CCBC Booklists

CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.

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The View from the Very Best House in Town

by Meera Trehan

CCBC Review:

Sam (white) and Asha (Indian American), both autistic, are best friends until Sam is accepted to Castleton Academy for seventh grade. At Castleton, Sam is bullied until popular girl Prestyn takes a sudden interest in him. She invites him to her home: a mansion called Donnybrooke. Asha is surprised to learn that Sam is hanging out with “Prestyn the Intestine” and envious that Sam is spending time at Donnybrooke. An architectural oddity, the mansion is Asha’s very favorite building, but she’s been banned from setting foot there ever since an incident that took place at Prestyn’s birthday party years ago. Chapters alternate between the third-person perspectives of Asha, who worries about Sam despite herself; Sam, who doesn’t realize that Prestyn actually delights in playing cruel tricks on him; and Donnybrooke itself, which wants to be appreciated and loved, especially by its own family—just as Prestyn herself longs to be. When one of Prestyn’s pranks puts Sam in danger, he finally reaches out to Asha, the one person he can trust. Throughout it all, Sam and Asha navigate complex social situations and learn to advocate for themselves around people who fail to truly see and appreciate them, while Donnybrooke’s distinctive voice provides levity and insight. ©2022 Cooperative Children’s Book Center

CCBC Age Recommendation: Ages 8-12
Age Range: Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10) Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Format: Novel
Subjects: Asian Americans Autism Spectrum Bullying and Teasing Friendship Indians and Indian Americans Perspective/Point of View Trust
Diversity subject: Asian Cognitive/Neurological
On CCBC Booklist: Asian in America: Selected Books for PreK-Grade 12 to Support Hmong and Asian American Studies in Wisconsin

Publishers: Candlewick, Walker
Publish Year: 2022
Pages: 261
ISBN: 9781536219241
CCBC Location: Fiction, Trehan

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