MMGM-The Power of Architecture: 25 Modern Buildings Around the World

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Roeder, Annette and Barron, Pamela. (Illustrations)

The Power of Architecture: 25 Modern Buildings Around the World
Published September 20th 2022 by Prestel Junior

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Architecture is fascinating, and it seems odd to me that more people don't pay attention to the buildings that fill our world. Even more alarming is the fact that people don't appreciate certain styles of the past and are quick to tear down or deface some types that are not terribly old but are considered outmoded. One of my favorite architectural elementals in Curtainwall, so it made me happy that the oldest building covered in the book was Walter Gropius Fagus Factory from 1911 that showcased this style. Can we quit tearing down or refacing similar schools and post offices now?

The 25 buildings that are described are not necessary the most famous or impressive buildings in the world, but a sample of architecture across the world over a period of time that makes a statement about the time during which it was built. There are utilitarian buildings, like the Battersea Power Station, and more decorative ones like Wright's Fallingwater. Each two page spread features a drawing of the building, a brief discussion of its history, and insight as to why it is architecturally significant. A timeline at the end of the book gives more facts about the buildings, such as location, materials, and special features, and also offers biographies of the architects. There is no index or bibliography.

The illustrations are well done and almost worthy of being framed, but I still wanted to see photographs of most of these. There are notes for web sites on some pages, directing readers to more images online, which is helpful.

This is a great book for budding architects or people, like me, who are just curious about the buildings around us. There are a few books about buildings for young people, such as The School of Life's What Adults Don’t Know About Architecture, Sayre's Citryscape, and National Geographic's Famous Fails. It's also hard to go wrong with paperback editions Macauley's classic City, Unbuilding, and other fantastic books with detailed drawings and descriptions.

I Am Coco

Pin, Isabel. I am Coco: The Life of Coco Chanel

September 13, 2022 by Prestel Junior

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Coco Chanel started out life in a poor family, and was orphaned at a young age. Sent to an orphanage to be cared for, she learned to sew, and had quite a talent for it. When she was old enough to leave, she lived with her Aunt Adrienne, and the two worked together. Coco also saw on stage, where she picked up her nickname. She had a knack for finding wealthy friends, and was able to set up a small dress maker shop near Spain around the time of World War I that did well and was able to withstand the difficulties of the war. She developed her personal style and translated that into her design style, using Jersey knit material, popularizing pants, and simplifying the clothes that women wore. World War II was a difficult time during which she had to close stores, and she was also accused of collaborating with the Germans. She spent some time in Switzerland to escape these difficulties, and found much success after she moved to Paris in 1954. Her designs influence modern fashion considerably, with classics such as the little black dress and her Chanel No. 5 perfume. 

Prestel publishes beautiful books on art and popular culture that feel especially European to me, and this style is a great one for capturing the essence of Chanel fashion. The colored line drawing evoke her floruit in the 1950s and 60s, with bright yellows, pinks, and blues illustrating the post war years making this a cheerful book. The text is in a rather tiny print, and is positioned with the pictures so that this resembles a lengthy picture book.  

I especially liked the discussion about the hallmarks of Chanel's design that are still influencing fashion today; some of my students who are interested in clothing will be surprised at how long ago some of these innovations were introduced to the world. For my part, if I could dress in Chanel style suits everyday, that would be great; I had a college professor who was still wearing this classic look in the 1980s!

There is room for a lot more books about fashion designers. There are a fair number of picture books, like Harvey's Dressing Up the Stars: The Story of Edith Head or MacCullough's Harriet's Ruffled Feathers, but not a lot of middle grade titles that offer more historical context to the design process. Pair this with Rubin's Coco Chanel: Pearls, Perfume, and the Little Black Dress for a more complete coverage of Chanel's life along with photographs from the various stages of her career. 

Whisker Wizard (Babymouse Tales from the Locker #5)

Holm, Jennifer L. and Holm, Matthew. 

Whisker Wizard (Babymouse Tales from the Locker #5)
July 6, 2021 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Library Copy

Babymouse is bored. She is enthralled with her phone, and would rather look at panda videos than go outside and be with her family, but even that pales after a while. She finds a recipe for a homemade whisker serum online, and since her m other will only buy Basic Whisker products, she tries making it, using lemon juice, mayonnaise, and other household products. When she curls her whiskers and posts a video tutorial, it goes viral. Everyone at school is wearing "The Twist", and Babymouse starts to pick up followers. She tries to do more videos, but has to bring in Squeak as her videographer. She comes up with some good ideas, and even her idol, Fabi, likes her content, and Babymouse gets a lot of traffic when Fabi shares her ideas. There are bad things about fame as well. Babymouse is obsessed with creating new content, and gets into a strange scuffle with another creator, Maestro, about her use of mayonnaise. Will Babymouse be able to untangle herself from the twisted whisker mess?
Strengths: Ah, Babymouse. In Miss Communication, she got her Whiz Bang! phone and got in so much trouble that I was a little surprised she didn't end up with a flip phone, which is all middle schoolers need. Now, with a social media presence, she starts to be attracted to the way people treat her because of her online fame. She has to nvaigate the ups and downs of this in typical Babymouse way, which is quite amusing. Matthew Holm's artwork is engaging as always, and Jennifer Holm does a great job at understanding what appeals to tweens about phones and social media while delivering a great message about how they can negatively affect those who don't use them properly... and even how circumspect use can go wrong. Having Babymouse gain interest because of her whisker styling is perfect. Fans of this series will love this latest installment. 
Weaknesses: Yes, some tweens go viral, but it strikes me as very improbable. File under realistic fantasies, perhaps?
What I really think: This reminded me of Tashjian's My Life as a Meme, and young readers who have dreams of going viral will love to read about Babymouse 
 

Dogs of the Deadlands

Blather: How my days at school go:  I have a class visit the library six out of eight periods of the day. They have a brief lesson and check out books, which takes about 15 minutes. I also check out Chromebooks to study hall students, then have children visit to get books while I am checking in books from the class. There are tech issues that come in from teachers I need to address. Sometimes I have full period research classes, and on many days I have classes at the beginning AND end of the period. This year, there are very small study halls during lunch periods, which means just a few students. There are book orders and lessons to work on, book repair, weeding-- it's always busy. 2:00 usually finds me trying to bolt down a cup of tea and an apple that I started at 10:30. I don't have student helpers, so can't leave the library for more than a few moments, usually to stand in the hallway between classes to encourage students to walk. 

During the few quiet moments, I often have protracted conversations with students, who seem to think that I am a warm, fuzzy grandmotherly type. Sometimes it is about their lives, but mostly it is about books. A girl who wants to read historical fiction about Japan. A fan of Dungeons and Dragons who wants instruction books. Readers who want to read nothing but sports books. One of my students loves books involving anything to do with dogs, and he truly has read most of my books where the dogs have adventures. We looked up titles in the Follett catalog, and came across this one. he seemed so excited about it that I ordered it before I even read it, which I rarely do. 

I'm not at all interested in books from the dogs' points of view, but the school library is not MY library. It's important to listen to what students are interested in, and try to accomodate it within reason. There are only so many books about serial killers written for middle grades that I am willing to buy!My student was super excited to get this book, even if it wasn't my personal favorite.

McGowan, Anthony. Dogs of the Deadlands
September 1, 2022 by Rock the Boat

Library copy

**Spoiler Alert**

Natasha has just gotten a beautiful and affectionate puppy she has named Zoya. She's always wanted a dog, even though her father is not thrilled with the idea. Unfortunately, she lives in Chernobyl in 1986, and her family has to evacuate when the nuclear power plant has a melt down. She tries to sneak Zoya out in her backpack, but the animal is discovered by soldiers and left at the side of the road. Natasha's family moves in with an aunt away from Chernobyl and go on with their lives, and Zoya briefly is cared for by an old woman in the woods. The perspective shifts, and we see the world from the perspective of Misha, a wild puppy whose brother, Bratan, has a deformity of his legs. Along with their mother, they live in the woods and just try to survive. We see glimpses of Natasha as she grows up and studies science, and follow Misha's life as well. Eventually, his mother is badly injured and is saved by an old woman. There are a number of coincidences that lead Natasha to find out that Misha is the son of her dog, Zoya, after doing a survey of the area affected by the radiation and the animals that stayed there. 

Strengths: The blurb says this is for fans of Watership Down and Call of the Wild, which is apt but not very helpful, since middle school students never read those titles anymore! Interestingly, I do occasionally get requests for books about wolves in the wild, and this will be close enough. The page decorations are a nice touch, and the details about living in the wild and puppies eating regurgitated worms will appeal to fans of Hunter's Survivors or Lorentz's Dogs of the Drowned City. The brief amounts of information about Chernobyl disaster might encourage readers to pick up Marino's Escape from Chernobyl. 
Weaknesses: I'm not much for narratives told from a dog's perspective, and I somehow missed where Misha was the son of Zoya. After the whole regurgitated worm thing, I found it a little hard to concentrate. 
What I really think: This was a solid purchase that I don't regret, and will see slow but steady circulation. In the last ten years, interest in books about dogs has slowly increased: one of my frequent displays is books with dogs on the cover, right along with horror, sports books, and books about WWII.

The 500 Million Dollar Heist

Sullivan, Tom. The 500 Million Dollar Heist

August 30, 2022 by Balzer & Bray/Harperteen

Copy provided by Young Adult Books Central

Perhaps the Gardner Museum, with its deliberately placed, valuable artwork, should have hired professional security guards to watch over the largest privately held collection of art, but in 1990, it must not have seemed that important. After all, they had a new computerized security system, and a well regulated procedural system for monitoring the artwork, but as people who were familiar with the institution at the time thought, it was not IF the museum would be broken into, it was WHEN. This graphic nonfiction book recaps what likely occurred on the night in March 1990 when 500 Million Dollars worth of artwork were grabbed in a theft that is still unsolved.

If the police come knocking at the door of your museum to investigate a disturbance, the policy that you don't let them in but contact the precinct to check seems like a good one, but it was not followed. Once the two me in police uniforms were inside, they bound the guards and went around the museum, taking thirteen valuable pieces of art, and not being very careful with them. The next day, it slowly became clear as people came to work that something was not right. The ensuing investigate uncovered some leads, but nothing concrete enough to prosecute. Some people claimed that they had ties to the people who stole it, and for a price could get the art back, but nothing ever panned out.

I was vaguely aware of this occurrence, but learned a lot abou tit by reading this book. Many of my students are fans of true crime podcasts, but it's hard to find books that are appropriate for middle schoolers but are still intriguing. Sullivan does a brilliant job at highlighting historical cases such as Jailbreak at Alcatraz and Escape at 10,000 feet. There are enough details to be interesting, but nothing too violent or gruesome.

The illustration style is very fun; I loved how he was able to include facsimiles of the artwork in with his cut paper collage style photoshopped illustrations. The typewriter font is still appropriate for the 1990s, and gives the pages some additional interest. Reproductions of security system records, maps, and artist portrayals of the perpetrators are an intriguing inclusion.

Fans of this author's Escape at 10,000 Feet and Jailbreak at Alcatraz Denson's FBI Files and readers who want exciting graphic novel style books will want to check out all of the books in this series. I'll certainly be curious to see what cold case gets the Unsolved Case Files treatment next!

Chester Keene Cracks the Code

Magoon, Kekla. Chester Keene Cracks the Code
July 5, 2022 by Wendy Lamb Books
Library copy

Chester is a very particular child who is very invested in his routines, like rotating his collection of jeans (plus one pair of corduroys), and following his schedule of bowling every day after school and playing laser tag every Friday. He doesn't have any friends, and he is bullied at school by Marc Ruffnagle. Chester lives with his mother, who is white, but misses his father, who is Black and who left the family when Chester was very young. He does have an e mail address for his father, and surreptiously checks it, but hasn't heard back in a while. There have been some gifts over the years, most of which are related to investigation, so Chester suspects that his father is a spy and unable to communicate because he is on a mission. After school, Chester goes to the local bowling alley owned by his mother's friend, who "watches" him until his mother is off work, but this gives him plenty of leeway to go to the local mall and hang out in the area. His mother is dating Christopher, whom Chester really likes. He has a daughter, Aurora, whom Chester hasn't met. Her father is white, and her mother is Japanese, although we don't quite find out where her mother is. Christopher has a heart-to-heart with him and asks how he would feel about the relationship going forward, and Chester is fairly accepting of this situation. When Chester gets a clue sending him on a scavenger hunt, he thinks it is sent by his father. He meets a girl from his school, Skye, who has clues as well, and the two work together to solve the puzzle. They bowl together a bit, and think they have uncovered a plot to rob a bank. In the end, the scavenger hunt was arranged by someone Chester did not expect, and it leads to not unwelcome changes for him and his family. He also manages to stand up to Marc with the confidence he has gained through the hunt, has a good friend in Skye, and is able to deal with the changes in his life. 

Strengths: The bowling alley is very cool and puts this into the small number of books set in bowling alleys. (Allen's How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy (2011), Sheinmel's Designed by Lucy (The Kindness Club #2) (2017), Gephart's  In Your Shoes (2018) and Allegre's The Dream Weavers (2020)) I liked the description of Chester's behavior and how this shaped his life. He is not alone in pining for a parent. Christopher is a great character, and his relationship with the mother was one of my favorite parts. The scavenger hunt was interesting, and used Chester's skills well. I always enjoy Magoon's writing, and this was an entertaining read. 

Weaknesses: The bank heist through me a little; Chester and Skye are left duct taped in an alley, but nothing more seemed to happen with that story line. Also, I was pretty sure for most of the book that Chester's father was in jail; in middle grade books, if the character suspects a parent is a spy, it is almost a sure thing that the parent is incarcerated. This wasn't the case. 
What I really think: I was hoping that this would have an older middle grade feel like The Season of Styx Malone (which is a brilliant study in Kids Doing Stupid Things), but Chester's 6th grade experiences felt a bit younger. 

Game Over

Ross, M.C. Game Over
December 6, 2022 by Scholastic Inc. 
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

High schooler Kara Tilden lives in a society where the populace has become so enamored of the enticing virtual reality game HIVE that students and teachers don't show up at school. While Kara would rather read a book, she does participate in some of the games, although her boyfriend Gus and best friend Sammi play a bit more. After a run in with school bully Markus in a teacherless classroom, where she has to defend former friend Jason, Kara finds that she was stood up for her weekly Friday afternoon date with Gus. she drops in to leave him a message in the game, but then things get weird. She waits a long time for the bus, but cars are crashing in the street. She tries to help one bus driver, but when the driver drops in to the game to warn the passengers about the crash (they are all immersed in HIVE), she is not able to get back out. On the street, Kara runs into Jason again, and he has some alarming news: an update has occurred, with horrifying consequences. The update was so anticipated that almost evreyone in the world has tried to be in the game, and a huge glitch has occurred. People can't get out. Jacob shares alarming news about his own life, including that he lives at a former arcade-turned-Apiary where people check in to play the game. He knows everything there is to know about the game, and has found a back door out of it, but can't get back in. He wants Kara to help him, especially since her mother is one of the creators of the game, along with Eric Alanick. One reason Kara isn't wild about the VR game is that her mother left their family in order to work on it. She agrees, Jason patches into her feed, and she enters the game. She finds her father's office (virtual real estate is cheaper than an actual office), and embarks on a harrowing quest through the different games and levels of HIVE to try to figure out how the game has ensnared so many people, before their absence has real life consequences. 

Strengths: Note that the review centers mainly on the story set up. Most of the book involves Kara and her friends involved in the game, doing... game things. This is fantastic for people who love playing games and understand them, but since I have never played video games, my brain is not wired in a way that I could understand exactly what was going on. The world building is well developed, the mission explained thoroughly, and the details of how Kara needs to progress through the levels (especially my favorite, Terms and Conditions, which few players pay attention to!) are logical, but Ross is clearly a player of video games and uses his experience to construct a world that will be particularly appealing to other people with knowledge of video games. One of the reasons given for the widespread appeal of the game is that players are allowed to virtually experience smell, and therefore taste. There are many food sellers in the game, and none of the food has any calories! I did enjoy Kara's quest; she wasn't entirely sure she would find her mother, but hoped she would. I identified with Kara quite a bit; she's a bit annoyed at everything, and not wild about being in HIVE, but sees a job that needs to be done and reluctantly does it to save her friends and family. The MOST brilliant thing about the book is that Kara is a high schooler. She and Gus drive, they are dating, and she attends high school. This is all the veneer of teendom that middle school readers need, and also makes the book more likely to appeal to actual high school readers. Perfect.
Weaknesses: Scholastic! Paperback? Why? WHY?!?!?! At least Follett has a prebind. This should be in hardcover, absolutely. 
What I really think: I'm buying two copies to go along with other intriguing video game titles like Anderson's Insert Coin to Continue, Schrieber's Game Over, Pete Watson, and Zhao's Last Gamer Standing. 

MMGM- Ezra Exposed

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Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
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I have to admit that I almost didn't read this book. There was something about the cover that just looked too young. But, it was short (middle school students are rubbing off on me!), and there were about six titles on Edelweiss for December, so I gave it a go. I'm very glad. It's a great book about an important topic, and written in an appealing way. If you can find a copy of this, read it immediately!

Feldman, Amy E. Ezra Exposed

November 2, 2022 by Blackstone Publishing

E ARC provided bt Edelweiss Plus

**Lots of spoilers, because you should know what details are in the book**

For his tenth birthday, Ezra finally gets a cell phone, since all of his friends have one. He is even allowed an Instagram account because his friend with the most involved mother has let him have one. So, of course, when Ezra's sister's chicken nugget at his birthday dinner looks like a butt, he takes a picture of it and posts it to his account. The other fifth graders think this is funny, and soon Ezra is seeing butts everywhere: a peach someone wants to trade at lunch, the skin between his thumb and fingers, a cherry. He's gotten a few followers, and one of the most popular boys at school seems to know who he is now. When a friend makes a comment about beavers and says that maybe Ezra has a beaver butt, Ezra pulls down his pants slightly and snaps a photo of the top of his butt. At first, he just shows his friend, but the friend wants Ezra to send him the picture. Ezra does, not thinking much of it. He has other problems, like having to go to the mall to buy pants for graduation and forgetting a major science fair project until the night before it is due. With the end of the school year approaching, and the class trip to an amusement park looming large, Ezra is enjoying having his phone, and gets to enjoy a little of the dopamine rush we all get when people "like" our social media posts. When he is called to the office, he's a bit surprised. He'd said something about "my cherry-red butt", and gotten several in person comments about it, but was that enough to get him in trouble? Not only are his parents called in, but there's a police officer. Because he sent a picture of his naked butt, even part of it, it is consider a criminal act of sending a lewd picture of a minor, even though he is the minor. The police want to confiscate the phone and check to see if there are other pictures on it, and 15 of his classmates also had to hand over their phones. The student who got the picture and told a trusted adult it not punished, but the others have to go through training, and several are not allowed to go to the end of year trip. This includes Ezra, who has to take the training and isn't allowed to go to the amusement park, although he is allowed to attend graduation. His parents take the phone away until after he has taken the training, and wish they had thought to give more instructions to Ezra about the use of his phone. While he will have to live with comments about his butt obsessed past, hopefully most of the interest will blow over before he starts middle school in the fall. 

Strengths: Wow. This was a fine line to walk, but it was really perfectly done. Ezra isn't that interested in his phone or Instagram (and I was glad it wasn't a made up app name, like Instapic or Snapgram), and he's not purposefully sending naked pictures. When I give the internet safety talk that the state mandates, my students always say "Oh, I'd never do something like that,"but this makes Ezra's actions seem perfectly reasonable. Setting the book during the final few weeks of school, when everyone is distracted, worked well. The parents are fun and engaged with Ezra, and take appropriate actions when there is a problem.  The use of butts is inspired. Really. I can completely see a fifth grader sending that picture. There is a note at the end on Feldman's research into the legal implications, and I think the interview with the policewoman was perfectly done. I'm definitely buying a copy for the school library, and if I knew any eight year olds, I would get this for a birthday gift BEFORE they got a cell phone. I'm looking forward to what Feldman might write next. 
Weaknesses: The cover isn't my favorite and may take some hand selling. There were a few things that seemed anachronistic: going to the mall, the gym teacher smoking, the principal always wearing a brown suit, wearing pajamas, and sanitary pads in cardboard boxes being handed out after "the talk" in gym class. I was also surprised that that the gym teacher was not taken to task by the female teacher who overhears him telling the boys that they don't want to learn about menstruation; all they needed to know was to appease future girlfriends and wives during that time. I think now boys are taught about this. 
What I really think: For my own purposes, I wanted Ezra to be older, but this is such a great book for elementary students to read. My 6th graders will pick it up, but it will be a hard sell for 7th and 8th graders. I'm surprised there aren't more books dealing with children who get in trouble with cell phones. I would buy them all, since it is such an easy way for children to get into trouble. I would never buy a smart phone for anyone under 15. If security is a concern, a flip phone is all they need. 

Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels Book Two

Springer, Nancy and Blasco, Serena (illustrations)

Enola Holmes: The Graphic Novels Book Two
December 6, 2022 by Andrews McMeel Publishing

Copy provided by Edelweiss Plus

Book one of the graphic novel adaptation of this series has been very popular with my students, and I was asked just the other day when the sequel would be out. Ta da! I'm glad I still have the novels in my library, and have had some luck getting fans of the television series to pick them up. 

This volume gives us a look at The Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan, The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline, and The Case of Baker Street Station. In the first story, Enola runs into Lady Cecily again, and realizes that she is being held against her will. Using not only her detective skills, but her knowledge of the social workings of London, Enola manages to hunt down Cecily by investigating who was holding a fashionable pink tea and passing out pink paper fans. Cecily is indeed being forced into a marriage, and despite meddling from her brothers, Enola manages to locate Cecily. Will she be in time to save her?

In The Case of the Cryptic Crinoline, Mrs. Tupper, Enola's landlady and supporter, receives a threatening and unsettling letter. It turns out that she was with her husband during the Crimean War, and had a terrible time getting back home after he died. She was assisted by none other than Florence Nightingale, the founder of the Red Cross. After her home is trashed, she seeks help from Enola to try to find out who is trying to get information from her. Things are complicated, Enola's brothers once again stick their noses into things, and Enola manages to work things out satisfactorily. However, she and Mrs. Tupper feel that they need to find other lodgings, and they leave together. 

The ongoing issue for Enola has been the disappearance of her mother. She isn't letting her brothers take care of her, because they don't want her investigating where her mother has gone. The Case of Baker Street Station (the same story as the wisely renamed 2010 The Case of the Gypsy Good-Bye) finds Enola dealing with the case of Lady Blanchefleur as well as a cryptic message that her mother has sent. What dealing did her mother have with the Romany travelers? And will Enola's brothers see reason in how she should be allowed to live her life? 

While the graphic novels don't have the details that the novels do, they give a nice overview of the stories and have illustrations that make the Victorian settings come to life. It's worth it to take a look at these for the depiction of the clothing alone. Blasco's style isn't quite anime, but the big eyes and frantic faces of the characters certainly will appeal to readers who enjoy the Japanese style. The addition of Enola's "secret notebooks" with her drawings and surmisings are quite fun, and make it clear when one mystery has ended and another has begun. 

I've always enjoyed Springer's work (I should convince someone to read Rowan Hood today!), so was glad to see when it was adapted for the screen. Blasco's graphic novels are a great way to introduce readers to this series, and since the original novels are rather short, many off my students are willing to pick them up. This isn't true of all graphic novels; even though I can think of at least four graphic Anne of Green Gables retellings, the original 1908 novels are still gathering dust on the shelves! 

Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club - Roll Call

Ostertag, Molly Knox and Bouma, Xanthe (Illus.)
Dungeons & Dragons: Dungeon Club - Roll Call 

November 29, 2022 by Harperalley 

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Olivia and Jess have been best friends for a long time, and spend many hours working on "Tales of Corius", a fantasy story line they work into a Dungeons and Dragons like game. As they are starting eighth grade, Jess is very interested in becoming popular and making other friends, like Sam and Sami, but Olivia wants it to just be the two of them. Jess decides to start a Dungeons and Dragons club at school, and puts up posters. Olivia finds that the school bully, Kelly, makes fun of her when she does anything unusual, so Olivia takes down a lot of the signs, agreeing with Jess that Kelly must be behind their disappearance. Jess's parents want her to get involved in other activities, so she runs for student council with Sam and Sami, which makes Olivia feel even further alienated from her friend. Jess allows Tyler to join their group, but he and Olivia have a difficult past; in 6th grade Tyler told everyone that he was "dating" Olivia, which made her angry, but it turns out that he did that because people were calling him gay (he's not, but he likes to draw), and he thought that Olivia wouldn't mind because she was so nice. Olivia is pretty mean to him, but as their D&D game progresses, she finds out he's fairly nice and interesting. Outside of the game, there are fewer dragons but even more drama. Will Olivia and Jess be able to stay friends and share their passion for creating interesting fictional worlds despite all of the pressures of middle school?
Strengths: The friend drama in this is spot on, even the way that Olivia treats Tyler. Is it fair? Probably not, but Olivia was clearly not happy when Tyler told everyone they were dating. Evil Kelly brings is up later as well, with some fairly realistic hall way bullying that is nipped in the bud by a passing teacher. There are lots and lots of D&D details that will definitely intrigue readers interested in the fame, and it was good to see that Jess eventually got others interested in the club. This author's The Girl From the Sea is very popular, so I'm sure this title will do well. 
Weaknesses: I always struggle when books have depictions of student council elections, since my school can't get enough people together to even have one. Also, Kelly was a rather stereotypical bully, which lesssened her impact for me. 
What I really think: With this book and Formato's Roll for Initiative, there is clearly a middle grade trend gaining speed. I encourage my students to look into getting a group together at home to play this game; there is not way in the world I am going to hang out with tweens long enough to supervise this game, which could take entire days. I know. I have friends who play!

Farewell Friday

I was not aware that Betsy Byars had died right before the pandemic. She was a prolific author and I remember reading her books when I was in middle school. I probably read this book in 2002, when I started working at my school; it would only have been 25 years old at that point. I've been doing a deep dive into weeding, and realizing that things I read 20 years ago should probably go. I shouldn't be so emotionally attached to so many titles. 

Byars, Betsy. The Pinballs
April 5, 1977 by HarperCollins
Library copy

Harvey is in foster care because his father is an alcoholic and ran him over with the car when he pushed his son out because the father wanted to go to the Elks Club to play poker instead of taking Harvey to an awards banquet. Carlie has an abusive step father, and Thomas J was abandoned at a farm when he was a baby, and the elderly twins who found him never turned him over to the authorities. When they both break a hip, he ends up in care. All three are with Mrs. Mason, who is very patient and has had many foster children. Harvey, 13, is understandably depresssed and dealing with his physical limitations, while Thomas J misses his "aunts" and is trying to get used to a new life. Carlie wants to watch television and is fairly rude to everyone. The three have to deal with their own issues and learn to get along with each other.
Strengths: For 1977, this was a great title about children who might not have traditional nuclear families, and the children are portrayed sympathetically. Carlie is the kind of smart mouthed, rather rude character that was considered innovative at the time. There was an Afterschool Special film of this that was very true to the book, starring a young Kristy McNichol. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZzAr5kTyfQ)
Weaknesses: There are so many dated references that this is hard to read. Sonny and Cher? Television programs at certain times? You go to the library to check out magazines? Like everything else, foster care has changed, and it seems unfair to give modern readers such a dated view of an experience they should try to understand if they are not part of. Granted, there are not a lot of books about foster care, which is why I think this one has persisted. Byars (who died in February of 2020) was also a much beloved and prolific author, and there are a lot of fond memories of her work.
What I really think: The copy I have is not in great shape, and having good memories of the Afterschool Special or of a letter I received from Byars is not enough reason to keep this title around.

Byars, Betsy. The Computer Nut

1984, Viking Kestrel

Library copy

I can't. I just can't. Kate is working on the computer in her father's office, drawing a picture of herself, when she gets a message. She has to go home, so can't get it until the next day. It turns out to be a space alien who wants to make contact, and tries to arrange to meet Kate and her friends. No! Kate! I don't know how you managed to get online (Prodigy? A university server?), but someone claiming to be alien? Clearly, predator. Run. Tell a trusted adult. Also, since the alien is CONSTANTLY TYPING IN ALL CAPS, it's clearly angry. 

To be clear: It is a space alien who contacts Kate, and not a creepy predator. But reading this through a 2022 lens creeped me out. 

I am embarassed that I kept this even for a unit on historical fiction.

Snow Foal and Deborah Sampson

Bailey, Susanna. Snow Foal

November 29, 2022 by Peachtree

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

When Addie's mother is no longer able to take care of her because of her struggles with alcohol, she is brought to Ruth and Sam's farm by her caseworker, Penny. Determined that her mother needs her, Addie does not want to make herself comfortable, and plans her escape from the beginning. She shares a room with Sunni, who is a bit prickly, and also has to deal with young Jude, who doesn't speak and is separated from his infant brother, as well as Gabe, Ruth and Sam's son. There is a lot to do on a farm, even during a cold and snowy winter, and Gabe asks Addie to help him with a foal that was found in bad condition. At first, they think it is an Exmoor pony, a wild breed that have a protected status. Gabe isn't able to get near the animal, but it takes to Addie, who manages to feed, brush, and otherwise care for the foal. Ruth is very understanding about Addie's circumstances, and tries to make her as comfortable as possible. Penny is truthful with her, and lets her know how her mother is doing in her struggles to take care of herself so that she can be prepared to take care of Addie. Unfortunately, she doesn't always show up to the meetings with Addie that are scheduled. When Addie finds out that the foal will most likely not be returned to its mother in the wild, she fixates on this, and makes plans to get the foal back into the wilderness. She does well, working with Jude, and he starts to communicate a bit, and she involves him in her plans. This turns out to be a good thing, because when she takes the animal back into the wild in the middle of the night, she becomes lost in the mist, but since Jude told Sunni, help is soon on its way. Sunni tells Addie that her actions might cause Ruth and Sam to be disqualified from being care givers, and Addie does feel some remorse. This turns out not to be the case, but Jude does get an offer of adoption. When the foal comes back to the farm, looking for care because it did not do well in the wild, Addie starts to wonder whether ot not she did the right thing, and reflects on her own circumstances as well. 

Strengths: Like Scarlet Ibis, Snow Foal gives us a good look at the foster care system in England, along with an enticing view of an English farm. Addie's feelings and concerns see true to life, and her transference of her feelings of longing for her mother to the foal are very realistic. It's good to see other points of view; Gabe was adopted by Sam and Ruth, so is more stable, Sunni still wants to see her mother but knows that it is increasingly unlikely, and Jude is too young to fully process his circumstances. Penny is portrayed more sympathetically than many social workers, which I appreciated. The real draw will be the wild foal, and Addie's ability to bond with it and take care of it. There's even a bit of adventure when Addie takes off into the night. 
Weaknesses: This might appeal more to elementary school readers; older readers might realize that taking the foal back to the wilderness is a very bad idea, while younger ones will think this is a reasonable course of action. 
What I really think: This was very similar to Peter's delightful Jasmine Green series, in that it has a good amount of details about taking care of animals on a farm. If Lackey's All the Impossible Things or Lorentz' Of a Feather are popular in your library, or if you have readers who have an insatiable need for horse books with a bit of problems like Stevenson's Lizzie Flying Solo, Snow Foal is an excellent choice. 

Anderson, Beth and Lambelet, Anne (illustrations)
Cloaked in Courage: Uncovering Deborah Sampson, Patriot Soldier 
November 15th 2022 by Calkins Creek
E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Deborah Sampson is a fascinating character, in part because so little is known about her life (1760-1827). After a difficult early life that lead to her parents sending her into indentured servitude at the age of five, Sampson worked in several places before deciding, after listening to recruitment speeches, to join the army and fight during the Revolutionary War. The first time she signed up for the bonus money, she did not actually join, and had to repay the bonus. When she signed up as Robert Shurtliffe, she saw some action and was wounded, but ran away from the hospital with shrapnel in her leg because she didn't want to be discovered. Later, she became ill with a fever, and a doctor found out her secret. She was fortunate enough to get an honorable discharge, and was not jailed, which was the fate of some women who tried to fight. The author has a good set of notes that discuss primary and secondary sources, as well as the challenges of writing researching a historical topic for a picture book. 

Strengths: Sampson is an interesting historical figure, and I can't think of any picture books covering her life, although there are at least three middle grade books: Klass' 2009 Soldier's Secret, Clapp's 1977 I'm Deborah Sampson: A Soldier In The War Of The Revolution, and McGovern's 1975 The Secret Soldier: The Story of Deborah Sampson. There's no coincidence that two of these were written around the time of the Bicentennial! This had appealing artwork that was reminscent of some portraiture of the time, and presenting the facts of the story without imposing too many modern preconceptions upon it. This would be a great book for elementary students covering the Revolutionary War or looking for individuals to research for biography projects. 

Weaknesses: I'm not sure that there is enough information for a longer middle grade biography, but that would certainly be something I would buy. 

What I really think: Probably won't purchase for my library, but definitely would for an elementary or public library. 

Futureland and Prank You Very Much

Hunter, H.D. Futureland: Battle for the Park

November 8, 2022 by Random House Books for Young Readers 

E ARC provided by Netgalley

**Slight Spoiler in Weaknesses**

Cam Walker is considered lucky by some; in 2048, his parents own the flying amusement park Futureland, and the family lives on site! Futureland travels around to various locations to dock, and Cam's parents have decided to visit Atlanta, Georgia for a year in order for Cam to attend a public school and spend time with his grandmother. His uncle, Trey, also works at the park. Cam is apprehensive about starting school, but also a little excited. His only friend has been Dooley, a "rev" (Biomechanical Fabric-revelation) who has been engineered to look like his sister and is similar to an android. He meets some nice kids at school, Yusuf, Rich, Angel, Earl, and they later come to the park. The roll out hasn't gone smoothly, though; there are gorilla revs that are malfunctioning, and a girl goes missing after the park's opening. Things get stranger and stranger as Cam's parents don't seem like themselves at all, and even Dooley begins to exhibit unusual behavior. The safe mode for the entire park seems to have been disabled! There's a developer in Atlanta, Blaise Southmore, who is trying to work with the Atlanta Disuse and Redevelopment Corporation (not a real life organizaion), but he seems evil, especially after Cam has seen his name on suspicious papers in his parents office. One of Cam's favorite parts of Futureland is the Obsidian Imaginarium, that reads people's minds and uses this information to create a world where they can act out their innermost dreams. Cam doesn't want to run Futureland when he grows up; he wants to be a detective, so there are some graphic novel type pages that show him as a film noir, trench coated detective, and he practices his skills trying to figure out what is going wrong with the park. His grandmother doesn't quite believe him, but since she's about my age, she's seen Westworld and knows that having robots at a theme park is a bad idea! When his uncle is implicated in the disappearance of not one but two Atlanta area girls, Cam steps up his efforts to find out what has happened to his parents and the park. It seems likely that the girls are also hidden at the park, and finding them might give him more insight into what has happened to Dooley. Will he and his new friends, who immediately support him when things go wrong, be able to save the day?
Strengths: Amusements parks are usually very appealing to young people, most of whom have either been to one or heard about them. Here in Ohio, we have both Cedar Point and King's Island within a couple of hours drive. Futureland had the same kind of vibe that Team Chu and the Battle of Blackwood Arena had; tweens don't have to save the whole world, but they do have to save a very cool, smaller bit of it. Cam manages to fit into his new school well even though his fellow students are very interested in his connection to the park, and it's good that he has allies for his fight. His grandmother is a fun character, and I rather wished she could have been more involved in helping him investigate. The best thing about the book is the 2048 setting and a really, really cool theme park. The inclusion of the illustrated pages is fun. 
Weaknesses: After (highlight to see text) Dooley meets a bad end, there is a new logo for Futureland of her silhouette. Since she has two Afro puffs, wouldn't this look like... Mickey Mouse? Also, I need more information about the docking. Is Futureland above the city? Parked in a field outside? I just couldn't envision it. Perhaps the description is there and I missed it. 
What I really think: This will be a big hit with fans of Mancusi's Dragon Ops and Zhao's Last Gamer Standing and is a great way to introduce readers who love video games to science fiction!

Peirce, Lincoln. Big Nate: Prank You Very Much
November 29th 2022 by Andrews McMeel Publishing 

Copy provided by the publisher

Like Destined for Awesomeness, this book is a graphic novel retelling utilizing television show stills based on the novels which continue the story of characters from Peirce's comic strip. 

Let that sink in just a moment. 

That said, I had this sitting at the circulation desk, and had to fend off children who saw it and wanted to grab it immediately. While they aren't familiar with the comic strip in the newspaper (which debuted in 1991), they do love the collections of strips and the novel series. A surprising number of them are familiar with the Paramount Plus series, which I have never seen. While I'm not a fan of the television stills as graphic novels, my students would read War and Peace if it cast Big Nate in the leading role. 

Nate is a much more relatable character than other protagonists of Notebook Novels; he means well, is egocentric in the particular way that middle school aged children are, and pursues his own agendas, but he isn't mean. I love Peirce's sense of humor, and while I find Mrs. Godfrey more relatable, can appreciate all of the scrapes and antics in which Nate embroils himself. I did find it a little unusual that DeeDee show up to a substitute teacher's house and is invited in for tea, and there's a more evil undercurrent to some of the story lines that has appeared in the novels or comic strip, but this will be popular with the legions of Big Nate fans. This would make an excellent gift, along with a tube of flourescent tooth paste, and maybe some zit cream. (Sadly, the tooth paste seems to be fictional. I was going to get some for my brother!)

Castle Redstone

Chadda, Sarwat. Minecraft: Castle Redstone (Minecraft #13?)

May 31, 2022 by Del Rey Books

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus
 

Rajah's father was a great explorer, the kind about whom songs are sung and stories written, so he wants to head out on an adventure. His support staff includes Pal and Faith, who  join him in his quest to leave the comfort of the Manor. To have a purpose for their mission, they consult the Mapmaker, who encourages them to pursue a trip to Castle Redstone that will result in great fortune and legendary status. They consider this, and in the meantime Raj fights Sir Tyrus over a slight to Raj's father, but his famous sword, Heartbreaker, is atomized into diamond dust for reasons that are unclear. Nevertheless, this motivates him to buy tools and the map from the Mapmaker and take off. They are first sucked into the Nether to obtain some netherite, and once again run into Sir Tyrus but decide to join forces. Pal and Faith are a little unsure about the journey, but they persist despite being attacked by fish on the way to the island where the castle is, having to go through a swamp, and defending themselves against a wolf pack. Raj has some existential angst about his compulsion to find fame, and the group gets lost and has to battle witches as well as a tremendous storm. They meet a friend of Raj's father, Harry, who says that the journey to Castle Redstone is horrible and they shouldn't go. Despite this, the group battles on after being attacked by zombies, black roses that make people sleep, and the Wither. Once they get to Castle Redstone, will they find the treasure that they seek? Will there be other adventures for the group, or is Castle Redstone itself the treasure that they hope to find. N.B. I have never played Minecraft. 

Strengths: Chadda's The City of the Plague God is probably  my favorite of the Rick Riordan Presents books, and his Ash Mistry (2012) series has circulated well with my students. He certainly brings a vast talent for fantasy writing and descriptions of battles to this book, and I appreciated how he even tried to work in Rajah's existential crisis. The journey is a bit different from most fantasy ones, which is great to see (how many more times do we have to travel under the mountains, or spend chapters and chapters going over them?), and I rather liked the ending, although I don't want to spoin it. There are certainly lots of good Minecraft details, and like many of the titles in the series, this feels a bit like the writer was taking notes while watching or playing the game, but I appreciated that there was a little bit more to the story. Minecraft players will certainly like this, but it also might appeal to fantasty fans who aren't as familiar with the game. 
Weaknesses: Why was Pal making a table at the inn? What's the deal with Sir Tyrus? Why are there pigs in armor in the Nether? Admittedly, I read very quickly and don't spend a lot of time analyzing details, because my goal is to be somewhat familiar with all the middle grade books ever. I occasionally found myself thinking "Wait. What?" but was unwilling to go back and try to figure out why fish were attacking people. This is where it would probably be helpful to be familiar with the game before reading the books. 
What I really think:  Another solid addition to the Minecraft series, and I'm glad that there are a wide variety of authors writing these. I will definitely pitch this author's books to children who read Castle Redstone. 

MMGM- Swift & Hawk: Cyberspies

It's

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
 at 

Always in the Middle 

and #IMWAYR day 

at 

Teach Mentor Texts 

and 

Unleashing Readers

Macx, Logan. Swift and Hawk: Cyberspies

November 22, 2022 by Walker Books US

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Caleb Quinn lives with his mother, Harper, a CIA agent, in London after the death of his father, a well known scientist. He attends ARC, a private school where he studies Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Cybertech. His best friend, Zenobia (Zen) is also the child of scientists. When leather jacketed hoodlums break into the Quinn home, Caleb uses technology he created, his FLEX, to spy on them, and hears his mother use code words to indicate he should flee. He manages to get out of the house and make his way to ARC, only to find that Professor Clay, whom he is supposed to contact, is not there, nor is Zen, who boards at the school. Zen has left a cryptic message with her android Beetlebat that leads Caleb to break into the British Museum and find a secret room where Zen is hiding. Her whole family has been kidnapped. Professor Clay shows up, but so does a small drone. Their position compromised, the three take off through the London sewers. The children get cut off from the professor, who has given them a mission to crack a code as part of the Moebius Programme, and they make their way to safety. The two decide to head to Amsterdam and contact a former schoolmate, Luuk, to help them. Caleb has been working on a video game called Terrorform that has become very popular, and has built on his father's AI program called SAM. Using their skills, Caleb and Zen start to unravel the mystery that involves enignmatic businessman Xavier Torent, Esperanza, APEX, and a diabolical plan that only the tweens can thwart. This takes them to the remote Norwegian island of Spøkelsøy where they have to fight nanowolves and outsmart Torrent to save Zen's family. Will they be able to find them, and locate Caleb's mother as well? 
Strengths: This reminded me a bit of Young's STORM series, with the British characters and the plethora of cool tech gadgets, as well as the kidnapped parents. There's lots of action and adventure as well as international travel that is taken for granted ("we'll just hop on the EuroStar and get to Amsterdam") that will be greatly appreciated by readers who are sitting in a study hall in Ohio with the only travel in their future being a possible trip out to an apple orchard in the country! Caleb and Zen both have a ton of tech and spy skills, and are pretty fearless as well. The villains are easy to identify, and they clearly have to be taken down because they are bent on world domination. There's clearly another mission in the works because Caleb was picking up APEX signals again at the end of the book. 
Weaknesses: I felt like I was missing a whole bunch about ARC, and I also didn't have a good feel for Caleb or Zen's personality. Will young readers care? Not so much. I was also a little irritated at the rarified, wealthy atmosphere; sure, this makes it a lot easier to go on missions, but it also made me less interested in the characters because they didn't have as much of a struggle. 
What I really think: Spy books are always very popular, and my students have loved going on vicarious spy missions for over twenty years! This will be hugely popular with fans of Horowitz's Stormbreaker (2000), Gilman's Devil's Breath (2005), Carter's Gallagher Girls (2006), Buckley's NERDS (2009), Muchamore's CHERUB series (2010), Gibbs' Spy School (2013) , Bradley's Double Vision (2014), McGee's Ryan Quinn (2016), and Ponti's City Spies (2020).

Honey and Me

Drazin, Meira. Honey and Me
October 18th 2022 by Scholastic Press

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

Milla and Honey have been friends for a long time, and there families spend a lot of time together sicne they attend the same synagogue. When Honey transfers to Milla's school because her mother wasn't happy with the education her autistic brother was receiving, Milla isn't as happy as she expected to be. Honey is better in school and apparently better at making friends, so the two are a bit at odds. There are plenty of other things going on in Milla's 6th grade year, however, including preparing for her bas mitzvah and for a speech competition. She likes her new teacher, Mr. Sandler, who likes some of the same books that Milla likes and is supportive of her aspirations. There are a lot of parties to attend, and Milla and her mother have a big difference of opinions when it comes to issues like the dresses she should wear. Like many children in 6th grade, Milla wants the opportunity to have the freedom to make her own mistakes; in one act of rebellion, Milla and Honey go to a local vintage store and buy outfits without asking permission. Milla's Aunt Steph supports her, but is 25 and recently involved with a man in the community, which makes Milla's mother happy, because she thinks that 25 is getting a bit old not to be married. As the school year continues, there are celebrations, school events, some sad occurences, and changes in the way that Milla relates to both her mother and to her best friend. 

Strengths: This had a great mix of family and friend drama with a lot of Jewish culture and tradition mixed in. There aren't too many books with children who attend religious schools, so seeing the classes that Milla and Honey took was interesting. Milla's conflict with her mother was realistic; the arguments over what is an appropriate dress for her bas mitzvah will speak to a lot of readers who can't get their mothers to understand that styles have changed since their mothers were young! A community death is handled well, and Milla and Honey are able to resolve their differences in a productive way. I appreciated the glossary at the back. 
Weaknesses: This was more character driven than a lot of middle grade books, and follows the standard plot of progressing through the school year. 
What I really think: There have been a lot of books lately with 6th grade protagonists that strike me as being written primarily for younger students. I'd love to see more middle grade books with 8th or 9th grade characters; even with the exact same plots and character exchanges, my students would be more apt to pick up books with older characters. This seemed a bit on the young side, although I can see my students picking this up because of the cover and hoping for a romance between the girls. I would buy this for an elementary school but will pass for my middle school. 

Friends Fur-ever

Tropper, Jana, Kote, Genevieve (illus.) and Lenoir, Axelle (illus.)
Animal Rescue Friends: Friends Fur-ever (#2)

November 8, 2022 by Andrews McMeel Publishing

E ARC provided by Edelweiss Plus

After their adventures in Animal Rescue Friends, Maddie and Bell start a new school year, and Bell really wants to join lots of clubs so that she can get into a good college. Sadly, Maddie is late because her dog Paxton ran off after a squirrel, and all of the blus are filled up. They eventually get a animal club at school, with Mrs. Wen as their advisor, since no one wanted to join her language arts club. New member Jimmy is with Maddie when they find and rescue a porcupine by cleverly luring it into a backpack, and the group spends time volunteering at the Oakville Gardens Assisted Living Facility. They even bring a rabbit in to visit Mrs. Fan, whose memory is failing, and who turns out to be Mrs. Wen's grandmother. Mrs. Wen is a little more enthusiastic about the group after this. They also try to put together a float for a parade even though the art club has sabotaged everyone's plans, and while they don't build a float, just marching as a group gets them a lot of donations for ARF. They also work on training Pendelton, a cat, to be a service animal, but don't have much luck with that. Luckily, he is adopted by a little boy who just needs a pet. 

Strengths: This had a more realistic look at school clubs, and I liked that it combined the pets with the senior facility. There are more than jsut cats and dogs portrayed, which is a little unusual for books dealing with rescue pets. Everyone works well together, with the exception of the evil art club, and the stories are upbeat and constructive. The artwork is clear and supports the text. 
Weaknesses: Because the chapters are small, comic book style vignettes, there's not much of a plot arc or character development. Jimmy was an interesting new addition, but after the porcupine episode, we don't see much of him. Younger readers will not care about this at all and will just enjoy the stories. 
What I really think: This has a good amount of words and a lower reading level for readers who might struggle with some of the more word heavy graphic novels. EPIC! does a great job with this kind of easier reader by making them more appealing, with brightly colored illustrations and shorter, easier to understand stories. I often get the feeling that my students don't actually READ graphic novels (if you bring it back 15 minutes later and I know it took me half an hour to read it, I have my doubts), but think that this is one they actually would.   

Farewell Friday: Just as Long as We're Together

Feel like a should have a "kill your darlings" sort of periodic post where I review really old titles I still have in my library that end up having to be weeded and go to a better place. Farewell Friday, perhaps? It also seems like I should wait until the author has died, but if a book is over thirty years old, do middle school students care? Hmmm. That's what we will investigate. 

Judy Blume is an icon, of course. Middle grade literature would not be what it is today without her seminal work like Are You There God, It's Me Margaret or Then Again, Maybe I Won't, and we all certainly learned a lot from Forever. But looking back, even in 2010 I was mentioning that her books weren't circulating well. I can't say I've missed Tiger Eyes, and am very glad that Deenie is no longer on the shelves. The dated cultural references are just going to confuse young readers, and we're getting to the point where these are too old to be their mother's books. Heading into grandma territory here. 

If you want more relevant books that accurately reflect the sometimes difficult world of today's adolescents, invest in the entire work of Barbara Dee instead. Don't replace Blume's work with fresh copies to encourage new readership. No matter what the covers look like, the content is just too old. 

Blume, Judy. Just as Long as We're Together. 

Published January 1, 1986 by Orchard Books, a division of Franklin Watts

Library copy

Stephanie is into hunks and has a poster of Richard Gere on the ceiling over her bed. Her family has just moved into a new house in the same community where they lived, so she still goes to the same school as her best friend Rachel. In the new neighborhood, she meets Allison, who was adopted by Vietnam by her mother, a famous actress. The three girls start hanging around together even though Allison is a bit odd; she claims that her dog can talk and recounts his exploits with her stepfather. There is a cute ninth grade boy on the bus to junior high, and Stephanie opines that maybe he has hair on his legs because he is sexually experienced. There's some drama over the fact that Rachel doesn't have the same homeroom teacher, but things generally go well. Stephanie's father is living in Hawaii for work, but eventually Stephanie finds out that her parents are having a trial separation. At one point, she has a disagreement with Rachel, but the two make it up and remain friends.

Strengths: This was a perfectly pleasant read, with some friend drama and some funny moments. It's held up better than I expected in some ways, and Blume's style is always very readable. It was interesting and a bit surprising that most of the mothers worked and had very professional jobs. Blume was notable for including information about periods, breast development, and other issues of puberty in her books, and there are several instances of this in this story.

Weaknesses: There's not much of a plot. It's the sort of realistic fiction book that starts at the beginning of the school year, but we only get as far as March, where a lot of the school has flu and the book just sort of ends. There were a lot of dated references to clothing styles, actors, products, and technology. My favorite part was when Stephanie wanted her own phone extension in her room, and found a device for $19.95. Her dad wasn't as concerned about the price as he was about her having a phone in her own room. He didn't like that.

What I really think: This book hasn't circulated for a good ten years, and I don't know that there is a point in keeping it. It's an okay story, but not as engaging as books today that would include more modern references. The first chapter was very hard for my students to understand, with the references to "hunks" and Richard Gere. I will probably weed this. 

Fourth Dimension

Walters, Eric. Fourth Dimension (Rule of Three #4)

February 6, 2018 by Penguin Teen Canada

Ohio Digital Library Copy

Emma and Ethan have had to move to a condo in the city after their mother, a former Marine and a nurse, and father divorce. Ethan likes their new home, but Emma does not, and complains about everything, even when her mother plans a fun family camping trip. This all becomes inconsequential when all the power goes out and the city erupts in chaos. Luckily, the family has a canoe in their storage unit and manage to get out of the city and camp on an island until they can figure out what's going on. They do come back briefly to grab supplies, but their apartment has been looted and they go quickly back. They've run into a few other people in their journey. Some, like Jimmie and Johnny are evil and trying to profit from the situation, but others, like Sam and his grandmother Chris on Ward's Island, who try to help. Ward's Island looks somewhat appealing, since it is an artsy community with some solar power and land for crops, but Ellen is wary of how well the area is protective from marauding hordes. The family soon joins up with three couples, one with a baby, who are living on a newarby island under picnic tables. They build makeshift shelters and eat a lot of fish, and when Ellen helps Ward's Island when it comes under attack, she and her group are asked to join. They do, taking over the cottage of a resident who was killed. The town thinks that they will be safe, even after many were killed in the attack, but Ellen takes them in hand and tries to get them to fortify the area and pool their resources. Emma makes friends with Willow, and the two come up with some ideas to make it look like the island is more heavily guarded than it is. This proves to be successful and saves them some grief. It also brings them to the attention of a community of veterans who have settled in the nearby airport. The two groups trade resources, and eventually the residents of Ward's Island move onto the airport site. When Adam, Lori, and Herb arrive from Eden Hills in Mustang airplanes, the groups all realize that there is a lot more danger in the world than they can imagine. The Division, a group of paramilitary sorts bent on taking over everything, has their eyes on the airport. Can everyone work together to keep the communities safe? 

Strengths: The Rule of Three and its sequels (Fight for Power and Will to Survive) have been HUGELY popular in my library. I have three very worn out copies, and it has fans that range from avid 8th grade boys to reluctant readers who love the story so much they aren't daunted by the length. There's something vastly appealing about a dystopia where survival is possible if difficult. Emma learns a lot of new skills and quickly learns that complaining doesn't help matters. Her mother is beyond awesome, with her no nonsense attitude and plethora of top notch skills. I love that the men never question her ability to lead. There's a lot of intrigue, and eventually seeing Herb and Adam was fantastic. There is a fifth book being written, and I absolutely can't wait. 
Weaknesses: I could have done with a little less of the attacks and a little more of the nitty gritty of survival, but that's just me. If I want that, I can always reread Pfeffer's Life as We Knew It (2007), where my favorite part was that the electricity would come on sporadically and the characters would rush to do laundry!
What I really think: I absolutely cannot wait for the fifth book! I'm not sure how I missed this fourth volume, other than perhaps it was marketed primarily in Canada. Walters does so many different kinds of books, and they are all good, so I will be paying closer attention from now on!