Middle grade fiction

Duel by Jessixa Bagley, illustrated by Aaron Bagley

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Sixth-grader Lucy is dreading being in middle school with her older sister GiGi. When GiGi trips Lucy in the cafeteria on the first day of school, Lucy challenges GiGi to a duel.  The two girls were trained in fencing by their late father, and GiGi is the star of the middle school fencing team.  As they prepare for the bout, each girl is plagued with insecurities, both of them dealing with the grief of having recently lost their father.  Their mother, barely holding it together as she processes her own grief while trying to keep the family functioning, is not much help.  The whole school gets involved in the match, and the pressure becomes too much for both girls.  On the big day, they finally open up and confess their feelings to each other and to their mother, allowing themselves to move toward healing.  The duel still takes place, but it’s a friendly match now, resulting in a surprising and satisfying outcome.  Includes an author’s note telling of her experiences that inspired the book.  320 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This middle school graphic novel by a husband-and-wife team explores grief and sibling rivalry sympathetically.  The artwork cleverly helps tell the story with color-coded boxes showing each girl’s thoughts and blue pages to indicate flashback scenes.  A page from their father’s fencing manual begins each chapter, with the fencing information reflecting what’s going on in the story.

Cons:  Although I appreciated the fencing manual chapter openings, I found myself skipping them after the first few chapters.

The Apartment House on Poppy Hill by Nina LaCour, illustrated by Sònia Albert

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Chronicle Books

Summary:  Ella and her two moms live in an apartment at 1106 Wildflower Place, a Victorian house on Poppy Hill in San Francisco.  There are four other apartments in the house, and Ella is good friends with all the residents except the mysterious and reclusive Robinsons who live on the top floor.  The book is divided into three sections: New Neighbors, in which the newest couple is welcomed into the building; Tea at Ten O’clock, where a series of interruptions delay Ella’s tea date with her neighbor Matilda; and The Greatest Mystery of All Time, which is solved when Ella finally gets to meet the Robinsons.  There’s a feel of more adventures ahead, so be on the lookout for a sequel. 132 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  A warm and inviting early chapter book with plenty of illustrations.  With two gay couples, two straight, a single woman, and a pretty quirky main character, the story exudes acceptance and community.

Cons:  I found Ella kind of annoyingly precocious.

The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  During the 2020 pandemic lockdown, Matthew is stuck at home with his harried mother and his 100-year-old great-grandmother, GG.  After too many hours in front of screens, Matthew loses his video game privileges and is ordered to help GG sort through her boxes of possessions.  When he discovers photos of her as a girl with another girl named Helen, Matthew begins to ask questions.  Reluctantly at first, GG begins the story of three cousins: Mila, a wealthy girl living in 1930’s Ukraine with her father, a devoted Soviet official; Helen, living in Brooklyn during the Great Depression; and Nadiyah, a peasant girl facing starvation during Holodomor, the Ukrainian famine caused by Stalin’s policies.  The narratives slowly reveal a secret GG has kept for decades, and by the end both she and Matthew are ready to share her story with the rest of the family.  Includes several pages of additional historical information.  368 pages; grades 4-8.

Pros:  I’d love to see this well-written, extensively researched book considered for a Newbery.  In addition to the main plot, which is super engaging and had a twist that completely blindsided me, there’s an interesting subplot about journalistic integrity and efforts (largely successful, unfortunately) to suppress the story of the Holodomor.

Cons:  I personally enjoyed the connection to 2020, but I saw some reviewers on Amazon who didn’t like that, and, as I’ve mentioned before, I find pandemic books to be a hard sell to the kids at my school.

Remember Us by Jacqueline Woodson

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Published by Nancy Paulsen Books

Summary:  Jacqueline Woodson drew on her childhood experiences growing up in the 1970’s Bushwick neighborhood of the Bronx to create the characters of 12-year-old Sage and her friends.  Sage is the best basketball player in the neighborhood, a talent she inherited from her late father, a firefighter who died on the job.  Fire is on the minds of everyone in the community that summer, as buildings are burning down with increasing frequency.  Sage’s mother is working hard to move out of Bushwick and into a safer brick house.  As the summer moves on, Sage has a frightening incident that leaves her questioning herself and temporarily giving up basketball.  Her good friend Freddy helps her get back, making it even harder when she learns that she’s moving at the end of the summer.  The last few pages move forward in time, showing how Sage makes a new life for herself in Queens and how her friendship with Freddy survives into adulthood.  Includes an author’s note about Jacqueline Woodson’s childhood experiences that inspired the book.  192 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A poetic memoir that introduces readers to a close-knit community that’s being ravaged by circumstances beyond their control.  Sage deals with some tough emotional issues but is sustained by the love of family and friends, all of which is subtly expressed through Woodson’s beautiful writing.

Cons:  There was a brief mention near the end that landlords were responsible for the fires.  I was curious to learn more, but there was no mention of that in the author’s note.

Curlfriends: New In Town by Sharee Miller

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Little, Brown Ink

Summary:  Charlie’s lived all over the world as a military kid, but now that her dad’s retired, the family’s settled down in her parents’ old hometown.  It’s tough starting middle school three weeks late, but Charlie’s determined to fit in by studying fashion websites and magazines to perfect her clothes and hair.  A catastrophe the first day of school ruins her hairdo but gets her a new group of friends who call themselves Curlfriends after the curly hair they all have.  Although she likes the girls, Charlie’s afraid that they won’t like her if she shows them her real personality.  A series of mishaps finally shows her that being herself is best, and after letting down her guard, the Curlfriends are closer than ever.  288 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  Fans of middle school graphic novels will love this family and friendship story that gracefully delivers a be yourself message and shows readers that you can start over any time.  I’m happy to see this billed as book 1 on Amazon, as it has the feeling of a successful series starter.

Cons:  I was starting to lose patience with Charlie.  She’s lucky she has such understanding parents and friends.

Mabuhay! by Zachary Sterling

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Graphix

Summary:  JJ and Althea are both trying to navigate middle school, JJ by trying to fit in even if it means hiding who he really is, and Althea by pretending not to care that she’s lost her closest friends.  To make matters worse, the kids are expected to help out with the family food truck on weekends and school vacations.  Their mother uses Filipino folklore to teach them lessons about hard work and discipline.  But when strange things start happening to both kids, they realize that their family has magical powers and that the folktales are based on truth.  When a monster from the stories threatens the world, it’s up to their family to summon their powers and save the universe.  Along the way, JJ discovers his own worth, Althea learns to value her true friendships, and they both come to appreciate their quirky family and their heritage. Includes an author’s note, a recipe for adobo chicken, and a glossary.  240 pages; grades 4-7. 

Pros:  An excellent blend of middle school angst, Filipino culture, and magical battles against evil forces, with outstanding artwork and a memorable family.

Cons:  While I appreciated the pronunciation guides and definitions footnoted at the bottom of many pages, the font was so tiny that I finally gave up on them.

The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Julie Morstad

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Candlewick

Summary:  The old sea captain Spelhorst just wanted to buy the girl puppet, who reminded him of a lost love, but the five puppets were a set, so he ended up with the king, the wolf, the boy, and the owl as well.  After his death, they’re sold and wind up in a home with two little girls and their maid.  While the oldest girl is writing a puppet show, the puppets somewhat inadvertently have some amazing adventures.  Finally, it’s time for the show, and they are gathered together again.  They perform a magical story that has repercussions beyond the show, with an unexpected twist at the end paves the way for a sequel.  160 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Kate DiCamillo uses her gifts of storytelling to create fascinating and distinctive human and puppet characters that convey messages that readers will take long after they finish reading the story. Julie Morstad’s illustrations help bring the characters to life.

Cons:  I know I’m in a tiny minority, but I’m not a big Kate DiCamillo fan.  Her language never feels very kid friendly to me.  I would hands-down choose Dogtown as a book recommendation for this age group over this book.

Dogtown by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko, illustrated by Wallace West

~ Janet Dawson ~ 9 Comments

Published by Feiwel & Friends

Summary:  Chance has had a rough year, winding up at a shelter called Dogtown minus one leg.  After the humans decide he’s a good luck charm, he gets the run of the place, eventually befriending Mouse (a mouse) and Metal Head (one of the robot dogs who also come to the shelter).  When Metal Head decides to escape and try to go back home, Chance and Mouse go along to offer help and moral support.  Metal Head’s boy, now a cool middle schooler, rejects him, and Metal Head is heartbroken.  Chance finally reveals his own story, encouraging Metal Head to focus on the future.  The three make it back to Dogtown, where Chance discovers he is on the dreaded List, meaning he will be heading for the great dog park in the sky.  His final desperate action results in a surprising happy and heartwarming ending; since this is billed as book 1, we may get to hear more of Chance’s story.  Includes a list of seven things kids can do to help shelter dogs.  352 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  I loved this book way more than I was expecting.  Although it’s over 300 pages, the chapters are short (some only a page), and there are plenty of illustrations, so it would make a great first “real” chapter book for an elementary reader.  It’s refreshing to see a book with both humor and heart aimed at those younger readers.

Cons:  Chance’s story just about broke me.


Finch House by Ciera Burch

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Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books

Summary:  Micah is sad about her upcoming move; while it will be nice for her and her mom to have their own home, she will miss her beloved grandfather Poppop.  To escape from packing, she goes on a bike ride and ends up in front of Finch House, an old house that Poppop has repeatedly warned her to stay away from.  To her surprise, a boy her age is outside, and he introduces himself as Theo, part of the family that has recently moved into the house.  Micah finds herself strangely drawn to the house, and when Theo invites her inside, she can’t say no. But before long, the two of them begin to discover some of Finch House’s secrets, including a dark secret from Micah’s family’s past.  Micah soon realizes that she’s trapped in the house until she can break the spell that has traumatized her family for two generations.  208 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A spooky story featuring ghosts and a haunted house that delivers a powerful message about family secrets and healing the past.  The ending will leave readers wondering what will happen next for Micah.

Cons:  This wasn’t as scary as I thought it would be…the family issues took over some parts of the story and made it less suspenseful. 

Slime Shop created by Karina Garcia with text by Kevin Panetta, illustrated by Niki Smith

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Versify

Summary:  Bailey, Sophia, and Jayden run a successful slime shop called BSJ.  What they don’t know is that when they leave the kitchen, their slimes have a life of their own.  Those slimes have been noticing that other slimes are being shipped off to unknown destinations, and they’re determined to stay in their home.  Adding another complication is Boris, a green slime who’s always been grumpy, but has suddenly gotten worse, transforming innocent slimes into his zombie minions.  When Bailey’s off for a weekend at her dad’s house, a few of the slimes stow away in her backpack, determined to get some answers from the Original Slime, who’s rumored to live in Bailey’s dad’s garage.  The action shifts between their adventures on the road and the battle continuing to unfold back at home as the slimes get some answers and learn some important lessons about themselves in the process.  Includes slime recipes and a cast of characters guide.  208 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  I wasn’t sure I would enjoy a graphic novel featuring a bunch of slime characters, but it turned out to be unexpectedly charming and cute with a satisfying storyline.  Kids will undoubtedly enjoy heading over to Karina Garcia’s slime-based YouTube channel after reading this.

Cons:  I struggled a little to keep the slimes straight and would have appreciated the cast of characters at the beginning instead of at the end.