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Toppling. by Sally Murphy. 2012. Candlewick. 128 pages. ISBN: 9780763659219

John is in fifth grade, and he loves dominoes. He doesn't play games with them; instead, he likes to line them up in complicated patterns, then knock them over to watch how they topple. His hobby becomes a metaphor for a precarious situation in his best friend, Dom's life, when John and his classmates learn that Dom has cancer and may die.

This book is very nicely done. It looks at a serious situation from the masculine point of view, and portrays all the complex emotions associated with childhood cancer without becoming maudlin. Though John worries about his friend's future, he remains hopeful and positive in a way that I think shows the resilience of real kids. He and "the guys" show real compassion for Dom, and the ending, though uncertain, sounds a real chord of hope and happiness. 

Kids are naturally curious about serious situations, and I think this book will appeal to that curiosity. Though the main focus is how John reacts to Dom's diagnosis, there are also plenty of great details about classrooms and childhood interactions that make the entire world of the story very vivid. I was reminded, at certain points, of the Calvin Coconut series, where Calvin's classmates and classroom also come to life in unique ways. I think kids will also appreciate the open-ended ending to the story, which allows them to decide for themselves whether Dom will beat his illness.

I enjoyed Toppling much more than Murphy's previous book, Pearl Verses the World. While Pearl's story left me feeling very sad, this book infused a sad situation with enough good humor to make me want to keep reading. This book was originally published in Australia in 2010 by Walker Books with a slightly different cover illustration. Readers who enjoy Toppling might also like Julie Sternberg's Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie and Like Bug Juice on a Burger and Eileen Spinelli's The Dancing Pancake and Summerhouse Time. Though these books are not about cancer, they focus on kids dealing with difficult emotions and finding ways to cope. 

I borrowed Toppling from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

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Homesick. by Kate Klise. 2012. Feiwel & Friends. 192 pages. ISBN: 9781250008428

It is 1983 in Dennis Acres, Missouri, and Beignet “Benny” Summer is 12 years old. His dad, Calvin, who hoards junk and goes on and on about a future worldwide computer network, keeps the house in a state of utter filth, which has driven Benny’s mom away. Various people - from Calvin’s best friend Myron to Benny’s own teacher - try to help Benny get things cleaned up, but the more help is offered, the more resistant Benny’s dad becomes. Then the worst happens - the U.S. Chamber of Commerce names Dennis Acres America’s Most Charming Small Town. Representatives of the government will be coming to town to install a computer in every household. Now everyone in town is looking to Calvin to clean up his act, and Benny feels torn between his love for his dad and his loyalty to his town.

The first book I ever read by Kate Klise was one of her collaborations with her sister, M. Sarah Klise, entitled Regarding the Fountain. While I loved that one, future books of theirs, such as 43 Old Cemetery Road: Dying to Meet You didn’t resonate with me as much. I do like their picture books, such as Why Do You Cry? and Shall I Knit You a Hat?, but until now, I had never read any of Kate Klise’s middle grade novels, because I wasn’t sure I would like her writing style on its own, without her sister’s illustrations. The fact is, I could not have been more wrong. Homesick is the strongest book I have read by this author to date.

I wouldn’t say that Klise’s writing is especially flowery, but her words are very evocative. Dennis Acres is similar to a lot of other small towns I have read about, but her descriptions give it a very specific look and feel. As I read, I could picture each house and each business. I could imagine Benny’s dad’s leaning tower of moldy pizza boxes, and the rats living in the root cellar. I could picture Myron sitting behind the microphone at his radio station, and Benny blushing as the kids on his school bus teased him for sharing his seat with a teacher. Best of all, during the tornado that occurs at the book’s climax, I felt like I was there as Benny’s whole world fell apart. There are so many beautiful images throughout the story that just stuck with me and will stay with me for a long time.

I suppose some readers might complain that the resolution to Benny’s home situation is resolved too easily by an act of God. Other staunch realists might argue that the story isn’t believable because the events are so unlikely and contrived. I think the quality of Klise’s writing cancels out these concerns, however. The plot is important, and the characters are important, but what makes this book unique is the way the story is told. The emotions of what happens in this book are so vivid that the events of the story seem significant and possible, even if they might never happen in real life. I also think it’s neat that this book, set in the 1980s, foreshadows the Internet, and gives young readers a taste of what life was like when their parents were kids.

I recommend Homesick to fans of The Higher Power of Lucky and Susan Patron’s other books about Hard Pan, as well as to fans of the 2013 Newbery Honor book, Three Times Lucky. I also think libraries and bookstores should display Homesick face-out whenever possible. It has a great cover that is sure to attract interested readers!

I borrowed Homesick from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

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Love is in the Air by Jonathan Fenske. December 27, 2012. Penguin Young Readers. 32 pages. ISBN: 9780448461601

Love is in the Air by Jonathan Fenske is a new (December 2012) Level 2 easy reader published by Penguin Young Readers. It is designated for the “progressing reader” and its Guided Reading Level is H. After a party, Balloon is left all alone, tied to a table. Just as he starts to droop, along comes Kite, a new friend who invites Balloon to fly with her. Balloon manages to break free, but then he flies higher than Kite. Once they are side by side, they have lots of fun... until the wind dies down and Balloon runs into a bird with a sharp beak. Is this friendship doomed to deflate?

In this, his very first book, Fenske has done everything exactly right. He creates lovable characters out of everyday objects, and gives them personality and significance in just a few simple words and images. Each word of the text is important, and none is extraneous; his writing is aptly economical and perfectly suited to the reading abilities of his audience. There are also some great artistic moments that set the writing apart. Alliterative phrases like “rose on the breeze,” “cool clouds” and “down drifted Kite” give the text a pleasing poetic sound. Onomatopoeia enhances but does not take over the text, appearing only in speech bubbles to express sounds such as “Doink!” and “Plop!” This approach works so well, because readers get both the rich vocabulary of the story and the fun of those silly sound words.

The use of panels and speech bubbles give the book great visual appeal, and they work well with the cartoonish facial expressions of the two main characters. Fenske also makes great use of white space, giving the characters lots of room to move around. The result is that the illustrations feel almost animated. Visual hints that the story is set in the sky are minimal, but that sense of movement makes it impossible to forget that we’re meant to be floating on the breeze.

The relationship between the two characters is also perfect for the easy reader audience. Romances aren’t great for early elementary school kids, but gentle friendship stories still appeal to them. Kids will be intrigued by the idea of a balloon and a kite becoming friends, and they will be excited by the problems they have in being together, and ultimately comforted by the story’s sweet and happy ending. This sweetness also makes it a perfect easy reader for preschoolers who start reading early.

Love is in the Air is definitely one of my new favorite books, and I can’t wait to see more of Fenske’s fresh style. Watch for his second book, Guppy Up, out this month!

I received a review copy of Love is in the Air from the author.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

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Saige. by Jessie Haas. December 27, 2012. American Girl Publishing. 128 pages. ISBN: 9781609581664

The American Girl Doll of the Year 2013 is Saige Copeland, a horse-loving artist living in New Mexico. In her first book, written by Bramble and Maggie author Jessie Haas, Saige is disappointed to find out that due to budget cuts, she won’t have art in school for a whole year. With the help of her grandmother, Mimi, who also paints and rides horses, Saige decides to organize a parade to raise money for after school art classes. But before she and Mimi can put their plans into action, Mimi gets hurt in an accident. Suddenly, it’s up to Saige to lead the parade and find ways to encourage donations.

Like all American Girl books, Saige is a wholesome story about a girl taking charge and working to improve her community. Saige is a capable and upbeat girl who takes pride in her work and who doesn’t allow herself to succumb to setbacks or react to the typical girl drama engaged in by her best friend. She’s a good role model for tween girls, but I have to admit that her story didn’t really interest me that much. The last two American Girl Dolls of the Year - McKenna and Kanani - had exceptionally well-written and memorable books that I eagerly devoured. Saige is a much slower book with a much more generic writing style, and finishing it was a challenge. There were some interesting details, mainly regarding animal training, that made the story a bit more entertaining, but for the most part, I was disappointed.

Saige fulfills a need at my library for middle grade contemporary novels involving horses, so I'm thankful to have it on the shelves even though it's not a personal favorite. I will be sharing it with fans of the American Girl series, and with girls who enjoyed Fearless from the Summer Camp Secrets series, the Saddle Club books and stories by Marguerite Henry.

I borrowed Saige from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

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The Second Life of Abigal Walker. by Frances O'Roark Dowell. August 28, 2012. Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 240 pages. ISBN: 9781442405936

Abigail Walker is in middle school, and her best friend has moved away. This has left her wide open as a target for bullies like Kristen Gorzca and other “medium popular” girls in her class. Kristen constantly teases Abby about her weight, a topic that also frequently comes up with her parents at home. When she stands up to the bullies, it seems like Abby is destined for loneliness, but instead, she begins making friends - first with the two Indian-American boys with whom she eats lunch, and then with a boy named Anders, whose father, Matt, is dealing with the psychological fallout of serving in Iraq. Abby and her new friends bond over Matt’s interest in learning about Lewis and Clark. The story occasionally shifts to the point of view of a mysterious fox who has a connection to Matt’s experience in Iraq. Through her experience helping Matt, Abby learns to feel alive again, despite how her tormentors try to suffocate her with their cruelty.

I always develop a real affection for Frances O’Roarke Dowell’s characters, and Abby is no exception to this rule. I loved her instantly, because she is so heartbreakingly real. Like so many middle school girls, she lives on the margins, just trying to make it through each day without hurting her mom or subjecting herself to more pain. Dowell writes such lovely descriptions of Abby’s loneliness that the reader has no choice but to feel empathy for her. When it comes to authentic contemporary realistic fiction about middle school, no author has a better sense of what is true and interesting than Frances O’Roarke Dowell.

The problem with this book, though, is that it occasionally deviates from reality.

The sections of the story from the fox’s point of view - including the first chapter of the novel - are beautifully written, but they feel like they belong to another book. I could never quite figure out how the fox linked Abby to Anders, or how a fox who had witnessed Matt’s experiences in Iraq ended up in the U.S. I don’t necessarily think I wanted those things to be explained, because that might have bogged down an economical, poetic text with a lot of information, but I do wonder why the fox’s part of the story wasn’t removed during editing. I also questioned why there was also a dog in the story in addition to the fox. It seemed to me that the dog’s role could easily have been played by the fox as well.

Despite its problems, I really do recommend The Second Life of Abigail Walker, especially for middle school girls. Dowell understands tween friendship better than any author whose work I have ever read, and Abby’s story does have a satisfying ending, even if the rest of the threads don’t quite tie up. For those rare kids who ask for magical realism stories, this could be a perfect match, even if the fantasy fans and realistic fiction readers are a bit put off.

I borrowed The Second Life of Abigail Walker from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

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Nothing Special. by Geoff Herbach. May 1, 2013. Sourcebooks. 290 pages. ISBN: 9781402265075

Nothing Special is the sequel to Stupid Fast. This second book about Felton Reinstein deals with the aftermath of the physical and emotional changes he undergoes in the first book, and delves into the effects of his behavior on those around him, especially his younger brother Andrew. Felton tells the story in the form of a letter to his girlfriend, Aleah, who has taken a break from their relationship. He writes the letter on a trip to Florida, the purpose of which becomes clearer as the story he tells progresses. What we do know early on is that Andrew has run away, linked up with his dead father’s family, and caused Felton to miss football camp so that he can sort the whole thing out.

Though the story is told in Felton’s voice, it belongs just as much to Andrew. I believe it is meant to be his photo we see on the cover of the book, and “Nothing Special” refers to the way he feels about himself compared to his older, bigger, more athletic brother. Because the story belongs to both boys, the story is structurally pretty sophisticated. I give Geoff Herbach a lot of credit for switching so effortlessly back and forth between Felton’s activities at the time he writes the story and the events in the past that he is writing about. Though we never enter Andrew’s mind, Felton’s secondhand knowledge of his brother’s feelings very effectively helps the reader understand his difficulties and motivations for running away.

I have to admit that for the first few chapters, I wondered whether this sequel was such a good idea. Felton was so hilarious and so much fun to read about in the first book, and when this book wasn’t instantly just as funny, I felt myself losing interest a little bit. Things do pick up, though, and the story turns away from the sarcastic humor a little bit to show us a softer, more emotional side to Felton. Not only do we get to know more about his dead father, but we also meet a cousin who is very much like him, and we see his friendship with Gus go through some challenges and come out that much stronger. Since Felton didn’t spend very much time considering other people’s feelings in the first book, it only makes sense that he would need to repent and think about the emotional side of things a bit more in his second book.

Stupid Fast is one of the best YA novels I have ever read, and for me, it would be impossible for this sequel to live up to it. That said, Nothing Special is a strong follow-up, and readers who love Felton and the people in his life will enjoy finding out how things have turned out so far. I am looking forward to the third and final book about Felton, I’m with Stupid, whose expected publication date is May 1, 2013.

I borrowed Nothing Special from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

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Ballet Stars. by Joan Holub, illustrated by Shelagh McNicholas. June 26, 2012. Random House. 24 pages. ISBN:  9780375869099

Ballet Stars is a level one easy reader which is part of Random House’s Step into Reading series. In simple sentences author Joan Holub describes for the reader the process of presenting a ballet recital, from getting dressed and warming up to dancing on stage and taking final bows.

This is a book I think adults can easily dismiss because the front cover makes it out to be just another pink ballerina book. There are so many pink-covered books about ballerinas, and after awhile, it starts to feel like one is as good as another. I was pleasantly surprised, therefore, when the text of Ballet Stars turned out to be nearly flawless.

There are sometimes as few as two words in a sentence, but Holub makes every word count. The story rhymes, which is normally a huge drawback for me, but Holub is skillful at matching up rhyming words that fit the story, rather than just throwing in random words because they happen to rhyme. When the ballet dancers get dressed, the text reads: “Sparkly ribbons. Ballet shoes. Bright white tights. And new tutus.” When describing the dancers’ movements, Holub writes, “Ballet arms. Ballet feet. Toes point out and fingers meet.” Both these excerpts show the strength of Holub’s writing abilities. The words she uses perfectly describe the clothing and motions associated with a ballet recital, and even without the support of the illustrations, these sentences would still evoke strong mental images. Holub even manages to work in some figurative language. There are two similes in the book, when the dancers “Twirl like snowflakes” and “sway like trees.”

The illustrations by Shelagh McNicholas make the book visually appealing, and they give great context for Holub’s writing. I appreciate McNicholas’s decision to include a male ballet dancer in the class, as well as her inclusion of characters from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. I also love the way she drew the dancers’ families and even their piano accompanist on the page depicting the moment before the curtain goes up. It’s one of the few detailed drawings in the entire book, and it provides nice insights into characters who don’t really have individual personalities otherwise.

Kids who are into ballet books will probably take one home from the library with them whether it’s truly well-written or not. That’s just the nature of kids and their obsessions, whether it’s ballet, trains, dinosaurs, or something else. This book really raises the bar, though, and shows what a truly well-written book for beginning readers can accomplish. Girls, especially, will love Ballet Stars, but parents and teachers will be just as thrilled by the learning opportunities it presents.

I borrowed Ballet Stars from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

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Killer App. by Michael Dahl. 2012. Capstone. 63 pages. ISBN: 9781434232311

Killer App is very different from most early chapter books I have read, because although it is written at a first or second grade reading level, the intended audience is actually grades 4 to 8, and maybe even older. Stone Arch Books publishes a good number of series of Hi-Low novels like this one, which tell stories about high interest topics for older readers who read below grade level. Though I am not familiar with the Return to the Library of Doom series, of which this book is a part, Killer App really impressed me, and I enjoyed reading it.

The storyline centers on a Smartphone app that allows its user to download horror stories.The catch, though, is that this killer app also downloads whatever creepy creatures appear in the selected horror story. As Ivan and his best friend Mark drive along with their girlfriends, Mark’s girlfriend downloads The Raven, and almost instantly they find themselves running from a flock of angry birds. Their only hope of escape is to summon the Librarian from the Library of Doom, who will know how to counteract the birds’ attacks.

What I like most about the book is its design. The cover doesn’t really catch my eye, but the interior illustrations definitely grabbed my attention right away. Many pages have full-color illustrations which have a style similar to a lot of comic books, but even the pages that only have text on them have interesting notations and changes of font that enhance the appearance and meaning of particular words and phrases. When the phone sits gleaming on the asphalt, “gleams” is surrounded by simple images of stars, showing how the word shines. Words like “angry” and “scary” are written in large capital letters with little squiggles under and around them to help decode their meaning. When the boys laugh, the word “Ha!” appears several times around that sentence, visually representing the sound of laughter. These visual cues are so useful to new readers, and to readers who might be learning English for the first time as middle school or high school students.

The use of Smartphone technology adds to the high interest level of this book. Kids are practically addicted to their phones these days, so they will relate to characters who share that obsession, and by demonstrating that phones can be used to download books, the story subtly models print motivation. Kids who struggle with reading might have negative associations with it, but by tying their phones into the reading process, kids might start to see reading books as a more relevant activity. I also appreciate any book that shows librarians as something other than quiet ladies with buns who shush their patrons and punish them for losing their library books. The library in this book is basically a superhero, and he is literally the master of all books.

Though Killer App shares a Guided Reading Level with books from series like Henry and Mudge and Frog and Toad, it is not a story for the typical early reader. Rather, Killer App is an adventure story for tweens and teens, written on a level more easily tackled by kids who don’t yet read proficiently. I think this is a great addition to any library serving ESL students, and for school libraries serving kids at a variety of levels. I don’t know enough Hi Low titles offhand to recommend read-alikes, but pairing this book with English lessons on the works of Edgar Allan Poe would be a great start.

I received a finished copy of Killer App from the publisher.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

NOTE: This book was nominated by the publisher for the 2012 Cybils Awards in the Easy Reader/Early Chapter Book category. I am a first-round panelist in this category, but this review reflects my opinions only, not those of any other panelist, or the panel as a whole. Thanks!

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Finicky. by Karla Oceanak. illustrated by Kendra Spanjer. September 1, 2012. Bailiwick Press. 160 pages. ISBN:  9781934649244 

Glitch. by Karla Oceanak. illustrated by Kendra Spanjer. November 1, 2012. Bailiwick Press. 160 pages. ISBN: 9781934649251

The Aldo Zelnick Comic Novels are my favorite read-alike for the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, and recently, two more volumes were published: Finicky and Glitch. Finicky focuses on a change in the cafeteria lunches offered at Aldo’s school. Gone are Pizza Mondays and Aldo’s beverage of choice, chocolate milk. In their place, the school has introduced bad-tasting healthy options as part of a new program called FEAST - Food Energy and Sensational Tastes. With his friends Danny, Jack, and Bee, Aldo begins a protest campaign, begging the school to reconsider. As the campaign progresses, Aldo learns that his BMI is a little bit high, and he and his dad work to bring more exercise into their daily routines.

In Glitch, Christmas is coming, and Aldo decides to maximize his chances of receiving all the gifts he wants by composing a very long Christmas list and sending a piece of it to each of his family members, including his aunts and uncles. To satisfy Griswold, the gnome his parents have always put out to keep an eye on Aldo and his brother and report back to Santa, Aldo also becomes heavily focused on giving gifts, figuring this will provide the good Christmas karma needed to ensure he will receive everything he asked for. There are a few glitches in his plans, though, and what he actually finds under the tree on Christmas morning is a huge surprise.

There’s lots to love about both of these books, so I’ll list just a few.

Highlights from Finicky:

• The school’s cafeteria lunch overhaul inspires an art project, wherein Aldo and his classmates create self-portraits out of food in the style of Arcimboldo. Aldo’s creation is dubbed Arcimbaldo and graces the cover of the book, something he refers to in the story itself. I love that these books consistently promote learning, but in a subtle way, by incorporating interesting things into the stories themselves.
• The illustrations are filled with references to F words. Each time we see Aldo or one of his friends in an illustration, the character has a shirt on showing something different that begins with F - ferris wheel, fly, fly swatter, fan, funnel, etc. I don’t think this has been done in every book, but if it has, I missed it in Dumbstruck and Glitch. It’s a great idea, though, and I especially like that the reader has to discover it for himself. The book gives no instructions about looking for F words in the pictures.
• Aldo has interesting and varied relationships with adults. Karla Oceanak does a nice job of portraying adults through the eyes of a child. My favorite this time around is Mr. Fodder, the “lunch lady who’s a guy.”

Highlights from Glitch:

• I loved getting a glimpse into the Zelnick family’s holiday traditions, and I really enjoyed the way Bee used Griswold to try and guilt Aldo into doing the right thing.
• There is a wonderful textual and visual reference to the Grinch on page 28. Aldo talks about having “A wonderful, awful idea.” and the image beneath this sentence shows Aldo with decidedly Grinchy facial features. This series does a consistently wonderful job of not beating jokes to death, and this subtle allusion works so well. 
• Aldo, who knows very little about the Jewish religion, joins his best friend for Hannukah, and he describes the experience in perfect child-like terms, but without being offensive. I could imagine a kid like Aldo thinking of yarmulkes as bowl hats and calling dreidels weird, but I appreciated his realistic reaction to learning about his best friend’s traditions. 
• Each chapter begins with a picture of Aldo’s chocolate Advent calendar, with funny commentary from his gerbil and snake. These pictures keep the reader informed about where Aldo is in time, and also serve to number the chapters. I thought this was very clever, and kids who have Advent calendars of their own will certainly relate to the growing anticipation as each little window is opened.

Greg Heffley might be more popular these days, but I think the Aldo Zelnick books are consistently better written and better illustrated than any Wimpy Kid book. I am always impressed by the strong writing, and these two books really highlight the wonderful job Kendra Spanjer does with the illustrations. Aldo is a loveable character with realistic child-like thoughts, and his stories have lots of heart and learning opportunities, and they’re lots of fun to read.

Finicky came out in September, and Glitch was just published on November 1st. The previous titles in the series are Artsy-Fartsy, Bogus, Cahoots, Dumbstruck, and Egghead. The series has a website at aldozelnick.com where readers can find the A-Z Audio Dictionary of all the words Aldo has collected as well as information about the characters and creators of these wonderful books.

I received finished review copies of Finicky and Glitch from Bailiwick Press.

For more about these books, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

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Peanut. by Ayun Halliday and Paul Hoppe. December 26, 2012. Schwartz & Wade. 216 pages. ISBN: 9780375965906

Everyone at Sadie’s new school knows she’s allergic to peanuts. She wears a medical bracelet on her wrist, and a bronzed peanut from her boyfriend, Zoo, around her neck. She promises the nurse she will always have her epi-pen on hand, and she doesn’t buy the peanut butter cookies at the school bake sale. Everyone knows about her allergy. What they don’t know is that it isn’t real. In this forthcoming graphic novel, Sadie learns what happens when a girl desperate for attention weaves a web of lies so thick she can’t find her own way out.

The most outstanding feature of this book, hands down, is the artwork. The illustrator, Paul Hoppe, makes great use of shadow, expression, and perspective in telling the visual component of this story. Though the figures are obviously cartoons and not life-like portraits, they come across as very real, and their different body types and faces reflect the diversity of most large American high schools. I love the way his drawings show the action from different angles - the ceiling of Sadie’s bedroom or the school hallway, Sadie’s point of view as she reads a note from Zoo, or behind Sadie’s computer monitor as her eyes scan internet search results. These different perspectives make the story very dynamic, even when what is happening in the text doesn’t necessarily require a lot of physical movement. I also think it’s great that Sadie’s shirt is colored red while everything else is black, white, and gray. It made it so easy to keep track of her in every scene, and it also just makes the book more visually appealing.

The story itself is also strong at the start. The suspense builds gradually and naturally, and the reader becomes more and more aware of the stress on Sadie as she tries not to reveal the truth about her fake allergy. Unfortunately, I think the resolution comes about too quickly. It is obvious all along that the lie must come out eventually, but the way it happens is predictable and over too soon. The denouement also felt strange to me. Things between Sadie and her mom are resolved way too easily, and I can’t figure out how Zoo’s actions in the final moments of the book relate to his realization about Sadie’s lies. Pacing and plot issues aside, though, the dialogue and characterization are perfect and evoke the everyday details of the high school environment, complete with sexual innuendo and angst.

Peanut seems like a natural choice for readers who have loved Raina Telgemeier’s Smile and Drama, though it is a bit more mature than Telgemeier’s tales of middle school. I think it also compares well to books published by the DC Minx imprint such as The New York Four, Good as Lily, and Emiko Superstar. For other books about bending the truth, check out my Pants on Fire reading list.

Peanut will be available on December 26, 2012.

I received a digital ARC of Peanut from Schwartz & Wade via Edelweiss.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

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Audition & Subtraction. by Amy Fellner Dominy. September 4, 2012. Walker & Company. 272 pages. ISBN: 9780802723

Audition & Subtraction is the latest middle grade novel from OyMG author Amy Fellner Dominy. This time, Dominy takes her readers into the world of middle school band competition. Tatum is a clarinetist, and Lori plays flute. They have been best friends forever, and Lori has always been there to play duets with Tatum so she doesn’t have to face the District Honor Band judges on her own. This year, though, there’s a new clarinetist in town, Michael, and not only does he present serious competition for Tatum, he also starts dating Lori. As Lori becomes more and more focused on her relationship with Michael, Tatum worries that she will be more interested in helping her boyfriend succeed than in making sure Tatum plays well at their audition. Tatum thinks the solution might be to play a solo this year instead - after all, her teacher and her good friend Aaron both think she can do it - but it will never be possible until Tatum believes it herself.

I, too, was a middle school clarinet player, and though I never willingly entered any sort of competition, I could relate to Tatum’s desire to play well, and to her fears about doing so on her own in front of strangers. I think the author did a wonderful job of capturing the details of the middle school band environment. I loved the way Tatum and Aaron subtly goofed off during rehearsal, and I nearly cheered when I saw a mention of “Air for Band.” (To this day, when I hear that piece, I am transported back to 7th grade symphonic band. Listen to it here.)

Aside from the wonderful details about band life, I also appreciated the depth of the emotions experienced by Dominy’s characters. Tatum’s doubts in herself are the doubts of every tween girl, which gives the book this great universal girl appeal, but Lori and Michael come across as complex and flawed individuals as well. Lori revels in her newfound attention from boys after her recent weight loss, and Michael frets over the opinions of his professional musician father, who promises to come visit only if his son gets into the Honor Band. The characterization is the strongest aspect of the story because Dominy takes the time to add layers to each character, not just to the protagonist.

The last couple chapters of this book are a little sappy, I won’t deny that, but the ending is so satisfying. I think girls will really see themselves in Tatum, and root for her, and when they finally see her learn how to stand on her own, I hope they feel the same relief and love for her as a character that I felt. I got a little bit teary-eyed reading this story; anyone who had a tough time in middle school will probably do the same.

Audition & Subtraction is a logical read-alike for How to Rock Braces and Glasses, Ten Miles Past Normal, and Notes from an Accidental Band Geek, since all three books have a strong musical theme. It also compares well to some of Lauren Barnholdt’s tween fiction, which also focuses on friendships and dating, but not as much on sex or puberty. (Fun fact: The cover illustration for Audition & Subtraction was done by Nathalie Dion, who also does the covers for Lauren Barnholdt's tween novels!) Audition & Subtraction is a perfect bridge book between things like the Cupcake Diaries and the Baby-sitters Club and the more mature themes of books by authors like Lauren Myracle and Judy Blume. It’s one of my favorite books from this year, and I can’t wait to see where Amy Fellner Dominy takes us next!

I borrowed Audition & Subtraction from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

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Love and Other Perishable Items. by Laura Buzo. December 11, 2012. Random House. 256 pages. ISBN: 9780375870002

Amelia is fifteen years old, and she works at a grocery store in Sydney, Australia. Her mother struggles to work, keep the house, and raise Amelia’s little sister, while her father travels for work and fails to pull his weight. Chris is twenty-one years old, and he too, works at the grocery store, which he calls The Land of Dreams. He’s had his heart broken, badly, and in his notebooks he now documents his quest for the perfect woman, as well as his dilemma over what to do with his life after college graduation. Amelia is deliriously in love with Chris. Chris wishes Amelia were older. Can there be any hope for romance between them?

This book is one of the best contemporary YA novels I have ever read. Typically, in stories where the point of view alternates between two or more characters, there is one point of view that I prefer over the other. In this case, both main characters are so compelling, it’s impossible to choose a favorite. I related so closely to Amelia, whose longing for Chris’s affections mirrors the unrequited love of fifteen-year-old girls everywhere. Many times I wanted to shake her and tell her that there is no way someone six years her senior would fall in love with her, but at other times, I wanted it as much as she did. On the flip side, I could understand completely Chris’s desire to be out on his own, to find a woman who will love him, and to stop hanging around a grocery store filled with high school kids. Amelia and Chris represent two ends of an adolescent spectrum, both of which are part of this “young adult” category. I thought it was such a good idea to bring them together in one story, which will appeal to a wide audience, but whose meaning will change depending on the age and experience of the individual reader. If I’d read this book at fifteen, I would have loved Amelia and misunderstood Chris. If I’d read it at 20, Chris would have been the character I loved most, and I would have dismissed Amelia as annoying and immature. Reading it now, at 30, after having lived through both high school and college, my view of the story is more balanced.

Aside from the strong voices, what impressed me the most about this book was the structure. Amelia’s chapters relate events in her life one month at a time. Then we get to look at Chris’s notebook, where he relates some of the same events, and additional ones that matter to him but not to Amelia. While Amelia’s sections feel like confessions directly to the reader, reading Chris’s chapters made me feel like I was eavesdropping, getting the full story without his knowledge. Knowing in every scene that I would eventually get the other character’s side of the story kept me in almost constant suspense, and I loved the way Chris’s chapters often changed my perspective on what happened in Amelia’s chapters, or vice versa. I also thought it was great that Chris had so much more going on his life that Amelia didn’t know about, but that her crush was still so vital to her day-to-day existence.

The Australian setting was also a treat for me. It was neat to experience Christmas as a summertime holiday, for example. I also appreciated that the US edition of the book wasn’t too Americanized, though I know some changes were made, even to the title. (The Australian title is Good Oil.) I was also thrilled by the grocery store setting. I have been trying for years to write a decent story set in a grocery store, but have never been able to get the details right. Thankfully, Laura Buzo nails it.

This is a great YA novel with lots of emotional depth and detail that rings true for the high school experience and the end-of-college experience. There is some language, drug use, and drinking, but nothing too graphic. I’m pretty sensitive about stuff like that, and the only thing that gave me pause was Chris’s cocaine use, mostly because it seemed to come out of nowhere. Literary allusions and discussions of feminism and philosophy abound in Amelia’s interactions with Chris. I bookmarked many references so I could find out more about them later on. Amelia is fifteen, but I hope that doesn’t put off older teen readers, as this is a sophisticated story that deals with many important coming of age issues, from dating and love to family and careers. I truly can’t recommend this book highly enough, and I hope my readers will share it widely with teens they know and love.


I received a digital ARC of Love and Other Perishable Items from Random House via NetGalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

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Not Exactly a Love Story by Audrey Couloumbis. December 11, 2012. Random House. 288 pages. ISBN: 9780375867835

Vinnie is fifteen, and his life has undergone some recent major changes. First, he and his mom move to a new town, leaving behind the girl Vinnie has loved from afar for years. Next, his mom falls in love with his new gym teacher, and decides to marry him. Then, Vinnie starts to get interested in a girl in his neighborhood named Patsy, and he makes an obscene phone call to her house to try to get her attention. Patsy is more intrigued than horrified by the call, and soon Vinnie is calling Patsy every night at midnight and the two teens are telling each other things they’d never tell anyone else. There is just one problem with their late-night friendship. Vinnie, who is also getting to know Patsy during the day, has never revealed his identity as the midnight caller, and he’s afraid if he ever does, Patsy will no longer care for him.

Not Exactly a Love Story is set in 1977, which is what makes possible the anonymous phone calls at the heart of the story. In 2012, with cell phones and caller ID, it’s a lot harder for teens like Vinnie to make untraced phone calls to the girls of their dreams, so I imagine that this is why the author chose to set the story in the past. I hesitate to truly call it historical fiction, as it reads similarly to a lot of contemporary YA books, but some references to pop culture and clothing, along with the phone calls, give it a 70s vibe, even if the time period is not of major importance.

Vinnie is a likeable character from the very first page. This is especially important because he’s so isolated and in his own head for much of the story. Being new in school has made finding friends difficult, so there’s not the usual best friend character for him to bounce ideas off of. His mom and the gym teacher play their supporting roles well, but for the most part, the reader is in Vinnie’s head as he sorts out his phone call persona from his true self. Many sections of the story are simply debates Vinnie has with himself over what to say or do next. Thankfully, these debates are interesting and raise a lot of questions, not just about communication, but about identity and honesty. Vinnie also makes observations about Patsy, the boys she dates, and her group of friends, which are among the best parts of the book. I love the way he calls Patsy’s boyfriend Biff, and refers to one of her best friends as Brown Bunny based on how she looks.

Some story threads seemed to me to be left unresolved. Patsy reconnects with a girl named Sissy early in the book in a scene that felt significant in some way, and I kept waiting for Sissy to reappear again later on in some final twist. This did not happen, and I was left wondering why Sissy was in the story at all. I felt the same way about the girl Vinnie leaves behind at the start of the book. Why bother starting the story there, when Patsy is the girl we’re meant to care about? It’s fine to have a story that doesn’t package everything up neatly, but in this case, I felt these story lines had been forgotten rather than intentionally left ambiguous.

Not Exactly a Love Story will appeal to girls, of course, because of the romance angle, but there’s also a lot for teen boys to relate to. Vinnie is similar to other great male narrators from this year: Guy Langman (Guy Langman, Crime Scene Procrastinator), Sanskrit Zuckerman (Since You Left Me), and Felton Reinstein (Nothing Special). Fifteen year old boys from any time period can relate to Vinnie’s desire to get the girl of his dreams, and they will sympathize better than anyone with the mistakes he makes on the road to getting what he wants.

Not Exactly a Love Story was published yesterday, December 11, 2012.


I received a digital ARC of Not Exactly a Love Story from Random House via NetGalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

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Walking the Dog. by Linda Benson. September 21, 2012. Musa Publishing. ISBN: 9781619373426
Walking the Dog is a story of friendship between Sophie, the new girl in class with a history of abuse, and Jared, whose parents have forbidden him to spend time with Sophie because of her premature knowledge of sexuality. The two bond over their love for a new puppy who belongs to the school therapist, and their friendship later blossoms when they volunteer together at an animal shelter. Jared isn’t forthcoming with his parents, however, and he finds himself telling more and more lies and risking more and more trouble just to spend time with his new friend.

I have to say that the overall premise of the story - that Jared’s parents would forbid their son to spend time with Sophie because of her history - really rubbed me the wrong way. I can’t really imagine a set of parents who would blame Sophie for what happened to her, or assume that she would somehow taint or endanger their own child in any way. Perhaps such an ignorant set of parents exists, but the ones in this story seemed otherwise so normal and reasonable that it was hard for me to buy into their prejudices. By the same token, I found myself wondering whether the mentions of Sophie’s sexual abuse were appropriate for the book’s audience. Ultimately, I think the story requires some hints at her past in order to explain her behavior and Jared’s parents’ response to his interactions with her, but I think those moments are more mature than the tone of the rest of the book. I could see a third grader being interested and starting to read this book and suddenly being totally thrown off by the mentions of sexual abuse. The book just struck me as younger than its content.

All of those issues aside, though, I think this is a truly well-written story that conveys the complicated emotions kids feel when they know they’re doing the right thing even when an adult says differently. Jared is there for Sophie, no matter the consequences, and in return, Sophie is also there for him, especially when it matters most. Their mutual love of innocent, overlooked, and neglected animals mirrors their affection for each other and provides a great lesson in caring for the weakest among us without judgment or reservation. I appreciated the fact that Sophie’s bad situation gets a fairly positive resolution, but one that is still believable. I also think the story does a nice job of redeeming Jared’s parents, but the redemption felt forced for me since I didn’t really buy into their attitudes toward Sophie in the first place.

Discounting the brief passages about the abuse, this book would make a nice read-alike for some of Andrew Clements’s school stories, and for more serious, literary books like As Simple As It Seems by Sarah Weeks and The Last Best Days of Summer by Valerie Hobbs. It’s also a valuable story to share with kids who are overcoming abusive situations, or to kids who are trying to help friends in similar situations. For middle school kids who like Chris Crutcher, Walking the Dog is another fast-paced friendship story about a kid in a bad situation whose life improves when she makes a good friend.

I received a digital review copy of Walking the Dog from the author. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads.

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Wedgieman: A Hero is Born. by Charise Mericle Harper, illustrated by Bob Shea. August 7, 2012. 48 pages. ISBN: 9780375970580

Wedgieman: A Hero is Born is a level 3 easy reader from Random House’s Step into Reading series. (In this series, Level 3 is for readers who can read independently, and the back of the book promises engaging characters, easy-to-follow plots, and popular topics.) Though the title suggests comparisons to the Captain Underpants series, I am happy to report that Wedgieman is somewhat less gross than the famed chapter book hero. In fact, Wedgieman starts out as Veggiebaby, then Veggieboy, and finally Veggieman, a superhero who wants to help kids eat their vegetables and stay healthy. (I like to think of him as Captain Vegetable for the 21st Century.) Wedgieman only gets his new underwear-inspired nickname after a mix-up with the letter on his uniform and a run-in with some kids who are fond of toilet humor.

While I don’t necessarily think the plot of this book is the most original thing in the world, I have to say that the telling of the story and the artwork really stand out from other easy readers. Charise Mericle Harper’s sense of humor is perfect for early elementary school students, and Bob Shea’s illustrations give the book the cartoonish feel it needs to draw in superhero fans. Harper makes great use of alliteration early in the book when she describes the shapes Veggiebaby can build out of his food (broccoli bears, spinach spiders, etc.) and again when she talks about the mess Veggiebaby makes while eating (peas in his pants, cabbage on the cat, etc.) Though the story doesn’t give a lot of room for description, Harper works in a few great lines showing, rather than telling us, about things like Veggieboy’s strength. “He held a bus full of chattering grandmas high in the air” is just about the best sentence I can imagine to convey a superhero’s super abilities.

The underwear humor in the second half of the book isn’t my cup of tea, but I know a lot of kids - both boys and girls - who are in that stage right now who will laugh themselves silly when they read this book. I also think there is something appealing about a bumbling superhero character who isn’t as smart or as savvy as the kids around him. That kind of humor works well for this age group, even if I do think the kids’ gossiping and name-calling is a bit mean-spirited.

All in all, Wedgieman is a promising new series sure to appeal to fans of other funny easy reader series like Fly Guy, George and Martha, and Elephant and Piggie as well as to readers who enjoy the Super Friends and other Marvel and DC comics easy readers.

I borrowed Wedgieman: A Hero is Born from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

NOTE: This book was nominated by LoriA for the 2012 Cybils Awards in the Easy Reader/Early Chapter Book category. I am a first-round panelist in this category, but this review reflects my opinions only, not those of any other panelist, or the panel as a whole. Thanks!

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The Friendship Matchmaker. by Randa Abdel-Fattah. July 17, 2012. Walker Books. 192 pages. ISBN: : 9780802728326

Lara Zany is famous at her middle school for being a Friendship Matchmaker. A loner by choice, she devotes all of her spare time to helping her classmates change their behavior in order to become suitable best friends for other kids in their grade. Though she doesn’t like to talk about the details, Lara has had experiences that make her an expert on changing oneself to fit in. When Emily arrives at the school, however, she begins to challenge Lara’s ideas, suggesting that maybe girls really can be themselves and still be cool.

This book has a fabulous set-up, and the perfect title. The title is actually what made me pick it up, and the story itself is exactly the kind of thing I would have loved to read when I was in fifth or sixth grade. Lara is a sympathetic character whose point of view reflects the worries of lots of girls her age. Her advice is questionable, but her heart is in the right place, and kids who read to the end will be likely to forgive her for leading her classmates astray in the first place.

What they will be less likely to forgive, I think, is the rushed ending itself. Lara hints throughout the story to the sordid past events that turned her into a loner by choice. The reader gets really interested in that backstory, but it is never explained. There is a brief moment where it looks like we will get answers, and Lara literally flees the scene, leaving the entire thing unresolved. On the flip side, everything else in the story is tied up way too quickly and neatly, making the reader wonder why there was ever so much turmoil in the first place. The story deserved a much more thoughtful and truthful ending, and it disappointed me to see that the brilliant concept was not carried through to its completion very successfully.

Only one thing gives me hope - there is a sequel entitled The Friendship Matchmaker Undercover, where I hope maybe these important neglected issues from the first book will be revisited. I would still argue that the author should not have left those dangling threads for the second book, but if I got some closure in book two, I’d be happy enough to let that slide.

The Friendship Matchmaker is a good middle grade read to recommend to fans of Lauren Barnholdt, Jo Whittemore, and Tricia Rayburn. It’s realistic and engaging, with a positive message and lots of heart. Girls will see themselves in Lara, and in many of the other characters as well, and they’ll have lots to say about Lara’s rules for making friends. This would also be a great mother-daughter book club read!

I borrowed The Friendship Matchmaker from my local public library. 

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat.

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Mallory McDonald, Super Snoop. by Laurie Friedman. September 1, 2012. Capstone. 152 pages. ISBN: 9780761360735
 
Mallory’s brother, Max, has a girlfriend, and Mallory is convinced they are up to something whenever she’s not around. Deciding she absolutely must know what is going on, Mallory becomes a spy. Even after her babysitter instructs her to give her brother some privacy, Mallory just can’t help herself. It’s only after she takes things too far that Mallory realizes how wrong her behavior really is.

I have been a fan of the Mallory series since I discovered the books 3 or 4 years ago. I’ve always liked that the title heroine is a flawed character who makes a lot of mistakes, but who is also always willing to apologize. Mallory has changed in the last few books, however, and this story was almost too much for me. I was excited by the cover because I thought Mallory would be solving a real mystery, so I was disappointed right off the bat when I found out she was just spying on her brother. Honestly, I couldn’t believe that a ten-year-old would care this much about her brother’s relationship with his girlfriend. It’s not as though Max ever spent tons of time with Mallory in the previous books. Why the sudden interest? I found it equally unbelievable that Mallory couldn’t guess what a boyfriend and girlfriend might be doing together behind closed doors. I felt like the author was asking me to believe Mallory was naive about boy/girl relationships, which is hard to do when there have been at least two previous books dealing with Mallory’s own crushes. There is no way she couldn’t guess they might be kissing or holding hands or something.

I realize that Mallory is aging as the series goes on, and that her interests and concerns will change over time, but I think the changes reflected in this book actually turn Mallory into a totally different character. Mallory has always made mistakes. Maybe she’s even been a little bit selfish at times, but she has always had good intentions. This story doesn’t really show those good intentions or even give a sufficient motive for her annoying, rude, and hurtful actions. I’ve mentioned in the past that I don’t think this series needs to focus on dating to stay relevant - Mallory McDonald, Super Snoop has proven to me that this subject matter actually turns the series into something else entirely.

Mallory McDonald Super Snoop will interest fans of the series, but I’m not sure it will be their favorite addition. Personally, I hope that the next book (apparently entitled Mallory and Mary Anne Take New York) gets back to the heart of what this series has always been about - being a good friend, caring about others, and working to make things right when mistakes are made.

I received a digital ARC of Mallory McDonald, Super Snoop from Capstone via NetGalley.

For more about this book, visit Goodreads and Worldcat. 

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Listen to my Trumpet. by Mo Willems. February 7, 2012 Hyperion. 64 pages. ISBN: 9781423154044

Piggie has a trumpet, and she wants to play for Gerald. The only problem is, she’s not very good. How will she react when Gerald tells her what she plays is far from music?

I will always think the Elephant and Piggie series, as a whole, is brilliant. Only Mo Willems could bring such joy out of such simple lines on a plain white page. Some of the books in the series have been truly exceptional - especially There is a Bird on Your Head, My Friend is Sad, and We Are in a Book. Last year’s additions to the series started feeling a bit forced to me, and I started thinking it might be time for Willems to pack it in and move onto something else. Listen to My Trumpet has once again started me thinking that way.

This book has a great punchline, which I enjoyed, but getting there is very tedious. For pages upon pages, basically all the reader gets to do is read various onomatopoetic words interspersed with Gerald’s grumblings and Piggie’s excited pronouncements about her talent. The artwork doesn’t seem as polished as it did in earlier books, and even the relationship between the two main characters themselves doesn’t seem as engaging. I think all series reach a point where they just get repetitive and nothing new really happens, and that has happened for me with Elephant & Piggie. Kids continue to love them, and I will continue to recommend them to families with new readers, but if Mo Willems were to end this series soon and try something new, I’d truly be all for it.

I borrowed Listen to my Trumpet from my local public library. 

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Take a Bow. by Elizabeth Eulberg. April 1, 2012. Point. 278 pages. ISBN: 9780545334747

Emme, Ethan, Carter and Sophie are students at a competitive performing arts high school. Emme and Ethan are talented songwriters and members of the same band. Carter is a former child star who secretly wishes to leave the spotlight. Sophie is a singer who uses Emme for her songs and Carter for his fame. As senior year begins, all four talented teens are focused on one thing - the senior showcase, and what their performances will mean for their futures.

Though this young adult novel is told from four different points of view, and equal time is spent on each character’s thoughts, I thought Emme was the true protagonist, and I was very invested in what happened to her. I liked the fact that she was a talented, confident, and kind person, and I thought it was interesting to see how other characters either treasured or took advantage of her kindness. I thought her relationship to the members of the band, including Ethan, was very well-developed. The affection among those characters came through loud and clear in their dialogue and made me feel the same sense of warmth and comfort Emme feels when she performs with them.

Though she was not a likeable character, I also really enjoyed reading about Sophie. Her desperation and duplicity were somewhat one-dimensional, but I didn’t really care because she was so much fun to dislike. I was nervous every time I came around to one of her chapters, because I just couldn’t wait for Emme to figure out what a jerk she was, and how terribly she was being used. I didn’t like Sophie, but I thought it was useful to have her point of view so the reader understood that she didn’t really deserve the kindnesses Emme extends to her.

Finally, I really liked the romance that emerged between Emme and Ethan. Their complicated relationship provided a lot of twists and turns in the plot of the book and it was very satisfying to see them pulled apart and brought back together again and again.

Elizabeth Eulberg’s writing is very light and fluffy, with lots of dialogue and not too much in the way of description. This makes Take a Bow a great book for busy teens with lots on their plates who want to read something quick as a means of escape. High school drama club members, and other teens who like the spotlight will see familiar personalities and situations in this book, and will likely sympathize with the pressures of their chosen career path. Take a Bow will be perfect for fans of Eulberg’s 2010 novel, The Lonely Hearts Club, as well as Allen Zadoff’s My Life, the Theater, and Other Tragedies and Melissa Kantor’s Darlings series.

I borrowed Take a Bow from my local public library. 

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The Mouse in My House. by Paul Orshoski. 2012. Treasure Bay. 41 pages. ISBN: 9781601152572

The Mouse in My House is a level 1 easy reader in the We Both Read series. Like all the other We Both Read books, this one divides its text in half. The left-hand side of the page is to be read by an adult, while the right-hand side is reserved for the child. This division is explained in an introductory note and also signified by a set of circles. When it is the adult’s turn to read, the larger of the two circles is shown with a mouth, while the smaller remains empty. When it is the child’s turn, the smaller circle has the mouth and the larger has none. This visual cue is a nice touch that helps the new reader understand when it is his turn without having to know any complicated vocabulary to figure that out.

The Mouse in My House follows the hi-jinks that ensue when a boy finds a mouse living amongst his toys. The rhyming text talks about the various ways the family tries to chase the mouse away, and then follows the persistent mouse from the farm where he is released right back to the family’s home again. The story ends on a cute punchline that will amuse both parent and child. The problem, though, is that it takes too long to reach the ending, and the rhyming becomes more and more distracting as the plot progresses. In some places, entire lines sound forced and out of place, and it is obvious certain words were chosen just because they rhyme. This includes the introduction of a new character (Mailman Gus) only a few pages from the end of story, which threw even me for a bit of a loop!

I also noticed some inconsistencies in capitalization of the words mom and dad. Every time “mom” or “dad” is used as a proper name, it should begin with a capital letter. When we talk about “my mom” or “her dad,” then there is no capitalization because we are using the words as plain old ordinary nouns. The first half of the book applies this rule incorrectly; then suddenly, in the second half, capital Ms and Ds start to appear. I realize most new readers won’t pick up on that, but it is a problem when a book designed to support kids in learning to read is uncertain of proper usage. In fact, this book probably could have provided some good teachable moments about proper nouns if not for this glaring error.

I often recommend the We Both Read books to my library patrons because I think kids really benefit from sharing their reading experiences with the adults in their lives, and because they do offer such great opportunities for recognizing sight words and gaining confidence reading those words aloud. This book will not be a go-to title for me next time a parent asks me for a recommendation. Actually, now I’m tempted to read some more titles in the series to find out whether other titles contain these errors. (I happened to flip open to the first page of Sharks by Sindy McKay and noticed a subject-verb agreement issue in the very first sentence. Thus, I am concerned.)

I borrowed The Mouse in my House from my local public library. 

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New Firsts. by Diana Gallagher. August 1, 2012. Capstone. 144 pages. ISBN: 9781434245915

Best friends Monica and Claudia have survived middle school, and they are now ready to take on their freshman year. In mostly light-hearted, breezy prose, the two girls recount the events of their first few weeks of ninth grade, which include meeting new friends, flirting with boys and getting into a huge disagreement with each other. Through it all, though, the girls prove that best friends really are forever.

This book is hugely appealing because of its tone and its layout. The bright cover and the graphics at the beginning of each chapter - including the full-page dividers between chapters that show little doodles of hearts - are really eye-catching and teen-friendly. These physical characteristics of the book work with the easy-to-read, straightforward text to draw in girls who might typically shy away from books by putting them at ease. It’s easy to believe in Monica and Claudia as real teens with an interesting story to tell because their characters are contained in such an unintimidating package.

I also think the author does a great job of capturing the confusion, uncertainty, and drama of the start of high school. Not everything that happens in this book is terribly original, but I think that’s part of what might make kids interested in it. It’s familiar territory, and the story sort of helps to navigate those uncharted waters. Actually, I think the story is as relevant to girls starting middle school as it is to high schoolers, since the subject matter is very tame and focuses mainly on friendships and budding interest in boys. Stone Arch Books describes its contemporary fiction as “safe,” and I think that’s a good word for it. Reading New Firsts is a positive experience, with a focus on the good, and the healthy.

New Firsts was published on August 1. Prior to that, Claudia and Monica were also stars of their own respective series, set during middle school: the Claudia Cristina Cortez series  and the Monica series. This new book is part of a series as well, entitled Freshman Girls. There are three more books following New Firsts: Homecoming, Haunted Love, and Tested.

I received a digital ARC of New Firsts from Capstone via NetGalley.

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Mittens at School. by Lola M. Schaefer, illustrated by Susan Kathleen Hartung. June 26, 2012. HarperCollins. 32 pages. ISBN: 9780061702242

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The Encyclopedia of Me. by Karen Rivers. September 1, 2012. Scholastic. 256 pages. ISBN:  9780545310284 

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Third Grade Angels. by Jerry Spinelli. September 1, 2012. Arthur A. Levine Books. 112 pages. ISBN: 9780545387729

Third Grade Angels is a prequel to Fourth Grade Rats, a beloved Jerry Spinelli chapter book originally published in 1991. As of writing this review I have not yet read Fourth Grade Rats (though it is on my to-read list), so my evaluation of this book is based solely on the story itself, and not how well it does or does not complement the first one.

George, better known as “Suds” due to his love for taking long baths has always heard the rhyme that says first grade babies/second grade cats/third grade angels/fourth grade rats. This year, as he enters third grade, he learns that his teacher, Mrs. Simms, literally wants her students to be angels, and that she will award one student per month with a halo for their efforts. Suds, who never likes to come in second, decides that he must be the first one to receive a halo, and he immediately starts doing extra nice things with the sole intention of impressing his teacher. But it turns out that being an angel is a lot harder than it sounds, and it might involve more than simply being good when the adults are watching.

I have no doubt that the lesson of this story - that being good is less about ourselves and more about how we treat others - will be the delight of parents and teachers alike, especially those who believe the purpose of children’s literature is always to instruct and to educate children on how to be better citizens. I like it for that reason, too, because I’m an adult, and I like knowing there are books out there still protecting childhood innocence and promoting good morals. For kids, though, the moral will probably not be as appealing as the other positive qualities of this book - mainly its sense of humor, fast-paced dialogue, and memorable characters.

Suds is by far my favorite character of the story. He just comes across as so real, with all the innocence and mischief of a real eight-year-old boy. A great example of why I love Suds comes early in chapter three:

[Joey] held out his first. I stared at it. “Bump me, dude,” he said.

“Oh,” I said. I bumped him. I guess I did it right because he didn’t laugh or sneer. It my first-ever fist bump.

I love that he is the kind of kid who has never fist bumped, but who would take note of the first time he does so.

I also love the connection he was with his mom, and the discussions they have while he is in the bathtub, especially about Suds’s longtime crush on Judy Billings. These moments remind me quite a bit of the discussions between Clementine and her parents in the Clementine series. Another similarity to Clementine is that Suds call his little sister Zippernose in the same way that Clementine calls her brother different vegetable-related nicknames.

Third Grade Angels is the perfect early chapter book. Its sense of humor, characterization, and storytelling style are all spot-on, and there is never a dull moment in the entire story. This is definitely one of the best books I have read this year, and I’m eager to see how it compares to the first book, especially with 20 years between the two.

Third Grade Angels will be published on September 1, 2012.

I received a digital ARC of Third Grade Angels from Scholastic via NetGalley.

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Wilma Tenderfoot #3: The Case of the Fatal Phantom. by Emma Kennedy. June 28, 2012 (US). Dial. 272 pages. ISBN:  9780803735422 
Wilma Tenderfoot is an apprentice to the great detective, Theodore P. Goodman. She knows little of her past, since she was abandoned at the Lowside Institute for Woeful Children as a baby, but she hopes to use the skills she learns from Dr. Goodman to help uncover the mystery of her own life. In the meantime, she serves as a faithful assistant to Dr. Goodman as he solves various cases around the island of Cooper. In this third book in the series, Wilma and her dog Pickle uncover a mummified body on the property of the Blackheart Mansion. The mummy is holding a key which is supposed to unlock a hidden treasure, but the treasure is guarded by a Fatal Phantom. To make matters worse, Wilma’s enemy, Barbu D’Anvers and several members of the Blackheart family all have different motives for finding the treasure themselves. Who will get there first, and how can Wilma find the evidence she needs to prove the Phantom really does exist?

This is a clever book reminiscent of A Series of Unfortunate Events, but with more characters and British English and fewer vocabulary lessons. Wilma is a plucky, determined heroine who is appealing even when she makes huge errors, and though she is basically the only child character in the book, she holds her own and keeps readers connected to all that is happening. The plot is well thought out, with a couple of twists I never saw coming, and I especially liked the moments when the story drifted into Pickle’s point of view. The ending lines of each chapter, where the narrator offers bits of commentary, are some of my favorite quotations from the book. I normally don’t like books that break the fourth wall in that way, but there is something really enjoyable about reading things like, “Abject terror? Are things about to turn positively PETRIFYING? Let’s hope not, eh?”

I have to confess that for the most part, reading this book was a struggle for me. I can’t find a thing wrong with it - it’s a well-written mystery, with lots of suspense and a couple of real surprises. I think it’s just not my type of book. There are plenty of kids who will dive right into the setting and fall in love with Wilma, but I was overwhelmed by the number of characters and put off by the cutesy word play and silly humor in some sections. I also wished desperately for Wilma to interact more with other kids - it’s hard to relate to a children’s book where most of the characters are adults.

As the book jacket suggests, this book is sure to be a hit with Lemony Snicket’s fans. I think it might also please readers who enjoy Enola Holmes, Gilda Joyce, Nancy Drew, and Ruby Redfort. The Case of the Fatal Phantom is the third book in the series. The first two titles are The Case of the Frozen Hearts and The Case of the Putrid Poison.

I borrowed The Case of the Fatal Phantom from my local public library. 

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