The book delivers a touching message about how we should respect people's differences while incorporating many fascinating anecdotes about the real-life Ella. Narrated by Ella herself, the book features delightful illustrations in a folk art style that evokes the 19th century setting. Stand Straight, Ella Kate, by Kate Klise and Sarah Klise: This large format picture book tells the story of a real-life giant who lived from 1872 to 1913. Levy intersperses reproductions of actual pages from the album, along with the English translation, with free verse poetry in her mother's voice that link the entries together. One of the few things Jutta can bring with her is her posiealbum, a kind of scrapbook in which young people collected poems and drawings from friends and family. The Year of Goodbyes, by Debbie Levy: While there are many books for young people about the Holocaust, this one is unique, focusing on the experiences of the author's mother, as Jutta and her family frantically try to get visas to leave Nazi Germany for the United States in 1938. The Wonder of Charlie Anne, by Kimberly Newton Fusco: I fell in love with this novel's spirited heroine as well her story is set in a small town during the Depression, and also manages to combine humor with more serious themes such as grief, family, and racism, as Charlie Anne struggles to deal with her mother's death and her responsibilities in the family. This is essentially a family drama but is filled with humor as well. You can't help but love the narrator, 11-year old plain spoken Delphine, who tells it like it is. One Crazy Summer, by Rita Williams-Garcia: Set in Oakland in the turbulent summer of 1968, this likely Newbery contender revolves around three sisters who are sent from New York to visit their mother, a member of the Black Panthers, for the summer. Set in the 1920's, it's a tender, funny, and heartbreaking novel that touches on many themes that will resonate with teens, particularly the meaning of home and family. ![]() Revolution, by Jennifer Donnelly: A riveting genre-busting blend of realistic contemporary young adult fiction, historical fiction, and even some paranormal fiction set both in the present day and in the dangerous days of the French Revolution.Ĭrossing the Tracks, by Barbara Stuber: Another debut novelist whose book I literally couldn't put down. Three Rivers Rising, by Jame Richards: Written in free verse, this mesmerizing novel by debut novelist Jame Richards is a romantic story of forbidden love set against the shocking backdrop of the Johnstown Flood of 1889, a disaster comparable to Hurricane Katrina in our time. ![]() In no particular order, here's my list of favorites for 2010, with links to my reviews: I'm sticking to those books that I've reviewed on my blog this year, and I've selected my ten favorites, including everything from picture books to middle readers to young adult books. ![]() With the end of the year in sight, I couldn't resist joining the other bloggers who've been posting their favorites from the past year. (With apologies to Rogers and Hammerstein-when I think of my favorite things, I can't help but hear Julie Andrews and the Sound of Music in my Mind!)
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