We are Water Protectors: universal stewardship

 We are Water Protectors, written by Carole Lindstrom and illustrated by Michaela Goade, reminds the reader of universal truths:

1. nature is important

2. we are all connected

3. it is up to us to protect nature

Told through rich, rhythmic text and luminous nature illustrations that move across the page, the young Indigenous girl's story is a simple, yet complicated story that offers much discussion for any age of reader.  For the young readers, they can identify that the black snake will be dangerous to the girl's community, therefore, she must drive out the snake at all costs.  For the older readers, they can make the connection between the black snake and corporations that harm the environment and to current events where Indigenous people united to block the drilling on their land.

The Indigenous girl empowers herself to be a steward for the Earth's water and animals who cannot stand up to those who bring them harm.  This is a relatable theme for children and adults to discuss.  There is a pledge at the end of the book that asks the reader to join the duty of being an Earth and water steward.  The author's and illustrator's notes at the end of the book also provide more context for the story. Since it is an #OwnVoices book, the visuals and language is authentically used.  The reader can learn more words in the Glossary and additional sources for information are offered for further study.  

Goade won the Caldecott Medal for her work on this book in the Youth Media Awards in 2021, and is the first Native American person to win the award.  Read Across America has more discussion questions and ideas for writing prompts that accompany this book.

You Call This Democracy? How to Fix Our Government and Deliver Power to the People

 You Call This Democracy? How to Fix Our Government and Deliver Power to the People by Elizabeth Rusch is a slim read but it packs a lot of information.  The length, tone and format are ideal for a young adult audience. As a former middle school social studies teacher I would definitely use this book with my students.  Rusch writes about the history and current context of these complex issues in an understandable way.  It would even be useful for adults to read to better understand the systems that are in place today and what they can do about changing them, too!

  The U.S. prides itself on its freedoms and the ability for its people to have a voice in their government.  Unfortunately, this is not totally accurate.  Rusch examines each part of our democracy and notes the ways it's not working as intended.  Parts like the Electoral Collage, gerrymandering, the Senate, money in politics, mudslinging, voter supression, and more.  

The best parts of the book are the dynamic, eye-catching infographics and action-items for the reader to take, if they are so moved.  

It is no surprise that Rusch's book was a finalist for the award in excellence in nonfiction for the Youth Media Awards in 2021.

The Misadventures of Tarah and Darah: The Switch

I was gifted an e-book edition of The Misadventures of Tarah and Darah: The Switch by authors Dyesha and Triesha McCants and illustrated by Mike Motz for Multicultural Children's Book Day.  This is an uplifting story for younger elementary-aged children who ask themselves why they are different and if different means bad.

The six year old twins in this story, Tarah and Darah, go on many adventures together, and this one takes them to school to switch spots for the day.  It turns out that it is not as much fun as they expected, but just for one twin, Darah.  

While I read, I wondered if they would actually go through with it!  What ends up happening at school is both surprising and funny with a dash of uh-ohs and a conclusion where they come clean, but the story doesn't stop there.  What Darah realized about herself while impersonating her sister is what the main message of the book is all about.  When they come home and talk with their Gran Gran Eve, she talks with them about their special gifts.  Not physical presents, but gifts that all of us have on the inside that make us individuals.  

When reading and discussing this book with young children, you can ask them what are their special gifts that make them their own person, different from anyone else in the world, even their twin!  You can also discuss the choices the other characters made in the story.  One of their classmates notices the switch.  What would the reader do if they were in his shoes?  

Finally, the best part of this story is the supportive Grandma Eve who hails from South Carolina and takes care of the twins.  The twins note how she has a different dialect than them and they love the way she talks and puts things.  This love of language is universal and any reader of this story can relate.  No matter where you are from, the sayings that come from there enrich your culture.

  As a librarian, teacher and parent, I would recommend this story to others who want a humorous, yet serious book about what makes a person unique.  The authors are experienced educators, too, and they are twins!  Their website has curriculum resources for teachers. The illustrations in the story are as bright and vibrant as the characters.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.

Eight years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission and History here: https://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/about/mission/

 

 

Best in Me: nurturing self-confidence & community

This is the first year that I joined the Multicultural Children's Book Day as a reviewer. I was gifted a copy of the book, Best in Me, written by Natalie McDonald-Perkins and illustrated by Mary Ibeh.  This beautiful picture book is intended for young people to listen to and engage with on many levels.  

Everyone has differences that can make them feel insecure.  Rather than sitting in that feeling of self-doubt, Best in Me encourages the reader to turn those feelings into confidence instead.  But how can a person do that? Let alone a child?  This is where the author, McDonald-Perkins, seamlessly weaves together the origin of a person's strength.  

This story takes place in a classroom where the counselor leading the lesson has created a safe place for her students.  One by one, they come to the front of the class to share a poem they have written about what makes them special.  Prior to each student reading their poem, they think about what in their life gives them comfort--a pet, family member or friend who sticks by their side. These special touchstones remind the reader that everyone is vulnerable, so leaning on these people and pets will help you through.

As a teacher, librarian and parent, I would read this book with children and ask them what they notice about the characters.  Who do they lean on in times of need?  How do they support one another in the classroom?  I would even ask them to consider who in their life supports them and what special quality do they have?

The author is a seasoned educator so the story feels quite authentic.  The illustrator adds vibrant and realistic pictures that radiate in diversity.  This book encourages readers to empathize and self-monitor their own identities in order to build a safer community.

Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021 (1/29/21) is in its 8th year! This non-profit children’s literacy initiative was founded by Valarie Budayr and Mia Wenjen; two diverse book-loving moms who saw a need to shine the spotlight on all of the multicultural books and authors on the market while also working to get those book into the hands of young readers and educators.

Eight years in, MCBD’s mission is to raise awareness of the ongoing need to include kids’ books that celebrate diversity in homes and school bookshelves continues. Read about our Mission and History here: https://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com/about/mission/

 

Dress Coded: a middle school Me Too tale

Dress Coded, a middle school-based novel by Carrie Firestone, ticks all of the right coming of age boxes for adolescents: friendship issues, family problems, romantic uncertainties, raging against unfair rules at school.  Only this story is told through a series of podcast episodes, lists, letters, and prose from one character's perspective, Molly. 

 Molly is about to graduate from middle school and the biased treatment that she witnesses her friends receive daily at the hands of the school administration based on what they wear to school causes her to take action.  She starts a podcast where students, both past and current, who have been affected by the school's dress code policy share their stories.  They find strength in one another and use that bond to strive to change the rules.  

Although Molly hasn't been called out for her wardrobe, she can empathize with her friends' ongoing treatment because her own older brother has been belittling her for years.  Will Molly learn to face her own family issues while attempting to help the next wave of students entering middle school?

This is an important book for young people to read, as well as educators.  As a teacher myself, I forget sometimes how it feels to be a young person.  Building relationships with students as individuals is more important than teaching content because if the students don't know that you care about them and their lives, they won't bother learning from you.  

Dress Coded is a great pick for a book club due to the various topics Firestone weaves into the story:  vaping, drifting friendships, identity, gender issues, self-esteem and using your voice all are factors that drive the story forward.  With social media being increasingly accessible, too, this opens up a lot of conversations about what consequences come with having that readily available audience.  It is a tool that can help or harm so the choices that Molly and her friends make throughout the course of the book can be debated.  That is the beauty of stories, they get better when you hear other people's interpretation of them!

 

When Stars are Scattered: "No one chooses to be a refugee."

 

When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed is a graphic novel for grades 4 and up. It is a true story of Omar, a Somalian refugee who must take care of his younger brother, Hassan, in a Kenyan refugee camp while they wait.  Wait for what?  Possibly, for their mother to arrive.  Or for their names to be selected to be interviewed for relocation in Canada or the U.S.  Above all else, they are waiting for their future to take hold.

Despite Omar and Hassan being without parents, the most touching part of this story is the family they make through the friendships they form in the refugee camp. These community bonds keep them from fading away.  Each caretaker, friend, teacher, UN caseworker, all play important roles in the boys' lives.  They each could have their own books where they tell what circumstances led them there and the challenges they face.  

As a teacher and librarian my favorite parts are when the children are in school.  They have the chance to share with one another their future hopes and dreams.  These opportunities allow the children to voice their ambitions and make them feel like they are worthy of those wishes for themselves. 

 In the scene above, the teacher empowers his students by saying, 

"' Throughout your life people may shout ugly words at you, words like, "Go home, refugee!" or "You have no right to be here!" When you meet these people, tell them to look at the stars. How they move across the sky.  No one tells a star to go home. Tell them, "I am a star. I deserve to exist just the same as a star. How do I know? Because here I am. I am here, the proof is in the stars.' "

It was heartbreaking to turn the page and find that 4 years had passed or another 7 years passed.  I think that is what readers will find the most painful. It will lead them to ask the question, why has the rest of the world not done more to help refugees?  It will open the conversation, spark some research, motivate some to take action, but mostly, to have empathy for what refugees endure.

Previewing the book's trailer will help the reader imagine the voice of Omar and the other characters. The publisher's website has an educator guide and more resources.   Readers can also hear the authors in a Read, Write and Draw From Home video where portions of the book are read and art is made.  Seeing the book's authors and hearing them talk about the book in their own words leaves a lasting impact upon the reader.

It comes as no surprise that this book won the Walter Dean Myers Award for Children's Literature in the Younger Readers category and was a finalist for the National Book Award.  

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Legacy: celebrating stories of change year round

 

Although Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday is a federal holiday observed every January in the United States, his legacy continues to be honored through stories all year round.  Here is my round-up of excellent reads for elementary through middle school aged readers.

Kindergarten-3rd grade Picture Books

• Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Dee Romito and Laura Freeman
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

This is a picture book biography that tells the story of Georgia Gilmore and the other women in the Club from Nowhere who supplied food for civil rights workers and who raised money for gas and cars during the bus boycotts in Montgomery, Alabama.

• Back of the Bus by Aaron Reynolds and Floyd Cooper

Most young people can recount the story of Rosa Parks and the stand she took that day in 1955 to refuse to give up her seat on the bus.  This picture book story is told from the perspective of a young Black boy who is on the bus that day and witnesses the arrest of Rosa Parks.

• William Still and His Freedom Stories: the Father of the Underground Railroad by Don Tate

Although William Still lived before the time of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this picture book biography can still be shared with young people.  It tells the story of William Still who was an abolitionist, writer, historian, conductor of the Underground Railroad, and a civil rights activist.  The publisher has a teacher's guide and other resources for this moving nonfiction book.

• A Ride to Remember by Sharon Langley, Amy Nathan and Floyd Cooper

Children will be able to relate to this account of Sharon Langley's experience as a child in 1963 when she was unable to go to an amusement park in her community in Maryland because of the color of her skin.  This picture book tells how her family helped to organize against segregation and what it took for her to be the first Black person to take a ride on the carousel in the park.  What is especially neat is that the horse that she rode on is on display in Washington D.C. to commemorate the efforts of the civil rights activists who organized against segregation. One of the authors, Amy Nathan, has a website with more resources.

• The Youngest Marcher: the Story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, a Young Civil Rights Activist by Cynthia Levinson and Vanessa Brantley Newton

In May of 1963, 3,000 children and teenagers were arrested for civil rights protests in Birmingham, Alabama.  One of those children arrested was Audrey Faye Hendricks.  This biography picture book tells her story.  The author, Cynthia Levinson's website has more resources. 

4th grade-6th grade Chapter and Picture Books

• Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson and Frank Morrison

This picture book pairs well with The Youngest Marcher in that it explains how under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., children and teenagers marched against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama in 1963.  There are numerous teaching resources that go with this book.

• Ellington Was Not a Street by Ntozake Shange and Kadir Nelson

This is an illustrated poem where the author, Ntozake Shange, recalls her childhood growing up in the company of great African American men who were instrumental in changing American culture and society.  When I have used this book with students, they each took one person named in the book and researched to find out more about them.  Then they shared what they learned with their classmates. There are additional resources for this book.

• Child of the Dream: a Memoir of 1963 by Sharon Robinson

In 1963 Jackie Robinson's daughter turned 13 and she witnessed her parents doing everything they could to help Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Civil Rights Movement from their home in rural Connecticut.  Being one of two Black students at her school, Sharon is struggling with fitting in and finding her voice.  She remembers school dances, riding her horse, and going to camp while The Children's March shocked the world in Birmingham, Alabama.  Her photos and stories of that year shine a new perspective to the stories of that time period.  This chapter book is full of topics that go beyond history: coming of age and individuality.

• Memphis, Martin and the Mountaintop: the Sanitation Strike of 1968 by Alice Fay Duncan and R. Gregory Christie

This picture book tells the story of the Sanitation Workers Strike in Memphis, Tennessee where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his final speech to strike workers the night before his assassination.  When I share this book with students we listen to his speech afterwards and discuss his message.  

Does it still resonate with us today?

What We'll Build: Plans for Our Together Future

 

What We'll Build: Plans for Our Together Future by Oliver Jeffers is a beautiful picture book that asks the reader to look to the future with hope.  My students shared what they planned on getting better at in the New Year or what they want to do less of.  This primed them for the book's message:  looking forward to taking action in your community with friends and foes.

The story opens with two pairs of hands that agree to start building. 

 I asked my students, who is someone with whom you like to build?  

It continues by showing the team building and taking things apart. 

I asked my students, what is something you've built and taken apart?

After much building the team takes a break in the story. 

I asked my students, where is your favorite place to relax and recharge your energy?

At one point in the story, the team hide behind a castle wall to steer clear from villains on the other side.  In the following page the villains show remorse and offer apologies.  On this page the team and the villains sit together at a table.  

I asked my students why this is an important message, to forgive one another.

My favorite part of this books is when Jeffers shows the ideas of the two team members colliding.  I asked my students what they want to build in their future.  With each turn of the page there are a number of conversations that come up.  

This is a graphically pleasing story appropriate for ages 4 and up.  

Jeffers' website offers FREE resources (craft and activity sheets) for many of his books, including What We'll Build.

Apple: Skin to the Core

 

Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth is a touching and haunting memoir.  Told in verse, it is full of stories and photography that opens with Gansworth's grapndparents' school photos from Carlisle, the Indian Internment School.    It ends with a photo of Gansworth in his Batman cape as a child on the Rez.  So it truly comes full circle.  

What makes this memoir stand out is Gansworth's artwork throughout the book. It enhances the stories and memories he chooses to share.  

He writes of the rules, opportunities, lost language, and learning how to be himself when he ultimately chooses to leave the Rez to enter the White World.  This is a book for young adult and adult readers to understand one person's family history and the affects that the U.S. Government had on them.  

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team: how did they do that?

 

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat is a riveting, non-fiction account of the teamwork and scientific knowledge that went into saving the thirteen lives that were trapped underground.

We all heard the news coming out of Thailand in June 2018 when the boys' soccer team was trapped in the flooded caves with no way out.  We also know that every single member of that team made it out alive.  This leads to the inevitable question: HOW?  

Soontornvat happened to be visiting her family in Thailand while this event was unfolding.  She returned to the area to interview the people who were there and tour the land where this took place.  The mountain itself played an important role in the story.  Soontornvat examines the science of the caves, how they form and how rainfall during an unexpected time trapped the soccer team beneath the earth.

Other factors played a role in the rescue efforts.  Buddhism and meditation helped the boys and their coach survive the isolation. The political situation in Thailand and Myanmar and the "stateless people" was also explained since the coach and two team members were considered without a country.  This drew a spotlight to this issue in the region and they were granted Thai citizenship afterwards.  

Soontornvat describes all of the experts involved in the rescue.  From the Cave Man to military strategists, engineers, and cave diving experts who all flew in to help in getting everyone out.  She also highlights the numerous volunteers that gave their time to ensure everyone getting what they need to rescue the team.

The most suspenseful part of the story is when the Governor was finally convinced to allow a dangerous plan to get the team out and move forward.  I knew that the team was unconscious when they were taken out of the caves, but logistically, I had no clue what that entailed.  My daughter was surprised to learn that the boys' classmates volunteered to test out the diving gear before it was used in the rescue.

The saddest part was to find out that one of the volunteer cave divers lost his life during the rescue efforts.  The book is dedicated to him.  When the boys' team was recovering from their time in the cave, they learned of his passing and it affected them greatly.  

Of course the details of being trapped underground for so long were also revealed.  How did they survive without food, bathrooms, sunlight, a place to rest?

Overall this is a story of community, determination, and heroic cooperation.  For readers this book leads to numerous topics for further study and discussion: science, diving, nutrition, brain function, politics, etc. Soontornvat's website provides additional resources for readers and a discussion guide for adults.

Flight of the Puffin: paying it forward

 

Flight of the Puffin by Ann Braden is a touching story that reminds us that we are all connected, whether we want to believe it or not.  Told from the perspective of four middle schoolers, each one is going through their own personal struggle.  Being bullied for being different, being misunderstood by their family, facing the guilt of the loss of a sibling and school closure, and surviving on the streets because of not being accepted for being non-binary by their family.

At first all four people seem to be in their own bubble of strife.  That all changes when one of them leaves positive messages around town for others who are feeling low.  Libby recalls her art teacher's advice: create the world of your dreams!  How, Libby wonders? One line at a time.  These positive messages reach the other three in ways that end up changing their lives.  

Through difficulties of understanding new perspectives, like living as a transgender person, each person comes away with an appreciation that they aren't alone.  They can reach out and be supported by not only their loved ones, but by complete strangers, too.

As a teacher and school librarian this story hits especially close to my heart.  The importance of getting to know your students and their stories creates a bond and relationship that can help improve their lives.  Braden writes each person's viewpoint with incredible authenticity.  When Vincent is bullied at school he expresses this by saying, "The sound of a slamming metal door is loud when you're outside a locker, but it's even louder when you're inside."  This is what Braden has done with this novel. She brought us inside each of these young people as their thoughts, fears, and hopes resonated loudly for the reader to take in and take action in their own lives to be more empathetic to issues facing our society's youths.

Scary Stories for Young Foxes: family, sacrifice & bone-chilling danger

 

Scary Stories for Young Foxes by Christian McKay Heidicker and illustrations by Junyi Wu is a chapter book for older readers (age 10 and above) who enjoy good stories with danger, villains, underdogs and family.  

When 6 kits approach an older vixen storyteller for a spooky tale, it's not surprising that only one kit remains to hear the last of the story.  Told in 8 chapters, each story builds upon the last one with clues that make them more complex than they seem.  Readers can use the names of the chapters and the illustrations that accompany them to predict what will happen next.  There are humorous moments but those moments change to doubt as to the survival of the foxes in the story. 

The way the story is told from the perspective of the foxes is what makes this book stand out. There is always fear and uncertainty in the wild but to read it from the point of view an animal in that world is unique.  It made me understand animals much better and what they have to do in order to survive.  

Questions that come to mind when reading this is if the reader agrees with the decisions made by the various characters in the story.  Which chapter did they like the most?  Were they surprised by the ending or did they see it coming?

Nowhere Boy: perspective & empathy

Nowhere Boy by Katherine Marsh is a chapter book with alternating points of view that enrich the modern-day story.  First the reader meets Max, a 13 year-old American who has freshly arrived in Brussels, Belgium to live with his family for the year while his father works for NATO.  Max is unhappy to learn that he is being sent to a neighborhood French-speaking school. He struggles to fit in and his lack of understanding the language doesn't help.  Max is also adjusting to seeing a higher number of Muslim followers in his community and the influx of Middle Eastern refugees.

On the alternating chapters the readers meet 14 year-old Ahmed, a Syrian refugee who has lost his family and freshly arrived in Brussels, too.  But when he learns that he will be sent back to where he came from he runs away from the tent city in the center of town and seeks the shelter and safety of Max's cellar.  While Max and his family are away from the house, Ahmed sneaks food and cleans his clothes while deciding what to do next.  

When Max and Ahmed finally cross paths the story picks up the pace and the action increases.  They develop a friendship, trust and bond that brings much understanding to the plight of refugees and stereotypes about terrorists.  The last half of the book is a whirlwind as Max and some of his trusted friends from school help Ahmed in life-altering ways.  When the city goes on lockdown to find an Islamic terrorist, the stakes are even higher to keep Ahmed hidden.

The best part of this story is what Max is learning about the history of hiding Jewish people in his neighborhood during World War II.  These stories cause him to change his ethical views and look outside of himself to do what is right.  Since the author lived in Brussels, the city itself is another important character that comes to life in the story.  

Middle grade readers can connect to this story in many ways.  Prejudice, stereotyping and the push vs. pull factors of immigrating lead to rich discussions about the systems that are in place in our world.  

What would they do if they were in Max's place?  

What would they do if they were in Ahmed's shoes? 

 Readers might also be new to this country. Can they relate to any of the feelings that Max and Ahmed felt arriving in Brussels?

I was able to win a copy of this book through the I'm Your Neighbor group whose focus is on immigration literature. There is a Reader and Educator Guide that is available for free here, too.

 

Every Body Looking: seeking an identity

Every Body Looking by Candice Iloh is an emotionally-driven book about a first-generation Nigerian immigrant, Ada, who is about to attend college away from the watchful eye of her father.  Through a series of flashbacks from first grade, second grade, and middle school the reader is exposed to the trauma young Ada faced.  The repercussions of that trauma resonates her total being until the present when she embarks on her own for the first time, to a HBCU to fulfill her duty to her father.

Ada's reserved nature changes as she meets new people on campus and is drawn to a dance studio where she feels, in her heart, she can be her authentic self.  It's more than a coming-of-age story. It's a self-actualization tale that is fraught with sorrow and regret, but most importantly, with hope.

This is intended for a young adult to adult audience due to its mature themes about abuse. As a debut author Iloh approaches Ada's story with such care.  Iloh's choice to write the story as a novel-in-verse only adds to its lyricism.  

 

Twins: family, friends & rivalry

 

Twins by Varian Johnson, illustrated by Shannon Wright is a middle school story about family, friends and sibling rivalry.  When Francine and Maureen start middle school, each one has their own notions of how it will be.  Trouble begins when they don't have the same class schedule and Fran begins exploring clubs without including Maureen.  

When an opportunity arises for them both to shine will they let their differences come between them?  Told with heart and humor, this is the perfect story of family, friendship and expectations.  This is a wonderful book to recommend to readers who enjoy Reina Telgemeier graphic novels, like, Smile, Sisters, Guts, and Drama.

How We Got to the Moon: 3, 2, 1...Liftoff!

In How We Got to the Moon, written and illustrated by John Rocco, the reader is transported to another era.  A time when the impossible became a reality through the hard work of over 400, 000 people.

I think people, including myself, have taken for granted what went into getting to the moon.   Rocco starts from the beginning of the space face with the launch of Sputnik.  What follows are the important people, their ideas, and the establishment of NASA as the foundation of our country's space program. 

Told through beautifully drawn illustrations, text boxes abound this book that feature specific people, women, problems and solutions, as well as diagrams and quotes of those who were working on this complex task.

Growing up with an aerospace engineer as a father, I appreciated all things associated with flight.  I enjoyed the astronaut ice cream, was in awe of the space suit displayed at the Smithsonian and sorrowfully remember the Challenger explosion when I was in elementary school.  This book put all of those memories into context and connected them into the story that takes the reader all the way to the moon.

Even though I knew that the launch would be successful, I still held my breath as Rocco broke down each part of the process, humanizing it and laying the groundwork for today's technological advances.   Saying this is just a STEM book is an understatement.  It is a book for anyone who is infatuated by flight.  Young readers can learn much from the graphics and older readers will learn even more from reading about the journey from start to finish.

 

Be Not Far From Me: "The world is not tame."

"The world is not tame."  With these 5 words, Mindy McGinnis takes the reader on quite a journey into the wild.  In Be Not Far From Me the reader meets Ashley, a high school junior who is on her way to a campout in Tennessee's mountains with her friends and boyfriend. When she catches her boyfriend cheating on her in the middle of the night she runs away from the campsite only to fall and injure her foot.  In the morning when she awakes she finds herself without shoes and socks and her foot is in bad shape.  Not only that, but she cannot find the trail back to her friends.  

Ashely is in trouble. She has a major injury and no supplies so she relies on her memories of her camp counselor to guide her.  The same counselor who went missing in these same woods. Ashley must contend with the wildness of nature, predators, and doing what she absolutely has to do in order to survive.

Very graphic descriptions, like a young adult version of Alive and 127 Hours.

 

January 5: National Bird Day

On January 5 the United States celebrates National Bird Day.  This is a wonderful opportunity to explore the topic with elementary students that encourages good literacy practice. 

 There are poetry books that feature birds, like Superlative Birds by Leslie Bulion and illustrated by Robert Meganck.  Our students marvel at the various types of birds and how they behave.  It is perfect for readers to ask questions that could lead to further research about what interests them.

A favorite non-fiction picture book on birds is Mama Built a Little Nest by Jennifer Ward and illustrated by Steve Jenkins.  Our students were challenged to build a nest out of a bag of recycled materials.  It was a fun and engaging STEM activity.

You can also go the narrative, fiction route with picture books that feature birds. 

Our students love Nerdy Birdy by Aaron Reynolds and illustrated by Matt Davies.

Graphic novels that feature birds include the Bird & Squirrel series by James Burks, which our students love to read.

Or if you have older readers, upper elementary through middle school, you may suggest a popular chapter book, Pablo and Birdy by Alison McGhee and illustrated by Ana Juan.  This is a mysterious book that was nominated for our state's book award, the William Allen White Book Award.

 

January 4: Trivia Day

 

Trivia books are one of the top circulating types of books in our school library. In every library and school where I have worked I found that students genuinely enjoy browsing and sharing what they are learning in non-fiction books.  National Geographic for Kids Weird but True series is compact, visually appeasing and full of information that young people find interesting.

Guinness World Records are another series that students are always checking out.  The traditional Guinness World Records books are popular, but also the specialized titles, like the Gamer's Edition are even more coveted.  Readers share the games they recognize and point out new ones that they want to explore more.

Specific trivia books about movie franchises are also fun for readers.  Star Wars and Harry Potter behind-the-scenes are full of secrets that only super-fans know.  They use the books to stump their friends and find details that they missed when reading stories or watching the films that go with the characters.

Even geography lovers like learning state-related trivia with books like, United Tweets of America: 50 State Birds, Their Stories, Their Glories, by Hudson Talbott.  The level of detail that Talbott includes in each page's state facts provides the reader even more to learn about the state other than the state bird.  This is a fun book to share with someone as you take turns pointing out what you notice in the illustrations.  

The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh: the myth, man & lore revealed

 The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh by Candace Fleming is a narrative, nonfiction biography that should accompany American History classes.  The myth of Lindbergh and his magnificent feats along with the scandalous kidnapping of his first born makes the subject matter intriguing for the reader from the first page.  But the surprising alliances, speeches, forays into scientific laboratories to test ideas of eugenics, and other relationships with his wife and mother, are what drive the reader to understand more about Lindbergh's life.

The lore associated with Lindbergh and the rumors about his being a Nazi sympathizer are finally revealed in Fleming's book.  Using Lindbergh and his wife, Anne's, journal and diary entries, Fleming weaves together the extraordinary events that took place in his life.  Told in an engaging and gripping style, the reader will want to find out how it all ends for this enigmatic figure in history.   

Everything Sad is Untrue (a true story): childhood memoir

 Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri is a gripping memoir of his childhood in Oklahoma.  He is only a young child when he leaves his country, Iran, to embark on a journey of survival to finally land in Oklahoma.  He recalls his earliest memories of his life in Iran before moving across the world.  With equal parts humor, nostalgia, stark realism mixed with Persian history and poetry, Nayeri weaves a highly emotional story.  It's definitely for an adult audience with complex themes of abuse, drugs, and religion.  

As an immigrant myself, I am drawn to other immigrants' stories of the push and pull factors that led to relocating in the U.S.  Learning about other people's stories allows me to reconnect to my own.

Grown: dangers of power

 Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson takes the reader to a place where few have ever imagined going.  17 year-old Enchanted loves to sing and swim.  When her BFF encourages her to audition in NYC for a singing competition she jumps a the chance.  Even though she doesn't get the offer, Enchanted does meet 29 year-old R&B star, Korey.  Korey notices Enchanted and grooms her into joining his record label.  He even convinces his parents to allow her to be mentored by him.  

What unravels is a horrific nightmare of brainwashing, power plays and an industry that protects abusers rather than the innocent.  This novel is a good for teens and adults to understand how grooming can happen and what to do when one sees those signs in their community.

Not So Pure and Simple: a rom-com for the ages

Not So Pure and Simple, by Lamar Giles, is a multi-layered story aimed not just for a young adult audience, but for adults who have opportunities to understand better what this generation is experiencing.  

The story introduces Del, a high school junior who is ready to jump at his chance to ask out his crush, Keira, now that she's available.  Only she has joined her church's Purity Pledge Alliance group and is not showing any interest in Del.  So he decides to join the group, too, in the hopes that he can spend time with her.  

What ensues is nothing what Del expects.  At times the story evokes laugh-out-loud situations and conversations between the characters.  At other times the story provokes multitudes of questions about what our youth face today in terms of pressure, posing, and getting their questions answered fairly.  The epic conclusion leaves the reader satisfied as the paths for the characters continue to stretch well-beyond the pages of the story.

The best part of this book's coming of age arc for Del is the support he gets from his family.  They allow him the space he needs to attempt to be his own person, but they provide guidance when those attempts fail.