As I pulled more new arrivals from their shipping containers, a few immediately claimed a spot on my list of WOW books. Here are some that simply will not wait to be read:
I have not even finished this novel, but cannot resist writing about it. Sylvia is a bright 15-year-old who has much going for her: loving if strict parents, good friends…So why would she want to disrupt things by becoming one of the first Black students to integrate the Little Rock, Arkansas, Central High School? The situation for her people is difficult and degrading, but would one girl’s action make a difference, and be worth the sacrifice–and the risk?
J.J. Tully is a former search-and-rescue dog. All he wants to do is enjoy his retirement. However, a frantic hen shows up at his doghouse one day begging him to find her missing children. With the promise of a food reward, J.J. begins searching for the chicks; but things and people (or is it animals?) are not always what they seem. Readers will keep turning the pages of this fast-paced and humorous mystery until the delightful concusion. As the first in a new series, there are more J.J. adventures to come. Ages 8-10
When teenager Miriam wakes up in the hospital, her face is in agony–and she cannot remember what happened to put her there. However, as the days pass, she recalls the event that caused the severe burns. But the ordeal is only beginning. How can Miriam face the world with disfiguring scarring at an age when appearance means so much? An uplifting story of fortunate happenings, faith, and hope.
Eva Ibbotson’s second-to-the-last novel is as magnificent as any in her vast repertoire. When three individuals with special abilities (and an ordinary boy who insists on accompanying them) receive the task to rescue a princess from an ogre, they reluctantly set out for the distant castle. Upon their arrival, the group discovers that things are definitely not as they have been led to believe. With characteristic Ibbotson humor and charm, this story is a tribute to a master. Nothing more need be said. Perfect for ages 10-12
