In the small colonial community of Victoria in 1861, sixteen-year-old Kate Harding is trying to help her mother as she is about to give premature birth in their home. While mother and daughter make it through the grueling ordeal with the help of a local midwife, the baby does not live. The irony of this tragic event is that Kate’s father is one of the few doctors in the colony, but he was out tending to other patients at the time. Wild Bird takes readers up close as a young girl yearns to find her place through meaningful work, while the author describes the ways in which Indigenous people relate to the recently arrived settlers.
Intermediate (ages 9-14)
Material appropriate for intermediate age groups
Alien Nation
A wordless picture book instilled with wonder and curiosity as readers embark on a subway ride in an alien world.
Tish
This is the story about Tish, an imaginary friend who is forgotten by the children who made him real. Readers join Tish on his journey with three children who make him real and ultimately inspire him to do a bit of believing himself.
Momo Arashima Breaks The Mirror Of The Sun
When kids begin to disappear, Momo teams up with the magical fox spirit, Niko, and her friends to confront a dangerous enemy from Shinto legend, Tamamo no mae, and embark on a quest to the Sky Kingdom to steal the legendary Mirror of the Sun to save their world.
The Feather Necklace
Inspired by Peru’s Western Amazonia and the people who live there, The Feather Necklace tells the story of Tulio, a scientist who journeys deep into the Amazon jungle and makes an astonishing discovery. But with no camera, how will he prove what he discovered?
The Great Bear: The Misewa Saga, Book Two
The second book of the Misewa Saga series, described as the Narnia-inspired Indigenous fantasy series, The Great Bear continues the story of Eli and Morgan as they journey back in time to Misewa to visit their animal friends in search of answers and solace as they navigate the perils of personal issues back home. But upon their return they learn that the village is in danger again and that in order to find strength to protect their friends they must dig deep within themselves. But will they be able to carry this strength back home with them as they navigate their own personal challenges?
The Stone Child: The Misewa Saga, Book Three
The third book in the Misewa Saga fantasy series, where it is a race against time to save Eli after being discovered near-lifeless at the base of the Great Tree. In order to save him Morgan will have to ask for help, from friends new and old. With Arik and Emily at her side, they journey on the path away from the Great Tree where they must enter the northern woods, a place they have been warned to never enter. Here they must face new challenges as they encounter life-threatening attacks from horrifying creatures. But with a surprise ally coming to their aid, Morgan discovers the strength she needs to focus on saving her brother’s life, the thing that is most important.
The Portal Keeper: The Misewa Saga, Book Four
The fourth book in the Misewa Saga, The Portal Keeper takes readers on an adventure as Eli and Morgan experience life-changing revelations. While exploring the newly discovered area of Aski, World’s End, Eli struggles to comprehend his new found power of being able to locate a portal, while Morgan and Emily take delight in their developing relationship. But a turn of events takes them to the Ministik Village, where its animal inhabitants are going missing. The children vow to help by turning to friends, once again, but it is getting harder to maintain the separation of two worlds, especially when details of a traditional legend can change everything forever.
Wild Poppies
Two brothers, Omar and Sufyan, strive to reunite as they endure the turmoil of the Syrian War. With the passing of their father, Omar tries to be the man and head of his family of Syrian refugees, but in his youngest brother’s eyes, he has failed. While Omar waits in line for rations, younger brother, Sufyan, explores nontraditional methods to provide for the family by getting involved with a group that provides large rewards for doing, what seems to be, inconsequential tasks, despite his older brother’s warnings. As Sufyan’s involvement gets more intense, resulting in his separation from the family, it becomes up to bookish Omar to rescue his little brother and reunite them with their family.
Run For Your Life
Azari’s life is split in two, but what links them? Running. Sometimes she runs because she wants to, but sometimes she runs because she has no other choice. When Azari and her mother flee to Ireland as refugees, they find themselves in a center for asylum seekers, Direct Provision. Here they must room with a stranger, eat unfamiliar food they don’t the names of, and are forced to answer intrusive questions from the authorities. Azari has secrets, but will she ever be able to stop running?