Category: Middle Grade Fiction Review

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: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Camp Shady Crook by Lee Gjertsen Malone

REVIEW: Camp Shady Crook by Lee Gjertsen Malone

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Archie Drake has been attending Camp Shady Brook for three years. It’s probably the WORST camp in Vermont. The camp director is abrasive and hyper-strict. The cabins are rundown and falling apart. Art supplies are locked away so no one can actually use them. And the grounds look nothing like the flashy brochure that lures families in.

Archie loves Camp Shady Brook. But that’s because Archie has developed a system – a series of cons he can play on the weekly kids that leaves him richer when his six weeks of camp are over. But Archie has never had Vivian at camp before.

Vivian is only at Camp Shady Brook because of some trouble at school last year. Her parents don’t think they can trust her, so she’s stuck at camp for six weeks. She has some ideas to make her summer more pleasant, maybe scam some treats from fellow campers. That sort of thing. But Archie, sensing a rival con artist, tries to psych her out. Now the battle of wills – and cons – has begun.

Review

For me, a heist/con story only works when I feel the characters have a compelling reason for the scheming. Otherwise it’s just dishonest and wrong. The real world has so much of that already. Early on, it was hard for me to like Archie or Vivian. Neither had a good reason for conning. They pretty much did things because they could get away with it and because they wanted to.

When the rivalry blows up in their faces – as it inevitably does – Archie and Vivian are forced to take a closer look at their behavior. They have to decide what kind of people they want to be.

And that’s where the story becomes magic. By the end, I wanted to stand up and cheer. I loved how Archie and Vivian grew up over the summer. And I loved how they decided to use their “powers” for the greater good!

I think this would work for a class read aloud or a book group. There’s a lot to unpack in this story about what it means to be a friend and what you have to do to make and keep friends. Check out this fun summer-themed story!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Solving for M by Jennifer Swender

REVIEW: Solving for M by Jennifer Swender

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Mika (Mee-ka) starts middle school, there’s a lot to adjust to.  Four elementary schools feed into the middle school, so there are lots of new kids. The fifth grade is split into “pods,” and Mika’s best friend isn’t in her pod. She barely even sees Ella at lunch, and even when she does, Ella is with a whole new group of friends. While Mika loves art, she never gets to draw in class because it’s “not in the fifth grade curriculum.” But her quirky math teacher has the kids using math journals. So Mika does get to draw – in math class!

When Mika’s mom gets sick, Mika discovers that life doesn’t always work as neatly as math can. But Mika’s math journal is a place where she can work on her math concepts while also wrestling with all the changes in her personal life. And that’s just a taste of what a difference this one class – and one teacher – will make in Mika’s life this year.

Review

This book is brilliant! I sat down just to read a couple chapters to get a feel for it. Next thing I knew, I was done. I adored this!

Mika is a stellar character. Her meekness early on and her responses to her mom’s illness felt honest and genuine. But she also changes and grows in believable ways through the story. And I adored her school friends and her math teacher. I love a middle grade story with a fantastic, creative teacher in it!

I’m not familiar with teachers who use math journals in the classroom. But the way Mika uses hers – and the way the assignments are set up to have students apply concepts to personal interests was cool. Kids enjoy middle grade stories that are a mix of text and illustration. This fits that trend perfectly in a fresh, new way. I’d love to see a 6th grade sequel for Mika and her peers with this format. It was so cool!

Mika’s mom deals with her illness and treatment options in very realistic ways. She’s scared and angry and fatigued. She wonders if the improved chances of survival are worth the traumas of the treatment. She tries to shield Mika as much as she can, which leaves Mika feeling angry and out of the loop. It’s all handled honestly without ever feeling like “too much” for the age group. It’s beautifully done. My favorite moment in the book is one where Mika sort of takes charge of something related to her mom’s illness, calling in her supports and resources. It’s fantastic.

I highly recommend this one for elementary and middle school libraries and classrooms as well as home libraries. This would be fun for a math teacher who loves to engage with students about what they are reading. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-McGinnis

REVIEW: Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-McGinnis

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

December is a walking, talking bird encyclopedia. She has memorized her copy of The Complete Guide to Birds, Vol. 1, one of the few personal items she takes from foster home to foster home. December believes that someday, she will transform into a bird herself. The scar on her back is the proof that one day she will have wings.

December’s belief often drives her into tall trees where she thinks she can launch herself into flight. And when she keeps trying, she’s sent to a new foster home and a new school.

Eleanor isn’t bad as foster parents go. She knows a lot about animals, and she’s good at giving December space to be the girl she is. And at school, December has the chance to befriend another student going through her own struggles. But December questions if any of these things – a new home, a new friend – can be counted on. Maybe she’d be better off if she just flew away.

Review

I have mixed feelings on this one. I wrestled through a good portion of the book trying to figure out if December’s bird/flying thing was the result of trauma or if it was psychosis. How much did she really believe she would fly? Also, I did not find it believable that the social service system would not be more alarmed about a child in care flinging herself out of trees. I think there would have been a much stronger reaction – maybe to the point of group home care or something more secure.

I liked Eleanor’s relationship with December. December noticed Eleanor’s effort to give her space, and ask her what she wanted. This relationship was my favorite part of the book. Even so, the story never fully connected with my heart. I didn’t click with December. And I realize because of her life experience she is protective and isolating and cautious. But usually with characters like that, there are other factors that allow me to connect emotionally. I didn’t find them in this case.

The other relationship I liked was December’s relationship with a transgender student at her new school, Cheryllynn. Cheryllynn was an advocate and support for December, and then December returned the favor. The issues with the mean girls weren’t resolved, nor did they escalate. They were just there – part of life. Maybe I needed more here, too.

For readers who like stories where characters overcome their past or wrestle through mental health or family issues, this might work. It wouldn’t be my first choice for kids looking for stories like that, but for kids who have worked through other examples, they might want to check out December’s story. Fans of animal books might enjoy the bird facts in this book.

Rating: ♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Doughnut King by Jessie Janowitz

REVIEW: The Doughnut King by Jessie Janowitz

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Tristan and Josh achieved their goal of making the “life-changing” chocolate cream doughnuts (The Doughnut Fix). Their doughnut shop is in an old train station where they share space with The Station House, Tris’ mom’s restaurant. And for a couple of 7th graders, they have an amazing business. People LOVE their doughnuts. But not everyone is thrilled with The Doughnut Stop. Folks who drive a long way and find the shop closed (The boys still have to go to school!) or the doughnuts sold out aren’t very happy. Tris is desperate to come up with a way to make more doughnuts faster so he can keep his customers happy.

While Tris is struggling to keep up with doughnut demand, the town of Petersville is struggling, too. More people are moving away than are moving in. The school is so small I could be closed. And Petersville is losing its post office. How will The Doughnut Stop – or The Station House and Tris’ family – survive if the town can’t bring in more people?

When Tris discovers a machine that could help him with his doughnut issues, he knows it could save the day for both The Doughnut Stop AND Petersville. Now he just needs to find $50,000 to buy one. And a reality cooking show could be his solution.

Review

Excellent! I loved this even more than I did The Doughnut Fix! All of my favorite characters are back – Tris and Josh and Tris’ family. There are lots of laugh-out-loud moments I just had to read aloud to my family. And the heart of the story was everything I love about middle grade fiction.

At its core, this is a cooking book. It’s the struggles of a food-based business. It’s a cooking reality show. And it’s the struggle for food businesses in a dwindling community. But it’s also richer than “just” those things. Tristan is a business person now. He feels that pressure and responsibility. He’s maturing. He’s also all the more aware of the things his parents are trying to shield him from. And I loved watching that dynamic unfold.

The reality show was almost a second story in the book once we established the business and town struggles. The show introduced a new cast of characters with the show runners and the other contestants. Honestly, I expected Tris to be nervous but to shine. He’d be this beacon of purity as his love of cooking overcame some of the pettiness and reality show stuff. And there were moments of that. But there were other moments of REAL turmoil. Tris wrestles with his identity – “shark” or “krill?” He wrestles with the competition aspects. And while not “perfect” in his choices, he still shines!

I highly recommend this delightful series! It’s a treat from start to finish. Includes recipes.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

REVIEW: The Library of Ever by Zeno Alexander

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lenora is stuck. Her parents are off traveling the world, and she is left behind with a nanny. A horrible nanny, too, who is working her own angles and agendas while dragging Lenora along. But when the nanny has to head to the library, Lenora sees her chance to escape.

Ditching the nanny by dodging through the stacks, Lenora opens a gateway to an unusual library thanks to an act of protective kindness. And this new library offers exactly what Lenora wants – a chance to both learn things and make a difference to others.

While Lenora is learning what it means to be the “Fourth Assistant Apprentice Librarian,” dark forces are gathering. They know knowledge is dangerous, and they are determined to destroy it.

Review

This is a fun fantasy story on the young side of middle grade. I loved Lenora! She is bright and resourceful. She keeps a notebook to record what she learns and her questions – I love that! And I learned some cool things right along with her. She has an earnest desire to learn. And she works to overcome the fear and angst that would naturally arise in such an unusual setting with few if any instructions for how to proceed.

I was frustrated by the villains when they appeared in the story. I felt like the villains, and their cause, lived on a different level in the storytelling than the fantasy worlds Lenora visited. It was like her travels and tasks were painted in rich, vibrant colors, and I was immersed right along with her. But the direct confrontations with the villains to me felt like black and white interactions in comparison. They pulled me out of the delightful fantasy.

This could be a function of (a) being an adult reader of a book for kids, and (b) reading a lot of adult and young adult fantasy where things are far more drawn out and motives are more often teased rather than stated plainly. So, I wanted this to be longer, with more drawn out trials for Lenora on each task. With a longer story, the villains could have been developed more slowly, too. And their motives would have felt less obvious.

But as I considered it, I don’t think that is the goal of this book. There are books for that – for the longer trials and nuanced villains – Percy Jackson and the like. This feels like more of an introduction to fantasy for maybe a slightly younger audience. A good introduction for readers who aren’t yet ready for those longer books just yet (The first Percy Jackson book is twice as long as this one.). For those almost-ready readers, this will be great! I feel like Lenora and the library will give a taste of the magic and mythology and world building of fantasy, but in a politely-sized format with a relatively quick return on the reading investment – action, results, resolution, and hints at a future adventure.

I think this would make for a great family or classroom read aloud. The quickly resolved adventures (1 – 2 chapters) work for classroom or bedtime reading. And depending on the age and insight of the readers, discussions about the villains and their goals could be very interesting, too.

I think readers will love Lenora, so be sure to watch for her future adventures! The library in this book is a delightful place to spend some time.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Twinchantment by Elise Allen

REVIEW: Twinchantment by Elise Allen

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

In the kingdom of Kaloon, magic was outlawed during the reign of King Lamar. Only the Keepers of the Light could use magic in the kingdom. Anyone – or anything – considered magic was banished to the Twists, a magical prison. This included people who did magic, black cats, anyone who was left-handed and twins.

This was all thanks to a dark magician Maldevon who betrayed King Lamar and killed the entire royal family except for the king and his son, Prince Alistair. The king was rescued by a mage named Grosselor who became the leader of the Keepers of the Light. Grosselor and the Keepers kept the kingdom safe for years.

King Edwin, Lamar’s great-great-grandson was the next king who had to deal with an attack. Queen Latonya was pregnant with their first child, and the court jester Gilward attacked her with a green mist. But the queen – and Princess Flissara – were thankfully fine.

Only four people know the truth. The queen delivered twin girls that night, Flissa and Sara. No one was certain what the Keepers would do about a royal set of twins. So the two girls take turns being Princess Flissara, working hard to deal with the strengths and weaknesses of one another.

When the queen is attacked a second time, just before the girls’ twelfth birthday and Ascension Day, the girls believe Gilward has escaped the Twists to curse the queen again and must be hiding back in the Twists, biding his time until the queen is dead. With time running out to save their mother, Flissa and Sara will take on the dangers of the Twists with Gilward’s own son helping to track the mage/jester down. Gilward is their only hope to save the queen.

Review

This was fun! Be sure to look closely at that cover – isn’t it gorgeous?!! It’s a terrific representation of this fun tale. I enjoyed Sara and Flissa and the rest of their traveling companions. The split perspective storytelling was perfect for showing how the girls were wrestling with their identity on an adventure when they didn’t have to hide and pretend to be one person.

The magical world was interesting, too. The girls question everything they have been taught about their kingdom once they are actually out of the castle and seeing the reality of things. They have to face the contradicting stories of their history – something that will continue to be addressed in future books.

I wish this book had existed when I was teaching. I had several students who wanted “brown kid books,” but so many of their choices were what I would call issue books. If there were Black characters, the book was often about racial issues. Those books are usually excellent, and serve a purpose. But sometimes a kid just wants to read a friendship story or an adventure that stars a kid who looks like them. While this book stars two Black girls, their race has nothing to do with the story. It’s just an element in their character description. Not only is it a fun fantasy story, but it adds this diversity piece that is so needed. Be sure to add this one to your home or classroom library!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Right Hook of Devin Velma by Jake Burt

REVIEW: The Right Hook of Devin Velma by Jake Burt

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

From the beginning, we know that Devin punched Addison. But the events of the story help Addison figure out why.

The story starts with a scheme called The Double-Barreled Monkey Bar Backflip of Doom. Devin is convinced if he can pull off this legendary playground move, he’ll become internet famous. And he wants Addison to be the look out and guy on the camera. But when the playground monitor approaches them, Addison freezes. Just like always. Too much attention, potential trouble, or just too many eyes turned his way, and Addison clams up. He might think of the right thing to say, but he’s too frozen to even speak.

Usually Devin is fine with being Addison’s voice in these moments. But Devin is obsessed with his grand plans to be internet famous. But it’s not for himself. Devin’s dad needs a really expensive surgery. If he can find the right move, and get the right attention, he can fix this thing for his family. But when the moment comes, things don’t go quite how Devin planned.

Review

I enjoyed Jake Burt’s first book, Greetings From Witness Protection, so much, this book was a must-buy for me. And this one was so fun! I love smart, funny stories. And this is exactly that. I was reading in a public space and had to remind myself not to cackle out loud as I read. This was a treat!

I love the families at the center of this story. Yes, Devin and Addison are great – but the magic of this is the big picture. It’s the relationships between these boys AND these families.

The stories of the two boys when they were little are precious. But this is the biggest challenge their friendship has faced. And the journey is fantastic. This is a great look at what friendship is about. I could see this being a great choice for a book group at a school or a classroom read-aloud.

Jake Burt is now an author I buy automatically. His third book, The Tornado, will be out this fall, and I can’t wait to read it. He’s an author to keep an eye on. Be sure to check out Greetings from Witness Protection AND The Right Hook of Devin Velma if you haven’t already! (Language – “damn” is used twice.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥