Category: Middle Grade Fiction Review

REVIEW: Chirp by Kate Messner

REVIEW: Chirp by Kate Messner

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Mia and her family are moving back to Vermont after two years in Boston. Two years Mia would love to forget. But now they’ll be close to her grandmother again and get to do all the things she remembers from when she was younger.

Mia’s parents are requiring her to choose two summer activities to keep her busy. They are quick to point out the gymnastics spot near her grandmother’s cricket farm. But Mia wants nothing to do with gymnastics these days. But she does sign up for a Warrior Camp nearby as well as a Launch Camp for Young Entrepreneurs. Mia thinks Launch Camp might help her come up with ideas to help the cricket farm.

Because the farm is in trouble. Gram is convinced someone is sabotaging her business – letting seagulls in, turning of the breakers to the freezers, etc. Mia’s parents think it’s more a run of bad luck – and a sign Gram should get out of the business. But Mia’s noticing weird things at the farm, too. And she’s determined to do whatever she can to help her grandmother.

Review

This was so good! There’s a TON of great stuff going on in this story. The cricket farm and the pieces on insects as a protein source for humans is fascinating (and creepy, in my opinion). Then there are the two camps Mia attends, the friends she makes there, and the things she learns at both. It’s obvious something happened at Mia’s gym back in Boston, and it feels bigger than just her broken arm. But it takes awhile for Mia to get to a place where she’s ready to address it, even in her own mind, much less tell an adult about it. And finally there’s the sabotage mystery. All of those pieces are woven together beautifully and seamlessly. Everything fits like an intricate jigsaw puzzle.

There are so many ways I could see teachers (and homeschooling parents) use this book in the classroom. It would be a great read-aloud and would also work for book clubs and reading groups. Kids could learn more about insects as food or about real cricket farms. They could learn about maker spaces or visit some. Students could learn about Warrior camps or business plans or a whole host of things that come up in the course of the novel.

In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with a novel by Kate Messner. I believe she does a masterful job of addressing serious and important topics (in this case harassment and boundary issues) in age-appropriate ways. Her books give kids an opening to talk about real life issues and give them language for difficult topics. Be sure to check this one out – for older middle grade readers (10+).

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Queen Bee and Me by Gillian McDunn

REVIEW: The Queen Bee and Me by Gillian McDunn

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Bloomsbury Children’s Books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Meg has lived in Willow Pond her whole life. She knows what to expect from her family, her school, and her neighborhood. She’s been best friends with Beatrix since kindergarten.

As they’ve gotten older, Meg and Beatrix’s interests have started to change. Beatrix is into dance and sets the standard for most things at school with their peers. If Beatrix thinks something is great – or lame –  everyone usually falls in line with her opinion.

Meg loves science. In fact, she’s one of only four 7th graders invited to do a science experience at her school. Meg is thrilled, except it means telling Beatrix she won’t be doing dance. Meg’s never been great at dance anyway. But Beatrix has expectations. If Beatrix didn’t care, it would be fine. But she has a way of punishing people who go against her. She “froze” Meg out for a week last year, and it was miserable.

Hazel is new in Willow Pond. From the way she dresses to her fascination with honey bees, she stands out. Beatrix knows all the tricks for drawing negative attention to Hazel, while still seeming “nice” to adults, or avoiding teacher attention. But Meg, and Hazel, know the truth. Beatrix doesn’t like Hazel and she’s determined to make her miserable.

Meg’s mom encourages Meg to befriend Hazel. She moved a lot as a kid, and she knows how it feels to be new. But her mom has no idea that it can be just as hard to be with the kids you’ve known forever when your place in your social circle is in jeopardy.

Review

I enjoyed this middle school friendship story filled with bee information. The author does a good job linking the bees to the larger story. As Meg learns about bee behavior in the hive, she makes connections to her situation at school with Hazel and Beatrix.

Beatrix is a classic mean girl “villain.” I suspect her strong reaction to Hazel comes from (a) seeing that Hazel marches to the beat of her own drum and likely wouldn’t yield to Beatrix and (b) fear of losing Meg who always gives in and does what Beatrix wants. She’s catty and manipulative and pretty unlikable all the way through the story. She will give readers lots to think and talk about.

The emphasis on science – and the creativity in science – is great. I learned a lot about bees, just like Meg does.

I loved all the ways Meg grows through the story. This season in her life changes how she thinks about bees, how she sees her relationship with Beatrix, her relationship with her mother, and her understanding of herself. This would be a good class read aloud or book group choice. It’s full of things to prompt great discussion and interaction.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane by Kate O'Shaughnessy

BONUS REVIEW: The Lonely Heart of Maybelle Lane by Kate O’Shaughnessy

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Maybelle Lane lives in Louisiana with her mom. Not in Baton Rouge where they used to live – where Maybelle had a best friend and a more comfortable life. Now they’re in Davenport. Maybelle is alone a lot while her mom works two jobs to make ends meet. And instead of friends, she has a gang of boys to avoid whenever possible. They’re bullies at school, and they tease Maybelle because her mom went on a date with the art teacher. Maybelle’s mom called off the relationship with her when Maybelle asked, but apparently word got around anyway.

Maybelle is about to be even more on her own than usual. Her mom has a job singing on a cruise ship for a month. It’ll pay really well, and they need the money. And it could open doors for her mom for the future. So Maybelle will stay with a neighbor.

Just before her mom leaves, Maybelle discovers her dad is a radio DJ in Nashville. Her mom is adamant that there’s no place for him in their lives, but listening to him on the radio makes Maybelle feel a little less lonely.

When her father announces a singing contest in Nashville where he will be one of the judges, Maybelle knows she has to go. Her mom loves the idea of Maybelle performing – of course, Maybelle left out all mention of her father. So Maybelle and her neighbor head out on a road trip that could change Maybelle’s life forever.

Review

This was lovely. I adored the traveling trio on their summer road trip to Nashville. Maybelle was sweet, determined and afraid. There was just the right amount of introspection and self-discovery and awareness in this. A perfect balance of outward living and internal processing. Tommy and Mrs. Boggs were delightful – and did their own growing along the way. I got a kick out of Maybelle’s collection of sounds, something that threads through the book. There are also pieces in here about anxiety and panic attacks that are handled well. The book also looks at grief and evidence of child abuse.

I’ve read other road trip stories with secret or semi-secret treks to meet a relative or a personal hero or to dream an impossible dream. What makes this one special is the ensemble on the journey. I was thrilled to find an epilogue in this that shows a quick view of the next year in the characters’ lives. It’s a satisfying wrap up to the larger story as well as the individual journeys of the main characters. Be sure to check this one out.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Newspaper Club by Beth Vrabel

REVIEW: The Newspaper 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

When Nellie’s dad is out of town for a long term work assignment and her mom loses her newspaper job, her mom’s college friend, Mrs. Kim-Franklin comes to the rescue. She invites them to move to Bear Creek and helps them get set up in the house next door. By default that means Nellie and Mrs. Kim-Franklin’s daughter Min are now “best friends,” at least according to Min.

Nell’s not really had friends before. She’s brilliant and can be off-putting to her peers. But living in a new town, and stumbling onto some mysterious events at the park piques her journalistic curiosity. To get the answers she is looking for, Nell needs to get to know the locals. Nell’s neighbor Thom offers to walk her to the local newspaper office so she can give them the information on the park. Min tags along, and the three discover yet another mystery in this small town that Nell would like to dig into.

But the newspaper office is not what Nell was expecting. Many of the reporters are packing up their desks because they were laid off. When Nell asks the editor how the town is supposed to know what is going on at the park, or when it is safe to return, if there’s no newspaper to tell them, he tells her she might have to write the story herself.

With Thom and Min’s help, that’s exactly what Nell plans to do!

Review

I LOVED this! The six kids at the core of this book are delightful! Nellie is bright and brings the newspaper experience. Thom is loyal and thoughtful. Min is enthusiastic. Gordon is talented. Gloria is passionate, and Charlotte is brave. I loved them. I hope there will be shelves full of books starring these kids.

The mysteries here are kid-friendly – pranks or vandalism at the park and a sad business owner. There are a few serious moments which were especially endearing because I was already so attached to the characters from the rest of the story.

I loved the adults in this – the exasperated police chief who still answers Nell’s questions, Thom’s moms who make Nell feel welcome, Gloria’s dad who gives Gloria space to put her own “flavor” on their restaurant, etc.

The newspaper pieces are well written and informative. Readers could put together their own newspaper with the ideas and examples in this book. But it’s never overly technical.

Do not miss this delightful story! This would be so great as a read-aloud or for book groups. I loved this like I loved Beth Vrabel’s 2018 release, The Reckless Club. I can’t wait to see what happens for these characters next!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: 2019 Cybils Awards

SATURDAY SMORGASBORD: 2019 Cybils Awards

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received an advanced reader copy of The Bridge Home from another committee member and a published copy of Right as Rain from the publisher HarperCollins for review purposes. Both were passed on to a classroom teacher when my committee work was completed. All opinions are my own.]

The Process

Once again I had the privilege of serving on a committee for the 2019 Cybils Awards. This is the second year I served with the group choosing the winner in the Middle Grade Fiction category. You can see my post about the 2017 Cybils here and the 2018 Cybils here.

Now that our committee work is done, I am able to talk about the finalists we read this year. These are my personal thoughts on each of these books and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the full committee who presided over this category.  Keep in mind that another committee determined what books we would be choosing from. These seven were not our personal best of 2019, but the ones chosen by another committee of readers based on nominations. Books here are listed in alphabetical order.

The Books

The Bridge Home – Four homeless kids make a family for themselves as they live near an abandoned bridge, but when illness strikes, will they continue to fend for themselves or will they have the strength to reach out for help? This was one of those “it’s well written, but I didn’t like it” books. This was dark and sad and upsetting and heart-wrenching. I did not enjoy reading it. But it’s well-written and there’s TONS of material in it for readers to dig into. This is for older middle grade readers (10+). Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

Maybe He Just Likes You – A middle school girl struggles to speak up about the behavior of the boys around her, especially when her friends tell her she is over-reacting or should be flattered. You can read my full review of this one here. I really liked this one! I feel like this is an important story that gives kids language for those behaviors that feel icky, but they can’t quite pinpoint why. There are other books releasing now that address similar situations (Chirp was a good one I read recently), and they are so important. This is another one that I think is good for older middle grade readers. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

 

Operation Frog Effect – Eight kids tell the story of what happened that got their teacher in trouble. One of the stories is told in graphic novel format. To me this felt like a Mr. Terupt book (or something else by Rob Buyea), although not as in-depth. There’s a great, diverse group of students in this as well as an inspiring teacher. I enjoyed this. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise – Coyote and her dad have lived life on the road in their renovated school bus since Coyote’s mother and sisters were killed in an accident. But now she is desperate to get back home before her last moments with her mom and sisters are lost forever. You can read my full review of this one here. This is another story that deals with difficult topics, in this case grief. This also deals with the subject of identity, which is a favorite topic of mine, especially in kids literature. This is the book chosen by the committee to win the Cybils Award for 2019 for Middle Grade Fiction. Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

 

 

Right As Rain – A grieving family moves to New York hoping a change of scenery can help them in their loss, but Rain is convinced her brother’s death is her fault. While she holds her secrets close, a new friend may help her open up and shine the light of truth on what happened that night. I LOVED this! Of these 7 books, I had already read and reviewed 3 of them. Of the four that were new to me, this was my favorite. I adored everything about this – the grieving pieces as well as the poetry and the hot chocolate and the soup kitchen and the running. Fantastic characters. A story I just wanted to hug. A happy tearful ending as Rain finally shares her story. Beautiful! Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

Roll with It – A girl with cerebral palsy who longs to be a baker adjusts to a new home and a new school. I loved Ellie and her family and friends in this one. The baking pieces were fun and sounded delicious. I don’t have a lot of books in my reading repertoire starring characters with disabilities, so I was glad to add this book to my list. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

 

 

Song for a Whale –  A deaf girl who is also a tech genius learns about a whale that can’t communicate with other whales, and she decides to find a way to “sing” to this whale. You can read my full review of this one here. I adored this book! Sure, there are moments where the reader has to suspend disbelief (like when the main character runs away to go on a cruise with her grandmother – and her parents don’t freak out more), but there are other moments that are so perfect. I loved the threads in this about finding community and being with others who understand you and share some of your life experiences. Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

 

You can see all of the 2019 Cybils Award winners here.

REVIEW: Batman Overdrive by Shea Fontana

REVIEW: Batman Overdrive by Shea Fontana

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Bruce Wayne is a month away from turning 16. A month away from a driver’s license which means freedom from Alfred, his butler, guardian, and overseer. He’s a teen on the edge – a street vigilante looking for a fight, always pushing to be independent. He’s so close to that freedom he is desperate for.

Part of that freedom is driving his dad’s ’66 Crusader. But the car has seen better days. Bruce meets Mateo at the salvage yard and he says he’ll help Bruce track down the parts he needs. But their plans are interrupted by some masked girls who keep stealing from Mateo’s uncle at the scrap yard. One girl, they notice, dresses like a cat.

Catwoman, Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy and Lady Shiva are stealing luxury cars and then stealing things from the salvage yard to change up the looks of the cars. Bruce and Mateo are on the case, but they have no idea the girls Bruce knows from karate are the car thieves.

Bruce is also investigating his parents’ murders. Carmine Falcone is his primary suspect. And he’s finding clues that could tie Falcone to the car thefts. But is it possible there are also ties between Falcone… and Alfred?

Review

This was fun! So much of the Batman future is in evidence – the secret entrance to the garage, Alfred, the “Batmobile” name, and the villains. Fans of the franchise will see a lot of familiar pieces in this.

The Alfred storyline was my favorite part of this. If you’re looking for it, you can see his presence, always watching out for Bruce. The panels of moments between Alfred and young Bruce are so precious. And anyone who understands grief and loss can see how Bruce is looking for an outlet for his anger. Alfred is the convenient target. Yet he keeps showing up. Just like a parent.

I’m eager to see if this becomes a series and if any other DC characters join this young hero team. I enjoyed the group that Bruce puts together and would eagerly show up for more adventures for them in the future. In this book, the car theft case gets wrapped up and Bruce gets some closure on the murder of his parents. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Zatanna and the House of Secrets by Matthew Cody

REVIEW: Zatanna and the House of Secrets by Matthew Cody

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

It’s almost Halloween, and Zatanna’s been having a rough couple of days. She got into an argument with some bullies at school because they were harassing her friend. And it was SO weird – at one point, they all turned RED! Not like a blush, but their skin changed color. So strange….

Then Zatanna’s best friend ditched her, acting like Zatanna is too immature or too weird. Then Zatanna blew off her only other friend AND found out her dad lied to her.

And then, some crazy woman calling herself “the Witch Queen” broke into her house, used MAGIC on Zatanna, fought her dad, and then they both vanished.

With Pocus, a talking rabbit/animal spirit as her companion, Zatanna has to figure out how her father’s backward-words magic works and find him in this wonky House of Secrets before the Witch Queen takes the house away from their family and uses it for her own evil purposes.

Review

This was cute! I’ve seen this House before in an episode of Young Justice. It was fun to see it again in a new context. The library scene and the sphinx were my favorite parts of the story.

Zatanna changes a lot in the story. She learns things about herself and her family that she couldn’t have imagined at the very start. Her biggest challenges came from losing the “adult” characters who had always advised or protected her. She had to make her own way – although she did get help from a source she wasn’t expecting.

My only “complaint” is that the talking bunny had to be called a “familiar” which will put off some readers/families because of occult connections. I am not 100% familiar with Zatanna’s full history, but I know one of the villains has a “familiar,” so maybe that is part of the character’s history and would never be changed. But I feel like the bunny could have just been a magical talking bunny and left at that.

I love the confidence Zatanna has by the end – in herself and in her magic. She understands where she fits and she stands up for herself with Witch Boy. She also seems more confident in her own skin by the end. She’s found her footing and her purpose!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Revenge of the Red Club by Kim Harrington

REVIEW: Revenge of the Red Club by Kim Harrington

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Riley Dunne’s school life seems to crumble overnight. First, her middle school newspaper is shut down. She writes one article about the cafeteria’s “gluten free” chicken nuggets – which aren’t actually gluten free and make her friend sick – and the principal shuts it down indefinitely.

Then the school starts cracking down on dress code violations. But the rules only target the girls and leave them feeling like they should be ashamed of their bodies. Even the boys are finding the rules insulting. Like they don’t have enough self-control to see a bare shoulder and still concentrate in class.

But the biggest disruption is when the Red Club is shut down. The Red Club is a support group for the middle school girls who are getting their periods. Someone puts supplies in an empty locker as well as several pairs of sweatpants for accidents. And the girls get to meet in the library every week and encourage one another, answer questions, and help each other when they’re hassled by boys or have embarrassing moments at school. It’s one of the best parts of Riley’s week. And it too gets taken away.

The final straw is when one of the girls is dress coded from attending a dance. She was one of the event planners, but her dress was deemed “inappropriate,” and she was barred from the event. Riley is in the exact same dress. But because she doesn’t fill it out as well, she’s not dress coded. It’s one more attack on the girls at the school. And they’ve decide they aren’t going to roll over and take it any more.

Review

This was fantastic!! I LOVE a good girl power story (Moxie, Ban this Book, Suggested Reading, Maybe He Just Likes You, The Hate You Give, Slay, etc.), and this one is terrific! Riley’s family tells her that her superpower is how she uses her words. Cue the heart eyes! (I would have loved to have Riley’s articles included in the book to showcase that.) But the “girl power” isn’t just the rebellion that is kicked off at the school after the changes to policy. It’s the way the girls support one another – recognizing their individual gifts (business, writing, gymnastics, fashion/make up) and supporting them ALL.

And if the great girls aren’t enough, there are also great guys in this. I love the ones who see and understand what the girls are trying to do – and then they show up and take action! Fantastic!

Then there are the adults, both the ones who support the girls all along, and the ones who catch on later. They’re all great! My favorite scene was when Riley and her mom meet with the principal. It’s perfection.

This book is brilliant. The story is a delight – an engaging tale, characters you want to cheer for, and a chance to see some wrongs righted, even if only in fiction. The only thing that could have made this better in my opinion would be the addition of Riley’s articles as well as instructions for readers who want to start their own Red Club. Outstanding!! Do NOT miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn

REVIEW: Aggie Morton, Mystery Queen: The Body Under the Piano by Marthe Jocelyn

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Aggie is a bright girl, living in Torquay, England with her mother and grandmother. She takes dance at the Mermaid Dance Room from Miss Marianne. Marianne lives with her sister-in-law, Irma Eversham, and her niece Rose, neighbors of Aggie’s. Mrs. Eversham is abrasive, shrill, short-tempered and snappish. In fact, on the night of the benefit concert at the Mermaid Dance Room, Irma doesn’t even stay for the performance. She walks in, shouts at people, and leaves.

The benefit goes well, collecting clothes for the recent influx of refugees. When Aggie and her friends show up for dance class the next day, still excited about their performance and the good they accomplished, Aggie is surprised to find Irma dead under the piano from what appears to be poison.

Since Aggie saw the body, she’s eager to do some investigating of her own, especially when Miss Marianne becomes the primary suspect. Aggie discovers that her new Belgian friend, Hector, is an eager partner for her investigation. While Aggie’s nursemaid is determined to distract her from investigating, Aggie is firm in her plans to discover the culprit for herself.

Review

This was a fun mystery! Aggie is a great character – curious and determined. And she’s already a storyteller. She plots out interesting scenes and conversations in her mind based on the people and events around her. When I read the author’s note that Aggie was written with Agatha Christie in mind, this habit of Aggie’s was even more endearing.

I enjoyed the full cast of characters. The setting and timing of the story led to great challenges for the writer to address. Aggie’s age and gender meant she had to be properly supervised. The timing of the story also influenced how the women in the book were treated. I loved the feisty characters who pushed back against the gender expectations/limitations.

It’s not often that a kid’s mystery deals directly with a murder. Usually the crime is less violent – a theft, a missing person, etc. This is written for older middle grade readers (10+), probably because of the violence of a murder and an assault. Nothing seemed too graphic for the general reader in this age group. More sensitive readers should just be aware.

The case is delightfully twisty, giving readers several possible suspects. I enjoyed watching Aggie and Hector puzzle through their clues. I can’t wait to see what mystery the two of them stumble across next.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Case of the Missing Adults by Scott Bryan Wilson

REVIEW: The Case of the Missing Adults by Scott Bryan Wilson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

On Nancy Drew’s first day of school at Bayport High, she meets local “detectives,” Frank and Joe Hardy. Joe declares his undying love for her, and Frank tries to drum up a new case. But there’s a mystery right under their noses. All the adults at their school have gone missing.

Turns out, all the adults in TOWN are missing. Kids are out of control, they’re running out of food and supplies, and no one can make contact with anyone outside of town through the internet. So the three teen detectives decide to head to the rival town nearby, Vansant, to see if they are having the same issues.

Review

This was so fun! The three kids are quirky, but smart, and they work well together. Frank and Joe bicker and fight, but Frank recognizes it’s all psychological to avoid the depth of their feelings for each other. Smart!

I thoroughly enjoyed this! The mystery was fun. I laughed out loud as I read, and I got a kick out of this version of these three iconic characters. This is a good introduction, but there’s still lots to explore with the main characters, their families, and the other kids at their high school, as well as the rivalry with Vansant. I can’t wait to read more of these! Hand this to graphic novel fans, mystery fans, and kids who enjoy Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys stories.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥