Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018, 226 pages

Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan. Harper Collins, 1985, 58 pages.

The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Dial Books, 2017, 400 pages

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Puffin, 2015, 318 pages.

a Wrinkle in Time by Madeline L'Engle. Square Fish, 2007, 256 pages

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, Tundra Books, 2000.

Dead Wake by Eric Larson. Crown Publishers, 2015, 430 pages

Looking for Alaska by John Green. Dutton, 2005. 221 pages.

John Green's first novel. Printz Award. My first John Green book. It is fiction, not autobiographical, but he really did live in Florida and he really did go to boarding school in Alabama and a student really did die while he was a student there. A very good book.

The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson. Viking Books for Young Readers. 2014. 391 pages.

PTSD in the family. Daughter and her very messed up Dad. Frightenly realistic.

Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Scholastic Press, 2015. 592 pages.

Modern Fairy Tale

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. Yearling, 2010, 208 Pages.

Audio, so, so good. Reads like a book written for adults.

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry. Yearling, 2010, 176 pages

Odd and Quirky-- a family where the parents are distant and couldn't care less about their kids-- find them annoying, in fact. 4 kids on their own but with many issues-- weird, bossy older brother, shy and timid youngest girl who lacks confidence, Two Twins straining to find out who they are and make their mark. A funny nanny who is a character-- and on the kid's side, an old rich man who redeems himself and a foundling baby they all revolve around. And there is more. Loved it. Hooray for quirky families-- a funny sort of old fashioned but not really book.
- audio read  by comedian Arte Johnson.
If you love Roald Dahl and Lemony Snicket.

Redwall by Brian Jacques.Puffin, 2002, 386 pages

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. Harper Collins, 2008, 3007 Pages.

Bod, (Nobody) Owens's entire family is killed when he is a baby. But while the killer searches in vain to complete the job, Baby Nobody wanders into a graveyard where the folk who live there raise him as their own. There is lots for a living boy raised in a graveyard to learn. I listened to the audio book-- one of the very best-- read by Gaiman himself. The story told as the author intended. FABULOUS on every level.

Alanna: the first adventure by Tamora Pierce. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1983, 249 pages.

First of Song of the Lioness series. A Librarian I know and respect once told me that Tamora Pierce was her favorite author. This is my first Tamora Pierce book. I loved it. Pierce is a wonderful writer-- and whisks us into another world full of high fantasy magic, medieval social structures and a believable characters in otherwise unbelievable situations. So well written. Recommend it freely. Strong Girls from a master of the genre.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine, HarperCollins, 1997.

A modern Cinderella story for girls-- A dimwitted fairy gives baby Ella the gift of "obedience"-- and now she must always do what ever anyone tells her to do-- she is compelled. What's a modern Lady to do? A fun and freshly modern tale that kids will relate to, yet still full of magic, fairies, fairy god mothers, step sisters, Lords, Ladys and a Handsome Prince.
--Newbury honor sticker is there for a reason! well done.

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry. Houghton Mifflin, 1989, 1397 pages.

Holocaust tale for younger children. Told from the point of view of a Danish girl who learns her Jewish Friend must go into hiding and then escape to neutral Sweden. They are aided by members of her own family, in the Resistance to Nazi occupied Denmark. Annmarie learns alot in a few days. coming of age-ish. A modern Classic.