Great books to start the new school year!

Sitting on my front porch, fall is in the air. The sky blinds a bright blue, the wind blows crisply, and the leaves mix with colors - yellow, red, orange, maroon, and some green still. I love this time of year because I can grab a blanket and a good book and curl up to read - inside or outside.  I have enjoyed a few books the past few weeks, and I hope you can find one or two you might enjoy on a crisp, autumn day (or evening).

Listen, Slowly by Thannhà Lai

Being honest here . . . I  haven't finished the book yet. I'm reading it very sloooooowly because I don't want to leave Mai yet. She is a 12 year old Vietnamese girl, born in the United States, who is on a summer trip to help her Ba (grandma) find out what happened to her husband, Mai's Ong (grandpa) during the Vietnam war. Mai has such a wonderful spirit! She is a real American 12-year old girl, who wants nothing to do with traveling to Vietnam. While she is gone, she worries about her friend Montana stealing the boy she loves - even though the boy has no idea about Mai's feelings for him. While on this trip, Mai slowly comes to discover her roots and her love for the country of Vietnam and her "maybe-relatives." Listen, Slowly is a funny, honest, and heartwarming story of growing up, loss, and compassion.

Goodreads summary:

A California girl born and raised, Mai can't wait to spend her vacation at the beach. Instead, though, she has to travel to Vietnam with her grandmother, who is going back to find out what really happened to her husband during the Vietnam War. Mai's parents think this trip will be a great opportunity for their out-of-touch daughter to learn more about her culture. But to Mai, those are their roots, not her own. Vietnam is hot, smelly, and the last place she wants to be. Besides barely speaking the language, she doesn't know the geography, the local customs, or even her distant relatives. To survive her trip, Mai must find a balance between her two completely different worlds.

Solo by Kwame Alexander and Mary Rand Hess

Want a book you can read in a day because you won't be able to put it down? This one is for you! I was hooked from the very first page of this novel-in-verse (or novel-in-rock and roll). Blade Morrison, seventeen year old, is trying to figure out his life and embarks on a journey to Ghana. In Ghana, Blade comes to a better understanding of himself and his father. That's all I want to say.  You won't want to put this amazing book down!

Goodreads blurb:

Solo, a YA novel in poetic verse, tells the story of seventeen-year-old Blade Morrison, whose life is bombarded with scathing tabloids and a father struggling with just about every addiction under the sun—including a desperate desire to make a comeback. Haunted by memories of his mother and his family’s ruin, Blade’s only hope is in the forbidden love of his girlfriend. But when he discovers a deeply protected family secret, Blade sets out on a journey across the globe that will change everything he thought to be true. 

Pottymouth and Stoopid by James Patterson, Chris Grabenstein, and Stephen Gilpin

Well, if you like books with underdogs, this book is for you. Pottymouth (a.k.a Michael) and Stoopid (a.k.a David) have been picked on since Kindergarten because of the crazy things they do - although they don't think they are crazy. The boys are just being themselves. Included in the book are an amazing mom, a devious ex-dad, an evil classmate, and a rich cartoon producer. The book was a little unbelievable, but, if you are a middle school student looking for a fun, outlandish, and fast-paced book, then this is the book for you.

Goodreads: 

Tired of being bullied, middle-school underdogs Pottymouth and Stoopid finally fight back with the power of funny.David and his best friend Michael were tagged with awful nicknames way back in preschool when everyone did silly things. Fast-forward to seventh grade Pottymouth and Stoopid are still stuck with the names-and everyone in school, including the teachers and their principal, believe the labels are true. So how do they go about changing everyones minds By turning their misery into megastardom on TV, of course And this important story delivers more than just laughs-it shows that the worst bullying doesn't have to be physical...and that things will get better.