A Snicker of Magic

by Lloyd, Natalie

Ages: 8 years and up (approximately grades 3+)

Felicity Pickle has never had a permanent home or a friend to call her own. Her mother has a wandering spirit and moves Felicity and her sister, Frannie Jo, from place to place. Their next stop is Midnight Gulch, the town where her mother grew up that has a history rooted in magic. Long ago in Midnight Gulch, secrets were baked into pies and people danced up real thunderstorms. Felicity has a little magic in herself, too. She can see words appear out of thin air, words that people are thinking or words that describe the objects or people around them. Felicity collects these words in a notebook because she’s too afraid to speak them herself. Slowly, Felicity eases out of her shell. She has a new best friend and becomes intrigued by the legend of a curse that banished the magic from Midnight Gulch. With her newfound confidence and her own little snicker of magic, Felicity might end the curse and finally find a place to call home.

While elements of whimsy and magic are a large part of this book, the overall theme is about the importance of love, family, and forgiveness. It shows the reader that families and love can come in many forms, and that forgiveness is more powerful than any curse. Debut author Lloyd showcases her folksy storytelling style by creating the most charming of towns in Midnight Gulch with quirky characters that are authentically human, flaws and all. This fun, heartfelt read is recommended for grades 3 and up for readers who enjoyed A Tangle of Knots by Lisa Graff and Savvy by Ingrid Law.

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I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

by Malala Yousafazai with Patricia McCormick

Ages: 10 – 17 (approximately grades 4 – 11)

Malala Yousafazai is a young Pakistani woman who is a world-renown advocate for women’s rights and children’s (especially girls’) education. This Young Readers Edition of her autobiography, I Am Malala, takes readers on the journey through Malala’s life: her early quest for education, her war-torn childhood, the Taliban infiltration of her home town, the limitation of her freedoms, and ultimately the Taliban’s attack that made her famous across the globe. Not only do readers learn the history of Pakistan’s troubles involving the government and terrorism, both through Malala’s personal narrative and a Time Line of Important Events provided in the appendix, but this famous young woman is humanized as a sister who plays with and teases her brothers, a daughter whose safety is the utmost importance to her parents, a schoolgirl who is competitive to a fault about her grades, a modest girl of great faith whose favorite color is pink and loves Ugly Betty and the Wizard of Oz.

Beyond telling the incredible story of this 2014 Nobel Peace Award recipient, I Am Malala shows young readers that standing up for what they believe in is a noble and valiant cause. That although they may themselves be young like Malala, their voices are ones that are strong and can be heard as hears was. Although Malala was shot by the Taliban, she keeps the perspective that “…out of the violence and tragedy came opportunity.” Never once does Malala feel sorry for herself, or stop believing in herself or her campaign. Even after a brush with death and being relocated from Pakistan all the way to England for her own safety, Malala sees her life with bright, hopeful eyes that never leave her ultimate goal of every female’s freedom, and every child’s right to education.

Find I Am Malala, the Young Readers Edition, in our catalog.

Zane and the Hurricane

by Rodman Philbrick

Ages: 9 years and up (approximately grades 3+)

Zane Dupree is going to New Orleans to meet his long lost great-grandmother, Miss Trissy, the only family connection he’s got to his deceased father. Begrudgingly, Zane and his dog, Bandy, leave the familiarity of their New Hampshire home for the Crescent City. Just as Zane is settling into his visit, disaster strikes. The impending arrival of Hurricane Katrina forces Zane and Miss Trissy to evacuate New Orleans. As they are leaving the city, Bandy runs away and Zane chases after him. All alone and trapped by rising water, they are rescued by Mr. Tru, an aging jazz musician, and his young charge, Malvina. They hope to get to Algiers, a parish to the south where Tru has a relative that can provide help. Together, the trio embarks on an arduous journey filled with dangers in both natural and human form.

This is a realistic yet accessible story about Hurricane Katrina. It does not shy away from the harsher aspects of the disaster such as the racial tension, violence and atmosphere of despair that existed. However, it also shows that through adversity, we can discover new things about ourselves and what we are capable of. This experience changes Zane as he and his companions encounter both the highs and lows of humanity. The quick pacing keeps the action rolling and readers engaged with Zane’s dilemma. This title is a worthy read for the unique perspective it offers on a significant American disaster. Pair it with Jewell Parker Rhodes’ Ninth Ward for another take on Hurricane Katrina

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The One and Only Ivan

by Katherine Applegate

Ages: 9 – 12 years (approximately grades 3 – 7)

Ivan is based on a real great silverback gorilla. He lives at the Big Top Mall and Video Arcade. He spends his days trying to understand humans and their constant use of words, watching television shows with his dog friend, Bob, talking to his elephant friend, Stella, and drawing with his human friend, Julia. He has food to eat and his domain to sleep in. He is content.

Or is he? When a new animal, Ruby, a baby elephant, comes to the Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, everything Ivan thinks he knows is thrown upside down. Hearing about Ruby’s former life with her family before being captured to perform tricks at a cruel road circus reminds Ivan of his own life in the jungle with his family. Reminiscing about the simpler, freer times in the wild, Ivan finally understands how truly trapped he and his friends are. He promises Stella, upon her untimely passing, that he will take care of Ruby and decides that if they are doomed to live a life out of the wild, away from their families, Ivan is convinced it should not be under the Big Top, but in the best place for animals in human captivity: the zoo.

Will Ivan’s daring attempt to free himself and his captive friends from the failing Big Top Mall and Video Arcade succeed, or will he, Ruby, and the others be doomed to a fate of circus frivolity?

This winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal and a 2015 Rebecca Caudill Nominee, The One and Only Ivan is an entrancing tale of friendship, bravery, and overcoming contentedness that fans of Because of Winn Dixie or Zoobreak, or gorilla and zoo enthusiasts will enjoy

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Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library

By: Chris Grabenstein

Ages: 8+ (approximately grades 3 and up)

The twelve-year-olds in Alexandriaville, Ohio have lived without a public library their entire lives. This all changes when a mysterious and generous benefactor constructs a brand new, state-of-the-art library in town. To celebrate the library’s grand opening, a contest is held that will allow 12 lucky winners to spend one night in the library. It’s revealed that successful and eccentric game maker Luigi Lemoncello is the genius behind the library and the kids can’t wait to see what’s in store. After a fun night of exploring the library, Kyle Keeley and the 11 other contest winners are stunned to find out that their adventure has just begun. Just like one of Mr. Lemoncello’s famous games, each kid must race to find their way out of the library by finding clues and solving zany puzzles. It will take wit, patience and maybe even teamwork to escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s library and claim the life-changing prize.

With equal parts mystery, adventure and humor this fast-paced book is a very fun read. It’s a contemporary version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that highlights characters who are multicultural, relatable and realistic (even smarmy villain Charles Chiltington). Readers will enjoy discovering clues and solving the puzzles along with the characters. There are also plenty of references to literary works that avid readers will get a kick out of spotting. Fans of mysteries, puzzles, libraries and the books The Puzzling World of Winston Breen and The Mysterious Benedict Society should definitely check this one out! Recommended for grades 3 and up.

Find Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library in its many formats in our catalog.

Better Nate Than Ever

by Tim Federle

Ages: 11 – 14 years (approximately grades 5 – 9)

If you have dreams of one day making it big as a singing, acting, Broadway superstar… you need to meet Nate Foster. Nate, introduced to musicals and coached in singing and dancing by his best friend, Libby, is certain he’s got what it takes to see his name in lights. If he can ever make it there, that is. Stuck in a small town in Pennsylvania, Nate can’t get anywhere in his Broadway career from so far away. When the two friends catch wind of an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, looking for a boy just Nate’s age to play the main character, Elliot, it is all they can do not to plan an elaborate scheme to get Nate to New York City. It’s a tough call on which feat is more difficult: plotting to get to and from New York in once piece without his absence being noticed, or out-singing-and-dancing the competition of other kids born and bred to be Broadway starlets. Will Nate make it through auditions and the big city unscathed? But, more importantly, will he need to make it back for rehearsals?

Tim Federle’s debut children’s novel is not one to skip. Nate himself is an endearing and hilariously funny leading man from the get-go. Using Broadway flops in sticky situations (“Moose Murders is all to tarnation!”), Nate navigates his way not only through New York City, but through sibling rivalry, bullying, religious parents, and questioning sexuality with a sharp wit and a lighthearted amusement that is suitable for a younger audience. For those who love musicals, the big city lights, or Raina Telgemeier’s Drama and Smile, Better Nate Than Ever deserves a standing ovation.

Find Better Nate Than Ever (and the sequel, Five, Six, Seven, Nate) in our catalog.

A Tale Dark and Grimm

by Adam Gidwitz

Ages: 10 – 13 years (approximately grades 4-8)

Many of us know that the fairy tales of our childhood are only figments of the true stories collected by Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm. How far off are our beloved versions of these tales in comparison to their true origins? You really want to know? Are you absolutely, positively, one hundred percent certain you want to know? Then, as the narrator repeatedly suggests, please escort the young children from the room and look no further than A Tale Dark and Grimm.

In this, Gidwitz’s debut novel, 2014 Caudill nominee, and the first of a three-part series, a well-known fairytale of Hansel and Gretel (the little boy and girl who get lost in the woods and encounter a wicked witch’s house made of candy) takes a gruesome turn for the worst- as if being abandoned by your parents and almost getting eaten by a witch with a taste for children isn’t bad enough. While the siblings attempt to survive after their narrow escape from the witch, Hansel turns into a frightful, hairy creature; the true back-story of their parents and why they abandoned their only children comes to light; and Gretel turns into an extraordinary heroine who saves the kingdom from certain doom. Throughout the book, a narrator chimes in from time to time, letting readers know when things are about to get ghastly and, well, grim. Although this book is chock-full of adventure and delight, a fairytale twist done so right, it is not for the faint of heart. Readers who enjoyed the adventure of The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, the fairytale twist of Ella Enchanted, or the creepy suspense of Coraline and Doll Bones will clamor for A Tale Dark and Grimm, as well as its sequels, In a Glass Grimmly, and The Grimm Conclusion.

Find A Tale Dark and Grimm in its many formats in our catalog.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

by Gennifer Choldenko

Ages: 10 years and up (approximately grades 4 and up)

Moose Flanagan is your average, every-day, big-for-his-age ten-year-old growing up in the mid-1930’s when his dad accepts a job as the new prison guard and electrician at the roughest place known to civilians and criminals alike: Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Moose takes his family’s move hard when he is forced to give up his old friends, his baseball team, and share an island home with the nastiest, most scheming criminals of the day, including none other than the infamous Al Capone (who hails from right here in Chicago, Illinois!). Worse yet is when Moose’s older sister, Natalie –who acts like a younger sister due to her severe autism- is rejected from the special school the Flanagans hoped to send her to in San Francisco, saddling Moose with the task of watching over Natalie while his parents work. Unable to make friends off the island, Moose befriends the other guards’ kids, including the warden’s daughter, Piper, who may take more after the crafty Al Capone than her stand up, law abiding warden of a father. Can Moose find the time away from his sister to return to playing his beloved game of baseball without hurting his friendships with the kids on Alcatraz island? Will Piper ever learn that her conniving ways are more trouble than they’re worth? Could Natalie end up getting into her special school with a little help from Al Capone himself? Find out in Al Capone Does My Shirts, as well as the two sequels that more than live up to their predecessor, Al Capone Shines My Shoes, and Al Capone Does My Homework.

 

This 2005 Newbery Honor book tackles the themes of childhood, morality, mental health, and history in a way that is pleasing and palatable to its target audience. Included in this volume is an extensive and interesting author’s note where Choldenko outlines her in-depth research not only on the lives of those who lived on Alcatraz in the 1930’s, but also explaining the struggles of Natalie’s character and how she is based off Choldenko’s own autistic sister. While somehow keeping the historical and autistic realities in check throughout the story, Al Capone Does My Shirt also lightheartedly delves into the depths of childhood crushes, friendships, school life, and know-it-all adults. Moose’s character is not only big for his age, but mature, with a smattering of sarcasm and in-your-face humor despite the challenges he, his friends, and his sister get themselves into. Children ages ten and up will enjoy this book, especially if they enjoy historical fiction, friendship-based shenanigans and humor, or have a soft spot for those who are a little bit different.

Find Al Capone Does My Shirts, and the rest of the Al Capone on Alcatraz series, in the catalog.

Sugar

by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Ages: 9 years and up (approximately grades 4 and up)

It’s 1870 and slavery is over, but some things remain the same, at least at the River Road Plantation. Ten-year-old Sugar works hard planting and harvesting sugar cane. Even though she’s named after it, Sugar hates the stuff. She hates the sickly sweet taste. She hates how it makes her back hurt and how the cane leaves cut her arms, hands, and fingers. She hates how it made her best friend’s family leave the plantation for a better life. But most of all, she hates how sugar doesn’t make her feel free.

Sugar would rather be doing anything other than farming sugar cane. She loves hearing the tales of Br’er Rabbit, dreams about the world beyond River Road, and wants to go on an adventure. Sugar’s life continues to revolve around work until she befriends Billy, the plantation owner’s son. No one wants Sugar and Billy to remain friends so they keep their friendship a secret. The plantation experiences more changes when a group of Chinese workers are hired to help with the harvest. Open-minded Sugar greets them warmly and wants to know everything about them. The rest of the workers feel threatened by their arrival and keep their distance. By helping everyone see what they have in common, Sugar brings the two groups together and gives everyone hope for better days ahead.

This historical novel focuses on a difficult subject in a way that is easily accessible. Not many people realize that, although slavery was abolished, former masters and former slaves still worked together in roles that were relatively the same. It was an uneasy time in American history where people were uncertain of the future and many on both sides were hesitant to change. This is a moralistic story that is not heavy handed and filled with ethnically diverse characters portrayed in a realistic way. The author weaves in both Br’er Rabbit trickster tales and Chinese folk tales to entertain as well as provoke thought. Younger readers will root for this plucky heroine and relate to her humor and grace. Read alikes to this book are The Lions of Little Rock for another story about friendship against all odds set during the Civil Rights era and The Birchbark House, the poignant story of a courageous Ojibwe girl in 1847. This title is recommended for grades 4 and up.

 Find Sugar in our catalog.

A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story

by Linda Sue Park

Ages: 10 – 14 years (approximately grades 4-9)

A young boy, Salva, who lives in Sudan in the 1980’s is lucky to have enough water to drink and to be able to attend school in the city. His world is shattered one day when fighting erupts while he is in class in the city, far from his family’s village, and is forced to leave everything familiar to walk to safety. But where is safety and how long will it take to get there? Both of these are questions that Salva and his ever-changing companions have no answers to for years on end. Contrast Salva’s life as a “Lost Boy” to a young Sudanese girl, named Nya’s, in 2008. Nya must spend all day every day walking miles to and from a water hole to bring the precious resource to her family. Even with Nya’s hard work and sacrifice, the very unfiltered water that gives her village life also cripples it with disease and inability to make life easier by moving away from the water source. These two stories, both based on true events, one day merge to find a satisfying and hopeful ending, with Salva as an educated young man who survives his hardship and finds a way to help his homeland and Nya as a recipient of Salva’s hard work who is suddenly able to give up her water jug and attend school.

Although stories of a "Lost Boy" and the Sudanese struggle has been told many times over in today's juvenile fiction, this  2015 Caudill Nominee has a certain potent gravity that is felt by readers instantaneously. Between the truth behind the tale (as established in a letter from Salva himself in the book’s conclusion) and Linda Sue Park’s sparse narrative of the alternating viewpoints, this quick read gets straight to the point and hangs on tightly through both Salva and Nya’s journeys to their ultimate destinations. I predominantly listened to this title on audiobook, and believe that traditional African drum music used between chapters and the authenticity of the readers’ accents drew me into the story and helped me to feel compassion for the characters. Use the audiobook alone, as a companion to the print, or as a follow up to reading the book to experience another level of Linda Sue Park’s amazing tale. This title is best suited for readers ages ten to fourteen years old who have a keen sense of compassion, want experience first-hand accounts of the world and/or foreign wars, or budding environmentalists who want to see the narrative importance of water as a natural resource. Due to its brevity in length yet hard-hitting issues, this title is also great for group book discussions or classroom read-alouds.

Find A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story as a book or audiobook CD in our catalog.

Bomb: The Race to Build –and Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon

by Steve Sheinkin

Ages: 12 years and up (approximately grades 4 and up)

Did you know there was far more than American scientists working furiously to create the bomb that ended World War II? Following the lives of a theoretical physicist, a Soviet spy, and a secret Norwegian agent, Bomb expertly weaves the story leading up to, during, and after the creation of the world’s first atomic bomb. While keeping suspense and energy high throughout the fast-paced tale, Bomb also adequately informs readers of every aspect and angle of the race to build the atomic bomb, from the science involved in an atomic explosion, to the planning and execution of a top-secret mission, and more. Filled with espionage, sabotage, suspense, and revolution, Bomb exploded into the scene in 2012, earning it many starred reviews, awards, and honors in the years to follow, most notably a 2013 Newberry Honor and a 2015 Caudill Nomination. Don’t let its nonfiction status throw you: this narrative history of the worldwide arms race to build the first atomic bomb reads just like any science fiction thriller set in a war-torn country with humanity’s very survival at stake. What makes Bomb all the more thrilling than any other novel out there? The story is completely true.

Using a narrative approach to tell this dynamic story, Steve Sheinkin, master of the nonfiction craft, makes Bomb (and all of his other books, too) read not like your text book’s nonfiction, but like a suspenseful crime novel that you can’t wait to finish. Peppered with photographs, maps, quotations, letters, and diagrams, Bomb’s visual expressions are nearly as strong as its narrative, and help to set the stage for the time period and vast importance of the atomic bomb’s creation. Within the gripping tale, as well as in the epilogue and author’s afterwards, both arguments for and against the bomb’s creation are presented and give a well-rounded debate on the pros and cons of creating and wielding this weapon. Readers who are ten years old and up who enjoy historical fiction, thrillers, or have an interest in war and peace will simply devour this chronicle.

Find Bomb as a book, audiobook CD, and downloadable audiobook in our catalog.

Jane, the Fox & Me

written by Fanny Britt
illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault

Ages: 12 years and older (approximately grade 5 and up)

Helene is a quiet, shy girl. Her former friends at school taunt her with insults, saying, “Helene weighs 216” despite her ordinary build and average appearance. Loneliness colors her world and fills it with bleak grays and muted tones of beige. Her only refuge is escaping into her beloved novel, Jane Eyre. Helene is inspired by brave Jane who, despite being orphaned and sent away to a harsh boarding school, still manages to grow up “clever, slender and wise.” The bullying at school is constant and Helene endures it until a surprise school camping trip is announced. This trip will involve swimming and Helene is dreading being in a bathing suit in front of her classmates. Her mother takes her shopping but all Helene can see is a giant sausage stuffed in decorative casing. During the trip, Helene takes her place in the “outcasts” tent and continues her strategy of social isolation. All is going according to plan until Geraldine bursts into the outcasts tent and offers warmth and friendship to Helene. Geraldine’s genuine companionship gives Helene newfound confidence. She realizes that the less she listens to the bullying, the less true the bully's words become.

This graphic novel takes on the issue of body insecurity and bullying in a way that is realistic and not overly saccharine. As the insults escalate, Helene retreats further into the world of Jane Eyre while still maintaining a droll and wry sense of humor. The gray-scale illustrations (by award-winning artist, Arsenault) convey Helene’s sadness and seclusion while depicting Jane’s story in striking reds and vivid browns. The progression of Helene’s confidence and self-assurance are shown through the growing use of bright, spring colors like green and blue. The beautiful illustrations work together with the honest and hopeful text to weave a redemptive story about the power of making connections. While this is an important message for everyone, it is recommended for readers grades five and up.

Find Jane, the Fox & Me in our catalog.

Doll Bones

written by Holly Black

Ages: 9-12 years (roughly grades 4-8)

Best friends Zach, Alice, and Poppy are adventurers at heart. They meet up after school every day that Zach doesn’t have basketball practice to write new and exciting stories for their doll characters, all of whom are under the harsh rule of Poppy’s mother’s very expensive, off-limits, bone china doll the friends call the Great Queen. Amidst a misunderstanding between the friends that pauses their make-believe adventures, Poppy begins dreaming about the Great Queen. After learning about the doll’s haunted existence, the three friends begin their last and greatest adventure… only this one is not make believe!

The Great Queen has always made the friends feel uneasy, and Poppy’s dreams expose that the doll is made of not just any kind of bone china, but bone china using the bones of a human girl who died under mysterious circumstances and whose father wanted to keep her as close as he could after her death. In order for the Great Queen to stop haunting Poppy and leave the friends in peace, the doll and the cremated remains inside of her need to be reunited with her father’s grave – three states away. On their journey, Alice and Zach begin to share Poppy’s haunted dreams, adults around them speak to the group as if there are four children instead of three and a doll, and the doll has the uncanny ability to not stay where the children leave her when they go to sleep for the night…

A thrilling mystery/adventure, Doll Bones is a 2014 Newbery Honor book best suited for children ages 9-12 years (roughly grades 4 – 8) who may have enjoyed R. L. Stein’s Goosebumps series, or who enjoy all things spooky and creeptastic. Consider yourself warned, this one may keep wary and timid ones awake at night!

Find a preview of the first chapter at Holly Black’s website.

Find Doll Bones as a book or audiobook in our catalog.

The Dolphins of Shark Bay

written by Pamela S. Turner
photographs by Scott Tuason

Ages: 11 years+ (approximately grades 5 and up)

Dolphins have always been considered one of the most intelligent life forms. From their evolved methods of hunting to their complex social networks, dolphins are as fascinating as they are smart. The Dolphins of Shark Bay provides an in-depth look at a specific pod of dolphins in Western Australia. Janet Mann, a behavioral ecologist, has been studying these dolphins and their way of life for more than 25 years. The research she and her team have conducted has led to astounding discoveries, one of the most amazing being that some dolphins use tools in order to hunt fish. These innovative dolphins hook a piece of sea sponge onto their noses, prod the ocean floor with the sponge that then forces bottom dwelling fish out into the open prey. This inventive animal behavior is just one of the features that make the dolphins of Shark Bay so unique. This book also explores the social nature of these animals and provides new insight on the mother and calf relationship. The impact of fishing and tourism industries are also highlighted. This book provides new perspective on the cheery and playful animal we think we know.

Although the text is very content-rich, it never feels like a textbook. Readers will get to know these dolphins and their oversized personalities through engaging and dynamic stories. The vibrant photographs provide additional visual context to an edifying narrative that will engage the reader. This title could be used with the Common Core Learning Standards for informational text for grades 5 and up. The author also provides resources for further reading about dolphins and encourages interested reader to look at published research papers.

Find The Dolphins of Shark Bay in the catalog.

Wonder

written by R.J. Palacio

Ages: 8-13 years (approximately grades 3-8)

For the past two years, Wonder by R.J. Palacio has taken the world of children’s literature by storm.  Since its publication in February of 2012, Wonder has shot to the top of the New York Times Best Sellers List, has received countless starred reviews, and has been nominated for both an Illinois Bluestem Award (for children Grades 3 – 5) and for a Rebecca Caudill Award (for children Grades 5 – 8).  The Wall Street Journal has even featured this book as a “must-read for 8 to 80-year-olds.”  Why, then, has this book captured the hearts of millions of kids, teachers, librarians, parents?  Perhaps it is because of its powerful storyline.  Maybe it’s because of the relatable and memorable characters.  It could be because of its altruistic message: choose kind.

Auggie is a 5th grade boy who has been homeschooled his entire life.  Born with a cleft palate and other facial anomalies, Auggie endured many surgeries throughout his childhood, so his parents decided the best thing for him would be to be schooled at home.  Until now.  His parents think that he’s ready to start middle school, and after some resistance, Auggie comes around to the idea.  Deep down, he feels like an ordinary boy, but wishes the rest of the world–especially the kids at his new school–would see him that way, too.  On his first day, some of his new classmates give him a tour around the school.  Auggie thinks that he’s made a new friend in one of the kids, a boy named Jack.  He even finds a friend to sit with during lunch.  It seems that this transition might be not so bad.  But on Halloween when he overhears a conversation between Jack and a few other boys, Auggie realizes this friendship may not be at all what he thought it was.  And school no longer seems like the right place for him.

From page one, Palacio puts you right in Auggie’s shoes.  You experience his world through his eyes.  You see how others look at him.  You feel what he’s feeling.  And you laugh when he laughs.  What surprised me most about this book was the humor! Ultimately, though, what makes this book so special is that Wonder has heart.  The book is divided into 8 sections, alternating between different characters telling the story from different points of view.  First Auggie, then his sister, Via, then Auggie’s friends, then Via’s friends, then back to Auggie again.  Each different voice deepens your understanding of Auggie and the impact his presence has within his family and the school community.  The chapters are extremely short, but that quickens the pace of the book.  You want to keep turning the page right until the very end.  It’s heart-breaking and hopeful all at the same time.

Wonder draws you in and doesn’t let you go, the way a great book should.  If you haven’t already seen the book trailer, take a look at it here.  And when you stop by the library to grab a copy for your child, take a second copy for yourself.  You won’t be sorry that you did.  Wonder is truly wonderful.

Find Wonder in our catalog.

The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp

written by Kathi Applet

Ages: 8 years+ (approximately grade 3 and up)

The raccoons of Sugar Man Swamp have always been the eyes and ears of Bayou Toutourelle.  This honorable duty has been passed down generation to generation.  Bingo and J'miah are heading up their very first scouting mission and couldn’t be more excited.  They settle into Headquarters, an abandoned DeSoto, and vigilantly keep watch (in between forays into the swamp for food as raccoons are notoriously hungry all the time).  Bingo and J’miah discover an incoming threat (a destructive family of feral hogs!) and must launch the emergency plan: wake the Sugar Man from his decades-long hibernation.  The Sugar Man is a mythical figure who protects the swamp and has huge palmetto leaf arms, tree trunk legs, a pet python and most importantly, a very short temper (especially when his sleep is interrupted).  Although the prospect of waking the Sugar Man from his oh-so-sweet slumber seems daunting, Bingo and J’miah know it is the only way to save the swamp.  On their quest they cross paths with twelve year old Chap, a boy whose family pie café has been a staple in Sugar Man Swamp for years.  He’s on a mission to save the business from a greedy land developer and his feisty, alligator-wrestling partner.  Bingo, J’miah and Chap must learn to face their fears and stand up for what they believe in order to save their beloved home.  

This National Book Award finalist is an adventure filled with humor, quirky characters and fast-paced action.  It delivers an entertaining message of courage, family and conservation that will appeal to anyone who has ever felt like an underdog.  The folksy narrative is charming, distinctive, and vividly paints the picture of the marshy Sugar Man Swamp and its animal inhabitants.  Readers will enjoy how the different characters and plotlines intersect throughout the story and wrap up in the end.  This title is recommended for grades 3 and up.   

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The Diamond of Darkhold

written by Jeanne DuPrau

Ages: 9-14 years (approximately grades 4-9) 

The Diamond of Darkhold is the fourth and final installation of The Books of Ember series. Beginning where the second book (The People of Sparks) left off, Lina and Doon once again notice a problem in their post-apocalyptic city and work together to solve it. After having escaped their failing city in the first book (The City of Ember), finding a village willing to take them in and easing the tension between the native villagers and their city’s newcomers in the second book (The People of Sparks), Lina and Doon now set off back to their abandoned city to find enough food to get their new village through the hard winter. When they arrive back at Ember, they find far more than the stores of canned food left behind by their neighbors, but together they overcome the obstacles holding them back and, in the end, discover something far more valuable than the food they originally set out for.

A wonderful finale, Jeanne DuPrau finds a way to fit all of the series’ books, even the prequel third book (The Prophet of Yonwood), into a complete saga with all the pieces of Lina and Doon’s puzzle fitting together snugly in the end. The Books of Ember series is a part of the popular dystopian genre, similar to Young Adult selections such as The Hunger Games and Divergent series, without the intense violence and romance that is better suited for older readers. Still a darker read for some, containing evidence of a world-devastating war as well as the themes of segregation and selfishness (all of which are righted in the end), The Diamond of Darkhold -and the “Ember Saga” as a whole- is best suited for readers ages 9 to 14 (grades 4-9). Although ominous in some places, The Diamond of Darkhold and The Books of Ember series end on a clever and hopeful note that will not soon be forgotten by readers.

Find the entire series in book, audiobook, and e book formats in our catalog:
The City of Ember
The People of Sparks
The Prophet of Yonwood
The Diamond of Darkhold

The City of Ember is also available as a graphic novel, a audio disc, a playaway device, and a major motion picture in our catalog.

Lions of Little Rock

written by Kristin Levine

Ages: 9-12 years (approximately grades 4-8)

Meet Marlee.  She’s a timid, twelve-year-old girl who hasn’t quite come out of her shell.  In fact, she doesn’t talk much at all.  If she says one word at school all day, her family considers that an accomplishment.  Social situations are extremely difficult to get through.  So to Marlee, the idea of starting Junior High is scary and overwhelming.  Luckily for her, she finds a friend in Liz, the new girl at her middle school.  Liz is Marlee’s polar opposite—confident, well-spoken, witty, and fun to be around.  Thanks to Liz, middle school quickly becomes more bearable.  Even fun.  Then one morning, Liz doesn’t show up for school.  Days go by and Marlee’s new friend doesn’t return.  When Liz is found out to be different from the other white students at her schools, she is pressured to leave.  Marlee eventually finds out that Liz has left school for good…and without even saying goodbye.

This piece of historical fiction is set in Little Rock, Arkansas during a time in U.S. history when racial tensions were high and the color of your skin determined where children attended school.   Lions of Little Rock, one of this year’s Rebecca Caudill Nominees, is a great discussion book for both boys and girls.  While it is set in a different time period, this is a story of friendship, family, fear, and courage that is relatable and timeless.  This book requires a basic understanding of the historical context.  Even so, young readers who are comfortable reading contemporary stories of realistic fiction will easily find themselves learning to care and root for the friendship these characters share

Children’s program alert! The Caudill Club is a new library program for kids in Grades 4 to 6.   Tell us what you think of the book, and we’ll provide kids with pizza!  On Monday, February 10 at 6 pm, we will discuss the book, Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine.  Stop by the library to register and pick up a copy of the book.  Take a look at the library’s program calendar for more information.

Find The Lions of Little Rock in our catalog.