I haven't seen too many books where the main character does something they have dreamed about for a really long time...and then rejects it. In this story, Peter Lee, a Korean boy with asthma, is obsessed with dinosaurs. He wants to be a paleontologist and is looking forward to a family trip to Drumheller, Alberta and the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Paleontology.
But everything turns out a little differently than Peter expects--and he ends up feeling like a big failure. In the meantime things with his family are getting confusing and complicated. His grandmother is acting strangely, his mom is stressing about his academics and his little sister, a genius, is getting to be more and more annoying.
I loved how Peter learned to cope with his disappointments and feelings of failure as well as the declining health of his grandmother. Peter also had to navigate how to fit in at school with mean kids and his friends, as well as managing his parents’ high expectations. I especially liked how Peter struggled with his relationship with his younger sister. Drawings by Julie Kwon helped to show the reader Peter’s growing artistic abilities.
Teaching Connections:
scientific observations, paleontology, bullying, family relationships, parent expectations, fitting in with friends
This is one of my favorite middle grade reads
of this year! I really enjoyed this story about learning to find your place, told from
the perspectives of two girls with very different personalities and cultural
backgrounds. Both characters really came alive through all the details of their
families and their culture, as well as their voices. It was great to learn more learn about
different cultural foods and traditions. I also got hooked on whether Elizabeth and
Sara would be able
to resolve all the problems that came up with their families and friends.
This book gave me something to think about in reading about all the difficulties and feelings that come into
play for kids whose parents are also struggling to deal with issues such as
mental health, immigrating to a new country and trying to make a place for
themselves. I’d love to
read another book with these two characters, because it was hard to put this
one down.
A timely,
accessible, and beautifully written story exploring themes of food, friendship,
family and what it means to belong, featuring sixth graders Sara, a Pakistani
American, and Elizabeth, a white, Jewish girl taking a South Asian cooking
class taught by Sara’s mom.
Sixth graders Sara
and Elizabeth could not be more different. Sara is at a new school that is
completely unlike the small Islamic school she used to attend. Elizabeth has
her own problems: her British mum has been struggling with depression. The
girls meet in an after-school South Asian cooking class, which Elizabeth takes
because her mom has stopped cooking, and which Sara, who hates to cook, is
forced to attend because her mother is the teacher. The girls form a shaky
alliance that gradually deepens, and they make plans to create the most
amazing, mouth-watering cross-cultural dish together and win a spot on a local
food show. They make good cooking partners . . . but can they learn to trust
each other enough to become true friends?
A Place at the Tableby Saadia Faruqi and Laura Shovan was
published by Clarion Books in 2020. I read an e-book from my local library.
Additional Resources:
Here's a wonderful interview with the authors about their inspiration and how they worked together to create the 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 Blueby 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
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.
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.
Thanks so much to #KickButtKidLit for the chance to win this book! I
really loved the writing and the story. Didn’t
want to put it down.
Description from the publisher:
She had always heard that the eagle chooses the eagle hunter. She wanted
that. She wanted her eagle to come to her. To choose her.
It goes against all tradition for Aisulu to train an eagle, for among
the Kazakh nomads, only men can fly them. But everything changes when Aisulu
discovers that her brother, Serik, has been concealing a bad limp that risks
not just his future as the family's leader, but his life too.
When her parents leave to seek a cure for Serik in a distant hospital,
Aisulu finds herself living with her intimidating uncle and strange auntie —
and secretly caring for an orphaned baby eagle. To save her brother and keep
her family from having to leave their nomadic life behind forever, Aisulu must
earn her eagle’s trust and fight for her right to soar. Along the way, she
discovers that family are people who choose each other, home is a place you
build, and hope is a thing with feathers. Erin Bow’s lyrical middle grade debut
is perfect for fans of original animal-friendship stories like Pax and Because
of Winn Dixie.
Stand on the Sky by Erin Bow was published by Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt in 2019.
Why you want to read this book:
It’s a compelling story about the growing bond between a fiercely
determined girl and an equally fierce eagle. It’s also a story about a family
holding together in a time of crisis. I loved learning about eagles, about the
Kazakh nomads, about a different way of life. Aisulu’s determination to help
train the eagle and to help her brother made me root for her to succeed.
Opening:
There was no sign of Serik’s horse.
If you’re a writer…
You’ll want to read this to study how specific
details can make setting and characters feel alive. The writing in this story
is so lovely! Erin Bow gives us images and experiences for all of the senses. I
wasimpressed to learn about all the
research that went into creating this book. She spent a summer living with a
Kazakh eagle hunter and his family to make sure she got all the details right.
This shows how important it is to do your research!
If you’re an educator…
This book will be a wonderful addition to your collection of stories with strong female
characters. Set in a country I haven't read about before, this story shows how a family gets through their troubles. And how you can find friendship anywhere--even with a fierce and beautiful bird. I really loved Aisulu's determination and willingness to take risks.
In a land where
girls are supposed to have hearts made of milk, Aisulu had a heart made of sky.
Check out another review of this book from Quill & Quire.
I didn’t
know anything about this book when I reserved at my local library, but I just
couldn’t put this down.
Description from the publisher…
Eleven-year-old
Isabella’s parents are divorced, so she has to switch lives every week: One
week she’s Isabella with her dad, his girlfriend Anastasia, and her son Darren
living in a fancy house where they are one of the only black families in the
neighborhood. The next week she’s Izzy with her mom and her boyfriend John-Mark
in a small, not-so-fancy house that she loves.
Because of
this, Isabella has always felt pulled between two worlds. And now that her
parents are divorced, it seems their fights are even worse, and they’re always
about HER. Isabella feels even more stuck in the middle, split and divided
between them than ever. And she’s is beginning to realize that being split
between Mom and Dad is more than switching houses, switching nicknames,
switching backpacks: it’s also about switching identities. Her dad is black,
her mom is white, and strangers are always commenting: “You’re so exotic!” “You
look so unusual.” “But what are you really?” She knows what they’re really
saying: “You don’t look like your parents.” “You’re different.” “What race are
you really?” And when her parents, who both get engaged at the same time, get
in their biggest fight ever, Isabella doesn’t just feel divided, she feels
ripped in two. What does it mean to be half white or half black? To belong to
half mom and half dad? And if you’re only seen as half of this and half of
that, how can you ever feel whole?
It seems
like nothing can bring Isabella’s family together again—until the worst
happens. Isabella and Darren are stopped by the police. A cell phone is mistaken
for a gun. And shots are fired.
Blended by Sharon Draper was published by Atheneum
Books for Young Readers in 2018.
Why you want to read this book…
Isabella is
an engaging character with family problems that feel very real. I wanted to
know what would happen, especially through the tension of wedding planning and
preparing for her big performance. I also love learning from what I read and
this story made me think about individual differences and racism.
Opening:
Plunk.
Plink.
Ripple.
Rumble.
Tinkle.
Boomble. I know that’s not an actual
word, but it’s a real sound. I can create any musical combination of sounds on
my piano. That’s my superpower.
If you’re a writer…
What you’ll
admire right away is the voice. Love the main character’s opinions on everything,
and especially her own life and her family. It was really interesting the way
the book was structured through Isabella’s calendar of days with her mom and
days with her dad.
My sneakers are sinking into the soft
muck of the flower bed. The smell of fertilizer makes me gag. I just want to
keep sinking into the mud until I disappear forever.
If you’re an educator…
Many kids will relate to this story of being shuffled between two parents and two
different cultures and backgrounds. What happens after Isabella and Darren get
stopped by the police or even the very fact that they are stopped opens the door for class debate and discussion.
“I love you, Mom, but I’m not white.
I never will be, and…I don’t want to be. Because the half of me that is Daddy
is stronger.”
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.
The marshals
are looking for the perfect girl to join a mother, father, and son on the run
from the nation’s most notorious criminals. After all, the bad guys are
searching for a family with one kid, not two, and adding a streetwise girl who
knows a little something about hiding things may be just what the marshals
need.
Nicki swears
she can keep the Trevor family safe, but to do so she’ll have to dodge hitmen,
cyberbullies, and the specter of standardized testing, all while maintaining
her marshal-mandated B-minus average. As she barely balances the
responsibilities of her new identity, Nicki learns that the biggest threats to
her family’s security might not lurk on the road from New York to North
Carolina, but rather in her own past.
Greetings from Witness Protection, written by Jake Burt, was published
by Feiwel and Friends in 2017.
Why you want to read this book…
It’s a story
that delivers everything that’s great about family-oriented middle grade novels
–the struggles of making friends and fitting at school, dealing with family
issues, having a younger sibling and, oh yeah, the tension of hiding from “the
bad guys.” I really enjoyed Nicki’s
process of working to maintain her “secret identity” and solve all the problems
that came up along the way, like social media. This story was so much fun!
I actually know more about
countersurveillance techniques than I do about algebra now.
Opening:
I’m working on making a world. I’ve
got the mountains and valleys, an ocean and continents. It’s a slow process,
though, since I use only my hands. Well, my hands and a couple of tennis balls.
If you’re a writer…
This is a
wonderful mentor text for studying how to build character. I loved the way we
learned more about Nicki as the story went along, her unusual habits that
helped to show her emotional side, and her keen sense of observation that
helped her so much in solving problems. She has a strong, but loveable
personality and a great voice for telling the story. There are also some fun
references to other books in this story.
It’s ultimately the flicker of the
tiny hallway light coming through my keyhole that forces me into action;
someone is definitely out there, definitely sneaking.
If you’re an educator…
Who wouldn’t
want to put themselves in Nicki’s place to help save a family from paying the
ultimate price? A great read aloud that offers opportunities for discussion
about the meaning of family, different kinds of family structure and how to
cope with difficult life experiences, with an intriguing premise and lots of
humor.
I think sometimes they forget that
kids are putting on performances all day, just acting like the people we think
we are until, ten years from now, when we figure out who that actually is.
Extras...
I really
enjoyed watching Jake Burt’s response to Colby Sharp’s one question where he
talks about balancing teaching and writing, and the resilience of fifth
graders:
If you’re looking for more to read, check out
the list of fabulous middle grade books over at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday on Greg Pattridge's
blog.
For
ten-year-old Cadence Jolly, birthdays are a constant reminder of all that has
changed since her mother skipped town with dreams of becoming a singing star.
Cadence inherited that musical soul, she can't deny it, but otherwise she
couldn't be more different -- she's shy as can be.
She did make
a promise last year that she would try to break out of her shell, just a
little. And she prayed that she'd get the courage to do it. As her eleventh
birthday draws near, she realizes time is running out. And when a secret
recording of her singing leaks and catches the attention of her whole church,
she needs to decide what's better: deceiving everyone by pretending it belongs
to someone else, or finally stepping into the spotlight.
The Sweetest Sound, written by Sherri Winston, was
published by Little, Brown and Company in 2017.
Why you want to read this book…
As an
introvert myself, I could emphasize with Cadence’s fear of speaking to others
and her anxiety about singing in public. It was interesting how her friends
reacted differently after they discovered her singing ability. I really
wanted to read on to find out what happened to their friendships!
A funny thing happens when people are
constantly trying to fix you: Eventually you believe you need fixing. Being
everyone’s favorite makeover project was simply exhausting.
Opening:
Birthday s are a problem for me.
If you’re a writer…
You might
want to take a closer look at this book to see how the author used sensory
details to help create emotion and build character. Even though I’m not
religious, I liked the way the author included references to God and the
details of the religious side of Cadence’s life as part of her church. It helped her character to feel like a real person. There
are some fun references to other middle grade books that writers may
appreciate.
I breathed in air that was cold and
tasted like winter, even though the calendar still said fall.
If you’re an educator…
I think this
novel has the power to inspire quieter students who may be worried about taking
risks to show their inner selves. The thread of Cadence learning to cope with
the mom who left her and strengthening her relationships with other adults may
strike a chord with some students.
Sometimes when the doorbell rang
unexpectedly, for a brief second, I thought she’d be there. Waiting. And I
never felt sure if the idea of her showing up made me happy or sad.
For another
take on this book, check out Greg Pattridge’s review here.
There’s lots more middle grade fun for
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Greg Pattridge's
blog.
At first, I
wasn’t sure I’d like this book but as I kept reading, I found I couldn’t put it
down! A compelling & thought-provoking story that's also a lot of fun.
Description from the publisher:
Mia Tang has
a lot of secrets: Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day,
while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front
desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests. Number 2: Her parents hide
immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting
them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed. Number 3: She
wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to
math because English is not her first language?
It will take
all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will
she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr.
Yao, and go for her dreams?
Front Desk, written by Kelly Yang, was
published by Arthur A. Levine Books, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc. in 2018.
Why you want to read this book…
It’s an
absorbing read that takes you right inside another person’s life and
experiences. I grew quite emotionally connected to Mia and was rooting for
things in her life to work out. Reading the stories of the different immigrants
Mia’s family helped made me feel sad, but also inspired me. It was great, too,
how this book showed that making friends isn’t always that easy, especially
when you don’t have the things that other kids have.
That night I could not stop thinking
about Uncle Li and how he was willing to do anything, go literally anywhere,
even into the belly of a Dumpster, to get what he wanted.
Opening:
My parents told me that America would
be this amazing place where we could live in a house with a dog, do whatever we
want, and eat hamburgers till we were red in the face.
If you’re a writer…
You might study
this novel to get a good sense of a strong middle grade perspective. Everything
in this novel comes from Mia’s point of view. There are lots of small details
that create an authentic reading experience. I also really enjoyed all the
references to writing!
Panic seized me. The words were so
open and exposed. My story looked like a belly button. I immediately wanted to
cover it.
If you’re a teacher…
I thought so
much about my own place in the world and my privilege while I was reading this
story. An excellent choice for reading aloud, to get kids thinking deeper about
the experiences of being an immigrant or sharing their own experiences and feelings.
This book also provides several examples of practical writing for letters or
job recommendations, and I loved how hard Mia worked to get her writing right.
He and his friends stopped talking,
but I could feel their eyeballs on me. I could feel them sinking into my pants.
A good story about new beginnings and making friends.
Description from the publisher:
Juliet has
just moved to a beachside town with her newly separated mother and her moody
older sister. When she meets their new neighbor, Emma, the girls form an
instant bond. Emma's big family takes Juliet in, and the girls have fun
together, starting with the night they throw bottles with secret messages into
the sea.
Then someone
writes back to Juliet's message. An email arrives, inviting her to join the
Starry Beach Club. All she has to do is make someone else's wish come true.
So Juliet
and Emma set off to help as many other people as they can. It's fun! But as
Juliet spends more and more time away from home, enjoying her new town and
Emma's family more than her own mom and sister, she starts feeling lost. It's
been easy to find others to help. But maybe her star would shine a little
brighter if she brought it closer to home.
See You on a Starry Night, written by Lisa Shroeder, was
published by Scholastic Press in 2018.
Why you want to read this book…
This is a
lovely story about new beginnings – or how to cope when your life completely
changes. Juliet’s friendships and feelings are portrayed in a realistic way. This
novel follows the everyday experiences of Juliet, but it’s never boring. Small
mysteries, interesting details and conflicts create a richly textured story. I appreciated the connections to the art of Vincent Van Gogh.
Opening:
Casper, my old, white, kitty, sat
perched on my nightstand, studying me like I might unpack a can of tuna any
second. Poor cat. No tuna here, just all of the moving boxes marked Juliet.
If you’re a writer…
One of the
cool (and quirky) things about this book is Juliet’s habit of making lists! A great model if
you’re interested in incorporating lists into a novel. I also really liked the
way memories are incorporated in the story to reveal more about her character. Here's part of one of Juliet's lists:
Some of my other wishes
·World peace
·Life on Mars
·For animals to live forever
·A library in every neighborhood
If you’re a teacher…
There are so
many great possibilities for activities related to this book: writing a message in a bottle, writing lists
using the headings of Juliet’s lists as prompts, finding out the meanings of
interesting words, and planning a wish come true for someone like Juliet and
Emma do in this story. I really liked
the emphasis on doing good deeds and how caring the girls were in this story.
But the more time that went by, the
more I knew the chances of that happening were really, really small.
Smaller than a ladybug’s wing.
Smaller than a watermelon seed.
Smaller than the tip of a fine-point
pen.
Some related music for inspiration (or to use as a writing prompt):
Start your school year off right with a list of good books to read from Marvelous Middle Grade Monday at Greg Pattridge's blog.
