The Line Tender | 
pickOne of the most emotional middle grade books I've read since The Remarkable Journey Of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart. I didn't see a change in characters coming, AT ALL and it got me right in the heart. Just pages before I was like I'm gonna raise my kid to be like **** (spoiler!) and bam bawling like a baby. So good.
“My grief for her was like a circle. I always come around to missing her again“.
I really enjoyed reading this book and thought the author was mindful about sharing experiences of death and grief. I think this book would be most appropriate for older students, like some 4th-graders or 5th grade. It is important for students to know death is a part of life and that people everyone have some of the same feelings they do. We are not alone in feeling the feelings we do.
pickA young girl during the summer between 7th and 8th grade. Her mother died at the age of 5 so she has grown up without a mom. Her best friend also dies during the story but it is a great book to talk about death with and to know that it happens but everything will still work out and adapt to different life styles to keep going through life. I would recommend this book to older elementary, middle schoolers.
Lucy, a girl going to the eighth grade is the narrator, her mom died when she was really young. This book can work well when talking about grief and death. Although the girl was 13 and had dealt with death before but when her best friend dies she is enveloped in grief. She has to find health ways to feel better like making new friends. Death is a part of life and it is important to know that it can be hard but it is possible to get through it.
pickIt is about a young girl going into 8th grade and she is grieving her mom because she passed at a young age. In this year her best friend also dies. It is about grieving and death and how to cope with those feelings. It is recommended for middle school.
pickWith adult themes such as death and grief, the book follows 7th grader Lucy as she grapples with the loss of her mother and her best friend. She makes unlikely friendships and learns how to adapt to life, making this a coming of age story like few others.
pickThis novel is about a 12 year old girl who lives in Massachusetts by the coast. She lost her mother at a young age so she lives with her dad. She has the company of her neighbor Mr. Patterson and her best friend Fred. Tragedy strikes yet again for this young girl. This is an excellent book for older grades to show young adults feelings about grief and death.
pickLucy and Fred are exploring their ocean-side town over the summer for local marine wildlife to put in their extracurricular field guide- their rule is they can only include a creature if they see it. Lucy is a talented illustrator. Her mother was a marine biologist who died 5 years ago. This book is an honest portrayal of grief. The tone is melancholic and straightforward. Lucy's father and community of neighbors help her learn to carry on.
pickThis year I've been reading more MG books from my library and I highly recommend this one, especially for those who love the ocean.
A young girl, Lucy, is dealing with the loss of her mom, who was a marine biologist. A local fisherman catches a shark and this turns into a mystery that Lucy and her friend try to solve.
The writing is poignant, full of science facts, beautiful shark drawings, and a lot of heart. Loved it! 💚
so-soMy final book of 2020 was finished a few minutes before midnight.
This story includes a lot of loss and grief, and then it looks at how a young girl follows her mother‘s dream to move forward. The loss seemed like too much and took away one of the great relationships in the story. None of the others really filled that space. The information about sharks was fascinating, but it also took a while to build.
#TRS2020 #MiddleGrade
I am posting one book per day from my extensive to-be-read collection. No description and providing no reason for wanting to read it, I just do. Some will be old, some will be new. Don‘t judge me - I have a lot of books. Join the fun if you want.
This is day 99 #bookstoread #tbrpile #bookstagram
pickThis was a very sweet book about recovering from grief. As well as the trauma that comes with it. Lucy finds a way to connect with her long gone mother by continuing her fascination and story of sharks. The honesty of this books is striking in that regard. The same goes with how that brings her family and a couple other old family friends back together. Beautiful completion of using art and science to cope
Really loving this simple story. Feels so real. The sadness from missing marine biologist mom and that connection to the shark, as well as the disappointment of the shark for summer class extra credit. Although, I‘m really just stating here that I adore these little sketches of different sharks types at the title of each chapter. You don‘t see megamouths often in that regard.
Went swimming, so now I can read. This seems a nice, simple story. The first few chapters are short and sweet, per say. I love anything with sharks, as well as other redheads. This mellow story seems to follow young Lucy as her father and her follows the death upheaval of a white shark and how it brings her out of her circle of grief over her mother. #shark
pickThis was a lovely days read, first time I‘ve sat down and read anything straight through in a couple of weeks. Yes, it was about grief, but it was written in such a lovely way.
Had to skim read past the bits cutting up a shark ☹️
It‘s also a gorgeous looking book.
Middle grade I think?
#weeklyforecast
Brought this after @Lindy review and because I love the cover.
Just started this morning.
I can only think one book ahead at the moment Cindy 😁
It‘s Mother‘s Day in the U.K. A strange one indeed.
Two more that I‘m a little obsessed with. I picked up The Line Tender to read today solely based on the cover... #coverlove #MGEdition @megnews @sblbooks
I don‘t usually listen to audio books but i thought I‘d give it a try. Having an old iPhone that‘s phone device didn‘t work is perfect for WiFi and listening to audiobooks.
Has anyone read The Line Tender?
Good reminder for a human responsible for earth‘s creatures. Also, a great read for empathy, grief and love.
#mg #childrensfiction
pickI‘m not surprised this book is showing up on so many mock Newbery lists. The book, despite the sadness, is easy to read. The dialog flows smoothly and naturally, like a real person - a real middle schooler - is talking to you. Even the sadness feels real. I never once felt manipulated or that I was being taught something, if you know what I mean. Nothing ever felt heavy or played for tears. This book impressed me. (4)
pickwow. this was a great book! i loved connecting with lucy and slowly learning more and more about her character and past as an amazing story kept me on the edge of my seat. this is a great book that will make you feel both good and bad throughout it and is a great read! highly recommend!
also shoutout to @Twocougs for recommending this to me :) i highly enjoyed it!
pickSweet middle grade book about a girl, grief and sharks. Lovely illustrations.
pickA quiet, thoughtful novel about friendship and grief. I especially love the strong links between art and nature and healing, presaged in the epigraph by Rachel Carson that begins: “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” The wonderful #audiobook narration by Jenna Lamia makes up for the absence of shark drawings that are in the text edition. Grade 4-7
Kind of a weird thing, getting cremated. I hope I just spontaneously combust, because I don‘t like any of the options.
Unknitting is nicer with an #audiobook. I wasn‘t happy with the bottom edge of a sweater I just finished, so I‘m going to redo it. #knittersofLitsy : I‘ve learned that taking out an i-cord is much easier with two different colours of yarn. It‘s almost like I planned for this eventuality.
pickI have a slight obsession with sharks, and have since I was probably the same age as my kids. So when my 6 year old spotted this book cover at the library, she told me I had to read it. I am so glad I did. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at once. It was such a beautiful story that illustrated the importance of all types of friendship, the awesomeness of strong women and the amazingness of sharks. Favorite book of the summer so far. 🦈
Today‘s plans: finishing this book while sitting 2 inches away from this portable AC unit. 🥶 My 6 year old grabbed this book for me at the library, strictly because of the sharks on the cover. So far, I am really enjoying it!! 🦈 🦈 🦈
Reading Envy Podcast Episode 160: Reading Plays with Elizabeth
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Elizabeth is fresh from a teaching seminar on plays so we talk about that for a bit before delving into books we have read and enjoyed recently. We have some books traversing the wild parts, books for pride, and more.
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https://tinyurl.com/ReadingEnvy160
You belong with me
Not swallowed in the sea🎶
Lucy and Fred belong together...
#swallowedinthesea #julycoldplay @Eggs
🍋 tagged
🍸chocolate martini (at the beach)
📚 “Not me and Jasper; not right now.”
#weekendreads @rachelsbrittain
pickWhat a beautiful book. Sad but hopeful, smart but funny. It‘s going to stay with me for a long, long time.
pickLoved this middle grade book about grief. Moving and sad but also humorous and matter of fact because that‘s what real life is like. I really enjoyed the “voice” of the main character and how the author captured so much realness without shock or scariness which makes this the perfect middle grade read.
When @TracyReadsBooks puts a book in your hand and tells you to read it- you read it! 😂♥️👍 Jumped the pile and started this last night! Enjoying it so far!
pickA stunning debut. This middle grade book is magnificent & one that transcends genre/marketing boundaries. I laughed, I cried—more than once—& I marveled at the resilience of children & their ability to not only survive but also to do even more when life & circumstance makes it difficult. Filled with wonder about the natural world, the thrill of exploration/discovery, friendship, grief, & love, this is a book I won‘t soon forget. Recommended.💙🦈💙
“But if you could tell Science like a story, I‘d pay a attention...”
❤️
Love this quote at the beginning of the book (and I couldn‘t agree more).
We are under a ❄️Winter Storm Watch❄️ for tomorrow night because why not?!? Who doesn‘t love a surprise spring snowstorm expected to drop 2-4 inches on you? It‘s all good. It‘s Endgame tomorrow morning and then home before the snow hits after which I expect lots of time to read. I‘m getting things started tonight with the tagged book, a middle grade book which is garnering rave reviews. Love the cover!
I love this cover! 😍
