2023 Reading

 January (21)

1. As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson (1/1)
2. Diper Överlöde (Diary of a Wimpy Kid #17) by Greg Kinney (1/4)

3. A Leopard Diary: My Journey into the Hidden World of a Mother and Her Cubs by Suzi Eszterhas (1/5)

4. Happy Sloth Day! by April Pulley Sayre (1/5)

5. The Adventures of Dr. Sloth: Rebecca Cliffe and Her Quest to Protect Sloths by Suzi Eszterhas (1/5)

6. Rewilding: Bringing Wildlife Back Where It Belongs by David A. Steen and Chiara Fedele (1/9)

7. Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas (1/13)*

8. Cursed by Marissa Meyer (1/15)* 

9. A Journey Under the Sea by Craig Foster (1/18)

10. Two Degrees by Alan Gratz (1/21)*

11. To Change a Planet by Christina Soontornvat (1/22)*

12. I Am Ruby Bridges: How one six-year-old girl's march to school changed the world by Ruby Bridges (1/22)

13. The Three Billy Goats Gruff by Mac Barnett (1/22)*

14. The Tower of Life: How Yaffa Eliach rebuilt her town in stories and photographs by Chana Stifle (1/22)

15. Go Left by Marc Colagiovanni (1/22)

16. We Are Here by Tami Charles (1/22)*

17. Holding Her Own: the exceptional life of Jackie Ormes by Traci N. Todd (1/22)

18. Wait and See by Helen Frost and Rick Lieder (1/22)*

19. True You: a gender journey by Gwen Agna and Shelley Rotner (1/22)*

20. Booked by Kwame Alexander (1/22)

21. The Cool Code by Deirdre Langeland (1/26)

February (11)

22. Step Right Up: How Doc and Jim Key Taught the World about Kindness by Donna Janell Bowman (2/1)*

23. Soul of the Deep by Natasha Bowen (2/3)*

24. The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander (2/7)*

25. Melvin the Mouth by Katherine Blanc (2/14)

26. Lift Your Light a Little Higher by Heather Henson (2/15)*

27. This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender (2/19)

28. Unraveller by Frances Hardinge (2/24)*

29. Flamingo by Goujing (2/24)*

30. Leon the Extraordinary by Jamar Nicholas (2/24)

31. A Storm of Horses: the Story of Artist Rosa Bonheur by Ruth Sanderson (2/24)

32. Show Way by Jacqueline Woodson (2/28)*

March (13)

33. This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi (3/2)*

34. Mary Anne's Bad Luck Mystery (Babysitters Club Graphic Novel #13 (3/3)

35. Girl Running: Bobbi Gibb and the Boston Marathon by Annette Bay Pimentel (3/8)*

36. The Girl Who Ran: Bobbi Gibb the First Woman to Run the Boston Marathon by Frances Poletti & Kristina Yee (3/8)

37. Winter Bunderland by James Patterson (3/12)

38. A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee (3/13)

39. The Flying Horse by Sarah Maslin Nir (3/19)

40. Inheritance: a Visual Poem by Elizabeth Acevedo (3/20)*

41. Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life by Jerry Pinkney (3/22)*

42. Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro (3/23)

43. The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden (3/30)

44. Where Have All the Birds Gone? by Rebecca E. Hirsch (3/30)

45. Squished by Megan Wagner Lloyd (3/31)

April (8)

46. Awe: the New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner (4/6)

47. Dog Man Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea by Dav Pilkey (4/6)

48. Loveless by Alice Oseman (4/12)

49. Check & Mate by Ali Hazelwood (4/15)*

50. Nat for Nothing by Maria Scrivan (4/16)

51. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams (4/21)*

52. The Stolen Heir by Holly Black (4/30)*

53. School Trip by Jerry Craft (4/30)*

May (13)

54. A First Time for Everything by Dan Santat (5/4)

55. Bloom by Kenneth Oppel (5/9)

56. The Librarian of Auschwitz: the Graphic Novel adapted by Salva Rubio (5/10)

57. Sunshine by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (5/12)*

58. Captain America: the Ghost Army by Alan Gratz (5/12)

59. Colin Kaepernick: Change the Game: a Graphic Novel by Colin Kaepernick and Eve L. Ewing (5/15)

60. We are Totally Normal by Rahul Kanakia (5/15)

61. The Fire, the Water and Maudie McGinn by Sally Pla (5/23)*

62. The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera (5/24)*

63. Hands by Torrey Maldonado (5/26)*

64. Every Body: a First Conversation about Bodies (5/29)

65. Bomb Graphic Novel: the Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin (5/31)

66. The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt (5/31)*

June (10)

67. The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson (6/5)

68. An American Story by Kwame Alexander (6/6)*

69. Home Away from Home by Cynthia Lord (6/9)*

70. Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement by Angela Joy (6/9)*

71. Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow (6/13)*

72. Fry Bread: a Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard (6/16)*

73. Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Bouley (6/21)*

74. Thieve's Gambit by Kayvion Lewis (6/25)*

75. When Clouds Touch Us by Thanhhá Lai (6/28)

76. Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt (6/30)*

July (11)

77. The Order of Things by Kaija Langley (7/2)*

78. The House of Marionne by J. Elle (7/7)*

79. The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar (7/8)

80. Spare by Prince Harry (7/16)

81. Boobies by Nancy Vo (7/16)*

82. Barely Floating by William Rivera (7/21)*

83. Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee (7/23)

84. The Good the Bad and the Barbie by Tanya Lee Stone (7/24)*

85. Peace is a Chain Reaction by Tanya Lee Stone (7/26)*

86. Be the Bus: the Lost & Found Wisdom of The Pigeon by Mo Willems (7/26)

87. The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett (7/29)*

August (13)

88. Bea Wolf by Zach Weinersmith (8/1)

89. Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper (8/2)*

90. Seven Clues to Home by Gae Polisher and Nora Raleigh Baskin (8/3)

91. We are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride (8/6)

92. Rosa Parks & Claudette Colvin by Tracey Baptiste (8/7)

93. Yellowface by R. F. Kuang (8/10)

94. Shakti by SJ Sindu (8/16)

95. Bruce and the Legend of Soggy Hollow (8/25)

96. American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer (8/25)

97. Buzzing by Samuel Sattin (8/27)

98. White House Club House by Sean O'Brien (8/28)

99. Prisoner B-3087 by Alan Gratz (8/28)

100. Seen and Unseen by Elizabeth Partridge (8/30)

September (5)

101. The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama (9/6)

102. Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler (9/13)

103. Ode to My First Car by Robin Now (9/20)

104. Moonflower by Kacen Callender (9/24)

105. Fire & Fate by Serena Valentino (9/27)

October 10

106. Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis (10/1)*

107. Reign by Katherine McGee (10/11)

108. Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass: the Graphic Novel by Meg Medina (10/12)

109. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling (10/15)

110. Picture Day by Sarah Sax (10/17)

111. A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner (10/18)*

112. Odder by Katherine Applegate (10/20)

113. Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang (10/21)

114. The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro (10/26)

115. Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt (10/29) (SLJ)

November (8)

116. Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino (11/2)

117. The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate (11/5)

118. The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown (11/7)

119. DogTown by Katherine Applegate and Jennifer Choldenko (11/9)

120. The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri (11/12)*

121. Gather by Kenneth M. Cadow (11/15)*Th

122. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dunakube (11/17)

123. Out of This World: Star-Studded Haiku by Sally M. Walker (11/22)

December (12)

124. The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill (12/1)*

125. Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? by Mac Barnett (12/4)*

126. How to Bird by Rasha Hamid (12/4)*

127. Everywhere Beauty is Harlem by Gary Golio (12/4)*

128. Santa Bruce by Ryan T. Higgins (12/7)

129. Listen: How Evelyn Glennie, a Deaf Girl, Changed Percussion by Shannon Stocker (12/7)

130. Rewind by Lisa Graff (12/7)

131. The Book of Turtles by Sy Montgomery (12/8)*

132. Standing in the Need of a Prayer: a Modern Retelling of a the Classic Spiritual by Carole Boston Weatherford (12/11)*

133. No Brainer by Jeff Kinney (12/12)

134. Fury of the Dragon Goddess by Sarwat Chadda (12/16)*

135. The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass (12/20)

2023 Audio Books

 January (4)

1. As Good as Dead by Holly Jackson (1/1)

2. Cursed by Marissa Meyer (1/15)* 

3. Two Degrees by Alan Gratz (1/21)*
4.  Booked by Kwame Alexander (1/22)

February (3)

5. Soul of the Deep by Natasha Bowen (2/3)*

6. The Door of No Return by Kwame Alexander (2/7)

7. This is Kind of an Epic Love Story by Kacen Callender (2/19)

March (4)

8. This Woven Kingdom by Tahereh Mafi (3/2)*

9. A Thousand Steps into Night by Traci Chee (3/13)

10. Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro (3/23)

11. The Benefits of Being an Octopus by Ann Braden (3/30)

April (4)

12. Awe: the New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner (4/6)

13. Loveless by Alice Oseman (4/12)

14. The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams (4/21)*

15. The Stolen Heir by Holly Black (4/30)*

May (4)

16. Bloom by Kenneth Oppel (5/9)

17. We are Totally Normal by Rahul Kanakia (5/15)

18. The First to Die at the End by Adam Silvera (5/24)*

19. The Labors of Hercules Beal by Gary D. Schmidt (5/31)*

June (5)

20. The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson (6/5)

21. Home Away from Home by Cynthia Lord (6/9)*

22. Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow (6/13)*

23. Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Bouley (6/21)*

24. Just Like That by Gary D. Schmidt (6/30)*

July (5)

25. The Dos and Donuts of Love by Adiba Jaigirdar (7/8)

26. Spare by Prince Harry (7/16)

27. Fake Dates and Mooncakes by Sher Lee (7/22)

28. The Good the Bad and the Barbie by Tanya Lee Stone (7/24)*

29. Peace is a Chain Reaction by Tanya Lee Stone (7/26)*

August (4)

30. Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper (8/2)

31. We are All So Good at Smiling by Amber McBride (8/6)

32. Yellowface by R. F. Kuang (8/10)

33. American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer (8/25)

September (5)

34. The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama (9/6)

35. Going Bicoastal by Dahlia Adler (9/13)

36. Ode to My First Car by Robin Now (9/20)

37. Moonflower by Kacen Callender (9/24)

38. Fire & Fate by Serena Valentino (9/27)

October

39. Reign by Katherine McGee (10/11)

40. Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling (10/15)

41. Odder by Katherine Applegate (10/20)

42. The Sun and the Star by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro

November (6)

43. Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino (11/2)

44. The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate (11/5)

45. The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown (11/7)

46. DogTown by Katherine Applegate and Jennifer Choldenko (11/9)

47. The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri (11/12)*

48. The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dunakube (11/17)

December (3)

49. Rewind by Lisa Graff (12/7)

50. Fury of the Dragon Goddess by Sarwat Chadda (12/16)*

51. The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass (12/20)

Waiting on Wednesday: Amulet 9: Waverider by Kazu Kibuishi

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Amulet #9: Waverider by Kazu Kibuishi. 256 p. Graphix/ Scholastic, Feb. 6, 2024. 9780545828659.

Happy Wednesday! Waiting on Wednesday features Amulet #9: Waverider by Kazu Kibuishi. This concluding volume in the popular Amulet series has been ten years in the making and will release on February 6, 2024. 

Here's the publisher synopsis: After her confrontation with Ikol, Emily finally understands the stone's power and what she must do to defend Alledia from the shadows. As she travels to Typhon to help her mom and Navin, Prince Trellis returns to the Kingdom of the Elves to save his countrymen — and confront the fraud who has seized power in the absence of a king. The threat of darkness follows all Stonekeepers closely, and it will take the strength of both new friends and old foes to conquer it... and survive.

TMS Library owns the first eight books in the graphic novel fantasy adventure series, so there's time to reread or get into the world. Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday: Picture Day by Sarah Sax

Image: Penguin Random House

Picture Day by Sarah Sax. Brinkley Yearbooks #1. 288 p. Knopf Books for Young Readers, June, 2023.  9780593306888. Review of finished purchased copy.

Another late posting, sorry. Middle Grade Monday features Picture Day by Sarah Sax. Seventh grader, Viv is dreading picture day and having to wear a mom-approved outfit and hair style. She's also an aspiring influencer, and so, she chops off her hair, dyes it blue and makes a statement with her outfit. This gains her fans who also hope to be their true selves, but Viv gets a little carried away with Internet fame and her crazy ideas. This almost costs her her friendships with her long-term bffs.

The pleasing palatte, uncomplicated panels and diverse range of characters are sure to appeal to fans of Telegemeier, Miller, and Chmakova. Picture Day is a series starter and I'm looking forward to reading more from Sarah Sax.

Middle Grade Monday: The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown

Image: Hachette Book Group

The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown. 288 p. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, Sept. 2023. 9780316669412. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Sorry for this late posting. Too much going on health-wise. It'll all settle out eventually. Middle Grade Monday features The Wild Robot Protects by Peter Brown. Roz is busy protecting her island home and its denizens and awaiting the return of her son, Brightbill, when news reaches the island of a new menace, the poison tide. When Roz not only learns that she is waterproof, but immune to the poison tide, she sets out north on a treacherous journey to the source of the poison.

The first two books in this trilogy are TMS favorites and this installment was much anticipated. So far, I've received mixed reviews from fans, some love it and some are a bit disappointed. I personally loved it. I adore Roz and her unconditional love for all things. Either way, if you've read the first two books, do yourself a favor and finish the trilogy. Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri

Image: Levine Querido

The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~4 hours. Read by the author. Listening Library/ Books on Tape, March, 2023. Review of e-audio borrowed from the public library. Own the finished hard cover.

Teen Tuesday features one of my favorite titles of the year, The Many Assassinations of Samir, Seller of Dreams by Daniel Nayeri. I absolutely adored Mr. Nayeri's debut, Everything Sad is Untrue, which was published in 2020 and won the Printz Award.

His sophomore novel is narrated by Omar, a twelve-year-old monk in training, whom Samir and his caravan happen upon just as Omar is about to be stoned by his fellow monks. Samir talks the monk into releasing Omar to his custody in exchange for several bolts of silk. During their journey to Samarkand on the dangerous Silk Road, Omar, renamed by Samir as Monkey, comes to realize that Samir is basically a con man who has angered many people, some of whom vow to kill him.

This face-paced adventure is often laugh-out-loud funny, but also layered and gorgeously written. Mr. Nayeri is a top-notch narrator. I would listen to him read the phone book. That said, I did spend some time with the book. It is beautifully designed with terrific jacket art, and each chapter features an illustration. I've noticed that books published by LQ have heft, unlike the trend nowadays toward flimsy paper and bindings. 

Highly recommended! Happy reading! 

Middle Grade Monday: The Sun and the Star: a Nico Di Angelo Adventure by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro

Image: Disney Books

Sorry for this late posting of Middle Grade Monday! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving break and didn't eat too much. This is going to be a busy week at my school with Student Led Conferences on Tuesday and Wednesday and our author visit on Thursday.My students are excited to meet Dusti Bowling? Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus was our One Book, One School read last month.

Middle Grade Monday features The Sun and the Star: a Nico Di Angelo Adventure by Rick Riordan and Mark Oshiro. It's hard to believe that this stand-alone novel is the 17th book that takes place in the PercyVerse. The Lightning Thief, Mr. Riordan's debut was published in 2005, and 2023 saw two new books published by the former seventh grade teacher. This and The Chalice of the Gods, which is about Percy Jackson and his attempt to be a normal high school student.

Moody and dark Nico Di Angelo has lost a lot in his life, from his mother and sister to his best friend, Jason, but he's crazy in love with Will Solace, his bright light, his Care Bear. Only he's plagued by dreams and a voice in his head begging him to travel to Tartarus to rescue someone. When he consults with Rachel Dare, he learns of a prophecy and is convinced he must travel there though his father has forbidden anyone who is alive from traveling to the Underworld, let alone Tartarus, the absolute pits. He's both gratified and upset that Will, the son of Apollo insists on joining him. How can the son of light possibly survive in the depths of the Underworld?

Fans of these series will not be disappointed!

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline

Image: Kobo Originals

The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~7 hours. Read by Meegwun Fairbrother. Kobo Originals, March, 2018. (Review of e-audio borrowed from public library.)

Happy Tuesday! Teen Tuesday features The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline. This sci/fi dystopian in set in the future, in Canada. Human-caused climate change has resulted in an apocalypse. Not only has the physical landscape changed with rising sea levels, but people have stopped dreaming and this has resulted in mass madness. Government officials realize that Indigenous people seem to be immune and continue to dream, so "Recruiters" have been tasked with rounding them up and bringing them to "facilities" called schools, where they are never heard from again. Our narrator, Frenchie, is a sixteen-year-old orphan who has been part of a bonded band of mostly youth, led by an elder named Miig for the past six years. Surviving in the wilderness is rough and requires constant vigilance. This riveting story is believable and the writing is layered and lovely. Frenchie's story is honest and raw. 

The narrator's performance was well-paced and engaging. Teens who enjoy dystopian literature will find much to admire here. The Marrow Thieves was published in 2017 and won the Kirkus Prize for Young People's Literature and also made the School Library Journal Best Books List, as well as the YALSA Best Fiction list among other honors. A sequel, Hunting by Stars was published in 2021 and I need to read it. Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review : The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate

Image: HarperCollins

The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~3 hours. Read by Imani Parks. HarperAudio, May, 2023. (E-audio book borrowed from public library. HC purchased.)

Happy Monday TMS Readers! Middle Grade Monday features The One and Only Ruby by Katherine Applegate. And now, it's Ruby's turn to tell her story. Fans of The One and Only Ivan and The One and Only Bob will be thrilled to hear Ruby's story. While she is now safe in a sanctuary with room to roam, a herd of doting elephant "aunties," and Ivan in the enclosure next door, Ruby is unsettled about her upcoming tuskday, a ritual her aunties insist is necessary. After Ruby is visited by an important person from her past, memories of her life in Africa come flooding back. Ruby's narration, told in blank verse, with grey toned illustrations make for a satisfying sequel.

Middle Grade Monday: Parachute Kids by Betty C. Tang

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Parachute Kids: a Graphic Novel by Betty C. Tang. 288 p. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc. April, 2023. 9781338832693. (Review of finished, purchased copy.)

Happy Monday! We finally had a weekend without rain here in northern NJ! Saturday was mostly cloudy, but thankfully windless and mild. I spent most of the day raking and blowing leaves. I almost finished them all, but darkness fell and I had no energy left. I took a nice hot bath, but was still so sore on Sunday, I couldn't finish the little bit I had left. Oh well. I did take a nice long walk in the woods with Boo though.

Middle Grade Monday features Parachute Kids: a Graphic Novel by Betty C. Tang. Ten-year-old Feng-Li Lin is excited about her family's trip to California. She can't wait to visit Disney Land. She and her siblings are unhappily surprised when they hear that only their father will be returning to China. Mrs. Lin will remain behind with the children, who will attend public school, learn English and have better opportunities. Then Mrs. Lin application for a Visa extention is denied. She leaves Feng-Li's sixteen-year-old sister, Jia-Xi, who speaks some English, in charge and returns home to China. You can probably imagine how hard it is to move household internationally, but can you imagine doing so without your parents? This graphic novel is based upon the author's experience as a "parachute kid" in the 1980s. An author's note defines parachute kid, a situation is when parents send their children to another country to live with either relatives or family friends.

The art is bright and energetic and keeps the reader engaged. The themes of fitting in and identity are relatable, even if this aspect of the immigrant experience might be unfamiliar. I had never heard the term before and found the entire situation very scary, as so much can go wrong even when the country and language are familiar! 

Parachute Kids: a Graphic Novel should have wide appeal and is recommended for all collections. Happy reading!

#tbt: East by Edith Patio

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

East by Edith Pattou. 498 p. Harcourt/ HarperCollins Publishers, September, 2003. (Own)

Happy chilly Thursday! I finally turned the heat on last night thanks to temps that dipped down to freezing. #tbt features East by Edith Pattou. This novel-length retelling of the Scandiavian folktale, "East of the Sun, West of the Moon" turned 20 this September! 

Rose is the youngest child of a poor Norwegian family who lives above the Arctic Circle. Rose's superstitious mother believes in a dire prophecy about her and tries to protect her slightly odd daughter. When a polar bear approaches Rose asking her to come away with him and in exchange, he would make her family prosperous, Rose readily accepts. This tale is told from multiple points-of-view and has a slightly slow start, but is rich in vivid imagery and lovely language.

East was named to several year-end "Best of" lists. Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Heroes by Alan Gratz

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Heroes by Alan Gratz. 272 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., February 6, 2024. 9781338736076

Waiting on Wednesday features Heroes by Alan Gratz. Mr. Gratz is a TMS favorite and students are always eager for anything new by him. Heroes will publish on February 6, 2026. Here's the publisher's synopsis:

December 6, 1941: Best friends Frank and Stanley have it good. Their dads are Navy pilots stationed at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, and the boys get a front-row view of the huge battleships and the sparkling water. Yes, World War II is raging in Europe and in Asia, but the US isn't involved in the war, and the boys are free to dream about becoming comic book creators. They've even invented a superhero of their own, in the style of Batman, Superman, Captain America, and other stars of the Golden Age of Comics. Maybe they'll even get their comic published someday.

December 7th, 1941: Everything explodes.

That morning, Frank and Stanley are aboard the battleship the USS Utah when Japanese planes zoom overhead and begin dropping bombs on the ships below. Chaos ensues as everyone scrambles to dive for safety. Frank and Stanley realize what's happening: Japan is attacking America! The war has come to them.

As the boys fight to make their way home amidst the carnage, it's clear that everything has changed. Stanley's mother is Japanese American and he is suddenly facing a terrible prejudice that he's never known before — he's now seen as the "enemy," and Frank, who's white, cannot begin to understand what Stanley will now face. Can their friendship — and their dreams — survive this watershed moment in history?

Told with the immediacy, high-stakes action, and meaningful twists that have made Alan Gratz one of today's biggest authors, this gripping novel tackles themes of bravery, prejudice, and what it means to stand up for what's right. Just as Gratz's Ground Zero became a defining look at 9/11 for middle-grade readers, this book delivers a necessary and unputdownable take on a date that still lives in infamy.

Plus: The book ends with an all-original, 10-page black & white comic that brings to life the comic book idea that Frank and Stanley brainstorm in the novel. The comic is written by Alan Gratz and illustrated by Judit Tondora.

Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday: Odder by Katherine Applegate

Image: Macmillan

Odder by Katherine Applegate. Illustrated by Charles Santoso. 288 p. Feiwel & Friends/ Macmillan, September, 2022. 9781250147431. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Happy Monday! My weekend was a bit of a mixed bag. Saturday was very productive and active and HOT! The temperature rose to 81 degrees! I spent about 7 hours dealing with my leaves. The leaves drifted down continuously and I couldn't tell I even raked at the end. I still prefer to deal with them each weekend instead of waiting for them to finish falling. Sunday was a washout. Cold and rainy all day. Boo and I were very lazy. 

Middle Grade Monday features Odder by Katherine Applegate.
Ms. Applegate sure seems to have a gift for conveying the inner thoughts of animals without overly anthropomorphizing them. Odder is a young sea otter named Odder due to her penchant for exploring her sea habitat and venturing places her otter mother warned her against. She and her fearful friend, Kairi venture too far and are menaced by an adolescent shark intent on having Kairi for lunch. Odder saves her, but is seriously injured and washes up on the shore of Monterey Bay, where she is rescued by the Monterey Bay Aquarium staff. Readers get to know Odder as she recovers through flowing image-rich blank verse and some lovely illustrations by Charles Santoso. Readers will fall in love with this irrepressible otter as she reflects on life, especially as she comes to realize that she might not return to the wild.

Fans of the author and fans of animal stories will adore Odder. Look at that cover! Who can resist? Highly recommended!

Fact Friday: Peace is a Chain Reaction: How World War II Japanese Balloon Bombs Brought People of Two Nations Together by Tanya Lee Stone

Image: Candlewick Press

Peace is a Chain Reaction: How World War II Japanese Balloon Bombs Brought People of Two Nations Together by Tanya Lee Stone. 176 p. Candlewick Press, September, 2022. 9780763676865. (own)

Happy Friday! Did you know that the Japanese military dropped bombs on U.S. soil during WWII? Seventh and eighth graders who read the picture book biography, Thirty Minutes over Oregon: a Japanese Pilot's World War II Story, know about Nobuo Fujita, the pilot who flew his aircraft from a submarine to drop a bomb in Oregon. It landed harmlessly in the woods. This past summer, I read our Fact Friday feature and learned of a second incident. Peace is a Chain Reaction: How World War II Japanese Balloon Bombs Brought People of Two Nations Together by Tanya Lee Stone presents the story from multiple perspectives in a succinct, highly readable narrative that is profusely illustrated with photos, drawings and maps. Beginning with the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor and the resulting internment of Japanese Americans, then explains the technology behind balloon bombs and how they were able to float on air currents to the U.S. Unfortunately, a group of people, mostly children, out walking in the woods, came upon an unexploded bomb and six died. Ms. Stone weaves the story of Yuzuru Takeshita, an internee with the stories of the survivors and siblings and townspeople with the story of the factory in Japan, where high school students, mostly girls, were tasked with constructing the bombs. Extensive back matter shows how well researched this work was. Highly recommended!

#tbt (a day late): Bomb: the Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin

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Bomb: the Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin. 272 p. Macmillan, 2012. (Own)

Happy Thursday Friday! Oops! #tbt features Bomb: the Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin. This narrative nonfiction book about the discovery of nuclear fission, which lead to the invention of the atom bomb reads like an international spy novel. Meticulously researched and containing many photos and maps, readers will come to an understanding about how nuclear fission was discovered, how the U.S. tried to use to and how the Soviets tried to steal the plans.

Bomb was published in 2012 and was a National Book Award Finalist, then went on to win the Siebert Award, the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction and a Newbery Honor. Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Unstuck by Barbara Dee

Image: Simon & Schuster

Unstuck by Barbara Dee. 288 p. Aladdin/ Simon & Schuster, February 27, 2024. 9781534489868.

Happy Wednesday! It's a beautiful fall day outside here in northern NJ. Waiting on Wednesday features Unstuck by Barbara Dee. Ms. Dee's books portray lots of relatable issues that tweens face. TMS Library owns quite a few of her titles. Maybe He Just Likes You is a TMS fave. Unstuck releases on February 27, 2024.

Publisher synopsis: Lyla is thrilled when her seventh-grade English language arts class begins a daily creative writing project. For the past year, she’s been writing a brilliant fantasy novel in her head, and here’s her chance to get it on paper! The plot to Lyla’s novel is super complicated, with battle scenes and witches and a mysterious one-toed-beast, but at its core, it’s about an overlooked girl who has to rescue her beautiful, highly accomplished older sister.

But writing a fantasy novel turns out to be harder than simply imagining one, and pretty soon Lyla finds herself stuck, experiencing a panic she realizes is writer’s block. Part of the problem is that she’s trying to impress certain people—like Rania, her best friend who’s pulling away, and Ms. Bowman, the coolest teacher at school. Plus, there’s the pressure of meeting the deadline for the town writing contest. A few years ago, Lyla’s superstar teen sister Dahlia came in second, and this time, Lyla is determined to win first prize.

Finally, Lyla confides about her writing problems to Dahlia, who is dealing with her own academic stress as she applies to college. That’s when she learns Dahlia’s secret, which is causing a very different type of writer’s block. Can Lyla rescue a surprisingly vulnerable big sister, both on the page and in real life?

Happy reading!

Teen Tuesday: Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass: the Graphic Novel adapted by Mel Valentine Vargas

Image: Candlewick Press

Yaqui DelGado Wants to Kick Your Ass: the Graphic Novel adapted by Mel Valentine Vargas. Adapted from the novel by Meg Medina. 288 p. Candlewick Press, September, 2023. 9781536224771. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher.)

Moving house is always tough on a kid, but moving in tenth grade and fitting in in a new high school has to be the toughest. While Piddy Sanchez is happy to be out of her old, unsafe apartment, she's not thrilled to be at a new school and is missing her bff, who recently moved to the suburbs. On the first day of school, she learns that Yaqui Delgado wants to kick her ass. Piddy has no idea who Yaqui is or why she's angry at Piddy. Piddy is a good student, but as the threats and bullying escalate, Piddy withdraws and becomes increasingly depressed. Her single mother is at wit's end trying to figure out what is happening to her daughter, but the two constantly clash and Piddy becomes angry about her missing father. 

This graphic novel adaptation perfectly depicts Piddy's anguish in a muted palette of blues and grey. It's a painful book to read because it's very realistic. Highly recommend!

Middle Grade Monday: A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner

Image: Simon & Schuster

A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner. 368 p. Aladdin/ Simon & Schuster, May, 2023. 9781665905152. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Sorry for this late posting! Middle Grade Monday features A Work in Progress by Jarrett Lerner. This heartbreaking first-person narrative is difficult to classify. It's notebook design implies a journal, but it's filled with disjointed free verse and sketches depicting Will's fragile mental health since fourth grade, when a cruel classmate fat-shamed him. He withdraws, and tries to make himself invisible by dressing in the baggiest of clothing and, eventually suffers from disordered eating. This honest, unflinching portrayal of what it's like to live as a fat kid in a world that values thinness will make readers reflect on how they might treat others. It's a powerful gut-punch. Highly recommended.

Middle Grade Monday: Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis

Image: Macmillan

Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis. 432 p. The Academy of the Unbreakable Arts series #2. Starscape/ A Tom Doherty Associates Book/ Macmillan, July 2023. 9781250208309. (Review of arc courtesy of MB Associates.)

Happy Monday! It's a one-session day for students at my school and we teachers have afternoon PD. It's also Indigenous Peoples' Day. My weekend flew by! It was rainy and miserable on Saturday, but I ferried into NYC to see Shucked with my sister for our birthdays. Sunday was spent working in the yard. 

Middle Grade Monday features Kelcie Murphy and the Hunt for the Heart of Danu by Erika Lewis. In book two of The Academy of the Unbreakable Arts series, Kelcie meets Lexis during her summer break, which she spent with her beloved grandmother. Unbeknownst to Kelcie, Lexis is a spy, sent by the Queen of Winter to infiltrate the Academy. Kelcie's grandmother feels a great foreboding before sending her back to school. Once there, she finds her bff Niall strangely aloof. Lexis and she are roommates and Kelcie keeps dismissing Lexis' suspicious behavior until it's nearly too late. Lexis, in the meanwhile, discovers the Summer People are not as bad as her Queen makes them out to be and begins to question her mission, though failure is not an option.

As in the first installment, this adventure is steeped in Celtic mythology and filled with action and humor. Friendships are fierce and loyal.There is a glossary and other explanatory info in the back matter to help readers understand the myths. If you have students who love fantasy that takes place at a school for magic, they will love these books. This book can stand alone, but I recommend reading them in order. Happy reading!