Middle grade fiction

Letters from Cuba by Ruth Behar

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Published by Nancy Paulsen Books

Letters from Cuba - Kindle edition by Behar, Ruth. Children Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Summary:  It’s December 1937, and Esther’s family in Poland has just gotten word from Papa that he’s saved enough money to bring one family member to Cuba.  12-year-old Esther manages to convince him that it should be her, not her younger brother, and she sets off on the long journey across the ocean to a tropical island she knows little about.  Once there, she learns that her father is trying to make a living as a peddler, but is a terrible salesman.  Esther looks for ways to make money, and discovers a talent for dressmaking.  As she settles into her new home, she and her father make new friends including wealthy Cubans, a poor black family, and a father and son from China.  Meanwhile, they hear of increasing atrocities against Jews in Poland, and work day and night to bring the rest of the family over.  Esther tells her story through letters she writes to her younger sister Malka, and by the end of the book, she is able to share the letters with Malka in person.  Includes an author’s note telling about her grandmother on whom this story is based and a list of resources.  242 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  I don’t always find the letter writing format particularly engaging, but this book drew me in almost immediately.  Excellent historical fiction with compelling characters make this a great choice for a wide range of readers and a book likely to be considered for some awards.

Cons:  Papa seemed a bit passive for someone whose family was depending on him for their survival.

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Don’t Judge Me by Lisa Schroeder

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Published by Scholastic Press (Released November 10)

Don't Judge Me by Lisa Schroeder

Summary:  When Hazel finds an abandoned pet tortoise, she discovers that the two of them are alike in some ways.  Both want to hide when they are scared, and Hazel finds herself feeling anxious about almost every aspect of middle school.  She’s shy and wants nothing more than to blend in, but her best friend Tori wants to perform in the talent show and make new friends.  When Hazel finds a notebook belonging to Tori’s older brother Ben, she’s horrified to discover that it contains pages for many of the girls at school with other boys’ comments about their appearance.  The notebook, combined with a dress code targeting girls and a new friend, Dion, who’s being bullied by other boys, finally forces Hazel to stick her neck out and speak up about the injustices and sexism she sees all around her.  Hazel is amazed to learn what power her voice has; while her school still has problems, she and her friends are able to bring about real change with their activism.  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Another great addition to the growing list of 2020 books that address feminism, dress codes, and toxic masculinity.  Many readers will recognize themselves in Hazel and her friends and may be inspired to speak up about issues they see in their own schools and communities.

Cons:  While Hazel’s dad is pretty cool, it would have been nice to see some other men helping out the girls and women.  The principal seemed like a real dud.

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Doodleville by Chad Sell

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Knopf Books for Young Readers

Doodleville — Chad Sell
Amazon.com: Doodleville (9781984894700): Sell, Chad: Books

Summary:  Drew has always loved to draw and is excited to become part of a kids’ art club.  Her doodles come to life, and she considers the characters she’s created to be some of her closest friends.  As she becomes friends with the kids in the club, her doodles also get to interact with their creations.  One night, Drew creates a new doodle called Leviathan, or Levi for short.  Before long, Levi has turned into a monster and become a threat to the other doodles.  Drew’s new friends try to help defeat Levi with their own creations, but it soon becomes clear that only Drew has the power to destroy Levi…or maybe to transform him.  She discovers a unique solution, and there’s a promise of more adventures ahead for the entire art club.  Includes an author’s note; an annotated history of the doodles that tells how the author created the doodles that appear in Drew’s drawings; and instructions on how to draw a doodle.  288 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Aspiring artists will be inspired by all the kids’ artwork and will also enjoy the magical world in which their drawings come to life.  Looks as though there will definitely be a sequel to look forward to.

Cons:  The story bogged down somewhat when Levi came on the scene, and I had trouble distinguishing the different kids’ personalities and drawings as they each tried to help Drew.

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All He Knew by Helen Frost

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Amazon.com: All He Knew (9780374312992): Frost, Helen: Books

Summary:  When Henry arrives at Riverview in September of 1939, he is six years old, and has been deaf from an illness since the age of 3.  His parents have been advised to institutionalize him, and after he failed the admissions test for the state school for the deaf (he refused to blow out candles when an administrator tried to communicate that instruction to him), he’s been placed at the Riverview Home for the Feebleminded.  Unable to communicate or to understand what is happening to him, Henry tries to make friends and survive his days there, witnessing the abuse that other boys suffer for minor infractions.  His family tries to visit him once a year, but is not always able to afford the bus fare.  After World War II starts, a conscientious objector named Victor is assigned to Riverview, and befriends Henry.  Victor reaches out to Henry’s family, and is instrumental in convincing them that their son belongs at home.  Henry’s older sister learns about sign language, and after five years at Riverview, Henry is finally able to come home again and begin to learn to read, write, and speak.  Includes notes on the poetic forms used in this novel in verse; a lengthy author’s note about the boy in her husband’s family who inspired this story, as well as poems written by another family member about this boy.  272 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Both Henry’s story and Victor’s were fascinating, and the intersection of their lives was a great relief after the first part of the story at Riverview.  Helen Frost’s poetry brings the story to life, and the back matter makes it even more poignant.

Cons:  I would have been interested in learning more about how Victor became a conscientious objector.  It sounded pretty simple from the story, but as a Quaker, I know this is not always an easy process.

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Three Keys by Kelly Yang

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Published by Scholastic Press (Released September 15)

Three Keys (A Front Desk Novel): Yang, Kelly: 9781338591385: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Mia Tang from Front Desk is back, along with her friends and family from the Calavista Motel.  Mia’s family is enjoying owning the motel that they purchased at the end of book 1, but still have to work hard and pinch pennies.  Meanwhile, Mia’s best friend Lupe is worried about the impending vote on Proposition 187, which will prohibit undocumented kids like her from going to school anymore.  And Mia’s former enemy Jason Yao is trying to prove that he’s not like his parents and is worthy of the girls’ friendship.  When Lupe’s parents run into trouble with the law and Mia and her friends experience racism at school, Mia must once again use her talents for writing and leadership to try to help her friends.  Includes an author’s note on her childhood experiences with Proposition 187, and how current immigration policies closely resemble it.  288 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  I don’t often read sequels, but I am so glad I made an exception for this book, which proved to be every bit as good as the first one.  I know from experience that Front Desk is a popular book club choice; Three Keys also has a lot of timely discussion topics presented in a kid-friendly manner.  I’ll keep hoping for some Newbery love for Kelly Yang.

Cons:  As much as I would enjoy using this in a book club, I think readers would benefit from starting with Front Desk to get the background for book 2.

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Fly on the Wall by Remy Lai

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Published by Henry Holt and Co.

Fly on the Wall: Lai, Remy, Lai, Remy: 9781250314116: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  12-year-old Henry is sick of being treated like a baby by his grandmother, mother, and older sister.  His well-planned act of rebellion is to secretly fly from his home in Perth, Australia to visit his dad in Singapore.  As the journey unfolds, Henry slowly reveals events from the last year, including his creation of an online comic “Fly on the Wall” that skewers his classmates.  But he also has the chance to reflect on his less than stellar behavior, and the fact that he may have misinterpreted the intentions of both his family and his former best friend.  By the end of his trip, Henry is trying to be a better person and begins to make amends with some of the people in his life, opening up possibilities for closer connections with friends and family when he returns home.  336 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Filled with comic book style illustrations, this is a book that may appeal to Wimpy Kid fans, but winds up having more depth.  Henry isn’t always the most likeable protagonist, but his thought processes ring true for a 12-year-old, and he is capable of real remorse for his actions.  There’s plenty of humor and some lighthearted moments, too, including a fun revelation about who his real nemesis is.

Cons:  I read an advanced reader copy, so didn’t get to fully enjoy the illustrations.

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Snapdragon by Kat Leyh

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by First Second

Snapdragon: Leyh, Kat: 9781250171115: Amazon.com: Books
Snapdragon by Kat Leyh, 240 pp, RL 4

Summary:  Snapdragon believes a woman in her town is a witch, and when her dog goes missing, she’s afraid the witch has eaten him.  An angry confrontation winds up being the beginning of an unusual friendship.  The “witch”, Jacks, turns out to be a lonely old woman whose business is rescuing roadkill and rebuilding their skeletons to sell online.  Snap and Jacks bond over their love of animals, but as they get to know each other better, Snap discovers that Jacks has a deep connection to her own family from long ago.  Not only that, but the woman turns out to possess some of the magical powers Snap first suspected her of having, and Snap begins to learn some magic herself.  When Snap’s mom’s abusive ex-boyfriend shows up, it’s up to Snap and Jacks to use their magic to save the day.  Jacks finds herself back in the family again, and it looks like there just might be a happy ending for everyone.  Includes pages showing the process of early sketches and turning them into the finished pages as well as some other book cover ideas. 240 pages; grades 4-8.

Pros:  Kat Leyh packs a lot into this graphic novel, with an ambitious story and lots of interesting characters including the two main ones, as well as Snap’s mother and grandmother, and Lulu, her transgender best friend.  She masterfully cuts from one scene to the next, keeping the action moving quickly.

Cons:  The ending wrapped up pretty neatly, and I don’t see any sign of a sequel.

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We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Greenwillow Books

We Dream of Space: Kelly, Erin Entrada: 9780062747303: Amazon.com: Books

Summary:  Bird, Fitch, and Cash are siblings in the seventh grade (Bird and Fitch are twins, and Cash was held back a year), but their orbits rarely intersect.  Bird is a good student, passionate about space exploration, who longs for her family to be closer.  Fitch loves hanging out at the arcade playing video games, but struggles with his anger.  Cash is feeling like he’s not good at anything after failing seventh grade the first time and getting cut from the basketball team.  The story is told over the course of the weeks leading up to the Challenger launch in January, 1986. Each sibling’s story is told in alternating chapters, showing their perspective about this event and the other happenings in school and at home.  The Challenger explosion shakes all their worlds, especially Bird’s.  She starts to doubt herself and to give up on bringing the family together, and the boys finally begin to notice  her contributions to their home.  There’s not a definitively happy ending, but the three siblings discover a newfound appreciation for each other and a commitment to provide support for one another. Includes an author’s note and additional resources on the Challenger. 400 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Erin Entrada Kelly may add to her Newbery collection with this beautifully written book about three kids trying to figure out their lives against the backdrop of the Challenger disaster.  Their family, which appears okay from the outside, is pretty dysfunctional with selfish parents who fight constantly and don’t seem to be too concerned with the fairly serious problems their kids are dealing with.  The short chapters and three different perspectives keep things rolling along and will draw reluctant readers in quickly.

Cons:  It was painful to read pretty much any interaction between the two parents.

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Shirley & Jamila Save Their Summer by Gillian Goerz

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Dial Books

Shirley and Jamila Save Their Summer (Shirley & Jamila): Goerz ...
Shirley and Jamila Save Their Summer (Shirley & Jamila): Goerz ...

Summary:  Jamila wants to spend the summer playing basketball, but her mother plans to sign her up for science camp.  A chance encounter with a slightly odd girl named Shirley at a yard sale changes the course of her vacation.  Shirley and her mother come to visit the next day, and the moms agree to let them spend their days together on the basketball court.  Shirley seems to spend her days reading, but she gradually reveals her amazing powers of observation to Jamila.  One day an 8-year-old boy named Oliver comes to the court to ask Shirley for help.  It turns out she has a reputation as the neighborhood detective, and his gecko has been stolen from the local pool.  Shirley gets to work, with Jamila tagging along.  Solving the case almost ends their budding friendship, but in the end, each one sees how she needs the other.  Shirley pulls a grand reveal to all involved in the case, as she unmasks the culprit, but also manages to plant seeds of friendships with the kids involved in the case.  224 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  A clever graphic mystery with a bit of a nod to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: Shirley has Sherlock’s astute powers of observation and lack of social skills, while Jamila serves as a Watson-like narrator and assistant.  The characters are well-developed, and most readers will have to wait for Shirley’s grand reveal to figure out who stole the gecko.  I also liked that both characters have just turned 10, as most middle grade novels seem to feature slightly older characters.  This seems like a perfect series opener, so we can keep our fingers crossed there will be more mysterious fun to come.

Cons:  I was hoping all the kids would become friends at the end, but Jamila and Shirley seemed like they were moving on.

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What Lane by Torrey Maldonado

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Published by Nancy Paulsen Books

What Lane? - Kindle edition by Maldonado, Torrey. Children Kindle ...

Summary:  Stephen wears a bracelet that reads “What lane?”, a basketball reference to staying in your lane, which is something he doesn’t want to do.  He’s curious about the world, and eager to move between all different lanes.  But then he starts to see that it’s not that easy for him as a biracial kid who tends to hang out with the white kids. He begins to notice that he’s often treated differently by adults, often coming under suspicion in a way his white friends aren’t.  A new group of black friends give him a new perspective, and all his friends come to his rescue when he’s the victim of bullying by a new kid in town.  Stephen has some hard truths to learn, but he’s also fortunate to have good support from his white mom, black dad, and good friends.  144 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  A quick read that’s a great reluctant reader pick and an excellent catalyst for conversations about racism.  Stephen’s voice rings true, and most of the kids in his circle are trying to do the right thing.  A definite awards contender for 2020.

Cons:  There was a lot packed into 144 pages. The plot felt at times like it was driven by the agenda, without as much of an opportunity to develop the storyline and the characters as a longer book would have offered.

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