Willodeen by Katherine Applegate

Who read Katherine Applegate's The One and Only Ivan and didn't love it? No one that I know. Applegate is fantastic at getting into the hearts of her readers. Her most recent release, Willodeen, is a fantasy novel that follows a young girl named Willodeen whose life has been devastated by a fire. Taken in by a couple of lovely old women, she is nursed back to health and loved just as she is, quirks and all. Rounding out their odd family is an injured hummingbear, a sweet little creature covered in light fur, but whose wings no longer fly. Willodeen is obsessed with learning about the beast everyone in town hates, the screechers. When the fragile ecosystem supporting the town begins to fail, it is Willodeen and her new friend Connor who uncover the cause.

This book was cute and a short read, but I didn't connect with it the same way I did with Ivan. There is a clear message about preserving the environment and how our actions affect the world around us. I think that is really good for children to learn in a way that isn't too harsh. There is plenty of charm within these pages.

 

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

For years I've meant to read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, but it wasn't until my own daughter read it and insisted that I do the same that I was finally able to get to it. As an aside, if your kid tells you to read a book, do it. It's so much fun to tell them what part you're reading and have them get excited for what is coming up.

The Graveyard Book begins with the murder of an entire family except for one little toddler boy who wanders out the front door and through the gates of a graveyard. The ghosts that reside there take him in and name him Nobody Owens, Bod for short, and give him the freedom of the graveyard. He learns and grows, he is cared for and loved, but the man who killed his family is still looking to finish the job. Bod's safety is only within the walls of the cemetary, but life is only outside them.

This book is beautifully written, magical and just dark enough to add interest, but not too scary for younger readers. I really, really liked it and I'm so glad I finally read it. The only book to ever win both the Newberry Medal and the Carnegie Medal, this book, as the back cover says, is a modern classic. I think it is one of those books that even kids who think they don't like to read will love. It may just convince them the world of literature has something to offer them, too.

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

Middle school is never easy and starting a new one is really hard, but imagine doing it with no arms. In Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling, Aven is thirteen and has lived her whole life without arm. It's always been a challenge, but never one to which she couldn't rise. She has amazing parents and great friends who accept her for who she is. When she has to move across the country and start over with new friends is when she starts to struggle. Little by little Aven makes herself at home and finds a few like-minded friends who struggle with their own difficulties.

A sweet book in the vein of Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Aven shows us how hard life can be, but how accepting others and our own selves for who we are can make all the difference. This isn't a sunshine-and-rainbows, ignore-all-reality kind of book, but it does teach and inspire with humor. Readers will be exposed to a few different disabilities that they might see out in the world and will come to understand more about them and how to respond with empathy. And couldn't we all use a little more of that in the world?

The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage by Philip Pullman

I was thrilled when I heard that Philip Pullman was writing another set of books to join the His Dark Materials world. A prequel to The Golden Compass, Volume One in The Book of Dust is La Belle Sauvage. In this book, Lyra is a newborn baby and has been put into the care of an order of nuns. Malcom is the young boy who lives in the village near the convent and often helps the nuns with anything they need. He has developed a strong affection especially for the very old nun who runs the kitchen, visiting her often and helping with the food preparation. When this tiny baby comes to the nuns, Malcom is fascinated with her and after spending only a few minutes with her determines:

...he would never have dreamed, after those few minutes, of doing anything to upset that little child.

He was her servant for life.

When Malcom also accidentally finds his way in to a network of spies, he learns of Lyra's importance and of the people who want to do her harm. He will do anything to protect her and soon finds himself doing just that. When an unimaginable flood of extraordinary proportions takes over the entire country, Malcom finds himself in the position of rescuing and defending Lyra's safety. Accompanying him on this unintended adventure is Alice, the girl who works in his mother's kitchen. The two children have never gotten along, but they both want to protect the baby and they work well together.

There were many questions left unanswered in this book, but in the best way. There were parts of the world we saw that Malcom and Alice have no way of understanding and so the reader has to just float along in wonder with them. I really cannot wait to read more of this series, but it looks as though I will have to be patient. Book Two has no official release date, though Pullman has said it is finished and will hopefully be released one year after Book One. It is so hard to be patient! If you haven't read The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, or The Amber Spyglass, I recommend reading those first and then coming back to La Belle Sauvage. And I do recommend reading them. These books are wonderfully imaginative.

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper is a darling book about Melody, an eleven-year-old girl with severe cerebral palsy. Melody has lived her entire life not being able to walk, sit up, or even talk. So many people think this means that Melody doesn't have any thoughts in her head, but they couldn't be more wrong. Not only does she have thoughts, Melody is extremely bright and has a nearly photographic memory. Melody also has wonderful parents who fight very hard to make the world see that she is intelligent, but it is often an uphill battle.

Told from Melody's point of view, the reader gets to hear every thought, every word Melody wishes she could express. This is a perspective many people won't have considered and it is a fantastic learning opportunity. Some of this story was quite sad, but mostly it was a book about a girl fighting hard to be heard and not giving up when people don't listen. I really liked this book and I can't wait for my own 5th Grader to read it. I hope she enjoys it as much as I did.

The Petrified Finger by Erin Mindes

I feel so fancy! A friend of mine is a budding author and I KNOW HER!! Yesterday I read her new short story, The Petrified Finger by Erin Mindes, which you can get for FREE for the next two days here!

A baker in a small village sees a scary old woman enter the town square. She reminds him of the legend of the witch that he and his friends used to scare each other when they were children. Something about the woman makes him worry for the safety of his own daughter and all the other village children.

This was a fun spooky story, perfect for  pre-Halloween festivities. Appropriate for children and fun for all ages, I recommend this short story. And I can't wait to read what Mindes has next!

Girling Up by Mayim Bialik, PhD

From the moment I watched a young Mayim Bialik perform in Beaches, I liked her. I watched Blossom, but I don't really remember that much about it. I like her in The Big Bang Theory, but how I really became a fan is reading her website Grok Nation (grok means to understand something intuitively or by empathy) and her Facebook posts. Bialik isn't just an actor with things to say, though she is that, she is also an actual scientist. She earned her PhD from UCLA in Neuroscience and has taught science to elementary, middle school and high school students. In Girling Up, Bialik discusses the process of changing from a girl to a young woman and progressing into womanhood. This book contains six chapters:

How Our Bodies Work
How We Grow
How We Learn
How We Love
How We Cope
How We Matter

In these chapters, Bialik addresses the physical changes young women can expect to experience along with the variations in timing of those changes. She explains genetics- the differences in female and male- and how those genes determine how and when our bodies will react to puberty. She explains that everyone's body is different and will develop differently. This book contains diagrams that show the inner workings of the female reproductive system, but also, to satisfy curiosity of differences, a basic diagram of the male reproductive organs. She also explains menstruation in an easy to understand, practical manner. I especially appreciated this quote regarding the need to know one's own body:

Often the first person to know that something's not quite right with your body is you- so pay attention, and if something seems different or feels wrong, you can talk to a doctor or trusted grown-up about it.

I was irked, however, that at one point she made this statement:

The lower half of the female body looks pretty simple from the outside. That's because all you see is the vagina...

For a book that is so full of scientific information, this inaccuracy bothered me. What we see on the outside of our bodies is the vulva, not the vagina. The vagina is internal.

She discusses stereotypes often assigned to boys and girls and how sometimes those stereotypes are true and sometimes they aren't and how important it is to be who we are.

There is a bit of information about dating and sex in chapter four. It does not go into any detail that could be considered sensational, but you should of course read it for yourself and discuss it with your daughter in a way that makes your family comfortable. I thought it was all good information and that it could lead to some very good conversations. Especially important in this chapter is the topic of consent. Bialik does an excellent job of explaining this concept and its necessity.

Also included are the importance of nutrition (and the concerns of body image and eating disorders); stress and effective ways to cope; the significance of a good education; and mental health. Chapter six focuses on how girls can make a difference in the world through all of our choices after high school including military service, college, trade school, and volunteer service.She even lists several good causes that can use our help before we finish Girling Up.

I really liked this book. It had a flaw or two, but I thought it would make a very good read for a preteen girl. I do recommend reading it yourself and then sharing and discussing it. This will only make it better.

My Diary from the Edge of the World by Jodi Lynn Anderson

We love our library. I may have mentioned that before, but it is a truth that bears repeating. We have a wonderful library and the kids and I love to just browse its shelves. During a recent day off school, we made just such a trip to our library and I saw this one, My Diary from the Edge of the World by Jodi Lynn Anderson, sitting on the shelf just calling out to me. The cover art is beautiful and no matter how much someone tells me not to judge a book by its cover, sometimes I can't help it. This book features Gracie Lockwood, young girl living in plain, old Cliffden, Maine. You know, just the regular world with school and homework, Dairy Queen and Circle K, dragons and sasquatches. Oh, wait. That last part didn't sound right to you? Well, that is what caught my attention, too.

Gracie lives in a world that sounds exactly like us, shocking in its unremarkableness, except for the supernatural creatures that are viewed the same way we view squirrels and butterflies. Included in this strange world are dark clouds that arrive to take someone away when it is their time to die. Gracie has noticed a cloud making its way down their street and it has her concerned. Her family is sure that the cloud is coming for Gracie's sickly younger brother Sam, so in an attempt to protect him, the Lockwoods leave town. They know the cloud can follow them, but they have a plan for that. They are determined to go all the way to the edge of the world so that they can cross over into The Extraordinary World. Though most people have never heard of it, and those who have believe it is a myth, Gracie's father believes it is another dimension which they can reach after a very perilous journey across their own world. They will risk sasquatches, yetis (larger versions of sasquatches), and abominable snomen (larger versions of yetis); witches, ghosts and ghost ships, and giants. It's not your average family road trip novel, but it sure does have imagination.

I loved this book when it began. There was just something so funny about the way the ordinary was mentioned right along with the extraordinary, like when Gracie casually recalls a dragon burning down a TJ Maxx recently. No big deal. Happens all the time. As the story progressed, I did begin to get impatient and lose interest a bit and there were even times I wasn't sure I wanted to finish it, but I pressed on and by the time I reached the last few chapters, I was glad I had kept at it. Your middle grade reader would love it.

 My favorite quote comes from Gracie's mother:

"Books are the way to stretch out people's souls, and I won't have children with small souls."

Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

In Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Ally Nickerson is having quite a difficult time at school. She always has, but with moving every year or so as a military family, she's been able to hide it from her teachers and her family. Ally can't read and by 6th grade it is getting harder to get by without that particular skill. Things just seem to get worse for her until one day she suddenly has a new teacher, Mr. Daniel. Mr. Daniel is exactly the kind of teacher we would all like to have. He is kind, he is understanding and he sees each of his students as they are and individualizes their learning. Ally does what she can to keep her problem from him, but eventually she can keep it a secret no longer.

This was such a sweet, wonderful book. The title, Fish in a Tree, refers to this quote by Albert Einstein:

Ally, like a lot of young people, learns differently. She is certainly not stupid, but it takes one teacher paying the right amount of attention to see that and then to convince her of it. Ally is smart, but not in the ways that are measured at school. She is funny and kind and just the type of character that makes for a good role model in books for children. This book provides plenty of examples of students that don't have an easy road, but the concept of "grit" is well explained and demonstrated.

This book is also excellent for teaching a little compassion. Not everyone has the same experiences and my favorite thing about reading is exploring the life of someone else. Maybe the reader is the "weird kid" at school and is able to see that weird kids turn out to be pretty interesting. Or maybe the reader is the "cool kid" who isn't always very nice and can see the consequences of bullying or exclusion. Or maybe the reader is just a regular kid- is there really such a thing?- who learns that everyone around them has something special, themselves included.

I highly recommend this book, especially for teachers, but I think anyone can enjoy it. My 9-year-old has been impatiently waiting for me to finish so she can have her turn.

A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron

My 9-year-old received A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron last year for Christmas. It took her a while to get around to it, but as soon as she finished she insisted that I read it. She is a huge dog lover and this was JUST the book for her. Perhaps you've seen the movie trailer? The film version is set to release January 17th and we will absolutely be there to see it.

It is hard to describe this book without telling too much of the story, but seeing as how the film trailer gives so much away, I don't feel badly about telling you a bit. This book follows the lives of one dog, reborn into many different dog lives. First he is Toby, then he is Bailey, then a few more, but I won't tell you too much about it. Throughout the book, this dog tries so hard to understand his purpose in life and each time he thinks he has found it.

My purpose, my whole life, had been to love him and be with him, to make him happy.

If you are a dog lover, or even if you just like them from a distance, you should really read this book. I hope the movie does it justice.

The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin

Why do things happen the way they do? Is it true that some things just happen with no rhyme or reason? That is just not something that Suzy is willing to accept during what becomes the hardest year of her life so far. In The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin, Suzy is just about to begin 7th Grade when her best friend Franny dies in a drowning accident. When Suzy wants to know how Franny could have drowned when she was such a good swimmer, she is told that "sometimes these things just happen." Searching for an explanation, Suzy discovers an obscure species of jellyfish that she thinks could have caused her friend's death. It is not long after this horrible incident that Suzy decides it would just be best for her to stop talking. Her parents are worried, but Suzy is too obsessed with learning about jellyfish and proving Franny's cause of death to be bothered.

Suzy is in 7th Grade, but she is lagging behind her peers in maturity a bit. This book explores what it is like to be left behind and also to find one's own path. It also deals with grief and loss and regret. Suzy also shares with us her wonderful science teacher, Mrs. Turton who is exactly the kind of teacher everyone wants. She teaches to teach, to share knowledge, not to fulfill a standard curriculum requirement. I love all the fun facts that Mrs. Turton adds to this book.

I liked that she didn't seem to care about the lesson plan but instead told us interesting things about the world.

Poor Suzy is really struggling at this time in her life, but she's working through it as best she can. She tries to focus on what is important and she isn't afraid to be who she is. She doesn't always make the kinds of decisions she should, some are actually rather questionable, but she's trying. One of my favorite quotes comes when Suzy is attempting something nearly impossible:

Confidence is magic. It can carry you through everything.

I think that may be good advice for all of us.

I really enjoyed this book and I've even already bought it for my niece for Christmas. (Shhhh...don't tell!) If you enjoy middle grade books (I love them!) or if you know someone who does, this book should definitely be in the To Be Read pile.

Talk to Me by Sonia Ellis

Talk to Me by Sonia Ellis is a book about a young teen girl, Sadina, trying desperately to help her 7-year-old sister speak. Maddie speaks just fine at home to her mom, dad and older sister, but as soon as anyone else is around, she is absolutely silent. Maddie has selective mutism and it isn't something she can simply overcome. Sidina worries for her sister and is determined to find a way to help her.

This book was short and moved quickly. It would likely be a good read for a pre-teen. Honestly, I didn't really enjoy it that much. I was briefly engaged, but the storyline took an unlikely turn that seemed forced. There is an element of STEM in this book and so I appreciate that it is attempting to promote those skills, especially among girls. Perhaps you will like this book better than I did. It is the beginning of a series that could be cute.

Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski

One of the most fun things we did at the Texas Book Festival last October was the nighttime trip to the state cemetery to hear ghost stories. Jake Halpern read to us from his new novel, Nightfall, which he wrote with Peter Kujawinski. He read to us about Line, Marin and Kana, three fourteen-year-olds who have been left behind on their island of Bliss as night approaches. On Bliss, they have fourteen years of Day followed by fourteen years of Night. As the sun sets, all the residents flee to an island further south to escape the darkness, cold and ice of Night. But is that all they are escaping? The adults won't discuss the reasoning behind all the traditions related to leaving the island and Marin especially finds this frustrating. She thinks it is all superstition, but before long she learns more than the adults ever knew.

When I listened to Halpern read this book, I immediately thought of my eleven-year-old son. It sounded like something he would really like. The whole time he was reading it, he kept telling me how good it was and how he couldn't wait to talk about it. I must say that with that kind of endorsement I was anxious to get my turn with the book. Unfortunately, I didn't connect with it as strongly as he did. I felt the storytelling was lacking in depth. At times the action would drag and then suddenly the author would jump ahead as if he had gotten tired of the previous scene. As a Middle Grade book, it was good, but I didn't love it. My eleven-year-old, however, thought it was amazing, so perhaps it is just what it should be.

Nest by Esther Ehrlich

Oh, this book. Nest by Esther Ehrlich follows Naomi, better known as Chirp, as she attempts to navigate what is likely to be the most difficult year of her young life. At only eleven-years-old, Chirp must face the devastating illness of her beloved mother. Chirp's mother, Hannah is a talented dancer, but when her leg begins to drag everyone knows something serious is wrong. It is the 1970s and much isn't known about Multiple Sclerosis which is the diagnosis that Hannah finally receives. She is heartbroken and falls into a deep depression. Chirp does her best to cope with the changes in her home and spends her days bird watching at the pond near her home on Cape Cod. Chirp knows just about everything about the birds that visit her area, but her favorite is the elusive Red-Throated Loon.

This book covers topics that some might think are too difficult or painful for a middle grade reader, but that is what I think is important about it. So often we minimize what our children understand about the world around us. We protect them as best we can, as is right, but they see. They know. And so we must help them understand. When Chirp talks about her mother's depression, she is explaining it to the reader as well as to herself:

...her depression is chronic, which means it will never completely go away.

Chirp is afraid, but she is reluctant to say anything that might make her mother feel worse and so she keeps quiet.

I fill up the room with my haaaa so there's no room for anything else.

When things get even harder for Chirp, she retreats to her room and the only safe feeling she can imagine. She builds herself a nest from all her bedding and clothes, just like the birds she loves do.

A nest should be well constructed. It should keep you warm even when there are strong gusts or a downpour. It can't just fall apart. It should be as safe as possible from predators.

Isn't this what we all want from our home- a safe, warm nest? 

The prose in this novel is beautifully written. Right away in chapter one we get this lovely description:

The air's already thick and warm, even though the sun's still just a spritz of light in the pitch pines and scrub oaks.

And that wonderful writing continues through the entire novel. I really enjoyed this book. I think the subject matter is very important. It is touching and heartrending and beautiful.

*I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave by Jen White

In Survival Strategies of the Almost Brave by Jen White, Liberty is trying desperately to care for her eight-year-old sister, Billie. Liberty herself is only twelve and it has been a very difficult few months. When Billie and Liberty's mom dies suddenly, they don't know what they will do. When the father they haven't seen or heard from for years shows up with his camper and the promise of adventure, they hope that everything will work out as they had always dreamed. Unfortunately, their need for bravery is not done yet. When the two girls are left alone at a dilapidated old gas station in the middle of nowhere, Liberty is determined to get them safely back home. Her avid interest in animal behavior inspires her to adopt the survival strategies of all the different species she has studied.

Survival, and avoiding anyone she thinks might try to hurt or separate the two girls, becomes more adventure than they had planned. Secretly stowing away in two different vehicles, sleeping in lounge chairs at a hotel pool, running from the bullying older brother of a boy who tries to help them, rats... these things all keep the girls on their toes. Along the way, they cross paths with so many different characters, most of whom are assigned interesting descriptive names by Liberty: Star Wars Kid, Tattoo Guy, Pirate Doctor, Lavender Lady, Caterpillare Eyebrows, Apron Lady, Gray Guy. These are the things that help the reader remember that Liberty is only twelve-years-old and doing her best in an impossible situation.

This book stressed me out. I was so worried about what would happen to these poor little girls. The anxiety and pressure that Liberty felt was well translated to the reader. Even before her mother dies, Liberty is too aware of their family situation and their financial struggles. The sense of responsibility she feels toward her sister is really too much for a child, but perhaps the value of this is in relating that not all children live idyllic lives. On television and in movies, everything may appear to work out easily for the characters and maybe a book like this is necessary for children to understand that everyone doesn't have it better than they do. In that respect, it was successful.

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm

The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer L. Holm is an adorable book for middle grade readers about an eleven-year-old girl named Ellie who suddenly becomes infatuated with science after spending more time with her grandfather, Melvin. The interesting thing is that her grandfather, who is a world famous scientist with two PhDs (and his own fan club in Finland), has made a great discovery- the cure for aging. This has given him the appearance of a fourteen-year-old boy and he has come to live with Ellie and her mother.

As Ellie gets to really know her grandfather, she also learns why science is so important to him and how interesting it actually can be. Melvin is shocked to discover that Ellie's science knowledge is so lacking.

"If this country spent half as much time on science education as cheering some idiot with a ball, you'd know who Jonas Salk is."

Except that she doesn't. She also doesn't know about Robert Oppenheimer, Marie Curie, Louis Pasture or Isaac Newton. As he teaches her about these scientists' great contributions to mankind, he explains why scientists are so important.

"Average people just give up at the obstacles we face every day. Scientists fail again and again and again. Sometimes for our whole lives. But we don't give up because we want to solve the puzzle."

And he also encourages her. He never doubts that she is capable of great things. He sees something special in her and she begins to see it as well.

"Do you think I'll ever win a Nobel?" I ask.
"Of course you will,'' he says without a second's hesitation.

This is why I love this book. It brings an excitement and fun to science for a young girl and then immediately tells her she can go out and discover something of her own. From the very first chapter all the way to the cute, funny ending, this book made me happy. It was smart and also easily accessible for upper- elementary age readers. I love that it encourages an interest in science, even for people who may not know how much they will love it. I can't wait for my kids to read this book and I hope you'll read it and share it as well.

The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson

The Mark of the Dragonfly by Jaleigh Johnson is the tale of a young girl, Piper, who lives alone in a shanty town outside the Meteor Fields.  She works as a scrapper, collecting the junk that comes crashing to the ground along with the poisonous dust each meteor storm brings.  She is talented with machines and can repair any small device to sell at market.  Her father left to go work in the dangerous factories in the Dragonfly Territories, but he was killed before he could return for her.

Piper is surprised one day when she finds another young girl, Anna, among the wreckage of a caravan caught in a storm.  Anna is unconscious, but Piper brings her home to try to help her.  When Anna wakes, she can't remember who she is, but the two girls discover a dragonfly tattoo on Anna's arm that indicates she is protected by the king of the Dragonfly Territories.  Piper hopes that getting Anna home will result in a reward large enough for Piper to leave the Meteor Fields and become a proper machinist in a better place.  As they make their way, they must contend with a persistent wolf, a group of slavers and a very suspicious train operator.

The journey Piper and Anna make is treacherous and filled with excitement, but one thing I love about the book is that it is never implied that they aren't equal to the task because of their gender.  They also make and admit their mistakes along the way.  I really enjoyed this book.  I think it would be a wonderful introduction to fantasy lit for younger and middle grade readers.  I hope you'll read it.

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee

Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee is just ... marvelous.  I know that sounds contrived, but really it isn't.  I adored this book.  Ophelia is an eleven-year-old girl who is spending her winter vacation in a cold, drafty museum while her father prepares an exhibit showcasing the world history of swords.  This is a difficult time for Ophelia, her sister Alice and their father.  The girls are mourning the loss of their mother and their father is unable to talk about her.  Ophelia's grief is made tangible by the many mentions of how long it has been since her mother's death.  Each time she looks at a clock or her watch, she thinks something similar to "it was exactly three months, nine days, and half an hour since her mother had died."  I found her exactness in remembering the time without her mother heartbreaking.

While wandering through this museum that is reportedly large enough for many children to have become lost and never found, Ophelia discovers a locked door that she cannot resist.  I knew I was going to love her character when she was described this way:  "Ophelia didn't consider herself  brave, but she was very curious."  Curiosity is a wonderful quality and leads to so many great adventures.  Once Ophelia peeks inside that keyhole, she is set for the adventure of her life. Inside she sees a young boy just her age, but she soon learns that he has been held captive inside that room for over seventy years, never aging.  In fact, his inability to age is exactly what makes him the Marvelous Boy.  Imprisoned by the Snow Queen, this boy needs Ophelia's help to escape and defeat the Snow Queen before she is able to destroy the world.

This is a very exciting book and just the kind of thing that I think my children would enjoy added to our summer reading list.  It is beautifully written and so much fun to read.  While I do often feel irked that fiction, be it books or movies (I'm looking at you, Disney) seem so often to kill off the mother, in this case it didn't bother me so much.  Perhaps that was because the mother was present throughout the book via flashback as Ophelia recalled her mother's illness.  It felt as though it were giving her, and so other young readers, an opportunity to come to terms with something so difficult.  I absolutely loved this book.  Pick this book up and save it for a chilly winter read or enjoy it now to counteract the heat of summer.  I hope you will love it, too.

The Dark Unwinding by Sharon Cameron

While I was working the book fair The Dark Unwinding was another book that caught my attention.  The cover hooked me and the description on the back drew me in the rest of the way.  In 1852, Katharine is a seventeen-year-old girl with no fortune of her own living with her Aunt Alice in London.  When Aunt Alice receives word that the family fortune is being wasted by the current controller of the estate, she sends Katharine to have him committed to an insane asylum.  When Katharine arrives, she finds that her uncle is actually quite brilliant and that he employs hundreds of people in factories bringing his inventions to life.  She knows she must do what she can to protect her uncle, but doing so will most certainly result in her aunt turning her out of her home.  

This book is historical fiction and mystery and even a little romance all rolled into one.  It was wonderful to read and I had a little trouble putting it away at night.  The characters are rich and though the plot was a bit predictable at times, it also had twists I didn't expect.  The sequel will has already been added to my list.

Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Earlier this month, I served as the Book Fair Chairperson at our school.  I love book fair.  I love looking at all the books and I really love telling people which books they just have to buy.  The books I pushed the hardest were Wonder, The One and Only Ivan, and The Book Thief.  I just love being able to tell people about wonderful books and then watching as they come to love them as well.  And of course, I also love buying the books that I see at the book fair.

One that particularly captured my attention was Ungifted by Gordon Korman.  It's hard to ignore a cover like that, don't you agree?  It is the story of Donovan, a middle school trouble maker who is accidentally sent to an academy for gifted students.  Due to his most recent trouble, Donovan uses the academy as a place to hide out from the powers that be.  Unfortunately, he is decidedly ungifted.  When the letter comes informing him that he has qualified for this special school, he says to himself. "Forget it.  Not in a million years.  You won't last ten minutes in the gifted program.  There's never been anybody more ungifted than you."

While attending the Academy for Scholastic Distinction, Donovan suddenly becomes a part of the robotics team where the extent of his expertise is in decorating the body of the robot.  Also on this team are several people with IQs far above his own.  One of the fun parts about the book is that it is narrated by several different characters and each chapter lists the narrators full name as well as his or her IQ.  They range from 107 to 206.  Can you imagine being that smart?  Donovan makes friends he never would have expected and learns so much about himself, even if he can't understand a thing in biochemistry. 

I loved that this book talked about the positives and the negatives of being identified as gifted.  One girl in his class, Chloe, begins her chapter with this: "Being gifted is not a gift.  A gift you get for nothing.  This you have to pay for.... There is a price to being gifted."  Chloe just wants a "normal" life with friends and sports and free time and dances.  And Donovan notices the double standard enjoyed by the gifted students:

"We didn't even have the dumb soda rules that ruined everything.  For example, soda was banned at my old school because of the sugar content.  But the Academy lunchroom had a drink machine that was open to everybody.  It even sold the extra-sugar, extra-caffeine stuff.  It was fine, even necessary to fuel the brainiacs through late-night study marathons.  But if one of the ungifted kids at Hardcastle happened to get a sip, he'd go straight out and rob a bank."

I have already recommended this to two school counselors that I know and I have another friend whose husband teaches Physics and runs the robotics team at a nearby high school that I think would also find it amusing.  My sister is a teacher and I think she would get a kick out of it as well.  As a matter of fact, you should all read it.  Really.  Even if middle grade books aren't really your thing, I think you'll enjoy this one.