Darius the Great is Not Okay vs Far From the Tree

As others have mentioned...when it gets to this point in the year, a book has to be really good to hold my attention and pull me away from everything else I need to get done.  Thank goodness, I had such a book.  This round, we at Dr. Lila Fahlman are voting to advance Darius the Great is Not Okay.

In the middle of interim report cards, writing formal report cards, planning for our student-led meet-the-teacher conferences, I found myself slipping into my chair whenever I could find a moment and just reading. The characters were rich and real and engaging.  Alternating between geek culture, nerdy dialogue, and exotic locals, I really felt a part of the world created by Adib Khorram.  It was emotional without being maudlin, and funny without losing the reality of this boy's life.

This was a book I had already planned to add to my classroom library but, upon a second reading, I'm even more certain that a large number of my students are going to love it, as well. 

Now this is not to say that Far From the Tree was in any way disappointing...I can totally see why it made it as far as it did, but it just didn't grab me the way the other story did.  Maybe it was because I'd just finished reading Orbiting Jupiter by Gary Schmidt three times with my various classes and the thought of reading another teen pregnancy/parenting book was too much, or maybe it was because the problems of the kids in Far From the Tree were, literally,closer to home and therefore not as interesting to me at a time when I'm finding myself dealing with issues of my own.  Either way, it didn't stay with me the way Darius the Great did. 

So, again, if you haven't yet had the chance to pick it up, give Darius the Great is Not Okay a read.  Brew a nice cup of tea, settle back, and enjoy the journey.