An interesting description of growing up and choosing friends and activities that help one succeed.
358124
Well written, interesting read describing the joys and difficulties experienced by a child raised in a community that spoke a language and came from a culture different from that of the city, state and country in which she lived. In spite of the real drawbacks in her situation she succeeds beyond anyone's expectations.  She tells of being part of a large extended family that helped to give her a sense of security even though her father was an alcoholic who died young and her mother was the "breadwinner" who worked hard and had seemingly little time for her children. Before the father died, the parents argued frequently, distressing the young child.  Sonya loved her father and derived great pleasure from continuing some of his special ways of doing things after he died, but she also recognized and appreciated that though her mother mourned her father's death, almost to an unhealthy extreme, she became less tense and more involved with her two children.
821003
I appreciate this series. It encourages young people to make good choices & to be selective of their friends.
4048898
A little girl who lives on a small island has always been curious about the other island nearby. One day she finally gets to explore it, and finds some unexpected discoveries.

This ends up being a comparison of cultures, a celebration of adventure, and a story of finding an unexpected new friend. The illustration style feels soft and summer-day-dreamy. I like the wide variety of flora and fauna on the new island, and the fact that a friendship can be based on little commonalities despite many other differences. A good read when talking about how to make friends or an intro for introducing other cultures.
3112170
An interesting tale of a married couple in trouble, their kids learning to be on their own but still learning, old friends learning how to become a family to which we then through in acquaintances, business partners, strangers and some elders into the mix and put this all into a vacation setting in Spain.  I'm not sure my family could have carried it off but this book does.  A insight into how others interact between themselves.  Well written.
578379
Summary:
It's not easy being a new kid.  Gavin has just begun the third grade at a new school.  He had plenty of friends before, but making new ones is difficult.  He thinks he has made a new friend, but things don't turn out quite like he had hoped.  As punishment for his misdeeds, Gavin has to walk his aunt Myrtle's Pomeranian.  Not only is this little dog a horror, but how is Gavin ever going to prove he is cool while walking a little poofy dog with a bright pink bow?

My thoughts:
This is a sweet story with quite a few beautiful illustrations.  Gavin goes through a lot of changes and his relationship with the dog also evolves over the course of his punishment.  I liked how Gavin deals with his problems and attempts to both find himself and his new friends in this new situation.  It was a book that definitely brought back memories of "I'm not your friend anymore" days in third grade.  There is a good focus on responsibility and consequences, which is something that I don't see much in younger grade novels.  Good lessons on some tough growing up issues.
2793934
Great illustrations.  Teaches that not all friends are the same or have the same skills.  Teaches how to be a friend and what friends do for each other.
3508594
Interesting read about a young man's struggle to find his place in his world. A bit more detailed than I would have wished
4879998
A story of family, childhood connections, growing up, time and distance before reconnecting, and the challenges that entered their lives.
958348
3.5 stars
Saaket "Scott" Ferdowsi isn't sure what he wants to do with his life. His Iranian-American parents want him to do a summer internship which will set him on the path to a practical and stable career later in life. With his parents out of the country for a month, Scott makes the decision to go to the nation's capital to get advice from a college professor who claims to know the secret of success. There he meets an interesting cast of characters including a girl with a love for crossword puzzles. One crazy adventure after another just might lead Scott into finally figuring out just what he wants in life.

I liked the theme of this book, a teenage boy frustrated at not having it all figured out yet. While I personally would not have gone to all of the extremes he did in order to find out answers, I had to admire his tenacity. This book kinda straddled the line between quirky and annoying but for the most part it was an enjoyable read. I wasn't the biggest fan of Fiora but did feel she served a good purpose to the story. Would recommend to those looking for a young adult novel that is a little bit fun and has some depth.

Thank you to First to Read for the opportunity to read an advance digital copy! I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.
434610
This book describes what might be called a pre-midlife crisis.  He realizes that he's about to turn the corner from being a carefree, independent youth into an adult who can't go to the pub and watch football every Friday night.  Like many almost thirty-somethings, he realizes that he's lost track of many good friends from his youth.  Unlike most people, he decides to try to track down all of the friends he kept recorded in an address book from his youth.

Using social networks, the Internet, and social engineering, the author begins to try to update his address book.  Entertaining adventures ensue as he finds some friends close by and others across the globe.  After his initial few endeavors, the book starts to read like more and more of the same.  Yes, it's a memoir, but the navel-gazing and self-absorption becomes irritating towards the end.  The author stagnated through his own inactivity, then realizes he's about to turn 30 and starts trying to meet up with people to reinvigorate himself.

Wallace's shallow attempts at reflection are at first interesting, but never really address why early friendships are often deeper and longer lasting than later ones.  I enjoyed the highs and lows of his meetings and near-misses, but overall I didn't feel that Wallace ever grew up.
2124685
While I found the early parts of the book to read a bit sophomoric, I stuck with it and soon became engrossed in the true life tales of growing up and finding one's self in a sea of socioeconomic challenges. The cadence can be bit awkward at times, but overall an enjoyable read of one's account of what it was like to grow up in the rougher parts of Northeast Mass.
2576214
Funny, quirky, and all in all a good read about how friendships are formed.
439083
A good story about the progression of  a friendship that goes beyond cultural, economic, and age barriers. I was glad it stayed that way, too, and not develop into some cheap, sultry, sex yarn. A good read.
3347603
An intriguing tale of a clumsy, socially awkward kid trying to get through life and discovering that he can be more than he ever thought possible.
3724037
I liked this book, in a lot of ways because I can relate to Lisa and how she kept a large part of herself hidden away from her *friends*.  I always looked at is as you have school friends, you have neighborhood friends, you have friends for different activities. But none of those friends really knew the whole you, each group only saw a glimpse of the real you.  This book gives you some great ideas on how to help create and strengthen friendships.  It is a good read and one I would really recommend.
3081347
An interesting story young people with incurable, terminal diseases who learn to get from life their own kind of satisfaction and who come to aid one another's needs with genuine friendship. I thought they could have done with less barnyard and scatological language, however.
299501
i enjoyed this book and I felt it was well written by a young boy who struggled to make something of his life.  it would be a great movie for the young ones today to see and let them know you can make something of your self if you believe in what you want. what you want it life does not get handed to you, you have to believe and work for it and this book tells alot on how hard it was to achieve but it can be done.