Shooting the Moon by Frances O'roark Dowell

Jamie grows up in a military family and knows the ins and outs of military life. She has a glorified perspective of war. Her perspective changes as her older brother, who she idolizes, signs up to serve in Vietnam. Jamie is hurt as her brother writes letters home to her parents but doesn't send letters to her. Instead he sends her film that he wants her to develop. She begins to realize while developing the film and learning more about her brothers hobby of photography that he is sending her the most personal messages of all. He is letting her see into his experience while the letters her parents receive are more impersonal and uninformative. To document what he is missing at home Jamie takes up photography and shoots the moon.
To watch Jamie's perspective of her brother and of war change throughout the story is interesting.

This book has no questionable content and is appropriate for all 7th and 8th grader. I found it a "bit slow" at times but overall an ok read. It is an easier read than I expected. It would fit the interest of both boys and girls....especially those interested in war, the service, or Vietnam.

Mango Shaped Space by Wendy Maas

New in our book club selection, this is a great read about Mia who is struggling with a disease (which she doesn't know has a name or is shared by others until into the book) where she sees sounds. The author's style really illuminates the development of Mia as a character. +

This makes it sound like science fiction but it isn't. The message is one that can be great for middle schoolers about finding out who you are/coming of age. Quick read that also deals with issues about friendship, boys, dealing with loss, and family.

No issues about questionable content. Should be appropriate reading level for most 7th and 8th graders.

I was sucked into this one and finished it at about 1 in the morning! ENJOY and keep turning those pages!

How to Use this BLOG

Our building has been blessed with thousands of dollars of new book club books. The books were selected based on staff suggestion or chosen from reviews of new adolescent literature. As a result, not all of the books have been read.

As a literacy team, we have the large responsibility of putting great books in kid's hands that elicit deep conversations that link to enduring understandings. We will work on this together since it is such a big mission.

In order to utilize our team, I thought it would be beneficial to blog about the books we have read. At first I thought this blog could be reviews of the books that are in our book club selection. While that can be our primary goal, I know we are all readers so the blog will provide the space for us to write about any books we are reading whether it be professional reads, a great american novel, an adolescent lit book, a picture book, an article from the paper, or US Weekly updates :>).

Any feedback regarding this blog would be greatly appreciated as this is my first attempt. I expect to make several changes, but it is a start. ENJOY, SHARE and READ ON!