Waiting on Wednesday: Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart

Image: Author's Website

Waiting on Wednesday features Coyote Lost and Found by Dan Gemeinhart. This is a sequel to The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise which was published in 2019. It's due out February 27, 2024. Here's the synopsis and cover via the author's website:

When Coyote discovers her mom's long-hidden ashes, she has to go on another epic adventure to finally lay her mother to rest...but first she has to secretly solve the mystery of where her mother wanted to be scattered. She and her dad have to fire up the bus and get back on the road - and of course they'll need some help along the way, from some old friends as well as some new ones. Whether you're already a Coyote fan or new to the family, it's all aboard for another remarkable journey of hope, heartbreak, and homecoming!

If you like sad books featuring quirky characters, you'll enjoy reading the first Coyote book while waiting for the second.

Fact Friday: The Burning: Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Tim Madigan. Adapted for young people by Hilary Beard

Image: Macmillan Publishers

The Burning: Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Tim Madigan. Adapted for young people by Hilary Beard. 302 p. Henry Holt and Company/ Macmillan Publishers, May, 2021. 9781250787699. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Happy Friday TMS Readers! As we head into the Independence Day weekend, take some time to read and reflect on the history of the U.S. and the democracy that the colonists fought to achieve. Read deeply, past the mythology and understand that "We the people" need to work toward a more perfect union every day by becoming informed participants.

Fact Friday features The Burning: Black Wall Street and the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 by Tim Madigan. Adapted for young people by Hilary Beard. Back in the beginning of April, Fact Friday featured Unspeakable by Carole Boston Weatherford. This picture book was a gentle introduction to a tragedy that history book writers tended to ignore at best and misrepresent at worst. Teen readers who want to learn more about the Greenwood community and how it thrived during the Jim Crow era will receive cogent and comprehensive information gleaned from a variety of primary sources. Peppered throughout the narrative are personal stories of a variety of residents.

This book was adapted from a book written for adults. Just as Jason Reynolds did when he adapted Dr. Ibram X. Kendi's National Book Award-winning work for adults, Stamped from the Beginning, Ms. Beard gently but honestly guides teen readers through the complex factors surrounding this tragedy. Make no mistake though, there will be pain. Segregation is painful and dehumanizing. Lynching was a fairly common form of vigilante justice and the violence that rained down on the community of Greenwood was swift and devastating. Back matter includes copious chapter notes, followed by several pages of books and websites for readers/ researchers wanting to read more.

The Burning is an important addition to any library serving young readers. 

Waiting on Wednesday: The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas by Kimberly Willis Holt

Image: Macmillan Publishers

The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas by Kimberly Willis Holt. 320 p. Henry Holt Books for Young Readers/ Macmillan Publisher, January 12, 2021. 9781250234100.

Happy Wednesday! While I am glad to be back with my students, it has been hared settling back into my school routine. I will admit that I am not yet used to sitting on Zoom for hour-long stretches. I have everyone get up and stretch halfway through our class and pretty much encourage them to move as necessary throughout the class. Virtual learning is so hard! My dog, Boo, has been pouting. He got used to lots of outdoor time and long walks over the the break. He follows me everywhere. On Monday morning, he followed me upstairs and then stopped dead in the doorway of the room I virtual teach from. I had to coax him in and, after receiving a treat, he plopped on the floor with his back to me.

Waiting on Wednesday features The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas by Kimberly Willis Holt. This is a companion novel of sorts to Ms. Holt's National Book Award-winning, When Zachary Beaver Came to Town. Here's the publisher synopsis: Decades after the Vietnam War and Toby’s life-changing summer with Zachary Beaver, Toby’s daughter Rylee is at a crossroads—her best friend Twig has started pushing her away just as Joe, a new kid from New York, settles into their small town of Antler. Rylee befriends Joe and learns that Joe’s father was a first responder on 9/11. The two unlikely friends soon embark on a project to find Zachary Beaver and hopefully reconnect him with Rylee's father almost thirty years later.

This beautiful middle grade novel is a tribute to friendships—old and new—and explores the challenges of rebuilding what may seem lost or destroyed.

I can't wait to read this and we don't need to wait long! The Ambassador of Nowhere Texas releases next Tuesday and I am using one of the AZ gift cards I received for the holiday to buy it! After I read it, it will go in a box of books I'm donating to our library's collection. I donate a fair number of books to the collection each year, but this year, I received $0 to buy new books. Hopefully, my budget will be restored next year.

Middle Grade Monday: Fly on the Wall by Remy Lai

  

Image: Macmillan

Fly on the Wall by Remy Lai. 332 p. Henry Holt and Company/ Macmillan, September, 2020. 9781250314116. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Henry Khoo is twelve-years-old and tired of being treated like a baby by his helicopter mother and overbearing sister. He's also tired of feeling invisible at school, so he created a gossip website about his classmates and he's upset that his bff has been distant lately. When his anticipated trip to Singapore to visit his dad is cancelled, Henry decides to go anyway since he is now old enough to travel alone according to the airlines. 

As in her debut, Pie in the Sky, this graphic novel hybrid is fast-paced and humorous. While fart jokes abound, Henry is dealing with a myriad of issues. Henry is cringingly relatable. The art and notebook background have "Wimp appeal." Fly on the Wall is a terrific addition to any middle grade collection.

Fact Friday: Torpedoed: the true story of the World War II sinking of "The Children's Ship" by Deborah Heiligman

Image: Macmillan Publishers

Torpedoed: the true story of the World War II sinking of "The Children's Ship" by Deborah Heiligman. 292 p. Henry Holt and Company/Macmillan Publishers, October, 2019. 9781627795548. 

Fact Friday features Torpedoed: the true story of the World War II sinking of "The Children's Ship" by Deborah Heiligman. This is the meticulously researched account of the sinking of a civilian ship by a German submarine during World War II. Heiligman successfully creates a "you are there" vibe in this gripping narrative. 

Starting on that fateful night of September 17, 1940, the author backtracks eight days to describe the bombing of London by the Nazis. Many children were evacuated to the countryside for their safety; but one hundred children were boarded onto the passenger liner SS Benaris to be relocated to Canada for the duration of the war via an organization called CORB. 

There are plenty of photos, artifacts and primary source documents to illustrate the text. Nearly thirty pages of back matter provide the reader with additional information and sources. 

There is a verse novel called Lifeboat 12, by Susan Hood that a number of my students have read and recommended that I read. Pair Torpedoed with Lifeboat 12 for a brilliant fiction/ non-fiction combo.

My one quibble: I read this with my ears and found it gut-wrenching and riveting. I typically peruse the actual book when I read non-fiction with my eyes so as not to miss the photos and other visual matter. I discovered that the book was also illustrated. The muddy black and white illustrations did nothing to enhance the narrative. I found them distracting.

Waiting on Wednesday: Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi

Image: Macmillan

Children of Virtue and Vengeance by Tomi Adeyemi. Children of Örisha series #2. 609 p. Holt Books for Young Readers/ Macmillan, December 3, 2019. 9781250170996.

Publisher synopsis: After battling the impossible, Zélie and Amari have finally succeeded in bringing magic back to the land of Orïsha. But the ritual was more powerful than they could’ve imagined, reigniting the powers of not only the maji, but of nobles with magic ancestry, too.

Now, Zélie struggles to unite the maji in an Orïsha where the enemy is just as powerful as they are. But when the monarchy and military unite to keep control of Orïsha, Zélie must fight to secure Amari's right to the throne and protect the new maji from the monarchy's wrath.

With civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must discover a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.

I saw the Essence cover reveal in the spring but my W-o-W schedule was full until now. It's a great article with a gorgeous author photo and that cover! Just breathtaking! 

Somehow, I lucked into receiving an arc of Children of Blood and Bone. As you can tell from my review, I am a fan. So, I can't wait for this to release. Due to the amazing and well-deserved critical reception of her debut, I doubt that I will luck into receiving an arc of Children of Virtue and Vengeance, but there's always hope. I placed a hold on the audio of Children of Blood and Bone. It's narrated by the incomparable Bahni Turpin. By the time my hold comes through, I anticipate that I will be refreshed on all things Örisha and ready for Children of Virtue and Vengeance!

Teen Tuesday and Arc Review: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. Orïsha Legacy Series #1. 600 p. Henry Holt and Company, March 6, 2018. 9781250170972. (Review from arc courtesy of publisher.)

Happy book birthday Tomi Adeyemi and Children of Blood and Bone!

This arc landed in my mailbox back in December but another very busy month would pass by before I could crack it. I fell in love with the cover immediately and the premise definitely intrigued. When I finally started it, I made it my "bedside stand book," meaning it was the book I read the last thing each night, one that I sip instead of devour. I needed to keep it on the bedside stand to savor the incredible world-building and lovely language but I definitely wanted to dive in and devour. And, I definitely want to reread this one with my ears to hear the proper pronunciation of the names and places.* 

I was unaware of the hype surrounding this debut. I'm glad I was since I usually have a knee-jerk reaction to hype. Believe it. Folks, this debut is impressive. The characters are brilliant and memorable. This world is immersive. I simply cannot wait to return to it.

Zélie Adebola remembers the night the magic disappeared from Orïsha, a fictional kingdom in Nigeria. That night all the adult maji were rounded up by the king's forces and massacred. Her own mother was beaten and hung from a tree, leaving behind a bereft husband, Zélie and her brother, Tzain. Marked with the white hair of a diviner, but having no magic, Zélie trains with Mama Agba to learn the art of combat. She's brash and headstrong and prone to getting in trouble with the guards whose usurious ways keep Zélie's family and village on the brink of survival.

She rashly decides to shelter a runaway noble and is stunned to discover that this trembling rich girl is none other that the king's daughter. Amani has fled the palace with a magic scroll and now she is hunted by her own father's army led by her brother, the prince and heir to the kingdom or Orïsha. Could this scroll be the key to awakening the magic? Zélie and her brother agree to protect Amani and the three set out to find an ancient temple to learn more about awakening the magic. They are doggedly pursues by Inan, who is hiding a terrible secret of his own.

It is no surprise that the book has already been optioned for a movie. This superb debut is sweeping and cinematic, featuring brilliantly flawed and complicated characters, brutal violence, betrayal and nail-biting suspense. This is a first-purchase for all teen collections. Give it to your patrons with stamina and maturity who love high fantasy and brilliant writing.

*I was thrilled to learn that the audiobook will release at the same time as the book and was narrated by the incredible Bahni Turpin. Can. Not. Wait. To. Reread. This. With. My. Ears!

Teen Tuesday: How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon

How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon. 352 p. Henry Holt & Company BYR, October, 2014. 9780805098693.

Our Teen Tuesday feature, How It Went Down by Kekla Magoon is un-put-downable! Fact: twelve-year-old Tariq is sho dead by a white man who witnesses him running from a store and the store owner yelling for him to stop. What the shooter doesn't know is that Tariq left the store without his change and the storeowner was calling after him to give it to him. The shooter jumped to a deadly conclusion based on Tariq's race and the fact that he was wearing a hoodie. This book explores the aftermath from multiple points-of-view and is as timely as it is important. 

Teen Tuesday: Girl, Stolen by April Henry

Girl, Stolen by April Henry. 224 p. Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), September, 2010. 9780805090055.

Today's Teen Tuesday feature is a title that was recommended by a sixth grade student. Sixteen-year-old Cheyenne Wilder is sleeping in the back of her step-mother's car while she pops into the pharmacy to pick up antibiotics for Cheyenne's newly diagnosed pneumonia. Griffin is under instructions to steal a car for his father and his criminal cronies. When he discovers Cheyenne in the backseat, he's worried that his dad will do something drastic until his dad learns that Cheyenne's father is rich. He decides to hold her for ransom instead. Complicating matters is the fact that Cheyenne is blind. She's also in very grave danger. Tension ratchets up as things go wrong. You may need to read this suspenseful novel in one sitting!

I happened to read this one with my ears four years ago. It is exactly the type of book I cannot stand reading because of the suspense. It was especially hard reading it with my ears despite the excellent performance by Kate Rudd because I couldn't read ahead! There is a sequel out called, Count All Her Bones which I may have to read though I get the willies just reading the synopsis.