Published: 2012 Theme: Boxcar Children prequel Best for: 7 to 9 "They heard the sound of Papa's old gray car in the driveway. Jessie and Henry climbed down the ladder and watched Papa walk up to the barn, carrying a cloth sack of nails and some boards for the stalls." If you have children who are devoted to the Boxcar children series, and want to have a 'prequel', MacLachlan's children's book is just right.
Published: 2014 Theme: Parental Love Best for: 8 and up "An ache spread through Lexie, blurring her thoughts and stabbing her heart. All she really knew was how desperately she missed Mama. Grandma blamed Mama for everything. It wasn't fair." What makes good parenting? Is love enough, or is something else needed? We address this head on...
Published: 2003 Theme: Faith in Goodness Best for: 9 and up "Tears spilled out of my eyes. With no more thought of caution, I poured out our story. "My parents have both been arrested and sent to Siberia. My papa has been sent to a coal mine, and my mama has been exiled to Dudinka... We are going to her..." In this riveting historical fiction children's book, we journey across Russia to Siberia, in search of Mayra and Georgi's exiled parents during Stalin's regime.
Published: 2005 Theme: Genuine Sacrifice Best for: 10 and up "In so loud a voice I was sure her words carried over the hills, Nai Nai said, "Send us a boy to care for us in our old age and not another worthless girl." I, Chu Ju, was that worthless girl. Nai Nia's harsh words made my eyes sting with tears." In another beautifully written children's book of historical fiction, Whelan brings alive a foreign culture and foreign era, making us live and breathe with it.
Published: 2015 Theme: Imagination Best for: 9 and up "In those days, possibilities fell to the ground like rain. Each one was a brilliant bit of light, etched with a message. 'It's a possibility,' people would say whenever they found one and, if they liked what it said, they'd pop it into their mouths and chew on it." In this allegorical children's book, similar to The Phantom Tollbooth, we journey to an imaginative land, The Land of Possibilities, which is now in a sorry state.
Published: 2015 Theme: Friendship Best for: 7 and up "Dragons weren't the only ones who were mistreated so the different magicals agreed to keep their powers secret or hide from humans altogether. We've done such a good job that most humans consider all magicals imaginary." I smiled and often laughed out loud as I read this very silly fantasy book, peopled with all kinds of magical creatures, as well as a very admirable 10-year-old girl...
Published: 2006 Theme: Utopian World Best for: ages 10 and up "The old porcupine was standing over me, hands on his hips. He was wearing pants that were held up by straps and there was a hole in the back where his tail stuck out." This book is a like a half-way house for readers who still need pictures - half graphic novel, half proper literary style - and an engrossing futuristic utopia.
Published: 2014 Theme: Perseverance Best for: 5 to 8 "This is a regular girl and her best friend in the whole wide world. They do all kinds of things together. They race. They eat. They explore. They relax..." Right from the opening lines, you fall in love with this nameless little girl and her best friend, a very quirky looking dog ...
Published: 2012 Theme: Light-hearted Mystery Best for: 6 to 9 "Nice people smile a lot, and Precious Ramotswe was one of the nicest girls in Botswana. Everyone said so." Oh joy! My favorite adult author, Alexander McCall Smith, has recreated his No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency as a series for young children.
Published: 2014 Theme: Prejudice Best for: 11 and up "It struck Tomi then that Mom had changed a little just in the months since Pop was arrested. She had always done what everyone else wanted. Now for the first time in her life, she was in charge." More and more, I'm struck with the power of literature to educate children about injustice, and this book is a great example...
Litkidz 