Mae Among the Stars

Mae Among the Stars
by Roda Ahmed
illustrated by Stasia Burrington

From a young age, Mae wanted to view Earth from outer space.   Encouraged by her parents, she learned everything she could about space and astronauts.   Her desire to be an astronaut was not supported by all, however, as it was met with laughter from classmates and a suggestion for another career by a teacher.  Despite this, Mae continued on with her desire to wave to her parents from outer space!

This sweet tale, inspired by the life of Mae Jemison,  is a wonderful story of ambition and determination.  An author's note at the end details the many accomplishments of Mae Jemison.  Readers who enjoy this story may be interested in learning more about this amazing astronaut!


Author's website: https://www.rodaworld.com/

The Epic Adventures of Huggie & Stick

The Epic Adventures of Huggie & Stick
by Drew Daywalt
illustrated by David Spencer

An epic adventure begins when Huggie and Stick go tumbling out of Reese's backpack!   Their journey includes meeting pirates, hungry pandas, jungle animals, and many other creatures.   Told in diary format, Huggie and Stick each provide his own version of the events of their worldwide adventure, with Stick's excited retelling quite different than that of the grumpy Huggie, who would rather be far away from the happy-go-lucky Stick. 

What a funny story!  I love the diary format, which shows the very different personalities and perspectives of Huggie and Stick.   This hysterical story, with bright,  entertaining illustrations, had me laughing and will likely have many readers laughing as well!

Book trailer:

Lost in the Library

Lost in the Library
by Josh Funk
illustrated by Stevie Lewis

Dawn is approaching in New York City, and library lion Fortitude awakens to find his friend Patience missing!  Anxious to find the other lion before the sun rises, Fortitude ventures into the New York Public Library in search of his friend.   As he explores the massive building,  Fortitude seeks help from statues and portraits within the library, while reminiscing about his friendship with Patience.  Will he be able to locate his friend before sunrise? 

I was so excited to read this wonderful book about one of my favorite places!  Having visited NYC many times, I've been inside the beautiful NYPL as well as seen the massive lion statues of Patience and Fortitude.  Illustrator Stevie Lewis brings the stunning library to life with her beautiful pictures, detailing the amazing building as lion Fortitude explores it in search of his friend.

Author's website:https://www.joshfunkbooks.com/
Illustrator's website: http://www.chocosweete.com/

The Unteachables

The Unteachables
by Gordon Korman

Imagine walking into your new classroom on the first day of school and finding your classmates roasting marshmallows over the trash can.   Meet the Unteachables,  a group of students that everyone, including their new teacher, has given up on.    The students in room 117 come with a variety of challenges and stories, yet share one thing in common: no one wants to teach them, including Mr. Kermit, who just wants to make it until the end of the year so he can retire.   Is there any hope for this group of unteachable students?

This is a very entertaining book!  As with many of his other books, Gordon Korman alternates narrators with each chapter, giving the reader insight into the different characters, including the teacher, Mr. Kermit.   With many humorous moments, this is a story that fans of Gordon Korman will want to check out! 

Author's website: http://gordonkorman.com/

Amal Unbound

Amal Unbound 
by Aisha Saeed

Growing up in a small Pakistani village, Amal loves school and dreams of becoming a teacher.  Unfortunately, the twelve-year-old's life takes a drastic, unexpected turn after a hostile interaction with a person who she later learns is a member of her village's ruling family.   Because of her actions, she is forced to leave her home and work as a servant for the ruling family in order to pay her family's debts.  As Amal struggles in her new situation, she faces the uncertainty of her future as she worries that she may be a servant for the Khan family forever. 

This is such a powerful, emotional story!  Amal is an amazing character facing a challenging situation.  While the story itself is fictional, the author's note at the end explains that character of Amal represents many girls who face similar situations.   I highly recommend this wonderful book!

Author's website: http://aishasaeed.com/