Snow

Trehan, Meera. Snow

January 14, 2025 by Walker Books US

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ela is on vacation with her parents, who are "quirky scientists"; hydrologists who don't want to go to the beach but would rather rent a cabin in a snowy woods so they can study mist and snow. Since Ela occasional gets "vertigsnow" and feels dizzy and nauseated when out in the snow, she's not keen on cross country skiing like her parents are. She's also irritated because her mother has locked up her favorite book, a story about a snow princess, as well as a toy butterfly that went along with it. Ela has had a difficult time recently with her best friend, Kavi, so she decides to go on a walk to get away and clear her head. Meanwhile, we have met Princess Karina, who is dealing with her own problems. Her kingdom has filled up with neverending snow because of something she did, and her father, the King, expects her to dig for hours to try to solve the problem. She has just found a "Flutterbye" is the snow, and thinks this is a good sign, but it was apparently brought that by Ela, who has past through a mist barrier and ended up in Karina's alternate universe kingdom. The Princess responds in the regal manner she has been taught, but is irrritated to lose the Flutterbye. She tries to get Ela to stop by her cottage, have tea, and go back to the palace, thinking that this will make her father happier. Ela is uncomfortable when the girls take refuge in the Yurts of Plenty from the Hounds that are chasing them, and wants to go back home. Because of the Hounds, mechanical dogs who belong to the king, the girls try to find a quicker way to get to the palace and find a sled... that they BOTH remember as belonging to their fathers! The Princess knows more than Ela does, but it is soon revealed that Ela's mother is the Princess' aunt, and the sister of the king, who fell in love with a scientist who made it through the Mists into the kingdom. The aunt would return every year and give Karina Flutterbyes for her birthday, but on her 13th birthday, she was irritated by something Lord Hesketh's obnoxious sons said, and said she wanted a different gift. This leads to the problem of neverending snow with the kingdom, and the fact that the King made time stand still until Karina solved it. Now that both girls know the secret, will they be able to return the kingdom to its former glory and be able to be friends? 
Strengths: Portal fantasies are always interesting, and the idea of an eternal winter is fun to revisit from time to time. The thing I liked best about this was Karina's "princess training", and how she was always supposed to be smiling, gracious, and somewhat aloof... sort of the same way teachers should behave! The mystery of the girls' connection, as well as the problems with the kingdom, are slowly rolled out, and intricately woven. The fantasy elements and world building are strong, and the Yurts of Plenty are particularly intriguing. Adding friend drama in Ela's world as a reason why she is sort of running away is always a good addition to a middle grade story. This author also wrote The View from the Very Best House in Town. 
Weaknesses: This seemed a bit on the young side, especially when the girls named their magical sled Cuddle-Lump. Yet, the book is rather long. I had hoped for a more complete resolution at the end. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like winter related fantasies like Constable's Wolf Princess, Rudnick's A Frozen Heart, Hasting's The Frost Fair, Houts' Winterfrost, Prineas' Winterling, or Wilson's The Lost Frost Girl. 

MMGM- Game Changers and Inside the Park

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Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
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Always in the Middle 

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Unleashing Readers

Williams, Andrea. Inside the Park
February 4, 2025 by HarperCollins

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Timothy "Pumpsie" Strickland's Music City Legends team is having a decent year, but he is not. Every time he gets up to bat, he freezes and finds himself unable to hit the ball, striking out. His friend Shep has tried to talk him through it, but nothing seems to help, and he's in danger of being benched if he can't get over it. In the meantime, he and his mother get to go to see his favorite player, Carter Langston, who has a chance of finally getting to the playoffs with the Nashville Wildcats! It's a nice break from his five siblings, which include 2 year Jasmine, twin sister Tiana, and older brother Miles ( a science geek) and Isaac (a sixteen year old sports start who is mean to him). Pumpsie, who is nicknamed after the first Black player on the Boston Red Sox, who were the last team to get a Black player in 1959, has been at the stadium before, and when his mother needs to use the restroom (and he's spilled mustard on himself), he takes her up to a VIP bathroom that he's been invited to use any time that security guard Jack is there. He is, and let's Donya Strickland in, but while Pupmsie is waiting, he meets two men, Travis and Jordan, who work with the Portland Hemlocks team, which is playing the Wildcats the next day. Something feels off about the two, but he doesn't think much of it. Returning home, the two are regaled by the news that Tiana has been hired to do a commercial for the Wildcats at the stadium the next day, with Campy the dog, even though she is scared of all things canine. Pumpsie thinks this in unfair, but since she also gets tickets to the Ball Club, he gets ready to go the next day, armed with Miles' new science-y upgrades to his shoelaces and sunglasses. During the game, Pumpsie shuts off his phone because the battery is low, and when he goes to the photo shoot, it starts to rain. This puts everyone in a panic, and when Campy runs off, Pumpsie chases him into the stadium. He lures the dog to him with leftover hot dogs, and since there are free leftover hotdogs, eats a few himself. When he goes to leave, he realizes he is locked in! He panics a bit, and we also see the scene at his house as his family settles in for the night even though something feels a bit off. Eventually, Pumpsie decides to check things out, eat a few more hotdogs, visits the press box, makes some annoucements, plays with the pitching machine, and has an encounter with the animatronic mascot, Willie the Wildcat, that is a bit scary. Even scarier is meeting up with Travis and Jordan. They are planning something evil to take the Wildcats out of commission, but Pumpsie manages to sabotage them and run. The next day, he meets Jack as well as his idol, Carter, who assumes he is the new bat boy and gets him a uniform as well as a phone charger. His parents, meanwhile, have called the police and arrive at the stadium just as Pumpsie calls his mother. She agrees that he can stay, and Pumpsie is glad that he hasn't yet been tied with all the destruction in the Club Room the night before. In the dugout as bat boy, he starts to notice that all of the players are getting sick. Before he knows it, the coach is putting him into the game, since he's in uniform. He gets up to bat and has two strikes, and as he is waiting for his next pitch, manages to see Travis and Jordan in the stands with Miles' telescopic sunglasses. After getting a home run that puts the team into the playoffs, he manages to hunt down the evil doers, and Jack helps him bring them in. 

Strengths: This is what middle grade novels should be: Amazing adventures that just don't happen in real life... but could. Getting locked overnight in a baseball stadium when you are a big fan? With a dog, since you aren't allowed to have one because of all of your obnoxious siblings. And your parents are so frazzled that they don't even know you are missing. Williams has clearly had more access to the inner workings of stadia than most of us have, so the behind the scenes adventures are fantastic. Combine that with some somewhat goofy villains as well as unlimited hotdogs, and this will be such a hit with young baseball fans. Wrap this up with a pair of tickets to whatever local game you can afford, and give to your favorite young fan with a promise of a special outing. This is a must purchase for every elementary and middle school library. 
Weaknesses: While Miles' gadgets were clever, they weren't really necessary. Also, there were tantalizing glimpses of the grandfather  but not nearly enough of him. How cool if he had been locked in the stadium WITH Pumpsie! Also, I sort of hoped he would save the day before the players got sick, but the target demographic will enjoy the ensuing barf fest more than I generally do. 
What I really think: Williams, who wrote the excellent nonfiction baseball title Baseball's Leading Lady : Effa Manley and the Rise and Fall of the Negro Leagues as well as We Are Family (with LeBron James), absolutely knocks it out of the park with this wish fulfillment novel rich with elements of Scooby-Doo, Home Alone, and Matt Christopher, taking us out to the ballgame with plenty of cinnamon rolls and hot dogs. The only thing missing in the Cracker Jack.

 

Smith, Charlene and Tariq, Natalya (illus.)
Game Changers: Stories of Hijabi Athletes from around the World
February 1, 2025 by Orca Book Publishers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This collective biography showcases thirteen different young hijabi women from various points in the world who were groundbreakers when it came to competing in sports. There is an amazing variety in the sports included, from the more obscure like beach volleyball and archery to more common ones like basketball and soccer. The table of contents is very clever, with each woman given a "trading card" with her name, sport, and country which she represents. There's an introduction that discusses how the women were chosen, and photographs of many of them, which is somewhat unusual in a collective biography like this, but VERY welcome! Each player gets a portrait and three pages of information that discusses her involvement in the sport, challenges she faced, and successes. The end of the book has some additional information about why some women wear the hijab, and a good glossary. There are even print resources that include Maddox's 2020 graphic novel Running Overload which I had missed but will absolutely buy, since my goal is to get as many middle school girls to run cross country as possible! 

The only quibble that I have with this book is that it doesn't give the years of birth for these women, which is helpful to put their progression in sports into context. This is a great choice to show students that athletes come from all manner of different backgrounds, and goes along well with other titles in the 920s like Roberts and Jacobs' 100 Athletes Who Shaped Sports, Buckley's Fearless Firsts, or Allen's Girls Race: Amazing Tales of Women in Sports. 

Skylar and the K-Pop Principal

Goldie, Luan. Skylar and the K-Pop Principal
February 4, 2025 by Walker Books US

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Skylar and her best friend Dana ADORE the K-Pop bad AZ8, and is particularly enamored of singer Woojin. Since the band has a new release big contest to win tickets by posting one's dance video, she and Dana are prepared to spend the week reveling in their fandom, but Skylar's parents decide that she is spending far too much time on what they consider to be a silly pursuit, and ground her from all things AZ8 for a week. Beside herself, Skylar goes to school in her ugly brown uniform (complete with mustard yellow socks) wearing her dancing cat ears that are just like Woojin's in one of the band's videos. This, of course, brings her to the attention of the very Ms. Umbridge-like principal, Ms. Callus. Ms. Callus is 71, dresses in twin sets that are often floral, has a helmet like hair do, and really doesn't like children. She confiscates the ears, and Skylar and Dana guess that she will later have a small bonfire and burn them along with other contraband. Since her day has been so horrible, Skylar decides to confront her principal, and when she does, the two scuffle over the ears. Because Skylar's nana has gotten them from a website that sells cheap fakes, there is an electric shock to both of them, and when she wakes up, Skylar has changed bodies with Ms. Callus! This is difficult for both of them, but they figure they only will be in each other's bodies for 24 hours. Skylar gets to experience Ms. Callus' odd and lonely life, and Ms. Callus' gets to spend time being a model child for Skylar's parents. Of course, Skylar takes advantage of this situation to have Dana over and watch all of the videos she wants, and she and Dana even post a dance video. Of course, it ends up winning, and the K-Pop principal goes viral. This brings Ms. Callus to the attention of the board of governors, who aren't terribly pleased, but does result in some innovations at the school. As the days wear on and the two don't switch, they determine that they will have to go to the AZ8 concert, where Ms. Callus' has been invited to dance on stage, even though Ms. Callus' is rather enjoying living with Skylar's family. Will this event be the catalyst for the two to return to their own bodies, having learned to be more empathetic to each other?
Strengths: Since the 1972 title Freaky Friday has not aged well, I guess the time is ripe for more body swapping tales. This had a good method (the wonky ears), and a decent reason, and it's amusing to watch both Skylar and Ms. Callus' come to understand the other's point of view. The over-the-top descriptions of actions and events are similar to another UK import, Cosgrove and Amores' The Worst Week Ever: Monday. Fans of K-Pop will love all of the mentions of dances and fandoms, and there's a nice glossary at the back for those of us who don't quite know what "Stan" means. 
Weaknesses: This was very British, and some of the attitudes and comments seem very odd. Ms. Callus' is a caricature of a horrible principal, and she says things about students that would not be acceptable in the US. Since my father was an elementary school principal, I always find the very negative portrayals of principals odd. 
What I really think: This had the goofiness with administration seen in Kowitt's The Principal's Underwear is Missing Kim, the K-Pop influence of Kim's Make a Move, Sunny Park!  and the dancing (and similar cover) of Chan's Keep Dancing, Lizzie Chu. Interest in K-Pop at my school has never been very big, so I will probably pass on this fast-paced, silly adventure. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Sea Legs

Bakes, Jules and Smith, Niki. Sea Legs

February 4, 2025 by Graphix
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Janey and her family have a nomadic life in the early 1990s, living on a boat and sailing around the Bahamas and other temperate locations. They've recently spent an extended period of time living in Florida, where Janey was able to attend a public school. Her best friend, Rae, is devastated that she is leaving, since phone calls are hard to make from a boat, and at this period of time, were expensive! The two agree to write letters, but even those result in a delay of communication. Janey isn't as thrilled as her parents for their latest outing, especially when she realizes that being on land for so long has made her lose her sea legs, and she is sea sick for the beginning of her trip. She does remote school, which involves a packaged curriculum and papers to be physically mailed to a teacher, but also works a lot with her mother. She is lonely, and wishes that she had other children to talk to. Eventually, Janey's boat, the MeriMaid, is near the Valhalla, and there is a slightly older teen girl, Astrid, aboard. Janey's thrilled and wants to spend time with the other girl, even though she's not entirely pleasant. Janey finds out why; Astrid's mother has left, her father has remarried, and his new wife also left, leaving two small children behind whom Janey babysits. Not only that, but the one time that Janey visits the Valhalla, the father is drunk. Astrid admits that their boat doesn't even leave the harbor. The girls do have some adventures, but Astrid is always pushing Janey to do things outside her comfort zone that are often downright dangerous. When a big storm is predicted, Janey is sent to her grandmother's, where she has to wait to hear how her parents are doing. Hurricane Iris is devastating, and followed closely by Hurricane Marilyn. While her parents are fine, the boat takes a hit, and while there are rumors that Astrid and her siblings have been sent to their mothers' homes, Janey realizes that she won't ever see Astrid again. 

Strengths: This is based on the author's own childhood, so has lots of interesting details about what it is like to live on a small boat! I appreciated the diagrams and explanations of things like drinking glasses with round bottoms and a stove that stays level even though the boat is rocking! The relationship with Astrid seems very true to life; children need to be around other children, so it makes sense that Janey would have gravitated towards Astrid even though the two didn't really get along, and Astrid was not nice. Keeping in touch with Rae was also realistic, and a good lesson for modern children in how communications have changed. Above all, this was a nice, virtual vacation to a sunnier climate!
Weaknesses: The illustrations show emotions in a manga inspired, over-the-top way which I don't personally like, but which students don't mind. It also seemed a bit odd that the father was often shown without a shirt; I suppose this happens on boats, but in suburban neighborhoods it is not common. 
What I really think: This is a change from the slew of graphic novel memoirs that concentrate on the authors' tween angst. While the angst is there, we also get a slice of a completely different way of life. This will be popular with readers who enjoyed Lloyd and Nutter's Squished or MacLeod's Continental Drifter.