Format: Chapter Book Fiction

Michigan vs. the Boys

Michigan vs. the BoysMichigan vs. the Boys by Carrie S. Allen
Published by Kids Can Press on October 1st 2019
ISBN: 1525301489
Pages: 304
Goodreads
four-stars

This book faces many issues associated with team sports in the high school environment.   Although not subtle Allen outlines some of the more frightening aspects of competition.  Michigan is a skilled ice hockey player on her girl’s hockey team but the high school just cut that team.  In spite of harassment and taunting she joins the boy’s team where the situation gets more difficult.  This book goes beyond a typical sports book, it delves into serious issues of bullying and sexual intimidation.

Michigan vs. the Boys is well written as it depicts situations that no athletic director wants to see in their school.   Coaches should be made aware of this title and librarians will want to included it on the shelves of high school media centers.  Gift to both female and male athletics.

Submitted by Jan Hamilton, retired youth services librarian in Scarborough, ME

four-stars

My Jasper June

My Jasper JuneMy Jasper June by Laurel Snyder
Published by Walden Pond Press on September 3rd 2019
ISBN: 0062836625
Pages: 304
Goodreads
four-stars

Summer arrives but Leah is bored and lonely since she is not going to camp this year.  Enter a refreshing new girl to the community who emits self-confidence and exhibits a sense of personal freedom.   This book is powerful as it goes beyond typical teen friendship to reveal some serious situations.  Readers will be surprised twice by twist that are not expected even as they are enchanted by the quality of real friendship.  The only weakness is the under development of Leah’s parents.

My Jasper June does have a magical quality and will appeal to mostly7th and 8th grade girls.  Public and middle school librarians will want to add this book to their collection.  School social workers may find the runaway and family loss themes helpful for their students.

Submitted by Jan Hamilton, retired librarian in Scarborough, ME

four-stars

The Tornado

four-stars

Bell is being bullied by Parker at school. He has devised a strategy to help stop the bullying- avoid Parker at all costs. He tried to tell the principal about it and so did his parents, but the principal is Parker’s dad and he just can’t see/believe what Parker is doing. But then a new student joins the school and Parker has a new target which Bell knows is wrong but can’t help feeling relieved. The humor in here was good and the bullying very real. Also the turning on friends or just not standing up for them to avoid being bullied is something lots of kids will relate too. Bells parents were a big plus in this book, their roll is minor but it added quite a bit. Not quite as good as Burt’s other books, as Good as Greetings from Witness Protection or The Right Hook of Devin Velma, but still good. Grades 4 and up

Mary Lehmer, Youth Services Librarian, Freeport Community Library, Freeport, ME

four-stars

Cog

five-stars

COG is an android. He was developed on the sly by Gina, a programmer that wanted to make a robot that could learn and grow with the experiences it had. The company that hired Gina,  uniMIND, has other ideas and want the android for themselves. COG is going to have use all of his experiences to out smart uniMIND and escape them. This is a great sci-fi book for a younger reader. It has a few pictures, (wish it had more), that add to the book. COG’s dilemma  about what to do and how to go about doing it were action filled at times, other times creative and sometimes funny. Each of the robots/androids had a quirk and unique personality that made the story. Grades 4 and up

Mary Lehmer, Youth Services Librarian, Freeport Community Library, Freeport, ME

 

five-stars

The Year We Fell From Space

The Year We Fell From SpaceThe Year We Fell From Space by A.S. King
Published by Arthur A. Levine Books on October 15th 2019
ISBN: 1338236369
Pages: 272
Goodreads
four-stars

Liberty loves everything about constellations and she knows so much about them. She often goes out at night to look at them. One night when she is outside she sees a meteorite crash into the forest behind their cabin. She is super excited about it, but on that same night, something awful happens, her dad moves out and her parents end up getting divorced. This book deals with depression in a parent and the impact it can have on their children. Liberty tries to shoulder a lot of the taking care of people in her family because of this, but it affects her and her life in ways she can’t see until she gets help. The story also explores the fears a child might have in a family with depression that they too might have depression. There is a list of resources at the back of the book on where to get help and learn about depression. Grades 5 and up

Mary Lehmer, Youth Services Librarian, Freeport Community Library, Freeport, ME

 

four-stars

Pippa by Design

Pippa by DesignPippa by Design: A Story of Ballet and Costumes by Claudia Logan, Chesley McLaren
on September 24th 2019
ISBN: 0374359563
Pages: 192
Goodreads
five-stars

This is a book about ballet, fashions and sisters. The story is about 2 sisters, both want to be the best at something- one a ballerina, the other a fashion designer. Sometimes they get along and other times the don’t, a sibling relationship many readers will identify with. It is filled with facts about ballets and costumes from the past as well as how the costume department in a ballet company works. Loads of illustrations are sprinkled throughout the book. At our library there are so many young readers that are looking for books about fashion and fashion designers that this one would be a fantastic book for them to try. It offers some history, a solid story and an area of fashion design that many may not have thought of. It also describes all the work that goes into designing a costume. Grades 4 and up. Cream

Mary Lehmer, Youth Services Librarian, Freeport Community Library, ME

five-stars

All the Impossible Things

All the Impossible ThingsPublished by Roaring Brook Press on September 3rd 2019
ISBN: 1250202868
Pages: 384
Genres: Biography/Autobiography, Fantasy
Format: Board Book, Chapter Book Fiction
five-stars

Red (her real name is Ruby), is in foster care waiting for her mom, a drug addict, to get out of prison. Red is literally counting the days. Every foster home she has been in has not worked out and the anger she feels manifests it self in the wind, just like it does for her mom. She doesn’t want to get close to anyone, especially her new foster family because she wants to live with her mom, if she can just get her to change. But her new foster family seems different and she loves the animals there and begins to care for the them until things happen with her mom. Suddenly her wind begins to destroy things, and even threatens the new foster family she is beginning to love. This book is what I would describe as magic-realism. The wind piece adds so much to the story. The ending with her mom and the foster family, is so hopeful but still has many sad and real elements to it. And Tuck the tortoise on the farm, well, he is just a terrific character and readers will have him tugging at their heart strings just like he does to Red. Grades 5 and up. Cream

Mary Lehmer, Youth Services Librarin, Freeport Community Library, Freeport, ME

five-stars

Anya and the Dragon

Anya and the DragonAnya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack
Published by Versify on September 24th 2019
ISBN: 0358006074
Pages: 416
Goodreads
four-stars

Anya lives in a village and shares the area in and around the village magical creatures live. The czar sends one of his men to capture a dragon he thinks is in her village. Anya agrees to help because it pays well and she need the money. But, as the hunt progresses ,she begins to wonder if capturing a dragon is really the right thing to do. The beginning seemed a bit slow which might cause some readers to not want to finish the story. Also, the number of unusual names of many of the characters were kind of tough to keep straight. But once Anya is part of the posse hunting the dragon, the story was quite good. A nice twist or two in here as well. For grades 4 and up.

 

Mary Lehmer, Youth Services Librarian, Freeport Community Library.

four-stars

Unicorn and Yeti Sparkly New Friends

Unicorn and Yeti Sparkly New FriendsSparkly New Friends (Unicorn and Yeti, #1) by Heather Ayris Burnell, Hazel Quintanilla
Published by Scholastic Inc. on April 30th 2019
ISBN: 1338329014
Pages: 64
Goodreads
three-stars

Unicorn and Yeti are friends. The two have 3 adventures in this early chapter book for young readers. In one they search for something sparkly, in another they find more about each other and in another they have a friendly snowball fight. Each page is filled with colorful fun drawings. The book is not a graphic novel but has the feel of one. A good book for young readers that like humor, fantasy and unicorns. For kindergarten and up.

 

Mary Lehmer, Youth Services Librarian, Freeport Community Library, Freeport, ME

three-stars

My Life as a Meme

My Life as a MemeMy Life as a Meme (My Life, #8) by Janet Tashjian, Jake Tashjian
Published by Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) on April 2nd 2019
ISBN: 1250196574
Pages: 256
Goodreads
three-stars

This is the eighth book in the “My Life” series, and it will continue to amuse its young fans. Derek has broken his phone (again!) but keeps the information from his parents, so he can go on a dog-sitting vacation to a beach house in Malibu. As expected, the trip soon turns into a mayhem, complete with a wildfire and a forced evacuation. But when someone Derek barely knows makes a meme that makes fun of Derek …well… what else is there to do but retaliate?

The story is formulaic. Here’s the thing: kids won’t care. It’s a fun little story with a topical storyline. Kids who know the series will enjoy this latest installment. Grades 3 and up.

Reviewed by Kelly Greenlee, Prince Memorial Library, Cumberland

three-stars