| Just Like Jackie by Lindsey StoddardWhat it's about: Though Robinson "Robbie" Hart tries to keep her cool (like her namesake, baseball great Jackie Robinson), it's hard to put up with teasing at school when so much of her patience goes toward helping her ailing grandfather, the only family member she's got left.
You might also like: Patricia Reilly Giff's Pictures of Hollis Woods, which also features a prickly, determined girl trying to protect her unconventional family. |
|
|
Betty before X
by Ilyasah Shabazz
Raised by her aunt until she is six, Betty, who will later marry Malcolm X, joins her mother and stepfamily in 1940s Detroit, where she learns about the civil rights movement
|
|
|
The journey of little Charlie
by Christopher Paul Curtis
When his poor sharecropper father is killed in an accident and leaves the family in debt, twelve-year-old Little Charlie agrees to accompany fearsome plantation overseer Cap'n Buck north in pursuit of people who have stolen from him; Cap'n Buck tells Little Charlie that his father's debt will be cleared when the fugitives are captured, which seems like a good deal until Little Charlie comes face-to-face with the people he is chasing
|
|
|
Payback on Poplar Lane
by Margaret Mincks
A friendly neighborhood business competition between sixth-graders Rachel Chambers, so quiet she is practically invisible, and Peter S. Gronkowski, future mogul, turns into a ruthless rivalry
|
|
| The Bone Sparrow by Zana FraillonWhat it's about: Though his family once lived in Myanmar, Subhi only knows the Australian refugee detention center where he was born. It's a filthy, violent place where Subhi's only escape is his imagination. When local girl Jimmie finds her way into the center, Subhi agrees to read to her, sparking a secret friendship.
You might also like: Linda Sue Park's A Long Walk to Water, another realistic, heart-twisting read about young refugees.
Award buzz: Finalist for the Children's Book Council of Australia 2017 Book of the Year. |
|
| The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz; illuminated by Hatem AlyWhat it's about: Okay, so the dog dies -- but don't worry, she comes right back to life! It's just one of the many miracles in this story about three unlikely friends who flee persecution in medieval France and face enemies ranging from a farting dragon to King Louis IX.
Why you might like it: "Illuminated" with lively drawings and told by multiple characters, The Inquisitor's Tale is an unusual, funny, and unforgettable story of faith and friendship.
Award buzz: A 2017 Newbery honor book. |
|
| We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin NielsenWhat it's about: After their single parents move in together, brilliant but awkward Stewart feels excited to have a sister, while popular Ashley -- already stressed about hiding the fact that her parents split because her dad's gay -- is embarrassed by her almost-stepbrother.
Why you might like it: With Stewart and Ashley taking turns narrating, you get to experience both sides of this honest (and hilarious) story about a complicated family.
Award buzz: Finalist for the 2015 Governor General's Award. |
|
| Ghost by Jason ReynoldsStarring: Castle "Ghost" Cranshaw, a guy with a troubled past and a temper as quick as his feet. Joining a local track team gives him an unexpected sense of belonging, but Ghost isn't sure he can live up to the coach's rule about avoiding "altercations" at school.
Series alert: Short, powerful, and totally authentic, Ghost kicks off the TRACK series, which continues with Patina and (coming in April) Sunny.
Award buzz: Finalist for the 2016 National Book Award. |
|
| Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline WoodsonWhat it is: Author Jacqueline Woodson's autobiography in verse, describing how young Jackie found her voice as a writer and how her loving family's moves (from Ohio to South Carolina to New York) shaped her experience of growing up African American during the Civil Rights Movement.
Who it's for: These quietly beautiful poems and clear-eyed observations are sure to inspire writers and dreamers of all ages.
Award buzz: A 2015 Sibert honor book. |
|
Contact your librarian for more great books!
|
|
|