Here are some suggestions from Terry Hong (SLJ March and May 2019) for great audiobooks for your summer vacation travels!
Middle Grade
Flying Lessons and Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh
Some of the most beloved children's writers- including Matt de la Pena, Grace Lin and Walter Dean Myers- are gathered in this entertaining collection, guaranteed to resonate with diverse audiences.
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
Six middle schoolers are ushered every Friday afternoon into a former art room, cleverly renamed the "A-R-T-T room- A Room To Talk", and encouraged to "talk about the things kids talk about when no grown-ups are around". Woodson and her own children feature in the stellar cast.
In the Shadow of the Sun by Anne Sibley O'Brien
what do you do when your family trip turns out to be to North Korea? Mia and Simon head to Pyongyang with their aid-director father, only to have him disappear, leaving the intrepid siblings to save him- and themselves.
Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Thomas Jefferson fathered four children with Sally Hemings, one of his enslaved women. Bradley's fascinating historical fiction gets a sensitive, enthralling read by the ever-versatile Adenrele Ojo.
"Nate" series by Tim Federle
Listeners will want to keep driving to finish this winning series about irrepressible Nate Foster as his Broadway dreams come true.
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
In her diary, 12-year-old Nisha records her family's perilous journey from Pakistan to India during the 1947 Partition. Priya Ayyar brings to life Nisha's evolution from reluctant and reticent to bold and brave.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Gratz gets personal with desensitizing statistics, policies, and politics by giving names, families and histories to three tweens fleeing three countries during three time periods.
"Track" series by Jason Reynolds
Meet the Defenders track team: Each middle-schooler has their own challenges, but together-led by no-nonsense, always-nurturing Coach- they'll all turn out to be just the champions they need to be.
"The Underland Chronicles" by Suzanne Collins
Before the Hunger Games made her a household name, Collins created NYC's "Underland", into which Gregor (the Overlander) must venture to save his missing father- and maybe the whole world.
Stay tuned for Young Adult audiobook suggestions!
Everlasting Nora by Marie Miranda Cruz
Losing her home and her father to fire, Nora moves with her mother, Lorna, into Manila's North Cemetery shantytown, where the living coexist with their dead. They survive by doing other people's laundry, but Lorna gambles away their meager funds playing mahjong. When Lorna disappears, Nora relies on the kindness of strangers to get her back.
The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller
In one of those "dorky old composition notebooks". seventh grader Natalie is "supposed to observe something that interests us and spend all year applying the scientific process to our capital-Q Question." She takes an unconventional approach, filling the pages with salient observations about her brilliant botanist mother, who can't seem to get out of bed. Natalie concocts plans to spark her mother to care again and tallies friends to prove her hypotheses. Surprising results follow.
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
In a small Pakistani village where everyone knows everybody else, young Amal wants nothing more than to go to school and become a teacher. When she inadvertently insults the over privileged son of a powerful landowner, her family must commit her to indentured servitude as punishment. Encouraged by the kindness of the estate matriarch, Amal figures our how to fight for justice.
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Mia Tang is only 10, but she runs the front desk of the notel where her immigrant parents are overworked and underpaid by the greedy owner, Mr. Yao. Despite drawbacks, Mia had made wonderful new friends, especially among the long-term guests, while her parents use the empty rooms to provide a temporary safe haven for other immigrants. Though her family is remarkably resourceful, abusive Mr. Yao- and his spoiled son- still control their lives, until Mia hatches a plan to save them all.
Young Adult suggestion to follow...
Enjoy!!
~Miss Elena
Middle Grade
Flying Lessons and Other Stories edited by Ellen Oh
Some of the most beloved children's writers- including Matt de la Pena, Grace Lin and Walter Dean Myers- are gathered in this entertaining collection, guaranteed to resonate with diverse audiences.
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
Six middle schoolers are ushered every Friday afternoon into a former art room, cleverly renamed the "A-R-T-T room- A Room To Talk", and encouraged to "talk about the things kids talk about when no grown-ups are around". Woodson and her own children feature in the stellar cast.
In the Shadow of the Sun by Anne Sibley O'Brien
what do you do when your family trip turns out to be to North Korea? Mia and Simon head to Pyongyang with their aid-director father, only to have him disappear, leaving the intrepid siblings to save him- and themselves.
Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Thomas Jefferson fathered four children with Sally Hemings, one of his enslaved women. Bradley's fascinating historical fiction gets a sensitive, enthralling read by the ever-versatile Adenrele Ojo.
"Nate" series by Tim Federle
Listeners will want to keep driving to finish this winning series about irrepressible Nate Foster as his Broadway dreams come true.
The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani
In her diary, 12-year-old Nisha records her family's perilous journey from Pakistan to India during the 1947 Partition. Priya Ayyar brings to life Nisha's evolution from reluctant and reticent to bold and brave.
Refugee by Alan Gratz
Gratz gets personal with desensitizing statistics, policies, and politics by giving names, families and histories to three tweens fleeing three countries during three time periods.
"Track" series by Jason Reynolds
Meet the Defenders track team: Each middle-schooler has their own challenges, but together-led by no-nonsense, always-nurturing Coach- they'll all turn out to be just the champions they need to be.
"The Underland Chronicles" by Suzanne Collins
Before the Hunger Games made her a household name, Collins created NYC's "Underland", into which Gregor (the Overlander) must venture to save his missing father- and maybe the whole world.
Stay tuned for Young Adult audiobook suggestions!
Everlasting Nora by Marie Miranda Cruz
Losing her home and her father to fire, Nora moves with her mother, Lorna, into Manila's North Cemetery shantytown, where the living coexist with their dead. They survive by doing other people's laundry, but Lorna gambles away their meager funds playing mahjong. When Lorna disappears, Nora relies on the kindness of strangers to get her back.
The Science of Breakable Things by Tae Keller
In one of those "dorky old composition notebooks". seventh grader Natalie is "supposed to observe something that interests us and spend all year applying the scientific process to our capital-Q Question." She takes an unconventional approach, filling the pages with salient observations about her brilliant botanist mother, who can't seem to get out of bed. Natalie concocts plans to spark her mother to care again and tallies friends to prove her hypotheses. Surprising results follow.
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
In a small Pakistani village where everyone knows everybody else, young Amal wants nothing more than to go to school and become a teacher. When she inadvertently insults the over privileged son of a powerful landowner, her family must commit her to indentured servitude as punishment. Encouraged by the kindness of the estate matriarch, Amal figures our how to fight for justice.
Front Desk by Kelly Yang
Mia Tang is only 10, but she runs the front desk of the notel where her immigrant parents are overworked and underpaid by the greedy owner, Mr. Yao. Despite drawbacks, Mia had made wonderful new friends, especially among the long-term guests, while her parents use the empty rooms to provide a temporary safe haven for other immigrants. Though her family is remarkably resourceful, abusive Mr. Yao- and his spoiled son- still control their lives, until Mia hatches a plan to save them all.
Young Adult suggestion to follow...
Enjoy!!
~Miss Elena
Comments
Post a Comment