Staff Picks Youth
April 2021
Pete the Cat: Crayons Rock!
by Kimberly Dean and James Dean
Posted in: Youth Fiction
A Place to Hang the Moon
by Kate Albus
It’s June 1940 and siblings William, Edmund and Anna have a big problem. Since their parents died they have lived with their grandmother but now she has died. On top of that they are being evacuated from London to escape the potential bombings taking place. Their grandmother’s solicitor has come up with a plan. Try to find a suitable family to adopt them when they’re away in the countryside. But the children end up with some unsavory individuals and wonder if they’ll ever find a home.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction
The Big Bad Wolf in My House
by Valerie Fontaine
An age-appropriate story for any young child who may have experienced domestic abuse or heard about it from others. Told from the point of view of the daughter, her efforts to protect herself physically and emotionally are by using the house building strategies of the three little pigs.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
March 2021
Doggo and Pupper
by Katherine Applegate
A humorous chapter book about an older dog, who likes his routines, but then a puppy joins the household. Mayhem and off to obedience school ensue. Will that solve the problems for Doggo and Pupper?
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
One-Osaurus, Two-Osaurus
by Kim Norman
A counting game turns into hide and seek when something sounding very big comes along and the dinosaurs must hide…or maybe play a different game together.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Someone Builds the Dream
by Lisa Wheeler
A lyrical reminder of the people behind the scenes with skills and crafts that bring alive the dreams of others whether it is a bridge or a book.
Recommended by: Joan Stoiber, Youth Services Reference Librarian I
Posted in: Youth Fiction
When You Trap a Tiger
by Tae Keller
Lily is going through a range of emotions as her family moves in with her grandmother whom she calls Halmoni. Lily loves the stories her grandmother tells her but feels like the line between fantasy and reality is blurred. As she continues to struggle with her sister, her mother and making new friends, her world is turned upside down.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction
Other Words for Home
by Jasmine Warga
Jude, our female main character, leaves her hometown in Syria with her mother to escape violence and moves to America. Navigating her new normal, she tries not to be ‘weird’ according to her cousin and worries about her brother and father who stayed behind. This book title is available in the library and on OverDrive/Libby as an ebook and e audiobook.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction
It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood
by Trevor Noah
Comedian, Trevor Noah, describes his childhood in shocking detail. From having to distance himself from his white father to an abusive stepfather to the fierce love provided by his mother, Noah tells his story with both humor and pathos. This book is available in the library and on OverDrive as an ebook.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Biographies
Brother’s Keeper
by Julie Lee
This historical fiction book tells the story of Sora Pak and her family in North Korea in 1950. When war breaks out between North and South Korea, Sora’s family flees North Korea for South Korea. This harrowing story, based in part on the author’s mother’s life, takes place over approximately two years. This book is available in the library and on OverDrive as an ebook.
Recommended by: Becky McCormack, Youth Services Assistant Manager
Posted in: Youth Fiction