Nancy Kenny's Reading Blog

Imagine a world where a scientist can invent something that grows so fast, and takes over and escapes into the wild.  Imagine taking a secret short cut and encountering this fast growing mud…Welcome to Fuzzy Mud by Louis Sachar. Synopsis:  Tamaya and Marshall are school friends who walk home together every day, and have for the last three years.  Tamaya is a girl who never wants to do anything wrong.  But one day, Tamaya and Marshall decide to take a forbidden shortcut through the woods, in order to avoid Marshall getting into a fight with the school bully, Chad Wilson. Eventually, Tamaya and Marshall are lost.  The two friends stumble upon a pool…gooey muck with fuzzy yellow scum on top. When Chad catches up with them, it makes a great weapon to shove in Chad’s face when Chad tries to attack them.  That evening, Tamaya notices a rash on her hands.  Eventually Chad and Marshall become sick as well. Secret Senate hearings reveal that scientists have be...

  When Stars Are Scattered  by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed is a graphic novel that stands out for touching the heart and telling an important story. This heartfelt story takes readers on a journey through the eyes of Omar, a Somali refugee living in a Kenyan refugee camp, with his brother Hassan. Synopsis: In this graphic novel, readers are introduced to the world of Omar and his younger brother Hassan, who live in a refugee camp in Kenya after fleeing Somalia. Through stunning illustrations and deeply emotive storytelling, Jamieson and Mohamed paint a vivid picture of the struggles faced by refugees – food insecurity, the uncertainty, new customs and languages, the longing for home, and the constant search for belonging. One of the most remarkable aspects of When Stars Are Scattered is its ability to capture the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. A particularly emotional moment was when Omar shared the story of his village being raided with the m...