Review / Feathered

Book: Feathered (2016)
Author: Deborah Kerbel
Genre: MG, Historical (1980s)
Publisher: Kids Can Press

Opening lines from the book …
I’m not crazy. I swear I’m not. Ever since I was old enough to remember, I knew I had it in me to fly. I can’t explain it any better than to say it’s a feeling so powerful you shut your mouth and don’t argue with it.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…

1) I was intrigued by the opening lines. I thought it might be a book with magical realism, but the whole feather thing turns out to be more metaphorical. At this point in my reading, I prefer that. (Not that I don’t like magical realism. I think I’m oversaturated in that genre.)

2) I really like Finch. I really felt for her and her brother, especially with how their mother is dealing with the death of their dad. She basically is ignoring them. I was definitely rooting for this family!

 

3) The brother (Harrison) has a friend adds a lot of tension and drama. He’s the yuckiest, meanest bully you just love to hate. That part was really well done. And I like the uncertainty of not knowing if we should like or trust Finch’s brother. 

 

4) There’s a new family that moves in next door. Finch tries to become friends with Pinky, only to find that her dad won’t let Pinky play with Finch. This will lead to some dramatic moments in the story!

 

5) This book takes place in the 80s. I loved the connection it had to Terry Fox who, like Finch’s dad, dies of cancer.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I enjoyed this book. It’s short but packs a lot into the pages with a lot of memorable characters.

 

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YOUR TURN…

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…

Review / The Star That Always Stays

Book: The Star That Always Stays (2022)
Author: Anna Rose Johnson
Genre: MG, Historical (1910s)
Publisher: Holiday House

Opening lines from the book …
“Pa promised he wouldn’t sail in shipwreck season anymore.” The wind swallowed up Norvia Nelson’s words, and she wasn’t even sure if her older brothers had heard her. Only one question had circled the house for days: When would Pa come home?

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…

1) Norvia is such a sympathetic character. I was rooting for her the whole time. She’s navigating losing a father to divorce and having to settle down with a new stepfamily. (And I like that the stepfamily members don’t turn out to be evil!)

2) The book takes a look at what it was like for families living through divorce at the turn of the previous century. It was not considered something “nice families” did. And yet, our protagonist has to live with it. I love how her stepfather (particularly) keeps his head high and shows her the high road.

3) I particularly felt for our poor girl at the party she organizes. Oh, the meanness of the other girls at her school! (I was surprised they actually came. But that’s as much as I will spoil.)

4) Love the little sister, Dicta. She’s such a chatterbox.

5) As someone who loves the writings of L.M. Montgomery and Maud Hart Lovelace, I really enjoyed reading a book written in their style. I’ve always loved the Edwardian era, so that was right up my alley as well. It’s definitely slower-paced but worth the read.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Definitely, this book is for fans of Anne of Green Gables and the Betsy-Tacy books. Oh, and Little Women. Highly recommended.

 

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YOUR TURN…

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…

Review / Vanderbeekers on the Road

Book: The Vanderbeekers on the Road (2022)
Author: Karina Yan Glaser
Genre: MG, Contemporary
Publisher: Clarion Books

Opening lines from the book …
If you had asked the Vanderbeekers whether they ever imagined they would be in a white van with a license plate that said LUDWIG, heading toward Indiana, they would have said it would be more likely that they were going to the moon.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…

1) In this Vanderbeeker book, we get a road trip! I loved all the state signs which had state mottos. It helped us know where we were on the road.

2) The big goal is to get to California for Papa’s birthday surprise. But we also get some secondary goals. Like Jessie and Orlando who want to interview for college scholarships at Berkley. But shhh! That’s a secret. Except Laney and the others overhear and want to stop them from the interview because they don’t want to lose their sister and friend to California! 

3) There are some fun stops. Like the farm where they meet Ramona the chicken! Or the part where there’s a raccoon that steals their shoes.

4) And finally, we get to California. Everything comes out about Orlando and Jessie and the interview. I particularly liked how it all went down with Jessie and the interview.

5) I did miss New York City in this book. The City (i.e. Harlem)  is really like its own character in the books. But I’m glad they’re going back.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Another fun Vanderbeeker book. Perfect for fans of the series.

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YOUR TURN…

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…

Review / Swim Team

Book: Swim Team (2022)
Author: Johnnie Christmas
Genre: MG, Graphic Novel
Publisher: HarperAlley

Opening lines from the book …
“Alligators … Sea turtles?”  “Yep. Yep. They have those in Florida too.”

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…

1) This story is about a father and daughter who move from New York City to Florida. And, as it turns out, it’s also about competitive swimming at the school level. (The title kind of gives that away!) Bree doesn’t actually WANT to swim, but she’s forced into it when it’s the only elective class left at school. And then, in typical Bree-fashion, she goes all-out to tackle this challenge.

2) This book takes a good look at the nature of friendship. Bree has some tense moments with some of the girls on her swim team. I did enjoy the realism there. There’s a snarkiness between some of the girls that they have to overcome to become a real team.

3) I’m a sucker for grandmotherly characters. That’s Etta! She’s not actually Bree’s grandmother, but she comes to act like the grandmother/godmother of the swim team. AND she happens to have been on the school’s swim team from way back. So, you know that’s going to come into the story sometime!

4) I liked the little nod to history in this book. At one point, Bree realizes there’s more to Etta’s swim team story than meets the eye. And so (Tiny Spoiler, so avert your eyes if you’re so inclined) she hunts down Etta’s old teammates. It’s nice to see the little hints dropped throughout the graphic novel. (I had to go back and check a few after I finished the book!) (End spoiler)

5) I loved Bree’s relationship with her dad. (There is no mom; I don’t remember if that’s explained.) And there’s also a little history about her dad that Bree doesn’t really know about at the beginning of the book.

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I enjoyed this graphic novel. I find these books super fast to read. While I do miss more words, I don’t mind engaging my brain in other ways, letting the art do some of the heavy-lifting.

 

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YOUR TURN…

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…

Review / Merci Suarez Plays it Cool

Book: Merci Suarez Plays it Cool (2022)
Author: Meg Medina
Publisher: Candlewick
Genre: MG, Contemporary

Opening lines from the book …
“Shut that screen door, Merci! You’re letting in the mosquitoes!” Mami’s sharp voice makes me jump as Tuerto dashes between my legs. He doesn’t even stop for a chin scratch in his race to escape the heat.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…

1) Fun to be back with Merci and her family at Las Casitas (the Little Houses). In this one, she’s going into 8th grade. Roli is home from college for a semester. And Lolo and Abuela are still dealing with Lolo’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

2) And there’s new drama, this time with Tia and the twins. The twins’ dad suddenly pops up and the boys are ecstatic to know that they do have a “real” dad. But Merci isn’t too keen on this former tio of hers and his new wife. Her big worry is that suddenly her cousins (yes, those pesky boys!) might suddenly be gone from their lives.

3) That’s not the only drama. We also have school and friend drama. Merci wants to be friends with the popular soccer girls. But they’re sending mixed messages. Not to mention that Merci starts sending mixed messages to her other friends. 

4) And then there’s Lolo. The start of the book begins with a Lolo-scare as he is taken to the hospital after a fainting spell. And this book will deal with more than just that. Abuela has to come to terms that she needs outside help for Lolo, even if it means that he’s wearing the wrong color of socks or the wrong cologne! (Spoiler without spoiling… this book does deal with some sad Lolo news.)

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I enjoyed this third book in the Merci Suarez series. And I absolutely recommend this book to those who’ve read the other books. You don’t necessarily need to read the others to enjoy this book, but it does help.

 

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YOUR TURN…

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…

Review / Remarkably Ruby

Book: Remarkably Ruby (2022)
Author: Terri Libenson
Genre: MG, Graphic Novel
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Opening lines from the book …
I’m not what you would call a people person. It’s not that I don’t try. I do. But most of the time, making friends in middle school is a huge chore. I don’t have the greatest social skills.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…

1) Baked Bean Girl! Yes, this is her story. I like that we get to know her as a real person and not just the butt of a joke from the other books. And yes, I think Libenson does a nice explanation of how she’s portrayed in the past books, bringing her to the point of this book.

2) And Ruby’s a poet! This book introduces a poetry club where Ruby and one of her new (shy) friends have to go out to the greater student body to find other poets. It’s not going to be easy, but that gives us some interesting conflict to make up this book.

3) The story also deals with the election of the school’s Student Body President. We get to meet a brand new character: Mia. She’s a real go-getter, almost too much so (as her friends and boyfriend could tell you). And it’s nice to see how her story intersects with Ruby’s. We know they are (were) friends from before middle school, but there’s been a falling out.

4) I enjoyed seeing the parents in this one. They’re dorky and embarrassing, sure, yet it’s nice to witness their relationship with the kids. We mostly get to see Ruby with her mom, and Mia with her dad. (Bonus: The book even ends with a nice little montage.)

5) And finally, I’ll mention that there IS a twist at the end of this book, just as in the other books. It makes you do a quick re-read to see where all the clues are!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Another good book in the series Emmie and Friends! I especially like that these graphic novels are a bit of a hybrid between a graphic novel and a novel itself.

 

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YOUR TURN…

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…

Review / Last in a Long Line of Rebels

Book: Last in a Long Line of Rebels (2015)
Author: Lisa Lewis Tyre
Genre: MG, Contemporary/Historical (Civil War)
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books

Opening lines from the book …
Being the junkman’s daughter isn’t always as cool as it might sound. Sure, I get first dibs on all kinds of good stuff—I now have three perfectly good ten-speed bikes—but it comes with a price. As soon as I saw Daddy’s dump truck sitting in the car line, shaking and rattling like it was about to throw a rod, I knew Sally Martin would have something snide to say.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…

1) The story in the modern world with Lou as our protagonist. She lives in a rambling old house in a small town in Tennessee. Her father has a junkyard that goes with the house, and Lou often helps him find treasures to resell.

2) This is pretty much a what-I-did-last-summer book. Although, it’s told from the point of view of the beginning of summer vacation. Lou tells one of her mean-girl classmates, Sally, that she has great plans for the summer (because Sally is making fun of the junkyard). So Lou and Benzer are trying their best to find a way to spice up their lazy plans for the summer…

3) What’s really cool about the house are the secret hiding spots! Some of which the family thinks date back to the days of the Civil War! Lou and her friend Benzer are hiding one one such place when she discovers that her parents are worried that the town is trying to get rid of the house! Lou loves this house, so she and Benzer launch a campaign to save it (without letting the grownups know because, well, they didn’t know Lou could hear them.)

4) I loved the connection to the Civil War. Each chapter begins with a portion of the diary of Lou’s great-great-grandmother Louise. Later, Lou and Benzer do find the diary, which isn’t too much of a spoiler, I don’t think. It’s neat how it all connects in the end.

5) There’s some fun shenanigans that Lou and her friends get involved in. Plus, Lou also decides to stand up for her family friend to help him get a scholarship to play football. He’s been overlooked by his particularly racist high coach.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I told you I’ve been on an American Civil War kick of late! This one isn’t set in the 1860s, but there is a very nice connection. I really enjoyed hanging out with Lou and her friends as they work to save her house!

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YOUR TURN…

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…

Review / The Terrible Two’s Last Laugh

Book: The Terrible Two’s Last Laugh (2018)
Author: Mac Barnett & Jory John
Genre: MG, Contemporary
Publisher: Amulet Books
Series: The Terrible Two

Opening lines from the book …
For the last time: Welcome to Yawnee Valley! Or, if you’ve never read a book in this series before, for the first time: Welcome to Yawnee Valley.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…

1) Two of our favorite pranksters, Niles and Miles, are entering their final year of middle school. And of course, you can expect a few pranks in this book.

2) I love the change in relationship between the boys and Principal Barkin! In the original books, Principal Barkin is the main baddy. But it’s nice to see how the principal has changed over the course of the books.

3) The humor in these books is delightful, especially the play of words. There’s Principal Barkin and then there’s Former Principal Barkin. And of course, you know the former principal is going to bring trouble, don’t you?

4) This book isn’t just about shenanigans! There are some nice heart moments, especially near the end with regard to Miles.

5) And I like how the final prank plays out. It’s a “quiet” prank.

FINAL THOUGHTS

This is a fun end to a fun series. I recommend the series for kids who like books about pranks!

 

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YOUR TURN…

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…

Newbery Verdict: The Great Gilly Hopkins

Book: The Great Gilly Hopkins (1978)
Author: Katherine Paterson
Publisher: Harper & Row
Genre: MG, Contemporary
Newbery Honor Book (1979)

Opening Lines of the Book…

“Gilly,” said Miss Ellis with a shake of her long blonde hair toward the passenger in the back seat. “I need to feel that you are willing to make some effort.”

MY THOUGHTS…

Gilly is such a tough girl who’s been hurt by the system. She’s been in and out of foster care and really just wants to be with her mother. But she gets sent to Trotter instead. And what a character Trotter is! Not to mention the shy foster brother, William Ernest, and the neighbor Trotter treats like a member of the household, Mr. Randolph. Gilly has a hard time with all these “misfits.” But little by little, these people break their way into Gilly’s hardened heart.

There’s also the teacher. She tries to connect with Gilly over Gilly’s name: Galadriel. And finally, we meet the grandmother. This is Gilly’s key to her mom, the elusive Courtney. Gilly wants nothing more than to connect with Courtney, and suddenly there’s an opportunity to go to her grandmother’s. She has high hopes of a happily ever after. But … well, things don’t turn out quite as she expects. However, Trotter has some wonderful words for Gilly.

NEWBERY VERDICT…

This book truly is one of Katherine Paterson’s masterpieces. It only got the Newbery Honor. The Westing Game won for this year. Also a good book, but I (personally) like this one a tiny bit better. Yes, it’s that good. Gilly’s character arc in this story is stunning.

P.S. A side note: Gilly is NOT the kindest person in this book! I think that’s what makes this book seem so real. She’s had a tough life. She uses rough language (although, by today’s standards, it’s pretty tame); Paterson writes it like Gilly would say it. But I think it works to the credit of the book as we see the character growth beneath the words.

YOUR TURN…

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? Let me know in the comments!

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Newbery Verdict Reading Challenge: This is a personal challenge for me to read books that have either won the Newbery Medal or are a Newbery Honor book. The Newbery is named for eighteenth-century British bookseller John Newbery. Since 1922, this annual award has given to the author of the “most distinguished contribution to American literature for children.” A Newbery Honor book is given to the runners-up. (Note: This year is the 100th Anniversary of the Award!)

Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…

Review / Dream, Annie, Dream

Book: Dream, Annie, Dream (2022)
Author: Waka T. Brown
Genre: MG, Near-Historical (1987)

Opening lines from the book …
You can be anything you want to be. My sixth-grade teacher’s parting words to the graduating class of Iron Hills Elementary ran in my ears, even over the deafening roar of the rocket motors.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BOOK…

1) Annie was such a great protagonist! I loved her enthusiasm. And she has a special spot in her heart for the Alice in Wonderland story.

2) I loved her dad especially! And I liked her mom too. (I probably identified more with the mom then the dad.) I loved how her mom had her own little story arc in this book. But it’s her dad’s positivity that was such a good thing to see. (I also liked the little brother, Tak.)

3) The friendships in this book were interesting, to say the least. I loved how loyal Annie is. Really, it came down to how much I liked how Annie handled herself, even when she saw her best friend always getting the roles she wanted.

4) This book is about theatre. I thought it was a nice touch that it was divided into three acts with three musicals/plays!

5) The director Sam is definitely an interesting character! She’s so blunt. But I like how she connects with Annie, especially near the end of the book.

6) The story is also set in 1987, so that was a fun little trip back down memory lane. 🙂

FINAL THOUGHTS

I don’t always like the “you can be whatever you want to be” line, but I thought this book handled it quite well. The truth is, we can’t always be what we want, but that doesn’t mean we should give up and never try. And I thought that was the ultimate take-away for this book!

 

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YOUR TURN…

Have you read this book? What are your thoughts? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!

Note: I’m posting this for Greg Pattridge’s Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday…