Willa and the Whale

Willa and the Whale
By Chad Morris and Shelly Brown
Shadow Mountain, 2020. 252 p.

Willa had been living with her mom, who was a world-renowned marine biologist, in Japan. Only, after a tragic accident Willa is all alone and must move back to Washington State where her father and step-mom live. Willa’s dad tries to cheer Willa up so takes her on a whale watching trip. It is there that Willa discovers that she can talk to whales—or rather one humpback whale that she nicknames Meg. Meg tries to help Willa figure out how to muddle through her grief and emotions and her trying to find a place in a town that she hasn’t lived in since her parents got divorced three years ago. This is a sweet story with a character or two (including a whale) that will steal your heart and help you realize that everyone has hard times and what you do with those times is what makes or breaks you.

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Dragon Run

Dragon Run by Patrick Matthews Scholastic, 2013. 336 pgs. Fantasy Al Pilgrommor is excited for Testing Day, when he will receive his rank, a tattooed number on the back of his neck, and a path forward to his future occupation and life. He feels confident because his parents were fours on a scale of seven, but he is worried for his friend Wisp who doesn't have much of a chance of scoring above a two at best. But when Al is scored a zero, he not only has no prospects, he may lose his life as the dreaded Cullers are unleashed to kill him and his family to purify the land's bloodlines. Al's world is ruled by dragons--the lords and supposed creators of humankind--so he thinks that even if he survives, he will have to make his living as a beggar or thief. But when Al sticks up for his Earther friend in front of Magister Ludi, he is drawn into the struggle of a secret organization hoping to destroy the Cullers, and perhaps the dragons them...

Painting for Peace in Ferguson

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Review: We're All Gonna Die-Nosaur!

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