Finn has been slipping into trouble since his dad's death two years previous. When he and his mom moved from New York City during the pandemic, he figFinn has been slipping into trouble since his dad's death two years previous. When he and his mom moved from New York City during the pandemic, he figured it would only be for a couple of weeks, but they are still in the small town. He didn't really bother to make friends, and he hasn't worked through his feelings about his father's death. His dad became a hero during 9-11, saving a woman from one of the Towers. He kept being a hero during the pandemic, but it seemed as though he had no time for Finn or Finn's mom. When Finn is caught in an act of vandalism, he is offered the chance for reparations, and that is how he finds himself summitting in one summer all of the Adirondack 46. Along the way, Finn begins to process his grief and manages also to pass seventh grade PE with make up work, and even to complete his seventh grade poetry project about heroes. Messner captured the complexity of grief through her novel in verse and also managed to inspire an interest in the mountains and in making cookies at the same time. ...more
Maudie, her brother Scratch, and their friend Kit have been ghosts for just about a year now. Scratch has huge gaps in his memory--he doesn't rememberMaudie, her brother Scratch, and their friend Kit have been ghosts for just about a year now. Scratch has huge gaps in his memory--he doesn't remember how they became ghosts, but Maudie does. She doesn't like thinking about it, so she invents ghost stories to distract herself, her brother, and their friend. Soon, though, her monster creation, Longfingers, proves to be very real and very dangerous. When Longfingers kidnaps Scratch and Kit, Maudie figures out how to engage the help of a human beyond the veil in order to rescue them and banish Longfingers. Readers discover gradually that very little is as it seems, and that life for ghosts can be more complicated than anyone can imagine. The many layers to Maudie's story and some terrific plot twists, with a suitable helping of creepiness kept me reading right till the end....more
Alex has been in SC, the school's self-contained classroom since third grade. He begins to realize that if he is stuck there forever, he will never coAlex has been in SC, the school's self-contained classroom since third grade. He begins to realize that if he is stuck there forever, he will never come close to achieving his dream of becoming an astronaut. To begin to take charge of his own learning is a scary proposition, especially since Alex has to overcome nervous habits and control outbursts. Alex discovers that the process of change is messy, but he ends by changing for the better not only his own orbit, but the orbits of his friends in SC as well, and maybe even the orbits of a couple of the school bullies, too. The reader, through verse, is provided the ability to hear Alex's thoughts about space, education, and change, and maybe even think about one's own life and choices and how those affect those around us, as well....more
Maddie Fishbone, foundling, has done the unthinkable, and a result, is escorted to the Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways, and Wayward Girls, anMaddie Fishbone, foundling, has done the unthinkable, and a result, is escorted to the Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways, and Wayward Girls, an institution with a grim reputation for dealing oppressively with girls who are kicked out of regular orphanages. Midwatch, though, is very unlike its reputation. The girls of Midwatch are taught all sorts of skills that are useful in solving mysteries, which is how the Institute survives. The director, Miss Mandelay, believes that children, and girls in particular, are often overlooked, and so make exceptional detectives and so receives income from the police and private individuals by discreetly solving their problems. Maddie and her new friends are thrown into a mystery shortly after their arrival at the institute, one that comes with deadly danger. This story has puzzling intrigue, exciting adventure, and the thrill of solving a mystery. I enjoyed Maggie's journey from thinking herself useless to feeling accomplished and an integral part of a team....more
Aria Loveridge has spent most of her life believing that her mother died during the Great Outburst and her father's treatment for those with the dreamAria Loveridge has spent most of her life believing that her mother died during the Great Outburst and her father's treatment for those with the dreamslinger gene mutation benefit from the treatment and can change the minds of regular people about their wariness of dreamslingers. The dreamslingers' gene allows them to be transported to a powerfully magical realm during sleep, but on awakening, their power usually eludes their attempts to control it and can result in 'outbursts' of fire, acid, or other problematic manifestations. However, Aria's father comes under fire from the government of Texas when his demonstration day goes sadly awry and Aria volunteers to infiltrate the Kingdom of Royal Hanguk--the headquarters of dreamslingers, which coincidentally has just opened for the first time in years to trials for international teenaged dreamslingers. In her time of trials, Aria confronts a great deal about her past that has been purposely kept from her and must make a choice about her future. I found the story interesting, but uneven in holding my attention....more
Lukoff has created a new kind of hero--one who is completely self-absorbed and does not change at all through the entire story. A is struggling with hLukoff has created a new kind of hero--one who is completely self-absorbed and does not change at all through the entire story. A is struggling with his parents who bring him to Save Our Sons and Daughters (SOSAD) meetings to bring him to the realization that he actually is a girl. Naturally, A objects and doesn't enjoy these meetings, especially when no one seems likely to listen to him. A's real issues, however, become subsumed in other issues--notably when a golem made of trash confronts him and says it is his duty to save the world from demons that are affecting society and are causing people to persecuting trans people. A discovers that his friend Yarrow has disappeared, not just from the SOSAD meetings, but altogether. With the reluctant help of another SOSAD participant, Sal, A successfully defeats a series of demons, including those that had been plaguing his parents and causing them to try to change him. Along the way, Sal and the golem both confront A regarding his penchant for seeing people only as a means to his own comfort. Despite A's recognition that his parents were plagued by demons, when they ask forgiveness for their behavior, A decides to forgive them conditionally, in time, and continues to disappear from time to time to "keep them on their toes." Throughout the story, I found A whiny and irritating, especially when he only remembered to gender his friend Yarrow correctly when it suited A's convenience and he wasn't too tired to think of how to frame sentences....more
Okay, yeah, the rivalry is great and the characters have great voices and the illustrations are great and the storyline has just the right amount of tOkay, yeah, the rivalry is great and the characters have great voices and the illustrations are great and the storyline has just the right amount of tension and suspense, but really! I won the prize (a humongous, oversized, ginormous, really big lollipop, you know the kind) in second grade for my short story, a total ripoff of my favorite (at the time) read that was titled Gus Was a Friendly Ghost, except my ghost traveled with his family when he hid himself in the coffee pot, so my story was really different from the original book. So, the fact that J and K didn't win the top prize in the writing contest is kind of lame because I did better than that when I was in second grade. And...my family moved to New Zealand when I was in fifth grade, which is way cooler than K's family moving from London when he was in fifth grade. And, the fact that my second grade story was my best ever is the reason that I don't actually write books...
So, the review above, even though it is all true and which follows the terrible advice K gave J so K could tank J's chance at winning the school writing contest, would probably be better if I wrote that for Kwame Alexander to cross over and write a book about a new kid with Jerry Craft who illustrated it as well was really engaging and completely funny. The fact that they disguised a textbook for kids about how to write and illustrate a graphic novel was hilariously clever and makes me jealous that they had the idea. The writers' own friendly rivalry shines through the pages so even if the story wasn't written in the sixth person and the zebras only occasionally have an odd number of legs, I would definitely recommend this book. And, I wonder, did Taki really have frogs? And, I hope the authors realize that my review is only a four because of my overwhelming envy! ...more
Lion cub Jin and Stone Spirit Lulu are bound together with the need to save the world from an evil dragon and a grief-stricken sculptor. Jin's parentsLion cub Jin and Stone Spirit Lulu are bound together with the need to save the world from an evil dragon and a grief-stricken sculptor. Jin's parents are the lions that guard the old city gate and keep the spirit world on an even keel with the other world outside the gates. Jin's father does not approve of Jin's obsession with zuqiu (soccer), nor does he approve of Jin's lack of attention to the guard duties of a lion and the duties of the Stone Spirits. One day, Jin is angry with his father and kicks his zuqiu, which hits the ball that his father guards; the ball that Jin's father guards rolls out the gate. jin chases it and the gate closes. Immediately, things go wrong in the world and Jin must figure out how to fix things before the spirit world dies. If the spirit world were to die, Jin would be trapped and no longer a spirit. How Jin, Lulu, and the dragon try to make things right and deal with loss of many types is an engrossing read. In addition, the illustrations are amazing!...more
I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Clare's death (although that sounds like a strange statement to make) and his gradual understanding of how to move I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Clare's death (although that sounds like a strange statement to make) and his gradual understanding of how to move on to the next stage of his being. Clare's relationships with fungi, his new friendship with a badger, of all animals, and his vocation as Usher of animal souls to the Afterlife are hilariously, lovingly and insightfully chronicled by the author and make an absorbing tale for all ages. I was left hoping the ending was actually a cliffhanger with Gingersnipes the badger to be the subject of another book. ...more
Rue Famine and Merriment Feast have been taught their entire lives that they are enemies and that they are required to duel each other on their 13th bRue Famine and Merriment Feast have been taught their entire lives that they are enemies and that they are required to duel each other on their 13th birthdays to determine who will rule Fauret for the coming generation--the Feasts, whose lives are spent luxuriating, or the Famines, whose lives are spent in abstention in order to serve the poor. However, each discovers they have not been told the whole story, or even a story close to the truth. In the end, they discover a way to dispense with the dueling, and set up a way to their next story. I enjoyed parts of the book immensely, but found I was having trouble reconciling information provided with the storyline. Still, the characters are engaging and I will likely read the next story, since I expect from the ending that there will be another....more
Pearl is worried about starting fifth grade, especially when she discovers she has no classes with her two best friends, Rosie and Mia. Everyone tellsPearl is worried about starting fifth grade, especially when she discovers she has no classes with her two best friends, Rosie and Mia. Everyone tells her that it will become easier, but school and friendships just become harder and Pearl feels like she is being swallowed up by fog. Pearl used to feel like a loggerhead turtle, safe in a hard shell, but now she feels more like an octopus, with hundreds of nerve receptors that mean no separation from the world. Things come to a head during parent-teacher conferences, and fortunately, Pearl starts therapy and begins to get the help she needs for her illness, depression. Pearl's descriptions of depression and her struggles and achievements ring true and make this an important and accessible story for young people, both for those who struggle with depression and for those who have friends or family who struggle with depression....more
Badger, with his spots rather than stripes, lives a quiet life near the shore enjoying Italian opera, chamomile tea, and a drop of lavender oil in hisBadger, with his spots rather than stripes, lives a quiet life near the shore enjoying Italian opera, chamomile tea, and a drop of lavender oil in his bath. He collects sea shells and enjoys excursions to the beach as long as he doesn't get sand between his toes or get wet with salt water. One day, a gull visits him. He offers tea. An unlikely friendship springs up although the gull, whom Badger calls Gully, can only caw. For quite a while, Gully visits weekly until Badger asks Gully to suggest an activity that Gully enjoys. Their excursion is not comfortable for Badger, nor is his soul searching about the nature of badgerdom and whether he is a good badger or a bad badger (within parameters). Other groups also weigh in with opinions. This quiet, reflective book about one's own nature and the nature of friendship contains some delightful twists and diversions....more
A first for me to read--a fantasy novel told entirely through verse. Initially, I was skeptical about how that would work, but was won over by the lovA first for me to read--a fantasy novel told entirely through verse. Initially, I was skeptical about how that would work, but was won over by the lovely language and the variety of poetic forms telling the stories of Lyrianna, Zave, and Brob, two human children and a giant child who all find Orphan's Garden, a place of peace and plenty that calls to the souls of orphans. The three overcome centuries of human-giant hostility to create peace through the realization that Spring is the outcome of humans and giants coexisting and Winter Spirits are called by war. It takes both humans and giants to create gardens that sustain life....more
Danilo is a boy who doesn't realize he is suffering from PTSD after the American invasion of his neighborhood in Panama during Operation Just Cause inDanilo is a boy who doesn't realize he is suffering from PTSD after the American invasion of his neighborhood in Panama during Operation Just Cause in 1989. His father seems to have abandoned him, his mother, and his little sister for life in America and his home is destroyed. His family move to a refugee camp. He no longer enjoys playing baseball the way he did when he played with his father, but one day, he catches the eye of a recruiter who offers him the chance to play in California for the summer to hone his skills. Danilo feels wrong leaving his mother and sister behind, but takes the chance so he can find and confront his father. Focused on finding his father and sorting through his own problems as well as trying to fit in with his wealthy host family, Danilo almost misses the chance to make friends and improve his baseball skills. An honest discussion with his difficult coach brings him to a crossroad and makes him realize he needs to make some decisions about who he will be and how he will move through the world. ...more
Sage's mother is gone and her father, Declan, moved them away from Philadelphia to the Blue Ridge Mountains to get away. Only gradually do readers leaSage's mother is gone and her father, Declan, moved them away from Philadelphia to the Blue Ridge Mountains to get away. Only gradually do readers learn the reason for the move. All of Sage's pent up feelings about her mother's accident come to a head when she receives an invitation to the 50th wedding anniversary party for her mother's parents, whom she has never met. Sage decides to attend the party in Ohio against her father's wishes, hoping she can find something of her mother's and find out why the family experienced a huge split. In the end, not only does the family begin to heal, but the stray dog that helped bring them together also becomes family....more