Middle grade fiction

Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson

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Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  In the author’s note, we learn that during slavery, enslaved people sometimes escaped into the swamps and lived there for years.  This story imagines such a community called Freewater, populated by those who escaped slavery and their children who have only known freedom.  Homer and Ada accidentally stumble upon Freewater while trying to escape north.  They’re taken in and soon get to know the different people there and the ways they’ve developed to survive and avoid capture.  But Homer is harboring a secret: he feels like it’s his fault that his mama was caught and sent back to the plantation the night of their escape.  Through his first-person narration and the third-person stories of many other characters from both the plantation and Freewater, the reader slowly learns of a plan to return and free Mama.  Each person has a part to play in the fiery and satisfying climax of the story, and the last page suggests a happy ending for all of them.  Includes an author’s note.  416 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  I’m always wowed when an author hits a home run with a debut novel. Amina Luqman-Dawson had done that here with a complex historical fiction story that will stay with readers long after the last page.  A definite contender for either Newbery or Coretta Scott King awards.

Cons:  Some reviewers recommend this for as young as third grade.  With the many characters, the shift between first-person and third-person narration, the unfamiliar setting, and the 400-page length, it requires a pretty sophisticated reader.

Flipping Forward Twisting Backward by Alma Fullerton

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Published by Peachtree

Summary:  Claire can master any gymnastic skill she puts her mind to, but school is another matter.  Reading and writing are just about impossible for her, no matter how hard she tries, and she often acts out due to her frustration.  During one of her frequent trips to the vice-principal’s office, she makes a chance remark that leads him to believe that she may have a learning disability.  Her mother refuses to believe that anything’s wrong, fearing that a label will limit Claire’s chances for success in school, and it takes a near-crisis to convince her to let Claire get tested.  The last few pages see Claire flying through her gymnastics routine with a newfound optimism that things will improve in her academic life as well.  135 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  This novel in verse is a quick read that sympathetically portrays a character with dyslexia.  It’s written in a font designed for children learning to read.  The short length and relatable characters and storyline would make it a great choice for an elementary book club. I’ve added it to my newly-updated list of book club suggestions for grades 2-4.

Cons:  The ending felt a bit rushed.

High Score by Destiny Howell

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Scholastic

Summary:  DJ’s trying to make a fresh start after transferring to a new middle school, but when his former best friend Conor shows up, he starts to slip back into his old ways.  In his first few days of school, Conor manages to antagonize Lucky, the kid who runs the school with his enormous stash of Starcade tickets, the middle school currency.  Lucky threatens to turn Conor into a social pariah unless he and DJ can come with 100,000 tickets in two weeks.  It’s an impossible task, but DJ and Conor have pulled off some pretty amazing feats in the past.  They need a team, though, and DJ recruits a couple of unlikely new friends with unique skills.  A huge Starcade birthday party, a nasty manager who’s a stickler for the rules, dumpsters full of tickets surrounded by a barbed wire fence…what could possibly go wrong?  297 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Fans of Gordon Korman and Varian Johnson will enjoy this funny, fast-paced story that features four interesting middle school characters outsmarting just about everyone as they pull off a magnificent stunt.

Cons:  Pay close attention or you may get confused by all the plot twists and turns.

Lumberjackula by Mat Heagerty, illustrated by Sam Owen

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Jack’s ready to pick a secondary school, but he’s torn between following in his lumberjack mom’s bootsteps or choosing the eerier path of his vampire dad.  He tries out both of their alma maters, but neither feels like a great fit.  When he accidentally stumbles upon a school for dancers, it seems perfect for his talents, but he’s afraid he’ll disappoint his parents.  Finally, a wise teenage manatee rescues Jack from a near-drowning and gives him some good advice about being himself.  He finally gets up the courage to tell his parents what he wants, and they proudly cheer him on to become a great dancer.  152 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Elementary kids will happily snap up this quirky graphic novel with lots of fun characters and a good “be yourself” message.

Cons:  There wasn’t a lot of suspense since it was pretty evident early on what Jack’s decision was going to be.

The Secret Battle of Evan Pao by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

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Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  Evan and his mother and sister have recently relocated from California to a small town in Virginia.  His dad was involved in a financial scandal that led to his arrest, and the family is trying to start over.  Things are different in Virginia, where Evan’s sixth-grade teacher leads Battlefield Day every year to teach about the U.S. Civil War.  There’s plenty of Confederacy pride among his classmates, particularly Brady, a bully who makes racist comments to Evan.  Evan surprises many–even himself–when he learns that Chinese Americans fought in the Civil War, and this discovery helps him feel more a part of the community.  He still has to deal with Brady, though, a relationship that becomes more fraught after Brady is accused of firing a rifle shot into the Pao house.  When Evan’s dog goes missing, though, Brady proves to be a surprising ally, and both boys discover that people are not always what they seem.  272 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A compelling story that is told from many different points of view in a way that reminded me of some of Gordon Korman’s books.  The many interesting issues and characters (including Evan, who is sensitive to the point of having an almost psychic ability to tell when someone is lying) would make this a great choice for a book club or class discussion.

Cons:  I was hoping for some more resolution around the storyline with Evan’s dad
.

Cookies & Milk by Shawn Amos

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Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Ellis’s hopes for a fun and relaxing summer are dashed when his newly divorced dad informs him that they’re going to spend the next six weeks getting ready for the grand opening of Sunset Cookies.  As Ellis reluctantly begins to help clean up the filthy building and perfect the chocolate chip cookie recipe (with more than a few mishaps), he also starts to connect with people in the community.  Handing out free bags of cookies goes a long way toward making friends, and before long everyone is pitching in to get the store up and running in time.  When Ellis discovers that one of his new friends is his father’s estranged brother, he’s determined to help the two men put their differences aside and reunite the family.  New friends, family reunions, and plenty of chocolate chip cookies help make the summer of 1976 a memorable one for Ellis.  Includes a cookie recipe.  320 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  Written by the son of cookie entrepreneur Famous Amos, this is a funny, light-hearted story that doesn’t shy away from heavier topics like divorce and racism.  It’s a fast-paced read that a wide range of elementary school kids are sure to enjoy.

Cons:  Don’t even think about opening this book without a plate of warm cookies and a tall glass of milk by your side.

Fibbed by Elizabeth Agyemang

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Razorbill

Summary:  Nana’s in trouble again for lying, even though she swears her story about how her teacher’s toupee disappeared is true.  Her parents have had enough, however, and they decide to send her to stay with family in Ghana for the summer.  There she meets relatives and learns about the trickster spider Ananse who exchanges favors and magic for stories.  When Nana, her cousin, and a classmate discover men who are destroying a local forest by stripping it of magic, they end up working with Ananse to defeat the villains and save the forest.  As a reward, Nana gets a wish granted and is happy that her stories are finally believed by family members in both Ghana and the U.S.  Includes four pages of additional information about Ananse.  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This graphic novel cleverly weaves together a realistic family story and folklore. The artwork is gorgeous, particularly the wordless pages that show the Ghanian countryside.

Cons:  There’s a lot going on in the story, and I was a little confused about some of the details.

Let the Monster Out by Chad Lucas

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  Bones is struggling to adapt to his new home in a small Nova Scotia town.  He’s one of the few Black kids, and he’s trying to put some past trauma behind him.  Kyle has never received an official autism diagnosis, but it’s becoming increasingly clear to him that his brain works differently from most other people’s.  Although the two are baseball teammates, they seem unlikely to become friends until they both are affected by the strange happenings going on in their town. Kids are having the same nightmares, and the adults around them are acting like zombies.  Everything seems to be connected to Fluxcor, the giant tech company that has an outsized influence in town.  After somewhat reluctantly joining forces with teammates Marcus and Albert, Bones and Kyle race against time to defeat the company and its evil CEO before it’s too late.  320 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This isn’t typically my favorite genre, but I got sucked into the story pretty quickly and polished it off in three days.  I saw Netflix’s Stranger Things referenced in several reviews, and this would definitely appeal to fans of that show.  But it’s not just a scary story; Bones and Kyle are dealing with real issues in their lives and fighting the evil forces around them helps them to move ahead with those situations as well.  It’s also a nice celebration of boys’ friendships.

Cons:  I got kind of tired of Bones and Albert’s constant bickering, and my hopes that Albert had an interesting backstory never really materialized. 

Smaller Sister by Maggie Edkins Willis

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Roaring Brook Press

Summary:  Lucy and her older sister Olivia have always been close, but when they switch schools right before fifth and sixth grades, things start to unravel.  Olivia develops an eating disorder, and Lucy struggles to try to understand the unhappy person her sister has become and the difficult changes her whole family is going through.  Just as Olivia is starting to recover, the family moves from Indiana to Massachusetts, a transition that proves difficult for both of the girls.  As Lucy faces peer pressure and mean girls, she begins to doubt herself and to adopt some of Olivia’s techniques for losing weight.  Fortunately, Olivia and their parents have learned a lot in the last couple of years and are able to intervene.  Two weeks at a theater camp between sixth and seventh grade give Lucy a huge boost in confidence, helping her to start seventh grade on a much more positive note.  Includes an author’s note telling of her experiences that inspired this book.  320 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Another middle school girl graphic memoir that will undoubtedly be popular with the many readers who love this genre.  The topics of eating disorders and girls’ struggles with body image are addressed sensitively and in an appropriate manner for upper elementary and middle school readers.  I’d love to see how seventh grade goes for Lucy, so I’m hoping for a sequel.

Cons:  The parents, who were sensitive in other ways, seemed kind of oblivious about how tough it was for the girls to change schools twice in two years.

My Own Lightning by Lauren Wolk

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Published by Dutton Books for Young Readers

Summary:  In this sequel to Wolf Hollow, Annabelle is still trying to recover from the events of that story when she experiences another life-changing event: she is struck by lightning.  In the aftermath, she makes two discoveries: her senses are heightened, including an ability to understand animals, particularly dogs; and the bruises on her chest show that someone brought her back to life before she was discovered by her father.  Her empathic connection to animals proves useful when dogs in the neighborhood start to go missing.  Dogs seem easier to understand than some of the humans around her, including new neighbors Mr. Edelman and his daughter Nora, and Andy, the boy who was partly responsible for the tragic events of Wolf Hollow.  As Annabelle’s new powers start to fade, she realizes that they’ve led her to discover some abilities to understand people that she’s had all along.  311 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Like all of Lauren Wolk’s other books, this story is a luminous look at human nature with beautiful poetic writing and interesting, well-developed characters.  Also, the descriptions of every single meal were mouth-watering.

Cons:  I was surprised at how little World War II figured into the story in this book set in 1944.