I Kill the Mockingbird (2014)

I Kill the Mockingbird. Paul Acampora. 2014. Roaring Book Press. 176 pages. [Source: Library]

Lucy, Michael, and Elena are best friends. They have almost always been best friends. I Kill The Mockingbird is about a secret summer project these three think up and orchestrate.

It starts with the announcement of Miss Caridas' summer reading list:

• David Copperfield
• Ender's Game
• Fahrenheit 451
• War Horse
• War of the Worlds
• The Giver
• To Kill A Mockingbird

 Lucy remembers that Miss Caridas was not their only English teacher that year. She replaced another teacher, Mr. "Fat Bob" Nowak, who died of a heart attack in October. He had told the class that he would assign only one book for the summer: To Kill A Mockingbird. Lucy reminds her friends of this, and expresses how she wishes everyone would read it and WANT to read it. The friends think and consider and brainstorm. What if they could manipulate supply and demand and make people really desperate to find a copy and read it?

I Kill the Mockingbird is about that project, about their misshelving books at bookstores and libraries across the state of Connecticut, about their online campaign "I Kill the Mockingbird."

It's a quick read. It has some depth to it. Lucy is worried that her mom's cancer might come back someday. Lucy is still missing the teacher who died. Lucy and her friends are thinking about life and death and legacies. But it is in many ways a light novel about three best friends who love to read and who want others to love to read too. It would almost be impossible for me not to like--really, really like this novel about reading. I still haven't decided if I LOVED it or just really, really, really LIKED it.

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Iva Honeysuckle Discovers the World (2012)

Ivy Honeysuckle Discovers the World. Candice F. Ransom. 2012. Disney-Hyperion. 160 pages. [Source: Library book]

I definitely enjoyed meeting Iva and Heaven Honeycutt. These two are double first cousins. There is a LOT of tension in their relationship. Their mothers (Aunt Sissy and Aunt Sissy Two) wanted to time their pregnancies so that all their children could be best friends with each other. Arden and Lily Pearl are Iva's sisters. Hunter and Howard are Heaven's sister and brother. Ransom does a great job at bringing ALL six children to life in her book. Both families feel completely believable. I also enjoyed the community that this one is set in. Several neighbors enter into the story in lovely ways.

Iva and Heaven are different. Different from one another, yes, but also different from other children their own age. Neither girl truly excels in making and keeping friends.

Heaven loves going to yard sales. She likes buying things for her hope chest. When she's not looking for embroidered pillow cases and other dainty household items, she might be found praying or assisting with vacation church school.

Iva dreams of being an adventurer, she longs to discover something WONDERFUL in her hometown of Uncertain, Virginia. She has a plan. Once this girl has a plan, she likes to STICK to it. But it isn't always easy to stick to plans when plans don't take into account every little thing!

This is a summer adventure. I would definitely recommend this one!

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews

Half A Chance (2014)

Half A Chance. Cynthia Lord. 2014. Scholastic. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]

I really enjoyed Cynthia Lord's new novel, Half A Chance. Lucy and her family have just moved to New Hampshire. It is summer. Lucy is new and nervous about finding friends. She meets Nate and his family on her first night there. Lucy and Nate and Emily become friends quickly. But one of Nate's friends isn't so happy to see him spending time with Lucy: Megan. And if the truth is admitted, Lucy does seem to monopolize Nate's time with this new and exciting photography contest. Lucy and Nate have teamed up on this scavenger hunt and are trying to take amazing photos. Lucy is contemplating entering the contest even though her father is the judge of the contest.

Half A Chance is a very nature-friendly book. The kids are always, always outside and doing something. One of the stories in the book has them observing loons (and recording their observations and sending them off to a society).

What I enjoyed even more than the photography or the bird-watching was the focus on family and friendship. I really liked Nate's family. I loved his Grandma Lilah. I thought the handling of her dementia was nicely done. It was honest and bittersweet.

© 2014 SukaYuka.com of SukaYuka's Book Reviews