Kids of Appetite (KOA)

"They lived, and they laughed, and they saw that it was good."

This was such a wonderful story of strength and courage between the most interesting of friends. The characters were so engaging. I highly recommend this book for teens and young adults. There were so many beautiful moments. I especially felt connected to this story because of the theme of loss, specifically of a parent. The ending was absolutely perfect- not too contrived or predictable.  It also showed me a sliver of what horrors children and families experiencing the civil war in the Republic of Congo faced, and how refugees struggled to survive.

​This moment when Baz remembers something his mother taught him was incredible; she remained kind and giving even when she herself had lost almost everything. This lesson Baz carried with him, which influenced the character he wanted to be, and is.

Favorite Quotes:
"We are all part of the same story, Baz, each of us different chapters. We may not have the power to choose setting or plot, but we can choose what type of character we want to be."