This Librarian's Quick Picks: The Stars Beneath Our Feet

The Stars Beneath Our Feet
by David Barclay Moore
Knopf (2017)
Realistic Fiction

What It's About:

It’s Christmas Eve in Harlem, but twelve-year-old Lolly Rachpaul and his mom aren’t celebrating. They’re still reeling from his older brother’s death in a gang-related shooting just a few months earlier.

Why You'll Love It:

• These characters are vibrantly alive, reconstituting the realness that is needed to bring diverse, complicated stories to the forefront of our shelves.
• Moore delivers a realistic and at times brutal portrait of life for young people of color who are living on the edge of poverty, while at the same time infuses the story with hope and aspiration, giving Lolly the chance to find salvation through creativity.
• The cover art. Seriously.

Who Should Read It:

Great for 6th-8th graders. Also, here's an interview with author Moore.

What Else You Should Read:

• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
• Into the Dangerous World by Julie Chibbaro
• Finding Mighty by Sheela Chari

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Posted by John David Anderson

Posted

by John David Anderson
Walden Pond, 2017
Realistic Fiction

What It's All About:

In middle school, words aren't just words. They can be weapons. They can be gifts. The right words can win you friends, or make you enemies. 

Why You'll Love It:

• Acute observations about social media and school life and a smart, engaging narrator make this a journey well worth taking.
•  Anderson reminds us that bullying takes place in many forms: when cellphones are banned from Branton Middle School, the student population is thrown into a frenzy, which only increases when kids find a new way of communicating throughout the day—Post-it notes.
• The characters, both adult and teen, are vivid, flawed, and approachable. Anderson dives into the world of middle school with a clear sense of how it works and what it needs.

Who Should Read It:

Great for grades 5-8...and here's the teaching guide!

What Else You Should Read:

• Mr. Bixby's Last Day by John David Anderson
• The Best Man by Richard Peck
• Restart by Gordon Korman

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Short

Short
by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Dial Books (January 2017)
Realistic Fiction/Humor Fiction

What It's All About:

Julia is very short for her age, but by the end of the summer run of The Wizard of Oz, she'll realize how big she is inside, where it counts. She hasn't ever thought of herself as a performer, but when the wonderful director of Oz casts her as a Munchkin, she begins to see herself in a new way. Julia becomes friendly with the poised and wise Olive--one of the adults with dwarfism who've joined the production's motley crew of Munchkins. With her deeply artistic neighbor, Mrs. Chang, Julia's own sense of self as an artist grows. Soon, she doesn't want to fade into the background--and it's a good thing, because her director has more big plans for Julia!

Why You'll Love It:

• Sloan again captures the authentic voice of a child dealing with weighty topics, including loss and identity, in a charming and often funny way.
• It’s refreshing that Julia doesn’t mind being short and believes she’s “little, but big inside.” Her self-acceptance is inspiring, and the joy she experiences in her foray into theater is irresistible.
•  Julia's musings about the play also serve as a well-crafted introduction to theater terminology and convey drama’s ability to open participants up to new experiences.

Who Should Read It:

Perfect for 5th-8th graders.



What Else You Should Read:

• Drama by Raina Telgemeier
• The original Wizard of Oz books by L. Frank Baum
• Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle

This Librarian's Quick Picks: The Friendship Experiment by Erin Teagan

The Friendship Experiment
by Erin Teagan
HMH Books for Young Readers (November 2016)
Middle Grade Realistic Fiction

Summary:

Future scientist Madeline Little is dreading the start of middle school. Nothing has been right since her grandfather died and her best friend changed schools. Maddie would rather help her father in his research lab or write Standard Operating Procedures in her lab notebook than hang out with a bunch of kids who aren’t even her friends. Despite Maddie’s reluctance, some new friends start coming her way—until they discover what she’s written in that secret notebook.

Why You'll Love It:

• Teagan offers a smart, breezy narrative that is both clever and approachable, offering a fresh twist on the familiar topic of middle school angst.
• Science-minded readers will cheer to meet their match in Maddie as she conquers her demons and learns what exactly it means to have—and be—a friend.
• Her characters are realistic and funny as they fumble through early adolescence and grapple with the reality of change. 

Who Should Read It:

Great for 4th-7th graders...and here's an interview with the author, Erin Teagan!

What Else You Should Read:

• Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
• The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin
• The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly

What they're (really) reading: February 2016

photo by Toby Neal

By keeping a pulse on what my kiddos are checking out and keeping a close eye on which books are circulating heavily, I feel that I can spend the small budget I have more wisely by choosing books I know will have a greater likelihood of circulating widely.

Each month I'll feature a few fiction and a few nonfiction books that are on the "heavy rotation" list at our elementary library. They're not necessarily new, shiny, or covered with awards -- they're simply what the kids want.

This Month's Selections:

The Incredible Life of Balto
by Meghan McCarthy
Picture book biography

Illustrations and text describe the life of Balto, the real-life, legendary sled dog that braved a deadly blizzard to bring a lifesaving serum to people in Alaska in 1925, focusing on the dog's life after his celebrity-status waned. 

 
Kali's Story: An Orphaned Polar Bear Rescue
by Jennifer Keats Curtis
Nonfiction

Follow the rescue of orphaned polar bear Kali (pronounced Cully) from the Inupiat village of Kali (Point Lay in English) to the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage to his new home at the Buffalo Zoo in New York with Luna, a female polar bear. This photographic journey beautifully captures the remarkable development of the cub, who initially drinks from a baby bottle, sucks his paw for comfort, and sleeps with a "blankie" as he rapidly grows into the largest land carnivore on earth.

Splat the Cat
by Rob Scotton
Picture book

It's Splat's first day of school and he's worried. What if he doesn't make any new friends? Just in case, Splat decides to bring along his pet mouse, Seymour, and hides him in his lunchbox. The teacher, Mrs. Wimpydimple, introduces Splat to the class and he soon starts learning all his important cat lessons. But when Seymour escapes and the cats do what cats do (they chase mice!), Splat's worried again.

Pete the Cat: A Pet for Pete
by James Dean
Picture book

When Pete the Cat gets a goldfish, he decides to paint a picture of his new pet. But what will Pete do when everyone wants one of his paintings?


A Snicker of Magic
by Natalie Lloyd
Fantasy chapter book

The Pickles are new to Midnight Gulch, Tennessee, a town which legend says was once magic--but Felicity is convinced the magic is still there, and with the help of her new friend Jonah the Beedle she hopes to bring the magic back.

 

Tales from a not-so-dorky drama queen
by Rachel Renee Russell
Realistic fiction chapter book

A certain member of the CCP girls Dork fans know all about has gotten her hands on Nikki's diary and has decided to share some thoughts of her own…Find out what happens when Nikki's worst nightmare becomes a reality.