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The Lion's Run by Sara Pennypacker
If you're like me and think, “surely there isn’t anything else to say or learn about World War II?!,” someone like Sara Pennypacker finds something new. In The Lion's Run, I learned more about the Nazi’s, what was taken from people in France, about the Resistance, than I could have imagined.
In any book about WWII, characters are inevitably in grave danger. In grown-up books, 90% of the characters you love die. Despite taking place in occupied France (spoiler alert), even though it might appear that characters are going to get caught and killed... no one is. Only one kitten dies out of a whole litter (so bad luck for said kitten), but that’s a pretty sunny outcome considering. An orphaned, under-estimated boy; his resistance organizer and adoptive mother; a rich, enlightened courageous girl; her hidden horse, all the hidden kittens (except that one); the pregnant single mother; her stolen baby... everyone lives and/or escapes.
And our protagonist is critical to each of those plot points. It’s nice when an author empowers a child in such a convincing way. Young patrons learn that kids can change the world.
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Jasper Rabbit’s Creepy Tales: Unsettling Salad! by Aaron Reynolds
Jasper Rabbit, in a suit, eyebrow quirked, introduces Unsettling Salad, with promises of encounters with the weird, the spooky, the goofy and the nonsensical. Parents will clock the manner and appearance of Jasper for the nod to the Twilight Zone that it is. For kids, it’s a brilliant technique to hook their interest.
At 82 pages and heavily illustrated, this series continues as a fine choice for kids too old for leveled readers, but not quite ready for novels. It’s also a fun read for your garden variety grown-up reader. I dare you not to laugh-out-loud. (Spoiler alert: WERE-BROCCOLI!!)
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Maggie Lou Meets Her Match by Arnolda Dufour Bowes
Libraries are asking for Indigenous content. This book is a fine example. Some of our rural libraries have been asking for stories set on farms. What isn’t as obvious, is that this book checks that box too. Maggie Lou learns to ride a horse, care for a horse, etc. Reading this book details how hard everyone works on a farm, from the smallest kids up to grandparents.
Maggie Lou also has a LOT of farm-centric fun and some truly funny hijinks.
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Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
Right now, we could all use delightful books to read. I read this awhile ago, but, Impossible Creatures tops the scale, for delightful. Mind you, our protagonists are running - and swimming, and rowing, and flying - for their lives, throughout; in and out of harrowing danger at every turn; surviving by their wits, lightning decisions, etc.
The plot is truly marvelous! The world building steals the show, however, and the actual impossible creatures could not be more wonderful. There are lethal and entitled humming bird sized dragons; Sphinx millennia old with sketchy ideas about obligation not to eat humans; unicorns; anti-unicorns called karkaadann who enjoy killing as a team sport; kraken (ship swallowing variety) and angelic, nearly helpless griffins. Other characters are also deftly drawn and fully developed, not least, the villain. His wickedness is implacable.
Our protagonists discover they each have an assigned, magical selfhood and thus, reluctantly - it has to be said - embark upon an impossible quest against this terrifying foe. They become protective of each other and that quality helps them to be heroes. If you – or young patrons – are looking for delightful escapism, this is it.
Its sequel The Poisoned King – which I am currently devouring – published this September.
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