Fact Friday: What Breathes Through Its Butt? Mind-Blowing Science Questions Answered by Emily Grossman

Image: Bloomsbury

What Breathes Through Its Butt? Mind-Blowing Science Questions Answered by Emily Grossman. Illustrated by Alice Bowsher. 224 p. Bloomsbury, November, 2020. 9781547604524. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Happy Friday! We made it through another week. It felt like a long one to me, especially when I thought yesterday was Friday. I hope everyone has wonderful plans for the weekend. I hope to plug in an audiobook and get in the garden!

Before I introduce the Fact Friday feature, I'd like to just say the science is amazing! There's just so much to read and learn in the sciences. There's really something for everyone from nature and animals to technology and invention. Still not sold that science is cool? Read on. 

Fact Friday features What Breathes Through Its Butt? Mind Blowing Science Questions Answered by Emily Grossman and illustrated by Alice Bowsher. Don't know the answer to that one? Check out this energetically informative scientific stream of consciousness. Each question comes with multiple choice answers and rather hilarious, rambling answers accompanied by bold black and white illustrations. The questions about poop and farts are the bait. Who can resist? But then, there are questions and answers to other questions you didn't know you wanted to know about. How many bones are in a giraffe's neck? How much does the Internet weigh? What animal has the strongest bite?

This book is for science geeks and science skeptics alike. I'm so looking forward to adding this to my library's collection. One question that wasn't answered in this book was one my youngest son asked when he was in fourth grade twenty years ago: How many dimensions does a sunbeam have? His science teacher at the time couldn't answer it. 

#tbt: A Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Image: Simon & Schuster

A Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. 544p. Margaret K. McElderry Books/ Simon & Schuster, 2010.

Happy Thursday TMS Readers! #tbt features A Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. This is the first book in the trilogy called The Infernal Devices and was published in 2010. It is the story of Tessa and Will, who (spoiler alert) will eventually become James' (from Monday's featured book) parents. 

When Tessa's aunt dies, she's invited to live in England by her brother Nate, but she's kidnapped upon her arrival by two sisters, Mrs. Black and Mrs. Dark. They are warlocks and inform Tessa that she is one as well. They want to awaken her powers, then marry her off to the Magister. When she refuses, the sisters threaten to kill Nate. She's eventually rescued by Will Herondale and his colleagues from the Institute. Charlotte offers her sanctuary as they hunt for the Magister.

Clockwork Angel was a YALSA Top Ten pick, a NYT Bestseller and has made many state book award lists.

Waiting on Wednesday: Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare

Image: Author's Website

Happy Wednesday! The weather prediction promises temperatures in the mid-80s, so make sure you all get out and about today!

Waiting on Wednesday features Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare. This book will conclude The Last Hours Trilogy. Unfortunately, there is no more information to be found. Ms. Clare's website just features the attached "cover," which does not look to be final art since it does not match the first two covers. It really looks like fan art. There's no synopsis and no publication date, but I am so excited for this conclusion. Chain of Iron left things with Cordelia, James and the Merry Thieves REALLY HANGING!

Teen Tuesday: Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare

Image: Simon & Schuster

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare. The Last Hours #2. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~23 hours, 23 minutes. Read by Finty Williams. Simon & Schuster Audio, March, 2021. 9781442386440. (Review of downloadable e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Happy Tuesday! Teen Tuesday features Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare. This is book two of The Last Hours series. I thought I featured Chain of Gold, the first book already on a Teen Tuesday, but apparently, I did not. This Shadow Hunters book is hefty, as all of Ms. Clare's books are. They are atmospheric and peopled with fascinating characters, often gruesome conflict and swoon-worthy romance. I don't want to spoil anything from book one, so I will just say everyone has secrets in Chain of Iron - Cordelia, James, Lucie, and the rest of the Merry Thieves. Plus, there is a Jack the Ripper-type killer on the loose and he is after Shadow Hunters. If you are a mature teen reader and enjoy fantasy, you will love Cassandra Clare books.

Middle Grade Monday: Logan Likes Mary Anne! Baby-Sitters Club Graphix #8

Happy Monday! The day promises to be brisk but sunny, so be sure to get out and active. If you missed the setting of the nearly full "Pink Moon" early this morning, check out the rising of the first supermoon of 2021 tonight around 7:30.

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Logan Likes Mary Anne by Ann M. Martin. Illustrated by Gale Galligan. The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix #8. 170 p. September, 2020. 9781338304541. (Review of finished paperback courtesy of publisher.)

Middle Grade Monday features Logan Likes Mary Anne, the graphic novel adaptation of Ann M. Martin's immensely popular Babysitters Club series illustrated by Gale Galligan. The members of the BSC are starting eighth grade and busier than ever. They may need to get more members. Mary Anne is worried about everything about eighth grade, but intrigued by Logan, a new student with an adorable southern accent who is awfully cute and loves to babysit. Might he be interested in joining the club?

This graphic novel adaptation of the series is quite popular at TMS. Logan Likes Mary Anne is #8. The art is bright and energetic and the stories of friendship and entrepreneurship is relatable and fun. The series really sells itself. I don't really have to read them, but I like them. Wholesome and relatable.

Picture Book Review: Let Liberty Rise: How America's Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty by Chana Stiefel

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Let Liberty Rise: How America's Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty by Chana Stiefel. Illustrated by Chuck Groenink. unpgd. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., 9781338225884. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

Have you ever received a gift that you didn't want or know what to do with? The people of France built an enormous statue, named Liberty as a gift to the people of the United States for the centennial of the country's founding. Weighing as much as 40 elephants, the statue was dismantled and packed in 214 crates for her journey to America. Such a heavy statue would need a strong pedestal as a base, which Americans needed to build. Such a construction was very expensive and the pedestal was only half built when the statue arrived. Worse yet, there was no money left to complete it.

When fundraising efforts among millionaires failed, Joseph Pulitzer, owner of a newspaper, but an immigrant himself, appealed to everyone, including children, to donate what they could. In return, he promised to print the name of every single donor in his newspapers. The very next day, money started pouring in and $2000 was raised by the end of the first week!

The story is both informative and fascinating. The accessible text filled with interesting trivia and necessary context, such as what $100,000 in the 1800s means in today's dollars ($2.6 million). The jaunty illustrations add much to the text, including humor and a nod to Georges Seurat. The palette veers toward muted pastels. 

The back matter is a young researcher's dream. It includes a timeline, more facts about the statue, a bibliography, which includes books for younger readers and websites, followed by a two-page spread of photos from the time. 

This first-purchase will have many uses in the language arts classroom as well as social studies class for a large range of ages. Expect rich discussion on a variety of topics.

What's New? Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Hop on over there to ogle what other bloggers got this week.

For Review:

Image: Candlewick Press

The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen. 96 p. Candlewick Press, April, 2021. 9781536215625.

Publisher synopsis: 

There is a spot. 

It is a good spot.

It is the perfect spot to stand.

There is no reason to ever leave.

But somewhere above there is also a rock.

A rock from the sky.

Here comes The Rock from the Sky, a hilarious meditation on the workings of friendship, fate, shared futuristic visions, and that funny feeling you get that there’s something off somewhere, but you just can’t put your finger on it. Merging broad visual suspense with wry wit, celebrated picture book creator Jon Klassen gives us a wholly original comedy for the ages.

Look up! From the Caldecott Medal–winning creator of the Hat Trilogy comes a new deadpan gem.

Image: Candlewick Press

Free by Sam Usher. 40 p. templar books/ Candlewick Press, April, 2021. 978153621704.

Publisher synopsis: When a boy and his grandad take care of a little bird, the boy wants to keep it, but Grandad knows it must return to its natural habitat in the wild, where it can spread its wings and be free. And so begins an exhilarating journey into the mountains to return the bird to where it belongs.

The first in a new quartet of enchanting picture books where a boy and his beloved grandad discover the wonder of the natural world.

Image: Candlewick Press

Fat Angie Homecoming by e.E. Charlton-Trujillo. 416 p. Candlewick Press, November 2, 2021. 9781536208399.

Publisher synopsis: After hitting the road with her friends last summer and taking the stage to sing her heart out in Columbus, Angie finally feels like she’s figuring things out. And her next move? Finally asking Jamboree Memphis Jordan to be her girlfriend. Angie’s got her speech ready on a set of flash cards, but her plans are complicated when her first love, KC Romance, comes cruising back into town. And when a video of Angie’s Columbus performance goes viral, everything gets even more confusing. Kids at school are treating her with respect, she’s being recognized in public, and her couldn’t-be-bothered mother is . . . well, bothered is an understatement.

When she learns of an online music competition, Angie decides to start a band. With the help of her brother, Jamboree, and her town’s resident washed-up rock star, Angie puts together a group and gets busy writing songs, because the competition deadline is only two weeks away. Between sorting out her feelings for Jamboree and KC, dealing with her newfound fame, and dodging an increasingly violent and volatile mother, singing seems like the only thing that Angie’s really good at. Can her band of girl rockers actually win? More importantly, can Angie get it together before she loses all sense of herself yet again?

With unexpected internet fame, two people vying for her heart, an all-girl band, and coming to terms with her parents’ failures, Angie comes home to herself in a rewarding finale.

I adored Fat Angie and Fat Angie Rebel Girl Revolution and cannot wait to read this!

Purchased: nothing.

Leave a link to your stack in the comment section. I'd love to visit.

Fact Friday: Fungarium curated by Katie Scott and Ester Gaya

Happy Friday! We made it! It's sharply colder, but the sun is shining and the weekend promises to be fine.

Image: Candlewick Press

Fungarium curated by Katie Scott and Ester Gaya. Welcome to the Museum series. 80 p. Big Picture Press/ Candlewick Press, April, 2021. 9781536217094. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Fact Friday features Fungarium curated by Katie Scott and Ester Gaya. This gorgeous, over-size volume is part of the Welcome to the Museum series and it is not to be missed. Fungi fans will feast on the facts about fungal diversity and biology and linger over the exquisitely drawn specimens. Not a fungi fan? You might become a budding mycologist after spending some time with this book. At the very least, you'll learn more about the fungus among us.

Fungarium is a terrific addition to the STEM library. While the text veers a tad technical at times, there is plenty of fascinating information that is well-organized and appealingly laid out. The illustrations are captivating and beg to be lingered over. At my school, fifth graders do a fun unit on classification in science and I can see this book being a big hit. 

#tbt: Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Happy Thursday! We had a bit of weather yesterday! Thunderstorms and a temperature drop were predicted for yesterday. Thankfully, it held off until after student in-school time, so they were able to get out for gym and mask breaks. I got to walk Boo as well. Then, the skies darkened, the wind picked up and it hailed fiercely for about five minutes. Crazy!

Image: Simon & Schuster

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. 320 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Schuster, March, 2010. (Own.)

#tbt features Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper. This novel is narrated by eleven-year-old Melody who was born with cerebral palsy. She's confined to a wheelchair and can't talk. Her parents need to feed and clothe her and had been advised to place her in a nursing home. They insist that she go to school, where she's placed in an ineffective special education class. What the people in Melody's life don't know is that she is not only educable, but brilliant. Her life changes once she is given a communication device.

Out of My Mind was published in March of 2010, received many starred reviews, spent almost two years on the NYT Bestseller List, and was named to many "Best" list of the year and later state award lists. It's a TMS favorite among both students and teachers. If you recall yesterday's WOW post, a sequel, Out of My Heart, is due out in September.

This and That and Jacket/ Cover Dilemmas: The Boys in the Back Row by Mike Jung

Long ago, when my sons were small and I bought books for my home library, I rarely, if ever removed the jackets and so, never knew if the book cover beneath the dust jacket was different. As a school librarian, I remove the jackets of all books I purchase for my school's collection to cover them with a mylar cover in order to prolong the life of the book. I occasionally come across a surprise-a jacket with different illustration from the cover. 

"Jacket/ Cover Dilemmas" is the occasional post that occurs in my school library life. I know I've failed to document quite a few. Sometimes I take the pic and just post to FB and forget to post here. Other times, I probably forget to tag, and thus the post is un-findable.

Today, I finally got to covering some books I've recently only cataloged. My library has been closed since last March. <Boohoo> Since September, I've been teaching fifth and sixth grade LA to hybrid students on their virtual days. But since early April, the hybrid students are back in school five days per week. Because I taught two hybrid cohorts per class each day, totaling sixteen classes in each two-day cycle, I wondered what I would be given to do. I've been assigned as a support teacher in one fifth grade LA class and one sixth grade LA class. AND! I've been given three periods a day in the library!

This means I could catalog all the books I've acquired through purchasing with my own money or books I received because I've been asked to review. AND I am checking out books to students! They can't come to the library though. One, it's now being used as a classroom, but they are not allowed to leave their cohort. I am so thrilled that students are actively requesting books from me! Yay! 

Which brings me to the point of this post. Thanks for hanging in there!

When I removed the cover of The Boys in the Back Row, I found this.

I probably should've repositioned the jacket better to show the juxtaposition of images - my bad. I appreciate Levine Querido books for so much! First, the books on their list are phenomenal and second, the care the team puts into the design.

Waiting on Wednesday: Out of My Heart by Sharon Draper

Image: Simon & Schuster

Out of My Heart by Sharon Draper. 320 p. Atheneum/ Caitlyn Dlhouey Books/ Simon & Schuster, September 28, 2021. 9781665902168.

Waiting on Wednesday features Out of My Heart by Sharon Draper. Last week, during break, I attended a Booklist webinar featuring a panel of authors with middle grade books releasing in the coming months. I got so excited to learn from Sharon Draper that she wrote a sequel to Out of My Mind, which is a TMS student as well as teacher favorite. I couldn't wait to share the news. A few days later, there was a cover reveal and, oh what a perfect cover it is! Out of My Heart  releases on September 28, 2021.

Publisher synopsis: Melody faces her fears to follow her passion in this stunning sequel to the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling middle grade novel Out of My Mind.

Melody, the huge-hearted heroine of Out of My Mind, is now a year older and a year braver. But not as brave as she wants to be, as she’s terrified of horses. Even though she loves horses—loves loves loves them—from afar. Not one to be thwarted, Melody decides summer camp, one with horseback riding, should be her next challenge. Except, are there even riding camps for differently-abled kids? Ones that would welcome a kid with cerebral palsy? She’s going to find out.

Teen Tuesday: A Curse of Ash & Embers by Jo Spurrier

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

A Curse of Ash & Embers by Jo Spurrier. Tales of the Blackbone Witches #1. HarperVoyager/ HarperCollins Publishers, January, 2021. 9781460756331. (Review of finished paperback courtesy of publisher.)

Teen Tuesday features A Curse of Ash & Embers by Jo Spurrier. This historical fantasy comes to us from Australia and was published in paperback in the U.S. in January. It is book one of a series called Blackbone Witches.

Sixteen-year-old Elodie narrates and endears the reader from the first page of this suspenseful, atmospheric story. She's waiting for a wagon ride from her stepfather's farm up into the mountains to serve at Black Oak Cottage. No one knows how Elodie got the job, an unsigned letter was delivered, but she doesn't care. She can't wait to get away from her abusive stepfather, though she will miss her mother and half-siblings very much.

Elodie is uneducated, but very observant and is a quick learner. After an eventful trip up the mountain, Elodie is dropped off on the outskirts of the village. Once the villagers learn that she's headed to Black Oak Cottage, they turn mean, thinking she's there to apprentice as a witch. Terrible things happen in the area. Monsters roam at night to tear up the land and kill livestock. Monsters that were created by the old witch, Ghyssa.

But Ghyssa is dead. Aleida killed her. She has no idea why Elodie has come to the cottage. Aleida gruffly warns Elodie to leave, to return to her family, while there's still time. Aleida needs Elodie though, because she's been gravely injured and cursed by Ghyssa and there are even more dangers lurking in the woods. Elodie would rather stay with this strange woman than return to her stepfather.

If you like suspenseful stories of magic, you will love this. The pace is a bit leisurely at first as readers are introduced to intriguing characters. Elodie is fiercely independent and a bit prickly, a trait which serves her well considering what she's about to face. The vivid setting - the cottage and grounds, with its monsters roaming, a demon tree in the orchard and an angry warlock looking to collect a debt, might make it hard to sleep at night. I was completely swept up in the intrigue. 

I can't wait for book two, Daughter of Lies & Ruin due out in July!

Middle Grade Monday: Two Graphic Novel Adaptations of Little Women

Happy Monday! My spring break is over and I'm heading back to school. A fair number of families travelled over break, so there will be a mix of in-person and virtual students due to their need to quarantine. My break wasn't as productive as I would've liked. I was feeling a bit punky for the first half and the weather wasn't great-cloudy, cold and raw, so not much gardening got done. Still, I managed to read about thirteen books, not bad considering one was Chain of Iron, which was twenty-three hours long! It was quite good!

Middle Grade Monday features not one, but two graphic novel adaptations of the classic, Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869. She later went on to write sequels. The story of the four March sisters was very autobiographical and featured Jo, a fiercely independent young woman who yearns to become a writer. Due to the prevailing limitations placed on women at the time, marriage was the only acceptable outcome and few occupations were open for women who chose not to marry. Ms. Alcott's publisher would not accept a story in which Jo did not marry. In real life, Louisa May Alcott never married and supported her family with her writing.

Fast forward to the twenty-first century. Girls play sports, thanks to the 1972 Title IX legislation, women work, often in professions that were previously closed to women and we have a female Vice President. Over the hundred and fifty plus years since the publication of Little Women, scholars have studied and written extensively about the work and the Alcott family.

Image: LBYR

In 2019, it was adapted as a graphic novel and modernized in Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy: a Graphic Novel by Rey Terciero. In this adaptation, the March family is a blended, bi-racial family trying to make ends meet in a New York City apartment and Mr. March is serving overseas. The bright palette and easy-to-follow panels will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier.

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

2020 saw the release of Jo: an Adaptation of Little Women (Sort of) by Kathleen Gros. This adaptation is set in the suburbs with Mrs. March working double-shifts as a nurse to help make ends meet while Mr. March is deployed overseas. Jo decides to join the school newspaper.

Both adaptations stay fairly faithful to the original. Laurie still moves in next door and befriends the sisters. Jo remains fiercely independent and slowly comes to a truth about herself.

Few middle school readers attempt to tackle the original Little Women. It's quite lengthy, but some have over the years. I didn't read it until high school, reread it for an American Lit class in college, then several times since then. These two adaptations are a perfect introduction for younger readers. Fans of the original will enjoy the way the two authors approached the classic. 

What's New? Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Hop on over there to ogle what other bloggers got this week.

For Review:

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Secondhand Dogs by Carolyn Crimi. 248 p. Balzar + Bray/ HarperCollins Publisher, July 6, 2021. 9780062989185.

Publisher synopsis:A heartwarming—and heart-tugging—middle grade novel about love, loyalty, and what it means to be part of a family—from author Carolyn Crimi, with adorable illustrations by Melissa Manwill. Perfect for fans of A Dog’s Life and Because of Winn-Dixie.

Miss Lottie’s home was for second chances.

When she adopted Gus, Roo, Tank, and Moon Pie, Miss Lottie rescued each member of the pack—including herself, her helper, Quinn, and her reclusive cat, Ghost—and turned them into a family. But when a new dog, Decker, arrives and tries to hoard Miss Lottie’s heart and home for himself, the pack’s future is threatened.

At first, Gus, the insecure pack leader, only notices little things, like tiny Moon Pie being kicked out of the bed and Ghost acting spooked (then again…Ghost is a cat). But things soon go from bad to worse as Decker’s presence causes disharmony in the group.

When Decker convinces Moon Pie to embark on an impossible journey, it’s up to Gus to gather his courage, rally his splintered pack, and bring the little dog home. And with coyotes and cars on the loose, the pack must push through obstacles and dangers to reunite with Moon Pie before he can get hurt—or, nearly as bad, get his heart broken.

Image: Norton Young Readers

Accused: My Story of Injustice by Adama Bah. I, Witness series. 102 p. Norton Young Readers, August 3, 2021. 9781342016632. 

Publisher synopsis:Launching a propulsive middle grade nonfiction series, a young woman shares her harrowing experience of being wrongly accused of terrorism.

Adama Bah grew up in East Harlem after immigrating from Conakry, Guinea, and was deeply connected to her community and the people who lived there. But as a thirteen-year-old after the events of September 11, 2001, she began experiencing discrimination and dehumanization as prejudice toward Muslim people grew. Then, on March 24, 2005, FBI agents arrested Adama and her father. Falsely accused of being a potential suicide bomber, Adama spent weeks in a detention center being questioned under suspicion of terrorism.

With sharp and engaging writing, Adama recounts the events surrounding her arrest and its impact on her life—the harassment, humiliation, and persecution she faced for crimes she didn’t commit. Accused brings forward a crucial and unparalleled first-person perspective of American culture post-9/11 and the country’s discrimination against Muslim Americans, and heralds the start of a new series of compelling narrative nonfiction by young people, for young people.

Image: Candlewick Press

Orangutan Hats and Other Tools Animals Use by Richard Haynes. Illustrated by Stephanie Laberis. 48 p. Candlewick Press, April, 2021. 9781536200935.

Publisher synopsis: Move over, humans! We’re not the only creatures who can invent and use tools to keep ourselves fed, warm, safe, healthy, comfortable—even entertained. Thanks to the careful observations of biologists working in the field, we now know that elephants use sunscreen, long-tailed macaques floss their teeth, assassin bugs use bait to lure their prey, orangutans make pillows, and crows will go sledding just for fun. Who’s the clever one now, eh? Join writer Richard Haynes and illustrator Stephanie Laberis for a walk on the wild side and get ready to be astonished, delighted, and amused by this jam-packed exploration. Interested readers will find a map, an introduction, a glossary, an index, and a bibliography for further investigation.

Elephants that remove ticks with sticks? Otters that crack open their lunch with rocks? Crows that slide down a roof on a jar lid—over and over? Take a fascinating look at the use of tools by animals around the world.

Purchased: Nothing!

Leave a link to your stack in the comment section. I'd love to visit.

Fact Friday: 13 Ways to Eat a Fly by Sue Heavenrich

Image: Charlesbridge

13 Ways to Eat a Fly by Sue Heavenrich and illustrated by David Clark. 32 p. Charlesbridge, February, 2021. 9781580898904. (Review of finished copy borrowed from the public library.)

Fact Friday features, for your dining pleasure, 13 Ways to Eat a Fly by Sue Heavenrich and illustrated by David Clark. This reverse counting book is not just for the pre-school set. There's a lot of science packed in between the catchy rhymes and hilarious cartoonish illustrations featuring bug-eyed flies about to meet their demise. From wrapped and zapped through liquified and zombified, readers learn how a variety of animals make 13 different kinds of flies their prey. 

Engaging back matter informs the reader that there are more than 120,000 different kinds of flies! They are low in fat and rich in protein! There are lists of books and websites for anyone who wants more information. Never have I ever thought learning about flies could be so much fun!

There are multiple classroom uses for 13 Ways to Eat a Fly from LA to STEM. Your students will really eat this one up! I'm buying it for my middle school library.

#tbt: A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz

Image: Penguin Random House

A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz. Illustrated by Hugh D'Andrade. 288 p. Dutton/ Penguin Young Readers, October, 2010. 

#tbt features A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz. Fairy tales have been watered down over the years, especially by Disney. The folklore was passed from village to village, generation to generation in the oral tradition - a way of entertaining and perhaps warning. They were scary and often gruesome stories! Adam Gidwitz returned to that tradition in his hair-raising debut. Hansel and Gretel are wandering the woods in search of nicer parents after their father, the king tried to behead them. Wait, what? That's not the story I heard. Mr. Gidwitz delightfully fractures multiple fairy tales in the siblings' adventure through the dark woods.

A Tale Dark and Grimm was published in October of 2010 and received multiple honors, such as being named an E.B. White Honor as well as a New York Times Editor's Choice. That book was followed by two sequels, In a Glass Grimmly and The Grimm Conclusion. The inspiration for the book arose from the stories Mr. Gidwitz told his students while working as a teacher in a NYC school.

Waiting on Wednesday: Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Waiting on Wednesday features Rise to the Sun by Leah Johnson. Ms. Johnson made her debut with, You Should See Me in a Crown, which earned a Stonewall Honor and was named an ALA Rainbow List Top Ten Selection. Her sophomore novel, Rise to the Sun releases on July 6. Here's the publisher synopsis: "Four days. Two girls. One life-changing music festival.Toni is grieving the loss of her roadie father and needing to figure out where her life will go from here — and she's desperate to get back to loving music. Olivia is a hopeless romantic whose heart has just taken a beating (again) and is beginning to feel like she'll always be a square peg in a round hole — but the Farmerland music festival is a chance to find a place where she fits.

The two collide and it feels like something like kismet when a bond begins to form. But when a gun misfires and the festival is sent into a panic, Olivia and Toni will find that they need each other (and music) more than they ever imagined."

I absolutely adored You Should See Me in a Crown and can't wait for this one.

Teen Tuesday: Sword in the Stars by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy

Image: Hachette Audio

Sword in the Stars by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy. Unabridged downloadable e-audiobook, 10 hours, 48 minutes. Read by Lauren Fortang. Hachette Audio, April, 2020. 9781549105166. (Review of e-audiobook downloaded from the public library.)

Teen Tuesday features Sword in the Stars by Amy Rose Capetta and Cori McCarthy. Mature teen readers who loved Once and Future will absolutely adore the concluding volume. Ari Helix (the 42nd reincarnation of the legendary King Arthur) and her Rainbow Knights may have won a battle against the murderous Mercer Corporation, but the war is not yet over. Merlin has concluded that the only way to defeat them is to find Arthur's Holy Grail. Only Merlin can't seem to remember where it is hidden. The band travels back to the time of King Arthur where they must attempt to blend in with the Medieval folk and avoid disturbing the space-time continuum lest they be lost forever.

The pace is whiplash fast in this gender-bending, mind-bending sci-fi interpretation of Arthurian legend. The characters are all well-developed and easy to care about. There were many humorous moments, but there were also tears. The more you know about the legend, the more you will appreciate what the authors have done here. No knowledge of the legend is necessary to enjoy this rip-roaring adventure, though you must absolutely read the two books in order. I read both volumes with my ears and utterly enjoyed Ms. Fortang's performance in both. I am definitely purchasing this duology for my personal collection of King Arthur variations and will enjoy rereading with my eyes.

Middle Grade Monday: Rowley Jefferson Books 2 & 3 by Jeff Kinney

                

Rowley Jefferson's Awesome, Friendly Adventure by Jeff Kinney. Abrams Books, 224 p. Abrams Books, 2020.

Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Spooky Stories by Jeff Kinney. 224 p. Abrams Books, March, 2021. (Review of finished books borrowed from public library.)

Happy Monday! My break is going well, though I would wish for better weather. Middle Grade Monday features two books from a series. When I came across Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Spooky Stories recently, I realized I missed book two of this Diary of a Wimpy Kid spinoff, Rowley Jefferson's Awesome, Friendly Adventure. So this Middle Grade Monday recommendation is a two-fer, or a three-fer if you missed the first.

If you're a fan of the Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney, you know all about Rowley Jefferson, Greg's long-suffering best friend. In Rowley Jefferson's Awesome, Friendly Adventure, Rowley wants to write a story. He has no plans to become famous for his book. He just wants something for his parent to read to him at night. Greg has other plans though. He has visions of movie rights and merch.

In Rowley Jefferson's Awesome Spooky Stories, Rowley reveals his dark side with stories of vampires, werewolves and zombies and such. Most are humorous with a side of gross. Fans will devour both books and ask for more.

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.

Fact Friday: Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes

Image: Bloomsbury

Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes. Illustrated by many. Bloomsbury Children's Books, January, 2021. 9781681199443. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Happy Friday! We made it! Spring break is upon us! I am so ready for this break. I have no plans except to read, work in my garden and be active every day.

Fact Friday features Legacy: Women Poets of the Harlem Renaissance by Nikki Grimes. Ms. Grimes pays homage to the under-appreciated female poets of the Harlem Renaissance through the"Golden Shovel" poetic method. This means she took a line or two from original poems by groundbreaking Black women, largely ignored, to create her own poems. Each spread features the original poem with the line(s) chosen bolded, followed by Ms. Grimes' new poem along with a brilliant illustration created by a Black female artist.

Ms. Grimes teaches readers a bit about the Harlem Renaissance and the "Golden Shovel" method as a preface to her collection. Back matter consists of poet biographies as well as artist biographies, sources, permissions and an index making this a terrific resource for aspiring poets and students of cultural history.

This is first-purchase! No poetry collection would be complete without this book. I plan on purchasing it for my own library as well as my school's. It's a book I know I will revisit often. 

#tbt: Merlin: the Lost Years by T. A. Barron

Image: Penguin Random House

Happy Thursday! #tbt features Merlin: the Lost Years by T. A. Barron. This is the first book of five in the Lost Years of Merlin series. The author eventually wrote a total of twelve in what became the Merlin Saga. Merlin: the Lost Years was originally published in 1996 with the title, The Lost Years of Merlin. Mr. Barron envisioned what the youth of Merlin, the wizard from Arthurian legend, might have been. He had also originally planned a trilogy about Merlin, but said in an author visit, "Merlin wouldn't let me go after the third book. There was more to his story."

Merlin: the Lost Years is fast-paced and filled with mystery and adventure and used to be my go-to book to give to students who claimed to hate to read.

Waiting on Wednesday: Fat Angie: Homecoming by e. E. Charlton-Trujillo

Fat Angie: Homecoming by e. E. Charlton-Trujillo. 416 p. Candlewick Press, November 2, 2021. 9781536208399.

Happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday features Fat Angie: Homecoming by e. E. Charlton-Trujillo. Teen readers first met Angie in Fat Angie, which was published in 2013 and won a Stonewall Award. Fat Angie: Rebel Girl Revolution published in 2019 and Angie's story will come to an end in Fat Angie: Homecoming, which will publish November 2, 2021. 

Here's part of the publisher synopsis: "With unexpected internet fame, two people vying for her heart, an all-girl band, and coming to terms with her parents’ failures, Angie comes home to herself in a rewarding finale."

Angie found her voice in Rebel Girl Revolution and decides to enter a singing competition in Homecoming. Angie is a character who has found a place in my heart. I cannot wait to visit with her again.

Teen Tuesday: Everything Sad is Untrue: a Novel by Daniel Nayeri

Image: Levine Querido

Everything Sad is Untrue: a Novel by Daniel Nayeri. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~8 hours. Read by the author. Listening Library, 2020. 9780593168417.

Teen Tuesday features Everything Sad is Untrue: a Novel by Daniel Nayeri. Ten-year-old Khosrou stands in front of his fifth grade class in Edmond, Oklahoma. He is a target. He is the only Iranian in the mostly white town. His classmates and teachers can't pronounce his name and so, he is now Daniel and he's a storyteller, just as Scheherazade was - telling stories to save his life. How did the son of a physician and a dentist who lived in luxury in Iran end up fleeing with his mother and sister? His classmates learn Daniel's story slowly, as does the reader because, while often humorous, it's very painful. They also learn about Persian kings and princesses and kindly doctors. The story zigs and zags and, while it requires a bit of patience, like any long story, it is satisfying.

This compelling and complex autobiographical novel won the 2021 Printz Award. 

The audiobook was narrated by the author and was outstanding. Mr. Nayari's storytelling skills shine here.

Middle Grade Monday: Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy by Melissa de la Cruz

Image: Macmillan

Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy by Melissa de la Cruz. The Chronicles of Never After series #1. Roaring Brook Press/ Macmillan, December, 2020. 9781250311214. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publicist.)

Middle Grade Monday features Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy by Melissa de la Cruz. Filomena Jefferson-Cho just can't cut a break! Smothered by over-protective adoptive parents and bullied mercilessly at her private school, she takes refuge in reading - specifically The Thirteenth Fairy series. She can't wait for the final installment and is thrilled when her parents allow her to walk to the bookstore by herself to buy it. Only, it turns out there is no book and no explanation as to why. Heartbroken, Filomena trudges home and soon realizes that she's being followed. 

Who are these strange boys? Turns out they are Jack Stalker and his sidekick, Alistair. They've come through a portal from Never After. Their kingdom is in peril. Can Filomena help?

This fairy tale mash-up was huge fun. Fans of Chris Colfer's Land of Stories series will just love this! (I think it's even better.) Filomena is a winning main character. The story is humorous and fast-paced, as well as just familiar enough with dashes of surprise. 

Highly recommended! The second installment, The Stolen Slipper, is due out December 7, 2021. Sign me up!

Fact Friday: Unspeakable: the Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford

Image: Lerner Publishing Group

Unspeakable: the Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. 32 p. Lerner Publishing Group, February, 2021. 9781541581203. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Fact Friday features Unspeakable: the Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford. Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. This year (May 31 - June 1) marks the hundredth anniversary of a sad, significant and shameful event in American history that, before last summer, many were probably unaware. Ms. Weatherford begins her blank verse with the words, "Once upon a time" and she uses the repetition effectively to instruct readers about the thriving Black community neighborhood in segregated Tulsa, Oklahoma one hundred years ago. Greenwood, also known as the "Black Wall Street" was home to two movie theaters, several Black newspapers and many Black professionals such as doctors and lawyers. 

While this community enjoyed their prosperity, many in the white community resented it. When a white female elevator operator accused a young Black man of assault, it did not take long for racial tension to erupt in violence. A white mob headed to the jail with the intention of lynching the suspect, but was confronted by Black men intending to protect him. The confrontation resulted in the deaths of two Black men and ten whites. The next day, mobs of white men invaded Greenwood intent on burning the neighborhood to the ground. Three hundred Black residents were killed and more than eight thousand were left homeless as police stood by and did nothing to protect them. The incident was labeled a "race riot" and no investigation was done until seventy-five years later.

Floyd Cooper's erasure illustrations celebrate the thriving community, then somberly stun. Readers learn in the illustrator's note in the back matter that Mr. Cooper has a personal connection to Tulsa - his grandfather escaped the massacre. Ms. Weatherford provides more information in her author's note. Back matter includes black and white photos from the time. 

Unspeakable is a must-read, must-discuss book for anyone, adult or young adult wishing to deeply understand American history warts and all. It's a book that will prompt uncomfortable questions and necessary, but uncomfortable conversations in classrooms and around dinner tables. Lerner has provided a helpful twelve-page teaching guide on their website.

ETA: I had the opportunity to tune into a webinar hosted by Frugal Book Store featuring an interview of and reading by the author. 

#tbt: Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass

Image: LBYR

Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass. 304 p. Little Brown Young Readers/ Hachette, 2006. (Own)

Happy Thursday TMS Readers! I can't believe it's April already! 

#TBT features Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass. Jeremy Fink lives in NYC, has a best friend named Lizzy whose impulsiveness often gets the two in trouble and he's turning thirteen in a month. When a package arrives addressed to his mother, Lizzie convinces him to open it, revealing a beautiful locked box and a note from his dad addressed to Jeremy saying the box contained answers to the meaning of life. The problem? There are no keys in the package to open the box and his dad died five years earlier in a car crash.

This story of friendship and existential angst features a vivid NYC setting and endearing, quirky characters. It was published in 2006 and adapted for film in 2011. Wendy Mass is a popular author with my students and this book is well-loved.