Saving children from vacation boredom

In conjunction with the themes of this year’s Hawaii State Public Library System Children’s ("Every Hero Has a Story") and Teen ("Unmask!") Summer Reading Programs, the state librarians recommend these books.

From Donna Tokumaru and Vicky Dworkin, Edna Allyn Room for Children:

>> "The Princess in Black," by Shannon Hale (Kindergarten-grade 2) 

Princess Magnolia has a secret: she’s also the Princess in Black. Can she sneak away, transform into her alter ego and defeat a monster before the nosy duchess discovers her secret? Here’s a clever, adventurous and self-reliant heroine who is equally at home in pink or black. An engaging read-aloud and early chapter book for newly independent readers.

>> "Let’s Get Cracking! Kung Pow Chicken, Book 1," by Cyndi Marko (grades 1-3) 

Gordon Blue may appear to be an average, ordinary second-grade chicken but not long ago he and his brother Benedict fell into a vat of toxic sludge in their uncle’s lab and emerged with super chicken powers. Now, Gordon and Benny have secret super-identities: Kung Pow Chicken and Egg Drop! A hybrid of traditional comics and a full-color illustrated story, this series is a fun read for lower elementary-grade students.

>> "Lunch Lady" series, by Jarrett J. Krosoczka  (grades 2-5)

Humorous and action-packed, the "Lunch Lady" graphic novels chronicle the adventures of a school lunch lady who fights crime when she’s not serving sloppy Joes, while a group of students known as the Breakfast Bunch provides backup.

>> "Public School Superhero," by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts (grades 4-7)

In Kenny’s mind, he’s Stainlezz Steel, superpowered defender of the weak, but in reality, he’s a chess club devotee known as a "grandma’s boy," a label that makes him an easy target for bullies. Patterson, a best-selling author of adult blockbuster novels, has also made a name for himself among the middle school set with his series: "Middle School," "I Funny," "Treasure Hunters" and "House of Robots."

From Hawaii State Library Young Adult Section: 

>> "Dull Boy," by Sarah Cross (grades 7-10)

Avery is a teen boy with frightening superpowers that he is trying to hide. He discovers other teens who also have strange powers. The icy and destructive Cherchette invites them to live with her to reach their full potential but her true plans are more nefarious.

>> "V Is for Villain," by Peter Moore (grades 7-10)

Brad is fighting for justice, but in a world full of superheroes, this makes him a villain. 

>> "Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on Board," by Bethany Hamilton (grades 6-9)

The teenage surfer from Kauai who lost her arm in a shark attack in 2003 details her return to surfing after this life-changing event. She reveals how she has dealt with the attention from news media and how her faith keeps her going and feeling positive.

>> "Journey of Heroes: The Story of the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team," by Stacey Hayashi (grades 5-12)

A comprehensive, historically accurate 30-page manga about the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team, the most highly decorated unit in U. S. military history.   

>> "Graceling," by Kristin Cashore (grades 9-12)

In a world where some people are born with extreme and often-feared skills called Graces, Katsa struggles for redemption from her own horrifying Grace of killing. She teams up with another young fighter to save their land from a corrupt king.

>> "Batman: The Return of Bruce Wayne," by Grant Morrison (grades 9-12)

After stopping Darkseid from conquering Earth, Batman is lost in time. Now an amnesiac, Bruce Wayne must combat menaces throughout history to return to the present and reclaim the mantle of the Bat. This book is a New York Times best-seller.   

>> "Eddie Would Go: The Story of Eddie Aikau, Hawaii Hero and Pioneer of Big Wave Surfing," by Stuart Holmes Coleman (grades 7-12)

In the 1970s, Native Hawaiian Eddie Aikau was proving what it meant to be a waterman. He rode the biggest waves in the world, saved hundreds of lives as the Waimea Bay lifeguard on the North Shore, and sacrificed his life to save the crew aboard the voyaging canoe Hokule’a. 

>> "A Heart in Politics: Jeannette Rankin and Patsy T. Mink," by Sue Davidson (grades 8-12)

This book looks at the lives of two leaders struggling for the rights of women. The former was the first woman elected to Congress; the latter was the first Asian-American woman in the House of Representatives.

Information specialist Paul H. Mark edited this list.