Chronically Dolores by Maya Van Wagenen

 

Breaking news--we need middle school books and this is one! 

Dolores has a chronic bladder condition called interstitial cystitis. It can be painful, and it can cause bladder leakage. At the end of eighth grade she suffers a humiliating incident in a classroom--she pees on the floor then slips and falls in it, giving herself a concussion. In her mind, and probably in reality, she has become a "contagious loser." It's the summer before high school and her best friend, Shae, has ghosted her. Dolores wants her friend back. And when she meets a homeschooled girl who wants to attend high school in spite of her autism and her mother's objections, she realizes that the two new friends might be able to help each other achieve their goals. 

I love many things about this book, with the number one thing being that it is truly a book for teens ages 13-15, which is a rare thing in the publishing world today. Dolores is going into 9th grade and she thinks about topics such as whether her bladder condition will one day keep her from ever having sex. She connects with (and betrays) her new autistic friend and she wrestles with the end of her friendship with Shae. Her older brother, Mateo, is gay and it's not a problem for anyone. Her parents and aunt are key players in the story as well, and their Latinx family is a big part of the story. Dolores has also got a snarky sense of humor--she rates and reviews every bathroom she ever uses, she secretly goes to Catholic confession and questions everything the priest says, and her inner dialogue is just plain hilarious. She's also not always a perfectly reliable narrator, which makes things interesting. 

Bottom line--it's poignant and real, funny at times, and is solidly written for the largely forgotten 7th-9th grade age range. Highly recommended!

Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed by Dashka Slater

 

One teenage boy starts an Instagram account and posts shocking racist images and statements about his classmates including Black girls who consider him a friend. A handful of boys follow the account, some of them liking the posts and commenting on them. Not one of the boys stands up to stop the posts or to tell anyone about the account's existence. When screenshots of the racist posts go public, the victims of the account are devastated and the students in the small California town are outraged. The boys who participated are expelled, suspended, and/or left unable to attend school. Restorative circles turn violent, leaving the school open to lawsuits and lingering mistrust. All the while the victims of the hatred are shattered and living with pain and betrayal. Sasha Slater spent years following this story and interviewing the participants on all sides. This book is an absolute tour-de-force of nonfiction writing. It is compelling and engaging and written in short bursts that draw the reader in to the many perspectives she lays bare. This is absolutely one of the best nonfiction books I have ever read and it should be required reading for teenagers as well as for school administrators and teachers and people who care about what social media is doing to our society and our children. Recommended for 8th grade-up. 

How to Build a Human: In Seven Evolutionary Steps by Pamela S. Turner

A good middle-school level nonfiction book gives me (a curious adult) a great overview of a subject and leaves me wanting to know more. This gem of a book covers the history of hominins (everyone on the human family tree but not including apes). I found myself wanting to tell people all kinds of facts and new information. Did you know that every living person with ancestors from Europe, Asia, the Americas, or Oceania is 1-2 percent Neanderthal? Did you know that it is only recently that there has only been one species of hominin existing on earth? Denisovans were the last hominin to share the planet with us and we don't know a lot about them. This book takes us back millions of years to Australopith hominins (many of us have heard of "Lucy"), Homo Habilis ("Handy People"), Homo Erectus, on up to Neanderthals, Denisovans, and Homo Sapiens (us!). Along the way we examine tool making, skull size, fire making, talking, and storytelling. This is the best explanation of evolution that I have ever encountered, and it gave me a mind-boggling view of the long long history of our beautiful and complex earth. Honestly, this is a great read for anyone and it includes lovely artwork, photos, and snarky footnotes. And do not miss the author's note on race among the backmatter. Highly recommended and not just for kids. 

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Sophisticated middle school readers have been telling me I should read this book for years and I finally read it for an 8th grade book club. I admit that fantasy books with maps in them are not my top reading preference, but I appreciate outstanding books in all genres, so I knew I would probably like it based on the kids who recommended it. I had to think hard and force myself to get through the first few chapters of the book (who are these people and what in the world is jurda parem?). As with many elaborate fantasies, it has its own vocabulary and geography and you have to get accustomed to the world that is being built. All this to say, once I was engaged with the characters (six young people, all part of an elaborate criminal endeavor), I could not stop thinking about this book. The world-building and the intricacies of the heist are amazing, but what makes me attached to a book is always the characters. Bardugo gives us complex teens dealing with heavy issues in a world of magic and brothels and dark criminals and the suppression and manipulation of whole groups of people. Recommended for 8th grade-up. 

Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster by Jonathan Auxier

Nan Sparrow sweeps out chimneys in London. The year is 1875, and ever since her caretaker, Sweep, disappeared, she has been an indentured servant for a cruel man who puts children to work with no regard for their safety. In a terrifying and mystical turn of events, a lump of char from her pocket comes to life and saves Nan from death in a chimney. From that point on, Charlie, who is actually a golem, and Nan, become an inseparable pair, even though Nan learns that for a golem there will be no good end. Like many classic children's books, this is a story of deep love and friendship, sacrifice, and saying goodbye. The historical facts about chimney sweeps, child labor, and Judaism, are seamlessly woven in, and readers will empathize with the sweeps and be horrified that middle and upper class people so easily watched the children suffer and even die to keep their houses from catching fire. I loved the history and the mysteries that are woven in, but mostly I loved the bond between Nan and Charlie, which you find out in a touching author's note was inspired by E.B. White's Charlotte's Web. I was entranced by this book and recommend it to readers of all ages--not just young people. It is a gem.

The Lovely War by Julie Berry

Aphrodite is in a fancy New York City hotel room having an argument with some of the other Greek Gods. Using her wealth of experience, she tells two love stories, both set during World War I, to prove a point about the power of human love. One is the story of a young British couple, a pianist and an architect, who fall in love just before both head to France, one as a soldier and the other as a volunteer. The other story is of an African American musician/soldier and the traumatized Belgian woman that he falls in love with. Both relationships face major struggles and life-threatening situations. Readers who enjoy romance and historical fiction will absolutely love these stories and will be drawn into scenes of World War I France. I recommend this book for middle school students willing to take on a challenging book (probably best for grade 8-up) all the way up through adults who love historical fiction and romance. 

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein

I love historical fiction and particularly enjoyed Elizabeth Wein's previous book, Code Name Verity. This follow-up book, which isn't a sequel but shares one character, was also a great read. Rose is a young American pilot working in Britain during World War II. She longs to fly to Europe instead of ferrying airplanes around the UK. On her first chance things go wrong and she is captured and sent to Ravensbrück, a women's concentration camp that I knew nothing about before reading this book. While there she is taken in by a group of women called the "rabbits" because they were the subjects of horrific medical experiments done by Nazi doctors. The whole concentration camp experience is awful, as you can imagine, but this book is so full of humor and humanity and daring that it is inspiring rather than depressing. I appreciated that the book did not end in the camps, rather it went on to show the aftermath for those who survived. This is a book about friendship and the power it can have to overcome the worst circumstances in the world. The best part of the book for me? Rose is also a poet who loves the poems of Edna St. Vincent Millay. Millay's poems are interwoven throughout the text as are poems that Rose writes. Elizabeth Wein, a pilot herself, is an outstanding writer and this is a must-read for historical fiction lovers. My review isn't going this book justice, so please see this review of Rose Under Fire as well.

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

Conor's mother is dying from cancer and he is having a recurring nightmare every night. A nightmare that he can't tell anyone about. But one night after midnight a monster shows up. It originates from the yew tree behind his house, but this monster is able to walk. It's also able to talk and tell stories and it demands the truth. Conor thinks it can't be real but how else could he explain the leaves of the yew tree strewn about his floor in the morning and the destruction that the monster can cause? Conor's grandma is called in to take care of him when his mother is hospitalized. His estranged father also comes to visit from America. But Conor is essentially alone with his fear about the bleak future of his mother. It doesn't help that he is bullied at school and at odds with his former best friend. Patrick Ness is a fabulous writer and in his hands this story is compelling, creepy, and so, so emotionally true. Perhaps because I lost my mother to cancer I especially relate to Conor's emotional journey. I'm not going to lie to you, the end of this book will break your heart. Recommended for older middle school readers through adults.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

There's a quote on the back of this book from John Green (author of The Fault in Our Stars and other great YA books) that sums it up. "Eleanor & Park reminded me not just what it's like to be young and in love with a girl, but also what it's like to be young and in love with a book." I read a lot of books for kids and teens, and I often find myself mildly interested (or sometimes not interested at all). That was not the case with Eleanor & Park. From the very beginning I was drawn into their interesting, intelligent, and unlikely romance. I cared about both of these misfit characters and I loved how their relationship slowly built up bus ride by bus ride. This book is all about the characters and those small details that are so important when you are young and in love. I also liked the time period of this book (the 1980s) and that these characters weren't the popular kids. If you want to curl up with a romance this is the book to read. Definitely for high school, though!

UnWholly by Neal Shusterman

I'm a huge fan of Unwind and of Neal Shusterman in general, and this sequel did not disappoint. In fact, it got me even more interested in this futuristic world in which scientific advancements have made human body parts a valuable commodity—valuable enough to where people willingly justify killing teenagers for their body parts.  The main characters from Unwind are all back and fighting against unwinding in various ways. Lev is a poster child for rescued tithes, while Connor and Risa are living at the airfield and protecting hundreds of runaway unwinds. Risa, paralyzed from the waist down, sacrifices herself to protect Connor, and ends up in the company of Cam, the world's first composite human—made entirely of the body parts of unwound teenagers. His creators think he will be welcomed by humanity as the perfect person but many see him as a monster. A new character named Starkey emerges as the champion of the "storks" and an enemy to Connor's society of unwinds. It's another thought-provoking and riveting read that students are already devouring. The book stands on its own, but all the pieces are in order for an amazing third book in the trilogy.

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Get out your kleenex. Any time you read a book about two teenagers with terminal cancer you know it's going to be emotionally rough, and probably full of cliches about facing cancer bravely and living in the moment. But in the hands of John Green, it's refreshingly funny and touching and illuminating and frequently surprising. Hazel, who has thyroid cancer and needs assistance to breathe, meets Augustus, who had a leg amputated due to bone cancer, at a cancer support group. They share a sarcastic sense of humor an intellect beyond their years. They bond over a favorite book and contact the author to ask him some questions that lead them on a journey to Amsterdam. But the plot really isn't the point here. It's the characters and how they make something special in the midst of the rotten luck they share. Like many excellent young adult books, it's definitely for older teens and will be embraced by adults as well. I was serious when I said get your kleenex, though. Read this book somewhere where you can wallow in delight and in sorrow.

His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman

I recently re-read this amazing fantasy trilogy that consists of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Actually, I listened to them all as audiobooks narrated by the author and with a cast of actors playing all the characters' roles. I have listened to many audiobooks in my years as a school librarian and these are the absolute best (second place are the Harry Potter books which also are a great listening experience). It would be impossible to summarize the plot of this trilogy in a blog entry so I will just explain why I like these books so much. First of all, I love Pullman's invention of daemons, which are the physical embodiment of the soul. In Lyra's world, all humans have a daemon and it is in the form of an animal. You can talk to your daemon and cuddle up to it, but it's highly taboo to touch another person's daemon. Also, it's excruciatingly painful to be very far apart from your daemon. I love the relationships that the characters have with their daemons, and the fact that later in the series we find out that people from our world actually also have daemons. Secondly, I love the complexity of these books. Pullman has strong views about the church and what it has done to humanity that some people find objectionable, but I would argue that he has done a brilliant job of weaving his ideas into a marvelously complex fantasy world. I am in awe of the intellect that was able to create this epic story that entertains, delights, and even enrages some people. Thirdly, the characters Pullman creates are incredibly real. I would know Will Perry or Marissa Coulter or Mary Malone if I saw them on the street. In the end, a book is only as good as its characters and Pullman truly knows how to create living breathing characters, even when they are witches, armored bears, or Texan aeronauts.

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

I am not reading any other reviews or opinions of this book until after I write this post. I was anxiously awaiting this book and it did not disappoint me. I mainly read these books because of the characters—I am invested in Katniss, Peeta, and Gale and how they deal with the horrible, fascinating, and cruel world they are thrown into. The book begins in District 13 where most of the characters we've come to know (well, the ones that aren't dead) are starting a new life. (Except for Peeta who is being held captive in the capitol and is clearly being brainwashed and possibly tortured.) The rebellion is in full force and seems to be pretty successful. All the rebels need is their symbolic Mockingjay dressed in her costume and acting in inspiring commercials for the war (called propos). But Katniss has become angry and bitter. All she wants is to rescue Peeta and to kill President Snow. But she cooperates and of course disobeys orders and jumps right into the most dangerous situations possible. Several times I thought I knew where the action was going. Every time Suzanne Collins completely fooled me. Like the other books it is high on action and futuristic technology but we never lose sight of the humanity of the characters that we love. I won't say anything about the ending except to say that I was satisfied. Not happy, but it was fitting and perhaps all we could really hope for.

The Frog Scientist by Pamela S. Turner

Many people have heard of frogs being found with extra legs and other strange deformities, but did you know that scientists have found many male frogs that are producing eggs instead of sperm? And did you know that frogs across the world are mysteriously dying out and going extinct? Many people think this is being caused by chemicals that humans use to kill weeds and insects. Dr. Tyrone Hayes is the Frog Scientist who is investigating the effects of these pesticides on frogs. In the excellent tradition of Scientists in the Field books, this is both a profile of a fascinating scientist and a lesson in biology and the scientific method. The writing is excellent, the photographs are stunning, and the fact that Dr. Hayes is a cool-looking African American scientist make this book a winner in every way. This ranks as one of my favorite nonfiction books of 2009. Give this to your middle or high school life science teacher today!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

I have read several books about teenagers caught between life and death. The Afterlife by Gary Soto, Everworld by Neal Shusterman, and Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin all come quickly to mind. If I Stay is in a class by itself. It's the moving story of Mia who is an outstanding cello player, a good kid, and part of a loving family. Best of all, she's in love with Adam who is a musician in an up-and-coming band. Both are passionate about their music and though they are very different it's what brought them together. The premise of this book is that Mia and her family are in a fatal car accident. Her family is dead and Mia's body rests in a coma while Mia finds herself outside her body deciding whether to live or die. The moving part of this story is how Mia's family and friends pull together to try to bring her back to the living. In the end it is Adam who helps her make the difficult decision she needs to make. There are humorous flashbacks that make this book less serious and also let you see just how rich and full Mia's life was and how much she has lost in the loss of her family. I think it's an outstanding book but it is mature. I would only recommend it to high school students and possibly eighth graders.

Written in Bone by Sally Walker

Imagine if someone found your body 400 years from now. What would they know about you? What could they learn from your skeleton? Believe it or not, scientists and anthropologists can learn a lot from human remains and this book tells about several mysterious bodies found in Virginia and Maryland. All the bodies were from people who died in the 1600s during the time in which Europeans were colonizing the "new world." In most cases historians knew absolutely nothing about the individual people found, but scientists were able to learn how old they were, whether they were male or female, how hard they worked, what country they came from, how long they had been in the colonies, and what diseases they suffered from. In some cases they have been able to figure out exactly how they died and who they were. This book is not only brilliantly written by award-winning author Sally Walker, it's full of stunning photographs and information about how these scientists do their jobs. A great choice for social studies teachers as well as curious middle or even high school readers.

This Full House by Virginia Ewer Wolff

I have waited a long time for this final installment in the Make Lemonade trilogy. It has been years since I have read Make Lemonade and True Believer, but the pleasure of reading those books came back to me as soon as I started reading. LaVaughn is an inner city girl who dreams of getting out of the projects and going to college. She's now in her senior year and accepted into a "women in science" program that may be her ticket to college acceptance. She's feeling regret about the way she once treated a boy named Patrick and she's still babysitting the two children of Jolly, a teen mother who she worked for in the first book of the trilogy. Oh, and her best friend Annie is pregnant. All the lines of the story come together when she comes to suspect a connection between Jolly and the head of her science program. Unfortunately, the coincidence is too great to believe, but the writing is so good and the characters so real that it didn't really matter to me. I was just interested in seeing LaVaughn through to college and achieving her dreams. There was a strong theme of acting according to your conscience and doing the right thing. And Wolff doesn't shy away from the complexity of figuring out what the right thing is. It's not always clear and it certainly can cause pain. The free verse format makes this a quick read and even when using dozens of scientific terms, Wolff makes it all sounds like poetry.

Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson

Finally a book that I could not put down! I have not been very excited about very books published in 2008, but this one was fantastic. It's set during 1776 when patriots and loyalists were fighting it out over liberty. But we forget that many people in the colonies were slaves and neither side was talking about truly giving freedom to all people. Isobel and her sister Ruth are supposed to gain their freedom when their mistress dies but instead they are sold to a New York couple loyal to the King of England. They are transported to New York City, forced to work extremely hard, and treated poorly by their new owners. This is Isobel's story as she struggles to find a way out of slavery while all around her soldiers are preparing for war and her only friend is imprisoned and near death. When her sister, Ruth, is taken from her she loses hope but later regains it. Isobel is a determined, believable character and her situation is both heartbreaking and hopeful. The horrors of slavery are not glossed over, and there's lots of history here, so I think it will be most appreciated by readers seventh grade and up through adults. Social studies teachers should definitely read this one.

Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman

This book was a wonderful surprise. I enjoyed The Schwa Was Here several years ago and I had forgotten what a great character Antsy Bonano is. This is the sequel to that book, but I believe with its new plot and characters it could stand alone. It's hard to describe the plot because there's a lot going on. In a nutshell, Antsy befriends a boy named Gunnar who has only six months to live. Antsy comes up with a symbolic gesture of donating a month of his life to Gunnar and suddenly everyone wants to donate their time also. Antsy is awkward, funny, earnest, and fully aware that he is not the coolest guy in the school, but somehow he becomes famous for his "time donation" scheme and ends up dating Gunnar's beautiful older sister. There's tons of humor in this story, but the real charm of the book is Antsy and his realizations about family relationships, his girlfriend, and how precious time is. This is Neal Shusterman's writing at its very best and I think this book ought to be recognized as one of the best middle school books of the year. It would make a fantastic read-aloud. I highly recommend it to readers in grade six on up.

Lincoln through the Lens by Martin W. Sandler

I thought I knew some things about Abraham Lincoln, but I have learned a lot more after reading a couple of new and outstanding nonfiction books. This one focuses on the role photography played in Lincoln's life and it includes many large, well-captioned photos to go along with the clear, concise text. The focus on photography is the author's slant, but Lincoln's whole life is covered in this gorgeous book. Each two-page spread deals with a portion of Lincoln's life in words, photographs, and includes a relevant quotation from Lincoln, so it's a book that's easily browsed. However, if you want to really understand Lincoln through his photos, read the whole book. I would not be surprised to see this win the Sibert Award. Highly recommended for readers from 6th grade on up through adulthood.