Fourth grade is not going at all how Benny Barrows hoped. He hasn’t found a new best friend at school. He’s still not a great bike rider — even though his brother George, who’s autistic, can do tricks. And worst of all, he worries his dad’s recent accident might be all his fault. Benny tries to take his mom’s advice and focus on helping others, and to take things one step at a time, but Benny doesn’t know how he and his family will overcome all the bad luck that life seems to have thrown their way.
Just My Luck
Charlie’s perfectly ordinary life has been unraveling ever since his war journalist father was injured in Afghanistan. When his father heads from California to Virginia for medical treatment, Charlie reluctantly travels cross-country with his boy-crazy sister, unruly brothers, and a mysterious new family friend. This story is equal parts madcap road trip, coming-of-age story for an autistic boy who feels he doesn’t understand the world, and an uplifting portrait of a family overcoming a crisis. See our interview with the author, Sally J. Pla ›
The Someday Birds
Twins Callie and Charlie have a lot in common, but they are also very different: Charlie has autism. Callie narrates the story, describing what autism is and exploring the issues that come along with it. The theme is of love, patience, and acceptance. Endnotes give a few basic facts for children unfamiliar with autism. The authors, a mother-daughter team, based this story on personal experience. The bright, mixed-media illustrations depict the family’s warmth and concern.
My Brother Charlie
Jasmine is only 8 years old but wants to do what the boys do. It’s her family Japanese tradition for the boys to pound the rice for mocha at her family’s New Year’s celebration. But can she really handle it? Readers of all backgrounds will empathize with Jasmine’s dilemma and see themselves in her.
Jasmine Toguchi: Mochi Queen
When their parents go on a trip, Yorick decides to play around with his father’s alchemy. Accidentally inventing a shrinking potion, a very tiny Yorick must rely on his younger — now much larger brother — Charles to keep him safe until the spell can be reversed. Steig’s rich language and cartoon illustration set the tale in medieval times and remain as fresh today as when the book was first published.
The Toy Brother
When Hee Jun’s father accepts a position in West Virginia, everything changes for the boy and his family. His grandmother, a teacher in Korea, now stays at home; his little sister becomes a discipline problem at school; and Hee Jun does not understand English. With time, however, Hee Jun finds a friend whose yard contains a rose of Sharon, a “mugunghwa” in Korea. It is a piece of home. Gentle illustrations convey the characters’ emotions to enhance the story.
A Piece of Home
Chengu, a young panda, can do a lot by himself. He can climb, push, swing and more. But even the most independent panda can use a little help sometimes. Mixed media illustrations highlight the expressive Chengu amid grass and on bamboo. Children — and adults — will see themselves in Chengu’s simple adventures.
Chengdu Can Do
Fifth-grade Maria and her younger brother live with their parents on a farm in Yuba City, California near the end of World War II. Their father is from India, their mother from Mexico. Maria loves to play baseball and is encouraged by her teacher but confronts other problems. Will their field be destroyed? Will the family lose their home? Both humorous and poignant, readers will gain a sense of the period and many of the issues that feel very contemporary.
Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh
Anais speaks French in her native African country but must use English in her new home in Maine. It’s difficult to learn English, make new friends and adjust. When her grandmother insists that Anais corresponds with her in English, not French, she asks her granddaughter to note one good thing about America each time. Though sometimes difficult, Anais does which ultimately helps things improve in this sweet, hopeful story of immigration.
One Good Thing about America
It’s hard to make lemonade out of lemons when your mother has died and you’re stuck living far away from everything familiar. But that’s just what Lemonade Liberty Witt must do when she goes to live with her grandfather in Willow Creek, California, the Bigfoot Capital of the World. There she meets Tobin Sky, an odd boy who is the CEO of Bigfoot Detectives, Inc. Together, they solve a mystery, perhaps even meet a Bigfoot, and find that making lemonade can sometimes occur unexpectedly.
Lemons
Saya takes comfort in listening to her mother’s voice on the answering machine while the family waits to be reunited. The moving story of immigration is beautifully narrated. The close-knit family will resonate with all ages.
Mama’s Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation
Amber Alessandra Leola Kimiko Miyamoto is getting ready to start middle school and she’s worried. Imaginative and real, Amber — half Japanese, half Italian — is read with authenticity to punctuate her mixed heritage and family concerns shared by many 9 to 12 year olds.
Dream On, Amber
Malala’s story is one of the resilience that comes from strong conviction. It is told through a present tense narrative and dramatic, vivid, stylized illustrations. The early life of the girl and her supportive family, her struggle against the Taliban and her ultimate recovery from a murder attempt is further enhanced by extensive back matter which includes photographs and additional information and resources.
Malala: Activist for Girls’ Education
The true story of a mother, her four daughters, one son, and a handsome white cat named Kunkush is a journey out of war-torn Iraq to resettle in Norway. It is also the tale of valiant volunteers who reunite Kunkush with his brave family after being separated during the grueling jouney. Richly hued, realistic illustrations accompany the straightforward text. Photos of the family, Kunkush, and the volunteers conclude the book.
Lost and Found Cat: The True Story of Kunkush’s Incredible Journey
An young girl raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, must unlock the powerful magic buried deep inside her. Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the forest, Xan, is kind and gentle. The swiftly paced plot draws many threads together to form a web of characters, magic, and interwoven lives. (Winner of the 2017 Newbery Medal)
The Girl Who Drank the Moon
Obeyda becomes a bacha posh (a girl who assumes the role of a boy) named Obeyd when she and her family leave Kabul to be nearer to family in the country. As bacha bosh, Obeyd has much more freedom and is sure to bring luck to the family since her policeman father could no longer support his family after he lost a leg in a car bombing. This story of contemporary Afghanistan is compelling and illuminating.
One Half from the East
Reena, her younger brother Luke and their parents leave New York City behind for a new life in Maine. The first summer in their new home, the siblings are asked to help old Mrs. Falala and her animals. Both the old lady and each of her four-legged charges have distinct personalities with unanticipated results for the children and parents. Humor and more serious topics unfold in gentle verse in an open format.
Moo: A Novel
Charlie writes to his older brother, Joe, who is a soldier during World War II. Though Cleveland, Ohio, feels like a long way from the war, there are things in common. Action and activities on both sides of the Atlantic are revealed through the brothers’ letters and provide an accessible introduction.
Brave Like My Brother
Archer has been in two weddings. He looks back on the first one — a disaster for the then six-year-old boy. At least Archer met Lynette Stanley, starting a friendship that has stuck. Now in 6th grade, Archer confronts bullies and what it means to be a man as he matures. Quirky characters combine with poignant and laugh-out-loud scenes in this memorable and ultimately touching novel.
Best Man
11-year-old Genie and his soon-to-be-14-year-old brother, Ernie, travel from their home in Brooklyn to spend the summer in rural Virginia with their grandparents. The boys are in for lots of surprises; they learn that their grandfather is blind, that there is no Internet, and more. Characters are distinct and vividly depicted as Genie narrates his satisfying story.
As Brave As You
Piper Green lives off the coast of Maine on Peek-a-Boo Island. Could it be the fairy tree that grows in her front yard that brings her the pony? This latest story about Piper and her life on the island is as satisfying as the others in the cheery series, but can be read as a stand-alone.
Piper Green and the Fairy Tree: The Sea Pony
While visiting relatives in Beirut, the 2006 war begins between Hezbollah and Israel. Luli and his family are displaced by the constant month-long bombings, unable to return to their home. When they do, their house is in ruins and Luli’s cats are missing. Lucy the Fat and Lucy the Skinny find their way back, but there is comfort only in the memory of Lucy Lucy. Though a story of war, this personal and hopeful story will resonate with young readers.
The Three Lucys
When the little penguins see snowflakes, they wonder how many? There are many! They dress for the weather and go play in the snow, tired and content when it’s time for bed. Bold forms of round-headed, dark penguins that play in the snow stand out until they recede in the night of their own room. This is a charming, whimsical, wintery tale.
Little Penguins
Robbie Darko loves magic but simply is not good at it. That is, until his grandmother teaches him a few tricks she learned as a professional magician. Filled with pathos and good nature, this novel is sure to resonate with readers.