Tuesdays bring the GOOD STUFF as far as readers are concerned, and today is no different because we're celebrating a BOOK BIRTHDAY! That's right! Today's featured title is celebrating its shelf debut via Aladdin/Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and brings us a work of Middle Grade Historical Fiction that definitely speaks to girls/ women in STEM and how important it is to not only find, but use our voice. Ladies and gents, make room on your TBR shelf for...
By
Marie Benedict and Courtney Sheinmel
9781665950213
Aladdin
About the book...
Lainey Philipps has lived at the Sycamore Home for Orphaned Children since she was three years old. Now nearly a teenager, her life is hard, and she doesn’t expect it to get better—until a chance encounter during an open house changes everything when Lainey meets a woman who invites her to attend the prestigious Lovelace Academy.
Fitting in amongst the many privileged students within the ivy-covered walls of Lovelace Academy presents challenges unlike the ones Lainey has faced in the past. Her life of drudgery has hardly prepared her for the aristocratic airs and cutthroat academic ambition of the other girls. Terrified she’ll be cast out of the academy, Lainey grabs at her chance to prove herself by traveling to Switzerland to meet a female scientist crafting a groundbreaking theory.
Determined to prove her capability and reach her destination, Lainey must rely on her own wit—as well as a mysterious boy who has yet to prove himself as friend or foe. But the real test is what awaits her in Switzerland, at the home of Mileva Maric, wife of Albert Einstein.
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This is a story where a lot happens and yet not very much at all occurs. Let me try to explain.
The tale unfolds like a well loved letter, familiar (the historical pieces), yet only just. It felt like being pulled through time to witness these important events unfold first hand. The struggles, both old and new, the challenges that had to overcome in addition to the actual research done in order to proof a new theory, all made your interest pique. The characters introduced are fresh and new, but their plights are unfortunately expected as "mean girls" exist on any astral plane... these just happen to be rich, AND mean. Honestly, if Majorie said one more bad thing against Lainey, or anyone else for that matter, I was gonna crawl through the pages and show her what's what. There's only so much a bystander can take before we gotta draw a line in the sand and bid her good day! It was wonderful watching Lainey grow into the person we meet at book's end, but such an emotional rollercoaster throughout. The girl could not catch a break, or at least one that would stick, but she never let it get her..
All in all, a wonderful story that was unexpected, yet enjoyable. It reminds us that we all have a voice worthy of being heard, teamwork can make the dream work, but recognition of that work is equally important, and in order to move forward, we must learn from the past. As the wise Lady Blunt once said, "We are all more than merely mortal, and our immortality is our legacy." What legacy will YOU leave behind?
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About the author...
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| Photograph by Jennifer E. Daly |
Courtney Sheinmel is a chocolate-lover, mac and cheese expert, mom to Archer, and the author of nearly thirty books for kids and teens, including the acclaimed Stella Batts and My Pet Slime series for young readers. Her book She Persisted: Helen Keller was part of Chelsea Clinton’s She Persisted series. Courtney received a National Scholastic Educator Award for her work as a writing instructor at the nonprofit Writopia Lab. Visit her online at CourtneySheinmel.com.
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Special thanks to Antonella at Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing for the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is out today, so seek thee out a copy wherever books are sold.
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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