Staff Picks Youth Fiction
March 2020
Blue Skies
by Anne Bustard
An emotional read that keeps you caring about the characters until the very end. World War II is over and life is returning to normal in Texas. However, 10 year old Glory Bea is still waiting for her father to come home. She is sure he will and once again wake her up singing the song, “Blue skies”. Based on real events, the town begins to plan for a parade to welcome the Merci Train, one of 49 boxcars from France. Will her dad be part of that train?
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The Newspaper Club
by Beth Vrabel
What’s a kid from a family of reporters to do when they move from a bustling city to a sleepy town? Use their reporting skills to get to the bottom of a string of vandalism cases at the local park, of course. And along the way maybe make a few friends and start their own newspaper. This novel is a quick read, full of great characters and a mystery waiting to be solved. I can’t wait for the sequel!
Recommended by: Kara DeCarlo, School Liaison
Posted in: Youth Fiction
I’m New Here
by Anne O'Brien
Fatima, Maria and Jin are new immigrant children to America. On the first day of elementary school, it was very scary for the 3 of them because they had trouble speaking and understanding the English language. However, their teachers and peers welcomed them and made them feel accepted in the new community without losing their identity. I highly recommend this book because it teaches our children how to accept people with different cultures, languages and beliefs.
Recommended by: Ghada Rafati, Patrons Services Clerk
Posted in: Youth Fiction
My Little Sister and Me
by Maple Lam
My Little Sister and Me is a great book for families with sibling, the big brother for first time was told to pick up his little sister from the school bus stop, but on their way home they went through a fantastic journey, thanks to the little sister.
Recommended by: Ghada Rafati, Patron Services
Posted in: Youth Fiction
January 2020
More to the Story
by Hena Khan
This story of the Mirza family; four sisters mom and dad; might sound familiar to anyone who has read Little Women. But this updated take on a loving family going through some tough times is like a breath of fresh air. The Mizras are living in contemporary Atlanta, and Jameela (the narrator) wants to be an award-winning journalist, like her grandfather in Pakistan. When she gets chosen to be the features editor for her school newspaper, it looks like she’s on the right path. The only trouble is that the editor-in-chief doesn’t want any of the articles she suggests for the paper. By the time you finish this book, you will love each of the Mizra sisters and their world.
Recommended by: Kara DeCarlo, School Liaison
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The runaways
by Ulf Stark
Grandpa hates being in the hospital and is so obnoxious that his own son will no longer come visit him, but his grandson, Gottfried, visits as often as he can. Grandpa wants to go back to the place he was happiest—a house on an island where he lived with Grandma. He wants to go back one last time, so Grandpa and Gottfried decide to run away, no matter the risks or challenges. A touching story of the power of love.
Recommended by Joan Stoiber, Youth Services
Posted in: Youth Fiction
December 2019
Hey, Kiddo
by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
An excellent graphic memoir about author Jarrett Krosoczka’s less than ideal upbringing with an absent father, a heroin addicted mother and the, at times, volatile grandparents who raised him.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction
October 2019
A Dash of Trouble
by Anna Meriano
Leonora loves her big family and their family bakery. Every year, her family takes pride in crafting beautiful pastries for the town’s annual Dia de los Muertos/Day of the Dead celebration and certainly this year Leonora will be invited to help out in the kitchen. After a frustrating day at school and being told by her mother that she’s still too little to help, Leonora decides to borrow the old family cookbook from the bakery. She’s determined to show everyone how great she is in the kitchen, but it turns out the cookbook is not just a cookbook. It’s a book of magic spells! This story of families, holidays, and magic is a real treat. If you want a story with magic, but find the world of Harry Potter a bit too much, this book is a great choice.
Recommended by: Kara DeCarlo, School Liaison
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Tumble and Blue
by Cassie Beasley
For generations, members of the Montgomery family have received supernatural gifts, some lucky others not so lucky. There’s only one day in a century when a Montgomery can change their luck, under the blood moon deep in the Okefenokee swamp. Only one member of the family knows how to get to the island where luck can be changed. The one person is Granny Eve, who is grandmother and sole caretaker of our hero, Blue. Blue knows that his gift is pure bad luck, and he’s determined to be the one who gets the location out of Granny. But he has to contend with countless other cousins, Aunts, and Uncles who have arrived with the same goal in mind. One afternoon, he slinks out of the house, looking for some peace and meets his new neighbor, Tumble Wilson. Always ready for adventure, Tumble promises to help Blue explore the swamp and reverse his luck. This book is great for fans of adventure, spooky stories, and weird tales.
Recommended by: Kara DeCarlo, School Liaison
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Bone’s Gift
by Angie Smibert
One part historical fiction, one part mystery, one part supernatural tale: this book adds up to a real page-turner. Set in a coal mining town in West Virginia just as the United States is entering World War II, you may think our main character has enough to deal with. 12 year-old Bone Phillips comes from a family with peculiar gifts; an Uncle who can heal animals, a Grandmother who speaks to plants. Bone can see the stories in everyday objects, just by picking them up. One day Bone finds a note that says her mother died as a result of using her own gift. Bone is determined to solve the mystery of her mother’s death and bring her father home from training to go to the front lines. A beautifully written tale that draws you into a world where ghosts may be real and there’s no problem that can’t be solved with a little help from some friends.
Recommended by: Kara DeCarlo, School Liaison
Posted in: Youth Fiction