A Study in Secrets and Hiding in Plain Sight

Florence, Debbi Michiko. A Study in Secrets (Last Chance Academy #1)
March 11, 2025 by Aladdin

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Megumi (Meg) Mizuno's mother has passed away, and since neither she nor her father could function because of their overwhelming grief, she ends up at the Leland Chase Academy, aka the "Last Chance" academy. Her roommate Tana seems nice, although her RA, Collette, is overbearing and tries to trip her up. There are only 35 students in grade 6-12, so classes are small. There is some free time in the evening and weekends, but there are also required activities, like movie nights and research projects. On her way into the school, Meg has picked up a kitten, Sir Grey, whom she hides in her closet, and supplies with food and kitty litter thanks to the local black market entrepreneur, Jung. When both she and Tana get an envelope inviting them to participate in a scavenger hunt, Meg is intrigued by the challenges posed by "the Mastermind". She wishes that she could go home and be with her father, and when he tells her he is going to sell the family home and move in with his sister, Aunt Vivian, Meg really wants to win the trip that is the prize in hopes of reconnecting with him and stopping the move. The clues are hard, but also personal. She works with Tana, as well as local lock pick expert Ryan, and manages to stay in the game, even after Collette intercepts one of her envelopes and threatens her. There's a time limit; the clues must all be figured out by Thanksgiving break. Since Meg's father will be in India, she'll be spending the holiday with her aunt. When competition over the treasure hunt causes tension among her friends, and Sir Grey goes missing, and secrets emerge about the academy, will Meg be able to keep her mind on the clues and her eyes on the prize? 

Strengths: Even though I have never known anyone who attended a boarding school (even though there are a couple in Ohio), it's a setting that appeals to middle grade readers. Meg isn't thrilled to be at the school, but she is at least glad to escape some friend drama back home, and she's also glad that she doesn't have to live with her aunt while her father travels. While Collette is mean, most of the other students are nice to Meg, and despite a small misunderstanding with Tana, the two get along well-- they even both enjoy hiding the kitten! There are some interesting mysteries about the school in addition to the scavenger/treasure hunt that will keep readers turning the pages. I don't want to give away the ending, but it sets up the next book nicely. 

Weaknesses: Longtime readers of my reviews know that I don't buy into the trope that grieving parents can't or won't take care of their children. Also, since my own daughter once kept a stray cat in her closet for two days before I discovered it, I couldn't buy that Sir Grey went without detection for more than about a week, especially if Collette was gunning for Meg to mess up. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers craving a boarding school mystery like Stevens' Murder is Bad Manners, Gerber's Liar's Society , Nobel's The Mystery at Black Hollow Lane, Yee's The Misfits. or even Lockhart's 2008 The Disreputable History of Franki Landau-Banks.  The next book looks like it will follow four of the characters to Newport Beach.

For more private school mysteries, make sure you check out Gerber's first The Liar's Society! 

Andersen, Beth and Comport, Sally Wern.
Hiding in Plain Sight: Kate Warne and the Race to Save Abraham Lincoln
January 28, 2025 by Calkins Creek
Copy provided by the publisher

Kate Warne is a fascinating topic for a biography, and I love that the details of her life are set against a pivotal moment in her career; the protection of President Abraham Lincoln as he traveled through Baltimore, Maryland on his inaugural train journey. Tensions were high, and whispers of a rebel plot to kill the president were heard by the Pinkerton Detective Agency, which had the presence of mind to have the talented Warne on its staff. Warne, who often disguised herself as Southern belle Mrs. Barley, in order to overhead Southern sentiments, was able to travel without detection, since no one expected a woman to be an operative. Along with the other staff, the agency was able to foil the plot to kill the president, so that he arrived safely to begin his term. There is an extensive afterword discussing facets of this journey, the state of detective work at the time, and the role of women during this era. There is also a complete bibliography.

The most brilliant part of this book is the artwork and design. Vintage photography, maps, and documents are arranged in collages that preserve the feel and colors of the Civil War era. There is so much documentation that exists from this time period, and it is used brilliantly in this book.

This is a picture book that is perfect for older children, and the story it tells is fast paced and exciting. It’s a good warm up for readers who might need a little coaxing to pick up Hannigan’s The Detective’s Assistant or Swanson’s Chasing Lincoln’s Killer, which are a bit longer.

Warne’s story is fascinating, especially since there were so few women who were able to work in fields like this. Brush off your spy skills by reading Hiding in Plain Sight along with Moss and Hendrix’s Nurse, Soldier, Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds, Kirkpatrick and Himler’s Redcoats and Petticoats, Wallmark and Smart’s Code Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars or even Christensen’s The Daring Nellie Bly: America's Star Reporter.

The Strongest Heart

Faruqi, Saadia. The Strongest Heart
March 4, 2025 by Quill Tree Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Mo Mirza and his father Mumtaz move from New York City to Texas to live with Mo's Aunt Naili and her son Rayyan. Rayyan's father was killed in a convenience store robbery, and his mother is working as an administrative assistant at the family's mosque. Mo's father has mental health struggles, and is having trouble finding a job, so having the support of another adult, especially one who cooks delicious food, is helpful. Being the new kid at school is slightly easier with his cousin around, although Rayyan is very academically focused, and some other students give him a hard time for this. Mo has never been as interested in school, even though his mother is a scientist who is working in Greece on a fellowship to help local people who have a hard time getting water supplies, but is more interested in school since he is working with his cousin. He also agrees to volunteer at the mosque with Rayyan, who needs volunteer hours for National Junior Honor Society. The boys work with young children and help them with art projects. Mo finds some solace in painting as his father spirals further into his paranoid schizophrenic episodes, since he has stopped taking his medicine. Even though he talks to his mother once a week, he does not let her know the extent of the father's problems, although he does contact her brother, who lives in the area. Mo is a huge fan of folk tales, and tries to use them to put his life in perspective, but will he be able to have a happily ever after?
Strengths: Moving from New York to Texas would be quite a culture shock, but it was good to see that both Mo's father and his aunt were able to help each other out a little bit, since they both had challenging circumstances. Mo's mother's devotion to her work is understandable, but it was also see her find a way to be closer to Mo. The cousins got along, even though they didn't seem to share as many interests at the beginning of the book. This had a more well-developed bully than I've seen in many books, and he was more interesting, too. There's a nice balance of scenes between home, school, and the mosque, and this gives us the whole picture of Mo's life. 
Weaknesses: While Mo's stories drawn from folklore are interesting, they took my attention away from his real life in a way that slowed the book down. My students aren't a huge fan of the story-within-a-story and tell me they frequently skip these inclusions. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who are interested in reading what it would be like to deal with a parent with mental health challenges and who enjoyed Hiranadani's The Whole Story of Half a Girl , Baldwin's Where the Watermelons Grow, or Keller's The Science of Breakable Things.

Charley Mouse Cleans House and Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony

Gorelik, Katerina. Charley Mouse Cleans House
March 11, 2025 by Red Comet Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Charley Mouse lives in a two story teapot that is beautifully clean and organized. This makes sense, since she works as a cleaner across the Wild Wood and Magic Forest (maps are provided). She works as a cleaner for various animals like Mr. Fox, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Snail, and the mole families. Extremely detailed cross sections of the houses provide a glimpse into the often messy lives of these creatures, and there are seek and find games suggested on every page. Charley also works in the Magic Forest for the witch at the Cauldron Cottage, at the unicorn stables (where unicorn poop smells like strawberry jam!), for Mr. Dragon, and at the candy themed home of the Gingerbread family. After her long week of work, she goes home to find that her own home is in need of cleaning!

This is a delightful longer picture book, similar in length and text complexity to the Greenwalds' The Rescues books. The pictures have a 1970s vibe to them and are quite delightful, I read this as an E ARC, and will be interested in seeing the trim size of the print book, which I hope is a little larger, so that all of the details are easy to see. I loved the idea of a mouse cleaner scurrying about cleaning up after all of the creatures in the forest, and would have adored this as a child. I spent a lot of time wearing an apron and dusting for my mother in a very serious fashion! I wish the pictures had been a little brighter; I love the combination of pink and brown, but some of the spreads could have been brighter and cheerier.

I have a soft spot for books about mice who act like humans; I even did a podcast episode about middle grade books about mice! This reminded me a little of the work of Richard Scarry, Daly's A House for a Mouse, or Godden's Mouse House, and is sure to be a hit with organized, detail driven young people everywhere!

 

Rogers, Lisa and Innerst, Stacy (illustrator)

Joan Mitchell Paints a Symphony

February 25, 2025 by Calkins Creek

Copy provided by the publisher

Joan Mitchell was a US artist living in France who created a series of paintings in the 1980s entitled La Grand Vallee. This book follows her artisitc journey and discussed not only the techniques of her abstract expressionism, but the emotions and feelings she was trying to convey with her work. There is an author's note at the end that sheds more light on Mitchell's life, along with a timeline, bibliography. There is also a photograph of Mitchell as well as a reproduction of the sixteenth painting in her famous series.

Producing a picture book about a famous artist can't be easy, but Innerst does a great job at paying homage to Mitchell's style without slavishly trying to recreate it. We get a good feel for the brush strokes, colors, and exuberance of the paintings, while we see Mitchell herself portrayed in black and white.

This book isn't as much a biography of the creator as it is a biography of a piece of art. It's interesting to see the emotional aspect of artistic process depicted.

Readers who love to see how artists use color will enjoy this book along with other exuberant artistic titles like Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos by Brown and Parra, Dancing Through Fields of Color by Brown and Sicuro, My Name is Georgia: A Portrait by Winter, and Out of This World: The Surreal Art of Leonora Carrington by Markel and Hall.

Bree Boyd is a Legend

Johnson, Leah. Bree Boyd is a Legend (Ellie Engle #2)

March 4, 2025 by Disney Hyperion

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Bree, who is best friends with Ellie, Abby, and Sammy, is a good speller, and works hard at this because her older sisters, Lex and Chris, are good at everything else. Her father, who used to be a college professor before he got into politics, is very proud of her abilities and expects her to win all of the spelling bees she enters. He has even enlisted the school counselor, Carrie, to tutor Bree. The father is very determined that all of his daughters will work twice as hard as everyone else, even though the saying goes that they might only get half as far because of the challenges Black people face. After the power goes out and Bree gets shocked trying to reseat the breaker, she develops telekinesis, which doesn't work to her advantage as much as you might think. She tells her friends about this, and they understand, especially since Ellie has the ability to reanimate the dead. Because Abby wants to perform in the talent show but every group needs at least four people, Bree agrees to perform, even though her father thinks it is a waste of her time. Her father's strict guidelines are further shattered when Chris comes home from law school with a tattooed finace who works as a floral designer. Bree participates in an exhibition spelling bee, and Carrie tries to get her to get "out of her head" by suggesting she answer as if she were different animals. It's fun, but spelling still is not what Bree really wants to do. When the final bee is on the same day as the talent show, will she have to do what her father wants, or will she be able to be there for her friends?
Strengths: It's good to see middle grade characters who have interests, and I can't think of many other books where the protagonist is interested in spelling competitions other than Blakemore's The Friendship Riddle or Seltzer's 2009 I Put a Spell on You. Bree's family is high acchieving, and the father is very invested in their success, even if he is less invested in taking care of them. Bonus points to Ms. Johnson for not killing off the mother, but having her just leave the family. It was also good to see Bree finally make up her own mind about what she wanted to do, preferring to hang out with her friends and have fun. I'm curious to see if Abby and Sammy get their own books. 
Weaknesses: While this is definitely on trend as far as current mental health practices are concerned, it's hard for me to get my head around children not listening to their parents. No matter how unreasonable my parents were, I would never have contradicted them, and certainly family therapy wasn't something that would ever have been considered. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like magical powers set against a background of reality, similar to Baptiste's Moko Magic or Ireland's Emma and the Love Spell. 

MMGM- One Wrong Step, and Rachel Carson

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Nielsen, Jennifer. One Wrong Step

March 4, 2025 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

By 1939, Atlas Wade and his father have scaled a number of mountains, since his father is a map maker who has inherited wealth. Since Atlas' mother died three years ago, Atlas accompanies his father on many of their expeditions. The newest one is a climb of Mt. Everest, something that is fraught with difficulties. They have Mr. Thromley leading, Chodak, who is a sherpa, and the difficult Mr. Blake in their group. They are in communication with Mrs. Thromley, who gives them updated weather reports, checks in with them, and as Europe descends into war, tells them what is going on. Atlas is not very careful, putting himself in danger when a yak falls into a river. When the group gets partway up, they meet Americans Jasper Pierson and his daughter Maddie. The Wades have met Pierson before, and he witnessed a serious misstep of Atlas'. He is studying the effects of high altitudes on climbers, so hopes to go with the climbers as far as Base six. Maddie is afraid of heights, but does a decent job. When the group reaches the Advanced Base Camp, the plan is to leave Maddie and Atlas with Chodak, who has injured his hand. There is an avalanche, and while it doesn't affect the Advanced camp, there is no longer any radio communication from the rest of the group. Atlas (who really would like to summit) is determined to climb up to Base Six to rescue the group, so the three take off up the mountain. This does not go smoothly, but at one point they do hear a Morse Code SOS from the other group. Will Atlas be able to find his father and save him, or will he continue to lack focus and perish on the mountain?

Strengths: Ms. Nielsen has painted a riveting picture of all of the reasons I will NOT be climbing mountains! Atlas is only fifteen, and makes a lot of mistakes that would be inconsequential on the ground, but are nearly fatal given the terrain and altitude. There's a decent amount of history not only surrounding attempts to summit the mountain, but also concerning the escalating war in Europe. I particularly enjoyed the fact that Mr. Pierson was studying the effects of altitude on the body, so when Atlas and Maddie neared Camp Six and Atlas had headaches and other symptoms, Maddie was able to tell him what was going on. For sensitive souls, this ends in a more positive manner than George Mallory's failed expedition did. 
Weaknesses: I thought this would have a little more to do with World War II. There is some mention of the events that are occurring in Europe, and some hints that one of the climbers might be associated with the Nazis, but if you are looking for a microcosm of Axis behaviors set on Mt. Everest, you will be disappointed. (I was perhaps envisioning something like Tarshis' I Survived: The Hindenburg Disaster, 1937.)
What I really think: Olson's Into the Clouds or Purja's Beyond Possible: One Man, 14 Peaks, and the Mountaineering Achievement of a Lifetime would be the perfect nonfiction accompaniment to this mountain adventure, which is similar to Smith's Peak or Reedy's Racing Storm Mountain. 

Gutierrez, Hedviga. Hiking 101: Tips and Advice for Little Campers
March 4, 2025 by Albatros Media
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Do you love hiking? Do you want to share the joy of that experience with young children? This is the book to pick up. Following a family of four as they hit the trails, this book gives a good overview of how to prepare for hikes and to stay safe while out in the wilderness. There's a note at the beginning that only one member of the family does the right thing; the other three serve as examples to avoid throughout the book.

Many topics are covered, but they all are shown with explanations of the proper ways to do things along with the pictures of the family members over packing, under dressing, etc. There are helpful pictures to show exactly what should be packed, for example. I love the reminder that it's good to make a list so you don't forget key elements of your pack. There is even a diagram showing the best way to stow things away, and helpful examples of the kinds of clothes to wear "like an onion".

In addition, there are sections on how to act in the wilderness so that nature is protected, water safety tips, guides on what to eat for optimal energy. There's brief information about how to treat injuries, along with what to include in a first aid kit. Guidelines for finding ones way are included, with insets on how to read a compass. There's even a good overview of how to set up a tent, including details such as where to stow hiking poles.

My only two quibbles are that food is shown hung in a tree in an open bag; I was taught that food should be secured in something so that animals couldn't smell it. There's also an admonition to keep hands and feet warm so that the readers "don't catch cold". This isn't expressed as "catch A cold", so it might just refer to maintaining body temperature rather than picking up the sniffles, but it's a phrase I don't think is used much.

This was a bit young for my school library, but I am thinking about buying a copy for myself if I ever have small children to influence! It would be fantastic to read on repeat before a child's first camping trip, and to reference while out on the trail.

Hannigan, Kate and Hickey, Katie (illustrator). 

Rachel Carson's Wonder-Filled World

March 11, 2025 by Calkins Creek

Copy provided by the publisher

Rachel Carson's legacy has many facets to it; not only was she a champion for nature and the environment, helping to get DDT banned, but she was a poetic writer who captured the wonder of the natural world in her works like Something About the Sky. Both of these STEAM pursuits started in her youth, and her upbringing encouraged a curiosity and enthusiasm for the environment. Using Carson's quotes throughout the book, we see how Carson interacted with the world around her, with frequent pauses to describe what she sees, hears, smells, feels, and tastes. This makes certain events, like the destruction of a local forest, seem very immediate.

This biography does a great job of describing Carson's work and life concurrently. It's devastating to read about her work on her seminal Silent Spring while she was dying of cancer, which eventually took her at the age of 57, especially since we have such a delightful window into her younger days. Hannigan, whose biography Josephine and Her Dishwashing Machine: Josephine Cochrane's Bright Invention Makes a Splash and middle grade fiction The Detective's Assistant (which has an appearance by real life detective Kate Warne) both focus on women's history, does a great job of humanizing Carson and making her work seem personal for the reader.

Hickey's illustrations are rich in natural landscapes, and seeing Carson surrounded by trees, oceans, and fields reinforces the importance of these backdrops in her work. The facial expressions show the difficulties that she faced, and I loved the photographs at the end of the book, one of Carson a few months before her death, and one of her as a girl with her dog.

Hannigan includes extra information in an author's note, and the timeline is very helpful. There are also discussions about DDT and ecology, and well as a bibliography for further reading.

Carson is a historical figure close to my heart; my daughter chose her to portray in a third grade Wax Museum project. I'm always glad to recommend biographies about environmental activists, like Sawyer's Marjory Stoneman Douglas: Guardian of the Everglades, Daniele and Wu's The Girl Who Tested the Waters: Ellen Swallow, Environmental Scientist, D'Aquino's She Heard the Birds: The Story of Florence Merriam Bailey, and Lang and Christie's The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest.

Taylor Swift By the Book and Take a Chance on Me

Feder, Rachel and Tatreau, Tiffany. Taylor Swift By the Book
November 26, 2024 by Quirk Books

Copy provided by the publisher

If I were between 10 and 24, I think it's likely I would be a Swiftie. I was greatly impressed with her 2014 song Shake It Off, and even bought the 1989 album. Before that, the only other music I've purchased in the last twenty years have been Weird Al albums! Her social media presence seems balanced and humorous, and she seems like a genuinely nice person, which can't be an easy thing to remain when one is so wildly famous. When I saw this new book from Quirk, I knew it would be popular with students, and I HAD to know how Swift was connected to Robert Frost's poems! 

I love that the authors wanted to prove that Swift writes "intellectual bops"; that sort of explains the number of authors and librarians I see on social media who are fans. Since I am not all that current on modern music, this was a great way for me to take a look at some of her work, even though I haven't looked at the literary qualities of pop songs since my former flower child teacher popped Simon and Garfunkel on the turntable in my senior English class. 

Broken into different "eras" (which I really need someone to explain to me!), the authors take single lines from songs and discuss a wide variety of influences, meanings, and connections to other works. In between these observations, they helpfully give more information about some topics, like J.M. Barrie's Lost Boys, poet Christina Rossetti, or The Great Gatsby. There are some nice lists (songs that include references to god or ghosts and hauntings, or book recommendations for certain songs. I'm curious as to how many young fans might pick up Dylan Thomas or Sylvia Plath after reading this book; it's certainly a good way to encourage fans to look at some classic literature. 

While I thought that the minute parsing of lines got a bit repetitive, I am not the intended audience. Would I have memorized a similar book about the lyrics of Karen Carpenter (even though she didn't write the songs)? Absolutely. Would I have then gone to the library and checked out as many of the titles Feder and Tatreau mention? Also absolutely. 

The cover of this is gorgeous, and when I had the book at school, my avid fans wanted to know when it would be available. I ordered several Swift biographies and titles even though I usually don't buy these until the person has passed away, and they are never on the shelf. Buy a copy of this for a school library, but maybe let the public library handle the resultant requests for Jane Austen, Lord Byron, and T.S. Eliot. Wouldn't hurt to use this book as an opportunity to press the perennial middle school favorite, Emily Dickinson, on young readers, though! 

Eulberg, Elizabeth. Take a Chance on Me

March 4, 2025 by Scholastic Inc.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Evie feels like she has blown up her life in Winnetka, Illinois after finding out that her boyfriend was interested in her best friend, and causing a scene. Unwilling to deal with the fallout, she decides to decamp to London, even though it means spending time with her father, who left her and her mother after improving his diet, losing a lot of weight, and "improving" his life. Evie is much more casual than her tanned and toned, designer suit wearing father, and never really cares for the endless parade of much younger women that he dates. She takes some pleasure in taunting him by bringing crisp packets into his apartment and wearing flip flops and worn Target t shirts, but she really just misses the close and fun relationship that they used to have. She loves London, and since she is almost a senior in high school, is able to roam the city. On two occasions, she runs into a young guitarist busking on the sidewalks, singing heart wrenchingly sad songs. Intrigued, she asks him for coffee, and he accepts. Aiden is still in high school, but the school year isn't over, and he invites Evie to hang out with him the next time he plays. He is interested in Evie's problems, and unburdening herself to this new stranger feels good, especially since he also thinks her father is wrong about the way he treats her. Eventually, Evie gets to hang out with Aiden's friends, Dev and Fiona. She also spends time with her father's current girlfriend, Poppy, who is an exercise instructor who breaks up with the father but is still willing to spend time with Evie. It's hard to deal with her father's constant judgement, especially when Evie worries that he has mental issues of his own. He even agrees to go to a therapist, but doesn't stick with it. Evie learns more about Aiden's past, and why he only wants to talk about her problems, but knowing this information allows the two of them to do activities that are meaningful to them both, and they bond. Evie surprises Aiden with a train trip to Liverpool, but when the summer ends, what will happen to their relationship? 

Strengths: Ah, London. I loved that Evie was familiar enough with the city to have favorite haunts, but was able to explore new places with Aiden. Being able to hang out with his friends and feel like she lived in the city was fantastic; I didn't really care about the drama in Winnetka, but that will appeal to younger readers. While her father's treatment of her isn't great, it is informed by his own trauma, and dealt with in a very modern way. She stands up to him, asks him to get therapy, and does reach a compromise about how they treat each other going forward. It was fun to see her interact with Poppy, who was pretty realistic about her chances with the father. Aiden was a sensitive, understanding 21st century guy who supported Evie and had his own problems. If I had read this is high school, chances are good that I would have visited London well before I turned 40. 
Weaknesses: The Abba song in the title didn't make sense to me. I was wanting something British, darker and more alt rock to go along with Aiden's angsty music. There was one musician mentioned, but I didn't recognize him, so didn't know any songs. I doubt many of today's teens are all that familiar with Abba. 

What I really think: This is a good choice for fans of Kasie West's books, Smith's The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, Welch's Love and Gelato, or other travel based romances that appeal to high school and middle school readers alike. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Speak Up, Santiago and Botticelli's Apprentice

Anta, Julio and Mendez, Gabi. Speak Up, Santiago.
March 4, 2025 by Random House Graphic

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Santiago lives with his mother (who is white) and his father (who is of Colombian descent) in New York City. His Spanish language skills aren't great, so he is spending a month with his abuela in the small community of Hillside Valley in the Hudson Valley. She lives in a charming cottage in the woods, but isn't far from the town center. Santiago is very worried that the two won't be able to communicate, but is glad to eat his grandmother's delicious cooking. He makes friends with local residents, Sol, Willie, Alejandro, and Nico, who have a secret soccer field in a clearing in the woods where they invite Santiago to play. They also take him on a tour of the charming town. Santiago is getting along with his grandmother until they attend a birthday party for one of her friends, and ovehears the ladies disparaging his speaking abilities and accent. His grandmother even laughs a bit over his accent. Since Santiago struggled with learning to speak, he takes this to heart, and it causes a lot of tension. He does compete in the soccer tournament with his new friends, and eventually talks to them about his struggles and feelings of insecurity. Bouyed by their support, he is able to talk to his grandmother about his feelings, and realizes that his Spanish skills are better than he suspects when he has to care for his grandmother after an injury. This is the first book in a Hillside Valley series. 

Strengths: Visiting a grandparent for the summer offers a gret way for middle grade children to experience a different location and culture without having to move, which, as we know, is an experience often fraught with ghosts. It's good to see Santiago connect with his grandmother, and also to see him explore the town with new friends. Existing in a family with more than one language is a challenge I haven't had to deal with, so it's good to see Anta bring his personal experiences to the story. Involving soccer in a book is always a good call. 
Weaknesses: Hillside Valley is a delightful location, but Santiago's internal struggles were rather protracted. This focus on personal troubles is definitely on trend for graphic novels, but I'd love to see some happier ones! 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Cartaya's Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish or Granillo's Cruzita and the Mariacheros.

Husted, Ursula Murray. Botticelli's Apprentice 

March 11, 2025 by Quill Tree Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Mella's family lives near and works for the famous Italian Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli. Mella often tends the geese, but frequently is able to sneak into the workshop, since she loves to draw. She has to put up with Datus, who is an actual apprentice, but not very adept at anything. After Mella gets a deal on some pigment (which the stray dog, Blue, she adopts finds very tasty.. and expensive!) Datus asks her for more and more help and she is allowed to participate a bit more. When local art patron Mona Rosso announces a contest and Botticelli is too busy to do the work himself, the two children visit the woman to ask what she would like to see painted. They decide to paint her bird, and go back and forth on how to enter the picture. In the end, the picture doesn't win, but Mella gets offered an opportunity to paint for Mona Rosso. Extensive notes at the end of this graphic novel tell more information about the treatment of women and girls in the art scene during this time period, since Mella has more opportunities than girls at the time would normally have had. 

This was very well researched and had a lot of information about the process of painting as well as different techniques; I know more about egg gesso than I ever expected to know. The illustrations are brightly colored but a bit different from the standard middle grade ones. If you have students who really want to know more about art during the Renaissance or who enjoyed  historical graphic novels like Ink Girls or Aldridge's The Pale Queen, this would be a good choice. 

Women's History Month: One Girl's Voice and One Step Forward

This is the third year that the lovely people at Astra Books for Young Readers have sent a package of Women's History Month picture books! Many thanks to Kerry McManus, for sending such a fantastic selection of STEAM related biographies. I'll feature some more next week, and as always, I post reviews on Goodreads under the name MsYingling. A shoutout to Carolyn Yoder, a Calkins Creek editor with a fantastic eye for interesting historical topics as well! 

 

Kirkfield, Vivian and Gibbon, Rebecca (illustrator). 

One Girl's Voice: How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the Land
February 11, 2025 by Calkins Creek
Copy provided by the publisher

Born in 1847, Lucy Stone battled not only society, but also her family, for the opportunity to be educated. After a childhood spent always learning, Lucy secured a position at Oberlin College, having saved up money from collecting and selling berries and nuts, since her father didn't want to contribute. Once at school, she studied hard, but worked very long days, also turning her hand to whatever work she could find. When women were denied the opportunity to speak in class, she put together a secret club to practice oratorical skills, and went up against the administration to secure equal pay for lecturers of both genders. Hired after graduation to work for the New England Anti-Slavery Society, Lucy used her passion for change on public speaking tours where she was not always well received. Undaunted, she continued her work even after her marriage to Henry Blackwell and the birth of her children, and was glad to see the Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery passed. This book includes a timeline of Lucy Stone's life and women's history, fun facts, and a bibliography.

Gibbon's art has graced many other titles about women's history, including Woelfle's A Take-Charge Girl Blazes a Trail to Congress (Jeannette Rankin), Wallace's Marjory Saves the Everglades: The Story of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, Corey's Players in Pigtails, and Esbaum's Bird Girl: Gene Stratton-Porter Shares Her Love of Nature with the World, and is bright and energetic. Quotations from Stone are featured on bulletin board worthy pages, which is a great way to have visual representation of Stone's voice.

Young readers may be surprised at the strictures placed on Stone's behavior, but the old fashioned dresses make it clear that Stone lived a long time ago. Still, there is an underlying message that the freedoms Stone is seeking should not be taken for granted.

Lucy Stone is probably my favorite women's rights activists, since she made the very bold move to keep her own name! There are many books about Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, so it's good to see picture book biographies about other influential women who worked to further equality. Add One Girl's Voice to titles such as Dalton's To Boldly Go (Nichelle Nichols) Flygenring's Vigdis, Browne's Indelible Ann (Richards), and Rosenstock's Fight of the Century: Alice Paul Battles Woodrow Wilson for the Vote.  

Atkins, Marcie Flinchum. One Step Forward
March 4, 2025 by Versify
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this novel in verse, we meet Matilda Young, the youngest of a large family living in Washington, D.C. Based on a real person, Matilda is interested in the women’s suffrage movement when the book opens in 1913. At just 14, there’s not much that she can do, and her family even forbids her from going to protest marches, although she does sneak out. While her mother and older sister Joy are very active, and her older sister Rachel has a job with Senator LaFollette on Capitol Hill, Matilda’s father does not support voting rights for women. Still, Matilda is shocked to see him at a march with his boss, drinking and making fun of the women. Her brother seems caught in the middle, but her neighbor Peter is an ally. As the years pass, Matilda is able to become more and more involved, volunteering at the Congressional Union for Women’s Suffrage, handling the mail. This gives her many opportunities to meet prominent figures in the suffragist movement like Inez Milholland and Alice Paul, as well as ordinary women like Rose Winslow who worked for years in factories and wants to help young workers get better conditions. When the U.S. enters World War I, there is some talk about cutting back on protests, but older participants regret a similar move during the Civil War. Silent Sentinals are dispatched to picket the White House every day, although public sentiment tells them not to “annoy” president Woodrow Wilson while he is dealing with the war, and they suffer frequent attacks. After securing a paying job with the National Women’s Party and being moved to working the switchboard, Matilda becomes even more involved. Her older sister, along with many others, is arrested, and kept in horrible conditions in a workhouse. The women refuse to pay fines and admit guilt. Again and again, the women protest and are arrested and abused, but they don’t give up. Eventually, the war ends, and the women’s travails pay off. 1919 is a tense year as the ratification process moves slowly through the states, but eventually Tennessee ratifies the 19th Amendment in August of 1920, and women win the right to vote.

Strengths: Each section of the book starts with a specific date, which was very helpful. This is a good outline of the different events in the movement, and watching as Matilda gets older and is able to participate more and more is interesting. Her involvement with various organizations, and her relationship with other suffragists made this quite a compelling account. There are some good notes in the back about various real life people who appear in the text; it’s sad that there isn’t more information available about Young! I love that the cover captures the essential elements of a photograph of her from this time. (Image from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/mnwp000066/)
Weaknesses: Many times, the verse format leads to having to read just one word on every line, which was not my favorite thing. I do wish there had been another subplot about other things going on in Matilda’s life; a romance or friendship with Peter would add to the appeal for younger readers.
What I really think: There are few other books about suffrage; I rather regret having weeded Bolton’s 1963 Never Jam Today, but it was in very poor condition. For now, this is a good choice for readers who liked Zimet’s Roses and Radicals, Chamber’s Finish the Fight, or Kops’ exquisite Alice Paul and the Fight for Women’s Rights, but would like a fictional view of the early 19th century suffrage movement.

Away

Freeman, Megan. Away (Companion to Alone)

February 11, 2025 by Aladdin

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this novel in verse set in Colorado, things are not going well. It's hot, there's a threat of wildfires, and we meet four kids who all have different interests. Ashantae Johnson, whose mother is a doctor, is interested in mythology, and is planning an sleepover with her friends. Grandin Stone lives out on a farm and helps his parents with the livestock. Teddy Brenkert lives with his grandmother, and the two share a love of old movies and theater. Harmony Adams-Paul wants to be a journalist and not only writes letters to her Aunt Beckie, who is working in the field, but also is researching muckrakers and writing essays about them, as well as giving her own news reports. When evacuation orders are given for an unspecified cause, all four find themselves with very few possessions, being herded into camps and made to give up their cell phones. Grandin's father is unwilling to give up his phone, and leaves the camp. After being shuttled around, Teddy and Harmony meet at Camp Rogers, and work on trying to figure out what is going on and why everyone has been made to leave their homes. Ashantae's mother is working at the camp, and Grandin is there are well. The official reason for the relocation is that there has been a toxic substance that has rendered certain areas unlivable, and there is a video shared with the residents showing a world that is slowly drying up and falling apart. When the kids notice that all of the land that the government wants to buy back is a long the river, they suspect that something else is going on. Grandin runs away, and meets some other kids who are trying to solve the mystery as well, and soon the Camp Rogers kids are putting out a zine and trying to find answers. After several years, people are unhappy being stuck in the camp. Will the truth ever come out so that they can move on with their lives? 

Strengths: The voices of the different characters are all very unique, and they are easy to tell apart. Ashantae doesn't use capitalization and references lots of mythology, Grandin is very matter-of-fact, Teddy often frames scenes as storyboards or film scripts, and Harmony's point of view is delivered in letters or news reports. The evacuation is realistically portrayed; if someone came to my door and told me I had to leave, and I saw all of my neighbors packing up, I probably would, too. Camp Rogers slowly evolves over the long time that people are there, with everyone pitching in to help out. Even though the school counselor wasn't great at science, at least the attempt was made to teach children! This is very different from Alone, but readers who picked up that story will find it interesting to see what the experience of others who were not abandoned was. 
Weaknesses: I found it hard to believe that Grandin's father was the only one insistent about keeping his phone. The plot only works if no one has access to information, though. It's a bit far fetched that Grandin is the only one who tries to leave to find out the truth. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like dystopian books like Hughes' A Crack in the Sky or Perry's Scavengers.

The Trouble with Sunshine

Mendez, Yamile Said. The Trouble With Sunshine
March 4, 2025 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

After the sudden death of her mother, Dorani must move to Wyoming to live with her Tia Ivette, since her father, Guti, is a film star who has never been part of her life. At first, Tia Ivette seems cold and distant, but she is just dealing with a lot of emotions about losing her sister after having fought with her years ago and not having made amends. Dorani is also dealing with not only her grief, but her guilt; if she hadn't gotten in trouble at school for reading The Diary of Anne Frank, her mother would have been in the hospital when she had a heart attack, and could have been saved. At least the students at her junior high in Cooper are friendly, and her experience is fairly good, even though she gets mistakenly placed in an English Language Learner class. Ivette is a horse trainer and rehabilitator, and works long hours with the animals. Even though Dorani is not a "horse person", she takes an interest in Sunshine, a horse who was in an accident that killed several other horses. Sunny doesn't want anyone to touch her and is very skittish, but Dorani is able to brush her, and the horse even cuddles up to her when she is crying. Dorani and her aunt slowly warm to each other, and family secrets emerge. When her new school reinforces racist policies, Dorani is finally able to rely on her friends and family to support her, and finds her voice just in time to speak up for herself when her father shows up to claim custody of her. 

Strengths: This was an interesting trip to Wyoming, and the descriptions of place are top notch. I almost wish there were a touch of Christmas to the cover, since it starts during the holidays when there is a lot of snow. Moving from Miami to Wyoming in December would definitely necessitate some flannel and nice warm boots! Tia Ivette's personality seemed perfectly explained for someone who ended up having to take care of her estranged sister's daughter; she's not irritated, but she's not all that thrilled about it, either. It was especially nice that the other students (with a few exceptions) were nice to Dorani, and the inclusion of information about book bans and questionable policies puts this on trend for 2024 middle grade fiction. 

Weaknesses: While the parallels between Dorani and Sunshine both processing grief are nicely done, this would have been more fun if there had been more information about horses. When my students see a book with a horse on the cover, they want a lot of details! That said, there were a decent amount of equine exploits, and way the grief is handled is much more positive and realistic than in many soggily sad middle grade books about grief. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoy horse books like Henson's The Whole Sky or Stevenson's Lizzie Flying Solo that combine horse elements with serious issues. 

Piper's Story (A Puppy Tale #10)

Cameron, W. Bruce. Piper's Story (A Puppy Tale #10)

March 4, 2025 by Starscape
Copy provided by the publisher

In a twist on the Puppy Tales series, this tenth book is narrated by Piper, a kitten who is luck enough to brave existence among Lesser Beings (humans) and end up with Riley, an acceptable 8th grade girl who tends to Piper's needs. Sadly, the household also includes Jackson, Riley's brother who is in 5th grade, as well as a large dog, Tank. When another 5th grade boy, Eddie, moves in nearby with his dog Chopper, Piper becomes determined to find a new home for her and Riley, since living with such uncouth individuals is clearly not up to her standards. This results in several instances where Piper escapes and roams the neighborhood before being found my her worried family. Eventually, Piper sneaks out and finds an interesting place, but is lured in by a Cat Lady, who decides to keep her, even though Riley is clearly wearing a collar that the woman removes and "loses". Renamed Tabbytha, Piper has to put up with the eccentric ways of her new owner while pining for Riley. While the treats are good, having to wear knitted hats is not, nor is having to cohabitate with a guinea pig named Wally. Showing her anger by peeing on an antique sofa gets Piper banished to the garage, since the Cat Lady is more interested in collecting precious objects than really taking care of pets. Riley stops by the Cat Lady's house on a neighborhood search for Piper, and even hears meowing, but can't prove that the cat is hers. Eventually, Piper escapes and finds her way home, only to find that there is a new kitten, Macaroni! It is unacceptable to have been replaced, even though she was gone for two months, and Piper plots revenge, thinking that if she could get the Cat Lady to abduct Macaroni, he would be out of her hair. When this comes perilously close to reality, though, Piper has to reevaluate the members of her family and assess her loyalty to them.
Strengths: There are relatively few books where CATS have adventures other than Hunter's Warrior series, and middle grade readers do ask for this sort of book. The Puppy Tale books are popular with younger middle school and elementary readers, so it was interesting to see a similar book from a cat's perspective. Piper is a stereotypical cat who believes that the Lesser Beings should serve her in grand style, but even so doesn't appreciate being held captive by the Cat Lady. I enjoyed the fact that Riley was very involved in sports, even attempting to try out for the high school football team, but still made time for her pet. The friction with the fifth grade boys and their dogs is realistic. The Cat Lady, Eugenia, is a bit over the top, but is eventually discovered after handing out flyers to find "her" cat, Tabbytha, and is quickly arrested but released after paying a fine.
Weaknesses: Riley names Piper "Piper Peanut Priscilla Mitzi-Moo Monkey the Marvelous", which makes her seem much younger than 8th grade. While I had questions about Eugenia's arrest, younger readers won't.
What I really think: This will be a big hit with cat lovers who enjoyed Burgos and Faison's Bodega Catsor Fairbairn's PAWS books. It's a welcome realistic choice for cat adventures for those who find Blabey's Cat on the Run or Venable and Yu's Katie the Cat Sitter books a tad too goofy.  

MMGM- Is It Real? The Loch Ness Monster, Will's Race for Home

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Fleming, Candace. Is It Real? The Loch Ness Monster
March 4, 2025 by Scholastic Focus
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Starting in 1933, there were a number of people who have reported seeing "something" in Loch Ness. Some of these, like Aldie and John MacKay, seemed more credible, since they alerted not the news media, but rather the water bailiffs, when they saw a "commotion". Others, like Marmaduke Wetherell, staged things like footprints that were made with a hippopotamus foot ashtray! Some people, like George Spicer, might have been influenced by movies. The interesting thing about this Scholastic Focus book is that Fleming invites readers to look at the different occurrences in a critical manner, and teaches them how people's thinking can be influenced by things like popular culture. This is somewhat similar to her Crash From Outer Space or Curse of the Mummy in that it debunks myths, but adds much more information about investigative techniques than these two books. It talks about different kinds of evidence, and even walks the reader through how the early stories might be critically assessed. It helps that there is a ton of information presented from lots of sources; I didn't know that there weren't any sightings during WWII, or that there was an exhaustive study done in 2023. I did have my own theory about whey there weren't really many sightings before 1933 even though there was a road around the loch; before that time, there might have been more horse drawn vehicles, which might have lead to fewer travelers, or one's who had more important things to pay attention to than roiling water! In the end, Flemind presents evidence of some very good hoaxes, although it seems unlikely that there has ever been a creature living in the loch. This will be well received by my students, and is more middle grade friendly in the formatting than Siegel's recent Loch Ness Discovered. 

Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Will's Race for Home publication

January 14, 2025 by Little, Brown Books for Young Reader

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In 1888, Will lives with his mother, father, and grandfather in Texas. The father and grandfather left Louisiana after enslaved people were set free when the father was about nine, and walked the entire way to Texas. There, the family work as sharecroppers, putting in long hours planting, tending, and harvesting cotton only to have 70% of their profits end up in the pocket of the landowner, Mr. Thompson. When the father is handed a flyer about the Oklahoma Land Rush, he brings it home for his wife to read. She has secretly been teaching Will to read as well, and the family is very excited to be able to claim land. Since it is another arduous journey, the mother and grandfather stay behind, and Will and his father take their mule, Belle, and head off. They need to travel over eight hours a day for 40 days to make it in time for the April filing date. There are challenges on the trail, like snakes, meager rations, but the real threats come from other people that they meet in town before crossing the Red River. Left alone with the wagon, Will is attacked by men who try to steal the family's money and supplies. Luckily, Caesar, an older Black Civil War veteran, calmly threatens the men with shooting them, and they back off. Of course, the sheriff throws the three out of town because he doesn't want Black people causing trouble, even though they were not at fault. Caesar is shot by one of the bystanders, a Confederate veteran, but Will has followed him and manages to get him back to his father, who removes the bullet and saves Caesar's life. It takes several days to get Caesar will enough to attempt to cross the river. After a treacherous crossing that imperils Belle, the group realizes that they can't make it to Oklahoma in time as a group. The decision is made to let Will take Caesar's horse, Midnight, and ride to Oklahoma by himself to file a claim. He manages to make it just in time, and dutifully stakes out the family's land. Unfortunately, a group of men arrive and state that they have already filed for Will's portion, showing him a bill of sale for other goods as proof, assuming he can't read. Unwilling to let the land go, Will brandishes the pistol Caesar insisted he take, and channels Caesar's calm but masterful demeanor, telling the men in no uncertain terms that he would rather kill them than give up the land. They are impressed, and leave him alone. Eventually, Belle and the two men find Will's claim. They work to plant wheat, corn, and alfalfa, and to improve the property, knowing that in five years, the land will be theirs. The grandfather and mother arrive by stagecoach, and Caesar decides it is time to continue his journey to the west coast.
Strengths: The end of the book has a note that acknowledges that all settlers were participating in the oppression of indigenous people, and mention the Indian Removal Act of the 1830s. This is important, because the adventure sagas written in the first half of the twentieth century, while great reads, complete pass over this crucial information. Going to Oklahoma was a way for Will's family to escape the tyranny of sharecropping, and to improve their lot; I wonder how much information people would have had at the time about the role or fate of indigenous people. Will's journey was a fantastic adventure, and while there are a few books about Black settlers, there are not many. The father and Caesar were great characters, even if their role was relegated to supporting Will. This is a great snapshot of an interesting period of time that set the stage for other historical events like the development of the Greenwood District in Tulsa. The cover will have young readers scrambling to get their hands on this one. 

Weaknesses: I would have loved to see more information about so many topics, but I understand that to keep the story fast paced, some details had to be sacrificed. The Civil War experience of Caesar deserves its own book! 

What I really think: I'm struggling to come up with other books about settlers in the 1800s that can still be read; Philbrick's Stay Alive would be one, as would Gemeinhart's Some Kind of Courage. Meyer's A Sky Full of Song and Park's Prairie Lotus cover homesteading, but I'd love to see an updated novel about the Pony Express or other Westward Expansion experiences that try to include information about indigenous people. I would also love for Rhodes to write a book about Greenwood, but not about the massacre. Learning about the thriving community before that tragic event would be fascinating.

Far-Fetched

Papademetriou, Lisa. Far-Fetched
February 4, 2025 by Scholastic Inc.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Even though she is anxious about many things, Lizzie Morris-Artino decides that she will run for the secretary of her class for her upcoming 8th grade year so that her father doesn't feel compelled to send her to Greenwood Academy with her sister Linden. As she frets over sending the application, her friend Monique (egged on by her other friend Harry) hits submit for her! Her anxiety increases when she finds out the popular but mean April is also running. Lizzie's parents are very concerned about her, and know that her anxiety is a problem. They talk about getting her a therapist, and her mother suggests more exercise, some coping mechanisms suggested by the school psychologist Dr. Funk, and even the possibility of getting a dog. Lizzie manages to hang in there, even when her panic causes her to do poorly on a test. She has a crush on the cute Rex, but of course her mind reverts to worst case scenarios when she sees Monique talking to him. She is also enjoying hanging out with Ant, who even helps her with her new dog, Bella, when Bella runs away at a park. Her social studies teacher, Ms. Dobbler, assigns a project, and tells everyone that the grade will be averaged with the test on which Lizzie got a C+, so Lizzie wants her partners Harry and Ant to do a really good job on their project on the Epic of Gilgamesh. April is ramping up her campaign with social media posts, but Lizzie is able to hold her own thanks to a good video of Bella catching a Frisbee that he attaches to a slogan about fund raising for a class trip that is in jeopardy. When her mother surprises her with a "Emotional Support Dog" vest for Bella, and decides to go to school with Lizzie, take the dog, and not ask permission, Lizzie is rightfully mortified. Luckily, the vice principal diffuses the situation. Lizzie is conflicted. Bella is helping when she is at home, but she doesn't want the attention that having Bella at school would bring. Not only that, but her friend Harry is very allergic to dogs. April continues to snipe at her, and when Lizzie feels sick right before she and her group are supposed to present their project, Ms. Dobbler won't let her step out to the restroom. Lizzie then spectaculary vomits into the trash can and is taken to the nurse by Monique. April, of course, uses this against Lizzie on social media, and even in the campaign speech. Lizzie thinks about dropping out, but when faced with April's smug visage, instead calls April on her mean behavior during her speech and focuses on the real issues at hand. Lizzie wins, in part because Harry and Ant spin the video loop of her vomiting and make it look like she's throwing up dollar bills. While her grandmother remains judgemental and unpleasant, her mother sees the error of her ways and apologizes, and sets up therapy for Lizzie so that hopefully her eighth grade year will be less angst filled. 

Strengths: I was very glad that Lizzie not only had good friends in Monique and Harry, but had romantic prospects in both Rex and Ant. Young readers really appreciate that sort of hopefulness. While I have never seen elections for middle school class officers in my 26 years of teaching, Papademetriou does portray these in a realistic way. Lizie's relationship with Linden was generally pleasant, and the two had good conversations about why Linden was sent to Greenwood and about how unpleasant their grandmother is. Bella's status as a therapy dog was pretty iffy, but the school reacted in an entirely appropriate way, and while it was super uncomfortable, I loved that Lizzie was able to stand up to her mother at the meeting with the principal about bringing Bella to school, and that the principal thought it was an important meeting to have. The glimpses of home life, with the father being kind of checked out but cuddling up with the dog as he worked from home all day, and with the mother playing soccer, going to book club, and thinking about starting law school. Middle Grade readers spend a LOT of time with their families, so seeing how families interact with fictional characters is always a nice touch. 
Weaknesses: I love Papademetriou's work. I do. I even enjoyed this book. But I have had enough of using "Karen" as a perjorative, and it's used here when Lizzie says her mom could "go even more Karen-y". Substitute this with any inappropriate cultural epithet you can imagine. Is this what we want to teach young readers is okay? I think not. This is the third Scholastic title in a month that has made this choice. Where are the editors? The grandmother is portrayed as very negative as well, although Ms. Dobbler at least gets a chance at redemption when she visits Lizzie in the nurse's office and gives her a pep talk. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Papademetriou's other work or Scholastic's WISH novels, or novels that depict characters with anxiety, like Baron's The Gray, Camerons' Ripley: Fire Station Five, Crocker's Dad's Girlfriend and Other Anxieties, Dilloway's Five Things About Ava Andrews, or  Greenwald's Absolutely, Positively Natty, Harrell's Popcorn, Khan's Drawing Deena, LaRocca's Mirror to Mirror,  Piontek's Better with Butter, Sumner's The Summer of June, or Uhrig's Mind Over Monsters.

 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- How to Draw a Secret

Chang, Cindy. How to Draw a Secret

February 4, 2025 by Allida

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Cindy lives with her mother and two older sisters, Jess and Em, in California. Four years ago, her father moved back to Taiwan, but her mother has not let the girls tell anyone that the parents are separated. This makes a project that Cindy has to do for Mrs. Tembrock's class a little difficult, since it is all about What Family Means to Me. Cindy is a great artist, and her teacher, as well as her friends Grace and Kelsi, want her to submit her project to a contest. Cindy is angry at her father, who last visited for her fifth grade graduation, so when he calls with the news that her Nai Nai has died, she is not thrilled to travel to Taiwan for the funeral. She brings her journal with her, and captures some of the events in her drawings. There are many preparations for the funeral, but there is also some fun like shopping and eating delicious food. When the father visits with a small boy, Cindy and her sisters are devastated to find that he is the reason that their father left, and also the reason he will not be coming back. Their mother did not know how to tell them that their father was in a new relationship and had a son, although the older sisters guessed. Cindy must find a way to make peace with her father's decisions, and see if she can make a "perfect" picture of her imperfect family, now that she is able to share this news. 

Strengths: This was a great virtual trip to Taiwan, and it was interesting to see scenes of the streets, shops, and restaurants there. The family dynamics are interesting, with the older sisters, secretive parents, and extended family both in the US and in Taiwan. While family projects like the one Cindy is assigned are increasingly rare (for reasons just like Cindy's!), I always enjoy seeing children's doing homework, and love that Cindy was concerned about missing school. Mrs. Tembrock was very understanding. The drawing style is very pleasant, and I enjoyed the color palette. (The green on the cover is very much the color of the 2020s!) This seems to be set in the modern day, since characters have smart phones and FaceTime each other. 
Weaknesses: I am beginning to worry about all of the troubled childhoods of graphic novel artists. Did not one but Jennifer and Matt Holm have the occasional happy time growing up? I'd much rather read a fun memoir like Sunny Makes a Splash, but the vast majority of graphic novel memoirs are sad. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to explore the sometimes difficult issues of families who have to exist in more than one country at a time, like Yang's Parachute Kids or McLeod's Intercontinental Drifter.