Wednesday, August 25th at 4:30 p.m.
Click here to register.

Join Caroline and Alain for a book discussion and trivia game for 4th through 8th graders! We will be reading Stand Up Yumi Chung by Jessica Kim. We will provide a free copy of the book for the first ten individuals to register for the discussion. When the books are available, we will email to arrange pickup; please list an email address when registering. You can place a hold on the print book with your library card using our catalog If you prefer the eBook, you can find it on Libby here.

Also, we will be meeting outside for this book discussion if weather permits. The rain location will be in the auditorium.

Here are some other summer book suggestions if you enjoy reading funny books:

It Ain't So Awful, Falafel by Firoozeh Dumas
For children in grades (4-8)
Library Collection: Print
eBook: Libby

“After a rocky start, Cindy (Zomorod to her parents) finds a comfortable niche in her California middle school until political upheaval and revolution in Iran reach the United States, threatening her future and her family’s safety. Moving to Newport Beach, she renames herself Cindy, to avoid hearing teachers stumble over Zomorod (“emerald” in Persian), prompting the ridicule of kids like Bill (whose name means “shovel” in Persian). Her engineer dad, who loves to talk about the oil industry, and unhappy mom, who won’t learn English, pose bigger obstacles to fitting in, as she trenchantly describes: “It’s not like I don’t love them. I just want to hide them until they stop being embarrassing.” Few Americans in the 1970s know Iran, often wrongly assuming it’s populated by Arabs or that her family is Mexican. Acquiring a peer group, Cindy’s introduced to Scouting and sailing. Her parents are no fans of the shah, but their hopes for Iran’s future are dashed with the Islamic Revolution and its brutal aftermath. They fear for the safety of friends and family in Iran, then for their own as they experience the best and worst of their adopted culture. Cindy narrates in the present tense, her affection for Iran just as palpable as her engagement with the moment.
On her own journey to maturity, Cindy deftly guides young readers through Iran’s complicated realities in this fresh take on the immigrant experience—authentic, funny, and moving from beginning to end. (author’s note) (Historical fiction. 8-12)” –Kirkus Review

Grow Up Tahlia Wilkins by Karina Evans
For children in grades (4-8)
Library Collection: Print

“On the last day of seventh grade, right before Noah Campos’ pool party, Tahlia Wilkins worries about a new zit.
Last year she wore a practical, sun-protective, but unfashionable outfit and was totally embarrassed to see how fashion-forward the other girls were. Noah is superpopular, and Tahlia is determined to make a good impression this time, but her first period threatens to upend her plans. Tahlia wants to start menstruating, but not right before the party, just after her mom has left on a work retreat. She can’t talk to her socially awkward dad about it and doesn’t have an older sister, just obnoxious 16-year-old twin brothers. She has no pads but finds some in her parents’ bathroom. Luckily, Tahlia’s best friend, Lily Baek, tries to assist, offering good ideas and some scatterbrained solutions. In the 24 hours between the onset of Tahlia’s period and the help that she finally gets from her parents, her first step into womanhood is filled with funny, albeit mortifying, moments that will have readers both laughing and sympathizing. While largely focused on bodily concerns, there are also messages about friendship and family matters. Quick-moving, lighthearted, and ultimately heartwarming, this first-person narrative will especially be enjoyed by readers awaiting or having recently experienced their first periods. Tahlia’s family is cued White. Lily’s surname points to Korean ancestry, and names indicate some diversity in the supporting cast. Humorously highlights a meaningful milestone for a tween: a first period.” (Fiction. 8-12)-Kirkus Review

Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Higuera
For children grades (4-8)
Library Collection: Print
eBoook: Libby

“Lupe Wong, bona fide jock, is horrified that square dancing is the next unit in her seventh grade phys ed class. Dead set on meeting her sports idol, Fu Li Hernandez, the first Asian/Latino pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, Lupe needs to get straight A’s to cash in on Uncle Hector’s promise. Fu Li is Chinacan—just like Lupe, whose mom is Mexican and late dad was Chinese. Determined to put a halt to square dancing, Lupe brings everyone into her cause: her authentically diverse group of friends, her interracial family, her wise principal, and even her endearing PE teacher. As Lupe doggedly challenges school tradition, readers will connect to her strong internal voice, empathize with her setbacks, and celebrate her victories. Higuera creates a very real multicultural middle school community complete with wisecracking humor, mean girls, and a realistic friendship fallout. Lupe has a wonderfully diverse group of friends with a wide range of interests, from Star Trek to soccer, deftly avoiding “diversity quota” pitfalls. Lupe’s own mixed-heritage family is refreshingly representative of families today. Principal Singh is Indian; Lupe’s best friend, Andy, is Guinean; and all other primary characters are presumed white.” –Kirkus Review

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang
For children grades (4-8)
Library Collection: Print

“Lucy Wu may only be 4 feet tall, but she has big (and brilliantly on-the-money kidlike) dreams: to play professional basketball for the WNBA and then create a design shop aimed at sports-loving gals. When the story opens, sixth grade is about to start, and Lucy is on top of the world. She comes down with a bang when she learns that Yi Po, her grandmother’s long-lost sister, is coming from China for a long visit and will be sharing her room. Worse, Lucy is stuck attending Chinese school and must compete to be captain of the basketball team with a girl who doesn’t believe in fair play. Readers may initially want to tell Lucy to stop whining, but as the character evolves, she becomes sympathetic and worth rooting for. There’s little in the way of plot twists that experienced readers won’t see coming, but the cultural depiction of the Chinese-American family, Shang’s use of traditional tales and Yi Po’s heart-wrenching story add dimensionality and heft, and the novel’s final scenes are genuinely touching.” (Fiction. 8-12) –Kirkus Review

American Born Chinese by Gene Lueng Yang
For children grades (4-8)
Library Collection: Print
Libby

“As alienated kids go, Jin Wang is fairly run-of-the-mill: he eats lunch by himself in a corner of the schoolyard, gets picked on by bullies and jocks and develops a sweat-inducing crush on a pretty classmate. And, oh, yes, his parents are from Taiwan. This much-anticipated, affecting story about growing up different is more than just the story of a Chinese-American childhood; it's a fable for every kid born into a body and a life they wished they could escape. The fable is filtered through some very specific cultural icons: the much-beloved Monkey King, a figure familiar to Chinese kids the world over, and a buck-toothed amalgamation of racist stereotypes named Chin-Kee. Jin's hopes and humiliations might be mirrored in Chin-Kee's destructive glee or the Monkey King's struggle to come to terms with himself, but each character's expressions and actions are always perfectly familiar. True to its origin as a Web comic, this story's clear, concise lines and expert coloring are deceptively simple yet expressive. Even when Yang slips in an occasional Chinese ideogram or myth, the sentiments he's depicting need no translation. Yang accomplishes the remarkable feat of practicing what he preaches with this book: accept who you are and you'll already have reached out to others.” –Publishers Weekly