Frankie D., Vegan Vampire by Sally and Brian Dutra (Kids Can Press, 192 pages, grades 2-5). Frankie and his family have moved from Transylvania to the U.S., hoping, like so many immigrants before them, for a better life. In their case, that life is eternal, since they’re a family of vampires. Being immortal is just the beginning, as Frankie and his family struggle to hide their fangs, their ability to turn into bats, and the fact that they’re used to sleeping during the day (and in coffins). Switching to a healthy vegan diet has fortunately dampened their taste for blood, and Frankie enjoys starting fourth grade and making new friends. He suspects that one classmate, Eddie, might be a troll, but as he learns more about Eddie, he comes to realize why he’s such a bully. The family successfully negotiates having one of Frankie’s new friends and his family to dinner, and Frankie has fun at a human birthday party, but the grand finale comes with the school concert, when Frankie and Eddie save the fourth-grade performance. Pumped after this success, Frankie decides to fly home and burn off some of his excess energy, only to realize that Eddie has seen him transform into a bat.
There’s plenty of humor in this de-fanged vampire story, and the last page makes me hopeful that there will be a sequel. It’s an illustrated chapter book, but at close to 200 pages, I wouldn’t exactly call it an early chapter book. Still, I think it could find an audience with fluent readers in the earlier years of elementary school, and maybe older kids who are reading a bit below grade level.
Band Camp #1: All Together Now! by Brian “Smitty” Smith (little bee books, 80 pages, grades 1-4). This early graphic novel gives summer camp a new twist: all the campers are musical instruments. Bunk J, a.k.a. Junk Bunk, the cabin that always loses all the competitions, has four unique residents this summer: Trey the triangle, Kaylee the ukelele, Zook the kazoo, and Cordelia the accordion. Each instrument has a unique personality and well-defined likes and dislikes, but they’re united in their determination to put an end to the Bunk J legacy. In a relay race at the end of this book, they combine their talents for an unexpected victory. Camp’s not over yet, though, and book 2 is due out in September.
As a veteran of eight–yes, eight!–band camps, I love this premise and was amazed at how Smith was able to create instruments with real personalities. Early readers will get a kick out of the story and illustrations. The ending seemed abrupt, and I kind of wish the whole camp session had been included in a single volume.
And Then, Boom! by Lisa Fipps (Nancy Paulsen Books, 256 pages, grades 4-7) and The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko (Knopf Books for Young Readers, 320 pages, grades 4-7). I read these two books back-to-back, and they are remarkably similar: both are written by Newbery Honor winners, and both feature sixth-grade boys with unreliable mothers, strong grandmothers who die, and a choice between trying to fend for themselves and going into the foster care system. Joe Oak, from the novel in verse And Then, Boom! experiences homelessness after his grandmother loses her home bailing out Joe’s mother when she gets arrested. After living in their car for a while, Joe’s best friend Nick finds a place in his mobile home park for them to live. Things are looking up until Grandmum suddenly passes away, and Joe is on his own, fearing that if he’s discovered, he’ll be at the mercy of Child Protection Services. The title comes from Joe’s love of comic books, where surprising turns of events are announced with a BOOM, and a final near-catastrophe results in Joe finally getting help from the caring people who have been around him all along.
Hank Hooperman lives with his mother and three-year-old sister Boo. When the story opens, their mom has been missing for a week, and Hank is desperately trying to figure out what to do. He reaches out to Lou Anne, the woman his mother listed as an emergency contact on a permission slip and finds temporary housing there. Lou Anne was one of his late grandmother’s closest friends, and while she provides housing for the kids, Hank reminds her of her own estranged teenage son, and she’s not particularly welcoming to him. Fortunately, a neighbor named Ray proves to be a caring friend and mentor, and Hank is getting along okay until his mother unexpectedly reappears, throwing everything into chaos. A few weeks in the foster care system reveals the bleakness of that path, but as with Joe, Hank learns that there are people around him who genuinely care and can help him get back on his feet again.
I loved both of these books, reading each in under 48 hours, and my fingers are crossed that they will both get Newbery consideration. There aren’t enough middle-grade books with boy protagonists, and both Joe and Hank are endearing narrators, both forced to grow up too fast, but still children, with a love of basketball and a need to be taken care of. There also aren’t enough stories of kids living in poverty, the unfortunate reality for way too many young readers. My one complaint about both books is that it really demonized the mothers, and the completely absent fathers pretty much got off scot-free.
Upstaged by Robin Easter (Little Brown Ink, 256 pages, grades 4-8). Ash has had a crush on their best friend Ivy for quite a while now, and they’re excited about having one last summer with her at theater camp before going off to high school. Ash is stage manager, and Ivy has the lead of the musical Ella, based on the story of Cinderella. But things don’t turn out according to Ash’s plans, and as the summer progresses, it seems as though Ivy is always with her co-star Luke. Despite a surprising crush that another girl has on them, Ash is only interested in Ivy, and eventually lets their middle school emotions get the best of them, resulting in an angry outburst at Ivy and Luke. Fortunately, Ivy is able to cool things down, and there’s a fairy-tale style happy ending in store for everyone–and a successful show to wrap things up.
Not If You Break Up with Me First by G. F. Miller (Aladdin, 288 pages, grades 6-8). Andrew and Eve have been best friends for most of their lives, but things start to change in eighth grade. Eve gets pressured by her friends into asking Andrew to a dance, and the next thing either one of them knows, the whole school considers them a couple. Both Andrew and Eve (who alternate narrating the chapters) hate the expectations that seem to come with dating and want to get back to the comfort of their old friendship. They each have their own reasons for not wanting to be the one to initiate the break, though, so they each decide to do what they can to make the other one break up. Having been friends for so long, they are experts at pushing each other’s buttons, and things escalate until the whole school gets involved, and the two of them are facing detention. Fortunately, the truth comes out at both their homes, and Andrew’s mom coaches him on “the grand gesture” that results in (finally) an honest conversation between Eve and Andrew. Both acknowledge having feelings for each other, but also wanting to keep their old friendship, and a mutual break-up seems like the best solution for the time being.
Any Way You Look by Maleeha Siddiqui (Scholastic, 256 pages, grades 4-7). Ainy is excited about the end of sixth grade and the beginning of summer, looking forward to adventures with her best friend Safiya and helping her mother, Amma, and older sister, Bajja, at Amma’s clothing boutique. Ainy dreams of designing modest fashions for a living, so she’s thrilled when Amma entrusts her with an important design job. Unwanted attention from a boy from her class threatens to ruin her summer, though, and Ainy doesn’t know who to turn to for help. Amma is swamped with work, Bajja has unexpectedly stopped being a hijabi, and their dad is back in Pakistan, taking care of his mother who has cancer. Ainy decides to start wearing hijab in the hope that it will make the boy lose interest in her, but it ends up precipitating a crisis in which the truth finally comes out. Once Amma, Bajja, and Safiya learn what’s been happening, they help Ainy find the strength to speak up and set boundaries, and they teach her the true meaning of hijab and help her to decide whether or not she’s ready for it.
I got a triple dose of middle school angst with these three books. Each featured a main character with a big problem and an unwillingness to talk to anyone about it, resulting in lots of drama and a near-crisis that finally led to getting things out in the open. Upstaged is a graphic novel perfect for fans of Raina Telgemeier’s Drama; Not if You Break Up With Me First almost drove me mad, but resulted in the sweetest ending that middle schoolers in search of realistic romance will love; and Any Way You Look is a heartfelt and engaging story that looks at sexual harassment, setting boundaries, and learning to advocate for yourself, all from the perspective of a Muslim girl considering wearing hijab. Each book could have been a very short story if the main character had just had a conversation already, but hey, that’s middle school for you.
The Life-Changing Magic of Chess by Maurice Ashley, illustrated by Denis Angelov (Harry N. Abrams, 40 pages, grades 2-6). Maurice Ashley, the first Black Chess Grandmaster, weaves together his own story with some basics of playing chess. The book is divided into ten tips from Ashley (#1 – It’s like being a magician, #2 – Everyone starts as a beginner), which he elaborates on in a series of two-page spreads. In addition to introducing the pieces and explaining how they move, he includes a few suggested series of plays. It’s clear that becoming a good chess player involves a lot of hard work and research, and Maurice talks about some of the setbacks he experienced on the road to Grandmaster, encouraging kids to persevere and hold onto their dreams. The last few pages include more information about him, along with several photos, and there’s also a glossary.
This new series includes The Life-Changing Magic of Skateboarding, with drumming and baking due out at the end of the summer. Although I have never understood chess nor had the inclination to play it, I found this book very engaging, and I like the way Maurice Ashley tells his own story as he explains the fundamentals of the game. The illustrations add a lot and are essential for showing how to move the pieces to start or end a game. I hope there will be many more additions to this series.
Curveball by Pablo Cartaya, illustrated by Miguel Diaz Rivas (Disney Hyperion, 192 pages, grades 3-7). Elena is an excellent baseball player, the only girl on the boys’ team, with a mother whose support borders on helicopter parenting. When Elena hurts her knee at the beginning of the summer, she’s a bit relieved to have to give up her planned baseball clinic, but she soon realizes that she has no friends outside of baseball. With nothing else to do, she starts hanging out with her younger brother and his live action role-playing (LARP) pals. Elena’s kind of forgotten how to use her imagination and have fun, but the other kids talk her through it, and before long she’s not only figured out a way to combine baseball and LARP, but she’s met a couple of sporty girls her age who have learned how to strike a balance between athletic competition and fun. Their example helps Elena find the courage to talk to her mom, who reveals how her own early disappointments have fueled her passion for Elena’s baseball playing and agrees to let Elena have more autonomy over her own life.
Part Roller Girl, part Cardboard Kingdom, this colorful graphic novel has something for everyone, with a strong Latina character (Spanish is expertly woven into the dialog), and a nice message about finding a balance in life.
Lucky Scramble by Peter Raymundo (Dial Books, 192 pages, grades 3-7). The story of the national Rubik’s Cube championship focuses on 12-year-old Tyler Gooden, an up-and-coming cuber who got his start after his dad died three years ago. The Rubik’s cube was a gift from his father, and although Tyler had never solved it, focusing on it after his dad’s death helped him with his grief. Other competitors are profiled, including egotistical champion Dirk Speedman, 8-year-old prodigy Eli Newton and his obnoxious dad who will stop at nothing to see his son win, twins Izzy and Lizzy who are learning to establish their own identities, and 1980’s great Miles Wizzinski, who’s hoping for a comeback despite his carpal tunnel syndrome. The national championship competition brings out the worst–and eventually the best–in many of the characters, as they all learn and grow on their way to fighting it out for the title.
This hybrid mix of illustrated chapter book and graphic novel is sure to be a hit with its colorful cartoon-style illustrations and intriguing, if slightly one-dimensional, characters. Watching the competitors solve the cube in record-breaking times will surely have readers seeking out winning strategies on YouTube.
Samira’s Worst Best Summer by Nina Hamza (Quill Tree Books, 336 pages, grades 4-7). Sammy’s hoping for some down time over summer vacation to recover from a rough seventh grade year. Painfully shy and insecure, her best times are when she’s behind a camera observing and taking pictures. When her house is toilet papered on the last day of school, she’s sure her ex-best friend Kiera is behind it, part of a campaign of cruelty that has gone on all year. Sammy’s grandmother, Umma, arrives from India to look after Sammy and her younger brother Imran, while their parents and older sister travel to India for a family wedding. Umma is loving, supporting, and also extremely outgoing, and she slowly draws Sammy out of her shell, helping her to connect with some of the neighbors, especially Alice, a new girl on the street. As Sammy and Alice work together to solve the mystery of the TP’ing and another mean prank, Sammy slowly learns to speak up for herself and to claim a new identity for herself as Samira.
Summer Vamp by Violet Chan Karim (Random House Graphic, 240 pages, grades 3-7). Maya’s another one recovering from a difficult school year, her only refuge being the kitchen where she enjoys whipping up delicious masterpieces. She’s not sure how she feels when her dad and his girlfriend, Charlotte, announce on the last day of school that Charlotte is moving in, but the blow is softened when she learns that Charlotte has offered to send her to culinary camp. A mix-up at the bus station lands Maya at Camp Dracula, where the other campers have fangs, drink blood boxes instead of juice boxes, and don’t have reflections. Horrified at first, she slowly begins to bond with the other campers and finds them friendlier and more accepting than the humans she’s been around recently. By the time she gets the opportunity to switch to culinary camp, Maya realizes that Camp Dracula is where she belongs.
Although these books have many differences, they are remarkably similar with introverted protagonists who have endured a grueling middle school year, and who find supportive friends and family to help them embrace their strengths and come into their own during summer vacation. I found both of them extremely engaging stories that would make for some great beach reading. Of all the vampires I’ve been forced to read about over the years, Maya’s friends may be my favorites.
Timid: A Graphic Novel by Jonathan Todd (Graphix, 272 pages, grades 4-7). Based on the author’s adolescence, Timid traces Cecil’s journey from Florida, where he’s lived most of his life, to Massachusetts and figuring out how to fit into a new middle school. His passion is drawing, although this is actively discouraged by his father, who tries to get him to focus on architect rather than cartoonist as a career choice. But drawing proves the entry point into middle school society, as kids begin to ask Cecil to design posters and t-shirt when they discover his talents. Cecil experiences a different kind of racism than he did in Florida, with kids calling him an Oreo when he hangs out with white kids and assuming he’s a Metco student (bussed from Boston) because he’s Black. It takes some missteps, but Cecil finally finds his people and figures out where he belongs. Includes an author’s note and acknowledgements that made me realize how hard it is to create a graphic novel and get it published.
South of Somewhere by Kalena Miller (Albert Whitman and Company, 288 pages, grades 4-7). Chapter one: Mavis’s mom decided to take a taxi from the airport to their Chicago home, while Mavis rides in the family SUV with her dad, brother, and sister. They’re greeted by the FBI, looking for Mom, and the kids are shocked when they look out the rear window and see the taxi make a quick U-turn and speed away. Turns out their mother is wanted for embezzlement, which means the family is locked out of their home, bank accounts, and credit cards. Dad seeks refuge for the family with his estranged sister and her four-year-old daughter, and the four of them move into Aunt Melissa’s basement. Mavis not only has to come to terms with the loss of her home and wealthy lifestyle, but with the fact that her mother is not who she thought she was. The family pulls together to make ends meet, and even Mavis is able to earn money by starting a babysitting service with a new friend. When she and her siblings finally figure out where their mom is hiding, they are met with disappointment but also given the opportunity for a fresh start, their tragedy forging close family bonds with their dad, aunt, and cousin.
Kids will find a lot to relate to in both of these middle grade books, particularly the disillusionment of learning that parents can be far from perfect. While Cecil’s dad is well-intentioned but clueless about what’s important to his son, Mavis’s mom is a complete narcissist who seems to have no understanding of what she’s done to her family. I was hoping there would be at least a little redemption for her character, but there really wasn’t. Readers will take comfort in the fact that Mavis learns how to be resourceful and has great support from her family and new friend.
Made In Asian America: A History for Young People by Erika Lee and Christina Soontornvat (Quill Tree Books, 320 pages, grades 5-8. This young readers’ adaptation of Erika Lee’s The Making of Asian America (2015) begins with an introduction that details the absence of Asian American history in most schools and some of the kids who have worked to bring attention to that. The main narrative covers American history from Columbus to Covid, relating the stories of people who immigrated to the U.S. from many Asian countries, including China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, India, the Philippines, and more. Different people had different reasons for coming, depending on their country’s history and political situation, but almost all experienced racism, discrimination, and broken promises when they arrived. Like many other immigrants, they worked hard doing backbreaking labor to survive and to try to build a better future for their children. In more recent times, Asian Americans have become known as the “model minority,” a label which carries its own baggage. The Covid era showed that racism still simmers right beneath the surface of American society, as it exploded with the news that the virus originated in China. Asian Americans have a history of fighting for civil rights, both for themselves and for other groups experiencing discrimination, and that fight continues today, as explained in the last chapter. Includes notes from both authors as well as almost 30 pages of source notes and an index.
I learned so much from this book, which really drove home the point that Asian Americans are largely missing from American history. The writing is clear and engaging, and many of the profiles describe ordinary people whose stories are often both heartbreaking and inspiring. It was fascinating to get a brief history of so many different countries and to learn why different groups immigrated to the United States.
Magnolia Wu Unfolds It All by Chanel Miller (Philomel Books, 160 pages, grades 2-5). While Magnolia is looking forward to turning 10, she’s less excited about the summer ahead, which will mostly be spent at her family’s Bing Qi Ling Laundromat. When her mom’s friend moves to New York City from California, she brings along her daughter Iris, who is just Magnolia’s age. At first the girls feel strange around each other, but soon they bond over the sock board, where Magnolia has displayed all the stray socks that have been left behind at the laundromat. They decide to canvass the neighborhood to find each sock’s owners, using clues from the socks themselves to help them. As they solve each mystery, the girls learn more about their neighbors and hear some interesting stories about Magnolia’s parents, who turn out to have a fun and adventurous side that Magnolia hasn’t been aware of. A major fight threatens to destroy their new friendship, but Magnolia finds a way to repair things and, in the process, gains a deeper understanding of her new best friend.
With a 10-year-old protagonist, a larger font, and plenty of illustrations, this would make a good introductory chapter book. It was interesting to read this right after finishing Made in Asian America, as Magnolia’s and Iris’s families, from China and Vietnam respectively, are working hard to give their kids a better life in America and experience racism at various points in the story. Their resilience and close family ties make this a warm and engaging story with a fun and quirky cast of characters.
I was buried by an avalanche of graphic novels this week, which I managed to claw through, writing reviews as I dug my way out.
Blood City Rollers by V. P. Anderson, illustrated by Tatiana Hill (Labyrinth Road, 192 pages, grades 5-8). Mina’s a figure skater with Olympic dreams about to win a big competition when she sees some dark figures crouched in the rafters of the skating rink. Distracted, she falls and breaks her arm in what may be a career-ending injury. On her way out of the hospital, she’s abducted by a group of girl vampires and taken to an abandoned mall, where she learns their plan to make her the jammer on their roller derby team (their rules dictate that the jammer must be a human). Her arm magically healed, Mina is amazed to begin feeling more like herself as part of the vampire team than she ever has as a figure skater. A crush on the team captain adds to her emotional turmoil, and as the big match against the witches approaches, Mina wonders if she should become a vampire herself. Another injury forces her to return home, and when she finally makes her way back to the mall, she finds that it’s been abandoned by the vampires. They’ve left her a note, though, and the final page promises “to be continued…”.
Imagine Roller Girl with vampires, and you’ll get the vibe of this girl-powered story with a main character who learns to be herself and the hint of a queer romance or two thrown in. There are so many characters and subplots that I found myself confused at various points in the story, despite the excellent guide to all the team members early in the book.
Wires Crossed by Beth Fantaskey, illustrated by ONeillJones (Clarion Books, 240 pages, grades 3-7). Mia’s going through a tough time in middle school, as her former best friend Addy is making a move to get into the popular group. So it’s good timing when she learns that her science camp best friend Tariq is moving to town. When Mia’s family picks him up from the airport, though, Mia’s shocked to see that Tariq has traded his glasses for contacts and has shot up several inches. The girls at school all love Tariq, but he’s a loyal friend, and pretty soon he and Mia have paired up for the science fair, adding quirky girl Kinsey and loveable goofball Ethan to make a team. The four become good friends, and soon Kinsey has replaced Addy as Mia’s best friend. There’s trouble brewing, though, when Mia discovers that Tariq and Kinsey are going to the big dance together, but some heart-to-heart talks get everything straightened out. After a hilariously disastrous science fair presentation, the four friends end up going to the dance together, and even Addy comes around for a reconciliation.
This is your standard middle school graphic novel fare, now familiar to fans (like me) of the Raina Telgemeier genre. I appreciated the loveable nerdiness of the characters, as well as their ultimate decision to choose friendship over romance.
The Egg Incident by Ziggy Hanaor, illustrated by Daisy Wynter (Cicada Books, 72 pages, grades 1-4). Humpty Dumpty’s nephew Humphrey has the world’s most protective parents, who caution him to look where he’s going at all times, never run and jump, and of course, NEVER climb a wall. When Humphrey arrives at the park one day (after a s-l-o-w walk to get there), he meets an adventurous girl who tries to get him to climb a tree, play tag, or catch a ball. Humphrey will have none of it. When they finally decide to head home, they discover the gate is locked, and the only way out is–you guessed it–to climb the wall. Humphrey’s new friend coaches him up to the top, where he enjoys the beautiful view before losing his balance and falling! Surprisingly, he’s okay, and his friend, who turns out to be a princess, takes him to see the king’s men, who not only give him a clean bill of health but assure him that the Humpty story is a rumor. The last they heard, Humpty was running a rock-climbing school in Scotland. From that day on, Humphrey is a new egg, and even convinces his parents to take a few risks and have some fun.
Okay, it may not be great literature, but this book not only cracked me up (pun intended) but deftly delivered a message for overprotective parents. I thought it was a picture book, but at 72 pages, it’s a bit long for that designation, although a bit short to qualify as a graphic novel. It’s engaging enough that kids with a decent attention span could enjoy reading or listening to it in a single sitting.
Continental Drifter by Kathy MacLeod (First Second, 224 pages, grades 4-7). Kathy lives in Thailand with her American father, Thai mother, and older sister Jennie. She attends an international English-only school in Bangkok and feels more closely identified with her American side. But when the family spends the summer in Maine visiting her dad’s relatives, Kathy feels like an outsider wherever she goes, especially during her three weeks at summer camp. In addition, her parents are older, both were married before, and Kathy feels like she knows very little about them and their pasts. In Bangkok, they don’t spend much time together, so it feels strange at first when they do so much together in Maine. By the end of the summer, Kathy is coming to appreciate the parts of herself that are unique, and feeling less of the need to blend in with everyone else, but she realizes that whether she’s in Thailand or America, she’ll always feel a longing for the other country.
Kathy MacLeod’s memoir masterfully captures what it’s like to have strong connections two different countries and cultures as she navigates both her Thai and American roots. She makes astute observations about her family dynamics, which often sadly four lonely people whose fears kept them apart from each other.
Shiny Misfits by Maysoon Zayid, illustrated by Shadia Amin (Graphix, 256 pages, grades 4-8). Bay Ann loves to dance and is excited to perform as a tap-dancing zombie bride in the Halloween talent show. Despite her cerebral palsy, her dancing is good enough to earn her the top prize. When her crush, Alyee Maq, gives her a kiss, it seems like the perfect night. But the kiss knocks Bay Ann over, and the next day it’s all over social media, showing Alyee Maq rescuing “a special girl,” whose face is blurred out. Bay Ann is determined to both get revenge on Alyee Maq and have her own posts go viral. She’s helped by her two best friends, her talking cat, her understanding father, and–occasionally–her strict, demanding mother. Not only do they support Bay Ann in her endeavors, but they try to hold her back when her revenge plans get out of control. This causes sparks to fly on occasion, but in the end, Bay Ann learns to shine and that being a loyal friend is more important than going viral.
I had high hopes for this book, and it is a fun story featuring a character with CP who is athletic and determined. Although it’s probably an accurate portrayal of a middle schooler, I found Bay Ann a bit too uncaring of the feelings of her family and friends as she doggedly pursued her revenge. And far be it from me to judge middle school crushes, but Alyee Maq really did not seem worth the effort.
Unicorn Boy by Dave Ryan (First Second, 208 pages, grades 3-7). Brian leads a pretty ordinary life until the day a unicorn horn sprouts from his head. He tries to ignore, remove, or hide the horn, but there’s no getting around the fact that it’s there to say…and did I mention that the horn sings? A talking muffin turns out to be a cursed wizard who offers some help, and Brian’s best friend Avery is always a source of support, that is, until Avery is kidnapped by evil shadow creatures. Before long, Brian learns that his unicorn horn gives him superpowers, leading him on a quest to rescue Avery. There’s plenty of adventure along the way, and Avery discovers their own superpowers. The two friends look forward to additional adventures, as, no doubt, will the reader.
Ant Story by Jay Hosler (HarperAlley, 160 pages, grades 3-7). Rubi is a cartoon ant living in a colony of regular ants. She tells the other ants stories and talks to herself nonstop, but never gets to have a real conversation until she meets Miranda. At first Miranda seems to be a talking ant, but eventually they learn that she is a phorid, a parasitic insect who lays its eggs inside of ants’ heads, eventually destroying them. Despite their adversarial natures, the two become friends, and Rubi takes Miranda on a tour of the ant world, filled with dangers, adventures, and narrow escapes. The two fly off together on the last page (thanks to Miranda’s newly developed wings), hoping for a “happily ever after” life together.
Both of these are fun graphic novels that are sure to find an enthusiastic audience. As he did in The Way of the Hive, Jay Hosler brings entomology to life, portraying ants through exciting stories and a certain amount of gross-out factor that is sure to be appreciated. As for UnicornBoy, I was literally laughing out loud all the way through, and I’m sure kids will be eagerly anticipating a sequel.
Listen to This by Jennifer Blecher (Greenwillow Books, 224 pages, grades 4-7). Lily is feeling left out when her two best friends, Maddie and Sasha, make the elite soccer team and don’t have as much time for her anymore. Maddie’s recently confided in Lily that she has a crush on a girl she met at summer camp, and Sasha is hiding a secret of her own. Meanwhile, Will mostly finds his best friend Gavin annoying, but not as annoying as constantly being the main topic of the parenting podcast his dad started after his mom died. In the middle of everyone’s business is mean girl Sienna, who’s sure Lily and Will have crushes on each other and is determined to get them going to the upcoming dance together. In alternating chapters, Lily and Will experience disappointments, betrayals, and the exciting hopefulness of discovering someone who really gets you.
This quiet story of two likeable introverts presents middle school dynamics realistically in a manner that reminded me of some of Rebecca Stead’s books. There aren’t a lot of romance stories for upper elementary or early middle school readers, and this one perfectly fills that niche.
Olivetti by Allie Millington (Feiwel and Friends, 256 pages, grades 4-7). Shy 12-year-old Ernest and typewriter Olivetti take turns narrating this story of the Brindle family, who, the reader slowly learns, has recently endured some tough times. When Ernest’s mother Beatrice mysteriously disappears, it’s up to Ernest and Olivetti to figure out what’s happened to her. Olivetti holds many of the memories that Beatrice has spent hours typing on him, and he decides to break the typewriter code of silence by revealing himself to Ernest. Unfortunately, the last thing Beatrice did before vanishing was to take Olivetti to a pawn shop, so Ernest also has to figure out a way to get the typewriter home again. The pawn shop owner’s daughter proves helpful, and Ernest finds himself wanting her to be a friend, but also unsure of trusting anyone.
The story’s pacing is excellent, as Ernest and Olivetti slowly reveal what has happened to the family with flashbacks of memories and small details that are slipped into the narrative. The end felt a little bit over the top emotionally, but also completely satisfying even though there are some grave questions remaining ahead for the family.
A Kids Book A Day 