Iveliz Explains It All

Iveliz Explains It All

Andrea Beatriz Arango

Random House, 2022

263 pages

Grades 4-7

Realistic Fiction/Narrative Poetry

Take a dip into Iveliz's journal to experience first hand the life and times of this troubled seventh grader. Iveliz has not been right sine her father passed away. She feels responsible for his death and unloved at his passing. Lucky for her, his ghost still visits, though this often gets her in trouble. Mom has problems of her own and works a lot to support them both. Amir, Iveliz's best friend, also has troubles with a chronically ill brother and seems to want more from her than she can possibly give. Abuela Mimi arrives from Puerto Rico and, finally, Iveliz gets some company and finds someone who believes her about Dad's ghost. The problem is that Abuela's mind isn't quite right and now Iveliz feels responsible for her grandmother's safety. Seventh grade was suppose to be a fresh start, but Iveliz finds herself reverting to old patterns at school. Her grades are terrible and she is losing her temper and getting into fights. Mom brings Iveliz to a therapist, but will the wretched "Turnip" be able to help her?

In this Newbery honor book Arango explores depression and mental illness in young people, a problem which is haunting current society. Readers see a first person account through the narrative poetry in Iveliz's journal. The book is designed to really look like a journal with lined paper and a font that looks like actual printing. This will help immediately suck kids into the story and lends an air of authenticity to the tale. We all know (including Iveliz) that Dad is part of her mental troubles and not a real ghost and it is with relief that he finally comes to see her less often. Despite the pressures of a new family member in need of care, Iveliz's mom is responsive to her daughter's troubles and gets her professional help. Iveliz also works through friendship problems with Amir and learns to give as well as take and to be a better friend. The story ends on a hopeful note with both Iveliz's relationships and mental illness under control. An author's note and resources at the end invite readers to get help if needed for their own problems and Arango lists places to get started. Certainly a sad story, but one that will appeal to many thoughtful readers.

Bea Wolf

Bea Wolf

Zach Weinersmith

Boulet (Illustrator)

First Second, 2023

183 pages

Grades 5-Adult?

Graphic Novel

Be transported to a land where kids rule in this modern retelling of the classic Beowulf. The thousand year old epic poem, originally written in Old English, is made fresh in a tongue-in-cheek approach to childhood. In a society made-up of very small parentless children, King Roger inherits the throne. In order to put his mark on this wild sugar-induced society before aging out, he gets a great idea. King Roger decides to build a treehouse, dubbed Treeheart, which serves as a sanctuary for wild children up to all kinds of shenanigans. Unfortunately, a crabby neighbor by the name of Grindle vows to take down the rambunctious crew. He wins the first battle, turning most of the Treeheart's inhabitants into teenagers and old people. Luckily, a nearby King, who owes a debt, sends her best warrior with a band of child-thugs to lend aid to poor King Roger. A wicked battle ensues, with poor Grindle suffering an unpredictable fate. Our story ends with a party to end all parties and a potential cliff-hanger to lead to another installment.

Hmmm, this book is a tough one. Librarians and other literary adults love it. It is already on the top of many best books of the year lists. Every library in my consortium bought it, maybe because of all the star reviews it received. That said, out of 56 copies in the system, 46 remain currently on the shelf, and one of those is checked out to me. The question remains: who is the intended audience? The writing is exquisite. Weinersmith manages to capture the texture and patterns of the original poem and contemporize it, adding humor and substituting small children as the main characters. The writing is thick and unfamiliar to young readers, who won't have the patience to persevere through the language. The illustrations, though a cut above the usual fare for young people, may be off-putting in that they are entirely in black and white. The cover is enticing with gold accents, but no color within. I asked a group of graphic reading middle school kids what they thought of this book and they couldn't get through the first few pages. Sure to win awards, and deservingly so, this is a book for literary adults familiar with the poem or, maybe, really clever young people looking for more meat in their comics.

Wrecker

Wrecker

Carl Hiaasen

Knopf, 2023
329 pages
Grades 5-8
Mystery/Adventure

Wrecker comes from a long life of, well, wreckers. Men who salvage sunken ships for a living off of the Florida Keys. Wrecker doesn't salvage ships, but he is very comfortable on the water and has his own little boat. His part time job, besides working at the local grocery store, is cleaning an elderly eccentric's relative's grave of Iguana poop at night after the cemetery closes. This requires cloak and dagger skills that attracts the attention (along with an incident on the water) of a local smuggler, who insists that Wrecker starts working for him. Set under the backdrop of the Covid pandemic, Wrecker discovers that the smugglers are up to no good in providing a service during these troubled times. He works with his friend, Mimi, to find out exactly what the smugglers are up to and figures out a way to get out from under them. Meanwhile, his sister with whom he lives is wrapped up in protesting threats to the local environment, specifically those caused by cruise ships. How can Wrecker help in this endeavor? Further complications ensue as Wrecker's stepfather gets a serious case of Covid and his estranged biological father returns to town. Can Wrecker break free of the smugglers, maintain his friendship with Mimi and keep his family together?

Fan-favorite, Hiaasen, adds another volume to his environmental mysteries for young people. I like Hiaasen's books because they hit that middle grade sweet spot that straddles the line between children's and YA. He is the perfect seventh grade recommendation and writes books that especially appeal to boys. I like that this new story is set during the pandemic without being ABOUT the pandemic. We all had to live our lives during those few horrible years and that is exactly what Wecker is doing: getting on with it. The mystery ties in with the pandemic, making it relatable to readers who just lived through all of this. As in all of Hiaasen's books, the Florida setting is integral to the story and is almost a character unto itself. Protecting Key West's wildlife and keeping the cruise ships away is woven seamlessly into the plot, alerting young people to the problems without overwhelming the story. Wrecker and Mimi have a bit of an innocent love connection, but not until the end and it is not the point of their relationship. What is not innocent is the behavior of the smugglers and sensitive readers may not be comfortable with how the plot plays out, although I think this Hunger Games generation can handle it. An exciting read with a message that will appeal to a variety of readers.

Stateless

Stateless

Elizabeth Wein

Little Brown, 2023

216 pages

Grades 7-Up

Historical Fiction/Mystery/Adventure

It is 1937 and an air race between young people of different European nations has been devised to promote peace and to avoid another world war. Stella North is determined to win the race for England. As the only woman and not officially a British citizen (she fled the Russian Revolution as a child), she feels as if she has a lot to prove. In order to duck reporters, Stella hops into the plane of a fellow contestant flying for France. Tony also is not native to the country he is representing and barely speaks the language. He also seems to have something to hide. In the first day in the air it becomes clear that all is not as it should be. Some planes appear to have been tampered with and the eccentric Italian flyer goes missing. Stella sees another plane attack the Italian pilot and reports the incident upon landing. No one believes her, but as more incidents occur, it is hard to ignore that there is someone who will go to any length to win. Is it another pilot? Stella learns who to trust as she finds help in unexpected areas and learns some of the secrets behind her fellow pilots. At break-neck speed the young people fly through the countries of Europe, trying to stay alive, all while seeking out the person behind the sabotage.

Elizabeth Wein, of Code Name Verity fame, is a wonderful storyteller. This fresh book weaves together a murder mystery, high flying adventure, and a mad dash through Europe all within the framework of the years leading up to World War II. The story is seeped in its setting and readers will feel as if they are truly there. Would a woman have been invited to participate in such a race in the 1930's? I'm guessing not, but Wein explains why Stella got in plausibly. The characters are all well developed and it is interesting to see what skeltons folks have hiding in their closets. I like that the Spanish Civil War plays a role in the plot, as it's a war that we don't see represented often in books for young people. The mystery is satisfactorily solved with a splashy scene at the end to expose the bad guy. There are a lot of red herrings along the way and twists and turns in the plot to keep the readers guessing. Everything moves along quite briskly and young people will keep turning pages without a chance to get bored. The cover looks a bit "girlie", tapping into the format made successful by current adult historical fiction titles aimed at women, but this is a book that boys would like too if given the chance. There is some romance, but just a little and it isn't the point of the book. The author leaves the readers wondering what happened to all of our young and bright pilots about to head into World War II. Even though the characters are fictional, the idea certainly gave me pause.

City Spies

City Spies

James Ponti

Simon & Shuster, 2020

367 pages

Grades 4-7

Mystery/Adventure

City Spies series #1

Our story begins with twelve-year-old Sarah before a judge who will determine her future after she was caught hacking into the juvenile justice system of New York City. In sweeps a strange man, claiming to be a lawyer, to save the day. Sarah choses to trust him, even though she can see through his sham. He springs her, afterwhich confessing to run a British spy ring hoping to recruit her. This is certainly a better future than what awaits Sarah in the NYC foster care system, so she accepts and the they travel to a remote part of Scotland. Here Sarah gets a room of her own, discovers the ancient house's secret lair, changes her name to Brooklyn and meets the other young spies, all around the same age as herself with a variety of talents. After a brief training period the man who recruited her, code name "Mother", explains the mission. The kids will be posing as academics in an environmental competition in Paris offered by an eccentric millionaire who is rarely seen. The team must help to protect the millionaire, who is a target for criminals, and will need Brooklyn's skill as a hacker to get the job done. Identities are not what they seem and the job is not as cut-and-dry as they expected. As the mission progresses, the team is solidified, renaming themselves "City Spies" since they are all named after their cities of origin. The mystery remains about the whereabouts of Mother's children and ex-wife and another adventure is sure to follow for the fresh young spies.

Along with Stuart Gibbs, James Ponti is a sought after writer of mysteries for children and has many satisfied and returning customers. Kids love his books, which combine mystery and adventure and, in the case of this series, exciting locals. City Spies sets up this latest series, each taking place in a different city and offering a banger of an adventure. Ponti must make all of the characters orphans in order for them to have permission to do dangerous feats and they are all exceptional in their own rights. That said, they all have vulnerabilities and distinct personalities. One of the characters appears to be on the spectrum and there is racial and gender diversity within the cast. The plot offers twists and turns and reads quickly, making it a good choice for reluctant readers. There are no pictures (hooray!), but profiles of the child spies are included at the back of the volume in a dossier format which will help readers tell everyone apart, though I didn't have a problem with this as the characters are fully drawn within the narrative. The main arc of the story reaches a satisfying conclusion and the mystery is solved, yet an overall arc of the whereabouts of Mother's family will lead the reader to further installments. When you suggest this first volume to young readers they will inevitably be back within the week for volume two, proving that it is a hit with the intended audience.

The Mona Lisa Vanishes

The Mona Lisa Vanishes
Nicholas Day
Penguin/Random House, 2023
Grades 3-7
Narrative Non-Fiction

Alternating timelines tell the true story behind the theft of the most famous painting in the world and the life of the artist who painted it. The account of the disappearance of the Mona Lisa is described in detail from the caper itself to the motive of the thief and his eventual capture. Written within the narrative is the modernization of detective work, as new technologies emerge and a branch of the French Police, specializing in forensics and solving mysteries, emerges, changing the face of the profession internationally. We see the Mona Lisa itself rise in fame through the disappearance from a relatively obscure painting in the Louvre to become a celebrity and the most famous painting in the world. Meanwhile, spun throughout is the life of eccentric and brilliant Leonardo da Vinci, an intellectual and artist who often never finished projects as his brain skipped away to something else. The fact that the Mona Lisa was painted in the first place and stood the test of time is a miracle itself. Eventually, the mystery is solved, the painting restored in its rightful place, and the face of the international art and detective worlds are changed forever.

Nicholas Day offers a well-researched and documented account of a historical mystery that not only educates, but reads like a true-crime best-seller. Kids who enjoy non-fiction will be the obvious audience, but everyone will enjoy this story. It is so interesting and exciting that it is hard to put down. Leonardo da Vinci is one of the most intriguing characters in history and makes for an entertaining counterpoint to the equally compelling art heist. The story winds back and forth through history easily and I never became confused as to where and when we were. The real star of the novel is the Mona Lisa herself and her journey to celebrity status is equal to that of King Tut (Day needs to write that story too!). The Mona Lisa theft is one of the most important and notable art heists throughout history that not only changed the face of museum security and detective work--but is simply downright interesting. I appreciate that there is a proper amount of text in this book, giving readers something to chew on instead of simply images. The drawings by Brett Helquist are, as always, excellent, adding to the narrative without distraction. My only complaint is the complete absence of actual photos, including the painting in question. Day rounds out the book with extensive notes and documentation, including an index, making the volume suitable for research purposes. A stellar piece of narrative non-fiction that will be eaten up when placed in the right hands and sure to win accolades.

The Carrefour Curse

The Carrefour Curse

Dianne Salerni

Holiday House, 2023

224 pages

Grades 3-6

Fantasy/Mystery

As our story opens, protagonist, twelve-year-old Garnet is vomiting frogs. Magic is propelling herself and her single mom back to Crossroads House, her estranged extended family's manor. Mom took Garnet away as a baby to keep her from the evil that lurks at the core of the family magic and to avoid a mysterious prophesy. Now compelled to return, the family patriarch, an elderly great-grandfather on borrowed time, is about to die and ready to proclaim an heir, which means that all of the blood kin must be present. Garnet is thrilled to finally meet her family and instantly makes friends with her cousins and a long-lost uncle. Unfortunately, a death in the family happens right away, leaving many family members suspicious. Is Jasper, the patriarch, siphoning energy from unsuspecting family members (as well as other sources) to keep himself alive? Further complicating matters is the arrive of a surprise relation and a magical power that Garnet did not know she possessed beyond her work with stones and jewels. This new power places Garnet in the unique position to undo a long-ago wrong and to help get the family on the proper footing. Does she have what it takes? And once everything is said and done, who will be the new heir?

I really liked this book a lot. It was magical, creepy, and offered a great mystery, all within the framework of a well-written novel. Salerni crafts an interesting premise with distinctive characters, who I had no trouble telling apart even though there are a lot of them. The family branches' magic all feature different elements (fire/rocks/weather/trees and plants) from nature, which I liked. It was nice that Garnet finally finds a family and even though they are a bit dysfunction, at the core they are a loving team--maybe with the exception of crazy old Jasper. Garnet must dig deep into her powers and find the courage to save the day, as well as doing the ethical thing when the occasions arise. The cousins exhibit teamwork and pitch in together to keep everyone safe. There are mysteries concerning where Jasper's magic is coming from, the identity of a long-ago missing girl, and what is happening with Garnet's new power. The story runs a bit (but not too much) dark and eerie, which I loved and for which many kids are clambering. I was very happy that the heir was named at book's end and the author did not make us wait for another installment. I was also very happy at her choice of heir. All in all, this is a tightly written and satisfying story that is sure to be enjoyed by young readers.

Treasure Island: Runaway Gold

Treasure Island: Runaway Gold
Jewell Parker Rhodes
Quill Tree/HarperCollins, 2023
309 pages
Grades 3-6
Adventure/Mystery

Our story starts out with a bang as one of the residents of Zane's mother's Rockaway, Queens boardinghouse tragically dies. Captain Maddie was always crabby and massively behind on her rent, yet she was a great friend to Zane, who loved to hear her swashbuckling tales of a life on the sea as a pirate. As she dies, Captain Maddie leaves Zane with a cryptic warning about "two headed snakes" and her mysterious cane. Zane is very surprised to discover a treasure map hidden deep inside the cane and he decides to follow the map to find his departed friend's pirate treasure. To help him along the way are friends Kiko and Jack, along with his beloved dog Hip-hop. The map is of a very old colonial New York and is hard to understand. It includes strange clues that once figured out, lead the searchers to the proper location. The slave trade in early New York and some of the players from days of yore are part of the clues. As they uncover layers of the mystery, a stranger tries to befriend the little group. John seems nice and helpful, but are his intention pure? Meanwhile a gang of skateboarding thugs also want to get their hands on the map to find the treasure. Zane's mom really could use the money gleaned from the bootie. Can the team of friends get to the pirate treasure before the competition?

Veteran award winning author Rhodes has written a fresh story, while exposing young readers to buried secrets from America's past. The plot is based on a reboot of  "Treasure Island" complete with all of the swashbuckling glory. Contemporary readers may not be familiar with the original, but it is not essential to enjoy this new tale. The weird thing about this new pirate story is that the characters are rarely on the water. They live a pirate life-style, but have traded ships for skateboards. The characters are not particularly well developed, but this is typical for an adventure story--and the adventure does not disappoint. The action moves along at a breakneck speed and there are twist and turns in the plot to keep us guessing. The story is more scavenger hunt adventure than mystery and the clues presented serve as a vehicle to educate readers about a little known chapter of African American history in New York City. Not all of the plot points make particular sense and the final discovery of the treasure happens a little too quickly, but readers will enjoy the ride with Zane and his pals. An author's note at the end offers more historical background and the author includes a glossary of illustrated skateboarding tricks that enthusiasts will enjoy. This is a book with a lot going on that readers will appreciate for it's breakneck speed and promise of riches.

Wishing Season

Wishing Season
Anica Mrose Rissi
Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins, 2023
228 pages
Grades 4-7
Realistic Fiction

Nothing has been right since her twin Anders died. Lily feels like a shadow of her old self and the summer before sixth grade on her rural island off the coast of Maine seems endless. Single Mom won't get out of bed and the loneliness is suffocating. To find peace, Lily begins hanging out by the old tire swing where she and Anders used to play. It is here that he begins to appear to her. They call the area "The Overlap" and it becomes their secret place to play and talk. Meanwhile, Quinn, a high school girl, starts talking to Lily as she rides past her house everyday. Quinn starts bringing her over to a neighbors house to have Lily help to feed the chickens. Through the chickens, the neighbor and Quinn, Lily start to begin to heal a bit from her loss. As the summer begins to fade and the wishing season (when dandelions are fluffy and you make a wish) wanes, Anders begins to fade and his parameters in The Overlap begin to narrow. Will he disappear permanently? Meanwhile, with school starting what will happen with Lily and Quinn's friendship and the relationship Lily left behind with her former best friend. Most importantly, will Lily and Mom find a way to reconnect through the painful loss of Anders when they need each other the most?

Kids at my library love a sad story and this one will fill the bill. It is very sad, sure to entice tears in adolescents, yet ultimately ends hopeful. The book is beautifully written and Rissi is careful with her word choice and writes with intention. The story is more of a character growth/emotional piece and less of a plot book, though there is enough happening that I never got bored. The author really nails Rissi's voice and the reader journeys along this difficult summer right along with her. Is "The Overlap" real or is it part of Lily's imagination as she heals? We never fully know and it doesn't really matter. It is a space that Lily needs in order to move through the darkness. It made me upset that Lily wasn't getting more help--or at least therapy. What she did get was the concern of a watchful community that, in typical Maine fashion, took care of her and Mom without hovering. The New England island setting was fully realized and the secondary characters came as alive as Lily (and Anders). This book is a beautiful quiet piece that won't be for everyone, but will find a home with sensitive readers.