Middle grade fiction

Scar Island by Dan Gemeinhart

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Published by Scholastic

Summary:  When we first meet Jonathan, he is being transported to Slabhenge Reformatory School to serve a sentence for an unknown crime.  The “school” is built on an island, run by the cruel Admiral, who lives the good life while the boys toil all day with little food and cruel punishments for the slightest infractions.  On Jonathan’s first morning, however, everything changes.  The Admiral, sword held high in the air, is struck by lightning, and the entire staff, standing in a nearby puddle, is wiped out.  The boys are on their own.  At first, they treat each other as equals, but before long, one of the boys, Sebastian, starts wearing the Admiral’s hat, carrying his sword, and giving orders.  Colin, one of the smallest boys but also one of the smartest, rebels, and the boys’ world starts to revert back to the cruel place it was before.  Jonathan finds himself in the middle of it all, gradually coming to terms with his past as he desperately tries to help himself and the others survive.  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Short chapters and page-turning adventure will keep readers engaged right up to the last page.

Cons:  A little too derivative of Lord of the Flies.

Five Newbery Predictions

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This week I’ll be rounding up the year with some lists of my 2016 favorites.  I’m starting today with my prediction of which of those favorites are likely to get  Newbery awards on January 23.  Maybe I’m getting jaded after almost two years of writing this blog, but I’m just not as excited about the field this year as I was for the 2016 awards.  Still, there were some books I loved, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed that they’ll get some recognition.  After going through my reviews with the past year, here’s what I’ve got:

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown.  Published by Little Brown

With its largely animal cast of characters and its meditations on friendship, community, and life, The Wild Robot reminds me a little of Charlotte’s Web.  Admittedly, the ending is darker, but there’s a spark of hope that I hope lays the groundwork for a sequel.

The Inquisitor’s Tale, or The Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog by Adam Gidwitz, illuminated by Hatem Aly.  Published by Dutton Children’s books.

If the Newbery committee doesn’t see that this 13th-century tale of prejudice, hatred, love, and redemption was one of the most timely books of 2016, they’re not really paying attention.

Ghost by Jason Reynolds.  Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers.

Castle “Ghost” Crenshaw is one of the funniest, most likeable narrators of 2016, so easy to root for as he finds his way back from a family tragedy with the help of a heroic track coach.  A contender for the Coretta Scott King award as well.

Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White by Melissa Sweet

Newbery or Caldecott?  Melissa Sweet is better known as an illustrator, but her writing here was surprisingly engaging as well.  I found it a hard book to put down, not always the case with a biography.

Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk.  Published by Dutton Books.

Maybe not the most kid-friendly choice on the list, and no happy ending, but the writing is beautiful and you’ll be thinking about the story for a long time afterward.

Wish by Barbara O’Connor

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Farrar Straus and Giroux 

Summary:  11-year-old Charlie has been sent to live with her Aunt Bertha and Uncle Gus while her father serves a jail term and her mother “gets back on her feet”.  Charlie’s not exactly sure what that means, but she does know that she doesn’t want to be living in the hillbilly town of Colby, North Carolina away from her home in Raleigh and her big sister Jackie.  She doesn’t much care for Howard, the neighbor boy who tries to befriend her, and she’s not sure what she thinks of her loquacious, quirky aunt.  Charlie’s a big believer in making wishes, and she has one wish that she makes whenever she gets a chance, whether it’s finding a penny, seeing the first star come out, or getting the bigger part of the wishbone.  In fact, Wishbone is the name she gives to the stray dog she glimpses in the woods near her aunt and uncle’s home, and she enlists Howard to help her with a plan to catch the dog and turn him into a pet.  Their plan succeeds, and Wishbone turns out to be the first good thing to happen to Charlie in a long time.  When Jackie comes for a visit, Charlie gets a chance to see her surroundings through new eyes, and begins to appreciate the people who care about her.  A surprise phone call from her mother turns her world upside down and forces Charlie to make some difficult choices.  240 pages; grades 4-6.

Pros:  The adorable, appealing cover is just the beginning of a heartwarming story of a girl who’s had way too much to deal with in her short life, yet still has the resiliency and heart to slowly learn to care about the people around her.  Keep the Kleenex close at hand as you approach the final chapters.

Cons:  I’d love to know what happens to Charlie and Jackie, but I have a feeling this will be a stand-alone book.

Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke

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Published by First Second 

Summary:  Jack’s summer is not looking too great: he’s expected to take care of his autistic sister Maddie while his single mom struggles to make ends meet with two jobs.  At a flea market, an unsavory vendor (with the help of Maddie, speaking for the first time) trades Jack a box of seeds for the keys to his mother’s car.  Needless to say, this doesn’t go over too well with Mom.  The next day, Maddie is outside at the crack of dawn, digging up the backyard to plant the seeds.  Before long, the two kids have created a garden of plants that come to life in more ways than one, and that attracts both the neighbor girl, Lilly, and a talking dragon.  After a gigantic snail almost crushes Maddie, Jack has had enough, and tries to burn the entire garden.  But complete destruction seems impossible, and by the end of this book, Maddie’s been carried off by a garden monster, and Lilly and Jack are arming themselves to go after her.  Readers will have to wait for the next installment to see if they will be successful.  208 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  This graphic novel retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk has all the adventure, compelling characters, and fantastic artwork to make it irresistible to middle grade readers.

Cons:  The cliffhanger ending.

The Best Man by Richard Peck

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Published by Dial Books for Young Readers 

Summary:  Beginning and ending with a wedding, Archie Magill tells the story of his life from a disastrous turn as a six-year-old ring bearer to the present.  His home and school are peopled with memorable characters, including his car-loving father, his cool Uncle Paul, his outspoken best friend Lynette, and his celebrity student teacher Mr. McLeod.  Mr. McLeod arrives in military uniform, triggering a lockdown, and when everything gets straightened out, he’s become a viral online sensation.  He wins Archie’s respect when he helps the victim of some sixth-grade bullies, washing off the word “gay” they’ve written on the boy’s forehead, then revealing himself as gay to the bullies and their classmates.  A romance develops between Uncle Paul and Mr. McLeod, and Archie is determined to help his commitment-shy uncle see their relationship through.  The story closes with a wedding, with Archie serving as best man for his old uncle Paul and his new uncle, Mr. McLeod.  240 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Funny and touching, with plenty of memorable characters, this book is getting some Newbery buzz.  An excellent addition to LGBTQ literature for kids that shows a mature, real relationship between two men.

Cons:  If you’re putting this in a public library, be aware there’s a gay romance that is central to the story.

When Friendship Followed Me Home by Paul Griffin

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Dial Books 

Summary:  Ben thinks he has finally found a real home with his former speech pathologist who adopted him a couple years ago.  He’s delighted when he rescues an intelligent little dog from outside the Coney Island library.  Then, just as life seems to be turning around, he comes home from school and finds Mom dead on the floor of her bedroom.  He’s forced to live with her sister, Aunt Jeanie, whose husband Leo struggles with a drinking problem.  Meanwhile, Ben has befriended the librarian’s daughter, Halley, who is undergoing chemotherapy.  As Halley and Ben grow closer, her home and family become a refuge for him.  Halley is a writer, and she and Ben create a magical science fiction story called “The Magic Box”, but Halley refuses to tell Ben what’s inside the box.  Bring out the tissues for the last 50 pages or so as Halley’s health and Ben’s home life deteriorate.  The final chapter brings a measure of hope for Ben.  And thank goodness, the dog does not die.  256 pages; grades 5-8. 

Pros:  Okay, I’m the first to admit I’m not a fan of the almost-too-good-to-be-true-young-person-in-a-life-threatening-situation genre (yes, Bridge to Terabithia and The Fault in Our Stars, I’m talking to you), but obviously there are many, many readers who love that very genre, and you should hand this book to them.  It’s beautifully written with interesting, believable characters, particularly Ben, and handles many difficult issues with sensitivity and grace. 

Cons:  There was too much of  the story Halley and Ben were writing; I found myself skipping over it and feeling like I didn’t miss much.

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

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

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.