Skip to main content

You Go First

Image
By


You Go First
Written by Erin Entrada Kelly
Harper Collins Children's Books, Fiction. 288 p.

Erin Entrada Kelly won the most recent Newbery award with Hello Universe. She has already followed it with a brand new relatable middle school fiction novel.

Twelve-year old Charlotte Lockard and eleven-year old Ben Boxer met online playing scrabble. They live far away from each other and have never even spoken, they only text back and forth. Both are very intelligent and happen to do well playing scrabble They are constantly competing for the top score.

Each friend encounters tough life experiences, especially for a middle-school student. Ben's parents decide to get a divorce and Charlotte's dad has a heart attack and has to stay in the hospital. Ben decides to pick up the phone and actually call Charlotte instead of just text her. He has a hard time making friends and with everything he is going through he needs a good friend he can talk to.

Friendship is a constant theme. Charlotte and Ben each experience bullying. The all-too-common experience where someone you thought was a friend, really isn't. Friendship is found in  places that previously had  never seemed possible. In the face of tragedy, true character develops. This book could be a conversation starter with a child about to enter middle school when friendships and learning to endure through tough experiences are important.






Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Display: Out of this World Books Found Here

By
Hello By Aiko Ikegami Berkeley, CA: Creston Books, 2019. Picture book. In this wordless picture book, an alien visits Earth, makes friends with a little girl, and returns to his home planet to share his experiences. - Publisher We Are Definitely Human By X. Fang Toronto: Tundra Books, 2024. Picture book. When three mysterious visitors from "Europe" crash-land in Mr. Li's field, he does what any good host would: he invites them back to his farmhouse and offers to help fix up their "car". No, there's nothing strange about these guests at all. Just like other humans, they "make business", "play sportsball" and "wear hat". As the townsfolk also come to the aid of the visitors and the gathering turns into a little party, interplanetary relations reach an all-time high. - Publisher Greetings Floof! Written by C.J. Hong Illustrated by A.J. Smith Toronto: Kids Can Press, 2024. Picture book. Floof from planet Ploof has landed! And it...
Post a Comment
Read more

If You Like...Dungeons and Dragons

By
Great news for adventurous, imaginative tweens: we are starting a Dungeons & Dragons program! Nine- to twelve-year-olds are invited to join a tabletop role playing quest in the Story Room on Monday September 14 from 6:30-8:00PM. All experience levels are welcome. Registration opens on September 1 at 9:00AM. In the meantime, here are some books to inspire your upcoming campaign!  The Lionharts Written and Illustrated by Mike Lawrence New York : Abrams Fanfare, 2026. J Comic. 233 pages. The Lionhart family is in the business of adventuring. Alder and Flynt are desperate to be included in the dragon-fighting and monster-slaying quests. When their parents Lenna and Gerard go missing after accepting a mysterious job, the boys set out to save them, soon followed by their famous questing Grammy and Baba to help keep Alder and Flynt out of trouble. The journey brings challenges and opportunities, magic and mystery, but it also reveals a troubling family secret that threatens to tear th...
Post a Comment
Read more

Five Fives: Friendship

By
Friendship is such an important part of life! I love to have my friends to celebrate life's victories with. When I am having a rough time, I also rely on the strength of my friends. Picture books are a great way to talk to kids about friendships. With a new school year just around the corner, I think talking with kids about friendship and how to be a good friend is so important. These five books have friendships in them that might help facilitate discussions with your people! Love Grows Here By Amy Adele New York : Magic Cat Publishing, 2025. Picture Book. In this sweet story, there is a lovely garden that an elderly couple tends to with joy in their heart. When the woman is sent to the hospital for an extended stay, the animals that love the garden worry it won't be the same. But through grit and determination and teamwork, they work together and do what friends do best: take care of each other! The illustrations are absolutely amazing and will have kids enthralled with all of...
Post a Comment
Read more