Middle Grade Monday and Audiobook Review: The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly. Unabridged audiobook download. ~ 5 hours. Read by Ramón de Ocampo. HarperAudio/ HarperCollins, March, 2024. 9780063337343. Review of e-audiobook borrowed from public library.

Middle Grade Monday features The First State of Being by Erin Entrada Kelly. This time travel story alternates between the year 2199 and 1999. Ridge, the genius son of a scientist perfecting a time travel device in 2199, decides to test it out without authorization, to visit his favorite year in history, 1999. The 2199 parts are transcripts of conversations between Ridge's mother and his siblings as they frantically try to return him to there time and worry about the repercussions of Ridge's actions in the past. 

Most of the book takes place in 1999. Ridge ends up in the Fox Run apartments and catches the eye of twelve-year-old Michael Rosario. Michael is bi-racial (Filipino/ white) and lives with his single mother in the apartment complex. He has a crush on his babysitter, Gibby. He's also anxious and obsessed with the doomsday scenarios around the turning of the century, and has been stealing supplies. When he finds out the Ridge is from the future, and also has a book that maps the next twenty years, Michael is torn between helping Ridge to return to his time and finding out what happens. 

Time travel stories are not my favorite. This one was engaging and featured interesting, fleshed-out characters. It also fleshed out some provocative themes. Ramón de Ocampo's narration moves seamlessly between times and characters. 

The First State of Being won the 2025 Newbery Medal and was a National Book Award finalist last fall. It will appeal to fans of the author as well as fans of time travel books. Happy reading! 

Teen Tuesday and ARC Review: Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick

Image: Scholastic

Run Away with Me by Brian Selznick. 320 p. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., April 1, 2025. 9781339035529. Review of arc courtesy of publisher.

It is the summer of 1986, and our narrator is a sixteen-year-old lonely young man forced to move, yet again due to the nature of his single mother's rather esoteric job as a rare books expert. After wandering sullenly around Rome, he takes refuge in a cathedral to get out of the heat and falls asleep. When he awakens, he is struck by paintings of two angels seemingly staring at each other across the room. Haunted by these images, he resumes wandering and, at an intersection comes across a statue, which, unlike the many others in Rome, lacks beauty. As he turns away, he hears someone shout, "Wait!" and thinks for a moment that it is the statue. He finds a folded piece of paper jammed into the statue and upon unfolding it, finds that it is a map with a location circled. He makes his way to an elephant obelisk and meets the creator of the map, who looks exactly like the angel he just saw, and this angel speaks perfect English. Suddenly, Rome has become interesting. This mystery person names our narrator Danny, short for Dante, the sculptor of the elephant and Danny names his guide, Angelo, for the angel in the church. 

The next weeks unfold dreamily for Danny as he aches to reunite daily with Angelo, who is filled with anecdotes about Rome, not all of which Danny can believe. Angelo is secretive, but so is Danny, especially with his mother. 

Lies and truths intermingle in this intense story of first love, and identity. There are stories within the story that are utterly enchanting and heartbreaking. The narrative feels occasionally forced, especially when Angelo disappears and the cause is revealed. Sorry, the nurse in me is especially critical of medical stuff. This will not be noted by intended audience. 

The narrative is bookended by Selznick's signature pencil drawings that are so incredibly detailed they feel architectural and dreamy at once. 

Run Away with Me publishes on April 1. Mr. Selznick's YA debut is impressive. 

Middle Grade Monday: The Order of Things by Kaija Langley

Image: Penguin Random House

The Order of Things by Kaija Langley. 278 p. Nancy Paulsen Books/ Penguin Random House, June, 2023. 9780593530900. (Review of finished hard cover courtesy of publisher.)

Happy Monday! What a mixed bag of weather we are having! The air quality hasn't been the greatest lately. Between that and the heat, I've noticed that Boo isn't his usual bounding self on our walks, so I've modified them to frequent and less lengthy. It's so humid and damp and I'm being plagued by those little gnats or whatever. Ugh! 

Middle Grade Monday features The Order of Things by Kaija Langley. Eleven-year-old April lives in an apartment in Boston with her single-by-choice Mom. They live right across the hall from Zee and Papa Zee. April and Zee were born within months of each other and are more than best friends. The four of them have formed a family. Things are changing for sixth grade for April though, because Zee, who is a violin prodigy, was accepted into a prestigious STEAM charter school. Not only does she not have her best friend in class, but her teacher has assigned seating and she's stuck next to Asa, who is socially awkward, a bit unkempt and shunned by the only two white girls in April's class.

April and Zee try to maintain life as they knew it, but Zee is driven to be the best and this requires a lot of after school practice and lessons, so April decides to pursue drumming and Papa Zee agrees to teach her. Then, her mom brings Robin to their sacred family dinner and April takes an instant dislike to her.

When Zee has a fainting episode at school, Papa Zee wants him to slow down, but Zee sneaks away to practice in the building's laundry room. April finds him when she goes to do the family laundry and he swears her to secrecy. He also swears her to secrecy when he suffers another cardiac episode and reassures her that it is nothing.

It's not nothing though, and just before Christmas, the unthinkable happens. The family receives support from their community, but April does not know how she will cope without Zee. "I'm dreaming solo from now on." She feels guilt in addition to her grief for keeping Zee's secret. Soon, she's keeping Papa Zee's secret. Then, she discovers Asa's secret and it may be just too much for April to handle.

This novel in verse is told from April's point-of-view. It's well-crafted and immediately engaging, featuring fully formed characters and an authentic sense of community. April thrives in her found family. She's a realistic mix of thoughtful and thoughtless, and confident and uncertain. Readers who love sad books will root for April as she tries to find her footing. I read this in one sitting and just love it. I can't wait for my students to meet April. 

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~ 8 hours, 17 minutes. Read by Dion Graham. Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins Publishers, January, 2021. 9780063043817. (Review of e-audiobook downloaded from the public library.)

Teen Tuesday features Concrete Rose by Angie Thomas. This is Ms. Thomas' third novel and is a prequel to her New York Times bestselling debut, The Hate U Give. Fans of THUG, will be thrilled to meet seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter. 

When Maverick is told he's a father as a result of a one-night stand, he cannot believe it. No sooner did the paternity test results come back identifying Mav as the father of Iesha's son, then Mav found himself the sole care taker of him. He has been dealing drugs in order to help his mother make ends meet, but stops at the behest of his cousin, Dre. This adds tension to his already fraught relationship with King. Iesha is King's on-again-off-again girlfriend and presumed he was Iesha's son's father. 

He takes his responsibility seriously and has the support of his mother. He's offered an after-school job working at Mr. Wyatt's grocery story, but the pay is peanuts compared to what he was earning slinging and babies are expensive! Keeping up with schoolwork is really hard as well, what with the baby keeping him up at night. And, he has to come clean with Lisa. They were broken up at the time of the one-night stand, but she dumps him anyway and he'd do anything to get her back.

Like Ms. Thomas' previous novels, her characters brim with personality and her Garden City setting is vivid. Families struggle and are often beset with tragedy, but they offer support and unconditional love. Mav's father has been in prison for most of his childhood, but he still calls regularly to check in and is there to listen. Mav's voice is compelling. He may not be book smart, but he is intelligent, wryly observant, fiercely loyal and wants to do right.

Concrete Rose was narrated by Dion Graham, one of my favorite narrators. He utterly embodies Maverick and his performance is well-paced and nuanced. Read it with your eyes. Read it with your ears. Maverick's story is gripping.

Fact Friday: Almost American Girl: an illustrated memoir by Robin Ha

Image: HarperCollins Publishers

Almost American Girl: an illustrated memoir by Robin Ha. 240 p. Balzer + Bray/ HarperCollins Publishers, January, 2020. 9780062685094. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Fact Friday features Almost American Girl: an illustrated memoir by Robin Ha. This graphic novel memoir movingly depicts the author's experience from the time her single-mother took fourteen-year-old Chuna to America for "vacation" in the middle of the school year to visit friends in Huntsville, Alabama through college. She liked her host family well enough but when Chuna's mom announced that she was getting married and Chuna would begin school, she's devastated. She speaks almost no English. While her now step-family is kind enough, the eldest daughter, who is supposed to be helping Chuna at school, isn't. Her bond with her mom is still strong despite the upheaval and her mom reminds Chuna how much she loves to draw. She enrolls her in a cartooning class, where Chuna finds friendship at class and solace in her art.

The palette of this graphic novel is mostly muted blues. Chuna's memories of her life in Korea and the different bullying she received there because of her mother's unmarried status, are depicted in browns. The art is enthralling. 

Though the abrupt changes in Chuna's life are crushing, Ms. Ha's memoir is not bitter. There are plenty of moments of hilarity mixed with the disruptions and tension. Fans of graphic novel memoirs will love this one.

Arc Review: When You Know What I Know by Sonja K. Solter

Image: LBYR

When You Know What I Know by Sonja K. Solter. 216 p. Little, Brown and Company, March 24, 2020. 9780316535441. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher/ ALAMW)

Happy belated book birthday to When You Know What I Know. It released yesterday and I had really hoped to get this review up before its release date but most of my energy has been spent trying to switch to virtual teaching these past weeks. My reading for this month sure has taken a hit as well. My apologies.

When You Know What I Know is a tough book to talk about. It'll be tough a book talk to have if/ when we return to school. But we must. The topic cannot be relegated to YA because children are victimized. Sonja K. Solter's debut, written in blank verse, is Tori's first-person account that begins immediately after her Uncle Andy molests her when he's supposed to be babysitting her. 

It's enough to know it happened without having the details of what exactly happened. It's enough to understand that she's terrified. Then the terror of what happened is compounded when She. Isn't. Believed! Her mom doesn't initially believe it and Tori feels betrayed. Her grandmother refuses to believe it and takes her son's side, causing a rift in an already fragile family. 

She's terrified. She's embarrassed. What if someone finds out? Her best friend senses something is wrong but Tori can't confide and that jeopardizes the friendship. Tori can't learn anything at school. Activities she's previously enjoyed, such as chorus, become unbearable. Memories invade constantly. 

The verse format lends itself well to portraying all the turmoil that Tori is feeling. The delivery is age-appropriate and accessible. She is resilient and, with support, takes steps toward healing. An author's note and resources follow. When You Know What I Know belongs in every library collection. We need to be having these uncomfortable conversations and we need to leave our hearts and doors open for these kids. 

ETA: Here's a link to an SLJ interview of Ms. Solter and another debut author, Mary Cecilia Jackson.

Teen Tuesday and Audiobook Review: On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas. Unabridged audiobook on one MP3-CD. 12 hours. Narrated by Bahni Turpin. HarperAudio, February, 2019. 9781538496831. (Review of purchased finished copy.)

Teen Tuesday features On the Come Up by Angie Thomas. Thomas' smashing debut, The Hate U Give remains on the New York Times best seller list and a TMS student favorite. Her sophomore effort, On the Come Up does not disappoint. 

This first-person narration is set in Garden Heights some months after the riots that concluded The Hate U Give but features different characters. Here, sixteen-year-old Briana (Bri) is an aspiring rapper at a performing arts charter school in Garden Heights. As one of the few brown skinned students in this school, she finds herself frequently in detention for being "aggressive," suspended or profiled by the school's security guards. Added to that are her worries about her family's financial situation. Bri's mom is behind on her bills and when she loses her secretarial job, those bills pile up and the family is facing eviction. After Bri wins a rap competition, she has the opportunity to make it big with a questionable, yet successful manager and a recording contract, but this may come at a cost. Is it one Bri is willing to take?

Thomas' strengths as a writer are in her storytelling and character development. Her characters are strong and prone to astute social observation and provocative statements. In addition to challenging her readers' assumptions, she paints an in-depth picture of the creative process of rap poets. 

Bahni Turpin continues to amaze me with her narrative ability. She voices the huge cast of characters uniquely and with seamless ease. She truly is a wonder.

Read On the Come Up with your ears or with your eyes, but read it. You NEED to read it. 

Teen Tuesday: Like Vanessa by Tami Charles

Like Vanessa by Tami Charles. 284 p. Charlesbridge Publishing, March, 2018. 9781580897778. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

Teen Tuesday features Like Vanessa by Tami Charles. On the heels of Vanessa Williams' historic winning of the 1983 Miss America Pageant, thirteen-year-old Nessy confides her own dreams of entering a pageant in Darlene, her diary. But Nessy is realistic, she's big-boned and dark. Besides, her stern and aloof father would never let her. But when her school decides to host a pageant and the new music teacher encourages her to audition, her beloved grandfather, Pop-Pop signs her permission slip and her creative cousin TJ promises to design her wardrobe. Readers will fall in love with Nessy on page one and root for her through the ups and downs of life in Newark, New Jersey as she discovers her strength and learns a family secret or two. This semi-autobiographical novel is the author's debut.

That's what went on the morning announcements and is, by necessity, brief. I just loved this book and can't wait for my students to meet Nessy. She's so interesting and complicated. She's a good student who sees education as her way out of Newark and her neighborhood, which has drugs and gangs; but she's not sure how. Nessy strives to be invisible both at school and at home with her father, who seems angry all the time. She adores, Pop-Pop but worries about his drinking even though he sobers up each weekend to attend church. And she wishes her cousin TJ could be safe enough to be himself. This first-person narrative is achingly beautiful and filled with yearning.

The eighties, pageant preparation and Newark come to vivid life in this remarkable debut. I am looking forward to reading more from Ms. Charles. 

Fact Friday: Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol

Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol. 256 p. First Second, April, 2018. 9781626724457. (Own)

Fact Friday features Be Prepared by Vera Brosgol. This is Brosgol's second graphic novel and, unlike her debut, Anya's Ghost, this one is a memoir about nine, almost ten-year-old Vera's time spent at a summer camp for Russian children. Vera lives with her single mother, brother and baby sister. She doesn't quite fit in with her savvier, wealthy classmates as scenes from two birthday sleepover parties show. When a prickly girl from Vera's Russian church tells her about her Russian culture summer camp, Vera begs her mother to go. Her cash-strapped mom signs Vera and her very reluctant younger brother up for two weeks. Vera is ecstatic. Her brother? Not so much. 

Hilarity ensues as Vera tries to fit in with two fourteen-year-old bunkmates and camp life which includes using outhouses and speaking entirely in Russian. 

The art is predominantly greens and browns. Changes in panel size and crisp, authentic dialog keep the reader engaged and alternately cringing and rooting for Vera. 

Be Prepared is perfect for graphic novel fans, especially fans of gn memoirs. There have been so many good ones lately and this one holds its own.

Middle Grade Monday and Arc Review: No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen

No Fixed Address by Susin Nielsen. 276 p. Wendy Lamb Books/ Random House Children's Books, September 11, 2018. 9781524768348. (Review from arc courtesy of the publisher.)

We know immediately that something huge has happened to twelve-year-old Felix Knuttson because he's asking a police officer if he's going to be interrogated. He's seen the procedure on t.v. and wonders if his mother, Astrid is being interrogated in another room. He's assured they are not. He's also outraged because they didn't commit any crimes, the criminals got away and Felix and his mom are at the police station.

Once Felix realizes this sympathetic police officer knows the secret he was sworn to keep, Felix explains how their temporary housing crisis came to be. Felix and Astrid were not always between addresses. For the first part of Felix's fatherless life, the two lived with Mormor, his Swedish grandmother, in Astrid's childhood home. Readers learn, through Felix's matter-of-fact, earnest and endearing narrative about how he developed his love for a trivia game show,  Who, What, Where, When, thanks to Mormor, who also made his tomte, a gnome-like creature from Swedish folklore (p.8) that Felix carries everywhere. 

After Felix's mormor died, Astrid sold the home and purchased a condo. Astrid lost both her jobs and the building began to sink because it was built on a riverbank. Astrid could  not afford the cost of repair and so the condo was sold at a loss. And so, the family downsized again and again, each place a bit danker than the last, until they found themselves evicted and an abusive ex-boyfriend's van was the only option.

It was temporary, Astrid said. It was even fun, until the Vancouver summer turned to fall. Astrid managed to get Felix enrolled in a French immersion school. There, he reunited with an old friend and made a new one. He was happy there but their secret was getting harder and harder to keep what with the availability of showers and clean laundry limited. But Astrid's warning that he would be taken away from her and put in a foster home compelled Felix to stay silent. It was easier to lose friends than to lose Astrid. 

Though there is plenty of heartbreak here, Felix is resilient and loves his mom fiercely. He buys into her lies and supports her unconditionally. Until he can't and makes a life-changing decision. Felix is a winning narrator and the reader's heart will break for him again and again; but there's humor and hope to balance things out. 

Give No Fixed Address to readers who enjoy humor in their sad books or to fans of How to Steal a Dog or Crenshaw or fans of Nielsen's We are All Made of Molecules and The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen. Readers will laugh, cry and perhaps examine their assumptions about the homeless. No Fixed Address is a first-purchase. I can't wait to hand this to my students come fall. 

ETA: I forgot to mention that I adore this cover! 

Review: Nightmare Escape by Greg Grunberg

Nightmare Escape by Greg Grunberg. Book one of the Dream Jumper series. Illustrated by Lucas Turnbloom. Color by Guy Major. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc.,June, 2016. 9780545826044. (Review courtesy of finished copy provided by the publisher.)

Ten-year-old Ben hasn't been getting much sleep lately. Nearly every night, he finds himself not only having his own terrifying nightmares, but jumping into the nightmares of friends and acquaintances as well. It is only when he becomes totally exhausted that he agrees to visit a sleep clinic with his concerned single-parent mom. 

There, he discovers the aptly named, Ward Z, filled with people stuck in REM sleep and unable to awaken. He finds his friends and some old guy who looks vaguely familiar. Ben's vivid dream quickly turns into a nightmare during his own sleep test. He encounters frightening monsters who attack him and has to rescue the very friends who are stuck in Ward Z. He also meets a rabbit who looks vaguely familiar. 

This parallel universe is rife with evil and good people with the power to keep the evil at bay are far and few between. Ben discovers that he has a rare power - the ability to dream jump and might be the key to defeating this evil. 

This debut was an fast-paced, engaging middle-grade-friendly graphic novel. It is book one of a series. While it does not end in a cliffhanger, there is enough unfinished business to keep the reader interested in the next book. 

The art is gorgeous with crisp, clear, uncluttered panels. The color is intense. Ben is a winning main character. There's an interesting and diverse crew of supporting characters as well as humor, action and adventure. All-in-all, a great addition to the middle grade graphic novel section.