I will be the very first to admit that I often judge a book by its cover.Thus, while browsing through a selection of books at my local library, I came across Courage for Beginners and was completely captivated. It's lovely, isn't it? Blue skies and a hot air balloon and an intriguing title are about all one could ask for when it comes to a good cover.
Now enters Mysti Murphy, a spunky red haired girl who loves all things French, who has a knack for making up stories, and who can face seventh grade as long as she's got her best friend Anibal by her side.
Only, Anibal wants to try something different—
or rather, be someone different—
this year. To do that, he needs Mysti to do him a favor:
He needs Mysti to pretend that they're not friends at school.
It's not only Anibal that Mysti has to worry about, though. There's her dad. And her mom. And her sister. And then there's the matter of how she's going to carry that frozen turkey down the street without her arms falling off.
Courage for Beginners is absolutely lovely because it is the perfect mix of real-life and fantastical situations. Karen Harrington flawlessly describes the ups and downs a seventh grader experiences in life while covering the overarching topics of friendship, family, and bravery. Harrington had me laughing and cringing at the mishaps and adventures of Mysti over and over again, and I simply fell in love with the heroine in this book.
The best part, though, was that Mysti discovers who she is without having to travel very far or without leaving behind who she is. This isn't some melodramatic middle grade book, but a story that feels true because it takes place in the most common of places: school, home, and oddly enough . . . the grocery store.
In short, Courage for Beginners was breathtaking, leaving me quite enchanted with Mysti Murphy.
I hope you all have the pleasure of meeting her someday.
Appropriate for ages 10+
Remember your fifth grade history class when you studied the Civil War and learned that the United States was split into two? Something like that seemed impossible. America should have been too huge and powerful. America should have been indestructible.
In Legend, futuristic America has also been divided into two countries: the Republic and the Colonies. Both have been at war with one another for years after political chaos and floods shrunk the size of the United States considerably.
In step our two characters. First, there is Day, a fifteen-year-old boy with the reputation of being the most wanted criminal in the Republic. Next, there is June, a fifteen-year-old girl famous for being the only individual to pass a national test with a perfect score.
Recruited by the government, it is June's task to catch Day. But she wants more than that.
June wants revenge.
Inspired by the relationship between Jean Valjean and Inspector Javert from Victor Hugo's Les Miserables, Marie Lu has the absolute perfect set up in this book. As she alternates chapters between Day's and June's perspective, the reader is taken effortlessly into a world that has changed dramatically from the one they know now. I loved how the details of Lu's world were incorporated gradually and naturally, the flashbacks adding depth to the characters.
In short, I was blown away by this book. It was genius! Genius, I tell you! Now, skedaddle, won't you? Go read it for yourself!
Appropriate for ages 15+
