Waiting on Wednesday: Home Away from Home by Cynthia Lord

Image: Scholastic Inc. 

Home Away from Home by Cynthia Lord. 224 p. Scholastic Inc., April 18, 2023. 9781338726114. 

Waiting on Wednesday features Home Away from Home by Cynthia Lord. I'm a huge fan of Ms. Lord's and she's an automatic purchase for me because her books are always so gentle and thoughtful. Rules is a real favorite around here. Home Away from Home will release on April 18, 2023. Here's the publisher synopsis: From Newbery Honor Winner Cynthia Lord, a brilliant story about how to find home when everything around us is changing.

Mia and her mom visit Grandma in Maine every summer, but this year Mia is going alone. Her mom will stay behind to get their house ready to sell. It’ll be a new start, she says, after the divorce.

Mia doesn’t want a new start. She’d rather everything just stayed the same! At least things will be the same at Grandma’s, though. Mia will walk to town for ice cream, and wait by the water, watching for birds, just like always.

Then Mia meets Grandma’s know-it-all new neighbor, who’s just her age. Cayman acts like he belongs at Grandma’s house. He acts like he’s the expert on everything. And when he and Mia spot an unusual white bird of prey, he acts like it’s his job to find out what it is.

Unless, that is, Mia finds out first. And, in her effort to prove herself to him, she makes a decision that will change things for the town, for the bird, for Cayman, and even for herself. Can Mia stop what she’s put into motion?

Acclaimed author Cynthia Lord, with her trademark sensitivity, weaves her love of nature with a profound reflection on what it means to be at home in a changing world.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger

Image for HC/ Levine Querido 

A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~11 hours. Read by Shaun Taylor-Corbett and Kindle Hueston. Recorded Books, November, 2021. 9781705045039. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

As Indigenous Peoples Month winds down, Teen Tuesday features A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger. This immersive dual-narrative shifts point of view between sixteen-year-old Nina here on Earth and fifteen-year-old Olli who resides in the Reflecting World. The two worlds were once joined thousands of years ago. Nina's family is linked to it through her grandmother, who is a healer. Nina is intent on figuring out a story that her great, great grandmother Rosita told her and also intent on saving her grandmother from a man who may be poisoning her land. Olli is a cotton mouth snake person who reluctantly leaves his mother's home to make his own way in the world. Eventually, he settles down close to two coyote sisters and a frog named Ami and the four become friends. When Ami falls ill, it is up to Olli and the sisters to save him. That's when the two stories converge.

The narrators' performances were  well-paced and beautifully inflected. As always, I appreciate hearing the proper pronunciation of unfamiliar names and words.  

This genre-blender won the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy, a Newbery Honor and was longlisted for the National Book Award. It also appeared on many Best Books of the Year lists including the Chicago Public Library and the New York Public Library. Readers looking for a layered, nuanced adventure will enjoy A Snake Falls to Earth.

Middle Grade Monday: Jessi's Secret Language adapted by Chan Chau

Image: Scholastic

Jessi's Secret Language adapted by Chan Chau. Babysitters Club Graphic Novel series #12. 144 p. Graphix/ Scholastic, September, 2022. 9781338616088. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Happy Monday! I hope your Thanksgiving break was exactly what you wanted it to be. Middle Grade Monday features Jessi's Secret Language. This Babysitters Club graphic novel was adapted Chan Chau and is the twelfth novel in Ann M. Martin's iconic Babysitter's Club series to be adapted by Graphix.

Jessi is the newest member of the babysitters club. She's also a dedicated ballet dancer and the only African American student at school. When she agrees to babysit Matt and his sister, Jessi needs a bit of special training. Matt was born deaf and communicates through sign language and his mom wants to introduce Jessi to it. As Jessi learns how to sign, she gets an idea for a surprise for Matt and his friends at the school for the deaf he attends.

This series is quite popular at my school. I'm sure this installment won't spend too much time on the shelf.

Waiting on Wednesday: Nick & Charlie by Alice Oseman

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Nick & Charlie by Alice Oseman. 176 p. Heartstopper series. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc., January 3, 2023. 9781338885101.

Waiting on Wednesday features Nick & Charlie by Alice Oseman. The Heartstopper series is quite popular at my school, so I'm sure this news will thrill my students!

Publisher synopsis: Absence makes the heart grow fonder... right?

Everyone knows that Nick and Charlie love their nearly inseparable life together. But soon Nick will be leaving for university, and Charlie, a year younger, will be left behind. Everyone's asking if they're staying together, which is a stupid question... or at least that's what Nick and Charlie assume at first.

As the time to say goodbye gets inevitably closer, both Nick and Charlie start to question whether their love is strong enough to survive being apart. Charlie is sure he's holding Nick back... and Nick can't tell what Charlie's thinking.

Things spiral from there.

Everyone knows that first loves rarely last forever. What will it take for Nick and Charlie to defy the odds?

Teen Tuesday: The Heartstopper Yearbook by Alice Oseman

Image: Scholastic Inc.

The Heartstopper Yearbook by Alice Oseman. 154 p. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc., October, 2022. 9781338853896. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Teen Tuesday features The Heartstopper Yearbook by Alice Oseman. I wasn't sure what to expect when I learned this was due out, but knew I had to get it for my library because the series is in demand in my library. It's a bit of a memoir of the journey Ms. Oseman took while creating Nick and Charlie's story from the earliest sketches to its eventual Netflix series. There are profiles of most of the characters that include their preferred pronouns and favorite song. There's also a quiz where you can discover if you are a Nick or a Charlie. Once my order comes in, I don't expect The Heartstopper Yearbook will spend much time on the shelf.

Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday: A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga. 308 p. Balzar + Bray/ HarperCollins Publishers, October, 2022. 9780063113929. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Middle Grade Monday features A Rover's Story by Jasmine Warga. This story is told from two points of view. Resilient, aka Res, is a rover that comes to consciousness in a NASA laboratory. It is his first-person narration that comprises the bulk of the narrative. Interspersed throughout, are letters written to Res from Sophie, the daughter of one of the scientists responsible for Res' programming. Sophie misses her mom because she works very long hours preparing Res to be launched into space and eventually explore Mars.

Even though Rovers are programmed to be precise and logical, Res develops a growing awareness of feelings, particularly toward Xander and Raina, the two primary scientists, who talk to Res and play music for him. Res' voice is at turns child-like, poignant and hilarious. Short chapters in the form of journal entries keep the story moving even though it takes place over seventeen years. Hey! It takes a long time to get to Mars! Once Res lands on Mars, with Fly, his trusty drone, they deal with Guardian, an imperious and logical satillite and the rough terrain and terrible dust storms on Mars as they collect specimens and search for a missing rover.

This book is my absolute favorite book of 2022. It's tender, engaging, hilarious and I never wanted it to end.

#tbt: The Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda

Image: Scholastic Inc.

The Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda. 292 p. Ash Mistry Chronicles #1. Arthur A. Levine Books/ Scholastic Inc., October, 2012. 9780545385169. (Own)

#tbt features The Savage Fortress by Sarwat Chadda. This is book one of a trilogy called the Ash Mistry Chronicles and was published in 2012. Ash Mistry is spending the summer in India with his archeologist uncle and he'd much rather be at home in London playing video games with his mates. His uncle is conducting a dig for Lord Savage, who will pay a million dollars to find a mysterious relic. When Ash picks up a golden arrowhead and gets a splinter, he becomes able to channel the power of Kali. This fast-paced, plot-driven adventure is perfect for fans of mythology-based fantasy like Percy Jackson.

Waiting on Wednesday: Sunshine by Jarrett J. Krosockza

Image: Scholastic

Sunshine by Jarrett J. Krosockza. 240 p. Graphix/ Scholastic, April 18, 2023. 9781338356328.

Happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday features Sunshine by Jarrett J. Krosockza. TMS Readers who are fans of Mr. Krosockza's award-winning graphic novel memoir Hey, Kiddo! will be thrilled to learn about Sunshine, which is due out on April 18, 2023.

Publisher synopsis: When Jarrett J. Krosoczka was in high school, he was part of a program that sent students to be counselors at a camp for seriously ill kids and their families. Going into, Jarrett was worried: Wouldn't it be depressing, to be around kids facing such a serious struggle? Wouldn't it be grim?

But instead of the shadow of death, Jarrett found something else at Camp Sunshine: the hope and determination that gets people through the most troubled of times. Not only was he subject to some of the usual rituals that come with being a camp counselor (wilderness challenges, spooky campfire stories, an extremely stinky mascot costume), but he also got a chance to meet some extraordinary kids facing extraordinary circumstances. He learned about the captivity of illness, for sure . . . but he also learned about the freedom a safe space can bring.

Now, in his follow-up to the National Book Award finalist Hey, Kiddo, Jarrett brings readers back to Camp Sunshine so we can meet the campers and fellow counselors who changed the course of his life.

Teen Tuesday: The First Thing About You by Chaz Hayden

Image: Candlewick Press

The First Thing About You by Chaz Hayden. 368 p. Candlewick Press, September, 2022. 9781536223115. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher.)

The Daily Book Talk/ Take Two: Happy Tuesday! Argh! I was in the middle of writing my Teen Tuesday post early this morning and accidentally closed the page in my school's learning platform, which doesn't have an autosave feature!

Teen Tuesday features a hilarious and heartwarming debut, The First Thing About You by Chaz Hayden. Fifteen-year-old Harris has moved from California to New Jersey because his father got a better job. He's hoping to use this opportunity to start living "a real teenage life," which includes finding a girlfriend. However, Harris has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which means he's wheelchair bound and totally reliant on others for eating, bathing and doing school work. It's kind of hard to get people to look past the "kid in the wheelchair" to see Harris for who he is. He also has a theory about colors. His go-to conversation starter is, "What's your favorite color?" The answer gives Harris an idea about possible compatibility. The first person to reach out to him is Zander, whose favorite color is yellow. Yellow and blue mix well. When he's paired with Nory in Physics class, she assumes that he's not smart because of the wheel chair. Additionally, she won't tell him her favorite color. He's disappointed because she's smart and pretty.

While he and his mother interview nurses to hire, she attends school with him, trying to keep the fact that she's his mom on the down-low. She's actually pretty cool and Harris appreciates the fact that she shoulders most of the burden for his care and is a fierce advocate for him with the school. He has an IEP and the school is not prepared to accommodate him. After the first nurse that was hired failed epically (and hilariously), Harris' mom reluctantly hires Miranda, a nursing student. She is a former student of the high school and has a reputation for making bad choices. Still, she works well with Harris and he's happy.

Teen readers will be immediately captivated by Harris' wry narration. The author also has SMA and explores themes of friendship and belonging authentically. Harris is a memorable character, bright, irreverent and introspective and The First Thing About You is a smashing debut. I'm looking forward to reading more from Mr. Hayden.

I always look up the availability of my daily book talks in our library cooperative for my students. This morning, I discovered that The First Thing About You is available as an e-audiobook! I'm eager to reread this with my ears! Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday: New Kids and Underdogs by Margaret Finnegan

Image: Simon & Schuster

New Kids and Underdogs by Margaret Finnegan. 288 p. Atheneum Books for Young Readers/ Simon & Schuster, October, 2022. 9781534496408. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

Middle Grade Monday features New Kids and Underdogs by Margaret Finnegan. Robyn Kellen is preparing to be the "new kid" yet again. Her mom's a biology professor and they have moved around for her job a lot. This move to San Luis Obispo promises to be permanent though. Still, Robyn creates ten rules for being the new kid and decides to follow them. Things at her new school start out okay. She's befriended by two girls, Lulu and Marshan, who warn her away from Alejandra, who wears purple every day. She also seems to catch the attention of a blond haired boy who reminds Robyn of a snake and makes snide comments. 

When she and her mom pass by an agility training class while on a walk in a nearby park, Robyn is intrigued enough to ask about lessons for her two special needs rescues, Sundae and Fudge. The trainer abruptly nixes the idea and Robyn is disappointed. But the trainer's grandson, Nestor, is in her class at school, and he's willing to train her dogs, for a price. Both Robyn and Nestor need help with math and Alejandra, who skipped a grade volunteers to tutor them if she can join the training and Robyn brings the snacks. Can Robyn keep this a secret from Lulu and Marshan? 

There's a lot to like about this book. The dog training angle adds a fresh twist to the moving house theme. The dogs, especially Robyn's rescues, Sundae and Fudge are engaging characters with distinct personalities. I love the fact that they were not only rescues, but also had special needs. The dog training/ care was seamlessly woven into the narrative. I also appreciate that Robyn's parents were friendly and equally committed to raising their daughter.

The dialogue and school situations ring true. Readers will ache for Robyn as she navigates her rules, some of which contradict each other. Tween readers who enjoy gentle stories with realistic relatable issues will embrace New Kids and Underdogs. 

Waiting on Wednesday: School Trip by Jerry Craft

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

School Trip by Jerry Craft. 256 p. Quill Tree Books/ Harperollins Publishers, April 4, 2023. 97810062885537.

Waiting on Wednesday features School Trip by Jerry Craft. This is the third book in a series that began with the Newbery Award-winning, New Kid and it releases on April 2. There's plenty of time to read the two companion novels!

Publisher synopsis: Jordan, Drew, Liam, Maury, and their friends from Riverdale Academy Day School are heading out on a school trip to Paris. As an aspiring artist himself, Jordan can’t wait to see all the amazing art in the famous City of Lights.

But when their trusted faculty guides are replaced at the last minute, the school trip takes an unexpected—and hilarious—turn. Especially when trying to find their way around a foreign city ends up being almost as tricky as navigating the same friendships, fears, and differences that they struggle with at home.

Will Jordan and his friends embrace being exposed to a new language, unfamiliar food, and a different culture? Or will they allend up feeling like the “new kid”?

Don’t miss the two hilarious and powerful companion novels by Jerry Craft, New Kid and Class Act!

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Eight Nights of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds

Image: Penguin Random House

Eight Nights of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds. ~10 hours. Read by Emily Lawrence. Listening Library/ Books on Tape, October, 2022. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Happy Tuesday! Did you get up to watch the lunar eclipse? It started here around 4AM and I happened to awaken at 4:15 and peeked at it through my bathroom's skylights. I up and dressed and out with the dogs an hour later and saw the last of the moon go dark. It was quite a show, with a beautifully clear sky that also featured a sparkling Orion following the setting moon.

Teen Tuesday features Eight Nights of Flirting by Hannah Reynolds. Shira Barbanel is a bright, driven high school junior who is unlucky in love. She's looking forward to spending her winter holidays in Nantucket at her grandparents' sprawling estate with her extended family. As luck would have it, her uncle's intern and current crush, Isaac will be there as well. She's hoping to move her crush into something more. 

As luck would have it, she shares a flight with her nemesis, Tyler Nelson and ends up sharing a cab to her grandparents' as they are also neighbors. The power is out and the rest of the family are stranded on the mainland, so Shira and Tyler make do and Shira lights a fire and the first candle of Hanukkah. While she detests Tyler for being a player only interested in hooking up, she recognizes that she needs to up her flirting game if she wants to capture Isaac's attention and asks Tyler to teach her to flirt. Tyler wants a meeting with her media mogul uncle in exchange. And so the enemy-to-lover trope plays out on snowy Nantucket where the rich residents host a slew of holiday parties, giving Tyler and Shira plenty of time to get together to practice. There's plenty of angst and humor in this fluffy concoction.

Eight Nights of Flirting is a stand-alone companion to Ms Reynolds' 2021 debut, The Summer of Lost Letters. Emily Lawrence imbued Hannah's narration with angst and self-deprecating humor. Happy reading!

#tbt: Sisters Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley

Image: Abrams

Sisters Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley. Illustrated by Peter Ferguson. Amulet Books/ Abrams Books, 2005. 

Happy Thursday! #tbt features Sisters Grimm: The Fairy Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley. The Fairy Tale Detectives is the first entry of the nine book Sisters Grimm series. The sisters Grimm are orphans Sabrina and Daphne, who are placed in a series of foster homes after their parents disappear. They are surprised when they are released to the care of their grandmother, Reida Grimm, whom the sisters thought was dead. Oh, and she may or may not be a witch. She whisks the girls to a town called Ferryport Landing, which has an unusual amount of criminal activity. It isn't long before they learn that they are descendants of the Brothers Grimm and that Ferryport Landing is inhabited by Everafters. 

If you like fast-paced, humorous stories inspired by folk or fairy tales, this is the series for you!

Waiting on Wednesday: Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy by Angie Thomas. 304 p. Balzar + Bray, April 4, 2023. 9780063225138.

Angie Thomas is a very popular YA author at my school. She makes her MG debut next spring with a series starter, Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Manifestor Prophecy. Here's the publisher synopsis: 

It’s not easy being a Remarkable in the Unremarkable world. Some things are cool—like getting a pet hellhound for your twelfth birthday. Others, not so much—like not being trusted to learn magic because you might use it to take revenge on an annoying neighbor.

All Nic Blake wants is to be a powerful Manifestor like her dad. But before she has a chance to convince him to teach her the gift, a series of shocking revelations and terrifying events launch Nic and two friends on a hunt for a powerful magic tool she’s never heard of...to save her father from imprisonment for a crime she refuses to believe he committed.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson

Image: Penguin Random House

Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~10 hours, 55 minutes. Read by Bailey Carr and multiple narrators. Listening Library, March, 2021. 9780593342398. (Review of e-audiobook borrowed from the public library.)

Teen Tuesday features Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson. Pippa Fitz-Amobi has sworn off detective work, but hosts a viral podcast with Ravi's help, where she discusses the cold case she just solved. But when the brother of a friend of hers goes missing and the police won't investigate because he has a history of running away, Pip can't say no. Pip has definitely made some enemies and some people are quite reluctant to be interviewed by her, especially since she's podcasting her investigation in real time. 

This sequel pretty much hits the ground running. It takes up shortly after events in the first book, A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. Fans of the first will not be disappointed. While this installment can be read without reading the first, it is better to have the background info and avoid spoilers for book one.

The main narrator continues to keep a brisk pace and sound reasonably young. The addition of multiple narrators also keeps the story moving.