Tag archives for Moving
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BOOK NAME: Laugh With the Moon
AUTHOR: Shana Burg
Clare is a thirteen year old girl who lives in Boston with her father, or at least used to. When her dad unexpectedly moves them to Malawi, Africa for two months, Clare is unwillingly dragged to a new place where they barely speak any English. Laugh With the Moon is an inspirational story about how Clare learns to cope with moving to what seems like “a whole other planet” and the aftermath pain of her mother’s death. Clare is faced with many challenges, but with the help from her new friends and father, she’ll learn valuable life lessons that will stick with readers forever.
I was stepping completely out of my comfort zone when reading this realistic fiction book but I really enjoyed it and found it extremely inspirational. I loved that Clare was portrayed as a normal girl that reacted to such drastic changes and challenges like a normal 13-year-old girl would. It helped connect to her and her story which made the book that much better. My favorite character in this book was Memory. I found her really intelligent, clever, and independent even when the world threw hurdles in her way. This book taught me that “grief isn’t a tunnel you walk through and you’re done”. It was extremely moving and I recommend it for ages 10 to 14.
Posted by BOOK NAME: Mamba Point
AUTHOR: Kurtis Scaletta
If you don’t like snakes, it’s time to get over your fears because this is an amazing book! This is the second time I’ve reviewed a book that takes place in Africa and the contrast is intriguing. Reading a story such as Mamba Point provides us with an easy journey and chance to escape.
Linus’ family must move from the USA to Africa because his dad got a job there. Getting used to life in Africa comes with many challenges. One of them is getting used to the big black snakes in the area called mambas. They are one of the most dangerous snakes in Africa. When being in a new country gets overwhelming, Linus loves to draw and he secretly brings a mamba to his apartment when no one is home and he sketches the snake! But even though much joy comes to him through the snake, some near disasters take place that change Linus forever.
I think this book really ties together animals and humans in a different way than usually thought. I find this book quite different because it is a new experience for both the snake and Linus. I bet everyone would love this book, especially animal lovers. But Mamba Point is more than just a story about a bond between a boy and his snake. It’s about having a chance to reinvent yourself that many of us can only dream about.
This book will enchant and delight you as you journey with Linus to Africa. Together you and he will learn about African culture, snakes, friendship, and most importantly, truths about themselves. By the way, my mom still isn’t convinced that a snake makes a good pet!
Posted by BOOK NAME: Rocky Road
AUTHOR: Rose Kent
Life choices have always been a struggle for Delilah, bad choices leaving her small family to suffer all the consequences. Later deciding she’d make a good choice for her family, she takes her daughter, Tess, and deaf son, Jordan, to live in New York.
Delilah suffers from a medical illness, making some of her days productive and successful while other days go downhill. After deciding to open an ice cream shop, Tess starts to worry about income and things seem to get worse from there. Soon she feels pressured to be the one that needs to take care of herself and Jordan.
When their life has their ups and downs, Tess tries her best to stay strong. Suddenly, she gets fed up with this sudden heap of responsibility thrown on her and takes a stand. Her opinions rise and she lets Delilah know how things need to be; specifically, how she and Jordan need Delilah to just be a mother to them.
Rocky Road is a book filled with life decisions. I liked how the author included Jordan, a deaf young boy. It added more drama to the book and made this li’l character stand out from the rest; although he obviously didn’t have much to say, he played a big role in the book.
I’d suggest this book to just about any age, everything being easy to understand. The book was overall appropriate with interesting characters. I must say it isn’t a favorite because it lacked one thing–an interesting story line.
