Brainstorm 138: Third Culture Kids Books for ICS' 25th Anniversary

Today our school is celebrating our 25th anniversary. As an international school, our students are primarily third culture kids (TCKs) and fourth culture kids. (If you’re unfamiliar with those terms, check out the website by the people who have literally written the book(s) on this topic.)
So in honor of today’s celebration, here’s a list of books featuring characters who are TCKs like the students who have filled our hallways for 25 years, or feature characters or plot points our students would readily identify with.

Picture Books

Grandfather’s Journey by Allen Say
Say tells the story of his grandfather, who left Japan and travelled the United States. His grandfather was so enthralled with the country he returned to live in California after getting married in Japan. But after a while, his grandfather longed for Japan and returned where eventually his grandson was born to whom he passed on his wanderlust.

Target Readers:

• TCKs/Immigrant/Travelers: A fantastically illustrated story of how travelers, immigrants, and third culture kids can never quite feel 100% at home. A superb choice for kids (or adults) who may wonder where home is or in which culture they belong.

Here I Am by Patti Kim, ill. by Sonia Sanchez
A little boy moves from far away to New York City. At first the signs are in gibberish, the new place is confusing and scary. The boy treasures a seed he brought from his homeland that holds good memories. When he accidentally drops it one day out the window and a girl picks it up as she plays, he must venture outside and face the scary land to recover his treasure. But in the process, he discovers maybe his new home isn't all that bad.

Target Readers:

• Wordless Book Fans: This story is wordless. And due to the art style, you do need to pay close attention to figure out what is going on. (Ok, so you can also cheat, and read Kim's note in the back of the book first. It explains the story and also her own immigration story that inspired this tale. Definitely read it sometime, whether before or after.) 
• Immigrants/TCKs: A good book to help understand the challenges immigrants face. And it could be therapeutic for those who've just moved from a different place too. 
• Compare/Contrast Fans: Read this and The Arrival by Tan (see below). Both are wordless and are about moving to a new culture, but the styles are very different.

Lately Lily: the Adventures of a Travelling Girl by Micah Player
Lily's parents travel all over the world for work, so she gets to travel too. She shares her tips of how to enjoy new places and keep old friends.

Target Readers:

• Travelers/TCKs: A simple book about how to be a cheerful explorer of new places. This one will likely especially appeal to our international school students who travel a lot and have many friends in various countries.

Migrant by Maxine Trottier, ill. by Isabelle Arsenault
A little girl who is part of a family of migrant workers tries to explain how she feels about her life through a series of metaphors comparing herself to animals that migrate.

Target Readers:

• Culture Studiers: Definitely read the author's note in the back of this. I'd never heard of the group of Canadian Mennonites who have a home base in Mexico but work as migrant farm laborers all over the US and Canada during the summers and speak Low German. It's a great introduction to a little known culture as well as building empathy for a group of people often misunderstood and/or looked down upon. 
• Metaphor Learners/Lovers: The language used is quite poetic and would be fantastic for any classes learning about metaphors. 
• TCKs/Kids of Mirgrant Workers: Many third culture kids will spend the school year in one country and summer or Christmas break in their passport country. They should identify and “get” this girl, especially living in different places during different seasons. And of course, other children of migrant workers will "get" this girl too.

Milo and Georgie by Bree Galbraith, ill. by Josée Bisaillon
Milo and Georgie’s mother gets a great new job and announces that with the new job comes a move. Milo is crushed. After one last baseball game at his old neighborhood he proclaims he’ll never be happy again, and once they move he refuses to go outside. His little sister Georgie can’t stand to be cooped up like Milo, so Milo ties a string to her and tells her to come home as soon as the string is tugged twice. Georgie comes home with wonderful tales of her adventures in the new city and something about gelato. Milo refuses to budge. But when Georgie’s string responds to his tug by coming back with no Georgie, Milo must venture out into his horrid new neighborhood. And things will never be the same.

Target Readers:

• TCK Kids Grieving a Move/Any Kid Going through a Tough Move/Great Sibling Story Fans: Awww, what a sweet story. Milo may sound like a stubborn grouch, but anyone who has moved away from a place they loved will understand he’s just grieving. And he couldn’t have found a better neighborhood to grieve in or a sister to grieve with. I love that his sister gives him his space and lets him come out on his own time, even though she knows the new neighborhood is lots of fun. But even more, I love that once Milo does make it out (thanks to Georgie’s forays in the neighborhood and big heart), Milo finds numerous people eager to help him find his sister, welcome him into their lives, and make him feel that maybe you can love a new place while still missing an old one. A great story for any kid facing a move or still dealing with a past one. Also just a great story about how to be a good neighbor to new kids in your area. Many of our students face really hard moves not just in a new neighborhood but often in a new country. Milo’s story may be the voice of understanding and hope they need in those times of difficult transition.

Pirates vs. Cowboys by Aaron Reynolds, ill. by David Barneda
When the pirates stroll into town and come head-to-head with the local rowdy cowboys, there's an inevitable catastrophe of miscommunication. It looks like the town's about to witness an epic showdown, that is until Pegleg Highnoon, fluent in both cowboy and pirate, sidles in to save the day.

Target Readers:

• TCKs/Anyone Who Deals with Multiple Cultures: One of the inevitable things about living overseas is seeing and experiencing clashes of cultures. This is such a great book to use when talking about those clashes of cultures and misunderstandings, and how to work things out well.
• Career Book Fans: This is also a good book to introduce the importance of having people whose occupation is interpreter or peacemakers. Neither is an easy job, but so very important! One of the perks of being a TCK is that most come out of their experiences perfectly suited to see both sides of a misunderstanding thanks to their global perspective, and frequently they also have the skills to communicate in multiple languages. They can become these peacemakers. 

Steve, Raised by Wolves by Jared Chapman
Steve has been raised by wolves. It's his first day of school, but Steve is having trouble adjusting. Can Steve figure out how to be himself in a way that doesn't disrupt the rest of the students?
Note on content: A little bathroom humor. Being raised by wolves Steve has to relearn where to go to the bathroom.

Target Readers:

• Humor Fans: This made me laugh out loud at several points. Steve’s antics are something else. 
• TCKs: Beyond the fun, the book has a great message about finding out how to fit in with a new culture without totally abandoning who you are. This is a tough balance to navigate, as Steve demonstrates with his humorous failures. But Steve also demonstrates that there is hope. The balance can be worked out.

Middle Grade Fiction

Bloomability by Sharon Creech
This book is about an American girl whose aunt and uncle take her to live with them in Switzerland, where they work, and her experiences at the international school there.

Target Readers:

• TCKs: Sharon Creech taught in an international school setting as well before she went into full time writing. She knows TCKs well. Dinnie's emotions and reactions are realistic and typical of many TCKs. There are many multicultural books out there, but there are very few about the unique life in an international school setting, it's trials and joys. 
• Contemporary Fiction Fans: A unique pick for contemporary fiction fans.

Framed! (Framed!, #1) by James Ponti
Florian Bates is moving yet again. Which means he'll probably just freak out all potential friends again with his Theory of All Small Things at his new school. But when he meets the neighbor girl Margaret who will be in his class, T.O.A.S.T. doesn't freak her out with its uncanny observations about her. Margaret gets excited and wants to learn. For the first time in many years and several countries, Florian has a friend. While teaching Margaret T.O.A.S.T. at the museum where his mom works and his father is consulting, Florian notices that a man they observed a few days ago has reappeared with a new look. In fact, it appears he's in costume. But why? When several paintings get stolen just days later, Florian ends up helping solve the case and is recruited by the FBI. But is the case completely solved, and if it is, why are Romanian crime bosses following him?

Target Readers:

• TCKs: Florian Bates has spent all his previous years in international schools and this is his first year living in his passport country, the USA. So Florian is 100% going through typical TCK emotions upon returning to his passport country, but he handles the change well. He’s a very fun TCK to follow around.
• Mystery Fans/Reluctant Readers: This is a fun, smart mystery that challenges readers to see if they can spot all the small clues Florian does before he reveals them. It's a book that's hard to put down and will keep you on your toes. Highly recommended for any arm chair sleuths out there.

Heart of a Samurai by Margi Preus
Manjiro was fourteen when he set out with four friends on a fishing trip that went epically bad. They were swept away from the shores of Japan in a storm and shipwrecked on a deserted rocky island. Eventually an American whaling vessel spotted and rescued them. Japan had strict isolationist laws at this time, and Manjiro and his friends knew they'd never be allowed to return home. The captain of the whaling ship was kind and fair, and gave the refugees safe passage to Hawaii. During the trip, Manjiro picked up enough English to communicate and was dubbed John Mung by the crew. He quickly took to sailing and was spellbound by all the things there were to learn and see in the world. When his friends stayed on Oahu, Manjiro decided to continue sailing. He was taken in by the captain as a son, and when they returned to America, welcome into the captain's home. There Manjiro went to school and learned a trade, eventually setting out to sea again and reuniting with his old friends. They decided to venture back to Japan and take a chance. Their return was anything but easy; but it was providentially timed for Manjiro proved very important in helping Japan and America understand each other when Admiral Perry steamed into Japan.

Target Readers:

• Historical Fiction/Sea Story Fans: This is technically fictional because Preus imagines dialogue and invents some minor characters for this tale, but the broader tale is factual. It's a crazy story that if someone dreamed it up we'd probably say is too far-fetched to be believable. But it is true. There really was a kid named Manjiro who was shipwrecked, joined an American whaler, learned in America and returned to Japan just in time to help the two countries better understand each other when Perry arrived. In fact, he might have been the only one in the world who could have. No American had been to Japan for 250 years. Manjiro is thought to be the first Japanese person to set foot in America (Hawaii wasn't America yet). His story is truly amazing and Preus does a fantastic job of imagining the details of it in this. 
• Overcoming Prejudice Story Fans: Manjiro must overcome a lot of prejudices he has been taught about Americans, and in turn must face others prejudiced against him. Both sides have people who demonstrate how to beat the prejudice and love others for who they are.
• Fiction/Nonfiction Pairing Fans: Read this along with the nonfiction account of Manjiro’s life in Shipwrecked!: The True Adventures of a Japanese Boy by Rhoda Blumberg. Preus does a great job of staying true to the facts, but the nonfiction provides more factual details and additional primary resources (Preus' book is illustrated with some, but Blumberg's has more). 
• TCKs: Manjiro must wrestle a lot with where he belongs as he straddles two cultures. TCKs will identify with this TCK from almost 200 years ago.

Young Adult Fiction

All Fall Down (Embassy Row, #1) by Ally Carter
Grace is back on Embassy Row in the tiny ancient country of Adria. And she's not happy to be there. But she can't go to military school with her older brother, and she can't go into a war zone with her dad, her mom is dead, so that leaves her grandpa, the ambassador. Ever since her mom died, Grace has been struggling to find people she can trust. No one believes that her mom was murdered by a man with a scar on his face, and that she saw it. They keep telling her it was an accident, and her mom died in the fire. But Grace knows what she saw. Of course, the doctors and her family think she's on thin mental ice, and are super worried about her. Grace doesn't want the crazy label to follow her to Adria, but it seems impossible not to. Especially when she sees the man who murdered her mom walking around Adria. Some of the other kids from Embassy Row offer to help her on her quest to prove she isn't crazy and stop him before he kills again, but they may be tangled up in a crazier mess than they ever dreamed.
Note: Some violence.

Target Readers:

• Thriller & Mystery Fans/Fans of Books with a Twist: Ok, so this book ends with a twist, that I'm not even going to hint at, except to say it wasn't the twist I expected. It definitely kept me reading, and it is super popular with readers at our school.
• TCKs: I really liked the Embassy Row characters and setting. It's a peek into a unique international setting (pretty much all of the characters are embassy kids, are TCKs, and go to the same international school). As far as I know, this is only the 2nd fictional book I’ve read that features kids going to an international school. And I felt like Carter portrayed them authentically.

Arabella of Mars (Adventures of Arabella Ashby, #1) by David D. Levine
After one scrape too many, Arabella is whisked away from the Mars she knows and loves by her mother to be "civilized" in England. Arabella is heartbroken, even more so when an express from Mars informs them that her father unexpectedly has died. Arabella adored her father, it is from him that she's inherited a deep fascination with the workings of automatons. When Arabella finds out that a bitter impoverished cousin has decided that now would be the perfect time to get himself a part of the inheritance and has set off for Mars with ill intent towards her brother, she must scramble to beat him to Mars somehow. Through a series of events, Arabella finds herself bound for Mars, disguised as a boy, hired by Captain Singh of the Mars Company aboard the ship Diana to be the captain's boy. Can Arabella quickly learn the ropes of interplanetary sailing, keep her true identity a secret, avoid catastrophe on the journey and make it to Mars in time to save her brother?

Target Readers:

• Sea Story/Regency Fiction/Science Fiction Fans/Steampunk Fans: This was a fun seafaring adventure...complete with cannon battles, mutinous crew, and navigational challenges in almost zero gravity. Levine has reimagined the Regency era with Mars as England's gold mine in trade instead of the Americas in the early 1800s. Newton was inspired not by an apple falling but a soap bubble rising. Space is reimagined to be mostly breathable blue skies with wind currents. The French are still bitter enemies and they also ply the skies in sailing ships, so the crew of the Diana is always on the lookout for privateers and pirates. 
• TCKs: Besides the intriguing setting, Arabella is largely what makes this such a great read. She's a plucky, hard working, smart heroine who also knows when to ask for help. I really appreciated that Arabella is pretty blind to race and species having grown up on Mars and taught to respect everyone regardless of where they came from or how they look. (The fact that the ship's captain is of Indian heritage irks some of the sailors, but not Arabella.) I also liked that because of her upbringing, she saves the day not only through her knowledge of automatons (the navigator on the ship is one) but also her knowledge of different cultures. In other words, her third culture kid qualities that made her such an oddball to many come in handy for saving the day, making this a great read for all those TCKs out there. 

Black Dove, White Raven by Elizabeth Wein
At first Black Dove and White Raven were a pair of women flyers who did stunt flying at air shows. Delia was Black Dove and Rhoda was White Raven. Both were American but had met in France where they also learned to fly and had children with foreign flyer husbands. Delia’s husband was from Ethiopia, and died on duty not long after Delia and Rhoda had gone to America to do air shows together. Rhoda’s husband is Italian, and his duties take him all over the place. So Delia and Rhoda raise their kids, Teo and Emilia, together and take them all over on tour. And when Delia dies in an accident, Rhoda takes in Teo as her own. Eventually, Rhoda decides to fulfill Delia’s dream of going to Ethiopia with the kids. She gets a job flying around Dr. Ezra for clinics and takes photographs to sell to magazines. Though Africa is their third home continent in their short lives, Teo and Em seem most at home there. They learn the local language from Dr. Ezra’s wife, Sinidu, get lessons with another expat family, and help around the village as they can. And in their free time make up stories about their fictional characters, Black Dove and White Raven who have all sorts of adventures. But their idyllic life starts to become threatened by rumblings between the Ethiopians and neighboring colonists, the Italians. Only because of this, Momma starts teaching both teens to fly, a skill they’ve dreamed of since their earliest memories. As war becomes more and more eminent, the family will have to figure out what to do, stuck as they are in a tricky position with ties to both sides.
Notes: Some language and some battle violence.

Target Readers:

• Ethiopia Fans/Pre-WWII Fans: I was fascinated by the unique setting. I’ve never read anything set in Ethiopia, let alone Ethiopia in the 1930s, and Wein made the time period, landscape, and culture vividly come to life (and I appreciate her notes in the back clarifying what historical things were real and which she tweaked). It was fascinating, and I feel like I learned so much about Ethiopian history and culture. And the way that Wein constructed her characters so they have ties to multiple sides of a conflict is so interesting, difficult, but really makes the reader that much more invested in the climax and outcome of the story. It really helps readers explore multiple viewpoints of the conflict.
• TCKs: Teo and Em are wonderful TCK characters. They deal with all the very real issues of TCKs, such as trying to figure out where home is or desiring to just blend in, but they also love and respect the culture they live amongst. They learn the language, adapt to the cultural mores of Tazma Meda, give up shoes, while still acknowledging Ethiopia’s imperfections (and their own cultures'), but do so in respectable ways. They’re very graceful and honorable expats. (Elizabeth Wein was a TCK herself, and it shows.)

Ryan Quinn and the Rebel’s Escape (Ryan Quinn, #1) by Ron McGee
Ryan Quinn knows he isn't normal. He's lived all over the world thanks to his parents international work. But he's a very good chameleon, and he's hoping to fit in as normal as possible at his new school in New York. His parents have promised to make this a more permanent location too. But when his mother is kidnapped and the kidnappers are demanding his dad trade some person named Myat Kaw, Ryan quickly discovers that his parents international work was never what he thought. His father hasn't responded in days, so when a lady named Tasha shows up saying she's going after Mr. Quinn, Ryan decides to tag along. Even if Tasha thinks he's a liability. It turns out Ryan's parents have been unknowingly training him for years for this kind of work. But even with all his international experience and spy skills, it will take a miracle for him to find his dad and save his mom in time.
Note: Some violence.

Target Readers:

• TCKs: I started reading this and was floored by how the students at my school are going to crack this cover and think this was written just for them. Our school is the International Community School of Bangkok, which we call ICS. Ryan goes to the International Community School of New York, which he calls ICS. Ryan is a third culture kid, just like the students here. They will totally get him. And then Ryan hops on a plane headed for Southeast Asia to save his dad. Granted, Ryan spends most of his time in a made up country (that is located in Burma/Myanmar's spot and bears some similarity to it in political structure but also somewhat fictional). Regardless, this book seems written just for the TCKs here.
• Thriller/Spy Fans: Ryan has a high octane exciting adventure and manages to mostly save the day, which is perfect for readers who need a lot of action in their pages.

Adult Fiction

When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro
Christopher Banks grew up in China after the Boxer Rebellion and before the world wars. He lived in Shanghai's international quarter with his parents. His father was an important man in a British trading company, his mother decided to invest her time in fighting the opium trade...even though that was part of her husband's company's business. Christopher's best friend was a little Japanese neighbor boy named Akira. The two would play all sorts of make believe games together, but after Christopher's father disappeared one day when they were around 10 or 11 the two turned their imaginations to being detectives. This was a pivotal moment in Christopher's life, for it is what he went on to do for an occupation. After his father disappeared his mother too disappeared a few weeks later; neither was found though Shanghai's top detective was put on the case. Christopher was sent back to England to stay with an aunt and eventually after completing his schooling started to make a name for himself by solving some key cases. The biggest case to cross his path still haunted him though, and eventually, despite rumblings of war on the horizon in the 1930s he sets off to return to Shanghai and try to track down his parents. Before he leaves his life intersects with two other orphans who become important to him. One is a socialite woman named Sarah, the other is a young girl he takes in as his ward. All three learn things from each other as they muddle through normal life and as Christopher searches for his parents in a Shanghai being threatened by the Japanese.
Note: War time violence.

Target Readers:

• Artfully Structured Story Fans: Though my summary is roughly chronological, Ishiguro does not spin out his telling the same way. He takes us back and forth in time, but manages to never leave readers with whiplash. This also helps to slowly reveal some important things about Christopher as the narrator. He's not entirely reliable. But he's not unreliable either. It's a very interesting book. At times it was heart-wrenching and other times I wanted to help Christopher see sense, it wasn't a necessarily happy or feel good novel but definitely very interesting and well-written and I do feel like it was an true-to-life portrayal of someone dealing with a major childhood trauma they've put off dealing with. Well worth the read. 
• Historical Fiction Fans/Classic Mystery Fans/TCKs: This book feels much like a classic detective story, but throws in the unique third culture kid flashbacks.

Middle Grade & Young Adult Graphic Novels

The Arrival by Shaun Tan
A man leaves his daughter and wife to find a place for them in a new land. The new country has strange words, strange food and is horribly confusing and daunting for the man. But eventually he starts to find some work, make friends, and figure out what some words mean and what foods to eat. And one glorious day his daughter and wife are finally able to join him.

Target Readers:

• Wordless Book Fans: Tan manages to tell his story without one single word, and he does so fabulously.
• Immigrants/Refugees/TCKs: This beautifully illustrates the plights of an immigrant or expat coming to a strange new country without a single word of the local language. I think it is even more powerful in that the land the man comes to is strange and alien to anyone on Earth. It is a fantasy world, the language is nonsense, the food is bizarre, and the transportation methods are incredible. So readers at first will likely be just as confused as the man, but there are enough clues to help them figure out what is going on. Immigrants, refugees, and TCKs will all identify with the man entering a strange new world.
• Compare/Contrast Fans: As mentioned above, this book and Here I Am make a great compare/contrast pair. 

Hilda and the Bird Parade (Hilda, #3) by Luke Pearson
Hilda and her mother are struggling to settle into their new home in the city. Hilda wants to go out and explore all day like she used to, but her mother is worried about her going off in the city alone. Some kids come along and invite her to play, solving part of the problem. But Hilda isn't sure she likes these kids' ideas of fun. She decides to take a stand when the kids hurt a bird. The bird doesn't remember who he is or how to fly, so Hilda tries to take him home but soon realizes she is lost and will never make it home in time to join her mom for the Bird Parade viewing. But her bird friend soon remembers who he is helps Hilda out.

Target Readers:

• TCKs/Kids Who Have Moved/Standing Up for What’s Right/Understanding Parents Story Fans: This is a cute tale about adjusting to a new home, not being afraid of taking a stand against peers, and learning why parents make some of the rules they make. 

No Normal (Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1) G. Willow Wilson, ill. by Adrian Alphona
Kamala doesn't quite fit in at home with her Pakistani Muslim immigrant parents, and she doesn't quite fit in at school with other teens born in Jersey City. While trying to figure out who she is, Kamala accidentally gets turned in to a superhero. Which is one part awesome (as she is a huge Marvel fan) but several parts something-worth-freaking-out-about primarily because she has no one to talk to or consult about her new powers. One thing she does know, though, based on her beliefs and who she is, she can't just not use her powers to help save lives. Eventually, one of her best friends does figure out the whole superhero thing and she is ecstatic to have an ally. On the other hand, her name as Ms Marvel starts to get around and she inadvertently also gets herself an enemy...to be dealt with in future issues.

Target Readers:

• TCKs: Throughout her series, Kamala juggles not feeling like she belongs in any culture she’s technically a part of. She doesn’t feel quite all Pakistani, she doesn’t quite feel all American, and she doesn’t even feel quite all Marvel superhero. She wrestles throughout the series with her identity in ways that real TCKs will totally resonate with, and eventually comes to a place of peace about being her own unique blend of cultures.
• Safe Superhero Fans: I like Ms Marvel for a number of reasons. One is her TCK-ness, another is that she values decency and has one of the most decent and non-clingy superhero outfits. She’s also just a likable character with a good sense of humor and she wrestles with normal teen challenges in intelligent and wise ways along with the responsibilities of her superhero status. She’s a good role model in a lot of ways.

Young Adult & Adult Autobiographies

Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: a Memoir by Margarita Engle
In free verse poems, Margarita Engle tells of her childhood from her parents falling in love, her birth and on through age fourteen. The book covers 1947-1965, and since Margarita's mother was Cuban and father American, she had a unique perspective of the Cold War events that happened during her childhood. She tells of the family's yearly visits to family in Cuba until the civil war and politics prevent those. Margarita shares her love for the life in Cuba, how the part of her that loved plants and animals felt most at home there, and how confused she felt by the events that prevented her from visiting an island she loved. There's an afterward giving an overview of Cold War events and what happened in Margarita's life since age 14.

Target Readers:

• TCKs: Margarita beautifully captures the identity crisis of children caught between cultures. Third and fourth culture kids will readily identify with how she tried to figure out where she was most at home. 
• Cuban Missile Crisis/Cold War Interests: It is extremely interesting to see the Cuban Missile Crisis and other Cold War events through the eyes of a child who loved both Cuba and America. It was also very interesting that her paternal grandparents were refugees from Ukraine and how she compares her grandparents' reactions to the events that drive them from their homes. 
• Autobiographies/Novels in Verse Fans: Free verse biographies are spare on words, but that didn't prevent Engle from fully communicating her highs and lows of childhood and the things she fell in love with that led to future jobs. (I had no idea she was the first woman agronomy professor at a California polytechnic university before turning to writing! But it makes sense after you read this. Her love of nature flows through every poem.) It is a beautifully written autobiography important both for children in similar positions and for the unique perspective on historical events.

The Gift of Pain by Dr. Paul Brand with Philip Yancey
Dr. Paul Brand grew up in India and England, the son of British Christian missionaries to the mountainous region of India. He was sent to England for schooling, and then he went on to university eventually ending up in the medical field. He finished up his program with the military as WWII hit England, and eventually made his way back to India where he and his wife practiced medicine. Originally a hand surgeon, Brand found himself more and more working with lepers in India and went on to make some revolutionary discoveries about the disease and how to help people live without sensation in their extremities. For decades it was thought that the lost fingers, toes, and noses were just a part of the disease, but Brand discovered all these losses were due to lack of pain receptors. He became a world-renowned expert on working with people who lacked pain messages, and as a by product, had a unique perspective on pain and why pain is not always a bad thing. In working with patients in India and the US, he also had a unique perspective on the role of culture in pain and how we view it.
Notes: Medical procedures and leprosy injuries/deaths related.

Target Readers:

• Medical History Fans/Self-Help Fans: Wow. Dr. Brand had some amazing stories. He was in the right place at the right time to make an amazing impact in medical history. His perspective on pain helps you to step back and be grateful that your body does send you messages, even if it may not feel pleasant, it does have an important purpose. In our comfort and happiness-oriented world, this was an important reminder that growth rarely happens without some struggle, that pain serves a purpose, and we would be in horrible shape without our pain receptors. 
• TCKs: Brand was a TCK and his life story is amazing to read (which is primarily the first half of the book). That TCK perspective certainly helped shape his viewpoint and helped him see leprosy from a different way than anyone had before, leading him to revolutionary discoveries.

Leaving China: an Artist Paints His WWII Childhood by James McMullan
Artist James McMullan was born in northern China to a family of British missionaries there originally with China Inland Mission, but they eventually branched out with their own mission and some businesses to support that. His father helped run the business, and the family lived comfortably in China until the Japanese invaded. James tells of how he and his mother were eventually evacuated, went to America, Canada, and then India and how tumultous this time was for a boy with a British accent who only knew life in China and wasn't gifted in athletics as was demanded of many boys in that time.
Notes: One swear word, some violence, some alcoholism.

Target Readers:

• TCKs: James doesn't identify himself as such, but he is a typical third culture kid who struggled to find an identity in all his various moves. It's a fascinating memoir, if at times a little heart breaking. I'm glad to know that James eventually found a place where he feels at "home" and figured out his unique gifts. 
• WWII Interests/Short Autobiography Fans: The way this book is put together, for each spread there is a full page of text with an accompanying full page illustration done by James McMullan that relates to the text. That makes this a very quick read, and helps to further bring to life the story. The illustrations' colors and textures help form the mood for the story and definitely help you better picture what McMullan is talking about. If you're looking for a quick autobiography with a unique perspective of WWII, pick this one up.

Brainstorm 137: Grandparents in literature

It’s time for some books on grandparents. There are many epically entertaining and touching grandparents in literature. Here are some of my favorites off the top of my head, though I’ve tried to avoid the grandparents from fairytales. Who are some of your favorite grandparents of the lit world?

Picture Books

A Couple of Boys and the Best Week Ever by Marla Frazee
James and Eamon go to stay with Eamon's grandparents for a whole week during the summer. They thrive as Eamon's grandparents spoil them, and they enjoy doing things that typical boys do during the summer.

Target Readers:

• Grandparents Who Spoil Fans: Pick this one for a Grandparents Day read or in anticipation of a summer stay with grandparents.
• Nostalgic Read Fans: Kids will probably relate to having grandparents with some eccentric hobbies (Grandpa in this story is obsessed with all things Antarctica; he was my favorite part of the story), and the fun they can get away with under just Grandma's eyes. 

Mice and Beans by Pam Muñoz Ryan, ill. by Joe Cepeda
Rosa María spends a week getting ready for her granddaughter's birthday party to which everyone is invited...except mice. But as the week goes on readers will become aware that the mice are already at Rosa María's. Will they ruin the party, or will they save the day?

Target Readers:

• Fun Grandma Fans: Rosa María is a thoughtful and fun grandmother.
• Spanish Learners/Mexican Culture Studies: This provides a nice introduction to some Spanish vocabulary and Mexican traditions for birthdays. 
• Mystery Fans: Kids can put their sleuthing caps on and try to figure out what the mice are up to the whole week, and practice making predictions of whether or not they are going to be trouble. 

Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Peña, ill. by Christian Robinson
Every Sunday after church CJ and his nanna board the bus to go help out at the soup kitchen. Along the way CJ complains about taking the bus and going to the kitchen, but encounters with some people - and the wisdom of his grandmother - help him change his mind and be grateful for the small blessings.

Target Readers:

• Sweet & Legacy-Leaving Grandma Fans: CJ’s nanna not only loves on him well, she gives him memorable examples of how to love others well by doing so with him. There's a lot in this story, from being thankful for the senses you have to seeing beauty where others don't. One thing’s for sure, CJ will never forget the lessons his nanna gives him.

Leave Me Alone! by Vera Brosgol
A grandmother wants some space so she can get a very important task accomplished, however, her grandkids are many and active. They are not making it easy to knit. She packs up and heads to the forest, only to find that bears are just as troublesome as grandchildren. It turns out, you have to go to some pretty extreme lengths to find a place to knit undisturbed.

Target Readers:

• Crusty on the Outside but Gooey in the Inside Grandmother Fans: Even though the title (and recurring phrase) may come off a little harsh at first, the grandmother has a very good and kind-hearted reason. I think we all know those older relatives who may appear gruff at first but have kind hearts. 
• Humor Fans & Scifi Fans: This is extremely imaginative and quite funny, (especially the goats and the wormhole). 
• Self-Care Learners: This book provides the perfect opportunity to talk about finding quiet space and respecting others who might need some. 

My Grandpa by Marta Altés
A celebration of the relationship between a grandchild and grandpa, even if he is getting old.

Target Readers:

• Sweet Grandchild/Grandparent Relationship Fans: I love how the picture book explores the ways that both grandchild and grandpa benefit from their relationship, even though both have their flaws. 

Grandpa Green by Lane Smith
A boy goes through the garden his grandfather created, and eventually realizes the topiaries tell the story of his grandfather's life.

Target Readers:

• Connecting with Grandparents You Might Not Have Known Well Seekers: Many people never really get to know their grandparents, but like the boy in this book realizes, that doesn’t mean they can’t explore their legacy.

Lower Grade Fiction

Charlie & Mouse & Grumpy (Charlie & Mouse, #2) by Laurel Snyder, ill. by Emily Hughes
Charlie and Mouse's grandfather (dubbed Grumpy) comes to visit them and they have adventures together.

Target Readers:

• Grandparent Visit Fans: I love this celebration of a visit with a grandparent. It is perfect. The vocabulary is just right. The adventures are universal enough that most kids will find something they identify with, and the conversations sound incredibly authentic. (My favorites were the conversation about being medium vs big or small and Grumpy claiming he's just resting his eyes.) A wonderful, cozy beginning reader, charmingly illustrated, and the perfect read for Grandparents Day.

Graphic Novels

Where's Halmoni? by Julie Kim
Two kids arrive at Halmoni's house (grandma's house) but can't find her anywhere. They do find a strange door though, and traveling through it takes them to an old folklore version of Korea filled with a clever rabbit, some hungry goblins, a conniving tiger, and sly fox. Can they find Halmoni and make it out when everyone speaks only Korean...and really fast at that so they can hardly understand?

Target Readers:

• Mysterious Grandparent Fans: Halmoni may have some big secrets (see if readers can find evidence to support their theories of where grandma was). 
• Korean Folklore Fans/Korean Language Practicers: I like that all of the folklore critters speak Korean and find it realistic that Korean American kids would be kind of lost in trying to follow them. Like the little girl, I was able to follow just enough of the Korean to figure out what's going on. (I can phonetically read Korean though I only speak a little.) But don't worry if you can't read Korean. The kids explain their guesses to each other and through that and illustrations you can easily figure out what's going on. There's also a translation of what all the characters say in the back along with a note on the roles these folklore characters traditionally play in Korean tales and what inspired the author/illustrator to create this. Definitely recommended if you are looking for a story with Korean folklore elements or something a little more exotic. And if you're learning Korean you can work on practicing reading it. (Also, if you're worried about the goblins, don't be. They are very friendly and there's nothing scary.)
• Graphic Novel Beginners: You can heavily debate whether this is a picture book or a graphic novel. It is both. But those just learning how the layout in a graphic novel works, will find this easy to navigate. The story is such that it should appeal to more than just lower grades, so if marketing it as a graphic novel gets more readers, go for it.

Sunny Side Up (Sunny, #1) by Jennifer L. Holm, ill. by Matthew Holm
Sunny has to go stay for a part of the summer with her Gramps in Florida. She isn't too thrilled with Gramps' idea of fun, or that he lives in a 55 & over neighborhood. But when she meets the son of the golf course's groundskeeper, she finally finds a friend. Buzz introduces her to comic books and ways to pass the time in the retirement village. In flashbacks, readers slowly find out what was going on back in Pennsylvania with Sunny's brother Dale and why Sunny was sent to Florida for part of the summer. Eventually, the summer provides insight and healing for a little girl desperately in need of it.

Target Readers:

• Realistic Grandpa Fans: Gramps does his best to help Sunny, but realistically, he has no clue what girls her age do for fun. They do bond over the summer despite her worries. The plight of a little girl stuck with a bunch of senior citizens in Florida is done in a funny but oh so realistic way. The trip to the cafeteria was hilarious.
• Recent Historical Fiction Fans: The setting for this is 1970s, which will be recognizable to many adults but an intro to the culture of their parents and grandparents for most of the target age group.
• Kids Going Through Tough Family Situations: A fun and sweet story that tackles a potentially heavy topic in a very delicate, respectful, and hopeful way. It will hopefully empower children in similar situations (dealing with a family member who is an addict) to know how to handle it in healthy ways. There's a note in the back from Jennifer and Matthew saying that this book is somewhat autobiographical for them, as they had a close family member who struggled with substance abuse when they were growing up. Even though the book deals with a heavy topic, much of it is humorous and upbeat. 

Middle Grade Fiction

Fair Weather by Richard Peck
Rose lives on a typical Illinois farm of 1893. She, her older sister Lottie, and her younger brother Buster have heard about the fair happening in Chicago, but they never in their lives thought they'd see it themselves. But then Aunt Euterpe shocks the family by first of all sending a letter (a monumentous event in itself) and then announcing that she was going to take the children and Mama to the fair this summer. The letter includes four train tickets to Chicago. Now Rose knows Mama and she's bettin no one is going to Chicago, but she didn't reckon on two things. One, Mama isn't too keen on this Everett fellow courtin' Lottie (Mama thinks he's a drifter and a grifter), and two, Aunt Euterpe said something about gettin' the children a broader education in her letter. Of course, Mama is too much of a homebody to go herself, so she sends her ticket back to Aunt Euterpe. Granddad, though, has other plans. He has a hankerin' to see the fair himself, so he sneaks the ticket out of the mail and shocks the children by appearing on the train with them. Aunt Euterpe doesn't quite know what has hit her when her spunky father and three children older than she remembered show up in Chicago. One thing's for sure, none of them will ever be the same after their summer together seeing the sights the World's Fair has to offer.

Target Readers:

• Spunky Grandparent Fans: Buster and Granddad steal the show in this book with their crazy antics. Peck also has a spunky Grandmother character in his other books. It makes me wonder what his own grandparents were like?
• Chicago History Fans/Historical Fiction Fans/Country Kids Meet the City Fans/Quick Read Fans: When it comes right down to it, there really isn't a whole lot to this story other than some backwoods country kids, an overly-timid woman who has buried herself in grief, and a spunky, old man enjoying the sights of the World's Fair. But at the same time, Peck does do an awful lot in a mere 139 pages. I picked this up because I had just finished The Devil in the White City and what better time to read this fictional book than when all the historical facts of the World's Fair of 1893 are fresh in my mind? Peck's information on the Fair lined up with what I had just read, and this book brings some of the finer details of the fair to life as it portrays it from the perspective of a country girl. The little things that Peck threw in to build the characters a little more were nice touches, and he added a nice dose of comedy along the way. And it is a fairly quick read, always a perk for reluctant readers.

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm
Ellie's mom shows up at home with a strange teenager in tow. Wait, make that maybe a stranger, because the new guy who walks in the door dresses like her grandfather, talks like her grandfather, and definitely argues with her mom just like her grandfather...but this guy's only 13 or 14. Sure enough, it turns out her scientist grandfather has discovered a way to reverse aging and tested it on himself. Thus, the teenage, acne-plagued version of her grandpa who has to stay with them now because he looks underage. And he has to go to school, because he was arrested trying to get into his lab and the police know Ellie's mom took custody of him. Since she's a drama teacher, it would look really bad if she let a teenager under her care avoid school, so Grandpa is enrolled as Melvin, Ellie's cousin. Between being disgusted with the curriculum at her school, berating her mother's choice of profession, and bemoaning the plague of zits, Ellie's grandfather is hatching a plot to get his research out of the lab. The Nobel prize is practically his, but without his lab notes and further tests no one will take him seriously (case in point, the security guard at the lab who called the police on him). Ellie finds hanging out with her grandfather to have all sorts of unexpected adventures, surprises, and revelations.

Target Readers:

• Crazy Grandparent/Grandchild Situations Fans: Ellie is a very likable heroine. She feels so normal, which is quite a relief and another rarity in middle grade. Melvin is quite the character, and his antics in the body of a young teen come off frequently as quite humorous (like when he grills Ellie's mom's boyfriend). It is such an imaginative situation to have normal Ellie faced with a teen version of her grandfather. What would your grandparents be like with their same brains transplanted into a teen body?
• Scifi Fans/Quick Read Fans: There really aren't that many middle grade books about anti-aging science experiments, so for many kids this will read as an extremely unique book. And of course, the way the book makes science come alive for middle grade readers is priceless, especially in that it asks some really hard questions about future ramifications of science experiments and discoveries. This book is guaranteed to entertain, and it just might get some kids thinking about big ethical concepts too. (Oh, and it's a pretty fast read, another win for kids.)

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley
Micah Tuttle has grown up hearing about Grandpa Ephraim's amazing childhood encounters with the magical Circus Mirandus. Those many years ago, Grandpa was promised a miracle by the Lightbender of the Circus. Now, as his lungs are threatening to give out on him, he's ready to claim his miracle. Micah with his new friend Jenny is bound and determined that Grandpa is going to get his miracle, but Great-Aunt Gertrude seems dead set against magic (or fun, or letting him near Grandpa, or just about anything else that normal kids do). Micah believes all his Grandpa's tales, but are they really true? And if there really is a Circus Mirandus, can the Lightbender deliver on his promised miracle before it is too late?

Target Readers:

• Tender Grandparent Goodbye Fans: This story is bittersweet. I felt for Micah coming to terms with his beloved Grandpa's death.
• Fantasy Fans/Circus Fans: The concept of the magical circus that keeps hope and magic alive is fun.

Alcatraz Smedry series by Brandon Sanderson
The Smedry family is gifted with talents most people wouldn’t want. But in their own inimitable ways, they manage to use their talents for good in their ongoing battle with the Librarians who wish to keep humanity in the dark about the truth. Alcatraz is the youngest in the family and until recently had no clue about any of the Smedry talents or the unseen battles going on in the world. He just thought things had a bad habit of breaking around him. Now he knows, that's his talent. Alcatraz’s grandfather is one of the main people in charge of training Alcatraz in the family business of saving the world. His talent? Arriving late.

Target Readers:

• Wacky Grandparent Fans: Grandpa Smedry is an utterly unforgettable character for the kinds of wacky things he does and the adventures he gets into with Alcatraz. 
• Humor Fans/Fantasy Fans: This series is hilarious. If you want a good laugh, give Alcatraz a try along with Sanderson’s fun breaking all writing rules.

The Eye of Midnight by Andrew Brumbach
Cousins William and Maxine have been sent to stay with their grandfather, Colonel Battersea, for the summer of 1929. Neither of them is sure what to expect, but they definitely didn't foresee Grandfather getting kidnapped by a secret society upon their arrival in New York City. Or meeting a strange courier from oversees with an artifact that secret society obviously wants very badly. They'll go places and see things they wouldn't have dreamed happened outside of books, and they'll learn more about themselves, their family heritage, and each other in the process.

Target Readers: 

• Epic Grandparent Fans: Colonel Battersea just might be the most adventurous grandfather around. He’s like Indiana Jones in grandparent form.
• Exciting Read Fans/1920s Historical Fiction Fans: The cover of this doesn't do it full justice. There's 1920s mob fights, swashbuckling feats, discovery of secret tunnels in forgotten graveyards, family secrets, and loads of adventure. It's a high octane secret sleuthing in New York City just before the stock market crashed. True to the times, the police aren't very helpful (they were notoriously corrupt during this time period and owned by the mob bosses), and the kids have a hard time getting any help from adults so they have to do things on their own with the help of Nura, the 12 year old courier from Turkey. The author did a fantastic job with his historical research. The characters sound authentically old fashioned in their speech, especial their use of 1920s slang and Turkish terms (for those not up on 1920s slang or Turkish there's a helpful glossary in the back of the book). That said, the action does get a bit realistically lethal at times (in my opinion, the kids probably would've needed therapy after this adventure) but Brumbach kept the description of wounds to a minimum and the kids conveniently got inside a bathroom during a gang shoot out so they didn't see anything. It's nothing kids couldn't see by flipping channels on TV, but adults be forewarned to guide any sensitive middle grade readers. There's some unresolved threads at the end of this, so I fully expect a sequel which will take the kids and Colonel Battersea adventuring overseas. Hand this to kids who like spy stories and high octane adventures.

Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech
Hmmm, the less you know about this one going in the better. Suffice it to say, it’s about a girl now living with her grandparents after her mother has left and her path to healing.

Target Readers:

• Loving Grandparent Fans: Salamanca’s grandparents are just what she needs during this hard time in her life.
• Contemporary Fiction Fans/Books with a Twist Fans: The reason I’m not telling you a whole lot about this story is the twist that comes. The story is touching, and the writing is excellent.

The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd
Before her Mama passed, she showed Emma the special Book of Days. In it are recorded all the women in their family, dubbed the Wildflowers, who have had the Destiny Dream. Emma will know the Destiny Dream when she has it because it always starts with the girl or woman standing in a field of blue flowers and then it will show them some symbol that will guide them to the path for the future. Some of the Wildflowers were Civil War heroes, some were musicians like Mama, some were suffragists, and others were journalists. When Emma finally has her dream, she thinks what she sees means she is supposed to find the legendary treasure of the Conductor to save her family’s home/café from the developmental dreams of Warren Steele. Legend says those of pure heart can hear the ghost of the Conductor, follow his song, and will be led to his treasure hidden somewhere in hills of Blackbird Hollow. But the legend also comes with a warning, those who seek the treasure without a pure heart often are driven mad by the search and eventually disappear, never to be heard from again. Emma has heard the song of the Conductor drifting out of the graveyard in her backyard. She knows her motives are pure, she just wants to save her family’s café so that she and Granny Blue and her brother Topher don’t have to leave. Yes, home is filled with sad memories of Mama’s illness, and Emma often wakes with the hard task of facing the Big Empty. But there are also so many good memories here. Memories of jamboree nights at the café when the entire town turns up to sample Boneyard Brew cocoa and dance away their troubles. Memories of adventures with her best friend Cody Belle, baking muffins with Topher, giving tours of the cemetery, and riding the hills on Granny Blue’s motorcycle. With the help of Cody Belle and newly returned Earl Chance - who doesn’t talk but is still a good friend - Emma is determined to face any ghosts in Blackbird Hollow necessary to hunt down the treasure.

Target Readers:

• Cool Grandma Fans: Emma’s Granny Blue is a motorcycle riding lady who can be tough or loving in the blink of an eye depending on what is called for.
• Touching Story Fans/Light Fantasy Fans/Mystery Fans: Emma’s quest to find the treasure is filled with so many beautiful moments, from solid friendship to evaluation of true worth to dealing with grief well to homey café moments you can practically smell. 

Young Adult Fiction

Salt to the Sea by Ruta Sepetys
It's early 1945 in East Prussia. The Nazis occupy most of the land, but they are slowly crumbling and the Russians are pushing in from the East. And there's a host of people who have been displaced from their homes by the war moving towards the shore of the Baltic Sea in hopes they can escape before the Russians arrive. One of the biggest ships waiting at Gotenhafen for refugees and evacuating German forces is the former cruise ship, Wilhelm Gustloff. Readers experience this harrowing time through the voices of four young adults: Florian, the German, who may or may not be on a special mission from one of Hitler's top men. Joanna, a Lithuanian nurse who seeks to help those around her and assuage the guilt of something she did in her efforts to survive. Emilia, a Polish teenager who has lost everything to the war. And Alfred, a German soldier assigned to prepare the Wilhelm Gustloff for it's rescue journey. Florian, Emilia, Joanna, a giant woman named Eva, a blind young woman named Ingrid, an old cobbler the group calls the Shoe Poet, and a young boy who wandered out of the woods form a rag-tag group as chance encounters bring them together on the road to Gotenhafen. Through them, readers experience all the joys and horrors of the life of refugees trying to make it to safety. Meanwhile, Alfred is using his amazing brain to figure out ways to evade work and write imaginary letters to his sweetheart. All of them meet at Gotenhafen, where most of them board the Wilhelm Gustloff and watch their salvation turn into what seems to be doom.

Target Readers:

• Adopted & Unintentional Grandparent Fans: Sometimes there are people who come into your life who feel like a grandparent even if there is no blood connection. The Shoe Poet in this story was one of those kinds of grandparents for the teens around him. He's a philosophical and wise man, who shares his wisdom through his knowledge of shoes and feet. He's quirky, but he frequently reminds the group about the little joys in life and how to love. He's the grandpa many of them need at that moment. 
• WWII Fans/Refugee Fans/Bittersweet Story Fans: This book has appeared in many Brainstorms for good reason. It is an amazing story, superbly told with many important points. 

Brainstorm 136: Thrilling Reads for All

It seems most readers can't resist a little thrill and suspense. Nothing keeps you turning pages like the need to know what happens next. I've shared some other thrilling reads that will get middle graders reading in the past (Brainstorm Vol. 74 & Vol. 86), but these are either newish releases or books I just recently came across.

Picture Book

The Wolf, the Duck & the Mouse by Mac Barnett, ill. by Jon Klassen
One day a mouse gets eaten by a wolf. He thinks surely this must be the most horrible day of his life...but maybe not. And so starts a tale that explains why wolves howl at the moon each night.

Target Readers:

• Light Suspense Fans/Humor Fans/Fans of Stories That Explain Natural Phenomena: I went into this knowing nothing about it other than that the author and illustrator are usually a hit together. I thought it might be one of Barnett's darker tales after the opening scene. So it was with a bit of surprise I found myself chuckling my way through the rest of the book. And I certainly didn't expect to close the book feeling slightly sorry for the wolf of all characters. It was most unexpectedly, delightfully fun. You have never read a book explaining why wolves howl quite like this. (And to allay any concerns, nobody gets seriously hurt and the wolf's insides defy science.)

Lower Grade Fiction

Rise of the Balloon Goons (The Notebook of Doom, #1) by Troy Cummings
Alexander Bopp and his dad have just moved to the town of Stermont. Just getting used to a new place has put Alexander on edge enough, but after breakfast at a diner he and his dad come out to find all four tires on their car flat. Not only that, but every single car on the street has flat tires. Weird. He has to walk to his new school and could swear some of those balloon things that are put outside car dealerships attack him. Things come to a head when his dad gets a bouncy house for his birthday party the next day.

Target Readers:

• Lower Grade Suspense Fans/Kids Who Think They Want a Scary Story But Really Don't: Cummings has come up with a way to write a "spooky" story for lower grades that won't leave them traumatized. The cover of this makes it look scarier than the story actually is. And lower grade readers seeking a little thrill in their pages should get that without any nightmares afterward. The monster is easily vanquished, and not in a gory way. The story is decidedly more humorous than anything but with touches of suspense. And the monsters are so ridiculous that even the lower grade kids this is aimed at will have an easy time sorting it into the fiction file and not real things that should creep you out and keep you awake file. During the adventure Alexander finds a notebook in the old abandoned school that is filled with notes on monstrous creatures. (All of which are delightfully creative and punny, like the Forkupine, a creature covered in forks and easily handled by distracting it with noodles which it likes to roll in.) All of the books in this series are similar. They will thrill without giving the creeps. For example in this one, the main character feels threatened, but shoe stealing and being bopped by a tough balloon and a balloon popping are the extent of the "violence." The illustrations aren't scary either.

Middle Grade Graphic Novel

Space Station Situation (CatStronauts, #3) by Drew Brockington
The CatStronauts must repair the Hubba Bubba Space Telescope, but asteroid showers are becoming more and more frequent making the work dangerous and difficult. Can they fix the telescope and find out why the asteroid showers are increasing without someone getting seriously hurt?

Target Readers:

• Light Thriller Fans/Scifi Fans/Cat Lovers/Graphic Novel Fans: This starts off as a challenging space repair and then turns into a huge asteroid is about to hit the Earth story. One of the CatStronauts faces some mental trauma because of an asteroid shower to add to the excitement. And down on Earth the President is putting serious pressure on the space program leaders since it is an election year and he doesn't want to look bad. Basically, this has all the drama you'd expect in a major motion picture but is boiled down into a middle grade graphic novel featuring cats and manages to stay fun. 

Middle Grade Fiction

Vanished! (Framed!, #2) by James Ponti
The elite Chatham Academy has had a string of strange pranks. The headmaster is an old friend of the FBI director, so they ask Florian and Margaret to go in undercover as two week exchange students from Deal Middle School. Florian and Margaret feel like they have too many suspects and not enough leads, and that possibly this isn't as serious as they first thought. Are they just being led on a wild goose chase or is someone in serious danger?

Target Readers:

• Smart Mystery Fans/Thriller & Spy Fans/Contemporary Fiction Fans: I love the way that Ponti writes this series. The mystery keeps you guessing. Florian and Margaret are a great balance for each other and a lot of fun to hang out with. The FBI elements make it exciting and adventurous. But at the same time, Florian and Margaret feel very real with real middle school kid issues. They're still relatable, even if they are super smart and undercover FBI agents. Students at our school can't get enough of this series.

The Van Gogh Deception by Deron Hicks
When a tween boy is found in the National Gallery of Art with no memory of who he is, where he's from, or how he got there, he's put into child services under the care of foster mom Mary Sullivan. Mary also has a 10 year old daughter Camille, who is quite gregarious and good at drawing out the boy, who they're calling Art because of a name on his jacket tag. Seeing a famous painting on a mug, Art is able to not only tell them about the painting, but all about the man who painted it and the area of France surrounding the place it is displayed. So he's been to France. And he knows more about art than the average tween. But he still doesn't know if he likes pizza or spaghetti more, or what his favorite color is, let alone his own name. In an effort to jog his memory, Mary decides to take Art and Camille back to the National Gallery the next day. It soon becomes clear that someone is after Art, and he and Camille find themselves on one crazy chase around Washington D.C. trying to figure out who they can trust and what is going on.
Content Notes: Some nonlethal violence in the chase scenes.

Target Readers:

• Thriller Fans/Mystery Fans: This was a very smart thriller/mystery that seems a bit like a Jason Bourne adventure featuring a tween art genius instead of a martial arts specialist. It was exciting. You never knew what was coming next, and the twists and turns were both smart and thrilling. The characters at one point describe it as a chess game, and it is exactly that. A matching of wits to out maneuver and be one step ahead of the other, and Art and Camille do it all while trying to figure out why it is happening too.
• Reluctant Readers: This book is super popular with our middle grade readers right now. It's hard to not get sucked into the mystery. Also, so far it is not part of a series so there's no other strings attached.
• Art Lovers: As various pieces of art come up in the mystery QR codes are provides so readers can scan those and see the art. It's a fantastic way to introduce middle grade readers to classic art and not have them even realize they're learning some art history.

Young Adult Fiction

The Safest Lies by Megan Miranda
Kelsey Thomas has not exactly had a normal life up till this Junior year of high school. Her mother was abducted as a teenager, disappeared for about a year, and when she reappeared she was 4 months pregnant and had no memory of what happened to her while she was missing. She was a media sensation for several months until she changed her name, built a fortress and disappeared inside with her baby daughter. She has not stepped outside since then. Kelsey has been outside, largely on the urging of her mother's therapist, Jan. But Kelsey only started going to public school a few years ago, and she must follow a rigid set of rules so that her mother feels safe. Also, living with a very anxious woman has also made Kelsey a touch anxious herself. Kelsey's world gets turned literally upside down when a car runs her off a mountain road and she wakes up being rescued by her classmate Ryan from her upside down car dangling over the cliff's edge. The car accident brings Kelsey and her mother into the news and suddenly, it seems the past is repeating itself when Kelsey returns home one evening to find her mother gone. Her mother who has not willingly left the house in 17 years, not even when her daughter had a car accident. Soon, Kelsey finds herself and some friends in very real danger as they hunt for clues as to who has her mother and why.
Content Notes: Some swearing, some violence (click on title to see more detailed content notes)

Target Readers:

• Can't-Put-Down Read Fans/Psychological Thriller Fans/Mystery Fans: This is so engrossing I pretty much devoured this in one sitting and the first student I handed it to did the same thing. She then told all her friends they had to read it too. It was a tricky read in the best possible way for a thriller/mystery. (Things aren't 100% as they seem at first.) But definitely kept me interested and engaged. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what was going on and how Kesley, her mom, and her friends would fare. If you like psychological thrillers snatch this one up.
• Those Who Want to Understand Anxiety or PTSD: I felt like the portrayal of anxiety helps the reader get a better picture of how people who live with serious anxiety really think. And it also provides a good picture of the challenges for families with a PTSD sufferer. 

Genius: the Game (Genius, #1) by Leopoldo Gout
Painted Wolf, Rex, and Tunde met online and though they're from different countries and cultures they bonded over their passion for tech and justice. When chatter on the web indicates that tech guru Kiran Biswas is going to be inviting teenage geniuses to a special competition in Boston, each of them is sure they're in. Which is important to Rex because he wants to "borrow" Kiran's supercomputer to run a new program he's coded to find his brother who walked away two years ago and hasn't been heard from since. His family can't go to the authorities since his parents came into the US illegally from Mexico. Tunde has to win the competition because if he doesn't do that and build the best GPS scrambler the world has ever seen, the local warlord of Nigeria is going to wipe out his family and village. Painted Wolf was going to opt out of the game since being seen in public and possibly identified is dangerous for her family in China thanks to her undercover ops that oust corrupt businessmen and politicians. But Tunde is like family, and she'll do anything she can to help him help his village. But despite their genius skills, is any of them really ready for what Kiran Biswas has in store?
Content Notes: Very little swearing

Target Readers:

• Action Fans/Thriller Fans/Smart Plot Fans: This an elaborate high stakes chess game worthy of Holmes and Moriarty but featuring teen geniuses. It was intense, exciting, and smart (as in they don't just talk about coding and making gadgets but include samples in the text/art), and oh boy does this plot line take off fast and keep you on your toes. I can totally see this being made into a TV series. If you like smart battles of minds between the good guys and bad guys, you definitely should try this.
• International Character Fans: I really liked the international main characters. Gout did a great job of creating authentic feeling voices for each person and book two involves a lot of travel to international locales. (Book three promises more of the same, but it isn't out yet.)

Double Down (Lois Lane, #2) by Gwenda Bond
Lois and her fellow staff members are trying to come up with new news stories. It's kinda hard to top the one that brought them into the city's spotlight, though. And Lois has a hard time doing little stories. But she's going to be a good civic reporter and follow up on the mural painting going on in Suicide Slum as an attempt to start revitalizing the area. Of course, Lois being Lois a simple news story puts her in the right place at the right time to stumble on a much bigger story. When she spots Maddy's twin sister Melody across the street in this bad part of town - and not looking so good - Lois smells something bigger than a mural. Melody evidently signed up for some kind of scientific testing and the building she's outside of was where the lab was. Only there's nothing there now, and Melody is acting pretty strange. She claims to be able to see through a strange man's eyes and these episodes leave her drained. She's super worried how this will affect her social status. Lois starts poking around only to discover that the building where the lab was is owned by the Boss. Metropolis' very own crime boss, though no one's been able to pin him with anything. And in the process of figuring out the building owner, she and Devin see Mayor Worthington outside City Hall. But he's on house arrest, isn't he? Lois smells something fishy. Because sure enough, James' father, former Mayor Worthington has been home all day. Furthermore, he's telling James he's always been innocent. But he never put up a fight before going to jail, the evidence was super convincing...but then again, so was the guy outside City Hall today. When pressed, Mayor Worthington says proving his innocence is too dangerous. If Lois has her way she's going to help both Melody and Mayor Worthington and get a story out of one of them that'll make the front page. Oh, and in her free time, she'll try and help her online friend SmallvilleGuy figure out who the new poster on Strange Skies is who's claiming to know the identity of the flying man.

Target Readers:

• Strong Female Character Fans/Scifi Fans/Thriller Fans: Bond provides a high action plot that will keep you turning pages. Technically, this isn't strictly speaking a superhero story. SmallvilleGuy keeps Lois in the dark about his identity and abilities, and they are separated by half of the USA. They talk a lot online, but he never makes an appearance. All the action and adventure rests solely on Lois's very human but plucky shoulders. And I mentioned it in my review of the first book in this series, but I'll mention it again. I'm not a Lois Lane fan in general. In the past I've always found her character needy, annoying, and stupid. And Superman is one of my least favorite superheroes. However, I am 100% into Gwenda Bond's Lois Lane and SmallvilleGuy. Lois is plucky and adventurous, but also very real. She is the first to admit she's trying to figure out how to be a good friend and what she wants to do with her life. She's dedicated to the truth, but she also is figuring out when to extend some grace. People do come before this Lois Lane's story. Meaning this Lois is very likable and fun and exciting to follow around. Definitely check out the entire series.
• Realistic & Positive Family Portrayal Fans: Lois is also trying to be a good sister and mostly a good daughter (though she and her General father may be too much alike not to butt heads once in a while). And can I just insert here how refreshing it is to see sisters working to keep their relationship on solid ground?! Hooray for Lois and Lucy! 

Adult Nonfiction

Chief of Station, Congo by Larry Devlin
Larry Devlin was the CIA's man in Congo for some of the main years of unrest right after it gained independence from Belgium. At that time the Soviet Union was looking for a country to be their foothold in Africa, so Larry spent most of his years trying to keep Congo out of the hands of the Soviets. No small task when the country is in turmoil and power keeps changing hands.
Content Notes: Very minimal swearing, violence (click on title to see details).

Target Readers:

• Can't-Put-Down Book Fans/Thrilling Nonfiction Fans/African History Fans/True Spy Story Fans: This was a fascinating read. It gave some great insights into the Cold War power struggles in Africa, an eye-opening look at what a real CIA agent's life is like and Embassy life (not what you might always imagine), and a behind the scenes look at politics in a 1960s African country. This was hard to put down. It's very well written, and shockingly pretty clean. Highly recommended if you are interested in behind the scenes stories, African history, or any kind of thriller.

Killers of the Flower Moon: the Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann
Back in the 1920s, the Osage tribe started becoming very wealthy, thanks to terms that made them the owners of all the stuff that came out from under their territory, including oil. And in the 1920s, there was a whole lot of oil coming out. But as the Osage grew wealthier, they didn't necessarily grow healthier and members of the tribe started dying at an alarming rate, and when two shootings happened, people started to realize that maybe all those deaths weren't so natural after all. But anyone who went in to investigate the murders seemed to end up in an early grave themselves. Local law enforcement wasn't getting any results, and the Osage's cries for justice eventually brought J. Edgar Hoover's new investigators on the scene. This is the story of horrible injustice and hatred was brought to justice despite a seemingly invincible web of corruption. And then the author relates how many other Osage likely were the victims of greedy people, out for a share of their oil money...any way they could.
Content Notes: Minimal swearing, lots of violence (click on title for more details)

Target Readers:

• Fans of History That Needs to Be Told/Social Justice Fighters/True Crime Fans/Engaging Nonfiction Fans: This is really a heartbreaking tale, but I'm glad that Grann is finally bringing it to the public. It is a crazy story, seemingly too crazy for even fiction to get away with. But it is real and true, and I find it shocking this story got so buried. It is good that it is getting out there again. It is good to be reminded what can happen to the world when justice is corrupted and greed is given free reign. I'm glad that Grann was able to involve many of the Osage descendants in this process so that they can get some sense of justice finally being voiced. That the victims of such horrible greed are finally getting a memorial and those who took advantage of them are getting outed for their crimes. For many the justice is much too late, but it is important for their descendants to know that their heartache is heard and the lives lost are valued and to acknowledge that terrible wrong was done. It really is sad to see how evil people can be for a bit more money in their grasp. But it is also good to be reminded that even the most devious and wealthy criminal can be caught and convicted, and even those who think they got away with murder, may be exposed by future generations. The man who was at the middle of this ring of death thought he was untouchable, but he was eventually behind bars. Others who were never tried, look obviously guilty based on the things Grann uncovered. Grann's writing is as engaging and readable as ever. I tore through this. It's an important book and put together very well.
• Wanna Be Writers/History Sleuths: I like that Grann includes some of his research process in the end of the story to give readers a peak at what happens before the page is written. It also helps the reader better appreciate just how much work and research goes into a book like this, at least one that is done well and incorporates extensive primary resources. 

Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef with Ron Brackin
Mosab Hassan Yousef is the son of one of the original Palestenian Hamas leaders. He grew up in a family well-respected by the Muslims in Israel and high on the list of the Israelites' watchlist. Recruited at a young age to be a double agent for Shin Bet while being his father's right-hand man in Hamas, Yousef shares insider knowledge of what has really gone on behind the scenes in Middle East politics in the past 30 years, and why Western peace measures have often failed in that region. Yousef also shares along the way how he went from being a devoted Muslim to a Christian.
Content Notes: Violence (click on title to see details)

Target Readers:

• Behind the Scenes Fans/History Lovers/Those Curious about Middle Eastern Politics/Autobiography Fans: Yousef's behind the scenes stories of what was really going on Israelite/Palestinian relations during the 1960s-2000s is CRAZY. He also presents it in such a way that you get a better understanding of the cultures that are all squeezed together in this region of the world and why they butt heads so often. His personal stories of being a double agent and his religious journey are at times jaw-droppingly amazing and at other times cringe-inducing (his torture experiences and prison stints are not for the faint of heart). Definitely a riveting autobiography. Highly recommended to anyone who wants to better understand conflicts in the Middle East.