The Blues Singers: Ten Who Rocked the World

The Blues Singers: Ten Who Rocked the World (Lester, Julius; 2001; 47 pages; ISBN 0786824050) 

Award-winning author Julius Lester writes this book, highlighting 10 notable blues singers, as a letter to his granddaughter in order to preserve their stories for this younger generation.

(Ages 9-12)

I See the Rhythm

I See the Rhythm (Wood, Michele and Igus, Toyomi; 1998; Children's Book Press; 32 pages; ISBN 9780892391516) 

Interesting information about the history of African American music is combined with poetry and beautiful art in this book, which made several best book lists for 1999-2002 and won the Coretta Scott King award. 

(Ages 8 and up)

Cool Hip-Hop Music: Create and Appreciate What Makes Music Great!

Cool Hip-Hop Music: Create and Appreciate What Makes Music Great! (Kenney, Karen Latchana; ) 2008; ABDO Publications; ISBN 9781599289717)

This book focuses on hip-hop music and how to create it; it also includes information about hip-hop dancing, with instructions for some fundamental moves.

(Ages 8-12)

--

History of Rock

History of Rock (Rosen, Steven; 2009, Crabtree Publications; 32 pages; ISBN 9780778738237)

Short blocks of text and many photos make this an accessible title for a range of readers, from reluctant to eager.  A concise book with relevant information for anyone interested in this genre of music.

(Ages 8-14)

The Girls' Guide to Rocking: How to Start a Band, Book Gigs, and Get Rolling to Rock Stardom

The Girls' Guide to Rocking: How to Start a Band, Book Gigs, and Get Rolling to Rock Stardom (Hopper, Jessica, 2010, 229 pages; ISBN 9780761151418)

Engaging photos, practical information, and user-friendly organization all make this a good choice for budding musicians, or any young people interested in bands for that matter.  Though the title--and many of the photos of female bands and artists--targets a female audience, the content of this book is also relevant for male rockers. 

(Ages 12-18)

Brain Camp

 Brain Camp (Kim, Susan and Klavan, Laurence; 2010; 160 p., ISBN 9781596433663)

Summer camp takes a scary spin in this tale of Lucas and Jenna, two kids from different backgrounds who are invited to the exalted Camp Fielding--although neither Lucas nor Jenna is considered an especially great student.  They expect to roast marshmallows with the smart kids, but instead find themselves in the middle of a horror story!

Montage of graphics from the book is here.

(Ages 10+) 

Zeus: King of the Gods

Zeus: King of the Gods (O’Connor, George; 2010;  76 p., ISBN 9781596436251)

The story of Zeus told in graphic novel form, beginning with his first task of overthrowing his own father, Kronos.  This is a fast-paced book that appeals to a wide range of readers, including the most reluctant of the bunch because of its graphic format.

(Ages 9-12)

Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection

 Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection (edited by Matt Dembicki, 2010; 231 p., ISBN 9781555917241)

This collection of Native American stories includes a variety of “tricksters” such as Coyote, Rabbit, and Raven.  Stories include morals explained in a natural setting.

(Ages 10+) 

Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence

Fist stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence (Canada, Geoffrey; 1995; 179 p. ISBN 9780807004227)

Canada narrates his own stories, often gritty, of life on the streets of the Bronx in the 1950s. Today, Canada is a well known educator. In the 1950s, he was a boy being raised, along with his brothers, by his mother after his father left. He tells a series of stories in both personal narrative and graphic novel form.


(Ages 11+)

Fever 1793

Fever 1793 (Anderson, Laurie Halse; 2000, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; 251 p., ISBN 9780689838583)

If the cover art with the close up of a yellowed eye does not grab you, the plot of this gripping novel will.  The story opens with a description of protagonist Mathilda (Mattie) Cook waking up on a sweltering August day in Philadelphia, 1793.  A buzzing mosquito—an ominous sign of the tragedy to come—provides the background noise as Mattie begins her morning routine of dressing and helping her widowed mother with chores.  The Cooks run a coffee house, popular in Philadelphia during this period, as the author explains in the appendix.  Her mother is all work and efficiency with no joy since Mattie’s father died.  Her grandfather, a celebrated war hero, adds humor and the gift of storytelling to Mattie’s life while helping with the coffee house.  But when their assistant, a young, healthy girl, dies suddenly from a fever, things go downhill fast.

The story follows the true account of the yellow fever epidemic in Philadelphia that killed 5,000 people in a matter of months.  Each chapter begins with the date (the story moves ver y quickly, in part because the timeline is so short) and a quote from a Philadelphan from that time which corresponds with the progress of the fever’s plague.  These details, along with mentions of actual politicians such as then President Washington, lend vivid color to this story that is already fascinating, thanks to Anderson’s concise, descriptive writing.  Philadelphia was the nation’s capital at this time, and the images of people boarding up and abandoning their homes and, in some cases, their ill relatives, is especially striking given this fact.

In addition to addressing the health epidemic, the story also includes themes of family, budding love, and the emerging role of free African Americans in the country at this time.  As with all of her books, this is a title to add to the bookshelf of any school library.

The Million Dollar Putt

The Million Dollar Putt (Gutman, Dan, 2006, 169 p. ISBN 9780786836413)

Edward “Bogie” Bogard may be blind, but that has never stopped him from participating in any number of activities, including sports. His neighbor Birdie (love the names) is a sighted girl who never tries anything new, until Bogie helps her. In turn, Birdie wants to coach Bogie in a million-dollar golf tournament. Bogie serves as a great symbol of confidence and support compensating for physical handicaps. Gutman also wrote Million Dollar Shot, Million Dollar Kick, Million Dollar Goal, and Million Dollar Strike.

The Toilet Paper Tigers

The Toilet Paper Tigers (Korman, Gordon, 1993; 195 p. ISBN 9780590462303)

Being on a Little League team named after bath tissue is not the only problem Corey Johnson is facing. The seventh grader finds himself on a team severely lacking in talent and a clueless coach who is soon pushed aside by a 12-year-old girl from New York. An especially good read for tween boys.

Lawn Boy

Lawn Boy (Paulsen, Gary, 2007, 88 p. ISBN 9780385909235)

Masterful Paulsen describes a small-time plan for a 12-year-old boy to earn enough money to buy a bike tire—by mowing lawns with a newly-inherited riding mower—quickly grows into a windfall and a lesson in money management. This short, funny story is appealing to a wide range of readers, but its length makes it particularly good for reluctant readers.