Dragons in a Bag

Dragons in a Bag

Zetta Elliott

Random House, 2018 150 pages

Grades 3-5

Fantasy

Jaxon's mother drops him off at the door of a stranger she calls "Ma" while she goes to court to fight eviction from their Brooklyn apartment. Jax has never even heard of this "Ma" and she in turn does not seem happy to see him. Is she his grandmother? Ma makes Jax a peanut butter sandwich as he gets use to this unusual new environment. Ma has three tiny lizards that she puts in a mint tin, but are they really lizards? A walk to the park leads to a meeting with a bundled up homeless man and even more secrets. The man is a gatekeeper to other dimensions. Ma reveals that her job is to safely transport baby dragons born in Madagascar to a different world where they will be safe. Jax and Ma hop in the portal with the tin of baby dragons, only something goes wrong. They land in prehistoric times and a giant dinosaur is heading right towards them. Ma sends Jax with her bag of dragons back through the portal, leaving herself stuck in dino-danger. Where will Jax land? Will he ever be reunited with Ma, assuming she is alright? And what is to become of these baby dragons?

 

 

Dragons in a Bag hits a real sweet spot in children's literature. The reading level is perfect for those kids done with transitional chapter books, but not ready for Wings of Fire. Dragons are trending right now, yet there is little for this audience. Another selling point is the fully diverse cast, which is unusual for fantasy, which tends to skew white. Best of all, this adventurous story will hook readers right away and get their imaginations souring. Time travel, dinosaurs, and dragons are all brought together in a realistic contemporary Brooklyn setting. Jax is a likable and believable character with a loving yet struggling single parent family. Kids will identify with him and experience the adventure through his eyes. Beyond having a marvelous adventure, Jax learns to trust, grows in confidence, and discovers the importance of family, both that of which we were born into and that in which we make ourselves. A sequel, The Dragon Thief, follows. A wonderful flight of fancy perfect for a summer stuck at home. This title is also available for download through Overdrive/Libby.

Wondrous Rex

Wondrous Rex

Patricia MacLachlan

HarperCollins, 2020 88 pages

Grades 2-5

Animal/Fantasy

Second-grade Grace's parents are very busy pediatricians. Lucky for her, author Aunt Lily lives right next door and is always happy to have her. Grace loves words, a trait that she shares with her soul-aunt, and feels that she has a story inside her just waiting to crawl out onto the page. But how to get it out? When Aunt Lily suffers from writer's block, she advertises for an inspirational assistant who has a touch of magic. The advertisement is answered by a magician who delivers his dog Rex, who-the magician claims-is bored and in need of something productive to do. The first thing Rex cracks into is the organization of Aunt Lily's desk. Next, he searches for inspirational quotes on the internet to help jump-start her writing. Rex makes an impact on both Aunt Lily and Grace, as the young girl finds her voice and finally puts pen to paper. Rex proves to be a super-organizer, an inspirational muse, and-best of all-a great friend.

 

Ever since Newbery winning Sarah, Plain and Tall was released in 1985, Patricia MacLachlan has been producing quality chapter books for transitional fiction readers. Although she focuses on the younger side of fiction, she never cheats her audience and provides beautiful and poetic stories that are carefully written with every word in place. Many of MacLachlan's books feature canine companions and the healing and magical power of dogs. Wondrous Rex does just that. Readers will be possibly inspired to write their own stories and to examine their pets a little more closely. The story is tightly written and has classroom potential-both as a read aloud and to be read independently. The little tale is clearly a fantasy, as Rex can communicate and type, and projects a fairy tale vibe. I found it problematic that Grace's parents seemed to leave the raising of their daughter to Aunt Lily and at one point Grace refers to Aunt Lily's house as "home" as she walks over from her parent’s. I also was uncomfortable when Aunt Lily leaves seven-year-old Grace alone (well, with Rex) to go grocery shopping. Maybe I was reading too much into this whimsical tale and am missing the point. Give this book to dreamy dog-loving kids who need a little encouragement to get creative and, as Rex challenges, to dance like no one is watching.

The Betrothed

The Betrothed

Kiera Cass

HarperTeen, 2020 320 pages

Grades 7-Up

Romance

Lady Hollis is dating the handsome King Jameson but has zero expectations for the romance going anywhere serious, so she is enjoying the royal treatment while she has it. To her surprise, Jameson develops an attachment to her, and it looks like Hollis is being groomed to be the next queen of the kingdom. Hollis's parents and best friend are thrilled, especially as Hollis is absorbed into the royal workings of the court. It is here that she meets a refugee from a neighboring kingdom with his family. It is love at first sight for Hollis and Silas, though she tries to ignore her feelings and concentrate on the benefits of becoming queen. A visit from neighboring royals brings to light the dark side of a royal marriage and Hollis begins to truly question the price she will have to pay to bag this big prize. Naturally, her best friend and parents do not understand her dilemma: who wouldn't want to be the queen? Hollis makes a rash decision, which leads her on an unexpected and dangerous path. What price will she have to pay for freedom?

 

Cass, of The Selection fame is back with the first in a new duology. As a fan of the first series I was excited to give this new offering a try. The action heats up right away as Hollis is being groomed to be queen. I almost bailed pretty early on though because she was getting on my nerves. I didn't feel the love connection with the new foreigner and wasn't believing the choice to leave the handsome king. Hollis is a bit shallow and spoiled and I did not sympathize with her. At last she gets her "happily ever after" and I noticed that there still was a good way to go in the book. Huh? It was then that the book got cool and went all "Game of Thrones". At this point Hollis matures and I started to like her a lot more, in fact, I think I will read the sequel to find out what happens next. My eighteen-year-old daughter, who is a huge Selection fan, felt the same way, connecting with the book about halfway through. The story will appeal to fans of the first series, as well as new readers looking for something light. It reads quickly and is hard to put down once you get into it. The romantic scenes do not get too steamy, making this an appropriate choice for younger romance lovers. A perfect choice for summer reading, suggest this to the princess in your life who thinks they don't like to read.

Give Us the Vote!

Give Us the Vote!: Over 200 Years of Fighting for the Ballot

Susan Goldman Rubin

Holiday House, 2020 124 pages

Grades 4-8

Non-Fiction

Rubin offers a comprehensive look at the struggles of many generations of Americans in obtaining the right to vote in this land of Democracy. When the United States drew the constitution in 1787, only white male landowners were granted the right to vote for governmental leaders. Rubin demonstrates how different groups of people tenaciously fought to be given this right. African Americans and Women are the main struggles highlighted, yet the author briefly mentions the blatant discrimination against Hispanics and Asians, as well. The book begins with the Chippewa Indians of North Dakota being blocked from voting as recently as 2018. Rubin ends the volume with a challenge to young people to get out there and fight for injustice. focusing on the teenage movement for Gun Control. End matter includes a timeline, the actual constitutional amendments discussed in the book, sources, source notes, photo credits and an index. 

 

Eye opening and timely, this volume surprised me on many levels. Give Us the Vote starts strongly by illustrating the current struggle of the Chippewa in North Dakota and pointing out that Native Americans did not have the right to vote in all fifty states until 1962. What? I knew about Civil Rights and the suffragettes yet had no idea about the struggle of other minority groups of Americans. I picked up this book thinking that it was simply about the 19th amendment and yet one more book released this year about the one-hundredth anniversary of women getting the vote, but it was so much more. Rubin thoroughly and succinctly traces voting discrimination through American's brief history and the corruption displayed by those in power in order to hold onto that power. Written conversationally, readers can delve into this book for recreational purposes, yet it is meticulously researched, making it a great choice for school use as well. Black and white historic photos and drawings accompany the text, resulting in an attractable and visual package. The subject matter is extremely pertinent to what is currently happening in the world with people everywhere speaking out against discrimination. Young readers will gain strength from their predecessors in the fight for justice and see that their efforts will pay off. An important book for these trouble times.

The Time of Green Magic

The Time of Green Magic

Hilary McKay

Simon & Schuster, July, 2020 220 pages

Grades 3-6

Fantasy

Abi's father marries Polly, allowing her beloved grandmother to return to Jamaica, and with her two new stepbrothers, both older and younger. The fledgling family moves into an ivy-covered cottage with a little lamp reminiscent of Narnia. The little house feels like the green magic that Granny Grace always talked about and, indeed, mysterious things start happening. When Polly reads in a certain room objects from the book seem to appear out of nowhere. Polly leaves for a business trip and the youngest, Louis, starts behaving strangely.  He keeps referring to "Iffen" and finally Abi sees for herself who he is talking about. Iffen is a giant cat with long claws at first thought to be imaginary. The giant scratch marks on the door confirm that Iffen is truly real. Where did Iffen come from? And how do they get him to go back? Abi and her two stepbrothers must work together to solve this problem before Polly returns from her business trip and not give poor Dad more to worry about.

 

I have long loved the work of Hilary McKay. Her books are comfortable, sweet, gently magical and, well, very British. She has a handle on the workings of children and their thought processes. This new volume traces three flawed, yet distinctly wonderful, children as they adjust to their new blended family, moving, first crushes, and kind of creepy magical occurrences. Readers will relate to impulsive Max, Shy Abi, and needy Louis as they learn to work together to vanquish the unwanted Iffen. The magical element is believable and super cool-as the magic is actually read out of books. Reading characters out of books has been done before (inkheart), though never in such a believable way. Through this magical dilemma, the kids learn to be a family. Readers will wish for some Green Magic of their own and long for a move to a little fantastical cottage with a Narnia lamp. First published i the UK, Simon and Schuster left much of the "Briticisms", making the book that much more charming and, for my money, comforting. Sure to please fantasy readers and anyone looking for an escape, children will consider who and what they would like to pop out of their favorite titles.

One year at Ellsmere

One Year at Ellsmere

Erin Hicks

First Second, July, 2020 176 pages

Grades 4-8

Graphic Novel

Thirteen-year-old Juniper enters the prestigious boarding school Ellsmere Academy as its inaugural scholarship student. She is grateful for the opportunities the school affords yet feels a bit out of her depth. Jun meets her roommate, the bubbly and under-appreciated Cassie and the two become friends even though their personalities are opposite. Jun needs a friend to navigate the culture of this new school, especially when the Queen Bee, Emily, takes notice of her and starts to bully both Jun and Cassie. The girls take solace in the magical forest adjacent to the school grounds where they meet a mythological creature who gives them comfort. Although Emily tries-twice-to sabotage Jun's continued success at the Academy, Jun and Cassie devise a plan to beat her at her own game, securing Jun's position at the school. Can two unlikely roommates turn into a dynamic duo? Yes, when its Jun and Cassie!

 

I am a fan of Hick's work. I loved last year's Pumpkinheads and actually re-read it. This book had a lot of potential and I was excited to get my hands on it. The story is fine, but not too involved. Both of the main characters are likable and interesting, especially Jun, who is super cool in a nerdy sort of way. and whip smart. Cassie, though rich and ditsy, is a sympathetic character and someone that the reader will feel is a personal friend. The full-color artwork is terrific and steals the show. Not really a graphic memoir, readers who enjoy that genre will delve into this story. The bully storyline is fun, yet predictable, and Emily is truly the "girl you love to hate". Readers will enjoy seeing her get her comeuppance. The magical creature part of the story was jarring and was not as developed as the main plot. The book reads very quickly and will be enjoyed by young graphic novel readers. Kids love a good boarding school story, as well as an underdog, making this book an easy sell.

Click

Click

Kayla Miller

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019 191 pages

Grades 3-6

Graphic Novel

Click series #1

Fifth-grade Olive loves that she is a free agent and "clicks" with everybody in her grade at school. When a talent show is announced, the fifth-grade flies into a flurry of activity planning their acts. Olive walks around checking out all of her classmates’ acts, yet no one invites her to join them. True, her skill set does not necessarily lend itself to some of the talent on display, still it makes Olive realize that she isn't part of a tight group of friends-or a clique. For the first time in her life, Olive feels like a lonely outsider. A sleepover with her independent and cool aunt yields results, as Aunt Molly shows Olive video footage of old variety shows. The lightbulb goes off as Olive finally realizes where her talent lies. She decides that she will be the host of the show, cracking jokes and introducing acts. Once back in school, her friends hear the plan and vie for Olive's attention in order to get the best host-support possible. Finally, the big night arrives with all of the accompanying anticipation and jitters. Does Olive have what it takes to stand the pressure?

 

Debut graphic novelist, Miller, writes (and illustrates) a heartfelt story, sure to appeal to fans of the current trend of graphic memoirs. For a slightly younger audience than Raina Telgemeier, this is a perfect choice to hand to readers wanting to read Raina, but maybe not mature enough for some of the content. It is nice to see ten-year-olds behaving like ten-year-olds. Boys and girls are all friends with each other, and everyone is clamoring to show off their talents. Olive is super-cheerful and has a great sense of who she is. Realistically, this is the age when friendships that were always so easy start to get complicated. Olive finds herself struggling to navigate the waters. She resists her mother's efforts to fix the problem for her with a phone call and, luckily, has an awesome aunt to turn too-who is also a cool librarian, which I love! Olive figures out her place in fifth-grade society and finds a way to make it work outside of a clique. The full-color illustrations are simple and eye catching, perfect for the intended audience. First in a trilogy, I tried to check out Camp, which was released last summer, following Click's January 2019 release. Unfortunately, Camp was already checked-out, proving how popular these books are. Act is set to be published in July 2020 and will conclude the trilogy. Give to fans of graphic novels (and who isn't?) and kids starting to navigate those tricky tween-friendship waters.

Clap When You Land

Clap When You Land

Elizabeth Acevedo

Quill Tree/Harper Collins, 2020 432 pages

Grades 8-Up

Narrative Poetry

Camino Rios lives with her aunt in a simple home in the Dominican Republic. Life is tough, but they get by thanks to Papi, who lives and works in the US in order to support them. The worst happens when Papi's plane crashes on the way back to the island for his yearly visit. How will Camino and Tia survive. Meanwhile, alternating chapters tell the tale of Yahaira Rios, a NYC girl and former chess champion who resides with her parents. Her life is turned upside down when her Papi's plane crashes as he returns to his birthplace for his yearly trip. We see the different, yet similar experiences of both girls as they mourn the loss of their fathers-who turn out to be the same man. When the sisters find each other old anger and hurts are revisited. Will the families be able to bury the past, as they prepare to bury the man responsible for this big mess. How can they figure out their complex relationship and move towards the future?

 

Acevedo does it again with this beautifully crafted collection of verses that mesh together to tell a heartfelt story. Readers will relate to both of the narrators as they see both sides of the story and will root for everyone. Even Papi, who creates all of the problems in the first place, becomes a sympathetic character as the girls realize that you can be a good father even if you aren't a good husband. Themes include forgiveness, feminism, poverty, overcoming fear, importance and complexities of family and community, perseverance, and the concept of "home". The title refers to a Dominican tradition of clapping when planes land back on Dominican soil. They clap because they are safe--and because they are home. The story presents diversity in characters, economic status, and gender. The characters are fully realized, and the reader feels as if they know them personally. The poetry is carefully worded and beautiful. It does not conflict with the flow of the narrative and not one word is wasted. Once readers pick up this book it is hard to put down and since it is narrative poetry, it reads very quickly. I know readers who were very emotionally touched by this book to the point of tears and I am sure that young readers will connect to it in a very profound way. Based on an factual plane crash, an author's note at the end connects readers to the actual events inspiring her to write the story. Clap When You Land is an example of how well-written stories can also be highly entertaining and readable. This title will be beloved by teens of all stripes, as well as critics.

We Dream of Space

We Dream of Space

Erin Entrada Kelly

Greenwillow/HarperCollins, 2020 400 pages

Grades 4-7

Historical Fiction

Multiple points of view relate the story of three siblings as they struggle through seventh grade within the backdrop of the Challenger Disaster of 1986. Bird is a super-motivated science nerd who dreams of becoming the first female shuttle commander. She is uber-excited about the upcoming shuttle launch and writes an essay about why she should be included in the group of students allowed to view it from the school auditorium. Bird has dreams, brains, and ambitions, but lacks confidence and family support to succeed in a male-dominated world. Her twin brother Fitch is a video game addict. He spends his days at the local arcade. When an unpopular girl develops an embarrassing crush on him, he is not sure what to do. What he ends up doing is creating a disaster. Meanwhile, older brother Cash is an underachiever. He longs to be a great basketball player yet lacks the skills. On his second year of seventh grade he is in danger of flunking out--again. How can Cash find purpose and motivation in a world that doesn't take him seriously? January 1986 chugs by, as the three siblings deal with social and school pressures, as well as feuding parents and a dysfunctional home life. After the ill-fated shuttle launch, they must work together to find a healthy way forward, healing both their personal hurts and their broken family.

 

It is hard to believe that 1986 is historical fiction, but here we are. Young readers will be transported back to a time when mothers were returning to work (yet still being held accountable for all household chores), families had to share one television and telephone, arcades ruled, girls were not encouraged to pursue scientific careers, and no one had cell phones. Even with these societal changes, many things remain the same. Seventh grade is still socially confusing, many families are distant and dysfunctional, and we humans still make mistakes and hurt people inadvertently. Award winning author, Kelly, pens a story of three very different siblings who learn that they are stronger together. The Challenger Disaster was a terrible tragedy in our country's history and children, especially those who are interested in space travel, will enjoy seeing it through the eyes of contemporaries. Beyond the plot, this is at its root a character-driven family story. All three characters experience growth throughout the novel and take responsibility for their own lives and form their own functional family unit. The story is solidly written and heartfelt. There is one part where one of the siblings has an outburst that hurts someone's feelings that actually made me gasp. The character was even more shaken up than I was and searched for a way to finally find grace. Readers will learn from this example that mistakes, though not always able to be fixed, can at least be repaired and we don't have to carry around the guilt and shame forever. For sure, parts of this novel were hard to read, but in the end the reader is left with a feeling of hope and knowledge that better days are coming--both for the characters and the country. An author’s note at the end adds historical context and the author’s personal experience with the disaster. An excellent book and sure to be one of my favorites of the year.

The One and Only Bob

The One and Only Bob

Katherine Applegate

HarperCollins, 2020 352 pages

Grades 3-7

Animal Story

Bob, The little puppy with the big personality, gets his day in the sun in this sequel to Newbery winning The One and Only Ivan. Bob now resides with his new family (don't use the term "owner", please!) Julia and her parents. Life is pretty good. He gets two squares a day, a soft place to sleep, and-best of all-he gets to visit his old pals Ivan the gorilla and Ruby the young elephant at the zoo where Julia's dad works. At one such visit all is not as it should be. Bad weather is coming and the animals can all feel it. Finally, terrible rain morphing into hurricane enters the vicinity. The storm brings a tornado and with it Bob goes flying--literally. Once the tornado settles down, he catches his breath and surveys the damage. The zoo has been ram-shacked. Habitats are destroyed and animals are wandering around freely. Bob begins to search for his pals. Once he locates Ivan his worst fears are realized as the once-powerful gorilla is now pinned underneath a steel bean and not moving. Can Ivan be saved? Bob faces further danger as he hunts for Julia and hears a familiar bark that brings both the best news and another dangerous situation. How can a little guy save the day when he's pint sized and has no working thumbs? Bob finds a way to do just that in this hilarious new sequel.

 

Published twelve years ago to critical and popular acclaim, Applegate finally satisfies her fans with a sequel to The One and Only Ivan, a book enjoyed by children reading for pleasure, as well as being built into many school’s curriculum. I like the original enough. It is an animal story that pulls at the heart strings and it really connects with certain kids. Dare I say I may have enjoyed the sequel better? Though not as heartfelt or rich as the first, this installment was dog-gone funny! Bob is a wonderful character and narrator and I found myself chuckling as I listened to the audio. The narrator is Danny Devito, who also plays Bob in the upcoming film and this may have had something to do with my enjoyment. Devito totally nails Bob's voice and personality and makes for a highly entertaining experience. The main action does not get going for a while, but readers will not care because Bob's musings about dog-hood are never boring. Once the storm hits and the action takes off, readers will not be able to stop turning pages. Some plot twists add to the excitement as Bob runs around putting out fires, making new friends, reuniting with old ones, and saving the day. Lovers of the first story may complain that there is not enough Ivan in this book, but, frankly, I found Bob more fun. It is helpful to have read the first book before plowing into this sequel, but not mandatory. Applegate gives readers enough background information to get them up to speed. A book about courage, friendship, and forgiveness that will make readers chuckle-as they are holding their breaths.