I managed to finish two half-read books this week, and read another Bluebonnet Award nominee!
Educated, by Tara Westover, just drained me emotionally. I had to read it in chunks to process the abuse and manipulation she experienced in her family home. The titled point--education allowed Westover and two of her siblings to "escape", while the others decided to believe in their father's view of the world--paled in comparison to the effects untreated mental illness had on the family, and on Westover in particular.
Matilda, by Roald Dahl, was a long-overdue read for me, and an interesting fictional parallel to Educated. The students suffer physical and emotional abuse at the hands of their bullying headmistress; the self-educated, brilliant Matilda suffers emotional abuse and neglect in her home. Criminal masterminding and just plain meanness are at the heart of the vicious behavior of the parents and headmistress. Matilda conquers the malefactors through brain power--though of a different sort than Westover's advanced education.
I finished Wishtree by Katherine Applegate in a day. It was just the sweet story I needed to soothe my troubled thoughts after the previous two books, even with its relevant theme of fear/hatred of different cultures. I usually don't enjoy animal stories, but the anthropomorphic qualities of the animals as well as the wishtree had me giggling. We all need a Red (the steadfast, wise red oak) in our lives to remind us to grow deep roots and reach for the sun. Teachers, there are some great science learning points in the story as well, so this would be a wonderful read-aloud during your plant and animal habitat units.
I'm moving on the Austin Kleon's Keep Going, the Mueller report, and Anderson's Shout next. What's in your reading pile this week?
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