The One and Only Bob and The Rider's Reign

Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Bob
May 5th 2020 by HarperCollins
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Bob survives on his own, thank you very much, but it's kind of nice to have Julia and her comfortable house now that Ivan and Ruby have been moved to the zoo. Since Julia's father now works at the zoo, which is just down the street, the two are able to sneak in and visit Ruby and Ivan. During one trip, the weather is bad but takes a horrible turn. A tornado touches down, making Bob fly through the air and land in the giraffe enclosure. It also damages many of the barriers keeping the animals separated and collapses some buildings. Bob's first concern is his two friends; he finds Ruby quickly, but Ivan is trapped under a building. Luckily, the humans are able to free him, and the zoo staff work to get the animals to safety while trying to corral the ones that are loose. Bob does his best to help, and even has a run in with Kimu, the wolf. When Bob hears a bark that sounds familiar, he heads out of the zoo, only to be captured by the police and taken to the shelter. There, he meets someone from his past (I don't want to spoil things) who sends him on a rescue mission that helps dispel some of his personal demons. The storm forces Bob to reevaluate his life and the friends who are important to him, and gives him an even deeper appreciation for his life with Julia.
Strengths: My students are huge fans of The One and Only Ivan, and they are already looking forward to this one. Bob is my favorite character, so it was very satisfying to have all of his concerns addressed. There is just enough about his everyday life before the storm hits, and then it is an action packed adventure, which I didn't expect. The interactions between the different animals are all interesting; sometimes funny, sometimes touching, sometimes sad. I'm usually not a big fan of character driven novels, but Applegate does a good job at showing us Bob's philosophical journey in the context of his physical one, and it all works beautifully.
Weaknesses: Some readers might be disappointed that there isn't more about Ivan.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing. May even get two copies, since the first book is on the Battle of the Books list this year. Hard to believe it has been eight years since Ivan was published!

More importantly, this book is coming out in October! As a parent who has all 54 books plus super specials in a box in the attic, I may have to buy this for my eldest daughter!
https://www.denofgeek.com/books/animorphs-will-invade-graphic-novels/

George, Jessica Day. The Rider's Reign (Rose Legacy #3)
June 16th 2020 by Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
E ARC provided by Edelweiss

Anthea's story  and her involvement in the war between various kingdoms is told in The Rose Legacy, and continues in The Queen's Secret. Now, she and her allies Jilly and Finn, must travel to Kronenhof to find Meg, as well as several of the horses which have been kidnapped by Thea's mother, Genevia, and the evil emperor. If Meg is not heard from in two weeks, the Coronami intend to declare war with Kronenhof, so they must work quickly. There is a herd of "ghost horses" that are hiding out in the woods, and Thea is sure that her missing horses are out there somewhere, but communicating isn't going well, sometimes due to stones that interfere with the Way. With the help of Prince Adil, who is himself being held hostage by the emperor, the group locates the horses, as well as Meg, at a hunting lodge. They are being in horrible conditions by, of course, Genevia. Genevia wants power above all else, and is willing to align herself with the emperor if she thinks that it will gain her power. She doesn't care if she alienates her daughter; only power is important. Anthea, Jilly, and Finn think that it is more important for the horses to be viewed as safe (they were not, after all, responsible for the Dag, even if people still believe they were), and for the countries to get along. The adults seem to have all of the political power, and few of them play fair. How will Thea be able to keep her beloved horses safe, stand up to her mother, and eventually get back to a life that doesn't involve political intrigue?
Strengths: This series has been a great hit with my horse lovers and fantasy adventure lovers as well! The covers are great, the girl power is awesome, and the stories are fast paced and full of intrigue. The Downtown Abbey-esque world (there are cars, and definitely a historical feel to the setting) with its Rose Maidens, evil adversaries, and horses that can communicate with humans is one that I could see third graders trying to recreate of the playground. The adults don't seem to know how to organize their world, so it's a good thing that Anthea and her friends do.
Weaknesses: It would have helped (me, at least) to have had a bit of a recap about the political situation. Readers who have just finished the last book will be fine, but if it's been some time, it might take readers a bit to become reacclimated.
What I really think: Readers who love horses, and who love to see young protagonists save the day, will love this ending to a great series. These books are popular with my students who love Wrede's Dealing with Dragons, Lairamore's Ivy Even After, and Burgis' The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart as well as the works of Sarah Beth Durst, Sarah Prineas, and other books by this author.

There was a twitter thread recently complaining about reviewers who comment that children's books are too childish. I thought a lot about that, because while reviewers shouldn't condemn a title because it doesn't suit their personal preferences, it can be important to mention them, because it certainly colors a review. For example, I had an epiphany of sorts while reading this: I don't care about political machinations, not in history, and not in books. So all of the ins and outs of the Coronami and the Kronenhof didn't appeal that much to me. I'm also not a huge fan of horses; the horses talking to their humans and calling them "beloved" kind of grated on me. HOWEVER, that's just me. It's important to be able to recognize the difference!

The One and Only Ruby

Applegate, Katherine. The One and Only Ruby (One and Only Ivan #3)
May 2, 2023 by HarperCollins

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ruby, who is now safely living in a wildlife sanctuary where she can visit Ivan and Bob from time to time, is approaching her Tuskday, which marks the fact that she is growing up. It's a big deal, but with the celebration coming up, Ruby is apprehensive about it. While she gets visits from Carmen, a young girl, and has elephant aunts like Akello in the sanctuay, Ruby still misses her Aunt Stella, and mourns that fact that she never experienced the comforts that Ruby now enjoys. When Jabori, who took care of Ruby at an elephant orphanage in Africa comes to visit, Ruby remembers some of her past and is haunted by it. She shares her story with her friends, and they learn how her mother was killed, and Ruby was brought to the US where she was in a sketchy circus before being imprisoned at the Big Top Mall. One she works through these memories, Ruby realizes that she is still dealing with trauma, but she can still enjoy her Tuskday. 

Strengths:  The plentiful page decorations of Ruby and her friends are delightful. The amount of text comes in somewhere between Ivan and Bob; this isn't in verse, the way Ivan is, but isn't as straightforward a narrative as Bob is. Instead, it is a philosophical journey that Ruby must take to make peace with her past and to understand what it means to be an elephant. It was interesting to learn more about Ruby's perilous past and her troubled journey to the US. There are notes about the plight of elephants at the end, and information about the horrible ivory trade. 
Weaknesses: I was hoping that this would have more action, like Bob did. He's my favorite character, but didn't appear very much!
What I really think: Readers will be interested to return to the world of The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob, so I can see this being a popular title. The cover is great. 

The One and Only Family

Applegate, K.A. The One and Only Family
May 7, 2024 by HarperCollins 

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ivan and Kinyani are settling into a routine life in the wildlife preserve. A hurricane damaged many of the buildings, but the primate enclosure is being enlarged and repaired. When Bob points out that Kinyani has gained some weight, Ivan assumes it is because the two are eating too many mangoes and bananas, but Bob tells him it is because Kinyani is going to have a baby. Ivan takes some time to get used to the idea of being a father, and remembers his home in Africa, his twin, Tag, and other parts of his life. He's not sure how to approach these with a baby, especially since Kinyani doesn't seem to think it's important. She spends lots of time with doctors, and when she is in labor, Ivan is kept away from her on the other side of the glass. It takes a while for him to be allowed to see the twin infants, whom the public names Tuma and Raji. The twins require lots of care, and Ivan learns to deal with this new chapter in his life. 

Strengths: Ivan has always managed to create a "found family" for himself wherever he is, even in the shopping mall, so it's gratifying to see him be able to raise a family of his own along with his mate. The zoo is undergoing some transformation, and seeing that from an animal perspective is interesting. The short, verse-like chapters and the illustrations will make this accessible to younger readers while Ivan's introspection about his lot in life will appeal to older ones as well. The real story of Ivan is very sad, and Applegate's ability to give him a happy, if fictional, ending is appreciated. 
Weaknesses: There's a lot of philosophy in this about memories and parenting, and I'm not sure how much this will resonate with young readers, who will be more interested in the twins antics. 
What I really think: The is an essential conclusion to this series, which includes The One and Only Ivan, The One and Only Bob, and The One and Only Ruby. 

The One and Only Ivan

Applegate, K.A. The One and Only Ivan (link to the trailer on YouTube)
Ivan is a real gorilla who was captured from the wild in 1964 and lived in a Washington state shopping mall until the mid 1990s. He now lived in Zoo Atlanta. It’s good to know this information before reading the book, because Ivan’s life in the mall is a sad one. He has a grimy cage with a tire swing and a dirty wading pool, his diet is substandard, and he has to perform three shows a day. There is an elephant, Stella, at the mall who hates being there, especially when she becomes ill and does not get proper medical care. Ivan is treated well by the custodian’s daughter, who brings him crayons and paper so he can draw, and Bob, a stray dog, sneaks into his cage at night and sleep’s on Ivan’s stomach. When a new elephant, Ruby, is brought to the mall, Stella makes Ivan promise that he will do all he can to get her into a proper zoo. Using the one method of communication he has-- drawing-- Ivan managed to get all of the animals moved to a more suitable location.
Strengths: Really, we need to decide now which division this will be in when it is nominated for the Cybils! Realistic fiction or fantasy because the animals’ thoughts are presented? The style of this book-- short, simple sentences-- fits the subject matter perfectly. Ivan’s sad history is recounted without being maudlin. This manages to portray the triumph of the spirit in a way that is accessible to struggling readers, who make up the majority of my animal book readers, without in any way being simplistic. I’m not alone in loving this one-- Reading Rumpus does, too.
Weaknesses: I cried when Ivan went to the zoo, because I worried about Bob. Not to spoil things, but Bob is well taken care of!

I did not think that I would like this one, but since K.A. Applegate caused me to nearly faint by e mailing and asking me to read it, I felt I should. My children were HUGE Animorphs fans, and Ms. Applegate very kindly sent them autographed copies that they got for Christmas which thrilled them to pieces. But seriously, I don’t do animals that “talk” in any way, and this was a great book. I even liked the artwork!

Abrahams, Peter. Robbie Forester and the Outlaws of Sherwood St.
Expected publication 1/19. ARC received from Baker and Taylor.
Robbie lives with her writer father and lawyer mother in NYC. She has recently moved from public to private school, and while she is on the basketball team, she's not making a lot of other frien. When she finds that a client of her mother's is doubling the rent for the soup kitchen where she volunteers, she wants to help. Luckily, a charm bracelet she got from a homeless women makes odd things happen. She lucks into $3,100 in cash falling out of the evil Sheldon Gunn's pocket, is able to thwart bullies who try to steal her glasses. She and her friends Ashanti, Silas and Tut Tut start to realize that there is a bigger plot by the New Brooklyn Redevelopment Project to shut down their favorite places (like Mr. Nok's Thai restaurant) and put new buildings up instead. Can Robbie use her newfound powers to stop Sheldon Gunn and the even more evil Egil Borg?
Strengths: Fairly good mystery, with a nice message of underdog businesses bringing flavor to a community.
Weaknesses: The gimics detracted from a good mystery. Robbie didn't need the charm to accomplish what she did, and the Robin Hood connection is rather weak, except for the troubling incident where she takes the cash that Gunn dropped and gives it to the soup kitchen. Even though she meant well, that's not the moral lesson we hope kids learn!

Thanks to Kate Coombs over at The Book Aunt for The Versatile Blogger Award. These awards are a good way to highlight other bloggers that my readers might find useful as well. I really enjoy:

Heidi Grange over at GeoLibrarian
Karen and Nancy at Kidsmomo
Ms. O at Ms. O. Reads Books
Pam Torres at So I'm Fifty
Provo City Library Children’s Book Review

Here are the rules:
•Thank and link to the blogger who bestowed the award.
•Share seven random facts about yourself (see below).
•Spread the love by passing the award to five other bloggers--and be sure to let them know.


Seven random facts about me:
1. I worked as Doodles, the giant Chick-fil-A mascot, in high school.
2. I wear a lot of pleated skirts.
3. ...and cardigans. (Like to be true to my cultural heritage!)
4. I wrote the world's worst novel in the 8th grade
5. I hate to cook.
6. My dream job is teaching Latin at Eton College
7. I am currently knitting a sweater for my dog, Sylvie.

MMGM- Eyes of the Forest

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at 

Teach Mentor Texts 

and 

Unleashing Readers

You know what my readers like best in books? Feeling that they are reading something for OLDER kids. This seems to end somewhere in college, although I enjoyed Osman's Thursday Murder Club, which had characters in a retirement facility, and I've decided I'm "pre-elderly". Henry's books are fantastic in this regard-- characters are older, situations more dire, but there's no language that would get students expelled should they use it, and nothing surprisingly instructional. When I started being a librarian in 2002, there were a lot more books like this, but middle grade seems to be skewing younger while YA has increasingly included more mature material. 

What are some "older" books that you recommend to 10-14 year olds?

Henry, April. Eyes of the Forest

August 24th 2021 by Henry Holt & Company

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Bridget is a superfan of R.M. (Bob) Haldon's Swords and Shadows fantasy series. Even though they are long and for older readers, she was introduced to them by her mother, and read them to her mother as she fought a long battle with cancer. Now, she finds comfort in the fictional world. She also has an encyclopedic knowledge of the world and the details of the book. After pointing out an error at one of Haldon's book readings, she was approached by the troublesome and reclusive author to be his continuity expert. After meeting with her father to make sure he isn't inappropriate, Haldon has been e mailing Bridget questions, and she has constructed a cross referenced database with information about characters, weapons, and plot lines. This is the best part of her life, since high school is just generally unpleasant and socially difficult. Haldon, on the other hand, is struggling with his made up world and suffering from tremendous writer's block. The last book in the series is overdue, and he is not having any luck with his writing. After a random comment from Derrick, the son of his housekeeper, Joanne, he has an idea. He arranges to have Derrick kidnap him and take him to a remote cabin to work. Things don't go quite as planned, with Derrick whacking Bob a bit too hard on the head, and provided much healthier food than the author is used to eating, but the things that Bob needs to write are all in place-- a typewriter, a treadmill desk, quiet, and the threat to his safety if he doesn't produce that Derrick provides. Bridget has gotten in trouble for listening to an audiobook in class, and Ajay, who sits by her, asks about this. The two have lunch, share Ajay's amazing Indian food, and start a tentative friendship. Bridget reads the books aloud to Ajay and his suggestion, and he shares his cooking. Bridget is concerned, however, about strange messages that she gets from Bob. Unable to write, Bob wants to be free, but Derrick has his own plans. Since he recorded the conversation he had with the author about kidnapping him, he feels he has free reign to exploit the captivity. He arranges to sell chapters of the book on the dark web, and also starts to publish some of the web cam surveillance videos he takes to keep an eye on his captive. Bridget shares her concerns with Ajay, and the two try to get to Bob's house, only to be met by Joanne, who tells the police that they are rabid fans, and that Bob is traveling. Bridget works on the clues, but Ajay is reluctant to believe her, even though the two move closer to a romance. Bob writes pages for Derrick by day but gets to work on the actual novel at night, hiding the typewritten pages. When Joanne thinks that there isn't enough money, she starts making Bob do silly things for the camera, and posts those to get more money. Even after Bridget breaks a coded message, the police don't believe her. Will she be able to save the author as well as his much anticipated new novel?
Strengths: Wow. There's a lot going on here, but it's all intricately constructed and so fast paced that I stopped taking notes about halfway through the book. (Although I did remember what went on; I really wanted to describe more of the ending because it's so clever, but didn't want to ruin the suspense!) Bridget and Bob's separate lives are described really well, and it helps to make their relationship seem feasible. The details are interesting-- Bridget's father works for a plastic manufacturer, and is not happy when she tells him about Ajay's reusuable lunch packaging, and Bob has an unhealthy lifestyle that is run on junk food, but slowly gets in shape in captivity. The whole subculture surrounding Swords and Shadows is fascinating, and Derrick's involvement with LARPing based on the books gave an unsettling edge to his actions. This definitely felt almost like an adult mystery novel, and I could just see it being made into a Movie of the Week in the 1980s with Nancy McKeon as Bridget!
Weaknesses: The cover should have had more cabin and less face. Perhaps a typewriter. It's fine, just not that appealing to my students. 
What I really think: Definitely looking forward to having this one to hand to my students! The tie to a fantasy world might help hard core fantasy readers branch out into mystery, and it's also one that my teachers might enjoy reading. 

Dress from about 1999, from the thrift store. I always wore to schedule pick up when my children were in school, but this week looks hot and humid. 

I may try to replicate this dress (without the massive shoulder pads) in a bold floral. I've become obsessed with @marcialoisriddington on Instagram and want to wear nothing but jumpers and "frocks" made out of old curtains and tablecloths. 

Or maybe I just need more sleep!

Animal Titles

Warga, Jasmine. The Unlikely Friendship of Chase and Finnegan

March 3, 2026 by Balzer + Bray

ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central
 

Finnegan is a dog who has run away from his home with Samuel after a misunderstanding, and he finds himself out in the wilderness in a world of trouble when he is attacked by another animal. Luckily, he is rescued by Ryan, who takes him to the vet and then adopts him. Chase is a cheetah cub born in a zoo to a mother who was rescued from the wild. Unfortunately, when her mother is taken for a veterinary procedure, she passes away. Chase must be fed and trained by Basma, one of the zoo workers. Finnegan is very scared of storms and causes some trouble at home. Ryan lives with Basma, who thinks that Finnegan and Chase could help each other out. They do a lot of training so that Chase can perform in a zoo presentation meant to draw attention to the plight of animals in the wild, but also comfort each other. Chase misses her mother and is leery of leashes, since her mother was taken away wearing one and never came back, and Finnegan is worried that Ryan and Basma will discover the secrets in his past and not want him to live with them anymore. The friendship that helps out both animals is based on a real life program at the Cincinnati Zoo.

The Vivienne To cover will make this book immediately appealing to younger readers who like animal stories or who frequent the zoo; who doesn't harbor a secret wish to cuddle with a tiny cheetah? I loved that Finnegan was a rescue dog with a hidden past; so many bad things can happen to dogs, and they can't tell their new homes about them! At least Finnegan can confide in Chase when his humans don't quite understand why he is so upset when they are packing up to move to a new home. 

There are just enough things going on with the humans in the book to add another level of interest. At one point, Ryan wants to ask Basma to marry him, and is quite nervous about proposing. The workings of the zoo are also quite interesting; I haven't been to the Cincinnati zoo in a long time, but was always impressed with the work they do. 

Warga has quite a range of topics in her list of middle grade works; an immigrant tale in Other Words for Home (2019), a problem novel in The Shape of Tunder (2021), the sci Fi A Rover's Story (2022),  a fantasy with some community issues A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall (2024), and even a horror book in the second of the The Last Resort series, The Claiming (2026). This animal tale will be popular with readers who liked the unlikely friendships and animal perspectives in Applegate's The One and Only Bob, Bruce Cameron's Dogs with a Purpose tales, Robertshaw and Danka's Life in the Doghouse books. 

Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. Phoenix (Ride On #1) 

March 3, 2026 by Dial Books
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Harper and her mother Beth move suddenly from Knoxville, Tennessee to Sommer Springs after Harper's father has an affair with the mother of Harper's best friend Cat, who lives across the street. Unwilling to put up with the gossip, Beth finds another nursing job and a very small house to rent where their Great Pyrenees dog, Harvey, is welcome. The rural community is very different; on the way into town, Harper sees dead chickens strung up on a clothesline, and the home they are renting is right next to a horse stable. This is run by Miss Chelsea, whose wife is a doctor. Several children from Harper's 6th grade class ride at the stables, and she meets Dante, Night (who uses they/them pronouns), and Emma. Harper is very angry about the reasons for moving, and has fallen out with Cat, so feels very isolated. She spends a lot of time watching the others ride, and talks to them briefly on the bus. Dante knows that Harper isn't talking because she is sad, and doesn't push her. When a "kill truck" shows up at the stables when everyone is done, Harper ends up with a very sick horse given to her! She and her mother do an internet search for how to properly care for the ailing animal, and end up feeding it tiny bits of hay around the clock. Miss Chelsea agrees to help with the horse, although she wants to buy it from Harper, who refuses to sell it. Harper equates the horses experience of being "thrown away" with her own father's dismissal of her. There is a lot of concern about the cost of owning a horse, which is considerable, but Harper is adamant that she be allowed to keep the horse, whom she names Phoenix, although her mother inquires about perhaps turning the animal over to a horse rescue. Harper ends up working at the stable in the morning to help pay for Phoenix's upkeep. When she returns from a tense weekend at her father's, she sees a woman, Ms. Rawlings, who is attempting to feed Phoenix and has called the police about what she considers an abused animal. There is a tense standoff, complete with nasty microaggressions where Ms. Rawlings assumes Dante is a stable groom because he is Latine. Carine Rawlings and her horse start participating in the lessons and practices, but it takes a while for her to fit in. Phoenix continues to improve, although the path is rocky. This is the first book in a purported series. 

I'm always looking for books for readers who would love to own their own horses, but I'm debating this one. While there are good details about caring for an ailing horse, as well as about riding and stable life, there is a lot of discussion about the father's affair, even though Bradley is so circumspect in her treatment of the topic that younger readers won't even understand that an affair occurred. Harper is 11, and there is talk about her attending therapy, but she doesn't manage to get to a therapist even though she is having a very difficult time. Readers who like horses will have to make it far enough into the book, and they may not, since Harper is afraid of horses at the beginning, and doesn't really want anything to do with the stables. 

The fact that this starts with the description of the dead chickens and Harper's reaction to them doesn't do this book any favors. I usually enjoy Bradley's books, but this was far more like Fighting Words than her popular historical titles like The War That Saved My Life. 

MMGM- Hardcourt: Stories from 75 Years of the National Basketball Association

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
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Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at 

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Unleashing Readers

Bowen, Fred. Hardcourt: Stories from 75 Years of the National Basketball Association

January 18th 2022 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

I'm a HUGE Fred Bowen fan, and I always learn something about sports from any book of his I read. I'm still trying to process that there is an American Basketball Association in addition to the NBA, and the fact that there is apparently a real team called the New Orleans Pelicans. Reading Hardcourt made me realize that I know even less about basketball than I know about football!

Like Mr. Bowen's Gridion, this is a beautifully illustrated, larger format (11"x 11") book that would look great on a coffee table, or displayed on a shelf next to trophies. It's also hugely informative, laying out the history of the game of basketball and chronicles the changes made in it over the years. Starting with James' Naismith's creation of the game, we see how time and social changes contribute to the way the game is structured today. I hadn't realized that while the game has been around since the late 1800s, it didn't really take off until well after World War II, and had a hard time getting fans during a time when baseball was the preferred sport. 

While the majority of the players today are Black (almost 75%), when the National Basketball Association started out in 1946, it was entirely white. There were many teams in other leagues that were all Black. By 1950, the Boston Celtics drafted Chuck Cooper, and Earl Lloyd and Sweetwater Cliftion also signed on. There was relatively little controversy over this move, perhaps because basketball was not as much in the limelight as baseball. 

The book is divided into four quarters, and discusses the various changes made over the years, including things about points and clocks that I didn't even try to understand, but which my students will avidly discuss. Major players during the ascendancy of basketball's popularity in the 1970s and 80s, such as Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999), Majic Johnson, and Larry Bird, are familiar names to me, while players since 2000 will resonate more with my students. The 1992 Olympic "Dream Team" is also discussed at length, although I still want to know why pros were allowed in the Olympics. 

There's a bit about the American Basketball Association, which was active for around a decade in the 1960s and 70s and made a comeback in the 2000s. It's apparent a semi-professional league, but I have no idea what this means, and still don't quite believe it exists. The list of the founding year of the NBA teams at the end of the book is very helpful, but I also have my doubts about the existance of the New Orlean Pelicans. My brother watched football when I was growing up, but apparently basketball has not entered my consciousness at all, because I'm even a bit doubtful about the Denver Nuggets, whom the book says have existed since 1976.

Ransome's illustrations are colorful and vibrant, and the book design showcases these nicely against the easy to read text. Both this and Gridiron would be excellent gifts for a young sports fan, and throwing in a couple of Bowen's fiction books would make an excellent package! (Ooh. Or a gift basket, with a ball. Keep that in mind for school auctions.)

If your sports knowledge is roughly equivalent to mine and you work with young sports enthusiasts, it's imperative that you read Hardcourt and buy it for any elementary or middle school library in your charge. If you haven't looked into Bowen's fiction, this is my occasional reminder that you need to gradually replace all of your crumbling Matt Christopher titles with Bowen's work. 

Interview with the Fantastic Fred Bowen!

Ms. Yingling: You’ve written a number of fictional basketball titles, including the fantastic Hardcourt Comeback, as well as the informative Gridiron: Stories from 100 Years of the National Football League. What’s your personal connection to basketball? Do you think basketball is more popular than football in the US, or the other way around?

Mr. Bowen: Thanks for the kind words about my books.  Hardcourt: Stories From 75 Years of the National Basketball Association is my 27^th sports book for young readers.  I am proud of all of them.  Now to your questions.

The National Football League (NFL) and professional football is the most popular sport in the United States by several metrics.  The National Basketball Association (NBA) is, I believe, more popular on an international scale.

As for my personal connection to basketball, I played throughout my youth on various teams as I grew up.  My problem was that I didn’t grow up fast enough.  I was 4’ 11” and 92 pounds at the beginning of the ninth grade (yes, they measured us) and I failed to make the school team.  I also got cut from the high school varsity team two years later.

These disappointments, however, did not hold back my love of the game (I also grew to be almost 6-feet tall).  I played on teams and in leagues as well as on playgrounds until I was 40-years-old.  In my sleep, I still dream of playing the game.

Ms. Yingling: Can you explain briefly the difference between the NBA and the various incarnations of the ABA for those of us who were not aware there were two leagues at different points in history?

Mr. Bowen: As Hardcourt indicates, the NBA started in the 1946-47 season.  By 1967, the league had ten teams (there are now 30).  The American Basketball Association (ABA) started as a separate, competing league in the 1967-68 season with 11 teams.  Chapter 7 of Hardcourt describes some of the ups and downs of the league as well as the great (and not so great, but very colorful) players in the league.

The ABA lasted nine seasons.  Many teams were founded and many folded.  Prior to the 1976-77 season four of the remaining seven ABA teams - the New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers – merged with the NBA.

One story I did not include in Hardcourt because it is mostly about finance is the incredible story of the Silna brothers.  The Silnas owned the Spirits of St. Louis, an ABA team, at the time of the merger with the NBA.  Instead of taking a buyout of two or three million dollars to fold their team as other ABA owners did, the Silnas negotiated a deal in which they received a very small percentage of the television revenues of the league.  At the time, very few NBA games were on TV.  But some years after the deal, the popularity of the NBA exploded and hundreds of games were shown every season. 

It is estimated the Silnas made somewhere between $300 and $800 million under the deal.  That is a lot of money for not owning a team!

 

Ms. Yingling: Basketball was invented a long time before the NBA came around. What effect did having a national organization have on the game? Why did it take until the 1950s for basketball to really come into the national interest?

Mr. Bowen: Actually, it took much longer.  One of the surprising things about researching Hardcourt was discovering (or rediscovering) how small-time the NBA was for much of its early years.  For example, in 1961 there were only eight NBA teams.  The 1980 NBA Finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and Philadelphia 76ers with such legendary stars as Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Julius “Dr. J” Erving was not televised during prime time.  The games were shown on tape delay after the late local news.

My father told the story that as a businessman in Boston he was approached to invest in the Boston Celtics around 1950.  When I asked why he didn’t, he looked at me and said, “they didn’t make a profit for years.  It would have been like investing in the circus.”  It probably would have been worse.  The circus was pretty popular back then.

Ms. Yingling: There’s always so much interest in Jackie Robinson and the integration of Black players into baseball, but there are some fascinating stories about early Black basketball players. Why do you think these stories aren’t as well known?

Mr. Bowen: Basketball was simply not as central a part of the American sports experience as baseball was in the 1940s and 1950s.  Baseball was the most popular team sport in the country by far in those days.  So Major League Baseball integrating was a big story in 1947 when Robinson played for the Brooklyn Dodgers.

When the NBA integrated in 1950 with Chuck Cooper, Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton and Earl “Big Cat” Lloyd, few people noticed because few people were following the NBA.  Those early Black players, however, led the way to such all-time greats as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Elgin Baylor and Oscar Robertson as well as modern stars such as LeBron James and Stephen Curry.

Ms. Yingling: Basketball seems to have more iconic players than football. Who would be the three most important but possibly underrated players that young readers should know about (and librarians should have biographies of)?

Mr. Bowen: That’s a hard question.  One of the things the NBA has done to celebrate its 75^th season is to name the 75 greatest NBA players.  So there have been a lot of great players.  I will talk about three. (Here's the link: https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced.)

Researching Hardcourt reminded me what a big star Bob Cousy was in the early days of the NBA.  Cousy was only 6’1” but was a wizard with the basketball, dribbling through his legs, passing behind his back and doing a million things that are common today but unheard of in the 1950s and 60s.  They called Cousy the “Houdini of the Hardwood.”

Bill Russell was the greatest winner in the history of team sports in the United States.  His Boston Celtics won 11 NBA titles from 1957 to 1969. 

What makes Russell a great story for kids is that when he was a sophomore in high school Russell tried out for his school’s junior varsity.  Sixteen kids tried out for the team and the school had only fifteen uniforms.  The coach did not have the heart to cut one kid.  So he went to his worst player – Bill Russell – and said he could stay on the team but would have to share a uniform with another player. 

Half of the games Russell sat on the bench in his uniform while the other half he sat on the bench in his street clothes.  Russell, however, got better.  A lot better.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was one of the greatest basketball players of all time.  He won 3 NCAA titles at UCLA, 6 NBA titles and is the all-time leading scorer in NBA history.  But the reason I admire Abdul-Jabbar is that he has done so much after his basketball career.  He is a political activist, historian and author.  Abdul-Jabbar is a good example of someone who is more than “just an athlete.”

Ms. Yingling: There are so many interesting topics briefly discussed in Hardcourt that would make excellent middle grade nonfiction titles. The 1992 Olympic Dream Team and the Harlem Globetrotters are both fascinating, but there don’t seem to be many books for middle grade readers. What are some other topics that deserve books of their own?

Mr. Bowen: One topic that I did not know much about before I started researching Hardcourt was that there was a World Professional Basketball Championship played each year from 1939 to 1948.  The best professional teams, both Black teams and White teams, competed for the title.  The Harlem Globetrotters, for example, won the tournament in 1940.

This forgotten era of early professional basketball might be an interesting topic for a book.

Ms. Yingling: Would you ever consider writing a historical novel about a sport, like Yep’s Dragon Road? This would be a great way to get sports fans to read historical fiction. What era would you be most likely to pick if you did write one?

Mr. Bowen: I am flattered you think I could write historical fiction.  Maybe I will give it a try one day.  Most of my reading is in American history so I have a background in many historical eras.

Some of my favorite time periods to read about include the 1930s when the U.S. was going through the greatest economic challenge of its history – The Great Depression.  I am also fascinated with the 1960s when the country was trying to find its way through the Civil Rights movement as well as the protests surrounding the Vietnam War.

Ms. Yingling: While this history isn’t part of the NBA, women were involved in the sport very early on. Why was basketball deemed more “suitable” for women? It even shows up in Jessie Grace Flower’s 1911 Grace Harlow’s Sophomore Year in High School and other literature of the time. 

Mr. Bowen: Basketball was supposed to be a “non-contact” sport.  After all, one of Dr. Naismith’s original 13 rules for the sport was that there should be “no shouldering, holding, pushing, tripping, or striking in any way the person of an opponent . . . .”  Perhaps that is why the game was considered more “suitable” for women.

Women often played a toned-down version of the game.  For years, many women in high schools and colleges played a game called “6 on 6” basketball in which three players only played on offense and three players only played on defense and no player ran the whole court.  That version of the game was played in high schools in Iowa and Oklahoma into the 1990s.

I discuss the 6 on 6 game more fully in my Fred Bowen Sports Story series book Off the Rim.

Now women play a very high level of the game in high school, colleges and the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA).  I often joke that nothing has improved during my lifetime as much as restaurant food and women’s basketball.

Ms. Yingling: What projects are you considering next? Will we be seeing more of your Soccer Mystery series, or maybe a book on the history of baseball or soccer in the U.S.?

Mr. Bowen: My next book will be part of my Fred Bowen Sports Story series.  Those are 25 books that combine sports fiction, sports history and always have a chapter of sports history in the back.  The new book is about basketball and is called Off the Bench.  It is scheduled to be published in the Spring of 2023. 

I also am scheduled to write a baseball book in the series for 2024 and a football book for 2025.

I have actually written a history of baseball for young readers but my editor for Hardcourt and Gridiron thinks there are too many baseball books.  So I may have to find another publisher for that book.

My plan is to write Fred Bowen Sports Story and sports history books as long as I enjoy writing them and as long as kids enjoy reading them. 

I'm certainly glad to hear that! If you have not investigated Mr. Bowen's work, make it a New Year's Goal to read at least one of his books in 2022!

Graphic Novel Round Up

Korman, Gordon and Templer, Hannah. One False Note (39 Clues #2)
3 September 2024 by Graphix

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this second book in the graphic novel adaptation of the 2008 Scholastic series written by a variety of middle grade authors (the first being Riordan's The Maze of Bones), Amy and Dan Cahill find themselves in Vienna, trying to solve the mystery that their aunt left. They are accompanied by Nellie, their au pair. They think a clue is leading them to Mozart, but because other family members are also trying to get the inheritance, they are attacked by the athletic and vicious Holts. When researching and visiting Mozart's house, they realize that the sheet music they have includes an extra line, and also that Mozart's sister Nannerl's journal is missing two pages. Jonah Wizard is on tour and conveniently in the same town, and they think that he has stolen the journal pages. They realize that the extra line plays the tune for an old folk song "The place where I was born", so head to Salzburg. When visiting Nannerl's tomb, they see the Man in Black, and end up in an abbey chased by monks! When they have a moment to rest with Nellie, they find that Saladin, their aunt's cat, had a chip in his collar. They manage to relocate that chip to their Uncle Alistair's cane when they steal a paper from him. They follow Jonah to Venice and locate the missing journal pages, racing away in a stolen boat once they get them. They hide the pages in a seat cushion to keep them dry, but get separated from them. They end up on the Kabra's yacht, but a boobytrapped piano key causes a huge explosion. After that, they find samurai swords, so the next book should take them to Japan. 

Strengths: Amy and Dan are very sympathetic characters, and I definitely want them to be the ones to get the inheritance, since most of the other relatives are rather evil and buffoonish. Nellie is understandably irasicible, but ultimately helpful. The graphic novel adaptation makes it much easier to understand what the European cities look like. The historical ties are interesting, and might encourage readers to find out more about the people and places mentioned. I'm curious as to how many books in the series will be adapted into graphic novels. I only have the twelve books from the first series; there are five spin off series that I didn't buy because of the fragility of the paper-over board format. 
Weaknesses: These books have a lot of coincidental occurences, and lucky escapes. They have nonstop action, which makes them popular with young readers, but also makes it hard to keep track of everything that is going on. 
What I really think: There aren't very many graphic novels that are exciting adventures, so this is a good choice for readers who liked Horowitz's Stormbreaker in this format. 

Stine, R.L. and Gonzales, Maddie (illus.) 

The Haunted Mask

September 3, 2024 by Graphix

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Carly is scared of just about everything, so kids at school tease her. Even her best friend Sabrina gives her a hard time for jumping at every little noise. As Halloween approaches, Carly gives some thought to a costume, but wants to have something that will scare her bullies. When her mother makes her a weird copy of her head in an art class, she thinks this will be a better costume to work on than the giant chicken one her mother has found. Carly manages to find a costume shop still open, but none of the masks look scary enough. She finds a room with horrifying masks, but the owner says they are not for sale. She begs, and gets a creepy green goblin. She combines the mask with her own head on a stick, and goes trick or treating with Sabrina. The maks seems to have an effect on her personality, and she eventually finds the bullies who were troubling her and steal their candy. She forgets her head, and finds that the mask won't come off. Returning to the shop, she speaks to the owner who says that a symbol of love can remove it... but only one time. If anyone ever puts on the mask again, it will be on them forever. Carly goes back to find the head her mother made, and the mask comes off. Unfortunately, when she is busy talking to her mother, her brother finds the mask and puts it on! This was on the younger end of the Goosebumps series, so a great choice for elementary school readers. There was a great shout out to the author; in the mask shop, there is a mask that looks like Bob Stine's face which the owner says is a television character or something! 

Cassidy, Sara. The Secret Office 

August 13, 2024 by Orca Book Publishers

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Allie and Henry love living in their apartment building, but now that their mom Sam works from home, they are not allowed to make noise and do very much during the day. They gather cans to trade in for money to use to buy their mother headphones, but that doesn't solve the problem. The building superviser, Mr. Jeff, doesn't like messes, so when the  kids are snooping around, they are suprised to find a small, dirty room in the basement that isn't being used. It's the old coal bin, and the kids think it would make a great office for their mom. The problem? The landlord would want money for it, and there aren't enough cans for Allie and Henry to afford the rent every month. They manage to come to an agreement; a new family is moving in and wants two parking spaces, and since Sam doesn't have a car, the kids trade the parking space for the office space. With Mr. Jeff's help, they clean and decorate the room so that their mother has a new place to work. This was a cute book for elementary school students, and I love how Allie and Henry identified a problem and found a way to work it out. This would be a great choice for readers who enjoyed LaCoer and Albert's The Apartment House on Poppy Hill or Reynold's Stuntboy, but seems a little young for my middle school readers. 

Frakes, Colleen. Knots

September 3, 2024 by HarperAlley

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Norah's parents both work in the prison system, and often have to move for their jobs. Norah tries to not cause any more trouble in the family, because her younger sister complains a lot and also has a lot of behavior problems. Money is tight because of the frequent moves, so Norah's mother cuts her hair for her. Starting middle school is a big deal, so Norah wants a new look. After a brief argument, her mother agrees that Norah can color her hair, but doesn't put any on parameters on the activity. After talking to a woman in the drugstore who is training to be a cosmetologist, Norah buys the supplies and bleaches her own hair. It ends up being a weird mottled color, and while her mother isn't happy, she does allow Norah to dye her hair blue. The one friend Norah has made thinks it makes her look cool, and the day is not a complete disaster. Home life, however, frequently is. Norah is prone to accidents, like falling off her bike or burning things in the kitchen (she puts a metal tea kettle in the microwave), and her mother usually overreacts to these incidents in unproductive ways. Her father is more supportive. When the father gets a promotion, the mother must take a job in a different city, and moves out, taking the troublesome younger sister with her. Norah's father works long hours, and doesn't take very good care of Norah, leaving her to cook her own meals and take care of the house. Norah's hair grows out and becomes very unkempt. When she shares the story of the teakettle with her class, a fellow student tells a similar story about taking care of his two younger sisters and running into trouble, and the assistant principal who is observing the new teacher reports the family to children's services. Norah is very worried that something similar will happen to her. Will she be able to have a productive conversation with her parents and get the support she needs to take care of herself?

Strengths: Norah is accident prone in a way that many middle school students are; my own kitchen counter has a spot where my daughter put a hot frying pan even though I'm pretty sure I explained why there are several glass counter savers in the kitchen. She is given more freedom than many children her age, which will be interesting for tweens to read about. The episode with the classmate being reported to children's services was interesting, although I was a bit surprised that it was done so publicly. I was glad to see that despite her move, Norah was able to make a friend, and liked her teacher, who clearly cared about her. The artwork is appealing, with the same bright colors employed by other popular graphic novel series, like The Baby-Sitters Club or Terri Libenson's Invisible Emmie series. 
Weaknesses: This is yet another semiautobiographical novel showing a traumatic childhood ala Raina Telgemaier, and is completely on trend with the current thought that it is necessary to share unpleasant details about one's personal life. Maybe the roots of this subgenre really go back to Alison Bechdel's 2006 Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic? I am of the generation that believes these are the sorts of stories best kept to oneself, but younger readers seem to revel in the schadenfreude of these graphic tell-alls. 

What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like Hale's Real Friends, Sax's Picture Day, Sharp's Just Pretend, Harper's Bad Sister or Ogle's Four Eyes. 

Escabasse, Sophie. Taxi Ghost

September 3, 2024 by Random House Graphic

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Adèle lives in Montreal with her older sister Helen and her grandmother, who runs a small shop. Over winter break, she hopes to spend some time at the library, reading, but when she gets her first period, she finds that she has inherited the ability to see ghosts. Her grandmother has gone to a lot of trouble to NOT interact with the spirit world, so isn't much help, but Adèle does work with one ghost who doesn't want his grandson to sell his house to a wily developer who is trying to ruin the neighborhood. Since the grandmother is also involved in such an endeavor, she is a little more interested in helping Adèle with her new abilities, especially when an especially evil ghost, a soul eater, is on the loose, causing damage in the real world.

Fans of Escabasse's Witches of Brooklyn series will enjoy this one, and will readers who enjoyed Steinkellnerr's The Okay Witch, Paramore's Malcolm Kid and the Perfect Song, or Mandanna and Ballesteros' Jupiter Nettle and the Seven Schools of Magic. I really like Escabasse's illustration style, and this will get a lot of love for the period positivity and fighting against gentrification. 

Jojo vs. Middle School and Love is Hard Work

McCullough, Joy and Bybeem Veeda (illus.). Jojo vs. Middle School
February 11, 2025 by Aladdin

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Jojo has big plans for her new middle school year in a Virginia suburb of D.C.; she's going to rock one of her mother's vintage uniform skirts with a black t shirt, have breakfast and bed, and rule the day. Of course, when her mother's boyfriend Paul distracts her mother, she doesn't get breakfast, and even oversleeps. Her cat, Purrito, has thrown up on her outfit, so she ends up throwing on leggings and rushing out the door so she can get a ride with her older brother, Sam. Since the family has moved out of their apartment and in with Paul, school is further away, but Jojo does NOT want to get a ride with Paul, since he drives a van that tells the world that he is Mr. Meow, a catfluencer. Things go downhill at school, where the only person she knows seems to be her nemesis, Moira Harper. She feels like she embarrassed herself in front of her homeroom teacher and the school softball coach, Mr. Achebe, and by lunchtime really needs a break. Not able to take refuge in the library (librarians need to eat, too!), she wanders into a closed off hallway. In the locker room, she meets Leah, Ryan, and Izzy, who all are having their own problems, from the seemingly silly (answering a question with "astrology" rather than "astrobiology") to the downright embarassing (getting braces stuck on the sleeve of a crush's shirt and having to have the nurse phone a dentist to get it untangled). The four decide to continue their meetings. Jojo has other problems; it's hard to navigate her new relationship with Paul, she's worried that her mom will move the family to Texas to be near grandparents, and she keeps getting her phone confiscated in the hallway. There's a bit of drama with her new friends as well. When the four are in the locker room having lunch one day, there is a lock down because a bob cat has been sighted in the hallways. The girls close the door and manage to while away a couple of hours before they realize that school is over. They make their way out carefully, on the look out for the wild animal, and end up saving the day, even if they have missed their buses. Team Awkward will be back with Leah vs. Art on June 17, 2025.
Strengths: Seventeen Magazine used to have a "Was My Face Red" column that featured readers' embarrassing stories, and reading about such experiences makes tweens feel better about the (hopefully) lesser situations they experience. Jojo (who is half Guatamalan) finds her people in her new friends, and even though there are a few hiccups (Leah takes notes on all of their trauma, hoping to find some way to avoid it in the future, but doesn't explain herself well at first), the girls support each other. They are able to work together during the lock down by pooling their resources and by working together. The real star of the book is Mr. Meow; there is another whole story on the family dynamics there, and I was glad to see that Jojo didn't dislike him, but found him helpful and pleasant, if embarrassing. Since the next book focuses on Leah, why might not get too much more information about him. The cover is very appealing. 
Weaknesses: I always have questions about school that have extra, unused space, like the one in Fry's Undercover Chefs. Even though my school recently had a number of students redistricted to another building, we still have an orchestra class meeting in a classroom. The population in the D.C. area must be growing, but even if the school didn't need the space, it would be secured so students couldn't get in. What fun would that be, though?
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like unlikely romps like Malone's The Sleepover, disastrous first days, like the one in Ormsbee's Vivian Lantz's Second Chances, or books that show the perspective of friends in a group, like Papademetriou's Confectionately Yours series.

Paley, Dan and Tentler-Krylov Victoria (illustrator)
Love Is Hard Work: The Art and Heart of Corita Kent
November 5, 2024 by Candlewick Press
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Frances Kent went to a Catholic school, where her sixth grade teacher reinforced her love of art by giving her lessons. When she graduated from high school in 1936, she entered the Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary order, taking the name Mary Corita. She spent many years as an enthusiastic art teacher, challenging her students to see art in everyday objects and to create with spirit and inspiration while thinking outside the box. She herself used her art to make people stop and think, often using elements of popular culture, but reframing them to reinforce spiritual concepts. Her reworking of the WonderBread logo to bring attention to the communion wafer is visually and conceptually striking. She was intrigued by the cultural zeitgeist of the 1960s, and used her work to call attention to social issues dear to her heart. Sadly, the administration of the Catholic church wanted the nuns to teach only if they wore the traditional habit and adhered to strict church guidelines. In 1968, this led Sister Kent to renounce her vows and retire from teaching to create her art in peace.

I’m not sure I have ever seen graphic art that so perfectly encapsulates the sentiments and visual elements of the 1960s as well as Kent’s work does. Her use of silk screen, her fonts, and the bold colors of the era all support the messages of peace and love that she and many others espoused. Tentler-Krylov’s illustrations work Kent’s work into the story in satisfying ways.

There is a brief author’s note at the end of the book, as well as selected sources. Unlike some biographical picture books, this does a good job of covering Kent’s life and career in the text, so a timeline or further notes aren’t really necessary.

People create art for all manner of reasons, and Kent’s story is an enthralling one, especially for readers who might have ties to the Catholic faith. Include this in a palette of art books that includes Rogers and Innerst’s Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony, Suzuki and Weinstein’s Yayoi Kusama: From Here to Infinity!, Harvey and Wise’s Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas, and Temple and White’s Wilhelmina Barnes-Graham: An Introduction to Her Life with Activities.

MMGM- Bears and Birds

Gebhart, Ryan. There Will Be Bears.
April 22nd 2014 by Candlewick Press
Copy from Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there.

Tyson has some trouble concentrating, but only on certain things, like school. His best friend Brighton prefers to hang out with his new football playing friends, so that's difficult as well. Playing video games is easy, as is hanging around with his grandpa Gene. Tyson and his grandfather are preparing a hunting trip for Tyson's 13th birthday. They intend to go out into the wilderness with a guide, shoot an elk, and have Tyson field dress it. When Gene goes into a nursing home that is a couple of hours away because he has a kidney condition and needs dialysis, Tyson is afraid the hunting trip will never happen. When his parents, who are leery of letting an almost 80 year old man with a medical condition traipse around the woods with a teenager, find out that there have been bear attacks in the area where the hunt was planned, Gene and Tyson have to come up with a really clever plan to hunt without letting them know. They manage, but along the way there are family secrets that surface, and the trip is not without problems, but Tyson and Gene manage to accomplish what they had long planned.
Strengths: Disclaimer: I hate hunting. But I really, really loved this book, so that says something about the quality of the writing! I am a sucker for a book with grandparents, but they can be hard to sell to students. This one won't be. Tyson was a believably drawn teenager-- I especially enjoyed his Taylor Swift obsession and his relationship with his younger sister. The parents' reactions are realistic, but Tyson and Gene's desire to take a first (and last) hunting trip makes sense, too. Even the hunting scenes are interesting and make sense. This was just the right length, too, and had fun details-- Tyson and his grandfather chugging prune juice was a great way to start the book.
Weaknesses: There is a rather graphic scene of field dressing the elk that isn't for the faint of heart. While the family secret was okay, it wasn't absolutely necessary.

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday at Anastasia Suen's blog.



Acampora, Paul. I Kill the Mockingbird
4 May 2014, Roaring Brook Press
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Lucy, whose mother is recuperating from a particularly tough battle with cancer, is leery of entering high school in the fall, but excited about the summer reading list she is given at the end of the year. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of her favorite books, and one that her former language arts teacher, "Fat Bob" Nowak, particularly loved. Mr. Nowak passed away due to a major heart attack, and Lucy is sad that To Kill the Mockingbird is one of the choices and not required by everyone. With her friends Elena, whose uncle runs a used book store, and Michael, on whom she has a crush, she sets out on a campaign to increase demand for the book by decreasing the supply. The friends sneak in to libraries and bookstores and hide copies of the books (they don't steal them, mind), leaving behind a flyer directing people to a web site. There is also a social media campaign, and before they know it, copies of the book are disappearing all over the US and the national media cover the event. Lucy knows that she and her friends have to come clean, but how much trouble will they get into on behalf of their favorite book?
Strengths: Avid readers will love the wealth of literary allusions in this one. The characters are all fun, the writing is clever and funny, and there are tons of very nice touches. Lucy's mother has an especially good scene where she tells Lucy to stop worrying so much. Lots to like about this, and Mr. Acampora mentions in his afterword several blogs I frequent as being the genesis for his idea.
Weaknesses: I'm not a To Kill a Mockingbird lover. Fahrenheit 451, absolutely.. Picky Reader, when questioned, admitted that everyone in her class last year was not very fond of the book. I'm not sure that there are many 8th graders who would feel a connection to the Harper Lee classic, which makes this book a bit harder to sell. I also have my doubts about books where children start internet sensations, but that's mainly because I would like to hire them to hype my blog.

In short, this will be mentioned for lots of awards, and teachers will adore it, but I'm a bit unsure how it will resonate with the target demographic. This is too bad, because Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face is a big hit with my readers.

Lasky, Kathryn and Trueman, Matthew. One Beetle Too Many: The Extraordinary Adventures of Charles Darwin.
14 March 2014, Candlewick.
Copy from Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there. 

In the tradition of Childhood of Famous Americans, this biography of Darwin starts with an examination of his formative years, spent in a house with parents who encouraged him to explore the world around him. By turns focused on things that interested him, yet unable to stick with the career path suggested by his father, this book explores the ingredients that combined to make Darwin a driving force in new theories of animal adaptations. Accompanied by amusing illustrations, this biography gives a good overview of not only the individual, but his contributions to science.
Strengths: This explains an interesting scientist with complete information and amusing anecdotes. The illustrations give some levity to a biography that could be dry if treated differently.
Weaknesses: There is a cognitive disconnect between the information presented and the format in which it is presented. The reading level on this is listed at 6.8, which is a fair surmise, but the interest level is listed as k-3, based, I assume, on the illustrations. The font is very small, and considering the very short length of this (42 pages), could have been formatted so that the words were not crammed together on the page. I'm not really sure of the audience for this. If put together differently, this would be a great resource, but for older students I like to see the occasional photograph or period illustration instead of all cartoons.