Drums of Desolation
Chris Heimerdinger
Book summary
This is a large-scale conflict story in which the Nephites prepare to defend Hill Cumorah while facing threats both outside and within their community.
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Chris Heimerdinger
This is a large-scale conflict story in which the Nephites prepare to defend Hill Cumorah while facing threats both outside and within their community.
Erica S. Perl, Shahar Kober
A Hanukkah picture-book story about a family settling into a new apartment, neighbours’ practical and humorous help, and an idea for thanking them through a ninth-night celebration.
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A carefully curated collection of children’s books in which grief, bereavement or remembrance is central. Compare how each book handles loss, emotional intensity and continued connection before deciding what suits your child and family values.
1 bookAnne Fine
Louie’s grief after his brother’s death unfolds alongside parental separation and a community’s devastation. The story uses ghosts and Endlander mourning traditions to explore how people remember the dead, communicate loss and begin rebuilding.
Paula Danziger
A school story about a teenager who feels out of place and is troubled by her weight. When her supportive teacher is removed from school, Marcy joins a campaign to bring her back and finds confidence in using her voice.
Erin Hunter
A murder investigation, family revelations and a prophecy converge as three siblings confront secrets that challenge their place in ThunderClan and their understanding of its rules.
Inge Barth-grozinger
Follow Erich as ordinary concerns give way to exclusion and hardship under Nazi rule. Alongside the discrimination, the story includes friends and neighbours who remain loyal despite the risk.
Amy Goldman Koss
Kailey’s love of the shoreline turns into a campaign when she learns that development could transform its tide pools. Her plan is an art protest, and she must try something unfamiliar to her.
Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts
A young artist notices the colour, patterns, people and sensory life around him, then reimagines his everyday surroundings through art.
Kathryn Barker
A paranormal story follows Alice between a small Australian town and a dreamscape built from its residents’ nightmares. Her twin’s school shooting and its aftermath shape Alice’s struggle with identity, guilt and belonging.
Sally Lloyd-Jones
The children’s summer changes when a nearby fountain is prepared as a temporary home for goldfish. Neighbourhood children visit, while their grandfather’s memories connect the fountain’s earlier use with the present-day adventure.
Teresa E. Harris
Gabby turns to spoken-word poetry as a way to express herself while working to help save the community arts centre she loves.
Andre Norton
Expect space adventure, espionage and a refugee’s struggle to escape, alongside telepathic communication with animals. The story also considers human–animal kinship and the position of people at the bottom of society.
Uma Krishnaswami
Yasmin’s daily reading routine is disrupted when the mayor’s actions threaten Book Uncle’s lending library. With friends, family and neighbours, she tries to make the community’s voice heard during an election campaign.
Davie J. Toothill
A murder, its aftermath for the victim’s sister, and the killer’s drive to prove himself to his brothers form the central strands. Secrets and a breaking wall of silence link them.
Eva Wiseman
Natan’s resolve to speak out places him amid dangerous accusations against Strasbourg’s Jewish community, with plague fear and a violent incident adding to the stakes.
Anne Marie Welsh, Laura Tuchman, Helena Garcia
The book pairs imagined adventures with real-life Brownie stories and activities, using storytelling as a route into leadership and noticing ways to contribute to the world.
Matt Anniss
Follow Griffin’s career alongside his efforts to connect with fans and give time to others.
Matt Anniss
The book follows Derek Jeter’s efforts to support his community, especially through the Turn 2 Foundation and its programmes for fitness and good values.
Jeannie Baker
Look closely at how the street changes from a worn urban setting into a greener shared space, with neighbours helping to reshape it.
Janni Lee Simner
A dark fantasy about survival, belonging and self-discovery, following Liza as she leaves a fearful town and seeks her missing mother. The post-war world mixes hostile nature, visions and faerie magic.
Linda Urban
A reflective story about Ruby’s grief and regret, with friendship tensions and a quirky town celebration alongside the serious feelings.
Ash Van Otterloo
This is a spooky, folksy fantasy about two girls whose quarrel unleashes a graveyard full of angry ancestors. The story pairs that supernatural danger with questions of friendship, family history and finding a place to belong.
Bob Graham
A quiet, carefully arranged story about how much can be happening at once. Jodie’s duck drawing provides a home-centred thread, while the surrounding scenes widen the view to other people and places.
Shirley Parenteau
A historical story about a girl’s attachment to a Japanese doll during wartime, and the pressure to choose between that personal bond and national loyalty.
Sharon Stewart
This is an animal fantasy built around a quest for belonging and restored honour, with ravens and wolves linked through an ancient partnership.
Pamela Porter
This is a bleak but ultimately hopeful family story: the children’s resourcefulness and the quiet help they receive are set against hardship and cruelty in their community.
Greg Howard
This is a comic story about two boys whose efforts to influence their parents’ relationship bring together family upheaval, a school event and the boys’ own changing relationship.
John David Anderson
Sticky notes spread around the school, carrying both friendly and cutting messages.
Norma Jean Lutz
A historical family story about wartime change, German-American prejudice and Carl’s first summer living away from home.
Stephanie Hemphill
This is historical fiction in verse, giving three young women distinct perspectives on the Salem witch trials and the choices made as accusations spread.
David Levithan
This is a teen romantic comedy about trying to repair a relationship after a mistake, set in a school where gender and sexuality norms are unusually playful.
Sarah Prineas
This is a fantasy adventure built around Conn’s apprenticeship and a mystery affecting the city. The premise links personal learning with a wider problem, without revealing how either is resolved.
Sigmund Brouwer, Dave Whamond
This is a story about caring for birds and trying to address a problem beyond one school. It also follows Jimmy as he navigates attention from others and the challenge of speaking to the town council.
Erin Hunter
Three separate dog-centred adventures offer distinct starting points: Alpha’s life before leadership, Sweet’s search for a Pack, and Moon’s transition after disaster. The collection’s emphasis is on survival and life among Packs.
Victoria Aveyard
This sequel follows Mare as she tries to gather people with abilities into an army opposing the Silvers, while keeping her relationship with the exiled prince Cal afloat.
Wendy Mass
This is a birthday-centred fantasy adventure in which Tara’s search for unusual objects brings her into contact with eccentric townspeople and new friends.
Alan Gratz
This is a mystery built around an investigation by two friends. Suspicion falls broadly across the town, while the pollution and the poisoning provide a grim backdrop to their search.
Cube Kid
This is a quest-led adventure centred on a young character taking on responsibility for his community. Expect fantasy dangers and battles to be part of the journey.
Rachele Alpine
This is a story about bereavement, family strain and a young person facing pressure to protect people and institutions around her after an assault.
Parker, Daniel
This is a tense survival story centred on the bond between an isolated teenager and a stray dog, with a wider crisis putting their loyalty and trust under pressure.
Joseph P. Ruli, Jaclyn Warren
This is a story about generosity and a community tradition, set against drought and food shortage. Its plot also centres on prayer to St Joseph and the building of altars.
Frank Bonham
A club-saving mystery driven by four friends’ attempt to secure money intended for their Boys Club.
Erica Blaney
This is a speculative adventure built around a prophecy, a group of unusual companions and a powerful portal. Its central mission connects personal discovery with the possibility of changing life across Clandoi.
Erin Hunter
A new leader inherits a weakened Clan, with strained relations among the four Clans and an approaching threat. The story’s central pressures are leadership, survival and rebuilding after a major battle.
Morgan Burke
A private-school social circle becomes the focus of a murder mystery after Samantha disappears and is found dead. The earlier killing and the claim that the murderer belongs to the school community set up a suspect-focused investigation.
Angela Royston
This is an overview of underwater science as both research and practical work, from living arrangements and equipment to the questions researchers investigate.
Duchess Harris, Rebecca Rissman
A structured introduction to race and policing, combining historical context with current issues and discussion of possible improvements in police-community relationships.
Erin Bow
A dark fantasy about belonging and survival, with magic woven into a village’s superstitions. Kate’s carving skill and unusual appearance make her a target, while a bargain offers escape at a personal cost.
Ann M. Martin
A story about two sisters rebuilding everyday life after losing their parents, with new friendships and a small-town community shaping their sense of home.
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