Boys of Summer Bookclub

“There is more treasure in books than in all the pirate’s loot on Treasure Island.” — Walt Disney

Change is hard. We’ve spent the past year transitioning my mom (who suffers from dementia) and her husband to living full time in Arizona—leaving behind the peaceful retreat my parents built almost 25 years ago in Gallup, New Mexico. It means selling the home that saw countless Thanksgivings where hearts were made even fuller than stomachs; summer nights of Navajo Tacos, homemade ice cream, and cheering on bull-riding cowboys; card games that lasted into the wee hours; and “fox hunts” on the trail. It also means saying goodbye to the last tangible connection to my dad.

One very bright spot in my many visits to the town that raised me is spending time with my nephew, his darling wife, and their five kids who are already proving to be as warm and kindhearted as their parents. The three oldest and I quickly discovered a shared love for books and, one sunny Sunday afternoon, we decided to form a summer book club. I’d send them books I thought they’d love and they’d let me know if they were a hit or a miss. Then we agreed I’d share their reviews here so other kids can find books they love too. It’s a win/win.

Before we share June’s picks, meet my book club besties:

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Tate

A couple weeks out from turning 11, Tate is a voracious reader. His favorite books are Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Geronimo Stilton. He thinks the hardest job ever would be US President so he’s steering clear of politics and instead hoping to hone his awesome sports skills into becoming a professional baseball player someday. If he had his wish, the sky would rain Bertie Botts beans, he could transform objects into other objects, and he’d never have to clean a bathroom again. He thinks Darth Vader is as villainous as they come because he hurts others and his light saber can cut through anything except beskar. The silliest word he knows? Tim Buck Too.

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Nolan

Nine-year-old Nolan just sealed the deal as favorite great grandchild by saying his dream job is owning a trading post. If the stars seem a little brighter tonight, that’s his Great Grandpa Tanner beaming from heaven. This lego-building aficionado dreams of chicken nuggets covered in bbq sauce, avoiding laundry duty for life, and using his super power to blow things up like a bomb. Don’t worry though, he’s one of the good guys. Which is why he’s not a fan of Mardu, who betrayed his kingdom. I’m glad to be a part of Nolan’s kingdom. His favorite books are Captain Underpants, Geronimo Stilton, and The False Prince. The silliest word he’s ever heard? Bitsui Buttcrack.

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Jude

Sweet Jude is seven. He’s a big fan of The Magic Treehouse books and Diary of a Wimpy Kid. There’s nothing wimpy about Jude though, he’s got serious kicking skills and hopes to use them to become a professional soccer player someday. The job he never wants? Vice President of the US. Nothing but the top for this sushi-loving 7-year-old! He dreams of being able to control liquids and use them whenever he wants—maybe even find a way to use them to clean the backyard, his most despised chore. Captain Hook tops his list of worst villains because he hits people with his hook and even his friends don’t like him. Clearly, Jude knows it’s best to fight fair and be a good friend. The word that makes him giggle the most? Diabetes.

JUNE’S PICKS

Tate’s Review: I think I like this book better than Fablehaven because it has more action in it and dragons are my favorite mythical creatures. Also, Bracken (my favorite character from Fablehaven) is in this book. It’s really suspenseful so I’m excited to start the second book. I give it 4.5 stars. This book is similar to Harry Potter and Percy Jackson because there is magic in it and it has action in it like Percy does. It’s very descriptive which is just like Harry Potter. I didn’t like that the somber knight didn’t take action but seemed lazy and a scaredy-cat.

Nolan’s Review: This is a really good book because it has mysteries and it kept me interested. I’ve never read a book like this before. I really liked the end of the book and I’m excited to start the 2nd book in the series. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. (Nolan loves reading but struggles sometimes to find books that hold his attention. This felt like a huge win—especially when he included it in his list of favorite books above and his mom told me he’s already finished the second book in the series and is insisting she order the third!)

I struck out on this one. Hey, 2 out of 3 ain’t bad, right? While Jude’s mom said he had the reading capability of this book, he seemed a little overwhelmed by the size of it and kept choosing Diary of Wimpy Kid or books similar in size. The goal is to find books he loves reading on his own so here’s hoping next month’s pick does the trick!

Posted by Rachel

All Hail Mark Sullivan!

With love in our hearts, there is nothing we cannot overcome.”

We’ve openly and repeatedly gushed over Mark Sullivan and Beneath the Scarlett Sky. No doubt, we have real love—big love—in our hearts for Mr. Sullivan. It won’t surprise that we jumped on Sullivan’s latest, will it? During one of the most explosive times in our world history, Emil and Adeline Martel must make a crucial decision: Do they wait for Stalin, ruthless and mad, to invade their homeland and risk being exiled to Siberia? Or do they follow corrupt, murderous Nazi officers who’ve pledged to protect and move “pure-blood Germans” into occupied Germany and other acquired territories? The Martels, German-born farmers living in Romania during World War II, must choose quickly. But they don’t want the lesser of two evils. So they set off in search of a better life. With their two small boys in tow, they navigate the landscape of war-torn Europe—danger everywhere. Their ultimate goal? A lush green valley surrounded by mountains and forests with a lazy flowing river beneath, free from persecution and evil.     

The Martel’s search proves compelling. Of course, I couldn’t fathom a true story as stunning as Pino Lella’s—his World War II heroism was lights out. Unreal. Sullivan flexes his storytelling prowess here and makes me wonder if this one wasn’t meant to be? While speaking to a group in Montana about Pino, Sullivan first heard about the Martel’s experience no more than 200 yards away from the home that he originally listened to Pino’s story 11 years earlier. What are the odds, people? On a scale of 1 to Beneath the Scarlet Sky (5 lustrous stars in my opinion), I’d give The Last Green Valley a solid, shiny 4.5. I’m with the reviewer who gushed, “I hail Mark Sullivan for doing it again—taking very real, very human stories…and providing us with a work of historical fiction that we will not forget anytime soon.” That’s exactly right readers…count on it. All Hail Mark Sullivan!

Posted by Sharee

Hope and Heartbreak

“How unrecognizable America had made them, she was thinking, all of them.”

I don’t know the Vietnam War. Nothing more than what I was taught in school, and admittedly, that’s not much. What’s more, my understanding of refugees’ struggles and tumultuous life changes when fleeing their war-torn countries is fairly abysmal. Eric Nguyen’s debut novel, Things We Lost to the Water, has helped me understand the sobering process more.

Beginning in the 1970’s, Nguyen unravels a tale of Huong and her two boys—Tuan (age five) and Binh (a newborn baby)—who escape war-ravaged Vietnam for a calm and lazy New Orleans. Separated from her husband, Cong, during their escape, Huong sets up life in The Big Easy, hoping that Cong joins them soon. Huong soon realizes that he will not be joining them in America. Time teaches her that she and the boys need to move forward with their lives.

Throughout the story, we follow the three characters as they set up a new life in the United States. Huong develops her skills in various jobs and works her way from having nothing to buying her first (used) car as an American citizen. We see how immigration affects Tuan and his sense of identity and how he struggles to fit in his new home in America while holding on to his past. Finally, Binh (later renaming himself Ben) struggles to find any hold in his Vietnamese culture and attempts to forge his own path independent of his family. Set over the course of almost 30 years, Nguyen weaves together a story of hope and heartbreak that may be similar to real life refugees’ experience today.

This book is a solid 4 out of 5 stars for me. While the writing is a bit jerky and can be difficult to follow, I believe it may be on purpose—to mirror just how refugees feel in their new homes: life is a bit jumpy and change is hard to process. A stunning first novel, I thank Nguyen for sharing important insights into Vietnam that I left me with greater awareness and increased compassion. And we can all use more compassion right about now.

Posted by Michelle

Women of Cuba, We Hear Your Cries

“Who are we, weakness? No, we are force.” – Victor Hugo, as quoted in Of Women and Salt

Our most recent read is a book that received big time attention online. (We’re talking Vogue-big.) So big that The Los Angeles Times claims “Of Women and Salt” is “everything that American Dirt wasn’t.” If that doesn’t catch your attention, we don’t know what will. While our interest may have been piqued from the flashy online reviews, Gabriela Garcia now has our full and undivided attention.

Of Women and Salt follows two families in their quest for and struggles with immigration. We first meet Maria Isabel in Cuba in the 1800’s, where she prides herself on being the only female cigar roller in town. After falling in love with a rare literate male, she becomes enchanted by the words of Victor Hugo and his ideas of revolution. Maria Isabel’s commitment to overthrow the oppressive Cuban government and better her life sets off a chain of events through other women in her family that lead us to present-day Miami, where Carmen is struggling to help her daughter, Jeanette, stay clean and sober. Across the street from Jeanette’s house live Gloria and her daughter, Ana, illegal immigrants from El Salvador.  Jeanette watches one morning as Gloria is arrested by police for being an illegal immigrant. Ana comes home later that night to find her mother gone. Jeanette, recognizing what Gloria has done to protect her daughter, invites her to stay the night at her house.

What follows is a story of heartache, loss, and survival as we witness both family’s desperate search for a better life in the United States. Focusing solely on the stories of women, Garcia has crafted a narrative that will both break your heart and lift your spirits at the same time. (Did we mention she wrote part of this while developing her thesis in grad school, and that it’s loosely based on her family’s immigration story? You go, girl!). The feminist in us was proud to turn pages and rub shoulders with these remarkable women. 

P.S. Michelle read this book in a day – she was hooked! Sharee listened to the book and said it was a good listen, but a little hard to follow the dates and times—so pay close attention to the beginning of the chapters. Definitely 4.5 out of 5 bright stars for this debut novel.

Posted by Michelle and Sharee

Ode to the Very Lovely Mr. Carle

In the light of the moon a little tear lay on the edge of my cheek. I’m sad that we lost arguably the greatest “picture writer” of all time today. How I love Eric Carle, The Hungry Caterpillar’s inspiration, who claimed that his brain and soul were at their collective peak when he was just six years old. What a precocious child! He’s colored our world and made it so much more vibrant and joyful. Thank you, Mr. Carle. All the starry, starry thank yous go to you today.

In honor of the late great one, let’s talk fireflies, as in Firefly Lane. It’s no secret we’re huge Kristen Hannah fans around here. The Nightingale grabbed our female hearts and opened our sympathetic minds—a story that changed us to be sure. Firefly Lane does surround important topics like the complexity and importance of an enduring friendship, the ability to hurt and to heal, and the cumulative effect of our choices on relationships. But it’s not a novel gamechanger. I appreciated Kate and Tully, girlfriends who are opposites in myriad ways, who also need each other in significant ways. True to life, their friendship displays a breadth and depth of emotions, and reminds me that loneliness can be the link that ultimately binds people together. This wasn’t a supernova. But it is a good read for a sunny day when the beach is calling. Promise us, you’ll go Under The Sea while you’re at it, and think fondly of Mr. Carle.  

P.S. Firefly Lane is a Netflix mini-series—it was just renewed for Season 2.

Posted by Tracy and Sharee

The World is a Rose

“What’s lateral thinking?

 Thinking about things from different angles. Sideways, upside down, inside out…if I was to ask what direction a clock’s hands go, what would you say?

 Clockwise?

 Not if you’re inside the clock.”

By way of introduction, Sharee is a big puzzle gal. She’ll sprawl a 500-piecer on the dining room table and have it finished over a weekend. Crossword puzzles are more of Michelle’s speed. Give her the small little boxes and a couple of clues, and she’ll be set for a few minutes (thank you, NYT, for your daily mini-crosswords)!

Whether you puzzle over pieces or not, you’ll love Kate Quinn’s latest novel, The Rose Code. The story follows three girls that couldn’t be more different: Mayfair debutant Osla Kendall, Shoreditch sass Mab Churt and Brainiac Beth Finch. Brought together by cracking German and Italian codes at Bletchey Park during the war, the girls become fast friends with one stipulation: no one is allowed to share what they do for work or what they uncover.

Fast forward to 1947, and the girls are mortal enemies—one writing gossip for London’s The Tattler, one a housewife in York and one in a sanitorium. A cry for help and untold secrets from the war will either bring the girls back together or drive them further apart—can the girls crack this code? Suspense, secrets, and sass keep this WWII novel moving pretty quickly. Sharee says this book is a 4.75 out of 5 stars – practically perfect in every way!

P.S. For the Kate Middleton fans out there (aka everyone), did you know that her grandma, Valerie Middleton, was a codebreaker at Bletchley? Her story inspired Princess Kate to revitalize the headquarters for visitors in 2014. You bet Grandma Middleton gets a nod in Quinn’s book!

Posted by Sharee and Michelle

Go Deep or Go Home

“I know [the word masterpiece is] something of an old-fashioned conceit, nevertheless, I'll go for broke and call Klara and the Sun a masterpiece that will make you think about life, mortality, the saving grace of love: in short, the all of it.” —Maureen Corrigan

That’s high praise from NPR’s Maureen Corrigan—she’s successfully lassoed the big daddy of deep thoughts a careful reader is bound to ponder if they pick up a copy of Klara and the Sun. Combine “masterpiece” with the fact that Rachel recommended this book to me, and well…need I go on? Seriously, I could stop here.

(Cue John Mayer) One more thing, why don’t I know more about Klara’s brainchild, Kazuo Ishiguro? I mean, come on, the man has won the Nobel Prize in Literature. I’ve been sleeping on the job. I absolutely positively need to read The Remains of the Day. (Eliane, I feel the book club selection after Emma comin’ on—oh and Emma will be comin’ on, I promise.)  I’m intrigued by the man whose got me thinkin’ Coo Coo Ka Zuo. When he won the big award, Ishiguro was described as “a writer who, in novels of great emotional force, [uncovers] the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world.” Go deep or go home, right?

There are deep layers in this speculative fiction. Klara is such an observant first-person narrator, even if (or because?) she’s an AF—an artificial friend. AF’s aren’t IRobot-inspired, meant to clean house; they aren’t pandemic-inspired tutors; and they’re not replacements for uninspired parents. An AF is designed to be a loyal companion. When 14-year-old Josie, sick with a life-threatening illness, chooses Klara for her AF, she couldn’t have possibly appreciated how a humanoid would impact her teenage life. With the backdrop of a futuristic world where loneliness is underscored, the importance of a true friend is amplified. Maybe we all underestimate, to some degree, the impact of a devoted friend—the kind that love freely and wholly, without conditions. All this to say,  I’m grateful for a profound novel that ultimately explores the question we all should: what does it mean to love?

Posted by Tracy