Middle grade fiction

The Inquisitor’s Tale: Or, The Three Magic Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz, illuminated by Hatem Aly

~ Janet Dawson ~ 3 Comments

Published by Dutton Children’s Books

 

Summary:  The first magic child is Jeanne, a French peasant girl who occasionally has “fits” in which she can see the future.  The second is William, a half-African giant of a boy with legendary strength, whose father dropped him off in a monastery when he returned from the Crusades.  The third is Jacob, a Jewish boy whose parents were killed when his village was burned down by some Christian kids/hooligans.  And the dog is Gwenforte, a greyhound who was accidentally killed by Jeanne’s parents when she was a baby, and who has reappeared near her grave a decade later.  Somehow these four find each other and begin a journey through 13th-century France in which they gain the reputation for being either saints or heretics.  They befriend a king, are rescued by an angel, and save the last copies of the Talmud after a massive book burning in the center of Paris.  Their story is pieced together by an unnamed listener, sitting in a tavern and hearing bits and pieces from various travelers.  Along the way, they learn that their friendship is stronger than the hate that divides those around them by class and religion.  A 14-page author’s note (“Where did this story come from?”) tells more about the history of the Middle Ages and some of the characters that appear in the book.  384 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  Ironically, the most timely story of the year is one that takes place in 1242.  The prejudices, politics, and poverty are all as sadly familiar to us today as they were almost 800 years ago.  And the last chapter’s call to bear witness to what’s good in life is as inspiring to today’s reader as it was to Jeanne, William, and Jacob.  The “illuminations” on each page add to the Middle Ages feel.  If I were the Newbery committee, this book would get some recognition.

Cons:  The somewhat picaresque nature of this book, as well as the time period it’s set in, may make this hard to sell in a 30-second booktalk.

Cloud and Wallfish by Anne Nesbet

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Published by Candlewick 

Summary:  Imagine Noah’s surprise when his parents pick him up from school one day, announcing that they’re leaving that night for a six-months stay in East Berlin where his mother will do research for her master’s thesis.  Not only that, but there are a lot of rules to follow, starting with the fact that Noah and his parents will have different names (Noah becomes Jonah), and Noah’s mom has made up a photo album called the Jonah Book, showing a fictional past for his life so far.  It’s 1989, and everywhere in East Berlin, people are watching and listening.  As Noah’s family settles in, he starts to suspect that his parents are doing more there than helping his mom get her thesis done.  He meets a girl named Claudia, pronounced Cloudia, and he nicknames her Cloud.  She calls him Wallfish after the German word for whale, a reference to his new name, Jonah.  Cloud has learned that her parents have been killed in a car accident while traveling in Hungary, but she is starting to suspect that this may not be true.  As 1989 draws to a close, events unfold very quickly throughout eastern Europe, and Noah, his parents, and Claudia are caught up in history as the Berlin Wall begins to crumble.  400 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  A fascinating story about an amazing time in German history.  The reader sees events unfolding through Noah’s eyes, supplemented with “Secret Files” that give more history and reveal a couple of secrets that help explain what Noah is experiencing.  A possible Newbery contender.

Cons:  Definitely a confusing plot; I was still unsure about Noah’s parents’ lives at the end of the story, as is Noah.  Also, the “Secret Files” seemed like an easy way out to explain the background of what was happening, rather than weaving it into the story.

The Rat Prince by Bridget Hodder

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Published by Farrar Straus Giroux

 

Summary:  In this twist of the traditional Cinderella tale, Prince Char is the rat prince of all those rodents who live in Lancastyr Manor.  Tough times have arrived at the manor, in the person of the wicked stepmother, and Lady Rose has been reduced to little more than a house servant nicknamed Cinderella.  Prince Char is determined to defeat the evil Wilhemina, and when an ancient goddess is released from an heirloom Lancastyr ring, it looks like it may be possible.  Char is transformed into Charming, one of Rose’s footmen, and it doesn’t take long for him and Rose to fall in love, despite their knowledge that he will turn back into a rat at midnight.  Together, they travel to the great ball, where they must deal with both Wilhemina and the evil prince Geoffrey, who is seeking to make Rose his queen.  Told in the alternating voices of Char and Rose, the night progresses with plenty of twists and turns until the two of them are able to arrive at happily ever after.  272 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  In this unusual take on Cinderella, Hodder manages to pull off what would seem impossible to believe.  Both Char and Rose are strong, likeable characters, and there is plenty of action to keep the pages turning.

Cons:  The somewhat sticky-sweet romance may turn a few young stomachs.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Algonquin Young Readers 

Summary:  Each year, the youngest child in the Protectorate must be sacrificed to the witch to keep the people safe.  One year, the mother goes mad when her daughter is taken away.  Antain is just a boy when he witnesses this, but he never forgets it, nor can he forget what it was like to walk away, leaving the baby girl in the forest to die.  Little does he know that she is rescued by Xan, the witch who has rescued all the babies.  Usually Xan takes the children to another city to be adopted, but she accidentally feeds this one moonlight, filling her with magic, and decides to name her Luna and raise her herself.  And so the story goes, for almost 13 years, following Antain, Xan, Luna, a monster named Glerk, a tiny dragon named Fyrian, the madwoman, and the evil Sister Ignatia, until they all meet one fateful day in the forest.  The magic in Luna finally comes to fruition, and allows the power of love to overcome the power of evil.  386 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Beautifully written and crafted, this is one of those books that weaves many different strands through the entire story until they all come together at the end.  Look for this as a Newbery consideration.

Cons:  While I admire and appreciate this book, the story never really grabbed me.  I had to assign myself nightly readings to get through it in a timely fashion.

Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes

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Published by Wordsong 

Summary:  Garvey can’t seem to please his father, who wants a football-player son, not one who struggles with his weight and hates sports.  But Garvey’s good at chess, loves to read, and is interested in astronomy.  Encouraged by his best friend Joe, Garvey overcomes his fears and tries out for chorus, where his talents really start to emerge.  He discovers he has a strong tenor voice, and he even makes a new friend, Manny, a boy with albinism who shows Garvey how to ignore teasing and be himself.  When the first concert arrives, Garvey is shocked to see his father wiping away tears after his solo.  It turns out Dad was in a band way back when, and father and son finally find a connection through music.  A note at the end explains tanka, a Japanese form of poetry used to write this story.  120 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A brief novel in verse that lingers long after the first page.  Garvey and his family are sympathetically portrayed, and readers will be rooting for him as he slowly finds his place in the world.

Cons:  At times, Joe and Manny’s advice seemed unrealistically wise beyond their years.

Frazzled: Everyday Disasters and Impending Doom by Booki Vivant

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Published by HarperCollins 

Summary:  Abbie Wu is about to start middle school, and she is not excited about it.  To her, the middle is not a happy place, having spent her life stuck between an adorable younger sister and an overachieving older brother.  Not only that, but she is supposed to choose an elective, and she doesn’t know what her “thing” is.  Her best friends both have a “thing”—Maxine loves the theater and James is a genius at games.  Since Abbie can’t make up her mind about an elective, she gets stuck in study hall.  And in study hall, her stomach rumbles embarrassingly; school lunch is such a disaster that she’s starving by the afternoon.  Turns out she’s not the only one, and pretty soon she’s organized a snack exchange, first in study hall, then in the whole school.  It’s such a hit that Abbie thinks she has a “thing”…until the principal discovers what’s going on and shuts her down.  Fortunately, Abbie has a supportive, if somewhat eccentric, family, and they help her discover that it’s okay to fail occasionally, and she might just have a “thing” after all.  240 pages; grades 3-7.

Pros:  Reluctant readers will embrace Abbie, with her humorous observations on middle school and her book full of funny cartoon drawings.  A sure “thing” for Wimpy Kid and Dork Diary fans.

Cons;  While it’s still wildly popular, the whole irreverent middle school diary illustrated with cartoons “thing” is getting a bit old in this reviewer’s opinion.

School of the Dead by Avi

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Published by HarperCollins 

Summary:  “The first time Uncle Charlie came to live with us he was alive.  The second time he came, he was dead.”  So begins this ghost story about Tony, who grows close to his eccentric Uncle Charlie shortly before his death.  Before he dies, Uncle Charlie encourages Tony’s family to move to San Francisco so Tony can attend the Penda School, where Uncle Charlie was a student.  After his death, they do so, and immediately, Tony suspects there’s something strange about the school.  For starters, he keeps seeing Uncle Charlie.  Then there’s the mysterious blond boy in his class that other kids don’t seem to see.  As Tony hears more stories about ghosts and Penda students who have gone missing, he begins to suspect he may be in great danger.  The people around him may or may not be who they say they are, and it’s difficult for Tony to know just who he can trust.  The suspense builds to a heart-stopping climax at the school’s Halloween party, when Tony has to single-handedly battle the ghosts for the life of the school…and himself.  288 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  A suspenseful ghost story with plenty of plot twists and turns.  Plenty of creepily evil characters without being super scary.

Cons:  It was difficult to believe that a school in which students have disappeared regularly for decades hadn’t triggered some sort of investigation.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers 

Summary:  Castle Crenshaw learned to run fast the night his dad got drunk and fired a gun at him and his mom.  They ran fast enough to get away, and his father went to jail.  That was three years ago, but Castle hasn’t gotten over it.  He doesn’t like to go home after school to an empty house.  He refuses to sleep in his bedroom, opting instead for a pile of blankets on the living room floor, while his mom dozes on the couch. And he has a lot of anger inside that sometimes pushes him to do things he later regrets.  When he stumbles upon a middle school track practice and ends up beating one of the fastest sprinters, his life begins to change.  He gets a place on the team, a new nickname, “Ghost”, and a coach who grew up in the same neighborhood Castle did and understands his anger.  It’s one step back for every two steps forward Castle takes, but by the last chapter, it looks like Ghost has found his place on the team.  192 pages; grades 5-8.

Pros:  Castle’s voice tells his story in a strong voice with plenty of humor and wry insights into his situation.  Sports fans will love this, but so will anyone who enjoys rooting for a likeable underdog.  A National Book Award finalist for Young People’s Literature, and, in my opinion, a strong contender for the Newbery committee to consider.

Cons:  The last page…nooo!  The sequel can’t come out soon enough.

Moo: a novel by Sharon Creech

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Published by HarperCollins

Moo: A Novel: Creech, Sharon: 9780062415240: Amazon.com: Books

 

Summary:  When Reena and Luke’s parents decide to quit their jobs in the city and move to Maine, the kids aren’t sure what to expect.  Reena’s hoping for blueberries, lobster, and the beach. But when her mom strikes up a conversation at the doctor’s with eccentric Mrs. Falala, the summer takes a turn for the worse.  Reena and Luke get volunteered to help their elderly neighbor with her unusual collection of animals, most notably an ornery cow named Zora.  As they attempt to get Zora ready to show at the fair, Reena learns some interesting secrets about Mrs. Falala’s past.  A couple of the local kids are old hands at showing cows, and soon become friends and allies in the struggle to get Zora in the show ring.  The day of the fair brings both joy and sadness, and a change that cements Reena’s family as a permanent part of their Maine community.  288 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Sharon Creech has fun with words, creating all kinds of poems to tell the story, and playing with the fonts and words on the page to make them more expressive.  Readers will take Reena, Luke, and eventually even Zora and Mrs. Falala to heart as the story unfolds.

Cons:  I would have preferred an entire novel in verse, rather than interspersing prose chapters with the poetry ones.

Project [Un]Popular by Kristen Tracy

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Published by Delacorte Press 

Summary:  Perry’s excited to be starting middle school, especially when she joins the yearbook staff as a photographer.  When eighth grade editor Anya takes Perry and her best friend Venice aside to give them “feedback” on their photos, Perry is thrilled, but Venice is suspicious.  Seventh grader Leo tells them that Anya isn’t to be trusted, and before long he and Venice are plotting against her.  Perry, feeling left out, allies herself with Anya, but becomes disillusioned when she realizes Anya is creating a yearbook that will showcase her and her popular friends.  Perry tries to take control, but ends up making things far worse, ultimately causing a suspension for Leo and detention for both her and Venice.  It looks like Perry and Venice’s friendship may be over, but things are smoothed over by the end, and they’re ready to face the future in book 2 of this series.  336 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Readers will laugh out loud at Perry’s missteps and constant misreadings of various situations.  A series that’s sure to be as popular as Anya purports to be.

Cons:  I occasionally found Perry’s level of naiveté unbelievable.