Does a kid think about how he might find a way to end world hunger? Does a kid wonder if she had been a pioneer, crossing the country, how she might survive? Does a kid wonder what lies below the surface of the ocean and what might be discovered there? Maybe, and maybe not. But reading about such things can ignite an interest that may turn into a lifelong passion.
That’s the beauty of reading books. You never know when a book might plant a seed of interest, now and in the future. Take a look at the books reviewed today and ask your local librarian to direct you to others. It’s time very well spent.
Books to borrow
The following book is available at many public libraries.
“To Stay Alive” by Skila Brown, Candlewick, 304 pages
Read aloud: age 10 – 14.
Read yourself: age 11 and older.
The year was 1846, and 19-year-old Mary Ann Graves, her parents and eight siblings set off in a wagon train traveling from Illinois to California. They knew the trip would be long and hard, but at first everyone was filled with enthusiasm. As the months passed, the hardships piled on.
Approaching their last and most perilous crossing of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a vicious early winter snowstorm raged for four days, trapping the caravan. Exhausted and starving, they had no choice but to have some from their party attempt to cross the mountains to find help. Mary Ann was among the small group who began the hopeful final trek through freezing temperatures and unrelenting snowfall.
“I’d thought I was tired, too weak to go on.
I did not know Tired.
I had not met Weak.”
A brilliantly written novel in verse, “To Stay Alive” portrays a vivid, emotional picture of the tragic Donner Party of 1846. Riveting, sensitive, and conveying tremendous courage, perseverance, and the will to live, this work of historical fiction is outstanding in every regard.
Librarian’s choice
Library: Bernville Area Community Library, 6721 Bernville Road, Jefferson Township
Youth services: Debe Donley
Choices this week: “Amelia Lost: The Life and Disappearance of Amelia Earhart” by Candace Fleming; “Titanic: Voices from the Disaster” by Deborah Hopkinson; “Waiting for Normal” by Leslie Connor
Books to buy
The following books are available at favorite bookstores.
“Diving Deep: Using Machines to Explore the Ocean” by Michelle Cusolito, illustrated by Nicole Wong, Charlesbridge, 2022, 32 pages, $17.99 hardcover
Read aloud: age 5 – 8.
Read yourself: age 7 – 8.
Why do humans dive deep into the ocean? It’s because humans are curious beings, wanting to see what lies below the surface of the ocean and unlock the secrets hidden below. Some of the ways to do that are by snorkeling, which is basically a safe way to observe fish, sea fans, coral and more. Other explorations require deeper diving and can pose dangers, some with very specialized equipment.
From scuba diving to underwater labs, specialized diving suits that allow humans to dive even deeper, to submersibles that take a couple of humans at a time to varying depths of the ocean, and to the deepest known place on Earth, new discoveries are being made all the time about our oceans and our planet.
Join along to discover how and why humans willingly go deep into the sea in this fascinating, engaging book, “Diving Deep: Using Machines to Explore the Ocean.”
“Hero for the Hungry: The Life & Work of Norman Borlaug” by Peggy Thomas, illustrated by Sam Kalda, Feeding Minds Press, 2022, 157 pages, $15.99 paperback
Read aloud: age 10 and older.
Read yourself: age 10 – 15.
Norman Borlaug was born in 1914 on a farm in Iowa where the work was hard. When it was time to go to school, Norm wanted to stay home, but his Grandad Nels told him that it was “better to fill your mind now if you want to fill your belly later.”
And so, Norm, at 6 years old, began attending the one-room schoolhouse and applied himself, and when he wasn’t in school, helped his family with the farm.
Norm graduated from high school with honors, continued his education and despite adversity and the Great Depression, eventually became a plant scientist and dedicated his life to ending world hunger.
Tirelessly working to develop disease-resistant wheat plants, first in Mexico and then around the world, Norm worked alongside farmers while also facing bureaucracies that clung to old ideas. Norm never relented in his pursuit to feed the hungry, and in 1970 won the Nobel Prize for Peace, a true hero that helped feed the world.
Fascinating, informative and inspirational, “Hero for the Hungry” showcases how Norman Borlaug never veered off his life mission and saved more lives around the world than can be counted. On sale Thursday, this book is rich on multiple levels.
Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children’s literature. She can be reached at kendal.rautzhan27@gmail.com.