Completely Full Bookshelf

For MMGM, I am recommending The Family Under the Bridge  by Natalie Savage Carlson. This extremely short (about 130 pages) Newbery Honor book, which was first published all the way back in 1958, tells the story of a homeless man named Armand who is perfectly content with his life, in which he has given up responsibility and is free to do what he wants. However, Armand then finds a homeless single mother and her three children living under the bridge in Paris that he also lives under. He initially dislikes this family but later begins to bond with the children and take care of them while their mother works. Armand ends up trying to help the children and their mother find a home after realizing that having some responsibility in life can be worth it. This novel is fun to read, with Armand and the children's adventures helping to maintain an upbeat tone. The book's short length also works to make the book a breeze to move through! However, The Family Under the Bridge  also...

Since school's started back up, I have very little time to write this post, so I'll keep it short! For MMGM, I am recommending The Wednesday Wars  by Gary D. Schmidt. Here's the publisher's description: Gary D. Schmidt offers an unforgettable antihero in  The Wednesday Wars  — a wonderfully witty and compelling novel about a teenage boy's mishaps and adventures over the course of the 1967-68 school year. Meet Holling Hoodhood, a seventh-grader at Camillo Junior High, who must spend Wednesday afternoons with his teacher, Mrs. Baker, while the rest of the class has religious instruction. Mrs. Baker doesn't like Holling — he's sure of it. Why else would she make him read the plays of William Shakespeare outside class? But everyone has bigger things to worry about, like Vietnam. His father wants Holling and his sister to be on their best behavior: the success of his business depends on it. But how can Holling stay out of trouble when he has so much to ...

For MMGM, I am recommending Out of My Mind  by Sharon M. Draper. I haven't read a book as touching and perspective-altering yet not relentlessly upsetting as Out of My Mind  in a long time! The novel revolves around fifth-grader Melody Brooks, who is a genius with a photographic memory. There's just one problem: she has cerebral palsy, which makes it impossible for her to speak (she can just barely even move her hands) and traps all of her racing thoughts inside of her. Melody is particularly observant (as anyone would be if they couldn't talk) and appreciates the good parts of her life, such as her loving parents who help her with tasks as simple for others as eating and using the bathroom, her young and physically able sister Penny, and her neighbor Violet Valencia, or Mrs. V, who often takes care of her during the day, teaches her information in addition to that which she learns at school, and pushes her to succeed and not dwell in unhappiness. When Melody's s...

For MMGM, I am recommending  The Magic Cake Shop  by Meika Hashimoto, with illustrations by Josée Masse. Not every book is a life-changing epitome of writing, with perfect characters and a perfect plot.  The Magic Cake Shop  is a bit silly, a bit ridiculous, and a bit immature (it might be best for older elementary schoolers or younger MG readers). However, if you take The Magic Cake Shop  for what it is, which is a fun, extravagant ride of a novel that will appeal to your inner kid, it ends up being a delightful read that is worth the time! The Magic Cake Shop  revolves around a girl named Emma who lives with two wealthy parents. Her parents are certainly not characters readers are supposed to sympathize with, being constantly obsessed with their appearances and Emma's (wanting her to get plastic surgery, for instance, or eat barely anything in order to stay thin). They send Emma to live with her exaggeratedly filthy, mean, and selfish uncle, S...