Picture Books
Mailing May
by Michael O. Tunnell
Seventy-five miles of Idaho mountains stand between May and her grandmother. The 1914 terrain makes automotive travel nearly impossible. And a train ticket costs nearly a day's wages, a sum May's parents just can’t afford. When they learn that a US postal package could be sent on the train for just a few dollars, however, they decide to send her another way...by mail. This is the true story of five-year-old Charlotte May Pierstorff and her adventures as a “domestic parcel.”
Baseball Saved Us
by Ken Mochizuki
In response to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the government forcibly moved all Americans of Japanese descent to internment camps. This is the fictional story of one young boy who reclaimed his rightful place in his community after the war by using the baseball skills he'd honed while imprisoned.
Buffalo Music
by Tracey E. Fern
Based on the true story of Texas rancher Mary Ann Goodnight, who adopted several orphaned buffalo calves after their herd was hunted to extinction, this book introduces readers to President Roosevelt's plan to regrow the buffalo population in the newly created Yellowstone National Park. Mary Anne's babies grew up to have babies of their own and, in time, became one of five foundational US buffalo herds in the national park system.
Please note: In keeping with the late 19th-century vernacular of the southwest, one of the characters uses the word "Lordy" a few times.
by Margot Zemach
A poor Jewish farmer lives in a house with his mother, wife, and six children. His house is crowded, unbearably so. One day, when he can stand the noise and congestion no longer, he goes to his Rabbi for advice. The wise man instructs the farmer to bring some of his barn animals inside the house. Weeks go by, and the living conditions naturally become more cramped and less quiet. He returns to the Rabbi, who tells him to bring even more animals inside. This continues for quite some time with several return trips to and from the Rabbi. Through some timely perspective, the farmer eventually learns that his original circumstances were not that bad. He stops complaining and instead chooses to be content.
Leveled Readers
Hot Dog
by Molly Coxe
It's a hot day for this farm dog who does all he can to find a cool place to land.
This Level 1 reader is a great first step for kids who need practice with one-vowel words. The sentences are short and contain 3-5 phonetically appropriate words. For instance: "Dog is hot. Mom is not."
Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express
by Eleanor Coerr
This Level 3 reader is a historical fiction based on the legendary life of William Frederick Cody, more commonly known as Buffalo Bill, who at the age of 15 joined the rough-and-tumble riders of the Pony Express. While on the trail, Cody outruns wild animals, savage storms, and even a few outlaws.
Illustrated Chapter Books
A Long Road on a Short Day
by Gary D. Schmidt
Early one winter morning, Samuel and his father set out on foot with a treasured Barlow knife in hand. Mama needs a milk cow to feed the baby. Papa says they'll use the knife as payment. But how can one lone knife buy a cow? At the first farm they come to, Papa promises the knife in exchange for two tin lanterns. At the next house, he trades the lanterns for a book of poetry. And so it goes--all day, Papa trades for larger and more valuable items.
Fans of The Ox-Cart Man will appreciate the premise of this delightful story. I especially like how the father acknowledges the son's contributions and allows the boy to make the final trade of the day. When given a choice to keep a prized pony and cart all to himself, he selflessly remembers the needs of his mother and baby sister, and barters for a milk cow instead.
Logan Pryce Makes a Mess
by Grace Gilmore
When times get tough, Logan's dad must find a way to make up for his lost farm income. He takes a short-term position stocking inventory at the general store and invites young Logan to join him. When Dad steps away, Logan decides not to wait for instructions but instead forges ahead on his own. He makes a big mistake and learns a valuable lesson in obedience.
This is the first of a six-part series about Logan Pryce, a 19th-century farm boy growing up in Maple Ridge, Illinois. With an illustration on every page, each book is perfect for developing readers. Much like the beloved Little House on the Prairie series, the Tales from Maple Ridge books are a wholesome look at life on the prairie but for a slightly younger audience.
Please note: Book 4 entitled The Ghost of Juniper Creek centers on the legend of a ghost that supposedly lurks around the edges of town. Logan and his friend Anthony set a trap to catch it. Turns out the "ghost" is really just the neighbor's missing cat. (Skipping Book 4 or any other title in the series will not affect a reader's experience. The books do not necessarily have to be read in order.)
Middle-Grade Novels
by J.D. Peabody
Everett and his younger sister Bea have been told that their beloved father—the town vicar who moonlights as a comic book writer—has been killed in a horrible train accident. But the story doesn't add up. While searching through his belongings, the siblings discover a pen filled with ink that transports them to a secret society aimed at stopping sinister "blotters" from stealing the ink that writes the good stories of the world. They join forces with a motley crew of "good guys" to find their father and save creativity from destruction.
This Narnia meets Harry Potter fantasy is the first in a three-part series. Like C.S. Lewis, J.D. Peabody has sprinkled Biblical analogies throughout this fast-paced, imaginative title without being heavy-handed, preachy, or moralistic.
Please note: Everett lies twice to protect himself and his sister. Additionally, one of the sinister evil-doers thinks one of the children has a set of "witching sticks." They are actually "divining rods" that can help lead a person to the ink they need. When confronted about the sticks, the children's father replies, “We are Christian people. We do not practice witchcraft of any sort.”
by Graham Salisbury
7th grader Danny, his dad, and older brother Tyrell are Oregon cattle ranchers and local rodeo celebrities. Like most of their neighbors, they are no-nonsense when it comes to raising animals. But when Danny's dog, Banjo, is accused of attacking Mr. Brodie's sheep, Danny's heart wins out over his head. The law says that the dog must be put down, but Danny can't kill his best friend. Instead, he finds a way to hide Banjo until the charges against him can be disproven.
7th grader Meg is a horse trainer who lives a few towns away. When she finds an injured dog in the woods one day, she naturally becomes suspicious of the boy who claims to be the animal's owner.
This book is clean but complicated, giving readers an honest look at the under-represented life of American ranchers and modern cowboys who must view their animals as livestock, not pets.
Please note: Danny lies about killing Banjo but eventually owns up to the deceit and makes restitution. Ultimately, he sacrifices his own happiness for the sake of his dog. Additionally, the text includes one use of each of the following: "heck," "kick your butt," "danged," and "geezer."
by Sharon Robinson
In the summer of 1948, a few families in an all-Jewish neighborhood circulated a petition asking others to boycott the black family rumored to be buying the house next door to eight-year-old Stephen Satlow and his family. The Satlows refused to sign. Unbeknownst to them, the new owners are none other than the first baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson, his wife, and their young son. As a lifelong Dodgers fan, Stephen is ecstatic! He can't wait to meet and glean tips from his hero. Ultimately, Stephen learns far more than baseball skills while living two doors down from the first African American ever to be signed with a major league team.
Written by the daughter of the famed Forty-two, this book is based on the real-life relationship between the Satlow and Robinson families. In the midst of much racial tension in America, they formed a bond that summer that has continued to this day.
Iceberg
by Jennifer A. Nielsen
To alleviate some of the financial strain on her family, who is struggling to make ends meet after the tragic death of her father, Hazel Rothbury agrees to travel to America on board the Titanic and take a job with her aunt in a factory. When she arrives at the dock, she realizes she doesn't have enough money for a ticket. So, she does the only thing she can think of...she climbs into a large luggage trunk and hides in the cargo deck. Once at sea, she learns that there's a smoldering fire in the boiler room. Why hasn't the captain announced the impending danger? Intrigued, Hazel begins to take notes and soon discovers other questionable activities, including the strange behavior of a first-class couple who appears to be swindling other passengers out of large sums of money. With the help of a sympathetic porter named Charlie and a young heiress named Sylvia, Hazel begins to piece together what she hopes will be the journalistic story of the year. Little does she know that the boiler room fire is only the tip of the iceberg of troubles for the luxury liner.
Please note: In addition to sneaking on board the ship without paying for a ticket, Hazel also confesses to "premonitions" about the fate of the ship. While this is a middle-grade fiction, it contains a few scenes that might be troubling for sensitive readers. It is more appropriate for kids 10+, in my opinion.
Parents, Be Aware
The Adventures of Honey & Leon
by Alan Cumming
Dogs are protectors. It's their job to keep their owners safe. When Honey and Leon see their dads packing their bags for travel abroad, the pups decide that they must escort them. Who knows what trouble the two men may tumble into without their trusty canines at their sides? So, the dogs sneak onto the airplane bound for France, determined to keep their owners safe. Honey and Leon employ clever disguises and do their best to stay in the shadows and elude detection. In the end, both men and beasts make several close calls. But adventure is had by all!
Things to know: The book was written and illustrated by a gay couple to highlight their real-life relationship with their dogs.
A Sky Full of Song
by Susan Lynn Meyer
The year is 1905. Eleven-year-old Shoshana, along with her family, has just moved to North Dakota from a small Ukrainian village in hopes of escaping the antisemitism sweeping their homeland. Trouble is, it seems that Jews are not very welcome in America either. Shoshana must choose to hide her ethnicity at school in order to fit in or continue to follow her faith and cultural customs in the face of criticism and scorn.
Things to know: While on the surface this book lives up to the acclaim it has received in many Christian circles, it does include several instances of offensive racial slurs including the word "kike." Additionally, the physical and emotional harm other students inflict on Shoshana might be troubling for sensitive readers. Other plot points worth consideration are as follows: several adult characters drink hard liquor, teens sneak to the woods to smoke cigarettes, one character yells, "g*dd*mit" when a cat claws at him, Shoshana shares her Jewish view of the crucifixion of Christ with her Christian classmates and contradicts Scripture, and a teenage boy pantomimes grabbing his penis and peeing in front of a group of girls.
Parents should also be aware that the story describes Shoshana's older sister starting her period for the first time. The entire incident is handled with great care, however. Her mother makes it clear that menstruation is a gift that, while painful and inconvenient at times, allows a woman to bear children.
Just for you, Mom
The Italian Ballerina
by Kristy Cambron
Present Day- Delaney Coleman has just lost her beloved grandfather Courtney Coleman, a small-town doctor and WWII veteran when she receives a strange message from a family in Italy demanding she return a vintage suitcase from her grandfather's estate. Confused and grief-stricken, she travels to Italy to sort out the mistake only to discover there's more at stake than just a timeworn piece of luggage. Its return will unlock the history of dozens and dozens of forgotten Jews.
1943- Famed British Ballerina Julia Bradbury and her dance partner must take refuge in Fatebenefratelli Hospital on Timber Island in Italy after their train car is bombed. While there, Julia lends a hand to the doctors and priests as they care for patients suffering from Syndrome K. When two US medics are smuggled in along with a young Jewish girl, Julia must make some decisions that will change the course of all of their lives.
This incredibly clean dual-timeline historical fiction is a sweeping saga that will introduce readers to a lesser-known portion of WWII history.