Favorite?

How many times has someone asked you some version of the following question: 

“What’s your favorite...?”  

Favorite color?  Favorite movie? Favorite song?  Favorite food? 

No matter how many times I’m asked the “favorite” question, I never feel ready to respond.  I love purple, but blue and orange are pretty great too. I couldn’t possibly live without avocados...or chocolate...or pumpkin muffins...or really all the delicious food (except mayonnaise, I hate mayonnaise).

Perhaps the question I dread the most is: “What’s your favorite book?”  I read all kinds of books and I love each one for different reasons. A book can be great because it’s a thrilling story, teaches me something new, is beautifully written, or has characters that feel like friends.  

I refuse to choose a favorite!  Which is why I never ask students to choose a favorite book either.  Instead, on the 2019 Embark Supply List we ask students to bring in “1 copy of a book you really enjoyed, which will be added to the Embark library.”  

My selection is Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan, which centers around a 12 year old girl named Willow.  While the story begins on a tragic note (Willow’s parents both die in a car crash) her quirky way of looking at the world and resilient spirit won me over.  In the end, Willow’s tragedy brings together five unique and lovely people (a therapist, a cab driver, the owner of a nail salon, and two teenage siblings) and they help each other to see the beauty and joy in everyday life.

But, just because I really can’t choose, here are three other books I’ve really enjoyed this summer: Peak by Roland Smith, The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, and Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer.

What book(s) have you enjoyed recently?