Tag Archives: Adversity

Tuesdays at the Castle (Castle Glower #1)

by Jessica Day George

Conditional Recommendation: 11-year-old Princess Celie and her siblings strive together within their magical castle to protect themselves and their kingdom.

Age: Middle Grade
Series: Castle Glower, Book One
Pages: 225
Published: 2011
Genre: Fantasy

Awards: Utah Book Award for Children’s (2011), Pennsylvania Young Readers’ Choice Award for Grades 3-6 (2013), California Young Readers Medal for Intermediate (2015), Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award (2015)

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Airborn (Matt Cruse #1)

by Kenneth Oppel

Conditional Recommendation: Matt, a young cabin boy, helps Kate, a passenger, discover a new species and together they endeavor to save their airship from murderous pirates.

Age: Young Adult
Series: Matt Cruse, Book One
Pages: 544
Published: 2004
Genre: Adventure

Awards: 2004 Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature, 2005 Michael L. Printz Honor Book (ALA), 2005 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Award, 2004 Red Maple Award (OLA)

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The Shadow Throne (The Ascendance Trilogy #3)

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Conditional Recommendation: The boy king must, against all odds, use all his cleverness and ability to save his kingdom from the three nations who wage war against him.

Age: Young Adult
Series: The Ascendance Trilogy, Book Three
Pages: 317
Published: 2014

Genre: Adventure

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The Runaway King (The Ascendance Trilogy #2)

by Jennifer A. Nielsen

Conditional Recommendation: A clever young king is forced into disguise and a perilous adventure to outsmart his enemies and save his kingdom.

Age: Young Adult
Series: The Ascendance Trilogy, Book Two
Pages: 331
Published: 2013

Genre: Adventure

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The War That Saved My Life (#1)

The War That Saved My Lifeby Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Conditional Recommendation: From a cruel mother to a good home, this is a young girl’s journey to freedom, healing, and identity through the help and care of her guardian during WWII.

Age: Middle Grade
Series: The War that Saved my Life, Book One
Pages: 316
Published: 2015
Genre: Historical

Awards: Newbery Medal Nominee (2016), Schneider Family Book Award for Middle School (2016), Odyssey Award (2016), Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award Nominee (2017), Judy Lopez Memorial Award for Children’s Literature (2016), Bluestem Book Award Nominee (2017), Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Middle Grade & Children’s (2015), Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award Nominee (2017)

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The Running Dream

by Wendelin Van Draanen


Unconditional Recommendation: An inspiring story about healing after accidents, learning to live with a disability, and relying on the support of family, friends and teammates through the process; this tale will place you firmly in someone else’s shoes and warm your heart all the way to the finish line.

Age: Young Adult
Series: Stand-alone
Hardcover: 340 pages
Publisher: Alred A. Knopf, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books (2011)
Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Award: Schneider Family Book Award

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