Geo Librarian

THE NIGHT DIARY by Veera Hiranandani Dial Books, 2018 ISBN: 978-0-7352-2851-1 Source: purchased Middle grade historical fiction Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK It's 1947, and India, newly independent of British rule, has been separated into two countries: Pakistan and India. The divide has created much tension between Hindus and Muslims, and hundreds of thousands are killed crossing borders. Half-Muslim, half-Hindu twelve-year-old Nisha doesn't know where she belongs, or what her country is anymore. When Papa decides it's too dangerous to stay in what is now Pakistan, Nisha and her family become refugees and embark first by train but later on foot to reach her new home. The journey is long, difficult, and dangerous, and after losing her mother as a baby, Nisha can't imagine losing her homeland, too. But even if her country has been ripped apart, Nisha still believes in the possibility of putting herself back toget...

A NIGHT DIVIDED by Jennifer A. Nielsen Scholastic Press, 2015 ISBN: 978-0-545-68242-8 Source: purchased Ages 9-12 Historical Fiction All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK From New York Times bestselling author Jennifer A. Nielsen comes a stunning thriller about a girl who must escape to freedom after the Berlin Wall divides her family between east and west. With the rise of the Berlin Wall, twelve-year-old Gerta finds her family divided overnight. She, her mother, and her brother Fritz live on the eastern side, controlled by the Soviets. Her father and middle brother, who had gone west in search of work, cannot return home. Gerta knows it is dangerous to watch the wall, to think forbidden thoughts of freedom, yet she can't help herself. She sees the East German soldiers with their guns trained on their own citizens; she, her family, her neighbors and friends are prisoners in their own city. But one day, while on her way to school, Gerta sp...

THE BOOK OF BOY by Catherine Gilbert Murdock Greenwillow Books, 2018 ISBN: 9780062686206 Ages 9-12 Source: public library Overdrive All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Boy has always been relegated to the outskirts of his small village. With a large hump on his back, a mysterious past, and a tendency to talk to animals, he is often mocked and abused by the other kids in his town. Until the arrival of a shadowy pilgrim named Secondus. Impressed with Boy’s climbing and jumping abilities, Secondus engages Boy as his servant, pulling him into an expedition across Europe to gather the seven precious relics of Saint Peter. Boy quickly realizes this journey is not an innocent one. They are stealing the relics, and gaining dangerous enemies in the process. But Boy is determined to see this pilgrimage through until the end—for what if St. Peter can make Boy’s hump go away? This compelling, action-packed tale is full of bravery and daring, stars ...

GHOSTS by Raina Telgemeier,with color by Braden Lamb Graphix, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-545-54061-2 Ages 8-12 Middle Grade graphic novel (magical realism) Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THIS TOWN... Catrina and her family are moving to the coast of Northern California because her little sister, Maya, is sick. Cat isn't happy about leaving her friends for Bahía de la Luna, but Maya has cystic fibrosis and will benefit from the cool, salty air that blows in from the sea. As the girls explore their new home, a neighbor lets them in on a secret: There are ghosts in Bahía de la Luna. Maya is determined to meet one, but Cat wants nothing to do with them. As the time of year when ghosts reunite with their loved ones approaches, Cat must figure out how to put aside her fears for her sister's sake -- and her own. Raina Telgemeier has masterfully created a moving and insightful story abo...

FULL OF BEANS by Jennifer Holm Random House, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-553-51036-2 MG Historical Fiction Ages 9-12 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Newbery Honor Book Turtle in Paradise is beloved by readers, and now they can return to this wonderful world through the eyes of Turtle’s cousin Beans. Grown-ups lie. That’s one truth Beans knows for sure. He and his gang know how to spot a whopper a mile away, because they are the savviest bunch of barefoot conchs (that means “locals”) in all of Key West. Not that Beans really minds; it’s 1934, the middle of the Great Depression. With no jobs on the island, and no money anywhere, who can really blame the grown-ups for telling a few tales? Besides, Beans isn’t anyone’s fool. In fact, he has plans. Big plans. And the consequences might surprise even Beans himself. REVIEW Jennifer Holm has written another really appealing historical fiction novel based on her family history.  Whil...

RAYMIE NIGHTINGALE by Kate DiCamillo Candlewick Press, 2016 ISBN: 978-0-7636-8117-3 Source: purchased Middle Grade Historical fiction Ages 9-12 All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK Raymie Clarke has come to realize that everything, absolutely everything, depends on her. And she has a plan. If Raymie can win the Little Miss Central Florida Tire competition, then her father, who left town two days ago with a dental hygienist, will see Raymie's picture in the paper and (maybe) come home. To win, not only does Raymie have to do good deeds and learn how to twirl a baton; she also has to contend with the wispy, frequently fainting Louisiana Elefante, who has a show-business background, and the fiery, stubborn Beverly Tapinski, who’s determined to sabotage the contest. But as the competition approaches, loneliness, loss, and unanswerable questions draw the three girls into an unlikely friendship — and challenge each of them to come to the rescue in u...

I SURVIVED THE JOPLIN TORNADO, 2011 by Lauren Tarshis Scholastic, 2015 ISBN: 9780545852326 MG Historical fiction  Ages 8-12 Source: school library All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK A destructive force is about to hit the city of Joplin... Eleven-year-old Dexter has always wanted to see a tornado. So when he gets the incredible opportunity to go storm chasing with the famous Dr. Norman Gage, he has to say yes!  Dr. Rays is the host of Tornado Mysteries, the show that Dex and his older brother, Jeremy, watched every night until Jeremy joined the U.S. Navy SEALs and left Joplin. Dex certainly knows how deadly tornadoes can be, but this one isn't heading toward Joplin, and wouldn't it be great to have a brave and exciting story of his own to tell Jeremy when he comes home? But when the tornado shifts direction, Dexter's bravery is about to get seriously tested... REVIEW This I survived series is one of the most popular ...

THE CASE OF THE MISSING MOONSTONE The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency #1 by Jordan Stratford, art by Kelly Murphy Alfred A. Knopf, 2015 ISBN; 978-0-385-75440-8 Historical Mystery Ages 8-12 Source: purchased All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK History, mystery, and science collide in a new series for middle-grade readers, perfect for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society and Lemony Snicket!   Jordan Stratford imagines an alternate 1826, where Ada Lovelace (the world’s first computer programmer) and Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein ) meet as girls and form a secret detective agency!   Lady Ada Byron, age eleven, is a genius. Isolated, awkward and a bit rude—but a genius. Mary Godwin, age fourteen, is a romantic. Adventurous, astute, and kind, Mary is to become Ada’s first true friend. And together, the girls conspire to form the Wollstonecraft Detective Agency—a secret constabula...

THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley Dial Books for Young Readers, 2015 ISBN; 978-0-8037-4081-5 Middle Grade Historical Fiction Ages 9-12 Source: public library All opinions expressed are solely my own. ABOUT THE BOOK An exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson’s Sons and for fans of Number the Stars . Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him. So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together...

The Secret Mission of William Tuck Eric Pierpoint September 1, 2015; ISBN 9781402281747 ABOUT THE BOOK Book Information: Title: The Secret Mission of William Tuck Author: Eric Pierpoint Release Date: September 1, 2015 Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky Summary: William Tuck is set on justice. For his brother killed by British soldiers, for his friend Rebecca’s father held prisoner by the redcoats, and for the countless other rebel Americans struggling beneath the crushing weight of British rule. The whispered words of a dying soldier and a mysterious watch give William all the ammunition he needs: a secret message for the leader of the rebel army. Rebecca disguises herself as a boy, and she and William join the American troops. They embark on an epic journey that pulls them into a secret network of spies, pits them against dangerous gunmen, and leads them on a quest to find General George Washington himself. Can William and Rebecca determine friend ...