September has flown by. It has been a fun month full of the visit with my mom and oh so many books. I am a member of three different book clubs on Facebook, and one of them held a special "Back to School" readathon that focused on YA and Middle Grade books. This was the perfect kind of reading for my time with mom. I didn't know how much "free" time I would have for reading but figured with shorter faster reads I would be able to finish a few. Well, as it turns out, mom and I spent many a quiet afternoon sitting side-by-side reading and thus both of us read more books than we expected to over the course of her visit.
"Ghost Boys" by Jewell Parker Rhodes was a wonderful and emotional read about a boy who was shot. The unique way in which the story is told was fantastic.
"The Hidden Staircase" by Carolyn Keene is the second book in the old original series. I still can't believe I never read these books as a child. It has been lots of fun to experience them now for the first time.
"Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate is another book written from a very unique perspective. I found myself getting lost in the story and read the book in one day.
"Because of Winn-Dixie" by Kate DiCamillo was a favourite of mine for the month. I have read several of her books previously and knew I would love this one just as much as her others. It was yet another book I could not put down and therefore read in one day.
"Wink" by Rob Harrell was an autobiographical story and an exceptionally interesting read. I had never heard of his particular kind of cancer before and thus really enjoyed learning more about his treatment throughout the book.
"Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green is a book that has been sitting on my to be read list for way too long. Another autobiographical book and another fascinating read. I found myself looking at anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder in a very different light after reading this book. It really does help to learn about things directly from someone experiencing them.
"Sick Bay" by Nova Weetman was the first book I've ever read by this author and another book that sat on my TBR list for too long. I enjoyed the story so much that I have added many other books by this author to my ever growing list of books that I must read. A story about a teenager dealing with a chronic condition, this book gives us the inside view on how medical issues make someone feel "different".
If I had to choose only ONE book to be my favourite for the month it would HAVE to be "Ban This Book" by Alan Gratz. Utterly unputdownable and filled with fantastic quotes, I was only unable to finish it in one day because of my need for sleep. When a girl learns that her favourite library book has been banned, she and some of her friends take matters into their own hands.
"One Half from the East" by Nadia Hashimi was another learning experience for me. The book discusses the cultural practice of "bacha posh" in Afghanistan. I had never heard of it before and the book did a lovely job of telling the story in a truly heart felt and tender way. I will definitely be reading more books by this author in the future.
"Number the Stars" by Lois Lowry was a quick read about a young girl in Denmark during WWII. Another one day read for me as I immersed myself in the life of the main character and her best friend during this time in history.
"Crenshaw" by Katherine Applegate was a recommendation from Munchkin as he has read the book many times. I love the way that the author uses animals (real and imaginary) to help children deal with some of the toughest experiences life can dish out. The main character's imaginary friend returns to his life as he struggles with poverty and possible homelessness.
"The Schoolmaster's Daughter" by Jackie French was a lovely historical fiction novel about life in Queensland at the time of Federation. I have not had many opportunities to read about the experiences of the many islander people who were brought to this country to work in the sugar cane industry. In her usual wonderful way, Jackie French takes a difficult topic (slavery) and weaves it into a story you will not soon forget.
"Pocket Bear" by Katherine Applegate gives the reader a wonderful opportunity to learn about teddy bears and soldiers bears. I had never known anything about soldiers bears so enjoyed learning more in this endearing story.
"Wombat Waiting" also by Katherine Applegate is the story of a dog and a boy who don't know they need each other. Written in the aftermath of the devastating California fires, it helps the reader see that even during the worst moments of our life, there is always hope.
"Inkflower" by Suzy Zail was a new and interesting way to tell the story about the Holocaust. The main character learns about her father's fight with motor neuron disease whilst also learning about his experiences in the concentration camps during WWII. Beautifully and sensitively written, this book will sit with me for a long time.
"A Circle of Elephants" by Eric Dinerstein tells the story of a young boy who works in an animal sanctuary in the Nepalese Borderlands. I couldn't help but get immersed in the wonderful storytelling as animals and humans together fought the evils of the poaching industry.
"The Secret Battle" by Pamela Rushby was a wonderful story based on events during WWII. I had never heard of the fights between American and Australian servicemen before so the read was very eye opening for me.
"Home of the Brave" by Katherine Applegate was a lovely story about a young Sudanese boy who moves to America to live with family after his father and brother are killed and his mum goes missing. The boy works hard to find a place for himself as he adjusts to life in a new country.
"The Bungalow Mystery" by Carolyn Keene is the third book in the original Nancy Drew series. Sadly my library only has books seven and eight so my days of enjoying Nancy Drew will soon come to an end. This book was a fast paced page turner and yet another book that I read cover to cover in just one day.
"Granted" by John David Anderson was my most difficult book for the month. Written vastly differently to his others books I've read, this was a hard story line for me to get into. Eventually I got my groove with this book and the last third was probably the most enjoyable for me. I think stories about fairies are just not really my thing.
Finally, "Mayday" by Karen Harrington was an excellent book to finish the readathon and my month of reading with. The main character deals with multiple layers of grief and trauma in the story as he accepts the death of his uncle, survives a plane crash, and comes to grips with his grandfather's medical issues. Though told with humour, insight, and sensitivity, the depth of the grief and trauma in this book will sit with me for quite some time.
As always, I like to include the monthly stats graphics that my Storygraph app generates for me at the end of each month. September was an amazing month and I really enjoyed time with my mom and time to read.
