Category: Older Middle Grade Review (10-14 year olds)

REVIEW: Where You'll Find Me by Natasha Friend

REVIEW: Where You’ll Find Me by Natasha Friend

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Anna can’t believe she’s living at her dad’s house. He had gotten engaged to Marnie before her parents’ divorce was even final. And their baby appeared soon after their wedding. She’d done a careful job of avoiding sleeping there. Daytime visits only. Anything else felt disloyal to her mother. But that was before.

Before her mother tried to kill herself and ended up in the hospital.

And when it rains, it pours. Anna has also lost her best friend. She’s stuck at school hanging out with the weird kids. It seems like everyone – other parents, teachers at school – is talking about Anna’s mom. And Marnie’s trying too hard with Anna, making her feel suffocated.

It all leaves Anna feeling lost and adrift. But help will arrive from places she least expects.

Review

I pulled this from a middle grade pile on my bookshelf, but when I looked the book up, the publishing information says this is for teens. I was confused. Anna is only 13 in this story – young for a teen book. And while her processing of all the things feels appropriate for 13, it also feels young for a teen/YA book. It might be a good fit for the new “Older Middle Grade” category for readers 10 to 14. But there’s some mature content – some swearing, Anna hears her dad and step-mom having sex, etc. – things you don’t generally find in middle grade books. All of this made it hard for me to get a good grasp on this one. Who exactly is this book for?

That aside, I loved the story. My heart broke for Anna. The near suicide is a huge stressor, but there’s so much MORE going on:

  • The unspoken things between Anna and her dad and the ways she has felt abandoned by him, left to care for her mom on her own.
  • Anna’s fears of finding her mother dead.
  • Anna’s memories of her mom’s manic episodes as she learns about Bipolar 2.
  • Anna’s shame about her mom’s illness.
  • The loss of her best friend.

All of these things are conveyed SO well. I was rooting for Anna through the whole book – that she would make new and better friends, that she would see her step-mother as an ally, and that she would share the burden of her mom’s illness with someone. There’s a great happy-for-now wrap up to this that was so satisfying.

Find the right audience and this will be a hit with readers. I loved it! (Language, sexual references, references to Wicca, CW: Suicide)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

BONUS REVIEW: The Class by Frances O'Roark Dowell

BONUS REVIEW: The Class by Frances O’Roark Dowell

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary and Review

Mrs. Herrera’s class of 6th graders is an eclectic group of students. She has popular kids, and jocks and nice kids and brainy kids. Ellie is one of the new kids. She’s a writer – an observer – a spy. And when something happens in the class, her observations are a foundation for the rest of the story.

This is an unusual book. There are a ton of perspectives in this. Twenty different kids chime in to tell the story. It was hard at times to keep track of everyone. Then it took half the book for the class-impacting event to happen. And when it did, it felt small to me. It didn’t have a very big punch.

From the description I thought this would be 20 perspectives on the same moment/day/event where each subsequent story would fill in what really happened. [I was expecting something like the first part of the amazing book, The Candymakers, where each of the four characters tells their version of the A part of the story before moving back to the main character’s perspective for the wrap up of the book. It’s part of what makes The Candymakers so brilliant.] Instead, this was one story arc, and each kid told part of it as it moved along.

This format and story didn’t work for me. I struggled to stay engaged. I didn’t know the characters well enough to have them drive me from page to page through the story. And then there wasn’t a lot of action or punch to the “event” to drive me on either. I struggled to stick with this. I won’t be posting a rating for this one.

When it comes to multiple perspective stories, I prefer a Rob Buyea story or something like The Reckless Club. I think those are stronger examples of the format – fewer characters and higher stakes.

Other readers have found this delightful, so if the premise sounds interesting to you, check it out. It wasn’t a good fit for me.

REVIEW: Friend or Fiction? by Abby Cooper

REVIEW: Friend or Fiction? by Abby Cooper

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Life was weird in Tiveda, Colorado. It was a small town, and no one every stayed there long. People there were generally passing through on their way somewhere else. For Jade, Tiveda was extra weird because her family was sticking around. That wasn’t the plan at first, but her dad’s been way too sick to move away, find new doctors, etc. And while she stays, her friends tend to come and go.

Until Zoe.

Zoe is a character Jade created. Jade’s a writer. And she writes stories about a fictional Jade and her best friend Zoe. All of the stories fit in a notebook that Jade takes everywhere so she always has Zoe with her. She can add to their adventures any time, which comes in handy when you don’t have a best friend at school any more. And Jade’s dad loves to hear any new Zoe story she writes.

When a kid named Clue takes Jade’s notebook for a “project,” she is beside herself. What dose she even do without Zoe? But the project seems to be a success because Zoe – Jade’s made up Zoe – has come to life, and she’s is living across the street from Jade and going to her school!

Review

This was great. There’s a touch of magic to the story that brings Zoe to life. But the rest is a realistic story about friendship, family and writing. And it all comes together so well.

I loved the revelations Jade encounters in the last part of the book – about her brother, about Zoe, about the kids at school, about storytelling, and about herself. There’s so much here, and it’s all so rich. Jade grows and changes so much from the start of the novel to the end. It’s a fantastic journey.

This would be great for classroom reading or a book group. This fits in the “older middle grade” category, for kids 10 and up. There are tons of friendship pieces to talk about, but so much more – cancer, grief, isolation, family. There are great pieces about writing and writers in this, too, that could have classroom connections. The fact that Jade is a writer, that she connects with a teacher at school who encourages her writing, and her dad’s enthusiasm about her stories – those were some of my favorite parts of the book. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

BONUS REVIEW: Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

BONUS REVIEW: Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

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

Mila is in 7th grade. She loves playing trumpet in the band. She has three best friends. And she’s getting some weird vibes from “the basketball boys.”

First, they’re weird about her fuzzy green sweater. She wears it a lot because it fits. Some of her shirts have gotten small and tight but her mom doesn’t have money for shopping. The boys keep trying to hug Mila when she wears the sweater, or they try to touch it, saying it’s “for luck.”

They crowd her. On the bus, one of them sits with her, bumping into her or leaving her only enough space to squeeze by. They move closer to her in class, touch her when she doesn’t want to be touched. And when she tries to speak up, they say she’s overreacting or can’t take a joke. Her friends fade away instead of back her up.

Each incident taken alone seems small and insignificant. But all of them, day after day, leave Mila feeling gross – like her skin is crawling – and dreading what might happen next.

Review

This was an emotional read for me. The beginning made me feel squirmy. Mila felt trapped and alone. She knew things felt wrong, but enough voices said she was overreacting that she second guessed herself. She had no language for what was happening to her. She felt the perpetrators would have more support from teachers and the administration. The stress of it all for Mila made my stomach churn.

I loved that martial arts was a factor in Mila’s solution – and not through fighting but in finding her voice! Middle school is so hard. Kids are testing identities and negotiating relationships and pushing boundaries. The confidence Mila gains through martial arts was a great piece to the story’s resolution.

Once Mila started sharing her story, I teared up through the whole rest of the book. Her bravery was inspiring. The adults took her seriously and took action. And the action seemed appropriate. (Although, if Mila was my daughter, I would have wanted a stronger response – I would have liked more on how the boys’ parents responded, too, but that’s an adult’s perspective.)

This is an important book for middle grade readers, especially upper elementary students and middle school students. It gives language to kids for this very specific and nuanced kind of bullying and harassment. It would be an excellent conversation starter at school AND at home. Do not miss this one! I feel like our kids will be better off having read this.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: The Tornado by Jake Burt

REVIEW: The Tornado by Jake Burt

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Bell Kirby is quite the engineer for an elementary school student. His favorite school activity is Creator Club. (This year they get to recreate some of Da Vinci’s creations!) Bell designed a habitat of tubes for his chinchilla to run through that travels all over his bedroom. Bell’s dad, who is deployed with the Army, sends him engineering brain teasers to solve. And his mom, who’s an engineer with the Army, has a garage workshop where Bell can work on some of his own designs.

But Bell’s biggest “system” is the one he uses at school to avoid a bully named Parker. Bell has a system for every hour of every school day. He has studied Parker’s schedule both for school and for extracurricular activities. Bell has alternate routes for his alternate routes to get him from class to class to home while avoiding Parker as much as possible. Bell has tried to get help for the bullying at school, but Parker’s dad is the principal. He always has an excuse for why whatever Parker did was an accident, or he doesn’t believe Bell because there are no witnesses willing to speak up.

When Daelynn Gower shows up at their school, her eccentric appearance and outgoing personality catches Parker’s attention. And a cafeteria accident makes her Parker’s primary target. So Bell is off the hook! Parker isn’t tormenting him any more. In fact, Parker wants Bell to help him in his schemes against Daelynn. What can Bell do now?

Review

What a great twist on the bullying theme getting a lot of attention in children’s literature these days! I loved that this wrestles with the question of what responsibility the formerly-bullied have to the new target. Do they bask in their own freedom, or do they try to stand up to the bully, risking a renewal of the torment? Anyone who thinks that is an easy question – or an easy task – has probably never been bullied.

I loved Bell! His engineering brilliance makes him a unique middle grade protagonist. I loved how adults and kids recognized that talent in him. I thought Bell’s parents reacted reasonably to his situation at school, walking the fine line of being his advocate while also giving Bell space to try to handle his own business.

I have enjoyed all of Jake Burt’s work to date. You can read my review of Greetings from Witness Protection (one of my top books of 2017) here and my review of The Right Hook of Devin Velma here. The Tornado is a must-read for Jake Burt fans. This would be a great read-aloud or book group selection. The bullying angle gives a lot of material for discussion both at school and at home. This is another great selection for older middle grade readers (ages 10-14). Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Humiliations of Pipi McGee by Beth Vrabel

REVIEW: The Humiliations of Pipi McGee 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

Pipi’s humiliations are legendary. And no one at her middle school is going to let her forget them. From her kindergarten self-portrait (as a strip of bacon with boobs) shown on the first day of 8th grade to her reputation for picking her nose (an unfortunate school picture fiasco) and starting a vomiting epidemic on the school bus, Pipi can’t catch a break. If anyone touches her, they treat their hand as if they have the plague, trying to pass the “Pipi touch” to other students. But Pipi is convinced THIS will be the year everything changes. This will be the year of revenge and redemption!

Pipi has a plan to reinvent herself, undo all of her humiliations, and to strike back at those who hurt her the most when she was vulnerable. Her single-minded focus on changing her life before high school ends up causing more trouble than it fixes. In fact, her quest for reinvention could cost her the parts of her current life she actually enjoys.

Review

There are some truly delightful moments in this story. But there are also plenty of painful ones for Pipi. This is the second “revenge” story line I’ve read recently, and both were a bit painful to read. This isn’t the good-will-triumph-over-evil sort of revenge where you identify with the oppressed and cheer for them to rise up. It tends to look more like good-kid-temporarily-becomes-a-jerk-to-get-back-at-the-jerks.  And as the reader, you have to sit back and watch it all fall apart while you hope Pipi will learn from everything and find some redemption in the end.

Pipi’s family really helps offset the more awkward and painful parts of the book. They are spectacular! My favorite scene is a birthday party in the middle of the book – it’s an absolute treat. There’s also a couple brief appearances of characters from the author’s 2018 book The Reckless Club (which I ADORED). The tie in was terrific.

I am loving the publishing trend of producing books for older middle grade readers – the 10 to 14-year-olds, the middle schoolers who are ready for more complicated and intricate stories but still young enough to steer away from some YA themes. This is a perfect example of a story for that audience – complicated friendships and relationships, lessons to be learned, and identity to develop. Be sure to check out Pipi McGee! (LGBTQ+)

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir

REVIEW: Cheshire Crossing by Andy Weir

Posted on by Jaymie

Summary

Three girls bounced from institutions to asylums find themselves at a boarding school called Cheshire Crossing. The girls are the only residents – and they have a history of “dissociative psychosis.” But Dr. Rutherford doesn’t think they are crazy. He believes every story Alice Liddell (Wonderland), Wendy Darling (Neverland) and Dorothy Gale (Oz) have ever told.  And he’s going to research how the girls have been able to travel between worlds.

Alice’s bad attitude starts the trouble. Determined to escape the boarding school, she steals Dorothy’s silver slippers to go to Oz. Wendy tries to stop her and is pulled along. Their sudden arrival in Oz catches the attention of the resurrected Wicked Witch of the West and kicks off a universe-crossing adventure for all three girls and their nanny.

[Illustrations by Sarah Andersen]

Review

I have never been a fan of Wonderland or Neverland, but the premise of this one felt like something I had to check out. I’m so glad I did because it was a ton of fun! Alice has the most distinct personality of the three girls. She’s abrasive from the first moment, but I warmed to her over time. Each of the girls has a basic understanding of her world, but when the others visit, it creates a lot of fun scenarios. And there are even some things they can learn about their magic and their lands from one another.

The final page sets up a possible sequel – and I am here for it! I’m curious to see more of Cheshire Crossing and to see how Dr. Rutherford’s research impacts the girls and where their magical abilities and artifacts take them next.

One site says this is for teen readers (12-17) while some other places have this with middle grade graphic novels. I don’t know that I would go below 10 years old with this – that “older middle grade” designation might be the best fit for this story.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer

REVIEW: Broken Strings by Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer

Posted on by Jaymie

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

Summary

Shirli Berman longs to be a performer. She dances and sings AND acts. And for her 8th grade year she’s tried out for the school production of Fiddler on the Roof. She was hoping to get the part of Hodel and get to sing “Matchmaker, Matchmaker.” Instead, she will be playing Golde, Tevye’s wife – an old Jewish woman with no solo. It was hard not to be disappointed.

It’s been five months since the World Trade Center towers fell on 9/11. Some people thought it was too soon for something as festive as a musical. But eventually the school decided it would be part of “moving forward” from the tragedy. A way to heal and get back to some semblance of normal.

Shirli’s grandfather, who she calls Zayde, has some old clothes and furniture in his attic that Shirli thinks could be useful for the musical. But when she looks through everything, she also finds an old violin and a poster for a music group. And one of the little boys on the poster is Zayde.

When Shirli shows him what she found, Zayde becomes angry, saying those things shouldn’t be in the attic. They were supposed to be thrown away years ago. What happened in Zayde’s past, and why does he want to keep it secret?

Review

This is one of the best books I have read so far this year (and I’ve read over 270 books so far)!! What a delightful surprise this was. I loved all the typical parts – the rehearsals and preparation for the musical, and the sweet middle school romance that might blossom. But there’s so much more!

Since the story takes place in New Jersey in late winter and spring of 2002, the characters are still reeling from 9/11. And there are some powerful scenes with Muslim, Jewish and Hindu characters around the events of that day. The scenes are amazing on their own, but they also address how America struggles, still today, with Muslims and other “brown” people because of the terrorists who struck that day.

But the story truly shines in the ways it addresses Jewish history through the musical and also through Shirli’s family. I can’t tell you how many times I cried as Zayde opened up to Shirli about his past. I learned things about the Holocaust I’d never heard/read before. And the authors did a masterful job of ensuring those stories impacted more characters than just Shirli.

This is a phenomenal story – delightful characters, and moving scenes about family, music and friendship. It also addresses heavy topics like 9/11 and the Holocaust in ways that are honest while also being kid-friendly. I’ve noticed a trend lately from publishers to have books targeted to older middle grade readers – 10-14 year olds. These books have excellent storytelling and meaningful plots without engaging in some of the more mature teen behavior you might find in YA books for older readers. Broken Strings is one such book.

My only complaint about this book is something I hope was fixed in the final editing process. This takes place in a Jr. High School with 8th and 9th grade students, but the book frequently refers to the 9th graders as “seniors” instead of “freshmen.” It happens so often, I forgot that Shirli is supposed to be 14 instead of 16. Hopefully that is just a factor in my early review copy.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It would be an exceptional read aloud at school or at home, and would also be a fantastic choice for a book group. Don’t miss this one!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥♥+++