ENCHANTED STORIES: From the Desk of Zoe Washington

By Janae Marks

New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2020. Fiction.

On her 12th birthday, aspiring baker Zoe Washington receives a surprise letter from Marcus - her biological father who's been imprisoned for murder since before Zoe was born. Against her mother and stepfather's wishes, Zoe secretly begins writing to Marcus with the help of her maternal grandmother. As Zoe gets to know Marcus, she has a hard time believing the kind, basketball loving, R & B music listening, recipe-sharing man could actually be guilty. Zoe learns that the evidence used to convict Marcus was circumstantial and inconclusive, which prompts her to learn more about inequality in the criminal justice system and how black people like her and Marcus are more likely to be wrongfully convicted of crimes.

This incredible debut novel is perfect for facilitating conversations about racial profiling with middle grade readers. Though the subject matter may seem heavy at first, Janae Marks keeps the story age-appropriate and well-paced. Zoe is a wonderfully well-rounded character dealing with lots of twelve-year-old issues like friendship, family, doing what's right, and, of course, her dream of competing on Kids Bake Challenge. This is a powerful and hopeful story about a difficult topic, but its timely message is a great starting point for parents wanting to discuss race with their children.

Comments

Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) by Pamela Espeland & Elizabeth Verdick

If there's one book today's kids need to read, it is Dude, That's Rude! (Get Some Manners) . The authors provide a fun format for teaching etiquette to children. They discuss proper behavior at home, at school, at other people's homes and in public places. The information is completely up-to-date with cellphone manners and netiquette included. Fun, cartoony illustrations are on practically every page giving the book great visual appeal. This book is perfect for boys and girls in the fourth grade or older. WARNING: Bodily functions are discussed.

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin

Faces of the Moon by Bob Crelin Illustrated by Leslie Evans Charlesburg; 2009; unpaged Faces of the Moon is a short nonfiction book that describes the different phases of the moon and why the moon appears like it does on certain nights. This book is short and sweet so even the youngest of moon lovers will enjoy it. The layout is simplistic and easy to follow. I don’t know much about the moon so I found it very interesting.

Review: The Factory

The Factory By Catherine Egan New York, NY : Scholastic Inc., 2025. Fiction. 306 pages. Thirteen-year-old Asher Doyle has been invited to join the Factory, a secretive research facility in the desert which ostensibly extracts renewable energy from the electromagnetic fields of its young recruits. But Asher soon realizes something sinister is going on. Kids are getting sick. The adults who run the Factory seem to be keeping secrets. And the extraction process is not only painful and exhausting, but existentially troubling. Asher makes a handful of new friends who help him with an investigation that turns into a resistance, which turns into...a cliffhanger! The Factory is a page-turning sci-fi with multidimensional characters, an intriguing plot, and refreshingly straight-forward writing. Egan weaves in detail about climate crises and social unrest, making the story's dystopian setting feel rich and plausible. With its sophisticated themes and accessible storytelling, I would recomm...

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog