Middle Grade Monday: A Place to Hang the Moon

Title: A Place to Hang the Moon
Author: Kate Albus. Read by Polly Lee
Publication Info: Tantor Media, 2021. Original Margaret Ferguson, 2021, 309 pages

Source: Library

Publisher’s Blurb:

It is 1940 and Anna, 9, Edmund, 11, and William, 12, have just lost their grandmother. Unfortunately, she left no provision for their guardianship in her will. Her solicitor comes up with a preposterous plan: he will arrange for the children to join a group of schoolchildren who are being evacuated to a village in the country, where they will live with families for the duration of the war. He also hopes that whoever takes the children on might end up willing to adopt them and become their new family--providing, of course, that the children can agree on the choice.

Moving from one family to another, the children suffer the cruel trickery of foster brothers, the cold realities of outdoor toilets, and the hollowness of empty tummies. They seek comfort in the village lending library, whose kind librarian, Nora Muller, seems an excellent candidate--except that she has a German husband whose whereabouts are currently unknown. Nevertheless, Nora's cottage is a place of bedtime stories and fireplaces, of vegetable gardens and hot, milky tea. Most important, it's a place where someone thinks they all three hung the moon. Which is really all you need in a mom, if you think about it.
 

My Review:

This is a totally easy feel-good read. There is nothing extraordinary about it: the plot progression is obvious, and the standard tropes are called forth as expected. That doesn't stop it from being a highly enjoyable orphan story, in the great tradition of books about abused orphans who find their forever home with someone who will care for them. 

The biggest issue I had with the book was actually not the predictability of the plot (which these days is kind of a bonus for me), but a slight tendency to anachronism. Some of the language and diction of the characters didn't quite ring true to 1940s England, though I think most of the big-picture story did (leaving aside the utter absurdity of the premise, which is... utterly unrealistic). I do tend to get hung up on that sort of thing! 

The audio book was well produced and the reader did a good job--the characters were voiced distinctively and different accents rendered  convincingly.

My Recommendation:

This is utter brain-candy, a fun read if you are feeling the need for something a bit simple and sentimental. It's probably not the best introduction to the period for children, though the depictions of the mixed conditions for evacuees and the general mess the war caused are pretty good, really.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of A Place to Hang the Moon from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”   

 ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2021

 As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated.

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Middle Grade Monday: Maud and Addie, by Maureen Buchanan Jones

 

Title: Maud and Addie

Author: Maureen Buchanan Jones

Publication Info: May 2021 Fitzroy Books. Paperback is 240 pages.

Source: Library digital resources

Publisher’s Blurb:

In 1910, the two sisters, eleven- and twelve-year-old Maud and Addie, are eagerly anticipating their Summer Social in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. However, the event does not quite go according to plan, and the two girls are swept out to sea as they are rowing home at the day’s end. They find themselves adrift in the unforgiving North Atlantic with only the contents of a picnic hamper to sustain them and a carriage blanket to keep them warm. Finding their way through stormy seas, the girls finally make landfall on a deserted island. With string and a jackknife recovered from Maud’s pockets and a parasol and novel contributed by Addie, the girls create a world for themselves among the island dunes, keeping company with sea birds and other sea creatures. Their ensuing adventures test their wits and, in the process, forge a bond that enables them to survive.

 

My Review:

This was kind of a fun read. It didn't quite read or feel genuine to the period (I couldn't ever put on a finger on why not, but it just felt more modern), but I don't think that will stop any kids from enjoying this tale of two very different sisters. The interactions between the two girls felt spot-on to me--they managed to work together where they had to, but that didn't stop all the normal bickering.

 

As for the plot, it holds together. Things maybe go just a little too well for the girls on their desert island, as though maybe the author hasn't done all that much camping, but it does work, for the most part. The conclusion held its own twists and turns, some more believable than others. 

My Recommendation:

Overall, I'd say this is a story that most middle-grade readers will enjoy, while adult readers may had a little more trouble with the willing suspension of disbelief. Best for ages 8 and up.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of Maud and Addie from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”   

 ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2021

 As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated.

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Middle Grade Monday: Two Roads, by Joseph Bruchac

Title: Two Roads

Author: Joseph Bruchac

Publication Info: 2018 Dial Books. 320 pages 

Source: Library digital resources

 

Publisher’s Blurb:

It's 1932, and twelve-year-old Cal Black and his Pop have been riding the rails for years after losing their farm in the Great Depression. Cal likes being a knight of the road with Pop, even if they're broke. But then Pop has to go to Washington, DC--some of his fellow veterans are marching for their government checks, and Pop wants to make sure he gets his due--and Cal can't go with him. So Pop tells Cal something he never knew before: Pop is actually a Creek Indian, which means Cal is too. And Pop has decided to send Cal to a government boarding school for Native Americans in Oklahoma called the Challagi School.

At school, the other Creek boys quickly take Cal under their wings. Even in the harsh, miserable conditions of the Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school, he begins to learn about his people's history and heritage. He learns their language and customs. And most of all, he learns how to find strength in a group of friends who have nothing beyond each other.

My Review:

This was one of my random picks from the library's Overdrive catalog, but I knew that if Bruchac wrote it, it would be worth reading. Once again, he delivered, though I almost felt like things went too well in this book--it was kind of lacking the edge that comes of putting more obstacles in the characters' paths. That might be a criticism, but it might also be part of why I enjoyed reading the book just now: it wasn't too challenging. I was learning some more about a bit of US history that--like so many of the less savory parts--I knew something of, but was never more than vaguely alluded to in any class at school.

By setting the book in the 1930s, Bruchac was able to avoid the real horrors of the Indian schools (something that has been coming out, both about US and Canadian school, in recent years). He alludes to them, but when Cal attends Challagi the biggest difference between it and many other boarding schools at the time was the assumption that the Indian students couldn't really learn academics, a bit of racism that at least led to good training in farming.

The parts of the book set "on the road" were interesting, though again I wondered if they were presented in a bit too positive a light. Bruchac does make reference to the many men out there who were anything but "knights of the road," and the dangers faced especially by a boy alone. The more romantic view is perhaps that of Cal himself.

In the end, the story worked for me. I cared deeply about Cal and his journeys, both literal and metaphorical, as he learns about his own Creek heritage and what that can mean--including the very good reasons why his father had chosen to "pass" as white.

My Recommendation:

An enjoyable read, not too challenging but still good for opening the eyes about issues of race and justice, with a very relatable main character in Cal. Suitable for younger kids than many of Bruchac's works; I would say about 9 and up, at least with some guidance/discussion of some of the history.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of Two Roads from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”   

 ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2021

 As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated.

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AudioBook Review: Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

 

Title: Fighting Words

Author: Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Read by Bahni Turpin

Publication Info: Random House Audio, 2020. 6 hours 35 min.

Source: Library digital resources

Publisher’s Blurb:

Ten-year-old Della has always had her older sister, Suki: When their mom went to prison, Della had Suki. When their mom's boyfriend took them in, Della had Suki. When that same boyfriend did something so awful they had to run fast, Della had Suki. Suki is Della's own wolf—her protector. But who has been protecting Suki? Della might get told off for swearing at school, but she has always known how to keep quiet where it counts. Then Suki tries to kill herself, and Della's world turns so far upside down, it feels like it's shaking her by the ankles. Maybe she's been quiet about the wrong things. Maybe it's time to be loud.
 

In this powerful novel that explodes the stigma around child sexual abuse and leavens an intense tale with compassion and humor, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley tells a story about two sisters, linked by love and trauma, who must find their own voices before they can find their way back to each other.

My Review:

This is a pretty raw story about some pretty awful things, but the author really has managed to keep it appropriate to middle grade readers--while giving any such readers who have this trauma in their own lives something to grab hold of. I found the narration by Ms. Turpin to be spot-on, and made me feel I was really hearing from Della. 

Like others of Bradley's books (The War That Saved My Life, for example) the story will break your heart and make you angry, but there is a well-tuned blending-in of humor and little-girl thinking that kept it from being a dark story despite the hard subject matter. In the end, there is more hope than anger, which is as it should be in a children's book, I think.

 

On a note for those of us who write, the author's approach to dealing with Della's propensity for cussing was brilliant, if at first a little disconcerting. Readers can imagine for themselves whatever level of swearing is known but shocking to them, and get a little laugh every time the word comes up :)

My Recommendation:

A worthwhile read, and something that should be in every school library, where it may be found by the children who need to know that they are not the only ones. At the same time, I don't think that the discussion of the abuse is at all graphic enough to disturb a child who doesn't know what it's about.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of  Fighting Words from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”   

 ©Rebecca M. Douglass, 2021

 As always, please ask permission to use any photos or text. Link-backs appreciated.

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Middle Grade Monday: Smile, by Raina Telgemeier

 

Title: Smile

Author: Raina Telgemeier

Publication Info: Scholastic, 2010. 224 pages, graphic novel

Source: Library digital resources

Publisher’s Blurb:
Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there’s still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly. This coming-of-age true story is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever been in middle school, and especially those who have ever had a bit of their own dental drama.

My Review:
I didn't get my braces until I was in my late 30s and my second son was a baby, so I didn't exactly relate to some of the issues Raina faced (though I do remember some non-trivial pain, and I didn't have any traumatic injuries to my teeth!). But as always, the underlying issue of the middle-school struggle to find your place and your friends resonates. In fact, that is the real meat of this book. 

 

Yes, it's good for kids to read it and see that braces (or whatever makes them different) aren't the end of the world. But for me the best moment in the book is when, as a high school freshman, she finally lets the rather toxic batch of friends (or "friends") she's been with since grade school know what she thinks of the torment they dish out and excuse as "fun." I could only wish she'd done it sooner, but who among us has managed that?

Smile is the first of three graphic novels Telgemeier wrote about her own growing-up years. I have read all three (the others are Sisters and Guts), though I don't appear to have reviewed the others. I can recommend the whole series as good books for anyone struggling with being a "tween"--or who remembers the pain of that age!

My Recommendation:
As noted, I recommend this book and this series, maybe especially for girls, since the issues Raina deals with are many of them (no surprise) particular to girls. But I'll bet the worry over appearance, bullying, and struggles to find a place to fit in are not gender-specific, and it wouldn't hurt the boys to read this, too.

FTC Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of Smile from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

 

Book Release: Princelings Revolution, by Jemima Pett

 The chronicles of the Realms are concluded!

 

Princelings Revolution is out today! The day has finally come for the last in Jemima Pett's Princelings of the East series. She started writing it in the dim dark days of 2008, thanks to inspiration from some guinea pig friends. Today's post has an extract and a Giveaway, so there's a lot of reading! 

In 2008, the series was just meant to be a trilogy. But the characters wouldn't accept their fate and demanded more. And so the saga of the Realms wound its way from south to north, and even into Germany before returning to the east.

1. The Princelings of the East
2. The Princelings and the Pirates
3. The Princelings and the Lost City
4. The Traveler in Black and White
5. The Talent Seekers
6. Bravo Victor
7. Willoughby the Narrator
8. The Princelings of the North
9. Chronicles of Marsh
   and...
   
10. .......

Princelings Revolution

Jasmine's birthday party ends in disaster. George seems to have lost a phial of highly dangerous liquid. And King Fred is battling politics, relatives and self-seeking dignitaries in his aim to give the people a better way of living. But can Fred keep the promise he made to an engaging chap from another time when he was just a princeling? Or will all their hopes fail?

Jemima's favourite quotes from the book

• "Hector, in charge? Couldn't lead a file of caterpillars, that one!"
• The way Jasmine said it made Fred raise an eyebrow. It was exactly how Kira said it when she wanted to say something privately.
• "The usual suspects are people we know. I reckon these are people we don’t know. And who don’t know us."
• “Oh.” George considered all the other uses he had found for it. This was not a good one. “It’s called duct tape,” he said.

About the series

Ten books take us from 2009 through to 2021, with a prequel at Book 4, explained from Lord Mariusz's point of view. The feudal structure of the Realms, the changes wrought by new technology, largely promoted by Princeling George, Fred's brother. The demise of paranormal creatures, thanks to George's use of garlic in the fuel cells; the rise of an anti-monarchist group called the Causists, and the resilience of characters great and small, trying to keep their pleasant and friendly society together in the face of so-called freedom fighters. One simple book at a time creates a world of change that will be somewhat familiar to every reader on today's uncertain planet. Suitable for good readers 8 years and up, although some parental guidance may occasionally be needed. Generally listed as age 10 and up. The first three books in the series are also available as Audiobooks.

 

Jemima at Bloggers Bash 2018

About the author

Jemima Pett started writing stories when she was eight. By ten she was designing fantasy islands, complete with maps and railways timetables. There was no call for fantasy island designers then, so she took the science route through university and went into a business career, then retrained for environmental technology. Once in a policy research organisation she started writing again, reports, papers and briefings. She didn't believe she could write fiction until her guinea pigs came along, and inspired her to write The Princelings of the East. Now she enjoys writing short stories and science fiction novels, and has been published by Third Flatiron Press, among others. She lives in Hampshire with Roscoe, Neville and Biggles, who all appear in Princelings Revolution. Jemima is on Twitter.... Amazon.... Goodreads.... Facebook.... Website

 

 

Buy The Book

~~Amazon~~ ~~Apple iTunes~~ ~~B&N~~ ~~Kobo~~ ~~Smashwords~~

 

Enter the Giveaway!

Entries close at 11.59 23rd October, New York time. Open for entries in all countries and states where this type of raffle is legal. Some additional entry options may be added: please check back if this is important to you. a Rafflecopter giveaway

---

Extract

George overhears a plot

The harbour at Castle Wash included a large store full of bits and pieces for ships as well as sails and larger fittings. George was ferreting around in the aisle of wing nuts and clips when he heard some people talking together on the next aisle, just the other side of the box he was checking in. 

“So, full moon, on the spring tide, then.” 

“Exactly. Bring the goods ashore, hand them to the party waiting for you, they’ll have blue sashes on. Low tide before dawn, poof! Up goes the causeway.” 

“And all for the Cause, I like that.” 

“The causeway for the Cause, he-he.” the second one chuckled, but it was an ugly sound. George stayed still, his hand poised over the wing nut he wanted. It didn’t sound like these people wanted to be overheard. How could he see what they looked like without being seen himself? If they checked down this aisle when they exited theirs… There was a shelf behind him just above his head height, with bundles of netting on it. He grabbed hold of the sides of the shelving and dragged himself onto it, grateful that he’d had to use a top bunk from time to time, and the technique hadn’t escaped him. He scrambled over the netting and peered through a loose bit of it. 

The two conspirators reached the end of their aisle, and sure enough, checked out George’s one for anyone listening. Why didn’t they do that before? George wondered. Was it a chance meeting? Maybe they’d had to move out of another aisle, and he’d been too quiet, inspecting the contents before he rummaged in the boxes. 

He saw their faces. One was a regular seadog, unmarked coat, dark brown, but with a spotted scarf around his neck. The other seemed vaguely familiar. But was he someone he’d met in the past, or did he just resemble someone he knew? He listened to their conversation as they left, chatting about eateries in the area, and realised. The second looked just like Py, proprietor (with Archi) of the Cheeky Parrot, Castle Wash’s famous inn. But Py wouldn’t be involved in conspiracy. Would he?  

Princelings Revolution © J M Pett 2020 

Why there isn't a review:

Regular readers will know that I usually like to review books, not just announce them. I have stopped reviewing Jemima's books because as an active beta reader I don't think I'm very objective... but I will say that I thought this was a fantastic conclusion to the series! I have thoroughly enjoyed all the books, and look forward to seeing what Jemima will do next! 

Middle Grade Monday: Voyagers

I have begun reading Voyagers: The Third Ghost, and I'm excited about the stories--the ones I've read so far are great! Voyagers  is the 2019 IWSG short-story anthology, and of course I'm extra excited because my story, "A World of Trouble," is in there.

This isn't a review, but there have been some reviews, and posts about and by the authors, that I want to share now that I'm reading the book and thinking about it!

From the authors:

https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/05/insider-writing-tips-for-iwsg-2020_27.html

https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/06/insider-writing-tips-for-iwsg-2020.html

https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-2020-iwsg-anthology-contest-and_20.html

https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/05/the-2020-iwsg-anthology-contest-and.html

https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/06/strategies-for-promoting-book-part-1.html

https://iwsganthologies.blogspot.com/2020/06/strategies-for-promoting-book-part-2.html

Reviews of Voyagers: The Third Ghost:

1. Check out lots of reviews and ratings at Goodreads and Amazon.

2. Roland Clarke's Bookshelf Review at his website Writing Wings features Voyagers:  
The Third Ghost.

3. Erin Kahn at The Wood Between the Worlds

Interviews with Authors:

1. Yvonne Ventresca with Stacy Horan at The Bookshop at the End of the Internet

2.  Sherry Ellis with June McCrary Jacobs at Reading, Writing & Stitch-Metic 

3. Roland Clarke with Laura Wolfe at The Sustainable Writer

Blog Features:

1. Voyager Authors with Mason Canyon at Thoughts in Progress (Part 1)

2. Voyager Authors with Mason Canyon at Thoughts in Progress (Part 2)

Thanks for your support!

Middle Grade Monday: Wish, by Barbara O'Connor

 

Title: Wish
Author: Barbara O'Connor. Read by Suzy Jackson
Publication Info: 2016, Recorded Books. 4:40. Hardcover 2016, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 240 pages.
Source: Library digital resources

Publisher's Blurb:

Eleven-year-old Charlie Reese has been making the same secret wish every day since fourth grade. She even has a list of all the ways there are to make the wish, such as cutting off the pointed end of a slice of pie and wishing on it as she takes the last bite. But when she is sent to the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina to live with family she barely knows, it seems unlikely that her wish will ever come true. That is until she meets Wishbone, a skinny stray dog who captures her heart, and Howard, a neighbor boy who proves surprising in lots of ways. Suddenly Charlie is in serious danger of discovering that what she thought she wanted may not be what she needs at all. 


My Review:  
I enjoyed this story. It's a sweet tale, with a likeable main character who manages some significant personal growth, and is definitely human. And it's a dog story that does not involved the loss or death of the dog, thank heavens!

Now for the critique: I knew how this was going to play out from about page one, and there were no surprises there. There were also some pretty predictable stereotypes on display. The good people were too good, and Charlie's hopeless parents are off-stage and undeveloped. Even Charlie is pretty easy to draw, though I think she's the only character who is at all multi-faceted (maybe her sister Jackie, too, a bit). The depiction of the small-town/rural setting jarred a bit, too. Hicks from the sticks is another stereotype we don't need to perpetuate.

When I think about the story, I have to wonder why I enjoyed it so much. Maybe because it WAS a simple story with obvious outcomes, in a time of great uncertainty. Sometimes it's not bad to be predictable. I'm doing a lot of re-reading of favorites right now, and this had some of that feeling to it.

Maybe the reading had something to do with it, too: Suzy Jackson does a good job of rendering the characters, without an excess of Southern drawl, but with just enough to give a feeling for where the story takes place.

My Recommendation:
Enjoyable as brain candy, and might be good reading for a kid who needs a little help seeing what he/she has. Most of what Charlie learned was to stop wanting what she couldn't have, and to see how good what she did have could be. Might annoy those who live in the sticks. An easy read for kids from 8 up.


FTC Disclosure: I checked Wish out of my library, and received nothing from the writer or publisher for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

Middle-grade Monday: Hunt for the Mad Wolf's Daughter

 

Title: The Hunt for the Mad Wolf's Daughter
Author: Diane Magras; read by Joshua Manning
Publication Info: Listening Library, 2019. Hardcover, Kathy Dawson Books, 2019.
Source: Library digital resources

Publisher's Blurb:

In this Scottish medieval adventure, after attempting a daring rescue of her war-band family, Drest learns that Lord Faintree's traitorous uncle has claimed the castle for his own and convinced the knights that the lord has been slain . . . at her hand. Now with a hefty price on her head, Drest must find a way to escape treacherous knights, all the while proving to her father, the "Mad Wolf of the North," and her irrepressible band of brothers that she is destined for more than a life of running and hiding. Even if that means redefining what it means to be a warrior.

My Review:
I reviewed the companion to this book a few weeks ago. That I immediately went and put a hold on the sequel at the library tells you that I really liked the story, though it may also speak to the fact that the story isn't finished at the end of the first book (I suspect the publisher insisted the story be broken it in two to keep the books shorter). The second book did not disappoint.

The story is fast-paced, with twists and turns, and a growing friendship where once there was, if not hatred, then certainly anger and distrust. The best aspect of the book, in my opinion, is the way in which Drest demonstrates that being a warrior doesn't mean she can't be loving and empathetic. The character development is what raises Drest's story above the standard run of medieval adventures. I also appreciated that the author chose not to make this a fantasy of magic and sorcery. She has done her research well, and in the end notes gives just enough explanation of that research to interest a kid and explain where Drest's story teeters on the edge of too exceptional (starting with that girl warrior, and perhaps topping out with her ability--at 12 or 13?--to defeat a full-grown knight). 

Despite my occasional doubts about a person of Drest's age and size being able to accomplish everything she does, the author makes it believable, mostly. And I love that Drest is allowed to be and to remain a warrior, that it's not something she's going to "grow out of," but more something she's growing into. I also enjoy the way she imagines the voices of her brothers in her head, telling her what to do in moments of crisis.

The narration is excellent--Mr. Manning's deep growly voice fits the scene perfectly, even though at first it was startling to have a story about a girl narrated by someone with an extra-bass voice! (It wouldn't work if the book were in 1st person but though it is from Drest's point of view, it is 3rd person, and Manning has the feel of the Scottish lowlands and coasts.

My Recommendation:

If you like the period at all, or if you just like books about strong girls who aren't squished down by circumstance, read the books (be sure to start with The Mad Wolf's Daughter--this isn't a series to be read out of order). For kids from 10 up, due to moderate violence, discretely depicted.

FTC Disclosure: I checked The Mad Wolf's Daughter out of my library, and received nothing from the writer or publisher for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

Middle Grade Monday: Twerp (audio book)

Title: Twerp
Author: Mark Goldblatt, read by Everette Plen
Publication Info: 2013, Listening Library. Hardcover 2013, Random House
Source: Library digital resources

Publisher's Blurb:
It's not like I meant for him to get hurt. . . .

Julian Twerski isn't a bully. He's just made a big mistake. So when he returns to school after a weeklong suspension, his English teacher offers him a deal: if he keeps a journal and writes about the terrible incident that got him and his friends suspended, he can get out of writing a report on Shakespeare. Julian jumps at the chance. And so begins his account of life in sixth grade--blowing up homemade fireworks, writing a love letter for his best friend (with disastrous results), and worrying whether he's still the fastest kid in school. Lurking in the background, though, is the one story he can't bring himself to tell, the one story his teacher most wants to hear.

Inspired by Mark Goldblatt's own childhood growing up in 1960s Queens, Twerp shines with humor and heart. This remarkably powerful story will have readers laughing and crying right along with these flawed but unforgettable characters.

My Review:  
This book was on the short list for the BOTM read for my Goodreads middle-grade books group, and since I needed something to read, I nabbed a copy. The theme for the month was bullying, and this one looked interesting (okay, half the books on the list ended up on my TBR list).

The book is more than interesting. Much of the story reads like a typical middle-school kind of story. Sixth-graders doing 12-year-old things, sometimes stupid, sometimes a little more self-centered than nice. But behind it all, as Julian writes his journal-like story, lurks the thing that he doesn't want to admit. Doesn't even want to think about.

Most of the time the reader can forget that there's something not yet revealed. The traumas of 6th grade--especially the whole things with girls--seem enough to make an engaging and mostly kind of fun story. In retrospect, when the author is done with the gut-punch of the thing Julian and his friends did, some of those incidents were steps on Julian's way to understanding difference. In that sense, the story feels maybe a bit more modern than its 1960s setting--it felt a bit like Restorative Justice. And maybe that concept isn't as new as we like to think it is.

I think this story works especially well as an instructive tale about bullying precisely because Julian isn't a bully. But then he does something--and he is. He is also a kid who is too willing to follow others, and there is just enough hint that he gets that, and in the end manages to move beyond it.

The audio is well done, the narrator's style felt a little too "6th grade" to me--a little too slow and a trifle stilted, kind of the way Julian himself might read it. Which is fine in some ways, but I'd have preferred a smoother read in some places. Not a turn-off, just not how I'd have read it.

My Recommendation:
This would make an excellent book for a class read, especially in a class (I'm thinking of Eldest Son's 6th grade class) where there's a  bit of a bullying problem. If it doesn't get kids to think about their own behavior, they may beyond thinking.

FTC Disclosure: I checked Twerp out of my library, and received nothing from the writer or publisher for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

Writer's Wednesday comes on Friday this week

 Since this was the posting week for the WEP challenge, I shifted my update to Friday.

Before we get to the writer's update, how about some blog updates? Regular readers may have noticed that I'm not doing very many reviews anymore. (Actually, since I haven't all year, you may not remember I ever did). For some reason--travel, moving, writing novels, and too much social media--I haven't been reading as much this year. When I do, I often don't feel like writing reviews. So I don't, unless I've committed to do so (I have books from a number of you that I need to read and review, per my promises!).

For now, I'm happy to do occasional reviews, some photo posts, keep talking about writing, and maybe get back to writing flash fiction now and again.

Writer's Update:
With NaNo over, the temptation to just kind of stop is great. We have to resist! I have pushed on another two or three thousand words (which also involved deleting a thousand or so) to get a more or less complete draft of Death By Donut. That is to say, it's still 12K short, and has a bunch of things I need to fill in to make the story really work, but it has a beginning, middle, and fairly satisfying end. I've taken a few days off from that MS, to write my WEP story and to do final edits, format, and publish The Christmas Question. Oh, and to write the newsletter to go with that!

While I'm doing all this, we will be traveling from our low-key stay in Santa Fe to a kayaking adventure in Tampa, which will lead to even less work on anything. Sometimes, you just have to accept it's a vacation. On the other hand, I recently heard about a challenge--to write at least 100 words for 100 days. If I count my journal, I can probably do that!

Cool display at the the Santa Fe Folkart Museum--another distraction!.

And... Let's celebrate the announcement of the winners of the 2019 IWSG Anthology Contest! (Including, ahem, yours truly).

Coming May 5, 2020 –

Voyagers: The Third Ghost

Middle grade historical/adventure
Featuring these stories and authors:

The Third Ghost – Yvonne Ventresca
Winter Days – Katharina Kolata
Feathered Fire – Roland Clarke
The Ghosts of Pompeii – Sherry Ellis
Dare Double Dare – Louise MacBeath Barbour
The Blind Ship – Bish Denham
A World of Trouble – Rebecca M. Douglass
The Orchard – Beth Anderson Schuck
Return to Cahokia – L.T. Ward
Simon Grey and the Yamamba – Charles Kowalski

We’d like to thank our amazing judges:
Elizabeth S. Craig, author and honorary judge
Dianne K. Salerni, author
Lynda Dietz, editor
S.A. Larsen, author
Rachna Chhabria, author
Lindsay Davis Auld, agent – Writers House
Tonja Drecker, author
David Powers King, author

Journey into the past…

Will the third ghost be found before fires take more lives? Can everyone be warned before Pompeii is buried again? What happens if a blizzard traps a family in East Germany? Will the Firebird help Soviet sisters outwit evil during WWII? And sneaking off to see the first aeroplane–what could go wrong?

Ten authors explore the past, sending their young protagonists on harrowing adventures. Featuring the talents of Yvonne Ventresca, Katharina Gerlach, Roland Clarke, Sherry Ellis, Rebecca M. Douglass, Bish Denham, Charles Kowalski, Louise M. Barbour, Beth Anderson Schuck, and L.T. Ward.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a voyage of wonder into history. Get ready for an exciting ride!

Middle-grade Monday: Here Lies the Librarian

Title: Here Lies the Librarian
Author: Richard Peck
Publication Info: Dial Books, 2006, 160 pages.
Source: Library digital resources

Publisher's Blurb:
Peewee idolizes Jake, a big brother whose dreams of auto mechanic glory are fueled by the hard road coming to link their Indiana town and futures with the twentieth century. And motoring down the road comes Irene Ridpath, a young librarian with plans to astonish them all and turn Peewee’s life upside down.This novel, with its quirky characters, folksy setting, classic cars, and hilariously larger-than-life moments, is vintage Richard Peck – an offbeat, deliciously wicked comedy that is also unexpectedly moving. 


My Review: 
Richard Peck's historical fiction served in part as inspiration when I wrote my Ninja Librarian stories. I first read this one after I'd written at least the first book, which is maybe just as well, because if I'd read this first, I might have given up and left the librarians to Peck.

Actually, it's not the librarians that leave me in awe of Peck's writing. It's the way he makes the language stand up and do double service. Every word is spot on, for the story and the characters and the way he wants us to feel about them. I also love the way Peewee comes around from celebrating having been banned for life from the library to loving it and reading all sorts of books. Of course, when we find that the banishment was for--gasp!--wanting to take a book home, some things start to make more sense.

My only objection here might be the usual one, that Peewee is forced to grow up, which seems to require leaving certain dreams behind. But of course, we all *are* required to grow up--and in this case, Peewee at least makes the decisions about what dreams will go and what will stay, for the most part--the process doesn't feel as externally imposed as in some books (see my review of A Stitch in Time, for example.

My Recommendation:
I will always recommend Richard Peck's work, for anyone from about age 9 up. His balance of humor and serious issues is pitch-perfect, in my opinion, and his books should encourage reluctant readers to keep turning pages.

FTC Disclosure: I checked Here Lies the Librarian out of my library, and received nothing from the writer or publisher for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising." 

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The Smashwords Summer/Winter sale ends Wednesday, so head on over and get my books for bargain-basement prices.

Middle Grade Monday: A Stitch in Time

Title: A Stitch in Time

Author: Daphne Kalmar

Publication Info: Feiwel and Friends, 2018. 256 pages (hardback)

Source: Library digital resources

Publisher’s Blurb:
Donut is an eleven-year old geography buff who keeps her taxidermied mice hidden in her late mother’s hope chest. Her pops passed away, leaving her an orphan. Aunt Agnes has moved in, bringing along her lumpy oatmeal, knitting, and a plan to drag Donut off to Boston forever.

Donut stands to lose everything: her friends, her village, her home, the woods, and walks where the memories of her pops are stored up.

While Donut dodges the ache of missing her pops, she and her best friend Tiny plan how to keep her where she belongs. Holed up in a cabin on Dog Pond, Donut clings to the hope that Aunt Agnes will throw in the towel and leave Vermont without her.

A Stitch in Time is shot through with gorgeous, evocative language, and gets right to Donut’s heart. 

My Review:

Maybe I never grew up, because I think my reaction to this book is that of a kid: without giving anything away, I was rooting for Donut's own solution to work. The ending was the realistic one, and maybe even better for her, but it wasn't the kid's ending. That kvetch aside, this really was a great, quick read. Donut is a very relatable character, and I liked the way her views of the adults, especially her aunt, shifted into a more three-dimensional understanding. Even the minor kid characters proved more fully human than is often the case.

The writing is tight, and so's the action. Donut has a clear objective and her own ways of getting there. The handling of her grief over the loss of her father is delicate, at times maybe too removed as she goes about being herself, but I think that's also realistic for how a kid might handle such a huge loss--as much as she can, she just doesn't think about it, then is periodically overwhelmed.

I wouldn't mind seeing a sequel to this one, to see how the next phase of her life goes.

My Recommendation:
It was a good read, and well suited to kids from 8 or so up. I do wonder if they will share my disappointment in the ending. The more I think about it, the more I feel like it went the wrong way. Are the adults always right? I felt like the author was telling us they are, but I was never quite convinced. 


Full Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of A Stitch in Time from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."  

Middle Grade Audio Book: Almost Paradise, by Corabel Shofner

Title: Almost Paradise

Author: Corabel Shofner. Read by Eileen Stevens

Publication Info: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2017. 288 pages in hardback. Audio edition by Blackstone Audio, 2017.

Source: Library digital resources

Publisher’s Blurb: 

Twelve-year-old Ruby Clyde Henderson’s life turns upside down the day her mother’s boyfriend holds up a convenience store, and her mother is wrongly imprisoned for assisting with the crime. Ruby and her pet pig, Bunny, find their way to her estranged Aunt Eleanor's home. Aunt Eleanor is a nun who lives on a peach orchard called Paradise, and had turned away from their family long ago. With a little patience, she and Ruby begin to get along―but Eleanor has secrets of her own, secrets that might mean more hard times for Ruby.

Ruby believes that she's the only one who can find a way to help heal her loved ones, save her mother, and bring her family back together again. But being in a family means that everyone has to work together to support each other, and being home doesn't always mean going back to where you came from.

My Review:

Ruby Clyde is one of those characters who captures your heart from the opening lines. Her life has been challenging from the get-go, but waking up in the back seat of the car on her way to who knows where tells her things have just gotten worse. Building from event to event the author creates a story that shows the adults in Ruby Clyde’s life both failing spectacularly to do right by her—and going above and beyond to be sure she is okay.

After a lifetime of being the adult to her mother’s inability to function, Ruby Clyde meets up with something too big for her to handle. Her successes—rescuing Bunny, reaching out to her aunt—come from a combination of her own gumption and adult help, and don’t always work quite as planned. There is no illusion here: Ruby can’t go it alone. But neither can she sit back and do nothing in hopes that the adults will take care of matters.

The ending took me a bit by surprise, and I’m still not sure what I think of it. The book does leave the reader all too aware that the criminal justice system sometimes fails spectacularly, and sometimes drastic measures are necessary to fix it (more than that I won’t say, lest it be a spoiler).

The narrator is superb, capturing Ruby Clyde’s voice perfectly. As I listened I could see the whole thing, the result of a lovely combination of good writing and good reading.

My Recommendation:

I’d save this one for somewhat older kids, who are ready for the idea that “the system” is broken. Be prepared to discuss the ending with your young reader. I’ll say 10-12 years old for this, though aside from the difficult issues, the writing is quite accessible without talking down to the reader at all.

Full Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of Almost Paradise from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."   

Middle Grade Monday: The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate

By the way, I love this cover:

Title: The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate
Author: Jacqueline Kelly
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co, 2015. 315 pages (hardback)
Publisher’s Blurb:
Callie’s younger brother Travis keeps bringing home strays. And Callie has her hands full keeping the animals—Travis included—away from her mother’s critical eye.

When a storm blows change into town in the form of a visiting veterinarian, Callie discovers a life and a vocation she desperately wants. But with societal expectations as they are, she will need all her wits and courage to realize her dreams.

Whether it’s wrangling a rogue armadillo or stray dog, a guileless younger brother or standoffish cousin, the trials and tribulations of Callie Vee will have readers cheering for this most endearing heroine.

My Review:
As a sequel to a Newbery nominee and winner of multiple awards (see review), this book had quite a bit to live up to. To my mind, it did it, though it left me looking for another sequel, which I do hope Jacqueline Kelly will write. The story continues to show Calpurnia as a girl who has a sharp intellect and the kind of curiousity that leads to either trouble or a good education.

Calpurnia manages to do both. Thanks to her grandfather, who is almost as marginalized in the family as Callie Vee is, she is getting a solid scientific education. But there’s a lot to overcome, even besides the tendecy of her younger brother to try to make pets of the most inappropriate animals. No one besides Grandfather takes Callie’s desire for an education seriously, and I kept getting frustrated on her behalf (not that she needed my help—Callie is perhaps unrealistically aware of the unfairness of the social limitations of her position).

It’s not that so much really happens in the story. It’s that every step of the way she is getting closer to needing to break out and insist on having her own way, and the process is fascinating to watch. I hope that there will be more books, and that Callie will get to go to school in defiance of everything that her parents assume about her future.

My Recommendation: 
This is a worthy sequel to The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate, and a good book to remind us that the “normal” thing to do isn’t always the right thing to do, and social expectations can be a prison.

Full Disclosure: I borrowed an electronic copy of The Curious World of Calpurnia Tate from my library, and received nothing from the author or the publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."