Percy Jackson's Greek Gods

A wave of Percy Jackson fandom has swept over our house in the last month. The last time this happened, my oldest was finishing 5th grade, and the first Percy Jackson movie was hitting the theaters. He read every book, raved about the movie, but our other boys were quite young then and the fire dwindled as he grew a little older.

Always on the lookout for new audiobooks for our two younger boys, I purchased Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief last month, and it has been on auto-repeat in their bedroom ever since. I admit to having a slight ulterior motive for this move. In addition to beginning a series, insuring fresh audio material for the next few months to come, I also managed to score a signed copy of Percy Jackson's Greek Gods when it hit bookstores last month. A perfect birthday present for my middle boy's upcoming birthday; the same boy who slept with d'Aulaires Book of Greek Myths for months last year!

Percy Jackson's Greek Gods is an imposing, grand book with a fabulously illustrated cover. For a Percy Jackson lover, the language, from Percy's own perspective and with his signature sarcasm, is highly descriptive and a perfect touch to lends an air of authenticity to the Greek mythology. Told from Percy's point of view, these stories will entice many young readers who might not otherwise read Greek mythology and will bring a fresh retelling to children who enjoy hearing the tales again and again.

Brown Girl Dreaming

Jacqueline Woodson's expertly written memoir of a young African American girl's journey through a childhood in Ohio, South Carolina, and eventually Brooklyn during the Civil Right's movement should be in every 5th to 8th grade classroom, every school library, every "Must Read" shelf at the local library, every family bookshelf. Initially I was surprised by her choice to write Brown Girl Dreaming in free verse, but the quiet simplicity creates stark contrasts. Each verse explodes in turn with joy, heartbreak, circumspection, nostalgia. Even the briefest statement can have huge impact in this form. The entire book is amazing, but part of the beauty of Woodson's book is that individual chapters, verses, even lone sentences could easily fit alongside many Language Arts or American History curricula. In today's world of Common Core with snippets of a variety of texts, many teachers will rejoice to include Woodson's work among the required reading.

The Fourteenth Goldfish

Ellie, beginning middle school with a best friend who has just found a passion in volleyball, is dismayed over the changes happening in her life when a surly, grouchy teenager steps into her life. This teenager happens to be her grandfather, a scientist made young again as the result of an anti-aging experiment. Forced to attend school with Ellie, Melvin, her grandfather, has a contentious relationship with Ellie's mother, despite their reversed roles. Worse, he's been kicked out of his own scientific laboratory as a trespassing teenager! As Ellie tries to help her grandfather retrieve his scientific formula, she learns about famous scientists, her mother's rebellion in choosing the arts over science, and even her own proclivity toward scientific thinking.

This is the first book I've read by Jennifer L. Holm. The cover art is eye-catching and cute in this fun and engaging middle grade read. The story is charming while departing astute observations on family dynamics. Ellie's divorce parents not only parent without dysfunction, but they are actually friendly toward each other. And Ellie discovers that despite her grandfather's and mother's oil-and-water relationship, she actually identifies with her grandfather's scientific obsession. The Fourteenth Goldfish is a humorous, enjoyable, speedy read, not laden with heavy vocabulary, and filled with realistic, identifiable characters. I hope we'll see more middle grade books coming from Jennifer L. Holm!

I Kill the Mockingbird

If there was ever a novel written for the spark of a 12 year old who remains inside me, it might be I Kill the Mockingbird. A book written about a classic with references to many other books in nearly every chapter, love. I Kill the Mockingbird details the rather ordinary lives of 3 young teens. The each love classic literature; a love not shared by many in their English class especially when the summer reading list is delivered. In homage to a former (deceased) English teacher who planned to only assign To Kill a Mockingbird for summer reading, they search for ways to bring the spotlight back to this beloved American classic, including reshelving copies of the book in their local bookstores and libraries and starting a website titled IKillTheMockingbird.com. Once social media begins chattering about I Kill the Mockingbird, their scheming moves like wildfire beyond the borders of their state and through various parts of the country. Ultimately, these young teens must decide how to handle the firestorm they've created and keep To Kill a Mockingbird from disappearing from bookstores altogether.

I Kill the Mockingbird perfectly blends humor and thoughtfulness bringing alive young teens in a novel that's not quite middle grade and not quite YA, a nice bridge actually for 7th-9th graders who might have moved beyond standard MG but not be quite ready for the heady topics often present in YA novels. The two quotes I'm posting below are perfect examples of the witty, intelligent writing that make IKM a page-turning, fun read:

"We will speak for the books." 
... 
"Like the Lorax?" 
"The Lorax speaks for the trees," I remind her. 
"Books are made out of paper. Paper is made out of trees." 
"What about e-books?" 
"We can speak for them too." 
"Audiobooks?" 
"Audiobooks speak for themselves." She grins. "Get it?" 

"Where did you hide your Mockingbirds?" he asks. 
"Ornithology," she replies. 
"You hid TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD with the bird books?" I ask. 
Elena shrugs. "I was being ironic."

Hope Is a Ferris Wheel

Hope Is a Ferris Wheel is the story of Star Mackie, who is struggling to find friends and her place in a new school following a move to California from Oregon. Star appears to be the only one at school who lives in a trailer park, and her "layered cut" is constantly misidentified as a "mullet" by the other kids. She decides to start a club at school to help her find friends. After a false start with the Trailer Park Club, she finds limited success with the Emily Dickinson Club. With a mom who's often distracted by her own issues, a sister who attends a school for delinquents, a father who's missing, and a teacher who thinks she's not capable of much academically, Star innocently and honestly navigates her way through the school year.

Star Mackie is such a likable character that you can't help rooting for her from the first paragraph. She tends to see the best in everyone, even those who might not outwardly seem to have many redeeming qualities. Star is definitely naive, but it comes across as genuine, not cutesy. There were two events in the book that really made Star an authentic character for me, the first was when she fell in love with the first Emily Dickinson poem she heard, and the second was a tragic reveal of information that I don't want to spoil. Star radiates honesty in every emotion depicted, confusion over being spurned by her sister, feelings of betrayal by her mother, hope for a relationship with her father, devotion to her beloved Emily Dickinson poems. As a side note, the cover art is pretty great as well. I loved the vintage look of the ferris wheel and the carnival typeface.

How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Are Untied

Middle school is tough. Middle school might just be unbearable if you lived in a zoo (literally!), if your best friend just moved to the other side of the world, or if your twin brother incessantly leaves reptiles in your bed. All this, and more, is happening to Ana (named after an anaconda, for Pete's sake!) this year, and she just wants to hide under a rock until middle school is finished. She feels like her efforts to stay close to her best friend are failing, and she's the target of the Sneerers, the kind of predatory animals one might face in a middle school. At the pinnacle of her misery, her famous zoologist grandfather arrives in town and puts her entire family on his reality TV show, giving the Sneerers even more ammunition against her. Will Ana EVER survive this year in middle school?

I think How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Untied will really hit a mark for many tween and early teen girls looking for a protagonist with the exact self-confidence issues that Ana displays. She struggles in math, desperately needs a new friend, and fearfully treads through interactions with the school's "mean girls". About half-way through the book, Ana's negativity started to grate on me a tad, although I truly understand that many young girls will completely identify with her feelings. Predictably, but with great heart, Ana found her courage and some comfort in her skin by the end. I loved the nerdy zoology humor, and the animal tidbits at the beginning of each chapter were a fun touch. I'm actually quite anxious to see where Ana's story goes in the sequel, due in January 2015. 

You can find How to Outrun a Crocodile When Your Shoes Untied in the Middle Grade Books section of The Book Children Store.

Half a Chance

Lucy's father is a photographer who travels frequently for his job. He heads out on assignment just as her family is getting settled into their new little red cottage on a New Hampshire lake. Lucy quickly meets the family in the cottage next door, one of the summer families. As Lucy gets to know them, she becomes fast friends with Nate, about her age, and often goes with him on Loon Patrol, where she learns a great deal about the lake's feathered residents. As Lucy tells Nate about a youth photography contest her father is judging, they decide to enter the contest which Lucy hopes will help her understand her father's true opinion of her own photography. As Lucy is taking photos, she realizes that her photos are telling a story of Nate's grandmother. A story that Nate is not keen to see or admit.

Half a Chance is a perfect slow summer read. It begs you to find a shady hammock where you can hear the crickets chirping, or perhaps the loons calling, and fully immerse yourself in a quiet summer story. The author, Cynthia Lord, has such a gift for storytelling. She handles the difficulty of dementia, especially from a child's perspective, with the same grace that she handled autism in Rules. The best part is that while the story revolves around Nate's grandmother's slip into dementia, the photography contest, forming new friendships, even the education about loons rounds the novel out so nicely that the reader doesn't feel like the story is just about Nate's grandmother and her illness. I do admit that I wasn't fond of Lucy's father. He felt quite self-centered, and I found myself wanting to shake him into awareness of how much he was hurting his daughter. The intermittent storyline of Megan, a character who was a tad bit jealous of Lucy and treated her unkindly, was lovely though. Lucy negotiated that situation beautifully by ignoring Megan then later reaching out to her; a fine example of how to treat unkind people without making Lucy into a glaringly obvious goody-goody.

You can find Half a Chance in the Middle Grade Books section of The Book Children Store.

Under the Egg

Laura Marx Fitzgerald's debut novel, Under the Egg, delightfully weaves NYC childhood with urban farming, WWII history, and art history. I'm not sure any other middle grade novels have ever hit quite as many of my own personal interests. Needless to say, Under the Egg was a captivating read that I could not put down until I finished every last chapter. 

Under the Egg begins with Theodora Tenpenny (Theo) relying on her resourcefulness and grit to manage the large NYC house, and accompanying garden, she inherited following her grandfather's death. Theo's mother lives with her, but she clearly has some mental or emotional challenges that prevent her from truly mothering Theo. When Theo accidentally spills rubbing alcohol on one of her grandfather's paintings, a painting that easily rubs off to reveal another older, Renaissance-style painting, Theo's curiosity kicks into high gear. That curiosity leads her on an adventure involving providential new friends, pretentious art experts, Nazi internment camp research, and ultimately, the secret her grandfather was desperate for her to uncover.

Under the Egg blends equal parts mystery and adventure in an engaging romp through NYC with a most clever protagonist. Theo's self-reliance is remarkable, and her determination is admirable. Fitzgerald's writing shines, and the language, content, and dialogue ring with an advanced tone. Despite being marketed as a middle grade read, I thought 11-14 would probably be the ideal ages to read this novel, and it would make a perfect accompaniment to a middle school WWII unit study. I truly wish I could've read Under the Egg to my own 13 year old when she studied WWII last fall.

Under the Egg can be found in the Middle Grade Books section of The Book Children Store.

10 Books for Space-Loving Kids

Mousetronaut is the tale of a little mouse who has a great desire to travel into space. He studies hard and prepares well, and he is finally chosen for an important mission. While in space, disaster strikes and the little mouse is the only crew member who can save the mission. Mousetronaut is written by actual astronaut, Mark Kelly! For preschool through grade 2.

Fly Guy Presents Space contains accessible bites of space information for grades pre-K-3. Fans of the Fly Guy books will appreciate the narration provided by Fly Guy and Buzz while they visit a space museum. Fly Guy and Buzz learn about planets, stars, comets and asteroids, sharing that information sprinkled their customary humor. Striking photographs enhance this humorous presentation.

There's No Place Like Space is part of The Cat in the Hat's Learning Library. With rhythmic text and silly adventure, The Cat in the Hat presents each of the eight planets in the solar system. There's No Place Like Space is a fun way for grades K-3 to begin learning about concepts such as the solar system, telescopes, constellations, and satellites.

Moonshot depicts the historic mission of Apollo 11 with gorgeous illustrations from Brian Floca, this year's Caldecott winning artist. Floca depicts the entire mission from getting the astronauts snapped into their uniform and gear to the ROAR of the rockets and the hushed tones of the moon. Filled with greater detail than most picture books, Moonshot is perfect for kindergarten through grade 5.

Planets, by National Geographic Kids, is a lovely early reader with an appropriate reading level for grades 1-3. Illustrated with vivid photographs, Planets introduces the reader to the solar system, particularly the planets and dwarf planets, with plenty of intriguing facts sprinkled among the lovely photos.

Another title by National Geographic Kids, the First Big Book of Space is an amazing large book meant to satiate the appetite of the elementary kid who is obsessed with learning more about space. Plenty of large photographs liberally sprinkled with age-appropriate bits of info, any space-loving 1st through 4th grader with a passion for learning more about space.

The Smart Kids series presents Space, the perfect first glimpse into the solar system for early elementary kids who long to learn about everything from planets to UFOs to space shuttles. Full of impressive photography and smaller bits of informational text, Space is sure to be a hit for grades K-3.

Zoo in the Sky captures the sparkling twinkle of the stars above us, matching them with the animals that have long been associated with each constellation. Each animal comes to life in beautiful painting over-layed with the stars that will help them identify the constellation in the night sky. The rich text accompanying these paintings brings the night sky to life in this book of legends intended for grades 1-5.

A Black Hole is NOT a Hole covers new territory in lively and humorous text appropriate for grades 2-6. Beginning with introduction to gravity and moving to the complex scientific concept of black holes, A Black Hole is NOT a Hole uses humor and excellent illustrations to keep the reader engaged. Even adults may learn something new at the hands of this witty book.

Space Encyclopedia, another National Geographic Kids title, is for the kid who has blown through all of our other space books and still has the yearning to know more. Intended for upper elementary through middle school, Space Encyclopedia is similar to the Big Book of Space in that it cover a wide variety of space topics, but decidedly more in depth than the Big Book. Space Encyclopedia will be your go-to resource for space-obsessed children and solar system school reports for years to come.

Counting by 7s

Willow Chance is a genius 12 year old obsessed with counting in multiples of 7, studying and caring for plants, observing and diagnosing medical conditions, and trying to navigate the social complexities of middle school. Shortly after beginning the school year, and being forced to visit the school counselor for suspicion of cheating, Willow's parents are killed in a car accident. Reeling from her loss, Willow is taken in by Vietnamese acquaintances she knows only slightly through her counselor. And in their little one-room garage behind a nail salon, she begins to put her life back together under their care. When her social worker finds a permanent foster home for her, Willow braces for yet more upheaval in her life.

My first thought about Willow Chance after reading only the first couple of chapters was that listening to her narration was often like listening to the younger sister of Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory. She is highly intelligent and remarkably self-aware, regularly commenting to herself that she understands she must follow social conventions rather than speak every assertion that she recognizes as truth. A perfect example of this is when she's riding in a cab and spots a concerning nevus (mole) on the driver's neck. She wrestles internally with the social convention of a 12 year old telling an adult that he should get a mole checked. Further, each of the supporting characters in this novel were fully developed with strengths and flaws that felt authentic. Holly Goldberg Sloan did a remarkable job of providing characters that I could care about while I still grimaced at their failings. The ending did feel a little odd to me, especially where Jairo was concerned. (If you haven't read the book, I don't want to spoil it so I'll leave my remark at that.) Either way, the ending did not detract from my personal feelings about this book, which is that I'm actually shocked it was not at least a Newbery Honor book. Willow's voice was consistently strong, and the dialog was perfect. Although this novel falls into the middle grade category, I would highly recommend this novel to anyone over the age of 10 (adults included). It's truly that good.

You can find Counting by 7s in the Middle Grade Books section of The Book Children Store.

Flashback Friday: Tuck Everlasting

Blessed with—or cursed with—everlasting life after drinking from an enchanted spring, the Tuck family spent the last 80 years surreptitiously moving from home to home to avoid the public's notice that they never age. Once 10-year-old Winnie discovers their secret, however, they bring her home with them to help her understand why the ability to live forever isn't the blessing it might initially seem. Winnie's parents, of course, assume she's been kidnapped, and the Tucks inconspicuous life spirals out of control once the authorities are summoned to retrieve Winnie.

Winnie's story begins on a hot summer day, and much like the sluggish heat, the book moves slowly and quietly, even at its most dramatic points. It's hard not to like the Tucks despite, maybe because of, their predicament, and Winnie's character is quite relatable as the fiercely independent young girl eager to protect her new friends. A short and somewhat sad read, Tuck Everlasting will leave you rooting for Winnie while you yearn to discover her ultimate decision: join the Tucks with everlasting life, or continue in this mortal, yet beautiful, life.

Tuck Everlasting can be found in the Middle Grade Books - Classics section of The Book Children Store.

A Snicker of Magic

A Snicker of Magic first caught my eye, before it was even released, because of the magically fun cover. I can tell you now that the story is even sweeter than its ice cream-laden cover. Felicity Pickle just arrived in Midnight Gulch, a town formerly full of magic, after spending years tagging along with her nomadic mother in the Jalapeño Pickle, the family van. Felicity is a word collector; she sees words floating over people, items, even falling from speech, but Midnight Gulch is the first place that she's seen the word "home". Felicity quickly makes a best friend in Jonah, a quirky, wheelchair-bound, local-hero-in-disguise. Jonah encourages Felicity to participate in a school talent competition, sharing her words, something that Felicity has struggled with for a very long time. It might take more than a "snicker of magic" to help Felicity share her words, and at the same time, help Midnight Gulch overcome its past, breaking the spell that has long been troubling the entire town. 

A Snicker of Magic is a factofabulous read from beginning to end. The quirky characters, the mysterious pall cast over the town, the sprinkling of made-up (spindiddly!) words, the beautiful language...every morsel made Snicker all the more difficult to put down. Natalie Lloyd's enchanting personality beams from behind every corner. I wanted to hug Felicity's friend Jonah every time he appeared. Aside from wishing to snuff the chain-smoking aunt's cigarette every few pages, I loved every minute of toe-tapping, ice cream-tasting, word-catching, banjo-dueling delight between these pages. I couldn't imagine a more magical way to begin summer than with this sparkling masterpiece.

In addition to masterful storytelling, Natalie Lloyd left me with a few favorite quotes that I've read as of late. I'll share just a few here.

"And I think if you're lucky, a sister is the same as a friend, but better. A sister is like a super-forever-infinity friend."

"And if you say 'I love you,' and you mean it, then love makes up for a whole lifetime of mistakes. That's some kind of magic."

"I guess it doesn't matter who reached out first, though. What matters is that one of them reached out. What matters is that the other one held on."

This is Natalie Lloyd's first novel. I hope we'll be reading another one very soon.

You can find A Snicker of Magic in the Middle Grade Books section of The Book Children's Store.

Zane and the Hurricane

New Hampshire resident, Zane Dupree, agrees to visit his great-grandmother, Miss Trissy, in New Orleans to learn more about his long-deceased father's family history. Miss Trissy raised Zane's father, and despite Zane's misgivings about the trip, he finds Miss Trissy warm, interesting, and full of life. Zane is in New Orleans merely days when the threat of Hurricane Katrina bears down on this lively, historical city. Through a serious of mishaps, Zane ends up abandoned in New Orleans when the hurricane strikes. As the levy breaks, he must climb into the stifling attic to escape the rising floodwaters. Once the hurricane dies down, he punches through the roof to get fresh air, and a canoe, carrying elderly man and small girl, floats nearby and rescues him from the attic. Over the next several days, Zane witnesses the lawlessness of New Orleans during that time, along with the discrimination of poor African Americans who are just trying to find help. Zane discovers there is no medical care to be found, and the conditions at the "shelter of last resort", The Superdome, are abysmal. Eventually, the crew is able to amble its way over the bridge and out of New Orleans, where they finally find the help they so desperately seek.

This wasn't so much an enjoyable read, as it is difficult to find the subject of Hurricane Katrina "enjoyable". It was, however, a riveting account of the hurricane and its aftermath; the pages fairly flew. I found Zane's perspective of the tragic events to be a perfectly appropriate account for the 10-13 year olds for whom it was written. It's hard to believe that now, nearly 9 years out, Hurricane Katrina is considered a historical event. I did find the ending quite abrupt, but clearly the author intended to let the story remain in New Orleans. Overall, I would highly recommend this compelling novel for upper elementary and middle school students learning about Hurricane Katrina's aftermath.

You can find Zane and the Hurricane in the Middle Grades - Historical Fiction section of The Book Children Store.

Rules

School is out for the summer, and Catherine is not exactly looking forward to spending it without her best friend, who is visiting her father out-of-state over the summer break. Catherine learns that a girl her age is moving in next door, and although she desires a new summer friend (someone she can use flashlights to blink Morse code with at night), she worries that the new girl won't understand her younger brother, David, who is autistic. In an effort to curb some of David's social behaviors, Catherine creates rules for him, such as "No toys in the fish tank." or "Late doesn't mean not coming." While Catherine is attempting to make a new friend next door, she discovers that with little effort she's managed to make a friend at David's therapy clinic. Jason is a mute paraplegic who communicates through a word book, and Catherine, upon discovering he only has boring words, offers to make some hip words with pictures for him. As her friendship with Jason grows, and she tries harder to become friends with the girl next door, Catherine realizes that defining relationships can be complicated. 

When I asked my oldest 3 kids which books were the top 5 that they would recommend to other children, Rules was the very first book my 11 year old mentioned. (Before the Hobbit, even! That's high praise coming from the most sensitive member of this household.) Upon reading Rules, which won a Newbery Honor award, I could definitely understand why he was so moved by this book. The language in speaking of autism, and the feelings and actions of the other family members, rings with an authenticity that generates the backbone of this novel. Catherine is such a relatable character, full of practical observations, and with more responsibility thrust upon her than most kids her age. Although many of the issues in this book, such as Catherine's desire to befriend the girl next door and her ambivalent friendship with Jason, were not wholly resolved, the way Lord ended the book felt satisfying and realistic as life often doesn't wrap up neatly with tidy resolutions to relationship challenges.

You can find Rules in the Middle Grade Books - Philip Recommends section of The Book Children Store.

Great Summer Read-Alouds for 1st - 8th Graders

One of the things I appreciate most about summer is my ability to spend more time reading aloud to my kids. Generally, I read to my entire crew (ages 7-14) together, but occasionally, just to one or two at a time. Even though all of my kids can read, and my oldest ones read voraciously, we still enjoy the time that we read together and the ability to discuss a book that we all share. I'm a firm believer in reading aloud even to, especially to, older children as well. People often ask me if my older kids are ever resistant to listening to me read aloud. They truly are not. Partly because it has always been part of our routine, and partly because I don't generally require that they ONLY be listening to me. During the summer in particular, they are often otherwise engaged while I read, with Lego building, puzzle piecing, drawing, sometimes even laundry folding.

The books listed below are group by grade, but many of the titles can be adjusted up or down a grade, or two. In fact, my 7th and 8th graders still enjoy listening to Moomin books, and my 1st grader loved Wonder last summer when we read it aloud. 

1st Grade

Trumpet of the Swan - A joyful read of a Trumpeter swan searching for his sound.

My Father's Dragon - An easy-to-follow tale of a 9 year old boy's endeavors to find a dragon and fly home on its back.

Moominsummer Madness - The Moomins are on the hunt for a new house following a flood, but once they find one, they discover they've found more than they bargained for.
Ramona the Pest - Energetic Ramona Quimby starts kindergarten with all the adversity and pleasure that entails.

2nd Grade

Pippi in the South Seas - Pippi's adventures move to a South Pacific island complete with beaches, robbers, and pearls.

Henry Huggins - The boy-next-door finds a mischievous dog; adventures - and calamity - ensue.

Seabird - A sea-faring gull narrates travels at sea, from Nantucket to Greenland.

The Year of Billy Miller - Billy is starting second grade, navigating friendships, and trying to endure his pesky little sister. 

3rd Grade

James and the Giant Peach - James, forced to live with 2 horrible aunts, accidentally drops magic crystals by an old peach tree and then goes on an escapade in the giant peach that results.

Hoot - The new kid at school is forced to take on a pancake restaurant, and bullies, in defense of endangered owls.

Because of Winn Dixie - When an ugly, yet happy, dog arrives, Opal learns 10 things about her long-lost mother, and makes friends who become her family.

The One and Only Ivan - Resigned to his life in a glass cage, a gorilla gains new perspective when a baby elephant taken from the wild is forced to join him.

4th Grade

The Secret Garden - A lonely orphan is sent to an English manor on a moor where she meets two boys who help change her life, each in very different ways.

Where the Red Fern Grows - A boy and his two dogs range the hills and river bottoms, finding both sadness and victory there.

One Crazy Summer - Three Brooklyn girls arrive in California to spend the summer with their mother, where they learn more about their family, and themselves, than they expected.

The Lemonade War - Sibling rivalry by way of lemonade stand: will the biggest personality or financial smarts win the war?

5th Grade

Old Yeller - A simple, but moving, story of a boy and his faithful dog in Texas in the late 1800s.

Island of the Blue Dolphins - An Indian girl lives on an island alone year after year waiting for a ship to rescue her.

Zane and the Hurricane - Zane is visiting his great-grandmother in New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina strikes leaving him stranded and trying to survive in a strange, water-logged city.

Three Times Lucky - Mo LoBeau, raised by a cafe-owner Colonel, wishes for her long-lost mother and helps uncover the truth in a local mystery.

6th Grade

My Side of the Mountain - A boy runs away from NYC to live in the Catskills on his grandfather's mountain, learning more about himself than he ever thought possible. 

Wonder - Auggie, born with a cranio-facial abnormality, starts school in NYC with mixed reactions from the students there.

Snicker of Magic - Felicity might be new in Midnight Gulch, but even she can see a glimmer of magic that used to be here. But can she bring the magic back, and will it help her mother?

Sway - Cass's mom takes off and her father takes her on a trip in Roast, an aged RV, introducing her to the power of Sway, a magical force bringing help to those in need.

7th Grade

Hatchet - Brian survives a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness but must make his way alone with nothing but a ratty jacket and a hatchet to aid him.

Walk Two Moons - A country girl travels from Ohio to Idaho with her unconventional grandparents while spinning the tale of another girl whose past starts to mirror her own.

Half a Chance - A photographer's daughter tries to mimic her father's eye for the camera while getting to know the neighbor boy next door and helping him learn the truth about his grandmother.

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin - Rump lives in a land where your name is your destiny. Will he discover that he has some control over that destiny as well?

8th Grade

A Single Shard - A 13-year-old lives under a bridge in a potter's village desiring nothing more than making a pot of his own.

Tuck Everlasting - The Tuck family carefully guards the source of their eternal life, until a little girl discovers their secret and they must help her understand why it might not be the blessing it seems.

A Tangle of Knots - A magical puzzle waiting to be unknotted, an orphan with a talent for baking doesn't realize that fate has set her on course from the moment of her birth.

Liar and Spy - An enjoyable tale of two quirky boys who help each other deal with bullies, family issues, and friendships.

Fallout

Having heard nothing about Fallout prior to stumbling upon it at the bookstore, I'll admit that I was first drawn to the cover art. There's definitely something to be said for catchy design, even on a middle grade novel.

Set in the Cold War-era NYC suburbs, eleven-year-old Scott Porter is quite aware of the threat of nuclear war. His father is the only one on the block constructing a bomb shelter, much to his mother's annoyance, and rightfully so. In Strasser's reimagined 1962, nuclear war is not averted, and Scott is awakened one night by his frantic father and quickly ushered into the shelter. What follows is a tight narrative of the family's two weeks in the shelter. Scott's father only built and stocked the shelter to accommodate their family of four, not the extra six people that force their way inside during the chaos. The adults bicker and snap at each other, privacy is impossible, one of the adults is racist, and supplies, including food, run low almost immediately. The story of their time in the shelter weaves with flashbacks of the months immediately preceding the nuclear bomb's explosion to give you character development and a sense of history.

Despite the fact that the group suffers greatly during their time in the shelter, and the book is quite descriptive of these sufferings, the story is told from Scott's perspective and is very much appropriate for upper elementary to middle school ages. I was a bit less than thrilled with one character's lack of moral compass. He encourages Scott to drink, steal, look at Playboys, and he's obsessed with breasts. For that reason I wouldn't recommend Fallout to kids under 11. However, the 1960s fear surrounding the Bay of Pigs Invasion and nuclear bomb threat from Russia is noticeably missing from children's historical fiction, and this novel does that time period justice.

You can find Fallout in the Middle Grade Books: Historical Fiction section of The Book Children Store.

Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue

My older boys have been huge fans of the Origami Yoda books since the first one came out when my oldest was in upper elementary school. Since then, both older boys have eagerly anticipated the arrival of each new volume in the series. The excitement over the books hit its peak when they were able to meet Tom Angleberger in person 2 summers ago and get his signature in the Fortune Wookie book. (I blogged about that experience, and the flurry of paper-folding that commenced, here.) They were, of course, thrilled to get the latest addition, Princess Labelmaker to the Rescue recently, and Paulie, my 14 year old, was kind enough to review it for you here:

The kids at McQuarrie Middle School love origami. Their elective classes were taken away because they scored too low on the mandatory testing. The electives were replaced with a program called FunTime which is a guy with his singing calculator teaching everyone how to do simple problems. The kids want their electives back. They start this club called the Origami Rebel Alliance, each of the club members has their own origami counterpart, to demand their principal give them the electives back. The kids wrote a case file, but it was stolen by a mysterious person called Princess Labelmaker and given to the principal along with a origami Princess Leia. 

I liked the book. It was a good addition to the series. I’m anxious to read the last one. And I really can’t wait to try out the origami instructions in the back of the book!

Since I was fortunate enough to win a pair of books, including Princess Labelmaker, in a giveaway last week, I thought I'd pay it forward to one lucky winner here at The Book Children! You can enter the giveaway below in the Rafflecopter. This giveaway only lasts for 24 hours! Enter now!

All of the Origami Yoda Books are available in a new Humor section of The Book Children Store.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Out of My Mind

I'm going to admit from the start that because I read Wonder and Out of My Mind at nearly the same time last summer, it's very hard for me not to compare the two in my head, especially when I'm thinking about reviewing them. I will also admit that I prefer Wonder to Out of My Mind, which is not to say that I didn't find a great deal of merit to Out of My Mind. In fact, I would actually recommend that everyone read both because I find both books to be critically important to middle graders, who can sometimes be a short-sighted, cliquish group.

Out of My Mind tells the story of Melody, who has a brilliant mind and photographic memory despite the cerebral palsy that leaves her mute and unable to control most of her muscles. Although her parents seem to understand, to some extent, that she is intelligent, her doctors and teachers treat her as if her mental faculties are akin to her physical ones. Being unable to communicate effectively drives Melody out of her mind...until she is awarded a device that allows her to finally speak.

Draper does a fantastic job of giving Melody a voice. Her struggles and frustrations are apparent and understandable. I appreciated that the author's bravery in allowing an event to happen to Melody that was not easily resolvable. Often times in children's literature you find the main character on the cusp of a negative event, and suddenly, they overcome. This is fantastic in some cases, but life does not always follow that sunshine and roses pattern. I did have a few problems with Out of My Mind: the teachers were horrific, the children's language seemed stilted at times, and the near-tragedy at the end seemed forced. Despite these few misgivings, I did highly enjoy Out of My Mind, and my children loved it. They actually begged me to read it each day. I think we finished it less than 5 days.

You can find Out of My Mind in the Books with Strong Females section of The Book Children Store.

The Julian Chapter: A Wonder Story

Since Wonder was one of my favorite books of 2012, I was thrilled to discover last month that R.J. Palacio was writing an addendum to Auggie Pullman's story. Although Wonder is told from the perspective of many different characters, the primary antagonist, Julian, never has a voice in Wonder. The Julian Chapter aims to rectify that by giving the background of Julian's story in his own voice. 

I admit to being a little nervous about reading Julian's story. I wasn't sure what Palacio could write to redeem Julian or his behavior in my mind. Even as I read the quote on the first page, "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle," I was unsure what could possibly be in this bully's past that would account for his atrocious behavior. I think the beauty of Palacio's telling of Julian's story is that when you start to develop some sympathy for Julian, even though it is insufficient to justify his actions, you realize that he's just a 10 year old kid behaving as 10 year old kids sometimes do, especially when the adults in their lives do little to steer them toward kind or generous conduct.

Ultimately, I was grateful that a new character appeared toward the end of Julian's story, his Parisian grandmother. Finally an adult who could gently lead him toward kindness! And as in Wonder, her story, and ultimately Julian's story, will provoke tears by the time you are finished reading.

The Julian Chapter is currently available in eBook or audio version. Wonder is available in our store under the Books with Strong Males category. 365 Days of Wonder, with each of Mr. Browne's precepts (the English teacher's principles to live by referred to in the books) will be published in August.

a Mother's Day book list

To celebrate Mother's Day, I'd like to share a list of my favorite books about mothers and their special relationship with their children. Although there are many lovely books in publication depicting mothers, these are a few of my person favorites. I hope you find an old favorite or a new gem among this list.

Time for Bed - Although this book doesn't specifically address mothers, the pictures depict a sweet interaction between an animal mother and her baby on each double page spread. The text on each is a rhyming lullaby to help baby to sleep and expresses a lovely sentiment. All of my babies loved this bedtime story, and I always enjoyed reading it to them.

Owl Babies - I didn't discover this gem until my youngest was a baby, but it quickly became a favorite. It succinctly addresses the fear of many little ones when mommy is gone, whether it's to the store for a quick trip, or to the bathroom with--horror of horrors--the door closed. Even though my baby is now 7, he still reaches for this book on occasion.

Are You My Mother? - This is the only book on the list that I remember and love from my own childhood. A baby bird's search for his mother is complicated by the fact that he isn't quite sure what she looks like. Hilarity ensues and makes for a perfect first reader for the preschool or early elementary set.

The Kissing Hand - My daughter discovered this book when she was 3, and it became a nightly read for her. Although the separation mentioned in this book is because of school, many children relate to the notion of holding onto their mother's kisses regardless of why they are separated. My youngest did a unit of this during kindergarten, and it quickly became a favorite of his as well.

Ramona and Her Mother - Ramona is 7 (and a half!) in this Ramona book and struggling a bit with growing up. She's jealous of her older sister and discovering that families occasionally have problems. Her relationship with her mother is going through some changes as well, and Ramona can't understand why she can't just remain her mother's little girl. Fortunately, Cleary provides hope for all children who feel misunderstood. As children grow older and the relationship with their mothers evolve, Ramona and Her Mother does an excellent job of helping them navigate those sometimes turbulent years.

Little Women - Little Women. How could any list of books about motherhood not include the loving, progressive Marmee. A pillar of strength in time of trouble, Marmee represents the best attributes of all of our mothers. Marmee is wise, steadfast, hard-working, a counsellor in time of trouble. She has strong principles and believes that the poorest members of society are just as important as the wealthiest. She raises her daughters to chase their dreams and believe in their talents. In my opinion, Marmee is the perfect role model of motherhood, yet even she admits she used to have a temper.