Tuesday, September 29, 2015

The Doldrums by Nicholas Gannon


If you look up Doldrums in a dictionary, you will find that it's a state of inactivity, a sad sort of stuckness, the opposite of a daring adventure. And that is how this story begins. Three children who have been confined to their homes for various reasons meet on a rooftop to plan a daring adventure. They really don't expect to get very far, but they all agree they're "in it for the friendship".
The Doldrums is mostly very understated, a gentle and slyly comic exploration of the release that friendship can bring to the lonely. There is a final adventure, which is absolutely extraordinary, but the appeal of this book is found in the quiet small joys that can chase away the doldrums, without ever leaving home.

For ages 8+

Published by Greenwillow books September 29, 2015

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Everything Everything by Nicola Yoon


Madeline is literally allergic to the world. She's confined to her hyper-sterile house with her loving mother and her nurse Carla. She works very hard not to want more, not to press her head against the window and dream of being outside, of meeting other people. This all falls apart when a new family move in next door and a boy her age, named Olly, refuses to let her ignore him. 

Everything Everything is a clever romance with an ending that's an eye-opener for the characters, but also for readers. A book about, love, danger and freedom that kids and adults should all read.

Published by Delacourt Press September 1, 2015