THE BIG STING by Rachelle Delaney

Why this book?

Since I love books about nature and all its creatures, I was intrigued to read a story involving bees. I also know that Rachelle Delaney’s books usually have some kind of mystery to solve—and missing beehives is certainly a unique premise.

 I was having so much fun I read this story in one day, and actually laughed out loud a few times. The characters are believable and I loved the idea that Grandpa was leading his more cautious grandson on adventures.

This story also referred to some interesting professions (such as auditor) and included some fun names for computer games, like Applewood Acres. The games sounded so fun I wished they were real! I really enjoyed this book! From a writer’s perspective, I think it would be a good mentor text for anyone writing a contemporary middle grade novel.

Connections: mysteries, neighborhood adventures, bees

Activity Ideas:

Social Emotional Learning: The story mentions several personality types related to an online personality quiz: Auditor, Adventurer, Problem-Solver and Counselor. List the characteristics of each personality. Which ones do you most relate to? What kind of career interests you? Does it fit with your personality type?

Literacy: What are some of the obstacles that Leo faced as they worked to find the missing beehives? How did his character change by the end of the story?

STEAM: Research bees and design a model of a beehive using materials of your choice. Or build a real bee habitat to install outdoors.

MEDIA: Design your own computer game idea by making up a name and rules for how to play. Create an ad for your game in a format of your choice (poster, video).

 

Additional Resources:

25 Bee Activities for Middle Schoolers - Link here.

For my thoughts on some other books by Rachelle Delaney, click on the titles:

The Metro Dogs of Moscow  

Alice Fleck’s Recipes for Disaster

Book description from the publisher (to visit the publisher click here):   

A visit to Leo's grandfather's farm turns upside down when his grandmother's bee hives are stolen. A light-hearted and funny middle-grade novel for fans of Rebecca Stead and Lynda Mullaly Hunt.

Eleven-year-old Leo is an "armchair adventurer." This, according to Dad, means he'd choose adventures in books or video games over real-life experiences. And while Leo hates the label, he can’t argue with it. Unlike his little sister Lizzie, Leo is not a risk-taker.  

So when he, Lizzie, Mom and Dad leave the city to visit Grandpa on Heron Island, Leo finds all kinds of dangers to avoid — from the deep, dark ocean to an old barn on the verge of collapse. But nothing on the island is more fearsome than Grandpa himself — Leo has never met anyone so grumpy! According to Mom, Grandpa is still grieving the recent death of his wife, a beekeeper beloved by everyone on the island.

Despite Leo's best efforts to avoid it, adventure finds him anyway when Grandma’s beehives go missing in the dead of night. Infuriated, Grandpa vows to track down the sticky-fingered thieves himself . . .  with risk-averse Leo and danger-loving Lizzie (plus a kitten named Mayhem) in tow.

The Big Sting, written by Rachelle Delaney was published by Tundra Books in 2023.

 Other reviews of this book (click on title):

Kirkus 

CM

 To find more middle grade books to read, check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, organized by Greg Pattridge over at his blog.

SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS by Joanne Levy - a middle grade novel about being friends and not friends through times of grief and loss

Why this book?

In this story, Evie, a girl who says she doesn’t want any friends, develops a friendship with Oren, a boy whose parents were killed in car accident. Evie’s family owns a funeral home and she helps Oren explore some of his questions about dying. There are few sad moments, but funny ones too. I loved so many things about this book – I learned, I laughed, I cried and I wanted to read it again.

I especially loved the way this shows how kids can work through and learn to accept sad things in life with the help of friends. If you enjoy this book, also read Joanne Levy’s other recent book, The Sun Will Come Out. It’s another wonderful read!

Connections: family, friendship, death, funerals, Jewish traditions, paper quilling,

Activities:

Literacy & Sharing Experiences – Put up a large paper/bulletin board where students can add their thoughts and questions that arise from reading. Invite classmates to post answers from their experiences or research.

Literacy – Create an advice column! Make up three questions/issues that friends might have problems with. Write answers or swap with a friend so they can try to give helpful advice to solve the problems.

Personal Journal – Reflect on times when you were and were not a good friend. When thinking about times where you were not a good friend, think about what you might have done differently. Where might you need help from others to solve a friendship problem?

STEAM - Research paper quilling. Try to create an art project using the technique of paper quilling. Could you create a different cover for the novel?

Resources:

Discussion and Activity Guide 

Q & A with the author from the Orca Books blog

Lessons and activities about friendship from Teacher Planet

The Most Common Friendship Issues in the Classroom – We Are Teachers. Com

 

If students are experiencing grief or loss:

This website helps educators recognize grief and suggests ways to help support grieving children, including children who have experienced COVID-related loss

Children and grief resources from Scholastic

Resources from Winston’s Wish

Description from the publisher:

Evie Walman is not obsessed with death. She does think about it a lot, though, but only because her family runs a Jewish funeral home. At twelve, Evie already knows she’s going to be a funeral director when she grows up. So what if the kids at school call her “corpse girl” and say she smells like death? They’re just mean and don’t get how important it is to have someone take care of things when your world is falling apart.

 Evie loves dusting caskets, polishing pews, and vacuuming the chapel—and on funeral days, she dresses up and hands out tissues and offers her condolences to mourners. She doesn’t normally help her parents with the grieving families directly, until one day when they ask her to help with Oren, a boy who was in a horrific car accident that killed both his parents. Oren refuses to speak and Evie, who is nursing her own private grief, is determined to find a way to help him deal with his loss.

Sorry for Your Loss by Joanne Levy was published by Orca Books in 2021.

VIOLETS ARE BLUE by Barbara Dee – a story about coping with a parent’s addiction

Why you want to read this book…

Barbara Dee always creates realistic and emotionally satisfying stories so I was super excited to read this latest novel. What an absorbing dive into a character with lots of personality and challenges! I love how Wren explored a different side of her personality when she moved to a new town to start over – including changing her name. It’s super interesting to follow her story as she struggles with friendships, her relationship with her parents and even how to act with a boy that likes her when she just wants to be friends. 

This book was definitely never boring! Wren has to deal with some really difficult things, like the weird way her mom is acting. One of the really cool things about this story is Wren’s unique interest in special effects makeup, which leads her to doing the makeup for the witch in a school production of Wicked. A great contemporary MG novel that’s definitely worth reading, especially if you like reading about family and friendship issues.

 

Here’s the summary from the publisher…  

 Twelve-year-old Wren loves makeup—special effect makeup, to be exact. When she is experimenting with new looks, Wren can create a different version of herself. A girl who isn’t in a sort-of-best friendship with someone who seems like she hates her. A girl whose parents aren’t divorced and doesn’t have to learn to like her new stepmom.

So, when Wren and her mom move to a new town for a fresh start, she is cautiously optimistic. And things seem to fall into place when Wren meets potential friends and gets selected as the makeup artist for her school’s upcoming production of Wicked.

Only, Wren’s mom isn’t doing so well. She’s taking a lot of naps, starts snapping at Wren for no reason, and always seems to be sick. And what’s worse, Wren keeps getting hints that things aren’t going well at her new job at the hospital, where her mom is a nurse. And after an opening night disaster leads to a heartbreaking discovery, Wren realizes that her mother has a serious problem—a problem that can’t be wiped away or covered up.

After all the progress she’s made, can Wren start over again with her devastating new normal? And will she ever be able to heal the broken trust with her mom?

Violets Are Blue by Barbara Dee is published by Simon & Schuster and comes out on September 21, 2021. I read a review copy provided by the publisher.

Teaching resources:   A recent interview with Barbara Dee about some of her books, including Maybe He Just Likes Me from Fairfax County Schools

Paper Heart by Cat Patrick - a story about coping after a devastating change

Why you want to read this book…

I was so interested to find out that this story takes up after the events of Cat Patrick’s other book, Tornado Brain (see my review of Tornado Brain here). One of the cool things about this story is that it’s told from the other sister’s perspective! This story has a sad start, since the main character Tess is dealing with the loss of her best friend, Colette. She decides to go to the family cabin with her aunt and uncle, separating herself from her twin Frankie. Tess meets some new friends and slowly begins to heal.

 An aspect of this book that I loved was that Tess goes to an art day camp, and tries experimenting with different art techniques. There’s also a boy, Izzy, who becomes important in her life. I thought it was really realistic the way her mom and aunt didn’t realize how much she needed help at first, but did end up getting her counseling. This is a really absorbing read. If you enjoyed Tornado Brain, you’ll love this one too, but you can definitely read it on its own.

 

 

 

 

Here’s the summary from the publisher…

Tess has always understood her role in her family. She is supposed to be the "okay" one. The one no one has to worry about. But all Tess does is worry, constantly picking at her fingers every time a new worry arises. Still grieving her best friend's death, she is consumed by the fear that everything was her fault and her sadness that Colette is never coming back. Worse still, it seems like everyone else has found a way to move on, even her twin sister Frankie. When her mom decides a change of location might do her good, Tess finds herself on an airplane bound for her aunt's house in small town Wyoming and a summer vacation attending art camp.

Tess thinks she might never be able to move on from losing Colette but her quirky but determined cousin Kennedy and new friend Izzy are determined to help. When Tess becomes convinced that Colette's ghost might be haunting her, Kennedy and Izzy find new ways for Tess to make peace with the past and finally let go of the grief that has been haunting her heart.

Paper Heart by Cat Patrick was published by Penguin Random House in 2021. I read an e-version from my local public library.

Teaching resources: Here's an article from Seattle Refined interviewing Cat Patrick about her inspiration for Frankie's character and writing characters we might not see as often in children's stories.

If you’re looking for another thought-provoking, maybe funny, or maybe both, middle grade book to read, check out the list for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Greg Pattridge's blog.

LAURA INGALLS IS RUINING MY LIFE by Shelley Tougas

I can’t believe I missed this one when it came out! It was a really absorbing read. 

Why you want to read this book…

 The writer did a wonderful job of making Charlotte and the other characters feel real. I liked the way Charlotte thought about the connection between her own life and the historical articles she was reading. 

Even though I am a fan of the “Little House” books and really enjoyed them, I am aware of how problematic they are, and it was great to see some of the bias and facts being carefully woven into the story. I also liked the way Charlotte’s teacher challenged and encouraged her.

 

 Here’s the summary from the publisher:

 A life on the prairie is not all its cracked up to be for one girl whose mom takes her love of the Little House series just a bit too far.

 Charlotte’s mom has just moved the family across the country to live in Walnut Grove, “childhood home of pioneer author Laura Ingalls Wilder.” Mom’s idea is that the spirit of Laura Ingalls will help her write a bestselling book. But Charlotte knows better: Walnut Grove is just another town where Mom can avoid responsibility. And this place is worse than everywhere else the family has lived—it’s freezing in the winter, it’s small with nothing to do, and the people talk about Laura Ingalls all the time. Charlotte’s convinced her family will not be able to make a life on the prairie—until the spirit of Laura Ingalls starts getting to her, too.

Laura Ingalls Is Ruining My Life by Shelley Tougas was published by Roaring Brook Press in 2017. I read an e-version from my local public library.

 

If you’re looking for another fun middle grade book to read, check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Greg Pattridge's blog.

THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS by Ann Braden – a powerful and emotional story about choosing the right path

This is a book worth taking some time to read and think about. I really liked how the teacher helped encourage the main character and helped her figure out how to participate in the debate club.

Why read this book?

It’s a powerful story with a lot of emotional depth that will get you thinking. I loved the determined spirit of the main character Zoey and the strength of her caring for her family. I really enjoyed the way the main character learned to think about her life differently and to speak up and choose. Even though Zoey didn’t have a chose to join the debate club, it was interesting how it helped her think about her life differently and to speak up. The story had a hopeful ending, despite the fact that her family situation continued to be challenging. I also really enjoyed the octopus facts included in the story!

 

Here’s the summary:

Some people can do their homework. Some people get to have crushes on boys. Some people have other things they've got to do.

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there's Lenny, her mom's boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they're in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it's best if no one notices them.

Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she's not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia's situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they're better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she's ever had?

This moving debut novel explores the cultural divides around class and the gun debate through the eyes of one girl, living on the edges of society, trying to find her way forward.

 

The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden was published by Sky Pony Press in 2018. I read an e-version from my local public library.

ALL THE GREYS ON GREENE STREET by Laura Tucker

Coping with the unusual is definitely something that's on my mind these days. All the mysterious happenings in this story kept me hooked.

Description from the publisher:

SoHo, 1981. Twelve-year-old Olympia is an artist--and in her neighborhood, that's normal. Her dad and his business partner Apollo bring antique paintings back to life, while her mother makes intricate sculptures in a corner of their loft, leaving Ollie to roam the streets of New York with her best friends Richard and Alex, drawing everything that catches her eye.

Then everything falls apart. Ollie's dad disappears in the middle of the night, leaving her only a cryptic note and instructions to destroy it. Her mom has gone to bed, and she's not getting up. Apollo is hiding something, Alex is acting strange, and Richard has questions about the mysterious stranger he saw outside. And someone keeps calling, looking for a missing piece of art. . . .

Olympia knows her dad is the key--but first, she has to find him, and time is running out.

All the Grey’s on Greene Street by Laura Tucker was published by Viking, an imprint of Penguin Random House, in 2019.

Why you want to read this book…

All the aspects of the art studio, the artist loft and Ollie’s lifestyle were intriguing, but what really tugged at my heart was the predicament Ollie was put in. Reading about how Ollie tried to cope with her father leaving and her mother’s depression made for a strong, emotional experience.  I also really enjoyed all the details about art!

 

Opening:

May Day is the first day of May.

“Mayday” is a radio signal used by ships and aircraft in distress.

This spring, May Day was the first day that my mom didn’t get out of bed.

If you’re a writer…

You might be interested in the way the author left space for the reader to interpret and think about what is going on. The way the author described the art techniques put me right there in the moment. This is a good book to study to see how different threads of plot are wound up and tied together at the end.

I hate charcoal. You’d think I’d like it because there’s no color involved, but I hate the horrible scratching sound it makes against the paper and the smudgy mess of it.

If you’re an educator or parent…

A great story for a read aloud to open up discussions about feelings, different kinds of families, and coping with family troubles. The art and the mystery give the story lots of ways to interest readers.

  

If you’re looking for another great list of middle grade books to read, check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Greg Pattridge's blog.

DOG DRIVEN by Terry Lynn Johnson

I’m always drawn to stories about outdoor adventures and this is a great one with a female main character! Bonus points that it’s also a story about dogs and takes place in Northern Ontario.

Description from the publisher:

McKenna Barney is trying to hide her worsening eyesight and has been isolating herself for the last year. But at the request of her little sister, she signs up for a commemorative mail run race in the Canadian wilderness—a race she doesn’t know if she can even see to run.

Winning would mean getting her disease—and her sister’s—national media coverage, but it would also pit McKenna and her team of eight sled dogs against racers from across the globe for three days of shifting lake ice, sudden owl attacks, snow squalls, and bitterly cold nights.

 A page-turning adventure about living with disability and surviving the wilderness, Dog Driven is the story of one girl’s self-determination and the courage it takes to trust in others.

Dog Driven by Terry Lynn Johnson Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2019.

Why you want to read this book...

It’s a fast-paced read with a strong main character that has to make challenging choices. I learned a lot about Stargardt disease, as well as dog sledding, but mainly I  was in it for the exciting adventure of the dog sled race. I loved how McKenna fought through her deteriorating vision, snow and ice for her sister, her dogs and her friends. And she ended up learning something about herself, too.

Opening:

Whoever’s behind me is coming fast.

I peek over my shoulder and see a blurry line of shapes bearing down. Mustard glances back too, then faces forward and digs in.

If you’re a writer…

You might be interested in how the author weaves in the backstory about Stargardt disease and the details of the medical issues without dragging the pace and taking away from the action. It was interesting how she created fully rounded characters and showed their different reactions to the challenges of the disease and the dog sled race.

If you’re an educator…

This is a great book to have on hand for kids who enjoy wilderness survival stories like Gary Paulsen’s Hatchet, but with a more modern take. For more stories about sled dogs, try Terry Lynn Johnson's Ice Dogs (see my review here).

  

If you’re looking for another great list of middle grade books to read, check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Greg Pattridge's blog.

MORE TO THE STORY by Hena Khan

I just loved this book! After I read it, I learned that it’s a re-imagining of the classic, Little Women. Except in this version, there are four sisters in a Muslim, Pakistani American family.

Description from the publisher

When Jameela Mirza is picked to be feature editor of her middle school newspaper, she’s one step closer to being an award-winning journalist like her late grandfather. The problem is her editor-in-chief keeps shooting down her article ideas. Jameela’s assigned to write about the new boy in school, who has a cool British accent but doesn’t share much, and wonders how she’ll make his story gripping enough to enter into a national media contest.

Jameela, along with her three sisters, is devastated when their father needs to take a job overseas, away from their cozy Georgia home for six months. Missing him makes Jameela determined to write an epic article—one to make her dad extra proud. But when her younger sister gets seriously ill, Jameela’s world turns upside down. And as her hunger for fame looks like it might cost her a blossoming friendship, Jameela questions what matters most, and whether she’s cut out to be a journalist at all…

More to the Story by Hena Khan was published by Salaam Reads, a division of Simon and Schuster, in 2019.

Why you want to read this book:

What I loved most about this story were the strong, believable characters and the way the family sticks together no matter what.  It was so interesting to have a glimpse into Jameela’s family and their culture. I felt like I was experiencing everything right along with Jameela. This is a story with a lot of heart.

Opening:

“This is the worst Eid ever!” Aleeza flops onto the sofa and grabs the TV remote.

If you’re a writer…

You might want to read this and think about how the author develops characters through small interactions with the other characters in the story, and by sharing her thoughts and feelings. I also liked the way the author introduced important topics like microaggression and digital media use naturally within the context of the story.

If you’re an educator…

This would be a lovely, but quieter book to recommend for readers who are interested in family stories. There are lots of ways for readers to connect to the story through typical middle grade issues of friendship, crushes and conflict between kids in a school club. A great book to add if you’re trying to broaden your collection of diverse stories.

  

If you’re looking for more middle grade books to read, check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Greg Pattridge's blog.

THE DOUGHNUT KING by Jessie Janowitz – Doughnuts and a caring boy’s plan to save a small town

It’s probably going to seem that I love to read books about  baking (okay, maybe I do) but  I got really involved in this story. (Bonus recipes at the back again, too). I read this one as a hardcover from my local library.

Description from the publisher:

When Tris tries to save his doughnut business and town by competing on a cooking show, will he have what a takes, or lose it all?

Tris Levin thought moving from New York City to middle-of-nowhere Petersville meant life would definitely get worse. . . only it actually got better. But just when things are looking up, problems start rolling in. His doughnut business has a major supply issue. And that's not the worst part, Petersville has its own supply problem-it doesn't have enough people. Folks keep moving away and if they can't get people to stay, Petersville may disappear.

Petersville needs to become a tourist destination, and his shop could be a big part of it, if Tris can keep up with demand. There's only one solution: The Belshaw Donut Robot. If Tris can win "Can You Cut It," the cutthroat competitive kids' cooking show, he can get the cash to buy the machine. But even with the whole town training and supporting him, Tris isn't sure he can live with what it takes to takes to win.

The Doughnut King by Jessie Janowitz was published by Source Books, Inc. in 2019.

Why you want to read this book:

If you love watching cooking contests on TV, you’ll enjoy this book! Tris is a determined character. He helps to run his own doughnut shop (so cool!) and is trying to find a way to produce more doughnuts to meet customer demand. It will also help bring business to the small town where he lives. Tris has an interesting team of friends, two sisters with very different personalities, and he meets a few more interesting characters when he gets to the contest.  A fun story with a couple of twists and turns and a great ending that wraps things up. And did I mention the robot?

Opening:

YES! I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. And I wasn’t the only one.  

If you’re a writer…

I’d study the pacing in this novel. The story kept me interested all the way through. I really liked how Tris’ family was included in the story, coming in and out at the right moments but not taking over or saving the day.

I had never seen anything so beautiful. It was all stainless steel and shiny. It mixed. It fried. It glazed and injected. The Donut Robot did it all.

                                   

If you’re an educator…

At first Tris shies away from the challenge of going on Can You Cut It? because he doesn’t think he can do it. But I loved the way he persevered and tried it anyway. I also really liked the realism the author brought in when Tris makes a really bad decision—and then later admits he was wrong.

I ripped off my microphone and sprinted out of the room and down the hall, my eyes on the checkered tiles flying by. I didn’t want to have to see anyone.

Check out this fun book trailer!  

The author, Jessie Janowitz, shows us how to bake a favourite recipe while she talks about the book on Storymakers in the Kitchen:  

  

If you’re looking for another great list of middle grade books to read, check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Greg Pattridge's blog.