The League of Unexceptional Children

Daneshvari, Gitty. The League of Unexceptional Children
October 20th 2015 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Jonathan and Shelley are so nondescript in the overachieving neighborhood of Evanston, Virginia, that everyone in their school assumes they are the "new kids" every time they see them. When they are brought to the school office by the nurse, they meet a shadowy man, Mr. Hammett, who tells them that they are going to become spies and save the vice president, who has been kidnapped and could give away top secret security codes. The two children don't feel prepared enough to be spies, especially when they are kidnapped. Is The League of Unexceptional Children real? Is it actually working for the good of the country? Apparently yes, and Jonathan and Shelley soldier on trying to avert disaster. They manage to succeed, against the odds, and are brought to the attention of the British prime minister, who most likely will have an assignment for them in another book.

Strengths: This is a short, fast paced read with a nice twist on spy stories. The cover is appealing, and young readers might find this amusing as they imagine themselves on assignment with the main characters.

Weaknesses: There's a lot of description of things that aren't essential to the story (Jonathan's kooky parents) but not enough to establish a believable back story for the children to become spies. This is done more successfully in Rylander's Codename Zero and in Gibbs' Spy School.

Verdict:I found the writing in this to be... odd. Occasionally, there would be a film noir feel to the dialogue, but for the most part, both Jonathan and Shelley were rather quirkily annoying. I will not be purchasing, but I can see this being popular with fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society or Cody's Powerless. 



Lore, Pittacus. The Fate of Ten (Lorien Legacies #6)
September 1st 2015 by HarperCollins
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

This story unfolds on two fronts, marked by two different typefaces: John Smith and Sam are in New York, trying to hold out against the Mogs with the help of a human with legacy like powers, Danielle. Five has taken Nine hostage, and all appears to be lost in the city. In the Mayan jungle, Adam, Marina and Six have a skimmer that has been sabotaged by Phiri Dun-Ra, a Mog who has also caused some of the chimaeras to be injured, but Adam refuses to stoop to her level and kill her. In the meantime, Ella talks to John telepathically and takes him on a virtual tour of the space ship Anubis, which the evil Setrakus Ra intends to take to the Mayan jungle in order to destroy the Sanctuary, where the Lorien power seems to be seated. After this, John's presence is requested by Agent Walker, so he and Sam and Danielle go to a refugee camp to meet her. Apparently, the secretary of defense who was aiding the Mogs is dead, and the MogPro sympathetic government is gone. Walker wants to help John, but gives him just 48 hours to win the war. The major fighting is moving to Mexico, but John has to deal with Five, who has injured Nine, but who is also badly injured himself and needs John to heal him. After talking with Sam, Adam realizes that Ella must be killed before Setrakus Ra can be, but the group plans to rescue Ella and steal the Anubis. In the midst of their planning, Sarah and Mark arrive on the Loric ship that brought John to earth. Even with some back up, can the group fight Setrakus Ra and survive? Clearly, not all of the characters will.

This is a hugely popular series in my library, and it's easy to see why: there is a lot of fighting, things blow up on a regular basis, and despite the violent nature of many of the injuries, the Loric powers can heal the injured so that they can get up and fight again. Invading space aliens are never a sympathetic foe, and many of them are blasted to ash in New York City, which is an excellent place to be if one needs to hide in the subway from the aliens!

There are some interesting characters, such as Adam, who is a Mog but has gone over to the side of the humans. I don't have a very good memory for the other books in this series, so I am sure I am missing some of the romance and changing alliances, but I enjoyed the fact that the characters interacted on one level until their allegiances were challenged. Personally, I would have done in Phiri, but Adam clearly had some moral objection to hurting her the way she had hurt others.

The telepathic communication that Ella is capable of, as well as Danielle emergent power to deflect enemies and Sam's telekinesis are all interesting. What middle grade reader doesn't want to have some sort of super power, especially if it can be used to fight aliens.

Readers of dystopian fiction like Grant's Gone series, as well as books like Dashner's The Eye of Minds and even spy stories like Horowitz's Stormbreaker, will find The Fate of Ten to be an action packed addition to a popular series.

That said, I didn't appreciate that there was one f-word buried deep in the book, on page 363. It was completely gratuitous and out of place in a novel that has great appeal to middle grade readers. Also, I was very confused as to why one of the chimaera was named Bernie Kosar. I actually went to high school with Bernie, and his sister Beth's locker was right next to mine!

Verdict: I personally hate this series, but the first book was in the Battle of the Books, so I had to buy it. My students adore it. I reviewed this for Young Adult Books Central so I wouldn't have to pay for a copy. 

Blather- What I Learned at Kidlitcon

Picture by Maureen Kearney. http://bloodyyank.blogspot.com/

Kidlitcon was a great way to spend a lot of time connecting with other book people thinking about how I spend a huge portion of my life-- reading and recommending books for kids.

Since that is a small part of what I do at my job, I lack confidence. I'm not a great media specialist. The treasurer's office is always on my case about pay tags. It's hard to get classes in for instruction. We don't do a ton of technology at my school. I never, ever, ever want to have a maker space. And I always feel that no one reads my blog, even though I have striven mightily to post at least one quality book review every single day.

What I lack on this blog is voice. Because I'm not confident, I try to be vague and professional and not offend anyone. I try to filter out anything that is not books, figuring out that no one cares.

But here's the thing: I know middle grade literature, and I know my middle grade kids. I could save teachers, librarians and parents a whole stinking lot of time if they would just read my blog, especially since seriously, no one else seems to review sports books on a regular basis!

As I close in on ten years of blogging, I am going to try to make a few changes. I may include some anecdotes about how I interact with kids. Matthew Winner encouraged me to learn to podcast, and I would like to interview my students about what they like to read and why. I'm thinking of calling it "Reviewing Readers".

As Charlotte likes to say, we are all "special snowflakes". Some people do great at interviewing authors or creating great projects with Three-D printers, and some people rock Noodletools instruction or genrefying their libraries.

I read books. I talk to students. I match them up with books.

I rock at it, and I shouldn't be shy in letting the world know.

What anecdotal blather would YOU like to hear from me?

MMGM-The Princess in Black

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


Okay, okay. I know that technically, The Princess in Black is a beginning reader book, and not really middle grade at all. But... my students have the rest of their lives to read serious books on depressing topics. Once they leave 8th grade, no one is going to ever recommend something like this to them. Why give them The Fault in Our Stars in 5th grade? Not a huge fan of Young Adult literature, although there is some I buy, and some readers who need it.

We've had so much fun with the first book. Because of all of the hoo ha concerning Ms. Hale not being asked to speak to boys, or rather, boys not being asked to hear her, I encouraged the boys at my school to read the book before the girls did, so we could send a filled up circulation card to Ms. Hale. They enjoyed it so much that I may have to buy the sequel.

Fun. We just need more of that in my world.


Hale, Dean and Shannon. The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party. (#2)
October 13th 2015 by Candlewick
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Princess Magnolia is having a big birthday party, and all of her princess friends have shown up riding various animals, with various princess outfits, bearing gifts. The party progresses nicely, but the monsters keep attacking the goats, and Princess Magnolia has to excuse herself and go keep the monsters from eating the goats. This becomes very wearing, especially when one of the guests hides in the broom closet and almost discovers the princess's secret! Eventually, the princess reads the monster the riot act. He behaves, even giving her a present, and she is allowed to finish her party, with her guests none the wiser even though her dress is inside out and she has twigs in her disheveled hair.
Strengths: I am a HUGE LeUyen Pham fan; ever since her Joe and Beth Krush homage in Snyder's Any Which Wall. The illustration are rather brilliant-- while the princesses seem to be from a variety of cultures, their costumes don't necessarily reflect any particular culture. There is, for example, a girl in what looks like stereotypical Native American dress who does not look in the least Native American. This is a great way to get a variety of faces in the book without having to worry about people complaining that they aren't authentic.

This moves along quickly, makes sense, and we learn that Princess Magnolia is a bit impatient. She uses this quality well, though. It's a simple story that my daughters would have adored.
Weaknesses: I really wanted to see more from the goat herder, Duffy, but he is barely shown. I think Magnolia needs to learn to deputize.
What I really think: Yep. Buying. And replaced my lost copy of Arnie the Doughnut, too. Fun.

I Don't Know How the Story Ends

Cheaney, J.B. I Don't Know How the Story Ends
October 1st 2015 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

During WWI, Isobel, her mother, and her sister Sylvie are miserable in the cold, wet Seattle summer, especially since the father has volunteered to be a medic and letters from the front come rarely. To improve everyone's mood, the girls travel to Hollywood, California to visit Aunt Buzzy, who has married the father of the boy she tutored, Ranger Ball. Ranger's mother was from India, and he is tired of people looking at him because he is different, and gets in trouble at school. His true passion lies with film making, and he and his friend Sam (whose father is a cameraman), have lots of ideas for films they want to make. At first, Isobel isn't thrilled about Ranger OR being in California, but when she is shown films and the film studio lots, she is intrigued as well. She and Sylvie are recruited to act in some of Ranger's attempts, but when the three older children come up with a war film they hope to show to a "real" filmmaker, Isobel starts to understand why films speak so strongly to people. She is both worried about and angry with her father for going to France, and when he comes home unexpectedly, she must come to terms with his injuries as well as her mother's growing interest in the film community.
Strengths: The early 1900s are an interesting time period, but there are relatively few books set during that time. This is somewhat similar to Tubbs' Selling Hope (which includes Buster Keaton instead of Charlie Chaplin), and the information about the early film industry is fascinating. The inclusion of information about WWI makes sense as well.
Weaknesses: This was a bit long, and could have been tightened up if there were less about various films and more about everyday life During this time.
What I really think: Will order a copy, but this may take some hand selling to get students to pick it up.

The Tale of Rescue

Rosen, Michael J. The Tale of Rescue
October 13th 2015 by Candlewick Press
E ARC from Netgalley.com

A mother, father and their son travel from Florida for a vacation in the Appalachians in Ohio. They get caught out in a very bad snowstorm, and it doesn't look like they will survive until a cattle dog finds them and, after much travail, manages to herd them to a farmhouse where they are helped by the old man who lives there. They are so relieved to be rescued that they don't ask a lot of questions, but the boy returns to the farm years later in search of answers.
Strengths: This was very beautifully illustrated, and had an old-fashioned appeal to it. It seems like just the thing that my daughter's third grade teacher would have loved to read to her class.
Weaknesses: Because the characters weren't given names, there was an oddly disconnected feel to this, which diluted the story of survival for me. The portion of the book when the boy came back seemed unlikely.
What I really think: As a survival story, this was not as exciting as it could be. The appeal lies in the story of the dog trying to help the humans, and I can see elementary teachers using this short book to illustrate the different types of conflicts in literature. It doesn't seem exciting enough for my middle school readers, so I will pass. It is similar to Avi's new Old Dog in some respects.

Guy Friday- Johnny and Ralph

Campbell, Isaiah. The Struggles of Johnny Cannon
October 13th 2015 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Johnny and his father are still struggling with the death of older brother Tommy, ostensibly in Korea but most likely in Cuba around the time of the Missile Crisis, and are shocked but somewhat pleased when a young Korean woman, Sora, shows up at their home in Alabama. The surprise? She is pregnant with Tommy's child and has been kicked out of her home by her parents. Johnny is still reeling from the events of The Troubles of Johnny Cannon and the mystery of his own parentage while dealing with his feelings for Martha, a friend on whom he has a crush. Add to this racial issues, Mafia involvement, and lingering problems with life in Havana, and Johnny is certainly struggling.
Strengths: We definitely need more books set during this time period, and a Southern setting certainly puts problems with Cuba in an interesting light, given how many problems Alabama had in the 1960s. Johnny is an engaging character, and the inclusion of a young woman left behind by his dead brother lends a poignant air to the book.
Weaknesses: A bit confusing-- Tommy has met Sora in Mobile, not in Korea, where he had never been. Something about the dealings with the Mafia seemed forced.
What I really think: There is almost too much packed into this book. If the first one had circulated well, I would buy this, but will probably pass for now.

McNally, John. Lord of the Ralphs
October 6th 2015 by Lacewing Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

It's 1979, and Hank is ready to take charge of his suburban Chicago middle school. Whether it's hitting K Mart with his blue-light special obsessed father, worrying about his shoe stealing grandmother, or ogling posters of Farrah Fawcett in the local record store, Hank tries to remain cool. His friend Ralph is a bit alarming, especially when he decides to make money charging school mates to beat up people, but Hank manages to keep his "sky-blue leisure suit...with a dark-blue turtleneck" clean. He manages to make it to the end of the school year, and plans a summer filled with girls in tube tops as he gears up to be a freshman in the class of 1983.
Nota Bene: I graduated from high school in 1983.
Strengths: Writers of historical fiction, take note: this is the level of every day detail that would be fantastic to have in historical fiction books. McNally either kept a journal in middle school or has the world's best memory for detail. I hadn't thought of Zayres in years. This was quirky and goofy, and would have been perfect to have about five years ago, when the children of people who graduated in 1983 were going through middle school.
Weaknesses: This would have been better with a more discernible plot. The fact that this is only available in paperback makes it a book I really can't purchase-- it would last about two weeks. Also, I'm pretty sure that Hank's mother would have worn panty hose on occasion, and they definitely would have been L'eggs, because everyone needed the plastic eggs for craft projects. Doubt, however, that tube tops would have been worn at school.
What I really think: McNally seems very fond of these characters. Perhaps the story can be reworked yet again in about 15-20 years, when grandchildren of people my age will want to read stories about the late 1970s. Details about cars of the time, and a few more tv references could be thrown in.

The Mystery of the Zorse's Mask/ Nooks and Crannies

Singleton, Linda Joy. The Mystery of the Zorse's Mask (Curious Cat Spy Club #2)
September 1st 2015 by Albert Whitman
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Kelsey, Becca and Leo are back, and this time they are worried about Zed, the zebra/horse mix that brough Kelsey and Becca together. Zed had come to Becca's mother's animal sanctuary after having been abused, but there has been someone claiming to be the zorse's owner. Caleb Hunter claims that the animal was the last gift given to his ailing mother from her husband, and he wants to return Zed (whom they called Domino) to her in hopes that it will perk her up. Becca's mother grudgingly agrees, but the CCSC is suspicious. Caleb also really wants the elaborate, jeweled fly mask that Zed was wearing when found, and won't leave town without it. It's gone missing, which gives Kelsey a few days to figure out if Caleb was the man who abused Zed. The mask supposedly went to the local thrift store, and then to the middle school theater department, and takes some tracking down in order to find. In the meantime, Kelsey manages to contact Caleb's sister to get the real story. Will it be soon enough to save Zed?
Strengths: This had a nice ensemble cast, some action and adventure at the end, and other relevant problems, such as Kelsey's family living in an apartment after her father loses his job. I really liked the small town, out west setting. Readers who like animal stories, or Runholdt's Kari & Lucas mysteries or Beil's Red Blazer Girls will find this interesting.
Weaknesses: Again, Kelsey is very concerned about being part of Becca's "cool" group, which even has a name, the Sparklers. Seemed a bit much to me. Leo isn't featured as prominently, which is a shame.
What I really think: Not the type of mystery I like best, but I have a lot of students who enjoy this type of story.

Lawson, Jessica. Nooks and Crannies.
June 2nd 2015 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Tabitha is an abused and neglected child whose parents ware more concerned with social climbing and their bank account. Her only friend in the world is Pemberley, a mouse she carries in her pocket. When she receives an invitation, with five other children, to the country home of the reclusive Countess of Windermere, her parents decide to attend the gathering instead of taking off to South America and leaving Tabitha at an orphanage. Once there, the odd group of disparate children must deal with the supercilious butler, Phillips, as well as the somewhat dangerous countess. There is an elderly maid, Mary, who has suffered a stroke; apparently, the children have all been adopted, but one is the countess' grandchild. When Mary dies (and is stored in the garden during a snow storm, which would definitely traumatize some younger readers), Tabitha realizes that she must investigate matters in the way that her favorite fictional detective, Pensive, would.
Strengths: Decent mystery with a twist, and a manor house with undetected secret rooms. Had a very British/Roald Dahl feel with a hint of Lemony Snicket. Fans of Maryrose Wood's Incorrigible Children series would like this.
Weaknesses: This is the first year that the Snicket has been almost completely ignored, and it's very hard in my library to find readers for this sort of thing. I found it hard to believe that Tabitha's parents were as mean as they were, and her relationship with the mouse was a bit odd.
What I really think: Probably won't buy for my library, but I can see this being read.

Blendon Cross Country Rules the 'Ville!

I am so proud of all of the hard work that both our girls' and boys' cross country team put into the season. I've never been much of a competitive person, but after working so hard, it does feel good to win.

Plus, having BOTH trophies is essential to my library decor.

Thanks, team!

#WNDB-A Blind Guide to Stinkville

Vrabel, Beth. A Blind Guide to Stinkville
October 6th 2015 by Sky Pony Press

E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Alice is not happy that her family has moved from cloudy Washington state to Sinkville, a Southern town where her father is the manager of the local paper plant that gives the town its distinctive stink. Her father is busy, her mother is depressed, and she needs a ton of sunscreen. It also doesn't help that "back home" everyone knew that Alice had vision difficulties because of her alibinism, and in the new town, she finds herself constantly having to explain. She meets Kerica at the town library and is glad to have a new friend, especially since her old best friend is moving on with her life. Alice is less thrilled with Sandi, who also spends a lot of time in the library. Alice has a lot of trouble navigating the new town by herself, and her brother James has found other places to be, so Alice takes her dog, Tooter, many places with her, pretending he is her guide dog. There is a town writing contest about success stories in the town, and Alice manages to find a lot of them while trying to find her place in the town. She's particularly fond of elderly whittler Mr. Hamlin and gets to know diner owner Gretel and learns about the town's involvement in the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s from Mayor Hank. Alice also tries to help her mother, a former photojournalist, snap out of her depression by showing her the town that Alice is coming to enjoy. There are further complications involving Tooter's health and Alice's school placement, but in the end, things turn out fairly well.
Strengths: This was a hopeful book about a middle grade student managing her diverse abilities with a small but devoted support system. Alice feels sorry for herself sometimes, like all middle grade students do, but also wants to show her parents how she can take care of herself. The community is vibrantly drawn and the setting adds a lot to the story. Despite the sad parts, I enjoyed this.
Weaknesses: A lawsuit, dog health problems AND a mental health breakdown for the mother? That's a lot to address in one book, although the length is still very manageable.
What I really think: I think I will buy this one. It addresses sight impairment from an interesting angle, and will appeal to readers who like realistic fiction or problem novels. I wanted to slap the mother, but that's a personal objection. Thought this captured middle grade sentiment much better than this author's Pack of Dorks.

The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium #2)

Black, Holly and Clare, Cassandra. The Copper Gauntlet (Magisterium #2)
September 1st 2015 by Scholastic Press
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

In this sequel to The Iron Trial, when Callum is home from school for the summer, the only bright spot is Havoc, the Chaos-ridden hound he brought with him. His father, Alastair, is nervous about others finding out about Havoc, and when the dog runs away, Call is determined to find him. What he doesn't expect to find are detailed plans of how his father wants to find the Alkahest, a magic gauntlet, and use it to cure Callum of being ... the deep, deark secret that is revealed in the first book. Don't want to spoil it. Callum runs away to Tamara's house, where he is hosted in very luxurious style. When school begins, he and Aaron and Tamara find out that the Alkahest has been stolen. Fearing not only for his father, but also for his friend Aaron, who as Makar could be killed by the Alkahest, he attempts to go after his father, whom he believes is hiding out in a remote barn he has rented. Tamara and Aaron want to go with him, and the group picks up Jasper as well. The group encounters a number of former members of the Magisterium faculty, and it's hard to determine who is really on their side. It's hard enough for Call to know if he is himself working on the side of good! Eventually, the group locates Alastair, but will they be able to retrieve the Alkahest without Aaron, Call or Alastair succumbing to it?
Strengths: This was MUCH better than the first book. Call isn't as bratty, and the time spent outside the Magisterium was more enjoyable and made more sense. The look at Tamara's family was quite intriguing. There was a clear mission (find Alastair and the Alkahest), an action-filled journey, and interesting key details added to Call's story. It was an amazing piece of writing in that it evoked the FEELING of Harry Potter without really being like it at all. Definitely glad to have this series for Harry Potter fans who don't want to read anything else. Nice light romance, too.
Weaknesses: The lichen-based food served at the school doesn't add anything to the story. The whole point of having food in a book is so that it sounds GOOD and comforting. This food just makes the gorge rise.
What I really think: Curious to see what The Cosmos Blade is like. The whole series seems to be mapped out already!

Middle Grade Books That Haven't Been Nominated for the Cybils

For a more complete list of Middle Grade Speculative Fiction, head over to Charlotte's Library. Here were just a few that I really enjoyed.

Fulk, David. Raising Rufus. 
Kessler, Liz. Has Anyone Seen Jessica Jenkins?
Margolis, Leslie. If I Were You 
Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Bayou Magic

For Middle Grade Fiction, take a look at these titles if you still need to nominate:

al Mansour, Haifaa. The Green Bicycle
Benedis-Grab, Daphne. Clementine for Christmas 
Brown, Jennifer. How Lunchbox Jones Saved Me from Robots, Traitors and Missy the Cruel.
Eyre, Lindsay. The Mean Girl Meltdown 
Greci, Paul. Surviving Bear Island 
McVoy, Terra Elan. Drive Me Crazy
Meyerhoff, Jenny. The Friendship Garden
Nickerson, Sara. The Secrets of Blueberries, Brothers, Moose & Me
Nielsen, Susin. We Are All Made of Molecules
Pearsall, Shelley. The Seventh Most Important Thing. 
Rosengren, Gayle. Cold War on Maplewood Street

In making my own list of titles to nominate, I realized that I read almost exclusively Middle Grade Fiction, with some Speculative Fiction and some Young Adult Fiction. No book apps, no poetry, few picture books and graphic novels, and just not enough nonfiction!

Also, KIDLITCON!!! Have most of my packing done, horror panel intros and questions, need to check flight, but am ready to go! Have a substitute and have drilled student helpers in What Needs to be Done. Leaving right after school on Thursday!

The Caretakers Guide to Fablehaven

Mull, Brandon. The Caretakers Guide to Fablehaven
October 13th 2015 by Shadow Mountain
E ARC provided by publisher

This beautifully illustrated guide has entries on anything that could possibly need more explaining in the books from the Fablehaven series. There are chapters on Artifacts and Items, Creatures, Demons, Dragons, Locations, Wizards. Done in full color, the pages also include notes from Kendra and Seth as well as items that look like they are taped into the book. The descriptions are done seriously, so are quite helpful when reading the books, but are also done with humor, making this fun to read.

The Fablehaven series first came out in 2006, and has been popular enough that I've had to order a new copy of the first book, for two reasons: the one copy was in pretty poor shape, and students often recommend the book to their friends while they are still reading it, so another copy is crucial! It's easy to forget older series when new books are constantly coming out, and reading The Caretakers Guide motivated me to start offering Fablehaven to readers again, mentioning that all of the books in the first series have already been published, so they don't have to wait for a year to read the next book in the series.

I'm very interested to get more details about the Dragonwatch series. I struggle with many fantasy books, but did very much enjoy Fablehaven.

From the Publisher: They existed only in your imagination …. Until now! With over 3 million copies in print, the Fablehaven series by New York Times best-selling author Brandon Mull is one of the most popular middle-grade fantasy series to date. Now, first time ever, The Caretaker’s Guide to Fablehaven provides a visual discovery of the series, and is loaded with insider’s knowledge and hand-scrawled notes. Readers can actually see the mystical creatures from the series like dragons – each one has a name, a special power, and looks distinctly different from the others, but until this book there was no illustrated guide. The book is also a springboard to the Fablehaven sequel series, Dragonwatch (releasing Fall 2016) and features clues to the characters and creatures fans will find in the upcoming books.

MMGM- Little bit of everything!

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and What Are You Reading? day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday.
Take a look at what you've read in the last year and nominate your favorites at http://nominations.cybils.com/nominate.php. I realized in putting together my list that about 95% of what I read is straight realistic Middle Grade Fiction. There are still some categories in which I haven't nominated, because the few things I did read have already been entered!

Aldrin, Buzz and Dyson, Marianne J. Welcome to Mars: Making a Home on the Red Planet.
September 1st 2015 by National Geographic Children's Books
Book provided by publisher.

This well illustrated book by space experts lays out why people should colonize Mars and describes what preparations need to be made for such an excursion. From details of packing and the flight to equipment used on Mars and the natural resources of the planet, everything is covered with full but easy to understand descriptions. The history of space travel, with an emphasis on exploration involving Mars covered, is and there is a nice time line. The descriptions of how the crew will reuse parts of the ship to form a habitat, and the in-depth discussion of how food would be grown are most interesting. Aldrin makes a good argument that not only is inhabiting possible, but it is a great idea.
Strengths: Young readers are always interested in daily life, so mock ups of living quarters, typical menus, and even a picture of a Martian basketball court will intrigue them. Science teachers will appreciate the detailed descriptions of atmospheric conditions and the surface differences of Mars. There is a nice bibliography as well as a glossary.
Weaknesses: The computer generated pictures always look odd to me, but don't seem to register with students. I could have done without the activities, which were printed in very small font.


O'Neal. Shaquille. Little Shaq, Illustrated by Theodore Taylor III
October 6th 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Shaq and his cousin Barry love to play basketball as well as video games. When Barry gets angry at Shaq during basketball proactice and then again when they are playing their favorite video game, Barry throws a controller and breaks the disk. They are told that they need to earn the money for a replacement game, and they happen upon the job of watering plants. They work with their neighbors and earn enough money to replace the game, and also have enough extra to use to benefit their community.
Strengths: The reading level on this is akin to an I Can Read Book or a level 2 Step Into Reading Book. There are one or two sentences on each page, and the pictures are plentiful. This makes the book perfect for emergent first and second grade readers. What is motivating me to purchase this is that the issues with which the boys struggle are also appropriate for older students as well. Struggling 6th graders will appreciate the celebrity name, the pictures, and the diverse characters.
Weaknesses: The illustrations are great, but the faces of the characters all look like they are wearing "funeral smiles", so they look a little sad! (A funeral smile, if you are fortunate enough not to be familiar with it, is when the corners of your mouth reluctantly turn up, but your eyes are sad. It says "I am sharing a happy memory with you, but it's a funeral, so I can't actually be happy.")
What I really think: I know that there are a lot of celebrities who turn their hands (often with help) to writing sports stories, and that some people aren't thrilled with them. I am. Nothing gets reluctant readers excited about a book than sports or a favorite player. ALL of the pro players can start writing, and I'll be happy!

Note: I don't think that Theodore Taylor III is related to THE Theodore Taylor, but if anyone knows for sure, please inform me!

Keating, Jess. How To Outfox Your Friends When You Haven't Got a Clue
October 2nd 2015 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
E ARC from Netgalley

Ana is turning 13 soon and is very excited about it. She is working on an autobiography project for school and also volunteering at a local wild animal rehab center, but the most exciting thing is that her best friend Liv is visiting from New Zealand for two whole weeks. Liv has changed a lot, not only having made friends with Leilani and dying her hair purple, and Ana is afraid to tell her that she is now friends with Ashley, whom the two had hated before Liv moved. With her family living away from the zoo, there's not quite as much about animals in the book, but there is a fox that her mother helped patch together after it was hit by a car, a run in with a skunk, and Ana's grandfather's continues fame as a naturalist. When a party is planned for Ana and her twin brother Daz, Ana has great hopes for it, but a rift between her and her new and old best friends cause the day to be full of drama.
Strengths: Ana's drama with her friends and her brother are very accurate, and it's nice to see a school project included. That and the birthday party are really all the plot needed to use as a setting for all of the middle school angst about friends, fashion, and school.
Weaknesses: Book 2 of this series seems to be in hardcover, but one and three aren't. Argh!
What I really think: I like Keating's work so much that I read it even when I know I won't be purchasing a copy for my library. Her stuff should definitely be in hardcover!

The Day the Mustache Took Over

Katz, Alan. The Day the Mustache Took Over
September 1st 2015 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Twins Nathan and David are so horrible that they have run off any number of babysitters. Their busy and beleaguered parents are desperate to hire someone who won't run off, so they are intrigued when Martin Healey Discount shows up, and hire him even though they didn't read his letters of reference. At first, Martin makes the boys do homework and clean their rooms, and the boys, surprised that they have a "manny" do as they are told. The parents are impressed, but Martin lets the boys know that most of that is for show. Really on the agenda-- television and having fun. Martin turns out to be more irresponsible than they twins, but under the guise of "making things look good", gets the boys to do a lot of studying and chores. The boys think that Martin might be a spy, and they investigate, but in the end, don't care. They miss their "Murray Poppins" when he leaves, but he isn't gone for long.
Strengths: Goofy book that will amuse elementary readers. Has some illustrations. A great "evil aunt" gift, since it does encourage some bad behavior. Goofy and light amusement.
Weaknesses: I couldn't get past the fact that the parents didn't take away every privilege known to man so that the boys would behave! I know it's for comic effect, but badly behaved children don't amuse me!
What I really think: Comes down on the elementary side of the Pilkey line, so I don't think I'll buy.

Various Graphic Novels

Yang, Gene Luen and Homes, Mike. Secret Coders
September 29th 2015 by First Second
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Hopper moves to a new town and starts school at Stately Academy, where all the buildings look like haunted houses. She gets off to a rocky start with fellow basketball player Eni, as well as with her Mandarin tecaher, Ms. Hu. Eni later seeks her out and the two make amends, and shares with her his suspicion that the birds on the campus are somehow robotic, since their eyes seem to mimic the computer code for whatever numbers they see. A lesson in binary code quickly turns into a way for the two to solve the mystery of the creepy custodian who keeps on of the buildings locked. They find a turtle robot which has been programmed to blow leaves off the side walk... and other, more sinister things. With the help of Josh and Mr. Bee, the custodian, some of the secrets are revealed, but there will be more in book two, Paths and Portals.
Strengths: This graphic novel was a quick read, and the illustrations are appealing. I liked that Hopper was the main character AND interested in basketball, and also that she and Eni got off to a rocky start but managed to become friends. The coding is explained in simple enough terms that children who don't know anything about it will not be confused and might be interested in learning more.
Weaknesses: The story suffered a bit because of all of the explanations about coding, and I'm not sure how instructive this was. For example, I was unclear (and it might be me) on what programming language they were using.
What I really think: I've coded with html, BASIC, Cobol, Pascal and a little bit of Java. It's great to get children interested in coding, but I've not yet seen a good way to do that. The Day of Coding that our school had was run by a woman who didn't even know there were different computer languages, and the online activities were more drag-and-drop than coding. I've looked into books on different languages for middle grade readers, but just haven't found the right thing yet. I might wait to read book two and see if the story picks up a bit before ordering this.

Thrash, Maggie. Honor Girl: A Graphic Memoir
September 8th 2015 by Candlewick Press

Maggie goes off to the same Southern summer camp she has always attended, but as the summer wears on, she feels out of place. She takes up archery, which she enjoys, but she doesn't like the weird rivalry with another girl who wants to be the best in the camp. After a lice inspection, she feels a strong connection to an older counselor, Erin, and starts to realize that she is gay. She confides in a friend, who is generally supportive but somewhat weird about it in the way that the average 14-year-old might be. Erin also feels an attraction to Maggie, but is 19, which makes things difficult. There were two girls in the past who were accused of engaging in quasi-sexual activities, and they were kicked out of camp, but when an adult counselor suspects that Maggie is interested in Erin, she has a conversation about how Maggie needs to not act on her feelings, at least not at camp, so she doesn't get kicked out. I expected the counselor to not be nearly that understanding! Erin and Maggie later write to each other and meet up when Maggie is older.
Strengths: There were many things in this story that felt very accurate, which mkaes sense, since it is based on the author's own experience. I thought that most of the people involved were more understanding of Maggie's coming out than I remember people being in the 1990s.
Weaknesses: Camp stories normally don't do too well in my library, although the graphic format even sells Moby Dick.
What I really think: No objection to the story line, but the book is just a bit on the boring side. The artwork is okay, but nothing fabulous. Trying to decide whether or not to purchase this. Certainly, all of the activities are middle grade appropriate.

Guy Friday- This Side of Wild

Paulsen, Gary. This Side of Wild
September 29th 2015 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

In this memoir, Paulsen serves up a variety of anecdotes about the animals that have come into his life at various times. These include an account of a small rescue poodle, Corky, who is a more vicious guard dog than he expected, a dog named Gretchen who liked to sit at the kitchen table and "talk" to him, and two horses that went with him exploring. Paulsen's experiences are certainly unique and interesting, and a good choice for reluctant readers, since this is only 144 pages. One of our 7th grade language arts teachers does an author study on Paulsen, so I'll definitely have to buy a copy.
Strengths: This would be easy to pair with some of Paulsen's fiction texts, or to use as a class read aloud, since the anecdotes aren't terribly long.
Weaknesses: This felt sort of like Paulsen took a bunch of notes he had assembled for books that didn't quite work and through them into this collection. Not his best work.
What I really think: I was hoping for something more like his Liar, Liar series, but this was okay.

The Shrunken Head (Curiosity House #1)

Oliver, Lauren. and Chester, H.C. The Shrunken Head (Curiosity House #1)
September 29th 2015 by HarperCollins Children's Books
ARC from Meagan Beatie Communications

Sam, Thomas and Pippa work at Dumfrey's Dime Museum of Freaks and Oddities in New York City. It is one of the last dime museums operating in the 1930s, and has live performances as well as displays of "curiosities". When Mr. Dumfrey buys a shrunken head, odd things start to happen. A woman falls from the balcony and is killed, and Bill Evans, a reporter, blames the head in a sensational news article. A new girl, Max, shows up hoping for work at the museum and is taken in right away, due to her ability to throw knives. When the shrunken head goes missing, the children try to investigate. The head was bought at Mr. Anderson's antique shop, but when they go there, they find Mr. Anderson hanged, and work out that it was not a suicide. They think that one of the workers at Dumfries, Mr. Potts, might have been involved in the disappearance, and he shows up poisoned with cyanide. This leads to more news articles, and more interest in the museum. The children want to figure everything out because they are very grateful to Mr. Dumfrey for saving them from a life on the streets, even though a woman from a children's home is trying to get them to come and live with her. In the end, an unlikely villain emerges, and Mr. Dumfrey gives more details to the children about themselves.
Strengths: For readers who have an interest in rough-and-tumble street urchins at differnt points in history his was a more accessible book than Blackwood's Curiosity, which had a similar setting. It also felt a bit like Nicholson's The Magician's Fire. The ensemble cast worked well, and the different abilities (light mind reading, super strength, super agility) of the children didn't seem too contrived. The best part were probably the New York City underworld setting and the puzzle of how the murders were related.
Weaknesses: I wish that the 1930s setting had been established early on. I was able to work it out about halfway through the book (the Great Crash was mentioned, as was the Spanish Flu), but students won't necessarily pick up on that and won't be able to place the time period.
What I really think: Good murder mystery which reminded me a lot of the BBC show Inspector Lewis, since there were a whole string of related murders. The historical setting makes this a harder sell to middle grade readers, however.


Segel, Jason and Miller, Kirsten. Nightmares! The Sleepwalker Tonic (#2)
September 8th 2015 by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Charlie is still living in a purple mansion that is the portal to the Netherworld. His stepmother is still running the Herbarium, and things have quieted down a bit since the nightmares took over their town in the first book. However, there is a creepy guy wandering around selling a sleeping tonic that is turning people into zombies. After going to the nearby town of Orville Falls with his friends to visit Paige's aunt, they notice that way too many of the citizens there are zombie like. They need to unravel the mystery and find out who the sinister tonic seller is... especially since he is also trying to buy Charlie's house, which has been in the family for 150 years.
Strengths: Cool setting, with the stepmother's business, the purple mansion, and the portal to the Netherworld. Charlie is a decent character, and the ensemble cast is strong. Zombies are always popular.
Weaknesses: Just couldn't connect with these for some reason. First book has circulated decently.
What I really think: Probably buy because there aren't as many creepy books in series, but I wish more readers would pick up Grabenstein's The Crossroads series.

And.....GOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

The nominations for the 2015 Cybils awards are now open!

Go to http://www.cybils.com/2015/10/the-2015-cybils-are-open.html to nominate!

I'm normally one of the first to nominate, but organizationally, I may hang to the back this year. This has benefits as well, since I can nominate books that AREN'T nominated by someone else but which I think are deserving.

2015 Nominations by category:

• Book Apps

• Easy Readers and Early Chapter Books

• Elementary/Middle-Grade Nonfiction

• Elementary/Middle-Grade Speculative Fiction

• Fiction Picture Books

• Graphic Novels

• Middle-Grade Fiction

• Poetry

• Young Adult Fiction

• Young Adult Nonfiction

• Young Adult Speculative Fiction

Since I'll be organizing Middle Grade Fiction but reading for Young Adult Nonfiction, I am REALLY looking forward to seeing the nominations. 

With Kidlitcon coming up next week and my teacher evaluation coming up right after that, though, I am a little distracted. This morning, I actually had to answer the following question, which I am very proud to say I managed to do WITHOUT referencing my new Level 2 Profession Magical Unicorn status:

"How will safety in the classroom be ensured?"

"The physical and emotional environment of the library will be organized to be free of impedimenta."

Faceless/ The Green Bicycle

Sheinemel, Alyssa. Faceless.
September 29th 2015 by Scholastic Press
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Maisie has it pretty good at the end of her junior year: she's a runner, she has a boyfriend, Chirag, who has just asked her to prom, and her parents are both still around, even if they fight with each other. She's hoping to get into Barnard. This all changes when she is out for a run one morning, gets caught in a storm, and is badly burned in an electrical fire. After a month in a medically induced coma, she wakes up to find everything has changed. She has lost most of her nose and left cheek in the fire, and is badly burned. She is lucky that she is eligible for a face transplant when one suddenly becomes available and seems to be the only choice. Even though it allows her a better chance at "normal", it's certainly not the old "normal". In addition to the pain, scarring and swelling of her wounds and her surgery, she has to take a variety of drugs to help her body accept the transplant, and the drugs have lots of side effects, many of them negative. She also has physical therapy to restore motion to her damaged left side. Chirag, as well as her friend Selena, are very supportive, but Maisie feels awkward going to school, where she feels that everyone is staring at her. She finally goes to a support group, where she meets Adam, a young adult whose face was injured in the war. He is able to help her because he has been through a similar experience, but Maisie misunderstands his attention. Slowly, Maisie learns to accept what she has been through and starts to chart her course for the rest of her life.
Strengths: This had some similarities to Van Draanen's The Running Dream in that the process of anger and eventual acceptance was realistically laid out. This is a problem novel that older middle school and high school students will enjoy. The reactions of friends, family and acquaintances all felt very realistic. Definitely makes one feel lucky!
Weaknesses: Selena seemed a little flat through most of the book, but even that made sense at the end. Really well done.
What I really think: Not a cheery read, but a hopeful one. I enjoyed it tremendously.

al Mansour, Haifaa. The Green Bicycle
September 22nd 2015 by Dial

Wadjda lives in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with her mother, who has a job as a teacher a grueling distance away from home. Her father rarely comes home, and rumor has it that he is looking to take a second wife because Wadjda's mother can't provide him with a son. Wadjda has quite a business at school, selling candy and trinkets to her school mates. When she sees a shiny green GIRL'S bicycle in a shop, she is bound and determined to save her money in order to get that bicycle, so she can win races against her friend, Abdullah. Wadjda has all manner of trouble in school because she is always coming in disheveled, and she just can't seem to be proper like the other girls. She wears Chuck Taylors with her uniform, can't keep her hair tidy, and envisions a life for herself that does not include the kind of miserable solitude that her mother's life does. When Wadjda delivers a note for an older student that ends with much trouble, she runs the risk of being kicked out of school and endangering her family.
Strengths: This was an interesting look at what daily like in Saudi Arabia is like. The mother has to car pool with a group of teachers, and they have to hire a man to drive them, since women are not allowed. Wadjda isn't really allowed to ride a bike, either; the thought being that girls might damage their reproductive parts doing this. The details about different types of clothing, and about how women dress when they are in the company only of other women was very interesting as well.
Weaknesses: This was a really sad book, and the parts involving Wadjda's father looking to marry again might upset readers on the younger side, but I think this will be a good addition to a middle school library.
What I really think: I know that we are all supposed to be tolerant of other cultures, but the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia made me SO mad! Religious laws should always be suggestions and not mandates. Once you start telling women that they have to completely cover themselves because otherwise they will tempt men, you totally lose me. Why not make all of the men go around blindfolded, if they are going to be the perpetrators of crime? Seems more fair to me. So this was hard for me to read.

Fires of Invention

Savage, J. Scott. Fires of Invention (Mysteries of Cove #1)
September 29th 2015 by Shadow Mountain
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Trenton loves tools and machinery, but in his futuristic, protected town of Cove "invention" is a dirty word. Even stringing together a number of approved machinery to make a swing is enough to land him in trouble with the chancellors and get him recommended for retraining. Luckily, there is a problem in the mines that requires a small person with mechanical training to fix, and Trenton manages to escape that fate. What he can't escape is his appointment to the Food Production level of Cove after his graduation from school. On the one hand, he gets to be near Simoni, a girl he really likes, but on the other, there is no equipment for him to fix. When a strange gadget he has found leads him to the Kallista, the daughter of infamous inventor and criminal Leo Babbage, he finally has an outlet for his mechanical leanings. Kallista thinks the gadget, found in the mine, is a message from her father, and the two follow clues that were left-- clues that lead to instructions and parts of a mechanical dragon that the two build, as well as to deeply hidden secrets about the founding and workings of Cove itself. With the aid of Simoni, as well as the unexpected help of Angus, the son of the cancellor, Trenton and Kallista learn that their world is not what it seems, and have to decide how to proceed.
Strengths: There aren't a lot of books for readers who like machinery, and this combines gears and cogs with puzzles leading to the equipment's discovery. The characters are well-developed and appealing; Trenton's love of machinery despite all of the obstacles he faces shows his passion. Cove is described very well, from the details of the different levels to two different versions of its history.
Weaknesses; The concept of the government choosing jobs for young people has been done several times, but there are other fresh twists that make up for this.
What I really think: Steampunk-like but not exactly. Reminded me of City of Ember. Solid action/adventure fantasy with some fresh facets. Will purchase.