Staff Picks Youth Fiction
April 2020
My Jasper June
by Laurel Snyder
Leah has been unhappy and feeling alone for a year since one event changed things for her. She has no one to talk to . . . no friends or helpful parents. Then she meets Jasper, a girl who is fun and adventurous and has secrets too. An uplifting book covering serious topics of abuse, homelessness, and death. Also available on OverDrive.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Young Adult Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
What Can a Citizen Do
by Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris
This delightful picture book with beautiful art shows children the importance of being a citizen. A citizen is not who you are, but what you do. Citizens stand up for what is right, and let their voices be heard. A citizen helps friends in need and make them feel welcomed. This is a great introduction to present children with the idea of civic duty and how everyone is a citizen even though everyone is different. Also available on Hoopla.
Recommended by: Vanessa Fernandez, Youth Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom
by Louis Sachar
Released 40 years after the original book Sideways Stories from Wayside School, Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom throws us back into the wacky ways of Wayside School. On the 30th floor of Wayside School Mrs. Jewls teaches her class of 28 strangely unique students. Ms. Jewls tasks her class by collecting 1 million on one thing. Of course, the class lands on collecting fingers and toenails. During all the short stories, there is a cloud of doom looming over Wayside School that makes the already wacky school even more out of whack. Will the students survive the cloud of doom or continue to blame all of their trouble on the cloud? Can all the students keep track of their ONE paperclip? Will Ms. Jewls’ class successfully collect 1 million toenails? Get ready for a fit of giggles in this silly read.
Recommended by: Vanessa Fernandez, Youth Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The Parker Inheritance
by Varian Johnson
Candice loves mysteries and brain teasers. After she finds a letter addressed to her grandmother, she teams up with Brandon, the boy across the street to try to solve a mystery from the 1950s and to collect a fortune. Flipping between the present and past, the children uncover a case of racism that is still impacting the town. Fans of The Westing Game, which plays a role in this mystery, will enjoy this complex, yet fast-paced story. This book is a 2019 Coretta Scott King Honor Book. Also available on OverDrive.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Stef Soto, Taco Queen
by Jennifer Torres
A debut novel about a young girl finding her voice. Stef is tired of being teased about her family’s taco truck. But when the city steps in with regulations, which side will Stef be on? This is a heartwarming multicultural novel based on current events. Also available on OverDrive.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Nowhere Boy
by Katherine Marsh
A story about being in a lockdown situation during a real lockdown! In this book it is not a virus, but a threat of terrorism that has caused the lockdown in Brussels. Ahmed has fled Syria with his father but ends up hiding alone in the wine cellar of Max’s house. Max, newly arrived from Washington, D.C. and feeling uncomfortable in his new surroundings, discovers him and wants to help. But after a terrorist attack occurs, the police are looking for any foreigners. What to do when you don’t know who to trust, including your family? A timely novel about the importance of understanding to replace the fear of different cultures. Based on a true, similar incident that occurred during WWII. Also available on OverDrive.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Lifeboat 12: Based on a True Story
by Susan Hood
What difference could it make if Ken got on lifeboat 12 instead of lifeboat 8? Ken finds out when the ship he is on is torpedoed before it can reach Canada from England. Many parents were evacuating their children to escape the Blitz to the safety of Canada. To do so though, they had to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Ken finds himself on lifeboat 12 with other survivors but with limited food and water. Can they survive the stress, the storms, and keep their sanity? Also available on OverDrive.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Willow Moss and the Lost Day (Starfell Series, book 1)
by Dominique Valente
In the kingdom of Starfell, magic is real–but not everybody has magical powers. Willow Moss is the youngest in the Moss family, and by comparison, her magical talent is small. Her mother can speak to the dead, her sisters can make things explode, and her grandmother was a world-famous potion maker. Willow’s talent is finding lost things; usually keys or toothbrushes. Nobody thinks much of Willow’s magical skill… Until the day that the world’s most feared witch comes asking for Willow’s help. Last Tuesday has gone missing, and that lost day threatens to unravel the universe. This delightful story draws from many classic fantasy elements, yet still feels fresh. I loved the cast of characters: monsters, dragons, trolls, and of course, witches. This book is a delightful escape from the mundane, and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series. Also available on Hoopla.
Recommended by: Kara DeCarlo, Youth Services School Liasion
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Breakout
by Kate Messner
When the public library decides to create a time capsule for the future residents of Wolf Creek, Nora Tucker, aspiring journalist, jumps at the opportunity to participate. Elidee Jones recently moved to Wolf Creek, and if it wasn’t for the extra credit, she wouldn’t really care about participating in the time capsule. She’s much too busy worrying about her brother, Troy, serving a 15-year sentence at the prison in Wolf Creek, and missing her family back in New York City. When two inmates at the prison escape, Nora and Elidee pour out their thoughts and experiences to the future residents of Wolf Creek in their time capsule letters. A suspenseful and thoughtful read. Also available on OverDrive.
Recommended by: Stephanie Thomas, Youth Services Preschool Services Coordinator
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The Gift of Ramadan
by Rabiah York Lumbard
Sofia is a little Muslim girl who loves sparkles and after hearing her grandma describing the heart of a person who fasts is “Pretty and Sparkly” she did her best to fast and follow the traditions of Ramadan. Could Sofia fast the long days of Ramadan so she can have a pretty and sparkly heart? It’s a great book for anyone who wants to know what is Ramadan and how Muslim families spend each day of it.
Recommended by: Ghada Rafati, Patron Service Clerk
Posted in: Youth Fiction