Monika Schröder

Akash lives in a small village in India. He longs to go to school and get a good education, but when his father dies, he is forced to work in a rock quarry to pay off his family's debt. But he realizes that his work will not even pay the interest, so he will essentially be a slave forever. He runs away.
The bulk of the book is a survival tale, as Akash goes from one situation to another, always hoping to make enough money to hire a good tutor, so he can learn enough to pass the exams and get into a good school.
He deals with a variety of friends - both good ones and bad ones, various threats, and various temptations.
Akash is a likable protagonist that I was constantly rooting for.… (mais)

Twelve-year-old Wren just lost her father in a plane accident. Not only did she lose her beloved father, her mother is angry and refuses to talk to Wren about it. Wren and her mother move multiple times after her mother’s failed attempts to spark new relationships with men. Finally, Wren and her mother land in Pyramid, Michigan. When Wren is assigned to work with “nerdy” Theo on a school project, she discovers a friendship that will allow Wren, and her mother, to get through this difficult time in their lives.

I cannot remember the last time I fell in love with two characters more that Wren and Theo. Author, Monika Schroder, writes characters that are real, believable, and tug at your heart. I felt I was right there with Wren, feeling alone with the emotion of grief and with a mother who refuses to talk about it. I was worried a little, after reading the first 50 pages, that this book might be too sad. But when Wren met Theo, I saw hope. And then I understood why Schroder put me, the reader, through this intense sadness. Even when hope seems a lost cause, it is always somewhere in the distance. Schroder is a brilliant writer.… (mais)

Wren is a twelve-year-old girl whose father dies in a plane crash. This is a realistic look at the grief process and how it affects everyone. This is a very heavy topic for middle school children. However, a recent discussion in my sixth grade classroom brought forward that often times middle school is when grandparents and sometimes parents die. This is their biggest fear, the loss of family and friends. This is the perfect book for my school shelves. The relationship between Wren and Theo reminded me of two kindergarten students I had. Curtis lost him mom to cancer. He grew up watching her in constant pain, even though she tried hard to protect him from it. He took her death hard. Then Sarah’s dad suddenly died of pneumonia. It was Curtis who helped her through the grieving process. He had no idea he had helped me as well. Theo and Wren reminded me so much of them. I love when books can help me make a personal connection. This is an emotional read so get out your box of tissues. This is one you won’t want to put down.
I received a copy from Netgalley to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.… (mais)