When Germany began relentlessly bombing London some parents sought to protect their children by sending youngsters overseas to places of relative safety. A luxury ocean liner, the SS City of Benares set sail on September 12, 1940 departing from Liverpool and bound for Canada. The ship carried 406 people, including over 90 children. Terror struck five days into the journey when a German U-boat fired a torpedo, sinking the ship. Meticulously researched, the narrative describes the ordeal endured by passengers and crew set adrift in the icy Atlantic. The story of six boys who spent eight days clinging to a lifeboat until they were rescued is particularly harrowing. ​​Torpedoed: The True Story of the World War II Sinking of “The Children’s Ship” chronicles this catastrophe and the fate of its few survivors. ​A story of tragedy and suffering.  A story of heroism and hope. Narrative nonfiction at its best.

Our Castle by the Sea by Lucy Strange

Two sisters, along with their parents live in a lighthouse set on a clifftop overlooking the sea. Nearby are four upright stones, which local lore believes are four girls turned into stone. Petra suspects that she is destined to become a part of this ancient legend. With the threat of a German invasion, Britain relocates individuals with German heritage and possible enemy sympathies to internment camps. Petra Zimmerman Smith's mother is half German. A tribunal determines that this wife of a British citizen may be a threat to security. She is sent to an internment camp. It is evident that there is a saboteur within the community. Petra is determined to discover the traitor's identity and exonerate her mother. It's a dangerous mission. The enemy is ruthless and will stop at nothing to silence anyone who interferes with plans to aid a German invasion. Petra risks her life to save her family and her country.  Our Castle by the Sea is a fantastic intertwining of mythology, history, and intrigue.

The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

​Neglect and abuse are all that Ada has ever known. She and her club foot are concealed in shame within a small apartment. When the threat of bombing reaches London, she and her brother escape. Posing as evacuees, they travel to Kent and are placed in the home of Susan Smith. This benefactor offers the siblings a clean warm home with plenty of nourishing food. She arranges a consultation with a doctor who believes that the deformed foot can be corrected. Ada learns to read, makes a friend, and watches for German spies. ​Most wondrous of all, Ada cares for and rides the beautiful pony in the adjoining pasture. ​ While the threat of an enemy invasion is constantly on the minds of everyone, within the home of Susan Smith each one is fighting a personal battle. The War That Saved My Life is satisfying and heartwarming. A story of conquering fear and learning to love.

How to Build a Heart by Maria Padian

Isabella Crawford leads a double life. At home she is the daughter of her white father, a Marine killed in action and her Puerto Rican mother, who ekes out a living as a nurse's aide, moving her family from place to place. Now the family resides in Virginia where Izzy has received a scholarship to attend a prestigious Catholic high school and sing with the school's premier vocal group. She has her father’s green eyes and can "pass" at school, borrowing clothing from her best friend to supplement her meager wardrobe. She informs classmates that her mother is a nurse. "I’ve been hiding for a long time. Behind my school uniforms, behind my complicated car pool plans, my borrowed clothes, all the stories I made up in every new town we called home." Isabella's life undergoes a dramatic shift when her family is selected receive a brand new Habitat for Humanity home. The house will be built in an affluent section of town. Izzy befriends Aubrey, a transfer student who lives near the Crawford’s new home. To further complicate matters, Aubrey's good-looking brother and co-captain of the local school’s basketball team is attracted to Izzy. It is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain her elite-private-school-student facade.

When You Don't Fit In

​Ruth Objects: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Big Words)
by Doreen Rappaport ill by Eric Velasquez

This generously-sized picture book celebrates the life and legacy of the second woman to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. Using her trademark format, biographical narrative interspersed with appropriate quotations,  Rappaport recounts important events in the life of this influential woman.  The U.S Constitution serves as a backdrop for the cover’s close-up portrait of the Associate Justice. Looking directly into the faces of readers, Ruth is clear-eyed and resolute. ​Opening pages feature Ruth as a young girl, her childhood filled with books and school activities, music and traditional Jewish observances.

My mother was the bravest and strongest person I have known.

Big Words: Picture Book Series

A Girl, A Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon
by Karen Romano Young ill by Jessixa Bagley

Pearl is a book girl, a library girl. Daughter of the head of circulation, born in the Lancaster Avenue Library, and raised by a tightly knit community of staff members, Pearl’s life revolves around the world of the libraries and stories. ​The Lancaster Avenue branch of the New York City Library features unique architectural details: mezzanine with a glass floor, spiral staircase with an intricate wrought iron banister, and a beautiful garden. The focal point of the garden is a statue of Edna St. Vincent Millay, affectionately known as Vincent. Sadly, the old building suffers from neglect. Few patrons visit the library, circulation statistics are dismal, and program attendance is dwindling. Then the unthinkable happens: the head of the Vincent statue is stolen! Pearl is devastated. She devotes her energy, talent, and resources to finding the stone head and restoring it to the garden. Her efforts create new library friendships and alliances within the community, including the local school, a homeless man, and a newspaper reporter.

Fun with Mallomars

The remarkable family of reading raccoons are led by Mrs. Mallomar. She is a skillful writer, editing the midnight edition of the Moon. In addition to news, the newspaper features Rax Rex, a book recommendation section. Meet some Mallomar raccoons and see three of their recommended books. Check out other titles mentioned in A Girl, A Raccoon, and the Midnight Moon.

The Body under the Piano: Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen
​by Marthe Jocelyn ill by Isabelle Follath

Twelve-year-old Agatha Caroline Morton, an inquisitive girl living in nineteenth century England is never without her notebook, recording her observations and penning verses. She lives with her rather eccentric grandmother, her grief-stricken mother still mourning her husband's death, nursemaid Charlotte, and dog Tony. The drama begins when Aggie discovers a corpse under the dance studio piano. It's the body of obnoxious Mrs. Irma Eversham, mother of Aggie's classmate Rose and sister-in-law to the dance instructor. Aggie wonders: who would want to murder Mrs. Eversham? (Well, almost everyone.) Why would someone want to eliminate this odious woman? (Possibly anger, revenge, or greed?) How did she die? ( Was it rodent poison?) Not one to sit around and wring her hands, Aggie sets out to uncover the truth and determine the culprit's identity. She enlists the assistance of a new friend, Belgian refugee Hector Perot.

​​"chopped up in a suitcase, shoveled into a well, hurled from a clifftop, locked in a cupboard."

​"as steamed as a runaway train, as spiky as a hothouse cactus, as fierce as a stampeding rhinoceros, ready to erupt like a volcano..."

Follath captures the personalities of the major players with a deft hand. I frequently referred to these portraits of leading characters. Very helpful.

Meet Agatha Christi

This very British, very charming murder mystery is a clearly a homage to the great detective novelist Agatha Christi. ​Born in Torquay in 1890, she taught herself to read at the age of five. She was an accomplished pianist. However her shyness prevented her from performing for those she did not know. Christie's books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation.

Out to Get You: 13 Tales of Weirdness and Woe
​by Josh Allen  ill by Sarah J Coleman

Librarians who work with children know that kids love scary stories: chilling tales reread until the spines break and pages fall out. They constantly ask for more fright-filled short stories. More. More. More. ​Maintaining a selection of hair-raising tales is a never-ending task. Finding middle grade narratives with just the right amount of fright factor, but not veering into gristly gore can be a challenge. ​Josh Allen has this covered with Out to Get You: 13 Tales of Weirdness and Woe. Stories are quick reads: tightly structured tales told briefly in a few pages and concluding with a macabre twist. Each begins with an everyday encounter. Then the ordinary takes an unexpected turn and young readers wonder what will happen next. Warning: "what happens next" is not a "happily ever after." Example: There's a stain on the school cafeteria floor. When a stray dime lands on the spot, the coin instantly vanishes. What happens when something or someone much larger accidentally lands on the stain?

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story
​by Kevin Noble Maillard ill by Juana Martinez-Neal

This is a story of bread. But it's more than bread. Much more. This is a story of family. Of tradition. Of Native American pride. Kevin Noble Maillard, member of Seminole Nation, Mekusukey Band shares a long-standing Indigenous special food: fry bread. Recipes for fry bread are as diverse as the numerous Native nations. The sentence stem "Fry bread is..." introduces this delightful cultural staple. By turns it is food, shape, sound, color. flavor, time, history, place, nation, everything. Written in free verse, each concept fills the entire two-page spread. Replete with information and symbolism, each fry bread attribute is also a metaphor for Native Americans.

Making Fry Bread

Fry Bread brings back warm memories. When I was a college freshman, one of my roommates, Norma, was a Navajo from Arizona. She was very proud of her nationality and delighted in sharing Navajo culture with her roommates. She loved to sing, but not the hit songs playing on the radio. She sang traditional Navajo songs, with distinctive tonal patterns, and language. In my mind, I can still hear her singing. She was gentle and patient with us, helping us appreciate the Navajo Way.

Straw by Amy Krouse Rosenthal  ill by Scott Magoon

First there was a Spoon, then Chopsticks, and now Straw joins the trio of picture books featuring eating implements. Amy Krause Rosenthal’s fertile imagination gives Straw a distinctive personality and character trait. That’s right. Straw is his name so a capital letter is in order. Here’s the thing: Straw has a compulsion to be first. He measures his consumption in relationship to the nearby straws, constantly comparing himself to others. ​With help from friends, he learns to slow down and savor the moment. ​The text is chock full is delightful word play. "I think what you're feeling is called awe, Straw."  Gentle message. Charming characters. It's better than a thick milkshake with whipped cream and cherry on top.

Making Things

Eat Up

Cub by Cynthia L. Copeland

Established author Cynthia L. Copeland’s first graphic novel sparkles with wit and warmth. ​Twelve-year -old Cindy navigates a tightrope of middle school complexities: shifting alliances among the microcosm of students, moving from platonic relationships to the first stirrings of romantic interest, and a growing awareness of the world beyond junior high school. Divided into the three seasons of the school year, Cub introduces fresh-faced and free-wheeling Cindy entering seventh-grade. An individualist, she's not part of the vicious circle who take pleasure in taunting other students. She copes by appearing "dead," that is invisible and unresponsive to personal attacks.

Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers 
​by Celia C. Pérez

There are traditional youth organizations with badges, bake sales, and award ceremonies. But what about those who don't fit neatly into a group structure?  is there a place for them? Meet four girls who appear to have little in common. Lane DiSanti, artist and instigator, lives with her wealthy grandmother while her parents work out an impending divorce. Ofelia Castillo, aspiring journalist  struggles under the watchful eye of over-protective Cuban American parents.  Cat Garcia feels pressure from her close-knit family to participate in a local contest. She'd rather spend her time birdwatching. Gourmet chef Aster Douglas lives with her African American grandfather, a researcher and retired college professor.  Her widowed mother is overseas. Pérez has created a fascinating cast of characters. Each girl is unique with her own talents and interests.  Each faces her own set of challenging circumstances. Each is a "strange bird" who doesn't fit into established norms.