It's time to look back at my reading from a decade ago, and in this case, one of my books seems like a pretty timely choice.
The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates by Wes Moore- is a non-fiction book authored by Wes Moore, a Rhodes scholar, who came home to discover that a teenager with his same name - who had grown up in the same neighborhood- had been incarcerated for a botched burglary. Moore goes on to research what, despite their many similarities, had happened in each of their lives for them to end so drastically differently. I've read this adult version and the young adult version and taught this to groups of students as we discuss life choices and how small decisions could make a big impact.
The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard- I read this one and immediately wanted to read more from this author. Set in Kansas, I loved the midwest setting and the suspense in this story about the release of the man who murdered Jody's father when she was a young girl.
Three Rivers Rising: A Novel of the Johnstown Flood by Jame Richards - this novel in verse tells the story of Celestia who vacations with her family in the resort in the Alleghany mountains. She falls in love with Peter, a romance that will only lead to trouble. But what I found more interesting was the 20 million tons of water that are unleashed on Johnstown, Pennsylvania when the dam fails. I love historical fiction and I still remember wanting to know more about this event in history after I read this book.
After You by Julie Buxbaum- I love Buxbaum's YA books, but before I read any of her YA writing, I read her adult books. I liked them both, but think her talents really shine in her books aimed at teen readers. After You is the story of Ellie who drops everything to move to London after her best friend dies. She moves in with her friend's grieving husband and daughter, desperate to help Sophie, the young girl, cope with the loss of her mother. This is a fast read, and one I enjoyed. I'm happy I've been able to continue reading Buxbaum's works even a decade later.
The Daughters by Joanna Philbin - this is the first in a series written by Regis Philbin's daughter. I loved this entire series (I think there are four books) that center around a group of rich friends in New York City. I also appreciated that these books don't have any questionable language or content in them and even though they are written about teenagers, I could safely recommend them to upper elementary readers looking for something a little more grown up.
What were you reading back in 2010? What about last year? Have you read any of these books?
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