Christina Soontornvat is a versatile and talented children’s book author who also happens to be a Mechanical Engineer and STEM educator/enthusiast. She’s received several Newbery Honor Awards and you can find her books in almost every section of our children’s department! We have the honor of hosting her at the North Branch during March is Reading Month (March 25th) as a part of our extended Middle Read celebration, so save the date and start reading!
A Wish in the Dark, our Middle Read and one of her Newbery Honor Award novels, is a hopeful fantasy novel set in a Thai-inspired world. It has a cheeky monk, a mischievous orphan who escapes from prison, a science-minded sidekick, a prison warden’s daughter coming to grips with her mysterious powers, a sea of people questioning their authoritarian rule. It has a page-turning cat-and-mouse-style hunt, secrets uncovered, untrustworthy adults, and plenty of twists and turns. We like to describe it as Avatar the Last Airbender meets Les Misérables, and I don’t think it’s a spoiler to add that the ending is very satisfying. Celebrate the book alongside us by attending one of our special Middle Read events:
- Blessings & Bracelets
- Van Andel Institute Presents: Lights Out!
- STEM Challenge: Build a Boat
- Orbs & Eats
- Tween Wishful Glow Painting
Other books by Christina Soontornvat you should consider reading:
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All Thirteen
- All Thirteen is a nonfiction account of the 2018 Thai cave rescue of twelve young soccer players and their coach. The rescue was a complex life-or-death feat of engineering, and this story includes firsthand accounts of the physical and mental struggles faced by the team.
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The Last Mapmaker
- This middle grade fantasy follows Sai, a young girl posing as a high-born apprentice to a mapmaker, as she embarks on a life-changing adventure of a lifetime and uncovers secrets at sea while trying to conceal her own truths.
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The Tryout
- Christina is one of the only Asian-Americans in her middle school, and she's determined to fit in by trying out for a coveted spot on the cheerleading squad. This is the first graphic novel in a series.
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The Ramble Shamble Children
- In this charming picture book, five kids stumble upon a book with a "proper" home, but when they decide to spruce up their ramble shamble home, muddy baby Jory seems to have different plans.
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Snow Place Like Home
- Linda is a windtamer who is trying to learn to control her icy powers in this fantasy early chapter book series. She convinces her family to allow her to attend a traditional magnet school with her best friend, but her magic is difficult to conceal and creates some tricky situations.
