Books by Blei - Multicultural: Under the Royal Palms by Alma Flor Ada

Under the Royal Palms

by Alma Flor Ada

Recommended by:  Miles C.
This book is about a young girl's childhood, and how she makes the best of everything. Her name is Alma Flor Ada. She lives in Camaguey, Cuba. Living in a not very advanced town, like we have, she has to find a lot of way to pass time. Alma didn't really have the best school life, she played by herself a lot. Alma loved to make lots of objects out of her clay. When her uncle dies in a plane crash, she feel very alone. 
Pick the book up right now to find out how she finds her way in life.

This book was: Very good read!

I would recommend this book to:  Anyone who likes to cry.

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: Crossing the Wire by Will Hobbs

Crossing the Wire

by Will Hobbs

Recommended by:  Sam H.
I liked this book because it was fast-paced. The book is about a boy named Victor who grows and sells corn for a living in Mexico. Victor convinced his mom to let him go to the U.S. to make money for the family. He goes through many different places and temperatures to find his job.

I would recommend this book to:  Anyone who likes adventure.

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: Crazy Loco by David Rice

Crazy Loco

by David Rice

Recommended by:  Kaiya R.
This is a book filled with short stories, taking place in modern-day Texas. "Sugarcane Fire" is about an 8th grade boy, Romero, who tries to win over 9th grader, Veronica's heart. I won't say anything more than the he does not succeed, but end up with someone else. A few chapter later, a family adopts a dog named "Loco". One day during a shopping trip, the family leaves the keys and Loco in the car. When they come back, their dog and car are missing! Will they find their dog? At the end of the book, we meet Pedro and Ricardo. Pedro is training to become  the altar boy with the help of Ricardo. They begin to grow on each other, and just after they finally become friends, something tragic happens! Will they learn to cope with this tragedy, or will they give up?

This book was: Different.

I would recommend this book to:  People who love to read realistic stories.

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: Stowaway by Karen Hesse

Stowaway

by Karen Hesse

Recommended by:  Kallum B.
Stowaway is a book is about an 11-year-old boy named Nicholas Young. Join him as he goes on an adventure. Nicholas is a stowaway and he boards the boat Endevour, led by Captain James Cook. The book takes place in 1768 through 1771. During the 1700's people were exploring the world and this is what the Endevour is doing. Nicholas hides for awhile but then he is caught. Soon Nicholas becomes part of the crew. Nicholas, Captain James, and the crew go on an adventure to Africa, New Zealand, and South America. They are trying to find a different continent. 
You should read this book and go on and adventure with the crew and see what happens.

This book was: Good!

I would recommend this book to:  Anyone who likes Adventure.

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: The Killing Sea by Richard Lewis

The Killing Sea

by Richard Lewis

Recommended by:  Jenelle B.
December 2004, Ruslan and his father are living near the coast of Indonesia, when a family of westerners comes while on vacation. When they least expect it, the tides will rise and adventure will begin with rebels, near death encounters, and a surviving through the wreckage of the destroyed villages to find family. Ruslan, Sarah, and Peter will take you on a journey filled with action, adventure, and family, that is...if you'll join them.

This book was: Multicultural!

I rate this book:

Books by Blei: Slated by Teri Terry

Slated

by Teri Terry

Recommended by:  Sarah A.
Kyla Davis has been slated. Who cans he trust when everyone is a stranger? It's hard to imagine and not remember anything! Slated means to have no memory. 
Kyla has been slated by the government. The sixteen-year-old Kyla starts her hard journey to find out the truth about her past life and what has happened to her. Kyla is different than the other slates. She isn't happy and oblivious like most of the other slated. Kyla cares a lot about her past, much more than the other, but she keeps her fears mostly to herself. Not long into her life, the disappearances start. People start being taken away for resisting. Will Kyla be caught? Who else will disappear? So many surprises. Read and enjoy.

This book was: Awesome!

I would recommend this book to:  Anyone!

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park

A Long Walk to Water

by Linda Sue Park

Recommended by:  Evelyn V.
This book is written in two different parts, but in the end they come together. One of the parts is about an 11-year-old girl, who's from the Nuer tribe, named Nya, who has to walk to a pond that's two hours away, twice a day, to get water for her family. When the pond dries up her family moves close to a big lake for a few months until the pond fills up again. Then when she goes back to her village, visitors come and claim that they know an easy way to access water. They find a spot between two trees and put a pump in for the village. The second part is about a boy named Salvo, who went to school one morning when gunshots went off and the war came to his village. He ran away from the fighting and found people from his tribe and stayed with them, but he couldn't find his family. They soon left him because he was a child and thought he'd be too much trouble. A few days later, another group goes by and Salva joins them. They make their way through Sudan and the desert, until they reach Ethiopia. On their way there they had many difficulties like the lions and the crocodiles; and starvation and dehydration. After about 5 years, the Ethiopian government kicks them out. Salva, who is now 17, leads a group to Kenya where he stays for a few years until he gets an opportunity to move to New York, in America. Find out how these two parts come together at the end of the book.

This book was: Intense, captivating, and mind blowing!

I would recommend this book to:  People interested in social justice.

I rate this book:

RMS Hot Reads for December 12, 2014

Books by Blei - Multicultural: A Break With Charity by Ann Rinaldi

A Break With Charity: A Story About the Salem Witch Trials

by Ann Rinaldi

Recommended by:  Ji M.
Do you like historical books with a fictional twist in them? Then this book is for you! This book is based off of the events of the real Salem Witch Trials. It is about a young girl in Salem village named Susanna English and her experience on the witch trials. After Susanna finds out that the witch trials are just a prank done by a group of girls, she gets blackmailed by their leader, Ann Putnam, who says she will name Susanna's beloved parents as her witch tormentors if Susanna spills the beans. How will Susanna be able to revele their plans without her parents being branded as witches? Read the book to find out more! I like how this book is a thought on how the real Salem Witch Trials happened. I also like the  figurative language in this book too!

This book was: Pretty Interesting!

I would recommend this book to:  People who like historical fiction books.

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George

Julie of the Wolves

by Jean Craighead George

Recommended by:  Calvin G.
Miyax is a kid who is torn. Unlike most kids her choices determine whether she lives or dies. At 13, she is an orphan and unhappily married so she runs away from her parent in-laws house. She is hoping to make San Francisco and her friend (a pen pal) but she gets lost in the Alaskan tundra with nothing. She is an Eskimo named Miyax, but her English name is Julie. She has to join a pack of wolves to survive. The wolves must accept her, if she does thins, she might live.

This book was: Adventure!

I would recommend this book to:  Someone who  loves adventure.

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: Ajeemah and His Son by James Berry

Ajeemah and His Son

by James Berry

Recommended by:  Cece S.
Have you ever read a book about one man's real struggle to live like a free man once again? A book showing how hard life was back then? Ajeemah and His Son is about two African-American males who are kidnapped and portrayed as slaves, when they were really free men. They get separated at the slave trade. Both men struggle to escape and gain their freedom back once again. My favorite part is when Atu, Ajeemah's son, raised that horse he bought with his own money. That beautiful horse's name was Adohfo. But the overseer took Adohfo from Atu. Atu was going to escape on Adohfo, but that last attempt at freedom was crushed along with Atu's heart. I liked how it had no chapters. It was all just one long flowing chapter. 

This book was: Inspiring!

I would recommend this book to:  Anyone who likes inspiring books.

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: The Pale Assassin by Patricia Elliot

The Pale Assasin

by Patricia Elliot

Recommended by:  Tracy N.
The Pale Assassin is about a girl named, Eugenie, who is an aristocrat living in Paris. She is forced to leave when the French Revolution breaks out. Eugenie is 14-years-old and orphaned. She is forced to marry a boy who has a secret hatred for her family and is after her brother. She and her brother try to leave but her eldest brother refuses. What happens next? Follow Eugenie on her wild adventures through the French Revolution.

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: A House of Tailors by Patricia Reilly Giff

A House of Tailors

by Patricia Reilly Giff

Recommended by:  Maeve S.
In the book, A House of Tailors, you learn about a 14-year-old  girl who lives in Germany during the time of World War II selling and fixing clothing as a tailor with her mom and sister, Dina. One night Dina was trading dress patterns with her French friend, Elise, who lives across the river. They were secretly trying not to be seen, but on her way back to her house Dina was caught by a German soldier and was threatened to be killed because he thought she was a French spy. She then had to take her sister's ticket to America to live with her uncle. Dina was happy and sad leaving Germany. She wouldn't ever have to sew again, but she wouldn't see her family again. When Dina arrived in America, she was upset because she saw a sewing machine. Later, Dina gets in a fight with the Uncle and wants to go home.

This book was: Very good!

I would recommend this book to:  Historical fiction readers.

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: Brooklyn Bridge by Karen Hesse

Brooklyn Bridge

by Karen Hesse

Recommended by: Ethan M.
This book takes place in the summer of 1903. A 14-year-old boy named, Joe Michtom, lives in Brooklyn with his family. Recently his parents have invented the stuffed teddy bear which makes them somewhat rich. The neighborhood kids now think of him differently, as the kid who "got lucky". His aunt brought his parents over to America from Russia and he is very sad when she dies. Her sisters, Aunt Beast and Aunt Mouse, live in an apartment that the queen (the oldest aunt) paid for. Now Joe has to try to feel normal when his sister Emily is also running a library. His dream is to go to Coney Island, but when Mama and Papa are always busy and they can never go.

This book was: Great!

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: Spying on Miss Müller by Eve Bunting

Spying on Miss Muller

by Eve Bunting

Recommended by:  Kaitlyn P.
Jessie Ross and her friends, Lizzie, Ada, and Maureen think that their teacher Miss Müller, who is half-German, is a Nazi spy. This takes place right before World War II, at a boarding school in Ireland. The thing is, Jessie really likes Miss Müller. It seems like she is the only one Jessie can tell the truth to about her father, who is a drunk. Miss Müller keeps sneaking around at night, and Jessie decides to follow her. Miss Müller climbs the steps to the roof with a flashlight, and Jessie assumes that she is communication with the Germans using Morse code. They want to catch her as part of their "war effort". My favorite part is when all the students escape to the grounds right after an air raid in the middle of the night. This books was shocking and suspenseful.

This book was: Extraordinary!

I would recommend this book to:  People who like war stories.

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: The Lily Pond by Annika Thor

The Lily Pond

by Annika Thor

Recommended by:  Jamilla B.
Stephie Steiner and her sister were sent to an island, away from their parents and homeland, Vienna, which was invaded by Nazis. She now lives with her foster parents. They decide to allow her to enroll in school on the mainland, in Göteborg. She is eager to go. Not only will she be getting an educations, she will be living in a city, in the same house as Sven. He is the son of the lodgers who rented her foster parents island cottage for the summer. Sven is five-years-older than her. He always talks about equality and is anti-Hitler. Stephie can't stop falling in love with him. She navigates through new emotions. Does Stephie like the new situation she is in? Or does she want things back to normal?

This book was: Great!

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural Review: The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

The Great Wall of Lucy Wu

by Wendy Wan Long Shang

Recommended by:  Halli V.
The Great Wall of Lucy Wu is about an eleven-year-old girl named Lucy, who is Chinese. Lucy's whole family is Chinese and are always speaking and eating things in the Chinese culture. Lucy is not good at speaking Chinese and doesn't like the food that much. Lucy is hoping to have a great school year until a family member from China comes and turns Lucy's life around. My favorite part of the book is when Lucy beats her enemy, Sloanne, in a basketball contest because Sloanne said Chinese girls can't play basketball. Did Lucy prove her wrong? Read the book to find out!

This book was: Good!

I would recommend this book to:  People who like funny books

I rate this book:

Books by Blei - Multicultural: Under the Persimmon Tree by Suzanne Fisher Staples

Under the Persimmon Tree

by Suzanne Fisher Staples

Recommended by:  John B.
This book is an interesting story on how two different people survived the same event. The event was the Pastun Talib group who would slaughter men  - liked goats - and had rules against happiness. The two main characters Najmah and Nusrat. The story Najmah goes that the Pastun Talib group took her father and her brother to right in a war after they invaded. Before he and his son left, the father told them to stay no matter what. That is exactly what they did. The story of Nusrat goes that Nusrat has a step-sister from America named Elaine. Elaine has a son named Jamshed, who is a very inquisitive person. Nusrat wants to show Elaine and the rest of them the beauty of meteors of which they think curse you. She teaches a class under a persimmon tree and later on they all join her.

This book was: Real life and love!

I would recommend this book to: Anyone who likes love stories.

I rate this book: