The King of Jam Sandwiches

Robbie can't control much in his life.  His dad doesn't pay any attention to him and sometimes just disappears.  His mother died when he was young.  Robbie keeps things together and works at being the best he can be and being prepared.   When Harmony comes into his life it is anything but harmonious.  She has a chip on her shoulder - mother in rehab and she is in foster care.  But despite the odds the 2 become friends.  Can these broken people help each other heal and even thrive?

This was really good - Harmony and Robbie were good together and the message was clear.  Maybe too heavy handed?

Don't Turn Out the Lights

This tribute to Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark will be a major hit.  All the Scary Stories editions are still popular in my school and this are a great addition to the canon - so excited to purchase and then watch kids fight over it :)

Spindlefish and Stars

This was a curious book.  I ended up enjoying it quite a bit but will the intended audience "get it"?

Clo's life has been in the shadows - her father is an old ex-painter who restores (and steals) works of art.  One night when he doesn't come home Clo sets off at their meeting spot.  When he still doesn't arrive a messenger gives her a note from her father and a ticket.  Clo doesn't understand at all what is happening especially when she arrives on an island where she can't understand anything and is put to work carding and spinning.  Eventually after nearly drowning and eating a strange soup she begins to understand.  She is living with her grandmother and Mischief the cat who weave (or damage in the cat's case) a tapestry.  But what exactly is the tapestry and how does it fit in with Clo's past and maybe her future.

On the island Clo meets Cary who at first is the only one who understands her.  Together the two friends rescue each other and set out on a new life.

The cool parts - the tie in to Greek mythology Fate and Icarus for example.  The language on the island was a neat trick (spoiler - it was written backwards).  it took me awhile to figure out and then I went back to read it all.  Will readers pick up on it?  It was a bit bizarre though... curious to see what my readers think.

Paola Santiago and the River of Tears

Paola's scientific mind has never had any room for her mom's superstitions and stories.  But when her best friend goes missing near the "haunted" river Paola begins to question everything.  Soon she and her other friend find themselves deep in a fight against all sorts of creatures.  Can Paola find Emma and close the rift before it's too late.

I am thrilled with Rick Riordan's continuing efforts to get books out there in folklore of other countries and cultures.  This Mexican inspired story was a lot of fun.

The Mulberry Tree

Immy's parents have just moved her away from Australia and her friends to a village in England.  They need to start over - especially her dad who is recovering from a traumatic incident.  In their search for a home they find a quant cottage but the realtor tries to steer them away because the cottage has a past - more specifically the mulberry tree in the yard has a past.  2 girls on the eve of their 11th birthdays disappeared and Immy is about to turn 11.  But her family isn't afraid and even though Immy has a strange connection to the tree and has experienced some weird things she tries not to be afraid either.  But maybe she should be?

This was a fun ride...  I did enjoy the ending.

Dress Coded

Enough is enough.  Molly Frost is sick and tired of her friends getting dress coded - shamed, punished, reprimanded for dress code infractions.  She decides to start a podcast where students can tell their stories and others can hear about how students are unfairly targeted and how it can be arbitrary.  Can Molly and her friends make a difference?

This was a good story about an issue that is quite prevalent in middle schools and high schools.  I felt it could have been trimmed down a bit - it seemed to lag in the middle for me but overall quite good and could lead to some healthy discussion on the topic.

Red Stars

This is kind of an odd story - or at least the format is.  The main gist is that twins Nadya and Viktor were sent away from their hometown to keep them safe after the German invasion of Russia.  But they were separated.  The story, told in diary entries and photos and documents by both children tells of their struggles to survive and to find each other.  The interesting part is that the book itself is an "investigation" into their crimes during this time by a top Russian.  Throughout the book he makes notes in their entries about the crimes they are committing, etc.  

I really liked the format and story at first but to me it got really long and tired by the end.  For readers who are really into a historical jaunt - especially Russia in WWII I think they will enjoy it.

Paris on Repeat

 

This was a fun RomCom with a Groundhog twist.  Eve is on her last day in Paris with her class.  She wants it to be romantic, she wants to tell Jace how she feels.  But everything goes wrong including Jace and her best friend Reggie kissing instead.  When Eve gets jealous and throws their "love lock" into the river the loop begins.  The next morning Eve starts reliving the day again with "advice" from the palm reader who sold the love lock in the first place.  But despite Eve's best efforts the day keeps repeating again and again.  Fortunately Reggie eventually joins in the loop and together they finally discover a way to end it.

Fun RomCom fluff piece :) 

 

Diana and the Island of No Return

This is a story of Diana as a young girl.  She is wishing to be trained but her mother is resisting.  When women and girls from other islands come to her home for a festival Diana is very excited, especially because she will see her best friend.  But when a boy shows up things get weird.  First, he shouldn't be there.  Then everyone except Diana and her friend are impacted by a potion that puts them all to sleep.  Augustus knows he can make a cure but they have to go back to his island where a demon has the whole island hypnotized and he is waiting to capture Diana.

There was some good action here and readers might enjoy it just for that.  For those familiar with Diana's story the ill recognize some names and objects.  

The Elephant's Girl

When Lexington was small a tornado ripped through the town of Lexington and she was found afterward, alone except for the elephants.  Since then she has been cared for by a zoo employee and has an affinity for the wind and the elephant who was sheltering her.  But life hasn't been easy - she is home schooled because of the teasing she received and lately things have gotten weird with her and her best friend Fisher.  When she decides to start exploring more of her past she meets a "misplaced spirit" who talks to a missing treasure.  This sends Lex on a hunt for the treasure and her past.

This was a solid middle grade book - Lex was a cool character who learns and grows.  The few tropes were resolved in unique ways so the book didn't seem "tired" to me.  I enjoyed it.

Scritch Scratch

Claire is not really a fan of her father's obsession and business with ghost hauntings and tourism.  She takes a more scientific approach to things.  But, when a ghost starts following her and demanding her attention after she helps her father one night her opinions change rapidly.  But what does the ghost want and how can she help.  Claire is also struggling with her best friend, school issues, and her brother but eventually has to smooth things over in order to get to the bottom of the mystery.

I enjoyed this ghost story mainly because of the historical aspect, especially the spotlight on a lesser known incident.

When Life Gives You Mangos

Ciarra lives on an island - for tourists it is an exotic location, for her it's home.  She has friends, routines, games, drama.  Lately though there have been issues...something happened last summer and she can't remember it and her best friend is acting strange.  Fortunately a new girl arrives to visit and she is full of adventure.  Can Ciarra ever face the ghosts of her past and move on perhaps even healing old wounds along the way?

This was a decent book.  There is a pretty big surprise near the end but it almost felt too late and I wasn't sure there were enough "hints" along the way.

Doodleville

Drew's Doodles are special... they come to life and are her friends.  But they can be a bit mischievous which sometimes causes issues with her friends.  In an effort to create something new and bigger Drew draws Levi a leviathan.  But Levi feeds into her emotions and goes rogue.  Can Drew and her friends find a solution?

I am not typically a graphic novel fan but I loved this! 

A Beginner's Guide to Goodbye

It has been a year since Laney's sister died in an accident.  It will be the first summer without her at the cottage near the ocean.  Can Laney's family recover?  Can Laney make new friends and forgive herself?

Unfortunately for me this story never had much depth... too many things happening but I never really felt connected to any of the characters or the conflict.

The Summer We Found the Baby

This was quite the interesting book - historical and a bit of a mystery as well.  It starts out on the morning of a new children's library dedication and Julie and her sister Martha find a baby on the library steps.  Julie, who would love a new baby sister, picks up the baby and starts to take her to a nearby army base.  Bruno, a former best friend, sees this and follows.  Then the story goes back to events leading up to that and we hear Julie, Martha, and Bruno's take on different things.  Everything is revealed in bits and pieces until it all becomes clear in the end.  It is an interesting bit of storytelling and I can see teachers working with students to dissect it.  I enjoyed it.

No Vacancy

Miriam is not happy that her family has moved from the only life she knew to a rundown town in upstate NY to run an equally rundown motel.  She does make friends quickly with Kate whose grandmother runs a diner next door and with the maid Maria who teaches her Spanish but unless things pick up soon they will all go bankrupt.  When Kate and Miriam "see" a face in the cracks of an old drive in they make it seem like it is the Virgin Mary - which is weird since Miriam is Jewish.  The sighting catches on bringing lots of business to town but Miriam feels guilty about fooling people.  With the new found fame comes some racist graffiti and Miriam's mom, who struggles with an incident from her past, isn't sure she can stick around.  But when near tragedy strikes they found out what a real community is.

This was a good story.  I like seeing more books where people of different backgrounds are acknowledged, appreciated, and accepted.

Orphan Eleven

The Home for Friendless Children is not the greatest orphanage.  Lucy and 3 other children find an opportunity to run away and take it.  But the people in charge come after them.  Fortunately the children find someone to help and after a few days they find themselves at a circus.  All 4 children are hoping to find a job with the circus but Lucy s having the most trouble because she has stopped talking.  She finally gets a job working with a baby elephant but then the people in charge catch up to her and take her - and only her - back to the orphanage.  But why?  Why is she some important.  Interspersed with this is Lucy's sister who has finally found out where Lucy is and is trying to get her back.  Will Lucy ever be reunited with her sister and get back to the circus?

I really liked this historical fiction book.  Lucy and her friends were good characters and there was some interesting context with a study on selective mutism.  I wish there had been a bit more between the 2 sisters because I felt that the action lagged a bit until that subplot really got moving.

Poisoned Water

I must confess that although I knew about the Flint water crisis I did not really "know" about it.  I am not one to follow the news and really delve into issues.  This book was eye opening and very sad.  That something like this could happen and be covered up is so disturbing.  Is it a "good" book - yes in that it is well researched and honest.  Was it enjoyable - no.  Should it be in my library - yes.

War is Over

John's father is off fighting and his mother works in a munition's factory.  All around him - his teachers and community members are telling him he is at war.  But John doesn't feel like he is at war - he's just a kid.  After seeing a conscientious objector with photos of German children and visiting the munitions factory John comes to realize even more that he is not at war and does not like it.  He also decides that after the war he will go to Germany someday and be one that spreads peace.

A short tale but powerful.

Primer

Her dad's in jail and Ashley has been in and out of foster care.  Her newest home seems okay but Ashley isn't so sure about the lady of the house.  When she accidentally finds a suitcase of mysterious paints in her new mom's closet things get really interesting.  The paints give her superpowers.  But there is a soldier who was supposed to have the paints as part of a military experiment and he is not happy.  Can Ashley defeat the soldier and save her new family?

I really liked this - bright and colorful, girl superhero with really cool powers.

Anti/Hero

Piper and Sloane both have alter egos.  Sloane is super smart and is using that ability to steal things to help out her mom and their home situation.  Piper is super strong and wants to be a superhero but she sometimes makes a mess of things.  Soon after meeting a new device makes them actually switch bodies.  Can they figure out how to repair the device, keep their secrets safe, and maybe become friends?
I am not always a graphic novel fan but I did like this one.

The Egyptian Mirror

Simon's family has recently moved into his grandfather's old house and things have been weird.  Simon has come down with a mysterious illness that comes and goes but leaves him exhausted and weak.  One bright spot is the friendship he develops with an elderly neighbor who has a historic interest in mirrors.  Simon starts to appreciate the mirrors, but one, an Egyptian mirror, seems particularly fascinating.  This becomes even more so when the neighbor tells him of its history and starts to become paranoid about someone trying to steal it.  When the neighbor dies and the mirror disappears things get even stranger with mysterious heirs showing up.  What is this mirror and can they figure it out before it's too late.
In concept the book was pretty cool.  But the "villain" was never developed enough, the ending and confrontation when it finally arrived was too little, too late, and too easy.  Then his mysterious illness - which should have been tied more to the plot ending was just not.  

The Screaming Hairy Armadillo...

This book was just fun - crazy names of some crazy animals with brief blurbs about each.  I read an eARC from Netgalley and will be curious to see the final version.  I felt that some of the illustrations were not finished and so I'd like to see what it looks like.  My students will enjoy this accessible, quirky book.

Turtle Boy

Will is super self conscious about his face - mainly his chin that is really small and makes him look like a turtle.  He gets teased about it at school.  Ironic that he actually loves turtles.  He can have surgery to correct the issue - but his dad died in surgery years ago and he is terrified.  In fact, if he's honest he is terrified of a lot.  
With his bar mitzvah coming up Will needs to do a mitzvah - something good for someone.  His rabbi finally talks him into going into the hospital to meet a boy who is really sick.  At first Will hates it but as he gets to know RJ his life is changed forever.
I really loved this - friendship, internal struggles, grief, hope, even a bit of a romance.  I am worried that the 400 pages will deter some readers.  I read it on my iPad in about 2 1/2 hours though - the chapters are relatively short and it was fairly engaging throughout.  

When I Hit the Road

Samantha is not thrilled to be going to Florida for the summer with her mom.  It's not like she doesn't want to spend time with her mom and grandmother, but it's a spy mission in an old people's neighborhood.  Then when her mom is called away on work it becomes worse.  Because now Samantha has to make sure her grandmother doesn't get sick and doesn't get into trouble.  Easier said than done because they are about to embark on a road trip across Florida with a neighbor and her cute grandson in order to enter a Karaoke contest.  But one thing after another happens... will this be a trip to remember or one they'll never forget?

The story itself was good.  I really wasn't a fan of the format.  I get the point and how it fit in the story but I just kept thinking - won't Samantha's future self remember all or most of this?

The Super Miraculous Journey of Freddie Yates

After the death of his grandmother Freddie learns what his real dad's name is.  He is a bit freaked out - his mom died, his grandmother died, and the person he calls dad isn't his real dad and he could die anytime (not in any danger but you never know).  So Freddie decides to go looking for his dad with his two friends using information they found on the internet.  Of course. things do not go as planned and they find themselves hunted by a thief, the subject of numerous false news reports, and on an adventure they will never forget.

Putting aside the theme of running off that kids seem to be doing a lot in books I have read lately this was a fun adventure - madcap and unrealistic but fun.

The Space Between Lost and Found

Cassie's mom is suffering from early onset Alzheimers.  It has affected Cassie's schoolwork, friendships, artwork.  She just wants her mom to go back to the way she was.  She just wants her mom to remember her name.

One of the things Cassie's mom loves is swimming in the ocean and she once had an opportunity to swim with dolphins.  Cassie hopes that if she can find a way for her mom to do that again maybe she will have a new memory, maybe she will remember her.

A sad story - the inevitable decline of Alzheimers happening to a mom with a younger child.  Cassie was trying so hard.  The book is a sold middle grade book.  I felt there were things that could have been developed more fully - more with her art perhaps or more with her friend.  It didn't seem fully realized to me.

Ways to Make Sunshine

Ryan's family is going through a lot of changes.  Because of her dad's job change and lower pay they move to a much smaller house.  Her mom is also expecting a new baby.  Ryan is also dealing with friend issues and self love.  
And that's it...  there were some really cute scenes and messages.  There were things that had potential but didn't go far enough.  This wasn't bad for a beginning chapter book reader but not enough meat for my typical audience of middle schoolers.

Foreverland

Margaret is done.  She is so done that she decides to run away to one of the last places her whole family was happy - Foreverland.  She has her backpack, some money, and a bit of a plan. Things are going well until she starts seeing a boy pop up all over the place.  Then he saves her from choking and she sees him more than ever. Who is he and why is he following her? She soon discovers that Jaimie is like her - a runaway to Foreverland.  But how long can they keep it up before they get caught?

This was a fun read.  It was a bit light and highly improbable - I wish there had been a bit more back story and a more satisfying conclusion.

Beast: Face-to-Face with the Florida Bigfoot

People say it was probably a large animal in the road that caused the car crash.  But Adam knows what he saw.  Now his parents have disappeared and Adam wants answers because no one believes him.  After doing some research online Adam finds another person who claims to have seen a Bigfoot in their area.  So Adam runs away in search of him, and then after hearing his story, in search of Bigfoot.

Adam's experiences over the next two months are harrowing - alligators, losing his boat and supplies, near starving.  But...he does see them and learns way more than he thought he would.  What does he do with the knowledge now?

I liked it.  Moderately short, action, survival... a good read.

The List of Things That Will Not Change

When Bea’s mom and dad got divorced she started a list of things that wouldn’t change - primary being that they all still loved each other and would always be a family.  What has changed it that her dad started dating Jesse and was planning on getting married. While Bea was excited about having 2 dads she was nervous about meeting her new sister.  She was also carrying a secret about something she did in anger. Can Bea learn to forgive and be forgiven and learn to be part of a new family?

Not gonna lie - the ending didn't work for me. I know there was a tie in back to the beginning of the book but the thread wasn't strong enough for me...

This was a solid middle grade fiction book.