I had another big week of reading and media consumption. Here is what I digested and thought about them.
Dear Nobody: The True Diary of Mary Rose
Have you ever read a book that you swear just cannot be true? This book is a release of the diary of a girl named Mary Rose. I give the mother much credit for making this happen because it really exposes some serious family flaws. In sharing this story I really hope that it saves a child in need, lacking love, addition flawed, and needing to feel loved. I kept reading this book thinking it was fiction. This story broke my heart, made me feel angry and at times not sorry for what happened to her, sorry for her the next page, and then just grateful for my life. Not sure how else to share thoughts without ruining the story. Give it a read, but know it is open and honest so this is not for anyone under 14 years of age.
Such a great read. This is the book I have trying to write. She beat me to it and did a much better job than I would have done. What is so great about this book is not the message. Follow your passion is nothing new and often when reading this book I felt like she took a lot of stuff from Angela Maiers. However, what makes this book different is that it provides context in terms of how to actually act on your passion. It provides ideas, tips, reminders, and starting points to get going.
As an adult I took many useful tips to apply to things that I am trying to do as an educator to make change. So even though the book is designed for YA, anyone can benefit. I have many highlights and pages marked to go back to and process, use, and share with students. A really helpful book to read to learn how to get started.
Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak
This is a topic that I am not familiar with. This book provoked many questions for me. I had to process and really learn to understand what I was reading. However, it did not take me long to realize that no matter who you are or what you are going through, the problems of growing up is same. We all just want to feel like we belong, that we are accepted for who we are, and loved by our close friends and families. At the end, this book reminded me that we must embrace who we are no matter who we are. When we try to be something we are not to fit in, then this path leads to nothing but a path away from our goals of feeling loved. When we realize to embrace who we are, then things open up and we find out the truth of others. I cannot imagine the confusion of being a transgender, but I found the stories fascinating and reminded me to really be accepting of everyone no matter who they are or what they do.
Fad Mania: A History of America Crazes
This was a fun read. It is short coming in under 70 pages, but I found the journey down memory lane to be quite enjoyable. This would be a nice addition to any library. The thing I liked most about this book was that it brought into the context the time period of when things developed. It was short and not dense which is a must for students. It also allowed the reader to understand why things occurred. In the end it was a great reminder that all things come to pass no matter how great, bad, stupid, or otherwise. Anytime you bring in nostalgia it makes you want to go back and live in the glory days, but after reading this I also know that what goes around, comes around and if I wait patiently these items will come back.
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