Sounder

by William H. Armstrong (Author), James Barkley (Illustrator)

 

Editorial Reviews
Sounder is no beauty. But as a coon dog, this loyal mongrel with his cavernous bark is unmatched. When the African American sharecropper who has raised Sounder from a pup is hauled off to jail for stealing a hog, his family must suffer their humiliation and crushing loss with no recourse. To make matters worse, in the fracas, Sounder is shot and disappears. The eventual return of a tattered and emaciated Sounder doesn't change the fact that the sharecropper's oldest son is forced to take on man's work to help support the family. His transition to adulthood is paved by the rocks and taunts hurled at him by convicts and guards as he searches for his father. But along this rough road he ultimately finds salvation as well.

William H. Armstrong's Newbery Award-winning novel quickly became a classic as a moving portrayal of resilience and hope in the face of profound human tragedy. Decades later, the bittersweet story still rings true, as strong-spirited individuals continue to battle the evil of prejudice. (Ages 9 to 12)

Product Details ·                                 Reading level: Young Adult ·                                 Paperback: 128 pages ·                                 Publisher: HarperCollins; Revised edition (June 9, 1995) ·                                 Language: English

 

 

 

 

The Invisible Thread: An Autobiography (Paperback)

by Yoshiko Uchida (Author)

From Publishers Weekly
The author of such accomplished children's works as The Bracelet and The Jar of Dreams offers a firsthand account of life in a Japanese American internment camp during WWII. Ages 11-up.

Review
"An eye opener." -- --School Library Journal
"Fascinating reading." -- --Booklist

Product Details ·                                 Reading level: Young Adult ·                                 Paperback: 160 pages

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hatchet (Paperback)

by Gary Paulsen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
When the pilot of a small, two-person plane has a heart attack and dies, Brian has to crash land in the forest of a Canadian wilderness. He has little time to realize how alone he is, because he is so busy just trying to survive. And learning to survive, to plan on food not just for a day but untiland ifhe is rescued, only begins when he stops pitying himself and understands that no one can help him. He is on his own, without his divorced father, whom he was to visit, or his mother, whom Brian saw kissing another man before the divorce. This is a heart-stopping story: it seems that at every moment Brian is forced to face a life-and-death decision, and every page makes readers wonder at the density of descriptive detail Paulsen has expertly woven together. Poetic texture and realistic events are combined to create something beyond adventure, a book that plunges readers into the cleft of the protagonist's experience. Ages 11-13.

Product Details

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Paperback: 192 pages

Publisher: Aladdin (December 26, 2006)

Language: English

 

 

Just Like Martin (Hardcover)

by Ossie Davis (Author)

 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Fourteen-year-old Ike Stone and his pals are thrilled to be part of the Civil Rights movement sweeping the deep South in the 1960s, but the depth of racial hatred is brought painfully home when two of their friends are killed in a bombing. The peaceful demonstration that the boy and his friends mount in response to this senseless violence forms the climax of this stirring novel. Equally moving is the subplot dealing with how Ike and his troubled father take halting steps towards making peace with each other. Noted theater figure Davis has loaded enough action and emotional energy for two novels into his tale. Even though his characterizations (particularly of the adults) sometimes blur, the book's drive and vision more than compensate. A passionate first novel. Ages 10-14.

Product Details

Reading level: Ages 9-12

Hardcover: 208 pages

 

There's a Girl in My Hammerlock (Paperback)

by Jerry Spinelli (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
When eighth-grader Maisie Potter decides to try out for the wrestling team, she has no idea of the repercussions that will follow. Legally, the school must allow her to participate, but there are a lot of hard feelings and she quickly becomes the center of a media blitz. Thoroughly modern Maisie is an eminently likable character, and her trials and triumphs make for a highly satisfying tale. Although Newbery Medalist Spinelli ( Maniac Magee ) doesn't break any new ground here, he tackles a meaty subject--traditional gender roles--with his usual humor and finesse. The result, written in a breezy, first-person style, is a rattling good sports story that is clever, witty and tightly written. Ages 10-14.

Product Details

·                                 Reading level: Ages 9-12

·                                 Paperback: 208 pages

·                                 Publisher: Aladdin (April 24, 2007)

·                                 Language: English

 

 

The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle: With Connections

by Avi (Author), Ruth E. Murray (Illustrator)

 

A Kid's Review

Imagine living in the year 1832, a time when immigrants swept the nation. Young Charlotte Doyle goes from thirteen year old proper young lady, to murderer waiting to be hung. However there is more to the story.....
My favorite part of the book has to do with the cruelty of the captain, and the mutiny the crew plans, but Charlotte gets in the middle of it all.
To find out the rest of this compelling adventure, I recommend , True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, written by, Avi.

From Publishers Weekly
In this crackling good yarn--a Newbery Honor book--a 13-year-old girl must extricate herself from a perilous position during an 1832 transatlantic voyage. Ages 12-up.

Product Details

Reading level: Young Adult

Hardcover: 239 pages

 

 

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry (Paperback)

by Mildred D. Taylor (Author)

 

A Kid's Review

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the greatest book. It's my favorite book. I recommend anyone should read this book. It's little sad to me, but a really good book. I don't have very much to say except it's a great book. I have a lot of favorite parts, especially in the beginning.
I hope you read the book! You'll love it!

 

 

Wendy C. Kasten, Ph.D., Professor

Readers meet Cassie, a fiesty young woman and her siblings as they navigate the segregated and unjust South. Schooling is one topic that arises when, for example, the bus carrying the White children to their school deliberately sprays roadway mud on the Logan children making their long walk to their own school (Black children are not allowed bus transport) and how enraged some students become when their "new" schoolbooks issued by their teacher are actually very old discards from the Whites only school. This novel is a remarkable depiction of the era. I have never met a student (or teacher) who was not moved by this novel.

 

 

 

Where the Red Fern Grows: And Related Readings (Literature Connections) (Hardcover)

by Wilson Rawls (Author)

Amazon.com Review
Author Wilson Rawls spent his boyhood much like the character of this book, Billy Colman, roaming the Ozarks of northeastern Oklahoma with his bluetick hound. A straightforward, shoot-from-the-hip storyteller with a searingly honest voice, Rawls is well-loved for this powerful 1961 classic and the award-winning novel Summer of the Monkeys. In Where the Red Fern Grows, Billy and his precious coonhound pups romp relentlessly through the Ozarks, trying to "tree" the elusive raccoon. In time, the inseparable trio wins the coveted gold cup in the annual coon-hunt contest, captures the wily ghost coon, and bravely fights with a mountain lion. When the victory over the mountain lion turns to tragedy, Billy grieves, but learns the beautiful old Native American legend of the sacred red fern that grows over the graves of his dogs. This unforgettable classic belongs on every child's bookshelf. (Ages 9 and up)