My goal this school year is to read 30 books. That averages out to about 1 book a week. I will meet this goal by reading at least 60 minutes a day and choosing books that are the correct reading level for me and are of interest to me. I will also read a balance of fiction and non-fiction books.
The People of Sparks, a sequel to The City of Ember, continues the saga of Lina and Doon. Lina and Doon have led their people out of the subterranean city of Ember. They find a new world in which the people are struggling to exist much as they had in Ember. The people of Sparks welcome the Emberites into their village, but conflict soon develops. Differences in lifestyles and a shortage of food are a couple of the problems. Throughout the story, Lina and Doon help to encourage their people to learn to live peacefully with the People of Sparks.
Jeanne DuPrau does a great job teaching the lesson that working together is better than fighting. This book's message is one that many societies could benefit from. As usual, it is an innocent child that brings the two groups together and unites them after a disaster.
I look forward to reading the next book in the series, The Prophet of Yonwood, in order to learn how the city of Ember came to be.
Wonder, a fiction book by RJ Palacio, teaches that true beauty is seen with the heart and not with the eyes. Due a rare facial deformity, Auggie has been homeschooled until the fifth grade. At this point, Auggie's parents decide that they can no longer shelter him and decide to send him to school. This story beautifully depicts the ups and down of starting middle school, especially with the added pressure of not looking like everyone else.
This book had so many amazing lessons. I found myself stopping many times to reflect on powerful lines in the book. Such as, "When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind." (Wonder, pg. 48) As I read, I wondered why people are so quick to judge others based only on their appearance. How many great people do we miss because we don't take the time to get to know them?
One of the things that I loved about this book was the fact that it was told from many different perspectives. (Jodi Piccoult is an adult author that I enjoy reading who also uses this technique.) It is enlightening to hear the story told from Auggie, his sister, his friend, and other points of view. If you don't mind crying a little while reading, this is a book that you won't soon forget.
Watch the book trailer below for a taste of this book.
