Books by other publisher’s with Unique Challenges and Extraordinary Resilience for Younger Readers.
Spring Choices
Vanderah, Glendy – Where the Forest Meets the Stars – 2019
A young, bird-researcher and cancer survivor suddenly finds herself caring for a nine-year-old, barefoot runaway girl claiming she was sent from the stars. A reclusive egg man joins in seeking safety for the charming child as suspicious neighbors, doubting friends, police and dangerous bad guys thicken the threatening world around the young child. But the mystery of where the child comes from loses importance as their growing love for the child begins to remove remove one obstacle after the other. Jo, the bird-researcher, and Gabe, the egg man, are wounded, struggling people willing to risk everything to remove the danger around young Ursa who seems to have some of her own magic. There is definitely stardust in this story, but it comes from the love, not the stars.
Parkes, J.R. – The Wondercurrent – 2019
Mr. Parkes introduces us to a new family battling for the future of Dreamworlds. As the mother, Winter, and father, Julian, are sent off to unknown hotspots, the young daughter Rella Pensword grows up at home in Ensea until her dream traveling leads her to Hleo where she ends up fighting the Archimago’s take over and destruction of the land and trees. With the whimsy of unique characters and resilience from unexpected creative powers Rella stops the darkness and returns to Ensea where she will find word from her parents for the next adventure.
YOUNG ADULT
Buxbaum, Julie – Tell Me Three Things – 2016
16- year- old Jessie has just been moved by her father to Los Angeles and forced into a new family, school, and life. She misses her mother who recently died. Knowing nobody at the new school, she is emailed by a somebody /nobody who starts advising her on settling into this new world. This email relationship anchors her adjustment to her new world which slowly opens up in unexpected directions.
It might be true that most spirited kids hate high school, but their efforts to survive in this story are full of hope, wit, and resilience.
DeStefano, Lauren- A Curious Tale of In-Between – 2015
Pram Bellamy is special — she can talk to ghosts. She doesn't have too many friends amongst the living, but that's all right. She has her books, she has her aunts, and she has her best friend, the ghostly Felix.
Then Pram meets Clarence, a boy from school who has also lost a parent and is looking for answers. Together they arrive at the door of the mysterious Lady Savant, who promises to help. But this spiritualist knows the true nature of Pram's power, and what she has planned is more terrifying than any ghost.
Fox, Helena – How It Feels to Float - 2017
Most of us would choose to float above our pain and loss. It worked for teenaged Biz until it did not work at all, and she had to go seek the father she had lost. Her father was her anchor. How could she do this without that anchor? Ms. Fox knows what such an unguided effort would feel like.
Ness, Patrick- A Monster Calls – 2011
Conor has the same dream every night, ever since his mother first fell ill and started the treatments that don't seem to be working. But tonight is different. Tonight, when he wakes, there's a visitor at his window. It's an ancient, elemental force of nature. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor. It wants the truth.
Patrick Ness takes the final idea of the late, award-winning writer Siobhan Dowd and weaves an extraordinary, heartbreaking tale of mischief, healing and above all, the courage it takes to survive.
Vanderah, Glendy – Where the Forest Meets the Stars – 2019
A young, bird-researcher and cancer survivor suddenly finds herself caring for a nine-year-old, barefoot runaway girl claiming she was sent from the stars. A reclusive egg man joins in seeking safety for the charming child as suspicious neighbors, doubting friends, police and dangerous bad guys thicken the threatening world around the young child. But the mystery of where the child comes from loses importance as their growing love for the child begins to remove remove one obstacle after the other. Jo, the bird-researcher, and Gabe, the egg man, are wounded, struggling people willing to risk everything to remove the danger around young Ursa who seems to have some of her own magic. There is definitely stardust in this story, but it comes from the love, not the stars.
Williams, Lassiter – The Rage – 2019
Young Trib is a trained fighter who begins to question violence as a solution. In her effort to protect a peaceful native village, she encounters different enemies ready to attack. Their answer is to subdue and control at all costs. Trib’s mother and sisters were murdered so she knows how the price of violence is buried where control can only vaguely harness the resulting rage. The author understands trauma and explores it as Trib evolves away from being a cold, heartless warrior.
MIDDLE GRADE
Alexie, Sherman - The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian -2007
This is an engaging, humorous telling of a young Indian’s reaching beyond the reservation as Sherman goes to the White kds’ school. The culture shock resonates on both sides and the trauma absorbed is huge, but the resilience is awesome.
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker - The War that Saved My Life –-2015
Trapped in a London tenement as Nazi Germany threatens, nine-year-old Ada is isolated inside by her abusive mother because of her “clubbed” foot. When Ada’s little brother Jaimie is sent to the country to avoid the bombings, she escapes with him, and a new world slowly opens in the home of Susan Smith who has recently lost her partner. Ada’s view was clouded with abuse, loss, and trauma and now she will have to struggle with despair, distrust, and the shocking destruction of war. Her simple, straightforward descriptions are from a child struggling to keep things manageable. The author understands trauma and the vast defenses it requires to be managed. She tells a story of remarkable resilience as Ada repeatedly maneuvers for just enough safety to survive as the war makes everything more dangerous and less reliable.
Erskin, Kathryn – Mockingbird – 2010
Caitlin’s. brother, Devon, has been killed in a school shooting. Grieving is complicated when you are a ten-year-old coping with Asbergers. Her mother died years before and her father is lost in his mourning. Emotions, empathy and sympathy do not unfold easily for her even with the good support of the school counselor. She struggles mightily for a path out finally recognizing that “closure” is what she, her father, her school and the whole community around her needs. She finds the way. Asbergers is almost another character as it constantly requires clarity forcing Caitlin to respond. The author is gently informing us of another view of our world.
Kelly, Erin Entrada – Hello, Universe – 2017
“The lives of four misfits are entwined when a bully’s prank lands shy Virgil at the bottom of a well and Valencia, Kaori, and Gen band together in an epic quest to find and rescue him.” The “spiritualist” Kaori’s mantra of “no coincidences” highlights the remarkable connections the Universe offers to make good things happen.
Lai, Thanhha – Inside Out and Back Again – 2011
Thanhha Lai's poetic rendering of a Vietnamese family's escape from Saigon to settle in Alabama in 1975. opens a needed point of view. Her verse is elegant and eloquent in revealing a story remarkable to any American who lived through the Vietnam War. In those years little thought was given in the US to the lives of the Vietnamese citizens.
Shell, Robbie – Bees on the Roof – 2017
Seventh grader Sam starts bee colonies on the city roof of the restaurant/hotel where his father works. His teammates help him, and his rivals challenge him. He is trying to slow the changes in his and his father’s life since his mother passed away. The hardness in the attitudes and patterns in the urban landscape keeps blocking Sam’s progress.
Stead, Rebecca - When You Reach Me – 2009
“As her mother prepares to be a contestant on the 1970’s television game show, “The $20,000 Pyramid”. A twelve-year-old New York City girl tries to make sense of a series of mysterious notes received from an anonymous source that seems to defy the laws of time and space.”
Vawter, Vince – Paperboy – 2013
Eleven- year-old Victor (Little Man) has a stutter and is taking over his friend’s newspaper route for a month. Having to talk to his idiosyncratic customers opens up unique exchanges and insights, but his caring relationship with the family house- maid, Mam, introduces him to a world he could not know in late 50s Memphis . Little Man’s thoughtful struggle with his speech reflected his measured reaching for understanding the behaviors of the people around him. His first person thoughts reflected calm, clear thinking.
Wolk, Lauren- Beyond the Bright Sea – 2018
Twelve-year-old Crow sees the fires on a distant island and knows they speak of her unquestioned past. She was abandoned as a baby and raised by kindly, but quiet hermit. Identity, belonging, and family draws her across the water.
Wolk, Lauren – Wolf Hollow- 2016-
Eleven- year-old Annabelle struggles with Betty, a classroom bully who decides to harass Toby a traumatized war veteran living in the woods nearby. Toby’s mysterious behavior is misinterpreted by many as Betty lies convincingly. Toby can only trust Annabella to get him free.