Middle grade fiction

Pashmina by Nidhi Chanani

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by First Second

Summary:  Priyanka is struggling at school, where some mean girls make fun of her drawing, and at home, where her single mom refuses to tell her about her father or the family she left behind in India.  Pri discovers a pashmina, a scarf her mother brought from home, that transports her to a magical India (shown in color).  She’s guided by an elephant and peacock, who show her the beauty of the country, but won’t let her speak with a mysterious shadow who follows them.  When Priyanka wins $500 in a comics contest, she convinces her mom to let her visit India, where she stays with her long-lost aunt.  In India, the pashmina no longer has magical powers for Pri, but it does for her aunt.  The two of them set off on a journey to find out the origins of the magical scarf, and in the process, learn about themselves and their heritage.  Priyanka turns her discoveries into a comic book…entitled Pashmina.  Includes a glossary of the Indian words used in the story. 176 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  An enchanting story about finding your voice, with lots of female empowerment woven in.   Although the female characters struggle with inequality, they are all optimistic about change.  Chanani embraces both the romantic beauty and gritty poverty of India.

Cons:  The story unfolded at a somewhat dizzying pace, covering a lot of ground in 176 pages.

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

Wishtree by Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Charles Santoso

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Feiwel and Friends

Summary:  Red is an oak tree that has stood for over two centuries.  He has seen many animals come and go, and quite a few humans, too, in the two houses that he faces.  Samar and Stephen live next door to each other in those houses, and Samar wishes for Stephen to be her friend.  Like many humans have done before, she ties the wish to Red’s branches.  Red and his crow friend Bongo do what they can to help with this wish, but their plans don’t work.  And when a teenager with a screwdriver carves the word “Leave” in front of Samar’s house, it looks like her wish will never come true.  Francesca, the owner of the two houses, decides it’s time to cut down Red.  But Wishing Day is coming, and sometimes the magic of all those wishes can be enough to bring some unexpected changes.  224 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Another beautiful, thoughtful story by Katherine Applegate.  This would make a perfect classroom read-aloud.  There is plenty to discuss, the illustrations are adorable, and there’s even a good dose of tree humor.  To me, the story isn’t quite enough to warrant a Newbery, but I’m sure there will be some consideration.

Cons:  By the end of the story, I felt guilty for considering cutting down the three oak trees in my backyard.  A few days of raking leaves and acorns will most likely take care of this.

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

Ban This Book by Alan Gratz

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Starscape

Summary:  When Amy Anne discovers her favorite book, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, has been removed from the library by the school board, she’s outraged.  Turns out her favorite is one of several books taken off the shelves at the request of a parent.  Amy Anne has always been quiet, a “good girl” who doesn’t speak up at home or at school, even when she’s angry.  Slowly, with the help of a few good friends, she begins a protest against the banned books.  It starts with the B.B.L.L., in which Amy Anne turns her locker into the Banned Book Library Locker, and encourages other kids to read the banned books.  When this is discovered, Amy Anne is suspended and her beloved school librarian loses her job.  This only increases Amy Anne’s determination.  She and her friends come up with a plan that involves the whole school, and shows the school board and the mom who initiated the ban how important books–all books–are in the lives of kids. Includes a discussion guide with questions and activities. 256 pages; grades 4-6.

Pros:  An inspiring manifesto in favor of the freedom to read.  Readers will cheer for Amy Anne and her transformation from shy introvert to community activist, fueled by her passion for books.  The author notes at the end that all the books banned in the book have actually been challenged or banned in the last 30 years.

Cons:  Amy Anne’s suspension and the librarian’s firing seemed overly draconian, given the offense.

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

Graveyard Shakes by Laura Terry

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Scholastic Graphix

Summary:  Katia and Victoria are two sisters struggling to fit in at their snooty new boarding school.  Little Ghost is a playful young ghost who is scared of other ghosts.  Modie is a boy who should have died in an accident, but whose father, Nikola, has found a way of keeping him alive by taking the life of a child every thirteen years.  The characters’ lives in this graphic novel all converge in the graveyard, where Katia and Victoria find refuge from school.  Nikola has his eye on Katia for his latest victim.  Modie no longer wants to be part of his father’s evil schemes, and is ready to be allowed to die in peace.  It’s up to Victoria and Little Ghost to rescue Katia, and bring about a hauntingly happy ending.  208 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  Beautiful artwork conveys the darkness of a ghost story that also contains plenty of light, happy moments.  Katia, Victoria, Little Ghost, and Modie all learn the lesson of being true to yourself, and find some unusual forms of happiness and friendship in the end.  Fun Halloween reading.

Cons:  Pardon the expression, but the storyline and characters weren’t as fleshed out as they could have been.

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

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Viking

Summary:  Maria Luisa (Malu for short) is devastated when her mom announces that she’s taken a two-year teaching job in Chicago.  This means Malu not only has to start 7th grade in a new school, but has to move away from her cool dad who lets her hang out at his record store, listening to her beloved punk rock music.  Her more conservative mom (Malu calls her SuperMexican) keeps imploring Malu to dress and act more like “una senorita”.  Malu gets off to a tough start her first day of school, violating the dress code and getting on the wrong side of popular mean girl Selena, who snarkily calls Malu a “coconut” (brown on the outside, white on the inside).  But Malu is nothing if not plucky, and being true to herself eventually wins her friends and leads to the formation of her own punk band.  They turn Selena’s insult on its head by calling themselves the Co-Co’s.  When the band is rejected from the talent show for being too loud, Malu has to decide just how punk she wants to be, as she and her friends plot artistic revenge on the school authorities.  336 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Malu is a winning narrator, interspersing her story with her original zines that give more details about her life, Mexican history, and punk rock.  She is true to herself, while at the same time admitting her fears and insecurities as she navigates a bumpy road toward better relationships with her mom and her newfound friends.

Cons:  It seemed unrealistic that a girl who had never played a musical instrument in her life became the band’s drummer after a single lesson.

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

The Exact Location of Home by Kate Messner

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Bloomsbury USA Children’s

Summary:  Zig (a supporting character from the author’s The Fall of Gianna Z.) is disappointed when his father stands him up yet again.  His mom won’t tell him where his dad has gone off to, and Zig develops his own theory when he takes up geocaching.  He discovers a geocacher who calls himself “Senior Searcher,” and he’s sure it must be his father, who uses the nickname Senior.  Meanwhile, money is getting tighter at home, and Zig’s mom finally gets evicted.  She and Zig spend a few nights at her sister’s house, but the sister’s abusive husband forces them out, and they wind up in a homeless shelter.  Zig is so embarrassed about his situation that he cuts off his friends and starts struggling in school.  A geocaching adventure reveals the sad truth about his father, but also results in a new job and home for him and his mom, as Zig learns that friends and family can help you through even the toughest situations.  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A poignant and heartwarming look at a family struggling with poverty and a parent who is in prison.  Zig is a sympathetic character, and readers will gain insight about other kids who may be going through more difficult circumstances than they let on.

Cons:  The geocaching details at the beginning made for a bit of a slow start to the book.

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

Halfway Normal by Barbara Dee

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Aladdin

Summary:  Norah is off to a great start in seventh grade.  She has an awesome best friend, she’s acing all her classes, and there’s a boy in her math class who may reciprocate her crush.  One big difference between Norah and her classmates–she is returning after a two-year absence she spent battling leukemia.  Kids who know she’s been sick have different reactions.  Some pity her, while others think she’s trying to get extra attention.  It doesn’t help that her parents have strict rules for her first six months back, including no after school activities and no socializing on weekends.  Norah’s overly gushing guidance counselor wants her to talk to the whole school as part of a program on overcoming challenges, but Norah’s positive that’s the last thing she wants to do.  A sympathetic English teacher and a unit on one of Norah’s favorite subjects–Greek mythology–finally give her the chance to tell others about her experience in her own way.  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A realistic look at what it’s like to re-enter life after a long illness.  The author’s afterword indicates that she has had first-hand experience with one of her own children, and this comes through in Norah’s voice as she works through her various emotions at trying to fit in after an experience that most of those around her can’t fully understand.

Cons:  The cover has kind of a 1975 vibe to it.

All’s Faire in Middle School by Victoria Jamieson

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Dial Books

Summary:  Imogene has grown up at the Renaissance Faire, where her parents both work, and been homeschooled all her life.  When she decides to go to public middle school, she’s not quite prepared for a new world of tough teachers, cafeteria food, and figuring out the social hierarchy and where she fits into it.  Each chapter begins with a page that looks like an illuminated manuscript, and chapters switch back and forth between Imogene’s life at school and at home.  The two worlds collide occasionally, once when she realizes that a girl she’s seen bullied is a big Renaissance Faire fan and a potential friend, and again when a group of girls who may or may not be her friends show up for a birthday party.  After a tough week in which Imogene herself is accused of bullying and she throws her little brother’s beloved stuffed squirrel into the lake, she’s ready to move from her role at the Faire from squire to hermit.  But her loving, if unconventional, family and Renaissance community help her come through it all stronger than ever.  248 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Victoria Jamieson’s follow-up to her Newbery-honored Roller Girl does not disappoint in any way.  Imogene is a likeable and believable protagonist, and readers will enjoy learning about the world of the Renaissance Faire the way they did roller derby.  The middle school scenes ring true, and the be-yourself message is inspiring.

Cons:  A couple mentions of sex and a language incident or two may raise a few elementary parent eyebrows.

Patina by Jason Reynolds

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Atheneum

Summary:  Patina, or Patty, is a ferociously competitive member of the Defenders track team.  In the opening scene she comes in second place in a race, and is so angry at herself she can’t watch the rest of the meet or root for her teammates.  The next week, the coach puts her in a key position of the new relay team, hoping to help her become more of a team player.  Patty struggles with this issue off the team, too, trying to figure out how to deal with the wealthy white girls at her new private school.  Her aunt and uncle are sending her to the school, after Patty and her younger sister Maddie have to move in with them.  Patty’s father is dead, and her mother has lost both legs to diabetes, making Patty fiercely protective of Maddie.  Like Ghost before her, Patina works through her problems through the course of the book in a realistic and sympathetic way, and is struggling to be the first to cross the finish line at a crucial race when the book ends.  240 pages; grades 4-8.

Pros:  The second book in Jason Reynolds’s Track series does not disappoint, offering the same grit and heart as Ghost, with a narrator whose voice is just as true and honest.  Reynolds shows that he can vividly portray a wide range of interesting female characters.  Readers (including this one) will be anxiously awaiting book #3.

Cons:  Patina’s story is a bit more of an internal odyssey than Ghost’s was; readers may miss some of the action from the first book.

Confessions from the Principal’s Kid by Robin Mellom

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by HMH Books for Young Readers

Summary:  What would it be like if the principal was…your mom?  Allie give an insider’s view, sharing her stories of staying after school with a small group of kids (the Afters) whose parents all work at school.  It’s fun to have behind-the-scenes access to school, but a drag to have to stay after every day.  Plus, Allie’s best friend Chloe hasn’t spoken to her since an incident in fourth grade where Chloe thought Allie ratted her out to her mom.  Allie’s got some other problems, too–her overworked mom isn’t as much fun as she was when she was a teacher, and Graham–another old friend and fellow After–is acting weird.  Author Robin Mellon draws on her own experiences as a principal’s kid to explain the ups and downs of that role.  272 pages; grades 3-6.

Pros:  Fans of Dork Diaries and other realistic school stories will enjoy Allie’s authentic voice as she shows readers what it’s like to have the insider track at school.  Short chapters keep the action moving quickly.

Cons:  Allie occasionally sounds a little wise beyond her years.