Watch Us Rise

Watson, Renee and Hagan, Ellen. Watch Us Rise
February 12th 2019 by Bloomsbury YA
E ARC from Edelweiss

Jasmine and Chelsea attend high school at Amsterdam Heights, a progressive school with an impressive social justice program. They are unhappy that their theater and poetry groups are still embracing the traditional, white ideas and want to make a change, so they start their own women's activist group, called Write Like a Girl. Each group in the school has a blog, so they start theirs, and their writing attracts lots of attention, both good and bad. The principal admonishes them that they need to watch themselves, which defeats the whole purpose of the group. The girls also have complicated lives. Jasmine's father is dying of cancer, and she has a long time friend in Isaac, but she's not sure where the two stand romantically. Chelsea has a younger sister who is also a feminist, but her parents are old school and religious. Chelsea is interested in a boy in her class, but he already has a girlfriend, although this doesn't stop him from putting the moves on Chelsea, which she doesn't appreciated. Still feeling that their voices aren't being heard, the girls print t shirts highlighting women's voices, and even stage a strike by the women in their school. While they are still not happy with the atmosphere, there are small steps being made, and the two are glad that they are socially conscious and willing to take risks in order to be heard.
Strengths: This has lots of female empowerment as well as on trend depictions of many social issues like body positivity. Jasmine and Chelsea both take control of their own destinies and try to figure out a way to make their voices heard. They deal with a variety of reactions to their opinions from teachers who are supportive to classmates who mock them. The poetry will appeal to readers who like free verse.
Weaknesses: I found it a little hard to believe that the principal of a school that wins awards for social justice would be so completely tone deaf to microaggressions and outright harassment. It's not unusual to portray principals as incompetent, but it would have made more sense if the principal had been more supportive.
What I really think: This is very introspective and deals with many issues that middle school students are just discovering. It would be appropriate for middle school, but most likely of limited interest. An excellent purchase for a high school.

The Meltdown

Kinney, Jeff. The Meltdown (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #13)
October 30th 2018 by Amulet Books
Library copy

Greg Heffley is suffering through a winter very much like the one we have been having here in Central Ohio. Some days it is 50, but other days it is well below zero. There is some snow, but not enough for a snow day. Greg and Rowley have to walk to school, which is miserable. Being the creative types that they are, they try to find ways around the commute-- stopping by Greg's grandmother's house, getting pizza, or trying to get a ride on a school bus they think will take them close to their homes. Sometimes, they just have to try to fashion snow shoes out of pizza boxes and duct tape, although that doesn't always end well. It doesn't help that there is a turf war on Surrey Street, with the kids on the hill (where Greg lives) envying the kids on the bottom their flat spaces to play, while the kids at the bottom try to sneak onto the sledding hill. When there finally is enough snow for a snow day, Greg spend most of it trying to avoid his mother's chores and watching television in her bed, but he becomes bored with that, and ventures out into an increasingly violent snowball fight over the rights to the hill.
Strengths: I did enjoy Greg's descriptions of walking to school. Many of my students make similar treks, as do I, and winter makes for a challenging commute even for the best prepared. It was also good to see children playing out in the snow, even though Greg explains that this is something adults tell children will be fun as they push them outside, but you never see adults playing out in the snow. This was somewhat similar to Cabin Fever, which is probably my second favorite Wimpy Kid book. (The first being The Getaway, since it actually has more of a plot.)
Weaknesses: Greg's neighbors are named and described in very unflattering terms that come close to insulting. Also, as a conscientious reader, I tried to file that names away for when they might come up again in the book, but they didn't.
What I really think: I just want more of a plot. Maybe a little character development. I'm not a book snob, but these are so highly anecdotal that I find myself longing for basic conventions of novel length fiction.

Stolen Girl

Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk. Stolen Girl
February 26th 2019 by Scholastic Press
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Nadia and Marusia arrive in Canada after being in Displaced Persons camps in Europe. They are Ukrainian, and Nadia is supposed to refer to Marusia as her mother. They are met by Ivan, who has come ahead and is building a house for the family. There is a small Ukrainian population that is very helpful, and well as a kindly woman who teaches Nadia English before she starts school. Nadia knows that Marusia and Ivan love her, but also feels that they are not really her parents. School is a difficult adjustment; even though the teacher and most students are nice, there are some who call Nadia, with her blonde hair and European style, a Nazi. Eventually, she settles into a routine, makes a friend, Linda, and is increasingly bothered by visions of her past. These come in bits and pieces and are triggered by many different things, from a color or a smell to a school inspector giving her a piece of hard candy. Mikusia has not wanted to tell Nadia about her past, since she doesn't know the whole story and doesn't want to affect the memories, but assures Nadia that she is definitely Ukrainian, and that she is safe and loved in Canada. Eventually, Nadia remembers who she is and what happened to her during the war.
Strengths: I'm not usually a fan of flashbacks to tell the story, but in this case, it was used to excellent effect as Nadia comes to grips with her past. I don't want to ruin it; suffice it to say that Nadia was part of the Nazi's Lebensborn program. I can't think of another middle grade book about this topic, so here's another WWII book that is essential to have in my collection! The fact that it is set post-war is interesting as well, since students don't have a very good picture of what happened during the enormous diaspora following the war. Ivan, Marusia, and the entire community were touching to read about, since they were so supportive and dedicated to making a life after their horrible experiences.
Weaknesses: There's a tie in with Making Bombs for Hitler, and I had forgotten enough of that book that I wasn't able to pick up on it as quickly as I should have.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing. Skrypuch is becoming the Carol Matas of Holocaust books!

The Bridge Home.

Venkatraman, Padma. The Bridge Home.
February 5th 2019 by Nancy Paulsen Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

When Viji's mother does nothing to protect herself from the abusive behavior of Viji's father, the desperate girl decides to take her sister Ruuku and run away to the city. Ruuku is developmentally disabled, but Viji feels that anything has to be better than their home situation. They make it to the city and are lucky to find some friendly help, including a woman whose husband runs a restaurant who gives them a little work, food, and beads for Ruuku. They also meet fellow street children, Arul and Muthi, who show them the ropes and make a home with them on a bridge, using tarps and mats. The boys show them how to make money by going through the garbage and selling metal and glass, and generally help them survive in their new reality. Arul is a Christian, and his entire family was lost in tsunami type accident, and Muthu has his own sad back story that makes him wary of people. Even after the rag man destroys their bridge home, they gather their forces and live in a cemetery. Eventually, however, the rainy season brings mosquitoes that cause fever in the children, and Viji is forced to accept help from a local children's charity. She is reunited with her father, but chooses to stay in the children's home, where she has been able to put together a life that includes more education than she would have gotten otherwise.
Strengths: I am always happy to see books about how children live in other countries, and Venkatraman has based this on her own mother's work with disadvantaged children in India, as well as on many interviews. The details of what is needed to survive are tremendously appealing to young readers. Think of The Box Car Children or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, which I read for the details like washing the dishes in the creek with sand or going to the store for just one potato. This is a great book to hand to readers who love Cruz's Everlasting Nora or Yang's Front Desk. While I loved this author's A Time to Dance and Climbing the Stairs, novels in verse and historical fiction don't do all that well in my library-- this hits the popular features of problem novels just right and will circulate a lot.
Weaknesses: I have had a small number of students of Indian descent in my school over the years, and their background is far more like Varadarajan's Ravi in Save Me a Seat. I'd like to see books set in India about children who go to school and have a slightly more secure home life.
What I really think: Can't wait to hand this to students. Enjoyed it very much myself!

New Kid

Craft, Jerry. New Kid
February 5th 2019 by HarperCollins
ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

Jordan is not thrilled to be going to a private school several neighborhoods away from his home in Washington Heights, New York City, since it means leaving his best friend and having to deal with a whole new social class of peers. Also, if he has to go to a new school, he wishes it were an art school instead, since drawing comics is one of his favorite things to do. He is picked up the first day by his student guide, Liam, who is fairly uncommunicative, and is thrown into a sea of mainly white faces. There is a boy who is Nicaraguan, although classmates give him a hard time about being Mexican, and a few African-American students. The teachers seem to have no idea how to deal with students who are not white, frequently calling Jordan and Drew the names of other students, to the point where the two make a joke of calling each other things like Ja'vion and Darius. Jordan not only feels like he doesn't fit in at his new school, but he also feels that being in the new school disconnects him from his Washington Heights crowd. He does manage to make a few friends, including the nice but super annoying Alex, who wears a hand puppet and talks in puppet voices. Eventually, Jordan learns to embrace his pink-short wearing new community and realizes he can make his two worlds work together.

Having taught at an expensive private school, I can certainly commiserate with Jordan's experiences. Unless you are born into extreme wealth, being thrust into a world where people take skiing vacations during Thanksgiving and have win at PTA meetings is bewildering! Add the lack of cultural diversity at the school, and it's little wonder that Jordan spends most of the year hiding inside his hoodie. (Because 50% of all middle schoolers hide in their hoodies!)

The other characters are also realistic. I loved that Liam was embarased enough by his wealth that Jordan occasionally thought he might be a scholarship student, too. Alex is absolutely a very common middle school type as well, although the addition of a reason for her to be quirky and odd was novel-- I've had a lot of cat-ear-wearing students whom other students think are odd who act this way for no reason at all! It's nice that there are a number of different reactions to cultural differences at the school, some of which are nice and some of which aren't. The students all have their reasons for acting the way they do, and most are understanding. I just wish the same could be said of the teacher characters, who were rather mean or misguided with no motivation to be so.

The illustrations are unique, pleasantly colored (love the use of "salmon"!) and highly expressive. Like the work of Victoria Jamieson or the Holm's this is both easy to read but also has some meat to the plot, which is sometimes not the case in graphic novels.

I've been waiting a long time for more graphic novels with African-American main characters. Robinson's Jake the Fake and Patterson's Public School Super Hero are a good starting point (I still want to see Robb Armstrong do one!), and Craft's work illustrating other writer's work is good, but this whole graphic novel is well-balanced and fun for any middle school reader who likes this medium.

Song for a Whale

Kelly, Lynne. Song for a Whale
February 5th 2019 by Delacorte
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

While Iris and one set of her grandparents are Deaf, her parents are not, and her father doesn't even make the effort to learn sign language. Iris has an interest in repairing older radios, and this gives her a nice past time and source of income. School is a struggle, and it's hard to deal with some of her fellow classmates, especially one who pretends to know ASL but just annoys Iris with her unsuccessful and self-serving attempts. When Iris' science class learns about Blue 55, a whale who communicates on a frequency that no other whales do, and so leads a lonely existence, she is drawn to his story and tries to help. She consults with the music teacher and creates a sound track on the frequency the whale uses, and contacts a research station in Alaska to see if they can use it. When the scientists there invite her to come by if she is ever in the area, Iris decides she really needs to go to help out. Her parents, wisely, say no, so she approaches her grandmother. Her grandmother is not doing well after the passing of her spouse, and decides a cruise to Alaska is just what she needs. The two sneak off on their adventure, and while Iris is not able to help Blue 55, she is able to put some things in her life into perspective and to speak up for herself.
Strengths: The author's background working with Deaf students is apparent, and the details about having an interpreter at school, dealing with classmates, and of feeling the vibrations through the radios are all good details for hearing students to have. The science connection is interesting, and the relationship with the grandmother is charming. The father's difficulty in connecting with Iris adds a layer of realistic depth.
Weaknesses: There have been several Deaf students at my school, and none of them were ever treated this badly. I had one girl with an interpreter and a cochlear implant who was even a library helper for several quarters-- we just made sure students knew to make sure she could see their face and to talk clearly but normally when they checked out books so that she could understand them, and she never seemed as isolated and unhappy as Iris. Doesn't make for as good a story, but makes me feel good about my students!
What I really think: There should be more books than Ferris' Of Sound Mind and Gino's You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! that include Deaf culture, so I am really glad to see this one.

Blog Tour- To Night Owl from Dogfish

Week One

February 4 – Books4yourkids – Author Guest Post: What are the constraints - and freedoms - of writing an epistolary novel? Is it similar to writing a first person narrative?

February 4 – Two Points of Interest – Author Guest Post – what inspires you to write? 

February 5 – Pages and Pugs – Favorite Quotes 

February 5 – Amber After Glows – Favorite Quotes

February 6 – Read. Eat. Love. – Inspired by the Book: Food 

February 6 –  The Hermit Librarian – Inspired by the Book: Food 

February 7 – Book Loaner Blog – Listicle: Camp Activities Inspired by the Book 

February 7 – Books. Libraries. Also, cats – Listicle: Camp Activities Inspired by the Book 

February 8 – Happy Reading Co.  – Favorite Quotes

February 8 – The Quirky Book Nerd – Favorite Quotes 

Week Two

February 11 – That Reader Girl – Listicle: Camp Songs 

February 11 – We Live and Breathe Books – Listicle: Camp Songs 

February 12 –  Sam Maybe Reading – Review 

February 12 –  Randomly Reading – Review 

February 13 – The Reading Corner for All – Creative Instagram Picture 

February 13 – Dos Lit Worms – Creative Instagram Picture

February 14 – Laceydoeslit – Review + Playlist 

February 14 – The Bookworm Banter – Review + Playlist 

February 15 – YA Books Central – Author Q&A 

February 15 – Because reading is better than real life – Author Q&A 

BOOK DESCRIPTION 

From two extraordinary authors comes a moving, exuberant, laugh-out-loud novel about friendship and family, told entirely in emails and letters.

Avery Bloom, who's bookish, intense, and afraid of many things, particularly deep water, lives in New York City. Bett Devlin, who's fearless, outgoing, and loves all animals as well as the ocean, lives in California. What they have in common is that they are both twelve years old, and are both being raised by single, gay dads.

When their dads fall in love, Bett and Avery are sent, against their will, to the same sleepaway camp. Their dads hope that they will find common ground and become friends--and possibly, one day, even sisters.

But things soon go off the rails for the girls (and for their dads too), and they find themselves on a summer adventure that neither of them could have predicted. Now that they can't imagine life without each other, will the two girls (who sometimes call themselves Night Owl and Dogfish) figure out a way to be a family?

AUTHOR BIO:

Holly Goldberg Sloan was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and spent her childhood living in Holland; Istanbul, Turkey; Washington, D.C.; Berkeley, California; and Eugene, Oregon. After graduating from Wellesley College and spending some time as an advertising copywriter, she began writing family feature films, including Angels in the Outfield and Made in America. She is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Counting by 7s and Short, among other novels. 

Meg Wolitzer was born in Brooklyn, New York, grew up in the town of Syosset, on Long Island, and sold her first novel, Sleepwalking, while a senior in college. She is the New York Times-bestselling author of numerous novels for adults, including The Interestings, The Ten-Year Nap, The Wife, and The Female Persuasion; the young adult novel Belzhar; and the middle-grade novel The Fingertips of Duncan Dorfman.

MMGM- Girl with Brush and Canvas and Taking Cover

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.

Meyer, Carolyn. Girl with Brush and Canvas: Georgia O'Keeffe, American Artist
February 5th 2019 by Calkins Creek
ARC graciously provided by the publisher upon request

Young Georgia lived on her family farm in Minnesota. She wasn't a huge fan of school, having determined in childhood that she would be an artist, but she also didn't want the life of a housewife. In the early 1900s, there were few choices for women, but luckily Georgia's family sacrificed to send her to schools where she was able to get some art instruction. She had enough talent and vision that her instructors thought she could be an instructor herself, leading to a variety of jobs in places across the US. Her family has relocated to Williamsburg, Virginia, but her father is struggling to keep everything afloat. Georgia continues to paint, explore what art means to her, come in contact with influential artists of the early twentieth century, and eventually establish her long and successful career.
Strengths: The brilliant part of Meyer's historical works is that she pays SUCH attention to details of every day life. This has always been why I adore historical fiction. What did people wear? How were women treated? What was it like teaching in a small town in the 1920s. Meyer puts in lots of these details, along with discussions of the larger issues in O'Keeffe's life. Like Girl with a Camera, this is an excellent portrait of a groundbreaking woman who did not let social mores of her time define her, so is timely motivation for young readers of today.
Weaknesses: Not a weakness of the writing, but O'Keeffe moved back and forth across the country so much that I was a little confused. Of course, it's also one more reason why her life was much more exciting than mine!
What I really think: Historical fiction always takes a little bit of hand selling, but I am definitely purchasing this one, and handing the ARC to one of my 8th graders today!

Homayoonfar, Nioucha. Taking Cover: One Girl's Story of Growing Up During the Iranian Revolution  
January 1st 2019 by National Geographic Children's Books
Copy provided by the publisher

Ms. Homayoonfar was born in the early 70s to a French mother and Iranian father. She spent her formative early years in Pittsburgh, so moving to Iran was a bit of a culture shock. Still, Tehran at the time was a vibrant city, her family were very accepting, and she managed to acclimate herself to her school and friends. When the cultural revolution comes shortly after the family settles in, life changes dramatically. Music and western culture is frowned upon, school starts to require Muslim religion classes, and even young girls are required to cover their heads out in public. Even private behavior is monitored. It is a difficult time for the whole society, but the differences between her former life in the US and her new existence made this especially hard for a tween girl. Eventually, the family decided to leave the country, but even that was difficult. Firoozeh Dumas, author of It Ain't So Awful, Falafel, has written the forward, and Taking Cover is an excellent nonfiction accompaniment for that book.
Strengths: There need to be so many more books about the daily life of average kids from around the world and through periods of history! Middle school students have such a hard time even grasping a world without cell phones, that I love to give them books that describe the ways that other people live. Interactions with family, fitting into a new culture, and details about life in 1979 all make this a tremendously fascinating read.
Weaknesses: While the details of Homayoonfar's life are fantastic, I could have used a little more historical background for the sociopolitical circumstances at the time. Also, the print was a bit on the small side; it shouldn't make a difference, but it does! This book is fairly short, and increasing the font size would have made this more appealing to tweens.
What I really think: This will circulate heavily when memoirs are assigned. I have had a few students from Iran, and they might find this history of their family's country interesting. I just appreciated knowing more about what was going on in the world when I was in middle school!

Sunday Night Television: From an Idea to Disney

Sichol, Lowey Bundy. From an Idea to Disney: How Branding Made Disney a Household Name
February 12th 2019 by HMH Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Not just a biography of Walt Disney, this informative book concentrated on the business aspects of Disney's career, and follows the trajectory of the company after his death and to the present day. There are a lot of interesting details about how Disney set up his first several studios (a lot of which failed), pioneered in the area of full length animated movies, and turned his stories into a full blown commercial realm. It was also interesting to read about Michael Eisner's effects on the company-- I was not aware that my children grew up during the Disney Renaissance! Also intriguing was how the company grew too big and had to scale back some of its commercial enterprises that didn't fit in with is core values.
Strengths: This was a fast-paced, interesting book about a well known and popular business. It has more depth than the Checkerboard Biography Library or the Pilot: Brands We Know Books, which I really liked.
Weaknesses: There are no photographs or drawings from the movies. None. It's all black and white line drawings. I understand that getting the rights to these would be expensive, but it was a huge lack.
What I really think: Debating purchase. My students are not picking up fun nonfiction as much, and this seems to come in a paper over board format. There is a Follett Bound Glued version, so I may buy it next year.

Carton Saturday- Click, Straw Into Gold

Miller, Kayla. Click
January 8th 2019 by HMH Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Olive's fifth grade class is having a variety show, and all of Olive's friends seem to have put groups together. There's an instrumental act, martial arts, cheer, and singing, but no one asks Olive if she wants to be part of a group. She isn't happy and sulks a bit, leading her mother to ask if she should call some of the kids' parents and ask if Olive can join. This is, of course, not what Olive has in mind as she fantasizes about being with the various groups. Her hip, dyed-hair aunt offers to let her visit and hang out, eating Chinese take away and watching videotapes of female comics from the 1970s and plants the idea that Olive could be the host of the variety show. This is a fairly good solution, even if Olive's mother is less than thrilled that the aunt is forcing her "beat of your own drum" philosophy on Olive. When some friends ask Olive to be part of their group, she feels bad about saying no, but doesn't explain her plan, leading to some ill feelings. In the end, everything works out, Olive is allowed to be the host and feels better about her place in society.
Strengths: This has a very pleasing, contemporary color palette and a style of illustration similar enough to Telgemeier, Jamieson, and Holms that every middle school and elementary library should break down and buy two copies, because one will surely be "lost" by the end of the year. The story has a little bit of girl-power and is easy to understand. This is less message-y and has about as many words as Telgemeier.
Weaknesses: The noses are a little odd, but not as bad as Ignatow's. The lack of words resulted in what came across as a lot of sulking by Olive, which I found a bit boring. I was disappointed that actual women comics weren't used as examples by the aunt, but then I'm not sure that there were that many in real life. Would have been more instructive to use actual people and shows.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, but not my personal favorite. I'm not a fan of graphic novels in general, especially since I often doubt students actually read any of the words. I like the Holm's Sunny Side Up-- a bit more fun than Telgemeier (whose upcoming book, Guts, is about a girl who suffers anxiety induced gastric upset), but with serious issues explained without the detail of Jamieson's work (which would be easier to understand as tradition novels).

McKay, Hilary. Straw Into Gold: Fairy Tales Respun
February 5th 2019 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

This is a great collection of variations on fairy tales, right up there with Vande Velde's The Rumplestiltskin Problem (2000). McKay takes classic tales and puts a fresh new spin on them, but still keeps the core of the original.

The problem is that I don't need ANY fairy tale books anymore.

For years, our sixth grade language arts classes did a project where they took a fairy tale from one country and reset it in a country on another continent. My daughter took the Clever Gretchen tale and set it in Morocco. The students had to study the new country and include certain details in their retelling. It was quite fun, and there was a day about six years ago where every single fairy tale book on my shelves got checked out. Every single one.

The project isn't done now; the teachers who loved the project retired, standards changed. Still, it's a project that I miss. This book would have enjoyed a lot of circulation in the wake of that project, as children realized either that they loved fairy tales as a child or had not read enough of them. Someone would actually read the big, red, rebound volume of Grimms' tales. But not anymore. I even weeded the Robin McKinley Beauty and Rose Daughter because they hadn't left the shelf in eight years.

Straw Into Gold is a great book. I just don't see it circulating in my library.

Unconventional Warface: Special Forces #

Lynch, Chris. Unconventional Warface: Special Forces #1
November 27th 2018 by Scholastic Press
Public library copy

Danny has a violent streak, frequently pounding on his younger brother for pounding on another brother. His single father has struggled with containing Danny ever since the boy's mother passed away. After Danny steals a motor cycle (which he claims he borrowed), the judge gives him the option to go to juvenile detention or join the army. When he chooses the army, Danny ends up in a unit with his high school wrestling coach, Colonel Macias, who was instrumental in getting the sentence. Sent to Vietnam, Danny ends up in a Studies and Observation Group that does dangerous, covert jobs. A budding photographer, Danny often has a camera with him, but it often gets him into trouble. One example: his unit is watching a group of women working in a field, and he is taking pictures of them. Unfortunately, there is a sniper hiding behind the women that he does not see, and when the sniper opens fire, Danny's unit ends up brutally slaughtering the entire work contingent. As one interchange with another soldier, Lopez explains, being in Vietnam is brutal. (Page 88: "We're here to kill, Bug. Don't forget that." "We're not here to kill innocents," I say. "We're here to kill everything," he says coldly.) After surviving the loss of many of his unit, Danny is injured and returns home. I am hoping that subsequent volumes deal with his reentry into society.
Strengths: Lynch does a fantastic war book, and his World War II and Vietnam series are very popular with my students. This book is a great length, and has the sort of fast-paced action that my students enjoy.
Weaknesses: Danny is a very violent young man, and his unit has men in it who are even more violent.
What I really think: I am waiting to purchase to see what the trajectory of this series is. Danny is very violent, and unlike other Lynch books, this violence is not tempered with how horrible war is. Perhaps I am overly influenced by a recent conversation I had with a neighbor and former coworker who fought in Vietnam; he was only recently diagnosed with PTSD. If Danny has trouble returning home, this volume will make more sense, but as a stand alone it is surprisingly disturbing and unlike Lynch's other fantastic works.

I would DEFINTELY purchase this for high school.

The Simple Art of Flying

Leonardo, Cory. The Simple Art of Flying
February 12th 2019 by Aladdin
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Alastair and his sister Agatha hatch at Pete's pet shop and have a rocky upbringing. Luckily, they have a fledging doctor, 11-year-old Fritz, who works in the pet shop and gives them more attention than Pete, who just wants to get his money's worth out of them. There are guinea pigs and other animals who have quite an active social life in the pet store, and occasionally some of them get out with 80-year-old Bertie Plopky, who has events for seniors to mingle with pets. Bertie is lonely, and writes letters to her husband, since her son is away, and eventually buys Alastair, although Fritz wishes he had the money to have a parrot of his own. Things do not go smoothly, although Bertie and Alastair eventually start to understand each other. Unfortunately, Alastair tries to escape, and Bertie falls and breaks a hip while waiting for him to return, which makes Bertie go to the Prickly Pines nursing home, which ends up being a decent fit after all.
Strengths: Readers who enjoy books like Woodrow's Field Tripped, Birney's Humphrey books, Reiche's Freddie the Hamster, Hale's Class Pets series or Selfors' Wedgie and Gizmo will enjoy the hijinks of Alastair and his friends. I was kept reading by Bertie's adventures, and Fritz was also an intriguing character.
Weaknesses: This starts out with Alastair's poetry, which combined with talking animals (my bête noire!) made my stomach sink, but really went uphill from there.
What I really think: This struck me as more of an elementary book, since I have a lot of trouble getting books about classroom pets to circulate. Books like Cervantes' Gaby, Lost and Found or
Griffin's  When Friendship Followed Me Home do okay. I think it might be because my students don't have one classroom, but have a schedule where they have a different teacher for each subject. Would purchase for elementary school.

Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas

Pyros, Andrea. Pink Hair and Other Terrible Ideas
February 1st 2019 by Capstone Editions
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Josephine is dealing with middle school, friend issues, and her parents' divorce, and doesn't feel that she handles things as well as her twin brother, Chance, who is very popular. In fact, when the popular Autumn is planning a big, fancy boy-girl party, Josephine hopes that she will get invited if she can facilitate a relationship between Autumn and her brother. TO make things even more awkward, Josephine has a crush on her brother's best friend, and asking him to the party will be hard! On top of all this ordinary middle school angst, the twin's mother drops this news-- she has breast cancer, and will need surgery right before the party. Their father will come from two hours away to stay with them, and then their aunt will come while their mother is recuperating. This is scary, and Josephine does NOT want anyone at school to know about it. She doesn't want to have everyone look at her as "the girl whose mom has cancer". Chance has no such scruples, and dyes his hair pink to benefit breast cancer research. Even after he gets in trouble for it at school, he encourages his teammates to raise money to have the entire team's hair done. This, of course, lets everyone know about her family's situation, and Josephine is not happy. She's worried about her mom, but also about the party, and as the two events near, she finds it harder and harder to keep things together. How can she live her life but also show her mother how much she cares?
Strengths: Personally, I think that Josephine has the right idea. No one needs to know her family's story. Well, the teachers should, but they should not tell anyone else and not mention it to her, just be aware in case she needs support. The twin tension is a nice touch, as is the rather irresponsible noncustodial father. The details of the mother's treatment are informative, and the worry the children feel is realistic. The friend and romance drama is especially well done, and "drama" is certainly something for which I get a LOT of requests.
Weaknesses: The school suspending Chance about the hair dye even after the mother goes to the principal's office and tells them about her cancer doesn't seem right to me. Also, Josephine's desire to keep things private is frowned upon, and I think she is entitled to her privacy.
What I really think: Like Sonnenblick's Falling Over Sideways, this does a great job at showing how family events can impact students' lives, and how normal concerns about school and friends don't fade away in the face of larger issues, just become more complicated. Definitely purchasing, and like the new cover better.

Mike

Norris, Andrew. Mike.
February 26th 2019 by David Fickling Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Floyd is a very good young tennis player who has worked very closely with his supportive parents to do well. However, he starts seeing a young man hanging around when he plays, and at one point, "Mike" walks onto the court during a meet and stands right behind the referee. At this point, Floyd realizes that only he can see Mike, and his parents help him get some psychiatric counseling. Dr. Pinner is very understanding, and helps Floyd see that Mike is a part of him and trying to tell him things about his life. Floyd realizes that even though his parents haven't pressured him into playing, and have even said that he can stop if it isn't fun anymore, that he's not enjoying the sport and wants to quite. His parents ask that he compete in one more tournament, and he trounces his opponent but is still intent on quitting. He starts to actually apply himself in school a bit, and spends some time on the shore with his grandmother, where he meets Charity, the daughter of an American marine biologist. Oddly, Charity is able to see Mike. Upon returning home, he follows Mike and ends up working at a small local aquarium. Mike only shows up at pivotal moments, when Floyd needs some prompting, and at one point even saves Floyd's life. Floyd never regrets giving up tennis, although his parents were more invested than he thought, and his father ends up coaching other students. In the end, we see a completely different version of Floyd than would have existed had he not had the input of another side of his personality.
Strengths: Starting with Floyd's tennis skills, competition, and training is a brilliant hook. After that, the mysterious Mike, and his influence on Floyd, is just mesmerizing. I kept turning the pages and being astounded at the ways that Floyd's life took him. Marine biology is an oddly popular career choice among my middle school students (although not many of them actually major in this in college), so that tie-in is nice as well. I can't really explain why I liked this one so much, but my 8th grade readers who want more mature books like Key's Four Mile, Rupp's After Eli, Hautman's Slider and Currinder's Running Full Tilt will enjoy this quirky title.
Weaknesses: It was a bit much when Mike led Floyd to a discovery that netted him a LOT of money. Otherwise, I was okay with all of the coincidences
What I really think: I will purchase this one because I adored it so much, and while it won't circulate constantly, I can think of at least five students I want to hand it to right now. Not wild about the cover, but this is one that will be hand sold anyway.

MMGM- One-Third Nerd

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.

Choldenko, Gennifer. One-Third Nerd
January 29th 2019 by Wendy Lamb Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Liam is in fifth grade and enjoys playing tennis with his friend Dodge. He doesn't enjoy his younger sister Dakota's antics quite so much-- she loves science, and often conducts ill-advised experiments, such as blowing up watermelons and collecting their dog Cupcake's urine to see why she's peeing on the carpets. Too bad she feels compelled to keep it in the refrigerator in a drinking glass! Because their landlord, Mr. Torpse, lives below them, they have to try to be quiet, not let Cupcake bark, and generally not make the elderly, fractious man irritated. Liam's parents are divorced, and they are both struggling with their jobs. His dad brings dinner over once in a while, but doesn't stay to eat, and his mom after has to work long hours, so occasionally leaves Liam and Dakota in the apartment by themselves, or with Dodge's grandfather, Crash. Izzy has Down Syndrome, so she needs to go to speech therapy and has frequent doctor's appointments. Cupcake's overactive bladder is such a concern that Mr. Torpse is threatening to evict the family unless the issue can be resolved. There isn't money for an expensive doctor's visit, so the children have several money making schemes, from collecting newspapers to winning the science fair. Eventually, it is Izzy who has the good idea to seek a second opinion about Cupcake's problem, and not a moment too soon, since Mr. Torpse is all set to evict the family.
Strengths: This is a great book for showing realistic elementary school concerns. Dealing with parents living in different locations, having altercations with siblings, and agonizing over pets are all things far more likely to happen to most children than having a parent die. Money issues affect children deeply, and it's hard for younger ones to realize that these happen to other people, too. Liam shows typical tween embarrassment, but also takes steps to make his situation better. I especially like his interactions with another "nerd" friend at school; he thinks the other boy is cool and doesn't want him to see where he lives, but when the friend finds out, he is very understanding.
Weaknesses: The illustrations are great, but it seems completely unrealistic for both of the girls to be wearing skirts. Jeans, leggings, perhaps, but I hardly ever see a student in a skirt!
What I really think: This was a lot of fun, but I am debating whether it is too young for my students. This has a similar vibe to Clement's The Losers Club which is just now gaining some traction with my 6th grader.

Gates, Jr., Henry Louis and Bolden, Tonya. Dark Sky Rising: Reconstruction and the Dawn of Jim Crow 
January 29th 2019 by Scholastic Nonfiction
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

This is a great combination between civil rights and civil war information. It is well-researched and has lots of anecdotes about various people, but it is very dense. Lots and lots of information. Usually, Young Readers Editions give just enough information to make for a fast paced and readable text, but this was a lot, even at the relatively short length of 250 pages. Bolden does a good job at sifting the information, but the writing style still screams "Harvard professor".

I'll probably buy this for use in research projects, but it doesn't feel like the sort of book that any but the most dedicated students will pick up for pleasure reading.

From Goodreads.com
"This is a story about America during and after Reconstruction, one of history's most pivotal and misunderstood chapters. In a stirring account of emancipation, the struggle for citizenship and national reunion, and the advent of racial segregation, the renowned Harvard scholar delivers a book that is illuminating and timely. Real-life accounts drive the narrative, spanning the half century between the Civil War and Birth of a Nation. Here, you will come face-to-face with the people and events of Reconstruction's noble democratic experiment, its tragic undermining, and the drawing of a new "color line" in the long Jim Crow era that followed. In introducing young readers to them, and to the resiliency of the African American people at times of progress and betrayal, Professor Gates shares a history that remains vitally relevant today."

Best Family Ever

Kingsbury, Karen and Russell, Tyler. Best Family Ever (Baxter Family Children #1)
February 5th 2019 by Simon Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
E ARC from Netgalley

The Baxter family lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, where the father is a doctor. Brooke is the oldest, and is "perfect" and responsible. Kari is good at school but not as good at soccer. Ashley is very flighty and would rather draw than do her math. The two youngest children, Luke and Erin, don't have as much of a role in the book. On the eve of a vacation to a beach house, the parents drop the news that the family is going to move to Bloomington, Indiana, where the father has a job heading up a new hospital. This is the worst news in the world, and Ashley is especially horrified by it. Still, family is everything, and they can all pray to God for help with this situation. When they return home, the school year continues with Ashley not doing her school work and getting in trouble, soccer try outs that are almost as crushing as the news of the move, and the eventual slide to the end of the school year and the very last day. The moving van is packed, and the family holds on to the thought that even though they are sad to move, they will all be together in their new home.
Strengths: This is a gentle tale that hearkens back to classic literature for children. The problems are very uncontroversial, and the family is privileged enough that the horrific things that happen are moving and not making the soccer team. The family is very religious, which is not shown much in middle grade literature. I could see a lot of home schooling parents want to share this with their children.
Weaknesses: This had a lot of hallmarks of fiction for children written by someone used to writing for adults. It was slower paced, focusing more on feelings than action. It put more emphasis on family than most middle school students put, and the parents were beloved and not irritating. I know that Kingsbury writes a lot of adult fiction, which I haven't read, and maybe the next book will have a better grip on what children want to read.
What I really think: I won't be buying this for my school. It's just not very interesting. When I reviewed Never Evers, I commented "If we have books about children living in poverty, why not books about children who ski in France? The world is full of all kinds of people, and it's interesting to read about them." So yes, we need books about well-to-do, heavily Christian white families, but unfortunately, it was not very interesting to read about the Baxters.

On a purely personal note, I took a violent dislike to the family after one sister decides that what should go in the center of her dream collage is a picture of her parents dancing in the kitchen, because her highest goal in life was to have a marriage and family. Gah! That's just me, I know, but it really set my teeth on edge for the rest of the book, especially knowing that the first adult book about the Baxters involves the father having an affair and the mother refusing to divorce him. Not my truth.