5 Reasons to Get Excited for Summer Reading

1. Weekly in person programs!

2. Laser tag!

3. Live animals at the library!

4. Storytime at Benson Park!

5. Food trucks! Om nom nom

6 Tween Novels in Verse

April is National Poetry Month and to celebrate we’ve made a list of novels in verse that tweens are sure to enjoy!

All of the books included in this list are available to check out from our library. To place a hold, click on the links provided.

1. Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

This coming-of-age novel is inspired by the author’s own childhood experience as a refugee fleeing Vietnam after the Fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama. It follows the story of a young girl named Hà who has only ever known Saigon. But when the Vietnam War reaches her home, Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls. They board a ship headed toward hope—toward America.

Click here to place a hold on this book.

2. The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

The Crossover is the winner of the 2015 Newbery Medal as well as the Coretta Scott King Award. In this powerful story, fourteen-year-old twin basketball stars Josh and Jordan wrestle with highs and lows on and off the court as their father ignores his declining health. Josh tells his family’s story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood.

Click here to place a hold on this book.

3. House Arrest by K. A. Holt

Timothy is a good kid who did a bad thing. Now he’s under house arrest for a whole year. He has to check in weekly with a probation officer and a therapist, keep a journal, and stay out of trouble. But when he must take drastic measures to help his struggling family, staying out of trouble proves more difficult than Timothy ever thought it would be.

Click here to place a hold on this book.

4. Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry

Terry’s debut novel thoughtfully traces the fragile emotions of two seventh graders: Calliope, a girl painfully self-conscious about having Tourette syndrome, and Jinsong, a popular boy she meets in her new town. Terry, who has Tourette syndrome herself, offers enormous insight into an often-misunderstood condition, writing in verse for Calliope’s chapters and prose for Jinsong’s.

Click here to place a hold on this book.

5. Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood

In 1940, a group of British children, their escorts, and some sailors struggle to survive in a lifeboat when the ship taking them to safety in Canada is torpedoed. In the tradition of The War That Saved My Life and Stella By Starlight, this poignant novel in verse based on true events tells the story of a boy’s harrowing experience on a lifeboat after surviving a torpedo attack during World War II.

Click here to place a hold on this book.

6. The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling

Hatchet meets Long Way Down in this heartfelt and gripping novel in verse about a young girl’s struggle for survival. One year after a random shooting changed their family forever, Nora and her father are exploring a slot canyon deep in the Arizona desert, hoping it will help them find peace. But when they reach the bottom of the canyon, the unthinkable happens: A flash flood rips across their path, sweeping away Nora’s father and all of their supplies.

Click here to place a hold on this book.

Fun Fact Friday: Pokémon

We have so many great non-fiction books! From animals to space, there’s plenty to learn about. Every Friday we are going to feature three fun facts from a different non-fiction book. This week’s fun facts are from “Brands We Know: Pokémon” by Sara Green.

Want to check out the book? Place a hold on it at the link below: 
https://evergreen.rodgerslibrary.org/eg/opac/record/98300

7 Kid-friendly Manga

Let’s face it: a lot of manga isn’t exactly kid-friendly. But have no fear! I’ve researched and compiled a list of kids manga so that you don’t have to! All of the mangas included in this list are available to check out from the Children’s Room.

Have any suggestions for titles we should add to this list? Let us know in the comments section below!

1. Chi’s Sweet Home

This adorable manga will melt even the coldest of hearts. It follows the story of a kitten named Chi who accidentally got separated from her mother and siblings. Luckily, a little boy finds her and convinces his parents to let him keep her. What I love best about this manga is that the whole thing is narrated from Chi’s perspective. I think anyone, no matter their age, will be unable to resist Chi and her adventures!

2. Yotsuba&!

This series follows the everyday adventures of Yotsuba, a little girl who has recently moved to a new city with her father. What I enjoyed the most about Yotsuba&! was the cast of characters involved in Yotsuba’s life, especially her next door neighbors. Full of fun, humor and love, this fourteen volume manga will have you laughing and smiling. I highly recommend it!

3. Nicola Traveling Around the Demons’ World

This manga has it all: adventure, beautiful art, great characters, and a well developed fantasy world. It follows the story of Nicola, a young girl who has fallen into the demons’ world. She ends up meeting and befriending Simon, a traveling salesdemon. Together, they travel far and wide, exploring this fascinating world, making new friends, and meeting new monsters along the way. This manga is a story of adventure, friendship, and magic. Highly recommend.

4. Pokémon: Sun and Moon

Like Family Guy or late night TV, Pokémon will probably never go out of style. It is just one of those things that is eternal. The Pokémon: Sun and Moon manga is a perfect read for young fans of the franchise. It follows the adventures of characters Sun and Moon. Sun dreams of money while Moon dreams of scientific discoveries. When their paths cross with Team Skull, both of their plans go awry…

5. The Fox & Little Tanuki

I’m a huge sucker for the trope of an older curmudgeonly character meeting a younger, enthusiastic character who eventually wears them down with their sweet and innocent nature. AND BOY DOES THIS MANGA DELIVER. It follows the story of Senzou, a powerful black fox and Manpachi, a tanuki cub. Three hundred years ago, Senzou abused his strength until the Sun Goddess imprisoned him. Now, Senzou has been released under the condition that he help a young tanuki cub become an assistant to the gods. This manga is fabulous and you must read it!

6. Yuzu the Pet Vet

This manga will definitely appeal to tweens. It follows the story of eleven year old Yuzu. When her mom gets sick, Yuzu goes to live with her Uncle Akihito, who runs the local animal hospital. The only problem? Yuzu’s super scared of animals! But she decides that she’ll do her best to help out anyway. Through many tough moments, like her mother’s illness and standing up to bullies, Yuzu learns big lessons about what it means to care.

7. With a Dog and a Cat, Every Day is Fun

Last (but certainly not least) we have With a Dog and a Cat, Every Day is Fun. This manga follows the everyday life and adventures of Ino and Neko, both of whom have their own distinct personalities. What’s cool about this manga is that the stories are based off of the author’s actual pets and the shenanigans that they get up to! Whether you’re a dog-person or a cat-person, there’s plenty to love about these homegrown sketches of daily life shared with four-legged friends!

Book Review: Wonder Pony

Wonder Pony is a tween graphic novel created by French illustrator and comic book artist Marie Spénale. It was translated into English by Edward Gauvin. I thought the translation was FLAWLESS. So flawless that I honestly forgot this was originally published in another language.

This graphic novel was a delight to read: it follows the adventures of sixth grader Louison who has just arrived at her new boarding school and is….not so happy about it. Not only that but she now has two new roommates to acclimate to. Initially, Louison is nervous about making friends but that ends up being the least of her problems. She is given the strength and powers of a pony by a tiny pink toy pony that insists on being called Jean-Pierre! Louison becomes…Wonder Pony! But with great pony strength comes great responsibility and now it’s up to Wonder Pony to protect her new school from monsters.

What I really enjoyed about Wonder Pony was that it wasn’t just about Louison’s adventures as Wonder Pony. The story also focused on her growing friendships with her classmates and the shenanigans they got up to. While this story is also about a girl who transforms into a hero, it is also about learning how to be a good friend and understand others. I highly recommend this graphic novel.