Paper Things

Jacobson, Jennifer Richard. Paper Things
February 10th 2015 by Candlewick Press
Copy Provided by Young Adult Books Central and Reviewed there.

Gage and Ari's father was killed in the military, and their mother passed away after an illness. The two had been living with a friend of their mother's, Janna, but she and Gage didn't get along. Now that Gage is out of high school, he wants to see if he and Ari can make a go of it, so he moves her out of Janna's. The only problem? He doesn't have a job or a place to live yet. Ari wants to be with her brother, but couch surfing at his friends' houses and not being able to reliably get meals or clean clothes starts to take its toll on her. She has to lie to her friends and teachers, and starts to get behind in her school work. Ari's mother wanted her to go to Carter Middle School, but if she doesn't keep better track of her work, she won't be able to get in. Gage is trying to make their situation workable, but is still struggling. What is most important to Ari? How can she make the difficult choices she needs to make to improve her life?
Strengths: This was an excellent depiction of how many families are forced to live. Ari doesn't quite think of herself as homeless, but gets very excited when she meets someone who is living in a storage facility, because it's fairly warm and safe, and really cheap! Her struggles with keeping her uniform clean for school, and getting her work done on time, are good for students to read about so that they might develop some empathy for students who have more difficulties than they do. While this is sad, it does have an overall feeling of hopefulness.
Weaknesses: Ari's "paper things" are a big part of this, and I can understand that she needs something of her own to hold on to, but it fell flat for me.
What I really think: Much better than this author's Small As an Elephant. It will be a solid circulator among my students who like problem novels.


Asselin, Kristine Carlson. Any Way You Slice It
21 April 2015, Bloomsbury Spark
E ARC from Netgalley.com

There are only two things I feel a need to say about this book:
1. I really, really liked it.
2. Bloomsbury Spark only publishes digital books.

So, basically, I read this fantastic book about a girl who wants to play hockey even though her father just wants her to go into the family pizza business, AND THERE IS NO WAY I CAN GET A COPY TO MY STUDENTS!!! Yes, I'm really annoyed to the extent of Caps Lock. Nowhere on Netgalley did it say that this was published only as an e book, but now at least I know not to read anything put out by Bloomsbury Spark. In my library, I can only circulate printed books. Many of my students have no way to read digital books. Some do, but there is no good platform (yet) to use to circulate them. I may recommend this if the Ohio E Book Project picks it up, but I feel like I wasted my time reading this. Just frustrated.

From the Publisher:
Penelope Spaulding just can't catch a break. Between long hours at the family restaurant, homework, and her parents' plans for her future, it's hard to find a spare moment to breathe. But when she laces up her skates and steps on the ice, everything slips away...

Racing around the rink allows her to blow off steam after yet another fight with her dad about going to culinary school. So when Jake Gomes, the bad boy who lives down the street, dares her to join the Rink Rats, the local misfit hockey team, she surprises herself and joins in silent defiance of her father and his expectations.

The more she plays, the easier it is to keep lying, and soon Pen finds it impossible to come clean. She’s sneaking out to practice—and loving every minute of it. It doesn’t take long for her to fall in love with hockey…and Jake’s not half bad either. But she knows it can’t last. As soon as her dad finds out, she’ll be benched. For good.

She’s absolutely not going to tell her parents until she’s sure it will be worth the inevitable fight. Not only is she skipping shifts at Slice Pizza while a foodie reality show is on the horizon, but her lies are starting to take their toll on her game. It’s only a matter of time before everything falls apart.

With the team counting on her and with her relationship with Jake on the line, will she have to sacrifice the thing she wants most for the people she loves? Or can she step up and take her best shot? 

Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins?

Not on task for my usual Guy Friday posting-- this looks more like a Tuesday, with time travel and other fantasies.

On the bright side, my evaluation is DONE, and I'm a "skilled" teacher. Who knew? I did have a moment when I came in this morning and didn't have to spend time pouring over rubrics as I planned my day-- my final exam is done, so I don't have to do anything else this year, right?

Oh, well. Inventory, book orders for July, and repairs it is!


Kessler, Liz. Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins?
February 24th 2015 by Candlewick Press
Copy received from Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there

Jessica and her friend Izzy are having a fine time in school... until the day in class when Jessica's arm goes invisible. Then life gets even more interesting! The girls do a variety of experiments to try to figure how Jessica becomes invisible, but they don't find out why until  Jessica's godmother, Nancy, tells them about experimental work to cure diseases that she was engaged in at the time Jessica was born. Jessica and several other children, including Max, whose father was the doctor working on the cures are affected. It turns out that if children take the serum he concocted and then come in contact with stones also treated with the serum, they will have special powers. Jessica is invisible, Max can hear thoughts, and mean girl Heather can now walk through walls! With the help of her new friends (including Tom), Jessica has to thwart the plans of a villain who wants to use the serum for evil.

This was a delightfully fun and easy read! The plot advanced beautifully and made sense, which many fantasy books don't manage to do. There was a lot of scientific explanation behind why the serum worked on the children and the stones, and it was interesting and though provoking. The reasons behind the invention of the serum were a little sad, but the book in general was light-hearted and amusing, which is exactly how a book about children with super powers should be!

I loved that Jessica and her friend Izzy worked together to figure out what was going on, and I cheered when Izzy got a power as well. The variety of the children who ended up working together are amusing (mean girl Heather isn't really mean at all), and their different powers are ones that many of us would like to imagine having. The parents don't get in the way but are around, Nancy is everything that a godmother should be, and even Max's distracted dad is wonderfully clueless-- that way, he needs the children to save his scientific work!

My only objection is that Kessler is a British author, and the US edition has clearly been scrubbed of British terms. I would love to see the British edition!

Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins is perfect for fans of Kessler's Emily Windsnap series, Kate Saunders' novels, and E.D. Baker's fairy tale retellings. A great choice for readers who enjoyed Ruth Chew's books when younger. One note of caution: younger readers might find this book to be so believable and intriguing that they will concoct a serum in the kitchen and attempt to soak their mother's jewelry in it in order to become invisible just like Jessica!



Clark, Henry. The Book That Proves that Time Travel Happens
April 14th 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
ARC from Baker and Taylor

In Freedom Falls, Ohio, Ambrose (whose mother is African American) has to deal with his father, who is being accused of being a trans-temporal dresser because he is a history teacher and likes to put on costumes to go along with lessons. He is about to lose his job. When a carnival comes to town, Ambrose and his friend Tom who is Asian American) seek the help of a fortune teller. Instead, they meet her daughter, Frankie, and manage to get sucked into Frankie's search for her family heirloom-- the time trombone. The three get taken back in time to Freedom Falls... in 1852. Slave catchers are bound and determined to sell the children, and steal the trombone as well. While the children escape, they find that they must repair something that happens in 1852, or they might cease to exist. There are some other stops along the way, and the children all learn things about their own lives that change the ways that they wish to go forward.
Strengths: Nice multicultural cast and time travel mechanism. Decent amount of action and adventure. Moments of peril. Better than this author's What We Found in the Sofa and How it Saved the World which was over-the-top quirky.
Weaknesses: There are stereotypical bullies, stereotypical creepy carnival (are there any carnivals in literature that aren't?), and stereotypical time travel trip back to the days of slavery.
What I really thought: Not a bad time travel book, just pretty standard, and I don't have a lot of readers who ask for time travel, more's the pity. (And I'm just waiting to see what Charlotte thought of it!)


Lettrick, Robert. The Murk
April 21st 2015 by Disney-Hyperion
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Piper enjoys her younger brother, Creeper, but she adores baby Grace, so when Grace is diagnosed with a progressively degenerative disease, Piper and her friend Tad determine that Grace might be able to be saved by a flower that grows in the Okefenokee Swamp. They enlist the help of Macey and Perch, who have a boat called the Mud Cat. Using the journal of an ancestor who investigated the plant in the early 1800s, the group (with Creeper in tow) go into the swamp to retrieve the flower. Swamps are dangerous, but when they begin to realize that the plant (whom the ancestor named Mergo) is able to fend off intruders and injure them, the alligators don't seem nearly as dangerous. Since Mergo really doesn't want to give up the flower, can the group survive long enough to make it out of the swamp?
Strengths: Some really good, gory scenes of Mergo dispatching victims, ooky swamp descriptions, and a lot of plant science, if you're in to that sort of thing.
Weaknesses: Very slow paced. The information about Grace's illness and the whole reason for going into the swamp took much too long, especially considering that we never find out anything more about Grace after the group returns. (Spoiler, sorry.) There is one death, but unlike Frenzy, it's not just a random camper-- it's a very sympathetic character. Not only did this fail to get really exciting until the last fifty pages, there were a lot of significantly unexciting things in the process of getting there. Family drama with Creeper feeling unloved. Entries from the ancestor's journal, an odd and inappropriately timed romance between Piper and Tad.
What I really think: I ADORED Frenzy, and I swear that both copies of that book were off the shelf every single day from August until the beginning of February. Most awesome horror book. I would not be at all surprised if Lettrick started off with wonderful plant violence but was told by an editor that he needed to add more depth. Considering how perfectly Lettrick wrote to the target demographic in Frenzy, this was just a disappointment.

The Revelation of Louisa May and Club CSI

MacColl, Michaela. The Revelation of Louisa May
April 14th 2015 by Chronicle Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Louisa May Alcott's family is being torn apart for three months- her mother is taking a job to increase the family finances, since her charismatic but selfish and irresponsible father won't bother himself about money. Louisa is not happy that she will have to take care of her father and sister when she could be writing, but she knows how dire the situation is. She does not know the full extent of the family's involvement in the Underground Railroad, but when an escaped slave shows up at the house right before her mother leaves, she is put in charge of him, too. Luckily, there is some fun to be had-- Fred, a boy who lived in the area but went away to college, is back and interested in Louisa, even though she is intelligent and opinionated and more likely to burn dinner than not. Given her father's oblivion to reality, Louisa has her work cut out for her hiding the fugitive, especially when slave catcher Finch shows up, asking too many questions. When Finch shows up dead, and suspicion is thrown on her father, it is up to Louisa to clear his  name.
Strengths: This was a good story about a girl trying to take care of her family. Since there is a little romance involved as well as a mystery, this might be an easier sell than many historical novels. It would be great if they would read this book and then pick up Little Women, which is a really, really hard sell to middle school readers.
Weaknesses: It would help to have some background information on Alcott-- Whelan's Fruitlands would help younger readers a lot. I was a bit bored by the relationship between Henry David Thoreau and the wife of Emerson, so I think teens might not like that part as much.
What I really think: I'm a HUGE Alcott fan (my daughter's middle name is Louisa!), and I enjoyed reading this. I think I will buy a copy in the hopes that it will entice readers to look at Alcott's work. I liked this a lot more than the author's other works.

Lewman, David. The Case of the Mystery Meatloaf (Club CSI #1)
April 24th 2012 by Simon Spotlight

When they get a new science teacher who is interested in forensics, Hannah, Ben and Corey are thrilled with Miss Hodges' class, since the curriculum is changed to accommodate her speciality. They learn about different techniques of investigating, but have no mystery to use them on until the meatloaf incident that sickens people in their school cafeteria. Miss Hodges is concerned that the food that Mrs. Collins prepares isn't healthy enough, and offers some suggestions, as well as a recipe for vegetarian meatloaf. Reluctantly, Mrs. Collins prepared it. After the principal and swim team come down with what appears to be salmonella poisoning, Club CSI investigates. It doesn't help that Mrs. Collins' son, Ricky, is the school bully and doesn't take kindly to his mother being held under scrutiny, but using the techniques learned in Miss Hodges' class, the group solves the mystery.
Strengths: Decent plot, good detection techniques, great cover-- I can see this being appealing to middle grade readers, especially since it is a series. However...
Weaknesses: Not a lot happens. The mystery is kind of weak. Also, there are large problems with some of what occurs-- a school can't change its curriculum to forensics because they hire a teacher who is interested in it, and I don't think the cook would be buying groceries at local stores. Does Ricky have a study hall right after lunch and that's why he can help his mother? These small things make the book seem like it was written in the 1960s, when these things might have been possible.
What I really think: I bought the first one, but want to see how it does before investing in more. (Went over very well, and seems to be a quick read, as I've had about three students pick it up in a month AND ask for more. Okay then!)

List from Goodreads.com

	The Case of the Mystery Meat Loaf (Club CSI #1)  by David Lewman  3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 avg rating — 69 ratings — published 2012 — 5 editions book 1
	The Case of the Missing Moola (Club CSI #2)  by David Lewman  4.24 of 5 stars 4.24 avg rating — 29 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions book 2
	The Case of the Disappearing Dogs (Club CSI #3)  by David Lewman  4.26 of 5 stars 4.26 avg rating — 19 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions book 3
	The Case of the Ruined Ram (Club CSI #4)  by David Lewman  4.29 of 5 stars 4.29 avg rating — 17 ratings — published 2012 — 4 editions book 4
	The Case of the Digital Deception (Club CSI #5)  by Ellie O'Ryan  4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions book 5
	The Case of the Plagued Play (Club CSI #6)  by David Lewman  3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 2013 — 4 editions book 6

#WeNeedDiverseBooks Wednesday

Mehmoud, Tariq. You're Not Proper.
March 19th 2015 by Hope Road Publishing (UK)
Copy received from the publisher

Karen is part of the Willow Tree Mob in Boarhead East, Manchester, UK, even though the leader, Donna, is anti-Islamic and Karen's father is from Pakistan. After Donna taunts fellow classmate Shamshad and takes the hijab from her head, Karen sticks up for her, even though Shamshad frequently calls Karen an "Oreo" and gives her a hard time for being "white". It turns out that there have long been issues between the two girl's families, although the exact nature of them is a bit vague, but it doesn't help that anti-Mulsim feelings in their neighborhood run high. Karen starts to feel that since she looks more "foreign" than British, she might be more comfortable embracing her Muslim side. She asks her father to help her learn how to say Muslim prayers, and buys herself a hijab. It's not an easy process-- her father is more interested in football and beer than in praying, her mother is rather at a loss as to what to do, and Karen has trouble getting others to accept her as Kiran, a Muslim girl. Luckily, after unpleasantness with Shamshad and her father at the local mosque, Shamshad's friend Laila helps Kiran learn how to dress and pray, and offers kindness and understanding that Kiran sorely needs. Both Shamshad and Kiran's lives are about to be upended, however, when family trips back to Pakistan bring unexpected surprises that make their feud seem pointless.

Mehmood does an excellent job of describing what every day life is like in Manchester for Kiran, which will be fascinating for US readers. Too many times, the only British books that make it across the pond are about middle class, white children whose main concern is saving the world from some fantasy villain! This read quite a lot like a Jacqueline Wilson book with Pakistani characters, now that I think of it.

Kiran and Shamshad both start the book as very quick tempered, prejudiced characters who are concerned mainly with themselves. As the book goes on, they learn to deal with others' problems a bit, but it isn't until the very end that they really begin to be understanding of others, and at that point, the transformation is brought about very quickly by an extreme circumstance.

This was an excellent book, even though the characters were a bit overwrought. There are some turns of phrase and situations that won't be as easy for US readers to understand, however, and the fact that Kiran and Shamshad's grandfathers came to the UK makes them a bit further along in their quest for  cultural identity than many of my immigrant students from Muslim countries are. Many of my students were born elsewhere, or at least have parents who came more recently to the US, so there is less of a chance for many of them to deviate from their family's wishes.

Even so, I gave this to one of my students, an avid reader who recently took to wearing a hijab, and her eyes lit up when she saw the title. "That's exactly what MY family said!" Her background in Somali, but her grandparents came to this country about 30 years ago, which is more in line with the teenagers' experiences in You're Not Proper rather than the experience of many of my students.


Perkins, Mitali. Tiger Boy
April 14th 2015 by Charlesbridge
ARC from Kidlitcon!

Neel lives in the Sunderbans of West Bengal, and his village is next to a tiger preserve. His family is struggling after his mother's recent bout with dysentery, and his father's fishing business has been negatively impacted by bad weather. Mr. Gupta is a local entrepreneur who is trying to take over the entire village, and has the money to do so, so when one of the tiger cubs escapes from the preserve, he offers the local men lots of money to find the cub and turn it in to him. Neel knows that Mr. Gupta will sell the cub for its fur, so wants to find it himself. His family could use the money; Neel is in the running for a scholarship because he is the smartest boy in the village, but his math skills are not improving and he needs a tutor. If he finds the cub, will he be tempted to turn it in to Mr. Gupta for the money, or are some things more important.
Strengths: This offers a very vivid picture of what daily life is like for people in another part of the world. I loved the attention to detail-- how Neel's sister has to sweep the floor, how Neel and his friends play in the river and get in trouble for not studying, and how thrilled Neel is to get books and magazine to read. The adventure of hunting down the tiger cub will make this appealing to younger readers, but I loved that slice of life and think it is important to share with students. The glossary and appendices offer additional information, although most things are well explained within the text of the story.
Weaknesses: The drawings make this seem like a book for younger students, but is perfect for middle school. I am hoping that the short length will encourage my students to pick this up!

Accidentally Evil/ Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk

Chapman, Lara. Accidentally Evil 
April 14th 2015 by Aladdin (first published January 6th 2015)
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline.

In this sequel to The XYZ's of Being Wicked, Hallie returns for her second year at Dowling Academy. She is now a Crafter rather than a Seeker, and gets to room with Ivy again, to her great relief. She is still e mailing Cody, and making plans to see him when his school comes to Dowling for the Samhain celebration. She still has the gift of inheritance, and tries to be very careful not to absorb any more powers from other people, although she does pick up the ability to see people's auras from one of her teachers. Kendall and Zena are still up to no good, at one point turning Hallie's eyes bright blue and doing away with her need for corrective lenses! They have even more evil plans up their sleeves (even though they are supposed to be good witches and Hallie is supposed to have the ability to do black magic), and things come to a head at the school's Samhain celebration. There is a third book in the offing, but no date available for it.
Strengths: A decent amount of magic, a boarding school, and lots of girl drama with a touch of romance make this a good choice for readers who loved Harry Potter but want something a little girlier. There are supportive adults, good friends, and the romance is middle school appropriate.
Weaknesses: I don't feel like I have a good handle on Kendall's motivation. Her character is not developed much at all, which makes her a less threatening adversary.
What I really think: I prefer my friend drama without magic, I think, but I definitely have readers for these books.

Shurliff, Liesl. Jack: The True Story of Jack and the Beanstalk
April 14th 2015 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Netgalley.com

When I saw the ARC of this, it occurred to me that there are a lot of fairy tale themed middle grade novels that feature princesses, but not as many that have action and adventure. Since our sixth grade is currently doing a fairy tale unit (and because one of my favorite Gene Kelly movies is his made-for-tv coverage of this story), I had to take a look.

Odd things are happening around Jack's farm, and whole shops and houses are going missing. Surely, it can't be giants, because they haven't been seen in years. When Jack sees his father (as well as a new calf) pocketed by a giant and spirited up into the sky, leaving only a sprinkling of dirt behind, he knows that he must do something. He sells the family cow to Jaber for the magic beans, grows the obligatory bean stalk, and ends up in the care of the giant Molly, who has no intention of eating him. The giant community is beset by a lack of food that seems to be exacerbated by King Barf's overuse of the golden goose, and humans are used to process the human food that the giants take in raids. There are some attempts to grow food, but nothing seems to work. Jack gets put to work alongside Tom, but also tries to find his father. There is lots of humorous adventure-- Jack almost gets eaten in a pudding, pixies bedevil the humans, and the golden goose must be stolen in order to help food grow again in the land of the giants. Jack's young sister makes her way up the beanstalk, complicating Jack's search. Can Jack and the other humans reverse the giant's food issues so that the giants no longer need to steal from them?
Strengths: There are some good explanations for events in the original story. It's fun to see fairy tales fleshed out with some interesting details, and the inclusion of lots of running about and fighting is perfect for this story. I'll have to buy, just because there are so many fairy tales about female characters and so few with males!
Weaknesses: I got sort of muddled with the whole reason behind the giant famine, but at least that premise gave the giants reason to come down and wreak havoc on earth.

Rad American Women A-Z/ Gone Crazy in Alabama

Schatz, Kate and Stahl, Miriam Klein. Rad American Women A-Z: Rebels, Trailblazers, and Visionaries who Shaped Our History . . . and Our Future! 
April 14th 2015 by City Lights Publishers

E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Covering 25+ American women who influenced a wide variety of public arenas, this book is a great choice for middle grade readers to introduce them to a diverse group of women they may not have heard of! From the somewhat well known (Billie Jean King, Bessie Coleman, Nellie Bly) to women of whom I had never heard, each entry gives a brief overview of the woman's life and how she influenced the world. Accompanied by brightly colored illustrations, this would be a fantastic book to use in the classroom for Women's History Month. Since the entries are short, teachers could read one a day. I wouldn't be at all surprised if teachers bought an extra copy to cut up and laminate for a bulletin board. In fact, I think City Lights should consider packaging the illustrations this way-- on one page with the text!

If my youngest daughter ever has children, this would be the sort of thing she would take to the hospital to read to a newborn, in much the same way I read her D'Aulaire's Greek Myths! In fact, I may have to go buy multiple copies for just such gift giving purposes!

What a great book for #WeNeedDiverseBooks. And I particularly appreciated how the title specified the descriptive "American", although "US" would have been even better. Maybe there will be a "World" edition next!

Williams-Garcia. Gone Crazy in Alabama.(Gaither Sisters#3)
April 21st 2015 by Amistad
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

In this final book in the trilogy (One Crazy Summer, P.S. Be Eleven), Delphine, Vonetta and Fern are sent on a bus to visit their Big Ma, Ma Charles, and Uncle Darrell in Alabama. They are glad when they get there to find that the outhouse is a thing of the past, and that Mr. Lucas has added some rooms to the house. Their cousin, James Trotter, is there to help them adjust and to help them navigate the treacherous waters surrounding their grandmother's relationship with his grandmother, her half-sister. There are several issues within the family-- Vonetta refuses to trust Darrell, who stole money from the sisters to buy drugs after he came back from Vietnam. Fern has very strong feelings about the dietary differences between generations. Delphine is unwilling to starch and iron the heavy cotton sheets that Big Ma thinks are essential. These differences seem petty when a tornado hits town, and the local constabulary is less than helpful, since the sheriff is most likely also the KKK leader. The rest of the family, including the girls' mother from California and father and pregnant step-mother from New York City, comes to help out. The tornado's aftermath leads to more family understanding, as well as some unexpected alliances.

Strengths: The differences between life in the north and life in the south are explained nicely, and the girls struggle with the differences. Clearly, they have been influenced by their "hippie" mother, as well as their "libber" step mother. I especially like the inclusion of the Apollo 11 moon launch; I was allowed to stay up late to watch the moonwalk. Of course, I remember playing with my Silly Sponge set more than I remember watching the television; the two are inextricably joined in my mind!
Weaknesses: While I understand why Williams-Garcia included information about the grandmother's differences, I found it hard to get too interested in the old family drama when so much new stuff was going on.
What I really think: I really, really, really want to read Soul Brothers and Sister Lou now!  All three of these books are so rich with details of life during this time period. The cover is perfect! I think I had the pink dress!

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.

Dear Hank Williams

Holt, Kimberly Willis. Dear Hank Williams
April 14th 2015 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Tate lives in Louisia with her Aunt Patty Cake and Uncle Jolly in Louisiana in 1948, and when her class has an assignment to write to a pen pal, Tate picks Hank Williams. In letters spread over a many months, she tells Hank about the goings on of her family and community. Others in her class write to relatives, or to students in Japan, although there are still bad feelings about the Japanese. Uncle Jolly frequently has his heart broken, Aunt Patty Cake sells door-to-door cosmetics, and Tate gets into a fair amount of trouble with her brother, Frog. The circumstances leading to her not living with her parents are mysterious, but we eventually find out the fate of her mother and father. Hank sends several autographed pictures, and Tate eventually gets to see him perform.
Strengths: I liked how several historical occurrences were woven into the story, and the details of daily life are quite good.
Weaknesses: Like many younger MG books, this one is more anecdotal than plot driven. This leads students in middle school to claim that "nothing happens". While the mystery involving Tate's mother drives the story a bit, I would have liked more of a focus for forward development and less atmosphere.
What I really think: Way too sad. Unnecessary to kill the character who dies. It's almost an afterthought, and brings down an otherwise serviceable book. I was contemplating buying it because it is a good historical novel, but now I think I'll pass.

Cody and the Fountain of Happiness

Sprinstubb, Tricia. Cody and the Fountain of Happiness
April 14th 2015 by Candlewick Press
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Cody is ready to enjoy summer even though her mother is up for a promotion as head of footwear and works long hours, and her father is a long distance trucker and not home all that often. She gets to stay with her older brother, Wyatt, who is pretty nice as far as older brothers go. She also meets Spencer, who has come to stay with his grandmother, when his cat Mew Mew runs away. Cody is not looking forward to going to summer camp, so is glad when it is canceled, but she has to have a babysitter when Wyatt goes to a science camp. Her sitter turns out to be the sparkly Payton Underwood on whom her brother is crushing! Cody tells Spencer that she will hypnotize Mew Mew so he won't run away again, but the cat does take off and is lost, but luckily Cody finds him in her back yard. Her mother is a bit stressed and beset by the "whim whams" on occasion, but Cody has a strong family, good friends, and is generally a happy and well adjusted little girl.
Strengths: The had a very B is for Betsy vibe to it, with the simple text and cute pictures, and I can see it being very popular with emergent readers. I would almost classify this as an Early Reader book more than middle grade. Very pleasant and happy book.
Weaknesses: Not a lot happens, and for my demographic, Cody doesn't have as much independence as is usually required. I worried about the mother's stress level-- cradling an ash tray in times of stress seems like a plea for help! Cody doesn't worry about her too much, so I will try not to as well!

McDonald, Megan. Stink Moody in Master of Disaster
10 March 2015, Candlewick Press
Copy from Young Adult  Books Central and reviewed there.

The books in this early reader series featuring characters from the Judy Moody books are set up very much like I Can Read Books. Each two page spread includes illustrations and no more than one page of that devoted to text. This might seem like an odd and picky thing to address, but this is often the "sweet spot" for reluctant or beginning readers.

There are just three chapters in this book, and each one deals with a different situation in Stink's life. As such, there is not a lot of character development, although Stink does learn a lesson about patience when he misses seeing a comet because he is rummaging through a backpack and looking at a book. He also learns that it is more of a threat to his well-being to blow a fuse by using too many appliances in his basement Asteroid Shelter than it is to get hit by an asteroid, and struggles with indecision when naming a star.

The big draw to these early readers is the humor with which the characters approach the situations. The illustrations help a lot with this. In bright, clear drawings, Stink is shown with his tinfoil cape, camping in the backyard, or just working at the kitchen table. The bright colors and vivid expressions on the characters' faces give struggling reads clues as to what is being said in the text. Since illustrations appear on every page, I can see prereaders "telling" these stories to caregivers using the pictures, since there are enough details for children to use to pull information from them.

While the market for these is clearly emerging readers, I have found these books to be just right for some of my 6th grade students who are struggling with reading. Again, the balance between pictures and words is crucial, the large print is helpful, and the humor makes this a book that even older children can enjoy.

Guy Friday- Big Game

Smith, Dan. Big Game
24 February 2015 by Chicken House Ltd
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central and Reviewed there

Oskari lives in a small town in Finland where boys are sent on a trial on the eve of their 13th birthdays. They are sent into the wilderness with an antique bow, and whatever game they manage to bring home presages what their future will be. Oskari's father was an accomplished hunter, but Oskari himself is so weak he couldn't even draw the boy. Nonetheless, he is taken out into the wilderness with his bow and an ATV. He manages to damage the SUV and injure himself right away, but he also comes across an odd, metal pod in the forest that ends up containing the president of the US! Bill (as he wants to be called) thinks that something must have malfunctioned and that his people will be there for him soon, but Oskari has seen men talking and knows that the president is in grave danger due to a plot by members of his secret service. The two must survive not only the elements, but the men who are attempting to kill them. Oskari obviously will not be able to complete his mission, but is the President a worthy "trophy" to bring home?
Strengths: Outdoor adventure/survival books are perennially popular, and this has the added bonus of snow and an exotic, wintery setting. The president is just clueless enough that Oskari looks like an expert, and the two work well together. The plot against the president is well explained and plausible. Oskari's father's lack of faith in his abilities seemed realistic as well.
Weaknesses: Only available in paperback. Since there is a movie coming out, I know a lot of my students will be asking for this, so I wish it came in a hardcover edition.
What I really think: While there were some things that had me scratching my head (really? They would send a small and weak boy out into the wilderness to fight wild animals with a bow he can't draw?), this was an interesting enough adventure story. Saving the president? Why not.

The Detective's Assistant

Hannigan, Kate. The Detective's Assistant
April 7th 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

E ARC: Edelweiss Above the Treeline; Book: Young Adult Books Central

When young Cornelia loses her last immediate relative in New York, a local minister hunts down her deceased uncle's wife, Aunt Kitty, who is working for Pinkerton's Detective Agency in Chicago. Kitty (who now goes by Kate) is not happy to see Cornie, whom she rechristens Nell, because she reminds the aunt strongly of Nell's father, who was responsible for the death of his brother, her husband. Since Kate can't find any organization who will take Nell, she lets her move in to her room in a boarding house. Nell manages to keep the landlady happy by helping out with shopping and other chores. She also manages to get sucked in to many of Kate's cases, where she makes herself invaluable, playing with the children of people Kate needs to interview, and keeping her eyes and ears open for information. The two manage to break several cases, and get to travel to Philadelphia and other cities, much to Nell's delight. They meet the rich and famous, including a young presidential candidate named Abraham Lincoln. Nell continues to correspond with her friend, Jemma, whose family had to leave quickly for Canada. They were free African Americans, but ran the risk of being shipped to the south. Jemma's father is still in the States, and when Nell hunts him down, she learns some secrets about her own family that make Kate feel a little more warmly towards her.

While Nell starts the book as a rough and tumble, rather unlikeable character, we quickly see that she has had to raise herself, and her built-in survival defenses serve her well while Kate is trying to find somewhere else to put her. Once Nell knows that Kate won’t abandon her as well, she is able to become more pleasant, and show her intelligent, enterprising side. Kate also thaws a bit, and both evidence the difficulties that women must have had at the time when left to care for themselves, which was not an easy task. The incidental characters in the various mysteries are amusing and add a lot of flavor to the stories.

While much of the book revolves around the cases that Kate takes on, the biggest mystery is the one that Nell has to solve concerning her friend Jemma and her family. This was a fascinating treatment of the issue of slavery, and my only objection was that the story seemed somewhat skimmed over because of the in-depth descriptions of the cases. I wanted to know a lot more about Jemma, and would have liked to see her in more than Nell’s letters.

Hannigan has clearly done her research, and uncovered a fascinating woman in Kate Warne, who really did work for Pinkerton. Nell is a fabrication, but a good way to interest younger readers in this period of time. The two characters are an excellent way to meet the rich and famous of the day, and the details of ordinary life are finely drawn. The fact that there is plenty of action and adventure will lure readers who are not usually drawn to historical fiction, and delight those who are. Fans of Chibbaro’s historical mystery Deadly, as well as readers who enjoy action-packed mysteries such as Beil’s Red Blazer Girls or Runholt’s Kari and Lucas books, will find plenty of clues to follow and mysteries to solve with Kate and Nell.

The 150^th anniversary of Lincoln’s assassination will no doubt be covered in a wide variety of books for young people about this famous president’s career, but this engaging mystery offers a refreshing perspective of the time period before the Civil War. Not a lot is written about Pinkerton’s Detective Agency, and the fact that Hannigan introduces readers to this unique business with a healthy dose of girl power makes this a fresh and engaging historical novel.

Zink, Michele. Lies I Told
April 7th 2015 by HarperTeen
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Grace spent years in foster care, so she is glad to be in a family now, even if her parents are hardened criminals who are constantly running a scam. In their newest one, the family has moved to a swanky California neighborhood and want to steal gold bars from a wealthy but mentally unstable man. To accomplish this, Grace is supposed to befriend the son and get him to divulge passwords, locations of the gold, etc. Her brother is supposed to do the same, and the parents cozy up to the parents and case the joint. Grace's brother Parker is done with being a criminal, and Grace falls for the son, so is conflicted about the whole job.
Strengths: Crime novels are interesting, especially when they involve romance and a wealthy lifestyle. This was certainly well written and fun to read.
Weaknesses: More of a YA novel, this had a lot of drinking and swearing.
What I really think: Voting with my dollars against random f-bombs and NOT BUYING THIS. Didn't appreciate the drinking, but not having a book in my library that has vulgar language. Nope.

#WeNeedDiverseBooks Wednesday

Volponi, Paul. Game Seven
March 10th 2015 by Viking Books for Young Readers

Julio's father defected from Cuba when he was playing a game in the US. Julio was devastated by the loss of his father, but still loves baseball and would like to get onto the junior Nacional team. Everyone knows about his father, though, and thinks that Julio is a bad flight risk, so the manager doesn't particularly want to take him on. With the help of his uncle, he and his cousin escape to Florida in a reworked vintage car. Will Julio's father come to his aid in the US? When Julio is on his journey, his father is pitching a crucial game for the Marlins. How will the father and son baseball players rekindle their relationship in the US?
Strengths: Volponi writes a great sports book that also includes social issues. Such a great mix for my avid sports readers. The game going on as Julio and his relatives are crossing the waters to the US is a spellbinding touch, and the views of modern day Cuba are really interesting.
Weaknesses: It helps to have background information on the Cuban situation, and I imagine many of my readers lack this, so a little more description of the political climate would have been helpful, but not strictly necessary.
What I really thought: I was so glad that this was middle school appropriate and will definitely buy a copy. Volponi can be a bit... looser with language than I like, so I always read his books before buying them.


Remember, #WeNeedDiverseBooks doesn't just cover race, religion or sexuality. It also covers a variety of lifestyles, mental conditions, and people who are just... different.


Hubbard, Kirsten. Watch the Sky.
7 April 2015, Disney-Hyperion
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Jory's mother suffers from migraines and is possibly agoraphobic. She met Caleb, Jory's stepdad, when he helped her when she was waitressing. A former military man, Caleb is controlling and convinced that something like an alien invasion mya take place, and he sees signs everywhere. He is also very paranoid about the govenment and anyone in authority. Even so, the family took in Kit, a girl with selective mutism that Jory found eating pumpkins out of the family's field. Add to the mix Jory's toddler half brother, and it's an interesting group. Jory has been homeschooled, but to deflect the interest of the government, he is sent to public school, where he enjoys being able to express himself a little. He even makes friends with Alice, and is intrigued by her easy going family life. When Caleb starts digging a pit in the canyon in preparation for whatever event he is fearing, Caleb gets little sleep and starts to fall behind in school. His teacher notices and calls home, bringing down Caleb's wrath. Things go from bad to worse. Highlight if you want spoilers: Kit meets Alice's mother, who calls children's services because Kit seems ill and Jory has indicated she isn't getting medical treatment; when they show up at the house, Caleb turns her over to them claiming they JUST found her, even though she had been there for years. The family heads down to the canyon; everyone starts to realize that Caleb is really bat shit crazy unbalanced, and he ends up pulling a wall of rocks down on himself, leaving the family to survive without him. 
Strengths: Girls who like problem novels may like this one. Jory is not quite abused, but certainly not cared for well. Survivalists might like this because of Caleb's preparation. Does cover possible mental illness, although perhaps not in a constructive way.
Weaknesses: Really not sure who the audience for this is. Honestly, I just read it because it is realiztic fiction and might be nominated for the Cybils next year. I like this author's Ripple and You Wish, but this...
What I really think: Interesting, but sad, and offers no hope of redemption for anyone. Will probably not purchase, although I like this author. 

Don't Stay Up Late

Stine, R.L. Don't Stay Up Late
April 7th 2015 by St. Martin's Griffin
E ARC from Netgalley.com and Young Adult Books Central

Lisa is a rebellious teenager who acts out and disobeys her parents… until her bad behavior lead to a car crash that kills her father. Lisa and her mother are injured, but Lisa's injuries seem to be more psychological. She hallucinates quite a bit-- seeing her dead father, her missing dog, and other odd things. She sees a therapist, who suggests that Lisa would benefit from constructive work. The therapist knows a woman who is looking for a sitter for her son, so Lisa ends up babysitting Brenda's son, Harry, at their house on Fear Street. Harry is a delightful child, but Brenda cautions Lisa that he should not be allowed to stay up late. Lisa hallucinates while watching Harry, thinking that she is seeing a creature in the house, and later other teenagers turn up dead. Lisa's boyfriend Nate tries to help Lisa, but it turns out that he has known Brenda and Harry for longer than he will admit. In the end, there are deep secrets behind Brenda's family life that are not unusual for someone who lives on Fear Street.

While Lisa slowly figures out her own mental state, she is also able to throw some light on the other characters around her, who are definitely not what they seem. The fact that her friends have hidden their pasts from her makes the situation more sinister and serious.

Certainly, readers who read the Goosebumps books when younger will be attracted to more titles by Stine, but the Fear Street books are a good choice for any teen who likes paranormal books, ghost stories, or even reluctant readers who would rather be watching a horror movie or CSI-type television show. As a librarian, I am beyond thrilled to see these books published in hard cover format, since I still have prebound copies of the original, early 1990’s Fear Street books in my library, and they are crumbling like a vampire caught out in the morning sun!

Stine is the master of the unbelievable scary situation. Or is what he describes really unbelievable? For readers new to the Fear Street sagas, Stine gives a bit of background information on why there seem to be so many odd occurrences on that street, but the new books (this one and Party Games) can be understood on their own. In Don’t Stay Up Late, Lisa is caught up in a variety of horrible things going on around her, but she is powerless to do anything about them until she can figure out why she has so many hallucinations. We know that the two things are connected, but she doesn’t, giving an eerie thrilling quality to every murder and monster sighting. If the monsters aren’t real, are the murders? But if the murders are real… are the monsters?

Strengths: Stine in hardback. Sort of a can't lose book. I saw the "twist" coming miles away, and students might as well, but the majority of the scary parts are unlikely, which is what draws readers to Stine. Will definitely purchase.
Weaknesses: Killing Lisa's father was unnecessary and seemed cruel. Again, plot fairly transparent. Not the best quality of writing I have ever read.
What I really think: Meh. Not my sort of thing, and more painful than other Stine books, but I'll buy it for that small but loyal section of readers who make me keep almost two shelves full of rotting, twenty year old paperbacks because they love Stine so much!

Harkey, Faith. Genuine Sweet
April 7th 2015 by Clarion Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Genuine lives in the very small town of Sass, Georgia, with her grandmother and her drunken father, Dangerous Dale, who is always out of work. Genuine's grandmother informs her that she is a wish fetcher, and shows her how to get magic from the stars to grant people's wishes. Genuine doesn't know enough not to go telling people; it's not forbidden, but frowned upon. She tells Jura, who is from the big city but would like her mother to get a job in Sass. Genuine bakes magical biscuits, and Jura's mother gets a job fixing cars in town. Realizing that she should be able to get some benefit out of the wishes for herself, Genuine starts trying to trade wishes for things she and her grandmother badly need, like food. This works out fairly well until the sister of a woman Genuine's mother didn't save from dying stirs up trouble for Gen. While some people in the town turn against her, others don't, and with Jura's help, Gen tries to spread her wishes internationally, even curing hunger in Africa. There are some things that Gen can't change, however, and when tragedy hits home, she is glad to have the support of those around her.
Strengths: This was a surprisingly readable book with fairly solid magical realism. We don't have any explanation for why Genuine and her family are wish fetchers until the very end of the book, but the suspension of disbelief is not that hard. There are some good characters, and the plot moved quickly even though there wasn't much action.
Weaknesses: This is VERY quirky/Southern, and I'm not sure how my readers would react to that. I'm sure that people who liked A Snicker of Magic will like this one a lot. (Including Melissa over at Book Nut, who likes quirky Southern a WHOLE lot more than I do.)
What I really think: Probably won't buy this for my school library, because I don't think my readers will pick it up. I can see this being very successful in libraries with a lot of requests for magical realism, however.

MMGM- Willie and Me

Last week, Picky Reader (who is a junior in high school now) and I went to Universal Orlando to see Harry Potter World. It was quite the trip, as we are intrepid, devoted travelers who got on the first hotel shuttle to the park, might have done a bit of light jogging to be at the beginning of lines, and got into Diagon Alley at 7 a.m. and did not go on the Gringotts ride-- we wandered about while everyone else was in line, so got very rare uncrowded moments at Olivander's, where I might have talked to a shop assistant about getting my wand tuned up, and at Madame Malkin's, where both of us tried on robes. That said, we are lousy at taking pictures, so this one of me impersonating Barney at the VERY deserted Barney World is one of the few. More travel tips later this week. 

Back at work, putting together stuff for my OTES evaluation. A bit of a challenge, but okay.

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.

And it's Opening Day for Major League Baseball! What better way to celebrate than to say goodbye to a series that has been around since Honus and Me, published in 1996. Wow. Almost 20 years! I love these, and they have a loyal following, but twelve books is a lot, even if they're short. This won't stop a few of my baseball fans from having a misty moment in the stacks over this one!


Gutman, Dan. Willie and Me
March 3rd 2015 by HarperCollins
**SPOILER ALERT** Quit reading if you don't want to know!

Stosh's father takes him to a sports memorabilia event, since his father is thinking of getting into the business. The two buy a plaque that has cards for Ralph Branca and Bobby Thomson on it, since the two were involved in "The Shot Heard 'Round the World", when Thomson got a hit off of Branca and the Giants won the National Pennant in 1951 . The two men didn't have very interesting careers otherwise and would have sunk into obscurity otherwise. When Branca travels through time (thanks to a hint from a teammate Stosh had visited), he asks Stosh to come back and undo the events of the day so that he wouldn't be forever considered the guy who lost the game. Stosh is unsure about whether messing about in the past is a good idea, even though he had taken his coach, Flip, back to the past where he had met his wife Laverne. It doesn't help that Flip has fallen at practice and broken a hip, and his chances are not good. When Stosh goes to the past, just to watch the game, mid you, he finds out that Leo Durocher is actually cheating, and Branca doesn't deserve what happens. Of course, Bobby Thomson also appeals to Stosh, since that hit was the only highlight of his career. When Stosh decides that Branca deserves a break because of the cheating, he finds out that Willie Mays, who was on deck when the game concluded, drops out of baseball after his first and only season because he didn't do well when he had to hit. Stosh can't see condemning Mays to lifelong obscurity working in a laundry (and dying in 1970), so figures out a way that the Branca/Thomson interchange will still go as planned. (Highlight for spoiler) When Flip passes away, Stosh decides he is done messing with the past, and even though Flip leaves him with a lot of cards, he is content to stay in the present. 
Strengths: The history in these is always good, and the vehicle for time travel great. Stosh's previous journeys being remembered is a very fun part of this. I love that the books are short and accessible to elementary and middle grade students. Hope these stay in print for a long time.
Weaknesses: Stosh's great uncle is 100? Seems like a problem with ages, but okay.
What I really think: While I will miss these, I am always happy to see something new by Gutman and can't wait to see what wonderful thing he will write next!

The Tapper Twins Go to War

Rodkey, Geoff. The Tapper Twins Go to War
April 7th 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Claudia and Reese live in New York City with their busy and over achieving parents, watched over by Ashley, a nanny who lets them watch inappropriate tv shows. They go to a private school, and when Reese embarrasses Claudia at lunch in front of "fembots" and a boy she likes, the war is on. Not wanting to get stuck with the nickname "Princess Farts-a-lot" after her brother's assertion that she was responsible for a particularly odoriferous omission, Claudia first hides a fish in her brother's back pack, which causes all manner of problems. Things escalate from there, and Claudia keeps track of all of the texts, pictures and "interviews" that she compiles to form the story. Eventually, the war escalates and takes over Reese's online gaming universe.
Strengths: Notebook novel. Fish in backpacks. Sibling war. All good.
Weaknesses: Privileged NYC setting might be hard for a lot of students to understand.
What I really think: If students read these in moderation, they'd be great. However, since some students ONLY want to read books with pictures, this sort of book irritates me. Not great literature, but not horrible, either.

Old School Saturday-- The Little White Horse

I gave a copy of the School Library Journal list of the 100 Best Children's Novels that Betsy Bird helped compile back in 2010 to one of my students, and while glancing over it, realized that while I really thought I had read all of the books, I had no memory of these two. Had to read them!

Goudge, Elizabeth. The Little White Horse
University of London Press, 1946

Maria Merryweather is an orphan, since her mother died when she was small and her soldier father recently passed away, leaving her with tremendous debts, but luckily with governess Miss Heliotrope, dog Wiggins, and a great uncle who can take her in. The carriage is a horrible shambles, but Maria takes an instant liking to Moonacre Manor and Sir Benjamin. Also amusing are Wrolfe, a lion like dog (Illustrations show a lion; I thought it was a dog?); Digweed, the man of all work, and the fractious cook and housekeeper, Marmaduke Scarlet, who is a dwarf. In the charming village, Maria meets Old Parson, Robin and Loveday Minette, and the other rosy-cheeked and cheerful inhabitants. She learns some secrets about her family, and realizes that they are partly to blame for the Black Men who inhabit the area and terrorize the residents. In general, though, life is mostly fairy cakes and cream teas, as well as enchanted animals, and Maria is able to return part of the manor to God and soothe the difficulties between the village and the Black Men.
Strengths: This was rather like Louisa May Alcott meeting Tolkien. The descriptions of clothing and meals, as well as the enchanted animals and family retainers made this rather delightful for me. It has been mentioned as a favorite fantasy book of many bloggers, and I can see why.
Weaknesses: A bit like gargling with honey. I know I've been saying that I want happier books, but Maria was so dang happy all the time that I want whatever she's on. It also made me positively itchy when Robin threw a fit when she said that she would marry a boy from London-- he wanted to marry her! And they eventually do get married, after everybody else in the book seems to. And she's 14. And Robin is a cousin of sorts. Things were different in the 1840s, I guess.
What I really think: Interesting to read, and I did enjoy it despite my snarkiness, but I wouldn't buy a copy for a school library.

DiCamillio, Kate. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane.
February 14th 2006 by Candlewick Press

Edward Tulane is the large china rabbit owned by Abilene. He has a custom wardrobe made by her grandmother, Peregrina, and waits for Abilene to come home each day, but he doesn't love anyone but himself. When the Tulanes travel from England to the US on a ship, Edward gets thrown overboard by some bad boys and ends up on the bottom of the ocean for almost a year. Relieved to be rescued, be ends up with a fisherman's family, then with a hobo and his dog, and finally Bryce and his very ill sister. When Edward is badly damanged, Bryce takes him to a repair shop, but the owner will only repair Edward if he can own him. Edward reflects back and realizes that he does love all of the people who have taken care of him, and at the end is reunited with one figure from his past after the dolls advise him to "open his heart".
Strengths: Moralistic tale with pretty pictures and a sentient toy. Good for fans of Rumer Godden, and for teachers who want read alouds.
Weaknesses: Rather on the sappy side-- we know that Edward will eventually learn to love.
What I really think: There are just some authors whose work doesn't jive with what I like to read, and DiCamillo is one. This seems too young for my students, and I can see why teachers like it, but it just wasn't for me.