Faith, Hope, and Ivy June

This book is really complicated because it is about Ivy Junė and Catherine finding out how even though they live in completely different ways, they are the same in some ways.  The7th grade exchange program between their schools really showed Catherine that not everyone is rich in the same way she is.  She learned that people can be rich in traditions and in love.  Ivy June realized that although she wanted her family to change and look better to Catherine, her family was content with their old ways.  She learned that she wasn't and became determined to do more with her life. Ivy June and Catherine both grew during this book and they stuck together when hard times hit their families simultaneously.  I think middle schoolers will really like this book because it lets you see the lives of other characters and lets you think about what you THINK anthers persons life it like.  I wonder how different most of our classmates live are from how we THINK they are.  If our school had a exchange program like this, I would totally apply.

Shiloh

Sometimes life just isn’t fair, and kids try to fix all of the problems in the world. This book shows Marty, a young boy of eleven, trying to protect Shiloh, and Judd Travers, Shiloh’s abusive owner. I think this is a book that every child should read. It shows kids that, as young as they are, they can make a difference. This book also helps kids understand that we can’t do everything alone and some adults will still do terrible things even if we try to fix the world.  Boy do I wish we could just fix it!


Rating:*****