Varmint by Andy Hirsch Book Review

Varmint by Andy Hirsch
Publisher: First Second
Release Date: September 26, 2016

After Opie and Ned's mother is murdered, the two youngsters set off to look for their Pa and the man who shot her. They aren't exactly the mos dynamic duo though, with Ned being overly friendly and the two constantly bickering. Together they get themselves in a heap of trouble from horse thievery (er....borrowing) to exploding trains.

This graphic novel is a slow build chapter by chapter going from simply horse rustling to a booby trapped crime kingpin in a mountain. The pacing is even throughout, which is important since this is definitely a plot-driven story. In fact, Hirsh spent so much time creating an event plot that the characters were neglected. Opie and Ned are like funny slapstick characters, entertaining, but lack in much substance. They certainly get into a good deal of trouble, but what I wanted was more backstory and a bit more emotional depth. So that, in the end, I wasn't just happy for them, but wanted more of them. The secondary characters are even less fleshed-out and I would love for someone to explain to me the big giant bear man.

One thing that did draw me out continually were the rather adult jokes, which were completely unexpected in a graphic novel for 3-6 graders. They were mostly innuendos, but the fact that they existed was the surprising bit. To the point that when Opie meets a lady at a large hotel/saloon and the lady suggests she has a job for Opie, I seriously thought they would "go there". Finally, my biggest issue was the confusing ending. Too many people named Pa. Killers named Pa. Pa's that aren't Pa. I had to read it twice to make it make sense.

Final verdict, a rolling romp through the Old West where hijinks ensue, but you probably won't want to read another if you didn't manage to connect to one of the characters by the end.

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeir Book Review

Ghosts by Raina Telgemeir
Publisher: Graphix
Release Date: September 13, 2016

Catrina is not particularly happy about moving to North California, to a town that only sees sunlight 63 days out of the year. Even though she knows it is to help her sister Maya who has cystic fibrosis and needs the good ocean air to help her breathe better, Catrina just can't work up any excitement about her new home. To make matters worse, everyone in this town is obsessed with ghosts. The reason she discovers, is because Bahía de la Luna is peppered with ghosts. Maya is determined to meet one, but Catrina is worried about the ghost's intentions and what they might think of her little sister who always seem to have one foot in death's door. As the Day of the Dead approaches Cat must figure out how to deal with her fears and allow her sister to face hers too. 

Raina Telgemeir certainly knows how to write sisters. All of her books have always had such great familial bonds, making for some wonderful characters. Something unique in this book is the supernatural element. Telgemeir's other books have been either autobiographical (Sisters, Smile) or at least felt that way (Drama), so it was a bit surprising that the ghosts in this story turned out to be real. At first, this felt a bit jarring, but as the reader becomes more and more emotionally invested in the characters, it becomes an important aspect of the book. I loved that the ghosts are not just a means to discuss death and the possibility of it happening to Maya, but also about familial connections and alleviating fear. This was not my favorite of Telgemeir's books though. Although Cat is the main character in the book, her surliness and complete rudeness to the boy next door really made me dislike her. I loved her little sister and some of the secondary characters, but could never fully connect with Cat. This probably has more to do with my own personal relateability though and I think there are a number of young readers out there who would relate to her. 

Weekend with Max and His Dad by Linda Urban Book Review

Weekend with Max and His Dad by Linda Urban 
Illustrations by Katie Kath
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Release Date: April 5, 2016

Max spends his weekends with his dad. Weekends mean pancakes and pizza, spy games, school projects, and dog-walking. As Max gets to know his dad's new neighborhood and neighbors, he begins to think of his dad's home as his home.

In a world where there is nothing new under the sun, this book felt unique. I have never read for this age group that so succinctly captures the feelings and reality of shared custody without dwelling on the actual divorce. The story is set with three different weekends with his dad. Each weekend Max deals with something that is the reality of living with one parent on the weekend. For example, when Max first comes to live with his dad, he doesn't like his new bedroom that is decorated with football curtains. He's not really that into football. But he doesn't want to tell his dad this because it is his new house and his dad seemed so proud. Now, the story for this weekend is really about playing spys, but in the end, through their spy play, Max finds his voice and tells his dad he would like a little less football in his room. This is a much needed book, because it is the reality for some children and they too need books that they can relate to.

The Secret of Goldenrod by Jane O'Reilly Book Review

The Secret of Goldenrod by Jane O'Reilly 
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Release Date: October 1, 2016

Trina and her father move a lot. Her dad likes to restore old houses and their newest project is the toughest one yet. Goldenrod is no longer golden. The empty house has been severely neglected and is barely habitable. The porch is caving in, the toilet flushes randomly, and worse yet, Trina thinks it may be haunted. Then, in a secret tower room Trina finds a dollhouse with one little doll. A doll that talks. Augustine has been asleep a long time and is ready for adventure and her prince, but there are some things that may be too big for a little doll. As Trina tries to adjust to her new life in a small town, she learns all about Goldrenrod's secrets, the truth behind her absent mother, and the love she has for her absentminded father.

A new book with a classic feel too it, this left me with all the feels I would get from The Secret Garden or The Root Cellar. Although the story is modern and certainly mentions computers and phones, by setting this in a place where there isn't good cell phone reception or high speed internet, it made the story feel timeless. Trina is a great character who is trying to find who she is within the chaos of constant moving. She wants to find home and belonging, both of which begin to happen as she falls more in love with Goldenrod and the little doll Augustine. Yet, there are also ominous things as well.

As mentioned earlier, Goldenrod may be haunted. And even if it isn't, it doesn't matter because the whole town thinks it is. For year, the people have been sneaking into Goldrenrod and daring one another to spend the night. When they couldn't they owed money to the Dare Club and took one item from the house. Which would explain why random objects like a dining table or a rocking chair keep appearing in their driveway. It is also why Trina has such a hard time making friends.

The story keeps along at a nice pace, slowing down for brief periods that often felt like catching your breath before diving back in. My one and only criticism was the subplot concerning Trina's mother, which I felt was a bit predictable although certainly an important part of the store.

A solid middle grade novel that will appeal to those who like many different genres, but particularly those who like creepy old houses and dolls that talk.

An ARC of this book was provided to me by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

HiLo Book 2: Saving the Whole Wide World by Judd Winick Book Review

HiLo Book 2: Saving the Whole Wide World by Judd Winick
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers
Release Date: May 17, 2016

Remember HiLo? That crazy robot kid from another dimension who destroyed was sucked into The Void in order to save earth from a terrible robot? Well, HiLo is back, along with DJ and Gina, to stop more monsters from coming through. There's a giant mutant chicken, a magical warrior cat that owes HiLo a debt, millions of killer vegetables, and a monster robot that is threatening to break free of The Void. Top that all up with an existential crisis as HiLo gains more and more memory from his former life, and we have ourselves one bona fide adventure.

These books are seriously laugh out loud funny. So many great little moments like HiLo talking out of his big toe, the only body part that wasn't sucked into the void. HiLo's hyper cheery attitude is contagious. It's hard to have a lot of character growth and depth in a graphic novel for middle graders, yet Winick does so as if it is nothing. And I won't spoil the ending, but it is seriously tragic and I don't think I expected it to go there. Also, upset that I have to wait almost a year to find out what happens.

A fantastically rendered graphic novel that is going to leave kids in hysterics and I'm thinking will make some wonderful presents for some of the little readers in my life.

Julius Zebra by Gary Northfield Book Review

Julius Zebra: Rumble with the Romans by Gary Northfield
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Release Date: April 12, 2016

Julius Zebra lives the life of a normal young zebra, fighting with his brother and being a bit picky about where he drinks his water. Who can blame him either? The local watering hole is full of alligators and stinks. When Julius tries to sneak away though, he ends up as a prisoner of Romans whose mission is to bring exotic animals back from Africa to be part of the games at the Colosseum. At first, Julius is excited thinking they are headed to some kind of circus to see juggling monkeys. He quickly learns that this is no circus, there are gladiators and they are intent on killing Julius and all of his new animal friends. Julius isn't going to go out without a fight and soon finds himself a crowd favorite and in training to become a real gladiator.

The premise: Ridiculous. The execution: Hilarious. Julius Zebra is

the perfect hero in this utterly preposterous adventure about a Gladiotar Zebra. Julius is the kind of animal that kids can relate to. He's a picky eater, can't stand his attention-seeking brother, and just wants to some freedom. Couple that with a rather dower and dier lion and a know-it-all warthog and this is a recipe for fun. I loved the little tid-bits of history and Latin terms mixed in with the absurd notion that a zebra could ever hold a sword, let alone fight. And let's not even talk about how the animals manage to blend in for a bit by wearing hats and mustaches. The illustrations are great and really add a comic book quality to the story. Kids are going to love this irreverent animal adventure and they may actually learn something in the process. Added bonus for the page numbers being in Roman Numerals and including a guide on how to read them in the back.

Cleopatra in Space, Book Three: Secret of the Time Tablets by Mike Maihack Book Review

Cleopatra in Space, Book Three: Secret of the Time Tablets (Book 3) by Mike Maihack 
Publisher: GRAPHIX
Release Date: April 26, 2016

In the third installment the sci-fi graphic novel series, Cleo and her friends are headed to the city of Hykosis to seek out the legendary time tablets. When they run into an enemy fleet, plans change quickly and Clep and Akila are on their own to find the tablets. However, they soon run into an old nemesis who may turn out to be a friend and a friend who may be the enemy.

Action-packed as usual, Cleopatra in Space continues to be fantastically absurd. Ancient Egyptian Princess in space who at one point dons a cowboy hat. Yeah, it went there, but I think that is what I love about this series. Cleo is brave and impetuous and although she gets them out of a lot of scrapes, half of them are caused by her.

I do wish there was a bit more character development with Cleo as most of the pathos of the story exist in the secondary characters. Cleo is just Cleo which works for one or two books, but when you turn it into a series, I need a bit more than she is a good shot and savior of the universe. That aside, the series is fun and ridiculous and I can't wait to read number 4.

Inherit the Stars by Tessa Elwood Book Review

Inherit the Stars by Tessa Elwood
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Release Date: December 8, 2015

Three royal houses, all on the brink of collapse must ally together for mutual survival. And so it is agreed that the heir to the House of Fane shall marry the son of the House of Westlet. Asa is the youngest of the three daughters of the House of Fane. When her eldest and closest sister is injured and in a coma, Asa never leaves her side, sure that with the right treatment Wren will wake. Her father has other plans though. If Wren is pulled from life support, Emmie, the middle daughter will then be the heir and can complete the blood bond between Fane and Westlet. Asa cannot allow that to happen. So she secretly drugs her sister and takes her place as Eagle's bride. However, Asa's actions, although possibly saving Wren from death, has ruined everything else.

This book was sent to me from a former classmate who, for some reason thought that this would be my type of book. She was right. Perhaps it was because of the vague Dune-like quality in the book with the various houses and their political allegiances. Maybe it was the fact that, for the first time in a long time, there is a character who actually goes into a marriage not kicking and screaming. Sure, the reasons are a bit unconventional, however Asa has very little worries about the marriage itself. This may be a bit of immaturity on her part, but I found it refreshing. Of course, there is a love story, but it progressed at a pace that felt realistic, rather than headlong Romeo & Juliet. Asa finds herself caring for Eagle little by little. The lie she tells about how they met becomes more and more tinged with words of love.

I also liked how the story centered around love, but not a romantic kind. A love between two sisters. After all, this is the reason she has done everything. Without giving too much away, Asa finds a deep love even for those that she had previously only felt vaguely connected to. A great sci-fi that I think would be accessible to those who aren't exactly sci-fi readers either. I am not sure what age level this is supposed to be, but I would place it in the young young adult category. Perfect for grades 5-8.

I also managed to "sell" this book to the woman who was drawing my blood at the doctor's office. She asked what I was reading, I told her about three sentences, and as I was getting ready to leave, she asked for the title to write it down. I just so happened to have the postcard that came with the book (thanks Polly!) and handed it over. Came back a week later and she said she had bought it.

Rocket and Groot by Tom Angleberger Book Review

Rocket and Groot: Stranded on Planet Strip Mall! by Tom Angleberger
Publisher: Marvel Press
Release Date: March 8, 2016

After battling deadly space piranhas, Rocket and Groot crash-land on a planet made up of strip malls, crazy robots, and killer toilets. It's an adventure that seems too crazy to believe, even if you are a suped-up Raccoon and a walking tree.

When I first showed this book to my husband, he snarled at it skeptically. As he should. Despite this PG-13 movie being spun for kids by Marvel, this comic book was certainly never meant for children. Rocket in particular is supposed to defy the idea of a cute fluffy woodland creature by having an extreme potty mouth, bad attitude, and a pension for killing. So it is just plain weird to see a kids chapter book with Rocket as the main character. How are they going to pull that off, I wondered.

Apparently, the way to make a potty mouthed character suitable for children is to remove the curse words, add some killer pottys (seriously...killer toilets), and a whole lot of fart jokes. On its own the book is your typical middle grade book with just enough pictures for the Wimpy Kid crowd and just enough text for the gatekeepers. It is funny as long as you enjoy a good fart joke and will appeal to fans of Angleberger's other books. This is fluff fiction to be sure and the kids are going to eat it up. But make no mistake, no matter how cute Rocket is in this book, Guardians of the Galaxy is not made for eight-year-old.

When Mischief Came to Town by Katrina Nannestad Book Review

When Mischief Came to Town by Katrina Nannestad 
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Release Date: January 5, 2016

After the terrible loss of her mother, Inge Marie is sent to live on the tiny island of Bornholm in Denmark. Her grandmother is stern and seems upset by Inge Marie's eccentricities, like talking to inanimate objects. Inge is desperate for her grandmother to be proud of her and so she tries to be the dutiful granddaughter, but sometimes it is so hard to behave. Perhaps mischief is exactly what this little island needs though.

I am not entirely sure what I expected when I started this book. Based on the cover, I think something Pippi Longstocking-esque based on the cover and setting perhaps. There was definitely some Pippi Longstocking-like shenanigans going on, but there was also a great deal of pathos that made the story beautifully heavy in places. Inge desperately missed her mom and although she is moving on with her life, that longing doesn't go away overnight. There were numerous time throughout the book where I teared up or full on cried as Inge comes to terms with the loss of her mother. There is also this wonderful character in the grandmother who may seem rather stern in the beginning, but as the story continues one can see the twinkle in her eye before Inge is even aware of it. The grandmother has the nickname of Dizzy and it turns out that Inge and her grandmother may have a lot more in common than Inga first thought. There is also an additional storyline that deals with what happens to orphaned children that don't have a safety net and how they need a family too.

As I have said before, because my husband and I are in the middle of the adoption process, I am much harsher on books with adoption themes. This book was perfect in that respect. It deals with the loss, doesn't shy away from issues, shows different types of adoption, and still had a wonderful story behind it full of fun mischief and a wonderful little girl. And for the modern American reader, it is just distant enough from our home and time period to not be so immediate for children who may be dealing with the same issues.

Unicorn vs. Goblins by Dana Simpson Book Review

Unicorn vs. Goblins (Heavenly Nostrils #3) by Dana Simpson
Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing
Release Date: February 23, 2016

Phoebe and her Unicorn have returned in a third installment featuring one little girl and her extremely self-absorbed not-so-imaginary best friend, Marigold Heavenly Nostrils. In this book Phoebe gets to meet Lord Splendid Humility, continue the Phobegold Detective Agency, spend a week at Wolfgang Music Camp, and battle Phoebe's frenemy Dakota whose magicked hair has literally taken on a life of its own.

I love Phoebe. I love Marigold. Like Calvin & Hobbes, the two discuss philosophy, life, and deal with goofy parents. Don't get me wrong though, Phoebe is certainly not Calvin as she is pretty much your average elementary school student. Sadly, despite the title, there aren't that many goblins in the story, which isn't to say the book was bad simply a little bit of false advertising. A better title would have been Phoebe vs the Magic Hair since that played a much bigger part in the storyline. Although I enjoyed this book, I didn't think it was as funny as the first two and did wish for there to be a little bit more action and varied scenarios as in the first two. Great if you have read the rest of the series, but just didn't hit the mark for me this time.

Josh Baxter Levels Up by Gavin Brown Book Review

Josh Baxter Levels Up by Gavin Brown
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: February 23, 2016

Video game fanatic Josh Baxter has moved yet again. Seventh grade is hard enough without having to go to another school and make new friends. Josh is tired of hitting the reset button on his life. This time though, Josh makes a big mistake, one that makes him the enemy of almost the entire school. Not to mention that his grades are plummeting and because of this his mother has taken away all of his video games. Josh knows that it is time to get out of this funk and so he begins his own life video game in which he is Player One and leveling up means making better grades, more friends, and not screwing up.

To say that Josh Baxter is obsessed with video games would be an understatement. This kid thinks in video games, to the point that even his metaphors are video game related. Now, I am a huge geek. There are some things that I can seriously obsess over. The amount of books I read being one of them. But I don't think in book metaphors all the time. That would be strange. And it is strange when Josh does it too. I get that he  loves video games, I just felt like it could have been taken down a notch.

Although this book was evenly paced, I found it a little too predictable and stereotypical. Some of the friends that Josh makes feel a little too archetypal or stereotypical. The Asian kid whose dad insists on him making good grades and freaks out when he wants to date someone of a different ethnicity. There is of course, one absent/dead parent. And a bully who is clearly bullied at home and leaves Josh alone once Josh manages to defeat him via video games. The story is quick, full of pictures and video game references, but on the whole, it failed to impress. That said, it will definitely appeal to the reluctant readers and young video game fanatics.

My Life in Pictures by Deborah Zemke Book Review

My Life in Pictures by Deborah Zemke 
Publisher: Dial Books
Release Date: March 8, 2016

Bea Garcia is an artist. She draws everything in her little notebook. She draws when her friend Yvonne moved to Australia. She draws when the loud boy monster moves in next door. He is absolutely nothing like Yvonne and seeing the awful boy next door just makes her miss her best friend even more.

A cute little chapter book, perfect for readers who are transitioning into intermediate books with plenty of pictures for those who aren't quite ready to let go of needing pictures in their books. Bea Garcia has the usual kinds of problems and struggles, which is why she is so relateable. Her friend moving to Australia adds just the right amount of different to give the story some added flavor. The doodles throughout the book are cute and I found myself lingering over more than a few. I loved how the story resolved itself, although I think someone needs to put a fence around the tree in their backyard because her brother gets stuck in it way too often.

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt Book Review

Orbiting Jupiter by Gary D. Schmidt
Publisher: Clarion Books
Release Date: October 6, 2015

When fourteen-year-old Joseph comes to live with the Hurds, Twelve-year-old Jack isn't so sure about his new foster brother. He is surly, angry, damaged. Yet, Jack feels an affinity towards the hurt teenager and stands by him even if it means walking the two miles to school in the cold, just so they can avoid the rude bus driver. Even if it means getting into fights. After all, it was four against one. What would you do? As Joseph acclimates to life on a farm with his new foster care family, he begins to open up. His story is one of loss and pain. Joseph's father is abusive. Then Joseph fell in love with a thirteen-year-old girl and before they knew it, she was pregnant. That's when things went crazy. Her parents put a restraining order against him. Joseph's bio dad put him into foster care stating that he couldn't control him anymore. When Joseph tried to see his girlfriend, he was hit with a restraining order. When she had the baby, he wasn't allowed to see it or the love of his life. He was told that being a minor he had no rights and the most loving thing he could do was sign away the rights to his newborn baby daughter, Jupiter. And then Joseph learns even more devastating news that sends him into a tailspin that lands him in Juvie. At this point, Joseph will do anything to see his Jupiter. Anything. Because he is a dad and despite what all the grown-ups in his life seem to think, he loves her with every fiber in his being.

With such a description, one can imagine that this is a rather heartbreaking tale. Everything is against Joseph. No one listens to him, no one seems to care about how he feels, and they invalidate his deep love at every turn. He is quickly labeled a troubled teen. The teachers at his new school see nothing beyond his record at Juvie and his foster care status. None of them know these dark secret that he harbors, nor do any seem to care. The foster care system seem to be cold and callous when it comes to his feelings and seem more concerned about appeasing Jupiter's maternal grandparents than they do about the two teenage parents. It is a tearjerker for sure.

It is also wildly disproportionate in both good and bad ways. The Hurds are angelic and kind. Too angelic and kind. They are the perfect foster family, kind, patient, caring. All the time. Even Jack comes across as this really angelic kid who does nothing wrong. On the other hand, we have Joseph in which it seems like every bad thing that could possibly happen to a kid happens. Abusive father, disconnected from girlfriend, can't see his daughter, forced to give up his rights, no one listens to him, attacks a teacher, end up in Juvie, and even after all of that...no one listens except his foster family and there seems to be absolutely nothing they can do.

As I have said before, because I am in the midst of this adoption/foster care process and know a lot of people who have been through the system, I am perhaps a bit more harsh with these books than I should be. Things have changed a lot over the years and it would be a pretty bad social worker who tells a kid someone died in their life and then didn't tell anyone that this could be the reason he was acting out. Also, Jupiter is also in the foster care system and yet no one, not a single social worker, psychologist, etc. thought that Joseph deserved to at least get a picture of her...or hold her? Every single one thinks that because he is fourteen he has absolutely no right to see his child and that his love is less than simply because of his age? It is disgusting, which is the point I think, but I don't find it credible either. The maternal grandparents have already stated that they are not interested in taking Jupiter and have given up their claim to the child so why do they have such a say in what happens with Joseph? Where are the therapists? And why don't the foster parents have a greater say in what is happening, which they would. Last complaint, I promise, there is no way that Joseph's father would have a visit in the foster parents home when he has already been hostile and shown up unannounced. No way. The supervised visit would be somewhere neutral and safe. But showing up unannounced to the foster parents house would probably have also gotten him a court ordered restraining order. That visit would never have happened.

All in all, this was a tearjerker featuring a really great kid who can not catch a break. There is no real happy ending, because the circumstances around the ending are simply too tragic. If Joseph were a real child, and I know there are many out there like him, he would be the kid who the system failed. I know they exist, but I also know that there are a number of people who care about Joseph, enough that he shouldn't fall through the cracks.

George by Alex Gino Book Review

George by Alex Gino

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Release Date: August 25, 2015

George introduces a compassionate and thoughtful fourth-grade girl living in a boy’s body, who wants to be accepted by her family, friends, and classmates as Melissa—if only she could be brave enough to share her secret.

This middle-grade transgender story won the 2016 Stonewall Book Award from the American Library Association. The committee praised George as “a classic story that speaks to the transgender child’s experience.”

George does speak to the transgender child’s experience, and I recommend it simply for that. Some young transgender readers might identify with George and feel less alone. The story might also help straight readers to understand how other kids like George see the world, and perhaps think twice about hurtful words and actions. Books build bridges that way.

George is also a timely book as many state legislatures, sport leagues, and school districts are dealing with controversial laws, policies, and rules for transgender students. I’m impressed that Scholastic saw the importance of publishing a book like this. However, George often feels like a primer on the transgender experience rather than a contemporary middle-grade novel about a transgender character.  

The author hits all of the main points of a how-to guide to transgender students like a translation of Schools inTransition: A Guide For Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools into a novel format. I stumbled on the multitude of stilted or stereotypical character descriptions and plot points. George has a thin frame and wants to wear pink outfits and glittery makeup, of course. Mom discourages any “feminine” behavior, like playing dress-up, as you might guess. The class bully hurls predictable derogatory comments at George and eventually punches George in the gut, like a “classic” bully would do. Perhaps precisely because these expected story elements are not well-tread territory in middle-grade novels, it’s forgivable here. Besides, the author refrains from outright didacticism that would make it a glorified how-to book, and the story is not bad. Just predictable.

Still, as a writer, I have a few other issues with this book as a literary work. The dust-jacket copy promises George will solve the problem for herself. Spoiler alert: George does not come up with the plan. Kelly does. I really wanted George to figure this out.

That brings up another problem in the spoiler-alert category. Kelly and Scott, George’s older brother, accept George’s transgender revelation too darn quickly. Scott eats a dinner roll and – poof! -- he is cool with her. Wouldn’t these characters balk at first? Maybe worry what other kids would say about them? I was glad they loved George unconditionally, don’t get me wrong, but I just didn’t believe they would welcome Melissa without any hesitation.

One other thing. Melissa? What’s up with that name? Kelly isn’t any better. My friends’ names are Melissa and Kelly, and I’m 50 years old. I don’t know of one Melissa or Kelly in fourth grade today. I wondered if the setting was the 1970s, back when I was in fourth grade, but there’s a cordless phone in one scene and Scott calls George “Dude.” I think it’s supposed to be contemporary fiction. And, more important, I think you should read George despite the name anachronisms, despite Kelly solving the problem, despite the predictable elements.

Please read it. So many children need to be better understood for who they are. Then, if you’re looking for exceptional contemporary fiction that happens to provide insights to the transgender experience, read Beautiful Music For Ugly Children by Kristin Cronn-Mills . We need more bridge-building books and more people reading them.

BIO:

Tracy Nelson Maurer holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University. She writes about children’s literature and has published more than 100 titles for children. Her picture-book biographies, John Deere, That’s Who! (Henry Holt) and Noah Webster’s Fighting Words will be published in the spring of 2017. Find her on Facebook or at TracyMaurerWriter.com.

Mouse Scouts by Sarah Dillard Book Review

Mouse Scouts by Sarah Dillard
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Release Date: January 5, 2016

Meet Violet, Tigerlily, Hyacinth, Petunia, Junebug, and Cricket, six new Mouse Scouts who are trustworthy and strong, thrifty and brave . Best friends Violet and Tigerlily can’t wait to start earning their merit badges. But their troop leader, Miss Poppy, is one strict rodent. Earning their first badge—planting a vegetable garden—is going to be hard work for these little mice. 

I was never a girl scout, although I did do a uber-Christian version called Missionettes. Badges existed, but I don't really recall caring about them or doing much to get them. If I recall, I didn't have many. It is perhaps this ambivalence that also made me ambivalent towards this book.

Written on the same level as the Judy Moody series, this is a good bridger books for readers who have outgrown Junie B. Jones. However, I found the story to be a bit slow with a lot of gardening facts that didn't hold my interest. I imagine that the audience for this book is rather specifically tied to girls who like Girl Scouts and/or gardening. As this is going to be a series, I think there will probably be a focus on different badges for each book. For me, the book lacked a certain amount of humor that I am used to seeing in books for this age group, but the book wasn't bad though. I feel like I have a lot of caveats for this book, because the truth is, it just isn't my kind of book. Too quiet, too girly, and too focused on something that I care very little about. It has its audience, and that audience certainly doesn't include me. 

Donny's Inferno by P.W. Catanese Book Review

Donny's Inferno by P.W. Catanese
Publisher: Aladdin Books
Release Date: March 8, 2016

When Donny Taylor finds out that his dad might be a murderer, he runs away to an abandoned building to think. Of course, as these things go, it would be that night that the place would decide to go up in flames. Certain death is on the horizon, which is why Donny agrees to work for a mysterious girl who appears in the burning building promising to save him. What he quickly learns is that the girl is Angela Obscura, an ancient demon from the Underworld who needs the help of a mortal. Hades isn't what it used to be though. Lucifer has been gone for over a century. Gone are the pitchforks, fiery pits, and dismemberment. And not everyone likes it that way. Some of the other residents of the underworld believe that things were good the way they were and will stop at nothing to return hell to its previous terrifying incarnation.

When it comes to books about the underworld, most of them seem to focus on the Greco Roman versions of the fiery pit, which is why this Dante-esque underworld felt so refreshing. It wasn't a true Dante hell since it lacked most of the various references like a river of boiling blood and fire or a burning desert. Yet, it was different enough to set it apart from Percy Jackson and its ilk.

Donny is an interesting character in himself as he doesn't appear to miss his father that much throughout the book, although it is a bit understandable considering that he discovers at the very beginning of the book that his dad is not a good guy. He really is a normal kid though as he does make mistakes and, as you would expect, does have a hard time with the whole hell thing. Catanese manages to make some of the characters in Hades light enough to offset some of the creepier characters, the serial killing butcher being the main one. The set-up and politics of the story are probably the most interesting thing though. Angela is the one who made Hades the way it is now, where the dead are tormented, but in a way that eventually could lead to redemption. This is especially important as the story progresses and is the very thing that the antagonists hate. But the reason why they hate it is the most interesting. It isn't because they necessarily like torturing souls, it's that they fear what Lucifer will think should he return. Their fear is part of their faith, an interesting element to a story that could easily gone a different way.

A fun action adventure story that, despite some light moments, isn't afraid to take its characters to hell and back.

My Life With the Liars by Caela Carter Book Review

My Life With the Liars by Caela Carter
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: March 8, 2016

Zylynn has lived in The Light her whole life. Behind the white-washed walls of the compound, life is simple and everything makes sense. Follow the rules, live in the light. Which is why she is so confused when she is roughly shoved outside the walls, ten days before her thirteenth birthday, ten days before she will become a woman of the Light, and driven into Darkness. She knows the truth about the outside though. Outside is The Darkness. The people who live in The Darkness are liars. If she doesn't return to the Light by the time she turns thirteen, she will be cast into eternal pain and torture in The Darkness. Yet, the longer she is in the darkness, the more confused she becomes. There is a man who claims to be her father. He seems to genuinely care about her too. And there are wonderful things like shampoo, colors, and strawberries.

This was one of the best books I have read in a very long time. The first-person perspective is on-point as this is a character has a lot of internal struggles and very little actual dialogue. After all, to speak aloud is to put words out into The Darkness and that is something Zylynn has no intention of doing. It is almost imperative to the story that we, the reader, travel with her as the veil of mystery is lifted on this life she has been taught so little about and the world she lived before. And what a dark world it is. Malnourishment, starvation, drugs, families separated, physical abuse, and some implied sexual abuses too.

Dramatic irony is used to the empth degree as we the reader know so much more than Zylynn. Of course, we know that food is readily available, but Zylynn does not and so she hordes food in her bedroom, fearing it may disappear. Fearing that there may be hungry days soon. Her new family, a word she doesn't know or understand, is trying desperately to help her, but they know so little about what she is thinking. Zylynn doesn't make it easy. There were some amazingly powerful moments throughout the book where readers are given a glimpse into the heads of the adults, not in a narrative shift, but by employing strong emotional moments to something that Zylynn doesn't understand. There is a scene when Zylynn is taken to the doctor's office, malnourished and small, and her Uncle, (a word she doesn't even understand) begins to cry. It is this truly heartbreaking moment as you the reader understand the heaviness of the situation. This man never thought he would even see his niece again and he is appalled at how small she is for her age, how obviously maltreated she is. There are so many of those moments throughout the book. As a fuller picture is revealed about Zylynn's treatment inside the compound, you find yourself rooting for everyone to escape and knowing, even before you reach the end, that they won't.

Although the end is predictable, it doesn't lessen the emotional journey that readers are taken on as Zylynn must learn the truth about the light and the dark. I know it may be early and it hasn't even been released yet, but I hope this book gets a lot of attention and maybe an award or two, because it deserves it.

MiNRS by Kevin Sylvester Book Review

MiNRS by Kevin Sylvester
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: September 22, 2015

Chris Nichols lives on an asteroid, one that is almost planetoid in nature as it is now in the sun's orbit and is in the sweet zone where it is actually habitable. Chris and his family, although with 100 other people work on the asteroid as miners and farmers on the first ever space colony. As it goes with these things, there are going to be two months where the asteroid will be incommunicado with Earth, which is ominously called the Blackout. In order to make the Blackout less scary, they plan a giant party for the countdown, but when they reach zero, instead of a party the colony is brutally attacked. Chris' father manages to get Chris and some of the other children down into the mines, but once there it is up to the kids to figure out how to survive.

It's funny that I was reading this book while also reading The Martian. Funny enough, the wonderful realistic science of The Martian, did not detract from this story although it may have pointed out some of the flaws that I otherwise would not have noticed. These kids are twelve and so I must give them some leeway.

Chris is the natural leader of the group, both because he thinks logically and isn't quick to do anything. He takes the responsibility of helping these kids with great seriousness, a good thing since the youngest among them is only five. Elena,Chris' friend and fellow survivor, is the more militant one of the group, insisting on attacking the Landers (as they end up being called), but lacks any sort of empathy or understanding for their situation. Although she was redeemed in the end, the constant urging from Elena to attack got old fast, especially when such things were being discussed with a five and seven-year-old around the corner. I kept wondering, if these older kids got killed, what would happen to the little ones? Sure, there was the one girl who always stayed back, but it seemed reckless in the extreme. Don't get me wrong, there are some very good reasons why they need to attack the Landers, but they are just kids and some of their plans are not always well thought out.

One of my few complaints had to do with some of the logic of this world. Chris is completely brainwashed by the mining company his parents work for, which on one level made sense, but I could never figure out why his parents didn't try to rectify such fantasies. It also made no sense that one of the kids, whose mother is a doctor, knows medicine herself. My dad repairs computers for a living. I've seen him do it, but couldn't for the life of me do it myself. Thus, I felt the medic character was a bit too convenient with her medical knowledge and thought that the story, which felt very realistic, could have done with a dose of realism in this one area too.

On the whole, I thought it was a fun adventure story full of a lot of what-would-I-do moments that kids will just gobble up. Of course, it will be a series, something that was not advertised anywhere on the book, but I guess I should just get used to that since this seems to be the way publishers do things now. It almost feels like a trick sometimes.

The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier Book Review

The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier
Illustrations by Douglas Holgate
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Release Date: October 13, 2015

When the monster apocalypse hit town, thirteen-year-old Jack Sullivan was abandoned by his foster family and forced to fend for himself. Moving into the backyard treehouse, Jack has been able to survive even when most of the town has been zombiefied or eaten by monsters. Although he seems to have everything under control, he is relieved when he finds his best friend Quint is still alive. Living off of Oreos and Mountain Dew, the two create a plan to rescue Jack's crush June. While they search for her they run into the school bully, Dirk, who isn't so bad and soon they are a quartet of zombie hunting monster killers, with a fully equipped tree house.

Catching onto the zombie obsession of late, the genre has now made its way down into the middle grade reading level. Of course, the best way to make a story full of the undead age appropriate is to add a bunch of goofy cartoon-like zombies and a lot of kid humor. Jack wasn't the coolest kid when he went to school, but it turns out that he is actually really good at staying alive and killing zombies. For him, it is almost like a game, which he later admits is the only way he could function in this new crazy world without going crazy himself. There are the usual stereotypes. Quint being the obsessed gadget geek and Dirk being the big bad bully turned friend. Even June, who defies the stereotype of damsel in distress isn't anything special. But the story is fun and action packed and that is really what the author was going for here.

My only big complaint concerns the circumstances surrounding Jack and his abandonment. Jack is in foster care and when the monster apocalypse happens, his foster parents jump ship, leaving him behind. As someone who is literally in the process of getting a foster care license, this bothers me greatly. Firstly, because it continues the horrible stereotype that foster parents aren't really parents and don't care about the kids in their care, or at least not like they would for their own children. It also served no purpose to the story. The story could just have easily said that his foster parents had been turned into zombies, or were eaten by monsters, or even (like June's parents) were evacuated and got separated from him. Finally, Jack admits that he is an orphan which in the foster care system may mean that the people he is living with were actually looking to adopt him. I know I know, it's just a goofy middle grade action book, but seriously why do we have to keep treating foster parents like they are horrible selfish people who don't care about kids when most of them are just the opposite. Rant over. Obviously, anything I read from now on that concerns foster care or adoption will be judged just as harshly. I am too close to it to not see it through this lens.

Kids will love this book though. Heck, I liked it even with the foster care issue. There are just too many laugh out loud moments not to like it.