Loretta Little Looks Back

 Pinkney, Andrea.  Loretta Little Looks Back: Three Voices Go Tell It.  2020.  Little, Brown a

nd Company. New York, NY.

The story of the Little Family during the Jim Crow Era in Mississippi.  The Littles struggled from Sharecropping to home ownership and registering people to vote with the SNCC. Loretta begins the story, telling how her family grew to be and about the night they found her younger brother abandoned in a cotton field one night.  

As the story grows, the family grows with it, and the story is passed from Loretta to her brother, and eventually to his daughter.  While it seems like they are living an ordinary life, the events that they become involved in will change the history of the United States.

Agnes at the End of the World

 McWilliams, Kelly.  Agnes at the End of the World.  2020.  Little, Brown, and Company.  New York, NY.

Agnes swears that she can hear God singing in the world around her.  But the prophet of Red Creek, the Commune where she lives swears that only he can hear God.  Agnes is beaten until she finally denies the music of the world around her.

At 14 years of age, Agnes has become a model citizen for the prophet.  She does everything she can to follow the rules and laws that govern the commune with one teeny, tiny little exception.  Her little brother is a Type 1 Diabetic.  Once a month, she sneaks off the grounds of the commune in the middle of the night and receives a cooler of insulin from the woman who saved her brother's life years before.  Knowing that the penalty for dealing with outsiders is expulsion, Agnes continues to risk to keep her brother safe and healthy.

UNTIL

The day that Agnes is promised in marriage to a man in Red Creek who is older than her father.  As Agnes struggles to come to terms with this new reality she realizes that Red Creek is not all that she has been led to believe.  When she meets up with Danny to pick up her brother's monthly dose of insulin she discovers that there is a strange plague that is crossing the land, killing people right and left. The herald of the disease is a strange appearance of animals or people with a crystaline coating to their skin or fur.

When Agnes' sister is caught kissing the son of Agnes' betrothed and her sister is consigned to marry the elder.

The strange disease has moved onto the compound, and the Prophet is going to sequester everyone inside of the underground bunker.  However, should Agnes decide to go underground with the prophet, it is a certain death sentence for her brother.

What will Agnes do?  Will she be able to save her brother's life?  What about the virus?  Will it end all life as people knew it?  Is it really the end of the world?

 

What I like about this book:

I love Agnes.  I love how she thinks outside of the box and takes huge risks to save her brother and do what is right.  The subplot of the story with Danny is a wonderful love story.  Agnes exits the compound and adapts to a very uncertain life outside of the compound in a world ravaged by a pandemic.

The prophet.  The history of the prophet and of Red Creek.  I was so disturbed by the story of how the prophet had kidnapped his first wife and how he married off the young women to the old men in the compound all while keeping them undereducated and preaching to them about their inferiority to men - to whom they must be subject.  I find this to be a cautionary tale, in many ways reminiscent of A Handmaid's Tale about what can happen to women when extreme views of religion are enforced upon them.

Type 1 Diabetes.  This.  So much involved in this subplot.  The love of the sister who was willing to hide the diagnosis and dependence upon insulin from the elders in order to keep Ezekiel alive.  The risks that Agnes was willing to take in order to keep Ezekiel alive - meeting with outsiders and running away from the compound.  Putting off her marriage in order to find a way to make sure Zeke got his medicine.   Watching Ezekiel at the end of the story as his sugar is out of control is heart rending.  The story does a great job of raising awareness of Type 1 Diabetes, showing the very real health consequences.

The rebellious sister - Beth.  Her spirit at the beginning was so phenomenal - so much spirit and a child so willing to risk everything in order to live life.  The consequences of here kissing her love were severe, and her utter shame and embarrassment and total surrender to the wishes of the prophet were heartbreaking.   Just loved how she ended up finally waking up and fighting for her life and the lives of the people of Red Creek after escaping from her prison.

The imagery at the end of Agnes sacrificing all for the people of Red Creek.

Pandemic reading during a pandemic.

I enjoyed the outsiders view of Red Creek, and how it informed our views and understanding of Red Creek.  It was a nice plot device that really enhanced our understanding of the larger picture of the cult within the story.

Maya and the Rising Dark

 Barron, Rena.  Maya and the Rising Dark.  2020.  Houghton Mifflin Publishers, New York, New York.

Strange things are happening to 12 year old Maya:

While standing at the blackboard in class, the color bleeds from the world and then comes back.

A pack of Werehyenas attacks her in the night.  (Wait, what, Werehyenas?  Didn't they only exist in Dad's stories?)

A scary man made of darkness is chasing her through her dreams.

While her friends try to convince her that the pudding in the school cafeteria was laced with something, Maya begins to fear that there is truth to the strange stories that her father has told her through the years and that dark creatures really do stalk the Earth at night. 

When Maya discovers that her father is, in truth, Guardian of the Veil that separates the Spirit World from the Human World and has gone missing she decides to set out with the help of her two best friends to rescue her father from the Lord of Shadows.   

What I love about this book:

Maya is an African American girl, and the cast of characters in the book are racially diverse.  Maya is smart.  I especially love that the book is set on the South Side of Chicago.

This book pulls upon the folk lore of West Africa, using Orishas.  Orishas are the mediators between the human and spiritual world.  The story does an excellent job of explaining what Orishas are, and what their job is meant to be.

Teamwork is what saves the day.  While Maya wants to save her father on her own, the team works together and it is through their teamwork along with help from her father that they are able to prevail.

It is not written in the style of a Rick Riordan book.  It stands on it's own merit, and the story arc does not take the turns a Riordan book takes.  There are some genuine surprises in the plot. 

Dragon Hoops

 Yang, Gene Luen.  Dragon Hoops.  2020.  First Second Books, New York, NY.

Come along for the ride as Mr. Yang follows his school basketball team through their season in pursuit of the California State Championships.  Mr. Yang has never been a big sports fan, and he doesn't really understand basketball.  But as he gets to know the kids on the team a s individual people and spends more time watching the game in order to understand it, he becomes one of the biggest fans of the game and the school team.  

Journey along through the year with Mr. Yang as he meets every person involved with the team and uncovers some deeply held secrets from long ago.  Will these revelations help or hurt the team as they pursue their dreams?

Will this be the year that the Dragons win the Championship?

Will this year change the life of the Yang Family forever?

Find out in Dragon Hoops....

Orphan Eleven

 Choldenko, Gennifer.  Orphan Eleven.  2020.  Wendy Lamb Books, a division of Penguin Random House Children's Books.  New York, New York.

Lucy was left at the Orphanage, known as The Home, since her mother died and her step father left her there.  Before  she came to The Home, Lucy talked constantly, would sing, and talked about had much to say about everything.  But something has happened to her during her time at the home and she now refuses to speak.  Desperate to escape the mysterious cause of her ailment, Lucy grabs and unexpected opportunity to run away.  Three children run with her, determined to gain some sort of freedom.  

Finding unexpected help along the way, the children are steered to the Circus.  If they can get a ticket to join the circus before they leave their winter quarters, they will have a job, food, and a place to sleep.  While the other children quickly find places to work, the one place that Lucy belongs requires her to find her voice if she wants to stay.  

While Lucy struggles with her voice, her mysterious past is pursuing her.  Will Lucy be able to find her voice in time to save her future?

Based upon the true story of children who were unwitting subjects of the Fluency Study of the University of Iowa, this tale takes unexpected twists and turns while exploring the ugly implications of human science experiments upon unsuspecting subjects in the United States.  Choldenko based this story upon the book Against Their Will: The Secret History of Medical Experimentation on Children in Cold War America.   I still find it difficult to fathom the depth to which US Scientists stooped in pursuit of their theories in Cold War America.  But, that is a subject for a different day. Choldenko handles the story with warmth and compassion, allowing the reader to see and feel the terror of these children who were already living in difficult situation.

 

 

Author's Website: https://www.choldenko.com/

Doodleville

 Sell, Chad.  Doodleville.  2020.  RH Graphic.  New York, New York.

Do you love to Doodle?  Drew does, too.  But there's something special about her Doodles.  Everything she Doodles comes to life!  The Doodles live both in our world and in the paper world.  As her collection of Doodles has continued to grow, Drew has created a huge city drawn on paper where they are free to move about as they wish.  The name of this magical place is Doodleville. 

 Drew takes her Doodles with her in her magical notebook.  There's just one problem with her Doodles.  They don't always do what is expected of them.  Sometimes they're just a little TOO mischevious. And that upsets the other kids at Art Camp.  The day that Art Camp goes to the Art Museum is a turning point in the life of the Doodles.  While the Doodles end up gallivanting all over the museum, and Drew ends up drawing a Leviathan of incredible power that escapes her control and threatens the creative art of everyone in her class.

Can the Art Camp work past their hurt feelings to bring the Leviathan under control before it destroys all their work?

Author Website: https://chadsellcomics.com/

Thank You For Coming to my TED Talk

 Anderson, Chris.  Thank You For Coming to my TED Talk: A Teen Guide to Great Public Speaking.  2020.  Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  New York, New York.

Chris Anderson is the Head of TED.  Since 2001 he has helped great ideas sprout and grow.  In this handbook, Chris goes through the steps that make an ordinary speech extraordinary.  Written in the engaging style of a TED Talk, readers will learn the keys to oratory success!

Wrong Way Summer

 Lang, Heidi.  Wrong Way Summer.  2020.  Abrams Books, New York, New York.

In my experience, riding in cars and camping out with family are when you really discover more about each other and the forces that drive that person and make them who they are. Camping brings out both the best and the worst in people, as you are dealing with situations and conditions that are not easily controlled and can be less than idyllic.  My husband and his family still talk about the RV road trip they took with their grandparents across the Midwest in 1975 like it was yesterday.  These trips definitely make memories that last a life time.

The book Wrong Way Summer is a tale of road trip that goes well, the wrong way.  Claire's Dad believes that every day is an adventure.  At the end of the school year, he tells his kids that they are going to sell the house and travel across the country in a renovated van.  They'll be able to see the world from the comfort of their truck.  Claire is not convinced that everything is on the up and up.  Her Dad is refusing to answer questions about where they are going, and what is the plan.  When she does ask questions, he reverts to telling stories about a magical kingdom, and how their mother was kidnapped by a troll.  While Claire digs to find the truth about what is happening, her father takes them on a rollicking adventure across the country, meeting up with old college friends.  When her little brother decides to take matters into his own hands and disappears to rescue his mother from the troll, things take a dangerous turn towards reality.

The story within the story touches upon the homeless crisis in the United States today, and how many families are adapting to housing instability.  It drives home the meaning of family, friendship, love, and unexpected endings.  

Wrong Way Summer will take you down some unexpected but very intriguing paths before it leaves you at the end of the journey, yearning for more.

Poisoned Water: How the citizens of Flint, Michigan fought for their lives and warned the nation.

Cooper, Candy J. with Marc Aronson.  Poisoned Water.  2020. Bloomsbury Children's Books, New York.

The Flint Water Crisis rocked the faith that Americans had in local government and services.  Once listed as one of the best places to live in America, Flint fell on hard times when the GM Auto plants closed.  Those who were left behind were destitute.  As the tax based moved away, the schools fell into decline and the city infrastructure fell apart. Eventually, Flint was taken over by the state of Michigan and a City Manager was put in charge to cut costs.  The single most disastrous decision was to switch Flint from getting their water from Detroit and Lake Michigan to getting their water from the Flint River, processed through a plant that hadn't worked or been tested in decades.  A makeshift, untrained crew was put in charge of the water plant.  Within days, the people of Flint began getting sick from the water.  18 months later, the children of Flint were suffering from permanent damage from Lead Poisoning and the situation continued to deteriorate as politicians denied that there was any problem.

Poisoned Water traces the history of the Flint water crisis, from the glory days of Flint, Michigan to present times.  She traces the decisions that led to the water crisis and follows the ugly trail of denial and deceit as the citizens of Michigan were slowly poisoned by their local government.

The efforts of community activists as they raised alarm bells and fought the system in order to gain the necessary national attention to get things to change are highlighted.  In spite of seemingly insurmountable odds, their work eventually paid off in cleaner water for everyone.

The book also serves as a warning bell for other communities across the country.  While the story of the Flint Water Crisis had dropped off of the national radar, there are some very important lessons for every city in the United States.  Our infrastructure is old and quickly falling into disrepair.  As politicians struggle to find cheap fixes, our very lives are at risk.  We all need to pay attention to the hard lessons learned in Flint and advocate for ourselves and our children.

Raybearer

Ifeueko, Jordan.  Raybearer  2020.  Amulet Books, New York, NY.

A magnificent fantasy world that encompasses an entirely new empire.   Tariesi is the daughter of the Lady.  Raised in isolation in a far flung province of the empire, she is raised away from all worldly things and taught by her tutors, she wants for nothing but the love of her mother, the mysterious Lady who appears only occasionally to check in on her before she disappears again.

At the age of 11, Tar is sent on a mysterious journey to the heart of the empire.  She is tested by a group of adults who then send her in to meet a prince, who is a Raybearer.

The ruler of the kingdom is known as the Raybearer.  Each Raybearer has a council of 11 people.  Each person protects him against a danger that could cost him his life.  Wait, let me back up - each person is born with a special protection which provides them with protection against a danger.  Tariesi is immune to fire.  She can walk through flames without incurring any danger.  Were she to join the council, she would provide the prince with protection against fire.  It won't hurt him.  Each person on the council, joins minds with the prince and with each other through the Ray.  This Ray is a bond that ties all of the council members together, forever.  They are one, and they are able to talk to each other through the Ray.

Children throughout the kingdoms have been sent to the Palace, where they will work with each other and the Prince to see if they are chosen for the council.  Tar has been sent across great distances to be considered for the council.  There is just one problem.  Her mother, the Lady, has implanted a compulsion in her subconscious to kill the prince when he anoints her to be a part of his council.  Tariesi tries desperately hard to fight the compulsion and eventually, she succeeds in forgetting her life before she joined the council.

As Tar grows into her role in the council, she discovers that she can't keep the compulsion to kill the prince at bay forever, no matter how hard she tries.  As Tar seeks to find a way to break the bonds that tie her to her mother, she discovers shocking things about not only herself but also the family history which makes her rethink everything she has ever known about herself, her mother, and the kingdom itself.

What will Tariesi do with the knowledge she has gained? Will she save the kingdom?  Will she follow her mother's wishes and desires?  Or will she set an entirely new path for the kingdom?

Bettina's Note:
I love the world building, the complex unexpected plot, and the unique Point of View, with a female heroine and characters of color.  While the world itself is unique in the fantasy universe, there are shades of Game of Thrones running throughout this book - but it is a much kinder and gentler game than the one that took place in the world of George R.R. Martin.  I am looking forward to the sequel.


Raybearer is Jordan Ifueko's first novel.

Author Web Site:  https://jordanifueko.com/

The Mermaid, The Witch, and The Sea

 

Tokuda-Hall, Maggie.  The Mermaid, The Witch, and the Sea

Book Talk:
In this intriguing intersection of three lives, we find very distinct characters whose lives are forever changed by circumstance.

Evelyn is an Imperial whose parents have arranged for her to be married to a nobleman in the Floating Isles.  Without any consultation with her whatsoever, she is sent off with her casket to live the rest of her life with a man she has never met.  She is forced to abandon her beloved Keiko, her maid and beloved who has been with her forever.

Flora has been living aboard the Dove, a pirate ship under the direction of the Nameless Captain for years.  In order to be safe among so many men, Flora lives her life as a boy named Florian.  She and her brother do their best to keep themselves hidden and safe in a life filled with danger.  While her brother is an addict of alcohol and the drug of Mermaid Blood, he tries to keep his sister safe as best he can.

But the Dove has a deep, dark secret.  Not only are they a pirate ship.  They are a slave ship.  They take paying passengers on board, and once they are far enough out to sea so that they are not in danger of being found out by Imperial Ships, they kidnap their passengers, put them in the Brig, and then sell them to the highest bidder on one of the outlying islands.  Florian is not happy about this turn of events, but he willingly participates so that she too, is not sold into slavery.  Even worse, when the pirates catch a mermaid, instead of tossing her back into the sea as the sea demands, they keep her, and then kill her when they reach shore and sell her blood to the highest bidder.  It is a wicked practice that has brought them the attention of the Pirate Supreme and the Sea Herself.

Paths cross when Evelyn's parents book her passage on the Dove to travel to her new husband.  Florian is set to be her guard and stand outside of her door to keep the crew from bothering the rich, young, valuable woman.  Who would have expected Evelyn and Florian to fall deeply in love with each other?

When the time comes for the passengers to be led below, Florian begins to search desperately for a way out of this situation.  When a rare opportunity presents itself, Florian grabs the Lady Evelyn and the Mermaid and they jump overboard without any real plan other than getting away from the Dove.

When they make landfall, Florian and Evelyn find themselves in the nets of  The Witch, who is not to be trusted.  While attempting to make Florian whole, she sends Evelyn off to her husband where things are not all sunshine and roses. 

My thoughts:
I wish that the author had spent more time adding elements of Asian Pacific culture into the story.  While there is a mention of Kimonos, there is no real mention of culture- why the Lady Evelyn would have acquiessed so easily to the will of her parents, duty to country, and the importance of nature in Asian Cultures.  It is hinted at, but not really explained.  The focus on the story is the love story between Evelyn and Florian. 

. 

Echo Mountain

Wolk, Lauren.  Echo Mountain.  Dutton Children's Books. 2020.  New York, NY.

image: Library Nut

Ellie's family has lost everything in the Depression and they have moved to the mountain to a patch of land to survive.  When they first arrive, they don't even have shelter.  Ellie and her family live in a tent while they struggle to build a solid shelter before winter sets in.  As Ellie and her family struggle to survive, there are very few bright moments.  But one day, a mysterious carving appears attached to the dog's collar.  Ellie finds this treasure and keeps it for herself.  She hides it where only she can see it so that she doesn't have to share with anyone else.

As we join Ellie in the story, her father has suffered a tragic action.  He lies deep in a coma after a tree has fallen on him.  The mysterious carvings continue to appear where she can find them - but she can never discover who is leaving them for her. They are a bright spot in a hard life made more difficult because everyone blames her for the accident.

Determined to make her father better, Ellie decides to approach the hag at the top of the hill.  Whispers on the mountain are that the hag has the skills to heal most anything, but everyone is afraid of her.

But there are deep secrets on the mountain, and all of them lead back to the hag.  If Ellie can gather the courage to approach the hag, will she agree to help Ellie heal her father? 


Author Web Site: http://www.laurenwolk.com/

Chirp

Image: Kate Mesner Website

Messner, Kate.  Chirp.  2020. Bloomsbury Press.  New York, NY.

Mia and her family have moved back to Vermont to help her grandmother.  Mia's grandmother has had a stroke, and they want to help her grandmother with her business.  You see - grandma owns a Cricket Farm.  She sells her crickets and cricket products out of her own store front restaurant.

It's summertime, so Mia has to signs up for two summer camps to "keep her busy" over the summer.  She signs up for Launch Camp and Warrior Camp - never expecting to enjoy either one.  The Launch Camp turns out to be an unexpected challenge.  Students enrolled in the camp will develop a business, a business plan, or an invention to take to market.  At the end of the summer, they will present their plans to an investors group, and the winner will receive an award and $10,000 to help get the business up and running.

The Warrior Camp turns out to be an unexpectedly fun challenge.  Fashioned after a Ninja-Warrior style competition, the kids work to develop their skills and successfully finish The Course by the end of the summer.

Mia enjoys both camps more than she thought possible.  She works with a team of people to develop a business plan to help save her grandmother's business.  And the warrior camp helps her overcome and injury that happened while participating in competitive gymnastics the previous summer.

But unexpected challenges appear - marketing cricket products is more difficult than she had anticipated.  It appears that someone is attempting to sabotage Grandma's business, but nobody believes her.  This devastates Mia, who has a dark secret of her own that she is afraid to share for fear that nobody will believe her.

Will Mia be able to save her Grandmother's business?  Will she get the courage to share her secret with her family?

Bettina's Note:
I'm going to put a trigger warning right here - Mia struggles with several incidents of inappropriate touching by one of her gymnastics coach that happened before the family moved to Vermont.  Kate Messner gently handles this topic with love, giving children and parents alike the words and conversation starters needed to help spur conversations about their own lives. 

I adore spunky Mia with her enthusiasm, love of life, determination and courage.  The innovative way that she and her friends work together to try to save a business is encouraging - especially considering the very uncertain economic times in which we find ourselves.

Author's Web Site: https://www.katemessner.com/

The Blackbird Girls

Blankman, Anne.  The Blackbird Girls.  2020.  Viking Press, New York, New York.

On April 26, 1986 the worst Nuclear Disaster in History happened.  An explosion occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor during a standard safety drill.  The explosion and fire released large amounts of radiation into the environment and forever changed life in the Ukraine.

image: World Cat

On the 26th, with the devastation of the reaction unknown to the general public, life continued on as it always had.  People ran errands, worked in their gardens, went to school, and played in the mysterious foam that was on the ground.

Valentina and Oksana lived in the same building and attended the same school.  The girls were not friends with each other, even though their fathers worked together at the power plant.  The devastation in the wake of the explosion was phenomenal.  Oksana's father did not survive the initial explosion, and Valentina's father was deathly ill with radiation poisoning. 

When the mandatory evacuations were announced, the girls found themselves in line for the same bus.  Each and every person was scanned with a Geiger Counter as they got onto the bus.  If their levels of radiation were too high, they were sent to a hospital.  Oksana's mother was deemed to be to ill, so she was sent to a hospital.  Valentina's mother found herself unexpectedly in charge of both girls.  Fearful of a bus that would send them to Kiev and keep them close to the radiation, she found a bus that would take them to Moscow - where she hoped to meet up with a college friend who could shelter them.

As the girls face an uncertain future and people who are afraid to help them or shelter them for fear of getting sick from them, Valentina's mother is forced to send the girls to her own mother in Leningrad.  A woman who had dangerous ideas and held dangerous beliefs.  As the two girls live with Babulya, they discover an unconditional love and friendship forged through deep trials and tribulations.  

The story moves between tales of flight and adaptation - between Oksana and Valentina and Valentina's grandmother and her saviors during WW 2.  The struggle all of the girls faced for survival in the face of great odds against them, and how each girl found her secret best friend, a friendship that lasts a lifetime - her Black Bird Girl.



I highly recommend this book.  The history of the Chernobyl Accident is relatively new, and stories about that time from Russia are difficult to find.  I enjoyed the story, and the look into Russian Culture and History.  The character of Valentina is Jewish.  I did not understand the challenges faced by Jews in recent Russian History.  The author does an excellent job of exploring Bubulya's faith, and what it has meant for her over the course of her lifetime.

Author's Web Site: http://www.anneblankman.com/

Information about the Chernobyl Disaster from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission: https://www.nrc.gov/reading-rm/doc-collections/fact-sheets/chernobyl-bg.html

Wicked Girls

I originally published this review on July 14, 2011.  I'm trying to highlight some older materials, too.  I know that the digital hold lists for recent releases at local libraries are long.  So, sit back and enjoy this book.  You can also be astounded at how much my writing has changed over the years.  But no matter how I write my Book Talks, keep in mind I only post reviews of books that I really like and enjoy!  I hope you find something you enjoy!

Annotation:
A fictional account of the Salem Witch Trials, told from the point of view of the real girls involved in the story.

Book Talk: 
The Salem Witch Trials are one of the most infamous periods in Colonial American History.  In 1692, more than 220 people were accused of being witches by a group of 7 girls, ranging in age from 8 to 17.  In total, 144 people had legal action brought against them.  19 people were hanged, and one man was pressed to death.  3 women and several infants died in jail.

To this day, no one knows what sparked the accusations.  The girls would fall into fits on the floor during the trials, and claim that witches were poking them, cutting them, or otherwise hurting them.  They would then name the names of people in the town.  Many of those accused of witch craft went ahead and confessed to being a witch.  For those who did not confess, they were sent to trial.  If they were found guilty, they were hanged.

Journey back in time and join Salem Village at the height of the Salem Witch Hunts.  Follow along from the perspective of each of the girls who were the "seers" of the village.

Here, we join Ann Putnam, Jr (age 12) as she is in the middle of a seizure and sees the witches tormenting her:

I AM AFFLICTED

Someone makes my legs
whip about like sheets in the wind.
Someone curls and bends
my arms behind my neck.
All turns black and cold.
"who goes there?" I cry.

I scream until the room comes lit,
and then I see witches
the same as the Minister's girls-
Tituba, the Parrises' slave, and Goody Good.
I swear to Father 'tis the witches
who twist my limbs and cause me ache.
I blink my eyes and the witches disappear,
but I saw them stand bfore me,
felt them pinch my arm,
I know that I did.

(Wicked Girls, page 58)

Find out more in "Wicked Girls" by Stephanie Hemphill.

Author's Website: http://www.harperteen.com/author/microsite/about.aspx?authorid=35978

Note:
I was enchanted by the set up of this book.  Each girl has a say in this story. 
Here is the thing: the story of each child is told in a beautifully written, succinct free verse poem.  Each poem is titled, and the person who is telling the story is listed below the title of the poem, along with their age.
The story moves, almost dances through the ugly accusations and trials of Salem.
It did take me a few minutes to adjust to the poetry set up of the story, as it is not what I would consider a "traditional" story. 
This book is well worth your time!

Black Brother Black Brother

image: World Cat

Rhodes, Jewell Parker.  Black Brother, Black Brother.  2020.  Little Brown and Company, New York, NY.


Donte and Trey attend the exclusive Middlefield Prep in the suburbs of Boston.  The brothers are smart and intelligent, with one huge difference.  Trey takes after his father and is so light skinned he passes as white.  Donte takes after their mother and is dark skinned.  He is the only student of color in his high school.

Donte finds himself arrested by the school staff when Alan, the captain of the fencing team, blames Donte for a pencil that was thrown across the classroom behind the teacher's back.

Furious that he was arrested, Donte decides that he needs to take charge of his life and find a way to beat Alan at his own game.  Trey discovers a Black Olympic Fencer that lives and works at the Boys and Girls Club in Boston.  While home on suspension, Donte finds the mysterious Arden Jones and convinces him to teach him to fence.

Working in the heart of the Boston Boys and Girls Club with Arden and the members of the Club, Donte begins to appreciate the sport of fencing.  But when the big match rolls around, and Donte faces off against Alan, will he be able to keep his emotions in check long enough to beat him?


I really love several things about this book:
1) Donte and Trey's mom is a lawyer.  She files a suit against Middlefield Prep and all of the Private Schools in Massachusetts for their systematic racism against students of color.  Throughout the book, cases of injustice are highlighted as their Mom talks about how the system is broken and needs to be fixed.
2)  Alexandre Dumas was black.  His father was a General in the French Army under Napoleon.  (Did you know this?)  Dumas, and his book The Three Musketeers, are explored during the course of the story.
3) The Peter Westbrook Foundation is highlighted in the story. This foundation teaches young kids of color in New York City how to fence.  Several of their fencers have advanced to International Level Tournaments.
4) Positivity.  There is so much to celebrate in this story.  In spite of all the injustice, Author Jewell Parker Rhodes does point out where progress has been made and how we can continue to strive forward - together - to make progress against racism.

Author Web Site: http://jewellparkerrhodes.com/children/

The Peter Westbrook Foundation: http://www.peterwestbrook.org/

Alexandre Dumas: https://www.biography.com/writer/alexandre-dumas

From the Desk of Zoe Washington

Marks, Janae.  From the Desk of Zoe Washington.  2020.  Katherine Tegen Books.  New York, NY.

image: bw/librarynut

Zoe is a 12 year old who hopes to enter the Food Network's Kids Baking Challenge.  But when a letter from the father she has never met shows up on her front door, Zoe's life takes a turn for the unexpected.  Her father Marcus, is in prison, serving time for a murder he swears he didn't commit.  As Zoe begins to dig into the details of her father's conviction, she uncovers the systemic racism and total lack of effort on the part of the public defender.  When she tracks down the witness who can vouch for her Dad during the time of the murder, she risks her dreams to see if she can finally help her father find justice. 

 

I love that the author explains who The Innocence Project is, what they do, and how they do it.  She also gently broaches the realities of our prison system in a way that children can understand.  This is a powerful, hopeful book.  Zoe is a smart, intelligent young woman who searches for solutions to problems.

 

This is Janae's first book.

 

Author Website: http://www.janaemarks.com/

 

The Innocence Project: https://www.innocenceproject.org/ 

A Home for Goddesses and Dogs

image: World Cat

Connor, Leslie.  A Home for Goddesses and Dogs.  2020.  Katherine Tegen Books.  New York, NY.

Lydia and her Mom found a treasure trove of old studio portraits of women at a flea market.  They use these photos to create collages that they create into works of art.  It's a series that they entitle "The Goddesses".  They create a new Goddess for every event in their lives. 

After Lydia's mom dies, she takes the Goddesses with her to their new home in Connecticut with Aunt Bratch.  As Lydia settles into her situation, she begins the search for a home for the Goddesses, even as she keeps them hidden, afraid to share this most intimate part of her past.  (Do they have anything to do with the secret in the wall behind the sheep poster?)

But when Bratch adopts a wild and wonderful rescue dog who needs a solid home, love, and consistency, Lydia begins to find her place in a world without her mother. 

You will fall in love with this book filled with Rescue Dogs and Goats, new friends, goddesses, and most of all a love that transcends all and makes an unrelated group of people into a family. 

Hazel's Theory of Evolution

Bigelow, Lisa Jenn.  Hazel's Theory of Evolution.  2020.  Harper.  New York, NY.

image: bw

Hazel's life has been turned upside down.  She was redistricted to a new school for 8th grade.  She is the only person from her old school who is going to her new school.  She vows that she will go through school as virtually invisible with the goal of getting to high school and her old friends as painlessly as possible.  But that doesn't quite go as planned.

On her first day, she meets Yosh, an obnoxious blue haired kid she has been assigned to sit next to and work with in H and HD.  They are partners in many projects, including raising a flour baby together.

She also befriends Carina within the first week.  Carina, who was known as Squishy the small boy who sat in the back of her classes.  Hazel doesn't realize that Squishy and Carina are the same person until Carina asks if Hazel recognizes her.

Top that off with one of Hazel's Moms expecting a baby.  Hazel's mom has been pregnant twice before, and both times, the pregnancies ended in miscarriage.  Hazel is afraid to let herself be excited about this baby for fear that her Mom will have another miscarriage.

But in the midst of all this chaos, some things remain the same.
The love of parents that support you no matter what.
Goats that don't judge you.
The Half Ton in the Goat Yard, where one can sit and think.
An older brother that worries no matter how much he harasses you.

While Hazel struggles to adapt to life in her new school, her worries spiral around her with these burning questions:
1) Will she (against her better judgement) make new friends at her new school?
2) Will Becca remain her friend even though they are no longer at the same school?
3) Can her mom carry this pregnancy to term and deliver a healthy baby?


The Publisher recommends this book for children ages 8-13.

Author's Web Site:  https://lisajennbigelow.com/

The Guardians of Ga-Hoole

 

Note - this is a repost. I originally published this on September 7, 2010. I understand that electronic hold lists are long right now, and it is difficult to get new releases right away. As a result, I am reposting older material in the hopes that these titles are more readily available electronically at your library!

 Lasky, Kathryn. The Guardians of Ga-Hoole, The Capture. 2003. Scholastic. New York, New York. ISBN 13: 978-0-439-40557-7. Softcover, $5.99.

 Soren, a young barn owl is kidnapped by the evil owls of St. Aggie's. If he is to survive with his mind intact, he must find a way to withstand the cruel treatment he is undergoing. With the help of a young pygmy owl named Gylfie, the two owls struggle to survive the nightmare that is St. Aggie's. Book Talk: The loving barn owl family in the kingdom of Tyto has just welcomed three new hatchlings into their family. Kludd, Soren, and Eglantine. Each of the nestlings was hatched a week or more apart from the others. Soren is the middle owl. Full of love for his young sister Eglantine, and curiosity over the beatiful world in which he lives, Soren rejoices in each new ceremony. First meat, first insect, first fur on meat, first meat on bones, branching....all of these ceremonies help a young owl grow up and prepare him for life in his own hollow. However, there is a mystery afoot. Hatchlings are disappearing out of the nests. Eggs are being taken. No owl family is safe. On the fateful day when Soren tumbles out of the hollow and to the ground far, far below, his quiet simple life is changed forever. Snatched by the owls from St. Aggies he is taken to an orphanage to be indoctrinated. Subjected to moon blinking, moon scalding, and other mind-washing techniques, Soren struggles to maintain his true identity. Soren is fortunate when he finds Gylfie, a pygmy owl who is able to withstand the mind control techniques. Together, Soren and Gylfie discover the horrible, terrible truth of what is going on in St. Aggies. They begin to plot a desperate plan of escape.

Author Web Site:https://www.kathrynlasky.com/

Podcast - The Fina Mendoza Mysteries

https://kittyfelde.com/

Fina Mendoza is the daughter of Congressman Mendoza from California.  When school lets out for the day, she is to report to her father's office to do her homework and stay out of trouble.  For the most part, nothing out of the ordinary happens to her.

Until the day when she crosses paths with the Demon Cat of Capital Hill.

Legend has it that whoever sees the Demon Cat will suffer a string of very bad luck.  Now that Fina has crossed paths with the cat, strange and unlucky things have begun to happen to her family.  Can she unravel the mystery of the demon cat before it destroys her family?

Find out in this wonderfully witty podcast series!

Two wonderful footnotes:

1)This podcast is based on the book - Welcome to Washington, Fina Mendoza by Kitty Felde.

2) Kitty Felde is the hostess of the Podcast Book Club for Kids, which has real children discuss the ins and outs of great children's literature.