Words on Fire

Jennifer Neilsen's latest historical fiction story is set in the late 1800's in Lithuania, a country then occupied by Russia.  Audra's parents are arrested. Audra discovers that what they were smuggling to her countrymen was vital to their cultural survival - books! She embarks on a dangerous path to continue their work to ensure the survival of her country's language and culture. Today's headlines ring true in this novel - Russia's current invasion and war in Ukraine mirror the events that happened in Lithuania long ago.  (FIC NIE)

Escape

 

Kids will love this exciting, spooky story by K.R. Alexander.  All Cody wants to do is build theme parks.  So when a new one opens up and promises to be a new kind of park, he can't wait to see it.  He luckily wins a spot as one of the first.  When he arrives, it is amazing...virtual reality world that boggles his mind.  But things start to bother him.  Kids are getting hurt and disappearing.  It no longer becomes fun and it becomes a race for their lives.  (FIC ALE)

The Elephant In The Room

From the author of Counting By 7s, Holly Goldberg Sloan, comes this sweet story about a girl named Sila.  Her mother has been away for a long time dealing with immigration issues that had a questionable origin.  Sila has dealt with the longing and grief by isolating herself.  School has tried to help by pairing her with Matteo, a boy who has autism and isolates himself, too.   Sila and her dad meet a man who is also dealing with his grief of losing his wife.   His decision to buy an elephant changes all of their lives for the better.  This book is on the Great Stone Face List for 2022-23.  (FIC SLO)

Better With Butter

Marvel is a young middle-school girl who struggles with anxiety.  She misses classes a lot due to her fears about everything!  Her stage fright becomes an issue because in order to pass sixth grade, she has to perform in a play!  She believes that is impossible until she rescues Butter, a baby goat, from the school bully.  She brings him home and they bond immediately.  But mom says they can not keep it, as it certainly belongs to someone.  Butter has allowed Marvel to live in a way in which she is not always afraid.  He has become her support animal.  She can't go back to being afraid all the time if she loses him.  And how can she pass sixth grade? I enjoyed the father's role in this story.  He is a service man who has returned home for a brief time on leave and teaches Marvel that even though he is afraid too, he has to move through it.  This book is on the Great Stone Face List for 2022-23.   (FIC PIO)