As sunset approaches a neighbor has light glowing in his barn, a lonely window has a volume to poetry to keep her company, and a little girl has a pony cart to take her to school. The family has a milk cow and Samuel receives the secret wish of his heart. All because of a wish, a pocketknife, and an astute father who knows the value of friendship and fairness.

Schmidt is a master storyteller, delivering a tale with succinct narration. Each phrase contains a rhythmic quality and sensory imagery that precisely capture the relationship between father and son, young boy and animals, and a members of a closely-knit community.

Yelchin's illustrations are sublime. Like peering into a snow globe, each image is a magical moment encapsulated amid the swirling flakes. ​ 

 A Long Road on a Short Day is a short book that is long on wishes and the wonders of a winter's day. A perfect read aloud that will warm hearts. 

Camila constructs an elaborate charade to conceal from her family her passion for fútbol and her identity as La Furia. She tells her mother that she is with a friend when she participates in games and team practice. So that she can’t be contacted, she allows her phone to run out of minutes. She waits until no one is home to wash her uniform and pretends to study for an upcoming medical school entrance exam.
Her life is further complicated when a childhood friend, now an international fútbol star, returns to Argentina for a brief visit. It is apparent to both that this is more than friendship. The attraction is mutual. Camila faces a heart wrenching dilemma. Does she abandon her dream of becoming a world class athlete and follow the guy who makes her heart sing? Or does she remain focused on her life-long ambition and reject his offer of a life together?

This story is about choices. Hard choices. Camila agonizes over her decisions, recognizing that with each choice, she may be closing a door. Will she choose to follow her passion for fútbol or succumb to her desire to be with the boy she loves? Can she stand up to her abusive father? Will she remain silent? Can she confide in her mother?

Narration moves fluidly between Spanish and English. Madariaga flawlessly differentiates the varying degrees of English fluency among her Spanish-speaking characters. Singing flows beautifully as a natural extension of the narration. The longing, indecision, frustration, and passion of an older teen is clearly evident in this performance.

The author obviously knows and loves the sport. The play by play descriptions bring readers onto the pitch, delivering immediacy and fierce intensity to the narrative. Méndez storytelling is a polished gem. Her characters are multifaceted. The narrative reveals their sparkling qualities as well as inherent flaws. Their lives are messy. There are no simple solutions. Things are not perfect. However, there is hope.
Furia is intense, filled with desires and dreams, heartache and disappointment, pain and passion. Camila is a girl of my heart.

The two have an explosive secret: a cell phone containing damning photographs and documents detailing human trafficking that originates in Mexico and extends into the United States. Those involved include a federal government employee. Before they part ways, Sara entrusts the phone to her brother. Sara and Emiliano must protect this valuable piece of evidence without endangering one another.

Stork ratchets up the tension as both lives are on the line. Sara is locked in solitary confinement within a detention center in Fort Stockton Texas because she refuses to disclose the whereabouts of her brother. Emiliano tries to stay one step ahead of a killer hired to track down the phone. It’s a nail biting, intense read.

The narrative includes fascinating details about everything from technical processes used to open a phone to some of the legal intricacies in the asylum process. There are striking contrasts: Emiliano sharing tender moments with his half brother while Sara endures horrific cruelty. A stunning betrayal keeps the central characters constantly questioning who to trust. Both siblings are faced with moral dilemmas. There are no easy solutions. Every choice has positive and negative consequences. ​

Initially, the two earn money peddling religious statues in the predominantly Catholic villages. It seems a unusual thing: Jews selling religious statues. Sadly, this venture produces little income.

Their fortunes begin to look up when, desperate for suitable clothing to wear in the oppressive heat, Esther designs and sews a light, comfortable dress to replace her heavy woolen clothing. By hand, she sews similar dresses for her friends. Several of her creations are displayed in a local shop. Then the miraculous happens. Esther receives a sewing machine. With help from her father, the two make attractive lightweight dresses for women in the village. Eventually her designs are sold to a buyer in Havana. Now there is hope that she can earn enough money to reunite her family in Cuba. After some tense moments, the family obtains the necessary money to emigrate.

Esther is a natural at reaching out and connecting with people. She quickly becomes acquainted with many of the villagers. Her father’s rents lodging from the local doctor and his wife. They befriend an Afro-Cuban woman and her grandson. A couple from China own the local store patronized by Esther and her father. She invites this diverse group to share a Seder meal in their tiny apartment. She must improvise, dipping onions in salt water and filling glasses with sour cherry tea. The celebratory dinner is a success. New friendships are formed.

Esther is the star of this story. Her resourcefulness, hard work, willingness to try new things, and acceptance of other cultures and customs make the story shine.

This epistolary middle grade novel was inspired by Behar's grandmother’s journey from Poland to Cuba. Her story offers young readers a fresh perspective on a contemporary issue. ​  Letters from Cuba is a mind-opening,  heart-expanding look at the plight of immigrants, the far-reaching effects of World War II, and the stain of racism.  

​Then there’s the realization that she likes girls and one girl in particular is unsettling. She wonders how coming out will affect her family relationships, her school standing, and the reaction of the girl she is attracted to.

Brie struggles to accommodate the expectations of those in her immediate circle. Her interactions with friends, teachers, and family are often prickly. Sometimes those close to Brie let her down. At times she makes mistakes that seem impossible to rectify. Brie wonders: What does she believe? Can her parents love their gay daughter? Can she repair a damaged relationship?

The mother is sensitively portrayed as a woman dealing with the complexities of her life: faith, finances, and family relationships. Mom’s not perfect. But then Brie isn’t either. A major source of tension is the struggle for this mother and daughter to salvage the good parts from their past and construct an honest and supportive relationship built on mutual love and understanding.

The author uses an interesting device throughout the narrative thread. Brief synopses of actual soap operas are featured at the beginning of each chapter. They mirror the drama in Brie’s life. Now she is a performer rather than an audience member. This is life, real life.

In an interesting instance of life imitating art, I was parked off the road, waiting for a curbside delivery. The traffic whizzed by as I read the book’s final chapters. The intensity of Brie’s situation hit me with full force. Here I was insulated inside the bubble of the automobile while cars passed. I was emotionally wrecked. Tears streamed down my face as I began to understand Brie’s anguish. I hope that I never forget that feeling.

Melleby has created a glimpse into the soul of young gay. Meet a young girl with a developing acknowledgement and acceptance of her identity. Meet a daughter who wants to be valued and loved, to be "seen." In the Role of Brie Hutchens is a middle grade novel that will linger in readers' hearts long after the final page.

Two Latino boys. Two engaging stories. Two distinctive illustration styles.  ¡ bravo! 

Spanish phrases are seamlessly woven into the narrative. Messages are carefully placed throughout the illustrations. A city illustration includes the messages "dream" and "mis sueños" which echo the father and son's hopes for the future. When the pair drive away from the city toward their new home the environmental art contains a different message: "bye" and "adios." Brick by Brick is brimming with the joy of hard work and the realization of a dream.

Pink. Look at all the pink! Love the warm, positive vibes this color embodies. This trio of books for middle grade readers feature stories of Muslim girls living in a world where they are frequently a minority. These narratives explore discovering and embracing one's religious and cultural identity. Delightful. Thoughtful. Read one. Read two. Read all three!

Allie must determine who she is and what she believes. How will she dress? How will she handle her growing attraction to a young man when her faith forbids personal contact? At what point will she inform her father of her changing views on religion? She must answer for these questions for herself.

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

​Other Words for Home is a 2020 Newbery Honor Book. The lyrical free verse is richly textured, layered with sensory imagery, poetic language, and astute observations. Jude speaks eloquently to the plight of a young Syrian refugee adjusting to a new home and culture. This is also a story for anyone who has felt left out, trying to fit in when belonging seems impossible. Ultimately it’s a story of hope.

​Audiobook accessed via Overdrive.

Then there's The Mister. Sarah's father refurbished an unused silo, creating a small round home which the family rents to help offset the farm’s expenses. Sixteen days after completion of the tiny round multi-storied home, a mysterious stranger arrives in an old Cadillac limo and agrees to rent the space. He silently moves about, keeping to himself. Sara and Hawk speculate on who this man is and why he moved into the silo. They refer to him as The Mister.

It's August. The land is parched, the cistern dry. Then the unthinkable happens. The hay shed and hay field catch fire. Shed and most of the hay are gone. All that remains are char and soot, banishing the family's hope for a profitable farm season.

Three totally unrelated things woven into a story of beauty and power. Kephart does it. And does it masterfully.

It’s a tale of quiet desperation and the uncertainty of life.
Somehow despite, or maybe because of a life-threatening condition and the possibility of financial ruin, there is a reason to hope.
​Hope is rain. Hope is Sara’s seed collection. Hope is a pair of red shoes.
​I love this book. Considering current world events, The Great Upending has arrived at precisely the right time.

Bonus: Kephart offers a glimpse into the world of children’s book publishing when a librarian and an author visit a publisher’s offices in New York City’s iconic Flatiron Building.

At age twelve, Bea’s life is about to experience another seismic shift. Dad has announced that he and his partner Jesse are getting married. The secure little nuclear threesome of Dad, Jesse, and Bea will expand to include Sonia, Jesse’s daughter who lives with her mother in California. Bea is thrilled at the prospect of having a sister and fantasizes about life with a sibling. When Sonia comes for a visit, things are not as Bea envisioned. Not at all.

Bea has her share of challenges. She suffers from eczema which requires application of a medicated lotion. She frequently opts for quick but temporary relief by running her hands under scalding hot tap water, leaving her skin sore and dry. She often exhibits a lack of impulse control, rashly responding when angry. On more than one occasion her impetuous outbursts have alienated her from those close to her. Mom has arranged for her to regularly meet with a therapist to help Bea learn to deal with her anger and frustration.

Stead lovingly paints her central character as flawed. Bea makes mistakes, some trivial, others resulting in serious consequences. Her anger, recklessness, and misreading of a situation bring pain to herself and to others in her immediate circle. She’s a girl who loves to dance, looks forward to the future, and eventually takes the massive step to acknowledge her past mistakes and courageously work to make things right. Readers will fall in love with Bea, not by overlooking her faults, but by accepting this imperfect girl. Readers will discover, like her family and friends, that they love her. All of her. Her strengths and her weakness. A story of love that persists in the face of change.

While The List of Things that Will Not Change narrative is a whole cloth, each chapter stands alone, a polished gem in a sparkling diadem of a novel. I read, stopping to savor each individual chapter.  Each is a well-crafted tiny literary jewel that offers a glimpse into a precise moment in Bea's life.  Chapters fit together into a smooth and polished middle-grade story. This is Stead at her best. 

Look at all these lovely shades of blue. Five distinctly different hues. Five unique stories. They all come from the brilliant mind a master storyteller.

The anthology is feast for the senses. Stories include lighthearted as well as poignant glimpses into the culminating observance of Ramadan with descriptions of private prayer, public celebrations, distinctive clothing, special food, and gifts. Readers meet a recent convert to Islam. She fasts and samples spicy foods for the first time. For others Eid is bittersweet, reviewing celebrations from years past and remembering absent family members. ​ Some entries follow the journey to be with family: taking the subway to the Bronx or sitting in the car’s back seat with siblings on the way to Sydney, Australia. I loved the descriptions of clothing: choosing to wear a hajib for the first time or fashioning a unique gown from a thrift store purchase.

A variety of writing styles and formats (prose, verse, comic panels) share long-standing traditions and introduce contemporary celebrations. Bake a batch of special Eid brownies with ALL the toppings and savor this delightful anthology. Share the joy of family, generosity, and friendship.

Insightful stories. Engaging plots. Thought-provoking points of view. S.K. Ali and Alisha Saeed have assembled the work of fifteen talented women. Meet some of the amazing authors who contributed to this anthology. ​