Waiting on Wednesday: The Brightest Night by Tui Sutherland

Image: Scholastic Inc.

The Brightest Night by Tui Sutherland. Wings of Fire: the Graphic Novel #5. 224 p. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc., December 27, 2021. 9781338730852.

Happy Wednesday! I try to keep up with upcoming releases, but sometimes I need a little help from students. Thanks to K., a sixth grader for alerting me to our Wednesday title. Waiting on Wednesday features The Brightest Night by Tui Sutherland. This is book 5 of the Wings of Fire Graphic Novel series and it's due out on December 27!

Here's the publisher synopsis: Sunny has always taken the Dragonet Prophecy very seriously. If Pyrrhia’s dragons need her, Clay, Tsunami, Glory, and Starflight to end the war, she’s ready to try. She even has some good ideas how to do it, if anyone would listen to her.

But shattering news from Morrowseer has shaken Sunny’s faith in their destiny. Is it possible for anyone to end this terrible war and choose a new SandWing queen? What if everything they’ve been through was for nothing?

Buried secrets, deadly surprises, and an unexpected side to scavengers are all waiting for her in the shifting sands of the desert, where Sunny must decide once and for all: Is her destiny already written?

Or can five dragonets change their fate and save the world . . . the way they choose?

This series is enormously popular at my school.

#tbt: The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater

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Happy rainy Thursday here in northern NJ! #tbt features The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater. The narration of this novel alternates between nineteen-year-old Sean Kendrick and sixteen-year-old Kate "Puck" Connolly. They live on the island of Thisby, which is located somewhere off the coast of Britain. The islanders live a hard life that is made even harder by the annual rise of the capaill uisce, man-eating water horses, from the sea. Despite the danger, some attempt to capture and tame the terrifying stallions in order to race in the Scorpio Races. The purse is large, but the stakes are high. Many have lost their lives in the races, including both Sean and Puck's fathers.

Each have their own motives for racing. Puck is the first woman to enter the race and she's riding her own mare instead of a captured capaill uisce.

The tension is high throughout, but rachets up to almost unbearable during the race scenes. The fictional island is so beautifully wrought that it becomes a character, holding its own among many finely-drawn islanders.

This gorgeously written YA fantasy was published in October, 2011. It was named a Printz Honor as well as an ALA Notable Book, SLJ Best Book and Best Fiction for Young Adults. The author, also an accomplished artist and musician, wrote and performed the music that accompanies the audiobook.

#tbt: Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

                                  

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Happy Thursday! The title for today's #tbt was recommended by a sixth grader, and it's a genius suggestion. Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick is the compelling and touching story of two eighth grade misfits who form a fast friendship. Max Kane is miserable at school due to his learning disability. He's also huge, making him the target for bullies. Kevin is very short, wears leg braces and needs crutches to walk, but is brilliant. When Kevin rides on Max's shoulders, the two set out on adventures around their town. Unfortunately, Max's father, "Killer Kane" is being released from prison and Max is frightened, with good reason.

Freak the Mighty was published in 1993, won several state awards and was adapted for film in 1998 retitled, The Mighty. I may have to reread this one. Thanks Ryan! Happy reading everyone!

#tbt: Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

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Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. 304 p. Scholastic Inc., March, 2000. 

Happy Thursday! #tbt features Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. This work of historical fiction was inspired by the author's grandmother's immigration experience during the Great Depression. 

Esperanza lives with her parents and grandmother on a ranch in Mexico. She's about to turn thirteen and wants for nothing. All that changes when her father is murdered and her uncle claims that Esperanza's mother cannot inherit and run the ranch. When Esperanza's mother refuses his proposal of marriage, he threatens her and shortly afterward, the ranch burns to the ground, injuring Esperanza's grandmother. The only option is for the family to flee Mexico to California along with other Mexicans seeking a better life in the U.S. 

Esperanza does not adapt well to the changes in her circumstances and is quick to judge those she deems are beneath her. Life is hard in California and Esperanza desperately wishes her grandmother could join them. But how can that happen with her uncle discovering their whereabouts?

Esperanza Rising won the Jane Addams Award as well as the Pura Belpré Award.

#tbt: King Arthur Retellings Continued: Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve

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Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve. 340 p. Scholastic Press, Scholastic Inc., 2008. 9780545093347. (Own.)

#tbt features one of my favorite King Arthur retellings, Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve. This novel was published in the U.K. in 2007, where it received the Carnegie Medal given to the best children's book of the year. It was published in the U.S. the following year. Gwynna is a servant girl, who runs away when her village is attacked and burned to the ground. She is discovered in the woods by Myrddin, a bard who proposes a deal. He will protect her if she binds herself in service of him. Myrddin, himself is bound in service to Arthur, the young conquerer who would be king and unite Britain. The two set about king-making and myth-making, knowing that there would be dire consequences if they are discovered. This first-person narrative is so immersive, pages will fly!

Waiting on Wednesday: Level 13 by Gordon Korman

Image: Scholastic

Level 13 by Gordon Korman. A Slacker Novel #2. 292 p. Scholastic Inc., June 25, 2019. 9781338286205.

Publisher synopsis: Cameron Boxer, king of the slackers, has found something worth his time. By playing video games online in front of an audience he can find both fame AND fortune — especially with Elvis (a beaver who seems to love video games as much as Cam) at his side. The only problem? Things keep getting in Cam's way. Like school. And the club he accidentally started. And the misguided people in his life who don't think beavers should be playing video games. It's going to take some trickery, some close calls, and a fierce devotion to slacking in order for Cam to get to his goal — conquering the game's infamous Level 13. But if any slacker can do it, Cam can.

Korman is a crowdpleaser at my school. The shelf containing his books is usually sparse.