Welcome to Litsy!

We started the next book at my job‘s accidental book club. This time me and a co-worker both bought the same book on the same day by coincidence.

I loved this book of two international pen pals that forged a friendship so strong that they became like family. Important to note: don‘t ever look down on someone who has less than you or comes from deep poverty. Everyone deserves a chance to become the best they can.

I have been a horrible penpal and I apologize to my #poutinepenpals and #litsylove groups for being such a slacker 😔 So my goal for this week is to FINALLY make a dent in the pile of wonderful cards, letters and postcards I have received over the last many months. I‘m determined that not even slicing my pinkie finger over the weekend making cabbage salad is going to stop me. LET‘S DO THIS!!! 💌

I started this last night. I wish we‘d done pen pals from other countries in school!

To everyone I owe a letter, please know I‘m truly sorry I haven‘t responded yet. I feel like the summer got away from me as I‘ve been trying to work on my health and prepping for busy season at work.

Thank you for your kindness and for the community we build here. ❤️

This was such a great book. It took a chapter or two to adjust to Catelyn‘s voice but it was well worth it! Makes me miss having pen pals and handwriting letters myself.

This audiobook is so sweet & shows the true meaning of selflessness. Caitlin & Martin are 7th grade penpals & share their lives over almost a decade of letters. Caitlin learns what true poverty & gratitude looks like and Martin finds a real friend. This is a perfect young YA, & will give readers a glimpse into the difficulties that plague those in 3rd world countries. We're often aware of the situation, but this story humanizes the issues.

This type of story usually isn‘t my style, but this book was so amazing. It was heart wrenching and heart warming. It had me laughing and crying. Solid 5/5. The narration even makes me like audiobooks a little more.

Dogs, yarn, and audio books. 😍

Trying something new for me... hopefully it keeps me entertained while knitting something for my #summersantagoespostal swap partner. 🧶😍

This book motivates on so many levels and I really enjoyed listening to it on audio book. I‘ve told my oldest nephew about it. Like Caitlin he is a privileged American youth who takes eduction for granted. Even though I was an honor student throughout high school I too took education for granted and here is this boy Martin who knew that eduction was the only ticket for his family to have a better life. I‘m also motivated to be a better pen pal!

I've been reading a lot more since my laptop won't boot up anymore, but I inhaled this book. The beginning made me want to me want to bail because Caitlin was such a yawnfest. Then I read about Martin. Wholesome and touching.

#ya #nonfiction #LitsyAtoZ #I

My beautiful #JB mail from @amb @Kaye @CareBear and @Smarkies (this beautiful card all the way from Malaysia). Thank you all so much. Hilly couldn‘t care less.

I am not usually a nonfiction reader, but I absolutely loved this tale of pen pals that turned into family. I commend both Caitlin's family for their large hearts and to Martin's family for their support towards his dreams. I was captivated by their story and read their tale within a few hours. I also enjoyed watching them develop as both their individual selves and their views on the world.

10/10

Such a heartwarming read! Really goes to show that friendship knows no boundaries ❤️ Great read if you're looking for something positive today ☺️

I had a lot of pen pals growing up, so this book really appealed to me. When Caitlin, a 13-year-old from Pennsylvania is paired up with 13-year-old Martin from Zimbabwe, neither of them realizes how their correspondence will change the other‘s life. This book is so hopeful and eye-opening and there may have been tears. Super quick read because I couldn‘t put it down.

This is a love letter to letter writing, to the power of friendship, and most of all to love that is greater than any geographical distance, cultural differences, or political division. A true story of two people who became best friends through letter writing and just happened to live on different continents in vastly different circumstances. All they wanted was to be there for each other. Their unwavering friendship is so uplifting. 🌍💌

After a really crazy week of work and life blowing up all at once, I‘ve decided to take a weekend staycation and that means getting away from my usual routine, including reading. This book was not on my TBR, but it looks like a really intriguing true story so I‘m doing a weekend binge read. Here I go!

I had a pen pal many years ago, and I was one of those people that it didn‘t last more than one letter... this is sooo cool! However, I would have fully thought it was a scam when he kept asking for money... Life has warped my brain to second guess all things..

I don‘t normally like nonfiction, but this book was so well written I couldn‘t put it down! This story of friendship and kindness is told in a narrative format that is compelling and intriguing. The kindness these two people show is incredible and the story will make you think more about what you can do to help others.
I actually had the privilege of meeting the two wonderful authors and their kindness is inspiring.
#yalit #nonfiction #kindness

I'm keeping stats at the junior high basketball game tonight but I've brought my book just in case I have a free minute or two.

So far, my favorite read in 2017. Published in 2015 about a pen pal friendship started in 1997. Martin is in Mutare, Zimbabwe, and Caitlin is in Hatfield, Pennsylvania, USA. Very different lives, same kind hearts. Appreciate the life you have, make life better for those around you. Thankful that I got to read about the incredible friendship Martin & Caitlin share.

An excellent and engaging read! Perfect for middle school students and higher. Makes me want to go out and get a pen pal! Makes me want to go to Zimbabwe and roll up my sleeves and help. Makes me want to hire a better editor for these two young authors - seriously, there were so many typos that I wanted to scream. A shining, positive example of one person helping another and the snowball effect it created.

My cat Splash loves this book and is thinking about what he just read😛

Loving this book so far! Makes it even more awesome that we are having Litsy pen pals! #debsstack

Yaaass!! I made it this round 🙌🏻🙌🏻 #litsypenpals

In the days since I finished this book, I've found myself recommending it to everyone I meet. Such a moving and inspiring story of perseverance, kindness, and friendship. When two young people from different sides of the globe begin writing to each other for a school project, they create a bond that transforms both their lives. If you're feeling down, this one will pick you up.

#summerstack #splashintosummerreads

Makes me want to help!

In this epistolary memoir, Caitlin & Martin become pen pals & write to one another for 6 years, from America to Zimbabwe & back again. They grow up together, though they live on different continents. Caitlin fuels Martin's dreams for a better life, & Martin helps her understand poverty & need in a deep way.

Despite its length, this book reads FAST. It got overly religious at times, but ultimately, I happy-cried so much that my face feels funny.

"My father let out a deep sigh. It filled our small hut and escaped out the door, taking so much tension with it, as if he'd been holding his breath for weeks."

Art cred: Betsy McCall

this was soooo cute!

This was a fantastic book! The truly best part, true story! This will be a reread and I save those for only the best books!

Perfection. The sweetest story of friendship and the best part being: IT'S A TRUE STORY. This really should be made into a movie. It's one the world needs to hear right now. Love sweet love. I will put this in my top 5 of all time favorite books. LOVED IT.

Sometimes a book makes you cry - happy tears, hopeful tears, tears that make you remember how truly wonderful people in this world are. HOPEFUL - that is how I would describe this book. It also makes you remember the power of the written word, in this case the words and letters shared by two pen pals, a half a world away from each other. Read this book & make sure you have tissues!

I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it. It wasn't one of my personal favorites but I would recommend reading this book. The story is beautiful and will change the way you look at the world. This is a book you should read.

Inspiring memoir of an amazing friendship

July 3rd and the high temperature was about 65 today. And it was rainy. Not sure why I bothered to get dressed, but I enjoying hanging out under a blanket with this book and a cup of hot tea.

Great, accessible piece for young adults to understand the world more fully and have a bit more empathy.