April 2020 -- Special All-Digital Edition
Book Buzz is a quarterly publication that highlights new library materials for elementary age children. All reviews are written by Pierce County Library System Youth Services staff.
 
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In this Issue
Green on Green
Hair love : a celebration of daddies and daughters everywhere
Moth : an evolution story
The Proudest Blue : A Story of Hijab and Family
Ruby finds a Worry
My Jasper June
Lalani of the distant sea
Torpedoed : the true story of the World War II sinking of "The Children's Ship"
Remarkables
Like Vanessa
Charlotte's web
Where the Sidewalk Ends
Where the mountain meets the moon
The Penderwicks : A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
Sideways stories from Wayside School [electronic resource]
Echo
Picture Books
Green on Green
by Dianne White

Look outside, what do you see? Maybe trees and grass, or a beach and water—or do you see brown, turquoise, teal, and green? Join a young child and their family as they observe and appreciate the colors and sensations of the changing seasons and their changing family through a celebration of colors in this gentle, rhyming story.
 
Recommended for preschool to grade 2.
 
Brandi - South Hill
Hair Love : A Celebration of Daddies and Daughters Everywhere
by Matthew A Cherry

Vashti Harrison's superb illustrations complete this story about the loving bond between a dad and daughter as he tries (and tries) to do her hair. Patience, love, practice, and humor are the keys to doing anything successfully.
 
Recommended for kindergarten and up.
 
Amanda - Tillicum
Moth : An Evolution Story
by Isabel Thomas
 
This elegantly illustrated book tells the story of peppered moths’ adaptations in our ever-changing world. Lyrical language accompanies the images, explaining evolution in simple terms that even the youngest can comprehend. Best of all, this book encourages young readers to get outside and examine the world around them.
 
Recommended for kindergarten to grade 3.
 
Kari - South Hill
The Proudest Blue : A Story of Hijab and Family
by Ibtihaj Muhammad
 
A book about a young girl who gets a hijab and wears it to school for the first time. Beautiful colors and important discussions about bullying.
 
Recommended for kindergarten to grade 3.
 
Rebecca - Sumner 
Ruby Finds a Worry
by Tom Percival

Ruby finds a worry that follows her everywhere and just keeps getting bigger. Until she finds a friend who has a worry of his own. Together they discover that talking about their fears makes their worries disappear!
 
Recommended for kindergarten to grade 2.
 
Lisa - Graham
Chapter Books
My Jasper June
by Laurel Snyder

The school year is over, it's summer in Atlanta, and Leah feels lost. Since that one terrible day one year ago, her parents have become distant, her friends have fallen away, and Leah has been adrift and alone. Then she meets Jasper, a girl so unusual she seems almost magical. The two form a friendship so intense it doesn’t take long for both girls to realize they are in too deep. Things become desperate as they aim to find a way to save themselves from their problems and preserve their friendship that they both have come to depend upon.
 
Recommended for grades 4 to 6.
 
Erin - Outreach
 
Lalani of the Distant Sea
by Erin Entrada Kelly

There are stories of extraordinary children who are chosen from birth to complete great quests and conquer evil villains. This is no such story. Sometimes you are an ordinary child. Sometimes you have to choose your destiny. This is the story of Lalani Sarita, a twelve year old girl who lives on the island of Sanlagita in the shadow of a vengeful mountain.
 
Recommended for grades 3 to 5.
 
Michelle - Lakewood
Torpedoed : The True Story of the World War II Sinking of "The Children's Ship"
by Deborah Heiligman
 
In September 1940, in the midst of World War II, 100 children set sail for Canada from England in hopes of securing their safety. The children came from all different backgrounds, some wealthy, some poor, and ranged in age from 6 to 14. Just days into the journey, however, the ship carrying the children to safety was bombed by a German submarine.
A true story that reads like a fast-paced adventure is tinged with sadness and heroism. Heiligman brings the children and their adult chaperones to life, making a tragic story all the more meaningful and heartbreaking. For fans of the I Survived series but who crave more in-depth, historical information.
 
Recommended for grades 5 to 8.
 
Kari - South Hill
Remarkables
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
 
When Marin moves to a new town right before starting the 6th grade she struggles with thoughts of not fitting in. While wandering through the woods by her new house she comes across a group of teens. They seem so alive, laughing and having fun together and then - they just disappear! Marin soon finds out she's not the only person that can see the teens. Her neighbor, Charley, can see them as well and has named them the "Remarkables." Who are the Remarkables and why are Charley and Marin the only people who notice them?
 
Recommended for grades 4 to 6.
 
Erin - Outreach
Like Vanessa
by Tami Charles
 
Vanessa (Nessa) Martin dreams of being Miss America, but growing up poor, black, and with a fractured family in the New Jersey projects she has little hope. After watching Vanessa Williams win the Miss America crown in 1983, however, Nessa realizes there is a slim chance her dream could come true. Mrs. Walton, the new music teacher, mentors Nessa, and with the support of her friend, Tanisha, Nessa decides to try out for the middle school pageant. But false friends and family secrets may derail Nessa's efforts.  A poignant and powerful story about a young girl's fight to follow her dream. 
 
Recommended for grades 5 to 8.
 
Tamara - Gig Harbor
These titles are a sample!
Check out many more new titles for young people on Pierce County Library's Overdrive catalog.
What is TumbleBookLibrary?  
 
TumbleBookLibrary is a collection of e-books for elementary aged children. The collection includes over 250 animated picture books as well as read-along chapter books, nonfiction books, and books in Spanish and French. TumbleBookLibrary provides a word count, estimated reading time, reading level, and Accelerated Reader information for each book. Students can also write reports on books they have read, take quizzes and play games.
 
How do I access TumbleBookLibrary?  
 
You can download the TumbleBookLibrary app from your device’s app store. Or use this link to access TumbleBookLibrary through the library's website.
 
You will need your library card number or username and PIN number to access TumbleBookLibrary.
 
Don't have a library card? Apply online and receive an eCard within minutes to use our online resources.   
 
Read-Alouds for the Whole Family
Charlotte's Web
by E. B. White
 
Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel Silverstein
 
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
by Grace Lin
 
The Penderwicks : A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy
by Jeanne Birdsall
 
Sideways Stories from Wayside School
by Louis Sachar
 
Echo
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Pierce County Library System
3005 112th St. E • Tacoma, WA 98446
253-548-3300

piercecountylibrary.org/