ONE WRONG STEP by Jennifer Nielsen

One Wrong Step by Jennifer Nielsen

Mountain Climbing, Survival, Adventure, Grief

324 pages; 2025

Description

Publishers Weekly (December 16, 2024)

Twelve-year-old Atlas Wade has been climbing mountains for years, but after being forced to stay behind as his father joins a team of Mount Everest climbers, he sees an avalanche trapping his father's expedition, then--along with their Sherpa Chodak and an American girl, Maddie--Atlas begins a perilous journey to rescue the team.

Publishers Weekly (December 16, 2024)

Just before WWII’s start in 1939-when no one had yet reached Mt. Everest’s summit-14-year-old white-cued Atlas Wade accompanies his father on a hazardous expedition to stand "at the top of the world." During the excursion, the group learns that Nazis are attempting their own climb. Despite Atlas’s eagerness to finish the trek-born from his desire to escape grief surrounding his mother’s death three years ago-his father forbids him from making the final climb to the summit. While waiting at Advanced Base Camp at 21,300 feet, Atlas spies an avalanche around where the expedition should’ve been. Together with the daughter of another explorer and an injured adult Sherpa, Atlas determines to rescue them, using all the hiking skills his father taught him to survive. Employing her extensive mountain climbing experience-as outlined in an endnote-Nielsen (Uprising) details the activity’s pitfalls, hazards, and potential disasters with authenticity. The result is a gripping adventure tale that provides a new perspective through which to view the history of the era. An explanation of specific climbing terms begins each chapter; maps depicting Atlas’s progress scaling Everest feature throughout. Ages 8-12. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

My Comments

Another gripping adventure. Highly recommended. Read other Nielsen books!

SIMON SORT OF SAYS by Erin Bow

 

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

Realistic Fiction, Mental Health, Grief, PTSD, Humor

2023; 305 pages

Newbery Honor

Description

Booklist (March 15, 2023 (Online))

"Grades 5-8. Author of Stand on the Sky (2019) Bow delivers another middle-grade page turner. Seventh-grader Simon O’Keefe moves with his parents to the small town of Grin And Bear It, Nebraska. Hoping to help their son forget a traumatic event, his dad, a Catholic deacon (and sackbut player), and mom, an undertaker, help Simon adjust. Though the townspeople are thirsty to find out more about the O’Keefes, Simon wants to get through the school year by remaining incognito. That plan becomes moot when he befriends a girl named Agate and a boy named Kevin. All seems normal until the reason for the O'Keefes' move is exposed, causing anxieties to flare in Simon that result in conflicts among the trio. Bow diffuses the story's serious topics, ranging from parental and social issues to mental and emotional health, with humor and a silly scheme. Middle-grade students will resonate with the worries and pressures attached to making friends and meeting one another’s families. A tale of healing that serves as an excellent reminder to never assume we know what plights another friend is going through."

My Comments

This is a tough subject but author, Bow skillfully entwines trauma with humor and suspense. Unfortunately, school violence can be too close to home these days, so the topic won't be a surprise to students no matter how much we want to protect them. Most young people can relate to Simon's insecurities about being the new kid and making a place for himself. In that way, Bow helps the reader be sensitive to the fact that families may be dealing with more than meets the eye.

THE SHAPE OF THUNDER by Jasmine Warga

 

The Shape of Thunder by Jasmine Warga

Realistic Fiction, Grief, Forgiveness, Friendship, Families, School Shootings, Wormholes

275 pages

Description

Horn Book Magazine (May/June, 2021)

A dual-perspective novel follows two girls in the aftermath of a school shooting. Almost a year after her older sister was killed in that shooting by a classmate, twelve-year-old Cora still struggles to make sense of life without her. Cora also misses her now estranged best friend Quinn, whose brother, also dead, was the shooter. In alternating chapters, both girls deal with processing their grief and defining their roles at school and at home. Academically focused Cora tries to connect with her Quiz Bowl teammates and her Lebanese heritage, while Quinn latches on to the idea of traveling back in time to prevent the shooting from happening. Quinn persuades Cora to join her in trying to create a wormhole that will allow them to time-travel, but Cora continues keeping her distance until a minor crisis leads them to reconnect and gives both girls the chance to explain to their families what they need in order to make peace with their losses. Warga (Newbery honoree for Other Words for Home, rev. 7/19) skillfully develops unique voices for her narrators, and the novel's alternating-perspective structure works well. Emotions run high throughout the book without weighing down the plot, and the portrayal of middle-school life is utterly authentic. Warga tells a quiet story despite the dramatic events that led up to it, presenting a sad but not overwhelming narrative. Sarah Rettger May/June 2021 p.145

My Comments

At first I wasn't so keen on reading what appeared to be an incredibly depressing book, but I changed my mind as I was drawn into the rich perspective of each character. I sympathized with the girls' desperation to go back in time to make right what went wrong, I felt the regrets, the  anger, and the loneliness of each family member. I was also swept forward by the impossible dream of time travel, this dream that ultimately served to heal. This is an important topic that is unfortunately relevant today. Warga handles it with great sensitivity in an age appropriate way.

WHEN YOU TRAP A TIGER by Tae Keller

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller

Fantasy, Korean Americans, Storytelling, Illness, Families

297 pages

Description
Booklist starred (November 1, 2019 (Vol. 116, No. 5))
Grades 3-6. If stories were written in the stars and guarded by tigers, this wondrous tale would be one of the brightest. Lily is happy when she, her mom, and sister, Sam, move, because it means they will spend more time with their grandmother, their halmoni, whose life is full of magic. Halmoni has always told beautiful stories about clever sisters and equally clever tigers—not to be trusted—but Lily soon finds that life is not how she expected it to be. Sam isn’t so happy about the move, and worse, Halmoni is very sick, so when a tiger appears to Lily, offering her a deal, she thinks it could be what saves her grandmother. Lily’s magical-realist world, rooted in Korean folklore, will envelop readers as she deals with growing up and—at times—apart from her sister, finding new friends, and coping with her grandmother's illness. Keller’s characters—from Halmoni, who dresses up to go grocery shopping, to Sam, who hides her own heartbreaks—will have readers wishing they were real. Every chapter is filled with a richness and magic that demands every word be treasured, a heartfelt reminder of the wonder and beauty in our everyday lives. Readers young and old will want to trap this story in a jar forever.

My Comments

Truly wonderous and mysterious. The magic intertwines with the family relationships. The tiger drew me in, but this is a deep story of love, grief and identity. This is not a light book. I believe it could be read by grades 6-8 so am a little mystified that it is targeted for grades 3-6 apart from the age of the main protagonist. A wonderfully magical and complex story.

 

LUCKY BROKEN GIRL by Ruth Behar

 

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar

Realistic Fiction, Cuban-Americans, Immigration, Grief, Loss, Coming of Age

243 pages, Pura Belpre Award

ruthbehar.com

Description

Horn Book Magazine (July/August, 2017)

In this novel based on the author’s childhood, Ruthie is just ten years old in 1966 when she arrives in Queens from Cuba with her little brother and parents. Because she only speaks Spanish, she is placed in the fifth-grade “dumb” class. Over the next eight months Ruthie’s English improves, she becomes the neighborhood hopscotch queen, and she’s ready to move out of the remedial class. Life is looking up, but then everything comes crashing down when she breaks her leg in a car accident, requiring a full-body cast. Immobile in bed for almost a year, Ruthie is dependent on her mother for everything, and as the months pass, feelings of anger, loneliness, and despair fill her heart. When her next-door neighbor introduces her to drawing and painting, her attention refocuses and she begins to heal emotionally. As she attempts to learn how to walk again, Ruthie finds that friends, family, and the ability to look beyond the present into the future can help turn her “brokenness” into wholeness. Through an unflinchingly honest first-person narrative, readers are taken through a traumatic period in the author’s life (an appended note provides more context and encourages readers to “speak up. Tell your story”). Effectively scattered Spanish phrases lend authenticity, while period references evoke the 1960s setting. alma ramos-mcdermott

My Comments

Author's inscription: "For my son Gabriel, who was also wounded and recovered, and for children everywhere who suffer and look for hope." This is a lovely portrayal of Cuban culture and a loving family who have been forced to leave a country that they love due to political upheaval. The aftermath of a terrible car accident only adds to Ruthie's feeling of isolation. I love how she found art as a way to deal with feelings. This is accessible for all readers.  Highly recommended for grades 6-8.

GHOST BOYS by Jewell Parker Rhodes

 

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Realistic Fiction, African American, Grief, Families of Police Officers, Prejudice and Racism

214 pages

Description

School Library Journal (January 1, 2018)

Gr 4-8-The Towers Falling author once again tackles a timely yet difficult subject. In Chicago, 12-year-old black youth Jerome is shot and killed by a white police officer who mistakes a toy gun for a real one. As a ghost, Jerome witnesses the aftermath gripping both his family and that of the police officers. Jerome also meets another ghost-that of Emmett Till, a black boy

murdered in 1955. Through Till's story, he learns of the hundreds of other "ghost boys" left to roam and stop history from continually repeating itself. 

The only person who can see Jerome is the daughter of the white police officer, Sarah, and through her eyes, he realizes that his family

isn't the only one affected by the tragedy. Two families are destroyed with one split decision, and Sarah and Jerome together try to heal both of their families, along with Jerome's friend Carlos. It was Carlos' toy gun that Jerome was playing with, leaving Carlos with great guilt and the intense

desire to protect Jerome's little sister, Kim, from bullies and other sorrows. 

Deftly woven and poignantly told, this a story about society, biases both conscious and unconscious, and trying to right the wrongs of the world. VERDICT Rhodes captures the all-too-real pain of racial injustice

and provides an important window for readers who are just beginning to explore the ideas of privilege and implicit bias.

-Michele Shaw, Quail Run -Elementary School, San Ramon, CA 

©Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

My Comments
A powerful story that reads quickly. Jerome's death is written in a way that doesn't gloss over the immense sadness, but keeps a child's perspective which softens the horrific tragedy for young readers. What begins as a story that could be purely about the injustice of a mistaken identity police shooting, develops into a story of deep understanding, rebuilding, and hope. I hope that readers keep an open mind and read this book to the very end.

JUST LIKE THAT by Gary Schmidt

 

Just Like that by Gary Schmidt

Historical Fiction (United States, Vietnam War)

 Grief, Loss, Humor

387 pages

"The well-phrased writing is understated, endlessly 

engaging, and sometimes suspenseful or amusing."

 (Booklist)

Description

Booklist starred (September 1, 2020 (Vol. 117, No. 1))

Grades 6-8. It’s the summer of 1968. The accidental death of a dear friend

has blindsided Meryl Lee, and grief still overwhelms her at times. Unable to 

face her old school for eighth grade, she enrolls at St. Elene’s Preparatory 

Academy in Maine, where she initially feels isolated from her pretentious 

roommate and other classmates. From the start, she’s intrigued by the strong,

 enigmatic headmistress, Dr. MacKnockater, who seems to understand so much

and whose opening address unexpectedly mesmerizes and challenges Meryl Lee. 

Slowly, she begins to find her way and tentatively makes friends 

while navigating boarding-school life under the watchful eyes 

of her inscrutable teachers. 

Meanwhile, Matt has arrived in the area. A good-hearted, vulnerable boy on the run 

from his sometimes-violent past, he’s befriended by Dr. MacKnockater, who takes 

him in and gradually gains his trust. The Vietnam War isn’t just the story’s backdrop,

but an inescapable, unsettling element of the times, painfully affecting several characters. 

The well-phrased writing is understated, endlessly engaging, and sometimes suspenseful

 or amusing. While fans of Schmidt’s The Wednesday Wars (2007) and Lizzie Bright 

and the Buckminster Boy (2004) will find links to both stories here, this well-constructed 

novel, with its beautifully interwoven strands of narrative, stands on its own. An 

unforgettable story of loss, healing, and finding one’s way.

THE CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander

 

Novels in Verse, Realistic Fiction, Basketball, Fathers and Sons, Twins, School and Education, Grief

218 pages

Kwame Alexander

Description
Horn Book Guide starred (Fall 2014)
Twelve-year-old twins Josh and Jordan (JB) are a well-oiled machine on the basketball court. But then JB gets a girlfriend, and before Josh knows it, things start to change. Josh's narration is a combination of exciting play-by-play game details, insightful observations on middle school, and poignant meditations on sibling dynamics and familial love. This verse novel has massive appeal for reluctant readers.

My Comments

Beautiful writing. Lyrical. Brilliant. Slam dunk! Recommend this book!

ZOMBIE TAG by Hannah Moskowitz

 

Fiction, Grief, Brothers, Families, Horror, Humor

Book Description

From Follett

In the months since Wil Lowenstein's older brother Graham died, Wil has spent most of his time playing a game he invented, but when he finds a way to bring Graham and others back from the dead, fighting zombies is suddenly no longer a game.

From the Publisher

Wil is desperate for his older brother to come back from the dead. But the thing about zombies is . . they don't exactly make the best siblings.

Thirteen-year-old Wil Lowenstein copes with his brother's death by focusing on Zombie Tag, a mafia/

capture the flag hybrid game where he and his friends fight off brain-eating zombies with their mothers' spatulas. What Wil doesn't tell anybody is that if he could bring his dead brother back as a zombie, he would in a heartbeat. But when Wil finds a way to summon all the dead within five miles, he's surprised to discover that his back-from-the-dead brother is emotionless and distant.

In her first novel for younger readers, Moskowitz offers a funny and heartfelt look at how one boy deals with change, loss, and the complicated relationship between brothers.

Booklist (December 15, 2011 (Vol. 108, No. 8))

Grades 5-8. Six months ago, 12-year-old Wil lost his older brother, Graham, to a severe respiratory attack. While at his friend Anthony’s house playing “zombie tag”—a pretty cool game Wil and Graham made up that simulates a zombie invasion—Wil discovers a secret artifact hidden by Anthony’s father: a bell that supposedly raised a group of the dead 30 years ago. Wil steals it and gives it a go, and presto: 70 local dead people rise from their graves. Graham is among them, and his family is thrilled to see him. But he’s different now, so emotionless and cold that Wil begins to wonder if he’s made a horrible mistake. Moskowitz’s latest is nearly unclassifiable by genre and that’s much of the charm. Is this contemporary fiction? Fantasy? Horror? What’s more, Moskowitz deftly swerves between comedy, pathos, and even terror, and makes it look so effortless readers won’t think twice about the strangeness of the mix. There are a few plot bumps near the end, but the surprising amount of heart and wistfulness behind this will carry readers through.

My Comments

This was one of the strangest premises of a book that I have ever read, but it will definitely work for some readers. Having three sons of my own, I thought the dialogue and the game very plausible. Will's way of dealing with losing his brother through playing the zombie game makes sense, but then of course the zombies are real along with unicorns. This book confronts a heartbreaking situation in a realistic young adult manner. It is a strange book, but rather brilliant at the same time. I added the label humor, but it's the kind of humor that gets one through tragic circumstances.

CHECKED by Cynthia Kadohata

 

Realistic Fiction, Father-Sons, Grief, Sports (Hockey), Dogs, Character, Determination and Grit

408 pages.

Description

From Follett

"A Caitlyn Dlouhy Book." "To help his dog through cancer treatment, Conor gives up hockey and finds himself considering who he is without the sport that has defined him, and connecting more with his family and best friend"--Provided by publisher.

From the Publisher

"Kadohata's slapshot is the heart-swelling narrative of a father and son...Truly powerful." --Jason Reynolds

"A deeply poignant story about a boy sorting out his priorities." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"A vivid, memorable portrayal of a boy within his family, his sport, and his gradually broadening world." --Booklist (starred review)

From Newbery Medalist Cynthia Kadohata comes a brilliantly-realized novel about a hockey player who must discover who he is without the sport that defines him.

Hockey is Conor's life. His whole life. He'll say it himself, he's a hockey beast. It's his dad's whole life too--and Conor is sure that's why his stepmom, Jenny, left. There are very few things Conor and his dad love more than the game, and one of those things is their Doberman, Sinbad. When Sinbad is diagnosed with cancer, Conor chooses to put his hockey lessons and practices on hold so they can pay for Sinbad's chemotherapy.

But without hockey to distract him, Conor begins to notice more. Like his dad's crying bouts, and his friend's difficult family life. And then Conor notices one more thing: Without hockey, the one thing that makes him feel special, is he really special at all?

My Comments

Love, love this book! I wanted to keep reading to find out what happened to all the characters: Sinbad, Conor and his efforts to be an amazing hockey player, the father's depression, and how the family's deep connections and love bring healing and joy to not only their own little family, but to those around them. I just wish Kadohata had made Conor 13 instead of 11, but the age doesn't really matter so I would recommend this for grades 5-8.

A CERTAIN OCTOBER by Angela Johnson

 

Realistic Fiction, Autism, Death, Friendships, High Schools

158 pages.

Description

From Follett

After a terrible accident, Scotty feels responsible for the death of someone she hardly knew and struggles with her own reality while her friends and family deal with their own troubles, but the prospect of a boy and a dance add positive possibility back into Scotty's life.

From the Publisher

Three-time Coretta Scott King Award-winner Angela Johnson writes a wrenching, honest book about surviving the unimaginable and finding a way to go on.

Scotty compares herself to tofu: no flavor unless you add something. And it's true that Scotty's friends, Misha and Falcone, and her brother, Keone, make life delicious. But when a terrible accident occurs, Scotty feels responsible for the loss of someone she hardly knew, and the world goes wrong. She cannot tell what is a dream and what is real. Her friends are having a hard time getting through to her and her family is preoccupied with their own trauma. But the prospect of a boy, a dance, and the possibility that everything can fall back into place soon help Scotty realize that she is capable of adding her own flavor to life.

With artfully spare prose, acclaimed and award-winning author Angela Johnson explores the ramifications of unexpected death in this compelling coming-of-age story.

My Comments

Poetic and tender. I was a little confused at first with the scene and time shifts, but fell right into the story once I understood the structure. I would be aware that some readers may have the same trouble, but pointing it out may be sufficient. I would recommend this to more mature middle school students as well as high school students. A great book to have on your book lists! Angela Johnson is pure talent!

SAL & GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE by Carlos Alberto Hernandez

Science Fiction, Cuban American, Diabetes,  Grief, Humor, Multi-Universe

Book Description

Winner of the 2020 Pura Belpre Award

Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents a brilliant sci-fi romp with Cuban influence

that poses this question: What would you do if you had the power to reach through 

time and space and retrieve anything you want, including your mother, who is no 

longer living (in this universe, anyway)?

How did a raw chicken get inside Yasmany's locker?

When Sal Vidon meets Gabi Real for the first time, it isn't under the best of 

circumstances. Sal is in the principal's office for the third time in three days, and it's 

still the first week of school. Gabi, student council president and editor of the school 

paper, is there to support her friend Yasmany, who just picked a fight with Sal. 

She is determined to prove that somehow, Sal planted a raw chicken in Yasmany's locker, 

even though nobody saw him do it and the bloody poultry has since mysteriously 

disappeared.

Sal prides himself on being an excellent magician, but for this sleight of hand, he 

relied on a talent no one would guess . . . except maybe Gabi, whose sharp eyes 

never miss a trick. When Gabi learns that he's capable of conjuring things much 

bigger than a chicken--including his dead mother--and she takes it all in stride, Sal 

knows that she is someone he can work with. There's only one slight problem: 

their manipulation of time and space could put the entire universe at risk.

A sassy entropy sweeper, a documentary about wedgies, a principal who wears a 

Venetian bauta mask, and heaping platefuls of Cuban food are just some of the delights 

that await in his mind-blowing novel gift-wrapped in love and laughter. (Publisher)

My Comments

Aimed right at a wide middle school audience. Fast paced, page turner. 

ORPHAN ISLAND by Laurel Snyder

Fantasy, Adventure, Bildungsromans, Orphans, Grief

269 pages

Description

"A group of orphans wait each year for a boat to arrive on the island, replacing the eldest with the youngest, never to be seen again, as each remaining child child learns what it means to say goodbye to childhood forever. "(Follett)

"In the tradition of modern-day classics like Sara Pennypacker's Pax and Lois Lowry's The Giver comes a deep, compelling, heartbreaking, and completely one-of-a-kind novel about nine children who live on a mysterious island.

On the island, everything is perfect. The sun rises in a sky filled with dancing shapes; the wind, water, and trees shelter and protect those who live there; when the nine children go to sleep in their cabins, it is with full stomachs and joy in their hearts.

And only one thing ever changes: on that day, each year, when a boat appears from the mist upon the ocean carrying one young child to join them--and taking the eldest one away, never to be seen again.

Today's Changing is no different. The boat arrives, taking away Jinny's best friend, Deen, replacing him with a new little girl named Ess, and leaving Jinny as the new Elder. Jinny knows her responsibility now--to teach Ess everything she needs to know about the island, to keep things as they've always been.

But will she be ready for the inevitable day when the boat will come back--and take her away forever from the only home she's known?

"A unique and compelling story about nine children who live with no adults on a mysterious island. Anyone who has ever been scared of leaving their family will love this book" (from the Brightly.com review, which named Orphan Island a best book of 2017)." (Publisher)

My Comments

This book drew me in despite my initial reservations. I am not sure why the reviews specify grades 4-7. It is magical, but sophisticated. The themes of self sufficiency, caring, loss and becoming a young adult is relevant for older grades. I will recommend Orphan Island to mature 6th graders and older. 

FOURMILE by Watt Key

Realistic Fiction, Family, Loss, Violence

228 pages
Teacher's pdf guide available

Description
"Twelve-year-old Foster lives with his mother on Fourmile, their Alabama farm. Foster is still struggling with the death of his father the previous year and the knowledge that he and his mother will have to sell Fourmile and go live in Montgomery. To complicate matters, Foster’s mother is dating Dax Ganey, a man Foster knows is deceitful and bad for her. When a mysterious stranger, Gary, arrives at the farm, Foster bonds with him and looks up to him, unknowingly trying to fill his father’s place in his life. When Foster’s mother spurns Dax, he becomes a dangerous enemy to Foster, Gary, and her. Eventually, Foster must face both Dax and his fears and come to terms with a new life that does not include Fourmile." (teacher's guide summary)

My Comments
I read this book in one sitting. Key's plot and characters keep you on the edge of your seat. Key describes emotions of grief and the fear of change. He also portrays the frustration of being at the mercy of adult decision-making. There is a lot to think about in this short book. One caveat is that there is a lot of violence and grief, but I am glad to have this book on the library shelf. This important book will be just the right match for some middle school readers.

THE REMARKABLE JOURNEY OF COYOTE SUNRISE by Dan Gemeinhart

Realistic Fiction, Families, Grief, Fathers and Daughters

344 pages

Description

Twelve-year-old Coyote and her father rush to Poplin Springs, Washington, in their old school bus to save a memory box buried in a park that will soon be demolished.

From the Publisher

Five years.That's how long twelve-year-old Coyote and her dad, River, have lived on the road in an old school bus, criss-crossing the nation.It's also how long ago Coyote lost her mom and two sisters.Coyote hasn't been home in all that time, but when she learns that the park in her old neighborhood is being demolished--the very same park where she, her mom, and her sisters buried a treasured memory box--she devises an elaborate plan to get her dad to drive 3,600 miles back to Washington state . . . without him realizing it.On the way, they'll pick up an eclectic group of folks. Lester has a lady love to meet. Salvador and his mom are looking to start over. Val needs a safe place to be herself. Coyote will learn that going home can sometimes be the hardest journey of all, but that with friends, she just might be able to turn her 'once upon a time' into a 'happily ever after.'

My Comments

I love this book, but wish Coyote was 14 years old instead of 12. This is a thoughtful novel, but I don't think tCoyote's age rings true. I also wish that authors would think carefully about the age of their audience. A 12 year old protagonist  effectively eliminates 7th and 8th grade readers. The suggested grade range

SAVING WINSLOW by Sharon Creech

Realistic Fiction, Animals, Friendship
165 pages

Publisher's Description

"Louie doesn't have the best luck when it comes to nurturing small creatures-not even lightning bugs, worms, orgoldfish. So when his father brings home a sickly, newborn mini donkey, he's determined to save him. He names him Winslow. Taking care of him helps Louie feel closer to his brother, Gus, who is far, far away in the army. Everyone worries that Winslow won't survive, especially Louie's quirky new friend, Nora. But as Louie's bond with Winslow grows, surprising events prove that this fragile donkey-and Louie-are stronger than anyone could have imagined"--Publisher.

Horn Book Magazine (November/December, 2018)

Creech interweaves the stories of three fragile babies. Two strands are backstories, and one is front, center, present, and loud. Louie had been a premature baby. Now he’s eleven, but the family story of his infancy as “a pitiful, scrawny, struggling thing” has informed his outlook on life. He’s determined and optimistic. Newcomer-to-town Nora lost a baby brother (who, like Louie, had been born prematurely). This experience has left her angry, anxious, and prickly. The two children bond over Winslow, an orphaned baby donkey, a frail animal not expected to survive, whom Louie adopts. The main strand of the story involves the ups-and-downs of Winslow’s health and then the challenges of keeping a braying donkey in a residential neighborhood. In fine animal-hero style, the plot comes to a peak with Winslow saving the life of yet another baby—the baby next door. Woven into this narrative is a convincing portrayal of human growth and blossoming as Louie gains confidence and Nora finally allows herself to trust her present happiness. (Nora is a particularly original character about whom Creech tells us little and shows us much.) Set in an unspecified small-town past, largely free of adults and rich with unscheduled play time, the story is told simply but subtly, celebrating the unexpected strength of the vulnerable. Sarah Ellis

My Notes

Creech is a master author. She portrays insecurity, kindness, and love through a moving story line. Brilliant. Good for elementary and younger middle school students.

THE HATE U GIVE by Angie Thomas

Realistic Fiction, Police Shooting, Racism, Conduct of Life, Friendship, Family

2018. 473 pages.

Multiple Awards including the Coretta Scott King and Printz Awards

Summary

"Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does--or does not--say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life." (Follett)

My Comments

I listened to the audio book. Excellent narration. I was riveted to the story and frequently cried throughout. A passionate, important book with characters who are courageous with strong values of loyalty, family, friendship, and justice. A remarkable book.

GOODBYE, CHUNKY-RICE by Craig Thompson

Graphic Novel, Hero's Journey, Grief, Loneliness, Friendship, Courage

 

Important lessons about friendship, loss, and loneliness.

 

Kirkus Reviews (April 15, 2006)

 

"Though the title and the deceptively simple character drawings suggest a kids' comic, rarely are graphic novels aimed at adults as sweetly affecting as this.

Chunky Rice is a very cute turtle. Dandel, his girlfriend, is an equally adorable mouse deer (as identified by the book, though she appears more rodent-sized than cervine). Chunky must explore the world by water, for that is his nature. As he says, "My home is on my back." Dandel must remain on land, for that is her nature. Before his bittersweet but inevitable departure, the two construct an entire world of sand castles, and he proceeds to tell her a bedtime story, the tale of the doomed lovers of Greek mythology, Orpheus and Eurydice (or, as rendered by graphic-artist Thompson, "Or-fee-us" and "Yourid-uhsee"). It's unclear whether what follows the bedtime story is dream or reality, but Chunky seems to emulate the example of another mythological hero, Odysseus, as he makes his way to what looks to be an ocean-bound tugboat with a grizzled, mercenary captain. Chunky has brought all his prized possessions, including his collection of Motown records, but the country-and-western-loving captain tells him he must travel light for a life on the sea. His shipmates include female Siamese twins, whose different sizes and sleeping patterns complicate their attachment. As Chunky sails the ocean and Dandel drops love letters into bottles carried by the waves, not much happens to propel the narrative. Yet the artistic range displayed within the black-and-white drawings, as Thompson evokes the turbulence and majesty of the sea, shows a more sophisticated command of technique than he employs with his characters (who are almost Peanuts-like). Originally published in 1999, this reprint represents the debut of another promising artist within the Pantheon stable.

For characters who must pursue their own destinies, love is as boundless as the sea."

 

My Comments

Intriguing. Not an easy read, but incredibly creative. Put this out there and the right kids will find it.