Too Bright To See by Kyle Lukoff

I picked up this book because of all of the shiny stickers on the cover!  I mean- wow!  Too Bright to See has earned a lot of praise- the Stonewall Book Award, National Book Award Finalist, and it is a Newbery Honor book. In our library, it sits in the Mystery section. This book is definitely mysterious, but it is also sad, intriguing, beautiful and hard.  The main character, Bug, is grieving the loss of her beloved uncle.  She and her mom have lived with him in an old, haunted house out in the country.  Uncle Roderick taught Bug about ghosts, but she never imagined he would become one.  

While this books is about grieving the loss of a loved one, it is even more so about identity and self-discovery. Bug is about to begin middle school. As your read Bug's internal thoughts and learn more about her, you can't help but feel a little confused. She seems discontent, not just about the absence of her uncle, but about herself.  Spoiler: you eventually figure out that Bug doesn't feel like a girl. Bug feels more content and at peace as a boy.  

This is my first book to read where the protagonist is transgender.  It was interesting to learn about some of the possible thoughts and feelings that someone may experience in this kind of life journey.  In the author's notes, you find out that Kyle Lukoff was born a girl, but transitioned to the male gender as a teenager. So I think he writes Bug's character from a relatable and realistic perspective. 

I don't love sad books, and I don't love scary books. This book was a little bit of both. But this book is a perfect example of why READING IS SO IMPORTANT! Through this fictional, middle-grade story, I was able to learn and develop more compassion and empathy for those whose stories are like Bug's.  And I am grateful for that. 

 

The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

 

This is my first book review NOT for a class! :) I still want to share the great Middle Grade/YA books I am reading, but I am simplifying the review format. 

The Lost Year is a WONDERFUL book, but it is also heart-wrenching.  I chose to read this book over the Christmas break because I love Historical Fiction. Marsh sets this book during 2020, in the midst of Covid quarantine. Matthew is a young teen, stuck at home with his mom and his great grandmother. Only when he is grounded from his Nintendo Switch does Matthew begin to ask questions of his GG. These questions lead to the rest of the story, which takes place in the early 1930s. It is the story of three young teenage girls that are living three very different lives, one in the US and two in the Soviet Ukraine. 

The book is so well written, and I learned a lot about the devastating Holodomor. I am pretty sensitive to sadness and tragedy in books (and shows and movies and commercials...and maybe life.)  I cried while reading the book, but Marsh handles the tragedies of the period with discretion and care.

The recommended age range for this book is 10-14 yrs. There is some heaviness that I would not want a younger child to bear, but I think teenagers and adults would enjoy the book. 

It was a National Book Award Finalist in 2023, and it is rated 4.51⭐ on Goodreads.com.