The 2013 - 2014 Sunshine State Readers Award list for grades 6 -8 included Wonder by R.J. Palacio, which was about a ten-year-old boy who was born with facial deformities. It remains in my list of top ten most moving books that I have ever read. I can still get choked up thinking about the story. It was THAT good.
I haven't had a chance to read anything on the 2014-2015 list yet, but I have my eye on Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. Here is a video about the book from www.booktrailersforreaders.com
This year (2016-2017), one book on the list jumped out at me. It was a big book and was listed on the grade 6-8. When I read the description, I knew I had to read this book. Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan. Here is the book trailer.
The story begins when a boy named Otto becomes lost in the woods and is helped by three prophetic sisters who gift him with a quest and a harmonica. What follows is the story of the lives of three people who's lives become interwoven through ownership of the harmonica - Friedrich, Mike, and Ivy. The book deals with the treatment of Jews in Germany during WWII, the treatment of orphans in the US during the Great Depression, and the treatment of Japanese-Americans after Pearl Harbor. The author wove all of the stories of these people together in such a beautiful way and then the ending connected them all through music.
If you can, I suggest getting your hands on the audiobook. The story was enhanced by the wonderful music that was interspersed through the audiobook. I listened to the book while driving to and from work. I am so glad that I did.
Thanks for reading.
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