 As we continue to settle into the "new normal," one pre-pandemic, during-pandemic and (ideally) post-pandemic tradition continues: the Book Jam's annual review of perfect summer reads. Today’s is the first of two such lists for “summer campers“ and features books for the younger literary set, specifically elementary school through young adults. We sincerely hope these recommendations help you to find the right fit for your favorite children and teens to curl up with in their tents, on the beach, by the lake, or under the branches of their favorite tree. After all, the temperatures are still warm, the days are still long and we can still camp (and read)! Please don’t forget to look to us in two weeks for our annual adult version of Books for Summer Campers.  Children's  Phoebe and Her Unicorn by Dana Simpson (2013 and assorted years). A great graphic novel series for kids. Beautifully drawn, this graphic novel (and the subsequent books in the series) follows a friendship and adventures between a somewhat awkward girl and a magic unicorn. Both learn how special they really are; something I hope they pass along to every reader to feel as well. ~ Lisa Christie  The Sea In Winter by Christine Day (2021). At this point in her life, Maisie is supposed to be auditioning for amazing ballet programs across the USA. It's been her dream, since her very first toe shoes, to be a prima ballerina. She's also supposed to be able to talk to her father. Instead a torn ACL has derailed, perhaps permanently, her ballet career, and a war took her father years before - so long ago she worries she can't really remember him anymore. Told with love and spirit and hope, and superb shout outs to the power of good therapy (both physical and mental), this tale is an excellent one for any young reader - perhaps especially those for whom "right now" is not looking very dreamlike or who is struggling to find their joy. I also greatly appreciated the glimpses of lives for some members of Native tribes on the west and east coasts, as well as descriptions of the gorgeous natural life of the Pacific Northwest. ~ Lisa Christie  The Shape of Thunder by Jasmine Warga (2021). I picked this novel up because I LOVED Ms. Warga's Other Words for Home (previously reviewed here). I did not read the description; I just bought it while browsing one of my new favorite Indie stores - Still North Books & Bar in Hanover, NH. So when I settled in to read, I was slightly surprised I had purchased a novel based on a school shooting - not typical summer reading fare. The chapters alternate perspectives between Cora and Quinn, lifelong best friends who haven't spoken to each other since Quinn's brother killed Cora's sister, another student, a teacher, and himself in a school shooting nine months prior to the start of this novel. The plot involves time travel and overwhelming desires to make things right. It also emphasizes that everyone involved in tragedies needs help - in the form of time and people to speak with. While difficult, this novel highlights that love is possible even in the most horrific circumstances. Note: Ms. Warga finishes the novel with a list of resources to prevent gun violence and a call for adults to do better regarding guns. ~ Lisa Christie  Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac (2021). This, the first children's book I've read that directly addresses the Covid-19 pandemic, is spectacular. Told in poetic verse, this story follows Malian, a young Wabanaki girl, throughout her quarantine on her grandparents' reservation while her parents remain behind in the city to work. And, she knows how to take care of things -- she stays inside to protect her grandparents rather than play with friends, she tries, despite not so great internet connections, to ZOOM with her schoolwork, and she listens carefully as her grandparents share tales of the Wabanaki past and present. When a stray dog decides he is Mailian's for her stay, it's a perfect bonus. ~ Lisa Christie  A Few Classics for Adults Who Missed Them & for ALL the New 6-12 year olds  The Boggart by Susan Cooper (1993). When Emily’s and Jess’s family inherits a Scottish castle, they travel to explore. Unbeknownst to them they also inherit a Boggart — an invisible, mischievous spirit who’s been playing tricks on residents of their castle for generations. When they accidentally trap the boggart in their belongings and take him back to Toronto, nothing will ever be the same. (we also recommend her Dark Is Rising Series and King of Shadows.) ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie  Frindle or Trouble-Maker or other titles by Andrew Clements (assorted years). Mr. Clements is a former school principal and his love of kids – especially the ones who end up in the principal’s office – comes through in each of his books. He treats his kid protagonists with humor and compassion and presents many real world dilemmas in each of his books for young readers. Pick one up and enjoy. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie  Stella By Starlight by Sharon Draper (2015). My family discovered this book on a 2015 trip to DC during a visit to Busboys and Poets on 14th Street, showing that exploring an indie bookstore can lead to amazing things. (The audiobook version was our soundtrack for the car trip back home to Vermont.) We have since recommended it to every kid we know. Stella lives in segregated North Carolina. There are stores she can enter and stores she can not; people are kind or they are not. But the Klan hasn't been around for awhile. Then late one night she and her brother see something they are not supposed to see and her world is forever changed. I also recommend Jacqueline Woodson's Brown Girl Dreaming for a look at being a kid with brown skin in the 1960s and 1970s. The New York Times also curated a great list of other books to help you speak with kids about race. ~ Lisa Christie  Pay Attention Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt (2019). Mr. Schmidt's novel is a superb look at what happens when tough things occur in life. In this case, the tough things include the unexpected death of a younger brother and a father who has found another family to love and has decided to never come back. But as Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick, a butler who shows up on the family doorstep one day, continually reminds Carter, the young narrator of this gem of a book, life is difficult and one has two choices -- to be a gentleman or a bore. Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick is hanging around to ensure Carter chooses to be a gentleman. Told with humor (e.g., fabulous scenes of learning how to drink a proper tea and play cricket) and love, this tale eloquently describes how the lives of Carter, his three sisters, and his mom are forever changed when a butler arrives on their doorstep. Think of Mr. Bowles-Fitzpatrick as a portly male Mary Poppins who makes you walk the dog and clean the dishes and ultimately reminds all readers of the importance of how we all choose to embrace our life. I also recommend Wednesday Wars and Okay for Now and many other tales by Gary Schmidt (assorted years) ~ Lisa Christie  Look Both Ways: A tale told in ten blocks by Jason Reynolds (2020). One of my now high school son's favorite authors from elementary school was/is Jason Reynolds. This book - Look Both Ways - explores ordinary walks home, their humor, and how if you pay attention, they can be pretty spectacular - even the inevitable unsuccessful and often painful detours. (We have reviewed books by Mr. Reynolds on multiple posts; you will find him in our 2019 post of YA titles and in our diversity audits.) Enjoy! ~ Lisa Christie  Anything – and we mean ANYTHING – by E.L. Konigsburg (assorted years) – Ms. Konigsburg was truly a superb gift to young readers everywhere. Her books are fun, well-written, humorous, and help kids work through the issues they face every day. Our favorites – The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler and The View from Saturday. But please have fun discovering your own. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie  Young Adult  One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston (2021). I loved Ms. McQuiston's Red, White and Royal Blue (reviewed by the Book Jam here and here). So when I heard she had a second YA novel, I went searching for it at Still North while running errands in Hanover, NH. I had to ask for help as it was not in YA - it was placed in Romance. I say this so that you know the book gets the required happy ending of Romance novels, because at times during the tale, you can't quite see how. Let me start with words from a NPR review of this novel, "queer relationships of every form are normalized and healthy, and the characters are fully-realized people who are beautifully diverse, but also much more than their identities"; I LOVED that aspect of this complicated page turner. So, quick plot summary -- August, mere moments after arriving in Brooklyn, meets Jane on the Q line, sparks fly and the characters - August and her incredible housemates (Niko - a physic bartender, Myla, Niko's girlfriend and engineer turned sculptor, Isiah, a trust-fund kid disinherited for loving what his parents see as the "wrong" people. Note - these descriptions do a disservice to the complicated fully realized characters they are in Ms. McQuiston's hands). This book is more than a "meet-cute" on a smelly NYC subway car; it turns out that leather jacket-wearing, kissable Jane is actually a punk rocker from the 1970s who's stuck on the Q train for all of eternity. It takes all of August's formidable perseverance and her friend's skills to figure this one out. Again it's a romance - she does. Final note - this book was better than "Friends" at showing how the families you create from your friends in your 20s are incredible. ~ Lisa Christie  Frankly In Love by David Yoon (2019). This novel is one of the best YA books I have read. And, it has been gratefully received by at least four high school boys I know. I was surprised how this apparently simple (and honestly familiar) story of first love that does not meet with parental approval (hello Romeo and Juliet), as well as of navigating the final year of high school made me smile and tear-up a bit. Some plot points: Frank Li and Joy Song have been friends since childhood, attending regularly scheduled dinners with a larger group of Korean-American families in Los Angeles for as long as they have a memory of any event. As they navigate senior year, they are both in love with the wrong ("not-Korean") person. They decide to fake that they are dating each other to keep their parents happy, while still seeing their true loves. Their elaborate scheming provides the plot for this novel's terrific cast of characters. (I truly loved Frank's superb best friend.) And while Buzzfeed aptly stated, “Yoon's stellar debut expertly and authentically tackles racism, privilege, and characters who are trying to navigate their Korean-American identity”, I would argue you should read it for the fun. Give it to your favorite teen or your favorite adult in need of a smile or two (and distraction from the news). ~ Lisa Christie  Here to Stay by Sara Farizhan (2018). A great book about high school life. The main character, Bijan Miajidi, is pulled from the obscurity of JV basketball to the varsity limelight, which he hopes will help make it easier to talk to his crush Elle. Instead, he is targeted by an internet photo doctored to make him appear as a terrorist. As he tells the story of what happens next, his narrator voice is joined by his internal narrators - ESPN commentators Reggie Miller and Kevin Harlan - providing color commentary and comic relief to the often difficult events of the novel. (I really loved these ESPN flavored internal monologues.) In short, Ms. Farizhan compassionately and effectively covers coming out stories, cyberbullying, pressure to get into the right colleges, sports, and racism, without preaching, in a true page-turner. ~ Lisa Christie  Red, White, and Whole by Rajani Larocca (2021). Reha is caught between the India of her parents youth and the Americaness of her own life. Further complicating her life decisions, she wants to be a doctor and faints at the sight of blood. Then she's faced with a very sick mother who is the moon to her stars. Luckily middle school brings new friends and strength she didn't know she had. ~ Lisa Christie  We Can't Keep Meeting Like This by Rachel Lynn Solomon (2021). Quinn Berkowitz's future is planned out for her She will attend the University of Washington (her only acceptance), She will take business courses. These courses will prepare her to join her family wedding planning firm full-time. The problem, she's pretty much certain (as much as one can be as they leave high school), that she does not want to be part of the family firm. A long standing relationship with Tarek of the Mansour family catering business further complicates her attempts to decide what she wants and when as she navigates the summer between high school and college. The novel frankly addresses sexuality in teens and what the transition to college does and does not do to high school friendships. Would be a great pre-teen/teen - parent book club pick. Also great for anyone looking for a Rom-Com in a book (this one has plenty of references to Sleepless in Seattle). ~ Lisa Christie  Love is a Revolution by Renee Watson (2021). Ms. Watson wrote one of my favorite books for kids in 2019 (Some Places More Than Others, reviewed here), so I was excited to see she had penned a YA novel. Nala Robertson is facing the summer between her junior and senior year of high school with a cousin/sister/friend who is motivated, popular, pretty, in love and her bestest friend Imani. Nala knows she needs to do more than visit her grandmother in her assisted living center to have activities worthy of her looming college applications. Part of the deal when she moved in with her Aunt Uncle and Imani was she would get good grades and go to college - unlike her own estranged mother. And yet, she is not sure about college. And then Tye walks into her life. He is part of Imani's activist activities. He wants the world to be a better place and acts accordingly with every aspect of his life. Nala knows she shouldn't let Tye think she is Imani-like, but she does, because Tye is fine and Tye loves the Nala who is like Imani. The problem is this Nala is a lie and the real Nala doesn't like her too much. A superb novel about becoming you, the pressures high schoolers feel as they face college, and the enhanced pressures on brown and Black teens. ~ Lisa Christie  A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi (2018). This novel was longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature for its look at post 9/11 America through the eyes of an American High School Student, who also happens to be a Muslim. The novel begins a year after 9/11, as Shirin, a sixteen-year-old Muslim girl who’s tired of being stereotyped has switched schools yet again. She's used to stares and rude comments and stereotypes. She figured out long ago how to combat them -- she's built a huge wall of defenses that no one can see behind. Then random lab partner assignments lead to Ocean James - the first person in forever who really seems to want to get to know her. ~ Lisa Christie  Fat Chance Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado (2021). A lovely coming of age story for all the readers out there who feel outside the norm due to body size and for all their friends who love them. Charlie is a self described fat, brown girl whose dad passed away not so long ago, whose best friend is gorgeous thin and beloved by all, whose mother was fat like her until she discovered weight loss shakes and keeps sharing the love of these shakes to an uncooperative Charlie. Complicating matters even further, Charlie is in love with the star football player, Cal - who has firmly planted her in friend land, and even that probably only for an in with Charlie's gorgeous best friend. Charlie is self-aware and completely recognizes this cliche of the fat friend in love with the star athlete who uses her for her class notes and access to beautiful friends; and, she knows things with Cal will be different when he finally sees her. Luckily Charlie has her notebook and her stories and her desire to be the best writer possible. Even more luckily Charlie has an after school job in a workspace shared by a very nice boy from her art class. Enjoy this ride through junior year of high school and enjoy Charlie and her true friends; they will give you hope for humanity. ~ Lisa Christie  The Black Friend by Frederick Joseph (2020). To begin -- this YA book is also great for adults and we think would be excellent for Book Clubs and classroom discussions for anyone interested in racial justice and becoming better anti-racists/up-standers. Written by Mr. Joseph as if he is a new friend of the reader, he walks his new friends through how comments such as "I don't see color" and other micro-aggressions and more outright racism of many, are wrong and need to end. The book is divided into chapters by themes, with a conversation between Mr. Joseph and other experts on that theme ending each chapter. Full of practical advice and lists of "people and things to know" bith throughout the chapters and helpfully compiled at the end, this book is a great place to start one's own work on being a better person and actively anti-racist. It also feels important to highlight Mr. Joseph's reminder that "that this book is a gift not an obligation" (p. 195), because "while this book is meant to be a guide for white people to understand and be better, it's important that white people also understand that it isn't the duty of Black people or people of color to explain things" (p. 194). ~ Lisa Christie  The Sky Blues by Robbie Couch (2021). This novel surprised me -- not necessarily for how it tells a tale, but for how much it packs in to a YA novel, without being too preachy. There is SO much in here -- lived experiences of Black boys, trans teens, Arab teens, gay teens, cis-gendered teens, as well as the issues of the senior year of high school, difficult parents, and great teachers. It all unfolds as you follow the story of Sky, a gay boy in upstate Michigan who is trying to survive senior year - a feat made more difficult by the fact his homophobic mother threw him out of the house when he came out to her on Christmas Day. Luckily a superb teacher, the lovely parents of his best friend Bree, and the overbearing dad of his other best friend Marshall help. And help is needed as cyber bullying stunt ensnares Sky through his unrequited his crush on a very very popular kid. As an adult, I hope you leave this novel waning to be an adult that helps LHBTQ+ kids more. As a teen reader, I hope you leave wanting to become better friends to all your friends from marginalized groups -- the teens in this novel certainly provide a road map for what that might look like. And it is all done without feeling preachy. Please read and enjoy this tale of Sky and his life in rural Michigan. ~ Lisa Christie  The Black Kids by Christina Hammonds Reed (2020). Ashley Bennett and her friends are enjoying their senior year spring in Los Angeles in 1992. They are worried about which college will accept them (Stanford? UC Berkeley?) and how often they can successfully cut classes to lay on the beach or swim in the pool of a neighboring mansion. As you may guess from the year and the location, everything changes one night when four LAPD officers are acquitted after beating Rodney King to death. Suddenly even though Ashley has been questioning her choices of friends for awhile and hasn't been able to cut them loose because they've been friends since kindergarten, the fact that Ashley is Black and her friends are not means Ashley is also one of "the Black kids". Her world suddenly and methodically starts to crumble: her estranged older sister is involved in the riots, her family's success as a "model Black family" is no longer enough, her so called friends spread a rumor that endangers the future of one of the other "Black kids" at her prep school, and Los Angeles is literally burning around her. The historical setting unearths questions and highlights racism with us today, perhaps providing a better way. ~ Lisa Christie  Punching The Air by Ibi Zoboi and Yusef Salaam (2020). A powerful look at life from the eyes of an incarcerated Black teen. Amal, whose name translates to hope (an important aspect for his survival), remains in jail after a fight with some white teens landed one white boy in a coma and him in jail for a crime he didn't commit. Did he throw the first punch? Yes. Did he beat a white boy into a coma - NO. And yet he sits in jail because even his character witnesses - in particular a teacher from his school - saw him as an angry Black boy. What feeds his hope? Some sage advice from some of the boys preceding him into incarceration, a poet teaching classes to any boy who "earns" the privilege, and a guest whose exploration of mistakes, misgivings, and systems reminds Amal that speaking his truth is the most important thing he can do -- and the one thing no one can take away. Told in poetry and based on the actual experiences of Dr. Yusef Salaam, one of the Central Park Five, this book will hopefully change how we view our prison system and move us to action. ~ Lisa Christie Comments are closed.
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