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With the U.S. in the thick of spring, now is a good time for children and young adult readers to reflect on growth and renewal. This month's Showcase features titles about coming of age, dealing with the unexpected, and other rites of passage.
Note: Showcase titles are selected by the books' publishers, who provide cover art, interior art, and descriptive information.
Adara, by Beatrice Gormley. Ages 9 and up. Sold into slavery, Adara begins a remarkable journey of
self-discovery, healing, and redemption—a journey that presents her with
the hardest decision of her life. (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret, by Judy Blume. Ages 8-12. Sometimes, growing up isn't easy. (Random House Children's Books)
China's Son: Growing Up in the Cultural Revolution, by Da Chen. Ages 12 and up. A candid memoir about growing up during the Chinese Cultural Revolution, adapted by the author from his Colors of the Mountain. (Random House Children's Books)
Chu Ju's House, by Gloria Whelan. Ages 10 and up. National Book Award-winning author Gloria Whelan transports readers to China, where a young woman embarks on a remarkable journey to find a home of her own. (HarperCollins Children's Books)
City of the Beasts, by Isabel Allende. Ages 10 and up. "Isabel Allende's first YA novel, part thrilling survival adventure, part coming-of-age journey ... shakes up all the usual definitions of savagery and civilization." —ALA Booklist (starred review) (HarperTrophy)
The Crow-Girl: The Children of Crow Cove, by Bodil Bredsdorff. Ages 8-12. A timeless novel about the kindness of strangers. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)
Cuba 15, by Nancy Osa. Ages 12 and up. As Violet prepares for her quinceanera—her fifteenth-year celebration—she probes her Cuban roots, unleashing a hotbed of conflict about Cuba within her family. (Random House Children's Books)
The Enemy Has a Face, by Gloria D. Miklowitz. Ages 12 and up. This thoughtful and suspenseful book explores issues of Middle Eastern relationships through the eyes of young people on both sides of the age-old conflict. (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
Gilgamesh the Hero, by Geraldine McCaughrean; illustrated by David Parkins. "McCaughrean turns in a robust, exciting rendition of the world's oldest written epic.... The most riveting retelling yet of this ancient, ageless tale." —School Library Journal (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
A Great and Terrible Beauty, by Libba Bray. Ages 12 and up. A spirited young woman is haunted by an awesome power. (Random House Children's Books)
Heartbeat, by Sharon Creech. Ages 8-12. Newbery Medal winner Sharon Creech's masterful free verse story about a young girl finding her identity and learning how it fits within the many rhythms of life. (Joanna Cotler Books/HarperCollins Publishers)
I Was Born to Be A Brother, by Zaydek Michels-Gualtieri; illustrated by Dan Liegey. Ages 3-7. The charming narrator takes a refreshingly clear-eyed look at life with a baby and the responsibilities it brings. CD with narration and original
song included. (Playpus Media)
I Was Born to Be A Sister, by Akaela Michels-Gualtieri; illustrated by Marcy Dunn Ramsey. Ages 3-7. Discover balance between the joy and exasperation of being the big sister. CD with story narration and original songs included. Written by a kid! (Playpus Media)
Loon Summer, by Barbara Santucci; illustrated by Andrea Shine. Ages 5 and up. An authentic, hopeful story of a child adjusting to the difficult reality of changes in her own family. (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
North, by Donna Jo Napoli. Ages 9 and up. A quintessential adventure story in which Alvin's journey from a
just-on-the-verge-of-trouble runaway to a young man with a future will have
you cheering all the way. (Greenwillow Books)
Olive's Ocean, by Kevin Henkes. Ages 10 and up. A "lovely, character-driven novel that explores, with rare subtlety and sensitivity, the changes and perplexities that haunt every child's growing up process." —Booklist (starred review)(Greenwillow Books)
Perfectly Chelsea, by Claudia Mills; illustrated by Jacqueline Rogers. Ages 7-10. Chelsea learns that she is perfectly human. (Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers)
Pilgrim's Progress: A Retelling, by Gary D. Schmidt; illustrated by Barry Moser. Ages 8 and up. "If any earthly power can restore Pilgrim's Progress to the children's library, this handsome version ought to do it." —New York Times Book Review (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
Secrets in the House of Delgado, by Gloria D. Miklowitz. Ages 9 and up. "Miklowitz does a fine job of making the Inquisition seem frighteningly real, and the story shows depth and dimension.... Recommend it as a page-turner." —Booklist (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
So B. It, by Sarah Weeks. Ages 10 and up. A dramatic tour de force, this is the coming-of-age tale of a girl in search of the meaning behind "soof," a mysterious word in her mother's
28-word vocabulary. (Laura Geringer Books/HarperCollins Publishers)
A Traitor Among Us, by Elizabeth Van Steenwyk. Ages 9 and up. An exciting World War II thriller set in 1944 Nazi-occupied Holland. (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
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Showcase Archives
Black History Month 2005
Holidays Around the World 2004
Nonfiction Picture Books
Myth and Magic/Fantasy for Young Readers
Rites of Passage
In the Kitchen
Holidays Around the World 2003
Wonders of the Heavens/Books about Space
Summer Reading
Friends in the Animal Kingdom
Children's Poetry 2003
Learning about Families
Art, Artists and the Worlds They Create
Back to School
Exploring the Natural World: Ecology and the Environment
Spanish Cultural Heritage
Children's Poetry 2002
Historical Fiction for Young Readers
Holidays around the World 2001
Children's Creepshow
Worlds of Belief
Heroes, Dragons, and Wizards
Children's Poetry 2001
Helping Children Cope
Holidays Around the World 2000
Gothic Tales for Children
International Folktales
Summertime Reading
Children's Poetry 2000
Multicultural Books
Holiday Books 1999
Mysteries
Humorous Titles
Poetry Titles
Math and Counting
Folk and Fairytales
Biographies
Paranormal Phenomena
Summertime Reading 1998
Historical Fiction Titles
Holiday Titles (Christmas, Chanukkah, and Kwanza)
The African-American Experience
Books on Friendship
Nature and Science
My First Book
Fantasy/Science Fiction
Paper-Engineered Books
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