Missing May

Missing May by Cynthia Rylant is about a young girl, Summer, who is adopted by her aging Aunt May and Uncle Ob. Aunt May passes away, and Uncle Ob especially misses her. Together, Summer, Uncle Ob, and the peculiar neighbor boy named Cletus, learn to find strength from each other as they continue to live life all the while missing May.
It's a rill short book, but it's so sweet. I figure if Mom were to read it, she'd cry. That's why I posted it. Plus also, I read it for my Children's Lit class . . ..

Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting

This was a book I read for my children's lit class. Normally, I'm not a big fan of history non-fiction type books, but this book was very moving. The book begins by talking about the lead up to WWI and life in the trenches. Then it beautifully and poignantly gives the account of the Christmas Day Truce of 1914, wherein troops from both sides of the war caused a cease-fire for several hours and crossed enemy lines to celebrate Christmas Day together. I like the format of the book because there's lots of great photographs. There's actual quotes from soldiers, too, but they are seamlessly intertwined with the narrative.
Even if you don't like history or war, I would still recommend this book. It shows the human nature of us all, even in the midst of war. Personally, while I was reading it, I kept thinking, "Okay, so what happens next as a result of the truce?" Obviously, the war went on for a few more years, but I still think the Christmas Truce of 1914 was an important event in the war.

A Year Down Yonder

Mary Alice, 15, spends a year living with her eccentric grandma in a small country town. The adventures they have are absolutely hilarious as they cause town riots, find creative ways to make money, and otherwise either endear themselves or scare themselves away from everyone else in the town.
This is a feel-good book for sure, and it's real short, too!

Plus also, this book is a sequel to A Long Way From Chicago which is about Mary Alice and her brother Joey as they visit Grandma over consecutive summers. Also a good book.