This Is What Happy Looks Like

This is What Happy Looks Like
Jennifer E. Smith

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 978-0316212823
Publisher: Poppy
Date of publication: April 2, 2013
Age: Grades 7 and up
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Themes: fate, movie stars, paparazzi, family relationships, love

Ellie O’Neill has just received an email that she’s sure is meant for someone else. Intrigued, she decides to reply and soon finds herself enjoying their instant connection—with guarded identities, of course. Little does she know she’s emailing Graham Larkin, a popular teenage movie star. And he’s just decided to take his next movie location to Ellie’s hometown in attempts to take their relationship from virtual to face-to-face. But can the two really have a normal relationship? Especially when Ellie has a secret that is threatened by the paparazzi’s constant presence?

Um, it was a stretch. A really fantastical, didn’t-quite-convince-me sort of stretch. It was cute and clean, which is good... But the story had weird gaps or lack of development that just made the plot a tad ridiculous. The characters were a little flat, but still lovable in their own way. I did enjoy the emails interspersed between chapters to give another point of view to the story. But really? Random email from a movie star? Personal biases aside, I think it is a good, fun romance that teenage girls could enjoy.

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Oldies: Mary Poppins

Mary Poppins
P. L. Travers

Reynal & Hitchcock (1934)
Age: Grades 2 - 6
Genre: Fantasy

Themes: nannying, magic, London, growing up

Blown in with the east wind, Mary Poppins is definitely the most unusual nanny the Banks have ever had. From sliding up the banisters and changing the taste of medicine, to jumping into chalk drawings and being the star of show at the zoo, there is something magical about her. Jane, Michael, and the twins hardly know what to do! Every day spent with Mary Poppins brings a new surprise.

Of course I’ve only seen the movie, so I didn’t actually know what to expect with the book. It’s a little…crazy. Each chapter is a different adventure with Mary Poppins. Some of them I expected, because Disney’s movie pulled his scenes straight from the book. The others…well, they were weird and crazy and magical. So if you prepare yourself for weird, then you’ll probably enjoy it. Vague enough for you?

It's a masterpiece in children's literature, but if you're still curious, my rating is ★★★ 

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Paperboy

Paperboy
Vince Vawter

My rating: ★★★

ISBN: 978-0385742443
Publisher: Delacorte
Date of publication: May 14, 2013
Age: Grades 5 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction

Themes: stuttering, race, communication, identity

Award: Newbery Honor (2014)

An 11-year-old growing up in Memphis has no problem pitching on the baseball field, but speaking is a daily struggle. He stutters to the point where he cannot even say his own name. But this summer, he takes his friend's paper route, knowing he'll have to interact with strangers. It's the run-in with the local junk man that gets him into serious trouble, however. It's a summer that will change his life.

I'm torn over this book. I will first start with the praises, because it deserves many. Told from the boy's perspective (and as it is partly a memoir) the author is able to express the frustrations of stuttering in a deeply intimate way. He also addresses serious topics such as race in 1959 Tennessee, and discovering one's identity. The writing style is genius and unique. However, (yes a big however), from a purely entertainment perspective, this story was--dare I say it--boring. I don't know that a child would pick it up to read for fun, but it is an excellent tool in the classroom. I can understand why it was nominated for the Newbery, but I don't think I'll be reading it again.

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Sophia's War

Sophia's War
Avi

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 9781442414419
Publisher: Beach Lane Books
Date of publication: September 25, 2012
Age: Grades 4 and up
Genre: Historical Fiction

Themes: American Revolution, espionage, betrayal,

Sophia Calderwood is writing her story of the Revolutionary War. She strongly believes in the freedoms America is fighting for, and after the tragic demise of her brother in one of the British prison ships, she swears to avenge his death. Her opportunity comes when she is recruited to be a spy and discovers that the beloved General Benedict Arnold is planning to turn over West Point to the British.

This was a fantastic book, especially since the other characters are true historic figures—this story is very much based on truth. It is perfect for the fifth graders studying up U.S. history and I recommend it, despite a slow climax and difficult vocabulary. The ending is worth it.

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