The Last Cherry Blossom by Kathleen Burkinshaw (8/2/16, middle grade): Yuriko is used to the sirens and air raid drills, but things start to feel more real when the neighbors who have left to fight stop coming home. When the atomic bomb hits Hiroshima, it's through Yuriko's eyes that we witness the devastation and horror. Just in time for the 71st anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima in WWII, this novel is based on the author’s mother’s own experience surviving the bombing as a young child in Japan. A great tool for reaching children about war and its effects.
A Blind Guide to Stinkville by Beth Vrabel (8/9/16, middle grade, for the first time in paperback): Before Stinkville, Alice didn’t think albinism—or the blindness that goes with it—was a big deal. But life has always been like this for Alice. Until Stinkville. For the first time in her life, Alice feels different—like she’s at a disadvantage. This is a stirring small-town story that explores many different issues—albinism, blindness, depression, dyslexia, growing old, and more—with a light touch and lots of heart. A moving story of community, friendship, and not letting others tell you what you can and cannot do. Look out for the sequel/companion novel, A BLIND GUIDE TO NORMAL this October!
After the success of our Summer Reading Competition, Little Miss Lo {my 8 year old daughter} and I are really making an effort to include books that are a bit meatier in topic and reading level so that she can expand her horizons and vocabulary. My favorite thing about reading is how it can transport you to another time and place, and expose you to so many different people and cultures, right where you are. These two books, that both tackle sensitive subject matters, will be perfect towards that goal! Until next time...
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