Book Haul: Nonfiction And Children

Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga’s Reviews. I get to show off all the books I’ve gotten recently. These books are either nonfiction or involve children in some way.

Review: Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Series: The Arc of a Scythe #1

Pages: 435

Genre: Young Adult Dystopia

Publisher: Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers

Publication Date: November 2016

A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.

Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own.

I’m pretty sure that Neal Shusterman is my favorite author of dystopias. I love his Unwind series, and I may have lost my chill a little when I first heard about Scythe. Shusterman puts so much thought into his dysfunctional worlds. They’re far-fetched, but they’re sooo complex.

Top Ten Tuesday: Countries Where More Books Should Be Set

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is books that take place in another country. I feel like I’ve written enough posts that focus on non-US books, so I thought I’d try something different. It’s time for a geography lesson. We’re going to take a tour of those countries you’ve vaguely heard of but don’t know anything about. I think all of these would make excellent book settings. Here are ten countries where more books should take place.

Review: Missing May by Cynthia Rylant

Missing May by Cynthia Rylant

Pages: 89

Genre: Middlegrade Contemporary

Publisher: Yearling Newbery

Publication Date: 1992

Since Summer was six years old, she lived with dear Aunt May and Uncle Ob. Now, six years later, Aunt May has died. Summer, who misses May with all her might, is afraid something will happen to Ob. Most days Ob seems like he doesn't want to go on. But then Ob feels May's spirit around him and he wants to contact her. Cletus Underwood, a strange boy from school, reads about someone who could help him do that. Summer wants to hear from May too. 

Ob and Summer don't know what to expect when they set off on their search for some sign from May. They only know they need something to ease their sorrow and give them strength to go on living—always knowing they will never stop missing May.

My mission to read all the Newbery winners continues with Missing May, the winner from 1993. This book is tiny—only 89 pages—but it has a lot of depth. The Newbery winners I’ve read so far have been hit or miss (mostly miss) with me. Sometimes, I have no idea what the award committee is thinking. Luckily, I didn’t have that problem with Missing May. This little book deserves its Newbery.