This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger

The setting is southern Minnesota during the depression in the early '30s. Two brothers, Odie and Albert, are orphans who find themselves in a Native American boarding school run by an evil director. If you think Jane Eyre's awful school or Oliver Twist's orphan experiences you get the idea of the terrible situation these boys are in.  Well, they do run away and bring along a few more kids who are desperate for freedom.  They plan to canoe down the Minnesota River to the Mississippi and down to St. Louis, Missouri.  Now you can think suggestions of Huckleberry Finn.  Along the way, they meet criminals, supportive characters, a traveling healing ministry, a shantytown, and people struggling just like them. 

This book is such a wonderful read. It is a 5 out of 4!  The plot moves along and you get to meet lots of interesting characters. There are exciting scenes...some knuckle-biting and some filled with sweetness and hope.  A little bit of mysticism and faith as well as characters of good and evil. I told my friends in my book club that they can't read this book because I'm picking it for my reader's choice next year.  I highly recommend this book!  This would also be a good choice for male readers too. 

Sweet Home Alaska by Carole Estby Dagg

I love a good pioneer story and this one fits the bill. It is based on President Roosevelt's project in the 1930s where he offered to send families who were on assistance during the depression to start a New Deal colony in Alaska.

  

Terpsichore and her family leave their Wisconsin home to become pioneers in Palmer, Alaska.  When they arrive all the promises are slow to deliver but Terpsichore and her family have a pioneering spirit and make the best of their situation while they wait for their dreams to be fulfilled. Their mother is not really sure this is her dream and gets to decide after a predetermined time if their family will pack up and go back to Alaska. Terpsichore has to figure out how to make sure her mother wants to stay. 

Terpsichore is the type of character I really love. She is self-sufficient, determined, funny, and spirited.  She loves to read and spearheads a library committee, figures out how to grow a prize-winning pumpkin, cooks for her family, and helps her mother find a way to get Washington to send medical health to the new Alaskan community.  

Her name is weird and you eventually learn why she has the name...she drops hints along the way as to how to pronounce her name but at first you are a little confused. Her name is pronounced....Terp seh core ee. 

If you loved Little House books, Hattie Big Sky, or When Calls the Heart on Hallmark, this book is perfect for you! I give this a 4 out of 4 rating. 

• Age Range: 10 and up
• Grade Level: 5 - 6
• Reading Level: 5.7
• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books (February 2, 2016)

The Day The World Came to Town by Jim Defede

I recommend this book if you would like to read something that commemorates the 9/11 tragedy but is also heartwarming and inspirational and tells about light shining through a dark time. It also satisfies my curiosity as to some of the details of what people had to deal with when the United States air space was closed immediately after the attacks. 

Planes that were not able to turn around and go back were sent to various Canadian airports. 38 planes were forced to land in Gander, Newfoundland. The population is only 10,000 and over 6,000 people were stranded in their town. The town people immediately worked together to find places for all of the stranded passengers in their town and surrounding places. They brought food, clothes, bedding and did whatever they could to show hospitality and kindness during a stressful situation. The travelers were with the Canadians for four days and formed bonds and friendship that would last long after. 

This book is written like a magazine or newspaper article and Sometimes it is hard to keep track of all the people that the author writes about. However, I was very moved by this story and read it quickly. It is only about 260 pages with a few black and white photos at the beginning of each chapter. (These pictures make 2001 look like ancient history!)

Others have been equally moved by this event and a musical called Come From Aways was created in 2012. It is currently playing on Broadway and other theaters around the world. 

I have been talking about this book ever since I read it. So, I am going to have to rate it pretty high - 4 out of 4. 

The following videos about the event from the news and song from the musical Come From Away. 

The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

The Library of Ever is a celebration of libraries in a Lemony Snicket kind of way! It stars Lenora who stops at the local library with her nanny and manages to find a fantastic library which gives her a job as an assistant. She goes on some amazing and fast-paced adventures during her visit and uses knowledge to overcome darker forces.  

The author, Zeno Alexander is following in the Lemony Snicket path and not revealing his true photo or any life information. I did see a photo of him at a school visit and so I know he is a male author. I am always curious as to the reason for the secrecy!

I enjoyed this book and am expecting a sequel since the end alluded to more adventures. I rate this book a 4 out of 4. 

• Age Range: 8 - 11 years
• Grade Level: 4 - 7
• Series: The Library of Ever (Book 1)
• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Imprint (April 30, 2019)

The Truth About Martians by Melissa Savage

Wondering about the existence of Martians is always a really popular topic and this story really gives the reader even more fuel for believing. The setting is New Mexico in 1947 when a flying saucer crash lands nearby in Roswell. Mylo and his two best friends Dibs and Gracie set out to investigate. It gets more interesting when they begin to hear voices calling for help. 

The book reminded me of the movie E.T. and The LIttle Rascals Gang.  Savage has some historical notes about the Roswell incident in the back of the book that nudges the reader to believe that a Martian sighting might have actually happened.  Hopefully, adults can encourage kids to keep reading and seeking more information on this conspiracy theory.  

This is another fun book for kids to read. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it and I give it a 4 out of 4 rating. 

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Reading Level: 650Lexile
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers (October 2, 2018)

Float by Laura Martin

I love books set during summer camp and this story was a charmer! The plot includes the hijinks, fun, friendship, and events of a wonderful summer adventure. However, this is also a special camp for kids who are at RISK. It stands for reoccurring incidents of the strange kind. It seems more and more kids are born with strange and uncontrollable abilities; like floating, turning into a dog at random times, time-traveling, or spontaneous combustion.  The government mandates that these children are always watched and Camp Outlier is one of their summer choices. Camp turns out to be an experience of great freedom as kids can forget for a time about how strange their life is from other kids back home. 

Despite the humor and fun, there is a serious message which is subtle but impactful. RISK kids being set apart is expensive and difficult for schools and families. The ethics of how much can be afforded is hinted at with a time travel plotline. Kids might not pick up on the serious message but teachers and parents can guide kids into seeing how this fantastic story applies in today's world. 

I enjoyed reading this story so much. I could just feel, hear and smell camp! This book would make a great read-aloud. I give it a 4 out of 4 rating.

• Age Range: 8 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 3 - 7
• Reading Level: 5,5 (11 points)
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: HarperCollins (May 29, 2018)

I enjoy 1 Minute Books YouTube Channel where youth services librarian gives quick 1-minute book talks. Here is her book talk about Float.

My Favorite Summer Reads - Adult Fiction

Evvie Drake Starts Over by Linda Holmes

Hardcover: 304 pages

Publisher: Ballantine Books (June 25, 2019)

Evvie is a widow and Dean Tenney is a baseball pitcher who has unexpectedly lost his arm for pitching. He rents out an apartment from Evvie to escape media attention. They become friends and begin to climb out of their disappointments into a new and loving relationship.

I picked this book because it was Jenna Bush Hager's July Book Club choice.  https://www.today.com/read-with-jenna  Sometimes it is fun to read along with another book club. I also caught her interview on Instagram with the author which gave me some author insights. This is a romance with a baseball theme! It is an easy read and just perfect for a summer day read. From what I remember, it was mostly closed-door romance details and little blush factor. I give it a 4 out of 4 rating. 

The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff

Hardcover: 384 pages

Publisher: Park Row; Original edition (January 29, 2019)

This is a historical fiction story about women spies during WW II.  The main character has lost her husband during WW II and is struggling. She finds a suitcase in New York's Grand Central Station with some photographs and begins to investigate. Meanwhile, the story goes back to the owner of the suitcase who is a British woman who helped to train women spies to go into France for resistance missions. The story also features one of the spies, named Marie who was recruited to be a part of this spy operation.  There is a lot of mystery, adventure, and danger in the story that unfolds. 

I picked this book up on the cruise ship library from the cruise I took in Europe this summer when my Kindle refused to turn on... (it begin working later on). In so many of the tours I was on, I was reminded of the problems of WW II. This book also reminded me of sacrifices that many men and women have given for justice and peace.  There is some blush factor in some of the romantic scenes but easy to skip over.  It is easy to read and hard to put down.  I give this book a 4 out of 4

The Lager Queen of Minnesota by J. Ryan Stradal

Hardcover: 368 pages

Publisher: Pamela Dorman Books (July 23, 2019)

An older woman is baking pies at a nursing home in the middle of Minnesota and a Minneapolis food critic declares her pies one of the best in Minnesota. The nursing home is overrun with visitors on the days Edith is baking to the point that people are pretending to have loved ones in the home!  I was hooked at this opening but was still wondering how beer was going to be a part of this story. Eventually, you read how Edith's younger, smarter, and more talented sister basically inherited the entire family farm in order to fulfill her dreams of making a beer empire. The sisters are estranged and the story goes back in forth to each of them as they struggle to make a mark in the world. 

I don't drink beer and looked up a lot of things as I was reading this book. I looked up lager, stout, ale, hops and other details and I am still not sure about the differences. It really doesn't matter but I was curious. Anne B Jones from the podcast From the Front Porch recommended this book. She said..."I am a teetotaler from the south but his book made me want to go to Minnesota and drink beer."  I would also add...I really want to taste the Strawberry Pie Beer!  Does it even exist? I really found this book to be similar to a Fannie Flagg or Lorna Landvik book. It is charming and funny and just a great story. I highly recommend this book and loved reading it.  I plan on going back and reading his book Kitchens of the Great Midwest.  I rate it a 5 out of 4!

As Bright As Heaven by Susan Meissner

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (February 6, 2018)

This is a historical fiction book about the Spanish Flu epidemic in Philadelphia in 1918. The Bright family moves to Philadelphia so that the father can be a partner and heir with his uncle in the funeral home business. The story is told chapter by chapter by the mother Pauline, and her three daughters as they share the happenings in their home and neighborhood from this historical event that killed more people than WW I did.  

I couldn't put this book down and despite the fact it was set in a funeral home and was about an epidemic, I didn't find it too gruesome or depressing. Meissner is such a good storyteller and created characters that you can connect and root for.  I had the feeling of ...now what am I going to read?....this was so good.   I rate it a 5 out of 4!

The Bookshop on the Shore by Jenny Colgan

Hardcover: 416 pages

Publisher: William Morrow (June 25, 2019)

A young single mother is struggling to make ends meet and  her boyfriend's sister connects her with her friend in Scotland who runs a bookshop on a bus and needs help due to her pregnancy. She also lines up  a nanny job for evenings and weekends which provides her with a place to stay. A lot of comedy results as Zoe learns how to drive a bus, deal with small towns, quirky characters, and the horrible children she is to nanny. She finds romance  with her employer as she ends up being a Mary Poppins or Maria to the family who desperately needs her. 

I really loved the previous book written about the beginning of the bookshop bus called The Bookshop on the Corner. This book tells the story of how Nina loses her library job and ends up buying a bus in Scotland to sell books out of. She ends up falling in love with a local sheep farmer. I think it would be OK to read The Bookshop on the Shore without reading the first Bookshop book....but I would recommend both books....so read the Corner one too!

Jenny Colgan's books have been like eating potato chips to me. I can't stop! She writes romantic comedies set in Scotland, England, or France. They are filled with quirky characters, funny situations, and the charm of living across the pond.  They are not as squeaky clean as a Hallmark movie....some swear words and quick hook-ups but they are closed door for the reader.  I have enjoyed the comedy, quirkiness, and settings. Jenny Colgan always describes her settings so well.  I rate them all a 4 out of 4 so far!

Nina Redmond is a librarian with a gift for finding the perfect book for her readers. But can she write her own happy-ever-after? 

Polly is a heartbroken young woman who turns a new page in her life . . . by becoming a baker in the town of Cornwall.

Anna Trent may be a supervisor in a chocolate factory...but that doesn't necessarily mean she knows how to make chocolate. So when a fateful accident gives her the opportunity to work at Paris's elite chocolatier Le Chapeau Chocolat, Anna expects to be outed as a fraud.

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

Amal Unbound was the middle-grade global read aloud for the fall of 2018 and has been read in many classrooms around the world. https://theglobalreadaloud.com/  What a great choice! This is a must-read for students, teachers, and parents. I was worried that it would be for mature readers or extremely sad, however, it is an empowering story of a modern Pakistani girl who seeks justice after being forced to quit school and become an indentured servant. It would be a great choice for 4th grade and up. I give it a 4 out of 4 rating!

Amal is a teen who dreams of becoming a teacher but has a run-in with their landlord who then requires her to come to his house as a servant as a punishment. She learns that despite her father trying to pay her way home, her room and board bills make this impossible. She is stuck like many of the people who have been caught in a similar situation. Amal works hard at her job and makes friends with the other servants as well as the landlord's mother who she serves. Amal risks much and comes up with a plan to fight for justice for herself and others. 

This story was inspired by the true story of Malala Yousafzai. Watch the following video where Amal Unbound is compared with the Young Readers version of I am Malala.

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• Age Range: 10 and up 
• Grade Level: 5 - 6
• Reading Level: 4.2 (6 points)
• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books (May 8, 2018)

ALSC Notable Children's Books - 2019 

CCBC Choices 2019 Choice: Fiction for Children 

ILA Teachers' Choices - 2019 

ALA-CBC Building a Home Library Booklist - 2018 

CSMCL Best Books - 2018 

Publishers Weekly Best Books - 2018 

Kirkus Best Books, Middle-Grade - 2018 

NYPL Best Books for Kids - 2018 

NPR’s Book Concierge - 2018 

School Library Journal Best Books - 2018

Mustaches for Maddie by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown

A book based on a true story always gets my attention and this is a wonderful story about a little girl who has to face a scary brain tumor surgery. She does it bravely with humor and great trust alongside the support of her family, friends, and school. She also begins to see that others are also struggling and her eyes are open to kindness and compassion. 

What I loved about this story was how you follow Maddie through her doctor's appointments, MRI's, and surgery and are able to understand what she has to go through.  I think lots of kids are curious to see what that might be like especially if they haven't faced this themselves. Details like having to get up early to go to the hospital and not being able to eat or what it is like inside an MRI machine are some of the things that were included.  I haven't read a lot of books that explain to readers what happens when you have surgery. This would be a great recommendation for kids interested in medical issues or even having to go through surgery themselves.  I used to love reading Cherry Ames, Nurse books when I was a middle school reader and I still watch lots of medical drama shows on television and so this book was interesting for me. 

I highly recommend this book and give it a 4 out of 4 rating. 

Awards for Mustaches for Maddie

Alabama Camellia Children’s Choice Award 2019 nominee

Ohio Buckeye Children's Book Award winner 2018

Missouri Mark Twain Award nominee 2019-2020

Rhode Island Children's Book Award nominee 2019

• Age Range: 8 - 11 years
• Grade Level: 4 - 6
• Reading Level: 4.0 (7.0)
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Shadow Mountain; Reprint edition (August 7, 2018)

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan Gemeinhart

This book tops my 2019 reads so far. When I finished reading it, I ordered another one because I know I will be recommending it over and over. It is heartbreaking, hopeful, humorous and heartwarming.  It would make a great read-aloud for 4th and 5th graders and a great book club book too. 

Coyote Sunrise and her father, Rodeo, have been traveling around the country in a retrofitted school bus for five years. They begin this journey after a car accident killed Coyote's two sisters and mother.  The only way Rodeo could cope was to escape the pain. But one day everything changes when Coyote calls her grandmother and finds a reason that she needs to get back home immediately and she knows she will have to "trick" her father into getting there. Since she needs help on the journey back home they begin taking on people to travel with them on their bus. The story is full of fun twists and turns and Coyote is a wise, funny, and loveable character. 

I want this book to be a movie! It would be so good.  So, make this book a priority read. I would choose it as the Newbery winner for 2020 if I could!  I give it a 5 out of 4 rating.  

A 2019 Parents' Choice Award Gold Medal Winner 

• Age Range: 9 - 12 years
• Grade Level: 4 - 7
• Reading Level: 4,7  (12 points)
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) (January 8, 2019)

Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry

A few of my students read this book last spring at school at told me it was their favorite. Another librarian told me last week how much she loved it.  So, this one moved up on my TBR pile.  They were not wrong...it is a book I will recommend as well.  It is an impressive novel from a debut author. 

Calliope (Calli) June Snow is a middle schooler who loves astronomy, collects rocks and has moved numerous times because her widowed mother is chasing her "getting a  husband" dream. Calli also has Tourette's Syndrome and was advised by a doctor to not tell people of her condition.  Of course as a continual new student, because of all of her moves, she is targetted as a weird kid and her unexplained tics do not help.

Callie's neighbor, Jinsong, also lives in the apartment building that she lives in, goes to her school and is the student body president.  He is intrigued by this new girl and crushes on her. However, the teasing and tormenting by the rest of the school are difficult for Jinsong to deal with. He has to figure out how to navigate the mean spirited group dynamics. 

Calli and Jinsong are both narrators in this free verse and narrated book and the reader is privileged to a dual point of view.  It is a love story and coming of age book, full of middle school anxiety and lessons of doing the right thing. 

This is another one of those great books that teachers need to read to students and students need to read.  It is beautifully written.  Sometimes I just had to reread the verses....they were so delightful. It is also a quick read since more than half of the book is written in verse. Calli has a tough life and she teaches the reader about dealing with disappointment, resiliency, dreams, and life.  I give it a 5 out of 4 rating! I recommend it highly! 

• Age Range: 10 - 13 years
• Grade Level: 5 - 8
• Reading Level: 4.1
• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Feiwel & Friends; 1st Edition edition (March 14, 2017)

The Curse of the Werepenguin by Allan Woodrow

Allan Woodrow writes humorous school stories such as Field Tripped, Class Dismissed or Unschooled. This book is a departure from previous books I have collected.  It is a darkly humorous book mashed up with horror.  Think Lemony Snicket books or Monty Python movies.  Unfortunately, this is not my genre at all but I hoped the book would surprise me. It did not.  With 334 pages, it was a slow read. I was determined to finish it so I could give a true review.  I am reading this book for the Follet Summer Read & Review Program and they sent me this advanced copy. 

This book is a story about an orphan named Bolt Wattle who lives in a very sorry and sad orphanage but is suddenly summoned to a country called Brugaria by a mysterious person named Baron. He is warned by the locals in town when he stops before arriving at the manor, that he is in danger. Barking penguins are heard everywhere and eventually you learn that the Baron turns into a "werepenguin" at midnight of a full moon. He wants company and is determined to bite Bolt on the neck and turn him into a "werepenguin" as well. It continues to get crazy, silly, dangerous, and a little scary as you continue reading. 

I thought the writing was well down and often thought about the clever sentences and wording.  Yes, some things were really funny! However, sometimes it was just really too crazy for my reading taste.  There are drawings throughout the book. There is a warning that the artwork is not finalized and I am going to assume that when some of the drawings look unfinished, it was because they were not ready at the time of the publishing of this advanced reader copy.  

I know that I didn't enjoy the humor in this book, however, it might be perfect for kids who love dark humor and horror mixed!  I would rate it a 2 for me because it was OK. However, I think I would recommend it to people who are drawn to horror and or comedy and could give it an overall 3 for good. The reading level is about 5th grade. 

On Sale: August 13, 2019

Pages: 352

Age Range: 8-12 years

PublisherViking Books For Young Readers

State of the Onion by Julie Hyzy

I discovered a little library on one of my regular walking routes and I like to take a peek at the titles. I found this cozy mystery and borrowed it.  It turned out to be a great mystery series that I plan to continue reading.  I will have to check the public library for more books. The series is called The White House Chef series and there are a total of 9 books. 

The book is about the White House's assistant chef Olivia Paras who not only can do amazing things in one of the most prestigious kitchens in America but also manages to do some sleuthing on the side. This mystery takes the reader to the kitchens of Camp David and adds a little political intrigue by introducing characters from around the world. 

The story is not too sinister or gruesome which is typical of a cozy mystery.  There are lots of details about the workings of the White House kitchen and the author even includes recipes. Chef Olivia is curious and a bit of a snoop which makes the reader happy to join her in her mystery pursuit.  

I highly recommend this book. If you like the culinary mysteries of Diane Mott Davidson or you like Madam Secretary TV show, try this book series. 

The Kanin Chronicles Trilogy by Amanda Hocking

You are hearing from me twice today!  I have read or listened to 14 books this June and this series was one of my June accomplishments.  This trilogy was written by a local Rochester author and I even had her autograph them several years ago.  Because they are not books for kids, they ended up last on my to be read pile, but this month, I put them on top! 

This is a series for high school or adults. The content tends to become more mature as the series progresses. The third book becomes more violent and steamier.  Just a warning! I tend to be a pretty sensitive reader and don't read books like this very often.  But the interesting storyline kept me reading. 

The trilogy is about a culture of trolls who live in northern Canada called the Kanin.  They look like humans and not like the trolls you imagine.  One thing they love is riches and sparkling things and have figured out a way to bring money into their families.  They switch a baby of theirs with a rich person's baby from the regular culture.  The other baby is adopted. When the Kanin child becomes of age, a tracker comes and gets the teen and they are able to access their riches for the Kanin family.  The main character, Bryn, is one of these trackers.  

The story continues with tension and war between many of the troll tribes as they try to gain riches and power.  Bryn is very important in fighting to maintain peace throughout the Troll Tribes.  There is a lot of action, some mystery, some romance and mystical elements to this series. This book is actually a spin-off from an earlier series. I also liked the descriptions of the unique villages that the trolls lived in. They were different depending on the tribe. 

I recommend this series....but not for kids! It would be a very cool movie or television series. 

Marilla by Sarah McCoy

I found this on my local public library "Libby" app.  It was available and I snatched it up. I tend to listen to audiobooks from my app and skip the digital books because I enjoy reading a paper book. However, this book called to me.

I loved Anne of Green Gables and last year read the graphic novel. Loved that one! Next I watched the newest PBS Anne of Green Gables show...and loved it as well. So, I was thinking that this book would probably be a disappointment.  Maybe too edgy or simply not in the style of the original books. Wrong! It was perfect.  Sarah McCoy did a lot of research  as you read in the end notes. In fact, I thought, wow, she went to a lot of research and effort for this book!

The book starts with a short chapter on Marilla and Matthew deciding they need help around the farm and are hoping to find an orphan boy to help them out. Well...we know how that works out! Then, the book goes back to a 13 year old Marilla and her 17 year old brother on the farm at Green Gables. Right away you are introduced to the parents and begin to discover how Matthew and Marilla grew to adulthood.  You meet their friends, neighbors, and relatives and learn about their struggles and joys. Some of the stories are simple and similar to Anne of Green Gable scenes. Other stories portray Canadian political issues and some are about the Underground Railroad.  I enjoyed this insight into history.  

This book is like a fresh summer breeze or a cozy cup of tea.  If you enjoy a sweet story and enjoyed Anne books... then this is a perfect book for your TBR pile.  I would put it at the top! It is also appropriate for teens who have read Anne of Green Gables books too.  I rate it 5 out of 4!  

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: William Morrow (October 23, 2018)

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