Format: Chapter Book Fiction

Funny Kid for President

ISBN: 9780062572912
four-stars

Funny Kid for President by Matt Stanton is the first book in the “Funny Kid” series. It is an illustrated chapter book in the same vein as Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Captain Underpants with parts of it graphic novel and parts of it text heavy. Max, the main character, is a bit of a class clown and has to deal with a duck that’s following him, a teacher who hates him, and a smart classmate who has it in for him. Despite these obstacles, Max decides to run for class president on the basis that he’s the “funniest kid.” There are a few gross-out jokes that kids will find funny (Max being blamed for a poop found in the classroom, a vomit explosion in the library, and some boogers) and the simple, but hilarious illustrations help break up the text for reluctant readers. Kids will want to keep reading to find out who is rigging the election and trying to take down Funny Kid. This book is a fun middle grade read and is a great addition to any library that has lots of fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid-type books.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook

four-stars

Bound to You

Bound to YouBound to You by Alyssa Brandon
Published by Swoon Reads on April 10th 2018
ISBN: 1250101727
Pages: 304
Goodreads
two-stars

At eighteen-years-old Megan is ready to find her mate and be his forever.  This is the way of her werewolf pack, and when she meets James she knows he is the one.  However, James has been hurt and controlled before and wants nothing to do with Megan.  Although there are two battles with the evil wraiths, the major plot conflict concerns whether or not Megan and James will ever fall in love and have sex.

There are grammatical errors throughout.  Megan is an immature girl who is willing to forget her own goal of going to CalTech to follow her “mate.”  She borrows a car and leaves it unlocked and with the door open in a vacant lot.  James is self-absorbed, rude, and entitled.  It was very hard to relate to the characters.  They switch back and forth from werewolf to human but more could have been done with the werewolf angle versus showing them as selfish, immature humans.  Fans of werewolf romance books may be drawn to this one, but there are better stories available This book would be for grades 10 and up..

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

two-stars

I Felt a Funeral in My Brain

I Felt a Funeral in My BrainI Felt a Funeral, in My Brain by Will Walton
Published by Push on May 29th 2018
ISBN: 0545709563
Pages: 304
Goodreads
one-star

Sometimes trying to do too many things at once results in nothing being done well. This book, which chronicles the coming of age of a 17 year old boy named Avery, is a mishmash of themes that at times is hard to make heads or tails of. Written in  verse, which is interspersed with Avery’s poetry, the story swings back and forth between Avery’s alcoholic grandfather’s funeral, his mother’s drinking and road to recovery, his relationship with his best friend/boyfriend Luca, and his own foray into drinking. Adding to the disjointedness, we begin the story at his grandfather’s funeral, then his grandfather is alive and well for a while, then he’s in the hospital on life support. I believe this story would be difficult for an adolescent reader to follow; it’s hard to tell from page to page who is talking about whom, who is dying, who is struggling with alcohol. It left me feeling a little bewildered and unconnected to Avery, whose story is sad but in a distant, confusing sort of way.

Reviewed by Jennifer Lance, Oxford Hills Comprehensive H.S. Library, South Paris

one-star

How We Roll

How We RollHow We Roll by Natasha Friend
Published by Farrar Straus Giroux on June 5th 2018
ISBN: 0374305668
Pages: 272
Goodreads
four-stars

Friend has written another sweet high school romance that’s perfect for both middle and high school students, since it doesn’t feature any sex (only a few innocent kisses), drugs, etc.  What IS different about this book is that both of the main characters suffer from debilitating issues that keep them from making close connections with anyone; until they find each other.  Quinn led a normal life until she started losing large clumps of her hair.  Now fully bald, she suffers from a form of alopecia.  Nick, a former star quarterback, lost both of his legs in a snowmobile accident.  While the story line itself is not groundbreaking, it’s truly refreshing to see two non-traditional characters getting their love story.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook

four-stars

The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle

The Truth as Told by Mason ButtleThe Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on January 23rd 2018
ISBN: 0062491431
Pages: 336
Goodreads
five-stars

Mason Buttle is a genuine, lovable, earnest (sweaty) character. In this book for MG readers, Connor captures the voice of a boy who struggles with things. Mason is the biggest, sweatiest kid in his grade. He is a slow processor and his learning disabilities cause his words to get stuck; thoughts are not easy nor always coherent and things get muddled. This makes him an easy target for neighborhood bullies. His best friend Benny has died and the local sheriff is sure that Mason has more information about the events leading up to Benny’s death than he has admitted. Mason is just feeling grief and confusion and frustration at not being able to give the sheriff the information he so clearly thinks Mason has. Mason makes a new friend, Calvin, and what a character! The tiny, brainy foil to Mason, the two are an unlikely but understandable and delightful duo. When Calvin goes missing, all of the angst and heartache about Benny comes back to Mason, but this time, he is going to get it right and save Calvin. The mystery surrounding Benny’s death is a bit predictable, but as you discover it along with Mason, it works especially since the truth of the situation clicks with Mason as he tells his own story into the recording device given to him by the school guidance counselor. He finally realizes how powerful his own story is. This story of loss and redemption and of the giant, sweet boy with the perpetually sweaty face who finally learns how smart he really is will stick with you long after you close the book.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library, Yarmouth 

five-stars

Time Shifters

Time ShiftersTime Shifters by Chris Grine
Published by Graphix on May 30th 2017
ISBN: 0545926599
Pages: 272
Goodreads
five-stars

An odd-ball adventure across time and alternate dimensions will that will leave readers laughing and wanting more.

Luke and his brother Kyle run into a gang of bullies one afternoon while playing in the woods. The encounter causes an accident in which Kyle dies. A year after Kyle’s death, Luke sees a mysterious light coming from the forest behind his house. He suddenly finds himself in possession of a strange device and is chased by a mummy, vampire Napoleon, and a skeleton astronaut. However, Luke is saved by a time-traversing group comprised of a ghost, dinosaur, robotic Abraham Lincoln, and the scientist who invented the multiverse shifting device. In order to get the device off Luke’s arm (which is locked on unless you know the code), the groups hides out in an alternate dimension of giant spiders in the Wild West. Pursued by the henchmen and dodgy spiders, Luke and the gang must keep the device away while also saving a kidnapped robotic Abraham Lincoln.

Luke is a great protagonist, and the eclectic bunch of characters are all interesting and well rounded. The slapstick humor is fitting, and is genuinely funny. The art is bright and effective, and conveys the story well. A great title for readers who loved Ben Hatke’s “Mighty Jack” series.

Reviewed by Cidney Mayes, Memorial Middle School Library, South Portland

five-stars

Like Water

Like WaterLike Water by Rebecca Podos
Published by Balzer + Bray on October 17th 2017
ISBN: 0062373374
Pages: 320
Goodreads
five-stars

Savannah Espinoza had grand plans to swim for a college team and leave her small New Mexico town, but after her father is diagnosed with Huntington’s Disease her plans grind to a halt. Secretly fearing that she, too, inherited the disease, Savannah (Vanni) spends the summer after her graduation working in her family’s restaurant and hooking up with boys. When she meets Leigh Clemente, a white girl from Boston, things begin to change for Vanni. Leigh wants nothing more to leave New Mexico and head back to Boston, and Vanni and Leigh share the feeling of being stuck. An unsteady relationship begins between the two, and Vanni is forced to make a hard choice between staying with her family and pursuing a life of her own.

Podos thoughtfully and authentically explores Vanni’s self-discovery and bisexuality. Un-itilaicized Spanish is woven into the dialogue, bringing life to Vanni’s interactions with others. An excellent addition to contemporary romance collections, recommended for grades 9 and up.

Reviewed by Cidney Mayes, Memorial Middle School Library, South Portland

five-stars

The Poet X

The Poet XThe Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo
Published by HarperTeen on March 6th 2018
ISBN: 0062662805
Pages: 357
Goodreads
five-stars

This is a compelling and emotional novel in verse about a teenaged girl from Harlem discovering herself through her writing and slam poetry. Xiomara copes with harassment, bullying, and the strictness of her upbringing with her fists, though she has so much to say to the pages of her leather-bound notebook. Xiomara struggles with her Catholic mother’s strict rules and fears of sexuality, and questions the teachings of the Catholic Church. Her twin brother and father are unavailable emotionally, which leaver Xiomara feeling isolated. When Xiomara begins to develop feelings for a boy in her class named Aman, she fears retribution from her mother, but decides to break rules anyway. Eventually she is found out, and Xiomara’s life seems to spin out of her control. Xiomara finally accepts a long outstanding invitation to join the school’s slam poetry club extended to her by her English teacher, and she finally begins to use the strength inside herself to solve her problems.

Beautiful poems tell Xiomara’s story, as she writes about many nuanced issues such as Latino culture, being a first-generation American, music, sexuality, and finding one’s voice. The ending is happy but messy, and will leave readers satisfied by the poignancy and realness of the story. Recommended for grades 10 and up.

Reviewed by Cidney Mayes, Memorial Middle School Library, South Portland 

five-stars

Hamilton and Peggy!: A Revolutionary Friendship

Hamilton and Peggy!: A Revolutionary FriendshipHamilton and Peggy!: A Revolutionary Friendship by L.M. Elliott
Published by Katherine Tegen Books on February 13th 2018
ISBN: 0062671308
Pages: 448
Goodreads
four-stars

Peggy Schuyler is a spirited and gutsy young woman, who often feels overlooked in her family as her two older sisters Angelica and Eliza often take the spotlight. Peggy feels even more overshadowed when she receives a letter from George Washington’s aide-de-camp Alexander Hamilton, who writes to Peggy to enlist her help in courting Eliza. This romance is set against the backdrop of the Schuyler home, where Peggy eavesdrops on her father and his wartime involvement with American Revolution. Peggy longs to have a more active role in spying for the Revolution and aides wherever she can, by opening sealed letters in such a way as to disguise that the letter was ever open, to once meeting a spy for her father in the market. Steadfast throughout the novel is Peggy’s role as a caretaker and the loyalty between the three Schuyler sisters.

Elliot’s novel is based upon meticulous research, and the afterword provides much information on the letters and documents she used to write Peggy’s story, though the title of the novel is clearly inspired by Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical Hamilton. Language in the book is modern, apart from the letter excerpts that begin each chapter which are included with original spellings. The action is fast paced, and will leave any fan of Hamilton the musical satisfied. Recommended for grades 9 and up.

Reviewed by Cidney Mayes, Memorial Middle School Library, South Portland

four-stars

The Art of Starving

The Art of StarvingThe Art of Starving by Sam J. Miller
Published by HarperTeen on July 11th 2017
ISBN: 0062456717
Pages: 372
Goodreads
five-stars

Matt is a Jewish, white, gay teenager who harnesses starvation-induced powers in order to get revenge for his missing sister. Matt is writing a guidebook on the Art of Starving and is quick to note that he is honest – detailing that he has been diagnosed with suicidal ideation – yet he refuses to admit he has an eating disorder to the reader. Once he realizes that by restricting his food he can harness supernatural powers such as following scents and reading minds, he turns his newfound skills towards the three bullies who Matt thinks are behind his sister’s disappearance. One of these boys is Tariq, whom Matt and his sister both had a crush on, though Matt hates himself for having this crush. As Matt begins to degenerate his powers seem to grow, but will he really find the answers he is looking for by being so blind to the other possibilities around him?

The witty and snarky tone of Matt’s narration will keep readers rooting for him and his recovery. Though seemingly strange at first, Matt’s supernatural abilities add an interesting aspect to Matt’s eating disorder and his journey to seeing things as they really are. Recommended for readers in grades 10 and up.

Reviewed by Cidney Mayes, Memorial Middle School Library

five-stars