It's Monday! What Are You Reading? 9-30-13
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Books I Read this Week:
Listening for Lucca by Suzanne LaFleur
Wendy Lamb Books, 2013
Realistic Fiction/Supernatural combination
240 pages
Recommended for grades 5-8
Ever since I laid my hands on Love, Aubrey I've been a huge Suzanne LaFleur fan. She writes in such a fashion that you feel the characters are authentic and true to their age. Siena is a middle school age girl wrestling with guilt and hope. Siena's four year old brother Lucca doesn't talk, which is a constant stressor in his family. After moving to a seaside home in Maine Lucca's family has hopes that their new home will be the key to Lucca speaking again. Unbeknownst to her parents, Siena is communicating with spirits or memories of the past, and discovering that the past and the present are not that very separate.
The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt
Atheneum, 2013
Fantasy
336 pages
Recommended for grades 4-6
I listened to this story, and I'm glad and I'm not that I did. I'm glad I listened to the audio version because Lyle Lovett does a masterful job reading this story, bringing each scene to life. I'm not glad that I went the audio route because I missed out on highlighting, underlining, dog-earring and page flagging this amazing writing. With balances of sugar sweet and heart aching and belly laughing lines, you really can't miss out on the text version. See, right now I am wishing that I could share one of my favorite lines with you, but I can't, because I don't have the book! Let's just say it involves "poof and poof respectively." Needless to say, I will be buying this book.
I'm Currently Reading:
On Deck:
Have a wonderful reading week!
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ReplyDeleteHmmm, Quantity and Quality looks interesting. I'll be watching for you to write about that one. My daughter just finished Love, Aubrey. Maybe Listening for Lucca should be our next read aloud. Thanks for the recommendations.
ReplyDeleteHello there Nicole, it looks like the new Kathi Appelt title is amazing. I am drawn by the book cover, so I'd probably look for that one soon. Listening for Lucca also sounds delightfully creepy with the supernatural elements. Thanks for sharing all these.
ReplyDeleteIsn't the cover of Sugar Man Swamp just the greatest?! I was drawn to it right away because of that. Listening for Lucca wasn't that creepy...I love a good creepy book though :)
DeleteLove Aubrey is a hugely important book in our house. My daughter has read it (and cried through it on each reading) multiple times. I just won Listening for Lucca through Goodreads - can't wait to read it and share it with my daughter. I am hearing beautiful things abut this Appelt title - I should read it - I am a little wary of her books as The Underneath still upsets me. But she is a beautiful writer.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I've never read The Underneath. I've been meaning to, but I just haven't yet. I can say that there is nothing upsetting in this new title. Listening for Lucca is a gentle book, I am sure you will enjoy sharing it with your daughter. There is one part about Siena being named after the city she was conceived in...awkward moment in the story!
DeleteI placed "The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp" on hold for my eight-year-old. Thanks for the suggestion!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome :)
DeleteBoth Listening for Lucca and The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp look amazing. Thanks for those great reviews. Have a great reading week!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome, and thanks for stopping by!
DeleteI am also a huge fan of Love, Aubrey...
ReplyDeleteI know, such a wonderful books. I don't keep multiple copies in my classroom library that often (tons of books, space is precious), but I will admit to keeping 3 copies of this book on hand. Once it is book talked-watch out!
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