Let’s go back in time, to 1893, and explore New York City, a very different place than the modern metropolis of today. The streets are crowded, filthy, and dangerous, and people are crammed together in tenement buildings without light or running water. This is the world 13 year-old Maks Geless deals with every day, as he earns money to help his family as a “newsie” on the Lower East Side. Follow Maks through his days as he deals with threats from the Plug Ugly Gang, rescues a homeless girl, and fights to save his sister from an unwarranted charge of theft. This plot is so full of action, you won’t want to stop listening!!
Looking for a good recorded book to listen to while travelling? Check out The Star of Kazan! Set in 20th century Vienna, you will meet Annika, an orphan, and the unusual family that adopts her. The plot thickens when her "real" mother suddenly appears and Annika's life is turned upside down. This tale is told so well you won't want to stop listening. The narrator, Patricia Connelly, adds so much to the story with her amazing voice. Check it out today!
Many people may read this book solely because it is the 2011 Newbery winner, but I want to tell everyone in the world- adults and children - to read this book!!!!! It amazes me that this is the author’s first novel. It is the BEST children’s novel I have read in awhile, and, as a children’s librarian, I read a lot of books every year.
Young Abilene Tucker is sent to her father’s home town of Manifest, Kansas, when he feels he can no longer take care of her properly. At first the town doesn’t seem like much, but as the story unfolds she realizes there is much more here than meets the eye. Abilene and her new friends Lettie and Ruthanne go on a treasure hunt of sorts, learning more about the town’s history and its inhabitants past and present. How can you not be curious about characters named Shady, and the Rattler, and the mysterious Hungarian woman who lives down the “Path to Perdition?” Many different plots wind together seamlessly to come to a satisfying conclusion! I would highly recommend this book to anyone 5th grade and up. It is a joy to read, and little Abilene will touch your heart!
I love reading and reviewing kids' books, and this story is a great example of why. This tale, set on an island in Maine, captures so much in only 186 pages. Eleven-year-old Tess Brooks and her family love their island home, but face having to move away because there are too few children on the island to keep their small school open. To boost the numbers, families on the island offer to host foster children. Tess has great hopes for the foster child who will join her family, and when Aaron, a surly, red-headed 13-year-old, shows up she tries to hide her disappointment. She was hoping for a new best friend and instead this new boy is disrupting her life!
This story spoke to me because the feelings of Aaron are explained so well - his wariness, his sense of "being different," and his certainty that this home will be like all the rest: temporary. It is also a great story about life on an island, and the lobster-fishing business that is so much a part of the community. This book will make you want to take a trip to Maine!
RSS Feed