Nothing is Little by Carmella VanVleet. 304 p. Holiday House, July, 2022. 97810823450114. (Review of finished purchased copy.)
Middle Grade Monday features Nothing is Little by Carmella VanVleet. Sixth grader Felix may be short in stature, but he's long in heart and humor. He often sports tee shirts with funny messages about being short. He doesn't even mind his nickname, Shortlock. He'd love to know more about his bio-dad, but his mom avoids those questions. He appreciates his stepfather, Paul, who is trying to make Felix feel included, but with a baby sister on the way, he can't help but feel like an outsider.
He joins the forensics club at school with his best friend and discovers he and his teammates are very good at solving mysteries and have a good chance of representing their school at a regional competition. Felix thinks this might be a good way to find his bio-dad. What is he willing to do in order to get there?
Felix is an appealing character. The plot is fast-paced, switching between school and forensics club to home scenes. Readers looking for a fresh and funny read will find much to like here.
Roll with It by Jamie Sumner. 256 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Schuster, October1, 2019. 9781534442559. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher.)
For most of her life, it has just been Ellie and her mother living in Nashville, dealing with wheelchairs, cerebral palsy and IEPs. Her mom successfully advocated for an aide for Ellie, but she occasionally finds a way to escape. Ellie is not your typical sunshine and roses kid in a wheel chair. She has an edge and a dream. She loves to cook and bake and aspires to be a celebrity chef. Life is pretty good in Nashville; but then Ellie's grandad's Alzheimer's disease begins to worsen, Ellie's mom decides to move the family to Oklahoma. This means living in a trailer where Ellie can't navigate without help. It also means attending a school that is not quite equipped to handle Ellie's special needs as well as being the new kid - in a wheelchair.
Well, I swallowed this one whole. I loved the voice from page one. Terrific writing. Great characters. Realistic issues. Kids are going to adore this, especially if they enjoyed Out of My Mind! Impressive debut! Looking forward to Ms. Sumner's sophomore novel.
