Mama's Chicken and Dumplings

Mann, Dionna. L. Mama's Chicken and Dumplings
August 6, 2024 by Margaret Ferguson Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Ten-year-old Allie Lewis lives with her mother in Charlottesville, Virginia in the 1930s. She's angry that her mother has to take care of the two of them all alone, since her father left the family and then was killed when she was young. She resents their landlord, who doesn't keep up the property, and is jealous of Gwen Turner, whose father not only provides for his family but seems to genuinely enjoy being with his daughters. Allie decides that her mother should get married, and sets about finding a suitable man in the uptown business district. She and her best friend Jewel have a plan; they will identify five candidates (by visiting their stores and showing the men her mother's picture while assessing if the men have kind smiles, the ability to fix things, and an absence of wedding rings), sell cookies to make money, buy the ingredients for chicken and dumplings, then deliver jars of the dinner to the men, who will of course be besotted and want to marry the mother. These plans go well for a while, and the men are identified. Allie particularly likes Mr. Johnson, who runs the local antique store, and it bodes well that he knew her mother in high school, even if he claims to be a "confirmed bachelor". She is NOT happy when her mother seems interested in her school band director, who happens to be Gwen's uncle. When Jewel's grandfather has a stroke, however, Allie is devastated that her friend has to move to Chicago to be near family. She writes to her friend, and tries to figure out a way to put her plan into action without having access to Jewel's kitchen. She is watched frequently by Miss Greta while her mother works at the McIntire's house, but manages to put up several jars of chicken and dumplings. She takes one to Mr. Johnson, but trips and falls with it. He helps her home, where of course her mother invites him to dinner. He offers to sell the premade dinners at his store, splitting the profit with Allie. School doesn't start on time because a local boy has come down with polio, so Allie tries to work on her plan, even delivering an extra spicy jar of dumplings to Mr. Coles, who is not dissuaded. When school starts, Allie gets in trouble for staring at Gwen; the two fight over Allie's doll, Mitzy, whom she has brought to school, and have to work together on a duet. Being in such close quarters helps the girls resolve their differences, and the two are suprised to find that the other envies them. Eventually, Allie's mother decides on a man to date, and Allie has a new appreciation for the people in her life. 

Strengths: This was a fascinating look at life in the Vinegar Hill neighborhood of Charlottesville, and talks about the Jefferson School as well. The author has a great note at the end about how there could easily be three books about this neighborhood and all of the history it contained before being razed in the 1960s for urban redevelopment. There's a nice sense of community, and modern readers will be jealous that Allie is able to walk around the business district and talk to strangers! There is some menion of the racism at the time, and period appropriate language is used, but this is more interested in Allie's quest to find her mother a husband. 

Weaknesses: Allie is a bit sassy; look at that face on the cover! She is fairly obedient, but I wonder how sassy children in the 1930s were allowed to be. Also, this was on the young side, with Allie carrying her doll to school. Young readers of today, who probably gave up dolls at the age of five, might not understand that dolls played a major role in childhood until much later than they do today. 
What I really think: This reminded me of Langton's The Majesty of Grace (1961). I would have adored this book as a child, and loved all of the details about daily life. We could use a lot more books about children in the Great Depression; there are not that many, especially with children of color. Curtis' The Mighty Miss Malone , Daley's If the Fire Comes: A Story of Segregation During the Great Depression, and Draper's Stella By Starlight are the only ones I can think of. 

A book about Greenwood, Oklahome BEFORE the massacre would be something I would love to see. 

The Treasure Chest

Hood, Ann. Clara Barton: Angel of the Battlefield (The Treasure Chest #1)
August 6, 2024 by Penguin Workshop

Copy provided by the publisher
 

Maisie and Felix Robbins' lives are upturned in an instant when their parents announce they are divorcing. Before they know it, they are whisked from New York City to Newport, Rhode Island while their father packs himself off to work at a museum in Qatar! Because an ancestor built Elm Medona, one of the Gilded Age "cottages", and the children's great aunt Maisie can no longer stay in the apartment she is renting for $1 a year from the historical society, the children move in with their mother. They joke that they are being held captive in the attic, but it's quite a nice place to live, and they do get taken on a tour of their opulent new surroundings. While Maisie is not particularly happy about the move, she is intrigued, and when a pricelss Ming vase shatters, she surreptitiously picks up a shard. Things get strange when the vase appears later, fully mended! Felix doesn't think much of it until the two get a chance to see the Treasure Chest, a room full of all sorts of wonderful gifts that had been given to the owners of the home. When the two pick up a piece of paper, reality flickers, and they wonder what secrets the room might hold. Of course, their mother takes the day off, and wants them to visit their great aunt, but they are impatient to get back. When they sneak into the room at night, they manage to time travel! They end up in the country, and assume that the girl they meet in her family's barn, Clara Barton, must be Amish, and think they have traveled to Pennsylvania. When Clara tells them that they are in Massachusetts, and that it's 1836, they are amazed. They spend an interesting day hearing about Clara's brother David, who was sick and had to be nursed for three years, overhear stories that Clara's father tells, and have a hearty country breakfast. It's tricky to get back, and they realize that they have a letter that needs to be delivered to Clara. Once that is done, they head back to modern day Newport to start their new school, and to spend more time listening to their great aunt! 

Strengths: If you have not been to Newport to see the mansions there, you should go if you get the chance. They are absolutely fascinating. There's so much history, and the thought of being able to live in an apartment in one of them... wow. I don't know why Maisie complains at all! The reasons for the family's move were solid, and I was glad that both Maisie and Felix saw some value in visiting their aunt and hearing her stories by the end of the book. The historical details about 1836 are good, and meeting a young Clara Barton and hearing about her formative years was interesting. I could use a good historical novel about Barton, now that I think about it. The new covers (this series first was published in 2011) are much better than the old ones. 
Weaknesses: Since Clara hasn't done her famous battlefield nursing work yet, this felt more like a Childhood of Famous Americans book than a time travel adventure where children have to rectify some anomaly in the past. Perhaps there will be more reason for the children to travel in the next book. I have to say that I liked Hood's She Loves You, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah a little better, but that was an especially good book. 
What I really think: Asselin and Malone's Art of the Swap also takes place in a Newport mansion and involves time travel, but this has more historic significance. It will be popular with readers of Gutman's Flashback Four, Messner's Ranger in Time, or O'Brien's White House Clubhouse. 

 

Hood, Ann. Alexander Hamilton: Little Lion (The Treasure Chest #2)

August 6, 2024 by Penguin Workshop
Copy provided by the publisher

Even though Maisie and Felix get to live in a fabulous Newport, Rhode Island mansion, what the really want is to return home to New York, specifically to a time when their parents were still together and their father wasn't living in Qatar. Since their first foray into the Treasure Chest took them to see a very young Clara Barton, the two somehow think that they can use the time travel to return to their previous life. After some failed attempts, the visit their great Aunt Maisie, who gives them some clues, as well as a Faberge egg that was made for her. Her brother Thorne had one as well, but something is missing from her egg, and she thinks perhaps Thorne stole it... before he moved to London in 1941. This gives Maisie the idea that she needs to have the shard from the Ming vase with her when she tries to time travel. The siblings look for items that have a New York provenance, but when a coin is knocked off the table and the two accidentally touch it, they find themselves whisked away to St. Croix. After trying to buy food with a coin from 1794, they find that they are in 1772, and meet a seventeen-year-old Alexander Hamilton. They figure he is the person they need to help, and follow him around. While Maisie has a crush on the future statesman, he views the two as "water rats" since they keep following him around. We do find out a lot about what Hamilton did at a young age, including his extensive writing, and find out that he has a job with a slave trader, Cruger, that angers Maisie but which he claims to really need even though he doesn't agree with it. When local businessmen, including Cruger, offer to pay for Hamilton to study in New York along with his friend Ned, he has to get on the last ship sailing there for a while. Maisie and Felix, feeling their job isn't done, beg to go along. The journey is a long one, and when the group lands in Boston, the place is crawling with Red Coats. Eventually, Maisie talks to Hamilton about what is going on in her life, and she sees from his example that she needs to move past the divorce and relocation. Once she has this epiphany, she and Felix are able to return to the present day, although they will remain in Rhode Island. 

Strengths: While I enjoyed the first book in this series, it felt a bit lacking in information about Clara Barton's early years. This did a nice job at painting a portrait of Hamilton's time before he came to the colonies. There are lots of good details, and some of the historical events are given a new look with modern eyes, like Cruger's involvement in the slave trade. Maisie and Felix's presence is better explained as being "hurricane children", so their odd clothes and foreign ways are understandable. There are ten books in all in The Treasure Chest series, including a title where they visit Pearl Buck, if you are looking to go to other places and times, and find out how the children get on in Newport! 
Weaknesses: I'm still a little confused about why the siblings are time traveling. They spent a lot of time on the process, but they aren't fixing any history. It seems like they are traveling to fix things in their own lives, which would be innovative. Also, since this originally came out in 2012, the time frames don't quite work; if Thorne is alive, he's over 100 years old. 
What I really think: I'm a huge fan of time travel series, and Gutman's Baseball Card Adventures is the best because it also involves sports. Gibbs' also has The Last Musketeer Trilogy. I was glad that this went to St. Croix in 1772, since there aren't as many books about Alexander Hamilton as you would have thought; Hamilton! has been out for a decade, and is still fairly popular. Keep this in mind if you want more information about Hamilton's early like and have enjoyed Fritz's Alexander Hamilton: The Outsider (2011) or Elliott's Hamilton and Peggy. 

MMGM- Wild Wave

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Philbrick, Rodman. Wild Wave (Wild Adventures #3)
August 6, 2024 by Scholastic Press
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Nick Chase, who struggles in school, is spending his Saturday at the Cape Courage, New Jersey shore on a Friends of the Wild Tour so that he can put together a podcast for school. The docent is a girl his age, Jess, who wants to be a big animal vet when she grows up. The tour has just covered some of the rescue animals, like bobcats, that are being rehabilitated when the animals become extremely agitated and all of the water empties out of the bay. Jess and Nick know this is a bad sign and run for higher ground as quickly as they can. They get a decent distance away, but when they see water coming for them, they manage to get hold of an uprooted tree, on which one of the bobcats is also riding! They travel further from shore across the ruined pines trees, but get sucked back towards the shore as the water recedes. It starts to rain, and they assess their supplies and injuries. Nick's mother was at the store, but his father was out on the Finn Chaser, his fishing boat. Jess' mom and stepfather were both at their house, which is on higher ground, and the kids hope that their parents are all alive. As they are trying to figure out where to go, they hear an air horn and find a small boat. On it is Mrs. Bumper, their science teacher who is nearing retirement, and her husband Bill, a popular soccer coach. Mrs. Bumper tells them that the ruined pine forest is a danger because of the threat of fire, but Bill has sprained his ankle, so they can't leave. Because Mrs. Bumper is diabetic, she wants to send Jess and Nick back to the town to get help. To get their GPS location, they have to get high enough to catch a signal, and it's a harrowing experience as both Bill and Nick, who is afraid of heights, try to climb trees. Once they have the location, the couple get the kids supplied with food and equipment and send them on their way. Nick slides into a sinkhole, but Jess saves him with rope. There's a timber snake that is a bit of a threat, but it's eaten by the bobcat that is following them, hoping that humans will lead it to food. They thwart an army of rats by distracting them with a peanut butter sandwich, and deal with aftershocks, rain, and blocked paths. When they finally make it near to the town, they find the abandoned Finn Chaser, and encounter looters who are trying to claim it and try to lock the kids in the cabin. Luckily, their bobcat companion attacks the looters, and Jess and Nick are able to get help from the National Guard. The town suffered devastating losses, with 300 people dying, but all of the parents are okay, with Nick's mother being gravely injured but being well on the road to recovery a year later.
Strengths: Like the other (unrelated) books in this series, Wildfire and Wild River, this is an excellent and exciting outdoor survival adventure. There is plenty of good information about survival techniques, and I now want to have a survival backpack firmly attached to me at all time. You just never know. Jess and Nick are different people, but work well together as they face daunting challenges. The Bumpers (who must be my age!) are great characters; upbeat, prepared, comforting, and resilient. They add a level of comfort to an otherwise bleak and scary book. There's plenty of action and suspense, as well as a happy ending. This is a perfect lenghth and will be very popular with my students.
Weaknesses: There is a nice note at the end of the book about tsunamis, but I would have liked to see more information about whether a tsunami has ever hit New Jersey. Young readers will think that this book is like Tarshis' I Survived series and based on real events, but I suspect it is not. 

What I really think: Outdoor survival books continue to be popular in my library; I even dusted off both copies of George's 1959 My Side of the Mountain and checked them out recently! Philbrick's The Big Dark has a dystopian feel to it, but I love this whole series of "Wild" adventures. This is a must purchase for elementary and middle school libraries where Johnson's Survival Diaries  or other outdoor survival books are popular.

 

Buckley, James Jr., Labrecque, Ellen, and Walthall, Steffi (illustrator)
Fearless Firsts: Athletes Who Changed the Game: 50+ Athletes Who Overcame the Odds
August 6, 2024 by Sourcebooks Explore
Copy provided by the publisher

While there are a lot of collective sports biographies, like Sourcebooks 100 Athletes Who Shaped Sports, and 100 Baseball Legends, Allen's Girls Race!, 

and Stabler's Kid Athletes, I haven't seen one that focused on athletes from a wide variety of backgrounds and sports that were firsts. This is a great idea, because it allows for a lot of inclusion, but also is a reminded of how recently some of these athletes were "first", because the playing field is still not even. 

There were some athletes with whom I was familiar, like tennis player Althea Gibson, athletic polymath Babe Didrickson Zaharias, and baseball player Toni Stone (who is the subject of the fantastic new picture book by Karen L. Swanson, Swinging into History: Toni Stone: Big-League Baseball's First Woman Player, this covered some that I hadn't heard of. I'd heard of Olympic swimmer Sammy Lee, for example, but not his friend Vicki Manolo Draves. Since I don't follow car racing, I didn't realize how groundbreaking Indy 500 driver Janet Guthrie or drag racer Shirley Muldowney were. I should have known about Marla Runyon, the first legally blind Olympic runner, and now might pick up her book No Finish Line. That's the reason I love to see books like this; my students and I might not be interested in every single person, but there's always one or two entries that encourage us to get more information. 

Each athlete is given a two page spread, with a brief biography and career overview on the right. It's helpful that the entry starts with the person's name, sport, and years. The entries are arranged alphabetically by last name, which is fine, but I always enjoy seeing these sorts of books about pioneers arranged chronologically. On the left, there is a great portrait with lots of details about the sport or person's background. There are also some articles that are not biographies, but add information about the state of sports in general, like a good discussion about Title IX. 

There is a colorful timeline in the back, with the athletes arranged in chronological order, as well as an alphabetical list of the sports included, with the pages where the athletes can be found. I loved the list of other books to read, which includes one of my favorites, Karen Blumenthal's Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX: The Law that Changed the Future of Girls. I highly recommend picking up the revised 2022 edition instead of the original 2005 one, even though I liked the original cover better!

Books about sports of any kind are always in demand in my library for pleasure reading, and this has the added appeal of featuring pioneers from a variety of backgrounds, making it useful for biographical presentations as well and a gold medal winner of a middle grade nonfiction title!

Crushing It and Mia Hamm

Becker, Erin. Crushing It

August 6, 2024 by Penguin Workshop

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Mel is an avid soccer player who lives with her supportive parents and her older sister, Emily, who has become distant since she is in high school and dedicated to writing poetry. Tory lives with her mother, who has recently married Eddison, as well as her new stepbrother, Terrance, who is 18. The two both play on the same soccer team in Crooked Creek, Iowa, and used to be best friends. They were in the "Fearsome Foursome" with Rima, who has remained friends with Mel, and Chloe, who still talks to Tory, but after Tory made unforgiveable remarks about Mel, the two don't speak. In the days leading up to the 8th grade City Championship, there's a lot of drama going on. Mel has taken to writing poetry, but doesn't want her sister to find out. She has been communicating with BTtoYou and exchanging poetry, as well as talking about life challenges that she can't share with anyone else. Rima is running for student body president, and after the school paper endorses the boy she is running against, she asks Mel to give a speech on her behalf. The only problem is that Mel is terrified of giving speeches. This comes up when she is paired with Tory on a science project. Tory is very meticulous in everything she does, and tries to control the chaos in her family life by being very organized and focused. She doesn't want Mel to blow their chance at an A. Tory likes her step brother, and wants to impress him, since he is more involved in her life than her own mother is most of the time. Tory has also been chatting with someone online, and since the book is written in a dual perspective, we know that the girls are texting each other. It turns out that Tory made a mean comment about Mel because she had a crush on her friend, and was afraid to let anyone find out. Mel also has a crush on Tory, and the two have to find a way to overcome their past history and explore this new relationship. 

Strengths: There are some good details about soccer, as well as the drama involved with team dynamics. Tory's relationship with her mother is interesting, and I like that we even get a glimpse of Mel and Emily's connection. Middle grade novels really should include a lot more descriptions of families, because they do affect tweens very strongly. There's a good balance between school, home, and soccer. Readers who want romance will enjoy the happy ending. 
Weaknesses: There may be some middle schools with student body presidential elections and newspapers, but my school hasn't had either since the early 1990s. The practice of letting students work unsupervised in the halls has also been stopped. This could be different at other schools. It's always hard for me to believe the coincidence of two people who know each other in real life connecting on line, but it is a frequent occurrence in middle grade novels. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Dee's Star-Crossed but would rather read about soccer than theater. 

Gray, Karlin and Hess, Micheline (Illustrator)

Mia and Friends: Mia Hamm and the Soccer Sisterhood that Changed History

August 27, 2024 by First Second 

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

This graphic novel gives a brief overview of Hamm's life and career, with a concentration on her involvement on various teams, and the other women with whom she played. Born in 1972, Hamm wore corrective shoes for a foot problem, but loved to hang out with her older brother, Garrett, who played soccer. Soon, it was clear that she was a big help when he picked her for his team. The family moved a lot because her father was in the Air Force, and this made it harder for Mia to make friends. When she was just 15, she was picked to join the Women's National Team along with Brani Chastain and others. She played in the Women's World Championship in 1991, and the first women's Olympic soccer tournament in 1996. Her older brother died of a rare bone marrow disease in 1997, and today she works with the Mia Hamm Foundation to help raise funds and awareness for bone marrow/cord blood transplants. The book also talks about the 1999 World Cup victory, what the various players have been doing since, and also the legacy of equal pay, which wasn't settled until February of 2022. There is also a brief discussion of how younger soccer players have been inspired by Hamm's career. 

While this doesn't have a lot of details about Hamm's personal life, the focus on her teammates and her career will make this a popular book with young soccer fans who would like to follow in her cleats. The artwork is brightly colored, and there's a good balance of pictures to text. My favorite part is that other teammates who were not as well known are at least mentioned, some in more detail than others. This is a great purchase for any elementary or middle school library. 

 

How It All Ends

Hunsinger, Emma. How It All Ends
August 6, 2024 by Greenwillow Books
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Tara Gimmel and her older sister Isla are best friends, so when Tara's middle school advises her and two classmates to skip 8th grade and go right to high school, she consults her about what the change will entail. Isla downplays the differences, but Tara is petrified and has all manner of nightmares about this new experience. She handles the new school better than Jessup, who clings to her for the first few days, but not as well as another girl, who already seems to have older friends with whom she can wear matching outfits! The classes are all low-level horrible, and Tara gets home at the end of the day ready to collapse on her bed and think about worst case scenarios instead of playing imaginative games with her young brother Pete, although she does manage to rouse herself to do this. The worst class is language arts, with an impassioned but misguided Mr. Tims, who seems to lack control of the largely male students who do things like stripping off their shirts in the middle of class. When a group project is assigned, Tara's anxiety level skyrockets until she is paired with Libby, who seems nice. Tara hangs out with Isla and her friends in the park occasionally, but talking to them about the odd, depressing music they prefer over her favorite pop star and the racy television program they all enjoy leave her feeling even more like a baby. She still worries about high school and remembers middle school fondly; the realistic scenes are rendered in greens and blues, and the day dreaming sequences in reds and yellow, making them easy to tell apart. Her daydreaming increasinly focuses on her friendship with Libby, and she is thrilled when she is invited to Libby's house. The two have their differences, but like each other and get along. As her obsession with her friend deepens, Isla, who has a boyfriend she is hiding from their parents, mentions that maybe Tara feels the same way about Libby that Isla feels about her boyfriend. Tara recoils from the idea, even though it is true, but starts to slowly accept this. Her friend Jessup seems to be adjusting to high school better than she is; Isla's male friends think he is cute and want to date him, and he is enjoying being in the band. As the school year progresses and she becomes closer to Libby, will Tara finally feel like she belongs in high school?
Strengths: Hunsinger seems to be a popular author among adult readers, and apparently creates cartoons for The New Yorker. She also seems fairly young, so her high school experience is still fresh in her mind. Tara's feelings about dreading new experiences seems in line with the current cultural zeitgeist, and there are a fair number of graphic novels about girls having crushes on other girls, like Ostow's The Girl From the Sea, Aldridge's The Pale Queen, Gros' Anne: An Adaptation of Anne of Green Gables (Sort Of), Weir and Haynes' Anne of West Philly: A Modern Graphic Retelling of Anne of Green Gables, and Stevenson's Lumberjanes, so there must be an audience.
Weaknesses: There must also be a market for graphic novels about emotional upheaval, but they are not my personal favorite. I did like that the issue of skipping a grade is addressed. Even though my children were placed in some classes ahead of their grade, I was never a huge fan of skipping children ahead, for all of the emotional reasons evidenced by Tara's experience. I let my children choose what they wanted to do and supported their choices, and I spent much of the book wishing that Tara's parents would have listened to her, and that the school would have taken her emotional immaturity into consideration.
What I really think: Young readers who liked Vivat's Frazzled or Libenson's Invisible Emmie will sympathize with Tara's anxiety and enjoy both her reality and her daydreams.

Professional Development- 100 Great New Books!

Every August and November I give a presentation to staff in my district. It's not quite the same without the pell mell commentary (100  books in 70 minutes! Wooo!), but at least you can see the books. 

I'll be giving this presentation while sitting down, with my foot elevated, which will be new and exciting! 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1TxYii44-kvCpjAq8wxoIxqPuZ3E5TdcNr676dT_ImfE/edit?usp=sharing

Guy Friday- Daydreamer

Cameron, Rob. Daydreamer

August 6, 2024 by Labyrinth Road

E ARC provided by Netgalley

 

Charles lives in the Beatrix building in New York City in 1986 with his mother, who is studying to be a nurse. Since his father is not around, he is frequently babysat by either Mrs. Hwang, an older Korean woman, or the building superintendent, Mr. Miles. Charles often thinks of the building as the Sanctuary, and pretends that the residents are "dream folk"who have moved there to get the protection of Mr. Miles in his dragon form, sometimes referred to as Glory. Charles has two imaginary best friends, Ruby, who is based on a real friend hw had who moved away, and Fig, who is a dwarf. These thoughts sometimes spill over into school, where he imagines that the twins who bully him are "ogres". School is difficult for Charles, who can't read and frequently gets in trouble. When a father and son move into the building, there's a lot more trouble to be had as evil magical characters start to infiltrate the building. Mr. Calixte and his son, Junior, are identified as being trolls by Mr. Miles, and he tells Charles to steer clear of them. Junior tells Chalres that he doesn't like his father, and would rather be called Will. The two become good friends. Charles starts to be attacked by a large variety of dream folk who cause all sorts of problems. Mr. Miles gives him a "magic pen", and Charles tries to control what is going on through his drawings, but he can't stop a Tokoloshe from possessing him, doppelgangers from running wild, or creatures from the Place Between from getting loose. He works with Mr. Miles and even Mrs. Hwang to fight against the creatures, but it's a constant battle, in the same way it's a battle for people in New York City at this period in history to battle rolling blackouts, the crack epidemic, and fires  in apartment buildings like the nearby Riley Towers. Children from Charles' school are going missing, and he and Mr. Miles believe that the Calixtes are behind it. Will they be able to fighting against these forces to make their apartment building safe?
Strengths: This combined a New York setting with a wide variety of culturally connected fantasy creatures and even quoted Carroll's The Jabberwock frequently. The writing was lyrical and descriptive. There's a great found family in the Beatrix, and the descriptions of the prewar apartment building as well as the residents. Charles and his mom have a great relationship, since it's "just you and me" (the mother's code for "I love you"). There is nonstop action for most of the book, and readers who want fantasy battles will be quite happy with the level of conflict, as well as Charles' ability to be triumphant. The author has quite an impressive list of speculative fiction writing credits and is a teacher. (http://www.rob-cameron.com/)
Weaknesses: Since this was set in 1986, I felt like there was some history behind a lot of the action that I didn't understand, and that maybe the fires were similar to the ones in Woodson's Remember Us. I also felt like the missing children might have a basis in reality, but I couldn't find information about specifics like Riley Towers online. I was in college at this time and had limited access to the news, so feel like I was missing a lot of history. Also, if the book description hadn't said that Charles was neurdivergent, I wouldn't have picked it up from the text. 
What I really think: This is a very long fantasy book that will be popular with fans of Eggers' The Eyes and the Impossible or other allegorical fantasy books like Malinenko's This Appearing House or Reynolds' Izzy at the End of the World. There are some similarities in place and time with Zoboi's My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich. It will probably win several awards, so I would definitely take a look at this one. 

I don't have the readers for this type of fantasy, so will probably pass on purchase. 

Happy International CAT Day

Evans, Frances and Heaton, Kelsey (illus.) Atlas of Cats

August 6, 2024 by Lonely Planet

Copy provided by the publisher

The team of Evans and Heaton that brought us Atlas of Dogs (2022) returns with a similar treatment of the world of felines! This is important, since there are a lot of very ardent cat fans out there, many of whom read Hunter's Warriors books and have insatiable curiosity about all things cat related. 

Since I am more of a dog person (although I have five grandcats!), I learned a lot from this book. It was particularly interesting that there is a full discussion about the major types of big cats (pantherinae) after a run down of domestic cats (felinae) from around the world. It also helps that there is a great picture of a cat with an explanation about critical parts, like the coat, paws, tail, tongue, and claws. Now I know why cats feel so boneless when you pick them up, and thanks to the pages on "super senses", am aware that cats have a second "nose" on the roof of their mouths!

Most of the book is dedicated to describing different types of cats, and I love that there are maps showing where the breeds originated. I was somehow surprised that most domestic types were developed in the last 150 years, and there were many, like the Selkirk Rex, that were bred in the 1980s! It somehow seems like it should take a LOT more time to develop cats with very distinctive characteristics! These maps, which cover the globe, have a lot of stray facts, like the mention that the earliest known remains of a domestic cat date back 9500 years and were discovered on Cyprus in the early 2000s!

In between the pages of breeds are all sorts of extra information. From the development of kittens to how to "speak" cat, there are a lot of practical topics that add more excitement to the pages. I'm still a little leery about cat shows, but enthralled by the pages of "cat culture" which includes dark magic, ship's cats, and even the worship of cats in different cultures!

Complete with thumbnails of record-breaking cats as well as a glossary and a lengthy index, Atlas of Cats is an excellent resource for all things feline related. The bright illustrations accompanying the information will draw in reluctant readers, and this would be a great book to take on a long car ride... as long as your young fan doesn't get car sick and you can stand to have the entire book read to you! It would also make a great gift, combined with a graphic novel like Burgos' Bodega Cats, Bradshaw and Elsom's A First Guide to Cats: Understanding Your Whiskered Friend, or maybe even a kitten! Just make sure, as Atlas of Cats suggests, that it's from a rescue or a reputable breeder! 

Nightmare in the Backyard

Strand, Jeff. Nightmare in the Backyard

August 6, 2024 by Sourcebooks Young Readers

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Avery is super excited to have a sleepover at Chloe's house; the two are inseperable and looking forward to sleeping in a tent, eating lots of s'mores, and talking through the night. It helps distract Chloe, who has been struggling since the disappearance of her father. The girls aren't happy when Chloe's mom announces that her Aunt Sandy and cousin Madison will be coming over; Madison only cares about boys and clothes and can be rather annoying. The group is telling ghost stories when next door neighbor Elijah scares them; Avery and Chloe are just irritated, but Madison thinks he's cute. These problems pale in comparison when the girls settle down to sleep for the night and realizes that the lumps that have been moving under their sleeping bags are probably snakes... and all their phones are mysteriously dead! When Chloe and Avery's moms pop their head out, but don't seem to hear the girls, they decide to make a run for it, and giant, murderous tentacles burst from the lawn and attack the girls. Beating the tentacles with Madison's cot and the tent spikes seems to make the creature scream, and the girls make a panicked retreat to the tent. This doesn't last long, because soon the tentacles are tearing through the nylon and grabbing the frightened campers. They manage to escape to Chloe's weather beaten treehouse. Elijah emerges from his house, but it isn't until he is on Chloe's yard that he sees the monsters. They attack him, and soon he is fleeing for the safety of the treehouse as well. He tells the girls that from his yard, it looked like the tent was still standing, and was illuminated by a glow that seemed like the girls were on their cell phones. When the mothers pop their heads out the next time, Aunt Sandy is dragged down into the year by tentacles and disappears! Avery manages to make it to Elijah's house, but when the others overhear her talking to Mrs. Duncan, it's clear that she has no memory of the monsters. THEN THE TREEHOUSE EXPLODES! Elijah tries to run but is dragged under! Chloe's mom comes out of the house and gets dragged underground! Chloe has had it! She thinks about the disappearance of her dad, and channels her anger into smashing the tentacles with the boards from the treehouse. She and Madison write notes to themselves about what is going on and tuck them in their mouths in case they forget what's going on. Avery comes back, and the girls try to use an axe to chop away at the tentacles, but AVERY AND MADISON GET DRAGGED TO THE DEPTHS! Exhausted and terrified, Chloe realizes that she is alone. When she also drops into the lair of the tentacled monsters, she is resigned, but will she be able to gather her strength and save the world? (Don't want to spoil the ending!)
Strengths: Who doesn't like a sleepover where entire bags of marshmallows are eaten, neighbor boys are dismissed, and GIANT TENTACLES EMERGE FROM THE GROUND AND TRY TO KILL EVERYONE!!! You will notice that I am not usually given to using all caps, but boy, does this book need them to adequately describe the action! It's nonstop and pell mell, with the tiniest amount of breathing room before we are flung right back into the action. The biggest complaint I hear from readers is that "nothing happens" in books, so I am always surprised that there aren't more books like this one where the characters meet one horrifyingly exciting challenge after another. For the adults in the room, we do get some backstory of Chloe and her father's disappearance, as well as good examples of the kids working well together, but the whole point of this book is TO SMASH THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF THE TENTACLES!!! There is a satisfying ending, with the kids saving the day in a way that tweens will really enjoy, and everyone is happy. It doesn't get any better than that in an exciting and vaguely terrifying middle grade novel.
Weaknesses: The ending is a bit deus ex machina, but this means that we don't have to wait for a second novel to resolve everything. It does have a tween getting to drive a car! I had some questions about the state of the backyard. I grew up in an area where there were sinkholes caused by old mines, so I'd be super careful of Chloe's backyard going forward. Also, why are these girls not playing lacrosse? Clearly, they've got some excess energy that could be productively channeled!
What I really think: I'm afraid that this is a book that adult will read and dismiss out of hand because it is so unlikely. This is really too bad, because actual middle grade readers will LOVE this one. Part of me wishes that the main characters had been boys, because they tend to like the smash-and-grab writing style a little more, but the cover is neutral, and my readers have gotten much better about focusing on content rather than worrying about being seen with "girl books". There are just not enough books with NONSTOP ACTION. Klavan's If We Survive (2012), Cole's Z-Rex (2010), and Mbalia, and Makonnen's Last Gate of the Emperor (2022) are some of the few I can think of. This reminded me a tiny bit of Ockler's The Smashed Man of Dread End, and this goes well with the other Eek! book by Strand, It Watches in the Dark. I had never heard the term "implacable horror" until I read another review of this title, but it's a trope I've definitely going to look for now!

John Wilson's 2004 essay in Quill and Quire, "Eviscerating Noddy" (which I always wrongly remember as "Exploding Noddy"), explains why Strand's style in this book will make it so popular with readers! 

Carnival Chaos (Moko Magic #1)

Baptiste, Tracey. Carnival Chaos (Moko Magic #1)

August 6, 2024 by Disney/Rick Riordan Presents

E ARC Provided by Edelweiss Plus

Misty has recently moved to Brooklyn from Trinidad. She and her mother, who is looking for a job, are living with her Aunt Trish, Uncle Stanley, and cousin Brooke, and her Uncle Andrew and cousin Aiden live in the "garden aparment" (basement). Her father is still in Trinidad. She's enjoying her new city, but wants more freedom to explore than her mother wants to allow her. She looking forward to all of the carnival activities, and her uncle Andrew is making elaborate costumes for his masquerade group (band). When Aiden and Misty are sent to the basement to retrieve some craft supplies, they are surprised by a "fluffrat" that seems to be made out of sequins and feathers but is alive. They find out that the family are healers called mokos, and all three cousins have come into their powers. Each generation has three people with these powers, which include healing, protection, and the ability to see things others don't. Aunty Kamala, who is an aziza, or a fairy, gives them enchanted food to test them, and all three breathe fire after eating it! The children's powers are slowly revealed; a fire at the Caribbean Bite restaurant that Brooke's parents run reveal her protection abilities, and Misty has visions that often cause her to pass out. When the "fluffrat", a mas they name Wonky, escapes and attacks their neighbor Mr. Abara, Aiden realizes he has the ability to heal, The carnival is in danger of being closed down by an evil councilwoman, Ms. Cook, who claims that too many crimes are committed when it is going on. Aunty Kamala manages to shut down a meeting and temporarily persuade Cook to stop her efforts, but the woman won't give up. The children get involved in various preparations; Aiden is writing a calypso song, and the children go to listen to Steel Biloko pan music. Bad weather seems to be targeting the event, but Misty is able to discern that it is caused by an evil spirit. As the bad weather increases and becomes more and more violent, the children become more and more worn down. Magic is being sucked out of the community, and other members are ending up in hospitals in zombie-like states. At one point, Misty thinks that a local librarian, Melanie, whom they met while researching West African folklore, might be the monster, and Mr. Abara surprises them by knowing a lot about this folklore and helping them out. Misty encounters the monster, called a khodumodumo, and realizes it has taken over Melanie in an effort to be understood. Will the newly minted "moko babies" be able to hear the story that the  khodumodumo wants heard, and save their community from the chaos it will wreak if it is not?

Strengths: The Labor Day weekend in Brooklyn must be quite the celebration! There are so many plans going on with food, activities, music, and costumes that the cousins are able to get into a lot of trouble. Combine this with emergent, inherited magical powers, and this makes for quite a fun story. I loved the mix of uncles, aunts, cousins, and family friends and neighbors who are all around to help out and give the cousins information about their new powers. Aunty Kamala and her magical baked goods was quite interesting. I loved the note from Baptiste that one of Aiden's songs was based on one her own brother had done when he was young. The next book in the series is entitled Museum Mayhem, but I am not finding a publication date for it. Probably about this time of year in 2025. 
Weaknesses: This had a lot of things going on, and a lot of information. At 400 pages, it almost could have been divided into two books. Since this was written in the third person, it wasn't necessary to label chapters with different characters' names; that is usually used when the chapters are from different character's perspectives.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who enjoyed Baptiste's writing in The Jumbies series,  the West African celebrations in Riguad's A Girl's Guide to Love and Magic or the tweens getting powers in Kerr's The Ahkenaton Adventure. 

It Happened to Anna

Mejia, Tehlor Kay. It Happened to Anna
August 6, 2024 by Delacorte Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Sadie has been plagued by a jealous, vengeful ghost since she was a young child in Arizona. Her mother left years ago, and she and her father have moved back to his hometown in Idaho after the ghost caused the death of her best friend, Anna. Now, she is treading carefully, keeping to herself, and not making the mistake of befriending anyone else and incurring the ghost's wrath. When Charlotte, and exuberant graphic novel fan, talks to her, the lights flicker menacingly, and when Sadie attends the graphic novel club and talks to some of the members, further electric problems cause the club to let out early. While she's waiting for her father, she is approached by Mal, a waif like student with white blonde hair. Mal won't give up talking to her, so Sadie finally tells her the truth about the ghost... and Mal believes her. Not only that, but talking to Mal doesn't seem to rile up any evil forces. Relieved to finally have a friend, Sadie goes along with any activity Mal wants to do, like hanging out in the cemetery. Mal has an odd life; her overprotective, hard working parents insist that a nanny picks her up for lunch, she's not allowed to participate in any groups, but she is given the freedom to hang out after school. When Mal wants to pull some pranks like locking Ryder in the bathroom and shutting off the lights, dumping red Kool Aid "blood" on Marty's locker, or filling a back pack with worms and dirt, Sadie goes along with it even though the pranks make her uncomfortable. Mal even coerces Sadie into scratching an "M" into her ankle while Mal scratches an "S" into her own. When Mal wants to catch a rat and put it in Kelsey's desk (Sadie suspects that Mal knows Kelsey has been nice to her), Sadie helps, but regrets it at the last minute and lets the teacher know before Kelsey opens her desk. Sadie is so distraught that she stays home from school for several days, and when she returns, she finds out that Kelsey's cat was killed and left on the family's porch. When she talks to Mal, she denies any involvement and is nicer to Sadie. Sadie has been having nightmares about Anna and other students in distress, so she's relieved that her one friendship is still strong. When Mal wants to go out at midnight to an abandoned well, this doesn't seem like a great plan, and when Sadie tries to back out because she has also been invited to Charlotte's birthday party, Mal is not happy but says it's okay. When Sadie's father gets a call that Charlotte is missing, Sadie knows exactly where Charlotte is. She runs away, and finds Mal and Charlotte at the well. Mal seems intent on killing Charlotte, but Sadie manages to rescue her. Creepy secrets emerge, and Sadie, who has suffered for years, resigns herself to her own death. Will the ghost be victorious after all? 

Strengths: Mejia does an excellent job at dialing right in to middle grade fears. What's worse than having no friends? Having a vengeful ghost stalking you and threatening anyone who wants to BE your friend, of course. Not only that, but we've got the added tension of a friend who is pressuring Sadie to do things that she knows is wrong. Mal is elusive, and there are clues all along about her true nature that savvy readers will pick up, but the suspense is well developed and keeps the story very taut. We don't see a whole lot of Sadie's father, even though he is involved in talking to her teachers, getting her counseling, and wanting to know her whereabouts... sometimes. This seems very realistic. Charlotte is a great character, and she is very understanding about Sadie's situation, continuing to be friendly while not pushing her, and being a fantastic friend in the end. There are just enough classmates and staff members to round out the story, including Charlotte's friend Corey, who is nonbinary, and the counselor Mrs. Fitz, who gives Sadie good advice without asking too many questions. I enjoyed this one a lot, and am not surprised that Ms. Mejia found this too scary to work on at night!
Weaknesses: While I liked the explanation of why the mother left, I could have used more information about how exactly the ghost became attached to Sadie and also what happened to Anna. The explanation was there, but could have been a little clearer, and maybe have been delivered a little earlier in the story. It's a hard thing to balance; explanations and murderous ghosts!
What I really think: Definitely purchasing two copies, and this will be an enormous hit with fans of Dawson's Mine, Ford's The Lonely Ghost, and Currie's The Girl in White. Murderous ghosts really are the sweet spot for middle grade horror, and working in friend drama is definitely brilliant!

MMGM- We are Big Time and FACTopia

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at

Unleashing Readers

Khan, Hena and Zerrougui, Safiya (illus.) We Are Big Time 

August 6, 2024 by Knopf Books for Young Readers

ARC provided by Follett First Look

Aliyah Javaid is not happy that her family is moving from warm and sunny Florida to Milwaukee for her freshman year. She's glad to be near her grandparents, but sad at leaving the school she has always attended and her best friend. Her new school, Peace Academy, is also a private, Muslim school, so it seems fairly familiar, but her older brother Ameen seems to settle in better. When basketball tryouts are announced, Aliyah is happy, because she was only able to play rec league in Florida. There are just enough girls for a team, so no one is cut. Coach Jess Martinez makes Noura, a senior who has played before, the captain, but chooses Aliyah as cocaptain over more experienced players, so that there will be leadership once the seniors have graduated. This makes sense, but Aliyah feels that Noura holds this against her. The girls work hard to bond as a team, and Coach Jess is good about making them think about their purpose on the court ("More than the score" is their motto), and having them do activities like baking that help them come together and cooperate. She also sets aside time for them to do their prayers if they coincide with practice. There is some local news interest in an all Muslim girls' team, and the girls get a little tired of being asked, by other teams as well, how they can play while wearing hijabs. The team does fairly well, but Aliyah isn't confident on the court, lets her grades slip because she has a lot to do, and stresses about a lot of things. When the national Rafter Report wants to do a piece on the team as they head toward the state tournament, the pressure increases. She finally shares her concerns with Halima, a teammate, and this helps a little. Even the Rafter Report tends to ask questions about issues like immigration, but the team gets together and decides to redirect all of the questions to basketcall. They are given the last seed in the tournament, which means they will have to play the best team in their first game. They don't win, but feel good about their progress on the court, and Aliyah feels good about her new school and new life in Milwaukee. 

Strengths: I loved Khan's note at the end that this was based off a real team who had similar experiences with media coverage. Girls have been playing basketball for a long, long time, (think about Jessie Graham Flower's 1911 Grace Harlowe's Sophomore Year at High School, or, The Record of the Girl Chums in Work and Athletics) so it was good to see that there really wasn't any objection to the girls having a team, even though some people had questions about the girls playing in hijabs. I'm always a fan of exploring team dynamics, and Aliyah's personal struggles will resonate with young readers who, like Elena Delle Donne's Elle DeLuca, struggle with time management and self esteem. Zerrougui's illustrations are appealing, and she does an excellent job of differentiating the characters through their eyebrows and facial expressions, which is important because they are often in identical uniforms! Seeing coaches protrayed in a positive light is always a relief, and Coach Jess is a good example of how innovative methods and a desire to help students can overcome a lot of struggles. 
Weaknesses: I personally would have preferred this to be in regular novel format, because Aliyah had so many emotional things going on, and it was hard to get a good feel for them. Noura was interesting, and her issues with Aliyah would have been easier to work in as well. Basically, I found this all so interesting that I just wanted to know more! 
What I really think: This will be a HUGE hit with students, since there are so few graphic novels about sports. I loved Khan's Zayd Saleem series for younger readers and was so glad to see that Aliyah was in high school. I will probably have to purchase two copies of this to keep up with demand. 

Considering that there are two other graphic novels about girls' basketball (Tavares' Hoops, Misako Rock's Bounce Back, and Dawson's Fifth Quarter, I'd love to see more basketball graphic novels with boys as the main character. I can only think of Yang's Dragon Hoops. 

Towler, Paige and Smith, Andy (illus.) Secret FACTopia
August 6, 2024 by Britannica Books

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

This book was an interesting format that is hard to categorize; essentially, it is like the National Geographic Weird But True books if James Joyce (Ulysses) had written them in his stream-of-consciousness style. It ping pongs in a delightful way from ultraviolet light to 17th century German books hollowed out to store poison to the manchineel tree... and that's just on three pages! The brief facts are all centered around secret or hidden topics, but encompasses not only the whole world but space as well. 

Facts are presented in a pell mell fashion. Some get an entire page of treatment, and handy dotted lines trail throughout the book, leading from one topic to another. There are also some pages that are a veritable clearing house of facts, with speech bubble or flow chart style boxes cramming lots of facts in a small space. This is a great springboard to further research; when I read the fact about an archaeologist who used dynamite to hasten the excavation of Troy and was surprised that his name wasn't given, I had to do some research and find out that they were referring to Heinrich Schliemann! There is an index, and a list of resources, but this is more of a grab bag of facts rather than something that will help with deep dives. 

I'm a huge fan of this type of book, and hadn't seen this Britannica series before, although this is the seventh book in the series of volumes showcasing "crazily connected facts". Perfect for road trips, bugging older siblings, and possibly even breaking a cell phone addiction, this is a fascinating new way to introduce young readers to the wonders of "fun facts" that is a little different from National Geographic Almanacs, since the pages are full of Andy Smith's goofy but informative illustrations rather than glossy photographs, although there are some decorated photographs that are quite fun. 

 

Brief Blather: The foot surgery went very well, and I have been good about keeping my leg elevated and iced while also getting in the approved amount of exercise. That said, I am not bouncing back the way I usually do, so it's good I'm off school until September 19th. Haven't had the mental acuity to read and review, but did at least get the most recent books from Young Adult Books Central added to the database. The plan for the week is to get that box done, and finish up five more reviews for November. We'll see how that goes! 

We Built This City

Patrick, Cat. We Built This City
April 2, 2024 by Nancy Paulsen Books

Public library copy

It's 1985, and 13 year old Stevie is thrilled to finally be touring with her youth group, Sychronicity. Her best friend Wes' mother, Margo, leads the troupe, which travels all across the US, playing at churches, schools, and occasionally off Broadway venues. Her older brother, Brandon, has been part of the group for several years, and is also along. The show that is being performed this year is "Night at the Movies", and there are songs from a number of movies from the era, such as 9 to 5, Grease, and even Xanadu. Part of the excitement for Stevie is that her long time crush, Joey, is also on the tour. She's so smitten that she can't bring herself to even talk to him, although they are partnered in several numbers. These are, of course, the highlight of her days. Wes encourages her to talk to Joey, just as she encourages him to talk to his crush, Tuesday. At least Wes calls Tuesday's private line at her home and leaves a message on her answering machine! Sometimes Joey is sweet, like the time that Brandon has a seizure and Joey takes care of him and even promises to keep it a secret, but other times he's kind of a jerk. Stevie's big move is to send a letter every day to Casey Kasem, outlining her feelings for Joey and asking to have a song played on the Long Distance Dedication portion of the program. She goes to great lengths to delay the group on Saturday mornings so that she can hear the songs, but is crushed week after week. The group gets to see Niagra Falls, New York City (where Stevie meets Baryshnikov!), Orlando, and Dallas, Texas, staying with host families, sleeping on the floors in church basements, and even spending a semi-disastrous night in a high school! Stevie also makes friends with the other girls on the tour, including Amy, who was adopted from China, and Christy, an older girl who knows sign language because both of her parents are deaf. When Stevie sees Joey kissing Christy in the pool, she's crushed. It's even worse when her dedication is played on Kasem's show, and Joey hears it! Luckily, it's near the end of the tour, and she's able to avoid Joey for most of the trip, although the two do finally have a heart-to-heart. At the end of the summer, Stevie is glad that she got to have such adventures, but is even happier to settle back into her regular life in Cheyenne, Wyoming. 

Strengths: Like Holm's Sunny Makes a Splash, this is an excellent look at what should be an amazing summer. Traveling the US in a mini van? With a group of friends? Putting on performances? My goodness! Modern readers will be amazed at the idea of host families, but I know for a fact that children were frequently places with local families while traveling; my high school orchestra traveled to a music competition in Columbus, Ohio in 1981, and families in Westerville put us up... and that's a big reason why I live there now! Sleeping in a high school and getting into trouble while the chaperones go into town? Absolutely. There are plenty of good details about ordinary life in the 1980s as well; technology, fashion, and lots of music. Stevie's infatuation will hit home with many readers, and the camraderie is fun to see. Based on the author's own experience, this will make most readers wish that they could be part of a similar group! 
Weaknesses: There was not much of a discernable plot, other than the development (or lack thereof) of Stevie's relationship with Joey. Even that fizzled for me, and I wanted some structure to hang all of the 1980s details on. Can't quite put my finger on why this would have helped, but I struggled a bit to feel invested in the story when it didn't seem to be going anywhere. It also would have been more fun if Stevie had had someone's shoulder to put her head on during the van rides. 
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want to be on the road performing and have enjoyed Crowder's Mazie or Stroker's The Chance to Fly. 
 

Meet Claudie

Bennett, Brit and Freeman, Laura (illus.) 

Meet Claudie(American Girl: Claudie #1)
August 23, 2022 by American Girl Publishing
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Claudie Wells live in Harlem in the 1920s. Her mother is a news reporter who is often called to cover stories for the Amsterdam News, and her father, who was in the Harlem Hellfighters during WWI, works at Angelo's Bakery. They live in a boarding house run by Miss Amelia that is filled with a colorful array of performers and other Black citizens. Claudie isn't quite sure where her talents lie, and spends the summer discovering her talents. Her brother, Jody, is very interested in the Lincoln Giants, a Negro League baseball team. When Miss Amelia recieves an eviction notice, Claudie decides that instead of just having a rent party for people to contribute to pay the $100 owed, she will have the residents put on a show. She doesn't want to lose her home, especially since her father suffers from his experiences in the way. When her mother has to go Georgia for work, Claudie looks forward to traveling with her and learns a little about the Great Migration that brought her family, and many other Blacks, to Harlem. The next book in the series, Adventures with Claudie, covers this trip. 

Strengths: When I started working in my school library in 2002, there were a handful of the original American Girl books about Molly McIntire,  ‎Kit Kittredge, Samantha Parkington, Addy Walker, the Black character who was released in 1993 and represented the Civil War era. At the time, my students didn't read the books because they were short (about 100 pages), and were very formulaic. Different characters all had the same story lines, which incorporated historical information. Now, this length and level of complexity would probably work well for my students. I was glad to see that Claudie's story was generally happy, but that the racial issues of the time were addressed. I would love to see a novel set in a Black community in 1919, the "Red Summer". Our middle school history courses only cover the time period up to the end of the Civil War, so there is not a lot taught about Civil Rights after the Civil War. There are so many interesting stories, and this gave an interesting look at life in Harlem in the 1920s. 
Weaknesses: The story is a little light on plot; this happens when a story arc is spread over several books. I'm unsure how my students feel about American Girl.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who like historical fiction like Cline-Ransom's Finding Langston, Curtis' The Might Miss Malone, or Daley's If the Fire Comes. 

Guy Friday- The Worst Week Ever: Tuesday

Cosgrove, Matt and Amores, Eva. The Worst Week Ever: Tuesday 

August 6, 2024 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

After his disastrous first day of school in Monday, Justin Chase is back. His father, who is a plumber, is thrilled that Justin's diving board Code Brown experience went viral; he thinks it will translate into money for the business. Justin is angry that Marvin, his arch nemesis and the principal's son, posted all of the horrible things on the internet. Since it's picture day, and Justin hardly ever keeps his eyes open in school pictures, he tries to look his best. He has a new uniform that fits, replacement socks, and tries to comb his hair nicely, but unfortunately uses a depilatory and removes a strip of hair, but fixes it back on with his grandmother's denture adhesive. He's thrilled that the school library has a lot of books, as well as a book vending machine, and he even takes a really good picture. Sadly, the day goes downhill from there. He slips and knocks his tooth out on a urinal, is stung by a bee, pulls off his hair, and generally is injured and uncomfortable. His father comes to school to pick him up, and his truck crashes, but the day is saved when the principal (his girlfriend) proposes. Justin goes to the doctor, the dentist, and the hair salon to repair the damage that the day has done and to get ready for Wednesday. (Which might come out in September, 2024, but I can't confirm it.)

This was as goofy as Monday, and only slightly less gross. I'm going to order the whole series from Perma-Bound, because I think they will be super popular. 

The Dark Skies Mystery

Hicks, Deron R. The Dark Skies Mystery: A World War II Thriller
July 30, 2024 by Clarion Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Henry Hamilton lives in Asheville, North Carolina in 1942. His father is a maintenance supervisor at the Biltmore Estate, and doesn't quite understand Henry's desire to be an investigative journalist or reporter like Edward R. Murrow. Henry works on the newspaper at Claxon Intermediate School and tries to make the exacting teacher who oversees it, Mr. Johanssen, happy. When a friend overhears that the local sports phenom is going to join the Navy rather than play football for Notre Dame, Henry thinks he can get the scoop turned in, but freezes when he sees an adult reporter swoop in. He's mad at both Willard Presley and himself that he doesn't have any story to turn in. It's even worse when his rival on the paper, Celie Parker, is made an air raid warden, and he has to go to the meeting to cover her story. His dad takes him, and there is so much information that Henry forgets to take notes. On the way home, his father gives him a scoop; Jack Hamilton is in charge of the local blackout drills, and no one else knows this. Henry writes an article for the Claxon paper that Mr. Johanssen says is the best student writing he's ever read. Even Willard Pressley is impressed, and the two talk and start a tentative professional friendship. When Henry has to collect scrap metal and get it to the collection center, he gets distracted by a baseball game and shows up late. Luckily, Ray Jeffries knows his dad, and takes pity on him, helping him sort the hundred pounds on metal. Henry is late for dinner, so stops by the local hotel to ask to use the phone to call home. His mother says his father will come to get him, which will take a while. Henry sees the white Biltmore van out on the street, and marvels that his father got to him so quickly, but when the can doesn't stop, he realizes that his father isn't driving. Not wanting to blow another scoop, he follows the fan. He sees Mr. Jeffries and several other men with military looking guns load crates into the van! He blocks an exhaust pipe to buy himself more time to investigate, but when he opens up a crate, he falls in and the van takes off. The van is full of artwork, including Rodin's The Thinker, and Henry is very worried. When the crate is unloaded, Henry realizes that he is at the Biltmore. Soldiers are also there, as is his father. It turns out that the National Gallery sent art to the hotel to keep it safe. The government men think that Mr. Hamilton told his son about the project, which would endanger national security. He convinces them that he did not, but Henry is banned from the estate. He ends up working with another warden, Mrs. Blakely, who is very exacting. When the first blackout drill is held, the local cathedral has ALL of its lights turned on! Henry sees men running away from the area and gives chase. He follows them  on his bike out into the woods and comes across quite a mystery. He does a lot of research in the local library, and even requests a book about Rodin from another library, marveling that he can get the information he needs in just two to three weeks! He works a bit with Mr. Pressley, especially since President Roosevelt is visiting for one of the drills, and Henry feels that something is going on. When he is followed by a car and run off the road, this feeling intensifies. He finally figures out what is going on, but when he tries to tell his father about it, gets himself into even more danger. Will he be able to warn his father before the artwork, as well as the Biltmore, is targeted?
Strengths: I think I need to travel to Ashville, North Carolina so that I can see the Biltmore Estate. This is at least the third middle grade novel that has mentioned it, and Hicks does a fantastic job of describing the town surrounding it as well. Henry is an interesting character, and it makes perfect sense for a tween during World War II to want to go into journalism. There are a lot of details about the blackout drills, and I learned a lot about painting car bumpers white, and using reflective paint, that I did not know. The system of wardens, the scrap metal collecting, and the details about the artwork being stored at the Biltmore (which actually happened), all add to the WWII feel. I don't want to ruin the twists at the end, but this got VERY exciting, and involved some spies and things I did not see coming! Jack Hamilton was rather interesting; he could have his own adult novel, I think! He's probably 35-45, so might have served in World War I. There's a rabbit hole to go down... men of that age on the home front during WWII. 
Weaknesses: I kept thinking that Henry's deaf dalmation, Bee, would take a larger role in the story, or that Celie Parker would get involved, but they didn't. The book is a little on the long side, so it's just as well, but they were both intriguing. The cover could have been more like Osborne's Winter Bullet, as the illustration makes this look like a book for younger readers. That seems to be the current style, though. 
What I really think: This is a great fictional mystery that pairs well with Seiple's Nazi Saboteurs: Hitler's Secret Attack on America; the inept Nazis are even mentioned in the book! I'll purchase a copy for fans of Parker's Edenville Owls or Elliott's Louisa June and the Nazis in the Waves, but it might take a bit of hand selling because of the cover.