MMGM- Sisterhood of Sleuths and Spooky Snacks and Treats

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Unleashing Readers

Bertman, Jennifer Chambliss. Sisterhood of Sleuths

October 4th 2022 by Christy Ottaviano Books

ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Maizy is in the middle of a school project with her best friend, Izzy. They are making a film called Shellfish Holmes, and hope to have it chosen to be screened at the town art film theater if it's good enough. They even manage to get a giant lobster costume from her mother's costume and vintage clothing store, Alter Ego. When Maizy has an accident in the costume while biking to the park to film with Izzy, her niggling feeling that everything is not okay with her friendship is confirmed. Izzy, who insists on being called Isabelle, is more concerned with working with a couple of boys in class, even though they are not being true to Maizy's artistic vision. About this time, a box of Nancy Drew mysteries is dropped off at the store, and there's a thirty year old picture of Maizy's grandmother, whom she calls Jacuzzi, with two other women. Her grandmother didn't drop off the box, but the mystery of who did draws in neighbor and former friend Nell. Nell loves fashion, and was planning on doing a retrospective of women's clothing in the twentieth century, which their teacher thinks is a bit ambitious for a ten minute presentation. Maizy is thrown in to working with Nell, as well as Cam. The three start to look into the mystery of Maizy's grandmother, but also the history of the Nancy Drew series and its main author, Mildred Wirt Benson. Jacuzzi is not forthcoming with information about the picture, and denies knowing anyone named "Annette" after one of the books is found to have an inscription to that name from "Susie", which is Jacuzzi's real name. With the help of a librarian who isn't a fan of the books, a suspicious college student named Kelsey, and a professor, the girls get a lot of information. Will it be enough to solve the mystery of the box of books and to provide enough interesting facts for a good school project?

This was a fun and brilliantly concieved mystery which seamlessly incorporated the mythos of Nancy Drew in all of her complexity! It's not essential to know this fictional detective in order to enjoy this book, and I'm hoping to get fans of this author's Book Scavenger series to pick up Sisterhood of Sleuths and THEN guide them gently to the Nancy Drew Diaries. Having read Rubini's Missing Millie Benson: The Secret Case of the Nancy Drew Ghostwriter and Journalist, I knew a lot of the backstory on Benson and Drew, but also learned a lot. I had no idea that the series had been revamped in the late 1950s, partially to remove racist content. Sadly, while this made the books less horribly racist, those overtones persisted. Fascinating!

Aside from the inherent appeal of the Nancy Drew link, there's a lot of good, solid, middle grade angst going on. Izzy is terrible in the way that friends who are going through hard times are often terrible; it's not that she wants to be mean to Maizy, but Maizy is there. Maizy is also dealing with missing her older brother, who has just gone off to college, and she is worried that her grandmother (who first shows up in the story in an orthopedic book; I feel for you, Jacuzzi!) is getting older and perhaps forgetful. Maizy's parents are supportive, although busy. I wish more middle grade books would include major school projects, because they often loom large in middle school lives. 

I loved Alter Ego and a shopping trip there would be fascinating. The town is small enough that the characters are able to bike around and show some autonomy, which I always enjoy. 

Readers who gobbled up Souders' Coop Knows the Scoop, Johnson's The Parker Inheritance, Bowen's The Soccer Trophy Mystery, and other stories that highlight strange and interesting happenings in the past that must be explored will enjoy this fast paced and funny look at a girl who is just trying to figure out a box of books... and her life!

It's a good time to start getting ready for Halloween!

Williams, Zac. Spooky Snacks and Treats

July 5th 2022 by Gibbs Smith

E ARC provided by the Publisher

I'm a big fan of cookbooks, but my students don't check them out as much as I like. They do like Halloween, however, and this cookbook had a lot of things to recommend it. There are 42 recipes, instead of the ten or so found in something like Tumley's Cool Creepy Food Art (2010), and they are all simple to create, unlike the ones in Farrow's The Official Harry Potter Baking Book (2021) or as I like to call it Impossible Things to Attempt with Bread Dough. 

Since there are so many recipes, they range from punch (Does anyone serve punch at parties any more? Open bowls of liquid? For the first time, this struck me as the strangest idea.) to snacks to more entree like items, such spaghetti arrranged in a horror themed way. There are several different cupcake ideas, and only one involves fondant. 

The ingredients are all fairly easy to obtain, which also works in this book's favor, and I appreciated that there were some fairly common foods that were given a spooky twist. I think I need to make the Haunted House Lasagna, which is basically a pasta dish with pesto and alfredo sauce instead of marinara. I may pass on the grapes in mayonaisse, which is a bit like my mother's beloved Waldorf Salad. 

There is a clear and helpful photograph with each recipe, which is very helpful when trying to present these dishes. You want to make meat loaf into Brain Loves or turn a pasta dish into Worms and Things Salad, this is the book for you. The only thing that might stop me from buying this is that it is spiral bound, and those don't hold up particularly well in the library. If I were ten and had my own copy of this, I would have wanted to make dinner every night! (But my parents probably wouldn't have wanted to eat it.)

The Highland Falcon Thief

Leonard, M.G. and Sedgman, Sam.
The Highland Falcon Thief (Adventures on Trains #1) 
July 28th 2020 by Feiwel & Friends 

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Hal Beck is lucky enough to accompany his uncle, a travel writer, on the last journey of the fabled train, the Highland Falcon. The train has a rich history, royal connections, and his uncle has traveled on it before and written about it. Hal isn't quite prepared for how fancy the train is, and ends up borrowing a suit that used to belong to a prince. He is the only child on the train, or so he thinks until he meets Lenny Singh, the daughter of the engine driver, who has stowed aboard, in part because the beans on jacket potatoes her dad makes for tea are so awesome. There are problems aboard the train, however; there is a rash of jewel thefts, hitting everyone from Lady Lansbury, who is on the train with her pack of Samoyeds, to the princess herself. Luckily, Lenny knows the train, and Hal has a great eye and sketching ability. Suspicion for being the "Magpie" who steals the jewels falls on many of the travelers. Will Hal and Lenny be able to solve the crime before the end of the journey?
Strengths: While this is set in the modern day, it reminded me a bit of Beil's Lantern Sam and the Blue Streak Bandit, which I loved, and had a very strong feel of a classic 1920s mystery like those of Agatha Christie, Dorothy Sayers, or Patricia Wentworth. (I'm a huge fan of British mysteries!) There are some nice modern twists, and a fast-paced, interesting mystery.
Weaknesses: I did wonder at the beginning if this were set in the past, but younger readers will just assume a present day setting.
What I really think: Sadly, my students are not as excited about British mysteries as I am, but this is definitely worth a look if Steven's Wells and Wong mysteries are popular in your library.

Mystery and Fantasy

Henry, April. The Night She Disappeared.(13 March 2012)
Gabie was supposed to be making deliveries for Pete's Pizza the night that Kayla too her shift and her car was found abandoned. Drew feels guilty because he took the call for the bogus order, but can't remember the voice. This story shifts point of view from these three characters (so we know what has happened to Kayla), as well as to various different people involved in the story, such as Cody, who is an addict questioned by police; Gavin, a search and rescue diver, and "John", the man who kidnapped Kayla. Because the readers have all of these view points, we know a little about what is going on, but Gabie and Drew try to find Kayla, and there is doubt about whether they will find her in time to save her. Like Teri Field's Holdup or Cadnum's Flash, this is an interesting take on a kidnapping mystery.
Strengths: Like this author's Shock Point (from 2006!), this story is not a pleasant one, but one which my students who like murder mysteries will pick up. Definitely buying this one.
Weaknesses: Not my cup of tea. When I read mysteries for pleasure, I always pick up the "cozies", so this was a bit much. Not anything overly violent, no language, brief kissing between Drew and Gabie.

Cashore, Kristin. Bitterblue.
1 May 2012, Dial
My fantasy amnesia makes it very hard to remember Graceling(2008) or Fire (2009), other than that I liked them and was excited to get Bitterblue. It took me the entire Easter weekend to read this, mainly because teenagers were having Disney song fest and it was hard to concentrate, but also because I got caught up in the characters and couldn't zip through it.

Bitterblue is now 18 and trying to reclaim the kingdom her father Leck destroyed. She wants to be a fair ruler, unlike her father, and understand the workings of her kingdom so that she can help the people. She starts to sneak out at night to see what is really going on, and meets Saf and Teddy, printers and outlaws who are bent on stealing back things that were taken under Leck's rule. Katso and Po are helping Bitterblue with her work, as are a variety of advisors, including Death (pronounced Deeth), the librarian who has the Grace of reading everything superfast and remembering it all. This comes in handy when he tries to recreate all of the books that Leck destroyed, and also when Bitterblue unearths her father's disturbing journals, that turn out to be not only in ciphers (like the embroidery that her beleaguered mother left) but in another language entirely. Through Saf, Bitterblue comes to understand how poorly her kingdom is run, but also runs into some danger. None of the people she knows seem to be who they say they are, and she uncovers secrets that make her allies her enemies and vice versa.

This book stood on its own as the story of Bitterblue and the kingdom of Monsea, and if I remembered more about the other two, I would have appreciated the inclusion of Katsa and Po, and well as Fire's appearance later in the book. These still remind me very strongly of Pierce's Alanna books.
Strengths: I was drawn to the character of Bitterblue. She had a horrible past to overcome and was trying to do so, even though she had few advisors that she could trust. Her relationship with Saf was understandable, as were his reactions to finding out who she was. The kingdom was fully developed.
Weaknesses: This is a very long and convoluted story; definitely high fantasy. It also seemed odd that the people of Monsea knew so little about the countries outside of their own. Like the other two books, there is mention of contraception and one scene where Saf and Bitterblue spend the night together, but drawn so vaguely that younger students will skim right by it and not know what happened.

Shorter Books

Rock, Nora. Fly Away.
Marnie is asked to be a flyer on her competitive cheerleading team after one of her teammates is injured. Matters become even more complicated when Marnie's boyfriend of two years is cold and distant, and the other girls on the team doubt Marnie's ability. Marnie's best friend (and team captain) Arielle is also acting strangely, and when the team travels to Toronto for a competition, Arielle disappears, leaving the team shaken and unable to compete effectively. Marnie knows something is up, so delves into Arielle's art interests and realizes that she has run away and is most likely with a creepy art "benefactor" who is passing Arielle's work off as his own. Can Marnie make things right for herself, her team and her friend?
Strengths: For a hi/lo book, this is very complex, and the writing is smooth. I will definitely be able to circulate this frequently. The cheerleading details are good as well.
Weaknesses: The book ended very abruptly, as if the author hit a page limit and just quit writing.


Robins, Eleanor. The Library Book Mystery.
Lin is working on a science project on an unusual topic. The public library doesn't have any books, and the teacher is not letting the students do internet research, so when she finds a book in the school library, she is very relieved. After working on the project in class, the book goes missing, and she suspects that Chandra has taken it. Her friend Willow, who volunteers in the public library, helps Lin locate the book-- Chandra has said that the book is somewhere they won't look for it, and (highlight to see text if you don't mind spoiling the surprise) the book has been put back on the shelf without having been checked in! Definitely has happened!

Strengths: This is part of the Carter High series by Saddleback and is a very low lever reader. This will be good for my struggling 8th graders who need a short mystery book.
Weaknesses: I don't remember the writing being so choppy in other books in this series, but this was painful. As if low level readers can't handle commas. For anything. Ever. (page 15: "Lin would have to find a book at the school library. Or she would have to write about something else. And she didn't want to do that." So many sentences started with "and" and clearly should have had commas. I'm sure there was some reason for doing this, but I don't think it was necessary.

Weekend Reading

Johnson, Maureen. The Name of the Star. 

Rory's parents move to England from Louisiana, and she attends a boarding school. Shortly after she gets there, a Jack the Ripper style murder occurs very near the school, so everyone panics and Rippermania take hold of the area. Having snuck out on the night of the murder, Rory is questioned by the police, especially since she saw one man that no one else saw. It turns out that Rory has the ability to see ghosts. Is the murderer really Jack the Ripper? Rory gets involved with paranormal "police" to help solve the crimes.

Strengths: Really can't do this book justice without spoiling the suspense. I'm not a fan of gory books, and this one is not especially so, but given the nature of the murders described, this is not for the faint of stomach. Johnson always does an excellent job of realistic fiction, but her foray into the paranormal is fantastic as well. 

Weaknesses: Not quite sure where the sequel to this will go; I'm sure it will be good but I would have preferred a stand alone title.

Grimes, Nikki. Planet Middle School. 

Joylin is a self-proclaimed tomboy who disdains all of the fripperies that girly-girls employ, but when she starts to be interested in several boys that she knows, she finds herself wearing makeup and uncomfortable clothing in order to attract them. She has many typical issues-- buying a bra, arguing with friends, feeling akward. 

Strengths: I'm always hypercritical of novels in verse, and this one is not bad. While the poetry doesn't have as much meter or rhyme as I would prefer, each poem is at least thematic, and the progression of them makes a fine story. I do have a lot of girls who play basketball, and it was great that the story was about an African American girl and NOT about her being African American! Weaknesses: Joylin approaches her problems with an overwrought sort of energy that I found tiring but which is true to life. 

Alvarez, Julia. How Tia Lola Ended Up Starting Over. 

Nominated for the Cybils by Gina Ruiz. 

Victor and his three daughters have moved to Vermont from New York City and share a house with the elderly Colonel Charlebois. The family loves the area, as well as being near Victor's girlfriend Linda and her children, who are living out in the country with Tia Lola, but everyone is concerned that Victor is not going back to his job as a lawyer. In order to make money, the family decides to turn Colonel Charlebois' house into a bed and breakfast. This angers the owner of another such establishment in town, and when Tia Lola gets the B&B up and running, a string of bad luck causes many disturbances. The children investigate and find out who is behind these, and the families all formulate plans to get their lives organized. Strengths: This is a nice multicultural story with a strong family support system, and is funny as well. Weaknesses: This is the fourth book in a series, and somewhat confusing because I hadn't read the others.

Sternberg, Julie. Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie. 

Nominated for the Cybils by Janelle. 

Eleanor's babysitter, Bibi, moves to Florida to take care of her sick father, and Eleanor is inconsolable. She misses Bibi and doesn't want to like her new babysitter, Natalie. Everything reminds her of Bibi, and she is frequently mean to Natalie just because she is not Bibi. Ellie is also somewhat concerned about starting third grade, and spends the summer working through all of her issues. She plays with children she doesn't like, sets up a lemonade stand, and finally comes to an acceptance of the new reality of her life with the help of her parents, Natalie, and a letter from Bibi. 

Strengths: This might be helpful for a very young child who has lost someone dear to him. The pictures and easy text would make this an accessible book for that. 

Weaknesses: I was halfway through before I realized it was meant to be a novel in verse-- the short lines seemed more like an I Can Read book than poetry.

Missing Parents

Townsend, Wendy. The Sundown Rule.
Nominated for the Cybils by Nancy Hogan.

Louise and her father live an idyllic life in a small house in the woods, where Louise is free to roam and commune with animals. The only rule-- anything she has caught needs to be released at sundown. When her father gets a job in Brazil, she is sent to live with an aunt and uncle. She misses her cat, who has been left at the house, but soon makes a friend and manages to find animals to tend even in the suburbs. After the death of her cat, her father's attack of appendicitis, and the death of a crow at the hands of a friend's father, she relies on the help of her family and friends (as well as a new pet tortoise) to get over all the bad things life has thrown her way.
Strengths: Lots of good details about working with wild animals-- Louise even stitches up a bird's leg!
Weaknesses: A very, very sad book.

Steinhoefel, Andreas. The Spaghetti Detectives.
Nominated for the Cybils by Jen Robinson.

Rico lives with his mother, who works in a nightclub. She refers to Rico as her "proddity" because he has trouble with math and paying attention, but is good at other things. He fancies himself a detective, and frequently pays visits on the other residents of his apartment building. He befriends Oscar, who loves music and wears a helmet to protect his special brain. Rico's uncle is dying of cancer, so his mother leaves him alone to go visit him. During this time, Oscar goes missing, and Rico suspects the Aldi kidnapper (aka Mr. 2000, because he demands only 2000 Euros for the children he kidnaps, under $3000), Rico checks out everyone in the area to try to save his friend.
Strengths: Fairly interesting mystery, and the German setting (and mention of Aldi!) is new.
Weaknesses: This looks like a lighthearted book for younger readers, but is filled with mature content-- the mother's appearance, the fact that she leaves him alone, the Aldi kidnapper threatening to return body parts of his victims to their families-- maybe this is something that European children revel in, but this is definitely not for elementary students.

Acampora, Paul. Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face.
Nominated for the Cybils by nanmarino.

Zachary and his father live in a rusted out trailed in Colorado, but after Zachary's mother runs off to work on a cruise ship, the two decide to move to Connecticut, where Zachary's father gets a job as the local policeman. The Spinellis are new neighbors, and Zachary soon takes to Rachel, even though she is harboring a lot of anger about her developmentally delayed brother Teddy and has a habit of getting into fights. There are many interesting people in town-- Rachel's family runs a diner in town (where her mother's ashes are kept in a coffee pot), there is a local ice cream parlor run by a Polish couple, and the mayor and teachers are friendly and accessible. Teddy, Rachel and Zachary spend the summer hanging out together and getting into various scrapes. When Zachary's mother wants to come back to visit, Zachary is enjoying his life so much that he doesn't want to see her.
Strengths: Nice humorous book with a romantic interest. Small size and funny cover will encourage boys to pick this up.
Weaknesses: There is great character development, but the plot suffers because of it. At first, the book is one introduction to a new character after another.

Avi. City of Orphans.
Nominated for the Cybils only in my mind!

In 1893 New York, Maks works as a newsboy. When the Plug Ugly gang threatens him, he is saved by the plucky but homeless Willa, whom he takes back to meet his hard working Danish immigrant family. Unfortunately, this is the night that they find his sister Emma has been arrested for stealing a watch from a guest at the Waldorf Hotel, where she works as a maid. Maks sister Agnes is studying but ill with tuberculosis and Agnes and the father are going to lose their jobs when the shoe factory closes down, so Maks and Willa try to find a detective to help them prove Emma's innocence. They find Donck, a former Pinkerton detective also dying of "consumption" who helps Maks get a job at the Waldorf so he can find the watch and the real thief. Willa helps the family out by taking over Maks news job, but the gang continues to threaten the two. Some odd coincidences help the two figure out the real culprit, and the family's fortunes improve.
Strengths: A fast-paced writing style and compelling mystery, combined with a few fun illustrations, make this one historical novel that students won't mind picking up.
Weaknesses: The persistence of teachers to overuse this author's older titles make him a hard sell. This is too bad, since some of his books are really great.

Wallace, Rich. War and Watermelon.
Nominated for the Cybils by Beth Mitcham (pending approval- thank you!)

In the summer of 1969, Brody is dreading junior high while looking forward to playing on the football team. His older brother, Ryan, has just graduated from high school and is stocking shelves at a grocery store, which makes Brody worry that Ryan may soon be drafted. The brothers attend Woodstock, follow the popular rock songs and the Mets baseball season, and try not to have too many generation gap fights with their (shocking!) mother AND father. Brody and his friends also spend a fair amount of time hanging out at the swim club checking out the girls, and the dance there is a highlight of the season. As the summer draws to a close and junior high looms large, Brody realizes that the summer, while busy and filled with some difficult moments, has helped him prepare for his future.
Strengths: Rich Wallace writes fantastic sports fiction, and this book makes it clear that his writing is so good because he remembers clearly what it is like to be a junior high school student. The historical details are spot on in this one, but set against a more interesting story line than a lot of other 1960s books. Boys will pick this one up for the baseball, football and girls and not even care that it is "historical". If books like this won awards, more children would read them! Has a sports book ever won a major award?
Weaknesses: There's almost too much going on, and I wish that Brody had not eaten the chicken salad that had been out all day and missed the moon landing! I would have loved to read Wallace's description of that, although maybe he, too, had some bad chicken salad that day! I barely remember being allowed to stay up to watch that; I had just turned 4!

Various Weekend Reads

Howe, James. Addie on the Inside.
Nominated for the Cybils by Tasha Saecker

Companion to The Misfits. Addie doesn't fit the mold in her middle school-- she's outspoken and embraces views others don't necessarily accept, in part due to her family influence, especially that of her grandmother( a former hippie), who is visiting for a length of time. Addie has a boyfriend, but she can't really see why he likes her. Addie's friends are mainly boys, which also causes her some grief. Addie tries to support her friends in the best way she can, even if she gets in trouble for observing a day of silence on behalf of GLSEN, and tries to remain true to her own beliefs even when it is difficult.
Strengths: For a novel in verse (a form which I usually dislike), this is fairly well done. I can see the reasons for using this format, but would have found Addie's story more compelling in prose.
Weaknesses: I cringed when Addie made her life more difficult than it needed to be, but that is a daily occurrence for most middle schoolers, and is therefore true to life.

Schroeder, Lisa. Sprinkles and Secrets.
Nominated for the Cybils by Kristen Harvey

Sophie is thrilled when she gets an audition for a role in a television commercial-- the summer camp has paid off, and maybe she can use the money she earns to get more training. The problem? The role is in a commercial for Beatrice's Brownies, the chain that is threatening the It's Raining Cupcakes shop of her best friend, Isabel. Instead of coming clean to her friend, Sophie lies and says the commercial is for bran cereal, but when Isabel comes back from New York (after winning a baking competition) and finds out, how can Sophie repair their relationship?
Strengths: Cupcakes and acting. The stuff of tween girl fantasies. This was even better than the first book, which has been widely read in my library. Friendship issues are always something girls want to read about, and this was a nice twist.
Weaknesses: A national commercial and winning a baking competition? Stretches the bounds of my credibility, but students shouldn't mind.

Dionne, Erin. Notes from an Accidental Band Geek.
Nominated for the Cybils by Jason Walters

Elsie wants to follow in her father and grandfather's footsteps and become a professional French horn player. In order to do this, she wants to get into the Shining Waters music camp, but because of family scheduling problems, the only music group she can get into her freshman year is marching band. It's bad enough that she has to put down her French horn for the mellophone, but even worse that band keeps her so busy that it is hard to practice for the Shining Waters audition. Elsie feels that her father doesn't believe she is a good player, so their once close relationship is now strained. Once she gets used to the people in the band, Elsie starts to form close relationships with them and to realize that while she is serious about music, she is also enjoying the fun and companionship of marching band.
Strengths: This is a great book for any student wanting the dirt on what marching band is really like. Clearly, Dionne spent a lot of time with one-- the details are tremendous. The light romance is a nice touch as well.
Weaknesses: I wanted to encourage Elsie to find another career choice. Like teaching Latin, I would think that wanting to be a professional musician in today's economy would be a very bad choice!

Haworth, Danette. Me and Jack.
Nominated for the Cybils by Joan Carr.

Joshua is used to moving around for his father's job as an Army recruiter during the height of the Vietnam conflict. When the two get a house away from a base, his father wants Joshua to have a dog. The dog they pick up from the pound is a bit odd, and turns out to be a rare breed. The dog is not terribly well-behaved, and when trash cans are knocked over and other mischief is done, neighbors start to blame Jack. It doesn't help that anti-military feelings in the town are running high after a local boy is MIA. Joshua tries to find out what animal is causing the problems, a task that becomes even more important after a valuable horse is savaged.
Strengths: This was an interesting way to approach the political feelings of this era, and boy-and-dog tales are something we need more of.
Weaknesses: I was distracted by the anachronisms. In the late 60s, dogs would have had dog names-- there would have been lots of people named Jack. At one point, Jack knocks over garbage cans with diapers in them-- disposables were available then, but rather rare. There is also some channel flipping on tv, pizza, and a dollar for a lost tooth. Students will not notice this, but historical fiction, especially when it involves recent history, needs to be accurate.

Atinuke. Have Fun, Anna Hibiscus.

Anna is leaving her close family in Africa to go visit her grandmother in Canada. She is accompanied on the plane by a family friend who helps her understand some of the differences she will face, but when she gets to Canada she is surprised by the cold, the different food, and the fact that her grandmother keeps a dog in the house. The two spend lots of time bonding, and Anna meets another girl who is going to go visit her father in Africa. This is the fourth book in the series, and I would have sworn it was nominated for the Cybils. Maybe it was moved to early chapter books.
Strengths: A good look at another culture in a way that even younger students can understand. Does not favor one culture over another but presents both as equal.
Weaknesses: I fell that I need to read the others in the series to get a good feel for the character's family in Africa.

Carman, Patrick. Floors.

Leo and his father live in the basement of the Whippet Hotel, where they work as janitors and help the quirky residents with the unusual rooms. The owner has gone missing, and boxes start appearing that instruct Leo to investigate certain clues. With the help of Remi and Blop, a robot, (as well as some of the ducks that live in the hotel), Leo works his way through the clues. There are people interested in the property, and someone is sabotaging the hotel, where things are breaking down more quickly than Leo and his father can fix them, so it is important that Leo figure out the mystery of the boxes, and the disappearance of the owner, as quickly as possible.
Strengths: Well written and engaging. Saw this compared to Ellen Raskin and definitely have to agree there. This may appeal to fans of Lemony Snicket as well.
Weaknesses: This must have been moved to middle grade fantasy. It's hard to tell-- aside from the talking robot, it could have been realistic fiction, but it also had a definite Charlie and the Chocolate Factory vibe to it.

Priestly, Chris. Mister Creecher.
Billy is a pick pocket who falls on hard times and is rescued by a tall, scary man, Mister Creecher. Creecher takes care of him while he is recuperating from a fever, and helps him gain some economic stability. Billy's job is to follow two men, Frankenstein and Clerval, and find out what they are doing. That's right-- Creecher is Frankenstein's creation, but he has run away. He has a deal with Frankenstein that a companion will be made for him, so follows the scientist to make sure this happens. Along the way, Billy and Creecher spend time in a freak show and help out an old man on his property, where Billy falls in love with a girl. Will the scientist keep his end of the bargain for the sad and lonely monster he has created?
Strengths: Along with Victorian London, Frankenstein seems to be a new trend, and this is an interesting twist on the tale, certainly much more readable for middle school students than Shelley's work.
Weaknesses: I was hoping this would be scarier. The cover is good and spooky, so maybe students will pick it up thinking that it is and gets sucked into the story. I will certainly look for this author's The Dead of Winter.

Also looked at Cohen's Leverage, which looked really good but was more of a high school book about steroids and bullying.

Divergent, etc.

Roth, Veronica. Divergent.
Beatrice has been raised in a future dystopian society where personality influenced factions are more important than one's relations. When, on her 16th birthday, she must choose to remain in Abnegation (which requires a life of self-sacrifice with which she has never felt comfortable) or follow her heart to the very different life of the Dauntless, she chooses to become Dauntless. Further complicating matters is that her personality test indicated that she was really Divergent, which is very dangerous since such people don't fit one particular mold, and she is told to keep this secret. Once in the Dauntless compound, she embarks on an initiation course which includes weapons, fighting, and evil cohorts who think that she should fail. Despite the difficulties, Tris (as she now calls herself) triumphs, using her Abnegation ways to her advantage, and drawing on her inner strength to change her views on the world. Helping her is Four, a trainer with whom she develops a romantic bond and with whom she has more in common than she could imagine. When things go wrong in the larger world and the Dauntless are manipulated to attack the Abnegation, Tris and Four manage to survive when many of both groups are destroyed. The next book, Insurgent, due in May, promises even more Hunger Game style violence and adventure.
Strengths: Wow. At 487 pages, this kept me reading past my bedtime. I was enthralled with Tris' search for identity and the lengths to which she was willing to go to change who she was. In a way, the larger conflict that results in Tris' parents being killed got in the way. I would rather have seen the world as envisioned by Roth be a fairly happy place, and read more about how Tris worked within that world. But what fun would that have been? I also really like the romance between Tris and Four, especially this exchange (pg. 337): "Fine. So you're not pretty. So?" He kisses my cheek. "I like how you look. You're deadly smart. You're brave." That's way better than all the vampire stuff out there.
Weaknesses: Violence. Lots of violence. A boy getting a knife in his eye while he sleeps. People jumping to their death. People being shot. At close range. Sex is also mentioned, and this is the hard part. There is nothing more than kissing and hugging going on, but Tris and Four talk about someday perhaps having sex. Four appears in Tris' "fear landscape", and she is afraid of intimacy with him. While I don't have a problem with this, some 6th graders will freak out over this, so I will have to see if the other middle schools buy this before purchasing it for my school. That said, I am encouraging both my own daughters read this because it was really good.

Watson, Geoff. Edison's Gold.

Tom Edison, a descendant of the inventor, is happy with his friends and his New York life, even though he is frequently in trouble when his own inventions go bad. This life is imperiled when his father gets a job offer in Kansas. When trying to clean up his workshop, Tom and his friends come across a clue that may help him find Edison's formula for creating gold and indicate that his great great grandfather and other famous men of the time were involved in a secret alchemical society. To complicate the search, a descendent of Nicola Tesla, Curtis Keller, is bound to avenge the wrongs done to Tesla.

Strengths: Lots of action and adventure, nice historical tie-ins, and a main character that students should like. Always need more mysteries, and I think this will be popular.

Weaknesses: Bad cover, and a vague feeling of being a twist on National Treasure, complete with aroom full of gold that the children decide to abandon for the greater good.

Abbott, Tony. Lunch-Box Dream.

Bobby and his family are driving their grandmother from Cleveland to Florida after the death of their grandfather in 1959. They are supposed to see Civil War battlefields along the way. The trip is not an easy one, and when the car is damaged, the family has to ride back on the bus. This story is interspersed with the story of Jacob, a young black boy who is sent to stay with relatives. When Jacob goes missing, his family also tries to get on the bus but runs into an overcrowding situation, and the fact that they are black does not override their need to get to find Jacob. Bobby, who is not used to seeing "chocolate people" is moved by their plight.

Strengths: This has a Watson's Go To Birmingham feel to it, and collections where books about Civil Rights are in high demand will want to consider this title.

Weaknesses: The alternating viewpoints made this somewhat confusing, and the overwrought emotions of everyone involved make this a difficult read. I agree with Publishers Weekly that this is beautifully crafted but "challenging for the target audience".