Meg Reads: the war that saved my life

Mother daughter book club is such a highlight in my life!

This book is the tale of a girl who is evacuated during the bombings. With her, she takes her club foot and a little brother to look after. She leaves behind a horrifically abusive mother and a world of isolation. 

The girls LOVED the Shaw girls book choice, this month.  Quincy has a thing for WWII era historical fiction. She f  invade war stories fascinating and says she likes the varying reactions of the way people respond to and overcome their trials. She also is really drawn to books with characters of differing physical abilities and enjoys their perspectives. 

Reese loved how nurturing and welcoming Susan was. Evacuee children tell the ultimate tale of foster care, and Reese recognized the many similarities in the children’s thoughts and behaviors.  Some of it was difficult to listen to. 

We all loved Ada’s determination to learn to walk and to ride a pony. And we were delighted with the accent of the audiobook narrator.  

These small group visits are everything for my extroverted heart. They are smart and loving and creative and hilarious and genuinely thoughtful. We cover alllll the topics, eat, and laugh until our faces hurt. Jill and Julie’s sister-antics keep us in stitches.  I joke that I don’t know why these amazing women even let me in the club...they are all so well read, and I don’t understand or care for the Lord of the Rings, Hamilton, The Muppets, or the entire Marvel Universe. They love me anyway, thank goodness. Probably because I come with Reese and Quincy, thank goodness. 

Our family has been carrying some heavy burdens during covid. I spent so many hours in frustrating conversations the phone with DHS and attorneys and CASA and therapists in the past few days, that my whole self was weary. Advocating against malicious intent is exhausting when you’re kicking against the pricks. I’ve been angry and disappointed and blindsided and vilified this week, and book club was the best 3 hours of respite from feeling SO much. Book club gave me a place to set most of the load down and engage in some levity to resuscitate my spirit.  

Meg Reads: Mother Daughter Book Club: Ghost by Jason Reynolds

My girls and I are loving the Mother Daughter Book Club that we formed over Quarantine. It was Tia and Naomi G’s turn to host and Naomi chose the book, Ghost by Jason Reynolds. 

We give this one 10/10! The author really nails the middle schooler voice. We discussed in book club that all the moms really wished we had done more background on the parents’ stories. But that’s not what the book is about or who it written for. These are YA/middle grader focused and the parents are not the highlight...they’re just parents. So many good discussions happened in our home reading this book, abd I appreciated they way the plot and characters challenged some of my kids’ ideas about trauma, race, teamwork, integrity, family, Albinism, adoption, trust, perseverance, and confidence.  

Great choice, Naomi and Tia! 

Naomi asked great questions at book club, and had thoughtfully made bracelets for everyone. She did a trust activity like in the book, and served themed snacks from the story.  We had some really good laughs and learned about each other.  My boys still have one chapter left and are already asking me to order book 2 in the series. We loved supporting a Black author and supporting books with main characters who are Black.