Staff Picks Youth Fiction
April 2020
Iggy Peck Architect
by Andrea Beaty
Iggy Peck is an architect, it’s easy for his family and friends to see. His teacher does not support him going on his building spree. One day tragedy strikes causing his class to be trapped without escape. Will Iggy build something amazing or forever take off his building cape? A great read for all our young STEAM fans.
Available on Hoopla and Overdrive.
Recommended by: Vanessa Fernandez, Youth Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Grades 3-5, Youth Fiction
March 2020
Show Me a Sign
by Ann Clare Lezotte
Mary Lambert has always felt normal in her small community on Martha’s Vineyard. It doesn’t matter that she’s deaf- nearly 1 in 4 people in her community are deaf, and the hearing population speaks sign language, too. But it’s 1805, and when a young, ambitious scientist from Boston hears about Mary’s community, he is determined to figure out the cause of her community’s widespread deafness. Mary soon suspects this stranger is not what he seems and her suspicions are confirmed with he takes Mary captive as a “live specimen”. Suddenly, Mary finds herself in a strange city unable to communicate her desperate situation to the hearing population around her. Show Me a Sign reframes how we think of disabilities, abilities, and notions of what is “normal”. A great, fast-paced read for lovers of historical fiction.
Recommended by: Stephanie Thomas, Preschool Services Coordinator
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Jelly
by Jo Cotterill
Angelica, Jelly for short, is in her 6th grade year at school. Every year, the school hosts a talent show and every year, Jelly comes in 3rd place. This year, she’s decided to take her talent of impressions and go big. However, her knack for comedy is really a protective shield–if people are laughing with you, they aren’t laughing at you. Jelly’s true talent is writing poetry, but no-one has ever seen her poems. It’s not until her mom’s new boyfriend gives Jelly the courage to share her poetry that Jelly really shines. Delightful characters and a quick-paced plot, this book will have you racing to the end. Perfect for fans of stories about growing up.
Recommended by: Kara DeCarlo, School Liaison
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Coo
by Kaela Noel
Abandoned as a baby and rescued by a flock of pigeons, Coo has never left the protection of the roof she and her flock call home. After an attack by a hawk leaves one of Coo’s flock terribly wounded, Coo works up the courage to seek out help from a woman the pigeons call, “the Healer”. The Healer not only decides to help the wounded bird, but also decides to take Coo under her wing. Trying to navigate through the human world has it’s benefits (like fresh donuts!) but Coo is torn between her new world and the comfort and familiarity of her rooftop flock. When pigeons in the city start getting mysteriously sick and dying, Coo fears for the well being of her flock community. Can Coo and her new group of human friends help her pigeon family? Will Coo decide to stay in the human world, or will she return to her flock? A thoughtful read for fans of animal stories and the power of friendship.
Recommended by: Stephanie Thomas, Preschool Services Coordinator
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Louisiana’s Way Home
by Kate DiCamillo
This book starts with Louisiana, the brave and resourceful protagonist of the book, being woken by her grandmother at 3 am. As her grandmother is a force to be reckoned with, Louisiana packs her suitcase and leaves to who knows where with her grandmother. If you read this book you’ll be taking the journey with Louisiana and it won’t be one you forget.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The Best at It
by Maulik Pancholy
This is a very realistic story of Rahul’s coming to terms with friendships, self-identity, and bullying. While attempting to more fully fit in with his peers, Rahul tries to become the best at anything instead of following his true passion. With humor and pathos, Pancholy brings together not only Rahul and his classmates but the cultures of the world.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
by Dan Gemeinhart
Adventure? Check. Drama? Check. Interesting characters? Check. What more can you ask for in a book? Not much. Just imagine a whole cast of fascinating people travelling together on a bus across much of the United States. Now add in their individual wants and needs and, bingo!, you’ve got quite the tale.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Two Peas in a Pod
by Sarah Mlynoski
Part of the Whatever After series, Abby wakes up after a restless night and is promptly named a princess. She and her brother and dog must have many adventures as they try to discover the identity of the real princess in the kingdom. Fast paced, clever, and full of girl power.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Dr. Snow Has Got To Go
by Dan Gutman
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The Red Menace
by Lois Ruby
Marty Rafner’s life is pretty normal for a 13 year old kid growing up in a small Kansas town in 1953. He loves playing baseball, listening on his radio as his favorite player, Mickey Mantle, wins games for the New York Yankees, and nurses a crush for his friend and next door neighbor, Amy Lynn. Everything changes when some family friends, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, are accused of spying for the Russians and are sentenced to death. To make matters worse, Marty’s own mother is now under suspicion of not being a loyal US citizen. It’s not easy to keep friends and live a normal life when the FBI is watching your family’s every move. The only one who seems to not mind being around Marty is Luke, his neighbor who has recently returned home from fighting in the Korean War. But Luke isn’t the same since he’s been back from the war, and Marty is running out of ideas on how to help him. With the execution date of the Rosenbergs getting closer, Marty can’t help but worry about the fate of his own family, if his life will ever go back to being normal, or if he’ll always be seen as a traitor. For fans of historical fiction and suspense, Red Menace is a home run.
Recommended by: Stephanie Thomas, Preschool Services Coordinator
Posted in: Youth Fiction