Your PJ Our Way Books for August

NOW
By: Morris Gleitzman

Ages 11+

182 pages

Eleven-year-old Zelda is living in Australia with her grandfather, Felix, a physician and a survivor of the Holocaust, while her doctor parents volunteer at a clinic in Darfur. Zelda experiences rough hazing as the new kid at school; at the same time, Felix suffers from traumatic childhood memories. But Zelda and Felix have a beautiful relationship and they take care of each other with love and affection. When a bushfire rages through their town, Zelda and Felix find the courage and strength they need from each other to overcome their personal challenges and survive. This fast-paced and exciting book is wonderfully written, and it can be read independently of its companion books, Once and Then.

Small Medium at Large
By: Joanne Levy

Ages 9+

205 pages

Being struck by lightning leaves seventh grader Lilah able to communicate with the dead, and life gets pretty interesting when she starts delivering messages from the great beyond. Will the deceased Mr. Finkel be able to help Lilah with her huge crush on his son, Andrew? Can Bubby Dora help Lilah’s lonely father find a new wife? This is a lighthearted coming-of-age book with a fun, supernatural twist.

Red Menace
By: Lois Ruby

Ages 11+

224 pages

It's 1953, and 13-year-old Marty Ratner would prefer to spend his summer playing baseball, listening to the Yankees on the radio, and not preparing for his bar mitzvah, Instead, he has to deal with the FBI agents surveilling his house because his parents (both academics at the local university) refuse to sign a loyalty oath and are suspected of being communists.

Marty’s best friend’s father may have to go into hiding because he’s also under suspicion, while another friend would “rather be dead than red.” Meanwhile, Marty’s neighbor across the street just returned from fighting in Korea and isn't speaking and barely functioning. To top it all off, Marty is worried about, and disturbed by, the likely execution of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg.

When his mom is threatened with deportation, Marty isn’t sure what to believe. Are his parents part of a red menace working against this US government? Or are they simply patriotic Americans standing up for their values? This engaging book will keep readers turning pages and cheering for Marty as they learn about an important part of US history.

Trailblazers: Albert Einstein, the Greatest Mind in Physics
By: Paul Virr

Ages 9+

192 pages

This fast-paced entry in the Trailblazers biography series outlines Albert Einstein’s life, from his birth in Germany in 1879 to his death in New Jersey in 1959. Filled with an appealing mix of clearly explained scientific information and interesting details about Einstein’s personality and experiences, the book is generously illustrated with often humorous drawings. Pop-out boxes convey facts about various scientific theories and relevant historical figures. The appendices include a helpful timeline, a short list of further reading, and a glossary.