Kids at Heart
For youth of all ages
Atlas of Adventures: A collection of natural wonders, exciting experiences and fun fun festivities from the four corners of the globe by Lucy Letherland (2014) – Ms. Letherland’s book encourages the reader, through fun illustrations and some well selected prose, to travel the world, while suggesting adventures specific to each unique location. When we were lucky enough to live in Spain one autumn, Pasajes, a fabulous Madrid bookstore, was our neighborhood store. Lucky because it meant weekly visits to its shelves were very convenient. On one of those visits, we discovered Ms. Letherland. Her work has been a holiday gift staple every since. ~ Lisa Christie My Car by Byron Barton (2003) - This board book with a plot twist and superbly clean illustrations has been a crowd pleaser for years. We gift this to every new parent we know. But don't take our word for it, librarians from the ALA Booklist agree - "Bright, graphic artwork invites readers to count, name colors and shapes, and follow Sam and his car as they drive through a bustling world from Sam's home in the country to his job in the city. The surprise ending is a gem! For young children intrigued by cars, this book is simply wonderful." ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie Anything from the Eric Carle Collection by Eric Carle (assorted years) - Mr. Carle is a master storyteller and illustrator; and, his books have been amusing children for years as a result. Huge plus: most of his books are available in a variety of languages. While we recommend all his work wholeheartedly, we highly recommend using The Very Lonely Firefly in its board book form as the last book before bedtime. Read it. Turn out the lights and watch the fireflies flicker, then place the child in bed for a great sleep. Books do allow for miracles. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie Quiet by Tomie dePaola (2018) - A lovely picture book, by award winning author and illustrator Mr. dePaola, for our hectic days. This book explores the importance of sitting, and observing, and just being. First reviewed for the Book Jam by Penny McConnel of the Norwich Bookstore during the Book Jam's 2018 holiday version of Pages in the Pub. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie In the Town All Year Round by Rotraut Susanne Berner (2008) – This is an older title that we somehow missed until recently. A sophisticated “Where’s Waldo” of the surprising things you find in town every day. A great way for kids and the adults who love them to discuss what people do day in and day out. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima (2018) – AWESOME tale of imagination and love. A little girl’s mission is simple – to find party hats; how she gets them so complicated. We also are hoping the fact her adventures include two dads and a lot of penguins is a shout out to And Tango Makes Three, a great picture book based upon an actual penguin at the Central Park Zoo with two dads. ~ Lisa Christie Ada Twist Scientist by Andrea Beaty illustrated by David Roberts (2018) – Ada’s curiosity is unending and leads her to great big messes. Doe sit also make her a great scientist? We all can learn from Ada’s fearless explorations, and the rhymes and illustrations are fun. ~ Lisa Christie City by Ingela P. Arrhenius (2018) – The bold, colorful, almost block-like pictures remind of us our favorite board book for toddlers – My Car by Byron Barton. Very few words and bold graphic illustrations make this the perfect oversized book for very young readers to share with the adults who love them. ~ Lisa Christie Everything and Everywhere: A fact filled adventure for curious globe trotters by Marc Martin (2018): This journey around the world is crammed with busy pictures and words that discuss the things and people that make the places depicted unique. The pages almost leap with exuberance into the readers’ imaginations. A superb way to discover, or be reminded how interesting this world can be. ~ Lisa Christie A World of Cities by James Brown (2018): The pictures in this oversized book remind us of vintage travel posters. Their bold graphics inspire. The fun facts sprinkled over each page provide many points for interesting discussions. The pages also give fun tidbits for all the fact-obsessed people throughout the world to add to their repertoire. The 30 dazzling cities Mr. Brown highlights should inspire even the most reluctant arm-chair traveller. Truly a gorgeous conversation starter, and a great gift! ~ Lisa Christie Otis and Will Discover the Deep by Barb Rosenstock and Katherine Roy (2018) – I am really claustrophobic and yet was still fascinated by this story of the first people to envision and build a device to explore the ocean’s depths. And yes, Ms. Roy’s illustrations still have me feeling a bit dizzy, but the tale of these two boys who became the men who invented the Bathysphere is worth a bit of discomfort; it will also appeal to the adventurers, inventors, and explorers in all of us (even if only vicariously). We discovered Ms. Roy through her first illustrations in SS Taylor’s Expeditioners series; this provides us a perfect excuse to recommend SS Taylor’s series for kids who need a good chapter book or family read aloud. ~ Lisa Christie 7 ate 9 by Tara Lazar (2017) – Good puns are never done. Clever Noir picture book playing on a classic preschool joke/pun. ~ Lisa Christie
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Pay Attention Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt (2019) - Mr. Schmidt (of The Wednesday Wars fame) may have just become my favorite author for kids with this book; OK, maybe that is Kwame Alexander, or Jacqueline Woodson or Jo Knowles or JK Rowling, or Andrew Clements or ... Anyway, Mr. Schmidt's newest 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 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. ~ Lisa Christie Where the Heart Is by Jo Knowles (2019) - Once again, Ms. Knowles tackles tough topics with love and candor. In this novel, Rachel's 13th birthday brings parental fights and ultimately the loss of a childhood home. Basically, this is a compassionately told tale of poverty, family, friendship, being a teen, and sexual identity. Ms. Knowles spins tales of tough issues so, so well. We are so proud to call her as a fellow Vermonter and a friend. Since she is a friend, and we may be a bit biased, we are including a portion of the review from Publishers Weekly -- Ms Knowles, "paints a down-to-earth picture of an adolescent girl who is saddled with too many responsibilities". ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie The Benchwarmers by John Feinstein (2019) - Once again, Mr. Feinstein creates believable teen and pre-teen characters and uses sports to help them deal with life. In this case, a girl wishes to play for a 6th grade boys soccer team; and even though this novel is set in 2019, she is met with hostility from adults and kids; but she also gains new friends. A great book for anyone suffering from World Cup withdrawal. We also highly recommend Mr. Feinstein's other series for younger readers for anyone on your list who loves a bit of sports infused in their books or who just loves books about middle schoolers figuring out life. ~ Lisa Christie Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina (2019) - This novel won the 2019 Newberry Award for excellence in children's literature; and, its insightful compassionate, and often funny look at navigating middle school demonstrates why. Merci, a scholarship student to a prestigious prep school is different than her peers in that: 1) she doesn't have their resources; 2) she must perform community service to keep her scholarship; and, 3) she is Latina. However, her questions as she navigates 6th grade are universal - including how to survive the wrath of the popular girl when she and her popular friends think Merci is interfering with their current crush. She also is scared and confused by the changes in her beloved grandpa Lolo, her champion in her family. Enjoy this book about life as a kid. ~ Lisa Christie Love to Everyone by Hilary McKay (2018) - Reminiscent of The War That Saved My Life, one of my younger son's favorite books of all time, Love to Everyone tells the story of WWI through the eyes of a young English girl, Clarry Penrose. Clarry manages to find good in everyone and everything. This proves a difficult task as her father isn’t fond of children and her mother died days after she was born. It also appears that her brother blames her for this latter fact and that complicates a lot in her life. In addition, she must fight to be educated as her dad thinks girls don't need schooling. She also only sees her favorite person in the world - her cousin Rupert- once a year in annual trips to Cornwall. All of this is minor to the issues WWI creates for her family, her stalwart friends, her town, and her country. A lovely tale about a girl who refuses to accept the fact many doors are closed to her dreams. It also brings WWI into the reader's heart with realistic descriptions of war time realities on the home front and in the trenches. A truly gem of a book for fans of historical fiction and well-told tales. ~ Lisa Christie Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh (2018) - Refugees are in the news and in great need. Ms. Marsh tackles this topic in a tale that allows kids to internalize what it must be like to be a migrant without a known destination or obvious future. Ahmed has fled the oppression and war in Aleppo only to find himself orphaned in Belgium; Max, a boy from Washington DC, has been reluctantly relocated by his parents to Brussels. Both are struggling to figure out what to do with their lives in Europe. Their lives collide unexpectedly leaving us with a tale of compassion, bravery, and everyday heroes. I loved the fact an actual WWII hero inspires a large portion of the plot. A GREAT way to introduce kids to the news of refugees that they see each day in the paper. It is also a great story for us all. As the School Library Journal stated in a starred review, this novel "thoughtfully touching on immigration, Islamophobia, and terrorism, this novel is a first-purchase. Hand to fans of Alan Gratz’s Refugee." ~ Lisa Christie Resist: 35 Profiles of Ordinary People Who Rose Up Against Tyranny and Injustice by Veronica Chambers (2019) - For those who need some inspiration to face the news of late, we recommend this collection of short biographies of important people who had the courage to change history. People profiled include Ghandi, Fannie Lou Hamer, Samuel Adams, Archbishop Oscar Romero, and Anastasia Somoza. A good reminder to us all that we may only be one person, but we have power to change unfair and unjust things. Think of it as a thematic collection of our favorite biography series for kids - the Who Is What Was books. (Note: Ms. Chambers also edited a thought-provoking collection of essays about Michelle Obama - The Meaning of Michelle.) ~ Lisa Christie Dark Is Rising Sequence by Susan Cooper (assorted years). Finally for the kids in your lives, a great family read aloud or chapter book for some youngster to devour alone. This series was first published in 1964 and has been going strong ever since. In it, the three Drew children, while on vacation in Cornwall, discover they are important players in the fight against evil in the world. This sequence consists of five fabulous books filled with adventure and hope. Thank you Liam for reminding us of their existence when you recommended them during BOOK BUZZ. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee (2019) – A great book for younger readers (perhaps 4th-8th grade?) that helps them understand Black Lives Matter, while also providing insights into navigating middle school, friendships, teachers, and the ever-evolving process of figuring out exactly who you are. Ms. Ramee’s main character, a 7th grade African American girl named Shay, hates to get in trouble, doesn’t understand her older sister’s insistence being black is embedded in certain traits, and honestly really just wants to get out of Middle School with her friendships intact, her grades their usual A+ level, and ideally with a cute boyfriend. The world is conspiring against all her wishes, and her hand is forced when a local white police woman is acquitted for shooting a black man. Shay will make you assess what is important for you to stand up for, how your unique traits will manifest your stand, and ideally to actually stand up for something. I hate to compare it to The Hate U Give, but Ms. Ramee’s debut novel is reminiscent of Ms. Thomas’s unflinching look at what it is like to be a Black adolescent in the USA today, and that is high praise. ~ Lisa Christie The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle by Christina Uss (2018) – This delightful story of a girl who loves bicycles, is faced with a fate she does not want – friendship camp – and decides to take her life into her own hands and onto her favorite two wheels, has everything a great tale for kids should have – spirited heroine, a cookie-wielding sage, ghosts, quirky inventors, luck, a grand goal – bicycling across the country to meet her hero, and ultimately adults who help her seize her own destiny. Told in a perfectly sly manner with great humor and charm, this adventure book will leave every reader smiling. Thank you Ms. Beth (see below as well) for putting this in my hands. ~ Lisa Christie The Extraordinary Colors of Auden Dare by Zillah Bethell (2018) – Ms. Beth, our small town’s children’s librarian, put this in my hands and I honestly couldn’t believe that any book could live up to her hype. But, it charmed me completely. In this novel, a colorblind boy, Auden Dare lives in a future world where the scarcity of water is the cause of all wars. Auden’s brilliant scientist uncle suddenly dies, leaving a home to Auden’s mother and notes outlining a mystery for Auden and Auden’s new friend Vivi. These notes lead them on an adventure they both needed and to a new friend, the mysterious robot Paragon. Together Vivi and Auden must solve the mystery that is Paragon and possibly save the world and their own families in the process. Auden, Paragon and Vivi will stay with you long after the last page. ~ Lisa Christie Mascot by Antony John (2018) – I laughed. I cried. I snorted from laughing and crying. And, I loved this book about baseball, horrific accidents (a dad dies and a son is in a wheelchair), rebuilding muscles and lives, friendships, parents who annoy, and middle school. I might even have to become a Cardinals fan. Reminiscent of my other favorite middle grades baseball novel Soar in its scope and its unflinching look at tough situations and how people can inspire as they face every obstacle. You will be so grateful you read this book. Or as Kirkus reviews says, “Noah’s dilemma is universal: the struggle to rebuild identity when what once defined us no longer exists. Highlights the challenges of adapting to puberty and sudden disability at the same time.” ~ Lisa Christie Speechless by Adam P. Schmidt (2018) – This tale of Jimmy, a middle school aged boy tasked with giving the eulogy for his “very hard to love” cousin, is a superb way to think about all the “hard to love” people we encounter as we go through life and what we may do to be better as a result. The fact Jimmy’s suit is way to small and buttons are threatening to pop at any moment is one of many small details that Mr. Schmidt uses with great skill to make the characters, their issues, and the whole plot real. A great debut novel that will have you thinking at its close. Note: this novel addresses alcoholism, tragic accidents, abuse. ~ Lisa Christie The War I Finally Won (2018) and The War that Saved My Life (2015) by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley — The War I Finally Won, the follow-up to Ms. Bradley’s first book about Ada and her family, shows Ada just as feisty as she was in her debut. It also brings home the realities of war for everyone in the British countryside. This time heroes who are close friends die while defending Britian and her allies, rationing is tough, code breakers are introduced, prejudices against Germans spill over to refugee children, and personal lives continue to influence outcomes – even as the war intensifies. As I wrote before about The War that Saved My Life, when Gary Schmidt (one of my favorite authors) blurbs a book with the words “I read this in two big gulps” I pay attention. The initial tale about two of the many children who were sent from London to the countryside for safety (think The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe – which we also recommend) is also full of adventure, hardship, and ultimately love. In both novels, I especially loved Ada and here feisty fight for her place in the world. Please read them both! ~ Lisa Christie Raymie Nightingale by Kate DiCamillo (2016) – Ms. Camillo returns to 1970s Florida and creates a superb tale of three young girls who discover each other and themselves over the course of a summer. The plot centers around Raymie’s plan to bring her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, back — she will win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, get her picture in the paper and remind him he needs to come home. First though she must learn to twirl a baton and defeat the two other girls in her lessons. Delightful. ~ Lisa Christie Soar by Joan Bauer (2016) – Many years ago, we fell in love with Ms. Bauer’s Newbery Honor Medal Winner Hope Was Here. But we haven’t read much of her work since. We corrected this awhile back when one of the Book Jam Lisas could not put Ms. Bauer’s latest novel – Soar – down, finishing it in one long swoop. Ms. Bauer’s main character and narrator of this tale – Jeremiah, is a heart transplant recipient and the world’s biggest baseball fan. He may not be able to play (yet) due to his transplant, but he sure can coach. And, he is just what his middle school needs after a huge high school sports scandal breaks his new hometown. Infused with humor, baseball trivia, and a lovely adoption sub-plot, this book is all about grit, hard work, and determination. It also does an amazing job of reminding readers that kids can be truly amazing people. We love all the books listed for this post, and we admit that some of Soar could be construed as corny, but we recommend it as an excellent (and possibly necessary) break from today’s politics. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie Flying Lessons and Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh (2017) – Ms. Oh, the founder of We Need Diverse Books, has edited a collection of short stories by authors who happen to be persons of color. The group has earned among them every major award in children’s publishing as well as popularity as New York Times bestsellers. Each story is completely unrelated to the rest and totally fabulous. This collection is perfect for a reluctant reader as one of these stories is sure to be just right. (My bet is on the one by Kwame Alexander.) And as a collection it makes a great family read aloud. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie The Best Man by Richard Peck (2016) – This may be the best book I read last year. Mr. Peck’s superb sense of humor and his ability to remember what it is like to be a kid make this tale a memorable, smile-inducing novel. Somehow, without preaching, he manages to cover gay marriage, death, divorce, war, national guard service, reconciliation, bullying, bad teachers, social media, hormones, school lunches, middle school, the British Empire, and the Cubs, all in a tale about being a kid in the 21st Century. Read it today; no matter your age, you will not be sorry. ~ 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 discover your own. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie King of Shadows by Susan Cooper (1999) – Nat is thrilled to join an American drama troupe traveling to London to perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the famous Globe Theater. However, after being taken ill, he is transported 400 years to an earlier London, Will Shakespeare, and another production of the play. History, time travel, adventure, and family all propel this tale.~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie (also reviewed in Books for Summer Campers and Classics for Kids). And, 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. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie Under the Egg by Laura Marx Fitzgerald (March 2014) – We agree with Publishers Weekly assessment – “Fans of From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler will find this another delightful lesson in art history.” In this novel, Theodora Tenpenny of Manhattan tries to solve the mystery of a painting she uncovers (literally) once her grandfather dies. It includes her eccentric mother who has spent at least fifteen years doing nothing but completing her mathematical dissertation and consuming very expensive tea. It also shows how two amazing, but lonely girls can make great friends. And, along the way it introduces young readers to the world of art and the importance of asking for help when you need it. Not bad for an author’s first children’s book. ~ Lisa Christie and Lisa Cadow Will In Scarlet by Matthew Cody (2013) – An EXCELLENT and FUN tale of Robin Hood and his merry men before they became famous. In this version of this timeless tale, you meet them as a gang of outlaws and watch them find their mission in life. A superb adventure for any middle grades reader and the adults who love them, or who love English legends. ~ Lisa Christie The Wednesday Wars (2007) and OK For Now (2011) by Gary Schmidt – These two books provide an excellent introduction to this era and some of the topics of the 60s and 70s – Vietnam, the women’s movement, environmentalism. They also tackle school bullies, poverty, joblessness, great teachers and hope. Both provide memorable characters in extremely moving moments. Both were award winners – OK For Now was a National Book Award Finalist and The Wednesday Wars was a Newberry Honor Book. Previously reviewed in Classics for children, young adults, and the adults who love them. ~ Lisa Christie Booked and The Crossover by Kwame Alexander (assorted years) – Yes, we love Mr. Alexander’s books. Yes, we have recommended both these books before. But trust us, the youth readers you love will love these books about soccer (Booked) and basketball (The Crossover). They are poetic,perfect for reluctant readers, and both address how life happens while you have your eye on the ball. (Also reviewed in Sports Books That are About So Much More and Classics for children, young adults, and the adults who love them.) ~ Lisa Christie Magic Tree House Series by Mary Pope Osborne (assorted years) – This seems to be the original model for this genre. It now bring over 50 titles with the adventures of young siblings Jack and Annie and their time-traveling adventures in their magic treehouse to young readers everywhere. ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie Capital Mysteries by Ron Roy (assorted years) – Pre-teens KC and Marshall uncover bad guys and save the world from their homes in Washington, DC. KC’s home just happens to be the White House. ~ Lisa Christie BallPark Mysteries by David Kelley (assorted years) – Two kids travel the country attending baseball games (one of their moms is a sports reporter) and solving mysteries. Reminiscent of those original “meddling kids” – Scooby’s gang. ~ Lisa Christie Frankly In Love by David Yoon (2019) - This novel is one of the best YA books I have read in a long time. 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 Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay (2019) - I know little about Philippines politics or life there; but, this tale of a Filipino-American boy has me curious. Jason - Jay - is a senior in Michigan ready to finish high school and move on to college until news arrives that his beloved cousin Jun has died under mysterious and shady circumstances. And, no one will talk about it. Thus, Jay decides to use his spring break to travel to the Philippines and find out for himself what happened. Full of details about Filipino life and coming of age in America as a "hyphen", I can't recommend this book enough. ~ Lisa Christie Here to Stay by Sara Farizhan (2018) - A great book about high school life today. 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. 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 With the Fire On High by Elizabeth Acevedo (2019). The teen heroine of this book, Emoni’s life has been full of tough decisions as she tries to do her best for her daughter and her abuela (grandmother). Luckily, she has a place where she can temporarily forget her responsibilities - the kitchen. There, she somehow always manages to add magic to everything she cooks, creating food that is just amazingly good. This gift may also be her way to create something for herself. Ms. Acevedo's prose sings, and as the Indie Next List review stated, "The only word I can use to properly describe this book is ‘delicious.’" I could not agree more and I also recommend Ms. Acevedo's Poet X. ~ Lisa Christie On the Come Up by Angie Thomas (2019) – Ms. Thomas’s second novel for Young Adults proves she is not a one hit wonder. Once again, she handles tough topics such as teens figuring out who they are, race, stereotypes, violence, and addiction with compassion and fearless honesty. In this outing, 16-year-old Bri wants to rap and be a rap star more than anything – including doing well on the ACT to ensure she enters an amazing college. But, any progress at all is hard when your dad is long dead from gang violence, your mom just lost her job and is working to remain eight years sober, there is no heat in your house or food in the fridge, and the only job your brother, the brilliant college grad, can get is delivering pizzas for money your family desperately needs. Due to an incident at school, and other conspiring events, Bri finds herself going viral and being unfairly viewed as a hoodlum. The question for her becomes – what if a being a hoodlum helps you make it? ENJOY! ~ Lisa Christie American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Two Cultures by America Ferrera (2018) – A great and timely selection of essays about being an American immigrant or child of immigrants. Most of the essays address aspects of being a teen in the USA, providing a great “in” for most teens to the stories of these immigrants. Plus, you will recognize a lot of the authors (e.g., Lin Manuel Miranda). ~ Lisa Christie The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (2018) – Probably the best YA book I read in 2018. Reminiscent of Kwame Alexander’s style of telling stories in poetry, Ms. Acevedo uses poems to tease out the subtleties of her main character’s life in Brooklyn. In doing so has created a character – the fierce, gifted with words Xiomara Batista – who we care about, and whom we empathise with even if we are not a young black woman, even if we don’t live in Brooklyn, and even if our high school days are long behind us. The themes Ms. Acevedo intwines throughout this novel told in poems include, but are not limited to Latina culture, Catholicism, coming (or not) out, budding sexuality, high school teachers and curriculum, first romance, generation gaps, immigration, first gen issues, city life, poverty, music, and the power of words. Read this and rediscover the power of poetry, of youth, and of love – both first romance kind and the often much more complicated familial type. I find it hard to believe this was a first published novel for Ms. Acevedo; and, I thank children’s librarian extraordinaire Ms. Beth for bringing it to my attention. ~ Lisa Christie Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany Jackson (2018) – This novel takes on the heartbreaking reality of missing children of color, and does so with compassion and urgency. Monday Charles is missing and only her friend Claudia is concerned enough to do anything about it. Even well-meaning and caring teachers take too much time to hear Claudia’s concerns, and kind neighbors ignore signs something is amiss. But, Claudia continues to be vocal that Monday is missing – even as she navigates high school placement tests and her shame that her learning disabilities are in the open. Cleverly paced and plotted, and written with concern and compassion, Ms. Jackson highlights the fates of too many children of color in this country with a book teens and adults alike will be glad they read. Two books into her career, I am now officially a fan of this author and look forward to her next novel. ~ Lisa Christie Far From the Tree by Robin Benway (2017) – I loved this National Book Award Winner. The three bio siblings discover each other exists in their teens, when each is confronting a personal crisis in their adoptive and/or foster family. One is dealing with divorce and alcoholism, the other teen pregnancy, the third the foster system. They are all dealing with what it means to be family and how to become an adult. Perfect really. ~ Lisa Christie A Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds (2017) – Mr. Reynolds tackles gun violence in an unique and powerful novel. The story unfolds in short bouts of powerful, insightful verse over the course of a 60 second elevator ride. During this ride, Will must decide whether or not to follow the RULES – No crying. No snitching. Revenge. – and kill the person he believes killed his brother Shawn. With this tale, Mr. Reynolds creates a place to understand the why behind the violence that permeates the lives of so many, and perhaps hopefully a place to think about how this pattern might end. ~ Lisa Christie Dear Martin by Nic Stone (2017) – A superb YA novel about being profiled by police for being black, and how current events, BLM, and politics affect black youth today. In this excellent debut novel, a black student – Justyce McAllister, top of his class, captain of the debate team, and set for the Ivy League next year – is handcuffed by a police officer and released without physical harm. The psychological toll of being profiled is explored as this novel delves into his life at his mostly white prep school and in his mostly black neighborhood. To help cope, Justyce researches the writings of MLK and writes him letters asking for guidance about how to live today. While Martin obviously never answers, the letters provide a great premise for thinking about how MLK would have handled life as a black man today. The letters also provide grounding once the novel’s action turns extremely ugly. Read it and discuss. (It could be considered the boy’s perspective on the situations in The Hate U Give.) ~ Lisa Christie The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas (2017) – Sometimes it takes a work of fiction to give life to current events. And sometimes it takes a book for children to give all of us a starting point for conversations about difficult issues. Ms. Thomas has done all of us a service by producing this fresh, enlightening, and spectacular book about the black lives lost at the hands of the police every year in the USA. Starr Carter, the teen she created to put faces on the statistics, straddles two worlds — that of her poor black neighborhood and that of her exclusive prep school on the other side of town. She believes she is doing a pretty good job managing the differing realities of her life until she witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood friend by a police officer. As a description of this book stated, The Hate U Give “addresses issues of racism and police violence with intelligence, heart, and unflinching honesty”. Just as importantly, it is a great story, with fully formed characters who will haunt you, told by a gifted author. Please read this one! ~ Lisa Cadow and Lisa Christie Curveball: The Year I lost my Grip by Jordan Sonnenblick (2016) – How does an amazing pitcher deal with the fact he will never pitch again while simultaneously navigating his freshman year of high school? Mr. Sonnenblick offers a compelling answer in this tale of friendship, first love and change. ~ Lisa Christie Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi (2018) – A TERRIFIC start to a new series of magic and danger, palace intrigue and adventure, and love and hatred. I won’t say more about the plot as I really want you to discover this one for yourself. Please pick it up and just enjoy! ~ Lisa Christie |
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