Last month, Franny and I gathered a few of our favorite books about being neighbors, even when we’re physically apart. Each week, we're continuing to share recommendations on our corner of the website and social media, such as Janae Marks' heartfelt middle grade mystery, From the Desk of Zoe Washington, a HarperCollins' Middle Grade Matters selection, #1 Kids' Indie Next List pick, and 57th staff favorite.
Write to us with your requests at kidsbooks@semcoop.com, and while you're at it, submit to our poetry challenge by May 31 (see details below). —Colin & Franny, et al. at 57th Street BooksFrom the Desk of Zoe Washington (Katherine Tegen Books) Janae Marks
Illus. by Ronnie Solbert from Bronzeville Boys and Girls(1956) by Gwendolyn Brooks Inspired by author Suzanne Slade and illustrator Cozbi A. Cabrera's brand new picture-book biography of Gwendolyn Brooks, Exquisite, and the 70th anniversary of Brooks' historic Pulitzer Prize, 57th Street Books' Young Readers Advisory Board invites young readers of all ages to connect with your neighborhood by writing and submitting a poem from life to kidsbooks@semcoop.com by May 31, 2020. All who enterwill appear in A Young Person's Guide to 57th Street Books.
How to Write a Poem From Life (Courtesy of 57th Street Books' Young Readers Advisory Board):
1. Write a poem about your favorite books.
2. Write a poem using all five senses (sound, smell, etc.). Or write about a smell that reminds you of something.
3. Write a poem about an object that plays a role in your life.
4. Write a poem about something that happened to you or something you hope/fear will happen.
5. Write a poem about how you feel when you practice your favorite hobby, instrument, or sport.
6. Write a concrete poem.
7. Write a poem that describes someone by contrasting different aspects of their personality.
8. Write a poem reflecting on greatness and gratitude or noticing and appreciating.
9. Write a poem about a moment that changed you.
10. Read poems from Gwendolyn Brooks' Bronzeville Boys and Girls. You can find several examples here.
57th Street Books’ Young Readers Advisory Board, comprised of readers ages eight and up, is constantly bringing our attention to smart, fun, feel-good middle-grade and young adult reads like Doug Cornett’s debut. Advisory board member Karis (age 12) calls Finally, Something Mysteriousa “funny, light, and captivating mystery,” surrounding the appearance of literally hundreds of rubber duckies on old Mr. Babbage’s lawn in small-town California. Luckily, the One and Onlys (i.e., three almost sixth graders without siblings) are on the case. Or are they? Bellwood’s not so boring after all in this summer-ready, not so serious mystery novel.
Lest you think the title says it all, "Awesome Dog 5000 vs. Mayor Bossypants is a silly, comedic, sci-fi, semi-graphic novel that’s filled with suspense, laughs, and a cool gamer feel," says Avery (age 12). "Marty, Skyler, and Ralph have been having awesome adventures ever since they found Awesome Dog, but their antics have caught Mayor Bossypants’s attention, who will destroy anyone or anything that stands in his way of destroying Awesome Dog. This really ridiculous book is for anyone who loves a good laugh or likes robots." Start playing, er, reading with Justin Dean's first book in the series, Awesome Dog 5000.
From robot dogs to copycats, Noor (age 11) recommends Wendy McLeod MacKnight's magical middle grade novel "about a girl who unexpectedly gains the ability to change her appearance," all while "trying to get through middle school" as the new kid in town... again. The Copycat, writes Noor, is "a book that celebrates friendship and forgiveness."
Read Alone (8 and up) The One and Only Bob (HarperCollins) Katherine Applegate, illus. by Patricia Castelao
Return to the unforgettable world of the Newbery Medal-winning and #1 New York Times bestselling novel The One and Only Ivanin this incredible sequel, starring Ivan's friend Bob!
Bob sets out on a dangerous journey in search of his long-lost sister with the help of his two best friends, Ivan and Ruby. As a hurricane approaches and time is running out, Bob finds courage he never knew he had and learns the true meaning of friendship and family.
"With short chapters focusing alternately on each sibling, Kelly creates a crisp, moving portrait of family dysfunction and the resilience of the young." —Horn Book(starred review)
Newbery Medalist and New York Times-bestselling author Erin Entrada Kelly transports readers to 1986 as the country waits expectantly for the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Meanwhile, siblngs Cash, Fitch, and Bird Thomas face their own anxieties in this pitch-perfect middle grade novel about family, friendship, science, and exploration. A great choice for readers of Kate DiCamillo, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Rebecca Stead.
We’re partial to fantasy that doesn’t take itself too seriously (or, for that matter, destructively). But a “sinister Dark world” here and there, no sweat. As long as we’ve got a comic-loving heroine like 12-year-old Maya to guide us through her South Side Chicago neighborhood to the Dark world where an army led by the Lord of Shadows awaits and Maya’s father has gone missing. Yes, the world may be ending, but that doesn’t mean a girl can’t still hope to make it back in time for Comic-Con. Now there’s an epic hero we can get behind.
Young Adult Mad, Bad & Dangerous to Know (Soho Teen)
Samira Ahmed Critically acclaimed and bestselling author Samira Ahmed, who just happens to call Hyde Park home, has already made a searing impression on young adult fiction with novels that cross cultural divides and tell straight truths about Islamophobia. Where her 2019 novel, Internment, sent us into a stark near-future, her latest, hailed as a “joyride,” looks back 200 years in an astonishing parallel story of loss, love, and art told by 17-year-old Khayyam and her 19th-century counterpart Leila. Set in the City of Lights, it’s just the thing for armchair travel. Order your copyand get a free pin with purchase, while supplies last!
All Boys Aren't Blue (Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers) George M. Johnson
All Boys Aren’t Blue is a balm and testimony to young readers as allies in the fight for equality. An LGBTQ+ activist and prolific writer, whose recent, timely piece for Vice, “When Racism Anchors Your Health,” was awarded by the National Association of Black Journalists, George M. Johnson’s debut young adult memoir weaves compassion and distress in a series of personal essays about coming of age black and queer. Whatever one’s background, this is powerful, sensitive writing, determined to build bridges.
"Feder takes readers along on the road trip that nobody wants to make in a frank and funny, intimate and poignant graphic novel. The narrative, in peppily solid panel art, is exceptionally articulate and accessible." —BCCB
From before her mother's first oncology appointment through the stages of her cancer to the funeral, sitting shiva, and afterward, when she must try to make sense of her life as a motherless daughter, Tyler Feder tells her story in this graphic novel that is full of piercing, often funny, details. She shares the important post-death firsts, such as celebrating holidays without her mom, the utter despair of cleaning out her mom's closet, ending old traditions and starting new ones, and the sting of having the "I've got to tell Mom about this" instinct and not being able to act on it. Bracingly candid and sweetly humorous, Dancing at the Pity Party is for anyone struggling with loss who just wants someone to get it.
The sun is bright, the air is clear,
The darting swallows soar and sing.
And from the stately elms I hear
The bluebird prophesying Spring.
From "It Is Not Always May"
by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
