September 10, 2015
Carol's Latest Picks
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Chasing Secrets
by Gennifer Choldenko
Choldenko's newest juvenile novel takes place during the beginning of the 20th century in San Francisco. 13-year-old Lizzie makes her home in a house on the Nob Hill estate owned by her aunt and uncle. Also living there are her older brother Billy; Jing, their cook; Maggy, the maid; and until recently unknown to Lizzie, Jing's son Noah who has been secretly hidden away in one of the attic bedrooms upstairs. Since Lizzie's mother's death when Lizzie was five, Aunt Hortense has taken over the maternal duties of raising the girl, which includes having her attend a school for young women. Lizzie is interested in science and medicine and often accompanies her father, a doctor, on his calls, but her school offers nothing to nurture her interests. When Jing goes missing, Lizzie suspects he might be in Chinatown which has been placed under quarantine due to a plague scare. Chinatown is in the heart of San Francisco and is the only area under quarantine as city officials and the medical community, including Lizzie's father, are denying the existence of the plague. Why then aren't medical staff and supplies being sent to the people living in Chinatown? When Lizzie goes in search of Jing, she discovers secrets being harbored by the state and city officials. Is Lizzie able to find Jing, and can she expose the truth behind the cover-up that is keeping the spread of the plague epidemic hidden from the citizens of the city At the end of the book, author notes include a time line and facts that relate to this period in San Francisco's history. A fast-moving story that will appeal to ages 9 to 12 that enjoy both mystery and historical fiction. (Wendy Lamb Books, $16.99).
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The Honest Truth 
by Dan Gemeinhart
12-year-old Mark is sick; a sickness that requires hospital treatment and daily medication and one that gives him and his parents no hope. But Mark has made a decision and has a plan. He's running away from his Northwest Washington home, taking with him his beloved dog Beau, a duffel bag and backpack, an assortment of possessions and the money he's saved---to travel 263 miles to climb a mountain and keep a promise he had made to his grandpa years earlier. Jessie, Mark's best friend back home, holds his secret as she struggles hard not to tell where and why his journey is taking him: to Mt. Rainier. As each event befalls Mark along the way, Beau proves himself a loyal companion while Jessie vacillates as to whether to tell what she knows. Told in short chapters, some in Mark's voice, describing the physical discomforts he experiences from his illness, and the deterrents he meets mile after mile along the way as he pushes forward to reach his goal. Reactions from Jessie with her mother, and Mark's parents waiting at home to hear of his whereabouts are told in alternate chapters. Haiku-form poetry which has been used often as communication between Mark and Jessie during their years of friendship is a light and yet serious touch inserted by the author in his novel for ages 8 to 12 with heart-racing suspense that is a gripping page-turner. Climb a mountain far/ young friendship/that's the honest truth. (Scholastic Press, $16.99).
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 Auggie & Me:Three Wonder Stories by R. J. Palacio In Palacio's bestselling juvenile novel Wonder, the author tells the story of Auggie Pullman, a 10-year-old boy who has been born with a craniofacial difference, a normal kid with a not-so-normal face. Now in Palacio's new companion novel Auggie & Me, Auggie's story does not continue, and he only plays a minor part. Instead, this is an expansion of Auggie's world told in three narratives from the perspectives of Julian, Christopher, and Charlotte telling the stories of characters who only occasionally, if at all, appear in each other's stories. The one thing they have in common is Auggie Pullman and his presence in their lives which serves as a catalyst, subtly or not-so-subtly, causing their lives to be transformed. These three stories: The Julian Chapter, Pluto, and Shingaling each explore the life of an ordinary kid who is touched by extraordinary circumstances. They are stories about the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and compassion; and most of all the enduring effects of kindness. You will find Auggie & Me on our shelves for readers ages 8 to 12, but I highly recommend it also for teens, teachers, and parents. (Knopf, $16.99).
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The Day the Crayons Came Home 
by Drew Daywalt
In this companion book to The Day the Crayons Quit, Duncan receives a bundle of postcards in the mail from his former crayons who have either runaway or been lost, and all of which want to come home. Duncan was so sad to get the news from these broken or neglected crayons that he ran around gathering them up. They were all so damaged and differently shaped that they no longer fit in the crayon box. What is Duncan's idea for a place for each crayon to always feel at home? A great read-aloud story for ages 3 to 6. Delightfully illustrated with Oliver Jeffer's crayon drawings. This is a must have for fans of The Day the Crayons Quit.(Philomel, $18.99).
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