Various Reads

 Davies, Jacqueline. The Magic Trap.
April 1st 2014 by HMH Books for Young Readers
Copy provided by HMH Middle Grade Mania

Jessie and Evan are a little apprehensive when their mother is preparing to go on a business trip and planning on leaving them in the care of her friend, while their grandmother goes to visit friends from her old neighborhood, but this almost falls through when the friend is hurt in an accident. Never fear: their father has just blown in to town between assignments and can stay with them. Jessie thinks this is great, since she misses her dad, but Evan knows how unreliable his father can be. Evan is reading an old book on magic and is determined to do a disappearing trick with a rabbit, but needs help building the box to make the trick successful. Things go fairly well with the trick planning, but just as a storm is planning on blowing in to town, their father has to leave, but they manage to have a successful magic show without him. Since their mother is supposed to come home, he doesn't worry, but the storm delays her and Jessie and Evan have to ride out a Category 1 hurricane alone. A tree falls through the house, and when their mother comes home, she is rightfully angry with the father but impressed that the children did so well on their own.
Strengths: This is the final book in the Lemonade War series, which has included a couple of mysteries, the grandmother's dementia, and a variety of topics. Jessie and Evan seem to get along well, the family dynamics are interesting, and the books are short and easy to follow.
Weaknesses: This poor family has more than its share of problems, and this is a very sad book. Jessie is a really annoying nine year old, and I'm not sure that I am okay with the message that some people just don't make good parents, and they just have to understand that their father is one of these people. I suppose this gives them a little better relationship with him, but it's still a little disturbing.

Shusterman, Michelle. Friends, Fugues, and Fortune Cookies. (I Heart Band #2)
January 9th 2014 by Grosset, Penquin USA
E Book from the Ohio E Book Project

Holly is looking forward to the winter dance, since she wants to ask Aaron, her crush. She's so sure that he's going to ask her that she turns down good friend Owen's invitation, only to find out that Aaron is asking her best friend (and former enemy) Natasha. There's also a band fund raiser going on; the different sections are having bake sales and competing to see who raises the most money. Natasha and Holly are also competing for regional band, so their friendship is in a tense place. Holly also feels awkward around Owen, with whom she usually plays video games, but when she shows up at the dance, forgetting that she lied to him about having a date, she knows she has to tell him the truth to make things right.
Strengths: Lots of good details about middle school; girl drama, romance angst, band details, and some fashion thrown in for good measure. Love the covers, and think this will be a popular series with girls who like the Crush books.
Weaknesses: Only in paperback or e book version; there's not even a Follettbound version yet. Drat. I found the fund raising and regional band competitions different from what we have in Ohio, but things could be different in other states.

   


Martin, Ann M. Here Today. 
Published October 1st 2004 by Scholastic Press 

In 1963, Ellie has a difficult life. Her mother, Doris, is obsessed with finding fame one way or the other. She takes acting lessons, goes everywhere in overly tight, garish clothes, and doesn't take care of Elli or her brother and sister very well. Ellie has a good friend, Holly, who also lives in her run down neighborhood, but the two are both mistreated at school and made fun of by the other girls. When Doris does not get a job as a Circus Girl (spokeswoman for a restaurant) and the parade in which she is supposed to ride on a float is canceled because of JFK's assassination, she decides that life is short and moves to New York City to find work as an actress. Ellie is left to try to help her father take care of all of them, and also has to deal with people who keep damaging the property where two elderly ladies "who are not related" live together. Ellie misses her mother and runs away to New York to visit her, only to find out that she is not her mother's top priority.
Strengths: I've been looking for books set in the 1950s and 60s that deal with every day life. This has great details about fashion, food, social mores of the time AND cultural happenings such as JFK's assassination and the Ed Sullivan show. Definitely glad to have this one for use when students are looking for background information about the era when they read The Outsiders.
Weaknesses: Rather sad, and I found it hard to believe that Ellie's mother would really leave home, but she definitely did. The misfit quality of the neighborhood is emphasized a bit too much. Would people at that time really have cared if two women who were unrelated were living together?

Ruth Chew Reissues!

Chew, Ruth. The Trouble With Magic
January 28th 2014 by Random House BFYR
 (first published 1976)
Copy from Young Adults Book Central and reviewed there. 

Barbara and Rick's parents are away, so they are being watched by a nice older lady, Mrs. Cunningham,  who is fond of cooking cabbage. The two can't stand the smell, so they buy a dusty air freshener for a quarter at the corner store. When they open it, out pops a wizard named Harrison Peabody. He makes Barbara's room smell like roses-- by having roses grow all over it. Rick's room smells like pine, and you can guess why! But Harrison's magic doesn't always work, so they children let him stay in the attic as long as Mrs. Cunningham doesn't know that he is there. The three go on a number of adventures, including riding on a sea serpent in the local lake, whom they must rescue when he is captured by the zoo. Soon, however, the parents are expected back, so Harrison must leave.

Strengths: I've always been a huge fan of Chew's work, so the very best part of this for me was the inclusion of the original cover under the dust jacket. For a long time, I had just about all of these delightful magic tales in very fragile paperbacks, but I gave them to another Chew fan a while back. I'm going to buy these for my school library, because they are great for reluctant readers who like magical realism. Simple and fun, they make it seem like magic is just around the corner, if we only know where to look.
Weaknesses: Like the republished The Little Leftover Witch, this has a very retro feel. Who is this Mrs. Cunningham, and why doesn't she watch the children more closely instead of watching movies on television? Why do the children feel it's appropriate to let a vaguely skeevy old guy live in their attic, magic or not? Reading things from my youth always makes me realize how very much the world has changed in the last 40 years!


Chew, Ruth. Magic in the Park.
January 28th 2014 by Random House BFYR

(first published 1972) 

Copy from Young Adults Book Central and reviewed there.

Jennifer wishes her family hadn't moved from Carbondale to Brooklyn, because she misses her friends and being able to play outside. When she ventures forth from her apartment on Ocean Parkway to Prospect Park, she sees a man feeding a lot of birds and an unusual tree. When she goes back, she doesn't see the tree, but she meets Mike, who manages to fall into a nearby pond. She helps him, and the two become friends. Mike has also noticed that the tree never seems to be in the same place two days in a row, and also feels that the man feeding the birds is unusual. When the two cross the pond to find the tree one day, they find that it holds bigger secrets than they could ever imagine-- they get stuck underground, and eventually, turn into birds! While this is exciting, they also know that it is dangerous, and try to figure out how and why this occurs, and what part the old man has in this.

Strengths: There are many reasons that I loved these books as a child, and why children today might find them even more enthralling than I did. Jennifer and Mike are allowed to run all over Brooklyn by themselves, even though Mike has shown that he is apt to fall into the pond that has broken bottles and tin cans at the bottom! There's always a tasty snack (usually warm cookies!) waiting at home whenever they manage to roll in, and they manage to get to experience magic without the adults (with the exception of an especially understanding grandmother) being any the wiser. These easy to read books are great for strong first grade readers, but also amusing to struggling middle school readers.

Weaknesses: Again, these seem a little dated. Today, I'm sure that the grandmother (the mother would be at work) would insist that she accompany the children, would insist that Mike have a tetanus booster after his dunk in the pond, and would probably report the bird man to the police. There might also be a "clean up the pond" initiative. Still, I'm glad to be able to share these with my students.

Guy Friday

Alexander, Kwame. Crossover.
March 18th 2014 by HMH Books for Young Readers
Copy from the publisher via Middle Grade Mania.

Twins Jordan (JB) and Josh Bell (aka Filthy McNasty) both play basketball, but have different styles on and off the court. JB showboats a little less and is concentrates more; he also has a girlfriend, which makes Josh rather jealous. Josh is loud and proud, and occasionally breaks out in some decent rap-style poetry. He also has a lot of trouble with impulse control, which gets him in trouble, at one point resulting in a bet with his brother wherein he loses five of his dreadlocks. To complicate matters, the boys' mother is their school principal, and their father is a former basketball playerwho had to retire due to knee injuries, and is not in the best of health. As an at home dad, he is supportive of the boys, but doesn't take care of himself, which leads to a tragic ending.
Strengths: Even though this is a novel in verse, I think that the boys who really like basketball will read it. Great cover, lots of good basketball details, and engaging characters. When Josh writes poems in rap, they are pretty good. There can never be enough basketball books; I will have to process this copy from HMH immediately because I have an 8th grader who has literally read all of my basketball fiction. Every single book. And I have more than the public library does!
Weaknesses: Note the "even though". Novels in verse are something my students do not like. While the rap poems are good, the rest could easily have been done in prose. It was slightly hard to tell the boys apart at the beginning of the book, but that got better. My only other objection is personal: I'd like some middle grade parents to live, but apparently I am in the minority on this.

Farber, Erica. Fish Finelli: Operation Fireball
April 1st 2014 by Chronicle Books
ARC from Baker and Taylor 

Fish and his friends are back, and this time they are bound and determined to win the Captain Kidd motor boat race. Bryce, who is snooty and lives in a mansion, has a brand new, high powered boat, so it will be hard to beat him, but Fish has a lot of confidence in his old motor. He gets an older boy to help him redo the engine, and enters the race. Things go wrong, but Fish does the right thing. He doesn't win the race, but he wins some friends and the confidence of his parents.
Strengths: I liked this more than the first book, mainly because the plot is more realistic. Fish is a good character-- he means well, but things don't always work out for him. This had some fun action and adventure, with a touch of survival, and the side bars with factual information are usually interesting. (Some are a bit odd, like the one about Julius Caesar!)
Weaknesses: This is still a bit young for my group, but if I had an elementary library, I would definitely buy the series.


Egan, Kate, Wight, Eric and Lane, Mike. The Vanishing Coin (The Magic Shop Book 1)
April 22nd 2014 by Feiwel & Friends
ARC from Baker and Taylor

Mike and Nora are thrown together because they are neighbors and their parents get along, but Mike is always in trouble and Nora is more academically inclined. When Mike happens upon the White Rabbit magic shop, he is very interested in the tricks, and thinks that this might be something that he's good at. Descriptions of how to do several of the magic tricks are included.
Strengths: There is a lot of good information about magic tricks, and this is a pleasant enough story to read. There are a fair amount of illustrations.
Weaknesses: Too young for my students, who don't show any interest in magic. Also, it was rather depressing-- maybe Mike wouldn't be so dysfunctional if his parents limited his computer time and spent time with him instead of ignoring him while they work at home.

Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile

Wells, Marcia. Eddie Red Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile 
April 1st 2014 by HMH Books for Young Readers
Copy received from HMH Middle Grade Mania

Edmund Lonnrot lives in New York City with his parents, attends an expensive private school, Senate, and has a photographic memory. This isn't all that useful, but when he and his father are getting ice cream and his father gets tangled up with a man who turns out to be part of an art crime ring, his ability to draw the man's face from memory astounds the police. Reluctantly, Detective Bonvano hires "Eddie Red" to hang out at museums, pretending to draw but in reality looking for certain faces that have been involved in crime. This is great, because his father has lost his job as a librarian and the family can no longer afford to pay his tuition. Eddie gets involved in a copy of situations (one where he accidentally Tasers a cat!) that are dangerous, but his real contribution is figuring out with his friend Jonah that the criminals have altered their pattern of thefts, identifying the next theft, and realizing that some of the criminals are hiding in plain sight. Bonvano grudgingly admits that Eddie is a valuable asset to the department, which is probably part of what leads to book two: Mystery in Mayan Mexico.
Strengths: Nice sense of place, good details about art museums in New York, and a supportive family for Eddie. BOTH of his parents are alive! The employment by the police department is realistically done, students will like the pictures of various characters, and librarians everywhere rejoice in the cover-- a black boy. This book would be a good next step for readers who enjoy Sharon Draper's Ziggy mystery series.
Weaknesses: There are several times when Eddie talks about being bored sitting in the museums, and I shared his emotions at those points!

World Wednesday-- Game World

Farley, Christopher John. Game World
Published February 4th 2014 by Black Sheep

Dylan and Emma are orphans being raised by an aunt who is a professor who studies birds, and their life isn't easy. They both excel in school, however, but are the object of frequent bullying. When there is a local tournament for the popular video game Xamaica, Dylan and his wheelchair bound friend Eli qualify and eventually win. They are whisked off by the company owner's celebrity daughter, Ines, and with some clever work, are sucked into the world of the video game. There, they meet an abundance of mythological creatures and find that the magic in Xamaica is being drained away. Emma goes missing, so Dylan, Eli and Ines attempt to get her back while also trying to figure out how to restore the magic. Secrets about all of their intertwined backgrounds are revealed, and much adventure is had in the rainforest.
Strengths: I appreciate that the author incorporated a variety of ethnicities (Dylan and Emma are black, Eli is Hispanic, and Ines is Korean) and personal challenges (Dylan suffers from seizures as well) in children who are academically advanced. Basing this on Jamaican legends is a fun change, and incorporating video games into the book will definitely make this a hit among some children. I also appreciated that the author wants to include both genders equally, and that he is passionate about gender equity.
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/03/19/are-gender-specific-books-bad-for-kids/

Weaknesses: This starts with stereotypical bullying which includes the bully farting on his victims. Piers Anthony blurbed this book and stated "there are real children here who...fart-- things almost guaranteed to freak out...librarians". I'm not freaked out; I've just read books that incorporate farts in a much more amusing way. I was disappointed in the quality of the fart inclusion. Plus, really-- the school nurse knows about this, knows that the bully is the superintendent's son, and isn't on the phone immediately to him? While this book had its moments, it also had a lot of loose ends (what happens with the aunt who gets fired?) and tried to pack a lot of information about legends in, so the book got to be somewhat chaotic.

Gavin, Rohan. Knightley and Son.
March 4th 2014 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens 

Darkus' detective father Alan has been in a coma for around four years; his mother has remarried to Clive, the husband of Alan's deceased assistant and father of Tilly, who sometimes gets along with Darkus and sometimes doesn't. Darkus has been studying his father's old files, so when his father suddenly snaps out of the coma and shows up at the house claiming that "the Combination" is behind some crime spree, he feels able to help. Enter "Uncle Bill", a Scotland Yard detective who is kind of creepy but knows a lot, and a best selling book called The Code that seems to be involved in the crimes. Since Alan comes in and out of consciousness and isn't very reliable, Tilly and Darkus try to figure out what the mystery is behind the elusive author of the book, and how this ties into Alan's problems.
Strengths: Slightly reminiscent of Alex Rider, this is a nice British conspiracy mystery. There's a decent amount of action and adventure, as well as some Sherlock Holmes type investigating. Tilly and Darkus work well together, and Alan and his detective underworld are delightfully... underworld? Seamy? I like how Jen Robinson described it: "it feels looking back like the entire book takes place at night, on dark London streets." The cover is fantastic.
Weaknesses: Drags a bit and is somewhat long, but isn't really a YA book. Still, I think mystery lovers will enjoy this one, so I'll buy a copy.

Slice of Life

I've seen other bloggers participate in this challenge by Two Writing Teachers, but I've never done one because I try to limit my personality leakage and stick to books. Since personality was leaking everywhere in my library yesterday, I thought I would share.

After a lovely week of spring break, I found myself with a persisently nagging toothache all day Sunday and into the night. Well into the night. Nothing helped: the warm saltwater gargle, the warm rice bag, the ill-considered swish of cold water that caused my eyes to water and cross with the pain. Since I well know that F.W. Woolworth died of septicemia because he didn't like dentists, when I rolled out of bed still in agony, I drove the car to work so I could get to the dentist quickly.

The office supposedly opened at 8:00 a.m., so I called during announcements, I called after my first class, and finally, the receptionist called me back. I explained that I was very sorry to bother them, and maybe I was reacting poorly to my first ever toothache, but I was uncomfortable and thought the issue should be addressed. There was an appointment at 4:00, but it didn't sound like I could wait that long: could I come in right now?

Just let me get my coat.

Luckily, the office is a half mile from school, because I completely understood people who pull their own teeth at this point in time. A stabbing pain radiated from my jaw, every gland in my neck felt swollen and sore, and it was all I could do to keep from screaming when I sucked in a cold mouthful of air in the parking lot. Being poked and prodded for the exam and x ray didn't help, but did convince me that Novocaine was the most brilliant invention in the world.

In between, I managed to ask my dentist, who attend my school, if she would like to be our speaker at our Bulldog Breakfast in a few weeks, so I was actually working.

After picking up my prescription for an antibiotic for the inexplicable infection at the root of my tooth and one for prescription ibuprofen, I continued through my day of getting students books, occasionally stepping into the back room to moan silently and massage my jaw, and wishing that I had gone taken the Percocet offered. Less pain AND more amusement for everyone while I was loopy. Just as well that I didn't, though, since I had to take the dog to the vet after school.

It was 7:00 p.m. by the time the throbbing subsided, but I learned so much during the day. I learned that Novocaine does in fact make half your tongue and lips so numb that putting on lip balm becomes a novel exercise in believing one has no lips. I earned a new appreciation for people suffering from chronic pain. I readjusted my "Scale of Pain", wherein previously having warts liquid nitrogened off the bottom of my foot was a ten and giving birth without any drugs was a five and limping around with a pulled IT band was a two. (Actually pulling the IT band was a five as well.) The toothache moved the wart down to nine.

This morning, after a blissfully pain free night of sleep, I feel bludgeoned, exhausted, and sore, but today is going to be a MUCH better day than yesterday. A good friend of mine once told me that "All sun and no rain makes a desert." It's much easier to be grateful for a lack of pain when we have spent some time in its presence!

By the Grace of Todd

Galveston, Louise. By the Grace of Todd
February 27th 2014 by Razorbill 

Todd's room is such a mess that when he sees a spark flying from a dirty sock, he is concerned that spontaneous combustion might be occurring, so he consults his homeschooled neighbor, Lucy. The two discover that the dirt in Todd's room has given rise to a race of tiny beings the size of ants, who live off of Todd's skin flakes and other detritus. In order to keep the evil Duddy and the even more evil Max from bullying him, Todd agrees to let Max have the Toddlians for a science fair project, and joins Max's Zoo Crew in order to keep an eye on them. Being in Max's possession is difficult for the Toddlians, who would rather be back home. Todd and Lucy need to work together to keep both the Toddlians and themselves out of Max and Duddy's clutches.
Strengths: This had some good moments-- Todd's dad is a nurse and his mother is an out of work music teacher, Lucy lives in her own strange world but helps Todd out when he needs it, and the Toddlians are a fun race, somewhat like The Borrowers.
Weaknesses: This fell on the elementary side of the Pilkey line for me, with the repeated descriptions of skin flakes and other grossness. The bullying aspect of the story took away a lot of the pleasure of the tiny race of people, and I could never figure out exactly how big they were. Ant sized, or when they stand up in a match box, almost that tall? This would be an excellent addition to an elementary library, but I think I'll pass, since I can't get Bunting's The Lambkins to circulate.

MMGM-Hunt for the Hydra

 

http://hmhbooks.com/middlegrademania/

I don't know what I did, but late in the day on the most abysmal, sleet/rain/snow-ridden Saturday afternoon, I got a beautiful blue box filled with yellow tissue paper and six hardcover books from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Kids!

I am very impressed by tissue paper. And cool boxes. 

It included Schrieber's Game Over, Pete Watson and Vernick's Screaming at the Ump, both of which I've read, and Wells' Eddie Redd, Undercover: Mystery on Museum Mile, Alexander's The Crossover, Davies The Magic Trap and Samworth's Aviary Wonders, Inc., which I have not!

So very excited, especially since my TBR pile at the time included no library books, one paper ARC, and three digital titles. I was getting awfully close to having nothing to read! (I even have 64 more books coming from Baker and Taylor, but I've read all but about 5 of those!)

Anyway, what a great thing to find on my doorstep!

Fry, Jason. Hunt for the Hydra (The Jupiter Pirates #1)
December 23rd 2013 by HarperCollins 

Tycho Hashoone lives on the Shadow Comet, a privateering spaceship run by his mother, Diocletia. His brother Carlo and sister Vesuvia know that only one of them will be able to take over the ship when their mother steps down, so they all take their work very seriously. After the secession of the moons of the outer solar system from Earth, these moons have formed the Jovian Union, which is at war with Earth. The Jovian Union has provided the Comet with permission to intercept freighters and claim their cargo, and that's how the Hashoones earn their living. However, when they pull over the Cephalx II, there is a "diplomat" aboard who claims the ship therefore has immunity. Unconvinced, the Comet hauls the Cephlax off to the seat of government on Ceres, a dwarf planet, and sit before the magistrate Threese Suud, who claims that while he will investigate, the diplomatic immunity will most likely stand. In the meantime, the Comet accepts a mission from the Jovian Defense Force to find out why so many Jovian merchant ships are missing. They track communications and ion emissions, which lead them to discover that the pirate Mox, long thought dead, is back. He is also in league with an unlikely ally. Can Tycho and his family prove their claim and route the evil from the intergalactic police force?
Strengths: There have been a lot more space adventure science fiction coming out, which is great. This reads a bit like Star Trek, with the feuding forces and adventure, and the technical details of space travel are fascinating. I'll be interested to see what the next book brings. Not surprisingly, Mr. Fry has done a large number of Star Wars related books.
Weaknesses: Since the three siblings are supposed to be at odds, I was hoping for a little bit more character development; perhaps that is coming in the following books. I also had an Artemis Fowl type problem with the book-- I'm not convinced that the Hashoones are the good guys, and that always makes it hard for me to root for the characters. I want to know why the Earth forces are evil, and what compelled the Jovian Union to be formed. Still buying a copy, though!

Waxman, Laura Hamilton. Fabulous Fashion Inventions
September 1st 2013 by Lerner Publications

This 32 page book offers very brief information about a few notable fashion inventions, such as Levis, bras, velcro and zippers. It also has a page on shoes, which doesn't seem like enough time to spend! While this is the kind of nonfiction that I normally like, what I really want is a 32 page book ALL about Levis, or fasteners, or underwear, or some other narrower topic that could be discussed in a more in depth fashion. There is a whole series of these, and  they are somewhat tempting, but they also cost $20 each. That said, I really want to see Brilliant Beauty Inventions, which includes the following topics:  Bathroom business -- Mirror -- Botox -- Deodorant -- Q-tips -- Bobby pins -- Lipstick -- Kleenex -- Nail polish -- Hair dryer -- Hair dye -- Razor -- Mascara. Recounts the stories behind the invention of some commonly used beauty products, such as Q-tips, kissproof lipstick, nail polish, hair dye, and more.

I think that one would ALWAYS be checked out!

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday at Anastasia Suen's blog.

Being Sloane Jacobs.

Morrill, Lauren. Being Sloane Jacobs.
January 7th 2014 by Delacorte
Copy from Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there.   

Sloane Emily Jacobs is the pampered daughter of a senator who is expected to really excel at figure skating. Sloane Devon Jacobs is a hockey player from a tough Philadelphia neighborhood who has some anger management issues. Both girls are sent to camps for their respective sports in Montreal. They have a hostile meeting in a hotel, their bags are switched, and they decide to switch places, mistakenly thinking that the others' sport is easier. They find out differently. Not only are both sports physically grueling, but there are mean girls in each, and a lot of competition. Both girls struggle with perfecting a new sport, meet cute boys, and deal with escalating family problems. Is the grass really greener on the other side of the ice?
Strengths: This was just the sort of book a lot of my 8th grade girls want. I enjoyed the fact that the girls had a lot of other interests other than the boys, but there was a bit of romance as well, and nothing inappropriate. Both girls get to show how difficult their sport is, and there are a ton of good details. For fans of Freitas' Gold Medal Winter, Messner's Sugar and Ice, and Davis' The Boyfriend Game.
Weaknesses: From the cover, I thought this would be a much sappier romance. A cover with a pair of figure skates and a pair of hockey skates would have been much better!

Saturday Morning Cartoons-- The Sea Wolf

London, Jack. The Sea Wolf
(Michel Dufranne, Jean-Christophe Camus, Damir Zitko )
1 April 2014, Papercutz
Copy received from publisher

When the intellectual book reviewer Humphrey gets washed overboard, he ends up on the seal hunting vessel, Ghost, captained by Wolf Larsen. Life is extremely brutal, and Larsen refuses to let Humphrey off the boat, so he does the best he can to survive. After Humphrey's life is even more imperiled after a mutiny gone wrong, and when female reporter Maude Brewster also ends up on the boat, Humphrey knows that the two of them must escape in order to have any chance of survival. Once they do, however, they face even more harrowing odds than they did on the boat.
Strengths: This graphic novel version follows Jack London's novel very closely. The mood of the original is also well captured, with grimly dark, well done illustrations. Wolf Larsen is portrayed as someone to steer clear of! This might be a good way to get students interested in classic novels; Papercutz has a whole series of the Classics Illustrated books.
Weaknesses: This is almost too gruesome a tale for middle school. Lots of murder and mayhem.

Guy Friday--Across a War-Tossed Sea

Elliott, L.M. Across a War-Tossed Sea
1 April 2014, Disney-Hyperion
E ARC from Netgalley.com (Also reviewed at YABC)

Wesley and Charles have been sent away from England during WWII because of the Blitz, and are living with a family on a farm in Tidewater, Virginia. Charles tries to fit in, going by Chuck and playing football, but he wants to go back to England to help with the war effort. Wesley is bedeviled by Ron, one of the boys in his family, who teases him mercilessly, and is also fascinated by Native Americans, have read books about the "wild west" back in England. The boys work hard on the farm, and the war intrudes on nearly every aspect of their lives. There are drives for scrap metal and rubber, rationed food and gas, German POWs in a camp nearby, and shipyards not far away in Newport News. Wes finally makes a friend in Freddy, another rather bookish boy who is living with his grandparents while his parents are working for the war effort, only to find out that he's "not allowed" to be friends with him because Freddy is African American. Charles is terribly upset by the presence of the Germans, whom he despises for bombing his country, until he meets Gunther, who shares some of Charles' interests and is being tortured by other POWs who fought in Africa and are die-hard Nazis. (And who have "SS" tattooed in their armpit so they got preferential medical treatment on the battlefield. Did not know that!) Even though the war is not being fought on American shores, the boys find that there are plenty of dangerous situations on the home front.
Strengths: This was a particularly good home front book, in that it addressed many of the issues involved with the fighting going on in Europe. Many homefront books are rather boring, but this had a lot of really exciting things happening PLUS a lot of interesting tidbits about the war that I didn't know. The social interactions between the English boys, African Americans, Native Americans, and the Germans were certainly an important part of the book, but Elliott manages to keep this from being slow paced by including some mystery and fighting. Very well done.
Weaknesses: This is a companion to Under a War-Torn Sky, but if there are characters in common, I completely missed it.

Under the Egg

Fitzgerald, Laura Mary. Under the Egg
March 18th 2014 by Dial
E ARC from Netgalley.com

When Theo Tenpenny's elderly grandmother is killed by a car in New York City, she is bereft for many reasons. He was not only her link to the outside world, but also the only person supporting her and her (possibly autism spectrum) mother financially, apparently with a veteran's benefit, which is odd because Theo didn't think he served in WWII. Before he died, Jack did say that Theo should look "under the egg" and "for a treasure". In Jack's studio, there has always been a picture of an egg, and when Theo is looking all around it, she manages to spill rubbing alcohol on the painting, which removes a layer of paint to reveal an older painting of a Madonna and child. Theo sets off to investigate the painting with the help of new neighbor Bodhi, being careful because she thinks Jack may have stolen the painting from an art museum where he worked as a guard. With the help of a hipster librarian, Episcopal priest, and various others, Theo uncovers an even bigger mystery, which she ultimately solves so that she and her mother can stay in the family home and not be destitute.
Strengths: This had a huge amount of research into several areas, such as the paintings of Raphael, as well as the artwork taken by the Nazis, ala The Monuments Men. Bodhi and Theo work well together, and enlist the support of the right people. There were lots of twists in this that I didn't see coming.
Weaknesses: Theo's family circumstances were unnecessarily dire. Her grandfather would have been about 90, so didn't need to be hit by a cab and leave a bloodstain on the pavement, and she could have had a mother who was at least trying to make ends meet. All I could think was "Where are social services?" My biggest problem with this, and the reason I'm not entirely sure I'm going to buy this, is that it is very slow paced. Not a lot of action, and a lot of details about the paintings that are interesting but which make the story drag a bit. Still, a good mystery, so I am debating.

I can see this being a very strong Newbery contender because other teachers and librarians really, really like it. I did, too, but the number one complaint about middle grade books from my students is always "Nothing happened!" This almost always means that there was little action.

World Wednesday- The Ukraine

Kerr, Philip. The Winter Horses
March 25th 2014 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
ARC from Baker and Tayloe

During World War II, Kalinka's entire family and village have been destroyed by the Nazis, and she has run far from that location and ended up on the steppe, where she is befriended by several horses. Max is the caretaker of a animal refuge that had been founded by a German man, but which has fallen on hard times. Nazis are now billetted at the refuge, and Max is in the good graces of the commander, who loves horses. However, he has orders to destroy all of the Przewalski's horses. They are endangered, and Max has worked hard to keep their numbers up, but the Nazis think that they are wild Gypsy horses and need to be exterminated. It doesn't hurt that they can also be used for food, which is hard to come by. After the Germans kill most of the horses, Max is bereft but still wants to stay alive, since he had been imprisoned during the Bolshevik Revolution and was badly injured. However, when Kalinka shows up with two of the horses, he tries to help her recuperate from her deprivations and make plans to get herself and the horses to safety just as the war is coming to a close. 
Strengths: This was a fantastic story of a very unusual facet of the war! The Przewalski's horses were actually listed as extinct for several years; there is an interesting article about them here. Kalinka's story of survival is heart rending, but her encounters are not all terrible. This is an exciting addition to Holocaust stories because it can also be enjoyed by readers who like horse stories and outdoor survival tales. 
Weaknesses:I didn't know that Philip Kerr also wrote as P.B. Kerr! I love the Children of the Lamp series, and it was interesting to see him take a turn at historical fiction. What a great start! (Okay, not a weakness.)

Vigilante, Danette. Saving Baby Doe.
March 20th 2014 by Putnam Juvenile

I really, really want to like this one. The cover is awesome, and I love that it has Latino characters, but the whole concept of two teens finding a baby fell flat for me, and the description of the blood (from a cut) running down Anisa's legs and making the police think she had given birth to the baby was uncomfortable. When Lionel's mother is concerned lest he actually get into trouble by getting a girl pregnant, she gives him a birth control talk that includes a condom and a banana.

As long as you know that these scenes are in the book, you can choose whether or not it is something that you are comfortable handing to students. I'm not seeing enough interest for the story in my library to overcome that in my case. I did really like this author's The Trouble with Half a Moon.

From Goodreads.com: Lionel and Anisa are the best of friends and have seen each other through some pretty tough times--Anisa's dad died and Lionel's dad  left, which is like a death for Lionel. They stick together no matter what. So when Lionel suggests a detour through a local construction site on their way home, Anisa doesn't say no.

And that's where Lionel and Anisa make a startling discovery--a baby abandoned in a port-o-potty. Anisa and Lionel spring into action. And in saving Baby Doe, they end up saving so much more.

Danette Vigilante crafts an accessible, heartfelt and much needed story for the middle grade market featuring Latino characters.

Battle of the Beasts

Columbus, Chris. Battle of the Beasts (House of Secrets #2)
March 25th 2014 by Balzer & Bray/Harperteen 
E ARC from Netgalley.com

The Walker children are back in the Kristoff house after their adventure in House of Secrets, but all is not well. Their father is gambling away the money Eleanor wished for, school is difficult for Brendan, and Cordelia is cold all of the time and her teeth are falling out. Before you know it, they are whisked off (along with Will, who has sent some time in jail) to another adventure. It turns out that the Wind Witch was living inside Cordelia, and in trying to escape, the children end up in another Kristoff story, this time set in ancient Rome. In a panic, Eleanor wishes that the Book of Doom and Desire would disappear, not thinking that this might also trap them and the house in Rome. Brendan feels right at home and is willing to stay and train to be a gladiator, but when the Nazis attack, Will, the girls, and a gladiator named Felix set off to head them off and end up in the Himalayas. They find more books by Kristoff as well as his wife's diary, which uncovers a very big secret about the Wind Witch. They also battle cyborg Nazis. . Not willing to leave Brendan behind, Cordelia heads back to Rome to get Brendan while Eleanor stays behind to fight off the frost monsters with the monks. Eventually the three unite and try to return home through the Door of Ways, which shows each of them both a good and a terrible vision of their future. When they finally return home, the children fear that the bad versions will come true, since the family has indeed lost the Kristoff house because of their father's gambling.
Strengths: This has lots of action and adventure, and the locations to which the children travel are fun. There is a tiny bit of romance with Cordelia and Will, but it doesn't come to anything. This is great fantasy adventure for elementary and middle school students. I can think of about ten right now who will enjoy this.
Weaknesses: Cliff hanger ending is a bit annoying to me, since I weary of series, but my students will like it.

Baldacci, David. The Finisher
4 March 2014, Scholastic Press
E ARC from Netgalley.com

This is a dystopian adventure for middle school and up. It weighs in at 512 pages, and Baldacci says in a preface that he's really, really pleased with it.

I'm not sure how I feel. I'm not a dystopia fan, and this had an odd tone. In the first couple of chapters, gobsmacked, gormless and one other odd Britishism were thrown in, as were made up words for time (slivers for minutes and sessions for years). Combine that with odd names like The Quag and Wugs, and this was hard going. There's also room for many, many sequels. There's more at Publisher's Weekly.

Anyone else have any thoughts on this? Doesn't help that this is the time of year when I have no money to spend but huge lists of books to buy. Makes me overly critical some times, but I can't buy every book. Interested to see what people say.

From Goodreads.com
In The Finisher, a 14-year-old girl named Vega Jane lives in a village called Wormwood where the citizens have been told that the forest surrounding them is full of monsters. When Vega's mentor disappears, leaving behind a secret message, she begins to realize that Wormwood is a village built on dangerous lies.

MMGM- Hidden Like Anne Frank

Prins, Marcel and Peter Henk Steenhuis. Hidden Like Anne Frank: 14 True Stories of Survival.
 March 25th 2014 by Arthur A. Levine Books
EARC from Netgally.com

Mr. Prins mother was hidden as a very young girl, and he was always enthralled with her stories. After he interviewed her, he collected the stories of 13 other people, mainly from Amsterdam, who were hidden during this time. The variety of the stories is compelling, and all are told in a gripping, realistic and yet not horrifying way. Most middle school students are familiar with Anne Frank's story, but this book points out that there were many other children who were hidden. Definitely purchasing a copy of this one for use in the Holocaust unit. There is a web site as well, http://hiddenlikeannefrank.com, that would be great for teachers to use in the classroom if there is an LCD projector. The pictures and brief nonfiction text would be a good addition to the lessons.


Dixon, Franklin W. The Vanishing Game (Hardy Boys Adventures #3)
June 4th 2013 by Aladdin

Joe is dating Daisy, whose father has bought the Funspot, an older amusement park in Bayport. In order to get more attention, Daisy's father Hector has hired the Piperato Brothers to design the G-Force ride. However, since buying the park, Daisy's mother has lost her high paying job and the family has fallen on hard times, causing Daisy not to be able to go to a private school and therefore breaking up with Luke, who does. When the G-Force ride premieres, a girl named Kelly disappears from it. She can't be found, and news swirls all around the event. Of course, Frank and Joe start their own investigation. The Piperato brothers show up and are a bit bizarre, creating their own viral videos about the "death ride". When Luke also goes missing from the ride, the Hardy boys know that something is going on and find out some dark and dirty secrets about Daisy's family.
Strengths: Lots of good things going on here. Amusement parks, light romance, romantic rivalry, criminal pasts, and an awesome roller coaster. The Hardy Boys books are like graham crackers-- not the most healthy thing you can eat, but not too bad for you, and they make a yummy snack!
Weaknesses: I wish that this new series didn't go back and forth between Joe and Frank's view points. They are so similar that it's just confusing and unnecessary. This book seemed to end on a cliff hanger, which is too bad. The thing I like best about these books is that they don't need to be read in order. Have to find book #4 to see what the deal is.

Into Thin Air (Hardy Boys Adventures #4)
October 22nd 2013 by Aladdin 

Peril at Granite Peak (Hardy Boys Adventures #4)
February 4th 2014 by Aladdin

As I suspected, book #4 needs to be read in order to find out what happens in book #3.  This is too bad, because the fact that most of these books stand alone was a big selling point to me. Not a huge deal, and good to be aware that students can read these in any order with the exception of #3 and #4 being read together.

Peril at Granite Peak was exceptionally good, and one of the few books I've ever read that deals with skiing. That, and Gilman's Ice Claw. Since winter was so cold and snowy, I had a lot of students asking for books about skiing, and didn't have much to hand them!

DANGER: Infectious Nanobots

Wooding, Chris. Silver
March 25th 2014 by Scholastic Press
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Paul arrives at Mortingham Boarding Academy, reeling from the deaths of his parents but not wanting anyone to know about this fact. There's a complicated cast of characters at the school, including Adam, who is a bully, and Erika (whom Paul likes) and Caitlyn (who likes Paul). None of that really matters, however, when silver beetles are discovered on the school grounds. These beetles turn out to be the precursors of bigger, nastier nanobot/cyborg/zombie creatures, so the students bitten by the beetles start turning into creatures like them and attacking everyone else, turning them into violent zombie cyborgs, too. Paul, some students, and a teacher hole up in the school, but it's just never going to end well. The school is too remote, and the "infection" too terrible. Not only do more and more people fall victim and become evil machines, but the machines evolve to be stronger and more gruesome. 
Strengths: It's hard to review this without giving a lot away, so be patient. The cover is a good indication of what this book is like. Bloody and violent. It reminded me of Alexander Gordon Smith's Escape from Furnace series, or perhaps Higson's The Enemy, but with cyborg monsters. The vast majority of the violence is monster related, which makes it seem a little better to me. Very British, even though there is no time for tea drinking.
Weaknesses: Lots of characters die. Never my favorite thing. This seemed short on character development and explanation to me. Of course, when students want horror books, those are probably the last two criteria on their mind. Will probably buy this one and worry about the children to whom I hand it.  


Hale, Shannon. Dangerous
4 March 2014, Bloomsbury US
ARC from Baker and Taylor 

Maisie is thrilled when she wins a place in Dr. Howell's space camp, since she has been enthralled with the idea of being an astronaut ever since her father told her that she could wear velcro fastening on her clothes to be like them. Even though she needed the velcro because she is missing a hand since birth, she's glad to escape her close and loving parents and get to know other kids. When she arrives, she gets assigned to a "fireteam" that includes Jacques, Ruth, and Mi-Sun, and gets sent on a trip to space with her team as well as Wilder, the son of a famous scientist, on whom she has a rather big crush. Things go well on the trip until the children touch alien artifacts and are infected by nanites that endow them with a variety of dangerous skills.  The worst off is Ruth, who is suddenly ravenously hungry and prone to violent outbursts. When she kills a man, she runs away. Maisie tries to help, but all she can do is to try to bring Ruth back when she is dying. Instead, the nanites from Ruth go into Maisie. Afraid of what will happen to her if she stays with the program, she goes home, but can't hide for long. Wilder finds her, and while she still likes him, she is afraid of what his father will do. Eventually, Maisie ends up with all of the alien tokens and abilities, which Dr. Howell tells her are to be used to fight the aliens. Can Maisie save the world... and herself?
Strengths: This had a lot of interesting technology, and the ensemble cast was well described enough that I could keep them all straight, no small task. The touch of dangerous romance is nice, especially contrasted with how Maisie feels about her best friend, Luther. I also appreciated that this seems to be a science fiction/dystopian book that is NOT in a series. Need a lot more of those.
Weaknesses: This got to be rather complicated and bogged down in the middle. Also, there was enough human on human violence, as well as a scene (nicely played, granted) in which Wilder tries to get Maisie to sleep with him, that I will have to consider this long and hard before purchasing for a middle school. Not horrible, but right on that line. 

Landry Park

Hagen, Bethany. Landry Park
February 4th 2014 by Dial 

Madeline Landry is the heir to one of the best estates in a futuristic dystopia about 200 years in the future. The rich are in power, the unmonied are servants and working class, and the "Rootless" are the bottom caste of society. They live in poverty and work at jobs that involve dealing with the radiation that the rich use to power their lavish, quasi-Victorian lifestyles. Apparently, the US was attacked and partially conquered by powers from the east, and then cities fought among themselves, mainly over energy sources. Madeline's forbearer invented the radiation capsules that now are used. As the heir, it is incumbent upon her to marry young and produce an heir, but she would rather go to the university and study. When dashing and rich David Dana comes to town, Madeline's mother would like to secure him as Madeline's fiance, but he aligns himself with her rival, the snotty Cara Westoff. David turns out to be more than just rich and attractive-- he visits the Rootless stomping grounds, and Madeline is enthralled. She eventually becomes betrothed to a colleague of his from the army, Jude, but things are not good in the society, and the lifestyle of the rich is on tenuous ground. A sequel may come out in 2015.
Strengths: This is blurbed as "Downton Abbey meets The Selection", and I can sort of see that. It would appeal to readers who like a lot of romance in their dystopia. The ball gowns, the arranged marriages, the girl drama with Cara-- I can see it being really well liked by readers fond of Matched.
Weaknesses: Something just didn't gel with me personally. There was not really a reason for the English manor lifestyle and debuts-- weak world building, I guess. Still will buy a copy, as the book kept me reading.

Guy Friday- Just Jake

Marcinonette, Jake. Just Jake.
February 4th 2014 by Grosset & Dunlap

Jake is not happy to move from Florida to Maryland because of his father's job change, but he feels that his new school will go well because he is such an AWESOME kid and he had lots of friends at his old school. He does have an annoying older sister, Alexis, who doesn't help the settling in process when she yells at neighborhood kids who are commenting on the family's possessions as they are moved in to the new house. Things go even more poorly at school, where Jake goes to a 2nd grade classroom by mistake and can only manage to make friends with the "misfit toys". At least he has friends, though, and an interest in drawing that leads him to create a series of "Kid Cards" that take the school by storm.
Strengths: This is a notebook novel with good illustrations, and the clip art photos add an interesting touch that I have only seen in a few books. It has its humorous moments, and the author is to be applauded for attempting to make up for the dearth of funny books for boys. The cover alone will make it a book that students will readily pick up.
Weaknesses: This was written by an actual 12 year old, which I didn't know until I finished the book but which did explain the characteristically slim plot online. I should remember that Gordon Korman wrote his first book at an early age and went on to become one of the best middle grade authors around. Perhaps Mr. Marchionette's writing style will mature as well.

Our spring break starts today! We are going all out-- the girls and I are cranking the heat to 65 degrees, having a trial membership of both Amazon Prime AND Netflix, and we may even get take out one night if we can stand the absolute crazy. I'm just looking forward to a lot of extra sleep! To celebrate, here's the sixth Crush book by Angela Darling.

Darling, Angela. Isabella's Spring Break Crush
March 4th 2014 by Simon Spotlight

Isabella is distraught that all of her friends are doing cool things over spring break, but since her father is an accountant busy with taxes and her doctor mother is busy with people who have the flu, they never go anywhere, saving instead for a nice summer vacation. With her older brother David at college, her parents still don't want to go anywhere, but agree to send Isabella and her twin brother Jake to Florida to visit her grandma Miriam. Since grandma won't let the kids eat sugar, go out in the sun, or watch television during the day, this is bound to be boring... until cute boy Ryan shows up visiting his grandmother, and there is the added drama of twins Ashley and Andrew showing up as well. In the end, Isabella has a great time with her grandma and is excited about coming back during the summer... when Ryan will also be visiting again!
Strengths: I know that these are kind of cheesy, but really, Darling has excellent, fluid prose, great details about supportive families, and pitch perfect 11-year-old details of "romance". The fact that this series also has a wide range of ethnicities on the cover, and that the ethnicities are addressed but are not the center of the stories, is nothing short of brilliant. Definitely comfort reads for some of my struggling readers who don't come from supportive families. I like to think that these give them a model for appropriate, healthy  relationships.
Weaknesses: Thought the romance was a little weak on this... no swoony first kiss on the beach, which is usually the highlight of these books. Nice to know that Ryan DOES like Isabella enough to want to see her over the summer, though!

Stay Where You Are and Then Leave

Boyne, John. Stay Where You Are and Then Leave
March 25th 2014 by Henry Holt and Co.
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Alfie is content with his life-- he has a good friend nearby whose father owns a sweet shop, his father drives the milk truck, his grandmother lives across the street, and he knows all of the neighbors in his close knit community. On his fifth birthday, however, World War I breaks out, and everything changes. His father, Georgie, joins up and leaves. Money becomes tight. His mother becomes a nurse, and he only goes to school two days a week so he can shine shoes at Kings Cross Station the rest of the time. There's little food, but lots of anxiety. As the war goes on, Alfie begins to fear that his father has been killed and his mother is hiding this information from him. A chance encounter with a doctor informs him that his father is actually in hospital, so Alfie saves his money to travel there, only to find out that his father is severely shell shocked. Since the conditions in the hospital are deplorable, Alfie comes up with a plan to bring his father home, with mixed results.
Strengths: This was quite a good depiction of every day life in London during the Great War. While there wasn't a lot of action, there were a lot of interesting things happening, and I enjoyed it a lot. I was surprised because I haven't been a huge fan of Boyne's work,  The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brocket was one of those odd, overly quirky British books that made me shake my head, and I could never quite believe The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. I will buy this one for use in our historical fiction unit. Now, I just need to find "historical fiction" from the 1960s and 1970s-- otherwise known as "my life"!
Weaknesses: This does not have a great cover-- the Oliver Jeffers' lettering doesn't go over too well in the US (at least in my school). Most boys want descriptions of battles when they read war books, and this doesn't have very many. This will take a bit of selling, but I think will be well received by many students.

World Wednesday-- I Lived on Butterfly Hill

Agosin, Marjorie. I Lived on Butterfly Hill
March 4th 2014 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Celeste lives in Valparaiso, Chile after1967. Her parents are doctors, and her Viennese grandmother, who survived the Holocaust, lives with them. Family retainer Delfina does the cooking and cleaning, but is part of the family as well. When the harbor is filled with warships and President Alarcon is assasinated, things start to change. Fewer and fewer students go to school, girls have to wear skirts and put their hair up in buns, and Celeste's parents fear for the family's safety. They knew Alarcon and supported his initiatives to help the poor, so they go into hiding and send Celeste to live with her aunt Graciela in Maine. It's hard for her to get used to the isolated life in the cold, but she makes friend with Kim, a Korean refugee, and eventually gets used to life with her aunt, even though she misses her parents and fears for their safety. When the General/dictator who has taken over Chile is killed, Celeste goes back to her grandmother. Her parents are still missing, and with the help of her friend Cristobal, she goes looking for them so that she can settle back into her old life.
Strengths: I can't think of any other middle grade novels set in Chile, so it's great to have this one based on the author's childhood. There are lots of good details about daily life, many involving food. The feeling of not fitting in to her school in Maine may resonate with many children. The Lee White illustrations are absolutely brilliant, since they mimic so perfectly the style of the 1960s.
Weaknesses: Stylistically, this is rather long (450 pages) and slow paced for middle school readers, but I would buy it. However, I really wanted some historical notes on this. Even though specific names are given for the leaders, I couldn't find enough information to pin this down to a particular year. Since the Beatles' Strawberry Fields is mentioned as playing, I know it's after 1967. In the book, there is a president Alarcon who is assassinated, and a Monica Espinoza who is elected after Celeste comes back, but I can't find these people mentioned in the encyclopedia, so I'm very confused. There is a Eduardo Frei Montalva who sounds like Alarcon, and the dictator sounds like Pinochet, but he would have been in power for a longer time.

Are these made up leaders? Why can't I find information about them? I also didn't have any luck finding contact information for the author or editor, so I am very confused. Will wait to purchase until I can confirm historical events.

Schindler, Holly. The Junction of Sunshine and Lucky
February 6th 2014 by Dial 

August Walter (or Augie) is being raised by HER grandfather, since her mother abandoned her as an infant. Her grandfather is a trash hauler, making money by selling people's castoffs to the junk year, a career which Augie thinks is pretty cool until her school is closed and she and her friends are transferred to a spiffy, newer school. Snotty Victoria gives Augie a hard time AND steals her best friend. Not only that, but Victoria's father is on the town council, which is determined to condemn Augie's neighborhood, Serendipity Place, in order to tear it down and built a rec center. When the neighbors are served with notices that they need to improve their properties, they do so with gusto. Augie and her grandfather decorate their property with vibrant sculptures made out of old toasters and other cast offs, and paint the house all sorts of different colors, and then are surprised when the town council thinks that this has made the property worse. However, the son of one of the residents is an art dealer who thinks the sculptures are folk art and arranges to have people buy them in order to raise money to repair the neighborhood church and the city council fines.
Strengths: This is one of those quirky books that teachers love and which I just don't. If you liked Hound Dog True or One Day and One Amazing Morning on Orange Street, definitely pick this up. Heck, this has a good chance of winning a Newbery.
Weaknesses: I could not stop thinking that if Augie and her grandfather lived across the street from me, this would be a BAD THING. This could be because I once had neighbors somewhat like this, and I ended up moving rather than watching them construct things in their yard. I found myself rooting for Victoria, her father, and the evil town council. A rec center sounds better than a blighted neighborhood. The woman with the warped porch that looked like a smile-- putting up awnings that look  like eybrows does not make your porch safer! So, admittedly, I got really stuck on this aspect of the book and it interfered with my enjoyment.

This was fairly new when I wrote this, so there weren't a ton of other reviews posted, but here were some more positive ones.

Innocence Walker
Paperback Treasures
Word Spelunking