Format: Chapter Book Fiction

The Secret Starling

The Secret StarlingThe Secret Starling by Jo Rioux, Judith Eagle
Published by Walker Books US on June 8, 2021
ISBN: 1536213659
Pages: 256
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Clara believes that she is an orphan in the guardianship of her uncle.  She is terribly lonesome until she meets Peter whose grandmother is ill in the hospital and who has been sent to stay with Clara and her uncle.

But things change dramatically when Clara’s uncle disappears and leaves her with a pile of money and no explanation.  There are many adventures which culminate with Clara and Peter discovering that they are twins, their father, whom they believed was dead, is a famous ballet dancer who never knew they existed, and they won’t be lonesome again.

This book has an old-fashioned orphan/adventure vibe that upper elementary aged students will enjoy, but it isn’t Cream worthy.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

three-stars

McTavish Takes the Cake

McTavish Takes the CakeMcTavish Takes the Cake by Grace Easton, Meg Rosoff
Published by Candlewick Press on June 8, 2021
ISBN: 1536213756
Pages: 96
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

McTavish Takes the Cake

 

Meg Rosoff has written the third book in her series of McTavish, a rescue dog who has very bright ideas to improve his family’s life.  Food is the most important ingredient now since Ma Peachey has relinquished the cooking chores to her children, who have ability, and to her husband, who doesn’t.  When Pa Peachey tries to cook, only McTavish and the youngest child, Betty, will eat it, and it is a challenge for them as they start to put on weight.

A cooking contest is announced and Pa believes that he can be the winner.  The rest of the family have major doubts as Pa tries to make a gingerbread replica of the palace of Versailles with thousands of pieces.  It doesn’t go well, through the intervention of McTavish, but all is not lost as Pa receives $500 worth of flour as a consolation prize.  An interesting premise but not Cream of the Crop worthy.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

four-stars

The Triple Play Twins

The Triple Play TwinsBallpark Mysteries #17: The Triple Play Twins by David A. Kelly, Mark Meyers
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on February 2, 2021
ISBN: 0593126246
Pages: 112
Genres: Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

“The Triple Play Twins” is the seventeenth book in the “Ballpark Mysteries” series by David A. Kelly. You don’t need to have read the other books in order to understand the book. This early chapter book follows two cousins, Kate and Mike, who travel to different baseball parks with Kate’s mother, a sports reporter. There’s always some sort of mystery to solve wherever they go.

In this one, Kate and Mike befriend two identical twin players on the Minnesota Twins, but something is wrong when they run into one of the twins and he doesn’t seem to recognize them. The action keeps readers interested in solving the mystery and also peppers in some baseball information for young sports fans. There isn’t anything groundbreaking in this book, but it will appeal to kids who enjoy the “A to Z mysteries” and baseball fans.

Aimed at kids aged 6 through 9, the “Ballpark Mysteries” is a solid beginner chapter book series to add to your collection, especially if you have readers looking for sports themed books.

Reviewed by Kate Radke, Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook.

three-stars

Unicorn Academy Freya and Honey

Unicorn Academy Freya and HoneyUnicorn Academy #10: Freya and Honey by Julie Sykes, Lucy Truman
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 5, 2021
ISBN: 0593306295
Pages: 128
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
two-stars

This is the tenth book in the Unicorn Academy series and the review copy was a paperback.  The 4-6 page chapters with regular illustrations places this book as a read for 2-4 graders who love unicorns and boarding schools.  In the Unicorn Academy world, students are paired with a unicorn their first year and bond with them to become guardians of Unicorn Island.  Freya and her unicorn Honey have not bonded yet.  This has created tension between them that Freya hopes to resolve by creating a mechanical unicorn to give to Honey for her birthday.  Various obstacles make it difficult for Freya to keep it a secret to surprise Honey and bond with her.  The topic is popular, but the writing relies on dialogue and quick one word clues for the setting instead of descriptions.  Readers may wonder what dorms are; how the magic works in the unicorn world, and where all the students get their party food.

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Youth Services, Springvale Public Library

two-stars

Camp Time in California

Camp Time in CaliforniaCamp Time in California (Magic Tree House #35) by Ag Ford, Mary Pope Osborne
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on March 2, 2021
ISBN: 0593177460
Pages: 112
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

In this #35 hardcover edition of the popular magic Tree house series, Jack and Annie are chosen by Morgan to be artists that find themselves in Yosemite with John Muir during President Roosevelt’s time in office.  As they draw the wildlife, they encounter the last grizzly bear.  The tour ends with President Roosevelt agreeing to make Yosemite a National Park.  Ford’s black and white illustrations are scattered throughout.  An editing note:  the first illustration features Jack running to the tree house with a backpack on, while the text specifically says he forgot it.  Readers will notice.

Reviewed by Sheila Dube, Youth Services Librarian, Springvale Public Library

four-stars

The House That Wasn’t There

The House That Wasn’t ThereThe House That Wasn't There by Elana K. Arnold
Published by Walden Pond Press on March 30, 2021
ISBN: 0062937065
Pages: 288
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Alder lives a quiet life in LA with his mom until the new neighbors move in and cut down the massive oak tree between their houses to make room for a renovation. On top of that, Alder’s best friend has found a new best friend. Strange coincidences seem to draw him closer to his new neighbor — also named for a tree. Oak and Alder adopt sibling kittens and both have unusual items that their fathers purchased in an oddities store in Seattle. While the coincidences might feel a little far-fetched, the story at the heart is tender and all about the importance of family. Give this book to fantasy/magical realism upper-elementary/middle school readers. 

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

four-stars

Everyone Dies Famous in a Small Town

Everyone Dies Famous in a Small TownEveryone Dies Famous in a Small Town by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
Published by Random House/Lamb on April 20, 2021
ISBN: 1984892592
Pages: 208
Genres: Realistic Fiction, Short Stories
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

These interconnected short stories weave through the lives of teens in the west from Colorado to Alaska. From an imaginary mermaid friend to help a girl cope with tragedy to a young firefighter who rescues a cat and gets a haircut in return to a girl who takes on an abusive priest in a unique way, these stories set against a backdrop of forest fires demonstrate the resilience of the (young) human spirit. These beautifully-written YA stories are suitable for upper middle school and up.

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

 

 

five-stars

The Thief of Worlds

ISBN: 9780385392518
Genres: Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
three-stars

The Thief of Worlds

 

Hurricane was named for the storm, and now that the wind has been stolen his mother is suffering in the hospital and is close to death.  Because of Hurricane’s connection to the wind he is chosen to find the thief and return the horn of the wind.  Not only has the wind been stolen but also water and independence.  Through friendships with a cat-like creature, and a frog-man and depending on others the twelve-year-old Hurricane saves the day and the other creatures.  Bruce Coville has written another epic fantasy with grand world building.  He is an excellent author of many types of books for middle grade aged students.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

three-stars

The Great Godden

The Great GoddenThe Great Godden by Meg Rosoff
Published by Candlewick Press on April 13, 2021
ISBN: 1536215856
Pages: 256
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

The Great Godden

 

In a fascinating beach read, a narrator who we neither know the name of or the gender, tells of one summer spent in a beach home with a family of six, two other close family members, and the infamous Godden brothers, Kit and Hugo.

Kit must always be the center of attention and breaks up relationships everywhere he goes.  Hugo is distant and moody until the end where all is revealed.

The writing is lyrical but the plot was somewhat lacking.  The author, Meg Rosoff, has won the Printz award previously, but this book isn’t the one.  The descriptions of summer activities were very evocative.  Older teens will enjoy this, but bisexuality is depicted in a very negative manner.

 

Reviewed by Ellen Spring, Oceanside High School, Rockland

three-stars

When the World Was Ours

When the World Was OursWhen the World Was Ours by Liz Kessler
Published by Aladdin on May 18, 2021
ISBN: 1534499652
Pages: 352
Genres: Historical Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Liz Kessler, author of the Emily Windsnap series takes readers in a totally different direction in her new book When the world Was Ours. Inspired by a true family story, she introduces the three main characters living in Austria just as Hitler is coming to power. Leo, Elsa and Max are the three young friends who have been best friends forever. the story opens in 1936 and Leo has invited Max and Elsa to his ninth birthday, a day at the Vienna Ferris wheel, the Riesenrad. Little do they know that after this day, their lives will never be the same- ever.

Leo and Elsa are Jewish and as the reader reads each chapter-the years that follow , they are in the classroom where they ae asked to sit in the back, friends told that they are to shun them, and they don’t understand why. The reader follows the fear, humiliation and then terror of what their lives become as Hitler rises to power. Max’s family on the other hand rises in stature and position as they embrace the new rule, though Max wanting to please a father that is disappointed in him, struggles to do what is expected of him as a Hitler youth.

This is a hard book to read. Kessler writing hits hard and she does not hold back in its reality. The friends do not live happily ever after and when the horror of the war is over, their families are forever changed, as is the world.

There are many, many stories of the war and the holocaust, but somehow this one is different, it leaves an impression on the reader and there are pieces of it that one could be reading in todays news.

Cream of the Crop

suggested reading level-grades 4and up

Reviewed by Kathy George

Gray Public Library, Gray Maine

 

 

five-stars