Books for Younger Readers

Wells, Rosemary. Ivy Takes Care.
12 February 2013, Candlewick Press
Copy received from Young Adults Book Central and reviewed there.

Ivy lives on a dude ranch in Nevada in 1949. Her parents work on the ranch, and money is tight for the family. Ivy tries to keep up with her friend Annie in fashions, but it's hard.When Annie goes off to a ritzy summer camp, Ivy feels that she should send her a friendship ring. To earn the money, she decides to get a job, and since she works well with animals, she posts an ad for her services. Her first job is taking care of a horse while the owners are on vacation. The owner of the ranch has a son, Billy Joe,  who likes to follow Ivy around, and she eventually lets him help her. Ivy also cares for a dog that a client of the ranch has to leave for a while when he returns home, and for another horse. Caring for the animals can be dangerous, and Ivy encounters problems with porcupines and snakes. The local vet tells Ivy that she has a talent for caring for animals, so she talks to her parents and decides to start saving money so that perhaps some day, she can go to college.
Strengths: This is a lovely, gentle book about animals and about the challenges faced by the rigors of life at this time in Nevada. I knew that this state was a place that people wanting divorces would stay, but hadn't thought about the people working at these ranches. Period details abound-- a ring costs $5 and Ivy gets 50 cents a day for caring for animals, Italian leather shoes are an article of envy, interest in movies and movie stars is addressed. Of course, the big draw is Ivy's experience in caring for animals. This would be an excellent choice for readers who like Henry's Misty of Chincoteague.
Weaknesses: It took me a while to realize that this was, in fact, set in 1949. I wish it had been mentioned in the book description. Also, this seems a bit too young for middle school, so I may send my copy on to the elementary school, where I think it will get more use.

McKay, Hilary. Lulu and the Duck in the Park.
1 September 2012, Albert Whitman & Company

Saw this one recommended enough times that I had to read it. This reminded me quite a bit of Carolyn Heywood's Betsy books, for some reason. Simple but intriguing story, some nice pictures, engaging main character. Definitely in the emerging reader category, so kindergarten through 2nd or 3rd grade. Nice that the main character is a little girl of color, and that this is a series. Liked her more than Junie B. Jones!

From the Publisher:
"Lulu loves animals. When Lulu finds a duck egg that has rolled out of its nest, she takes it to class to keep it safe. Lulu isn't allowed to bring pets to school. But she's not really breaking the rules because it's just an egg. Surely nothing bad will happen... A fun-filled new series for early readers and animal lovers alike."

Rebound

Walters, Eric. Rebound
2000, Stoddard Kids (Canada)

Sean is entering 8th grade after a really rough 7th grade year. He and his friend Scott got in lots of trouble, and the new year is supposed to be better, but before the first bell even rings, he's gotten into a knock down fight with a new kid David. The kicker? David started the fight... and he's in a wheelchair. Because the assistant principal hears conflicting accounts of the fight, he decides not to suspend Sean, but instead Sean is assigned to be David's "host". David is in the wheelchair as a result of a car accident, and is rather bitter about it. He played basketball, a love which he shares with Sean, who is trying to get up his grades and make the team. The two find that they get along well, and work together on a science project. David is a little more outgoing than Sean when it comes to talking to girls and helps Sean get up the nerve to talk to Caroline. Sean doesn't quite understand why David does stupid things like try to go down stairs in his wheelchair, so David suggests that Sean try an outing to the mall in a wheelchair so he can understand a little. Sean enjoys his success in school that David's help brings, and distances himself from Scott and the other friends who caused him to get into trouble.
Strengths: Found this gem at Half Price books. I have a couple of basketball books by this author and like them. Even though this is an older title, it stands up well and will be fantastic for the language arts unit on challenges. There's plenty of basketball, good characters, and middle school boys who mean well but don't always make good choices. Very excited about finding this one!
Weaknesses: A few Canadian phrases, like "seveners" for 7th graders, that students might have trouble with, but the book even has an Accelerated Reader test!

Basketball books are really hard to find. I shouldn't be this excited about a 13 year old Canadian book!

Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle: Art Work Reveal

I had so much fun reading Christopher Healey's two League of Princes books that when Kellie Celia from Walden Pond Press asked if I would like to participate in an artwork reveal, I said "Yes, please!" So here is EXCLUSIVE artwork from  The Hero's Guide to Storming the Castle!

Walden Pond was also kind enough to provide items for a giveaway!

o   Blog readers can enter to win a framed print of the artwork you are revealing. This print will be signed by the illustrator, Todd Harris. 

o   Hardcover copy of the book

o   This is only for residents of the US. Sorry!

o   Walden Pond will furnish all prizing

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Haven't had a chance to read the book? Here is an excerpt that accompanies the above illustration!

Frederic was about to follow up with a rousing speech, but before he could utter another word, the back door of Duncan’s house flew open and Snow White rushed out. She was wearing a garment of her own design—an overalls-sundress hybrid—accessorized with a headdress woven from marsh reeds. “Dunky!” She ran to her husband, hugged him, then pushed him away and waved her finger in his face. Then she pulled him to her and hugged him again. Then shoved him away, glared, and frowned at him. “Do you know how upset I am with you?”

“Well, I didn’t at first,” he answered. “But then I did. And then I didn’t. And now I do again. But why? Did I do something wrong?”

“You vanished without a word!” Snow exclaimed, her wide eyes glaring. “You left me alone. With your family. For days. It was only yesterday that I finally convinced them you weren’t in the outhouse all this time.”

“But—But—” Duncan stammered.

Snow looked sternly at Frederic . “I should have known the Princes Charming were behind Duncan’s disappearance,” she said. “It was only a matter of time before he ran off on another of your crazy quests. I just thought somebody would have had the decency to tell me about it.”

“But I did! Or, I mean, Frank did,” Duncan said. “The quickety boy with the boots came for me. And I had to go stop Liam from marrying the shrill lady. Only I got arrested instead. And now we have to steal a pretty sword from the Bandit King. Frank was supposed to tell you everything. He promised.”

Snow spun to face down Frank, who was trying to sneak around the corner of the house. The dwarf looked up at her sheepishly.

“Frank!” Snow said. The one word had the weight of an entire angry tirade.

“It’s possible I may have said something to make Duncan believe that maybe I was going to tell you about his little outing,” the dwarf mumbled.

At that moment, if beams of flame had shot forth from Snow White’s eyes and flash-fried Frank, nobody would have been surprised.

o   Artwork Copyright © 2013 by Todd Harris

o   Text Copyright © 2013 by Christopher Healy

Guy Friday--Fish Finelli

Farber, Edna. Seagulls Don't Eat Pickles (Fish Finelli #1)
16 April 2013, Chronicle Books
ARC from Baker and Taylor

Fish and his friends Roger and T.J. have a lot going on-- between saving up money for a boat, battling bugs and trying to avoid Fish's princess-y little sister, they are busy boys. When the trio runs into the wealthy and obnoxious Bryce and claim to be hunting for Captain Kidd's treasure, Bryce bets them $50 they can't find it. Small change for Bryce, but twice the savings Fish has for his own boat! The boys start at the library and hope to find a treasure map. While delving in the card catalog, they realize that the librarian, Mr. E. Mann (Mystery Man) might be looking for a treasure as well, and other things they read and hear make them think the treasure will be on Lyons Island. When Fish's father has a plumbing job at Mrs. Lyons' house, the group tags along and finds a piece of old parchment in a trunk! Knowing they shouldn't take it, they do anyway, and a chance encounter with Jiffy Pop reveals that there is indeed a map on the parchment! Can they beat the Mystery Man to the treasure, save Lyons' Island, and get out of paying Bryce all of their savings?
Strengths: This will appeal to a lot of reluctant readers. It has a strong start with funny action (the boys are trying to contain a giant bug), plenty of gross boy details (bugs, food, etc.), and a good group of friends. Interspersed with the story are side bars with nonfiction information about a variety of topics, from microwave ovens to Captain Kidd. There are also copious illustrations, although they were not complete in the ARC.
Weaknesses: While this would be great in 4th or 5th grade, maybe even as a read aloud (where the nonfiction information could be elaborated upon, thereby making the Common Core Gods happy), I'm not sure about the success of this with 6th graders. Early in the school year, perhaps, but once we hit February, the 6th grade boys start being more testosterone filled and tend to eschew anything that looks too young. This is why Cheesie Mack books sit on the shelf after March. Weird, I know, but happens every year!

Leck, Jack. The Further Adventures of Jack Lime
1 April 2013, Kids Can Press
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Jack is back after The Adventures of Jack Lime, and he has three more mysteries to solve. A football player is fixing games, and a school art project and comic book have gone missing. More than that, there is concern about Luxemcorp and it's administrators, who may be the ones behind the threatening phone calls that Jack is getting. Throw in a girl sidekick, caring but ineffective grandma, and Jack's battles with narcolepsy, tell in a film noir style, and you have a modern day Encyclopedia Brown type story.
Strengths: Great cover, short, and understandable mysteries for reluctant readers.
Weaknesses: No more middle grade film noir novels! I don't think students would have understood this thirty odd years ago when I was in middle school, and they certainly don't get it now. I also had two problems-- Jack's narcolepsy seems extreme and untreated. I have two friends with the disorder, and t it manifests itself more often with extreme sleepiness rather than cataplexy. Also, if his grandmother wants him to stop investigating cases, she should be firmer with him instead of just saying "Oh, Jack, stop!"

My crabbiness could be due in part to the fact that many of the students in my study hall are apparently infrequently made to pay attention to adults. They don't seem to understand that the reason students in school have to raise their hand before walking around the room is because if they didn't, everyone would be walking around the room all the time.

Cats!

Blake, Jon. The Last Free Cat.
4 August 2012, Albert Whitman Books

Jade and her mother find a cat in the yard, take her in, and name her Feela. This isn't unusual... unless you live in the future and there has been a cat flu pandemic that can transfer to humans. Cats have been strictly regulated, and there are just a few companies that are allowed to breed cats, so they are very expensive to buy. When the authorities find out that Jade has a cat, they search her home, upsetting her mother, who has a bad heart and dies. Luckily, a neighbor boy, Kris, helps Jade escape, and they go on the run. They have heard that cats are free in Ireland, where there are so many other political problems that no one pays attention to cats. They run into a group of people who are trying to free the cats, and get some help from them, but are on the run. Eventually, they are caught, and the head of Viafra, one of the cat breeding companies, makes Jade an offer-- pay us, and you can keep the cat. But when Jade finds out that Feela will lose her kittens, she knows that this is not the answer.
Strengths: This was a very good kids-on-the-run adventure, with the added attraction of being slightly dystopian. Perhaps since it involves cats, I can get the Warriors fanatics to take a break and read this. (And this is confirmed. Huge Warriors fan thought this was fantastic.) Do like the cover. Very striking and will age well.
Weaknesses: A tad weak on the world building. Other animals are allowed, but not cats. Since I'm not a cat person, my feeling was "Oh, okay. So get a dog instead." Decent reasons behind why cats were illegal, I just didn't quite buy the whole thing.

Roth, Judith L. Serendipity and Me.
7 February 2013, Viking Juvenile

Sara's life is very sad, and about to get sadder. Her mother was killed in a car crash several years ago, and her father has never really gotten over it. Not only that, but Sara gets very ill and has to miss playing Wendy in a school production of Peter Pan, where she stars opposite a boy she likes. When a graduate student who is babysitting her drops off a small, white kitten, Sara tries to talk her father into letting her keep the cat, and also to tell her why he is so against having a cat in the house. He refuses to talk about her mother, and she feels that the prohibition against cats is somehow tied to her.
Strengths: Awesome cover that just begs to be displayed with Almost Home! If you need a book about grief that is in verse, this would be the book.
Weaknesses: Hand-wringingly sad, and in the sort of verse that you wouldn't realize was verse were someone to read it aloud to you. This is quite a picture of an extremely dysfunctional father who can't get over his own grief to help his own daughter.

World Wednesday--Nobody Knows

Tanaka, Shelley. Nobody Knows.
7 August 2012, Groundwood Books
Based on the film by Hirokazu Kore Eda

Akira and his mother move into a new apartment, meeting the elderly landlords and assuring them that Akira will be no problem because he is too old to make noise and run around. In the family's suitcases, however, are two younger siblings, Yuki and Shigeru, andanother girl, Kyoko, is snuck in later. The children all have different fathers who don't support them, and the children must hide from the landlords or risk being kicked out. This means that they can't go to school or go outside. The mother works, but has a boyfriend who doesn't know about the children, and frequently leaves the children to fend for themselves for extended periods of time. She usually comes back, but after Christmas leaves the children for so long that the money runs out, utilities are shut off, and Akira doesn't think he will be able to keep the family together. He does find an unlikely ally in a lonely school girl, but even her help is not enough to keep tragedy from occurring.
Strengths: This has lots of good details about life in Japan. Meeting the landlords, the small stores, the school outfits-- all very interesting. I'm curious to see the movie, which won several prizes at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival. This will appeal to students who like books about children who have been abandoned or abused (books like Bruises, Don't Hurt Laurie, Rules of Survival, etc.)
Weaknesses: The ending, which probably worked well in the movie, doesn't work as well in the book, and really made me debate purchase. Still, the details of the children's experiences are so good that I think I will buy it.

Don't wait until page 100 for the good stuff!

 I am constantly amused by random similarities in books. Got both of these from the public library and read one evening. Both were about 300 pages long, and in both, the really good action didn't start until a good 100 pages in. This is NOT a good plan in middle grade fiction. I'm still thinking about whether I want to purchase these for that reason.

McCarthy, Maureen. When You Wish Upon a Rat.
1 September 2012, Abrams

Ruth's life stinks. Her parents are criminally disorganized, and Ruth bears the brunt of this, since she has to clean and try to keep her younger brothers in line. She had an ally in her aunt Mary Ellen, who gives her a rather creepy stuffed rat, Rodney. After Mary Ellen dies, one of Ruth's brothers throws the rat in the river. Things go from bad to worse, and one day Ruth plays hooky from a family activity and goes with her friend Howard (whose life is even worse-- his father beats him hard enough to leave scars) to find Rodney. When she does, the rat grants her three wishes. (Page 105) She has to choose carefully-- at the end of one day, she can come back to her old life, but if she stays longer than that, that life is hers. She chooses perfect parents, and orderly life, and fame. Will any of these be better than the life she has?
Strengths: Charlotte at Charlotte's Library made this sound appealing enough to read. This would be a good fit for those girls who often like depressing books but enjoy magical realism as well.
Weaknesses: Wanted to slap the parents, and was rather dismayed, like Charlotte, that nothing ever improved. Too depressing for me, and since it is Australian, there was some of that disconnect for me.

Krovatin, Christopher. Gravediggers: Mountain of Bones
11 September 2012, Katherine Tegen Books

A school class travels to a mountain to have a Homeroom Earth experience... a mountain where a troupe of ballet dancers mysteriously disappeared a while ago. Ian (the jock), P.J. (the geeky film nerd), and Kendra (geeky internet nerd) are all a bit dismayed to be there, but things get even worse when they chase a buck into the forest. They get separated from the group, and as night falls, begin to worry. They eventually find a house and take shelter there, but it's creepy and smells weird, so of course they go into the basement where they find bones as well as a journal. They can't contemplate this very long because zombies attack them! (Page 108) They soon find out what happened to the troupe. P.J. is almost killed but saved by a mountain woman and "warden". It turns out that the mountain has weird powers that make people come back to life, but not all the way. O'Dea is trying to keep the zombies contained, but Kendra and Ian manage to set them free when they follow the instructions in the journal. (Good to know-- if people write in mirror handwriting, they are possessed by demons.) The three manage to make it back to their group, but since zombies might now get down from the mountain, O'Dea wants to make them her "gravediggers", or zombie assassins. More books seem to be in the offing.
Strengths: The zombie genre has gotten so popular that I could no doubt move even Zombiekins or Brains for Lunch, a Zombie Novel in Haiku. This certainly had decent zombie lore and gore, once things got started.
Weaknesses: The geeky characters and slow start might be off putting to my hardcore zombie readers. Just not sure about this.

Middle Grade Monday-- Gettysburg Books

Tarshis, Lauren. I Survived #7: I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg, 1863
1 February 2013, Scholastic
Copy received from Young Adult Books Central and Reviewed there

Thomas and his sister Birdie are slaves on a plantation. After the death of their mother, a cousin, Clem, looked out for the two until he was sold to a cruel master. When Thomas finds out he is about to face the same fate, he and Birdie run off into the woods.  When the two run into a Yankee soldier who is about to be killed by a Rebel one, Thomas throws a nearby skunk at the two, saving Henry's life. Henry is so grateful that he has the two children accompany his troop back to Pennsylvania, where they unfortunately get caught up in the terrible battle of Gettysburg. At one point, Birdie is taken captive, but Henry and Thomas manage to rescue her. Thomas manages to survive, thanks to a book in a metal case that Henry gave him to carry. Although Henry doesn't survive, he has made arrangements for the siblings to be cared for by his family in Vermont.
Strengths: For short, easy-to-read books, this series packs a huge historical wallop. Tarshis mentions in a note the research involved in writing this book, and it shows. I loved the action and adventure, as well as the nice touches like the skunk throwing. These are perfect for elementary students, and certainly would have been something I order through the Scholastic book clubs when my own children were younger. For middle school students, these are fast, easy reads that also teach them a whole lot when they least expect it!
Weaknesses: Sometimes the prose is a bit wooden, but not as often as I would expect for a low level reader.

Anderson, Tanya. Tillie Pierce: Teen Eyewitness to the Battle of Gettysburg by Tanya Anderson 
1 April 2012, Twenty First Century Books
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Tillie lived in Gettysburg and was in school when soldiers appeared in her town. She rushed home, and when things looked bad, a neighbor asked if Tillie would come with her and her two small daughters to her father's farm three miles out of town. This seemed like a good plan; Tillie would be safe, and the neighbor would have help with her girls. Instead, this journey took them perilously close to the fighting, and Tillie ended up ministering to the wounded who were brought to the farmhouse. This book describes the area around Gettysburg, the military action that led up to this particular battle, and the aftermath with which the people of Gettysburg had to deal. The army didn't clean up all of the dead horses, and you just can't leave those lying about in fields. Well-illustrated and attractively presented, this book is one that I am definitely purchasing. Our 8th grade travels to D.C. in the spring, with a stop at Gettysburg, and this is an excellent introduction.

While I had the E ARC and the actual digital book might be different, I found the digital version to be extremely frustrating. It would not load at all on my Nook, and turning pages on an iPad took anywhere from 12 seconds to 5 minutes and 25 minutes. Yes, I got so bored waiting that I timed it. The pictures came out very nicely on the iPad, but I read the entire newspaper while waiting for the pages to turn. Please note that this refers only to the digital ARC.



It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts. Both sites have lots of links to reviews about books that are great for the 4th through 8th grader. It's also Nonfiction Monday, hosted this week at A Wrung Sponge.

Sunday Dinner

 My weekends always revolve around food-- grocery shopping and cooking, because I refuse to cook during the week or get takeaway. Here are some brief notes on some books I've come across recently; as much as I really HATE cooking, I love to read cookbooks. No idea.

Rau, Dana Meachan. Dessert Designer
1 January 2013, Capstone Young Readers
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Worth buying if only for the armadillo cupcakes made with Nutter Butter cookies. Very pretty pictures, and longer than some. Definitely doable designs.

Larson, Jennifer and Cohen, Brie. Meaty Main Dishes
1 March 2013, Millbrook Press, 32 Pages
E ARC from Netgalley.com 

Some decent recipes, but short.








Larson, Jennifer and Cohen, Brie. Delicious Vegetarian Main Dishes
1 March 2013, Millbrook Press
E ARC from Netgalley.com 

If you buy the Meaty Main Dishes, you almost have to buy this as well!









Rau, Dana Meachan. Going Vegetarian: A Healthy Guide to Making the Switch.
1 January 2012, Compass Point Books

This didn't have much in the way of recipes, and was a little more polemic than I thought it would be. I eat very little meat, mainly for environmental reasons, and my college age daughter is a "nothing with a face" vegetarian who is leaning toward veganism (cheese will be an issue!), but do realize that this title has some pictures of meat processing that are a little graphic.

Saturday Morning Cartoons-- Planet Tad

 Ah, the Notebook Novel. Cannot keep enough of them on the shelves. Don't know how I missed this one.

Carvell, Tim. Planet Tad.
8 May 2012, HarperCollins

Tad is starting a new blog, trying to grow a mustache, and putting up with his annoying younger sister, Sophie. Told in daily entries (some of which are about things in his life, some of which are random observations like "If breakfast cereal is so popular, how come nobody makes dinner cereal. I'd eat it." page 137), this is more episodic than plot driven, covering everything from his interest in asking girls to dances to his science fair project.
Strengths: This will be popular because it is funny and a Notebook Novel. The Mad magazine designation on the front means that most middle school libraries need two copies. This doesn't have anything inappropriate, but does realistically address many middle school concerns. Where is the sequel?We need it now.
Weaknesses: This feels vaguely like feeding my children PopTarts for breakfast. Actually, there were a lot of brand name products mentioned, and there were also some unrealistic things that make me think Mr. Carvell hasn't been near an actual middle school for a while. Can't think of anywhere they do Secret Santa gift exchanges, allow gaming devices in study hall, or get standardized tests back shortly after they are taken!

Holly Kowitt's Jinx of the Loser (Loser List #3) This comes out 1 May, and I won't be able to get a copy right away but I want it! The other two in the series have been popular.

Guy Friday-- Sports Books

Green, Tim. Force Out.
5 March 2013, HarperCollins
Also reviewed at Young Adult Books Central.

Joey and Zach are teammates and best buddies, so when Zach has to go on a mandatory field trip in order to pass science instead of playing in a crucial game, Joey has a plan-- the boys sneak out in the middle of the night, bike to the home of their science teacher, Mr. Kratz, give his dog a valium, and put a clamp on his truck's fuel line. Mr. Kratz doesn't make it to the train station on time, so Zach is able to play in the game. Joey's mother realizes that one of her valium tablets is gone and confronts Joey, who claims to have taken it because he can't sleep. Joey feels tremendously guilty, but is also worried about getting on the all-star team. He also has to deal with his bratty younger brother, worries about impressing Leah, and has exams to study for. He and Zach get along until they realize that only one of them will make the all-star team. Joey feels he HAS to make it-- he wants to play in the major leagues after he goes to Stanford. The guilt over Mr. Kratz's dog eats at him, and with his mother investigating and blame being cast on all sorts of people, he doesn't know how much longer he can go until he cracks.
Strengths: Lots of good baseball, friend drama, and romance. I love Green's female characters-- Leah is smart and feisty, and Joey's mother is also a very strong woman. Green's books are constantly being checked out, and the boys love his writing.
Weaknesses: This was relentlessly angsty, and I got very tired about reading details of the younger brother's obsession with boogers and cat poop. Make the kid behave, already, even if he is named after the mother's brother who was bullied. Also wasn't wild about the ending. Still, definitely ordering.

Cowherd, Kevin and Cal Ripken, Jr. Wild Pitch
5 March 2013, Disney Press

So the question remains-- why is Kevin Cowherd NOT writing his own books, and if he coaches basketball, why not a book about that? Baseball is the least requested type of sports book, and yet the most written. Still, have students waiting for this one, and it's not bad-- this whole series is a little more angsty than most, but packs in a lot of play-by-plays I don't understand, since my last ball experience was playing on the American Ambulance softball team in 1976.

From the Publisher:
Robbie Hammond is the hardest throwing pitcher in the Babe Ruth League. But what good is all that heat when he can't seem to find the plate? With Robbie struggling, the Orioles are suffering through a nightmare season, still looking for their first win. Robbie's teammates are whispering that the only reason he's even pitching is because he's the coach's kid. They've even given him a new nickname: Ball Four.
What the other Orioles don't know is that Robbie is still haunted by a fastball that got away from him and injured a batter in last year's All-Star Game. Now, with the pressure mounting, he's willing to try anything to get his control back, including listening to a mysterious boy who just might hold the key to helping Robbieand the Oriolessave their season.

This third action-packed book in Cal Ripken Jr.'s All-Star series will have readers on the edge of their seats as they root for Robbie's comeback.

Barber, Tiki and Ronde with Paul Mantell. End Zone.
28 August 2013, Simon and Schuster

This is book five in the series, which is hugely popular in my library. For good reason-- there are lots of descriptions of football games and scores and play offs; all things I have trouble understanding, since the last time I willingly watched a football game was probably 1977! I did like the description of where all of the professional football teams got their names, although I would have liked years to have been attached to all of them. From the Publisher:
"Tiki and Ronde are ready to end junior high with a win—a big win! Their dream is to see their team in the championship, and with the Hidden Valley Eagles’ undefeated season, their chances are strong.

But when Manny, the star quarterback, starts having headaches, the doctor says he has a minor concussion, and he is out for two weeks. The whole school is counting on the team, but with pressure building, Tiki and Ronde are starting to lose their confidence. More than that, they think their good luck is going to run out. Will the team let an injury keep them from the championship? Or can they learn to work together to bring home a win?

From real-life NFL superstar brothers Tiki and Ronde Barber, this is an inspiring story of teamwork and triumph."

Perfect Scoundrels

Carter, Ally. Perfect Scoundrels.
5 February 2013, Hyperion Books for Children

Kat is back, but there's sad news-- Hale's beloved grandmother Hazel has died. She's put him in charge of Hale Enterprises, but Garrett is overseeing the company until Hale turns 25. There's something fishy with the will-- Hazel completely ignored Marcus' wife, her long time ladies' maid, which is unlike her. When Marcus asks Ally to help out, her entire family is drawn in to the scheme to recover the real will, since Garrett is intent on destroying the company by sabotaging their newest invention and then trying to sell it to a rival corporation in China. Of course, such a plot involves traveling all over the world. There's some tension between Kat and Hale, since he takes her interest in the will to mean she thinks he shouldn't run the company. Will they be able to save Hale Enterprises? What will be the price?
Strengths: ADORE this series!!! There is also a free short story available through Ally Carter's Web Site, Double Crossed, that has the Gallagher girls meeting Kat and Hale! The travel is fantastic, the characters are all interesting, and now I want to be an international jewel thief. NO ONE would suspect me. Let's take up a collection right now so that all of Ms. Carter's housework can be done by someone else, so Ms. Carter can do nothing but write 24/7. (She can sleep a little, I guess, and travel for research!)
Weaknesses: The main character is not a middle aged middle school librarian from the Midwest.


Salane, Jeffrey. Lawless
1 April 2013, Scholastic
Copy recieved from YA Books Central and reviewed there.

M has an interview for the Lawless school, which she might as well attend, since her father has passed away and her mother is too busy running an art business to spend much time with her. She is accepted at once and whisked off to the school, but the place she is in is attacked by the evil Fulbrights. She manages, with a little radio help and some pyschotropic drugs, to land the plane. Once at the school, she finds out that she is there because her father was a famous art thief, and she distinguishes herself immediately by crawling through the ventilation system and dropping through the ceiling at the first assembly, right onto the stage. A school for thieves is a dangerous place, but M manages to make a few friends and work on her crime skills. When she is accepted into the elite group of Masters, she has an assignment-- still one of the paintings in a set by Rembrandt that her father had tried to find. Her mother is missing, presumably taken by the Fulbrights, and M must get help from her roommate Zara, and from other unlikely sources, to figure out what her next step will be.
Strengths: Any book that has a young teen hurtling through the Chunnel and driving around France with stolen art at her side is great. This had lots of specifics on criminal training, lots of infighting among students, and adventure galore. There's been a recent resurgence in popularity of series like Walden's H.I.V.E. and Jink's Evil Genius, so this will be great for those students.
Weaknesses: While I will have plenty of readers for this, I didn't like it personally. There wasn't an identifiable plot until about half way through, and I felt no connection at all to M-- she had no personality. Unlike The Cloak Society, I didn't feel there was a good reason for the school to be evil, or for M to embrace this way of life. The action was good, but it failed for me in a lot of other areas.

World Wednesday-- Nine Days

Hiatt, Fred. Nine Days.
9 April 2013, Delacorte Books for Young Readers
ARC from Baker and Taylor

Ti-Anna is the daughter of Chinese revolutionaries who are working for democracy in China. Ethan is fascinated with Chinese culture. When Ti-Anna's father attempts to go to Hong Kong, even though he knows if he sets foot back in China he will be arrested, he goes missing. Ti-Anna is determined to go to China and find him, and she finds a willing ally in Ethan. The two take off with the bare essentials and without much of a plan, but manage to track down friends of her father's who are willing to help them. They discover that the government has lured and trapped the father... was Ti-Anna herself is lured and trapped! Ethan manages to stay with her and finds her in a truck full of underaged girls who are going to be sold into prostitution. He accidentally blows up a boat and bridge, and not only frees the girls but helps the government crack the ring taking the girls, but this does not help find Ti-Anna's father. Ethan is ready to give up, but Ti-Anna makes one last dangerous bid to find him. Can Ethan manage to return to the states with her, or will she become as lost as her father? Based on some true events.
Strengths: The chain of events that allow the two teenagers to take off to China alone is realistically done, and there is a lot of good action and adventure. There is a lot of information about how the world works differently in countries like China without being didactic. The human trafficking story is explained enough without being graphic. Enjoyed this very much.
Weaknesses: Strains credulity a bit, especially with the number of English speaking people Ethan finds even in rural Vietnam, but still a fun romp with serious undertones. I would like to see more middle grade books by this author.

This would be great paired with William Bell's Forbidden City. It doesn't seem right that this is now historical fiction, but it did come out in 1990! From Goodreads:

"Seventeen-year-old Alex Jackson comes home from school to find that his father, a CBC news cameraman, wants to take him to China's capital, Beijing.  Once there, Alex finds himself on his own in Tian An Men Square as desperate students fight the Chinese army for their freedom.  Separated from his father and carrying illegal videotapes, Alex must trust the students to help him escape.

Closely based on eyewitness accounts of the massacre in Beijing, Forbidden City is a powerful and frightening story."

Cloneward Bound

Castle, M.E. Cloneward Bound: The Clone Chronicles #2
12 February 2013, Egmont USA
Copy provided by Media Masters Publicity

Having narrowly escaped the evil Dr. X,  Fisher is trying to navigate his newfound popularity (thanks to his clone, Two), debating how many thousands of years it will take until he can kiss Veronica, and dealing with his parents, who are reeling from his mother's loss of her latest research project? The reason? She's lost a centiliter of Advanced Growth Hormone... that Fisher used to create Two. When two shows up in Hollywood, posting videos of him promoting Spot Right, Fisher knows he has to bring him back. With Amanda's help, and with the fortuitous trip that his school is taking to watch the Dr. Devilish Strange Science t.v. show, he stands a good chance. Circumstances work against him, though, and with the help of Flying Pig, he comes to the attention of agents, Two, teen idols, and evil villains from his past. How can he save his mother's job without having to turn over Two, whom he has come to regard as a brother?
Strengths: This had a lot of action and adventure, set against a Hollywood background, which is always popular. There is a good balance between goofy and real middle school concerns. I loved Fisher's calculation of the factors that might lead up to Veronica kissing him. I also enjoyed the characters-- Amanda was a great strong female character, and a down-to-earth foil for Fisher's often flighty plans, FP was amusing as Fisher's Hollywood bound pet pig, and the teachers and supporting characters were silly without being over the top. The cover is a good one-- bright and fun.
Weaknesses: All objections to this are personal and because I am not twelve. When Fisher's class goes to Hollywood, he and his friends are allowed to roam freely. Since we have the eighth grade D.C. trip coming up and I will be chaperoning, all I could think was "How did he end up in a diner, with a waitress driving him back to the hotel? Argh!" We lost track of three girls in a shopping mall for five minutes, and there was widespread panic! Makes for a good story, though. Those pesky adults, keeping kids safe. Pshaw.

Nonfiction Monday-- Pets

Miles, Ellen. The Puppy Place: Guide to Puppies
Miles, Ellen. The Kitty Corner: Guide to Kittens
1 April 2013, Scholastic
E ARC from Netgalley. com

These are both absolutely adorable books that offer quite useful information on picking out and caring for a new pet. They are only 80 pages long, well illustrated and beautifully arranged. I looked at these at school and my library helpers who were looking over my shoulder immediately wanted copies to check out! I didn't realize that there are series to go along with these, but they are those insidiously long series with 50 books that children find so addictive. Hmmm. I appreciated that these offered good information about care and also addressed the issue of pets dying in a delicate way.  Must have for elementary and middle school libraries.

 It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts. Both sites have lots of links to reviews about books that are great for the 4th through 8th grader. It's also Nonfiction Monday, hosted this week at Wendie's Wanderings.


Messner, Kate. Hide and Seek
1 April 2013, Scholastic Press
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Anna, Henry and Jose and their parents go to a reception at the White House to recognize them for saving the day in Capture the Flag. While there, they see an exhibit on Pre-Colombian god that includes an artifact from the Silver Jaguar Society-- a gold chalice used in ritual initiation that has been lost for 500 years. The only problem? It's a fake. The parents decide to take off for Costa Rica to investigate, and bring the kids with them. They stay at an eco lodge with another Jaguar Society person and meet the daughter, Sophie, as well as a teen raised by the society, Alejandro. The chalice was in Alejandro's possession when it was stolen, so while the parents are off in the city trying to solve the mystery, the children are working hard at the lodge. All of the tourists seem suspect, and Alejandro's slightly illegal tours make the children question his intentions as well. Gooshen of the Serpent Princes shows up, and things go from bad to worse. Can the kids keep the chalice safe?
Strengths: Messner is a great writer, and it's clear that she researched this very well. Lots of adventure, good gross middle school details like bat guano and bullet ants, and a range of interesting characters.
Weaknesses: I was coming down with a cold when I read this, and it made me super jealous of Messner(a former middle school teacher and now super successful writer!), so we will attribute all of my crankiness with this title to those things. Also, the two boy characters were slap worthy. Jose is agonizing over something he needs to tell his parents which turns out to be really inconsequential, and Henry needs to have the video game yanked out of his hands! Anna is okay, but I wish that more were done with her. Other than that, there is not concrete reason for me not to like this.

E Books do need to consider page decorations when formatting e books. A lot of times, these will slow down the page turns, and are really not worth it. In this case, there was just a line drawing of the chalice. There have been some e books where the page turns were slowed down all black pages, like Shadow on the Mountain. In that case, I couldn't even read the e book because the black pages crashed my Nook!

Happy Easter!

Owen, Ruth. Easter Sweets and Treats.
15 August 2012, Windmill Books

This has very cute ideas, but only six recipes. (Easter brunch eggs, deviled eggs, cupcake nests, chocolate eggs, bunny cookies and carrot cake.) A very attractive book with clear and easy to follow instructions. This series also has Halloween, Hanukkah, Christmas, Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. Since these are so short and run almost $20 each, I may go with just the Valentine's and Halloween ones, since those are the holidays during which my students seem to be at their most crafty.



Owens, Ruth. Easter Origami.
15 August 2012, Power Kids Press

I haven't actually seen this one, but I have the Valentine's Day Origami, and it has circulated fairly well year round. Not a lot of different designs, but a few good ones, including a very useful heart folded out of money. A much more environmentally friendly gift than a plastic card!

Here's hoping that everyone gets lots of Cadbury Creme Eggs, or whatever your favorite treat is, for Easter!

And I'm having an ethical quandry-- just how evil is Amazon? How upset should I be that they bought Goodreads? Are they evil on a level of clubbing baby seals? Evil on the level of nondolphin safe tuna? Nestle pushing formula in developing countries that don't have clean water? Or evil on the level of Domino's pizza because I just don't agree with their politics. I'm all about boycotting products when I don't agree with the company's philosophy or actions, but I'm torn. My options for buying books where I am are a huge Barnes and Noble or... well, I think there are some independent bookstores in Columbus, but none anywhere near where I am. Is that better or worse than Amazon? And while I benefit greatly from Goodreads (love the widgit showing my progress), I'm not giving them any money, so do I have to delete my account now? Oh, well. Always something in the book world that causes angst somewhere. Will deliberate.

Saturday Matinee

Shukert, Rachel. Starstruck.
12 March 2013, Delacorte Books

Margaret going to a finishing school in Pasadena in the 1930s and is obsessed with the Hollywood stars. Hanging out at Schwab's, she comes to the attention of a person at Olympus Pictures, and he invites her to come for a screen test. This doesn't go over well with her family, and when she is offered a contract, they tell her to never darken their door again. Since the glamorous Diana Chesterfield has gone missing, Olympus needs a new starlet for their historical epic, and Margaret is it. She is obsessed with fellow actor Dane, even though the studio sets her up with Jimmy, much to the dismay of her Judy Garland-esque friend Gabby. Many of the starlets in Hollywood have dark secrets, and Margaret soon finds that the glitter of Hollywood is not always what it seems.
Strengths: Anyone interested in the golden age of Hollywood will find the behind the scenes dealings in this interesting. Styles, types of actors, studio policy-- all of this aligns with what I know of this era.
Weaknesses: More of a YA book due to content, which includes a madame, homosexuality, and abortion. It's all done delicately and would be okay for high school, but there's so much that I will pass for middle school. I can't say I have any students interested in classic films.

Okay. I do try to keep current with technology, but doing so requires being on the computer, and I've discussed how this is NOT my favorite thing. At Jen Robinson's Book Page, I found out about another book site, Riffle (https://read.rifflebooks.com). I logged in through Facebook, which I hate, and did do a couple of lists, but I don't think I'll use it much. It's better than my nemesis, Pinterest (loathe, detest, abhor!), but not as useful to me as Goodreads, which I do find useful for making lists, getting publication dates, etc.

Guy Friday--Toilets!

Okay, I would have to buy this book if only for Mr. Pierson's interaction with a student who asked Yahoo Answers for a summary of Pierson's The Boy Who Couldn't Sleep and Never Had To. Please note that on a night where I could only read one book, I picked the title with a toilet on the cover, completing my transformation as a reader into a 12 year old boy.

Pierson, D.C. Crap Kingdom.
7 March 2013, Viking Juvenile
E ARC from Netgalley.com, also reviewed at YABC

Tom's life is going okay. He's involved in theater and a cute girl might like him, so when his absent father shows up after one of his plays, he's not thrilled-- especially when his father turns into Gark, a messenger from another world who claims that Tom needs to follow him through a clothes donation dumpster in a K Mart parking lot because he is the "chosen one" who will save the kingdom! Tom isn't impressed with the kingdom-- it has no name, the king doesn't know what Tom is supposed to do, Princess Pira is just nutty, and the main job Tom is supposed to perform is to work in the Rat Snottery collecting... you got it... rat snot. He returns to our world and goes about his daily life. He works on a play, tries to make amends with his mother, and hangs out with his friend Kyle. Eventually, he wishes he had stayed in the kingdom, so he goes back. Once there, he finds out that he has been replaced... by Kyle. Kyle, who has always been better than Tom at everything, gets magic powers. He doesn't have to work in the Rat Snottery. Tom decides that he'll hang out in Crap Kingdom for a while, and learns that this is possible because of a soul swap. When he is in the kingdom, a random soul pilots his body for him, and whoever is piloting him has gotten the attention of Lindsy, who is now his girlfriend. Now Tom is perfectly happy to remain in the real world, making out with his girlfriend, but the person who inhabited his body in the soul swap had much smoother moves than Tom does. He panics and goes back to the Crap Kingdom, where he meets the king of the Ghelm, who claims that Tom is THEIR chosen one. The Ghelm are the sworn enemies of Crap Kingdom. Which side will Tom support? Will Lindsy stay his girlfriend? Which world is the best place for Tom to be?
Strengths: This was a very fresh and singular book. Young Adult in feel (with all that making out with Lindsy), but with nothing objectionable. Understanding and use of fantasy tropes in unexpected ways makes this really funny, as does all the gross or goofy details, like the rusty donation box as a portal, the Rat Snottery, etc. I liked Tom's insecurity about being with Lindsy, and also his love-hate relationship with Tom. The writing is simple but not wooden or inexpert-- it just reads like a very talented 15-year-old wrote it, which has its charm. 
Weaknesses: This wasn't that funny to me; just sort of juvenile. Have to file with books I don't like personally, but which I will enthusiastically recommend.

Perhaps a good rule of thumb for middle grade literature is this: If it is toilet themed, suspend disbelief right away and just go with it. 

Rylander, Chris. The Fourth Stall: Part III
5 February 2013, Walden Pond Press

Mac is back, but he and Vince are laying low after their last escapade. It's hard to stay away from their old life, though-- Staples is back and wants their help contacting his sister who is in foster care, and they are contacted by Jimmy Two-Tone, a new kid who wants to take over their business and give them a cut of the profits. Jimmy's doing a great business, but Mac starts to suspect that Jimmy is creating problems so he can make money solving them. Turns out this is the case, and Jimmy has been using students from Thief Valley Elementary to cause the problems, but now he owes them $4,000 and he asks Mac for help after school events are being sabotaged too fast for him to fix. It turns out that Kinko, the mastermind at Thief Valley, is Staples' young sister, but this just makes Mac even more determined to take her down in this great conclusion to a great middle grade trilogy.
Strengths: Oh, the sheer number of things that would never happen in a middle school makes this a series that the boys adore. I can't tell you the number of them that knew the exact date this was coming out and wanted it right away! This was the first thing I picked up at a recent book look, once I realized it was there. Gross jokes, over-the-top villains, adventure and running around-- it has everything. I am so glad that they kept the covers the same-- very striking and attractive.
Weaknesses: I don't personally enjoy this sort of thing because it makes me worry about the amount of money involved, about where the teachers are when kids are being bullied, etc. In some ways, it's a relief to know I haven't completely turned into a twelve-year-old boy!

Rotten

Northrop, Michael. Rotten.
1 April 2013, Scholastic

JD, who isn't the best behaved kid in the world, returns to town after spending the summer "at his aunt's". No one believes him. His friends are cool with his absence, his girlfriend a bit less so. His mother has taken in a rescue dog in his absence, a huge Rottweiler she has named Jon-Jon but whom JD rechristens Johnny Rotten. The dog has been mistreated and is scared of men, especially when cornered, but is generally a good dog. When JD's friend Mars hops the fence into JD's yard and corners the dog, he gets bit. It's a small wound, but Mars' dysfunctional parents, sensing money, decide to sue. Luckily, JD's uncle is a lawyer, but it turns out that Johnny Rotten has a history of problems at the pound which will make the case even harder. To try to get Mars to call off his parents, JD offers to tell him where he really was over the summer. Mars, of course, blabs the news everywhere, and JD has to deal with endless grief at home. He and his friends decide they need to help Johnny Rotten escape before he can be sentenced to be killed. Can they manage to do this? And how will JD struggle through school now that his past is known.
Strengths: I love how versatile Northrop is-- he's sort of a new Gordon Korman. This book has lots of appeal ( what dog loving boy could turn down that cover), and straddles that middle grade/young adult boundary fairly well. Good sense of place and excellent supporting characters as well.
Weaknesses: If I wanted to nominate this for the Cybils Awards, I'd place it in Young Adult. There's just enough illicit drinking and older boy issues to make middle grade people afraid, but is done in such a way that I think it's okay on middle school shelves.

World Wednesday-- Journey of Dreams

Pellegrino, Marge. Journey of Dreams
1 August 2009, Frances Lincoln Children's Books

Tomasa and her family live in the Highlands of Guatemala in 1984. She and her mother weave garments to sell at the market, and her father and brothers farm. When her mother makes an offhand remark about chemicals being sprayed by airplanes making the children sick, the soldiers who have been causing problems target the family. When Carlos is very nearly taken away by soldiers with an older neighbor boy, the mother decides to flee with him. Tomasa, her father, grandmother and two younger siblings stay, until soldiers attack their village. The grandmother dies, but the father decides to try to make it to Guatemala City to reconnect with the mother. Even there is not safe, and with the help of coyotes, the family ends up living in a park in Mexico City. A humanitarian group helps them locate the mother and brother in Phoenix, and they eventually make their way there.
Strengths: Ms. Pellegrino works with people who need to relocate to the US due to horrible conditions in their own countries, so the details of every day life in this are brilliant. The description of the weaving, cooking, and going to market are so vivid, and most middle schoolers will be surprised that people live in ways that differ from their own lives. This could be pared with many other books about difficult circumstances. Since I can't think of anything else about life in Guatemala, this was interesting to read.
Weaknesses: I could have done without the descriptions of Tomasa's dreams, but it's a slight objection. I think I will purchase this for when we have multicultural units.

When looking up Guatemalan weaving, I came across the Sharing the Dream fair trade shop. I'd love to find a huipil or skirt to wear! They are quite beautiful.