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Inside Out and Back Again: A Harper Classic
Inside Out and Back Again: A Harper Classic | Thanhha Lai
Winner of the National Book Award, a Newbery Honor, and a #1 New York Times bestseller! Inspired by the author's childhood experience as a refugeefleeing Vietnam after the fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabamathis coming-of-age debut told in verse has been celebrated for its touching child's-eye view of family and immigration. This Harper Classic edition includes an author's note explaining how and why Thanhha Lai translated her personal experiences into this book, an interview with the author, an activity you can do with your family, tips on writing poetry, and discussion questions. H has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. H and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hopetoward America. Inside Out and Back Again is the moving story of one girl's year of change, dreams, grief, and healing. This book was named to multiple state lists, received four starred reviews, and was hailed as a best book of the year by Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and the Chicago Public Library.
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olivia.d

“You must always remember that you are more than your circumstances.”

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olivia.d

I would use this book if it aligned with the curriculum and the topic for that week

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olivia.d
Mehso-so

This was interesting to me because I‘ve never seen anything from the perspective of a Vietnamese girls POV about the Vietnam war

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TheSpineView
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Karisimo Perfect- not just a new town but a new country! 4mo
48 likes2 comments
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TheSpineView
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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty 💜💜 8mo
Eggs Love this one 🩵💙🩵 8mo
49 likes1 stack add2 comments
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readers_attic
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Pickpick

Poignant, enthralling & strong ❤️❤️❤️
#recommends #versenovel #memoir #lifenarrative
#ya

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erinhannahs
Pickpick

Inside Out and Back Again was written by Thanhha Lai. This is a chapter book writen in diary/poem style. I feel that this would be a good book for upper grades like 4th and 5th grade to read.

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Shievad
Pickpick

MG book. Very quick read. Shows a child‘s POV of the Vietnam War and immigrating to the US. Vivid writing that focuses on the good and confusing times a young child would experience living in those conditions and the love they have for their county/culture. Shows refugees‘ early struggle with living in a new country.

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Eggs
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An endearing story-based on the Vietnamese author‘s own experience being transported from the Fall of Saigon to Alabama in the US.

#ToldInVerse #BookMoods @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks

65 likes2 comments
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Emily92Bibliophile
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Pickpick

Also my book reviews from my class with the focused genre POETRY. Forgot to share in the craziness of my huge project I posted below. https://thediverseshelvesbookreviews.blogspot.com/

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BookishTrish
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Pickpick

A very quick and moving read about the emotional life and real-life experiences of a Vietnamese refugee in the US

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BookishTrish
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I try and stick to three books a week: one paper, one Ebook, one audiobook. But I didn‘t quite finish The Great Bear and I‘m Possible last week… so this forecast looks more impressive than it is.

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mrp27
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#litsyspringbreak #seasia

Finally, a book I‘ve actually read 🤣! I loved his one.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks Love this cover! 4y
TheKidUpstairs ❤📚 4y
26 likes2 comments
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HeathHof
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Pickpick

This was my pick for #foodandlit #Vietnam
Loved this story so much and it does absolutely deserve all the stars. Planning on rereading this one with my 11 y.o. These characters were so easy to love and empathize with and there are valuable lessons sprinkled throughout. Loved learning about Vietnam through the eyes of this character and her family. Will definitely read more by this author. 💜💛💗

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OutAndAbout
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Pickpick

A touching story of a young girl leaving Saigon and coming to Alabama, told in poetry. Listened to this in audio which enriched the experience by voicing accurate Vietnamese pronunciations and pacing the right cadence.

#foodandlit

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AnneCecilie
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Pickpick

Saigon 1975, at the end of the Vietnam war. We meet Ha, her mother and brothers and learn that her father is missing. We follow them over the next year as the escape to the US and start again in Alabama.

I had no idea that immigrants had to have sponsors to get out immigration camps in the US. Is this still as thing?

It also shows how it is to come to a new place and not know the language and suddenly be seen as dumb.

AnneCecilie I felt for Ha and her family so many times. #foodandlit #Vietnam @Texreader @Butterfinger This was also my #DoubleSpin for February @TheAromaofBooks 4y
TheAromaofBooks Great progress!! 4y
Butterfinger I honestly think so. That is why we lost so many immigrant children because they would be sponsored and then the government couldn't find them. @Texreader I bet you know more about it than I do. 4y
bnp Initial sponsors are most likely one of the 9 resettlement agencies in the US, who then find local organizations to help if possible. And the average length of time people wait from recommendation by UNHCR as refugees to the US was 18-24 months. Many refugees spend 10 or more years in a camp before getting to resettle in a third country 4y
77 likes4 comments
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Chrissyreadit
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Pickpick

This book deserves every accolade and award it has received. I loved the emotional use of language. #ownvoices #foodandlit I love that my view of Viet Nam is growing from the one I had as a daughter of a Veteran from the war. I love that all of my knowledge and preconceptions have been challenged this month.

Daisey This is one of my favorite novels in verse! 4y
Butterfinger Love this review. 4y
CBee My dad is also a Vietnam veteran. He never told me much of anything about it except it was “bad.” 😔 4y
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Come-read-with-me Great review!! This goes my my “must read” list! (edited) 4y
Chrissyreadit @Daisey I can see why! 4y
Chrissyreadit @CBee Yes. My son and I are watching Ken Burns documentary together too, and I am amazed at how narrow my scope was even though it was a huge part of my childhood. But bad is a common description from my experience too. 4y
GingerAntics Oh, this one is on my wish list after reading Brown Girl Dreaming. I‘ve read good things. 4y
KVanRead My daughter picked this book from a Scholastic book order years ago and it became an instant favorite of hers, so much so she urged me to read it and I absolutely fell in love with it too. 4y
Catsandbooks Wonderful review! 💖 4y
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Jerdencon
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Read this today for #foodandlit Vietnam - what an amazing little story! @Butterfinger @Texreader

Butterfinger It is a great book. 4y
47 likes1 comment
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AnneCecilie
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The struggles of learning an other language is real

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Chrissyreadit
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This is what I want to make for my Vietnamese eating experience. Now I have to figure out how. #foodandlit

Mitch Mmmmmm...yes please! 4y
tournevis 🍴🍴🍴🍴 4y
Butterfinger Love everything about this post. 4y
Catsandbooks Ooo yes! I want that! 4y
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Jadams89
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Pickpick

10 year old Ha and her family fled Vietnam after the war. She has tells the story about trying to adapt to her new life in America through short poems. A very touching book.
#foodandlit

This is also my February #Bookspin.

TheAromaofBooks Woohoo!! 4y
Butterfinger I loved this book. 4y
TheBookHippie I love this book. 4y
ChasingOm This one was wonderful on audio. 4y
41 likes4 comments
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Jerdencon
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Picked out my first book for #foodandlit Vietnam
Hope to start it tomorrow! @Texreader @Butterfinger

Clwojick Oooo maybe I‘ll reread this one ♥️ 4y
Butterfinger Loved this book. 4y
46 likes2 comments
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gpraytor
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Pickpick

A Newbery Honor book, and National Book Award Winner, follow a girl named Hà as she has to flee her home during the Vietnam war. This HF book is written in verse and beautifully tells the story and can be read by using the PR strategy in a 4th grade class.
#ucflae3414su20

gpraytor Using UDL Principle 3.2: highlight patterns, critical features, big ideas, and relationships. This is an ideal principle because of the nature of the book and overall theme. ESOL Strategy 12: teach language and content, this is useful because of the nature of the book and can be used in conjunction with the UDL. 4y
gpraytor https://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=28054 this is a great resource for teachers to get ideas on what kind lessons to pair with this book using the prior strategies. 4y
nquintus Hey Grace! I would definitely recommend A Different Pond by Bao Phi as another book to read on the same subject. Nice post!! 4y
DrSpalding I am not sure that partner reading would be the best option for this book but it might work. This is a beautiful story that can be incorporated into your social studies instruction. 4y
6 likes4 comments
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IamIamIam
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Pickpick

Hà leaves Vietnam with her family in 1975 for a better life away from the war torn country. After traveling on a ship full of refugees, they arrive in Alabama and try to acclimate to their new life. Many challenges follow but they encounter people willing to help and also, people resistant to change. Written in a unique poetry style, Hà's emotional journey shines through. #quarantinereads #NutsInMay @Andrew65 #mountTBR

Andrew65 This sounds good and would cover Alabama for me. 5y
IamIamIam @Andrew65 It was really interesting! Let me know what you think about it! 5y
Andrew65 @IamIamIam Will do 👍 5y
Tanisha_A This sounds very good! 5y
IamIamIam @Tanisha_A It's definitely worth a read! 5y
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Nute
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#AcrossApril - Verse: This is a middle grade novel written in verse that is very well done. It feels like a memoir because the author, Thanhha Lai, laces memories of her family‘s immigration to Alabama after the Vietnam War and her family‘s experiences of living as immigrants in America into the story.

Eggs Great choice👏🏻🤗❤️ 5y
Daisey This is one of my favorite novels in verse in my class library. 5y
BookishMe Absolute 💗💗 5y
Nute @Eggs @BookishMe Thank you!💕 5y
Nute @Daisey I can see how this would be a favorite story-in-verse for many folks! 5y
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Eggs
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Here are 4 of my favorite YA novels told in verse

#verse
#acrossapril

ShelleyBooksie I just finished White Rose and LOVE it. Thank you for posting these other recommendations. 5y
Eggs You‘re most welcome @shelleybooksie 💕 5y
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Ashley_B
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A HF novel is about a young girl, Kim Há, who moves to America after the Vietnam war. Kim ends up in Alabama where she has a few struggles, but in the end, she celebrates her new life in America. I would use this book for a LC having the students discuss the difference in cultures. #UCFLAE3414SP20

Ashley_B ESOL strategy 3 (Encourage self-talk (positive thinking)) & UDL 3.1 (Activate or supply background knowledge) http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-inside-out-and-back-again/?gclid=Cj0KCQjw6_vz... 5y
DrSpalding Expand on your classroom application a bit. This is an excellent book! It caused me to look more into the time. And as you noted, would make for an excellent literature circle option in social studies instruction. 5y
7 likes2 comments
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KatiaP
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Pickpick

A HF book about Kim Há who has to move to America after the Vietnam war had reached her hometown. She ends up in Alabama where she struggles with a bully. In the end she celebrates her new life in America. Great book for a LC and would be great to use to talk about culture change. Great to link lesson topic to students‘ prior knowledge (ESOL strategy 4) since they know what it is like to not know English and culture change while in America.

KatiaP UDL strategies: Promote understanding across languages (2.4) and develop self-assessment and reflection (9.3). You can use these by talking about what it feels like to be somewhere new and how they would feel in Kim's shoes. More about the author https://www.thanhhalai.com/. #UCFLAE3414SP20 5y
KatiaP Book is a Newberry award winner and National book award winner 5y
DrSpalding This book caused me to do some additional research about this historical time. It is a multi award winner and could be used in fifth grade to supplement social studies instruction. Newbery has only one R. 5y
7 likes3 comments
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itzmceline
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Tracey3
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Pickpick

A touching story, written in verse, about a little girl forced to flee her home country as the Vietnam War was coming to a close. This story highlights the difficulties of transitioning to a new country in times of great difficulty.

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Camrynm
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Pickpick

This lovely P N, Inside Out and Back Again, written by Thanhha Lai won the Newbery Honor and would be a great IR in your 3-5th grade classrooms. This wonderful poetry book is inspired by the author's own life. This book follows a girl who escapes Vietnam and immigrates to Alabama. Follow her on her unforgettable journey! #UCFLAE3414F19

Camrynm The EL strategy I would use would be 38: Assign short readings for homework. For IR's, it is important for students to have a little bit of reading to do each night. The UDL principle I would use would be 9.2: Facilitate personal coping skills and strategies. This book can be very eye opening for students so it is important to go over coping skills. 5y
Camrynm Here is a great resource that goes over how to have a family book club about this book! http://dia.ala.org/sites/default/files/images/DiaCurriculum_8-12_Lesson5_%20Insi... 5y
DrSpalding This is a powerful story! Excellent universal design alignment! This is a quick read due to the format and could be used as an independent read as you noted or an option for literature circles. 5y
8 likes3 comments
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cparsley
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i like this quote becuase it shows imagery with the shouts and police whistles

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cparsley

This would not be good for children in the classroom becuase it‘s for an older audience

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cparsley
Mehso-so

This is a poetry book. It used imagery in the poem a day downtown when talking about the street at night

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Dandan0131
Mehso-so

I liked this book, from the few amount of poems that I did read. The poetry shows imagery by reminding me about my own past birthdays from when I was younger. I could also taste the birthday cake as I was reading the poem “Birthday Wishes“

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Dandan0131

I wouldn't use this in my classroom because I think the language in this book is too mature and not suitable for children.

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Dandan0131

“I wish I could lose my chubby cheeks“

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Ddzmini
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LibrarianRyan I love this book, but that's not quite right. This is a stand alone. The pink cover is the original hard cover, and the green was a recent paperback. A cover change mid series would be something like Royal Rebels Academy, or Percy Jackson. if you look at #coverchange there are a whole bunch of examples. 5y
Ddzmini Awe but I like this book ... back to the book list 🤣🤣🤣 5y
42 likes2 comments
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SoManyBooksNotEnoughTime
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Pickpick

An adorable little prose book. The writing is captivating. Finding out that a lot of the story was a direct reflection of the author's time as a child refugee from Saigon only made the book more touching. The main character, Ha, is perfectly captured in the story as a child who has the cares and worries of a child but is going through real world, adult problems. All students should read this, for an understanding of refugees struggling today.

Nute Nice review! I thought that it contained excellent representation of a immigration situation as well. 5y
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Macker11
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Pickpick

This HF written in poetry form has won the National Honor award and Newbery. Kim Ha has a lot going on in her life, having to leave home because of the war and the being bullied in her new school. What was always a solid foundation? Family. Her mom and three brothers were always there for her, and at the end of the day, that matters. I think students would gain a lot from this being a RA, the emotions that are put into text can be expressed.

Macker11 This book could lead to a great poetry unit, and show expressive terms without actually saying what you mean. Which goes along with ESOL#11: place language in meaningful text. Also, UDL 5.3 which is building fluencies with levels of support for practice and performance. https://www.teachingbooks.net/book_reading.cgi?id=16136&a=1 this has multiple resources depending what you want your class to accomplish. #UCFLAE3414SU19 5y
TheSpineView Welcome to Litsy! 💜📚 5y
SW-T A belated welcome to Litsy 😊 5y
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Dylanburgett Wow looks like a great read! 5y
Summerm The way you described this book sounds very intriguing. It seems like there are a lot of emotions in this book that would make for a great RA and classroom discussion on real life events! 5y
DrSpalding I found this book to be extremely informative and emotional. You learn a lot about the culture by reading this text. Excellent choice. 5y
17 likes6 comments
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GatheringBooks
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Pickpick

#WanderingJune Day 28: #GoodnightSaigon - this memoir-in-verse talks about Saigon and their often-difficult life with the smell of the war drawing closer each day. Yet, despite this, we taste the texture of life in Vietnam with Hà‘s papaya tree, the rationing of meals, the smell of incense. My review: https://wp.me/pDlzr-2nf

Cinfhen Another #middlegrade for #booked2019 that looks really good 😍 5y
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SoManyBooksNotEnoughTime
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Book mail & library books 📚📬🤓

Hestapleton Such a great stack! 6y
wanderinglynn Great haul! 👍🏻 6y
BooknerdsLife 😍😍 Great stack! 6y
SoManyBooksNotEnoughTime Thanks everyone, I'm pretty excited to read it all! 6y
29 likes4 comments
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mreads
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Pickpick

Would not normally read a middle grade book but I am a completist and this was recommended on booktube recently so I chose it for #booked2019 8. Diverse middle grade.
It's excellent actually, about a young girl and her family living in Vietnam before, during and after the fall of Saigon, the boat trip to escape and her first year or so in America. On audio a bit over 2 hours.
@Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

Cinfhen Sorry, missed this post!!! Well done ♥️ 6y
60 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Addison_Reads
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1. Sorry, I never have pics of me. Here's my nephew from his performance last night at his school and one of my puppies, Willow, when she went to work with us recently.
2. I haven't had much reading time this week, the tagged book is the only one I've finished so far and I loved it.
3. Working all weekend
4. Today it's 73 and raining here in TX.
5. Vegan black bean, sweet potato enchiladas.

#Friyayintro @howjessreads

readordierachel Dinner sounds delicious! 6y
17 likes1 comment
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Addison_Reads
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Since the weather here in Texas is gorgeous today, my husband and I are taking advantage and clearing some brush and trees from our property. Because @sblbooks has been posting for her upcoming #middlegrademay reads, I was inspired to download these 3 from Overdrive to keep me company while I work today. 💙

I'm really not sure how I got anything accomplished before I discovered audiobooks. 😉

sblbooks Yay! Enjoy the weather, and your audio books. 6y
16 likes1 comment