This is an amazing, important book that must have taken Jodi a lot of time to research. It touches on many of today’s problems—racism, prejudice, poverty, justice, privilege, etc.
It’s a fast-paced read and, at times, had me on the edge of my seat. In the audio version, several narrators read the chapters of the well-fleshed-out, believable characters.
Because I was leading the book club meeting, I listened to the audio concurrently with the book—both highly recommended!
'Small Great Things is the most important novel Jodi Picoult has ever written ... It will challenge her readers ... [and] expand our cultural conversation about race and prejudice.' - The Washington Post
When a newborn baby dies after a routine hospital procedure, there is no doubt about who will be held responsible: the nurse who had been banned from looking after him by his father.
What the nurse, her lawyer and the father of the child cannot know is how this death will irrevocably change all of their lives, in ways both expected and not.
I enjoy reading about sensitive, thoughtful characters who deserve a happy ending, and these three orphaned siblings—William, Edmund, and Anna—fit the bill.
Their heartwarming story takes place in England during WWII, where they are shuffled from one billet to another in search of someone who will take them in and hopefully become their forever family.
A heartwarming story about three siblings, evacuated from London to live in the countryside, looking for a permanent home--and a new meaning for family.
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year
It is 1940 and William, 12, Edmund, 11, and Anna, 9, aren't terribly upset by the death of the not-so-grandmotherly grandmother who has taken care of them since their parents died.
But the children do need a guardian, and in the dark days of World War II London, those are in short supply, especially if they hope to stay together. Could the mass wartime evacuation of…
This well-written book takes place in Seattle during the 1940s with a Chinese-American boy as the main character.
Henry Lee is best friends with a Japanese-American girl. They face much racism and prejudice, especially from Henry’s father, who disapproves of their friendship. After Pearl Harbor, the government sent all Japanese to live in internment camps, which separated Henry and Keiko for many years.
Throughout the book, we also see Henry, older, as a widower in 1986, still missing Keiko and wondering if it’s too late to reconnect.
Lots to learn from this lovely story of a turbulent time.
1986, The Panama Hotel The old Seattle landmark has been boarded up for decades, but now the new owner has made a startling discovery in the basement: personal belongings stored away by Japanese families sent to interment camps during the Second World War. Among the fascinated crowd gathering outside the hotel, stands Henry Lee, and, as the owner unfurls a distinctive parasol, he is flooded by memories of his childhood. He wonders if by some miracle, in amongst the boxes of dusty treasures, lies a link to the Okabe family, and the girl he lost his young heart to, so…
Call Me Amy, a Bank Street College of Education’s Best Books of the Year choice was my first book!
For 13-year-old Amy, 1973 has been a lonely year in her small Maine fishing village. But with the help of a wounded seal pup, she gets to know Craig. A new law against handling wild marine mammals brings suspense to the story.
Where can they keep Pup until he heals? Their only hope is to trust Miss Cogshell, an elderly recluse, who catches them sneaking Pup into her woodshed in the middle of the night. Throughout the book, small challenges prepare Amy for her greatest one of all—a challenge that leads her to discover that everyone, herself included, has a voice worth hearing. Ages 9+
