4.5.13 What I'm Reading this month...

As usual, I have several books going at the same time.  I'm reading this for book club. Even though I was only at 53% the night of book club, I'm continueing to read Beyond the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo.

Katherine's husband is a native of India, and this book is based on true events.  Learning about people who live in the slum of shacks next to the luxurious airport in Mumbai, India, has been eye opening.  The book doesn't leave you with a lot of hope.  People can be garbage pickers, slum lords, prostitutes, all to survive.  The education opportunities are so limited, and the disparity between wealth and poverty doesn't seem to have a gap that leans toward closing.

Here's the one I will start, and am excited about reading....Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg. Sheryl is currently working for facebook.  She has been critisized for "having a priviliged background", but people need to get over it and be open to the conversation she is extending here. Our country's predominant population is 2 parent working families and single parents.  I look forward to pondering what we can do to enhance that experience.

 And of course, one for Joey at bedtime, a book I was surprised he chose, and surprised I enjoyed....

In this story, Junie B Jones is graduating from kindergarten.  After being stongly cautioned to keep their little white gowns clean and pristine, of course Junie B cannot resist temptation and wears it at home.  And spills grape juice on it.  And tries to make it better by drawing purple polkadots on it with markers. When her classmates start making fun of her, then realize how embarassed she is, they all draw spots on their white gowns with various colors of markers.  Here's the thing...great authors are able to put you in the place of the character, whether it's the slum of Mumbai India, or a kindergarten classroom.  Katherine Boo and Barbara Park have both accomplished that.  I had a crate of Junie B books in my classroom, because readers become better readers with repetition, and rereading favorites.  Kids loved her.  I couldn't get past the use of bad grammar for Junie's character.  In this book I see Junie's soul, and I loved her.  So did Joe.