Middle School

Review: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

| Tasha

one and only ivan

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Ivan is the gorilla that is part of the Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade.  The big billboard outside the mall shows Ivan as a ferocious beast, but he’s really a very easygoing guy.  He doesn’t remember anything about his life before he came to live with humans.  He was raised in Mack’s house as long as he was little and cute, but when he got bigger he was put into his domain: a glassed-in room.  He watches TV, lots of Westerns, and hangs out with his friends: an old elephant named Stella and a stray dog named Bob.  He also does art, scribbles that Mack sells in the mall gift shop.  Things change at the circus as money gets tighter until Mack purchases a baby elephant for the Big Top.  Ruby has been taken from her family and is full of lots of questions.  She makes Ivan look at his small, enclosed world more closely and inspires him to make promises that he will probably never be able to keep. 

I read this book in one long gulp, unable to get Ivan and his tiny, limited world out of my head.  The book is written from Ivan’s point of view, one that is distinctly gorilla and wonderfully familiar and foreign at the same time.  Applegate manages to give us a taste of being animal while never imbuing Ivan with human sensibilities, yet he is entirely relatable for readers.

The use of art to bridge the language gap between humans and gorillas is equally effective.  Ivan’s ruminations about art and how to capture taste and feel on paper is lovely.  Ivan’s world may be small and enclosed, but through art and his relationships with others, it grows larger and larger. 

This is a book that captivates.  It is compelling readers, bubbling with humor, yet addresses issues that are deep and complex.  It is a book that is memorable, rich and simply marvelous.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: Wonder by R.J. Palacio

| Tasha

wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Auggie has never been to school, instead he’s been homeschooled his entire life.  It made it easier to work his schedule around his many surgeries for his facial anomaly.  Auggie was born looking differently than the rest of the world due to several genetic abnormalities coming together in one moment, something that only has a one in 4 million chance to happen.  But it happened to Auggie, and now he is getting ready to start 5th grade in a private school.  Auggie knows that he is just a regular kid hidden behind an uncommon face, but the question is whether his classmates will ever figure that out.

It’s amazing to think that this is Palacio’s first novel.  She writes with a natural flow and skill that makes the book read effortlessly.  It’s one of those books that gets into your head and won’t let go, that not only tells a story but asks things about you the reader.  It has you exploring your own relationship with beauty, the extent of your own kindness, and the truth behind being human. 

Auggie is such a rich character and such a winning one that I was surprised when the book first changed perspectives.  I had assumed that we would see through Auggie’s eyes for the entire novel.  But the different perspectives also show depth to all of the other characters in the book.  We get to see Auggie through his older sister’s eyes, ones that are loving but also despair at being paid enough attention by her parents.  The perspective shifts again and again to classmates, his sister’s ex-friend, and even his sister’s boyfriend.  Then we return to Auggie for the end of the book. 

This use of multiple perspectives works particularly well given the arc of the story, it all comes to a satisfying close that is built from those many perspectives and those many characters.  Things are not sugar-coated here.  People respond naturally to Auggie’s face, even those who had been informed about it beforehand.  There are bullies, friends who are true and those who come in and out, there is middle school drama.  There is also a real family portrayed here, struggling to give their exceptional son an honest life, trying to pay attention to both of their children, and consistently showing love and caring for one another laced with real humor.

I adored this book, wept at times, ached in the heart a lot, and laughed too.  It’s a book worth sharing, worth passing along, and one that will crossover effortlessly to adult readers.  This is a powerful, uplifting, luminous book.  Appropriate for ages 10-13.

Reviewed from library copy.

Review: The Humming Room by Ellen Potter

| Tasha

humming room

The Humming Room by Ellen Potter

When Roo’s parents are murdered, it’s her ability to hide that saves her, as she retreated to her favorite spot under their trailer.  There she can look at the items she has “collected” or stolen, and she can press her ear to the ground to hear the tiny movements of animals, worms and roots.  After spending some time in foster care, Roo is taken to live on an island with her wealthy uncle who looks very similar to Roo’s father but with none of the carefree spirit her father had.  The island is on the St. Lawrence and the house used to be a tuberculosis sanatorium.  Now Roo is left there with little attention from her often-away uncle, and two servants.  The island is filled with life, including tantalizing glimpses of a wild boy who seems to live on the river.  Roo has to discover the truth of the strange house and the many secrets it holds.

Potter has stated that this is a novel inspired by The Secret Garden, and readers familiar with that work will definitely see it woven into this story.  At the same time, this book stands on its own beautifully.  It is a delightful blend of character and setting.  Roo is a prickly child, one who would be difficult to relate to except for her connection to nature.  That small piece of her character alone makes her human and accessible for the reader.  She is also prickly for very good reasons, including her parents’ death but also her misery of a life before their death.  The reader understands Roo deeply.   The secondary characters are all quirky and fascinating as well, especially the wild boy.

Then there is the setting.  Potter brings the St. Lawrence, the island, and this house to life.  This story could not be set anywhere else, as the setting is so closely married to the story.  The river is a large part of the book, including Roo’s growing understanding of its moods and the isolation of the island.  The house is central to the story as well, brooding and huge, its very walls hiding secret doors to wonders.  Then there is the garden itself, because of course there is a secret garden, and its rebirth that echoes Roo’s. 

Haunting and lovely, this book unfolds like the petals of a flower as each new discovery is made.  Environmentalism permeates the book in a gentle, green way that leaves readers wanting to connect with nature and preserve it without ever being preached to about the issue.  This is a delicate, wondrous read that is sure to be a hit with fans of The Secret Garden or those of us who are already fans of Ellen Potter.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Feiwel & Friends.

Review: Explorer: The Mystery Boxes by Kazu Kibuishi

| Tasha

mystery boxes

Explorer: The Mystery Boxes by Kazu Kibuishi

Released March 1, 2012.

Kibuishi is the author of the Amulet series of graphic novels as well as the anthologist for Flight.  Here he has created an anthology for children that has seven short stories in graphic format that focus on a single subject: opening a mystery box.  The seven stories all take very different approaches to the focal subject, some of them approaching with humor, others with drama.  The differences deepen when the drawing style is factored in, some creating almost real images and others looking more like mainstream cartoons.  They all add up together to a whole that works well, the entire book rather like a mystery box since you never know what story is coming after the next turn of the page.

Kibuishi’s skill in anthologies is apparent here, weaving the seven individual stories together into a flow that works well.  Many of the stories focus on the boxes showing the characters more depth to their world than they ever knew existed.  There are dolls that come to life, spiritual worlds in modern suburbia, magicians searching for magical objects, war, aliens and treasure too.  Just like textual short stories, these are focused stories that get to the point and end up surprising and delighting thanks in part to their brevity.

This is a great addition to library collections and will offer glimpses of rich worlds to graphic novel fans.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from ARC received from Amulet Books.

Review: May B. by Caroline Starr Rose

| Tasha

may b

May B. by Caroline Starr Rose

May has grown up living out on her family’s homestead on the Kansas prairie.   When money gets tight, she is sent to become live-in help for other homesteaders, but just until Christmas.  May finds herself in a small sod house fifteen miles away from her own.  The young wife, who is almost May’s age, is unhappy on the prairie and runs away.  The husband heads after her and neither return.  May is left alone on the prairie where at first the days are lovely, sunny and warm and she enjoys the freedom.  Then winter comes, and May is alone on the prairie with a dwindling food supply, just a little wood for heat, and only the prairie itself for company.  This book written in verse is a look at the dangers, hardship and courage of homesteading.

Rose has written a book that pays homage to the Little House on the Prairie books and reads a lot like The Long Winter.  At the same time, it also has a stark reality about it that makes it gripping.  The format of a verse novel works particularly well here as most of the story is May’s reaction to her situation.  What could have been lengthy treatises on loneliness instead are verses that speak to the harrowing nature of abandonment. 

The book also deals with May’s dyslexia which makes her almost unable to read.  She had one teacher, shown in flashbacks, who treated her with respect and worked with her.  But after that, another teacher arrived who used shame to try to get May to learn to read.  It is the story of an obviously bright and very resourceful girl with dyslexia.  Her struggles to read strike a delicate balance in the book, showing an inner battle that plays against the external forces at work.

A taut, frightening novel of solitary confinement set in wide-open spaces, this book would work well with reluctant readers or as a classroom read.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from copy received from Schwartz & Wade Books.

Review: Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

| Tasha

dragonswood

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

After the death of the king, the royal treasure was stolen and has not been recovered.  Tess lives in a small village and has troubles of her own, including an abusive stepfather and the recent death of her infant brother.  When the witch hunter comes to town, Tess is accused of being a witch.  Tess is able to see the future in fire sometimes and loves going into the wilds of Dragonswood even though it is forbidden.  When she is tortured, she breaks and gives up the names of her best friends as also going into Dragonswood with her.  Sent to trial, Tess escapes with the aid of a dragon and flees her home along with her two friends.  The three of them must survive in the wilds, disguised as lepers and never revealing their identities.  But when one of their husbands is tortured too , the situation changes and they must risk their own safety to save him.  As the story continues, more of the magic of Dragonswood is revealed along with who took the royal treasure.  This is one amazing read, filled with fey and dragons.

Carey writes with the confidence of a long-time storyteller.  Here, she weaves 12th century England and its witch-hunting into a story filled with ancient magic.  The setting of Wilde Island and Dragonswood is particularly effective, itself filled with creatures of magic and the dangers as well.  The story’s pacing is well done too, gripping and fast-paced in the beginning, it slows a bit in the middle to allow the story to develop, and then picks up the speed again in the end as all of the pieces fit together at last. 

The characterization is also particularly well done.  Tess lacks self-confidence from her years of abuse and seems unlikely to become the heroine of the story.  When she breaks under torture, it is written particularly well, and shows the violence of torture and the coldness and calculating nature of it as a tool.  The other characters are also well-rendered, with secondary characters returning later in the story and becoming more fully developed. 

This book sparkles with magic, dragons and fey, but also is striking because of its human characters living in fear and darkness.  Beautiful writing and a remarkable setting lift this fantasy on dragon wings.  Appropriate for ages 14-17.

Reviewed from copy received from Dial Books.

Review: The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone

| Tasha

boy on cinnamon street

The Boy on Cinnamon Street by Phoebe Stone

When Louise orders yet another pizza for dinner, a new boy delivers it.  When Louise sees the delivery boy, she feels something shift and change, but ignores it.  Louise has built a safe world for herself, living with her grandparents.  She has given up gymnastics and tumbling.  She doesn’t see her old friends from her old neighborhood.  Her best friend tries to convince Louise that she has a crush on the delivery boy, but it doesn’t feel like that at all.  Louise continues to get signs that someone likes her though, and it might be that delivery boy after all.  But before Louise can be ready for any sort of relationship, she has to come to terms with the family secret that she is doing her best to hide from.

Stone’s writing shows readers that something is wrong before Louise ever comes close to realizing it consciously herself.  There are clues sprinkled throughout the book, cleverly leading readers to sleuth out what happened before the book reveals it.  Nicely, that is not the heart of the book.  Rather the heart is Louise herself, a girl who has blocked her memories, created a new life, and finds the construct crumbling around her.

This book centers on Louise, but it also has some other amazing characters in it.  Louise’s best friends are brother and sister, Henderson and Reni.  They both support her, embrace her in their normal family life, and stand by her as she realizes the truth.  My favorite characters are Louise’s grandparents, who stay jovial and supportive, never pushing Louise too far and always being there when she needs them.  They are engaging, lively and charming, just what Louise and the reader needs.

My only quibble is that the sweet cover does not speak to the depth of the book itself, which wrestles with dark subjects, memory and survival.

A character-centered book, this tween read is compelling, romantic and rich.  Appropriate for ages 10-13.

Reviewed from ARC received from Scholastic.

Review: Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood

| Tasha

glory be

Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood

In Hanging Moss, Mississippi, summer is filled with swimming at the pool, visits to the library, and just trying to stay cool.  But for Glory, the summer of 1964 when she turned 12, was a very different summer.  Now her older sister Jesslyn, doesn’t want anything to do with her.  She is interested in boys more than in playing games with Glory.  Her best friend Frankie has always been easy to get along with, but now things are strained.  Glory does have a new friend, a girl from the north whose mother is helping set up a clinic where everyone is welcome.  Desegregation has come to Hanging Moss, and the pool is closed rather than stop being segregated, tempers are high, and neighbors and families are torn.  In this setting, it is Glory who shines, growing into a young woman with passion and a voice to match.

Scattergood’s debut novel is a gem of a novel.  She manages to write with a distinct point out view without negating the fears of the time but still firmly standing against any racism.  It’s a difficult thing to do, but because she manages it, the book is much stronger.  While the book is about civil rights, it also explores the complicated relationship of sisters, who are by turns drawn together and then pushed away.  The book is intelligent, explores the complexity of the day fully, and remains very human.

Glory is a great heroine, one who is confused at times about what is happening around her, but also one who sees when a stand must be taken.  Her growing confidence along with the support of her father and sister, create a compelling story of a young woman finding her voice.  The growth of Glory throughout the book is clear and natural.

This is a book that could be shared in the classroom, but I think it would read best on a blazing hot day near a swimming pool to remind everyone of what human rights are.  This is one strong, dazzling debut.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from ARC received from Scholastic.

Review: The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

| Tasha

lions of little rock

The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine

Little Rock in 1958 was a divided city at the forefront of the integration battles.  Marlee finds herself at the crossroads of that battle when the high schools in Little Rock are closed and her sister is sent away to go to school in another town.  Marlee is a quiet person, often unable to speak up even when she would most like to.  When she meets Liz, a new girl in her class, the two girls become fast friends with Liz helping Marlee find her voice.  The two girls work together on an oral project but before they can present it, Liz is discovered to be passing as a white girl to go to school there.   Marlee has to find a way to continue being friends with the best friend she has ever had, despite the dangers.  Otherwise she’s lost another person that she can actually talk to.  She has to find her voice and learn how to use it to make a difference.

Levine’s setting is one later than most books about Little Rock.  This book takes place a year after the Little Rock Nine enrolled at Little Rock Central High School.  It explores the effect of their courage on the community and also the way that the problems were not solved in that year alone.  The passions on both sides of of the segregation debate are shown clearly, as is the toll that it took on the Little Rock community.  The most important piece of the book is the courage of the ordinary citizen in taking on larger forces and winning for the good of everyone.  These are lessons that are vital for our children to learn.

The title of the book refers to the lions in the Little Rock Zoo.  Marlee lives close enough to the zoo to hear the lions roaring at night before she goes to bed.  The zoo is also the place that she sometimes meets with Liz.  This gives the book a strong level of symbolism that will give young readers something to relate to and discuss as the book progresses.

The character of Marlee is especially well drawn.  She is shy, nearly silent, and underneath that is brave, a good friend, and passionate.  She has trouble communicating with her own mother, rarely speaking, and yet she is inspiring and has a large impact on her mother and others.  There is a strength to her character that is more subtle than most, but also more steely.  She’s an incredible heroine and one that will inspire young readers.  The other characters are equally well done.  Liz, the best friend, is complex and interesting, battling her own problems with being too out-spoken.  Marlee’s parents are both teachers, watching their livelihood and professions being slowly destroyed in Little Rock. 

This powerful book is ideal for using in classrooms talking about civil rights and segregation.  It’s a book that will read aloud well and has plenty of action to keep listeners riveted.  An impressive and memorable book that should be in every public and school library.  Appropriate for ages 9-12.

Reviewed from ARC received from G. P. Putnam’s Sons.

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