MG – Crisis in Ukraine (Series NF)

Crisis in Ukraine. Abdo & Daughters, 2023. $24.95 ea. $99.80 set of 4. 63 p. Grades 5-8.

Britton, Tamara L. War in Ukraine. 978-1-532-19915-8.
Gieseke, Tyler. NATO.  978-1-532-19912-7.
O’Brien, Bridget. Vladimir Putin. 978-1-532-19913-4.
Wheeler, Jill C. Volodymyr Zelensky. 978-1-532-19914-1.

This reviewer evaluated the title Volodymyr Zelensky. As the current president of Ukraine while a war rages within its borders, Volodymyr Zelensky has become known throughout the world. Zelensky is the son of a computer science professor and an engineer. Growing up in Kryvyi Rih in what was then the Ukrainian Society Socialist Republic, Zelensky loved watching K.V.N., a show where contestants compete to be the funniest person. In college, he majored in law at his mother’s request, but he found he could not give up on comedy. He formed Studio Kvartal 95 and developed a show called Evening Quarter, a comedy show similar to America’s Saturday Night Live. A turning point in his acting career was on Servant of the People. The character Zelensky played was a high school history teacher turned politician. This got him more interested in government work. He decided to run for president of Ukraine, running on a platform that promised to eliminate corruption and greed. He won by a landslide. Throughout his presidency, Zelensky’s popularity decreased due to different scandals. But when Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, Zelensky earned respect for refusing to leave the country while at war. His speeches and social media posts about the war have rallied a nation and inspired them to fight on.

THOUGHTS: This nonfiction is timely and relevant. The text is easy to read and includes photographs and sidebars with more information. Backmatter includes a timeline, glossary, index, and a QR code to online resources.

900s Biography and/or History

MG- Karthik Delivers

Chari, Sheela. Karthik Delivers. Amulet Books, 2022. 978-1-419-75522-4. $17.99. 255 p. Grades 6-9.

The 2008 recession has hit Alston, Massachusetts, hard. The Raghaven Indian grocery store is not doing well, so Mr. Raghaven recruits thirteen-year old Karthik as a delivery boy, a perk for his customers during the sweltering summer months. Remembering the orders is simple for Karthik; in fact, he remembers everything, including the 50 ice cream flavors at Carmine’s where he and his best friends, Miles, a white crossword whiz, and Binh, a sensitive Vietnamese boy, hang out when they can. At Carmine’s, Karthik also can catch a glimpse of Juhi Shah, his crush, despite her puzzling affinity for brawny bully Jacob Donnell and his wing man, Hoodie Menendez. This summer before high school becomes one of challenges for Karthik: can he stand up to Jacob who addresses him as Kar-dick; can he resist his mother’s pressure to be a doctor; can he help his father’s store withstand the stiff competition of the popular take-out place, House of Chaats (Juhi’s family business); most of all, can he discover what he truly wants to be? When Boston University budding playwriting student Shanthi Ananth persuades Karthik to take a leading role in her twenty-minute play about a childhood incident in the life of Alston native and world-renown composer and conductor, Leonard Bernstein, Karthik’s world changes. Like Bernstein, whose musical career started with the gift of a piano from his aunt, Karthik realizes he has some unmined talents as well. His delivery job shows him he has a gift for making people feel noticed and listened to; his relationship with Shanthi encourages his talent for acting and reveals that it is possible to follow one’s own heart’s desire, not one’s parent’s.  The only problem is, he has to keep this project a secret. Against the backdrop of hard financial times, Karthik juggles all the different aspects of his life–family, friends, acting, job, first love–with an authenticity that will touch readers. Chari’s writing, whether in narrative or action or plot movement, makes this story so real. Though the Raghaven family and other characters suffer some bumps in life’s course, they retain their senses of humor and compassion, giving the story a buoyancy and truthfulness. This novel immerses the reader in a diverse community, strong friendships, and the sacrifices made for family.

THOUGHTS: Chari has a gift for developing rich major and minor characters. Students may draw parallels between the recession happening now in 2022 and the financial crisis of the early 2000’s that Karthik’s family experiences. Characters are of different ethnicities, but Indian foods and dishes as well as customs and mores are dominant. Karthik’s play, Being Lenny, may pique interest in Leonard Bernstein, his life and works.

Historical Fiction          Bernadette Cooke, School District of Philadelphia

Elem. – A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno, Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer!

Denise, Anika Aldamuy. A Girl Named Rosita: The Story of Rita Moreno, Actor, Singer, Dancer, Trailblazer! Harper, 2020. 978-0-062-87770-3. 40 p. $17.99. Grades K-3.

Rosita Alverio lives between a mountain and a rainforest in Puerto Rico. But soon after turning five, she and her mother board a steamship bound for America and a new life. In order to make ends meet, her mother works as a sweatshop seamstress. It is not a lot of money, but there is enough to spare so Rosita can take dance lessons. With her perfect twirls and her charismatic charm, Rosita quickly becomes a minor celebrity. She dances for the troops, acts on the radio, and even records Spanish versions of hit Hollywood movies. But soon, Rosita’s life changes when she meets with Louis B. Mayer, the head of MGM film studios. Shortly after, she becomes Rita Moreno and goes on to become one of the most famous Latinx stars in the world.

THOUGHTS: Fans of Rita Moreno will love this book as it gives a glimpse into the star’s life before fame. However, even readers who do not know of Moreno will appreciate her journey: a real life rags-to-riches story with a Latinx person at the center of it all. Leo Espinosa’s stunning illustrations make it seem as though Moreno is twirling off the page. This is a must-have for elementary librarians looking to expand their biography section.

921 Rita Moreno          Danielle Corrao, Manheim Central SD