BookPage Children’s Top Pick, November 2017

The year is 1919. In Great Britain, World War I has ended, but the scars of that terrible conflict remain, both for veterans and bereaved families. Twelve-year-old Henry (short for Henrietta) and her family have come from London to spend the summer in the countryside. They’re seeking to heal from a different tragedy: Henry’s older brother has died in a fire, devastating them all, especially Henry’s mother.

“Coming to live here at Hope House was supposed to make Mama better,” Henry says, “but she wasn’t getting better, she was getting worse. It was as if she was becoming a ghost.”

Ghosts are an underlying theme in Lucy Strange’s poignant debut, published earlier in the U.K. to critical acclaim. At times, Henry imagines conversations with her brother. But one ghost in Nightingale Wood turns out to be real: a ghostly pale, witch-like woman named Moth.

When Henry’s father departs for several months of work abroad, he leaves the nanny in charge and his wife in the care of the disreputable Dr. Hardy. Increasingly, Henry feels like she’s losing control of her family. The situation escalates when the doctor insists Henry’s baby sister would be better cared for by his wife, and he commits Henry’s mother to a mental institution. Can Henry find adult allies to help her?

As with Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s The War I Finally Won, set during World War II, this evocative novel explores a time period little known to American children. And while a note on the historical period would be a welcome addition, young readers will nevertheless identify with Henry’s desire to find a way to hold her family together—and find hope again.

Deborah Hopkinson lives near Portland, Oregon. Her most recent book for young readers is Independence Cake.

This article was originally published in the November 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Orphan Davy David barely manages to scrape by. He keeps to the fringes of town, spending his days in the aging Brownvale library and steering clear of Mr. Kite, who grabs vagrants, throws them in his filthy truck and sells them off.

Davy sleeps near the pauper’s graveyard where his mother is buried, taking refuge in a nest of tangled tree roots. Every day, he paints elaborate archangels in the dirt—but never signs his name.

Circumstances lead Davy to a ramshackle, shuttered museum. Miss Elizabeth Flint, the elderly curator, lives there among dinosaur bones, rocks and relics. With a sour face and a sharp tongue, she’s on a mission. She hires Davy to chauffeur her to her childhood home, where she plans to end her life.

The trip proves monumental. Davy has never driven before, and when the car breaks down, he and Miss Flint steal a truck. With the police on their trail, something strange begins to happen. Nearly 80 years old when they leave Brownvale, Miss Flint gradually grows younger, becoming more vigorous before Davey’s eyes. Confused but undaunted, they persist on the perilous journey. When the two reach Miss Flint’s home, her painful family story is revealed, changing her life and Davy’s forever.

The Road to Ever After is filled with luminous, insightful characters. Moira Young’s writing delights, inspires and challenges us in this more than epic tale of life, love, hope and loss. The beauty and magic of The Road to Ever After will linger long after the book’s covers are reluctantly closed.

Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Like its townsfolk, Lenburh is a quiet, meager place where very little ever happens. But when two of its most unlikely heroes stumble upon an enchanted, talking blade in Have Sword, Will Travel, they embark upon an adventure that will alter the courses of their lives forever—exposing them to unseen lands, unparalleled knights and unimaginable beasts, any of which could enhance or end them.

Odo, the miller’s hefty son, and Eleanor, the healer’s quick-witted daughter, have been best friends since childhood. One ordinary day, they find an ancient sword at the bottom of their nearly dried-up river. To their surprise, the sword is a magical one, and it wakes up, boldly introduces itself as Biter and knights Odo on the spot—even though Eleanor is clearly better suited for the title. Biter demands that the new Sir Odo and squire Eleanor earn their designations by taking on the task of a knight, so they suggest solving the only obvious problem they can think of: the drying-up river. Unknowingly, this leads Odo and Eleanor on a grand quest wherein they’ll need to work together with Biter to fight against and outsmart a collection of unexpected enemies who have long since lost their sense of chivalry and honor.

New York Times bestselling authors Garth Nix and Sean Williams have crafted a fun adventure tale with underlying complexity, in which our simple protagonists soon learn that their world is far more mischievous, malevolent and magical than they’d ever imagined. While simultaneously playing into many tropes of the high fantasy genre, Nix and Williams also comment on them in their own ways, making their readers reconsider everything they’d ever learned about mythical beasts and enchanted weapons.

Justin Barisich is a freelancer, satirist, poet and performer living in Atlanta. More of his writing can be found at littlewritingman.com.

“You can know things all you like, but that doesn’t mean you believe them,” says 11-year-old Ada Smith at the start of this luminous sequel to Kimberly Brubaker Bradley’s Newbery Honor-winning The War That Saved My Life, also set in World War II England.

The story, which spans three years, begins at a time when Ada knows many things she doesn’t truly believe: that she and her little brother, Jamie, are safe with their guardian, Susan, who loves them; that the operation on her club foot is successful; and that she no longer needs to be afraid of her mother. The novel also explores many things Ada doesn’t know: the meanings of words (leading to the much-appreciated gift of a dictionary); the complicated ways in which people can love; and the notion that people can have differing religious beliefs. She confronts the latter head-on when a Jewish refugee girl named Ruth joins their household to be tutored in math by Susan.

The novel also takes on class differences. Susan, Ada and Jamie are offered the chance to live in a cottage owned by Lady Thorton, who in turn joins the household when her manor is taken over by the war department. This leads (perhaps especially for adult readers, to some of the novel’s lighter moments, as Ada teaches Lady Thorton how to cook, and in return, Lady Thorton treats Ada to an excursion in London.

In fact, while Ada is at the center of the novel, each member of this thrown-together family ends up fighting his or her own war—journeys through grief, loss and acceptance. By the end, Ada is able to conquer her own fears and garner the ability to help others begin to heal.

Bradley has crafted a remarkable and accessible story of resilience, friendship and acceptance of others. The War I Finally Won is not only a compelling look at history but also an important book for our time.

Deborah Hopkinson lives near Portland, Oregon. Her most recent book for young readers is Independence Cake.

Many of us would give our eyeteeth to spend a few days with the Vanderbeeker family in their comfy brownstone apartment in Harlem. Father is warm and funny, and Mother bakes the best Christmas cookies ever. Ida and Jessie, 12-year-old twins, are unique and multitalented, and Oliver, the only boy, sleeps in a tiny closet bedroom crowded with books. The youngest Vanderbeekers are Hyacinth, shy and crafty, and charming Laney, just 4 and always ready with a hug. Two dogs and a pet rabbit round out the chaos.

The story of the Vanderbeekers begins with a ticking clock. Just before Christmas, the family’s cranky landlord tells them their lease will not be renewed. They must move by New Year’s Day. As the hardworking parents consider where to relocate, the kids are devastated. They devise “Operation Biederman” to convince the mean-spirited landlord to let them stay. With deceptively simple language, author Karina Yan Glaser weaves an intricate tapestry using strands of each child’s personality—their hopes, dreams and special talents. With poignancy and humor, Glaser succeeds in creating an unsentimental portrayal of a loving, biracial family whose strength lies in their connection to each other, their creativity and tenacity.

The old brownstone and the Harlem neighborhood become characters, but the children remain the heroes of the story. Their inventiveness and belief that they will win over “the Biederman” through acts of kindness are fully credible and heartwarming. Glaser’s debut novel will leave readers begging for more.

Billie B. Little is the Founding Director of Discovery Center at Murfree Spring, a hands-on museum in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Mustaches and the magic of cards unexpectedly come in handy when a brain tumor challenges a brave 12-year-old girl.

Maddie Bridger always earns some chuckles when she dons a fake mustache. Even the teachers let out a laugh when she pulls a mustache from her pocket and slaps it on her face during her school’s Shakespeare play audition. Maddie’s classmate Cassie has high expectations of becoming Juliet, but when Maddie ends up landing the role, their friendship is strained, and Cassie begins bullying Maddie. Fortunately, Maddie is used to battling monsters—mostly imaginary ones, especially when she’s playing ninja-like games with the other fifth graders. But when the results of an MRI show that she has a brain tumor “about the size of two and a half golf balls,” Maddie knows that she has a real monster to face.

Authors Chad Morris (the Cragbridge Hall series) and Shelly Brown (Ghostsitter) are the parents of a real-life girl named Maddie, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor at 9. Their tale reflects the ups and downs of a young person braving such a terrifying journey. Morris and Brown capture the interests of middle grade readers from the get-go with Maddie’s high-energy, imaginative narration and her love for sporting fake mustaches. But the story doesn’t end there. Amid surgeries (she ends up having two within one year), there are topics that Maddie ruminates on, such as life, friendship and the importance of accepting oneself.

Very funny yet poignant, Mustaches for Maddie is an encouraging read.

“The thing that is essential to becoming an artist, something kids do and artists keep on doing after they grow up, is play,” writes Vik Muniz at the start of this fascinating, innovative (and, as evidenced by the title, most definitely playful) book. Defying simple categorization, it’s a combination of autobiography and personal memoir, art lesson and reflections on making art in today’s world.

Perhaps most of all, it’s like being on a studio visit. And that, in fact, is what inspired the project. We see the Brazilian-born Muniz talking to children in his studio, along with pictures of his early drawings. The feel of a personal, dynamic question-and-answer session is enhanced by photos of the artist as he leads viewers and readers on a journey through his artistic process.

Muniz encourages young people to try out ideas on their own, as readers are invited to participate directly. “One of the ideas I play with is RECOGNITION,” he writes, opposite a photo of a cloud shape. “What do you see here?” Lifting the flaps provides three possible shapes for the cloud formation. It’s unusual to have such an interactive design in books for this age. It’s not only fun, but it also works on many levels.

Another appealing aspect is the way the format makes the artistic process so accessible for children. On one page, for example, Muniz explains, “I don’t want people to simply see a representation of something. I want them to see how it comes about.” To do that, he tells us, he decided to use thread as a medium. Readers see not only a photo of a finished work but the artistic context and creative steps that underpin it.

With a glossary and guide to museums and further online reading, Jelly, Garbage + Toys is a rich visual treasure-trove, a book to be savored not just by young artists but by art lovers of all ages.

With her debut novel for young readers, award-winning memoirist Mira Bartók creates a classic, Dickensian-style adventure story populated with endearing characters, a steampunk atmosphere and an enduring message of hope.

For the Wonderling, a meek, one-eared fox boy, life has always been hard. Without a name, family or history to his knowledge, he is called by a number, Thirteen, and sent to Miss Carbunkle’s Home, where he toils miserably with the rest of the part-animal, part-human “groundlings.” The boy’s life is a lonely one, until one day, fate and courage combine to bring him his first friend in the form of a precocious bird groundling named Trinket. The two bond quickly, and Trinket bestows upon the boy a priceless gift: his own proper name. She dubs him Arthur, after the brave king. But little does Arthur know how soon his own bravery will be put to the test, as he and Trinket plan their escape from the Home and journey toward the great city of Lumentown in the hope of finding answers about Arthur’s origins.

This novel joins riotous exploits with heartfelt wisdom. The palpable grime and callousness of the city, as well as the rag-tag band of merry thieves that Arthur finds there, hearken back to Victorian-era adventure stories, giving the narrative a timeless feel. But the most notable element of this story is the pervading message of hope—that no matter how dark the world may seem, there is always light to be found, whether it be in friendship, in the simple sounds of nature or in the countless other small wonders around us.

Marty is the perfect dog—he’s loyal, smart, learns tricks, and everyone seems to love him. Unfortunately, Marty happens to be a 350-pound pig. In Saving Marty by Paul Griffin, 11-year-old Lorenzo Ventura has to figure out how to convince him mom to let him keep Marty, whom he has raised since he was the runt of the litter, while Marty keeps making things more difficult by chewing through fences and running over mailboxes.

Life isn’t particularly easy for Lorenzo, his mom and his grandfather, Double Pop (or just Double, as Lorenzo calls him). Their peach farm is failing, Double’s knee needs to be replaced, and money seems to get tighter each month. Lorenzo is also struggling to accept that his best friend, Paloma, is getting the opportunity to live out their dream at a summer camp for musicians, and he’s dealing with difficult truths about his father, who died just a week before Lorenzo was born. Then there are the Taylor boys, who think that Marty would make particularly good ham steaks.

Saving Marty quickly goes beyond a light story about a boy and his pig. It’s filled with friendship, loss, understanding, acceptance and what it means to be a family, and readers will find themselves caught up in the melodic words of this story. Renzo and Pal, Marty, Mom and Double draw readers into their stories, their lives, their songs. And in the end, maybe Marty isn’t the one who needs to be saved, but instead might do the saving.

Readers first met Corinne La Mer in Tracey Baptiste’s The Jumbies, in which she defeated the malevolent jumbie Severine, who fell to the depths of the sea and was crushed by rockfall. While on her quest to restore peace to her Caribbean island, Corinne discovered she wasn’t just part jumbie—an evil spirit or trickster—but that Severine was her tante (French for aunt). At the revelation of her blood ties, many ostracized the youngster, and tensions have yet to dissolve.

In the captivating sequel, Rise of the Jumbies, islanders’ tempers and accusations against Corrine flare when neighboring children vanish. To clear her own name and find the missing, Corinne seek the help of sea-dwelling jumbie Mama D’Leau, who’s known for entrapping the naive and turning the wisest of men into stone.

Mama D’Leau agrees to help Corrine and her friends Bouki, Dru and Malik—for a price. A quick trip to an unknown land leagues away seems like a fair trade in Mama D’Leau’s icy blue eyes. To guide them on their quest, Mama D’Leau partners Corrine and her crew with four mermaids, and the serpentine jumbie sends them to the shores of West Africa to pilfer a long-lost treasure. But will Mama D’Leau hold up her end of the bargain if the group returns victorious? Or is there another game piece at play that prevents even the goddess of the ocean from intervening?

Rise of the Jumbies is a captivating tale that hooks readers from the onset and doesn’t let go. The imagery is crisp and nuanced, the leading characters are gutsy yet kindhearted, and the villains are just the right amount of wicked for middle schoolers. Baptiste’s inventive story is based on Haitian folklore, a nod to her Trinidadian culture. Readers learn about diverse characters, are exposed to Francophone terminology and even take a brief dip into an age-appropriate account of the Transatlantic slave trade.

If you’re looking for a story that’s original, action-packed and inspiring, look no further than Rise of the Jumbies.

Kaitlyn Wells is a freelance writer based in New York City. Find her on KaitWells.com and Twitter at @KaitWells.