Featured: JUST SOUTH OF HOME by Karen Strong

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences. Today we are featuring JUST SOUTH OF HOME by Karen Strong. Due to a change in plans, Sarah’s cousin Janie must stay with her family instead of going to Paris with her mom. Janie’s understandably miserable, so when she … Continue reading Featured: JUST SOUTH OF HOME by Karen Strong

THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS by Ann Braden

Many seventh graders spend their days worrying about friendship drama, their appearance, or their killer homework. But there are millions of kids in our country whose worries are related to their safety or who are living in serious poverty. We don’t see those kids in books often enough, which is why I was eager to read THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS. Zoey has her … Continue reading THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS by Ann Braden

Windows & Mirrors: Ghost Boys

Welcome to Windows & Mirrors, where we feature books that provide us windows to lives outside our own and mirrors to our shared common human experiences. Today we’re featuring Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes. Jewell Parker Rhodes is the author of now five wonderful middle-grade books. Ninth Ward, a Coretta Scott King honor book, Sugar, winner of the Jane Adams Peace Association book award, Bayou … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: Ghost Boys