Reading Teacher Writes

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Tag Archives: Dusti Bowling


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IMWAYR: Still Snowing, Still Reading

It’s snowy and cold, so it’s the perfect time of year to grab a blanket, sit on the couch, and read…read…read. In between school and home craziness, it’s the best time.

NetGalley: I finished The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. (as told to his brother) by David Levithan, and it’s everything I was looking for. My students are going to eat this one up! I will need multiple copies in the library. Our main character, Aidan, went missing for 6 days. Everyone in the neighborhood looked for him. The police looked for him. Mom and Dad and Lucas, his brother, looked for him. Then…Aidan returned. Whoa! What happened? “You’re not going to believe me,” Aidan explains.

Physical Books: I finished the fabulous When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Peach Pie by Erin Soderberg Downing. This is the first in “The Great Peach Experiment” books, and I cannot wait until the next one already. I was overwhelmed looking at my TBR pile; I really couldn’t decide what to choose next. But then, book mail came today, and now I know exactly what I’ll read tonight. Across the Desert by Dusti Bowling is coming out in October 2021 from Little, Brown and Company, and I am a lucky reader to be able to take a look now. I have deemed this cover to be the BEST middle grade cover I’ve seen in 2021 so far. Isn’t it beautiful? (The character looks like my daughter, who is off on her own adventures these days.)

Libro.fm: I haven’t been in the car — too much snow — so I’ll continue Cicely Tyson’s Just As I Am this week. (Yes, I know. That’s what I said last week.)

It’s MONDAY! What are YOU reading?

IMWAYR is a weekly blog hop with kid lit co-hosts Jennifer from Teach Mentor Texts and Kellee and Ricki from Unleashing Readers. The original IMWAYR, with an adult literature focus, was started by Sheila at Book Journeys and is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date. It’s a great way to share what you’re reading and get recommendations from others. We encourage you to write your own post sharing what you’re reading, link up, leave a comment, and support other IMWAYR bloggers by visiting and commenting on at least three of the other linked blogs each week.

 


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Happy Book Birthday, Dusti Bowling!

The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling

Nora’s therapist asks, “What do you fear?” (Dying.) and “Are you likely to die in this situation?” (Yes.)

It’s been a year since Nora and her dad lost her mother in a violent, unprovoked event. Dad has been grieving by taking Nora out of school and avoiding people; Nora doesn’t want to deal with the questions, either, and has pushed away her best friend in the process. After a year, it’s time to start healing. Dad and Nora take the Jeep to the canyon, where the family spent their lives climbing and hiking — a favorite bonding activity. To move forward, Nora and Dad must come to understand “why,” avoiding the “what-ifs” of this new life. Nora writes in her notebook to capture what was, what is, and what might be in the future.

As the father/daughter team climb through the canyon, terrible things happen. When a flash flood smashes them against a wall and sweeps her father away, Nora is left alone to face the scorpions, snakes, and The Beast. Can she use what her therapist taught her (breathe, move, hope) to find her father again, or will the canyon take what is left of her family?

Dusti Bowling is a master of words in this gripping and suspenseful new middle-grade Southwest story. Students should study the character development, writing engaging scenes, figurative language, and poetry (I love haiku, too!). Any reader who loves outdoor adventures will love this book.

Happy Book Birthday, Dusti Bowling! I’m so happy to see this book out in the world!


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Book Preview: The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling

The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling

Nora’s therapist asks, “What do you fear?” (Dying.) and “Are you likely to die in this situation?” (Yes.)

It’s been a year since Nora and her dad lost her mother in a violent, unprovoked event. Dad has been grieving by taking Nora out of school and avoiding people; Nora doesn’t want to deal with the questions, either, and has pushed away her best friend in the process. After a year, it’s time to start healing. Dad and Nora take the Jeep to the canyon, where the family spent their lives climbing and hiking — a favorite bonding activity. To move forward, Nora and Dad must come to understand “why,” avoiding the “what-ifs” of this new life. Nora writes in her notebook to capture what was, what is, and what might be in the future.

As the father/daughter team climb through the canyon, terrible things happen. When a flash flood smashes them against a wall and sweeps her father away, Nora is left alone to face the scorpions, snakes, and The Beast. Can she use what her therapist taught her (breathe, move, hope) to find her father again, or will the canyon take what is left of her family?

Dusti Bowling is a master of words in this gripping and suspenseful new middle-grade Southwest story. Students should study the character development, writing engaging scenes, figurative language, and poetry (I love haiku, too!). Any reader who loves outdoor adventures will love this book.

Happy Book Birthday, Dusti Bowling! I’m so happy to see this book out in the world!

(September 8, 2020 from Little, Brown and Company)