Arc Review: The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd

Image: Scholastic

The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd. 368 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc. September 17, 2024. 9781338858600.

I can't believe we are staring down the end of July and August begins tomorrow! I hope you are enjoying every moment of your summer.

I featured The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd for Middle Grade Monday in my Library Links group in our school's learning platform and forgot to post here. This dual narrative is told by eleven-year-old Roxie, who was looking forward to starting middle school and Grayson, who has moved in with yet another foster family and about to be the new girl yet again. 

Roxie was humiliated at the sixth grade swim party and is thrilled when her beloved grandmother offers to take her on tour with her folk band. Grayson uses a walker due to the fact that her bones are brittle and she is prone to fractures. She thinks that this newest placement, as nice as they are is just temporary, since her beloved sister, Beanie, promised to become her legal guardian when she turns eighteen, which is soon.

Then, the witching winds come and boy, they are fierce this year! They take what folks love most, so when both Granny and Beanie go missing without a trace, Roxie and Grayson team up to track them down, even if it means facing the witch who sends the winds.

This work of magical realism is filled with endearing, quirky characters, a lush southern setting and mystery. Fans of Natalie Lloyd will not be disappointed. I loved this and just might reread it with my ears if it's released in audio format. 

Waiting on Wednesday: Out of My Dreams by Sharon Draper

Image: Simon & Schuster

Out of My Dreams by Sharon Draper. 320 p. Atheneum/ Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/ Simon & Schuster, September 3, 2024. 9781665949545

Thanks to the Simon & Schuster Fall Preview for the inspiration for Waiting on Wednesday! I had no idea a new Melody book was coming! Waiting on Wednesday features Out of My Dreams by Sharon Draper. Ms. Draper's earlier books about Melody, Out of My Mind and Out of My Heart are TMS favorites! Out of My Dreams will release on September 3, so mark your calendars!

Here's the publisher's synopsis: Melody flies to London to speak at a convention about differently abled kids in this stunning sequel to the acclaimed, New York Times bestselling middle grade novels Out of My Mind and Out of My Heart.

When Melody saves an elderly back-in-the-day actress’s life, the woman is so grateful—and impressed by Melody—that she nominates Melody to be a US spokesperson at an international symposium for kids with different abilities. To Melody’s utter shock and delight, she and two friends of her choice are chosen to participate—and this year’s symposium is in England!

Melody finally gets to fly on an airplane, and even the airline’s somewhat clumsy handling of her wheelchair can’t dampen her excitement to be in London. There, Melody meets kids from all over the world who are rallying for greater accessibility and more thoughtful planning on how to make the world more equal for every kid, no matter the unusual challenges they face. As Melody’s time to speak approaches, she hopes she can find a way to make every word count and make an impact.

Oh! Keep an eye on the Disney+ line-up. Out of My Mind has been made into a feature film, but the release date is not yet known. Happy reading!

#tbt: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan

Oops! I just realized that I never pushed the publish button on this one from last week!

Photo of own book

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. 414 p. Hyperion Books/ Disney, May, 2005.

#tbt features The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan. Posting about the new Percy Jackson series yesterday last week, where Percy is a senior and applying to college, made me think about when I first met Percy back in May of 2005.

The book opens with a bang as Percy has to defend himself against his algebra teacher during a class trip to The Met. It turns out she's really a Fury and the gods of Olympus are angry with him. He also learns that his headmaster and best friend are not who he thought they were and his mother finally comes clean about who his father is.

Mr. Riordan taught grade seven and made up stories based on Greek mythology at the request of his son, who suffered from ADHD. The success of the series enabled him to quit teaching and, over the ensuing nearly twenty years, has published over thirty books for young people. He also has an imprint at Disney books, where he nurtures the talents of diverse authors.

The cover of the The Lightning Thief has had several iterations. My personal, first-edition copy is pictured above. Which is your favorite Rick Riordan series? Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Wrath of the Temple Goddess by Rick Riordan

Image: Disney

Percy Jackson and the Olympians: Wrath of the Temple Goddess by Rick Riordan. 288 p. Disney/ Hyperion, September 24, 2024. 

Percy Jackson books are a perennial favorite at TMS. Here's the publisher synopsis of the next one, due on September 24.

In his continuing quest to earn college recommendation letters from the gods, Percy has to pet sit the goddess Hecate’s polecat and giant mastiff during Halloween week. What could go wrong?

Rick Riordan’s newest Percy Jackson adventure is full of hilarious set pieces, a diverse cast of gods and monsters, and many other delightful tricks and treats.

Percy Jackson, now a high school senior, needs three recommendation letters from the Greek gods in order to get into New Rome University. He earned his first one by retrieving Ganymede’s chalice. Now the goddess Hecate has offered Percy another “opportunity”—all he has to do is pet sit her polecat, Gale, and mastiff, Hecuba, over Halloween week while she is away. Piece of cake, right?

Percy, Annabeth, and Grover settle into Hecate’s seemingly endless mansion and start getting acquainted with the fussy, terrifying animals. The trio has been warned not to touch anything, but while Percy and Annabeth are out at school, Grover can’t resist drinking a strawberry-flavored potion in the laboratory. It turns him into a giant frenzied goat, and after he rampages through the house, damaging everything in sight, and passes out, Gale and Hecuba escape. Now the friends have to find Hecate’s pets and somehow restore the house, all before Hecate gets back on Saturday. It’s going to take luck, demigod wiles, and some old and new friends to hunt down the animals and set things right again.

Teen Tuesday and Arc Review: When We Flew Away: a Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary by Alice Hoffman

Image: Scholastic

When We Flew Away: a Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary by Alice Hoffman. 304 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., September 17, 2024. 9781338856941. Review of arc courtesy of publisher.

Happy Tuesday! Teen Tuesday features When We Flew Away: a Novel of Anne Frank Before the Diary by Alice Hoffman. This work of historical fiction won't be out until September 17, but I was sent an arc (advance reader copy) from the publisher. Ms. Hoffman, who mostly writes novels for an adult audience, imagines Anne Frank's life from 1940 to the family's move to the annex.

The Frank family had moved from Germany to the relative safety of Amsterdam, while trying to get papers to leave Europe altogether. Anne dreamt of moving to California to be near the movie stars. She loved her Montessori school and her sister, Margot, though she felt she, as a loud child who tended toward bossiness, paled in comparison to perfect, passive Margo.

As country after country falls to the Nazi, Anne holds out hope that the Netherlands will be spared. Young adult readers already know the outcome. 

Ms. Hoffman worked with the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam to weave a fascinating story. She writes in her Afterword about the impact reading Anne Frank's diary had on her when she was a teen. This imagining starts out a bit slow, but Ms. Hoffman paints a vivid, believable picture. 

My one nit has to do with the statement at the beginning of chapter twelve, where Ann "woke at six, but she made herself stay in bed until daylight flickered through the window." I am an early riser and love when it is light at five in the weeks leading up to the summer solstice and beyond. I looked it up, sunrise was at 5:18 AM on 6/12/1942, Anne's thirteenth birthday. I don't believe many, if any teen readers will notice. 

Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: Ferris by Kate DiCamillo

Image: Candlewick Press

Ferris by Kate DiCamillo. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~4 hours. Read by Cherry Jones. Listening Library, March, 2024. (Review of e-audio borrowed from the public library.)

Happy Monday. Middle Grade Monday features Ferris by Kate DiCamillo. The summer between fourth and fifth grades is an eventful one for Ferris. Her real name is Emma Phineas Wilkey, but she's called Ferris because she was born at the bottom of a ferris wheel. She lives in a small community, in a home with her parents, her beloved grandmother, her six-year-old sister, Pinky and Boomer her dog. Uncle Ted has recently left his wife and moved into the basement to paint the history of the world. She likes things predictable, but that summer there's a lot of change. In addition to Uncle Ted, Ferris receives an unfortunate perm from Ted's hairdresser wife, and her headstrong sister decides she wants to become an outlaw complete with a "Wanted" poster. Oh, and her grandmother is being visited by a ghost.

In typical DiCamillo fashion, each character in this slim novel springs to vivid life. She has a knack for capturing mundane moments and making them shine with beauty and possibility. This is a beautiful story of family bonds, best friendship, ghosts and raccoons. At turns heartfelt and hilarious, fans of Kate DiCamillo will feel right at home. The performance by Cherry Jones is pitch perfect. 

Here's  a link to a short video of Ms. DiCamillo discussing the book.

Happy reading!

#tbtt: Shattering Glass by Gail Giles

Image: Macmillan Publishers

Shattering Glass by Gail Giles. 240 p. Square Fish/ Macmillan. (Own)

Oops! Almost forgot #tbt TMS Readers! Thanks to the storms last night for the slightly cooler temps. I got into my overgrown and weedy garden. Helga looked on.

#tbt features Shattering Glass by Gail Giles. This debut is a dark, dark look at bullies and bullying and is best suited for mature teen readers. Simon Glass is a nerd who is in the crosshairs of a popular group of alpha males. Suddenly, they decide to adopt Simon and make him "popular." As Simon becomes popular, he develops some ideas of his own, which goes against the clique. Will they put up with it or will Simon pay?

Shattering Glass was published in 2002 and was named a YALSA Best Book. Click on this link to Ms. Giles' website for a peek inside the inspiration for the novel. Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Mouse and His Dog (Dogtown, Book 2) by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko

Image: Macmillan Publishers

Mouse and His Dog (Dogtown, Book 2) by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko. Illustrated by Wallace West. 336 p. Feiwel & Friends/ Macmillan, September 17, 2024. 9781250345004.

Happy Wednesday! And the heat goes on here in northern NJ! I am limiting the amount of time my dogs are outside and trying to stay off the hot, hot, hot pavement. Waiting on Wednesday features Mouse and His Dog by Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko. 

From the publisher: Mouse lives in Dogtown, a shelter for real dogs and robot dogs, where the kibble is plentiful, and the rafters hide a secret community of mice. His unlikely best friend is Buster, a big-hearted real dog who attracts trouble like a burr to fur.

Determined to help Buster find his forever home, even if means losing his best pal, Mouse embarks on a bold quest with three of Dogtown’s “unadoptables”: Buster, Stewie--a huge, lovable dog whose ex-owner said he was mean, and Smokey--a robot dog hardwired with a smoke alarm he can’t control.

But Mouse is just a mouse, and the world is big and complicated. How’s a little guy supposed to find homes for the dogs he loves?

DogTown is a TMS favorite and I just know my students will clamor for this installment. It's due out on September 17.

Middle Grade Monday: The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln

Image: Penguin Random House

The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln. 256 p. Dial Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Young Readers, July 30, 2024. 9780593617663. Review of arc courtesy of publisher.

Happy Monday! The temps continue to sizzle her in northern NJ, but not as bad as some locales in the U.S.! Middle Grade Monday features The Night Librarian by Christopher Lincoln. Twins Page and Turner Reed love the New York Public Library and reading better than anything in their home town of New York City. It's a good thing they are pragmatic and self-sufficient because their parents are usually traveling for business and their nanny often leaves them alone. Page decides to smuggle their dad's first edition of Bram Stoker's novel, Dracula out of the apartment in order to get the book appraised by one of the librarians. Unfortunately, it goes missing! Their father will not be happy if they don't get it back. The two enlist the aid of Ms. Literati, the Night Librarian, who's tasked with managing and containing the mysterious vandalism that is happening at the library almost nightly.

This pun filled debut graphic novel has something for every reader. It's action-packed and fast-paced featuring the relatable to the fantastic; from sibling rivalry to villains who are breaking free from their books to wreak havoc.

I read an arc (advance reader copy), so most of the art was unfinished. Sample finished pages featured hues of blue and varied panel placement that engages. This should appeal to a wide range of readers. It's out on July 30 and on my book order for my school's library. I can't wait to reread the finished book. Happy reading!

#tbt: Notes from a Liar and Her Dog by Gennifer Choldenko

Notes from a Liar and Her Dog by Gennifer Choldenko. 216 p. Putnam's, 2001.

#tbt features Notes from a Liar and Her Dog by Gennifer Choldenko. This was Ms. Choldenko's debut middle grade novel and was published in 2001. Twelve-year-old Antonia MacPherson (Ant) is convinced she's adopted. She's a middle child, stuck between two perfect sisters and everyone in her family is blond with light complexion. So she writes letters to her "real" parents and she lies. She cares about two beings, her elderly dog, Pistachio and her best friend, Harrison. She's prickly and holds everyone at arm's length until her art teacher, "Just Carol" tries to break through Ant's facade. Ant's first-person narration will make readers alternately laugh-out-loud and cringe, especially when her lies become dangerous.

Notes from a Liar and Her Dog was named a School Library Journal best book. Her next book, Al Capone Does My Shirts was published in 2004 and won a Newbery Honor. She's written three sequels to Al Capone Does My Shirts as well as picture books and other novels. She and Katherine Applegate are co-authors of Dogtown, which is the first book in the Dogtown series. Happy reading!

Waiting on Wednesday: Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus

Image: Penguin Random House

Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus. 400 p. Delacorte Press/ Random House Children's Books, July 30, 2024. 9780593900741. 

Happy Wednesday. Oh dear me, it is so hot! Too hot to take the dogs for any kind of a long walk. They are lying on the tile floor trying to stay cool. Waiting on Wednesday features Such Charming Liars by Karen M. McManus. Ms. McManus is a favorite author among seventh and eighth graders at TMS, with her book, One of Us is Lying in constant demand. Such Charming Liars will be published on July 30, so you don't have long to wait! 

Here's the publisher synopsis: The newest mystery from the author One of Us Is Lying, the Queen of thrillers, Karen M. McManus! When mother-daughter grifters set out on their final job, the heist gets deadly and dangerously personal.

For all of Kat’s life, it’s just been her and her mother, Jamie—except for the forty-eight hours when Jamie was married and Kat had a stepbrother, Liam. That all ended in an epic divorce, and Kat and Liam haven’t spoken since.

Now Jamie is a jewel thief trying to go straight, but she has one last job—at billionaire Ross Sutherland’s birthday party. And Kat has figured out a way to tag along. What Kat doesn’t know, though, is that there are two surprise guests at the dazzling Sutherland compound that weekend. The last two people she wants to run into. Liam and his father—a serial scammer who has his sights set on Ross Sutherland’s youngest daughter.

Kat and Liam are on a collision course to disaster, and when a Sutherland dies, they realize they might actually be in the killer’s crosshairs themselves. Somehow Kat and Liam are the new targets, and they can’t trust anyone—except each other.

Or can they? Because if there’s one thing both Kat and Liam know, it’s how to lie. They learned from the best.

I love a good heist story. This one reminds me a bit of Thieves Gambit by Kavion Lewis. Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko

Image: Penguin Random House

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko. Unabridged e-audiobook ~7 hours. Narrated by Javier Prusky. Books on Tape/ Listening Library, June, 2024. 9781984833716. Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.

Happy Monday! What are you doing the beat the heat? It's pretty steamy here. Too hot to garden and too hot to take the dogs for long walks. Middle Grade Monday features The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko. 

Eleven-year-old Hank adores his three-year-old sister, Boo, even though she calls him Pooperman. He also adores his mother even though she doesn't make the best decisions. She has been gone for a week now and Hank has stayed home from school to take care of Boo, but food is running out and there's no money to buy more. The electricity was turned off and the landlord is about to evict the family for non-payment of rent. When Hank finds the name of an emergency contact, he knows his mom will be angry with him, but he feels he has no choice. Together, he and Boo take buses to find their way to LouAnn Adler's house. Ms. Adler was Hank's grandmother's best friend and runs a day care center from her home. She's not happy that Hank and Boo showed up, but she takes them in out of respect for his grandmother's memory. Hank starts a new school, makes new friends and might even make the basketball team, but deep down, he knows this arrangement isn't permanent and he really misses his mom.

There is so much to love about this first-person narrative. Hank is so earnest and endearing and Boo is just a hoot! Be prepared though, Hank and Boo's situation is dire. LouAnn can't/ doesn't want to keep the siblings and social services might split them up. Hank is very resourceful, but makes some poor decisions of his own out of love. My heart just broke for Hank and Boo.

The audio performance was well done. Mr. Prusky sounded appropriately young and had a wide variety of voices to distinguish the characters. I can't wait to add this to my library's collection and share it with my students. Highly recommended. 

PS: Posting might get a little hit or miss in the coming days. On Friday, I became a foster mom and Boo became a foster brother to Helga. She's a German Shepherd who was pulled from an animal cruelty situation. The rescue thinks she's around three. An amazing trainer has been volunteering his time to work with her and help her trust again. She's eager and smart, but a bit mouthy, especially if I try and sit down. She's doing really well and Boo is getting lots of extra treats.

#tbt: Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs

Image: Simon & Schuster

Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs. 304 p. FunJungle #1. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, May, 2010. 9781416987314. Own.

Oops! Happy Thursday! I hope you had a terrific Fourth of July. I have been busy getting ready to take in a foster dog. She's coming tomorrow and you will definitely hear more about her in the coming days. I'm excited. Not so sure about Boo, though. He's going to have to learn to share.

#tbt features Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs. Mr. Gibbs is definitely a TMS favorite. His Spy School novels are constantly checked out, but did you know that he has several other series? Belly Up is book one of his FunJungle series and was his debut, publishing in 2010, two years before the publication of his first Spy School book.

Twelve-year-old Theodore (Teddy) Roosevelt Fitzroy has just moved to Texas with his zoologist parents from Africa. In Africa, he was homeschooled and everyday was an adventure. At FunJungle, where his parents have just been hired? Not so much. That is, until the irrascible mascot of the theme park, Henry Hippo, turns up dead under mysterious circumstances. The list of suspects is long and Teddy is determined to find justice for Henry. The action is fast-paced and over-the-top - think, Home Alone visits an amusement park. Teddy's first-person narration is sassy and hilarious.

Waiting on Wednesday: Invisible Isabel by Sally J. Play

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Invisible Isabel by Sally J. Pla. 208 p. Quill Tree Books/ HarperCollins Publishers, July 9, 2024. 9780063268852.

Happy Wednesday! It's another beautiful day out there! Enjoy it! Waiting on Wednesday features Invisible Isabel by Sally J. Pla. I adored Ms. Pla's debut, The Someday Birds and her most recent novel, The Fire, the Water and Maudie McGinn, which won a Schneider Family Book Award this past January. You won't have to wait long for this one. It publishes next Tuesday, July 9.

Publisher synopsis: From award-winning author Sally J. Pla comes an illustrated middle grade novel about introverted Isabel Beane, who learns to speak up to quiet her worries. This thoughtful, earnest story is perfect for fans of Elana K. Arnold and Leslie Connor.

Isabel Beane is a shy girl who lives in a home full of havoc and hubbub and hullabaloo. With five siblings, there is always too much too much-ness.

At school, there’s a new girl who is immediately popular, but she’s also not very nice to one person—Isabel.

Isabel has never felt more invisible. She begins to get bombarded by fears, like being abandoned by her classmates and taking the upcoming Extremely Important standardized test. Her fears feel like worry-moths that flutter in her belly. With every passing day, they seem to get stronger and stronger. How can Invisible Isabel make people listen?

Teen Tuesday: Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino

Image: Penguin Random House

Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino. 320 p. G.P. Putnam's Sons/ Penguin Young Readers, July, 2023. 9780593533796. Review of finished, purchased copy.

Happy Tuesday TMS Readers! We have been gifted with another gorgeous summer day. Please take advantage of it and get out in nature. Teen Tuesday features Give Me a Sign by Anna Sortino. This first-person narrative is told by seventeen-year-old Lilah. She has been partially deaf since birth. She wears hearing aids and her IEP calls for an FM system, but they aren't always used, so she relies on lipreading and her hearing aids to "pass," but it's sometimes frustrating and challenging. 

She wants to brush up on her ASL (American Sign Language) skills and applies to be a camp counselor at a summer camp for deaf and blind children. She has fond memories of the camp as she attended one summer when she was in the eighth grade. At camp, she meets a variety of campers and counselors with varying degrees of deafness and blindness. Oh, and one really cute boy.

In addition to being a cute, slow-burn romance, readers will learn about the deaf community - about the myriad degrees of deafness and their causes, as well as the challenges they face in a sometimes uncaring hearing world. Ms. Sortino is deaf and Give Me A Sign is her debut novel. Happy reading!

Middle Grade Monday (a day late): The One and Only Family by Katherine Applegate

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

The One and Only Family by Katherine Applegate. 272 p. HarperCollins Publishers, May 7, 2024. 9780063221123. Review of finished purchased copy.

Happy Monday, a day late! I posted this to my school's learning platform yesterday and didn't get around to pasting and posting here. Happy July as well! It was a lovely day out there, so I hope you enjoyed the weather! Middle Grade Monday features The One and Only Family by Katherine Applegate. This is the final book in the quartet called One and Only Ivan Stories. 

Ivan is a silverback gorilla, who is now living in a zoo/ wildlife sanctuary. Life is good. He has his own troop and even has a mate, Kinyani. Ruby lives in the habitat next door and often visits Ivan, and Bob was adopted and visits often as well. Ivan wants to be a good silverback, but grapples with tragedies from his past and worries about the future. Can he be a good dad to his twins? What should he tell them about his past?

Ms. Applegate skillfully juxtaposes humor with intense philosophical questions about conservation and the natural world. The spot art is just lovely. It is best to read all four books to appreciate the growth of this found family. 

Happy reading!