Guy Friday- Backfield Boys.

Feinstein, John. Backfield Boys.
August 29th 2017 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (Byr)
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Tom and Jason are fairly happy in their public school in New York City, but they are both phenomenal football players and spend a summer at a football camp. Afterwards, they are offered positions at the prestigious sports prep academy in Virginia. Even though their mothers are less than thrilled about them playing football at all, they are offered scholarships that make the very expensive school seem worth the risk. Right away, things get uncomfortable. The boys expect to room together, but are separated. They are assigned positions that they don't normally play. When they ask about these things, the coaches are very put out and make it clear that they are not to be contradicted. Jason is Jewish and Tom is black, and the boys soon start to pick up on subtle and not-so-subtle incidents of racism in the school. Jason's roommate, a self-proclaimed "good ol' boy" named Billy Bob is from Alabama and does not share these prejudices, but he has spent more time in the South and understands how things work. When the boys realize that there has never been a black quarterback, and roommates are assigned along racial lines, they contact sports writers and start an investigation, especially into the most offensive coach as well as Gatch, the founder of the school, who has alarming ties to people whose track record on race is horrendous. Can the boys come up with concrete proof that things are not being done properly at their school?
Strengths: Feinstein does a great job of writing for older middle grade readers as well as high school ones. I appreciated that he set this in a high school and dealt with serious issues without resorting to bad language or behavior. Tom and Jason are both very appealing characters, and the inclusion of sports reporters is a great example of "writing what you know"! This was reminiscent of Paul Volponi's titles like Black and White or John Ed Bradley's Call Me By My Name, and is a welcome addition to books about football that have some more serious themes.
Weaknesses: Referencing Trump will date this one, and it is immeasurably sad to think that this level of institutionalized racism might still exist in the US, but that's why it's an important book.
What I really think: This is an essential purchase for middle school and high school libraries. Also, I will never live South of the Ohio River. Just won't.

Stone, Nic. Dear Martin.
October 17th 2017 by Crown Books for Young Readers

Public Library Copy

Justyce McCallister was raised in a rough neighborhood by a struggling single mother, but now attends the exclusive Braselton Prep and is most likely going to Yale when he graduates. His ex-girlfriend, Melo, calls him one night when she is drunk and needs help getting home, but when he comes to her aid, a police man accuses him of taking advantage of her, roughs him up, and arrests him. With the help of his friend Sarah Jane's mother, who is a lawyer, Justyce is released without being charged, but the incident shakes him up. It also worries Manny, who is also African American, but who has very wealthy parents. The racial prejudice present at their school in Georgia starts to become more and more apparent to the two boys, as some of the football players who are friends with Manny make more and more comments and questionable choices. Manny's cousin ends up shooting and killing the officer who arrested Justyce, and racial tensions are high in the area. Justyce had tried to come to terms with the events in his life by keeping a journal in which he wrote letters to Dr. Martin Luther King, but when a tragedy occurs, even this doesn't help him. Even with his acceptance to Yale, Justyce struggles to figure out where he fits in to society and how he will be able to go forward with his life.
Strengths: My African American students sometimes want to read about life in disadvantaged, urban circumstances, but more often than not complain that they want to read about African American students like themselves-- suburban, middle class, and not involved in gangs. This is a perfect example of what they want. Justyce has experienced more prejudice than Manny, but still have a hard time understanding and dealing with it in a way that my students will understand. The two boys know all the "rules" of being young black men and try to follow them, but are still surprised by how horrible people can be. This was well written, very emotionally charged, and am important read.
Weaknesses: I wish that there hadn't been so much Young Adult content and language in this. Definitely an essential purchase for high school libraries, and a more accessible choice for a class read than The Hate U Give, which our high schools used last year, but I will pass on this title for middle school.
What I really think: How sad is it that our society has not moved beyond these sorts of situations. Again, never, ever, ever living south of the Ohio River. Yes, things like this occur occasionally in Ohio, but I hope that my students never experience anything remotely like this book!

Devil in Ohio

Polatin, Daria. Devil in Ohio
November 7th 2017 by Feiwel & Friends
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Jules tries to quietly get through high school in her vintage clothes with her friend Isaac by her side, but when her mother brings home a patient from the hospital psychiatric ward where she works, things get complicated. Mae has been abused by her family in the nearby town of Tisdale, Ohio. A sign of Satan has been carved on her back, and the sheriff has come to the hospital looking for her, which is why Jules' mother has broken protocol and brought Mae home. Since the Mathis family are certified foster parents, Mae is able to stay with them and attend Jules' high school. When classmates find out that she is from Tisdale, where Satan worship goes on even though people know about it, she becomes "cool", and Jules does by association. However, Mae accepts a date from Jules' crush, Sebastian, and Jules starts to resent the problems that Mae is causing her family. These intensify; the parents are fighting, Jules' younger sister is attacked by a dog left on the doorstep, Jules is almost kidnapped, and the mother is in a suspicious auto accident. While the mother has her own reasons for saving Mae, it's a very dangerous game. Will the Mathis family be able to save Mae... and themselves?
Strengths: Abuse, devil worship, creepy towns? For some reason, my 6th graders want to read this kind of book, so the topic would be very popular. The odd, retro cover is appealing in a creepy way. This did keep me turning the pages because the characters did so many things that they shouldn't have! This claims to be based on a true story, which is very sad. A definite must read for Young Adult horror fans.
Weaknesses: This is definitely for older readers. Aside from alcohol drinking and other inappropriate behaviors, there is too much discussion of sex for me to ever hand this book to a middle school student. Jules was not a pleasant character, but her development, and well as the ending of the book, could have been written more effectively.
What I really think: I'm not a fan of horror books, but understand my students enjoy them. It's just tricky finding one that has murders, abuse, blood, and gore and is still appropriate for eleven year olds!

Blather, Bookish.

I've been having a hard time keeping up with... well, just about everything. Cross Country, Kidlitcon, Cybils, having to become a Google Certified Educator by the end of December in order to be allowed to keep being the school tech person; all of these things, combined with general lack of energy, have lead to a huge back log of things I Need to Read.

Reading isn't necessarily the problem. Reviewing is a problem. So, I have given myself permission to read books but not necessarily review them. What a concept. Here's a brief overview of what I've been doing.

Also, I've learned that if I don't do something right away, sometimes other people do the things. It's like magic. Perhaps I will have to work more "not caring" into my life!

Nix, Garth and Williams, Sean. Have Sword, Will Travel.
October 31st 2017 by Scholastic Press

• Typical medievalish fantasy with dragons and talking swords, although there are women knights as well as millers. I'm not sure how I feel about this. Since it's a fantasy world, I guess it's okay, but it doesn't reflect the reality of the middle ages, so I'm conflicted. Not my cup of tea, but it's a good length and my fantasy readers will love it. Has sort of a Gerald Morris vibe, and that series does very well. Will purchase.

Ostertag, Molly Knox. The Witch Boy

November 2017 by Scholastic

• Nicely done, definitely diverse, lots of action but also introspection. I just don't want to spend $21 on a book that is going to last about a year. Graphic novels have a tendency to have their innards just fall right out. Debating a prebind when it is eventually available, but even those don't hold up well. Sigh.

Alberti, Engima and Cliff, Tony. Mary Bowser and the Civil War Spy Ring
December 13th 2016 by Workman Publishing Company

• Had its moments, but the cover has a cut out, and it wouldn't last two months in my library. There was also an envelope with a code wheel in it. Some things just struck me as odd. Can't quite put my finger on it.

Nazemian, Abdi. The Authentics.
August 8th 2017 by Balzer + Bray

• Interesting story about a girl being raised in an Iranian/Persian family who finds out that she is adopted and her ethnic background is actually different. Some romance, family drama, but more of a high school book somehow. A little more introspective than a lot of middle grade, but I enjoyed it. Nicely diverse friends as well.

And now Goodreads is only showing my "books read" by date ending with the middle of October, so I'm walking away before I freak out! Plus, I have all of the 8th graders visiting the library today, so need to change out the books recommendations.

Designed by Lucy (The Kindness Club #2)

Sheinmel, Courtney. Designed by Lucy (The Kindness Club #2)
November 7th 2017 by Bloomsbury U.S.A. Children's Books
Copy provided by the publisher

After following the exploits of The Kindness Club from Chloe's point of view in Chloe on the Bright Side, we switch to Lucy's side of the story. Lucy is struggling a bit at home; her older brother Ollie is off at college, her grandmother is oddly over scheduled, and her father is either working or distracted when he is home. Her mother died when she was very young, so she doesn't really miss her. In addition to working at the community center on a quilt with some of the younger children, the club is looking for other projects. When Lucy finds out that a classmate's mother just died, and that Serena and her mother always made a big deal out of birthdays, Lucy starts a project to plan a surprise party at her father's bowling alley for Serena. She does check with Serena's aunt, and asks around to find out who her friends are to invite, but her planning otherwise lacks some focus; for instance, she does not ask her father if she can have the party at the bowling alley! When Lucy realizes that she can't have the party there, she does manage to relocate it, but then hears from Serena herself that it's too soon to be celebrating. Crushed, Lucy talks to her neighbor, Mrs. G., and the two retrieve some of Serena's mother's clothing from the local thrift store and make a quilt for Serena instead. Lucy finds out that her father's business is struggling, but will be okay, with some modifications.
Strengths: There are some good details about how to help someone who is grieving. Serena dislikes the "dead mother look" that she feels teachers are giving her, and feels that the birthday party is motivated out of the same sense of pity, even though Lucy has also lost her mother. The fact that Lucy's grandmother and father are trying hard to keep the family afloat amidst difficult economic times is handled very nicely. For example, their dishwasher quits working, and it is not a priority to fix. The idea of a kindness club is a nice one, and this book is generally upbeat.
Weaknesses: There are two dead mothers in this one, and we don't see as much of Chloe, whose family story bears further examination. Theo pops in only to spout trivia; I'll be interested to see if a third book in the series sheds some more light on his character.
What I really think: A solid middle grade title for readers who like realistic fiction.

Election Day means 100 Great New Books!

In our school district, we don't have students on election day, but have professional development instead. I always do a rapid fire presentation of 100 Great New Books. Here is the latest one, if you want to take a look.

It's not as good without the accompanying stand up routine that I do!

Waiver day november 2017 from Karen Yingling

Watchdog

McIntosh, Will. Watchdog.
October 10th 2017 by Delacorte Press
E Copy provided by the author

In a vaguely dystopian future, Vick and Tara are just some of the abandoned children who scrape out an existence scavenging in a garbage dump and living on the roof of an abandoned apartment building. Tara is on the autism spectrum, so doesn't take the disruption to her life very well, but she is also very talented at fixing technology, and after finding a special computer chip in the dump, constructs a very intelligent robot, Daisy. There are a lot of individuals, and some emerging companies, that are building very sophisticated and fierce watchdogs of various designs, and Tara and Vick manage to come across the radar of Ms. Alba, who is enslaving many of the homeless children so that they can work for her. While the two make some good connections, the way Ms. Alba treats Tara is completely unacceptable to Vick, and despite the fact that they both have trackers installed in their arms, the two escape. After a lot of fighting and hiding, they manage to reconnect with one of the other orphans and her friends. Together, they decide that Tara can use Daisy and her chip to build an army of watchdogs and try to defeat Ms. Alba so that the children caught in her trap can be released. Tara is very skilled, but the odds are stacked against the children. Can they work together and use technology to assure a slightly more comfortable future for themselves?
Strengths: This was a good length,  the story moved along quickly, and the cover is fantastic! I got the feeling that there was a very complete outline and that this was well-edited to remove extraneous explanation so that the story didn't bog down. The tech details were fun, and the idea of small concerns trying to capitalize on a need was interestingly done. There were just enough characters to be able to keep them all straight and have them be adequately developed. Vick's concern for his sister is very touching, and his ruthlessness at getting revenge on a robot who took his mother's job rang true. The happy ending would stand on its own, or pave the way for a sequel.
Weaknesses: The junkyard setting made me think of Farmer's The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm, which I disliked intensely. Luckily, while the story included lots of scenes in the junkyard, it also got out into the city of Chicago, so that helped. Tara at one point says she is "severely autistic", but she seemed highly functioning to me. Her manifestations of this condition seemed a bit uneven, but then she is in a very unusual situation. I could have used a few more details about how Chicago had devolved into such chaos, and about Ms. Alba as well.
What I really think: While this might lack the minutiae of world building that older, hard core sci fi fans would like, this is a good, fast paced introduction to dystopian novels that will appeal to a slightly younger middle grade crowd. I will definitely purchase this for sensitive souls who think that they want to read The Hunger Games or Divergent but who aren't ready for the length or the dark tone of those books. I've also had a run on robot book requests lately, and this will be perfect.

Kidlitcon!

Kidlitcon was wonderful! How could it not be, with this great collection of authors?
Front Row: Eucabeth Odhiambo, David A. Kelly, Phil Bildner. Second Row: Sue Macy, Ms. Yingling, Rich Wallace, Sandra Neil Wallace.

 There were lots of authors at Kidlitcon, but I'm never good about getting pictures. Did have a nice chat with Laurie McKay, Jordan Sonnenblick, and Michael Spradlin (left to right).

But now to get back to work! I need to put out some "Seriously Funny" books, push some historical fiction and, as ALWAYS, work on dismantling the patriarchy, one 6th grade boy checking out Princess in Black at a Time.

Oh, and preparing for Multicultural Children's Book Day (and MONTH!) in January! Mia is so good at social media and making contacts in order to spread important news. Wow!

MMGM- Modern Design

Newman, Catherine. One Mixed-Up Night
September 5th 2017 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Public Library Copy

Well, this was fun. Frankie and Walter have been friends forever, and for weird reasons love IKEA. They pore over the catalog, and love it when their families go there to shop and eat Swedish meatballs. After reading From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, they decide to spend the night in the store. Things go decently until they get a little carried aways with candles and set things on fire, bringing a security guard.
Strengths: Nice friendship and adventure, even if I don't understand IKEA. Supportive families (loved the recipe researcher mom!), natural consequences-- very fun story that will be popular.
Weaknesses: I would have liked this better if the children had NOT caused damage, but had managed to do their entire night without detection. Also could have done without the father dying, but at least it was handled in a realistic, hopeful way. Walter's family tried to keep a stiff upper lip, but needed more help in the end and got it.
What I really think: This might entice children to pick up the Konigsberg title, and it was a quick, fluffy read. Will purchase.

Rubin, Susan. Maya Lin: Thinking with Her Hands
November 7th 2017 by Chronicle Books
Copy provided by the publisher

From the publisher:
"In the tradition of DELICIOUS, WIDENESS & WONDER, and EVERYBODY PAINTS!, this is Susan Goldman Rubin's extensively researched and very accessible biography of civic activist Maya Lin, most famous for her design of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is one of the most famous pieces of civic architecture in the world. But most people are not as familiar with the reserved college student who entered and won the design competition to build it. This accessible biography tells the story of Maya Lin, from her struggle to stick with her vision of the memorial to the wide variety of works she has created since then. Illustrated extensively with photos and drawings, the carefully researched text crosses multiple interests--American history, civic activism, art history, and cultural diversity--and offers a timely celebration of the memorial's 35th anniversary, as well as contributing to the current, important discussion of the role of women and minorities in American society"

This was a fantastic, well illustrated biography, and I appreciated that it talked about different projects of Lin's. Would I have bought a copy? No. Lin is 6 years older than I am, so a biography seems premature. This will quickly date, requiring another biography to be bought. I also look for biographies of people who have brought some kind of change to the world (not movie stars or sports figures), and Lin is on that line. Okay, the Vietnam Memorial is a nice work, but has her architecture changed the world? I'd prefer a good book about Frank Lloyd Wright, who did influence the way people live today by changing how houses were designed.

The Summer of Owen Todd

Abbott, Tony. The Summer of Owen Todd
October 17th 2017 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
E ARC from Netgalley

TRIGGER WARNING: Sexual abuse, suicidal thoughts

Owen and his best friend Sean have just finished fifth grade, and want to have an epic summer. They manage to hang out at Owen's family's go kart track on Cape Cod, and spend a great day at a marine supply store across the street from the dress shop where Sean's mother works, but after that, Sean needs to have a "babysitter". Sean's mother is uncomfortable leaving him for the long hours that she works, especially since he has an insulin pump for his diabetes. She hires a young man from their church, Paul, who is jovial and can work the hours she needs. From the beginning, Owen suspects that something is creepy about Paul. Sean mentions that Paul has gone to the bathroom with the door open and his pants down, and has also shown his, briefly, a picture of an unclothes boy sleeping on a couch. Owen immediately says that parents should be told, but Sean doesn't want to mess up his mother's summer plans. Things get worse very quickly, with more activities (described) as well as videotaping. Sean tells Owen that now he can't tell anyone or Paul's friend will post the pictures on the internet, and Sean will kill himself. Owen still wants to tell, but is unsure what the right thing to do is, so he tries to keep his friend from Paul and also tries to catch him in the act and alert adults. Sean tries twice to drown himself. Finally, when he witnesses Sean being raped and catches the scene on his own phone, he tells his parents, who immediately phone the police. Sean gets the help he needs, and the police eventually locate and arrest Paul, holding him without bail.
Strengths: This is an important book on a topic that has not been much covered since the problem novel surge of the 1980s. This is similar to Deuker's Swagger, but in that book, we aren't entirely sure what is going on. Owen knows what should be done, and that what is happening isn't right. The parents, when it is brought to their attention, don't belittle the boys. There are resources in the back, and Abbott hopes that this book will help this conversation to happen.
Weaknesses: The age range that Amazon gives for this is 10-14, but the graphic nature of this book might be too upsetting for younger children.
What I really think: While this is an important book, I am reluctant to have it in my school library. Not because I don't think children should read it, but because I do not think they should read it alone. I would not want my daughter, in 6th grade, to have checked this out because it looked like a book about summer, and then to have been too afraid to say anything to me about the contents in order to help her process it. Public libraries are a different case.

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Cici and Cast No Shadow

Chamblain, Joris , Neyret, Aurélie (Illustrations).Cici's Journal: The Adventures of a Writer-in-Training
November 7th 2017 by First Second

Cici lives in the country in a big olf house with her mother, and loves to explore the nearby woods with her two good friends, Lena and Erica. She has a good friend in a local writer, Ms. Flores, who encourages her to take notes on things around her and pay attention to the stories people tell. Cici observes a man in the woods, Mr. Mysterious, who always seems to be covered in paint, and when she follows him, she finds that the rocks and walls in an abandoned zoo have been covered with beautiful, realistic paintings of animals. Mr. Mysterious has painted the backgrounds of the animal enclosures before the zoo closed, and was very sad that all of the animals had to be rehomed. With the help of Cici and her friends and family, the zoo is brought back to a bit of its former glory.
Strengths: This is an absolutely beautiful graphic novel-- it's almost more like a book of paintings. The story is touching, and all of the characters are pleasant and helpful.
Weaknesses: I hate to encourage children to be writers when they grow up. It seems cruel, like suggesting they become, I don't know, Latin teachers or milk men. (Remember, I am a very bitter ex-Latin teacher!)
What I really think: Will most likely purchase, and it will be popular.

Tapalansky, Nick and Anissa Espinoza. Cast No Shadow.
October 10th 2017 by First Second
Copy provided by the publisher

Greg lives in a quirky town that is always trying to come up with an idea to attract tourists. He hangs out with gal pal Layla and has a complicated relationship with the popular Jake. Greg is a bit odd because he doesn't have a shadow. When he and Layla visit a "haunted house" at the edge of town, he is able to see a ghost named Eleanor, and the two "like like" each other. To complicate matters, Greg's shadow starts doing evil things around the town, and Greg is not happy that his father is involved with Ruth, since he misses his mother, who died several years back. Eventually, the characters all come together to renovate Eleanor's house, and everything is tied up neatly.
Strengths: There's a good balance between text and pictures, and the text is a good size. The illustrations are all in black and white, so the book doesn't have that really horrible smell that many graphic novels do. This is a solid fantasy story, and readers who like both graphic novels and fantasy will enjoy this one.
Weaknesses: I had trouble with the fact that Greg didn't have a shadow. Why? Who would care? This just wasn't my cup of tea.
What I really think: Would probably purchase in a Follett Bound, and I think it would get a lot of use. It just wasn't a title that I could get personally excited about.

Traveling the Blue Road: Poems of the Sea

Hopkins, Lee Bennett (Editor). Traveling the Blue Road: Poems of the Sea
ILlustrated by Hansman, Bob and Hansman, Jovan.
October 17th 2017 by Seagrass Press
Copy provided by The Quarto Group

This illustrated collection of eleven poems covers the topic of immigration or travel on the water through US history. The illustrations incorporate period drawings into collage type tableaux that use shades of blue and images of bubbles to good effect. The poems are historically arranged and are by authors as diverse as Hopkins to my favorite, Naomi Shahib Nye. An afterword gives further historical detail on each of the poems' settings. While I'm not sure that younger students would get much out of the poems by themselves, since they are emotionally and situationally complex, they would be a good starting point for conversations about the role sea travel played and continues to play in the movement of people around the world.

It is increasingly difficult to find collections of poetry that work well for a yearly assignment of our language arts teachers gives her students, and this is a good, but short, collection of well done poems.

Guy Friday- Sink or Swim: A Novel of WWII

Watkins, Steve. Sink or Swim: A Novel of WWII
October 31st 2017 by Scholastic Press
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

When Colton's brother Danny is injured by a U Boat while out fishing in the Outer Banks, Colton decides to take his brother's papers and go into the navy in his place. Their father is dead, and their mother can use the navy pay... even though Colton is only 12! When he does a good job teaching a number of the men how to tie nautical knots, he is offered a place on a patrol craft, scouting for U Boats. He is a hard worker, sends home all of his pay, and makes friends with Woody, a farm boy, as well as Straub, who watches out for him. He is assigned to help cargo ships get from New York City to Key West, and there are a few problems with U Boats. When things get quiet, it's because the German vessels have moved North, and the PC is assigned to help ships get to England. On one mission, Colton's boat is badly damaged. Men die, and a few are left to survive on a life boat. Colton is badly injured, so when he finally returns to the US, his mother is alerted and tells the navy his age. While this is a fictional work, an afterword says that it is based on the real life story of Calvin Graham.
Strengths: This had everything I could want in a WWII novel. Sympathetic protagonist, slightly different outlook (PC with the navy), good period details (including a brief appearance by Ernest Hemingway's sons), lots of military action, and a predictable but very sad death, so that readers don't glamorize war. I am always surprised at how much I sometimes enjoy a WWII book, and it is definitely a popular topic with many of my readers.
Weaknesses: Colton is almost too good to be true. He is a good seaman, sends home all of his pay except for a dollar here and there, and doesn't even get into trouble while on liberty. Great to see, but a little harder to believe when I see the impulse control of 13 year olds on a daily basis!
What I really think: Excellent addition to the list of WWII fiction, and probably Watkins' best work.

Vampires on the Run, Alone

Surrisi, C.M. Vampires on the Run
March 1st 2017 by Carolrhoda Books
Public library copy

Quinnie is ready for summer vacation, and there are some exciting things happening in her small coastal Maine town of Maiden Rock. Not only is there a new boy, Dominic, and his scientist parents moving in next door, but her friend Ella's family friends Cecil and Edgar Waterman are also spending the summer. The Watermans are authors of a vampire series, and they claim to get their stories from real vampires. They also look the part-- dark clothes, pale skin, aversion to sunlight. When the sister's cat sanctuary is attacked and odd things happen in town, Quinnie starts to wonder what is going on. With the help of friend Ben, Ella, and Dominic, she tries to uncover this new mystery. She also reads the Waterman's novel as well as Dracula, so that she and the other children can discuss them with her teacher who went missing in the first book, The Maypop Kidnapping, Ms. Stillford.
Strengths: I adore Quinnie's town and her family. Her diner owner father makes sure there is plenty of tasty sounding food around, and her sherrif/mayor/real estate agent mother is super busy but always has time to help Quinnie out. The setting is well described and makes me want to go to Maine and take a walk along the rocky beach. The dynamic among all of the children is realistic and adds some additional interest to the mystery.
Weaknesses: Very rarely, there is a book that not only defines a trend but also completely ruins it. Twilight is such a book, and is even referenced in Vampires on the Run. Now, I find it very difficult to get anyone to check out any vampire books except for titles by Darren Shan and Jason Henderson. Combined with the unattractive cover on this book, I feel that typing this mystery to a passé trend was an unfortunate choice.
What I really think: I enjoyed this, but the first book has not circulated well, so I will wait until the end of the year to buy this if I have enough money.

Balog, Cyn. Alone.
November 1st 2017 by Sourcebooks Fire
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Seda's horror film professor mother has inherited a "house of horror" from an aunt and uncle, and has moved Seda and her younger siblings there to prep it for sale. She seems to be enjoying it to much to sell it, even though it is in the middle of nowhere and Seda hates being there. It doesn't help that Seda had a twin who didn't make it, and who sort of lives in her mind, making her think she is crazy, and definitely making her an unreliable narrator. When college students get stranded near the house, the mother is reluctant to help them at all, but eventually does. Seda takes a liking to one of them, but the creepy house is creepy for a reason, and before long, things begin to go awry.
Strengths: This reminded me of Poblocki's The Ghost of Greylock, Alender's The Dead Girls of Hysteria Hall, and R.L. Stine's books set in creepy houses in the middle of nowhere. It was a bit slow to build up, but was definitely nicely creepy all the way through. The idea of a "house of horror" from the 1980s was a brilliant scheme, and I did really enjoy all of those details. Lots of twists, and definitely a surprise ending.
Weaknesses: Not a huge fan of the unreliable narrator, and the mother irritated me by her insistence on staying with the house even when it caused her husband to leave.
What I really think: A bit brutal at the end, but I will have to buy this since my readers have an insatiable desire for scary books and murder mysteries.

 

Run Strong, Stay Hungry

Heading to Kidlitcon tomorrow morning. Friday at 3:00 p.m., I will be moderating a panel of six sports writers on the topic of "Go Sports! Do the Thing! Win the Points! Sports Books for the Unathletic." I will be joined by Phil Bildner, Davd A. Kelley, Sue Macy, Ecubeth Odhiambo, Rich Wallace, and Sandra Neill Wallace. It should be a very interesting discussion about why teachers and librarians need to know about sports books in order to recommend them to students, even if they don't enjoy reading the books themselves!


Beverly, Jonathan. Run Strong, Stay Hungry: 9 Keys to Staying in the Race
November 1st 2017 by VeloPress
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

This anecdotal book, based on hundreds of interviews with key names in distance running, is fascinating in its attempt to distill and delineate what keeps people running from their high school careers well into their senior years. The anecdotes are arranged according to the nine key components: Consistency, variety, training by feel, humility and hunger, adaptability, students of the sport, staying connected, hope and love and the plethora of examples and stories definitely reinforce each concept.

Some of the topics makes sense: consistency absolutely makes better runners. Some are a surprise: many runners who have maintained their skills into their 60s and beyond claim that they are "not good runners". The motivating factor that these athletes have is that there is always someone better than you are, so it's essential to continue to work hard.

Once I get a print copy of this (I was reading an e arc, so the formatting wasn't great), I can see a lot of sticky notes being affixed to applicable pages so that I can share the philosophies with my cross country team. Coaches will definitely benefit from reading this work; I could see several of my former runners in the pages, and wanted to give them copies of the book and say "This chapter! This is what's going wrong with your training! Read this!" I also appreciated the mentions that many runners who keep at it after they don't compete any more do so because they have a coach's voice stuck in their head. I don't think I would ever be that voice, but it's a great thought!

Younger runners should look at this so that they can have a road map for different ways their running lives might go. Older readers will extract a lot of useful knowledge about ways to cope with the changes of age and the challenges of injuries. Other runners will enjoy the sheer volume of names that are dropped, and take a lot of motivation from the inspiring quotes of the elite runners interviewed.

The only negative about this book is that it does focus on elite runners, people for whom a sadly light week of running is 30 miles. As someone who is in the age group where sad things are happening to my running routine, and for whom for most of my life a 20 mile week was spectacular, I just wish that someone had handed this book to me when I was 12 and had said "You can do this."

A fantastic purchase for gift giving, a good purchase for high school libraries, and an optional purchase for middle school collections in schools where there is a strong culture of running.

Personal Blather:

This is literally the ONLY picture ever taken of me looking athletic.

Here is the story of my entire running life. Feel free to leave!

I started running in the spring of 1978. I wore Keds, ran around the block, and every time I did it, my mother told me I was nuts. The following year, I wanted to be on the track team, but I was wearing a back brace for scoliosis and my mother wouldn't let me, but the very kind coaches let me serve as the track first aid person and travel with the team. My high school didn't have a girls' cross country team until 1982, and I would never have thought of joining it. After I started working in 1981, I used part of my first pay check to by a pair of Reebok running shoes. I took these to college, where I ran around the track, and to Athens, Greece, where I got to run around Lycavettos hill. I did more walking than running in my 20s, but took it up again (with the same shoes, sadly) after my daughter was born in 1993, but running with small children doesn't rack up the miles. It wasn't until I turned 40 and my daughter was 12 that I started running in earnest. I had a good eight years of 15-20 mile weeks, ran in some 5k races and finished in the middle of my age group with times around 35 minutes.

Then, two years ago, I strained my Achilles. Then, I had foot surgery. Then, I had two stress fractures, the last one being in March. I spend a lot of time over the summer doing physical therapy, water walking, biking, and trying to keep in shape without running. I hope to begin again in March.

Both of my daughters ran middle school cross country, and I started helping out the team when my youngest started in 2010. Both of my girls still run from time to time, which makes me ever so happy.

Am I a runner? I desperately wish I were. Not to win races, but to be the sort of person who runs. The most inspirational story I have ever read is that of runner Joy Johnson. She didn't start running until her mid fifties, which gives me a lot of hope that once my foot FINALLY heals, I can get back to my attempts at running and to try to follow her example.

Invasion of the Scorp-lions and The Fourth Ruby

Hale, Bruce. Invasion of the Scorp-lions (Monstertown Mysteries #3)
31 October 2017, Disney-Hyperion
Copy provided by the Publisher

After fighting monsters in The Curse of the Were-Hyena and Mutant Mantis Lunch Ladies, Carlos and Benny know a thing or two about dispatching supernatural creatures. They're not quite sure what to do, however, when their classmates show up ranting and raving, then plunge into comas. Ghosts are suspected, so Ms. Tamanese tells them that the kindergarten teacher at their school is a medium who does seances. When they consult Ms. Freshley, she's more than happy to help, but when they try to contact the spirits, Ms. Freshley also rants and falls into a coma! The boys' principal, Mrs. Johnson, knows they didn't cause the coma, but decides to hire them to find out what IS causing the coma. She offers them a master key to the building and two free passes to get out of detention! When they are poking around in out of the way spaces, they find a terrifying scorp-lion, and Carlos is bit. Luckily, Benny manages to save him by pouring cola on the wound! Feeling like they need more back up, the boys visit the house of the new girl, Esme Ygorre, since she has mentioned that her mother "makes monsters". It turns out that the family is descended from Igor, Dr. Frankenstein's lab assistance, but the mother swears she didn't have anything to do with the new monsters. Eventually, the boys get a change to talk to Mr. Hanzomon, whose company is helping with the school's science fair, and find out some interesting and helpful secrets.
Strengths: Benny and Carlos are appealing protagonists who reluctantly step into their roles as the school's protectors. Carlos has some real life worries that add some depth to the story. The monsters and villains are goofy but threatening. There are lots of laugh out loud lines, and Hale has clearly been in an actual middle school and talked to students recently. The school situations are plausible, and most of the adults in the book are supportive and helpful.
Weaknesses: The book isn't formatted in an ideal way. In order to have a smaller lenticular cover, the book is small, and so is the print. I'd just as soon have a standard sized book with larger font and no lenticular cover. It would wear better.
What I really think: The lenticular covers on these make them an easy sell to readers of Gilman's. Tales from Lovecraft Middle School books, and there's a small but steady fan base for monster books.

Hannibal, James R. The Fourth Ruby (Section 13, #2)
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline
October 31st 2017 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Jack Buckles, fresh from his adventures in The Lost Property Office, is still struggling under the stigma of being a Section 13, and trying to hold his own as a Tracker in a competition. Ash is still better than he is, although Jack is trying to learn more things from Professor Tanner to make himself better. Jack's father is still unconscious, and Jack visits every day, hoping to make a difference. When Jack help's Tanner out finding some crown jewels, he, Gwen, and even his young sister Sadie get pulled into a global search for four rubies with different powers that had been owned by Genghis Khan and had been the seat of his power. They travel to the Tower of London and the Kremlin, where they meet Raven and her brother Ghost, who are thieves who help them steal the second Ruby. Their allies aren't always their allies, and before long they are talking to a Russian automaton who is giving them the secret to finding the other two rubies. When Sadie is poisoned, however, it is imperative that Gwen and Jack find the antidote in time to save her. Even if Jack can fend off this latest threat, will it be enough to save his sister and his father, and to allow him to overcome his difficulties within the Ministry of Trackers?
Strengths: I am clearly a sucker for any book set in London! Aside from that, this series features a complex but reasonably organized fantasy world, lots of adventure, clear cut missions, identifiable villains, and plenty of things blowing up. There are a lot of fantasy books out there, but I don't have a huge readership for them in my library. The Section 13 series has just the right balance that I look for-- comple enough that my fantasy readers can really get into the details of the world, but fast paced enough with fun characters so that I can enjoy the books while trying to wrap my head around the details!
Weaknesses: I was a little confused by meeting the different versions of the same characters, but didn't stop to think hard enough about how this occurred. Also, the first book in this series had an odd trim size-- rather square. As a librarian, it bothers me when the books are put on the shelves. Both minor complaints that students will not have.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, although I'm hoping this wraps up the story by book five.

MMGM- Halloween

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe and #IMWAYR day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday.

Brown, Monica. Lola Levine and the Halloween Scream (#6)
July 3rd 2017 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Copy provided by the publisher

Lola and her brother Ben are gearing up for Halloween. Their school, in the way of the 2000s, is studying apples and pumpkins and planning on having all costumes for the school parade be literature based, so the two are working with their father to design original costumes. Lola really wants to scare people, but learns an important message about listening to her friends when she scares one who gets very upset with her. Lola also goes trick or treating, but her parents make her turn in all of her candy to them. When Lola discovers that her mother has been eating the candy, the family throws all of it away so that they can all be healthy.
Strengths: These books are great for my struggling 6th graders. They are just the right length and level of text complexity, and address issues that even 6th graders must navigate. The parents are great examples, Lola is exuberant and often acts without thinking, but is gently redirected in positive ways and makes her amends. This series is a must purchase for all elementary schools and middle schools with a population of struggling readers.
Weaknesses: The parents throw away the candy. I just can't get past that. Yes, I understand that we no longer celebrate Halloween in schools. But I HATE Halloween, and I just want to be one of those grumpy old people who don't turn on their porch lights. If children are going to throw away the microwave popcorn I give them, I might as well. I'm not putting a teal pumpkin on my porch, but at least the popcorn is pretty much allergen free. Although full of chemicals. There's no winning.
What I really think: Fantastic book for the target demographic. Just makes old people who had completely politically incorrect childhoods a bit sad!

Segel, Jason and Miller, Kirsten. Everything You Need to Know about Nightmares! and How to Defeat Them
September 12th 2017 by Delacorte Press
Copy provided by the publisher

In this companion to the Nightmares! trilogy, a hodgepodge of supplementary material is presented. There are pictures and descriptions of various nightmare entities, listing of their strengths and weaknesses, and Pro Tips on how to deal with them. There are also very short stories involving the characters from the books and how they had to deal with the beings. Additional accompaniments include recipes, fun facts, and room in the back for field notes. Beings are divided into broad categories including Chasers, Extraterrestrials, and Lurkers and Stalkers, and many others.

This was a well designed book, and I liked the layout of the pages. Fans of the series will take great glee in reading about how to deal with the creatures that they find most fearsome.

Just in time for Halloween, Everything You Need to Know about Nightmares! and How to Defeat Them is a great book for fans of Betty Ren Wright, Mary Downing Hahn, Peg Kehret and WIllo Davis Roberts, and might come in handy if readers have a particularly vicious chupacabra loose in their room when the lights are turned out!

Mini Rant:
You know what pisses me off? Not Accelerated Reader, but people who have their shorts completely in a bunch about Accelerated Reader. It is not the PROGRAM that effects a child's love of reading, but the way the program is implemented. Trust me, my children were the ones reading Harry Potter in the second grade and finding it hard to locate books "on their level" because they were at level 12.9+ when they were 8. In every case where we had any problem at all, the teachers were more than happy to modify the requirements as long as they knew that my children were reading.

HOWEVER, the VAST majority of my students have apparently never been required to finish a chapter book. This year has been very frustrating. The sixth graders only want to read Smile and Drama again and again and again, and the 8th graders spend more time starting at the soles of their shoes than reading. Nudging these children with a very modest AR goal to actually finish a book, and to learn time management in order to get the required points, is not an unreasonable request. In fact, once they are "forced" to read books (and the choice is still hugely vast-- maybe not the very newest books, but if a high school student could read, for example, Reynold's Long Way Down, he could still pick up Volponi's Black and White, which is similar and just as good.), they often find that reading isn't so bad.

Accelerated Reader is also very helpful with middle school students who are reading at 2nd and 3rd grade levels. I never force children to pick certain books on certain levels, but when a student can't understand a book and fails test after test, this tells me that the choices are too hard or too long. Reading for pleasure doesn't help academics if they students can't understand what they are reading! AR helps to scaffold successful books until students are able to read books that are an appropriate length and level.

So yeah, it's the politically correct thing to do to complain about AR. If you don't like it, don't use it. If it doesn't work for your child, talk to your child's teacher NICELY. It works for my students because the teachers with whom I work are reasonable people who use tools at their disposal wisely. I have never once had a student tell me that AR made them hate reading, although there have been a few parents who have drunk the Anti-AR Kool Aid who have complained. Honestly, their children were ones who were successful anyone, and generally just rolled their eyes at their parents' histrionics.

Turtles All the Way Down

Green, John. Turtles All the Way Down
October 10th 2017 by Dutton Books for Young Readers
Purchased copy

Aza lives with her mother, a high school math teacher, in the suburbs of Indianapolis. Her father passed away when she was eight. She has a quirky best friend, Daisy, who dies her hair with Kool Aid and works at Chuck E. Cheese's. There's a solid group of friends who have lunch together, but Aza frequently gets caught in "thought spirals" that make it hard for her to talk to others, but which Daisy can sort of understand. Aza obsesses about getting a c. diff infection even though she has zero contributing factors, and also frequently tears her finger pad with her thumbnail to deal with the stress... which makes her worry more about infection. She is seeing a therapist, but doesn't take her medication as recommended. When Daisy learns that Aza knew the son of a wanted fugitive, Davis Pickett, the two take off to say hello to him and perhaps find his father and get the reward money. Davis knows why they appear, but has fond memories of Aza, and soon the two are hanging out. Aza really likes him, but freaks out about kissing him because of germs. Not much happens with the missing father, but Aza sinks deeper into thought spirals and starts drinking hand sanitizer. After she gets into a minor car accident with her father's beloved car and lacerates her liver, her fragile mental state is brought to the attention of medical professionals, and she gets some of the help she desperately needs.
N.B. I am not a John Green fan, but would have been when I was an adolescent. As an adult, I want to slap most of his characters. In general, Young Adult characters irritate me.
Strengths: Green's core audience will be waiting avidly for this. It's a good length, has an attractive cover, and the characters are well developed. The romance with Davis is appealing, and Daisy is fun and supportive. Afterwards, I felt sort of like I had somehow watched a 1990s John Hughes movie remade as an ABC Monday Night Movie for the twenty teens. (Because of the addition of anxiety and the deceased father.)
Weaknesses: The mystery of the father was the most interesting part of the book but didn't get as much attention as it should have. Everyone agrees that anxiety is painful to experience; I would opine that it's also fairly dull to read about.
What I really think: While Aza didn't irritate me as much as I thought she would, this is clearly a Young Adult book. Liberal sprinkling of f-words, mature content (sexting and talk about virginity), and a slow paced, introspective slog through an Important but ultimately unenlightening account of one girl's struggle with anxiety.

Saturday Morning Cartoons- Anne of Green Gables

Marsden, Mariah and Thummier, Brenna. Anne of Green Gables: A Graphic Novel
October 24th 2017 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
Copy provided by the publisher

Since Anne's fan base is largely older, I was a bit surprised to see this book! However, given the fact that there is a new Netflix series, there may be some interest among a new generation of readers, and this would be a good way to lure them in.

I was impressed at how true to the book the graphic novelis-- I didn't check the text against the 1908 novel, because I've given all of my books away. The scenes are as I remember, and the language very similar. Given the nature of a graphic novel, scenes are truncated, and smaller events are left out. Sometimes, it's a bit hard to follow what is going on (we don't get the full background of her relationship with Josie Pye, for example), but the overview is a good one, and provides a substantial overview of Anne's character.

The illustrations were clearly well researched, and the places in particular shine. The characters possess the traits given to them in the book, and the period details ring true. The colors are somewhat pastel, and the use of light and dark often signifies mood. My only objection is Anne's nose! While all of the noses seem to be pinker at the end, Anne's is much redder and turned up, so it looks like her nose was pasted onto her face as an afterthought. Don't think that middle grade readers will care about this, but I am very distracted by the noses on drawings of people!

All in all, this is an excellent adaptation of a beloved novel that many libraries will want to add to their collection and use to entice a new generation a kindred spirits to read Montgomery's work.

Personally, I'm just done with Anne. She was my very favorite when I was a teen, but I have recently developed a feeling of wanting to slap her for her histrionics that makes the books impossible to enjoy upon rereading.


Ziegler, Maddie. The Audition
(Suspect this was mainly written by Julia Devillers)
November 1st 2017 by HarperCollins
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

When Harper's father takes a job in Florida, the family leaves Connecticut and Harper must audition for a new dance studio after having been at her old one her entire life. Luckily, she not only makes it into Dance Starz, and onto a small competition team. Another new girl, Lily, does as well, but the other three girls are the "Bunheads"; Trina, Megan, and Riley. They are angry to have new girls on the team, especially since they thought they would have Isabelle and Bella, who have jumped ship and gone to a rival studio, Energi. Megan is especially nasty, since she is always the star of every show, and she is threatened  by Harper's dance abilities. When Harper has trouble with a few of the new steps, she starts to doubt her own abilities, and when she falls off a float in a local parade, she is really worried. With the support of Lily (whose parents own a frozen yogurt shop!) and her younger sister Hailey, she is able to make peace with her new team and do well in a competition.
Strengths: Lots of details about classes, costumes, competitions, and the rivalry between dancers and their mothers. I do have a few girls every year who are very active in dance, and it's been difficult to find books on the subject.
Weaknesses: The girls have very stereotypical interests-- when they are talking about the jobs they might pursue when they grow up, it's all fashion design and dancing. Seems unrealistic and somehow not helpful. I do wonder what girls who devote this much time to dance do once they get to college.
What I really think: DeVillers writing combined with Ziegler's personal experience with dance (apparently, she's some sort of television personality? Never heard of her.) make this one that I will have to buy, considering how few middle grade ballet/dance books there are.

Ryan Quinn and the Lion's Claw

McGee, Ron. Ryan Quinn and the Lion's Claw
October 24th 2017 by HarperCollins
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

After his harrowing experiences in Andakar and his discovery that his parents are involved in the Emergency Rescue Committee in Ryan Quinn and the Rebel's Escape, Ryan is back in New York City for Christmas break. His parents seem to have something on their mind, but aren't telling him. When they leave him at Danny's suddenly, the boys, along with Kasey, stop by Ryan's house to snoop through the John and Jacqueline's files, but are interrupted by an invader. They discover that it is a man named Lawrence, who had to leave the African country of Lovanda with his singing partner, Nadia, when they ran afoul of the government, and especially a powerful business woman named Madame Buku, with their revolutionary songs. Ryan leaves Lawrence there, and is dismayed when he is gone the next day. He tells Danny not to trust Tasha, who is upset about the role John Quinn may have played in her father's death. To get back at him, she sold the evil Braxton Crisp information about a lot of EMC personal or rescuees from all over the world, which is leading to the uprise in the disappearance of these people. While Danny and Ryan stowaway on the plance delivering Lawrence and Nadia back to Africa and Madame Buku, Jacqueline and Kasey work on bringing Tasha and Crisp to justice. Just when Ryan thinks he can help the singers escape, he is captured and sent to work in the gold mines. Danny and Lawrence think the best way to get Ryan out is for Lawrence to get into the mine. John Quinn joins them in Africa, and the group manages to hack into Madame Buku's computer and broadcast a concert by Lawrence and Nadia instead of executions that she has planned. In the meantime, Ryan learns some interesting facts about his background that are the basis for the next book in the series!
Strengths: Wow. This book had a lot of great things going for it. It's not a hugely long book, and it is a page turner! Sure, there's a little bit of Christmas celebration going on, but then Ryan's parents are gone and the investigation begins! Making the EMC a group that rescues political prisoners gives this a fresh spin on the spy genre. I love that Ryan's parents are involved in the missions and occasionally save the day! Having Ryan, Danny and Kasey all be pretty competent and adventurous makes it intriguing when they split up to solve problems. The interweaving of the different plots is done dexterously and in a way that makes the book easy to follow. This is a great choice to hand to big fans of Stormbreaker or Chris Bradford's new Bodyguard series. I even love the covers and hope they don't change them mid series!
Weaknesses: Like the character development in Stormbreaker, I fear that it will take nine books to really delve into Ryan's backstory. This is not necessarily bothering my students, but I'm really intrigued by this, especially since Ryan and his parents are really close!
What I really think: I bought two copies of the first book, and there will be lots of reserves for this second book. Hope that book three comes out at this time next year!

The Incredible Magic of Being

Erskine, Kathryn. The Incredible Magic of Being
October 10th 2017 by Scholastic Press
E ARC from Edelweiss Above the Treeline

Nine year old Julian and his teenage sister Pookie move from the city to run and bed and breakfast by a lake in Maine with their mother and her wife, Joan. Julian, who is a quirky kid with unexplained health concerns that require regular use of antibiotics, is so afraid of drowning that he wears a life jacket everywhere. When a lawyer representing their neighbor, Mr. X, tells them that they will have to take down the addition they are building for the B&B because it is blocking Mr. X's view and decreasing his property values, the family is very concerned that they won't have the financial stability to remain. Julian befriends the crotchety man who can't get over the death of his wife, Julia, but who takes a grudging liking to Julian's impulsive but well meaning ways. The two even make a plot together to get a dog, but Mr. X puts the stipulation in place that Julian must learn to swim. Can Julian use his abilities to sense things about people and to appreciate "the incredible magic of being" to bring his family and Mr. X. around to his view of the world?
Strengths: This has a very supportive if somewhat dysfunctional family (the mother stopped being an ob/gyn because a baby in her care died; Pookie is obsessed by the idea of her sperm donor father) that tries to do the right things. There is diversity with the two mom figures, as well as Julian, who has Tetralogy of Fallot syndrome and seems suspiciously close to the autism spectrum, although he is never identified. The inclusion of an older adult assuming a reluctant grandparent role is interesting as well, and the Maine setting is a nice touch.
Weaknesses: This is one of those stories where nothing really happens. It's similar to books like Wonder or Because of Mr. Terupt, but I honestly can't think of any students to whom I would hand this. Julian is a bit young and naive, and there are inclusions of vast amounts of scientific facts that teachers will adore and students will not. The exception: if a teacher reads this aloud to a class and is passionate about the book, all of those students will adore it. There's a lot to be said about a teacher who gets really excited about a book and wants to share it. Unfortunately, I get very passionate about teenage spies, football fiction, and radioactive hamsters because those are a LOT easier to recommend.
What I really think: I will most likely not purchase, although the flaming marshmallow on the cover would lead children to pick up the book.