Della's Words Win the Fight for Me!

The voice of Kimberly Brubaker Bradley's protagonist reached out and grabbed me. I was hooked from the first page and I could not get Della out of my mind. What a character! What a story! What powerful storytelling. 

It wasn't a knockout. The other two put up a good battle, especially When the Ground is Hard. Malla Nunn used my knowledge of school stories and my knowledge of mean girls to help me understand a world I'd previously known nothing about. She introduced so much new information without overwhelming the reader or being didactic; she made me connect. And it was good, it really was, but I love Della.

When the Ground is Hard for me!

 So I don't know how to blog BUT I do know how to read!  Being pushed through each book was great this year.  Some books I really was reading just because they were handed to me for each round.  A few stand out as books that I  would read again or pass on to others.  Memorable.

"Fighting Words" was a book I simply had to get through.  Not that I didn't find myself caring about the main characters; I did.  The problem I have with it, is that it is far too similar to the exact life of a student of mine. I pictured HER reading it....and rather than finding comfort in it, thought of her being triggered and reminded and catapulted back through some very tough experiences.  That was enough for me to NOT select it. 

"Clap When you Land" (after taking a few chapters to figure out that it was two girls speaking), was an interesting story.  I don't mind reading the story in verse form.  It caught my attention towards the end.  I found I was hoping the sisters would be able to begin a life somehow and offer support for one another going forward.  However, when I was done it, I though "ok good book" but not one I would put on the top of a pile of good books.  I could have it ON my shelf but it wouldn't be the one I'd keep passing around.

The winner for me of the books left standing is "When the Ground is Hard".  I love the relevance to so many issues and struggles today in our culture, American culture...and yet it was set in neither of those places.  Kind of reframes the pain of issues we face here as one that people face around the world...not just in North America.  I was cheering for Adele the whole way through as she battled gender, race, economic, religious, age, etc etc issues.  I love that she had deep stories, deep roots, deep connections to where she came from and that she was brave enough to make her own future.  THIS is a book I would pass on to students or even just friends looking for something different to read.  Piles of good quotes throughout the book too!  I need my own copy to reread so I can dogear the pages and underline quotes that I loved!

Melanie from Sweet Grass

 All three of these novels were strong contenders. My personal gut reaction was with the novel When the Ground is Hard, but then I decided to vote for  Clap When You Land. Now that I am thinking about them, I find I remember such powerful moments from When the Ground is Hard, and the realization of the precarious situations women experience. But to be honest, my memory of Clap is a bit hazy. So it probably has that bit of predictability to it.  Oh dear. I made my choice though!

When The Ground Is Hard - Dances away with the win

I was invested in both stories. I thought about which students I could hand these books to. Fighting Words was real, raw, emotional, and strong. The language was a bit easier to read than When the Ground Is Hard, but the themes were just as deep and developed. I had a strong emotional reaction to this one. When The Ground Is Hard taught me so much about Swaziland in the 1960s, class, race, and boarding school. I was thinking about the story long after I read it. It even compelled me to do some further research. Not every book gives me that reaction. When The Ground Is Hard is a Winner!

Clapping all the way..

Three lead females, and which to choose?! The journeys each of these characters takes us on has been interesting. Some of these books lend to the classroom, others not so much, so which ones would I pick up again or are memorable to me is what is guiding my decision. Fighting words and When the Ground is Hard are page turners for sure, but the one that left lingering questions about the story, the plot, the characters, and the link to the real world was Clap when you Land. 

Fighting Words and When the Ground is Hard touch on tough topics, and ended in a way that left me satisfied. But the book in verse, which was new to me, offered me two stories that resolved but in the nick of time. I admit, I knew that the two girls would meet, so I had to exercise patience to get to that part of the story. It all wrapped up, but I wanted to know more...about how Camino's journey goes in NYC, about the real life plane crash, the stories that came from that, if they could really be true or not, how would we ever know or if they do remain sealed secrets forever. This is where the art of the author comes in, and gave me more to chew on

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So for me, it is Clap When You Land!

Rushmi from Sweet Grass

When the Ground is Hard...for the Win

I found Fighting Words a difficult read.  Difficult because of the content and because I am not sure who I would recommend this book to.  I know abuse happens and that kids are dealing with it.  If kids are unaware I don’t want to give them the book.  If kids are aware and it has happened or is happening to them, then I don’t want to add to their pain.  This may have to do with my elementary lens.  The format of Clap When You Land took a moment to sort out.  I do  like the format.  I just needed to recognize the voices of the sisters.  Once I had that understanding I found the book likeable.  The main characters found their way to each other with twists and turns along the way.  When the Ground is Hard is the big winner for me.  The story of friendship amid differences was a triumph.  

My vote is When the Ground is Hard

Norma from Sweet Grass!

When the Ground is Hard is my winner, hands (or feet in this case) down.  It is a beautiful story that I would be comfortable recommending to a wide variety of readers, my mother and daughters included.

Colleen from Sweet Grass

Latest and Greatest!

 This round was a tough one for sure!

Fighting Words and When The Ground is Hard were both very poignant. 

In my eyes Fighting Words takes this round. I found that I could more easily connect with the story and found that I was getting choked up fairly often. Being a teacher and seeing how Della was treated at school really hit home for me. Although When The Ground Is Hard is also a fantastic book, I found it more difficult to connect with the story as it was difficult for me to imagine the story taking place; the setting was harder to visualize.

While I participate in Smack Down I look for the books that will work in my classroom. I want books that I can hand to students and say "you'll connect with this. This book is for *you*." In this regard, Fighting Words wins out!