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Books for Kids and Tweens April 2024
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The partition project
by Saadia Faruqi
When her grandmother comes off the airplane in Houston from Pakistan, Mahnoor knows that having Dadi move in is going to disrupt everything about her life. She doesn't have time to be Dadi's unofficial babysitter-her journalism teacher has announced that their big assignment will be to film a documentary, which feels more like storytelling than what Maha would call "journalism." As Dadi starts to settle into life in Houston and Maha scrambles for a subject for her documentary, the two of them start talking. About Dadi's childhood in northern India-and about the Partition that forced her to leave her home and relocate to the newly created Pakistan. As details of Dadi's life are revealed, Dadi's personal story feels a lot more like the breaking news that Maha loves so much. And before she knows it, she has the subject of her documentary. (Ages 8-12.)
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| The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry by Anna Rose JohnsonSet in 1912, this warmhearted historical adventure follows Lucy, a dreamy, orphaned 11-year-old with French and Ojibwe heritage, as she's sent to stay with a large Ojibwe family in a lighthouse on Lake Superior. For fans of: L.M. Montgomery's classic Anne of Green Gables. (Ages 8-12.) |
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| Blue Stars: The Vice Principal Problem by Kekla Magoon and Cynthia Leitich Smith; illustrated by Molly MurakamiEven though they're part of the same Black and Muscogee family, cousins Maya and Riley don't get along...until they find a common enemy in the vice principal ruining their middle school. This funny slice-of-life graphic novel kicks off a new series. (Ages 8-12.) |
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Warrior on the mound
by Sandra W. Headen
In 1939 North Carolina, an all-Black baseball team "trespasses" on the whites-only baseball field, and the resulting racial outrage can only be resolved on the mound. (Ages 8-12.)
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World Almanac guide to getting out alive : 1,001 tips for surviving extreme weather, killer bees, dentist visits, annoying siblings, and other major threats
by Joanne Mattern
This is not your parents' scouting survival manual! From extreme weather to just leaving the house every day, who doesn't have a lot to be worried about? The World Almanac Guide to Getting Out Alive prepares readers to face any obstacle head-on, with the best possible action. Whether you're worried about surviving something uncommon (like a volcanic eruption, shark attack, or plane crash) or something more common (like going to the dentist or giving a presentation in front of your whole class), this guide has escape routes, strategies, and other ways to get to safer ground--or avoid trouble in the first place! The World Almanac Guide to Getting Out Alive can prepare you for just about anything that life might throw your way--and turn any cause for concern into empowered action. (Ages 9-14.)
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Gut reaction
by Kirby Larson
Starting a new school after the loss of her father, Tess Medina assembles a ragtag team to taste-test her baked goods in preparation for a junior baking competition but is forced to confront everything she's been desperately trying to hide. (Ages 7-11.)
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April is Autism Awareness Month |
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A boy called Bat
by Elana K Arnold
When his veterinarian mom brings home a stray baby skunk that needs rehabilitation before it can be placed in a wild animal shelter, Bixby, a boy on the autism spectrum, resolves to prove that he is up to the challenge of caring for the skunk permanently. (Ages 7-10.)
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A bird will soar
by Alison Green Myers
Axel loves everything about birds, especially eagles. No one worries that an eagle will fly too far and not come home--a fact Axel wishes his mother understood. Deep down, Axel knows that his mother is like an osprey--the best of all bird mothers--but it's hard to remember that when she worries and keeps secrets about important things. His dad is more like a wild turkey, coming and going as he pleases. His dad's latest disappearance is the biggest mystery of all. Despite all this, Axel loves his life--especially the time he spends with his friends observing the eagles' nest in the woods near his home. But when a tornado damages not only Axel's home but the eagles' nest, Axel's life is thrown into chaos. Suddenly his dad is back to help repair the damage, and Axel has to manage his dad's presence and his beloved birds' absence. Plus, his mom seems to be keeping even more secrets. But Axel knows another important fact: an eagle's instinct is to soar. Axel must trust his own instincts to help heal his family and the nest he loves. (Ages 9-12.)
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Can you see me?
by Libby Scott
Hiding her struggles on the autism spectrum from her new classmates at Kingswood Academy, sixth grader Tally questions her understanding of what normal means when her best friend begins to feel uncomfortable. (Ages 8-12.)
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Nick and the brick builder challenge
by Jen Malia
When the Infinity Rainbow Club at school competes in a brick builder challenge, Nick can't wait to participate! Until he learns he must have a partner--the new girl. Nick wants to work alone. But to win, he'll have to figure out how to be part of a team. A story about the universal struggle of learning to work together on a team, told from the perspective of an autistic child. The Infinity Rainbow Club is a chapter book series featuring five neurodivergent children in a club at their elementary school. The club provides a safe space for stims and different communication styles to be accepted and celebrated. (Ages 7-10.)
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Ellen Outside the Lines
by A.J. Sass
The set-up: Autistic, routine-loving 8th grader Ellen Katz hopes that a school trip to Spain will help her reconnect with her best (and only) friend Laurel, who's grown distant.
What happens: Instead, Ellen is sent on a scavenger hunt across Barcelona with unfamiliar students, including nonbinary newcomer Isa, who makes Ellen reconsider her -- or maybe their? -- feelings about change.
Why you might like it: This sweet own voices book steers clear of stereotypes, letting the characters' personalities shine. (Ages 9-13.)
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Real
by Carol Cujec
Born unable to speak because of her autism, a 13-year-old math whiz whose funny, determined and kind nature are not recognized by others is forced to face her greatest fears when she is enrolled in public school. (Ages 10-13.)
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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Grand Ledge Area District Library 131 E Jefferson St Grand Ledge, Michigan 48837 (517) 627-7014https://gladl.org |
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