Skip to main content

Show Me a Sign

 


Show Me a Sign 
By Ann Clare LeZotte 
Scholastic Press, 2020. 269 p. 

Mary Lambert lives on Martha’s Vineyard in 1805 and there is a lot going on. She and her parents are trying to survive the grief that came when Mary’s older brother was tragically killed. Mary and the rest of the islanders are trying to figure out the land disputes between white settlers and the Wampanoag people. And finally, there is a new scientist that has come to the island to study the fact that the island is home to quite a number of deaf community members—including Mary and her father. When the “scientist” decides that Mary might make a perfect “live specimen” he decides to kidnap her and it will take all that Mary has to figure out how to return home to her family. This is a fascinating heroine that doesn’t shy away from who she is amidst the early 19th century background and lifestyle. Readers who like strong characters who overcome a lot (and do it all while not having the sense of hearing) will cheer Mary along as they read this powerful story.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.

Review: The Factory

The Factory By Catherine Egan New York, NY : Scholastic Inc., 2025. Fiction. 306 pages.  Thirteen-year-old Asher Doyle has been invited to join the Factory, a secretive research facility in the desert which ostensibly extracts renewable energy from the electromagnetic fields of its young recruits. But Asher soon realizes something sinister is going on. Kids are getting sick. The adults who run the Factory seem to be keeping secrets. And the extraction process is not only painful and exhausting, but existentially troubling. Asher makes a handful of new friends who help him with an investigation that turns into a resistance, which turns into...a cliffhanger! The Factory is a page-turning sci-fi with multidimensional characters, an intriguing plot, and refreshingly straight-forward writing. Egan weaves in detail about climate crises and social unrest, making the story's dystopian setting feel rich and plausible. With its sophisticated themes and accessible storytelling, I would recomm...