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288 pp.
| Greenwillow
| April, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-0-06-241418-2$16.99
|
EbookISBN 978-0-06-241420-5
(2)
4-6
Two brainy middle-school outcasts--twelve-year-old Charlotte and eleven-year-old Ben--find companionship through a longstanding, long-distance online Scrabble rivalry while dealing with upheaval in their lives. Neither one confides in the other, but slowly they begin to communicate outside the game. With character-revealing prose, Kelly holds readers' attention as the narration moves back and forth between the fully realized protagonists and their intricately drawn home and school settings.
Reviewer: Sarah Rettger
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
March, 2018
346 pp.
| Atheneum/Dlouhy
| May, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4814-3525-3$16.99
|
EbookISBN 978-1-4814-3527-7
(3)
4-6
Nora uses a secret to blackmail her cousin Riley into riding a roller coaster with her, and Riley suffers a stroke due to an undiagnosed heart condition. Nora's first-person narration explores her guilt and the complex family dynamics that unfold as Riley recovers. Well-drawn characters and authentic details make this a compelling read. Footnotes, mostly explaining medical terms, aren't totally necessary but do add clarity.
(2)
4-6
Nine-year-old narrator Julian sets out to befriend elderly neighbor Mr. X, whose objections jeopardize Julian's two moms' plans for a B&B. Julian, who has a heart condition, considers himself "highly in touch with the universe," and the plot bears this out, with his intuition resulting in magical-realism twists. Verging on preciousness, this isn't a book for all readers, but sensitive, imaginative, and kindhearted kids will likely treasure it.
Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2017
(2)
YA
After learning that his heart-transplant donor was Neve's twin brother, Jonny contacts Neve to learn more about him. But Jonny is afraid to tell her who he really is, and as their friendship turns romantic, Neve suspects he's hiding something. These emotionally complex, vulnerable co-narrators manage to have a remarkably normal teenage relationship while helping each other face realities they never dreamed they'd see.
Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
November, 2017
310 pp.
| Abrams/Amulet
| September, 2017
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4197-2539-5$17.99
(3)
YA
Pregnant Dominican American teen Mari longs for her child to be born, seeking an unconditional love she's never known from her parents or abuela. But when she learns her unborn baby is seriously ill, she must make some difficult choices on her path toward a family. Mari's combination of vulnerability and strength offers a different, discussion-worthy take on the teen-pregnancy novel. Glos.
32 pp.
| Lee
| May, 2016
|
TradeISBN 978-1-62014-156-4$17.95
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Colin Bootman.
Hooks cogently sketches the life and medical contributions of Vivien Thomas, best known for his successful treatment of tetralogy of Fallot, or "blue baby syndrome." An African American, Thomas faced much prejudice in his career, a theme that is deftly balanced with the clear exposition of the surgical procedure Thomas invented. Watercolor illustrations are staid but competent.
347 pp.
| Dial
| May, 2014
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8037-3739-6$17.99
(3)
YA
Emmy has put her life on hold, waiting for her dead best friend to "cross the veil" and visit, as Kim had promised; Emmy does see ghosts, but not Kim's. Told in brief, tantalizing chapters interspersed with longer flashbacks, the plot unfolds in a satisfyingly deliberate pace. Deceptively simple language helps untangle themes of friendship, jealousy, guilt, and grief.
24 pp.
| Enslow/Elementary
| April, 2012
|
LibraryISBN 978-0-7660-3963-6$21.26
(4)
K-3
I Like Inventors! series.
These introductions to the people who came up with innovations we take for granted provide very basic information about their lives, such as their upbringing and motivations, as well as their inventions; there's little about processes, giving readers no sense of the magnitude of their achievements. Photos, many archival, are included in every spread. A related activity ends each title. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these I Like Inventors! titles: Who Invented Home Video Games?, Who Invented Television?, Who Was the Hair-Care Millionaire?, Who Fixed Babies' Hearts?, and Who Invented the Ferris Wheel?.
216 pp.
| Walker
| February, 2010
|
TradeISBN 978-0-8027-2068-9$16.99
(4)
YA
Told from alternating viewpoints, this supernatural and sentimental tale of a heart transplanted from sixteen-year-old competitive skater Eagan into shy fourteen-year-old Amelia overflows with earnest optimism. Stuck in a "nowhere land," Eagan wrestles with her early death and her regrets, while Amelia finds herself infused with new characteristics and inexplicable knowledge about her donor.
64 pp.
| Benchmark
| November, 2004
|
LibraryISBN 0-7614-1801-6$28.50
(3)
4-6
Health Alert series.
A fictional case study of a person suffering from each disorder introduces typical symptoms to readers. Three subsequent chapters describe the disease's biology and progress, its history, and ways to treat and cope with it as both a patient and a support for a patient. Clear archival black-and-white and color photos and photomicrographs support and extend the text. Directory, reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Health Alert titles: Asthma, Alzheimer's Disease, Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Juvenile Diabetes, and Depression.
64 pp.
| LifeMatters
| March, 2001
|
LibraryISBN 0-7368-0749-7$$22.60
(4)
4-6
Perspectives on Disease and Illness series.
Short chapters define each disorder and describe symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Each chapter begins with an overview, ends with discussion questions, and contains lots of sidebar facts. Several paragraphs are repeated from book to book. Some photos show children younger than the target audience. Vignettes add variety but end abruptly. Bib., glos., ind.