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The Hero Next Door
From We Need Diverse Books, the organization behind Flying Lessons & Other Stories, comes another middle-grade short story collection--this one focused on exploring acts of bravery--featuring some of the best own-voices children's authors, including R. J. Palacio (Wonder), Rita Williams-Garcia (One Crazy Summer), Linda Sue Park (A Long Walk to Water), and many more.
Not all heroes wear capes. Some heroes teach martial arts. Others talk to ghosts. A few are inventors or soccer players. They're also sisters, neighbors, and friends. Because heroes come in many shapes and sizes. But they all have one thing in common: they make the world a better place.
Published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, this vibrant anthology features thirteen acclaimed authors whose powerful and diverse voices show how small acts of kindness can save the day. So pay attention, because a hero could be right beside you. Or maybe the hero is you.
AUTHORS INCLUDE: William Alexander, Joseph Bruchac, Lamar Giles, Mike Jung, Hena Khan, Juana Medina, Ellen Oh, R. J. Palacio, Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Ronald L. Smith, Rita Williams-Garcia, and short-story contest winner Suma Subramaniam
Audiobook Table of Contents:
FOREWORD by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, read by Adenrele Ojo
MINNOWS AND ZOMBIES by Rita Williams-Garcia, read by Caitlin Gold
ONE WISH by Ronald L. Smith, read by Dominic Hoffman
THE ASSIST by Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin, read by Kirby Heyborne
HOME by Hena Khan, read by Erin Cahill
ELLISON'S CORNUCOPIA: A LOGAN COUNTY STORY by Lamar Giles, read by Kristen Ariza
RESCUE by Suma Subramaniam, read by Renee Dorian
THE SAVE by Joseph Bruchac, read by Chris Browning
LOS ABUELOS, TWO BRIGHT MINDS by Juana Medina, read by Laura Ortiz
THROWN by Mike Jung, read by Maxwell Glick
A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND by Cynthia Leitich Smith, read by Taylor Meskimen
EVERLY'S OTHERWORLDLY DILEMMA by Ellen Oh, read by Dylan Moore
REINA MADRID by Suma Subramaniam, read by Frankie Corzo
GO FISH by William Alexander, read by Mike Chamberlain
Not all heroes wear capes. Some heroes teach martial arts. Others talk to ghosts. A few are inventors or soccer players. They're also sisters, neighbors, and friends. Because heroes come in many shapes and sizes. But they all have one thing in common: they make the world a better place.
Published in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, this vibrant anthology features thirteen acclaimed authors whose powerful and diverse voices show how small acts of kindness can save the day. So pay attention, because a hero could be right beside you. Or maybe the hero is you.
AUTHORS INCLUDE: William Alexander, Joseph Bruchac, Lamar Giles, Mike Jung, Hena Khan, Juana Medina, Ellen Oh, R. J. Palacio, Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Ronald L. Smith, Rita Williams-Garcia, and short-story contest winner Suma Subramaniam
Audiobook Table of Contents:
FOREWORD by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich, read by Adenrele Ojo
MINNOWS AND ZOMBIES by Rita Williams-Garcia, read by Caitlin Gold
ONE WISH by Ronald L. Smith, read by Dominic Hoffman
THE ASSIST by Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin, read by Kirby Heyborne
HOME by Hena Khan, read by Erin Cahill
ELLISON'S CORNUCOPIA: A LOGAN COUNTY STORY by Lamar Giles, read by Kristen Ariza
RESCUE by Suma Subramaniam, read by Renee Dorian
THE SAVE by Joseph Bruchac, read by Chris Browning
LOS ABUELOS, TWO BRIGHT MINDS by Juana Medina, read by Laura Ortiz
THROWN by Mike Jung, read by Maxwell Glick
A GIRL'S BEST FRIEND by Cynthia Leitich Smith, read by Taylor Meskimen
EVERLY'S OTHERWORLDLY DILEMMA by Ellen Oh, read by Dylan Moore
REINA MADRID by Suma Subramaniam, read by Frankie Corzo
GO FISH by William Alexander, read by Mike Chamberlain
5 pages, Audio CD
First published July 30, 2019
116 people are currently reading
853 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 85 reviews
July 17, 2019
This story collection is worth picking up if only to read “Reina Madrid” by R.J. Palacio. While the story was great all on its own, I wouldn’t mind a full book featuring Reina and her friends in 1970s Queens - I was that invested in the characters after only 20 pages.
Like all collections, I liked some stories a lot more than others. Other favorites for me besides Reina Madrid were One Wish by Ronald Smith, Home by Hena Khan, and Go Fish by William Alexander. I’m sure other readers will have other favorites, which is the beauty of short story collections!
Like all collections, I liked some stories a lot more than others. Other favorites for me besides Reina Madrid were One Wish by Ronald Smith, Home by Hena Khan, and Go Fish by William Alexander. I’m sure other readers will have other favorites, which is the beauty of short story collections!
May 16, 2023
“Minnows and zombies” by Rita Williams Garcia. -- A young child at day camp in the city likes it when her swimming class earns a treat, except that it means walking to a 7-Eleven through what she calls “zombies” who always ask them for money. This was sad in so many ways, because the adult reading it, or possibly the older child, will recognize that the zombies are drug addicts. It’s interesting to have the child’s perspective on it and knowing that in some ways they are so right. The hero in this one is one of the counselors who isn’t afraid to talk to the “zombies.”
“One wish” by Ronald Smith. -- In Model-T days, somewhere in the south, the boy named Sacky is home alone when an old local beggar knocks at the door and asks for food. He says if Sacky will give him food, he will give Sacky one wish. But first, he’ll have to tell Sacky a story. I liked the world building in this one, with the hot summer sun and the pecan tree, and the sensory details of the yellow cake and so forth. I liked the story within a story, and how the boy takes a chance because he wants to do the right thing—a thing that no one else has ever done for the beggar.
“The assist” by Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin. -- Eighth grader Eddie is co-captain of his school’s soccer team, and they need to beat one more team to get into the playoffs. One of their players is a seventh grader named Noah, whose grades are slipping because he does not know how to write in English essay. If his grades slip too low he is off the team, so Eddie helps him to figure out how to write his essay. This one was pretty straightforward, and would be good for teachers to use, even if it is a little didactic. Kids will appreciate the sports action if they are athletes themselves, and I liked the sidebars with commentary from the various players.
“Home” by Hena Khan. -- Aleena and her parents adopt a three-year-old orphan boy from Morocco and bring him home to Virginia. Aleena was so excited to have a little brother, until he is regularly destroying her room. Having a little brother is a lot harder than she thought; is it worth it? The story has a lot of great details, and is an honest portrayal of sibling discord, and of Aleena learning how to work with her new little brother. I think a lot of kids with little siblings will appreciate this one.
“Ellisons’ Cornucopia” by Lamar Giles. -- In Logan County, where things are a little unusual, the Ellison girls are staffing their family’s corn stall at the local farmers’ market. When the girl selling vegetables next to them discovers that her cash box has been stolen, the Ellison girls use the small spider robot rovers they make (and secretly sell) to solve the crime. This one was fun, and will especially appeal to kids who are interested in robotics and virtual reality.
“Rescue” by Suma Subramanian. -- Sangeetha’s father is physically abusive to her mother, but when he threatens his daughter, her mother decides they have to leave. Only one problem – that means they have to leave behind Duke, the girl’s dog and best friend. This one felt a bit more like the start of a novel, as it leaves so much unresolved and dashes through so many things that should have been expanded on. The details of an Indian-American life are vivid, though, as is the love the girl feels for her dog.
“The save” by Joseph Bruchac. -- Oren, an Onondaga Iroquois who lives on a reservation, plays lacrosse, and worries that he is the worst on his team. Even when he makes a fantastic save, he knows it was only an accident. Wasn’t it? This is another one with lots of good details and good world building. I like the glimpse of the reservation, with its herd of buffalo. The grandfather does a good job of getting Oren to come around to see his save as more than dumb luck.
“Los Abuelos, two bright minds” by Juana Medina. -- The main character, who lives in Colombia, tell us about her two wonderful grandparents, both of whom have made a difference in the world through engineering and medicine. This was more like a memoir than a story. It covered lots of detail about the grandparents and their lives, and the things that have affected them, like the grandmother’s heart condition and the grandfather having lost everything after citywide riots in Bogota.
“Thrown” by Mike Jung. -- Stevie is autistic and loves aikido. He is so good that even though he is 11, he is being moved up to the teen and adult class. He finds it really hard and overwhelming, but the instructor is also on the spectrum, and that convinces Stevie to give it one more shot. I liked this one, which is intersectional in that Stevie is of Asian descent as well as autistic, and it also shows why he loves aikido. Kids who read it will get a better understanding of both.
“A girl’s best friend” by Cynthia Leitich Smith. -- Sophie, who is Muscogee Osage, lives with her mother in a tiny apartment attached to a house owned by the unpleasant Mrs. Wilson, for whom Sophie’s mother works. Sophie wants a dog more than anything in the world, but Mrs. Wilson says absolutely not. Sofie tries to change her mind. I enjoyed all the dog descriptions in this, and the desire for a dog that many kids can sympathize with. I do think that Mrs. Wilson’s turnaround was not all that believable, and I wonder if Sophie’s mother would really be willing to forgive Mrs. Wilson’s behavior.
“Everly’s otherworldly dilemma” by Ellen Oh. -- Everly lives in an alternate world where otherworldly beings sometimes sneak into the human world. Some are seeking refuge from persecution in the otherworld, some are here to cause trouble. Everly is friends with some of the ones who have sought refuge, but when she is discovered by the Rangers, humans who guard the gate to the other world, they want to recruit her to help them get rid of all the otherworld creatures in human world. Everly certainly does not want to do that, but is there a way she can both join the Rangers and help her friends? I liked the world building this one, though it feels crammed in a short story version; I think it would do better as a whole novel. There is a whole lot here to unpack, and I wanted to know more about the world.
“Reina Madrid” by RJ Palacio. -- In the 1970s, Reina loses her father, and she and her mother move into an apartment in Queens. They are from South America, and Reina often acts as a interpreter for her mother. For years her best friend among the gang of neighborhood kids is Franny. Unlike Reina, Franny has a mother and father and siblings, but Reina is actually the luckier of the two. The story is about how she realizes that. This was lovely, with lots of wonderful world building details about the place and time. I loved how Reina was an expert in “things not said” by adults. This one shows how you can cover several years in a short story and it is still rich and deep.
“Go fish” by William Alexander. -- In a world in which ghosts are commonplace, three kids find that their houses are joined by secret tunnels that also lead to the local cemetery. A haunted bronze statue in the cemetery is making trouble, and the kids are the only ones who can figure out how to deal with it. I liked this one for its creativity, and how it managed to set up the world in such a short time. I liked that the characters were clearly defined, and that one was gender fluid. It was interesting how, I think, the author was juxtaposing the ghosts with our world’s more subtle ghosts – people’s feelings about the past and their and their ancestors’ place in it; feelings that drive actions that may include things like racism. Cleverly done.
“One wish” by Ronald Smith. -- In Model-T days, somewhere in the south, the boy named Sacky is home alone when an old local beggar knocks at the door and asks for food. He says if Sacky will give him food, he will give Sacky one wish. But first, he’ll have to tell Sacky a story. I liked the world building in this one, with the hot summer sun and the pecan tree, and the sensory details of the yellow cake and so forth. I liked the story within a story, and how the boy takes a chance because he wants to do the right thing—a thing that no one else has ever done for the beggar.
“The assist” by Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin. -- Eighth grader Eddie is co-captain of his school’s soccer team, and they need to beat one more team to get into the playoffs. One of their players is a seventh grader named Noah, whose grades are slipping because he does not know how to write in English essay. If his grades slip too low he is off the team, so Eddie helps him to figure out how to write his essay. This one was pretty straightforward, and would be good for teachers to use, even if it is a little didactic. Kids will appreciate the sports action if they are athletes themselves, and I liked the sidebars with commentary from the various players.
“Home” by Hena Khan. -- Aleena and her parents adopt a three-year-old orphan boy from Morocco and bring him home to Virginia. Aleena was so excited to have a little brother, until he is regularly destroying her room. Having a little brother is a lot harder than she thought; is it worth it? The story has a lot of great details, and is an honest portrayal of sibling discord, and of Aleena learning how to work with her new little brother. I think a lot of kids with little siblings will appreciate this one.
“Ellisons’ Cornucopia” by Lamar Giles. -- In Logan County, where things are a little unusual, the Ellison girls are staffing their family’s corn stall at the local farmers’ market. When the girl selling vegetables next to them discovers that her cash box has been stolen, the Ellison girls use the small spider robot rovers they make (and secretly sell) to solve the crime. This one was fun, and will especially appeal to kids who are interested in robotics and virtual reality.
“Rescue” by Suma Subramanian. -- Sangeetha’s father is physically abusive to her mother, but when he threatens his daughter, her mother decides they have to leave. Only one problem – that means they have to leave behind Duke, the girl’s dog and best friend. This one felt a bit more like the start of a novel, as it leaves so much unresolved and dashes through so many things that should have been expanded on. The details of an Indian-American life are vivid, though, as is the love the girl feels for her dog.
“The save” by Joseph Bruchac. -- Oren, an Onondaga Iroquois who lives on a reservation, plays lacrosse, and worries that he is the worst on his team. Even when he makes a fantastic save, he knows it was only an accident. Wasn’t it? This is another one with lots of good details and good world building. I like the glimpse of the reservation, with its herd of buffalo. The grandfather does a good job of getting Oren to come around to see his save as more than dumb luck.
“Los Abuelos, two bright minds” by Juana Medina. -- The main character, who lives in Colombia, tell us about her two wonderful grandparents, both of whom have made a difference in the world through engineering and medicine. This was more like a memoir than a story. It covered lots of detail about the grandparents and their lives, and the things that have affected them, like the grandmother’s heart condition and the grandfather having lost everything after citywide riots in Bogota.
“Thrown” by Mike Jung. -- Stevie is autistic and loves aikido. He is so good that even though he is 11, he is being moved up to the teen and adult class. He finds it really hard and overwhelming, but the instructor is also on the spectrum, and that convinces Stevie to give it one more shot. I liked this one, which is intersectional in that Stevie is of Asian descent as well as autistic, and it also shows why he loves aikido. Kids who read it will get a better understanding of both.
“A girl’s best friend” by Cynthia Leitich Smith. -- Sophie, who is Muscogee Osage, lives with her mother in a tiny apartment attached to a house owned by the unpleasant Mrs. Wilson, for whom Sophie’s mother works. Sophie wants a dog more than anything in the world, but Mrs. Wilson says absolutely not. Sofie tries to change her mind. I enjoyed all the dog descriptions in this, and the desire for a dog that many kids can sympathize with. I do think that Mrs. Wilson’s turnaround was not all that believable, and I wonder if Sophie’s mother would really be willing to forgive Mrs. Wilson’s behavior.
“Everly’s otherworldly dilemma” by Ellen Oh. -- Everly lives in an alternate world where otherworldly beings sometimes sneak into the human world. Some are seeking refuge from persecution in the otherworld, some are here to cause trouble. Everly is friends with some of the ones who have sought refuge, but when she is discovered by the Rangers, humans who guard the gate to the other world, they want to recruit her to help them get rid of all the otherworld creatures in human world. Everly certainly does not want to do that, but is there a way she can both join the Rangers and help her friends? I liked the world building this one, though it feels crammed in a short story version; I think it would do better as a whole novel. There is a whole lot here to unpack, and I wanted to know more about the world.
“Reina Madrid” by RJ Palacio. -- In the 1970s, Reina loses her father, and she and her mother move into an apartment in Queens. They are from South America, and Reina often acts as a interpreter for her mother. For years her best friend among the gang of neighborhood kids is Franny. Unlike Reina, Franny has a mother and father and siblings, but Reina is actually the luckier of the two. The story is about how she realizes that. This was lovely, with lots of wonderful world building details about the place and time. I loved how Reina was an expert in “things not said” by adults. This one shows how you can cover several years in a short story and it is still rich and deep.
“Go fish” by William Alexander. -- In a world in which ghosts are commonplace, three kids find that their houses are joined by secret tunnels that also lead to the local cemetery. A haunted bronze statue in the cemetery is making trouble, and the kids are the only ones who can figure out how to deal with it. I liked this one for its creativity, and how it managed to set up the world in such a short time. I liked that the characters were clearly defined, and that one was gender fluid. It was interesting how, I think, the author was juxtaposing the ghosts with our world’s more subtle ghosts – people’s feelings about the past and their and their ancestors’ place in it; feelings that drive actions that may include things like racism. Cleverly done.
July 9, 2019
As a diverse middle grade short story collection, this fills a gap (along with Flying Lessons) and has several standout stories. My favorite stories were "One Wish" by Ronald L. Smith, "The Assist" by Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin, and "Reina Madrid" by R.J. Palacio.
February 3, 2019
Still very much in love with the short story collections coming out for middle grade and YA. This is no exception. A commendable, sentimental, beautiful, touching, lovely, thoughtful collection by fantastic solid authors and some new-ish authors who showcase friendship above all else with stories about helping a teammate write a book report (on All American Boys nonetheless) to drug addiction, adoption and innovation (twins who create robots) and which represent a spectrum of regional voices from Native American to Indian.
November 18, 2019
I would like to highlight three of my favorite selections from this short story collection.
-- Home, written by Hena Khan:
This is a touching story written from the point of view of a twelve-year-old girl, Aleena, who lives in Virginia with her parents and teen brother, Bilal.
The family arranges to adopt a three-year-old boy, Hakeem, from an orphaniage in Morocco. Hakeem speaks no English, and Aleena's family speaks no Arabic. The process of adopting this child has taken over a year. The entire family is anticipating the arrival of Hakeem in their home with great joy and excitement.
As you can imagine, there are many adjustments to be made for Hakeem and the entire family along with some rough patches along the way. The powerful ending of the story brought tears to my eyes. This story is filled with realistic emotions and life lessons. Highly-recommended!
-- A Girl's Best Friend, written by Cynthia Leitich-Smith:
I featured one of this author's (who is herself a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation) story collections for Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday earlier in 2019. Here's the link if you wish to read it:
Indian Shoes Story Collection Post
A Girl's Best Friend focuses on the relationship between a twelve-year-old girl, Sophie, and her neighbor and landlord, Miz Wilson. Sophie has had to explain several times to Mis Wilson that she is a Muscogee-Osage girl and a Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen leading Sophie to feel that the landlord is nosy about the Bigheart family.
Even though there is tension and some emotional trauma in the story, the fact that Sophie and her mother volunteer at a local animal shelter will delight young readers as much as it did me!
Through some significant misunderstandings, Sophie and Miz Wilson work together to break down some walls, leaving the reader inspired about how communication and trust can improve relationships. Highly-recommended!
-- Reina Madrid, written by R.J. Palacio:
This well-written and poignant story will stay with me for a very long time . . .
Maria Eugenia Madrid, called 'Reina' by her parents, lives in Queens in the 1970s. Reina's father passed away recently, and she and her mother are adjusting to a new apartment and a new job for Mrs. Madrid.
The author enriches the story with her detailed description of the neighborhood dynamics at the time and place of the story's setting. Life was definitely different back then, and I enjoyed reading about a time period with which I was personally familiar.
Reina, who is now a ten-year-old, becomes best friends with a girl from another building in the complex, Franny, who is one year older than Reina. The girls spend a lot of time together, but Franny never invites Reina over to her apartment. The reasons for this are revealed late in the story. Reina's mother takes Franny on all sorts of outings with she and Reina.
The final section of this story is meaningful on many levels. Suffice it to say that Reina learns many life lessons at a young age. Highly-recommended!
I borrowed this book from the children's collection at the local public library.
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-- Home, written by Hena Khan:
This is a touching story written from the point of view of a twelve-year-old girl, Aleena, who lives in Virginia with her parents and teen brother, Bilal.
The family arranges to adopt a three-year-old boy, Hakeem, from an orphaniage in Morocco. Hakeem speaks no English, and Aleena's family speaks no Arabic. The process of adopting this child has taken over a year. The entire family is anticipating the arrival of Hakeem in their home with great joy and excitement.
As you can imagine, there are many adjustments to be made for Hakeem and the entire family along with some rough patches along the way. The powerful ending of the story brought tears to my eyes. This story is filled with realistic emotions and life lessons. Highly-recommended!
-- A Girl's Best Friend, written by Cynthia Leitich-Smith:
I featured one of this author's (who is herself a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation) story collections for Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday earlier in 2019. Here's the link if you wish to read it:
Indian Shoes Story Collection Post
A Girl's Best Friend focuses on the relationship between a twelve-year-old girl, Sophie, and her neighbor and landlord, Miz Wilson. Sophie has had to explain several times to Mis Wilson that she is a Muscogee-Osage girl and a Muscogee (Creek) Nation citizen leading Sophie to feel that the landlord is nosy about the Bigheart family.
Even though there is tension and some emotional trauma in the story, the fact that Sophie and her mother volunteer at a local animal shelter will delight young readers as much as it did me!
Through some significant misunderstandings, Sophie and Miz Wilson work together to break down some walls, leaving the reader inspired about how communication and trust can improve relationships. Highly-recommended!
-- Reina Madrid, written by R.J. Palacio:
This well-written and poignant story will stay with me for a very long time . . .
Maria Eugenia Madrid, called 'Reina' by her parents, lives in Queens in the 1970s. Reina's father passed away recently, and she and her mother are adjusting to a new apartment and a new job for Mrs. Madrid.
The author enriches the story with her detailed description of the neighborhood dynamics at the time and place of the story's setting. Life was definitely different back then, and I enjoyed reading about a time period with which I was personally familiar.
Reina, who is now a ten-year-old, becomes best friends with a girl from another building in the complex, Franny, who is one year older than Reina. The girls spend a lot of time together, but Franny never invites Reina over to her apartment. The reasons for this are revealed late in the story. Reina's mother takes Franny on all sorts of outings with she and Reina.
The final section of this story is meaningful on many levels. Suffice it to say that Reina learns many life lessons at a young age. Highly-recommended!
I borrowed this book from the children's collection at the local public library.
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February 24, 2020
The Hero Next Door is a collection of short stories written by award-winning authors and aimed at middle grade readers. Each story includes a diverse group of people, focuses on at least one child, and has a hero doing every day things because something that seems simple to one person can be huge to another. I quite enjoyed most of the stories. I highly recommend this book to people of all ages!
July 17, 2020
This anthology leans heavily away from realistic fiction short stories, but is filled to the brim with stories that allow for deep metaphors and discussions based on certain themes and ideals. I think this is an incredibly accessible teaching text for middle grades and could easily be used in a Hero's Journey unit.
May 30, 2023
This is a fantastic collection of stories from diverse voices. Highly recommended for inclusion in English curriculums/summer reading/book clubs. Of course, you will enjoy some stories more since each author has their own voice and the stories are from various genres. But, overall it is totally worth reading!!
July 28, 2024
Great mix of MG/YA stories. A few I absolutely loved, some were just okay, and most were quite good.
December 1, 2019
Short story collections by multiple authors are always a bit weird for me. Some are great, some are passable, but you have to review it as a whole! I'd day this one was about halfway great.
November 15, 2019
So glad this exists and I appreciate that there's a theme in this one (vs. Flying Lessons).
Highlights: Rita Garcia-Williams starts things off powerfully with Minnows and Zombies . Home by Hena Khan, about adopting a younger brother from Morocco) is really sweet. Thrown by Mike Jung is full-on empowering I appreciate how Ellen Oh brought species privilege (do fairies have it easier than werewolves?) And Reina Madrid by R.J. Palacio was an unexpectedly solid story.
Highlights: Rita Garcia-Williams starts things off powerfully with Minnows and Zombies . Home by Hena Khan, about adopting a younger brother from Morocco) is really sweet. Thrown by Mike Jung is full-on empowering I appreciate how Ellen Oh brought species privilege (do fairies have it easier than werewolves?) And Reina Madrid by R.J. Palacio was an unexpectedly solid story.
Read
January 16, 2023Minnows and Zombies (Rita Williams-Garcia) - A young (8 or so?) child (not named or gendered), in swimming camp as a Minnow, thinks about “Zombies,” who appear to be unhoused people addicted to drugs, giving them a zombie-like appearance. The child’s best friend’s older brother is a zombie. The camp counselor shows kindness to one of the zombies in the 7-11 store by giving them a bottle of water. Besides this, there is no real discussion about why the “zombies” should be viewed as human rather than zombies. This one did not work for me. Realistic Fiction, 1st person narration from child’s POV.
One Wish (Ronald L. Smith) - In the early 20th century US South (I think), Sacky lives with his Auntie Florence and daydreams under the pecan tree while waiting for Auguster, a friend who never shows up when he says he will. An old man known as Cuz comes by looking for food, and Sacky decides to let him in. As their visit unfolds, Sacky wonders whether he did the right thing at various junctures, and in the end wonders whether it was all the work of the devil or if he made the right ultimate choice. Loved this one. Paranormal, 3rd person narration from Sacky’s POV.
The Assist (Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin) - Illustrated with Eddie’s notebook pages which give more background about the main characters, The Assist takes place over a few days around a make-or-break soccer game. 8th grader Eddie (“half Korean American and half Irish”) and and his best friends Daniel (“half Jamaican and half African American”), James (“parents from Iran”), and Ben (“immigrated from Italy when he was a little kid” with his family) make up what Coach calls “‘the UN’ because they were so mixed ethnically.” During Friday afternoon’s practice, which ends with “fartleks,” a type of interval running training, the group plans on a pasta party for Sunday night before the important game on Monday. Eddie, a co-captain, realizes that Noah, a 7th grader, is planning to turn in an essay he downloaded from the internet for his English assignment about All American Boys. Story ends with exciting game play. Realistic Fiction/sports, 3rd person narration from Eddie’s POV.
Home (Hena Khan) - Aleena and her parents, Mama and Baba, travel to Meknes, Morocco (leaving Aleena’s older brother Bilal home due to soccer commitments) to pick up a boy, Hakeem, they have been planning to adopt for a year, since Mama started funding his attendance at pre-school after visiting the orphanage. Still learning English (he speaks Arabic) and adjusting to life in a family instead of an orphanage, Hakeem causes a lot of disruption once he is in Virginia, causing Aleena to have some second thoughts. When he disrupts a special sand craft during her birthday party, Aleena reaches a crossroads. I am uncomfortable with this depiction of Aleena’s family as the “heroes” for adopting Hakeem; this is a trope that is harmful for many adoptees, especially cross-cultural adoptees. During a tour of the facility, Sister Khalid points out the crib where Hakeem slept until he was 2. Aleena, the narrator, says, “I imagine a tinier version of him lying her with no mother or father to love him, and my eyes fill up, too.” I don’t know the details about orphanages in Morocco; many of them throughout the world are problematic. I hope that the author consulted adopted people, especially from Morocco, for this story. Realistic Fiction, 1st person narration (Aleena).
Ellison’s CORNucopia (Lamar Giles) - Taking place in Logan County, where The Last Last Day of Summer takes place, this story focuses on the Ellison twins, Wiki and Leen as they work at their family book at the farmers’ market selling the standard corn(y) fare and, for special customers, their robot “rovers.” Their unique special skills help them solve the mystery of one of their fellow booth’s missing cash box. Mystery, 3rd person narration.
Rescue (Suma Subramaniam) - Sangeetha is soothed by her dog, Duke, while Appa (her father) rages against Amma (her mother). Once he threatens to hit Sangeetha, her mother decides it’s time to leave, but they can’t take the dog, so Sangeetha leaves it with a kind neighbor even though he says he cannot afford to keep a dog forever and will need to take him to the shelter after a while if they don’t come back. As they drive from Seattle to Houston, the food and money start to run out, and Sangeetha cannot stop thinking about Duke. She tries to convince her mom to turn around and go back for the dog but it is risky as well as expensive. Realistic Fiction, 1st person narration (Sangeetha).
The Save (Joseph Bruchac) - Third-string lacrosse goalie Onandaga Iroquois Oren gets a chance to play in the last few minutes of a game in which his team is leading, 14-2. As he watches the game, he reflects on the tour of the Rez he gave the other team, non-Native American city kids. When the play comes his way, he tries to make the save but “his feet crossed and his legs tangled together…Oren flipped in midair and landed flat on his belly.” When he realizes he made the save, he feels dishonest, because it felt like an accident. After the game, Oren goes to talk it over with his grandfather, who is also his lacrosse mentor. When a freak accident happens at the diner where they are eating, Oren reconsiders the save. Realistic fiction/sports, 3rd person narration from Oren’s perspective.
Los Abuelos, Two Bright Minds (Juana Medina) - As they share onces, Juani and her abuelos reflect on the abuelos’ early life. Abuela struggled with a heart condition that prevented her from going to college but not from learning mechanics and creating puzzles, clocks, sailboats, and medical equipment as “an extraordinary engineer.” When his family lost everything in Bogotá where they lived during riots following the murder of a “prominent presidential candidate,” Abuelo got a scholarship to study neuroscience and brain surgery in Chicago. “After living for many years in Chicago, New Orleans, and Boston, they returned to Colombia” where “Abuelo was one of the first brain surgeons in the country.” Story is interspersed with 2-3 illustrations per spread that remind me of New Yorker cartoons. Realistic fiction, 1st person narration (Juani).
Thrown (Mike Jung) - Autistic Steven “Stevie” Chang loves aikido class with his friends Martha and Arthur and teacher Anika Sensei. Stevie is so skilled that he begins attending the Teen and Adult class in addition to his regular class. But after the first class, he’s not sure he wants to continue. Everything is so different, and he doesn’t know anyone. The teacher, Brandon Sensei, is also autistic, which Stevie likes. Is it enough to help him go back to the class? Stevie’s parents are very supportive, as are his friends. If using for a class, it would be important to point out that although Stevie experiences autism similarly to Brandon Sensei, as he relates on a YouTube short, many people experience autism in very different ways. Realistic fiction/sports, 1st person narration (Stevie).
A Girl’s Best Friend (Cynthia Leitich Smith) - Sophie Bigheart, a Muscogee-Osage girl is obsessed with looking at dogs available for adoption on-line. She lives with her mother, a punk rock guitarist/singer in a small apartment above the detached garage of Miz Wilson in Austin. Sophie's mom works as a kind of maid/personal assistant for Miz Wilson, a recent widow, in exchange for reduced rent. The problem is that she says absolutely NO PETS. When Sophie turns 12, she starts volunteering at the nearby shelter, primarily walking dogs, which causes Miz Wilson to evict them, believing that they violated the no pets policy. Can Sophie use her puppy dog eyes (and those of Sweet Potato, a dachshund at the shelter) to get Miz Wilson to change her mind? Realistic fiction, 1st person POV (Sophie)
Everly’s Otherworldly Dilemma (Ellen Oh) - Everly and her best friend Max, hurry to a summer movie at the mall, but as they are getting popcorn, Everly spots what she is sure is a goblin skulking into a theater with a children's movie playing. Sure he's up to no good, she decides to go in after him. When she confronts the goblin, Everly gets more than she bargained for when the Rangers capture him and find out about her ability to see Otherworld creatures. How can she protect her friends and family in an upcoming battle?
In class, it would be interesting to discuss whether this is a complete story on its own; in some ways, it feels like the first chapter of a novel. It could be cool to have students write the next chapter or even summarize what would happen next. Fantasy, 3rd person limited (Everly POV)
Reina Madrid (R.J. Palacio) - Maria Eugenia Madrid, AKA Reina (easier for the neighborhood kids to pronounce), lives with her mom in 1970s Queens. They moved to NYC from "South America" for Reina's father to go to graduate school, but when he died 4 years ago, they moved into this apartment. 10-year-old Reina has learned many lessons in her short life, including how to interpret what adults really mean when they say things like, "Your mom needs you to be strong now," and how to interpret for her mother, who is stronger in Spanish than English. Befriended by Franny nearly immediately, Reina also comes to realize that although Franny has both a mother and a father as well as several siblings, she also has many challenges at home, making her inclusion in Reina and her mother's outings to the places like the beach and ice rink that much more special. When Franny's father uses a slur to describe Reina in front of all the neighborhood kids, Reina doesn't tell her mother about it for almost 2 months, but when she does, her reaction surprises her and she feels that much luckier. Historical fiction (technically), 3rd person limited narration (Reina)
Go Fish (William Alexander) - Colt (7), Elora (11), and Avery (13) live in a world where ghosts and their management are givens as is the constant presence of one's ancestors. One night, they meet each other through a network of catacombs linking their houses and the town cemetery, a throwback from the 1920s when Prohibition prohibited speaking to ghosts, so Specialists had to hide underground. The three meet at night to play cards, Colt's favorite game being Go Fish. Elora and Avery both prefer less conventional games, Sleepsuit and Psychic Lemur respectively. One night, the ghost inhabiting a bronze statue in the cemetery begins causing a ruckus, prompting the local Specialist, Mr. Armstrong, to try to placate it. Soon, two factions of neighbors form, those who wish Mr. Armstrong to get the ghost to move on so they can remove the statue, and those who think the statue should remain because History, despite the fact that the person depicted, General Beauregard Errington Grizzle, was a mean man who enjoyed beheading waterfowl like swans and had no known redeeming qualities. When it gets to be too much, the three take matters into their own hands. Paranormal, 3rd person (mostly from Colt's perspective)
Book includes Introduction by editor Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and blurbs about the authors and an overview of We Need Diverse Books at the end.
One Wish (Ronald L. Smith) - In the early 20th century US South (I think), Sacky lives with his Auntie Florence and daydreams under the pecan tree while waiting for Auguster, a friend who never shows up when he says he will. An old man known as Cuz comes by looking for food, and Sacky decides to let him in. As their visit unfolds, Sacky wonders whether he did the right thing at various junctures, and in the end wonders whether it was all the work of the devil or if he made the right ultimate choice. Loved this one. Paranormal, 3rd person narration from Sacky’s POV.
The Assist (Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin) - Illustrated with Eddie’s notebook pages which give more background about the main characters, The Assist takes place over a few days around a make-or-break soccer game. 8th grader Eddie (“half Korean American and half Irish”) and and his best friends Daniel (“half Jamaican and half African American”), James (“parents from Iran”), and Ben (“immigrated from Italy when he was a little kid” with his family) make up what Coach calls “‘the UN’ because they were so mixed ethnically.” During Friday afternoon’s practice, which ends with “fartleks,” a type of interval running training, the group plans on a pasta party for Sunday night before the important game on Monday. Eddie, a co-captain, realizes that Noah, a 7th grader, is planning to turn in an essay he downloaded from the internet for his English assignment about All American Boys. Story ends with exciting game play. Realistic Fiction/sports, 3rd person narration from Eddie’s POV.
Home (Hena Khan) - Aleena and her parents, Mama and Baba, travel to Meknes, Morocco (leaving Aleena’s older brother Bilal home due to soccer commitments) to pick up a boy, Hakeem, they have been planning to adopt for a year, since Mama started funding his attendance at pre-school after visiting the orphanage. Still learning English (he speaks Arabic) and adjusting to life in a family instead of an orphanage, Hakeem causes a lot of disruption once he is in Virginia, causing Aleena to have some second thoughts. When he disrupts a special sand craft during her birthday party, Aleena reaches a crossroads. I am uncomfortable with this depiction of Aleena’s family as the “heroes” for adopting Hakeem; this is a trope that is harmful for many adoptees, especially cross-cultural adoptees. During a tour of the facility, Sister Khalid points out the crib where Hakeem slept until he was 2. Aleena, the narrator, says, “I imagine a tinier version of him lying her with no mother or father to love him, and my eyes fill up, too.” I don’t know the details about orphanages in Morocco; many of them throughout the world are problematic. I hope that the author consulted adopted people, especially from Morocco, for this story. Realistic Fiction, 1st person narration (Aleena).
Ellison’s CORNucopia (Lamar Giles) - Taking place in Logan County, where The Last Last Day of Summer takes place, this story focuses on the Ellison twins, Wiki and Leen as they work at their family book at the farmers’ market selling the standard corn(y) fare and, for special customers, their robot “rovers.” Their unique special skills help them solve the mystery of one of their fellow booth’s missing cash box. Mystery, 3rd person narration.
Rescue (Suma Subramaniam) - Sangeetha is soothed by her dog, Duke, while Appa (her father) rages against Amma (her mother). Once he threatens to hit Sangeetha, her mother decides it’s time to leave, but they can’t take the dog, so Sangeetha leaves it with a kind neighbor even though he says he cannot afford to keep a dog forever and will need to take him to the shelter after a while if they don’t come back. As they drive from Seattle to Houston, the food and money start to run out, and Sangeetha cannot stop thinking about Duke. She tries to convince her mom to turn around and go back for the dog but it is risky as well as expensive. Realistic Fiction, 1st person narration (Sangeetha).
The Save (Joseph Bruchac) - Third-string lacrosse goalie Onandaga Iroquois Oren gets a chance to play in the last few minutes of a game in which his team is leading, 14-2. As he watches the game, he reflects on the tour of the Rez he gave the other team, non-Native American city kids. When the play comes his way, he tries to make the save but “his feet crossed and his legs tangled together…Oren flipped in midair and landed flat on his belly.” When he realizes he made the save, he feels dishonest, because it felt like an accident. After the game, Oren goes to talk it over with his grandfather, who is also his lacrosse mentor. When a freak accident happens at the diner where they are eating, Oren reconsiders the save. Realistic fiction/sports, 3rd person narration from Oren’s perspective.
Los Abuelos, Two Bright Minds (Juana Medina) - As they share onces, Juani and her abuelos reflect on the abuelos’ early life. Abuela struggled with a heart condition that prevented her from going to college but not from learning mechanics and creating puzzles, clocks, sailboats, and medical equipment as “an extraordinary engineer.” When his family lost everything in Bogotá where they lived during riots following the murder of a “prominent presidential candidate,” Abuelo got a scholarship to study neuroscience and brain surgery in Chicago. “After living for many years in Chicago, New Orleans, and Boston, they returned to Colombia” where “Abuelo was one of the first brain surgeons in the country.” Story is interspersed with 2-3 illustrations per spread that remind me of New Yorker cartoons. Realistic fiction, 1st person narration (Juani).
Thrown (Mike Jung) - Autistic Steven “Stevie” Chang loves aikido class with his friends Martha and Arthur and teacher Anika Sensei. Stevie is so skilled that he begins attending the Teen and Adult class in addition to his regular class. But after the first class, he’s not sure he wants to continue. Everything is so different, and he doesn’t know anyone. The teacher, Brandon Sensei, is also autistic, which Stevie likes. Is it enough to help him go back to the class? Stevie’s parents are very supportive, as are his friends. If using for a class, it would be important to point out that although Stevie experiences autism similarly to Brandon Sensei, as he relates on a YouTube short, many people experience autism in very different ways. Realistic fiction/sports, 1st person narration (Stevie).
A Girl’s Best Friend (Cynthia Leitich Smith) - Sophie Bigheart, a Muscogee-Osage girl is obsessed with looking at dogs available for adoption on-line. She lives with her mother, a punk rock guitarist/singer in a small apartment above the detached garage of Miz Wilson in Austin. Sophie's mom works as a kind of maid/personal assistant for Miz Wilson, a recent widow, in exchange for reduced rent. The problem is that she says absolutely NO PETS. When Sophie turns 12, she starts volunteering at the nearby shelter, primarily walking dogs, which causes Miz Wilson to evict them, believing that they violated the no pets policy. Can Sophie use her puppy dog eyes (and those of Sweet Potato, a dachshund at the shelter) to get Miz Wilson to change her mind? Realistic fiction, 1st person POV (Sophie)
Everly’s Otherworldly Dilemma (Ellen Oh) - Everly and her best friend Max, hurry to a summer movie at the mall, but as they are getting popcorn, Everly spots what she is sure is a goblin skulking into a theater with a children's movie playing. Sure he's up to no good, she decides to go in after him. When she confronts the goblin, Everly gets more than she bargained for when the Rangers capture him and find out about her ability to see Otherworld creatures. How can she protect her friends and family in an upcoming battle?
In class, it would be interesting to discuss whether this is a complete story on its own; in some ways, it feels like the first chapter of a novel. It could be cool to have students write the next chapter or even summarize what would happen next. Fantasy, 3rd person limited (Everly POV)
Reina Madrid (R.J. Palacio) - Maria Eugenia Madrid, AKA Reina (easier for the neighborhood kids to pronounce), lives with her mom in 1970s Queens. They moved to NYC from "South America" for Reina's father to go to graduate school, but when he died 4 years ago, they moved into this apartment. 10-year-old Reina has learned many lessons in her short life, including how to interpret what adults really mean when they say things like, "Your mom needs you to be strong now," and how to interpret for her mother, who is stronger in Spanish than English. Befriended by Franny nearly immediately, Reina also comes to realize that although Franny has both a mother and a father as well as several siblings, she also has many challenges at home, making her inclusion in Reina and her mother's outings to the places like the beach and ice rink that much more special. When Franny's father uses a slur to describe Reina in front of all the neighborhood kids, Reina doesn't tell her mother about it for almost 2 months, but when she does, her reaction surprises her and she feels that much luckier. Historical fiction (technically), 3rd person limited narration (Reina)
Go Fish (William Alexander) - Colt (7), Elora (11), and Avery (13) live in a world where ghosts and their management are givens as is the constant presence of one's ancestors. One night, they meet each other through a network of catacombs linking their houses and the town cemetery, a throwback from the 1920s when Prohibition prohibited speaking to ghosts, so Specialists had to hide underground. The three meet at night to play cards, Colt's favorite game being Go Fish. Elora and Avery both prefer less conventional games, Sleepsuit and Psychic Lemur respectively. One night, the ghost inhabiting a bronze statue in the cemetery begins causing a ruckus, prompting the local Specialist, Mr. Armstrong, to try to placate it. Soon, two factions of neighbors form, those who wish Mr. Armstrong to get the ghost to move on so they can remove the statue, and those who think the statue should remain because History, despite the fact that the person depicted, General Beauregard Errington Grizzle, was a mean man who enjoyed beheading waterfowl like swans and had no known redeeming qualities. When it gets to be too much, the three take matters into their own hands. Paranormal, 3rd person (mostly from Colt's perspective)
Book includes Introduction by editor Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and blurbs about the authors and an overview of We Need Diverse Books at the end.
November 22, 2021
We Need Diverse Books collection of short stories included the following topics:
Hero next door
KG Thoughts- vocabulary isn’t challenging, stories are mostly shorter and easy reads. Maybe better for 6th than 7th. Great variety including underrepresented cultures and decent mix of fan tasty, sports and realistic fiction.
Zombies and Minnows by Rita Garcia Williams- Minnows are kids in swim school. Walking to 7-11 and see zombies. Infer that zombies are drug addicts experiencing homelessness. Sumaya has a brother Imiri who is a zombie. Swim instructor Daisy protects the little minnows from a zombie at 7-11. (9pgs)
One Wish by Ronald L Smith. (17pgs)
Cuz knocks on 12yo Sackys door liking gif food. Sacky is unsure as his Auntie is at church. He decides to give Cuz food and Cuz grants him one wish. Although Cyz tells story of a wolf turned into a man and Sacky can give up his wish and turn the man back into a wolf. Sacky contemplates And does the Christian thing gives up his wish. Cuz turns into a wolf. How to comes home and let Sacky eat cake for dinner. ( 2nd chances, doing the right thing when no I’ve is looking)
*The Assist by Ali said Sue Park and Anna Dobbin (23 pages w/ pictures)Mom and daughter team
Soccer team, cattleman and essay writing about All American Boys by Jason Reynolds . 7th grader Noah gets help from Captain Eddie to write an essay. He uses text messaging as a technique for writing. The hero is Eddie for helping and passing the ball in the field. (Great for reluctant readers. Boys with emojis)
*Home by Hena Khan (17 pages)
Story told from 11yo girl in Virginia who goes to Iran to adopt 3 yo Hakeem. He is overstimulated and often ruins her room and things. The adjustment is difficult but the live is still there. Even when he ruins her birthday party she chooses to include him and teach him what Home means.
(Great match to HOTB)
*Ellison’s CORNucopia A Logan Country Story by Lamar Giles ( 22 pages)
Ellison twins Leen and Vicki sell their family’s corn products at a farmers market. However they also build robot/rovers and secretly sell them while their uncle Percy sleeps. They solve a mystery of a stolen cash box and help and old lady with Alzheimer’s. Leen has a photographic memory.
Rescue by Suma Subramaniam (19 pgs)
10yo Sangeetha’s father, Appa, abused her mother and she hides in her room with yellow lab Duke. When the abuse gets too much after Appa loses his job, Amma and Sangeetha leave in the early morning. They don’t take Duke, but leave him with neighbor Joe. On their travels south to stay with a cousin, they realize how much they miss Dike and can’t leave without him. The turn around to rescue Duke.
(Story starts out very series and brings up the topic of abuse and how a child would handle watching it however the story takes a lighter turn when it focused on the live Sanheetha has for her dog)
*The Save by Joseph Brichac (12pgs)
Oren lives on an Indian reservation and plays lacrosse. He is the third strong but gets a turn to play goalie b/c his team is winning 14-2. At end of game he makes a lucky save and everyone is impressed. He thinks it’s just luck. Later while eating with his grandfather a piece from an ATV comes flying through the window of the restaurant. Oren jumps in front of his grandfather and saves him. Great reflexes and 2 saves! There is native language in this story and represents the Iroquois tribe.
Los Abuelos, Two Bright Minds by Juana Medina ( 11 pgs w/ pictures)
Juanita tells the story of her Abulea and Abuelo who moved from poverty in Columbia. Abulea has a heart condition and although she is very sick and has had many heart surgeries she creates surgical equipment. Abuleo is a brain surgeon and does surgery for free. Many people thank him with gifts including poet laureates. This feels biographical.
*Thrown by Mike Jung ( 22 pages)
Stevie Chang, an 11yo autistic boy is in Tae Kwan Do class. He gets moved up got the teen/adult class and gets frustrated. He wants to quit but his friends and family convince him to continue. Autistic traits are highlighted as well as strategies for dealing with frustration. Sensei Brandon is autistic and there are some explanations on how karate helped him deal with it.
A Girl’s Best Friend by Cynthia Leitich Smith ( 13 pgs)
Sophie Bigheart and her Muscogee-Osage mom rent a small apt from Miz Wilson in Austin TX. Mama is in a band. Sophie wants a dog and volunteers at a a shelter. When Miz Wilson kicks them out if the apt for breaking the rules about pets, Sophie beings cute Weisner dog Sweet Potato to Miz Wilson’s when she drops off the rent. Miz Wilson falls in live and adopts her. She discounts the rent for Sophie’s help with the dog and does not evict the family
Everly’s Otherworldly Dilemma by Ellen Oh (23 pgs) Fantasy (good vs evil)
Everly is Max’s friend and he is a shapeshifting werewolf like his Dads. Everly can see Goblins and other supernatural beings. She protects a child in the movie theater and is identified by some Shingru Rangers who recruit her for magical army. Marie, Max’s fairy godmother, gives her a magical stone that welcomes her into the magic realm and she begins to work as a protection ranger against the Butkus.
Reina Madrid by R J Palacio (22 pgs)
Reina moves to Queens NY at 6yo. Her father died and she and her Spanish speaking mom find an apt in 160th st. Neighborhood kids play and shy Reina makes friend with Franny. 4 years later they are best friends. Franny spends tons of time with Reina and her mom but Reina has never been to Reinas house. One 4th of July when all the kids are in the street about to play kickball Franny runs out and her father yells ,” you aren’t playing with that spic” Reina is shocked. She and Franny remain beat friends.
Go Fish by William Alexander (18 pgs)
Fantasy fiction
Colt, Elenora and Avery (they) can all see ghosts. They find a tunnel to catacombs and visit the cemetery where many ghosts exist. A statue of Beuregaude Grizzle causes groups of people to protest the statute and argue to take it down. Eventually the 3 kids talk tot the dirt and tree roots that cause a big hole and the statue falls underground.
Hero next door
KG Thoughts- vocabulary isn’t challenging, stories are mostly shorter and easy reads. Maybe better for 6th than 7th. Great variety including underrepresented cultures and decent mix of fan tasty, sports and realistic fiction.
Zombies and Minnows by Rita Garcia Williams- Minnows are kids in swim school. Walking to 7-11 and see zombies. Infer that zombies are drug addicts experiencing homelessness. Sumaya has a brother Imiri who is a zombie. Swim instructor Daisy protects the little minnows from a zombie at 7-11. (9pgs)
One Wish by Ronald L Smith. (17pgs)
Cuz knocks on 12yo Sackys door liking gif food. Sacky is unsure as his Auntie is at church. He decides to give Cuz food and Cuz grants him one wish. Although Cyz tells story of a wolf turned into a man and Sacky can give up his wish and turn the man back into a wolf. Sacky contemplates And does the Christian thing gives up his wish. Cuz turns into a wolf. How to comes home and let Sacky eat cake for dinner. ( 2nd chances, doing the right thing when no I’ve is looking)
*The Assist by Ali said Sue Park and Anna Dobbin (23 pages w/ pictures)Mom and daughter team
Soccer team, cattleman and essay writing about All American Boys by Jason Reynolds . 7th grader Noah gets help from Captain Eddie to write an essay. He uses text messaging as a technique for writing. The hero is Eddie for helping and passing the ball in the field. (Great for reluctant readers. Boys with emojis)
*Home by Hena Khan (17 pages)
Story told from 11yo girl in Virginia who goes to Iran to adopt 3 yo Hakeem. He is overstimulated and often ruins her room and things. The adjustment is difficult but the live is still there. Even when he ruins her birthday party she chooses to include him and teach him what Home means.
(Great match to HOTB)
*Ellison’s CORNucopia A Logan Country Story by Lamar Giles ( 22 pages)
Ellison twins Leen and Vicki sell their family’s corn products at a farmers market. However they also build robot/rovers and secretly sell them while their uncle Percy sleeps. They solve a mystery of a stolen cash box and help and old lady with Alzheimer’s. Leen has a photographic memory.
Rescue by Suma Subramaniam (19 pgs)
10yo Sangeetha’s father, Appa, abused her mother and she hides in her room with yellow lab Duke. When the abuse gets too much after Appa loses his job, Amma and Sangeetha leave in the early morning. They don’t take Duke, but leave him with neighbor Joe. On their travels south to stay with a cousin, they realize how much they miss Dike and can’t leave without him. The turn around to rescue Duke.
(Story starts out very series and brings up the topic of abuse and how a child would handle watching it however the story takes a lighter turn when it focused on the live Sanheetha has for her dog)
*The Save by Joseph Brichac (12pgs)
Oren lives on an Indian reservation and plays lacrosse. He is the third strong but gets a turn to play goalie b/c his team is winning 14-2. At end of game he makes a lucky save and everyone is impressed. He thinks it’s just luck. Later while eating with his grandfather a piece from an ATV comes flying through the window of the restaurant. Oren jumps in front of his grandfather and saves him. Great reflexes and 2 saves! There is native language in this story and represents the Iroquois tribe.
Los Abuelos, Two Bright Minds by Juana Medina ( 11 pgs w/ pictures)
Juanita tells the story of her Abulea and Abuelo who moved from poverty in Columbia. Abulea has a heart condition and although she is very sick and has had many heart surgeries she creates surgical equipment. Abuleo is a brain surgeon and does surgery for free. Many people thank him with gifts including poet laureates. This feels biographical.
*Thrown by Mike Jung ( 22 pages)
Stevie Chang, an 11yo autistic boy is in Tae Kwan Do class. He gets moved up got the teen/adult class and gets frustrated. He wants to quit but his friends and family convince him to continue. Autistic traits are highlighted as well as strategies for dealing with frustration. Sensei Brandon is autistic and there are some explanations on how karate helped him deal with it.
A Girl’s Best Friend by Cynthia Leitich Smith ( 13 pgs)
Sophie Bigheart and her Muscogee-Osage mom rent a small apt from Miz Wilson in Austin TX. Mama is in a band. Sophie wants a dog and volunteers at a a shelter. When Miz Wilson kicks them out if the apt for breaking the rules about pets, Sophie beings cute Weisner dog Sweet Potato to Miz Wilson’s when she drops off the rent. Miz Wilson falls in live and adopts her. She discounts the rent for Sophie’s help with the dog and does not evict the family
Everly’s Otherworldly Dilemma by Ellen Oh (23 pgs) Fantasy (good vs evil)
Everly is Max’s friend and he is a shapeshifting werewolf like his Dads. Everly can see Goblins and other supernatural beings. She protects a child in the movie theater and is identified by some Shingru Rangers who recruit her for magical army. Marie, Max’s fairy godmother, gives her a magical stone that welcomes her into the magic realm and she begins to work as a protection ranger against the Butkus.
Reina Madrid by R J Palacio (22 pgs)
Reina moves to Queens NY at 6yo. Her father died and she and her Spanish speaking mom find an apt in 160th st. Neighborhood kids play and shy Reina makes friend with Franny. 4 years later they are best friends. Franny spends tons of time with Reina and her mom but Reina has never been to Reinas house. One 4th of July when all the kids are in the street about to play kickball Franny runs out and her father yells ,” you aren’t playing with that spic” Reina is shocked. She and Franny remain beat friends.
Go Fish by William Alexander (18 pgs)
Fantasy fiction
Colt, Elenora and Avery (they) can all see ghosts. They find a tunnel to catacombs and visit the cemetery where many ghosts exist. A statue of Beuregaude Grizzle causes groups of people to protest the statute and argue to take it down. Eventually the 3 kids talk tot the dirt and tree roots that cause a big hole and the statue falls underground.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2019
I loved the first We Need Diverse Books collection, Flying Lessons, so much! It is one of my favorite anthologies ever, so I couldn't wait for this one to come out. I have to say. I am a little disappointed. My favorite story in here was Rescue by Suma Subramaniam. It covers domestic abuse through the eyes of a girl and her dog. RJ Palacio's story is sweet especially the mom's reaction to the neighbor's father. I appreciated Hena Khan's story about adoption and Mike Jung's story whose protagonist is autistic. Some gems here will stick with me.
August 12, 2019
As you see, from "We Need Diverse Books", a new collection that is easy to imagine readers loving, hopefully, teachers reading it aloud so that every single student can learn so many ways that acts of kindness can occur. Each story has its own magic, sometimes fantastical, often realistic, but always satisfying. I am grateful to this organization that is giving us ALL the faces of our students and to the writers who brought life to some of them.
August 20, 2019
I really liked most of the stories from _Flying Lessons_, but this collection had a bunch of duds.
Good ones (IMO):
--"Ellison's Cornucopia" by Lamar Giles (sci-fi)
--"Thrown" by Mike Jung (narrator with autism)
--"A Girl's Best Friend" by Cynthia Leitich Smith (seeing good in everyone)
--"Go Fish" by William Alexander" (which included a gender nonconforming character)
--"Reina Madrid" by R.J. Palacio (about racism)
Good ones (IMO):
--"Ellison's Cornucopia" by Lamar Giles (sci-fi)
--"Thrown" by Mike Jung (narrator with autism)
--"A Girl's Best Friend" by Cynthia Leitich Smith (seeing good in everyone)
--"Go Fish" by William Alexander" (which included a gender nonconforming character)
--"Reina Madrid" by R.J. Palacio (about racism)
September 10, 2019
Solid collection of short stories for middle grade readers. As with all collections, some stories felt more complete than others—I particularly enjoyed Ronald L. Smith's "One Wish," William Alexander's "Go Fish," Suma Subramaniam's "Rescue," and R.J. Palacio's "Reina Madrid."
I hope We Need Diverse Books keeps these anthologies coming.
I hope We Need Diverse Books keeps these anthologies coming.
September 9, 2019
Great set of short stories! Perfect for 5-6th grade! Diverse characters, diverse stories/situations! Perfect for current students!
I don’t think there was a single story I didn’t like! Great mixture of authors voices!
I don’t think there was a single story I didn’t like! Great mixture of authors voices!
Read
July 13, 2021A good variety of stories, some of which take the theme to less ordinary places than the “next door” theme might imply. Should be enjoyed by middle-grade readers.
September 23, 2019
I felt represented. Lately I have been reading more books with diversity and have finally been able to see myself in them. It's an incredible feeling.
September 25, 2019
My favorite stories : Home by Hena Khan and A Girls Best Friend by Cynthia Leitch Smith. I plan to share with grade 5 students!
October 3, 2019
Great short stories from diverse voices, especially targeted to middle grade students. Many of the stories should be expanded into books!
August 9, 2021
There were a few interesting stories but most of them fell flat and would not engage my students. Some had social justice themes but were so obscure that they just didn't translate.
November 1, 2022
“Minnows and zombies” by Rita Williams Garcia. -- A young child at day camp in the city likes it when her swimming class earns a treat, except that it means walking to a 7-Eleven through what she calls zombies who always ask them for money. This was sad in so many ways, because the adult reading it, or possibly the older child, will recognize that the zombies are drug addicts. It’s interesting to have the child’s perspective on it and knowing that in some ways they are so right. The hero in this s one of the counselors who isn’t afraid to talk to the zombies.
“One wish” by Ronald Smith. -- In Model T days, somewhere in the south, the boy named Sacky is home alone when an old local beggar knocks at the door and asks for food. He says if Sacky will give him food, he will give Sacky one wish. But first, he’ll have to tell him a story. I liked the world building in this one, with the hot summer sun and the pecan tree, and the sensory details of the yellow cake and so forth. I liked the story within a story, and how the boy takes a chance because he wants to do the right thing—a thing that no one else has ever done for the beggar, because it means giving up something for themselves.
“The assist” by Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin. -- Eighth grader Eddie is co-captain of his school’s soccer team, and they need to beat one more team to get into the playoffs. One of their players is a seventh grader named Noah, whose grades are slipping because he does not know how to write in English essay. If his grades slip too low he is off the team, so Eddie helps him figure out how write his essay. This one was pretty straightforward, and would be a good one for teachers to use, even if it is a little didactic. Kids will appreciate the sports action if they are athletes themselves, and I liked the sidebars with commentary from the various players.
“Home” by Hena Khan. -- Aleena and her parents adopt a three-year-old orphan boy from Morocco and bring him home to Virginia. Aleena was so excited to have a little brother, until he started regularly destroying her room. Having a little brother is a lot harder than she’d thought; is it worth it? The story has a lot of great details, and is an honest portrayal of sibling discord, and of Aleena learning how to work with her new little brother. I think a lot of kids with little siblings will appreciate this one.
“Ellison’s cornucopia” by Lamar Giles. -- In Logan County, where things are a little unusual, the Ellison girls are staffing their family’s corn stall at the local farmer’s market when the girl selling vegetables next to them discovers that her cash box has been stolen. The Ellisons use the small spider robot rovers they make--and secretly sell--to solve the crime. This one was fun, and will especially appeal to kids who are interested in robotics and virtual reality.
“Rescue” by Suma Subramanian. -- Sangeetha’s father is physically abusive to her mother, but when he threatens his daughter, her mother decides they have to leave. Only one problem – that means they have to leave behind Duke, the girl’s dog and best friend. This one felt a bit more like the start of a novel, as it leaves so much unresolved and so much omitted. The details of an Indian American life are vivid, though, as is the love that the girl feels for her dog.
“The save” by Joseph Bruchac. -- Oren, an Onondaga Iroquois who lives on a reservation, plays lacrosse, and worries that he is the worst on his team. Even when he makes a fantastic save, he knows it was only an accident. Wasn’t it? This is another one with lots of good details and good world building. I like the glimpse of the reservation, with its herd of buffalo. The grandfather does a good job of getting Oren to come around to see his save as more than dumb luck.
“Los Abuelos, two bright minds” by Juana Medina. -- The main character, who lives in Colombia, describes her two wonderful grandparents, both of whom have made a difference in the world through engineering and medicine. This was more like a memoir than a story, with lots of detail about the grandparents and their lives, and the things that have affected them, like the grandmother’s heart condition and grandfather having lost everything after citywide riots in Bogota. Illustrated.
“Thrown” by Mike Jung. -- Stevie is autistic and loves aikido. He is so good that even though he is 11, he is being moved up to the teen and adult class. He finds it really hard and overwhelming, but the instructor is also on the spectrum, and that convinces Stevie to give it one more shot. I liked this one, which is intersectional in that Stevie is of Asian descent as well as autistic, and it also shows why he loves aikido. Kids who read it will get a better understanding of both.
“A girl’s best friend” by Cynthia Leitich Smith. -- Sophie, who is Muscogee Osage, lives with her mother in a tiny apartment attached to a house owned by the unpleasant Mrs. Wilson, for whom Sophie’s mother works. Sophie wants a dog more than anything in the world, but Mrs. Wilson says absolutely not. Sofie tries to change her mind, and in the meantime, starts volunteering at a local dog shelter. I enjoyed all the dog descriptions in this, and the desire for a dog that many kids can sympathize with. I do think that Mrs. Wilson’s turnaround was not all that believable, and I wonder if Sophie’s mother would really be willing to forgive Mrs. Wilson’s behavior.
“Everly’s otherworldly dilemma” by Ellen Oh. -- Everly lives in an alternate world where otherworldly beings sometimes sneak into the human world. Some are seeking refuge from persecution in the otherworld, some are here to cause trouble. Everly is friends with some of the ones who have sought refuge, but when she is discovered by the Rangers, humans who guard the gate to the other world, they want to recruit her to help them get rid of all the otherworld creatures in human world. Everly certainly does not want to do that, but is there a way she can both join them and help her friends? I liked the world building this one, though it feels crammed in a short story format; I think it would do better as a whole novel. There is a whole lot of world to unpack, and I wanted to know more about it.
“Reina Madrid” by RJ Palacio. -- In the 1970s, Reina loses her father, and she and her mother move into an apartment in Queens. They are from South America, and Reina often acts as a interpreter for her mother. For years her best friend among the gang of neighborhood kids is Franny, who has a mother and father and siblings, unlike Reina, but Reina is actually the luckier of the two. The story is about how she realizes that. This was lovely, with lots of wonderful world building details about the place and time. I loved how Reina was an expert in “things not said” by adults. This one shows how you can cover several years in a short story and it is still rich and deep. This was my favorite of all the stories.
“Go fish” by William Alexander. -- In a world in which ghosts are commonplace and not dangerous, three kids find that their houses are joined by secret tunnels that also lead to the local cemetery. A haunted bronze statue in the cemetery is making trouble, and the kids are the only ones who can figure out how to deal with it. I liked this one for its creativity, and how it managed to set up the world in such a short time. I liked that the characters were clearly defined, and that one was genderfluid. It was interesting how, I think, the author was juxtaposing that world’s actual ghosts with our world’s more subtle ghosts – people’s feelings about the past and their and their ancestors’ place in it; feelings that drive actions that may include racism. Cleverly done.
“One wish” by Ronald Smith. -- In Model T days, somewhere in the south, the boy named Sacky is home alone when an old local beggar knocks at the door and asks for food. He says if Sacky will give him food, he will give Sacky one wish. But first, he’ll have to tell him a story. I liked the world building in this one, with the hot summer sun and the pecan tree, and the sensory details of the yellow cake and so forth. I liked the story within a story, and how the boy takes a chance because he wants to do the right thing—a thing that no one else has ever done for the beggar, because it means giving up something for themselves.
“The assist” by Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin. -- Eighth grader Eddie is co-captain of his school’s soccer team, and they need to beat one more team to get into the playoffs. One of their players is a seventh grader named Noah, whose grades are slipping because he does not know how to write in English essay. If his grades slip too low he is off the team, so Eddie helps him figure out how write his essay. This one was pretty straightforward, and would be a good one for teachers to use, even if it is a little didactic. Kids will appreciate the sports action if they are athletes themselves, and I liked the sidebars with commentary from the various players.
“Home” by Hena Khan. -- Aleena and her parents adopt a three-year-old orphan boy from Morocco and bring him home to Virginia. Aleena was so excited to have a little brother, until he started regularly destroying her room. Having a little brother is a lot harder than she’d thought; is it worth it? The story has a lot of great details, and is an honest portrayal of sibling discord, and of Aleena learning how to work with her new little brother. I think a lot of kids with little siblings will appreciate this one.
“Ellison’s cornucopia” by Lamar Giles. -- In Logan County, where things are a little unusual, the Ellison girls are staffing their family’s corn stall at the local farmer’s market when the girl selling vegetables next to them discovers that her cash box has been stolen. The Ellisons use the small spider robot rovers they make--and secretly sell--to solve the crime. This one was fun, and will especially appeal to kids who are interested in robotics and virtual reality.
“Rescue” by Suma Subramanian. -- Sangeetha’s father is physically abusive to her mother, but when he threatens his daughter, her mother decides they have to leave. Only one problem – that means they have to leave behind Duke, the girl’s dog and best friend. This one felt a bit more like the start of a novel, as it leaves so much unresolved and so much omitted. The details of an Indian American life are vivid, though, as is the love that the girl feels for her dog.
“The save” by Joseph Bruchac. -- Oren, an Onondaga Iroquois who lives on a reservation, plays lacrosse, and worries that he is the worst on his team. Even when he makes a fantastic save, he knows it was only an accident. Wasn’t it? This is another one with lots of good details and good world building. I like the glimpse of the reservation, with its herd of buffalo. The grandfather does a good job of getting Oren to come around to see his save as more than dumb luck.
“Los Abuelos, two bright minds” by Juana Medina. -- The main character, who lives in Colombia, describes her two wonderful grandparents, both of whom have made a difference in the world through engineering and medicine. This was more like a memoir than a story, with lots of detail about the grandparents and their lives, and the things that have affected them, like the grandmother’s heart condition and grandfather having lost everything after citywide riots in Bogota. Illustrated.
“Thrown” by Mike Jung. -- Stevie is autistic and loves aikido. He is so good that even though he is 11, he is being moved up to the teen and adult class. He finds it really hard and overwhelming, but the instructor is also on the spectrum, and that convinces Stevie to give it one more shot. I liked this one, which is intersectional in that Stevie is of Asian descent as well as autistic, and it also shows why he loves aikido. Kids who read it will get a better understanding of both.
“A girl’s best friend” by Cynthia Leitich Smith. -- Sophie, who is Muscogee Osage, lives with her mother in a tiny apartment attached to a house owned by the unpleasant Mrs. Wilson, for whom Sophie’s mother works. Sophie wants a dog more than anything in the world, but Mrs. Wilson says absolutely not. Sofie tries to change her mind, and in the meantime, starts volunteering at a local dog shelter. I enjoyed all the dog descriptions in this, and the desire for a dog that many kids can sympathize with. I do think that Mrs. Wilson’s turnaround was not all that believable, and I wonder if Sophie’s mother would really be willing to forgive Mrs. Wilson’s behavior.
“Everly’s otherworldly dilemma” by Ellen Oh. -- Everly lives in an alternate world where otherworldly beings sometimes sneak into the human world. Some are seeking refuge from persecution in the otherworld, some are here to cause trouble. Everly is friends with some of the ones who have sought refuge, but when she is discovered by the Rangers, humans who guard the gate to the other world, they want to recruit her to help them get rid of all the otherworld creatures in human world. Everly certainly does not want to do that, but is there a way she can both join them and help her friends? I liked the world building this one, though it feels crammed in a short story format; I think it would do better as a whole novel. There is a whole lot of world to unpack, and I wanted to know more about it.
“Reina Madrid” by RJ Palacio. -- In the 1970s, Reina loses her father, and she and her mother move into an apartment in Queens. They are from South America, and Reina often acts as a interpreter for her mother. For years her best friend among the gang of neighborhood kids is Franny, who has a mother and father and siblings, unlike Reina, but Reina is actually the luckier of the two. The story is about how she realizes that. This was lovely, with lots of wonderful world building details about the place and time. I loved how Reina was an expert in “things not said” by adults. This one shows how you can cover several years in a short story and it is still rich and deep. This was my favorite of all the stories.
“Go fish” by William Alexander. -- In a world in which ghosts are commonplace and not dangerous, three kids find that their houses are joined by secret tunnels that also lead to the local cemetery. A haunted bronze statue in the cemetery is making trouble, and the kids are the only ones who can figure out how to deal with it. I liked this one for its creativity, and how it managed to set up the world in such a short time. I liked that the characters were clearly defined, and that one was genderfluid. It was interesting how, I think, the author was juxtaposing that world’s actual ghosts with our world’s more subtle ghosts – people’s feelings about the past and their and their ancestors’ place in it; feelings that drive actions that may include racism. Cleverly done.
February 8, 2024
The book "The Hero Next Door' written by multiple Artists but edited by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Prkkovich was a multi-story book. Most of these stories end happily. even if the book ends up with happy endings it still gives an understanding of the real-world problems and situations. One of these stories that connects to the real world is " Minnows and Zombies" by Rita Williams-Garcia. It is about a group of kids in a swimming camp going to a 7-11 after a succesful swimming round, they face the so-called "zombies" which are just drug addicts who turned to live in the streets and beg for money and food. Overall this book was good, it gets a little boring after seeing all the stories end up with a happy ending. It still engages the reader to want to read more of these stories.
I would recommend the " Minnows and zombies" By Rita Williams-Garcia. This story was great and it relates to real-world problems. I thought this was interesting because it is a major problem in the U.S. I think the book was quite interesting on the little stories and all of them have a different story to tell, they aren't similar at all besides the happy endings. A quote from this book that I want to use is "You want to be nice to zombies because they used to be real people" by Rita Williams-Garcia in "Minnows and Zombies". I chose this quote because it's a sad reality in the whole world. The book also has some stories with hard truths, like the story "Rescue" by Suma Subramaniam. The story talks about a daughter and a mom who faced abuse from the girl's father, they tried to escape but had to leave their beloved dog "Duke" back in Seattle while they went to Texas.
The book is very truthful at some point in some stories. A book like this makes it enjoyable for people who are in Middle school and up since to get some stories you have to be older. But the other stories with no realistic background make it readable for everyone, especially people who like short and interesting stories.
I would recommend the " Minnows and zombies" By Rita Williams-Garcia. This story was great and it relates to real-world problems. I thought this was interesting because it is a major problem in the U.S. I think the book was quite interesting on the little stories and all of them have a different story to tell, they aren't similar at all besides the happy endings. A quote from this book that I want to use is "You want to be nice to zombies because they used to be real people" by Rita Williams-Garcia in "Minnows and Zombies". I chose this quote because it's a sad reality in the whole world. The book also has some stories with hard truths, like the story "Rescue" by Suma Subramaniam. The story talks about a daughter and a mom who faced abuse from the girl's father, they tried to escape but had to leave their beloved dog "Duke" back in Seattle while they went to Texas.
The book is very truthful at some point in some stories. A book like this makes it enjoyable for people who are in Middle school and up since to get some stories you have to be older. But the other stories with no realistic background make it readable for everyone, especially people who like short and interesting stories.
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July 2, 2020I’m only commenting on one story - Everly’s Otherworldly Dilemma.
1. The goblin is incredibly problematic. The physical description is straight out of Nazi propaganda, including the black skullcap and goal of stealing children. His first physical descriptor is his pointed nose.
2. As problematic is that Everly thinks he is evil, because of his race, but she knows he is evil because he turns her stomach. “Up to no good” is a racial trope that needs to be retired.
3. When she she asks, “Did you kill him?” The Rangers respond, “No, unfortunately, he has to go to trial first.” That the Rangers are recruited as young children is another Nazi allusion. Handsome, tall, rune-wearing.
4. Everly herself is pretty repellent. She mocks her best friend, tickles him until he wets his pants and calls him Cinderella. (The child of two gay werewolves might see that as a homophobic slur. I sure do. )
5. To my son and me, the worst is the use of the term Buraku for the dangerous Otherworldly. The Burakumin, or Buraku, were the lowest caste in the Japanese feudal hierarchy. Through the 20th century, discrimination was still prevalent against the Buraku. Copying a problematic term for the “dangerous ones” just erases this true pattern of discrimination. How would you feel about a fantasy novel that used “Trail of Tears” for something completely unrelated? Or “First Nations” for the dangerous Others?
I don’t really like the idea of children being recruited as warriors, but that’s a different issue.
1. The goblin is incredibly problematic. The physical description is straight out of Nazi propaganda, including the black skullcap and goal of stealing children. His first physical descriptor is his pointed nose.
2. As problematic is that Everly thinks he is evil, because of his race, but she knows he is evil because he turns her stomach. “Up to no good” is a racial trope that needs to be retired.
3. When she she asks, “Did you kill him?” The Rangers respond, “No, unfortunately, he has to go to trial first.” That the Rangers are recruited as young children is another Nazi allusion. Handsome, tall, rune-wearing.
4. Everly herself is pretty repellent. She mocks her best friend, tickles him until he wets his pants and calls him Cinderella. (The child of two gay werewolves might see that as a homophobic slur. I sure do. )
5. To my son and me, the worst is the use of the term Buraku for the dangerous Otherworldly. The Burakumin, or Buraku, were the lowest caste in the Japanese feudal hierarchy. Through the 20th century, discrimination was still prevalent against the Buraku. Copying a problematic term for the “dangerous ones” just erases this true pattern of discrimination. How would you feel about a fantasy novel that used “Trail of Tears” for something completely unrelated? Or “First Nations” for the dangerous Others?
I don’t really like the idea of children being recruited as warriors, but that’s a different issue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 28, 2021
As the book jacket indicates, heroes usually do not wear flapping red capes or have superpowers. And they're usually not famous or known outside of their household or neighborhood. In these 13 short stories and a Foreword, authors explore what makes a hero, a literary journey ranging from befriending a zombie and identifying a couple of thieves at a farmer's market to befriending someone with a racist father and welcoming a new addition to the family. All of the stories are interesting and will find fans and those whose own life experiences are similar, but I tended to like the realistic fiction stories better than the fantasy, some of which went longer than I would have liked. My favorites were Hena Khan's "Home" in which the narrator realizes that life with her adopted brother Hakeem is messy and complicated, for sure, but welcoming someone home means being patient and kind and that there is joy mingled with the annoyance and "Rescue" by Suma Subramaniam in which a girl and her mother finally leave the mother's abusive husband but leave their dog Duke behind. I also was touched by Cynthia Leitich Smith's "A Girl's Best Friend" in which the narrator finds a rescue dog named Sweet Potato to add joy to her life and that of her grumpy, judgmental landlady. Most of these stories are, indeed, short, so middle grade readers won't be intimidated by their length as they sample the collection. No matter which stories strike a chord, all of them help redefine what makes someone a hero or actions heroic.
July 12, 2021
Minnows and zombies /by Rita Williams-Garcia /* I don't really like how it talks about homeless people
The wish /by Ronald L. Smith **** -kid gets one with and he can use it for himself or use it to free a man under a curse
The assist /by Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin **** kid helps his friend write an essay instead of his friend cheating. kinda corney
Home /by Hena Khan * i don't like how the kid who was adopted needed to be rescued
Ellison's cornucopia : a Logan County story /by Lamar Giles *** would work for young readers
Rescue /by Suma Subramaniam * IDK something about how they go back for the dog seems unrealistic.
The save /by Joseph Bruchac
Los abuelos, two bright minds /text and illustrations by Juana Medina *** not much of a story arch but could be a place for students to write a story with these characters or a prompt about family.
Thrown /Mike Jung ***** love how it talks about autism and martial arts
A girl's best friend /by Cynthia Leitich Smith ***** cool story about a girl and her desire for a dog
Everly's overworldly dilemma /by Ellen Oh ***** great story or prompt for students writing their own story using what happens to Everly after she becomes magic
Reina Madrid /by R. J. Palacio ***** good story about how racism of adults affects kids
Go fish /by William Alexander. ***** interesting story about ghosts being real and kids fighting them. a little bit of a connection to statues to bad things
The wish /by Ronald L. Smith **** -kid gets one with and he can use it for himself or use it to free a man under a curse
The assist /by Linda Sue Park and Anna Dobbin **** kid helps his friend write an essay instead of his friend cheating. kinda corney
Home /by Hena Khan * i don't like how the kid who was adopted needed to be rescued
Ellison's cornucopia : a Logan County story /by Lamar Giles *** would work for young readers
Rescue /by Suma Subramaniam * IDK something about how they go back for the dog seems unrealistic.
The save /by Joseph Bruchac
Los abuelos, two bright minds /text and illustrations by Juana Medina *** not much of a story arch but could be a place for students to write a story with these characters or a prompt about family.
Thrown /Mike Jung ***** love how it talks about autism and martial arts
A girl's best friend /by Cynthia Leitich Smith ***** cool story about a girl and her desire for a dog
Everly's overworldly dilemma /by Ellen Oh ***** great story or prompt for students writing their own story using what happens to Everly after she becomes magic
Reina Madrid /by R. J. Palacio ***** good story about how racism of adults affects kids
Go fish /by William Alexander. ***** interesting story about ghosts being real and kids fighting them. a little bit of a connection to statues to bad things
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2024
A really unbalanced collection--there are 5 very strong stories ("Reina Madrid" and "One Wish" being the best of the best), 5 terrible ones, and 3 smack dab in the middle...so, 2.5 stars would be perfect. Ostensibly centered around a theme of everyday heroes, the stories are too different to fit neatly into a collection. Their disparity, in style, tone, and genre might make for a satisfying read if all were equally done well. But the weaker entries bring down the collection, and cause the reader to question the theme. A graphic novel is always welcome, but how are the characters in "Los Abuelos, Two Bright Minds" heroes exactly? Same with one of the better stories: Rita Williams Garcia's "Minnows and Zombies"--a perfectly crafted story, expertly told...but without a hero. Perhaps hardest to pull off in such a limited space are the genre stories--Lamar Giles' entry is the most creative and interesting: a sci-fi mystery mash-up that is unusual and engaging. The biggest problem, however, is that right in the middle of the book is the story "Rescue", the weightiest of the entire collection, dealing with trauma and abuse at a level beyond any of the others. The story exemplifies what doesn't work overall with the book--tonally it doesn't hold together. The issue of abuse is very intense at the start of the story, and then fades as the main character is intent...at rescuing her dog? It's odd, and like the book overall, just doesn't quite fit together.
October 14, 2020
This is a cool collection: stories with diverse characters and all manner of heroes. The range is broad and the quality very good.
Some of my favorites:
-One Wish, by Ronald L Smith. Great voice and setting, with a folk-tale sort of moral.
-Home, by Hena Khan. Very warm and relatable.
-Ellison's CORNucopia; A Logan County Story, by Lamar Giles. Imaginative and tech-y with some nice subversions of stereotypes.
-Rescue, by Suma Subramaniam. Though the dilemma and solution related to the dog seem a little forced, the emotions and situations are powerful.
-The Save, by Joseph Bruchac. Great cultural details and internal conflict.
-Reina Madrid, by R.J. Palacio. Great characterization, great sense of time and place, great cultural meshing.
All the others are good too. A couple felt a bit rushed, unfinished, or too easy at the end, one was a little slow, a couple just weren't my favorite style or topic. But despite that, I can honestly say there wasn't a single one I disliked.
The styles, subjects, and tones vary a lot, but the collection brims with good writing, characterization, setting, plot, imagination…and diversity. Yay!
Some of my favorites:
-One Wish, by Ronald L Smith. Great voice and setting, with a folk-tale sort of moral.
-Home, by Hena Khan. Very warm and relatable.
-Ellison's CORNucopia; A Logan County Story, by Lamar Giles. Imaginative and tech-y with some nice subversions of stereotypes.
-Rescue, by Suma Subramaniam. Though the dilemma and solution related to the dog seem a little forced, the emotions and situations are powerful.
-The Save, by Joseph Bruchac. Great cultural details and internal conflict.
-Reina Madrid, by R.J. Palacio. Great characterization, great sense of time and place, great cultural meshing.
All the others are good too. A couple felt a bit rushed, unfinished, or too easy at the end, one was a little slow, a couple just weren't my favorite style or topic. But despite that, I can honestly say there wasn't a single one I disliked.
The styles, subjects, and tones vary a lot, but the collection brims with good writing, characterization, setting, plot, imagination…and diversity. Yay!
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