Welcome to Litsy!

So sweet and inspirational. Sometimes you just need to read something like this to remember what hope, joy and love can do.

The primary audience for this picture book about children during wartime is Grade 4-8. I recommend it to teens & adults also. Inspired by a true event—a library assembled from scavenged books in a basement in Syria—the author also drew on her own childhood experiences sheltering with neighbours during wartime in Lebanon. The message that books are one of the ways people cope with disaster & despair is a hopeful one. #kidlit

Illustrator Vali Mintzi uses charcoal to show the devastation of aerial bombardment outside, and uses gouache in shades of red, blue & gold for interior scenes as well as pre-war peaceful times in Damascus.

Their secret library had become a safe port in a sea of war.

It is amazing how children adapt to their surroundings. Nour and her friends were living a normal life climbing trees, playing hide-and-seek, and jumping over puddles. But all that changes when war comes to Damascus. This is a look at the life of children who are surrounded by war.

In all fairness, he was my childhood crush; however, what an excellent attitude he has towards life dealing with Parkinson‘s and aging in general. This read gives a new perspective on #adversity and optimism. The audiobook even includes a chapter on the ill-fated year #2020 .

This was adorable. Also FRank likes to wig out hipsters, which was hilarious 🕷

hello expect bug and spider books mixed with sci-fi, historical mysteries, and random stuff

Eh.

You know how sometimes you read a book at just the right time, or age, in your life? If I had read this book 10 years ago, I wouldn't have understood anything Edwards wrote about in her memoir.

For whatever reason, the theme of my books this year happens to be "out of date" memoirs ? Currently reading the tagged book and really appreciating her writing style. Don't mind me...I'll just be over here, circa 2008, give or take a few years in either direction.