These books all seem quite a bit different from each other, but I've grouped them together because in some way, they all share life stories. There's nothing I love better than reading about someone's life, and luckily there are many great books out there for me to enjoy.
Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett J Krosoczka - this graphic memoir is one I never would have picked up a few years ago. The graphic format really isn't my thing, yet I loved this book. Krosoczka is the creator of the Lunch Lady series that my elementary kids loved. This book is geared toward readers who are a little older as Krosoczka shares the story of his childhood: his mother was a heroin addict and he grew up with his grandparents who faced their own challenges. There are so many of my students who could relate to this story that I can't wait to hand it off to them.
The Elephant in the Room: One Fat Man's Quest to Get Smaller in a Growing America by Tommy Tomlinson - Tomlinson has been heavy his whole life, starting with his childhood when he shopped in the husky section of the store. He's set out to lose weight many times, but with little success. In this memoir Tomlinson shares his weight loss journey which can only be described as "slow and steady wins the race" as he realizes he must make a lifestyle change. He also shares all the ways his weight has impacted his life- from asking for seat belt extensions when flying on a plane to having to search out which table he can fit behind or chair he can squeeze into in restaurants. I found myself rooting for Tomlinson every step of the way and would love to check back in with him at some point.
Becoming Mrs. Lewis by Patti Callahan - I'm not a fan of CS Lewis' work, but know a little about him just by virtue of being a school librarian. However, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is the type of book I love: a fictionalized biography of a lesser known person from history. Joy, CS Lewis' wife lived an interesting life: her first husband was an alcoholic and unsupportive of her work. She and Lewis developed a correspondence that covered several years, finally meeting when she traveled to England. The romance didn't happen immediately, and it wasn't until Joy was diagnosed with cancer that the two actually declared their love for each other. I know parts of this story are fiction, yet the novel is based on fact and the broad strokes of Joy Lewis' life. My curiosity about her, her writing career and that of her famous husband's is now piqued, and despite having no interest in CS Lewis' work before, I just may pick up one of his books at some point simply because I absolutely loved Becoming Mrs Lewis.
What memoirs, biographies, or life stories have you read recently?
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