Mallory in Full Color

Leahy, Elisa Stone. Mallory in Full Color
November 19, 2024 by Quill Tree Books

E ARC provided by Netgalley
 

In this return to the Leopold Preparatory Academy in Rooville, Ohio (a fictional suburb of Columbus!), we focus on Mal, a friend of Etta and Wendy's. Mal is dealing with a lot at home, since her parents have recently divorced and her mother, Magnolia Jeong, a busy paralegal, frequently expects Mal to babysit her younger twin brothers and make them dinner. While Mal doesn't mind that much, she also needs to get her schoolwork done, and wants time to work on her web comic. Metal-Plated Heart is a story she's been working on and has posted on the Comic Koala website, run by a local comic store, even though she isn't thirteen yet. When her mother signs her up for swim lessons that conflict with a new comic club she really wants to attend at the public library, she's very angry, but doesn't say so. Mal is a people pleaser, and always tries to go along with whatever other are doing or saying so that they keep liking her. After dropping her brothers off at the community center, Mal realizes that she could easily pop over to the library for the comic club. There, she runs into Noa, a nonbinary tween who is helping set up a Drag Queen story hour. Mal really wants to be friends with Noa, and to attend the comic club, so she uses her mother's account to e mail the swim coach and say that she isn't going to be on the team. At school, Mal feels torn-- many of her friends talk about which boys are cute, but Etta invites her to attend the Gay Straight Alliance (which is changing its name to the Gender and Sexuality Alliance). While Mal has had crushes on boys', she's also had crushes on girls, and isn't quite ready to assign herself a label yet. Her friend K.K. really likes makeup, but Mal doesn't, even though to make K. K. happy, she lets her friend do her face. She even agrees to perform with Noa, even though she does not like performing in front of others. On top of these daily stresses, she still has to watch her brothers, and deal with not seeing her father as much. She overhears her mother talking about possibly moving to the West Coast to be near family, and that adds a level of stress. Not only that, but the one thing that calms her down, her web comic, has become a source of anxiety. Not only is the owner of Comic Koala contacting her and  telling her that she's getting a lot of votes in a contest, so if she wants to win she has to get her parental permission forms turned in, but people at school are discovering her comic and realizing that the characters are based, sometimes unflatteringly, on people at school. On top of that, the Read with a Queen story hour is being challenged, and is eventually canceled. Noa is crushed, and Mal and Noa have a bit of a falling out because Mal won't be honest with them. Eventually, of course, Mal's mother finds out about the swim team and web comic deception, as well as some of Mal's failing grades, and the two have a falling out, especially since Mal has been asked to take on too much responsibility at home. When Comic Koala offers to host the story time, it looks like one of Mal's difficult situations will be resolved, but will she be able to set all of the other matters in her life to right as well. 

Strengths: So many of Mal's experiences reflect the current social zeitgeist: parents over scheduling children or expecting them to serve as caretakers, children navigating living with divorced parents, several LGBTQIA+ issues, drag queen story times, and the social emotional learning topic of being true to oneself and not being a people pleaser (like Greenwald's Absolutely, Positively Natty). There's even a bit of support for graphic novels being legitimate forms of story telling when Mal's language arts teacher doesn't approve of her web comic sketches. No wonder Mal's poor head is spinning! I liked that there were some supportive adults in Mal's life, like her grandmother, who comforted her when an aunt made an insensitive comment, and also talked to her about knowing who she was and standing up to other people, and like the librarian, Barbara, who looked like a stereotypical, unfriendly white librarian but who ended up helping in several ways. I also really liked the depiction of a middle school student having to take care of younger siblings, because I think many of my students experience similar demands from parents. The inclusion of comic style panels will be an additional draw for this book. 
Weaknesses: I have found that my students struggle to understand stories that are more complicated in a way that was not true five years ago. There is a lot to process in this story, and some struggling readers might have difficulty. As important as the drag queen story hour line was, it almost deserved to be a completely different book. I would have liked to see more about how Mal's dishonesty about posting her web comic, and the way her classmates felt about being portrayed, affected her, and how her mother dealt with it, since lying to parents about social media postings can end rather badly. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Doucet's graphic novel Art Club, or Howard's Middle School's a Drag, You Better Werk It, or those who want to return to the world of this author's Tethered to Other Stars. 
 

Futureland: The Architect Games

Hunter, H. D. Futureland: The Architect Games

November 19, 2024 by Random House BFYR

Copy provided by the publisher

Having defeated Blaise Southmore and his rev replications in Futureland: Battle for the Park and Clare White Bourne and her gliders in Futureland: The Nightmare Hour, Cam Walker and his family and friends are now faced with their most formidable opponents: the Architects. After a lengthy vacation to rest from their travails, Cam's parents tell him they are heading to Italy. This doesn't happen when Gordon Torrance challenges them to a very public battle in Egypt. Uncle Trey is injured, so stays behind in Atlanta, but Futureland heads out with Cam, his parents, Grandma Ava, her best friend Aunty Maxine, Yusuf, Angel, Rich, Earl, and even a refurbished Dooley! Dooley's still coming back online after having been tampered with, so Cam still has to reconnect with his former robotic best friend. The gaming commission in Cairo doesn't waste time in getting the competition set up; the news is all over the newspapers, and tickets are sold. There are some surprises, like the members of the Architects' team, which include former Futureland workers. There are puzzles, as well as feats of skill, but team Futureland starts at a deficit because Cam opened a puzzle box before he was supposed to. He eventually confesses and apologizes, and his mother lets him know that he doesn't have to win the whole competition by himself; everyone is there to help. There's a trip to the virtual Great Library of Alexandria, a fierce double dutch competition, and lots of cheating by the Architects, who are even rude to the gaming commissioners. Team Futureland doesn't do well, but there's a final journey through the desert that they can hopefully win. Cam is the member chosen to do this leg of the competition, but doubts himself, thinking he fails every time. Even though the Architects cheat, when Torrance is injured, Cam makes sure he brings his competitor back safely. Team Futureland wins by a narrow margin... but then the Architects try to steal Futureland! What will the Walkers end up doing as Cam gets ready to start 7th grade?
Strengths: This had a lot of interesting illustrations, vlog entries, and additional information that was fun to see. It was good that the whole gang got to go along on the adventure, and their inclusion also made the ending (which I don't want to spoil) make sense. It was fun to see the grandmother come along, and while she was portrayed as taking the occasional nap, she also did a great job at double dutch! This wraps the series up nicely, and I'll be curious to see if Hunter comes out with any more exciting titles. 
Weaknesses: I knew right away who one of the villains was, and this was on the long side. I would have punched up the action and had a little bit less about Cam's emotional state. (The competition didn't start until we were about 100 pages into the book.)
What I really think: This is a good fantasy adventure series for fans of Chen's Ultraball, Dao's Team Chu or McCulloch's Jinxed.

MMGM- Black Girl Power

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Johnson, Leah, Ed. Black Girl Power

Cover art by Vashti Harrison

November 12, 2024 by Freedom Fire

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This had such a good variety of stories that I am going to try to give very brief synopses of each one, along with the middle grade books that the authors have written. I love short story collections for introducing my students to new authors!

In Elise Bryant's New Rules, Maya is anxious about starting middle school, especially without her best friend, Coral, who seems to understand how everyone is supposed to act at this new educational level. After meeting the equally nervous Taylor, she realizes that everyone is a bit unsure of themselves. As I tell my middle school students frequently, "No one is looking at you! They're too worried about themselves."

Dhonielle Clayton (The Marvellers) spins a magical tale set in New Orleans, First Bite, about Bird, who is supposed to help her sisters trap humans in order to fill the blood bank. When she runs away from them, she meets a human, Cameron, and helps him get back to his grandmother without getting eaten. 

Natasha Diaz's One of Those Days follows Zetta as she spends one last day in Harlem before her mother moves her away. Or is it a dream? 

Tọlá Okogwu (Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun) writes about a girl who would like to sing opera, but it's not in her Ghanian immigrant parents' plans for her in An Aria for Abi. When Abi can't try out for the school opera production because she's promised her mother she won't miss track practice, her sister Jola covers for her, because she knows what it is like to give up something she loves to make her parents happy. 

Sharon M. Draper's Last Chocolate Cookie is a devastatingly sad tale of Cookie, who has a great day with her twin brother, Mookie, racing bikes and being outside with friends, until is ends in tragedy. And yes, we should all wear out bike helmets EVERY TIME we get on a bike. (Blended, Stella by Starlight, many others.)

Roseanne A. Brown (Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting) takes us to Marcia Marmalade's School of Confectionery Magic in Créme de la Créme, where we meet Abby, who has gotten into trouble for blowing up a tower of macarons. The school is full of very rich students, but because Abby wanted to attend so badly, her mother took a job in the cafeteria to help with tuition. Classmate Celeste bullies other students, and when Abby's mother steps in, Celeste targets her. 

 

Janae Marks' (From the Desk of Zoe Washington, A Soft Place to Land) Convention Girl follows Aria as she is helping her mother and sister Jade run their booth at the Natural Brand Expo. She's still hurting because her best friend Charlotte isn't talking to her since she won the science fair, but running into her idol, a STEM activist,  gives her the boost she needs to believe in herself again. 

Black Girl, Be by Renée Watson reminded me that she also worked on the poetry book Black Girl, You Are Atlas, along with prose titles like Some Places More Than Other. Her poems talks about all the different ways that Black girls can unapologeticallyl be a wide variety of their authentic selves. 

Amerie's The House Downstairs is a rather creepy look at two girls who move into their aunt's Victorian house with their mother after their parents divorce and her father stays in Los Angeles with their halmeoni and harabeoji. Sunday and Rose start to travel into the house in their dreams, but when their mother gets stuck there, they have to help her, along with Zora and her family, escape. 

Sharon Flake (Pinned) takes a look at Amore, who was elected president of her class even though she didn't really want the position in Fake President. After making the principal angry by promising her classmates a trip to an amusement park, Amore and her friend Happy manage to pull off a Seventh Grade Fun Day. 

In The Witch in Apartment 2B by Karen Strong (Eden's Everdark, Just South of Home) introduces us to Cherry, who is being bullied by girls in her class. She seeks help from Miss Alice, a neighbor whom she believes to be a witch. Miss Alice gives her two ordinary tea bags to steep and drink, as well as the mantra "I am worthy and deserve to be protected from harm." Will this be enough to encourage her to speak up against the girls giving her a hard time? And is it really magic? 

The subject of Black hair care is front and center in Kalyn Bayron's (The Vanquishers) Auntie Ro. While Janelle's father does a decent job of styling her hair, as she gets older, she wants different styles. Neighbor Ro works with her to teach her different ways to do her hair, encouraging her to stick up for herself and to find her own community of women. 

Kekla Magoon (The Secret Library, The Season of Styx Malone) unpacks the fun and trauma of staying overnight with friends in The Sleepover. It's Cordie's first, and she's meeting new people. There are quizzes, discussions of crushes, pizza, and somewhat cruel fashion makeovers, but when it is discovered that she's brought a favorite stuffed animal with her, everyone admits that they have one too, even if they weren't brave enough to bring it. 

Rice & Beans, Rhythm and Beats by Ibi Zoboi (My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich) introduces us to several girls at Clover Middle School. Beatrice is afraid to eat her Haitian food in the cafeteria until she meets Soraya, who is not going to let anyone stand in the way of her enjoying her Trinidadian fare. The two also become friends with Esther, from Ghana, and Nneka, who has a Nigerian background. The four argue about which culture's rice dish is best, and decide to try out for the school step team even though some of the girls on it seem mean. 

Finally, in Leah Johnson's (Ellie Engle Saves Herself) Brave, we meet Billie, who is a scrappy ten year old hockey player who is having a lot of nose bleeds and excessive bruising. After her teacher alerts her parents, she is diagnosed with ITP, Immune thrombocytopenia, a condition that requires transfusions on globulin for a year, which means that she won't be able to play hockey. She throws a fit about this, and is ready to refuse treatment until Maggie, who is getting chemo for leukemia, convinces her otherwise. 

The end of the book has nice biographies of all of the authors, along with their pictures, which will help readers who liked particular stories find other titles to pick up! 

Vintage Reads- Seventeenth Summer

Daly, Maureen. Seventeenth Summer

May 7, 2024 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

(First published 1942)

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

It's 1942, and Angie has just graduated from a private high school in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin. She's planning on going to college in Chicago, along with her sister Lorraine. Older sister Margaret has graduated, is engaged to Art, and working, while younger sister, Kitty, is ten. A chance encounter with Jack, who went to the public high school, eventually ends with him asking her for a date. The two go sailing on the lake along with Jack's friend, Swede, and enjoy talking. As the summer wears on, the two spend more and more time together, and Angie waits breathlessly for him  to call her. There is a small misunderstanding when she goes out with Tony, and Jack avoids her-- Tony is a "fast boy", and everyone knows that Angie is not that kind of girl. The two manage to work out the misunderstanding. It's a slow, hot summer, and in between dates with Jack, Angie's activities are limited to chores at home like hanging out the laundry, mending, and helping with the Sunday roast and mashed potatoes. There is some concern about the man that Lorraine is dating, but Angie is too busy musing about how wonderful the summer is to think too much about how Martin treats her sister. While she has a good time with Jack, she has some concerns. He doesn't read much (he played sports in high school), and he isn't planning on going to college because he needs to help with the family bakery. Still, it's nice to go out with him, and to occasionally be kissed in broad daylight! When Jack tells her that he loves her, it's thrilling, but Angie can't see herself in a long term relationship with someone who clicks his spoon accidentally against his teeth when he's eating ice cream, even if he does break his dinner roll into four pieces. When the summer turns to fall, she realizes that life will go on without him, but is able to look back with fondness of her seventeenth summer. 

While this isn't necessary the romance that modern readers will want, it is an exquisite piece of historical fiction. The descriptions of every day occurrences are almost as lyrical as Wilder's Our Town (which Jack hasn't read!), and describe memories that very few people have nowadays. Having mashed potatoes on Sunday even when it's hot, driving around looking for a cool place to have a picnic, or waking up on a summer morning when the windows are all open and the sunshine is pouring in are all vividly described. This is set Angie's entire lifetime after Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine (which describes the summer of 1928), but is just as poetic. 

The nascent romantic feelings are still there, but they probably would describe the way twelve year olds today feel, rather than young women who have graduated from high school. There are many outdated conventions; Angie goes out with Jack, who suggests she try a beer, which she does. She won't sit with it on the table in front of her, however, because she can't feel like a lady. There is a note at the beginning of the book about the treatment of various racial groups, being correct to the time but always incorrect in terms of civility. It says that the writing was left the same, but I wasn't able to compare it to the original. 

I'm a huge fan of vintage literature; it's hard to understand our own time without knowing what the past was like. There are several that I find indispensable when trying to get middle school students to understand what the world was like when my mother was in high school. These include Cleary's Fifteen, Cavanna's Going on Sixteen, Wilson's Always Anne, and du Jardin's Dinny Gordon. 
 

Younger Middle Grade Titles

Subramaniam, Suma, and Sreenivasan, Archana  (illustrator)

V. Malar: Greatest Host of All Time 

November 5, 2024 by Candlewick Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Malar and her family live in the town of Pori in India, and have a farm. The holiday of Pongal is approaching, and Malar is excited that her aunt and uncle, as well as her cousins, will be visiting from Seattle for the occasion. She's worried about how well she will get along with her cousins, but wants to be the best host to them. Her fears are well founded; Priya is a bit snotty, and complains about how small everything is. Kamal, who is younger than the girls, is fully of energy. The two would rather nap and play video games than go around the farm. They also are rather inflexible; Priya insists on calling the traditional dye used to create designs on the hands as "henna" even though Malar tells her that it is called "maruthaani". Still, Malar tries very hard to make her cousins happy and to help her mother and father prepare for the celebration. On the first day of Pongal, Bhogi, the family puts away all of the old, broken things and dances around the fire. Priya and Kamal aren't too interested in making patties out of dung, and Priya ends up spilling the dung water all over herself. On the second day, Thai Pongal, Malar is excited to get a new dress, and to draw a kolam outside the house. When Kamal messes it up, it's hard to forgive him. The third day is Maattu Pongal, and the cattle are honored, so the children help wash them and paint designs on them. By the time the final festival approaches, Malar has a new understanding of how her cousins might be missing home, and may have been tired from the flight, and misses them when they are gone. The book includes a helpful glossary of Tamil words as well as an author's note about the holiday. 

Strengths: This was an interesting look at life in another country, and discusses a festival with lots of detail. Malar's desire to be welcoming is tested by her difficult US cousins, and it was nice to see in the end that they came to understand each other. The illustrations help with concepts like the kolam, which young readers who haven't spent much time with Indian culture might find hard to visualize. This is a nice length, and I'm hoping to see more books featuring Malar and her family. 
Weaknesses: I would love to see more of these early reader books with boys as the main characters, or at least characters that are siblings of both genders. I know it shouldn't matter, but I think that boys would love these kinds of series, and a disproportionate number feature girls. 
What I really think: This is a great choice for readers who are looking for culturally connected beginning chapter books series, like Lee's Mindy Kim (and the Mid-Autumn Festival), Fang's Ava Lin, or Brown's Lola Levine. 

Dominguez, Angela. Stella Díaz Leaps to the FutureStella Díaz #5 
November 12, 2024 by Square Fish
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Stella is dealing with some changes in her life as she starts fifth grade; older neighbor Linda is moving to an apartment, her brother Nick is looking at colleges, and her friend Stanley seems to be friendly with former bully Jessica Anderson. She's still very interested in art club as well as her Sea Musketeers group. She even has a third grader who is very star struck by Stella; Gabby Torres wants desperately to join the Sea Musketeers group! When the art teacher tells Stella about the Chicago Art and Science Magnet school, she is very excited to apply, even if it means leaving behind her best friend Jenny. There are other challenges as the year goes on, like working on a time capsule for the school's fiftieth anniversary with Jessica, getting her video resume filmed for her application, and keeping up with her schoolwork, but Stella manages it all. Will she get into the school of her dreams?

Strengths: This is an excellent series for elementary students, and I've had a few of my emerging readers enjoy the first book, Stella Díaz Has Something to Say.
Weaknesses: We didn't see a lot of Jenny in this book, which was too bad. Also, are there places where fifth graders have graduations, complete with mini caps and gowns? Not something my district does, so students here might be disappointed! 
What I really think: The upcoming graphic novel about Stella's exuberant third grade fan, Gabby Torres Gets a Billion Followers, will be a good introduction to Stella for younger readers, and readers who enjoyed Watson's Ryan Hart series or Darraj's Farah Rocks Fifth Grade (Farah Rocks, #1) will be glad to watch Stella grow up with them. 

The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class

It is no surprise that this series is awesome, and it also is fascinating to think about the wide variety of authors contributing to it being friends! I would have been completely and totally obsessed with this series when I was in first or second grade; Mrs. Z's class is full of third graders. Each volume can stand alone, in case you are worried about having to read them in order. This is an excellent decision, although there will be some students who HAVE to read them sequentially. (One of the characters, Sebastian, would probably insist on it!) These are a little young for middle school, but I would definitely buy all of the books for an elementary school library. The font is slightly bigger, the stories shorter, and Fajardo's illustrations just add to the appeal. 

Glaser, Karina Yan and Fajardo, Kat (illus.). Poppy Song Bakes a Way
The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class #3
October 8, 2024 by Algonquin Young Readers

E ARC provided by Netgalley.com

Poppy's family has recently moved to Peppermint Falls when her father was offered a job. Now, instead of living in her Po Po's house, the family has an apartment over a fitness studio. Po Po is an excellent baker, who used to have her own business, and still makes delicious treats that Poppy takes to school in the vintage lunch box that Po Po used when she was Poppy's age in Hong Kong. Poppy is still making friends in Mrs. Z's CLASS at Curiosity Academy, and when she offers to carry Memo's lunch box for him because he's on crutches, they get to talking about the fact that Po Po is coming to school soon to be a Valued Visitor. With Po Po's birthday coming up, Poppy tells Memo that she hopes to make dragon beard candy, which is Po Po's favorite. Memo thinks it sounds really cool, and soon tells other classmates that Poppy will be bringing in this fascinating sounding treat. This worries Poppy when she finds out how hard it is to make. Po Po has had some problems lately, putting salt in a recipe instead of sugar and leaving the television remote in the freezer, but Poppy's older brother Calvin says it's probably nothing to worry about. Poppy's parents let her work with a neighbor, artist Mrs. Kellogg, to make the candy so that it is a surprise. Unfortunately, when Poppy is working at the neighbor's apartment, Po Po has a fire in the oven, and then wanders off. Poppy finds her grandmother at the Sweet Bun Bakery, but it's clear that the grandmother needs to see the doctor. Poppy is very upset the day of her grandmother's appointment, and talks to Memo about what's going on. She also lets her class know that her grandmother might not be able to visit. They are all understanding. Luckily, Po Po has a good day, and does get a chance to come and tell Mrs. Z's class about her experiences running a bakery. The students want to make her feel welcome, and bring treats from their own family background. 

Strengths: Poppy has just moved to town, and is sad about some of the things she has left behind, but is doing a great job settling in. The fact that she has some rather grandiose plans about the dragon beard candy is right on track for most third graders, and she does occasionally get frustrated. Po Po's dementia is described and explained in a way that will make sense to younger children, but won't alarm them. I liked that her classmates are all supportive, and the message that it's helpful to share hard things that are happening with our friends is on trend. My favorite part of this book was the fact that Po Po embroidered little red hearts on Poppy's clothes to remind her about how much she loved her granddaughter; if I ever have grandchildren I might have to brush up on my embroidery skills! 
Weaknesses: I almost wish there were a note at the end of the book about dementia, since this is pretty tough stuff. Of course, having dealt with a lot of older people, I was sort of hoping that Po Po's altered state was temporary, and caused by a UTI. (If you haven't dealt much with the elderly, this is a real thing that can be very alarming.)
What I really think: This is a must purchase series for elementary schools, especially where series like Mills' After School Superstars or Franklin School Friends are popular. 

Alexander, William and Fajardo, Kat (illus.). The Legend of Memo Castillo

The Kids in Mrs. Z's Class #4
October 8, 2024 by Algonquin Young Readers

E ARC provided by Netgalley.com

 

Memo loves to play the card game Sorcery with his friend Theo, although it confuses their classmates Wyatt. The only part of the game that Memo doesn't like is when he is supposed to sing a song when he casts a spell; he is not confident in his singing skills, so doesn't want to do this. When he and Theo go to Doomscroll Comics to get some more cards, they run into the owner's daughter, who is in their class, and she mentions that she is going to be in the karaoke competition. They also see fifth grader Josh, who buys a lot of expensive cards and tells them that he will beat them at the Sorcery tournament at MagiCon. Memo and Theo have been eagerly awaiting  the con, and even put together costumes to wear. Memo's dad is supposed to drive the two, but with work and Memo's four sisters, he forgets. No one else can drive them, so Memo eventually reaches out to his grandmother. Lola has moved from Cuba to live with the family, and speaks Spanish around the house. Memo does not. He even has to have his older sister ask Lola for him. A plan is made to take a bus to the con, and Lola even dresses up as a fairy queen. When Memo and Theo get separated from Lola at the con, they panic a little. Memo gets the idea that if he competes in the karaoke competition, Lola will hear him and they can be reunited. Will he be able to create a new song to Lola's favorite tune and be brave enough to perform it? 

Strengths: I love that there are a decent amount of grandparents in this series, and the idea of not being able to communicate with a grandparent because of a language barrier is heartbreaking to me. I was glad that Memo finally connected with his grandmother, and that the two were able to have fun at MagiCon together. There isn't as much of the classroom setting in this title, but that was okay. Memo's family is interesting, and it's not a suprise that his father might be distracted and forget that he promised to drive the boys. The illustrations are particularly helpful in this installment, and we can see the boys' costumes!
Weaknesses: Third grade seems a little young for a con unless parents are also really into them, but since I have never actually been to one, I don't really have any idea!
What I really think: I somehow completely missed this author's Goblin Secrets, which won the National Book Award in 2012, but I'm not the only one; there's not a single copy in my district, but I'll have to locate one to read. There are a good number of older middle grade books that talk about conventions (Maggs' Con Quest, Pla's Stanley Will Probably Be Fine, Markell's The Gamemasters of Garden Place, and Jung's The Boys in the Back Row), but it's interesting to see this experience portrayed for younger readers. 

The Donut Prince of New York

Zadoff, Allen. The Donut Prince of New York

November 5, 2024 by Holiday House

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Eugene Gutermann is starting his junior year of high school, but he is not as convinced as his best friend Mia that it is going to be a fantastic year. He's still stuck in a rut; his mother, a doctor, has more time to pester him about his weight now that his screenwriter father is living with an actress, he hasn't written the play for the drama club that he was supposed to write over the summer, and it's still easier for him to eat donuts than to talk to the girl of his dreams, even if he sees her in the donut shop! Mia is determined to start a new social media site, Anti Social Media, and has updated her wardrobe. Even Ishaan, his other best friend, is upbeat about his year playing violin and obsessing about girls. Eugene knows that he should make more of an effort at Upper West High, but as he puts it (from the E ARC) "Everyone's talking about body posititivity, but no one's been positive about my body." This is even more evident when he has gym class, and the girl of his dreams, Daisy, is there. She recognizes him, and they even have a decent, clever conversation. Wanting to impress her, and to get out of being placed in "adaptive gym", Eugene attempts a run, and ends up running into the football captain, Harry Habib, breaking his arm. He feels terrible, and goes to football practice to apologize, where Coach Kyle see some potential; maybe Eugene could join the team and use his girth to protect Harry, who plans to play with his arm in a cast, since it's his senior year and he wants to be scouted. Since nothing else is going well in his life, Eugene agrees. This leads to the football team inviting him to sit at their table, inviting him to their parties, and not giving him a horrible hard time, although the nickname "Pudge" isn't something he enjoys. Basking in his newfound social status, Eugene invites Daisy, Mia, and Ishaan to come along with him to the party. Daisy tells Eugene about her checkered past, and encourages him to drink beer. Mia and Ishaan don't have a great time, but Eugene strengthens his connection with Daisy. As he spends more time involved with football, he doesn't work on his play or pay attention to his old friends. Things go fairly well... until they don't. Harry doesn't need Eugene on the team when he's out of the cast, and things go south with Daisy. Eugene is inspired to write a play, and manages to make a very late entry into the school drama round up. He also has a revelation about his relationships, and it looks like his junior year will be decent after all. 

Strengths: Like Zadoff's 2010 Food, Girls, and Other Things I Can't Have, this is an excellent mix of drama, football, and self esteem issues. Adults can preach body positivity as much as they like, but that doesn't mean that is how teens actually feel. Eugene's involvement in sports is very realistic, and even his slight weight loss lines up with what I've seen happen with several boys who ran cross country and found that the changes in activity and diet they made for the sport resulted in weight loss. Daisy is the most body positive character in the story, which also makes sense, since she knows the prevailing thoughts even though she herself doesn't have any issues with her own weight. She likes Eugene, thinks he's funny, shares a few interests with him, and is more than happy to date him. Until she finds someone she would like to date more, which sort of sums up most high school romances. Mia and Ishaan's reactions to Eugene's changes in social circles are completely realistic, but it also seemed true to life that Eugene would embrace a different sort of social standing. There's angst, some writer's block, and a lot of Eugene being "stuck in his head", but in the end, it's an upbeat story. Very much enjoyed this one, and the cover is great. 
Weaknesses: Other reviewers think that this is a bit dated because of Eugene's perception of his weight, and they also don't quite believe the reactions Mia and Ishaan have, or the twist at the end. I thought about this a lot, and while it might go a bit against prevailing thoughts that get broadcast on social media (and there are some things, like body image, that people seem to only be "allowed" to think of one way), and that the ending might be a little quick, the whole book also rang really true to me. I'd be interested to see what actual high school readers think about this. I wasn't completely convinced that Eugene's play would have been able to be produced so quickly. 
What I really think: This is more of a Young Adult book (Daisy mentions that most guys would ask for oral for their birthdays, and it's left at that, but there's also some drinking), so I probably won't buy it for middle school, but will definitely make sure the public library has a copy. This is exactly the sort of book that we need for guys; funny, thought provoking, and a realistic portrayal of an average guy doing average things... and eventually having a successful romantic relationship. 

Better Must Come

Hall, Desmond. Better Must Come
June 4, 2024 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Deja lives in Springtown Harbor, Jamaica with her young brother and sister, Donovan and Kaleisha. Their father is working in Costa Rica but never contacts them, and their mother is living in Brooklyn, trying to earn money and sending home barrels of supplies. Being "barrel kids" is hard on the family, since others are jealous of the US products they have, not understanding how much they all miss their mother. Since Deja is the oldest, she not only goes to school, but helps her uncle out with his fishing boat and even fishes to try to earn a little extra money. It's exhausting, taking care of the family, but she has no choice. When her mother calls from New York, it is with devastating news. She's been mugged, and all of her "partner money" has been lost. This means that the mother won't be home for Christmas, won't be able to send money for school fees, and won't even be able to send a supply barrel. Deja is on her own. 

When Deja was out fishing, she had seen a boat with an injured man on it, and not stopped, knowing that there are a lot of problems with drug runners in the area. When the boat is still there the next day, she tries to help the man, who asks her to take a bag with $500,000, not "let them get it", and deliver it to someone named Webber in exchange for a reward. Still leery, Deja agrees, and takes the money home. 

At the same time, we see Gabriel's life. He and Deja has recently met, and like each other, but have very different lifestyles. Gabriel was raised in an orphanage, but taken in by an aunt who is a drug addict. He was taken into a posse, where he has to make drops, but would like to get out, even though he and Hammer, another member, are good friends. He even talks to pastor and ex-posse member, Chops about it. He thinks he might have a chance to get out when a man offers him a lot of money if he and Hammer can get a large quantity of cocaine, which would move them into a different level of distribution. The man offered this opportunity? Webber. 

Deja consults the pastor about what she should do, calls the number she has, and arranges to meet Webber to hand off the money. It's not an easy journey. At the same time, Gabrielle and Hammer come across a drug deal gone wrong. The three meet up at a checkpoint. Deja knows she has to get away, but feels that Gabrielle doesn't have her best interest at heart. It's a harrowing journey to meet up with Webber, but he's reassuring. When things become complicated, is there any hope that anyone will break free from the hold that the drug culture has on their neighborhood?

This was a complicated Young Adult book, with some mature language,  but was very interesting. It's definitely a slow burning thriller that will appeal to fans of Deuker's Runner or other crime thrillers. Deja knows from the beginning that she can't keep the money, and that her future lies with doing the right thing and getting the money back to the DEA. Gabrielle's journey is more complicated, but so was his past. I really enjoyed the fact that, in the end, the story concluded happily for them both. 

The real draw here are the details of everyday life in Jamaica, and the struggles that ordinary high school students have. I'm a big proponent of the "things could always be worse" philosophy, but if I were in Deja's shoes, I like to think I would believe that Better Must Come. 

While I enjoyed this, I will be passing this on to the high school because of the mature language. 

Exit Nowhere

Brandt, Juliana. Exit Nowhere. 

September 3, 2024 by Aladdin, Simon & Schuster

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Barret Eloise lives on a mountain in Appalachia, not far from Rathfield Manor, a house with a reputation for being haunted after horrible things happened to its residents. She has trouble connecting with her classmates, so hopes that she'll be able to find some friends when Mr. Pinnard assigns a local history group project. She is assigned to work with a former friend, Helena, who ghosted her in fourth grade, a somewhat jerky jock, Ridge, and Wayne, a geeky tech guy on whom she has a crush. Wanting to make a good first impression on the group, she suggests that they choose Rathfield Manor as their location. They agree, and Wayne, Helena, and Barret Eloise all surprise each other by meeting at the library where they are all trying to get a jump on the project! They decide to interview a local real estate agent about the property, and find that the woman involved in the most notorious disappearance at the house, Norma, is now in a senior apartment complex. When they travel there to try to get in to meet her, they run into Ridge, who is there visiting his aunt. This ends up to be... Norma! He agrees to let them meet her, since he is not very interested in other aspects of the work that needs to be done,  but warns that she does like to have games mentioned at all. Of course, Barret Eloise mentions that she could be Norma's partner for the senior facility cribbage tournament. On the way out, Norma whispers to Barrett Eloise that she "can't win". Barrett Eloise needs a win, so agrees to meet the group at Rathfield Manor to check out the building. Her brother Cody drops her off. It's a spooky place, but the kids approach it sensibly, except for Helena, who really doesn't want to go in. She's smart, because once they are in, the door locks behind them! Barret Eloise sees a shadowy figure in the house, and the fireplace is lit, so the children are all worried. As they should be! Soon, Ridge realizes that the bottom of his tennis shoe has melted and the floor of the room is actual lava. The four must escape across furniture, and when they make it to safely, words appear on the wall: "You weren't supposed to win." Knowing the history of the home's original owners, they quickly deduce that the ghost who is tormenting them is five year old Finnius, who didn't die with three other children of flu, but perished in a particularly horrible way. He sends them through a variety of treasure hunts and games, and when Ridge loses one, he disappears. Not long after that, Wayne does too, but the girls meet Eugene, Norma's boyfriend who was trapped in the house all those years ago. Unable to leave, he is kept alive by the ghost's magic and doesn't need to eat. He tries to help Helena and Barret Eloise figure out how to "win" the game, and both know they need to help Finnius find peace in order to escape. Will they be able to do this, or will they spend the next sixty years trapped in the house like Eugene?
Strengths: There is something appealing about an old, abandoned house that is rumored to be haunted, and there are plenty of books about these edifices in middle grade literature. This gets bonus points for several reasons: Barret Eloise doesn't move into the haunted house from a different town, there is a school group project that involves different personalities, the group does solid research before they go into the house, and the ghost is both sad and pretty frightening. I also enjoyed Cody way more than I should have; he's older, and drives Barret Eloise places, but acts like an embarassing dad! The slight crush on Wayne, and his kind treatment of her, are a nice touch as well. Escape rooms are having a bit of a trend, so this is another draw. 
Weaknesses: Houses can't really be abandoned for sixty years and remain standing, but the idea does make for a great story. I would have liked to know more about how the ghost was able to set up all of the puzzles, but since he's a ghost, we don't really need any other reason. 
What I really think: This had a lot of similarities to Currie's Mystery of Locked Rooms , but had more paranormal elements, like Ockler's The Smashed Man of Dread End. This definitely feels similar to Mary Downing Hahn's evil ghost books, like All the Lovely Bad Ones, or Poblocki's The Book of Bad Things. 

Thinking Ahead- Christmas!

Nelson, Natalie. Dog's First Christmas
October 1, 2024 by Quirk Books

Copy provided by the publisher
 

In this third board book in the Dog and Cat's First series, Dog and Baby are preparing for Christmas. There's a tree with decorations (which are not fofr throwing or tugging), crafts, and lots of food. There are snowsuits for the cold weather that don't make either character happy, although they do like to be outside where they can make friends with a snowman. The two go caroling, investigate an advent calendar, and hang up stockings before the big day arrives and they get to open up boxes!

This simple story will delight fans of the first two books, and offer important information for readers approaching their own first Christmas-- don't throw ornaments or tug at the tree! This will be a good springboard for endless conversation about crafts, food, and holiday activities, and the illustrations have plenty of detail to have young readers engaged in pointing out different items. It may even be good for removing some of the grumpiness from faces when snowsuits are brought out. If you want to go play in the snow, you have to wear the hat, mittens, and boots!

Baby looks to be about nine months old; sitting up, but not quite yet walking, and wearing an array of adorable Christmas themed sleepers. Baby's mother is shown in several of the scenes, taking pictures or carrying a sleeping Baby, but the stars of the show are certainly Dog and Baby. 

We had a rule in my family that the Christmas songs couldn't be played, and the Christmas books couldn't be read, until Thanksgiving. During the month leading up to the holiday, books like Boyton's Moo, Baa, Fa La La, Emmett's Christmas Street, or Symmes' Merry Little Christmas were in frequent rotation, because they were new, special, and "limited time only". I can see Dog's First Christmas being a seasonal favorite that might accidentally get spared being put away so that it can stay year round on the shelf with Cat's First Baby and Dog's First Baby. 

Barnett, Mac and Smith, Sydney (illus.)

Santa's First Christmas

October 22, 2024 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Copy provided by the publisher 

Every year, like many adults, Santa makes lots of people happy with his preparations for Christmas, but gets up every Christmas morning (after sleeping in a tiny bit) and gets right back to work. He doesn't let himself enjoy the same sort of Christmas that he provides to others, which makes a local bear curious. The elves agree with the bear that Santa deserves a little bit of a holiday. The elves make preparations, and when Santa wakes up Christmas morning ready to head to his workshop, they play him with breakfast in bed, and then suggest they go pick out a tree. Once the enormous tree is installed in the house, it of course has to be decorated. After stockings are hung and a fire it lit, Santa is in a holiday mood and ready for the next activities. Lights are strung up to illuminate the North Pole, Christmas cookies are made, and a polar bear makes an appearance as Santa to distribute toys. There's a delicious feast, and at the end of the day Santa has had so much fun that he decides to celebrate  Christmas every year. 

Smith's artwork is very impressionistic, which gives a cozy feel to the book. It just begs to be read while cuddled in a plaid blanket, with a cup of cocoa close at hand. It also makes sense to have a mythical place like the North Pole rendered in an unfocused, dreamy way. Of course, this made the view of Santa's kitchen, which looks like the vast majority of suburban kitchens I've had, all the homier. 

This is more gently funny than Barnett's frenetic The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza or goofy Mac B.: Spy Kid series, but still has humorous moments with the elves and the very exuberant polar bear! 

This is a fun addition to stories that reimage Santa's every day life, like Sharff and Kaban's When Santa Came to Stay Fergus' The Day Santa Stopped Believing in Himself, or  Barnes' Santa's Gotta Go.   It will delight children who still believe in Santa Claus, since they will be glad that he gets to experience the same joys that they do, and parents will nod wearily as they read this at bedtime, knowing they will spend half the night putting together a toy, and get up in the morning and have to make waffles for breakfast AND Christmas dinner!                                                

MMGM- Boy 2.0

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Baptiste, Tracey. Boy 2.0

October 1, 2024 by Algonquin Young Readers

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Win "Coal" Keegan has been living in foster care with Tom, but when his foster dad has a mental health crisis, he ends up on the McKay's doorstep. The father, Jackson, and the mother, Candace (or "Doc"), haven't had a foster child before, but have three children, Aaron, who is in high school, and young Mia and Hannah. The family is friendly, but boisterous and a little overwhelming. Doc makes sure to give Coal some space, and to let him know she understands that the move is difficult. When Coal decides to get some air and go for a walk, Aaron agrees to tell the adults where he's gone, but also tells him to be home by dark. Coal finds a small side street where he can draw a picture in chalk of a woman who has been wrongfully killed, but when he is almost finished, a man comes after him with a gun. Panicked, Coal runs, and when the police arrive, he tries to hide behind a dumpster. He notices something odd-- he's become invisible, and so the police go right by him. When he gets home, Doc is worried, since he seems shaken. She's a psychiatrist, so knows when teens are lying to her, but gets Coal cleaned up and sends him. To bed. He's tried to tell her about the invisibility, but it's hard to explain something like that. He also tells his best friend, Door, at school the next day. Wanting to know more, Coal does some research, and comes across the Mirror Tech labs that are located nearby. He and Door take a tour of the facility with some other kids on the weekend, but don't feel comfortable doing any of the screenings that the director, Dr. Hunter Achebe, is having others do. Coal has interacted with some mimetic fabric, and a volunteer there, Isadora, mentions that the fabric usually doesn't act that way. There are still lots of questions, and Coal does unpack some of his worries with Doc, as they do yoga and run through some breathing exercises. When Coal mentions all of this to Aaron, Mia, and Hannah, they help him research, and come across information about Project Snow White, which was run through Mirror Tech, and which was supposed to help women with infertility issues. At school, the vice principal pulls Coal aside, and he thinks he is in trouble, but the vice principal wanting only to mention that there was a chalk drawing found, and the police wanted the artist to know that he could file charges against the man who shot at him. Coal and Door have tried to figure out what makes Coal turn invisible, and figure that it has something to do with a fear response. When Dr. Achebe asks Coal to be an intern, he's flattered until they get to the lab and the scientist not only takes blood and spit samples, but also some skin! Coal finds out that Tom, his foster father, was a scientist working at Mirror Tech. He and Door decide to break into the lab with Isadora's key card that Door swiped, and try to get more information. The boys claim to be going to a silent protest, but sneak into the lab. They manage to find some secrets and retrieve some files, but are, of course, caught. Doc shows up to protect him, but Coal knows he needs to figure out these secrets from the past. Does Coal's ability to turn invisible have anything to do with his birth mother, Mirror Tech experiments, and genetic manipulation, or is it something else? Will he be taken by the military and researched, or will his new found family, and Coal himself, be able to save the day? (I don't want to spoil the twists and turns!)

Strengths: The positive depiction of a foster family is good to see, and I particularly liked Aaron. Coal's concern for his foster father Tom is well placed, and the family tries to provide him with information that he needs. It's good that he's allowed to continue to go to school and see Door. The most unusual part of this book is that Coal TELLS people what has happened to him, and asks for help from Door, but even his foster siblings and parents. The connections between Coal, Doc, Tom, and Mirror Tech are fascinating, and revealed slowly. There is also an intriguing reason for Coal to turn invisible that is NOT connected with the lab. The cover is fantastic, and it's a short, punchy sci Fi adventure with a good message that I think will have broad appeal. 
Weaknesses: I wish there had been more scenes where Coal was invisible and less yoga with Doc. If he has the ability, couldn't it have been used to better effect in Mirror Tech? This might just be me projecting my desire to run around and whap people upside the head when I'm invisible, like the characters in Ray's 2012 Calling Invisible Women. 
What I really think: This is an excellent choice for readers who want a good dose of science in their science fiction adventures. There are a couple of books that deal with teens turning invisible, like Clements' Things Not Seen (which has left me permanently wary of electric heating pads!) or Kessler's Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins?  , or Welford's What Not To Do If You Turn Invisible, and it's something we could see a lot more of. Middle school students always feel that they are TOO visible. Boy 2.0 has a lot of things that make it unique. There are some genetic mystery adventures, like Smith's Boy X (2017) and Werlin's Double Helix (2004) Messner's Wake Up Missing (2013), but this also has a lot of family secrets. I thought it might be a series until the very end of the book, when things were wrapped up. I wouldn't mind reading more about Coal and the McKays, which is a good sign! 

I've been doing my #OOTD (Outfit Of The Day) on Bluesky, inspired by The Sartorial Librarians. This was a recent thrift find, and even has a tag in it that says "Made especially for you by Marion Walton". I've thought all weekend about how it ended up at my local thrift store. It's very similar to sweaters I have knit, so I couldn't just abandon it!  Sydney Dunlap has a new book coming out in February, Racing the Clouds, that I need to read tonight, since I'm working on April releases and somehow missed it, so my #BookADay is her intriguing It Happened on Saturday.  

"Made Especially For You!"

Jenny loved Nana Marion. She did. But for every Christmas and birthday, there was a new, elaborate sweater. They were beautiful, and she knew that Nana took great pride in them, but they took up a lot of room in her closet, and they weren't really the sort of thing she wore now that she worked remotely. 

Thankfully, the sweaters from her childhood were gone; once Brittany trotted them out at the holidays for great grandma to coo over, Jenny pretended that she had given them to Scott for his kids, and his wife... well, who knows what Amy did with them after the divorce. 

Over the years, she made excuses. The pastel fair isle with inexplicable penguins at the yoke was so admired by a friend that it was given to her. The beautiful Aran knit that weighed 25 pounds became "so worn out". Jenny saved a few to wear when she visited Nana at Quiet Pines, but those dwindled over the years as Nana's eyesight faded and she didn't remember what Jenny wore the last time she visited. 

Standing at Nana's grave, tugging the neck of the last, itchy wool sweater, Jenny started to wonder if there was some sort of... retaliatory component to Nana's work. Eveything was either a little too short or a little too long, but never in a reliable way. Hadn't that penguin sweater appeared after young Jenny used sidewalk chalk one Easter on the covered back porch? The mustard popcorn stitch vest after she announced her engagement to Brad, whom Nana disliked? The too tight cardigan with the extra long sleeves not two months after she commented, very carefully, on Nana's weight gain? Coming home after the service, Jenny peeled off the star yoked brown wool sweater that Nana made her in college. It was her favorite, but her internal thermostat now made wearing such heavy wool unbearable. She didn't need a sweater to remember Nana. Someone else who didn't know its history would enjoy it.

From Zero to Hero

Calonita, Jen. Zero to Hero (Lost Legends #4)

October 15, 2024 by Disney Hyperion
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Pain and Panic, Hades' minions, are very concerned that the Fates will let their secret out, and Hades will torture them. Somehow, he still doesn't know that the didn't do in the infant Hercules, but let him be raised by a couple in Argos. Now twelve, Hercules is having some troubles, since he doesn't understand his powers and frequently causes havoc in town. It's hard to make friends when the popular Aias calls him "Jerkules", but out intrepid hero tries to stay positive. When he causes an olive oil vendor, Elpida, to have her cart broken and her products destroyed, he promises to make things right, but when he has replaced the cart and the inventory, someone ruins her entire olive grove. Of course, all eyes turn to Hercules. This makes Athena mad, and she threatens to destroy the entire town in retribution. Luckily, the goddess Nike intervenes, and gives the town an option: if a seed from the first olive tree planted in Athens can be brought back in a week, and the Cretan bull who has been savaging other olive groves can be subdued, the town won't be destroyed. Hercules isn't sure that he can do this alone, and luckily a new boy in town, Theseus, steps up. He's been nice to Hercules, but is a bit too sure of himself. Hercules finds a leather bound book on how to be a hero written by Philoctetes, and uses this to help plan their journey, but Theseus ignores all of the advice. He insists on taking a shortcut through centaur territory, and when the two run into trouble, is useless at fighting them. Only a palm frond given to them by the gods saves our two heroes to be. They also run into the robber Sciron on the road, and the giant Sinis, and both times narrowly escape because they are squabbling so much. Nike even appears again to tell them to get their act together and cooperate, or they will never m ake it! After another scuffle, this time with the Crommyian Sow, Theseus confides in Hercules that he was the one who ruined the grove, because he wanted Athena to help him meet Poseidon, who is possibly his father. Hercules tells him that he doesn't have to do the quest on his own, and they both have things to prove. Theseus does use his wrestling talents to take down Cercyon of Eluesis, but the boys manage to work together once they get to Athens. Armed with both the needed olive seed and the Cretan bull, will they be able to make it back to Argos in time to save the town?
Strengths: Calonita is a Disney fan, and her love of the shows is clearly evident. This was a little bit like reading a novel based on a television episode; I could see the Disney characters in my mind. The Lost Legends series also has books about other "infamous rogue boys", like Flynn Rider (Rapunzel?), Aladdin, and Kristoff from Frozen. This is rather fun, since so many of the Disney books I've seen feature the heroines. The details about mythology are great, and since it's a topic that is still interesting to middle grade readers, I love to see a new classical mythology title from time to time. Theseus and Hercules have to set aside their toxic masculinity to work together and complete their quest, which is a good twist on a hero's tale. I need a copy of this to go along with my Hercules throw, children's dishes, birthday cake decorations, thermos, McDonald's happy meal toys, Melmac plates, Megara Barbie, and, yes, Hercules doll, which is NOT in mint condition. 
Weaknesses: My children and I were HUGE fans of the Disney television series that aired in the late 1990s on which this book is based, so I found myself being really not picky! I can accept that the series had no Aias, and even that Theseus wasn't portrayed as Hercules' cousin with the alter ego of the Grim Avenger, because classical tales have always been open to interpretation. I did have a question about Hercules carrying around a leather bound book; he probably would have used scrolls. I also would have had more scenes of fighting monsters and beasts and less of the social emotional content, but I imagine that publishers encourage writers to get positive messages into franchise books like this. 
What I really think: This is a great adventure tale set in ancient Greece that would be fantastic for Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief fans, as well as for readers who enjoyed this author's Go the Distance (Hooray, Megara!), Yolen's Young Heroes series, McCaughrean's Hercules, or my favorite, Shipton's The Pig Scrolls. 

Happy 29th birthday to the biggest Hercules fan ever. 

Dogs!

Sorosiak, Carlie and Uribe, Luisa (Illustrator).

A World of Dogs: A Celebration of Fascinating Facts and Amazing Real-Life Stories for Dog Lovers

September 3, 2024 by Nosy Crow

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

There are so many facets to understanding the world of dogs, and this beautifully illustrated book does a great job at mentioning many of them. It's a large format picture book, but each page is packed with so much information that it's a good choice for older students who want to dip in and out of a book and find fun facts about dogs. 

Different breeds are mentioned, and one of the really interesting things to me was that Sorosiak's own dog is an American dingo, and she wasn't quite sure what that was, which prompted her to delve more deeply into canine research. A lot of facets of dog behavior are covered, and there are snippets of stories sprinkled through the pages which make the book even more engaging. Dog anatomy is not ignored, we see different jobs for dogs, and even dogs in history and art. 

While this has a glossary and index, there is not list of resources that were consulted. Considering how many fantastic middle grade books about dogs are out there, I would be very interested in seeing what books Sorosiak used for her research. 

Uribe's illustrations are fantastic, and the page design lends itself to lots of information being presented. There are colored text boxes with fun facts, and even the background illustrations are interesting. There is an effort to make the people presented in the book very diverse, which is a great thing to see. The print is on the smaller side, but there's always good color contrast; no orange print on white background, which I find difficult to read. The illustration style is somehow warm and cozy, which is just perfect for a book about our canine companions! This had a very European feel to the design that I have come to expect from Albatros Publishing, and I wasn't surprised to find that Nosy Crow had put this out. 

There are a huge number of nonfiction books about dogs, but most have a more narrow focus. Kidd and Braunigan's Pet That Dog: A Handbook for Making Four-Legged Friends discusses how to interact with dogs, Horowitz's Our Dogs, Our Selves is about dog behavior, Evans and Heaton's Atlas of Dogs maps out the history and origins of breeds, Hamilton's Daring Dogs amuses us with stories of famous dogs, and Wheeler-Toppen's Dog Science Unleashed: Fun Activities to Do with Your Canine Companion's title tells us all we need to know. Albee's Dog Days is similar to this title, in that it is more of an inclusive overview. If I had to buy just one book for a young dog enthusiast, I might choose this one, since there are so many topics offered. It will become a very well-used volume, so I would make sure to put a sturdy protective cover on it, because it will no doubt be dragged along on many outings! 

Webb, Holly. The Frightened Puppy (Animal Tales #52)

September 17, 2024 by Tiger Tales
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Avery and her family are spending two weeks in a house in the country. At first, she thought this would be boring, but when she sees her room under the thatched roof and realizes that a river is just at the bottom of the garden, she's thrilled to be there. Her mother and father have lots of sightseeing and activities planned, and she gets to have small indulgences, like potato chips on her sandwiches. Avery would like to have her own dog, but when the family is picnicking on the banks, another family's pup jumps out of their boat and comes to greet them. As nice as dogs are to have around, they're a lot of hard work, her mother says. This explains why Avery is reluctant to tell her mother about a small, lost puppy that she has seen hanging around the yard. The puppy is frightened because she was taken away from her mother, put into a box on a truck, and thrown away. Avery sees the dog often, and gives the hungry pooch as much food as she can find. It helps that she talks in a calm and reassuring voice. After her father sees the dog, whom she has named Hazel, in the yard, the two walk to the local veterinarian's office to inquire if anyone has lost a dog. Avery knows that she should tell her folks about the dog, but can't bring herself to do it. When the family has another manor house or museum to visit, Avery is worried that she hasn't seen Hazel and wants to spend the day looking for her. She feigns illness, and her old brother Noah, who is Fifteen, offers to stay with her. Ostensibly reading in the garden, Avery goes off looking for Hazel. Of course, a mist rises, and she twists her ankle, but she does find Hazel. The dog doesn't understand why her friend won't get up and go with her, and eventually goes back to the house, barking to alert Avery's family. There is a brief discussion about what Avery might have been up to with the adorable dog, and the family wisely follows and finds Avery. Once both she and the dog have been checked over, the family decides that Avery is responsible enough to keep Hazel. 

While this is a little bit formulaic (it IS book fifty two in the series!), it is still an intriguing read that I would have enjoyed very much when I was in elementary school. It has a virtual vacation to the countryside, a nice secret for Avery to keep, and an adorable dog all wrapped up in a delectable story sandwich, topped by the crunchy potato sprinkles of a slightly scary adventure. 

There was some very good character development when Avery knew that she should tell her family about the dog, but just didn't want to. I liked that the family's point of view is also shown; they knew something was up but weren't really paying much attention. The resolution makes everyone happy, and there isn't any bad feeling on either side, which was a relief. 

The publisher's blurb recommends this to fans of Magical Animal Friends, but I don't know that I would. That series has so much fantasy that it might not appeal to the same audiences. Certainly Ellen Miles' The Puppy Place books, Shotz's American Dog books, or Cameron's various Puppy Tales would make great read alikes. I'd be careful about the readers to whom you give this; if you don't want a puppy coming in to your home, this isn't the title to hand one's own children! 

Aaron Blabey Graphic Novels

Blabey, Aaron. The Serpent and the Beast(Bad Guys #19)
June 1, 2024 by Scholastic Paperbacks

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central 

It is of note that even the publisher's official listings do not give a synopsis of this story. Since my reviewing of the series has been spotty (1-7 and 10), I found myself at a little bit of a loss as to who some characters were and what was going on. Perhaps I should watch the Major Motion Picture in order to catch up. 

Mr. Wolf and Mr. Snake are bound and determined to break records and become hugely famous by robbing twenty one banks in twenty one days, but when they enter the bank, they are confronted with a giant needletoothed serpent who speaks in all capital demonic font and threatens to make them suffer. He and his multiple minions, however, are thwarted when new and improved versions of the original Bad Guys show up. They have all communed with The One, who has bestowed awesome powers on them, so they are now champions of time and space and have no limits. Legs now has a bit of  Fidel Castro look and is known as The General. Mr. Snake's father Papa Alpha is a head in a jar. Joy is pure positive energy... but with laser eyes. The Hands of Magnificence are even larger sentient... butt cheeks? And Delores Gristlewurst, aka The Tiffinator, has Buck in a necklace as well as a fake eye patch. What was a short time for Mr. Wolf was eons for this group, who have arrived back just in the nick of time to help. There is an epic battle, and Papa Alpha turns their nemesis into a spoon. The Tiffinator uses her powers to reduce some of the other combatants to their essential selves, who are sweet and offer the Bad Guys cookies. There are a lot of battles, and each one is perhaps the last one... until it's not. In the tradition of Batman, there are zaps and arrs and urgghhhs galore, and eventually someone gets hurt. Mr. Wolf is on the ropes, refusing to join forces with evil, when the appearance of Milt saves him. Milt woobs up a storm until he calls (or becomes?) The One. Who now has a mullet. The One stops the fighting and tells Ellen that she is her hero. The minions all turn back into their true selves, which all seem to be younger, cuter versions of the Bad Guys. Everyone is ready to go home, but a last minute attack from the serpent leaves things in question, and makes book twenty a necessity. 

The appeal of this series is, of course, the nonstop goofiness, and this book has that in spades. Readers who have devoured each book in the series multiple times (and I know many of these personally) will be able to identify the characters much better than I can, and will fully understand their plot and developmental arcs in a way that I don't. It was good to see that no matter what their incarnation, Wolf and Snake (Cedric) remain friends. 

Like Barnett and Harris' The First Cat in Space Ate Pizza or Angleberger's Two-Headed Chicken, the Bad Guys series was not written for old ladies like myself who were raised on Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. It was written for elementary school students who watch Tik Tok videos of exploding Mentos in cans of pop and learned to read from Krosoczka Lunch Lady books or Geronimo Stilton titles. As such, it is the perfect giggle producing book to read under the covers (by the light of a cell phone?) or to snigger over with friends. It's even better because the grown ups don't understand it! 

Blabey, Aaron. Cat on the Run in Cucumber Madness
August 6, 2024 by Scholastic Paperbacks
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

After Princess Beautiful's adventures in Cat of Death, she was left in a perilous position. Worldwide news media is in a frenzy, predicting that she wants to end the world. She does, after all, have a head full of nuclear codes. Her boyfriend, Catrick Cash, maintains that she is innocent, but Marshall Cheeseman is ready to hunt her down. Princess Beautiful has been kidnapped, and when she comes out of the tranquilizer gun medicine, she finds that her captor is Marv, who knows what it is like to be a scapegoat. Yes, he is actually a goat, but he really wants to help the cat on the run out. He has taken her to Bratislava, and sets her off on a self-guided training course for which she is using videos on the Pizza Guy's phone. This, unbeknownst to her, alerts Marshall Cheeseman to her whereabouts. Marv had seen the scorpion on Princess Beautiful's computer screen when she was ostensibly downloading nuclear codes, and lured her into his van by painting a scorpion on it, but has pinpointed the real source to a scorpion shaped set of islands. He borrows a boat from a friend, and soon the two are off to uncover whatever secretes can be found there. Princess Beautiful shares with Marv her tragic origin story; she was going to a good college, planning to have a useful and successful career, when her friend scared her with a cucumber, and the video went viral. She made several other videos so she didn't look foolish, and a social media star was born. Once on the island, they see some actual scorpions, which don't bother our intrepid heroine, but also a giant cucumber patch, which throws her into a temporary tizzy. This is, of course, what Marshall Cheeseman captures on video when he arrives, and the media again posit this as proof she is a danger to the world. Catrick shows up with his father. Marv wants to speak to her right away, and she has to choose whom to trust. She chooses to talk to Marv, and he helps her to understand what is going on with the Cashes. It's truly frightening, and certainly sets the stage for book number three. 

I'm not quite sure how much younger readers will understand about the media frenzy and Tiffany Fluffit's scare tactics, but this is goofy enough that it doesn't matter. This concentrates more on Princess Beautiful's survival rather than her social media presence, but also addresses some of the pitfalls that exist when one's life is lived in public. Many of my students list as their career aspirations "YouTuber", so Princess Beautiful's notoriety will be taken seriously by the tween set. 

There are lots of inside jokes that will make this appeal to older readers as well; some of the training scenes are reminscent of The Karate Kid, and Marv's explanation of what a scapegoat is was excellent. There are other Easter eggs, I'm sure; I didn't know that cats being scared by cucumbers was a thing on the internet, but it apparently is. My students will know this, and understand the title right away. 

Blabey's illustrations are always exuberant, and filled with silly characters and improbably situations. I imagine that breakfast in his house is amusing. "What's a sillier sounding place for Princess Beautiful to be... Bratislava or... Schenectady? You're right. If she's in Eastern Europe, there can be a joke about too much sedative." I do enjoy the tiny bits of red accents in the drawings, which are expecially delightful when they show up in hair bows or cell phone alerts. 

Blabey's Bad Guys series is something of a comfort read for middle schoolers, and I'm sure that they will enjoy the zany, pandemonium filled Nutty Bar that is Cat on the Run. Hand this to fans of Angleberger's The Two-Headed Chicken, Rex's Fangbone, Brockington's Castronauts, or the Geronimo Stilton books.