This collection of letters provides an intimate glimpse at the correspondences of some of the most noteworthy and notorious figures in history. Whether it's Queen Elizabeth II providing President Eisenhower with her scones recipe or Mohandas Gandhi pleading with Hitler to choose peace instead of war a month before he invaded Poland, there is bound to be a letter that speaks to you.

This heart wrenching drama will have you on the edge of your seat, grabbing the tissues and sobbing with grief and relief. Adam discovers that the boy that the school counselor has asked him to track down is Julian -- the foster brother he hasn't seen in five years. At first, Julian seems like the boy he once knew. But as they spend more time together, Adam realizes that Julian is keeping secrets. Adam is determined to help him, but his involvement could cost both boys their lives.

Another very funny, albeit often earthy and raw, book by Samantha Irby. I enjoy her witty observances, very real descriptions of how she feels about life, and her ability to cut to the chase. Again and again I found myself laughing out loud!

You may know Barbara Ehrenreich from her book, “Nickel and Dimed,” but she has authored many essays, books, reviews and articles and has received numerous awards for her writings. This book of essays is a great collection of writing on all kinds of social, political, and psychological issues and often give the reader a new way to look at these matters. Some of the essays are very current, and some were written as long ago as 1988. Even though they span decades, you can still find relevance to things going on today.

The only thing Amara wants for her 12th birthday is to visit her Dad's family in Harlem, to see where he grew up and spend time with the family she hardly knows. But something happened 12 years ago between Amara's Dad and Grandpa and she doesn't know if it can be fixed. While she tries, she also finds herself on a journey of self-discovery--finding out about her place in her family and in the world.

This book is loaded with topics to discuss! The one that impacted me the most due to our current COVID pandemic, is that the Plague of London 1665 was featured extensively. The book also includes tons of information on the rise of Chocolate popularity, the life and culture of the British in the 1600's, the Fire of London 1666, abuse of women and of Black people, and romance is woven into it all. The book did not catch my attention for about 4 pages, but I'm glad that I persisted, as the plot grew and picked up speed. Brooks, an author from Australia, did tons of research on the time period, people and all of the content that she included! The book is very, very dense with history and content, so it took me a long time to read it, even with all of the time that I had to spare in this time of "shelter in place."

Edward Tulane is the beloved china rabbit of a young girl named Abilene. When they are separated Edward embarks on an epic journey to the depths of the sea and the top of a garbage heap. But more importantly, he journeys through love and loss and back again. This is a beautifully written story that would be wonderful for an independent reader or as a child/caregiver read aloud.

This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to understand why we are still dealing with racism in America. Seeing the problems through the eyes of a psychologist takes away the arguing and lets you decide what to do about it.

This is a fantastic book for parents with kids of all ages--it's never too late to help your child love reading! The authors, both of whom work for the NY Times Book Review, provide book recommendations and strategies for showing your kids from birth-teenager the great value and joy that can be found in a good book.

We climb with the author up Mount Everest, from the Napal side of the mountain to the top, experiencing the effects of the loss of oxygen and strength as he climbs. Krakauer was writing a piece for the Outsider magazine, about climbing the tallest mountain in the world. This was a sad book to read. I do not understand the drive that exists in these people to climb a mountain, risking their life to complete the challenge! Knowing that you can kill yourself with a slip of a step or a broken rope connection OR due to the various affects that the lack of oxygen can do to the heart and brain, and still pushing to climb is insane, in my personal opinion.