Published by Sourcebooks Young Readers

Summary:  Samantha is not excited to be starting her summer taking a road trip with her grandmother, Gram’s friend Mimi, and Mimi’s grandson Brandon.  Coming off of a tough sixth grade year, Sam is intimidated by Brandon’s coolness and certain that he finds her a complete dork.  Sam’s high-powered mother is concerned about the newly-widowed Gram, but when they visit her in Florida, they discover she’s trying all kinds of new things, including competing in a karaoke contest.  Mom gets called home for business, leaving Sam to watch over Gram and keep a record of the trip in her new journal.  The four have a series of mishaps, including getting stuck in a ditch on a remote back road, being forced to sleep in a leaky cabin in a rainstorm, and trips to both urgent care and the emergency room.  But when the trip ends, Sam has made some interesting discoveries about herself that may help her in seventh grade and decides she wouldn’t have traded the trip for anything.  304 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  This will definitely get on my “recommendations for summer reading” list.  Why not?  It takes place over summer vacation, it’s about a road trip, it’s written in a fun-to-read journal format, and it has a hint of romance with nothing objectionable for readers as young as 8 or 9.  

Cons:  Gram and Mimi checked all the boxes for stereotypical Florida Golden Girl retirees.

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by HarperCollins (Published May 5)

Summary:  Bob, the stray dog who befriended Ivan and Ruby in The One and Only Ivan has his own story to tell now that he’s been adopted by Julia and her family.  For the first time in his life, he has two meals a day, a comfortable bed, and people who love him.  But Bob has been through enough to be wary about getting too attached, refusing to do what he’s supposed to at obedience training.  He’s still close to Ivan and Ruby, often visiting them in their new zoo home, and happens to be there one day when a tornado strikes, followed by a hurricane.  After flying for the first time during the tornado, Bob gets to work in a series of harrowing rescues, both at the zoo and the animal shelter down the street.  The life-threatening situations help Bob to realize what is important to him and to learn the value of his friends and family.  352 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  It doesn’t much matter what I say here, this book will be a runaway bestseller as the many fans of The One and Only Ivan (soon to be a major motion picture) wil clamor to find out what happened to Ivan, Ruby, Bob, and the rest.  Those fans won’t be disappointed, and will enjoy getting to know the funny, feisty Bob a bit better.  The short chapters, action, and humorous narration will hook Ivan’s old friends and new readers alike.

Cons:  While the second half of the book (once the weather hit) had plenty of action, I found the first part a little meandering.  Not quite Newbery caliber, in my opinion, but then again, I’m an iconoclast who prefers Applegate’s Wishtree to the award-winning The One and Only Ivan. 

If you would like to buy this book on Amazon, click here.

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Thanks to Atheneum for providing me with a free digital review copy of this book.

Summary:  Sutton loves programming and spends all her spare time trying to perfect her mini-bot.  She lives with her dad; her parents are divorced and her mom is a scientist who spends a lot of time in Antarctica.  Luis dreams of adventure; his multiple allergies often get in the way of living out his dreams, so he creates fantasy stories instead.  He lives with his mom since his dad died when he was two. When Sutton’s dad and Luis’s mom start dating, the two kids want their parents to be happy but struggle to find common ground.  After a disappointing first date-with-kids, the four decide to go on a hike together. When Sutton and Luis get separated from their parents, they have to combine their talents to find their way back to the parking lot.  Each one comes to admire and respect the other one’s traits that seemed so alien at first, and a happy ending is inevitable…both for the hike and the foreseeable future. 224 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  This book reminded me of Erin Entrada Kelly’s You Go First and Hello, Universe, with quirky characters struggling for connection and trying to find their way in the world.  Sutton seems to have something along the lines of Asperger’s or a processing disorder that makes it difficult for her to socialize sometimes, despite her desire to do so and to please her dad.  Many readers will empathize and connect with both characters, and will also enjoy a chuckle at their unique ways of solving problems.

Cons:  Since much of the action is internal, I found this book a little slow going at the beginning.

If you would like to order this book from the Odyssey Bookshop, click here.

Presented by Junior Library Guild

Summary:  Aiden Tyler is a typical middle school kid.  He lives with his mother, stepfather, and two half-siblings in a small apartment.  Hangs out with his three good friends at school. When they hear about the coronavirus spreading through China, no one’s particularly concerned.  Then, almost overnight, Aiden’s scouring empty shelves for toilet paper and hearing rumors that school is going to be closed. The rumors prove true, and before long Aiden is spending his days with his family in cramped quarters, trying to avoid schoolwork and not let his out-of-work mother and younger sister and brother drive him too crazy.  How will the rest of Aiden’s year go? No one knows. Grades 4-7.

Pros:  I’ve started following this ripped-from-today’s-headlines serialized novel at https://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/quaran-teen.  The third installment comes out today.  I enjoyed Rex Ogle’s somewhat harrowing Free Lunch last year, and I can see some parallels between young Rex and Aiden (thankfully, Aiden’s home life is a bit more stable).  I’m offering this as a group read to kids at my schools in grades 5-8. They can comment on a Padlet as they read.

Cons:  How will Aiden’s story end?  Surely not even the author knows at this point.