This break was going to be a chance to catch up on middle grade fictions books but I am knee deep in adult reading. Reading about the environment. I guess it follows the theme of my last book review, The Wolf Keepers.
I read the following – all worth looking at if you are into environmental reading. They are very different yet connected to the land. The environment is one of the top issue I am worried about these days. It is one of the issues I am working into the novel I am trying to write. So I am in a deep dive of reading about nature. Also it is winter here in Minnesota. The ground is frozen and white not allowing my fingers to run through the soil, or my nose to smell the moisture of the earth on an early morning walk. So I read!
- Upstream by Mary Oliver
- The Hour of Land: a Personal Topography of America’s National Parks by Terry Tempest Williams
- Bringing Nature Home by Douglas Tallamy
In between those books I did finish late last night Natalie Lloyds new book – The Key to Extraordinary. This is Lloyds second book. If you missed her first book Snicker of Magic you should look it up.
The Key to Extraordinary deals with loss, fear and bullies but in a light hearted way. She takes us on an adventure – that shows us how families care for each other in many ways, how friendship really is the treasure we are all looking for and love rules all.
This would be a great read aloud for 3rd and 4th graders. A nice way to show students how friendship can make a difference in peoples lives. Lloyd has a writing style that brings humor into a story with deeper issues like the loss of a parent, fear of losing your home and bullying. She helps us see how fear and bravery go together – that even though we are fearful we can take steps to make a difference in the world around us.
Happy Reading in 2017!
Words from JL 
I received Upstream for Christmas. And Today Will Be Different by Maria Semple. But I haven’t had time to open either one. I’m so busy reading Newbery possibilities. Finally read Ghost by Jason Reynolds last week and loved it. I’m currently reading Wolf Hollow and it’s great too. How will they ever pick the Newbery from so many strong contenders? I loved Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams which I read years ago! Did you like this new book by her? Happy reading.
I just got Ghost from the library so will start that today. I loved Wolf Hollow. I did like her new book but I love reading about nature. She has an interesting mix of personal stories, history of the National Parks and the current threat to this National Treasure we have in our parks. It did make we want to set up a summer road trip to as many parks as I can. I also loved Upstream. You can read that a little bit at a time and nice to go back to. I don’t know Maria Semple – will have to check out her books. Thanks and Happy New Year!