Welcome to Litsy!

Thank you for the #MiddleGradeMonday tag @TheSpineView 🤗 I forgot to post yesterday.

This one has been in my TBR for ages. Told in verse it‘s about a girl from Syria who has to move to Cincinnati due to the unrest in her country. A new kid in town & country.

To paraphrase Jason Reynolds‘ quote on the cover of the book “This is a necessary story. One that makes the world a better place for it being told.” Another good YA pick and a fast read too!

#springskies #poetic

#NewYearNewBooks

#Refugees This middle grade book, told in verse, about a Syrian girl sent with her mother to Cincinnati due to unrest in their country, has been in my #TBR for a while now. It‘s another one I added to my #Roll100 list in hopes it would push me to finally get to it this year.

My 11 year old is reading this for one of his novel study books and it is beautifully written. It tells the story of a girl who moves from Syria go Cincinnati and her experiences of moving to the states, her worries about her family back home, and her Muslim identity. It felt very real and poignant.

A young girl must leave Syria for the US because of political unrest at home. Although Jude is sad to leave her father, brother and friends behind, she has high hopes for her new life. Told in verse form,Jude discovers that she is an outsider and struggles to fit in. Ultimately life- affirming, Jude discovers herself. #blameitonlitsy #foodandlit #syria

Written in verse, this is a fast and lovely read. Started it a long while ago so I‘m glad I finally got to finish it!

A great book about a young girl learning about herself as she assimulates into US culture after fleeing from the Syrian war zone.

Jasmine Warga does a wonderful job of incorporating character-revealing metaphors through the character's five senses, making this story universally relatable.

I appreciate how Warga writes about harsh experiences with softness. Jude embodies resilience & an adaptation that keeps the old home dear & the new home a place with a future. Warga also could have put a wedge between mother & daughter, but instead brings them towards shared understandings.

#BookMoods

Two books #ToldInVerse
The tagged is in my #TBR stack & Brown Girl Dreaming is a favorite.

What do you do when the only home you have ever known breaks out in war? How can you leave your father and brother behind? These are the questions Jude is faced with as she leaves her beloved home to come to America with her mother to live with her uncle and his family. Told in verse, you take the journey along with Jude as she faces a lot of firsts in a world that isn‘t always kind to her. Highly recommend!!!!

💙💙💙💙💙

This is my first read from the fab #nywd list from @LeeRHarry . It‘s a quick read, as it‘s a middle grade book and is also written in poetry. For these reasons, it‘s also not something I would have picked to read for myself, but I‘m so glad it was on your list, Lee.

I actually started it a couple of days ago, and had to force myself to put it down as I was completely engrossed & wanted to find out what happened, but not before January started! 😁

My #5thBookof2021 was Other Words For Home by Jasmine Warga. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ !! #12Booksof2021

Nice story

Book 16 for 2021

When life in Syria become ps dangerous, Jude and her mother leave her brother and father behind and move to America. In Cincinnati, Jude struggles to fit in with American culture while honoring herself. She is challenged to find a balance between both cultures while worrying about her family in Syria. This is a great story about perseverance and self-confidence. I would read this with my fifth graders.

A sweet coming-of-age meets immigration story, with a heavy focus on family. Written in poetry, plus it's MG, so it reads quickly. Such soft characters in this one

This was ok for me but felt like it was missing something I guess. It does have a great lesson of cherishing your loved ones and friends as you never know what will happen.

"Hoping, I'm starting to think, might be the bravest thing a person can do."

I have wanted to listen to this book since it was recommended during #MiddleGradeMarch. It wasn‘t what I expected. It was better. It‘s the story of a young girl who comes to America from Syria with her Mother when things start to get dangerous. She tries to learn more English, make friends and find her strong self again. I hope ESL teachers get lots of respect, her ESL class was her safe space. #100YEARS100BOOKS #70! #BookSpinBingo #9 #NUTSinMAY

Read this with some students recently. It‘s a story in verse about a Syrian girl who comes to the US. Beautifully written. Very accessible for middle schoolers. My kids learned a lot.

A great book, and I love how it was written, sentence structure and prose like. Read for the May #buzzwordathon -Home/House 4/5

This story is about a young girl name Jasmine, who left her country Syria to start a new life in America while leaving her family and culture behind in her country.

It‘s a story of young girl who migrated from Syria to US with her mother. It shows how war affects common people. it is emotional without exaggerating the facts. This book specially focus on YA problems, family bondage love, problems of emigrants. I m in love with the MC Jude, her bold & humble nature. The Arab proverbs quoted in b/n conversations r worth mentioning.I listen to the audiobook & narration was fantastic. 4.5🌟#bookspin #MGMarch

Other Words for Home is the story of a Muslim girl, Jude, who has to flee Syria and learn how to adjust to living in America. This for me was a fairly quick read, but I very much enjoyed it.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Touching story about a refugee girl adjusting to her new American life and role in her family.

Another contender for next book and the likely one. I joined Malala's Book Club on Literati. This one is a middle grade novel written in verse. Will be interested to see how the discussions will go.

Happy Independent Bookstore Day!
While I live in the country, I'm fortunate to have 3 Independent Bookstores just a short road trip away. Every summer as part of my Birthday Celebrations I take a day and visit.

At home today but here's my Birthday Independent Bookstore Haul from earlier this Summer. Incidentally I haven't read any of them yet. They're on the Fall reading list. 📚
#independentbookstoreday
#neverendingtbr #bookhaul

“Americans love labels.
They help then know what to expect.
Sometimes, though,
I think labels stop them from
Thinking.”

#summerfun #litsyawardwinner @StayCurious @4thhouseontheleft

Such a lovely and important book. It was so wonderful to read. I felt like the ending was a bit abrupt and nothing was really “over.” That May be that I‘m not the intended age group for this book, but we read it for a book club. I think we need more books like this, not just for our children but for adults as well. We need these windows into other experiences, in other places, to end the fear and bigotry that exists in the world.