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In Progress List 2014
This is a sequel that more than measures up! Delphine and her two sisters return, this time back home in Brooklyn where life has changed, including a new girlfriend for their Pa and the return of their beloved uncle from Vietnam. The girls are all growing up and Delphine's grip on her sisters is lessening. Best of all, though Delphine has a relationship with her mother, albeit a long distance one. Williams-Garcia reeates the tenor and the rhythms of the sixties and once again the girls' jaunty personalities and snappy dialogue will endear them to readers again. Ten to Fourteen. Deborah Taylor
16 year old James Whitman is depressed and anxious, for good reason: namely, his abusive parents, whom he calls "the brute" and "the banshee." Feeling a connection to Walt Whitman (no relation), James attempts to celebrate life anyway by yawping, hugging trees and joining the high school literary magazine, which brings him closer to both an attractive girl and solving the mystery around his sister's expulsion from both school and the family home. Funny, dark, and poignant. Fourteen and Up. Sylvie Shaffer
Allyson was always the "good girl," until a chance meeting with a dashing stranger leads to just one day in Paris that changes everything. Invoking the sights, smells and sounds of Paris and Amsterdam, Just One Day takes the reader away on a journey of self-discovery. As Allyson embraces freedom and finds her way, the reader is right there with her. Teen readers will identify with the experience of an overbearing parent, "friends" who are aren't always there when you need them, the experience of first passion/love and discovering new sides of your personality through life-changing experiences. Written for an older teen audience, this is the perfect read for one's senior year in high school. Fourteen and Up. Alicia Blowers
Six years. Ten concentration camps. Through the cruelty, starvation and hard labor, Yanek Gruener was determined to survive. Without his family, all he had to cling to was hope and a vision of freedom. Based on a true story. From the last two paragraphs of Chapter 1, I was hooked. Chapter after chapter I found myself marveling at Gratz’s writing, as he described the horrors of the Holocaust as seen through one young man’s eyes. Without using overly graphic details or belaboring the harshness of the world in which Yanek was quietly fighting for survival, Gratz conveys the realities of Nazi cruelty in a way that is disturbing, riveting and appropriate for a younger teen audience. His language is stark and honest, enabling the reader to create a vivid picture of the scenes in their head, showing, instead of telling. Though a very intense read (have tissues ready), it is also a quick read with short chapters, and the subject matter of the Holocaust is sure to attract droves of teen readers. Broken down by Yanek’s location (i.e. the Krakow ghetto, Birkenau Concentration Camp, Death March to Dachau), the story is very easy to follow. Each chapter holds horrifying acts of cruelty, astonishing acts of desperation and heroic acts of bravery. Though a work of fiction, Gratz incorporates many factual details and true stories from Jack (Yanek) Gruener’s experiences. Ten to Fourteen. Alicia Blowers
Paul Farmer's commitment to bringing quality health care to the forgotten poor of Haiti and the world has changed global health care delivery and the lives of millions. His preferential option for the poor and dedication to curing infectious diseases is itself infectious. Dr. Farmer's quirky, impassioned character is brought to life in Michael French's adaptation of Tracy Kidder's book. This inspiring, detailed story traces Farmer's life from his unusual upbringing to his first transformative trip to Haiti, and from his years at Harvard Medical School to his position of renowned visionary leader of global medicine. Ten to Fourteen. Lisa Cosgrove-Davies
Straying from his well-known Duck and his Elephant & Piggie series, Willems' new book is a clever spin on an old tale of a fox outsmarting his prey. This fox may be clever but watch out for goose! The chicks who act as the "audience" keep us distracted enough to let the table turns without us noticing it. All in all, a fun farce that packs an unexpected punch. Up to Seven. Joan Kindig
From a first glance at the cover, the sense is that this book is going to deliver some laughs. Dogs lying on their backs look so vulnerable and, well, silly, and this one cannot take his eyes off of his ball. The ball. What is it about balls that make dogs go so bonkers? It's a toy, yes, but it also is a connection with their human. A ball dropped at a human's feet means, "Play with me, pleeeeeez" and the message is so packed with neediness that one can never turn them down. This single-mindedness obsession is evident on the first page where our dog is waking up in his little girl's bed with a ball already in his mouth. As she dresses for school she throws the ball every chance she gets. But he knows what it means when she walks out that door and the expression on his face with a clock on the wall behind him shows how desperate he is for 'ball!" He tries to play with mom, baby, cat, and even clothes hamper. Not so much fun. He finally falls asleep and dreams of "ball!" When he hears movement near the front door he goes apoplectic as he anticipates his little girl coming in to play "ball!" This wordless picture books needs absolutely no words because EVERYTHING is in the illustrations. This is a wonderful adventure with a wonderfully insane dog and kids who know and love dogs will love it. Up to Seven. Joan Kindig
If the secret to your father's identity was written in the margins of a poetry book...would you do anything to track down that book? Eleven year old Emily Elizabeth Davis answers with a hearty "YES!" Her mother named her Emily after the famed poet Dickinson and believes it is her destiny to be a poet. Emily has her own plans. The sadness of a missing father is compensated by the antics of a hilarious little brother, and the quirkiness of Emily's brainiac best friend. With enough twists and turns to keep it exciting, this novel opens young reader's eyes to how one small decision can unexpectedly change your destiny. Ten to Fourteen. Anne Womack
After Penny finds a marble in Mrs. Goodwin's yard while walking her doll Rose and takes it, she must decide if she will keep it or return it to its owner. Vibrant colors complement the facial expressions of the characters. Up to Seven. Lynda Adamson
An intriguing window to how historical research about a "Great Man" can shed light on those upon who he trod. This book tells about George Washington's slaves, cleverly combining primary sources, photographs of Mount Vernon's historical interpreters, and rich descriptions of how the researchers used evidence to draw their conclusions. Ten to Fourteen. Rhona Campbell
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