Always, Abigail

It's the start of 6th grade and all Abigail wants is to be a pom-pom girl. It's the most popular thing to do in school. Abigail and her two best friends have everything all worked out - until she doesn't make the team. Abigail is devastated. And that isn't the worst thing. She isn't in the same homeroom as her two best friends, she doesn't like her teacher, and most important she has been teamed up with the school's biggest loser. 

Life in middle school is nothing like what Abigail imagined, she must rise to the occasion and learn about true friendships. 

This story is realistic with wonderful dialogue. This is a must read for every young girl entering middle school. Written in short lists, notes and journal entries, this makes for a great read especially for reluctant readers. A story of friendship and doing what is right, I give this book 5 stars! 

Under the Egg by Laura Max Fitzgerald

Check out this clever middle grade read. A mixture of From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, to Chasing Vermeer and Masterpiece. This is one of the best books I have read this year! A possible Newbery Honor book, I don't know, but I couldn't put the book down.

Meet Theo Tenpenny. She is a young responsible girl who, un until now, was taken care of by her grandfather, Jack. She lives with her mentally ill mother but now that Jack is dead, all the responsibility lies on Theo. She is responsible for tending to the family's 200 year-old town house and caring for a flock of chickens that lay eggs. And Theo is only 13 years-old. But all Theo can think about are Jack's last words, "It's under the egg, look under the egg. A letter and a treasure." Now how is Theo to survive, pay the bills and take care of herself and her mother? Without Jack's job at the art museum, none of this seems possible. That is until she discovers a painting that looks like it could be worth a fortune. But how did her grandfather get such a painting? It seems odd being that he was a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Now Theo is worried that maybe her grandfather stole it and she is afraid of what the consequences for her family might be.

And so the adventure begins. Along the way, Theo meets a new friend, Bodhi, a wealthy young girl who has it all. Together the two solve the mystery of the masterpiece and learn a bit about art, history and friendship.

A great mystery that will keep readers on the edge of their seats while introducing them to the secret world of art. Recommended for grades 4-7.

Poached by Stuart Gibbs

I just recently received and Advanced Reader's Copy of Poached by Stuart Gibbs. This was my first time reading this author and I loved him! Read my review here for Poached which just recently hit the stores. This is not one to miss!

Poached by Stuart Gibbs is a fabulous action-packed middle grade read for those who love animals and adventures. A sequel that doesn’t disappoint and you don’t have to read the first one to really get to know the characters.

Meet Teddy Fitzroy, a 7^th grader who is the primary suspect when a Koala has gone missing from FunJungle, an exact definition of the name but in a zoo-like setting. Teddy’s parents both work at FunJungle and all of Teddy’s life he has spent with animals. Why would he take a newly acquired Koala on loan from Australia. He has been set up and he knows it but all the proof is directed at him. If Teddy doesn’t find the culprit he will be shipped off to juvie as a convicted koala-napper. To top off his bad luck, Teddy is also bullied by the meanest and toughest kid in the middle school, Vance. Teddy just can’t seem to catch a break, yet his perseverance prevails.

An extremely well-written story about mystery, animals, bullying, as well as a sweet coming of age story that will keep you on the edge of your seat guessing who took the Koala from the beginning to the end.

Recommended for ages 8-12.

Dear Blue Sky

Dear Blue Sky by Mary Sullivan

This is a story for middle grade readers that deal with a difficult subject, war. It is the story of a family, whose oldest child heads off to the Iraqi war to serve his country like his father and grandfather. This is a compelling story about the realistic effects of war that it has on a family. It also raises awareness and a deeper understanding about all the victims of war.

Meet Cassie. She feels like her world is falling apart because her older brother has just left for the war. Her family is falling apart; her mother can’t cope and doesn’t get out of bed. Cassie’s mother has stopped taking care of the family and is constantly fighting with her dad. Cassie’s older sister is making lots of bad decisions and gets lost in the mix while her little brother, who has Downs Syndrome, has decided to stop talking.

Cassie then gets a class assignment that really changes her perspective on everything. She discovers Blue Sky, a young Iraqi girl who has started a blog. Their worlds seem very similar yet very different and suddenly Cassie is beginning to see another side of war that she never knew about.

A story about how war affects both sides.  A wonderful read for grades 5 and up. 

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

This is a book that everyone should read. Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper is a compelling read about an 11 year-old child with Cerebral Palsy. Melody isn’t like most kids, she can’t walk and she can’t talk, but she can think. But nobody really knows what goes on in her mind, but we do as readers. Written from the point of view of the character the author shows us the life of a child with a terrible disease. While Melody isn’t mentally challenged like most people think. She is a fifth grader with normal thoughts and feelings. Melody has determination, she is funny and she is full of love. Melody is intelligent but nobody knows it because she can’t talk, she can’t complain, she can’t share her feelings, or answer the questions in class. She can do it in her head, but the words don’t come out of her mouth. That is until she receives a special computer that can talk for her. Once she learns how to the use the keyboard her thoughts come flying out and she suddenly goes from being the stupidest girl in the school to the smartest. But not everyone is ready to see how much she knows. 

This is truly a wonderful story about a young girl that you will never forget; a story of both heartache and hope. It can also be a wonderful story as a read aloud to a class to talk about differences. Another wonderful read about what it is like to be different. Sharon Draper wrote this story as a testament to those with disabilities, those who are misunderstood and to all the people out there that take care of these types of people.  A recommended read for Grades 5-8

Almost Home By Joan Bauer

What a compelling and yet honest read about a 12 year-old girl whose life is turned upside down when she and her mother become homeless in Chicago. In this remarkable story, Sugar, loses her home and her comfort but she never loses her dream.  After losing her job in Missouri, Sugar's mother picks them up and moves to Chicago for a fresh start. Only things are different in Chicago and Sugar and her mother end up homeless on the street. Through all the heartache, Sugar continues to keep in touch with her favorite English teacher and writes poetry to him about her feelings and thoughts. She finds a rescue dog that she names Shush who goes with her everywhere in a little bag and gives her much comfort. Sugar eventually ends up in the foster care system that takes care of her while her mother gets well. I think what was the most powerful and important lesson learned in this book is through Sugar's ability to be grateful for all that she has and to know that she might not be able to control life around her but she knows that she can always control how she deals with it, something that her mother taught her.  This is a very touching read by the highly acclaimed author, Joan Bauer. Recommended for grades 5 and up. This story will win reader's hearts. It won mine!

Check out this wonderful e-book

Cousins Forever is such a sweet book for young adults, grades 7-9^th. It is about everyday life in the world of 15 year-olds. It is a coming of age story but also full of real teenage situations. Most importantly, this story is about family. The author really shows the reader the importance of family as well as the importance of respecting one another’s differences.

The story begins with 15 year-old Lainey’s eccentric cousin from California and Aunt decide to move in. Her sister is away at college and suddenly her cousin with candy apple red-hair is sharing a room with her. Lainey doesn’t know why her cousin Tick and her Aunt Trudy have left California to come live clear across the country. And Lainey isn’t sure her closest friends are even going to like Tick. Tick is the complete opposite of  Lainey, she enjoys drama and she likes to get into trouble. How is Lainey going to survive having her cousin at school and in her house? A wonderful story by Dalya Moon that is very current in how teenagers interact with some subtle but important messages for young readers.

Some of my summer favorites

The Candymakers by Wendy Mass

Do you love candy?  Did you love the book and/or movie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?  If you answered yes here is another sweet yet delicious story that involves, candy, mystery and friendship.

In the town of Spring Haven, four lucky 12 year-olds have been selected to enter a National candy-making contest. Meet Logan, Miles, Daisy and Philip: four contestants with four very different stories about why they should win the contest. Each child must create their own delectable new and inventive goodie. The author does a fabulous job telling the story from each character’s point of view. But as the real story emerges there is really only one big mystery to be solved.  While the story covers only the short span of two days, these young apprentices try to create their own yummy discovery while forging new friendships and learning a little bit about life in the process.

Candymakers is a mixture of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Stewart.

Recommended reading for Grades 4-6. 

The Frog Princess by E. D. Baker

This is E.D Baker’s debut novel in the comical series about a young princess, Emeralda, and her many adventures. Princess Emeralda isn’t like other princesses she doesn’t like to wear fancy dresses and have fancy meals. She certainly doesn’t want to get married and enjoys spending her free time in the swamps by the castle. One day while visiting the swamp she meets a talking frog who insists that she kiss him so that he can turn back into a Prince. An evil witch had placed a spell on him and to return to his human self a princess must give him a kiss. After much thought, Emeralda decides to kiss the frog, but unfortunately the spell reverses itself and Emeralda turns into a frog as well. Together the two leap into many adventures to find the spell that can turn them back into their human form.  An amusing fairy tale for grades 4-7. This can also be a wonderful read aloud because of the sophisticated language.Check out the rest of the books in this amusing series.

Molly Moon’s Incredible Book of Hynotism

Molly Moon has spent all her life in Hardwick House, a miserable orphanage run by hairy-faced Miss Adderson whose favorite punishment is making Molly clean the toilets with her toothbrush. But Molly isn’t’ an ordinary orphan when she discovers a very powerful book and an extraordinary talent that she possesses.  She can hypnotize people to do anything she wants them to do, anything.  She finds that she can make the cook make her favorite Italian meals, she can hypnotize herself into becoming an actress on stage as well as living in one of the swankiest hotels in New York. And so Molly’s adventures begin. Read this adorable story about a very strong little girl. Rumor has it, there could possibly be a movie in the making. Read the series first, you won’t be disappointed.

Recommended for Grades 4-6

Some great teen reads

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Wonder by RJ Palacio

A very powerful read, yet one that I would highly recommend for kids in grades 6-8^th. This is a story about a young boy that has been born with some serious malformations of his face due to a genetic disease. Yet inside he is a very normal 5^th grade boy. Like we always say in life, don’t judge a book by its cover, and don’t judge a person by his/her face. This is a story with many lessons in it; this is a story that can provide for many conversations in a classroom. This is a story about life, for good or for bad. But mostly it is a story about kindness. I highly recommend this remarkable book!

The Fault in our Stars by John Green

Another powerful yet soulful story that I would recommend for teens, grades 8^th and up. This is a story about cancer, cancer in teenagers. It is about life, death, and love. Hazel is 16 with terminal cancer when she meets Augustus at her kids-with-cancer support group the two fall in love. The only caveat is they both don’t know how much longer they each have. A deeply moving story that will make you laugh and cry at the same time.  A powerful story written by an amazing author, a New York Times bestseller as well as a Printz Medal and Honor and the Edgar Award.

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Macker

This is not only a great story for teens, but also a quick easy read for those of us who were teenagers during the mid-1990’s. It is a story that shows us what life was like when the Internet just became popular. When AOL sent discs in the mail so that everyone could go online and sign up for an AOL email account. Remember those days? Now think ahead, what would life been like in the 1990’s if you could see into the future, “Facebook” future. This is a story about two teenagers, Josh and Emma, that suddenly see into the future after logging onto their AOL account and find facebook 15 years later. They see what their life might be like. For good or for bad. a cute story that really shows us how Facebook has changed our lives.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

This is a very powerful book about teen suicide full of suspense and emotion. Hannah Baker is dead but before taking her life she talked about the reasons why she wanted to die and recorded them onto cassettes that she later sent out to the young people in her life she felt responsible for her death.  When Clay Jensen receives the box of her tapes in the mail he doesn’t want to have anything to do with the tapes. He feels her secrets should be buried with her but instead he begins listening to the tapes and his life is changed forever. This is truly a book that you will never get out of your mind but at the same time a book that probably has saved many lives as well. The author has created a story that many teens and parents should read on such an important topic. 

The Red Umbrella

I just finished reading a really fabulous and very powerful book called, The Red Umbrella by Christina Diaz Gonzalez. This is a great historical novel for grades 5^th -8. I would also recommend this book for an “in-class” read because it teaches a part of history that many children today don’t know much about.

The story begins in Cuba in 1961 and spans over the course of just about one year. Lucia is 14 years old and has a wonderful life with her family in Cuba. She is a typical teen, thinking about fashion, dreaming of parties and liking boys. But everything changes when the revolution begins. Her friends are no longer friends and her family is being stripped of their rights. After Lucia witnesses a brutal murder her parents decide to make a heart wrenching decision, one that many had to make during that time. They decide to send Lucia and her little brother, Frankie, to America alone. While one can’t imagine being torn from your family, Lucia makes the best of their new situation and learns to adapt to her new lifestyle in America while waiting for her parents to bring her back home.

This novel is based on historical events that took place during this time period when over 14,000 unaccompanied minors were sent over to the United States to escape Castro’s Operation Pedro Pan. This was considered to be one of the largest Exodus of unaccompanied children in the west. The author created this story based on true experiences of her own parents.

Christina Gonzalez did a fabulous job as a first time author creating a very real story portraying authentic feelings. Another special touch that I enjoyed was the inclusion of brief newspaper headlines at the beginning of each chapter. These headlines give the reader a glimpse into the Cuban politics and history. There is also an author’s note as well as an index of Spanish words and phrases that the author used throughout the story.

The Red Umbrella is a moving story of Cuba, family and the true meaning of home. Find it today at your local library.

Lauren Myracle - An Author for Tweens

Lauren Myracle is a young author who relates well to tweens and teens. She has written many books that deal with adolescence, relationships, families, school life, as well as sex, drugs and alcohol. While I prefer her tween books to her teen books, I am happy to recommend the “Winnie Series”.

Winnie Years Series

1. Ten (2010)
2. Eleven (2004)
3. Twelve (2007)
4. Thirteen (2008)
5. Thirteen Plus One(2010)

Ten was just recently published, even though it is the prequel to Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, and Thirteen Plus One. For those of you who are just starting out with this series I recommend beginning with Ten. For those readers who have already read "The Winnie Years", Ten is really a great beginning to this sweet little series and a wonderful read even though you know Winnie as she gets older.

I’m happy that Lauren chose to come back and write Ten as I feel this story gives more background to our fabulous character Winnie and I think readers can relate more to her as a young tween. Each book begins with Winnie celebrating her birthday. Through the years we deal with different issues as Winnie gets older and more mature and life gets more complicated.

Ten introduces the character Winnie Perry who is so excited to become ten, the double digits. She is almost a middle-schooler and that means of course more responsibility. This story is predictable as it concludes the last year of elementary school with Winnie and her best friend Amanda .

In Eleven, Winnie finds a new best friend but what happens to Amanda? In Twelve, her body begins to develop and she buys her first bra and gets her period. In Thirteen boys become really important and there are big changes in Winnie’s family, all good. Thirten Plus One is the end of the middle school years and now Winnie and her friends are typical teens getting ready to start high school. This brings about different challenges and issues for these young girls to deal with.

"The Winnie Years" is a great little series for girls in grades 5 and up. 

Check out this great author, Wendelin Van Draanen

I just finished reading The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen. Honestly I picked up the book because I was attracted to the title and book cover. I always get excited about stories that have to do with one of my favorite sports and hobbies, running. But you don't have to be a runner to enjoy this one. The Running Dream is about a young high school girl who is a great track athlete, until she is in a tragic bus accident and ends up losing her leg as well as her future dreams. The story begins with her waking up in the hospital and realizing what has happened.  I think the School Library Journal review of this book really sums it up nicely.

Jessica has run her personal best at a track meet-then there's a tragic bus accident and the high school junior loses her leg as well as her future dreams. From waking up in the hospital and coping with the trauma, to her return home, then school, she tries to grab her life back. On one level the story offers inspiration to those dealing with physical changes in their own lives and the stages of recovery, fight, survival, and victory as Jessica reaches deep to push past her wall of self-pity and loathing, and moves beyond the "finish line." On a deeper level, there is her blind discrimination toward a fellow classmate who has cerebral palsy. Rosa is hard to understand and easy to ignore. She is anchored to a wheelchair. Jessica, encumbered by her crutches and her tender "stump," is seated in the back of the class, out of the way, next to Rosa. She learns that the girl is smart, wise, and friendly. They pass notes and share lunch. Rosa writes, "I wish people would see me and not my condition." When Jessica is running again-on a specially engineered prosthesis-she challenges herself to help her friend be seen. How Jessica orchestrates putting Rosa in the forefront of a community race and pushing her wheelchair across a finish line is a study in faith and determination. Readers will cheer for Jessica's recovery and be reminded to recognize people for their strengths and not overlook them because of their disabilities -Alison Follos, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY (c) Copyright 2010.

This was not the only book that I read this summer by the author Wendelin Van Draanen. Earlier in the summer I read Runaway and ran a teen book club through the local public library.  It was a great book to have some meaty discussions with. While this was a very different type of book both stories have two very strong female characters with some strong messages for the readers. Both stories really are about keeping hope alive.

Readers wont look at homeless people in quite the same way after meeting Holly and seeing her through five long months on her own. An urban, female version of Gary Paulsens Hatchet (Macmillan, 1986), this novel chronicles the daily struggle for food, shelter, safety, and cleanliness that becomes the focus of life once a home and income are stripped away. Twelve-year-old Holly knows a lot about living on the streets, since she lived that life with her drug-addicted mother before the womans death from an overdose. She determines that it is preferable to continuing in her abusive foster home. A journal provided by a compassionate teacher is where she records her lonely and difficult struggle for survival. While the plot has the occasional convenience, readers will be drawn to the gripping details of both physical and emotional landmines hidden in the ordinariness of everyday life. This is a great book to hand-sell or booktalk to young teens who enjoy a dose of emotional trauma in their fiction or for reluctant readers who need suspense to keep them turning the pages. Van Draanen has shown great versatility in adding another dimension to her already respected body of work.–School Library Journal, Faith Brautigam, Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL

I would recommend both of these books for children in grades 7 and up. They deal with very real and sensitive issues. 

Wendelin Van Draanen is a prolific writer. She is also the author of the Sammy Keyes Mystery Series for middle grades, Shredderman, Gecko and Sticky, and other stand alone novels. One of my all time favorites is Flipped. Flipped was actually made into a motion picture a few years ago. Despite my feelings about books being made into movies, this one was very well done. For more information on this great Northern California author check out: http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/vandraanen.

The Ranger's Apprentice

The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan is a fabulous series, 10 books in total. I can almost compare the excitement of this series to Harry Potter. Even though this isn't a new series, it has been out since 2006, it is a fabulous fantasy series for grades 4-8th. The stories have both captivating story lines and suspenseful adventures. This book is for boys and girls and can be even used in the classroom to encourage historical research projects during the times of knights and kings. The Ranger's Apprentice is about battles and about honor.

From School Library Journal for Book 1 - The Ruins of Gorlan
Will hopes to become a knight; instead, he winds up as a Ranger's apprentice, joining the secretive corps that uses stealth, woodcraft, and courage to protect the kingdom. His aptitude and bravery gradually earn the respect of his gruff but good-hearted master. When the kingdom is attacked by evil magic forces, Will helps track down and defeat a couple of particularly nasty beasts. This closing episode sets the stage for a good-versus-evil war that will likely be at the heart of future volumes. In this opener, though, most of the story focuses on the learning process that Will goes through as an apprentice. Descriptions of Ranger craft are fascinating. Exciting confrontations with bullies and wild boars help to establish the boy's emerging character. Side stories involving a rival Battleschool apprentice and the identity of Will's father are woven in smoothly. The author occasionally spells things out more than is needed when actions demonstrate them clearly enough. However, the well-paced plot moves effortlessly toward the climax, letting readers get to know the world and the characters gradually as excitement builds. The public adoration Will gains at the end seems slightly overdone given the established distrust people feel for Rangers, but it's still a pleasing finish and should leave readers eager to share the future adventures of the Ranger's apprentice.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, OR

Book 1 - The Ruins of Gorlan
Book 2 - The Burning Bridge
Book 3 - The Icebound Land
Book 4 - The Battle for Skandia
Book 5 - The Sorcerer of the North
Book 6 - The Siege of Macindaw
Book 7 - Erak's Ransom
Book 8 - The Kings of Clonmel
Book 9 - Halt's Peril
Book 10 - The Emperor of Nihon-Ja