Format: Chapter Book Fiction

Flying Over Water

Flying Over WaterFlying Over Water by N.H. Senzai, Shannon Hitchcock
Published by Scholastic Press on October 20, 2020
ISBN: 1338617664
Pages: 272
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

What if you were a refugee who finally arrived safely in Tampa, Florida, but your best friend drowned during her trip? What if you’re a champion swimmer who suddenly panics during a meet? What if these two middle school girls’ lives connect and they help each other be brave? Then you’d have a successful book about friendship and courage like “Flying Over Water”.

This chapter book, told in alternate voices of the two girls, intertwines refugee history, current events (such as the 2017 mosque arson in Tampa) and challenges in a sensitive but not too political manner.  Author notes are as interesting as the book for background info, which may invite readers to find out more about any of the possible threads that hold this fictional account together. The ending acknowledges that there will always be challenges, but hope and determination, especially among friends, will help one deal with whatever tomorrow or next week or next year will bring.

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

five-stars

Magic’s Most Wanted

Magic’s Most WantedMagic's Most Wanted by Tyler Whitesides
Published by HarperCollins on January 19, 2021
ISBN: 006256837X
Pages: 352
Genres: Adventure, Humor, Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Who are the good guys and who are the bad guys? Who’s trying to help and who’s trying to hurt? Mason Mortimer Morrison’s dad is in prison, but is he really guilty? Mason broke his leg, but was it really an accident? Can any ordinary object hold magic power? Fast-paced adventure as Mason also tries to figure out if Avery is a friend or foe as they fight the powers of Magix.

Worthwhile purchase for your adventure-loving middle elementary readers.

Reviewed by Lynn Mayer, Retired Librarian, Old Town Elementary School, Old Town

four-stars

Can You See Me?

Can You See Me?Can You See Me? by Libby Scott, Rebecca Westcott
Published by Scholastic Press on March 3, 2020
ISBN: 1338608916
Pages: 362
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Tally is an autistic 6th grader, and she’s dreading many things about starting school—scratchy uniforms, changing schedules, being without her friends in all her classes. Until now, Tally has never been ashamed of being autistic. It’s part of what makes her the person she is. When she starts 6th grade, though, she’s the brunt of a fair amount of bullying, and it makes her keenly aware of her differences. Suddenly, she feels as if she needs to fit into a mold that doesn’t feel quite right.

This is a wonderful #OwnVoices book co-written by a young autistic girl, Libby Scott. The way Tally expresses her autism and what it means for her really brings to light some of the often misunderstood aspects of autism. The story is relatable, well paced, and easy to read. Recommended for readers 4th grade and up and for Cream of the Crop.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

five-stars

Trowbridge Road

Trowbridge RoadTrowbridge Road by Marcella Pixley
Published by Candlewick Press on October 6, 2020
ISBN: 1536207500
Pages: 336
Genres: Historical Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

It’s the early 80s, and June Bug Jordan’s father has recently died from complications from AIDS. June Bug’s mother is having a really hard time with the loss and has all but ceased functioning as a parent. She is overcome with grief and fear and spends the entirety of each day locked in their house. She requires June Bug to disinfect any time she ventures out. The more June Bug ventures out, though, the more she connects with other people, and the more she longs for those connections. She befriends a young boy, Ziggy, and he and his grandmother become a pivotal part of June Bug’s life and her mother’s road to recovery.

This is a beautiful and gut wrenching story of family, loss, grief, and mental illness. June Bug’s mother is rapt with anxiety and fear about the HIV and the potential to get it. The story is set in the early 80s, so the fear and misunderstanding about HIV/AIDS is appropriately represented. Some of her mother’s practices border on child abuse, though, so sensitive readers beware. The author does a great job capturing the hold that mental illness and grief can have on someone. This book is a great read albeit sometimes a hard one. Recommended for readers 5th grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Sleeping with the light on

Sleeping with the light onSleeping with the Light On by Carlos Aquilera, David Unger
Published by Groundwood Books on October 27, 2020
ISBN: 1773063847
Pages: 96
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This book is fewer than 100 pages long, but it packs so much into the short story. Davico lives in Guatemala with his family above the restaurant his family runs, La Casita. The beginning of the story is light hearted and depicts a warm and rich life. Things take a dramatic turn, however, when political unrest threatens Davico’s family’s livelihood. His parents leave him and his brother, Felipe, with their aunt and uncle so they may travel to the US to escape the violence and, hopefully, set up a new life. Davico and Felipe are miserable with their aunt and uncle, but Davico never loses hope that they will join their parents in the US. When that finally happens, it’s a different city than they had planned, and things are so different than what Davico ever expected.

This is a great book in a small package. The language is colorful, descriptive, and it’s just really well written. Davico is relatable and many young readers will connect with him. There are illustrations at the beginning of each chapter, and while they don’t add much to the story, the art is well done. Recommended for readers 3rd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Taking Up Space

Taking Up SpaceTaking Up Space by Alyson Gerber
Published by Scholastic Inc. on May 18, 2021
ISBN: 1338186000
Pages: 272
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Taking Up Space by Alyson Gerber

 

Sarah is a 12-year-old 7th grader who isn’t getting enough to eat, even though her family makes plenty of money.  Sarah loves basketball but she is also maturing and growing and her body isn’t the same.  Her mother has issues of her own with food and these have spilled over to Sarah having disordered eating.  Besides her eating problems, Sarah has a best friend with whom she is having issues over a boy, two girls on the basketball team who dislike her, and a cooking contest that may change Sarah’s life; if she can stand the stress.

Sarah finally is seen by her Guidance Counselor who gives excellent advice and encourages Sarah and her whole family to see therapists.  This was one of my favorite parts where therapy was seen as such a positive way to learn to accept yourself.

Sarah and her teammates and friends were so authentically middle schoolers with their concerns and thoughts.  This book is recommended for Cream of the Crop and for students in grades 4-7.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

five-stars

Good Girl, Bad Blood

Good Girl, Bad BloodGood Girl, Bad Blood (A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #2) by Holly Jackson
Published by Delacorte Press on March 2, 2021
ISBN: 1984896407
Pages: 416
Genres: Mystery, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Pippa Fitz-Amobi is back with more mystery in the sequel to A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder. We join Pippa about 6 months after the end of GGGM. After the last case took over and threatened her life, she has sworn off investigating. But her friend Connor has begged her to help find his missing brother, Jamie. After the police do nothing, Pip has no choice but to dive in. This new mystery includes a lot of familiar characters and introduces us to a few new community members. During the investigation, Pip finds herself ruminating on what makes a person good or bad and how to figure out who you truly are. During this case, her audience starts to turn on her, claiming she’s faking the missing person to get sponsorships for her true crime podcast. Alas, it’s all too real and Jackson takes us to a surprising and dark ending. Recommended for all teen collections. Best for ages 14+.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Maine State Library

five-stars

The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell

The Boy Who Failed Show and TellThe Boy Who Failed Show and Tell by Jordan Sonnenblick
Published by Scholastic Press on February 2, 2021
ISBN: 1338647237
Pages: 224
Genres: Humor, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell

 

How could anyone beat the show and tell narrative where Jordan’s classmate’s house was on fire and he had to jump into the firefighters’ net?  Jordan feels he is doomed and, besides this, his 4th grade teacher truly hates him.  Readers will laugh at Jordan’s exploits with his snake Hector, soon to be Hectoria when many baby snakes come into the world.  Between drum lessons, changing schools, Little League, finding homes for the snakes, and his asthma, 4th grade is not easy.  In this memoir Sonnenblick shows his resilience as readers sympathize with the many obstacles he must battle.  This book gives background to some of the topics covered in his books and is recommended for grades 3-5.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

four-stars

The Good Girls

The Good GirlsThe Good Girls by Claire Eliza Bartlett
on December 1, 2020
ISBN: 0062943103
Pages: 368
Genres: Mystery, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

The police chief’s daughter, Emma, is missing. She was last seen at Anna’s Run, a dangerous section of the local river. As the police work on the case, they focus on three teens: Claude the rebel slut, Avery the airhead cheerleader, and Gwen the vicious academic. The author keeps us on our toes, switching between third person accounts of each of the girls and diary entries, police interview logs, newspaper articles, and social media posts. The story feels fast-paced due to the constant switching of viewpoints, but we don’t start to discover any answers until very late in the book. But once we do, it’s a harrowing ride through to the surprising ending. With themes of sexuality, lgbt+, feminism, and relationships of all kinds, this is a revenge tale you won’t want to miss. Recommended for ages 14+.

Reviewed by  Kara Reiman, Maine State Library

five-stars

Concrete Rose

Concrete RoseConcrete Rose (The Hate U Give, #0) by Angie Thomas
Published by Balzer + Bray on January 12, 2021
ISBN: 006284671X
Pages: 360
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Angie Thomas is back with another winner of a book with this prequel to The Hate U Give.  This is the story of Starr’s parents.  Maverick is a 17-year-old living with his mother in the Garden doing his best to get by while his dad is in prison and his mom works two jobs to support them.  He’s doing okay in school, has a great girlfriend, trusted friends and family, and slings a little pot for the King Lords, his dad’s gang.  His life changes completely when he finds out he’s the father of a 3 month old boy, conceived during a brief breakup with his girlfriend.  Suddenly he’s taking full-time care of a baby, staying up all night, sleeping during school, and working after school to pay for baby supplies.  Not too long after that he loses his best friend and cousin.  This is an incredibly thought-provoking tale of the struggle between your past and your future, and decision-making and consequences.  By the end, it’s easy to see that Maverick is well on his way to being the incredible and responsible father that he is to Starr.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Maine State Library

five-stars