MMGM- The Game Masters of Garden Place

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Always in the Middle and #IMWAYR day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday.

Markell, Denis. The Game Masters of Garden Place
July 17th 2018 by Delacorte
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Ralph and his friends Jojo, Persphone, Cammi, and Noel have been playing Reign of Dragons, a Role Playing Game (RPG) since they were ten, with Ralph's babysitter, Declan as the game masters. The had lots of good campaigns, but as they get into middle school, interest starts to wane. Jojo is heavily into gymnastics, and her practices and meets make the Saturday gaming sessions difficult. Persephone and Cammi (who is exploring his identity) are interested in theater and costuming. Noel is more interested in some of the current video games that classmates are playing. Only Ralph remains really excited about RoD, and he is the only one playing on going to the RoD Con when it comes to NYC. When Declan decides to go back to school, the group tries to rotate who is in charge of the game, but each one puts their own spin on the action, which doesn't make everyone happy. Ralph thinks it odd when he wins dice by registering for the Con, and when he uses them to start the last game the group has scheduled, the alter egos of all the participants come to life! All five characters show up and are surprised that the children know all of the details of the quest. Ralph is still determined to finish the campaign and find all of the serpents that the script calls for, but now he must do it while keeping his friends invested in the game and keeping the characters from eviscerating innocent bystanders.  Will the children be able to finish their campaign, get their alter egos safely back to their own world, and solve a mystery involving the founder of RoD?
Strengths: Dungeons and Dragons seems to be having a major resurgence-- there was an article on it in the Columbus Dispatch, and I noticed that my public library is offering a course on it this summer. Not only that, but Picky Reader is in a group at college. She's an elf. So, this is a timely book. What I liked best, though, was the depiction of the friendships. Losing friends to different pursuits is such a common middle school experience, and it's just not in as many books as it should be. Centering the book on Ralph, who is steadfast to his fandom, and showing how the other friends are branching off was a great way to go. The parents were handled well-- they are around, cognizant of their children's movements, but willing to give them enough independence to get into a little trouble. There is a lot of humor, enough action to keep things interesting, and a bit of a twist at the end. A great sophomore middle grade novel from the author of Click Here to Start.
Weaknesses: Since I am not a fan of playing games of any manner or description, I found the scenarios a bit slow. This will NOT be the case for gamers, who will eat up the details.
What I really think: This is very similar to Wizards of the Game (2003) by David Lubar, but it is certainly time for another book like this! Definitely purchasing. Who knows? It might introduce a reader to a lifelong pastime! John David Anderson's The Dungeoneers is the only other D&D type book that I can think of. Anyone else remember Tom Hanks in Mazes and Monsters (1982)?

The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair

Makechnie, Amy. The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair
June 12th 2018 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edleweiss Plus

Gwyn and her sister Bitty move to Iowa so that their father Jed can set up a dental practice and their mother can live in a residential facility. After an episode when Gwyn was four, their mother has no memory past the age of 13. The girls' father thinks that being back home in Crow will help Vienna regain some of her memory. There are many people left in town who remember the parents, including Gaysie, a quirky and outspoken neighbor who scares Gwyn quite a bit. In getting to know her new neighborhood, Gwyn finds out a lot about her parents' youth, especially about a sledding accident that they were in with Gaysie that may have contributed to both Vienna and Gaysie's mental challenges. Gwyn is not convinced that her mother will improve, but settles into life in a small town, and is able to enjoy her summer, playing outside and taking piano lessons from the same neighbor who taught her mother. When Gaysie's friend, Wilbur, goes missing, Gwyn and her new friends try to figure out what happened to him, and find a lot more information about Vienna's past as well.
Strengths: The concept of returning to a parent's hometown and getting to know people who knew the parent is an intriguing one. Gwyn and Bitty are a fun sister group, despite their age difference, and I liked the ensemble casts of both young people and adults. The mystery is okay, and the depiction of Vienna and her memory loss is heartbreaking but also somewhat hopeful.
Weaknesses: There was a lot going on in this book. The mystery of Wilbur, along with the mother's challenges, made this a long and rather slow moving book. Also, having spent a lot of time in Iowa, this felt more like it was set in a Southern town.
What I really think: Will probably pass on purchase. The combination of mystery, summer vacation, and family problems reminded me a bit of St. Antoine's Three Bird Summer and Hilmo's Skies Like These. I like both books, but they don't circulate well.

The Family with Two Front Doors

Ciddor, Anna. The Family with Two Front Doors
January 1st 2018 by Kar-Ben Publishing
Public Library Copy

In the 1920s, the Rabinowitz family has nine children, so they ned two apartments, hence the two front doors of the title. The father is a rabbi, and the family is very involved in their small town, Lublin, in Poland. When the oldest daughter, Adina, reaches the age of 15, the family arranges for her to marry a man from Warsaw. There are lots and lots of preparations for a wedding, including meeting the family (but not the groom!), planning parties, cleaning, and doing lots and lots of cooking. Even ten-year-old Nomi (based on the author's nana) is pressed into cooking, and makes a gefilte fish so good that her father assumes that Adina made it. There are some problems along the way (the challah gets knocked to the ground while being picked up to take to the oven, the groom might want to take Adina to Warsaw), but in general the family gets along very well, enjoys being together, and the wedding is a success.
Strengths: This definitely had a vibe similar to Taylor's All-of-a-Kind Family, with lots of details about daily life in a Jewish household. There are differences, of course, since this is set in Poland in the 1920s. So many of the details would be eye opening to today's children-- baths once a week in a portable tub? Not being allowed to use power on the Sabbath? Arranged marriages? The author has done a good job fictionalizing her family history, and it's nice to read a story with Jewish characters that is NOT about the Holocaust. There is, however, a sad note about the fate of the family during World War II.
Weaknesses: This had an old fashioned air and read like the books of my childhood. Nothing exciting, just interesting details. This is not a style my students are wild about.
What I really think: I really want to buy this one, but I've spent years trying to get students to read Sydney Taylor to no avail, so I may have to pass!

The Seismic Seven

Slivensky, Katie. The Seismic Seven
June 5th 2018 by HarperCollins
ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

Kenzie, Brianna, Wyatt and Todd have all have won the opportunity to study with Dr. Grier in Yellowstone National Park, observing the volcanoes. Aided by Ms. McNamary, the children get settled into their camp, find out a little bit about each other, and learn what they will be doing for the summer while they are away from their parents. Yellowstone has a supervolcano that is in danger of erupting, and Dr. Grier is trying to stop it. The problem? Adults are too big to send into the crevices to engineer the fix. Soon, the children are going underground in pods, setting controlled charges, making tracks, and learning a lot about geology. Why children? Dr. Grier says that no one else cares, but the children are right to be suspicious. They see other children around, but they don't say much; Nolan has two ferrets, but Eddie and Raquel are always kept at a distance. Soon it turns out that Dr. Grier's  mission isn't as humanitarian as it seems, and even though Kenzie and her new friends have volunteered to work in the volcano, not all of the children were given a choice. How can the seismic seven figure out what plans Dr. Grier has, and how can they stop her before it is too late?

Volcanoes are always an interesting topic, and this book is full of detailed information about all manner of facets about them. It reminded me a little bit of Wesley King's new A World Below in the vivid depictions of rock formations and the details about living underground. Every other volcano book I can think of has to do with historic volcanoes erupting, so it's innovative to include an adventure into one that might blow at any moment.

Even though there were seven middle grade characters and several adults, I was able to keep them all straight, thanks to the differences in their personalities and interests. Brianna is a vlogger who wants to document their experiences, but electronics don't always work well underground, even when she is allowed to have them. Three of the characters have a rather frightening back story about being involved in an earthquake in San Francisco.

The main plot, which I don't want to give away, involves a rather evil plot of world domination with an ecological theme, giving this book one more STEM connection. It's difficult to find books like this, and Slivensky's research is extensive. Science teachers are often asking for recommendations of books with science related topics, and I imagine this will go to the top of many of these lists.

This is a bit on the lengthy side, with small print in the ARC, and there are occasional slow moments. Also, the plot is really, really evil. The target demographic will like this, but I didn't care for it as much!

Confusion is Nothing New

Acampora, Paul. Confusion is Nothing New
May 29th 2018 by Scholastic Press
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Right before a marching band performance is not a great time to be told that your mother has passed away, even if you have never met her, so it's understandable that Ellie is a bit peeved with her father. When her best friend Daniel has a mishap with his piccolo during and ends up hitting Ellie in the head with the instrument and then losing it under the bleachers, the two friends don't take kindly to being yelled at by their band director, Mr. DeGroot. Things escalate, and Ellie throws her school glockenspeil at the teacher. A classmate, Anya, has videotaped the whole thing, so after talking to the school principal, Sister Stephanie (who went to school with Ellie's parents), Ellie and Daniel hunt her down to get her to take the video offline. It's bad enough that DeGroot was fired and Ellie has to pay for the instrument, without the video going viral! Sister Stephanie's brother, who is a rock musician who's had some success, fills in for the fired band director. Ellie wants to know more about her mother. She's not getting information from her father, a cook at the local college who wants to have his own food truck, because he is still hurt and angry, but she manages to find out quite a lot about her mother with the help of her friends. Her mother's band, Cyndi Lauper Isn't Dead, is coming to the university, and Ellie looks at this as an opportunity to get to know a little about the mysterious woman who gave her life, big feet, and frizzy hair.
Strengths: Acampora's Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face and How to Avoid Extinction do very well in my library, so I am really looking forward to having this one on the first shelf of fiction! This is funny, fast paced, and very upbeat considering the major plot of the deceased mother. I thought the father's seemingly callous attitude toward the mother was realistic but also well explained in the end, and Ellie's emotions about her death were convincing as well. I appreciated that Acampora utilized Lauper and other 1980s women's rock bands in a fun way AND explained the time lines so they fit Ellie's parents appropriately. The friend group and the way they helped Ellie was sweet. There were a lot of supportive and involved parents as well.
Weaknesses: Since the characters are all freshman in high school (Hooray! This is what middle school students want!), the adults seemed a little TOO involved.
What I really think: There need to be more middle grade novels with classic rock songs as the titles. I don't know how much it would amuse the target demographic, but it would make a whole lot of middle aged librarians happy! Definitely purchasing.

Flor and Miranda Steal the Show

Torres, Jennifer. Flor and Miranda Steal the Show
June 12th 2018 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Public library copy

Flor's family runs a struggling petting zoo that travels to different carnivals around California. Her father isn't a great businessman, giving away bags of feed instead of charging $1 for them, and her mother has had to return home to take a job. Still, Flor loves the carnival circuit, so when she hears the father of a band that has been playing try to talk the owner, Mr. Barsetti, into giving the band more money and exposure and perhaps discontinuing the petting zoo, she starts to make plans. Miranda y los Reyes is a ranchera band, and Miranda is the same age as Flor. Miranda has seen Flor run out of the band's performance and is a bit irritated, but the two strike up a friendship. Flor shows "Randy" around the carnival, introduces her to booth owners, and fills her up with lots of free food. She's still intent on somehow sabotaging the band's performance to insure that the petting zoo can keep traveling. Randy has her own issues with the band, including the fact that her father is very controlling and wants to make all of the decisions. She's enjoying just hanging out with a friend and seeing what is on the other side of the stage. Flor almost succeeds in making Randy late for her show, but everything turns out okay in the end, and the girls realize that even though things might change, they still have pretty good lives.
Strengths: The carnival setting is absolutely brilliant. Think back-- when you're 12 and you get to hang out with friends at the fair without parents, it is the BEST! There is so much to do and see, food  and other stuff to buy with the babysitting money you've been saving for months. Throw in some farm animals and rides, and it's just heaven. Miranda and her brother and sister performing in a family band is also a good touch. Not everyone can become famous by singing, but there are a lot of local performers who have limited success. I like that Flor's family was struggling in a realistic way, and the story line with the pig in the petting zoo who wasn't working out was touching. A fun summer romp with a few serious issues. I really enjoyed this, but now I really want some cotton candy!
Weaknesses: I like that the trim size of the book matches Stef Soto, Taco Queen, but the print is on the slightly small side. It makes a huge difference to my readers, sad to say. Since I am not familiar with ranchera bands, I could have used a little background information on the kind of music Miranda was playing.
What I really think: Definitely adding to my list to purchase, and now really want a book set at the Iowa State Fair! Bonus points to any author who includes pork chops on a stick.

Margot and Mateo Save the World

Miller, Darcy. Margot and Mateo Save the World
July 3rd 2018 by HarperCollins
ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

Margot is new to West Cover middle school, and her day isn't going well. There is a giant whale decomposing on the beach near her, and a kid on her bus, Mateo, is acting weird. She follows him, and realizes he has something tentacled and slimy clinging to his back. Luckily, she is an Olympic bound wrestler and uses her moves to take Mateo down and get the creature off him. They are soon joined by Calvin, a scientist who is supposed to be giving a talk at school. Calvin has Margot retrieve the creature from the drain, and after some research, they all decide that it is, in fact, an alien. There are others infected, including Coach Jenkins and Mayor Balboa, and the children fear that their fathers might also be infected, since they were both with the conservancy group that met on the beach with the whale, and many others who were there are infected. Since so many important adults in town are in the aliens' thrall, it's up to Margot and Mateo to figure out how to disarm the aliens. Of course, they also have to perform in a school rendition of Romeo and Juliet in the meantime! Once the government comes to help with the issue, there is still the question of where the alien eggs may be hiding. Can Margot and Mateo find them and save the world before it's too late?

Most good middle grade speculative fiction books include tweens saving the world, and it always helps when the adults are the ones they have to be fighting! Bringing in a classmate, Chelsea, who is also infected (but it's not HER fault!) is a nice touch, and the range of adults involved not only makes sense but is amusing. The group of them coming together at a local hotel to install the alien queen in a salt laden swimming pool makes the book reading just for this scene.

Margot is a great character, and I wish we had learned a bit more about her wrestling career! Her father coaches her, and her moves are spectacularly helpful when it comes to taking down alien spawn. She's a little brusque and irritated, but her day HAS been filled with glowing, slimy creatures trying to attach themselves to the back of her neck!

This is filled with lots of laugh-out-loud moments and great one-liners. (Little did I know how fond I am of the phrase "farting around" until Coach Jenkins used it!) Mateo has an obsession with vintage LaCoste shirts, the aliens are beautifully slimy and gross, and the adults who have been infected by the aliens act in unpredictable, and often silly, ways. Fans of Castle's Clone Chronicles, Emerson's The Fellowship for Alien Detection, Kloepfer's Galaxy's Most Wanted and especially Smith's Little Green Men at the Mercury Inn will appreciate this stand alone alien romp.

 I love Darcy Miller's Roll, and this was a lot of fun. I think I will purchase it, but it may take some handselling. The cover is a bit on the elementary side even though the book is not, and comic alien invasion stories are not something for which students ask.

MMGM- Stu Truly

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Always in the Middle and #IMWAYR day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday.

Richards, Dan. Stu Truly
July 3rd 2018 by Yellow Jacket
Copy provided by publisher at ALA Midwinter

Stu generally hangs out playing video games with his friend Ben, who torments him about some of his past exploits, but when a new girl, Becca, moves to his school, he is entranced. So entranced that he even tries a bit of her roasted red pepper sandwich and claims to be a vegetarian just like she is. The problem? His father runs the local butcher shop, and Stu's relationship with vegetables is antagonistic at best! Still, Becca actually talks to him and gives him Joe's Smokin' Peas (aka fiery peas of death) to eat at lunch, so Stu sticks by his assertion that he is vegetarian, and even volunteers to help with Becca's campaign to get vegetarian entrees offered at lunch. Stu isn't completely sure about Becca's affections, and agonizes when she dances with Jackson in the gym class square dancing unit. As the town's Irrigation Festival approaches, there are lots of plans being made. Stu's father has a super secret plan that involves a float in the parade... as well as some interesting meat related costumes. Becca ramps up her campaign for vegetarian entrees, there are school projects (including Mr. Snedecker's food log), a square dance exhibition, and lots of pairing up of couples. Stu and Ben are a bit confused about their new reactions to girls, but they do their best, asking Becca and Kirsten to go to the festival with them. There are rides, tests of skill, and the parade. Will Stu be able to hide his true self (as well as his family) from Becca? And if she finds out, how will she feel?

This is a brilliant book for several reasons. It has the romance of Peirce's Big Nate, the misadventures of Greenwald's Charlie Joe Jackson, and the family involvement of Landis' The Not-So-Boring Letters of Private Nobody. Stu is the quintessential middle school student who latches onto something that seems like a good idea and holds onto it even when it doesn't work any longer. It is completely believable that a 6th grade boy would tell a girl he was a vegetarian just to impress her, but the fact that Stu sticks with it just adds to the humor. The plot has a singular point (the festival and his unveiling) that offers a solid and unconfusing framework for a series of hysterically funny anecdoctal events that showcase Stu's process of maturation while still causing me to dog ear every tenth page with a funny line on it.

The supporting characters are amusing foils for Stu's half baked ideas. His father shows a similar misplaced enthusiasm which is particularly fun to see, since middle school students are so often apples to their parental units respective trees, but this is not often shown in the literature. Ben, with his giggle, is a great friend. Becca has her own interests, and while she is somewhat interested in Stu romantically, there are plenty of other things going on in her life.

The best part of this book is the writing. The amount of lines that made me snort with laughter quickly became too numerous to count. From a zombie apocalypse being just a few bad wieners away to "her hand shriveled up her sleeve like a frightened turtle" (page 101, ARC)  to the fact that without girls, the boys would be on the top of a ride barfing their guts out, this was Sonnenblick quality one liners combined with the slightly gross, embarrassing humor that middle school students love. The cover definitely points out that this book will be funny, and does not disappoint.

My only quibble is that Stu and his friends are in 6th grade. I have some indication that the publisher is going to change this, but haven't seen a finished copy. There are a lot of my 8th graders who would not want to pick this up because the characters are younger, and they would be missing out. Some tweens discover romantic prospects in 6th grade, but some are new to them even in high school, and readers would miss a fantastic story, with the rare inclusion of vegetarian characters, if they are only willing to read "up". I'm definitely purchasing two copies of this, and suspect neither will ever be on the shelf, mainly because friends will hand this off to other friends before the book is ever checked in!

Max's Story

Cameron, W. Bruce. Max's Story (A Dog's Purpose Puppy Tale)
July 3rd 2018 by Starscape Books
ARC provided by the publisher at ALA

Max is a Chihuahua-Yorkie mix puppy who ends up in a shelter in New York City with his two sisters. They are adopted right away, but he keeps nipping at people. When he hears a girl in the park, he is immediately taken with her and keeps barking to try to get her attention. After CJ stops by the adoption event, Max is determined to go after her. He runs away and follows her to her apartment building, but CJ takes him back. Because of the aggressive behavior, Max is slated to be put down, so even though she is just visiting a friend of her mother's in the city. Jillian has a cat, Sneakers, but eventually acquiesces to hosting Max, even though he barks and widdles on things. CJ is involved in an art school, and misses her own dog, Molly, but things are not going well with her mother, whom we met in Molly's Story. There is a moment when it seems that Max will have to return to the shelter, but art saves the day.
Strengths: This is a short, easy read with a very cute cover (although my paper ARC has a more Chihuahua looking dog on the cover). While it is from Max's point of view, we do get enough information to forward the plot. Good information about shelters and caring for pets, and Sneakers and Max are cute together.
Weaknesses: I would have preferred this be from CJ's view point, because it would have been interesting to find out about her precarious family situation.
What I really think: This is a series worth having, and is an easy go-to for readers who love dogs. Curious as to what will happen when CJ returns home!

Not So Normal Norbert

Green, Joey and Patterson, James. Not So Normal Norbert 
July 2nd 2018 by jimmy patterson
ARC received from publisher at ALA Midwinter

Norbert lives in a futuristic dystopia where everything is gray and depressing. His parents were arrested and taken away years ago by the Truth Police, and he's being raised by a boring aunt and uncle. When Norbert stands up when the teacher is out of the room and riffs on the Loving Leader of the society, he is also arrested and sent to Zorquat Three with other children who are also deemed a menace to society and who are named Astor-Nuts. In this camp like environment, the quirky leaders encourage the children to be creative, but Norbert doesn't quite get it and thinks that he is still in danger of being sent to an even worse place when he speaks his mind. In the end, he understands what is going on.
Strengths: Anything with the Patterson imprint does well, and the quirky cover will sell this immediately to his fans.
Weaknesses: I do like some of Patterson's stuff, but this was more like Laugh Out Loud than I, Funny, and it rubbed me the wrong way. It was message heavy with the "society crushes creativity", and I just couldn't believe that Norbert was SO clueless. Yes, I'm all for giving children things they like, but they seemed like Brown Sugar Pop Tarts.
What I really think: I'm waiting to purchase a variety of these paper-over-board titles in prebinds, since they wear out quickly and it really hurts my feelings to repurchase them. Well, except Stick Dog and Big Nate.

Al Capone Throws Me a Curve

Choldenko, Gennider. Al Capone Throws Me a Curve
May 1st 2018 by Wendy Lamb Books
Public Library E Book

There are a lot of things going on for Moose now that summer is approaching. He desperately wants to be on the high school baseball team, even though freshman rarely are. Also, Natalie has her 17th birthday, and her growing pains are evident. Her mother still dresses her like a ten year old, and wants to get her hair cut in a much younger style, but Bea Trixle has other ideas and not only cuts her hair in a stylish fashion for a young lady, but gives her two dresses that make Natalie feel more grown up. This causes some problems, including her crush on one of Moose's teammates after he is very nice to her and even gives her a button. Natalie keeps talking about Passerini, and even tells people that they are getting married. Bea even believes her! Moose knows he needs to have something special to bring to the team so that they let him on, and the other boys ask for pictures of Moose with Al Capone, and that sort of thing, which is just not realistic. Natalie hears this talk and brings their father's gun to a practice. This gets Moose in big trouble, but he doesn't tell on his sister. Piper is also causing him a lot of problems, since the warden approaches Moose to help look after her and keep her out of trouble. When the prisoners go on strike, Moose helps out with some of the work. One of the inmates, Fastball, is set to be released soon, so doesn't go on strike. When Bea plays a trick on Natalie so that Moose's father will look bad and her husband will be promoted to warden instead of him, Fastball is very helpful in getting Natalie out of a tricky situation. Moose realizes that while Alcatraz is a good place for him to be, it is not a great place for Natalie, and he helps his parents work through the process of getting her placed where she can flourish.
Strengths: This wraps up the story of Moose's family very nicely, showcases some nice growth from all concerned (even the father and mother!), and offers a glimpse of a particular place and time that is at once unusual and yet universal. The struggles the family has with finding a good place for Natalie would have been more difficult in the 1930s, but are still not easy today, but it was good to see that she had an affinity for bookkeeping and was able to excel at it. Moose's every day struggles with friends, school and baseball are realistic as well.
Weaknesses: I somehow didn't connect with Piper in this book, although I liked her in the past. Maybe too many other things required Moose's attention, so she got less.
What I really think:  Our 6th grade often reads the first book in this series as a class novel, so this will see steady circulation. I just wish we were close enough for the students to go on a field trip to Alcatraz! The notes at the end of the book are fun and helpful.

Sparks

Boothby, Ian and Matsumoto, Nina. Sparks!
February 27th 2018 by Graphix
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Canine configuration engage! August, a cat, has created a robotic dog that his friend Charlie helps him run. With the advanced robotics the two are able to save babies who are down wells, pull people out of the path of tornadoes, and perform other heroic deeds. They are being pursued by the evil Princess, who is an intergalactic threat who is inhabiting earth in the guise of a mewling, cute baby. Princess is trying to lure Charlie and August so that she can destroy them, and complete her attempt at trying to control all of the animals on Earth.  but Their canine disguise is throwing her off, and she imperils many citizens in her attempts to rout them, but they generally fail. When a busted control panel, as well as a squirrel spy sent by princess, put them at risk, Charlie and August must dig deep to find the resources they need to foil her. Will the help of their robotic litter box and a genetic camouflage bracelet that falls into the wrong hands be enough to save the Earth from certain doom?

As a dog person, I fear for a future where the fate of Earth falls into feline hands, but Charlie seems very caring and August is technologically savvy, so their are worse saviors to have. They both know even that heroic cats are not usually the ones to save the day, so their robot is a dog! This is a nice twist, since for some reason, there are a lot of books about space CATS. (Spires' Binky the Space Cat, Brockington's Catstronauts, Dinardo's Space Cat ; even Pete the Cat has an extraterrestrial adventure!)

Princess is a brilliantly evil villain who looks cute, and her minders often irk her to such an extent that she must apply the "agony pants" to them. She doesn't seem to have as much of a plan as Marmalade in Blabey's Bad Guys vs. the Alien, but her cuteness certainly works to her advantage when bending Earthlings to her will.

This full color graphic novel has bright colors, simple lines, and a comfortable amount of text for younger readers to process. Graphic novels for older readers are often have higher reading levels, and small text that struggling readers find difficult, but like Winnick's Hilo series or
Braddock's Stinky Cecil, Sparks! has just the right amount of humor, color and robotic dogs to make it a great way for a young reader to pass a pleasant afternoon. 

Drum Roll, Please

Bigelow, Lisa Jenn. Drum Roll, Please
June 26th 2018 by HarperCollins
E ARC provided by Edleweiss Plus

Melly and her best friend Olivia are attending Camp Rockaway, a music summer camp in the woods with a predilection for bad puns on their signage. Melly isn't very interested in the camp, especially since her parents announced their impending divorce right before she was supposed to leave them for two weeks! Melly likes drumming but doesn't live for it, and when she is assigned to a group and is not with Olivia, she doesn't see the point of camp. There are a lot of typical camp events-- meals, hikes through the woods, substandard bathroom facilities, and a boys camp on the other side of the camp. As Olivia makes new friends, Melly struggles with fitting in until she meets Adeline. She enjoys being with her, and before too long starts to realize that what she is feeling is a crush. She is not sure that Adeline feels the same way, but the two continue to hang out together, and eventually decide they like each other. Melly makes some peace with her parents, takes some musical risks, and is able to be comfortable with many different aspects of herself.
Strengths: Having attended a music camp in high school, the details about every day life (especially the rain!) are absolutely true to life. I've read more camp books lately, and they are always good to have. There are lots of fun characters in this book, and a subtle air of female empowerment, as evidenced through the music, that I really enjoyed. The crush and relationship are very organic and a part of a larger story, which is just what I've been waiting for. Enjoyed this a lot, and readers who liked Grosso's I am Drums will be glad to see another story centered around the evolution of a drummer.
Weaknesses: The story is slow at a few points, but since the book is short, it moves fairly quickly.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing a copy, and glad to have another LGBTQ+ title, because I have a lot of students ask for them. There is a growing imbalance in middle grade books, though, and I would like to see another title similar to Barakiva's One Man Guy.

The Scroll of Kings (The Lost Books #1)

Prineas, Sarah. The Scroll of Kings (The Lost Books #1)
June 26th 2018 by HarperCollins
ARC provided by publisher at ALA

Alex is struggling as the apprentice to an elderly librarian at a castle filled with old, musty diaries and laundry lists, and when Master Farnsworth dies under suspicious circumstances, the Dowager Duchess Purslane has had enough of him and sends him away. Not wanting to go back to his militaristic family, he forges the duchess' signature to obtain lodging and supplies, and journeys to Aethel, where the librarian has noticed books acting in a strange way. He secures a trial period until the end of the month from Queen Kenneret, who is very young and under the thrall of her Uncle Patch. Alex finds the library in an advanced state of disrepair, and sets to work putting things right. As he does so, he comes across more books, all with a strange symbol on them, that seem to have a mind of their own. He also uncovers evidence of a horrible historical event sixty years in the past that dealt with "L.B."s, and was devastating. He often runs afoul of Kenneret (he takes supplies since she won't give them to him), but she is impressed with his dedication. When her younger brother Charlie is kicked out of school again, she apprentices him to Alex. The two don't get on until Charlie challenges Alex to a duel, and Alex proves himself to be quite capable. Uncle Patch is involved in suspicious activities, the kingdom is in a fragile state, and Kenneret has to prove herself. Will the activities in the library, and the arrival of Alex's family, prove to be far more intertwined than we could imagine? I strongly suspect a book two to be in the offing.

Alex is a strong-headed but dedicated librarian who was "chosen" by the Red Codex. He doesn't believe that books are evil, even though they are capable of evil actions, so he doesn't want to destroy them, choosing instead to lock them up. He thinks that the books house the authors' spirits, so wants to keep them alive. There is a timely tie-in between the problems of the kingdom and the emergence of the "L.B."s that modern day librarians will love!

Kenneret and Charlie are brilliantly portrayed as well-meaning royalty who aren't quite sure what the best thing for their kingdom is. Luckily, they are open to trying. I would not be averse to a romance between the librarian and queen!

The library itself could have used more description, as well as more cups of tea by the fire, but times are dire, and we don't quite have the polished wood and gleaming rows of leather spines arranged quite yet. I will allow Alex a book or two to set things right in Aethel before getting the library whipped into shape.

Readers who loves the environment of this author's The Magic Thief or other medieval fantasy books such as Pierce's Tortall, or even the more modern Wexler's The Forbidden Library series, will enjoy imagining that they are working alongside Alex to both arrange books and help save the kingdom with swords and magic.

Glenn, Sharlee. Library on Wheels: Mary Lemist Titcomb and America's First Bookmobile
April 10th 2018 by Abrams Books
Public Library Copy

It's hard to imagine that there weren't always public libraries, but the idea didn't really start to catch on until the 1890s (when my grandmother was born!). Mary Lemist Titcomb came from a poor family but made sure that she became educated. After finishing high school in 1873, she took an internship to become a librarian. After being denied a position at the Chicago World's Fair's Women's Building Library in 1893 by Melvil Dewey because she wasn't widely known outside her community, she stepped up her her game and devoted herself to promoting innovative library services. She installed library boxes throughout her county in stores and private homes, if necessary. Fearing that farmers at the outer reaches of her district did not have books, she created a book wagon in 1905 to take on rounds while keeping the library building open! She was a consummate professional and no doubt the most "famous" librarian of her time.

Glenn has done exhaustive research to fill in spares facts, and since there are relatively few photographs of the time, she has done a great job of locating pictures that show, for example, what Mary might have looked like when she was a girl. The photos are all explained, but this will go far in giving modern children a better feel for the time. I love that Glenn was so dedicated to her topic that she helped get donations to put up a gravestone for Mary and her sister!

Appelt's Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky (April 24th 2001, HarperCollins) remains steadily popular in my library, so I'm definitely going to purchase a copy of this. It's beautifully formatted, and a fun, easy read. Plus, Titcomb is a great example of a woman who did not take "no" for an answer, so would make a great topic (if hard to research!) for a National History Day project. Pair this one with Farrell's  Fannie Fannie Never Flinched: One Woman’s Courage in the Struggle for American Labor Union Rights (November 1st 2016,Abrams Books for Young Readers), or, if you are silly enough to have Parnassus on Wheels on your library shelves since 1969, use Library on Wheels as an excuse to continue to hold onto Morley's fun novel.

Morley, Christopher. Parnassus on Wheels
June 1st 1955 by J.B. Lippincott Company
(Originally published in 1917)

She Loves You (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah)

Hood, Ann. She Love You (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah)
June 26th 2018 by Penguin Workshop
ARC from ALA Midwinter

It's 1966, and Trudy Mixer is having a hard time at the end of the school year. Her best friend, Michelle, is morphing into a lipstick wearing, Twiggy haircut sporting cheerleader, her father is so involved in his work that he doesn't spend much time with her, and her Beatles' Fan Blub has gone from being the biggest group in the school to having only four members. Not only that, but a substitute teacher uses her real name, Gertrude, and people start calling her that all the time. There's a brief moment of light-- the Beatles are performing a concert in Boston, not too far from her home. Her father has to travel to Japan on business, but Trudy convinces her mother to drive her, and even gets her to practice, since driving stresses her out. When her mother breaks her leg and has a cumbersome cast on her right foot, Trudy must reassess her strategies. There is a new girl in town, Penelope, who has moved from California and spells of Patchouli, and she claims that she is going to the concert with a high school boy, and they intend to take the bus and then the subway to the concert. Trudy rallies the three remaining members-- Jessica, Nora, and Peter-- and uses the summer to obsess over the Beatles' music and make plans for the concert. As president of the FIRST fan club in Rhode Island, Trudy is sure that the group can manage to meet Paul, and soon finds out that her friends all have their own reasons for wanting to make a personal connection with the Fab Four.
Strengths: While there are still students who adore the Beatles (my own daughter included!), I don't think they understand the real impact of the group on popular culture in the 1960s. We have needed this book for a LONG time, and Hood includes so many details about modern day culture that I was definitely transported back to the summer of 1966.Trudy has a typical, middle class suburban lifestyle-- the hard working, quiet father, the Arpege wearing mother who dabbles in reading The Feminine Mystique but still churns out meatloaf, and the bedroom with mint green dotted swiss and a record player. In everlasting middle school (or junior high) fashion, her friends are changing and developing interests that don't match hers. The social issues of the time are worked in very cleverly through the experiences of the other children and include the "hippie" counterculture, the conflict in Vietnam and its effect on the families whose sons were fighting, and the general change in the feeling in the world that is so evident in the evolution of the Beatles' music and wonderfully summed up by this line "Psychedelic was part of the way the world was changing, and it made me feel nervous." (Page 154 of the uncorrected advance proof.) This is a beautifully written and vivid paean to a bygone era that is ingrained in the public consciousness and needs to be explained to younger people.
Weaknesses: I was so caught up in the details (Liddle Kiddles! Melamine dishes! White Pages from other cities in the library! Up the Down Staircase!) that I missed the character development in Jessica and Nora, and was a little surprised at Peter's feelings for Trudy at the end of the book. There were a few minor historical errors, but no 12 year old will catch them, and they all involved things that were just a year or two off.
What I really think: This transports readers to a very particular time and fully invests them in Trudy's quest to meet Paul McCartney. It is a wish fulfillment novel in the very best sense. I cried at the end, but then I was always a girl who loved George best! Definitely purchasing at least two, if not three, copies. Plus one for my daughter for Christmas!

Blog Tour!

WEEK ONE

June 18 – BookHounds YA – Favorite Beatle and why

June 19 – In Wonderland – Favorite Beatle

June 20 – It’s Just About Write – Author Guest Post: If it starts with the Beatles, what makes boy bands and the stories they inspire still so popular today all these decades later?

June 21 – Dotters Daughters Picks – Author Q&A

June 25 – Ms. Yingling Reads – Review

June 26 – Sweet Things – Review + Creative

June 27 – Book Nerds Across America – Favorite Boy Band  

There's No Base Like Home

Mendoza, Jessica and Dusan, Alana Mendoza. There's No Base Like Home
June 19th 2018 by Tu Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Sophia Garcia wants to follow in her older sister Ellie's footsteps and play on the Waves softball team, but she doesn't make the cut. She is glad when a new team, the Quakes, is formed and she's asked to play on it. She still doesn't feel as if she is as good as her sister, but she's a little resistant to the training her sister tries to put her through in order to be a better player, even though she knows it will help. The girls have a lot of games, and their hardworking parents and extended family support them as much as they can, often bringing delicious food with them! With middle school starting, Sophia and her friend Casey are finding themselves with different interests-- Sophia is still all about softball, but Casey is interested in boys and clothes. It doesn't help that Casey's family is much better off than Sophia's, and Sophia finds herself being a little jealous, while Casey feels that Sophia doesn't listen to any concerns that aren't about sports. Sophia starts playing outfield instead of pitching (which is more Ellie's interest), and tries to stop being so cranky with her family and with Casey.
Strengths: We have a girls' softball team at school, but there as so few books that cover girls' teams. This had a lot of good information about different positions, and the light rivalry between Sophia and her sister was interesting. Seeing the Garcias extended family was nice as well. Illustrations will really help sell this, as will the celebrity factor if my girls have ever heard of these sisters.
Weaknesses: I had a hard time getting my head around a softball season going into December! By mid October in Ohio, it's way too cold to be playing outdoor sports, but this must not be the case in California! I wish this was a bit happier and less angsty.
What I really think: I'll have to buy a copy. I have a fair number of softball books, but a huge proportion of them are historical fiction. It's nice to see what that's modern.

Cartoon Saturday- Mr. Wolf's Class

Steinke, Aron Nels. Mr. Wolf's Class
June 26th 2018 by Scholastic/Graphix
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Mr. Wolf is starting his first year of teaching fourth grade. He sets up his classroom and waits for his students to arrive. He is pleased with their behavior on the rug, but struggles a bit when he ventures out to the office. Another teacher steals his stapler, and he runs a bit late when he's having a doughnut in the teachers' lounge. After he picks up his class from the library, they go back to their room, but one student, Penny, is missing! Mr. Wolf sends a student to the bathroom to check, and lets the principal know, but even when lunch starts, Penny is not back. She does show up at the end of recess, which Mr. Wolf extends, and the class ends the day with show and tell. On the bus home, Margot, who just moved to town, befriends Sampson, and they bond over a shared love of seashells. There is a second book in the works, entitled Mystery Club.
Strengths: Interestingly, this struck me as a sort of B is for Betsy in graphic novel form! You have the variety of students (who are all different animals, ala Marc Brown's Arthur), supportive adults, and very pedestrian activities that are nonetheless pleasantly interesting. This will be an enormous hit in elementary schools everywhere, and my 6th graders will pick the book up as well.
Weaknesses: I didn't believe that Penny was missing for so long, but it makes for a good story.
What I really think: Adding this to my PermaBound list of graphic and notebook novels to purchase in sturdier bindings.

Kwan, Garfield and Song, Dana. Squidtoons: Exploring Ocean Science with Comics
June 26th 2018 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
Copy provided by the publisher

This is a very detailed handbook about a variety of ocean creatures. From sea dragons to various fish to sharks and many others besides, we are given drawings detailing bodily features, information about habitats and breeding, and many odd and interesting facts that are both important and amusing. While all of the information is scientifically accurate and does not skimp on science (there are a lot of high level terms and explanations of things like gas exchange and failure of creatures to mate in captivity, for example), there is a lot of humor. The statistical facts behind fear of shark attacks pokes fun at the extreme fear they engender while comparing the number of people killed by them to the number of people who die annually at the hands (hooves?) of deer.

This could be a fun book for students who are tremendously interested in marine biology, and could be a useful resource to keep in a classroom where these animals are studied. This is one of those books where it's not a bad idea to buy two-- one to use to look up facts, and the other to cut apart, laminate, and use on bulletin boards!

Takedown

Shovan, Laura. Takedown
June 19th 2018 by Wendy Lamb Books/Random House Children's Books
Public Library Copy

Mikayle has wrestled in a rec league for many years, always with her friend Kenna. They hold their own, and don't let anyone give them grief because they are female in a sport where most of the participants are male. When they start middle school, Mikayla is really excited to be on the travel team her brothers were on, the Eagles. When she and Kenna go to the first meeting, however , Coach Spence says that girls are not allowed, and he's on the local board, so there's no way they can even appeal. This is enough to encourage Kenna to pursue other interests, much to Mikayla's dismay. She decides to see if another travel team, the Gladiators, will take her. Luckily, Coach Billy is much more open minded, and tells his athletes that they are not to go easy on "Mickey" (as she likes to be called when she's wrestling) on treat her as anything but a teammate. Mickey is partnered with Lev, who isn't thrilled at the guff his friends give him about working with a girl. Mickey isn't thrilled, either, because she's always worked with Kenna. The two make their peace early on, especially since Mickey's brother Evan, a talented high school wrestler, is dating Lev's sister Dalia, and has always been super nice to Lev. Wrestling is a hard sport, and Mickey tries her best even when other teams refuse to compete against her, and she finds that it's harder to win at traveling wrestling than it was in the rec league. Lev struggles with the time commitment of wrestling, and the fact that he doesn't have time to do anything else. When Evan makes an unsportsmanlike move at a meet, both Mickey and Lev struggle with how to address his actions, and it effects them and their families in very different ways.

Lev and Mickey are both dedicated wrestlers with years of practice behind them who are now moving to the next level. Issues particular to wrestling, such as cutting weight and being sportsmanlike, are addressed brilliantly. In contrast to Martino's 2005 Pinned, the idea of cutting weight is highly discouraged, and we see only one wrestler try it, briefly, with unsatisfactory results.

Like Martino's 2011 Perfected by Girls, we also see that there are not yet consistent rules concerning girls involved in the sport, and that the culture is somewhat slow in accepting them. Lev and Mickey are both struggling with this, but they both do a good job at learning to work with each other, and Lev is a great teammate when he needs to stand up for his partner. They even manage to have some fun with it, including a specially decorated "girl" trophy amongst the official ones during a meet. I do think that girls and boys have started working better together in the last 10-15 years, and we need to see this reflected in middle grade literature.

The family issues that both Lev and Mickey face are realistic and important to the story as well. Mickey's parents are divorced and juggling three children's sports schedules, and Evan has chosen to live with their father. Lev's family is very busy, and he feels that they don't get enough time together as a family. There are also issues with friends that come into play in the story and are well done.

There are so few middle grade novels about wrestling-- a smattering of Jake Maddox and Matt Christopher titles, Klass' Wrestling with Honor (1990), Spinelli's There's a Girl in My Hammerlock (1991), Wallace's Wrestling Sturbridge (1996), Flake's Pinned (2012, and this does have a girl wrestler!) and the new Petruck's Boy Bites Bug (2018). I believe the reason there are so few is that the culture of wrestling is one that must be experienced in order to convey convincingly. Shovan's son wrestled, and her experiences with teams clearly show. My own disappointment was that since the Gladiators and Eagles are travel teams and not school teams, there were no girls serving as statisticians. My elder daughter was a wrestling stat and team manager for six years; she was such a part of the team that the boys got her hew own pair of wresting shoes when she graduated. Nonetheless, I am absolutely thrilled to have Takedown to include in my middle school collection.

Everything I Know About You

Dee, Barbara. Everything I Know About You
June 19th 2018 by Aladdin
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Tally isn't particularly thrilled about the class trip to Washington, D.C., but the thought of being with best friends Sonnet and Spider makes it somewhat better. When head teacher chaperone Ms. Jordan makes her room with the popular Ava, and even worse, puts Spider with Marco, who had bullied him the previous year, Tally is not pleased. When the group finally gets to the patriotic themed hotel, Sonnet ends up with Haley, and Tally gets along better than she expected with Ava. She does notice, however, that Ava eats very little, and spends all of the free time in the hotel working out in the gym. Ava's mother, Mrs. Seeley, is along as one of the chaperones, and Tally witnesses some of the mother-daughter interactions that indicate that Ava's home life is not all that pleasant. Sonnet seems to be enjoying herself with Haley, and Spider and Marco are getting along extremely well, to the point where Spider accuses Tally of always having to protect him. Feeling left out, Tally makes the poor choice to dye her hair with products purchased at the hotel gift shop, and the result is less than attractive. Tally makes many interesting choices about personal adornment to show that she doesn't care what others think, but this makes her self conscious. Ava and her mother end up being very supportive, but Ava does not react well to Tally's concern about her eating habits. There's lots of drama, lots of sights to see, and a lot to be learned about how people who normally don't interact can get to know and care about each other when normal circumstances change.
Strengths: Always glad to see a book about a trip to D.C. instead of another class election, and this does a good job of including details about the sites AND the attendant drama that frequently occurs. Eating disorder books are always interesting to students, and seeing Ava through Tally's eyes is a good change from the first person narratives I've seen in the past. Also good is the portrayal of Tally's friendships, and how they change when the students are away from their normal routines. All in all, an engaging and timely book that should be included in all middle school collections. Dee has an excellent eye for timely problems that lack adequate literary representation, which is a skill every bit as important as her ability to tell a good story.
Weaknesses: There were some details of the trip that were very unlike the D.C. trip at our school-- a chaperone would never be able to go off alone with just two students, there is a LOT more free time than we give kids (seriously, the bus rolls out at 7 a.m. and we get back at 11 p.m., which leaves no time for movie watching or random hair dying!), and Ava is not old enough to use the exercise facilities in most hotels. Those are small quibbles, but I might say something to the readers in my school who pick up the book before going on our D.C. trip. Tally was not a likable character to me, but she wasn't so horrible that it interfered with my enjoyment of the story.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing to have on hand with Carlson's Faded Denim, Barson's 45 Pounds More or Less, Lytton's Jane in Bloom, Anderson's Wintergirls, Padian's Jersey Tomatoes are the Best, Porter's Dance of Sisters, Maschari's Things That Surprise You, Knowle's Still a Work in Progress, and the ur-anorexia novel, Levenkron's The Best Little Girl in the World.



Weyn, Suzanne. Snapstreak
February 6th 2018 by HMH Books for Young Readers
Public library copy

Vee is going to have to move to a town about ten miles away from where she is currently living with her father, and she'll have to leave her friends Megan and Lulu and finish 8th grade in another school. In order to ease her transition, she makes contact with a popular girl at her new school, Gwynneth, and starts a Snapstreak with her. A local news channel starts a contest at the same time-- two students from different schools with the longest Snapstreak will win concert tickets to a popular boy band. Despite getting her phone taken away and other difficulties, Vee keeps up the streak until she gets a concussion while playing lacrosse and can't use technology. Lulu and Megan step in to complete it, but have agendas of their own. Gwynneth isn't exactly who she says she is, and Vee hasn't been completely honest as well, but things work out.
Strengths: I really want to buy this for the librarian who will replace me in twenty years so that there is something historical from the 2010s in the collection. Technology changes so quickly (Anyone for Pfeffer's Rewind to Yesterday? I have a copy!), and in five years' time no one will know what Snapchat is.
Weaknesses:  The cartoon cover makes this look much younger-- in the book, the girls are in 8th grade, and the Snapchat pictures (actual photographs) make them look much younger. Bit of a cognitive disconnect, there.
What I really think: I'm debating purchase. May wait until end of year to see what the budget looks like.

Milla Takes Charge (Daring Dreamers Club #1)

Soderberg, Erin. Milla Takes Charge (Daring Dreamers Club #1)
June 5th 2018 by Random House Disney
Copy provided by publisher

Milla is ready to have a great fifth grade year. She loves to write stories about adventures, hang out with her moms, and play with her pet pig, Chocolate Chip, who helps storyboard her stories. Things look good at school, especially with advisory period, for whom Milla's has a new teacher, Ms. Bancroft. Ms. Bancroft wears fun clothes and has quotations from Disney princesses all over her room. When she has to write in a journal about which princess she is most like, she chooses Belle because of their shared loved of books and reading. It's fun getting to know the other girls, including Piper, who loves to cook, Ruby, who is a soccer fanatic, Zahra who loves sewing and fashion design, and Mariana, who is supposed to love swimming like the rest of her siblings, but isn't quite sure. Milla is looking forward to the fifth-grade overnight trip, but she's not entirely sure if her moms will let her go. In addition to very serious nut and dairy allergies, Milla was attacked by a dog when she was young, which resulted in a scar on her cheek and a lot of overprotective attitudes from her mothers! They are also both very busy, so it's hard for Milla to find a time to sit down and ask about going. In order to make them more amenable to the idea, Milla tries to prove that she is really responsible, but her ideas, like taking her pet to school, all seem to back fire. As the deadline approaches and the other girls in her advisory make plans for the trip, Milla has to figure out a way that she can get permission to go on her first actual adventure!

This first book in a planned series with books focusing on each of the girls does a nice job of describing the school, the fantastic Ms. Bancroft, and the personalities and interests of each of the characters. It's hard to create five distinct types that I can keep straight, but the girls all have different enough interests and family backgrounds that they were very easy to identify. Younger readers will also be able to understand more about the girls' interests based on the princesses with whom the girls identify. A surprisingly effective character is Chocolate Chip, whose presence gives Milla opportunity to talk about pet rescue and how some pets require a lot of care. My daughter always wanted a teacup pig, but I didn't realize that the only way to keep them very small is to underfeed them!

It's always good to read about middle grade characters with particular interests and passions, and the Daring Dreamers certainly have these. Piper is particularly nice about keeping Milla's dietary restrictions in mind, and it's good to see that Mariana still hasn't decided what her passion is. There are never enough books about soccer, so I'm looking forward to the volume with Ruby. I would have preferred some more science of technology related interests, or even something along the lines of engineering or building. While the princess theme is really well done when it comes to encouraging the girls to be active and work toward their passions, there are a lot of books about girls who want to write and sew, so having Milla want to be an actuary would have been a lot fresher!

There can never be enough ensemble books about girls who do different activities with their friends, and The Daring Dreamers Club is a great addition to books like Kimmel's Forever Four, Simon's The Cupcake Diaries, Greenwald's Sweet Treats and Secret Crushes, Margolis's Maggie Brooklyn Mysteries,  or Deutsch's The Friendship Code.