MMGM- More Hamster Princess!!!

Vernon, Ursula. Of Mice and Magic (Hamster Princess #2)
March 15th 2016 by Dial Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

When an elderly lady approaches Harriet, Harriet is suspicious that the woman is a fairy, so shares her lunch and is kind. When she proves to be correct, the fairy has a quest for her-- she is to find out why the 12 princesses are wearing through so many shoes, and no one can figure out why. Harriet, with her inimitable style, befriends the princesses and undertakes the quest. She doesn't care about winning the hand of a princess, although half the kingdom would be nice, but since she can no longer engage in cliff-jumping, she has nothing better to do. With the help of Wilbur, who has taken a job at the castle because his own kingdom ins in financial need, she manages to uncover the secret and free the princesses from the real problem... their father!

Strengths: It is impossible to do justice to how fabulous Harriet is! She is snarky, resourceful, and loves adventure. She redefines what being a hamster princess really is! The first book in this series, Harriet the Invincible, is aggressively pink, and I love to recommend it to all of the boys in my school so that they expand their horizons. They all end up loving it, and hopefully this teaches them not to have preconceived notions about gender. Fun fairy tale retellings, poking gentle fun at traditional stories as well. Every library needs this series!

Weaknesses: In order to get the pictures on my Nook, I had to read this with about 6 point font. It made me cranky, and also reluctant to go back and look for amusing things that Harriet says!

What I really think: I love everything Vernon does and can't wait to see what comes next. 

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.

The Pages Between Us

Leavitt, Lindsay and Mellom, Robin. The Pages Between Us
February 9th 2016 by HarperCollins
ARC from Young Adult Books Central

Middle school schedules can make or break a friendship, so when Olivia and Piper only have one class together, they decide to share notes in a notebook. Both are concerned about making new friends, so they attend different clubs-- the boring spelling club where they do worksheets, the Lego club that ends rather disastrously even though that's the club Olivia's crush is in, and chess club, where Olivia finds her people. This upsets Piper, who is still struggling to find friends, and when Olivia can't make a big event at Piper's church, and later has a chess tournament on the very same day as Piper's birthday party, the two have a falling out. Luckily, the girls have a friendship with a well-established base, and they are able to figure out a way forward.

Strengths: Middle school friend drama is such a huge issue that there can never be enough books covering the various ways that friends can fall out. Even with all of the social media out there, many middle school girls still write notes, and it's certainly a habit to encourage, especially is they use proper grammar and punctuation!

Both Piper and Olivia were sympathetic, likable characters despite their flaws, and their voices, as well as the situations are very realistic. (Especially the obsession with Jackson!) The cover is fantastic, and this book will circulate very well among 5th-7th graders. 

Weaknesses: The beginning of this, with the weird nicknames and artifice of having a notebook that wouldn't be discovered was not the best way to suck readers in. I very nearly put this down. 

What I really think: Definitely buying. The target demographic might like the note format more than I did. 

Cartoon Saturday- Monsters

Tatulli, Mark. Desmond Puckey and the Mountain Full of Monsters
August 5th 2014 by Andrews McMeel Publishin

Copy received from publisher

In this second book in the series (#1-Makes Monster Magic,  #3-Cloverfield Junior High Carnival of Horrors), Desmond and his friends have a class trip to Crab Shell Pier, where Desmond is excited to finally get to ride on the Mountain Full of Monsters ride. He also hopes to get Tina to ride it with him, but there is quite the ordeal with a note that gets into the wrong hands, and a complication with Becky DeWicky, who likes Desmond as much as he likes Tina! When Desmond and his friends find out that the ride is going to be demolished, they try to earn money to buy as many of the monsters as they can. Thanks to a sympathetic park director who also loves the ride, they are able to buy a number of them. Add funny elements like Ricky DeMarco's grandparents, who are completely obsessed with Christmas, and a lot of illustrations, and this is a book that will be popular with fans of Big Nate,Obert Skye's Wonkenstein, and Tom Angleberger's Origami Yoda series. 
Strengths: I loved that Mr. Humphries, the park manager, and Desmond bonded over the monsters. I have a soft spot for old theme parks, especially fairy tale ones, and I liked that Desmond was using his interest in monsters for a purpose. The middle school romance depicted is very true to life. 
Weaknesses: Mr. Needles and his motivations have always bothered me-- now we find out that he had problems with Desmond's parents? A bit much. Not fond of the stereotypical bully Scott, either. 
What I really think: This series is growing on me, and I find myself looking forward to the next book in the series. 

Walliams, David. Demon Dentist
March 1st 2016 by HarperCollins 
ARC from Young Adult Books Central

There are several reasons that Alfie doesn't want to go to the dentist-- he had a horrific experience with a decayed tooth earlier, his father is disabled and needs a lot of care, and horrible things are being left under children's pillows in town by someone who is using the Tooth Fairy as a way to horrify children instead of giving them loose change! When Miss Root, a new dentist in town, is invited to speak at Alfie's school, she doesn't exactly inspire confidence in the dental professional in him, but when social worker Winnie demands that he go to the dentist, he doesn't have much choice. Unfortunately, Miss Root really is evil and only justifies Alfie's fears. With the help of classmate Gabz as well as local newsagent Raj, Alfie works to bring the evil dentist to justice before she can ruin any more teeth!

Like Stine's US Goosebumps books or Roald Dahl's typically British "horror" stories, there's not anything truly frightening in Demon Dentist, but Walliams does a good job at taking a fear children do have and presenting it in an amusing way. Everything about this story is over the top-- Alfie's dental habits are abysmal, Winnie is flamboyant in her manner of dress and even more flamboyant when she loses all of her clothes crawling under a fence, and the demon dentist is pure evil in the manner of Cruella deVil, to whom she bears a passing resemblance. 

There are some serious issues as well-- Alfie's father is suffering from the effects of black lung and dies after exerting himself to save Alfie. Luckily, Alfie has supportive adults in his life, from Winnie the social worker who begins to care for him to Raj, the newsagent who gives Alfie food when the boy is hungry and even his late wife's dentures!

Tony Ross's frenetic line illustrations add another dimension of comedy to the book, and we see Winnie on her moped going around inside of Alfie's school, the disastrous results of toxic toothpaste being dumped into the canal, and even the demon dentist's den lined with children's teeth!

British children's books are very distinctive in their portrayal of the life of children, and while their books occasionally make me worry about the welfare of children in the UK, the books are amusing. Fans of Colfer's Legend of Spud Murphy, Fleischman's The Dunderheads or even Jacqueline Wilson's more realistic fiction will find Alfie's adventures to be hysterically funny but also heart warming.

Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter.

Fantaskey, Beth. Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter.
March 1st 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Isabel's mother is struggling financially in 1920s Chicago after the death of Isabel's father in The Great War. Isabel sells newspapers, hoping to bring in a little money to augment her mother's salary as a cleaning lady at a hospital, but secretly hopes to be a news reporter like the glamorous Maude Collier. After a salesgirl who gives Isabel extra money for the papers is accused of shooting her mobster boyfriend, Isabel meets Maude and starts her own investigation. She befriends not only the son of the salesgirl, but the daughter of the mobster, and spend a lot of time running around the mean streets of Chicago looking for clues. Maude isn't exactly what Isabel envisioned, and the police are too thrilled with having an urchin sticking her nose into their investigation, but Isabel is able to crack the case when they are not. 

Strengths: This had lots of good details about the time period, and about the importance of newspapers at the time. This had A Tree Grows in Brooklyn vibe with the difficulties of poverty that Isabel faced without being as slow paced as that wonderful book. I enjoyed the details about so many things, AND my students will love that it is a murder mystery. 

Weaknesses: A little long, and doesn't have a great cover. I'll buy anyway, but a little more revision and a better cover would make this easier to sell!

What I really think: Murder mysteries are always in demand for middle grade, but it's hard to find convincing ones. This worked, and maybe students will learn some 1920s history while satisfying their bloodlust! A great nonfiction companion for this would be Blumnethals' Tommy: The Gun that Changed America.

#WNDB Wednesday- Hour of the Bees

Eager, Lindsay. Hour of the Bees
March 8th 2016 by Candlewick Press 
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Carol is not happy that her family is spending the summer out at her grandfather's hot and dusty sheep ranch in New Mexico, especially with junior high on the horizon. She's never met her grandfather, but he is sliding into dementia, and it's time to clean out the house and sell it before putting him into a retirement facility. Carol's father says he's always been ornery, which is one of the reasons that her father left and didn't return. Serge is gruff, certainly, and struggling with a variety of health problems, but he and Carol (whom he calls Carolina) get along fairly well. Serge starts telling her a story about a magical tree in a Mexican village. This tree kept all of the citizens of the town from being injured and even from dying. It was in this village that he met Rosa, Carol's grandmother, but Rosa always wanted to leave and see the world. Eventually, Serge makes her a bracelet out of the bark of the tree, and this keeps her safe until the residents try to exploit the gift of the tree. Eventually, the ranch is sold and Serge moves into a facility, where his health continues to deteriorate. Since Carol hasn't heard the ending of the story, she visits her grandfather and tries to connect him to the place he loves best before the end. 

Strengths: This was intriguing and well-written, and I appreciated that both parents were alive and involved. The setting was interesting, since I haven't spent much time in the Southwest. The multicultural aspect was appealing, and I'm a sucker for books about grandparents. 
Weaknesses: What's with the mystical stories with Mexican grandparents? The Lightning Queen, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, and I'm sure there have been others. It's starting to feel like a thing. I'm not Hispanic, so I'm not sure how this will go over with people who are. 
What I really think: I was thinking I would buy this up to the very end, and then lots and lots of bad choices were made. Since this has a wishy washy cover as well, I will probably pass, although I enjoyed reading it myself. 

If I haven't mentioned it...

Yeah, I was athletic as a kid...

I've been doing interviews for School Library Journal's BeTween feature for a couple of months now. It gives me an opportunity to throw the phrase "my editor" into just about any conversation I can manage-- I am beginning to think I might actually be a writer! If you want to head over there, you can read interviews with 

• Tracey Baptiste
• Mike Jung
• Peter Brown (A picture book author who has a middle grade novel, The Wild Robot, coming out soon!)

Next month, there should be an interview with Matt and Jenni Holm! 

My favorite part might just be the pictures of themselves in middle school that the authors have been willing to share.

Is there anyone you would like to see interviewed? Let me know in the comments!

 

Kenner Bionic Woman Doll

Apologize if I've been a little distracted lately. On the upside, I had my final evaluation for the year, and I'm still a "skilled" educator.

On the downside, I am planning a short absence from school, which hardly ever happens. Luckily, one of my fantabulastic volunteers will be subbing for me. 

I'd tell you details, but I'm not sure what everyone's security clearance is. My absence may or may not involve bionics, and if there are glitches in the software interface, crutches might be involved. My student helpers are really looking forward to pushing me around in my desk chair! 

Sadly, I can't find Rick Dees "Bionic Feet" song anywhere on the internet or I would list the link!

Dragons, Drones, Fairies, and School for Thieves

King, Wesley. Dragons vs. Drones
March 15th 2016 by Razorbill
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Marcus lives with a friend of his father's after his mother's death and his father's disappearance. He has the unfortunate habits of getting in trouble in school and occasionally melting electronic equipment. He also thinks that the horrible storms that happen yearly in his town are somehow connected to his father's absence. Dree lives in Dracone, a medievalish world where she is apprenticed to a blacksmith who makes weapons used in fighting dragons. Dree would rather make mechanical toys, both because she is gifted at doing so, and because she has raised a dragon from a baby and doesn't wish to see them hurt. When the worlds of the two characters collide, Dree helps Marcus survive while the two watch helplessly as drones attack Dree's world. Thinking that the dragons might be able to fight the drones, Dree asks Lourdvang, her dragon friend, for help in contacting the different clans of dragons. This is fraught with peril, since the dragons are outraged at the changes in the relationship between humans and dragons. Since Dree's father was a dragon rider before he was injured, she has a better understanding of dragons than many, and hopes that they will be able to help avert more damage to the poorer sections of town. Marcus finds clues in Dracone that lead him to think his father has perhaps been taken into this new world, and he and Dree try to solve the puzzles to uncover why Dracone is under attack. They get some answers, but there are still questions to be answered in a second book. 

King, author of The Vindico series, as well as The Incredible Space Raiders from Space! can pen fantastic scenes of action, and he incorporates both medieval and science fiction elements to good effect. Dree's friendship with Lourdvang, as well as her ability to ride him and not get burned, nicely complements her accomplishments as a blacksmith, and Marcus shows that his skills at video games can be used to save the day. The Dree's willingness to help Marucs without asking too many questions when he plummets from the sky, combined with Marcus' blithe acceptance of a world rife with dragons allows the reader to quickly sink into the fantastic world of Dracone. 

There are a few other books that combine technology with mythical creatures: Savage's Fires of Invention or Diana Wynne Jone's Dark Lord of Derkholm make good follow up reads to this world-spanning novel until the next book in this series comes out.

I could have done without Marcus being bullied in his own world. It's such an overdone trope in fantasy literature. Maybe more sports players would read fantasy if they sometimes saw themselves represented on the pages!


Harrison, Michelle. One Wish
March 8th 2016 by Little, Brown BFYR 
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

N.B. This seems to be a prequel to the 13 Treasures (13 Curses, 13 Secrets) series. I'm still a little confused about this. Tanya's story seemed very familiar, but the setting seemed different. 

Tanya moves into a house for the summer with her mother, but it is infested with very nasty fairies who want her gone. While Tanya is out in town, she meets a boy named Ratty who has a fairy companion named Turpin, and she follows him back to his home in a trailer by a run down castle to find out more bout why she can see fairies as well. She does, but then Ratty steals her memories, which is less than useful. When she meets up with Ratty again, she remembers enough to yell at him. Unfortunately, she gets sucked into a mystery involving his father's disappearance, and before she knows it, Ratty has been abducted as well. 

I enjoyed this series, but this book was somehow confusing. I'm debating whether I should purchase-- interest in this has died down, and there's something really disturbing about the fairies. They are depressing-- that's what it is! What good is magic if it is such a horrid nuisance! When even fantasy gets horribly depressing-- argh!

Magaziner, Lauren. Pilfer Academy
February 16th 2016 by Dial Books
Copy provided by the publisher

George has a large, rather annoying family, so he relieves his stress by stealing various things from his brothers and sisters. He is frequently caught, and his mother calls him "naughty George". When he runs away after being caught, he falls into the clutches of Strongarm and Ballyrag, who lure him into an ice cream truck and cart him off to Pilfer Academy. They assure him that his parents will fall for a letter from a prestigious school, and that he will eventually graduate from Pilfer, even if it takes him 20 years. Luckily, he meets Tabitha at school, and the two become friends. They survive the classes about stealing things and making ransom notes, try to avoid the nastier students, and both end up at the top of their class, so they get special treats. After an assignment where he must steal a teddy bear from a toddler, George has an attack of conscious, and decides he wants out of Pilfer. It's not an easy thing to do, especially when the Dean, Dean Deanbugle, punishes him by putting him in the whirlyblerg, a dysfunctional carnival ride that makes the students sent there thrown up repeatedly. Thinking that Tabitha ratted him out, he is unsure whom he should trust, but he eventually makes an escape plan and returns home. 
Strengths: It's a good length for middle grade, and decently paced. If students like books like Salane's Lawless series and Hale's School for S.P.I.E.S. or The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy by Nikki Loftin, this would be a good book to hand them. This would also be good for readers who are big fans of Roald Dahl or the British dark humor.
Weaknesses: None of my students like Dahl or British dark humor. This has a lot of names that are supposed to be clever but are just vaguely annoying, and it lacks the action that make the other books appealing. I also didn't buy the whole kidnapping scenario (Bradley does it much better in Double Vision), nor did George's change of heart ring true. 
What I really think: Why are so many books like this published? I don't understand. I think I will pass my copy on to the elementary school, since it would just gather dust in my library. 

MMGM- Far From Fair

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.





Arnold, Elana K. Far From Fair
March 8th 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Odette is NOT happy with her parents. They have decided, without consulting her, to sell their house and most of their belongings, but a camper, and drive from their home in Southern California to her grandmother's house on Orcas Island because her grandmother is ailing. Odette is very sad to leave her best friend, Meiko, and is very annoyed at everything. Her parents' marriage is rocky, her father has lost his job, and her brother Rex is on the Autism spectrum and is prone to "furies". To put a cherry on top of her misery sundae, Odette's father has brought her a small, Terrier mix dog instead of a black lab, the family gets rid of all cell phones but one, and even though her parents can have a full size coffee maker in the camper, Odette can only bring one throw pillow. When they finally arrives in Washington state, they find that Grandma Sissy is not doing well at all, and the family must figure out a way forward. 

While this has many sad things in it, the book is overall a hopeful one, and Odette's reactions to her family's decisions will seem familiar and realistic to middle grade readers. Grandma Sissy especially understands the feeling of helplessness that is bothering Odette, and gives her good advice about many things. Readers should know that the grandmother, who is suffering from terminal cancer, does decide to take medicine to end her life, but this is handled in a sympathetic and nonjudgmental way. 

Like Applegate's Crenshaw, Far From Fair addresses economic instability in a fashion that will make middle grade readers see how a family could fall on hard times, and will hopefully make them more empathetic no matter what their own family situation is. The same is true of the treatment of Rex's behaviors. What makes this book work is that all of the situations are framed by how they affect Odette, and these situations do not stop her from having the same concerns, angers and every day experiences that all middle graders have. One particularly telling scene has her upset because her mother has dropped the family phone into the water; she doesn't think she has any right to be upset because of her grandmother's situation, but her mother acknowledges that it's still okay to be upset about small things. 

From the yard sale that starts the book, to the camping out across the Pacific coast, to the eventual stop on Orcas Island with all of its difficulties, Far From Fair is a page turning look at how one girl deals with a variety of challenges in her life and manages to find a way to meet them with good humor and hope. 

You know how much I detest sad books, especially ones with death. I was really surprised by how much I liked this one!

Noyes, Deborah. Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original "Girl" Reporter, Nellie Bly.
February 23rd 2016 by Viking Books for Young Readers
Public Library Copy

This book encompasses much more than just Bly's stint in a New York insane asylum, starting from her idyllic childhood, moving through her mother's troubled second marriage and its deleterious effect on her life, and covering her rocky reporting career up to the time of her death. This is certainly well-researched, and also has a pleasing format, with lots of period photographs, some decorative illustrations, and a nice use of blue pages for auxiliary information. Noyes writes well, and this moves quickly. 

The way the information was laid out was a bit confusing, however. Instead of following Bly's life linearly, we start with her attempts to get hired in New York, then get pulled back to her childhood on the blue pages. I wish that this had been laid out in a chronological fashion, and that the blue pages had been used solely to elaborate upon information tangential to Bly's life. 

Will still purchase, because it will be good for history day projects, and is fairly readable. I get a handful of students every year who are willing to read literary nonfiction, although no one has made it through The Family Romanov this year. 

The Girl in the Well is Me.

Rivers, Karen. The Girl in the Well is Me. 
March 15th 2016 by Algonquin Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

When Mandy, Kandy and Sandy take Kammie out into the desert and have her stand on a wooden board and sing as part of the "initiation", Kammie falls into an abandoned well. While she is stuck there, she reflects on why she thought it was important to befriend these particular girls even though they are not nice to her, and remembers some of the other unfortunate incidents involving them (haircuts, sleepovers, etc.). On top of her problems with these "mean girls", Kammie is also dealing with moving to a new town because her father is in prison, having embezzled money from his company. This has caused all sorts of changes for Kammie, her mother, and her brother Robby. 

Strengths: Oddly intriguing. I was a third of the way through before I realized that not much had happened but I was still riveted. This is well-paced, alternating Kammie's experience in the well with her problems at home, and has a hopeful feel to it. This had many sad elements, but they were handled well. Don't know that I would describe it as "hilarious".

Weaknesses: I could have done without the hallucinations. There aren't many descriptions of them, but they somehow slowed down the story. 

What I really think: This is one of those books that teachers and librarians will adore and want to use for class read-alouds, and certainly it is a brilliant choice for that. I'm debating purchase because the cover isn't great, and adds another layer of resistance when hand-selling this one. 

Foxes and Hares

Appelt, Kathi. Maybe a Fox.
March 8th 2016 by Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books 
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Jules is dealing with the sudden death of her mother when her sister, Sylvie, runs through the woods near their house and plummets to her death at a waterfall. Since her body is not recovered, both Jules and her father struggle, especially since Jules thinks she should have been able to stop her sister. Her friend, Sam, tries to help her, but he's also trying to help his brother Elk deal with the war death of his friend Zeke. Add to this mix Sam's attempts to see a catamount, and a parallel tale of a young fox who is born with supernatural abilities, and the fact that Jules is sure her sister left a hidden place in the woods where she is no longer allowed to go, and you have a magical and lyrically written book about longing and loss. 

Strengths: Teachers will love this, because it is beautifully written, and it will make them cry. If Keeper, The Underneath, or The True Blue Scouts of Sugar Man Swamp are popular in your library, or you have students who really, really like to be depressed, this is the book for you. 

Weaknesses: The combination of super sad and mystical animals never works for me. I fell bad, but I hardly ever like books by this author. Also never a fan of scenes of animals giving birth. Surprised that this author wrote one of my favorite nonfiction books, Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky .

What I really think: Not buying. The accident seems so avoidable, and the grief is so deep. Just no. 

Dale, Hannah. Mr. Hare's Big Secret
January 26th 2016 by Doubleday Books for Young Readers
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there.

Mr. Hare is hungry, and he is sitting under a cherry tree full of ripe fruit, but he has a plan to get some of it down from the tree. As his friends all join him and ask what he is doing, he tells them that he will share his secret with them if they will join him in a dance. The animals all have different styles that are recounted as each new animal joins ("Miss Mouse jiggled, Mr. Fox trotted, and Mrs. Duck wiggled."). When enough animals are under the tree, cherries start to fall and the friends have a feast. 

This simple text is supported by gorgeously realistic pictures of animals frolicking outside. They are reminiscent of Garth Williams' animals, and the soft focus greenery adds cheerful color and interest to the scenes. There is a feeling of motion when the animals dance, and the different descriptions of the way they move would make this book perfect for a story time read aloud, complete with actions, due to the repetition of the words. 

Any fans of animal stories, from Wise Brown's Home for a Bunny to McBratney's Guess How Much I Love You will enjoy the beautiful illustrations. Those looking for books to use to encourage patterns and repetition or to use in active play related to the story will find it useful as well. 

Guy Friday- Lockdown and Fizzopolis

Black, Peter Jay. Lockdown (Urban Outlaws #3)
March 8th 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens 
Copy provided by publisher

After their adventures in Urban Outlaws and Blackout, the kids are back, and determined to stop Hector from following in his father's footsteps and unleashing a horrific computer virus on the world. In order to do this, they need to get to the US to steal his computer. They make a deal with "the Shepherd" to get transportation to the US (which ends up being a sketchy, sealed cargo container on an airplane!), and in order to get return transportation, they need to steal something in Hollywood. Luckily, they have help from Lux and other people in the States. The process doesn't go smoothly, and there's lots of jumping off dangerous things, crawling around in air ducts in buildings, and using Wren to create distractions wherever they go. There's also a lot of techy details about copying hard drives, and a good measure of surveillance equipment that needs to be circumvented. Slink is concerned about his mother, and they would all probably like to spend more time in their underground bunker in London having tea, but the "outlaws" work plenty of excitement and adventure into keeping the world safe!

The number one complaint I get about books is that "nothing happens". This cannot be said about the books in this series! Even a trip on the Underground isn't complete without Wren throwing a fit, grabbing the conductor's keys, and using a jammer to bring the train to a halt! Something is always happening, and there is always a frisson of danger, no matter how innocuous the activity. 

There are a lot of characters in the book, but it's easy to keep them straight. Charlie is the tech guru, Jack's the mastermind, Slink is the loose cannon, and Obi is the comic relief. The adults drive many of the adventures, but operate in a strictly "hands off" way, so that they can deny responsibility if the kids get in trouble! I did enjoy the fact that Slink's mother was taken care of by an unexpected benefactor. 

While I normally get a little weary of the concept that the world is in dire danger and can only be saved by tweens, Urban Outlaws keeps things fresh and frantic with unlikely adventures that keep me turning the pages instead of worrying that the future of the world is in the hands of a ten year old with a pink bow in her hair!

Carman, Patrick. The Trouble with Fuzzwonker Fizz. (Fizzopolis #1)
March 1st 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books
ARC from Young Adult Books Central

Harold was adopted by Dr. Fuzzwonker, an inventor who has come up with a popular soda that is conducive to extremely large burps, and which has proven to be so popular that the competing Snood Candy Company is trying to steal the secret of it. Dr. Fuzzwonker decides that it is time for Harold to go to work for his company, so takes him underneath the house to his secret factory, where Harold discovers that the production of soda also produces small creatures called Fizzies, who populate Fizzopolis. One of the creatures, Floyd, takes a liking to Harold, and in order to keep the Fizzy out of trouble, Harold takes him to school. This doesn't work very well, as Floyd is an active and rambunctious creature, so Harold has a lot of intervention that must be done to avoid detection. This is especially important, since a Snood is in his class and would love to know about the Fizzies. It's a bit touch and go, with lots of wacky adventures for the friends while they are evading the Snood boy, but everything works out in the end. 

There's the requisite villainous Snoods, fun inventions, and lots of goofy language. Floyd's trip to school is pure slapstick, with Floyd being mistaken for a bear by a sleepwalking classmate, and an earthshaking burp inspired by Fizzwonker Fizz. Through it all, Harold is up for any wacky adventure that comes his way. 

There are enough Cartoon Network style illustrations to classify this as a Notebook Novel, so fans of Captain Underpants, Scieszka's Frank Einstein, Pastis' Timmy Failure and Richards' The Junkyard Bot series will revel in this tale of secret worlds, quirky inventions, and lovable, fuzzy companions. 

This was a little too young for middle school, with all of the burp jokes, and the illustrations weren't quite to my taste. I may pass on buying this and get the rest of the Ricky Ricotta series. 

A Study in Charlotte

Cavallaro, Brittany. A Study in Charlotte
March 1st 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books
ARC from Young Adult Books Central

In this Young Adult novel, we meet Jamie Watson, who has been moved from London to a prep school in Connecticut to be near his father and play rugby. There, he meets Charlotte Holmes. Yes, their families are the same ones involved in detective stories. Charlotte is a bit of a loner and a problem; she has significant drug problems and was sent to the prep school after an incident with a tutor back in England. Jamie is drawn to her, and jumps to her defense when a crass fellow classmate insults her... and the classmate is later found dead in a manner reminiscent of a Sherlock Holmes story. The two start to investigate and become good friends, only to realize that they have been set up, not only as suspects for the murder, but also by their families. When another student is attacked, they must ramp up their investigation, and delve deep into their shared family histories that include the still evil Moriarty family. 

The language and situations put this firmly into the young adult category, as does the soul searching that both Charlotte and Jamie have to do in regards to why they were sent to the school. The mystery is convoluted in a way that would make Holmes himself proud, and the family ties, and the artifice that Holmes and Watson were real people with descendents is explained in a very believable manner. The supporting characters, especially the villains, are well drawn and add a lot to the suspense. 

The thing that made this book stand out from so many other Sherlock reboots is the language. I don't usually effuse about whether or not a book is well written, but the turns of phrase throughout this book are clever and amusing. Certainly, readers who enjoy any incarnation of Holmes will enjoy this, as will mystery readers, but this also can be recommended to teens who want a good prep school story or just a fun, well-written literary romp. 

#WNDB Wednesday- In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse

Marshall, Joseph III. In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse
November 10th 2015 by Amulet Books

Jimmy is bullied by his classmates at school because he has blue eyes, light skin, and a Scottish last name, which is not usual for a Lakota boy. His grandfather, seeing that he is not happy, decides to take him on a road trip to teach him about Crazy Horse, who was known as "Light Hair" when young and whom Jimmy resembles. The two travel to a variety of sites where Crazy Horse himself traveled. The grandfather shares stories of the history of that time, which is sometimes at odds with the "official" histories posted at the historic sites because "History is written by the victors." Jimmy learns through these stories of Crazy Horse's bravery in fighting, as well as in choosing not to fight when it would mean the destruction of innocent women and children, and uses these lessons to stand up to his tormentors when he returns to school. 

Marshall has written previous books for adults about Crazy Horse, so the research is well done, and it's one of the few books about Native Americans that meets with the approval of reviewers who know more about that culture than I do. There is a map of the duos travels across South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana, and the sites they visit are ones that readers can see online. It would also be interesting to read about them and compare the grandfather's information about the events to the National Park Service's. 

The book moves quickly from place to place, and the stories are generally exciting. Younger readers will not find the text to be too difficult, and while there is violence, it is not too graphic. I appreciated that while the grandfather acknowledges the atrocities committed by the military against the Native Americans, he also understands that no one wins when fighting occurs. 

Readers who are curious about the role of Native Americans during Westward Expansion and want a recounting of events that may differ from their social studies books will do well to pick up this book and travel with Jimmy and his grandfather.

Secrets of Valhalla

Richards, Jasmine. Secrets of Valhalla
January 19th 2016 by HarperCollins
Copy received from the author

Buzz's mother has been missing for a while, and his mythologist father, aka the Prof, doesn't pay all that much attention to him or to his sister, Tia. After Buzz meets a new girl at school and they start a tenuous friendship, the two are caught in the woods and see missing news personality Eleanor Bright. Unfortunately, the also see a dragon who takes Eleanor below ground at the root of a giant tree, and Buzz is slightly injured in the altercation. He's bound to convince his father of what he saw, and even brings in his Uncle Mark, a policeman. Mary denies that his story is true, so the adults chalk it up to Buzz being stressed. When Buzz wakes up and it is Saturday for several days in a row, he knows he has to figure some things out. With Mary's help, the two figure out that the Sunna, the Norse day guardian, is missing, and this is why the calendar is stuck. Loki is to blame, so the Runes of Valhalla must be found and returned to the other gods before Loki finds them. This isn't an easy process, and involves traveling to several different realms, since the runes are hiding with the Roman gods. When various friends and family members turn out to be channeling the Norse gods, Buzz realizes he has the help he needs to avoid certain disaster and to tie up all of the loose ends before the end of the book!

Buzz is a somewhat reluctant hero, but he and Mary work well together and muster their forces. They are equal to the task of traveling, dealing with Persephone, Fenris, and other creatures who don't have their best interests at heart! There's plenty of action, so readers who want chases and fighting won't be disappointed. 

Mary is described as having tiny braids and is dark complected, and Buzz has very curly hair. His sister is described several times as having caramel colored skin. Fantasy is very low on characters of color, so it's great to see some diverse characters included. I do wish that there would have been a tiny bit more information about the ethnicity of these characters, especially since some of them later turn out to be channeling Norse gods in the British countryside. 

There have been very few books featuring Norse mythology, so it's good to see another one. Harris' Runemarks (2007) and Armstrong's Blackwell Pages trilogy (2013) were about the only two I've found, aside from Riordan's new Sword of Summer. Since middle grade readers love to read books that are similar to each other, it's good to see another Norse related fantasy, and it doesn't hurt that there are a few Roman gods thrown in. 

All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook

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.




Connor, Leslie. All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook
March 1st 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books
ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

Perry and his mother, Jessica, have a routine worked out at their home in the Blue River Co-ed Correctional Facility, where Perry has lived since his birth. Perry gets to do the morning wake up call on the intercom, have breakfast with his many friends, and then is driven to school by the warden's niece, who teaches at his new middle school. His good friend Zoey Samuels is there, and while there are a few boys who give him a hard time about where he lives, most of Perry's life seems perfectly normal to him. His mother is up for parole soon, and the two have big plans for their life after Blue River. Unfortunately, there is a local district attorney who feels that the warden should not have let Perry live in the facility, and that Perry's mother has not been punished enough since he was allowed to live with her, and therefore should not get parole. This DA gets custody of Perry and takes him to his home... which is also Zoey's home, since the DA is her stepfather, Tom. Perry misses his mother, his friends, and the security of the life he has always known, even though Zoey and her mother are supportive and understanding of his difficulties. When his teacher assigns the standard "Why did your family come to Butler County" project, Perry decides he is tired of hiding, and plans to interview the other residents of the facility, as well as his mother. He uncovers a number of secrets, including one that may help him and his mother reconnect and move on with their lives. 

This was a surprisingly upbeat and engrossing book. Perry's daily life in the facility, as well as the various reasons that people came to be there, were both something new for middle grade fiction. The sense of supportive family made this uplifting rather than depressing. Even though Tom wasn't working under the best motives, Perry's foster home was also supportive, so he was surrounded by lots of people who cared about him. 

The mystery of Jessica's accident, and the irregularities that Perry finds with her confession and conviction, are realistic. There is just enough legalese to make it interesting, but not so much that it bogged down the story. The story of the mother's life before Perry's birth was sad, but balanced against the progress she had made while incarcerated and the support network that she created for herself, it just made the present something that both she and Perry appreciated. 

Like Bauer's Almost Home, Pitchford's Nickel Bay Nick, or Woods' The Blossoming of Violet Diamond, this is a story that capitalizes on the strength of the family we create, and the comforts of home, no matter where we make it.