MMGM- Finding Orion, Sports Biographies!

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

First of all, the new Alex Rider short story collection byt Anthony Horowitz is out tomorrow (Candlewick Press). If you have not read Stormbreaker (2000), you are missing out on the number one book in my library over the last 15 years! I have probably bought about  20 copies; I currently have ten in the collection, and there is only one on the shelf. They're so good that I may buy a copy of Secret Weapon for myself so that when I am old and feeble I can get people to read it to me, and I can close my eyes and sigh happily over Alex's tea with Mr. Smither's, gasp when he jumps off a cliff in Afghanistan with a horse, and wish that there were an entire book about how his uncle Ian Rider because a spy after reading Christmas at Gunpoint! He also goes parasailing, is kidnapped by a drug dealer, and is involved in several other adventures. Horowitz, as he does in Foyle's War, never gives us too much insight into the workings of Alex's mind, so that just means we need MORE BOOKS.

Anderson, John David. Finding Orion
May 7th 2019 by Walden Pond Press
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Rion Kwirk's family members live up to their name. The father is a flavor chemist who works at a candy factory, younger sister Lyra is obsessed with the dictionary, and older sister Cass loves performing. The family is sitting down to dinner when the doorbell rings, and it is a singing telegram. The clown who delivers it informs them that their grandfather Papa Kwirk (aka Jimmy), has passed away. They are all in shock over the inappropriateness, and the father is on the phone to his aunt Gertie, who corroborates the clown's message. Soon, the family is off to Greenburg (with Cass' pet boa constrictor for comfort) to attend the FUNNeral that Gertie claims includes all of Jimmy's last wishes. There is a barbershop quartet, high school marching band, and a meal served by food trucks. There is also a touching eulogy by a girl Rion's age, Tasha, who spent a lot of time with Jimmy. It's not the standard send off, but townspeople share happy memories of Jimmy with the family, and they are a bit comforted. When Gertie shares that there is a scavenger style hunt to find Jimmy's ashes, however, they are not. The father is done with the nonsense and ready to go home, until the first clue starts to make sense. He takes the children out to the house where he grew up, digs in the yard, and finds the next clue. Despite their misgivings, the family is in, and continue pursuing the clues. This brings up many issues from the past and highlights the often dysfunctional relationship the father and Jimmy had after Shelley, their mother and wife, passed away. Each clue sheds a bit more light on what Jimmy experienced and how it impacted his son, and the family is able to work together to understand that even though things can be tough, family means sticking together.
Strengths: I enjoyed the small town setting and the fact that the immediate family was working together. The grief is not overly sodden (they didn't see Jimmy very often, which brings up a whole different kind of grief), and the death of a grandparent is something that many middle grade readers experience. Rion's light romance is fun as well. The book is generally amusing, even with the death, and Anderson always does a very touching story.
Weaknesses: This would have been far more effective without so many quirks for the Kwirks. Every time the name was mentioned, I flinched a little. Had Jimmy and Gertie been the only odd ones, it would have underscored the difficulties the father and son had, and made this seem more realistic. The sub plot with the criminals following the family was unnecessary.
What I really think: Hard NOT to like a book by Anderson, and perhaps young readers will not balk at the goofy names, aunt's vacuum cleaner collection, and general weirdness, but it made the book less effective for me. Will most likely purchase.

Wetzel, Dan. Stephen Curry (Epic Athletes)
May 14th 2019 by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)
ARC from... I'm not sure where. That happens occasionally.

My general policy is that I only buy biographies once the person has passed away. 1982 biography of Michael Jackson, anyone? When I took over my library, there were a few sports biographies,  and after about five years, the people are no longer known and the books stop circulating. When teachers assign biography projects, they want students to read about people who had more lasting impact on society. I did purchase a few of the On the Court books by Matt Christopher; they were PermaBound, and fell apart within a few years.

I love sports stories. I love biographies. Why is it SO HARD for me to purchase sports bios?

This new Dan Wetzel series will be an exception. Yes, the people are still alive. Yes, the books may stop circulating in five years. But for $14.64 for a 150 page hardcover, I think that these will get enough use to justify their purchase.

What I really enjoyed about this book was that it was more like a story than a biography. There are lots of details about what it was like for Steph (steff) growing up. His career was not particularly easy, and the theme of perseverance is well developed. There are some illustrations that accompany the text, and an "Instant Replay" in graphic novel format at the end. The other books in this series cover Alex Morgan (whose novels are very popular with my students), Serena Williams, and Tom Brady, with books about Lionel Messi and LeBron James coming out in November 2019.

Great length, great pacing, apparently popular athletes. Could we please get one on Michael Jordan? For some reason, my students have been constantly bugging me for books about him, and the two I have are twenty years old!

Up For Air

Morrison, Laurie. Up for Air
May 7th 2019 by Amulet Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

As the last day of school rolls around, Annabelle is stressed because she is doing poorly yet again on a test, and she fears that she will loose her scholarship to the fancy private school she attends. She excels at swimming, and being at the pool helps her handled the other stressors in her life. These includes her mom and step dad, Mitch, who are good about picking her up for rides, supportive of her learning disabilities, and strict about her behavior, but who just don't quite understand her. Her best friend, Mia, is obsessed with school work and does well, but also jealous of Annabelle's more teen-like physique, and her friend Jeremy is going to spend the summer at a geek camp. Annabelle is asked to be on the high school swim team, even though she just finished 7th grade, and she is thrilled to be recognized for her ability, AND because Connor is on the team. Connor flirts with everyone, but Annabelle is still excited that he offers her a ride to practice, gets her phone number, and texts her occasionally. When Annabelle gets a letter from her father, whom she hasn't seen often because of his alcoholism, she starts longing to be with him, since she can't remember much about their interactions. Annabelle starts spending more and more time with the high school students, to the chagrin of Mia and Jeremy, and gets into trouble with them one evening when they try to get into the pool of a local celebrity. The high schoolers bail when she gets hurt, although Jeremy wisely calls his mother to pick them up. Annabelle's thumb is broken, so she can't swim. Mia and Jeremy are angry with her, she's grounded, and her mother is talking about sending her to the local school after a meeting to discuss adjusting Annabelle's academic accommodations. Overwhelmed, Annabelle decides to travel into the city to see her father, seeing him as a safe haven. This doesn't go well, either, and she's finally able to have a conversation with her mother about the things going on in her life.
Strengths: I loved the fact that Annabelle had a crush on Connor, who was just a little older than she was, and that he paid attention to her. I also loved the fact that it didn't work out between the two of him, and that Annabelle was realistically crushed when he had a girlfriend. Crushes and relationships are a much more important part of the middle school experience than one could guess from middle grade literature! The swimming details are good, and it's always good to have books about students in sports. The family drama is also realistic-- Mitch is a good step dad, and Annabelle likes his daughters, but she still has fond memories (as well as bad ones) about her father.
Weaknesses: While I enjoyed this one, it wasn't quite what I was expecting. I thought there would be more swimming details, but the swim team time was taken up more with the drama. The learning difficulty hook was similarly disappointing-- aside from being tutored during the summer and having to meet with the principal about accommodations, this does not get much mention. I was hoping for another book similar to Gerber's Focused, but with swimming! For friend and family drama, this is excellent, but I had set my  mind on "swimming" and "learning difficulties".
What I really think: Definitely purchasing. The swimming is great to have, but I'll have to hand sell this to readers who like friend and family drama.

Two Cats and a Baby, The Good Egg

Watson, Tom. Two Cats and a Baby (#4)
September 25th 2018 by HarperCollins
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Life is good for Stick Cat and Edith now that their owners Goose and Tiffany have married. Stick Cat enjoys the gourmet meals, and puts up with Edith's eccentricities. Now that there is a small human around, though, Edith is not happy. It takes attention away from the big humans, it cries, and it isn't going away. Stick Cat is okay with it; he is a very easy going, philosophical cat. When Grandma Cobb comes to visit, Edith is excited, since she loves to play with Grandma's long necklace and get attention. Of course, the stupid baby is much more interesting, and Edith feels slighted. When Grandma accidentally gets locked in the bathroom, though, both cats understand how important it is to get her out. The baby is safe, and they try to keep her warm and happy, but Grandma is very upset. Highjinks ensue, and the cats try to get Grandma out of the bathroom and back to her babysitting duties.

Stick Cat is about the only cat I would trust not to kill me (I have to admit I am more of a Stick Dog fan), and his long suffering endurance of Edith is always amusing. He saves the day, of course, and must deal with Edith and the baby as best he can.

Grandma Cobb was delightful, and there aren't many depictions of grandparents babysitting in middle grade, so it's something nice to see. The pictures, as always, are simple but amusing, and Grandma's floppy hat and amazing necklace help to save the day as well.

Readers who like their notebook novels with a large side of animals will love Stick Cat. Hand this to fans of Ahn's Pug Pals, Surovec's My Pet Human, Proimos's  Apocalypse Bow Wow and of course, Falatko's Two Dogs in a Trench Coat Go to School.

*********************************************************

I like to think that I understand middle grade literature, and, more importantly, what middle grade readers want to read. Sports books or all kinds, radioactive pocket pets, villainous principals, and cheesy romances are all things that I can appreciate from an eleven year old perspective. I have even managed to write thoughtful and critical reviews of about a dozen Geronimo Stilton books for Young Adult Books Central, and since they have the same exact plot and character features every single time, this is no mean feat. ( I had two students who moved to our school from Gujarat, India and thought Geronimo was the best thing ever, and this was a way to obtain those books for them!)

Sometimes, though, I just don't get it. Bogbrush the Barbarian (2010)? I wrote a review so mean that I couldn't even post it. Other people liked the book, but I just didn't understand. I think this is true for the following book. It's the mixture of twee (Really? I had to read the phrase "Miss Qiunzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpet’s Camp for Hardcore Lady Types" more than once?), underexplained on-trend political correctness (I understand that Barney prefers nonbinary pronouns, but I'm not sure if my 6th graders would), and just plain odd (see book description below) that made it hard for me to enjoy this.

But that's just me. Other people seem to enjoy these books, especially the graphic novel series on which the novels are apparently based. See? Unfamiliarity with the entire series does not help in this case. So read this one for yourself and decide if it is something that would be a good fit for you.

Tamaki, Mariko and Allen, Brooklyn. The Good Egg (Lumberjanes #3)
October 30th 2018 by Harry N. Abrams
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Summer is wearing on for the Lumberjanes; cabin cleaning must be done, and there is a slight feeling of ennui before the exciting appearance of  Miss Annabelle Panache, who is going to help the campers put on plays, all based on classic fairy tales with a scouting twist! This is all very fun, but Ripley has other concerns. Previously, she had found a nest with very large golden eggs which also included a basketball sized egg to which she took a liking. Calling it "Eggie" and checking on it frequently, Ripley is fond of the egg, but when the other eggs hatch and it doesn't, Ripley puts it in another nest. Unfortunately, the egg is stolen out of that nest, and Ripley hears Rosie the counselor and Bearwoman (a shape shifter who inhabits the woods near the camp) talking about Eggie being taken by the Order of the Golden Egg. Determined to find her friend, Ripley tries her best, but sinks into despondency. Meanwhile, work proceeds on the various plays. Eventually, Ripley and Barney decide to go in search of Eggie, even if it means a run in with the Order. Given the nature of Eggie, will they be able to find it before it is too late?

This is a continuation of both a graphic novel series and two other illustrated novels, and familiarity with these will help. There are a fairly large number of characters, and while they have distinct characteristics, not all of them make large appearances in this volume. Jen, who breaks into nervous laughter at the slightest provocation, Ripley, and Rosie and the Bearwoman are the focus of this volume.

The illustrations are appealing, although since they are rendered only in shades of red, Ripley's blue hair isn't well represented! They have a manga-like feel and add to the descriptions of the diverse, powerful scouts. They are goofy when they need to be (e.g. Miss Panache)

The camp itself is set in a fantasy world where griffins, shape shifters and other mythical creatures often appear without much explanation. Readers who enjoyed the graphic novels or books like Stevenson's Nimona, Brooks' Sanity and Tallulah or Wang's The Prince and the Dressmaker will find this a pleasant way to while away some reading time.

Guy Friday- Surface Tension

Mullins, Mike. Surface Tension
Published May 8th 2018 by Tanglewood
ARC from Kidlitcon

Jake is out on a long, early morning bike ride when he slams into the door of a tanker truck and is knocked unconscious. He wakes up in the hospital not remembering too many details about his life, so when a girl in a hijab enters his room, he believes she might be his girlfriend Laurissa... until she tries to kill him! His mother thinks he is hallucinating, and as  more threats to his well being occur, no one believes him. His actual girlfriend Laurissa does, and tries to help him piece together what seems to be his part in the explosion of a plane right after take off. In alternating chapters, we also see the experiences of Betsy, who tries to kill Jake. Her father is a member of the Sons of Paine, and they are trying to make it look like Muslims are committing domestic acts of terrorism, therefore creating ill will towards them. Betsy wants to make her father happy, but after several failed attempts to kill Jake, starts to wonder WHY she wants anything at all to do with her father. Jake is under threat from several different groups, and keeps getting involved in horrible accidents, but his mother still doesn't believe him. Can he figure out how to stay safe and how to keep another plane attack from happening before someone finishes him off?
Strengths: This had a lot of action and adventure, and reminded me a little of Klavan's The Last Thing I Remember. It's one of those rare books with a high school character that stays middle grade appropriate. I liked the twists and turns of the plot, and my readers who have worked their way through all of the Alex Rider books will love this one. The biking is great, too, and groups like the Sons of Paine are a timely topic. Laurissa is an especially fun character-- Jake is too often concussed and spaced out to be all that well developed.
Weaknesses: The first scene where Betsy tries to kill Jake is a bit edgy (she climbs on top of him, purportedly for hanky panky, but tries to squash him), and there are some evil policemen, but it's not as violent as Camp Valor.
What I really think: There seems like a sequel could be in the offing, and I would be glad to read it. Definitely purchasing. We need more thrillers (and murder mysteries!) for middle grade readers.

More blather: Started the week with 1,500 books checked out (the collection is 12,451 volumes as of this morning, but I need to do some weeding!), and we are down to 526. All books were due yesterday, but I had two carts of donations to give to students, and that helped. It's amazing how full the shelves get. Once most things are in, I need to check to make sure I have books in series, remove things like Wimpy Kid books that are falling to pieces, and... weed R.L. Stine. The books I have are SO bad-- I have a bunch of PermaBound copies that are at least 20 years old, smell bad, and have pretty much stopped circulating. They are small books, but I must have three shelves of them!

I'm also redoing my graphic novel collection for next year. I have one shelf of picture books that hardly ever go anywhere (again, twenty years old), and some "You Wouldn't Want to Be" books that were hugely popular about fifteen years ago and are "too many words" for most of my students.

Reading tastes in my library have really changed in 15 years. My students are reading younger and younger titles, and a nonfiction book over 50 pages is a hard sell unless it's for research. I've given up on having Guiness and Ripley's books because they fall apart so badly. Our wonderful volunteer, Mr. Woodruff, buys them at Half Price Books, but they only get checked out a dozen times before the cover falls off, so I've stopped accepting them, even from him! I also ran out of space in the 000.00's, so they are on a shelf under the 900s, just sort of festering.

The end of the year is hard! Hang in there, loyal readers!

Just South of Home

Strong, Karen. Just South of Home
May 7th 2019 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sarah is thrilled that she and her brother Ellis are going to be allowed to stay home by themselves over the summer, rather than spend time with their uptight and controlling grandmother, Mrs. Greene. Sarah loves space, and has a research project planned, while the younger Ellis plans on constructing model cars. When their cousin Janie's mother wants to go to Hollywood and leave Janie with Sarah's family, Sarah struggles to make the best of the situation, especially since she and her only friend, Jovita, have fallen out. Janie is angry about being left by her mother in a small town Warrnesville, but Sarah tries to show her around. They are both particularly intrigued by Mrs. Whitney, who has a souvenir shop in the Town Square and is trying to revive interest in local history. Leaving Ellis with a neighbor, the girls, along with neighbor Jasper, travel to the nearby ruins of Creek Church. They start finding out that the church's history is intertwined with the Civil Rights movement, and realize that Mrs. Whitney is right about their being "haints" in the area. They have awaken one, a small boy named Abner, and try to figure out what needs to be done to put him to rest. The town, and especially Mrs. Greene, doesn't wish to discuss the troubled racial past of the area, but Sarah knows that it is important to understand the past in order to make peace with it.
Strengths: There are not enough books about children being allowed to be at home while their parents work during the summer, and Sarah's set up is well described. The cousins' relationship is absolutely realistic, and I enjoyed the fact that they both really tried to get along, even though they had different interests. The history, and the tie-in with the family, is interesting and timely. I even liked Mrs. Greene, despite her faults. She meant well. The cover is fantastic.
Weaknesses: This would have had more emotional impact without the "haints"; it makes the murder of Abner somehow less real. While my students like mysteries, ghost mysteries are probably their least favorite.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing for fans of Johson's The Parker Inheritance and Vaught's Things Too Huge to Fix by Saying Sorry.

Hurford, Molly. Shred Girls: Lindsay's Joyride
Published May 7th 2019 by Rodale Kids
Copy provided by the publisher

From Goodreads (as I am a bit behind and this was out this week!):

"It's time to ride and save the day!

Lindsay can't wait to spend her summer break reading comics and watching superhero movies--until she finds out she'll be moving in with her weird older cousin Phoebe instead. And Phoebe has big plans for Lindsay: a BMX class at her bike park with cool-girl Jen and perfectionist Ali.

Lindsay's summer of learning awesome BMX tricks with new friends and a new bike turns out to be more epic than any comic book--and it's all leading up to a jumping competition.

But some of the biker boys don't think girls should be allowed to compete in BMX. Now it's up to Lindsay, Jen, and Ali to win the competition and prove that anyone can be great at BMX. "

Kids Know Best Blog Tour!

I'm a little late on this (see previous end of year blather), but I am SO excited to be part of the Alex Rider and Theodore Boone campaign. Look at all of these fun things! Spend some time visiting these sites!

SCHEDULE

PART ONE: Theodore Boone: The Accomplice

WEEK ONE

May 6 – InRandom – Review

May 7 – Homeschool on the Range – Novel Study

May 8 – Min Reads and Review – Spotlight

May 9 – Picture Books to YA – Listicle: Non-fiction books + TV Shows for kids who are interested in law

WEEK TWO

May 13 – Reading Corner for All – Crossword/Word Search + Review  

May 14 – Two Points of Interest – Review

May 15 – Homeschool by the Beach – Creative Instagram Picture

May 16 – Little Homeschool on the Prairie – Review

PART TWO: Alex Rider: The Secret Weapon

WEEK THREE

May 20 – Createexploreread – Creative Instagram Picture

May 21 – Alohamora Open a Book – Review + Playlist

May 22 – Somethewiser – Review + Video Clip

May 23 – Lost in Storyland – Listicle: Teenage Spy Survival Guide

WEEK FOUR

May 27 – @gobletoffiction – Creative Instagram Picture + Review

May 28 – Randomly Reading – Review

May 29 – Amanda Seghetti – Creative Instagram Picture  

May 30 – Ms. Yingling Reads – Memorable Moments in Alex Rider History

Other Words For Home and some more blather

Warga, Jasmine. Other Words for Home
May 7th 2019 by Balzer + Bray
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Jude and her family live in a tourist town along the coast in Syria. Her father runs a small snack shop, and Jude loves hanging out with her friend Fatima. As the political situation in the country becomes intense, Jude's brother, Issa, starts to get involved in the resistance movement, imperiling himself and his family. Eventually, things get bad enough that Jude and her newly pregnant mother are sent to Cincinnati to stay with the mother's brother, who is a doctor. Jude misses her father and brother (who has gone missing), and isn't entirely convinced it's as dangerous to be in Syria as everyone thinks. Her Aunt Michelle and Uncle Mazin seem very nice, and her cousin Sarah is okay, although clearly a bit irritated that she has to deal with Jude. Jude starts middle school, and struggles with her class work a bit, but finds comfort in being in an ELL class, where the other students are also struggling with issues of homesickness and fitting in. In her other class, Jude does make friends with Miles, a boy who finds it hard to make friends because of his interest in science and astronomy. She also meets Layla, a girl whose parents run a Middle Eastern restaurant on Ludlow Avenue. As she becomes more comfortable in school, Jude decides to try out for the school production of Beauty and the Beast, even though everyone, including Layla, who has done sets for the plays, tells her that girls "like her" don't perform. When several racially motivated verbal attacks are aimed at Jude and her mother, Jude starts to wonder if this might be right. However, she has enough bravery to prove everyone wrong, and gets support from  her friends and family once they realize that she will not be stopped. WHile Jude would like to go back to Syria, she begins to realize that Cincinnati can also be "home".
Strengths: There was just enough information about Jude's life in Syria with her friend Fatima, about the struggles going on in that country, and about settling in to a new school. The plot about Jude being in the play was just enough to hang the other issues on and keep the story moving along. There was some discussion of Jude's decision to wear the hijab, and a few incidents with others not understanding why women wear it. Layla, who was born in the US but faces the same prejudices as Jude, was a good counterpoint to Jude, and is able to explain to Jude how things, sadly, are in this country in regard to immigrants. I would not mind a sequel where the rest of Jude's family comes to settle in Cincinnati.
Weaknesses: The verse format always leaves me wanting more details, and I felt like I only knew about half of what Jude was feeling about being in the US.
What I really think: I'm pretty sure that there actually was an Ali Baba restaurant on Ludlow in the early 1990s-- it replaced the Busy Bee Cafe, which I adored when I was a college student but could only afford to eat at about twice! I enjoyed this book tremendously, and thought it was a great depiction of a student struggling in a new country. As both a mirror and a window book, this is fantastic. Even though my students tend to shy away from books in verse, they adore books about children from different places in the world.

Blather:
Here's a flashback-- I used to read books in the evening, then post about them the next morning. I hardly ever do that now, since I can schedule posts. I just did one for Stuart Gibbs' Charlie Thorne, and that comes out September 17th! Last night, I read several books that just weren't what I wanted. Now, I don't include them on the blog. Used to do "Not What I Wanted Wednesday"!

Have any readers noticed that I try to post certain kinds of books on regular days of the week? Monday is reserved for things I really love and nonfiction, Tuesday (thanks to Charlotte's Library!) is speculative fiction, Wednesday is #WeNeedDiverseBooks, Thursday is mystery, Friday is Guy Friday (and there's a history there that is responsible for my entire blog, so if you have a problem with it, keep it to yourself!), Saturday is Saturday Morning Cartoons, and Sunday is usually an assortment of things that skew toward female and young adult readers. It's not set in stone, but fairly reliable if you have a certain interest.

All the books are due tomorrow, so today might officially be my least favorite day of the year!

Blather- Slice of Life Tuesday

So, yeah, this is pretty much how my year has gone.

Not the putting my feet up, so much, but the boot part.

We started the year thinking that my school would be closed, and that we would move to a new building four miles away. Aside from the added walking time in the morning, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to take the collection with me. I shouldn't be as invested in the books as I am, but man, they really are my babies!

But I'm not one to complain. Life happens. It's hard, it's frequently unpleasant, but there is no advantage to complaining. So I cleaned out. If I wasn't willing to move something to the new building, why keep it? Carts, record players, screens, tripods, LCD projectors with bulbs that are no longer made-- all on the pile. The biggest question is WHY I still had these things. I find change difficult. Very difficult. Thanks to the awesome power I have over the universe (prepare for something and it will not happen!), my school is going to remain open even if the district opens another building eventually. I may have to save that opaque projector. It's from 1969, the year the building opened. I know this because I still have the manual!

Since we are staying, I decided to refresh some of the equipment! I'm always short of carts, and many of them look like people have used them as Go Carts. Through the mud. Thanks to Boxtops for Education, I have a bit set aside, so bought four of the lovely blue carts. Next year, I am getting two new book trucks in the same color, AND two new spinning book displays, since the duct tape/cardboard/zip tie fix I attempted on the 1969 model proved ineffective. Our lovely custodian even assembled the carts while I was in D.C. with the 8th grade. I work with fantastic people.

We are looking at the last three weeks of the year. Per my contract, I am allowed to be closed the last five days to do inventory, etc. When I started, librarians got five paid days at the beginning and end of the school year, so we didn't have to close. That's okay-- in order to get all the books back, they need to be due two weeks from the last day of school (5/23 this year). I spend most of the next two weeks hunting students down, making sure they have turned in their library books, and making sure they have something to read for Sustained Silent Reading as well as the summer.

I have two carts of books (cart purchased in 2003!) like this, filled with ARCs, donations from the Westerville Kiwanis, thanks to John O'Connor, plus books I've found at the thrift store or parents have cleaned out and brought in. I will be passing these out to readers, who get very excited about having their own books, even if it is library discards of Harry Potter where the pages are falling out! I also spend an inordinate amount of time helping students download Overdrive on their phones and helping them check out e books.

After that is inventory, which is important. I have about 20 books go missing every year; I just need to know what's gone so I can replace it if necessary. This makes me feel horrible. Why can't I keep better track of the books? Where do they GO? Are children stealing them? Are they doing that because they hate me? Argh. Not my favorite thing.

Honestly, I'd rather be in school than off for the summer. Not that I don't need some time to get caught up-- Goodreads has informed me that I'm 24 books behind in my reading, I am having my house sided and things need to be painted, I want to do some knitting and quilting, my mother is not doing well at all, and the delightful Sylvie, my thirteen year old Yorkie Poo, desperately needs some cuddle time.

So, that's my year. Not the best year, but certainly not the worst. As the school year winds down, I hope that all of my Faithful Readers are in a good place and remembering that if they can't control the wind, they can at least adjust the sails!

The Doughnut King (The Doughnut Fix #2)

Janowitz, Jessie. The Doughnut King (The Doughnut Fix #2)
May 7th 2019 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
ARC provided by the publisher

After successfully launching a doughnut shop in the small town of Petersville, New York in The Doughnut Fix, Tris and his friend Josh are still struggling with some problems. They can't get enough doughnuts made to keep up with demand, and disappointed customers are starting to leave negative comments on their website. Tris' mother's restaurant and the rest of the town, however, has the opposite problem-- not enough customers, and businesses closing in the town. The solution to both problems might come from the television cooking show, Can You Cut It. If Tris could get on the show, the prize money could be used to buy a doughnut robot, and there would be good publicity for the town. While Tris loves to cook, he is less than thrilled about being on the show, especially when one of the hosts, Cheff JJ, turns out to be someone who worked with his mother in the city and wasn't very fond of her. Despite competitions involving dicing onions, putting together a dish with only one ingredient, and navigating the reality show drama some participants are intent on bringing, Tris perseveres, knowing that Petersville is counting on him. Back in town, residents are painting, coming up with new businesses, and investigating publicity opportunities. Will all of it be enough to keep things going?
Strengths: I love the discussions of Tris and Josh's business model, and the fact that they are really trying to run a successful business. Tris even reaches out to a possible investor who has revitalized another small town, which shows a lot of initiative. Books about children who DO things are always my favorite, and the altruism of wanting to save Petersville when Tris originally was not happy about moving there is nice to see. The town itself sounds like a fun place to be, with interesting and unusual characters, Tris' friends and family are all invested in his success, and everything that happens seems possible, if slightly far fetched. This is a happy, positive book about working hard in order to succeed, even when things don't always go your way!
Weaknesses: There's less focus on the family now, which I sort of miss. Tris' sisters and parents were all fairly amusing, but there wasn't enough time to include their issues when The Doughnut Stop and Petersville had so much going on. I guess my one quibble would be this: if Tris' mother's restaurant isn't doing well, why doesn't she put more of her effort into The Doughnut Shop? From the point of the story, we want Tris to be the one to save the day, but from the point of the family's continued existence in Petersville, wouldn't that make more sense?
What I really think: Definitely glad to have this series to hand to readers and suspect there is one more book that could be written about Tris and Petersville.

MMGM- Stu Truly and The Sounds of Silence

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

Richards, Dan. Stu Truly: First Kiss
May 7th 2019 by Yellow Jacket
ARC graciously provided by the publisher

Stu and his friend Ben have an awesome summer all planned out when Stu's grandmother falls and breaks her hip. She runs a women's clothing store in town, and her assistant will need help. Stu is the only one available, and the 10-2 shift leaves him with plenty of time to do other things, right? He loves hanging out with Becca, but after they hold hands in a movie, Ben starts making comments that it's a sure thing they will kiss pretty soon. Kiss? Stu is not sure he likes the idea of that, especially when he sees Jackson hanging around Becca. A lot. Stu feels that Jackson is a lot smoother than he is, and is just about ready to give up on Becca... except that he really likes her. Fortunately, the shop is buys enough that it takes his mind off of his own problems. Elsa is great at running the shop, but a little disorganized about running the yearly fashion show, so when Stu's father's friend Harley offers to help Elsa with it, she is glad of the assistance. Stu notices that even a grown man like Harley can blush in the presence of a female he likes, and this gives him a little bit of hope. In the meantime, Stu learns how to talk to older women... and help them pick out polyester dresses, purses, and (horror of horrors!) sundries. He does have a knack for it, and the older women love him. This is a good thing when Elsa's planning on the fashion show goes badly wrong, and he must rely on the help of the older models, as well as the infatuated Harley, in order to keep his grandmother's business going. He also finally works things out with Becca... and there is a kiss!

Stu could walk straight out of the pages of these books and into my library. The impulsivity, the lack of filters, and the misplaced enthusiasm are all characteristics I see every singe day! His feelings about Becca are also spot on-- he likes her, but does he LIKE like her? It's new, it's scary... and it's exciting. These are feelings that middle schoolers live with, but they are rarely portrayed with such accuracy! Ben's jibing bravado at having already kissed a girl, is a good foil for Stu's insecurities.

It's great when tweens have jobs, and Stu is a great family member for stepping in to help his step-grandmother. It's fun that Ben's father, who runs the local hardware store, also presses him into service when his grades turn out to be less than stellar. Even though Stu isn't crazy about the idea, his work ethic is strong, and he starts to really care about doing his best job.

We don't hear a lot from Becca in this book, mainly because of Stu's misunderstanding about her and Jackson, but when she does finally talk to Stu, their conversation is brilliantly thoughtful and filled with the sorts of angst that parents hope their children can address in a constructive fashion.

There are readers who recoil from the "first kiss" in the title, but there are an equal if not greater number who will pick it up because of that. Will boys read a book about a boy working in a women's clothing store and planning a fashion show? Yes, if it's filled with lines like "Maybe it was the root beer talking, but I had the sudden urge to throw that no-good, bicep-flexing poser off the steps"! There are not enough humorous, realistic fiction series like Bingo Brown, Phineas L. Macguire, or Charlie Bumpers, so hand this to fans of humorous stories like Vance's The Heartbreak Messenger or Luper's Jeremy Bender vs. the Cupcake Cadets. 

Uhlberg, Myron. The Sounds of Silence: Growing Up Hearing with Deaf Parents. 
May 1st 2019 by Albert Whitman Company
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus


Born during the Great Depression, Myron had a typical Brooklyn life... except for the fact that both of his parents were Deaf. From the relatives banging pots and pans to make sure he could hear to having to translate the outside world, for his parents everywhere from the butcher's shop to parent-teacher conferences, Myron's job was always to help support his parents. When his younger brother was born, he was the first line when the boy woke up, and when the brother started having severe seizures, it was Myron who woke up with his and who got critical information from the doctors. His father working at a newspaper in the printing division, which employed Deaf men because they could work unperturbed by the loud racket. This memoir recounts not only Myron's interactions with his parents, but also a fascinating amount of information about the Great Depression, World War II, and family life in Brooklyn in the 1940s, but always thought the lens of Myron's tangential relationship to the Deaf experience.
Strengths: Myron's (and it's hard to think of him as Mr. Uhlberg, since he is young in the book!)interactions with his parents are filled with both love and frustration. While a lot was asked of him, and he could have been overwhelmed, he is from a generation where you did what you had to do and you didn't complain. Young readers need stories like this, since they see so little of this philosophy at work in modern day life! There are lots of funny moments in this, like when Myron is not exactly signing the correct things to his parents and teachers during a conference, but also filled with many moments where the descriptions of the difficulties and injustices faced by the family were brilliantly sad. The depictions of daily life make this perfect for a Decades project that our 7th grade students do, and the book had the same feeling of authenticity that Meltzer's Tough Times had.
Weaknesses: This is a young readers' edition of  Hands of My Father: A Hearing Boy, His Deaf Parents, and the Language of Love (2009), and I wish there had been pictures included, at least on the cover, although the cover is quite nice. 
What I really think: This is a fantastic book on so many levels. Certainly the depiction of Deaf culture at this point in history is fascinating and not covered in anything I have read, but it is the details of daily life that made this so enjoyable for me. I've read a lot of books set in New York City during this time, and this was a perfect distillation of everything I thought I knew about it. It also reminded me a bit of the wonderful movie Avalon. Definitely purchasing and recommending heavily to students.

Broken Memory

Combres, Elisabeth and Tanaka, Shelley. Broken Memory: A Story of Rwanda
October 1st 2009 by Groundwood Books
Public library copy

Emma's mother was killed by Hutus in 1994, during a time of great violence in Rwanda. Emma managed to escape, and found her way to the home of an elderly Tutsi woman, who took her in even though it was risky to do so. The two help each other scratch out a meager existence. Emma would like to go to school, but there is no money, and for the first few years she is with Mukecuru (grandmother), her existence must be kept secret. When the political climate quiets a bit, Emma is able to go into the market, where she often sees Ndoli, who has experienced his own trauma. The two help each other out, but Emma continues to have bad dreams about what happened to her. When a group of Tutsis are brought into town for a trial, Emma must learn to come to terms with her past in order to go forward with her life.
Strengths:While this doesn't gloss over the horrors that occurred in 1994, it addresses them in a way that younger readers can understand. Emma's daily life and difficulties are well explained, and it is good to see that she has support from Mukecuru as well as a therapist. The notes at the end help explain the history of the story. This is a brief book, but very informative.
Weaknesses: This doesn't have the same level of detail concerning daily life in an African country that Buried Beneath the Baobab Tree had, but it's great to see some books set in different countries. My students often have no understanding of any life different from their own.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing. Our 8th grade has a unit of societies with different types of oppression, so this is perfect for that, plus it is just good to have something on different historical topics.

Just Jaime

Libenson, Terri. Just Jaime
May 7th 2019 by Balzer & Bray/Harperteen
ARC from Follett First Look

Jaime attend the same school as Positively Izzy and Invisible Emmie. She hangs out with her best friend, Maya, as well as Celia and Grace. On the last day of school, however, both Maya and Jaime are so worried about their relationship that they can't even enjoy field day. Jaime can tell that Maya is not happy with her, mainly because Celia is a nasty tween, and Grace goes along with her. Maya is being pressured by the other girls to tell Jaime that they won't hang out with her any more, and eventually sends her a series of texts telling her that she is far too babyish for them. Jaime is very upset, and bursts into tears at the end of Madame Z's class, and her teacher is very understanding, giving her a water bottle and telling her she can stop by the room again if she needs to. Jaime is fairly lucky that she has another friend (and possible crush) in Anthony, and some of his friends are more than happy to hang out with Jaime at school. There's a lot of drama, and the book covers it from both Jaime's and Maya's perspective. Maya isn't treated very well by Celia, and starts to wonder if the popularity is worth the mistreatment she suffers, and if she will eventually end up in Jaime's position. In the end, everyone, including Madame Z, is able to make some peace with their friendships.
Strengths: Jaime's story is told in notebook novel fashion, with a hand drawn style font and several illustrations on each page. Maya's is told in comic strips. There's tween angst all over the place. This will make it immediately appealing to my 6th and 7th graders.
Weaknesses: Isn't Jaime a boys' name pronounce HI-may? The girls I know all spell it Jamie. Students won't notice (They think Lois is a boy's name. Sigh.), but this bothered me.
What I really think: I'll definitely purchase, because the friend drama combined with copious pictures will make sure that this is never on the shelf, but even as a middle school student, I had no patience for drama. My best friend from 6th grade, Jenny, stopped talking to me over the summer and wouldn't even look at me in 7th grade, but I never even asked her what went on. (I was a super weird kid, so it's not really shocking that she didn't want to hang around me.) I just made new friends rather than have a confrontation.

Camp Average

Battle, Craig. Camp Average
April 15th 2019 by Owlkids
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Mack is perfectly happy to be attending Camp Avalon, where the group's continued lack of success in most sporting events has earned them the title "Camp Average". "We're number two!" is their battle cry, and campers are more interested in swimming, rocketry courses, and other pursuits than in striving to be better players. Enter a new director, Winston, who wants to change all this. Armed with short shorts and a whistle, Winston starts upping the training and taking away all other activities-- and the campers can't do anything, because their parents signed a waiver that this was okay! Mack's not happy, nor is Andre, even though he's a good ball player. There's a nice host of other campers; Wi-Fi, Pat, and Nelson, who is a YouTube star but lacks some social skills. Mack decides that if the counselors (including Cabin 10's own Laker) are taking away things the boys enjoy, the boys will purposefully do poorly at the games. Unfortunately, Winston knows that there is some talent in the camp, and the more the boys lose, the fewer privileges the boys have. Eventually, Winston makes a deal-- if Mack's team can win a game, he'll take another job, but if they lose, he will remain. Bowing to the pressure, the boys do their best, but even if they win, what will next year look like at camp?
Strengths: Mr. Battle's time spent as a camp conselour shows very clearly here; the details of camp are exquisite, and I love that he threw in the waiver about the way camp was run. Brilliant! The boys of Cabin 10 are all realistically drawn, and there are some nice twists on stereotypical campers. There is swimming, running through poison ivy, a dance with a girls' camp, and lots of other details that will remind former campers of their own experience and make noncampers yearn to strike out for the woods. There was a LOT of baseball (there's a game that goes on for several chapters, as well as some stats rosters), which made this tough going for me, but which my readers will adore.
Weaknesses: Noticeable lack of lanyard making. Is it legal to go to camp and not make lanyards? Also, I am not entirely sure that this wasn't lifted in its entirety from some obscure 1980s movie about baseball at a summer camp! It has a familiar ring to it.
What I really think: This is really more of a book about baseball than camp, but it covers both well. It's funny, lighthearted, but even manages to throw in a few life lessons. Definitely purchasing.

The Lovely and the Lost

Barnes, Jennifer Lynn. The Lovely and the Lost
May 7th 2019 by Freeform
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Kira has a tenuous existence with Cady and Jude, her foster mother and brother. The family trains service dogs, as does Kira's friend, Free, and Kira finds it easier to deal with the dogs than with other people. Kira was lost in the woods when she was very young, and Cady is the one who found her and took her in. When Cady's father, Bales, shows up asking for help with a lost girl, Cady reluctantly takes her family to join the search. Being in the woods, looking for the lost girl causes Kira some anxiety. She has flashbacks to her own experience and confronts some hard issues that have never before surfaced. She meets Gabriel, whose stepfather is the sheriff, but who is in the care of another searcher because the sheriff is abusive. Gabriel's brother was a woods survivalist, but has been missing for several years. The lost girl's trail keeps getting picked up, even though she falls into rivers and ends up in cave's. When Kira and her team find some clues in a hard-to-reach location, they become a bit suspect, and when Kira finally locates the girl, there are even further problems. Bales has his own reasons for wanting Cady to join the search, Kira finds out more information about her past before she was lost in the woods, and the saga of the missing girl is fraught with twists, turns, and drama from the past.
Strengths: This had a lot of good surprises, and I don't want to ruin them. I thought that Kira's story was dealt with realistically, and the search for the missing girl has lots of good details about using the dogs, following the trail, and tracking through the woods. The characters are all multifaceted and interesting, with enough bad choices to be intriguing. Barnes does a good job of writing books that have a high school level of character development and plot complexity with a middle school level of action and appropriateness. Very well done.
Weaknesses: A sad dog moment is included, but it's nicely done. I am not a fan of the cover or the title, though-- they really give us no clues as to what the book is about.
What I really think: I love Barnes' work, so will definitely purchase, but this will take a lot of hand selling because of the cover.