|
|
Books for Kids and Tweens April 2023 |
|
|
|
|
| Eb & Flow by Kelly J. BaptistWhat it's about: Suspended after a fight at school, 7th-graders Ebony "Eb" Wilson and De’Kari "Flow" Flood have time to observe their now-viral conflict making waves in their neighborhood -- and making each of them consider if this is really how they want things to be.
How it's told: through free-flowing poetry from both characters, allowing readers to see the tough situations behind each kid and their actions.
For fans of: Jason Reynolds and Jacqueline Woodson. (Ages 8-13.) |
|
| Leeva at Last by Sara Pennypacker; illustrated by Matthew CordellThe question: "What are people for?" wonders 8-year-old Leeva Thornblossom.
The answer: surely isn't "money" or "fame" like Leeva's greedy parents claim. Maybe she can figure it out with help from a kid in a hazmat suit, a skateboarding librarian, and a grumpy badger.
Who it's for: If you love chapter books that grab your attention with both words and art, don't miss this team-up between Clementine author Sara Pennypacker and award-winning artist Matthew Cordell. (Ages 8-12.) |
|
|
|
Big Tree
by Brian Selznick
When she and her brother, two Sycamore seeds who hope to set down roots one day, are forced to leave their mama tree prematurely, they are hurled into the unknown, discovering their mission in life is much bigger than either of them could have imagined. By the #1 New York Times best-selling and Caldecott Medal-winning author/illustrator of The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
|
|
| Legends of Lotus Island: The Guardian Test by Christina Soontornvat; illustrated by Kevin HongWhat it's about: Orphan Plum is thrilled when she's accepted to the Guardian Academy, where kids train to become shape-shifting protectors of nature. Once there, however, Plum worries that she'll never find her animal form, and will have to leave the Academy and the only friends she's ever had.
Read it for: intriguing world-building paired with imaginative manga-style artwork.
While you wait: for the next book in this new series, you might also enjoy Michelle A. Barry's Moongarden.
|
|
| Hoops by Matt TavaresWelcome to: Wilkins, Indiana, 1976, where the brand-new girls basketball team gives talented athlete Judi her long-awaited chance to play.
What happens: Despite zero support from the school and lots of obstacles, the new teammates forge friendships and fight their way to the state championships.
Did you know? This exciting, feel-good graphic novel is inspired by a real-life history-making basketball team. (Ages 8-12.) |
|
| Moonwalking by Zetta ElliottWhat it's about: the unlikely friendship between geeky Afro Latino graffiti artist Pie Velez and punk music-obsessed J.J. Pankowski, one of the few white kids at their 1980s Brooklyn school.
How it's told: through structured visual poetry from Pie and free verse from J.J.
Read it for: a vivid look at a particular time and place, as well as the complex ways racism can impact a friendship. (Ages 11-13). |
|
| A Duet for Home by Karina Yan GlaserStarring: musician-in-training June, who just moved with her family into a homeless shelter; and classical music fan Tyrell, who's lived there for years.
What happens: As June adjusts to such a big change, she bonds with Tyrell, who helps her find a place to practice her precious viola.
Why you might like it: While staying realistic about the difficulties faced by kids in the shelter system, A Duet for Home offers heartwarming friendships and notes of hope. (Ages 9-13.) |
|
|
|
Northwind
by Gary Paulsen
Forced to take to the water after a deadly plague wipes out his fishing village, Leif connects to the heartbeat of the ocean and the pulse of the landscape as he discovers his truest self.
|
|
|
|
When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead
As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1970s television game show, "The $20,000 Pyramid," a twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space
|
|
| A Song Called Home by Sara ZarrStarring: 11-year-old Lou, who's dealing with way too much after her alcoholic dad leaves, her mom remarries Steve from church, and they move from their tiny San Francisco apartment to a house in the suburbs.
What happens: Lou finds comfort and control in two activities: stealing small things and learning to play the guitar in the hopes that it might bring her dad back.
Read it for: Lou's authentically messy experience of family, faith, and coping with change. (Ages 9-13.) |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|
Michigan City Public Library
100 E. 4th Street
Michigan City, Indiana 46360
219-873-3044mclib.org/ |
|
|
|