JUST KEEP WALKING by Erin Soderberg Downing

 

Jo was supposed to go on this hike along the northern edge of Lake Superior with her dad. He took her older brother years ago and promised to repeat the hike with Jo this year. Instead, Jo's parents have gotten divorced, and her brother has gone off to college. 

It was a real surprise when Jo's mother offers to do the hike with her. They have plan the route and shop for the gear they need and are ready to start. Hiking is a lot harder than they thought. The first couple of days are rough. When they finally reach their campsite for the night, they realize their work isn't over. They have to pitch their tent, get water from the nearest source and purify it, find the latrine, and then fix supper. 

The days pass as they both get smelly, and Jo counts her blisters and knee pain. Being alone with her mother does give Jo the chance to ask what happened to cause the divorce. The answer isn't completely satisfying, but it is a bit clearer, and Jo begins to think about whether she should work on reconnecting with her dad when they get home. 

When Jo's mom hurts her ankle and can't continue, Jo has to decide if she will join with a couple of women who offer to let her finish the hike with them. This could be Jo's chance to show herself and everyone else that she is capable of more than she ever expected.

Author Erin Soderberg Downing takes readers on a realistic adventure that illustrates courage and family connection. This fast read is perfect for middle grade readers.

SHARK TEETH by Sherri Winston

 

Sharkita "Kita" lives every day on edge. Will today be the day she and her siblings are whisked away by Child Protective Services? Ever since their mother took off for nine days leaving them alone, Kita worries it will happen again.

Alcohol and drugs tempt her mother into forgetting she's a mother. Right now things are good or at least there's food in the house and a mother who seems to be thinking about her kids. Kita tip-toes around carefully trying not to upset the momentary peace. 

Even though she is constantly teased at school for her horrible double row of teeth, she has found a few friends and is having fun on the twirling team. Art is her favorite class. She also has some help from the assistant principal and the counselor. If her mom will just stay sober and not take off, life seems to be working.

Author Sherri Winston's SHARK TEETH gives readers a likeable main character they will want to root for and cheer on when things are going smoothly. Readers will jump to her defense when the choices her mother makes take wrong turns and cause Kita and her siblings grief. 

FOREVER IS NOW by Mariama J. Lockington

 

My first experience with author Mariama J. Lockington was when I read FOR BLACK GIRLS LIKE ME. I loved that book, so I was excited to read her latest, FOREVER IS NOW. It did not disappoint! Written in verse for a YA audience, FOREVER IS NOW, opens the door for incredible discussions about mental health, love, family, and finding power as a Black girl today.

Sadie is dealing with anxiety disorder and newly diagnosed agoraphobia. Hanging out in a neighbor park, she witnesses police brutality against a young Black girl. Sadie has heard stories and seen news reports, but witnessing the event firsthand shocks her. Now she is afraid to leave her house and worries that she won't be able to defend herself in her own hometown.

As summer vacation begins, Sadie realizes she will not be able to participate in the internship she was looking forward to. Her parents and younger brother try to help her through panic attacks and fears they don't fully understand. Therapy helps as well as her best friend, but Sadie isn't sure she will ever be comfortable out in the world again. Meeting a new neighbor helps some, but he struggles with his own issues that threaten their budding friendship.

When Sadie finds a way to communicate virtually, she is able to share her struggles with others who understand what it is like to feel weakened by the world around them. She also discovers that she does have a vehicle to express herself and her opinions, and as a result she finds strength and courage to step out of her comfort zone.

HEROES by Alan Gratz

 

Author Alan Gratz has done it again! HEROES is an historical fiction account of the bombing of Pearl Harbor. With his two main characters, Frank and Stanley, Gratz gives the attack a personal touch that will surely connect with readers both young and old.

Frank and Stanley live on Ford Island, Oahu. Their fathers are both Navy airmen stationed there. Their story begins on December 6, 1941. They are enjoying their carefree island life and discussing the comics they love and the ones they hope to create. 

The boys jump at the chance to tour one of the battleships moored in the area. It is when they are touring the massive ship that the Japanese attack. What follows is their hair-raising escape back to the base, and then their heroic efforts to save injured sailors all while the Japanese attack the US Pacific Fleet.

Frank is holding onto a secret from before he met Stanley. Ever since something he calls The Incident, he has been afraid of everything. This makes Frank so cautious about life that he is worried Stanley won't be friends with him anymore. Can Frank put aside his fears to survive the attack? Can he even help others survive? Will Stanley's Japanese-American heritage allow him to do what he knows he needs to do to help himself and others?

Fans of Alan Gratz are going to love this one, and anyone who hasn't been introduced to Gratz, will become fast fans.

 

I just finished reading THE BLOOD YEARS by Elana K. Arnold. It is the 2024 ALA winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award for outstanding portrayal of the Jewish experience. Arnold uses her grandmother's life story as inspiration for the character of Frederieke "Rieke" Teitler. Beginning in 1939 and ending after WW II, THE BLOOD YEARS takes readers into the life of young Rieke as she and her family navigate living in Romania during the frightful years surrounding the war.

Rieke and her older sister struggle not only because of the war, but also because their absent father has left their mother depressed and unable to fulfill her motherly duties most days. Eventually, the three leave the apartment they can't afford and move in with Rieke's grandfather. She loves her Opa and enjoys working with him in his jewelry shop. Life improves some until those in power begin persecuting the Jews. Rieke and her family must deal with changing rules and limited resources that only worsen as the Germans get closer.

In addition to the war, Rieke is suffering from TB. She tries to keep her illness from her family so as not to worry them, but it becomes impossible to hide as her condition worsens. She often feels responsible for the problems her family faces as they are forced to move from one horrible location to another in an attempt to survive.

THE BLOOD YEARS deserves the award from the ALA and is a must have for classroom and library collections.