Middle Grade Monday: Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan. 240 p. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc. April, 2020. 978133538199. (Purchased.)

Happy Monday! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Mine went fast. I did some garden clean-up (not enough), a lot of walking with Boo (18 miles) and a fair amount of reading(4 books).

Middle Grade Monday features Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan. This gentle graphic novel is shy Natalie's sketchbook. As summer ends and middle school approaches, she has some worries. Her BFF Lily moved across town and she has seen very little of her over the summer. Any calls or texts Natalie sends are answered with excuses why the two can't get together. On the eve of the first day of school, Nat's got radio silence. She spies Lily heading to school with another girl, who looks super-cool and stylish. Nat's locker is close to Lily, but Lily rebuffs her attempts at friendship. Lily's rejection reinforces Natalie's feelings of not being enough - not cute enough, not smart enough or not athletic enough.

The terrain of fractured friendship and navigating new school situations should be familiar to most tweens. Natalie is endearingly underconfident and relatable. The author/ artist captured the drama and dialog of middle school well. The peppy palette and energetic panels keep the story moving. Fans of Shannon Hale and Raina Telgemeier will be happy to include Natalie. I know this one won't sit and am looking forward to reading Forget Me Nat and Absolutely Nat.

Fact Friday: What Breathes Through Its Butt? Mind-Blowing Science Questions Answered by Emily Grossman

Image: Bloomsbury

What Breathes Through Its Butt? Mind-Blowing Science Questions Answered by Emily Grossman. Illustrated by Alice Bowsher. 224 p. Bloomsbury, November, 2020. 9781547604524. (Review of finished copy borrowed from public library.)

Happy Friday! We made it through another week. It felt like a long one to me, especially when I thought yesterday was Friday. I hope everyone has wonderful plans for the weekend. I hope to plug in an audiobook and get in the garden!

Before I introduce the Fact Friday feature, I'd like to just say the science is amazing! There's just so much to read and learn in the sciences. There's really something for everyone from nature and animals to technology and invention. Still not sold that science is cool? Read on. 

Fact Friday features What Breathes Through Its Butt? Mind Blowing Science Questions Answered by Emily Grossman and illustrated by Alice Bowsher. Don't know the answer to that one? Check out this energetically informative scientific stream of consciousness. Each question comes with multiple choice answers and rather hilarious, rambling answers accompanied by bold black and white illustrations. The questions about poop and farts are the bait. Who can resist? But then, there are questions and answers to other questions you didn't know you wanted to know about. How many bones are in a giraffe's neck? How much does the Internet weigh? What animal has the strongest bite?

This book is for science geeks and science skeptics alike. I'm so looking forward to adding this to my library's collection. One question that wasn't answered in this book was one my youngest son asked when he was in fourth grade twenty years ago: How many dimensions does a sunbeam have? His science teacher at the time couldn't answer it. 

#tbt: A Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare

Image: Simon & Schuster

A Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. 544p. Margaret K. McElderry Books/ Simon & Schuster, 2010.

Happy Thursday TMS Readers! #tbt features A Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. This is the first book in the trilogy called The Infernal Devices and was published in 2010. It is the story of Tessa and Will, who (spoiler alert) will eventually become James' (from Monday's featured book) parents. 

When Tessa's aunt dies, she's invited to live in England by her brother Nate, but she's kidnapped upon her arrival by two sisters, Mrs. Black and Mrs. Dark. They are warlocks and inform Tessa that she is one as well. They want to awaken her powers, then marry her off to the Magister. When she refuses, the sisters threaten to kill Nate. She's eventually rescued by Will Herondale and his colleagues from the Institute. Charlotte offers her sanctuary as they hunt for the Magister.

Clockwork Angel was a YALSA Top Ten pick, a NYT Bestseller and has made many state book award lists.

Waiting on Wednesday: Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare

Image: Author's Website

Happy Wednesday! The weather prediction promises temperatures in the mid-80s, so make sure you all get out and about today!

Waiting on Wednesday features Chain of Thorns by Cassandra Clare. This book will conclude The Last Hours Trilogy. Unfortunately, there is no more information to be found. Ms. Clare's website just features the attached "cover," which does not look to be final art since it does not match the first two covers. It really looks like fan art. There's no synopsis and no publication date, but I am so excited for this conclusion. Chain of Iron left things with Cordelia, James and the Merry Thieves REALLY HANGING!

Teen Tuesday: Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare

Image: Simon & Schuster

Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare. The Last Hours #2. Unabridged e-audiobook, ~23 hours, 23 minutes. Read by Finty Williams. Simon & Schuster Audio, March, 2021. 9781442386440. (Review of downloadable e-audiobook borrowed from public library.)

Happy Tuesday! Teen Tuesday features Chain of Iron by Cassandra Clare. This is book two of The Last Hours series. I thought I featured Chain of Gold, the first book already on a Teen Tuesday, but apparently, I did not. This Shadow Hunters book is hefty, as all of Ms. Clare's books are. They are atmospheric and peopled with fascinating characters, often gruesome conflict and swoon-worthy romance. I don't want to spoil anything from book one, so I will just say everyone has secrets in Chain of Iron - Cordelia, James, Lucie, and the rest of the Merry Thieves. Plus, there is a Jack the Ripper-type killer on the loose and he is after Shadow Hunters. If you are a mature teen reader and enjoy fantasy, you will love Cassandra Clare books.

Middle Grade Monday: Logan Likes Mary Anne! Baby-Sitters Club Graphix #8

Happy Monday! The day promises to be brisk but sunny, so be sure to get out and active. If you missed the setting of the nearly full "Pink Moon" early this morning, check out the rising of the first supermoon of 2021 tonight around 7:30.

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Logan Likes Mary Anne by Ann M. Martin. Illustrated by Gale Galligan. The Baby-Sitters Club Graphix #8. 170 p. September, 2020. 9781338304541. (Review of finished paperback courtesy of publisher.)

Middle Grade Monday features Logan Likes Mary Anne, the graphic novel adaptation of Ann M. Martin's immensely popular Babysitters Club series illustrated by Gale Galligan. The members of the BSC are starting eighth grade and busier than ever. They may need to get more members. Mary Anne is worried about everything about eighth grade, but intrigued by Logan, a new student with an adorable southern accent who is awfully cute and loves to babysit. Might he be interested in joining the club?

This graphic novel adaptation of the series is quite popular at TMS. Logan Likes Mary Anne is #8. The art is bright and energetic and the stories of friendship and entrepreneurship is relatable and fun. The series really sells itself. I don't really have to read them, but I like them. Wholesome and relatable.

Picture Book Review: Let Liberty Rise: How America's Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty by Chana Stiefel

Image: Scholastic Inc.

Let Liberty Rise: How America's Schoolchildren Helped Save the Statue of Liberty by Chana Stiefel. Illustrated by Chuck Groenink. unpgd. Scholastic Press/ Scholastic Inc., 9781338225884. (Review of finished copy courtesy of Blue Slip Media.)

Have you ever received a gift that you didn't want or know what to do with? The people of France built an enormous statue, named Liberty as a gift to the people of the United States for the centennial of the country's founding. Weighing as much as 40 elephants, the statue was dismantled and packed in 214 crates for her journey to America. Such a heavy statue would need a strong pedestal as a base, which Americans needed to build. Such a construction was very expensive and the pedestal was only half built when the statue arrived. Worse yet, there was no money left to complete it.

When fundraising efforts among millionaires failed, Joseph Pulitzer, owner of a newspaper, but an immigrant himself, appealed to everyone, including children, to donate what they could. In return, he promised to print the name of every single donor in his newspapers. The very next day, money started pouring in and $2000 was raised by the end of the first week!

The story is both informative and fascinating. The accessible text filled with interesting trivia and necessary context, such as what $100,000 in the 1800s means in today's dollars ($2.6 million). The jaunty illustrations add much to the text, including humor and a nod to Georges Seurat. The palette veers toward muted pastels. 

The back matter is a young researcher's dream. It includes a timeline, more facts about the statue, a bibliography, which includes books for younger readers and websites, followed by a two-page spread of photos from the time. 

This first-purchase will have many uses in the language arts classroom as well as social studies class for a large range of ages. Expect rich discussion on a variety of topics.