Ten-year-old Bamse and his Jewish friend Anton participate in the Danish Resistance during World War II.
Hitler’s Canary
Intermediate (ages 9-14)
Material appropriate for intermediate age groups
The Lacemaker and the Princess
Eleven-year-old Isabelle is a lace maker in the town of Versailles. One day as she delivers lace to the palace, she is almost trampled by a crowd of courtiers — only to be rescued by Marie Antoinette. Before Isabelle can believe it, she has a new job — companion to the queen’s daughter. Isabelle is given a fashionable name, fashionable dresses — a new identity. At home she plies her needle under her grandmother’s disapproving eye. At the palace she is playmate to a princess. Thrown into a world of luxury, Isabelle is living a fairy-tale life. But this facade begins to crumble when rumors of starvation in the countryside lead to whispers of revolution. How can Isabelle reconcile the ugly things she hears in the town with the kind family she knows in the palace? And which side is she truly on? Inspired by an actual friendship between the French princess and a commoner who became her companion, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley offers a vivid portrait of life inside the palace of Versailles — and a touching tale of two friends divided by class and the hunger for equality and freedom that fueled the French Revolution.
Fiesta Feminina: Celebrating Women in Mexican Folktale
Deep in the lush Mexican forests, amidst the tall mountains and the rushing rivers, dwells a great goddess. Her broad torso bends to form the sky and her legs rise to become the valleys and deserts. She is the earth, the land of Mexico, and if you listen closely, you will hear her calling “tengo hambre, tengo hambre,” for she is always hungry. Gifted storyteller Mary-Joan Gerson draws from Mexico’s rich cultural traditions, including tales from the Mayan, Mixtec and Yaqui peoples to create an authentic collection that reflects the many faces of Mexico’s heroines. And Maya Christina Gonzalez’s vibrant paintings brilliantly capture the spark behind the stories, and the noble dignity of these eight extraordinary women. The tales come from the different cultures of Mexico, all focusing on the important roles of women.
One Beastly Beast: Two Aliens, Three Inventors, Four Fantastic Tales
A collection of four fantasy tales in which a boy joins a strange navy in pursuit of video pirates, a neglected princess seeks adventure, an orphaned inventor seeks the perfect parents, and a genius girl faces a sea serpent.
Tiny Tyrant
Portocristo has clear skies, sandy beaches, bustling streets–and a spoiled rotten, six-year-old king. The little despot is grouchy, whiny, outrageous…everything you’d hate to find in a boy on a throne. But here in Portocristo, anything he says goes, no matter how bizarre or harebrained. Young King Ethelbert swaps his country’s kids for Ethelbert robots, tests his bodyguard’s mettle by putting a price on his own head, shrinks the world down to his size, and brings a dinosaur back from the past. A graphic novel, originally published in France.
The Happiness of Kati
With the impending death of her mother, Kati, a young Thai girl, completes the puzzle of her past and discovers the reason that her mother gave her up as a baby.
Something Invisible
With a new baby sister and a stepfather, the life of eleven-year-old Jake is full of change, but nothing prepares him for his relationship with an enigmatic girl, her large family, and the tragedy that strikes them all.
Kampung Boy
Relates the life experiences, from birth to beginning boarding school, of a boy growing up on a rubber plantation in rural Malaysia.
A Little Piece of Ground
During the Israeli occupation of Ramallah in the West Bank of Palestine, twelve-year-old Karim and his friends create a secret place for themselves where they can momentarily forget the horrors of war.
Featured in Volume II, Issue 4 of WOW Review.
Helicopter Man
Pete’s dad is being pursued by a secret organisation and both their lives are in danger. That’s why they never stay in the same place long, and always stay out of sight. Pete knows he leads an unusual life for a twelve year old boy, but he’s never dared to ask questions before. Now he needs some answers.