"The first sign of trouble was when her dad switched from silverware to chopsticks..."
Skye and Hiroshi's worlds are about to turn upside down. Hiroshi and his family are moving from Japan to America, and everything about America feels wrong. And it doesn't help that his cousin, Skye, is embarrassed to have to help him at school. Skye has never thought of herself as Japanese, but her cousin's arrival makes it unavoidable. But Skye and Hiroshi soon find they have more in common than they thought, and a relationship that started out as inconvenience turns into one of friendship and camaraderie.
Flying the Dragon is a story of discovery, through family and culture, and of finding happiness wherever you are. This novel is best for 4th-8th grade boys and girls and can be found in the Juvenile section under J LOR.
A fun story about facing your fears, Friadyzoo by Thyra
Heder is the perfect book for a young one who needs a dose of bravery. Main
character Little T is terrified of going to the zoo with her family… but she
can’t remember why. What could have scared Little T at the zoo the last time
her family went? In multiple attempts to figure out Little T’s fear, her family
does all that can to solve the mystery (and they do it with humor!). In the
end, the reader discovers what Little T’s fear is. It’s definitely not what you
would expect! You can find Fraidyzoo in the Easy section under E HED.
If you’ve got a little one who loves vehicles of all kinds,
check out Night Light by Nicholas Blechman. Night Light is a short, sweet read
where readers are encouraged to count the lights on each page, and then guess
what vehicle has those lights (which is revealed by turning the page). Readers
have the opportunity to practice counting up to 10 while counting the lights. The
lights of the vehicles are on die-cut pages, giving the book a fun, interactive
element. The illustrations are vibrant and perfect for the earliest of readers,
and the sparse text is not overwhelming. If you’re looking to practice counting
in a fun way, Night Light can be found in the Easy section under E BLE.
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10-year old Gopal enjoys his life in
rural India but when the family can no longer make a living farming, they reluctantly
move to bustling Mumbai to find work. In his desperation to help earn money for
his family, he unwittingly gets caught up in a child slavery ring. Things seem hopeless,
until he makes friends with the other boys in the same situation and together
they plot their escape. While the subject is serious, the times when Gopal shares
stories of his past are upbeat and the boys interact just like any other boys
their age. The gripping plot of this book make it a good read for ages 8 and
up, especially reluctant readers. Look for it in the Juvenile Section of your library at J SHE.
