Cartoon Saturday- Lots of books with pictures

Holly Kowitt. The Principal's Underwear Is Missing
May 2nd 2017 by Feiwel & Friends
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

When geeky 6th grader Becca accidentally breaks popular 8th grader Selfie's arm with a dodge ball, she tries to apologize, but it's hard to approach middle school royalty. She catches Selfie in the middle of a crisis, and after she helps out, gets drawn into Selfie's world in a weird way. Becca retrieves the teen queen's shopping bag from the principal's office, but grabs the wrong one, and the two end up with the principal's gigantic bra. Of course, it falls into the wrong hands, and these evil doers plan to run it up the flag pole and post it on YouTube. This would mean big trouble for both girls, so they work together with their various friend groups in order to restore the undergarment to its rightful owner without any publicity.
Strengths: I loved The Loser List, and it's held up surprisingly well for paper-over-boards (for six years!) and been popular. This has the same Notebook Novel format, and will appeal to fans of The Dork Diaries and The Clique.
Weaknesses: I found this surprisingly unrealistic, and the stereotypes were odd. Becca is a dork, Selfie is a fashion obsessed popularity hound, and the characters and plot felt stale.
What I really think: Students will love this, and I won't be sad when it falls apart, but I was just really surprised that this wasn't better. I thought that The Loser List was more nuanced and thoughtful.

Libenson, Terri. Invisible Emmie
May 2nd 2017 by Balzer + Bray
ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

Emmie is not comfortable in middle school-- she has curly hair, is a late bloomer, and is artistic. She tries to stay under everyone's radar. In alternating chapters, we also meet Kate, who is fabulous, has everyone as a friend, and is everything Emmie is not. Emmie does have one friend, Brianna, but even that relationship is rocky. Her parents are busy, school makes her anxious, and the boy on whom she has a crush, Tyler, asks out Kate! Just when she thinks things can't get any worse, a poem she has written about Tyler falls out of her notebook and picked up by the obnoxious Joseph, and everyone starts to make fun of her. Can Kate help Emmie to stand up for herself?

This book will be immediately popular because of the format. Kate's chapters are in comic strip form, while Emmie's are in Notebook novel form. Not only that, but it is filled with cringe worthy moments, and middle school students all experience some of these, no matter how "popular" they are! Reading about similar things in books makes their own problems seem less severe.

It was interesting that while Emmie felt that her own image left something to be desired, she still refereed to her classmates in unflattering terms like Smelly Kid and Brainiacs (complete with propeller beanies). Kate's depiction is a bit over the top, but we eventually find out why that is. It was nice to see Emmie grow and get over her anxiety, and the character of Tyler was nicely done.

Middle school can be difficult, but it helps if it can be approached with some humor. Invisible Emmie is a great choice for readers who like middle school stories about students struggling to fit in that are combined with pictures. Read alikes for this include Vivat's Frazzled, Wells' Mackenzie Blue, and Barshaw's Ellie McDoodle.

Brockington, Drew. Catstronauts: Mission Moon
April 18th 2017 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Public Library Copy

When a global energy crisis threatens to cut off all of the power in the US, the president contacts the World's Best Scientist to come up with a plan sexy enough to sell to the US people-- the two decide that traveling to the moon to install solar panels that will be able to send enough power to earth is the answer. The catstronauts are chosen to man the mission, even though they feel it is appropriate to fix a crucial piece of equipment with yarn. This imperils them, but luckily another cat broke the rules and snuck his robot on board, thereby saving the day.
Strengths: I liked the drawing style and the color palette, and the cats were funny. A lot of reviews have mentioned the STEM tie in. The amount and size of text is very much what my graphic novel readers want.
Weaknesses: The complete lack of alternatives to the energy crisis struck me as odd, as did the catstronauts slap-dash approach to a serious mission. It left me feeling uncomfortable. If this were pure fun, like Blabey's Bad Guys, it would be amusing, but the many suggestions I've seen to tie it in with science make me a bit uncomfortable.
What I really think: Might buy a prebind in a year or two, but these never live long enough in my library for the smell to abate otherwise. Seriously. Why do these smell so bad? The ink? The paper? Inquiring minds want to know.


Siegel, Mark. The Sand Warrior (5 Worlds #1)
May 2nd 2017 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Public Library Copy

Basically, this is "only tweens can save the world" in graphic novel format. High fantasy, with requisite bullying of the ones who will save the world. Fans of Stevenson's Nimona  or the Faith Hicks The Nameless City will adore this, but my graphic novel readers tend to like the easy-to-read graphic novels like Squish: Super Amoeba, and my fantasy fans turn up their nose at graphic novels. It doesn't help that graphic novels tend to be expensive, fall apart easily, and have a weird smell from the ink that gives me a headache. I will let the public library buy these.

Guy Friday- Fair Ball

Even More Blather:
Clearly, the end of the year hits me hard, and I often find myself crying over things like Constance Green's A Girl Called Al or, this morning, Tommy Greenwald's The Real Us. (Go. Go to Edelweiss Above the Treeline RIGHT NOW and download an E ARC.).

I'm tired. 7th grade classes have been working on Renaissance Fair Projects all week and have managed to get glitter banned from the library, I'm trying to move all of the nonfiction to the wall so I have more room for fiction, the workroom sink is permanently clogged, and I haven't even begun to panic about getting all of the books returned.

I just spent another eight weeks in an orthopedic boot, which made chaperoning 8th graders in D.C. a bit more challenging. The summer will be spent in physical therapy and swimming and biking rather than running. On the bright side, my forearms are NOT sore. Or my ears. My ears are good.

There are other bright sides. We have about 80 students interested in Cross Country for next year. The students are so sad that the books are due. They hover over the donated books like teenage boys eyeing the last piece of pizza. And David Lubar sent me a sweet e mail that included the line "Thanks, again, for all you do. "

So! Another cup of tea, a wad of tissues, and I think I will wait until this evening to review Sonnenblick's The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade so I'm not a soggy mess when the day starts!



Jeter, Derek and Mantell, Paul. Fair Ball (The Contract #4)
April 18th 2017 by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

The Indians are in the final four of the Kalamazoo baseball championship, and Derek hopes that his team can work together to win. He's also hoping that for his birthday he can invite his friend Dave for a week at his grandparents' house. He and Dave are also supposed to have a sleepover, but Dave keeps backing out and doesn't want to talk about it. Sharlee is taking a karate class, and one of Derek's teammates, Gary, is taking it as well but doing very poorly. Vijay is a little irritated with Derek's insistence on being friends with Dave when he seems to want to avoid Derek. All of this puts stress on the team, and even brings down Derek's grades a bit. Eventually, Dave's parents' problems with Derek's family are worked out, and the team is able to come together. Will they win the championship?
Strengths: This is a good length for a middle grade sports book, had a lot of baseball, and incorporated important life lessons. The best part is always Derek's supportive family.
Weaknesses: I wish that Derek were a little older, and the big discussion of diversity in the middle of the book really slowed things down and seemed overly preachy.
What I really think: Baseball books aren't as popular as other sports books in my library, but these are a solid circulator and I will no doubt buy the entire nine book series.

The Bonaventure Adventures

Delaney, Rachelle. The Bonaventure Adventures
May 2nd 2017 by Puffin Books
Copy received from the publisher

Sebastian travels with his family all over Europe with the circus his father runs. Times are tough-- the circus is not getting the audiences it needs to remain solvent, and his father, Dragan, eventually sells all of the animals to a zoo. Seb has no circus abilities, but feels that the circus is outdated. When he finds letter to his father from an Angelique Saint-Germain asking that Seb be sent to her circus school in Montreal, he comes up with a plan. He will attend the school, find out what needs to be done to modernize the family circus, and save the day. His father isn't thrilled with the plan, but he manages to get to the exclusive school. He quickly realizes that Angelique thinks his father will give her decrepit school money to survive, and manages to keep his lack of circus skills a secret by claiming to be a fire breather. He makes friends with Frankie and Banjo, who are also frequently in trouble, and together the misfits find a way to try to save both the Bonaventure School and the Konstantinov Family Circus.
Strengths: This was a realistic view of the problems modern circuses are facing, which was refreshing. The circus and the school were both a little quirky, but in an understandable way. Seb, Banjo and Frankie were sympathetic characters who tried to do what was right, and the problems they were trying to solve were important but within their skill set to solve. The Montreal setting was interesting as well. I'm a sucker for a cover with silhouettes.
Weaknesses: I was vaguely confused about Sebastian's origins and about what language he was speaking. A small quibble.
What I really think: I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would, and it is available through Follett's US web site. Definitely take a look if circus tales are popular in your library.

Blather:
Occasionally, when I am reading through SLJ for book reviews, I am alarmed by how many books I discard because of ONE SENTENCE in the description. Totally justified, really, in not buying a book that has "wandering rabbit bard" in the description. It's sort of like "Name That Tune"-- what combination of words will make me stop reading. "Rabbit bard" in and of itself stops me in my tracks!

Still over 500 books out. They were due on Tuesday, but I told students if they can get the books back in by first thing Monday morning, that's okay. I'm not so much worried about books due 9 May-- it's the books due back in November that worry me!

Also, spending quality time condensing the nonfiction so that I can have another row of shelving for fiction. That will be fun!

Clayton Byrd Goes Underground

Williams-Garcia. Clayton Byrd Goes Underground.
May 9th 2017, Amistad
ARC from Publisher at ALA

Clayton loves to hang out with his grandfather, Cool Papa, and play the blues at Washington Square Park with his grandfather's band. Clayton desperately wants to have a solo, but Cool Papa tells him he's not quite ready. The two do this whenever Clayton's mother has a long nursing shift, since she is not thrilled with Clayton taking part in these activities. Since Cool Papa frequenly was on the road when she was growing up, Clayton's mother is very bitter about the music. When Cool Papa passes away unexpectedly, she acts on this bitterness by selling or giving away every last possession of his, although Clayton manages to keep a blues harp and a hat his grandfather favored. Since he was so close to his grandfather, Clayton takes his death very hard, even though his father visits more and tries to distract him. Eventually, he becomes so angry at his mother that he runs away from home and falls in with a street gang that performs on the subway. The boys in the gang are not nice to him, and do a lot of vaguely criminal things, so hanging around with them eventually land him in jail. When his mother has to pick him up there, she is sure that it is the result of his grandfather's influence, but his father points out that he needs more help to get over the death of his grandfather.
Strengths: Cool Papa is right up there with my favorite fictional grandfathers. Not only do the two make music together, but Cool Papa makes fish sticks and spaghetti, reads to Clayton at night, and is generally a loving and supportive presence in his life. I also liked that his father plays a prominent role even though he doesn't live with Clayton. This is a great length for middle grade, and moves very quickly.
Weaknesses: This is not only very sad, but the way that Clayton's mother deals with the death is very dysfunctional, and Clayton makes dangerous choices.
What I really think: I'm debating this one. I'm a bit worried that the 1980s style cover is going to make this one a hard book to encourage children to pick up. I love Williams-Garcia's work, but the sadness and bad choices in this one were a bit much. It got a starred review in School Library Journal.

Crowder, Melanie. Three Pennies
May 2nd 2017 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Marin has been in a foster home since she was four and her mother abandoned her. She has never given up hope that her mother will return, and carries a piggy bank and a copy of the I Ching with her to remind her of her mother. When her new social worker, Gilda, tells Marin that her mother has terminated parental rights, freeing Marin to be adopted, Marin decides that she will do everything she can to make herself unpleasant. She is placed with Lucy Chang, a doctor who has suffered her own losses but who feels that taking in a child would be the right thing to do. She is unsure of her own abilities, but willing to work with Marin to make a home for the two of them. Marin still wants to find her mother, and manages to get enough information from Gilda's files to hunt down a friend of her mother's who provides her with information she thinks will allow her to find her mother-- on her birthday, her mother scatters wishes off a seaside cliff near her San Francisco home. Marin is determined to go there to confront her mother. Her timing is bad, however; there is an earthquake, and Lucy is panicked and sets off to find her with Gilda. Will Marin be able to put her past behind her and move on?
Strengths: This is beautifully crafted... think Newbery possibilities. It is a spare and moving novel of one girl's search for family told in an intriguing way. I was really interested in Marin's story, so this was a quick read. Not surprised that other titles by this author are in verse. I liked the inclusion of the earthquake. It was very realistic.
Weaknesses: The parts with the owl were odd, and there were a lot of coincidences. I was also a bit disturbed by the portrayal of Marin's foster homes that were only taking in children in order to make the rent.
What I really think: People who liked Pax and Sometimes a Fox will adore this lyrical, introspective novel of love and loss. I was intrigued by Marin's story, but the style was rather odd, and I don't think it will resonate with my students.

Our favorite princesses are BACK!

Vernon, Ursula. Giant Trouble (Hamster Princess #4)
May 9th 2017 by Dial Books
Copy provided by the publisher.

Harriet is enjoying her newfound ability to return to cliff diving when a gerbil in a dark cloak approaches her to try to sell her a handful of beans. That's one of the downsides of being a famous warrior princess "cloaked figures are always jumping out at you from behind bushes". Harriet knows better than to trade Mumphrey for the beans, but Mumphrey eats one. The gerbil disappears in a puff of smoke, and Harriet hopes for the best. However, the bean makes its inevitable way out of Mumphrey and ends up growing into a giant beanstalk on the castle grounds. There's no way to chop it down without devastating the surrounding countryside, so Harriet makes her way up the stalk and discovers a harpster (hamster/harp) and a golden goose who are being held captive by a giant lop eared rabbit. In typical Harriet fashion, she goes about freeing them, with the eventual help of Wilbur.
Strengths: Harriet's fractured fairy tale adventures should be required reading for younger students, but have enough sophisticated humor that they make older ones laugh as well. I adore Harriet's spirit and can-do attitude. Stinky monster shoelaces that need to be chewed to unknot them? Harriet knows it's all in a day's work and just gets it done. She's a great role model of feisty attitude and a much needed antidote to the traditional Disney-esque princess trope. Harriet doesn't need to be saved by anyone, although she does occasionally accept help in a pinch!
Weaknesses: I have a lot of success in getting boys to read these, but the sparkly, pastel covers do work against their success with boys.
What I really think: If I had small children to whom I needed to present gifts, this series would be at the top of my list. As it is, I love having them on hand to give to reluctant middle school readers.

Blog Tour for Hamster Princess!

Ursula Vernon

TOUR SCHEDULE:

May 8 – Margie’s Must Reads

May 9 – Doodlemom’s Homeschooling Life – Review + Craft

May 9 – Ms. Yingling Reads – Review

May 10 – Adventures in Homeschooling – Review

May 10 – Four Violet – Review + Craft

May 11 – The Delightful Life

May 11 – All Done Monkey – Q&A

May 12 – Pirates n’ Pixie Dust

May 13 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers – Review

Levine, Gail Carson. The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre
(The Two Princesses of Bamarre 0.5)
May 2nd 2017 by HarperCollins
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Lady Peregrine is a Lakti, and her mother has taught her that the Bamarre are far inferior to her people in many ways, even though her loyal servant, Annet, is Bamarre. Soon, however, Perry learns secrets from the fairy Halina that make her doubt her entire existence. Still, she accompanies her father on a mission to her father's military headquarters, armed with several magical implements that her mother has given her. Among them are seven league boots, as well as a pendant that could keep her safe during fighting against the Kyngoll's her father is facing. Unfortunately, she needs these devices when she is captured, but her fate is not what she suspected. She ends up in a situation where she learns that her deep seated prejudices are unfounded, that her family is not comprised of the people she has known and loved for years, and that the fate of the Bamarre may rest with her.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this story, and I don't want to give away anything in this prequel to The Two Princesses of Bamarre (2001). Even though it's been a long time since I read that one, I was quickly drawn back into that world. It was good to see the magical keepsakes again, and to discover the origin story of one of the important characters discussed in the first book.

Perry is an intriguing character who must deal with a lot of conflicting ideas about her identity and her family. She meets these challenges in a realistic way-- she is reluctant to embrace them at first, but slowly comes around to her new reality and is able to champion a new cause. She also encounters magic for the first time, and finds it surprising. She also has a tentative romance, which is never a bad thing in an adventurous fantasy.

The Two Princesses of Bamarre was one of my daughter's favorite books in middle school, and I know that she is very excited to see this new journey into that world. Readers who loved Wrede's Enchanted Forest or Pierce's Tortall, as well as the princess tales of Baker, Green and Zahle, will definitely want to step out with Perry... in her seven league boots!

MMGM- Best binge read of the summer!

I normally don't review books that are only published in paperback, since paperbacks last about a month in my library. I'll make an exception for this British import. The four paperbacks are all coming out just in time for summer. If you know a tween boy, just buy the whole series and he'll be set for long car trips or lazy hours on the front porch. So good! At least Follett has these available in a prebind. Absolute must read for fans of British spy stories by great authors like Gilmore, Higgins, Muchamore, Horowitz and McNab.

Mr. Bradford very nicely did this interview with me for Young Adult Books Central.

Bradford, Chris. Recruit (Bodyguard #1)
May 9th 2017 by Philomel Books
ARC provided by Blueslip Media

Connor Reeves has just won a major kick boxing tournament and is on his way home when he tries to save a boy from being mugged. After a fight, the boy disappears and Connor ends up being taken to a police station, where the officers inform him that he passed "the test" and they want to recruit him to be a Guardian. These are bodyguards who are young teens who can go undetected in many situations. Since Connor's father died in the war and both his mother and grandmother are ailing, he takes the group up on their offer of a cover story of a scholarship to a private school and care for his relatives. He's whisked off for training, meets the other Guardians (including Charley, who oversees his unit), and is soon taken to Washington, D.C. on a detail to guard Alicia Mendez, the president's daughter! Alicia has a habit of running off and eluding the secret service, so it's important that Connor befriend her. He does, and manages to save her from an attack. However, book one ends in an uncertain way and MUST BE FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY...

Bradford, Chris. Recruit (Bodyguard #1)
May 9th 2017 by Philomel Books
ARC provided by Blueslip Media

The attack is just the beginning. After the best recap in a middle grade book that I have ever seen, we are plunged back into the story. Alicia is glad that Connor was with her, but still doesn't know the whole story. After he accompanies her to a school dance and gets involved with a prank instigated by Ethan, who's interested in Alicia himself, Connor's cover is blown with Alicia and she's angry. She runs off just as Connor is getting ready to leave the White House... and D.C. is being bombed. This, of course, is just a smoke screen for the terrorist attack that we have seen coming all through the first book, with the Yemeni Crescent Rising group (represented by Malik) bound and determined to kidnap Alicia. Even though his technology has been compromised, Connor manages to find Alicia, but the two are kidnapped and held for ransom. Not knowing where they are or what might happen to them, Connor uses his bodyguard skills to try to escape. Can he get them out? And what will happen with the terrorists if he does?
Strengths: The specifics of body guarding are absolutely exquisite. Mr. Bradford actually trained to become a licensed bodyguard in order to research these books. That is absolutely amazing and adds incredibly vivid details to the story. I loved how Connor's family was packed away in a convincing fashion and he's whisked off for training... and then whisked off yet again. The connection between his father and the president is touching, and his budding relationship with Alicia charming. Even the private school and Alicia's friends add a realistic dimension. I really cannot say how much I adored these.
Weaknesses: I would have liked to see a little more character growth from Connor, but that is hard to achieve when people keep shooting at you! Also, I was a bit uneasy with the terrorists being Arabic, especially given the connection to one of Alicia's friends. There is a Guardian with an Arabic name, and that made me feel a little better. I know that there are certainly Arabic terrorists, but I worry that this will make some students feel that their culture is being unfairly profiled, and wish that there had been fewer specifics about the terrorists.
What I really think: I NEED THESE RIGHT NOW!!!!! May I buy two sets? I really need to!

Bradford, Chris. Hijack
May 9th 2017 by Philomel Books
Copy provided by publisher, thankfully!

Since Connor was so successful in his first mission, he is picked to go on another one where his Principals will be the twin daughters of a very rich Australian publisher. Since he had a romantic complication with the president's daughter, another bodyguard, Ling, is assigned to the detail as well. One daughter, Emily, was kidnapped previously and had spent some time in captivity. She is understandably angry about many things,  while Chloe is somewhat more friendly and amenable to being watched. Both girls are unconcerned for their own safety, and frequently ask Connor and Ling to act more as servants than bodyguards. After the girls are mugged, presumably for their designer bags, Connor is sure that there is more danger around than previously thought. He remains on high alert, which helps when Emily falls asleep on a raft and floats out to see. Ling is fortunately not hurt when a jet ski blows up, but once the two hear about pirates, they know that being in the Seychelles is going to be no vacation. Unfortunately, the yacht is attacked by Somalian pirates, and held for...

Bradford, Chris. Ransom
May 9th 2017 by Philomel Books
Copy provided by publisher, thankfully!

Connor has been trained that the best way to deal with pirates in to not let them board the craft. Unfortunately, Cali, a Somalian boy who speaks limited English and claims that his father was a teacher, is aboard the yacht. He also claims he is not a pirate. The twins want to take pity on him, but Connor suspects that Cali has alerted the pirates. We know, from information in the previous book, why the pirates have targeted the vessel, and also know that they don't want to give up until they accomplish their goal. After a brutal shooting of the security officer, the twins, captain and Ling manage to make it into the safe room. Unfortunately, this is blow torched open by the pirates, and there is no choice but to deal with them. Connor does his best to call for help and to do everything he can to save the group, but there is a hidden enemy in their midst. 
Strengths: There are so many good details about what it takes to guard someone, and lots of pulse pounding moments of danger. The exotic location doesn't hurt. This is definitely a series that young readers will devour!
Weaknesses: Paperback only, and while Somali pirates are certainly a very real thing, I wonder how some of my students of Somali descent will feel about their inclusion. I also am very intrigued by Connor's mother and grandmother; I know the target demographic wouldn't be, but I'd love to see him go home more!
What I really think: I'm so glad that the publisher sent me the next two volumes! I would have preferred that the British versions had been retained, with 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 being just two volumes, but they would make very long books. In Hijack and Ransom, the twins were Ella and Lily. Wonder why the names were changed. At any rate, top notch action fiction!

We have to wait until October 2017 for Ambush and Survival!

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and  #IMWAYR day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday. 

Links for E Books

Summer Reading: E Books
May 2017

E books have changed a lot! With any sort of internet connected computing device, you can check out a wide range of e books.The best ones require a public library card, but there are free books as well. Ask if you have questions. Don’t know what to read? See what I’m reading this summer on this blog!

Blendon Middle School Library 

1. Go to destinydiscover.com or use the free Destiny Discover App. 
2. Use the Location drop-down to select your state or province. 
3. In the School field, type Blendon. Click Go!. 
4. From the top toolbar, select Login. 
5. Type your regular username and password, and then click Login. 
6. Blendon has twenty e books. Check out and read! 

Infohio.org

1. User Name: (See me!), Password: (See me!) 
2. Reference sources (Encyclopedia, etc.) 
3. Under K-5 Resources: Book Flix 

Westerville Public Library (You need a library card!)

1. http://www.yourcloudlibrary.com 
2. Log in with your country, state,
3. Westerville Public Library and card number.
4. Browse books Check out!

Ohio E Book Project (You need a library card!)

1. ohioebooks.org/ 
2. Download Bluefire Reader
3. Browse books. Check out!
4. May take some time to download to your device

Free E Books
Depending on your device, there are lots of self published books that are free. They vary in quality. If you need to take an AR test, check to see if there is one at ARBookFind.com

Keys to the City

Schroeder, Lisa. Keys to the City
May 30th 2017 by Scholastic Press
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Lindy's summer assignment is to "find her passion" for her school's HAT program (Heart. Abilities. Talent.). She's jealous of her friends who know what they want, and doesn't even know where to begin to find her interests. Her parents are very busy setting up a Bed and Breakfast in a brownstone, so Lindy and her brother Davis have a nanny to take them on the subway, and Lindy's mother hires a neighbor, Vivian, to show Lindy various options. Vivian's grandson, Taylor, is staying with her for the summer, and the three have adventures flipping pizzas, going to plays, working in a local garden, and exploring the zoo. The B&B business is going slowly, creating some stress for Lindy's family, but she eventually finds a couple of things that she likes, including Taylor's dog, and is able to complete her summer project and help the family business.
Strengths: I adore the other books in this series of stand alone titles; Sealed with a Secret, My Secret Guide to Paris, and this author's other titles. It's nice to see a supportive family deal with some minor struggles. This has a nice light romance, a good friend, and a tween dealing with realistic issues. The cover is great.
Weaknesses: Lindy has a very privileged life (Nannies? Chinese  food every Sunday? Going to a Broadway play? Wow.), and her mother just annoyed me with how she was dealing with the B&B's financial problems. Tweens will probably like this view into someone else's life, but all of the luxury made it hard for me to feel sorry that Lindy didn't have a passion.
What I really think: Will probably purchase, since the other books are very popular, but it just wasn't my favorite.

ALL OF THE SADNESS

Once again, I find myself saying "Must read ALL of the realistic middle grade fiction printed every year" but wishing that I didn't feel this compulsion. I have two reasons for doing this-- if I think there is the most remote chance that a book will be nominated for the Cybils awards, I'll read it. Also, I read everything before I purchase it for my school library. How else would I know if it were good?

So in one weekend, I read a pile of books that included a dead mother, a dead father, dead brothers (2) and, my favorite, two girls from different time periods, one with parents who die in a tragic fire, and the other with a dead father and a mother too depressed to take care of her.

Really? REALLY?? Luckily, Chris Grabenstein has Beach Party Surf Monkey coming out, so I didn't become COMPLETELY depressed. ARGH! Also, these covers are not particularly good.



Stevenson, Nanci Turner. Georgia Rules
May 2nd 2017 by HarperCollins
ARC from publisher at ALA

Magnolia lives in Georgia with her mother and step father Peter until Peter realizes he is gay and wants to live with a man. Magnolia's father lived in Maine struggling with PTSD until his untimely death in a car accident, and left Maggie his farm. Her mother decides to go live there for a year, and then sell the place. Maggie isn't thrilled with leaving all of her friends, but comes to enjoy the farm and the community, especially a neighboring family headed by Sue and Kori, who run the local store and have a large, diverse family. Unfortunately, one of the daughters is gravely injured falling off a pony, but the community supports them, and Maggie's mother reluctantly agrees to stay in the nurturing community.
Strengths: Maggie's emotions concerning moving are very realistic, and Sue and Kori's family is a lot of fun before the accident.
Weaknesses: This could have been a really interesting family adventure novel if there hadn't been so much sad. Perfectly well written.
What I really think: I didn't buy this author's Swing Sideways, and I won't be buying this one, either.


Gale, Emily. The Other Side of Summer
May 30th 2017 by HarperCollins
ARC from publisher at ALA

Summer's brother Floyd is killed in a bombing in London, so her father decides to move the family (including sister Wren) to Australia. When the family is ready to fly out, the girls find out that their mother is staying in Cornwall with their grandmother. Once they get settled in Australia, Summer meets an odd boy named Gabe who appears to her in dreams. Is Gabe real? What is his connection to Floyd? Will figuring out what happened to him help Summer deal with her grief? And will her mother ever pull herself together?
Strengths: I liked the Australian setting.
Weaknesses: Sad and a bit confusing. I don't want to give away too much, but the entire plot with Gabe seemed... unlikely.
What I really think: No. Just no.

Magnin, Joyce. Jelly Bean Summer
May 2nd 2017 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
ARC from publisher at ALA

**SPOILER ALERT**

Joyce's brother is MIA during the Vietnam war, and her family is taking it hard. Her older sister Elaine is annoying, and in order to escape her as well as her guinea pig, Jelly Bean, Joyce moves to the roof of their building. She sees Brian on another roof, and when the two meet, she finds out that his brother was killed in Vietnam, and Brian is trying to restore his brother's truck to take to his aunt's, where his father is sending him to live because caring for Brian is too difficult, since his mother is dead. The two try to earn money to fix the truck, and have a variety of schemes going, and the book is fairly upbeat and amusing until Joyce doesn't latch a gate and Jelly Bean is killed in a gruesome fashion by a neighborhood dog. At least Joyce's brother makes it home. There was one historical anomaly as well.
Strengths: This was a good story about one girl navigating her way through life during the Vietnam era, and readers would understand her difficulties with her family. The parents were sad, but managed to get through their days, as did the girls.
Weaknesses: The death of the guinea pig just pushed this right over the edge for me.
What I really think:  I would have bought this if it hadn't been for the guinea pig incident.

Guy Friday- Revenge of the Star Survivors

Merschel, Michael. Revenge of the Star Survivors
March 30th 2017 by Holiday House

ARC from publisher at ALA

Clark Sherman moves to a new school because his parents have gotten better jobs, but his experience in a new 8th grade is disastrous. His records from his previous school are messed up, so he ends up in remedial classes, including an independent study in the library with the fantastic Ms. Beacon. His days are spent avoiding the oppressive bullies, especially Ty Hunter. He has phys ed twice a day even though he would rather be reading sci fi novels or watching Star Survivors on television. He connects briefly with cute girl Stephanie, but she thinks he is a special needs student, and her friends laugh at her for talking to him. He eventually meets Les, who is similarly geeky, and who knows secret ways in and out of the school. A girl in his independent study, Ricki, is a bit odd (her parents throw a fit when Clark calls the house), but eventually the two join forces with Les. The principal is a mini-despot who is trying to get Ms. Beacon kicked out while also protecting Ty Hunter, who is a good athlete, but the trio is able to uncover evidence and bring justice to the school and social approbation to themselves.
Strengths: This certainly hits on the traditional geek interests, and is funny enough. It's also realistic in the way that Clark (which is a perfectly reasonable name
Weaknesses:
What I really think:

Lemons, Give Me a K-I-L-L

Savage, Melissa. Lemons
May 2nd 2017 by Crown Books for Young Readers
ARC from publisher at ALA

Lemonade Liberty Witt is sent from San Francisco to the small town of Willow Creek in 1975 after the cancer death of her single veterinarian mother. There, she is to live with her grandfather Charlie, who runs a store in the Bigfoot obsessed town. She meets Tobin, a boy who is investigating Bigfoot sightings and who is having a hard time connecting with other children his own age. Lem gets "hired" to be his assistant, and the two spend a lot of time interviewing people like retired teacher Mrs. Dickerson, who remembers Lem's mother and tells her stories about her over homemade cookies. Tobin's father was in the Vietnam conflict and was on his way home, but never made it. His mother doesn't know where he is, but hopes that he will show up soon. Charlie's relationship with Lem's mother was strained by the death of his wife, but he makes every effort to make Lem feel at home. The two solve a mystery involving Bigfoot that sheds light on other issues in Tobin's life, and when Lem eventually gets an offer to go back to San Francisco, she has to decide if she would rather stay in Willow Creek.
Strengths: The historical detail was accurate, and the inclusion of a Vietnam POW situation was helpful. Charlie is a great fictional grandfather, and his hot dog and tater tot meals are spot on. I had forgotten that Bigfoot was a trending topic during this time period. Somehow, all of the elements worked for me, even Lem's name, which I didn't like initially. A student to whom I gave the ARC really enjoyed this.
Weaknesses: Not sure that a tween boy would have had an answering machine at his disposal during this time-- they were new and very expensive, but at least they had been invented! I wish that the book had stated the year it took place earlier on-- I had to guess, and most young readers won't be able to figure this out.
What I really think: I need books set during this time period, and this is great for all readers. Nice cover, fairly upbeat in spite of the number of dead or missing parents. I'll purchase.

LEMONS BLOG TOUR

May 1: Caroline Starr Rose

May 2:  Bookhounds YA

May 3: Books, Movies, Reviews! Oh My!

May 4: Ms. Yingling Reads

May 5: Bea's Book Nook

May 6: Diving Under the Cover 

May 8: Imagination Soup

May 9: Read Now Sleep Later

May 10: Word Spelunking

May 11: My Brain on Books

May 12: YA Books Central

May 13: Cafinated Reads

May 15: Middle Grade Mafioso

May 16: Much Loved Books

May 17: Cracking the Cover

May 18: Oh, For the Hook of a Book!

May 19: Batch of Books

May 20: The Owl

May 22: 5 Minutes for Books

May 23: Awesome Book Nut 

May 24: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile

May 25: I'd So Rather Be Reading

May 26: Here's to Happy Endings

May 27: Doodle's Book Reviews

May 29: Reviews Coming at YA

May 30: Swoony Boys Podcast

May 31: Bloggin 'Bout Books

June 1: Xpresso Reads

Stine, R.L. Give Me a K-I-L-L(Fear Street Relaunch #6)
April 4th 2017 by A Thomas Dunne Book for St. Martin's Griffin
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Gretchen moves to Shadyside after her parents' divorce, and wants to try out for the cheerleading squad. The coach has just offered Devra Dalby, the daughter of the town's department store owner, the position, but after she seems Gretchen's recorded performance, has another try out. This time, Gretchen wins the spot. Gretchen is also stealing another cheerleader's boyfriend, Sid, which doesn't make Devra happy either. Gretchen starts to get threatening texts, and weird things start happening, but when a flaming baton mistake goes badly wrong, she really starts to worry that she is the target of Devra's wrath. Add to this cockroaches in the cheer leading uniforms and the death of Gretchen's neighbor onstage in front of the entire high school, and one wonders why the principal allows a four day cheer leading retreat in the woods. But what could go wrong?
Strengths: When my blood thirsty students ask for murder mysteries, this is what they want. Just enough detail to make it scary and gory, but not enough to be really psychologically scary. The events are always over-the-top enough that I think the students know the likelihood of such things happening to them is slim. There's also Stine's habit of making each chapter end with a cliffhanger, and he includes many twists. He understands the tween horror need.
Weaknesses: Really? Flaming batons? When the coach knows there is tension among the cheerleaders? Sigh.
What I really think: There will be a sequel. And I will have to read it. I'd love to see Stine write something else. I think he has hidden depths. Why is Susan Dey on the cover?

The Unbreakable Code

Bertram, Jennifer Chambliss. The Unbreakable Code
April 25th 2017 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) 
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

After their adventures in the delightful The Book Scavenger, Emily and James are hot on the heels of a new mystery, this one involving things hidden underneath San Francisco and a code that may lead to fires breaking out! Mr. Quisling is somehow involved, but they can't quite figure out what's going on. Fires are breaking out all over town, and they seem to all be tied to a code from the 1800s that has never been broken. Using their love of code and a little help from the dispirited Garrison Griswold, can the intrepid pair solve the mystery before someone gets hurt?

N.B. I read this, loved it, and clean forgot to write the review for two weeks. Hard to remember details, which is why this sounds a bit lackluster. My fault, not the book's!

Strengths: The San Francisco setting and history are phenomenal, and the use of puzzles and codes will appeal to many readers. I love that Emily and James are good friends and work together well. The cover, along with the fast pacing and things catching on fire, makes this a great choice for both boys and girls. Brilliantly executed. The first book is always checked out from my library. 
Weaknesses: I personally don't like puzzles and codes, so I didn't get as much out of this as I could have. 
What I really think: Very excited to get this to my students, and can't wait for the next book!

Gnome-a-geddon

Holt, K.A. Gnome-a-geddon.
May 2nd 2017 by Margaret K. McElderry Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Lizzie and Buck are waitin gin line at a release party for the newest book in the The Triumphant Gnome Syndicate series, and hoping that the reclusive author, Harold Macinaw, will attend. He does, but there is an explosion and the store is evacuated. Lizzie and Buck realize that they don't have a copy of the book, but Buck's sister, Willy, is able to read a copy on their mom's e reader. This is, of course, unacceptable, and the two travel back to the bookstore the next day. That's about the last time things are normal-- soon, Buck and Lizzie realize that there are robotic doubles of them trying to take over, and Willy disappears with a group of children. Desperate to get her back, the two get sucked into the world of the book. They meet Smith (who is NOT the same as the hero of the novel), who makes Buck think that he is the answer to the prophecy, and that he must find the Troll Vanquishing Mace in order to save Macinaw and keep Flipside and its inhabitants safe. Since Buck has the books memorized, he sees the sense in this, and he uses his knowledge to navigate the dangerous world and to try to figure out what is going on between the gnomes and the trolls.
Strengths: This was a solid fantasy book, and creating a world of fandom was a nice twist. I can see parents who grew up with Harry Potter getting excited about this one. Buck and Lizzie are fun characters, and there is an ending that I didn't quite see coming. Probably a sequel in the offing.
Weaknesses: Horrible cover, and a few slightly twee moments. (Buck Rogers? What parent would do that to a child?) The target demographic will care about the cover but not the twee.
What I really think: This reminded me of The Other Normals, but for middle grade. I also kept thinking of Brick from the television show The Middle, and how he will occasionally go on and on about a fantasy series he is reading. I will probably buy this one for my hard core fantasy fans, but the cover is really awful.

Since this is Scree-Free Week AND I will be in Washington, D.C. with the 8th graders from my school, I will not be approving comments, posting on social media, or checking e mail all week! I don't have a smart phone, so it gets cumbersome. Also, it's a great example for my students.

Be here now!

MMGM- Baseball and Running

One event that I always enjoyed was the MotherReader 48 Hour Book Challenge! Pam gave it up a few years ago, but was gracious enough to allow us to host various incarnations of it.

This year, it will be Friday, June 2 until Sunday, June 4. If you want to play (and clear out that TBR pile!), sign up here at the starting line, read 48 consecutive hours sometime during those three days. If you need to go to a grad party, do household chores, or attend to matters of personal hygiene, you can definitely do that, but you don't get to count the hours! No prizes this year, just bragging rights if you choose to forego sleep and be a crazy reading machine. You can spend time tweeting and instagram-ing and commenting on other blogs as well.

Fast and loose, that's how we're playing it this year. Because we are just that kind of wild, wild reading people!

Krishnaswami, Uma. Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh
May 1st 2017 by Tu Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Things are rapidly changing during World War II for Maria. The farm her father rents and runs is undergoing some changes, her close knit Hispanic/Indian community is experiencing losses, and she is finally granted permission to play baseball... while wearing shorts! This isn't easy for her, but with the help of her teacher and coach, Maria learns the sport and overcomes the objections of her family and community to girls playing. There are grade appropriate struggles with friends and a younger brother that show that even during different time periods, some essential middle grade concerns stay the same.

This was a great example of what makes great historical fiction-- vivid descriptions of details of daily life during a different time, an unusual twist to the history, and sports. If all historical fiction included sports, it would be helpful! I had never heard of the Mexican-Hindu community in California, and the brief glimpse into Indian history was fascinating, since the book put it into context against US history that younger readers might know a bit better. I am always glad to see books that show the difficulties that girls had playing sports before Title IX as well.

Maria is a great character, and her reactions to situations are flawed but charming. She is supposed to watch her brother, but this interferes with practice. The solution? Clearly, bribe her brother! She lies to her mother about things, but feels guilty. She appreciates her parents' culture, but also doesn't feel it's completely her own.

There were two details about this time period that I found particularly interesting-- the Beckers, both Elizabeth and her father, were shown as pure meanness at the beginning of the book, but Maria does start to understand their motivations more. There are few treatments of German-Americans at this time, so it's a nice touch to include this. The other thing that was interesting was the fact that Maria's father couldn't own land, but his children, being born in the US, could.

Baseball might be the most "American" sport, but perhaps that is because so many different ethnic groups embrace it. Step Up to the Plate, Maria Singh is a great addition to a list of multicultural basenall books that include Lorenzi's A Long Way Home (Pakistani), Volponi's Game Seven (Cuban), Lynch's. Gold Dust (Caribbean), Shang's The Way Home Looks Now (Chinese), Ritter's Fewnay Fever (Italian), Scaletta's upcoming Rooting for Rafael Rosales (Dominican Republic), Tooke's King of the Mound Mound: My Summer with Satchel Paige  (African American) and any number of books set during WWII that feature Japanese-Americans and baseball!

Alpine, Rachel. You Throw Like a Girl
February 14th 2017 by Aladdin
Purchased copy

When Gabby's father is deployed, her mother decides to spend the summer back in her Ohio hometown in order to get help with Gabby's baby sister Ava. Gabby's mother was a Corn Festival pageant winner, and her father an avid baseball player, so they are well known in the small town. Gabby is more of a ball player than a beauty queen, but she gets roped into registering for the pageant after finding out there aren't enough girls to play softball. Since her big connection to her dad is sports, she decides to disguise herself as a boy and sign up for the boys' team. This has its problems, and when Oliver catches her nail polish a couple of times, he knows what she's doing but keeps it a secret. Her new friend and pageant buddy, Erin, doesn't know about the baseball. When mean girl Jenna finds out, she tries to get Gabby to drop out of the pageant. Can Gabby somehow manage to do both things?
Strengths: Gabby is an absolutely delightful character, and her grandmother is fantastic! She makes Gabby a pageant dress that she can wear with tennis shoes. I love how Gabby does want to make her mother happy even if it means stepping out of her comfort zone. I also thought the way the coach, Oliver, and the baseball team handled Gabby's deception (there's nothing actually in the rules about girls playing; we just all wish Gabby hadn't needed to lie!). Definitely taking the phrase "like a girl" and empowering it! The boys on my cross country team knew this year that if they ran "like girls" they would have done a WHOLE lot better! Adored this one!
Weaknesses: While the deception wasn't necessary, Gabby thought it was, so it was handled realistically, even though I wish Gabby hadn't felt she had to do it. Also, it would have been more clever if pageant diva Jenna hadn't been a stereotypical mean girl but had instead turned out to be more of an ally to Gabby, or a secret ball player.
What I really think: My local library didn't have this one, which is a shame. There are so few books about sports for girls, and this one was so good and had an Ohio interest. An absolute necessity for elementary and middle school libraries.

Speno, Andrew P. The Great American Foot Race:Ballyhoo for the Bunion Derby!
April 4th 2017 by Calkins Creek
Public Library Copy

Who knew? The Boston Marathon dates to 1897, but distance running was taken to even great lengths in 1928 by a professional huckster named C.C. Pyle. He orchestrated a cross country race to promote the new Route 66 that went literally across the country, from Los Angeles to New York City. An astonishing 199 men registered (women weren't allowed), but an even more amazing 55 finished. Their travails over the next 84 days are brilliantly described by Speno in this book on a long forgotten race. I loved how he not only elucidated the general history of the era, but also talked at length about the backgrounds and motivations of the runners.

The research on this is impeccable and impressive. While there are still a lot of historical resources from the 1920s, they couldn't have been easy to find. It's also hard to find good narrative nonfiction of interest to middle school readers, and this book is just the right length and involves one of middle schoolers favorite things... sports! The Great American Foot Race is an essential addition to all middle school and high school libraries. I know that this will be the first choice of all of my cross country runners when they have to choose a nonfiction book for a project! Very excited to have this in my collection. Definitely take a look.

Also, I think the author is from a community very close to where I taught in Cincinnati!

Here is an interesting Youtube video about the winner, Andy Payne, by David Antoine.

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday.