Five Great Books For Young Kids, Young Adults

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Now, in light of National Read Across America Day, we're offering a roundup of five great reads to check out. The following recommendations come from Assistant Children's Librarian Lizzy Healy at the Westwood Public Library:

"The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman" - Ben H. Winters: Starting out with a simple class assignment to solve a mystery, this book is about a seventh grader, who looks to find the true identity of her music teacher, Ms. Finkleman.

"Heart of a Samurai" - Margi Preus: This book is about a 14-year-old named Manjiro who embarks on a fishing trip in order to earn food for his family. The crew he is with becomes stranded off the coast of Japan, on an island. Building up enough courage, he sets off to search the island for any help he can find.

"Wonderland" - Tommy Kovac (Graphic Novel): In somewhat of a sequel to Lewis Carroll’s “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,” this book explains, through the view of Mary Ann, the White Rabbit’s housekeeper, what happened to Wonderland after Alice left.

"The Genius Files: Mission Unstoppable" - Dan Gutman: Two friends named Coke and Pepsi McDonald embark on an adventure that spans the nation as they approach their thirteenth birthday.

"The Lost Hero" - Rick Riordan: A sequel to the "Percy Jackson & the Olympians," this book follows Percy and a group of friends as they try to rebuild Camp Half-Blood, where a new generation of demigods now have to prepare to fulfill a prophecy.