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SOMEDAY BIRDS By: Sally J. Pla
Charlie's father was a war-journalist in Afghanistan, and comes home injured. He has to go from California to Virginia for treatment. So when his sister decides they should go with her boyfriend to Virgina, Charlie is all in. The only problem being Charlie's obsession with washing his hands. He has a ritual that for every birthday he has to wash his hands that many times. Since he is 12 that is how many times Charlie washes. He also talked to his father before he left and they made a list of all the birds they would both one day find. Charlie is sure that if he finds all the birds on the list his father will be well.
The road trip doesn't go as planned and many harrowing adventures along the way. Thank goodness they find some unexpected help along the way. Couldn't put the book down. Ages 8-12 $16.99 HarperCollins
SILVER GATE By: Kristin Bailey
What a great way to introduce children to bullying. Set in a different time period when children and adults who were different, were hidden. Cursed by the fairies and all around them. This is Wynn's story and also her brother Elric. Wynn is called a changeling, you are never told what exactly is wrong with her, but she is slow to learn and has trouble keeping up. So when Wynn's mother dies Elric made a promise to keep her hidden and that is what he does. It means leaving the village he grew up in and finding a new home for Wynn.
The road they travel is really rough and you keep rooting for Wynn and Elric to find their way. Elric pretty hard on Wynn but with the help of an unexpected encounter with a small man Elric learns to appreciate his sister.
But a fairy song their mother sang to them keeps Wynn wanting to find them. Elric isn't so sure. Will this be their only hope. A great read all will love. Ages 8-12 $16.99 Katherine Tegen Books
A SEASON OF DARING GREATLY By: Ellen Emerson White
Jill Cafferty is a star pitcher. There is only one problem, she plays baseball. And she is really, really, really, good. Being a girl playing baseball is not quite such a big deal until she is in high school. Local news stations start to come to her games.Scouts from all over are keeping an eye on her. It's draft week. All Major League Baseball teams will pick their players for the next season. Jill will likely to be drafted, becoming the first women ever on an Major League Baseball team, so she is not surprised when she is. But here's the catch, she was drafted 3rd round, which is incredibly high. She could be making millions of dollars. The media goes crazy, she has many fans but also many protesters. There is tons of pressure on a girl who isn't even 18 yet. What will happen? Find out in A Season of Daring Greatly, a great book for almost all teenagers whether or not you are interested in baseball. Review by Ella age 13 Ages 12 and up $17.99 Greenwillow Coming out 2/14/2017
FINDING PERFECT By: Elly Swartz
Molly Nathans is what some would call a neat freak. She is obsessed with having every single thin perfect. Molly also has some weird habits, she is constantly counting by 4, carefully aligning her glass animal collection, and sharpening no. 2 pencils. When her mother leaves her family of 5 to work in Canada, things get even worse. But Molly has a plan. She is going to win the annual Poetry Slam competition, which will force her mom to come back for the final round. As the deadline looms closer and closer Molly starts to get worried. Every time things are not perfectly organized she feels that she has to reorganize it or else something "bad" will happen. She cannot stop counting, she has to wash her hands 4 times before she eats anything, almost everything she does has to be done 4 times. Molly is worried she is going crazy and people are starting to notice. This is an amazing book that i would recommend to anyone who enjoys realistic fiction. Almost anyone could read and enjoy this book but ages 9-14 will probably like it the best. Reviewed by Ella age 13, $16.99 Farrar Straus and Giroux
ETHAN I WAS BEFORE By: Ali Standish
You never know what life will bring, which unfortunately Ethan finds out. Ethan and his family are moving from Boston to a small town in Georgia to give him a fresh start. When he starts his new school he isn't sure he will ever be able to laugh again. But he soon meets Coralee a girl with a big heart. They become fast friend and don't talk about why they are in this town. Coralee has a wild imagination and Ethan is beginning to come around.
I loved the intrigue in this book as you aren't quite sure why he is leaving and what happened to his best friend. It is a real puzzle that will shock you.
Ages 8-12 $16.99 Harper
