Marvelous Middle Grade Monday – THE WILD ROBOT

I'd heard a lot about this book and was really looking forward to reading it! I didn't know about all the illustrations, so that was a lovely surprise.

Description from Amazon:

Can a robot survive in the wilderness?

When robot Roz opens her eyes for the first time, she discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island. She has no idea how she got there or what her purpose is--but she knows she needs to survive. After battling a fierce storm and escaping a vicious bear attack, she realizes that her only hope for survival is to adapt to her surroundings and learn from the island's unwelcoming animal inhabitants.

As Roz slowly befriends the animals, the island starts to feel like home--until, one day, the robot's mysterious past comes back to haunt her.

From bestselling and award-winning author and illustrator Peter Brown comes a heartwarming and action-packed novel about what happens when nature and technology collide.

                    

The Wild Robot was written and illustrated by Peter Brown and published by Little Brown and Company in 2016.

My Take:

I haven’t read a middle grade book with talking animals for a while, and I enjoyed this one. I was so interested in finding out what would happen to Roz, I read it very fast. But I’d read it again to again to study the illustrations more closely and absorb all the layers of meaning.

I enjoyed the details of the natural setting and animal behavior, as well as Roz’s understandings and communications about it. By the time I got to the end, I really wanted to find out what happens next. I hope there is a sequel!

For writers: 

It’s interesting to think about how Peter Brown managed to create a robot with warmth and kindness, while still keeping her robot-like characteristics and personality. I especially liked how the lessons and strategies the robot tried to learn were emphasized throughout the story. 

Opening Line:

“Our story begins on the ocean, with wind and rain and thunder and lightning and waves.”

Quotes:

“Roz could feel her Survival Instincts—the part of her computer brain that made her want to avoid danger and take care of herself so she could continue functioning properly.”

“Performing could be survival strategy! If the opossum could pretend to be dead, the robot could pretend to be alive. She could act less robotic and more natural.”

“It was a mystery why her computer brain knew certain things but not others.”

Other Info:

Peter Brown is an author and illustrator living in Brooklyn, NY. He has written and illustrated many picture books, such as My Teacher is a Monster, Mr. Tiger Goes Wild,  Will You Be My Friend? and Children Make Terrible Pets.  He also illustrated one of my favorites, Creepy Carrots. The Wild Robot is his first middle grade novel.

Peter Brown's blog post on how The Wild Robot developed is fascinating. He explains many considerations he had while planning, such as deciding on the gender of the robot, the setting, and where the initial idea came from. I was especially interested in how long it took for this story to develop – eight years!

I also really enjoyed reading Peter Brown’s description of what the story is about and what Roz learns. Here's a snippet: “But the most important lesson Roz learns is that kindness can be a survival skill. And she uses kindness to develop friends and a family and a peaceful life for herself. Until her mysterious past catches up with her.”

Looking for more middle grade reads? Check out the list of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books over at author Shannon Messenger's blog.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday - THE INCREDIBLE SPACE RAIDERS FROM SPACE

A space adventure is not the first book I’d pick up when I’m looking for something to read, but I heard Wesley King speak at the Packaging Your Imagination Conference for writers and illustrators in November and that made me curious. His book is also one of the nominees for the 2016 Silver Birch Fiction Awards from the Ontario Library Association.

Description from Simon & Schuster:

When Jonah wakes up on the Fantastic Flying Squirrel, he’s a bit confused. One second he is in his family’s living room doing his homework, and the next he’s sitting on a very cold floor on a very cold ship with a very strange-looking girl staring at him. Her name is Willona the Awesome, and she’s here to welcome him to The Incredible Space Raiders.

Now that Jonah is on board, the Incredible Space Raiders can set off on an important mission: to venture into the Dark Zone and save the universe from the Entirely Evil Things. But when Space Raiders start to disappear, Jonah realizes that if he’s going to make it to the Dark Zone alive, he’s going to have to step up and figure out what’s going on.

The Incredible Space Raiders from Space was written by Wesley King and published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers in 2015.

My Take:

This science fiction adventure is an entertaining read! It’s funny, full of action and there’s also a mystery to solve. If you’ve ever dreamed of waking up one day and suddenly being put in a situation where you’re expected to save the day, you’ll be able to relate to Jonah. He’s a likable character who takes on a tough mission, despite doubts that he’s even supposed to be there.

From a writer’s perspective, I thought the author was especially good at writing believable middle grade dialogue.

Opening Line:

“Jonah blinked several times before he realized she was not going away.”

Quotes:

“He wanted to get off this ship of strange soldier children and shrieking monsters that may or may not have razors-sharp claws. He wanted to go home.”

 “She looked almost regal—in a dirty, stuck on an old, musty ship kind of way.”

“And if I’m risking my life to save the universe, there’s no way I’m taking orders from a bunch of smelly, miserable pirates.”

Other Info:

Wesley King is the author of YA novel, The Vindico.

At the Packaging Your Imagination Conference, he gave this valuable advice for writers: "Take the time to find your story and believe in it."

"Here’s a fun trailer for The Incredible Space Raiders from Space:

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: MINRS

The premise of this book caught my attention. I haven’t read many middle grade novels where kids have to survive underground without any adults. I was also intrigued to find out more about the science and technology of mining in space.

Description from Amazon:

 

A twelve-year-old boy and his friends must find a way to survive in the mining tunnels after their new space colony is attacked in this gritty action-adventure novel.

In space. Underground. And out of time.

Twelve-year-old Christopher Nichols lives on an asteroid. Earth has been mined to the edge of extinction. Dozen of families, including Christopher’s, have relocated to space to work as miners for terraforming companies.

Then a Blackout hits and the colonists lose communication with Earth. Which means they are on their own when they are ruthlessly attacked.

Now in a race against time, Christopher, along with a small group of survivors, are forced into the maze of mining tunnels. The kids run. They hide. But can they survive?

MINRS was written by Kevin Sylvester and published by Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division in 2015.

My Take:

This book is fast-paced with lots of action and plot twists. Christopher Nichols is an interesting character who takes on responsibility and learns to become a leader, while struggling to maintain his friendships. I really liked the way the characters all had different reactions to the trouble they were facing – it brought a lot of realism to the story. I also enjoyed the strong female characters who helped question Christopher’s leadership and change the direction of the story. 

As a writer, it was interesting to think about how the information about science and space was blended into the plot without it being too obvious. This was also a good example to study to see how to keep the plot moving along at a good pace.

Opening Line:

“The Earth blinked, and was gone.”

Quotes:

“I held the book against my chest, hugging it. I’d come so close to throwing it away.”

“But I held out hope that if we could just get through this, get through the horror, then we’d be friends again.”

“My dad liked to call me a genius, but I knew I wasn’t, not really.”

Other Info:

Kevin Sylvester is the author of the popular Neil Flambé series, which also includes some of his drawings, as well as several non-fiction books. He lives in Toronto.

While MINRS doesn’t contain illustrations, the author did make some drawings to help with the writing process, which you can look at on his blog, including a sketch of the disrupter.  

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: The Fourteenth Goldfish

Since I have two daughters that both love science, I was happy to find this entertaining and science-related story. I wasn’t sure I'd like a story about a grandfather transforming to the age of 13, but the characters hooked me and I ended up really enjoying this one!

Here’s the Amazon description:

Believe in the possible . . . with this "warm, witty, and wise" novel from New York Times bestseller, three-time Newbery Honor winner Jennifer L. Holm

Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer.

Science can change the world . . . but can it go too far?

Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She misses her old best friend. She even misses her dearly departed goldfish. Then one day a strange boy shows up. He’s bossy. He’s cranky. And weirdly enough . . . he looks a lot like Ellie’s grandfather, a scientist who’s always been slightly obsessed with immortality. Could this pimply boy really be Grandpa Melvin? Has he finally found the secret to eternal youth?

With a lighthearted touch and plenty of humor, Jennifer Holm celebrates the wonder of science and explores fascinating questions about life and death, family and friendship, immortality . . . and possibility.

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm, Random House, 2014

My Take:

I didn’t know what to expect from the title, but I soon got interested in finding out more about Ellie and her scientific grandpa. Their characters really drew me in and kept me reading. I also enjoyed the different subplots related to Ellie and her friends and family. This story encouraged me to think about bigger issues of life and death, how we treat older people in our society and the way time moves on. I especially liked the science connections and Ellie’s thoughts about them.

I loved the simplicity and strength of the writing in this book. I could hear Ellie’s voice in my head while I was reading! I also admired the way the author was able to blend in back story and plot information in a subtle way that didn’t interrupt the flow.

Opening Line:

“When I was in preschool, I had a teacher named Starlily.”

Quotes:

“Maybe this part of me—the science part—was there all along, like the seeds of an apple. I just needed someone to water it, help it grow.”

“As my grandfather drones on, I wonder: shouldn’t there be a “law of friendship” that if you’re friends with someone practically your whole life, you can’t just suddenly stop and change directions without the other person?”

“But I think what you wear on Halloween is important. It says something about you—who you are and what you want to be.”

Other Info:

As a child, Jennifer liked to read all the time – even when doing chores such as raking leaves (this definitely reminds me of my daughters).

She collaborates with her brother Matthew Holm on the Baby Mouse graphic novel series and the Squish graphic novel series.

Her other books include:

Turtle in Paradise

Penny from Heaven

The May Amelia series

The Boston Jane series

The Creek

For more, visit Jennifer L. Holm’s website at www.jenniferholm.com

Looking for more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books? Visit ShannonMessenger’s blog for a list of bloggers reviewing great books today! Shannon is the founder of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and the author of the middle grade novels, Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2).

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: The City of Ember

I’ve been busy writing my own novel, so I haven’t been visiting the library as often as I usually do. But every once and a while, I like to pull a favourite book from my own bookshelf. The City of Ember is definitely one of my favourites!

Today’s Pick: The City of Ember

by Jeanne DuPrau

Random House, 2003

From the Author’s Website:

Lights shine in the city of Ember—but at the city limits the light ends, and darkness takes over. Out there in the Unknown Regions, the darkness goes on forever in all directions. Ember—so its people believe—is the only light in the dark world.

And now the lights are going out.

Is there a way to save the people of Ember? No one knows. But Lina Mayfleet has found a puzzling document, and Doon Harrow has made discoveries down in the Pipeworks. With these clues, they start their search.

My Take:

I enjoyed this book when I first read it a few years ago and I still enjoy reading it now, even though many great dystopian books have come along after it. One of the reasons why I like this book is because I connected with the idea that resources have their limits and the “what ifs” that follow. It’s so interesting to think about the different perspective people might have if they grew up in an underground world.  I also liked the characters – Lina, who likes to see new places and draw, and Doon, who is interested in insects and figuring things out.

To me, this is a great example of book that is very definitely middle grade, with middle grade dialogue and concerns. As a writer, I especially enjoyed thinking about the details the author used to bring out the setting and this very different world.

Opening Line:

“When the city of Ember was just built and not yet inhabited, the chief builder and the assistant builder, both of them weary, sat down to speak of the future.”

Quotes:

“Running made her feel strong and big-hearted, it made her love the places she ran through and the people whose messages she delivered.”

“The trouble with anger is, it gets hold of you. And then you aren’t the master of yourself anymore. Anger is.”

“There were plants, they discovered, taller than they were, with stems as hard and thick as the walls of houses, and leaves that spread out over their heads.”

Other Info:

Jeanne DuPrau is a writer living in California. She has a dog named Jockey and enjoys gardening and reading.

The City of Ember is American Library Association Notable Book.

On her website, Jeanne DuPrau says this about the idea for the story: “…once I'd written The City of Ember, I hoped it would make people think about our world—about the sun and the moon, the forests and the ocean, the wind and the rain—and how precious it all is.”

There is a movie of this book, which to me had a very different tone and feel from the book, as well as different events, so I found it disappointing. But it would be interesting to read the book and then watch the movie to compare them and think about the differences and the effective elements in each.

Other Middle Grade Books:

The People of Sparks

The Prophet of Yonwood

The Diamond of Darkhold

For more, visit Jeanne DuPrau’s website.

Looking for more Marvelous Middle Grade Monday books? Visit Shannon Messenger’s blog for a list of bloggers reviewing great books today! Shannon is the founder of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday and the author of the middle grade novels, Keeper of the Lost Cities and Exile (Keeper of the Lost Cities #2).

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday - The Boy at the End of the World

Today’s Pick: The Boy at the End of the World  by Greg van Eekhout

Published by Bloomsbury, 2011

Blurb From Amazon:

In a future world, Fisher is the last boy on earth. But evidence suggests there may be a far-away survival bunk with other humans. In order to get there, he'll need to rely on a ragtag team he assembles, including a robot, a mammoth, and a prairie dog with basic English skills. Readers will be riveted as this unlikely team races toward survival.

My Take:

This is a fast-paced book and I read through it in one night. I enjoyed the quest theme and how the author wove in details about fishing, trapping and outdoor survival. The characters in this story have a lot of personality. It was a fun read and a great one for boys.

As a writer, I was interested in how the author included a futuristic theme in a short middle grade novel. The writing style is very simple and direct, but there’s lots of humor, especially from the robot sidekick. I also really admired the author’s imagination! This is a great example of how you could brainstorm to create unexpected obstacles.

 
Favourite Quote:

“Is mistake that brings death and destruction not just to humans, but to all. That is the way of human mistakes.”

Opening Line:

“This is what he knew: His name was Fisher.”

 
Other Info:

Greg van Eekhout lives in San Diego. He wanted to be a cartoonist or comic book artist, but found out he wasn’t so great at drawing so turned to writing. He didn’t start out so great at that either, but he kept practicing until he got better and people wanted to buy his stories.

Some advice to writers on his website: “…if you want to write professionally, develop some good work habits. Try to write at least a little bit every day.”

Other Middle Grade Books Include:

Kid vs. Squid

For more info, visit Greg van Eekhout’s website.

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday was dreamed up by the incredible Shannon Messenger, author of Keeper of the Lost Cities. Visit her blog for an up-to-date list of all the bloggers who are participating and posting about middle grade books today!