Thank you to Linda Sue Park who doesn’t shy away from meaningful content. Most of her books are ones I would highly recommend. Approaching young people with intelligence and giving them access to a world of ideas.

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Jennifer Holm must have some friends on the Newbery committee as this is her 3rd book to be given a Newbery Honor, all three based on family stories. But seriously, Holm writes historical fiction well, maybe partly because she is drawing from her family. I have not read the middle one yet, though maybe it’s time I should. I like the title of this selection, but I think both the title and cover art lead the reader in a different direction than the story goes.

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Have to select this combination book and CD for the wonderful experience of listening to the performance! The illustrations are a treat, too. Plus, the educational experience I have had in comparing different performances and the memories of childhood recordings. I spent hours exploring related things through the internet.

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This is one of the most exciting books I have read for young readers and early chapter books. It kicks off Maguire’s series set in the small town of Hamlet, VT. It’s silly, suspenseful, and is an introduction to light fantasy/sci fi.

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Rosemary Wells is an exceptional author for young readers, and On the Blue Comet is a good selection for its age level. It would be especially appealing to young boys, with the train theme. I enjoyed the historical setting, and the book went in a surprising direction.

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What a nice way of presenting details of Medieval history and daily life! When I first looked in the book, I noticed the poetry format and thought it was going to be harder to read, dragging, maybe not something kids would pick for themselves . . .

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I chose this month’s selection largely because it led me to an epiphany about myself. This is the foremost reason I continue to read fiction regularly;  it sometimes offers or confirms realizations about life.

It is also a fantastic book. It isn’t everyday that you can be so drawn into someone else’s  mind. The character is clear-sighted, though possibly more complex than the thinking of the average person.

I also want to note that April was Autism Awareness Month, and the book has a connection. I saw this past week that the prevalence is now 1 in 110 children. Clearly, we have a real problem here.

The character in this book who has Asperger’s is high functioning. I have met one boy in passing who seemed to be at this level. He did, however, have difficulty dealing emotionally with the other children around him.

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The illustrations drew me to this book, but the story is what captured me. I chose it partly because this is exactly how interest in the subject begins. I have a son who also pours over the maps, as does his father.

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Joseph Bruchac is a major voice for Native Americans of New England. He’s collected stories for many years and written several books. His stories universally resonate with people.  In this particular selection, Bruchac’s protagonist proves himself a leader in a long line of leaders. It is not inherited, but taught and modeled by his elders.

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This month’s selection is an alphabet book from Australia. It’s cultural, with some different and interesting words. But mostly I chose it for the striking illustrations.

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