Community Corner

Who Better to Recommend Books than the Librarian?

Debra Gottsleben, Morristown High School's librarian, gives her picks for this "Read Across America Day."

Every week, Patch Picks ... well, we'll pick what Patch Picks each week. That is to say, every week we'll be back with a list of the most interesting, the best, the craziest, the biggest, the most wonderful something-or-other that we've decided to highlight.

Patch Picks: Books (from our librarians)

Today is "Read Across America Day!" That's right, it's time to dust off those dust jackets and cozy up to a good book, or, if you're a higher tech, heat up the Nook or Kindle.

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As stated on the National Education Association website: "NEA’s Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss."

And, who better to recommend books on this literary day than Debra Gottsleben, the librarian for , as well as an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University. She has selected five recommended "young adult" books to get your children into reading, or, give your readers some new options.

Find out what's happening in Morris Township-Morris Plainswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

  1. American Born Chinese, by Gene Leun Yang. American Born Chinese, from 2006, is a young person's literatry graphic novel that tells three seemingly different tales, one about the "Monkey King," a well-known Chinese fable, one about a young Chinese immigrant and his journey of adaptation in his new American homeland, and one about a Chinese American whose cousin, who is portrayed as stereotypically Chinese, comes to visit him every year.
  2. Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi. Released in 2000, Persepolis, whose name refers to the ancient Persian empire, is a series of graphic novels depicting the author's life in Iran and Iraq then, later, in Vienna, Austria and, later still, back to Iran before eventually moving to France. It was adapted into a cartoon in 2007.
  3. Geronimo, by Joseph Bruchac. A young adult novel. From the School Library Journal review on Amazon.com: "This novel is told from the perspective of his adopted grandson Little Foot, and follows the Chiricahua Apaches from their home in Arizona to Florida. At Fort Marion, the group dwindles, losing children to the Carlisle Indian School, where those who contract tuberculosis are sent home to die and spread the disease. Little Foot escapes this fate and eventually joins the U.S. Infantry."
  4. A Chance of Sunshine, by Jimmy Liao. Illustrator Jimmy Liao, from Taiwan, brings an engaging tale to life through colorful pictures and a simple narrative, about searching for love.
  5. 145th Street: Short Stories, by Walter Dean Myers. This collection of interconnected stories centers around 145th Street in Harlem and deals with the triumphs and struggles of the people it focuses on. From the Amazon.com review: "Myers successfully builds a bridge of understanding between adolescents and adults that will help each group better understand the problems of the other."


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