Camp Sylvania and Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem (#2)

Murphy, Julie. Camp Sylvania
June 6, 2023 by Balzer & Bray/Harperteen

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Maggie has waited for years to go to Camp Rising Star with her best friend Nora, but her mother has other plans. A cardiological nurse who was heavy as a child herself, Maggie's mother often makes comments about Maggie's weight and tries to get her to slim down, claiming to be worried about her health. When a childhood friend reopens the "fat camp" the mother went to as a teen, she enrolls Maggie in the camp for three weeks. Crushed that she won't be with Nora, Maggie realizes that her mother won't budge. Camp isn't all bad; she meets the British Evelyn and Kit, who would rather go to Space Camp, and the three get along well in their cabin. Sylvia, the head of the camp and diet product developer and spokeswoman is blonde, thin, and glamorous, but also a little... odd. She changes the rules daily, and insists that the campers eat an all red diet. The counselors also seem to have issues, and the night counselor, Helen, is haggard and scary, asking to be invited in to their cabin. Coach B is the one saving grace, and she tells the girls about how the camp used to be when she was a camper there. The former owners were more fat positive, while Sylvia forbids anyone from using the f-word. There is at least a production of The Music Man being staged, and when she tries out, Maggie gets the lead role! She also sees Nora, who travels across the lake from her camp to say hello. There are rumors about the ghost of a boy who drowned in the lake, Wowie Howie, and odd things going on. Sylvia has a "sound bath" location, the campers are required to donate blood once a day in an air conditioned cabin where they can have usually forbidden foods and technology, and campers suddenly go missing. They reportedly go home, but the girls become concerned when one boy's brother is gone and hasn't said anything to him. When Maggie sees Coach B. throwing away a sack of letters to parents, she launches an investigation and turns up an unsettling side to the camp. While she be able to get out of camp alive?

Strengths: While the cover and description give away a bit of the plot twists, there are still some that I don't want to spoil. The fat positivity is definitely on trend, and Maggie is able to make peace with her mother, which was good to see. The girls get along well and try to enjoy camp, but also are able to throw themselves headlong into the investigation about what is wrong with Camp Sylvania. Sylvia is an over-the-top villain who was played, in my head, by an emaciated Agness Moorehead from Bewitched! 
Weaknesses: While Twilight fans want more vampire novels, they have very specific parameters for the type of paranormal story they want. It's been hard to get them to check out some good new choices with a different feel, like Barone's The Vanquishers  or Brown's Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting  or werewolf books like Parker's The Devouring Wolf. 
What I really think: This isn't a graphic novel (the cover made me think it might be), but is a good choice for readers who enjoyed the Lumberjanes series or Cooke and Costa's Paranorthern and the Chaos Bunny A-Hop-Calypse. The summer camp reminds me a bit of Berk and Mitchell's Camp Murderface. Throw in a little of Laybourne's diet driven dystopia Sweet, and that's the closest I can come to describing this book!

Brown, Roseanne. Serwa Boateng's Guide to Witchcraft and Mayhem (#2)

September 12, 2023 by Rick Riordan Presents

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Having recently found out her big family secret in Serwa Boateng's Guide to Vampire Hunting , Serwa wakes up and finds herself under the care of her Auntie Effi, in a swanky building in D.C. that is home to many, many creatures with more in common with obayifo (vampires) than with the Abomofuo (vampire slayers) organization in which Serwa was raised. Unable to contact her parents, Serwa decides to stay with her aunt, and is willing to help her find the Midnight Drum, and bring back her grandmother, whom she has been raised to believe is evil. Aside from teaching her valuable skills (hotwiring a car, assembling a makeshift catapult, laundering money!), her parents lied to her about many things, and she doesn't know what to believe. Sneaking out of the Luciole Hotel to case the Smithsonian's Museum of African Art, she comes across her nemesis, Declan Amankwah. She finds that she now thinks he is... a little bit cute! When he invites her to hang out while she is in D.C. (she claims to be hiding after previous incidents), and she later runs into him when involved in some espionage, she pretends that she wanted to hang out as a cover story, and finds she enjoys being with him. She isn't as thrilled with him when she finds out he loaned her a jacket that had a tracking spell on it, which complicates getting the Midnight Drum, especially since its location was a trap. Her friends Roxy, Mateo, Gavin, and Eunju, whose memory she had to wipe in the first book, show up again, still in the know about her secret background as a half vampire/ half slayer! There's a huge Ghanian Gala at the art museum, and it seems like the best time to get the Midnight Drum back, but things get very complicated, especially after her father is turned into a vampire. Serwa goes head to head with Owuo, the god of death, and finds that she has nine weeks to find him a companion... or the job falls to her. Clearly, there is at least one more book of Serwa's adventures on the way. 

Strengths: It makes perfect sense that this is published by the Rick Riordan Presents Imprint, because it has a lot of the same type of humor that Riordan's books have. There are even fun chapter titles. Brown's style is her own, of course, but it made me smile. Serwa recaps her previous adventures, referring to them as the flaming carousel of her life, and her reaction to having to deal with Owuo is the VERY middle grade "Cool. The sadistic god of death knows who I am. Cool. Cool, cool, cool". There is plenty of action (the statue of the two creatures that comes to life on the cover is just one pivotal scene!), a multitude of magical creatures, some of whom are deliciously evil, strong friendships, and even a little bit of romance. This was a fun read, and surprisingly quick for 400 pages! 
Weaknesses: I am not a fan of the enemies-to-romantic-interests trope in books or in real life. No wonder Serwa is conflicted about Declan; how on earth would their relationship work? 
What I really think: The first books has circulated well, due to the humor and the Ghanaian mythology and culture, so I'll be looking forward to having this book to hand to readers who liked the first title or vampire books with more action in them, like Henderson's Alex Van Helsing: Vampire Rising series. 

Cartoon Saturday- Enlighten Me

Lê, Minh  and Chau, Chan Chau (Illustrator). Enlighten Me.

September 19, 2023 by Little, Brown Ink

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus 

Bình's father and mother take him and his brother and sister to a weekend meditation retreat in the country, where the participants are not allowed to speak. While it's hard for Bình to clear his mind, he's just as glad to not have to talk, because there have been trouble incidences with bullying at his school by kids who make fun of him because he is Vietnamese. He'd prefer to play video games, but does find some calm in meditating. When the children at the retreat are told stories about the life of Siddartha and also the Jataka tales about the Buddha's past lives, Bình envisions himself in the tales and reflects upon his experiences at school through these legends. Because the participants are not allowed to talk, there aren't too many family interactions, but there are still some tensions in Bình's family that come out through the drawings, which is pretty impressive. Bình's story about being bullied will resonate with young readers, but what I found most compelling were the stories about the Buddha. Connecting them to a video game type setting adds a lot of interest. Certainly a thought provoking and innovative book. 

Strengths: This is an interesting graphic novel that reminded me a little of Brosgol's Be Prepared. The illustrations are gorgeous, especially the backgrounds, with the fall leaves in the country. 
Weaknesses: As with many graphic novels, I had many questions that would have been better answered with a traditional novel. Why was the family on retreat? What are their practices at home? I was also a little confused about when this takes place, but looking at the graphics in the video game sequences, it might be set in the late 80s or early 90s. 
What I really think: This was an interesting story, but I wanted more information! A good choice for readers who like graphic novels with cultural connections or who want to know more about Buddhism and the life of the Buddha. 

Nugly

Ross, M.C. Nugly
September 5, 2023 by Scholastic Inc.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Nugget is born in Boston to Wendy, a mixed breed dog. His father is not mentioned. He has six brothers and sisters, and they all have names like Frosty and Cheese Fries. There is a girl, Taylor, who takes good care of him, and he finds that being cute is very important, even though Wendy cautions him that his true value lies in his ability to love. When the family has to move to San Francisco for the father's job, Taylor is okay with embracing the opportunity until she realizes that the family can only take Wendy. Nugget runs away, and ends up befriending a porcupine, Lucky, at the Franklin Park Zoo. Lucky manages to find a place for Nugget to live, and gets food for him from other animals. An encounter with a lion ends with Nugget in a last chance shelter, badly injured and facially disfigured. Ms. Tran, who runs a restaurant, takes him home as a surprise for her daughter Emily, and encourages her to take the dog to field hockey practice. Other girls on the team are very mean about the dog and want Emily to name him "Ugly". Emily is struggling with their actions, and also worries that her mother is working too hard at the restaurant. When the girls put a collar on Nugget labeled "Ugly", he runs away again. He ends up with the large Flanagan clan, where he bonds with Sam, a boy with a large port wine stain birthmark, who champions the dog's cause and names him "Nugly" for NOT ugly. When Nugly feels unloved even in this household, he makes a final break, but this time, all of the people in his past come together to find him and make sure he feels valued and secure.

Strengths: This was a solid dog adventure book, and the Boston setting was interesting, especially the zoo. Nugget gets to live with a variety of different families, and it is very sad when he constantly runs away. There's some on trend messaging about the fact that Nugget's cuteness is not his entire value even though it occasionally seems like this is the case. He has many trust issues, and it's interesting to see him work through these. 
Weaknesses: Taking a small dog to field hockey practice seemed like a bad idea. It was overly coincidental that all of the people who came in contact with Nugly showed up at the end. 
What I really think:  This is a good choice for readers who can't get enough dogs books like Hoyle's Just Gus or Stevenson's Midnight at the Shelter. 

My favorite part of this is Lucky's advice. "The closer they get to anyone, the more everyone's going to get hurt. The way I see it, that's life. You can't rely on anyone else. You can't get your hopes up for someone to like you. It only ends in pain." This is absolutely correct, but I have a feeling we are supposed to think Lucky is wrong. He's not. At least with dogs, the only thing they do to break our hearts is to die, and that's not their fault. 

Nimbus and Extinction (Whispering Pines #4)

Eldredge, Jan. Nimbus. 

September 5, 2023 by Balzer & Bray

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Fletcher, who is very interested in found objects and making arrows, lives with his weather man father, who also hosts horror movies on the weekends. When his father has to go to a convention, his Aunt Caroline stays with him. Fletcher would rather stay in his room and talk to his cat, Nimbus, whom he rescued as a tiny kitten, but Aunt Caroline thinks he should go outside and meet kids his own age. When an old clay jar that was given to Fletcher opens, a horrible force of evil is unleashed. It takes the form of a hairy goblin and attacks Fletcher, but Nimbus manages to dispatch it, being wounded in the process. Aunt Caroline thinks that Nimbus has hurt her nephew, so puts Nimbus in a box and dumps her quite a ways from their home. There, Nimbus meets Rhett, a rat who isn't afraid of cats. Seeing how badly injured Nimbus is, Rhett suggests that she stay with an old woman near the dump who takes in strays. This seems like a bad idea, especially when Agatha, who is a green witch, doses Nimbus with herbs that make him sleepy after sewing up his wound. The other strays suspect that Nimbus might be the reincarnation of Agatha's familiar, Grimalkin, especially since Nimbus can visit other people's dreams. All the loyal cat wants to do is to return to Fletcher, but there are a lot of supernatural things going on, and Nimbus stays at Agatha's to try to figure some things out. Along with Rhett, she eventually takes off to find Fletcher, but must deal with the rats, who think that she has stolen their Dragon's Eye and means them harm. The Ways of Magic are very strange; will Nimbus be able to figure them out?

Strengths: Hunter's Warrior Cats books are continually popular in my library, and I can see Nimbus being popular with readers who are very into this series as well as their own cats, but want a little more magic. When I was in middle school, I checked out a book of magic spells from the public library, and still sort of believed that if I did them correctly they would work, so readers who still think magic is possible will love this one. Nimbus is an endearing character, and even his rat sidekick is likeable. This would make an adorable animated feature. Agatha is a realistic witch, and I would have loved to know more about her gardens and herbal magic. The end has Agatha setting up a magical school, and I could see another book based on this, although it would be very different from this one. 
Weaknesses: I thought there would be more fighting with the ancient demon, but this concentrated more on the dream walking and Nimbus' magic abilities. Not really a weakness, just not what I was expecting after the beginning of the book. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like books involving dreams, like Durst's The Girl Who Could Not Dream or White's Gravebooks, or those who enjoy a good animal adventure story, like Fiedler's Mouseheart trilogy or Moon's Delphine and the Silver Needle. 

Bradshaw, John and Elsom, Clare (illus.)

A First Guide to Cats: Understanding Your Whiskered Friend

26 September 2023, Penguin Workshop

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Like Bradshaw's Dogs: Understanding Your Very Best Friend, this short paperback follows the day in the life of one British cat, Libby, who lives with a teacher and her adopted daughter. Libby is able to spend the night outside prowling around, but heads home when the milkman starts making his rounds. The various qualities a cat has are showcased against her daily activities, so the reader gets insight into how cats clean themselves, why they wander about, and what makes them comfortable. The length and amount of illustrations makes this perfect for strong emerging readers, perhaps in second grade and up. The story format is great for readers who would like to understand more about cats before possibly adopting one. I was looking for more of a how-to guide like National Geographic Pounce! and Fetch! or Miles' excellent Puppy Place Guide to Puppies and Guide to Kittens. The Miles books came out ten years ago and were the perfect short introduction, but are now out of print. I read the Bradshaw book hoping to get some insight into why my daughter's cat wanted to plaster herself all over my face! (Still not sure about this; Pongo is happy to curl up beside me!)

Lang, Heidi and Bartkowski, Kati. Extinction (Whispering Pines #4)

September 12, 2023 by Margaret K. McElderry Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Blake finds himself caught in the Green On! offices when things go badly wrong. Vivi's mom saves him, but it's unclear whether she will make it out of the facility in time. Rae and Ava are still trying to find their father, who is caught up in the whole alien invasion problem they've uncovered. Not only that, but Caden is still struggling with The Other Place, and his role in dealing with that, since his older brother Aiden is problematic. Sure, Aiden's always been the favored one to take over his mother's Paranormal Price business, but he's recently absorbed a demon which has given him powers. There are a number of other characters as well; Becka's mother is dead, Nate was sent to a hellish dimension, Alyssa's mother is the vice principal, Vivi's mother is a scientist at Green On! and Vivi herself is no longer a safe character to be around. With the Green On! collapse, Aiden says that Caden must destroy the town. Is this a good idea? When a big storm hits while school is in session, Vivi says that alien invasion is starting. The school doesn't know what to do, but of course wants to corrall all of the students to keep them safe. Of course, the students run off. Nate and Caden go looking for Vivi but meet Aiden, and get caught in the woods where there are creatures from The Other Place AND space aliens. In an alternate time line, Blake fights monsters and goes to hide in the Watchful Woods. He meets a lot of people who have run away from Green On! who have information about Rae and Ava's father Chris, but they are infected, and it doesn't end well, especially since there's a Devourer in the woods. Eventually, main characters all meet up, except that Rae is missing underground, and there's the alien spaceship under the Green On! complex. Will the kids, with their varying knowledge and abilities, be able SAVE THE WORLD? (It's the last book in the series, so draw your own conclusions!)

Note: I read the book, but struggled with my persistent fantasy amnesia. But I took notes!

Strengths: I have two copies of the first book, Whispering Pines, and the creepy cover keeps it in constant circulation. While I'm not personally a fan of blood and gore, my students are, and there's plenty of bug guts, alien snot, and generally zombie body counts to delight the most ick-enthused tween. There is constant action, interpersonal problems, and threats from every side, just to keep things interesting. I liked the way the adults figured in the book; some were helpful, some weren't, but there really wasn't anyone completely incompetent and evil in a Scooby-Doo sort of way. The mix of different fantasy elements will appeal to omniverous fantasy readers who will pick up magical academy books, sci fi vampire tales, or evil unicorn exposés with equal enthusiasm. 
Weaknesses: There were a lot of characters as well as competing fantasy worlds to keep track of. 
What I really think: Definitely purchasing for fans of the series, as well as books like Condie's The Darkdeep and MacHale's Sylo. 

Mexikid

Martin, Pedro. Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir

August 1, 2023 by Dial Books

ARC provided by Follett First Look

In the 1970s, Pedro is growing up with eight brothers and sisters. There are five older siblings that were born in Mexico, and four younger ones born in the US, and they rib each other about the differences. When their abuelo, who was part of the Mexican Revolution (which started in 1910), is unable to take care of himself, the family travels to Mexico to bring him back with them to their already too small home. The five older siblings drive in a truck, and Pedro and the rest of his family travel in an RV. Pedro has planned his trip well, taking cassette tapes, snacks, and fun action figure toys. His mother has stocked up on supplies for family in Mexico, like underwear and food, but when the family tries to cross the border, many of the items are confiscated by the guards. Pedro is devastated that the only tape they have left is The Music Man, but he is able to stock up on unusual Mexican snacks and off-brand toys. He does learn more about his grandfather; scenes of his storied past are shown in Ben-Day dot illustrated panels with a retro look to them. His grandfather needs time to organize his animals, and the family also must retrieve the bones of the grandmother from a cemetary that is flooding. This gives Pedro more than enough time to get an ill-considered haircut, hang out with cousins, and explore his and culture. The group eventually returns to the US safely. This ends with family photographs of the family and gradnfather, who lived to be 107!

Strengths: This had a lot of fun 1970s references (The Fonz!), and Pedro's older brothers and sisters looked like my cousins who were in high school at that time! The travel trailer also brought back some memories, although the one my parents borrowed was towed behind a car. The story of the grandfather is interesting (he was a year older than my grandmother!), and now I need to read up on the Mexican Revolution. There's plenty of adventure and humor in this 1970s family story. 
Weaknesses: This was definitely on the long side; an author's note said it started out as a 600 page book! There's a lot of information packed into this, and almost seemed like more of a Young Adult book because of it's philosophical nature, although it is solidly middle grade. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoy the vast number of middle grade graphic novel memoirs like Mercado's Chunky, Harper's Bad Sister, Santat's A First Time for Everything, or my favorite, Tatulli's Short and Skinny. 

Monsters and Marvels

Wishingrad, Alyssa. Between Monsters and Marvels

September 12, 2023 by HarperCollins

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Dare lives in a small island village of Barrow's Bay in the early 1900s with her parents. Her father is a  monster hunter, but since monsters haven't been seen in a number of years, he has become a subject of ridicule. When he is violently killed, Dare knows that monsters were responsible, but the official story is that it was a random stranger, and that the man is in custody. The local governor takes an interest in Dare's mother, and the two are soon married. Dare dreads the idea of living in his mansion, but she needn't worry; she is soon shipped off to the big city on the mainland to live with an eccentric aunt of her father's. On the ramshackle ship there, she meets Tupper, who is in charge of her while they are sailing, and who shows up a lot when she is in the city as well, and proves to be very helpful. Madam Emily Nesbitt ran a theater that has fallen on hard times, thanks in part to the newfangled monster themed shows of Padgett's Palace, which she views as "crass entertainments". With her aunt involved in her own financial miseries and headaches, Dare finds herself spending a lot of time at Padgett's, where she is befriended by Nell, a popular performer, and Gil, a mysterious boy who seems to come to her rescue at overly convenient times. She also has a pet chinchilla that she has found who is similar to her aunt's pet, Beastie. While Padgett's monsters are all illusion, Dare is troubled by visions and feelings of her own. Not only that, but Nell's mother gives her a muff made out of the fur of a Fexin, a fox-shaped monster with deadly claws. There are horrible secrets grimy city, and Dare is faced with trying to figure out how to view her father's past, and how to reconcile her own views of whether creatures are monsters, or marvels. 

Strengths: There are a lot of twists and turns that I don't want to spoil, but Dare's deep dive into the mysteries of City-on-the-Pike and it's seedy industrial underbelly is an interesting adventure with surprisingly psychological depth. I love books like Delaney's Revenge of the Witch where I'm not quite entirely sure who the good characters and bad characters are, and while Dare thinks she knows her way around the monsters of her culture, she has a lot to learn. There's just enough history to give this an interesting flair, and lots of richly developed side characters to support Dare in her quest. Gil is an intriguing character with quite a secret. There's plenty of danger and adventure to keep readers turning the pages to find out the answers to Dare's many questions.

Weaknesses: Dare is a demanding and forthright character who will appeal to younger readers, but I just wanted her to comb her hair and stop ripping her clothing! 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who crave Edwardian era monster tales with a seaside setting, like Taylor's Malamander, Snicket's All the Wrong Questions series, or Nichols' The Apprentice Witch duology, or who enjoyed Wishingrad's first book, The Verdigris Pawn. There are not as many middle grade books involving monsters as you would think, and this is a good addition to those titles. This also reminded me a bit of the works of the late, great Barbara Brooks Wallace, like Cousins in the Castle and The Ghosts in the Gallery. 

MMGM- Maid for It and Flight Plan

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Unleashing Readers

Sumner, Jamie. Maid for It
September 5, 2023 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Franny and her mother are just getting by. Her mother, who has been hospitalized several times for addiction but who has been clean for a while, cleans houses, drives for Uber, and sells craft projects on Etsy to make ends meet. They are fortunate enough to have a low cost apartment over a laundromat run by Mimi, who also runs an AA meeting and helps Franny and her mother out. Franny is used to carefully monitoring her mother and taking care that she eats and doesn't relapse into addiction. She puts up with a lot at school, including the evil Sloan, who looks down her nose at everything Franny does ever since Franny did better on a math assignment than she did. When Franny gets called to the office in the middle of class, she knows it can't be good; she's been called before. This time, Mimi tells her that her mother was in a car accident. It wasn't high and it wasn't her fault, although that is Franny's first question. Her mother's femur is broken, and after surgery to install a pin, she is on a morphine drip for pain. She doesn't want to be in charge of her own medication, but Mimi and Franny are both very concerned. When her mother comes home, she has physical therapy, and since the doctor handed the oxycodone to Franny, she hides it carefully away. She doesn't want her mother to suffer, but doesn't want her to have easy access to the drugs. Franny realizes that they have no income since their car is totalled and her mother can't clean, so she decides to pick up her mother's cleaning jobs herself. It's not easy work, but she brings home money, and saves it in her emergency fund. Of course, things at school slide a bit, and eventually she gets paired with someone for tutoring... and it's Sloan. After she sees Sloan cheating on a math test, she ropes her nemesis into helping her clean. Franny is able to keep things going, even after one of the young men in the AA group shows up at their apartment high and steals her emergency fund. She gets it back, but is angry and even more concerned that her mother will backslide. Living a life that has such a fragile balance is wearing to Franny, and having an unexpected friend in Sloan helps. Will Franny ever be able to trust her mother?

Strengths: I read this at a time (right before school let out for summer!) that nothing was making me happy, and I found myself really enjoying this one. Not only that, but it was easy to remember the plot. The friendship with Sloan progressed in a believable way, and there was a light romance with a boy who gave Franny origami animals in order to cheer her up. What a nice touch. The mother's back story with her parents as well as her various problems, seen through Franny's eyes, give us a good picture of an adult who struggles to raise a child even though she has the best intentions. Mimi is a great character, and reminded me of Bernadette in Weeks' 2004 So B. It. My favorite part was that Franny knew her situation and tried so hard to make everything work. She definitely Does Things, even though Mimi reminds her that she needs to be a kid. Excellent new book from the author of Tune It Out and Roll With It. 
Weaknesses: I found it a little hard to believe that Franny's mother would take the time, money, and effort to personally sew ill-considered garments for her. Attaching lace to a sweater would be expensive and time consuming. It seems more likely that her mother would just give him money to buy things at the thrift store, or that she would dress herself from the laundromat lost and found. Clearly a "me" thing.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and I think that this will appeal to young people who want to know about children who are self sufficient and upbeat, even when they don't want to have to fend for themselves and have no reason to have a positive attitude. 

Walters, Eric. Flight Plan (Rule of Three #5) 

September 12, 2023 by Orca Book Publishers

E ARC provided by the author and Edelweiss Plus

Jamie's parents are both pilots for Delta, so he's used to flying, but he still gets stuck with a chaperon, Julia. When Captain Daley and the young second in command, Doeun Kim, have him help with the preflight inspection, he feels better about the trip home from visiting his grandmother. Things go badly wrong at takeoff when the plane loses all power and is stopped just before crashing into a fence. There's no communication from the airport, and all of the cell phones are dark. The Captain feels responsible for everyone who was on board, and manages to get them all to safety in a nearby hotel. Flight that had been in the air were not as lucky, and the group can see the burning wreckage. While Jamie and the others are trying to figure out the best plan to get home, other people are looting and causing problems, which compels the group to start their journey. The manage to get together some food and water and bikes, as well as an old set of moveable steps for boarding the plane that has a rechargeable battery. There is a decent size group that includes a man in a wheelchair, a young mother and son, a doctor, and some airplane personnel. There's also an akita named Godzilla who becomes attached to Jamie and looks to be helpful. It's a journey of about 1,200 miles back to Jamie and Captain Daley's home, and they figure they can go about 25 miles per day. That's when things go well. Of course, there are all manner of obstacles. While some people they meet are helpful, there are other groups that charge people for getting over bridges, and some who roam the countryside on ATVs actively attacking people. The Captain and Tom are smart and well prepared, and even Jamie has a surprising amount of survival acuity. Survival in this new, post apocalyptic world often means killing others before they kill you, surviving on raw potatoes and game that Godzilla catches, an being constantly aware that evil doers could wait around the next turn. It's grueling, and a large part of the group decides to stay in one of the settlements they pass. The remaining members set out only to be attacked by lawless marauders that the manage to wipe out... but how long will it be before their compatriots come looking for Jamie's group. Even if the group can complete the journey, there's always the chance that their families didn't survive. 

Strengths: The Rule of Three is my go to dystopian series; I have four copies of the first book, and they are frequently all checked out. Since Flight Plan is set in the same world, at the same time as the first book, it can be read first. This reminds me a bit of the way Susan Beth Pfeffer set up her Life as We Knew It (2008) series, and it's fascinating to see another perspective. It's tough to write a riveting dystopian thriller and to show how horrible things can be while also infusing the book with hope, but Walters balances these two things well. Captain Daley and Tom are very good about keeping the group safe and only hurting other people if they or the others in the group are threatened, and there's a strong message that people should do the right thing, even when circumstances are horrible. There are lots of good survival details about travel, food, and incidentals like the importance of bleach for emergency disinfection of water. Traveling with airplane steps is rather inspired. The end of the book does leave room for another story set in this world, but Walters writes so many good books that it's not completely necessary to hear more, unless he is inspired to go back. This is the way the world will end, people, and Walters captures the travail perfectly. 
Weaknesses: There were a lot of characters, and I had trouble keeping them straight and connecting with them, especially when I had the (completely correct) feeling that many of them would die horrible deaths. 
What I really think: Mr. Walters sent me a pre-ARC digital copy, and about five of my students were able to read this before I got to it. They loved it, and felt so chuffed to be given a sneak peak! If you don't have this series in your middle school or high school library, make sure you order them in prebinds from a vendor like Follett-- the hardcovers are no longer available! They will get lots of use. 

The Rule of Three (2014)

Fight for Power (2015)

Will to Survive (2016)

The Fourth Dimension (2018)

The Ghostly Papers (Mystery of Trash and Treasure #2)

Haddix, Margaret Peterson. The Ghostly Photos(Mystery of Trash and Treasure #2)
September 12, 2023 by Katherine Tegen Books
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

After their adventures in The Secret Letters, Colin and Nevaeh are at the Groveview, Ohio Zucchini Festival, with a booth advertising their Mystery Solvers business. They are approached by a girl they don't know, Serena Lane, who has an unusual mystery that can only be discussed at her home. This happens to be the Lane-Rhodes Funeral home that her mother and step father run. After showing the two detectives pictures she found in the attic of two presumably dead boys in a coffin, Ree starts to act very oddly and tells them they have to go. Nevaeh overhears her talking to her grandmother, but when she and Colin return and pretend to be acting as a welcoming party from the school (in July!), teenager Ben and seven year old Melanie see through their act. At first, they pretend they don't know who Ree is, but it turns out that she is not supposed to be in Groveview and is hiding from her mother. Colin uses his research skills and manages to find out that the boy in the picture is someone who fell off the train in 1930 and was killed. Continuing on in their fact finding, the children are able to uncover more connections to town residents, and their own friends, to the mysterious boys. They are also dealing with the death of Colinś estranged father, Ree's grandmother's dementia, and a bit of rivalry between the two competing estate sale businesses. Will the two be able to put the "ghost" to rest? 

There are many interwoven facets in this book that make it very interesting, but also challenging to read. In addition to the primary mystery of the deceased boy, there are subplots about Nevaeh's relationship with her older sister Prilla, the death of Colin's estranged father, a little bit about the family business cleaning out homes, and a rich backstory about Ree's grandmother Hal and her involvement with the mysterious boy, as well as information about dealing with Hal's dementia. 

The Groveview, Ohio setting is great, since it gives the children a lot of opportunity to roam around. The library is a helpful resource, and has a great librarian. My only quibble is that Ohio readers will know that the Zucchini Festival is always held in Obetz!  

Ben and Melanie, along with their father, are portrayed as darker skinned, and struggle with being asked "where they're really from". The children model good behavior about treating others with respect, although they occasionally need help to get this right. There is helpful information about communicating with someone who has dementia as well. 

My favorite parts were the information about the Great Depression, and cultural practices about funerals and treatment of the dead. The way that the family members in Groveview tied into the mystery was very interesting, and the funeral parlor setting is not all that usual for middle grade books. Hand this to readers who like the mystery and friend relationships in books like Souder's Coop Knows the Scoop and The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle, or Currie's It Found Us. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Saving Sunshine

Faruqi, Saadia. and Khan, Shazleen. Saving Sunshine.
September 5, 2023 by First Second

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Twins Zara and Zeesh Aziz have very different interests; Zara is very devoted to animals (especially her Persian cat) and animal rescue efforts, and Zeesh is obsessed with watching NASA videos and learning everything he can about space. They frequently argue, but when their family heads off to the Florida Keys to a medical conference, their bickering escalates. Their parents, both doctors, are stressed enough about flying, since the family is frequently pulled aside for spot checks because they are Muslim, and eventually take away both children's phones after they have a very public fight. The mother is being honored as pediatrician of the year, a fact which the hotel concierge has taken time to remember, even if he asks the rude question of "where are you from". The parents did come from Pakistan, but the children have only ever lived in the US and are very tired of this question. With their phones gone, the children have to find things to do at the resort while their parents are at the conference. On the beach, Zara finds a large loggerhead turtle that seems unwell, and makes it her mission to help it. She names it Sunshine. She covers it with branches for shade and goes into town to ask at a pet store about it. Eventually, a local veterinarian comes and examines the animal, and thinks that once it gets some more vitamins, it will be okay. There are other children at the conference, and some of them are very mean. We see, in somewhat faded colors, flashback to similar events the children experienced back home. Their mother gets her award and the family is celebrsting her, but when Zeesh is angry that he is missing an important NASA broadcast, he runs away into a storm. Zara goes after them, and the two find that Sunshine is in trouble. They save it, and find that they bicker a bit less once they learn to appreciate each other's interests and have learned to work together. 

Strengths: The artwork in this was more beautiful than the average graphic novel, and since it is set in the Florida Keys, it was like being on a little vacation! I'd love to see more graphic novels illustrated by Khan. Adults tend to forget what a big role siblings have in the lives of middle grade children, so it was good to see that even though the twins bickered, they were able to hang out together and find things to do. I adored that their parents took away their phones when they didn't do what was expected! Taking away technology was always my first line of defense with my own children, and it can be very effective! The Pakistani American representation is good to see, although it's sad that the family has to deal with so many microaggressions and hatred. This story moved quickly, and the turtle added an extra layer of interest. 
Weaknesses: It seemed a bit odd that the children were allowed to wander around so much on their own, but perhaps this is fairly common in the Florida Keys. I've never been there. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for graphic novel readers who want sibling tales like Harper's Bad Sister or books with Muslim characters and challenges like Huq's The Story of Nisrin's Hijab or Famy's Huda F. Are You. 

Tarshis, Lauren, Trinidad, Leo (illus.) and Ball, Georgia (adapt.)
I Survived the American Revolution, 1776 (I Survived Graphic Novel #8)

September 5, 2023 by Graphix

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Nathaniel Fox sailed with his father, a sea captain, after his mother's death, but when his father was washed overboard, he ended up living in Virginia with his rich uncle, Mr. Storch. The uncle is cruel, enslaving a woman and her son and selling her husband. When the son accidentally hits Storch with a stick, Nathaniel takes the blame and then runs off to New York, only to find that the country is in the grips of the Revolutionary War. He tries to walk away, but ends up in an army camp, where he finds one of the sailors from his father's ship. He decides to stay and work in the camp, and ends up in the fighting of the Battle of Brooklyn. 

These graphic novel adaptations are very popular with my students, who love Tarshis' work even though some of them won't pick up any other historical fiction books. The graphic novels are almost exactly like the novels, and about the same length, so I have only purchased a few. 

Smith, Jeff and Sniegoski, Tom. More Tall Tales: A Graphic Novel
September 5, 2023 by Graphix

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This is a completely new collection of tales from the writers who brought you Bone: Quest for the Spark book one (2009) and two, as well as the Bone graphic novel series, which started in 1991! I didn't realize there was a third novel of Quest for the Spark, but since it came out in 2013, I will probably  not buy it now. (Although the paperback is still available through Follett.)

This series continues to be very popular, and I have to rebuy at least one book a year when someone loses a copy, so I hope it remains in print for a while. 

I've read all of these back before 2011, so didn't remember as much as I should have. This is one of those series like MacHale's Pendragon or Nix's Mister Monday books that I just can't for the life of me remember. I'll definitely purchase this one, and the lines of readers waiting for it will be long!

Escape from Stalingrad

Marino, Andy. Escape from Stalingrad
September 5, 2023 by Scholastic Inc. (In paperback)

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Artem's family has had a difficult time. When he was very young, his father was sent away to Siberia, and  his mother has had to raise him and his brother Visily by herself in Stalingrad. Artem is very interested in animals and birds, and hopes to one day be a vet. In 1942, things get worse. Vasily is called up to fight for the Red Army at the same time that the entire family recieves orders to work in construction, and the bureaucracy is not set up to take into account that the brother is in the army. They manage to escape punishment, but work is punishing enough. A young girl, Yuna, befriends Artem's mother, who tells her not to talk to Artem and to distract him, since he daydreams about animals he sees enough. It turns out that Yuna is not only an orphan, but she is Jewish as well. When the Germans attack Stalingrad, Artem's mother is badly injured. Holed up and trying to survive, Artem bargains with a sympathetic German officer for food and medical equipment. For a while, he and Yuna fill German canteens with water, but Yuna is captured by the Germans. Artem is offered even more perks if he will throw a grenade at a supply boat, but he doesn't want to. While Artem has been trying to take care of his mother, he feels that he can't leave Yuna as a prisoner. With the help of a local black marketeer who knew his father, Artem manages to bargain canned goods for her transport out of Stalingrad. He also manages to get into the German camp and escape with Yuna after setting a fire. As the battle rages on, Artem works protecting a factory by looking out for planes, but when an officer lets him know that he is worth more to the Russians dead than alive, he realizes that he and Yuna must also escape and try to find his mother. Will they be able to make it out of the devastation?

Strengths: Like this author's Escape from Chernobyl and The Plot to Kill Hitler, Escape from Stalingrad is a well-researched, swiftly moving snapshot of a particular and horrible moment in history. Artem's interest in animals gives a good grounding in life before the war, but a telling scene where he expxlains to an officer that his interest in animals is really for the good of the motherland shows clearly how internalized the oppression he lived under was. There's a good note by Marino about the source works he consulted in order to write this, and some of my really avid readers might hunt down those titles. Yuna's Jewish background is clearly an issue, but I enjoyed the fact that it didn't really matter to Artem or his mother, and that the three of them came together as a family once they escaped. Given the vast devastation of the war, I imagine that there were many, many makeshift families. The details about the housing and food situation will appeal to readers who like the survival aspect of war stories, but there are enough details of shelling and sniping to appeal to those who prefer combat scenes. What I liked best was the great description of a young person who ended up in an impossible situation and tried desperately to make the best of it. The really brilliant part is that neither the Russians nor the Germans came across as completely evil. There were characters from both backgrounds who were more or less evil depending on their circumstances, and this seems to me to be very true to life. Hand this to readers who have read all of Tarshis' I Survived books and are looking for something with a bit more depth. 
Weaknesses: Scholastic has a bad habit of issuing all of the titles that I really like and would be wildly popular in my library in paperback. I get it. Publishing is about making money. But are there no lovers of sports books, war books, and romances that would buy these in hardcover? And do that many people buy hugely long fantasy series in that format? It seems like I am always needing new WWII books, but a prebind will hold up maybe ten years. Then, no matter what the binding is like, the pages turn to dust.
What I really think: I will definitely be purchasing a prebind copy, and hope that Marino will continue to find aspects of young people dealing with different disasters to write about. I love to give these to children who complain about things like not being allowed to use their cell phones in the hallways! Perspective can be a sobering thing. 

The Cursed Moon

Cervantes, Angela. The Cursed Moon
September 5, 2023 by Scholastic Press Language English
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Rafa's mother, Nikki, is serving time in prison, so he and his sister Brianna are living with their abuela and abuelo. It's nice to have a stable home, and Rafa has made some good friends at school, like Jayden, who hopes to one day perform certifiable miracles and be made a saint. There are still some things that are problematic; Rafa needs to take classes in summer school, and his mother is being released. She was a model prisoner, but he can still remember the difficult times that her addiction and arrest put him through. Rafa has gained some notoriety at school for his creepy storytelling, so when he meet his older neihbor, Dr. Martin, in the driveway, and she rants at him not to tell his scary stories because it is a blood moon, he doesn't think much of it. There was some local drama years ago with children going missing near a local park, but Rafa doesn't take it seriously. He tells a short scary story in Jayden's treehouse, and a schoolmate, Cash, tells one about Furrytoes as well. Rafa is surprised when parts of his story seem to come true, and he is worried when he thinks he hears his name being called. Is there something to the local legends? He does some research at the library and talks to his abuela, and finds that there have been a number of children who have died, including a girl named Tessa in the 1970s as well as Dr. Martin's brother Xavier. He also finds that Xavier is a distant cousin, and that the stories that the children told (and have left in journals) are similar to the ones about "the Caretaker" that have popped into his mind. Cash has been suffering from hauntings based on the story that he told, and when children from the neighborhood, including his sister Brianna, go on a school camping trip, the Caretaker ramps up his efforts to get the children. Will Rafa be able to understand what is going on well enough to foil the entity's bloodthirsty quest? And will he be able to make peace with having his mother back home?
Strengths: Cervantes did a really good job of  interweaving the struggles with Rafa's mother's problems with the scary content. This is a difficult feat, but I cared just enough about his mother, had it in the back of my mind when I was worrying about the Caretaker grabbing people, and knew that on some level, Rafa's worries about the Caretaker mirrrored his struggles in reality. This will make language arts teachers especially happy. Dr. Martin was actually very learned, but comes across at times as a bit ditzy, which gave a great sense of disbelief to the whole Caretaker mythos. Rafa didn't believe it, and I didn't quite either, but there are lots of clues and things that happen that eventually made me think that this was something everyone should take seriously. Evil spirits who want to drown people aren't to be trusted, especially when they endanger the entire neighborhood. Well done. 
Weaknesses: I'm not sure how I feel about the cover. In some ways, it captures the book perfectly, but I almost want it to be scarier so more of my students pick it up. It's perfect for elementary school, since the story just pushes the boundary of elementary creepy. Wouldn't want too scary a cover for younger students. 
What I really think: This is a good chioce for readers who want a book that ends up being scarier than it looks, like Mott's Hush-a-Bye or McCall's The Keeper. It also shares the "creepy stories" thread with White's Nightbooks and Poblocki's Tales to Keep You Up at Night. 

Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla and The Jockey & Her Horse

Diaz, Alexandra. Farewell Cuba, Mi Isla
September 5, 2023 by Simon Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books 

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Victoria and her family live in Havana, Cuba in 1960, and know that things are not going to get better. Even though it means leaving behind her aunt, cousin Jackie, and grandmother, the family leaves the country with two outfits and $5 each, and start life over in a small apartment in Miami. At first, Victoria's parents don't even intend to send her to school; it's a public, co ed school, so going there would ruin her chances of finding a good husband, at least according to her mother. Her mother's family is very well-to-do, and her grandfather intends to leave his farm to Victoria, since she is the only one who cares about it. Of course, life in the US is very different; her father takes a manual labor job, even though he was a respected engineer in Cuba. Victoria goes to school, where she makes friends with Katya, who is from Russia. Because of all of the concerns about the spread of communism, no one is nice to Katya, and some students, like Rebecca, are downright horrible. Victoria wants to write to her cousin, but stamps are expensive. Jackie also wants to write, but the letters are so heavily censored that it's hard to get them out of the country. She sees that society is breaking down around her, as is her parents' marriage. Eventually, they decide to send her out of the country through Operation Peter Pan. Jackie assumes that Victoria's family has preserved their high standard of living, and is surprised to see that they are struggling. Victoria not only is feeding her family, since her mother is not used to doing housework, but also gets jobs for her and Jackie at the neighborhood market so that they can save up to bring Jackie's mother and baby brother to the US. It's a difficult time, and even one they have enough money, it's hard to find someone who can forge a passport, get it to her aunt, and get together enough money to pay for things like a flight out. With phone contact almost impossible, Victoria has to try to make connections with the Cubans in Miami to help her family. Assistance comes from an unexpected source, but will it be enough to get her family out? 

Strengths: Victoria's story is based on the experience of the author's grandmother and details are provided by relatives, so there are a lot of good details about the immigration experience. My favorite part of the book, however, was how vivid the experience of being in a 1960s public school was! Home ec is a haven for Victoria, and her teacher really tries to help her out in many ways. I loved how she was so determined to help her family even though she wasn't really raised to show initiative. It's interesting that Jackie is more "modern", but isn't necessarily more resourceful because of it. Victoria's friendship with Katya is very touching, and has a nice twist. This definitely came down on the side of Castro's rule being very bad for everyone; I've seen other books that show different views of the societal changes, but it's never seemed like anyone was really a winner when Castro came to power. The longing for a country to which the family is unlikely to return is evident, but the family manages to make the best of their new situation. 
Weaknesses: I thought for a moment that Victoria might get involved in something other than her family's readjustment to life in the US; it would have been interesting, but I'm not sure how that would have been included. At her grandfather's, she was very interested in horses, but there are probably not many opportunities for riding in Miami!
What I really think: Farewell, Cuba, Mi Isla is another great book about this difficult time in Cuban history to offer students along with Gonzales' The Bluest Sky, Manzano's Coming Up Cuban, Castellano's Isla to Island (all 2022),  Cuevas' 2021 Cuba in My Pocket, and Gonzales' 2010 The Red Umbrella. I'd still like to see a depiction of the Brigadista movement from a Cuban writer, since that is such a complex cultural occurence, and I would also like to see a book about a modern girl of Cuban descent who maybe gets to go back to the island with a grandparent and get introduced to the past that way. That could be interesting. 

Nir, Sarah Maslin And White Jr., Raymond

The Jockey and Her Horse (Once Upon a Horse #2): Inspired by the True Story of the First Black Female Jockey, Cheryl White
September 5, 2023 by Cameron Kids
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Cheryl White was born in 1953 and grew up in rural Ohio near Shawnee State Park. Her parents had a racing stable, and she spent a lot of time riding as well as taking care of horses. Even though she harbored the secret thought that she might grow up to be a jockey, in the 1960s it was more likely that her younger brother, Drew, would fulfill this dream, and her father acted accordingly. Cheryl's family was somewhat unusual in that her father was Black and her mother was white; at the time, their marriage would have been illegal in many places. In addition to bein ginterested in horses, Cheryl was a very gifted student who participated in It's Academic, a television quiz show. Her best friend, Earlene, whose parents were both Black, was on the quiz show team as well. Since there were other women who were trying to get into racing at the time, Cheryl was very motivated to hone her skills and to argue with her parents, as well as local authorities, to be allowed to race. She had a horse whom she loved, Jetolara, but had to do most of her facing with one of her father's horses, Ace Reward. During her senior year of high school, Cheryl  had two very appealing propositions; she could race at Thistledown near Cleveland on June 15, but also represent her school in an international competition in Dakar, Sengal on June 17! Luckily, the people in her life supported her in her endeavors, and she was able to compete in both. 

Strengths: Cheryl White was only 65 when she passed away in 2019, so it was good to see that her brother Drew was involved in this project. Author Nir wrote her own story in The Flying Horse, so has a background in equestrian matters. Even though I live in Ohio (I know, for example, that Shawnee State Park has horse trails!), and Ms. White was only a dozen years older than I am, I had never heard of her. In addition to a great horse story, this makes clear the sort of gender and racial hurdles that White had to face in order to achieve her dreams, and I loved the strength and positivity that she showed despite what must have seemed like insurmountable obstacles at times. She has support from family and teachers, and her friendship with Earlene is great. I wasn't expecting so many details about Senegalese culture and the history of the slave trade, so that was an added bonus. I'd really like to know more about US students traveling to Africa in the 1960s; I had a cousin go to Kenya in an agricultural exchange at that time. I'm curious to see what book Nir will write next. 
Weaknesses: While the horse information was quite good, and there were just enough details of daily life in the 1960s, the style was a little more didactic than many middle grade novels, perhaps due to the author's adult, nonfiction background. I'm not sure that young horse fans will notice. 
What I really think: These small horse books offer some more diversity than is found in other similar stories and are a good addition to a collection that includes Hapka's Horse Diaries. I have readers this year who don't want to read anything BUT horse books, so I will definitely be purchasing, and the historical setting will give this book some staying power. 

Happy New Year! and August Statistics

With the start of school, my numbers are always down a bit. Still, I'm on track to make my goal for the year, and now that the school year is underway, I'll get more read, although I also really want to start knitting a black sweater for myself. 

The Tuesday after Labor Day is when school is SUPPOSED to start, so if you're just now getting back to the classroom, enjoy it. This week is supposed to be very hot, but then we will have fall temperatures in Ohio, and we know that we are really back at school! 

It Found Us and Lots o' Fantasy

Currie, Lindsay. It Found Us
September 5, 2023 by Sourcebooks Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Hazel lives in Forest Park, Illinois, and is determined to start a pod cast about her investigations of various mysteries. Her recent cases have included the mystery of whose dog was pooping on the neighbor's lawn, but her parents (a busy lawyer and a stay at home father) caution her to stay out of other people's business. She doesn't heed this advice when she hears her older brother, Den, making plans with his best friend Everett to sneak into a local cemetery at night. She tells her parents that she is going to hand out with her best friend Maggie's house, but instead follows Den. It's a typical teen scene, playing hide and seek in a haunted location near Halloween, but when a storm blows up suddenly and there are horrible creepy noises, the kids scatter. Den and Hazel run into each other and flee, but they can't find Everett. They have the presence of mind to call 911, and soon the police are investigating. Hazel's parents become even more overprotective once it seems likely that Everett was kidnapped, and Den is beside himself with guilt and grief, but Hazel is determined to start an investigation, especially when weird things keep happening, like an overwhelming smell of smoke in her house that only she can smell. She and Den, along with Maggie (when she doesn't have to babysit her younger brother!) go to the cemetery to look for clues, and see a terrifying, ghostly figure-- a young boy with huge hollow eyes and a mouth that is stitched shut! They interview people, including Mrs. Forster, who recently quit working at the cemetery, as well as the caretaker, who is well aware of the rumors surrounding the presence of ghosts at his workplace. Mrs. Forster, who talks to them under the guise of an interview for a school project, confirms their thoughts that there is a ghost, and gives them some direction, but when Hazel goes back to ask another question, they find that she is being taken to the hospital for a possible heart attack. Hazel isn't surprised, because the spirits have been reaching out to her and Den as well, and they are terrified. As time stretches on, the adults fear for Everett, but Hazel is sure that if she and Den can solve the mystery of the identity of the ghost, they can get Everett back. Will they be able to do this without succumbing to the ghosts?
Strengths: I don't want to spoil the identity of the ghosts and their troubled pasts with ties to real life events, but I love that there was some history involved in this. I also really enjoyed Hazel's family. Even though her brother was older and annoyed with her a bit at times, they had a strong bond, which served them well in their ghost fighting. Maggie was a solid addition as well. Hazel's instistence on doing a podcast is unfortunately true to life; I had two students this year who wanted to do a true crime podcast and complained that the true crime books I had, like Jailbreak at Alcatraz, or Agent Kathy Puckett and the Case of the Unabomber weren't gorey enough for them. The fact that Hazel was concerned for her own safety and tried not to lie to her parents shows a great modern sensibility. Thirty years ago, children would have just blithely put themselves in danger, and my students often remark about this difference in older titles. This is still plenty scary, and Currie does the best ghostly footprints in middle grade literature. I'm a little surprised that I didn't have nightmares after reading this-- look at the cover! 

Weaknesses: My students developed a huge interest in scary stories during the pandemic, and I've struggled to keep them in murder mysteries. They love ghost stories as long as the ghosts are murderous. Hazel's investigations, and her lists of clues, slow this down a little bit for the readers who want a constant thrill ride. It's perfect for those who want a more procedural, clue oriented mystery, but I don't have as many of those. For most readers, there is a good balance of both types of mystery writing, but more ghosts and less investigation would not have hurt my feelings. 
What I really think: I definitely purchase all of Currie's work, and The Girl in White and Scritch Scratch are particularly popular with my students. The Chicago area setting is fun, and while I thought I knew where the ghosts had come from, I was wrong. This is always a treat! Another strong entry from a new and exciting force in middle grade horror. I'm seeing a panel in the future; think we could get K.R. Alexander as well? 

My daughter got married the Saturday after school was out, and I am staying at her house for a week (here at the end of May), watching her cat and driving around Cincinnati to visit people, walk in parks, and go to new thrift stores. I slept in until after 6:00 a.m. each day. The wheels are OFF, people. It's 9:12, I've accomplished nothing, and I'm fully intending on going on my errands today wearing running tights. If I see anyone I know, after being away from Cincinnati for 35 years, it will be shocking. 

The impact of my new surroundings on my ability to synthesize fantasy novels has not been good. The fact that (if I lay on the couch to read) Bella the cat comes and sits on my face doesn't help. Well, she lays on my chest and then puts her face on my face. It's weird. Pongo at least has some boundaries. Anyway, here's a bit of an overview of some of the fantasy books I read while "just on a little vacation".

Whitesides, Tyler. Janitors School of Garbage (Volume #1)

September 5, 2023 by Shadow Mountain

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Janitors came out in 2011, and my library copy is in rough shape. Whitesides' work reminds me a bit of Mull's Fablehaven; same publisherr, Brandon Dorman art, and a series after the original series. The difference in the authors is that while Mull's Dragonwatch spin off gets older and darker, Whitesides' School of Garbage spin off gets a little bit younger. 

Still all the fun of the original, but with a more "academy" feel to it. There are always readers who want to attend magical academies, and this is a great choice. If the original series falls apart and can't be replaced, this will stand on its own, so I will definitely purchase.

Mix, Rebecca. The Mossheart's Promise

1 October 2023, Balzer and Bray

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

 

It's not easy to find middle grade books about fairies, but this would be a good choice for readers who enjoyed Carter's The Curse of the Phoenix, Mull's Fablehaven books, or Doshi's Rea and the Blood of the Nectar. Definitely a great woodland vibe to this, but also a lot of mold and damp that just icks me out personally. This will be popular with Warrior Cats fans who want something a little bit different. 

Melki-Wegner, Skye. The Deadlands #1: Hunted

April 4, 2023 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

While I have never been intrigued by dinosaurs, there are a TON of middle graders who are, and very few books that involved them. I'm still circulating Cole's 2010 Z-Rex, and still mourn the loss of Enthoven's TIM: Defender of Earth. The only newer title I have is Martin's The Ark Plan, and I had a student last year who wouldn't return it because he reread it constantly. 

So, need for dinosaur fiction in middle grade: HUGE. My interest in dinosaurs: Tiny. Dinosaurs made sentient because of asteroid? Oh, my. Wings of Fire meets Jurassic Park is an absolutely apt description. Will buy for all of my fans of the Nat Geo Dinosaur Guides. Love the cover. Looks to be a trilogy.

MMGM-Nothing Else But Miracles and The Mona Lisa Vanishes

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at 

Teach Mentor Texts 

and 

Unleashing Readers

Albus, Kate. Nothing Else But Miracles
5 September 2023, Margaret Ferguson Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Dory Byrne is living on New York City's Lower East Side with her older brother, Fish, and younger brother, Pike. Their mother passed away from tuberculosis when she was younger, and their father is off fighting in World War II. They have been staying alone in their apartment, and their father has said that the neighborhood would take care of them. So far, this has worked well. They have dinner one night a week at Mr. Caputo's restaurant. Mrs. Schmidt at the bakery gives them day old items and admonishes Dory to dress in skirts. Mrs. Kopek checks in with them and  gives them meals they don't always like. Even the reclusive Mr. Kowalczyk keeps his eye on them. When they get a new landlord, Mr. Reedy, he isn't happy with their noise or the fact that their toilet overflowed, and demands to speak to their father. This, of course, isn't possible. Dory has been enthralled with the dumbwaiter at Caputo's, and sneaks off after a school dance to go up in it when she tells Fish she is spending the night at her friend Rosemary's. She finds an abandoned hotel that is only accessible by the dumbwaiter, and decides that it will be a good place to stay so they can avoid Mr. Reedy's prying eyes. When school is out for the summer, Dory brings Fish and Pike to the hotel, and they decide it will be a good idea to stay there. They clean it up, arrange the dusty furniture, and work out a plan to cook in Caputo's when no one is there. Fish has an internship at the docks, and the children are able to keep things together. After D Day, they are worried about their father; some of their friends who also have fathers away fighting must suffer losing them. Mr. Reedy has alerted the authorities to the fact that the children are without supervision, but when someone investigates, the neighborhood pulls together to keep the Byrne's secret in a surprising way. 

Strengths: Dory is a great character who is trying her best to take care of her younger brother and to keep her family together. Sometimes this doesn't make her happy, but she understands the seriousness of her plight, and doesn't want to be put into an orphanage! It was especially interesting that no one at school could tell that Dory was on her own, and I liked seeing her friendship with Rosemary (who was more well-to-do) as well as a slight romance with a boy in her class. The scene at the dance was palpably awkward but also very sweet. There are plenty of details about how the family goes about their daily lives, and also about the war. In particular, there is information about D-Day, and the coverage that it received in the US. The hidden hotel is obviously the best part, and who wouldn't make a ladder out of old sheets to get out of a window into an alley? The ending is heart warming if improbable. This is definitely one of the best WWII US homefront books I've read, mainly because of the Boxcar Children style survival. 

Weaknesses: The names of the Byrne children were overly quirky (Fisher I can buy, but Pike?), and while Gilbert Ford's artwork is nice, I wish this had had a more WWII feel to it. I was hoping for a sort of WWII propaganda poster style cover with the three children in period clothing. 
What I really think: Definitely purchasing! Albus' A Place to Hang the Moon has been very popular, and the idea of children living on their own in the city is very appealing. Of course, now I have to go find pictures of this hotel!

Day, Nicholas and Helquist, Brett (illus.)
The Mona Lisa Vanishes: A Legendary Painter, a Shocking Heist, and the Birth of a Global Celebrity
Publication September 5, 2023 by Random House Studio

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

I'm sure my students will ask if I remember the Mona Lisa being stolen... in 1911, but I'll have to remind them that I'm not that old. This narrative nonfiction book reminded me a bit of Balis' and Levy's Bringing Down a President in its tone, use of illustrations, and deep dives into back matter about the main topic. Not only do we learn about the theft of the famous painting from the Louvre, but also about the state of forensic investigations at the time, the role of the newspaper in society, and a lot of information about Leonardo daVinci's life and times. Chapters go back and forth from what was going on with the investigation in 1911, back to the 1400s to see how da Vinci's work was evolving, and even into the present day to see how both of these occurrences influence modern thought. There are some side discussions about dowries in Renaissance Italy, da Vinci's eccentricities, and even French criminal investigation innovations. There's a lot, but its done with a light tone, and reads quickly. 

An inordinate amount of middle grade readers are interested in true crime podcasts, and nonfiction books like Sullivan's Jailbreak at Alcatraz and Denson's Kathy Puckett and the Case of the Unabomber have been popular. I even purchased some of Abdo's American Crime Stories. Those come in at 112 pages and have not been as popular as I had hoped. The Mona Lisa Vanishes is a good choice for readers who like art related mysteries like Balliett's 2004 Chasing Vermeer, Hick's The Van Gogh Deception, Dionne's Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking, Asselin's The Art of the Swap.  or Armendariz's Julieta and the Diamond Enigma and are looking for nonfiction that has some more information about different aspects of the art in question. 

Chakrabarti, Nina. Hello Trees: A Little Guide to Nature
August 10, 2023 by Laurence King
Copy provided by the publisher

In this small format (5.4 x 0.38 x 7.85 inches), brightly colored book, we get a good introduction to the world of trees. From beautifully illustrated parts of a tree, we follow the journey of a tree from seed to sapling, with just enough text on each page to support the illustrations and to be perfect for reading aloud with a young tree enthusiast. There's simple information about leaf shapes, which I find really interesting, and the tree names are listed with each one. There's an activity to make leaf prints that seems quite doable. The book continues with different types of trees, why leaves turn colors, and further activities with bark rubbings and growing a tree. This ends with trees in folklore and how to be a friend to trees. 

Fostering a love of trees is children is a really good idea, and I can see this book being a big favorite with children whose parents want to share a love of the environment. My 9th grade leaf collection project for science class was such a pivotal experience, and even today I can identify most trees that I see because of it. This would definitely be in frequent rotation if I had a small person with whom to share books. The best place to read it, of course, would be outside under a shady tree! 

The one thing that I found confusing was the inclusion of a melon, showing its seeds, along with pictures of an apple, pomegranate, peach, avocado, and other tree fruits. Melons do not grow on trees, but I doubted myself and had to look this up.