The Invisible Invasion and Tiny Infinities

Brady, Dustin. The Invisible Invasion: Trapped in a Video Game #2
April 10th 2018 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
Copy provided by the publisher

In Full Blast, Jessie and Eric are just glad to be out of the video game in which they were trapped, but they know they need to save their classmate, Mark. When Jessie wakes up invisible and then finds Mr. Gregory hiding in the bushes, he is hopeful he can get help, since the father of his classmate works for Bionosoft, the company producing the problematic games. Unfortunately, Jessie gets sucked into the new game, Go Wild! Like Pokemon Go, it has players finding animals with their phones and battling them against each other. Eric sees Jessie in the game, but doesn't believe at first that he is trapped there. When they come across Mark as a very old man, they know there is no time to waste in figuring out how to defeat the game, as well as the evil owner of Bionosoft.
Strengths: This has a lot of action, and many descriptive scenes that are right out of video games. Getting chased by various creatures, wielding an ice bazooka, and buying premium features to enhance their chances of winning are all things that will appeal to younger readers who are not cursed to have every one of their DinoPark Tycoon scenarios burn to the ground. Even so, it had a lot more plot than the Cube Kid or other gamer fan titles books (which is to say- there is one). The books in this series are short and simplistic; Insert Coin to Continue they are not, but they're a good choice for reluctant readers interested in video games.
Weaknesses: I'm not a fan of the artwork, but my students are not going to mind it.
What I really think: Will purchase if the Accelerated Reader test becomes available.

Diehl, J.H. Tiny Infinities 
May 8th 2018 by Chronicle Books
Copy provided by the publisher

Alice is having a tumultuous summer. Her mother is depressed and lethargic following a car accident and multiple surgeries, and her father moves out. Her brothers go to live with an aunt, but Alice is heavily involved in swim team, and her aunt's house is too far for the pool. To protest her mother's behavior, Alice moves into a Renaissance Fair tent that the family has set up in the back yard. New neighbors, the Phoebes, move in next door. Their young daughter, Piper, lost the ability to communicate when she was about two, and Alice finds her wandering in the street, injured. Unfortunately, this occurs in the middle of the night, when Alice is sneaking back from breaking into the pool to practice. Piper's father blames Alice for Piper getting out, but the mother and older brother Owen seem nice. Alice meets Harriet at the pool, and the two find that they have a lot in common. They start to spend time together, working on a science project of their own devising that involves fire flies. This involves spending a lot of time in the backyard. Alice babysits Piper and her younger brother on occasion, and at one point, Pipe says a word. Since she hasn't communicated at all, Alice tells the parents, who become upset with her. Alice's mother is also upset about events she deems lying, but are actually reasonable responses to the mother's neglect. Harriet tries to diagnose Piper's ailment and comes up with a possible idea, and her theory is given more credence when Harriet, Owen, and Alice manage to videotape Piper talking. Eventually, Alice's parents have to make a decision about how they will move forward with their family arrangements, and summer, like all summers, has to end.
Strengths: Books about children who have specific interests and have activities are always in demand. The swim team and fire fly experiments really set this book about from other realistic tales. Having Piper exhibit traits that are not necessarily autism spectrum related is interesting, since there are a significant number of books with characters on the spectrum. Alice's relationship with Owen is very sweet as well.
Weaknesses: I can see what the publisher was going for with the cover, but it looks good from very few angles. The issues with the mother were treated oddly, and there was never a good explanation or resolution. I think this is the scariest thing for young readers, and I wish it were handled differently. It's realistic, perhaps, but hard for young readers to understand. Of course, dysfunctional parents are quickly outpacing talking animals on my list of things I really dislike in books, so it wasn't my favorite part.
What I really think: The cover will mean that I will have to hand sell this one, but it could circulate decently well with a little push. I wish that Chronicle would get away from their usual vaguely depressing realistic fiction with dark covers and use their skills to produce some fun, bright, humorous fiction with some color and pictures.

Boy Bites Bug and Whatshisface

Petruck, Rebecca. Boy Bites Bug
May 8th 2018 by Amulet Books
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Will has been friends with Darryl and Simon in his small Minnesota town for as long as he can remember. When there is a stink bug invasion in the library and their teacher steps out for a moment, Darryl makes racist comments about Eloy, who has recently moved to town. Will is so surprised and disturbed by his friend's comments that he tries to deflect attention from them... by eating a stink bug. Needless to say, this is not a great idea, and Will gets in a lot of trouble. He's unsure how to deal with his friend, but starts talking to Eloy more and finds out that he is interested in wrestling. The season is just starting, and Will has been waiting for it for a long time. He and Eloy are about the only 7th graders on the team, and the two start spending more time together. The "Bug Boy" label is firmly attached to Will, however, and he's trying hard to figure a way around it. For a group science project on insects, he works with Eloy on the subject of entomophagy and works with Eloy's father (who runs a Mexican restaurant that is one of Will's favorites) to bring fried crickets to their presentation. He doesn't do the appropriate paperwork, and gets in a lot of trouble. Eloy feels, with some reason, that Will was making fun of his culture. Will is very confused-- he wants to be friends with Eloy and enjoys the time they spend together at wrestling-- but he seems unable to address Eloy's cultural background without being a complete jerk. He is constantly apologizing but usually getting things wrong. In conjunction with the science project, and to raise money for a teacher with cancer, Will comes up with an idea for a Buck-a-Bug bake sale, and gets Eloy's father to help. In the meantime, he also seems to be a thoughtless jerk to Darryl, which is easy to do after Darryl puts ants in his and Eloy's wrestling singlets. Still, Will tries desperately to be the better person, and tries to overcome his reputation as Bug Boy while making things as right as he can with his friends.
Strengths: This has WRESTLING in it, and the details are really good! There is also the gross out factor of bugs and cooking, but there are also a lot of good reasons for the consumption of insects. I bet Ms. Petruck has an awesome school presentation for this book! Will's struggle to hit the right note with his friends is so painfully true to life, and I know that the plight of children who are not of Germanic or Norwegian descent in Minnesota must be a lot tougher than it is here in Ohio. (I have relatives in Iowa who spoke German in school before WWII who are NOT happy with Mexican immigrants, which I have trouble understanding.) The families are supportive and understanding of the difficulties middle school students have with social interaction, and Will's sister is especially wonderful, considering the bugs with which she has to put up! I really enjoyed this one.
Weaknesses: Will's angst goes on a tiny bit longer than necessary, and the descriptions of ingesting insects are not for the faint of stomach.
What I really think: This is an excellent addition to any middle school collection. The wrestling will draw readers in, and the friendship issues will keep them riveted. The bugs... the students will enjoy much more than I did!

Korman, Gordon. Whatshisface
May 8th 2018 by Scholastic Press
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Cooper Vega is used to moving a lot with his parents' jobs, but it still gets old being "what's his face". At his newest school, he manages to run afoul of Brock, the popular, jerk-face jock. He has a pleasant interaction with Jolie, who is also popular and absolutely addicted to extreme sports. The town, Stratford, is greatly influenced by the wealthy Mr. Wulfson, who is a Shakespeare aficionado and collector of Shakespearean artifacts. Because of this, the middle school always puts on a play, and this year Romeo and Juliet is in line for production. Of course, Brock is cast as Romeo, and Jolie as Juliet, much to Cooper's chagrin. Cooper has bigger problems, though-- the new phone with which his parents have tried to bribe him, the GX-4000 is glitchy... and haunted. The ghost of a Shakespearean era printer's apprentice, Roddy, is in control of the phone and giving Cooper a VERY hard time. Between wanting to go to class to see all of the innovations in the world, to cursing out Brock in inventive language, to giving Cooper tips on how to woo Jolie, Roddy is annoying, but also the closet thing Cooper has to a best friend. He is also very helpful when Brock injures himself and Cooper has to step in to the role of Romeo! Eventually, Cooper and Roddy figure out why Roddy is haunting the phone, and investigate some of Mr. Wulfson's holdings in order to solve a centuries old mystery.
Strengths: I'm not a fan of Shakespeare AT ALL, but the way that Korman worked this into the story was brilliant. The phone is haunted, and we are just asked to believe that, as well as why Roddy is present. Cooper's plight as a new kid gives him more reason to run afoul of Brock and need a friend. Korman could really write just about anything and my students would read it. I am constantly amazed at the number of interesting ideas he can turn into stand alone titles. Great stuff.
Weaknesses: Do military families really have to move every six months? That was the only thing that I had trouble believing. The ghost, of course, but moving that often? Pfft.
What I really think: If this story were written by anyone else or had a different cover, it might take some hand selling, but this author and this cover will assure that this spends very little time on the shelf.

Maggie & Abby's Neverending Pillow Fort, Cody and the Heart of a Champion

Taylor, Will. Maggie & Abby's Neverending Pillow Fort
April 3rd 2018 by HarperCollins
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Maggie has had a long and lonely summer before sixth grade with her best friend and neighbor, Abby, away at camp. Her mother, a children's oncologist, is constantly at work, so Maggie has taken over the living room with a huge pillow fort, mainly because it irritates her mom. When Abby comes home, she is taller and enthralled with camp, but grudgingly agrees to play in the fort and even build her own. To Maggie's surprise, she is able to travel right into Abby's fort by magic. The girls aren't quite sure how it all works, but are soon brought up to speed by the North American Founding and Allied Forts Alliance, a network of pillow forts all over continent. Soon, they even connect with Maggie's uncle who is studying whales in a remote Alaskan location, and go to visit him frequently. Unfortunately, NAFAFA isn't pleased with the new network of forts that Maggie has put together, and demand that she do a good deed or suffer the destruction of her fort. Abby wants to buckle under and do what they say, but Maggie isn't convinced. When a chance visit with her uncle finds that he has been gravely injured, Maggie feels compelled to bring Abby's brothers as well as her mother into the secret in order to save him. 
Strengths: The world building in this was innovative and really phenomenal. Who hasn't built a pillow fort ans secretly hoped to travel through it? NAFAFA had its own rules and intrigue, as well as storied history and political machinations. The middle grade friend drama was also true to life. Maggie's overworked but well meaning mother was interesting, as was Abby's supportive father who was starting to date another man, and her twin brothers. The long distance travel to Alaska added a nice element of adventure and suspense.
Weaknesses: NAFAFA got a tiny bit silly, with the silver sunglasses and the one megalomaniac member.
What I really think: I'm just not sure how this would do with my students. May talk to some of the sixth graders about it. A definite purchase for elementary schools where magical realism is popular.



Springstubb, Tricia. Cody and the Heart of a Champion(#4)
April 10th 2018 by Candlewick Press
E ARC from Netgalley.com

Spring is on its way, and Cody is all set to make the season exciting. Warmer days mean her favorite spring jacket, even if it is too small, and flip flops, even though her mother tries to take them away! Her friend Pearl is playing soccer, and wants Cody to play as well. Cody's not thrilled with the idea, although she does want to be close to her friend, especially when she sees Pearl being friends with the other girls. Spencer's mother is expecting, and the family is looking for their own home... but Spencer fails to tell Cody this. Wyatt, her brother, is spending more and more time with his girlfriend, and is changing some things about himself, which Cody doesn't like, even if it IS only wearing collared shirts. Change is always difficult, but Cody has a strong base of support. An awesome new reversible spring jacket helps as well!
Strengths: Springstubb does a fantastic job of identifying things that are difficult for elementary school students, but which adults may have forgotten. Yes, we know that friends moving away if difficult, but it's easy to forget the pain of having to give up that favorite piece of clothing. The accompanying illustrations are charming and make it easy to hand this to children who only want to read graphic novels.
Weaknesses: As Cody gets older, we don't see as much of her family. This is realistic, but I do so enjoy them!
What I really think: A must purchase for elementary schools, and a very successful title for struggling 6th graders at my school. Perfect for those of us who were Carolyn Haywood Betsy fans to give as gifts to young readers.

The Rose Legacy

George, Jessica Day. The Rose Legacy

May 1st 2018 by Bloomsbury USA Childrens

E ARC from Netgalley

Anthea is an orphan who has been sent from family member to family member her whole life. She's been with an aunt and uncle for several years, and it's not too bad, but when her aunt is expecting, the stress of havin Anthea around is too much, and she is once again sent away. This time, however, she is sent to live outside Kalabar's Wall, which was installed hundreds of years before because of a plague that killed horses. Anyone living beyond the Wall is certainly uncivilized, and Anthea's dream of being a Rose Maiden, like her mother, is dashed. When she finally gets to the Last Farm, she finds a family who greets her warmly, even though she doesn't remember them. She also finds herself strongly drawn to one of the horses, even though she is scared of these creatures whom she thought did not exist. It turns out that Anthea's father ran the farm, and Anthea has a power called The Way that lets her communicate with the horses. Unfortunately, Anthea writes to her aunt back in "civilization" and sets in motion events that may cause the demise of the farm that she has grown to love. Will the love and strength of family be able to overcome these challenges?
Strengths: This was very different from George's more traditional, fairy tale based stories, but was intriguing. It's a great horse-based FANTASY, and I can't think of too many of those (Prineas' Winterling, perhaps?). It combines a lot of popular elements in a fresh way; dystopia, Victorian-era orphan tales, and horses. This kept me turning the pages!
Weaknesses: This was set in a fantasy world that had elements of our world, so I kept wanting to get a year for the setting. My best guess is about 1920's England, since there is a strong royal connection, but also motorcars. My students might not care, but I had to pin it down in my mind.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing. It's not necessarily a book for all readers, but fantasy fans and horse lovers will both find this intriguing. 

The Burning Maze (Trials of Apollo #3)

Riordan, Rick. The Burning Maze (Trials of Apollo #3)
May 1st 2018 by Disney-Hyperion
Copy provided by the publisher

Apollo, Grover, and Meg manage to escape the labyrinth (and a violent strix attack) only to come up in the dessert at the Aeithales greenhouse. Meg has a surprising connection to the area, and Grover finds that his dryad friends are trying to escape widespread fires. One of these friends, Mellie, sends Grover to the local Army Surplus store to retrieve her husband, Gleeson, and while at the store the group is attacked and realize that Caligula is behind the fires that are raging out of control. Mellie and Gleeson have been living with Piper McLean and her family until recently, and things are not going well for them, as the father's assets have all been seized. Piper and Jason tried to get to the center of the Burning Maze but could not, and Jason has returned to school. Apollo is still seeking oracles as commanded by his father, Zeus. When Piper offers to help find the Sibyl, Herophile, the group "borrows" a neighbor's Escalade and takes off on a road trip. They meet Medea, who says that she can let people into the maze but certainly is not going to let THEM, and after a fiery altercation, the group finds themselves back at Aeithales, scorched but with some helpful information. On a mission to get Caligula's shoes, they pick up Jason to get his help and head to Santa Barbara, where Caligula has a fleet of boats. After locating the shoes, there is another major altercation with Medea which ends in a tragedy. Will the group still be able to get through the maze by solving puzzles in order to defeat Medea and Caligula? We'll find out in the next two books!
Strengths: "You humans. You're why the gods can't have nice things." I adore Riordan's writing, and all of the incidental, funny lines that suddenly appear. I'd quote half the book if I put down every line I loved. Of course, the adventure is always exquisitely plotted, and I liked this one even more because Aeithales was such an intriguing home base for them to return to. I found it easier to follow the emotional development of Grover, Meg, Piper and Apollo in this book, and Piper really embraces the idea of revenge in a timely way. Reading Riordan is always a great way to spend an afternoon, and I will have to loan this to one of my students tomorrow before it is even processed!
Weaknesses: Other reviews of this that I have read were greatly affected by the tragedy, but I just assume that some characters will die when the fate of the world hangs in the balance, so I didn't feel the same emotional punch.
What I really think: I think that Mr. Riordan should have federally funded housekeeping so he never has to wash a dish or mow the lawn, and can keep writing for many, many years. I am waiting for a book where all the characters from all the series meet up, but I am also dreading it, too, because that would mean the end of this fantastic fantasy world!

Power Forward (Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream #1)

Khan, Hena. Power Forward (Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream #1)
May 8th 2018 by Salaam Reads
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Zayd LOVES basketball and isn't thrilled about being on a development team instead of the "gold" team like his best friend Adam. He could be a lot better if his parents didn't make him practice violin so much. Of course, it doesn't help that he is scrawny, mainly because his mother insists on healthy food, which doesn't always sit well with his sensitive system. When he listens to some other basketball players and decides to practice his hoop skills before school in the morning, he neglects to tell his mother that he is skipping orchestra practice. When she finds out, she is not pleased, and his parents ground him... from basketball. Zayd needs to find a way to explain his actions and his dreams to his parents in a way that they will understand. Luckily, he has supportive family members like his grandmother and uncle who help him reconcile his dreams with his parents' wishes.
Strengths: To me, this is what #WeNeedDiverseBooks is all about. Realistic stories about children from particular backgrounds whose families and culture inform their everyday actions but don't necessarily define them. Sure, Zayd wants to be the first Pakistani-American NBA star, but he mainly wants to just play basketball with his friends. I especially appreciated that Zayd was underweight. There are so many middle schoolers, especially boys, who struggle with athletics because they haven't caught up with other children their own age in growth yet. I've known boys like Zayd who have sensitive digestive systems, or perhaps a touch of anxiety, who actually do a lot better eating more potato chips than kale, yet I've not met one of these picky eaters in a middle grade book. Brilliant, brilliant stuff! I hope that adults who are loathe to pick up sports books will discover that this mix of culture, personal problems, and sports is a slam dunk.
Weaknesses: I really wish that Zayd had been a 7th grader, since readers this age tend to "read up". Still, with sports books, this tends not to be as much of a problem.
What I really think: So excited to order this and have it on the shelves when school starts!



Khan, Hena. Power Forward (Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream #1)
May 8th 2018 by Salaam Reads
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Zayd is really excited to be playing on the Gold team with his best friend, Adam, but when the team has their first game, things don't go very well. The boys aren't communicating well, and Zayd feels off his game. To make matters worse, Adam seems to blame Zayd a little, and starts to play football at recess with a bigger kid named Antonio, even though the two friends have always played basketball together. Things are going okay at home, and when Zayd is caught playing a card game instead of a math game and is given a pink slip, his mother doesn't worry too much about it. However, when his uncle Jamal Mamoo gets engaged, the whole family gets dragged into the wedding planning frenzy. There are lengthy discussions about the invitation list, the catering, the clothing, and whether or not it is possible to rent a horse in Maryland the way grooms do in Pakistan! After an all day excursion to a town in Maryland that has lots of Pakistani shops, and after seeing his older sisters "spa day" birthday party, Zayd realizes that on every team, there needs to be a captain. He steps up on the basketball court in Adam's absence, and feels better about how the team plays. He also tells his uncle that someone needs to be the captain of the wedding team and tell people the direction the planning should go, or else people will just keep pushing for their own agenda. Hopefully, we will get at least one more book that covers the wedding!
Strengths: It is brilliant the way Khan took a life lesson that Zayd learned on the basketball court and let him use it to help his uncle and aunt-to-be! The structure of the novel was just particularly well done, and as with the first book, I appreciated the little, realistic touches like Zayd being mortified about his "pink slip". Zayd isn't perfect, but he tries, and he has a fantastic, supportive family. His grandparents are aging, and this isn't glossed over, but they are also fun characters. The details about like in a Pakistani-American family are great fun-- the trip to New Jersey made me want to go Edison, NJ! This series is perfect for readers who want a great family story mixed up with basketball details! The story line with Adam is especially true to life.
Weaknesses: Even though it is mentioned once or twice that Zayd is in fourth grade, I don't think older readers will care.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing. Will have to get two of the first book in the series, since I think it will be super popular with my Fred Bowen, Amar'e Stoudemire and Matt Christopher fans.

Sunday Sundaes

Simon, Coco. Sunday Sundaes (Sprinkle Sundays,#1)
May 1st 2018 by Simon Spotlight
ARC provided by publisher

Allie comes back from a great time at summer camp to find that her parents have completely upended her comfortable life. They are getting divorced, selling the house, moving a town over, her mother is quitting her job to open an ice cream parlor, and they are enrolling Allie in a new, fancy school! Allie was all set to run the school Book Fest at her old school, and will miss her friends Sierra and Tamiko, but she doesn't have much of a choice. She meets Blair, Palmer and Maria in her neighborhood, but they are not very nice to her, and on the first day, and Blair redirects Allie to the basement of the building. Luckily, she is saved by the friendly librarian, Mrs. K., who seems to know who Allie is and allows her to hang out in the library during lunch. Luckily, Allie is able to keep in fairly close contact with Sierra and Tamiko, and they hang out at the ice cream parlor a bit. Allie also meets Colin, who is a "kindred spirit" and works on the school newspaper. Allie and her friends work to make the opening of the ice cream parlor successful, and Allie realizes that her new life might work out okay.
Strengths: If cupcake books circulate well, then ice cream books should go out even more frequently, because I can't really think of another book (except maybe a WISH book) that has an ice cream parlor! This was a lot of fun, and Allie embraced the changes in her life as best she could. Her love of reading, the awesome Mrs. K., and working in the library are a bit unusual as well. The "long distance" relationship with Sierra and Tamiko is more possible today than it would have been in the past. A solid start to a new series.
Weaknesses: Allie carries around a copy of Anne of Green Gables with her. I was a huge fan... 40 years ago. It made me a weird kid then. Even with the Netflix series, I'm not seeing a lot of readers who really embrace Anne the way that older readers like myself did, so it made me sad. Also, if students want to run away from lunch, I alert the guidance counselors. The library is very busy, and if students can't handle the lunch room, they need more help than I can give them!
What I really think: Will purchase, since The Cupcake Diaries are popular. I'm sure I would have bought these with my babysitting money when I was in middle school. (The Anne books were given to me, in hardback, one per holiday!)

Berk, Sheryl and Berk, Carrie. Ask Emma (Ask Emma Book 1) 
May 1st 2018 by Yellow Jacket
ARC provided by publisher

Emma loves to give advice to her friends, even if it doesn't work out (like the skunk-like highlights in her friend's hair!). When she decides to start an advice blog for her computer science project, she gets some advice and help setting it up from her teacher, Mr. Goddard. Her friends Harriet and Izzy are a little apprehensive, but Emma persists, even after people make rude comments about her blog. There isn't as much traffic as she would like, so she starts creating her own questions, not all of which work out the way she wants. New boy, Jackson, is rather intriguing and cute, but he isn't quite sure about the blog, either. Emma has a lot of missteps and has to apologize for many things, but has some triumphs, like getting the Spanish teacher to reduce the amount of homework. Eventually, she gets some traction, fine tunes her advice giving, and has a nice romance with Jackson.
Strengths: Emma's impetuous insistence that she can give advice, and her misguided attempts to do so, will amuse readers who like books with a lot of cringe-worthy embarrassment. Jackson is a fun character, and definitely crush worthy, but his relationship with Emma has a great feeling of equality. Harriet and Izzy are good foils for Emma's antics, and I was especially fond of her family. The information about cyber bullying was a good inclusion. This is nice, light reading for fans of realistic series fiction such as these authors' The Cupcake Club, Taylor's Sew Zoey books, and Simon's The Cupcake Diaries.
Weaknesses: Between the mentions of Zac Efron being cute (he's 31) and the whole idea of a blog being something that would interest middle grade students, this feels like a book written ten years ago that got dusted off and resubmitted.
What I really think: Will pass on purchase. It just seems already very dated.

The Flourishing of Floralie Laurel

Moser, Fiadhtlait. The Flourishing of Floralie Laurel
May 1st 2018 by Yellow Jacket
ARC provided by publisher

In 1920s England, Floralie has been kicked out of her school and is living with her brother Tom, who is trying to make a living as a florist. Her grandmother is not pleased that Floralie is "following in her mother's footsteps" with art, and is determined to take her away and have her live in the orphanage she runs. Floralie just wants to be with her mother, who was a ballerina and artist, but who suffered from some instability and left the children on their own after the death of their father. In order to find out the meaning of some flowers that her mother has left her, Floralie wants to find Slyvestre Tullier, who wrote a flower dictionary. With the help of Miss Clairoux as well as a mysterious boy who refuses to speak, Nino, Floralie takes off to France to find Tullier. In meeting the somewhat reclusive author and staying in the small town while investigating where her mother might be, Floralie finds out many family secrets and eventually is able to meet with her mother. While her mother is not able to care for her, Floralie manages to create her own family who can support both her and Tom in their lives and education.
Strengths: This was certainly very atmospheric and painted a good picture of an artistic community in France during this time period. Floralie is a headstrong heroine who wants to be in charge of her own destiny and doesn't want to acquiesce to the societal constraints her grandmother wishes to impose upon her. Nino is a mysterious character, as is Tullier, and the connections with real artists of the time are interesting. I loved the idea of Miss Clairoux's family library, and the accommodations made for Tom and Floralie were very touching.
Weaknesses: There were some serious themes that were touched upon but not addressed completely. Floralie's father had a problem with alcohol, her mother's mental illness is not really explained, and there is an out-of-wedlock birth as well as some neglect of children and an accidental death by poison. (Two, if you count the pet dormouse.) While these issues appear in middle grade literature, they are usually handled in a different fashion. While they did have a role in the plot, the book would have made sense without some of the smaller issues.
What I really think: Both the writing style and the content of this made it seem more like a book written for adults (like Bradley's Flavia de Luce mysteries), so I will pass on purchase.

Speed Racer Dystopia

Breach, Jen and Holgate, Douglas. Clem Hetherington and the Ironwood Race.
February 27th 2018 by Graphix/Scholastic
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Clem's archaeologist parents were both killed in an unfrotunate accident, and she has been sent to an orphanage, from which she has escaped. She goes to the Professor, hoping he will let her work on his digs, but he says that she is too young at 14 to do this. She and her robot companion, Digory, live in an abandoned building that has enough electricity to keep Digory charged, but the two are barely eking out an existence. When Digory is attacked and injured, Clem breaks down and contacts Kilburn, who had worked with her parents but didn't help her enough after their death. When he tells them about the Ironwood Race, Clem decides to enter with her parents' vehicle. The teams have to find certain antiquities, but there are no rules for the race, which gets very rough and tumble. Will the team be able to win the race and have enough money to fund future archaeological digs?

The setting of this is an appealing South Western, futuristic dystopia, peopled by robots and a variety of crocodile and lizard-like humanoids. The color palette of the graphic novel reflects this with browns, rusts and olive greens. The action scenes are well drawn, even if Clem is a dead ringer for Speed Racer behind the wheel of the car in her helmet!

Clem is an appealing character. She wants to follow in her parents' footsteps but doesn't want to take the time to go through school, which is understandable given the precarious nature of life in her world. The professor is a scatter brained but warm influence who wants the best for Clem, even if she doesn't agree with her vision. Kilborn is complicated and hard to understand, adding to the mystery element of the book. Digory is an engaging and capable robot companion. Even Tte young mechanic they meet during the race, Hec, is a nice addition.

This is a well formatted graphic novel. It is about the trim size of a standard middle grade fiction book, which gives more space for pictures, and the text is slightly larger and more readable than some manga. There isn't too much of it, either, so it's easy to comprehend the words that are that. This may seem like a picky observation, but since reluctant or struggling readers are drawn to books with pictures, I am not happy when there are a lot of tiny words crammed on pages in graphic novels. The Scholastic Graphix books usually have given more thought to the ratio of pictures to words as well as these other formatting issues.

Fans of Winnick's Hilo or Brailliers The Last Kids on Earth will enjoy racing along with Clem and Digory on their quest to uncover artifacts and get themselves into the good graces of the archaeological world.

And yes, this clip of the 1967 Speed Racer theme song is COMPLETELY necessary.

Rescue

Haas, Jessie. Rescue
10 April, 2018 by Boyds Mills Press
ARC provided by the publisher

Joni has a not-so-typical (for suburban or urban kids!) life in Vermont. Her father runs a farm that makes sheep's milk cheese from their own flock, and Joni is involved with riding Archie and participating in other horse related activities, like helping out at a nearby horse rescue center with her friends. During the last three days of middle school, a new girl moves in. Chess (Francesca) is from California, and is shiny and citified. Joni strikes up an uneasy friendship with her. They are neighbors, but Chess has no qualms about yelling at a neighbor who is using Shetland ponies to haul a log. Chess thinks it is animal cruelty. She doesn't understand very much about working farms or working animals, and we soon find out that her vegan activist lifestyle was cultivated by her beloved grandmother, a grandmother with whom she is not supposed to have contact because of some spectacular animal rights stunts. Joni tries to explain the realities of caring for animals, along with the fact that sometimes animals have to be restrained for their own good, but Chess won't listen. Joni is a bit uneasy about hanging out with Chess, but tries to be patient and connect over shared interests, like the new kittens on the farm. When Chess takes some matters into her own hands, animals are endangered, and Joni manages to save the day. Will it be enough to regain her neighbors' trust?
Strengths: It was a good idea to introduce the differences about farm living by having a character from the city experience them for the first time. There are lots of good details about how to care for animals, different activities on a working farm, and also lots of fun facts about horses and horse riding. Joni's family is delightful-- the mother and father are both alive and involved in positive ways, and there are two older sisters who are role models for their younger sister. There are horses and kittens, and lots of good details about how to clean horse tack. Chess' motivations, while misguided, are understandable.
Weaknesses: Chess is really not a pleasant character at all. I would have liked this a little more if she had been more pleasant, but still misguided. Since she's not the main character, and because Jess comes out looking like such a well-raised and understanding child when dealing with her, she's not a horrible inclusion. I still would have been happier if she had been slightly more pleasant but still misguided.
What I really think: Since there are a very small number of books about horses that come out every year, I am always looking to expand my collection. I don't have many readers for these books right at the moment, but when I get those readers, they require a lot of books. This is an excellent investment to fill that niche.

Out of Left Field

Klages, Ellen. Out of Left Field
May 1st 2018 by Viking Books for Young Readers
ARC provided by publisher at ALA

Ten-year-old Katy is a fantastic pitcher, so great that a local Little League coach encourages her to sign up for the team. She does, but of course in 1957, girls aren't allowed to play baseball. Her mother, a university professor of nuclear chemistry, lets her know that it's a battle she can fight, but she probably won't win. The mother was a victim of McCarthy era politics who lost her job, friends, and marriage because she refused to give in to the demands of the communist witch hunt, so she knows that being right doesn't always make life easy. Still, Katy does a lot of difficult research on female baseball players, finds lots of good reasons why girls SHOULD play baseball, and tries to make her point with the Little League authorities. At the same time, her classmates are obsessed with Sputnick, her class gets a homework assignment that is watching a television program, and Katy's older sisters help her navigate life and school.
Strengths: There was a lot of information about women who played baseball, and the brief biographies of twelve at the back of the book were fascinating. I appreciated that Katy channeled her anger into constructive activism, and since she was doing all of this in 1957, she was able to write to or meet some of the women players. There were plenty of details about life during that time period. This will be a great addition to the historical fiction unit our 7th grade does.
Weaknesses: This book contained a LOT of information to process. While the facts about Sputnick and the overview of racial problems at the time (there is a Japanese-American student in Katy's class who tells about the internment situation during WWII, and mention of the Civil Rights occurrences as well) are tremendously important and interesting, combined with the wealth of information about women in baseball, it is a lot to understand for readers who may have no background knowledge of this time period.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing and will suggest this heavily to my baseball fans.

Norse and Greek Mythology

Holub, Joan  and Williams Suzanne. Freya and the Magic Jewel (Thunder Girls #1)
May 1st 2018 by Aladdin
Copy provided by the authors

Freya is all set to start the new school year in Vanaheim as student body president and super-popular giel, so is a bit distraught when she is told that she and her twin brother, Frey, are being sent to Asgard Academy. They are invited personally by Odin, who is hoping to restore peace to the Nine Worlds after the war between the Aesir and the Vanir. There really isn't any choice, so she and Frey pack up their belongings and make the long trek to Asgard. Freya has some magical powers, but they are all tied to a jewel she carries called Brising. As she is entering the school grounds, the jewel slips from her grasp and is stolen by the dwarfs in Darkalfheim. She doesn't want anyone to know, especially since Odin and Mrs. Frigg call her to the office the very first day to meet with her. Freya's days are busy with all of her new friends, and she meets other gods like Loki, who is never up to any good. Her roommates are all supportive, but it is hard getting used to a new school, living with giants (even if they normally shrink themselves down), and dealing with the adoration of so many boys. Can Freya manage to get her jewel back and have a successful career at Asgard Academy with her group of Thunder girls?
Strengths: Freya has a positive attitude even though she doesn't want to go to a whole new world. She manages to make friends even while dealing with the loss of her jewel. The mythology is well explained, and the gods and goddesses true to the original portrayals, with a middle grade friendly twist. The covers are bright and colorful, so these will sell themselves to young readers who like magic or fairy stories, and can never have a series long enough to suit them.
Weaknesses: I like my mythology told in a more serious way, but my readers will enjoy the fashion and frivolity.
What I really think: I have a good collection of Greek and Roman mythology books, but struggle to find Norse titles, so will probably purchase this series.

Holub, Joan  and Williams Suzanne. Medea the Enchantress (Goddess Girls Book 23) 
Published December 5th 2017 by Aladdin
Copy provided by the authors

When this series debuted in 2010, I had a language arts teacher who was very interested in mythology, and required students to read books set in Greece and Rome. The preference of my students at the time was for more serious stuff-- Jane Yolen's Young Heroes, McCaughrean's retellings, and Cadnum's Starfall and Nightsong. Now that I have a lot of readers who prefer somewhat younger titles, it's daunting to think about spending $350 to get the series in hardcovers of $300 to get it in Follett Bound! Book 23 is still fairly new, so take a look and see if your collection is up to date! I do have to say that one of my students was thrilled to get the paperback, as she had read all of the books!

From Goodreads:
Princess Medea and a boy named Jason go on a quest for the Golden Fleece in this twenty-third Goddess Girls adventure!

Jason and Princess Medea are on a quest for the golden fleece, a symbol of kingship, that’s hanging from a limb of the great oak tree. But a huge sleeping serpent guards the fleece—and is the one (scary!) barrier for Jason and Medea. With the help of a special sleeping potion Medea creates, can Medea and Jason work their magic and take what is rightfully theirs?

Hardy, Ralph. Argos:The Story of Odysseus as Told by His Loyal Dog 
March 27th 2018 by HarperCollins (first published May 31st 2016)
Paperback provided by Media Masters Publicity

I forgot that I had read this one! A paperback version is a great idea for die-hard fantasy fans who want something to take on a trip!

Argos is Odysseus' loyal dog, who was also called Boar Slayer, since he was the only survivor of a boar attack that killed his mother and littler mates. When his master goes off to fight in the Trojan war, Argos stays behind to protect Penelope and the young Telemachus. After the war is over, Argos gets news of Odysseus' escapades on his return home from a variety of creatures who relay them to him. This way, the reader gets to see the events of the Odyssey in relationship to the occurrences back in Ithaka. Argos fears for his master's safety but is powerless to do anything; he also can't help Penelope as much as he would like. Once Odysseus finally makes his way home, Argos lays down his weary burden, so Odysseus is aided in his difficult return to his home by Argos' son, Leander.

This is a very clever way to retell the Odyssey for today's readers, and I think that this is a great example of Homeric tradition-- tell the same story, but add a new and unique twist on it. I've always thought it was a little odd that Odysseus' story is told mostly in flashbacks, so this is a great way to lay out the timelines of both Odysseus and Penelope so we can understand how they occurred together.

Argos is a figure who has a small but significant role in the original story, but even though his appearance is brief, it definitely captures the imagination. Did the dog really live for over 20 years, waiting patiently for his master? It's interesting to see the intrusion of the suitors from Argos' point of view, and Telemachus also becomes more of a fully fleshed character when shown interacting with Argos.

Hardy definitely clearly loves this story and has studied the various translations of the Odyssey and remains true to the original story. For high school readers who are offered a watered down version of The Odyssey in a literature textbook, this will provide more details in an interesting fashion. There are so few books set in ancient Greece that readers who crave books set during this period will pick this up avidly.

At almost 400 pages, this is a bit long, and the pacing is a bit slow. The prose is oddly stilted and outdated. (page 87, ARC- "This did Eurylochos see with amazement, and then he stealithy crept back along the trail toward the black ship... But when he arrived, so great was his grief and despair that he could not speak, but only cry out in lamentations for many hours.") I've read the Odyssey in Greek, and I know how easy it is to fall into the trap of making one's translation sound like something written in the 1800s, but I wish Hardy had managed to avoid this!

MMGM- The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl, The Geek's Cookbook

McAnulty, Stacy. The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl.
May 1st 2018 by Random House
E ARC from Netgalley

Lucy lives with her supportive grandmother, and frequently sees her uncle Hondo, who is young, fun, and a bit misguided. Lucy has been homeschooled, but her grandmother decides that it is time for Lucy to acquire the social skills that middle school will provide. Why? Lucy was struck by lightning when she was young, and because of the resultant brain damage is now a mathematical savant but also suffers from OCD and social anxiety. Her grandmother's idea of sticking things out for one year and making one friend seems all but impossible, since Lucy can't even sit in a chair without repeating the action three times. Lucy is socially savvy enough to realize that her mathematical abilities will not win her any friends, and she tries very hard to do just enough to get A- grades, but an early attempt puts her on her teacher's radar for cheating with a boy named Levi. Levi struggles in math, but is accepting of Lucy and her quirks. When the class has to participate in a social service project-- in a group-- Lucy is not sure how she will do. Luckily, she and Levi are able to work together, along with Windy, to help out a local pet rescue, Pet Hut. Lucy runs the numbers and works out a formula she can use to tell which dogs will take longer to be adopted, so that those dogs can be featured on the web site. In the meantime, her grandmother is considering enrolling her in a school for the gifted, and of course, nothing in Lucy's life runs smoothly. Her friendship with Windy is a good one, until Windy's past friendship with mean girl Maddie complicates things. Will Lucy be able to survive middle school?
Strengths: This had an excellent balance of unusual and usual middle school challenges. Readers who enjoy problems novels because they make their own lives seem better will find Lucy's OCD and social difficulty interesting, while the problems with group projects and friends will appeal to everyone. Lucy's grandmother was wonderfully supportive and no-nonsense, and her attitude contributes greatly to Lucy's resilience. Lucy's problems are not downplayed, but are handled in a realistic way. The pet rescue story line was intriguing, and Lucy's talents in math actually are very valuable to the organization-- I think Lucy may have a really good career ahead of her as an actuary!
Weaknesses: Occasionally, the number one was written as "1" instead, and for some reason, this distracted me. I understand why this was done, but it happened infrequently enough that it took me out of the story.
What I really think: Loved this. Great cover, great story, STEM connections, pet rescue, and group project drama. There should be more books about middle school projects and their resultant drama! This is right behind Landis' Private Nobody, which also involved projects, as my second favorite book of 2018. Dan Richardson's Stu Truly is right up there as well. And had some project-y sorts of things. Seeing a theme!

 Lecomte, Ligouri. The Geek's Cookbook: Easy Recipes Inspired by Pokémon, Harry Potter, Star Wars, and More!
May 1st 2018 by Skyhorse Publishing
Copy graciously provided by publisher upon request

While it would be possible to create an entire cookbook based only on the fandoms mentioned in the title (and indeed, there is at least one Harry Potter themed cookbook!), this goes the extra mile and includes an interesting variety of recipes to go along with other books, video games, and shows. Minecraft, Final Fantasy,Game of Thrones, the Matrix, and Batman, as well as The Big Bang Theory, Dexter, and Breaking Bad come into play.

This is a book aimed at adults, and the range of topics as well as the difficulty of recipes show this. I knew that going in, but the book hit so many of the Interests of My People that I had to investigate it. I am a bit surprised that there are no Tolkien, Douglas Adams, or Monty Python recipes. Since the author is French, perhaps French Geekdom is somewhat different.

While I am debating the inclusion of this book in my middle school library because of Breaking Bad and Dexter, which don't seem particularly middle grade appropriate (manufacturing meth and... a serial killer?) this would be a huge hit in a high school, and an excellent choice for a present for a college student who is just beginning to have to cook. I will definitely have to buy a couple of copies for various friends, both of mine and of my daughters'!

If anyone really needs to know how to make this Sauron's Downfall cake, just e mail me!

Positively Izzy

Libenson, Terri. Positively Izzy
May 1st 2018 by Balzer + Bray
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Izzy prefers drawing to doing her school work. Her single mother works long hours at the hospital, so Izzy and her sisters Dani and Ash have to pick up a lot of slack at home. Izzy is excited about doing the play at school, but when she blows a test because she doesn't do the review notes, her mother tells her she can't be in it. Bri, on the other hand, really likes school and studies hard. Her mother is the drama teacher, and keeps trying to get Bri to do the play. When another student gets sick, Bri ends up practicing with Dev for the play, although she is freaked out about the idea. Izzy's sister Ash comes up with a plan for her sister to sneak out of the house on the night of the play. There's some friend drama, some more drama with the play, and some much needed family understanding that comes after all of the drama.
Strengths: My students really like Invisible Emmy, so I know this one will be popular. The text-to-picture ratio is good for middle school, the content a bit more appropriate and informative for 6th graders than Babymouse, and the "I Was So Embarassed" factor tremendously appealing to readers. I've had a lot of 6th graders this year who will ONLY read books with pictures... but since they often bring the book back after 20 minutes, I doubt they are actually reading. Books of this length take them a couple days, so I feel a little more confident that they are looking beyond the pictures.
Weaknesses: If students are actually reading graphic novels and notebook novels, that's great. I know that I personally struggle with decoding pictures, which is one reason I'm apparently the only school librarian in the universe who is not a fan of picture books. Pictures just clutter up the page and make it harder for me to read! I find it hard to keep the characters straight in these books for some reason, and really rely on the text more than the pictures. If students struggle with text, the pictures can be helpful. It's often hard to tell which students need what kind of book, so I try not to assume that all emerging readers (Jacqueline Woodson says we shouldn't label them "struggling") benefit from these books.
What I really think: Personally, I don't like this kind of book. See above. They aren't very interesting to me because they lack narrative details that I want. But I buy them because I know my readers do like them. I'm just never going to be one of the librarians who are all "Rah! Rah! Graphic novels!" Besides, students have to have something to rebel against, right?

Also, while I do have "struggling readers" and talk about them in my blog, I never use that term in front of any of the actual students. I do have a "quick pick" shelf for readers who want the feeling of accomplishment one gets from finishing a book, but they want that feeling after one day. I pitch these books to all manner of students, but the ones who are truly struggling know that the "quick picks" section is where they will find books that are comfortable for them to read.

Vivian, Siobhan. Stay Sweet
April 24th 2018 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
Public library copy

Amelia is thrilled that she is Head Girl at the Meade Creamery ice cream stand, after working there for several years. The founder, Molly Meade, only hired girls, and started the stand during WWII when her fiance was off fighting. It's a local tradition, but when Amelia finds that Molly has passed away in the stand, she fears for the summer. It turns out that Molly has a great nephew whose wealthy parents are letting him run the business for the summer. Grady's cute, but doesn't understand what the business means to Amelia. The two work together to find the recipe for the ice cream and keep things running, but the business isn't making the profit that Grady's parents want to see. Through letters of Molly's, as well as a visit from her best friend, Tiggy, Amelia finds out some secrets about Molly, has a nice summer romance with Grady, falls out with her best friend Cate, and finds a new direction for her life.
Strengths: Fun summer story with a girl with a mission. Big fan of the pink polos, personally. Molly was an intriguing character, even though she was gone, and the story twist for her is one I can only imagine was all too common during WWII, but was fun to see portrayed. The friend drama with Cate was good, and there were waffle cones!
Weaknesses: There is one unnecessary f-bomb buried deep in the book, and the letters in cursive didn't hold my interest-- I can't imagine what readers who can't read cursive will think of them. I also wasn't a big fan of Grady, although he treated Amelia well.
What I really think: May purchase. Loved the whole girl power, woman run business aspect of this, as well as the historical twists. It will hold up for a long time, and my readers who can make it through 350+ pages of tiny print can handle the f-bomb.

Dog Man and Cat Kid and Puppy Princess

Pilkey, Dav. Dog Man and Cat Kid
December 26th 2017 by Graphix
Copy received from Young Adult Books Central

When Petey's clone shows up on Dog Man's doorstep, the super crime fighter takes him in. Of course, caring for a kitten capable of fixing robots takes some work, and when he is often late for work, Dog Man is glad to hire a nanny... who turns out to be Petey in disguise. Cat Kid gets sucked into Petey's evil plans even though he does not seem to have the same psychological make up as the evil super villain. When Dog Man's life becomes the subject of a Hollywood movie starring Italian actress Yolay Caprese, Petey is determined to sabotage it. With the help of reporter Sarah Hatoff and her menacing purse, Dog Man and Cat Kid manage to save the day.

It's hard to go wrong with giant mechaboy tacos, armies of animated hot dogs, and an absolutely adorable kitten, who even manages to look cute in a metal villain suit with razor sharp claws. Full color illustrations make this a weighty, short tome, and Pilkey's work is a slam dunk with so many discerning readers. There are several flip-o-rama scenes, lots of site gags, bopping of villains, and cheesy puns. Pilkey definitely is in contact with his inner six year old, and hits all of the things that are immediate hits with this age group.

Cat Kid, aside from being visually appealing, is a very complex creature, with a background he tries hard to overcome.  He has modified his robot 80-HD, so that it does good rather than evil, and he agonizes when Petey compels him to jaywalk and commit other acts that are "bad". I liked the message that even though Cat Kid did bad things, he could still be a good person.

Dog Man is a book that never needs to be recommended, and readers who enjoy Pilkey's other work or Watson's Stick Dog and Stick Cat series will find Dog Man and Cat Kid to be a just-right mix of goofiness and existential angst.

I have to say that as much as I like Pilkey, buying these just hurts my feelings because they fall apart so quickly. I was glad to see the character of Sarah Hatoff, since there is a huge imbalance between male and female characters in the books, and it's been the only thing that has really bothered me about Pilkey's work. Well, and the whole concept of Dog Man's genesis. Rather creepy. The stitches...shudder.


Furlington, Patty. Super Sweet Dreams (Puppy Princess #2)
May 29th 2018 by Scholastic Paperbacks
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

In this sequel to Party Time, Princess Rosie finds out that her best friend (and cat-in-waiting) Cleo's birthday is coming up. Since the two have such a royally good time together exploring the castle, Rosie wants to find the perfect gift for her friend. She asks her family and the castle staff for suggestions-- King Charles suggests food, Queen Fifi suggests a jeweled collar, and Petal the Cook offers to bake a cake. These are all good ideas, but when the two are saying goodbye so that Cleo can go home at the end of the day, Rosie has a great idea-- the two friends can have a sleepover! They indulge in traditional sleepover activities like pawicures and sundae making, which end in rather a mess and mean that the girls need to clean up. They also run into some problem with Rocky and Rollo, Rosie's young brothers, as well as the ghost of Grizzlebone. Could the that be somehow related to her brothers antics?

This UK import shows an interest in some of the facets of daily royal life, but who doesn't want to read about a Bichon princess? The interior illustrations are not the same as the cover, which looks very much like Clarke's Dr. Kittycat series. They are still charming and show the girls having lots of fun in the castle.

Rosie's desire to give her friend a nice celebration is admirable, and her frustration at running into difficulties realistic. It's good to see that she and Cleo don't just leave their messes, but take the responsibility to clean them up.

Readers who like animal series like Soderberg's Puppy Pirates or Meadow's Magic Animal Friends will look forward to the next two books in this series ((Wish Upon a Star and Flower Girl Power) as will those who love sparkly pink books that include fairies or princesses.

Guy Friday- Adventures: Game On! the Graphic Novel

Adventures: Game On! the Graphic Novel
Ali-A, Cavan Scott, Aleksandar Sotirovski (Illustrations)Ali-A
October 24th 2017 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Ali-A, Clare, and their dog Eevee are attending a launch party for the game Alien Liberator 2. Ali-A gets ready to speak when bizarre things start happening-- everyone starts turning into aliens! At first, everyone thinks that this is a publicity stunt, but somehow the game has infected the real world. Eevee is imbued with super powers and can communicate with Ali-A and Clare, and helps them figure out what is wrong and fix it before Earth is destroyed. Complete with Tyrantor robots and very real threats of explosions, their adventure tests their skills as gamers as well as fighters.

While this book combines two of the things I dislike the most, video games and YouTubers, these are two things that most middle grade readers find absolutely fascinating! The thought that there is someone who is famous for posting videos of himself playing videogames is all but nonsensical to me, but the average twelve year old could probably name a half dozen channels where this occurs. Is this book War and Peace? No. Will middle grade readers love it? Yes.

This book is brilliantly formatted. I've read a lot of graphic novels, and they tend to be very small, with microscopic print. While readers will struggle on with this because there are pictures (and color in this one, to boot), it's great that this is a slightly larger format so the print isn't quite as small. The pictures are clear and well drawn and the blue-oriented color palette is a nice foil for the aliens and fits the science fiction theme nicely.

It also doesn't have that odd smell that many graphic novels have. If more graphic novels were formatted like this, I would probably buy more of them.

Eevee is absolutely adorable, and the fact that she is able to talk to her owners is very intriguing. I rather wish that Ali-A were portrayed as a younger person, but since readers do like to "read up", seeing him as a young man will not be problematic. Clare could be more involved, but her skills do save the day on occasion.

I can see this being a great treat for a young reader who spends more time on the computer than reading, or who wants a bit of respite from reading longer novels about video games such as Anderson's Insert Coin to Continue, Schrieber's Game Over, Pete Watson, Brown's Josh Baxter Levels Up or Chang's Tournament Trouble.

CoderDojo Nano: Make Your Own Game: Create with Code
Horneman,‎ Jurie and CoderDojo
September 7th 2017 by Egmont Books Ltd
Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

This book provides clear and precise instructions for creating a video game. While I have coded in the past, I have to admit that I did not follow the book step-by-step to make sure that the instructions were easy to follow, but just read the book.

The chapters start with general information about how code and compute games work, and then shows details about what needs to be done. There are screen shots of what the code should like like as well as decorative illustrations on each page. The text is small but clear and laid out with plenty of "white space", which is actually often colored to set the different elements of coding apart from one another. There are also "Ninja Tips" and "Level Up" boxes with additional helpful hints.

The chapters cover increasingly difficult concepts of programming in JavaScript, going from "Using the Console" to "Setting Up a Loop" to "Player Health". Since I also don't PLAY video games, it is somewhat hard to determine if everything needed for a successful game is included, but students to whom I gave the books were impressed by the extensive coverage of topics.

The bright colors, fun graphics, and detailed explanations of game elements, as well as other information about internet safety and use of code for creating different apps and other games, make this a great book to hand to a child who is obsessed with video games in hopes of channeling that energy and time into learning something productive!


Cube Kid. Ultimate Warrior (Diary of an 8-Bit Warrior #5)
March 13th 2018 by Andrews McMeel Publishing
Copy provided by the publisher

From Goodreads.com
"In the fifth in this series of five unofficial Minecraft adventure books, everyone's favorite 12-year-old villager-turned-warrior is back this time to use his warrior training on a new quest.

There’s no time to enjoy his newfound stardom.To save Villagetown, Runt embarks on a perilous quest far beyond the safety of the wall. Between bizarre towns, terrifying dungeons, and epic boss battles, Runt must summon the hero within and say “so long” to the noob! "

These are just books I don't understand, although my library assistants and I have had many conversations about Minecraft, which I keep getting confused with RuneScape, since that was the "cool" game that my own children tried to play with a dial up modem!

This series is fan fiction, so knowledge of the game is really helpful. I do think that this book has more of its own plot, and Runt has a lot more character development than we've seen in the past.

Also, one of my 8th grade girls who normally only reads romance books has been polishing off one of these a day, so she is super excited to read this one.

Definitely purchase this series in prebind for any elementary or middle school library, because the paperbacks will NOT hold up to the constant circulation that these see!

Bugging Out (Monsters Unleashed #2)

Kloepfer, John. Bugging Out (Monsters Unleashed #2)
April 24th 2018 by HarperCollins
ARC provided by Young Adult Books Central

After Manny and Freddy's adventures with the 3-D printer in Monsters Unleashed, they are glad things have calmed down. When Trevor, a new student who seems obsessed with bugs, asks Freddy to draw him a bug, he does so without thinking too much about it, but later realizes that Trevor has gotten hold of the printer, which the kids had hidden in their old school which had been destroyed by monsters. Trevor has printed out bugs, but they have started to multiply on their own, and soon there is a huge infestation. Manny and Freddie have to bring out some of the monsters to help deal with this creepy crawly invasion of "entomons", and save their community from certain doom yet again.

Even though one of the monsters has turned the 3-D printer to stone, I doubt that we have heard the end of Manny's and Freddy's adventures! Kloepfer excels at writing action scenes-- chases, explosions, bug guts splattering, you name it! These books are short and move quickly, and will be very appealing to readers who enjoy Kloepfer's Zombie Chasers series as well as Lubar's Monsterific Tales.

While this is not a notebook novel, there are a fair number of illustrations, which help to show what the bugs look like, which is very helpful. Of course, the pictures of Kraydon, Oddo, Yapzilla,  Mega-Q and Mungo are fun to see as well,

The children all work together well despite their differences, and the new character of Trevor adds a bit of depth; it's hard to tell at first if Trevor is purely evil or just misguided, and we only find out as much as our protagonists do.

Goofy monsters, swarming bugs, gummy worms, and grandmas who are around to offer snacks at the end of an epic battle-- what more could you want in a middle grade speculative fiction novel?

Not quite as popular as Zombie Chasers in my library, but definitely worth ordering.

Chasing Helicity

Zee, Ginger. Chasing Helicity
April 24th 2018 by Disney Hyperion

ARC provided by publisher at ALA

Helicity's grandmother was a decorated physicist, and she got a name of a scientific phenomenon to honor her. (It was either that or Doris!) When a tornado hits her hometown during a party honoring her brother's football scholarship, Helicity's home is destroyed and her brother is injured. A meterologist, Lana McElvoy, comes to town asking if people have videos of the storm, which irritates people, since seven people from the town perished. Helicity sends a photo, and combined with her name, this interests Lana.  Helicity loves science, but her grades are not quite good enough to get into honors science classes in high school, so she is very surprised when Lana asks her to join her storm team. Andy is having a difficult time recovering, although the family and town seem to recover fairly well. Helicity is glad to be a part of the team, and her adventures in storm chasing get off to a rousing start.
Strengths: This is a good length and moves quickly. I like the idea of the STEM connections, and tornado devastation is a timely topic.
Weaknesses: I had trouble believing that Helicity's parents would just send her off to travel with Lana, especially given their recent experiences.
What I really think: Storm books are a bit of a tough sell, even ones like Bishop's 14 Hollow Road which seemed like a much more informative book about dealing with the aftermath of a tornado. I had friends who lost their home in the 1980 Grand Island, Nebraska tornado, and it was quite traumatic! I was sure the brother was going to become addicted to opioids, which worried me, but he didn't. I will probably pass, especially since this is going to be a series.

All of the Space Books

Gibbs, Stuart. Waste of Space (Moon Base Alpha #3)
April 24th 2018 by Simon Schuster Books for Young ReadersE ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Dash is missing the freedom of being on Earth-- space stations are very small places, and tensions run high when everyone begins to feel cooped up. On his 13th birthday, his father takes him "outside" to play a bit of catch, but their outing is interrupted by a scream. Space tourist Lars Sjoberg has taken ill, and Chang and Dash's father realize that he has been poisoned. The station Commander, Nina, asks Dash to investigate, because she suspects Chang is a possibility. Along with Kira, as well as his young sister Violet, investigate how someone could have gotten cyanide and snuck it into Lars' lutefisk. Unfortunately, there are bigger problems-- the base is running out of oxygen and is going to be evacuated. Dash is happy to be going home, but wants to tidy up the loose ends before leaving.
Strengths: Gibbs always delivers a nice, solid mystery with great characters, twists in the plot, and lots of humor. This is no exception. I loved that the unpleasant realities of living on a space station are not neglected, but Dash isn't portrayed as being completely miserable, either.The ending of this was particularly good, and I'm a bit sad that Dash and his family went home. There is a nice epilogue about Dash's later life. I usually hate those (Harry Potter much?), but was okay with this one.
Weaknesses: Calling the inhabitants of the space station Moonies and using the acronym MBA for the station is not going to grate on children the way it grated on me.
What I really think: Definitely purchasing, and may have to look into replacing some of my copies of the first books in each of Gibbs' series, since they are falling apart!


Walden, Mark. Redemption (Earthfall #3)
April 24th 2018 by Simon Schuster Books for Young Readers
E ARC from Edelweiss Plus

Still have readers who want dystopian books? Look no further than this great alien invasion series. My readers have been eagerly awaiting this book, which took longer to cross the pond than they wanted. Creeped me out a little-- I wasn't in a mood to read about the thousands of pod people who were suffering, but there's lots of action and adventure in the book, and Sam has some cool powers.

From Goodreads.com
"The thrilling conclusion to the outstanding Earthfall trilogy for sci-fi fans everywhere. Can Earth be reclaimed?

The battle for Earth continues. In order to defeat the Voidborn, the alien race that invaded Earth, Sam must come to terms with the Illuminate powers he has inherited and return to London. The only hope he has for defeating the aliens is to enlist the help of not only his friends, but also what he fears most.

Sam and his friends must find a way to awaken the sleeping Illuminate far beneath the surface of the Earth, but what they don't realise is a dark and terrible secret is also about to be uncovered. A secret that may spell doom for all of humanity.

One thing is certain, whatever happens, life will never be the same for Sam ever again. And he will be forced to confront the reality that he may have to pay the ultimate price or finally watch the Earth fall."

L'Engle, Madeleine. Intergalactic P.S.3
Published February 6th 2018 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
Originally published in 1970
Public library copy

I can see this illustrated chapter book being bought by a lot of elementary schools who want to introduce readers to the characters they have met in The Wrinkle in Time movie, but this did not work for me. Why? I have an intense hatred of Charles Wallace that I had forgotten! I adored Meg, I owned a paperback copy of the original book for years and years, but I never liked Charles Wallace and his little pajama'd feet and his precociousness. Those are in full force in this book-- the kid is so freaky that he has to go to school on another planet. Um, no thank you. I have enough trouble getting readers to pick up the original book, so I am going to pass on purchasing this one.

From Goodreads.com:
Charles Wallace Murry is old enough to start school, but his sister, Meg, and their friend Calvin know he isn’t cut out for school on Earth―Meg worries that he’ll be more misunderstood than ever. Luckily, with the help of the three celestial creatures Mrs Whatsit, Mrs Who, and Mrs Which, there is another place where Charles Wallace can get his education: Intergalactic P.S. 3, a public school in a completely different galaxy. The three children travel through time and space to reach the school, but for them all to make it home safely, Meg must undergo a test that will challenge her inner strength, her perspective, and her ability to protect the ones she loves.

MMGM- Running on the Roof of the World

It's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Always in the Middle and #IMWAYR day at Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers. It's also Nonfiction Monday.

Butterworth, Jess. Running on the Roof of the World
May 1st 2018 by Algonquin Young Readers
E ARC from Netgalley

When Tash and her friend Sam witness a man self-immolating himself in the market place in their small Tibetan town, they are scared for many reasons. The police frown on any activity they do not approve, and punish the transgressors heavily. Sam's father is so bludgeoned by his surroundings that he doesn't care all that much about taking care of Sam, but Tash's parents are both supportive of her... and resistant to the Chinese government. Her father writes what the government tells him in the local newspaper, but also distributes anti-government leaflets. When the police come knocking on their door, they give Tash some papers and a few supplies and tell her to hide and meet them later. They never come. Tash and Sam talk, and decide to attempt to travel to India and ask the Dalai Lama for help. They borrow two yaks from a neighbor and set off across the cold and treacherous landscape to India. It's not easy, and they don't trust anyone they meet. When they get to India, will they even be able to get the help they need?
Strengths: If I ever have to travel in the Himalayas, I am definitely making sure I have access to a yak! This is what I learned from this book. That, and it's essential to carry dried yak dung with me to make a fire. I love this sort of detail. I have been looking for stories set in this area of the world, especially Nepal and Bhutan since I have students who were born in those countries, but I'll take what I can get. This was a fantastic survival adventure story with vivid details about traveling through the mountains. The brilliant part of the book was how it addressed the political climate in Tibet so that younger readers can understand it, and they can see how it affects someone who is their age.
Weaknesses: Because this started with the author's note about being raised in the Himalayas, and the characters had vaguely Western names, I thought at first that they were Westerners living in Tibet and was momentarily confused. It didn't take long to be set straight, and this could just be my reaction. I wish there had been a few more notes about history related to this, just because some readers will not quite understand how the real situation is.
What I really think: Definitely looking forward to sharing this with my readers next year. (I've spent all of the money I had for books-- next order will be in August.)


Fry, Erin. Undercover Chefs
Published February 26th 2018 by 50/50 Press
Copy provided by author

Isaac is a very fast runner, but he'd rather be baking than training as hard as his mother would like. Jane struggles in school, and is worried about her grandfather, but loves to bake. J.C. loves to do scooter tricks that sound a lot like skateboarding (something we need MUCH more of in middle grade book!), and cooks a lot by necessity because he takes care of his younger brothers after school. When all three get an invitation to attend a cupcake competition meeting, they attend to escape other obligations and end up in a dusty, abandoned corner of their school. They meet Dr. Gus, a veteran geology teacher who has been placed on administrative leave by the evil assistant principal, M(r)s. Rappaport after a video of him talking to a rock is posted. Dr. Gus shows them the filthy, old home economics room and tells them they can do their baking for the contest there, after they clean it up. He's trying to keep some of the programs that benefit students but are no longer considered essential. It's not easy to keep up with other commitments and continue to come up with an idea for the competition, but the children take a liking to each other and work very hard to do well. When the final cupcake competition falls on a day that is in conflict with a meet and a skateboarding contest, and Jane has a family obligation, will the undercover chefs be able to overcome their obstacles and help out their school and Dr. Gus?
Strengths: The characters alone make it very clear that Ms. Fry is a middle school teacher and gets it. I've seen Isaac's well meaning but overbearing mother many times in cross country. Jane's family situation is a bit complex (adopted from China, mother died of cystic fibrosis, being raised by busy dad and ailing grandfather), but her learning difficulties are real, and it was good to see her get help for them at the end of the book. J.C.'s situation is all too common and a hard one for teachers to understand, because we most often don't know that it is happening. I also enjoyed Dr. Gus-- our geology teacher left about ten years ago and came back to find that his replacement had thrown out all of the rock samples he had collected over the years. Especially clever was the way that all three ended up being invited to work with Dr. Gus; let's just say that senior citizen networking in Isaac's town is alive and well. Dr. Gus's motivation was really sweet and made me cry! All in all, a fast, tasty read that I really enjoyed.
Weaknesses: While I could almost buy the abandoned home ec lab (although what school has that kind of room going spare?), it was hard to believe that M(r)s. Rappaport thought she would be able to get away with her evil plan. It's a fun part of the plot, just not all that realistic.
What I really think: Sadly, this is available only in paperback, so somewhat difficult to keep for long in my collection. This would definitely be a great e book to purchase for a child for the summer-- currently it is $2.99 on Amazon!