105 Ways to Give a Book

Tired and Wired

As it turns out, it is possible to be tired and wired at the same time. Nothing else could explain me finishing a new book by 6:30 a.m.

Call Me HenriCall Me Henri, by Lorraine López, is on my county’s summer reading list and looked like a good choice for my middle school booktalking session on (gulp) Monday. Good call on my part.

Enrique is a middle schooler himself, living with his mother, triplet brothers, and stepfather in a tough section of town. With both parents needing to work, Enrique is called into service after school as the babysitter. While he loves his brothers very much, and wants to help his family get by, the responsibility is hard for him. His mother is loving and kind, but his stepfather hits him.

Enrique is in ESL classes at school, like everyone else he knows, but he would like to learn French. With some help from his teachers, he may be on his way to a new adventure.

That was a pretty lame description, but it really is early. The thing I liked about the book is its authentic tone and characters. It felt real that all the problems weren’t solved in a tidy way. Many of the kids I’ll see on Monday (gulp again) will relate to Enrique’s situation.

All right, moving on. Adding 3 books, 8 hours, and 678 pages to my total.

1 comment:

Libby said...

I'm done--thanks for the challenge!