2021 Challenge: Books With A Green Cover: Range

 Book: Range

Author: David Epstein

Pages: 368

This is my 58th read for the year

A lot of people will argue that in order to be great at something - one must start early in life.  The book opens with the story of Tiger Woods and Roger Federer - two greats in their chosen sport - with two completely different paths.  What experts have found, however, is that starting early and becoming great is the exception - not the rule.

This book delvs deep into different stories of people who started late in their careers only to becomes some of the greats we know today (Van Gogh is talked about quite a bit).  Experts argue that the path to greatness is when those who on that path experience many interests along the way, not just one focus.  They weave a varied path to discovery of what they truly want to be.  And more often than not - crossing domains, instead of focusing solely on one area of study, leads to the greats in those fields.

This was a great book.  First - we lived in the same town that Roger Federer was from in Basel, and got to know a bit about him while we lived there.  What this book says about him (and the Swiss in general) - is spot on.  Roger was able to explore many sports and interest before settling on Tennis.  Even his parents really didn't want him to focus so much on one particular sport - encouraging him to not take things so seriously and just have fun.  He, and Van Gogh, and many other tops of the fields had similar courses to greatness which I found truly inspiring.  The message is - it is never too late to find a passion.  People who think broadly will increasingly thrive.  What a great message.

I encourage you to try this book.  I think you will be blown away by what the researchers found when they started to look into the past of famous and talented individuals, and it might encourage you to find your true calling in life.

Stars: 4 1/2

2021 Challenge: Main Character Is A Librarin: The Librarian of Saint-Malo

 Book: The Librarian of Saint-Malo

Author: Mario Escobar

Pages: 384

This is my 57th read for the year

This is the story of Jocelyn during WWII in St. Malo, France.  Newly married when her husband gets called to the front, Jocelyn is left to protect her home and the library she works in.  She has to billet a German officer who is crude and takes great pleasure in beating the towns people.  Jocelyn looks for hope by writing letters to a famous author telling him how she plans to passively resist by doing her best to protect the towns people and her precious library.  Not wanting to leave her precious Saint - Malo, even when things look so dire, shows Jocelyn's will to protect what she holds most dear.

This is just an okay book.  I bought it for my mother and I because 1) I visited Saint Malo a few years ago to see the remaining devestation from that long ago war, and 2) my Uncle Joe was killed during the war in Saint Malo.  This is a small town in France, so not much is known about it, so imagine my excitement when I saw a book about the town AND a library all in one?  Except it is poorly written.  It is hard to follow because the book streams through 5 years in 300 pages with very little substance.  I didn't like any of the characters.  The writing was juvenille.  I was disappointed that there wasn't more about the city in general let alone a followable story.  Just a shame.

Skip this one

Stars: 2

2021 Challenge: A Character With A Disability: Out Of My Mind

 Book: Out Of My Mind

Author: Sharon Draper

Pages: 320

This is my 56th read for the year

This is the story of Melody.  A young girl with cerebral palsy.  She cannot walk.  She has never spoken. Yet she has hopes and dreams just like all other 11 year olds.  Her parents know how smart she is, yet it takes a kindly neighbor and a school aide to get her a voice so she can communicate.  Once she has a talking board, she can prove that she is smart and capable.  She proves that her disability does not define her and how much she has to contribute.

This was a pretty good book.  It is told in the voice of an 11 year old and would make a great book for teachers to read to students in the 3-5th grade range.  It is a book about tolerance and misunderstanding when someone sees someone who cannot walk or talk.  Melody proves that given the tools she needs, there is no stopping her.  She wants what most 5th graders want - cool clothes, friends, and to be included.

As a nurse I have taken care of countless kids with cerebal palsy - many who were just as capable as Melody.  I am a better person for knowing them.   I would encourage parents to read all kinds of books about all different kinds of disabilities to their children to help use become more understanding of those who are differenly abled.  It is a good lesson and this book a good place to start.

Stars: 4 

2021 Challenge: Ending That Surprised You: Woman In The Window

 Book: Woman In The Window

Author: AJ Finn

Pages: 464

This is my 55th read for the year

This is the story of Anna Fox.  Anna suffers from agoraphobia - hasn't left her house in almost a year.  Even the idea of going outside just a few steps sends her into a panic.  She fills her days watching old movies, drinking too much, and spying on her neighbors.  One night, she thinks she sees a woman murdered, and it sends her life into a tail spin.  She isn't even sure what she saw was real, but she needs to go out of her comfort zone, and out of her house, to find out.

this was an okay book.  I listened to it because I have endless hours to kill right now with projects and figured this would be entertaining enough to pass some time.  IT was.  I wasn't a big fan of "Girl on The Train" and this book reminded me a lot of that.  A borderline alcoholic character there and here - not a fan.  It was overdone. I think if I was reading this instead of listening to it, I would have been even more annoyed.  The book is a slow burn.  A very slow burn.  And the ending was a bit of a surprise, but nothing that I thought "oh my goodness!  I didn't see that coming!"

Eh.  For something that was a best seller, I expected it to be better. 

Stars: 3

2021 Challenge: Book About Adoption: Far From The Tree

 Book: Far From The Tree

Author: Robin Benway

Pages: 400

This is my 54th book of the year

I am streaming through audiobooks right now because we are painting our entire first floor.  Our contractors are on a 2 week break from our remodel and told us it was time to paint.  5-6 hours a day of painting calls for endless audiobooks

This is the story of three siblings - Grace, Maya, and Joaquin. All three adopted when they were very young, they have no idea the other exists until Grace decides -  as a teenager who just had a baby of her own - to hunt for her biological family.  She is an only child until she finds Maya - her biological younger sister and Joaquin - her older brother.  All three had been searching for where they belong and finding each other brings all kinds of feelings to the surface that they will work through together.  All of them have loving adoptive families who have their backs while they work out their new normal together.

This was a pretty good book.  It was a quick listen and the writing was good.  Maya is witty with some pretty good lines.  There was a BIT too much drama, but with such a quick read, it didn't bother me much.  I liked the idea of the story and how they painted adoption in a positive light along with the realities of what that means for the child who was adopted.  

Check this one out - you won't be disappointed.

Stars: 4

2021 Challenge: Graphic Novel: Sweet Tooth

Book: Sweet Tooth (volumes 1-3)

Author: Jeff Lemire

Pages:  Book 1 - 128, Book 2 -  

This is my 53rd book for the year

Just counting it as one

The Sweet Tooth Trilogy tells the story of Gus.  A hybrid child in a post apocolyptic world who has no idea that he is different.  He has been raised with his father in a cabine in the woods - never meeting another person.  A pandemic has struck the earth and all babies born after the pandemic hits are hybrids of animals and people - all different levels of intelligence.  The humans set out to kill all the hybrids, or bring them to scientist to study them and find out why all the humans are still dying while the hybrid children are thriving.

Gus' father dies and he meets a man named Jepperd who promises to help him.  For the first time, Gus (nicknamed Sweet Tooth for his love of chocolate) leaves the safety of his cabin and his woods and follows Jepperd into the world.  What follows is the discovery of other children like him, the people who want to help them and to harm them, and his quest to find out the truth of where he really came from.

This was a great series.  It is an acclaimed graphic novel and soon to be a Netflix series, so I wanted to check it out.  It was really good.  I became invested in the story (of course it is my favorite genre - dystopian) and the mystery surrounding Gus and his beginning and the hybrid children.  Once I read the first novel I quickly got the next two because I had to see how it ended and I was no disappointed.  It is a well told story and it wraps up in my favorite way - in the future with a follow up of the characters.  

If you like graphic novels, dystopian future stories and are curious about the Netflix show - check this out.  IT was a pretty quick read, and I am so glad I read it.

Stars: 4 1/2

2021 Challenge: Cover The Same Color As Your Birthstone (Red): Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?

 Book: Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?  Big Questions From Tiny Mortals

Author: Caitlin Doughty

Pages: 240

This is my 52nd book for this year

Caitlin is back answering questions that kids have asked about death and funerals.  Caitlin receives dozens of questions daily about death and decided to composite the most asked and blends her knowledge as an experienced mortician and known history to answer those questions.  Quesions like: does our hair and nails continue to grow?  What happens to astronauts if they die in space?  Do people poop when they die?  Can I have a Viking funeral.  She brings humor and science together and gets to the bottom of these pressing questions that even adults have.

Another excellent book by this author.  Caitlin is candid and knowledgable and it shows.  She does a terrific job explaining a lot of questions that kids (and let's face it - adults) have about death and what happens to bodies.  She takes her vast knowledge and forms it into understandable answers full of history and science.  You will find yourself smiling and laughing at some of the myths that she uncovers based on the questions she gets.  I learned a lot from all of her books, but feel that this was a good book to help answer some of those questions kids have.

Check out her series.  I hope she doesn't stop writing.  She is extremely talented and smart and I am glad I have found her books.

Stars: 5