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OUTSTANDING! – November 2021

Each month we post an annotated bibliography of books that were rated ‘Outstanding’ at our previous month’s meeting and nominated for our year-end Distinguished List.  Members can see full reviews of these books and many more in the November edition of BayViews.  Not a member?  Join, come to our (currently virtual) monthly meetings, and hear about these Outstanding books “in person”!

Picture books

Milo Imagines the World, written by Matt De la Peña, illustrated by Christian Robinson, Putnam, 2021.

Words and illustrations unite in a story rich in rhythm,

detail, charm and humanity. On a subway ride, darkskinned

Milo draws his fellow passengers’ lives.

Chance and literal self-reflection come together in a

surprise ending, causing him to reimagine his world. (Grades K-3).

Listen, written by Gabi Snyder, illustrated by Stephanie Graegin, Simon & Schuster, 2021.

Barraged by a multicultural city’s noise, a young girl

pauses: consciously separating sounds, building

awareness and empathy throughout the school day.

Charming digital and colored pencil illustrations radiate

calm. Use of onomatopoeia adds to the message. An

afterword explains aspects of hearing. (Grades K-3).

Fiction

All Our Hidden Gifts, written by Caroline O’Donoughue, Walker, 2021. 

Maeve discovers a deck of tarot cards during

detention. An emotionally charged reading of her

former best friend Lily results in Maeve wishing Lily

would disappear, and when Lily does, it becomes clear

that supernatural forces are afoot in their small Irish

town. A fun, witchy read with real heart. (Grades 9-12).

Just Like That, written by Gary Schmidt, Clarion, 2021.

Schmidt’s third novel in the Wednesday War trilogy

follows Meryl Lee Kowalski to Maine where she

struggles to recover from a personal tragedy, while

learning to understand the lives around her and

exploring human relationships across many lines, from

gender to class, race to politics. (Grades 7-12).

Too Small Tola, written by Atinuke, illustrated by Onyinye Iwu, Candlewick, 2021.

Set in Nigeria, three witty stories are packed with

details, emotions and observations perfect for children.

Each spread is enlivened with humorous line drawings.

Tola’s relatable challenges result in heartwarming

triumphs, making this a superb choice for newly

confident readers or reading aloud. (Grades 1-4).

Biography

Genius Under the Table, The: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain, written and illustrated by Eugene Yelchin, Candlewick, 2021.

Yelchin’s memoir of growing up Jewish in 1960’s

Communist Leningrad, USSR, mixes personal stories

with comments on the Cold War and related politics in

this warm and revelatory book. The chapters are

augmented with ink cartoon drawings on nearly every

page which help convey the story. (Grades 5-9).

Nonfiction

From a Whisper to a Rallying Cry: The Killing of Vincent Chin and the Trial that Galvanized the Asian American Movement, written by Paula Yoo, Norton, 2021.

Paula Yoo’s analysis of Vincent Chin’s brutal 1982

Detroit murder explores the racism of the city and time

which caused his death, the deep flaws in the legal

system and the remarkable ripple effect which Chin’s

community’s response to the killing had on the Asian

American movement nationwide. (Grades 8-Adult).

Without Separation: Prejudice, Segregation, and the Case of Roberto Alvarez, written by Larry Dane Brimner, illustrated by Maya Gonzalez, Calkins Creek, 2021.

In 1931 in Lemon Grove, California, the school board

built a grand new school, but sent all the Mexican-

American students to a wooden barn-like building for

instruction. Families sued with the lead plaintiff

Roberto Alvarezto prove this segregation was racial

prejudice, and won. (Grades 1-5).

Published on Dec 27, 2021
Posted by: pennypeck
Categories: Outstanding Books of the Month, Review

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