Making our way through life successfully requires healthy doses of courage and the ability to think clearly.
Everyone makes mistakes; it’s part of being human. Remembering our mistakes helps us to avoid repeating them, and learning from those mistakes helps us grow. Accomplishing that requires that we are honest with ourselves, objective about what we see and willing to forgive ourselves to move forward in a positive way.
The outline of that plan might sound simple, but sticking to it isn’t always the easiest thing to do; it takes courage and a clear mind.
In life we all need helpers to teach, guide and provide a hand-up. Books can help fulfill that role of the helper, and that’s precisely what you’ll find in today’s reviewed selections. Each offers a different perspective on courage and clear thinking. In their distinctive ways, these books are helpers and reading them is time well spent.
Books to borrow
The following book is available at many public libraries.
“Hunger” by Donna Jo Napoli, Simon & Schuster, 259 pages
Read aloud: 9 – 12.
Read yourself: age 9 – 12.
In Ireland, 1846, 12-year-old Lorraine and her family had always had a hard but happy life, scratching out a meager living as farmers from the land they leased from a greedy English lord.
As tenant farmers their crops were few, but enough to keep them fed and a bit extra to sell. Like most farmers across Ireland, their main staple crop was potatoes, but this fall their crop had all but failed. Lorraine’s family wasn’t alone. A dreadful fungus had attacked the potato crop across the country. It had happened the previous year; no one imagined it would happen again.
How would Lorraine and her family survive the long winter and beyond? Their farmer neighbors were in the same dire situation, yet the wealthy English lord had made it clear there would be no “handouts” on his property. As people became thinner and weaker from hunger and starvation, disease quickly crept in. Would Lorraine have the courage, strength and ingenuity to help her family survive?
A sweeping, stirring historical novel based on the true deadly disaster known as the Irish Potato Famine (also known as the Great Famine), “Hunger” is a powerful story of courage, family, friendship and love.
Librarian’s choice
Library: Robesonia Community Library, 75-A South Brooke St., Robesonia
Library director: Madison Riehl
Youth services coordinator: Leah Ruth
Choices this week: “Mr. Putter and Tabby See the Stars” by Cynthia Rylant; “How Rocket Learned to Read” by Tad Hills; “Hatchet” by Gary Paulsen
Books to buy
The following books are available at favorite bookstores.
“The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Everything” written and illustrated by Nadia Ahmed, Beaming Books, 2024, 40 pages, $18.99 hardcover
Read aloud: age 4 – 7.
Read yourself: age 6 – 7.
Finn is a young ghost who is afraid of many things. His older brother and younger sister don’t worry about anything, and although they try to get Finn to join them as they fly high among the trees, Finn is simply too afraid.
Finn’s family loves him just the way he is, and although Finn is too afraid to join in Halloween fun, his siblings always bring back candy to share with him. But this Halloween his siblings forgot to save him his favorite candy, Chocolate Bats, Finn decides that next Halloween he will fly with his family, face his fears and return with his own Chocolate Bats. He has an entire year to practice. Will he be able to conquer his insecurities?
A delightful story in words and illustrations, “The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Everything” will inspire children to be more courageous and resilient, whatever fears they may be facing.
“Popi’s All Souls Song” by C.K. Malone, illustrated by Shelly Swann, Beaming Books, 2024, 32 pages, $18.99 hardcover
Read aloud: age 4 – 7.
Read yourself: age 6 – 7.
For as long as young Mara could remember, on All Souls Day she and her grandparents would visit the homes in their community and sing a song of comfort to those who mourned the death of a loved one. The song was always the same, and their annual ritual brought much consolation to their neighbors.
This year, Mara and Nene have lost Popi, and they are both filled with sadness and grief. Mara doesn’t understand why they are proceeding with their yearly visit when no one has come to their home to sing to them.
Nene explains that grief can’t be measured, and that it’s not for anyone to judge whose loss is the greatest. When Mara notices her grandmother is struggling with her own loss, Mara decides it’s up to her to help her grandmother and finish the procession alone. What Mara discovers is that bringing comfort to others helps to comfort her as well, in more ways than one.
A deeply moving story, “Popi’s All Souls Song” gently teaches important lessons on empathy, courage and caring for one another.
Nationally syndicated, Kendal Rautzhan writes and lectures on children’s literature. She can be reached at kendal.rautzhan27@gmail.com.
Source: Berkshire mont