Format: Chapter Book Fiction

Project F

Project FProject F by Jeanne DuPrau
on October 10, 2023
ISBN: 0593643801
Genres: Science Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Project F is set in a simple world that no longer uses fossil fuels. People live in cities and only travel when necessary via steam trains. Power is used sparingly and turned off at night. People travel via carts – there are no more automobiles and no airplanes. When Keith’s aunt and uncle are killed, he is tasked with taking a 2-day train ride to pick up his young cousin Lulu who has been orphaned. An quirky guy named Malcolm takes the seat next to Keith and tells Keith he is working on a secret engineering project called Project F. Malcolm then disembarks at a small station in the middle of nowhere. When Keith arrives at the Inn that night (because trains must stop to reload their wood supply each night), he realizes that he and Malcolm have accidentally switched bags. Keith’s curiosity is piqued by papers in Malcolm’s bag that depict strange drawings. Is this Project F? After Keith picks up Lulu, he and Lulu stop at the small station near Project F to swap bags and learn more about the mysterious project. But what is Project F and will Keith find himself caught up in something he doesn’t understand? With a simple yet slightly off-kilter look at what life on Earth might be like without our reliance on fossil fuels, DuPrau has created a dystopian world that is not menacing but is, in fact, rather drab. Could this be enough of a warning to climate change naysayers to change their ways? From the creator of The City of Ember, this upper elementary novel also Includes the not-so-subtle message that paying attention in school can save a lot of trouble.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

three-stars

Alex Wise vs. The End of the World

Alex Wise vs. The End of the WorldAlex Wise vs. the End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker
on September 26, 2023
ISBN: 0593564294
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Alex just wants this summer to be like last summer when he and Sky were friends and it felt like their relationship might be growing into something more. That was all ruined on the first day of school when the school bully made fun of Alex and Sky reacted by laughing. Alex’s summer dreams are dashed when his mom announces he and his younger sister Mags will be leaving on a cruise with their estranged dad and his dad’s new family. When a mysterious “shadow man” pulls Mags overboard, Alex doesn’t hesitate to dive in to save her. They end up on a mysterious island after being rescued by a boy named Liam. Liam turns out to be a demigod and explains that the shadow man took Mags for Moritz, aka Death. When Death possesses Mags, the other three horsemen of the Apocalypse – Pestilence, Famine and War – are also awakened. Alex is possessed by Orin, a god of sense (empathy) but something is blocking Alex’s ability to channel and communicate with Orin. To make matters worse, Liam assumed he would be chosen by Orin and takes out his frustration on Alex. To save Mags from the clutches of death, Alex and Liam – with the help of Alex’s best friend Loren – will have to work together to defeat the four horsemen before they destroy the world. This page turner features strong Black heroes and cries out for a sequel!

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

four-stars

I’m Not Here to Make Friends

I’m Not Here to Make FriendsI'm Not Here to Make Friends by Andrew Yang
Published by Quill Tree Books on July 18, 2023
ISBN: 0063223279
Pages: 352
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
three-stars
Sabine Zhang, one of the only Asians in her midwestern high school, has been chosen as one of six cast members for a low-budget teen reality show with an all-Asian cast, aired on a local streaming service that nobody really watches. She is a fan of the show, which is a low-stakes month at a house in California where the cast gets to know each other and have fun.

But this year, things are different: a major streaming service has picked it up, and everything has changed, from how the cast is selected to the staged drama. Sabine is the only one there who loved – or even watched – the old version of the show, and she feels totally out of her depth. For the first time she is surrounded by Asians, and she’s never felt less like she belonged. Worse, the showrunners seem to have picked her to be one of the dramatic leads in their contrived storyline, pitting her against housemate Yoona Bae, a confident, beautiful girl from NYC.

Told in alternating POV between Sabine and Yoona, readers gain insight into the struggles that each is trying to keep hidden from the cameras and each other, and how the curated dramatics of the show are working to make their rift even worse. Despite this, Sabine begins to understand just how much the strings of her experience are being pulled, and how little of it is real; she and Yoona take steps to work out their differences and realize just how much they have both been manipulated.

This book will appeal to fans of reality TV above all; it is an interesting look into the behind the scenes work that goes into portraying a storyline out of unscripted content, and gives insight into how drama is created by the showrunners. The emphasis on friendship being the “happy ending,” instead of romance, was a plus. On the downside, the other four cast members and smaller supporting characters felt two-dimensional, since narration came from only Sabine and Yoona. The story would have overall been stronger had we been inside the heads of the other four housemates. The cast was all Asian American but lacked any other diversity (all cis hetero, with backgrounds that were indistinguishable in any meaningful way).

Entertaining, but not a must have.

Three Stars

Reviewed by: Jenny Martinez Nocito, Maine State Library, Augusta

three-stars

The Probability of Everything

The Probability of EverythingThe Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett
Published by Clarion Books on June 27, 2023
ISBN: 006325655X
Pages: 326
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
five-stars
What starts out as an apocalyptic science-fiction middle grade novel about an asteroid hitting the Earth in four-days time turns into a deep study of place, family, and the unimaginable toll that loss takes on a young person. Kemi Carter relates to the world through scientific facts, particularly probability. The book begins with a letter from Kemi about how the world has possibly ended due to an approaching asteroid. As the space rock hurtles toward the Earth, Kemi is alarmed by the lack of urgency and concern displayed by those in her new town. She decides to create a time capsule in the event of a total annihilation of the human race. She endeavors to capture the essence of each person in her beloved family and as the book progresses, the reader realizes how close Kemi is to her father and how special he is to her. She struggles to figure out what she can add to a time capsule that can fully represent all that he is and all that he means to her.

But the story of the asteroid and the time capsule are masking the true story of Kemi’s life and the twist that comes with the revelation that there is no asteroid will be a gut-punch to the reader. From that point onward, the book becomes a story of race relations and crushing loss and Kemi coming to terms with both of those. Give to those in grades 5-8 who enjoy a major plot twist and those who don’t mind a sad ending.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Falmouth Middle School

five-stars

Call Me Adnan

Call Me AdnanCall Me Adnan by Reem Faruqi
on June 13, 2023
ISBN: 0063284944
Genres: Fiction in Verse/Poetry, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Adnan loves playing table tennis and dreams of becoming a champion. When he wins a local competition, he is excited to qualify for a championship tournament in Florida. His family decides to turn the trip into a “cousin vacation” and to spend Eid with their family while traveling to the tournament. Unfortunately, tragedy strikes the family in Florida and Adnan gives up table tennis. The author uses the analogy of flight (thrust, weight, drag, lift) to tell Adnan’s story. Poignant and heartbreaking, this middle-grade verse novel is a story of grief and the power of family and friends.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

four-stars

The Ghost Job

The Ghost JobThe Ghost Job by Greg Van Eekhout
Published by HarperCollins ISBN: 006325333X
Genres: Horror
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars
“The Ghost Job” by Greg Van Eekhout is a thoroughly enjoyable middle grade novel for fans of ghost stories and heist fiction alike. When seventh grader Zenith and her three best friends are killed in an unfortunate science class lab experiment gone wrong, they’ll do anything to try to get out of the afterlife (basically the school auditorium), even if it means stealing a magical device from a very evil, very alive necromancer. Pooling the talents they had when they were alive, and the new powers they find themselves with as ghosts, they pull off a series of heists in preparation for the biggest job of their undead lives. Witty dialogue, snarky humor, delightful side characters (both living and dead), and a few poignant moments between the friends make this a really solid choice for a middle grade collection. This book has universal appeal for all types of readers, and the humor, friendships and bittersweet emotions of the kids make what could be a scary premise a really fun read.

Recommended for grades 5-7.

Lee Remick, York Middle School, York

four-stars

The Little Match Girl Strikes Back

The Little Match Girl Strikes BackThe Little Match Girl Strikes Back by Emma Carroll, Lauren Child
Published by Candlewick Press ISBN: 1536233358
Genres: Fairy Tale, Historical Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads
four-stars
The Little Match Girl Strikes back is a retelling of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic folk tale, but with a social justice focus.  In this version, the little match girl has a name- Bridie.  She sells matches made in the factory where her mother works.  Despite long hours in dangerous working conditions, their family struggles to pay rent and put food on the table.  Bridie decides to strike her last three matches instead of selling them, and experiences a bit of magic that shows her a better life for her family and how to accomplish this.  Once the magic wears off, Bridie helps to lead a strike at the match factory, demanding pay increases and a safer work environment.  The author’s note reveals that this is based on a true story of a London strike in 1888.  This chapter book would be most appropriate for upper elementary/middle school students.  Readers will enjoy Bridie’s tenacious and fiery spirit, which is reflected in the illustrations that are black and white, save for Bridie’s red hair and the red of the match flame.  This is a quick read as the pages are small in size and the font is larger, but the living and working conditions described in the text and the power of the women to improve them, will stick with readers long after they finish reading.

Reviewed by Lindsay Varnum, Orono Public Library

four-stars

We Still Belong

We Still BelongWe Still Belong by Christine Day
Published by Heartdrum on August 1, 2023
ISBN: 0063064561
Pages: 256
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars
Day does the admirable job of writing a middle grade book about a regular girl, living her middle school life, who is also a part of an Indigenous community and who is struggling to figure out where she fits in there. Wesley Wilder has a big day planned. She has had a poem printed in the school newspaper giving voice to her feelings about being Indigenous, and she anticipates being asked to read it out loud in English class; and the dance is coming up and she has the perfect plan to ask her crush, Ryan. Of course nothing goes as planned; her teacher criticizes the poem for not taking a stand against Columbus Day and for not having a thesis statement, and Ryan is asked to the dance by someone else while Wesley is offering emotional support to a new friend.

Readers will feel for Wesley as she navigates the ups and downs of her day.  All middle school readers will recognize the quest for identity while also trying to quietly fit in. When Wesley ends her day at an intertribal powwow, things get better: her poem is praised and she is asked to share it, and she and Ryan connect. The message is clear from Day that Wesley does belong, both in her Upper Skagit Indian Tribe and at Shorelands Middle School. Through her engaging prose and relatable character, she has done a fantastic job offering a mirror to any middle school reader, and a window into the life of an Indigenous teen. Highly recommend to realistic fiction readers in grades 5-7.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Falmouth Middle School

five-stars

Wrecker

WreckerWrecker by Carl Hiaasen
on September 26, 2023
ISBN: 0593376285
Genres: Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars
Valdez Jones VIII, known as Wrecker, lives in Key West and loves the water. If he’s not out in his skiff fishing for dinner, he’s diving just like the original Valdez who salvaged shipwrecks. When Wrecker finds a stranded cigarette boat and tries to help, he ends up over his head helping “Silver Mustache,” a mobster-type criminal in his scheme to distribute fake vaccination cards. Set during the COVID-19 pandemic, Hiaasen also weaves in the true story of the lynching of Manuel Cabeza. With delightful characters, including “7,” Wrecker’s wannabe singer dad, and Wrecker’s friend Willi, fans of Hiaasen won’t be disappointed.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

four-stars

Confessions of a Candy Snatcher

Confessions of a Candy SnatcherConfessions of a Candy Snatcher by Phoebe Sinclair, Theodore Taylor III
Published by Candlewick Press on August 15, 2023
ISBN: 1536213683
Pages: 336
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars
Jonas and his friends don’t bother trick-or-treating – they just steal candy from other trick-or-treaters. Last Halloween, Jonas hurt someone snatching their candy and has not apologized or made amends. Worse, he accidentally hurt the same classmate during PE class. When Jonas starts getting “I know what you did” notes in his locker and starts to see his friend for the homophobic bully that he is, he finds himself questioning his actions and his choice of friends. Meanwhile his parents have separated and might be headed towards divorce. When his home-schooled friend C. (Concepcion) encourages him to create a Zine with her and poses the question, “What’s the worst thing you ever did?” Jonas starts writing poems using the old typewriter his Mom’s employee finds in the back of his Mom’s store. Readers will enjoy the Zines that illustrate the book and will be enamored by Jonas learning how to use a typewriter.

Reviewed by Karen Sandlin Silverman, Mt. Ararat Middle School, Topsham

four-stars