Shine

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Piper herself is an excellent role model for children. She isn’t perfect, but she learns to be compassionate in her own way, and she learns the true value of friendship along her journey to discover her place in the universe.

Erzählt wird die Geschichte aus der Sicht der achtjährigen Ruth, die in den späten Siebzigern auf eine neue Schule wechselt. Dabei fällt sie direkt auf, denn sie ist die einzige schwarze Schülerin an der Schule, was zur damaligen Zeit leider noch oftmals ein Problem darstellte. Dies bekommt Ruth auch zu spüren, denn obwohl sie sich sehr um Anschluss bemüht, wird sie oftmals nur von ihren Mitschülern abgewiesen. Ms. Mina is her mama’s employer and Christina's mom. Ruth's mama is a housekeeper for the wealthy white family. They were a good family and helped her attain a full scholarship, but she had done the work, taken a test and done well. She was grateful for this incredible opportunity and wanted to make her mama proud. She wanted her to have a good education, so she could make something of herself. Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors and I will honestly read anything she writes. I look forward to the release of a new book from her each year. I may like some more than others, but I always find something that I connect with in some way. It's obvious how much research goes into each of her novels and I appreciate it. Whether the book is about family, love, relationships, religion, cancer, medical emancipation, death, sexual assault, mental illness, addiction, even whales or elephants. I always learn something new, and I love that about her novels. I’m happy I received an ARC of this middle grade book from the publisher at BEA 2019. This first outing by JJ Grabenstein co-authoring with his wife did not disappoint. 12 year old Piper is now going to a prestigious school because her dad has been hired as the music teacher, but she doesn’t see herself as talented or as rich as the other kids. However, she has a passion for space and astronomy. Piper does make friends at her new school, but finds challenges around every corner. Now the school has a competition and all the kids are trying to be the winner. They are joining clubs, competing in sports, science fairs, talent shows and more. Does Piper have a chance of leaving a legacy at the school like her mom once did? Ann Giles, Bookwitch: It has you laughing and crying at the same time. You despair at people’s prejudice. But then there are people who make you believe in humanity again ... I can’t tell you what style Shine is written in. You just don’t notice. It just feels perfect. Read the review

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Ruth was a sweet, caring character, even when she was a small girl, and I'm so looking forward to read more of her story in Small Great Things. Da ich schon immer sehr gerne die Bücher von Jodi Picoult gelesen habe, war ich schon sehr gespannt auf die Kurzgeschichte "Das Mädchen mit den roten Schuhen". Diese Kurzgeschichte ist ausschließlich als eBook erschienen und ist die Vorgeschichte zum Roman "Kleine große Schritte", der am 2. Oktober 2017 erscheinen wird. This is a great spin on the classic cabin-in-the-woods story, but it brings clever and fresh ideas to proceedings and gleefully refuses to sit on the fence. Many novels would have hedged their bets; are the creatures real, or is it all in the character’s heads? Make no mistake, very early on in The Watchers the reader realises they are very real and the manner in which they were presented is highly unsettling and slightly reminiscent of Josh Malerman’s Birdbox.

This story of supernatural and psychological horror is a beautifully simple one: Mina’s car breaks down in the middle of nowhere and her mobile phone is dead; after hearing a terrible screeching, she walks into the forest. As nightfall approaches she spots a cabin in a clearing, the woman in the doorway screams at Mina to run as she rushes inside and the door slams behind her, the building is battered by terrifying shrieks. After meeting the three other inhabitants of the cabin, Mina is ushered to a room with a wall of glass and an electric light that activates at nightfall. Why? There is something outside which likes to observe those who are in the cabin and if they are not there, these creatures get very angry. Philip Ardagh, The Guardian: “ Gourlay has created something very special here; a precious and important novel that also explores exile from neighbours, family and country. The book is about reinvention and the faces we present to the world, whether it be in person, on a postcard or on the internet, all wrapped up in an exciting and perfectly paced story with a disturbing and dramatic climax.” View Shine on! might be the catchphrase of twelve-year-old Piper Milly’s hero—astronaut, astronomer, and television host Nellie Dumont Frissé—but Piper knows the truth: some people are born to shine, and she’s just not one of them. That fact has never been clearer than now, since her dad’s new job has landed them both at Chumley Prep, a posh private school where everyone seems to be the best at something and where Piper definitely doesn’t fit in. I listened to Shine as an AudioBook and it was all Jodi Picoult. I loved how, even in such a short story, she managed to create such deep characters.Jodi Picoult is my idol. My Sister's Keeper was the first book I read by her and since then I've read almost all of her books. A cute, coming of age book for the middle grade audience about compassion, finding yourself, and friendship. After Piper’s dad gets a job at a preparatory school, Piper learns that she will be attending the school with all the “rich kids” that she doesn’t connect with. Insecure about not being able to blend in, Piper does her best to stay in the shadows at her new school. . . until, the school announces that there will be an award at the end of the term for the student that best exemplifies excellence. Now determined to win the award, Piper and her small group of “nerdy” friends work together to earn the award, even when the bullies try to put them out. As Piper tries to be the image of excellence, she can’t help but wonder if being the center of attention is everything she thought it would be. This was an all around 5 star book, no question. Many of these quotes will make my FB personal profile over the next few weeks as inspiration to my friends and family to realize their full-potential is not in what they accomplish by awards, or what their financial status is, but instead in how they treat others and the value of their relationships. This is a lesson many adults still have yet to learn, and one that would change the world we live in if practiced by all.