Tag: friendship

Posted in Fiction, Graphic Novels, Middle Grade, Science Fiction

Star Wars: Jedi Academy, Return of the Padawan, is essential reading for all aspiring Jedi Masters

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

jedi academyStar Wars: Jedi Academy, Return of the Padawan (Book 2), by Jeffrey Brown (July 2014), $12.99, ISBN: 9780545621250

Recommended for ages 8+

With Star Wars Reads Day coming up in October, I’ve been boning up on my Star Wars reads for my patrons (and because I enjoy them). Yesterday, I read Jeffrey Brown’s latest chapter in his graphic Jedi Academy saga, Return of the Padawan. Jeffrey Brown has been all over the Star Wars Universe lately, with his Darth Vader parenting books, Darth Vader & Son and Vader’s Little Princess (and soon, Good Night, Darth Vader), and Jedi Academy, his graphic novel series for younger readers. The first book introduced us to Roan Novachez, an aspiring Jedi from Tatooine, who attends a Jedi Academy middle school, where he meets all sorts of new beings from across the galaxies, and gets to enjoy Head Master Yoda’s teachings.

Return of the Padawan pick up the story as Roan returns to Jedi Academy for a new school year. This time around, Roan has to deal with cyberbullying over Holobook, a teacher who seemingly has it in for him, shifting friendships, and a constant struggle against the insidious dark side, in the form of two classmates who make it a little too easy.

Roan feels awkward and out of place, and thinks his friends are drifting away from him. When the two class bullies show an interest in him, he thinks they’re the ones loosening up – until he realizes that maybe, he’s heading down a slippery path. The book is a great mix of all things middle school, including issues that kids have to deal with today, like online bullying and the confusion often present in middle school friendships. The story is told through sequential panels, but also through “Holobook” (the Jedi Academy version of Facebook) entries, report cards, and school newsletters.

This book is a no-brainer for anyone who loves Star Wars. It’s a great introduction to the Star Wars universe for younger readers, who will enjoy the cartoon art and depiction of day-to-day school life, with fun enhancements that link their lives to the Star Wars universe.

I can’t wait to get this one on my shelves at the library. It’s on sale tomorrow, so make sure you get your copy!

 

Posted in Fiction

Eerie Elementary: The School is Alive, and the Hall Monitor is Your Only Hope!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

eerie elementaryEerie Elementary #1: The School is Alive! (A Branch Book), by Jack Chabert (Scholastic, June 2014). $4.99, ISBN: 9780545623926

Recommended for ages 7-10

Scholastic is great for putting out affordable series that keep kids reading, and Eerie Elementary is firmly in that camp. The first book in their new Eerie Elementary series, The School is Alive! introduces us to elementary school student, Sam Graves, and his friends, Antonio and Lucy. The school year is starting, and Sam is bemoaning the fact that he’s been named a Hall Monitor. On his first day of duty, he almost sinks into quicksand on school property and hears strange noises coming from the school itself. He finds out pretty quickly that the school is alive, and it’s evil – and that the Hall Monitor is the last line of defense in keeping the students safe. Naturally, his friends think he’s crazy, but he’s determined to see his job through and keep his friends and fellow students out of the clutches of the evil school building.

The series is part of Scholastic’s new Branches line of books – chapter books aimed at newly independent readers. The books feature illustrations on every page, easy-to-read text, and fast-paced stories. I liked seeing main characters of elementary school age; many characters in series books are in middle school or older, relegating elementary school characters often to the role of annoying younger sibling. Establishing these characters early on will connect with readers new to chapter books and give them some exciting reading. I can’t wait to get these on my shelves for my younger patrons who are ready for a thriller, but have a hard time finding them at their reading level.

Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Teen, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

Egg and Spoon – Gregory Maguire spins a rich Russian fairytale

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

egg and spoonEgg and Spoon, by Gregory Maguire (Candlewick, Sept. 2014). $17.99, ISBN: 9780763672201

Recommended for ages 12+

Gregory Maguire is renowned for creating his alternate versions of fairy tales, most notably, Wicked. In Egg and Spoon, he creates a sweeping Russian fairy tale, encompassing historical figures such as Tsar Nikolai Romanov and Rasputin, and fantasy favorites like Baba Yaga, the Phoenix/Firebird, and the Slavic Dragon, to create a sweeping tale that goes from the impoverished Russian countryside all the way to Saint Petersburg and beyond.

At its heart is a tale reminiscent of The Prince and the Pauper: a young peasant girl named Elena meets a spoiled rich girl named Ekaterina, when Ekaterina’s train breaks down in Elena’s village. Elena’s mother is dying, her brothers have been called off either to military service or employment, and her father is dead. She wants to go to St. Petersburg to ask the tsar to send her brother home to help care for their mother. Fate intervenes, and the two girls swap places, where each learns about the other girl’s life by living her life. Baba Yaga shows up, because the chaotic seasons are causing her distress, and she ends up becoming Ekaterina’s guardian as they proceed to St. Petersburg to ask the tsar what’s going on in the world.

The tale, narrated by a prisoner in the tsar’s tower, looks at magic in the everyday world, and what a stabilizing force it is. There are themes of family, friendship, and morality all at play, with a lot of humor – Baba Yaga is hilarious here – and conflict.

My only concern here is that at almost 500 pages, middle graders may balk at reading this. Teens will enjoy the story, and it’s a book that really should be on every library shelf. This one will win awards, there’s no question. The writing is beautiful and there are some incredible themes explored. A semester-long unit on fairy tales for older students would really be enhanced by using this book, and book groups for all ages will never run out of material to talk about.

 

 

Posted in Fiction, Humor, Middle School, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

28 Tricks for a Fearless Grade 6: One Kid’s Survival Guide

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

fearless grade 628 Tricks for a Fearless Grade 6, by Catherine Austen (James Lorimer & Company, Sept. 2014). $8.95, ISBN: 9781459406193

Recommended for ages 8-12

Dave Davidson is a good kid who just wants to help his friends. He wants to cure his friends of different phobias, whether it’s about dancing in public or of dogs. He’s positive he has the knowledge to get the job done, and somehow, it kind of does – with a little bit of mess along the way.

This is a book in a vein similar to the Wimpy Kid series, albeit told in the third person. The chapters are set up similar to journal entries (it reminded me of the Nickelodeon show, Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide), the tips give readers an idea of what the upcoming chapter covers (for example: “Tip #3: Friends Don’t Let Friends Break Their Ankles”). Kids who roll their eyes at the thought of sitting down and reading may find this book easier to jump into; the characters are fun and welcoming to a reader, and the amusing situations that come up for the group will appeal to middle grade readers.

For girls who want to read a more female-oriented version of the story, Ms. Austen has a companion book, 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6, which received both the 2012 Quebec Writers’ Foundation Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature and the 2012-2013 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award in English Fiction. The author’s website also has some fun tips for surviving everything from tornadoes to zombie attacks, and information on different phobias. (For all those fledgling Dave Davidsons out there!)

The book will be released on September 1, but you can pre-order it on Amazon right now.

 

Posted in Fiction, Middle School, Tween Reads

The Fourteenth Goldfish – family bonding through science!

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

fourteenth goldfishThe Fourteenth Goldfish, by Jennifer L. Holm (Random House Children’s, August 2014). $16.99, ISBN: 9780375870644

Recommended for ages 10-16

Eleven year-old Ellie isn’t a big fan of change – she only just found out that her goldfish, the one she thought lived to a ripe old age, was a series of 13 goldfish. Her mother didn’t have the heart to tell her otherwise. So when this awkward teenaged boy named Melvin shows up, claiming to be her grandfather – he certainly dresses the part – she’s thrown for a loop.

Grandpa Melvin has figured out the secret to reversing aging, and he can’t wait to release his results. Ellie finds herself reading more about science, and the men and women whose discoveries changed the world – but she also learns that there are consequences for every discovery, no matter how groundbreaking. Now, if her grandfather could just get out of detention, she could share her thoughts with him.

Jennifer L. Holm is best known for her Babymouse and Squish graphic novel series, which I love. The Fourteenth Goldfish just continues her winning streak. The book is fantastic. The pacing is perfect for middle-graders, and they won’t want to put it down. She’s given readers some memorable characters, most notably, the irascible Grandpa Melvin – the misunderstood genius, the cantankerous old man in a kid’s body; Holm takes what could have been an arrogant, annoying character, and gives him depth and pathos. Ellie’s relationship with her grandfather grows roots as she learns more about his life, and even though she (and, through narration, we readers) understands his motivations, finds a strength within herself to stand apart. It’s a great coming of age story on one level, and a sweet tale about family on another.

Make sure The Fourteenth Goldfish is on your bookshelves when it hits stores on August 26th. This is the back-to-school novel to read.

Posted in Preschool Reads

Julia’s House for Lost Creatures is an adorable look at friends and sharing responsibilities.

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

juliaJulia’s House for Lost Creatures, by Ben Hatke (:01 First Second, Sept. 2014). $17.99, ISBN: 9781596438668

Admittedly, I’m a Ben Hatke fan thanks to the Zita the Spacegirl series; when when I saw that he had a picture book coming out, I jumped to review it. I knew it was going to be adorable as well as fun, and I was right – Julia’s House for Lost Creatures is a sweet look at friendship, individuality, and sharing responsibility.

Julia’s house comes to a quiet, seaside area and decides to settle in. At first, Julia enjoys the warm fire, toast, and tea, but soon realizes it’s just too quiet. So she posts a sign that states the house is for “Lost Creatures”, and in no time, goblins, trolls, ghosts, and more homeless or lost creatures show up. Everyone’s happy at first, but Julia becomes frustrated by everyone’s refusal to make a mess and leave it for Julia to clean up. When the noise reaches critical mass, Julia sequesters herself in her workshop, only to emerge with a solution that will make everyone happy.

The book delivers several sweet, but important messages – Julia offers her home to misfits of all sorts; all “lost creatures” are welcome there. It’s not an exclusive club, or a place allowing only certain types. It appeals to anyone – or anything – that’s been shut out somewhere else. And it brings home the point that everyone pitches in to make their home a happy place. Julia creates a chore chart, so all of the creatures know exactly what to do. I love these messages and I love Hatke’s art, done in watercolor for this book. It lends a soft quality to the art that makes the story even sweeter, more dreamlike. There are few, short sentences per page, making this a great read-aloud candidate. The font is usually black and fairly low-key, unless Hatke wants to make a point; then, the font is large and takes on the character of the sound, whether it’s Julia’s exclamation or the sounds of a house that needs some help.

This book is due out in September of this year, and I can’t wait to get it on my library’s shelves. I’ve already got a storytime planned around it!

Posted in Fantasy, Fiction, Tween Reads, Uncategorized

The Demon Notebook: The Craft, for middle-graders

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

demonnotebookThe Demon Notebook, by Erika McGann (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2014). $6.99, ISBN: 9781402295386

Recommended for ages 10-14

Grace and her friends, Una, Jenny, Rachel, and Adie want to be witches – well, they want some wishes to come true, and figured magic would be the best way to make it happen. Their spells have failed, but when they use a Ouija board, something happens – the notebook where they wrote their spells has a strange message, all of their spells are coming true – and it’s not always great to get what you think you want – and Una is acting… strange. Worst of all, one of the spells is something awful, made while one of the girls was angry – the girls have to stop the magic before that last spell runs its course, AND figure out what’s wrong with Una and how to fix her. They’re going to need some help to face this.

This was  a fun book with some genuinely creepy moments. It reminded me of a middle school version of the ’90s movie, The Craft – will any middle graders even know that movie if I mention it to them? I really enjoyed Mrs. Quinlan and Ms. Lemon, the two adult characters the author introduces into the story; it was gratifying to a) see the girls realize that they needed help and actually ask for it, and b) have two adults that weren’t completely incompetent or dismissive of the girls.

This book has a June 1 pub date, making it a perfect summer reading choice for tweens. Obviously, there’s magic and talk of demons, so for those audiences and parents that are sensitive to that subject matter, this isn’t your book. For anyone else who wants a good read about friendship and sticking together through thick and thin, with some good, old-fashioned creepiness, check this one out.

Posted in Fiction, Middle School, Tween Reads

Dorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Roller Derby, Wacky Grandmas, and Possibly, a Haunted Roller Rink

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

derby chroniclesDorothy’s Derby Chronicles: Rise of the Undead Redhead, by Meghan Dougherty (Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2014). $6.99, ISBN: 9781402295355

Recommended for ages 10+

Dorothy and her younger sister, Sam, have been sent to live with their grandmother while her mother gets her life sorted out. The only thing is, Grandma isn’t your run-of-the-mill grandmother – she drives a hearse called Dead Betty, and wears distinctly un-grandmotherly clothes. All Dorothy wants to do is fade into the new school year, but Grandma – coupled with Dorothy’s clumsiness – make her a target for the local mean girl group, the Pom-Poms. Dorothy does make some new friends, though – she, Gigi, and Jade become a tight threesome, and somehow find themselves forming a roller derby team! Grandma – who used to be Shotgun Sally in her roller derby days – signs on as coach, and the girls have to recruit more team members before the big bout. And they also need to learn the rules of roller derby. And how to skate. The thing is, the rink they practice at may be haunted, and Dorothy is terrified that her mother – who’s forbidden roller skating – will somehow find out what’s going on. Can the girls pull it together and become a team?

Where was this series when I was a kid, watching late-night roller derby on off-network TV and hitting the roller rinks with my friends when I was in 8th grade? I love the fact that roller derby is starting to see a resurgence in media, and thrilled with this series, which is just too much fun. The author knows and loves her subject – Meghan Dougherty is a derby girl, and manages to give us a fun story about friendship and family, with a wonderfully unconventional and independent group of women, young and old. Alece Birnbach’s illustrations add to the fun, especially when Dougherty lets Birnbach’s pictures narrate the derby action! I really appreciated the nonfictional derby instruction in the book – there are rules and positions, folks! – and will work nicely with Common Core standards, so teachers, get this book on your reading lists for summer.

I can’t wait for the second book in the series, which I’ve already badgered the authors about on Twitter, and I’ll be making sure this book is on my library shelves when it publishes on July 1st. Get in on the action now, and check out the website, where kids can learn more about roller derby and the series’ characters.

Posted in Fiction, Humor, Tween Reads

Lug: Dawn of the Ice Age – a middle-grade Ice Age tale

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

lugLug: Dawn of the Ice Age, by David Zeltser. Egmont USA (2014). $17.99, ISBN: 9781606845134

Recommended for ages 8-12

A mix of How to Train Your Dragon and Ice Age, Lug: Dawn of the Ice Age introduces readers to Lug, a young caveboy who’s the outcast of his tribe. His fellow tribe-mates are big brutes who face off against their rival tribe in a rough sport called Headstone; Lug would rather be painting in his art cave. He and his tribe-mate, Stony, are banished after they fail to secure macrauchenia mounts for Headstone, and wander the woods, eventually meeting Echo, a young cavegirl from the rival tribe with a secret – she can talk to animals and has a pet woolly mammoth, Woolly, that she needs to find a home for. Echo and her younger brother, Hamhock, join Lug and Stony on a journey that will introduce them to new animals and great changes headed their way – namely, the onset of the Ice Age.

This is a great book for middle graders. Not only is it a fun, accessible story with parallels to two books and movie series they grew up with – How to Train Your Dragon and Ice Age – they will pick up some knowledge on the way. The themes of two factions at war without really knowing one another, being the odd kid out, and bullying are all themes that will speak to readers’ day-to-day experiences, but they’ll also learn about prehistoric animals like the macrauchenia – a kind of giant llama (I looked it up!), the woolly mammoth, and the Dodo bird, all of which give readers who are willing to dig deeper the chance to pinpoint where Lug and his people are from (look it up!). There’s even a brief description on how Lug creates his cave paint. The blending of nonfiction with fiction is seamless and would enhance a class unit on prehistory. There is black and white line art throughout the book, which are, presumably, Lug’s cave drawings. These little “easter eggs” within the story add a fun new dimension to reading.

Lug: Dawn of the Ice Age isn’t due out until September 9, but it’ll be perfect timing for back-to-school reading. These little “easter eggs” within the story add a fun new dimension to reading. I’m hoping to see more of Lug’s adventures down the line.

Posted in Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Teen, Uncategorized

In We Are The Goldens, sisters keep secrets.

Posted on by Rosemary Kiladitis

we are the goldensWe Are the Goldens, by Dana Reinhardt. Random House Children’s (2014), $16.99. ISBN: 9780385742573

Recommended for ages 14+

Nell and Layla have always been close. Nell grew up in her older sister’s shadow, even believing her name was, at one point, “Nellayla”. Now that Nell is a freshman at the same progressive high school that Layla attends as a junior, she figures it will be perfect. They’ll be together all the time, as close as ever. Until she discovers that Layla has a secret.

The story follows Nell through her freshman year in high school, burdened with Layla’s secret, which, at first she guesses, and ultimately, Layla confirms; we read her struggle to keep Layla’s secret while keeping Layla safe from what she knows will be a bad situation in any outcome. And through this, Nell also has her own struggles – namely, a crush gone wrong and a best friend that she can only confide so much in. Their divorced parents never seem to have quite enough time to actually talk to the girls and Nell feels very much alone while Layla spirals into her giddy, starry-eyed, teenage love affair.

The book is a quick read, told in the first person through Nell’s eyes, in the form of what feels like a very long letter to Layla or perhaps a journal that Nell uses to get her feelings out. Some flashbacks give depth to the characters, but the main points are right there in the present time: Layla is the Golden Girl. Nell is her sister, still Golden, but in the shadow of Layla’s greatness. As much as Nell’s concerns for her sister are legitimate, they’re also born from the sadness at seeing Layla go somewhere in life without Nell. It’s a separation, a painful one, made even more painful to Nell because she knows how this will likely end. It’s a tough coming of age story for both sisters.

Made more interesting is the addition of two dead brothers, the Creed brothers, who Nell imagines as a kind of Greek chorus. She bounces her feelings off of them, and they speak to the situations at hand, either nudging her into action or deeper thinking. We only get a slight bit of their back story, and I’d have liked to have known a little more about Nell’s relationship to them, because they factor so strongly in her narrative.

We Are the Goldens is a good summer read for teens and provides a lot of fodder for booktalks and discussion groups. The book hits shelves on May 27th.