Skimmer and Finn: The Circle in the Sky by Christopher Francis

 

Genre: Children, Middle Grade, Graphic Novel

Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinion expressed here are my own.

This was so much fun to read. This is the third book in the Skimmer and Finn series.  Trapped on a planet with two other humans and a host of other creatures, Skimmer and Finn meet another robot similar to Skimmer, only with upgrades.  He knows where the human kid's parents are waiting for them. They are on Othello 13. Finn steps up to be the hero to find a way to get them there. I laughed and laughed at Finn.  The questions he asked as he was on his quest were hilarious. I read some of them to my husband. His response was, "You're laughing because you can picture some of your students asking questions like that." He was correct.  In my opinion, Christopher Francis, the author, has never grown up. That is great for readers everywhere because he writes books that kids and adults can relate to in one way or another. I have loved all of his books.  This series makes my sides hurt from laughing.  Need a quick, light, fun read?  This is the book for you.  Literally one of the best things I've read all summer.

Do You Hear What I Hear? by Helen Dunlap Newton

Genre: Middle Grade, Adventure, Thriller
Source: I purchased a copy

Noah Baker is trying to find a new normal after an accident caused a traumatic brain injury and a complete loss of hearing. His parents have done everything they could to make life normal after the accident. With a new cochlear implant to help him hear again, he dreams of a new normal. But normal is not in the cards. Noah realizes he can hear the thoughts of those around him through his new device. This is how he learns how worried his parents are about the cost of all of this and how his brother blames himself for Noah's loss.  When the doctor learns what Noah's device can do, he is caught up in a government plan. He isn't the only one. Lena, an amputee, has a new leg.  The government is using both of them.  They have been asked to use their new devices, which could put them and their families in danger. Yet, at the same time, they have been asked to serve their country under the guise of being ambassadors for a new organization that puts disabled kids at the front of society.  I loved this story and can't wait to read its sequel, "Careful What You Hear."  This book is full of technological advances and spy adventures. I think I loved this book because it reminded me of Anthony Horowitz's Stormbreaker series.  Anyone, young or old, who loves teens put in adventurous situations will love this book.

Jake and the Gingerbread Wars by E.G. Foley

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy
Source: I own a copy

This is a charming book about a young boy who once lived in an orphanage but was now an Earl. While walking through town with his cousins and friend, they visit two different pastry shops. This is where their adventure begins. The two bakers who at one time cared for each other were not warring against each other. Jake discovers that there is mischief and magic behind it all.  With the ability of telekinesis and his friends and family with him, he sets out to make things right. His adventures have him chasing an elf and meeting Santa, Yetis, Jack Frost, and the Ice Princess.  This is a short Christmas novella that falls between books 3 and 4 in the Gryphon Chronicles by E.G. Foley.  This can be read as a stand-alone book. However, I personally want to check out the other books in this series—great adventure with a touch of magic.

Hidden by Olivia Gold

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review

This is a great middle grade book.

Xander is not happy to begin seventh grade with a flip phone. His parents don’t want him to have anything that might put him in danger. Both of his parents have government jobs that could attract the attention of unsavory people. Xander doesn’t really have any fear of this happening. His life changed in the blink of an eye.  Xander overhears  two men who were posing as dog groomers in his parents office across from his bedroom.  They are obviously looking for something. Xander’s mom ushers the two men out of her house as she and Xander try to clean up the mess they left. When Xander tells his mom what the men were doing and the next thing he knows they are in the witness protection program. Now he has to start school in a new state and try to fit in. This is not something Xander is real good at.  To make matters worse he is enrolled in the “Soda Club”. The members are trying to create a new soda flavor for a competition.

This was a fun book to read. Maybe it is because I teach middle school and see some of their antics each day. The story rang true in so many ways.  If you want to read something that is a fun book with an element of mystery then this is the book for you. Step into the story with Xander where it seems the disasters just keep coming his way.

Stranded by Nikki Shannon Smith

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult, Realistic Fiction

Source: Purchased

Ava loves the outdoors. With only two days of school left she is thrilled when their class takes a trip to Central Park. Her friends on the other hand don’t care for it too much. They are into sports, reading and posting online or playing video games.  Ava knows she will be stuck at home with her family unless she can convince them to let her go to her Aunt Ravens cabin in the Adirondack Mountains.. Ava knows it will be an uphill battle convincing her mother to let her go. Her mother doesn’t agree with her twin’s decision to live in the middle of no where. Her brother calls her crazy because “black folks don’t do nature.” What she assumes will be an impossible task, turns into the possible. She never expected her dad to side with her. Just like that they are making plans for her to spend her summer with her aunt.

Ava and her Aunt get along great. She knows a lot about being outdoors, but her aunt has so much more she can teach her. When her aunt is called away and she is left alone, life becomes very real.  I loved this book. I loved how passionate Ava was about being outdoors. I loved that she didn’t try to conform to her family’s ideas of what you should be passionate about. I loved the realistic relationship throughout the story. This is a book I want my students to read. I highly recommend it.

The Bully Mission: Solving Damian Dermite by Christopher Francis

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

Source:  Purchased

 

I have read all of this author's books.  While cleaning up files, I realized that I had never written a review of this one. So I reread it. Like all of his books, Christopher Francis takes a prominent issue and creates a story that not only shines a light on that issue but helps the reader see a way through it.  Alex's best friend has moved away. Now, he has to face his first year of middle school alone. In his first-period class, he sees the biggest kid he's ever seen. Henry is large with red hair.  He is also new to the school. He was constantly picked on at his previous school because of his size. Over the summer, his dad remarried, and that is why he had to change schools. Alex is having a very rough first day after hitting Henry in the back of the head with a slice of pizza and getting sent to the principal's office. It was at the end of the first day that Henry and Alex had their first run-in with the school bully, Damian Dermite. As Alex is leaving, he sees Henry on the ground, and Damian is trying to force him to eat a worm.  Alex steps in.  This time, he gets suspended and is on the bully's radar.

If he can figure out why Damian is a bully, maybe he can survive middle school.  A great book about bullying, finding friendship, and, most of all, surviving middle school.  Unfortunately, as a middle school teacher, I see things like this play out all the time. It is unfortunate. Maybe if more people were willing to step up we could diminish the bullying issue.

First Book Review of 2025 - Kianola by Nathan Roth

Genre: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction,  Fantasy

Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

As a middle school teacher I often see kids like Nole. They may not always hide away in video games, but they hide away in their art or something else. I often see them with someone who acts like a friend, but at the same time tends to bully them, just on a milder level.

In this book our main character  has gotten the most coveted new game, Enix. Within this game he can be the opposite of who he isn’t in his real world. When he meets a girl named Dapple he begins to build a friendship and a crush. Then Dapple introduces him to her friend, Kianola (Kia).  Nole’s crush moves from Dapple to Kia.  Through playing this game Nole gets a whole new perspective on life. Teased and bullied for being overweight, he has such low self esteem. In the imaginary world he can be the opposite of what he believes he is in the real world. However, this soon carries over into his real life. Nole begins to make changes in himself, to become the person he wants to be and the person he is determined to become.

The gaming part of this book was awesome.  I say this having grown up with the original Sega and graduation to Play Stations (as an adult). I was never good at playing games. Just ask my kids or my nieces and nephews. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like them. The world building in this story is done so expertly that when Nole and his friends entered the game I felt like I was there. I could envision the different worlds in the games.  I understood what was happening in the game. Were the game real I still couldn’t play it and win. My eye-hand coordination is not good, the same with my reflexes. I believe this is a book my middle school students are going to love.  Especially since they so patiently try to explain to me  the games they are playing. I would have to classify this as fantasy world meets the real world.  If I could give this more than five stars I would because this has to be one of the best books I have read in the last few month.

24 Hours The Trade by Annette Oppenlander

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Biography

Source: Purchased

The author has created a story about a time in her father Günter's life, while he lived under Hitler's rule. His father and older brother were both in the war. It was his responsibility to try to take care of his mother and younger brother. He would forage for wood and use their ration cards to try to find what little food they could. They were down to a slice of bread for each when Günter and his best friend Helmut met up looking for food. They were approached by a soldier who asked them to trade civilian clothes for his horse.  They were willing to take this risk to feed their families.

At the end of the story the author gives an update on what happened to her father. He talks about what hunger is like and how most of us will never really know or understand true hunger.  This was an excellent book. It is short enough that most of my reluctant readers will enjoy this biography. One of the best books I have read. 

North Beat Christmas by Jenna Zark

Genre: Middle Grade, Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Source: I received a copy to facilitate my review. The opinions expressed here are my own.

This is Jenna Zark's third book in the "Beat Street" Series, we find Ruby and her brother in California. This year they have convinced their mother to let them spend Christmas with their dad in San Francisco.  Things get off to a rocky start. Their father fails to pick them up from the train station, Ruby's satchel with her money, and most importantly her notebook is stolen. Once they get to their dad's house they find him face down on the floor of his apartment.  For money for food Ray plays the saxophone, his dad plays the bongos dnd Ruby dances in a park. They are part of a community known as the "beats". As Ruby and Ray get off the bus in front of a book store called Inner Pages, Ruby's one desire is to go inside and be immersed in the pages of the greats. She sets that as her goal for the next morning. When she gets there she finds herself with a job and a new friend. Ruth is an older lady who works there.  After lunch they return to the bookstore and find her brother Ray. He has come to get Ruby because he can't get into his dad's bedroom and his dad isn't answering.  This is when Ruby realizes her father has a problem with alcohol.  Ruby meets another young man in the bookstore. His name is Marty. Marty has some issues of his own, but Ruby is the kind of friend who sticks by them no matter what.

This is an awesome book.  Ruby learns a lot of lessons in this book. She grows up quite a bit. we see her mature in ways we hope our young people will eventually mature. We get a glimpse into a time period most of us know nothing about. We see Ruby and her brother deal with issues our young people today must deal with. Most importantly we see what love can accomplish.  What a wonderful book to start off my Christmas break from school.

Make a Little Wave by Kerry O'Malley Cerra

 

Genre:  Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction

Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Middle school is a tough time for any kid to move.  When Savannah, also known as Sav, and her family move from the central part of Florida to a beach town she is not overly thrilled.  You can love marine life, but not like the water so very much.  Sav has a hearing problem and has had cochlear implants.  She fears the water and I was able to relate that to my grandmother. We came to Florida on vacation. We could only get her in water almost to her knees. She had a fear of falling in, the darkness of the water, ruining her hearing aid. She was always afraid of water. She was fine watching it from a distance.  This kind of remined me of Sav. Another thing that is difficult for most kids moving during middle school is having to leave old friends and meet new ones.  Sav is lucky that she meets Tanner. This is also where her problems begin. She’s invited to their new restaurant and learns the soup she is eating is Shark Fin soup.  She conducts research and learns how horrible it is for the sharks to have their fins removed then thrown back into the ocean to die.

She along with two other new friends decide to do something. Unfortunately Sav has chosen several methods that are illegal to get her message across.  The upside to this book is that it shows teens that no matter what their age they can make a difference. It teaches them that they do have a voice and should use it to make a difference in the world.  I think many of my middle school students could relate to this book. I have found that they are different from my generation when we were teens. We were not really made to feel we had a voice until we were much older.  Kids today can and do make a difference simply by using their voice.  Awesome book with an awesome message.

Student Saturday: The Maze Runner by James Dashner

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Science Fiction

Student Reviewer: Haven W.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner is a young adult science fiction novel. It is the first book in a trilogy, complete with 2 prequels. The book is set in the future. It is told from the point of view of the main character Thomas. He wakes up in a maze with no memories surrounded by a bunch of teenage boys all having experienced the same thing, but it doesn’t take long to figure out that Thomas is special. After Thomas arrives, strange things start happening. Thomas and his new friends must go on an adventure, risking their lives, to unlock the secrets of the maze and who created it. This series is one of my favorites, it is perfect for young teens, or any teens who want a clean, but action packed read. I especially recommend this series to people who enjoy the Divergent series by Veronica Roth, they share a similar concept of defying test groups and simulations run by a corrupt government. It has a great concept, but I usually find that with a lot of books like these, they are confusing and not well written. This book contains none of those issues, it was fast paced, but easy to follow even though information was left out in the beginning to add suspense. The characters are well written and fun, with great personalities that make it easy to become attached to them. Overall, I highly recommend this book. 

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery, Horror
Student Reviewer: Jaiden W.

"The Ash House" is an excellent middle-grade novel that explores the themes of belonging, friendship, bravery, and defiance. The author has done an exceptional job of creating an intriguing, mysterious, and eerie setting that keeps the reader engaged throughout the story. The characters are well-developed, and their backstories are revealed gradually, making the readers invest in them emotionally. The protagonist, Sol, is an incredibly relatable character, and his struggles with his complex pain syndrome are depicted sensitively. The Ash House is a place where the abandoned and forgotten children live, and the headmaster is a mysterious figure who controls everything. The story takes a dark turn when Sol realizes that the headmaster's intentions are not as benevolent as they seem, and he must find the courage to defy him and rescue his new friends. The book's pace is perfect, and the tension builds up gradually, culminating in a thrilling climax. The author has also included several plot twists that keep the readers guessing until the end. Overall, "The Ash House" is a compelling and thought-provoking read that is perfect for middle school readers and anyone who enjoys a well-crafted, engaging story. 

 

Student Saturday: The Cat With the Yellow Star by Susan Goldman Rubin and ElaWeissberger

Genre: Middle Grade, Biography
Student Reviewer: David P.

This book was cool, finding out about my own country's history even more, that the place where they make good pancakes has had such terrible things happen there. Anyways this takes place in... Czechoslovakia (Now the Czech Republic) in the city Terezín (The place with the good pancakes!) and the main character is Ela with her friends. They are stuck in a camp for the Jewish population built after the nazis invaded us. They are sad, however they find out that the main composer for brundibar is also there, so they decide to have some fun.... Did you really think I was going to tell the entire thing to you? No, you will have to read this book to find out though... Anyways as a Czech myself I really enjoyed this book, so I recommend this to anyone who likes WW2 history or History in general.

 

Student Saturday: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult Autobiography

Student Reviewer: Sofia D.

 

This book is a remarkable read and I think it is very interesting and informative on the tragic events of the Holocaust. Anne Frank was a girl which such a daring personality and I think she is very clever and independent. This book took place in 1942 and ended in 1944 when she was only 13-15 years old. The diary talks about her thoughts and experiences in hiding in the secret annex which is a covered area behind her dad’s work. The diary also discusses betrayal and tragic loss. I liked how descriptive it was the book painted a picture in my head as I read. If I was in Anne Frank’s place, I would not handle it as well nor, be as intelligent as she was. I think it is a wonderful book, and I recommend it to people interested in historic events and being on that side of events from a personal point of view. 

 

Student Saturday: The Battle of the Labyrinth by Rick Riordan

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Myths, Adventure
Student Reviewer: Aliyah E.

 Percy Jackson: The Battle of the Labyrinth is an adventurous book about five courageous kids Percy, Anabeth, Grover, Rachel, Tyson known as half-bloods, cyclopes and mortals all fighting for their life to save their camp.

      This book  is about how the creator Daedalus is in his workshop and the Titans are trying to find him so they can invade camp half-blood. The job of Percy, Anabeth, Tyson, and Grover is to go and find Daedalus before the Titans do. Grover is searching for a lost god named Pan and believes he is in the Labyrinth so he and Tyson search from Pan while Annabeth and Percy try to save camp, but they quickly realize they need the help of a mortal Rachel because she can see through the mist and safely get them to Daedalus. But they did not get there in time.....

       I can connect to this book because like Annabeth I struggle trusting people and is always on the lookout for danger. I would recommend this book to people who struggle with trusting or focusing so that they see they are not alone and there is people to go to. Overall, this is a really good book, and I enjoy

Thirty Seconds at a Time by Tracy Bilen

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Young Adult Mystery

Source: I won a copy from LibraryThing. The opinions expressed here are my own.

Kate didn't understand why her father was packing her clothes. She told him that there were two weeks until Christmas break. As she was trying to unpack the suitcase, he was hurrying to pack; she heard gunshots. She ran down the stairs only to find her father in a pool of blood. She tries to stop the bleeding but can't. He hands her a piece of paper and tells her to burn it and tell no one. Kate's mom finds her at the hospital where she learns of her husband's death. Once allowed to return to the house to get some of their things, Kate discovers her guitar case full of money. This is the beginning of a great mystery. Kate and her mother move away. Her mother takes a teaching job at a private school where Kate will learn to ski. However, she can't let her father's murder go.

Kate meets Ryan, who always seems to be in trouble. He inadvertently gets pulled in to all of this mess. Can Kate extricate herself before someone else gets hurt? What is she to do with the money? Who keeps leaving her cryptic messages? What is with the address her father gave her before he died?

All of these questions lead to one of the most fulfilling mysteries I have read in a long time. Throw in a snarky roommate, a good looking young man and a lot of twists and turns in this wonderful book. One my students will definitely love as much as I did.

The One and Only Family by Katherine Applegate

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Animals

Source: I purchased a copy.

This is the final book in the series. In this book we find Ivan and his mate Kinyani expecting a baby. They are excited. We are taken through Ivan's thoughts about what it takes to be a good parent. On one hand he things it will be easy. On the other hand he is afraid.  Any parent who reads this book could identify with  Ivan on the feelings of excitement and fear when dealing with their first child.  For Ivan, who ends up the father of twins it is even more emotional. He had a twin who made it from Africa to America, only to die of pneumonia. As his two children hit their terrible twos he is faced with several fears.  The biggest fear is that he won't be able to protect his children.  Along comes Bob, his dog friend to teach him what a wonderful father he really is. 

This was such a wonderful book.  It was just as emotional as the other three books in this series.  I can't wait to put it on my school shelves and recommend it to students.

The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate

 

Genre: Middle Grade, Animals

Source: I purchased a copy

The One and Only Ruby is the third book in the four book series written by Katherine Applegate.  The book tells the story of Ruby, the elephant we meet in the first book, “The One and Only Ivan.”  Ruby was a very small elephant when we was brought to the “The Exit 8 Big Top Mall and Video Arcade”. She lived there with a larger elephant named Stella, Ivan the Gorilla and their friend Bob the dog.”

Ruby now lives in the zoo next  to Ivan.  She is not happy that she has tusks, even if they are small. She dreads having to give a speech about what Tuskday means to her. She sees no use for tusks. Maybe this is because she has seen what happens to elephants when poachers want those tusks. As she tries to work her way through her feelings leading up to Tuskday she tells her story to Ivan, his mate Kinyani, and Bob. Through this story we learn about Ruby and her life in Africa and the herd she was a part of. We learn of her joys and her sadness. Along the way we see Ruby mature and grow and actually become a part of the herd she is with at the zoo.

I was so excited when this book came out. Just as excited as when I read the first two books, “The One and Only Ivan”, and “The One and only Bob”. This book, like the others is an emotional read. It is one that I will never forget.

Student Saturday: GOATS of Basketball by Bruce Berglund

 

Genre:  Middle Grade, Nonfiction

Student Reviewer:  William F.

 In the story “GOATS Of Basketball” we can see the legends of the players in their prime.  First was Michael Jordan, he played 15 seasons in the NBA and out of them he won 6 NBA championships. He went on 2 repeats of winning two times and switched from the Chicago Bulls to the Washington Wizards. As a fun act the stories says that “Michael Jordan also played in the MLB but never was good” next there was LeBron James who has been in the league for 21 seasons! He won 4 NBA championships throughout his entire career and still plays to this day. He Has played for 3 teams, Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, And the Los Angeles Lakers which he still plays for today. This book is structured around who had the best legacy which in my opinion was Micheal Jordan. I would recommend this book to a friend to teach them all about the best players in basketball of all time.

Student Saturday: On the Run by Tristan Bancks

Genre: Middle Grade, Mystery
Student Reviewer: Dominick O.

There is this kid named ben, ben had always wanted to be a cop ever since he was a kid. When cops showed to bens door he was intrigued. The cops were looking for ben's parents, but his parents were not home at the time. Shortly after the cops had left bens’ parents had showed up and immediately started packing clothes and food and rushed ben and his sister into the car saying they were going on a vacation. Ben was skeptical only because his parents never go on vacations. They hid out in a remote cabin in the middle of the woods, and ben using his detective skills he found out his parents had committed a crime. When the police found their cabin, they were forced to split up into 2. Ben and his sister are now alone, and ben doesn't know if he should find help, or keep the secret and live life on the run.