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By Alicia D. Williams. 2024
A tender-souled boy reeling from the death of his best friend struggles to fit into a world that wants him…
to grow up tough and unfeeling in this stunning middle grade novel in verse from the Newbery Honor–winning author of Genesis Begins Again.It&’s the last few months of eighth grade, and Isaiah feels lost. He thought his summer was going to be him and his boys Drew and Darius, hanging out, doing wheelies, watching martial arts movies, and breaking tons of Guiness World Records before high school. But now, more and more, Drew seems to be fading from their friendship, and though he won&’t admit it, Isaiah knows exactly why. Because Darius is…gone. A hit and run killed Darius in the midst of a record-breaking long wheelie when Isaiah should have been keeping watch, ready to warn: &“CAR!&” Now, Drew can barely look at Isaiah. But Isaiah, already quaking with ache and guilt, can&’t lose two friends. So, he comes up with a plan to keep Drew and him together—they can spend the summer breaking records, for Darius. But Drew&’s not the same Drew since Darius was killed, and Isaiah, being Isaiah, isn&’t enough for Drew anymore. Not his taste in clothes, his love for rock music, or his aversion to jumping off rooftops. And one day something unspeakable happens to Isaiah that makes him think Drew&’s right. If only he could be less sensitive, more tough, less weird, more cool, less him, things would be easier. But how much can Isaiah keep inside until he shatters wide open?By Jane Yolen. 2023
Award-winning author Jane Yolen brings us a delightfully humorous tale inspired by Jewish folklore of a well-intentioned but mischievous boy…
who accidentally summons ten golems."A truly original story that charmed me from start to finish. This book put a big smile on my face!"— Lesléa Newman, author of Welcoming Elijah: A Passover Tale with a Tail, winner of the Sydney Taylor Book Award and National Jewish Book Award"A delightful reimagining of Jewish folklore! Magic that will captivate children of all backgrounds."—Ruth Behar, Pura Belpré Author Award winner and author of Tía Fortuna's New Home: A Jewish Cuban Journey, a Sydney Taylor Notable BookThe rabbi’s son, Abi, has a habit of getting in trouble. It’s not on purpose, and usually, they’re harmless accidents. But this time, Abi has stolen a scroll from the synagogue—to practice his Hebrew!—and is not ready for what, or rather, who will show up at his front door as a result.The golems Abi summons may look monstrous, but we soon learn they are only there to help! With beloved author Jane Yolen's signature wit and delightful illustrations by Maya Shleifer, Too Many Golems conveys the unexpected joy of magical accidents and the importance of being a good neighbor to all.A REIMAGINED JEWISH TALE: A fresh spin on a classic Jewish folktale reinvents the original narrative into one that emphasizes kindness, community, and friendship. Readers will laugh along as, instead of battling enemies, these golems tackle an even stronger foe: Hebrew lessons!ENCOURAGING MESSAGE: With a deep understanding that learning any new skill can be a difficult and even anxiety-inducing experience, this story acknowledges every struggle and reassures readers that even without the help of magical creatures, their goals can be achieved through perseverance. IMAGINATIVE & FUNNY: Brought to life by two Jewish creators, author Jane Yolen and illustrator Maya Schleifer, this comical story of a boy who means well but can't seem to stay out of trouble will delight parents and kids with its charming illustrations, witty text, and pure imagination. CELEBRATES KINDNESS: Readers will find a warm message that showcases the importance of showing kindness to everyone, regardless of where they come from or what language they speak.PERFECT FOR COMING-OF-AGE CELEBRATIONS: The outrageous tale of Abi's battle with Hebrew is one that many Jewish children will relate to as they begin Hebrew school or embark on their Bar/Bat Mitzvah journey, making this an essential pick for parents and gift-givers.Perfect for:Parents and grandparentsTeachers and librariansBar/Bat Mitzvah gift-giversAnyone looking for picture books celebrating Jewish cultureFans of Jane YolenFans of such classics as Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and Where the Wild Things AreBy Anna Desnitskaya. 2023
The United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) Outstanding International Books List - Grades 3-5 (2024)A uniquely formatted book…
about dreams, loneliness, and the universal longing for connection. Vera and her family live on Russia&’s Kamchatka Peninsula, a place that feels like the edge of the world itself. Lucas and his family also say they live on the edge of the world, but their home is thousands of miles away on the coast of Chile. Vera spends her days devouring fantasy books, throwing balls to her dog, and longing for a friend who would care about the treasures she&’s hidden underneath the alder bush. Lucas spends his days looking for fossils, playing solo games of soccer, and wishing for a friend who would read with him on the best branch of his favorite tree. One evening, both Lucas and Vera head to the beach, blink their flashlights into the dark—and discover that the edge of the world is not such a lonely place after all. In this playful, perceptive book, acclaimed author-illustrator Anna Desnitskaya shares the mirroring lives of two children in two separate but surprisingly similar settings. As readers flip the book between Vera in Russia and Lucas in Chile, they will learn just how big—and how small—a place the world can be. The Children&’s Book Council Teacher FAVORITES List 3rd-5th Grade (2024)Cooperative Children&’s Book Center CCBC Choices List - Picture Books (2024)By Vaddey Ratner. 2017
This &“novel of extraordinary humanity&” (Madeleine Thien, author of Do Not Say We Have Nothing) from New York Times bestselling…
author Vaddey Ratner reveals &“the endless ways that families can be forged and broken hearts held&” (Chicago Tribune) as a young woman begins an odyssey to discover the truth about her missing father.Leaving the safety of America, Teera returns to Cambodia for the first time since her harrowing escape as a child refugee. She carries a letter from a man who mysteriously signs himself as &“the Old Musician&” and claims to have known her father in the Khmer Rouge prison where he disappeared twenty-five years ago. In Phnom Penh, Teera finds a society still in turmoil, where perpetrators and survivors of unfathomable violence live side by side, striving to mend their still beloved country. She meets a young doctor who begins to open her heart, confronts her long-buried memories, and prepares to learn her father&’s fate. Meanwhile, the Old Musician, who earns his modest keep playing ceremonial music at a temple, awaits Teera&’s visit. He will have to confess the bonds he shared with her parents, the passion with which they all embraced the Khmer Rouge&’s illusory promise of a democratic society, and the truth about her father&’s end. A love story for things lost and restored, a lyrical hymn to the power of forgiveness, Music of the Ghosts is a &“sensitive portrait of the inheritance of survival&” (USA TODAY) and a journey through the embattled geography of the heart where love can be reborn.By Sahar Delijani. 2013
New York Times bestselling author Khaled Hosseini says, “Set in post-revolutionary Iran, Sahar Delijani’s gripping novel is a blistering indictment…
of tyranny, a poignant tribute to those who bear the scars of it, and a celebration of the human heart’s eternal yearning for freedom.”Neda is born in Iran’s Evin Prison, where her mother is allowed to nurse her for a few months before an anonymous guard appears at the cell door one day and simply takes her away. In another part of the city, three-year-old Omid witnesses the arrests of his political activist parents from his perch at their kitchen table, yogurt dripping from his fingertips. More than twenty years after the violent, bloody purge that took place inside Tehran’s prisons, Sheida learns that her father was one of those executed, that the silent void firmly planted between her and her mother all these years was not just the sad loss that comes with death but the anguish and the horror of murder. These are the Children of the Jacaranda Tree. Set in post-revolutionary Iran from 1983 to 2011, this stunning debut novel follows a group of mothers, fathers, children, and lovers, some related by blood, others brought together by the tide of history that washes over their lives. Finally, years later, it is the next generation that is left with the burden of the past and their country’s tenuous future as a new wave of protest and political strife begins. “Heartbreakingly heroic” (Publishers Weekly), Children of the Jacaranda Tree is an evocative portrait of three generations of men and women inspired by love and poetry, burning with idealism, chasing dreams of justice and freedom. Written in Sahar Delijani’s spellbinding prose, capturing the intimate side of revolution in a country where the weight of history is all around, it is a moving tribute to anyone who has ever answered its call.By Jeanette Ingold. 2010
Maggie Chen was born with ink in her blood. Her journalist father has fired her imagination with the thrill of…
the newsroom, and when her father is killed, she is determined to keep his dreams alive by interning at the local newspaper. While assisting on her first story, Maggie learns that her father is suspected of illegal activity, and she knows she must clear his name. Drawn to Seattle's Chinatown, she discovers things that are far from what she expected: secrets, lies, and a connection to the Chinese Exclusion Era. Using all of her newspaper instincts and resources, Maggie is forced to confront her ethnicity-and a family she never knew.By Javier Marías. 2021
The final novel from Spain's most acclaimed writer, a novel about a charismatic half-Spanish, half-English man who is recruited by…
British intelligence • &“Marías&’s best work.&” —El País&“Compelling, hypnotic, and exciting at the same time.&” —Los Angeles Review of Books Retired spy Tomás Nevinson—once an agent for the British Secret Service, now living a quiet life in his hometown, Madrid—is approached by his former handler, Bertram Tupra, with an offer to bring him back in from the cold for one last assignment.The mission: to go undercover again, in a small Spanish town, to find out which of three women who moved there a decade ago is in fact a terrorist trained by the IRA, on the run after masterminding several deadly attacks.Everything about the assignment is shadowy, from exactly who is in charge, to the question of what &“justice&” Nevinson will need to mete out once he unmasks the terrorist. But, lured by the appeal of being back on the inside, he accepts the job.Nevinson soon becomes intimately involved with each of the three women. How—or whom—to choose among them? Under increasing pressure, he must choose, and then act . . .Charting a world in which right and wrong, good and evil, are irreparably blurred, Javier Marías takes us on a journey of rare and unforgettable suspense in this, the final novel written before his untimely passing.By Ryan Chapman. 2024
A bracing satire about the implosion of a Theranos-like company, a collapsing marriage, and a billionaires&’ &“philanthropy summit,&” for fans…
of Hari Kunzru and The White Lotus.In 72 hours, a blockbuster exposé will reveal Victoria Stevens&’s multibillion-dollar startup as a massive fraud. And Victoria has gone missing. Has she faked her death, leaving her husband, Guy Sarvananthan, to face the fallout— and potential jail time? Should Guy flee to his native Sri Lanka, an outcast and a failure? Or embrace denial? Opting for the latter, he takes the corporate jet to a private Caribbean island, where the 0.0001% have gathered to decide which one of the world&’s biggest problems to &“eradicate forever.&” Guy drinks and drugs his way into oblivion, through manicured jungles and aboard superyachts, amid captains of industry, legions of staff, and unlikely saboteurs. Meanwhile, Victoria narrates her side of the story from an off-the-grid location in the California desert. In scribbled diary entries shot through with cultish self-help mantras, she plots her comeback, confident she&’ll prove everyone wrong. Again. Ryan Chapman&’s incisive novel is a swan dive into the abyss and &“Martin Amis&’s Money for really late, late capitalism&” (Amitava Kumar, author of A Time Outside This Time).By Opal Wei. 2024
They're walking on the wild side…The Plan was simple: find a cure for the cancer that nearly took her sister&’s life.…
But for Zoey Fong, something about The Plan isn&’t working anymore. When a crucial tissue sample accidentally winds up in the hands of a very distracting—and disarmingly handsome—visitor, Zoey jumps at the chance to follow him home to retrieve it. Davy Hsieh&’s rugged island estate is no manicured suburban park. His plan is simple: establish a legitimate animal sanctuary and embrace life as a hermit to make up for a sketchy past. Zoey invading his fortress of solitude should not, under any circumstances, be a romantic development. And yet it&’s the single most invigorating week of their lives…when they're able to set their many differences aside and embrace it. Stranded amid all manner of flora and fauna—including a semidomesticated cougar called Baby—Davy and Zoey first have to survive the island. Then they'll need to take a leap of faith, maybe even trusting in each other, to save it. "An absolutely charming opposites attract story that will have you swooning for Davy, feeling for Zoey, and swearing to stay away from geese." —Lily Chu, author of The Stand-In and The ComebackBy Anna J.. 2015
If you thought having a threesome could wreak havoc on a relationship, Monica will prove you one hundred percent correct…
and then some. Monica shows you why even the mere thought of having a ménage à trois with your spouse and an outsider should never enter your imagination.By Maya Snow. 2009
Sometimes a samurai's most dangerous opponent is herself. Ever since their father's murder, Kimi and Hana have honed their fighting…
skills and prepared for vengeance against their vicious uncle Hidehira. They have become true warriors with the hearts of samurai. Now their fight has become more than just a personal vendetta. As Hidehira's quest for power continues, he is destroying the province and is poised to invade the rest of the kingdom. After both girls are nearly killed in a fire while fighting their uncle's soldiers, their mother insists on attempting to enlist the support of the Shogun. But at the Shogun's court, the sisters are torn apart by their differences, especially when they rediscover an old friend with a shrouded past. Danger lurks in the most elegant circumstances—behind the smiling face of an aristocrat as well as behind the mask of a ninja—and true peril awaits the sisters where they least expect it. . . .By George Shannon. 2001
A man is thrown in jail for picking up a rope. A student earns one hundred points on his math…
and history tests, yet fails both classes. A spider saves a fugitive from a legion of warriors. A farmer buys a cow, a horse, and a donkey, all with a single ear of corn.... Each of the eighteen stories in this book is true, technically. But each is also a lie.In his second collection of "true lies" from around the world, George Shannon challenges young readers to uncover the whole truth. But be careful: a word with more than one meaning can obscure the facts. And a hidden detail can mean the difference between honesty and a twisted truth that is, in its essence, a lie.Can you tell the difference?Can you discover:"What's the truth,the whole truth?And where's the lie?"By Sarah Mlynowski. 2017
"This endlessly fun and hugely entertaining romp through Europe had me laughing out loud and reaching for my passport.” —Jennifer…
E. Smith, author of WindfallA POPSUGAR Best Young Adult Novel of 2017!Nineteen-year-old Sydney has the perfect summer mapped out. She’s spending the next four and a half weeks travelling through Europe with her childhood best friend Leela. Their plans include Eiffel Tower selfies, eating cocco gelato, and making out with très hot strangers.Her plans do not include Leela’s cheating ex-boyfriend showing up on the flight to London, falling for the cheating ex-boyfriend’s très hot friend, monitoring her mother’s spiraling mental health via texts, or feeling like the rope in a friendship tug of war. In this hilarious and unforgettable adventure, New York Times bestselling author Sarah Mlynowski tells the story of a girl learning to navigate secret romances, thorny relationships, and the London Tube. As Sydney zigzags through Amsterdam, Switzerland, Italy, and France, she must learn when to hold on, when to keep moving, and when to jump into the Riviera...wearing only her polka dot underpants.By Jeanette Ingold. 2010
Maggie Chen's journalist father has fired her imagination with the thrill of the newsroom, and when her father is killed,…
she is determined to keep his dreams alive by interning at the newspaper.While assisting on her first story, Maggie learns that her father is suspected of illegal activity, and knows she must clear his name. Drawn to Seattle&’s Chinatown, she discovers things that are far from what she expected: secrets, lies, and a connection to the Chinese Exclusion Era. Using all of her newspaper instincts and resources, Maggie is forced to confront her ethnicity—and a family she never knew.By Alice Randall. 2020
An enthralling literary tour-de-force that pays tribute to Detroit's legendary neighborhood, a mecca for jazz, sports, and politics, Black Bottom…
Saints is a powerful blend of fact and imagination reminiscent of E.L. Doctorow's classic novel Ragtime and Marlon James' Man Booker Award-winning masterpiece, A Brief History of Seven Killings.From the Great Depression through the post-World War II years, Joseph “Ziggy” Johnson, has been the pulse of Detroit’s famous Black Bottom. A celebrated gossip columnist for the city’s African-American newspaper, the Michigan Chronicle, he is also the emcee of one of the hottest night clubs, where he’s rubbed elbows with the legendary black artists of the era, including Ethel Waters, Billy Eckstein, and Count Basie. Ziggy is also the founder and dean of the Ziggy Johnson School of Theater. But now the doyen of Black Bottom is ready to hang up his many dapper hats. As he lays dying in the black-owned-and-operated Kirkwood Hospital, Ziggy reflects on his life, the community that was the center of his world, and the remarkable people who helped shape it.Inspired by the Catholic Saints Day Books, Ziggy curates his own list of Black Bottom’s venerable "52 Saints." Among them are a vulnerable Dinah Washington, a defiant Joe Louis, and a raucous Bricktop. Randall balances the stories of these larger-than-life "Saints" with local heroes who became household names, enthralling men and women whose unstoppable ambition, love of style, and faith in community made this black Midwestern neighborhood the rival of New York City’s Harlem.Accompanying these “tributes” are thoughtfully paired cocktails—special drinks that capture the essence of each of Ziggy’s saints—libations as strong and satisfying as Alice Randall’s wholly original view of a place and time unlike any other.By Eugenia Kim. 2009
Finalist for the Dayton Literary Peace PrizeA Washington Post Best Book of the YearWinner of the 2009 Borders Original Voices Award In…
early-twentieth-century Korea, Najin Han, the privileged daughter of a calligrapher, longs to choose her own destiny. But her country is in tumult under Japan's harsh occupation, and her family's traditions, entitlements, and wealth crumble. Narrowly escaping an arranged marriage, Najin becomes a companion to a young princess, until Korea's last king is assassinated, and the centuries-old dynastic culture comes to its end. Najin pursues a coveted education and is surprised to find love. After one day of marriage, a denied passport separates her from her new husband, who journeys alone to America. As a decade passes and the world descends into war, Najin loses touch with her husband. Will the love they share be enough to sustain her through the deprivation her country continues to endure? The Calligrapher's Daughter is a "vivid, heartfelt portrait of faith, love and life for one family during a pivotal time in history" (Bookpage).By Allan Stratton. 2008
She promised her mama she'd keep them safe.It's been six months since Mama died, and Chanda is struggling to raise…
her little brother and sister. Determined to end a family feud, she takes them to her relatives' remote rural village. But across the nearby border, a brutal civil war is spreading. Rebels led by the ruthless General Mandiki attack at night, stealing children. All that separates Chanda from the horror is a stretch of rugged bush and a national park alive with predators. Soon, not even that. Before she knows it, Chanda must face the unthinkable, with a troubled young tracker as her unlikely ally. Chanda's Wars is the unforgettable story of a teenager who risks everything to save her brother and sister. Epic in its sweep, intimate in its humanity, here is a gripping tale of family intrigue, love and courage, forgiveness and hope.By Ann Mah. 2010
“Ann Mah’s Kitchen Chinese is a delicious debut novel, seasoned with just the right balance of humor and heart, and…
sprinkled with fascinating cultural tidbits.” —Claire Cook, bestselling author of Must Love DogsKitchen Chinese, Ann Mah’s funny and poignant first novel about a young Chinese-American woman who travels to Beijing to discover food, family, and herself is a delight—complete with mouth-watering descriptions of Asian culinary delicacies, from Peking duck and Mongolian hot pot to the colorful, lesser known Ants in a Tree that will delight foodies everywhere. Reminiscent of Elizabeth Gilbert’s runaway bestseller Eat, Pray, Love, Mah’s tale of clashing cultures, rival siblings, and fine dining is an unforgettable, unexpectedly sensual reading experience—the story of one woman’s search for identity and purpose in an exotic and faraway land.By John O'Brien, George Shannon. 1997
In this collection of "lies" from many nations, the challenge is to find the slippery truth. By reading with care…
and not jumping to conclusions, readers will delight in discovering how these characters lie while at the same time they tell the truth.By Maureen Duffy. 2013
Wounds begins with two lovers in bed. Their lovemaking throughout the book forms a recurring lietmotif, a counterpoint to the…
examination of the spiritual death of the characters.In a South London environment of pub and fairground, home and work, the wounds of 20th century experience are evoked in prose which is both lyrical and precise. Kingy in her garden, ‘loved by the most handsome women in the world’; Maura the barmaid: ‘I prefer the little, thin men'; Glisten the Mayor: ‘It’ll be take-over time and too late’ — these and the many other characters illustrate the basic theme of the novel.