Monthly Archives: March 2021

YA – Anna K

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Lee, Jenny. Anna K. Flatiron Books, 2020. 978-1-250-23643-2. $18.99. 374 p. Grades 9-12.

Anna K. has the perfect life. Although she comes from a wealthy, Manhattan family, she prefers to spend the majority of her time in Greenwich with her NewFoundland show dogs and horses, and has been in a picture perfect relationship with her boyfriend, Alexander, for years. Anna tends to stay away from drama, but her family and friends cannot. Anna’s brother Steven and his girlfriend Lolly are trying to repair their relationship after Steven was unfaithful, Lolly’s sister Kimmie is trying to find her place after an injury prevents her from competitive ice skating, and Steven’s friend’s Dustin wants to find love before heading off to college. On her way to help Steven and Lolly with their relationship troubles, Anna meets Alexia “Count” Vronsky in the Manhattan train station, and a spark ignites between the two. Vronsky, who has quite the reputation when it comes to women, has never been in love, but he can’t stop thinking about Anna. Although Anna knows it’s wrong, she cannot stay away from Vronsky. The two begin a secret relationship, and Anna’s perfect life slowly starts to unravel around her.

THOUGHTS: I loved this modern adaptation of Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina! Like the classic, this novel explores the lives and social pressures of a large cast of characters, introduced at the beginning of the book, each dealing with their own personal and family issues. Lee changes the setting, and rather than a focus on the Russian nobility of the late 1800s, Anna K. is set in modern day New York City and follows the social lives of the city’s wealthiest young elites. Fans of the classic will notice the similarities between characters and recognize key plot points, especially the ones that take place in train stations or on the train from Manhattan to Greenwich. However, readers unfamiliar with the classic will still enjoy this story of drama, passion, scandal, betrayal, heartache, and love and may find themselves checking out the original after finishing this modern adaptation.

Realistic Fiction          Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD

Elem. – Lubaya’s Quiet Roar

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Nelson, Marilyn. Lubaya’s Quiet Roar. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2020. 978-0-525-55555-1. Unpaged. $17.99. PreK-Grade 2.

Lubaya is a young, African American introvert. She sits quietly at school, rarely ever raising her hand, and she spends most of her time at home drawing pictures behind the couch while her family watches television. She does listen to the TV, however, and writes down words and pictures that express her understanding of the news. Therefore, when it comes time to march against injustice, it is her pictures that the protestors hold. In this way, Lubaya makes her voice heard without ever having to raise it. An inspirational story about the power of quiet action, this book will encourage bashful students to use their strengths and talents for the greater good.

THOUGHTS: This is a very relevant story for this extraordinary time in our nation’s history. With protests and upheavals becoming so commonplace in our society, I think it is important to remind children and adults alike that perhaps there are ways to achieve our goals by means other than noise and violence. Additionally, it is important that we encourage our shy, introverted students to get involved in whatever capacity best suits them. Overall, this is a solid title that deserves a place on every elementary shelf.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

Elem. – Bedtime for Sweet Creatures

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Grimes, Nikki. Bedtime for Sweet Creatures. Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2020. 978-1-492-63832-2. Unpaged. $17.99. PreK-Grade 2.

This endearing bedtime story follows a mother and toddler through a bedtime routine that will be all too familiar to families with young children. What makes it unique, however, is the way in which the child’s stalling tactics are compared to animals in the jungle. For instance, the child roars like a lion for the mother to check under the bed for monsters, clings to the mother like a koala for one last kiss, and emerges from bed like a sly wolf in order to fill a glass of water. The illustrations add to the allure, combining realistic human figures with fantastical jungle creatures. This fresh twist on the often documented struggles of putting young children to bed will be sure to delight parents and children alike.

THOUGHTS: I think this title would make the sweetest bedtime story and/or read aloud. It could also be used in an educational setting, as it contains an abundance of similes and metaphors. After hearing the story, perhaps students could write their own tales in which they compare themselves to jungle animals using these figures of speech. This is an excellent choice for any library serving young children.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

YA -Under Shifting Stars

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Lotas, Alexandra. Under Shifting Stars. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. 978-0-358-06775-7. 262. $15.69. Grades 9-12.

After their brother’s tragic death, twins Audrey and Clare struggle to cope with their grief and changed circumstances. Audrey attends Peak, a school for neurodivergent students like herself, after being ostracized by her twin and other bullies at her public school. Clare begins a transformation herself, standing up to her friends who have treated her sister badly and becoming comfortable with her gender identity. The twins and their parents learn to communicate and comfort each other as they live their new life as a family of four.

THOUGHTS: Told by the perspectives of each twin, this story is a great addition to any YA collection as it explores difficult topics many teenagers are facing today.

Realistic Fiction     Jaynie Korzi, South Middleton SD

Elem. – A Year of Everyday Wonders

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Klein, Cheryl B. A Year of Everyday Wonders. Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2020. 978-1-419-74208-8. Unpaged. $16.99. PreK-2.

Beginning on the first day of a new year, this story follows a young girl through all of a child’s “firsts” within the course of the year. There’s the first snowfall, the first green, the first beach trip, the first new teacher, the first Christmas gift–and much more in between. Not all of the experiences are positive; for instance, there are colds, storms, and many sibling fights. However, it is these everyday moments that ultimately make up a year’s worth of memories. This is an endearing story about living in the present and cherishing the small moments, good and bad.

THOUGHTS: This book would be a great story to read with beginning readers, as the text is very succinct and somewhat repetitive, and the illustrations provide wonderful context clues. It would also make an excellent introduction to the four seasons in a preschool or kindergarten classroom. Have students bring in photographs of their “firsts” throughout the year and create scrapbooks. This book provides many possibilities for learning and connecting with students and should therefore be a strong consideration for purchase by preschool and elementary teachers and librarians.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

Elem. – One World, Many Colors

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Lerwill, Ben. One World, Many Colors. words & pictures, 2020. 978-0-711-24983-7. Unpaged. $18.95. Grades K-3.

This colorful story takes readers on a tour around the world, from the snowy white plains of icy Antarctica to the yellow sunflower fields of Spain to the lush green jungle of the Amazon Rainforest. Beautiful illustrations depict the pink cherry blossoms of Japan, the blue sky above Mount Everest, and the noisy streets of New York City and London. These are just a few of the sights in store for readers in this lovely celebration of our Earth.

THOUGHTS: This book is a wonderful reminder that despite our various cultures, languages, and beliefs, we all share one world full of many colors. The last pages of the book feature a map on which highlighted cities are labelled as well as a list of colors in nine different languages. This would make an excellent introduction to a lesson on world cultures. I could see it being used as a springboard for research; after reading the book, students could be assigned one of the places mentioned in the book to research further.

910 Geography          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member

MG – Here in the Real World

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Pennypacker, Sara. Here in the Real World. HarperCollins, 2020. 978-0-062-69895-7. $17.99. 320 p. Grades 3-6.

“Everything was something else before, and will be something else after.” Ware is an only child, and he’s perfectly happy spending his summer alone with his grandmother, whom he refers to as Big Deal, but when she falls and needs a hip replacement, Ware’s parents sign him up for Summer Rec where they hope he can have “meaningful social interactions” with other kids his age. To Ware, this is the worst case scenario, until he meets a girl named Jolene who is planting a garden in a half torn down, abandoned church right next to the rec center. Ware sees the potential in this church, and instead of going to rec, he spends his days with Jolene pretending the church is a castle and that he is a knight, living by their code of chivalry. For the first time in Ware’s life, he doesn’t feel ashamed about spending time off in his own world, and with the help of Jolene, his uncle, and others he meets throughout the summer, he realizes that it’s okay to be himself, and he doesn’t want to turn into someone else after all. “He had changed this summer. He was spending more time off in his own world. And it turned out, he didn’t feel ashamed about it. Turned out, he really liked it there.”

THOUGHTS:  Here in the Real World is perfect for readers who feel like they just don’t belong. Your heart will break for Ware and Jolene as they try to navigate through the real world in this moving and touching novel. Middle school can be such a hard time, and hopefully readers will realize, like Ware does, that it’s okay to be yourself, even when you feel pressure from parents and classmates to be someone else entirely. This realistic fiction book is about finding not only yourself, but your people, and being able to see them just as they are too.

Fantasy          Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD

YA – The Court of Miracles

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Grant, Kester. The Court of Miracles. Random House Children’s Books, 2020. 978-1-524-77285-7. $18.99. 399 p. Grades 9-12.

In an alternate 1829 Paris, one in which the French Revolution has failed, Nina Thenardier thrives as the Black Cat of the Thieves Guild, one of the nine criminal guilds of The Miracle Court. Her allegiance lies with her guild lord, Tomasis Vano, whom she refers to as her father, a custom among the children of the Miracle Court. Once, Nina lived with her older sister, but she was sold to the Guild of Flesh, and when Nina could not save her, she vowed to someday have her revenge. Years later, when Lord Kaplan of the Flesh Guild, the Tiger, decides he must have Cosette, a young girl who has become like a younger sister to Nina, she must do everything in her power to stop him, not only to save Cosette, but to avenge her sister and any other girl unlucky enough to be sold into his guild. Nina and Ettie look for protection from the Guild of Assassins, the Guild of Beggars, wind up in the palace of Louis XVII, and are caught up within a group of revolutionaries, still intent on overthrowing the monarchy. Loosely based upon Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables and Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, Nina must find a way to save Ettie and avenge her sister without starting a war within the guilds and unintentionally throwing the city back into turmoil.

THOUGHTS:  I thought this was such a unique story, especially since the author chose to draw inspiration from two classic novels while creating an alternate, historical world within Paris, France. Readers may want to pick up The Jungle Book or Les Mis after reading The Court of Miracles, and I also found myself doing some research on the French Revolution throughout my reading. The plot is complex and full of many characters, settings, and time jumps, and I’d recommend this to any reader who enjoys action, adventure, and historical fiction.

Fantasy          Emily Hoffman, Conestoga Valley SD

Elem. – Luna Loves Art

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Coelho, Joseph. Luna Loves Art. Kane Miller, 2020. 978-1-684-64046-1. Unpaged. $12.99. Grades PreK-2.

Luna’s class takes a field trip to the art gallery. There, they view works by many of the masters, including Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Henri Matisse, and more. When they see Henry Moore’s Family Group, a bronze statue of a traditional family, Luna learns an important lesson–namely, that like art, all families look different. A lovely celebration of art, family, and friendship, this is a solid addition to any collection serving young readers.

THOUGHTS: I love the underlying message in this book about differences being beautiful (like art). This celebration of diversity is very relevant and timely in today’s world. I also like that both the front and back inside covers display images of art that are labelled with the artist and year of creation. This creates a beautiful connection to any elementary art curriculum and could prompt further research about these artists and works of art by older students and/or art lovers.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member