The Shape of Thunder

The Shape of Thunder

Jasmine Warga

Balzer & Bray, 2021

288 pages

Grades 4-7

Realistic Fiction

Alternating points of view tell the story of two best friends/next door neighbors and the devastating event that changed their lives. Cora's sister Mabel was killed almost a year ago in a school shooting. Already having to process the abandonment of her mother, Cora will not speak to her best friend, Quinn, and must depend on her professor father and maternal grandmother. Quinn's family reacts differently from the shooting, mostly because it was their son who was responsible, using his father's guns. Quinn has mixed feelings about her brother, hating him for what he did, yet still loving him, because, well, he's her brother. Her feelings are even more complex because she knew he was into the guns and feels partly responsible for not telling anyone. The girls have an uncomfortable reunion as they join forces to try to time travel to life before the event. Is time travel possible? Genius Cora believes so and the two will do whatever it takes to get to their siblings before the shooting.

This is a very different novel than Warga's other work that I read Other Words for Home, which traces the experience of a middle-eastern immigrant through narrative poetry. Warga does in this new novel demonstrate a bit of the middle-eastern/American experience through Cora and Mabel's heritage in which Cora is trying to further explore and that the shooting was partially racially motivated. Both girls are suffering from misplaced guilt and PTSD, yet their family's handle it in different ways. Cora's family has her in therapy, while Quinn's father tries to sweep the incident under the rug, including his role in the tragedy by owning the guns, and decides to simply relocate to give the family a fresh start. Finally, Quinn convinces her parents that she needs professional help and the reader is left with the impression that they have heard her. This was a very sad book and I had trouble getting through it. My library system owns twenty-five copies of this title and only eight are currently available, so tween readers, who tend to be attracted to sad books, disagree with me. The time travel exploration is a cool ingredient to the story and that was the hook that got me.  Ultimately, the reader is left with a sense of hope and, maybe, an understanding about the seriousness of gun ownership.

The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan

Katherine Applegate

Harper Collins, 2012

304 pages

Grades 3-7

Animal Fiction

Ivan the Gorilla lives in a human habitat called the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade with animal friends Stella, the elderly elephant, and Bob, the zippy terrier mix. He also has a human friend, Julia, the daughter of custodian George, and a complicated relationship with the mall's owner and operator, Mack. Life is pretty much the same for Ivan, day in and day out. There is a constant flow of people throwing junk food into his cage, shows to perform, and artwork to create for Mack to sell. When Ruby, an elephant youth, joins the crew at the mall, Ivan begins to question their existence and wonder if there could be a better life out there. A television shows nature programs of animals in the wild and Ivan slowly begins to remember his past through telling Ruby stories. Is there a way for Ivan to get himself and his friends out of the situation in which they are trapped? How can a silverback gorilla communicate with humans if he has no speech and is stuck in a cage?

I originally read this book when it came out in 2012 and was lukewarm about it. I found the story to be agenda-driven and too serious for kids. It went on to win the Newbery Medal and upon further reading and reflection, I think I was wrong. Kids, especially animal lovers, respond strongly to this book and request it often. In the time since 2012 serious and sad problem novels have trended, making the conditions that Ivan finds himself pulling at heartstrings in an acceptable and desired way. There is some gentle humor--mostly from Ivan's pal Bob, the subject of the sequel that came out last year. This book reads like poetry and every word is carefully chosen. Applegate is conscious of her white space and gives the reader moments to breath and reflect upon important bits of the text. Even though the book appears to be on the long-side, it reads quickly and even offers a few black and white illustrations along the way. Young sensitive readers may be affected by the brutal living conditions Ivan and his pals are subjected to, yet the ending is hopeful and happy. An author's note at the end separates fact from fiction and may inspire animal lovers to become activists.

Belly Up

Belly Up
Stuart Gibbs
Simon & Shuster, 2010 294 pages
Grades 4-7
Mystery
Funjungle series #1

Teddy is the only kid living at Funjungle, the multi-billion dollar zoo/theme park. Teddy's mother is a primate expert and his father is a wildlife photographer, so they sleep in a trailer on the outskirts of the facility and he has his run of the park. He happens to be on the scene when the park's mascot and main attraction, Henry the Hippo, goes "belly-up". Naturally, the operations manager and the PR guy want to sweep the death under the rug and dispose of the corpse quickly and quietly, but the veterinarian insists on an autopsy.  Teddy sneaks into the auditorium where the autopsy is being performed and witnesses suspicious behavior. Was Henry actually murdered? Teaming up with the billionaire owner's daughter, the two tweens set off to uncover the truth. The problem is, whoever murdered Henry wants to keep the evil deed a secret and Teddy's very life is in danger.

First in the Funjungle series, I thought I read this book already. Nope-I read the second, Poached, which was equally fun and can be read out of order. Appealing to both mystery and animal lovers, this series tick a lot of boxes. The mystery is get-able and Gibbs provides enough quirky suspects to make it interesting. The action never stops as Teddy falls into one dangerous situation after another. This is also a friendship story, as Teddy overcomes his perceptions of rich-girl Summer and learns to trust and appreciate her for who she is. The kids are smarter than the adults and the mystery is solved by kid-power and the sheer tenacity and quick wits of the tweens. The parents are supportive and helpful, showing readers that they can turn to adults with their problems, even though they are also strong and capable. A murdered hippo is a sad situation, yet Henry was not very likable and by the end a silver lining is offered to appease the death for animal lovers. A perfect summer read that gets kids thinking and is also great fun.

Jukebox

Jukebox
Nidhi Chanani
First Second, 2021
224 pages
Grades 3-8
Graphic Novel

Shaheen's father goes missing without a trace and it is up to her to find him. Luckily, she has her bestie, slightly older cousin Naz, to help. The investigation leads the girls to Dad's favorite record store, where as a collector he is a regular customer. Upstairs they find a mysterious jukebox that plays full albums. Plugging in the jukebox and putting on an album magically transports the girls back to the time the album was pressed, where they stay until the album finishes playing. Since the jukebox was unplugged they deduce that Dad is trapped in a different time period. There are albums scattered all over the floor. Which one was the album that transported and trapped Dad? The only way to find out is by trial and error and the girls are determined to spend their summer trying each one. They travel to many important time periods including Civil Rights and the fight for Women's Liberation. Unfortunately, all of this time traveling is causing physical pain to Naz. Can they find Dad before she can no longer time travel?

This is my kind of book. I love both music and time travel and it is clear that Chanani feels the same. Music is very powerful and can bring us back to the time that we listened to a particular song or artist. For this reason, a magical jukebox seems like the perfect conveyance for time travel. I love the events chosen by Chanani and readers will learn a bit about lesser known events of the past. Presented in full-color, the illustrations are vibrant and eye-catching, managing to illustrate music in an understandable way. I am a fan of the author/illustrator's other graphic novel for middle grades, Pashmina, and feel that this lives up to the original. A playlist at the end of the volume will lead readers to the songs highlighted within the pages and may broaden their musical tastes. The girls are diverse and Naz, who is older than Shaheen, is discovering that she is bisexual and eventually tells her conservative family, a plot-point told subtly, that will go over the heads of younger children. Lots of fun with something to say, this graphic novel is the perfect summer read for music lovers and non-music lovers alike.

Firekeepers Daughter

Firekeeper's Daughter

Angeline Boulley

Holt, 2021

496 pages

Grades 10-Up

Mystery

Daunis has recently graduated from high school and is rearranging her college plans to be closer to home in order to help her mother and ailing grandmother after the tragic loss of her uncle. As the daughter of a mother from the white first-family in town and a father from the local Ojibwa community, Daunis has lived a lifetime of balancing between cultures and codeswitching. Life gets more complicated as young members of the Ojibwa community fall prey to meth addiction and are dying from overdoses. After a death hits too close to home Daunis is destroyed, finally agreeing to help the FBI in an undercover investigation to find the source of the drug's distribution. A handsome hockey playing undercover agent poses as her new love interest, gaining her further access to the team she was once a member of, and serving as a contact. Even though the relationship is all business, real feelings start emerging. Undercover work proves tricky and complicated, forcing Daunis to lie to friends and family as she works through the case, finds her identity and deals with the losses of her past. Twists, turns, and danger are around every corner. Will Daunis uncover the truth? And, most of all, will she survive the investigation?

Wow! What a debut! First time novelist, Boulley, sets the bar high with this highly readable, yet layered, novel. After long being ignored, books about indigenous cultures are trending. I figured that this novel was published to address the trend, yet when I kept seeing it starred, I began to take notice. Boulley creates a mystery set above the usual teenage fare that is both compelling and complex. I listened to the audio book and found myself catching bits and pieces whenever I had a chance and thinking about it through the course of my day. The action never stops and there are enough plot twists to delight even the most hardened mystery reader. There are a lot of characters and details to keep straight, but the author makes it all pretty clear and I was not confused. The length may turn off some teen readers, but the book reads quickly and is hard to put down. The reader will be as confused as Daunis in determining who are the good guys and who are the bad, yet it ends satisfactorily--not perfect, yet with closure and hope. At times disturbingly violent with instances of sexual abuse, this is a book for older readers and not for the faint of heart. Firekeeper's Daughter would make a great movie with it's exciting plot. So far, the best teen book I have read this year!

Da Vinci's Cat

Da Vinci's Cat

Catherine Murdock

Greenwillow, 2021

288 pages

Grades 4-7

Historical Fiction/Fantasy

Federico is a young nobleman, held as a political prisoner by the pope in sixteenth century Rome. Though not free to return home, he is welcome to come and go at will around the grounds, making friends with many of today's well-known Renaissance artists. One day to his surprise a man in strange clothes with an unfamiliar accent pops out of a mysterious wardrobe crafted by Leonardo Da Vinci accompanied by a cat. Federico makes friends with both man and animal and is sad when they return home via the same wardrobe. The man returns the next night, only to seek a signature from the famous Raphael on a sketch of a mysterious teenager said to have been created by the master. Meanwhile, present day Bee has moved to New Jersey and experiences a very strange encounter with the old lady next door, who seems to know her. When Bee discovers the wardrobe in the lady's attic, she travels in time and meets Federico. The two become friends and work together to get the coveted signature, preserving the chain of events in order for Bee's world to be untarnished. All hinges on the scruffy Michelangelo. Can two young people and a time traveling cat pull off the tricky scheme?

Newbery honor winner, Murdock, follows up The Book of Boy with another middle grade novel from the far past, this time leaving the Middle Ages for the Italian Renaissance. As before, she perfectly captures the mood and voice of the time and transports her audience to the Renaissance. Readers will enjoy seeing the human side of these great painters (I know I did!) and may be encouraged to learn more about their work. The time travel element brings another dimension to the tale and will draw modern readers into the story and make them feel more at home. The cat from the title is a minor character, yet serves to bring both timelines together, as he travels freely between both times and is the connecting thread. What is it about wardrobes that they are such a trusted vehicle for time travel? Maybe because they are contained and can hold a full person. Folks always seem to hop dimensions through either a wardrobe or a phonebooth. Regardless, I love the concept of time travel and find that young people do as well. This book will make their imaginations soar and dream about where they would like to go, given the chance. Adventure, fantasy, history, art, and gentle humor all rolled up in one carefully constructed package.

The Leak

The Leak
Kate Reed Petty
Andrea Bell, Illustrator
First Second, 2021
Grades 3-6
Graphic Mystery

Ruth is an inspiring journalist. She puts out a weekly on-line paper called The Coolsletter and is working on building up her readership. While fishing with her friend Jonathan they discover weird sludge in the water at the local pond. Ruth suspects it is coming from the nearby golf course and is determined to delve into some investigating work. An interview with the owner of the golf course is less than satisfying and after she and Jonathan get caught snooping around it looks like they are at a dead end. Meanwhile, suspicious side-effects such as dental cavities and cancer are pointing to tainted drinking water. With help from a science teacher Ruth tests the water and is determined to share her results with the public. Big business opposition wants the results kept secret, but Ruth has her professional integrity to consider, as well as public health. What is the best course of action to proceed and can one middle school girl take on such a big problem?

Petty and Bell take on a weighty topic ripped out from the recent headlines in Flint, Michigan. Big business' effect on the environment is a concern to our world and clean water is essential to all life. Young readers will learn more about this crucial issue through this highly readable graphic novel. Ruth's passion and enthusiasm are contagious and readers will immediately cheer for her as she uncovers the clues in her investigation. Beyond the environmental theme, other topics include navigating boy/girl dynamics in middle school, family conflict, journalistic integrity, and making the ethical choice, even when grown-ups tell you something different. Ruth puts it all on the line to get to the truth and is rewarded, eventually, for her efforts. The full color illustrations are pleasing and help to convey the story. An author's note at the end delves further into journalistic integrity and determining "fake news", as well as challenging young people to stand up for the environment, tell the truth and speak up. An important message for the world today that will, hopfully, ispire young people to turn off their video games and make a difference.

Everywhere Blue

Everywhere Blue

Joanne Rossmassler Fritz

Holiday House, 2021

246 pages

Grades 5-8

Narrative Poetry

If seventh grade weren't confusing enough, Maddie's brother walks off his college campus and disappears. Where did he go--and why? As Maddie's family falls into chaos and confusion, she feels neglected and overlooked. Always an obsessed counter, her OCD kicks into high gear and she becomes consumed with playing her Oboe and possibly getting a solo, thinking that this will bring Strum back. Mom leaves to try to track Strum down, eventually joined by Dad. Teen sister Aria is distracted and starts to fall in with an unhealthy group of friends. As Maddie's continued feeling of helplessness continues, new relationships take hold and offer her guidance and support. A new club brings unexpected connections and slowly she starts to get a hold of herself. The police think Strum is dead, but Maddie and her family refuse to believe it. By book's end the truth behind Strum's disappearance is revealed and the family starts the healing process.

Family dynamics can be very tricky-especially when navigated by a twelve year old who does not understand everything that is happening. Debut author, Fritz, tells the story of this family's tragic struggles through verse. This lyrical form is a perfect way to convey the story, since Maddie and her family are musical. The book reads like music. It is beautifully and carefully written, yet still tells a story and never loses the narration or voice. The mystery of what happened to Strum is solved, perhaps a bit too neatly, but certainly satisfyingly and a clear-cut motive is offered. Readers will identify with Maddie's fear and frustration and experience first-hand what life with OCD feels like. Though finding solace through her Oboe, this also becomes a further vehicle of compulsion. The Environmental Club that Maddie joins to please her best friend becomes a saving grace and a healthy outlet. A well meaning friend suggests counseling for this family and after first reacting negatively, this seems to be the path they are thankfully willing to take, offering hope by book's end.