Tanya's Staff Picks

This story of animal and human spirit healing is set in the beautiful landscape of remote Northern Minnesota.  More than a year after the death of their mother, Nika (age 12) and her younger brother are moved from foster care in California to the care of their father’s estranged brother.  Uncle Ian is a wildlife biologist who researches wolves.  Shortly after Nika’s arrival, she and Uncle Ian stumble across an orphaned wolf pup whose eyes haven’t opened yet.  Nika is instantly drawn to this helpless pup and promises to devote herself to the high maintenance task of saving this pup's life, but what she doesn’t realize is that this emotional journey will rescue her too.  This story appeals to the naturalist in all of us.  Recommended for grades 5-8.

This is one of several notable historical fiction books for young adults written in recent years about the Vietnam War.  In this book, the author, Thanhha Lai, recounts some of her memories of coming to the United States as a child.  Set in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, 10 year old Ha, her mother and three brothers wait years for news of their father who is missing in action.  Finally, on the eve of the fall of Saigon, they flee. They will journey from a tent in Guam to a new life in Alabama. However, building a new life in America is harder than they expected.  Kind local sponsors in Alabama cannot protect Ha and her brothers from sneering and bullying from other locals while Mom struggles with accepting the possibility that her husband is gone forever.  This book in short free verse is poetically loose and gracefully written.  Inside Out & Back Again was winner of a 2011 National Book Award, has many starred reviews, and was selected as a 2012-2013 middle school Read On Wisconsin book.  Recommended for grades 5-8.

Seventh grader, Marley Sidelski is a self-described geek and Star Trek fan.   He gets a lot of practice running from school bullies.  In fact, he's so good a running that he gets the attention of the gym teacher, who wants him on the track team.  Finally, Marley gets a taste of popularity, in this less than believable but very funny book about surviving middle school. Recommended for grades 5-8.

May Elizabeth Bitterly lives on the Kansas frontier with her family. May wants to study and become a teacher, but her father needs her to earn some money for the familiy by living and working on the neighboring Oblinger homestead, but just until Christmas.  Mr. Oblinger has made a rustic sod house for his new young bride, who is not use to the roughness of life on the frontier. May cooks, washes and offers Mrs. Oblinger lessons of life on the frontier. Mrs. Oblinger does not return May’s kindness. An unexpected turn of events leaves May stranded in the sod house without a way home and winter bearing down on her. May’s gentle voice provides a soothing tone to a story in verse about a young girl’s determination to survive the harshness of winter on the frontier and return to the love and warmth of family.  This books is recommended for ages 8-12.

Life wasn't easy for anyone during the Great Depression, but it could be even harder if you were African American. In this work of historical fiction, Hibernia a preacher's daughter, dreams of becoming a singer.  Willie is recovering from a burn that will keep him from fulfilling his dream of becoming a boxer. Otis, an orphan, is struggling to find happiness but finds comfort in his family's radio and the sense of humor that was passed down to him from his father. On June 22, 1937, all of them, including the rest of the nation, are fixed to the radio listening to a boxing match between Joe Louis and James Braddock. It was a matter of African American pride. This book has been widely reviewed and is selected as a 2012-2013 Read On Wisconsin book. Take a peek at this book trailer put together by Whitehorse Middle School, Madison. Recommended for students in grades 4-8.

Author, Helen Frost elegantly hides poetic verse within a three part story told through the internal monologues of two girls whose paths will coincidentally cross twice in life. Darra and Wren, both ages 14, recognize each other at summer camp. The memories that both have of each other are from a disturbing incident. At the age of 8, Wren was hiding in the back seat of a car that Darra's alcoholic father stole. Not knowing that Wren was inside, he hid the car in his garage. Darra saw the car in the garage and heard the news about a stolen car and a missing girl. Darra knew that Wren was there. Frost develops stark contrasts between each of the girls’ memories and mixed feelings about their heartbreaking past, but the ending is hopeful.  Readers who like fast paced drama and thoughtful character development will enjoy this book. (Recommended for grades 6 and up.) 

Minli lives with her mother and father, passing their days trying to eke out a living in rice fields on Fruitless Mountain.  At night, her father, a great storyteller, tells Minli adventures and magical folktales.  Mother, unhappy with the family's difficult life, does not approve of Father filling Minli's head with such nonsense.  After a chance encounter with a goldfish peddler, Minli decides to go on a quest to find The Old Man of the Moon to change their family fortune.  Along the way, Minli befriends a dragon, encounters a talking fish and learns about the "tangled red thread of destiny".  Throughout the text many varied folktales entwine the past and present and connect the characters whom Minli meets along her journey.  This award winning book is highly recommended for grades 4-6.

This award winning non-fiction book is part of the Scientists in the Field series.  It's full of amazing photographs of a variety of mostly cute frogs.  There are a few exceptions.  One is a photo of the Sororan Desert Toad held by Dr. Tyrone Hayes who says, "He looks like a cow turd."   The Frog Scientist follows Dr. Hayes, his students and his son,Tyler, on a day of field biology where they collect 50 frogs as part of an experiment.  Dr. Hayes is studying the effects of a pesticide on the development of leopard frogs.  He attributes the decline and extinction of frog populations to habitat reduction, global warming, disease, herbicides and pesticides.  The many contrasts in this book add to the overall impact. While being introduced to the personal life of this scientist and his love of frogs, readers are also introduced to key concepts of scientific research.  While some pictures lovingly show us the beauty and variety of frogs from around the world, other pictures show frogs in the lab and frog dissection. This stunning book includes a glossary, an index of featured frogs and toads, recommended websites and multimedia, as well as a bibliography of further reading. This book is recommended for ages 9-14.

Thirteen year old Gen doesn't want to spend her entire summer vacation with her family at an 1890's styled frontier camp.  It's her mother's idea to commit the family to this experience in living history and the owners of this camp take their social experiment very seriously.  To preserve her sanity, Gen smuggles in a cell phone so that she can text her friends about every painful experience of forced frontier life, including the details of meeting Caleb, a very cute fellow camper, and Nora, the very jealous and bitter daughter of the camp owners.   Gen discovers that the zealous anti-technology camp owners have a secret technology hideout.  Not only do the camp owners discover Gen's phone, they discover that her text messages have been transcribed by Gen's friends into a blog that has attracted a national following.  This humorous look at our dependence on modern technology also offers some compelling life lessons through the voice of a very believable teenage voice. Recommended for age 12 and up.

Eleven year old Meli Lleshi is living a happy life with her Muslim Albanian family in Kosovo in 1998 when her life is turned upside down by the Kosovo War between the Serbs and the Albanians.  The murder of fellow Albanians and the brief but terrifying disappearance of Meli's 13 year old brother, Mehmet, mark the beginning of this story.  On the run from ethnic cleansing, Meli's family will abandon their home and business on a journey to escape.  This journey will take them to the mountains, Uncle's farm, miles of traveling on foot while pushing Grandma in a wheelbarrow, a terrifying train ride, a crowded refugee camp in Macedonia and eventually to the United States.  When the children are going to school in Vermont and adjusting to U.S. culture, the events of 9/11 lead some American students to misjudge and mistreat Meli and Mehmet. Lessons of prejudice abound in this story. Recommended for age 11 and up.

Ninth Ward is a perfect choice for both avid readers and reluctant readers. Set in the ill-fated 9th Ward of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina, this story develops unique and beautiful characters while invoking a regional history of belief in magic and mysticism. Nine year old Lanesha is about to have the fight of her life. Lanesha was born with the gift of “sight”, the ability to communicate with ghosts, but has trouble communicating with her mother, who died during child birth. Mama Ya Ya, the elderly woman who has raised Lanesha, has the ability to see into the future. Mama Ya Ya can see that the big storm is coming. This rich story about love, loyalty and a fight to survive will not disappoint. Recommended for grades 5-8.

It's the 1950's and Ruth's Daddy just bought a 1952 Buick!  Ruth, her Mama and Daddy will be driving it from their home in Chicago to her Grandma's house in Alabama!  The trip starts out pleasant, but as they continue their drive the family encounters white only restrooms and hotels. It's hard for Ruth's family to find places to rest and eat. Ruth feels homesick but a friend they meet along the way tells them to watch out for Esso service stations.  When Daddy later stops at an Esso service station, he buys a copy of The Negro Motorist Green Book. "It lists places in lots of states where we would be welcome to sleep, eat, shop, get a haircut - and all kinds of information besides."  The story ends on a high note and includes a full page history of The Negro Motorist Green Book.

This book would make a great educational read aloud at anytime, but especially during African American History Month. Both children and adults will likely learn some facts about the Jim Crow era. Highly recommended for grades 3-6.

It's the summer of 1957 in Arkansas and 13 year old Ollie is the oldest of Reverend Love's five daughters.  Ollie tries to imagine what it would
be like to live in a house, instead of a traveling from one poor town to another in an old Chevy pickup truck and travel trailer, performing revivals at each stop. When Ollie walks into Binder, Arkansas with revival announcement flyers to pass around town, she notices a scraggly boy slinking along between trees and spying on her.  She learns from some not so nice town's people that the boy, named Jimmy Koppel, has no mother or father to raise him because his mother is in jail for killing his father.  Ollie is warned to stay away from Jimmy because nothing good has ever come from a Koppel.  Ollie feels differently and begs her father to stay in town and right wrongs.  This is a compelling story
with full characters.  Good luck putting this book down. Recommended for grade 6-8.

This is really a unique book for James Patterson. It's not a graphic novel, by definition, but it is full of sketches and doodles that add a graphic novel quality to the book. This is a story about a boy named Rafe who is starting middle school and seems to only be noticed by the school bully, "Miller the Killer." After the first school assembly, Rafe makes a promise to break all the rules in the student handbook (without hurting anyone) by the end of the school year. While the story deals with some heavy issues, it does it with great humor and fun drawings along the way. I highly recommend this book to students from grade 6-8. It's a great pick for reluctant readers too.

It's 1872 in New York City and Horace Carpetine is a photography apprentice. Horace and a black servant girl named Peggy discover that his photographs for Mrs. Von Macht are evoking the ghost of her deceased daughter, Eleanora. Things really heat up when Horace and Peggy discover that the ghost of Eleanora is out for revenge. This book is a great chiller for those who liked to get spooked; recommended for grades 5-8.

Whose side do you fight for if you're a slave during the American Revolution?  While our country is fighting for freedom from Britain, who will fight for the slaves' freedom?  The truth is that sometimes the slaves would fight for whoever promised them their freedom after the war. This book of incredibly well researched historical fiction takes the reader through the harrowing times of a slave girl named Isabel, herlittle sister Ruth, and a slave boy named Curzon as they fight for their freedom.

This award winning book is a favorite for avid middle school readers.  Don'tmiss book 2, "Forge" and not yet published, book 3 titled "Ashes" (recommended for grades 6-8, young adults and adults).