Me (Moth) by Amber McBride

Wow! I'm not even sure what else to say about Me (Moth), the debut novel from Amber McBride.  This novel in verse blew me away and messed with my head, but in the best way possible.  I finished this book in the morning while my students were free reading and I felt like I needed to take the rest of the day off to deal with this book.  Me (Moth) was a Finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature and I completely understand why.  First of all, the written language in this book is just beautiful. The poetry and storytelling of McBride is breathtaking.  Second, the ending of this story completely caught me off guard and shook me to the core.  The journey of Moth and Sani culminates in a place of peace and understanding and will make you look back and question every word that got you to that place.  This is definitely one of my favorite (if not #1) reads of 2021!

This is the story of Moth, a girl who was the sole survivor of a car accident that took the lives of her whole family.  She now lives with her aunt and continues to deal with the guilt of being the lone survivor.  She has given up everything she ever loved and is ignored by the people in her school.  Her aunt has never really embraced her and gives little help to her guilt.  All this changes when Moth meets Sani, a new boy at school who seems to be on the same path as her.  With summer now here, they take off on a road trip to the Navajo Nation in the hopes that Sani can reconnect with his roots and help ease the depression he suffers from.  Along the way, Moth tries to reconnect with the ancestors that her Grandfather said would always be watching over her.  These two will search for their place in a world that has seemingly forgotten them.  They will discover love and understanding and acceptance along this unforgettable journey. 

 

From Amazon:

FINALIST FOR THE 2021 NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FOR YOUNG PEOPLE'S LITERATURE

A debut YA novel-in-verse by Amber McBride, Me (Moth) is about a teen girl who is grieving the deaths of her family, and a teen boy who crosses her path.

Moth has lost her family in an accident. Though she lives with her aunt, she feels alone and uprooted.

Until she meets Sani, a boy who is also searching for his roots. If he knows more about where he comes from, maybe he’ll be able to understand his ongoing depression. And if Moth can help him feel grounded, then perhaps she too will discover the history she carries in her bones.

Moth and Sani take a road trip that has them chasing ghosts and searching for ancestors. The way each moves forward is surprising, powerful, and unforgettable.

Here is an exquisite and uplifting novel about identity, first love, and the ways that our memories and our roots steer us through the universe.

In The Wild Light by Jeff Zentner

I have been a huge fan of Jeff Zentner since his debut novel, The Serpent King.  His newest novel, In the Wild Light, lives up to the promise of his first three books.  This story is wonderful, one of my favorite reads of the year.  This story screams Jeff Zentner.  If I started reading it without knowing who the author was, I would have figured it out pretty quickly.  Zentner's beautiful style is all over this book.  In the Wild Light is a story about family and grief.  It is about young love and finding your voice amid the chaos of the world.  The language of this story is beautiful and it is a book I won't soon forget.   

In the Wild Light is the story of Cash Pruitt, a young man growing up in small town Tennessee.  He has faced his share of tragedy already, with the passing of his mom from an opioid addiction and the slow on-coming death of his grandfather from emphysema.  But his best friend, Delaney, has recently made a big scientific discovery and has received a scholarship offer from one of the best prep schools in the country.  But she's not going if Cash can't come with her.  After much deliberation and hesitation, he agrees to join her at Middleford Academy.  When he struggles to adjust to a school he doesn't feel he belongs in, the support around him continues to grow.  From new friends to incredible teachers to his grandfather who's health is continuing to decline, Cash starts to find a place where he can not only survive, but one where he can grow and thrive.  In Jeff Zentner's beautiful writing, we see the story of a boy who not only finds where he fits in, but discovers a way to blaze a trail along the way.  

 

From Amazon:
 

From the award-winning author of The Serpent King comes a beautiful examination of grief, found family, and young love.

Life in a small Appalachian town is not easy. Cash lost his mother to an opioid addiction and his Papaw is dying slowly from emphysema. Dodging drug dealers and watching out for his best friend, Delaney, is second nature. He's been spending his summer mowing lawns while she works at Dairy Queen.

But when Delaney manages to secure both of them full rides to an elite prep school in Connecticut, Cash will have to grapple with his need to protect and love Delaney, and his love for the grandparents who saved him and the town he would have to leave behind.