"A Tangle of Knots”by Lisa Graff

Kid Culture features fun and educational books and toys for children.

Probably many of you are familiar with the Newbery and Caldecott medals, which are basically the Oscars for children’s literature. They were announced Jan. 27 at the American Library Association Conference, along with many other prestigious awards, such as the Geisel, Coretta Scott King, Printz, Sibert and more. You’ll find the complete listing at www.ala.org (click on Awards & Grants).

Of course, there are other wonderful books that don’t receive a medal but merit a strong following of readers. Here are three of them for ages 10-14.

“The Thing About Luck”by Cynthia Kadohata

Kadohata was awarded the Newbery Medal in 2005 for her story about a Japanese American family’s struggles with a child’s terminal illness in “Kira Kira.” Her new book is also about a Japanese-American family with the same strong family values but completely different challenges. Summer and her younger brother are living with their elderly, old-fashioned Japanese grandparents while their parents are in Japan. Usually they would be traveling north from Oklahoma to North Dakota as harvesters for hire. But when their grandfather gets the flu, it’s up to Summer to figure out who can drive the combine so they can pay their mortgage. There are strong messages of patience, friendship and adolescence, interspersed with delightful humor, in this book that received the National Book Award.

“Navigating Early”by Clare Vanderpool

Another previous recipient of the Newbery Medal is Vanderpool, for “Moon Over Manifest.” This year’s book from her involves the friendship between Jack and an autistic savant named Early. The two boys meet at a boarding school but are soon involved in a quest on the Appalachian Trail. Early is determined to prove that his brother did not die in World War II by finding a grizzly bear, timber rattlesnakes and the solution to whether the numerical concept of pi will ever end. Early’s mind works in wondrous ways in this survival adventure that introduces land pirates, a 100-year-old woman who is waiting to be buried and the truth about the legendary school hero, who was Early’s brother.

“A Tangle of Knots”by Lisa Graff

For readers who enjoy interwoven plots, outrageous characters and cake, this book will be a delight. Cady is an orphan, searching for her family. She lives in a community where everyone has a talent, from being able to float above the ground to Cady’s own talent of knowing exactly what kind of cake is the favorite of whomever she meets. There truly is a tangle of multiple stories, beginning with a missing suitcase that holds important answers, to a man who drops from the sky in a hot air balloon, and ending with Cady’s discovery about her family. Besides all that fun, there are delicious cake recipes throughout.

— Recommendations by Heather McNeil, Youth Services Manager, Deschutes Public Library