Middle grade fiction

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.

Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

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.