Wasatch County Library

"Violet longs for the time when her family was connected: before life, distractions, and technology pulled them all away from each other. They used to gather at the table, with food and love, to make memories, share their lives, and revel in time spent together. But now her family has been drifting apart, and with nobody to gather around it, the table grows smaller and smaller. Can Violet remind her family of the warmth of time spent together, and...

Spring 2013 Kids' Indie Next List
For Ruby Pepperdine, the "center of everything" is on the rooftop of Pepperdine Motors in her donut-obsessed town of Bunning, New Hampshire, stargazing from the circle of her grandmother Gigi's hug. That's how everything is supposed to be—until Ruby messes up and things spin out of control. But she has one last hope. It all depends on what happens on Bunning Day, when the entire town will hear Ruby read her...

‘Twas Nochebuena and all through our casa, every creature was kneading tamale masa...” With deft writing, Roseanne Greenfield Thong adapted this familiar refrain to capture the cultural and linguistic variations that characterize many Latino/Hispanic winter celebrations, and her adaptation is as warm and welcoming as the original. Through the eyes of a young girl celebrating with her extended family, Thong riffs on the traditional story, refreshing...

"A young girl finds a way to give the gift of a traditional Japanese garden back to her beloved grandfather and accept a difficult change."--

A little girl believes her grandpa has all the qualities of a dinosaur.

"When twelve-year-old Libby's grandfather dies of a heart attack, it's up to her--and his spirit--to find a way to help her father overcome his grief and for their family to find peace."--

Sophia knits a special hat for her elderly neighbor and knitting teacher, Mrs. Goldman.

When his family's restaurant and Cuban American neighborhood in Miami are threatened by a greedy land developer, thirteen-year-old Arturo, joined by Carmen, a cute poetry enthusiast, fight back, discovering the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of José Martí.

"Camping is fun. Until it's time to sleep. Then, Lucy wonders, what kinds of creatures lurk in the dark? With only her brother and grandpa as tent mates, will Lucy be able to face her camping fears? Includes a variety of poetic forms--from aubade to haiku--as well as writing tips about rhyme and rhythm"--

Fourteen-year-old Dylan is sent to live with his estranged grandfather, Angus. Basically strangers, the two avoid each other as best they can. One day Dylan discovers a young orca stranded high up on the rocky beach. Dylan runs to tell his grandfather. There's nothing that can be done, says Angus. The sun is coming up, and soon the orca will die of exposure. But Dylan knows he has to try to save the whale. He collects towels to cover the delicate...