Category: Middle Grade Fiction Review

REVIEW: Taming of the Shoe by Sarah Darer Littman

REVIEW: Taming of the Shoe by Sarah Darer Littman

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Araminta “Minty” Robicheaux is so annoyed with her parents. Her mom’s cleaning supply business is really growing. (Her mom, “Cinderella,” really knows cleaning!) And to move to the next level, they have to leave the small country of Robicheaux and move to New York City. For Minty that means changing schools in the middle of the year. And when her parents leave on a business trip right after school starts, it also means her step-aunties are coming to stay with her.

One good thing about the aunties is that their shoe business – Comfortably Ever After – gets Minty noticed by the school Queen Bee, Eva Murgatroyd. Sure, her other friends have warned Minty to watch her back with Eva. And Eva tries to get Minty to ditch her other friends because “they are nobodies.” But Eva is Minty’s chance at meeting singing star Theo Downey of Retro of Sync and showing him her shoe design ideas. Minty is eager to be seen and noticed for herself and her ideas rather than her famous family.

Review

This is the third book in this series, but the first I have read. It’s a cute fractured fairy tale type of retelling, except with a new generation, which I enjoyed. Minty’s step-aunts were a great part of the story. The reader keeps wondering if they have really changed or not. I loved it!

At the core this is a standard friendship story. Will the new girl be friends with the regular kids or will she join the popular ones? What might she have to give up to stay with the populars? This plays out in a fairly expected way in this story.

I didn’t quite make the leap with the story that a popular boy band would be having a shoe design contest for free concert tickets. It was too coincidental that Minty (I had a hard time with that nickname, too) designs shoes and her favorite band is having a shoe design contest. It tied pieces of the story together, but it was an odd pairing to me. The story didn’t do anything to sell me on the reasonableness of this contest.

But overall, the shoe angle was fun for a story about Cinderella’s daughter. Fans of Whatever After  or Ever After High should check out this series starting with book one, Charmed I’m Sure, and then book 2, Fairest of Them All.

Rating: ♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Cape by Kate Hannigan

REVIEW: Cape by Kate Hannigan

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

World War II is underway. Men are fighting. Women are helping build battleships. Many Japanese Americans are in camps while others fight for America in the war. And three girls – one Irish, one Black and one Japanese – can’t sit together in a diner for a slice of pie.

The world needs heroes, but supers like Hauntima and Zenobia have disappeared. No one knows where they’ve gone or why they don’t help any more.

Josie, Mae and Akiko are part of a larger group of people who answered an ad for “puzzlers” to help in the war effort. Josie isn’t sure what they’d actually do if they were chosen, but she’s great at codes and puzzles, and her family could use the money. But she’s crushed when the test moderator dumps her test – and any others completed by women – into the trash without even scoring them.

But someone else is also watching the girls. And she thinks they could be even more help to the world than puzzlers. They could be heroes. With a pair of boots, a mask, and a cape from another hero, the girls could become a super team.

Review

This was so much fun, AND I learned a lot!

This is a prose novel with four small sections told in comic book-style art and panels. It’s an interesting format, and I enjoyed it. The timeline – World War II – is interesting with a diverse set of main characters who all have family tied to the war. There’s a strong girl power vibe to this which ties beautifully to the sections about a very real group of women called the Eniac Six, the women who worked on the first electronic computer. The author’s note includes great historic information as well as book and internet recommendations for further information. For me, this gives the book an extra layer of awesome!

The superhero pieces of the story are fun – learning new powers, developing team work, etc. The author does a great job of holding back some key secrets for the sequel. Book 2 of the League of Secret Heroes series  – Mask – will release in 2020. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Dear Justice League by Michael Northrop

REVIEW: Dear Justice League by Michael Northrop

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Your favorite DC superheroes – Superman, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Flash, Green Lantern and others – fight crime and answer emails from fans like you!

  • Does Superman ever make mistakes?
  • Does Wonder Woman have any birthday advice for an almost-11-year-old girl who’s also growing up on an island (Long Island)?
  • Has Batman ever been the new kid in town?

This graphic novel shows all the heroics and all the answers to these questions and more

Review

This is a fun book with a clever set up. The Justice League has an alien invasion to deal with. But while they work, they also handle their messages from fans. Both the messages and the battles are shown in comic-style art panels.

I got a kick out of this! It’s funny and sarcastic. The heroes are a nice mix of the expected – Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman – and the less expected like Hawkgirl and Green Lantern.

The questions range from silly to serious, tackling typical kid concerns like new schools, birthdays and making big mistakes. I think graphic novel fans will enjoy the format of this, and DC fans will get a kick out of seeing their favorite heroes answer mail from fans.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Friendship Lie by Rebecca Donnelly

REVIEW: The Friendship Lie by Rebecca Donnelly

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Things seemed so much simpler in second grade. With her twin brother, Kyle, by her side, she could face anything. She didn’t need a ton of friends. But meeting Sybella was like fate. From their first meeting it was obvious Sybella had a great imagination and a sense of adventure. When Cora told her about the magical land of Aquafaba, Sybella “got it” right away. And for three years, Cora, Kyle and Sybella played and developed their magical, imaginary land.

By fifth grade, though, life is more complicated. Cora and Kyle’s mom is living in Belgium and going back to her maiden name. A new girl at school is trying to wedge herself into Cora, Kyle and Sybella’s trio. And Cora’s life is pretty consumed by her dad’s work in “garbagology.” Her school is even doing a Trashlympics competition later in the year.

When something fractures Cora’s friendship with Sybella, it’s the final straw. She’s lonely, she doesn’t have her mom close by to talk to, and she’s not sure if this fracture is something they’ll be able to mend or if their friendship is broken for good.

Review

What a terrific friendship story! This is a perfect story for upper elementary readers – an age group that often deals with growing pains in friendships. I think this would work especially well as a classroom read aloud. There’s a lot to discuss in the novel, and teachers can also help kids track the novel’s two timelines (“Before” and “now”), two perspectives (Cora’s and Sybella’s), and a 40-year-old story from a discarded diary.

Cora seems like a melancholy kid, even before the friendship drama. And I loved that Sybella and Kyle accepted her and never tried to “fix” her. The friendship fracture – like many conflicts – could have been solved with some clear communication, but that’s a great life lesson. There was an extenuating factor that wasn’t directly handled by the end (for good story reasons) that frustrated me. I think the impact of an outsider on the situation would make for a great discussion point for a book group or a class to dig into.

The garbology pieces of this were so fresh and creative – and quirky! Families or schools could use this as a starting point for further work on sustainability and environmental issues including recycling.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray by Jess Keating

REVIEW: Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray by Jess Keating

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Nikki is a brilliant inventor, but her brilliance often leads to trouble. Like the gaping hole in the floor of her bedroom so big she can see into the first floor. How could she have known her ferret would get a hold of the death ray she was building?

Nikki’s mom has done a lot to help her genius daughter – home schooling, shielding her from reporters, and moving whenever one of her inventions destroyed something and drew unwanted attention. The world knows Nikki’s father died working on a bomb he planned to use on innocent people. Too many folks would think Nikki was following in his footsteps.

The death ray incident gets Nikki invited to Genius Academy. It’s a school for kids like Nikki, and it has the resources to protect her – and others – from her inventions. If she doesn’t go, her mom could go to jail for a long time. Nikki would do anything for her mother – even risk the bullying and angst of going to a school with other kids again. She doesn’t need to be friends with these people. She just has to stay out of trouble, for her mom’s sake.

Review

I have been looking forward to this for months! And it did not disappoint. I loved the kids at Genius Academy, and I’m eager to see where things go in the series for Nikki.

There’s a lot of great science and history stuff here. Each of the seven kids is named for a real person – Nikola Tesla, Albert Einstein, Mary Shelly, etc. The book also highlights a variety of types of genius which I loved!

At the core, this is a kid-spy story and a friendship story. Nikki and her peers have a quest to undertake which involves surveillance and investigation. And through all of it, Nikki is trying to maintain the walls she lives behind so no one can embarrass her, hurt her, or betray her. That behavior makes sense with her history and her fears of being vulnerable. But it’s hard to build a team when one member walls herself off. I think there’s a lot here for readers to consider and explore. Don’t miss this one! Book 2, Nikki Tesla and the Fellowship of the Bling, releases in February 2020.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Marvel Super Hero Adventures

REVIEW: Marvel Super Hero Adventures

Posted on by Jaymie

The debate over whether or not graphic novels “count” as “real reading” continues, but for me there was never any doubt. As a visual learner, I love comics and graphic novels. And plenty of my students did, too.

These three Marvel Super Hero Adventure graphic novels immediately grabbed my eye at our local comic book store. I couldn’t pass them up. These collect five comics starring Spider-Man and various other Marvel heroes and villains. The art is perfect – exactly the style I love in graphic novels.

To Wakanda and Beyond – This is the first book of the line. I was a little disappointed with this one. I read it last instead of first, and it didn’t include some of the features that made the other books extra fun. Each of the stories here is part of a lesson Spider-Man is trying to impart to someone else. It’s fun, but not as fun as the other two books. Black Panther only makes an appearance in one story in this volume. There is also a Doctor Strange team up, a young heroes adventure (Cassie Lang, Kate Bishop), an adventure with Ms Marvel and another with one of the Inhumans. There is also a teaser for the Marvel Rising line as well as a Super Hero Adventures early chapter book teaser. Rating: ♥♥♥½

Captain Marvel – Remember that this is a Spider-Man collection (the title is misleading), and you will be happy with this one. Captain Marvel plays a major role in one story and a smaller part in two others. So kids picking this up looking for a lot of Captain Marvel might be disappointed. But if they go in expecting just fun Marvel stories, this won’t disappoint. This book includes a collection of small Halloween stories, an adventure with Nova, Ms. Marvel and Shuri (!), a Spider-Gwen story, and a Thor/Loki battle that eventually draws in the rest of the Avengers. One story in this collection is duplicated from the Wakanda book. One feature I loved in the last two books of the line (so far) are the comics in between stories. They include various Marvel characters but the comics are done in the style of famous Sunday funnies – Calvin and Hobbs, Garfield, Peanuts, etc. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

Spider-Man – Fans of Marvel’s Into the Spider-verse will enjoy this collection which includes several members of the Spider-verse. This is probably my favorite of the three books for that very reason. This includes one story that also appears in the Captain Marvel book. This book also includes the Sunday funnies interludes between stories. Rating: ♥♥♥♥

I think all of these would be terrific for Marvel fans, super hero fans, and in classroom libraries!

REVIEW: Mr. Lemoncello's All-Star Breakout Game by Chris Grabenstein

REVIEW: Mr. Lemoncello’s All-Star Breakout Game by Chris Grabenstein

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Mr. Lemoncello is at it again. This time, his latest game is going to be televised on Kidzapalooza, a station “where kids rule.” It’s the station where Haley Daley’s TV show broadcasts.

Mr. Lemoncello has created a game where teams of kids enter fictional stories in motion capture suits and play out stories from different genres. Each story contains a puzzle to be solved. Solve 5 to get to the final puzzle to win the game and “breakout” from the Alexandriaville library.

Charles Chiltington is determined to beat Kyle Keeley once and for all. He puts together a crack team of 8th grade book fanatics to compete against Kyle and his 7th grade friends. But when the game gets started, all of the teams are in for some surprises!

Review

This was another fun Lemoncello adventure. There are tons of book references in this one, just like in earlier books. But specific books are not the focus of the game itself which gives this a little different “flavor” from the other books in the series.

Kyle and his friends are as delightful as ever. As usual, Kyle is a normal pre-teen – never perfect but always well-intentioned. And in this story he gets to experience some empathy-building tasks that help him grow as a hero for the series.

I was disappointed by some of the adults in this one – Kyle’s parents and the teachers who apparently buy the baloney Charles is still shoveling. As a teacher – and a parent – my “spidey-sense” would have been tingling at all the sucking up Charles does. Add in Charles’ behavior from the previous books, and there should be no adult outside Charles’ own family who would take him at his word. The author puts some effort into making Charles somewhat sympathetic, but I wasn’t buying it. Sure, he has some terrible influences at home, but Charles still makes the choice to be a bully and/or a cheat every time. And those choices are on him. Maybe it’s time for a new nemesis for Kyle to square up against.

Kids will love this new Lemoncello adventure. Character qualities, motivation, and empathy are great discussion topics for group reading.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Finding Orion by John David Anderson

REVIEW: Finding Orion by John David Anderson

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

“Seriously?” I shouted, my voice carrying through the amphitheater. “This freakin’ family can’t even DIE normally.”

Rion (Orion) Kwirk has a unique family. His little sister’s favorite book is the dictionary. She has a better vocabulary than most adults. His older sister can quote Shakespeare and challenges him to sword fights. His mom is into astronomy and named all three kids after constellations. And his dad, a scientist by education, comes up with chemical formulas for jelly bean flavors. His latest – fried chicken – is stunningly accurate.

The Kwirk’s quirkiness hits new heights, though, when a singing clown shows up to tell them Rion’s grandfather, Frank, has died.

It’s obvious to Rion that his dad and grandfather had a strained relationship. They rarely visited his grandfather’s home or his dad’s hometown. When Papa Kwirk and his sister Gertie would ride into town on Papa’s motorcycle for the holidays, Rion’s parents seemed to brace themselves for the visit rather than look forward to it. Rion figures the funeral will be just as tense as those visits.

But Aunt Gertie informs the family that Papa Kwirk had very specific instructions for the celebration of his life. Rather than a funeral, they are having a “funneral” complete with food trucks and a marching band. And that’s just the beginning of the journey Rion and his family will undertake as they say goodbye to Frank.

Review

Absolute perfection! Rion is probably my favorite character from a John David Anderson novel so far. He’s bright – and hilarious – and awkward in all the best ways. He’s observant and a thinker – he notices things. And he feels out of step with his unusual family. Spending time with Rion was my favorite part of reading this book.

The rest of the characters are just as fun. The sibling dynamics are delightfully normal. There’s all the usual teasing, but there’s real care and understanding in there, too.

The story is wild. When was the last time you heard of a funeral with food trucks and a marching band? And the journey Rion and his family take after the “funneral” – the real journey of the book – is beautiful. When Rion hears from the people who knew Frank in his day-to-day life, he feels like he didn’t really know his grandfather at all. The journey they take is a chance for everyone in the family to know Frank better. It’s a rare chance at some degree of reconciliation for Rion’s dad even after Frank is gone. And it’s a bonding opportunity for Rion’s family. They will never be the same after this trip.

I can’t recommend this highly enough. It’s both funny and touching. It’s anchored by a fantastic point of view character. And the heart of the story is lovely. This was perfect!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: A Kind of Paradise by Amy Rebecca Tan

REVIEW: A Kind of Paradise by Amy Rebecca Tan

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Volunteering at the library for her summer vacation wasn’t Jamie’s idea. It was her penance, her punishment. One epically bad choice at the end of the school year – and the fall out over the next few days – left Jamie ashamed and humiliated.

The library was quiet, but there was a routine to it. Black Hat Guy always shows up around 4 pm, sits in the same chair charging his phone, and taking a nap. Wally always comes in on Tuesdays with a fresh carnation for the desk and 5 DVDs to return. Jamie comes to love the library. She loves the tasks she learns to do, the staff, and the patrons. But any reminder of school, any hint of what happened at the end of the year, floods Jamie with guilt and shame all over again. Can she ever hope to move past her failure? Will some people from her school ever let her move on?

Review

This was delightful!! I loved the library setting – the staff, the regular patrons, the fight to save the library from closure. It was a terrific setting for the story. Jamie learns so much from her friends there – and also from the books that surround her every day.

Jamie is a great protagonist. When readers get the full story about what she did at school, they’ll see why she did what she did and what the impact was. She earned her guilt, but she also should be able to turn a fresh page in her story. At the start, she doesn’t know how to do that. But she can learn.

I loved the heart of this book. It’s a relatively low-stress story with lots of character insights. The relationships between the characters feel authentic and warm. These are people I’d love to know. This library would be my second home. And Jamie’s growth over her summer at the library is everything I love about character-driven middle grade fiction! Highly recommend.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Summer of a Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway

REVIEW: Summer of a Thousand Pies by Margaret Dilloway

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

After an incident at school, everyone finds out that Cady and her dad are homeless – and her dad is drinking to excess. He’s arrested for child endangerment, and Cady is placed with her estranged Aunt Shell.

Cady eventually bonds with her aunt over baking. Shell has a pie shop. But Cady still holds everyone at arms length. Her dad always said Shell had written them off. She probably wasn’t trustworthy. Cady needs to protect herself. And anyway, Cady’s dad would be coming for her soon. There was no reason for her to get attached to Shell or anyone else.

Being fed and supervised and cared for, learning to bake, and opening herself to Shell as well as to others around town begins to change Cady. And she likes it. But the pie shop is in financial trouble. If it closes, what will happen to this home Cady has just discovered? What will happen to the family she has started to build with Shell and Suzanne? And what can a middle school kid do to fix or change or help anything?

Review

Cady’s growth and development over the course of the book was AMAZING to watch. She has a delightful self-awareness that grows even stronger over time.  And the relative security of life with Shell and Suzanne helps her find some equilibrium for the first time in her life. I loved watching all of it unfold.

The secondary story about immigration was well-integrated into the book through Cady’s relationship with Jay’s family. I didn’t feel it was as strong as Cady’s story, but it was good. It never felt grafted in just to be political or to make a point  It added to the panic at the thought of the pie shop closing. That would impact Jay’s family in big ways, too. I thought it fit into the larger story of the community.

The food and baking pieces were a lot of fun. Pair this with books in The Doughnut Fix series or the All Four Stars series. Hand this to readers who love to cook and bake as well as those who are addicted to The Food Network. The book includes recipes, including a gluten-free pie crust.

Don’t miss Cady – her story is a delight.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥