One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia

Gaby really liked this book. That was enough for me to want to dive into this novel. Besides I really liked the cover!
If you were eleven, almost twelve, would your dad let you fly from New York to Oakland, California to visit a mother you hardly remember? Could you even fathom taking your two younger sisters all by yourself? Delphine is pretty capable and when their mother doesn't act very motherly, she makes sure the three of them are fed and attended to. She even takes them on an adventure to see San Francisco, as any tourist would coming to the area.
Breakfast is eaten with the Black Panthers at a community center where they spend their day, and along with the meal, they are given instructions on standing up for their rights! This story takes place in 1968 and the historical references are very interesting. I would recommend this award-winning book to older readers.

Piper Reed and Calvin Coconut

Two books that I will blog about together today are: Calvin Coconut: Trouble Magnet by Graham Salisbury and Piper Reed: Navy Brat by Kimberly Willis Holt.

Both books are very short, easy to read, humorous chapter books with illustrations sprinkled throughout. Each of these Maud Hart Lovelace Nominees are also part of a character series. You do not have to read the books in any particular order.

Calvin lives with his mother and little sister in Hawaii and Piper moves around with her family (being a "Navy brat") but in this book they are living in Pensacola, Florida. Both characters have many adventures and their lives are one crazy thing after another. Both are fun stories that 2nd and 3rd graders will enjoy.

A Long Walk To Water by Linda Sue Park

What if you had to walk to get your family's water everyday? And that walk took hours, I mean hours. Eating, drinking, washing would be remarkably different. Your life would not be the same.
This story takes place in Sudan. Sudan is in Africa. And it does not take place back in the olden days, the time period for this story is in your parents' lifetime. There are two characters whose lives we follow: Salva, a young boy escaping violence in Southern Sudan; and Nye, a young girl also living in Southern Sudan. Salva is a real person. This is his life. Salva was sitting in class, when fighting rebels close to the school caused students to run for their lives, resulting in Salva being separated from everyone he knew. Nye doesn't go to school because she spends much of her day collecting water.
I learned a lot reading this short book and am glad it is on the Maud Hart Lovelace list of Nominees for Division II readers. I would encourage readers in Grades 4 and up to read this too. It is always good to know how kids around the world live their lives and to remind ourselves of all the blessings we have. This book is such an inspiring story — the world needs more Salvas.

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

I wished this story didn't end. And then I can't believe I actually started reading it.
The trouble was that I listened to someone say they didn't like the book. And for over a year I put off reading this 2011 Newbery Medal book. Everyone is different, and we don't all like the same kinds of books. I love books with well developed characters (Abilene, Miss Sadie, Shady, Hattie Mae) and interesting information from historical time periods (1917, 1936) mixed into the story. Plus I enjoy profound change that takes place in people, such as with the immigrants in the story. Immigrants from Turkey, Greece, Italy, France and Germany fill the pages. All have stories of their journey to America. Stories, the glue that brings them together. But those are the things I like. Perhaps you like a mystery, or tree houses and spying on your neighbors? This novel has those plus a cigar box with many secrets. Will you discover along with Abilene the secrets of Manifest?

Next Book!!!!

Can't wait until July 13!
Publication Party for Jacqueline West's
third book of 
The Books of Elsewhere: 
The Second Spy. 
Red Balloon Bookshop
891 Grand Ave
St. Paul, MN