This was our March book club title which we all enjoyed very much. The subject matter was fascinating and how it was kept secret for so long, even aftThis was our March book club title which we all enjoyed very much. The subject matter was fascinating and how it was kept secret for so long, even after the war was over, was the most amazing part of the whole story. We would recommend this book for grades 5-9. The only negative thing that we discussed was the placement of the photos. We loved the photos, but they are embedded in the story and some felt that it interrupted the flow of the narrative text when you had to stop to look at them.
This was our February book club title. Inspired by the children's classic The Secret Garden, this modern reinterpretation of it was thoroughly enjoyedThis was our February book club title. Inspired by the children's classic The Secret Garden, this modern reinterpretation of it was thoroughly enjoyed by all the members of the group.
Maria (pronounced Mah Ri Ah) has made the rounds of living with relatives after her parents' untimely death, so many that now she is in a new country a world away from what she knows to live with family friends of her parents. A self-confessed unpleasant person, she knows this won't go well so why even try. Transformation happens when she discovers a locked garden with a secret to uncover.
We were all in agreement that we were rooting for this girl and the other characters in crisis in the book. We wanted those who wouldn't or couldn't to stand up for themselves and were frustrated by those holding them back. We enjoyed that each act had a poem to introduce it, my favorite was Act XIII's poem called "What Makes a Home" on page 282.
I would recommend this book for middle school and public libraries. ...more
This was our January middle grade book club meeting choice. This was the author's debut novel, but we had read and enjoyed her second novel, Heart FinThis was our January middle grade book club meeting choice. This was the author's debut novel, but we had read and enjoyed her second novel, Heart Finds earlier in 2024. Like her other novel, this story centers around family and it is a family in crisis.
Jubilee lives with her grandmother, and they move often and this time they are considering Hope Springs, Texas. The place is not unfamiliar to Jubilee as it is billed as the hometown of her favorite lifestyle TV host where she learns crafting, decorating and life mantras from. The town is not what Jubilee expected, and she learns some uncomfortable truths about her hero, but this might just be the place where they can finally put down roots.
Filled with middle grade themes of family, friendship, and finding your own place in the world, this novel will appeal to middle school readers grades 4-6 that like realistic fiction. I like how the author took on the mystic of celebrity and made it understandable to young readers. Jubilee realizes some hard truths, but she is also becoming aware of how her family is different from others and that this is an okay thing. Our group loved that she found supportive new friends of all ages and how they created a community that worked together to solve their problem (the new superstore moving into the edge of town).
I would recommend this book for reading and it would be a great read aloud for class discussions. ...more
Since we read some of her earlier books for our book club, we decided to add this 2023 book to our reading list this year. The group was not disappoinSince we read some of her earlier books for our book club, we decided to add this 2023 book to our reading list this year. The group was not disappointed with the choice! Lord's writing is always well done and has mass middle grade appeal.
The story revolves around the main character Mia as she visits her grandmother in a small Maine town during the summer. Once there she begins to deal with the changes in her life, mainly a big move from the home she has always lived in with first her parents and then her mother to a new house that will include her mother's new partner. Included in these changes is a new young neighbor in Maine that her grandmother has befriended. Mia doesn't know how to feel about this, but they bond when an arctic raptor, a gyrfalcon arrives in the community. Mia's actions unintentionally set off a near disaster for the lost bird.
Main points about the book brought out at the meeting involved the growth in Mia's character, how the title's theme could be applied to so many of the people, animals and plot point, and how the cover could appeal to middle grade readers to pick up for reading. The growth of Mia's character allows her to become more sympathetic to the reader and the gyrfalcon story makes this a four-star read for me.
I would highly recommend this book for middle grade readers, and it would make an excellent class read aloud for 4th-6th grade classes.
I admit I missed reading this one when it came out in 2023 but was happy to see that it was our October book club meeting book. It had so many things I admit I missed reading this one when it came out in 2023 but was happy to see that it was our October book club meeting book. It had so many things to recommend it- it is a story about and with many face- grief, determination, self-sacrifice, love and last but not least humor. I admit by the end, I was ugly crying.
Hercules Beal has experienced a devastating loss and as a result is now being raised by his older brother as they take over the family business on Cape Cod. When his new teacher gives each student in the language arts class an unusual project as they study classical mythology, Hercules must learn about the labors of Hercules and find a way to preform them in his own life.
I will continue this review after our meeting this week....more
This was our September book club choice, and the group thoroughly enjoyed it. The novel in verse format was done well and the poems vary in format whiThis was our September book club choice, and the group thoroughly enjoyed it. The novel in verse format was done well and the poems vary in format which the author talks about in the author's note. We like the story and find it both touching and informative as she includes many things about plants, cooking and the immigrant story. The story will be a great addition to our middle grade reading lists for teachers and our library displays. I would highly recommend it....more
This is the third book following the animals we met in The One and Only Ivan. It is now Ruby's turn to share her story which she has not done with herThis is the third book following the animals we met in The One and Only Ivan. It is now Ruby's turn to share her story which she has not done with her dear friends Bob and Ivan.
Ruby remembers everything from her early time in Africa, the good- her loving family and their bonds, the bad-poachers and drought and what brought her to America and her new home in the sanctuary with a new elephant family. Something is troubling her though, her new family wants her to celebrate her Tuskday which is supposed to be a celebration, but Ruby only associates them with the painful memories of her past. How can she be happy about something that has only brought her so much trauma?
This is a wonderful continuation of the series. I enjoyed this book as much as I did Ivan's story. Hearing the heartbreaking story from Ruby's perspective will create such an empathetic bond for the plight of the African elephant with young readers.
The story is appropriately written for middle grade audiences that are ages 8-12. Since Ruby is an elephant with an excellent memory, you get her story in a more narrative arc with more developed paragraphs and instead of chapter numbers, there are only word or feelings to move the story on to its next section. This is beautifully done and adds to the poignancy of her story.
I would highly recommend this book for purchase by elementary school and public libraries.
This book was chosen for our librarian book club for middle grade fiction....more
I am going to unofficially retitle this book as "The Only Burglary in the Building". For those who might like a better clue to what that means, you caI am going to unofficially retitle this book as "The Only Burglary in the Building". For those who might like a better clue to what that means, you can compare the plot to a famous adult tv show that involves the main characters following clues to create a podcast that will solve a murder in their building. This is like that only on a middle grade/school level with an age-appropriate mystery to solve. On the day Simon's family move into their "next" home; an apartment building called the Tangerine Pines; he meets his neighbor Amaya and they quickly bond over a podcast they create when a valuable necklace goes missing during a fake fire alarm.
The story is quirky, cool, and a good mystery for the intended readers of middle grade books. I have enjoyed reading two other Gillian McDunn novels (Caterpillar Summer and When Sea Becomes Sky so I was doubly pleased when an ARC of this title landed in our consortium review pile and my librarian middle grade reading book club selected this for our June meeting. It was a perfect summer read, as the story takes place in summer.
The core mystery in the plot evolves well as it starts with a dramatic bang, and with lots of interesting suspects in a building of 16 apartments there is always something new to learn and ponder over how it fits into the ending. What I liked most though, was how much I was invested in Simon and not only for the mystery, but in his personal story as he is longing to put down roots and not be the new kid in school anymore. The middle school themes of friendship, family, and self-actualization are met with great aplomb while giving us a great mystery to figure out. It is a wonderful heart and head story!
I would recommend this book for purchase by any school or public library.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review in uncorrected ARC for professional review by SWON Libraries....more
This was our February book club title. The discussion was a good one as this book has a lot of history, both past and present, to go along with the maThis was our February book club title. The discussion was a good one as this book has a lot of history, both past and present, to go along with the main story. The story is told from the perspective of Zhanna Arshanskaya who escaped a death march and hid in plain sight by changing her name. The story was discovered when she wrote a letter in response to a project her granddaughter was working on about what her life was like at age 13.
The true story is told in verse, with passages of the letter guiding the way. As this is in verse, it allows for the story to be told at a faster pace and also it allows the horrors of the war to be written about in a way that is age appropriate for middle grade readers. The group also liked how this true story is about the war in Ukraine and what the people of this country faced from both Stalin and the Nazi occupation.
We would recommend this book for middle grade readers 5-8th grade along with the companion books Susan Hood has written about World War II....more
We choose this as a 2023 book club title, but our meeting was cancelled, and I still wanted to read this for my own reading list. The author is most fWe choose this as a 2023 book club title, but our meeting was cancelled, and I still wanted to read this for my own reading list. The author is most famous for the Vanderbeeker series which are also middle grade fiction as is this title. I found the premise, story, setting and characters engaging and it was interesting to learn about life in a family shelter. The author's note gives some context on transitional housing in New York City and its boroughs which gives real life context to the events in the story. Middle grade readers will enjoy this realistic fiction story.
This was our July/August book club title. I am behind because of my eyes so I haven't finished it yet, but I wanted to begin to add some of our discusThis was our July/August book club title. I am behind because of my eyes so I haven't finished it yet, but I wanted to begin to add some of our discussion into the review before I forgot everything!
The book club generally had favorable reviews from those who have finished and the members (me) who have some more reading to do. We discussed the history about the time period and appreciated the insight into the dust bowl. As adults we were all familiar with the basics, but felt that young readers probably would not and maybe some of the wonderful author notes might have been better at the beginning to set the time period and that this actually happened!
We discussed how working conditions in agriculture have progressed and not progressed, many remembering the 1970's and the protest for better working conditions for migrants in California and to what is going on today. One of our members discussed how her father worked for an alcohol distributor here in Ohio and some of the push-back he had for delivering Galllo (her father said Gallo was trying to improve their policies and when he would explain that he still was told he shouldn't deliver them.)
We liked the character of Gloria and how we saw the events both personal and historical that affected her family through her eyes. I imagine it was hard enough to be an adult going through the depression and then the dust bowl let alone a child. We discussed her relationships with her family and the children on the farms.
Overall, we highly recommend this book for middle grade readers and recommend it for purchase by schools and libraries....more
This was our June title for our librarian book club. The book fostered thoughtful discussion on many of its themes especially dealing with a serious iThis was our June title for our librarian book club. The book fostered thoughtful discussion on many of its themes especially dealing with a serious illness, middle school friendships, and parent/child relationships. We spent a lot of time talking about the relationships between the generations in this family. We loved how each character evolved and how that there is positive change at the end, but you know there is still work to be done. The supporting characters are wonderfully utilized even if their part is small like the hosts for the TV shows at the end of the book.
The discussion we had about what a heart find is and how we or someone we know may have experienced this phenomenon was one of the best parts of our discussion. It was lovely sharing our own experiences.
We all agreed that this would appeal to middle school readers and be loved by them. It would make a great classroom read aloud. I would highly recommend this book to all readers....more
This was our May book club selection. We chose this one both for its subject matter and the Newbery Honor that it won. The overall opinion was favorabThis was our May book club selection. We chose this one both for its subject matter and the Newbery Honor that it won. The overall opinion was favorable and we did believe that the awards that it won were well deserved. It also was a National Book Finalist and Asian/Pacific Youth Award Winner.
We found the inclusion of the story of her family's restaurant and the story of her great-great grandfather Lucky to be one of the best parts of the book. It led to great discussion of the paper sons and Chinese immigration to America. I recommend Angel Island by Russell Freedman and Paper Son: the inspiring story of Tyrus Wong, immigrant and artist by Julie Leung for further reading by young readers or anyone who would like to know more.
I would highly recommend this book for purchase by any school or public library. Maizy and her family's story is sure to be a book that young readers will love....more
This was our April book club selection. I will post a deeper review once our meeting is over, but I did enjoy the book and would highly recommend it fThis was our April book club selection. I will post a deeper review once our meeting is over, but I did enjoy the book and would highly recommend it for middle grade reading and it would make an excellent class reading title for grade 6-8. There is lots to unpack, but the primary theme is about bullying and middle school relationships.
The overall opinion of the book from the members of the book club mirrored mine. Everyone enjoyed the book and how it was formatted. We agreed that Mallory's behavior was not stellar, she has learned from what happened and with the support of two really involved and encouraging parents and has changed by the end of the book. We were especially struck by the advice that her parents gave her in Chapter 32 after the big conclusion of where Jennifer Chen has gone.
We loved the use of Jennifer's journal in the storytelling and as adults we were a little dismayed that the girls did not offer their insights to at least Jennifer's mom earlier. Although, we could see how kids might not think that the adults will take them seriously and the events at the radio station kind of prove that theory. Tae Keller's author note at the ends adds real world context for young adults about how the effects of bullying last or don't last into adulthood.
We would highly recommend this novel for purchase by any middle school or public library. The themes and writing make it an excellent choice for middle grade reading. ...more
This was our February book club selection and it was a unanimous vote for one of our favorite books that we have read in the last year. We were all amThis was our February book club selection and it was a unanimous vote for one of our favorite books that we have read in the last year. We were all amazed at how beautifully this story was written. MacLachlan had a gift for her craft. Like most of her novels, she tells the story in less than 150 pages but gives you fully engaged characters and a satisfying story arc. We are all amazed at how much work this must have taken.
We were also struck by how she took characters that face a heartbreaking loss through the beginning stages of their grief to a place where we knew they would be okay because they had each other and the love of their friends and neighbors. We loved how the children supported each other and had loving, productive relationships. Hearing the father's words through many characters made his loss even more heartbreaking, but we felt we knew him well by the end of the story.
We will miss her voice in new works, but her beautiful stories and characters will live on by young readers who discover her books....more
This was our January Book Club selection. When Odder was born, her mother gave her the name other otters will know her by. She is curious and active, This was our January Book Club selection. When Odder was born, her mother gave her the name other otters will know her by. She is curious and active, and this will eventually bring the crisis that unfolds in the book. When she was a young otter, she was separated from her mother by a storm and raised by humans at the rescue aquarium. Released back into the wild, she boldly approaches humans and swims further than she should out into Monterey Bay. Only this time, there is a hungry shark that changes her destiny.
The consensus of our group was that this is a wonderful story. It is a suspenseful book in verse that will appeal to a middle grade audience. While there is some trauma to our main characters, it is ultimately a hopeful and uplifting story. We liked the book in verse format for the subject matter and I especially liked the illustrations by Charles Santoso. One of our members who listens to audiobooks loved this on audio so this would make an excellent read aloud for middle school literature classes or maybe for April for an ecology class.
I would highly recommend this book for middle grade readers....more
We selected this for our December Book Club selection since we have enjoyed Zoboi's fiction novels, especially My Life as An Ice Cream Sandwich. The oWe selected this for our December Book Club selection since we have enjoyed Zoboi's fiction novels, especially My Life as An Ice Cream Sandwich. The overall impression was that we were extremely impressed with this powerful biography for young readers and introduced us to a person that we did not know about. We read diversely and try to add formats like poetry and biographies such as this title.
I would recommend this for ages 10+ as I think really strong younger readers will enjoy it all the way up to high school students. Zoboi does mention that many high schools have begun to include Butler's Kindred in their literature classes.
The format and style will appeal to young readers as it combines poetry, narrative, quotes and photo images of Butler's writing and life. We all picked a poem(s) that spoke to us. Many chose the star and moon sequence, some chose Empathy, and I chose Space Race.
Overall, we highly recommend this poetry-based biography. It made us more curious to read Butler's novels and to try the Kindred adaptation on Hulu....more
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