I am incredibly ignorant of Asian history. This comes home to me every time I read a book set in the Eastern Hemisphere. I remember taking a class in European History in high school, but I don't think there was even one offered for Asian history. How much we are missing out on.

When My Name Was Keoko takes place in Korea during World War 2. Korea is controlled by Japan at this point in time, and has been since 1910. (Fact # 1 out of many that I learned by reading this book.) In an effort to gain more and more control over the Koreans, Japan decrees that every Korean has to change their name to a Japanese name. Sun-hee (who becomes Keoko) and Tae-yul (who becomes Nobuo) take turns narrating this story.

While the battlefields of World War 2 never come to Korea, that doesn't mean their lives are unaffected. The Japanese take their food and metal for resources, and conscript their young men and women into the work force. And always, they suppress Korea's identity and culture. Sun-hee and Tae-yul are both incredibly brave in their own ways as they seek to stay true to who they are.

This is a very powerful book. Being told from the point of view of children makes it even more so. If you are looking to learn something about Korean history or if you are looking for an entirely different perspective on World War 2, you can't do any better than to read When My Name Was Keoko.​ 

Find it on: Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  Better World Books

I picked this book up at a used book sale a few years ago. It's about a teacher in Alaska, which intrigued me. I'm a teacher, too, and I've always wanted to visit Alaska. Since then, however, this book has languished on my shelf getting dustier every day. Then it was mentioned in the Reading Together book club, which is focusing on the Arctic in January and February. And I thought it was time to finally give this book a try. I'm very glad I did.

Anne Hobbs is nineteen-years-old when she accepts a job to teach in a rural gold-mining village in Alaska. It's the 1920s, so things are a little different from today. This is obvious not only in the basics of everyday life, but also in the villagers' attitudes and prejudices. In this time period, Native Americans were certainly not accepted as equals. They were looked down upon as lesser people, dirty, uncivilized, with little hope for any improvement. So what does Anne do? She proceeds to fall in love with a "half-breed" and adopt two Indian children when their mother dies. Needless to say, she was not the most popular person in town.

But her struggle to stay true to who she is and what she knows is right is what makes this such a heart-warming tale. She could easily have given into the pressure of the townspeople, but instead she stands up for what she believes in. I'm not sure I could have stayed that strong if I were in her position.

Tisha (which, by the way, is how the Native American children pronounce "teacher") reminded me of two of my favorites - Christy by Catherine Marshall and All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot. The struggles, the atmosphere, the spot-on portrayals of people are all things that these three books have in common. Tisha may not be the first book that jumps out at you on a bookshelf, but it is one that is definitely worth reading.

Find it on: Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  Better World Books

I reread the Chronicles of Narnia this year for about the twenty billionth time (seriously, I have completely lost track of how many times I have read this series. It's probably not that many, but close!) No matter how many times I read these books, I never get tired of them. They are still some of my all-time favorite books. This time around, I've been trying to figure out why, even after so many visits to Narnia, it never gets old.

1. Memories. An emotional connection to a book lasts a long time. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is one of the first books I remember my mom reading to me. We laid out a blanket in the hallway, camped out, and I entered Narnia for the first time. Rereading these books means revisiting that moment.

2. Adventure. These are great adventure stories! Trekking across the country to take down an evil witch. Or sailing to the end of the world. Or putting on a ring to take you who-knows-where. The adventurer in each of us calls out to join in.

3. Humor. Despite the sometimes scary situations, there is always someone who provides comic relief. It could be a talking animal (beavers and bears come to mind), a dwarf (our DLF), or a pessimistic Marshwiggle. C.S. Lewis also has a genius for inventing names - Queen Prunaprismia, Reepicheep the mouse, Pattertwig the squirrel, Wimbleweather the giant. . . Genius!

4. Layers. The Chronicles of Narnia are books that you can read as a child and as an adult, and get two completely different things out of them. The older you get, the more you see the layers of hidden Christian meaning that Lewis included. It's found to a certain extent in all the books, but some more than others. I have to admit that The Last Battle was a book I never really got as a kid. But this time around, all the imagery of heaven just leaped out at me. I think it may end up being one of my favorite books of the series.

Narnia is a place I will enjoy visiting for the rest of my life. If you haven't ever been there, I hope I've inspired you to try it out. If you have been there, leave your thoughts in the comments. What's your favorite part of Narnia?

I was told to read this book my freshman year of college. My college roommate had read it in high school and was horrified to hear that I had never read it. In fact, she was so determined that I needed to read it that she bought me a copy - which has sadly sat on my bookshelves for the past ten years. I finally dusted it off and read it last week - and now I know what she was talking about.

Uncle Tom is an upstanding, trustworthy, Christian man. But because of debts, his owner is forced to sell him. Uncle Tom's story just breaks my heart. If he were real, he would be a person that it would be an honor to know. Instead, he is sold as if he were property and mistreated as if that gentle spirit needed to be broken.

There are many different views of slavery given in this book. We hear perspectives from slave traders and hunters, nice and cruel owners, abolitionists, and the slaves themselves. Harriet Beecher Stowe covered all of her bases, but I was most curious to hear the author's opinion. She obviously disagreed with slavery strongly, which is why she wrote this book in the first place. But she also seemed to view "Africans" as a different, not necessarily equal, race.

Even so, the desire for freedom - the view that everyone should be free, that freedom is fair and right - came through on every page. The concept that the slaves were people just like the white owners were was illustrated again and again. It's hard to believe that the owners and slave traders thought that the slaves wouldn't mind being separated from their families, that they didn't have the same depth of connection and love and feeling that the owners did for their families.

This is a very powerful book, nearly as relevant now as it was 150 years ago. We still need to be reminded of the importance of freedom and equality. We still need to hear that God has created each and every one of us. We still need the message that God can help us through every struggle, no matter how difficult. This book will make you laugh and cry and think - and hopefully, act to right what is wrong in our world today.

I read Little Women for the first time when I was in middle school. The copy I own belonged to my grandmother, and it has full-page, full-color pictures. It's a beautiful edition. And it held a beautiful story. The March girls live sweet lives, always trying to do their best, but inevitably getting into "scrapes." Especially Jo. She was my favorite of the girls - so spirited, and she loved reading and writing. I've reread Little Women a couple of times, but I honestly found it a bit boring. I gravitated instead to Alcott's Eight Cousins and Rose in Bloom.

But somehow, I had never read the sequels to Little Women until just this month. Little Men and Jo's Boys have exactly what was missing in Little Women (and what Eight Cousins has in abundance) - lots of boys. Jo and her husband, Professor Bhaer, open a school for boys, both rich and poor. We are introduced to musical Nat, mischievous Tom, and troublemaker Dan, among others. We also get to know Meg and Jo and Amy's children, a wonderful continuation of the stories of the "little" women we already know. Suddenly, there are scrapes galore.

You know, I first thought that these books didn't really dive too deeply into life. They tell of short episodes in these characters' lives. Difficulties are usually settled by each chapter's end. These are books made up of anecdotes.

And yet, aren't anecdotes what make up each of our lives? Little difficulties happen and are solved quickly all of the time. Our lives don't have an overarching plot, complete with climax and resolution. Why do these characters need that?

Little Women, Little Men, and Jo's Boys are stories of love. Love for God and love for family shines through clearly on each page. In the end, I think that's what drew me into these books and now gives them a treasured place on my shelves. After all, love is truly what life is all about.

This is an amazing story. It has all the makings of a great Hollywood-ized adventure. It's an epic story with events that sometimes seem unbelievable. This would be a great book if it were fiction.

But it's not. It's nonfiction. Which makes it much, much more than simply a "great book."

Unbroken tells the life story of Louis Zamperini - troublemaker, Olympic athlete, Japanese POW, and survivor. Above all, survivor. It follows him through a difficult childhood (he started smoking at age 5) to his discovery of a talent for running (could he have been the first person to run a four-minute mile?). And then World War II begins. Pearl Harbor happens, and Louis is off to war. From there, his adventures become even more unbelievable. It boggles the mind to think that anyone could survive what he survived.

Since I'm posting this review after the movie has come out, a lot of you may already be familiar with the events of Louie's life. I haven't seen the movie yet. I'm sure it's good, but either way, you should still read the book. Laura Hillenbrand is a phenomenal writer who brings Louie's story to nail-biting life. She also puts it in the greater historical context, adding details about the 1936 Olympics or the dangers of being an airman in WWII or how people were affected by being a prisoner of war.

As amazing and terrible as Louie's life was during the war, what really got me was the ending. This is a book about forgiveness. Forgiving those who have done you unspeakable harm. It's only through the power of God that such forgiveness is possible. Louis Zamperini is an incredible person, and Laura Hillenbrand is the perfect author to tell us his story.

Find it on: Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  Better World Books

I'm going to be completely honest with you. I don't understand this book.

I mean, I get the general gist and the point the author is trying to make. What I don't get is how the majority of this book helps to make this point.

It starts with a battle royal - black kids beating each other while the white leaders of the town laugh and egg them on. It ends with a race riot. And in between, the main character (who has no name) learns what life is like for a black man in a white world.

Maybe it's because I expected the whole book to be the invisible man metaphor, like the prologue set it up to be. Just a metaphor, very profound, but not really personal. And then it turns out to be the life story of an actual guy and his repeatedly being betrayed by the white men.

Except he rises pretty far in the clandestine organization called the Brotherhood. And he becomes pretty confident in who he is and his ability to lead and make a difference. So why completely abandon that in despair and become "invisible"?

It's very possible that I just don't have the perspective to truly understand this story. After all, I'm a white girl who lives in a small town. And it's possible that in the 62 years since this book was published, things have changed so much that it's out of date. Things have certainly changed somewhat, but I think the recent events in Ferguson show that the problem is definitely not solved.

So I'm sorry to say that I don't really understand this book. I was hoping to write a deep, reflective review. I was hoping to gain wisdom and a new view into a world that is different than mine. I was hoping to be changed by this book.

I'm sure the fault is mine. This book is a classic, after all, so it has much merit. And the message is an important one. I'll just need to learn it better in a different book.

The Underneath is the story of one dog, two kittens, a giant alligator, and a vengeful snake. It’s not a cute book, like I expected a book about kittens to be. Instead, it’s very serious, tackling some big issues like love and forgiveness. It’s a story that matters, one not to be taken lightly.

I can’t say as I really enjoyed the writing style. The author tended to repeat the same phrases over and over, and it often made it feel like the plot wasn’t really going anywhere. However, this writing style is really what creates the atmosphere of the book, drawing you into the bayous of Texas.

This is a good, literary book. I can see plenty of merit in it. The story is well-written and well-told. But I didn’t find it especially gripping, and I honestly don’t think many kids would either. It’s almost as if the author is trying too hard to be profound. 

Why would kids enjoy this book? Good question. The kittens are cute and all, but I honestly would have been bored reading this book as a child.

Why would adults enjoy this book?  The writing. Appelt’s writing is musical and really paints a picture of the world she is trying to create.

Find it on: Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  Better World Books

Ivan is a gorilla. His best friends are an elephant and a stray dog. People come to visit him and watch him every day. But he’s not in a zoo. Instead, he lives at a mall, where he’s known as the One and Only Ivan, Mighty Silverback. He draws pictures which are sold in the gift shop. And he tries to forget his former life in the jungles of Africa. When Ruby, a baby elephant arrives at the mall, Ivan decides that, for her sake, he must find a better life for both of them.

Ivan narrates his own story, and that’s what makes this book so powerful. We see the world through his eyes; we see humans through his eyes – the good and the bad. We see the moment when he takes charge of his own future. We see the love he has for his friends. Ivan reminds us of the glimpses of humanity that every animal has.

Why would kids enjoy this book?  The characters: Bob the stray dog’s commentary on the happenings in the zoo is always amusing. Ruby is adorable and relatable, elephant though she may be.

Why would adults enjoy this book?  Adults will get more out of the treatment of animals message, as well as Ivan’s backstory. There is a lot of wisdom in Ivan’s view of the world and humans that can be found in this book.

Find it on: Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  Better World Books

The Graveyard Book tells the story of Nobody Owens, a young boy adopted by the inhabitants of a graveyard. The rest of his family was murdered when he was a baby, and the murderer is still after him. Staying in the graveyard keeps him safe. But once he’s explored and learned all about the graveyard, staying inside is not enough for him anymore. If you liked Gaiman’s Coraline, then you will like this book. The two have much in common – the slightly creepy atmosphere, real characters and unreal characters, heroic deeds that save the day. The Graveyard Book felt a little less focused to me, covering a wide range of Bod’s experiences instead of just telling the main thread of the story. But it turns out that it all comes together in the end, as one would expect from a master of storytelling like Neil Gaiman.

Why would kids enjoy this book?  It’s creepy! It takes place in a graveyard, for goodness’ sake. No zombies, but plenty of ghosts to enjoy and get to know.

Why would adults enjoy this book?  The atmosphere that Gaiman creates really draws you in, and actually makes this book less scary than it could have been. Being friends with ghosts that lived hundreds of years ago means that there are snippets of history dropped in here and there. And Bod is a wonderful kid, always trying to do right for himself and those around him. 

Find it on: Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  Better World Books

At one point in my life, fantasy was about all I would read. That point was about fifteen years ago, but I still decided to pick up Auralia’s Colors because of the idea of colors saving the day. In the kingdom of Abascar, the king has declared that all of the colors belong to the palace. None of the “common” people, whether they live inside or outside the city walls, are allowed to wear or own anything with color. Auralia is the abandoned orphan destined to change all of that.

While I enjoyed living in the world of the Expanse for a little while, I can’t say as I fully enjoyed this book. Auralia drove me crazy. She didn’t do anything. She didn’t fight back; she didn’t stand up to anyone, even when it all went wrong. She simply discovered and collected colors. For a title protagonist, she was an extremely passive character. I just couldn’t summon any loyalty for her or even care about her all that much. The ale boy, on the other hand, I’m extremely curious to learn more about. But that would require reading the next three books in the series, and I don’t think I’m up for that. I can tell that there is a lot more to discover in the world that Jeffrey Overstreet has created, but Auralia’s Colors didn’t hook me enough to keep me reading.

This book is strongly reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland. It tells two stories – the real story of Hans Thomas and his journey to find his mother who ran away eight years ago, and the “real” story of a magical island where playing cards come to life as dwarfs. Hans Thomas is given a very small book that tells the story of this magical island, which he reads as he and his father traverse Europe. His father is an amateur philosopher, and they stop frequently along the road to discuss the meaning of life and reasons for existing. These big questions become the theme of the book and the purpose of both the real and “real” stories. The two stories are cleverly interwoven and come to have more in common than the reader might expect. This book provides an interesting way to look at philosophy at the same time as it tells an awfully good and touching story.

The world has flooded, and only a few hundred habitable islands remain. The Earth Mother has moved the remaining population there, and has created rules to keep them in line. Honor’s family moves to Island 365 when Honor is ten. When she enters school, she begins to learn the rules and history that Earth Mother wants her to learn. But her parents aren’t interested in the rules, and they have a different version of history than the one Honor is learning. Suddenly Honor is caught between believing those she loves or those she fears.

I’m not a huge fan of dystopia, but I found The Other Side of the Island better than most. A lot of it takes place when Honor is still young, before the rebellious, independent (drama-filled) teenage years that many dystopias seem to encompass. Goodman did a fabulous job of informing her readers about the world subtly. She truly embodies the old adage, “Show, don’t tell.” My one complaint about the book is that the ending felt rushed. The action had moved so slowly for so many pages, and then suddenly it all comes to a head and is over in fifty pages. It also seems (to me at least) to be left open enough for a sequel, but as far as I could tell, there isn’t one. Despite the loose ends, this is a well-written story with a very compelling main character. If you like dystopias, you should definitely give this one a try!

There are books that you enjoy reading and can think of one or two friends to recommend it to. There are books that you love and recommend to all of your friends. Then there are books like Wonder, that you are convinced everyone in the world should read and you would press it on random strangers, telling them how wonderful it was. Yup, Wonder is definitely one of those books.

August Pullman has a birth defect that caused his face to be deformed. People have difficulty looking at him, and he has become a master at noticing even the most subtle reaction. For the most part, he has been in a cocoon of love – his mother has homeschooled him, and his family loves him unconditionally. But then fifth grade comes, and his parents have decided that it’s time for him to go to school like everyone else.

Anyone who remembers their school days remembers that fifth grade was not an easy year. Kids are growing up, trying to figure out who they are, trying to fit in with the cool kids. And then along comes August, brave and terrified, and his classmates’ reactions to him are both typical and life-affirming.

As a teacher myself, I can vouch that this book is spot-on in describing life in a school. The students, the teachers, the parents – they are all out there, just as they are in Wonder. I’ve read plenty of middle grade fiction, but this one gets the prize for a realistic view of daily school life.

And one of the amazing things about this book is that we don’t just see August’s point of view. We start there; we can see life through his eyes. And then in the next section, we switch to his sister’s point of view – and suddenly everything is different from how we saw it at first. R.J. Palacio gets so completely inside the heads of her characters that you can’t help but see everything that way, too.

August is a wonder, and so is this book. So true to life, so poignant. So filled with hope. So inspiring. Family, friends, random strangers – please read this book.