September/October 2016 Archives

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Three Huge Problems: Getting Through a Week in the Sixth Grade!

By Charlotte Eaton, Illustrated by Audrey Zhang

Published August 10, 2016

Irises

By Caroline Smyth

Published August 10, 2016

Every day I am reborn as something new. I am a prim cherry blossom, a sleek flying fish, a youthful scholar I am everything all at once; a savory dash of powdery cinnamon, a sprig...

Rainstorm

By Jem Burch, Illustrated by the author

Published August 10, 2016

Crossing the Wire

By Will Hobbs, Reviewed by By Sarah Gu

Published August 10, 2016

Seeing in the Dark

By Sandra Detweiler, Illustrated by Catherine Chung

Published August 10, 2016

It was late summer. The air was thick and humid. Elizabeth lay on her bed, even though the sun had been up for hours. Every day she chose a different place to zone out—her beanbag...

Home Plate

By Ross Mangels

Published August 10, 2016

Blue Butterfly

By Elia Smith, Illustrated by Maya Work

Published August 10, 2016

One for the Murphys

By Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Reviewed by Catherine Chung

Published August 10, 2016

Finding Freedom

By Christina Suh, Illustrated by Michaela Brandonisio

Published August 10, 2016

Three Huge Problems: Getting Through a Week in the Sixth Grade!

Story Published August 10, 2016 By Charlotte Eaton, Illustrated by Audrey Zhang

“Kat! Time for dinner!” “Coming!” Kat had come home from a long day—a very long day—at Hearst Middle School. She wasn’t hungry, she was mad. “Kat, it’s getting cold!” She sighed, closed her homework book, still ignoring her phone, and headed downstairs. “Did you have a good day?” asked her mom as she was scooping pasta onto the dinner plates.

Irises

Poem Published August 10, 2016 By Caroline Smyth

Every day I am reborn as something new. I am a prim cherry blossom, a sleek flying fish, a youthful scholar I am everything all at once; a savory dash of powdery cinnamon, a sprig of scorched chard. I am the pulse of the air I inhale, I am one of seven billion Homo sapiens.

Rainstorm

Story Published August 10, 2016 By Jem Burch, Illustrated by the author

The hot, arid California air that is usually scorching in the middle of July has—for some odd, outlandish reason—quieted down. It is like a rain forest: wet and hot with great clouds like the feathers of an African gray parrot that ooze languidly along the horizon. It is like the South; the air is saturated with lazy banks of humidity.

Crossing the Wire

Review Published August 10, 2016 By Will Hobbs, Reviewed by By Sarah Gu

Crossing the Wire, by Will Hobbs; HarperCollins Publishers: New York, 2006; $16.99 When his father died years ago trying to cross the Arizona border, fifteen-year-old Victor Flores dropped out of school and started to plant corn to support his mother and five younger siblings. After he gradually came out of the grief of his father’s death, more problems came up for Victor.

Seeing in the Dark

Story Published August 10, 2016 By Sandra Detweiler, Illustrated by Catherine Chung

It was late summer. The air was thick and humid. Elizabeth lay on her bed, even though the sun had been up for hours. Every day she chose a different place to zone out—her beanbag chair, the couch, a chair at the dining room table. It didn’t make much difference. Every night she cried herself to sleep, soaking her pillow, which was already stiff with tears.

Home Plate

Poem Published August 10, 2016 By Ross Mangels

Ah, Baseball! My favorite sport. I feel the excitement and adrenalin running through me As we begin the game. I’m in my favorite position, The catcher’s spot, With the batter right beside me. I sign the pitch to the pitcher And the pitcher winds up. I see the ball sailing toward me And I hear the thud of the ball in my mitt. But wait, what’s this? A man stealing second? I must throw him out!

Blue Butterfly

Story Published August 10, 2016 By Elia Smith, Illustrated by Maya Work

Magic is like a little puppy. Curious and frolicsome, it bounds throughout the world, unbidden and free. It pauses, sometimes, to explore or play. It’s that breeze that makes the nape of your neck tingle delightfully, that lifts you way off your feet, then sends you tumbling into warm, soft grass. It usually shows up when you don’t expect it—but sometimes when you do.

One for the Murphys

Review Published August 10, 2016 By Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Reviewed by Catherine Chung

One for the Murphys, by Lynda Mullaly Hunt; Nancy Paulsen Books: New York, 2012; $16.99 Growing up browsing through Salvation Army bins and snoozing in the basement, twelve-year-old Carley Connors is a born-and-bred Vegas girl who’s as tough as nails. Her dad is completely out of the picture, and it’s always been just her and her alcoholic mom.

Finding Freedom

Story Published August 10, 2016 By Christina Suh, Illustrated by Michaela Brandonisio

The last flame of candlelight had flickered out hours ago, but even in the complete darkness, Annabelle Caldwell’s eyes refused to remain shut. It’s hopeless, Annabelle said to herself as she gazed out the window at the full moon. I’m never going to fall asleep. Her mind began wandering and it settled upon Ruth’s birthday party later this week.

Night Music

Poem Published August 10, 2016 By Norah Brady

The cricket drones and an eternity passes. As the night whispers on the ground below, perched forever behind the star-soaked curtain of sky. And the rain drips from the old gutters to my windowsill and onto the ground below. Listen. Wait. You may hear the murmuring conversations behind the windows of home. A wisp of music drifting on wind and mist, caught in the dewy grass.

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