One Hen : How One Samll Loan Made a Big Difference by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes

Micro-lending is explained in this easy-to-follow story based on a real person from Ghana. Kojo uses a small amount of money from a village loan to invest in a hen.He sells the eggs to buy more chickens, then finances his education, becomes a chicken farmer, employs many people,and helps enrich his country. The bright whimsical illustrations all include African scenes and chickens of some sort. One hen is even dressed up and selling produce at the village market. In addition to the story narrative, there is an incremental text with each illustration: "This is the loan that Kojo gets...This is the farm that Kojo builds...This is the town that grows..." Easy enough for young children to follow, this book can also be used with middle schoolers. There is a section on the "real Kojo" plus information on what the reader can do to help and an excellent glossary.Great for 7th grade social studies.

Afghan Dreams:Young Voices of Afghanistan by Tony O'Brien and Mike Sullivan

Photographs by Tony O/Brien. This is a beautiful photo journal of children in Afghanistan who have been affected by the ongoing war. Some have lost family members, been injured themselves, had to drop out of school and more. Two children resorted to pick pocketing to survive. The book is divided into children from Kabul and children from the countryside. The authors present the childrens' stories in their own words with an accompanying photograph of each child. This book is very timely and it will enable upper elementary - high school students an opportunity to see what life is really like for children in a war-torn, impoverished country like Afghanistan.

Nation by Terry Pratchett

After a great wave hits, Mau is the only survivor of his island village. He is joined by other survivors, some islanders like him, and one very different girl from the west. His people, the Nation, had a very rich culture and oral tradition of history. As they do the work of surviving each day, Mau battles with the voices of his people's past and the new experiences brought on by exposure to other cultures. Along the way, Mau grows from a regular boy to a great man.

This book will appeal to readers that enjoy survival stories, folklore, history, and even science. The interweaving of folklore throughout the story adds an element of mysticism that makes the reader wonder if there is some fantasy happening, too.

I'd recommend this book to middle schoolers.