New Book Alert: Friend or Fiction

Friend or Fiction is the third novel from Abby Cooper, and it debuts on October 8th, 2019. Like her previous books, Sticks & Stones and Bubbles, Friend or Fiction is set in our modern world with one very specific element of magical realism thrown in. (I received a digital ARC of the book through Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.)

Jade has always felt adrift in her small town, and her dad's cancer diagnosis has only made things work. She (and her dad) takes solace in her creative writing about her imagined best friend, Zoe. So when a classmate's experiment brings real life Zoe out of the notebook and into her classroom, Jade couldn't be more thrilled. But is writing your own best friend the same as actually having one ... ?

I thorough enjoyed this amusing novel, and it has a lot to say about the realities of true friendship. I also particularly loved all the winks and nods about the writing process, especially some of the things Zoe doesn't know/have because Jade hadn't thought to include them in the writing. But you'll have to read it for yourself to find out more!

I think readers will really be drawn to the premise of this book ... and they might be surprised at how much it makes them think too!

New Book Alert: More to the Story

Happy book birthday to Hena Khan's newest middle grade novel: More to the Story! Inspired by Little Women, this modern-day story is narrated by seventh grader Jameela (Jam), the second oldest in a family of Muslim-American four sisters. She'd much rather be thinking about her next story for the middle school newspaper than dealing with the news of her dad's new job overseas. But the new school year brings even more challenges for Jameela and her whole family.

Readers already familiar with Little Women will enjoy recognizing the connections (big and small) to the original story - the sisters share names with matching first letters (Jameela / Jo for example). But I think even readers without any knowledge of Little Women will find a lot to connect to in this novel: from long-distance parents to navigating new friendships to learning to speak up for what you care about. This is a book I look forward to adding to my classroom library!

(I received a digital ARC of More to the Story via Net Galley. All thoughts are my own.)

New Graphic Novel Alert: The Okay Witch

The Okay Witch is a new graphic novel by Emma Steinkellner debuting on September 3rd, 2019. (I received access to a digital ARC via Netgalley. All thoughts are my own.)

13-year old Moth has always felt like the odd one out in her small New England town, so finding out that she's actually a witch, descended from the hunted witches of the 1700s, is almost more of a relief than a worry. But unraveling the truth about her parentage and why her mother has been keeping her witch powers secret will take a little more digging.

Moth is an immediately engaging character to root for, and I love how the book wraps this story in the imagined history of a sleepy New England town and its connections to its darker history. There is a lot to be discovered here about how we understand our past, what lessons we choose to learn from it, and what divisions we continue to sow, as the angle of "witches" makes it easy for the reader to make connections to real-world racism, hatred, and discrimination.

Graphic novels continue to be among the hottest books in my classroom library, and I am sure this is another that I will likely never see on my shelf again, as it makes its way from reader to reader to reader!

Looking for more graphic novels?

• Great Graphic Novels for Middle School, realistic fiction
• Great Graphic Novels for Middle School, fantasy
• Middle Schoolers' Favorite Graphic Novels

New Book Alert: The Stuff of Stars

Oh my word, this book.

The Stuff of Stars (2018) by Marion Dane Bauer and illustrated by Ekua Holmes arrives in stores on Tuesday. I was already a huge fan of Ekua Holmes' work (her illustrations for Voices of Freedom: Fammie Lou Hamer the spirit of the Civil Rights Movement won a Caldecott Honor and Out of Wonder was one of my favorites from last year), but her illustrations for this book are simply stunning. The use of color is always a strong signal of her work, but the use of marbling takes it to another level. I want to frame this book and hang it on my walls.

Stepping back from the illustrations (if you can), the text is also stunning. Marion Dane Bauer has created a sparse and lyrical text that weaves the entire story of the universe, from the Big Bang right up to today into a poem. This is a book I could see being used everywhere from science classrooms to a mentor text in language arts to a must-have gift for baby showers. You will want to see this one for yourself.

(An advanced review copy of the book was provided by Candlewick. All thoughts are my own.)

New Book Alert: Breakout by Kate Messner

I love Kate Messner! Her books are incredible, and she does great work for kids, teachers, and other authors alike. If you don't follow her blog, you should, if only to get notified when the annual list of authors offering free Skype visits for World Read Aloud Day goes live!

Her latest book, Breakout, arrived last week. I was so excited about this book, that I actually preordered it twice from different retailers (once in December and again in February). But having read it, now I'm glad to have two copies to circulate in my classroom!

Two prisoners escape from the local prison, shattering the quiet in the sleepy town of Wolf Creek. Nearly everyone in town has some connection to the prison, and the lockdowns, police searches, and news media affect everyone. How long will this search go on? And what might the community learn in the process?

Breakout is told through a collection of documents to be added to the town's time capsule project. This format really allows the voices of the various contributors (friends Nora and Lizzie and new-in-town Elidee) to shine. It also provides multiple perspectives on certain incidences during the story, and the reader gets to witness the characters' understandings of themselves and their town evolve.

Kate has done a great job of weaving the big issues of racism, privilege, and prison reform into an engaging and entertaining story. Middle grade readers are gently introduced to various microaggressions, and issues such as racial profiling, the disproportionate incarceration rates of African-Americans, and more. This is a book that will spark some great discussions and (hopefully) reflection in its readers.

Kate also published an amazing blog series, Countdown to Breakout, that covered the 23 days before the book launched. In it, she explored a ton of different topics in the "behind the scenes" of the book, including how she got the idea, insights into drafting, the positive impact of her sensitivity readers, and more. There are a TON of great resources for teachers of writing too, including samples of her editorial critique letter, her giant revising diagrams, and more! I can't wait to incorporate some of these real-world examples into my curriculum.

This one is must-have for middle grade and middle school! (Click here for more reviews of new books.)

New Series Alert: The Unicorn Rescue Society

If you aren't already familiar with author Adam Gidwitz, you should rectify that immediately! His previous book, The Inquisitor's Tale: or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog, was a recent Newbery Honor, and he is also the author of the entertaining A Tale Dark and Grimm series.

His newest series, The Unicorn Rescue Society, illustrated by Hatem Aly is a middle-grade fantasy (or, one could argue, magical realism) series. Book one is called The Creature of the Pines, and book two, The Basque Dragon, comes out in July.

The book opens with a delightfully amusing premise in the form of a letter from the founder of The Unicorn Rescue Society, which, despite its name, has yet to find (or rescue) any unicorns. But they are certain that they exist. They must! Who wouldn't want to keep reading after an opening like that?

From there, the book introduces new-in-town Elliot, who is dreading his first day: starting over at a new school in the middle of the year AND facing the chaos of a field trip on top of everything else. Thankfully, the open seat he finds on his morning bus ride happens to be with classmate Uchenna, whose experience being new last year makes her welcoming and receptive to a new friend. Together they discover that their field trip - and the mysterious Social Studies teacher leading it - may have more going on than it seems.

Not only is this an entertaining read and a great hook for a series, but upcoming books will feature collaborations with a diverse array of authors each writing about mysterious creatures from their own cultural backgrounds. I cannot wait to read what Joseph Bruchac, Emma Otherguy, Hena Khan, and others have to offer!

Definitely recommended for middle grade!

New Book Alert: Amal Unbound

My newest pre-release purchase to arrive is the fabulous middle grade novel Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed (chosen as one of the texts for this fall's Global Read Aloud).

Amal Unbound is the story of twelve-year old Amal who lives with her family in a small town in modern Pakistan. Amal is an engaging narrator and one that the reader roots for almost immediately. Some quick foreshadowing at the beginning sets the scene for the trials and tribulations to come. Most of the families in Amal's town are in debt to local strongman Jawad Sahib Khan, and when Amal has an unexpected encounter, she learns just how powerful he is in her community ...

This is a powerful story about economic exploitation and indentured servitude, as well as about the power of standing up for yourself and for what's right, despite the risks. The book reminded me in some ways of Francis Hodgson Burnett's A Little Princess, which was a favorite of mine as a child.

This is definitely one that will grab readers' attention and lead to important discussions and questions!

New Book Alert: A Seed is the Start

I love Melissa Stewart's incredible science books for children, so I was delighted when she contacted me via Twitter about reviewing her latest for National Geographic Kids: A Seed is the Start. (All thoughts are my own.)

There are many, many picture books out there that deal with seeds and plants, but they usually focus on how they grow or gardening. This book, instead, focuses on the process of propagation - how do seeds get from place to place. Each two-page spread features a different method, with one sentence in large print highlighting the method (i.e. Seeds drift.) and several paragraphs with more details.

The book is chock full of nonfiction text features. The explanatory paragraphs each have a bolded thesis statement that also serves as a heading for the rest of the paragraph. The illustrations are fabulously detailed photographs thanks to the National Geographic photographers, and there is a "words to know" section to open the book as well as an index and sources in the back.

This is a book that I am sure will feature in heavy rotation in elementary school science classrooms, and the writing and illustrations make it engaging enough that kids and families will want to read it on their own too. Definitely one to check out - and just in time for spring!

New Book Alert: The Parker Inheritance

Over Christmas I received some gift cards for books, which I decided to use to preorder a variety of new books I was excited about. Now as they randomly arrive, it's like a surprise Christmas every time!

The Parker Inheritance (2018) by Varian Johnson is an instant middle grade classic. In the style of The Westing Game (and with direct references to the book by the characters), main character Candice and new friend Brandon find themselves involved in a mysterious quest to uncover their town's history ... and a possible fortune!

The story switches between the present-day timeline and the 1950s, as the two discover more about the events that took place in their town during that time, which culminated in a racially-charged incident focused around a tennis match between the all-white and all-black high schools.

There is so much to love about this book. The mystery and adventure angle will draw in plenty of readers who might not immediately be interested in a work of historical fiction, while the history and Civil Rights angle will interest others. Diversity and inclusion are written into the fabric of the story two, as the modern-day kids need to grapple with how the racism and bigotry of the recent past still affects the present.

This also one of the few children's books I've read that directly introduces the idea of "colorism" (though not the term) to readers. Not only are the characters dealing with issues related to racism, but the specific color and tone of their skin comes into play as well. This is a book sure to generate a lot of thoughtful conversations and questions from readers.

A must-buy for any middle grade or middle school reader!

New Book Alert: Lights, Camera, Middle School! (Babymouse)

Yesterday marked Babymouse's independence from elementary school as the first book in her new series debuted! The Tales from the Locker series follows Babymouse up to middle school, replacing the full graphic novel format with a mixture of both text and graphic pages.

Book one, Lights, Camera, Middle School!, opens with Babymouse stressing about the stereotypical middle school worries: right clothes, right friends, right ... whiskers? When faced with a decision about what after school activity to join, Babymouse realizes this is an opportunity for her to stand out and get noticed, so she joins the film club. As fans of Babymouse might suspect, not everything goes according to plan ... Typical.

My third graders were HUGE fans of the original Babymouse series, and these were among the most-checked out books in my classroom library. Babymouse ranked #2 in their all-time favorites list, and you can read a review of Babymouse: Beach Babe by one of my third graders here. I am excited to share this new series with them and think that they will highly enjoy Babymouse's new adventures.

I will say, as a teacher of actual middle schoolers, that The Tales from the Locker series is pretty firmly in middle grade territory and might not grab the attention of actual middle schoolers who are starting to gravitate into more YA-heavy material. But I think Babymouse will find plenty of new fans in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade range.

Definitely a must-have book for any teachers or librarians in that age range!

New Book Alert: Real Friends

Real Friends by Shannon Hale and illustrated by LeUyen Pham debuts this Tuesday! (I received a digital ARC through Net Galley. All thoughts are my own.)

The ARC cover included the sub-title: a true story about cool kids and crybabies, which perfectly sums up this graphic novel memoir. In a similar vein to Raina's Sisters and Smile, Shannon Hale brings the realities of her own childhood troubles with friends and self-acceptance to this popular format.

The reader sees young Shannon through her own eyes as she faces the realities of second through fifth grades: how to make friends, how to keep friends, and how to deal with the complications that arrive with friends. I love the intimacy that comes from knowing a book is a memoir and not "just a story," and I think that kids will appreciate this inside peak into a beloved author's life.

This is a book that will appeal to a wide-range of readers. Even though many think of the struggles of friendship and girl-drama as a primarily middle school issue, the inclusion of memories from early elementary school as well helps draw in younger readers too.

I can see this book as one that my third graders would have loved but that my seventh graders could even better appreciate. (Ending the book with fifth grade keeps it in solidly middle grade territory, though I am curious to see if there will be a sequel that might get into more YA-types of topics.)

Definitely one to add to your classroom or library!

New Book Alert: Loving vs. Virginia

Happy Book Birthday to Loving vs. Virginia: A Documentary Novel of the Landmark Civil Rights Case by Patricia Hruby Powell and illustrated by Shadra Strickland, which was published today! (I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in return for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.)

This "documentary novel" is actually a nonfiction story in verse, told in free verse poetry in the alternating perspectives of Mildred and Richard Loving. It begins in childhood, when Richard was an older neighborhood boy who hung around with Mildred's older brothers. These early interactions quickly set the stage for their eventual romance, marriage, and lengthy court battle to have their marriage legally recognized in their home state of Virginia.

It may be shocking for today's young readers to realize how recently such interracial relationships were against the law (Alabama's anti-miscegenation law was reversed in the year 2000),  and the book does a great job of conveying how much this law took a toll on the Lovings and their family.

Even at 250 pages, the verse style makes for a quick read, but the focus on the romantic relationship between the two as well as some strong language makes this a book more appropriate for middle and high school readers. (For elementary schoolers, I highly recommend the picture book, The Case for Loving: the fight for interracial marriage (2015) by Selina Alko and illustrated by Sean Qualls and Selina Alko.)

One nitpick is that I wish that the book had included original photographs of the Lovings themselves in addition to the drawings and other contemporary photographs (such as the photograph the picture book covered was based on). Seeing the Lovings as real people in a real image just helps bring their story home even more.

New Book Alert: Snow White

Happy one-week birthday to Matt Phelan's newest graphic novel: Snow White! As the graphic novel format continues to explode in popularity, this is an interesting addition, aimed at older readers.

Snow White

Snow White: a graphic novel (2016) by Matt Phelan (A review copy of the book was provided by Candlewick. All thoughts are my own.)

Phelan reimagines the story of Snow White set in and around the stock market crash that abruptly ended the roaring 20s. The tale unfolds mostly in the ways that would be expected, but the most interesting fun is to be had in seeing how Phelan interprets and translates each character and event in the story into the new time period.

Told in his sparse, image-heavy style, readers may need to rely on their knowledge of the tale in some points to better interpret the story and its actions. (Background about the time period can be helpful too.) It will be interesting to see whether this becomes part of a series of fairytale reimaginings.

New Book Alert: Over the Underworld

Today, Sept. 6th is a big day for book debuts! In addition to Over the Underworld, which I am reviewing below, other arrivals for today include A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston (Mary Lee's review says it better than I ever could) and A Memory of Things by Gae Polisner (reviewed here).

The Unbelievable FIB, Book 2: Over the Underworld

Over the Underworld (Sept. 6th, 2016) by Adam Shaughnessy is the second book in the Unbelievable FIB series. (You can read my review of the first book here.) A year has passed and Pru and ABE have gone back to their normal lives with no hint of any of the Mythic entities that terrorized their town in the first book. But, of course, this lull is not to last, and they soon find themselves caught up again in the intersection of Norse mythology and our everyday world. This second adventure introduces a deadly mystery, more characters, and ever-worsening threats of the coming of the end of the world!

This is a fast-paced and highly engaging series for middle grade readers in upper elementary school and middle school. (Readers of the first book should immediately recognize Mr. Fox's magnifying glass, which I won as part of the art raffle at nErDcampMI back in July, which is also where I picked up an advanced copy of the book.) Enjoy!

New Book Alert: Lucy & Andy Neanderthal

The Jedi Academy series of books was HUGE among my third graders, so I was delighted (if a bit apprehensive) to hear that Jeffrey Brown had a new graphic novel series coming out ... about neanderthals. The apprehension arose because as a former archaeologist, there's a wealth of misconceptions and misinformation out there about neanderthals (and early humans).

Lucy & Andy Neanderthal (arrives Aug. 30, 2016)

But Jeffrey Brown does not disappoint. Not only does the book contain factual information in the backmatter (a timeline, a fact vs. fiction section, and an author's note), but every chapter ends with insights about the latest thoughts, discoveries, and debates presented by two scientist characters. I am hoping, however, that the finished book also contains a bibliography or recommendations for further reading. (I received an ARC of the book from a Publisher's Weekly giveaway, and only the first 100 pages had finalized art and shading.)

Despite what the cover may lead you to believe, Lucy & Andy live pretty normal neanderthal lives. They live in a small community along with their parents and baby brother. They drive each other nuts, they drive their babysitters nuts, and their cat actually is nuts. (*Spoiler alert* No, cats were not domesticated 40,000 years ago, but as Jeffrey Brown admits, "Cats are fun to draw and make funny characters!")

Kids will love reading about the trials and tribulations of neanderthal life (including a decently-accurate session on stone tool knapping!), which are interspersed with a great deal of physical and verbal humor. Even the archaeologists/paleontologists serve as a bit of comic relief, while also providing fun facts and raising interesting questions.

My only nit-pick with the book is the choice of names for the characters. Neanderthals were not humans and certainly were not Caucasian, so I wonder at the choice of such bland Anglo names for nearly all the characters in the book. Perhaps it's preferable to made up "caveman" names, but it did make me wonder.

That aside, elementary teachers and librarians should grab a chance to read this one as soon as it arrives, because I suspect it won't stay long on many library shelves!

New Book Alert: Moo by Sharon Creech

Moo (Aug. 30th, 2016) by Sharon Creech
(ARC begged & borrowed from a fellow blogger)

Full disclosure: I love Sharon Creech. She has written some of my favorite books of all-time. I wrote an entire poetry curriculum around reading aloud Love that Dog (click here for details). I bawled out loud while reading Walk Two Moons, and I am not a book crier. I also loved sharing Walk Two Moons as a small group discussion book with my fourth graders (click here for book club discussion questions and page breakdowns). I have a huge bin of Sharon Creech books in my classroom library.

So it is no surprise that I would be excited about any announcement of a new book by Sharon Creech. But a new novel in verse? Based around an ornery cow? (Even if it does happen to be set in Maine and not my native Wisconsin.) Featuring a main character named Reena so that I cannot wait to share it with a former student of mine named Reena? Love.

Twelve-year-old Reena may have been the one to suggest moving to Maine, but that doesn't mean she really knows what she's in for. Told in imaginative free verse, Moo is a story about changes: moving to a new home and a new state, leaving behind the big city for the oceanside countryside, and learning to get past first impressions. 

People Said ...

My parents' friends said
Are you crazy?
and
It gets cold in Maine, you know.
and
There are giant mosquitoes in Maine.
and
It gets cold in Maine, you know.
and
Why? Why? Why?

But some others said
They have lobsters there.
and
Great blueberries in Maine!
and
Beautiful ocean and mountains!
and
Great skiing!
and
Lots of lobsters!
Lots of blueberries!

Though ... it does get cold there
you know?

This is an amusing, enjoyable, and heartwarming story wrapped up in the memorable voice of the protagonist. Whether you like cows and countrysides or just want an excuse to visit for awhile by book, Moo is a story that will appeal to a wide range of readers and poetry-lovers. (I've already pre-ordered the copy for my classroom library.)

Hop on over to Dori Reads for more great Poetry Friday posts!

New Book Alert: The Girl Who Drank the Moon 08/09/16

I am delighted to share with you about Kelly Barnhill's newest book, The Girl Who Drank the Moon, which arrives in stores on August 9th. (Stop reading right now, and mark your calendar!)

I received an ARC of this book at #nErDcampMI and proceeded to devour it almost immediately. It is an incredibly well-crafted tale set in a familiar fantasy setting - the small town, the downtrodden inhabitants, the problematic ancient traditions. But as soon as the perspective shifts from the villagers to the feared witch in the woods, the reader realizes that there is quite a bit more going on within this story.

The characters are delightful, and there were so many lines that made me laugh out loud. Expectations are overturned, and the more of a background you have in fairy tales and folktales, the more there is to appreciate. The book is being marketed to the upper half of middle grade, and I think that it will find readers and fans among a wide-range of ages and grade levels.

As soon as I finished reading, I wanted more. Lucky for me (and for you), this week Entertainment Weekly has published a brief, two-part prequel for the book. Read part 1 here and part 2 here.

I can't wait to gush about this book to students! (And, if you can't wait, Amazon has released the first few chapters for free on Kindle.)

New Book Alert: The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

Today (June 7th, appropriately) is the debut Kate Messner's newest middle grade novel, The Seventh Wish! I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book at NCTE and to finally be able to share with you about it.

12-year-old Charlie feels overshadowed by all of the changes around her, especially her older sister's departure for college. She would rather focus on own wants and needs, like her chance to finally earn her solo dress in Irish dancing. But when a wish-granting fish comes into the picture, Charlie's read enough stories to know that she needs to think through her wishes carefully. But, despite her best intentions, wishes are not always what they seem.

* Spoilers below *

Midway through, the story takes an important turn, revealing that Charlie's older sister has become addicted to heroin. Presented in a way that is appropriate for late-elementary readers, the book delves into some of the effects and consequences of her sister's addiction on each of the members of the family as well as the not-always-a-straight-line journey towards addiction recovery.

This is an important book. Well-written, engaging, and even humorous at times, The Seventh Wish deals with this unfortunately-relevant issue in a sensitive way. Readers will gain a better understanding and empathy for those suffering addiction as well as the toll it takes on families. I highly recommend this book.

New Book Alert: Waylon!

Waylon! One Awesome Thing by Sara Pennypacker with illustrations by Marla Frazee. Publication date: April 5, 2016. (We received an ARC of this book with our Scholastic book order, and I will be adding it to my classroom library. All thoughts are my own.)

Waylon may be familiar to fans of Sara Pennypacker's well-regarded Clementine series, but now he has his own story. Straddling the line between young fiction and middle grade at 200 pages, this novel details some of the struggles of fourth grade, especially the growing sense of identity vs. the growing need to conform or at least consider the opinions of one's peers. Waylon also sees the ways his older sister, Neon, is changing, as she withdraws from the family and fully embraces her outsider-highschooler vibe.

I think this book will appeal to students who love mysteries, science, and stories about friendship issues. Throw in a new student and some critical scientific observations, and you have an entertaining and engaging story!

Looking for more great books for this age? Check out the #3rdfor3rd tag for book recommendations written by my third graders about their favorite books or the Read This Next tag for their recommendations about what to read after you finish a certain book.

New Book Alert: Once Was a Time

Once Was a Time by Leila Sales. Publication date: April 5, 2016. (I received an ARC of this book through an ad in PW Children's Bookshelf. All thoughts are my own.)

Once Was a Time is the first middle grade offering from popular YA author Leila Sales, and she knocks it out of the park. The story revolves around two best friends, Lottie and Kitty, who are growing up in Bristol, England in 1940 under the ever-expanding shadow of Hilter. Lottie's father studies time travel, and his investigations have drawn interest from many sides. A dangerous situation forces Lottie to make a choice - does she trust her father and his research?

This is a surprising and engaging tale, and it is hard to write a review without jumping further into the twists and turns of this story. Suffice to say that time travel is not always what - or where - one expects. This book falls more into the realm of classic friendship and mystery tales and is not as "science fiction-y" as a story with a time travel premise might seem. I can see many different kinds of readers being attracted to this book, and I am looking forward to sharing it with my students.

Looking for more great books for this age? Check out the #3rdfor3rd tag for book recommendations written by my third graders about their favorite books or the Read This Next tag for their recommendations about what to read after you finish a certain book.