Middle Grade Monday: Popcorn by Rob Harrell

Image: Penguin Random House

Popcorn by Rob Harrell. 288 p. Dial Books/ Penguin Young Readers Group, September, 2024. 9780593697924. Review of book borrowed from public library.

It's picture day for seventh grader, Andrew Yaeger and he's anxious. It doesn't take much for Andrew to feel anxious. He even has a scale of anxiety, with a kernel of popcorn as the barometer for how anxious he feels. His mom is anxious as well. She wants a good school picture and has even gotten Andrew a new shirt. She's also starting a new job that day as well, one that pays better. Maybe the family will even be able to move to a larger apartment. Things have gotten a bit cramped since G., Andrew's grandmother moved in. He loves G., but sometimes she doesn't recognize Andrew and now he has to sleep on the couch.

This charming, touching, often hilarious novel is told from Andrew's POV and accompanied by spot art and comic panels that add humor to the narrative. It takes place during one school day. Andrew's voice is authentic and immediately relatable. His best friendship with Jonesy is changing, thanks to her being a star on the basketball team, but they are trying to keep things going. Thankfully, he has teachers and the school nurse around who notice and care. 

I can't think of a reader who wouldn't love this book. Popcorn won the Schneider Family Book Award for Middle Grade Fiction this past January. I think it will begin showing up on many state book lists soon. Highly recommend!

Middle Grade Monday: Invisible Isabel by Sally J. Pla

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Invisible Isabel by Sally J. Pla. Illustrated by Tania de Regil. 208 p. Quill Tree Books/ HarperCollins Publishers, July, 2024. 9780063268852. Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.

Happy Monday! I have a little over two weeks left of summer break, and am pet/ housesitting for my oldest son while he and his family are away. I had to board Helga with the rescue since they didn't think it would be a good idea to bring her and Boo to a strange house with two strange dogs, one of whom can be territorial. Turns out, Helga will probably get adopted today. She had a successful meet and greet with the adopter and two of her dogs yesterday. Today, she will go to the country to meet the other two dogs and, if all goes well, will stay. I'm happy for her, but sad too. She's a smart, sweet dog who has come a long way. I'm happy to be part of her recovery, but she will be happier in the country with her new dog-trainer mom. Here's one of my last pix of her with Boo before the rescue came to pick her up.

Middle Grade Monday features Invisible Isabel by Sally J. Pla. Anxious Isabel feels like she doesn't fit in with her large, loud family. She knows she doesn't fit in at school, where new girl, Monica seems to have alienated her 'sort of' friends against her. Not only that, but her teacher doesn't seem to like her and is constantly reminding the class about the very important state testing that they have to do well on. She describes her feelings as "worry moths" and talks about practicing smiling and being a good friend, only to be crushed to learn that she was the only girl not invited to Monica's birthday part. Her mother thinks her stomach aches are all in her head, but one day, the pain feels different. Isabel feels invisible, but also, a part of her wants to be invisible.

This gentle, illustrated verse novel is told mostly from Isabel's point of view and beautifully conveys the struggles of a tween struggling with anxiety. Isabel is instantly relatable. Readers will laugh at her subtle humor and root for her as she finds her voice. Some poems reflect Monica's point-of-view, where readers learn a bit of her backstory. The illustrations add to the story. 

Once again, Sally J. Pla delivers an insightful glimpse into the inner life of a neurodivergent child. Invisible Isabel is a welcome addition to any library.

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson

Image: Scholastic Inc.

The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~6 hours. Read by Curtis Michael Holland. Scholastic Audio/ Scholastic Inc. May, 2023. (Review of downloadable e-audio borrowed from public library.)

Middle Grade Monday features The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson. Cherokee sixth grader, Ziggy lives in Poisonberry, New Mexico with his father, grandmother and older sister. He suffers from anxiety as well as grief over the disappearance of his mother ten years earlier. He sees a therapist who helps him cope when the anxiety becomes too much. He doesn't like the fact that Native American women disappear all the time and "no one seems to do much about it." When Alice, an oddball classmate who happens to wear a hearing aid tells him about the Nunnehi, mischievous shape-shifting spirits who are said to dwell in the caves in the desert just outside of town, Ziggy is convinced he can find answers about his mother there. Ziggy and Alice, together with Ziggy's best friend, a white boy named Corso and his sister set out after midnight to explore the caves. They encounter a series of magical beings, each with a story to tell on their quest through the desert.

The magical realism of this layered story is mind-bendy. Ziggy's anxiety and his methods of coping with it are authentically portrayed. He and his extended family are close and supportive. He is especially close to his grandmother and relies on her stories as guidance. New-to-me narrator, Curtis Michael Holland delivered a quiet, well-paced, thoughtful performance. 

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: The Epic Story of Every Living Thing by Deb Caletti

Image: Penguin Random House

The Epic Story of Every Living Thing by Deb Caletti. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~13 hours. Read by Brittany Pressley. Books on Tape/ Listening Library, September, 2022. 9780593611654. (Review of e-audiobook downloaded from public library.)

Teen Tuesday features The Epic Story of Every Living Thing by Deb Caletti. Seventeen-year-old Harper Proulx is an anxiety-ridden perfectionist. She is the only child of a single mom who is a college professor and has high expectations of Harper academically and socially. Living through the pandamic quarantined with her mom has only worsened her anxiety. She finds validation with the likes by her many followers on Instagram, where she carefully curates her life. When a follower comments that she looks just like a friend, Harper has to agree, because they both have striking green eyes and auburn hair. The two meet and Harper learns that they share the same sperm donor and that Dario has discovered more half-siblings. Dozens more, in fact. They connect with two more half-siblings, Simone and Wyatt. They do some sleuthing and track their donor dad to Hawai'i, where he runs a surf school and Wyatt's parents own a condo. Though terrified to defy her mother, Harper does so and flies to Hawai'i to discover herself.

Journal entries from the 1800s begin each chapter and readers may wonder about the relevance, but they are beautifully tied together in what is an epic journey of self-discovery on two levels. I also appreciated how the author depicted Harper's anxious obsession with presenting a perfect hash tagged life. Her lack of being present led to her losing her boyfriend, Ezra, whom she treated as little more than a cameraman. The narrator also did a wonderful job of bringing that to life with her almost staccato delivery. Harper starts out a bit self-centered and unlikable, but her growth is believable. A recommended coming-of-age story!

(My one quibble has to do with the prevailing traits shared by most of the offspring - green eyes and auburn hair. These are recessive genes and I found it a bit of a stretch. Teens may pick up on it. I know I knew about recessive and dominant genes from about seventh grade on.)

Middle Grade Monday: Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee and illustrated by Molly Brooks

Image: Penguin Random House

Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee and illustrated by Molly Brooks. 249 p. Random House Books for Young Readers, May, 2022. 9780593301289. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Happy Monday TMS Readers! Middle Grade Monday features Growing Pangs by Kathryn Ormsbee and illustrated by Molly Brooks. This semi-autobiographical graphic novel centers of Katie's summer between fifth and sixth grades. She's worried about a lot - her freckles, whether people think she's weird, the fact that she homeschools, impending surgery and braces. She does have a BFF and she and Kacie are headed to sleep-away camp!

Unfortunately, once at camp, Kacie branches out and is happy to meet new friends, leaving Katie feeling isolated, jealous and feeling like bees are swarming and buzzing inside her. She develops some tics in order to alleviate the buzzing feelings, but worries that someone might notice her new habits. Things don't get much better once she returns home and her parents find a therapist to help her navigate her anxiety and OCD.

Katie is a sympathetic character that readers will root for. Unfortunately, anxiety in young people is on the rise and sometimes it can be hard to reach out for help. The art is vibrant and the panels are varied. Back matter includes notes from both the author and illustrator describing their personal struggles with anxiety as tweens and teens. Fans of Raina Telgemeier and Kayla Miller will enjoy Growing Pangs. Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday: Dear Student by Elly Swartz

Image: Penguin Random House

Dear Student by Elly Swartz. 296 p. Delacorte Press/ Random House Children's Books, March, 2022. 9780593374139. (Review of arc courtesy of publicist.)

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend. Middle Grade Monday features Dear Student by Elly Swartz. Autumn is about to start middle school and she is worried. Her best friend, Prisha, moved to California and Autumn's family needed to move into the apartment about her mom's veterinary practice to save money after Autumn's dad decided to join the Peace Corps. He video called her on the first day of school with the advice to seize the day and choose to get involved in one thing at middle school. She's equal parts mad and sad at his desertion. As if these first day worries aren't enough, Autumn tries to help her little sister, Pickle overcome her own. Then, they find a chameleon in the middle of the road. They're about to move it to safety when a boy who is barreling down the road on a bike runs over its tail! What a day this is turning out to be! Luckily, Autumn's mom is a vet, so the three take the poor lizard to her.

Autumn's earnest and thoughtful first-person narration quickly pulls the reader in as she navigates her first day without her best friend. Luckily, she meets Logan, who has moved to Cape Cod from Chicago and Logan seems eager to be friends. Later, she meets the boy on the bike, Cooper, who is also newly transplanted to Cape Cod. It also helps to have Mr. Logan for homeroom and LA. He runs the school newspaper and everyone is wondering who he will pick to write the "Dear Student" advice column. Autumn likes to write, but she's not confident that she could give advice.

Ms. Swartz excels at writing gentle novels featuring tweens coping with a variety of issues including mental health problems. She nails the dynamics and drama of middle school, and also manages to weave in some larger societal issues, such as animals rights in an engaging way. And who doesn't love whoopie pies? Recipe include! Readers will root for Autumn as she finds her voice.

Thanks to Wunderkind PR for the opportunity to read and review Dear Student. My dear students will love to meet Autumn. 

Middle Grade Monday: Stuntboy, In the Meantime by Jason Reynolds.

Image: Simon & Schuster

Stuntboy, In the Meantime by Jason Reynolds. Illustrated by Raúl the Third. 272 p. Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/ Atheneum/ Simon & Schuster, November, 2021. 9781534418165. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Middle Grade Monday features Stuntboy, In the Meantime by Jason Reynolds. Portico Reeves has an active imagination and a lot of anxiety about things he has no control over. His parents are arguing, he's dealing with a bully and cares immensely for the residents in his apartment building aka the castle. The pace of this graphic novel hybrid is fast, with the action broken into ten "episodes" of his life as a superhero along with "commercial breaks" which offer sage advice. 

There's plenty of heart and humor in both the prose and the illustrations. Fans of the author & the illustrator will be delighted by this collaboration. More please. 

Review: Franklin Endicott and the Third Key by Kate DiCamillo

Image: Candlewick Press

Franklin Endicott and the Third Key by Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. Tales from Deckawoo Drive series. 104 p. Candlewick Press, June 8, 2021. 9781536201819. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Franklin Endicott of Deckawoo Drive is a worrier, but not just a garden variety worrier. He keeps lists of his worries, then alphabetizes them. His list is long and, on top of that, he suffers from vivid nightmares. He finds some comfort visiting the Lincoln sisters. They have a wonderful set of encyclopedias that he is welcome to use anytime. 

One day, he accompanies Eugenia Lincoln to Odd Buddy Lamp's thrift store to get a key duplicated. Eugenia leaves Franklin in the store to wait while she finishes her errands. Franklin is quite disturbed by the menacing and eclectic items for sale. Items like a bug stuck forever in amber were unsettling enough, but the stuffed weasel and jar of eyeballs just sent Franklin right over the edge of anxiety, not to mention that Odd Buddy Lamp himself was just, odd! When Franklin discovers a third key in Miss Lincoln's envelop, she sends him back to the thrift store ALONE to find out why. 

I can't prove this, but I'd like to think I could spot something written by Kate DiCamillo were I handed a manuscript blind. She takes such care with her characters and often speaks to the heart of childhood wants and worries. Franklin is so endearing, made more so by Chris Van Dusen's illustrations.

I especially loved that Buddy gifts Franklin a book of short stories and was tickled that the book included the story, Eleven, a story that we read with our sixth graders this year. It really is quite amazing what Ms. DiCamillo manages to accomplish in just over one hundred pages. 

I've been out of the elementary scene for quite a while and so, lost track of Mercy Watson and her spin-offs. Franklin Endicott and the Third Key is volume six of the Tales from Deckwoo Drive series and I promised myself to read volumes one through five. Franklin Endicott and the Third Key releases next Tuesday, June 8. 

Picture Book Review: Mindi and the Goose No One Else Could See by Sam McBratney

Image: Candlewick Press

Mindi and the Goose No One Else Could See by Sam McBratney. Illustrated by Linda Ólafsdóttir. 32 p. Candlewick Press, March, 2021. 9781536212815. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Poor little Mindi is bothered by a goose that appears in her bedroom each night. It's a goose no one else can see - not her mother, who doesn't take her seriously, nor her father, who does. It's a common enough plight that, I believe, will be relatable to many children and their parents. This sweet story is just the ticket for both groups.

The illustrations are warmly retro and vaguely Icelandic or Scandinavian, featuring Wellies and cozy woolens. They also contain little bits of humor, such as the shadow of the goose peering at Mindi's dad under the gooseneck lamp over Mindi's bed. The text does not condescend in the least. Instead, it is respectful of these very real fears, as is Austen, the elder that Mindi's dad treks to consult. 

Austen advises a visit to his bucolic farm, but emphasizes the her dad makes "sure she knows she is going on a journey." And so they do. The series of spot art depicting this is so endearing. At the farm, Mindi meets the animals, including two geese, who are very nice. She finally meets and bonds with a baby goat, whom she names Black and Whitey. 

Some time later, Austen comes to visit, bringing Black and Whitey, whom he trades with Mindi in exchange for the goose no one else can see. 

If only all such manner of nighttime monster could be dealt with so beautifully. 

This gorgeous and relatable book should be a hit at story time be it one-on-one with a parent or at the library.

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead

Image: Penguin Random House

The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead. Unabridged -audiobook. ~ 297 minutes. Read by Rachel L. Jacobs. Listening Library, April, 2020. 9780593155370. (Review of e-audiobook downloaded from public library.)

Middle Grade Monday features The List of Things That Will Not Change by Rebecca Stead. This sweet, character-driven novel is told in the first person by twelve-year-old Bea. When her parents divorced, they presented her with a notebook filled with a list of things that will not change in Bea's life, then committed to remaining amicable as they co-parented Bea. Now Bea's dad is remarrying and she's thrilled because, not only does she love Jesse, she will finally have a sister! Jesse has a daughter who lives in California. 

Not all is smooth sailing though. Bea struggles with anxiety and has a bit of a temper. She's working through these issues with a supportive therapist. When she finally meets Jesse's daughter, she finds that Sonia is less-than-thrilled to share her father with Bea, especially since Bea gets to live with him. 

Conversational and engaging, this novel quietly entrances. Ms. Stead excels at creating thoughtful tween characters. New-to-me narrator Rachel L. Jacobs' performance was well-paced. She has a youthful voice and embodied Bea's quixotic personality beautifully. 

The List of Things That Will Not Change belongs in all library collections. Stead's many fans will clamor for it.

Middle Grade Monday: Guts by Raina Telgemeier

Image: Scholastic

Happy Monday TMS Readers! The Middle Grade Monday feature is very happy-making! You may recall that I received a Guts chapter sampler back in May and all us Raina Telgemeier fans reverently passed it around. Well, I received the full arc at my library conference in June and, Guts is just terrific. 

Just as Telgemeier did in her earlier memoirs, Smile and Sisters, she revisits her childhood, this time, to talk about her anxiety and her stomach aches, which are eventually diagnosed as mild Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). With her trademark bright palette and humor, she relates how her nervousness would cause a stomach ache, which would then increase her anxiety as she worried about needing to use the bathroom. Young Raina eventually worked with a therapist who helped her manage her anxiety. 

This is probably her most personal memoir yet. It sure took guts to share her story about her guts. I'm sure that many readers young and old will relate. Guts is due out September 17th!

Blog Tour Picture Book Review: It's Show and Tell, Dexter! by Lindsay Ward

It's Show and Tell, Dexter! by Lindsay Ward. unpgd. Dexter T. Rexter series #2. Two Lions/ Amazon Publishing, July 2018. 9781503901377.

Our favorite orange dino is back! Is he still prone to panic attacks? Dexter T. Rex is Jack's favorite toy and he has been training for "show and tell day" at Jack's school for weeks. Now that the big day is imminent, Dexter is starting to worry about his big day. He wants to make a big splash and be memorable, but doubts he's good enough.

Dexter reveals that his tummy hurts and his claws are clammy just thinking about failing Jack. Readers who might have anxiety issues themselves will relate to Dexter. All readers will cheer him on and reassure him that just being himself is really enough. Who doesn't worry about impressing at show and tell?

The palette is still bright yellows and blues, allowing Dexter's orange exuberance to pop. The cut paper collages and blue backgrounds are textured and eye-catching. Little details, such as a bunny nose and too-tight bunny suit, amuse. Since Dexter is speaking right to the reader, this invites energetic responses to Dexter's worries, making this a fun choice for story-time.  

Visit Lindsay Ward's website for more about Dexter and her other books. She has a coloring page too! There's also a cute trailer. 

Welcome back Dexter! Hope to see you again soon!

November is Picture Book Month! Review: After the Fall by Dan Santat

Oops! I almost forgot! November is Picture Book Month! Thanks to school librarian, Andy Plemmons for posting about it on FB today and reminding me. I usually try to read and post about a picture book as much as possible in November. So far for this year, I've read 118 picture books so I'm definitely living by my motto, "never too old for picture books!"

After the Fall: how Humpty Dumpty got back up again by Dan Santat. Unpgd. Roaring Brook Press, October, 2017. 9781250179371. (Review from purchased finished copy.)

I admire Dan Santat's art. He has illustrated quite a number of middle grade novel covers and the work of picture book authors with Oh No! by Mac Barnett being one of my favorites. He also re-illustrated Dav Pilkey's Ricky Ricotta series and wrote his own graphic novel, Sidekicks. This is his, I don't know, fourth solo picture book? Let's see, there was Beekle, Are We There Yet? and The Cookie Fiasco. I might be missing one. I loved Beekle and the fact that he wrote so beautifully about an imaginary friend. I got a big kick out of Are We There Yet? I thought he outdid himself with the outside-the-book thinking, visual humor and meditation on a long car ride. The Cookie Fiasco is hilarious fun. But, I think After the Fall is his best yet. Heartfelt and honest as well as having a healthy dose of outside-the-book thinking. When I first heard that he was retelling Humpty Dumpty, I thought he'd go for the goofy gags. This was a profound surprise.

The basic gist of the plot is Humpty Dumpty does indeed survive his fall. He IS put back together again but he's not the same. While "It was just an accident," his whole life is changed. He now has a fear of heights and getting hurt again. So he leaves Kings County Hospital (punny but also funny to those in the medical profession in the New York metro area) and returns home. But he sleeps on the floor because he's afraid to climb the ladder to his loft bed. In a brilliant double-page spread, Humpty chooses the blah cereal on a lower shelf instead of his favorite from the top shelf. The worst thing about avoiding the wall where it happened is that he misses birdwatching. Sure, he can see them from the street, but there was something about being on top of that wall...

This is a story of healing and it's beautifully told. Spare accessible prose will speak to all children, especially those suffering from anxiety. The art is captivating. Seriously, I could get lost in every spread. There's so much to see! Adorable little details like his dedication to his wife, Leah written as graffiti on Humpty's wall and incorporating her last name on a billboard in the final triumphant illustration. The end-pages are lovely as well. The publisher put a lot of care and thought into the design with an embossed wrap-around cover and pleasingly thick paper stock that will hold up to the multiple reading parents and librarians will be required (and want to) give this book.

Do not miss this gem. I expect to see it get something come YMA award time in January, oops February. It's late this year. It has already made a "Best" list. Publishers Weekly named it to theirs. It's one of my favorites of 2017 and will be yours too!