Brainstorm 198: Top 10s of 2019 Part 3

This week we continue the Top 10s of 2019 with a guest post by Sarah Foit, the Elementary Teaching Librarian at ICS Bangkok. These are her favorite reads of 2019. The books may have been published at any time, but she read them in 2019. Click on the title to see Sarah’s full reviews.

Dec 7: Top 10s of 2019 Part 1: Middle Grade Books, Young Adult & Adult Nonfiction, Bios of People of Asian Heritage
Dec 13: Top 10s of 2019 Part 2: Picture Books, Lower Grade Books, and Top Asian Characters/Setting/Creators
Jan 3 : Top 10s of Young Adult Fiction, Adult Fiction, Christian Fiction & Nonfiction

Top 10 Graphic Novels

The Space Race of 1869 (Castle in the Stars, #1) by Alex Alice, trans. by Anne & Owen Smith

Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades (Nico Bravo, #1) by Mike Cavallaro

Sea Sirens (A Trot & Cap’n Bill Adventure, #1) by Amy Chu, ill. by Janet K. Lee

The Singing Rock & Other Brand-New Fairy Tales by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer, ill. by Simini Blocker

Tom’s Midnight Garden: the Graphic Novel by Philippa Pearce, adapted & ill. by Édith

Sanity & Tallulah (Sanity & Tallulah, #1) by Molly Brooks

This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews

My Beijing: Four Stories of Everyday Wonder by Nie Jun, trans. by Edward Gauvin

White Bird by R.J. Palacio

New Shoes by Sara Varon

Top 10 Middle Grade Fiction Books

The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani

Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

Tru & Nelle (Tru & Nelle, #1) by G. Neri

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

The Glass Town Game by Catherynne M. Valente

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street (The Vanderbeekers, #1) by Karina Yan Glaser

Prisoner of Ice and Snow (Prisoner of Ice and Snow, #1) by Ruth Lauren

Merci Suárez Changes Gears by Meg Medina

The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdoch, ill. by Ian Schoenherr

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Top 10 Middle Grade & Young Adult Nonfiction Books

The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix

Bats: Learning to Fly (Science Comics) by Falynn Koch

Best Friends (Real Friends, #2) by Shannon Hale, ill. by LeUyen Pham

The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid by Dylan Thuras & Rosemary Mosco, ill. by Joy Ang

Drawn from Nature by Helen Ahpornsiri

The Who Was? History of the World by Paula K. Manzanero, ill. by Robert Squier, Nancy Harrison, and others

Astronaut, Aquanaut: How Space Science and Sea Science Interact by Jennifer Swanson

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisninger, Steven Scott, ill. by Harmony Becker

Food Fight!: a Mouthwatering History of Who Ate What and Why through the Ages by Tanya Steel

Let’s Make Ramen!: a Comic Book Cookbook by Hugh Amano & Sarah Becan

Top 10 Lower Grade Fiction Books

Bad Hair Day (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist, #8) by Jim Benton

Puppy’s Big Day (Bad Kitty, #8) by Nick Bruel

Mighty Meg and the Magical Ring (Mighty Meg, #1) by Sammy Griffin, ill. by Micah Player

Head in the Clouds (Dory Fantasmagory, #4) by Abby Hanlon

Tiny Tough (Dory Fantasmagory, #5) by Abby Hanlon

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi by Rudyard Kipling, adapted & ill. by Jerry Pinkney

A Bite in the Night (Rabbit & Bear, #4) by Julian Gough, ill. by Jim Field

Boris on the Move (Boris, #1) by Andrew Joyner

Big Problemas (Juana & Lucas, #2) by Juana Medina

Arthur and the Golden Rope (Brownstone’s Mythical Collection, #1) by Joe Todd-Stanton

Top 10 Lower Grade Nonfiction Books

So Tall Within: Sojourner Truth’s Long Walk to Freedom by Gary D. Schmidt, ill. by Daniel Minter

Magic Ramen: the Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang, ill. by Kana Urbanowicz

The Important Thing about Margaret Wise Brown by Mac Barnett, ill. by Sarah Jacoby

Just Like Beverly: a Biography of Beverly Cleary by Vicki Conrad, ill. by David Hohn

Chester Nez and the Unbreakable Code: a Navajo Code Talker’s Story by Joseph Bruchac, ill. by Liz Amini-Holmes

The Tiger Prince by Jiang Hong Chen, trans. by Alyson Waters

Rodent Rascals by Roxie Munro

A Leap for Legadema: the True Story of a Little Leopard in a Big World by Beverly & Dereck Joubert

What’s on Your Plate: Exploring the World of Food by Whitney Stewart, ill. by Christiane Engel

World’s Strangest Places by Stuart Derrick & Charlotte Goddard

Top 10 Fiction Picture Books

When I Found Grandma by Saumiya Balasubramaniam, ill. by Qin Leng

Just Because by Mac Barnett, ill. by Isabelle Arsenault

The Grotlyn by Benji Davies

Sleepy, the Goodnight Buddy by Drew Daywalt, ill. by Scott Campbell

Ready or Not, Woolbur Goes to School (Woolbur, #2) by Leslie Helakoski, ill. by Lee Harper

The Rough Patch by Brian Lies

Goldfish on Vacation by Sally Lloyd-Jones, ill. by Leo Espinosa

The Remember Balloons by Jessie Oliveros, ill. by Dana Wulfekotte

The Neighbors by Einat Tsarfati, trans. by Annette Appel

Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler

Top 10 Nonfiction Picture Books

Who Is My Neighbor? by Amy-Jill Levine & Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, ill. by Denise Turu

Paul Writes (a Letter) by Chris Raschka

On the News: Our First Talk about Tragedy (The World Around Us) by Jillian Roberts, ill. by Jan Heinrichs

What’s Your Favorite Color? (What’s Your Favorite) by Eric Carle and Friends

Water Land: Land and Water Forms around the World by Christy Hale

Sparky & Spike: Charles Schulz and the Wildest, Smartest Dog Ever by Barbara Lowell, ill. by Dan Andreasen

The True Tale of a Giantess: the Story of Anna Swan by Anne Renaud & Marie Lafrance

Pipsqueaks, Slowpokes, and Stinkers: Celebrating Animal Underdogs by Melissa Stewart, ill. by Stephanie Laberis

Pika: Life in the Rocks by Tannis Bill, photos by Jim Jacobson

The Secret Life of the Little Brown Bat (Secret Life) by Laurence Pringle, ill. by Kate Garchinsky

Brainstorm 197: Top 10s of 2019 Part 2

We had to switch up the schedule of the Top 10s so I'm sharing my lists of favorite picture books, lower grade (K-3rd) books, and favorite Asian characters/settings/creators this week. Sarah Foit will share her Top 10s next week. Unless stated otherwise, books could have been published at any time (though most were published in 2018 or 2019), to make it to this list I just had to read them sometime in 2019. Choosing picture books and Asian creators were two of the hardest lists to determine for the top 10s. I had to cut so many that I really loved! You can click on the titles to see my reviews of each of the books. The lists are somewhat arranged with my favorites on top, but again, anything that made this list really stood out from my reading this year. Enjoy!

Dec 7: Top 10s of 2019 Part 1: Middle Grade Books, Young Adult & Adult Nonfiction, Bios of People of Asian Heritage
Dec 20 Dec 27: My amazing coworker, Elementary teaching librarian, Sarah Foit, will share her top 10s.
Dec 27 Jan 3 : Top 10s of Young Adult & Adult Fiction, Christian Fiction & Nonfiction, and top Asian settings & Asian creators

Top 10 Science Fiction/Fantasy Picture Books
(limited to those published in 2018-2019)

Reading Beauty by Deborah Underwood, ill. by Megan Hunt

Dragon Post by Emma Yarlett

If I Built a School (If I Built, #3) by Chris Van Dusen

There Are No Bears in This Bakery by Julian Sarcone-Roach

Linus the Little Yellow Pencil by Scott Magoon

I Don’t Want to Go to Sleep (Little Frog, #4) by Dev Petty, ill. by Mike Boldt

This Is Not That Kind of Book by Christopher Healy, ill. by Ben Mantle

Harold & Hog Pretend for Real (Elephant & Piggie Like Reading, #6) by Dan Santat & Mo Willems

Marigold Finds the Magic Words (Marigold the Cat, #2) by Mike Malbrough

A Piglet Named Mercy (Mercy Watson, #0.5) by Kate DiCamillo, ill. by Chris Van Dusen

Top 10 Contemporary Fiction/Historical Fiction Picture Books
(limited to those published in 2018-2019)

How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander, ill. by Melissa Sweet

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall

Because by Mo Willems, ill. by Amber Ren

Home in the Woods by Eliza Wheeler

The Truth about Old People by Elina Ellis

Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller, ill. by Jen Hill

Stack the Cats by Susie Gharemani

Oak Leaf by John Sandford

The Rhythm of the Rain by Grahame Baker-Smith

Islandborn by Junot Díaz, ill. by Leo Espinoza

Top 10 Lower Grade Nonfiction Books
(limited to those published in 2018-2019)

Magic Ramen: the Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang, ill. by Kana Urbanowicz

Water Land: Land and Water Forms around the World by Christy Hale

Hedy Lamarr’s Double Life: Hollywood Legend and Brilliant Inventor by Laurie Wallmark, ill. by Katy Wu

So Tall Within by Gary D. Schmidt, ill. by Daniel Minter

Lights! Camera! Alice!: the Thrilling True Adventures of the First Woman Filmmaker by Mara Rockliff, ill. by Simona Ciraolo

Just Like Beverly: a Biography of Beverly Cleary by Vicki Conrad, ill. by David Hohn

The Crayon Man: the True Story of the Invention of Crayola Crayons by Natascha Biebow, ill. by Steven Salerno

The Boy Who Invented the Popsicle: The Cool Science Behind Frank Epperson’s Famous Frozen Treat by Anne Renaud, ill. by Milan Pavlović

Sparky & Spike: Charles Schulz and the Wildest, Smartest Dog Ever by Barbara Lowell, ill. by Dan Andreasen

Helpers in Your Neighborhood (National Geographic Kids Readers) by Shira Evans

Top 10 Lower Grade Fiction Books
(limited to those published in 2018-2019)

Mighty Meg and the Magical Ring (Mighty Meg, #1) by Sammy Griffin, ill. by Micah Player

Snow Place Like Home (Diary of an Ice Princess, #1) by Christina Soontornvat, ill. by Barbara Szepesi Szucs

Big Problemas (Juana & Lucas, #2) by Juana Medina

Bad Hair Day (Franny K. Stein, Mad Scientist, #8) by Jim Benton

A Bite in the Night (Rabbit and Bear, #4) by Julian Gough, ill. by Jim Field

Truman the Dog (My Furry Foster Family, #1) by Debbi Michiko Florence, ill. by Melanie Demmer

The Magic Mirror (Once Upon a Fairy Tale, #1) by Anna Staniszewski, ill. by Macky Pamintuan

Thief Strikes! (Hilde Cracks the Case, #6) by Hilde Lysiak with Matthew Lysiak, ill. by Joanne Lew-Vrietthoff

Balto and the Race Against Time (Time Dogs, #1) by Helen Moss, ill. by Misa Saburi

Sand Trap! (Marvel Super Hero Adventures) by MacKenzie Cadenhead, Sean Ryan, ill. by Darío Brizuela

Top 10 Lower Grade Graphic Novels/Comics
(limited to those published in 2018-2019)

Superbad (Bad Guys, #8) by Aaron Blabey

A Bridge Too Fur (Kitten Construction Company, #2) by John Patrick Green

Kitten Trouble (Bad Kitty, #12) by Nick Bruel

Narwhal’s Otter Friend (A Narwhal and Jelly Book, #4) by Ben Clanton

Sparkly New Friends (Unicorn & Yeti, #1) by Heather Ayris Burnell, ill. by Hazel Quintanilla

Wake Up, Crabby (Crabby Book, #3) by Jonathan Fenske

Kai and the Monkey King (Brownstone’s Mythical Collection, #3) by Joe Todd-Stanton

Much Too Much Birthday (Maud the Koala) by J.E. Morris

The Traveling Dustball (Big Words, Small Stories) by Judith Henderson, ill. by T.L. McBeth

Noodleheads Find Something Fishy (Noodleheads, #3) by Tedd Arnold, Martha Hamilton, and Mitch Weiss, ill. by Tedd Arnold

Top 10 Characters (or Character Pairs) of Asian Heritage
(limited to books published in 2018-2019)

Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo
*Lucky & Jack
Korean American

City of Ink (Li Du, #3) by Elsa Hart
*Li Du & Hamza
Chinese

Sea Sirens (A Trot & Cap’n Bill Adventure, #1) by Amy Chu, ill. by Janet K. Lee
*Trot & Grandpa
Vietnamese American

Death by Dumpling (A Noodle Shop Mystery, #1) by Vivien Chien
*Lana Lee
Taiwanese American

Teenage Wasteland (Ms Marvel, Vol. 9) by G. Willow Wilson, ill. by Nico Leon
*Kamala (aka Ms Marvel) & Red Dagger
Pakistani American & Pakistani

Aru Shah and the Song of Death (The Pandava Quartet, #2) by Roshani Chokshi
*Aru Shah
Indian American

Newcomer (Detective Kaga, #2) by Keigo Higashino, trans. by Giles Murray
*Detective Kaga
Japanese

Tamamo the Fox Maiden and Other Stories edited by Kel McDonald
*Mu Waan in “Ghost Pepper”
Lao

Klawde, Evil Alien Warlord Cat (Klawde, Evil Alien Warlord Cat, #1) by Johnny Marciano and Emily Chenoweth, ill. by Robb Mommaerts
*Raj
Indian American

Dragon Pearl by Yoon Ha Lee
* Korean

Top 10 Asian Settings
(limited to books published in 2018-2019)

Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo
*Modern Hong Kong

Tamamo the Fox Maiden and Other Stories edited by Kel McDonald
*Fantasy/Mythical China, Japan, India, Laos, Myanmar, Tibet,

The Yin-Yang Sisters and the Dragon Frightful by Nancy Tupper Ling, ill. by Andrea Offermann
*Fantasy China

I Do Not Trust You by Laura J. Burns & Melinda Metz
*Significant part in Thailand

The Bridge Home by Padma Venkatraman
*Modern India

City of Ink (Li Du, #3) by Elsa Hart
*18th century China

Laid-Back Camp 1 (Laid-Back Camp, #1) by Afro
*Modern Japan

In the Shadow of the Sun by Anne Sibley O’Brien
*Modern North Korea

Magic Ramen: the Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang, ill. by Kana Urbanowicz
 *20th century Taiwan/Japan

Moth and Wasp, Soil and Ocean: Remembering Chinese Scientist Pu Zhelong’s Work for Sustainable Farming by Sigrid Schmalzer, ill. by Melanie Linden Chan
*Historic China

Top 10 Creators (or Creator Pairs) of Asian Heritage
(limited to those published in English in 2018-2019)

Sea Sirens (A Trot & Cap’n Bill Adventure, #1) by Amy Chu, ill. by Janet K. Lee
*Author & Illustrator

Beneath the Waves by Lily Murray, ill. by Helen Ahnpornsiri
*Illustrator

Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen
*Author/Illustrator

Magic Ramen: the Story of Momofuku Ando by Andrea Wang, ill. by Kana Urbanowicz
*Author & Illustrator

Aru Shah and the Song of Death (The Pandava Quartet, #2) by Roshani Chokshi
*Author

Chirri & Chirra, Underground by Kaya Doi, trans. by David Boyd
*Author/Illustrator

Somewhere Only We Know by Maureen Goo
*Author

Snow Place Like Home (Diary of an Ice Princess, #1) by Christina Soontornvat, ill. by Barbara Szepesi Szucs
*Author

Newcomer (Detective Kaga, #2) by Keigo Higashino, trans. by Giles Murray
*Author

Cats Are Liquid by Rebecca Donnelly, ill. by Misa Saburi 
*Illustrator (also illustrated in the Top 10s of 2019: Balto and the Race Against Time)

Brainstorm 196: Top 10s of 2019 Part 1

It is December, which means it is time for me to pick my favorite books I’ve read in 2019. Picking top 10s can be excruciating, just because I read a LOT of books. For example, today’s list features middle grade fiction lists, and I’ve read over 150 middle grade fiction books this year. So the books that manage to make the lists today were superb. I actually excluded graphic novels from some of these lists not because I don’t think graphic novels are amazing and on par with full text books, but because otherwise the graphic novels would dominate all the lists, and I wanted to share some other books too! Today we’ll look at my top 10s for middle grade, young adult nonfiction, adult nonfiction, and because I am in a school in Asia and always on the hunt for good Asian topics in books for our students, top biographies/memoirs of people of Asian heritage. The books are listed with my favorites on top in descending order, but often I’d be hard-pressed to pick between some of those next to each other. It’s just quite a feat to make it to this list. I had to cut some amazing titles. The majority of the books that made the list were published in 2018 or 2019, but there are some older ones I’ve read for the first time this year sprinkled in. All are books I’ve read in 2019. I've also limited my selections to books that are in the libraries at the school where I work or on order for them. Click on the book titles to read my reviews of the books.

Here are the top 10s planned for the coming weeks:
Dec 13: My amazing coworker, Elementary teaching librarian, Sarah Foit, will share her top 10s.
Dec 20: Top 10s of Picture Books & Lower Grade Fiction, plus top Asian characters
Dec 27: Top 10s of Young Adult & Adult Fiction, Christian Fiction & Nonfiction, and top Asian settings & Asian creators

Top 10 Middle Grade Science Fiction/Fantasy Books
(limited to only 1 book per series, graphic novels excluded to give others a chance)

Wundersmith: the Calling of Morrigan Crow (Nevermoor, #2) by Jessica Townsend

The Ark Plan (Edge of Extinction, #1) by Lauren Martin

We’re Not from Here by Geoff Rodkey

Wicked Nix by Lena Coakley, ill. by Jaime Zollars

The Knight’s Armor (Ministry of SUITs, #3) by Paul Gamble

A Problematic Paradox (Nikola Kross, #1) by Eliot Sappingfield

Sal & Gabi Break the Universe (Sal & Gabi, #1) by Carlos Hernandez

How to Tame a Human Tornado (The Genius Factor, #3) by Paul Tobin

Aru Shah and the Song of Death (Pandva Quartet, #2) by Roshani Chokshi

Seventh Grade vs the Galaxy by Joshua Levy

Top 10 Middle Grade Contemporary Fiction/Historical Fiction Books
(limited to only 1 book per series, graphic novels excluded to give others a chance)

The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue (Vanderbeekers, #3) by Karina Yan Glaser

Louisiana’s Way Home (Three Rancheros, #2) by Kate DiCamillo

Skylark and Wallcreeper by Anne O’Brien Carelli

The Mystery of Black Hollow Lane (Black Hollow Lane, #1) by Julia Nobel

Spy School British Invasion (Spy School, #7) by Stuart Gibbs

Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation (Charlie Thorne, #1) by Stuart Gibbs

How I Became a Spy: a Mystery of WWII London by Deborah Hopkinson

Lion Down (FunJungle, #5) by Stuart Gibbs

The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton

Lu (Track, #4) by Jason Reynolds

Middle Grade Fiction Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics
(limited to those published in 2018-2019)

Sanity & Tallulah (Sanity & Tallulah, #1) by Molly Brooks

The Singing Rock & Other Brand-New Fairy Tales by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer, ill. by Simini Blocker

Nico Bravo and the Hound of Hades (Nico Bravo, #1) by Mike Cavallaro

Sea Sirens (A Trot & Cap’n Bill Adventure, #1) by Amy Chu, ill. by Janet K. Lee

New Kid by Jerry Craft

Invasion of the Scuttlebots (Star Scouts, #3) by Mike Lawrence

Snug Harbor Stories (Wallace the Brave, #2) by Will Henry

Pilu of the Woods by Mai K. Nguyen

Quantum Mechanics by Jeff Weigel

This Was Our Pact by Ryan Andrews

Top 10 Middle Grade/Young Adult Nonfiction Books
(limited to those published in 2018-2019, limited to 1 per series, graphic novels excluded)

Spooked!: How a Radio Broadcast and the War of the Worlds Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America by Gail Jarrow

We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls around the World by Malala Yousafzai with Liz Welch

Beneath the Waves by Lily Murray, ill. by Helen Ahnpornsiri

Ski Soldier: a WWII Biography by Louise Borden

Sea Otter Heroes: the Predators That Saved an Ecosystem by Patricia Newman

The Secrets of Tutankhamun: Egypt’s Boy King and His Incredible Tomb by Patricia Cleveland-Peck, ill. by Isabel Greenberg

My Family Divided: One Girl’s Journey of Home, Loss, and Hope by Dianne Guerrero with Erica Moroz

Maya Lin: Thinking With Her Hands by Susan Goldman Rubin

The Sound of Silence: Growing up Hearing with Deaf Parents by Myron Uhlberg

Code Girls: the True Story of the American Women Who Secretly Broke Codes in World War II by Liza Mundy, adapted by Laurie Calkhoven

Top 10 Middle Grade/Young Adult Nonfiction Graphic Novels/Manga/Comics
(limited to those published in 2018-2019)

Guts (Smile, #3) by Raina Telgemeier

Best Friends (Real Friends, #2) by Shannon Hale, ill. by LeUyen Pham

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, ill. by Harmony Becker

The Unwanted: the Story of Syrian Refugees by Don Brown

The Bridge: How the Roeblings Connected Brooklyn to New York by Peter J. Tomasi, ill. by Sara DuVall

The Life of Frederick Douglass: a Graphic Narrative of an Extraordinary Life by David F. Walker, ill. by Damon Smyth & Marissa Louise

Charlotte Brontë Before Jane Eyre by Glynnis Fawkes

Irena Book One: Wartime Ghetto by Jean-David Moravn, Séverine Tréfouël, ill. by David Evrard

Rocket to the Moon (Big Ideas That Changed the World, #1) by Don Brown

Birding Is My Favorite Video Game by Rosemary Mosco

Top 10 Adult Nonfiction Books
(excluding graphic novels, excluding Christian nonfiction which will have its own list)

Vanishing: the World’s Most Vulnerable Animals (The Photo Ark) by Joel Sartore

The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives edited by Viet Thanh Nguyen

The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O’Meara

Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?: Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death by Caitlin Doughty

The White Darkness: One Man’s Perilous Quest to Cross Antarctica in the Footsteps of Shackleton by David Grann

How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems by Randall Munroe

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

The Woman Who Smashed Codes: a True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine Who Outwitted America’s Enemies by Jason Fagone

Bandersnatch: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings by Diana Palvac Glyer, ill. by James A. Owen

Soonish: Ten Emerging Technologies That’ll Improve and/or Ruin Everything by Kelly & Zach Weinersmith

Top 10 Biographies/Autobiographies/Memoirs of People of Asian Heritage
(*The person(s) of Asian heritage highlighted in the book and reason it was chosen for this list is/are listed below the title.)

Magic Ramen: the Story of Momofuku Ado by Andrea Wang, ill. by Kana Urbanowicz
*Momofuku Ado

Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix by Jacquelin Briggs Martin & Jun Jo Lee, ill. by Man One
*Roy Choi

The Displaced: Refugee Writers on Refugee Lives edited by Viet Thanh Nguyen
*Viet Thanh Nguyen, Thi Bui, Vu Tran, & Kao Kalia Yang

They Called Us Enemy by George Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, ill. by Harmony Becker
*George Takei

We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls around the World by Malala Yousafzai with Liz Welch
*Malala Yousafzai & Ajida

Maya Lin: Thinking With Her Hands by Susan Goldman Rubin
*Maya Lin

Moth and Wasp, Soil and Ocean: Remembering Chinese Scientist Pu Zhelong’s Work for Sustainable Farming by Sigrid Shcmaltzer, ill. by Melanie Linden Chan
*Pu Zhelong

Let Her Fly: a Father’s Journey by Ziauddin Yousafzai with Louise Carpenter
*Ziauddin Yousafzai & his family

Birds, Art, Life, Death by Kyo Maclear
*Kyo Maclear & her mother

Honda: the Boy Who Dreamed of Cars by Mark Weston, ill. by Katie Yamasaki
*Soichiro Honda

Brainstorm 195: Inspirational Kindness Reads

The holidays are approaching, and I thought it would be a great time to share some books on kindness. Sometimes, the best thing you can give to the people around you is a kind word or a kind action. Enjoy some inspirational stories of kindness for readers young and old.

Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller, ill. by Jen Hill
A little girl ponders what it means to be kind and how to be kind in various situations. She further wonders what would happen if everyone was kind...could it change her school, the community, the world?

Target Readers:

• Read Aloud Fans, Kids Looking for Practical Examples of How to Be Kind, Picture Book Readers

Belinda the Unbeatable (Game for Adventure) by Lee Nordling & Scott Roberts
Belinda is motivated to win musical chairs, but she also has enough heart to help out a little girl who is struggling...unlike some others who are selfish.

Target Readers:

• Imaginative Readers, Graphic Novel Fans, Wordless Book Fans, Competitive Kids, Lower Grade Readers

Boxes for Katje by Candace Fleming, ill. by Stacey Dressen-McQueen
Right after WWII, a young girl named Katje in Olst, Holland receives a package through the Children's Aid Society from a young girl in Indiana named Rosie. When Rosie receives Katje's thank you letter and hears how much the chocolate, socks, and soap meant to Katje and how she shared it with others, Rosie decides to send more. And each time she sends something, Katje shares it with her family and neighbors. What starts with one box for one girl, soon becomes life-saving boxes for a whole town from another town across the Atlantic. The people of Olst are so thankful, but what can they send the kind people in Indiana in return?

Target Readers:

• Inspirational Story Fans, History Buffs, Fans of Stories Inspired by Real Life, Picture Book Readers

Do Unto Otters: a Book about Manners by Laurie Keller
When otters move in next to Mr Rabbit he gets worried about how they will be as neighbors. Mr. Owl encourages him to treat them like he wants to be treated. Mr. Rabbit thinks through how he would like the otters to treat him and comes up with a great guide to being a good neighbor, friend, and world citizen.

Target Readers:

• Humor Fans, Animal Lovers, Little Citizens & Neighbors (or Anyone Who Has to Interact with Other People), Picture Book Readers

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa, translated by Stephen Snyder
The story of a math professor who has lost the ability to retain new memories since a car accident in 1973, the young woman who comes to be his housekeeper, and the ways that she, her 10-year-old son, and the professor are all changed by their interactions.

Target Readers:

• Contemporary Fiction Fans, Feel Good Story Fans, Math Nerds, Nonromantic Story Fans, Quick Read Fans, Books in Translation Fans, Adult Readers

I am Kind by Suzy Capozzi, ill. by Eren Unten
A little girl shares ways that she is kind to her family, friends, and strangers.
This book includes quite a number of different examples of being kind, some of which take a lot of planning and others which are quite simple. The end challenges readers to think of three ways they can be kind.

Target Readers:

• Kids Looking for Kindness Ideas, Conversation Starter Story Fans, Little Citizens & Neighbors, Leveled Reader Fans, Picture Book Readers

I Walk with Vanessa: a Story about a Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoët
A wordless story about a girl who witnesses another girl being bullied and comes up with a great idea of how to help, by walking with her to school.

Target Readers:

• Kids Who Witness Bullying, Adults Who Want to Talk to Kids about Bullying (a discussion guide is included), Inspirational Story Fans, Wordless Book Fans, Picture Book Readers

If You Plant a Seed by Kadir Nelson
A rabbit and mouse plant some seeds and eagerly reap the fruit, but they learn the hard way about the benefits of sharing and kindness. A beautifully-illustrated story with a fantastic message about patience and the blessings of kindness.

Target Readers:

• Animal Lovers, Art Lovers, Patience & Kindness Learners, Picture Book Readers

The Lion and the Mouse and the Invaders from Zurg (Far Out Fables) by Benjamin Harper, ill. by Pedro Rodríguez
Thunder the Lion leads the resistance against the invading Zurg forces and seems to be the unbeatable local hero. Daisy Mouse wants to join the resistance but Thunder just laughs at her and considers even eating her. She pleads with him to let her go for one day she may be able to help him. Though laughing at the idea, Thunder lets her go. Then the Zurg forces capture Thunder and put him in an impenetrable prison. It seems all hope is lost, or is it? A very imaginative scifi retelling of Aesop's Lion and the Mouse fable that probably will resonate more with modern middle graders than the original.

Target Readers:

• Science Fiction Fans, Fable Fans, Animal Lovers, Triumphing Kindness Story Fans, Graphic Novel Fans, Reluctant Readers, Quick Read Fans, Middle Grade Readers

The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau, ill. by Gail de Marcken
A very greedy king finds out that there is a quiltmaker in his kingdom who just gives away beautiful quilts to other people, and he is hurt that he has never received one. He demands that she make him one of her beautiful quilts. The wise quiltmaker takes the opportunity to require payment in rather unique methods and teaches the king valuable lessons on the joys of blessing others and being unselfish. The king must give things away from his hoarded treasures, and each time he does so, she will add a square to his quilt. The king’s heart changes dramatically in the process, and in the end, he learns to joyfully give until he cannot give any more. The pictures are beautifully captivating and the message against materialism is wonderful.

Target Readers:

• Inspirational Story Fans, Art Lovers, Long Picture Book Fans, Picture Book Readers

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
Jessica is a runner. She lives to feel the wind in her face and the thrill of crossing the finish line. So losing a foot in an accident feels like the end of the world. In fact, she sometimes wishes she could trade places with the girl who died in the accident and possibly had it easier. But in the midst of despair and grief, Jessica's family and best friend Kayley will NOT give up on her or let her wallow in grief. Once Jessica gets out of the hospital, Kayley practically drags her out of the house and back to high school, even though Jessica is scared of how people will look at her now. But being different turns out a great way to find out who really cares about the real her, like her track team that gives her an unexpected dose of hope by deciding to try and raise $20,000 for a special running leg so Jessica can someday live that running dream she has every night. And there's also Rosa, a math whiz and super wise friend who happens to have cerebral palsy, and who ashamedly, Jessica had always totally ignored before the accident. Beyond learning some important things about herself, Jessica realizes that people like Rosa and herself want to be known and loved for who they are, not for their conditions, and she decides to use the platform her accident has given her to raise awareness of this in her town.

Target Readers:

• Inspirational Story Fans, Sports Story Fans, Fans of Stories about People Overcoming Hurdles, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Young Adult Readers

Shelter by Céline Claire, ill. by Qin Leng
Two strangers appear in the woods one night as the residents scurry to prepare for the coming storm. It seems no one has room or food to spare for the strangers. But when one of the resident families has a catastrophe and ends up out in the storm themselves, will the strangers be willing to do them a good turn? A rather poignant look at how we treat others, especially in moments of crisis. Are we willing to share and reach out in kindness, or do we get selfish? And do we treat others the way they’ve treated us, or the way we wish they’d treat us?

Target Readers:

• Animal Lovers, Fans of Books in Translation, Art Lovers, Graphic Novel Fans, Conversation Starting Story Fans, Picture Book Readers on up

Silent Days, Holy Night by Phyllis Clark Nichols
Julia is getting ready for a Christmas gala at a big mansion in West Virginia. And as she gets ready, she reminisces about how she came to this point. It all started 16 years ago when she was 10 and she first met the owner of this mansion. Mr. Lafferty was nothing more than a town legend when she met him. Rumors were he was an ogre who lived in a haunted house or something similar. So Julia is shocked to learn that her father is Mr. Lafferty II’s attorney, as her grandfather was attorney to Mr. Lafferty I. Julia does not meet an ogre when she has to accompany her father to the house because of the family’s car schedules. This girl with endless questions meets a man who is deaf and confined to a wheelchair but secretly has been the town’s greatest benefactor for years. Through Julia’s father he keeps tabs on who in town needs help and makes it happen, all anonymously. He also makes amazing bird sculptures and he is thrilled when Julia plays the piano because he can feel it if he touches the instrument. And it evidently brings back happy memories. Julia decides then and there she wants to get to know Mr. Lafferty more and find a way to thank him for all he has done for others without spilling the beans about his secret generosity. As older Julia continues to prepare for the party, she walks through memories about how that initial meeting with Mr. Lafferty, the months immediately following, and the first Christmas soon after that changed many lives dramatically.

Target Readers:

• Christmas Story Fans, Time-Slip Story Fans, Inspirational Story Fans, Heart-Warming Intergenerational Relationship Fans, Middle Grade through Adult Readers (Marketing of this book is aimed at adults, but big chunks of the story are told from 10-year-old Julia's perspective so it feels like a mix of adult and middle grade story.)

Thank You, Omu by Oge Mora
Omu makes a pot of red stew and sets it to simmer for dinner. The delicious smell wafts out her window and beckons to many people in her neighborhood. The kindly Omu always shares with those who are drawn to her door, but when it comes time for dinner, her stew is all gone. What will Omu eat?

Target Readers:

• Beginning Readers, Inspirational Story Fans, Multicultural Community Story Fans, Foodies, Picture Book Readers

The Vanderbeekers and the Hidden Garden (Vanderbeekers, #2) by Karina Yan Glaser
When beloved neighbor Mr Jeet has a stroke, the Vanderbeeker kids try to think up something nice they can do for Mr Jeet and Miss Josie. Miss Josie is always talking about how that abandoned lot by the church would make a great community garden. With permission from the pastor, the kids start secretly cleaning up the abandoned lot. But while they are doing that the pastor is called out of town and Mr Huxley seems to be trying to sell the lot. Will all their hard work be for nothing, and will Mr Jeet ever get well enough to enjoy it?

Target Readers:

• Sibling Story Fans, Friendship Story Fans, Contemporary Fiction Fans, Feel Good Story Fans, Middle Grade Readers

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell
A little girl and a little wolf lost in the snow find and help each other.
This is a sweet story of one act of kindness being returned for another act of kindness, even though the two parties are supposed to be enemies.

Target Readers:

• Feel Good Story Fans, Animal Lovers, Snowy Story Fans, Mostly Wordless Book Fans, Picture Book Readers