AT HOME IN A FARAWAY PLACE by Lynne Rae Perkins

 

Lissie and her father and grandmother are going on an adventure to Guatemala. She has never traveled that far. She sees volcanoes, Mayan pyramids, unusual wildlife, and open-air markets. Lissie has questions everywhere she goes.

When she asks her father if she can learn Spanish while they are there, he reminds her they will only be there two weeks. Meeting new people and seeing new things, has Lissie learning new words all the time. She surprises everyone by learning much more than they expected.

Returning home has Lissie vowing to come back some day. It was a great adventure.

As author Lynn Rae Perkins tells Lissie's story, she includes Spanish vocabulary for the readers and sketches to help readers picture Lissie's trip. AT HOME IN A FARAWAY PLACE is an illustrated novel for early readers or anyone wanting to travel along with Lissie.

A DAY AT THE BEACH by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge

 

Authors Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge have teamed up to bring this interesting view of beach life. It begins before the lifeguards have climbed to their viewing platforms, before the beach is even open. Just two lone runners, Jackie and Simon, can be seen up the stretch of sand and water.

As the day unfolds, beach goers arrive and do what all beach visitors usually do. Some are building sandcastles, some are under beach umbrellas reading, some are trying to catch the waves, and some are having family picnics. Each chapter features a different perspective of what folks do when they declare the day a beach day.

Two brothers scour the sand with metal detectors hoping to outdo each other with the treasures they find. Frisbees fly, as a young boy questions everyone about the awesome phone he has managed to lose. He is pretty certain his life will be over if his father finds out about the lost phone.

As the day winds down, parents gather their children along with blankets, umbrellas, and coolers as they head home after a fun day at the beach. The two runners return as the day ends.

OCTOPUS MOON by Bobbie Pyron

 

Pearl loves hanging out at the Gulfarium where her mother works. Her first love is the loggerhead sea turtles, but lately she has been fascinated by octopus facts. She has learned that octopi are sensitive and can feel everything. That's how Pearl has been feeling recently, too.

It is getting harder and harder to get out of bed in the morning. At first, she thinks it is because starting fifth grade has her worried and nervous. It's more than that though. Hanging out with her two best friends is becoming more difficult, too. She has always been shy and quiet, but now when her friends suggest activities, Pearl is sure she would rather be home in her darkened bedroom.

At parent/teacher conferences, Pearl's parents learn that her grades have been slipping, she isn't turning in homework, and her mind seems to be somewhere else. This concern has her parents making an appointment for her with a therapist. Now Pearl is worried and nervous about that.

Diagnosed with depression, Pearl finds herself facing her feelings and learning new ways to cope with them. As she learns more, she recognizes the same symptoms in her grandfather and also learns that depression can hereditary.

OCTOPUS MOON by author Bobbie Pyron is perfect for middle grade readers needing to understand a condition that effects so many people today. Pyron describes Pearl's situation well and will help readers understand what it is like to deal with depression both personally and as a family member or friend.

EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS by John Green

 

John Green, author of Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars, and many other YA books, has written a non-fiction book. EVERYTHING IS TUBERCULOSIS explores the history of the world's most infectious disease.

Green became fascinated by tuberculosis while on a trip to Sierra Leone. He visited a hospital there and met a patient named Henry. He learned of Henry's life-long fight with the disease; and then began to do his own research into the history, treatment, and the continuing battle with the disease.

Readers will learn that in earlier times TB was referred to as consumption. When many of its victims were artists, authors, and poets, it was romanticized and thought to contribute to the creativity of these individuals. As time passed, contracting TB was thought to be because of poor lifestyle, poverty, and abuse of alcohol or gluttony.

Green details the advancement of detection and treatment. He describes that availability of medicines, compliance with treatment, and drug resistance all contribute to the loss of life in third world countries. He explains his own health issues and his feelings about relying on medication which helped him to understand how some TB patients suffer.

As I read this book, I was constantly thinking about the recent cuts made in the United States support for health in poor countries. It is a great concern that this highly contagious disease could once again surge due to lack of treatment.

I LOVE YOU, MICHAEL COLLINS by Lauren Baratz-Logsted

 

I remember the moon landing of Apollo 11. I was 13 and excited to stay up late to watch men walking on the moon. I LOVE YOU, MICHAEL COLLINS by Lauren Baratz-Logsted brought many memories.

Mamie is ten years old. Her older sister Eleanor has moved into an apartment. Her other sister Bess is busy with high school and her boyfriend Vinny. Next door is her best friend, Buster. 

As the school year comes to a close, Mamie listens to all the other girls and boys who marvel at Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. No one ever mentions Michael Collins, but Mamie thinks he is the one to admire because without him circling the moon, the other two won't have a way to get back to earth. 

Mamie begins writing letters to Michael Collins. As she does, her own family begins to unravel. Talking with him through her letters helps her deal with the real-life upheaval when everyone else seems to be abandoning her.

I'd classify this as historical fiction with a twist, and highly recommend it for middle grade readers.

BANNED TOGETHER: Our Fight for Readers' Rights edited by Ashley Hope Perez

 

The increase in book bans in recent years has some authors fired up (and many readers, as well). BANNED TOGETHER is a collection of awesome children's and young adult authors who have shared their feelings about this uptick in the attempt to restrict what kids read.

Filled with essays, short stories, personal accounts, graphic narratives, and more, BANNED TOGETHER reveals what many feel is a trend dangerous to free speech and literature today. This collection is perfect for sharing with others concerned about censorship in today's society.

WHEN WE RIDE by Rex Ogle

 

WHEN WE RIDE is Rex Ogle's first YA novel. Written in verse, it chronicles the friendship of two teens. Diego and Lawson have been friends for ten years. Hanging together is what they do, but lately, Diego hasn't been feeling all that comfortable with Lawson.

Diego works hard in school and at his job. He plans to earn good grades and save his paychecks so he can go to college. Lawson, on the other hand, isn't keen on school, and his job isn't exactly legal. He has been selling weed to high school friends and college students. Recently, he has added some harder stuff to his inventory.

Lawson constantly asks Diego to drive him around. Diego is worried that one of these days they will be pulled over and both of them will end up in jail. Lawson promises he won't let Diego go down for whatever he is carrying, but the reassurances don't make Diego comfortable.

What does it take to maintain a friendship when two friends have different goals? Can Diego step away from 10 years of friendship to protect himself, or does he feel too protective of Lawson? WHEN WE RIDE will keep you on the edge of your seat.