MMGM- Stay Alive

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Philbrick, Rodman. Stay Alive: The Journal of Douglas Allen Deeds, The Donner Party Expedition, 1846 

December 7th 2021 by Scholastic Inc.

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In Missouri, young teenager Douglas Deeds has lost his father and mother, and all he has left in the world in some money and his horse. He decides to join a group of people heading to California, where life promises to be easier. The Breen family, who have a son Edward about Douglas' age, let Douglas accompany the family and share their supplies. The leader of the party, George Donner, has asked Douglas to keep a journal of the trip. The group heads out with lots of enthusiasm and well equipped wagons; the Reeds have one with a door, bed, and even bookshelves. Someone else has brought a piano. Since the rations needed for the months long trip include 150 pounds of flour per person and 75 pounds of meat, there are many animals pulling the wagons, and they need food as well. Things go fairly well, and the group crosses the South Platte river. As the journey continues, tempers begin to fray, bad decisions are made, and crises occur. The Great Salt Lake is long and arduous to cross, but it is the mountains that prove the group's undoing. Winter closes in early in the mountains, and after the group abandons their wagons and supplies to get through a pass, things deteriotate further. Will Douglas be one of the survivors lucky enough to reach California? 

One of the books I can remember reading in fourth grade (almost fifty years ago!) was Mary Jane Carr's 1934 Children of the Covered Wagon. Certainly, the view of Westward Expansion and pioneers has changed significantly in the intervening years, but the adventure and excitement is still part of US history and interesting to read about. There are several mentions of the Native Americans that are met during the journey. While there are some missed opportunities to insert modern sentiment about how wrong it was to encroach upon them, the exchanges are at least not problematically negative, and at least once there is an explanation that the warring behavior is a response to the atrocities visited upon the population by the settlers. To capture the experience of the Donner party, this is about the only reasonable way to go to tell the story, although some critics will still feel this is not enough. 

Details of traveling distances through a landscape with no modern amenities will be eye opening to young readers who can't get through the day without a drink of water or a wall outlet to charge their phone. Cooking over open fire, walking twenty miles a day, and suffering through extremes of weather will all be novel experiences for most readers. I did appreciate that the book just skimmed the surface of the most notable Donner party feature; the cannibalism. Deeds refuses to partake of his expedition mates, and the epilogue and notes at the end tell us more about what happened without getting into grisly details. 

I just had a student ask for books about "the wild west", and I had to tell him there wasn't much. Aside from a few bookslike Gemeinhart's Some Kind of Courage (2015) Rose's Jasper and the Riddle of Riley's Mine (2017) and Taylor's Billy the Kid (2005), I've gotten rid of most of the books about settling the west because of the problematic depictions of Native characters. Stay Alive is a much needed, exciting title covering an important, though difficult, period of US history. I'd love to see more books like this. 

Hopkinson, Deborah. The Deadliest Diseases Then and Now 

October 5th 2021 by Scholastic Focus

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This is the first book in "The Deadlist" series. In a nicely formatted and illustrated book (available in hardcover and paperback, which will probably show up at book fairs), we see the evolving history of epidemics, starting with extensive coverage of the Great Mortality in the 1300s, with an overview of a few earlier incidents. It was interesting to hear that this was what the epidemic was referred to at the time; we tend to call it the Black Plague. I learned more about this event than I thought it possible to know, and the book continues with further information about other diseases and the people involved in dealing with them, like Dr. Wu Lien-teh, a Chinese doctor at the beginning of the 20th century whose work influenced how we dealt with Covid-19. The 1918 flu also gets good coverage, and there's an overview of other diseases like smallpox, polio, tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. this is well-formatted for easy reading, and conversational in tone. Scholastic Focus has come out with some interesting nonfiction titles lately which I very much enjoyed.

Candidly Cline

Ormsbee, Kathryn. Candidly Cline

November 9th 2021 by HarperCollins

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Cline lives near Lexington, Kentucky with her mother and grandmother, since her father died when she was very young. The family is struggling a bit. Cline's mother is a waitress who works long hours at a close knit diner, and her grandmother is struggling with Alzheimer's. Cline's passion is music, and she really wants to be a singer songwriter even though her mother tells her that there is no money in it, and that's why the mother gave up her idea of a music career. When Delia, another waitress, mentions a workshop for young singer songwriters being held at the University of Kentucky, Cline knows that this will make all of the difference in her life, and she needs to pursue attending even when it means lying to her mother. Her grandmother supports her and even gives her $100 towards the $300 needed to attend, and that's enough for Delia to agree to drive Cline to class when she also has a class at UK. Conveniently, the workshop meets on a day that Cline's mother works late. Cline also gets a job babysitting at the nursery where her best friend, Hollie, goes to church, and earns $15 a week. She manages to apply, get accepted, and show up to the workshop without the full payment, but the organizers agree to take payment by the end of the classes. Learning more about music is perfect, and Cline also enjoys working with Sylvie, who is a bit prickly at first because she was suffering from a migraine, but quickly warms to Cline and to the idea of a collaborative song. Meanwhile, her grandmother steadily declines, and Cline struggles with telling the world that she's not interested in boys the way all of her friends are. An incident with Hollie estranges the two and causes Cline to worry that it's not safe to tell others about her emerging sexuality, even as she realizes that she has a crush on Sylvie.Will she be able to continue her musical ruse long enough to compete in a talent show with her new collaborator and crush?

Strengths: Cline is definitely an intriguing character, who has strong opinions about what she wants out of life. I did enjoy the fact that she knows throughout the book that she's not interested in boys, but this isn't quite a coming out story, either. Her community is filled with supportive and helpful characters, like the abetting Delia, and Mrs. Yune, who runs the church nursery but doesn't agree with all of the church's views. The class is interesting, and the collaborative relationship with the rock-centric Sylvie is a nice foil for Cline's classic country music background. The mother is realistically busy and struggling to adjust and pay for the grandmother's medication; there's even a mention of splitting pills in order to be able to afford them, as well as negotiating with a local pharmacy. The progression of the relationship with Sylvie is realistic and nicely paced. 
Weaknesses: I was not a fan of lying about taking the class, and this is emerging as a trend, with similar themes of deception in taking classes in Kim's Stand Up, Yumi Chung and Joseph's Sydney A. Frankel's Summer Mix-Up. This is especially concerning because Cline was supposed to be watching her grandmother. Also, as someone who pursued her passion of teaching Latin even though it was a superbly bad idea, I agreed wholeheartedly with the mother that Cline should be more concerned with remunerative career choices.
What I really think: My students will read anything with an LGBTQIA+ theme, but never pick up books about girls who want to be singers (sadly, the somewhat similar Tune It Out circulates infrequently). Debating.

Double Clique

Staniszewski, Anna. Double Clique (#2)

December 7th 2021 by Scholastic Paperbacks

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus 

After her disastrous start at her new school in Clique Here, LB (a compromise between Lily and Blake, the two names she had used) is doing a bit better, and looking forward to getting back to school after winter break. SHe's still hanging out with her long time best friend, Kat, and they continue to attend art events for Kat and science related ones for LB. Parker, another science nerd on whom LB has a crush is still in the picture. Her mother is struggling to keep up with her new job, but her dad and older sister Maisie step up to get things done at home. Kat banned LB from hanging out with the science club, but Owen and Priya ask for LB's help with an ernergy initiative they need to turn in to the principal. Ashleigh is still around, but when she has a family friend attend the school, L.B. is dismayed-- it's Courtenay, the mean girl who made her life so miserable at her old school. Courtenay's father stole money from the school, so she had to leave, and now her parents are getting divorced. She seems a little nicer, but LB is not trusting her, especially since she seems to have her eyes on Parker! LB feels that she and Kat are drifting apart, so is willing to go to a roller derby class with her, and even joins the school play (The Wizard of Oz) as a set designer. This works well, especially since she and Parker get to work on special effects together. Will LB be able to deal with Courtenay, sustain her friendship with Kat, and deal with all of the other curves that life throws her?

Strengths: WISH novels (especially the ones by Suzanne Nelson) are hugely popular in my library, and my readers enjoy the mix of family and friend drama with a little light romance that is employed here. LB is a sympathetic character even though she often acts without thinking about the consequences. I liked seeing the glimpses of her home life-- dad being willing to take Maisie shopping for a strapless bra, Maisie trying her hand at making dinner, the mother coming home late but still wanting to touch base with LB. Priya and Owen are a realistically annoying couple, but it was good to see them relinquish power in the science club so that others could speak up. The relationship with Parker is nicely done as well. I would have definitely spent some babysitting money to order this one from the Scholastic Book Club!
Weaknesses: There are several references to LB's "unruly hair", which is not supported on the cover. Also feel like I missed the reason for the roller skates. Also, the name Courtenay was somehow painful to read, and LB changes her name again at the end of the book. I would have thought she would have learned her lesson! 

What I really think: Definitely purchasing, just endlessly sad that Scholastic publishes so many great titles only in paperback. I guess I should be grateful to get so many titles in hard back; this is not the case with many UK titles. 

Wings of Fire Stuff!

This from Scholastic/Graphix for all of the Wings of Fire Fans out there:

On Friday 11/19, we are kicking off our FanWing Readalong with discussions on Home Base and sharing fan content from GraphixBooks on Instagram and our Scholastic social platforms.

 

Guy Friday- Batpig

Harrell, Rob. Batpig: When Pigs Fly (Batpig #1)

November 9th 2021 by Dial Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Gary is an ordinary pig, who hangs out with his friends Carl (who is a fish) and Brooklyn (who is a bat). They hang out in their city neighborhood, eat sandwiches, play video games, and read Crimson Swine comics. When he is accidentally bitten (I thought by Brooklyn, but the sysnopsis says by a radioactive bat, and I don't remember Brooklyn being radioactive.), he develops super powers. He and Brooklyn work on honing these together, and don't tell Carl because he doesn't keep secrets well. This leads to sadness and anger on Carl's part that the other two acknowledge but don't quite know how to handle. Still, they work on costumes, catch phrases, and ring tones suitable for a super hero, and Batpig starts to save the day on small occasions. Carl's Lizard has a junk food combo dripped on him that turns him into the villain on the cover, and as Batpig makes the news, it's harder and harder to hide things from Carl. When they finally let their friend in on the secret, he does a decent job of keeping it. Batpig also battle The Butcher, whose real identity is clear to the reader but not to Batpig, and narrowly manages to save his friends and the city from destruction. 

Strengths: This is based on a character from Ross' comics in Wink, and hits the middle school sweet spot for goofy while cleverly working in issues of personal identity. The city setting is interesting, and Gary's parents are both alive! I also enjoyed how characters from Gary's regular life are the ones who become the villains he must fight. The illustration style is fresh, and I enjoyed the muted orange and purple-toned color palette, which was a nice change for a super hero story and gives it an air of gravitas. (I would have expected bright primary colors.) A great follow up to Wink. 
Weaknessses: Not sure if this is good or bad; It took me about half the book to realize that Brooklyn was female, because the convention of longer eyelashes on cartoon girls was not observed. The character's gender doesn't matter, but I'm old and was briefly confused. Also, still have questions about why his little cousin Mervyn wears a shirt and pants, but Gary only wears pants.
What I really think: I have limited space for graphic novels, so only buy a small percentage of the ones that are published, but will purchase this for the good balance of super heroes with friendship issues as well as the larger font and fun illustrations. Plus, you know, BATPIG. 

Only if You Dare

Coleman, Allen. Only if You Dare

August 31st 2021 by Holiday House 

Public library copy

The only short story collections that circulate well in my library (other than the Guys Read collections, which take a lot of hand selling) are the scary stories ones. Schwartz's Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark (which I don't think are very good), San Souci's Short and Shivery or Dare to Be Scared, and Scholastic's Midnight Library books all do very well. Let's not forget Lubar's Lawn Weenies books, which look like they will be goofy but are rather chilling.

Like Lubar's work, these stories generally tick along with a somewhat creepy vibe, and then take a surprise twist, like the weird The Substitute. It's hard to say too much about the stories without ruining them. My favorite was Hi, Jenny, about a cell phone that made a few too many demands on its young owner. 

I'm definitely putting this one, as well as Out to get you : 13 Tales of Weirdness and Woe on my order list, since I cannot keep enough scary books around to make my students happy!

The Art of Running Away

Kleckner, Sabrina. The Art of Running Away

November 16th 2021 by Jolly Fish Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
 

Maisie's family run Glenna's, an art studio that specializes in portraits which Maisie hopes to take over when she grows up. Her father does most of the art, while her organized, no nonsense mother takes care of the business aspects. Her older brother, Calum, ran away from home six years previously, and no one ever talks about him. Maisie's best friend, Alicia, is working with her on a poetry and art book, but seems to be pulling away now that she is dating Rowan and spending a lot of time with them. (Rowan is nonbinary.) When her parents suddenly tell her that she is spending the summer in Scotland with her aunt, Maisie is angry that her summer plans are ruined and that she doesn't have a say in the matter. Her Aunt Lisa is nice enough, and the ice cream shop she runs in Edinburgh is interesting, but just as she is set to settle in, Calum shows up in the middle of the night. He lives in London now, and has a hectic business career, but he wants to reconnect with Maisie. She wants to hear his story, especially when she finds out that Glenna's is losing their main funding, and the company for which her brother works is the one pulling out. She concocts a plan to run away and spend the summer in London with Calum, trying to save Glenna's. Her brother goes along with the plan, and soon she is ensconced in his small London flat with roommates, Benji and Rose. Because Calum is so busy at his work, he has Maisie tag along to Rose's college classes. When it turns out that Benji is dating Calum, and that the reason Calum left home had to do largely with their parents' treatment of his because he was gay, Maisie struggles with being an ally to her brother. Will she be able to save her family business, and the family itself?
Strengths: There's a lot of good LGBTQIA+ representation; in addition to Rowan and Calum, Alicia has two mothers. Maisie herself isn't sure where her attractions lie, and the discussion with Rose about how to be an effective ally is an important one. I'm a fan of any book that involves traveling to other countries, and Maisie does manage to enjoy her time away from home. The struggling art business, as well as Maisie's artistic aspirations, will appeal to many readers. 
Weaknesses: As an adult, I didn't like the fact that not only does Maisie run away, but she frequently ignores her parents' texts and acts in an unsafe manner. She never really has any consequences for this. 
What I really think: This looked like an upbeat story, but ended up being exceedingly fraught with many issues. It is available in prebind from Follett. 
 

The Ice House

Sherwood, Monica. The Ice House

November 16th 2021 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

For six months, there has been a worldwide freeze, covering even the warmest places with ice and snow. It's so bad where Louisa is that she and her younger brother Will have to do remote schooling. Their grandmother has died, and their mother is not dealing well with her death, especially with the ongoing isolation. She's given up her glass blowing studio, hasn't created any art at all, and is even selling all of her pieces. Luke, with whom she used to be better friends, lives in her apartment building. When his father is gravely injured when an ice laden tree falls on him, the two end up spending a lot more time together. His father recovers, but does not regain most of his memory. This is hard on Louisa and her family as well, since the fathers were high school friends and were in a band together, and Luke's father has lost his interest in music. Louisa is involved in a Maker group at her school, which has had to meet remotely, and her two best friends, who were in the group because of her, no longer seem to be interested. When there is a Maker challenge to solve a problem created by the Freeze, Louisa and Luke take up a building challenge and construct a house out of ice and snow in their backyard. When school resumes in person, Louisa has to deal with seeing her friends again, and is angry when they tease her about Luke being her boyfriend. He's her friend, and they've taken comfort from each other during a difficult time. Once the Freeze seems to be abating, will there really be any getting back to "normal"?

Strengths: What a very interesting novel about the pandemic that has nothing whatsoever to do with the pandemic! A world covered in ice is a chilling proposition (sorry!), and the descriptions of isolation, remote schooling, and realigned friendships is very accurate. The father's injury and long recuperation is a great reimagining of a fight with COVID. Will and Louisa have some skirmishes that I am sure will seem very familiar to young readers who spent way too much time at home with siblings! I enjoyed seeing Louisa and Luke working on the ice house. This is an interesting treatment of the complications of the COVID pandemic, reframing the circumstances of being isolated by creating the Freeze, but keeping the emotions. Pair this with Burt's prescient Cleo Porter and the Body Electric!
Weaknesses: There's some magical realism in the ice house, where Louisa and Luke see visions of the future on the ceiling. I wasn't quite sure what caused this or where the story was going with it; Louisa's mother doesn't see these visions.

What I really think: The blurb likens this to When You Reach Me, The Thing About Jellyfish, and Bridge to Terabithia, and I'm not understanding those links at all, other than the fact that all of those titles are a bit slower paced and introspective.  Purchasing this for historical purposes, and will be able to get children to read this as a dystopian novel, although it might take a tiny bit of handselling because it's hard to explain and the cover, while lovely, doesn't shed a lot of light on the story. 

MMGM- Out of My Heart

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at 

Teach Mentor Texts 

and 

Unleashing Readers

Draper, Sharon. Out of My Heart

November 9th 2021 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Melody (from Out of My Mind) is enjoying the summer away from school, hanging out with her young sister Penny with the neighbor Miss V., but when she finds out about a summer camp for children with physical challenges two hours from her home, she begs to go. Even though it's a last minute application and she is on the wait list, she gets accepted. Once in, she has to deal with her mother obsessively packing and writing notes, and is a bit apprehensive herself about being away from home. Once she gets to the camp, she finds out that she will have a conselour, Trinity, who helps her with all of her personal care needs, which are extensive because of her very involved cerebral palsey. There are lots of camp activities like going on a pontoon boat, swimming, zip lining, and horse riding, new friends with whom to bond, and even a few adventures. Even though there are a lot of new experiences, Melody enjoys her chance to be at camp, and wants to go back the next year. 

Strengths: The many readers who followed Melody's story with interest will be glad to see her back and experiencing the same joys and fears of summer camp that they might. Even though the activities are the same, there is careful attention paid to how these have to be modified, and this will hopefully give young readers some empathy and reinforce the fact that people with challenges are first and foremost people. Melody even has a very slight, nascent romance, and makes lots of new friends.  I am glad that the same cover style was preserved, since remains clean, attractive, and modern looking.

Anyone else super confused by the Italian (?) cover below?

Weaknesses: Eleven years ago, no one blinked at having a character with CP written by a writer who did not live with that condition. Now, it does give me a little pause, but this book was clearly well researched and I'm sure Draper had sensitivity readers. She also spent a lot of time working with people with this and other conditions. 
What I really think: Out of My Mind is a perennial favorite, mainly because so many elementary teachers use it as a read aloud, and it's been on the Battle of the Books several times, so even though it is over ten years old, it circulates frequently. I imagine that many readers do want to know what happened to Melody and will be glad to read about her week at summer camp. There is always a danger in waiting too long for a sequel, though. (Think So Be It and Soof, Zachary Beaver Came to Town and The Ambassador of Nowhere, Texas, and The Two Princesses of Bamarre and The Lost Kingdom of Bamarre.)

Hulick, Kathryn and Wolski, Marcin (illus.) Welcome to the Future: Robot Friends, Fusion Energy, Pet Dinosaurs, and More! 

October 26th 2020 by Frances Lincoln Children's Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This well researched vision of what could happen in the future covers topics from robots to living on other planets to dinosaurs as pets. Clean energy, teleportation, food, and living forever are also discussed. I liked the way that past visions of the future are explored, current realities are explained, and realistic progress is detailed. This makes it VERY different from the books about the future that I read in the 1970s (that were mainly from the 1960s and 1950s). Gone is the brilliant, innovative future that will just certainly HAPPEN, replaced by a well reasoned treatise on why we are never, ever going to teleport. 

The layout of this was fun, with a 1980s computer font for subject headings, and fun futuristic drawings. This is definitely one to purchase and keep forever, so that students in 2070 can dust it off and laugh and laugh. 

But it depressed me a bit. I liked the idea of a Jetsons' style future, even if no one really though it would come to pass. I don't want to know that robot hands don't work that well, and I already know that living on other planets is something that I never want to do. But can't I keep dreaming that one day I will have a jet pack, and it won't caues third degree burns on my legs?

We are able to send pictures to people living hours away on our phone, and even have video calls, so the future is now. I just wish, for younger people's sake, that the rest of the future weren't so bleak. 

Sydney A. Frankel's Summer Mix-Up

Joseph, Danielle. Sydney A. Frankel's Summer Mix-Up
November 1st 2021 by Kar-Ben Publishing (R)
E ARC provided by Netgalley

Sydney is not thrilled to find that she is expected to take a summer class at the South Miami Community Center before she starts 6th grade. She would rather stay at home and read, but her mother, who is expecting, wants to see her get more activity and get out of her shell. The promise of a cell phone for 6th grade is being held over her head as well. Sydney doesn't like to do presentations because they make her anxious, so her mother is thinking that perhaps a public speaking class would be good. When she finds out that her best friend Maggie's folks want her to take a reading class, the two hatch a plan to switch places. Maggie gets to take dance, and Sydney gets to take a reading class, albeit a remedial one. Of course, there are complications, especially when Sydney makes some friendships in her class but is supposed to be pretending to be Maggie. When the dance class is expected to perform at the end of the summer, will the girls be able to find a way to hide their deception?

Strengths: This included a lot of information about growing up in a Jewish family but did not involve a bar or bat mitzvah, which is a bit unusual and very welcome! Sydney does get some questions about her cultural background, and is able to clear up some misconceptions and stand up for herself, which I especially liked. Friend drama is always a topic my students request, and this has a tiny bit of middle school nascent romance as well. This is exactly the kind of book I enjoyed reading when I was in middle school, so I enjoyed it very much. 
Weaknesses: Are adults really this clueless at summer programs? Stand Up, Yumi Chung and Caleb and Kit also have plots where children lie about their participation and the adults don't catch on. I'm not all that wild about the cover although I love the Florida pastel colors. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for realistic fiction with some cultural connection, and reminded me a bit of Saint Ivy.  

The Holiday Switch

Marcelo, Tif. The Holiday Switch

October 5th 2021 by Underlined

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Lila Castro enjoys working at the Bookworm Inn in her small town of Holly, New York. It was part of the setting of a beloved holiday movie, Holiday on the Lake, which was filmed in the town, and which sees tons of tourists every year. Lila prefers stocking her Little Free Library at the back of the gift shop, and keeps a secret blog of holiday romance books. When her boss's nephew, Teddy, arrives to help out with the gift shop at the inn, Lila is fairly annoyed with him. He's a bit pompous, doesn't work very hard, and is a constant thorn in her side. Lila is a fan of the movie (since it's a genre she prefers) and Teddy has never read the book or even see the movie. Since the Filipino-American star, Remy Castillo, will soon be visiting the town, Lila and her best friend set out to complete a bucket list of all of the activities from the film, even though some of them cost a bit more than Lila can afford on her gift shop salary. She's hoping to get into the college of her choice, and her parents want her to become a doctor. She's not too sure. As her path crosses Teddy's more and more, and they accidentally switch phones and read some telling texts to the other person, Lila becomes more irritated with Teddy, but also comes to find him rather attractive and not that hard to spend time with. Will Lila's Christmas plans be able to include a real life romance along with the hot cocoa and candy canes? 

Strengths: This definitely reads much like what I expect the Hallmark channel Christmas movies are like ( I watched Mistletoe & Menorahs (2019) and wasn't impressed, although if there were some of these filmed in the 1980s, I would totally watch them ALL for the fashions alone), BUT has some culturally diverse characters front and center, which is good to see. Lila's close knit family was a lot of fun, and her desire to make them happy by studying medicine in college even though she really wanted to be a writer was true to life. Holly is an interesting town, and it's fun to see all of the different businesses that are dependent on the movie. The romance is fine, and the phone switch adds a bit of a twist. A lot of my readers ask for Christmas stories, and they are especially in demand by some of my Somali students. I think that Christmas in the US is a fairly secular holiday. 

Weaknesses: A teenager with a blog? Was this set in 2010? Given the number of book review blogs that I've seen go belly up in the last fifteen years, this seemed highly improbable. I have also never been a fan of the romantic trope where they two characters don't get along at first. 
What I really think: While I was a huge fan of this sort of book when I was in middle school, I worry that I shouldn't hand these to young, impressionable girls. "Romance is BAD! Don't waste your time," the bitter, old me says, but then the readers just turn around and recommend all of the Angela Darling books to their friends. I'll purchase this one, because it will get checked out frequently, especially when I can't keep enough holiday books around!
 

I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916- Graphic Novel

Lauren Tarshis, Haus Studio, Georgia Ball (Adapted by)

I Survived the Shark Attacks of 1916 (I Survived Graphic Novels #2) 

Published June 2nd 2020 by Graphix

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Chet's parents travel all over for work opportunities in 1916, so he is staying with his Uncle Jerry for the summer, helping out in his diner. It's beena lonely life, with few friends, so Chet is happy when some of the boys in the small New Jersey town of Elm Hills ask him to go swimming. There have been shark attacks neraby, and the boys play a prank on him. Chet isn't happy, but Uncle Jerry tells him this means the boys have accepted him, and that he needs to play a prank in return. He does, but this angers the boys because Chet goes a bit over the top with his shark attack prank. When he goes back to the swimming hole to make amends, he notices a shark in the water and tries to warn the boys. They, of course, don't believe him, and Chet tries mightily to save them. He is gravely injured, but the result of the episode is that the boys are now his friends and his parents are coming to visit... and Uncle Jerry thinks he can get Chet's father to stay and work at the diner with him. 

I Survived books have only gotten more popular over the ten years that they have been published. They have a great combination of history, adventure, and suspense, carried along on an easy to understand plot. The graphic novels go one step further, picturing in detail the historic era and place for readers who have always looked up everything online and don't have a well developed imagination. The graphic novels take about as long to read as the novels, but the full color illustrations definitely appeal to young readers. 

The story of Chet's moving and feeling lonely will also find fans, although in 1916, this would have been a more common occurence, and I'm not sure that Chet would have thought about it quite so much. 

The illustrations have a wonderful yellow and green summer palette, which contrasts nicely with the gray and red of the ominous shark's maw that terrorizes the community. The clothing is accurate for the time period, down to the fact that the boys wear undershorts swimming, although the town must be fairly well off if the boys are wearing shoes down to the swimming hole! 

The historical notes, common in the novel versions, also get a graphic treatment, and the information presented about the real shark attacks adds a lot to the book. As graphic novel selections increase, we are seeing difference genres represented. Aside from graphic memoirs such as Tatulli's Short and Skinny and Copeland's Cub, I can't think of any historical graphic novels other than Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales. 

Cold-Blooded Myrtle

Bunce, Elizabeth C. Cold-Blooded Myrtle (Myrtle Hardcastle Mystery #3)

October 5th 2021 by Algonquin Young Readers

ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

Myrtle's small English village is like many who seem to suffer from far too many murders, especially for the late 1890s! The latest unfortunate demise is that of local shop keeper and former professor Mr. Leighton, who is found deceased right before the unveiling of his shop window's Christmas display. While it seems that the poor man might well have had a stroke, Myrtle makes sure that the local constabulary doesn't entirely discount murder, and she's right. The tableau in the window has some alarming references, and there is something suspicious about the death. It seems to be involved in the long ago disappearance of a student named Olive Blackwell, who was a friend of Myrtle's mother, who died of cancer when Myrtle was younger. Along with her tutor, Miss Judson, Myrtle starts to investigate the incident at the university in which her mother and several others were involved. A secret society initiation went wrong, and Olive was assumed to have fallen from a bell tower, but her body was never found. Myrtle talks to Leah, the new carillonist who is planning a concert for the first time since the event, people at the museum who have a display of an artifact that Professor Leighton had donated to them, and even some newspaper reporters who seem overly interested in the story. English villages have many secrets, and this is the first time that Myrtle has a personal connection to one. Will she be able to figure out Olive's whereabouts, and learn more about her own mother's past?

Like Stevens' Wells and Wong mysteries, Bunce deftly channels the energy of British detective stories from the early part of the 1900s, although while Stevens' seems more aligned with Agatha Christie's style, Bunce works in feminist issues more frequently found in Dorothy Sayers' Harriet Vane novels. Myrtle is ahead of her time, and aided by Miss Judson, as well as Dr. Munjal and several other sympathetic adults, is able to forge ahead in ways that many girls during her time period would not have. Her father, a lawyer, plays a somewhat larger role in this book, and it's good to see him more involved in his daughter's life. 

Young readers frequently want murder mysteries, and not only are several townspeople dispatched in this story, there is the historical mystery of Olive as well. This causes many people in the town to be suspects, and Myrtle doesn't spare anyone! Since British murder mysteries are popular with adults not only in novels, but also in television shows, this series is a great way to introduce younger readers to this genre. There are plenty of clues to file away and figure out, and the twists and turns end in a very satisfying way!

Readers who enjoyed mysteries like Souders' Coop Knows the Scoop, Gray's The Amelia Six, and the work of Stuart Gibbs will find Myrtle a great introduction to the Victorian era and a keen detective when it comes to figuring out murders!
 

Barakah Beats

Siddiqui, Maleeha. Barakah Beats
October 19th 2021 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Nimra is excited but a little apprehensive about going to the public middle school earlier than expected. Her parents had her enrolled in Guided Light Acadamy, a private Islamic School, while she worked on the Hifz program, but now that she has memorized the Qur'an and had her celebration, they feel it's time for her to transition. Her best friend Jenna goes to Farmwell, so she won't be alone. Jenna isn't as supportive as Nimra thought she would be, and visibly balks when she finds that Nimra will be wearing her hijab every day. Nimra's parents are a bit more conservative than her grandparents, and her mother quit her job to stay home to take care of the family, and is now working with Nimra's father on their generic drug business, which takes up a lot of time. Nimra is conscientious about prayers and wearing her hijab in part because that is what her parents want, but she believes strongly in her religion and is proud that she worked hard to become a Hifz. Still, just like her parents and her grandparents, there are some intergenerational problems that she has. Her parents want her to take Spanish because it will be more useful, and don't want her to study art in school, although drawing is her absolute favorite thing to do. When Nimra is praying in the band room at lunch, she is approached by three 8th grade boys who have a Muslim band; Matthew, Bilal, and Waleed. They approach Nimra to sing with them, which sounds like a good idea to impress Jenna, who is ignoring her at school. The problem is that Nimra's parents think that Muslims shouldn't sing or dance in public. Bilal's sister, Khadijah, befriends Nimra and is a great comfort, since she also sets aside time to pray and wears a hijab. Nimra agrees to practice with the band, who are planning on performing at a benefit concert to raise money for refugees. Nimra knows her parents won't want her to perform, even though it is for a good cause, so she hides this from them. It's a delicate path to walk, especially since she has the group over to her house, and her parents know some of the boys' parents. When things go badly wrong with her friendship with Jenna, and at the same time, she feels that she needs to quit the band, how will she be able to stay in public school when all of her friends are mad at her. 

Strengths: Usually, when books show students entering middle school, especially a new one, they have trouble making friends. This has a delightful amount of wish fulfillment-- not only does Nimra transition to the new school well, she is friends with super popular kids a year older! For readers who are interested in music, there's a lot about performance and being in a band. The cover alone will entice readers who want a generally upbeat story with some more serious issues to balance things out. 
Weaknesses: I wish I had felt more of a connection between Jenna and Nimra. Jenna never came across as being a good friend. It's great that there are terms for prayers and different parts of Islamic culture, and I completely understand why there aren't notes at the end explaining them. For my students who aren't familiar with Muslim culture, I do have Ali-Karamali's Growing Up Muslim (2012) that would help, but it would have been a good way to educate people unfamiliar with the culture to include the terms in a glossary. If I had written a book about my 7th grade experience going through confirmation class at the United Methodist Church, I would have included notes about things like what MYF* means. 
What I really think: The blurb says this is like The First Rule of Punk meets Save Me a Seat, but I'd replace the latter title with Zia's The Garden of My Imaan, since it is more about religious issues than about fitting into a new country. This is a great title for readers who are interested in music, art, or friend drama.

*Methodist Youth Fellowship. If you don't know, you can look it up online, but sometimes it is a step people don't want to take. 

Vacancy

Alexander, K.R. Vacancy

November 2nd 2021 by Scholastic Inc. 

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Jasmine has moved from Florida to Gold River after the death of her mother, which is a mountainous and chillier community which is home to ski resorts. There is a very large, abandoned hotel, The Carlisle, that was the site of a horrible disaster-- one night, thirty three years ago, all of the guests but one perished. The attending physician said that they all died of fright. The hotel has been closed since, but every year, teens in town have a dare, and try to stay over night in the hotel. Jasmine is especially interested because the hotel has spoken to her in her dreams. Her friend Rohan is very interested in going, because he thinks it will stop Bradley and the school bullies from picking on them. Mira has also seen the hotel in her dreams and felt it calling to her, but she is more frightened and doesn't want to go. In the end, all three decide to go and to stick together. Once there, the 8th graders are invited to a seance by an older student, and things start to go badly wrong. The Grand Dame, who has appeared in the girls' dreams, is hunting them specifically. In the past, she was a prominent member of the community, but had dealings in the spirit world that didn't end well. Now, she feels that Jasmine will help her complete her task of conquering death. Will the Grand Dame succeed, and at what cost to our protagonists?

Strengths: While I saw one of the twists coming, there was another one that I absolutely did not, so I didn't want to spoil this for anyone. It's a great creepy tale with flying silverware, killer statues, pools filling up with tarlike substance and pulling children in. There's also a bit of traditional school drama, with Bradley being a stereotypical bully who flings food at others in the cafeteria, setting the stage for the dare. The best part, however, is the creepy ending, which was chilling. Alexander's snappy, fast-paced style is a big hit with my students, and this cover is ultra creeptastic.
Weaknesses: When the Grand Dame speaks, her words are in not only cursive, but a fairly decorative form of it. Students have not been taught cursive in my district for about six years, so I will probably be asked to "translate" on more than one occasion! Not that it matters to my students, but I found the characters in this to be a little flat. 
What I really think: Definitely purchasing. Probably three copies, since these titles are hugely popular. I do wish that Scholastic would publish them in hardcover!

MMGM- The Swag is in the Socks and Weird But True: New York City

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Unleashing Readers

Baptiste, Kelly. The Swag is in the Socks

November 2nd 2021 by Crown Books for Young Readers

E ARC provided by Netgalley

Xavier is starting the new school year with a couple of things that might seem problematic; his parents are both incarcerated, he stutters, and has braces. He's not quite sure who he is or what he wants to accomplish, although he does really want to be a part of the elite Scepter League at his school. He lives with his great aunt Kat, who is very strict but makes sure he is comfortable but also well behaved. Her means are somewhat limited (the family shops at the thrift store), but she advocates for him to recieve speech therapy at school. Kat's brother, Frankie Bell, is a musician who travels a lot and occasionally lives with the family. When he sends Xavier a pair of funky socks and a letter giving him advice, Xavier doesn't want to stand out by wearing the socks, but knows that his great uncle's advice has helped other people out and tentatively embraces his new, snazzy sock persona. When he is not picked for the Scepter League, he meets with the organizer to ask why he wasn't picked, and is told that he wasn't as much of a leader as the group wants. Armed with new self confidence because of Frankie Bell's socks and advice, Xavier uses his placement in an all-girls sewing class to set up a fundraiser, asks a girl to a school dance, and works toward improving himself so that the Scepter League might reconsider his application. When a family tragedy occurs, Xavier realizes how much his uncle meant not only to him but to his family, and redoubles his efforts to continue his self improvement while also doing good in his community. 

Strengths: The best part of this book is that while Xavier has some challenges, he also has a well-rounded life. I have often wondered about the effect of books that showcase issues like foster care, incarcerated parents, or physical differences in a way that makes these things seem like the only issue in a child's life. I've had students with incarcerated parents, and I think it would help them more to see a character like Xavier who is dealing with this reality and talking to his mother, but who also has a stable life, a supportive network of family and friends, and interests at school. This is true also of the treatment of his stutter. He is in therapy at school, he often has to use coping skills to speak, but goes on with his life. Sundee Frazier's new Mighty Inside is the only other book that I can recall that addresses speech challenges.
Weaknesses: Are there really elite groups like the Scepter League in public schools? This is just something outside of my realm of experience, like the paramilitary group in Johnson's Twins or the mandatory cotillion in Delle Donne's Belle of the Ball. 
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and looking forward to handing this one to students who want an upbeat story about a kid who takes control of his own destiny and pursues activities despite less than pleasant circumstances in his life. 

National Geographic Kids. Weird But True: New York City  September 14th 2021 by National Geographic Kids

Copy provided by Media Masters Publicity

This collection of bright, glossy photographs and snippets of information on a variety of topics will appeal to readers of books like National Geographic's Brain Candy and the Guinness Book of World Records. There's not much in the way of organization, but none is really needed; this is just a fun book to dip into. 

I learned several things, the most important being that the New York Public Library has a digitized collection of historical menus! This is a fabulous thing that could be useful to people doing research for historical novels, and is just plain fun. Yes, there was a Spaghetti Warehouse in 1978 in Columbus, Ohio, just like I remembered! 

There were a couple of instances where I would have liked a bit more information; one page mentions that a man walked between two buildings, when adding the name of Philippe Petit and even a date and location wouldn't have been all that hard. While I desperately want to know which musician created the sound of chimes in street grates (Max Neuhaus), young readers might not care as much. Still, couldn't we be told which two brothers created frozen custard? (Archie and Elton Kohr invented the treat in 1919.) Why leave this information out?

I'm a big fan of books for long car rides, providing readers don't get as carsick as I do, and this is a great gift for young readers who love fun facts, cool photography, and books they can share with family members. I'm not really a fan of New York City, but many people are, and this is a great look at a fascinating city. National Geographic has a wide range of Weird But True books to fit every interest. 

Jukebox and Nina Soni: Halloween Queen

Chanani, Nidhi. Jukebox

June 22nd 2021 by First Second

Public library copy

When Shahi's father Gio doesn't come home for several nights, her busy mother is surprisingly unconcerned. Shahi is worried, because the last interaction she had with her father was a fight about how she felt he cared more about music than he did about her or her mother. Along with her cousin, Naz, the girls go to the record store where the father spends a lot of time with his friend Earl, trying to locate rare records. What they find (after they sneak into the store) is a jukebox that plays albums. When they put in a record, they are transported back in time to a performance of that song! They decide that Gio must have gotten stuck back in time, and travel to different eras to try to rescue them. The traveling does cause them some pain, and Naz, who had some ear problems, starts to lose her hearing. Will Shahi be able to find her father, make amends, and ask him about how the jukebox came to be?

Strengths: The real draw for thsi one is the music from different eras and its connection to social upheaval at the time. There is a playlist at the end, which is great. Naz is particularly concerned about finding Gio, because she has recently told him she is bisexual, and is counting on his support when she tells her parents. Shahi's attempts to connect to the music when she doesn't care quite as much about it, but does care about her father, is touching. Earl's involvement in the building of the jukebox adds another level of intrigue. As in Pashmina, there are a lot of cultural connections that are interesting. 
Weaknesses: There are a few moments that worried me more than they will worry students, such as Shahi's father being missing and no one contacting the police, the girls breaking into the store, and the girls continuing to time travel even though it is taking a toll on their health. Those are more adult concerns, and young readers will just enjoy the adventure. 
What I really think: This is a fun choice because of the time travel and all of the information about classic rock music, so I'm buying a copy. My students don't care what graphic novels are about and will read just about anything; at least with this one, they will get a well developed story and some history. 

Sheth, Kashmira. Nina Soni: Halloween Queen (Nina Soni #4)
September 1st 2021 by Peachtree Publishing Company

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Nina is usually prepared for holidays, thanks to her list keeping in her journal, but this year Halloween has come right on the heels of Diwali, and thrown her off. Her sister Kavita has asked Jay's mother, Meera Masi, to make her a costume, but Nina has no ideas at all. She knows that her mother is not good at making costumes, especially on short notice, and she doesn't have the money to buy one, even if the stores had any left. To makes matters worse, her friend Jay has a great costume, and she fears that he will forsake her to go trick or treating with his new friend who is a boy. She claims to be going as a "Halloween queen", but only has a tiara that a friend is loaning her. In typical Nina fashion, she makes lists, but gets distracted by the thought of having a haunted room for trick or treaters to visit. She hopes that this will intrique Jay and convince him to spend time with her. She gets involved in massive preparations for this, with cleaning out a box room in the basement, making decorations, finding snacks, and inviting many people, including her vary kind neighbors the Crumps. Still, she keeps putting off making a costume. Will she be able to pull off all of her Halloween plans and find something to wear at the last minute? 

Nina's family is delightful, and many readers will understand her frustration with having to include her younger sister all of the time, even if she genuinely likes her sister. Her struggles with getting older and having a different sort of relationship with Jay, who has been her friend since they were infants, will also be relatable. I love that her parents are involved but definitely have their limits as to what they are willing to help with!

The pell mell pace at which Nina gets ideas, and her desperate attempts at organizing what she needs to do are a good lesson for readers, not only as a cautionary tale (a lot of her plans are very ambitious!) but as a constructive lesson in how to approach problems. While I found it hard to believe that there would be enough children in the neighborhood who would be allowed to go in the Soni's basement to make this a profitable venture, the situation is realistically drawn, and Nina works through all of the challenges of such a daunting project. 

Halloween figures so largely in the calendar of elementary school readers that it is always good to see a book that incorporates it. There are several delightful series that include this, such as 

Brown's Lola Levine and the Halloween Scream, Warner's Absolutely Alfie and the Princess Wars, Harley's Charlie Bumpers vs. The Squeaking Skull and even Sells' graphic novel Roar of the Beast, so it's good to see this addition to the Nina Soni series. 

Saturday Morning Cartoons-- Besties: Work it Out

Miller, Kayla, Canino, Jeffrey and Luu, Kristina Besties: Work it Out
October 19th 2021 by Etch/Clarion Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Beth and Chanda want to earn some money-- Beth wants to treat her  mother to something nice for her birthday, and Chanda really wants a cat. When their lemonade stand doesn't earn very much, they are looking for other employment opportunities. Beth's sister isn't able to watch a neighbor's house because she is too busy with sports and school work, so suggests the two younger girls. Ms. Langford agrees to hire the two two walk her dog, water her plants, and generally make sure that everything is fine when she is away. Beth and Chanda make themselves a little TOO much at home, and try on their employer's vintage clothing and post pictures of themselves posing in the house on social media. This gets them a lot of "likes" from school mates, who are curious as to where they are posing. The girls brag a little too much about the house, and soon their classmates want to see it. Thinking that just one girl is coming, the two plan a tea party, but when several show up, things go badly wrong and a lamp is broken. The girls want to replace it,  but it's a $200 lamp! They have to take other jobs in order to earn the money, and come up a little short on shipping and on rectifying a tiny bit of a mistake.  The two have a falling out over several small issues and approach Ms. Langford's return while in a bit of a tiff. Will they be able to make things right with their employer, repair their friendship, and be able to fulfill the dreams for which they hoped to m ake money? 
Strengths: Books about tweens who have jobs and responsibilities are always interesting, and the idea of housesitting is an intriguing one. Hanging out with a cute dog is a bonus. Both Beth and Chanda's families are very supportive, and I love the pictures of the families hanging around at the dinner table. It's also good that the girls are trying to earn their own money and not rely on parental handouts. Beth's sister is very helpful and understanding, adn Chanda's feelings of competition with her older sister are realistic. The pictures are brightly colored and appealing. 
Weaknesses: While the girls know it is bad to break the lamp, and do try to make things right, they don't seem to be all that concerned about trying on the clothes or posting pictures of Ms. Langford's house, and they don't seem to have consequences for their actions, aside from the money, which they manage to earn back. 
What I really think: I will probably purchase, because Miller's Click series is very popular, but personally, I did not care for this one at all, because of how the two treated Ms. Langford's house! If I hired tweens to walk Pongo, and they tried on my vintage wardrobe and broke a lamp, I would not be nearly as understanding as Ms. Langford! My students will not feel the same way, because they are not old people who are too attached to their possessions. 
 

Guy Graphics

Greene, Jarad. A-Okay

November 2nd 2021 by HarperAlley

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

In this semi-autobiographical novel, the main character, Jay, is starting 8th grade and dealing with increasingly bad acne. Since this is a new development, and earlier in middle school classmates taunted him for his "porcelain skin", it is crushing. He seeks help from his sister, who struggled a bit with skin issues, but this only results in missteps, like using a medication with concealer in it that also has fellow students taunting him. He has a couple of good friends, but their relationships get rocky, especially with Brace, his best friend. Brace starts to distance himself from Jay, and his bandmates increasingly ostracize Jay. There are a few instances of potential crushes, including a boy who like Jay, but Jay realizes he doesn't have romantic feelings towards anyone and may be asexual. After going through a couple rounds of ineffectual acne medication, he changes doctors and begins an aggressive course of Accutane, which has some unpleasant side effects. Will Jay be able to either clear up his acne, or make peace with his problems?

Strengths: This felt very true to life in the way it addressed several common middle school issues. Jay's adventures in forming his own style and identity, changing his clothing styles as well as his hair, are similar to what I see every day with my students. This issue of acne, which is widespread at this age, sees very little coverage in the literature, aside from Greenwald's The Real Us (2017), Howse's Zitface (2011), and Burns' excellent but definitely Young Adult Smooth (2020). The friendship drama is always of interest to my readers, and Jay's love of art will speak to many as well. 
Weaknesses: This seemed set a few years in the past, but I couldn't quite pin down an exact year. I'm also just a little unsure of how interested middle school readers are in ace-identifying characters, just because many students this age don't feel any attraction to anyone, not having reached that developmental stage. Gino's Rick (2020) also addresses this identification. 
What I really think: Compared to memoirs such as Mercado's Chunky or Tattulli's Short and Skinny, this is a little slow moving and has a more serious tone. I prefer graphic novels to have more of a sense of humor to them, because I think it's valuable for tween readers to see this coping mechanism in action. I think this is probably an outdated view, and one with which younger teachers and librarians might violently disagree. This is well suited for middle school audiences and a good choice where Raina Telgemeier's graphic novel memoirs are popular.

Edwards, Samantha. A Tale as Tall as Jacob: Misadventures with My Brother

November 9th 2021 by Andrews McMeel Publishing

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

When her brother is born, Samantha is a bit wary but thinks he is cute. From an early age, he earns a variety of nicknames for his behavior. When he pushes Samantha's chair across the kitchen when he is barely crawling, they call him "Hercules" and soon variations of "tornado" are in play. He pulls televisions down on himself, has trouble in school, and causes her parents to pay a lot of attention to his behavior. While she loves her brother, it is difficult to deal with him. Eventually, he is diagnosed with ADHD, and put on medication that slows down his dervish like behavior. 

Strengths: This was a good look at how hard it is to have a sibling who is challenging and demands a lot of one's parents. Jacob's behavior is treated in a balanced way-- we see how hard it is for those around him, but there's a lot of understanding, too. I liked that the focus was on Samantha. 
Weaknesses: The illustrations reminded me of the questionable sort of picture books one found in the 1980s and appear frequently on Awful Library Books, but perhaps that was on purpose. 
What I really think: There seem to be fewer graphic novels with boys as main characters, so this is a good choice if you feel your collection is imbalanced, or if you want a perspective on dealing with ADHD. Reminds me a bit of Mericle's Bad Sister. 

Concealed

Diaz, Christina Diaz. Concealed

October 19th 2021 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Katrina is used to being on the run and operating under an assumed identity; Katrina is just the lastest in an alphabetical march through various names. Her father was a scientist who ran afoul of a drug cartel, so the family is in the witness protection program, and gets help only from a man going by X. They've been living in cities, because it's easier to disappear in a crowd, but their latest placement is an RV in the country. Katrina is homeschooled and the family shies away from technology, but the only other teen in the area is Parker. He's living with a relative after his mother died of a drug overdose, and is an excellent computer hacker. Katrina has no memory of her life before an accident a few years previously, when she almost died. When her father is arrested, she and Parker go on the run to a safe house in Georgia, and try to investigate her past along the way. She does find X, but his recounting of her past doesn't line up with her father's, so she is leery of his help. The mystery gets deeper and deeper as Katrina and Parker uncover the company behind her father's research, are reunited with her father and mother, and find out secrets about her own past and the families involvement with scientific experimentation. I don't want to give away too many details and spoil the twists and turns!

Strengths: This was a pulse pounding, pell mell adventure that I enjoyed quite a bit. It started a bit like Sorrell's Fake ID, but then took a fascinating scientific turn, reminiscent of Pearson's The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Both Katrina and Parker have struggled with every day life because of their circumstances, so they have a unique understanding of each other. There's something about being "on the run" that is endlessly appealing to my readers, and this journey involves a cow transport and a luxury yacht! The best part is the scientific twist that I don't want to spoil. 
Weaknesses: This got a bit confusing in the middle, when it was hard to differentiate the good guys from the bad guys. That might be because this is more of a Young Adult novel, and those aren't as clear cut as middle grade novels when it comes to villains. Not really a weakness, just an observation.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and will be great to hand to fans of Smith's Boy X, Elston's The Rules for Disappearing, and Watson's Loot.
 

Violets are Blue

Dee, Barbara. Violets are Blue

12 October 2021 by Aladdin

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Renata is going into seventh grade and loves to create special effects with make up, many of which she learns from YouTubers like Cat FX. This takes her mind off of her parents fighting, and her problems with friends at school. When her parents finally divorce and her father moves to New York with Vanessa, her mother, a nurse, decides to take a job in nearby Donwood. The two get a smaller place, and Renata, who decides to go by "Wren" gets a fresh start at school. Wren settles in fairly well at her new school and makes friends with Poppy, who is intrigued by her make up skills. When the school play ends up being Wicked, Poppy encourages Wren to work on the crew so that she can do Elphaba's make up. Unfortunately, that role goes to Avery, who is very cool towards Wren and makes fun of her and Kai, whom Avery claims has a crush on Wren. Wren visits her father fairly frequently, and finds out that Vanessa is pregnant with twins. Vanessa is nice to Wren, and interested in art, so sends a lot of cosmetics to Wren. Since her mother doesn't want to hear anything about her father's new life, Wren hides everything from her mother. Her mother is having a hard time with her back and knees, and frequently is out sick from work. Another nurse, Krystal, often stops by to check on Kelly, Wren's mom. 

Strengths: It is much more realistic to have tweens navigating the reality of splitting time between households than dealing with the death of a parent, and it's more interesting, too. While it's a bit of a relief not to hear her parents fighting, Wren misses her father, as well as family time. It's also good to see a book where a child moves and the house is NOT haunted! Many students start new schools because parents have to move for new places to live or new jobs, and Wren's experience in finding new friends is realistically rocky, but she does make friends. Her love of make up is interesting, and the way she learns new techniques and gets supplies makes sense. School plays always include lots of drama, and I liked her interactions with Kai a lot. The slow slide that her mother takes into addiction, as well as how Wren hides this from people who could help her, is especially well done. Dee's writing is always solid, and she covers an array of hard topics in age appropriate ways. I think my favorite thing about the book might be the fact that Wren is left on her own to take care of herself a lot. This is something that isn't shown a lot in books, but which is a reality for many of my students. 
Weaknesses: I wish that Wren had reached out to other adults in her around her; while this is absolutely true to life and compelling in the way she didn't reach out, it would have been a good message for young readers who might be in similar circumstances if they had seen a character in a book identify people to whom she could talk. Krystal was a great help eventually, but I wish that Wren had been shown reaching out to someone in her life. It's what we try to teach students at my school-- identify a "trusted adult" at school and let that person know, just so that if something happens, it might be easier to mention it. 
What I really think: It's always good to see books about tweens who have a passion for some activity, and I can't say I've ever seen one about special effects make up! Dee's work is popular in my library, and this has just the right blend of school and home drama. The opioid epidemic shows no sign of slowing down, and so a range of books about students dealing with this is needed. Definitely purchasing.