For You Are a Kenyan Child by Kelly Cunnane, illustrated by Ana Juan. 

This is one of those barrier-crashing books that make reading picture books to children so very, very rewarding.  It will take American children straight into Kenya directly from a child’s perspective.  Through the poetic language and vivid illustrations, children get to really experience Africa.  The author includes colors, smells, food, animals, sounds, and language. 

Take this one to your storytimes filled with children who have never heard of Africa, and they will be experience it with you.  This will make a great start to conversations about different countries and regions of the world.  It also is just the perfect window to share with children.  Open this window for them, it is one that they will thoroughly enjoy!

The Road of the Dead by Kevin Brooks is a dark, violent story.   It is the story of Ruben, a teen boy who is half Traveler or gypsy.  He has special mental powers, so when his sister is murdered, he knows immediately.  His brother Cole decides to travel to the remote village where their sister was killed to help find the killer and get his sister’s body returned to the family faster.  The two brothers travel from London out onto the moors together, discovering a village where there are secrets everywhere and people who are not afraid to kill to protect them. 

The book is very violent, filled with a grim quality from the beginning, the book ends awash in blood.  But the violence is written with a kind of poetic style that lends it a strange beauty as well.  So here we have a gorgeously written book that is impossible to put down, but it is amazingly dark.  I believe that many teen boys will enjoy this book.  It captures the fear and uncertainty of their age and combines it with the explosive anger that many teens carry.