Monthly Archives: November 2022

MG – When Winter Robeson Came

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Woods, Brenda. When Winter Robeson Came. Scholastic, 2022. 978-1-524-74158-7. $16.99. 176 p. Grades 4-7.

The Coal family from 103rd Street, just west of Figueroa, not too far from Watts, is expecting a special visitor, Winter Robeson from their old hometown, Sunflower, Mississippi. The most excited person is aspiring composer, Eden Louise Coal, who hasn’t seen her country cousin since the move to the great metropolis of Los Angeles two years ago. An affable Winter has come with an agenda and a plan: on his list is visiting the happiest place on earth, Disneyland; but his priority is finding his long-lost father, J.T. who has been gone for ten years. Eden joins him in his search, and together they spend two weeks of the summer of 1965 getting closer together and closer to the truth of Winter’s father’s disappearance. As they try to trace J.T.’s whereabouts, they dance to the vinyl records with the neighborhood kids; win the hearts of the gracious friend, Winona; and meet Miss Betty West, owner of a Steinway baby grand piano. Told in verse and narrated by Eden, When Winter Robeson Came is an uplifting story of a family reunited and a close knit community surviving on the edges of the violent Watts riots and police brutality. Eden and Winter bond in genuine friendship and concern to make each others’ lives a bit brighter. That magnanimity extends to their neighbors and even virtual strangers when the need arises. The pair offer aid to the elderly, respect their parents, and kindly tolerate even friends with irritating habits. This brief, positive book offers a comforting tale against the backdrop of a tragic historical event.

THOUGHTS: This easy to read book fits lower middle grades best with its emphasis on family and its optimistic outcomes, despite the setting of the Watts riots. Perceptive students will pick up on the discrimination and racism toward people in neighborhoods in and around Watts. However, the children in this novel are nurtured and joyful. They make connections with older people and keep focused on an important task even if it puts them in danger. Pair this book with Karen English’s It All Comes Down to This to compare and contrast the same historical event.

Historical Fiction          Bernadette Cooke, School District of Philadelphia

MG – We Own the Sky

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Philbrick, Rodman.We Own the Sky. Scholastic Press, 2022. 978-1-338-73629-8 190 p. $18.99. Grades 5-8.

The year is 1924, 12 year-old Davy and his older sister, Jo, have found themselves orphaned in the great state of Maine. Their mother’s cousin, Ruthie Reynard, takes them in to be a part of her famous flying circus for the summer. The siblings are about to have the experience of a lifetime…exciting yet frightening things are about to occur. The Ku Klux Klan has invaded the state and has been recruiting members, and they have targeted the flying circus and the diversity within. Davy and Jo are determined to help keep everyone safe even if their own lives are in danger.

THOUGHTS: This is a quick historical read, one that many fans of history will devour. Characters are well-written and engaging.

Historical Fiction          Victoria Dziewulski, Plum Borough SD
Novel in Verse

YA – Aces Wild

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DeWitt, Amanda. Aces Wild. Peachtree Teen, 2022. 978-1-682-63466-0. 345 p. $17.99. Grades 7-12.

Jack Shannon’s life falls apart when his Las Vegas casino mogul mother is arrested. It’s not that she doesn’t operate afoul of the law; it’s that she’s too smart to get caught. The high school junior knows her rival, Pete Carlevaro, is responsible. Jack and his two sisters, along with their father, gather at their casino suite home. Jack, closest to their mom, is determined to get revenge, with a little help from his friends. Jack has never been good with social relationships at his boarding school, despite running an illegal blackjack club; he met his best friends online, bonding over their ace (asexual) identities. These are the people he can rely on to help vindicate his mother. But when they meet IRL, Jack is disturbed to discover that he has a crush on one of his friends. Is that even possible? This riotous Ocean’s Eleven for teens is fast paced and fun. Jack, a loner from a dysfunctional family, is determined to out-con the con, but makes one bad decision after another, even as he acknowledges he’s making bad decisions. His first person narration is spot on, hooking readers from the first page. The twists and turns continue to the end of the book, although one big reveal is somewhat obvious. Jack’s friends are an amusing, endearing, diverse group: Latinx, Black and a Vietnamese American/German gender-neutral individual. Jack’s middle sister, Kerry, is hearing impaired. The ace issue is casually referred to throughout the book, but does not dominate the narrative, leaving the casino shenanigans to take center stage. 

THOUGHTS: This is a delightful, movie-worthy romp that is suitable for middle school and up. Mild language, but appropriate to the situation. The asexual narrative is deftly handled: informative but not overwhelming. This isn’t a book about ace kids, but rather about an engaging group of friends running a Vegas con, who happen to be ace. 

Mystery          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

YA – Nothing More to Tell

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McManus, Karen M. Nothing More to Tell. Delacorte Press, 2022. 978-0-593-17590-3. 356 p. $19.99. Grades 7-12.

After her school newspaper account was hacked, and pornographic pictures posted under her byline, senior Brynn left her Chicago area high school in disgrace while her family relocated back to her hometown of Sturgis, Massachusetts. Her life and her journalistic reputation in tatters, Brynn interviews for an internship with a true crime show, hoping to pad her college applications, as well as to convince the show to research the unsolved murder of Mr. Larkin, her favorite middle school teacher. To her surprise, she is awarded the position, and hooks the show’s host with her crime story proposal. Re-enrolled in the private school she attended at the time of the crime, Brynn reconnects with old friends and puts her tenacious investigative reporter skills to work. But Brynn eventually realizes that playing reporter is more than fun and games when it becomes obvious someone does not want her digging up the past. In typical McManus style, the suspense rarely lets up, as the narrative alternates between Brynn and Tripp, her former best friend, and one the students who discovered the body of  Mr. Larkin four years ago. Red herrings abound as the threads of the complex plot slowly coalesce. All four main characters cue white, but minor characters are diverse. 

THOUGHTS: McManus presents a challenging mystery with fine character development. A first purchase where her other books are in demand and mysteries are popular. 

Mystery          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Four years ago, not long after a Mr. Larkin, a beloved Saint Ambrose teacher, was found dead by three classmates in the woods behind the school, Brynn’s family left their Massachusetts home for her dad’s job transfer to Chicago. The move also followed Brynn’s best friend Tripp’s very public rejection about her feelings for him, which helped Brynn leave behind the taunts of peers who dubbed her “Trippstalker.” Life in Chicago was going great until someone used Brynn’s newspaper access to publish a story full of d!%# pics. In quick succession, Brynn lost her job as editor of the school paper, was wait-listed at her dream journalism school, and learned that her family was moving back to Sturgis, MA. Brynn and younger sister Ellie will re-enroll at Saint Ambrose School, and Brynn hopes an internship at Motive, a true crime show, will help pad her college applications. During her interview Brynn shares Mr. Larkin’s unsolved case and her connection to him as her 8th grade English teacher as well as with Tripp, one of the classmates who found Mr. Larkin. Brynn decides to keep her position at Motive to herself, as she’s only planning to be in Sturgis until graduation. Luckily, Brynn feels confident in her ability to pitch Mr. Larkin’s story to the whole Motive team and reconnects with some old friends. Despite everything that happened, things are looking up. But as Brynn gets closer discovering the truth of what happened that day, it seems Mr. Larkin may not have been who she believed him to be, and neither is Tripp. Will Brynn uncover the truth before it’s too late, or is this a story that will stayed buried forever?

THOUGHTS: Told with dual narratives from Brynn and Tripp as well as in dual timelines – now and four years ago – readers will be hooked. Hand this one to fans of other McManus books or fans of unreliable narrators. Recommended for high school collections.

Mystery          Maryalice Bond, South Middleton SD

Elem. – I’s the B’y

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Soloy, Lauren. I’s the B’y. Greystone Kids, 2022. 978-1-771-64833-2. Unpaged. $18.95. Grades K-3.

Illustrator Lauren Soloy takes readers young and older on a rollicking exploration of a traditional Newfoundland folk song, “I’s the B’y”. A charming parade of characters, both human and animal, wander through the pages of the book as the song unfolds, revealing insight into Newfoundland culture. Readers can’t help but smile along with the exuberance reflected in the illustrations. Puffins, a fiddle-playing fish, and a cuddle Newfoundland dog mingle with joyful Newfoundlanders, participating in the fun. The book is a visual smorgasbord, with Soloy’s watercolor images radiating warmth and humor. While readers may not understand the vernacular of the song, and its many references, Soloy neatly solves the problem by including a lengthy Note From the Illustrator that walks the reader through the lyrics, explaining both terms and what the individuals are doing in each illustration. For this reader, the Notes were at least as interesting as the book, and ensure that readers do a second pass through the book, reexamining the lyrics as well as the artwork. For the musically inclined, Soloy also includes the music to the song, so an interested reader can pick out the tune. This book is a delightful exploration of a culture that should not be as alien to Americans as it is.

THOUGHTS: This book can be appreciated for Soloy’s artwork alone, but the addition of the Notes turns the experience into a merry delve into Canadian culture. The book also would have an application in music classes exploring folk songs.

Picture Book          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Elem. – A Blue Kind of Day

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Tomlinson, Rachel. A Blue Kind of Day. Penguin Random House, 2022. 978-0-593-32401-1. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades PK-2.

Childhood mental health is the focus of this sympathetic story. Coen wakes up feeling blue; he doesn’t want to get out of bed. He can’t be enticed by dad or mom to get up, he has no interest in going out to play, laughing or cuddling with his teddy bear. But his loving family does not get frustrated or give up on Coen. Instead, they support him and wait with him until he is ready to accept their warmth and care and slowly begin to crawl out of the dark cave of blueness. Tomlinson, a registered psychologist, deftly describes the physical feeling of depression in terms a child will recognize: heavy, prickly, angry, while Tori-Jay Mordey’s soft, digital illustrations add emphasis to the story. Coen is shown restlessly trying to deal with his emotions, while his anxious family hovers nearby, attempting to determine the best course of action, which ends up being snuggles and patience. Tomlinson includes an author’s note with additional information on childhood depression. While the book is an important tool dealing with an under-represented topic, many children will recognize the experience of simply  feeling out of sorts, and be reassured that they are not unique. Coen and his family are represented as multiracial. 

THOUGHTS: This book hits a perfect note in approaching the topic of childhood depression and will serve as an excellent conversation starter with young children. 

Picture Book          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Elem. – Abdul’s Story

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Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah. Abdul’s Story. Salaam Reads, 2022. 978-1-534-46298-4. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-3. 

Abdul, a Black boy, lives in a vibrant neighborhood and has many stories to tell. However, when it is writing time at school, Abdul is frustrated by his inability to make letters and words on the page. His letters don’t look right, spelling challenges like silent letters confound him, and his stories remain locked in his head. When Mr. Mohammad, an author, comes to his classroom, Abdul wants to emulate him. But once again the letters and words trip him up, until he erases a hole through his paper. Mr. Mohammad senses Adbul’s distress and stops to talk with him. Abdul is astonished when Mr. Mohammad pulls out his own writing notebook. It’s a mess! Words run every which way between and around doodles, circles, smudges and erasures. The important part, Mr. Mohammad explains, is getting everything you can down on the paper. You can fix the mess later. Abdul is enchanted, and gives writing another chance. Classmates, all of whom are Black or brown, deride his messy paper when he turns it in, but Abdul shines in the end, when Mr. Mohammad reads his story aloud. This book is obviously designed to encourage children to write, and its simple message will resonate with many youngsters. Illustrations by Tiffany Rose are filled with vibrant colors and exuberant life. Emotions are well presented on the faces of the characters, adding to the empathetic warmth of the story. 

THOUGHTS: The simple, yet important message is well conveyed, and eye catching illustrations will add to the attraction of the book.

Picture Book          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Elem./MG – Your Pal Fred

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Rex, Michael. Your Pal Fred. Viking Press, 2022. 978-0-593-20633-2 255p. $12.99. Grades 3-8.

Fred is activated in a post-apocalyptic world after two brothers accidentally discover him in a pile of trash. Fred embarks on a journey over a land that has been destroyed by war, aliens, a comet, and cats. It is now ruled by two opposing characters: Papa Mayhem and Lord Bonkers. Fred is on a quest to bring peace to all. Along the way he makes friends with disgruntled characters who join him to bring kindness to all. Will he be able to convince the two top dogs that peace is the answer and not war? 

THOUGHTS: This graphic novel is full of silliness and fun, and how one individual can create a positive chain reaction through one act of kindness at a time.  

Graphic Novel          Victoria Dziewulski, Plum Borough SD

Elem. – Nana, Nenek & Nina

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Ferneyhough, Liza. Nana, Nenek & Nina. Dial Books for Young Readers, 2022. 978-0-593-35394-3. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-2.

Nina loves visiting her grandmothers, one who lives in Malaysia and one who lives in England. Nina goes back and forth between each grandmother explaining the different and similar things that she does with them. Each grandmother has a garden, each visits the market, and each one cooks dinner but each one is slightly different based on where they live. Nina has a little dinosaur that she brings with her, so the reader can have fun finding the dinosaur hidden in each illustration. The text can be complicated to follow at times, but the journey of watching Nina visit each grandmother is wonderful to follow along with.

THOUGHTS: This would be a great book to share for a grandparents day event; however, it might not be the best read-aloud with extremely young children as it can be complicated the way the text is set up. 

Picture Book          Mary McEndree, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy

Elem. – That’s Not My Name

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Syed, Anoosha. That’s Not My Name. Viking, 2022. 978-0-593-40517-8. Unpaged. $17.99. Grades K-2.

In That’s Not My Name readers meet Mirha who is extremely excited for her first day of school, but it doesn’t turn out the way that she thought it would. No one can pronounce her name, and she is too shy and unsure to correct anyone. Mirha thinks maybe she should change her name into something that everyone can pronounce, and she goes home and tells her mom that she wants to do just that. Her mother teaches Mirha where her name comes from and tells her that she should be proud of her name, and Mirha decides that she will correct everyone at school the next day. Mirha ends up making a new friend, and learning how to tell people who pronounce her name incorrectly, “that’s not my name,” and learning about her classmates and what their names mean.

THOUGHTS: This is a wonderful read aloud for the first week of school to teach students about empathy. This would also be a great read aloud before an ice-breaker type activity. 

Picture Book          Mary McEndree, Lehigh Valley Regional Charter Academy