The Best Gift for Bear written and illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell

 

The Best Gift for Bear

written and illustrated by Jennifer A. Bell

Two Lions/Amazon, 2022, 40 pages

The holiday season is the perfect time to show your appreciation to friends and family for all the times they were there for you throughout the year. And that is just what Hedgehog is busy doing. She's been busy baking all kinds of special cookies for her friends. There are snowflakes for the mice, trees for the squirrels, and special rabbit cookies for each of the rabbits. But what about Bear?

Hedgehog is at a total loss about what to bake for Bear. After all, it was Bear who taught her how to ice skate, but ice skate cookies just don't feel right.

Bear loves butterflies and sunflowers, but even though they are lovely, some butterfly or sunflower cookies just don't feel right for Bear, either. But then snow on the roof of her little house gives Hedgehog the perfect idea. So, she plans it and bakes it and puts it together with frosting - the perfect gingerbread house for a special friend. It even has a bear cookie standing proudly in front of the house, along with sunflowers growing and a butterfly flying.

It is so big and so heavy, though, Hedgehog can't possibly carry it all the way across the forest to Bear's house. Instead, she decides to load it onto a sled and pull it to Bear's. 

The only problem is that then snow and a whipping wind begins to blow and the next thing she knows her perfect gift has been blown to pieces. Just then, Bear opens his door to see what's going on and is surprised to find a very upset Hedgehog. Bear brings her inside, gives her a warming cup of cocoa and listens as Hedgehog tells him what happened to his special gift. After she finishes her story, Bear has a surprising story of his own - and my young readers definitely did not see his surprise coming. And in the end, they actually give each other the best gift ever - the gift of friendship.

The Best Gift for Bear is just the book to begin the holiday season with. It's all about acceptance, friends, and giving, without any of the commercialism that has evolved around the holiday season. It is a quiet, gentle, heartwarming tale that reminds us of what is really important. I loved that Hedgehog gave gifts that she had made herself - they are real gifts from the heart. And I was really happy to see that the gingerbread cookie recipe is included in the endpapers. Yum, I love gingerbread. Complimenting this heartfelt story are clear, uncluttered illustrations done with gouache and colored pencil in a very definite winter palette.    

This was a story that led to lots of talk about the different holidays my young readers celebrate in their families and because this book doesn't identify the holiday Hedgehog is baking cookies for, it was the ideal book to share with my small class of readers, and perhaps with your young readers as well.

Thank you, Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media for providing a review copy of this book.

 ★“This genuinely heartfelt, quietly moving friendship story emphasizes that ‘a day with a friend is the best gift of all.’” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“A sweet, appealing picture book for the season.” —Booklist

A 2022 Goodreads Choice Award Nominee

Jennifer A. Bell is the illustrator of more than forty children’s books, including the Sophie Mouse series. She studied fine art at the Columbus College of Art & Design, and her work can also be found on greeting cards and in magazines. This is the first picture book she’s written and illustrated. She lives in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Learn more about her at www.jenniferabell.com.

Instagram: @jbellstudio

Facebook: Jennifer A. Bell Illustration

Twitter: @JenniferABell_

The Marvellers (Marvellerverse #1) by Dhonielle Clayton

 

Ella Durand comes from a prominent New Orleans family of Conjurors and although she is only 11-years-old, she is about to make history. She will be the first Conjuror to enter the Arcanum Training Institute for Marvelous and Uncanny Endeavors and Ella is beyond excited about it, even if her mother isn't. And she isn't the only one not happy about Ella attending this school. Once Ella arrives, she finds she has three roomates, two of which believe Conjurors don't belong in the school and only one of which is even remotely friendly. She is also assigned a mentor, Masterji Thakur, who will help her learn the Marvellian Way, and a guide, Jason Eugene, the youngest of an illustrious Marvelling family and the youngest of four siblings in the school. At first, Ella rejects Jason's help, determined to do everything on her own as part of her need to prove that she belongs. 

The first thing that happens is that Ella is moved from her dorm with three roomates to one she will share with unfriendly Brigit Ebsen from New York City. Unlike Ella, Brigit does not want to be in the Arcanum Training Institute and plans on running away as soon as she can. Brigit also continuously knits images onto squares, but doesn't know why, who the images are, and seems to go into a trance when she is knitting. 

It's not just students who don't want Ella at their school, some of the teachers feel the same way and she begins to get demerits for things she hasn't done. But, little by little, she and Brigit become friends, and Ella warms up to Jason enough to call him friend too. But when a prisoner, Gia Trivelino, who calls herself the Ace of Anarchy, escapes from the Cards of Deadly Fate, a prison made out of powerful conjure cards and then Masterji Thakur disappears, students and teachers are quick to point their finger at Ella. All the while, Ella keep wondering just what her Marvel is. 

Click to Enlarge

Marvels are a light within a person that is strongly linked to one of five Paragons. Paragons are similar to the five senses (vision, touch, sound, taste, smell) except smell has been replaced by spirit. At the end of the school year, there is an exam where kids find out their Paragon. Since all of the kids who are in Ella's class come from Marvelling families, they already have an idea of what their Paragon will be, with the exception of Ella and Brigit. I found myself wondering just what Ella's Paragon would be that would really work for a series. Then I thought, duh, she has at least two friends who can help with their Paragons. And then it occurred to me that wondering what will happen is part of the fun of reading The Marvellers. 

And there is a lot of fun stuff in this book because Clayton's worldbuilding is just so wonderfully imaginative. Sure, some of it may remind you of Harry Potter, but there is just so much originality that the comparisons fall away quickly until you are only left with one - they are both fantastic school stories. And astute readers will definitely chuckle at the names of some of the teachers in Ella's school.

But don't get me wrong, there is plenty of serious stuff going on. Ella is marginalized right off the bat when she must change rooms and live with Brigit, the other marginalized student. And with marginalization, comes bullying by students and collecting demerits because Conjurors are not welcomed by every teacher in the school.  

I have to admit when I first began reading The Marvellers, I had a hard time getting into it, but after a few pages, I was totally hooked. And I could go on and on about how great it is because there is just so much to this story, but maybe you should just read the book. It is well worth your time. Maybe I'll reread it.  

Rosa's Song by Helena Ku Rhee, illustrated by Pascal Campion

 

Rosa's Song by Helena Ku Rhee, 

illustrated by Pascal Campion

Random House Studio, 2022, 40 pages

When I grew up, I had friends who lived in apartment buildings so I can say for a fact that sometimes just as you make a new friend, they move. And now, because my young readers are all relatively newly arrived in this country, I see the same thing happen to them when someone must leave abruptly for reasons they can't always understand.  And this is just what this latest book from Helena Ku Rhee (The Turtle Ship, The Paper Kingdom) explores.  

Young Jae has just moved to this country from South Korea and now he will be living in an apartment in the city instead of living in his old village in his old house and playing with his old friends. Looking out the window of his small apartment, all Jae sees is a brick wall, nothing is familiar and he doesn't even speak the same language. As she unpacks and sees her son's unhappiness, Jae's mom suggests he go out to meet the other kids in the building. But naturally, Jae is worried they won't like him.

When he rings the bell of the apartment below his, a girl about Jae's age opens the door with a colorful bird on her shoulder. The girl's name is Rosa and her parrot is named Polito, little chicken. The two head upstairs to Jae's apartment and Rosa studies everything she sees because it's all new and different and interesting. Rosa also knows just how Jae feels in his new home and just what to do. When Jae says there are no mountains where they are, Rosa starts to play, pretending to climb a mountain on the sofa. When Jae says there are no people, no food, Rosa points out all the diverse food vendors and the scents of this delicious food they can see all around them.

As Rosa opens up a whole new world of exploration, imagination and play, Jae settles in and finally begins to feel happy. All summer long the two friends spend time together, having fun and singing a song Rosa has taught Jae: "When I fly away, my heart stays here." And that's just what happens. One morning, out of the blue, Jae wakes up to find Polito at the foot of his bed and Rosa gone. Her family had to leave quickly, forced to return to their country.

Feeling lost and alone again, Jae couldn't even sing Rosa's song, but then there's a knock on the door and two kids, a brother and sister, are standing there. Wanting to know about Polito, Jae teaches them Rosa's song and begins to feel less sad and lonely.

Moving and adjusting to a new place is always difficult, especially for kids. There's the initial loneliness, boredom, and fear that the other kids won't like them, and, of course, homesickness for what is left behind. Rhee manages to capture all of those feelings through Jae, but Rosa's family being deported adds a new twist to the story. Yet, readers see that Rosa, with her buoyant personality, imagination, and kindness has left such a positive impression on Jae and she has taught him everything he needs to know to welcome the two new kids to the building and neighborhood, so young readers know he will be fine. 

I like this book, too, because it not only validates Jae's feelings of loss for what was left behind in South Korea, but also for the loss of Rosa's companionship after her family is deported. Yet, it also offers hope that new friends will be found and that Jae will carry Rosa's positive influence into these future friendships. I think this is a story that will generate lots of conversation about friends, immigration, and why they are sometimes deported.

This is such a touching diverse story, and the cartoon-style illustrations really capture the emotions, both good and sad, of the children and do a great job of depicting the way Jae sees his new world as opposed to Rosa's. 

Thank you, Barbara Fisch of Blue Slip Media for providing me with a review copy of Rosa's Song.

*************************************************************************************

Here's what Booklist had to say about Rosa's Song:

★ "Striking and raw…. Readers will share the sadness of Jae's loss, but only after seeing Rosa and Jae's joyful playing—a happiness that's distinct to childhood." —Booklist, starred review

Meet the Author:

Helena Ku Rhee grew up in Los Angeles, but has also lived in various parts of the U.S., Asia and Europe. She has a soft spot for small, stout animals and loves to travel far and wide across this beautiful planet, counting among her favorite journeys a camping trip in the Sahara Desert, a swim with elephants in Thailand and a horseback-riding tour of Easter Island. She is also the author of The Paper Kingdom, which was included on many year-end Best Books lists, including NPR, BookPage, Kirkus, Parents Magazine, the Los Angeles Public Library, and Amazon, among others. Helena works at a movie studio by day, and dreams up story ideas in her spare time. She currently lives in Los Angeles. Visit her at helenakrhee.com.

Instagram: @helenakurhee

Twitter: @HelenaRhee

Meet the Illustrator:
Pascal Campion is a prolific French-American illustrator and visual development artist whose clients include: DreamWorks Animation, Paramount Pictures, Disney Feature, Disney Toons, Cartoon Network, Hulu, and PBS. Working in the animation industry for over 15 years, he has steadily posted over 3,000 images of personal work to his "Sketches of the Day" project since 2005. He lives and works in Los Angeles, CA. Follow him on Instagram @pascalcampionart or Twitter @pascalcampion.

Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North by Dan Bar-el, illustrated by Kelly Pousette

 

Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North by Dan Bar-el,

illustrated by Kelly Pousette

Simon and Schuster/Atheneum BFYR, 2020, 272 pages

We have been experiencing some really tense days lately, so it was such a pleasure to return to the very, very far north and the always charming polar bear Duane, who has just woken up from a long winter's nap. Venturing out of his cave, he finds his friends all waiting for him. There's C.C, the scholarly snowy owl, puffin Major Puff, arctic hare Twitch, Magic, the arctic fox, Handsome, the musk ox, and of course, shy caribou Boo (yes, you may recall how talented Duane is at naming his friends from the first book).

Duane and friends (pg. 5)

But a long winter's nap has left Duane hungry, and so the friends all decide to picnic down on the Fabulous Beach. But, lately there is a new presence in the very, very far north, a sarcastic weasel who loves to cause disruption and trouble. Duane first meets him in his cave where the no-name weasel informs him that, well, his life isn't happy and wonderful as he thinks it is. Sooner or later, cracks begin to form in friendships, and friends drift further and further apart. 

Always the optimist, Duane doesn't buy the weasel's point of view, until...maybe the weasel is right. For example, when Major Puff realizes it's time to migrate south, he also thinks that this year he really doesn't want to go. All kinds of dreadful things could happen while flying back and forth, and besides, the burrow he shares with Twitch is so warm and comfortable. Leave it to the weasel to convince Major Puff to head south despite his reservations by casting doubt that his friends really care about him. 

But most egregious of all is when the nameless weasel sets Magic to discover shy Boo's secret, and at the weasel's urging, he in turn inadvertently sets up Duane, Handsome, C.C., and Major Puff up to witness it. When Boo realizes that they have discovered it, she is beyond devastated. How could friends betray her like that? Some secrets are just not meant to be shared. 

Boo (pg. 181)

These two incidents and more certainly make it feel as though the weasel is right about friendships...or maybe he's at the center of all the trouble. But just when it seems that Duane's gentle, pleasant circle of friends are about to drift apart, Duane takes a thinking walk and comes up with what he hopes will be the perfect solution for repairing the cracks that have formed, before they get too deep.

Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North is every bit gentle and calming as the first that introduced readers to Duane and friends, The Very, Very Far North. There's a lot of emotional growing in these latest adventures - learning the saying you are sorry to someone often isn't enough, instead action speaks louder than words, that that turns out to be the case with Boo and her friends. And taking responsibility for your actions is an important lesson for Magic. But most of all, forgiveness is the hardest lesson. 

I really enjoyed spending more time with Duane and friends. Life at the moment is a little chaotic for everyone, and Dan Bar-el's novels are a great escape from all that. Young readers will find that besides the messages regarding friends, there is plenty of humor throughout the story, as well as lots of little details about everyone's arctic life. And readers of the first book will be happy to see the reappearance of the Sun Girl and her Pack playing an important part this this story.

Just Beyond the Very, Very Far North is an ideal book for lower middle grade readers and reluctant readers, as well as kids who love animal stories. I can't recommend it highly enough. 

There is a useful, detailed group reading guide available from the publisher, Simon and Schuster, HERE

This book is recommended for readers age 8+

This book was an eARC gratefully received from the publisher.

Blog Tour: Sometimes a Wall... by Dianne White, illustrated by Barroux

Sometimes A Wall...written by Dianne White,

illustrated by Barroux

Owlkids, 2020, 32 pages

We hear a lot about walls these days, and they can have different reasons for being, as young readers learn in this new picture book. Kids see that walls can be drawn on with chalk, or they can be a wall of cooling water on a hot summer day, they can even be a rock wall on which to practice climbing.  And sometimes walls can be inclusionary, but they can also be exclusionary.

And sometimes when a wall is exclusionary, the children behind it can be mean, and the child outside the wall can be hurt by their taunts and lies. When one boy inside a wall decides to turn it into a castle, after all the other kids work together to build it, he selfishly shouts MINE and wants all the other children go away. But sometimes, having your own castle surrounded by a wall and no friends can get pretty lonely. Perhaps a new start can turn things around because...

When I first read this book, I loved it, but I was also afraid it might be a little to metaphorical for my young readers. And it was. However, it generated some really good conversations and reflexions regarding what this book says about friendship, inclusion, empathy, kindness, and connection. These are big words and ideas for young kids, but this book so nicely illustrates what they mean using the sparest of text and simple, but expressive illustrations. We've read Sometimes a Wall... a number of times now, and each time it get richer and more meaningful. The kids also had some fun with the two coloring pages (see below for the link) that go with this book. 

Who is Dianne White and why did she write Sometimes a Wall...?

A conversation with a friend got author Dianne White thinking about different kinds of wall, both physical and metaphorical. Sometimes a Wall...is an exploration of these, and with it, an invitation to take down barriers and find common ground. Dianne's other books include Green on Green and Who Eats Orange? A long-time elementary school teacher, she lives with her family in Gilbert, Arizona. To learn more, and to download a discussion guide and more, visit Dianne's website at diannewrites.com

You can also find her on Twitter @diannewrites and on Facebook: Dianne White

Thanks to the publisher Owlkids, you can find a discussion guide for Sometimes a Wall...HERE

This book is recommended for readers age 4+

This book was gratefully received from Barbara Fisch at Blue Slip Media

Teachers and parents may also be interested in looking at A Lesson in 3 Movements...

• Intro to the Unit (PLEASE READ FIRST!)

• What’s Different About Reading Wordless/Nearly Wordless Picture Books?

• 1st Movement : TOGETHER (I Walk with Vanessa by Kerascoët)

• 2nd Movement: APART (Draw the Line by Kathryn Otoshi)

• 3rd Movement: REGRET. NEW START? (Sometimes a Wall … by Dianne White, illustrated by Barroux)

The "Why" behind the book:

·      A LETTER TO PARENTS AND EDUCATORS 

·      A LETTER TO YOUNG READERS

As for those Coloring Pages for younger students:

We Are Kind coloring page 
Be Kind coloring page

Artist Barroux lives in Paris, France, and has studies photography, art, sculpture, and architecture. His work has been published in The New York Times and The Washington Post. He believes that the world needs fewer walls and more trees. You can find him on Instagram: @barrouxillustrations

Summer and July by Paul Mosier

It's July 1st and Goth girl Julliet, 12, is on a plane with her mother traveling from Michigan to Ocean Park, California, where her mom, a doctor, will be working in an ER. Julliet's parents are divorced, and her dad is in Switzerland with his new younger girlfriend. Julliet is also a girl who is fraught with fears, all shared with her best friend Fern, whom she is forbidden to hang out with after a misunderstanding. 

On her first morning, Julliet finds a note from her mom listing possible goals for her, including exercise, fresh air and work on her fears. Later, she meets Summer, an energetic surfer girl who wants to be friends. At first reluctant, Julliet, whom Summer insists on calling "Betty," slowly begins to warm up to Summer, and Summer for her part, patiently puts up with Julliet fears, while slowly, and even more patiently helping her deal with them. 

At first, they simply walk around town, checking out stores and just hanging out. Summer, who lives year round in Ocean Park knows everyone. Like Julliet, she's mostly on her own because her parents both work. Eventually, Summer gets Julliet to go to the beach and into the water, introducing her to surfing culture. Always at her side when Julliet confronts a fear, the two begin with skateboarding at the beach, then graduate to boogie boarding, all the while continuing to pal around, visiting to Santa Monica pier, and just having fun. But once in a while, Summer isn't available and Julliet wonders why. It seems Summer has a secret and isn't ready to share it with Julliet, at least not until Julliet is ready to finally try surfing. 

I don't think I've read a good surfing book since I found my sister's old copy of Gidget in the late 70s. So surfing culture isn't exactly something I'm up on. But I am a girl who spent summers on the Jersey shore, and I do love the ocean, and enjoyed reading a book that is set in an ocean community. In fact, the setting in Summer and July is so realistic, I could practically feel the sand and smell the salty ocean breeze.

I loved reading Julliet's transformation as she became more of a Betty, as her "fears" dropped away and she seemed to feel a much less antagonistic towards her mother. Her summer with Summer gives her a confidence that she lacked before arriving in Ocean Park, even allowing her to explore her sexuality. To his credit, Mosier never lets the reader think that Julliet's fears and her Goth look are anything more than an affectation she's picked up from Fern and defense mechanism which suits her anger at her parents for divorcing and the way they dealt with the aftermath of that divorce. Right from the start, it's clear there is someone else under the heavy black eye make up and clothing.

Summer, on the other hand, is such charming, natural, and kind character without any of the shallowness you might associate with pretty blond surfer girls. Summer has an inner strength that enables her to face everyday with a smile and a positive attitude, despite what has happened in her family. And it's this inner strength that she uncovers in Julliet. I also think that by always calling her Betty, she gives Julliet the freedom she needs to find herself away from her everyday life.

Summer and July is an textured, multilayered coming of age story that turned out to be one of the most satisfying books I've read this summer.     

This book is recommended for readers age 10+

This book was an EARC gratefully received from Edelweiss+

MMGM: Chirp by Kate Messner

                     **Contains Spoilers** 

It's the beginning of summer and twelve-year-old Mia Barnes couldn't be happier about moving away from Boston with her family. Mia had been a talented gymnast until she fell off the balance beam, broke her arm, and lost interest in gymnastics. While on the mend, Mia had binged on American Warrior, a reality TV show to avoid thinking about gymnastics. Now, there would be her beloved Gram and her Green Mountain Cricket Farm, the dream business she had begun a few years ago as an alternative source of protein, to think about. Because of a mild stroke, however, Gram is supposed to retire.

No sooner do they arrive, and Gram tells them her cricket farm is being sabotaged probably by a guy named Chet Potsworth, who wants to buy the cricket farm. Instead of selling and retiring, though, Gram introduces them to her new employee Daniel and her new dog Syd. Knowing that her Gram's retirement and the sale of the cricket farm are going to be an obsession with her mother, Mia agrees to attend two different summer camps. One is Launch Camp, a young entrepreneur program, and other, Warrior Camp, a place for Mia's body to heal and strengthen again. It doesn't take long and Mia has made two new friends - Anna, a computer whiz, and Clover, who is a warrior whiz.

Mia believes her Gram when she says her cricket farm is being sabotaged, after all, it's just too much of a coincidence that seagulls, beetles, and fruit flies, enemies of the crickets, suddenly invade the farm, or when most of them die from someone tampering with the temperature controls. Clover, a Nancy Drew fan who loves solving mysteries, is gun-ho about getting to the bottom of this mystery. And while Mia and Clover are working on that, they are also working with Anna to come up with an entrepreneurial plan for increasing business at the cricket farm.

But as much as Mia is enjoying being in Vermont and getting to know her new friends, she has a secret of her own, one she can't bring herself to talk about. Little by little, readers will piece together just what happened to Mia in gymnastics in Boston. But, when Launch Camp has a field trip to UVM to hear a successful businesswoman, Anne Marie Spangler, talking about launching her business, Mia overs her talking afterward about how a former boss has sexually harassed her. Here was a strong, successful woman who had faced the same kind of inappropriate behavior in a man that Mia had faced with her gymnastics coach. After talking to Mia, Anne Marie advises her to talk to her parents or another trusted adult. But can Mia find the strength within herself to do that? It becomes an easier decision when she hears that her younger cousin in Boston is signed up with the same gymnastics coach.

When readers first meet Mia, she's subdued, fearful, and distrustful, no longer the strong, fearless gymnast she was before she broke her arm. At first, it seems that this is all the result of Mia's fall from the balance beam, but slowly readers begin to realize the fall might not have been completely accidental as Mia allows herself to begin thinking about her coach's inappropriate behavior more and more. Messner has done a masterful job of building up the full story of his violation. I felt Mia's shame, her self-blame, her questioning - did it really happen the way she remembered it? Did coach give her that Olympic pin because she was a truly gifted gymnast or to buy her complicity? 

Little by little the fearful girl Mia once was begins to come back, thanks to new friends, new achievements and a loving family. But as she discovers, her #MeToo story has changed her forever and she can never really be the same girl she once was. But, as her Gram tells her: 

"You've been carrying around what happened all this time, getting up every morning, going to school, going to camp, making friends. Do you realize how brave that is?...That's what brave women do. We keep going.Somehow we manage to grieve over things that have happened to up at the same time we're saving the world and running businesses and practicing law and raising families."

Chirp is kind of a mixed bag. It's a book about family, friendship, and the mystery of who is trying to ruin Gram's dream. But it is also a #MeToo story about finding your voice and the courage to speak up. And it is also a story about hope. That may sound like too much going on for a Middle Grade novel, but this is a well crafted story and nothing is gratuitous.

    

And yes, the girls solve the mystery of who is sabotaging the cricket farm. It was fun to read about and  it was not who I expected at all.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+

This book was an eARC gratefully received from NetGalley

Be sure to check out the other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday offerings, now being carried on by Greg at Always in the Middle.

Roller Girl written and illustrated by Victoria Jamieson

I've been using my time sheltering-in-place because of the Coronavirus to catch up on some books I've been meaning to read. One of those is Roller Girl and, boy, was it good.

Astrid and Nicole have been best friends since fifth grade, but now they're 12 and cracks are beginning to show in their friendship. After a night at the roller derby to see Portland's Rose City Rollers, Astrid is obsessed with it, including a star skater named Rainbow Bite. Now, she wants to go to derby camp. There's just one problem - Astrid doesn't know how to skate. Nicole, on the other hand, is a great skater, but couldn't care less about roller derby. Her interest is in ballet...and boys.

But because they are best friends, Astrid automatically assumes that Nicole will want to go to derby camp, too. So you can imagine Astrid's disappointment when Nicole tells her she doesn't want to do that for the summer, but is going to ballet camp instead. Not only that, but Nicole has a new close friend, Rachel, who used to be their enemy. Meanwhile, Astrid's mom, Mrs Vasquez, has signed Astrid up for the Junior Derby Camp, believing Nicole is also going and that her mother will be picking the girls up after camp.

Derby camp is rough, tough and stressful, particularly since Astrid doesn't know how to skate and is the only real beginner there. Yet, despite the bumps and bruises, and the very long, hot walk home to keep up the charade that her friendship with Nicole is fine and that her mother is driving them home, Astrid sticks with it. It's really hard, tiring work, but when her coach sees Astrid walking home, she tells her to take her skates home to get more practice and build up her confidence, she hesitates. The next day, her coach suggest that they practice skating outdoors. It's Astrid's first good day, and she even works up the courage to leave a fangirl note on Rainbow Bite's locker.

Thought things begin to look up for her, there are still some difficult lesson for Astrid to learn before school begins, including trying to reconcile with Nicole, some mother-daughter problems when she is caught in her lie, and accepting just who she is and that it's OK to be different. But the most important lesson is learning to be a good sport and a team player, whether it's roller derby or personal relationships.

Roller Girl is such a wonderful coming of age story, and the graphic format is the perfect medium for it. The colorful panels done by author Victoria Jamieson are all clearly and distinctly illustrated and really capture Astrid's broad range of moods and feelings (and they are broad, she is 12, after all). And roller derby is the perfect metaphor for the ups and downs of Astrid's life the summer before she begins junior high school.

The bumps and bruises Astrid gets while learning to skate and then learning to skate competitively mirror the themes Jamieson explores in the novel, like identity and experimentation (Astrid's blue hair and fake nose ring), perseverance and failure, old and new relationships, change and acceptance. The angst of being that age really rings true to tween life, and isn't so different than when I, or for that matter, my Kiddo, was Astrid's age. And Astrid is such a multi-layered, fully dimensional character that she is someone readers won't easily forget, even if they have not interest in roller derby.

If you haven't read Roller Girl yet, I highly recommend it.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an eBook borrowed from Libby by Overdrive

MMGM: Lalani of the Distant Sea by Erin Entrada Kelly

Twelve-year-old Lalani Sarita lives on the mythical island of Sanlagita, a place where birds do not sing, the prick of a sewing needle while mending fishing nets can mean death, and the people are ruled by the menyoro, who doesn't know that he doesn't know much but his word is still law. Sanlagita is dominated by two mountains. The people of Sanlagita must offer up daily benedictions to dark Mount Kahana in the west in order to avoid trouble from the strange beast that lives there. To the north of Sanlagita is sunny Mount Isa where life is beautiful and bountiful, but whenever men sail off into the Veiled Sea to find it, they are never seen again. Lalani's father had been one of those chosen to try to reach Mount Isa. After he disappeared, she and her mother were forced to live with her mean uncle and his cruel son.

One day, Lalani returns home to find her mother, a mender, scrubbing her finger. Her needle had pricked deeply and dangerously and she soon falls ill with mender's disease. Sadly, a drought has killed all the plants that might be used to cure her mother. One day, Lalani, while chasing a runaway shek, finds herself far up Mount Kahana, where she finds an eyeless man living, who uses his magic token to bring rain to Sanlagita. The rain lasts for weeks and weeks and Lalani, who was seen leaving Mount Kahana, is blamed for it. But when she returns to Mount Kahana, the eyeless man refused to stop the rain unless she gives him her eyes.

Deciding that is a too high a price, Lalani returns home, asks her friend Veyda to move her mother to her house, choses the first boat she sees and sets off across the sea that has already taken the lives of so many men, including her father, to find a cure for her mother and a way to make things right again. After all, it is rumored that there is a bright yellow flower that has the cure nestled inside its petals growing on Mount Isa. Can Lalani survive a journey that others have failed at?

Lalani of the Distant Sea is an interesting book, so different from Erin Entrada Kelly's previous novels. It is a fantasy inspired by her Filipino culture, folklore, and oral tradition, resulting in a story that is as dark as it is hopeful - just like the two mountains dominating the lives of the Sanlagitans.

Lalani is one of my favorite kidlit heroines. She's kind, honest, curious, and I particularly like her fearsomeness even in the face of fear. Imagine setting off into the unknown to find a way to help her mother, in a little boat that isn't even reliable. Though her best friend Veyda may be outwardly rebellious, refusing to do her daily benedictions, Lalani plays by the rules, but quietly goes her own way to help those she loves.

Interspersed throughout Lalani's narrative are short tales about different creatures, complete with black and white illustrations. Do not skip these, thinking they have nothing to do with the plot. This is a well-crafted novel (as are all of Kelly's novels) and she pulls it all together when the plot needs it.

Lalani of the Distant Sea is a multilayered, creative novel, richly and vibrantly written with themes that touch on family, friendship, bravery, bullying, and power, a should-read for everyone whether they are fans of fantasy or not.

If you would like to learn more about creatures in Filipino folklore, click HERE

A helpful Teacher's Guide is available to download HERE

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an EARC gratefully received from Edelweiss+

Be sure to check out the other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday offerings, now being carried on by Greg at Always in the Middle. 

MMGM: We Could Be Heroes by Margaret Finnegan

It isn't easy to set a book on fire, but if you are the owner of a piece of camping equipment called a Survival 4000 Fire Striker with Compass and Whistle, you just might be able to accomplish your mission. At least, that's what Hank Hudson, a sensitive fourth grader, thought when he tried to burn the 495 page book about the Nazis hunting down a young boy that his teacher was reading to the class, a book that he found particularly sad and upsetting.

Hank, who is autistic, generally likes spending his time alone, thinking about and collecting rocks for his vast collection, from which he selects three each day to keep in his pocket and help him through the day. Returning to school after a three day suspension for trying to burn the book, Hank is approached by Maisie Huang, a girl in his class who was totally impressed by Hank's act of rebelliousness. Maisie has decided that he has 'the meatballs' to help her accomplish her own bold-as-brass mission. And she has just the thing needed to get Hank interested - both her parents are geologists and there are lots of rocks at her house.

Maisie's mission is simple - after freeing her neighbor's pit bill Booler, Hank will take him and give him a good home. Booler has epilepsy and his owner, Mr. Jorgensen, keeps him outside and tied to a tree while his two other dogs have free run of the house and yard. Maisie thinks this is cruel and, since Mr. Jorgensen won't let her have the dog, she's devised a plan to free Booler, so he can be Hank's dog, instead.

Little by little, Hank and Maisie become friends, much to the delight of Hank's parents. Maisie is, after all, his first friend and they spend lots of time together acting out The Jungle Book, Hank's favorite movie, while hanging around with Booler in his yard, and sometimes looking for rocks together in the schoolyard. But Maisie can be a strong, determined, even manipulative personality, who is relentless in her need to save Booler. Hank, on the other hand, is quiet and generally content with his rocks. But he does feel Maisie's manipulation and after their first attempt at saving Booler fails, along with Hank's first attempt at lying, he has a complete meltdown and is asked to consider whether she is really a good friend. Yes,  Hank decides, she is. But that doesn't mean the two friends have given up on Booler, not by any stretch of the imagination.

We Could Be Heroes is told in the third person from Hank's point of view, which is an interesting perspective. Interesting because the story isn't about autism so much as it is about how Hank sees, experiences, and navigates the world as a person on the spectrum. I came away with a better understanding of autism, and particularly, autistic meltdowns and I think Finnegan made it very accessible for young readers to understand, as well. For example, Finnegan gave Hank the perfect geological description for the way his meltdowns might feel like to him: A'a is a Hawaiian word that describes the way the surface and bottom layers of lava cool at different rates after a volcanic eruption. With a meltdown, Hank experiences his body as out of sync. On the surface, he feels punctured and bruised by the way sounds, textures, colors, smells poke at him, while inside, he feels dense, heavy and immovable. Later, she describes how Hank's mother helps him regain a sense of evenness after a meltdown.

I have to admit I really didn't like Maisie at first for the same reason Hank is somewhat leery of her. But as Hank and Maisie's friendship begins to really solidify, I began to see her differently, so that by the time Maisie's truth finally comes out, I felt real empathy for her.

One thing I really liked in this book is that Hank's family is intact, that his parents marriage didn't end because of his autism, and that both parents are involved, understanding and, most importantly, patient.

We Could Be Heroes is at times very serious story, that deals with themes like autism, epilepsy, bullying, empathy, and friendships (both age appropriate and intergenerational), but it not one without humor and some very delicious sounding cookies. This is Margaret Finnegan's debut middle grade novel and it is a well-crafted open and honest look at what it means to be different without being less and living one's authentic truth. And definitely not to be missed.

You can find an extensive and very useful Discussion Guide for We Could Be Heroes HERE

Meet the Author:

Margaret Finnegan's work has appeared in FamilyFun, the Los Angeles Times, Salon, and other publications. She lives in South Pasadena, California, where she enjoys spending time with her family, walking her dog, and baking really good chocolate cakes. You can connect with her at MargaretFinnegan.com and 
on Twitter @FinneganBegin and
Instagram  @finneganbegin

This book is recommended for readers age 8+
This book was gratefully received from Barb at Blue Slip Media

Be sure to check out the other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday offerings, now being carried on by Greg at Always in the Middle. 

MMGM: My Jasper June by Laurel Snyder

When I was young, my best friend and I found a secret place inside the dense bushes that grew outside the Prospect Park police station. It was a glorious open space where we would spend summer afternoons eating a picnic lunch we'd packed in a shoebox, reading books, drawing, or just talking. It was a place that got us away from parents and siblings and any problems at home.

Naturally, as soon as I began reading My Jasper June, I found my empathy level increasing for the protagonist, Leah Davidson, 13, from the start. Summer vacation has just begun in Ormewood Park, Atlanta, a place seeped in community traditions, all of which the Davidson family used to happily participate in. But now, a long empty summer looms for Leah. It's only been a year since younger brother Sam died as a result of a drowning accident, and since then, her parents, consumed by overwhelming grief, has been shadows of their former happy, vivacious selves. This summer, her mother forgot to make arrangements for Leah to go to camp, and though her dad suggests she take a class, nothing comes of it. Which is fine by Leah.

After spending the first days of vacation hanging around the house, Leah decides to go for a walk, following a path leading to Red's Farm, a place where she and her family used have picnics. It's there, lying on a rock in the nearby creek, that Leah first sees Jasper. The two girls chat a bit, exchange names, and Leah heads home.

Feeling a strange connection to her, Leah returns to the creek every day, hoping to see Jasper again, and finally she does, running into her while washing her clothes in the creek and wearing a nightgown. Leah invites Jasper home to use their washing machine, and a real friendship begins to form. But when Jasper finally takes Leah to her home, it is nothing like she had expected. Jasper lives alone, in a tiny abandoned house with no electricity or running water, hidden behind vines, shrubs, pines and a veil of morning glories. Jasper's hideaway from the world feels magical to Leah, a adventure right out of the books she loves, but Jasper is quick to let her know there is nothing fantastical about her situation, her homelessness is the stuff of the real world and a painful home situation.

The two girls find support and solace with each other, but Leah has promised Jasper not to reveal her secrets to anyone. A terrible storm that hits while she is visiting Jasper becomes a game change, however, when Leah's dad shows up in the middle of the night. Jasper and her circumstances become the catalyst for all the pain, the secrets, the guilt, and the grief to finally be brought out into the open, resulting in a much needed dialogue in the Davidson household. Jasper's homelessness pulls Leah's parents out of the grief-induced lethargy. Which is great, but what about Jasper? What will happen to her?

I have to admit, as I read, I thought this book would go in one of two directions, either it would be a coming out novel or maybe a story with roots in speculative fiction of the haunting variety. And it does have a feeling of fantasy about it, but without crossing that line. Reality always intrudes, as when Jasper reminds Leah that her life "...isn't a game. We aren't playing Narnia or Hogwarts. This is my real life." It doesn't go in either one of those directions, rather, it is reality fiction plain and simple and it deals with some pretty serious realities - death, grief, guilt, abuse, and homelessness. But it handles these in ways that are thoughtful and Snyder tempers these harsh realities with friendship, healing and hope.

Both Jasper and June are such well-defined, sympathetic, believable characters. Coming from very different backgrounds, each finds themselves in circumstances made difficult by the adults who should have been there for them, but weren't. Their friendship becomes a real godsend, providing them with a secret place to work through their feelings on their own.

Snyder draws wonderful characters, but she is also a master at setting. She has a way of taking her readers into her story and, though careful, vibrant description, makes them feel as if they were an invisible part of the story, watching the action unfold while sensory details wash over them. I know I could smell those morning glories outside Jasper's hideaway. I had the same sensation when I read Orphan Island.

My Jasper June is a satisfying story, and one that is sure to become a middle grade classic.

This book is recommended for readers age 10+
This book was an EARC received from Edelweiss+

Be sure to check out the other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday offerings, now being carried on by Greg at Always in the Middle. 

Stargazing by Jen Wang

Christine Hong is a quiet, reserved Chinese American girl concerned with her grades, church, going to Chinese school, and playing the violin, who nevertheless always feels inadequate in her more traditional Chinese family where hard work and doing well are so highly valued.

When her parents learn that a single Chinese American woman, YuWen Lin and her daughter Moon, are having money problems, they offer them their extra apartment. Moon is Christine's age but the two girls couldn't be more different. Moon is confident, loud, loves listening to K-pop, is vegetarian and Buddhist, and does not attend Chinese school. Moon is also quick with her fists when someone gets in her face. At first, Christine tries to keeps her distance from Moon. Yet, despite their differences, the two girls become best friends and little by little Moon begins to broaden Christine's interests, interests that Christine gladly embraces.

Now that Moon is going to the same school as Christine, she soon begins to make other friends and becomes quite popular. Still, the two friends hang out together, listening to music and dancing. Then, one day, Moon confides in Christine that she believes she is actually a celestial being who doesn't belong on earth and that someday the angel people she constantly draws are going to come for her. Christine seems to accept this but when her grades slip, she starts to distance herself from Moon again. Now, Moon's popularity is causing Christine to feel jealous and at a birthday party for one of the other kids, she leaves Moon's private notebook with her angel people drawings in it for the other kids to see. When they make fun of Moon, she settles things with her fists. Leaving the party, Moon collapses and ends up in the hospital with a serious illness requiring brain surgery.

While Moon is recovering in the hospital, Christine has a lot to think about, including her own feelings and actions. But after all is said and done, is it possible for these two girls to remain friends?

There are a number of things in this graphic novel that I really liked:

First, the illustrations are very appealing. They are simple  and clean and capture the different characters personalities and emotions with clarity, and there is no mixing up characters, which can sometimes happen in graphic novels. Perhaps all this is due to Wang using pencil and ballpoint pen to draw the illustrations, then coloring them in digitally. What do you think?

The first time Christine sees Moon at a church recital

I think that Wang has created a Chinese American community that is very true to life and that by creating such different girls, one raised traditionally, one raised more unconventionally, she is able to show some of the difficulties kids like Christine have navigating their lives as second generation kids and coming to terms with who they really are.

Ultimately, though, Stargazing is a wonderful example of the ups and downs of middle grade friendships and how volatile they can sometimes be. Incorporating Moon's brain tumor creates a really transformative event for both girls as they become their more authentic selves. This is a poignant, realistic story that should appeal to all middle grade readers.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was borrowed from the NYPL

Be sure to check out the other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday offerings, now being carried on by Greg at Always in the Middle. 

Beverly, Right Here by Kate DiCamillo

It's 1979 and it's been four years since Raymie Nightingale, Louisiana Elefante, and Beverly Tapinski found each other and became the Three Rancheros, promising to rescue each other whenever they are needed. In 1975, it had been necessary rescue 10-year-old Raymie (Raymie Nightingale) in order for her to find to true home. And, in 1977, it was 12-year-old Louisiana's turn (Louisiana's Way Home) who needed to rely on her friends to find her true home. Now, it's 14-year-old, Beverly who needs rescuing.

Beverly has always been known for running away from home, and being returned to a alcoholic mother who just wasn't very interested in her. Now, she's done with running away, and after burying her beloved dog Buddy, Beverly figures there's nothing to keep her at home anymore and so she decides to simply leave. Hitching a ride with Joe Travis, a cousin she doesn't much care for (and the feeling is mutual), Beverly makes it as far as Tamaray Beach, Florida.

Walking down the A1A, she comes upon Mr. C's fish restaurant. There, she meets Freddie, the waitress with big, big unrealistic dreams, and owner Mr. Denby, disorganized and depressed now that his wife and three daughters have left him. Open only for lunch, Beverly gets an under-the-table job the busing tables.

Beverly also finds a place to stay with lonely widow Iola Jenkins, who gives her a place to sleep and a flowered nightgown, feeds her a steady diet of tuna melts, and in return Beverly drives Iola's Pontiac to the VFW so she can play bingo.

Beverly also meets cook Doris and dishwasher Charles at work, and Elmer, a bullied, sensitive Dartmouth-bound teen who loves art and is working in the local convenience store for the summer. As Beverly gets to know each of these people, as she begins to be a part of their lives, and they hers, she starts to realize some things about herself as well. They are an eccentric cast of characters as only Kate DiCamillo can put together, but the focus is always on Beverly. Raymie and Louisiana are present throughout the book, mostly in Beverly's thoughts, although only Raymie makes the briefest of appearances at the end of the book. Their presence. however, proves how strong their bond of friendship is and how important they are to Beverly. In fact, friendship is one of the dominant themes, along with loss, trust, hope, home and how we define it, and the importance of just being there for people who rely on Beverly and on whom Beverly rely.   

Beverly, Right Here unfolds as languidly as a hot summer day, as Beverly searches and finds her emotional truth. DiCamillo's sentences are simple enough, yet so powerful and there's not a single gratuitous word in any of them. Beverly's story is a wonderful coming of age tale, and like life, it doesn't come to a neat conclusion, but leaves lots of questions about Beverly's future.

It does make me sad to think that this is probably the last time we will hear about the Three Rancheros, yet I know that one day, I will revisit each their narratives and I suspect it will yield a greater truth then do their individual stories.

You can download a useful Discussion Guide for Beverly, Right Here courtesy of the publisher, Candlewick Press.

This book is recommended for readers age 9+
This book was an EARC received from NetGalley

Be sure to check out the other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday offerings, now being carried on by Greg at Always in the Middle.