WLPCS Library Newsletter
November 2018
Librarian's Letter
Dear faculty,
Thank you for a great start to the school year! Even though Thanksgiving has just passed, I owe much gratitude to my colleagues who've stepped up to spend time in the library during planning periods, invite me to classes to teach about research, and promote good books.
On the subject of promoting good books, I've written two articles about YA books for the blog Teen Services Underground that might be of interest to you (linked below). My fellow librarians who write for the site also share a wealth of knowledge about YA books if you are looking for another resource to help your students pick great independent reading!
YA & Classic Novel Pairings
https://www.teenservicesunderground.com/ya-classic-novel-pairings/
All's Well That Ends Well: YA Happy Endings
https://www.teenservicesunderground.com/alls-well-that-ends-well-ya-happy-endings/
For this issue of the newsletter, I'm happy to have Elisa and Jennifer as contributors. Their work with the makerspace and book promotion have added much to the library and the WLPCS community.
Best,
Sereena
Library News
Book Club for Kids Podcast
Poe-chella
Thanks to Ms. Abercrombie, Ms. Shapiro, and Mr. Hotchkiss for helping with the event!
LibGuides
Access via the homework wiki or via this link: https://latinpcs.libguides.com/library
Makerspace Update
Legos and Movies and Ears, Oh My!
by Elisa Shapiro
Please come visit the Maker Space and see what we can help you create!
The Book Nook: Capitol Choices
Capitol Choices 2018 Book Recommendations
By Jennifer Abercrombie
Have you heard about Capitol Choices (www.capitolchoices.org), an organization right here in the DC metro area representing librarians, teachers, booksellers, and children’s literature specialists? Each year, this group identifies and selects a list of outstanding titles for children and teens. They consider books and audiobooks published in the current calendar year for readers from birth through the high school years looking not only for those books that are obviously remarkable but also for those whose charm, art, information, or depth of feeling may enhance a young person’s world. They especially look for books that may not find an audience without the benefit of special attention.
On that note, here are some of their chosen titles for 2018 that are available here at the Latin library:
Ages Seven to Ten
Grand Canyon by Jason Chin
Imagining a mountain lion’s trek down from the North Rim to the river and an Asian-American child and her father’s journey back up to the South rim, author-illustrator Chin celebrates the geology, ecology and glory of Arizona’s Grand Canyon.
The Legend of Rock Paper Scissors by Drew Daywalt, illustrated by Adam Rex
A favorite childhood game comes literally to life in this boldly-illustrated, hilarious story about three legendary warriors who each yearn for a match that truly tests their might. Who will be the ultimate champion?
Wishtree by Katherine Applegate
Red, a long-lived wishing tree, brings a friend to 10-year-old Samar who is Muslim and new in the neighborhood. When a hate message is scratched into Red’s bark, the tree is threatened with being chopped down until its animal inhabitants and human neighbors respond.
Ages Ten to Fourteen
Amina’s Voice by Hena Khan
Amina shuns the spotlight but loves to sing. Now, in middle school, everything seems to be changing with friends and family. When her mosque is vandalized, Amina finds her voice and helps bring a diverse community together to rebuild it.
Flying Lessons and Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh
This collection of short stories by a group of diverse writers will both surprise (a female Chinese pirate) and warm readers’ hearts (a father and son bond over his basketball life).
Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly, illustrated by Isabel Roxas
The stars align one ill-fated day in the woods after a bully’s actions land an introvert at the bottom of a well. Four diverse tweens forge unlikely friendships in a relatable, heartfelt, and humorous tale of everyday heroes.
Loving vs. Virginia: a documentary novel of the landmark civil rights case by Patricia Hruby, illustrated by Shadra Strickland
In 1955 Caroline County, Virginia, one black and one white teenager fell in love and got married--but Mildred and Richard Loving’s marriage was against the law. Sparely, beautifully told in alternate voices, their story is a powerful account of a couple who battle all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to defend their marriage.
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
Twelve-year-old Wallace “Lolly” Rachpaul constructs a towering city of Legos in his community center basement to channel his grief after losing his brother to gang violence. Nuanced secondary characters support Trinidadian Lolly’s hopeful efforts to navigate Harlem’s St. Nick projects. (Note: book is currently missing from library collection.)
Undefeated : Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team by Steve Sheinkin
Biographical accounts of star athlete Jim Thorpe and coach Pop Warner are woven together in a compelling story about the history of football, the Carlisle Indian School, and the school football team’s legendary undefeated season. Thoroughly researched and supplemented with photographs.
The War I Finally Won by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
In this sequel to The War that Saved My Life, Ada’s clubfoot has been cured, but her spirit still needs time to heal, as the tragedies of WWII come ever closer to her new home and pieced-together family.
Age Fourteen and Up
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime that Changed Their Lives by Dashka Slater
The true story of an Oakland teen who is set on fire by another teen is sometimes difficult to read, and packed with information about being agender/genderfluid, as well as about the juvenile criminal justice system in California.
American Street by Ibi Zoboi
Fabiola, a US citizen who has lived most of her life with her mother in Haiti, moves in with her aunt and cousins in Detroit. Her very protected life in Haiti has left her unprepared for some of the gritty parts of her new life.
City of Saints and Thieves by Natalie C. Anderson
In this debut thriller set in modern-day Congo, sixteen-year-old Tina returns from Kenya to exact revenge on the man she believes killed her mother. But not all is as it seems.
Disappeared by Francisco X. Stork
Sara and Emiliano are a sibling pair navigating Juarez, Mexico in search of a better life. When searching for justice entangles the family in the criminal underworld, they put everything on the line. Short, suspenseful chapters move this fast-paced narrative along to a thrilling conclusion. Based on true events.
The Gentlemen’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee
Monty has never met the high expectations of his father, but the time has come for him to become a gentleman at last. With his last summer of freedom, Monty, his best friend/crush Percy, and his sister Felicity take one last romp around Europe. With pirates and alchemy, this work of historical fiction is nothing but fun!
Goodbye Days by Jeff Zenter
Carver Briggs had the three best friends a guy could ask for, but then one text message changed everything. Now, Carver is left with nothing but guilt, and it seems the cops might agree. Through a series of "goodbye days," Carver and the families of his friends try to heal everything that has been broken.
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika L. Sanchez
Julia struggles with her relationship with her parents after her “perfect” sister, Olga, is killed in a bus accident, but some things aren’t always what they seem on the outside. Will Julia find out the real truth about Olga’s life? Will she ever mend her relationship with her parents? Will she ever be able to live outside of her sister’s shadow?
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds
In the elevator on his way to avenge his brother’s murder, teenaged Will is visited by several ghosts. Reminiscent of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, each ghost in this intense and sparing verse novel gives Will something to consider about the rules of the street: No crying. No snitching. Revenge.
Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson
A mentorship program at her mostly white prep school leaves sixteen year old Jade feeling even more vulnerable and less confident. Jade finds her path through the arts and scholarship, and learns to speak up for herself.
They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
No one wants that late night call from Death-Cast, the service that lets you know you're about to die, but that is exactly what Mateo and Rufus get. When they are brought together through an app called Last Friend, these teens live life knowing they are incapable of cheating death. This modern day science fiction novel is both chilling and heartwarming.
We Are Okay by Nina LaCour
Alone in a dorm room void of personal possessions, Marin lives a quiet, desperate life miles away from home. With grief and betrayal swirling in her head, Marin fears the arrival of her best friend will destroy her fragile state.
When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon
Indian-American teens, Rishi and Stanford-bound, independent Dimple are the subjects of their parents’ arranged marriage plans. When the two are paired as partners at their summer coding program emotions ignite in a delightful and humorous coming-of-age romance.
You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins
The lives and choices of three generations of sweet and sometimes doggedly determined Indian and Indian-American women—who they fall in love with, and how they choose to live their American plus Bengali lives—are profiled.