The Bubble Wrap Boy by Phil Earle

By day, Charlie Han is a regular kid who despite his best efforts is rather clumsy. By night he is a delivery boy for his parents' Chinese takeout restaurant. He does have one secret however; and considering that his mom is a helicopter parent like no other (he's fourteen years old and there's still a baby gate at the top of his stairs) this secret could land him in big trouble- Charlie Han loves to skateboard and is actually quite good at it.

There is something else going on however. Charlie's mom is getting increasingly tired and Charlie suspects that it may be because those night classes that she signs up for may not be classes after all. What he finds out however may be more than he can handle.

Every family has secrets and skeletons in the closet but of course some are more serious than others. Secrets in and of themselves aren't bad but usually people are more annoyed that they haven't been told things. Charlie falls into this category and he must learn how to cope.

Coming of age novels can sometimes be very dark and heavy reading. Earle gets around this by starting off the book very lightly. I almost thought it would be one of the books with lots of shenanigans and cheap guffaws throughout and yes there are light moments but Charlies life definitely changes irrevocably by the novels end.

This book was written in England and has two covers, one for overseas and one for North America. I was amused when I saw the blue cover as it actually had a boy wrapped in bubble wrap. This book would be appropriate for ages 11+ as I think children of that age would be able to make sense of the many complicated emotions Charlie experiences and his evolving relationship with his parents and in particular with his mother.

All-American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kelly

Recent events in our country have shown that despite the election of the country's first African-American President, the spectre of race still has not disappeared. The police are an important and necessary public institution but perhaps some of the methods used to police poor and minority communities need to be reexamined. One wonders also how many instances of police brutality would go unpunished if there were no such thing as camera phones. It is no wonder that police departments nationwide are adopting body cameras.

 All-American Boys is co-written by two authors, one African-American, one White and I think this lends some authenticity to the narrative. Cover images are so very important in attracting readers and this book does a good job in that regard with the novel's title in red and blue and a young man standing with his hands raised.

Told from two viewpoints, the young African-American youth Rashad is for all intents and purposes an All-American teen. He is active in sports, is gregarious and is enrolled in ROTC. His dad was both a former soldier and police officer and firmly believes in both institutions. The young white teen Quinn could also be described as an All-American kid as he also plays sports (on the same team as Rashad), is a dutiful older brother to his pesky brother Will and is a good son to his widowed mom.  Those similarities are the only things they have in common however.

In many senses this is a coming of age story because Rashad is forever changed (physically and mentally) and Quinn's relationship with his own friends and with Rashad is altered dramatically. The authors give a very accurate portrayal of the inner torment both characters experience as they begin to change their world view and alter their beliefs.

Some of the language and situations described are a tad graphic and for this reason I would recommend this novel for ages 13+. Some read alikes are How it Went Down by Kekla Magoon and Tyrell by Coe Booth. One quote from the novel resonated very deeply with me "If you are neutral in times of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor." Very true indeed.

Graphic novels for kids and tweens

There are some great reads out there with just enough action, heart and sensitivity to keep kids enthralled.  I searched various blogs and religiously checked the new books cart at my branch in order to find some of these. The books down the list are a little older but are still great reads.



Gene Luen Yang is the man behind some great graphic novels such as American Born Chinese, Shadows and Saints and The Shadow Hero. The book Secret Coders functions in two ways. First it is a classic story of middle school angst (fitting in, bullying etc.) but it is also a mystery story and the young protagonists have to use coding skills to figure it out.







Ben Hatke (Zita the SpaceGirl series) has come up with another book that sees people of different backgrounds working together for a good cause. Little Robot  sees a little girl encounter a strange, small robot who communicates with weird sounds. The two soon find themselves on the run from a huge, scary robot intent on recapturing the little robot.









The New York City subway is one of the largest in the world and can be crazy to navigate at times. Imagine if you have never done it before and you were on a class trip and got lost.  That is the premise of the book Lost in NYC: A Graphic Adventure by Nadja Spiegelman. Two classmates are separated from the rest of their class and must make their way back to the group or else they could find themselves in big trouble.






Hilo: The Boy Who Crashed to Earth by Judd Winick is another new book that caught my eye. I love the fact that the two earthlings are both minorities, that is very refreshing to see in a graphic novel.  A kid called D.J. finds a strange boy one day and then discovers that the boy is from another planet. Not only that but he has some strange powers. Life is not going to be boring any more.







Road trips are always cool especially when the road trippers are at opposite ends of the spectrum personality wise. When they are different species the trip can get really interesting and that is the basic premise of Bird & Squirrel: On the run by James Burke. Squirrel always wears his helmet and diligently stores food for the winter Bird on the other hand is a free spirit who soars around the forest without a care in the world. When Cat gets on their trail the two animals will have to cooperate or else...









His Amulet series is a masterpiece and Japanese writer Kaza Kubuishi's name has been placed on a variety of works. This compilation of short stories is called Undersea Explorers and all seven stories have something to do with the ocean in some form or the other. Many of the stories use various mythologies from around the world as a starting point and some of them have great lessons about friendship, conservation and teamwork.







As long as there are kids there will be bullies and conflicts with those of their ilk. Frank Cammuso explores this topic in a light-hearted way in his Knights of the Lunch Table series. A group of friends are knights, not in a sword and shield way but more in a band together, make good choices, save the day kind of way. There are some clever references to mythology (the main character's name is Artie King) and the teacher that helps them out is called Mr. Merlyn. These kids aren't the brawniest so they will have to use their smarts to save the day. I like this series a lot.





These are just a sampling but you can check here and here for more picks and reviews. Feel free to leave your recommendations in the comments section. Til next time!

The Seventh Most Important Thing by Shelley Pearsall

Historical fiction reads for younger reads aren't always the most popular or entertaining reads I must admit. I can't remember the last time a young customer has requested one of them in the library. However, when one does find a book that is not only based on historical events but is also a transcendent story then it must be lauded. Shelley Pearsall's The Seventh Most Important Thing is one such book.

Set in a grittier part of Washington DC we meet young Arthur T. Owens just after he threw a brick at a man known as Young Man. Arthur's life changes after this not only because he has to work for the Junk Man (collecting various materials) but also because he has to report to a no nonsense probation officer called Officer Billie. Arthur's life at school changes as well when he befriends a strange kid called Squeak. True to his name, Squeak is small, mouse-like in his demeanor but he also proves to be a loyal and devoted companion.

The central theme of the book however is Arthur's relationship with the Junk Man. The latter harbors no ill will toward Arthur and instead is glad for assistance with his project which is complex in its execution and grand in its scope. Arthur's view of the world will never be the same after his experience with the Junk Man.

I recommend this book for ages 10+ due to some language and the content. It is a well-written book and one that made me feel very positive after reading it. I say this because there was no superhero or deus ex machina to save the day. Instead, introspection, personal growth and accountability were the powers used to solve problems.

Some read likes for this book are The Paper Cowboy by Susan Levine, Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass and Kizzy Ann Stamps by Jerry Hanel Watts.

Stonebird by Mike Revell

In the late nineties there was an excellent cartoon series called Gargoyles featuring some gargoyles that came to life at night, helped a police detective solve crimes and made light-hearted banter with each other. I remember that the excellent Keith David voiced the lead gargoyleś voice.

As creatures that had lived for hundreds if not thousands of years the gargoyles were very noble, principled beings. Gargoyles on the whole are supposed to represent fierce protectors whose very appearance is enough to deter those who wish to do evil.What if however a kid could control them by simply saying a few words.

The novel Stonebird by Mike Revell deals with a young boy called Liam whose parents are divorced. On top of that his older sister is going through a phase, he's just moved to a new school where he knows no one and to top it off his dear grandmother is ill in the hospital. Then one day he discovers a diary his granny kept when she was his age and his opinion of her changes. What really excites Liam is that a strange stone creature seems to be his protector He just needs to find out why.

Many tv shows and more than a few novels often portray bad guys or antagonists as people who deserve what's coming to them. That way, when the hero socks them one we can jump and cheer. Reality is often quite the opposite and this novel shows just that. Liam finds that his nemesis has his own reasons for acting the way he does and this knowledge makes him question his own behavior.

Though the book does not have a happy ending, the conclusion is satisfying. I will say that his book is written by a British author and although it seems that some of the references have been modified so that American readers will not get lost there are some words in the book that some parents may not approve of. Also the subject matter is very emotionally intense so for this reason I recommend the book for ages 10+.

Stormstruck by John Macfarlane

All through junior high and high school I was a member of a Boy Scout troop- A Sea Scout troop to be precise. We learned a lot about knots, basic navigation, clouds and we bonded through camps and other adventures. More than anything though, the life lessons have stuck with me all through life. There is something about leaving the confines of land in a small craft at the mercy of the elements that builds teamwork, character and camaraderie.

Stormstruck is written by John Macfarlane, an ex-Navy serviceman. In it a headstrong boy called Sam determines to save his faithful pooch Pogo from a certain death by making a sea journey. As you would expect. things soon go awry and they have to help each other survive. There are other elements to the story as well- Sam constantly references the wise sayings of his older brother Steve and later  in the novel we discover why.

 I remember reading The Rime of the Ancient Mariner in college and the line "twas water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink" has always stuck with me as being perhaps the worst thing about being lost at sea. The book is told in a first person viewpoint and on more than one occasion the search for water and his burning thirst are Sam's major predicaments.

Macfarlane's knowledge of sea survival is astounding and he is able to transmit that through Sam's voice. Sam, for his part is a very capable young seaman. As you would expect there are lots of twists and turns in the story and just when we think he is safe some other calamity befalls him making for a compelling read indeed.

This story has echoes of classic survival reads such as The Call of the Wild and The Old Man and the Sea but with a youthful exuberance of books such as Down the Yukon by Will Hobbs. I recommend it for ages 9+.

Some cool library blogs and websites

A good rule about blogging is that you should read other blogs both to see how people structure their posts but also to see what other professionals in the field are thinking and doing. So today I will highlight some blogs that I ether follow or check from time to time .

I am very pleased to call this lady a colleague. Not only is Mary extremely passionate about early literacy but she is also an accomplished ukulele player and her blog has great tips for parents and caregivers of little ones, several story time staples as well as videos of cool activities you can use in a story time or read aloud. Check her out!

Abby the librarian is another wonderful (and very pink) blog that I found online.   She gives tidbits about her life as a librarian, provides highlights of conferences she attends and I really dig how she does book talks and she also includes some read alikes, something I will try doing myself on this blog in the future.

STEM and STEAM are all the rage now and this librarianś blog is devoted to exploring all things science. This is a good site to get programming ideas, see what's going on in the STEM world or get ideas for things you can do at home with your own children. I confess that I have done all three with this site. Ms Koester also provides many other resources for more information about STEM, books to use etc. Excellent resource.

I can't ever remember talking to librarians when I was in library school (apart from my darling wife) and I wish that I had done so some more. The name of this blog drew me in and whilst on the site I was amazed by the many and varied posts she has about a variety of topics. Of particular interest to me was a post directed at prospective children's librarians,  a post about mentoring and one about burn out . It is good to see people reflect on things and it is also great to see that there are other people with the same issues, questions and thoughts about the profession as yourself.

The library where I work is in a residential neighborhood and there are at least ten schools (and more under construction) within a five mile radius. I interact with a lot of teachers and students and I think it is good to see what school librarians are up to. I found this blog and as you would expect it has a large amount of book reviews that are listed by reading level and interest. I like that there are lots of HILO books (high interest low reading level) and many diverse books as well. I firmly believe that people across the spectrum need to see themselves represented in literature.The author also includes some tips on how not to plagiarize material as well as a link to the school's catalog and links to databases.

Finally this isn't a blog at all but rather two magnificent librarians uploading dozens of songs-some with props and some without. The Jbrary ladies have saved me on on many occasions when I have to do read alouds at nearby schools and have run out of songs to sing. Check them out, it is well worth it!