msjamgochian'sinfinitebooklist

Seventh-grader Suzy Swanson is in the unenviable position of losing her childhood best friend Franny twice: once when said best friend becomes popular, leaving Suzy behind, and again, after their friendship has ended, when Franny drowns during summer vacation. When she is told about Franny's death, Suzy sets aside her tears, stops talking, and sets herself to the task of proving that Franny, an excellent swimmer, was in fact killed by a jellyfish. Ali Benjamin's debut bestselling National Book Award nominee perfectly captures the agony of being a middle school girl who loses her closest companion to the dark side (in this case, the mean girls crowd). A fair dose of funny bits and a decidedly human supporting cast make TTAJ an exceptional read. A sweet, cozy, thoughtful book perfect for middle school readers who enjoy realistic fiction. Click here for Ali Benjamin's intro to the book . Grade 6+

Living in Delhi is an unforgettable experience. Although I spent only two years of my life there, the memorable mix of scent, sounds, and suffocating yet spellbinding strangeness of the city simmers right under my skin, and delving into The Association of Small Bombs brought me right back. Unsurprisingly, the novel sets off with a bombing at Lajpat Nagar - the explosives themselves tucked into the innards of a Maruti 800 - and the resulting repercussions drive the story, centered around two Delhi families, one who loses a son in the blast and one who does not. TAOSB is a gripping novel, and its contemporary connections between poverty and terrorism make it the perfect read for our times. Give it to fans of The White Tiger, The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and A Case of Exploding Mangoes. Click here for a full review . Grade 11 +

A heart-warming story filled with gorgeous chiaroscuro illustrations that I read in one sitting, Peter Brown's debut middle-grade book is ultimately about making friends and creating family wherever you find yourself. Robot Roz wakes up on a remote island after the cargo ship she was on sinks at sea, and finds that she is anything but alone. A delightful cast of animal inhabitants make themselves known as Roz slowly becomes a contributing part of their community, adopting an orphaned gosling, teaching the creatures how to build lodges, and even protecting them from would-be predators. This is the perfect match for anyone who loves cozy stories with animals that aren't overly saccharine. Buy this one for all of your young reader friends, or relish it yourself! Grade 4+

The playlist concept was the best part of the book. Although I enjoyed Sam as a character, his reaction (and the response of the entire community) to his best friend's suicide was completely unbelievable. Add an ending that is overly complicated, throw in a new character a few chapters from said ending, and you have a book that tries hard but misses its mark. Read Jennifer Niven's spectacular All The Bright Places or Nina LaCoeur's unforgettable Hold Still instead. View all my reviews

Marrow Island by Alexis M. Smith My rating: 3 of 5 stars Twenty years after her father dies in an earthquake related disaster, journalist Lucie Bowen heads back to the island where it all happened. Although she is there to investigate the Marrow Colony, a group of environmentalists trying to remediate the damage done two decades prior, she ends up revisiting the past and rekindling a friendship with her childhood friend and sometimes girlfriend, Kate, who is still living on the island as a member of the colony. Part mystery, part romance, and part eco-thriller, this book is perfect if you are a PNW native or afficionado: it's set in Seattle, the San Juans, and other parts of Washington State. If you loved Station Eleven and are wanting more realistic post-fill-in-the-blank-disaster-pandemic-apocalypse fiction, you will find much to appreciate in MI: a lifelong love-friendship examined, a natural disaster paired with a man-made result, and a quiet calmness juxtaposed with chaos....

Seattle poet, essayist, and activist Emily Johnston's unforgettable book of environmental verse is meant to be read Puget Sound-side, which is exactly how I took it in: one section at a time each morning on the beach at Vashon with eagles flying overhead and ducks paddling a stone's throw away. Her Animals begins with an apology and ends with a plea, and in that way, it's a love letter to the planet, full of adoration, regret, and the quiet resonance of resignation that often comes when you know that it's likely too little too late. The book itself is lovely, all soft edges and chiaroscuro; if you are lucky enough to find one, avail yourself of one of the 99 specially bound and signed editions. The perfect holiday gift for fans of poetry, the quiet reader who has read everything, or the environmentalists in your life, Her Animals would also make a refreshing addition to the reading list for any Environmental Science course.Thank you, Peter and Joy, for bringing Ms. ...

Richard Siken's first collection, Crush, was a transformative read for me: the exact book at the exact time during a rather exacting year. When I read Scheherazade for the first time (I am eternally grateful to Ms. Sara Kelly for putting it in my poetry-addicted hands) I got goosebumps, and they didn't go away until I finished the rest of his gorgeous, unforgettable, razor-sharp work. Maybe that is why I found this new collection a little underwhelming. How does one follow up on exquisite undeniable perfection? Are you catching my drift? READ CRUSH .