During the school year, it can be difficult to make time for reading for joy. Spring break is a great time to encourage kids to jump into new stories that they will love. We've rounded up a handful of our favorite titles in junior fiction, junior non-fiction, and picture books for you to share together. Some other wonderful lists to consider are our new in children's, Sunshine State Young Readers Jr., and books for comfortable readers lists.
This historical fiction novel is about Amihan, a young girl who lives on the Island of the Lepers, Culion. When a health organization decrees that all the healthy children will be moved to an orphanage off the island, Amihan is thrown into a world she doesn't know, one where she is ostracized for once living among the lepers. She makes a new friend, Mariposa, who pledges to help her when she hears bad news from back home. This is a both heart-breaking and uplifting tale of love, loss, and resilience.
The Bridge Home is the story of Viji, 11, and her developmentally disabled sister, Rukku, 12, who flee to the city, hoping to get away from their abusive father. They arrive in Chennai where they begin a life on the streets. As they fight to survive violence, disease, and starvation, they befriend two boys and their dog who form an unlikely family with them that brings moments of joy and community. Although fiction, the story is based on the author's mother's experience working with homeless children in India.
Jason Reynolds is an award-winning author that many have come to know and love. In Look Both Ways, 10 stories are told about 10 different kids who are ordinary and good. There is a lot of love and a lot of laughs in this one, but readers will not be surprised that it does tackle serious topics that kids face, such as bullying. Still, this is a great read for kids. Readers will be left reminded of the age old saying, "You never know what someone else is going through."
An #OwnVoices historical fiction tale about a deaf girl from Martha' Vineyard that touches on topics such as ableism, racism, and community. Mary has always felt at home on the island. The year is 1805 and the community is full of tension between the English, Black, Irish, and Wampanoag groups, like many other communities across the United States. What sets Chilmark apart is that one in four of its residents are born deaf, like Mary. When a scientist from the mainland arrives and needs a live specimen, Mary experiences great cruelty and finds strength that she did not know she had in her community.
This is the truly incredible true story of the cave rescue of twelve boys from a soccer team and their coach. What started as an adventured turned quickly into a perilous crisis: water began to rise and the team had no way out. Although we know the ending, this well-researched book describes the science and the details of how so many people came together to rescue this team after 17 days of being underground.
A biography of the writer of the famous Anne of Green Gables series surprises with details of the great sadness and tragedies that often blanketed Maud's life. She gifted the world with her twenty-four books, but her struggles with mental illness, relationship struggles, and negotiations with her publishers leads one to wonder how much she got to enjoy. This is a wonderful book for middle grade readers, especially those that enjoyed her books.
Roblox is the game that many kids can't stop talking about. This is the story of how it came to be, many of the popular games, and the creators who make it happen. A wonderful introduction to non-fiction and a pull for reluctant readers, this is a great book to enjoy over spring break - perhaps on a break from Roblox gaming.
Mary Walker was born in 1848. As a baby, she was enslaved in Alabama and was not freed from her captors until she was 15 years old. She worked hard her whole life, working numerous jobs, and outlived two husbands and three of her children. At 114 years young, she decided she wanted to learn how to read. By 116, she had mastered it. This is the story of how she became the nation's oldest student who teaches us that, "You're never too old to learn."
Zaha Hadid was an explorer and a thinker before she was an architect. She explored the mosques and palaces of her home, Baghdad, and the ancient Sumerian wetlands and wondered if there was a way to have both in one place. Readers will delight in the gorgeous watercolor illustrations of Zaha's mind and her musings are a great way to get kids excited about STEM.
Inspired by the Indigenous movements across North America, We are Water Protectors recognizes the sacred care that the Indigenous peoples have for the land and water and calls on all of us to help protect our water. This story has gorgeous illustrations and lyrical phrases that even the youngest of readers will love. This book is a good way to start to talk about the issues facing the freshwater springs and the creeks that we have in our home in north central Florida.
In this sequel to the well-loved Interrupting Chicken, little red chicken is back to do some homework in Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise. Chicken is learning about the element of surprise. From The Ugly Duckling to The Little Mermaid, readers are sure to laugh, love, and share in the joy that little red chicken has for reading.
Astronaut Scott Kelly's second book follows him sleeping on countless adventures. From the depths of the ocean to the height of the International Space Station, young readers will delight in imagining what it was like. As a a bonus, the pictures are also gorgeous. This story is wonderful for just before bed, especially for the young stargazer.
An excellent book for story time, this book really illustrates how family is what you make it. The text and pictures are playful, enjoyable, and creative. Readers will delight in the comparisons between Dad and Cat throughout, and delight even more when the narrator is finally revealed.
This is an action-packed picture book about a river flowing through a forest. Bear goes along for a ride and picks up Froggy, Turtles, Beaver, Raccoons, and Duck on the way. What follows is a wonderful, funny story about community and the adventures we take together. A perfect read for spring breakers planning a trip to the Ichetucknee or Santa Fe rivers.
