Published by Wendy Lamb Books

Summary:  Fifth-grader Liam has a lot on his plate, what with divorced parents, a third-grade sister, Dakota, who loves science but lacks people skills, a second-grade sister, Izzy, who has Down syndrome and is a champion hugger, and a dog, Cupcake, who has started peeing on the carpet.  The last issue results in their landlord threatening eviction if they don’t get rid of Cupcake. The vet has told them that they need to see a $3,000 specialist, and the kids are determined to raise the money. Dakota tries by entering a science fair and by selling the family’s possessions on eBay (without their permission), but it’s Izzy who comes up with the idea that saves the day.  The ending is happy, if not necessarily happily-ever-after. 224 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Readers will quickly warm up to Liam, who is frustrated by his family members, but ultimately a loyal and protective big brother.  The story is both funny and heartwarming; the illustrations (which channel Hilary Knight) make it a good choice for younger middle-grade readers.

Cons:  Sorry, Cupcake, if I were the mom, you would have probably ended up moving to a farm in the country.

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Published by Balzer + Bray

Summary:  55-year-old Zachary Kermit was once a superstar teacher on the rise, but after being falsely accused of taking part in a cheating scandal, he became disillusioned.  Now he’s just putting in his time until he can retire and collect his pension. His final year, he’s assigned to room 117, the class of “unteachable” eighth graders who are basically being warehoused until the school can pass them on to the high school.  At first, Mr. Kermit just passes out worksheets, then spends the rest of his day with a crossword puzzle and oversized cup of coffee, while the students entertain themselves however they want. But slowly, against his will, he starts to connect with the students, and vice versa.  When the kids learn that the superintendent plans to fire him, trying to save the district from having to pay his pension, they find hidden resources within themselves to try to save his job. Will Mr. Kermit get another shot at teaching, or is it too late for him? 288 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A classic Gordon Korman story, with a fast-paced plot, plenty of humor, and a story told from multiple points of view.  Fans will not be disappointed.

Cons:  While I enjoyed the story, I didn’t feel it was quite up to the standards of some of my Korman favorites like Restart and Schooled.

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This didn’t make my list of Newbery contenders, but here are five middle grade novels I enjoyed this year:

Small Spaces by Katherine Arden

Published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons

Everyone loves a good scary story, and this one has plenty of creepy details, plus three interesting main characters who have to fight off the evil forces.  Prepare to never look at scarecrows the same way again.

 

Ivy Aberdeen’s Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake

Published by Little Brown Books for Young Readers

I thought this might be a Newbery contender, but I haven’t seen it on anybody else’s list.  Although this seems like a “coming out” story (and it is…Ivy is attracted to a girl in her class), it’s also a story for everyone who has struggled to be themselves.

 

Lifeboat 12 by Susan Hood

Published by Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers

This World War II novel in verse will appeal to fans of I Survived as well as history buffs.  Based on a true story, with obvious attention to detail and research.

 

Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed

Published by Nancy Paulsen Books

Amal’s story is powerful, and a good one to share with American kids who may not be aware of the dangers she and other kids like her face in Pakistan.

 

The Nebula Secret (Explorer Academy) by Trudi Trueit

Published by National Geographic

This series has gotten off to a promising start with this action-packed adventure that introduces some interesting characters, a mysterious murder to investigate, and an evil librarian.

After my crushing defeat predicting the Newbery last year (0 out of 5), I have become a bit more philosophical (jaded?) about what I think deserves a Newbery versus what actually wins.  Well, the medal says it’s for “the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children”, and here’s what I thought met that criteria.

The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown

Published by Little, Brown

I know, it’s a sequel, but I can dream, can’t I?  Roz is so loved at my school, and many readers (including me) liked the second book even better than the first.  Charlotte’s Web for the 21st century.

 

The Faithful Spy: Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Plot to Kill Hitler by John Hendrix

Published by Harry N. Abrams

This one’s a little old for the Newbery (in my opinion), but I loved it so much and would be thrilled to see it get some recognition.  It would also make an interesting Caldecott choice.

 

The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson

Published by Arthur A. Levine Books

This may have been my favorite middle grade novel of the year, and I think it’s the most likely to get any kind of Newbery recognition.  I loved the flashbacks to the past that informed the story from the present, and the way it all came together in the end.  The mystery was fun, too, even if it figuring out the key clue seemed a little improbable.  It’s been a surprisingly tough sell at my schools, though.

 

Lu by Jason Reynolds

Published by Atheneum

Two years ago, I was rooting for Ghost.  Last year, it was Patina.  It’s probably a waste of space to put this on the list, but I loved the whole Track series and thought Lu was one of the best.  At least Jason Reynolds got his Newbery last year.

 

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Published by Arthur A. Levine Books

The somewhat improbable (but feel-good) ending is a slight flaw in the writing, but the story has so much heart and so many memorable characters, I can forgive that.  It’s probably not quite Newbery caliber, but should it win, it would be an easy one to promote to the elementary school crowd.  Plus, it’s based on the author’s life, which is cool, and it speaks to the immigrant experience.

Published by Scholastic Press

Summary:  Jillian is excited to be getting a new baby sister, and when Emma is born, the family is thrilled.  But tests reveal that she has hearing loss, and Jillian’s parents have some difficult decisions to make about their new daughter.  Jillian turns to a friend from a tween fantasy online forum, a boy named Derek who is Deaf. He introduces her to the Deaf community, answers her questions, and straightens out some of her misconceptions.  He is also Black, as is Jillian’s aunt, and Jillian finds she has a lot to learn from both of them about racism. When one of Derek’s friends, a Deaf Black girl is shot and killed by police for not stopping when she is out for a run (she couldn’t  hear their shouts), Jillian realizes she still has a lot to learn about how the world around her works. The story concludes with three chapters: nine months later, three months after that, and three years after that, to show the reader how Jillian’s family has changed and grown as Emma has grown up.  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This book fills a need for stories of Deaf kids and their families; I learned quite a lot about cochlear implants, American Sign Language and the Deaf community (including the capitalization of the word Deaf, a convention from the book I am continuing in this review, as well as capitalizing Black).  There were also a lot of thought-provoking conversations and situations about race, both with Derek and members of Jillian’s family.

Cons:  The story got bogged down with so many issues.  Derek and Aunt Alicia seemed to exist mainly to educate Jillian about race and the Deaf community; they needed a few more dimensions to make them seem more like ordinary mortals.

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