Find the #1 NYT Bestseller A Long Walk To Water by Linda Sue Park from your local library.
Click Check on Amazon to read book reviews on Amazon. Click Google Preview to read chapters from Google Books if available. Click Find in Library to check book availability at your local library. If the default library is not correct, follow Change Local Library to reset it.
A Long Walk To Water
The New York Times bestseller A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about two eleven-year-olds in Sudan, a girl in 2008 and a boy in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the “lost boys” of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way.
More books by Linda Sue Park
1. Smiling Eyes
From Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Linda Sue Park comes a joyous and inclusive celebration of eyes–showcasing the variety of Asian eye shapes and hues–in lively rhyming text ideal for sharing with any child. For an enthusiastic little boy, an ordinary day is filled with the joys and surprises of seeing and being seen. All around him, people are using their eyes: big eyes, small eyes, eyes that are open wide, or shut tight, or even winking! With irresistible rhymes and warm, inviting art, this ode to eyes by Linda Sue Park and Lenny Wen will delight the youngest of readers.
2. Gracie Under the Waves
An empowering story from #1 New York Times bestseller and Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park starring a young snorkeling enthusiast who draws inspiration for fighting climate change from interacting with her pesty little brother. Inspired by her own experience, beloved author Linda Sue Park tells the story of a girl learning how to impact a cause she cares about while navigating the ups and downs of a sibling relationship and turning disappointment into opportunity. Gracie loves snorkeling! She loves it so much, she convinces her parents to let her plan a family vacation to Roatán, Honduras, where they can all snorkel together. She even makes a new friend there. Now, if only her irritating little brother would leave her alone, everything would be perfect. Then Gracie hurts her leg, and all her carefully made plans start to come apart. Worse still, she learns the reef itself is in serious danger. Gracie wants to help the reef . . . but she’s just a kid. What can she do to make a difference? Fortunately, her new friend has a few ideas!
3. A Little Bit Super
|
|
by: Gary D. Schmidt, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Leah Henderson, Pablo Cartaya, Nikki Grimes, Remy Lai, Kyle Lukoff, Meg Medina, Daniel Nayeri, Linda Sue Park, Mitali Perkins, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Brian Young, Ibi Zoboi Release date: Apr 23, 2024 Number of Pages: 263 Find in Library Check on Amazon Google Preview |
In these hilarious stories by some of the top authors of middle grade fiction today, each young character is coping with a minor superpower—while also discovering their power to change themselves and their community, find their voice, and celebrate what makes them unique. The kids in these humorous short stories each have a minor superpower they’re learning to live with. One can shape-shift—but only part of her body, and only on Mondays. Another can always tell whether an avocado is perfectly ripe. One can even hear the thoughts of the animals in the pet store! But what these stories are really about is their young protagonists “owning” a power that contributes to their individuality, that allows them to find their place in the world, that shows them a potential they might not have imagined. Because if you really think about it, we all have something special and unique about ourselves that makes us a little bit super. We all have the power to change as an individual, to change our communities for the better, to have a voice and to speak up. These playful, thought-provoking tales from some of today’s top middle grade authors prompt readers to consider what their own superpower might be, and how they can use it. Written by Pablo Cartaya, Nikki Grimes, Leah Henderson, Jarrett Krosoczka, Remy Lai, Kyle Lukoff, Meg Medina, Daniel Nayeri, Linda Sue Park, Mitali Perkins, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Gary D. Schmidt, Brian Young, and Ibi Zoboi; coedited by Leah Henderson and Gary D. Schmidt.
4. My Book and Me
A celebration of books and reading from Newbery medal winner Linda Sue Park and illustrated by two-time Caldecott medal winner, Chris Raschka. This is my book. My favorite book. I carry it with me wherever I go. Meet the child who loves books in this lyrical tribute to the joys of books and reading by Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park and featuring the jubilant illustrations of celebrated Caldecott artist Chris Raschka. My Book and Me invites us to reflect on beloved books which are friends we hold dear; books we read over and again; books that may take us to places afar to experience the world in different ways, and books that comfort and reassure us. This jubilant paean to literature is a celebration of our favorite authors, characters, and stories; those that we cherish the most and are friends for life . . . which books are your favorite?
5. The One Thing You’d Save
If your house were on fire, what one thing would you save? Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park explores different answers to this provocative question in linked poems that capture the diverse voices of a middle school class. Recipient of four starred reviews! “[Park’s] message is powerful: We don’t need a great blazing tragedy to determine what we hold most precious in our lives; we can define what’s vital through our thoughts and memories, always at hand, in our heads and hearts—safe, where the flames don’t reach.”—New York Times Book Review When a teacher asks her class what one thing they would save in an emergency, some students know the answer right away. Others come to their decisions more slowly. And some change their minds when they hear their classmates’ responses. A lively dialog ignites as the students discover unexpected facets of one another—and themselves. With her ear for authentic dialog and knowledge of kids’ priorities and emotions, Linda Sue Park brings the varied voices of an inclusive classroom to life through carefully honed, engaging, and instantly accessible verse. Elegantly illustrated with black-and-white by Robert Sae-Heng art throughout.
6. Prairie Lotus
Prairie Lotus is a powerful, touching, multilayered novel about a girl determined to fit in and realize her dreams: getting an education, becoming a dressmaker in her father’s shop, and making at least one friend. Acclaimed, award-winning author Linda Sue Park has placed a young half-Asian girl, Hanna, in a small town in America’s heartland, in 1880. Hanna’s adjustment to her new surroundings, which primarily means negotiating the townspeople’s almost unanimous prejudice against Asians, is at the heart of the story. Narrated by Hanna, the novel has poignant moments yet sparkles with humor, introducing a captivating heroine whose wry, observant voice will resonate with readers. Includes an afterword from the author. This moving historical novel is from Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park, whose beloved middle grade books include A Single Shard and A Long Walk to Water.
7. Nya’s Long Walk
In this picture book companion to the beloved bestseller A Long Walk to Water, a young South Sudanese girl goes on a journey that requires determination, persistence, and compassion. Young Nya takes little sister Akeer along on the two-hour walk to fetch water for the family. But Akeer becomes too ill to walk, and Nya faces the impossible: her sister and the full water vessel together are too heavy to carry. As she struggles, she discovers that if she manages to take one step, then another, she can reach home and Mama’s care. Bold, impressionistic paintings by Caldecott and Coretta Scott King Honor winner Brian Pinkney evoke the dry, barren landscape and the tenderness between the two sisters. An afterword discusses the process of providing clean water in South Sudan to reduce waterborne illness.
8. Gondra’s Treasure
Gondra, a little dragon with an Eastern dragon dad and a Western dragon mom, celebrates her uniqueness in this sparkling collaboration between Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park and artist Jennifer Black Reinhardt. Gondra has inherited traits from both her eastern (Asian) dragon dad and western (European) dragon mom and enjoys them all. She’s especially happy that she’s a combination of both. Cheerful banter and hilariously adorable dragon portrayals present a warm, appealing family portrait. The beautiful and fanciful illustrations are rich in whimsical details that invite repeated readings.
9. Fatal Throne: The Wives of Henry VIII Tell All
Perfect for anyone fascinated by the Royal Wedding, Netflix’s The Crown, or Wolf Hall, this is a pitch-perfect reimagining of the romance and tragedy of Henry VIII and his six wives, told from multiple points of view by some of your favorite authors. If you were one of King Henry VIII’s six wives, who would you be? Would you be Anne Boleyn, who literally lost her head? Would you be the subject of rumor and scandal like Catherine Howard? Or would you get away and survive like Anna of Cleves? Meet them and Henry’s other queens–each bound for divorce or death–in this epic and thrilling novel that reads like fantasy but really happened. Watch spellbound as each of these women attempts to survive their unpredictable king as he grows more and more obsessed with producing a male heir. And discover how the power-hungry court fanned the flames of Henry’s passions . . . and his most horrible impulses. Whether you’re a huge fan of all things Tudor or new to this jaw-dropping saga, you won’t be able to get the unique voices of Henry and his wives–all brought to life by seven award-winning and bestselling authors–out of your head. This is an intimate look at the royals during one of the most treacherous times in history. Who will you root for and who will you love to hate? ONE OF THE NYPL TOP TEN BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR “Ambitious and exciting.” –Bustle “A clever, feminist reimagining of one of English history’s most fascinating moments.” –Refinery29 “These stories of love, lust, power and intrigue never fail to fascinate.” –Shelf Awareness, Starred Review Who’s Who: M. T. Anderson – Henry VIII Candace Fleming – Katharine of Aragon, wife #1 Stephanie Hemphill – Anne Boleyn, wife #2 Lisa Ann Sandell – Jane Seymour, wife #3 Jennifer Donnelly – Anna of Cleves, wife #4 Linda Sue Park – Catherine Howard, wife #5 Deborah Hopkinson – Kateryn Parr, wife #6
10. What Does Bunny See?
Red poppies, yellow primroses, purple violets, and other colorful flowers bloom and grow in this delightful picture book by Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park—the perfect tool for learning colors and flowers! “Lots of books teach children to recognize colors, but this one also provides a lesson in flower identification. . . . The funny little bunny makes an amusing counterpoint to the lush flowers.” —Booklist “An attractive and effective concept book.” —School Library Journal Young readers will be charmed as they explore a garden with Bunny, finding flowers of every color. Colorful blossoms bloom and grow in this delightful and cheery picture book by Newbery Medalist and bestselling author Linda Sue Park. It’s the perfect book for teaching young readers colors and flowers.
11. Wing & Claw #3: Beast of Stone
In this third and final installment in the enchanting Wing & Claw trilogy, Newbery Medal-winning author Linda Sue Park sends her young apothecary to the front lines of a fearsome battle, where he must rely on his talents and his friends to defend what he knows is right. Raffa Santana is a healer, not a fighter. As a gifted apothecary, he has amazing instincts for unleashing the potential of magical-seeming plants. But his skills have failed to free the animals that the heartless Chancellor captured and turned against the people of Obsidia—directly threatening Raffa’s friends and family. Now Raffa and his ragtag group of allies are preparing to confront the Chancellor’s armies in battle. Great beasts, small animals, and humans alike will be joining the fight, and Raffa’s heart yearns to prevent injuries—and worse—on both sides of the battle. After all, the Chancellor’s creatures will be fighting against their will. Can Raffa’s instincts for apothecary arts bring a tolerable resolution to an impossibly unfair fight?
12. Our Story Begins
|
|
by: Elissa Brent Weissman, Kwame Alex, er, Tom Angleberger, Kathi Appelt, Ashley Bryan, Tim Federle, C, ace Fleming, Marla Frazee, Chris Gall, Alex Gino, Chris Grabenstein, Gordon Korman, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Thanhha Lai, Peter Lerangis, Gail Carson Levine, Grace Lin, Yuyi Morales, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, R. J. Palacio, Linda Sue Park, Dan Santat, Brian Selznick, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Rita Williams-Garcia, Eric Rohmann Release date: Jul 04, 2017 Number of Pages: 208 Find in Library Check on Amazon Google Preview |
Children’s authors and illustrators recount their childhood aspirations and share their writings and drawings as kids, including Kwame Alexander, Tim Federle, Gordon Korman, Grace Lin, Dan Santat, and Linda Sue Park.
13. Wing & Claw #2: Cavern of Secrets
In the second installment of the spellbinding Wing & Claw series, Newbery Medal-winning author Linda Sue Park takes a young apothecary hero to new heights of danger, exciting adventure, and intriguing botanical magic. Raffa Santana has spent all winter hiding in the harsh wilderness of the Sudden Mountains, and now it’s time to return home. Home, where his parents will help him fight back against the vile Chancellor who has captured and altered the wild creatures of the Forest of Wonders. Home, where Raffa’s beloved companion, Echo the bat, will recover from his mysterious sickness. To get there, Raffa must make a treacherous journey across Obsidia. Along the way, he will discover a luminous plant that might be the key to saving the creatures stuck in the Chancellor’s grasp… if only Raffa can unlock the plant’s secrets and deliver the cure to the captive animals. Cavern of Secrets masterfully explores one boy’s responsibility to his friends, family, and the wider world.
14. Wing & Claw #1: Forest of Wonders
From Newbery Medal-winning author Linda Sue Park, this is a captivating fantasy-adventure about a boy, a bat, and an amazing transformation. The first book in an enchanting trilogy, Forest of Wonders richly explores the links between magic and botany, family and duty, environment and home. Raffa Santana has always loved the mysterious Forest of Wonders. For a gifted young apothecary like him, every leaf could unleash a kind of magic. When an injured bat crashes into his life, Raffa invents a cure from a rare crimson vine that he finds deep in the Forest. His remedy saves the animal but also transforms it into something much more than an ordinary bat, with far-reaching consequences. Raffa’s experiments lead him away from home to the forbidding city of Gilden, where troubling discoveries make him question whether exciting botanical inventions—including his own—might actually threaten the very creatures of the Forest he wants to protect.
15. When My Name Was Keoko
A heartwarming tale of courage, resilience and hope from master storyteller and winner of the prestigious Newbery Medal, Linda Sue Park. When her name was Keoko, Japan owned Korea, and Japanese soldiers ordered people around, telling them what they could do or say, even what sort of flowers they could grow. When her name was Keoko, World War II came to Korea, and her friends and relatives had to work and fight for Japan. When her name was Keoko, she never forgot her name was actually Kim Sun-hee. And no matter what she was called, she was Korean. Not Japanese. Inspired by true-life events, this amazing story reveals what happens when your culture, country and identity are threatened.
16. Xander’s Panda Party
Readers can party with a pandaNand all creatures tall and smallNin this endearing new picture book by Newbery Medalist Park and brilliant illustrator Phelan. Full color.
17. Trust No One (The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers, Book 5)
When seven members of their family were kidnapped, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister, Amy, got ready for the fight of their lives. But their enemy, a terrifying group known as the Vespers, remained frustratingly elusive. They stay in the shadows, picking off Cahills one by one.And now the Vespers have landed their most serious blow yet – a blow that strikes at the very heart of the Cahill family. Because Amy and Dan discover that there’s a Vesper mole in their innermost circle. Amy and Dan need to smoke out the traitor before the next hostage dies. They have just days to discover who has their back . . . and who wants to sink a knife into it.
18. The Kite Fighters
A tale of two brothers in fifteenth-century Korea from theNewbery Medal winner and #1 New York Times–bestselling author of A Long Walk to Water. In this riveting novel, two brothers discover a shared passion for kites. Kee-sup can craft a kite unequaled in strength and beauty, but his younger brother, Young-sup, can fly a kite as if he controlled the wind itself. It’s like the kite is part of him—the part that wants to fly. Their combined skills attract the notice of Korea’s young king, who chooses Young-sup to fly the royal kite in the New Year kite-flying competition—an honor that is also an awesome responsibility. Although tradition decrees, and the boys’ father insists, that the older brother represent the family, both brothers know that this time the family’s honor is best left in Young-sup’s hands. But how do you stand up to the way things have always been? This touching and suspenseful historical novel from the author of A Single Shard, filled with the authentic detail and flavor of traditional Korean kite fighting, brings a remarkable setting vividly to life. “The final contest . . . is riveting. Though the story is set in medieval times, the brothers have many of the same issues facing siblings today.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “Readers will enjoy watching these engaging characters find ways of overcoming webs of social and cultural constraints to achieve a common goal, and the author expresses the pleasures of creating and flying kites—‘A few sticks, a little paper, some string. And the wind. Kite magic’—with contagious enthusiasm.” —Kirkus Reviews
19. Keeping Score
A historical novel from Newbery medalist Linda Sue Parks about life, faith, and America’s favorite pastime: baseball. Both Maggie Fortini and her brother, Joey-Mick, were named for baseball great Joe DiMaggio. Unlike Joey-Mick, Maggie doesn’t play baseball—but at almost ten years old, she is a dyed-in-the-wool fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Maggie can recite all the players’ statistics and understands the subtleties of the game. Unfortunately, Jim Maine is a Giants fan, but it’s Jim who teaches Maggie the fine art of scoring a baseball game. Not only can she revisit every play of every inning, but by keeping score she feels she’s more than just a fan: she’s helping her team. Jim is drafted into the army and sent to Korea, and although Maggie writes to him often, his silence is just one of a string of disappointments—being a Brooklyn Dodgers fan in the early 1950s meant season after season of near misses and year after year of dashed hopes. But Maggie goes on trying to help the Dodgers, and when she finds out that Jim needs help, too, she’s determined to provide it. Against a background of major league baseball and the Korean War on the home front, Maggie looks for, and finds, a way to make a difference. Even those readers who think they don’t care about baseball will be drawn into the world of the true and ardent fan. Linda Sue Park’s captivating story will, of course, delight those who are already keeping score. This historical novel is from Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park, whose beloved middle grade books include A Single Shard and A Long Walk to Water.
20. Storm Warning
Amy and Dan dodge the shadow of a man in black as they search for the 39 clues.
21. The Firekeeper’s Son
In Korea in the early 1800s, news from the countryside reached the king by means of signal fires. On one mountaintop after another, a fire was lit when all was well. If the king did not see a fire, that meant trouble, and he would send out his army. Linda Sue Park’s first picture book for Clarion is about Sang-hee, son of the village firekeeper. When his father is unable to light the fire one night, young Sang-hee must take his place. Sang-hee knows how important it is for the fire to be lit-but he wishes that he could see soldiers . . . just once. Mountains, firelight and shadow, and Sunhee’s struggle with a hard choice are rendered in radiant paintings, which tell their own story of a turning point in a child’s life.
22. Bee-bim Bop!
A child, eager for a favorite meal, helps with the shopping, food preparation, and table setting.
23. Click
Ten of the world’s most beloved authors contribute chapters in the life of the mysterious George “Gee” Keane, photographer, soldier,adventurer, and enigma. Under different pens, a startling portrait emerges of a man, his family, and his gloriously complicated tangle of a life.This is a suspenseful story that works as a novel. But it’s also a unique way to explore the art and craft of storytelling with ten masters who show how tools like “voice”, “perspective”, and “character” work in the hands of the experts. As effective with a class of writers as it is with a single reader.
24. Yum! Yuck!
At a busy street market, kids eating ice cream exclaim, “Yum!” in English, “Geshmak!” in Yiddish, and “Nam-nam!” in Danish. But disaster strikes when a little dog overturns a spice cart, showering pepper on everyone’s ice cream. Will the kids end up crying, “Hai hai,” or cheering, “¡Yupi!”? Energetic art and a lift-the-flap feature make exploring languages fun.
25. Project Mulberry
In this contemporary novel, Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park delivers a funny, lively story that illuminates both the process of writing a novel and the meaning of growing up American. “A rich work that treats serious issues with warmth, respect, and a good deal of humor” (Kirkus starred review). Perfect for both independent reading and classroom sharing. Julia Song and her friend Patrick would love to win a blue ribbon, maybe even two, at the state fair. They’ve always done projects together, and they work well as a team. This time, though, they’re having trouble coming up with just the right project. Then Julia’s mother offers a suggestion: They can raise silkworms, as she did when she was a girl in Korea. Patrick thinks it’s a great idea. Of course there are obstacles—for example, where will they get mulberry leaves, the only thing silkworms eat?—but nothing they can’t handle. Julia isn’t so sure. The club where kids do their projects is all about traditional American stuff, and raising silkworms just doesn’t fit in. Moreover, the author, Ms. Park, seems determined to make Julia’s life as complicated as possible, no matter how hard Julia tries to talk her out of it.
26. A Single Shard
The Newbery Medal-winning tale of an orphan boy whose dream of becoming a master potter leads to unforeseen adventure in ancient Korea. Tree-ear is an orphan boy in a 12th-century Korean village renowned for its ceramics. When he accidentally breaks a delicate piece of pottery, he volunteers to work to pay for the damage. Putting aside his own dreams, Tree-ear resolves to serve the master potter by embarking on a difficult and dangerous journey, little knowing that it will change his life forever. “Despite the odds against him, Tree-ear becomes courageous, brave and selfless, a hero as enduring as the porcelain Park so lovingly describes.” (New York Times) “Intrigues, danger, and a strong focus on doing what is right turn a simple story into a compelling read. A timeless jewel.” (Kirkus starred review) *A broken piece of pottery sets events in motion as an orphan struggles to pay off his debt to a master potter. This finely crafted novel brings 12th-century Korea and these indelible characters to life.” (School Library Journal starred review) “Tree-ear’s determination and bravery in pursuing his dream of becoming a potter takes readers on a literary journey that demonstrates how courage, honor and perseverance can overcome great odds and bring great happiness. Park effectively conveys 12th century Korea in this masterful piece of historical fiction.” (Kathleen Odean, chair of the Newbery Award Selection Committee)
Last updated on Saturday, March 8, 2025