many calls from an “Unknown Caller, and she will wish that she had done many things differently.” Rachel will then begin fulfilling the requirements to get Kylie back. Rachel, a woman who is fighting cancer hopes that she too, can fight this chain letter which she will discover, cannot be broken.

I enjoyed all the different viewpoints that the author provided in this story. I felt these gave me a complete picture of the events and it provided a more elaborate account of what was happening. I liked how Rachel matured in the story. In the beginning, Rachel was scared and timid but by the end of the novel, she was a totally different character. As the story progressed, I felt as if something came over Rachel and she was on a mission. I kept wondering what came over her, why was she acting the way she was and when was this going to end? Planting myself in her shoes, I don’t know if I could have stepped where she did or went as far as she went.

I did feel that the book changed tempo halfway through. One part felt intense and vibrant while the other part felt stealthy and sly. This was a fantastic, on-edge mystery that kept me focused till the very end.

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

4 stars Middle School/ Ya/ Children’s Chapter

I listened to the audio of this book and I thought it was really good. The only issue I had was some of the voices on the audio. It sounded like some of the voices were dubbed in, for they were louder than any of the other voices on the CD’s and it was annoying. I enjoyed how the students discussed their opinions and their lives, and I enjoyed the discussion on the last CD.

As the students gather weekly in the Art room, they have become a small family. They were chosen to be a part of this group and at first, they’re not quite sure exactly what their part is, in all of it. They are a small group, a group of their own peers. Meeting weekly to discuss anything they wanted, without any distractions or interruptions.

I like how the conversations started to change overtime. They become more lucid and fluid, their tones changed and they started to care more for one another. They weren’t just peers anyone but they became friends and sometimes they became brothers and sisters, someone they could depend and lean on. They’re not all the same which makes their conversations interesting and sometimes intense.

They’re kids, they speak from the heart and they show their emotions without warning. It’s a great audio and it’s rather short. The interview/conversation with the author at the end was interesting so make sure you stay tuned to that, if you listen to the audio. I highly recommend the audio version of this book.

The Devil’s Revolver by V.S. McGrath

This was better than I imagined. I loved the cover and that is what sold me on reading it. The story is part fantasy and part western but the story is total enjoyment as Hettie tries to save her little sister, Abby. Bonded with Diablo (a.k.a the Devil’s Revolver) Hettie unfortunately is walking into many situations blindly. Her accuracy holding a firearm is one talent she can count on and one that she uses to her advantage.

I like how Hettie takes matters into her own hands. She doesn’t wait around and hope for someone to help her out and she doesn’t whine, she moves. She almost moves too fast, sometimes. She immediately goes after Abby. When she sees Ling in trouble, she steps in. She’s not afraid of speaking her mind to anyone, she is herself. When bonded with Diablo, the unknown of what has occurred doesn’t shake her, she just continues on.

With magic and loaded weapons, Hettie learns the truth behind Diablo and the price this demonic weapon carries. This was a high energy read for read and the magical aspects of the novel were entertaining. I can’t wait to read what happens in the next novel. 4.5 stars

I received a copy of this novel from NetGalley and IBPA in exchange for an honest review.

Velva Jean Learns to Drive by Jennifer Niven

Velva Jean’s daddy often took off, leaving his family wondering when he’d return. Later, he’d walk back through the door, as if he’d just stepped outside for a break, and the days and the months that he’d been gone, you’d think they were just all your imagination. When their mama died, the kids were at a loss, for their daddy was out somewhere. When he got done wandering, he would discover that his wife had died and the letter that he had written to his wife, the one that she kept reading after he left, is what his children believe caused her death.

I enjoyed this novel as I followed along beside Velva Jean as she explored and grew-up in Sleepy Gap, North Carolina during the 1930’s. Velva Jean had dreams of singing in the Grand Ole Opry and considering her situation, I was impressed with this dream. With her mama, gone and her daddy, a no-show, Velva Jean and her sibling were taken in by her grandparents.

I think the grandparents did the best they could and I had to laugh when they sent two of the kids off to a bootlegger. This incident lands the kids in jail which changes them forever on many levels. The kids feel they have now crossed the fence from being “good” kids, they’ve met some new people, they seen new sights, and they’ve been arrested.

I liked the flow of this book. It wasn’t an intense, action-packed novel but it had a calm, even-flow pace to it. It had the pace that I would think living in the mountains would have. There was a singing competition that stirs things up as Velva Jean wants to compete, religion comes into the picture as Velva Jean started to worry about future, and it gets interesting when Velva Jean begins to mature and she runs into a fellow from her past.

I’m going to look into the other books in this series and I like books about the Appalachian Mountains and I enjoyed this novel.

Brave Face by Shaun David Hutchinson

I knew this book was going to be rough, I had been warned but I knew that I had to read it for these are the types of books that I enjoy. I don’t enjoy them for the struggles and the pain that the individuals go through but for a multitude of other reasons.

I enjoyed this book because it made me feel, it brought my emotions up front and center. And boy, did I have plenty of emotions with this book. Most of my emotions were directed at Shaun, whether I was ready to scream at him, be scared for him, frustrated with him, or I just wished I could reach inside the book, wrap my arms around him and comfort him.

This book also showed me how resilient Shaun was. As I read this book, Shaun faced a lot of crappy situations but when all is said-and-done, Shaun persisted. Shaun experienced scrapes, bruises, and scars during the process, and he’s definitely a changed person because of what he went through. That to me says a lot about a person and I enjoy reading how these individuals find their strength and courage. As I read these stories, I feel like I’m part of the story. I give them encouragement (sometimes more vocal then I should) and push for them to find hope, yet I know that I’m nothing but a voice talking to a book.

This book is also one that I will not forget. I liked how Shaun warned his readers at the beginning of the book that it contains some difficult topics. Shaun is being real; this is his life and he’s not going to smooth things over to make his readers happy. This really happened according to Shaun. So, deal with it.

Shaun discusses in this book growing up, discovering his sexuality, how he came out, and his depression. It’s pretty straight forward and there’s swearing, homosexuality, drugs, suicide, stealing, and some sex, so be willing to walk with Shaun as he covers what his life was like and how he survived. I thought the novel was powerful and moving. I realize the year on the calendar has changed, yet I wonder if things have really changed in how individuals are accepted. Parents, peers, friends, relatives, and siblings all have an impact during this time. I appreciate Shaun honesty and I appreciate that he shared his experience with others.

Shaun never felt good enough for anyone. He’d start to get comfortable with someone and then, internally a switch would go off and he’d start waiting for the ball to drop. It was too good to be true, something bad was bound to happen. Shaun wanted to fit in with his peers. Shaun wanted to like girls but when he was with them, it just didn’t feel right. He lied to fit in but paid the price for it over and over again. He knew he was different yet he didn’t know why. Shaun had his own view and opinions and these clouded his mind and judgement. It took him a while to figure out exactly what made him different and then, he needed to figure out what to do next.

A great read that will definitely leave a lasting impression. Thank you, Shaun, for sharing your story with others.

The Missing Season by Gillian French – winner!

I got a package in the mail today and the return address was from Gillian French. I did a double take as the personal label was a sticky one, a personal label, and it said Gillian French with a normal address on it, not a publishing company. I just let the package sit on the counter for a while as I let it sink it. I know, I’m kinda weird but I was really excited to get this personal package from her.

When I finally opened it , I found out that I was a winner in a YABC Giveaway! Gillian personally sent me an autographed hard-copy book, a personalize note, some lip balm, a bookmark, a postcard and a business card for her upcoming book, Grit (which is already on my TBR list) . Thank you Gillian French and YABC!

I’m excited to have this book in my possession as I can read this reread this mysterious novel again It centers around a town legend and the Mumbler, who they believe abducts children and takes them into the nearby forest. As a new resident, Clara must come to her own conclusions as Halloween approaches.

Fish You Were Here by Colleen Af Venable

4 stars Children’s Graphic Novel

Mr. Venezi is looking for an assistant for his pet shop and at first his interviews aren’t going so well. Mr. V. needs to find someone who can handle the day-to-day operations of his pet shop and one who can handle, the quirky Mr. V..

When Viola walked in the door, they all thought she was perfect and she was hired on the spot. She made everyone happy at first and then, Viola took an unexpected turn. The animals felt that Viola wasn’t doing her job and to make matters worse, what happened to Mr. Venezi?

When the owner doesn’t arrive to work at his normal time, the animals start to panic and you don’t want that to happen.

I thought this was a cute story as Sasspants, the guinea pig, and Hamisher, the hamster, come together to try to solve this case. There are a lot of text boxes, with plenty of words, in this graphic novel so keep that in mind when selecting this book. I liked how the creatures worked together and how they pieced together the mystery to solve things. It was a fun story.

The Cat From Hunger Mountain by Ed Young

3 stars Children’s Picture Book

What a wonderful tale this was about a wealthy, greedy Lord Cat who finally fell on hard and learned a valuable lesson. Had it not been for the illustrations which were collaged together and I had a hard time deciphering, I would have given this children’s book 5 stars.

In this book, the Lord Cat had everything he could possibly imagine, although he felt like it was never enough. After having the strongest workers construct him the tallest pagoda, he lived high up on Hunger Mountain, looking down amongst everyone else. Oh, he was a cruel one, demanding this and demanding that. He was never satisfied which even affected the famous rice which grew on Hunger Mountain. He yelled at his servants to work faster gathering the crop and so they did.

When a drought hit the land, it lasted one year, affecting everyone including Lord Cat’s famous rice. This drought didn’t change Lord Cat yet the villagers (his workers) were getting hungry. When the drought continued for a second year, the villagers moved to the city, leaving Lord Cat alone. Who would do his work for him? What will become of Lord Cat?

Finally, with nothing left, Lord Cat leaves his once glamorous life and tries to find food. From fame to famine, Lord Cat is now having to tend to himself. Such a great lesson here, as now he’s seen like everyone else and they’re all equals. The last part of the book sealed the deal for me. Lord Cat had to be feeling mighty low by now but what the monk tells him has to hit him really hard. Not like I want to hit a man again while he’s down but I want to show a man reality while his eyes are open and willing to see.

I really enjoyed this story but the illustrations were hard to enjoy. Sometimes, I could make out the pictures and understand them but other times, the collaged images ran into one another. I also wasn’t sure about the dead animals in the book (since this is a children’s book). 3.5 stars

I found it hard to decipher some of the illustrations

Yet, some of the illustrations were easy to follow.

Mascot by Antony John

5 stars Middle School/ Children’s Chapter

I loved this book! There is so many reasons why I loved it and those reasons kept mounting as I read it. I’m only sorry that it took me a while to find this book and now, I’m wondering what else this author wrote that I should be reading.

In the beginning pages of Mascot, you will meet Noah who is adjusting to life in a wheelchair. Noah was with his father in a car accident, were his father was pronounced dead and now, Noah is a paraplegic.

From his tone, Noah isn’t happy with the way his life is headed. During his weekly physical therapy sessions, Noah’s passive/negative remarks have him moving nowhere, whereas another patient in the room, who Noah has been watching, is slowly making progress. His former teammates taunt and bully him, every chance that they get. The pitcher, once his close friend is the leader in this cruel act. Once a star catcher on the school’s baseball team, Noah can’t use his legs anymore. With his father gone, he must rely on his mother for everything and the way things are going, Noah feels this might be a long time.

When Ruben enters the picture, this book just blew up. Ruben cracked me up! Ruben, a.k.a Double Wide or Dee-Dub, arrives in his true form. When he was first introduced to the class, I had many thoughts going through my head as Dee Dub basically says the honest truth without any filters. Like Noah thought, Dee-Dub was crazy or a total genius that knows that being a new kid he can get away with anything. I think he was a little bit of both.

Ruben ends up sitting next to Noah and they form a friendship. Ruben is now associated with Noah which gets the attention of everyone especially the baseball team. I wondered how Ruben would handle the harassment now that he was a part of it. Noah and Ruben were now a pair but could they do anything against a team? We meet Alyssa, who is a friend of Noah’s. I thought she was one tough girl. Noah needed to start hanging around her more as she would teach him something, for she was not taking any gruff from anyone.

Ruben was not afraid of speaking his mind and now, Noah finally has someone to talk to. Ruben helps us, as readers, get to know the characters as he’s not afraid of talking to them and inquiring into the lives of each of them.

What a remarkable, outstanding book! I loved the characters as they felt realistic and I liked how they felt a variety of emotions. There were fears and bleak situations but they worked through them. Now to see what else I need to read by this author.