A special young girl you will fall in love with, as she learns at a young age the injustice of a cruel world of prejudice, race, and privilege. I may be incredibly naive, but the entire time I was reading, I just kept asking myself - are kids really this mean? Granted it’s been quite some time since I was in third grade and I don’t have any kids, but still. Are kids this young really spewing such hatred? There’s no way they understand the ramifications of their hurtful comments or even fully grasp what they’re saying, so how exactly are they learning to behave this way? It's scary to think about. Luna's Little Library. Shine has a charm that I love so much from fairytales. I was really happy reading and think it’ll be one of those books I’ll re-read on a regular basis. Recommend it? Absolutely. Read the Review. What if in the future they had a piece of the moment Ruth was living right now? It made her feel like yesterday and tomorrow weren’t all that far away from each other. What if there was a bigger world than her world- bigger than the boundaries of her imagination. This story of supernatural and psychological horror is a beautifully simple one: Mina’s car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and her mobile phone is dead; after hearing a terrible screeching, she walks into the forest. As nightfall approaches she spots a cabin in a clearing, the woman in the doorway screams at Mina to run as she rushes inside and the door slams behind her, the building is battered by terrifying shrieks. After meeting the three other inhabitants of the cabin, Mina is ushered to a room with a wall of glass and an electric light that activates at nightfall. Why? There is something outside which likes to observe those who are in the cabin and if they are not there, these creatures get very angry.

I read fast, and this book is for the middle grade audience, thus why it only took me a day. For younger readers, it would probably take a few days to a week to finish. There are a few heavy topics in this book, but nothing that children won’t understand. With Ruth’s Mama working for Ms Mina it meant that her daughter Christina and Ruth were friends, playing and spending time while Ruth’s Mama was working, then travelling home on their bus to Harlem. Eight and a half year old Ruth Brooks had left her old school in Harlem and was about to start school on a scholarship at Dalton in New York’s Upper East Side. She was both excited and nervous – Christina would be the only person she knew… This book really did my heart some good, this week. I wasn't sure what to expect, based solely on that cover. But was easily a 5-star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating from me! It was engaging and everything I hope for from a middle grade novel. Today is Ruth’s first day of third grade at Dalton. The prestigious institution on New York’s Upper East Side couldn’t be more different from her old school in Harlem. Despite being the smartest girl in her grade, Ruth suspects that her classmates and teachers only see her dark skin. She also notices that Christina, the daughter of her mother’s employer, treats Ruth very differently when they’re hanging out with the popular girls rather than playing together. Ruth must navigate between two worlds, never losing sight of the dreams she has for herself—in hopes that someday, someone will see her for who she really is.

Blog Archive

Christina and Ruth had been friends for a long time; however, this was something new. There would be no one who looked like her. How would Christina treat her around her friends? I will leave it at that, but I really enjoyed this thought-provoking novella. I'm looking forward to reading "Small Great Things" even more now. This was an all around 5 star book, no question. Many of these quotes will make my FB personal profile over the next few weeks as inspiration to my friends and family to realize their full-potential is not in what they accomplish by awards, or what their financial status is, but instead in how they treat others and the value of their relationships. This is a lesson many adults still have yet to learn, and one that would change the world we live in if practiced by all.

Ms. Mina is her mama’s employer and Christina's mom. Ruth's mama is a housekeeper for the wealthy white family. They were a good family and helped her attain a full scholarship, but she had done the work, taken a test and done well. She was grateful for this incredible opportunity and wanted to make her mama proud. She wanted her to have a good education, so she could make something of herself. She learns early on (firsthand) she is in the middle of two universes. She does not want to be in Harlem as she does not fit in, as a light milky cream color and wants a better education. Nor does she fit in a white world at Dalton. Ruth is smart and wants to learn, unlike her sister, Rachel. She is even a much lighter color than her sister. Just when you think it might be getting a little bit samey around the 50% mark, it makes a very clever plot revelation which livens things up and later on about 75%, there is another very sneaky plot shift which changes the direction of where the book heads. The ending was not what I expected, but it is beautifully worked, as the author fans the story out into a much bigger picture and a potential sequel. Often in novels of this ilk, frustratingly many questions go unanswered, but this is not the case in The Watchers, where there are a refreshing number of answers. Charlie (A Chimpanzee With ADHD) immediately became our favourite character – and one we could relate to! Charlie is a happy chimp, full of energy, initially misunderstood and labelled ‘naughty’. The book highlights the difficulty children with ADHD face in class, when sitting still and listening for any length of time is so difficult. We love the explanation the teacher gave to Charlie and his friends when he was diagnosed with ADHD – ‘he was a bit like a bottle of fizzy drink, and every now and again he just needed to take the lid off and let the bubbles out!‘ Charlie’s teacher and teaching assistant provide Charlie with some excellent coping and learning strategies which result in Charlie enjoying school, and making some great friends too. Shine books introduce us to six character with SEN: Alice, an Aardvark with Autism; Charlie, a Chimpanzee with ADHD; Dylan, a Dog with Dyslexia; Emma, an Ele phant with Epilepsy; Ollie, an Otter with OCD; and Priya, a Panda with Dyspraxia.Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors and I will honestly read anything she writes. I look forward to the release of a new book from her each year. I may like some more than others, but I always find something that I connect with in some way. It's obvious how much research goes into each of her novels and I appreciate it. Whether the book is about family, love, relationships, religion, cancer, medical emancipation, death, sexual assault, mental illness, addiction, even whales or elephants. I always learn something new, and I love that about her novels. I’m happy I received an ARC of this middle grade book from the publisher at BEA 2019. This first outing by JJ Grabenstein co-authoring with his wife did not disappoint. 12 year old Piper is now going to a prestigious school because her dad has been hired as the music teacher, but she doesn’t see herself as talented or as rich as the other kids. However, she has a passion for space and astronomy. Piper does make friends at her new school, but finds challenges around every corner. Now the school has a competition and all the kids are trying to be the winner. They are joining clubs, competing in sports, science fairs, talent shows and more. Does Piper have a chance of leaving a legacy at the school like her mom once did? Survival horror novels work best with strong characterisation and the four main protagonists (three women and one man) play off each other beautifully, each dealing with varying degrees of trauma and loneliness. However, my favourite is without doubt the parrot which Mina is hired to transport in the opening stages and refuses to abandon (I love her for this) when her car breaks down. It would have broken my heart if anything happened to this lovely and expressive creature! I had the opportunity of receiving an advance reading copy of Coming Oct 11 SMALL GREAT THINGS (Top Books of 2016), which I read prior to the release of SHINE. I absolutely fell in love with Ruth as an adult and sympathized with all the challenges she had to overcome. It further enhanced my overall experience, when then getting to return to Ruth’s childhood to learn of her journey from the start. From the eyes of a child.

Our hope at Shine is that our books can help to normalise a range of SEN (special educational needs) conditions within society. Shine Books w ere created primarily for 3-8 year olds, but there is no set age limit! We are passionate about taking away the stigma that often comes with them, and we believe that educating children from a young age in this area can have a positive impact on acceptance and understanding across society.​​​​’ I have been looking forward to reading Jodi Picoult's upcoming new novel "Small Great Things" and I was pleased to find this prequel to the book. "Shine" is not a long book but it was quite an interesting read and a great way to introduce some of the characters that will be in the new book. In "Shine" we meet a wonderful and unforgettable character, Ruth Brooks. Auffällig ist hier wieder einmal, wie angenehm der Schreibstil von Jodi Picoult ist. Dieser liest sich nicht nur sehr leicht und flüssig, sondern besitzt auch eine gewisse Melancholie, die mir sehr gefällt. Die Dialoge sind gut ausgearbeitet und die Figuren sind gut ausgearbeitet, sodass man sie nicht nur ausreichend kennen lernt, sondern vor allem auch die kleine Ruth direkt ins Herz schließt. The Bookbag. This is a story of hopes and dreams and a refusal to accept a life limited by others. It's about past mistakes threatening the present and the future. It's about the power of myths. The fear of ghosts. It's about loneliness and grief and prejudice. But it's more than that. Shine is a story of the redeeming power of love. It's about growing up. It's about setting yourself - and other people - free. It's about the right to choose your own path. And this makes it utterly life-affirming. We love Candy Gourlay in these here parts. And we love Shine too. Read the Review. Philip Ardagh, The Guardian: “ Gourlay has created something very special here; a precious and important novel that also explores exile from neighbours, family and country. The book is about reinvention and the faces we present to the world, whether it be in person, on a postcard or on the internet, all wrapped up in an exciting and perfectly paced story with a disturbing and dramatic climax.” ViewKaty Handley, Formby Books. A thrilling and emotive read that weaves myths and superstition into the modern day virtual world of social networking. It ha everything: ghosts, star-crossed romance, jealousy and betrayal. Read the Review Piper only has her father left now that her mother has passed away, and she learns how to make a family out of him. She learns to enjoy his company, because after all, he is her father, and he will always be there for her. SHINE! is an absolutely beautiful story about deciding who you want to be, kindness, and finding your own path. Piper Milly is the daughter of an aspiring musician who dreams of writing and producing his own musical but teaches middle school choir to make ends meet. After his a capella group wins a big competition, he is offered a newly vacated job at the fancy private school, Chumley Prep. As part of the deal, he gets free tuition for Piper, which he eagerly accepts.