Public

Gr 5 Up—Twelve-year-old Tommy struggles with a multitude of problems as he grows up in the small working class, immigrant community of Downer's Grove, Illinois during the early 1950s. His mother, who suffers from debilitating mental illness frequently lashes out in fits of unpredictable violence that affect the entire family, including his father and two younger sisters. When his beloved older sister is severely burned in an accident that he blames on himself, he takes over her early morning paper route, meeting neighbors and encountering challenges along the way. Despite his valiant efforts to do right and 'be like a cowboy,' Tommy finds himself acting more like an outlaw, stealing from a local shop and bullying other boys, especially a new-to-town, scar-faced boy he calls 'Little Skinny.' When Tommy plants a Communist newspaper in Little Skinny's dad's shop, he realizes that his latest prank may have gone too far when it almost puts the shop out of business. As he learns more about the lives of those with whom he interacts, he feels remorse and tries to set things straight. Doing so requires telling the truth, finding surprising answers and nobly asking others for much needed help. Levine deftly captures a time period filled with an overarching paranoia and small-town life filled with tensions on many levels. The story itself is faintly reminiscent of Jack Gantos' Dead End in Norvelt (Farrar, 2011), but without the humorous relief. Scenes of violent beatings, emotional hospital visits, and other family and social drama make this historical novel almost too realistic at times. Give it to readers who want to learn about the effects of bullying or surviving life's tough situations.—Madeline J. Bryant, Los Angeles Public Library

years

Grit Weinstein was born and raised in Germany. After finishing hereducationas a nurse, she moved to Zurich, Switzerland where she lived and workedformore then 12 years. During this time, she finished her further education as Clinical Research Nurse and worked in that field to gain lots ofexperience. She has a passion for reading, art and children. And so, one thing leads to another. She started to write children's books. Gritlives with her husband, Lt. Col. Bob Weinstein, a well known fitnessinstructor and author in South Florida, where she not only enjoys thesunny weather, she is also working on new children books, her art skills and on her Florida State Nursing License. For more Information go toGritWeinstein.com and LollopyAndFriends.com

Cahners

Gr 7 Up-A useful compendium of more than 100 speeches that span nearly 400 years of American history, from Powhatan (1609) to Senator Charles Robb (2000). Prominent orators include Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X. Two indexes allow readers to find a selection by its speaker or its theme. Black-and-white photos and reproductions accompany many of the entries. Alongside the Founding Fathers and patriots are athletes, authors, and media celebrities. The speeches inform readers and provide examples of how the spoken word has affected Americans throughout our past.David M. Alperstein, Queens Borough Public Library, NYCopyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.