Golden Arm

Deuker, Carl. Golden Arm
April 7th 2020 by HMH Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Lazarus Weathers lives in the Jet City trailer park in Seattle with his mother and half brother, Antonio. He has a job at a nearby golf course, and manages to play ball on a couple of teams. When his school team is disbanded because a large percentage of the players get in trouble, he turns to his rec league coach for help. Laz is good, but he isn't going to get the attention of scouts playing for school teams like North Central. After his school's team disbands, he is allowed to go to another school to play, and is asked by the father of a Laurelhurst player to consider that school. At the same time, the trailer park is going to be torn down, and the reappearance of Antonio's father puts the family at four-- too large for the best choice for housing, which is 25 miles away. He moves in with the Laurelhurst family, who are nice to him, even if he feels awkward living in their basement. There's always food, they give him a computer to use, and the school is much better as well. Laz has struggled in school, partly due to his stutter, and he is able to get tutoring at Laurelhurst to bring his grades up. He's still concerned about Antonio's friends, because he hangs out with a known pill pusher. There is also a girl, Suja, at North Central whom Laz really likes, so he keeps returning to the neighborhood to see her and to work at the golf course until it closes. The Laurelhurst team does well, and Laz could possibly get a job on a pro team if he plays his cards right, which will enable him to have a place to live when he graduates from high school. When a crisis with Antonio causes him to miss a championship game and also taints his image, will he be able to make his baseball dreams come true?
Strengths: Deuker always writes such intricately deep sports stories, and this one is excellent. Laz's life in the trailer park, trying to make ends meet, is a compelling story without the sports, but his drive to make a career out of his talent will appeal to young readers even more. There's never any certainty about what might happen next-- I was definitely kept on the edge of my seat reading this one. We see just enough of Antonio's life to be worried about him, and to know how much Laz cares about him, so that it's not a surprise that he goes to his aid. The culture shock of going to Laurelhurst is handled well, and the details of being scouted are realistic but not overly hopeful. The light romance, as well as a side story with a local reporter, adds even more depth. It's very evident that Deuker puts a lot of care and thought into his writing!
Weaknesses: This is a bit more of a high school book, given the length. There's also just a tiny bit that gave me pause for middle school; when Antonio's father moves in, Laz is worried that he and his mother will "have sex" and it will be awkward in the small trailer. There are no details, and even the most naive 6th grader will have heard that phrase, but it is there.
What I really think: It's usually my football and basketball fans that want grittier inner city stories, but I love Deuker's work so much that I will buy this for my die hard 8th grade baseball readers who have read everything else I have. The cover is fantastic.

Mary Underwater

Doleski, Shannon. Mary Underwater
April 7th 2020 by Amulet
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Mary lives on the coast of the Chesapeake Bay with her mother and her abusive father who is frequently in jail for various assault charges. She goes to a local Catholic school where the nuns are very concerned about her, and she does have a social worker assigned to her, but her mother always feels that the abuse is her own fault. When her aunt Betty moves into town, Mary's life improves a bit, although her father won't have anything to do with Betty and her wife. At the end of the year, a science project with a boy at her school, Kip, gets Mary very interested in submersibles, and with the help of an eccentric local scientist, the two work on building a working model, funded by Mary's job helping her aunt at the public library. Things don't go smoothly, and her father damages the craft at one point, and also assaults Kip, which doesn't help the budding romance between the two. Can Mary manage to take the submersible across the bay, reconnect with Kip, and find a safe place to live?
Strengths: This had several things going for it; a good sense of place in the setting, a student in a Catholic school, a nice romance, and a character with an abusive home life. My students love to read these stories, because it makes their own lives look good in comparison. I liked that Mary had a best friend who was concerned for her and that she had an aunt and a social working who were looking out for her. Her father does end up in trouble for his actions. The story is well written and moves along quickly.
Weaknesses: I really enjoyed Mary's romance with Kip, and her struggles with her home life were interesting, but I struggled to believe that she and Kip could actually build a submersible.
What I really think: This might take a bit of hand selling to my particular population. Building the submersible was quirky enough, and even though my students usually like to read about children in bad situations like Mary's, they usually prefer more dire situations. I can see this being a big hit with school that focus on STEM learning or enjoy quirky a bit more than my students do.

Lila and Hadley

Keplinger, Kody. Lila and Hadley
April 7th 2020 by Scholastic Press
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Hadley's single mom embezzled money from the doctor's office where she worked in Tennessee and is serving time in prison, so Hadley  must go live with her much older sister Beth, who does dog care work in Kentucky. She is understandably angry, because her mother always told her not to steal and lie, and Beth left right after high school and has not been in contact. Not only that, but Hadley has retinitis pigmentosa and is rapidly losing her eyesight. When she arrives in Kentucky, Beth has to stop by an animal shelter to check in about a job, and Hadley bonds with Lola, a pit bull who has not worked well with any of the staff members, even though Hadley claims again and again that she "ain't a dog person". Vanessa (? on name, left e reader at home, and I am so bad with character names!), who runs the shelter, suggests that Hadley foster Lola to give her something to do over the summer while she gets settled in. Lola ends up being one of the few reasons Hadley gets out of bed, even though a well-meaning neighbor watches her and tries to get her out of the house. Hadley reluctantly agrees to train Lola so that she can be adopted, and also agrees to some training so that she can use a cane and have coping mechanisms as her eyesight diminishes. While walking Lola, she meets a girl in the neighborhood who loves dogs, Shelby, and the two start to become friends, and Beth starts to date Vanessa. Hadley won't talk to her mother, but eventually starts to see why both her mother and Beth made the decisions they did. When the shelter thinks that Lola's original owner might have been found, will Hadley be able to give up the dog she has come to love?
Strengths: This was a very interesting depiction of someone losing eyesight, and I did have a student several years ago who had this disease. Lola is very instrumental in helping Hadley deal with this, although was not a guide dog, which was a nice twist. Her struggle with being raised by an older sister is also something more and more students will experience, and her attempts to make new friends and settle in to a new home will resonate with many readers.
Weaknesses: I did not find Hadley to be a likeable character at all. Yes, she was in a difficult situation, but she was very combative. I also found the use of "ain't" and phrases like "he don't" to be a bit forced and inconsistent.
What I really think: This has a great cover, and is a good dog story that was also a nice updated story like Butler's Light a Single Candle, so I will purchase it for my students, who will probably not have the same objections to it as I do.

Happy Bookbirthday, Nightshade

Horowitz, Anthony. Nightshade (Alex Rider #12)
April 7th 2020 by Philomel Books
Copy provided by Cindy Mitchell of Kiss the Book

If you've never consulted the Kiss the Book blog, head over there immediately. They have WAY more reviews than I do (sometimes 1,000 a year!), and their blog predates mine. When Cindy saw on Twitter that I wanted to read this book but didn't have a copy, she sent me hers. How sweet is that? It was especially fun because I read it on 5 April, Mr. Horowitz's birthday.

Alex is settling back into school with his best friend Tom, trying to forget all of the missions he's been on in the last year and a half since his uncle died. Of course, Mrs. Jones needs him desperately. She makes the mistake of not telling him she is sending a car to pick him up and Alex's instinct to protect himself goes overboard in an effective but somewhat humorous way. Jack is not happy about Alex going back on a mission, especially when they find out what it is. There's been some criminal activity involving kids Alex's age, and in order to find out who is behind this, Alex is going to pretend to be Julius Grief and go to the super high security MI6 prison on Gibraltar. There, he will befriend Freddy Gray, who was stolen as a child, brainwashed, and turned into a ruthless, highly skilled killing machine. Alex has to study up on all of his doppelganger's activities and personal interactions with the other prisoners, as well as the way that Julius would have acted in all situations. With the help of a stuffed animal from Freddy's past, he manages to make a connection, and the two decide to escape. Alex manages to do this without killing all of the guards that Freddy wants to kill, and the two are soon back in Kavos Bay, Greece where 25 children like Freddy have all been carefully trained to be the operatives for Nightshade, a deadly organization with no mission of its own that works for hire for different nefarious groups. It takes a while, but Alex figures out the target of their Leap of Faith mission, and works to get himself involved so that he can stymie it. If he succeeds, will he be able to go back to being a typical teen, or will he put himself right in the center of Nightshade's target?
Strengths: The most brilliant part of the Alex Rider books is that they are written in a hard hitting, adult style that is incrementally tweaked to adjust to younger readers (for example, the print is still slightly larger than adult books). Horowitz is the master of writing the Reluctant Hero; we get tantalizingly small doses of Alex's ordinary life before he is taken off on yet another mission. Even though he is reluctant, he is fantastically good at his job, and wants to make things right in the world. The twists and turns of the adults' forays into counter espionage, as well as Mrs. Jones' backstory, add another interesting layer to this. Nightshade is a new organization for Alex to take down, and it seems like there will be another book to deal with them. As always, the details about jumping out of planes, evading security, and being on the run are well drawn and intriguing. It won't be long before MI6 finds that many of its recruits will cite Stormbreaker (2000) as their impetus for joining the secret service!
Weaknesses: Freddy is very vicious, so this starts out with more brutal killings than most books. This does, however, serve to highlight Alex's compassion and dislike for killing.
What I really think: There are four series in my library that I make sure are being held together by whatever means necessary: Horowitz's Stormbreaker, Ally Carter's Gallagher Girls, John Flanagan's Ranger's Apprentice, and Shan's Cirque du Freak. I don't know that I could work in a library that didn't have the complete Stormbreaker series. Just couldn't.

Also, I read Kerry Greenwood's Cocaine Blues (Phryne Fisher, #1) right after this. I very much enjoyed the television series, but the book really paled in comparison. I might have just been spoiled by Horowitz's exquisite writing, which was good twenty years ago but is now exceptional.

The Threshing and A Game of Fox and Squirrels

Grahl, Tim. The Threshing.
February 18th 2020 by Story Grid Publishing

Copy graciously provided by the author

In a world where a lack of food has led to severe restrictive measures and a drastic partitioning of society, Jessie is fairly lucky. Her family has just enough to get by, but she chooses to spend her time hacking into the system and stealing points from people while they are plugged into the system earning these points, and therefore vulnerable. When she is caught, she is given two choices. She can either be Shamed, becoming one of the Numbered and bringing a life time of hard work on herself, or go to Aeta to train, bringing more honor and points to her family At Aeta, she would then compete for the country's faction in the Threshing, which supplies more provisions to the winning country. She chooses to be Shamed. The mayor brings her to a public forum, shaves her head, and has the people stone her. Afterwards, she is taken to the Numbered quarters, where she learns from 83 and 61 what her daily life will be like. The Numbered clean up after people while they are plugged in, so it's not a pleasant job. Jessie rebels and runs away to see her parents, who don't want to lose her the way they lost her brother Randy. She is found, and manipulated by the mayor into going to Aeta. The plan is for her to go through Trainings, compete for a spot on the final team by going through the Severing, and then, if she makes it, representing her country in the Threshing. She is the Coder, and works with Medics and Comms teammates Alex and Ernst. Although her Training is cut short, she does well at the Severings, although she approaches them in unconventional ways. President Marcus is impressed with her skills, but he holds the secret to her family tragedy and does not have her best interest at heart. Will Jessie be able to win the Threshing so that her country doesn't starve? And will winning really make a difference in Jessie's own life?

Packed with action and spinning with twists and turns, The Threshing plunges the reader into a dystopian future reminiscent of Landon's The Limit, Price's Starters or Klavan's Mindwar. While the details of the current social situation are not explained right away, it's clear that the lack of food has turned countries against each other and created treacherous power struggles peopled with villains. Jessie, being twelve, is primed to use her hacking skills to make things right, restore her family, and even bring down the president, if that is necessary. 

83 and 61 (who is sent to Aeta with Jessie, where he goes by Harry) are especially interesting characters who weave in and out of the story. They share valuable insights with Jessie about what is going on, but are also good about saving her when she doesn't listen to them! Az serves as a formidable foil to Jessie's angry and anti-establishment character; he thinks her antics will cause the country to lose the Threshing and be deprived of resources, but he also grudgingly admires her skills. 

Like Dashner's Eye of Minds, Faulkner's Brainjack, Kincaid's Insignia, and Reedy's Gamer Army this book incorporates technology and integrates it into the human system in a terrifying way. The market for dystopian novels that heated up with Collin's The Hunger Games can still support new titles about futuristic societies that have devolved into chaos but can be saved by young adolescents. Unfortunately, this is published by a small press in paperback and available through Follett Library only in an audio version, but this would make an excellent gift for a strong middle grade reader who wants to experience a world even more dysfunctional than our current Corona Virus affected one. 

Brallier, Max and Holgate, Douglas. June's Wild Ride (Last Kids on Earth #6)
April 7th 2020 by Viking Books for Young Readers
Copy graciously provided by the publisher

June gets separated from the rest of the group and has an adventure with Globlet that involves a baby Wrecker and a weird owl creature named Johnny Steve who thinks he is an expert on human behavior. Books like this are the reason that during the Corona Virus social distancing (I'm writing this on 3/20 and haven't been outside my neighborhood for a week!) I feel like I should cordon off my street, set fire to an overturned car, and impose martial law on my neighbors. (Who are, disappointingly, all out cleaning their garages and vacuuming their vehicles.)

I also looked into the Netflix series a bit, which seems okay. I'm not a fan of animated shows; I may or may not have told my children that watching cartoons triggered seizures in adults, so I would be in the next room if they needed me.

This series is wildly popular with my students, and I'm just sad that we aren't in school, because one of my favorite things to do is to check out books to students before they are officially published!

From Goodreads.com:
"Told from June's point of view--and set between the shattering events of The Midnight Blade and the upcoming 6th book in the series-- June's Wild Flight brings new characters, high-stakes action, and stunning revelations in an adventure that could only be June's. An essential Last Kids story that readers won't want to miss!

The Midnight Blade ended with a shocking twist: a long-missing villain has returned and now has an army of the dead at his command! Jack, June, Quint, and Dirk have battled the worst kind of monsters, zombies, and cosmic servants, but an endless horde of animated skeletons is next-level.

While the kids plan their next move, an unexpected threat emerges and June gets separated from her friends, dragged miles away from Wakefield to a town overgrown with monstrous vines and never-before-seen creatures. Drawing on her post-apocalyptic survival and action skills--and with the help of some odd new companions--June attempts to make her way back home. But not before she uncovers critical information about the mysterious "Tower." Information that the future of our world may hinge upon . . ."
Reese, Jenn. A Game of Fox and Squirrels
April 14th 2020 by Henry Holt & Company
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

When Samantha's father's violence ends with her sister Caitlin's arm being broken, the girls are moved from their California home to their Aunt Vicky's in Oregon. Samantha is sure that this is a temporary stay, and that they will be home in time for the new school year, but this is unlikely. Caitlin is upbeat and tries to please her aunt and her aunt's wife, Hannah, but Samantha has more difficulties settling in. When Aunt Vicky gives her a card game with foxes and squirrels, Samantha is surprised when the main character, a fox named Ashander, comes to life and promises to help her find the Golden Acorn that can take her back home. Ashander requires sacrifices to make him happy in order for him to help Samantha, so she ends up sneaking around a lot and doing things that aren't quite helpful. She doesn't want to listen to Vicky that she is safe and loved, but when she finds out Ashander's true colors, she realizes that her new family has her best interests at heart.
Strengths: I really liked the aunt and her wife stepping up to help with the girls, and they were definitely a model of love and care. The details about the abuse were just enough, and it was good to see a positive representation of a case worker. Caitlyn's eager-to-please attitude was interesting to see. There are a growing number of students who enjoy card games, and it's a good combination to have those entwined with a fantasy world.
Weaknesses: Ashander was more evil than I suspected at first, and the illustrations remind me of something from a 1980s or 1990s book that I can't quite remember.
What I really think: This is not quite the flavor of fantasy for which I have been searching. My fantasy readers are very specific, and my readers who ask for books about difficult family situations often will not read fantasy books. While I loved Powell's The Game of Triumphs, to which this is very similar, I can't get students to check it out. This would be a good choice for readers who liked Appelt's Maybe a Fox or Pennypacker's Pax.

In Memoriam

 

Helen Lucille Clark Yingling was born April 30, 1934 to Ellis and Anna Byers Clark and raised in Enon Valley, Pennsylvania along with eight siblings on the family dairy farm. She graduated from Slippery Rock State Teachers College and taught elementary school for 38 years, retiring from East Palestine City Schools. She loved to dress professionally, garden, travel, do needlework, and cook. She worked hard, loved her family, and didn’t take anything from anybody.  Passed away due to Parkinson’s complications. April 6, 2020. Survived by husband, Walt Yingling, children, Jeff and Karen, and their families.

“A truly intelligent person is never bored.”

MMGM- Spaceman and First Beagle in Space

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at 

Teach Mentor Texts 

and 

Unleashing Readers.

Massimino, Mike. Spaceman (Adapted for Young Readers): The True Story of a Young Boy's Journey to Becoming an Astronaut 
April 7th 2020 by Delacorte Press
Copy provided by the publisher

It must be hard for young readers today to understand the appeal of the space program. After all, the moon walk was fifty years ago. Ancient history. Also, there have been so many sad events in the space program in those fifty years. Still, in the 1970s, space travel was not only an enchanting prospect, it was possible. While actually going into space doesn't sound like a good plan to me personally, having spend a lot of time in my youth wearing a space helmet and "blasting off" over a drainage culvert on a Big Wheel, I can relate to Mr. Massimino's tales of watching the first moon walk, having an astronaut Halloween costume, and wanting to be an astronaut.

It's also hard for today's students to understand that young people weren't always encouraged to pursue their dreams, or given much guidance in doing so. There is so much career and college counseling that goes on today, and yet in the 1980s, it makes perfect sense that Massimino could have applied and been accepted to grad school in the wrong program-- political science instead of engineering! This is a great tale about having a dream and never really being encouraged to pursue it, yet persevering anyway.

While I loved the descriptions of grad school and working in the 1980s (Massimino was born in 1962, so he's three years older than I am), young readers will instead take to heart the training for being an astronaut, and the descriptions of the Hubble missions in which Massimino participated.

Readers who enjoy memoirs like Leland's 2017 Chasing space : an astronaut's story of grit, grace, and second chances, Kelly's 2018 Endurance : my year in space and how I got there Kelly, Scott, or Acevedo's 2018  Path to the Stars : my journey from Girl Scout to rocket scientist will definitely appreciate Massimino's story account of his path to becoming an astronaut while tenaciously holding on to what seemed like an impossible dream.

Schulz, Charles M. Snoopy: First Beagle in Space (PEANUTS AMP Series Book 14): A PEANUTS Collection
March 17th 2020 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
Copy provided by the publisher

Can I start recommending Snoopy comics to students as historical fiction? I think I can! Not only does this collection cover some of Snoopy's late 1960s adventures in space, but it has Charlie Brown preparing for bed by drinking a glass of milk and putting on new pajamas! My students would need explanations for both of these things!

Mike Massimino, who went on two missions to fix the Hubble space telescope, talks in his memoir about having a Snoopy astronaut figure with which he played a lot. It's really hard to describe just how pervasive Snoopy was during the 1970s and 1980s, especially around Christmas, for some reason. Stuffed toys, the IceCapades, ornaments, t shirts before there were t shirts for everything, lunchboxes-- you name it, it had Snoopy.

These books are a great way to keep Schulz's cartoon legacy going. I just wish they included the original publication dates in an easier to find location.

Bad Best Friend

Vail, Rachel. Bad Best Friend
March 24th 2020 by Viking Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Niki has been friends with Ava since they were very young, but now that they are in middle school, things have become strained. Ava has always been a little fancier than Niki, and Niki has always felt a little awkward in her presence. Still, their mothers are very good friends, and Ava is Niki's connection to the popular "squad". As the two drift further apart, Niki starts to reconnect with former friends like enthusiastic Holly and twin neighbor boys. Aside from the friend drama, Niki has to deal with a difficult home situation. While her parents are both very present and concerned, her nine year old brother Danny is becoming increasingly difficult at school. He throws tantrums, has few friends, and has recently gotten into trouble by disobeying the teacher. Niki's mother doesn't want the school to test Danny, because she doesn't want him to be labeled and treated differently. Niki's father, however, feels that if Danny's difficulties are understood, he might have more successful interactions with people. Niki tries very hard to hide Danny's troubles from her friends, but Holly remembers Danny from years back and is very sweet to him, even managing to get the local refuse collectors to come to his birthday party. When Niki blows off Holly to go to a party with Ava, things go badly wrong, and she knows that she will have to decide who her friends really are.
Strengths: Is it really middle school if you don't lose at least one long time friend? This is the cause of so much middle school angst, yet isn't covered all that much in the literature. Bonus points to Ms. Vail for making both Ava and Niki sympathetic, and for allowing them to talk to each other even when they are angry. I especially loved it when Ava tells Niki they can still be friends in private. The issues with Danny are realistic; we have an autism unit in our school, and there are a fair number of children who aren't diagnosed as being on the spectrum until 6th grade or later, so it's realistic that Danny's difficulties have not been dealt with. There are lots of good details about his behavior that Ms. Vail has drawn from her experiences with her brother, who is also on the spectrum. There's also a little bit of boy drama thrown in for good measure, making this a good choice even for 8th grade readers.
Weaknesses: The difference between middle grade and young adult is often the amount of time the characters spend in their own head. Niki overthinks everything in a much more YA way instead of her emotions being shown through the things that she does. This slowed the story down a bit for me.
What I really think: Even though this made me cringe a little bit, it definitely had ALL. THE. DRAMA, and is therefore perfect for a sizable portion of my readers who absolutely love to read about things going wrong with friends. Definitely purchasing, since this author's Unfriended and Well, That Was Awkward are popular.

Mlynowski, Sarah. Abby in Oz (Whatever After #13.5)
April 7th 2020 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Abby is in a treehouse with her friends Penny, Robin, and Frankie when the house gets sucked up into a tornado! Before they know it, they've landed... in Oz. Penny has traveled with Abby before and still remembers a little about how the stories work, but Robin and Frankie don't know what to think. Early on, the girls meet Dorothy and Toto, and try not to freak out the story book character who wonders why these strangers know her name. Abby knows enough to guess that the evil Gluck had something to do with her travels. Prince has come along, although her brother has not, and the story is not going the way either the movie OR the book progressed. Abby knows this is essential, so tries to get her friends to help. Oz is a dangerous place, and the girls are taken by the witch by flying monkeys, put into prison, do manage to meet the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Cowardly Lion, but have to deal with both the Wicked Witch of the West AND the East. With the help of the Wizard (who has no magic), they manage to confront the witches in the Emerald City, but it is Toto and Prince who save the day and allow the girls to return home.
Strengths: Like the author, I grew up watching The Wizard of Oz, albeit only once a year. It was always a great treat. Abby and her friends faithfully recreate both the movie and book versions as much as possible, and Dorothy's confusion is understandable. Lots more details and action that the regular fairy tale installments.
Weaknesses: This got to be a bit plodding when Abby was trying to follow the story so carefully.
What I really think: I keep buying these because I always have a handful of readers who like them, but the series is getting to be a bit too long. The next book is set in the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and we'll see if Abby can finally spring Maryrose from her mirror!

Kenzie Kickstarts a Team (The Derby Daredevils #1)

Rosewater, Kit and Escabasse, Sophie (Illustrator)
Kenzie Kickstarts a Team (The Derby Daredevils #1) 
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Kenzie and her best friend Shelley love roller derby, a sport in which they are interested because Kenzie's mother is involved. They both hope to join a team when they are in high school, so are super excited to see that there are try outs for ages 10-14 teams at the warehouse in Austin, Texas where they have been skating. The only problem is that they really want to try out together, and find that the only way they can do this is to put together a team of five. They don't have a lot of time, but look around their school and approach several people. Tomoko is fearless at basketball but not getting enough time on the court, and is willing to give it a try. Jules is involved in a Shakespeare theater group, but always getting in trouble for her sword fighting, and is also willing to give it a try. Celia, from the same theater group, is less thrilled, especially since she has never skated. Shelley wants Bree, who is in their class at school and skateboards, to try out, but Kenzie doesn't want to have her around, mainly because she has a nascent crush on Bree and doesn't know how to handle it. The girls take their team to the tryouts, and while things don't quite work out as they planned, they are ultimately successful.
Strengths: This had a lot of good drama in it-- Kenzie worrying that Shelley is becoming friends with Tomoko, the crush on Bree, and the stress of putting together a team in order to be able to skate in a league. There are a lot of illustrations, although not as many as a graphic novel. The details about roller derby moves and competition are also interesting. This was a fun, quick read.
Weaknesses: The girls are in fifth grade, and there are some details that make this seem a bit young.
What I really think: I'm not sure how interested my readers are going to be in a book about roller derby that isn't Roller Girls, but this is an unusual and innovative book about a sport, so I think I'll give it a try.

A Song Only I Can Hear

Jonsberg, Barry. A Song Only I Can Hear
April 7th 2020 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Rob lives in Australia with his family, including a feisty grandfather who is in a nearby nursing home. He has an enormous crush on new girl, Destry Camberwick, but doesn't know quite how to approach her. He talks to his grandfather, who doesn't have that many suggestions, but soon starts getting texts from a mysterious number, challenging his to do things to impress the girl, like walking dogs and joining in a local talent show. All of these things end up being good for Rob, especially walking one small dog belonging to one of his grandfather's friends at the nursing home. Rob is curious about other's experience with love, and realizes his grandfather has never talked about his grandmother. He finally opens up, and Rob finds out that his father was a soldier during Vietnam and struggled with PTSD so badly that the grandmother returned home to Italy, leaving the grandfather to have to buckle down raise Rob's father. At the talent show, Rob publicly reveals an open secret that changes his relationship with Destry but gives him new confidence in himself. If you don't want spoilers for this one, don't read the reviews on Goodreads, but know that this has an LGBTQIA connection.
Strengths: I'm a sucker for books with amusing grandparents, and Rob's grandfather is very gruff and outspoken, but also clearly cares for Rob. Certainly, middle school crushes are often very intense, so Rob's infatuation with Destry is quite believable. The twist at the end is well done, and the characters are generally nuanced and sympathetic.
Weaknesses: This is on the long side, and a bit slow paced, although it is fun to watch all of Rob's activities. And did Rob have to be quite so mean about his middle aged father's appearance?
What I really think: This reminded me a bit of Tom Mitchell's How to Rob a Bank, but wasn't quite as amusing. I was sure that Rob was on the autism spectrum-- the voice is a bit odd, which makes a little bit of sense after the twist at the end. It might also just be that Australian writers have a different style. Debating.

The List of Things That Will Not Change

Stead, Rebecca. The List of Things That Will Not Change
April 7th 2020 by Wendy Lamb Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Bea's parents are divorced, but she keeps a list that reassures her that her life is still okay. They have shared custody, and live close to each other, so she is able to keep herself fairly organized, although having two reminders about school projects would help. Her father has a posh restaurant, Beatrice, and his partner, Jesse works there. Jesse's sister Sheila frequently babysits her. She has good friends in Lizette and Angus, and sees a therapist, Miriam, to help her deal with the divorce and some anger management issues. Bea also suffers from fairly significant eczema. As her father and Jesse prepare to get married, we see Bea's every day life, but also flashbacks to other periods in time. One of these that recurs is the previous summer, when the family got together and her cousins gave her a hard time. One of those cousins, Angelica, fell out of a top bunk and wasn't hurt, but has recently been experiencing difficulties. Bea mentions that she is not a good person and did something bad over the summer, and eventually tells Miriam what this is and is able to deal with her guilt.
Strengths: This had a lot of good elements: Bea's dealing with divorce and going between homes, her extended family's acceptance (or rejection) of her father's sexual orientation, her relationship with Jesse's daughter, her school projects (making butter in a jar!), and her appointments with her therapist. I especially was glad to see a portrayal of a young person with eczema, as I have had several students struggle with that condition. Stead's When You Reach Me won the Newbery ten years ago, and many teachers and librarians are huge fans of her probing, lyrical writing.
Weaknesses: While Bea is in about fifth grade, she seems very young, and many of the anecdotes involve her life when she is even younger. This is a more character driven story, so there is not a lot that happens. The source of Bea's guilt was pretty obvious and not that compelling.
What I really think: I will pass on purchase because of the young feel and the NYC setting, which does not do well with my students. The exception to this is Mackler's Not If I Can Help It, but that circulates mainly due to the giant gummy bear on the cover!

Quack

Humphrey, Anna. Quack
April 1st 2020 by Albert Whitman
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

David "Shady" Cook has selective mutism; he doesn't speak at school, although he will speak when just his family is present. He does have a best friend, Pouya, who has come to Canada with his mothers after living in a refugee camp. When the boys are out biking and save some ducklings from traffic, one accidentally gets brought home. Shady (so called because he wears sunglasses to deal with his anxiety) becomes attached to the animal, and his parents reluctantly agree to his therapist's idea to have Sven be an emotional support animal. In addition to the duckling who ends up being Svenrietta, Shady is lucky to have his big sister Manda and well as supportive and understanding school personnel. One Svenri starts coming to school, more and more students make connections with Shady. There's a lot of other things going on as well; there's a school dance, a Christmas play, and Manda's interest in joining a film club, even though watching Shady and Pouya takes up her afternoons. Told from alternate viewpoints, including that of Shady's former friend Pearl, we watch as Shady begins to make progress with Svenri at his side, but also how he is devastated when the duck goes missing.
Strengths: An author's note describes Ms. Humphrey's own daughter's struggles with this particular form of anxiety, and talks about some other issues involved. It's good to see that Shady has a support network, a good friend, and an understanding sister. Manda's own struggles are interesting to read. The school activities are realistic and show the different difficulties with which Shady has to deal. He occasionally communicates through black out poetry, which some readers will find intriguing.
Weaknesses: I would have been interested to see how the school was so quickly convinced to have Svenri in the building; we have had support dogs, but they go through a vigorous training process. Svenri is trained a bit, and seems to do well in the classroom, but I think I was thrown by the fact that they found her in the wild.
What I really think: This is a bit young for my students, so I may pass. We are certainly seeing a lot of books dealing with all manner of anxiety issues, so this may be helpful to students who want to understand other viewpoints.

When I was in second grade, there was a girl, Judy, with selective mutism. I was a fairly kind child and tried to be friends with her, but it was very hard. Elementary school children don't necessarily have the ability to deal with people who don't talk to them.

In the Red

Swiedler, Christopher. In the Red
March 24th 2020 by HarperCollins
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Michael Prasad and his family live on a colony on Mars, under a dome that controls the environment. His father, Manish, works at a ranger station outside of the dome, so he has taken Michael and his brother outside many times. Michael really wants to get his space suit certification, but he had a disastrous experience the one time he tried, and when he sneaks out to take the test again, his second time doesn't go well either. He blacks out, and comes to in the hospital. His parents are understandably angry; he's been diagnosed with anxiety, and has been told that as long as his "condition" of having panic attacks persists, he is not allowed to travel outside the dome. This makes him angry, and he feels like he is letting his father down. When his friend Lilith surprises him by arranging to meet one night near the edge of the dome so that they can travel outside just to look at stars, Michael decides that it's a great time to travel to his dad's station to say "hi". There are some problems going on in the community that are hush hush-- something with solar flares and the magnetic field around Mars perhaps being compromised, but taking off in a rover for a six hour drive should be just fine. Of course, it isn't. When it is unsafe to stay outside in the rover because of the flares, the two try to hide in a cave, and their exploration leads them to a station that has seen problems. They eventually manage to find Randall, a man who worked with Michael's father, and he helps everyone survive in abandoned shelters, living on old curry ready meals and monitoring their space suits for vital stats. Michael takes several very dangerous chances to try to contact his father's station, and doesn't have panic attacks all of the time. Eventually, he and Lilith are in very grave danger; will they be able to survive and make it safely back to the colony?
Strengths: This had a lot of good details about what it would be like to live on Mars, which is something I wanted from Emerson's Last Day on Mars (Chronicle of the Dark Star #1), before that book took off from the planet. I liked that the emergency took place entirely on the planet, and we got to see the various places where people could live. Traveling across Mars was also interesting, and very suspenseful. I really didn't think that Michael and Lilith could possibly survive! This was a fast-paced, quick read for fans of Sylvester's MINRS, Landers' Blastaway, Levy's Seventh Grade vs. The Galaxy and Buzz Aldrin's fantastic nonfiction book, Welcome to Mars.
Weaknesses: Michael does so many really, really stupid things that I was perfectly okay with him perishing on the surface of the planet. It's good to see a discussion of anxiety and panic attacks, but his condition doesn't excuse how much danger he puts himself and his friend in. (That's me opining while wearing my parent/teacher hat, I know!)
What I really think: Since it is unlikely that my students will read this book and then decide to take a rover outside of a Mars colony, I think I'm safe to purchase it. Since I didn't purchase a similar one about Mars a while back (can't remember or find it; I can only remember that the ARC was four books in one, and I thought it was just one book.), I think I will buy this, since Strickland's Marooned! (2004) series has become weirdly popular in my library recently.

MMGM- Wink and A Sporting Chance

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.

Harrell, Rob. Wink
March 31st 2020 by Dial Books
ARC provided by Follett First Look

When twelve-year-old Ross has an alarming lump above his eye, things happen quickly; his father takes him to the doctor for tests, the doctor calls back right away, and radiation is scheduled immediately. This makes it somewhat difficult to process the fact that he has a rare cancer that could cause him to lose his sight in both eyes. His dad and stepmother are very supportive, as is his best friend, Abby, and one of the radiation technicians, Frank. The treatment makes his eye very dry, requiring goopy eye drops, and he also has to wear a hat to school to keep light away from his face. His hair starts to fall out in clumps at the most inopportune time. Not the coolest look. Kids, especially his friend Isaac, give him a wide berth, but someone keeps posting memes about Ross that are quite mean spirited and hurtful. Not one to be dragged down by life, Ross starts to learn guitar from Frank, but is dealt another blow when he finds out that Abby is going to be moving away. Most of the times, he is fine, but occasionally he is hit by the magnitude of the situation he is facing. He makes an uneasy alliance with Jimmy, who has been a bit of a bully at school, but who joins Ross and Abby in a band for the school talent show. Ross might not find enlightenment and inspiration as he struggles through his cancer treatments, but he does find a way to continue to live his life.
Strengths: Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading. Stu Truly. Zen and the Art of Faking It. My Life as a Potato. These are all books that can be placed into the hands of 98% of my students with great success. The main characters are all facing some kind of challenge, but they meet it with good spirits, and get involved in some gentle highjinks along the way. You'd think that a lot of books would be like that, but they are amazingly hard to find. This book, based in part on the author's struggle with a similar cancer as an adult, is on the more serious side, but never becomes maudlin or slow paced. There is a little bit of discussion about Ross' mother passing away from cancer when he was five, but even that is worked into the story in a clever way, with the father telling Ross that he himself struggled with the death and needed help, and Ross may need more than he is asking for.  I especially liked that Abby calls Ross out as not being a supportive friend-- sure, her moving away isn't anywhere near as terrible as his cancer, but it still matters to her. Even the relationships with Isaac and Jimmy ring true and add a layer of depth to the story. Really enjoyed this one.
Weaknesses: This may be because the author's cancer was in 2006, but I found myself wanting a few more details about the process through which Ross was going. What were the treatments designed to do? What were the side effects? How would they know if Ross would have further problems? I know that cancer is a difficult disease, but for middle schoolers reading about it for the first time, more details would have made the process make more sense.
What I really think: The only question is how MANY copies of this I should buy. Two? Three? The addition of the line drawings will make this easier to sell to fans of Notebook Novels, so maybe three.

 Alexander, Lori and Drummond, Allan (Illustrator)
A Sporting Chance: How Paralympics Founder Ludwig Guttmann Saved Lives with Sports 
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This was an interesting nonfiction book, which was a nice size. My e reader shows it at 132 pages, but that includes a timeline, fantastic bibliography, notes, and an index. The main text comes in at 110 pages, putting it in that magic 100+ page range that language arts teachers like to require. Using a mix of period photographs and illustrations, it tells the story of Ludwig Guttman's involvement in the treatment and rehabilitation of people with traumatic spinal cord injuries. During WWII, the life expectancy of people with such injuries was about five months, and Guttman felt that this could be inmproved. He attended medical school and started to practice medicine, only to have WWII and the rise of the Nazis imperil him and his family. He moved to England, where he worked with many veterans. After the war, when many of his patients survived, he started to think about improving their quality of life, and felt that sports gave them needed exercise as well as purpose. He started the Stoke Mandeville Games, which grew over the succeeding years and eventually became the Paralympic Games.
Strengths: I am always looking for interesting narrative nonfiction, and this book actually would have been great for this year's National History Day theme of "breaking barriers". It moves along quickly, and the illustrations are great at understanding some of the points, as well as appealing to fans of notebook novels. Guttman's experiences in WWII Germany will add another group of readers to this inspiring tale. Sometimes, it just takes one person to look at an issue differently to make a great impact on many lives.
Weaknesses: While I really liked the style of illustrations, it was a very odd mix that felt like they were just trying to take up space. Not really bad, just an odd choice.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and seeing this being a popular title for both pleasure reading and research.

Nina Soni: Sister Fixer

Sheth, Kashmira. Nina Soni: Sister Fixer
April 1st 2020 by Peachtree Publishing Company
ARC provided by the publisher

After Nina Soni, Former Best Friend, Nina is back, and this time is concerned that her little sister is a bit too exuberant. She sings a lot, and when Nina is seen by everyone on the bus doing a goofy dance about Lucky the beaver with her sister, she decides that she has to make Kavita "less weird". This isn't easy to do, but Nina is great at making lists and action plans. One rainy Saturday when her parents are not feeling well, Nina decides that she will have Kavita help her build a dam near a storm drain, and this will take her sister's mind off singing. Using dirt from a pile on a neighbors' driveway, they build an oddly effective dam... that just might flood the neighborhood. Luckily, they tell their parents in time, and the dam is dismantled before any real destruction occurs. Since her parents are still ill, she and Kavita go to Nina's friend Jay's grandfather's house for the weekend without them, and Nina realizes that there are worse things than her sister's singing.
Strengths: I love the details of Nina's family life-- I can't think of another book that shows parents being ill with a nonfatal disease. It's also nice to see that Jay's family steps in to help. Like the first book, there is lots of yummy food being described. I like that Nina makes lists and has plans, even if they don't always work out the way she hopes!
Weaknesses: I find storm drains to be extremely dangerous and never let the girls play near any. (There is a particularly tempting one near our local park.) This bothered me a lot, but hopefully will not encourage young readers to head out looking for storm drains to dam up!
What I really think: I would definitely purchase this for an elementary library, but the series is a bit young for my readers.

The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane

O'Shaughnessy, Kate. The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane
March 3rd 2020 by Knopf Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Maybelle and her mother struggle a little to make ends meet but are generally happy. All Maybelle has of her father is the memory of a voice mail on an old phone, but his laughter has stuck with her. When her mother gets a job on a cruise ship for a month making a great salary, the two know she needs to go, but this means that a neighbor at the trailer park (and teacher at Maybelle's school), Ms. Boggs, has to watch her. Ms. Boggs is very drab and set in her ways; she doesn't get up until 9:00, she has to have her afternoon nap, and she frequently spend time alone in a nearby cemetery and is not to be bothered. When Maybelle hears her father's voice on the radio, hosting a program, she is enthralled, and when she finds out that the radio station for which he works is putting on a singing contest, she knows she has to find some way to get to Nashville. She tries to buy a bus ticket, but ends up losing the emergency money her mother gave her. Surprisingly, when she tells Ms. Boggs about it, the teacher agrees to drive her to Nashville. It's a twelve hour trip, but they will only drive 3 hours a day. Tommy, who has bullied Maybelle in the past, has stowed away in the RV, and his parents agree he can continue the trip. The group has several adventures, including rescuing a dog from a mean owner and winning $1,000 in a scratch off lottery. Maybelle hasn't practiced any singing, picked out a song, or found an outfit for performing, so that is all worked on. Even though she almost chickens out and there are problems along the way, Maybelle eventually makes it to the contest. Will she be able to talk to her father and make him a part of her life?
Strengths: Road trip books seem to be having a resurgence, and this ticks all the boxes for a good one. Disparate traveling companions, a relatable mission, amusing adventures, and a well plotted story with appealing characters. I also appreciated that the father's reaction was realistic, and that the characters weren't soggily sad.
Weaknesses: It was hard to believe that Maybelle would recognize her father's voice, and this had a bit of a quirky, Southern vibe. Ms. Boggs' trajectory was also hard to believe.
What I really think: I have Acampora's How to Avoid Distinction, Bauer's One for the Road, Cooney's Hit the Road, DuPrau's Car Trouble, Gemeinhart's Coyote Sunrise, Pla's The Someday Birds, Stone's Clean Getaway , McVoy's Drive Me Crazy,  and Paulsen's Road Trip, and that's just a few of the road trip books I have. While I love them, my students are lukewarm about them, so I may have to pass on this title.

Fins (Sharks, Inc. #1)

White, Randy Wayne. Fins (Sharks, Inc. #1)
March 31st 2020 by Roaring Brook Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Luke arrives in Florida from a farm in Ohio to stay with his grandfather and aunt Hannah after the death of his mother, since his stepfather doesn't really want him. Shortly after arriving, he is struck by lightning, which leaves him with several interesting scars, some synesthesia and occasional abilities to see things very clearly. His grandfather, wanting him to have something to do, connects him to Doc, who is running a shark tagging program. Joining him are Maribel and Sabina, two sisters who have recently arrived from Cuba. Poachers are killing sharks for their fins, which are used to make shark fin soup, but are leaving the rest of the shark to go to waste. Doc trains the children to tag the sharks (usually the very small ones), and then sends them off on their own to do this. They get into some trouble when Sabina (who is young enough to be missing front teeth) claims to have seen a poachers camp with sharks fins, but this turns out not to be true. She just wanted the attention of the news lady. The fact that the children's pictures appear in the paper is a bit worrisome, since the poachers are still on the loose. The children continue to go out in the boat and tag sharks, but run into a variety of problems. Eventually, they figure out what the poachers are up to and try to catch them. Will the police believe them this time?
Strengths: I always enjoy stories with an environmental message, and there are many interesting scientific details about the animals off the Florida coast. I also like to see children doing things. Mysteries are a popular genre in my library, and it's nice to have characters with a Cuban background. The author is from Ashland, Ohio (home of Grandpa's Cheese Barn!), which would explain Luke's background. Aside from McAnulty's The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, I can't think of any other books about children having been struck by lightning. This cover is fantastic.
Weaknesses: Luke is described as being from a farm in Ohio very frequently, and it got a bit annoying. In general, we are told about characters' traits instead of being shown through their actions, and none of them really grow. Luke in particular has little personality. I had a hard time believing that children were being sent out on a boat alone to tag sharks. With the presence of Doc, the grandfather and the aunt, (who also were very flat characters), it would have been more believable and interesting to have one of the adults involved, especially once there was a clear danger from poachers. I'm all for children having adventures, but this seemed unlikely.
What I really think: I think I will stick with Spradlin's fantastic Menace from the Deep or Carl Hiassen's mysteries to cover this area of the US. It's always interesting to see authors of adult books try their hand at middle grade, but this could have used a bit more work.

Baseball Opening Day 2020 and Martin McLean, Middle School Queen

Kamata, Suzanne. Pop Flies, Robo-Pets, and Other Disasters
March 2020 by Red Chair Press
ARC provided by the publisher

Satoshi Matsumoto lives in Japan, but spent several years going to school in Atlanta, Georgia, while his father was working there. It was hard enough to fit in with kids in the US, but it's even hard to fit in back at home. He goes to a private school that his grandfather founded, but since his father didn't want to run it, it is under different ownership. His grandfather is elderly and exhibiting many signs of dementia. Satoshi loves to play baseball, and his grandfather was very good when he was young, although he never got a chance to play professionally. When he hears that the school may not have a team the following year unless there are more wins, he tries to step up, but has problems with another boy on the team, Shintaro, whose father may have ties to local gangsters, and also doesn't always want to listen to what the coach tells him. A new girl at school, Misa, is a social outcast because her mother is American, but Satoshi's mother invites the two over, and Misa befriends his sister, Momoko, who has an unnamed disability of which Satoshi is ashamed. After big problems occur with the baseball team, Satoshi must call on the American English teacher, Jerry, to help him with the team, but all of that pales when his grandfather wanders off and can't be found. Will Satoshi be able to get his life back on track and save baseball at his school?
Strengths: Details of every day life in other countries fascinate me, so reading about Satoshi going to the mall, attending classes, and cleaning the baseball field with his team were very interesting. We even get a glimpse at a Japanese barbershop when Satoshi gets a bozu cut for playing baseball. The plot with his grandfather is interesting (he has a robotic pet seal, which I enjoyed because I have been researching robotic dogs!), and Misa's difficulties mirror Satoshi's when he lived in the US. Of course, the big selling point of the book is baseball, and there are plenty of game details, as well as practice ones, to make this book one sports fans will enjoy.
Weaknesses: Some of the social mores made me wonder if this book was set in the 1980s-- children at school call Momoko "retarded", there is an "English Lunch" that Satoshi says must be code for "losers" because there is an overweight boy and a girl with an eye patch, and the students feel free to laugh at others when they mistakenly leave on their toilet shoes when coming into the class. US middle grade fiction has become so politically correct in recent years that this seemed odd, but could very well reflect life in another country.
What I really think: This is available in hardcover from Follett, so I will purchase this as a snapshot of life in Japan. Many years ago, I hosted a teacher from Japan for three weeks, and it was very interesting to hear about their schools!

Zaczek, Alyssa. Martin McLean, Middle School Queen
January 7th 2020 by Sterling Children's
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Martin Lives with his artist mom (who is Afro-Cuban) in Bloomingtom, Indiana, but his father, who is of Irish descent, lives with his new family. When Martin has an anxiety attack at school and his concerned teacher calls home, his mother invites his Tío Billy to stay with them and be a male influence for a while, while he and his husband are moving to Chicago. Billy takes Martin to a club near campus that puts on drag shows. Martin is surprised that Billy is a performer (aka Cassie Blanca), but also enthralled by the idea. He explores creating an alter identity with his uncle and comes up with Lottie Leon, whom he bases a bit on the performer Celia Cruz. While he and his uncle bond over heels and wigs, Martin also has to lead his school Mathletes team to competition. He hangs out with his friends Pickle (who is very small for his age) and Carmen as well. Both of his friends are very supportive of his new interest, and they are also okay with the fact that Martin thinks he might be gay, but isn't really sure. When he starts to hang out with Chris, another mathlete, he finds him attractive and starts to think that he may be gay, but the two just become better friends. When the local all-ages drag competition is at the same time as the mathletes one, Martin must rely on his friends and family for help in taking part in both.
Strengths: This is certainly the first middle grade book I've seen about the world of drag performing, although I have read a YA one years ago. Martin's family situation is interesting, with the very common fact of having his father live far away and the uncommon fact of his mother being an artist blending together well. Billy is a good addition, and his interest in introducing Martin to his world is understandable. Bloomington is fortunately more open to drag performing than Ohio is, but there is apparently youth interest in it. Playing off the extrovert activity of performing against the somewhat introvert one of mathletes was fun. Also, I got to learn about an art form that was completely foreign to me, and even looked up the video of RuPaul singing Sissy That Walk.
Weaknesses: It was a bit of a stretch for me that Martin went from being a quiet mathlete to wanting to do drag so much. It seemed an abrupt shift, although his feeling of empowerment while in character was described well.
What I really think: I had a brief upswing in students interested in theatrics and performing when we had a teacher who ran a drama club, but I will have to see how much interest there is now that that teacher has left. Books on this topic usually gather dust, but I do have a growing population interested in LGBTQIA+ books, so I will consider purchasing.
March 2020 by Red Chair Press

Efrén Divided

Cisneros, Ernesto. Efrén Divided
March 31st 2020 by HarperCollins
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Efrén and his family work very hard, but still struggle to make ends meet. His father works several jobs, and his mother makes sure that Efrén and his twin siblings, Max and Mia, are always cleaned and pressed when she walks them to school before heading to work. Efrén considers his mother "Soperwoman" because she can put food on the table, help out teachers at the school, and make sure he behaves himself in addition to everything else. His best friend, David, seems a little luckier in life, although he lives with his grandmother. When school elections are announced, David thinks he will run for president for the prestige and the chance to change the cafeteria food. David always has the coolest clothes and latest gadgets thanks to his father, but his life isn't easy, either. Efrén agrees to help, although he suspects that classmate Jennifer would do a better job. He has something in common with Jennifer; their parents are in the country without documentation, and both children live in fear of ICE. When his mother is applying for a new job, she gets caught in a raid and deported. Efrén's father immediately starts to make plans to get her back to the United States, but it takes a lot of money, and it's not easy to get across the border even with a coyote. After an unsuccessful attempt, the father decides to take the money to Tijuana, and when Efrén volunteers to go, he reluctantly agrees. Efrén goes across the border by himself, and luckily runs into a sympathetic taxi driver, Lalo, who used to live in the US with his daughter, but was deported after some bad choices. Lalo helps Efrén as much as he can, which is good because there are a lot of dangers. Efrén eventually finds his mother, delivers the money, and returns to his anxious father. It is harder than ever to get by with his father working nonstop, his mother gone, and the kindergarten aged twins needs a lot of care. Will Efrén's mother be able to make it home? And will the treatment of immigrants in the US ever change?
Strengths: It is a delicate balance to portray the difficult realities of Efrén's life so that the story is hopeful to readers who might be in similar circumstances but sympathetic to readers who might not come to the book with positive thoughts about undocumented immigrants. (And unfortunately, there are readers like that, even in middle school.) Cisneros draws on his twenty plus years as a teacher to achieve this balance in a compelling story that will help those unfamiliar with Efrén's way of life understand it. The details about parents working long hours, children taking care of siblings, and students trying to keep up with school work while struggling with basic needs are well done, and the supporting characters reflect a variety of experiences, including a teacher who tries to help Efrén without being too intrusive. (Another delicate balance.) I'd love to see this book used as a core novel or as a reading group choice, along with Weeks and Varadarajan's Save Me a Seat and Gratz's Refugee.
Weaknesses: While Efrén's trip to Tijuana was absolutely fascinating, I have a bad feeling that if a child traveled there alone, there might not be a Lalo to keep him safe. Luckily, in Efrén's story, things work out better than they might in real life.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and know that this will be popular with students who enjoyed Yang's Front Desk, Saeed's Amal Unbound, Cruz' Everlasting Nora, and Venkatraman's The Bridge Home. It is also an important addition to a library collection that includes portrayals of a variety of cultural experiences.

We need fantasy books at times like these!

Meehl, Brian. Blowback '94 (Blowback #3)
February 6th 2020 by Twisko Press
Copy graciously provided by the author

Arky and Matt got to travel back in time to the Carlisle Indian School in Blowback '07, and Arky and Danny visited the time of the Civil War in Blowback '63. Now, Iris finds herself transported along with Arky to the Moulin Rouge in Paris in 1894 to finally solve the mystery behind their mother's disappearance. Iris isn't all that pleased to be hurtled back in time; she has an audition for a summer music camp and Matt has asked her to the prom. When their father, Howard, realizes the two are missing, he isn't happy with the situation. Back in Paris, the two quickly steal some clothing more appropriate to the time and are able to find out that their mother is performing, and even get her address! They convince the landlady that Octavia is their mother, and are able to stay in her apartment even though she is gone. When they finally meet up with her, they are a little confused as to why she is sharing the family Legend of the Cor Anglais with the public, especially since James (the son of Rufus, whom Arky had met during the Civil War) doesn't want her to. Octavia says she has figured out the Horn of Angels paradigm, but isn't quite ready to share it. Iris and Arky make themselves at home in this time period; James gets Iris a job assisting musicians, and Arky a job assisting  Le Pétomane, a professional farter (and real historical character). Arky tries to quit, but his mother threatens to burn the cor anglais if he does. The two get to meet a wide array of historical figures like Degas; their mother also knows Toulouse Latrec, and Iris is thrilled to get to visit La Grande Jatte. Arky has a romance with a ballet dancer, but it is ill fated. They both learn more of the family history
Strengths: This book is a must read, if only for the scenes with Le Pétomane! I know that the first book in this series is really popular with my sports fans, and the second draws the Civil War readers, but the detailed descriptions of the act at the Moulin Rouge will delight most middle schoolers. The details about living in Paris and working in the theater were astonishing, and I loved that Iris had to work within the constraints of being female at a time when options were so limited for women. The backstory to the cors anglais is so intricately constructed, and the conclusion very satisfying. I love the Dvorak piece the family mystery is built around and have been humming it all day!
Weaknesses: This is more of a high school book, but there's nothing inappropriate for middle school; just a bit coarse. Iris' 21st century clothes get her mistaken for a prostitute, and there's some very run of the mill swearing.
What I really think: This is a fantastic series for older middle school readers and absolutely necessary for high school collections. The time travel elements are well thought out, and the historical descriptions really enlightening.


Abu-Jaber, Diana. Silverworld
March 17th 2020 by Crown Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Samara and her mother and brother have recently moved to Florida, and Samara's Teta (grandmother) lives with them. During the past several months, Teta has had a hard time communicating, and only Sami really can understand her. Her mother, Alia, and her sister, Ivory, want to move the grandmother into a nursing home, since they are concerned that she is weakening and and her health is in danger. Sami, who is very close to her grandmother, disagrees. She and Teta have spent a long time talking about the past, and Sami loves the stories of her grandmother's Bedouin childhood. These stories often incorporate elements of adventure, magic, and creatures like Ifrits, and there is also a book that her grandmother has promised to show her when she turns 12. Fearing that her mother will be moving her grandmother to a facility very soon, Sami searches for the book, finds it, and is suddenly sent through an antique mirror from Teta's past. There, she finds Silverworld, which is a mirror of her own world, but filled with Flickers, Rebalancers, and evil Shadows. With the help of Dorsom and Natala, Sami discovers that Nixie, who is very powerful in the alternate reality, is very unhappy and trying to make everyone else unhappy as well. This is in turn affecting Teta, who is uncommunicative because she is trying to hide from Nixie and keep everyone safe. After a brief visit back to the "Actual" world, Sami starts on a quest to confront the Nixie in order to save Silverworld and her grandmother. This is fraught with peril, adventure, and an array of magical creatures like Bat, mermaids, and even her Teta's alter ego. Will Sami be able to defeat the Nixie and make it back home?
Strengths: Drawing on the author's Jordanian cultural heritage makes Sami's connection with her garndmother's past vivid and interesting, and also makes Sami's feelings of being torn between two worlds very moving. Sami being a Silverwalker, able to travel between both worlds, is exciting, and her mission to save both the world and her grandmother is accomplished by participating in a quest that incorporates a lot of intriguing characters. Dorsum and Natala are helpful and sympathetic companions. I loved the description of food, clothing and artifacts connected to the grandmother.
Weaknesses: World building in a fantasy book is difficult, and there are parts of this that would have been more exciting if we had been shown, rather than told, about the world. Because my mother has been in a dementia unit for the past two years, I am also a little concerned that Sami thinks the nursing home is SO terrible; given Teta's state, it is wise and cautious to send her to one.
What I really think: I enjoyed this, maybe because it is eerily similar to my half finished fantasy novel. Mine was about a grandfather slipping into dementia that was really caused because he was a king in a Grimm's Fairy Tale inspired realm and was being held hostage! This isn't a perfect fantasy novel, but the cultural connections make this well worth investigating. I will definitely buy a copy for fans of Crowl's Eden's Wish and other light fantasy adventures.

Gibbs, Stuart. Tyrannosaurus Wrecks (FunJungle #6)
March 24th 2020 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss

Teddy and his friends are on high alert when a zebra spanker is making the rounds of zoo across the nation, slapping unsuspecting animals and then posting videos of their exploits. Of course, they manage to take care of this threat quickly, but there is another one: a dinosaur skull has been found on Sage's family farm, and they hope to sell it in order to keep the farm running. When the skull goes missing, Teddy and Summer are called in to help, even though Summer's father is a suspect. We get to see the landscape of Texas outside of FunJungle, and meet some interesting new characters as the children figure out how such an enormous artifact could be moved.
Strengths: Like all of Gibbs' work, this starts out strong and continues with so many wonderful and funny turns of phrase. I really enjoy how he has funny things but also makes a strong environmental and animal rights statement-- copycat zebra spankers end up getting injured, but not gravely so. And honestly, I've spent the last couple of days saying "zebra spanker" to myself and giggling! Even Marge makes an appearance, and her treatment has improved since the first book. The mystery is well developed, the new characters odd but not overly quirky, and Teddy's involvement with the law is realistic.
Weaknesses: My students are HUGE fans of Gibbs' work, so when I mentioned I had read this there was quite a conversation with some students. One of them said "I love the books, but I really think Teddy has become a flat character. There's really nothing new we learn about him, and he doesn't really grow." Wow. Sometimes students DO listen in class. I love the books as well, but agree that Teddy, and his relationship with Summer, isn't really changing much.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and there will be many reserves. I had to purchase additional copies of the first books in all of Gibbs' series to keep up with the demand created by readers recommending the books to their friends!