For some time, I’ve used Sunday blog posts to share what I’m reading, but I’d prefer it not just be about me. I know you’re reading, too, and I’d like to know what you’re reading. Whether you list the title and author, or tell us something about the book or your experience reading it, or write a review or summary of the book, I’d like to hear about it. Kid books, adult books, comic books, magazine articles–anything goes.

Being a list person, I’d like to make a list of the books we–all of use here–read during the Challenge.

guardian.jpgWhat’s on my nightstand? Guardian, by Julius Lester.

The jacket copy says, “When one teenage boy chooses not to tell the truth, an innocent man is lynched…Not since TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD has there been a more haunting and poignant novel about what happens when a group of people deny human rights to others.”

I knew this was not going to be a lighthearted read, but it’s a tiny little thing, not at all intimidating. And it’s a darn good thing. The spare text is so powerful, I don’t think I could handle a Harry-Potter-sized volume. Somehow, Mr. Lester manages to beautifully tell an ugly story.

I especially like that the story is told in snippets from multiple points of view. They’re like puzzle pieces that the reader must fit together to see the whole picture. I’m partial to this storytelling format, and I think in this case, it makes the harshness of the story easier to swallow.