The Scott Fenwick Diaries by Kristin Nilsen

 Anyone who has ever had a crush on a real live person will see themselves in Millie, a 13-year-old girl who has only experienced love through her celebrity crush, Rory Calhoun (see Worldwide Crush by Kristin Nilsen). This book picks up exactly where the first book left off, with a note passed in social studies class. Could Scott Fenwick with the swoopy hair and beautiful lashes actually have a crush on Millie? She starts a new diary to record all of her fears and feelings and insecurities, as well as her most heartfelt acrostic poems spelling out SCOTT FENWICK. You have to trust me that this book is absolutely hilarious, yet perfectly true to the feelings of a 7th grade girl who thinks everyone else knows all about French kissing. Millie's bulldog Pringle is a big part of this book, as are Millie's friends Shauna, a Filipina girl who feels left behind by Millie's new obsession, and Tibbs, who strategizes to get Millie invited to Hebrew school just to ride in a car with Scott Fenwick. Millie's Sound of Music loving parents and her forthright, funny grandma also play key roles. There is humor on every page, including in Millie's numerous attempts to swear without actually using swear words, but there is also a lot of awkwardness, sweetness, and one tearful moment. Gen X readers, you should absolutely pick up this book. You will find references to Pa Ingalls, Barry Gibb, and Magic 8 Balls, and it will bring you back to a time of life you may have chosen to forget. I cannot recommend this book more for 5th-7th grade readers (and their moms). Don't miss this one! 

The Eyes and the Impossible by Dave Eggers

This Newbery-winning novel is unlike anything I’ve read before. It’s narrated by a dog who lives on an island and roams freely, patrolling with the birds, talking with the bison, and generally keeping his eyes on the whole island, which is a public park. Johannes loves to run, and exaggerates just about everything about his speed and prowess. Humans are building something new and intriguing on the island, and he longs to see what is inside the new building. He and his friends (a seagull, raccoons, squirrels, and a new pack of goats) know that humans are to be avoided—but they are encroaching on the animals’ space and it may be necessary to plan a great escape. This book, with its first-person dog narration, has the tone of an old classic of children’s literature. However the story is original, and full of humor and sadness and relationships in which to invest. I can imagine this being an unforgettable read-aloud for elementary children. It may be on the young side for middle schoolers, but it is a delightful book and I will absolutely put it in my library and recommend it to animal lovers. 

 

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McNaulty

 

Lucy Callahan is a math genius and she is only 12 years old. She was struck by lightning as a child, and it left her with incredible math ability. She lives with her grandmother and she's so far advanced academically that she has never been to middle school. Lucy wants to go straight to college, but her grandma says she has to spend one year in 7th grade and learn some social skills. Lucy reluctantly goes off the middle school. Her number one goal is to not let other students or her math teacher know she is a math genius. Lucy also has obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), which causes her to count every word in books she reads, tap her feet 3 times when entering a room, and sanitize her hands religiously. Lucy is fortunate to meet a friend named Windy, and they team up for a community service project at an animal shelter. They are joined by a boy named Levi, and with Lucy's influence, they use data and math to get more dogs adopted. It's a year in the life of a quirky, unique girl who has normal obstacles to overcome in spite of her unusual abilities. Lucy is joined by memorable adults characters in her grandma, her uncle Paul, and the math teacher. This book includes math of all kinds--it would make a great read-aloud for a math teacher. A thoroughly enjoyable book recommended for younger middle schoolers. 

The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate

 

This follow-up to The One and Only Ivan is about Ivan's scrappy canine friend, Bob. In the recent film, Bob is voiced by Danny DeVito, and it is also his voice on the audiobook that I listened to. Bob is sarcastic, jaded, and kind of soft-hearted at the same time. This story takes place in a short period of time after a hurricane hits the wildlife center where Ivan and Ruby (the young elephant) are living. The One and Only Ivan had bigger themes of animal rights, taking initiative, and the purpose of art. This story can be taken more at face value--a scrappy dog tries to save himself and his friends and learns some family secrets in the process. Bob's voice is fantastic--Applegate knows how to "show not tell" and we see the world through Bob's humorous viewpoint. Recommended for young readers, but I think this is less likely to be popular with middle school readers than the first book in the series. 

Swindle by Gordon Korman

Have you ever seen a heist movie where criminals pull off a brilliant robbery? Swindle is the first real heist book for kids that I can remember reading. The kids in this book, with the leadership of sixth-grader Griffin Bing, plan and pull off a very elaborate theft of a baseball card worth one million dollars. The card is in the hands of a shop owner who lied to Griffin about the card's value. Griffin and his best friend Ben just want back what they think is rightfully theirs. However, they have to get past a vicious guard dog, a high tech security system, a strong safe, and a nosy next door neighbor. The cover of the book makes you think it's a dog book or a baseball book, but it's neither of those. It's really the story of a group of kids getting back at an unscrupulous adult who underestimates their intelligence. This will appeal to readers who like action and crime and kids who come out on top. (And don't worry, adults, the kids do realize in the end that they did something seriously illegal)

Trouble by Gary D. Schmidt

Henry's privileged, uncomplicated life comes to an abrupt halt the night his brother is hit by a car. Franklin is barely clinging to life and a Cambodian teenager is the driver accused of hitting him. From this point on, Trouble just won't stay away. The basic plotline is that Henry runs away to climb the highest peak in Maine, and unwittingly is accompanied by his brother's supposed "killer." Nothing is black and white in this story. Franklin was occasionally cruel, especially to Chay, the new kid at his exclusive prep school. The sister, Louisa, is hiding a big secret. Chay has suffered from deep trauma and has parents who don't want him around. Gary Schmidt is a master at writing multilayered, complex stories that delve into issues that really matter. By the second half of this book I was thoroughly hooked and found myself surprised by the direction the book went in. Good middle school readers and people who care about young adult literature should read this novel. It will probably win awards in 2008!

Shackleton's Stowaway by Victoria McKernan

I was mesmerized by this book, mostly because it's based so closely on history. It's a great way to learn about an amazing true survival story. In 1914, 28 men boarded a ship called The Endurance. Their goal was to get to Antarctica so a group of the men could be the first to cross the continent. It was supposed to be a big adventure and it was an honor to be part of the crew led by the famous explorer Ernest Shackleton. What happened was a complete disaster. The ship was frozen into the sea and finally broke apart, leaving the men stranded on the frozen sea. They were hungry and wet and freezing for over a year and a half before Shackleton found a way to save the lives of all 28 men. So much happens in this book that I can't even begin to summarize it. The author does a great job of taking real people (like Perce Blackborrow, the 18-year-old stowaway who ends up having his toes cut off) and bringing the story to life. Readers who like adventure and history will enjoy this book.

The Last Dog on Earth by Daniel Ehrenhaft

Unfortunately, this is another Maud Hart Lovelace nominee that I am not all that excited about. It had some good qualities, and maybe some readers will enjoy it, but with so many outstanding books written for kids I have no idea how this book was chosen. The main character, Logan Moore, is something of a screw-up. He has a rotten stepfather, but he can't blame all his problems on that. The only thing he's really good at is training his new stray dog named Jack. However, it's not a good time to love a dog because a disease epidemic is being spread by dogs in the western U.S. and people are being ordered to kill their dogs to stop the human deaths that are occurring. Anyway, Logan runs away from boot camp (his stepfather forced him to go), meets up with his dog, and tries to save her life. My main problem with this book was that I didn't particularly like Logan. He was kind of a jerk, and he seemed immature and unrealistic for a character who was supposed to be starting high school soon. I guess this book is there for the dog lovers of the world, but beware--bad things happen to dogs in this story!