Reading list for Siu Loong

Here are book recommendations for my friend Siu Loong, a voracious reader who just turned 8.

Alphabetical by author

Julia Alvarez, How Tía Lola Came to Stay.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, Seward Park, and Tompkins Square. Children's Room: Fic A.
I love Julia Alvarez's adult novels and am hoping her children's books are just as good.

Frances Hodgson Burnett, A Little Princess.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, Seward Park, and Tompkins Square. Children's Room: Fic B.
The Secret Garden is more famous, but A Little Princess was my favorite when I was growing up.

Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg, The Plain Janes.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, Seward Park, and Tompkins Square. Young Adult Section: GN Fic C.
This is a graphic novel about a guerrilla art gang whose members are all named Jane.

Roald Dahl, James and the Giant Peach.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, and Seward Park. Children's Room: Fic D.
Read Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, too. You'll be surprised at how different it is from the movies.

Louise Fitzhugh, Harriet the Spy, illustrated by the author.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, Seward Park, and Tompkins Square. Children's Room: Fic F.
Harriet hides in dumbwaiters, always has a notebook, a pen, and a flashlight, and is friends with a mad scientist and a boy who can cook. You might already be too old for Suzuki Beane, but you're just the right audience for it. Too bad it's out of print!

Nikki Giovanni, Rosa, illustrated by Bryan Collier.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, Seward Park, and Tompkins Square. Children's Room - Biographies: B Parks.
I haven't read much Nikki G. yet myself, but I am a huge fan of Rosa Parks. Giovanni has poems for young people, as well. Recommended by a Barnard colleague and Facebook friend.

Virginia Hamilton, Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush.
Not held at our neighborhood branches. Place a hold.
I read a few Virginia Hamilton books when I was a kid, but this is the one I remember having the most impact on me.

Ellen Levine, Henry's Freedom Box, illustrated by Kadir Nelson.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, Seward Park, and Tompkins Square. Children's Room - Picture Books: Pic L.
Recommended to me by a friend with a 7-year-old and a 10-year-old. She says it's very popular in her house.

Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, Seward Park, and Tompkins Square. Children's Room: Fic L.
I know you've already read all these, but my list wouldn't be complete without them.

Bette Bao Lord, In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson, illustrated by Marc Simont.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, Seward Park, and Tompkins Square. Children's Room: Fic L.
I hope you'll enjoy this even if you're not the Jackie Robinson/Brooklyn Dodgers/Negro Leagues fans that I was when I was a kid. I've read other books by Ms. Lord and found them quite enjoyable.

Kirsten Miller, Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, and Seward Park. Young Adult Section: Fic M.
Another girl army story, with some very crafty, and somewhat subversive heroines.

Lensey Namioka, Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family.
Held at Seward Park. Children's Room: Fic N.
A friend thought you might like Ms. Namioka's books, but didn't recommend one in particular. I picked this one because of the kitten.

Neidi Okorafor-Mbachu, Zahrah the Windseeker.
NYPL sucks sometimes.
Recommended by a friend whose taste I really trust.

Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
Held at Hamilton Fish, Ottendorfer, Seward Park, and Tompkins Square. Sometimes shelved in Young Adult, sometimes in Adult: Fic S.
This may be a little old for you yet, but I loved it so much I couldn't resist putting it on your list.

Noel Streatfeild, Ballet Shoes.
Held at Ottendorfer and Tompkins Square. Children's Room: Fic S.
A family of adopted sisters: an actress, an aviator, and a dancer. I still reread this book from time to time.

Lisa Yee, Millicent Min, Girl Genius.
Held or on order at Hamilton Fish, Seward Park, and Tompkins Square. Children's room: Fic Y.
Recommended by a former school librarian, so it has to be good! She didn't tell me a specific title, so I chose Girl Genius, for obvious reasons!

Laurence Yep, The Traitor: Golden Mountain Chronicles.
Held at Ottendorfer and Seward Park. Children's room: Fic Y.
Also a recommendation from the school librarian friend. I chose the Chronicles, because I know you like series.

Gene Luen Yang, American Born Chinese.
Held at Seward Park. Children's room: Fic Y.
Recommended by one of my book club partner, this is a graphic novel about the horrors of adjusting to life in the predominantly white suburbs. I just put a hold on it myself!

I have to stop now, or I'll never finish in time to give you the list. Or have anything to tell you about next year. Happy Birthday, Siu Loong!