The Hero Next Door

April 15, 2019
An intentionally diverse collection of stories about "everyday heroes" that kids come across in their daily lives, people who are heroic in ways that don't involve "special powers." In Juana Medina's "Los Abuelos, Two Bright Minds," young Juani spends the day with her grandparents, who inspire her with their loving connection and tales of immigrating from Bogotá, Colombia, to the United States. Stevie, the young hero of the story "Thrown," by Mike Jung, is autistic and has just been promoted to the teens-and-adults aikido class; the special treat of this change is that his new sensei is also autistic. In "Home," Hena Khan's protagonist, Aleena, gets a new adopted brother, Hakeem, whom she and her parents pick up from an orphanage in Morocco. Soon the realities of a new little brother show her how annoying a younger sibling can be, but it's Aleena who teaches Hakeem the true meaning of home. Compiled by Rhuday-Perkovich in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, the collection offers a vivid and vibrant assemblage of authors, experiences, and constructions of heroism. Other contributors include Lamar Giles, Ellen Oh, Joseph Bruchac, Cynthia Leitich Smith, R.J. Palacio, William Alexander, Rita Williams-Garcia, Ronald L. Smith, Linda Sue Park and her daughter, Anna Dobbin, and Suma Subramaniam. A stellar collection that, in celebrating heroes, helps readers find the universal in the specific. (Short stories. 8-12)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 1, 2019

Gr 3-6-Heroes with superhuman powers wear capes and save the world from destruction. That's not the kind of hero this book focuses on-instead it's centered on small acts of kindness. Everybody could use a little kindness; these moments can make all the difference. Sometimes it's something as simple as helping a fellow student get a passing grade to stay on the soccer team. Sometimes it's putting yourself in someone else's shoes and understanding where they are coming from. Or sometimes it's going back for a best friend in a dangerous situation. This anthology features thirteen prominent #OwnVoices authors, edited by We Need Diverse Books board member Rhuday-Perkovich. These short works of fiction cross genres from contemporary to fantasy to mystery, making this a great fit for school and public libraries. VERDICT A great anthology with a message of spreading kindness and hope.-Katy Hershberger, School Library Journal

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 24, 2019
Compiled in partnership with We Need Diverse Books, this collection of 13 stories by well-known writers for young people showcases everyday heroes of varied gender identity, ethnicity, class, and neurodiversity who resolve a plethora of issues, both otherworldly and mundane. Among its most notable entries are Hena Khan’s “Home,” in which a girl named Aleena grapples with the wonder and frustration of living with her newly adopted little brother; Lamar Giles’s “Ellison’s CORNucopia: A Logan County Story,” in which African-American twin girls Leen and “Wiki” use their mechanical inventions and impressive memory, respectively, to solve the case of a stolen cash box at the local farmers’ market; and Mike Jung’s “Thrown,” about Stevie, an Asian-American martial arts student with autism, who struggles with the transition from kids’ to teen and adult aikido classes, and finds anchoring support from adults in his life, some on the spectrum. With central characters as diverse as the expansive, realistic worlds they inhabit, these accomplished stories triumphantly redefine the meaning of the word hero. Ages 8–12.

May 15, 2019
Grades 4-7 Heroes can be your best friend, your next-door neighbor, or even you. In this collection, published in collaboration with We Need Diverse Books, young readers will experience stories about everyday heroic actions. Highlights include the mythology-infused One Wish, in which Sacky lets Old Beggar Cuz into his house for a bite to eat. Cuz tells a story of a wolf cursed to roam forever until he experiences the kindness of a stranger and can grant one wish, hoping the stranger will wish to break his curse. In Assist, Eddie discovers Noah trying to turn in an essay he downloaded online and steps up to help Noah write one on his own and stay on the soccer team. Lastly, in Everly's Otherworldly Dilemma, readers follow Everly as she hunts down a goblin along with her friend Max, a shapeshifter whose fathers taught them to protect themselves against creatures called Buraku. In these 13 stories by recognizable authors (including Linda Sue Park, Rita Williams-Garcia, and Joseph Bruchac) writing in various genres, there is a story for everyone.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)