Almost Forever
By Maria Testa
Published by Candlewick Press
Ages 9 and up
“They have no idea where he is.” In Maria Testa’s lyric novel, the young narrator must watch her father march off to Vietnam, where he’ll serve a year in the U.S. Army Medical Corps. A year is a long time when you’re waiting for letters, waiting for word. A year becomes endless when you don’t know where your father is anymore. A year feels like forever when you’re wondering . . . and forgetting.
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WorldCatAwards & Lists
- Junior Library Guild Selection
- Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award Winner
- Book Sense 76 Selection
- New York Public Library Children’s Books: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
- Chicago Public Library Best Books for Children and Teens
- Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year
- Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) Poetry Pick
- Maine Student Book Award Master List
- Pennsylvania School Librarians Association, YA Top 40 Fiction Titles
Reviews
★ “The language is gorgeously spare…Rapt readers don’t need to know anything about Vietnam to understand love, loss, fear, and waiting. A tour de force.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
“This is a tender, insightful story from a perspective too often ignored — that of a soldier’s child.” — School Library Journal
“Middle school teens would love this story; it would make a wonderful read-aloud for a booktalk . . . This noteworthy book is highly recommended for both public and school libraries.” — 5Q4A VOYA
Some Kind of Pride
By Maria Testa
Published by Delacorte, Yearling
Ages 8 and up
“The ball game cannot be over; I cannot let it end. If I do, I know that it will be the second great loss of my life.” Named after the mighty Babe Ruth, Ruth DiMarco has some big shoes to fill. But she’s already on the way to achieving her dream of becoming a major-league baseball player. Eleven-year-old Ruth is the star shortstop in her small Maine town, and now a reporter is coming to interview her for Sports Illustrated magazine. She’s at the top of her game. Then she overhears her father in the crowd: “Real major-league talent. But I can’t help thinking what a shame it is that it’s all wasted on a girl.”
Suddenly Ruth is doubting herself, her dream, and the game she loves. In search of answers, she looks to those closest to her: her best friend, Ellie, a self-proclaimed feminist; her father, a famous sportswriter; and her mother, a firefighter hero, who died eight years ago. But Ruth knows the truth lies within herself. The real question is: Without Sports Illustrated and Little League and Babe Ruth, who is Ruth DiMarco?
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WorldCatAwards & Lists
- Junior Library Guild Selection
- Marguerite de Angeli Prize
- Bank Street College Best of the Best Children’s Books
- Amelia Bloomer List of Recommended Feminist Books for Youth
Reviews
“This is a coming of age story with depth and beauty, recommended for both girls and boys who wonder where they are headed and how they will achieve their potential.” —Children’s Literature
“Her skills and love of the game are unequaled, yet there are many more elements to make this novel compelling beyond baseball. Non-sports enthusiasts will relate to the girl’s quirky best friend, the relationships among her family members, and the reporter’s presence in her life . . . [a] rewarding read.” —School Library Journal
Baseball Crazy: Ten Short Stories That Cover All the Bases
By Maria Testa and Others
Edited by Nancy Mercado
Published by Dial
Ages 8 and up
Do you love baseball? Here are ten new fictional stories that celebrate all aspects of the game of baseball. And what a starting lineup! From John H. Ritter to Newbery Award-winning Jerry Spinelli, this is a gathering of ten great authors for children, some of whom are specifically known for their writing about baseball. Featuring a story told in poems by Maria Testa and another in play format by Ron Koertge, Baseball Crazy is a truly diverse collection that will appeal to fanatics of the sport as well as those sitting hesitantly out on the bench. Batter up!
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Penguin Random HouseAwards & Lists
A Junior Library Guild Selection
Someplace to Go
By Maria Testa
Illustrated by Karen Ritz
Published by Albert Whitman
Ages 6 and up
“I watch them drive away, and I want to call after them that it’s okay; someday soon I’ll have a place to go, and then my mom will smile a lot, too.”
When Davey’s mom lost her job, the family had to move out of their apartment. Now Davey, his mom, and his big brother stay at a homeless shelter. After school Davey is on his own and must find a way to stay safe and warm until the shelter opens at 8:00 PM.
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WorldCatReviews
“A well-executed story about social hardships and homelessness . . . Someplace to Go focuses on the realities of homelessness and successfully gives them a human dimension.” — School Library Journal
“The feelings are on target in this picture book about homelessness for older readers . . . Like the text, the artwork has emotional resonance.” — Booklist
Nine Candles
By Maria Testa
Illustrated by Amanda Schaffer
Published by Carolrhoda
Ages 6 and up
“Every time I see that prison sign, I get a cold feeling in my stomach, like I just ate too much ice cream.”
Raymond walks by the prison sign with Dad every Sunday. He doesn’t like going to the prison, but he does like it once he’s inside – he gets to see Mama. This Sunday is special. It’s Raymond’s seventh birthday, and even though Mama is in prison, she can be part of the celebration. On this birthday, Raymond has only one wish – to see nine candles lighting up his birthday cake.
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WorldCatAwards & Lists
- International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Council Children’s Choices
- Society of School Librarians International Honor Book in the Language Arts
Reviews
“There is no moralizing here—just a child’s nonjudgmental acceptance of something he cannot change and his anticipation of better times to come.” —Booklist
Dancing Pink Flamingos and Other Stories
By Maria Testa
Published Lerner, Avon Flare
Ages 12 and up
“Sal Lombardi walks down the center aisle of the cathedral, places a white rose on Domenic’s coffin, and all I can think is how much I hate him.”
In these ten stories, young people struggle to make sense of their lives in a world that seems stacked against them. They deal with crime and violence and the sense of having no future. These stories are about hope, and connecting with people, and getting out when that’s what you have to do.
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WorldCatAwards & Lists
- ALA Best Books for Young Adults
- ALA Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers
- New York Public Library Best Books for the Teen Age
- Society of School Librarians International Best Books for the Secondary Language Arts
Reviews
“Testa writes about teens, using art and music to understand their difficult world; her prose is as beautifully moving as it is straightforward.” — Booklist
Thumbs Up, Rico!
By Maria Testa
Illustrated by Diane Paterson
Published by Albert Whitman
“The first time I met Caesar, he was playing basketball down at the playground. I really wanted to like him. I wanted to like him a lot. But the first time I met Caesar, I didn’t like him at all.”
In three separate stories, Rico, a boy with Down Syndrome, makes a new friend, helps his sister with a difficult decision, and finally draws a picture he likes.
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WorldCatAwards & Lists
- Blue Chip Award, Oppenheim Toy Portfolio, Best Books for Children
Reviews
“Testa’s phrasing is simplicity itself, yet she portrays Rico’s emotions and his self-reliant approach to problems with poignant subtlety.” —Kirkus Reviews