Never Too Old:
Celebrating Youth Books
Next Meeting:
Wednesday, June 4th, 2025, 5pm
Never Too Old meets the 1st WEDNESDAY of the month to share the diversity, depth, and relevance of Young Adult & Juvenile books.
All ages are welcome. For more information, contact Beth@LopezLibrary.org or Ingrid@LopezLibrary.org

June 4 - The Trumpet of the Swan by E. B. White
The trumpet of the swan
by E. B. White

Knowing how to read and write is not enough for Louis, a voiceless Trumpeter Swan--his determination to learn to play a stolen trumpet takes him far from his wilderness home.

READ THIS OR ANY BOOK BY E. B. WHITE
July 2 - Juvenile titles you may have missed
A selection of Juvenile books to read and review

Ingrid has noticed that some of the books we purchased during Covid years have not gone out and are showing up on weed lists. Since there are some great titles, we are selecting some for this group to read and review for keeping or weeding. A longer list will be supplied at the June meeting, but below are a few examples.

Chasing at the surface : a novel
by Sharon Mentyka

In 1997, twelve-year-old Marisa Gage retreats into her shell when nineteen orcas, mothers and new calves, become trapped in an inlet near her home soon after Marisa's whale-loving mother inexplicably left.
Cece Rios and the desert of souls
by Kaela Rivera

Privately questioning her remote community's superstitions about dangerous powerful spirits in their Devil's Alley home, Cecelia Rios experiments with the forbidden art of brujería to rescue her kidnapped sister.
The king of jam sandwiches
by Eric Walters

"Thirteen-year-old Robbie leads a double life. It's just Robbie and his dad, but no one knows that his dad isn't like most parents. Sometimes he wakes Robbie up in the middle of the night to talk about dying. Sometimes he just leaves without telling Robbie where he's going. Once when Robbie was younger, he was gone for more than a week. Robbie was terrified of being left alone but even more scared of telling anyone in case he was put into foster care. No one can know. Until one day when Robbie has to show the tough new girl, Harmony, around school. Their first meeting ends horribly and she punches Robbie in the face. But eventually they come to realize that they have a lot more in common than they thought. Can Robbie's new friend be trusted to keep his secret?" -- Amazon.com
The Collectors
by Jacqueline West

Overlooked in class, a hearing-impaired boy who collects lost or discarded trinkets discovers a dangerous underground world full of stolen wishes and the people who collect them.
The language of spells
by Garret Weyr

Grisha the dragon is born in the Black Forest in 1803, the last year any dragon was born, and while young he was trapped by the emperor's sorcerer, and turned into a teapot, which was frustrating but kept him alive while magic and other dragons were disappearing--until one day he meets Maggie, a poet's daughter, and the two of them set out to discover what happened to all the other dragons.
Reader's Resource
Banned Together - A film, a book, a movement
 
WE NOW HAVE THE BOOK IN OUR YOUNG ADULT COLLECTION!
 

A diverse cast of visionary teenagers, stirring public protests, private threats, criminal charges, and drama-filled school board meetings: this is the explosive world of Banned Together

May Summary  
On May 7th, five readers shared thoughts on Once There Was by Kiyash Monsef (click on his name to visit his website). Beth opened with a few facts about ancient Persia (actually a Greek name) from a Khan Academy video listed in the back of the paperback edition: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLN8VIcvClo One fascinating fact is that between 200-600 BCE, the population of Persia was about 50 million, which was half of the world population! This video is just the first in a series on Persia/Iran. We all enjoyed the author's ability to put readers in the mind of his characters, especially 15-year-old Marjan, half-Iranian like himself, and his incredible imagination. He wrote so that Marjan's confusion became the reader's confusion, creating a surprising, engaging plot. The Iranian myths, legends and folkore interspersed between present-day chapters added much to the plot and to the lives and habits of the mythical animals, such as the griffon, unicorn, and manticore. These myths always begin with "Once was, once wasn't"/"Yeki bood, yeki nabood" a more wholistic version of Once Upon a Time, and relating to many parts of the plot and Marjan's struggles. Supporting characters such as Marjan's roomate, Malloryn, and her friends, Grace and Carrie, were well-drawn. Horatio, the billionaire who kept many mythical beings in cages underground, was a control freak and added an element more monstrous than the manticore. We liked how the fantasy elements were interwoven into the realistic story of Marjan's world. A novel of breadth and depth. Highly recommended for middle grades up to adult.

Once there was
by Kiyash Monsef

After the sudden death of her father, who was secretly a veterinarian to magical creatures, Marian must take his place, stepping into a secret world hidden in plain sight where she discovers a shocking truth that puts humans and beasts in grave danger.
 
Bird of a thousand stories
by Kiyash Monsef

Marjan Dastani travels the world taking care of mythical beasts, but as she tracks down the fabled Bird of a Thousand Stories, the more closely she connects with mystical creatures and the more danger she's in of losing her friendships?—?and all that tethers her to the life she's known. 

THE SEQUEL! 
Lopez Island Library
2225 Fisherman Bay Rd
Lopez Island, Washington 98261
360-468-2265
www.lopezlibrary.org