Favorite Book Fridays: More New Favorites From Amber

I take my reading seriously. I believe that it is my duty to stay current on recently published titles, in case they are worthy of recommending to an enthusiastic, voracious reader, or a reluctant reader for that matter. Recently, I read few titles that leaped out to me as engaging, hard-to-pass-up stories.

Those of you who loved The Secret Garden might want to pick up The Humming Room by Ellen Potter. This story, that takes place on an island in the middle of the St. Lawrence river, is inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic. In the new spin, tiny and wild 12-year-old Roo is sent to live in an old children's hospital with an Uncle she's never met. After wandering the deserted halls and investigating strange noises, Roo discovers she has a cousin, too. An out of control, sickly cousin. Equally stubborn, Roo and her cousin Phillip work together towards healing and sprouting new life within themselves and in their environment. And yes, there is a garden, but you'll have to read it to find out more about that.

In my favorite books, many characters get a chance to tell their version of the story in their own voice. Such is the case with R.J. Palacio's Wonder. First we hear from August Pullman, who is heading to public school for the first time as a fifth grader. Because of severe medical conditions, Auggie's been homeschooled until now. It's a big challenge, considering his facial features are unlike any of his classmates. Just when we get used to August's narrative, we hear from his sister, Via, and what her life has been like as the family member of a kid who has required 27 surgeries and constant attention. Then we hear from classmates and friends of August and Via, expanding the story through their many perspectives, until we can see a complex bigger picture. This book is about accepting extraordinary differences, but it is also about the power of ordinary kindness.