Way Down Deep

Way Down Deep

Written by: Ruth White

Elementary and Junior High Grades

"In the summer of 1944, a red-headed, curly-haired toddler mysteriously appeared on the courthouse steps in Way Down Deep, WV. No trace of how she got there or to whom she belonged was ever found. For 10 years Ruby June has lived a happy, comfortable life, well loved and cared for by Miss Arbutus Ward, owner of the local boardinghouse. The arrival of a new family in town sets in motion the unraveling of Ruby's past and the mystery of her appearance. In the process, readers are introduced to a colorful cast of characters who not only add to the rich Appalachian tone of the novel, but also lace it together with sweet humor, timeless truths, and expert foreshadowing. At first thought to be the senile ramblings of Mr. Bird Reeder, a former resident of Yonder Mountain, VA, bits of information lead Ruby to discover that she might be the child thought to have been carried off by a panther years earlier. She learns of her parents' death when she was a baby, that she has family living on top of the mountain, and of her mystical connections to Miss Ward. Captivating and thoughtful on many levels, White's novel offers humor, mystery, and a feel-good ending that a multitude of readers will find satisfying "way down deep."

School Library Journal Review

Web Resources:
http://kidswings.com/2008waydowndeep.html

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez

Written by: Kathleen Krull
Illustrated by: Yuyi Morales

Elementary and Junior High Grades

"Cesar Chavez is known as one of America's greatest civil rights leaders. When he led a 340-mile peaceful protest march through California, he ignited a cause and improved the lives of thousands of migrant farmworkers. But Cesar wasn't always a leader. As a boy, he was shy and teased at school. His family slaved in the fields for barely enough money to survive. Cesar knew things had to change, and he thought that—maybe—he could help change them. So he took charge. He spoke up. And an entire country listened."

Publishers Review

Web Resources:
http://www.chavezfoundation.org/
http://litplans.com/titles/Harvesting_Hope_the_Story_of_Cesar_Chavez_Kathleen_Krull.html

Becoming Naomi Leon

Becoming Naomi Leon

Written by: Pam Munoz Ryan

Elementary and Junior High Grades

"Naomi and her brother Owen have been living happily for seven years with Gram, their great-grandmother, at Avocado Acres Trailer Rancho in Lemon Tree, California. When the mother who abandoned them shows up after a long absence, eleven-year-old Naomi is confused about her feelings. Soon Naomi learns about her mother's true motives, comes to trust Gram's ongoing devotion more than ever, and starts to unravel the mystery surrounding her father Santiago. A whirlwind trailer ride to Mexico, a new extended family that embraces her, and her participation in a local festival all help Naomi understand her León heritage and develop her own strength and determination. As these events unfold, Naomi begins to prepare for her greatest test — the day in court when her very future depends on speaking her truth — and she becomes who she is meant to be — the Naomi Soledad León Outlaw, Naomi the lioness, of her wildest dreams."

Scholastic Press

Web Resources:
http://www.pammunozryan.com/naomi.html
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/collateral.jsp?id=1431

Esparanza Rising

Esparanza Rising

Written by: Pam Munoz Ryan

Elementary and Junior High Grades

"Esperanza Ortega possesses all the treasures a young girl could want: fancy dresses; a beautiful home filled with servants in the bountiful region of Aguascalientes, Mexico; and the promise of one day rising to Mama’s position and presiding over all of Rancho de las Rosas. But a sudden tragedy shatters that dream, forcing Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. There they confront the challenges of hard work, acceptance by their own people, and economic difficulties brought on by the Great Depression. When Mama falls ill from Valley Fever and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must relinquish her hold on the past and learn to embrace a future ripe with the riches of family and community. Pam Muñoz Ryan eloquently portrays the Mexican workers’ plight in this abundant and passionate novel that gives voice to those who have historically been denied one."

Scholastic Press

Web Resources:
http://www.pammunozryan.com/esper.html
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/unitplan.jsp?id=207

Nightjohn

Nightjohn

Written by: Gary Paulsen

Junior High and High School Grades

Hardship, struggle, abuse marked the lives of slaves working on plantations in the 1850’s. Award winning author Gary Paulsen breathes life into this dark period in American History in his book Nightjohn through Sarny, a twelve-year old slave girl struggling to find her way on a southern plantation. Sarny’s life changes for the better in ways she never dreamt were possible when she meets Nightjohn, a new slave on the plantation. This is a moving story about the power of friendship in the face of a dark period of American history.

Web Resources:
http://litplans.com/titles/Nightjohn_Gary_Paulsen.html
http://www.slaveryinamerica.org/amliterature/amlit_lp_nightjohn_overviewunit.htm

The Year of the Dog

The Year of the Dog

Written by: Grace Lin

Elementary Grades

"A lighthearted coming-of-age novel with a cultural twist. Readers follow Grace, an American girl of Taiwanese heritage, through the course of one year–The Year of the Dog–as she struggles to integrate her two cultures. Throughout the story, her parents share their own experiences that parallel events in her life. These stories serve a dual purpose; they draw attention to Graces cultural background and allow her to make informed decisions. She and her two sisters are the only Taiwanese-American children at school until Melody arrives. The girls become friends and their common backgrounds illuminate further differences between the American and Taiwanese cultures."

School Library Journal Review

Web Resources:
http://www.mcelmeel.com/curriculum/childrenslit/gracelin_bykirstenrendell.html

Red Scarf Girl

Red Scarf Girl

Written by: Ji-Li Jiang

High School Grades

"This award-winning memoir of a shattered childhood recalls a haunting time which chills the soul. At almost every turn, we listen to the heart-pounding struggle of a little girl, and her struggle between her belief in Chairman Mao and the Communist Party, and her beloved family. Writing with powerful simplicity and unblinking understatement, Ji-li makes the Cultural Revolution meaningful to children as well as adults. Red Scarf Girl stands beside The Diary of Anne Frank and Zlata's Diary, and forever changes the way we see the world and ourselves."

Publishers Review

Web Resources:
http://www.jilijiang.com/red-scarf-girl/
http://www.harperchildrens.com/schoolhouse/TeachersGuides/redscarf.htm