Skip to main content

You Go First

Image
By


You Go First
Written by Erin Entrada Kelly
Harper Collins Children's Books, Fiction. 288 p.

Erin Entrada Kelly won the most recent Newbery award with Hello Universe. She has already followed it with a brand new relatable middle school fiction novel.

Twelve-year old Charlotte Lockard and eleven-year old Ben Boxer met online playing scrabble. They live far away from each other and have never even spoken, they only text back and forth. Both are very intelligent and happen to do well playing scrabble They are constantly competing for the top score.

Each friend encounters tough life experiences, especially for a middle-school student. Ben's parents decide to get a divorce and Charlotte's dad has a heart attack and has to stay in the hospital. Ben decides to pick up the phone and actually call Charlotte instead of just text her. He has a hard time making friends and with everything he is going through he needs a good friend he can talk to.

Friendship is a constant theme. Charlotte and Ben each experience bullying. The all-too-common experience where someone you thought was a friend, really isn't. Friendship is found in  places that previously had  never seemed possible. In the face of tragedy, true character develops. This book could be a conversation starter with a child about to enter middle school when friendships and learning to endure through tough experiences are important.






Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

If You Like...KPop Demon Hunters

By
KPop Demon Hunters has been one of the most talked-about movies of the summer. If you loved this movie as much as I did, you don't want the magic (or the music) to stop. Try reading these books that touch on some of the same topics and themes as the animated hit! Brick Dust and Bones By M. R. Fournet New York: Feiwel and Friends, 2023. Fiction. 247 pages. Orphaned Marius works in the family business--as their cemetery's ghost caretaker. However, Marius also moonlights as a monster hunter in order to earn the costly Mystic currency he needs to bring his mother back from the dead. As the window to bring his mother back begins to close, Marius's exploits get more and more dangerous, and he may have set his sights on a monster too big to handle on his own. Like Mira, Marius longs for familial connection, and his work as a monster hunter will satisfy the thrill of demon hunting for fans the movie. Where's Halmoni? By Julie J. Kim Seattle, WA: Little Bigfoot, 2017. Comics. W...
Post a Comment
Read more

If You Like... Folktales

By Suzanne
Folktales have long carried the wisdom, imagination, and traditions of cultures around the world by passing stories from one generation to the next. They often weave together important life lessons with magical creatures or daring adventures. Books, like the ones on this list, bring these age-old tales to life for today’s readers. Each story is rooted in its own cultural heritage and offers a glimpse into the values of the people who first told them. They remind us that storytelling is a powerful way to connect us across time and place. The Three-Year Tumble By Dayeon Auh New York: NorthSouth Books, 2025. Picture Book. Based on a beloved Korean folktale, a superstitious grandfather and his thoughtful granddaughter turn the legend of Misfortune Mountain on its head. According to the myth, anyone who falls down the mountain has only 3 years left to live! Together, this family learns how changing your mindset can make a positive impact on your life. The Salt Princess By Anoosha Syed New Y...
1 comment
Read more

Display: Golden

By
The Bakery Dragon By Devin Elle Kurtz New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2024. Picture book. Ember, a small dragon with an unimpressive roar, fears he will never be as good at stealing gold as other dragons, but discovers a different path to joy after a chance encounter with a baker.--Editor Sona and the Golden Beasts By Raani LaRocca New York: Quill Tree Books, 2024. Fiction. 385 pgs. Discovering an orphaned wolf pup she believes is related to the five sacred beasts of Devia, which a Hunter has been killing one by one, Sona embarks on an epic adventure during which she realizes that the fate of the sacred beasts, and the future of Devia, is in her hands. --Publisher Gold and Silver, Silver and Gold By Alvin Schwartz New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2009. Informational. 128 pgs. Presents legends, true stories, and tall tales about the hunting, finding, and losing of treasure, including pirate treasure and treasure not yet uncovered.--Editor Golden Girl By Reem Faruqi New York: Harper, 202...
Post a Comment
Read more