Periodically I hope to contribute to the It’s Monday What Are You Reading (#IMWAYR) community.

I recently finished a haunting new middle grade novel by Samantha M. Clark titled  The Boy, the Boat, and the Beast. This story grabbed me from the beginning and filled me with a mixture of emotions as I read, ultimately leaving me fulfilled, hopeful, and somehow changed. While it may not be for every middle grade reader, it is definitely a book that will be just right for the right reader.

Three picture books about amazing women also grabbed my attention recently.

Title: Alabama Spitfire: The Story of Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird                 Author: Bethany Hegedus                                                                                                                    Illustrator: Erin McGuire                                                                                                            (2018, Balzer+Bray)

Title: Nature’s Friend: The Gwen Frostic Story   (2018, Sleeping Bear Press)                Author: Lindsey McDivitt                                                                                                  Illustrator: Eileen Ryan Ewen

Title: How to Build a Hug: Temple Grandin and Her Amazing Squeeze Machine                                  (2018, Atheneum)                                                                                                           Authors: Amy Guglielmo and Jacqueline Tourville                                                     Illustrator: Giselle Potter

All three of these books tell the stories of strong, persistent women, who overcame obstacles in life to follow their dreams and help make the world a better place. They would all be welcome additions to classroom libraries.