Audience: Grades 4 & up

Format: Audiobook/Library

I shouldn't do it.

- first line

This book is based on a true story of kids that were travelling on the SS City of Benares to Canada to escape the Nazi bombing of London. When the ship is torpedoed, Ken (13) and other survivors are left on Lifeboat 12 in the middle of the ocean. It's the little details in this book that make it so impactful. Ken was supposed to be on a different lifeboat, the young woman who makes up stories for the boys, the one sailor who acts crazy to make everyone laugh.
The story is told in verse, so I recommend reading a written copy more than the audio (or maybe both together). The audio is very well done and I could hear the emphasis and lyricism in the narrator's voice. The story is compelling and shows the importance of believing in yourself and each other and joining together to survive. Highly recommended. A 6-8 Sunshine State nominated book for 2020-21.

Audience: 4th Grade & Up

Format: Audiobook/Library Copy

Myths, my abuela used to say, are truths long forgotten by the world.

- first sentence

Charlie Hernandez knows the Hispanic myths inside and out because his abuela (grandmother) has been telling him stories about them since he was very young. Then one day, he finds out that all the monsters that he thought were myths, are actually real. Not only are they real, but they are trying to break through the barrier between life and death. 

This a great book for fans of the Percy Jackson series. I enjoyed listening to the audiobook and hearing the story told by someone who could pronounce all the words correctly instead of trying to imagine how they should sound in my head. We read this book for our middle school book club and will be zooming with the author this week. I'm so excited!

I listened to the first book in this series last summer and loved it. But I never got around to continuing the series. Last month, one of the girls at school told me that I had to read the second & third books because she loved them. I was able to borrow the audio of book 2 (Twilight of the Elves) but the third wasn't available in audio from the library. I loved the audio so much that I bought book 3 (Night of Dangers) from Audible.

This series is amazing and I loved it. It is a magical tale that emphasizes friendship and the importance of trust in the middle of a battle between the apprentices, monsters, and tricksters hiding in plain sight. In order to survive and win, the apprentices must come together and use their strengths to save each other and the town of Freestone.

The books are full of adventure, danger, compassion, and twists and turns you won't see coming. If you enjoy middle-grade fantasy stories, I predict you will love this series!

Audience: Middle Grade

Format: Hardcover/Library Copy

Light.
Bright. White. Light.

- opening words

Twelve-year-old Ash wakes up in an unfamiliar room with an IV in his arm and no memory of how he got there. As he searches for his mom, he discovers he has abilities that are beyond normal, hearing, vision, sense of smell. He witnesses people trying to escape in a helicopter and being shot down. He finds Isabel, who helps him find his mother and her father, but they are infected with a virus that could destroy the world’s population. Ash & Isabel race against the clock to stop the men who stole the virus and find the cure for their parents.

There is violence in this book including shooting, knives, and physical fighting. There are scary animals all over the island that Ash & Isabel encounter. Isabela is smart and capable and helps Ash navigate the jungle, even as his senses warn them of approaching danger. There is a lot of suspense and action that will appeal to kids. Isabel is a great example of a strong female heroine.

Audience: Middle School

Format: Hardcover/Library Copy

The afternoon the bombs start falling, I get my highest score ever on my favorite video game.

Eleven-year-old Ali Fadhil lives in Basra, Iraq. He loves American television, Superman comic books, and playing soccer with his friends. When an international coalition initiates military action to stop Saddam Hussein from invading Kuwait, Ali’s life is turned upside down. Ali’s father is serving with a medical unit and his older brother (Shirzad) is left in charge of the family. Everyone in the village is depending on government rations for food and supplies. Ali’s mother even burns his comic books for fuel to cook with. 

The book is based on co-author Fadhil’s childhood and doesn’t shy away from depicting the war. There are some pretty violent scenes in this book, including when Ali witnesses a firing squad that kills a bunch of people (even a child his age). At one point, Ali thinks his father may be dead and he often worries about his own safety.