March/April 2012
— A boy navigates through tall grass and obstacles during an intense game of Capture the Flag, culminating in his team's victory when he grabs the flag.
— Finding Danny, by Linzi Glass; Walden Pond Press: New York, 2010; $16.99 Twelve-year-old Bree Davies didn’t know what to do in her lonely life before she got Danny, her beloved...
— A girl with a walking stick from an old injury rescues her brother from the same river where she was hurt, finding courage through a butterfly's example.
— A hummingbird hovers at a window screen, holding the speaker's gaze in a moment of mutual wariness before vanishing in a green streak.
— A seven-year-old moves from California to Chicago, struggles with homesickness and lost friendships, then finds connection through soccer and a new friend named Jonathan.
— A deaf girl who resents her church organist for being able to hear discovers an unexpected friendship when asked to turn pages during a memorial service performance.
— A young baseball player faces his last at-bat, trembling with fear, then watches his hit soar out of sight, transforming doubt into victory.
— A bored boy on a wildlife reserve trip follows his tennis ball off the safe path and encounters a wild wolf, sharing a moment of connection before his parents call...
— Dumpling Days, by Grace Lin; Little, Brown Books for Young Readers: New York, 2012; $15.99 “You should know Taiwan. It’s…” Dad said, his face dimming as he tried to think...
— A girl brings home her first pet, a crested gecko, carefully observing its colors and movements as it adjusts to its new terrarium.