Your PJ Our Way Books for February

PJ Our Way is offering four awesome books for selection this month! Laugh your way through a hilarious joke book, go on an epic magical journey with two kids and a dragon, read a graphic novel about a grandmother remembering the Holocaust, or find out what happens when a seventh grader becomes an unlikely athlete. Whether you're interested in fantasy, history, realism, or humor, you're sure to find your next great read among these picks. Select a book by the 10th!

Anya and the Nightingale
by Sofiya Pasternack

Ages 11+

416 pages

In this action-packed sequel to Anya and the Dragon, 13-year-old Anya is determined to find her father, who still hasn't returned from the tsar's army. Her friends Ivan the fool and Hakon the dragon join her, and together they encounter a Jewish ghost named Lena, the Nightingale (a creature who uses sounds as a weapon), Princess Vasilisa and her team of knights and archers, and an evil sorcerer. Anya must make difficult decisions, endangering her quest in order to help others.

Best Kids' Jewish Holiday Jokes Ever
by Highlights

Ages: 9+

128 pages

Readers will love this illustrated book filled with over 500 delightful (and wholesome!) Jewish jokes about Rosh Hashanah, Hanukkah, Passover, and other holidays.

Hidden
by Loic Dauvillier

Ages: 10+

76 pages

Elsa wakes up in the middle of the night to find her grandmother thinking about her childhood in France, when the Nazis came to power. Dounia tells Elsa about her experiences: hiding and not being able to make a sound for fear of discovery, her parents being taken away, being taken in by non-Jewish neighbors, escaping to a farm and pretending to be Catholic, and the eventual return of her mother from a concentration camp. As an introduction to the Holocaust for young readers, this graphic novel gives the right amount of detail for children of this age - appropriately disturbing, but it won't give them nightmares - while also showing enough kindness by adults and even moments of happiness in Dounia's time in the country to give the book a hopeful tone. The illustrations, with large round heads and small bodies, add a suitably childlike quality.

Sidetracked
by Diana Harmon Asher

Ages: 9+

233 pages

Between his Attention Deficit Disorder and other various phobias, seventh grader Joseph Friedman's ability to achieve academic and social success in middle school is compromised, to say the least. When his resource room teacher encourages him to sign up for track, he's certain that the experience will be traumatic and temporary. But as Joseph becomes part of the team and works on improving his own personal record, he soon learns that no matter how terrible a runner you are, you can always improve. Joseph's self-deprecating and earnest voice makes this well-crafted book a delightful and heartwarming choice for readers of all ages. Kids will be inspired to root for Joseph and to find the best within themselves.

Note: Quantities of each title are limited! If you see another book offered for selection this month, head over to Story Central to check it out.