Summer always feels like the perfect time for an adventure. But while we might dream of conquering the ocean from the prow of a pirate ship, in reality we’re usually limited to the local pool or backyard sprinkler. How fortunate that we can venture vicariously–and poolside–through books.
If you’re a young person who’s reading a wonderful book this summer, please share that adventure with us by taking part in this year’s Read & Write project. Read & Write invites school-age kids to write a short review or draw a picture that describes why the book is a must-read. The Books section of the Tribune will publish many of the reviews and drawings every Sunday from Aug. 7 through Sept. 4. We asked librarians to recommend 100 of their favorite books, to give you some great ideas.
For your book review or drawing, you can choose a title either from this list or one based on your own interests. Reviews should be no more than 150 words and may be edited by the Tribune for length and clarity. Sorry, we won’t be able to print all the reviews or return them.
The review or drawing must include the title and author of the book; the reviewer’s name and age; and a completed permission slip (below, or downloaded from chicagotribune.com/books) signed by a parent or guardian.
Mail your submission to Chicago Tribune Read & Write, Attn. Desiree Chen, 435 N. Michigan Ave., 5th floor, Chicago, IL 60611. (If you e-mail it, send it to tribmag@tribune.com. But note that even if you e-mail your review, you still must send the completed permission slip via U.S. mail.)
The deadline for receipt of all materials is July 15, 2005.
Teens & tweens
True Notebooks
By Mark Salzman (Ages 16 and up)
Mark Salzman didn’t want to start a writing class in a Los Angeles Juvenile Detention Center. But when he did, he found not only the boys’ harsh reality, but also their beautiful inner voices locked inside.
Bucking the Sarge
By Christopher Paul Curtis (Ages 13 and up)
Luther’s mom, “the Sarge,” works him hard, doing what she thinks is preparing him for college, so he can take over the slumlord business. But Luther, who is 15, just wants to win the science fair and fantasize about his dream girl, Shayla.
Al Capone Does My Shirts
By Gennifer Choldenko (Ages 10-16)
The year is 1935 and 12-year-old Moose Flanagan has just moved with his family to Alcatraz Island, home to many famous inmates like Al Capone. His family has done this to get his autistic sister into a special school. Until she gets in, he must spend his days taking care of his sister, trapped on the island with hardened criminals.
Book of Abarat Series
By Clive Barker (Ages 14 and up)
Candy Quackenbush from Chickentown, USA, with a normal life and a normal family finds herself thrown into the Abarat, a world with an island for each hour of the day. She has been chosen to resolve the war between the Days of Magic and the Nights of War.
Keesha’s House
By Helen Frost (Ages 13 and up)
A pregnant teen, a gay son and a girl who just got out of Juvie have no home to go to. Each comes to Keesha’s house and tells his or her story in poems.
Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood
By Ann Brashares (Ages 12 and up)
This is the third book in the heartwarming “Traveling Pants” series. Each girl has a new problem to fix as she prepares for life after high school. As in the past, they have their sisterhood to rely on for support, and it gets them through these hard times.
Jude
By Kate Morgenroth (Ages 13 and up)
When Jude’s drug-dealing father is killed, Jude is sent to live with a rich mother he never knew. All he wants is her love, but she uses him as a platform for her election, which lands him in jail for five years. This action-packed suspense novel will keep you up at night turning the pages.
Away Laughing on a Fast Camel
By Louise Rennison (Ages 12-16)
If you haven’t read any of the books about Brit teen Georgia Nicolson, you have to pick one up. In the fifth installment of this series, Georgia’s boyfriend, the Sex God, has traveled to Kiwi-a-gogo land, and he has taken her heart with him. Luckily there is a new Italian-American boy in town who diverts her attention away from her heartbreak.
Our Secret Siri Aang
By Christina Kessler (Ages 10-16)
Namelock, although she is only 12, must soon prepare for her entrance into womanhood. She spends some of her last days as a girl with a mother rhino and her baby. When she finds the mother rhino dead, she begins a search for the poacher. This leads her to find new truths about her people and herself.
Persepolis I & II
By Marjane Satrapi (Ages 15 and up)
This graphic novel is the true story of Marjane Satrapi’s struggle growing up in Iran at the beginning of the Islamic Revolution.
–Melissa Kerrigan, head of information services, Glenwood-Lynwood Public Library District
Sea reads
Beachcombing: Exploring the Seashore
By Jim Arnosky (Ages 4 to 8)
Seashells, crabs, jellyfish and shark teeth are just a few of the things you can find on the seashore. After reading this book, you may want to explore the seashore and see what you can find.
Fish Sleep But Don’t Shut Their Eyes and Other Amazing Facts About Ocean Creatures
By Melvin and Gilda Berger (Ages 5 to 10)
Did you know that a swordfish’s sword is half the length of its body and that a tuna will swim about one million miles in its lifetime? This book is filled with such facts about sea creatures and their world.
The King of Slippery Falls
By Sid Hite (Ages 12 to 14)
Sixteen-year-old Lewis Hinton’s biggest concern in life is trying to catch a king-size trout until he finds out that he may be the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great grandson of a French king.
The Little Mermaid
By Hans Christian Andersen, illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger (Ages 7 to 11)
This book is based on the original tale of the Little Mermaid written by Hans Christian Andersen and translated by Anthea Bell. The Little Mer-maid rescues the prince but gives up her life for his happiness.
Lord of the Deep
By Graham Salisbury (Ages 10 to 13)
Working as first mate on his stepfather’s charter boat is 13-year-old Mikey Donovan’s idea of the perfect job. But his feelings are challenged when he sees his stepfather do something that makes him feel betrayed.
Mermaids Most Amazing
By Oliver Narelle (Ages 6 to 10)
Are mermaids real? This book explores this question and talks about the history of mermaids. It also includes some mermaid tales from different lands, including China, India and Ireland.
The Music of Dolphins
By Karen Hesse (Ages 9 to 12)
After spending most of her life being raised by dolphins, a teenage girl, Mila, is rescued and taken to a research facility. She is studied and is taught to live in the human world. Mila soon finds that humans are not like dolphins and wishes to return to the sea.
The Octopus
By Denys Cazet (Ages 4 to 8)
While Barney is taking a bath to relieve his chicken pox symptoms, his grandpa Spanielson tells him the story of battling an octopus in his own bathtub. This is the first installment of the “Grandpa Spanielson’s Chicken Pox Stories” series.
Revenge of the Whale: The True Story of the Whaleship Essex
By Nathaniel Philbrick (Ages 12 and up)
Based on the adult title “In the Heart of the Sea,” by the same author, this tells the tale of the whaleship Essex, which was sunk in 1820 by an angry whale. The story is based on accounts by two of the five survivors: the first mate, Owen Chase, and the cabin boy, Thomas Nickerson.
The Whale Rider
By Witi Ihimaera (Ages 12 and up)
In the Maori tribe of Whangara, New Zealand, only males have inherited the title of chief. Now the only possible heir is an 8-year-old girl named Kahu. The current chief, her grandfather, does not want her to inherit the title until he realizes that she possesses the gift of communicating with whales, a gift she inherited from the original Whale Rider.
–Maria Peterson, children’s librarian, Thomas Hughes Children’s Library, Chicago Public Library
All about Egypt
The Akhenaten Adventure (Children of the Lamp)
By P. B. Kerr (Ages 10-15)
Twelve-year-old twins John and Phillipa Gaunt can read each other’s mind but find little in common until the day they discover they are both djinn (genies). Sent by their djinn mother to spend the summer with their strange Uncle Nimrod in Cairo, the twins must learn to harness their newfound powers.
Egyptology
By Emily Sands et al. (Ages 9-15)
Dig deep into the travel journal of Emily Sands, amateur Egyptologist, to uncover the maps, letters, ticket stubs, postcards, games, mummy cloth, and papyrus pieces she collected in her quest to discover the lost tomb of Osiris.
Life and Times: Maia of Thebes, 1463 B.C.
By Ann Turner (Ages 9-12)
Maia knows she is not useless, even though her cruel aunt and uncle treat her like a servant. Orphaned along with her brother Sethnet, Maia will do anything to escape her uncle’s house, even learn to write–a skill forbidden to ancient Egyptian girls. Will the written word save Maia, or will her secret ability get her further into trouble?
Mummies, Pyramids and Pharaohs: A Book About Ancient Egypt
By Gail Gibbons (Ages 3-7)
Ever wonder how ancient Egyptians made mummies, how they built pyramids without modern tools, or why pharaohs were buried with their cats? Find out in this colorful and clear-cut introduction to ancient Egypt packed with detailed diagrams and drawings and amazing fun facts.
The Mystery of the Hieroglyphs: The Story of the Rosetta Stone and the Race to Decipher Egyptian Hieroglyphs
By Carol Donoughue (Ages 8-12)
Do you like breaking codes and solving puzzles? Read about the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, the mysterious relic that finally allowed scholars to decode the Egyptian symbols and opened up a world of new information about ancient Egyptian society.
Pharaoh’s Daughter: A Novel of Ancient Egypt
By Julius Lester (Ages 12-15)
In a desperate act to save her baby brother Mosis from the Egyptian soldiers who hunt him, 12-year-old Almah places him in a basket and sends him down the Nile River, right into the waiting arms of the pharaoh’s daughter, Meryetamun, who raises him as her own. Young Mosis is torn between two cultures: the Hebrew world of his birth and the Egyptian world of his upbringing–until life or death events force him to choose sides.
Rotten Ralph Helps Out (A Rotten Ralph Rotten Reader)
By Jack Gantos (Ages 6-8)
Rotten Ralph the cat is up to his usual mischief! When his owner, Sarah, must create an original class project about ancient Egypt, Ralph’s attempts to help only lead to disaster–hieroglyphics on the library walls, piles of sand in the living room–until his unique Sphinx costume saves the day!
Ten Little Mummies
By Phillip Yates (Ages 3-7)
Stuck in a tomb with no books or toys? What’s a mummy to do but go out and see the sights in ancient Egypt? Ten little mummies make mischief in this desert counting adventure as they discover pyramids, a sphinx, hippos and heat stroke.
The Tomb of the Boy King: A True Story in Verse
By John Frank (Ages 5-8)
After years of searching the Egyptian desert, archeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of the most famous of all pharaohs, King Tutankhamen (King Tut), in 1922, complete with treasures and Tut’s mummified body intact. Carter’s amazing mission is told here in a pulsing, steady rhyme and illustrated with desert-toned colored-pencil drawings.
Who Built the Pyramid?
By Meredith Hooper (Ages 9-13)
Who built the pyramid? “I did,” claim the pharaoh, the stone mason and the lowly laborer rounding out the cast of 10 characters who take the credit in this vibrant picture book that combines fiction with fact. Color photos, unique diagrams and an index are included.
–Jessie Wehrle, children’s librarian, North Pulaski branch, Chicago Public Library
Super humans
African Princess: The Amazing Lives of Africa’s Royal Women
By Joyce Hansen (Ages 9-13)
Profiles of six powerful women from all over Africa are featured here, beginning with Hatshepsut of Egypt (1497-1457 B.C.) and ending with Princess Elizabeth of Toro (Uganda), now the guardian of the current king.
Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World
By Cynthia Chin-Lee (Ages 6 and up)
“D” is for Dolores Huerta, co-founder of the United Farm Workers. “F” is for Frida Kahlo, the most famous of Mexican women artists. “K” is for Kristi Yamaguchi, Olympic skater. And “O”? “O” is for Chicago’s own Oprah Winfrey.
Confucius: The Golden Rule
By Russell Freedman (Ages 8-12)
Newbery Award-winning author Russell Freedman combines what little is known about the man Confucius with the popular mythology of Confucius. Was he a sage or a rebel? Confucius was both–and he believed education was the key to a joyful and productive life.
A Friend Called Anne: One Girl’s Story of War, Peace, and a Unique Friendship with Anne Frank
By Jacqueline van Maarsen, retold for children by Carol Ann Lee (Ages 9 and up)
One young girl survived the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, grew to be a woman and after many years told her story. Two best girlfriends played, studied, bickered, gossiped and had crushes on boys; at the same time their friends, families, neighbors and teachers disappeared–most never to return.
Houdini: World’s Greatest Mystery Man and Escape King
By Kathleen Krull (Ages 6-10)
Though unable to charge an entrance fee for a public stunt such as The underwater handcuff release that premiered in 1907, Houdini knew the publicity would provide a sold-out show that night. A magician never reveals secrets, but you will enjoy learning more about the most famous name in magic.
The Librarian of Basra: A True Story From Iraq
By Jeanette Winter (Ages 6-10)
Inspired by a story that appeared in The New York Times, this book tells of Alia Muhammad Baker, chief librarian of Basra’s Central Library. Baker relocated 30,000 books to a near-by restaurant, her home and the homes of friends and neighbors before the library building was destroyed.
Little Stevie Wonder
By Quincy Troupe (Ages 8 and up)
Who is Stevland Judkins Morris Hardaway? Here is a hint: He is the very first performer to have a live concert recording climb to No. 1 on the pop chart — and he was only 13 years old at the time!
Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein
By Don Brown (Ages 6-10)
Sports, soldiers and other usual things of interest to boys eluded Albert Einstein as a child. Preferring instead to ponder the workings of a compass or a difficult math problem, he experienced anger, solitude and depression. His unique and brilliant mind is explored here for young children.
Sequoyah: The Cherokee Man Who Gave His People Writing
By James Rumford (Ages 4-8)
With the intent of protecting the Cherokee voice from assimilation, Sequoyah created a syllabary (system of symbols representing syllables). Written in English and Cherokee, this story tells of Sequoyah’s perseverance and determination as well as the undeniable effect of his work.
The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights
By Russell Freedman (Ages 10 and up)
The Daughters of the American Revolution refused to allow Marian Anderson to perform at their concert hall. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt resigned her membership in the DAR in protest. What happened from that point changed attitudes and behaviors in America forever.
–Stephanie Spetter, children’s librarian, Richard J. Daley branch, Chicago Public Library
On a musical note
Ah, Music!
By Aliki (Ages 612)
A comprehensive look at music and its many components. The book begins with the question, “What is music?” and goes on to explain its parts and uses, including dance, harmony and therapy.
Ben’s Trumpet
By Rachel Isadora (Ages 4-10)
Ben likes to sit on his fire escape, listen to the live music he hears coming from the Zig Zag Jazz Club and play his imaginary trumpet. After being teased by some neighborhood kids for playing a make-believe instrument, Ben is given a chance to play a real one, by the trumpeter at the club.
Come Sing, Jimmy Jo
By Katherine Paterson (Ages 9-12)
Eleven-year-old James Johnson becomes singing star “Jimmy Jo” when he joins his family’s musical group on the “Country Time” TV show. Jimmy Jo’s sudden fame causes trouble at school, loneliness and questions about his real father.
Fat Kid Rules the World
By K.L. Going (Ages 12 and up)
Seventeen-year-old Troy weighs 296 pounds and is contemplating suicide. That’s until he meets Curt MacCrae, an almost mythical guitar god at his high school. Curt wants Troy to play drums in his band, and his life takes a turn for the better.
For Those About to Rock: A Road Map to Being in a Band
By Dave Bidini (Ages 12 and up)
An anecdotal introduction to the music industry and being in a band. Dave Bidini covers everything from forming a band to fashion to studio time as he recounts his experiences in a rock band.
The Kids Can Press Jumbo Book of Music
By Deborah Dunleavy (Ages 8-12)
A fun and simple activity book that shows kids how to make musical instruments out of things they can find around the house.
My Family Plays Music
By Judy Cox (Ages 3-10)
A picture book presentation of different styles of music. The young narrator introduces 11 of her family members and the types of music they play, from polka to bluegrass.
Rock-a-Baby Band
By Kate McMullan (Ages 2-6)
Ten babies shake rattles and bang on drums and kitchen utensils to create this noisy romp of a book. The rhyming text and joyous pictures add to the fun. A sing-along CD is included.
Shake, Rattle, and Roll: The Founders of Rock and Roll
By Holly George-Warren (Ages 8-12)
A collection of 14 biographies of the founders of rock ‘n’ roll, including Chuck Berry, Wanda Jackson and Jerry Lee Lewis. Each short biography includes basic facts and interesting trivia about the subject.
What a Song Can Do: 12 Riffs on the Power of Music
Edited by Jennifer Armstrong (Ages 12 and up)
A compilation of 12 short stories highlighting the way music can make a difference in a teen’s life. Selections include a tale of a girl who can hear and see music, and a humorous look at the various reasons teens join school bands.
–Jackie Stork, head of youth services, Prairie Trails Public Library District
Scary stories
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series
By Alvin Schwartz (Ages 10-16)
This unbeatable series of books is so gruesome, and contains such horrifying graphics, that kids won’t be able to tear their eyes away. Read them around the campfire, at a sleepover, or, if you dare, all alone at midnight when all things ghoulish and grim come creeping.
Favorite Scary Stories of American Children
By Richard and Judy Dockrey Young (Ages 5-12)
This book is a surefire winner for the easily spooked and the eager-to-be-spooked, as each story states the age for which it is appropriate. This book gives reasons why reading and hearing scary stories are an important part of being a kid, making it an important read for parents too.
The Berenstain Bears and the Spooky Old Tree
By Stan and Jan Berenstain (Ages 5-9)
A pure delight that children will read again and again, this book is a timeless classic. With short, simple phrases and dark, eerie pictures, this is a favorite among children everywhere. This story inspires imagination and curiosity in children whether they are being read to or learning to read.
Short and Shivery: Thirty Chilling Tales series
Retold by Robert D. San Souci (Ages 10-14)
Considerably less frightening than “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark,” this series offers up creepy tales from many countries. Each story is short and vivid, with detailed illustrations and just the right amount of shock value for kids trying to scare themselves silly.
Ask the Bones: Scary Stories From Around the World
Selected and retold by Arielle North Olson and Howard Schwartz (Ages 8-14)
This deliciously gruesome selection of stories has been collected from the far reaches of the world. From Russia, to Spain, to Iceland, and back home to America, these tales create a web of our most primal emotion–fear–connecting people everywhere. These great stories are best enjoyed when read alone.
In a Dark, Dark Room and Other Scary Stories
Retold by Alvin Schwartz (Ages 5-9)
These classic scary stories are geared toward a younger audience. The spine-tingling chills that this book provides will be great motivation for children learning to read. Ask your child to read these tales aloud to you in a spooky voice, and they will surely fall in love with reading.
See My Lovely Poison Ivy and Other Verses About Witches, Ghosts and Things
By Lilian Moore (Ages 8-12)
Wonderful when read aloud, these poems are wickedly funny and spooky. The black-and- white illustrations are great, and truly bring the rattling bones of poetry to life for the reluctant reader.
Roald Dahl’s Book of Ghost Stories
Collected By Roald Dahl (Ages 13-18)
Roald Dahl, the well-known author of “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” dug through more than 700 ghost stories to unearth these 14 delightfully frightening tales. Bury yourself beneath blankets with a flashlight on a stormy night to devour these tales.
Teeny Tiny Tingly Tales
By Nancy Van Laan and Victoria Chess (Ages 3-7)
With a slightly creepy edge to it, this picture book will satisfy the appetites of little ones looking for a scare. With colorful illustrations and safe endings, these short tales are the perfect blend of harmless thrills and chills. Great when read to young children in the shelter of your arms.
Five Funny Frights
By Judith Bauer Stamper (Ages 5-9)
This hilarious collection of five short stories will keep the younger readers on the edge of their seats, nibbling their nails, and then leave them laughing. It is a perfect introduction to scary stories for the easily frightened and those who love a surprise ending.
–Jennifer Groth, youth services librarian, Fox River Grove Memorial Library
Creature features
The Mouse and His Child
By Russell Hoban (Ages 9-12)
An adventure story about two wind-up toy mice who encounter a terrible villain (Manny the Rat, who runs a slave labor camp in a junkyard), a fortune-telling frog and many other memorable characters.
Down Girl and Sit: Smarter Than Squirrels
By Lucy Nolan (Ages 6-9)
Told in the first person by a dog who thinks her name is Down Girl, this short novel is full of her funny adventures with the dog-next-door (Sit), the cat behind the big fence (Here Kitty Kitty) and various neighborhood children.
Minnie & Moo and the Seven Wonders of the World
By Denys Cazet (Ages 6-9)
Two spoiled cows start worrying when they overhear the farmer talking about having to sell their farm–if so, what about their espresso machine? And their hot tub? They come up with a moneymaking scheme involving paid tours of the “Seven Wonders of the World” (one of which is “The Presidential Bunion”).
Monsieur Eek
By David Ives (For Ages 9-13)
In 1609, a ship wrecks near an isolated coastal town, and only one survivor is found: a strange, small, hairy creature whom the locals assume to be a Frenchman. He seems to know only one word (“Eek”), and is promptly put on trial for spying. Readers will enjoy the sly humor and slapstick situations.
Peanutbutter & Jeremy’s Best Book Ever
By James Kochalka (Ages 8-adult)
Several interrelated stories make up this graphic novel about a pet cat who does office work (snoozing on the Flibber-dubber file, for instance) and his “pretend friend,” Jeremy Crow.
Martha Speaks
By Susan Meddaugh (Ages 4-7)
Family dog eats alphabet soup and before long . . . yes, Martha speaks! But does anyone really want to hear what she has to say?
A Coyote’s in the House
By Elmore Leonard (Ages 10-14)
In this novel set in the Hollywood Hills, a wild coyote trades places with a movie-star dog and befriends a glamorous yet lonely show dog. Elmore Leonard, prolific author of adult mysteries, has written a middle-grade book that is funny and suspenseful, with moments of quiet emotion.
The Race to Save the Lord God Bird
By Phillip Hoose (Ages 12 and up)
The true story of the ivory-billed woodpecker, which until recently was largely considered extinct, is also the story of vanishing habitats, German prisoners of war, lumber companies, the advance of the science of conservation and the many people who loved and tried to save these magnificent birds.
Kids’ Easy-to-Create Wildlife Habitats: For Small Spaces in City, Suburbs, Countryside
By Emily Stetson (Ages 8 and up)
This book takes advantage of kids’ natural enjoyment of animal life and gives clear directions for many simple, inexpensive projects, with an emphasis on the organic.
Lucky Days With Mr. and Mrs. Green
By Keith Baker (Ages 6-8)
Three short chapters with lots of colorful pictures about an alligator couple who solve a mystery, enter a contest to guess-how-many-gumdrops and get stage fright in a talent show. The Greens have the freedom level of adults and the responsibility level of children–in other words, an ideal existence, with lots of snacks, games and daydreaming.
–Lauralyn Persson, head of youth services, Wilmette Public Library
Mean kids
Angela and Diabola
By Lynne Reid Banks (Ages 9-12)
Twins Angela (perfectly good) and Diabola (completely wicked) make life interesting for their parents.
Tangerine
By Edward Bloor (Ages 11-15)
Paul, the legally blind goalie on the school’s soccer team, has always been the runner-up for his family’s attention. When his family moves to Tangerine, Fla., to better his brother’s chances of being a football star, Paul discovers hidden truths about his family, his blindness and himself.
The Hundred Dresses
By Eleanor Estes (Ages 9-12)
Wanda is ridiculed by her classmates because she wears the same faded blue dress to school every day, even though she claims to have 100 dresses at home.
Black Belt
By Matt Faulkner (Ages 5-9)
Tired of running from bullies, Bushi hides in a karate school. He is transported back in time, has an adventure with real samurai and learns to defeat his enemies with karate and clever tricks.
Overnight
By Adele Griffin (Ages 9-13)
Gray and the other girls of the “Lucky Seven” spend the night at a friend’s house. When Gray disappears during the night, the girls’ friendships start to unravel amid secrets, fears and mistrust.
The Girls
By Amy Goldman Koss (Ages 11-14)
Maya is a new kid at school, so when the popular girls want to be her friend, she is thrilled. Then, for no apparent reason, Maya is dropped from the group.
The Ruling Class
By Francine Pascal (Ages 13-17)
Twyla Gay moves into a posh Dallas neighborhood and quickly learns the power The Ruling Class has over her new school. Instead of dropping out of school when the bullying gets out of control, Twyla Gay plots her revenge.
The Stupendous Dodgeball Fiasco
By Janice Repka (Ages 9-12)
Phillip Stanislaw decides he would rather live with distant relatives than travel with his circus-performing parents. He ends up on the wrong side of a dodgeball, the school bully and the law while living in the unofficial Dodgeball Capital of the World.
Shadow Club Rising
By Neal Shusterman (Ages 11-14)
Just when Jared thinks he has overcome his reputation for revenge and practical jokes, a new kid comes to town. When bad things happen to a good kid, everyone suspects Jared, who must prove that this time, he’s innocent.
Secret Identity
By Wendelin Van Draanen (Ages 8-11)
Nolan has gone from being the No. 1 nerd at Cedar Elementary School to being the world-famous superhero, Shredderman! It all started when he hatched a plan to stop the school bully. . . .
–Sharon Lawrence, children’s reference coordinator, Downers Grove Public Library
Poetry jams
Been to Yesterdays: Poems of a Life
By Lee Hopkins (Ages 10 and up)
A young boy uses poetry to describe the year in which his life and that of his family were turned upside-down because of the divorce of his parents.
Bronx Masquerade
By Nikki Grimes (Ages 12 and up)
Students at a high school are brought together through a poetry assignment in their English class. The poems speak to the fears and frustrations of the classmates and encourage other students to use this forum as their voice.
Bronzeville Boys and Girls
By Gwendolyn Brooks (Ages 7 and up)
Through the eyes of children from the Bronzeville community in Chicago, this group of poems from Gwendolyn Brooks is local and universal with feelings about growing up, city life and enjoying the world around you.
Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States
Edited by Lori M. Carlson (Ages 10 and up)
This wonderful compilation of poetry in English and Spanish brings to light the Hispanic experience in America.
Don’t Step on the Sky: A Handful of Haiku
By Miriam Chaikin (Ages 6 and up)
Done in traditional style, this set of Japanese poems introduces children to the simple style of haikus (usually 17 syllables written in three lines with five syllables in the first line, seven in the second and five in the third) and cultivates an appreciation for nature.
Ego-Tripping and Other Poems for Young Readers
By Nikki Giovanni (Ages 9 and up)
With poems designed to uplift spirits and encourage children to dream and think for themselves, Nikki Giovanni has created a group of poems guaranteed to have children and adults proud of who they are and what they will become.
Neighborhood Mother Goose
By Nina Crews (Ages baby through 7)
The traditional poems of Mother Goose are given a face-lift with brilliant and vibrant photos taken by Nina Crews.
The Other Side: Shorter Poems
By Angela Johnson (Ages 12 and up)
Written in free verse, different experiences in Angela Johnson’s life are made accessible to the reader. In this format, the reader is exposed to her innermost thoughts and feelings about various events.
Science Verse
By Jon Scieszka (Ages 8 and up)
The joys of science and poetry are merged to create this dynamic fusion of verse. By using elements of science and well-known poems, Jon Scieszka has come up with a fun and creative way to enjoy science and poetry.
Where the Sidewalk Ends
By Shel Silverstein (Ages 7 and up)
Thought-provoking and funny, the poems of Shel Silverstein speak to the heart and soul of children young and old and to the imagination of all who enjoy thinking outside of the box.
–Tina Carter, children’s librarian, George C. Hall branch, Chicago Public Library
Other times
An Acquaintance With Darkness
By Ann Rinaldi (Ages 12-up)
Her life already in turmoil, Emily Pigbush is horrified to see grave-robbers digging up her mother’s burial plot. Even more shocking was seeing her Uncle Valentine jump out from behind a tombstone and frighten them away. Life in Washington, D.C., at the close of the Civil War certainly was dangerous!
Under The Blood-Red Sun
By Graham Salisbury (Ages 10-13)
Torn between his love of all things American and the traditions of his parents and grandparents, a young Japanese-American boy experiences the evils of fear and prejudice living near Pearl Harbor when World War II begins. With his father and grandfather living in an internment camp, Tomi becomes the man of the house.
Fair Weather
By Richard Peck (Ages 9-12)
“It was the last day of our old lives, and we didn’t even know it.” So says Rosie Beckett, recalling the day her rural Illinois family received Aunt Euterpe’s invitation to visit her in Chicago and attend the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. The marvels Rosie saw that summer–George Ferris’ giant wheel, Juicy Fruit gum, an honest-to-goodness clothes washing machine–changed people’s lives forever!
The President’s Daughter
By Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Ages 8-12)
This was the White House, the place the president of the United States was supposed to live? It was dark, musty and full of old, ugly furnishings. Young Ethel Roosevelt wasn’t impressed at all, but she and her brothers livened up the place by roller-skating in the basement, sneaking up to the roof and crawling under the table at an official state dinner.
Stolen by the Sea
By Anna Myers (Ages 9-12)
Before the storm, Maggie’s family lived in a big white house on a tree-lined street. Before the storm, Felipe and his twin sisters lived at St. Mary’s Orphanage. Before the storm, Maggie was jealous of Felipe and an unborn baby. After the hurricane of 1900, life in Galveston, Texas, was different for everyone.
Wingwalker
By Rosemary Wells (Ages 7-9)
Winning a ride aboard the Gypsy Moth at the Oklahoma Air Races was the worst experience of his life. Or so Reuben thought until the Dust Bowl of 1933 devastated the little town of Ambler, and his family moved to Minnesota. There his father landed the job of his dreams–dancing on the wings of Dixie Bell’s plane!
Matilda Bone
By Karen Cushman (Ages 11-14)
Used to a comfortable life in a medieval English manor, Matilda has never lit a fire, cooked, cleaned or shopped in her life. She is positively shocked with her new living and working conditions as an apprentice to Red Peg the Bonesetter when she moves to London’s Blood and Bone Alley.
Kira-Kira
By Cynthia Kadohata (Ages 11-14)
Though Katie Takeshima’s parents worked very hard, there was little need for an Oriental- foods grocery in Iowa. Hoping to make a better life for their daughters, the family moves to Georgia, where their promised jobs in the poultry plants are awful and despair sets in with the mysterious illness of Katie’s sister, Lynn.
Sailing Home: A Story of a Childhood at Sea
By Gloria Rand (Ages 4-8)
The Madsen children had pets: a mongoose, a monkey, a kangaroo that jumped overboard and Piggy, who fell into a vat of hot tar. They went to school, heard roosters crow and collected fresh eggs. The Madsen family lived in an unusual place–aboard the John Ena, a clipper ship that sailed all over the world.
Mailing May
By Michael Tunnell (Ages 4-8)
May wanted to visit Grandma Mary, but a train ticket cost too much. She tried to get a job at Alexander’s Department Store, but was sent home with a peppermint stick instead. Imagine May’s surprise when Ma woke her up early one morning, Pa handed her a suitcase, and took her to the post office.
–Eileen Sullivan, children’s services manager, Cook Memorial Public Library District
Come visit us!
If you’d like some fresh ways to approach your book review or any other kind of writing, you’re invited to attend the “Read & Write” Young Writers Workshop next weekend at the Printers Row Book Fair.
Carolyn Alessio, an English/literature teacher and author of “The Voices of Hope,” will lead the workshop and get our creative juices flowing.
The “Read & Write” Young Writers Workshop will be from 2 to 3 p.m. June 11 in the Park Room of University Center, 525 S. State St., Chicago.
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