All the Changes - Weekly Book Report

Love this cover!

Sometimes, it feels like I am just reading the same story over and over - the settings might be different but the main characters' struggles are the same.

These two books are a case in point. The characters struggle with you they are and firmly believe that they are something other than merely human.


Extraordinary Birds by Sandy McGinnis-Stark follows December, an 11-year-old foster child who is convinces that she is not truly human. In an attempt to change her life story, she writes what she wishes her past held and about her hopes for her future.  A new placement shifts her view of her life.
The author includes fascinating facts about birds and animal rehabilitation.

A Monster Like Me by Wendy Swore. Sophie has a noticeable hemangioma, or "blood blister" on the side of her face.  That disfigurement has Sophis convinced that she is not truly human. She carries a book about monsters to help her navigate a world that is filled with danger. The snippets quoted from the Book of Monsters will appeal to fantasy lovers - and to readers who want to hold on to their belief in magic.  Those snippets also contain deep thoughts and sound advice.

And THEN, there are the books that simply tell the truth.

This Promise of Change: On Girl's Story in the Fight for School Equality by Jo Ann Allen Boyce and Debbie Levy. Jo Ann Allen was one of twelve black students to integrate Clinton High School in Clinton, Tennessee in 1956. The first week was quiet and then outside agitators arrived. While the principal of the school, the mayor of Clinton and the governor of Tennessee all upheld the law, perhaps reluctantly, aggression against the students grew. Cross burnings, angry mobs, bullying followed the black teens as they tried to get an equal education. Jo Ann finally tells her story of those events in this memoir written in verse.

Hello, Crochet Friends! Making Art, Being Mindful, Giving Back: Do What Makes You Happy by Jonah Larson, Jennifer Larson, Erin Harris. Jonah is a social media sensation because of his beautiful crochet pieces.  In this colorful picture book, Jonah tells his story, from being an abandoned infant from Ethiopia to being a crochet star in the US. Until his fifth grade teacher suggested he bring his crochet projects to school, Jonah was a problem student. He finished his schoolwork quickly and found ways to get into trouble. Crochet helped him focus. His classmates loved what he made and Jonah's Hands, his business, took flight. Great photos! Great problem solving! Great fifth grade teacher!

It Rained Warm Bread by Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet, Hope Anita Smith, Lea Lyon. At 13, Moishe Moskowitz's life was torn apart by the Nazi invasion of Poland. Moved from camp to camp, he lost his entire family. The title is based on one incident in this story of deprivation, degradation and survival. Gloria Moskowitz-Sweet brings her father's story to life in this small poetic volume. Let us never forget.

Running With Wolves by National Geographic Kids and Jim and Jamie Dutcher. Jim Dutcher, a wildlife photographer and cinematographer, wanted to show the world the intricate lives of wild wolves. This book relates his six year experiment studying a pack of wolves in the Sawtooth Mountains of Idaho. Jamie Dutcher was involved remotely until the last three years. The descriptions of natural settings is stunning. The wolves have distinct personalities and loyalties. Animal lovers, outdoor enthusiasts, photography buffs will find so much to like in this book.