Category: Erica's Picks

Canyon's Edge

9/18/2021

One year ago Nora's family went out for dinner to celebrate her birthday. One year ago, Nora's mother was killed when a shooter opened fire in the restaurant. Ever since, her father has kept her close and withdrawn from everyone else, even pulling Nora out of school. This year for Nora's birthday her father has chosen a remote celebration, miles from the nearest person. They get out their gear to explore a slot canyon. But when the worst happens, their remote location means no one can hear their cries for help. So it's up to Nora to survive, find her father, and save them both.

This novel starts and ends in prose but when Nora is fighting for survival in the canyon it switches to powerful verse. The story moves quickly as her situation goes from bad to worse and death seems inevitable. Watching Nora fight is thrilling and inspiring as she combats the real environment around her and the memories that have haunted her ever since her mother's death. A quick, impactful read.

The Canyon's Edge by Dusti Bowling

Erica's Picks
4th - 6th grade
tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, fast-paced, mental illness, novels in verse, survival

The Longest Night of Charlie Noon

9/18/2021

Charlie had a lot of friends in London, but now that they've moved back to the small town where her father grew up, she only has Dizzy. They're both outcasts: Charlie because she doesn't act the way a girl "should", and Dizzy because Polio left him with a permanent limp. Johnny takes a particular delight in tormenting them, but one day he takes it too far. He lures them into the woods with a plan to scare them, but soon all three are lost. As night descends they become trapped in a nightmare where the normal rules don't apply. If they want to survive to dawn, they'll have to rely on each other and keep their wits about them. The woods have more than one trick in store for them, and the morning seems like it will never come.

This is a short and fast-paced adventure that plays with time and history as well as secret codes and science. Great for anyone looking for a spooky mystery to crack.

The Longest Night of Charlie Noon
by Christopher Edge

Erica's Picks
3rd - 5th
tags: adventure, fast-paced, historical, mystery, science fiction

From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry

9/18/2021

In 1982 a charismatic and popular young man went out to celebrate his bachelor's party. What happened next would be the subject of several court cases and intense debate. What's undeniable is that a bar fight turned fatal ending with a white father and son beating a Chinese-American man to death. Vincent Chin would never see his wedding day, leaving the friends and family gathering for his wedding to observe his funeral rites instead. When the two white men received only a $3,000 fine and 3 years probation for this heinous crime, it was hard to believe that race hadn't played a role. Soon Vincent Chin's friends and family would rally together to protest the verdict and get the crime retried as the first federal civil rights trial involving a crime against an Asian American. Uncover the story behind this crime through case files, trial transcripts, and interviews with the people who were there. This is a hard but important story, and one that sheds light on what's happening today.

From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement by Paula Yoo

Erica's Picks
7th & up
tags: history, nonfiction, People of Color, social justice

Deadly Aim

9/18/2021

At first, President Lincoln would not allow African Americans or American Indians to enlist with the union army. But as the war drew on and the casualties mounted, it became harder and harder to find men willing to fight. In 1863 he changed that policy and allowed the creation of segregated units. By the end of the Civil War about 20,000 American Indians fought on both sides. One of the largest companies of American Indians were the Anishinaabe sharpshooters of Company K. Drawing on their hunting skills and their rich warrior tradition they were a formidable force who served with courage and honor. Learn about their stories, their service, and the history of their people.

The primary sources Sally Walker was able to find from photographs to letters home really bring members of Company K to life and depict the life of a Civil War soldier in detail. A fascinating history and a story that should be widely told and remembered.

Deadly Aim: The Civil War Story of Michigan's Anishinaabe Sharpshooters by Sally M. Walker

Erica's Picks
6th - 8th
tags: history, nonfiction, People of Color

Turtle Boy

9/18/2021

Will loves turtles, but he hates being called turtle boy. The specimens he collects from the nature preserve behind his school are silent but supportive friends he can study and understand. The kids at school, on the other hand, only call him "turtle boy" because of his small chin. It turns out to be more than just a cosmetic concern, and the doctor says he'll need corrective surgery soon. But Will has been terrified of hospitals ever since his father unexpectedly died during a routine operation. Then his rabbi assigns Will to cheer up a RJ, a teen dying from an incurable illness, as his community service project for his Bar Mitzvah. Both boys seem to hate it at first, but Will's life changes in ways he never would have believed once he discovers RJ's bucket list and becomes determined to help him finish it.

This is such moving story that I didn't even mind the buckets of tears it made me cry. All of the characters are well drawn and learning about their interests from herpetology to drumming was fascinating as well. Highly recommended, but have the tissues ready.

Turtle Boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein

Erica's Picks
4th - 7th
tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, friendship, SEL, tear jerker

View from Pagoda Hill

9/12/2021

Ning never knew her father, but anyone who sees her can tell that he was a foreigner. Her strange looks combined with her unbound feet make her an outcast and guarantee that she will never find a husband. Her mother hides her away so she's barely experienced life outside her small home and her only friend is her mother's servant. One day she makes a rare trip to a temple and makes a wish for her father to return. Little does she know that wish would change her life forever. Soon she's all alone in a foreign land filled with people who distrust her. How can she build a new life for herself and still be true to her roots? Where can she run when home is thousands of miles and an ocean away?

This story, based on the life of the author's great-great-grandmother, is an engaging and unique immigration tale. From Ning's life in Shanghai to her trip across the ocean and her life in America her bold spirit shines through as she's thrown into daunting situations and has to handle them all on her own. I love how she borrows courage from tales of her favorite pirate queen. An author's note in the back details more about the life of the author's family.

View from Pagoda Hill by Michaela MacColl

Erica's Picks
5th - 8th
tags: character driven, family life, global perspectives, historical fiction, People of Color

The Barren Grounds

9/12/2021

Eli is new to the foster care system, but his foster sister Morgan has been in it almost her whole life and barely remembers her biological family and indigenous roots. At first all Morgan wants is to be left alone to read in her secret spot in the attic, but when she brings Eli there something magical happens: a drawing from his sketchbook opens a portal into another land. Misewa is trapped in a perpetual winter and populated by animals that walk on two legs and speak Cree and English. Eli feels at home, as a native Cree speaker and someone who grew up with folk tales about similar creatures. Morgan just wants to take Eli and get back to their foster home before they mess it all up and she gets kicked out again. But the more they learn about the land and how its inhabitants are suffering, the more they are drawn to help. Even if it means facing bitter cold, hunger, and the dangers that hide in the snow.

This is an outstanding series opener. It has echoes of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe but stands on its own with fully realized world-building and layered characters. I read this in the summer, but I could feel the chill as I read Robertson's descriptions of the harsh environment. I appreciated the bits of Cree language and culture woven throughout and can't wait to read the next installment.

The Barren Grounds (The Misewa Saga #1) by David Alexander Robertson

Erica's Picks
5th - 8th
tags: adventure, fantasy, global perspectives, People of Color

The Girl and the Ghost

9/12/2021

Suraya never knew her grandmother, or that she was a witch. When her grandmother dies, she gets an odd inheritance: a pelesit. This dark spirit is tied to her family and bound to do her bidding. But Suraya is just a toddler, so she names the dark spirit pink and it serves as her secret friend and protector: catching her when she falls, keeping her safe at night. As Suraya grows older and makes her first human friend, she learns of the spirit's darker side: its jealousy and violent tendencies. How long can she keep her pelesit secret? And who can she trust to help her control its dark magic?

I adored this book. Both Suraya and Pink are spectacular protagonists and I grew to care about them deeply. There are chapters from both of their perspectives and the contrast between this dark magic being and the joyful toddler that becomes its master is brilliant. I also enjoyed learning about Malaysian culture and its folk traditions around demons and magic. The themes around friendship and family are powerful as well. This book works on so many levels and I cannot recommend it enough

The Girl and the Ghost by Hanna Alkaf

Erica's Picks
4th - 6th
tags: character driven, family life, friendship, global perspectives, People of Color, supernatural

Twinchantment

9/12/2021

Ever since a dark mage killed the prince, magic has been forbidden to all except the Keepers of the Light. Anyone with magic or suspected of having magic is banished to the Twists. That's the way it's been for generations. Unfortunately for Flissa and Sara, being a twin is a sign of magic. Luckily, they were born to the King and Queen. Enter Princess Flissara: the role they take turns playing in public while the other is kept safely hidden away in their personal chambers. But when a dark mage returns to curse the Queen and they suspect the Keepers of collaborating, it will take both princesses to run away from the castle and venture into the magical prison of the twists that is filled with dark mages and the many magical traps and dangers meant to punish them.

This is a great fantasy adventure full of magical creatures, plot twists, and hidden secrets. Flissa and Sara both have their strengths and weaknesses shaped by the types of tasks they usually do and the different experiences they've had. Flissa usually does the fencing, horseback riding, and anything that involves athletic ability. Sara, on the other hand, thrives in social settings and public appearances. There's a large cast of great characters including talking horses, a bird as a tutor, and a magical black kitten. Perfect for young fans of magic.

Twinchantment by Elise Allen

Erica's Picks
3rd - 5th
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Any Day with You

9/12/2021

Everything in Kaia's life is changing. Her older sister is gone for the summer and then is off to college in the fall. If that wasn't bad enough her great-grandfather, Tatang, who has always lived with them, has decided to move back home to the Philippines. Kaia knows she's not like her valedictorian, pre-med older sister, but she thinks that if she can pull off something to make Tatang really proud maybe he won't want to leave after all. That's when she hears about the movie contest with a real red carpet premiere for the winners. With her special effects makeup prowess and her friends' acting and directing skills they're sure to win.

Another sweet family story from Respicio. Tatang is a great character and I loved reading about Kaia's movie-making exploits with her friends. This is a perfect, heart-warming summer read.

Any Day with You by Mae Respicio

Erica's Picks
4th - 6th
tags: character driven, contemporary fiction, family life, people of color, summer vacation