Hello and happy solstice! šÆāļø I know Iām behind on this post (and on my solstice greeting).
Itās because I jinxed myself when I shamelessly bragged to a friend about our family staying healthy all fall.
Of course, my son tested positive for RSV 48 hours later. Heās doing fine, watching Star Wars movies and eating steak, but heās sad we arenāt skiing together to close out the year.
As for me, Iām giving 2022 a bit of side-eye as it leaves the room.
This year was really justā¦a LOT for our family. Not terrible, but just intense, with some major changes.
Still, we made amazing new friends and strengthened relationships with old friends.Ā We settled into our new house, traveled a bit, and read a ton of books. Like Iāve said before, reading helps me make sense of the world, especially when so much is in flux. I can tell it is the same for my kids.
So, when I asked them if theyād share the best book they read this year, they were thrilled.
For context, Connor is almost 11 and a very strong reader. He prefers middle grade fantasy, but heās the kind of reader to whom I can hand a book and say, āread this; youāll love itā and heāll give it a go.Ā Note: he is not as easily persuaded in other areas of life.
Piper is 8 and in 2nd grade. Sheās old for her grade, and her independent reading really took off last year. Sheās in that sweet spot where sheās still interested in chapter books AND is able to read younger middle grade fiction.
I hope you love their selections. Have a happy (and healthy) holiday, and Iāll see you in 2023!
Kitty (series), by Paula Harrison, illustrated by Jenny Lovlie (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022-)
Girl by day. Cat by night. Ready for an adventure.
Kitty is a little girl with catlike superpowers that she inherited from her mother (šš»). In the first book, Kitty and the Moonlight Rescue, Kitty wants to be a superhero just like her mom but isnāt sure sheāll be brave enough to go on daring adventures at night. However, with help from her new feline friends, Kitty develops confidence in her own special powers.
šPiper says:Ā I remember reading all the Kitty books even though it was a really long time ago. (Mom note: it was four months ago). They are short books, but I loved them. They are an awesome pick for kids under 10. I like that Kitty is a hero. I felt like I was on the adventure with Kitty and her cat crew. My favorite character was Figaro because he is smart and brave and helps Kitty. Other kids my age would like this book because some people like adventures and some people like cats and animals, and this has both those things. I loved the pictures and how the illustrator only used a few colors, but they were so bright and fun to look at.
Recommended for kids 6-8
The Patron Thief of Bread, by Lindsay Eagar (2022)
In a crooked alleyway along an unmapped street in Odierne, a group of dirty children scrambled to form a single-file row, facing a wall of sunburned bricks.
If you thought they were orphans, youād be more or less correct. If you tried to count them, theyād scatter and dance around until you lost track of their exact number.
If you thought they were poor, needy beggars desperate for alms, then you ought to check your pockets.
Theyād have gotten you.
Fished from the river as an infant and raised by a roving band of street urchins who call themselves the Crowns, eight-year-old Duck keeps her head down and her mouth shut. Itās a rollicking life, always thieving, always on the runāuntil the ragtag Crowns infiltrate an abandoned cathedral in the city of Odierne and decide to set down roots.
Itās all part of the bold new plan hatched by the Crownsā fearless leader, Gnat: one of their very own will pose as an apprentice to the local baker, relieving Master Griselde of bread and coin to fill the bellies and line the pockets of all the Crowns. But no sooner is Duck apprenticed to the kindly Griselde than Duckās allegiances start to blur. Who is she reallyāa Crown or an apprentice baker? And who does she want to be?
Meanwhile, high above the streets of Odierne, on the roof of the unfinished cathedral, an old and ugly gargoyle grows weary of waiting to fulfill his own destinyāto watch and protect. Told in alternating viewpoints, this exquisite novel evokes a timeless tale of love, self-discovery, and what it means to be rescued.
I havenāt read this one-yet-so the summary above isnāt my own. However, this was Connorās very favorite book of the year, and thatās really saying something.
šConnor says: I chose this book because it was so interesting. The book was different from anything else I normally read. For example, it wasnāt totally fantasy, and it wasnāt exactly an adventure bookā¦it was a mix of a lot of types. (Mom note: this book is considered historical fantasy). I liked reading Duckās point of view but then the gargoyleās point of view.Ā Ash was my favorite character-even though he wasnāt the main character-because he was very resilient. Even though this was a really long book, I couldnāt put it down. I would recommend this to any kid my age or older.
Age recommendation: 10-14