Welcome to Litsy!

Zoe spends her summer interning at a bakery and longs to be a contestant on a kids baking show. In the midst of this, she receives a letter from her dad who's been incarcerated since she was little. How should she respond? Does she believe he's innocent? The author deftly deals with systemic racism without being on the nose. Zoe is a character you will want to cheer for!

#middlegrademonday #sweettreats

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3.5 ⭐️ s
Stakes begin low as Zoe starts a summer internship at a local bakery in hopes of trying out for a Food Network show. However, when a letter arrives from Zoe‘s biological father in prison who she has never interacted with, priorities change. Marks uses Zoe‘s epistolary relationship with her father as a bridge to discuss modern-day racism, both in every-day society and in the American justice system. A really sweet, and meaningful, story.

#BookReport
Welp I managed two out of my three goals for the week by finishing the tagged and Subpar Parks. I enjoyed Subpar enough that I went and followed the insta account it was based on.

#WeeklyForecast
My goal this week is solely to finish Spirits Abroad. I am just not built for short stories so it's hard to pick it up. Once I do though I love it.

I read this for a class I‘m taking on children‘s literature. Zoe makes a compelling narrator as she comes to know her biological father in prison for murder. It talks about systemic racism as well as the consequences of going behind your parents back.

I loved following Zoe‘s investigation into her father‘s incarceration! The family ties, research, and friendship building were captivating. Her character seemed a bit young for seventh grade at times, but it‘s been a while since I was that age.

We talked for a few more minutes, and I asked him if he ever got to watch basketball in prison. "Sometimes," he said. "When I'm lucky."
A few more minutes after that, he had to go I didn't know when we'd get to talk on the phone again, but we agreed to keep writing letters.

So sweet!!!

Last day of my three day weekend and I finished the two books pictured today. The tagged book was my favorite. I loved Zoe and how she got to know her biological dad by writing to him while he was in jail. I also loved how she fought for what she believed in. Look forward to reading more books by this author.

Also only two more books until bingo blackout!!!

#bookspinbingo

Middle grade read about Zoe, who‘s mad at one of her best friends, secretly exchanging letters with her imprisoned biological father, and trying to perfect her baking game so she can compete in a kids baking challenge. Nicely balanced look at hope, change, and how our actions, no matter our intentions, have consequences. Zoe‘s a great character and one you want to root for.

*picture from Pinterest and is a perfect visual of Zoe‘s cupcakes

Zoe is spending the summer working toward an audition for a kids baking show. She‘s also secretly exchanging letters with her biological dad in jail. I like the way Marks balance both of these stories.

But there was a tiny voice in the back of my brain. It told me to remember what I read in The Wrongfully Convicted, and in my research about the Innocence Project. It told me that Susan Thomas was out there somewhere, and she still might‘ve seen Marcus that day. It told me not to lose hope. Not yet.

In this middle grade book, Zoe just wants to enjoy her summer and bake. But she gets a letter from her incarcerated father. Really great and important book about societal racism, and the racial disparities in law and our prison system, and fighting for justice. Highly recommended. #hoopla

Finished the audiobook of this while processing some new books at work today. This was such a fun story about a 12 year old girl with dreams of becoming a professional baker, but also dealt with the serious issue of wrongful conviction of black men. Very well done!

“They‘re shriveled up grapes. Like mini grape corpses.” 🍇 -> ☠️

I really appreciated this story of Zoe as she works to help her birth father and navigate friendship problems. Zoe was very real for me.

Ok so this has been on my reading list for too long. Zoe might be first up tomorrow. Though-the other is so intriguing!

This MG follows Zoe, aspiring pastry chef, from her 12th birthday. While touching on some friend drama (not necessary IMO), the story focuses on Zoe learning about her incarcerated birth father, whom she‘s never met. When she receives a letter from him she establishes a clandestine relationship and determines to prove his proclaimed innocence. Lots going on here, most of it very well done. Surprised this is a debut.

“There‘s always hope,” Grandma said. “But that doesn‘t mean it‘s enough to make change.”

So true, yet so sad.

A thoughtful, well told story about a girl who makes contact with her father who is in prison. The Innocence project is discussed. The plot is good and the characters complex. The ending is a bit unrealistic but it is middle-grade.

Excellent middle grade book. Audio narrated by Bahni Turpin.

Zoe is a 12 year old who lives with her mom and stepdad, loves to bake, and wants to audition for a kids baking show on Food Network. Her biological father has been in prison for murder her whole life. She starts exchanging letters with him and learns that he claims he is innocent. She decides to track down his alibi witness to get him exonerated.

Great MG book! It feels like all of a sudden there are tons of new MG and YA books out by my favorites! Hard to keep up! Nic Stone, Justin Reynolds, Lamar Giles, Tiffany Jackson, J.P. Rhodes, and more

This one has made a few appearances on the #CoverLover #MGedition. I still want to read it. Looks fun

Middle grade - out now

#CoverLove
#BlackLivesMatter
#BlackAuthors
#BlackoutTuesday

Cute! I wouldn‘t have minded another 40 pages just to wrap things up less abruptly, but other than that, I thought it was really well done. Zoe is 12 and loves baking. She starts corresponding with her dad who has been in jail since before she was born. Navigating that new relationship as well as one with a friend who she had fallen out with were at the heart of this book. I also love the vibrant setting of Boston. Pick! Good for a class library.

Almost finished with this great new middle grade book! Pictured here with my real life Zoe alongside the fictional one. @Librarybelle She says hi to Xander! 💜

Gosh, what a great book! It tackled racism, incarceration, the Innocence Project—and friendship, family, and baking. (My students also loved it for First Chapter Friday!) #LibrariansOfLitsy

My hold for this just came in, and I‘m so psyched to read it! I think it may be my next first chapter Friday book. #LibrariansOfLitsy

This was such a bright spot in these dark times. All the subtle digs at society were sharp but not too heavy, and Zoe was such a delight. ❤️

Oh, this was really good. A perfect mix of serious topics without being too dark, and some fun stuff in there too. Zoe was a great MC, sensitive and bold and it‘s refreshing to read about boy/girl friendships, especially in MG fiction. Definitely recommend it.

#booked2020

#finishinaday

Nice and bright.

Jan 14
#CoverLove
#MGedition