Middle Grade Monday: The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Fusco Newton

Image: Penguin Random House

The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Fusco Newton. 368 p. Knopf Books for Young Readers/ Random House Children's Books, January, 2025. 9880593121771. Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media. 

Middle Grade Monday features The Secret of Honeycake by Kimberly Fusco Newton. This historical fiction is set in 1930 and is narrated by Hurricane, a quiet tween who is familiar with loss. She lives with her nineteen-year-old sister, since her mother died of tuberculosis. Her father died in the Great War. She hates school and is convinced her teacher hates her as well, but she confides all this in her journal. She takes comfort in running with her dog along the beach and the fact that her sister, Bronte, will speak for her. Only Bronte has TB and needs to go to a sanatorium to recover and Hurricane must leave her beloved dog and beach to live in the city with great Aunt Claire. She is fussy and her house is unforgiving, but her chauffeur is kind and gets her. 

Hurricane's voice is achingly relatable as she navigates the uncertainties in her life. I highly recommend this gentle, first-person novel for tween readers. Absolutely lovely.

Fact Friday: Picturing a Nation: the Great Depression's Finest Photographers Introduce America to Itself by Martin W. Sandler

Image: Candlewick Press

Picturing a Nation: the Great Depression's Finest Photographers Introduce America to Itself by Martin W. Sandler. 166 p. Candlewick Press, November, 2021. 9781536215250. (Review of finished purchased copy.)

Fact Friday features Picturing a Nation: the Great Depression's Finest Photographers Introduce America to Itself by Martin W. Sandler. In 1935, the Farm Security Administration hired photographers to document the work of the administration all across America during the Great Depression. These photographers, including Walker Evans, Dorothea Lange, and Gordon Parks, soon shifted their focus from the government agents to the people they were helping. The result was over 200,000 photos of Americans, young and old, rural and urban, Black and white, doing the best they could during an unprecidented time. A few of these photos might already be familiar to readers, especially the iconic images of Dorothea Lange. While there is plenty to learn from the captions, the photos are the stars here. This is a gorgeous, thought-provoking book to browse frequently.

Highly recommended. 

#tbt: Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm

Image: Penguin Random House

Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm. 224 p. Yearling/ Random House Children's Books, December, 2011. 9780375836909. (Own.)

#tbt features Turtle in Paradise by Jennifer L. Holm. In case you missed the Middle Grade Monday post, which synopsized the graphic novel adaptation, let me re-summarize the plot.

Eleven-year-old Turtle heads to Key West, Florida to stay with an aunt she's never met because her single mother just got a live-in housekeeping job with a woman who doesn't like children. It's the Great Depression and jobs are hard to come by, so Turtle's mom packs her off. Only, her letter explaining the situation to Turtle's Aunt Minerva is misdelivered, so Aunt Minnie is caught by surprise and none too please. Neither is her cousin Bean, since he has to give up his room and bunk with his two younger brothers. 

The three boys run a club called The Diaper Gang and it's a "no girls allowed" kind of club. Still, Turtle finds herself fitting in on Key West. 

There's a lot of humor here and many compelling characters. If you like historical fiction, be sure to check out Turtle in Paradise. The cover featured above is not the original. That appears below:

While I really adore the original cover, I really love the paperback cover. 

Turtle in Paradise was named a Newbery Honor and was Ms. Holmes' third Newbery Honor, her first being Our Only May Amelia in 2000 and her second, Penny from Heaven in 2007.

Middle Grade Monday: Turtle in Paradise: the Graphic Novel by Jennifer L. Holm

Image: Penguin Random House

Turtle in Paradise: the Graphic Novel by Jennifer L. Holm and illustrated by Savanna Ganucheau. 256 p. RH Graphic/ Random House Children's Books, June, 2021. 9780593126318. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Middle Grade Monday features Turtle in Paradise: the Graphic Novel by Jennifer L. Holm and illustrated by Savanna Ganucheau. I had no idea this adaptation was even in the works, let alone out. Thanks to the children's librarian at my local library for displaying it! Sometimes, I can't keep up!

This graphic novel is adapted from Ms. Holm's 2010 Newbery Honor-winning novel of the same name. More on that in this Thursday's #tbt. It's June of 1935 and the country is in the middle of The Great Depression. Eleven-year-old Turtle has to travel to Key West, Florida to stay with an aunt and cousins she has never met because her mother got a job as a live-in housekeeper to a woman who "can't abide children." It seems Turtle arrived before her mother's letter and Aunt Minerva is none too pleased. Neither are her boy cousins, especially Beans, who has to give up his room for Turtle. Beans heads "The Diaper Gang" and no girls are allowed. They allow Turtle to tag along though and Turtle slowly comes out of her shell.

The art captures the Depression-Era Key West beautifully from the architecture through the clothing. The palette is decidedly beachy as well. Turtle in Paradise: the Graphic Novel should appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier and Victoria Jamison, as well as fans of historical fiction and anyone who wants to fall in love with a girl with grit.

#tbt: Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

Image: Penguin Random House

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. 256 p. Delcorte Books/ Random House Childrens Books, September, 1999. 9780385323062. (Own.)

In anticipation of the announcement of the Youth Media Awards in Philadelphia on Monday, #tbt features Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. Bud, Not Buddy was Curtis' second book. It was published in 1999 and won both the 2000 Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Award. You may remember, that his debut novel, The Watson's Go to Birmingham, 1963 won a 1996 Newbery Honor. 

Ten-year-old Bud Caldwell is tired of being tortured by his new foster brother. When he fights back, he's punished by being locked in a shed. He escapes, takes his revenge on Todd and hits the road with his suitcase and his rules for having a "funner" life. He's going to look for his father using a few clues in the suitcase his mother left him. Humorous and heartbreaking, this historical fiction paints a realistic picture of life during the Great Depression.

#tbt: Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

 

Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. 245 p. Delacorte Press/ Random House Children's Books, January, 1999. 0385323069. 

Bud, Not Buddy is Christopher Paul Curtis' second book. You may recall that his first, The Watson's Go to Birmingham, 1963, won a Newbery Honor. Bud, Not Buddy was published in 1999 and won both the Newbery Medal and the Coretta Scott King Author Award in January, 2000. Not bad for a new author! Bud, Not Buddy is the first-person story of ten-year-old orphan, Buddy Caldwell. It is 1936, the height of the Great Depression and Buddy has had it with foster homes. He hits the road with his suitcase containing the few items his mother left him, hoping they are clues to who his father is. At turns hilarious and heartbreaking, Bud, Not Buddy is a satisfying read.

Here's the cover of the paperback edition:

Non-fiction Monday: The Great American Dust Bowl by Don Brown

The Great American Dust Bowl by Don Brown. 80 p. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October, 2013. 9780547815503. (Purchased)

I purchased this for my school library collection mostly because it fits in beautifully with a unit the sixth grade language arts teachers do around Karen Hesse's Out of the Dust. The reviews were strong and I enjoyed other books by the author. I finally got around to reading it and would like to recommend that any teacher or librarian who covers The Dust Bowl in their curriculum purchase this title. Never have I read a more kid-friendly and cogent explanation of the myriad causes, scientific as well as historic, of this devastating disaster.

There are plenty of startling black and white photos from the era that cause one to gape. The art in this book evokes a similar response. The palette of yellows and browns perfectly mirror the desolation. A photo from 1935 is included on the Selected Bibliography page and, as an ominous reminder that dust storms can still happen, a photo of a dust storm over Phoenix in 2011. Source notes are also provided.

Al Capone Does My Homework by Gennifer Choldenko

214 p. Dial Books for Young Readers/ Penguin Young Readers Group, August 20, 2013. 9780803734722. (Arc provided by the author.) 

It's January, 1935 on Alcatraz Island. Moose Flanagan's dad has just been promoted to Assistant Warden and Moose thinks things might be looking up for the Flanagans until he discovers that the inmates have a game where they earn points for insulting employees, or worse, and the higher up the employee, the higher the points. As if that weren't enough to worry Moose the worrier, Darby Trixle was counting on getting that promotion and now he and his wife seem to be gunning for Natalie, especially after a suspicious fire guts the Flanagan's apartment.

Did Natalie set the blaze? Moose can't admit to his parents that he fell asleep when he was supposed to be watching Natalie. If she didn't set it, then who did? What does the message Moose found in a drainpipe mean? Where is Piper getting the money to buy presents for Moose and his friends? And, why is Al Capone, aka #85, writing cryptic messages in his notebook?

The author has created a unique, vivid, slightly surreal and claustrophobic world filled with memorable characters. Morally ambiguous folks reside on either side of the prison wall and Moose tries to parse it all while trying to protect those he loves. I just loved every second of this final book in the Tales from Alcatraz trilogy and was so tempted to swallow the thing whole. Personally, I wouldn't mind if this trilogy morphed into a quartet should the author find more to tell...


Moose Flanagan is one of my favoritest of favorite characters in children's literature. He's earnest and thoughtful, athletic and intelligent. He's also way, way wise and responsible beyond his years thanks to having an older sister who's autistic, although autism was not well understood back then. His parents, as nice as they are, rely on Moose to handle Natalie far too much. And Moose takes on far too much. He understands Natalie in ways adults do not, but that doesn't mean that he's also not baffled by her. Feelings between siblings can be fierce and complicated but none so fierce and complicated when anger and guilt are factored into the equation.

Though I read and fell in love with Al Capone Does My Shirts back in 2004, way before I started blogging, I may have mentioned once or twice how I was rooting for it to win the 2005 Newbery. I was lucky enough to receive an arc of its sequel, Al Capone Shines My Shoes, which I adored just as much, if not more. I am not the most objective reviewer when it comes to Moose.

So here I am, gifted with an arc of Al Capone Does My Homework. I need to disclose that one of my students and I are credited with giving Ms. Choldenko the idea for the title. I can honestly state though, that I would've adored this book anyway. 

A bit of history: In 2006, I read a piece in Horn Book Magazine by Ron Koertge entitled, Unlikely Titles. His list tickled me, so I shared the article with my students and challenged them to come up with some unlikely titles of their own. Al Capone Does My Homework was one of the better submissions. I don't recall how I let Ms. Choldenko know about it, but she remembered (!) and wrote (back in 2008 or so) to ask if I could credit the student so she could send him or her an arc of Al Capone Shines My Shoes. Unfortunately, the student I thought wrote it said he hadn't. He couldn't recall who did and I didn't keep the papers. Lost, lost, lost. This student would now be completing his sophomore year in college. Perhaps he or she will see the book in a book store this August and think, "Huh! What a coincidence. I remember when Mrs. Kahn had us make up some unlikely titles and look at that!" Maybe this student will send me an email. Then, I could heap accolades upon this student and get him or her in touch with the author and we would all live happily ever after.

The connections we all make are kind of cool. The trilogy is fine storytelling. Just today, a fifth grader noticed the arc on my desk and said, "Wait, is that a NEW Al Capone book?" Multiple copies are on my order for the next school year and should be on yours as well.