Beagle and Wolf Books & Bindery Newletter

Youth Yak

Page One Staff Picks Youth Yak Book Groups News

Pam				The Birchbark House Louise Erdrich I really enjoyed The Birchbark House! The story is set in Minnesota during the 1840’s. The main character is a young Ojibwa girl who is making a place for herself within her family. At the beginning of the story we are introduced to the infant Omakayas, but find out that she is not aware of her early story and how she comes into her family. LErdrich wrote in a way that really spoke to my senses. I could hear the rustle of the leaves and feel the fear of the smallpox epidemic. I am often looking for chapter books that I can share with my class. While I believe the content of this book is not appropriate for my first graders. I will be recommending that older readers take in this year-long journey in the life of a young Native American girl.




Cascade's Picks				What the Night Sings Vesper Stamper Gerta was unaware she was Jewish before she was swept away by the Nazis with her father. After the concentration camp she was imprisoned in was liberated, Gerta struggled to acclimate to her new situation. For most of her life she had been defined by her singing abilities, but after the war she was unable to use her previous talents. Gerta must find where she fits in the world and in her new-found faith. This book is beautifully written with occasional illustrations that add depth to the story.
				Suicide Notes from Beautiful Girls Lynn Weingarten June and Delia are best friends, or at least they were until one night about a year ago. Now Delia is dead, allegedly by suicide, and June is left uncertain as to why Delia would do something so drastic. June starts to do some digging and realizes there was much more to Delia than the facade she put on, with lies and abuse plaguing her life. June knows that the stubborn girl she knew would never end her life, which begs the question, what really happened? This novel is a great mystery that is reminiscent of Sara Shepard’s books, I would highly recommend this and Weingarten’s other fabulous piece, Bad Girls with Perfect Faces, to YA readers who love a suspenseful mystery.