Amina is fleeing Syria in a boat with a lot of other people. The boat capsizes, and the people fall into the Mediterranean Sea. As Amina sinks in the water, she remembers her family and the ancient hero Zenobia, Queen of ancient Syria. Zenobia gives her courage not to panic in the water. Book reviewed…
For Grades 4-6 - Page 10 of 24
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
“Avoid large places at night—keep to small.” This is the warning that 11 year old Olivia “Ollie” Adler gets from a distraught woman trying desperately to throw a book in the river. Ollie, a lover of books, steals it from the woman, and finds the story within is one she can’t put down. It is…
The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez
The first rule of punk is to be yourself. How will Malú do that in a new city and school while living with her Mom? They have nothing in common. Malú likes punk music, skateboarding, and making zines, a type of collage magazine. Malú’s mom seems to only like things connected to her Mexican heritage.…
Knockout by K.A. Holt
Levi is tired of being told what he can’t do, of having his mother and brother always hovering and worrying about him. He was born prematurely, and still has some health issues, but that doesn’t mean that he wants to be treated like a baby. His dad encourages him to try a new sport, and…
My Year in the Middle by Lila Quintero Weaver
Lu is the daughter of Argentinian immigrants, living in Alabama. She's in sixth grade, in a recently integrated school and feeling like an outsider of her own because she's Latina. For the most part, white students and black students sit on opposite sides of the room, are only friends with people who look like them.…
Drum Roll Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
Melly and her best friend, Olivia, are all set for rock-'n'-roll summer camp and on their way when Melly's parents announce that they are getting a divorce. Then Melly and Olivia get placed in different cabins and bands...but Melly has only ever played with Olivia. Everyone else in her band has a different style of…
Louisiana’s Way Home by Kate DiCamillo
In Kate DiCamillo’s 2016 book entitled Raymie Nightingale, we were introduced to Louisiana Elephante. She’s a sweet girl, with a beautiful singing voice and trapeze artist parents! In 2018 we get the pleasure of an entire book revolving around her in Louisiana’s Way Home. It can be read as a standalone, but I really enjoyed reading it as…
The Creativity Project: An Awesometastic Story Collection edited by Colby Sharp
The Creativity Project, edited by Colby Sharp, is a written and visual collaboration of innovative ideas using words, art, poetry and stories from various professionals about how writers and illustrators think,explore, and their ideas evolve to a completed work. Each short segmented chapter initiates the process by submitting a conceptual prompt and then another resourceful contributor submits their idea…
Beauty and the Beak: How Science, Technology, and a 3D-Printed Beak Rescued A Bald Eagle by Deborah Lee Rose
Beauty is an amazing bald eagle and was born in the wild. She learned to fly, hunt and use her beak to break up food, and live on her own. However, one day that all changed when she was hurt by a bullet. It took most of her upper beak and hurt her face as…
Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood
No one can know the difference that is made by making one choice instead of another. Rarely, though, do our decisions mean the difference between life and death. It did for Ken. It was 1940 and WW II was at its peak. Britain prepared for the invasion they were expecting from Hitler and his armies.…
