FLWRHI.ORG
2025-2026 Big Island
Heluhelu Quiz Bowl - Book Summaries
Highlight indicates title was also in 2024-25 Quiz Bowl
Across So Many Seas, Ruth Behar (Gr. 5-6, 2025 Newbery Honor)
From the Publisher
Spanning over five hundred years, Pura Belpre Award winner Ruth Behar's epic novel tells the stories of four girls from different generations of aJewish family, many of them forced to leave their country and start a new life.
In 1492, during the Spanish Inquisition, Benvenida and her family are banished from Spain for being Jewish. They journey by foot and by sea, eventually settling in Istanbul. Over four centuries later, in 1923, shortly after the Turkish war of independence, Reina's father disowns her for a small act of disobedience. He ships her away to live with an aunt in Cuba. In 1961, Reina's daughter, Alegra, is proud to be a brigadista, teaching literacy in the countryside. But soon Fidel Castro's crackdowns force her to flee to Miami, leaving her parents behind. In 2003, Alegra's daughter, Paloma, is fascinated by all the journeys that had to happen before she could be born. A keeper of memories, she's thrilled to learn more about her heritage on a trip to Spain, where she makes a momentous discovery.
Though many years and many seas separate these girls, they are united by their desire to belong and to matter, and by the haunting beauty they find in sad Spanish songs--and each is lucky to stand on the shoulders of her courageous ancestors.​
Black Star, Kwame Alexander (Gr. 5 and up, Coretta Scott King Honor)
From Follett
Twelve-year old Black girl Charley, who dreams of becoming the first professional female pitcher, must navigate adolescence during the turbulent segregation era and the beginning of the Great Migration.
City Spies, James Ponti (Gr. 3-7, 2024 Nēnē Award)
From Follett
Sara Martinez is facing years in the juvenile detention system for hacking into the foster care computer system to prove that her foster parents are crooks. But then she gets a second chance when a mysterious man offers her a chance to join a group of MI6 affiliated spies - Provided by publisher.
Clairboyance, Kristiana Kahakauwila (Gr. 3-7, 2025 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature (APALA) Honor Book)
From Follett
When she attains the ability to hear what boys are thinking, Clara hopes her newfound powers will reverse her ex-best friend's betrayal but ends up making a mess of everything and she finds that she must fix her mistakes as she tries to figure out old friendships and new ones -- Provided by publisher.
Continental Drifter, Kathy MacLeod (Gr. 3-4, graphic novel, 2025 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature (APALA) winner)
From Follett
Spending most of the year in Bangkok and then the summer in Maine, Thai-American Kathy struggles to fit in and longs to find a place where she truly belongs, but she's not sure if it's in America, Thailand . . . or anywhere.
Eagle Drums, Nasugraq Rainey Hopson (Gr. 4-6, 2024 Newbery Honor)
From Follett
In preparation for winter, a skilled young hunter embarks on a perilous journey up the mountain to gather obsidian, where he encounters the fearsome eagle god Savik and is presented with a life-altering choice.
Elf Dog and Owl Head, M.T. Anderson (Gr. 3-7, 2024 Newbery Honor)
From the publisher
Clay has had his fill of home life. A global plague has brought the world to a screeching halt, and with little to look forward to but a summer of video-calling friends, vying with annoying sisters for the family computer, and tuning out his parents' financial worries, he's only too happy to retreat to the woods. From the moment the elegant little dog with the ornate collar appears like an apparition among the trees, Clay sees something uncanny in her. With this mysterious Elphinore as guide, he'll glimpse ancient secrets folded all but invisibly into the forest. Each day the dog leads Clay down paths he never knew existed, deeper into the unknown. But they aren't alone in their surreal adventures. There are traps and terrors in the woods, too, and if Clay isn't careful, he might stray off the path and lose his way forever. Graced with evocative black-and-white illustrations by Junyi Wu, Elf Dog and Owl Head is heartfelt and exhilarating, wry and poignant, seamlessly merging the fantastic and the familiar in a tale both timely and timeless.
Finding Junie Kim, Ellen Oh (Gr. 3-7, recommended by Christina Soontornvat)
From Follett
A tale based on true events follows the coming-of-age of a girl who is motivated by an act of racism at school to learn about her ancestral heritage and her grandparents' experiences as lost children during the Korean War.
Grounded, Aisha Saeed, Huda Al-Marashi, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, S.K. Ali, (Gr. 3-7, recommended by Christina Soontornvat)
From the Publisher
​
When a thunderstorm grounds all flights following a huge Muslim convention, four unlikely kids are thrown together. Feek is stuck babysitting hisyounger sister, but he'd rather be writing a poem that's good enough for his dad, a famous poet and rapper. Hanna is intent on finding a lost cat in theairport--and also on avoiding a conversation with her dad about him possibly remarrying. Sami is struggling with his anxiety and worried that he'll missthe karate tournament that he's trained so hard for. And Nora has to deal with the pressure of being the daughter of a prominent congresswoman, when all she really wants to do is make fun NokNok videos. These kids don't seem to have much in common--yet.
Invisible, Gonzalez, Epstein, & Pien, (Gr. 3-7, 2024 Nēnē Graphic Novel Award)
From Follett
Text mostly in English with some Spanish. Can five overlooked kids make one big difference? There's George: the brain, Sara: the loner, Dayara: the tough kid, Nico: the rich kid, and Miguel: the athlete. And they're stuck together when they're forced to complete their school's community service hours. Although they're sure they have nothing in common with one another, some people see them as all the same--just five Spanish speaking kids. Then they meet someone who truly needs their help, and they must decide whether they are each willing to expose their own secrets to help--or if remaining invisible is the only way to survive middle school - Provided by publisher.
Kwame Crashes the Underworld, Craig Kofi Farmer (Gr. 4-6, 2025 Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award)
From Follett
​
Twelve-year-old Kwame Powell isn't ready to deal with losing his grandmother, even as he and his family head to Ghana for her celebration of life. He'sdefinitely not ready when he's sucked into a magical whirlpool that leads straight to Asamando, the Ghanaian underworld. There, he comesface-to-face with his grandmother, who is very much alive, and somehow just . . . a kid? Together with his best friend, Autumn, and a chattery aboatianamed Woo, Kwame sets off to battle angry nature gods and stop the underworld from destroying the land of the living. But there's an even bigger problem: living souls can't stay in Asamando for long. In order to save the mortal world and return home, Kwame must find the courage to do thebravest thing of all--learn how to say goodbye--Provided by publisher.
Lei and the Fire Goddess, Malia Maunakea, (Gr. 3-7, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year)
From the Publisher
​
Curses aren't real. At least, that's what twelve-year-old, part-Hawaiian Anna Leilani Kamaʻehu thinks when she listens to her grandmother's folktales about sacred flowersand family guardians. Anna's friends back home in Colorado don't believe in legends, either. They're more interested in science and sports--real, tangible things that stand in total contrast to Anna's family's embarrassing stories.So when Anna goes back to Hawaiʻi to visit her Tūtū, she has no interest in becoming the heir to her family's history; she's set on having a touristy, fun vacation. But when Anna accidentally insults Pele the fire goddess by destroying her lehua blossom, a giant hawk swoops in and kidnaps her best friend, and she quickly learns just how real these moʻolelo are. In order to save her friends and family, Anna must now battle mythical creatures, teamup with demigods and talking bats, and evade the traps Pele hurls her way.For if Anna hopes to undo the curse, she will have to dig deep into her Hawaiian roots and learn to embrace all of who she is.
Lola, Karla Arenas Valenti (Gr. 3-7, 2025 Pura Belpré Author Winner)
From the Publisher
A simmering tale of magic, adventure, and the extraordinary bond between a brother and sister who'd journey to the ends of the Earth to save eachother. From the acclaimed author of Loteria comes a heartfelt story rooted in Mexican magical realism.
Mabuhay!, Zachary Sterling (Gr. 3-7, graphic novel, 2025 Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature (APALA) Honor Book)
From Follett
First-generation Filipino siblings JJ and Althea struggle to belong at school. JJ wants to fit in with the crowd, while Althea wants to be accepted as she is. But that hope seems like a long shot, for both of them. To make matters worse, they have to help their parents run the family food truck by dressing up as a dancing pig and passing out samples. Ugh! And their mom is always pointing out lessons from Filipino folklore -- annoying tales they've heard again and again. But when witches, ogres, and other creatures from those same stories threaten their family, JJ and Althea realize that the folklore may be more real that they'd suspected. Can they embrace who they really are and save their family?--Jacket flap.
Magnolia We Unfolds It All, Chanel Miller (Gr. 2-6, 2025 Newbery Honor)
From Follett
A self-proclaimed sock detective inside her parents' New York City laundromat, 10-year-old Magnolia Wu and Iris, a new friend from California, set offacross the city to solve the mystery of each missing sock, meeting people and uncovering the unimaginable along the way--OCLC.
Mexikid, Pedro Martin (Gr. 5-9, graphic novel, 2024 Newbery Honor, 2024 Pura Belpré Award)
From Follett
Pedro Martin grew up in the U.S. hearing stories about his legendary abuelito, but during a family road trip to Mexico, he connects with his grandfather and learns more about his own Mexican identity in this graphic memoir. - Provided by publisher.
One Big Open Sky, Lesa Cline-Ransome (Gr. 3-7, 2025 Newbery Honor)
From the Publisher
Three women narrate a perilous wagon journey westward that could set them free--or cost them everything they have--in this intergenerational verse novel that explores the history of the Black homesteader movement. 1879, Mississippi. Young dreamer Lettie may have her head in the stars, but her body is on a covered wagon heading westward. Her father, Thomas, promises that Nebraska will be everything the family needs: an opportunity to claim the independence they've strived for over generations on their very own plot of land.
But Thomas' hopes--and mouth--are bigger than his ability to follow through. With few supplies and even less money, the only thing that feels certain is danger.
Right after the war ended/and we were free/we believed/all of us did/that couldn't nothing hurt us/the way master had when we were slaves/Couldn't no one tell us/how to live/how to die.
Lettie, her mother, Sylvia, and young teacher Philomena are free from slavery--but bound by poverty, access to opportunity, and patriarchal social structures. Will these women survive the hardships of their journey? And as Thomas' desire for control overpowers his common sense, will they truly be free once they get there?
The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II, Candace Fleming, (Gr. 3-7, 2025 Robert F. Sibert Honor)
From the Publisher
From award-winning author Candace Fleming, comes the powerful and fascinating story of the brave and dedicated young women who helped turn the tides of World War II for the Allies, with their hard work and determination at Bletchley Park.
The Eyes and the Impossible, Dave Eggers (Gr. 3-7, 2024 Newbery Medal)
From Follett
​
Johannes, a free dog, lives in a park hemmed in on three sides by dense human neighborhoods, and on one side by the ocean. His job is to be the Eyes--to see everything that happens within the park and report to the park's elders, three ancient bison who ensure the Equilibrium. His friends--astalwart seagull, a mordant raccoon, a one-eyed squirrel, and a pelican who can read work with him as the Assistant Eyes, observing the humans and other animals who share the park and making sure everything is in balance. But changes are afoot - Provided by publisher.
The Fire, the Water, and Maudie McGinn, Sally J. Pla (Gr. 5-6, 2024 Schneider Family Book Award)
From Follett
Maudie always looks forward to the summers she spends in California with her dad. But this year, she must keep a troubling secret about her home life,vone that her mom warned her never to tell. Maudie wants to confide in her dad about her stepdad's anger, but she's scared.
When a wildfire strikes, Maudie and her dad are forced to evacuate to the beach town where he grew up. It's another turbulent wave of change. But now, every morning, from their camper, Maudie can see surfers bobbing in the water. She desperately wants to learn, but could she ever be brave enough?
As Maudie navigates unfamiliar waters, she makes friends--and her autism no longer feels like the big deal her mom makes it out to be. But her secret is still threatening to sink her. Will Maudie find the strength to reveal the awful truth- and maybe even find some way to stay with Dad--before summer is over? - provided by publisher.
The First State of Being, Erin Entrada Kelly, (Gr. 3-7, 2025 Newbery Medal)
From Follett
When Ridge, a time-traveling teenager from the future, gets trapped in 1999, he befriends Michael, a lonely twelve-year old boy, changing the course of their lives forever.
The Liars Society, Alyson Gerber (Gr. 3-7, recommended by 2025 participant)
From Follett
​
Weather by is a fish out of water. When she lands a scholarship to the prestigious Boston School, she's excited to be in the same world as her dad . . .But Weatherby has a secret she'll risk everything to protect, one that could destroy her new life. Every member of Jack's wealthy and privileged family has made their mark at the Boston School. Everyone, that is, except for Jack, who is entirely mediocre . . . But Jack has a secret of his own . . . one with the power to ruin everything.When the money for their school trip to a private island . . . is stolen, Jack and Weatherby are invited to play a high-stakes game and solve the mystery of the missing money--Provided by publisher.
The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams, Daniel Nayeri (Gr. 3-7, 2024 Newbery Honor)
From Follett
This is the tale of an exciting journey along the Silk Road with a young Monk and his newfound guardian, Samir, a larger than life character and the so-called "Seller of Dreams." The man is a scammer; his biggest skill being the ability to talk his way into getting what he wants. While that talking did save Monkey's life, it has left a lot of people furious with Samir- furious enough to hire assassins. Monkey decides to try and save Samir from the attempts on his life--as a way to pay off his debt! If he can save Samir six times, he'll be a free man...but will they all survive that long? - Provided by publisher.
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: a Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity, Nicholas Day with art by Brett Helquist (Gr. 5-9, 2024 Robert F. Sibert Medal)
From Follett
A narrative nonfiction about how the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre, how the robbery made the portrait the most famous artwork in the world--and how the painting by Leonardo da Vinci should never have existed at all - Provided by publisher.
The Secret Language of Birds, Lynne Kelly (Gr. 3-7)
From the Publisher
Nina is used to feeling like the odd one out, both at school and in her large family. But while trying to fit in at summer camp, she discovers something even more peculiar: two majestic birds have built a nest in the marsh behind an abandoned infirmary. They appear to be whooping cranes, but that’s impossible—Nina is an amateur bird-watcher, and all her resources tell her that those rare birds haven’t nested in Texas for over a hundred years.
When Nina reports the sighting to wildlife officials, more questions arise. Experts track all the endangered birds, but they can’t identify the female bird that Nina found. Who is she, and where did she come from?
With the help of some fellow campers, Nina sets out to discover who the mystery bird really is. As she gets closer to the truth, will she find a flock of her own.
The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman, Gennifer Choldenko (Gr. 5-6, Best Book of 2024, per several review publications)
From Follett
​
When eleven-year-old Hank's mother does not come home after a week, he and his toddler sister, Boo, seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact, even though it means social workers, a new school, and having to answer questions about his mom that he has been trying to keep secret.
The Wrong Way Home, Kate O’Shaughnessy (Gr. 5-6, 2025 Newbery Honor)
From Follett
When twelve-year-old Fern and her mother abruptly leave their isolated, off-the-grid community, Fern wants nothing more than to return, but things get murky as she slowly adjusts to her new life and discovers unsettling truths about her old one.
Legacy Titles - Newbery Medal winners
that won earlier than five years ago
Holes, Louis Sachar (Gr. 5-6, 1999 Newbery Medal)
From Follett
As further evidence of his family's bad fortune which they attribute to a curse on a distant relative, Stanley Yelnats is sent to a hellish correctional camp in the Texas desert where he finds his first real friend, a treasure, and a new sense of himself.
Island of the Blue Dolphins, Scott OʻDell (Gr. 3-7, 1961 Newbery Medal)
From Follett
Records the courage and self-reliance of an Indian girl who lived alone for eighteen years on an isolated island off the California coast when her tribe emigrated and she was left behind.
The Night War, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Gr. 4-7, from two time Newbery honor Winner)
From Follett
During World War II, twelve-year old Miriam secretly spirits other Jewish people out of Nazi-occupied France after being separated from her family and forced into hiding - Provided by publisher.