Tag Archives: Responsibility

Elem. – Learning Core Values (Series NF)

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Amoroso, Cynthia. Learning Core Values. The Child’s World, 2023. $21.95 each, $263.40 for set of 12. Grades PreK-2.

Courage. 978-1-503-85845-9.
Forgiveness. 978-1-503-85846-6.
Friendliness. 978-1-503-85847-3.
Generosity. 978-1-503-85848-0.
Honestly. 978-1-503-85849-7.
Loyalty. 978-1-503-85850-3.
Patience. 978-1-503-85851-0.
Patriotism. 978-1-503-85852-7.
Respect. 978-1-503-85853-4.
Responsibility. 978-1-503-85854-1.
Thankfulness. 978-1-503-85855-8.
Tolerance. 978-1-503-85856-5.

The world we live in today is not the same it was years ago. Our current world can be tough for anyone to live in, especially for children. Unfortunately, children see many negative things in the world, including rudeness, anger, and prejudice through a variety of sources. The series Learning Core Values is important for all, especially children, to help offset the negative behaviors seen. The reviewer read the titles Forgiveness and Honesty. Forgiveness is when a person who has been hurt makes the choice to stop being angry at another person and accept the mistakes that have been made. Using real life examples, Forgiveness uses examples at home and school where a person may feel hurt or upset and how we can use forgiveness to move forward. This book also describes how forgiveness may be difficult for all. Honesty simply means telling the truth. Being honest may not be easy, but it is the right thing to do. As with Forgiveness, Honesty uses real life examples at home and school about how we can be honest with others and yourself.

THOUGHTS: I found this series to be one that young readers may be able to relate to. Utilizing a variety of real world examples showcases the character trait in a way that many can connect to. Real photographs, easy-to-read text, and additional information in the back matter makes this series a must have!

158.2-323.6 Interpersonal Relationships, Citizenship

YA – Love Radio

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LaDelle, Ebony. Love Radio. Simon & Schuster, 2022. 978-1-665-90815-3. $19.99. 310 p. Grades 9-12.

Danielle Ford’s romantic mother has a big wish for her only child, to experience a great love story. That wish struggles to come true in Ebony LaDelle’s, Love Radio, a debut novel that is as much a homage to the great city of Detroit as it is to first love. High-achieving senior, Dani has been shut off from her friends and dating after a traumatizing sexual encounter with a college boy the previous summer. Keeping this secret from her besties and devoted parents, she buries herself in writing the perfect college essay to get into her dream school, New York University (NYU). When she has an awkward meeting in the library with classmate, Prince Jones, a popular teen disc jockey and local radio personality (DJLove Jones) who mixes love advice with music, she makes an assumption she regrets and wants to rectify. Told in alternating voices, the romance between Prince and Dani is enchanting. Prince shows a maturity beyond his years, perhaps because he has accepted much of the responsibility of taking care of his seven-year-old brother Mookie and household duties since his single mother received her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Prince has fallen hard for the guarded Dani and is determined to make her fall in love with him in five dates. After inviting himself over to her comfortable home to take out her braids, he plans two movie-worthy dates to a roller rink and bookstore. Dani starts to open up, reconnect with her friends, and dissolve her writer’s block. When she reciprocates with one equally perfect date to the Motown Museum, though, their intimacy triggers bad memories and she breaks it off with Prince. As Dani faces her trauma, she has the support of loving parents and patient friends as well as the therapy of writing unsent letters to her literary idols, Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou. Prince, too, acknowledges his need to suppress his dreams because of his home obligations and, with help, makes a plan for his future. Both characters come to realize that they are surrounded by a network of loving people who will support and help them achieve their goals. Characters are African-American.

THOUGHTS: Students in the mood for a dreamy romance will eat up this book. The author has an ear for teen dialogue and is from Michigan. Any readers familiar with Detroit will recognize the branding of different places (if I am ever in Detroit, I’m heading for that Dutch Girl Donuts) and the description of the neighborhoods. Dani and Prince are so wise; the thoughtful dates are out of this world; the child to parent relationships are so close. Though the romance doesn’t play out physically much, Dani’s traumatic encounter occurs when she a friend takes her to a frat house where she barely escapes date rape. After several dates, Dani leads Prince to her bedroom and encourages a sexual encounter, but Prince is reluctant to proceed. The portrayal of family is warm and loving, especially the way Prince helps out his sick mother. Though the letters to literary idols seem to be a critical link to Dani’s recovery from trauma, the book names Dani’s idols as Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Zora Neale Hurston, Alice Walker, Roxane Gay, Jesmyn Ward in the beginning chapter, but she only focuses on Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou. One of Dani’s friends is sick of appropriation and plans a hair fashion show. Lots of references to music. Some bad language. For those who are sticklers, the timeline is a little wonky: would college kids be on campus in the summer? (maybe).

Realistic Fiction          Bernadette Cooke, School District of Philadelphia

YA – Strong  Healthy Girls (Series NF)

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Strong  Healthy Girls. ABDO Publishing, 2021. $25.95 ea. $312.00 set of 12. 112 p. Grades 8-12.

Emily, Lauren. Dealing with Drama. 978-1-532-19215-9.
Johnson, Anne E. Being a Leader. 978-1-532-19213-5.
Myers, Carrie. Coping with Stress and Pressure. 978-1-532-19214-2.
Allen, Rebecca J. Earning an Income. 978-1-532-19216-6.
Morrow, Kate. Finding your Identity. 978-1-532-19217-3.
Rowell, Rebecxa. Handling Family Challenges.   978-1-532-19218-0.
Huddleston, Emma. Healthy Friendships. 978-1-532-19219-7.
Burling, Alexis. Healthy Romantic Relationships. 978-1-532-19220-3.
Huddleston, Emma. Nutrition and Exercise. 978-1-532-19221-0.
Berg, Shannon. Surviving and Thriving at school.  978-1-532-19222-7 .
Ford, Jeanne Marie. Understanding Reproductive Health. 978-1-532-19223-4.
Huddleston, Emma. Using Social Media Responsibly. 978-1-532-19224-1.

The Strong Healthy Girls reference set focuses on positivity and wellness for a YA audience. Written in a conversational style, this set presents issues girls may find themselves facing during their teen years. Dealing with Drama focuses on navigating difficult relationships with peers and family. Realistic scenarios involving bullying, teasing, and other personal conflicts are described, and readers are presented with questions to consider about these difficult situations. Then an expert weighs in with effective strategies for handling these problems. Includes a glossary, a list of additional resources, and an index.

THOUGHTS: A solid resource for self help and mental health for young adults.

300s/600s          Nancy Summers, Abington SD

YA – Red Wolf

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Vincent, Rachel. Red Wolf. Harper Teen, 2021. 978-0-062-41162-4. $17.99. Grades 8-12.

Adele always has been surrounded by the dark forest around her village Oakvale. It seems that the dark forest continues to creep closer and closer to her small village, despite the watchmen and guardians trying to protect the town. Adele always has felt a small calling to the woods, even though it is filled with terrifying monsters and many don’t make it out alive. Little does she know, there are other protectors of the forest, and she is one of them. Adele will need to make hard decisions between doing what is right for her or for her entire village in order to keep everyone safe.

THOUGHTS: This novel is a fun spin on the idea of Little Red Riding Hood. A charming story that will make you want more!

Fantasy         Rachel Burkhouse, Otto-Eldred SD

MG – A Soft Place to Land

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Marks, Janae. A Soft Place to Land. Harper Collins, 2021. 978-0-062-87587-7. $16.99. 288 p. Grades 4-7.

The Taylor family is going through a rough patch. Twelve-year old Joy’s father was laid off, they had to sell their beloved house and move to a small apartment, cut out all non-essential expenses like Joy’s piano lessons, and change Joy’s middle school. Bad enough her dream to be a film composer has to be put on hold and her old friends are not reaching out to her, but her parents are arguing now, and Joy feels she has to keep her feelings hidden to shield her little sister, Malia. The silver lining is the friendliness and kindness of the residents of her apartment building, from next-door neighbor, elderly Mae Willoughby and her French bulldog, Ziggy, to aspiring film-maker Nora, Joy finds a warm welcome and a ready ear that softens the edge of her disappointment and anxiety over losing her house and fearing her parents will get a divorce. Other perks of apartment living are the secret hideout where Joy and her new-found friends can get away to draw, listen to music, read, or play board games, and the dog walking business Joy starts with Nora to earn money to purchase a piano. When Joy’s parents tell the girls that her father is moving in with Uncle Spencer for a bit, though, a distraught Joy runs away to the Hideout and falls asleep, leading to the breaking of the one Hideout rule: don’t tell the adults. Though the other kids are angry that their Hideout is now off limits, Nora remains a loyal friend until Joy’s curiosity about a poignant poem and messages on the Hideout’s walls leads to a rift between them. When Nora ditches the dog walking session, Joy finds out too late she cannot handle the task solo and loses Ziggy. Despite her loneliness and sense of failure, Joy works to come up with a way to find Ziggy, mend her friendship with Nora, and remedy the loss of the special Hideout. Janae Marks’s new novel abounds with positivity while recognizing life does not go perfectly. Joy and her family are African American; most of the other characters are people of color also.

THOUGHTS: A comforting, relatable middle school read. No high drama here, just an enjoyable story showing people bonding together and helping each other, and middle school students being kind and friendly to newcomers. Although there are some difficult issues at play here, all the adults are experts at problem solving and dealing with hard things respectfully. The children follow suit. Joy and Nora show a lot of responsibility and initiative, and the other characters display other positive traits.

Realistic Fiction          Bernadette Cooke, School District of Philadelphia

Upper Elem/MS FIC – Emma Moves In; Matylda; Watchdog; One Good Thing…

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Hutton, Clare. Emma Moves In (American Girl: Like Sisters #1). Scholastic, 2017. 978-1-338-11499-7. $6.99. 188 p. Gr. 3-5.

Emma, an only child, adores the time she spends with her twin cousins, Natalia and Zoe. When her parents decide to leave their Seattle home and move across the country into her mother’s family homestead, Emily’s secret dream comes true: she will be living in the same town as her cousins. However, the transition is more difficult than Emily could have imagined. When school starts, she realizes her cousins have different personalities, different groups of friends, and finds herself awkwardly pulled between the sisters. Additionally, Emily’s father is still in Seattle, and the extended separation is adding to the stress Emily and her mom are experiencing. Was this move a huge mistake? THOUGHTS:  An exploration of the anxieties involved with moving and starting a new school. The secondary plotline concerning the escalating anger between Emily’s parents is also well portrayed. Emily exhibits good problem-solving skills in dealing with her cousins and hostile classmates but makes age-appropriate mistakes in dealing with the fear her parents are divorcing.   

Realistic Fiction     Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor School District

 

McGhee, Holly M. Matylda, Bright and Tender. Candlewick, 2017. 978-0-7636-895-1-3. $16.99. 210 p. Gr. 3-6.

Sussy and Guy have been friends since kindergarten. The pair bonded over Mr. Potato Head and never looked back. The two know they just belong together, bringing out the best in each other. Towards the end of fourth grade, the pair decide they need a pet, something of their own for which to be responsible. Guy adores leopard geckos, so they purchase Matylda and go to work figuring out how to make her happy. But in a moment of pure Guy, tragedy strikes as the pair are riding their bikes to the pet store. Now Sussy channels her grief on to Matylda, becoming increasingly desperate and reckless in her need to hold on to Guy through the gecko.   THOUGHTS:  Sussy and Guy are memorable characters, and Sussy’s grief is tangible. Readers will root for her to find her way back into the world.  

Realistic Fiction       Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor School District

 

McIntosh, Will.  Watchdog. Delacort, 2017.  978-1-5247-1384-3. $16.99. 192 p. Gr. 4-7.

Orphans Vick and Tara eke out a living by scavenging electronics parts to sell. The 13-year-old twins have been on their own since their mom died after being replaced at her job by a hairstyling robot. Although Tara is autistic, she is also a mechanical genius and tinkers with making a watchdog bot named Daisy. Unfortunately, the clever mechanical dog attracts the attention of Ms. Alba, who quickly puts the Vick and Tara to work in her bot-building sweatshop. After they manage to pull off an escape, Vick and Tara are on the run, with a price on their heads. However, a shadowy groups of teens who run a chop shop, stealing domestic robots to take apart and make watchdogs, come to the twins’ aid in their fight against the evil Ms. Alba. THOUGHTS:  A slightly dystopian setting with lots of action, sure to please those not ready to plunge into The Maze Runner or Hunger Games.  

Science Fiction     Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor School District

 

Freeman, Ruth. One Good Thing About America. Holiday House, 2017. 978-0-8234-3695-8. $16.95. 152 p. Gr. 3-7.

Nine-year-old Anais, her mother and brother Jean-Claud have recently arrived in the United States from Congo, escaping the violent, corrupt mining officials from whom her father and older brother are on the run. The book is a series of letters Anais writes her grandmother back in Congo. In each letter Anais attempts to find one good thing about America. Some days are easier than others to be positive, as the young girl battles a new language, new culture, new school and friends. Her missives reflect frustration when students at school laugh at her language mistakes, and a heart-wrenching moment when a friend’s parents exhibit blatant prejudice. The book is an insight into the struggles of the many immigrant students in our schools, highlighting the difficulties Anais’s mother experiences trying to find employment and housing, while maintaining stability for Anais and Jean-Claud. THOUGHTS:  A sweet book that thoughtfully illustrates a timely topic. Pair this book with Alan Gratz’s Refugee. While the afterward provides guidance to Anais’s broken English, a French-English pronunciation guide would have been extremely helpful. (She complains that her teacher can’t pronounce her name, but we are never given any guidance as to how her name would be pronounced.)

Realistic Fiction       Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor School District