Wabi by Joseph Burchac

"'Young one, do you hearrr meeee?'
I turned my head to listen more closely to that voice. It was a voice I had never heard before. It was...strange. I might have said it was pleasant, but somehow it made me feel uneasy. Yet is was an attractive voice, a voice that made me curious. I knew immediately that I wanted to see the one who had that voice.
'Young one, come hhhhhheeeerrre," it trilled, "into the swaaaammmp. I have something forrrr you.'"

Wabi is an owl. Or is he a human? Joseph Bruchac spins a tale of an owl who becomes a man through the magic of the seven stones and through his own battles against monsters like Mamaskwa, the Toad Woman, and Mojid, the Greedy Eater. Bruchac combines a respect for the natural world, the elements of the heroic journey, and just a dash of love with the style of a Native American storyteller to produce a story that is in turn exciting and mystical. Wabi will appeal to fantasy fans, adventure readers, and nature lovers.

SLJ recommends grades 5 to 8.

Learn more at HCL, Barnes and Noble, and here.

Book Thief by Markus Zusak

" It's just a small story really, about, among other things:
* A girl
* Some words
* An accordionist
* Some fanatical Germans
* A Jewish fist fighter
* And quite a lot of thievery

I saw the book thief three times."

This epic-length novel takes place during World War II in Germany, so you know it will be an emotionally wrenching read. Zusak, ever the creative storyteller, however does not set his story in a concentration camp or on the battlefield. Instead, his story takes place in a small working-class German town and follows the lives of the residents of Himmel Street as they react and respond to the events of the time. Moreover, this story is narrated by an unusual and formidable narrator, Death. The characters in this story share a passion for language and words from the Mayor's wife in her library to the main character Liesel the Book Thief to the Jewish refugee hiding in her basement. All of these characters come to understand that words can inflict pain as well as provide salvation. Zusak's text is embroidered with poetic, evocative language. This, combined with the subject matter, makes for an important novel. Although this book is being marketed to teenagers, there is plenty for an adult audience to appreciate as well.

SLJ recommends grades 9 and up.

Learn more at HCL, Amazon, and here.

Freedom Walkers: the story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott by Russell Freedman

"...one day a half century ago, the black citizens in Montgomery rose up in protest and united to demand their rights--by walking peacefully. It all started on a bus."

Award-winning non-fiction author, Russell Freedman delivers yet another vibrant look back. Freedman is known for his very accessible history books written for young people. His use of simple but effective language, gratuitous primary source excerpts and images, and habit of telling the truth through the eyes of the people who lived through an event are the perfect tools for bringing history alive. Freedom Walkers is no exception. Freedman uses the personal stories of Civil Rights giants like Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as well as not-so-famous figures like Claudette Colvin and Jo Ann Robinson to relate the events of the 13-month bus boycott that changed America. The images he chooses and the style he uses will entice even the most reluctant readers.

SLJ recommends grades 4 to 6.

Learn more at HCL, Barnes and Noble, and here.