R. I. P. Lois Duncan

Somehow, it seems infinitely sadder when a writer I love passes away and I don't find out about it for months. Ms. Duncan's obituary isn't posted yet, but I did find this.

The Best Worst Thing

Lane, Kathleen. The Best Worst Thing
June 7th 2016 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Maggie is already worried about many things, but after a convenience store clerk is shot and killed at a store near her home, she becomes even more anxious. She worries about her father being killed when he is at work, frets about things that could go wrong at school, and becomes obsessed with the rabbits a neighbor is raising. She eventually decides she needs to free the rabbits, since they are being sold for food. Her sister is a teenager and becoming more distant, and her mother seems a bit anxious as well, so Maggie doesn't have much in the way of support. While she is not exactly identified as exhibiting Obsession Compulsive Disorder, her rituals for staying safe indicate that this is a likely diagnosis. 

Strengths: Right on target with the current trend in middle grade literature to examine depressing issues in great detail. I believe this got a starred review from School Library Journal. 
Weaknesses:Not much happens, and Maggie's personality is consumed by her worry, making this a slow read. 
What I really think: Readers who are NOT anxious will find Maggie hard to put up with, and readers who ARE anxious won't really get any comforting thoughts from Maggie's experiences. Will pass on this one.

The Treasure of Maria Mamoun

Chalfoun, Michelle. The Treasure of Maria Mamoun
July 12th 2016 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Maria and her single mother live in the Bronx. Her mother must work very hard to make ends meet, and Maria is often alone. This isn't too bad until the mean girls in her school target her. This is the impetus her mother needs to leave the city. She gets a job taking care of an elderly, infirm gentleman, Mr. Ironwall, on Martha's Vineyard. The two are given a small, cozy house, and the housekeeper brings them pans of sweet rolls and picnic lunches. Concerned that Maria won't have anything to do, she is given the responsibility of walking Mr. Ironwall's dog. She meets the housekeeper's son, Paolo, and the two decide that they will fix up a boat that Mr. Ironwall has left dormant. They hope that this will encourage the gentleman to get out of bed and not worsen and die, leaving everyone whose job depends on him "high and dry". Maria also finds some clues in the attic of the small house that leads her to believe that there is the titular treasure to be found, and she and Paolo try to find it.
Strengths: So many good descriptions of houses, food, and family. Paolo's grandmother and grandfather are so appealing! I would have adored this as a child-- let me walk the dog! Let me befriend the old man who worked in Hollywood! Pure wish fulfillment all over the place. The other thing that I very much enjoyed was the interweaving of people's ethnic backgrounds. Maria's mother is Lebanese, and cooks a lot of Lebanese food, and sprinkles words into her conversation. Part of Paolo's family is Brazilian, but his grandparents are long time islanders. This was part of the family, and just casually described, but in such a warm and delightful way that it just made the families have more depth and personality. Well done. 
Weaknesses: This had an odd beginning, with the mean girls. Although I liked the older shop keeper who helped out the family, I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop-- I knew they wouldn't be there long. 
What I really think: This won't be a super popular book, but will be a big hit with the right reader. 

A Dragon's Guide to Making Your Human Smarter

Yep, Laurence and Ryder, Joanne. A Dragon's Guide to Making Your Human Smarter
March 15th 2016 by Crown Books for Young Readers
Copy received from Young Adult Books Central

In this sequel to A Dragon's Guide to the Care and Feeding of Humans, we find Winnie and her mother much better off. They are living in Miss Drake's house, and Winnie's mother has a job at a local stable. Even though their lot is improved, Winnie's grandfather Jarvis is trying to gain custody of Winnie by having his goons follow her. In order to learn more about magic, as well as to be kept safe from her grandfather, Winnie is enrolled in Spriggs Academy, a school for magicals. Since Miss Drake is a big benefactor of the school, Winnie should be welcomed with open arms, but the mean girls give her a hard time. Luckily, she meets Liri and Mabli, who take her under their wing and share their magic with her as much as they can. The school has field trips to Loch Ness, a massive Halloween party, and lots of fun activities, and soon Winnie feels like a part of the magical community.

Told from both Winnie and Miss Drake's perspective, this has a lot of charming details about the magic in Miss Drake's world. Famous people from the past (like Isaac Newton) show up as teachers at the academy, and the students learn all sorts of spells and potions. Vasalisa, the family cook, has a delightful Small Doll who comes to Winnie's aid at school-- but be careful, no chocolate is safe in the house when she's around! 

The San Francisco setting is fun as well, and Jarvis' spies add a level of tension to Winnie's experience. This book would be good for readers who really would like to pick up Harry Potter but are not yet strong enough readers, or for readers who want a less scary alternative to David Lubar's Monsterific Tales.

More details about the 48HBC

There seems to enough interest to have a 48 Hour Book Challenge next June, after BEA but before Father's Day and summer gets complicated. This would put it Friday through Sunday, June 9 through 11, 2017.


BEFORE that, for the many new bloggers who visited last week, think about these things:

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday- Visit! Comment! Meet new blogs! (Weekly)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading- Again, a great place to get recommendations! (Weekly)

The Cybils Awards- Coming up soon in August. Would you like to judge? What will you nominate? This is a fantastic way to keep up with all of the great new books for students from kindergarten to high school. I'm the Middle Grade Fiction (Realistic) Organizer.

Basics:

1. Choose 48 consecutive hours for reading during June 9-11, 2017. If you work on Friday, you can start at 6:00 p.m. and go until 6:00 p.m. If you have a graduation on Sunday, you can start and end earlier. 

2. We'll have a sign up for the start and end of the challenge.

3. Use the list to visit other blogs and see what people are reading. In the past, I think we allowed 1/2 hour of social media for every 4 hours read.

4. Keep track of your hours and numbers of books for the final tally for bragging rights! 


I'm vaguely thinking about prizes-- are they necessary? Would they have to be hard cover? Do they really encourage people to participate? 

It's more fun if we have more people, so I want people to feel they have input. 

MMGM- Be Kind to Animals

Salamon, Julie. Mutt's Promise
March 8th 2016 by Dial Books

Mutt shows up at Mr. Thompson's farm, having had a rough life and pregnant. When she has four puppies, the son of workers on the farm, Gilberto, is thrilled, and immediately becomes attached to Luna. When Gilberto's family leaves, Mr. Thompson sends the puppies with different families, since he can't take care of them. Luna ends up with Raymond, who runs a puppy mill and abuses the dogs. The only bright side there is Louis, a boy who helps out and eventually lets the dogs escape. They end up in the city where they are brought back to health and where Luna is adopted by someone who trains dogs for movies. Eventually, she is reunited with Gilberto, and all ends well. 
Strengths: Even though the dogs were abused, this was an upbeat story, and would even be good for upper elementary students who really like to read about dogs. The series of events makes sense, and the evil doers are brought to justice.
Weaknesses: Luna meeting Gilberto again strained credulity, but made a nice ending. 
What I really think: Rescuing Rover would be a great nonfiction book to read with this, as would the following title. 

Cameron, W. Bruce. Bailey's Story

May 3rd 2016 by Starscape

ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

Bailey runs off from his home as a very small puppy and ends up in a shelter. After a variety of not-so-pleasant experiences, he ends up with Ethan and his family. Bailey adores Ethan and wants to be at his side always, but when the entire family leaves to go to work and school, Bailey becomes destructive and chews up things in the garage. Eventually, the family falls into a routine. Summer trips to grandparents' farm adds some fun and excitement, but neighborhood bully Todd causes Ethan grief... and eventually, more serious problems. Throughout it all, Bailey proves his worth as Ethan's best friend. 

Illustrated with black and white drawings, this is a warm family story about overcoming small and large adversities with the help and support of family. Ethan is a typical elementary school student who has minor challenges most of the time, and major ones occasionally. 

Cameron does manage to tell the story coherently from Bailey's point of view. Many authors struggle to get the balance right with what would interest dogs and what makes an interesting story. Bailey manages to narrate Ethan's activities but intersperse his observations with commentary on how confusing some people are or how much fun it is to chew things!

Dog stories come and go in popularity, but with the upcoming A Dog's Purpose movie (January 2017), there may be a resurgence in readers asking for titles like Banks' Boy's Best Friend, Lord's A Handful of Stars, Woodrow's The Pet War, and Miles' The Puppy Place series. There is a companion volume to this book, Ellie's Story.

While I love a good dog story, Cameron's work seems kind of schmaltzy to me. I'm a little leery of any book that starts with a puppy realizing he's in a big pile with his brothers and sisters (at least it didn't start with the puppies being born!), and brings in more than one Lassie-like "Oh, no, Timmy's in the well!" sort of scenes. 

Furstinger, Nancy and Desjardins, Vincent (Illustrations).
Mercy: The Incredible Story of Henry Bergh, Founder of the ASPCA and Friend to Animals 
April 5th 2016 by HMH Books for Young Readers 

This book was a good length and formatted well for middle grade readers. My only objection was that it was illustrated with drawings when there would have been plenty of period photographs that would have added a lot more to the story. In fact, there are even some at the back of the book. I would rather have seen them used throughout to support the text. 

From Goodreads.com:
"Only 150 years ago, most animals in America were subject to horrific treatment. They needed a champion to protect them from abject cruelty, and that person was Henry Bergh. After witnessing the beating of a horse in the streets of New York and attending a bullfight in Spain, Bergh found his calling. He became an enforcer of animal rights and founded the ASPCA, as well as created many animal cruelty laws. He even expanded his advocacy to children. When Bergh died in 1888, the idea that children and animals should be protected from cruelty was widely accepted: “Mercy to animals means mercy to mankind.”

All Together Now: Picture Perfect #5

Simmons, Cari and Burns, Laura. All Together Now Picture Perfect #5
January 5th 2016 by HarperCollins
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Gracie lives a very sheltered life as an only child with very controlling parents. Her best friend, Mari, has three siblings and a much more rough-and-tumble existence. When Mari's family invites Gracie to tag along on their annual ski weekend, Gracie has a lot of trouble talking her parents into letting her go, but they finally agree so that they can take a spontaneous vacation of their own. When the O'Hagan's finally make it to the cabin, Gracie is surprised at how small it is, and how disorganized everything from meals to appointments are. She has trouble with things like forgetting to close up her suitcase... and is devastated when Mari's younger brother wears her underwear on his head in front of Mari's cute older brothers! Gracie really wanted this vacation to work, but she finds that she doesn't get to spend much time with her friend, and is overwhelmed by all of the noise and activity. In the end, she and Mari learn a lot about each other and each other's families. 

I especially liked how Gracie talked her parents into allowing her to go under the guise of writing a paper on single child versus multiple child families. I think that middle grade readers always want to know what it is like to have a different family, which is why everyone of a certain generation loved The Brady Bunch, except maybe people who came from large, blended families! Gracie tries very hard to fit in and to participate in the same way that Mari does, but her inability to keep this up for the entire weekend is realistically portrayed. 

While a ski vacation smacks of wealth and privilege, this isn't over the top in the way that a series like The Clique novels are, which I think will make it more accessible to readers. I didn't know that this was book five in the series. The story was well explained, but I would like to go back and read more about this engaging duo.

This is an excellent, light hearted read about real life tween problems that will find avid readers among fans of Santopolo's Sparkle Spa books, Greenwald's Welcome to Dog Beach, and Darling's Crush series. 

Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track

Jones, Harmony. Girl vs. Boy Band: The Right Track
June 14th 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Copy provided by publisher 

Lark Campbell and her mother  move to LA from Nashville when her mother divorces her father and sets up a publicity business promoting bands. Luckily, she has made a good friend in Mimi, who is an aspiring film director. When her mother starts representing the newest boy band, Abbey Road, the boys move in to the Campbell's sprawling house. Of course, they are given Lark's music room to use, and Lark must write her songs and play her guitar elsewhere. The boys in the band (Ollie, Aidan and Jas) are adorable, but prone to fighting and other highjinks. Meanwhile, Lark is crushing on Teddy, who has asked her to accompany him in the school talent show on her guitar. When one drops out after appropriating Lark's song, Lark's mother must find someone to replace him. No one can be found, of course. Will Lark's mother be able to find someone in time to meet all of the band's obligations?

Strengths: This is pure tween fantasy. Lark is blonde, pretty and has long legs. She dreamily strums her guitar and hangs out at the pool at her home with cute British boys. Yes, she is separated from her father, but the housekeeper makes delicious treats for her and Mimi. This is a cute, short read that will leave the target demographic swooning.
Weaknesses: This was painful to read as an adult. I tried to imagine a similar version, read by my tween self and featuring Shaun Cassidy, but reading the song lyrics that Lark comes up with was still excruciatingly painful. Then there were lines like "When Lark first enrolled at school, she'd been placed in the standard music appreciation course, but it had quickly become clear that she could easily be teaching such a class. (ARC, page 53.)" Riiiiight. The same way that avid readers could totally run my library. There was something about the tone of the whole book that bothered me, but it will NOT bother tweens.
What I really think: It's in hardcover. I'll buy a copy, and it will be read a lot. 

Johnny Hangtime reissue

Gutman, Dan. Johnny Hangtime
February 16th 2016 by HarperCollins (first published January 1st 2000)
Copy from Young Adult Books Central

Johnny loves his job as a teen stuntman, even if it means filling in for Ricky Corvette and not being able to take the credit! He respects his director, Roland Rivers, who always makes sure that the stunts are as safe as possible... considering they might include jumping off the Empire State Building! Johnny's mom isn't wild about his work, especially since his father passed away during a stunt at Niagara Falls. When Roland finally gets the money to make his dream film that is all action and very few lines of dialog, Johnny is thrilled and so eager to do the job that he forges his mother's signature because the final stunt takes place at Niagara Falls. When Ricky insists on doing the stunt on his own, what will this mean for Johnny's career?

This short novel is action packed and filled with the sort of details young readers want to know about what it would be like to work as a stunt man. Did you know that air cushions would be hard as rocks if they didn't have proper vents to release air upon impact? There's a nice balance between technical descriptions, breathtaking stunts, and Johnny's feelings about his mother and father. 

While Ricky is a very static, obnoxious character, and costar Augusta isn't described in much detail, Johnny is a great character who really thinks about what he is doing and how it will impact his mother. His feelings about doing stunts changes a bit, especially when secrets about his father are revealed. I liked that Johnny's mother was concerned, but let him do what he needed to do, with some restrictions. 

Readers who like sports books will easily be persuaded to pick this up, especially if they've read Hobbs' Go Big or Go Home or Pam Withers' Take it to the Extreme books. Even readers who like Horowitz's Stormbreaker and other spy novels will find Johnny's tale of pulse pounding, gravity defying feats to be a quick and engaging read, especially with the fresh new cover.

Mystery Thursday- ARF

Quinn, Spencer. Arf (Bowser and Birdie #2) 
Published April 26th 2016 by Scholastic Press
ARC from Young Adult Books Central

Birdie's mother is home from working as an engineer on an oil rig, but right after her return the family home is broken into and the frame holding Birdie's father's medal of honor is ruined. Nothing seems to be taken, and another home, belonging to the wealthy Richlieu's, is also broken into, although there pearls are stolen. Birdie and her friend Junior, as well as Bowser (our narrator), investigate the mystery and soon gets sucked deep into a cold case... the one that caused Birdie's father's death. They meet the young woman whose father was killed in New Orleans, and soon Birdie finds the woman drowned at a campsite. The Richlieu's robbery was staged, so how do the two connect? Birdie's mother loses her job when the price of oil drops and is soon keeping company with Vin Pardo, who says he will help her find another job. Bowser is not a fan of the man, especially since he smells of lime aftershave and cat... the same smells that the house had after the break in. Birdie manages to find out too much about the whole mystery, which puts her in danger. Luckily, she has Bowser at her side to protect her.

While the narration by the dog is a bit uneven (sometimes Bowser is obsessed with bacon in a very dog like fashion, but at other times he is fully rooted in the human world and can pick up very human details), this is a solid murder mystery. Birdie, along with her grandmother and mother, have moved on with their lives after the death of Birdie's father in the line of duty, but they still would like closure. The grandmother in particular is a fun character, fiesty but vulnerable at the same time. 

Vin Pardo (hopefully no relation to Don Pardo, the television announcer!)is a deliciously slimy villain, and even though Bowser knows from the beginning that he is most likely behind things, the clues as to why are still revealed in a satifyingly realistic way. Even I didn't see some of the interplay between characters. 

It's hard to find middle grade murder mysteries, so this is a good bet for readers who enjoyed Beil's Red Blazer Girls, Runholdt's Kari and Lucas Mysteries, and any of the Hardy Boys or Nancy Drew reboots but want a more intense mystery along the lines of Alane Ferguson's Forensic Mysteries or Walter Sorrell's Fake ID series. 

Rescued (Ape Quartet #3)

Schrefer, Eliot. Rescued (Ape Quartet #3)
April 26th 2016 by Scholastic Press
ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

John's father travels to Africa with his job at a food distributor, and illegally brings back an Orangutan. Raja starts as a cute baby who is glued to John's side, but eventually becomes a rather large and sometimes violent pet to have. When John's father and mother divorce, his father ends up with Raja, and his mother ends up with John. The two shared such a bond, however, that even after Raja bites off John's finger when the two have been separated because of an ongoing illness, John still wants to be with him. John's father falls on hard times and has to give up Raja, which is difficult to do, since few places in the States can take wild animals. Eventually, a place is found at a roadside attraction, and John knows that this is not the place for Raja, who has become a very dear friend to him. John contacts one of the caretakers, Nancy, who helps him figure out a way to return Raja to Indonesia. It's not as easy task, and a lot of strings have to be pulled. Once back in his native land, there is no guarantee that Raja will be safe, but John contents himself that at least he will be free. 

While thematically tied to this author's Endangered and Threatened, Rescued can easily be read on its own. Schrefer has clearly done his research into the plight of wild animals both in captivity and in the wild, and the details (as well as notes at the back) will help to sensitize readers to a wide variety of topics concerning the plight of animals that share so many human characteristics that the boy in the book considers Raja a brother. 

Students who have read Applegate's The One and Only Ivan and Rorby's Hurt Go Happy will find that this book shows a more mature understanding of the injustices done to animals because of human whims. It's especially interesting because John always seems to have known that having Raja with him is wrong, but he is more concerned at first about doing right by his friend and not considering the plight of animals in general until Raja is going to be taken out of his care. The disintegration of John's family also adds a more mature element to the book. 

The Night Parade

Tanquary, Kathryn. The Night Parade
January 5th 2016 by Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Saki Yamamoto is NOT pleased that her family has to leave Tokyo to spend time with her grandmother at a town so small and far away that there is no reliable cell phone reception. They are there to help her grandmother celebrate Obon, a festival of the dead, which has become both sadder and more important since the passing of her grandfather, who was a priest who took care of the cemetery near her grandmother's house. During the festival, she makes the acquaintance of some of the kids from the town, and they convince her to take them to the cemetery, where they cause some damage. That would be bad enough, but Saki manages to bring a death curse upon her family, and only through dealing with different spirits in the night parade can she reverse it. 
Strengths: Vaguely creepy. This would be good to read along with The Jumbies, Hoodoo, and have a multicultural horror unit. Tons of good details about Japanese culture and religion. 
Weaknesses: The mean kids and Saki's reaction to them wore on me. 
What I really think: Saki was such a brat that I had trouble getting into this. If she had been more sympathetic, I would have liked it much better. Still, I might buy it because of the details about Japanese culture. It reminded me of Somewhere Among because of the visit to the grandparents' house.

MMGM- The Seventh Wish

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.

Messner, Kate. The Seventh Wish.
June 7th 2016 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Charlie has a decent life, but middle school is hard. Her overachieving older sister, Abby, is off at college, and she misses her. Her mother is a part-time school nurse, hoping to find a full-time job, and her father is an English teacher. Charlie participates in Irish dancing and would like to move up to higher levels of competition, but doing so requires a lot of dedication and resources. When she is out fishing with her neighbor, Drew, and his grandmother, Mrs. O'Neill, Charlie hears a fish whom she has caught speaking to her, saying that it will grant her a wish if she releases him. She does, wishing that she were not so afraid of the ice. When she no longer feels apprehension about going over the deeper water, she starts to look for the fish to make more wishes. Even though she talks about all of the stories where wishes go wrong, her wishes aren't always accurate-- she gets the wrong boy to fall in love with her, and wishing that her mother would get a new job causes her to miss a competition. Things get more serious, however, when her sister's heroin addiction is discovered. The parents manage to get her into a program, and Charlie has to spend her Saturdays visiting Abby at the facility-- and lying to her friends about it. She wants to be supportive of her sister, but also wants to keep advancing with her dancing. Will the fish be able to make things right? Or are some things in life beyond even magical help?

http://theinsuranceauthority.com/?tag=ice-flowers

Strengths: Frequent readers know I am NOT a fan of sad books, but this had so much hope and so many of the RIGHT things happening that I really loved it. I was expecially fond of Mrs. O'Neill telling Charlie about her late husband's struggles with alcohol, which you wouldn't think would be interesting, but helped Charlie understand her sister better. Charlie's concerns are very true to middle school experience (boys, activities, being special), her parents and other adults in her life are fantastic, and even the magic is a nice touch because it frames the very real problem of heroin abuse in a context that middle school students can take. There's just enough detail about Abby's experience to warn students away from heroin, but also to make them understand why some people slip into addiction. I love Messner's own description of this-- " a magical-ice-fishing-Irish-dancing-heroin novel for kids". Really, probably Ms. Messner's most brilliant novel to date. 
Weaknesses: I might have worked in "magic" that wasn't as magical as the fish instead. This is clearly fantasy; the fish clearly talks to her. This didn't work for me in Crenshaw, but it worked here. Still, if the magic were more ONLY in Charlie's head, it might have been a tiny bit better. 
What I really think: Excellent. Just excellent. 

And another super duper excellent book (even if it has sad moments) is this one:


6/2/2016 Nerdy Book Club
6/3/2016 Next Best Book
6/6/2016 Walden Media Tumblr 
6/7/2016 Teach Mentor Texts
6/8/2016 This Kid Reviews Books
6/9/2016 Read, Write, Reflect
6/10/2016 Flashlight Reader
6/13/2016 Julie Falatko
6/14/2016 A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust
6/15/2016 About to Mock
6/16/2016 Kid Lit Frenzy
6/16/2016 The Hiding Spot
6/17/2016 Unleashing Readers
6/20/2016 Ms. Yingling Reads, Novel Novice
6/21/2016 Maria’s Melange, Novel Novice, All the Wonders
6/22/2016 Lit Coach Lou, Novel Novice
6/23/2016 Novel Novice
6/24/2016 Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers, Novel Novice
6/27/2016 Librarian’s Quest
6/28/2016 Educate.Empower.Inspire…Teach
6/29/2016 Bluestocking Thinking
6/30/2016 Reading Writing, and the Stuff In-Between
7/1/2016 All the Wonders

Sic transit gloria mundi... The 48 Hour Book Challenge

Hands down, the best part of my year was always the 48 Hour Book Challenge, which is not being held this year. MotherReader, Pam Coughlin, started it in 2006. She thought ten years was enough, and I understand completely. It's a lot of work. Numbers have dropped. Life happens. 

Still, I miss it, and I asked Pam if she would be okay with me trying to revive it next year. 

I read books all year long, but the 48 Hour Book Challenge was my Boston Marathon of reading. I spent months getting books stockpiled (many participants read their BEA haul), cleared the calendar, and made sure Younger Members of Staff were prepared. I slept little. Personal hygiene suffered. I read A LOT.

But the best part was the time we were "allowed" to do social media. We could visit and comment on other's blogs, and later Tweet and Instagram. We were all a little punchy from lack of sleep, but it was an awesome feeling of community. I "met" a lot of new people and read a ton of new reviews.

So my plan is this: I'd like to see if there is enough interest to restart the 48 Hour Book Challenge, and refocus it with a middle grade/young adult/picture book crowd? 

Why? I always feel that there are more middle grade bloggers out there, and I am not finding them. We're a special group, and even though we have things like Marvelous Middle Grade Monday hosted by MG author Shannon Messenger and the kid centered It's Monday, What Are You Reading hosted by Unleashing Readers, I feel like we really need a Giant, online Kidlit party once a year!

If I can get 30 comments showing interest on this post, I'll put together a Google doc to get a feel for what people really want. There are never perfect dates, but it would still be after BEA, and probably toward the middle of June so people are out of school put not having to suffer through too many graduation parties. The way I envision it, it's little work for the participants except for adding your name to a Mr. Linky and READING. I would take care of details like prizes and general set up, but it would help if others would assist in spreading the word so more people participated. Perhaps we can get sponsorship or at least the interest of other Kidlit groups. (Cybils members' participation is always HUGE.)

So? You in? Thoughts? Opine, and let's get this party started! 

It's June? Should there be a GIANT BOOK PARTY?

Is your school out? Did you go to BEA and bring home hundreds of books? Do you just want to read until your eyes swell shut from lack of sleep and have an excuse to tell people to go away because you have to finish four more books in two hours?

Have you wondered where the 48 Hour Books Challenge went?

Watch this blog tomorrow for a great idea! (I have a cross country fun run until 9:30...)

Sad Books Sunday

Penney, Mary. Eleven and Holding
June 7th 2016 by HarperCollins
ARC from Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there.

Macy is dealing with a lot of issues. She is starting middle school in the fall, and she's upset that her best friend, Twee, won't be with her because she's only in the fifth grade. Her Nana has recently passed away, and her business, a coffee cafe, has been sold to Chuck, whom Macy dislikes even though he gives her free coffee once a week. Most importantly, her father is back from fighting in the military, but hasn't come home because he is working on a very important "secret project". Macy is concerned that her mother, a parole officer, is going to divorce him and marry Chuck. Not wanting to celebrate her 12th birthday until she is reunited with her father, Macy decides to try to visit him. In order to get the funding to do so, she and Twee try to find the dog of an older woman, Ginger, who crashes her motorcycle into the cafe. Aided by Switch, a boy who keeps running away from foster homes, Macy manages to make her way to where her father is, but finds out the real reason why he isn't coming home, as well as secrets about Ginger, Chuck and Switch. 

It is difficult to find stories that center around military families, but it's an important topic, and it would be helpful to have more titles about this. While Macy's mother doesn't deal honestly with her about what is wrong with her father, her mother is still supportive and understanding about Macy not wanting to celebrate her birthday. The topic of dementia in the elderly is also addressed, with Ginger's insistence that her dog has run away turning out to be part of her increasing failure to understand current events. There is also a nice touch about the relationship between Ginger and Chuck. 

The adventure of traveling to see her father includes some poor choices, but nothing overly dangerous. Switch makes sure that he tells Ginger they are borrowing her motorcycle, and the distance being traveled isn't too far. Macy attempts to watch out for her own safety when she is at the bus station, and understands that she shouldn't be making the trip. 

Readers who enjoy books with children who have difficulties, such as Hour of the Bees, Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer, and Ms. Bixby's Last Day will find Macy's struggles and adventures interesting and compelling.  

That said, I don't think I will buy this one. A little bit young and naive for my readers, and I don't have anyone asking for sad books. 


Springstubb, Tricia. Every Single Second.
June 7th 2016 by Balzer + Bray
ARC from Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there.

Nella and Angela are best friends who attend a Catholic school in a largely urban Italian neighborhood. They both have struggles with their families-- Nella has a passel of younger brothers, a harried mother, and a father who is a caretaker for the local cemetery and seems to have a secret sadness. Angela's father's problems are more apparent, as he was in the army and struggles with PSTD, which makes it hard to keep a job. Angela's mother leaves because of his tirades, and Angela depends on her older brother, Anthony, to help her out. Nella also has a friend who is a transplant to the neighborhood-- Clem, whose parents are professors at a nearby university. When their Catholic school closes down, the girls aren't sure where they will attend next year, and apply to a magnet school. Then a horrible thing occurs. Anthony, who has graduated and is working as a security guard, shoots a black man who was in a car accident and alarmed neighborhood people by knocking on their doors in the middle of the night. At the same time, Nella's great grandmother has a stroke, and everything falls apart for everyone. Tempers run high in the neighborhood, and both Nella and Angela's families struggle to keep things together.

This was a brilliant depiction of a neighborhood and supportive neighbors, something that Springstubb does particularly well in What Happened on Fox Street, Moonpenny Island, and Cody and the Fountain of Happiness. The importance of the Catholic church and the school, the local businesses that attract tourists, and the neighbors who know generations' worth of secrets may not be something that all readers have experienced. There are very few books that have characters who are in Catholic schools, but there must be many readers who would appreciate reading about this. 

Angela and Nella are great friends who really are as close as sisters. Their falling out is very realistic, as is Nella's attraction to the more worldly and uncomplicated Clem. When Angela needs her, however, Nella is quick to stay by her side, even if it means missing a once in a lifetime opportunity with Clem. 

The topics of race relations and difficulties with the police is a timely one, and Springstubb manages to make both sides seem sympathetic, which is no easy task. 

Readers who enjoy books with problematic parents and grandparents, such as The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, Silhouetted by the Blue, and Eleven and Holding will enjoy this beautifully descriptive and layered novel about family, loyalty, and secrets. 

I was SO intrigued by the description of the neighborhood that I might have purchased this, but the statue in the park who talks to us in some chapters was strange, and it was difficult to follow the story because time did not elapse in a linear fashion, which was confusing. Probably will not purchase, although I do love the Cody series. 

This is All Your Fault, Cassie Parker

McVoy, Terra Elan. This is All Your Fault, Cassie Parker
May 10th 2016 by Katherine Tegen Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

In this companion to Drive Me Crazy, we meet Fiona, whose best friend Cassie does not stop a popular from reading Fiona's diary, and the two fall out because of it. Cassie is mad that Fiona wrote things about her, and Fiona feels that her privacy was invaded. Cassie then takes off on her adventure in Drive Me Crazy, and Fiona is faced with a summer alone. Since her parents are divorced, Fiona has struggled. Her younger sister Leelu is perfectly happy to hang out with her father and his girlfriend, Jennifer, but Fiona is alarmed by the thought of "losing" not only her father, but also her sister, to Jennifer. Tired of the school drama as well as her family drama, Fiona decides that instead of a family trip to Disneyland, she would rather go to a writing workshop. There, she meets others who share her quirkiness, love of writing, and dislike of friend drama, and makes her peace with having lost Cassie as her best friend. 
Strengths: I liked that this was a problem novel that addressed problems that many of my students ACTUALLY have. Rather than dead parents or dying siblings, it covers families that split apart but are supportive, friends who make bad decisions that negatively affect other friends, and a student who has a particular interest that she wishes to explore. 
Weaknesses: I understand why writers want to create characters who also like to write, but there are a lot of those. I'd rather characters who are interested in a sport, or recycling, or helping at a pet shelter. I also found it a tiny bit hard to believe that Fiona would be foolish enough to bring her journal to school. I kept journals all through school and knew enough to lock those babies up tight!
What I really think: I found Fiona to be an annoying character, but I liked the stories about the friend and family drama and think this will circulate well. It's nice that you could read either book first. 

Guy Friday- 5 Times Revenge

Eland, Lindsay. 5 Times Revenge
June 7th 2016 by Greenwillow Books
ARC from Young Adult Books Central and reviewed there. 

Adam is a fan of the well-turned practical joke, and he has a ready target-- Hill Parmer is a stereotypical mean bully, and his father is the middle school principal. When Hill plays "hide 'n seek" with Perk's developmentally disabled brother Tommy and leaves him sobbing in a locked supply closet, the two friends vow revenge. Hacking into the school database, they locate three others who have reason to hate Hill: Ray, who looks like he has more muscles than brains; Pearl, a violin prodigy who once dated Hill; and Dutch, who has a facial tic and has been mercilessly teased about it by Hill. Since the teachers in the school have proven ineffective in stopping Hill's reign of terror, since Mr. Parmer threatens to give them bad performance reviews which could cause them to lose their jobs, the gang thinks hard about what they could do, and decide at first that putting the principal's beloved 1966 Shelby Cobra on the roof of the school. They run into difficulties not only in coming up with a good prank, but also in their personal lives. Pearl's parents decide to get a divorce, Dutch's custodial grandfather is sinking into dementia, Ray's brothers and father don't understand how smart he is and expect him to join their auto body shop, and Perk has to care for Tommy since his parents are too busy to. In the end, the group must content themselves with setting it up to look like Hill has auctioned the beloved car off as a fundraiser for Tommy's school unit, which is underfunded because Parmer has been rearranging the budget so that other areas get the money meant for the multiple handicap unit. As a result, Hill is sent to a military camp instead of the camp he wants to attend. 

Readers who enjoy  Rylander's The Fourth Stall or Ferraiolo's The Big Splash series or books where students get the better of the school staff such as Barnett's The Terrible Two, Griff Carver: Hallway Patrol, The Great Greene Heist, or I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President will find a lot of humor in this improbable tale of revenge. 

I really enjoyed how responsible most of the characters were. Even though Perk got tired of having to pick Tommy up from school, he clearly loved his brother and went out of his way to make sure that Tommy was safe and had a good day. Adam wants to get revenge, but decides that it's important that no one get hurt and no property gets damaged. Dutch tries very hard to take care of his grandfather, even though he clearly needs someone to take care of him. Ray works at his father's business without complaint, and Pearl is worried that her parents are divorcing because of something she has done. 

That said, if I gave this book to a middle grade reader, I would want to make sure that I followed up with some conversations about what does and doesn't happen in real middle schools. I can't imagine that a principal as evil as Mr. Parmer would continue to be employed. Hill would not be able to get away with terrorizing his fellow students, even if his father was the principal. I also doubt that the school servers are secured so poorly that students can change grades and look up sensitive information about other students. While this sort of detail is used to be humorous, it would be alarming if it actually happened, and readers should understand that there is a difference between how schools are depicted in fiction and how they really should work. 

I won't be buying this one. It's too unrealistic. A principal having a car that is so expensive? At least in Barnett's book, the evil principal drives a hatchback, and is clearly over the top. Parmer is portrayed too unrealistically. 

Girl in the Blue Coat

Hesse, Monica. Girl in the Blue Coat
April 5th 2016 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Hanneke is grieving the death of her boyfriend, Bas, who was killed after he joined the army. To help her family survive in war-torn Amsterdam, she works for a local butcher and sells things on the black market. During one of her deliveries, an older woman who has lost her sons, Mrs. Janssen, asks for her help. Mrs. Janssen was hiding a Jewish girl whose family worked at the Janssen's shop, but the girl has disappeared. Mirjam is nowhere to be found, and Hanneke learns a lot about the resistance movement while trying to find it. She reconnects with Bas' brother, Ollie, and becomes instrumental in helping to rescue other Jews while trying to find Mirjam. 
Strengths: This had a nice mystery, and had a lot of good details about what it was like to NOT be Jewish at this time but to suffer nonetheless. Definitely a different twist, and the way in which Hanneke got involved in various activities was realistic.
Weaknesses: This fell apart at the end a bit. 
What I really think: Definitely purchasing. The 8th grade girls will love it.