2 recent reads that I loved

It's been a long time since I wrote anything for this blog. Writing can be so stressful, yet so wonderful. So here I am, writing, wondering what to write about...

Okay--I've read some great books over the last month. Here are 2 that are especially wonderful:

It's All Too Much by Peter Walsh

Get that clutter out of your house! You don't want to drown in a bunch of crap and never find the good stuff, do you? So that's the whole book, but Walsh breaks it down into do-able chunks, and he asks you to imagine (w/ your family members too, of course) what the purpose of each room in your house should be--and then you have to brutally get rid of everything that doesn't fit the purpose. Either sell it, toss it, or donate it. And if it's not useful and/or not beautiful, get rid of it. Easy!!! And my husband's reading it right now--and it's working its magic on him. That's the true sign of success.

The other book that impressed me this month is After Tupac and D Foster by Jacqueline Woodson.

Jacqueline Woodson is one of my favorite authors--her book Show Way was my pick for the 2006 Newbery Medal (when I was on the committee). She writes soulful, real books for everyone, even though they're shelved in the children's or teen sections--adults are moved and amazed by her work too. And she's a cool person who is funny and just super wonderful. You can tell she's cool from what she writes, because all of her books have such heart.

After Tupac and D Foster is about 3 girls who become best friends from the ages of 11-13--and she blends their story with that of Tupac Shakur's, who was a hero to the girls and their families and friends because of the odds that he overcame to become famous for his rapping. This is a thin book but it's thick with love and reality and poetry and deep sadness. So glad that this won a Newbery Honor for 2009, and Woodson has won Newbery Honors 3 out of the last 4 years. Now that's cool. And who's saying that the Newbery doesn't award authors of color or books that children or teens can connect with? Come on! All right. I'm done.