Taking Up Space

Taking Up Space

Alyson Gerber

Scholastic, 2021

259 pages

Grades 5-8

Realistic Fiction

Sarah's whole life is basketball and relationship with her two best friends, who are also on the team. The team is slated to win the championship this year, only something is different. Sarah isn't as quick on the court and her body is unreliable. Coach explains that its just puberty and she will eventually settle into herself, but she hates sitting on the bench. Sarah's mom has always had weird food issues. There is often nothing to eat in the house-except sweets. Dinners leave Sarah feeling hungry and sometimes Mom even forgets to cook. Is Sarah not worthy of being fed? Meanwhile, Sarah's crush invites her to partner in a cooking competition. The problem is-one of Sarah's best friends likes him too. Should Sarah agree to partner with Benny? And how does she tell her friend? Sarah decided the answers to her problems will be to eat less, sticking to the short list of Mom approved foods. Disaster strikes in the middle of a game thanks to Sarah's new life-style choices, forcing her to seek outside help. Both Coach and the school counselor help Sarah and her family work through her troubles with both food and self-worth.

Alyson Gerber is the new Judy Blume or Norma Fox Mazer. This book, as well as Gerber's two previous titles, are reminiscent of the problem novels I came of age reading in the 1970's. Young people love these books: a kid has a problem and then learns to fix it. In Taking Up Space Gerber explores issues of changing bodies and self-confidence as kids enter puberty. All the women I know have issues of one sort or another about food. It is important to educate our girls (and boys) about healthy eating and embracing diverse body types. An author's note at the end touches on Gerber's own experiences and continued struggles. Beyond the obvious intention of the book, this is also a story of friendship and navigating the troubled waters of middle school relationships. Sarah solves both her relationship problems and eating struggles a bit too maturely and neatly to be realistic, but this is a kid's book. Readers will learn how to solve these dilemmas by following Sarah's example and find comfort in the clean resolution. Taking Up Space is a bit like watching an afterschool special, but will be gobbled up by the intended audience and raises awareness about unhealthy eating practices.

Houdini and Me

Houdini and Me

Dan Gutman

Holiday House, 2021

211 pages

Grades 3-6

Fantasy

Eleven year old Harry Mancini has always been obsessed with Harry Houdini, and not just because he lives in what was once the famous magician's house. After an unfortunate incident involving a train and a loose shoelace Harry wakes up in the hospital. A strange flip-phone is among the gifts and cards left by well-wishers. Harry is not allowed a cellphone. Has Mom changed her mind? Only one person texts him on the ancient phone--and that person identifies himself as the one and only Houdini. Is it really him? Harry isn't sure what to believe, but if anyone could contact him from the great beyond, it would be the world's all-time greatest illusionist. Before Harry knows what's happening he agrees to a time swap with the famous magician. Houdini takes over Harry's body and time for one hour and Harry finds himself upside down hanging from a skyscraper in a straight jacket. HELP! All of the 1920's onlookers think that he is the actual Houdini and think he is teasing that he can't get out. Harry must use his wits to get out of this sticky situation. Will he ever make it back to his own time? And how can he get rid of this pesky new friend?

Dan Gutman is truly the best. He is a prolific writer of children's books who knows what kids like to read. From the silliness of My Weird School for the chapter book crowd to the exciting Genius Files for older middle grade readers to Rappy the Raptor for emerging readers, Gutman puts out quality merchandise that is highly readable with lots of child appeal. This latest stand-alone novel features time travel, Harry Houdini, and a protagonist with a best friend who make questionable choices: a sure-fire formula for success. I enjoyed the story very much. The conveyance of Houdini communicating through a flip-phone is brilliant. Readers will know when Houdini is speaking because it comes through in ALL CAPS. The book ends like the Wizard of Oz with readers wondering, "Did that really happen?" Actual photos from both the time period and actual places in New York City will help to flesh out the story and encourage readers to keep turning pages. The cover, itself, is enough to attract and audience (it drew ME in). An easy sell to reluctant readers, Gutman hits another homer. 

Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor

Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor
Ally Carter
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020
322 pages
Grades 5-7
Mystery, Adventure

Life as an orphan has not been easy for April. She has bounced from foster home to foster home, yet knows that one day her mother will return to claim her, having left April with a key that she wears around her neck and a note that she will return. A visit to the local museum reveals a display from the Winterborne family with a chest sporting the same crest as on her key. April hides in the museum after hours to see if she can get her key to fit and finds herself being rescued from a fire by a famous statue. The fire seems to be the last straw. Where will April be sent next? Imagine her surprise when a limousine whisks her away to the Winterborne Mansion where four other orphans reside with connections to the Winterborne family. Gabriel Winterborne, the heir to the fortune, disappeared many years ago under mysterious circumstances and his uncle is trying to locate him. In the meantime, a foundation has been established to educate the orphans and give them a safe home. All is not as it seems, as April hears mysterious noises in the night. Is it that statue again come to life? And what is its purpose?

Best known for teen suspense, Carter tries her hand at middle grade by returning to the world of boarding schools, yet for an younger audience. Though not as sophisticated as her teen fiction and without the prerequisite romance, this series starter contains the action and suspense of her works aimed at older readers. April is a likable and feisty character. Middle grade readers love an orphan and will immediately sympathize with April's tragic life.The creepy Winterborne Mansion with its secret passageways and dark corners will also delight the target audience with a slight Hogwarts vibe. The action never stops and April must be brave at every turn and encounter some slightly scary situations. There is a clear-cut bad guy, which will satisfy readers, who gets his comeuppance by the book's end. There are many mysteries from whatever happened to Gabriel Winterborne to what is the connection of the characters to the estate. Most of them are cleared up-with the exception of how the hero, April, fits in and why she has the key. This will lead readers to the next installment, recently released, Winterborne House for Mayhem and Mystery. An atmospheric read that will keep middle grade readers guessing and turning pages.

Bad Sister

Bad Sister

Charise Mericle Harper

Rory Lucey, Illustrator

First Second, July, 2021

240 Pages

Grades 2-5

Graphic Novel

Charise wants very badly to be a good sister to her brother Daniel, but something always seems to go wrong and her own desires seem to get the better of her. Charise and Daniel have the run of their 1970's neighborhood. Charise always has the best, though sometimes dangerous, ideas for games that, although fun, always seem to go wrong. As much as she she loves her brother and wants to be a good role model and leader she finds it hard to share or give up being the boss. Even the family pet becomes a battleground as Charise is determined to prove that the cat loves her more. The worst happens when the siblings are playing outside and Charise accidentally his Daniel in the mouth with a golf club, breaking one of his teeth. Is Charise really a bad sister? Can this relationship be mended and this guilt-ridden sib find redemption?

Harper, of Fashion Kitty fame, among other books, is the latest to pen an autobiographical graphic novel sure to appeal to readers of the trend begun by Raina Telgemeier. There are similarities to Raina's Sisters, yet this title seems to be for a slightly younger audience. All big sisters will relate to Charise's struggle to be kind to her young brother, yet not able to control the nasty impulses. I could certainly relate to this story. An unfortunate swing with a crocket mallet involving my younger brother and myself still haunts me. Through it all, we see Charise's earnestness and desire to be good and readers will respond. The story, though set in the 1970's and featuring kids with freedom, will still resonate with readers who will find the setting interesting, not alienating. Lucey's full-color illustrations are appealing and add to the the mood and plot of the tale. A quick and easy read that will find a ready, willing and broad audience with no siblings required.

Lore

Lore
Alexandra Bracken
Disney/Hyperion, 2021
480 pages
Grades 9-Up
Mythology/Fantasy/Adventure

Lore appears to be a typical young woman living in New York City, except her life is anything but ordinary. She is the last surviving member of an ancient Greek bloodline and the sole inheritor of a magical and deadly artifact that only she can wield. Every seven years the old families come together to hunt the Gods, made mortal for a short time as punishment for a long-past rebellion. The Agon is deadly. It can rise a mortal to great power--or bring about death, as was the case for Lore's family. After flying under the radar since the last deadly Agon, Lore now finds herself in the thick of it, as old friends surface and competing forces want control of the power she possesses. After finding Athena bleeding on her doorstep, Lore decides to join forces with the powerful Goddess, entwining her own life to that of her now ally. Lore's ragtag band of rebels must hunt, as they are also hunted, to keep New York City from getting completely destroyed and protect the world from an evil and greedy new God, set on eternal domination.

This book had me at the cover. I had to read it and even though it is very long, the exciting plot twists and non-stop action kept me going. Since the pandemic began my attention span has diminished. Long books, especially, lose me and feel overwhelming. Lore is the perfect distraction and escape for an overworked brain and I fell right into the passion of the Agon, with all of its hopes, strategies, and deceptions. There is a romance for Lore, as well as for two other secondary team members, but this is not the focal point of the story, nor does it get too carried away. The main reason the book is best intended for older readers is that it is exceedingly violent as characters are decapitated and brutally murdered as the Agon winds through its bloody path. Older teens used to video games and familiar with The Game of Thrones will have no problem with it, but the book is not for sensitive or younger readers. Graduates of Percy Jackson will find much to delve into and will feel right at home with the contemporary setting infused with Greek mythology. A perfect summer read and escape, though not for the faint of heart.

The Animal Rescue Agency

The Animal Rescue Agency:

Case File: Little Claws

Eliot Schrefer

HarperCollins, 2021

176 pages

Grades 2-5

Animal/Fantasy/Mystery/Humor

Jaunty and fashionable Esquire Fox and her trusty partner, rooster Mr. Pepper, receive a cry of distress at their cozy lair. A polar bear cub has been kidnapped from her mother in the arctic and it is up to The Animal Rescue Agency to discover the perpetrator and provide rescue. Esquire and Mr. Pepper hop aboard trains, boats, and even huskies to get to the northern-most town in the arctic and befriend some of the four-legged inhabitants at the local watering hole. At the human counterpart for consuming beverages a suspicious looking man with a fur hat is eying them through the window. Could this be the perpetrator? Esquire and Mr. Pepper face grave danger including entrapment, sailing through the air on a damaged kite, near frostbite and a hazardous walrus rescue. Can two small animals save the day in a frozen, hostile environment?

I loved this book. It contains a little of everything: mystery, animal rescue, and-most of all-humor. It provided the perfect escape for my end-of-the-pandemic blues. Kids will also enjoy it. It is a target level for readers ready for longer chapter books, but still needing high excitement, humor, and illustrations to keep them going. The black and white illustrations, contributed by Daniel Duncan, are just enough to entice readers without overwhelming the text. The book had a dashing, turn of the century feel to it and Esquire reminds me of a modern day Nelly Bly. The writing is clever and never loses its voice. The volume ends with Esquire hanging the kidnappers portrait on the "Villain Wall", letting the reader know that more adventures are to come. Also included are "Esquire's Field Notes" with real wildlife information about climate change and the arctic as well as Mr. Pepper's recipe for Mushroom Jerky. Schrefer reminds the reader that the biggest threat to wildlife is humans and even makes a case for vegetarianism. If Esquire can resist eating Mr. Pepper, than maybe we can all do without the burger. The mission of the Animal Rescue Agency says it all, "To each animal the right to live its natural life".  Hear! Hear!

Teddy

Teddy
Laurence Luckinbill
Adapted & Illustrated by Eryck Tait
Dead Reckoning, 2021
Grades 8-Up
Graphic Non-fiction

Based on the author's one-man play, the life of Teddy Roosevelt is explored through a speech he actually gave to the Republican State Convention in Saratoga when he was 61 years old. Roosevelt and his wife were informed the day before that his youngest son, Quentin, was killed in World War I. Now he is addressing the convention, stressing the need for America to be strong, defeat the enemy overseas and rise to the occasion as the best and boldest country in the world. As Roosevelt delivers his speech he travels back in time and readers see his life unfold with all of its struggles and achievements. Roosevelt's opinions and accomplishments are seen through both a historically cultural lenses and a modern one, helping today's youth to understand both the times and the man behind the legend.

Who can help but be attracted to the charismatic Teddy Roosevelt? I have always found him interesting, but beyond his time with the Rough Riders, his contribution to the National Parks, and servicing as an inspiration to the teddy bear, I knew very little. Now I know so many interesting tidbits and contributions, including his journey from sickly child to wild-west rancher to fearless soldier. What a guy! You may agree with some of what he is about and strongly disagree with other aspects, but everyone has to admit that he is far from wishy-washy. The story is compelling and will attract readers and keep them turning pages. The time jumps are clear and not confusing, making this a great choice for reports for struggling students. The comic format makes the book an easy sell and kids will learn as they are entertained, thinking they are reading for their own enjoyment. Though not in full-color, the illustrations are highlighted in slate-blue and have a super-hero vibe to them. My only complaint is the lack of source notes or suggestions for further reading. A great book that will appeal to a variety of readers who will be challenged with the question, "what do I stand for?"

The Hidden Knife

The Hidden Knife

Melissa Marr

Penguin, June, 2021

272 pages

Grades 5-7

Fantasy

Multiple points of view tell the story of four extraordinary young people brought together in the quest to protect the Queen from evil forces. An ancient gargoyle named Rupert arrives from the magical Netherware and pledges to watch over a group of fearless children. Time marches on and now he is watching their prodigies, the next generation, as they find their places in the world and begin studies at Corvus to become elite Ravens. After the loss of her entire family, Victoria is training to be the warrior that her mother once was in order to seek revenge. Algernon is training to be an alchemist (the queen's poisoner) like his father, but does he have what it takes? Milan is a common street thief, taken in by Algernon's father, and now finding himself also a student at the school and possibly in over his head. Meredith is not what she seems and carries many secrets. Is she to be trusted? The four students find each other and learn to trust in order to fight evil and protect the queen from hidden enemies, perhaps even from within their own school.

I am a long-time fan of Melissa Marr, specifically of her teen Wicked Lovely series, of which I read every book. I was excited for this new middle grade series starter. Marr certainly is a world builder. I love this place that she created, filled with gargoyles, kelpies, and fairies, where certain lucky people can crossover to the Neverware to explore a magical land. The characters are interesting and the school where they all come together has a certain Hogwarts vibe, with quirky professors and secret features. There is also a certain amount of mortal danger and conflict with plenty of action and plot twists. My complaint is that maybe there was a bit too much going on and the story is a bit complicated for the target audience. There are a lot of characters to keep straight and I was personally confused at certain points. Its one of those books that you think must be a sequel and that you are missing something that you should already know. This appears to be a series starter, so for those young people willing to continue, maybe some of these unknowns will be cleared up moving forward. Ambitious readers will find much to bite into and the series will be sure to find fans.

Kensuke's Kingdom

Kensuke's Kingdom

Michael Morpurgo

Scholastic, 2003

164 pages

Grades 4-6

Adventure

When the brickworks in Michael's small English town closes, his parents are without jobs. In a bold move they take their life savings, buy a yacht and make plans to sail around the world with only Michael and dog Stella as the crew. At first the journey is exciting, but then the storms blow in. One night, while Michael is at the helm and his parents are rest below, he and Stella are thrown overboard and wash up on a small seemingly deserted island. Mysteriously drinking water and food appear every morning, keeping the two survivors alive. Who is leaving the essential food stuffs? The answer arrives as Kensuke shows himself-a seemingly wild man who appear to be part monkey. How did this man arrive on the island and what is is back story? He acts very unfriendly. Can he and Michael become friends? Most of all, are they both destined to be stranded on that island forever?

Not a new book, but almost twenty years later Kensuke's Kingdom still holds up. Written by the author of the popular War Horse, it is a wonderful adventure story for kids not quite ready for Hatchet. Small town factories are still closing, leaving folks without jobs and needing to relocate, making this situation still relevant. Even though Michael misses his friends, how exciting would it be to sail around the world with your parents and a dog? That alone will hook readers, but then once he is overboard the story really gets going. Readers will learn to take care of earth's resources, not make snap judgements about strangers, find peace in the quiet life, and witness the devastation of war. Kensuke is a victim of the horrors of WWII and his family is from Nagasaki, one of the cities desecrated by the atomic bomb. Never the same, he has found solace in his private island life, until Michael comes along. A surprise ending will relieve readers in the best possible way and offer not only an excellent conclusion but leave them wondering if the story is actually real (it isn't). A great piece of classic Adventure fiction.