Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
By Mildred D. Taylor
Puffin Books, 1997, 276 pg., Youth Historical Fiction

In 1933 Mississippi Cassie Logan and her family live and work on their 400 acre farm. Unlike many of their sharecropper neighbors the Logan's own their land. However, they still have to pay taxes on their land and the mortgage on the last 200 acres. Now with the Great Depression Papa has had to go work on the railroad to help make enough money. Life is still hard for a black family though. Night-riding men have been causing trouble for Cassie's neighbors and everybody is nervous. When the Logan's friend TJ starts hanging out with the Simmses brothers, the Logan's no that no good will come of it. But more important to Cassie's family is how they are going to pay the mortgage now that Mama has been fired and the loan is being called in. If they can't find a way to pay the mortgage Mr. Harlan Granger will take it all away from them.

This book won the Newbery Medal in 1977. Mildred D. Taylor wrote a wonderful story about family, friendship, history, and dignity; but it is also about segregation, conflict, and race. What I like about this book is that Taylor shows the human side of these issues. Each character is far more then the color of their skin, they are a person - a person who is relatable to the reader. For example, who has ever worried about getting dirt on their clothes on their way to somewhere important? Who has ever been excited about having something new of their very own? Who has ever worried about how the adults in their life are going to get through hard times? Who has ever worried about making friends with the right or wrong people? Who has ever been afraid of another human being? This is a great book for 6-8 graders, but adults and families will enjoy it too. Readers should know that due to it's subject matter there are instances of violence, racial slurs, and death.

2019 Top Ten: Junior Fiction

Wonder what the grade school kids are reading?  During the month of January we will be posting lists of the top ten items checked out at the Highland City Library.  Here are the top ten Junior Fiction books:

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: (all in the series) by Jeff Kinney
The One and Only Ivan: by Katherine Applegate
I Survived the Attack of the Grizzlies, 1967: by Lauren Tarshis
The Knight at Dawn: by Mary Pope Osborne
Captain Underpants and the Attack of the Talking Toilets: by Dave Pilkey
Afternoon on the Amazon: by Mary Pope Osborne
The Field Guide: by Tony DiTerlizzi
The Shark Attacks of 1916: by Lauren Tarshis
I Survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871: by Lauren Tarshis
The Bombing of Pearl Harbor, 1941: by Lauren Tarshis

(So who knew our kids were so interested in history?  Good job, Highland parents)

2019 Top Ten: Intermediate Fiction

Ever wonder what the junior high aged kids in Highland are reading?  During January we will post the top ten lists for items checked out at the Highland Library during 2019.  Here are the top ten  intermediate fiction books:

The Prisoner of Cell 25: by Richard Paul Evans
The Rise of Elgen: by Richard Paul Evans
Storm of Lightning: by Richard Paul Evans
The Final Spark: by Richard Paul Evans
Hunt for Jade Dragon: by Richard Paul Evans
Fall of Hades: by Richard Paul Evans
The Lightning Thief: by Rick Riordan
Fablehaven: by Brandon Mull
The Battle of the Ampere: by Richard Paul Evans
Dragonwatch: by Brandon Mull

Click on the title to find the book in our catalog.  Most are also available on CD or through Overdrive as e-books/e-audiobooks.

Eventown

Eventown
By Corey Ann Haydu
Katherine Tegen Books, 2019, 328 pg., Youth Fiction

Elodee and Naomi are twins, but sometimes they are more alike on the outside and less alike on the inside. Elodee never cared much about this before, they fit together and their differences made them closer. However, once they move to Eventown things begin to change and it seems like Elodee and Naomi are not alike at all - and Naomi seems to hate all those things that are different about her twin. Moving to Eventown was supposed to be a fresh start for their family. A fresh start where people didn't stare, or whisper, or frown at them and wish they could be the Elodee and Naomi from Before. But now people in Eventown are starting to stare at them too. Elodee thought that it would be great living in a town with no cars, perfect sunsets, and the best ice cream ever! Yet, Elodee can't help noticing that they only ever learn one song in music class, there are only three kinds of ice cream, she can't remember things from before Eventown, and nobody likes Elodee's questions at all.

I will admit that this is a book that will surprise you. It is different and doesn't easily fit into any standard genre, which is fitting since it is a story that discusses a lot of the pros and cons of fitting in vs. standing out. The story follows a family that moves to Eventown, a place where everything is perfect all the time. But I would argue that message of the story is that our emotions and memories - both good and bad- are makes our lives so wonderful. If we never knew sadness they we would never really know joy. It is also about how wonderful our lives are when they are filled with different people and that is okay if we are not exactly like everyone else - even those who we are closest to. This book is intended for 8 -12 year olds, but adults might also enjoy it. However, readers should know that the book does discuss suicide (the suicide happens before the book begins, but characters discuss their memories of the event) and depression. A minor character in the book has a lesbian couple for parents, though their relationship is not discussed. There is also one incident where a child uses a swear word.

The Graveyard Book

The Graveyard Book
By Neil Gaiman
Harper Collins, 2008, 312 pg., Young Adult Fiction

"Sleep my little babby-oh
Sleep until you waken
When you wake you'll see the world
If I'm not mistaken...

Kiss a lover 
Dance a measure,
Find your name
And buried treasure...

Face you life
Its pain,its pleasure
Leave no path untaken"

Nobody Owens began his life as a totally normal boy. But soon his life changed. When his family is murdered in their beds Nobody is adopted by a ghost couple in the local grave yard. He is given the freedom of the grave yard and is protected by those who "live" there. A boy who lives in the graveyard has many great adventures, from encountering ancient spirits, to dancing the Macabre, befriending witches, and falling through Ghoul Gates. But someday Nobody will have to meet the  man Jack who killed Nobody's family ... and who still wants to kill Nobody Owens.

There is a reason why this book won the Newbery Award in 2009. Neil Gaiman has crafted a story that is both spooky and heartwarming. This book was inspired by Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. One thing that I really enjoyed in this book was how much research Gaiman did about death rituals and beliefs throughout history in England. I also enjoyed that this book was spooky and creepy without being grisly horror novel. In fact the only truly bloody part is at the beginning. The Graveyard Book also has some fascinating lessons about life and what gives it meaning. This would be a great book for adults, teens, and some older children who enjoy a good ghost story.

Parent/Child Book Club: The Giver

The Giver
by Lois Lowry
Houghton Mifflin, 1993,Young Adult Fiction, 225 p.
Jonas lives in a perfect community.  There is no hunger, no crime, no discontent.  On the day that Jonas goes through the ceremony of 12's and he is chosen to be the new "Receiver of Memory" his whole world view starts to change.  He begins to see that there is so much more to life than he had ever imagined, both of good, and of evil.

The first time I read this book I ended up thinking about it for days.  The story line is fast paced, the world building is intriguing, and Jonas is a complex and sympathetic character.  The real magic of the story, however, is the ethical questions that is presents, in a very palatable manner, to a young mind. It certainly deserved the Newbery Medal that it garnished in 1994. This is the Parent/Child Book Club choice for November.  If you wish to know more about the Parent/Child Book Club, or to register, check out the Library's Eventbrite page.

Fever 1793

Fever 1793
By Laurie Halse Anderson
Maddie is a young teen living in Philadelphia in 1793.  Her father has died, but she helps her mother run a successful coffee shop.  One day in September one of their serving girls dies suddenly of a mysterious illness.  Soon others around the city are dying and word gets around that it is Yellow Fever. Maddie and her mother try to keep the coffee house open, but then her mother falls ill. Maddie flees the city with her grandfather, but when they both fall ill, they are left to the winds of fate.

This is a vivid look at a brief, but devastating flu epidemic. Although the story is fictional, it is based on a real event and Anderson uses carefully researched detail to put the reader into the experience.  Maddie is a strong and appealing character and her story is both exciting and harrowing. 

School of the Dead

School of the Dead
By Avi
Harper , 2016, 276 pg., Youth Fiction

Tony never understood Uncle Charlie. Growing up all the cousin's asked "What's the deal with Uncle Charlie?" But, when Uncle Charlie moves in with Tony and his parents, Tony realizes that Uncle Charlie is really fun. They become best friends. Uncle Charlie tells Tony about the school he went to as a kid, Penda School, in San Francisco. When Uncle Charlie suddenly dies, Tony is left feeling alone and missing his friend. Uncle Charlie left money so that Tony could attend Penda, but there are no openings in the school. Then suddenly a spot opens. However, when Tony gets to Penda he starts seeing Uncle Charlie everywhere - he also starts seeing "the Penda boy," the only child of Mrs. Penda the schools founder. Penda was founded because the Penda boy died. On top of all this Tony soon learns that the real reason he was able to go to Penda was because the boy who had his spot disappeared; but nobody will say what happened to him. Except for the Weird History Club. Tony realizes that if he wants to find out what is really going on at this school that the weird history club, and its leader Jessica, are the only ones who know.

I first decided to read this book because I love Avi's writing. If you have not read anything by him yet - you should. If you have, and you really liked his books, and you haven't read School of the Dead yet - you need to. Avi is a great storyteller, and his book's can be appreciated by all ages. At first I was surprised and disappointed because the story seemed so slow in the beginning, so many details that seemed pointless. I never should have doubted Avi. As the action increased in the book I found myself recalling all those seemingly pointless details. Each detail was designed to create a complex net that pulled tighter and tighter around the main character.  I actually listened to this book on a road trip with my family(Highland Library has this book available in book format, as well as E-Book and E-Audio book through Overdrive/Libby). The narrator for the audio book did a really good job. I liked how he put stress or emphasis on words that really heightened the tension and suspense. Me, my parents, and my teenage sister all really got into the book. We kept pausing to discuss details and predict what happened next. School of the Dead is a fun and suspenseful mystery that is perfect for Halloween.

Parents should know that this does contain elements of the supernatural and deals with death - but not in a graphic way. There is also mild and infrequent swearing.

Parent/Child Book Club: Wonder

 

Wonder
by R.J. Palacio
Alfred A. Knopf, 2012, Intermediate Fiction, 315p.
August is a boy with a major deformity of his face.  He has never attended school, mostly because he had been in and out of the hospital since he was born, having undergone more than two dozen reconstructive surgeries. Finally, at age 11, he is strong enough to try school.  At first he is very nervous.  His face is so misshapen that is sometimes scares people.  His class mates at school do not know what to think of him and are afraid to even touch him.  But a few of the children reach out to Auggie, and over the school year his courage inspires admiration and friendship from his peers.

This was our Parent/Child Book Club title for October.  I had read it when it first came out in 2012 and I was so glad to read it again.  I really think it is one of the best books written for children in the last decade.  The characters feel completely authentic and the boy, Auggie, and his family are so likable   The story doesn't candy coat things.  It shows how painful it can be to be "not normal" and how people can be cruel both intentionally and unintentionally. Although the book is honest, it is not a big downer.  The overall tone is upbeat and the author portrays those kids who are willing to overlook Auggie's disfigurement as real heroes.  Even if you have seen the movie, do yourself a favor and read the book.

Pay Attention, Carter Jones

Pay Attention, Carter Jones
by Gary Schmidt
Clarion Books, 2019. I FIC. 217 p.

Carter's father is serving in Afghanistan, and his mother is struggling to make ends meet.  Carter helps out with his little sisters when he can but he can tell life is hard for his mom. Then one day, Mr. Bowls-Fitzpatrick, a butler from England who drives a eggplant colored Bentley, shows up on the doorstep. The butler quickly takes the family in hand and with courtesy, decorum, and a bit of self importance, starts to sort things out.  He is determined to make Carter into a gentleman, and one way to do that, in his opinion, is to teach Carter and his friends to play cricket.  Carter resists at first, but little does he know that the game, and the butler, is just what he needs to get through the challenges headed for his life. 

I love Gary Schmidt (Wednesday Wars, and Okay for Now) and, as bizarre as the premise for this book is, I loved it, too. When it comes to tender adult/child relationships, Schmidt just has the velvet touch.  It is all about good people helping other good people get through tough times.  I also liked Schmidt's emphasis on what is means to be a gentleman, and how dignity and decorum can make life run more smoothly. It is a lesson any of us would do well to remember.

Beyond the Bright Sea

Beyond the Bright Sea
By Lauren Wolk
Button Books for Young Readers, 2017, 304 pg., Youth Historical Fiction

It is human nature to want to know where we came from, where we were born, and who our parents were. For many, these questions can be easily answered; but there are many for whom these questions may take a life time to figure out. Crow is one of these latter people. All she knows is that Osh, her adopted father figure, found her washed up on the shore of his little island in the Elizabeths. The boat she was in was small and barley sea worthy and she was only hours old. Up until her 12th year this was satisfactory for Crow, but now she wants to know more. Where are, or were, her parents? Why did they send her away? Does she have family somewhere other then Cuttyhunk?

Wolk has written a touching and poignant tale. The characters are wonderful and the reader becomes attached to them. This attachment pulls the reader into the story; making them want to know what happens next, what are the answers to Crow's questions, and what is she going to do about them? Wolk has done some excellent research about the Elizabeth Islands off the coast of Massachusetts in the 1920's. Readers will learn things they may never have known existed. As far as reading level goes this book is good for children 5 grade and up, and adults will enjoy it as well. As far as content is concerned, readers should know that this book may shock or upset sensitive readers. A major plot point revolves around a serious illness, and while it is not necessarily frightening, it is sad. That being said the book resolves into a contented, though not perfect ending. I for one was pleased with it's bittersweet story. This would be a great read for those who enjoyed Wolk's Wolf Hollow.

Booked

Booked
by Kwame Alexander
HoughtonMifflin, 2016, Intermediate Fiction, 314 p

Nick has a sweet life.  He is the star of his soccer team and has a best friend who loves soccer as much as he does.  He even gets to dance with the prettiest girl at school in the dopey ballroom dance class his mother made him take.  Everything starts to fall apart when his mom and dad announce that they are separating.  All of a sudden he can't sleep at night and often has a stomach ache.  The bright side of his life is still soccer and when his team qualifies to go to a national soccer competition it seems like things might be looking up.

I really liked Crossover, Alexander's book about basketball that won the Newbery Award, and this book is very much like that one.  It is written in free verse poetry, and like Crossover has some really good sports action narrative.  The relationships within the family are sweet and Nick's reaction to his parent's breakup is sympathetic.  I love it that there are good sports books out there for guys who might otherwise be reluctant readers.

Chasing Helicity

 

Chasing Helicity
by Ginger Zee
DisneyHyperion, 2018, Intermediate Fiction, 204 p

Helicity is fascinated by weather, so when she rides away from a party one day on her horse, she is fixated by a quickly developing storm on the horizon.  Instead of hurrying back home, she photographs and records the event until her phone battery runs down.  Too late she realizes that the storm has turned into a tornado, and by the time she returns home, there is no home to return to.  Her family is alive, but not unscathed, and the event has lasting consequences, both for her and for those she loves.

This is a heart-thumping, adrenaline-ride of a children's novel written by a meteorologist. The accounts of the tornado and its aftermath are authentic and awesome. Zee deals sensitively with Helicity's quest to enter a very dangerous profession, and her brother's growing dependence on pain meds after his injury.  She resists the temptation to tie everything up into a neat bow at the end and leaves the reader with interesting ethical questions. This is a great book for kids interested in the thrills of nature unleashed.

The Orphan Band of Springdale

The Orphan Band of Springdale
By Anne Nesbet
Candlewick Press, 2018, 435 p., Youth Fiction

The Orphan Band of Springdale is not actually about true orphans, but it is about a band; a band of three young girls in Springdale, Maine just before World War II. America has not joined the war when the book opens, but fear, prejudice, and patriotism are on the rise. As the main character, Augusta, tries to do what's right she finds that things keep going wrong. But she keeps trying - even if it means having to sell her beloved French Horn. The best thing about this book is the story. It's the kind of story that has you celebrating with the character's success, and frustrated on their behalf when they are treated with injustice. This a great story about honesty, bravery, friendship, and family. It also provides a fascinating glimpse of what the United States was like on the brink of World War II. Reader's who liked books such as The War That Saved My Life or Wolf Hollow may enjoy this book as well.

Like the Willow Tree: The Diary of Lydia Amelia Pierce

Like the Willow Tree: The Dairy of Lydia Amelia Pierce
By Lois Lowry
Scholastic, 2011, 216 p., Youth Historical Fiction

"It is called Spanish Influenza. I do not know a single person who suffers from it and think it is all quite silly." (pg 4) In the Fall of 1918 the Great War was coming to an end when the Spanish Influenza epidemic swept up into Maine. This forever change the life of Lydia Pierce. Within days she and her brother Daniel were orphans. Soon they found a new home with the Shaker community of Sabbath Day Lake. Life is different with the Shakers, but is different a bad thing? Can Lydia find a new family with these kind people?

This book is one of the Dear America series. All these books are written as diaries of fictional girls who live through historical events and meet real people who lived there too. These books provide engaging stories with real events. At the end of every book is a section explaining what was true and what was not. It's great for elementary kids, but adults may enjoy them as well. Scholastic also has My Name is America, where boys are the focus of the diaries, and The Royal Diaries, which focus on true life princesses. This one focuses on the Shaker community as it neared its decline. At the time this book was written in 2011 there were only 3 Shaker's left in the whole world, but the community at Sabbath Day Lake that Lydia and her brother are sent to is real, and still exists. You can even visit it if you ever travel to Maine. This book does deal with death, and while it's not violent, it is tragic and may upset sensitive children. It is written by the award winning author Lois Lowery who wrote Number the Stars and The Giver.

The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden

The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden
(The Vanderbeekers #2)
by Karina Yan Glaser
HMH Books, 2018. Juvenile Fiction, 327 p.
This is the second adventure of the Vanderbeekers who are members of a biracial family who live in Harlem, NY. In this story, their elderly friend, Mr. Jeet, has a stroke, and the kids decide to create a garden so that Mr. and Mrs. Jeet will have a nice place to visit when Mr. Jeet gets out of the hospital.  They choose an empty lot next to their church, and make their improvements without really getting permission from their pastor.  The road to good intentions has its pot holes, but the children overcome them through persistence and a healthy disregard for rules.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, and I enjoyed this one as well.  The children's personalities and interactions are charming and funny. Even more appealing is the sense of community Glaser creates for her characters and that we all wish we enjoyed. This is a great choice as a read aloud for families with mixed age children or as an audiobook (available to download with your library card through RBDigital) to listen to on your next family road trip.

Spy School

Spy School
By Stuart Gibbs
Simon and Schuster, 2012, Intermediate Fiction, 290 p.

Ben Ripley is a wiz with math who has dreamed of one day becoming a CIA agent.  His wish seems to be coming true sooner than he could have believed when he is recruited to attend a secret spy academy. His dream job quickly turns into a nightmare as he finds himself in the middle of a plot that has nothing to do with wearing fancy tuxedos, or carrying high tech spy gadgets.  Only his interest in the beautiful and brilliant spy school student, Erica, keeps him in the game, and out of the cross-hairs.

I am a big Stuart Gibbs fan and this one did not disappoint. Ben is an endearing nerd, and Erica is a super cool strong girl character. The school is cool too, with hidden panels, secret entrances, and a maze of a basement. Add in evil spy agencies and double agents and there is everything a spy story lover could want. If you like this one, there are 6 more in the series. (2012, 290 p.)

Geekarella

Geekarella 
by Ashley Poston
Quirk Books, 2017, Young Adult Fiction. 319 p.

Elle is a die hard fan of a science fiction TV series, Starfied. Not so her evil step mother and twin step sisters.  They spend their time spending Elle's inheritance and belittling her choice of entertainment.  Elle feels like a nobody until one day she receives a random text from another Starfield fan. Little does she know that her text friend is really the heartthrob actor who is playing the lead in the new Starfield movie; the same actor she is constantly slamming on her Starfield fan blog. 

Poston explores the geeky world of cos-play and sci-fi fandom in all its glory.  Readers will enjoy Poston's modern version of the classic Cinderella story, from the orange pumpkin food truck to the crystal shoe.  Of course, there are the angsty family relations ubiquitous in YA novels, but they do not overpower the fun elements. I think teens will enjoy this book, especially middle-school age girls who might be part of a fandom themselves.  Look for a sequel coming out this year.

City of Orphans

City of Orphans
By Avi
New York:Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2011, Youth Historical Fiction, 350 p.
Maks' parents came from Denmark when he was only a baby, but New York is his home and he works as a newsboy selling papers. Now Bruno and his Plug Ugly Gang are trying to beat Maks up and take his money - and they almost succeed. Then Willa, a homeless girl who lives in a narrow ally, beats off the Plug Uglies with a stick and saves Maks. The least he can do is invite her home to eat. But, when Maks gets home he finds that his older sister Emma, who works at the new Waldorf Hotel, got arrested for stealing! Only she didn't steal anything. How is Maks going to prove her innocent without spending any of the family's small earning on an expensive lawyer? Plus there's still Bruno and the Plug Ugly Gang to worry about; and their not happy about what Willa did...

This novel will capture both teens and adults and whisk them off through the rough streets of New York's lower East End in 1893. It's a clean read with mild street violence, but nothing graphic. One of the most interesting things about this novel is that the text is written so that the entire story is narrated in a thick New Yorker accent. This helps the reader to more fully immerse themselves in the story as they picture themselves sitting around listening to a tough, working class type spinning this story long into the night.

Chains: Seeds of America

Chains: Seeds of America
By Laurie Halse Anderson
New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2008, Youth Historical Fiction, 316 p.
Isabel was born as a slave, but she wasn't supposed to remain one. She and her little sister, Ruth, were supposed to be freed upon the death of their elderly owner, Miss Finch; but Miss Finch's nephew sells them anyway. Her new owners, the Lockton's, take Isabel and Ruth to New York. New York in 1776 is heating up with tension between the Loyalists and Rebels and Isabel soon learns that her owners are not only Loyalists, - Mrs. Lockton is cruel. As her situation worsens Isabel tries to find a way for her and Ruth to escape. Both the Loyalists and the Rebels are offering freedom to slaves who join their cause. Isabel is willing to help either side if it means freedom, the question is, who will help her?
Anderson's novel is not only engaging, it also illustrates the difficult lives of slaves and the complex, unfair, and cruel obstructions that ruled their lives. Isabel's plight highlights all the legal and illegal practices that made slavery the evil that it was. It also illustrates the difficultly of slaves choosing sides in the American Revolution, who was truly their enemy and who would truly offer them freedom? Reader's will be pulled into her life and find themselves rooting for her success and angered on her behalf. This book is a fantastic work of historical fiction for teens and well as adults. Be warned it is the first of a trilogy, so you will have to read all of them to find out how Isabel's story ends.