The staff at my school thinks I really do have super powers. When one maintains that one is a magical unicorn, this is bound to happen. While it is sweet that they have such confidence in my abilities, my powers seem to be on the wane at the close of the school year. How bad is it? I have forgotten passwords to crucial accounts very morning this week and find that I have to create a spreadsheet and print it off in order to go about my day.Need your own super hero? Or, in the case of retrieving overdue books, a super villain?
I can help with that!
Anderson, John David. Minion. (2014)
Bacon, Lee. Joshua Dread (2012)
Boniface, William. The Adventures of Ordinary Boy (2006)
Carroll, Michael. The Awakening (2006)
Cody, Matthew. Powerless (2009)
Ferraiolo, Jack. Sidekicks (2011)
King, Wesley. The Vindico. (2012)
Kraatz, Jeramey. The Cloak Society (2012)
McCullough, Kelly. School for Sidekicks (2014)
Moore, Peter. V is For Villain (2014)
Can you see why the following two books felt kind of five years ago to me?
Harper, Benjamin, Hines-Stephens, Sarah, Syed, Anoosha. Bug Girl.
May 2nd 2017 by Imprint
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline
Amanda has long been friends with Emily, but now that they are in middle school, they don't talk. Amanda is very interested in insects, but this has been perceived as nerdy by her classmates. Unfortunately, the two are thrown together when their mothers are kidnapped before the Oyster Cove Festival, and they find out secrets about their families that brings them together.
Strengths: The pages are beautifully formatted, and I liked the style of the pictures. It was nice to see a tween girl with an interest in science, and I loved that the mothers are the ones with powers. This had a lot to recommend it.
Weaknesses: This felt offensive to my people. That would be the Nerd Community. The tone was... odd. As if cheerleaders were trying to write positive things about geeks. The meanness was off the charts, and it doesn't help to have a girl interested in science if everyone makes fun of her for it. The plot was nothing new-- I don't know why this raised my personal hackles so, but it really, really did!
What I really think: I will probably buy a copy to keep up with the insatiable demand for "books
with pictures". Sigh.
Fry, Michael. How to Be A Supervillain
May 2nd 2017 by jimmy patterson
ARC from publisher at ALA
Victor's parents are supervillains, but he is a boring rule follower. He gets apprenticed to a lame supervillain named The Smear in order for him to learn some skills, even though his parents tell him that the battles are all staged. Complications ensue. Lessons are learned. Victor comes to terms with who he is.
Strengths: This is a Notebook Novel. Just the other day, a student wanted to know if there were more than three The Odd Squad books by this author.
Weaknesses: Nothing fresh, and Fry's illustrative style makes me think I'm looking at Berke Brethed's work and I always expect Opus and Bill the Cat to show up. I'm vastly confused by the introductory page of the "Jimmy" books. They query "Who would do the best job of making books that kids will love? Yeah. Kids!" BUT KIDS AREN'T MAKING THESE BOOKS!
What I really think: Will buy a copy and use it as Wimpy Kid Methadone.
Boniface, William. The Adventures of Ordinary Boy (2006)
Carroll, Michael. The Awakening (2006)
Cody, Matthew. Powerless (2009)
Ferraiolo, Jack. Sidekicks (2011)
King, Wesley. The Vindico. (2012)
Kraatz, Jeramey. The Cloak Society (2012)
McCullough, Kelly. School for Sidekicks (2014)
Moore, Peter. V is For Villain (2014)
Can you see why the following two books felt kind of five years ago to me?
Harper, Benjamin, Hines-Stephens, Sarah, Syed, Anoosha. Bug Girl.May 2nd 2017 by Imprint
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline
Amanda has long been friends with Emily, but now that they are in middle school, they don't talk. Amanda is very interested in insects, but this has been perceived as nerdy by her classmates. Unfortunately, the two are thrown together when their mothers are kidnapped before the Oyster Cove Festival, and they find out secrets about their families that brings them together.
Strengths: The pages are beautifully formatted, and I liked the style of the pictures. It was nice to see a tween girl with an interest in science, and I loved that the mothers are the ones with powers. This had a lot to recommend it.
Weaknesses: This felt offensive to my people. That would be the Nerd Community. The tone was... odd. As if cheerleaders were trying to write positive things about geeks. The meanness was off the charts, and it doesn't help to have a girl interested in science if everyone makes fun of her for it. The plot was nothing new-- I don't know why this raised my personal hackles so, but it really, really did!
What I really think: I will probably buy a copy to keep up with the insatiable demand for "books
with pictures". Sigh.
Fry, Michael. How to Be A SupervillainARC from publisher at ALA
Victor's parents are supervillains, but he is a boring rule follower. He gets apprenticed to a lame supervillain named The Smear in order for him to learn some skills, even though his parents tell him that the battles are all staged. Complications ensue. Lessons are learned. Victor comes to terms with who he is.
Strengths: This is a Notebook Novel. Just the other day, a student wanted to know if there were more than three The Odd Squad books by this author.
Weaknesses: Nothing fresh, and Fry's illustrative style makes me think I'm looking at Berke Brethed's work and I always expect Opus and Bill the Cat to show up. I'm vastly confused by the introductory page of the "Jimmy" books. They query "Who would do the best job of making books that kids will love? Yeah. Kids!" BUT KIDS AREN'T MAKING THESE BOOKS!
What I really think: Will buy a copy and use it as Wimpy Kid Methadone.
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