Format: Chapter Book Fiction

The Peacock Detectives

The Peacock DetectivesThe Peacock Detectives by Carly Nugent
Published by HarperCollins on January 14, 2020
ISBN: 0062896709
Pages: 288
Genres: Mystery, Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This story takes place in Australia. Cassie, the girl telling the story, lives with her parents and her fourteen year old sister Diana. The novel begins with the neighbor’s peacocks escaping and Cassie starting to write this story. Cassie is eleven years old and good at noticing things. She found her neighbor’s peacocks when they escaped the last time so she is ready to do it again. Cassie’s father is a high school English teacher who has given her many tips about writing. Cassie shares these writing tips throughout her story. Jonas is her best friend and helps her try to find the missing peacocks. He is very good with science and math facts. Cassie knows a lot about reading and writing. In many ways they are opposites. Cassie notices that her family is changing. Diana has become a vegetarian and is interested in Buddhist meditation. Her mother starts cooking differently, her father is acting strangely, and her interaction with her grandfather has been altered. There is much more to this story than finding the missing peacocks. The variety of themes in this book include adoption, mental illness, bullying, friendship, death, family and marriage issues, etc. Although some of these are heavy topics, the book is written in a charming and sensitive manner. I highly recommend this well written novel for young readers 10-12 years old. Reviewed by Kris Zuidema, retired school librarian, Standish

four-stars

The Good Hawk

The Good HawkThe Good Hawk by Joseph Elliott
Published by Walker Books US on January 21, 2020
ISBN: 9781536207187
Pages: 368
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This fantasy is told in two voices. Agatha, the heroine, is fifteen and has Down Syndrome. Her job in the clan as a “Hawk” is to guard their wall and watch for attackers. She is very proud of her role. Jaime is also fifteen and an “Angler.” He does not enjoy his position and would rather build boats than be on them. Their clan lives on the Isle of Skye. The book is divided into three parts: Skye, Scotia, and Norveg. When disaster strikes their clan circumstances dictate that Agatha and Jaime must cross Scotia to Norveg to rescue their people. Agatha has the gift of communicating with animals including her pet vole, Highland bulls, and more. Part of the plot also deals with the plague. This well written fantasy is action packed, full of mystery, has touches of humor, and magic. Having the story told in two voices adds much to the depth of the characters and the interpretation of what takes place in the story. This is the first in the Shadow Skye trilogy. I highly recommend it for ages 12 and up. Reviewed by Kris Zuidema, retired school librarian, Standish

four-stars

Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom

Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of DoomWayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom by Louis Sachar, Tim Heitz
on March 3, 2020
ISBN: 0062965387
Genres: Humor
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Wayside School is BACK! Though young readers may not be familiar with the series, this new addition will surely spark their interest in the first three books. You don’t need to read the first three, however, to enjoy this book. The Wayside School has been shrouded by a giant cloud of doom, and it’s throwing everything out of whack. The already strange and quirky nature of the school is flipped on end because of the cloud. The book is full of puns, twists, wordplays, and just general silliness, and it’s sure to delight many a young reader. It’s a fun and light read recommended for 2nd – 4th grade readers.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Busted by Breakfast

Busted by BreakfastBusted by Breakfast (Trouble at Table 5, #2) by Marta Kissi, Tom Watson
Published by HarperCollins on March 3, 2020
ISBN: 0062953443
Pages: 96
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
three-stars

Molly and crew are back for the second installment in the Trouble at Table 5 early chapter series. This time, it’s Simon at the center of the story. When Simon gets excited about something, he simply cannot stop talking about it. The more he talks the faster and louder he gets, and when this happens in school, sometimes he gets in trouble. In order to try to smooth things over with his parents, Simon, Rosie, and Molly hatch a plan to clean up the garage, but when things don’t go according to plan, can they get it all done in time?

Much like the first book in this series, this book celebrates neurodiversity in all of the main characters. This plot line isn’t as compelling as the first, and there’s a bit of humor at the expense of an older character. It is still a good book, and I look forward to seeing subsequent books from this series. Recommended for 2nd-4th grade readers.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

three-stars

The Candy Caper

The Candy CaperThe Candy Caper (Trouble at Table 5, #1) by Marta Kissi, Tom Watson
Published by HarperCollins on March 3, 2020
ISBN: 0062953419
Pages: 96
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Molly and her friends Simon and Rosie share Table 5 in their classroom, and they’re also best friends. Molly spots a jar of Skittles in the office one morning, and she needs to know how many Skittles are in the jar. Other kids may feel like they want to know, but for Molly, numbers and other things stick with her. It isn’t a want to know situation, she needs to know. Molly, Simon, and Rosie hatch a plan to count the Skittles in the office without getting caught, but will they do it?

The story of this book is good, but the best part of it is the neurodiverse representation of the characters in the book. Molly is the real focus of the book, and she has clear obsessive compulsive tendencies. Her friends and family understand her and support her. The vocabulary is age-appropriate with a few more difficult words. The black, white, and red illustrations are appropriate for the age of the readers and help to break up the text. Recommended for 2nd-4th grade readers.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

Gargantis

GargantisGargantis (The Legends of Eerie-on-Sea, #2) by Thomas Taylor, Tom Booth
Published by Walker Books US on May 12, 2020
ISBN: 1536208590
Pages: 336
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

This is the second book in the Legends of Eerie-on-Sea series, and it is great. Herbie Lemons and Violet are back, and things are no less eerie at the Grand Nautilus Hotel. When a glowing ancient bottle with indecipherable script washes up on shore, everyone wants to get their hands on it. Violet and Herbie work together to determine the link between the bottle and the storm with monstrous and spectacular conclusions.

This book is well written and the story is one that many kids will enjoy. Herbie is perfectly awkward and witty, and Violet is sharp and inquisitive. The first book in the series, Malamander, isn’t essential to understanding this book, but there are certain aspects that will make more sense if you read it first. Perfect for fantasy fans who don’t love a ton of scare, I’d recommend this book to kids 3rd grade and up. This is a wonderful entry to middle grade fantasy series.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

McTavish Goes Wild

McTavish Goes WildMcTavish Goes Wild by Grace Easton, Meg Rosoff
ISBN: 1536203319
Genres: Adventure, Animals
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
four-stars

Summer vacation is here, and the Peachey family decides to go camping. McTavish couldn’t be more pleased with this decision because he gets to come along. When McTavish decides the Peachey family is being too lazy and grumpy, he goes rogue and leads them on a woods adventure.

This is a great story of family, adventure, and fun. The text is interesting in that the story is written for young readers, but it has a lot of advanced words. For this reason, I wouldn’t recommend this book to a struggling reader because it’s only likely to cause more frustration. The story, however, is a good one. There are a few illustrations, but they do little to further the story and really just break up the text a bit. Recommended for 3rd grade and up.

Reviewed by Jessie Trafton, Skidompha Library, Damariscotta, ME

four-stars

When You Were Everything

When You Were EverythingWhen You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk
Published by Delacorte Press on March 10, 2020
ISBN: 1524715913
Pages: 400
Genres: Realistic Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
Goodreads
five-stars

Woodfolk has crafted an emotionally wrought but ultimately beautiful tale of friendship, love, and relationships.  Cleo is a wonderfully quirky teen who loves jazz music, her best friend, and Shakespeare.  Layla is that best friend, or used to be, and has a stutter and a love for musical theater.  The full story of Cleo and Layla is told in alternating timelines, so we don’t find out exactly what happened to ruin their friendship until near the end.  Cleo  takes an amazing journey through grief, anger, forgiveness, and acceptance.  While her friendship is falling apart, she’s also dealing with the divorce of her parents, lingering difficulty with the death of her beloved grandmother, and meeting a new love interest.  Cleo struggles but ultimately comes out on top with a new lease on life and new relationships.  Anyone who has lost a friend will feel a deep connection with Cleo and this book.  This is a lovely emotional journey that ultimately ends up hopeful.  Recommended for grades 7+.

Reviewed by Kara Reiman, Maine State Library

five-stars

Spindle and Dagger

Published by Candlewick Press Genres: Folklore, Historical Fiction
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
three-stars

A great premise but poor execution. I wanted to love this book so much! It has strong female lead characters and takes place in Wales, 1109. unfortunately, I wasn’t a fan of the main character’s inner monologue. She struck me as an unlikeable person from the first chapter. Also, the world-building seemed somewhat flat. I’ve read other books by other authors set in this time and place and they made it feel alive for me. This did not. This book appropriate for ages 15 and up due to rape references throughout the book.

Reviewed by Sophie Gagnon, Skidompha public library

three-stars

Solstice

Published by Imprint Genres: Horror, Humor, Mystery
Format: Chapter Book Fiction
two-stars

Tagged as a “tropical, horror, comedy” this book is a definite beach read. loosely based on the Fyre Festival that became a national sensation after not producing what they promised to the ticket purchaser. This book takes those publicized problems and adds a few dead bodies and a sea creature. The writing was fine but I felt the main character started off likable and went downhill from there. This book is appropriate for ages 13 and up but I wouldn’t waste my money on it.

Reviewed by Sophie Gagnon, Skidompha public library

two-stars