I listened to Maizy Chen’s Last Chance by Lisa Yee in one day and absolutely loved it. Maizy and her mother travel to her mother’s home town of Last Chance, Minnesota to be with Maizy’s grandparents. Her grandfather is ill and Maizy’s mother will help the family and spend time with her parents. Maizy’s grandparents own The Golden Palace, the restaurant that has been in her family for generations. It’s a remarkable summer for Maizy where she learns so much about her family’s history and herself. This novel also beautifully addresses themes of racism, friendship, and standing up for oneself and others. I wanted to hug Maizy so many times and could not get enough of her story. There’s even some mystery mixed in. Loved, loved, loved. This would be a wonderful family read aloud or middle grade book club selection.

Sensitive: The Hidden Power of the Highly Sensitive Person in a Loud, Fast, Too-Much World by Jenn Granneman and Andre Sólo –This book is a must read for everyone because the chances are, if you aren’t a sensitive person yourself, you interact with someone who is–either at home, at school, at work. Just like what Susan Cain’s amazing book, Quiet did for the word introvert, Sensitive does a wonderful job destigmatizing the label ‘sensitive.’ The authors recognize and celebrate the strengths of sensitive folks and provide tools to use both as a sensitive person and as a person interacting with a sensitive person. There’s a wonderful section for teachers and information about the move for gentle discipline. It’s simply a wonderful read and one I know I’ll be going back (I just bought myself a copy to keep) both as a sensitive person myself and as a parent of a sensitive kiddo.