Description: When boys in her class start touching Mila and making her feel uncomfortable, she does not want to tell her friends or mother until she reaches her breaking point.

Description: Jaime is sitting on his bed drawing when he hears a scream. Instantly, he knows: Miguel, his cousin and best friend, is dead.
  Everyone in Jaime’s small town in Guatemala knows someone who has been killed by the Alphas, a powerful gang that’s known for violence and drug trafficking. Anyone who refuses to work for them is hurt or killed—like Miguel. With Miguel gone, Jaime fears that he is next. There’s only one choice: accompanied by his cousin Ángela, Jaime must flee his home to live with his older brother in New Mexico.

Description: After eleven-year-old Ollie's school bus mysteriously breaks down on a field trip, she has to take a trip through scary woods, and must use all of her wits to survive. She must stick to small spaces.

Description: The phenomenon of desperate refugees risking their lives to reach safety is not new. For hundreds of years, people have left behind family, friends, and all they know in hope of a better life. This book presents five true stories about young people who lived through the harrowing experience of setting sail in search of asylum: Ruth and her family board the St. Louis to escape Nazism; Phu sets out alone from war-torn Vietnam; José tries to reach the U.S. from Cuba; Najeeba flees Afghanistan and the Taliban; Mohamed, an orphan, runs from his village on the Ivory Coast. Aimed at middle grade students, Stormy Seas combines a contemporary collage-based design, sidebars, fact boxes, timeline and further reading to produce a book that is ideal for both reading and research. Readers will gain new insights into a situation that has constantly been making the headlines.

Description: Paloma Marquez is traveling to Mexico City, birthplace of her deceased father, for the very first time. She's hoping that spending time in Mexico will help her unlock memories of the too-brief time they spent together. While in Mexico, Paloma meets Lizzie and Gael, who present her with an irresistible challenge: The siblings want her to help them find a valuable ring that once belonged to beloved Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Finding the ring means a big reward -- and the thanks of all Mexico. What better way to honor her father than returning a priceless piece of jewelry that once belonged to his favorite artist!

Description: Lucy Callahan was struck by lightning. She doesn't remember it, but it changed her life forever. The zap gave her genius-level math skills, and ever since, Lucy has been homeschooled. Now, at 12 years old, she's technically ready for college. She just has to pass 1 more test — middle school!
   Lucy's grandma insists: Go to middle school for 1 year. Make 1 friend. Join 1 activity. And read 1 book (that's not a math textbook!). Lucy's not sure what a girl who does calculus homework for fun can possibly learn in 7th grade. She has everything she needs at home, where nobody can make fun of her rigid routines or her superpowered brain. The equation of Lucy's life has already been solved. Unless there's been a miscalculation?

Review: When Lucy was struck by lightning at age eight, her brain was damaged, resulting in her acquired savant syndrome. She becomes a mathematical genius and develops obsessive-compulsive disorder. She has been homeschooled ever since the accident. Though Lucy feels safe at home with her uncle and grandmother and wants to enroll in college math courses, her grandmother wants Lucy to get real life experience such as having a real friend, participate in one new activity, and read a book that isn't about math. With all of this in mind, her grandmother enrolls her in seventh grade, but fails to prepare her about the growing pains of middle school and about bullying in particular. Lucy hides her math abilities to blend in by making answering a certain number of questions wrong on her tests, and she's bullied by popular girl Maddie, who dubs her "cleaning lady" because of Lucy's obsessive-compulsive need for cleanliness, but when she and another student, Windy, team up with classmate Levi for a community service project, a true friendship grows.
  The three help out at the Pet Hut, a no-kill shelter where Lucy, who has never liked animals, bonds with a dog named Cutie Pi. After Cutie Pi is diagnosed with cancer-which means that she will likely be transferred to a state shelter and put down-and Windy betrays Lucy by revealing a secret, Lucy must learn how to solve problems of the heart. The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl is a quick read that manages to realistically portray Lucy's OCD and her struggles in middle school. Lucy's voice rings true, highlighting her own insecurities and strengths. I loved watching Lucy embrace her strengths, stand up for herself, and realize that she is worthy to have friends. Her journey is full of hope, wisdom, and even a love for math which is rarely seen in literature.

Curriculum Connection: Math, STEM

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are scenes of bullying and talks of pets being put down to sleep. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.

If you like this book try: Each Tiny Spark by Paolo Cartaya, Roll with it by Jamie Sumner, Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling, Rules by Cythnia Lord

Description: Chase does not remember falling off the roof, in fact he does not remember anything about himself, and when he gets back to middle school he begins to learn who he was through the reactions of the other kids--trouble is, he really is not sure he likes the Chase that is being revealed, but can he take the opportunity amnesia has provided and restart his life?

Review: After falling off his roof, Chase Ambrose learns he was not a great person before his fall and knows that his past is not what he wants for his future. He wants to reinvent himself, but he quickly realizes that it is not easy to escape his past and his mistakes.
 Before his fall, Chase was the star and captain of the football team, following in his father's footsteps. He was also the biggest bully in his middle school, had made many students' lives miserable, and was serving a community service sentence for the damage that his bullying had caused. His dad and his former best friends, Bear and Aaron, recall the tough Chase that they love and want him to revert to, however, the new Chase is a kinder, more sympathetic person who struggles with his past and becomes friends with his former victims. Chase starts to earn his new friend's trust but it is rightfully fragile. As he works with the video club geeks, he forms a relationship with elderly Mr. Solway. I liked the juxtaposition of Mr. Solway's slow thawing of his icy exterior and sharing of his Korean War memories with Chase's own search for his own past.
 Korman is known for his humor in his books, but Restart has a more serious tone. There are humorous moments in the book such as the pursuit of making a viral video of stupid tricks, but they are sprinkled evenly in the story and more of the book's focus is on self reflection. The book is also told through multiple points of view, primarily of students who encounter and have different relationships with Chase and helps make Chase into a fully three dimensional character. Despite the strong anti-bullying theme, the story is never heavy handed but thoughtfully presents questions about loyalty, identity, owning up to mistakes, forgiveness, and the possibility of a new start in a way that appropriately fits the middle school setting.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are scenes of bullying in the book. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.

If you like this book try: Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks

Description: Aven Green loves to tell people that she lost her arms in an alligator wrestling match, or a wildfire in Tanzania, but the truth is she was born without them. And when her parents take a job running Stagecoach Pass, a rundown western theme park in Arizona, Aven moves with them across the country knowing that she’ll have to answer the question over and over again.

Her new life takes an unexpected turn when she bonds with Connor, a classmate who also feels isolated because of his own disability, and they discover a room at Stagecoach Pass that holds bigger secrets than Aven ever could have imagined. It’s hard to solve a mystery, help a friend, and face your worst fears. But Aven’s about to discover she can do it all . . . even without arms.

Review: Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus is an uplifting story about three teens with serious disabilities forming an unlikely friendship as they struggle to cope with everyday life.  message of empathy especially from abled bodies. Aven Green is a tween that tween me would love to have as a friend. She is smart, funny, loves planning pranks, and plays on the school soccer team.  Though Aven was born without arms, she has never let her "lack of armage," as she calls it, deter her from doing anything she sets her mind to. She does not need your pity, but would really appreciate it if you would not stare and call her a freak. When her father gets a job as the manager of Stagecoach Pass, a rundown Western theme park out in Arizona, the family's move, right after Aven has started eighth grade, presents her toughest challenge yet.
  Along with dealing with the new kid jitters, Aven has to everything from scratch including dealing with the many stares and questions of new schoolmates. Aven sorely misses her old life back in Kansas;  however, her optimistic spirit and her infectious sense of humor, keeps her afloat. She is not immune to the constant spotlight of being disabled or labeled weird. She is persistent and looks for the silver linings in her new life in Arizona, such as making friends with the cute but prickly Connor (who has Tourette's syndrome) and Zion who lacks self confidence because of his weight, or enjoying the ability to wear flats all year-round. Aven, Connor, and Zion get wrapped up in the unusual mystery at the heart of Stagecoach Pass: the disappearing tarantulas, a missing photograph, and a secret necklace. Aven is determined to get to the bottom of the secret.
  The characters make this story. As an able bodied person, it is an eye opening read and a reminder of the stigma that is attached to disability. Aven, Connor, and Zion alienate themselves because they've been labeled by others as freaks, but as these characters grow more confident they push back at these expectations. The journey to this point is hard, heartbreaking, and not easy. The author seems to have done her homework in portraying the characters authentically. The mystery in the story, however, is underwhelming and takes a backseat to the character development and relationships. I am happy there will be another book featuring Aven and the crew and I am very much looking forward to reading it.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are mentions of bullying. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.

If you like this book try: Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper, Not So Different: What You Really Want to Ask About Having a Disability by Shane Burcaw

Description: Like his fellow lunarnauts—otherwise known as Moonies—living on Moon Base Alpha, twelve-year-old Dashiell Gibson is famous the world over for being one of the first humans to live on the moon. And he’s bored out of his mind. Kids aren’t allowed on the lunar surface, meaning they’re trapped inside the tiny moon base with next to nothing to occupy their time—and the only other kid Dash’s age spends all his time hooked into virtual reality games.

Then Moon Base Alpha’s top scientist turns up dead. Dash senses there’s foul play afoot, but no one believes him. Everyone agrees Dr. Holtz went onto the lunar surface without his helmet properly affixed, simple as that. But Dr. Holtz was on the verge of an important new discovery, Dash finds out, and it’s a secret that could change everything for the Moonies—a secret someone just might kill to keep.

Review: It's 2041, and biracial Dash Gibson lives with his family in Moon Base Alpha, the first lunar outpost. Life is mostly dull and monotonous, contrary to the program's advertisements until Ronald Holtz, beloved base physician, dies under suspicious circumstances. Some believe Holtz did not wear his space suit correctly before exiting the spaceship, but Dash believes something more sinister is afoot. Despite warnings from the base's strict commander, Dash continues to investigate the incident as a possible murder despite a threatning warning to do so. The plot is a fun Agatha Christie murder mystery set in space with a  plot from Scooby Doo. The story is fun, fast paced with lots of bathroom humor and space facts that will keep young readers entertained. There are multiple suspects, each with a seemingly plausible motive-the scientist who accuses Dr. Holtz of stealing his brilliant idea; the shoddy psychiatrist whom Holtz tried to keep off of the mission; even Lars Sjoberg, the hapless and arrogant billionaire space tourist. The mystery is solved in the end and the chance encounter of aliens leaves plenty to explore in the next few books of this series.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is some bathroom humor. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.

If you like this book try: Spaced Out by Stuart Gibbs (Moon Base Alpha #2), Masterminds series by Gordon Korman

Description: Be careful. Your next step may be your last.

Fifth grader Tamaya Dhilwaddi and seventh grader Marshall Walsh have been walking to and from Woodridge Academy together since elementary school. But their routine is disrupted when bully Chad Hilligas challenges Marshall to a fight. To avoid the conflict, Marshall takes a shortcut home through the off-limits woods. Tamaya, unaware of the reason for the detour,reluctantly follows. They soon get lost. And then they find trouble. Bigger trouble than anyone could ever have imagined. In the days and weeks that follow, the authorities and the U.S. Senate become involved, and what they uncover might affect the future of the world.

Review:  Fuzzy Mud is a nice blend of mystery, science, and suspense that will keep young readers turning the pages. In the woods behind Woodridge Academy, in Heath Cliff, Pennsylvania, a an unknown substance called "fuzzy mud" because of its seemingly innocuous appearance grows exponentially more threatening by the hour. While taking a shortcut home from school in order to avoid the school bully, fifth-grader Tamaya Dhilwaddi and her neighbor Marshall Walsh unknowingly causes a horrible chain of reactions. In order to protect themselves from Chad, the bully, Tamaya flings fuzzy mud at the him when he won't leave them alone. When she comes in contact with the mud, she breaks out into a terrible, blistery rash. When Chad is reported missing the next day, she knows the mud is to blame and returns to find him.
  Sachar provides a fun and terrifying look at science by interspersing court transcripts regarding Biolene, a high-energy biofuel being developed secretly in Heath Cliff with Tamaya’s story of danger and suspense. With increased tension and pacing, he slowly reveals the connection to Biolene and fuzzy mud along. There is a nice balance between realistic problems such as bullying, divorce, and serious science topics like overpopulation, the energery crisis, and the risks of bio-engineering advancements. The story is very easy to follow and the characters are well rounded and easy to root for. There is surprisingly a lot of depth in this science fiction thriller. 

Curriculum Connection: Science

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are some disturbing images and scenes of bullying. Recommended for strong Grade 3 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Zap! by Martha Freeman, The Big Dark by W.R. Philibrick

Description: Matthew Corbin suffers from severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. He hasn't been to school in weeks. His hands are cracked and bleeding from cleaning. He refuses to leave his bedroom. To pass the time, he observes his neighbors from his bedroom window, making mundane notes about their habits as they bustle about the cul-de-sac. When a toddler staying next door goes missing, it becomes apparent that Matthew was the last person to see him alive. Suddenly, Matthew finds himself at the center of a high-stakes mystery, and every one of his neighbors is a suspect. Matthew is the key to figuring out what happened and potentially saving a child's life... but is he able to do so if it means exposing his own secrets, and stepping out from the safety of his home?

Review: The Goldfish Boy is a multilayered mystery that is suspenseful and an eye-opening look at mental illness. Matthew Corbin has severe obsessive compulsive disorder and his illness has caused him to be agoraphobic, where he won’t go beyond his bedroom and the office across the hall. When he isn’t washing his hands and cleaning his surroundings, Matthew watches his neighbors in their cul-de-sac. He writes down his observations with meticulous care, and when his neighbor’s grandson, 15-month-old Teddy, suddenly goes missing, he realizes that he could have vital information. Reluctantly, he joins forces with neighbor and classmate Melody to solve the mystery.  
   While readers learn clues about Teddy's disappearance, Matthew comes to terms with the root of his condition and learns that everyone has secrets and stories. Matthew narrates the story with a voice that is initially slow paced, stilted and formal but which fills out as he lets go of his fears and develops compassion for his parents and neighbors. By locking into Matthew’s perspective, the reader gets a better understanding of his mental illness while also waiting for the book's suspenseful resolution regarding Teddy. While the ending is hopeful with Matthew on the road to recovery, the author does note that his mental illness will not miraculously disappear at the end of the book.

Rating: 4 stars


Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.


If you like this book try: Footer Davis is Probably Crazy by Susan Vaught

Description: Obayda’s family is in need of some good fortune. Her father lost one of his legs in a bomb explosion, forcing the family to move from their home city of Kabul to a small village, where life is very different and Obayda’s father almost never leaves his room. One day, Obayda’s aunt has an idea to bring the family luck—dress Obayda, the youngest of her sisters, as a boy, a bacha posh. Now Obayda is Obayd.
  Life in this in-between place is confusing, but once Obayda meets another bacha posh, everything changes. The two of them can explore the village on their own, climbing trees, playing sports, and more. But their transformation won’t last forever—unless the two best friends can figure out a way to make it stick and make their newfound freedoms endure.

Review: After Obayda’s father loses his leg in a car-bomb attack, her family is forced to move in with extended family in a village far from Kabul. As her father lies housebound and despondent, an aunt advises Obayda’s mother to make Obayda a bacha posh in order to bring good luck to their homes. Bacha posh, or preteen girls dressed in boys’ clothing and treated like boys, are a tradition in some parts of Afghanistan. These disguised boys are allowed to leave their homes and hold jobs in order to help their families financially. Once Obayda becomes Obayd, she is excused from house chores and other female responsibilities. Now Obayd is frightened of facing the boys at school, especially Rahim, an older boy who singles her out. Brave, athletic, and brash, Rahim sees right through Obayda’s disguise—because Rahim, too, is a bacha posh. The two, now allies, share many free-spirited adventures, including searching for a waterfall they believe will turn them into boys permanently (notably because they enjoy the values attached to the male gender and  not because they identify as males), since the specter of their return to the female underclass is always present, horrifyingly so in Rahim’s case.
 The theme of gender inequality is very strong in the book, but it becomes repetitive and redundant due to the lack of plot in the book. We are told that girls and boys are treated differently, but I wish this was shown more in the story. Obayd is not so different from Obayda in terms of  character arc. To me she was not interesting enough as a main character. For the lack of a better world, this book felt too sanitized for a younger audience. I was more intrigued by Rahima and I later found out that the author did a whole book on on Rahima called The Pearl That Broke Its Shell. I was also disappointed that there is no movement to women's empowerment in the story and it is overshadowed by the arrival of a baby brother who will once again bring luck to the family in the future. Still One Half from the East allows readers a sneak peek into the traditional culture of Afghanistan that is not seen and represented in literature. 

Rating: 3 stars

Words of Caution: There is mention of suicide bomb, drug addicts, and child marriage. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.

If you like this book try: The Pearl That Broke Its Shell by Nadia Hashimi, The Breadwinner by Deborah Ellis, Shooting Kabul by N.H. Senzai

Description: The day Grace is called from the slave cabins to work in the Big House, Mama makes her promise to keep her eyes down. Uncle Jim warns her to keep her thoughts tucked private in her mind or they could bring a whole lot of trouble and pain. But the more Grace sees of the heartless Master and hateful Missus, the more a rightness voice clamors in her head-asking how come white folks can own other people, sell them on the auction block, and separate families forever. When that voice escapes without warning, it sets off a terrible chain of events that prove Uncle Jim's words true. Suddenly, Grace and her family must flee deep into the woods, where they brave deadly animals, slave patrollers, and the uncertainty of ever finding freedom.

Review: Unbound is a story in verse that illuminates the horror of slavery without being overly graphic and informs the reader about the real history of the Great Dismal Swamp sanctuary. This book was heartbreaking to read but enlightening and showed the strength and power of hope and familial love in the face of adversity. Grace is a light-skinned, blue-eyed slave who is called to work in "The Big House," leaving behind her family and friends in the fields. Though she promised her Mama to keep her head down and cause no trouble, Grace can not keep quiet and incessantly questions the injustices she observes from the Master and the Missus, which gives her even more motivation to escape. When Grace crosses the line, she discovers the Missus's decision to sell members of Grace's family at the auction block. Soon, Grace and her family flee to the Great Dismal Swamp on their precarious journey to freedom and become "maroons" who survive independent of society. Though some young readers might find the language and format challenging, they will soon appreciate the rhythmic flow of the poetry and the well-executed pacing. I had never heard of the Great Dismal Swamp and the runaways' sanctuary and learned a lot from this book which in the author's note explains is based on the narratives of the formerly enslaved.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are allusions to slaves been beaten and hunted by their slave owners though there are no graphic details mentioned. Grace is also light skinned with blue eyes and her father is believed to be a white slave owner though it is not verified in the book. Recommended for Grades 4 and up.

If you like this book try: Calico Girl by Jerdine Nolen, Stella by Starlight by Sharon Draper

Description: Pat O'Toole has always idolized his older brother, Coop, right up until the day Coop ran away from their home just outside Washington, D.C. Now, a year later, he has received a package containing a digital voice recorder and a cryptic message from his brother, which will lead Pat on a strange and dangerous journey to the mysterious Community living beneath the streets of New York.

Review: Beneath is a fast-paced, action packed, and a tightly plotted mystery that incorporates themes of nonconformity and social rebellion. Pat is not surprised when his older brother and best friend, Coop, disappears. Coop has always been quirky: he is an avid tap dancer, collects flashlights, can't drive, won't email, and once dug a tunnel more than a mile long in their Virginia neighborhood before a gas line explosion nearly killed the two of them. After having a one-sided discussion with his parents about his future, Coop decides to leave without saying goodbye to Pat.

Description: When Jack meets his new foster brother, he already knows three things about him: Joseph almost killed a teacher. He was incarcerated at a place called Stone Mountain. He has a daughter. Her name is Jupiter. And he has never seen her.
 What Jack doesn’t know, at first, is how desperate Joseph is to find his baby girl. Or how urgently he, Jack, will want to help. But the past can’t be shaken off. Even as new bonds form, old wounds reopen. The search for Jupiter demands more from Jack than he can imagine.




Review: Orbiting Jupiter is a quiet tale that packs an emotional punch to the gut. The writing is simple with short sentences and short chapters, however, the characters' silence and appearance give this story its impact and power. I had my heart gripped in a vise when I read this book and it didn't ease up until the bittersweet ending. There were moments when I had tears in my eyes and I had to set it aside but the story would not let me go.
 Sixth grader Jack has a new foster brother, Joseph, who has a troubled past. Joseph has a history of trouble: he attacked a teacher, was incarcerated at an infamous juvenile detention center, and has a
s a baby daughter named Jupiter whom he’s never seen. It is through Jack's eyes that we observe Joseph who is removed, quiet, and not easy to warm up to. He hates people touching him or walking behind him. It is clear that he has had a traumatic childhood. At school, Joseph is bullied by both students and teachers alike, who presumed that he is nothing but trouble. Joseph, however, is incredibly intelligent and a nice person once he thaws. Soon Joseph begins to warm and open up to Jack's family as he grows to love the daily routine of farm life and learns what it means to be loved in a family. Jack's family may be complete, but Joseph’s single-minded desire to parent his daughter leads to strife and tragedy.
  In less than 200 pages, Schmidt unfolds his complex and heartbreaking story naturally. We don't learn Joseph's story until he is ready to tell it. We watch as Joseph's heart soars when he finally finds security and then plunge into darkness when it's snatched away from him. We too wonder where the angels are when horrible things happen to good people. While the writing is restrained, there are so many things to unpack from this book. I loved the foils and mirrors of male relationships from friendship and familial. This book really gets to the heart of what makes a family and in particular what makes a good father.

Rating: 5 stars

Words of Caution: There are allusions to physical abuse and sexual assault. There is also mention of teen pregnancy. Recommended for strong Grade 6 readers and up.

If you like this book try: A List of Cages by Robin Roe, The Rules of Survival by Nancy Werlin

Description: On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina's monstrous winds and surging water overwhelmed the protective levees around low-lying New Orleans, Louisiana. Eighty percent of the city flooded, in some places under twenty feet of water. Property damages across the Gulf Coast topped $100 billion. One thousand eight hundred and thirty-three people lost their lives. The tale of this historic storm and the drowning of an American city is one of selflessness, heroism, and courage—and also of incompetence, racism, and criminality.

Review: In this slim graphic novel Brown is able to recount the horrifying events of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath in New Orleans, Louisiana in 2005. Instead of focusing on individual stories, we are given a journalistic approach to the natural disaster. Told chronologically from the hurricane’s seemingly benign origin in West Africa, the story follows the storm almost hourly, revealing every misstep along the way that resulted in so much unnecessary loss and devastation. By the time Katrina passed over New Orleans, more than 1,400 people were dead and hundreds of thousands had fled the city. 
  The text is clear and easy to read, relying exclusively on data and statistics interspersed with quotes from residents, rescue crews, journalists, and news reports and not skirting away from the controversial incompetency of the government. There were many new to me facts that I learned in this graphic novel. The haunting imagery with its monochromatic panels, hits you viscerally as you hear from people who are battling oppressive heat and fear. There are pages that are wordless because the illustrations can only capture and convey the horrors that people suffered. Spare but gets the point across. I only wished that the graphic novel dug deeper into the issues that Hurricane Katrina raised to the surface and which unfortunately continues to rear its ugly head with Hurricane Maria.


Curriculum Connection: English, Science, and Social Studies

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There are images of bodies floating in water that may be too much for sensitive readers. Recommended for Grades 6 and up.


If you like this book try: A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld

Description: A California girl born and raised, Mai can't wait to spend her vacation at the beach. Instead, though, she has to travel to Vietnam with her grandmother, who is going back to find out what really happened to her husband during the Vietnam War. Mai's parents think this trip will be a great opportunity for their out-of-touch daughter to learn more about her culture. But to Mai, those are their roots, not her own. Vietnam is hot, smelly, and the last place she wants to be. Besides barely speaking the language, she doesn't know the geography, the local customs, or even her distant relatives. To survive her trip, Mai must find a balance between her two completely different worlds.

Review: Listen, Slowly is a thought provoking story about reconnecting to your cultural roots and the secrets that shape our lives. Mai has been really looking forward to spending her summer vacation at the beach and finally having a chance to talk to her secret crush before starting junior high. Her plans are derailed when her parents announce that she will be escorting her grandmother to Vietnam instead. New information may have surfaced about her long lost grandfather, who disappeared over 40 years ago in the Vietnam War. 
 Mai is not familiar with her family roots. She doesn't speak Vietnamese or doesn't know the culture, and everything she knows about Vietnam is from a PBS documentary on the Fall of Saigon. While her parents are excited for her to learn more about her roots, Mai is aware of how her own parents came to America since its a topic that they really talk about. I really connected with Mai because I too didn't know much of my Pakistani relatives and background when I visited Pakistan for the first time when I was in elementary school. The lost in translation experience rang true to me and I loved watching Mai grow and embrace her Vietnamese heritage. 
  The contrast between Mai's life of luxury in America is a stark contrast of that living in a village with limited internet access and other amenities. The sights, smells, and tastes of Vietnam's cities and villages come alive on the page and transports the reader to the setting. There are plenty of touching and funny moments in the story that are balanced well with the more serious, dark tones as Mai witnesses her grandmother's desperate attempts to find out how her husband lived his last days. I enjoyed how Mai slowly makes friends and bonds with her grandmother, with whom she was very close as a small child. Mai's character growth is slow and believable. She begins to appreciate and acknowledge of how privileged she is as well as gaining a new respect for her elders.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is mention of bribing and war violence in the book. Recommended for Grades 5 and up.

If you like this book try: Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai, Gaither Sissters series by Rita Williams-Garcia, Enchanted Air by Margarita Engle

Description: It started as an assignment. Everyone in Caitlin's class wrote to an unknown student somewhere in a distant place. All the other kids picked countries like France or Germany, but when Caitlin saw Zimbabwe written on the board, it sounded like the most exotic place she had ever heard of--so she chose it. Martin was lucky to even receive a pen pal letter. There were only ten letters, and forty kids in his class. But he was the top student, so he got the first one. That letter was the beginning of a correspondence that spanned six years and changed two lives.

Review: I Will Always Write Back is an uplifting memoir that depicts a six year long pen-pal correspondence between Caitlin, an American girl, and Martin, a Zimbabwean boy, that blossoms into a lifelong friendship. In alternating chapters, Caitlin and Martin relate their story, which begins in 1997 when middle-schooler Caitlin chooses a boy in Zimbabwe for a pen-pal assignment because she thought Zimbabwe was an exotic sounding country.
 The difference between Caitlin's and Martin's life is stark and eye opening. Caitlin has a privileged life in Pennsylvania and her woes of friendships and crushes appear so superficial First World problems when compared to Martin's hardscrabble life in millworkers' housing, where his family shares one room with another one. The top student in his class, Martin dreams of studying at an American university, but even just continuing high school in Zimbabwe seems like a long shot.  
   Caitlin, not recognizing the extent of Martin's poverty, sends some of her babysitting money with her letters, and Martin's family uses it for food. Eventually, Caitlin and her parents become Martin's sponsors for his studies and help him obtain a scholarship to Villanova University in 2003.
  While I thoroughly enjoyed the book's sentiment of doing-good, being generous, and the power of making a change, I thought the story was dragged out for a full length novel and at times reads like an after school special. I think it would have worked better as a magazine article. There is some suspense as to whether or not Martin will be accepted to Villanova and come to the United States. Overall the book ends a positive note and this would be a good choice for readers looking for an inspirational memoir featuring teens making a difference.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: There is a scene of underage drinking at a party and there drug use is mentioned. Recommend for strong Grade 6 readers and up.

If you like this book try: Taking Flight by Michaela DePrince, How Dare the Sun Rise by Sandra Uwiringiyimana with, Abigail Pesta

Description: Emily is on the move again. Her family is relocating to San Francisco, home of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger, a game where books are hidden all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles. But Emily soon learns that Griswold has been attacked and is in a coma, and no one knows anything about the epic new game he had been poised to launch. Then Emily and her new friend James discover an odd book, which they come to believe is from Griswold and leads to a valuable prize. But there are others on the hunt for this book, and Emily and James must race to solve the puzzles Griswold left behind before Griswold's attackers make them their next target.

Review: If you like books and puzzles then Book Scavenger is right up your alley. Emily is an avid player of Book Scavenger, the hidden-book game masterminded by publishing legend Garrison Griswold. When her family moves to San Francisco, home of Griswold’s Bayside Press, she hopes it will position her favorably for the new game he’s about to launch. The new game's launch is halted, however, as Griswold is mugged and left in a coma, and the book he was carrying—a new edition of the Edgar Allan Poe short story “The Gold-Bug”—is missing.
  While sight seeing the city with her new friend, fellow code-enthusiast James and her musically obsessed older brother Matthew find the book. Emily and James take the book home and read it to see if there is a new puzzle to solve. As Emily and James read the book, they discover typos in the text that spell out words: fort, wild, rat, home, open, belief. Emily and James start following the clues and are soon played in a dangerous cat and mouse pursuit by others who want the book, and they’ve already shown they’re willing to hurt people to get it.
  In this fun mystery, the codes and ciphers take center stage in the book. There are plenty of clues for the reader to try solve the puzzles by themselves but there are plenty of explanations for the answers as Emily and James solve the questions.While there isn't much character development as I would have liked in the book, I did like growth of Emily and Jame's new friendship as they wade through the waters of trust, support, and other characteristics of a good friendship. I also had a blast traveling all over San Francisco's landmarks as the duo go on the hunt for clues and answers. I also learned cool information that I didn't know before such as Poe's love of ciphers, the strange and true story of Rufus Griswold, and the outcome of a real book based scavenger hunt from 1979. I plan on reading other books in this promising mystery series.

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: Grisworld is shot in the back and mugged though the details aren't graphic. Recommended for strong Grade 3 readers and up.

If you like this book try: The Unbreakable Code (Book Scavenger #2) by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein, Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein, Shakespeare's Secret by Elise Broach, and Chasing Vermeer series by Blue Balliett