Skip to main content

If You Like... Fencing

By
En Guard! I'm a big fan of fantasy, which means that I tend to admire characters who can wield a sword. However, lunges, parries, and ripostes are not just for medieval combat, they're also terms used in modern fencing. Fencing can be a fun sport to increase your dexterity and precision, and it's pretty fun to watch. If you also think fencing is interesting, here's four books highlighting this cool sport.

By Andrea Beatriz Arango
New York: Random House Children's Books, 2025. Fiction. 252 pages.

Vale loves fencing, but after a car accident leaves her injured, she has to heal from her injuries while getting back in shape to fence competatively. However, her determination to return to her former capabilities leaves her in pain and frustrated with her friends. A newcomer to the team who performs better than Vale also adds tension, especially as Vale finds herself with a bit of a crush on this teammate. This novel in verse explores Vale coming to grips with her injury and figuring out who she is outside of fencing.

Written by Jessixa Bagley
Illustrated by Aaron Bagley
New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2023. Comics. 307 pages.

There's only one thing that could mess up Lucy's first year of middle school: her sister, GiGi. Lucy has been constantly fighting with her eighth-grade older sister since their dad died. When GiGi trips Lucy in the lunchroom one day, Lucy decides to challenge her to a fencing duel. The only problem is that Lucy is only a beginner, where as GiGi is on the school team. With the help of their late father's fencing manual, Lucy prepares herself to face off against her sister.

By Cassidy Wasserman
New York: RH Graphic, an imprint of Random House Children's Books, 2025. Comics. 249 pages.

Dealing with the aftermath of her parents' divorce and a best friend breakup, Grace has a lot on her mind as she's starting seventh grade. When her first day goes as bad as she thought it would, she hides out in the gym where the fencing team is practicing. She soon becomes entranced by the sport, making new friends and working through the emotions of her new home life. However, not all is taken care of, her mom continues to not understand Grace and all feels like it's falling apart when one of her new friends seems to be trading Grace for someone more popular.

Written by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S. K. Ali
Illustrated by Hatem Aly
New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2024. Picture Book.

Faizah loves fencing and Friday prayers, but not standing out. She feels much safer as a part of the crowd. But when her fencing coach asks her if she'll participate in an upcoming tournament, she's not sure if she'll be able to handle everyone looking at her. It takes words of encouragement from her mom to help Faizah be brave and bold.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Painting for Peace in Ferguson

By
Painting for Peace in Ferguson By Carol Swartout Klein Treehouse Publishing Group, 2015. Nonfiction. When the city of Ferguson was overrun with so much hate and despair that homes and businesses had to be boarded up to protect property, citizens of the community decided to bring a message of hope by painting the boarded windows. Klein’s rhyming text supports the photographs of the hundreds of artists and volunteers and their artwork as they bring the messages of peace, hope, love, and that by being united they can make a difference. A great book to show children how a community rallied to make a positive change and that even a small gesture can make a huge difference. A great discussion opener on how we should treat each other.
Post a Comment
Read more

Dragon Run

By
Dragon Run by Patrick Matthews Scholastic, 2013.  336 pgs.  Fantasy      Al Pilgrommor is excited for Testing Day, when he will receive his rank, a tattooed number on the back of his neck, and a path forward to his future occupation and life.  He feels confident because his parents were fours on a scale of seven, but he is worried for his friend Wisp who doesn't have much of a chance of scoring above a two at best. But when Al is scored a zero, he not only has no prospects, he may lose his life as the dreaded Cullers are unleashed to kill him and his family to purify the land's bloodlines.  Al's world is ruled by dragons--the lords and supposed creators of humankind--so he thinks that even if he survives, he will have to make his living as a beggar or thief. But when Al sticks up for his Earther friend in front of Magister Ludi, he is drawn into the struggle of a secret organization hoping to destroy the Cullers, and perhaps the dragons them...
1 comment
Read more

From Story Time: Summer Week 5

By
  Stories in the Park Mousterpiece: A Mouse-Sized Guide to Modern Art By Jane Breskin Zalben New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2012. Picture Book. Janson the mouse, who lives in a museum, becomes an acclaimed artist by copying the styles of paintings she sees there. Includes notes about the artists and works featured. --Editor Stories in the Park Gray Written by Laura Dockrill Illustrated by Lauren Child Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2024. Picture Book. Some days you may feel sunshine yellow or orange-balloon bright. Other days you're gray, or even night-sky black-like a dark scribble on a page, a storm in the clouds, or a puddle in the road. Gray is when you don't feel like yourself, or like you don't belong. But however you feel, there are big hugs (red) and loving lullabies (blue) waiting, and even the grayest sidewalk is a canvas for you to fill with the colors you choose. A tender narration from British spoken-word poet Laura Dockrill and subtle, spare artwork from fo...
Post a Comment
Read more