Mysteries

Battle, Craig and Ramon Perez. Max Finder Mystery Collected Casebook #6

10 April 2012; Reviewed for Young Adult Books Central

This book is a collection of ten mystery comic strips from Owl Magazine that involve Max Finder and his multicultural cast of friends and associates. There are also two short story mysteries. The comic strips are about four pages long, with a page at the end that describes how Max solves the mystery, reminiscent of Encyclopedia Brown. There is a section at the end on how to set up a mystery party, which is interesting! The mysteries are also similar to ones Encyclopedia might have solved; a toilet papering prank, a garden and a garage messed with, some stolen bikes.

Strengths: Anything in graphic novel format is a hot ticket in my library, and the mysteries in this series are short but interesting.

Weaknesses: This is another Canadian publication that makes me wonder if Canada is experiencing a paper shortage. The margins are tiny and the words are tiny, giving the format a very cramped feeling.

Harrington, Kim. Partners in Crime.

1 May 2012, Reviewed for Young Adult Books Central

This is the first in a new middle grade series by Kim Harrington, who did the extremely popular YA series Clarity and Perception. Best friends Darcy and Norah have a class project requiring them to set up a pretend business. They decide to create a web site for a detective business, since the dark, edgy side appeals to the borderline Goth Darcy and the good girl Norah who likes to help people. Even though their web site is available only on the school Intranet, they get an e mail from someone asking for help locating her lost twin sister. It turns out that the fashionable Fiona has found a birth certificate for a baby named Bailey born the same day, so the girls do some sleuthing and turn up a lot of irregularities. Someone doesn't want them involved in the mystery, but they continue on despite the threats. Sleepover Stakeout (1 June 2012) and Framed and Dangerous (1 July 2012) are forthcoming.

Strengths: Norah and Darcy have distinct personalities but get along well. Most of their detective activities are very realistic, but more involved than solving missing bikes, which is good for middle school. Also, there is a little romance, and the very nice touch of the girls thinking Fiona is stuck up but becoming friends once they get to know her.

Weaknesses: The girls uncover a very big and rather dangerous secret that should result in Fiona moving, but the parents trust the girls to keep the secret, which seemed slightly unrealistic. Small thing, and I am very much looking forward to this series. Just really bummed that it's a Scholastic paperback series, which means waiting for the prebinds.

The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love

Sheldon, Dyan. The Crazy Things Girls Do For Love.

Sicilee, Maya and Waneeda all have their own distinct personality quirks, but when new boy Cody Lightfoot comes to town, they are all so smitten that they join an environmental group run by the geeky Clemens in order to get near Cody. Sicilee is the poster child for overconsumption (he wants her parents to enlarge her walk in closet because it's not big enough for all of her clothes) and thinks that vegan is show for vegetarian. Maya is a little more environmentally inclined, but still more interested in Cody. Waneeda usually doesn't care much about anything, but is oddly struck by Cody's environmental interest... and his good looks. Soon, all three are trying to outdo each other in order to get Cody's attention, and come to realize that perhaps the environment is more important than they thought.

Strengths: It's always good to have books with a positive environmental message. I normally love Sheldon's work, and the cover is a slam dunk for girls to pick up.

Weaknesses: I was annoyed at almost every character in the book, and even the style (the story is told in the present tense) irritated me. In an afternote, Sheldon addresses how important being aware of the environment is, but I wish she hadn't made it seem so awful for the girls to give up meat, new clothes, and riding in the car. I am not sure it will encourage readers to become environmentally aware, but they will enjoy the story and I will probably buy the book. I just wish that I enjoyed it more!

Janitors by Tyler Whitesides

Whitesides, Tyler. Janitors.
After an encounter with what he thinks is soap, Spencer starts seeing creepy creatures roaming the halls of his middle school. He enlists the help of a classmate, Daisy, to help him figure out what is going on and uncovers a long standing problem-- since the beginning of public schools, buildings have been infected with Toxites, creatures who strip children of their intelligence for their own evil purposes. After being tricked by a janitorial manager, the two find out the real story and work against the side of evil to keep their school safe. (Don't want to spoil the good twists in this.) In the end, the immediate crisis is averted, but expect the two back in the upcoming Secrets of New Forest Academy.)

Strengths: I have a lot of students ask for modern fantasy books, and this fresh take on school life, monsters, and somewhat creepy grown ups will be just what I need. It put me in mind of Mull's The Candy Shop War, so I was surprised when I noticed that the cover blurb was from Mull!
Weaknesses: The exposition about the history of the Toxites, as well as the name, bothered me vaguely, but won't bother students. Perhaps if it had been incorporated more slowly into the narrative. Also could have worked in a dig against standardized achievement testing-- Mr. Whiteside, please talk to Jordan Sonnenblick about this while working on the next book!

Assorted Readings

McKissack, Patricia, Frederick and John. Cyborg
Sequel to The Clone Codes
There's still trouble in the future: Leanna has escaped but is missing her mother, who has been arrested for her activity in the Liberty Bell Movement. We are more concerned in this book with Houston, who is a Cyborg. Anyone with any biofe (i.e. bionic) body part is considered a Cyborg, and inferior. Along with the rebel leader Li Rizin, Houston and Leanna try to fight for the rights of people other than Firsts and Wholers, people who are not genetically or biologically manipulated in any way.

Strengths: It's good to see multicultural Science Fiction; what happened to the Lee and Low Tu Books that were supposed to come out?

Weaknesses: Liked the first book, but this seemed like a completely different series! Heavy on gadgets and things like genetic tattoos, this also slipped onto the preachy side, comparing the prejudice against Cyborgs and clones with that against African Americans. A very slim volume, and a bit of a let down. I wanted a second opinion, but could only find another review at Book Reviews and More.

Preller, James. Justin Fisher Declares War!
Justin has a cafeteria disaster his first day in his new school, and rather than hazard being laughed at for that, he becomes the class clown. This puts him at odds with Mr. Tripp, his teacher, and gets him in trouble with other students as well. When the school plans a talent show, Justin wants to be the M.C., a job assigned to Mr. Tripp. The two work together, and Justin learns that he doesn't need to be mean or disruptive to be successful in school.

Strengths: A fast paced, well put together novel for elementary students.

Weaknesses: I didn't like Justin at all, and while the cover is great, I don't see being able to sell this to middle school students. Definitely would buy for elementary.

John, Anthony. Five Flavors of Dumb.
Disclosure: Only read about 200 pages of this, enjoyed it, but was not feeling that it was a middle school book. If your collection skews a bit older, take a look at this Schneider Family Award winner. From the Publisher: "Eighteen-year-old Piper becomes the manager for her classmates' popular rock band, called Dumb, giving her the chance to prove her capabilities to her parents and others, if only she can get the band members to get along. " LOTS of people like this:

Katie's Book Blog
Reflections with Coffee
There's a Book

Also took a look at de Goldi's The 10 P.M. Question (from the publisher: " Twelve-year-old Frankie Parsons has a quirky family, a wonderful best friend, and a head full of worrying questions that he shares with his mother each night, but when free-spirited Sydney arrives at school with questions of her own, Frankie is forced to face the ultimate ten p.m. question. "), but it fell on the wrong side of the quirky/foreign (New Zealand) line for me.

Trying to look at more picture books for use in the classroom. Her Majesty Queen Rania AlAbdullah's The Sandwich Swap looked like it would be good for understanding cultural differences but didn't have quite enough substance for my purposed. Kiss the Book disagrees!

Finally: toot, toot!