Monica Jan - Future Librarian

  Let's Look at Some Historical Fiction Books! Lai, Thanhha. Inside Out & Back Again.  HarperCollins, 2013. 288 pages. $16.99. ISBN 9780061962783 Summary:  Hà has only ever known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope—toward America. -- Amazon Review: Thanhha Lai's Inside Out & Back Again  is a Newbery Honor Book and National Book Award winner, capturing the impact of war and the immigrant experience through verse. Lai reflects on her own experiences living through the end of the Vietnam War and immigrating to the United States to create an authentic story through the eyes of  Hà, the main character. Themes of displacement, resilience, and cultural identity are skillfully narrated through the three parts of the story, "Saigon", "At Sea", and "A...

 It's Time to Review Graphic Novels! Wang, Jen. Stargazing.  Illustrations by Lark Pien. First Second, 2019. 224 pages. $12.99. ISBN 978-1250183880 Summary:  Moon is everything Christine isn't. She’s confident, impulsive, artistic . . . and though they both grew up in the same Chinese-American suburb, Moon is somehow unlike anyone Christine has ever known. But after Moon moves in next door, these unlikely friends are soon best friends, sharing their favorite music videos and painting their toenails when Christine's strict parents aren't around. Moon even tells Christine her deepest secret: that she has visions, sometimes, of celestial beings who speak to her from the stars. Who reassure her that earth isn't where she really belongs. Moon's visions have an all-too-earthly root, however, and soon Christine's best friend is in the hospital, fighting for her life. Can Christine  be the friend Moon needs, now, when the sky is falling? -- Amazon Review: Stargazing...

  From Picture Book to Chapter Book! Pizzoli, Greg. The Book Hog. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2019. 48 pages. $17.99, IBSN 978-1368036894 Summary:  The Book Hog loves books -- the way they look, the way they feel, the way they smell--and he'll grab whatever he can find. There's only one problem: he can't read! But when a kind librarian invites him to join for storytime, this literature-loving pig discovers the treasure that books really are. Greg Pizzoli, master of read-aloud fun and three-time Theodor Seuss Geisel Award recipient, introduces a character sure to steal kids' hearts using his signature cheerful colors and lighthearted narrative style. -- Amazon Review: The Book Hog  by Greg Pizzoli is a heartwarming Level Two book that celebrates a love for reading. This picture book, recommended for children aged 4-8, is a great choice for those looking to introduce the world of reading to young children with its gentle humor and protagonist with an admiration...

  Information Books for Kids! Thimmesh, Catherine. Camp Panda: Helping Cubs Return to the Wild . Clarion Books, 2018.64 pages. $17.99. Summary:  From the Sibert medal–winning author of Team Moon and the bestselling Girls Think of Everything comes a riveting, timely account of panda conservation efforts in China, perfect for budding environmentalists and activists. Roughly a thousand years ago, an estimated 23,000 pandas roamed wild and free through their native China. But within the past forty years, more than fifty percent of the panda’s already shrinking habitat has been destroyed by humans, leaving the beautiful and beloved giant panda vulnerable to extinction. Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds—poaching, habitat destruction, pollution, human overpopulation, and global climate change—the panda is making a comeback. How? By humans teaching baby pandas how to be wild and stay wild. -- From Amazon Review: Catherine Thimmesh is a Sibert medal-winning author with a love ...