Display: Go on an Adventure in Asia

By Grace Lin

Little, Brown, and Company, 2009. Fiction. 278 p.

Minli, an adventurous girl from a poor village, buys a magical goldfish, and then joins a dragon who cannot fly on a quest to find the Old Man of the Moon in hopes of bringing life to Fruitless Mountain and freshness to Jade River.

Listen Slowly

By Thanhha Lai

Harper Collins, 2015. Fiction. 260 p.

Assisting her grandmother's investigation of her grandfather's fate during the Vietnam War, Mai struggles to adapt to an unfamiliar culture while redefining her sense of family.

Heart of a Samurai

By Margi Preus

Amulet Books, 2010 Fiction. 301 p.

In 1841, rescued by an American whaler after a terrible shipwreck leaves him and his four companions castaways on a remote island, fourteen-year-old Manjiro, who dreams of becoming a samurai, learns new laws and customs as he becomes the first Japanese person to set foot in the United States.

A Single Shard

By Linda Sue Park

Clarion Books, 2001. Newbery. 152 p.

Tree-ear, a thirteen-year-old orphan in medieval Korea, lives under a bridge in a potters' village, and longs to learn how to throw the delicate celadon ceramics himself.

Homeless Bird

By Gloria Whelan

Harper Collins, 2000. Fiction. 186 p.

When thirteen-year-old Koly enters into an ill-fated arranged marriage, she must either suffer a destiny dictated by India's tradition or find the courage to oppose it.

The Breadwinner

By Deborah Ellis

Douglas & McIntyre, 2000. Fiction. 170 p.

Parvana's father is arrested and taken away by the Taliban soldiers. Under Taliban law, women and girls are not allowed to leave the house on their own. With no man to go out to buy food, they face starvation so Parvana must pretend to be a boy to save her family.

I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade

By Diane Wilson

Orchard Books, 1998. Fiction. 232

Oyuna tells her granddaughter the story of how love for her horse enabled her to win a race and bring good luck to her family living in Mongolia in 1339.

The Kite Rider

By Geraldine McCaughrean

HarperCollins, 2002. Fiction. 272 p.

In thirteenth-century China, after trying to save his widowed mother from a horrendous second marriage, twelve-year-old Haoyou has life-changing adventures when he takes to the sky as a circus kite rider and ends up meeting the great Mongol ruler Kublai Khan.

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Review: Faker

Faker By Gordon Korman New York: Scholastic Press, 2024. Fiction. 214 pages. 12-year-old Trey is used to starting over at a new school -- he has the routine perfectly memorized: make new friends, introduce his dad to the wealthy parents of his new friends, and "Houdini" themselves out of there before they get caught running their latest scam. Trey's dad is a master con artist, and Trey has just been promoted to full-partner. Their new scheme for the next big score brings them to the affluent suburb of Boxelder, TN where Trey's dad has cooked up a fake electric car company for investors to buy into. The only problem is that Trey is starting to grow tired of moving around and never putting down roots, especially after forming a fast friendship with Logan and developing a crush on Kaylee, a socially conscious girl in his class. As Trey longs for a normal life, is there any way he can convince his dad to get out of the family business? Gordon Korman is a perennial favorit...

Review: Umami

Umami By Jacob Grant New York: Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2024. Picture Book. Umami is a little penguin who is sick of eating the same thing everyday, cold fish --ugh! She becomes determined to find new foods and flavors, so Umami begins a journey across the sea in search of something different to eat. She reaches a place with a plethora of delicious options, and tries bitter, sweet, sour, and foods with umami (just like her name!) among others. Umami decides to bring all these delicious new flavors back for the other penguins to try in a feast. But, will the other penguins enjoy this new experience? Filled with charm and humor, Umami is a diverse romp through a universal experience --am I willing to try something new? What will it be like? The idea of trying new foods and flavors make it especially relatable, and the appealing illustrations will have many readers ready to hop out on a culinary adventure. A humorous and sweet ending, caps off this delig...

Five Faves: Easy Readers of 2024

Hello world! I know you have been anticipating the release of this list all year... my favorite easy readers! Whether they're funny or sweet, these titles are all great for kids taking their first steps for reading. So without further ado...here are my five favorite easy readers of 2024. Lone Wolf Goes to School Written by Kiah Thomas Illustrated by K-Fai Steele New York: Neal Porter Books/Holiday House, 2024. Easy Reader. Lone wolf would spend all of his time alone if he could. Unfortunately, he has to go to school with the "snotty" kids, and even when he leaves school there's people at the beach, on the mountains, and at the movie theater. What's a wolf to do? Invite them all to a party at his house and then leave so that all the places he wants to be are empty, of course! If you're looking for a moralistic read-aloud that will teach the virtues of making friends so that you aren't lonely, you should definitely look elsewhere. However, if you're loo...

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