THE TROUBLE WITH HEROES by Kate Messner Finn Connelly is a boy growing up without his dad. His dad was one of New York's finest - a fire fighter. In the nation's eyes, he was a hero. He was there at Ground Zero on 9/11, and he was there for the the COVID pandemic. But the world didn't see what Finn saw. A man that after 9/11 began drinking to cope. Who took a break for a while, got himself clean, but returned during the pandemic only to be found dead in his car (see SPOILER ALERT below). Falling apart, Finn takes his grief and anger out on a headstone in a local cemetery kicking it over. What he doesn't realize is, the whole thing was caught on camera. Turns out the lady's headstone he knocked over was a mountain climber, part of a group called the 46ers, and she believed that time in the mountains could help a person heal from all kinds of pain. Instead of pressing charges, the daughter makes Finn a deal that her mother would have approved of. She'll drop the charges if he agrees to climb the Adirondacks' 46 peaks in one summer. In the process, he might learn a thing or two about himself and just maybe a thing or two about his dad as well. The Trouble With Heroes is a beautifully written book in free verse form. DO NOT LET THAT STOP YOU FROM READING THIS BOOK! It reads just like a story, and it is well worth the read! Know also, that while Finn's Dad had struggles, he ultimately was a hero, and Finn learns to respect his father in the process! The book ends in a positive way. Some fun extras in this book! This book is packed with cookie recipes! (I won't spoil it and tell you why! ) It also references the true peaks of the Adirondacks, so you can look up pictures and locations. SPOILER ALERT - Finn's Dad does not die from suicide or overdose. He passes away from COVID. HEADS UP- Two uses of God's name in vain.

GREEN      LIGHT with CAUTION 10 QUESTIONS EVERY TEEN SHOULD ASK (AND ANSWER) ABOUT CHRISTIANITY by Rebecca McLaughlin Rebecca McLaughlin doesn't shy away from the hard stuff that teens are questioning these days. She chooses 10 of the questions that are often debated where secular culture thinks Christianity falls flat on its face and answers them in a logical, well thought out method that we all can appreciate. Questions like "Isn't Christianity against Diversity, Can Jesus Be True for You but Not For Me, Hasn't Science Disproved Christianity, and Why Can't We Just Agree That Love is Love?" are covered. Like I said, the hard stuff. McLaughlin has a great way of making in-roads with teens. She uses familiar books and movies as quotes in each of her chapters. References to Harry Potter, Moana, Frozen, Lord of the Rings, Wreck-It Ralph are relatable and familiar to this generation. McLaughlin doesn't hide away at all. She admits to same sex attraction feelings from a young age. However, she chose to trust that Jesus' love was "better than the love any woman could give me." Today she is married to a wonderful man with two children. She says that there is a piece of her that still desires a relationship with a woman, but she gives that part over to Jesus with the claim that we all have unfulfilled longings that we say no to in order to say yes to Christ. This is a great book to sit down and go through together with your teen or each of you read separately and then sit down and have a discussion. It's one that may open doors to what your teen has already dealt with, is currently dealing with, or will be dealing with in our culture today. It may begin to allow communication to flow more easily between you about difficult topics. HEADS UP- She is a Harry Potter fan which will bother some. References are short. As stated above, Rebecca McLaughlin is same sex attracted but has chosen to marry a man and have children. The one area that I disagree with her on is her short section on the origin of the earth. She believes the origin began with a "big bang." The chapter is dedicated to Christianity is Science, and this is just a small part of it.

UP, UP, EVER UP: JUNKO TABEI A LIFE IN THE MOUNTAINS by Anita Yasuda. Art by Yuki Shimizu. On September 22, 1939, JUNKO (Ishibashi) Tabei was born in the shadow of the mountains of Japan. From a young age, she longed to climb and explore the mountains. As a young adult, she attempted to join a mountaineering club, but most clubs were closed to females. Finally, she found one that allowed her to be a part, and she began scaling the heights she had so long admired. Little by little, she began to bring women together that had the same love for the mountains that she did. Her group of women set their sights on Mt. Everest and began to plan and prepare for a trip. (Very few men had climbed the tallest mountain in the world, and certainly, no women had.) This amazing story shares the journey that followed and the unexpected hardships that had to be overcome. Up, up, Ever Up is a beautiful story of perseverance and accomplishment and is worthy of reading!

THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR I love Agatha Christie murder mysteries. There is a shelf and a half in our loft dedicated to her books. I have read them all (that I own) and reread several. It is fun to see her being rediscovered by a younger generation. I loved the recent Murder on the Orient Express and am waiting to watch Death on the Nile. (Here's hoping they did a good job!), but Hercule Poirot will always be David Suchet in my mind. If you walk into a bookshop or flip through a Bas Bleu catalog you'll notice that authors are writing about her 11 day disappearance. (That truly happened.) They still don't know why she disappeared for those days which has given authors lots of fertile soil for the imagination. Did she solve a real-life mystery, was she mourning her mother who died, or her marriage since her husband announced he was in love with another woman? Who knows. That is what THE CHRISTIE AFFAIR is all about. This book is told from the point of view of her husband's mistress Nan O'Dea (Nancy Neele in real life). The book is well-written, but here's your HEADS UP. HEADS UP- There are several sexual scenes that do not go into detail that do not just revolve around the mistress. This also includes a situation of abuse. For a current book language was impressive. If there was any it was so minimal I don't remember any. There you have it.

In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb by Marian Dane Bauer. Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully Kicking off March with a good lion/lamb book! One of my favorite memories of first or second grade was my teacher sharing about March coming in or going out like a lion or a lamb. We made fun paper plate faces of lions and lambs and predicted which way March would go. When I found this book, I grabbed it up and shared it with my kids. Of course, we all made our predictions!

Have You Heard the Nesting Bird by Rita Gray. Pictures by Kenard Pak. I was outside the other day and noticed the birds have changed from their winter song to their spring song. The chirps have been replaced by long trills! It's time to pull out the spring books! Have you Heard the Nesting Bird? is a fun picture book of different birds and their calls. However, the nesting bird doesn't make a sound. Why? You'll have to read the book to find out why! Not only is this a fun book for learning about birds and their different calls, it's also a great way to introduce onomatopoeia! The illustrations by Kenard Pak are delightful. They are well worth taking a few minutes and drinking them in!

ST. PATRICK'S DAY BOOKLIST JAMIE O'ROURKE AND THE BIG POTATO by Tomie DePaola Jamie O'Rourke and the big potato is the story of a lazy Irish man. His wife hurts her back. and can't work. How is he going to solve this dilemma? What comes next is a funny story involving a leprechaun, gold, and one enormous potato. Tomie Depaola's illustrations multiple the humor factor times 10! On a side note - the gold pieces in the picture came from Hobby Lobby. On St. Patrick's Day I will be using them for some type of treaure hunt around the house!

NESTING by Henry Cole Nesting is the story of a pair of robins nesting! It goes through the process of building the nest, sitting on the eggs, protecting the nest (snake), feeding, etc. The book is well written, but what makes this book extra special is Henry Cole's artwork. All pictures are in black pen with the only addition being robin's egg blue. It is fanstastic and a visual feast for the eyes!

THE SECRET GARDEN by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Illustrations by Graham Rust. When I see little shoots start poking out of the leaves in my garden, I always think of Mary Lennox and The Secret Garden. This beautiful story of new starts is full of wonder and discovery. Mary Lennox is a spoiled child born in India. When her parents die from cholera, she is sent to live with a reclusive uncle who dwells on the English moor in Misselthwaite Manor. Once upon a time there was love and happiness in the manor, but now it is shrouded in sadness and loss. At the heart of it all is a secret garden that has been locked for years and the key buried. But just like plants come back to life after the winter, maybe lives could as well. Side note- I particularly love this edition with the illustrations by Graham Rust.

GREEN LIGHT with CAUTION AGES: 6TH-9TH GRADE What would you do if you learned 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was a true story, and that you are Captain Nemo's last living relative? Why would it matter? Because the Nautilus, Nemo's submarine - a technological wonder, can only be captained by you due to your DNA. There are lots of people that would like to get their hands on that sub. This is Ana Dakkar's reality. Rick Riordan's latest book, Daughter of the Deep, is a great adventure with some unexpected twists. HEADS UP- "god" used approx. 5 times, periodic minor references to evolutionary ideas,  Ana is Hindu so there is mention of a couple of Hindu gods, her friend is a Mormon who scolds her when "god" is used. Ana suffers from painful periods so cramps are debilitating for her.

An Egg is Quiet is a book dedicated to all kinds of eggs. It showcases the differences in sizes, colors, patterns, etc that eggs can be. However, all eggs are quiet as they go through the developing process. A Nest is Noisy focuses on the variety of nests of animals, birds, and insects. It focuses on the different types of materials used to construct the nest. In the end when the babies are hatched the nest goes from quiet to very noisy!