Category: Middle Grade Fiction Review

REVIEW: Stowaway by John David Anderson

REVIEW: Stowaway by John David Anderson

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Leo and his brother, Gareth, live on board a science vessel called the Beagle with their father, Dr. Fender. At least, they did, before the Djarik came. They took Dr. Fender along with the fuel for the Beagle and stranded the rest of the crew in space. They don’t even leave anything pirates would want. Leo knows this because after the Djarik leave, the ship is attacked by pirates.

But those pirates give Gareth an idea. If the boys could stow away on the pirates’ ship, they could sneak off when they landed and find help for the Beagle. But the pirates’ hold only has room for one, so he sends Leo off to find help.

It doesn’t take long for the pirates to find Leo. And after some deliberation, they decide not to just push him out into space. But what started as a plan to look for help for Gareth and the Beagle becomes a fight for their lives. Leo might be with the pirates longer than Gareth had planned….

Review

I enjoyed this latest story from John David Anderson. Leo is a great kid, and I was rooting for him the whole time. I enjoyed the science fiction story and the ragtag group Leo finds himself with.

There are a lot of flashback scenes and moments of remembering for Leo. And while at times that filled the backstory in nicely, other times they interrupted the flow of the story and the momentum of the action. I think I would have liked fewer flashbacks – or maybe shorter ones. The action with Leo and the quest to find his family held my attention better.

I wasn’t sure I would read a sequel to this one, but the epilogue is great and sets up book two really nicely. There are some predictable developments here, but they were all enjoyable. I’d happily adventure with Leo and friends again.

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good +

REVIEW: The Lost Things Club by J. S. Puller

REVIEW: The Lost Things Club by J. S. Puller

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free print review copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Every summer, Leah travels an hour south to Chicago to stay with her aunt and uncle for three weeks while her mother travels for work. It’s usually a fun trip filled with sights to see for Leah and her younger cousin, TJ. But this summer is going to be different. Leah’s mom has already warned her that TJ is different this year. Ever since the school shooting, TJ has stopped talking.

Leah is stunned by the difference in TJ since she last saw him just a few months ago. But they’ve always been close. She’s convinced she can get through to him, help him when no one else has been able to.

But the surprise of the change in TJ is nothing compared to Leah’s discovery that 8-year-old TJ is sneaking out of the house at night and walking to a laundromat. He’s even talking to a stranger,  a man he sees every night when he sneaks out on his nightly jaunt.

Leah has to wonder what is so special, so important, for TJ to sneak out. And why he seems like his old self there with strangers rather than at home with his family.

Review

This second novel by the author of the incredible Captain Superlative is a lovely story about family and friendship, trauma and triumph. I adored Leah. While she looks for answers to TJ’s silence at home and his engagement at an area laundromat – the eventual home of the Lost Things Club – she’s also trying to find her niche, her identity, what makes her special. I liked how this broadened her story. TJ is still the focus, but this is another layer to the story that most readers will be able to connect to.

I was impressed by how the story dealt with a really serious topic – a school shooting and TJ’s story of what happened that day – in a kid-appropriate way. Every piece – from TJ’s parents’ desperation to Leah’s thoughtful observations and questions to TJ’s need for the Land of Lost Things to be real – felt true and honest while at the same time never feeling like “too much.” Especially for readers who will be in 3rd or 4th grade (or higher).

I imagine some sensitive readers might struggle with the seriousness of the story, but I think that most kids will feel like Leah – an outside observer who loves TJ and wants to understand him. And I think those readers will be caught up in the eventual solution. Don’t miss this one! (TW: grief and loss, references to a school shooting, but no description of the event itself. Mostly focuses on the impact of the event.)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 (Graphic Novel) by Lauren Tarshis

REVIEW: I Survived the Attacks of September 11, 2001 (Graphic Novel) by Lauren Tarshis

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Lucas is a football player. But after a significant concussion – his third in 2 years – his parents decide he shouldn’t  play any more for his own safety. But Lucas decides to appeal to his “Uncle” Benny. Benny is Lucas’s dad’s best friend at the firehouse. Benny stepped up and helped Lucas’s family when his dad was hurt in a fire. He got Lucas into football in the first place. So Lucas cuts school on the morning of September 11, 2001 to talk to Benny.

While Lucas and Benny are near the firehouse, talking, the first plane hits the World Trade Center. As the firefighters head to the site and Lucas watches the news at the firehouse, the second plane hits. Lucas is alone at the station. He can’t get a call out to either of his parents. What should Lucas do next?

Review

This is excellent! The story is full, giving context to Lucas being in the city on a school day as well as giving football book-ends to the more serious pieces of the story. The basics of 9/11 are covered honestly, straightforwardly, with details that are appropriate for young readers.

The author includes her 9/11 story, told in comic panels at the end of the book. Other information about 9/11 and the aftermath is included in the backmatter. The artwork is stellar! Easy to follow, conveying the details of the scenes well.

September 11th, 2001, changed everything. And kids today were born into that changed world. They have questions about what happened that day. With the 20th anniversary coming up, this will be a great resource to answer some of their questions. I highly recommend this one for graphic novel fans, fans of the I Survived series, and kids curious to know more about this significant historical event.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Whatever Happens (Julie and the Phantoms) by Candace Buford

REVIEW: Whatever Happens (Julie and the Phantoms) by Candace Buford

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Edelweiss and Scholastic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

Includes SPOILERS for the Netflix show Julie and the Phantoms.

[At the end of season one of Julie and the Phantoms, the band has finished playing at the Orpheum, but the guys don’t “cross over.” Their unfinished business, whatever it is, isn’t done. Julie finds them in the studio, still suffering from Caleb’s power over them. But something happens that releases them from Caleb; their club stamps disappear. And for the first time, Julie can touch them even though they are ghosts.]

While Alex and Reggie leave to find Willie and see what they can figure out about their more solid ghostly state, Luke and Julie reminisce about their show at the Orpheum and talk about their most cherished days from the past. For Luke, it’s the day Sunset Curve was preparing to play the Orpheum the first time in 1995. For Julie, it’s a day she spent with her mom in 2019, before they knew her mom was sick.

Review

This is so clever! It fills in fun backstory for the characters without getting in the way of any potential season 2 stories for the show. Fans will get to read about songwriting moments for Luke, Julie, and Rose as well as some family interactions for Alex, Flynn, and Julie. Readers get a glimpse at Bobby and his place in the band and find out a little more about Reggie’s family.

As old as I am, I am probably way too attached to a show for kids and teens, but I absolutely *adore* these characters. I have my fingers crossed that Netflix will shoot at least one more season of the show. But while we all wait, fans will love getting to spend time with these characters in some new stories which fit perfectly into the show and reveal a little more depth to each of the teens. This book made me love my favorite characters all the more.

If I was rating this on my enjoyment alone, I would give this 4.5 stars. I loved it. I would re-read this. The author does almost too good of a job conveying the chemistry between Luke and Julie (this is a middle grade story, after all), and I am thrilled to add some backstory to my head canon about these characters. A lot of that character depth comes from the characters getting to tell their own parts of the stories. Each of the 6 teens has at least one point-of-view chapter. But that is also where the wrinkle comes in for me. The set up is that Luke and Julie are alone, telling these stories to one another. There’s no place in that set up for the other 4 characters to chime in with their perspective on group events, much less sharing about things that happened away from Luke or Julie. That structural wrinkle would drop my book rating to probably a 3.5 – the story is otherwise solid. I’m going to give it an average rating of 4 here, but in my head, the content is definitely rated higher than that.

Readers will want to have at least a passing knowledge of the events in the show and the characters in order to enjoy this. Fans craving new content for these characters should snap this up. (LGBTQ+, TW: coming out stories/parental disapproval)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read (but you know I totally will with this one!)

SABBATICAL: Five Star Reviews for Kids

SABBATICAL: Five Star Reviews for Kids

Posted on by Jaymie

This week my sabbatical posts will be links to the books that earned a five star review from me. Today my focus will be on books for kids. This list will include picture books as well as middle grade and older middle grade books that I adored. Some of the reviews you will find in the full list include outstanding books that didn’t make it into a Year in Review post like these:

Madeline Finn and the Library Dog
Solving for M
Wedgie and Gizmo
Mabel Opal Pear and the Rules for Spying
Sidetracked
Framed

Here’s the full list: Five Star Reviews for Kids

REVIEW: Marcus Makes a Movie by Kevin Hart

REVIEW: Marcus Makes a Movie by Kevin Hart

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free 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

Marcus had to sign up for an after school activity. He wanted to do art so he could work on his comic every day after school. But the art teacher would have made him do other projects, too. So he agrees to sign up for film making.

But when he gets to the first session, he’s not feeling the leaders or the other kids. He’s hoping to just sit in a corner and work on his superhero comic about Toothpick, his hero. But then one of the leaders suggests Marcus could turn his superhero comic into a movie!

Review

This is a lot of fun! Marcus has big feelings and a big personality, but his heart is usually in the right place. I could hear the author’s voice in my head as I read. And the mentions of “Tevin Bart,” “Taylor Berry,” and some superhero references in the book were hilarious!

This includes solid information about screenplays, writing and revising, taking criticism, etc., but it is well-integrated and never distracts from the story. And Marcus’ voice and personality are consistent (and awesome) all the way through.

This was such a fun story with characters I thoroughly enjoyed. I’d love to read more Marcus adventures! (Grief/loss)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.

REVIEW: What Comes Next by Rob Buyea

REVIEW: What Comes Next by Rob Buyea

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

When Thea’s best friend, Charlie, died, Thea stopped speaking. Going back to school was excruciating, so her mom homeschooled her to finish out the year. But her parents decided that the family needed a change, so they moved to a new town.

On top of a change in location, Thea’s dad promises her younger sisters that the family will also get a dog. Thea has no interest in a puppy, especially as her frequent nightmares shift to start including a puppy she can’t save. But at the shelter, Jack Jack reaches a paw out to touch Thea, and she is converted. He picked her – just like Charlie once did. And that’s only the first of many examples of how special Jack Jack is.

Review

Oh, this was lovely! I was immediately drawn in by Thea, and I loved her on every page. I loved her whole journey – with Charlie, with Jack Jack, and with the folks she meets in her new home. But Jack Jack was the star of the story. He was exactly what Thea needed – but not just Thea. His story was so much bigger.

There’s a great epilogue here that goes farther into the future than you usually get in a middle grade novel. It was the cherry on top of this terrific story!

I loved every moment of this – and I cried through several of them. This is another hit from Rob Buyea – do not miss it!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥♥ = Outstanding!

REVIEW: Born to Be Bad by Ken Lamug

REVIEW: Born to Be Bad by Ken Lamug

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

By day they are Missy and Gizmo. Gizmo is the cat Missy rescued from a group of bullies. Missy lives in Idleville with her parents and her brother. Missy is an inventor, but her inventions – and the destruction they can cause – lead to trouble with both Missy’s parents, and their neighbors.

While Missy tells her parents she’s going to science camp, instead she heads to superhero boot camp so she can use her brain and tech skills to become a hero.

But something happens at camp that will set Missy and Gizmo on the path to villainy. They will become Mischief and Mayhem.

Review

This was such a fun story. Missy and Gizmo are a great team. The book starts with examples of their supervillain ways, but chapter 2 shifts to their origin story. I wasn’t sure if the first chapter actually takes place after the events of this book, or if the story returns to that timeline in the middle of the action. Either way, this is a fun look at the journey from “Missy and Gizmo” to “Mischief and Mayhem.”

The art work here is great. I only saw one chapter in full color, but even in black and white, the art is great. I can’t wait to see the finished copy with full color throughout.

There are some interesting moments in the book about what makes someone a hero and what makes a villain. And Missy’s story doesn’t develop like I expected it to, which was fun. There’s a lot here for graphic novel fans and superhero story fans to enjoy.

Readers will experience a great teaser at the end that will propel them on to book 2. This will be a huge hit with kids, so don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥½*

*♥♥♥½ = Good+

REVIEW: That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar

REVIEW: That Thing About Bollywood by Supriya Kelkar

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Sonali is stressed as the new semester starts at school. She is in a drama class she’s not sure about, her best friend seems enamored with a new friend, and the tension between her parents at home seems to be rising. If she lived in the Bollywood films she loves, everyone would sing their feelings – from her best friend Zara’s excitement about all things drama to her brother’s frequent tears and her parent’s anger. But Sonali swore off feelings – and sharing them – years ago.

As a younger kid, Sonali had made a project all about her parent’s arguments and how it made her feel. But rather than changing anything at home, she was laughed at and yelled at. She learned quickly to keep everything she thought and felt to herself.

But when her parents announce their separation, everything changes for Sonali. First, she wakes up in a bedroom that is a cross between her regular room and what you might find in a Bollywood film. Then she has a soundtrack wherever she goes. And everyone says this is perfectly normal. Before she knows it, Sonali is breaking into song and dance routines while she watches her whole world shift into something out of her favorite movies. And she’s not sure how she’s going to get back to her own reality.

Review

This is a clever kids story along the lines of a Groundhog Day or Freaky Friday adaptation where the main character is in an alternate world and has to dig deep to unravel the mysteries that are keeping them from returning to their normal world. I love that sort of story, and this is a great twist on that idea. While I am not well-versed in Bollywood, the author does a great job of describing Sonali’s alternate world for readers with less context.

As an adult, it was easy to see the solution to Sonali’s problem. I’m curious to see if the intended audience catches on as quickly or if they have to walk the journey with Sonali. Either way, there’s a ton of rich emotional storytelling here that would make this great for a read-aloud or a discussion group. This is a beautiful way to engage kids in the concepts of emotional expression and health.

Kids who love Bollywood as well as those who enjoy musical theater and drama will find a lot to love here. But any kid who has struggled with emotional regulation and expression, family conflict, divorce, or grief/loss may also see themselves reflected in this story. Be sure to check this one out!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might-re-read.

BONUS REVIEW: Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber

BONUS REVIEW: Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber

Posted on by Jaymie

[I received a free electronic review copy of this book from Edelweiss and Scholastic in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary

In middle school, Sarah is starting to notice how her body is changing as she gets older. Nothing feels “normal” or “right.” And she feels like it is impacting how she plays basketball. And basketball means everything to Sarah.

So she starts thinking about what she can do to change things. Maybe like eating less and following the “rules” about food would help. Health class gives her some ideas. Her mom has a lot of food rules, too. In fact, there are times when Sarah’s mom forgets to go shopping, leaving nothing in the house for dinner or breakfast. Sarah’s dad travels for work, so he eats on the run a lot of the time. But Sarah’s a kid – she can’t just pick something up for herself.

And on top of all the other food drama – and basketball drama, and friend drama – Sarah starts cooking with her crush so they can try out for a kids cooking show. But so much of what they are cooking is against Sarah’s new rules.

When Sarah’s friends start to comment on how little she is eating, and it starts to negatively impact her on the court, everything comes to a tipping point.

Review

I really felt for Sarah in this! The author does an excellent job conveying Sarah’s thinking about food (and other topics) and showing how that impacts what Sarah thinks about herself. There’s a lot of conflicting information – and misinterpreted information. And then there’s the role Sarah’s parents play in the bigger picture of Sarah’s eating and food-related issues. I enjoyed the hopeful, supportive, yet direct way Sarah’s situation is handled.

Food and disordered eating is a huge piece of the story. And it could be overwhelming or triggering for some readers (TW). But that’s not the only thread in the story. There are some great basketball moments and some meaty friendship pieces to the book as well. The author does a great job here, as well, showing Sarah taking what she is learning in counseling and applying it to other areas of her life. I loved the positive messages in the book about therapy, too.

Obviously there’s a lot here for kids to sink their teeth into – the friendship issues, the cooking and cooking show pieces, the basketball, and the food/eating parts. This would be an excellent choice for a read-aloud or for book groups. I highly recommend this one! Some other great middle grade books that deal with disordered eating include Goodbye, Mr. Terupt, Everything I Know About You (♥♥♥♥½), and Still a Work in Progress (♥♥♥♥♥). (TW: Disordered eating/thinking about food)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥♥ = Great! Might re-read.