Final Must Reads in 2016

It is hard to believe that I am writing my final Must Reads in 2016 post! It seems like just the other day I was getting ready to go back to school! It has been an interesting year, but one that I am happy to see end. Two major things have dominated my fall. I referenced one in my last post, my aunt fell and suffered a severe traumatic brain injury. It has been an adjustment for my family especially my mom, her sister. Aunt Ann continues to make slow progress and she is actually beginning to recognize us. So we are grateful for these small blessings. The other event was a cousin has been diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer. She had surgery in October and has now begun 18 weeks of chemotherapy. We are thinking positively and hoping for the best. So my reading has taken a bit of hit this fall. Though I did read most of my Must Reads! 

They are: Everyone Loves Bacon, Do Not Open The Box, Booked, Be A Friend, Bear's Big Day, Duck Duck Porcupine, Stormy Night, Hoot and Peep, Horrible Bear, Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics, Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to be in This Book), The War That Saved My Life, Comics Squad: Lunch, Firelight (Amulet #7), Hour of Bees, Phoebe and Her Unicorn, Chicken in Space, Pax, Twenty Yawns, Penguin's Christmas Wish, and It's Not Time For Sleeping.

Out of 29 books I read 21! I feel really good about this, considering everything that has been going on in my life. I'm still trying to work on my nonfiction book gap. I think this will be something that I am always going to be working on!

I also read some books that were not on my original Must Reads in 2016 posts. But if I had known about them when I was writing in January, I would have added them. They were Took, Interstellar Cinderella, Wolf Hollow, Ms. Bixby's Last Day, and Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story

Two of these books have stuck with me for months after I read them. The first book was Ms. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. This book is such an emotional roller coaster from the beginning to the end. I always love books that celebrate the education profession because we get a lot of negative thrown at us these days. This book reminded me why I got into this profession. I was not expecting to like this book as much as I did. I have recommended it for so many of my teacher friends. One teacher at my school picked it up and is reading it to her class. But she was a bit mad because I didn't warn her that she would need tissues. In fact, she had to hand off the book to one student because she couldn't keep reading! This book is one that will stay with me for a long time. I have a feeling that I will be rereading this one again!



The second book was Sachiko: A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor's Story by Caren Stelson. Click here for a summary on Goodreads. I was able to read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. this book was published in October. Wow, just wow! This book is so powerful. I knew a bit about the creation of atomic bomb and the events surrounding the dropping of them. But I really didn't know about what happened in the areas after the bombs fell. My heart is heavy thinking about what all the innocent victims had to go through. This is a story that needs to be told. If you have not read this book, I highly suggest that you get a copy to read. This is a powerful read and one that I will never forget.

I hope everyone had a great reading year! I can't wait to see what everyone wants to read in 2017 because I need some ideas!

Happy Reading!!

Stacey (@libraryjo92)