One Child: A teacher's struggle to save a gifted and troubled girl / Basic Needs: A year with street kids in a city school

One Child by Torey L. Hayden (publ. 1980)

Basic Needs by Julie Landsman (publ. 1993)

 

As I just added a "new" book to my collection (conversational French which belonged to my mother back when she was trying to learn - 1960s?), I knew I had to remove a book. I simply own too many things!

I know I have read both of these before, but I could not find them in either my blog or on my old Excel sheet. I kept them because they are very good and capture a time and an attitude about why I became a teacher. I care about students. I want them to succeed. These books are both inspiring and frustrating. 

But time is becoming more and more precious than money or things and so they need to go. (In a previous time, I would have re-read them and done thorough blog entries.) 

I'll probably drop them into a Little Free Library and hope a teacher gets them.

America the Beautiful

by Laura Hayden
Hennepin County, paperback, 389 pages

When my church book club was discussing this, I was in the thick of all-night grad party stuff. I had also just picked up my copy from the library. They lamented that I missed the discussion. Knowing how passionate some of my friends are about politics, that doesn't surprise me. I was actually kind of dreading this book. Politics. Yuk.

It surprised me how much I liked the story. I just finished it this morning. Kate is a wonderful character, but it seemed hard to see her sticking with someone like Emily. By the end of the book, I was disliking Emily more and more. It's believable stuff, though. It really serves to further my dislike of politics.

My favorite part of the story? Naturally, the entrancing Nick Beaudry and his change of heart, as well as the potential for future romance between him and Kate. I'm just a romantic at heart!

Not sure if I'll want to read the sequel when it comes out, though. Red, White, and Blue will be about the first female president . . . sorry for the spoiler!