by Shiela O’Connor

246 pages to ponder – what if, what was what could be…

How would you feel if your mom took a new job and all of a sudden your summer changed?  How would you feel if you found yourself at a strange dilapidated mansion populated by a few eccentric artists?  You’ve got lots of questions, but you get no answers.  You know Grampa Mac, back in Milwaukee, is angry about it.  You know that your mom isn’t telling you the whole truth.  And Viktor, the guy driving the truck out from the train station, is less than friendly – he’s almost creepy in fact.

That’s how Raine’s summer begin – with one added twist, no talking at all until dinner six days a week, no electronics either.  Fortunately Raine and her mom arrive on a talking day.  Raine meets the artists: a confused elderly poetess, Lillian, a severe reclusive writer Eleanor, a vibrant joyous fabric artist, Josie and an optimistic collector mosaic artist, Diego.  She learns about Sparrow Road, Sorrow Lake, and the orphanage that once stood there.  But what’s a 12-year old supposed to do with her days, with her summer?

“But silence until supper?” I asked.  “Every day?  That sound absolutely horrible.”

“I know.”  Diego nodded.  “It sounds bad in the beginning.  But trust me, you’ll learn to like it, Raine… And Sparrow Road’s the perfect place for dreams.”

“Dreams?”

“Sure.  Like the way you start to daydream when you’re bored.  Or, there’s nothing but quiet so you dream.”

“Six days a week till supper?  That’s a lot of bored.”

“Oh, it’s not boring really.  Because an artist just gets busy and creates.  All the time alone becomes a painting or a poem or a quilt”

“When I was young I used to dream up stories,” I said.  “But that won’t keep me busy until supper.”

Diego laughed again.  “You’re still young, Raine.  And you might be surprised how much you create in all that quiet.  You could write a book at Sparrow Road.”

“About what?” I asked.

“Who knows?” Diego smiled.  “That’s part of the discovery.  Just start out on  a journey.  Ask yourself, What if?  Or think about what was or what could be.  And suddenly” – he snapped his fingers – ” like magic, you’ll be drifting in a dream.”

“What if?” I asked.  “What was?  Or what could be?”  Diego makd the silence sound enchanted.  Not a rule, but a chance.

“I swear it works for me,” Diego said.  “Just give it a try tomorrow.  Let me know what you dream up.”  (p 31-32)

There are dreams for Raine and challenges and mysteries.  There are joys and grave sorrows.  There are choices and changes.  What if?  What was?  What could be?  Go to Sparrow Road to find out.  You’ll be glad you did.

by R.J. Palacio

320 must read pages full of challenges that could help you decide what kind of person you want to be

August (Auggie) Pullman is about to start 5th grade.  The first unusual thing about that is up until then he has been home schooled.  The second unusual thing is that Auggie was born with mandibulfacial dysostosis.  This means he has no outer ears and it looks as if the rest of his facial features have been melted off.  After 27 surgeries it seems as though he is strong enough and ready for a new step.  Is he?  He’s used to being looked at, but not looked at.  He’s used to being called Freak or Freddie Kruger or Gross-out.  He’s used to people averting their eyes when they see him.  Up until now when that happens he can leave.  That won’t be the case in school.  He knows what he looks like on the outside but on the inside he’s pretty ordinary. He’s a Star Wars fan.  He loves his x-box.  He decides to give Beecher Prep a try and courageously goes off to middle school – like “a lamb to the slaughter” as his father says.

Auggie is smart, funny, thoughtful and brave.  He tells his story of that year, with all its ups and downs.  Mr. Brown his English teacher asks them to consider various precepts – one each month.  He calls them “rules about really important things.”  The first one is: “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.”   —Dr. Wayne Dyer  Auggie thinks he is going to like Mr. Brown.  (I know I do!)  The other important characters in Auggie’s life tell their side of the story too.  His sister, Via, just starting high school, explains what its like to have Auggie in her life.   Jack and Summer, the kids he thinks are his friends – one who was asked to befriend him and one who just feels it is the right thing (after all who wants to sit in the cafeteria alone) share their relationships with him.  Miranda, Via’s old friend and Julian, her new boyfriend, also explain tell what it is like to have Auggie in their lives. Middle school is hard.  Everyone wants to fit in and melt into a pool of sameness while being importantly different.  Auggie is definitely that in so many more ways than his appearance.

What an amazingly thought-provoking book.  Visit the Wonder book site  for more thoughts and connections.  I hope everyone reads Wonder and thoughtfully chooses how to be true, steadfast and kind – in fact “ always be more kind than necessary.” J.M. Barrie

 by Sara Pennypacker

162 pages of smiles for middle grade readers

(older readers may enjoy finding their younger selves in the pages too.)

I would love having Clementine in my class at school.  She is herself at all times.  I admire that.  She would be a great friend.  She is creative and funny.  Although I have to say she does some things that would make my 9-year old self a little nervous.  (I didn’t like getting into trouble.) She is committed to her family and she always tried her best.  It’s just that things don’t always work out smoothly.  When this book begins Clementine’s having a nervous breakdown. The “Family Meeting!” sign is up in her house.  She knows she must be in trouble for something, but she can’t figure out what it is.  Try as she might to find out what’s on the agenda, her parents won’t give her even the smallest, teeniest clue before the meeting.

Clementine gets through that meeting just fine, but in the end initiates a meeting of her own to let her family know how she would like to deal with the changes in their lives.  In between she tries to work with Waylon to create a science project – he wants to try transmogrification – and with Margaret her year-older neighbor who is thinking makeup is the coolest thing.  Clementine is not so sure.

One of my favorite parts of the story is how Clementine (named after a fruit) always calls her little brother Squash or Yam or Bean Sprout throughout the books.  It seems as though she might find him annoying, but really he turns out to be a pretty great kid to be a sister to.

Read all the Clementine books.  They’re fun and refreshing and real.