{ 52WRR }: Review of The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman

Welcome to Week 3 of { 52 Weeks of Recommended Reading }!

I'm reading one book every week that is an award winner (or honor book) or has been included on a list of great books. You can find my reviews from previous weeks here.

(Just as an FYI... the start of this year was unexpectedly busy so I'm a little behind - I'll be posting a few of these in a row to get caught up on my weeks. :/ But then the plan is that it will be a once-a-week feature, posting on Tuesdays.)


The Bridge Home
by Padma Venkatraman

Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook, audiobook
Pages: 208
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Publication date: February 5, 2019
Suggested tags: middle grade, realistic fiction, India, homelessness



From the publisher:

"Four determined homeless children make a life for themselves in Padma Venkatraman’s stirring middle-grade debut.

Life is harsh in Chennai’s teeming streets, so when runaway sisters Viji and Rukku arrive, their prospects look grim. Very quickly, eleven-year-old Viji discovers how vulnerable they are in this uncaring, dangerous world. Fortunately, the girls find shelter–and friendship–on an abandoned bridge. With two homeless boys, Muthi and Arul, the group forms a family of sorts. And while making a living scavenging the city’s trash heaps is the pits, the kids find plenty to laugh about and take pride in too. After all, they are now the bosses of themselves and no longer dependent on untrustworthy adults. But when illness strikes, Viji must decide whether to risk seeking help from strangers or to keep holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom."

Awards/Booklists (as of the time of my review - if you know of more please let me know!):

• 2020 Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) Notable Children's Books for Middle Readers
• 2019 Booklist Editors' Choice for Books for Youth (Fiction - Middle Readers) and Youth Audio
• Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Books of 2019
• Chicago Public Library Best Fiction for Older Readers of 2019
• 2020 Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group (CL/R SIG) Notable Books for a Global Society
• 2019 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best Middle Grade & Children's
• New York Public Library Best Books for Kids 2019
• School Library Journal Top 10 Audiobooks 2019
• 2020 Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Golden Kite Award for Young Reader and Middle Grade Fiction
• 2020 Walter Award for Younger Readers
• The Washington Post's Best Children’s Books of 2019 for Fiction

This is a beautiful, heartbreaking book. Viji tells her and her sister Rukku's story, which is not an easy one, with honesty and strength. From their time at home with an abusive father and a struggling mother, to their time on the streets with their new "family," struggling to survive in every sense of the word... It's far more than girls their age should have to face, and while this story is fiction, it is painful to read because I know many children in the world are living this reality every day. Viji shares a range of emotions with readers: anger at her father and their situation, happiness with her new friends and their freedom, the uncertainty and stress of making decisions for herself and her sister (who seems to have a developmental disability)...

This is an amazing story, and I think an important story, but it is not easy to read. Ultimately, it ends on a note of hope for Viji, who is now able to envision and better future for herself, but the road that got her there is full of pain and struggle. The relationship between Viji and Rukku and their new "brothers" is a beautiful example of how friends can become more like family, which adds a warm, uplifting feeling to the story. For older middle grade readers or those who can handle difficult subject matter, I think this is a great book to read and discuss, to give readers around Viji's age an idea of what life might be like for other kids around the world that we don't often hear about.  


Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was great! I might buy it for myself and I would definitely recommend it to others.

{ My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own; 

your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }

{ 52WRR }: Review of What Is Given from the Heart by Patricia C. McKissack

Welcome to Week 2 of { 52 Weeks of Recommended Reading }!

I'm reading one book every week that is an award winner (or honor book) or has been included on a list of great books. You can find my reviews from previous weeks here.

(Just as an FYI... the start of this year was unexpectedly busy so I'm a little behind - I'll be posting a few of these in a row to get caught up on my weeks. :/ But then the plan is that it will be a once-a-week feature, posting on Tuesdays.)


What Is Given from the Heart
by Patricia C. McKissack
illustrated by April Harrison


Available as: hardcover, Kindle edition, ebook
Pages: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade Books
Publication date: January 8, 2019
Suggested tags: picture book, generosity


From the publisher:

"This final, magnificent picture book from three-time Coretta Scott King Award winner and Newbery Honor author Patricia McKissack is a poignant and uplifting celebration of the joy of giving.

“Misery loves company,” Mama says to James Otis. It’s been a rough couple of months for them, but Mama says as long as they have their health and strength, they’re blessed. One Sunday before Valentine’s Day, Reverend Dennis makes an announcement during the service– the Temples have lost everything in a fire, and the church is collecting anything that might be useful to them. James thinks hard about what he can add to the Temple’s “love box,” but what does he have worth giving? With her extraordinary gift for storytelling, McKissack–with stunning illustrations by Harrison–delivers a touching, powerful tale of compassion and reminds us all that what is given from the heart, reaches the heart."

Awards/Booklists (as of the time of my review - if you know of more please let me know!):

• Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Books of 2019
• Chicago Public Library Best Picture Books of 2019

I had tears in my eyes by the time I was done with this one. Such a sweet, touching story about helping others with a spirit of kindness and generosity, even when you have little to give. James Otis and his Mama are going through some very hard times, and you can feel Mama's despair and James Otis's uncertainty at the beginning of the book through both the words and the artwork (which is a really gorgeous type of mixed media work that fit the story perfectly). James Otis puts a lot of thought and effort into his gift for another family, once he sees that Mama is happily working hard at turning one of her most prized possessions into a gift, and he comes up with something that is equally hand-crafted and heartfelt. By the end of the story, James Otis and Mama both seem a little happier and settled, and they find that their kindness and generosity has come around and been returned to them. It's a wonderful story, beautifully told and illustrated, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for an uplifting story about helping those who are less fortunate and finding value in what you have to offer, even when you are facing difficulties yourself.

Also, I love the idea of "love boxes" - this book inspired me to start a Valentine's Day tradition in our house where we make a love box to donate to an organization, like supplies for an animal shelter or notes and necessities for soldiers overseas. I could see this book being the center of a library program too, where kids can donate or create items for a love box to be distributed where it's needed within their community. 


Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was great! I might buy it for myself and I would definitely recommend it to others.

{ My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own; 

your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }

{ 52WRR }: Review of Ojiichan's Gift by Chieri Uegaki

Welcome to my new weekly feature, { 52 Weeks of Recommended Reading }!

One of my goals for 2020 was to do better about reading books that have won awards or been included on "best of" booklists. I feel like my tastes tend to run a little more off-beat and don't naturally take me to the books that everyone is buzzing about, so by not actively keeping up with these awards and lists, I'm missing out on a lot of great books. So for this year, I decided to read one book every week that has won an award (or is an honor book) or has been included on a list of great books.

(Just as an FYI... the start of this year was unexpectedly busy so I'm a little behind - I'll be posting a few of these in a row to get back on track for week 3. :/ But then the plan is that it will be a once-a-week feature, posting on Tuesdays.)

So here's my first review for my { 52 Weeks of Recommended Reading }!


Ojiichan's Gift
by Chieri Uegaki
illustrated by Genevieve Simms


Available as: hardcover, ebook
Pages: 32
Publisher: Kids Can Press
Publication date: April 2, 2019
Suggested tags: picture book, gardens, nature, Japan


From the publisher:

"When Mayumi was born, her grandfather created a garden for her. It was unlike any other garden she knew. It had no flowers or vegetables. Instead, Ojiichan made it out of stones: “big ones, little ones and ones in-between.” Every summer, Mayumi visits her grandfather in Japan, and they tend the garden together. Raking the gravel is her favorite part. Afterward, the two of them sit on a bench and enjoy the results of their efforts in happy silence. But then one summer, everything changes. Ojiichan has grown too old to care for his home and the garden. He has to move. Will Mayumi find a way to keep the memory of the garden alive for both of them?

This gentle picture book story will warm children's hearts as it explores a deep intergenerational bond and the passing of knowledge from grandparent to grandchild over time. The lyrical text by Chieri Uegaki and luminous watercolor illustrations by Genevieve Simms beautifully capture the emotional arc of the story, from Mayumi's contentment through her anger and disappointment to, finally, her acceptance. The story focuses on an important connection to nature, particularly as a place for quiet reflection. It contains character education lessons on caring, responsibility, perseverance and initiative. It's also a wonderful way to introduce social studies conversations about family, aging and multiculturalism. Mayumi lives in North America with her Japanese mother and Dutch father, and visits her grandfather in Japan. Some Japanese words are included."

Awards/Booklists:

• Center for the Study of Multicultural Children's Literature Best Books of 2019
• Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Books of 2019

A sweet story about a girl and her grandfather, and the rock garden that they care for together. Mayumi visits her grandfather in Japan every summer, and they spend time together taking care of a rock garden. As she grows older, she is able to do more and more to help tend the garden. But as her grandfather grows older, he is able to do less... And although Mayumi is angry and frustrated at first, she finds a way to keep the rock garden going for them both.

I've always found rock gardens to be very peaceful places that invite me to pause and reflect on nature for a while, and the book does an amazing job of conveying this tranquil feeling through its illustrations. The words provide wonderful details of the plants and structures around the garden, and the story itself reads very calm and peaceful. Mayumi's sense of despair when she sees their garden neglected is palpable, but the story ultimately moves back into a feeling of tranquility and ends on a happy note, even though things have changed.


Final verdict: I loved it! I thought this book was great! I might buy it for myself and I would definitely recommend it to others.

{ My reviews are honest and my opinions are my own; 

your reading experience may vary, so give it a read and see what you think. :) }