Sugar

Sugar
by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers (May 7, 2013)
Review copy from the public library

This book is about an African American slave who is named Sugar. Sugar and her mother get freed and her mother dies shortly thereafter. Sugar’s dad was sold. She cuts cane in Louisiana and gets taken care of by the Beales who live next door. Sugar is wild and often gets in trouble and she and the ex-master's son end up being friends. Mr.Wills, the ex owner, doesn’t approve it and arguments break out.

One day people from China called Chinaman come to work on the cane fields. They and the ex-slaves soon become very close friends and look after one another. Soon Billy gets really sick and the Wills had to let Sugar in so she can make Billy feel better. After a couple of days he gets well and the master treats his workers well while they work on cutting cane. Mr. Will fired Mr. Peter the one who whips slaves. He got fired because he smacked Beau, a Chinese man. He got revenge by starting a fire and burning all the cane. Mr.Will had no money for the next year’s crops so he sold the farm to someone else and left for New Orleans. Sugar and the Beales go north in hopes to find their daughters. --SR

Duke

Duke
by Kirby Larson
Scholastic Press (August 27, 2013)

review ARC from Cover to Cover Children's Books

This book is about a boy named Hobie whose father is fighting in World War 2. He has a dog named Duke who is his very best friend. He gives up Duke so Duke can go fight in the war. It is a very difficult situation to give Duke away because he loves him so much.

After Duke leaves, Hobie meets kid named Max who is German and Hobie eventually becomes friends with him. 

He realizes he misses Duke so much that he attempts to get him back from his short time commander. Hobie would write things that are a bad about Duke to the commander to try to get him back. He fails. They get news that his dad is a prisoner in a German jail camp. That saddens everyone in his family.

You'll have to read the book to find out if Hobie ever sees Duke or his father again. --Sv

Light in the Darkness

Light in the Darkness: A Story About How Slaves Learned in Secret
by Lesa Cline-Ransome
illustrated by James E. Ransome
Hyperion Book CH (January 29, 2013)

review copy borrowed from the public library

This book is about how slaves would secretly learn to read. They would do it at night and quietly in a place called a pit school. If the masters found that they learned letters, they would whip them for very letter they learned. For example, if they learned 26 letters the masters would whip them 26 times. Some moments where freaky when some masters came really close to their secret hiding spot. This is a really good book and is perfect for grades 2 and 1, but good for all readers. --Sv

All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens

All My Noble Dreams and Then What Happens
by Gloria Whelan
Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (April 2, 2013)

Rating: 4.5 / 5 stars

Summary: Young Rosalind James is living two worlds in the 1920′s of India. There is the world of her heritage, in which she stands with a British Indian Army major for a father, a muted mother, and two aunts who go by Aunt Louise and Aunt Ethyl; along with a few helpful friends. The second, where Gandhi and his fellow followers surround her in India. The two worlds plow into each other, Rosie begins to rethink everything she has been taught about the rules of the British. Should she choose to help India? Or should she keep quiet and be a lady?

What I Liked Best About This Book: First off, this was a terrific book! It was hard to understand sometimes – and yes, this book is for young adults – but I somehow managed to understand; still, the dictionary did come in handy. I really liked Rosie as a person, and not just as a character. The author gave her a lot of hard times, and very difficult decisions. Rosalind was mature about it though, and always had a friend to keep her accompanied. Even if it was her Aunt Louise. --SA

The Laura Line

The Laura Line
by Crystal Allen
Balzer + Bray (April 23, 2013)

review ARC provided by Cover to Cover

This book is about a girl named Laura Dyson who unfortunately, has to spend a few nights with her grandma, who likes nothing that Laura likes. Laura likes baseball, and her grandma never cared for it. But the worst part Laura can think of is that there’s a “slave” shack and a cemetry right on their property! But Laura realizes that she named it wrong. The “slave shack” is a historical monument holding “The Laura Line," which is 9 generations of women, all named Laura, which is bound to continue on. In the shack, there’s things that each Laura owned. To the family, each one is priceless. But when the latest Laura, Laura Dyson, makes the biggest mistake she has ever made, she promises that she’ll do everything she can to fix it.

I would definintly recommend this book for people who like historical fiction. But even if you’re not a big fan, I don’t prefer historical fiction and I loved this book. --Joh

Gingersnap

Gingersnap

by Patricia Reilly Giff

Wendy Lamb Books, January 8, 2013

About the book:

Jayna is very devastated when she find out her brother, Rob, has been called out to war. Before Rob leaves, he tells Jayna about a mysterious blue recipe book that might connect Jayna to her grandmother. She spends limited time with a lady that Rob has arranged Jayna stay with. But Jayna can not control how curious she is about the blue recipe book. She ends up in New York, with her bag and a turtle, plus a ghostly voice. Read about Jayna’s adventure in Gingersnap.

Rating:

I was VERY excited when I started reading this book, because one of my favorite authors, Patricia Reilly Giff, had written this book. I knew that this book would hold an adventure inside it. Even though I finished this book in one day, I was very pleased with it. I mean if there’s ANY kind of a ghost in a story, I’m reading it. This book might be good for 3rd graders and possibly 4th graders. I would rate this book 4.5/5 stars. --SS

Lincoln's Grave Robbers

Lincoln's Grave Robbers
by Steve Sheinkin
Scholastic Press, January 2013
review ARC provided by Cover to Cover 

This book was about how some people called phonies try to get fellow engraving master back for the counterfeiting money business. They plan to steal the body of Lincoln and the mystery/search for the criminals unfold. I rate this book a 9 out of 10 because some of the picture places were empty. (But that’s why the book is an advanced reading copy! DUH!) This book is Historical Fiction. --Y

Navigating Early

Navigating Early 

by Clare Vanderpool
Delacorte Books for Young Readers, January, 2013

review copy (ARC) provided by Cover to Cover Children's Books

Meet thirteen-year-old Jack Baker. He’s normal except for one thing: he is friends with Early Auden. At the beginning, Early seems like a ghost lurking the school. Then, Jack finds out what’s wrong with him and why the rest of the guys think he’s a freak. Early believes that the number Pi goes on, his brother is not dead, and that the great black bear is still stalking the Appalachian Trail. That’s not the weirdest thing though… Early decides to set off for a quest to find Pi. He thinks the story has not ended. Jack (who is sometimes called Jackie) tries to stop him, but it’s no use. In the end, he decides to tag along so he doesn’t feel lonely since everyone had premission to leave the school. The two boys end up on a good road, but there’s always a scratch or two. Not everything always goes right; there are injuries, venemous animals, and crazy people. Luckily, the two boys find what they want; but lose things they need. This book will get you hooked! I recommend it to everyone.

This was an interesting book. It was heart-warming, but funny at times. Clare Vanderpool really explained the book well, I felt like I was walking with Jackie and Early. Navigating Early was really sad by the ending, but still awesome! I really liked how the author put a lot of effort into the characters, Early seemed like a real kid. I also liked how Jackie found his ture self, and who his true friend was. This book kept surprising me. In every page- BOOM! You never knew what was going to happen. Never. I think everyone should read this amazing book. I really liked it, and I think others will, too. --SA