Children’s books by current writers which are both well-written and captivating. We use 1975 as the cut off date for calling something ‘contemporary’ or classic; however, contemporary generally means today’s kids can identify with the characters.
Published: 2018 Theme: Thomas Edison Best for: 5 to 8 "Behind the shelves lay the University of Mice. Here any inquisitive mouse could learn everything there was to know about the history of mice: mice who had traveled the world, mice who had made great discoveries..." A beautifully illustrated, large-size children's book with a fanciful story about Edison's invention.
Published: 2007 Theme: Historical Fiction; French Revolution Best for: 11 and up "I know how to make needle lace and sew and hem and build a fire and tend it and clean the ashes out. I can make tea and toast and cook a chicken if I have to. I can empty chamber post and scrub floors..." This very well-written historical fiction about the French Revolution is based on a true incident...
Published: 2018 Theme: Historical Fiction, India's Partition Best for: 11 and up "We would go somewhere fresh and new where people were happy. All kinds of people practicing all kinds of religions..[where] nobody would mind that you were Muslim and Papa was Hindu...." This is a no-holds-barred experience of the tragedy that ensued from the Partition in 1947 into India and Pakistan. For 11 and up.
Published: 1982 Theme: Self-acceptance Best for: 8 to 11 "Milo wondered how in the world wearing a stalk of broccoli around his neck could possibly help make him perfect..." This children's book is perfect medicine for any young person thinking they need to be perfect! Silly but convincing...
Published: 2017 Theme: Light-weight Science Fiction Best for: 9 and up "I've got a doctorate in astrophysics and a black belt in karate," the woman replies, poking me hard in the chest with her telescope. "So sit down before I knock your block off." This book does a great job of making both space and science fiction, very readable and enjoyable.
Published: 2009 Theme: Community Best for: 4 to 7 "Night after night/Fox walked alone,/came home to a bed made of feathers and stone/" A very sweet and simple illustrated children's book, blending independence with sharing with others. Nicely told in rhyme.
Published: 2018 Theme: Breaking Stereotypes Best for: 8 to 11 "Ellie hated it when her friends got in trouble in front of her, especially when she had something to do with it. She thought about what her dad said - that engineering was supposed to help people- and her stomach went squiggly." . Let's hear it for books that let girls be engineers, boys like dolls, and old people doing more than just drinking tea...
Published: 2018 Theme: Sexual Preferences Best for: Girls 11 and up "In the end, this was about me, not them," Robin said, tapping her chest. "And the people in my life could either accept that or they could live without me." Ivy swallowed hard. "Did anyone choose to...well..." "Live without me?" An excellent peek in the confusion that a young gay teen experiences as her preferences begin to emerge...
Published: 2005 Theme: Gay Teens Best for: 9 and up "I took one of the pins Aunt Pam had given me and put it on my shirt. It said Celebrate Diversity. Then I took it off, thinking I'd give it to Addie, because it's one she'd really like, and I put on another one: Being Who You Are Isn't A Choice." A superbly written, sensitive and humorous children's book dealing with being gay as a teen.
Published: 2018 Theme: Magical Fantasy Best for: 8 to 12 "Something must have hatched inside that box! And the mysterious creatures must be strong enough to have rocked the box as they were being born. Yet they're small enough to fit inside the empty mint tin." A delightful and lightweight fantasy with witches, time travel, and baby dragons, set in Brooklyn.
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