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Plan A

Plan A

Deb Caletti

2023, Labyrinth Road/Penguin

404 pages

Grades 9-Up

Realistic Fiction

At sixteen Ivy is pretty content with her life in Paris, Texas. She has an adorable boyfriend, a group of great friends, a supportive family, and a job that seems to appreciate her at the local drug store. It all threatens to come crashing down with a little line on a pregnancy test and becomes all too public when the test falls out of her backpack in the middle of class. Pretty soon the whole school--and then the whole town knows Ivy's predicament and they all have strong feelings. The situation is that much more complicated because Ivy's boyfriend is not the father of the unborn fetus. That honor goes to a bad altercation that Ivy would rather forget. Boyfriend Lorenzo knows the whole story and is willing to take responsibility for whatever direction Ivy choses. When she, with her mother's blessing, decide that an abortion would be the best course of action, they must travel to Ivy's grandmother's town in Oregon since the procedure is illegal in Texas. Lorenza volunteers to drive and what follows is an interesting road trip filled with various folks, landmarks, and stories. Meanwhile, the situation back home intensifies and even from long distance Ivy is feeling social pressure to change her course. Will she go through with the procedure? And how will it all affect her future?

Printz winner Caletti is not afraid to shy away from hot-button topics. This time she takes on the woman's right for an abortion and explores the journey for a teenager who is violated and then persecuted when the town finds out that she is pregnant and choosing to terminate. Ivy is reading the book Tess of the D'urbervilles and the author draws connections to Tess's plight in this modern setting. Much of the plot is the road trip and Ivy listening to various points of view about her situation from both sides of the fence. I liked the road trip enough, but found the book a bit "talky" for my taste and agenda driven. I think that the topic is important, but would have appreciated something else to happen within the story. You have to really be looking for a pregnancy/abortion book to pick this up. We hear many different women's stories along the way, which showcases the history of the struggle women have had with sexuality and male dominance, which will appeal to young feminists. Music plays a big part of the story, yet much of the music leaned on to annunciate feelings come from the world of Mom or Grandma. I think young readers would appreciate some of Ivy's music and maybe to include some songs from this century. A playlist at the end would also have been a nice addition. Not my favorite of Caletti's, but well written, timely and with something important to say.

Ellray Jakes is a Rock Star

Ellray Jakes is a Rock Star
Sally Warner
Viking, 2011
116 pages
Grades 2-5
Realistic Fiction

Ellray Jakes series #2

As the shortest kid in his third grade class, Ellray Jakes feels that he needs to prove himself. One of his classmates is rich and another has a Dad with a new red ATV with flame details. All Ellray can say about his Dad is that he is a geologist and teaches about rocks at a college. Borrrrrring--or is it? Since Dad is away at a conference, Ellray has a great idea. He borrow some of Dad's special crystals from his study to bring to school to show the class. That will impress everybody, right? Ellray's plan seems to work. The class is duly impressed with the sparkly stones and crystals. It all goes wrong when after school kids ask to hold the precious stone and Ellray finds himself giving Dad's collection away. Once back home, Ellray rearranges Dad's study so he won't notice. Back early from the conference, Dad notices pretty much right away. What should Ellray do? Lying might get someone else in trouble, but telling the truth will be embarrassing and jeopardize his new found popularity. Ellray pushes forward in the most sincere way possible, even if it's hard, proving that some things are more important than popularity.

The second in the Ellray Jakes series, this title works alone with no prior knowledge of the first. Ellray is a sincere and likable third grader who kids will identify with. I, personally, related to being the shortest kid in the class and though I didn't give away my father's rock collection, I made other bad choices in order to be seen. In the end Ellray confesses his wrong doing and makes the matter right, even though it's hard. This transitional chapter book will appeal to reluctant readers and is also appropriate for advanced younger ones. Warner includes gentle humor and captures the tribulations of elementary school accurately. Plentiful black and white illustrations, contributed by Jamie Harper, will help encourage readers along and decode the plot. Even though Ellray must do something difficult, all's well that ends well and kids are encouraged to try other volumes in the series. Perfect for Valentines Day, the action takes place during this particular week, yet this doesn't overwhelm the plot, making it appropriate for all year long. A fun school story with some underlying realistic conflict. 

Mabuhay!

Mabuhay!

Zachary Sterling

Graphix/Scholastic, 2023

235 pages

Grades 3-7

Graphic Novel

JJ and Althea struggle with fitting in at their Oregon middle school. Their immigrant Filipino parents force them to work at their embarrassing family food truck and just don't "get it". Mom and Dad share stupid stories from the old country, cautionary tales of lazy children gone bad, as well as evil spirits. A weird estranged uncle shows up right around the time the siblings get identical nightmares. Could there be a connection? Family secrets are eventually revealed and JJ and Althea find out that their mother is a superhero, equipped with powers to fight evil demons. Most shocking of all, they were also blessed with similar powers. The family teams up with Mom's distant guardians and they must all ban together to fight evil. The young people discover that their family is not as nerdy and boring as they thought as they engage in a classic battle of good versus evil. Finally, peace is restored and it's back to business as usual. The family is catering an end of school year party for the cool kids.  Will JJ and Althea make any social connections or are they doomed to be outsiders forever?

Own voices storyteller and illustrator, Sterling, pens a story of immigrant kids learning to embrace their culture and find their superpowers both literally and figuraly. Readers will learn a bit about Filipino culture--and a lot about empathy. Rick Riordan has allowed for world cultures to be explored and celebrated by young readers, helping this story to find a natural audience. Stories, memories from the past, and nightmares are set in a slightly different format to cue kids that we are leaving present reality. The full color illustrations are cleverly drawn and panels are easy to follow. Beyond the mythology, this is at its core a story about confidence, friendship, and fitting in. Middle school social dilemmas are expertly captured and young readers will find much to relate to. Not exactly a graphic memoir, which continues to be the rage, but more of a superhero/action/fantasy with underlying truths that is sure to appeal to the target audience. An easily digestible read with some quality content.

What Happened to Rachel Riley?

What Happened to Rachel Riley?

Claire Swinarski

HarperCollins, 2023

343 pages

Grades 6-8

Realistic Fiction

Eighth grade is bad enough, but extra worse for Anna. She has just moved from Chicago to Madison Wisconsin and has started at new school where she knows no one. Her new neighborhood is too quiet and she is lonely without the snoring of her big sister at night. As much as Anna seems to have it bad, Rachel Riley seems to have it worse. Rachel sits alone at lunch and the school ignores her. She seems okay to Anna, so what led to the social stigma? A budding podcaster, Anna decides to research Rachel's social stigma as an audition piece to be accepted to an elite podcasting camp. The problem is, no one will talk to her about Rachel. It seems that Rachel set a barn on fire the night before the seventh grade spring fling, but that seems so out of character. Even more confusing, Anna finds pictures of Rachel hugging some of the popular girls who used to be her friends. What in the world happened? Slowly as the school year progresses the truth is uncovered and the penny drops. Anna gets to the bottoms of last spring's events and tries to set the matter straight. Is she brave enough to take a stand?

Swinarski explores the complexities of middle school social life, while also exploring important topics such as sexual harassment, gender dynamics, and bullying, all within the context of a friendship story. Young readers will be enthralled with the mystery and will keep turning pages to get to the bottom of what really happened to Rachel. Organized unconventionally, the plot is revealed through podcast excerpts, interviews, emails, and texts. Though Anna is the featured narrator and we experience the story through her eyes, we also learn plot points through the correspondence of others. Beyond the main themes of the novel, the author also encourages readers to do the right thing, stand up for the underdog, and to find their voice. Both boys and girls need to embrace the importance of consent and this is a valuable read for both genders. The target audience is late middle school, making the story in my opinion a bit too advanced for elementary school. The cover makes it look more juvenile than what it is. This is an important addition to the middle school cannon that is entertaining, readable and still has a lot to say.

Lunar New Year Love Story

Lunar New Year Love Story
Gene Luen Yang
Leuyen Pham, Illustrator
FirstSecond, 2024
345 pages

Val loves Valentine's Day. Every year as February 14th rolls around her imaginary friend, a little cherubic cupid, appears and the two make valentine's together to distribute to Val's friends, single Dad, and departed mother in heaven. The tradition continues up to Val's freshmen year in high school, when the ritual backfires, forcing Val to realize that maybe Valentine's Day is stupid. Out of the blue Dad's estranged mother arrives back in her life and drags her to church, where Val comes face to face with Saint Valentine, who looks gloomy and completely different from lovable cupid. Now replacing cupid, Saint Valentine visits Val when she's sad and lonely and strikes a bargain. Val has one year to find love or sacrifice her heart to the creepy ghost-saint. It looks like Val might win when she meets handsome and confident Les, who gets her involved in lion dancing. It is here that she reconnects with classmate Jae, who has troubles of his own. As time progresses Val learns more about her mother and secrets are revealed. She can only find peace and keep Saint Valentine at bay when she is dancing inside the lion suit. The only person who understands is Jae, but he keeps her at arms length. Will Val fall in love by the year's end or is she doomed to live out her life alone?

Printz winning graphic novelist, Yang, takes the back seat in illustration to tell a teen love story with layers. He is a great artist and I would be skeptical about anyone taking over the illustration, except for Pham, who is one of the best in the field. The two are a dream-team and the words and pictures work together seamlessly to convey this heartfelt tale. More than a love story, this story takes place within the framework of the American-Asian experience, using Valentine's Day and the Lunar New Year as anchors. More than teen love, family issues, forgiveness, trust, and healing are all explored. All the characters, teens and adults alike, are both fabulous and flawed and certainly well developed. The full color illustrations are expertly penned and Phan is intentional with color, helping us to understand Val's depression and the appearance of the ghost of Saint Valentine. There is a full page visual at the end that uses color to bring the story to a satisfying climax. My only complaint is the inclusion of a shushing librarian, which is, much like Jersey jokes, low hanging fruit and unkind to the book's potential cheerleaders. A little bonus at the end by the author's notes offers an update on the characters with a little plot twist on the final page that made me cry. So far, my favorite book of the year!

Ghost Book

Ghost Book
Remi Lai
Holt, 2023
313 pages
Grades 3-7
Graphic Novel

July Chen does not have an easy life. She is often overlooked by her friends and teachers and--even more disturbing--can see ghosts. Her single father says that ghosts aren't real and July's abilities are impossible. Now it is ghost month and the Hungry Ghosts are allowed out to devour other ghosts and it is then that she saves the ghost boy from getting eaten. The two become friends and July discovers that William is not really a ghost at all but something hovering between life and death. Further investigation reveals that they have a connection from the time of July's birth and mistakes were made. The only way to make William a real boy is for July to die. Is there any other way to make the impossible happen and to save them both? Meanwhile, family secrets are revealed and more supernatural beings are introduced. Will July be able to save both William, herself, and her relationship with her father?

Seeped in Chinese culture and legend, this new graphic novel by a wonderful creator is a work of art. Kids who like their stories somewhat spooky and atmospheric will be the natural audience, but fans of Rick Riordan and his many spin offs will also find much to enjoy. Shy readers will relate to July felling often overlooked and applaud her finding her voice, having the courage to help her new friend and fight for their survival. The illustrations are in full color and enhance the plot. Lai skillfully makes clear who is human and who is a ghost and readers will not be confused, even with William's transformation. Although of a serious nature and gently scary, the creator manages to infuse humor into the proceedings, making for an enjoyable and entertaining read and softening the scare factor. Age appropriate, unique, and a lot of fun--with some surprises along the way.