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Book: Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked
Author: Jarrett J. Krosoczka (@StudioJJK)
Pages: 280
Age Range: 8 and up 

I'm a huge fan of Jarrett J. Krosoczka's Lunch Lady series of graphic novels for early middle grade readers. So I was interested to see what he would do with a middle grade novel. The Frog Who Croaked is the first book in the new Platypus Police Squad series. As I expected from Krosoczka, it is quite entertaining.

The Frog Who Croaked is a noir-ish detective story, liberally illustrated by the author, and aimed at readers 8 and up. As you might gather from the title, the primary protagonist, Rick Zengo, is a platypus. Even more unusual in middle grade protagonists, Zengo is an adult, albeit one who still lives at home with his parents and sometimes acts like a 10 year old.

As The Frog Who Croaked begins, Zengo is about to head off for his first day of work as a detective with the Platypus Police Squad. He is partnered with a gruff veteran detective named Corey O'Malley. The two experience friction, due to their vastly different approaches to crime-solving. But, as they investigate the case of a missing frog (a respected teacher who may have been involved with the illegal fish market), they come to value on another's strengths. 

Krosoczka's writing style is a kid-friendly version of hardboiled detective fiction. The violence and cynicism are toned down to be kid-appropriate, and there isn't any profanity. Humorous substitutions occur throughout the book, like characters drinking root-beer floats instead of beer. But in tone, The Frog Who Croaked feels like noir fiction. Like this:

"This is the city. Kalamazoo City.Population: 75,000. By day, it's a bright, vibrant metropolis, the kind of city where dreams come true... But it is a different city once the sun goes down. The criminal element, asleep by day, haunts certain dark corners at night. Especially the run down old docks on the south side of town, perhaps the darkest corner of all." (Page 1)

The illustrations weren't final in the version of the book that I read, so I'll just say that the frequent black and white illustrations help make The Frog Who Croaked accessible to younger readers. They also fill in certain details that are not always directly spelled out in the text (as one might expect from someone with a graphic novel background).

For example, Krosoczka often neglects to spell out exactly what animal each character is (there's a wide range, not just platypuses). He implies it through descriptive text sometimes (like a boy who "scuttles" away), but often leaves the reader to determine this via the pictures. I wonder if this technique is a subtle lesson in taking diversity as it comes. We don't always need to spell out characters' "ethnicity". Either way, I like it

I also like that while there are human aspects to the characters' behavior (it would be hard to write the book otherwise), Krosoczka also includes animal-specific details. Like this:

"Zengo brushed his mouth plates, polished his bill, and then opened the vanity mirror, selecting one of the neatly placed bottles of fur product. He squeezed a dab out onto his webbed flipper and with a quick flip of the tufts of his coiffure, he was ready for his day." (Chapter 1)

There's a funny moment in which one of the Zengo laments working "at a snail's pace", and gets a disgusted look from a passing family of snails. 

Zengo himself is a well-developed character, enthusiastic about his job, struggling to feel independent while still living at home, and just beginning to be aware of the advantages that his well-off upbringing has conveyed. He talks when he shouldn't, and makes mistakes that a more politically seasoned detective would be able to avoid. And he is deeply suspicious of the city's magnanimous benefactor, Frank Pandini, Jr. Zengo's relationship with his partner evolves plausibly, and not too quickly.

The Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked is a great introduction to the detective novel genre for middle grade readers (or book-resistant middle schoolers). It has enough pictures to lend plenty of scaffolding for younger readers, but also doesn't shrink from using relatively advanced vocabulary words ("facade", "animosity"). It has distinctive characters and settings, and a nice mix of deadpan humor and ridiculous details (like the cops using boomerangs instead of guns). In short, The Frog Who Croaked is a lot of fun. Recommended for readers 8 and up. 

Publisher: Walden Pond Press (@WaldenPondPress)
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Source of Book: Advance review copy from the publisher

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Book: Lenny Cyrus, School Virus
Author: Joe Schreiber
Illustrator: Matt Smith
Pages: 288
Age Range: 9 and up 

Lenny Cyrus, School Virus is a middle grade novel about a geeky middle school boy who figures out how to shrink himself down to the size of a virus. Instead of calling the news cameras, Lenny uses this scientific breakthrough to insert his miniaturized self into the body of Zooey, a girl he's had a crush on for five years.

The story is told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of Lenny, Zooey, and Lenny's best friend, Harlan. These alternating viewpoints are necessary, given that, you know, Lenny can't see what's going on outside of Zooey's body for much of the story. The voices of the three kids aren't incredibly diverse, but their situations are so different that I only once had trouble remembering who was narrating a given chapter (this was late in the book, where the chapters become quite brief as the action ramps up). 

Despite the characters being in middle school, Lenny Cyrus, School Virus feels like a middle grade novel. The plot is a fun ride, though it does require a certain suspension of belief. Lenny and Harlan are able to communicate by cell phone, for example, while Lenny is miniaturized to the size of a virus. The other viruses and cells and what-have-you inside of Zooey have faces and personalities and active social lives.

[Personally, the detail that I found most implausible was that Lenny's parents could be high school sweethearts, and both have IQs above 187. How could there be two super-geniuses like that in one high school? And if there were, how could they be normal enough to function and marry? But that is a quibble.]

There are crushes, and one ludicrous attempt at a kiss, but there's no serious dating or anything like that. There is bullying, but even that is rendered more in humorous than serious vein. (Remember that scene in A Christmas Story where Ralphie beats up the bully? Yeah. Like that.)

Schreiber's writing is witty, albeit with a scientific bent. I flagged quite a number of passages. Like:

""Are you crying?"

"What? No. No. I'm just ... sweating."

"From your eyes?"

I gazed at her, unable to speak. I was only eight years old, but I knew true beauty when I saw it. She had smooth hair that swung down past her shoulders and the kind of scratchy voice that made it sound like she'd just stopped laughing or was about to start again. Behind her glasses, her eyes were that mure methylene blue that you only see in perfectly balanced chemical solutions." (Page 4, Lenny)

And this:

"The moment they saw us--saw me--a predatory glint flashed through Mick's expression. Anybody who doubts that middle school is like a Discovery Channel documentary on natural selection just hasn't been paying attention." (Page 10, Lenny)

And finally (though I could go on):

"He can't help it. You try growing up with two Nobel Prize-winning scientists sitting across the breakfast table from you. Lenny doesn't like to talk about it, but he's at least as smart as his mom and dad, probably smarter. And let's face it: You can't be that smart without being extremely dumb in other ways. It's like the universe strapped this jet-pack on his back, then Gorilla-glued his sneakers to the floor. He's constantly reaching out too far and falling flat on his face." (Page 13, Harlan)

I especially loved that last bit, about the jet-pack and the Gorilla glue. But lots of other passages made me smile, too. 

Lenny Cyrus, School Virus includes occasional black and white illustrations by Matt Smith. Small drawings of each narrator mark the start of each chapter, and are helpful in conveying the different personalities of the three kids. Other illustrations bring to life Lenny's inner-world mission. The funniest, I thought, was of a curvaceous molecule located inside Zooey's ovary - but I really can't describe it. An astrovirus who befriends Lenny is pretty cute, too. 

So what we have here is, yes, another quasi-science-themed book featuring a smart but geeky male hero (see also Itch by Simon Mayo). But Lenny Cyrus, School Virus is a lot of fun. The shifting perspectives also, I think, help to make the book both boy and girl-friendly. Which is quite an accomplishment for a book in which a pivotal scene takes place inside of an ovary. 

Lenny Cyrus, School Virus is not going to be for everyone. But if you know any middle grade or middle school-age kids who like science and/or adventure, and have a good sense of humor, I think they'll enjoy this book. Definitely worth a look for library purchase, and especially recommended for a young friend of mine who lives in Newton, MA. 

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (@hmhkids)
Publication Date: April 2, 2013
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Book: The Girl from Felony Bay
Author: J. E. Thompson
Pages: 384
Age Range: 9-12 

The Girl from Felony Bay is a middle grade mystery set against a deeply layered South Carolina coast backdrop. Abbey Force has had a bad year. Her father is in a coma after an apparent fall, accused of a crime that Abbey is certain he didn't commit. Abbey's home, Reward Plantation, has been sold to cover remunerations from the crime. Abbey is living with her snake-like Uncle Charlie, and Charlie's downtrodden wife Ruth. As the summer vacation after sixth grade begins, Abbey's number one goal is to prove that her father didn't commit the crime he is accused of. She is helped in her quest by Bee Force, the daughter of Reward's new owner. 

There's a lot to like about The Girl from Felony Bay. The mystery is well-developed, with clues parcelled out gradually, so that young readers can figure things out along with Abbey. I know that I read this quite quickly, eager to understand what was happening. I found the resolution of the mystery satisfying, but was pleased that the author didn't feel the need to fix every single loose end. 

Thompson's characterization is superb. Abbey fairly leaps from the page, and a number of secondary characters are revealed to have unexpected (but plausible) depths. The friendship between Abbey and Bee develops a bit quickly, but Thompson doesn't gloss over the awkward aspects of their relationship. Bee is living in the house that Abbey grew up in, sleeping in her very bedroom. And Abbey and Bee both understand immediately that Bee's family is descended from slaves that Abbey's ancestors owned (it having been common practice for freed slaves to take the last name of their owners as they left the plantations). These uncomfortable realities could have derailed the girls' friendship, but don't. 

Abbey's voice frequently made me smile. She has a wry humor, and a keen wit, with just a hint of the south in her diction. Like this:

"He sipped on his drink and squinted at me with the same face he'd use if he just discovered the meat in his lunch sandwich had gone bad. Uncle Charlie is about six feet two, nearly as tall as Daddy, but no longer thin. He's not exactly fat, either, at least not yet. He reminds me of a candle that's been sitting in the sun too long and is starting to bulge in the wrong places." (Chapter 2)

"She managed to hold back her sorrow when I told her I wouldn't be around for dinner." (Chapter 17, in reference to a neglectful and lazy aunt)

"Rufus was jumping up and down, which is what he did most of the time, since Labrador retrievers are just born happy. The only time they are even happier than usual is when there is a bowl of food nearby." (Chapter 29)

Thompson also does a fine job in portraying the South Carolina coastal region, including its beauties, inconveniences, and dangers. Like this: 

"We could still see the river through the trees off to our left, it's brown water glittering like hot butterscotch. To our right the heavy shrubbery of palmetto trees, live oaks, hanging drapes of Spanish moss, and tangles of honeysuckle and wild oleander and river oats and plants I couldn't begin to name cut off our view after only a few yards." Chapter 7)

"After another couple minutes, the cacophony of the frogs had become almost deafening, so I knew One Arm Pond had to be directly to our right. I couldn't see it through the leaves, not even moonlight reflecting off the surface, but I could smell the musty odor of pluff mud. I was studying every single root, vine, or stick with great intensity now, and that's when I came to a quick stop.

Two feet ahead of me, way to close for comfort, something that looked at first like a thick black root had just crawled from underneath a layer of dead magnolia leaves. It was maybe four feet long and as thick as a beer can in the middle." (Chapter 18)

So there you have it. An absorbing mystery for middle grade readers, with strong characters, and a setting that the reader can practically smell and taste. The fact that The Girl from Felony Bay also matter-of-factly takes on race relations in the south (including a sub-plot regarding heirs' property rights "and how a lot of African American people have gotten cheated out of valuable land over the years") is a nice bonus. 

Although the two main characters are girls (and there's a girl in the title), I think that The Girl from Felony Bay is quite boy-friendly. There are, after all, alligators and poisonous snakes, and hints of pirate treasure. The Girl from Felony Bay is a great choice for anyone looking for a middle grade mystery that has suspense and complexity as well as emotional depth. Highly recommended. 

Publisher: Walden Pond Press (@WaldenPondPress)
Publication Date: April 30, 2013
Source of Book: Advance review copy from the publisher

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook. 

Book: The Runaway King: Book 2 of the Ascendance Trilogy
Author: Jennifer A. Nielsen (@NielsenWriter)
Pages: 352
Age Range: 10 and up 

The Runaway King is the second book in Jennifer Nielsen's Ascendance Trilogy, following last year's The False Prince. The Runaway King is that rare second book of a trilogy that completely holds up. If you haven't read The False Prince, stop here, because there will be spoilers for the first book (though not the second). Just go read it. The False Prince is fabulous. 

While The Runaway King lacks the unforgettable solo twist that characterized The False Prince, Nielsen compensates by repeatedly upping the stakes for Sage/Jaron, now King of Carthya. In order to save his kingdom, and himself, Sage sets off in disguise on a dangerous quest. There are pirates, surprises, and betrayals. There are swordfights, ethical dilemmas, and enemies (old and new). But there are also new friends and allies for Jaron, and a much better understanding, by the end of the book, of who his friends really are.  

Nielsen's plotting is multi-layered and adept, and will keep readers eagerly turning pages. The very first line of the book is "I had arrived early for my own assassination." Who could stop reading after that? Well, the whole book is like that. You simply can't put it down. 

But what I personally love most about this series, and this book, is the character of Jaron. His central character trait is stubbornness. He is the very personification of the expression "loyal to a fault." He is self-deprecating in his speech, but in a endlessly entertaining sort of way. Like this:

"I nodded, and when Kerwyn entered the room, Mott made an excuse about finding more alcohol and left. I thought he looked a little exasperated when he glanced back, but people often did when they talked with so it was hardly worth noting." (Page 40)

and this: 

"Erick continued to look at me. "I think I may grow to hate you before this is over."

"You don't already and that's got to be some sort of record."

To my surprise, Erick laughed." (Page 161)

Here is one more passage that shows you Jaron's character:

"This had become my favorite place on the frequent occasions when I needed to get away from everyone. The bright springtime flowers were surrounded by tall, dense hedges and lined with plants of every variety. Majestic trees kept the view from above concealed through most seasons of the year, and the grass was soft enough to make bare feet nearly mandatory." (Page 2)

I love that "to make bare feet nearly mandatory." Just listen to the way I talk about this character. It is as though he is real. I predict that we'll see him in a movie or three one day.

The Runaway King has a strong central character, complex supporting characters (I love Mott), an action-packed plot, and a fully realized setting. No sophomore slump for Jennifer Nielsen, that's for sure. This is a perfect book to give to kids who love adventure. Though it's set in an imaginary, medieval sort of land, there are no magical elements to the story. But there are pirates! A map of the pirate camp is included at the start of the book, as a hint to where things are going. 

Highly recommended for middle grade readers as well as teens, boys and girls. But make sure they read The False Prince first. As for me, I'm already looking forward to Book 3. 

Publisher: Scholastic (@Scholastic) 
Publication Date: March 1, 2013
Source of Book: Bought it at a book signing

FTC Required Disclosure:

This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links (including linked book covers) may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Book: Hide and Seek
Author: Kate Messner
Pages: 256
Age Range: 8 - 12 

Hide and Seek is the second book in Kate Messner's Silver Jaguar Society series, following last year's Capture the Flag. Like their parents, José, Anna, and Henry are members of the Silver Jaquar society, an organization dedicated to protecting the world's most precious historical artifacts. The three met while snowbound in an airport, and ended up saving the flag that inspired The Star Spangled Banner (see Capture the Flag).

Now established friends, the kids find themselves setting off with their respective parents and guardians to the Costa Rican rainforest, in search of the Jaguar Cup (an artifact important to both their organization and to Latin American culture. The kids are left at a secluded rain forest eco-lodge, operated by another society member, while their parents search in the city for the missing cup. But soon, in addition to facing the dangers of the rainforest (poisonous snakes, ants, etc.), José, Anna, and Henry find themselves on the run from dangerous thieves. 

The rainforest setting in Hide and Seek, particularly the eco-lodge where the kids stay, feels quite authentic. An author's note at the end of the book describes the author's family's visit to a similar location. This research (in addition to doubtless having been a fabulous family vacation), really comes through in the book. Without impeding the book's action, the rain forest winds its way into practically every page. Like this:

"Michael opened the van door, and they stepped out into the lobby of the eco-lodge. It had a red-tiled floor and pillars every so often to hold up the roof. But where the walls should have been were...well...walls of green. The rain forest grew right up to the lodge, and leafy limbs poked into the lobby as if the trees wanted rooms for the night." (Page 27)

The interpersonal dynamics of the kids are realistically detailed, too, with squabbling and misunderstandings. José is the primary protagonist in this installation, and I think that kids will be able to relate to his insecurities (and will respect how he takes action in spite of them). 

The mystery itself is fast-paced and kid-friendly. As an adult reader, I had a tiny bit of trouble letting go of some of the conveniences of the setup (the one parent-figure is helpfully away from the lodge during the climax of the book, for example). But I think that some amount of this sort of thing is inevitable in books that let kids take the reins of mystery-solving. 

Hide and Seek is a middle grade mystery novel that features kids taking charge. It has a unique backdrop, realistic interpersonal dynamics between 12-year-olds, and some very cool chase scenes. Fans of Capture the Flag will doubtless enjoy Hide and Seek, and librarians will be pleased to find this a growing mystery series, good for boys and girls, suitable for ages 8 and up. Recommended.

Publisher: Scholastic Press (@Scholastic) 
Publication Date: April 1, 2013 (but available now)
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you). You can also follow me @JensBookPage or at my Growing Bookworms page on Facebook.

Book: Zebra Forest
Author: Adina Rishe Gewirtz
Pages: 208
Age Range: 9-12 

Zebra Forest by Adina Rishe Gewirtz is a dark, brooding novel for middle grade readers. Eleven-year-old Annie and her younger brother Rew live with their Gran in a house that backs up to a wood that they call the Zebra Forest. Gran is just barely able to care for the children, taking to her bed for days at a time. But their small, broken family is managing. Right up to the day that an escaped prisoner breaks in and holds the family hostage. The rest of the book takes place primarily in the house, as an unexpected connection between the prisoner and the family is revealed. Other long-hidden family secrets eventually come out, too.

Zebra Forest is set during the time of the Iran hostage crisis, in the summer of 1980. This choice serves two purposes. It allows Gewirtz to draw parallels between Annie and Rew's situation and that of the hostages, and it sets the story in a less-connected time, when it is plausible that a family could just vanish into their home, with no outside contact, for an extended period. Annie's family doesn't even have a television set - the isolation of the four people in the house is near-total. 

I did have a bit of an issue with the central coincidence on which the story is based, though discussing it would be a bit of a spoiler. Suffice it to say that I kept waiting for the author to find a way to explain it, to make it not a coincidence, without satisfaction. But for readers who can suspend belief on that one point, Zebra Forest is a compelling story. The characters are all complex, and Gewirtz doesn't take the easy way out in resolving their interpersonal conflicts. There is growth and healing in the book, but not so much as to feel implausible. Most of the tension in the book is around relationships and secrets, rather than dramatic action. Gewirtz's taut prose keeps readers turning the pages.

""I don't like people snooping around," she said. "We're enough for each other, aren't we?"

I always told her yes, of course we were. And on her good days, it was even true. But by the end of sixth grade, I'd counted more bad days than good, more days when Gran didn't wake until noon, and then only got up to sit in the kitchen, staring  through the windows  at the Zebra, grinding the tip of her slipper into the linoleum until it left little bits of gray rubber scattered like eraser dust on the floor." (Chapter 2)

and this:

"I woke to a noise. The lights were still on, and Rew was asleep on the floor, head between a couple of stray pawn.

Someone was rattling the back door in the kitchen. We never locked it, but it stuck, and if you rattled it once or twice, it opened. I got up, stepping on Rew in the process, and made my way to the kitchen just as the back door opened, and a man stepped in.

I blinked, trying to make sense of him." (Chapter 6)

A theme one sees fairly often in children's books is the kids protecting their dysfunctional caregiver from the scrutiny of the system, because their imperfect home is better than the alternative. Gewirtz handles this sub-text well, through small examples. 

Zebra Forest is not an upbeat novel. But it's full of moments and characters that ring true, set in a suspenseful atmosphere. Zebra Forest is a book that will stay with the reader long after the relatively slim text is finished. Recommended for kids who enjoy suspense and kids who enjoy novels about dysfunctional families.

Publisher: Candlewick (@candlewick)
Publication Date: April 9, 2013
Source of Book: Advance review copy from the publisher

© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you). 

Book: Diary of a Wimpy Kid #7: The Third Wheel
Author: Jeff Kinney
Pages: 224
Age Range: 8 and up 

The seventh Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, The Third Wheel, made me laugh aloud several times. Like the other books in the series, The Third Wheel doesn't follow a particularly linear plotline. The "third wheel" aspect of the book (involving a Valentine's Day Dance, a girl, and Greg's best friend) only directly comes into play quite late in the book. But it doesn't matter. Time spent peeking into Greg Heffley's diary is always entertaining. Some highlights that struck me from this installment included:

• Greg's memories from back before he was born (already capable of being embarrassed by his mother).
• The fact that Greg spent the first few months of his life sleeping in a dresser drawer ("which I'm pretty sure isn't even legal"). 
• The location that baby Greg found to hide the batteries for the TV remote ("when you're a baby, you can't really get around a lot, so there was only one place I could hide the batteries.")
• When Greg drove his father so crazy during Bring Your Child to Work Day that he was sent off to sit somewhere else, and ended up forgotten and left at work.
• A "pantsing" epidemic among the boys at the middle school. 
• A bizarre "bring your own toilet paper" fad at the middle school.

I think the reason that these books work so well is that although the incidents are over-the-top, there's an underpinning of universal behavior that comes through. The Wimpy Kid books will always be among my favorites, because I've known kids who were turned on to reading for the first time by Greg's exploits. I also think that there's a fair amount of humor in these books for adults, making these fun read-together books (or read in parallel, anyway) for the whole family.

The sketch-filled diary format has become fairly widespread in children's books, of course, but Jeff Kinney launched the craze, and remains a master at it. I found Diary of a Wimpy Kid #7: The Third Wheel to be a worthy installment of the series, a laugh-out-loud read for kids and adults. Recommended! (And no particular need to read the books in order, I don't think). 

Publisher: Amulet Books (@AbramsKids)
Publication Date: November 13,2012
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you). 

Book: Gingersnap
Author: Patricia Reilly Giff
Pages: 160
Age Range: 8 and up

Gingersnap by Patricia Reilly Giff is a slim volume, suitable for younger middle grade readers. Gingersnap is historical fiction set near the end of World War II in New York. Jayna, aka Gingersnap, is an orphan happy to be living with her much-older brother, Rob, after spending her early years in the foster care system. When Rob is sent off to the war in the Pacific (chef on a submarine), Jayna is left to stay with the siblings' landlady, Celine. A clue found in an old journal, however, sends Jayna off on a daring journey to Brooklyn, in search of family and a home.

For the most part, Gingersnap is straight up historical fiction. However, Giff also includes a ghost girl who may or may not be appearing to Jayna, encouraging her to go off on the trip. Giff leaves the reader to decide whether the ghost girl is real or a hallucination on the part of Jayna. I'm not totally sure that the ghost girl is necessary to the book -- her presence muddies the genre a bit -- but I'm sure some readers will appreciate that aspect of the book.

Personally, though, I thought that the strengths of the book lay in Jayna's characterization (plucky even when insecure) and the historical details. Gingersnap feels like a World War II novel, but Giff is secure enough not to need to beat the reader over the head with details. Instead, she uses just a few to evoke the time period. Like this:

"Celine bought me a hat for Easter Sunday. Imagine, my first veil. It had little blue dots, and I kept blowing at it all through church to get it out of my eyes. I loved it!" (Page 24)

"Mrs. Murtha drew arrows on the blackboard, showing those planes diving and looping, exploding into our ships. One morning, with tears in her eyes, she told us that our president had died, and there would be a new president, a man named Harry Truman." (Page 29-30)

She also includes soup recipes throughout the book (Jayna likes to make soups to suit her mood). These are quite simple, and might entice young readers to want to try their own hands at soup-making. Other scenes (with an echo of A Little Princess, for me), are set in a bakery. The characters' appreciation for food is also, I think, an accurate representation of wartime. 

Gingersnap is an old-fashioned book, with a somewhat idealized ending. But I personally loved it. I read the last couple of chapters with happy tears rolling down my cheeks. I think that the 9 year old me would have enjoyed it, too. Although I do have some fear that this might be one of those books that adults adore more than children do, I plan to keep my copy to try out on Baby Bookworm when she's older. Recommended. 

Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books (@RandomHouseKids)
Publication Date: January 8, 2013
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2013 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you). 

Book: Babymouse #17: Extreme Babymouse
Author: Jennifer L. Holm
Illustrator: Matt Holm
Pages: 96
Age Range: 7 and up 

What more is there to be said about Babymouse than what I have said already (Babymouse: Cupcake Tycoon, Babymouse: Puppy Love, Babymouse: Heartbreaker, Babymouse: Dragonslayer, Babymouse: Beach Babe)? Each of these graphic novels for younger kids is a delight from start to finish. Babymouse #17: Extreme Babymouse is no exception. In this installment, the intrepid Babymouse turns her hand to snowboarding. Well, ok, technically she is driven to try snowboarding after all of her classmates become board obsessed, and she feels left out. But whatever. That's a technicality. She brings her patented blend of imagination and frustration to the slopes. 

Some highlights for me in Extreme Babymouse included:

• A nod to Jarret Krosoczka's Lunch Lady (see Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown and Lunch Lady and the Bake Sale Bandit).
• A cousin for Babymouse's always challenging locker.
• An inner voice that requests cupcakes.
• A magic carpet fantasy inspired by attempting to ride a snowboard.

As always, I love the narrator's deadpan insertions. In this book, I giggled over "I think we need some duct tape over here" after a humpty-dumpty-like wipeout. I was also delighted to see the sun and a cloud chiming in with their observations on the fall. 

Not to risk getting spoiler-y, but I really liked the ending of this one. While maintaining a light touch, and staying true to character, the authors give Babymouse the chance to grow a little bit. And that, as they say, is extreme. Highly recommended for fans of the series, and for anyone who could use a good laugh. You don't need to read the Babymouse books in order (although certain jokes do recur, rewarding loyal readers). I can't wait until Baby Bookworm is old enough to enjoy these. 

Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (@RandomHouseKids)
Publication Date: January 8, 2013
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2012 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you). 

Book: Deadwood
Author: Kell Andrews
Pages: 250
Age Range: 9-12

Deadwood is an early offering by new small publisher Pugalicious Press. Written by Kell Andrews, Deadwood is the story of a cursed tree that has drained the luck from the small town of Lower Brynwood. 12-year-old Martin Cruz, new to Lower Brynwood, finds himself in reluctant partnership with schoolmate Hannah Vaughan. The two try to remove the curse, saving the tree and the town. 

The characterization in Deadwood is quite strong (at least for the protagonists). Martin and Hannah are both three-dimensional, and their conflicted relationship rings true. Hannah's relationship with her long-time best friend Waverly gives Andrews a chance to explore the way that friendships grow and change during adolescence. The adult characters are less nuanced. Martin's mean-spirited Aunt Michelle, who he is living with while his soldier mother is deployed, is a bit over the top, as is a former football hero who becomes a nemesis for the kids (and the tree). But this works ok - the plot itself is also over-the-top, and these adult characters fit right in with that. 

Deadwood feels more like magical realism than fantasy. There are unquestionably fantastical elements (the tree communicates with the children, even sending them text messages). And certain events are not strictly realistic (the political structure of the town, the rapid progression of the curse). But the relationships between Martin and Hannah (and Hannah and Waverly) and the kids' day-to-day challenges with school and family life, still make Deadwood read more like realistic fiction than fantasy. Like this:

"When she became friends with Waverly in second grade, Hannah realized she had a lot to learn about being a girl. It seemed like Waverly had been born knowing how to layer T-shirts, pair shoes with jeans, apply lip gloss, and toss her head so that her hair caught the light." (Page 60)

"... but Waverly was more tentative, and that made Hannah nervous. The two of them had never kept secrets from each other before, but Hannah had to admit that she had started it. She had introduced the space between them, allowing Libby to squeeze her way into the gap. Libby had might sharp elbows." (Page 165)

Deadwood is a fairly quick read (much less dense than many of the fantasy tomes crowding the market today). There's a nice mix of heart and humor, and plenty of attention paid to interpersonal dynamics. I thought that the culmination of the plot wrapped up a bit quickly (and I personally saw the bad guy coming from a long way off). But I still found it an enjoyable read. Give this one to middle grade readers who enjoy magical realism, or to anyone for whom the idea of talking with an ancient, enormous tree is irresistible. 

Publisher: Pugalicious Press (@PugaliciousPres)
Publication Date: November 15, 2012
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2012 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you). 

Book: The Fire Chronicle (Books of Beginning, Book 2)
Author: John Stephens
Pages: 448
Age Range: 9 - 12

The Fire Chronicle is the second book of John Stephens' Books of Beginning series. I thought that it was better than the first book, last year's The Emerald Atlas. Unlike many middle books of trilogies, which seem to exist mainly to mark time until the final book, The Fire Chronicle is a nice combination of a solid story with its own merits and lead-up to the final volume. 

The Fire Chronicle finds Kate, Michael, and Emma, children destined to bring together three world-changing books, marking time in an orphanage. The peace only lasts a few pages, however. Before the reader knows it, the siblings are separated. Kate, keeper of the book that manipulates time, finds herself trapped in New York City, a few days before the start of the 20th century. Michael and Emma travel in our own time with, and then without, Dr. Pym, on a quest for the second Book of Beginning. 

Although the action shifts frequently between the two time periods, The Fire Chronicle is primarily Michael's book. He is the eldest of the children in Kate's absence, and the one destined to be keeper of the second book, a book that has power over life itself. I thought that Stephens did an excellent job of character development with Michael, who bore aspects of Edmund Pevensie from The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe in The Emerald Atlas. Michael comes a long way in The Fire Chronicle, pulled along by the book, and by his love for his sisters.

Kate's story, while less pivotal to this particular book, is also intriguing, as she comes into contact with a boy whose destiny appears tied to her own. Stephens also presents an appealing alternate history for New York City. The premise is that magical beings once existed out in the open (dwarves, elves, witches, etc.). However, after years of persecution from ordinary humans, the magical folk created a "separation" (at the turn of the 20th century), going into hiding and altering people's memories about them. This makes Kate's scenes an interesting balance between what New York City was like 100+ years ago and what the world might be like with magical beings living in the open next door to regular folk.  

Stephens uses the dual narratives effectively in keeping the reader turning the pages, switching over at various cliffhangers. Even when he doesn't switch narratives, he still uses cliffhangers at the end of most chapters. Like this:

"The cry of a Screecher echoed up the tower, and they heard boots pounding on the stairs, growing closer and louder. The children backed away from the door.

Michael heard Emma shout his name.

What was he supposed to do? What could he do?

Then the door flew open, revealing the dark, ragged form of a Screecher, and at that same moment, a pair of hands seized the children from behind." (Page 25)

Though there is a lot of danger and drama in The Fire Chronicle, Stephens does give the children small moments of happiness, too, like when Emma sees a penguin for the first time and marvels "That's the best thing I ever saw. Ever." Or this:

"... and as crowded and loud and smoky as the restaurant was, and though she was constantly being bumped and jostled, or feeling cold air against her neck when someone pushed through the rugs by the door, somehow it was all wonderful. It was as if Kate had managed to leave outside everything she carried with her on a daily basis, her thoughts of her parents, the need to find them, her constant worry about her brother and sister." (Page 197)

There are some parallels between the Books of Beginning series and the Harry Potter books. Both feature an evil wizard who was partially vanquished, but is now trying to come back to life, to take over the world. Both feature a kindly, not always forthright, elderly wizard who guides the orphan(s) trying to save the world. Both have the magical world existing next to, but rarely interacting with, the real world. And so on. But the Books of Beginning have more of a high fantasy feel to them than the Potter books do, with large swaths of the books taking place in settings like tunnels below ground, elven communities up in the trees, and so on. There's also more of a tie-in with actual historical events in the Books of Beginning series, which is a nice touch. 

The Books of Beginning series isn't as humorous as the Harry Potter series, though Stephens does present a pretty funny view of vain elves in The Fire Chronicle. But Stepehens' choice to make the three protagonists siblings, rather than friends, gives a certain emotional heft to the books. 

The Fire Chronicle is a strong second book in a solid middle grade fantasy series. The plotting is fast-paced, and the narrative structure pulls the reader forward. I enjoyed seeing Michael's character development throughout this book, and look forward to something similar when youngest sibling Emma takes center stage (presumably) in the next book. The Fire Chronicle is highly recommended for middle grade fantasy fans (but read The Emerald Atlas first). 

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (@RandomHouseKids)
Publication Date: October 9, 2012
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2012 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you). 

Book: Professor Gargoyle (Lovecraft Middle School, Book 1)
Author: Charles Gilman
Pages: 160
Age Range: 9-12 

Professor Gargoyle is the first book in the new Lovecraft Middle School horror series from Quirk Books. Although set in a middle school, it's actual a quick middle grade read, one that I think will appeal to dormant / reluctant readers. 

Robert is the only one of his friends to be assigned to the brand new Lovecraft Middle School. He thinks that his biggest problems will be finding someone to sit with at lunch, and staying out of bully Glenn's way. However, he soon discovers a stairway to a mysterious old attic (one that makes no sense at all as part of Lovecraft Middle School), an intelligent two-headed rat, and a teacher who isn't what he appears. And then things really get weird. 

Professor Gargoyle has an eye-catching cover, one of those ones that changes depending on what angle you hold the book at. You see the professor as a regular older teacher, or as a demon. It's pretty cool. (Ms. Yingling called it the best part of the book). I do think it may make younger kids pick up the book (though it may also make adult readers NOT pick up the book). There are also a few interior black and white illustrations, keeping the book reader-friendly for young readers.

The plotting in Professor Gargoyle is fast-paced and action-filled, with opportunities for kids to show bravery and cleverness. I thought that the resolution of Robert's relationship with Glenn happened a bit quickly, but relationship dynamics are hardly the point of the book. 

Here are a couple of examples of Gilman's prose:

"Up until this moment, Robert's life had been fairly quiet and ordinary. He had the same interests and hobbies as a million other twelve-year-old boys. He spent his days in school; he spent his nights doing homework and messing around on the computer. He'd never experienced anything that might have prepared him for a swarm of wild rats." (Page 19)

"Robert approached a round wooden table in the center of the room. On its surface was an open book, facedown. Robert shuddered. The book's spine appeared to be an actual spine--the bright white vertebrae of what might be a snake or lizard." (Page 43)

I like how the author says relatively deadpan, even when introducing fantastical elements. He does, however, occasionally tell instead of showing ("... everyone in the class listened without protest. They understood that Mr. Loomis was simply frustrated, that he was trying to prevent a terrible thing from happening again."). Still, I think that the storyline will appeal to fans of horror stories. 

The next book in the series, The Slither Sisters, is due out in January. While this series isn't going to be for everyone, I do think that librarians will want to add it to their arsenal. 

Publisher: Quirk Books (@QuirkBooks)
Publication Date: September 25, 2012
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2012 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Book: Malcolm at Midnight
Author: W. H. Beck (@whbeck)
Illustrator: Brian Lies
Pages: 272
Age Range: 9-12 

I sat down to read a few pages of Malcolm at Midnight, and found myself completely drawn in. I finished it the same day. Malcolm at Midnight is a very fun middle grade fantasy novel written by first-time author W. H. Beck. It is extensively illustrated (at least a couple of half-page sketches per chapter) by "Bat Books" author Brian Lies. 

Malcolm at Midnight is the tale of an undersized rat who becomes the fifth grade class pet at McKenna School. Exploring on his first night in residence, Malcolm discovers a secret society of class pets that looks after the interests of the school. Malcolm is eager to contribute to the Midnight Academy, but has to overcome the considerable stigma of being, well, a rat. And when Academy head Aggy, an iguana, is apparently kidnapped, Malcolm strives to prove his innocence and rescue Aggy before she gets too cold. 

Malcolm is a charming character, a bit insecure (the whole rat thing), but also brave, and determined to do the right thing. His friendship with Amelia, a girl from Mr. Binney's class, is (in the context of the book) plausible and inspiring. Malcolm's underdog status will make kids open their hearts to him, while his hair-raising adventures will keep them turning the pages to make sure that everything works out ok.  

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes:

"It began with a rat. There was also a glasses-wearing elderly iguana, a grumpy fish who could spell, a ghost in the clock tower, a secret message in the library, and a twisted evil that lived on the fourth floor of our school. But those'll come later. First, there was a rat: Malcolm." (Page 1)

If that's not an opening passage to draw kids in, I don't know what is.

"Malcolm felt like the conversation was going too fast, like when Jenna reads aloud in class and it sounds like allthewordsaretypedtogetherwithoutanyspaces. Malcolm was still a few sentences back." (Page 31)

"Have you ever known a person like that, Mr. Binney? Someone who just listens? Someone who doesn't interrupt or pipe in with their opinion or wince at your dumb mistakes? Anyway, it's one of the most wonderful and satisfying things to have." (Page 100)

Insightful, yes? Beck also makes extensive use of footnotes (72 in all). Many of them are for the purpose of defining advanced vocabulary words, while others are to explain some background information to Mr. Binney. I found the footnotes entertaining, if occasionally distracting. Here's one funny one:

"44 Don't feel too bad that you didn't smell and notice what Malcolm and Tank could. Human noses are about as sensitive as a bunch of boys around a crying girl." (Page 121)

I did have a minor problem with the narrative device that W. H. Beck employed for Malcolm at Midnight. The story is directed towards fifth grade teacher Mr. Binney, written by an unnamed kid or kids from the class. I found that the occasional "and then you did xyz" passages took me out of the story a bit. I had to stop and think about who we were talking to. Directing the story to Mr. Binney also adds a level of remove between the reader and book. But this device does allow the author to give readers a peek at the kids in the class, even though the main story concerns Malcolm. And there is an appealing quirkiness to it that I think will work for kids. 

The choice of Brian Lies as illustrator for Malcolm at Midnight was flat-out inspired. Using the same attention to detail that he gives to the bats in his picture book series, Lies brings Malcolm and the other animals to life. I especially loved Tank the Turtle. The illustrations are well-integrated with the text. In one section, where a pipe goes down from one level to the next, the picture starts at the top of one page and finishes along the bottom of the next, with plenty of room in between for the words. While strictly speaking one could read the story without the pictures, Malcolm at Midnight would be a far less engaging book. 

Malcolm at Midnight would make a great companion book to Elise Broach's Masterpiece (the story of an unlikely friendship between a young beetle named Marvin and an eleven-year-old boy). It would also be a nice classroom read-aloud for the upper elementary school grades (though a good idea to have extra copies floating around so that kids could look at the pictures). All in all, Malcolm at Midnight is a highly entertaining and kid-friendly book, a story that gives rats a good name. Highly recommended. 

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (@hmhkids)
Publication Date: September 4, 2012
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2012 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Book: The Ghost of Graylock
Author: Dan Poblocki
Pages: 272
Age Range: 10 and up 

The Ghost of Graylock is a new middle grade / middle school novel by Dan Poblocki. As one might expect, it's a ghost story, reminiscent of the stories of Mary Downing Hahn. The Ghost of Graylock is creepy, suspenseful, and kid-friendly. 

When 12-year-old Neil and his 16-year-old sister Bree are sent to live with their aunts in the country for the summer, they waste no time in exploring (with two new friends) the mysterious Graylock Hall. Graylock is a former mental hospital, now abandoned. Rumors swirl about three teens who died there, possibly at the hands of an evil nurse. People say that Nurse Janet still haunts the boarded-up building. Inside Graylock, Neil and Bree do see creepy, hard-to-explain phenomena. Even worse, the odd manifestations follow them home. They are forced to investigate, to understand who exactly is haunting them, and why. 

I have to give Dan Poblocki credit. He pulls out all the stops in terms of eeriness. Graylock is full of dark corridors and sad artifacts of a bleak past. There's a hidden staircase, and a long-abandoned birthday cake. There are records of the suffering of children. The setting is carefully depicted. Like this:

"They walked in silence. The road led to a circular turnaround in front of the building. On the other side of the circle was the hospital's main entrance -- a wide stone staircase that rose toward a recessed entry. Within the shadows of the portal, impenetrable black iron doors were chained shut.

The building was not wide, but each of its three stories seemed to rise taller than the last, so that the place loomed as if ti were actually leaning toward them, trying to hypnotize them forward." (Page 20)

By page 33, Neil and Bree are experiencing supernatural phenomena. These manifestations continue unabated. There are hints of Neil and Bree's mother's mental illness in the fact that no one else sees the ghost, but it's pretty clear to the reader that something outside of the ordinary is going on. Like this:

"Wide-eyed, he and his sister stared at each other, their faces lit by the camera from below. Slowly, they turned. At the other side of the room, near the window, a dark shape stood completely still. It looked like one of their own shadows. Neil knew this was impossible. The camera's light was between them and the shape. Their shadows should been cast on the door behind them. Shaking, unable to speak, Neil held up the camera, trying to see who was there. (Page 36)

I liked the strength of the sibling relationship in The Ghost of Graylock, and the matter-of-fact treatment of the fact that "the aunts" are apparently a lesbian couple. I also liked the way the kids solve the mystery, using a combination of modern-day tools (web searches) and traditional methods (interviewing an old woman in a nursing home, reviewing high school yearbooks). The presence of the two older siblings (the friends are a pair of brothers about the same age as Bree and Neil) gives the younger kids a bit more freedom than might otherwise be plausible. 

Poblocki's prose did grate on me a bit. He tends to overuse and overdramatize metaphors (in my opinion). Like this:

"The trio sprinted toward the bend in the corridor, where daylight greeted them like a parent waiting with open arms... Memories of the Nurse Janet story flickered through his head like old film from a loud projector". (Page 37)

"A wide, stone mantel was set deep into the far wall. A fireplace blackened with soot opened like a howl beneath it." (Page 43)

Seriously? "Opened like a howl"? I suppose if he's going for how a melodramatic 12-year-old might write ... But this only really bothered me for the first part of the book. Once I got swept up into the plot, I didn't notice the writing so much, and read the remainder of the book quickly. 

The Ghost of Graylock is a spooky summer read, perfect for reading in bed with a flashlight. The setting, particularly the decaying Graylock Hall, is vivid and memorable, and the depiction of supernatural events is both dramatic and creative. Recommended for middle grade and middle school readers, boys and girls.

Publisher: Scholastic (@Scholastic)
Publication Date: August 1, 2012
Source of Book: Review copy from the publisher

© 2012 by Jennifer Robinson of Jen Robinson's Book Page. All rights reserved. This site is an Amazon affiliate, and purchases made through Amazon links may result in my receiving a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

Book: The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place: Book I: The Mysterious Howling
Author: Maryrose Wood (@Maryrose_Wood)
Narrator: Katherine Kellgren (@KatyKellgren)
Pages: 272
Age Range: 9-12

I do not, alas, recall who it was that recommended the audio versions of Maryrose Wood's Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series. But I am grateful to whichever blogger it was, because I quite enjoyed the first book, The Mysterious Howling, and have already started the second. These are excellent audiobooks. The narrator, Katherine Kellgren, is fabulous. And the audio production (involving more than one scene with howling noises) is top-notch. The book itself is hilarious (though I always find it difficult to review books that I only have on audio, as I can't flag passages, and flip back through the book).

The Mysterious Howling begins as 15-year-old Penelope Lumley heads to Ashton Place for her first ever interview to be a governess. Her parents lost, Penelope has been raised at the Swanburne Academy for Poor Bright Females. She is a capable, resourceful, and animal-loving young female, all traits that stand her in good stead at the highly unconventional Ashton Place.

The book is set in some unspecified historical time period in rural England. The narrator often speaks directly to the reader, explaining how things were different back then (and, in some cases, how they aren't so different). The narrator also sometimes defines unfamiliar words, etc., shades of the Lemony Snicket books. I sometimes find this writing style entertaining, while in other cases I find it annoying. Maryrose Wood stays solidly on the side of entertaining. Although I can't share any quotes, unfortunately, I know that I laughed out loud on a number of occasions. This omniscient narrator approach also enables the reader to sometimes notice things that Penelope herself misses (thus making the reader feel smart). 

Katherine Kellgren is especially good at showcasing the personalities of the secondary characters in the book, including the housekeeper and Lord and Lady Ashton. The children, well, I suspect that their personalities will be developed more in later books (to say more would be a spoiler). As for Penelope, she is a delight from start to finish. 

The Mysterious Howling doesn't really stand alone. It leaves a number of mysteries unsolved, positively begging the reader to start the next book immediately. In fact, as soon as I started Book 2, I made sure to order Book 3. I've learned from Penelope the benefits of being well prepared. 

I should note that although the heroine is 15, The Mysterious Howling is solidly middle grade (albeit with sparks of humor to appeal to adults). Penelope is quite innocent for her age, and her adventures with the Incorrigibles are fully kid-friendly. I highly recommend The Mysterious Howling, particularly in