‘Freefall’ by Jessica Barry is a thriller about the hidden strength in a mother and daughter

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“Freefall” by Jessica Barry is an action-filled thriller that is about a daughter who has left home, lost her job, lost her compass, and in the process of becoming a hero is also in huge danger. While Ally is literally running for her life, her mother, halfway across the country, is mourning her daughter’s supposed death and also investigating who her estranged daughter had somehow become.

Between Ally and Maggie’s alternating first-person narratives, the reader learns the story of the past and what happened to estrange the mother and daughter, and the present. The present is that Ally is supposedly dead in a plane crash that killed her and her fiancé, but the reader knows Ally is really on the run after surviving the plane crash. Through Ally’s narrative, the reader learns about Ally’s inner strength and her determination to survive.

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‘Me for You’ by Lolly Winston takes readers through stages of loss beginning with grief and guilt

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As published in Bookreporter.com:

In “Me for You” by Lolly Winston, there is no lead-in to the death of Rudy Knowles’ wife. The first sentence acts as both a hook and a warning — this book is about death and loss. “Like a fool, Rudy spoke to his wife Bethany for probably ten minutes before he realized she was dead.” The reader then is taken through the next horrifying time when Rudy realizes that she is dead, calls 911, tries to revive her, and fails.

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‘Stand on the Sky’ by Erin Bow is a tale of a girl’s nomadic life and her love for a young eagle

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“Stand on the Sky” by Erin Bow is a book that stands out from many other middle grade reads. The setting and the plot are an introduction into another culture — one that seems to be another world from a life where cold food is nuked in a microwave and there’s a Starbucks on every corner. Aisulu is the twelve-year-old main character who lives with her family in Mongolia.

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‘New Kid’ by Jerry Craft is a graphic novel that is perfect for middle grade and young adult readers who are finding their place in the world

 

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In “New Kid,” Jerry Craft introduces Jordan Banks, a wanna-be artist and seventh grader who is starting at a new school, a fancy private school. It’s called Riverdale Academy Day School (RAD) and it’s exclusive, prestigious, and filled with mostly rich white kids, all of which Jordan is not. Each new student gets a “guide,” and Jordan is lucky — his guide is  Liam, a kid who, while rich and white, really needs a friend.

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6 Nonfiction Picture Books are perfect for Women’s History Month

Books about historical figures are wonderful to read to young and older children at any time, but March is Women’s History Month, so it’s a perfect time to learn about new picture books featuring important famous — and not-so-famous — women from around the world. Each of the six books listed here is powerful in its own right. Each one deserves a special place on a classroom. library, or home bookshelf.

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‘Outwalkers’ by Fiona Shaw is a powerful book about the love of a boy for his dog in a bleak dystopian future

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“The Outwalkers” by Fiona Shaw is a tough read, but not because it’s not a fabulous story. In fact, the book is intriguing from the first page and emotionally heartrending to the last. It’s dark and depressing, but at the same time it’s filled with hope and the promise of a better world. My heart beat a bit faster from the beginning to the end of the book — I was that worried about the main character, Jake, and his incredibly loyal and wonderful dog Jet.

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