See Sparks Read

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen My rating: 4 of 5 stars At the start of this this enjoyable first-person narrative, Macy aims to be perfect. She doesn't want to rock the boat; her father's recent unexpected death has shaken her family enough. Told over the time period of a summer break, Macy is a clear example of a character that shows growth. Macy begins her summer with a perfect boyfriend, a college-application-worthy job, and dedication to her SAT studies. Though following a prescribed course, Macy isn't happy, though she doesn't realize this at first. When Macy meets Delia and her catering staff at one of her mother's events, Macy begins to crave change and joy in her life. Through her newfound friendships, Macy explores what she really wants in her life and she finds it's not always the expected. I struggle to put limits on the intended audiences of books. Sarah Dessen is an author of books for anyone who wishes to read them, not...

Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings My rating: 5 of 5 stars Sometimes I read a book for kids and I think, "wow, this is like a John Irving book for kids." Red Kayak is reminiscent of John Irving, a tale of a boy living on the east coast (Maryland, specifically), tackling the themes of man vs. nature, man vs. man, and especially man vs. self. The novel opens with this loaded sentence: "After all this time, I still ask myself: was it my fault?" This novel doesn't end with tragedy, it opens with it. Brady, our narrator/main character/hero, struggles with a secret he holds, the truth behind a tragic accident. He feels obligation to his friends to keep the secret, though he also has a powerful need to do the right thing, whatever that may be. This book should fall in my personal category: "Books it took far too long for me to pick up and actually read." A fifth-grade teacher I work with reads this aloud every year. I have worked with this te...

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven My rating: 5 of 5 stars "The thing I realize is that it's not what you take, it's what you leave." -Violet Violet meets Theodore Finch at the top of a bell tower. An unlikely pair, they become important to each other, Violet as she heals following the accidental death of her sister, Eleanor, Finch, as he attempts to stay "awake," as he puts it. Finch is struggling with an undiagnosed mental illness. He has periods of darkness he cannot remember. During the course of the book, he appears manic, though I'm not sure a younger reader would pick up on the clues that he is suffering a mental health disorder, most likely manic depression. Told in first-person narrative, story is told through the viewpoints of both Violet and Finch. They become friends, then more than friends. Though Finch is hurting, he helps Violet emerge from her hurt. I really loved this book. I'd call it an Important Book. The themes of loss...