Tadpole by Ruth White

Carolina Collins, her 3 sisters, and their single mother are surprised when their cousin shows up in the summer of 1955. Surprised, but pleased. They love having 13 year old 'Tadpole' with them, and enjoy their time together. Soon, though, they discover why their guitar-playing cousin is really there, and jump to try to protect him.

All the while, Carolina is trying to figure out what she is good at. Each of her sisters seems to know exactly what it is they excel at, but Carolina is stuck. 'Tad' sees something in her that she'd never seen herself which motivates her greatly.

This book had me thinking about how important it is to let people know what talents and good character qualities I see in them, because maybe they haven't been told that before.

Tadpole, by Ruth White, is a story I could hardly put down. The characters do such interesting and real-life things that it was very dear to me. Recommended for 4th-7th grade.

To read an interview with the author, click here.

Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

At the age of 11, Jeffery Magee runs away. Since his parents had been killed in an accident eight years ago he had been living with his loveless aunt and uncle. So, he runs away. He runs and runs and runs until he stops in Two Mills, Pennsylvania.  Magee spends time on both sides of town, looking for a home, for a real family. During that time spent in East End and West End, apparently not noticing that one side is all white and the other is all black, Magee makes several friends and many enemies. Will he find a home? Will this kid, allergic to pizza, ever fit in?

Written by Jerry Spinelli, the realistic fiction book Maniac Magee is a quick read. I very quickly came to love each of the characters, and could hardly set the book down. It talks about friendship, family, racism, enemies and so much more.

I love this part of the book:

" As he passed them, he said, "Hi." Just that—"Hi"—and he was gone. They stopped, they blinked, they turned, they started after him, they wondered: Do I know that kid? Because people just didn't' say that to strangers, out of the blue. "

 I like it because it is a reminder that it's the little things that leave an impression, that people remember and cherish. It was the lack of those little things that drove Magee to run away from his aunt and uncle, and he determines to include 'little things' in his new life, even if others didn't expect them.

 One of the things Maniac Magee made me think about was how an outsider would see my family. What would they notice and appreciate that I've been taking for granted? What about you-- what would an outsider appreciate about your family that you've been taking for granted?