Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Immigrants: we get the job done!

A hot topic in today's discourse is immigration. Why not check out one of these great stories about the immigrant experience or the history of immigration in the United States.

Non-Fiction:
From Immigrants to Americans by Jacob Vigdor

Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

Coming to America by Roger Daniels

Russians in America by Alison Behnke

Fresh of the Boat by Eddie Huang

Fiction:
Nory Ryan's Song

What Can't Wait by Ashley Hope Perez

Out Run the Moon by Stacey Lee

West of the Moon by Margi Preus

The Arrival by Shaun Tan


Monday, November 28, 2016

Pick of the Week- This Way Home

is This Way Home by Wes Moore. Elijah Thomas is an excellent basketball player with a bright future at a Division I college. He and his best friends have bonded over basketball and have kept each other safe through a sometimes dangerous Baltimore neighborhood. As they prepare to enter a tournament that could lead to tremendous opportunities, they receive a tempting offer of a sponsorship from a local gang. Each of the three friends has to choose his path forward. The decisions they make will have serious and long lasting consequences.

Monday, November 14, 2016

Pick of the Week- Mighty Jack

is Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke. This graphic novel is a modern take on Jack and the Bean stock. Jack is a teenager who is tasked with taking care of his little sister, who is non verbal, while his single mother works two jobs to keep the family afloat financially. When Jack buys some mysterious seeds at a flea market, he and his sister turn their backyard into a magical garden. He strikes up a friendship with Lilly, a neighbor who is intrigued by Jack and the garden. The three of them embark on magical adventures in their new exciting but dangerous escape from reality.

Monday, November 7, 2016

Pick of the Week- Ghost


is Ghost by Jason Reynolds. The first in a promising new series, Ghost is about a young runner struggling to prove himself on an elite track team. Castle lives in a poor neighborhood with his mother; they survived an attempt on their lives from Castle's father a year before he decided to running track. He uses his experience to drive his training to be the fastest sprinter on the team. Though the plot sounds like a typical sport narrative, the characters are written with nuance and dimension that make this story worth reading.