A Game of Fox and Squirrels

A Game of Fox and Squirrels by Jenn Reese. Grades 5-8. Henry Holt, 2020. 224 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Eleven-year-old Sam and her older sister Caitlin have just arrived in Oregon to stay with their aunt and her wife after an incident shattered their family in California. Sam misses her parents and is desperate to get back to her life in LA and start school with all her friends. She knows things weren't always the best with her family, but she was managing fine, thank you, and she doesn't want to be here in Oregon. 

So when a talking fox appears to her with a deal, Sam agrees. She'll do what the fox asks in order to earn the Golden Acorn that will grant her one wish - a wish for things to go back to how they were before. But somehow the rules keep changing and Sam will have to figure out how far she will go to please the fox and what she is willing to sacrifice. 

This is a dark magical tale about a girl navigating life with a foster family after being removed from her abusive home. Sam's game with the fox and his squirrel emissaries mirrors the game she played for years with her abusive father. She never know when the rules will change or what will set him off or what she might have to sacrifice next. This isn't an easy read, but it's a powerful read and could be a necessary read for some. I don't have a ton of knowledge about foster kids, but I have a little bit and what I read rings true with my experiences (such as they are). 

Readalikes: 

Pair this with another stellar book that came out this year, Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, which offers a similarly searing, but realistic take on abuse and foster care life.  

Shirley and Jamila Save Their Summer

Shirley & Jamila Save Their Summer by Gillian Goerz. Grades 4-7. Dial, 2020. 224 pages. Review copy provided by publisher. 

Jamila's pretty sure that her summer is ruined. Her mom wants to send her to camp, but all Jamila wants to do is shoot hoops. When Jamila meets Shirley at a neighborhood yard sale, the girls strike up a tentative friendship and convince both their mothers to let them hang out together this summer. Jamila will get all the time she wants at the b-ball court, she just has to hang out with Shirley, who is nice, even if she's a bit odd. 

When a neighborhood kid shows up asking for Shirley's help in finding his missing pet gecko, Shirley is on the case and Jamila finds herself helping, too. But when Shirley starts taking the case too seriously and their new partnership hits a rough patch, Jamila's not sure that their new deal is working out.

Enola Holmes meets Shannon Hale in this graphic novel mystery that will please detective fans as well as fans of contemporary friendship stories. Shirley is a Sherlock-Holmes-ian detective and kids will enjoy looking for clues and learning about how she solves her cases. Middle grade readers will also relate to the girls' struggle to figure out a new friendship. I really enjoyed getting to know both characters and the realistic Toronto setting. 

Twins

Twins by Varian Johnson and Shannon Wright. Grades 3-6. Scholastic, 2020. 256 pages. Review copy provided by publisher. 

Twins Maureen and Francine have always done everything together, but now they're starting middle school and they don't have one class together. Shy Maureen has trouble standing up for herself and making her voice heard and without her sister by her side, she's feeling lost as she navigates the all-new waters of sixth grade. Who will she eat lunch with? How will she survive Cadet Corp when she can't figure out the marching formations? 

When Maureen discovers that Francine asked their parents to put them in separate classes and that her parents requested she be placed in Cadet Corp to help build her self-confidence, she feels betrayed by her entire family. In a fit of rage, she signs up to run against Francine for sixth grade president. At first she enters the race just because she feels angry, but as she works on her platform she begins to feel like she can make a difference at her school. But how can shy Maureen win against charismatic Francine? And does she have the strength to make her voice heard, even if it shakes?

I loved this relateable own-voices graphic novel and I think it has high appeal to readers of realistic contemporary comics. Call your fans of Raina Telgemeier or Terri Libenson because they're going to want to check this one out, too. Lots of kids have trouble adjusting to middle school, so readers who are going through their own friendship or self-confidence struggles will identify with Maureen's story. 

A Place at the Table

A Place at the Table by Saadia Faruqi & Laura Shovan. Grades 4-7. Clarion Books, 2020. 336 pages. Review copy provided by publisher. 

Calling all young chefs! This is a really sweet, contemporary story about two very different middle school girls who meet at an after-school cooking club and become friends due to their shared love of cooking. 

Sara is new at school, having attended a local Muslim school up through fifth grade. She's not happy about switching schools and some of the kids are giving her a tough time because she's not white. She's not thrilled about having to tag along to the after school cooking classes her mom has started teaching, but there's nowhere else for her to go, so she sits in the back. But when fellow sixth grader Elizabeth needs a partner, Sara steps out from the shadows and joins her at her table. 

Elizabeth is struggling at home. After the death of her grandmother in England, her mom has been really depressed and that means that a lot of stuff around the house - including cooking - is not getting done. So Elizabeth joined this cooking class, hoping to learn some recipes to help out at home. While some of the kids in the class object to the Pakistani food that Sara's mom is teaching them, Elizabeth loves it. And when she learns that Sara's mom is studying for the American citizenship test just like her own British mom, Elizabeth is inspired to match up their moms. Maybe having a study buddy will help her mom take the test seriously and making a friend might keep her from wanting to move back to England. 

This book hits all the sweet spots in a realistic contemporary friendship story. It reminded me so much of the books I loved to read as a kid. It's mostly about the budding friendship between Sara and Elizabeth and how both of them grow as they get to know each other, but it tackles some tough topics like mental health and racism within the story. It's written with own-voices cultural details about both Sara's Pakistani-American household and Elizabeth's Jewish household. Both Sara and Elizabeth learn a lot from each other, not the least of which is to stand up for each other and what being an ally really means. 

And since the book is set in a cooking class, of course it contains lots of yummy details about the recipes they learn to make and the experimentation the friends undertake to develop a fusion recipe for a contest. It definitely made me hungry while I was reading and I think kids who are into cooking and baking would really enjoy this aspect of the story. 

Hand to young foodies who enjoy contemporary friendship stories. 

Readalikes: 

All Four Stars by Tara Dairman (Penguin, 2014). Young foodies will enjoy both books about tween girls who are rock stars in the kitchen. 

Save Me a Seat by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan (Scholastic, 2016). This book, which is also told in alternating voices and written by own-voices authors, is about two culturally diverse boys who become unlikely friends when they're united against the same bully. Readers who enjoy stories about two very different kids finding common ground and becoming friends may like this one, too. 

Lila and Hadley

Lila and Hadley by Kody Keplinger. Grades 4-7. Scholastic, 2020. 256 pages. Review copy provided by publisher. 

This summer is not at all like Hadley hoped it would be. Instead of hanging out with her friends, she's moving to a new town in a new state to live with her sister after their mother goes to prison. To make matters worse, her pigmentosa retinitis is finally bad enough that her sister wants her to take mobility classes and learn how to navigate the world as if she has no sight at all. Hadley resists the classes just like she's resisted the move. 

And when Hadley meets Lila, a surly shelter dog who needs training before she can be adopted, Hadley resists Lila, too. Hadley's not a dog person. But for whatever reason, Hadley is the one person Lila seems to respond to. So Hadley takes on the challenge of working with Lila, getting her ready to be adopted. But when that day comes, it won't be easy. 

Dog lovers will eat up this wonderful own-voices story about a girl learning to love a dog she never thought she could and learning about herself along the way. Hadley's relationship with Lila grows stronger and stronger and seeing Lila take on the challenge of training helps Hadley feel better about taking on her own mobility training. Author Kody Keplinger is blind, so the details about Hadley learning to move around the town using a cane and handling her progressive blindness are authentic. 

I love a first person story written with a strong voice and this book is definitely one of those. Hadley's tough exterior and her Southern cadence leap off the page. This is one of those books that feel like the protagonist is sitting down with you and telling you their story. 

Hand this one to fans of Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo, Just Like Jackie by Lindsey Stoddard, or Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. 

12 Days of Giving: Books for Middle Grade Readers

 

Today's list: Books for Middle Grade Readers! If you're shopping for a kid ages 8-12, these are my favorites of 2020. 

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2020). This novel in verse about a boy and his professional football player father who is facing the health effects of years of concussions is a moving portrait of a family in crisis. This is a wonderful book that's special even for Jacqueline Woodson (and I don't say that lightly!). Pick it up for fans of The Crossover, fans of realistic novels in verse, or sports fans. 

The Blackbird Girls by Anne Blankman (Viking, 2020). This engrossing historical novel brings Soviet Russia to life as it follows two unlikely friends during their evacuation from the Chernobyl disaster and a parallel narrative of a Jewish girl's escape during WWII. I loved the characters, I loved the rich setting. I would hand this to readers of The War That Saved My Life (and I don't say that lightly!) or Refugee.

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley (Dial, 2020). This one is pretty intense, but it's definitely one of my favorites of the year. Ten-year-old Della has always been able to count on her older sister Suki, even when they both had to run from their abusive step-parent and they ended up in foster care. But now Suki's struggling. Can Della pull it together to give Suki what she needs to heal? This reads like an updated The Great Gilly Hopkins and will appeal to readers who like issue books and strong characters to root for. 

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks (Katherine Tegen Books, 2020). Zoe Washington plans to spend the summer proving to her parents that she's mature enough to apply to be on her favorite cooking show now that she's turned twelve. But when she checks the mail one day and finds a letter from her father who's been in prison since before she was born. Without telling her mom, she writes him back. And so begins the strangest summer of her life. This would be a good choice for young readers interested in social justice and realistic stories. 

King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender (Scholastic Press, 2020). King's brother's sudden death is still causing fresh pain, but what King can't stop thinking about is something Khalid said to him offhandedly before he died. King betrayed a friend because of what Khalid said and he's desperately trying to figure out his own identity and what that means in the context of his family and his race. This is a rich, moving book about a kid beginning to question his identity and sexual preferences written solidly for a middle grade audience. It's a book that I read early in the year and it's stuck with me. If you have a reader who's a fan of books like George by Alex Gino or Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by AShley Herring Blake, this would be a good choice. 

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park (Clarion Books, 2020). Hanna, who is half-Asian, has just moved with her father to a new Dakota Territory town in 1880 and she's hoping beyond hope that it's a place she'll finally be able to settle down and go to school. But some of the townspeople take issue with their children attending school with a non-white kid, so things don't go exactly as Hanna hoped. This would be a wonderful choice for middle grade fans of Little House on the Prairie, especially if you're looking to encourage discussions about race. 

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller (Random House, 2020). When Lily and her family move in to take care of her sick grandmother, a magical tiger straight out of her halmoni's Korean myths appears to offer Lily a deal. But deals with tigers can be tricky. This is a heartfelt book with a good dose of magical realism and it will appeal to kids who like to feel the feels. This is another one I read early in the year that's really stuck with me. 

Need more suggestions? Have a middle grade reader who's looking for something in particular? Check out these lists from previous years: 

• Fantasy Fanatics
• Laugh Out Loud
• Mythology Mania 
• Scary Scary Ghost Stories

For the first 12 days of November, I'll be posting a list of children's books perfect for gift giving this holiday season. Check out the full list of lists here to see what's coming. All the lists link to IndieBound to make it easy for you to find an independent bookstore to buy from (and as an IndieBound affiliate, shopping through those links supports me, too!). Independent bookstores need our support more than ever this year, so please shop local if you can or if you don't have a local independent bookstore, please consider ordering online from my local indie Carmichael's Bookstore. 

Audiobook All-Time Favorites #2: Ghost

 If you're looking for a really great audiobook, the kind of read that makes you glad you chose to listen because the narration really adds so much to the story, it's time for my next audiobook all-time favorite: 

Ghost by Jason Reynolds, narrated by Guy Lockard. Simon & Schuster Audio, 2016. 3 hours 29 minutes. Sequels: Patina (narrated by Heather Alicia Simms), Sunny & Lu (both also narrated by Guy Lockard)

If you've read anything by Jason Reynolds, you know that he's a master of voice. His characters leap off the page and tell you their stories in completely believable voices. So he's a natural fit for audiobooks and this series is one of my favorites. Each volume in the Track series stands alone, focusing on one member of an urban track team, a group of kids with very little in common except their sport and their dedication to the team. 

In this first volume, Castle Crenshaw (or Ghost, as he wants to be called) knows he can run fast. He knows because when his dad came at him and his mother on one violent night, running was the only way to get away. Life hasn't been super kind to Ghost - the kids at school make fun of him because he's poor and he carries around the weight of his father's betrayal. When Ghost stumbles onto a local track team and decides to show them a thing or two (they think they can run?!), Coach takes him into the fold. Suddenly, Ghost starts to know what it's like to be part of something bigger than yourself, to have a strong male role model who really cares about him, to work at something and get better and feel proud. But to stay on the track team, Ghost is going to have to steer clear of what his mom calls "altercations", which means keeping his temper when the other kids are giving him a hard time. Could Ghost's bad decisions take away his track star dreams forever?

This series is sure to be a hit with young athletes, but I am far from an athlete and I found myself absolutely drawn in by the compelling characters. I loved learning their stories, particularly in the volumes narrated by Guy Lockard. Lockard reads with a vibrancy that really brings each character to life. Jason Reynolds and Guy Lockard have been friends for decades, so Lockard is a natural fit for these audiobooks. He knows these characters and knows their cadences and how they should be portrayed and it absolutely comes through in his work. I think Sunny is my very favorite of the series, but they're all excellent stories. 

Are you an audiobook listener? Do you know about Libro.fm? Libro.fm is an audiobook platform with an amazing selection and the best thing about them is that they support independent bookstores. Use the code ABBYLIBRARIAN to get 2 credits for the price of 1 ($14.99) when you sign up for a new subscription. Independent bookstores need our help if we want them to stick around and this is one great way you can support them. 

This post is sponsored by Libro.fm and if you use the code ABBYLIBRARIAN to sign up for a subscription, you're supporting me, too! 

Class Act

Class Act by Jerry Craft. Grades 4-8. Quill Tree Books, 2020. 256 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

It's here! It's here! And it's sooooo good! The highly-anticipated sequel to 2020 Newbery Medal winner New Kid is out now and friends, it's so good. It's a standalone sequel that focuses on Jordan's friend Drew, an African American boy who attends Riverdale Academy Day School on scholarship. Like New Kid, this is an excellent blend of heart and humor while addressing serious issues like racism, classism, and microaggressions. You don't have to have read New Kid to understand and enjoy this book, although there are a few minor plot points that might mean more if you've read the first book. 

Drew's heard the saying that as an African American boy and a kid growing up poor that he'll have to work twice as hard to be just as good, but lately it feels like he's working way harder than that. As he begins his 8th grade year at RADS, he has to deal with a girl who has a crush on him and keeps filling his locker up with pies and cupcakes, an obnoxious classmate who gets a small taste of his own prejudice when he accidentally permanently dyes himself green for Halloween, and friends who seem to have everything Drew doesn't have (and why do they deserve swimming pools and housekeepers when Drew lives in a tiny apartment with his grandma?). But as he grows up, he's also starting to face some new realities, like the scary time a police officer pulls Jordan's dad over while he's driving the boys somewhere, and the comments his neighborhood friends make about his privileged friends from school. 

This is, of course, a must-buy for all library shelves. Definitely hand it to fans of New Kid (which I looooved, by the way, and you can read my 2019 review of it here). I'd also hand it to fans of Big Nate or Diary of a Wimpy Kid. It's written in a really approachable way, making it a wonderful suggestion for families who are having conversations with their kids about race for the first time. Both books would make a wonderful family read to start some great conversations. 

Hey, I'm an IndieBound affiliate, which means that if you purchase books through the links on this site, you're not only supporting your favorite independent bookstore, you're supporting me, too!

The Worry (Less) Book

Hey, I'm an IndieBound affiliate, so if you buy books from the links on this site, not only are you supporting your favorite independent bookstore, you're supporting me, too! 

The Worry (Less) Book: Feel Strong, Find Calm, and Tame Your Anxiety by Rachel Brian. Grades 2-6. Little, Brown, 2020. 64 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Oh, anxiety is high all over the place. I feel it, you feel it, and the kids in our lives feel it, too. And this great graphic novel is wonderful for helping kids navigate it. This is a must-have for your library shelves and anyone working with or living with anxious kids, you're going to want this on your personal shelves, as well. 

It's super conversational and funny, while still providing some great information and tools that kids can use to deal with their own anxiety. Just like her book Consent for Kids, this is a book that kids will find fun to read, while it also gives them really good information. I love that this book normalizes anxiety, affirming that it's a normal emotion that everyone experiences sometimes, helps kids identify when anxiety is getting in the way of their life, and provides techniques for dealing with anxiety.

Although this book is definitely aimed at kids, I think it will have wide appeal and there are concepts that adults can use, too. I found myself snapping photos of pages to share with my husband, who tells me all the time to "stop worrying". The page that points out "You don't get to pick what you worry about, or when." is one I'm definitely going to show him. I love how this book boils down complicated concepts into simple wording that are easy to understand and make shareable sound bytes. 

A must-read, for these times especially. 

Audiobook All-Time Favorites #1: Leviathan

This post is sponsored by Libro.fm. If you use the promo code, I earn money. 

I have long been an audiobook listener, but reading during pandemic times has just solidified my love for reading with my ears. Lots of days, my audiobook listening is the only reading I'm managing to get in right now, between stress and brain fog and cooking so many meals and cleaning the kitchen so many times. 

I don't know if you are an audiobook listener yet, but if you are not, my aim is to convert you. I'm going to start featuring some of my very favorite audiobook reads here and encouraging you to support your local independent bookstores by purchasing them with Libro.fm. If you're new to Libro.fm, use the code ABBYLIBRARIAN to get 2 credits for the price of 1 ($14.99) and give this audiobook platform a try. They have an awesome selection and they support an independent bookstore of your choice with every purchase. 

Today's pick: 

Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld, narrated by Alan Cumming. Simon & Schuster Audio, 2009. 8 hours, 16 minutes. Sequels (also expertly narrated by Alan Cumming): Behemoth (2010) and Goliath (2011). 

This is one of the audiobook series I always recommend when someone is open to genre but just wants something that's a REALLY GOOD LISTEN. 

Leviathan is a steampunk alternate history WWI story in which the Axis powers have developed massive war machines and the Allied powers have bioengineered living battleships. Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. Devyn Sharp has disguised herself as a boy to join the British Air Service and lives in constant fear of being discovered. Their paths cross and they begin a fantastic around-the-world adventure in this action-packed series. 

Alan Cumming is absolutely fantastic at accents in this fully-voiced production and he makes the story a pleasure to listen to. The world-building is amazing in this trilogy and it's the kind of story that you can really sink into and get transported into a really engaging alternate historical world. I was completely fascinated by the creative developments of each side of the war and how they engage with each other. 

I'd hand this series to middle school and high school listeners and I think it's fabulous for adults, as well. I'd try it on fans of Kenneth Oppel's Airborn series or Neal Schusterman's Scythe series for another immersive trilogy with really strong worldbuilding and unforgettable characters. 

Powwow: A Celebration through Song and Dance

Powwow: A Celebration through Song and Dance by Karen Pheasant-Neganigwane. Grades 3-8. Orca Book Publishers, 2020. 88 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

When your patrons ask you for books about Native Americans, do you only have history books to give them? If so, it's way beyond time to change that. And this book is a great one to add to your collection. With vibrant words and photographs, this book takes a look at modern powwows, celebrations of song and dance that are still held today in all 50 states, as well as their history and significance. It's a comprehensive introduction that is a wonderful starting point for kids (and adults) interested in learning more about Native American traditions and it inspired me to look up annual powwows held near me. Of course I can't attend one this year, but it's definitely something I would like to do once it's safe to do so again. 

Brother's Keeper

Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee. Grades 4-7. Holiday House, 2020. 320 pages. Review audiobook provided by publisher via Libro.fm.

Life as the oldest sister is not easy for Sora in 1950 North Korea. Not only does her family already live by a set of ironclad rules set by the government - they can't leave their village, they can't speak their minds, they can't trust their neighbors - as a girl, Sora has to live by even more rules. She has to quit school to take care of her brothers and she must learn to keep house in preparation for being a wife one day. But everything changes when war is declared and her family decides to make a run for it. Early in their journey, Sora and her little brother Young are separated from their parents and they have to make this dangerous journey - hundreds of miles to the South Korean border - by themselves. Can they face hunger and exhaustion and the Red Army chasing them and make it to freedom? 

This is a riveting survival story that will appeal to young readers who enjoy books like Refugee by Alan Gratz and The Night Diary by Veera Hiranandani. I am a huge historical fiction fan and I loved learning about Sora's struggles as a girl in a culture that venerates sons. As smart and strong as Sora is, her family still balks at sending her to school and letting her follow her own dreams. Sora is expected to set her own wishes aside to care for others (her brothers and eventually her husband and her own family). Sora's not perfect - she's impatient and careless sometimes - but she's definitely a heroine you can root for. And readers who love discovering history through story will really enjoy this tale. 

I Am Not a Label

I Am Not a Label: 34 Disabled Artists, Thinkers, Athletes, and Activists from Past and Present by Cerrie Burnell, illustrated by Lauren Mark Baldo. Grades 3-7. Wide Eyed Editions, 2020. Review copy provided by my local library. 

Collective biographies - how do they do at your library? Not always great at mine, but this is one that I was thrilled to put on our shelves. This is a collection unlike any I have seen yet and it's high time to put more disability representation on our library shelves. This collective biography gathers brief bios of 34 different disabled people who have done awesome things. I really appreciate how diverse the collection is, highlighting not only people with a variety of different disabilities (physical and mental, visible and invisible), but people from around the globe and of many different races. Each of the 34 people profiles here gets a spread with a portrait and a page of information about their contributions to the world. There are folks you may have heard of here, like Frida Kahlo and Stephen Hawking and plenty of names that will probably be new, from Paralympic stars to artists to activists and more. 

Something to Say

Something to Say by Lisa Moore Ramée. Grades 5-8. 304 pages. Balzer + Bray, 2020. Review copy provided by publisher. 

I was a huge fan of Lisa Moore Ramee's debut, A Good Kind of Trouble, and this follow up does not disappoint. Painfully shy Jenae resists the friendship advances of a somewhat weird kid at her new middle school, but when they're paired together for a debate assignment, she'll have to face her fear of public speaking. She's convinced that she can make things happen with her thoughts and blames herself for her brother's basketball injury that's kept him home from college recovering. And when her grandfather's health takes a turn for the worse, she'll have to step up and help her family in a way she's never had to before. This is a great book for readers who love character-driven stories - Jenae's character development is fantastic and I loved the slow burn friendship that eventually blossoms between the two main characters. Hand this one to fans of Merci Suarez Changes Gears by Meg Medina or My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi. 

Before the Ever After

Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson. Grades 4-7. 176 pages. Nancy Paulsen Books, September 2020. Review copy provided by publisher. 

ZJ's dad has always been his hero. In fact, he's been a lot of people's hero. ZJ's dad is a pro football star, playing on TV every week and well known to everyone ZJ knows. But lately, ZJ's dad hasn't been himself. His head hurts, sometimes so badly that he can't do anything else. He forgets things, including his own son sometimes. And he hasn't been able to play football, his very favorite thing, for awhile. ZJ copes by making music - composing songs that help him express his feelings - and by leaning on his best buds, boys who remember how ZJ's dad was before. Before his injuries started taking their toll. ZJ has hope that things will be okay one day, that there will be a happily ever after. But what's he supposed to do in the meantime, before the ever after? 

This is a special book. And you know I say that having served on the Newbery Committee that awarded Jacqueline Woodson with a Newbery Honor for Brown Girl Dreaming. ZJ's story took me in and wouldn't let go. This is a poignant story, written in exquisite verse, about a family in flux, a family with plenty of questions and no answers. It's a story about the emotional lives of boys and about the relationships you build that are stronger than bad times. It's about the friends who will always be there no matter what and the way family comes together to help cope when disaster strikes. It's about memory and loss and hope and joy and grief, all wrapped up in one.

It's a story about all that, but it's also a story about football. Of course ZJ plays football, although now that his schoolmates are wanting to switch from touch to tackle, ZJ's not too sure about that. And it's a story about music and the power of music to soothe and express. There's a lot here, but never too much. A little something for everyone. 

I'd hand this to younger fans of The Crossover by Kwame Alexander or Ghost by Jason Reynolds, readers who like a powerful story wrapped up in sports (comparisons I don't take lightly, since those are both beloved books to me!). I'd also try it on fans of Nikki Grimes's Garvey's Choice or Coe Booth's Kinda Like Brothers for readers who like stories about the emotional lives of boys. 

Stepping Stones

 

Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley. Grades 4-7. 224 pages. Random House Graphic, 2020. Review copy provided by my local library. 

You may know Lucy Knisley from her adult graphic memoirs (which are also excellent), Relish: My Life in the Kitchen or Kid Gloves: Nine Months of Careful Chaos (which was a LibraryReads pick in February 2019). Or you may know her super cute picture book You Are New, which is a wonderful new baby gift and was on my 2019 gift list. And here is her middle grade graphic novel debut and I'm pleased to report that this is also a great book. 

Lots of changes are happening for Jen. She's moving with her mom to a country farm and dealing with new weekend stepsisters. Life on Peapod Farm means new chores, new routines, and helping out with the weekend farmer's market. And although her mom's super happy being in nature, Jen would rather be inside reading comics. She knows that her mom's counting on her to get along with everyone, it's not easy when her new know-it-all stepsister seems to be perfect at everything and Jen feels like she never measures up. 

This is a story about a girl finding her own strengths when she feels like she doesn't quite fit in, even within her own family. It's a story that will speak to many young readers, especially (but not limited to) kids in newly blended families. Hand this to fans of Raina Telgemeier's Sisters and Vera Brosgol's Be Prepared.

Fighting Words

Fighting Words by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley. Grades 4-7. 272 pages. Dial Books, August 2020. Review copy provided by publisher. 

Della has always had her sister Suki by her side. Suki looks out for her, even when the going gets impossibly tough: when their mom went to prison, when their mom's boyfriend took them in, and when something so terrible happened that they had to run. Even in foster care, Della knows that she can always count on Suki to be there for her. But when Suki needs help, is Della strong enough to face up to what was really happening in their old house and do what she can to help her big sister? 

This book... my heart... This is definitely a book that will stick with me. Della's story is not always easy to read, but it's an important story. There are kids who will see themselves in Della and there will be kids who start to understand others a little bit better because of Della. You may already know that I am a super fan of Kimberly Brubaker Bradley and The War That Saved My Life is one I recommend over and over again.  Fighting Words is contemporary, but just like in The War That Saved My Life, it has a plucky young heroine facing impossible odds and depending on the kindness of a new caretaker after her biological parents fail her. 

This is a story that could easily be too much for young readers, but Della has a strong voice and she narrates her story with a humor and spirit that make this a really compelling read. It reads like a modern take on The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson and I would also hand it to fans of the searing middle grade memoir Free Lunch by Rex Ogle. Both books take a look at the inner lives of kids dealing with tough stuff at home and how it affects them in school and beyond. 

Fly on the Wall

Fly on the Wall by Remy Lai. Grades 4-7. 336 pages. Henry Holt, September 2020. Review copy provided by publisher. 

Calling all Wimpy Kid fans! Remy Lai's latest highly illustrated novel is right up your alley! Henry is sick and tired of his family babying him. They are so overprotective that he can barely do anything without someone hovering over him. And this summer when his parents announce that the family has decided to forgo their annual visit to Henry's dad in Singapore, he takes matters into his own hands and concocts a plan to get to Singapore by himself.

Of course, plans do not always go... to plan... and Henry will learn a lot about himself on this journey. As readers follow Henry's hilarious misadventures, we also learn about his breakup with his best (and only) friend and about what led Henry to become The Fly on the Wall, an anonymous online troll who mocks the other kids and teachers at his school via a hurtful web comic.

I was a huge fan of Remy Lai's debut Pie in the Sky and it's a title that I press into the hands of all my Wimpy Kid fans who are looking for something else to read. When Fly on the Wall comes out, you can bet I will be pressing that one into hands, too. The book is written in journal format as Henry documents his journey in his trusty notebook. It's laugh-out-loud funny, but also a poignant story about a kid who feels out of place at school and struggles to make and keep friends. Hand this Australian import to fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Dork Diaries. 

From the Desk of Zoe Washington

From the Desk of Zoe Washington by Janae Marks. Grades 4-7. 304 pages. Katherine Tegen Books. Review copy provided by my local library. 

What do you do when life throws you a curveball? Zoe Washington plans to spend the summer baking and avoiding her ex best friend who happens to also be her next door neighbor. Now that she's turned twelve, she's finally old enough to apply to be a contestant on her favorite kids' baking reality show IF she can prove to her parents that she's mature enough to handle it. But when Zoe grabs the mail early one day, looking for a birthday card from a generous aunt that's on its way, she discovers a letter from the father she's never met, the father who's been in jail since before she was born. And, without telling her mom who discourages Zoe from knowing anything about her birth father, Zoe writes him back.

Zoe's a character that I was so glad to get to know, and this book is the perfect combination of sweet and serious. It touches on prejudice and our flawed legal system, leavening the serious subject matter with Zoe's exploits in the kitchen and her friendship struggles. I really enjoyed the book and would hand this to readers of A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee or One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia.

Consent for Kids

Hey, I'm an IndieBound affiliate, so if you buy books from the links on this site, not only are you supporting your favorite independent bookstore, you're supporting me, too! 

Consent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of YOU by Rachel Brian. Grades 1-5. Little, Brown, 2020. 64 pages. Review copy provided by my local library. 

This is such a needed book that I read it and I'm immediately going to buy copies for all the special kids in my life. This is not a book that I would probably book talk, but it's a book that I would press into the hands of parents and teachers to use it with their kids to start conversations about what consent and respect means. Kids need to have access to this book, kids need to have this book lying around where they can discover it. Families may want to read this book together. This is a must-read and a must-buy for library and classroom shelves.

Written in a cute, funny graphic novel style, the book brings humor into a serious subject, making it fun and taking away the didactic tendency books on this topic can so easily slide into. A cast of largely gender neutral cartoon kids clearly explain what consent is, that friendships need to be based on mutual respect, how to assert yourself with other people (kids and adults), and what to do if someone violates your boundaries or you see someone violating someone else's boundaries.

This book covers a ton of topics, including some sticky ones like bodily autonomy when you're a child and there are some things that adults can make you do for safety. Examples are holding hands to cross a busy parking lot or getting a shot at the doctor's office. Author Rachel Brian talks a lot about boundaries and I especially like that she provides lots of examples of when boundaries can change and she emphasizes that it's okay to change your mind. She also provides examples of clear consent and hesitant or unsure consent. She explains that you need to get clear consent from a person and "If you're not sure, it's a NO".

At the very end of the book, Brian provides information for contacting the National Child Abuse Hotline for kids who feel unsafe or have had their boundaries crossed. 

Any kid could grow into someone who might hurt someone else or who might be hurt. Teaching consent from an early age can make a huge difference. And further than that, we need to be practicing consent, too. When I was a storytime librarian I made it very clear that no child needed to hug me (although I personally was okay with hugs from kids who wanted to give them). A high five was always offered and if a kid didn't feel like giving a high five, that was okay, too.

Go forth and buy this book for your library shelves!