Middle grade fiction

The Firefly Summer by Morgan Matson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 5 Comments

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  When Ryanna gets an invitation from her estranged maternal grandparents to spend the summer at their house on a lake in the Poconos, she’s not sure if she wants to go.  But questions about her late mother motivate her to accept, and what she had imagined as a few quiet months with grandparents turns out to be a fun, busy summer surrounded by aunts, uncles, and cousins.  Partway through her time there, she learns that her grandparents have been forced to sell the camp, and that everything will be bulldozed and developed into condos in the fall.  Ryanna and her cousins discover a treasure hunt her mother created when she was 12 that could lead to the piece of paper her grandparents need to stop the sale of their property.  It’s a race against time as the kids slowly figure out the mystery and Ryanna unravels her own mystery about her mother and the early days of her own childhood.  385 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A perfect summer read with an idyllic setting, lots of interesting characters, some family secrets to discover, and a mystery or two to solve.  Morgan Matson perfectly captures the feel of a tech-free summer spent outdoors with friends, and the pacing will keep readers turning the pages all the way to the end.

Cons:  I know from sad experience that a lot of readers in the intended demographic will be turned off by the page count.     

A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Aladdin

Summary:  Ever since a bully called him fat in fourth grade, Will has been extremely self-conscious about his body.  He dresses in baggy clothes and often eats when he is depressed.  When he meets new kid and cool skateboarder Markus, he hopes to make a new friend.  In a desperate attempt to slim down, Will cuts way back on his eating, eventually fainting at school due to lack of food.  This crisis leads to some honest conversations with his parents and with Markus, and Will begins to get the help that he needs.  Although not every day is a good way, talking to a therapist and getting support from Markus and his parents helps Will to begin to accept himself and focus on good health rather than his weight.  368 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This novel-in-verse is formatted to look like Will’s journal and sketchbook (he’s a talented artist) and makes for a quick read despite the 300+ page length.  It’s great to see a middle grade novel tackling issues of eating disorders and body dysmorphia in boys, and Will’s honest voice and expressive drawings will quickly draw readers in.

Cons:  I was bummed that Markus moved away at the end.

Ellie Engle saves Herself! by Leah Johnson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Disney Hyperion

Summary:  Ellie Engle has always been content to be in the background, enjoying her comic books and supporting her best friend (and secret crush) Abby, who prefers being in the spotlight.  When a freak earthquake gives Ellie necromancy superpowers, she desperately wants to hide them.  But after accidentally bringing the frog she’s supposed to dissect in science class back to life, her secret is out, and she becomes an unwilling celebrity.  Her fame leads her to discover who her true friends are, a list that, unfortunately, doesn’t seem to include Abby.  When Ellie discovers that an old family friend has a similar superpower, she starts to learn how to control that power and use it for good.  She may not want to be in the spotlight, but Ellie begins to find a way to negotiate her new life as a superhero.  288 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Ellie’s voice has plenty of humor, and readers will relate to her journey of self-discovery, not only as a reluctant superhero, but as a queer Black girl just beginning to figure out who she is.  

Cons:  Necromancy seems like a creepy superpower.

The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers, illustrated by Shawn Harris

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Johannes is a wild dog who lives in a park populated by other animal friends: a brave and loyal seagull, a group of bright raccoons who are proud of their opposable thumbs, a squirrel who sees more with one eye than most animals do with two, and three wise bison.  Johannes can run fast–he estimates that he sometimes surpasses the speed of sound, maybe the speed of light–and he becomes the Eyes of the park, keeping the bison informed about what is going on.  A couple of misadventures including a dognapping and the rescue of a human child bring Johannes to the attention of the park staff, and he begins to fear for his freedom.  To take his mind off of that worry, he begins to formulate a seemingly impossible plan: to free the bison, assisted by a herd of goats that has recently been transported to the island.  All the animals get in on the escape, and all goes off with a minimum of hitches until the crucial moment of boarding the escape boat, when the bison decide they don’t want to be free.  Johannes is invited to escape instead, forcing him to decide between his island family and the chance to start a new life of guaranteed freedom.  256 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  I’m not a big animal fantasy reader, but this book has gotten three starred reviews, so I couldn’t ignore it. I forced myself to start reading and was immediately charmed and engaged by Johannes’s voice, which is simultaneously innocent, wise, and funny.  It would be a great choice for an elementary read-aloud or book club, and I certainly hope it will receive some Newbery consideration.  The writing is so, so good, and Shawn Harris’s paintings of Johannes perfectly capture his spirit and island home.

Cons:  I had my fingers crossed that the constantly maligned ducks would have a moment of redemption during the escape, but they remained the butt of all the other animals’ jokes.

Home Away from Home by Cynthia Lord

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Mia’s excited about her visit to Stone Harbor, Maine, not only because she loves spending time with Grandma, but because it will get her away from the stress of moving to a new house with her mother and new stepfather.  But things are different in Maine than in years past, the most notable change being a new boy named Cayman who hangs around Grandma’s house a lot.  Cayman can be bossy, but Mia finds herself enjoying having another kid around.  When Mia and Cayman discover a mysterious white bird at the Point, Mia’s sure it’s a sign of better things to come.  But the bird ultimately leads to some big mistakes on Mia’s part and a fight that threatens to end her new friendship with Cayman.  As Mia tries to repair the damage, she learns that it’s important to trust the people who care about her and that maybe she is braver than she believes.  224 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  A delightful summer read with relatable kid protagonists, compelling animal stories (there’s a subplot about a stray cat as well as the bird story), and a setting that will make you want to seek out a quaint Maine town for a long July weekend.

Cons:  I struggled with the pronunciation of “gyrfalcon”.

Big Tree by Brian Selznick

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Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Melvin and Louise are two seeds nestled cozily in a seedpod, secure in the love and wisdom provided by their mother, a giant sycamore tree.  A natural disaster flings them into the world, where they travel over land and sea, meeting all kinds of wise and wonderful creatures.  While their mother sought to give them both roots and wings, imaginative Louise is filled with wonder and hope, while Melvin is bound by his worries and fears.  When the two are separated, Melvin finds himself trapped for many, many years, never forgetting his sister.  Eventually he learns the lessons of the universe that Louise already instinctively knew, and the two meet again in a wondrous reunion.  Includes an afterword that explains some of the scientific references, a bibliography, and an author’s note that tells how the story came to be.  528 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  Brian Selznick has created a masterpiece of prose and art in the style of his previous books.  This book was inspired by a movie idea that Steven Spielberg had, looking at the history of the Earth from the perspective of nature itself.  It is a wildly creative and ambitious story that includes dinosaurs, volcanoes, meteors, dinosaurs, mushroom ambassadors, and so much more.  

Cons:  Readers might need some guidance to understand all that is going on during this long period of Earth’s history.  The back matter is a useful guide for this.

The Moth Keeper by K. O’Neill

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Published by Random House Graphic

Summary:  Long ago, a community formed in the desert to live their lives at night and keep the Moon Spirit company.  In return, the Spirit gave them a special tree that made their lives easier.  The tree had to be pollinated once a year by Moon-Moths.  Now Anya has become an apprentice Moth Keeper, going out every night into the desert, sometimes with her guardian Yeolen and sometimes alone.  Anya had a tough childhood, seen in flashbacks, and she sometimes fears the dark and longs to spend her days in the daylight.  But when she causes a near-catastrophe with the moths, she realizes the importance of her community and her role in it.  Helped by them, she’s able to correct her mistake and finds new beauty and connection in her nightly work.  272 pages; grades 4-8.

Pros:  The gorgeous illustrations make this fantasy tale one that readers will want to revisit over and over again.  K. O’Neill has created a magical world filled with mystery, beauty, and a tight-knit, loving community.

Cons:  Be sure to spend plenty of time on the wordless pages of the book to fully understand the story. I found myself confused more than once.

Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Disney Hyperion

Summary:  Simon and his parents have moved to Grin and Bear It, Nebraska, a small town in the National Quiet Zone, a place where there’s no internet to help astronomers better listen for sounds of life in outer space.  While most seventh graders would rebel about this, Simon is happy to hide away two years after he was the sole survivor of a school shooting.  It’s hard to blend in, though, when his mom’s the unconventional town undertaker and his dad is a sackbut-playing Catholic deacon dealing with what comes to be known as the Jesus squirrel, and before long Simon has two interesting new friends, Kevin and Agate.  Agate has a plan to give the scientists the extraterrestrial contact they’ve been looking for.  When Simon’s identity is discovered by his new town, he hopes that helping Agate will result in some even bigger news that will draw the attention away from him and his family.  Their plan kind of works, but all kinds of complications result in a satisfactory, if unexpected, ending.  320 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  I would not have thought it possible to write about the aftermath of a horrific school shooting with a light touch and one-of-a-kind characters, but Erin Bow pulls it off magnificently in an unforgettable novel that should be considered for all kinds of awards.

Cons:  I wish this book did not feel so timely.

Meesh the Bad Demon by Michelle Lam

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Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Meesh struggles with things that come easy for most demons her age, like breathing fire and puking acid, and is often picked on by a bully named Xavier.  She prefers befriending flowers and watching the Princess Nouna TV show with her grandmother.  When a mysterious substance starts turning demons into stone, Meesh realizes it’s up to her to save her community.  She goes off in search of Princess Nouna but is dismayed by the real-life princess when they finally meet.  The two unwittingly wind up going on a series of adventures together, during which Meesh discovers some new powers.  Eventually, they add a couple more kids to their group, including, much to Meesh’s surprise, Xavier.  Working together, the team manages to save the demons, and a surprising twist at the end will have readers eagerly awaiting a sequel.  304 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  This manga-style comic is sure to be a big hit, with its gorgeous art, non-stop adventures, creative world-building, and loveable team of misfits that learn to accept each other and work together to do great things.

Cons:  I think this is a “me” problem, but I do struggle in fantasy graphic novels to keep track of the various characters and their worlds.

Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt

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Published by Scholastic

Summary:  Selah works hard at being “normal”, making up rules to help her fit in at school and retreating to her room at the end of the day, exhausted from trying to hide her feelings.  When a friend tries to braid her hair in class one day, Selah explodes and hits the girl.  The incident puts her on probation at school and ostracizes her from most of her classmates.  As Selah tries to figure out what is going on with her, she begins to think that she, her mom, and grandfather may all have autism.  A sympathetic English teacher helps her to express herself through poetry, and Selah begins to share what she’s feeling, first to her family and later on to her school.  As she begins to feel more comfortable with who she is, Selah comes up with a new list of rules to help her be herself and to communicate with those around her.  Includes an author’s note about her own journey to an autism diagnosis and self-discovery as well as a list of resources.  288 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This novel in verse will be helpful to anyone with autism, or who knows someone with autism, or who sometimes feels like they don’t fit in very well.  I was inspired by Selah’s powerful poems, her journey, and the ways she learned to advocate for herself.

Cons:  It made me sad that no one at Selah’s seemingly caring private school had picked up on her autism in her eight years of attendance there.