Category: Five Star Reviews

REVIEW: That's Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger

REVIEW: That’s Not What Happened by Kody Keplinger

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Three years ago on March 15, there was a shooting at Virgil County High School. Nine people were killed. Six students survived their encounter with the shooter.

The story is that Lee’s best friend, Sarah, died proclaiming her faith to the shooter. Lee was with Sarah when she died. And she knows Sarah never talked to him. However that rumor got started, the faith community in Virgil County, and Sarah’s parents are really attached to the story of Sarah’s martyrdom. In fact, Sarah’s parents are writing a book about Sarah. And they plan to include the story about the shooting in the book.

Lee loved Sarah like a sister. She can’t stomach the thought that the thing everyone wants to remember about her best friend is a lie. Sarah should be remembered as she really was.

So Lee asks the other survivors to write up their experiences from the shooting. Not everyone is eager to dig deeper into their memories of that awful day. And one of the six has left town and doesn’t want to be found. But her story is the one people need to hear most of all.

Review

Wow! This was stunningly good. I loved the emphasis on the survivors and the aftermath of the shooting. Most of the active shooter stories I have read have focused on the event itself. The focus here was on how the survivors are dealing with the trauma. I’m fascinated by the research the author must have done. I can’t help but think of the kids who have experienced a real school shooting this year and how they might be coping or struggling.

The hook for me was the martyrdom piece of this. The story started innocently, but the people were so attached to that narrative, they became awfully un-Christian to anyone who questioned it. This whole piece of the story was captivating.

As Lee pursued the whole story from all of the survivors, she also had to wrestle with WHY she needed to know. What was she willing to risk to have the whole story? What were the others willing to risk to share their truth? This would be an amazing book club book – for teens or for adults. SO many great details and characters to discuss. I highly recommend this book!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Reckless Club by Beth Vrabel

REVIEW: The Reckless Club by Beth Vrabel

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Running Press Kids in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

  • Jason, The Nobody
  • Lilith, The Drama Queen
  • Wes, The Flirt
  • Ally, The Athlete
  • Rex, The Rebel

Five teens spend their last free Saturday before starting high school at the Northbrook Retirement Village. This is their penance. Because of their choices at the end of eighth grade, they have “detention.” This day of service will be their punishment and will hopefully teach them something so that they make better choices in the future.

The kids may have gone to the same middle school, but that doesn’t mean they are friends. Jason rarely strings a whole sentence together, but his sketch book tells a lot of stories. Lilith is hoping to redeem the day by developing character ideas from some of the elderly folks at the Village. Wes turns on the charm and has everyone eating out of his hand. Ally has her father’s words ringing in her ears – complaints that this is a lost day of practice, and admonishments to make up for it wherever she can. Rex is the one they all know. Her anger is legendary around the school.

What will happen when these five students come together for a day of service and senior citizens?

Review

This is The Breakfast Club meets The Golden Girls. And it’s outstanding! I loved everything about this – the characters, the humor and the heart. A slam dunk from start to finish.

The kids take turns telling the story, like a Rob Buyea novel (Saving Mr. Terupt, The Perfect Score, etc.), which is a structure I love in middle grade novels. It allows the reader to be in the head of a variety of characters and personalities. But the students in this weren’t the only great characters. The elderly folks at Northbrook were so fun! Agnes was my absolute favorite, although there were several close seconds. And the dynamic between the facility manager and the kids’ principal was a hoot!

For 80% of the story, the reader is learning the characters, watching them warm up to each other and then push each other away. The reader is putting the various puzzles together. And just when you have a good feel for everyone, the author hits you with the heart. All the build up pays off. I was surrounded by a pile of tissues for the ending. It was perfect. I was sad to see the story come to an end. I would love to spend more time with these characters – both the elderly ones and the teens. There are several nods to The Breakfast Club, but they are subtle and clever and fit right in without being a distraction.

This is my new favorite middle grade for 2018. It’s been a great year for middle grade, and this is a terrific addition to the collection.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++

REVIEW: The Supervillain and Me by Danielle Banas

REVIEW: The Supervillain and Me by Danielle Banas

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Abby Hamilton knows more about the superheroes around the town of Morriston than most people. And she’s not impressed. When you’ve known the Red Comet your whole life, because he’s your older brother, some of the mystique is lost. Rather than an awe-inspiring superhero, he’s just the same goofball she’s always loved.

But there’s a new superpowered guy in town. The Iron Phantom. At least that’s what they are calling him on the news. After finding video of him setting fire to the mayor’s office, they’re also saying he’s a supervillain. Abby’s not sure what to believe.

Iron Phantom saved her from a mugger with a knife. He fed a homeless guy. How can that same guy be this awful villain the news says he is?

Iron Phantom insists he isn’t a villain. He was in the mayor’s office because he thinks the guy is up to something. (The mayor happens to be Abby’s dad.) But the other things he’s being blamed for weren’t him. Abby wants to believe him. She even thinks she might know who he really is! But the sister of the city’s biggest superhero really shouldn’t be falling for a villain.

Review

This was fantastic! This lived up to and exceeded all my hopes for this based on the description. I love superhero stories and teen romances, and this was a great example of both. It’s smart, funny, romantic and engaging.

Abby is awesome. She’s bright and strong yet cautious with this new super in town. But the chemistry between them is too strong for her caution to hold out for too long. I enjoyed the puzzle of Iron Phantom’s true identity. The author did a good job of keeping the reader guessing, although I think most will have a favorite they hope it will be. I loved that Abby is a hero in her own way without any of the powers the other supers around her have.

The mystery/conflict is not complex or especially intricate. The first question is who Iron Phantom is and if he is a good guy or a bad guy. Then it’s what’s up with the city government. Finally it’s the kids’ efforts to foil the bad guy plot. But I was along for the ride with these terrific characters no matter what happened.

Aside from a couple minor plot questions and my frustration with the cover photo (which doesn’t match Iron Phantom’s description at all), everything else about this was perfect for me. Highly recommend. (Some language)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Made Like Martha by Katie M. Reid AND The Family Bible Devotional by Sarah Wells

REVIEW: Made Like Martha by Katie M. Reid AND The Family Bible Devotional by Sarah Wells

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of both of these books from Netgalley – Made Like Martha from WaterBrook and The Family Bible Devotional from Discovery House. All opinions are my own.]

Made Like Martha: Good News for the Woman Who Gets Things Done – Summary

Luke the gospel writer shares a story of two sisters. Martha bustles around getting things ready for the Messiah’s visit while Mary sits at Jesus’ feet. Martha becomes frustrated and asks Jesus to make her sister help out. Jesus refuses, saying Mary is in the right place.

This passage seems to shame the do-ers of the world, saying they aren’t okay in the eyes of Christ. And when Marthas are shamed into trying to be Marys they fail, and the shame is compounded.

Katie M Reid offers Marthas another way to look at this interaction with Jesus. “What if God wasn’t asking me to be Mary but instead loved me for being Martha? (pg 10)

Review

It’s like this book was personally written just for me! I loved this from the very first chapter of the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) and immediately ordered a copy for myself so I could write in it and highlight pages to my heart’s content. I adore this book and it’s message for a do-er like me.

Each chapter includes an application activity as well as personal anecdotes, Bible stories and commentary on the scripture. There are also a few assessments and action steps (including an emphasis on spending time with God) for readers to try. There are links and websites for extra resources and a five-session Bible Study that readers can work through either after reading the book or along side as they read.

I think this would be an excellent study resource! I highly recommend this book!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

The Family Bible Devotional: Stories from the Bible to Help Kids and Parents Engage and Love Scripture – Summary

This is a devotional Bible study for families. It includes a passage of scripture, some discussion questions, kid-friendly activities, a prayer prompt and some background information. The author gives some tips for parents that are well-reasoned – things like keeping the emphasis on the activities, down playing questions if they aren’t grabbing the kids attention, keeping things engaging so the kids want to dig into scripture, etc.

Devotions are from both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The scripture passages are included in the book, so you don’t have to pull out a separate Bible. The book uses various translations – NLT, NIV, The Message and the NRSV.

Review

This is a well-organized devotional for families that focuses on the Bible as the source material. Sometimes devotionals only have one verse of scripture along with a story. I love that this is more Bible based. The activities seem like things that will work well for kids – art activities, build an “ark” out of living room furniture, go for a hike – and hopefully connect them to the story. The author doesn’t shy away from stories like David and Bathsheba or the woman caught in adultery, but they are handled in an appropriate way for families willing to dig into those stories with their kids. I think this would be a terrific resource for families who want to add a spiritual component to their family time but aren’t sure how to structure it on their own.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart

REVIEW: Grace and Fury by Tracy Banghart

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Serina has trained all her life it seems to be a Grace. The Superior of Viridia has chosen three women of beauty and refinement to be his Graces every three years for ages. And now it is his oldest son, Malachi, the Heir’s turn.

Nomi is wild where her sister is meek. Their culture holds little value for women. They aren’t allowed to go to school or learn to read. They have no real choices in their own lives. And Nomi hates it. How could Serina choose the empty, shallow life of a Grace? Nomi has a duty to her family to be Serina’s handmaiden, but she doesn’t have to like it or do it without complaint.

Things with the Heir don’t go at all like Serina expected. One heated exchange in a hallway with Nomi and he chooses HER to be one of his Graces. Serina is relegated to handmaiden status. And if that’s not bad enough, Nomi is keeping a secret that could get their whole family in trouble. But Serina is caught and blamed instead.

Now Nomi is alone at the palace, unsure of who she can trust and desperate for any scrap of news about what happened to her sister. And Serina has been given a punishment usually reserved for the worst female offenders – prison on the volcanic island Mount Ruin.

Review

This was excellent! Initially I wanted more world building and character development up front. The rules for the world were unclear, and the action starts immediately. But I only felt off kilter for a couple chapters before everything was clear. And once I hit that point I couldn’t put the book down until I was finished.

The characters are great. I was furious with Nomi whose own carelessness and rebellious nature ruined her sister’s life. But the evolution of Serina through her trials was fantastic.

The story was riveting – the fight for survival, the alliances and betrayals, the secret source of the misogynistic culture of Viridia. And the action runs clear up to the final page with no happily-ever-after in sight. I loved it!

I saw one of the twists coming only because it’s been done before in another series I read. But the author really did a great job setting it up. Readers who have read that other series might recognize the set up, too. But others will be delightfully caught off guard. I have no complaints for this – just praise. This is fantastic. I’ll be counting down the days until the sequel! (Violence)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon and Dean Hale

REVIEW: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl: Squirrel Meets World by Shannon and Dean Hale

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Doreen Green is new in town. She had to leave her friends – squirrel and human – behind in California. But her mom insists there are lots of squirrels in New Jersey, so Doreen will get to make new squirrel friends. And there’s always her junior high school for human friends.

Sure enough, Doreen’s first friend in New Jersey is a squirrel named Tippy-Toe. Doreen saves Tippy from a high tech squirrel trap. Since Doreen also speaks squirrel and has a bushy squirrel tail, Tippy decides she might be okay.

Doreen’s first human friend is a girl at school named Ana Sofia. They initially bond over Doreen’s efforts to brush up on her sign language to help her communicate better with Ana Sofia in the loud lunchroom. Then they also click over some of the mysterious things going on in town – stolen bikes, vandalism, wild dogs and now the squirrel traps. Ana Sofia discovers Doreen’s secret when Doreen starts dealing with some of the neighborhood crime. And she encourages “Squirrel Girl’s” efforts to clean up their community. But their activities catch the eye of the local super villain, the Micro Manager. And he’s determined to make his reputation by destroying Squirrel Girl.

Review

This was outstanding! It took me a little while to find a rhythm with the story. There are footnotes all through the book – like in Hale’s Ever After High series – which I found tiresome at times in that series. And it takes a little while for Doreen to find her footing in her new community, which also made it hard for me to connect to the story. But once she had carved out a little niche for herself, I was hooked.

The characters are fantastic. I love Doreen and Ana Sofia. Doreen’s parents are a hoot – they are completely enamored with Doreen so they have a hard time disciplining her when she’s saving the day, even though they want her to stay safe. The sections with the villain reminded me of another awesome superhero series – N.E.R.D.S. by Michael Buckley. Both are smart and funny with excellent action and pacing.

The story is terrific – a classic superhero/supervillain tale – but with squirrels. The chapters when Tippy tells her story are some of my favorites. She has a great voice for the story. My other favorite parts were the text exchanges between Doreen and various Marvel heroes. They’re smart and funny and remind the reader that Squirrel Girl is part of the Marvel universe (a veiled reference to DC comics was also funny).

This was a treat all the way around. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the story, the world building – all of it! I bought book 2 immediately after finishing this one, and it is on my TBR pile right now.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Future Will Be BS Free by Will McIntosh

REVIEW: The Future Will Be BS Free by Will McIntosh

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Delacorte Press in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

In a dystopian future, the president is running for her fourth term (she had term limits canceled) after Russia destroyed our economy in retaliation for us winning the Sino-Russian War. The president has made it so people can be jailed for calling her names and she controls the media. She markets everything from champagne to steaks to energy drinks with her name and likeness on them. The world is corrupt and everyone knows it.

Theo had the idea first – a cheap, portable lie detector that uses brain imaging to know definitively when people were lying. Sam, Molly, Basquiat, Boob (it’s a long story), and Rebe were the team of teens helping him develop the prototype.

When a man offers the kids $8.5 million for all their research and designs (as well as a non-disclosure agreement), the dollars dace around in Sam’s head for awhile. He’s basically been in this for the money they could make since the beginning. The government has shut down his school and fired their teacher. They also stopped providing bionic upgrades for his mom, a war vet who lost her legs. The only reason they haven’t lost their house is that there’s no one around who could buy it from the bank if they foreclosed. But Sam and the rest are afraid the ones wanting to buy the device could use it for their own dishonest purposes. So they aren’t selling.

When Theo is killed and the buy out offer starts to sound like a threat instead of an opportunity, the kids trace the money back to its source. They discover they are in way over their heads. Powerful people with unlimited resources will do whatever it takes to get the device, even if they have to eliminate a handful of kids.

Review

This was fantastic! The dystopian world is absolutely believable if you watch the news today. The kids are smart (although their characters aren’t developed a whole lot – the focus of this is more on the action of the story) There’s a ton of action as the kids are fighting to stay alive. The people who use lies to get power and money won’t roll over when all of their lies are in jeopardy.

The book exposes the fact that we all have secrets – sins and shame – and some of us lie or hide to protect those things. Others lie in pursuit of wealth or power. The kids in this aren’t squeaky clean either. Some readers have had strong reactions to what they confess (including sex, voyeurism, an eating disorder). The flaws or secrets of the characters are part of why I enjoyed this. It doesn’t shy away from some of the harder pieces – the trauma of war, facing your own shameful choices, confessing them to others, and hopefully learning from them.

The fall out of what happens in the story when the device goes public was far more interesting to me than anything else. If a culture and society goes so far down the path of dishonesty and self-interest and manipulation where no one is held accountable, how can it ever turn back to integrity? This is an important question to me. I expected that the whole story would be about the quest to take the device public and not die. But this was even better than that! The real drama kicked in for me when the device was public and everything fell apart. I’d love to dig into this with some teens and hear their thoughts on this engaging story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Breakout by Kate Messner

REVIEW: Breakout by Kate Messner

Posted on by Jaymie

[Thanks to the folks at Netgalley and Bloomsbury Children’s Books for the opportunity to read an electronic review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Nora is breaking out her journalism skills for the Wolf Creek Time Capsule project. Five letters for the time capsule will get her extra credit for 8th grade English class in the fall.

Elidee and her mom just moved to Wolf Creek from New York City to be closer to Elidee’s older brother who is in the prison at Wolf Creek. Elidee hates being the new kid for the last two weeks at school. If that doesn’t make her stand out enough, she’s also only the second African American in her grade. It doesn’t take long before the whispers start following her down the school halls.

All of Nora’s expectations for writing about Wolf Creek Traditions like the Middle School field day vanish when two inmates break out of the maximum security prison that employs most of the folks in town.

The prison break changes everything. Nora’s dad, the prison supervisor, is under a lot of pressure to explain what happened. Elidee and her mom are cut off from her brother when the prison goes into lock down. The whole town is on edge, afraid the inmates are still in the area, armed and dangerous. The break out shows Nora, her friend Lizzie, and Elidee things about the “quiet, friendly town” they never experienced before.

Review

This was exceptionally good! The three main characters were a delight. Elidee has a great perspective on life in her new town. Her affinity for Hamilton and poetry was a great piece of the story. I loved Lizzie’s humor and her satirical news articles. But I connected the most with Nora. The “stages” she goes through regarding the racial issues in the story – oblivious to questioning to wanting to change – felt a lot like my own experience over the last couple years. It’s honest, and I loved it.

The time capsule is the vehicle that makes the story possible. It gets the kids writing – something else I loved about this story. The whole story is told in letters and transcripts of conversations or news reports. It’s such a fun format! The escaped inmates are hardly in the story, but they impact every character as well as the town’s sense of self.

This is the perfect sort of middle grade book for me. There are fantastic characters learning and growing through challenging life experiences. There’s an emphasis on writing as well as great pop culture tie ins. And the story makes me think.  This would be a great fit for any 5th to 8th grade classroom and school library as well as home collections. I highly recommend this book.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Belle AND Ella by Sarah Price

REVIEW: Belle AND Ella by Sarah Price

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of Ella from Netgalley and the publisher, Zebra. All opinions are my own. ]

Belle: An Amish Retelling of Beauty and the Beast – Summary

Belle’s father wasn’t really cut out to be a farmer. In his heart and his mind he is an inventor. Unfortunately, inventing doesn’t bring in any money if no one will buy his designs. As the youngest of three daughters still at home, Belle knows the best she can do is be sure the house is cared for, complete her chores, and hope maybe one of her sisters will get married. A husband could help with the things her father doesn’t do on the farm.

But an accident puts their whole family in jeopardy. Her father is woefully behind on the mortgage, his latest invention was destroyed in the accident before he could sell it, and in desperation he sold the family’s home and farm to the reclusive Adam Hershberger.

Belle knows the townspeople sometimes call Adam a “beast” because of his scars from a fire years ago. His gruff manner doesn’t help that reputation. But Belle is desperate to help her family. So she agrees to marry Adam if he will let her family stay at the farm.

Review

This was delightful! Beauty and the Beast is my favorite of the Disney princess stories. This Amish twist on the story was terrific. Early on, the parallels to the Disney version were almost too on point. But after the wedding, the story developed its own flavor and details that were original and perfect for the context.

I loved Belle and Adam. The Beast-ish moments – the growling, the secrecy, the anger and bitterness – were frustrating. Why wouldn’t he just TALK to her? I loved how Belle stood up to the people in the community for her husband even when she wasn’t sure where she stood with him. The only disappointment for me was the lack of a library scene!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

 

Ella: An Amish Retelling of Cinderella – Summary

Ella Troyer was a teenager when her father told her he was getting married again. Her mother had been gone for awhile and Ella needed a woman in the house to teach her all she would need to know as an adult in the Amish community. His new bride was a widow from another town who had two girls around Ella’s age. Even though her father had never met the woman before, they were to become a  family.

Six years later, Ella is a virtual servant in her family home. After her father’s death, Ella’s step-mother took over his business – the town’s general store – and Ella became the sole caretaker of the home She did all the chores around the house, tended the garden and the livestock, and did all the cooking.  If her step-sisters didn’t want to work their shifts at the store, she also did that. Between her fear of her step-mother and the promise she made to her dying mother, Ella felt she had to take the high road and suffer through all of the abuse without complaint, hoping God would eventually set things right.

When the store starts having money trouble, Ella’s step-mother starts looking into taking on a partner for the business. The family considering the deal sends one of their sons to check out the Troyer family and the business. Hannes is smart and funny. He makes Ella feel special and important. But Ella’s step-mother is determined to drive Hannes away – or claim him for one of her own daughters instead.

Review

This was fantastic! Even better than book one. I don’t read a lot of Amish fiction, but this series is so incredibly good I want to read it again and again.

The author does an excellent job adapting the original fairy tale to an Amish setting. I loved the nods to the classic – mice, a pumpkin, etc. – even though the magical elements are left out. And the way the author works in the “fairy godmother” and the “glass slipper” parts literally made me sit up and cheer. I could see the pieces start to come together, and when they finally did, it was perfect!

Ella’s situation through most of the story was infuriating. Her Amish step-mother used all the Amish traditions about hard work and peace and obedience to manipulate Ella, but didn’t apply them to her own daughters. I longed for them to be put in their places, and when it happened, I was supremely satisfied.

I highly recommend this for fans of romance novels, Amish fiction, Christian fiction and readers who enjoy re-fashioned fairy tales. This was a delight from start to finish. Book three – Sadie – which focuses on the story of Snow White is scheduled for Fall 2018. A new character mentioned in this book could be a hint at a fourth book in the series.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Wedgie and Gizmo 1&2 by Suzanne Selfors

REVIEW: Wedgie and Gizmo 1&2 by Suzanne Selfors

Posted on by Jaymie

[Thanks to the author, Suzanne Selfors, for the  Advanced Reader Copy of Wedgie and Gizmo vs The Toof which I won in a social media contest. All opinions here are my own.]

Summary of Wedgie and Gizmo

Wedgie is a Corgi who lives with Mom, Abuela, Jasmine and Jackson. When he wears a cape, something Jasmine gave him for Halloween, he is “Super Wedgie.” His cape gives him super powers! When he runs in circles in front of the door, barking, with his cape flapping behind him, a “force field” is activated and the door opens (by one of his family members).

Gizmo is a guinea pig who lives with Dad and Elliott. Gizmo is an evil genius. He has taught himself to read, and he builds evil lairs (behind the dryer) and uses pigeons to carry letters to his love.

When Dad and Mom get married, Elliott and Gizmo have to move. And that means everyone has some adjusting to do. Wedgie has to “adjust” to more people to LOVE and herd. Gizmo has to adjust to living in a Barbie Playhouse while waiting for a new cage. He also engages in battle with his new nemesis Wedgie, as well as Abuela, “The Elderly One.”

Will Gizmo get to accomplish all of his evil plans? And will the humans in the story be able to adjust to all of the changes that come with becoming a step family?

Review of Wedgie and Gizmo

This book is a HOOT!! I loved Wedgie and Gizmo. Wedgie is adorable and earnest and endearing. In my head, he sounds like Doug from the movie Up. He also reminds me of the dog in the Magic Bone series. What a great voice the author gives Wedgie! Gizmo is awesome in a completely different way. I love how he interprets the things around him – Elliott is his servant, etc.

There’s great humor in this story. The nicknames the animals have for each other are terrific. This could be a ton of fun to read out loud to a class – lots of shared laughter. Amazon says this is for ages 8 and up. I think this would work for any elementary classroom where kids are reading independently (for length). Family interactions for this blended family give the story a more serious tone at times, but Wedgie and Gizmo help keep the overall tone light.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

Wedgie and Gizmo vs the Toof (Book 2)

 Gizmo is certain that he needs a “Drone of Destiny” and a hoard of other guinea pigs  in order to take over the world. But he is convinced that Wedgie (“Thorgi” – the Corgi in a Thor cape) will try to stop him, along with his new partner Pinkie the Pig, aka “The Toof.”

Wedgie loves his new friend Pinkie (“Funny Dog”), and he wants Jasmine to be happy. All Jasmine wants is for Wedgie to win a prize in the Pet Parade event at her school. She is desperate to win a trophy like her new step-brother Elliott always does. But Gizmo’s plans and Wedgie’s impulsive nature may keep Jasmine from realizing her dream.

 

Review

This was another terrific story with these dynamite characters. This begs to be read out loud with a “Doug” from Up sort of voice for Wedgie and a Bond villain sort of voice for Gizmo.

One of the things I liked about this story was that it works on a couple different levels. The obvious level is Gizmo’s schemes and Wedgie’s cluelessness. It’s pure gold all on its own. But there’s the layer of things happening in the human world – between Jasmine and their new neighbor Emily, and also the ways that Jasmine is trying to find her place in this new family configuration. This layer of the story is a little more subtle. Some younger readers might need coaxing to engage with that layer of the story, but older readers will enjoy the deeper story. Both layers are terrific!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥