We had two great adventure, middle grade novels for 8-12 year olds this month. Both authors were kind enough to write exclusive letters to our readers and these have been included in the box.
The Harlem Charade by Natash Tarpley. Jin lives with her grandparents and helps out at their corner store. She is looking for adventure when she meets Alex, a mysterious girl who secretly helps the needy. They agree to help Elvin, who has come to Harlem to live with his grandfather. But Elvin’s grandfather has been attacked and is unconscious in the hospital. Their questions about the attack lead them to a decades old mystery of missing art. The masterpieces are worth a fortune and could save their neighbourhood from a bull-dozing developer. This book is full of action and suspense and I enjoyed learning a bit about Harlem and its rich history. Natasha lives in Chicago, Illinois and is the author of a number of acclaimed books for adults and children. She is the co-founder of Voonderbar! Media, a multicultural children's book publishing and media company.
Some Kind of Courage by Dan Gemeinhart. I loved this beautiful story about a young boy named Joseph. Set in Washington State in the 1890’s, this poor boy has lost everything. All he has left is hope and his beloved horse named Sarah. But now she is gone too, sold by the horrible man who was supposed to look after him. Joseph sets off on a courageous journey to find Sarah and he’ll do whatever it takes to get her back. Recently published in paperback, this book has been nominated for the 2017 Notable Children’s Books List from The Association for Library Service to Children. Dan is a teacher-librarian in Washington State, USA.