Waiting on Wednesday: Rebel by Marie Lu

Image: Macmillan

Rebel by Marie Lu. 320 p. Roaring Brook Press/ Macmillan, October 1, 2019. 9781250221711.

Publisher synopsis: Respect the Legend. Idolize the Prodigy. Celebrate the Champion. But never underestimate the Rebel. 

With unmatched suspense and her signature cinematic storytelling, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Marie Lu plunges readers back into the unforgettable world of Legend for a truly grand finale.

Eden Wing has been living in his brother’s shadow for years. Even though he’s a top student at his academy in Ross City, Antarctica, and a brilliant inventor, most people know him only as Daniel Wing’s little brother.

A decade ago, Daniel was known as Day, the boy from the streets who led a revolution that saved the Republic of America. But Day is no longer the same young man who was once a national hero. These days he’d rather hide out from the world and leave his past behind. All that matters to him now is keeping Eden safe—even if that also means giving up June, the great love of Daniel’s life.

As the two brothers struggle to accept who they’ve each become since their time in the Republic, a new danger creeps into the distance that’s grown between them. Eden soon finds himself drawn so far into Ross City’s dark side, even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own . . .

It has been quite a while since I sobbed my way through the final installment of the Legend Trilogy. I am very eager to revisit the world. And, I love the cover!

Teen Tuesday and Arc Review: Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

Image: Penguin Young Readers

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera. 310 p. Dial Books/ Penguin, September 17, 2019. 9780593108178. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher, ALAAC19)

Juliet Milagros Palente took a women's studies class at college because she had a crush on a girl. She fell in love with the girl and the writings of Harlowe Brisbane, feminist author, as well. She wrote to Brisbane asking for a summer internship. When she got it, she packed her bags for Portland, Oregon and came out to her family just before leaving for the airport. Things did not go great. Additionally, Lainie, her first love, on an internship of her own in D.C. isn't returning her texts. As a self-proclaimed "Puerto Rican baby dyke from the Bronx," Juliet has a lot to learn, about Portland, feminism, and being a queer poc. And it isn't from Harlowe, who, though she considers herself an ally, often can't get past her white privilege and fragility. 

I fell in love with Juliet on page one and gobbled this story up in two sittings. Juliet is a joyous character, so open and honest and curious and enthusiastic. It hurt to watch her bump up against unkindness. I also loved that the many Spanish words and phrases were not translated for outsiders like me. It's up to me to look them up. I would love to reread this with my ears. 

There were one or two teeny-tiny things that niggled, tiny things like, "Can you hear a click when someone disconnects a cell phone call?" that were mostly lost under the rest of the awesomeness. 

This is the author's debut novel but it was published as a paperback a couple of years ago. It was an Amelia Bloomer finalist, but this got by me. Hopefully, Dial/ Penguin will bring readers to this not-to-be-missed story. It's a tad mature for my middle school crowd, having more to do with serious discussions of feminist theory and intersectionality than language, drug use or sex. Smart teen fans of edgy, hilarious, thought-provoking novels will love it.

Middle Grade Monday: Operatic by Kyo Maclear

Image: House of Anansi

Operatic by Kyo Maclear. 160 p. Groundwood/ House of Anansi, April, 2019. 9781554989720. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher. Received at SLJ Day of Dialog)

Happy third Monday of summer vacay, TMS readers! Have you read anything great lately? Put some titles in the comments or send them in a Schoology message.

Middle Grade Monday features Operatic by Kyo Maclear. Eighth grader Charlotte, Charlie, Noguchi, one of only three Asians in her class, wants to fly under the radar and is a keen observer of the pecking order in her middle school. It is spring of her final year of middle school, the due date for her music project is looming and she hasn't yet picked a song that defines her. She's also worried about a missing classmate, Luka, a transfer student with a gorgeous voice who wears his hair long and has a unique fashion sense which made him a target. As this spare story flashes back to the fall and forward to spring, Charlie reflects on all the music history she learned and realizes that opera, specifically, Maria Callas, speaks to her most. This is an unusual choice for a contemporary eighth grader and Charlie needs to figure out if she wants to play it safe and stifle who she is or take a lesson from Luka and be true to herself despite the often cruel opinions of her peers. 

The art in this unusual graphic novel is just gorgeous with its swirling colors and dreamy panels. It's also beautifully designed. Graphic novel fans will learn a bit about music and music loving students will learn to love graphic novels with Operatic.

Arc Review: Stanislaw Lem's The Seventh Voyage illustrated by Jon J. Muth

Image: Scholastic

Stanislaw Lem's The Seventh Voyage illustrated by Jon J. Muth. Translated by Michael Kandel. unpd. Graphix/ Scholastic Inc., October 1, 2019. 9780545004626. (Review of arc courtesy of publisher at ALAAC19.)

Astronaut Ijon Tichy's (Ee-yon TEE-khee) solo space voyage goes horribly wrong when a teeny tiny asteroid pokes a hole in his space ship causing him to lose all maneuverability. He knows how to fix the problem, but the fix requires two people and, he is alone. 

Alone until he enters a vortex in which, it seems, the space-time continuum is altered. It seems he is trapped in a time loop. He is awakened by himself. Or, a version of his future self. He can't quite believe it and goes back to sleep. But his past and future selves keep replicating, arguing with him, assaulting him and eating his carefully planned rations. He cannot take advantage of these extra selves to fix his rudder because there is only one space suit. And so. And so, pandemonium and hilarity ensues until the space-time continuum spits out two of his younger selves. 

While I enjoy science fiction, I am, by no means, an expert. My English major husband recognized Stanislaw Lem's name when he spied my arc. An introduction and adaptor's note otherwise clues in the uninformed. 

The art in this graphic novel adaptation is absolutely sublime. Watery panels perfectly capture the contemplative, rather lonely mission Ijon is on. Careful reading is required here as the action is a bit mind-bending. But so much fun! I cannot wait for the finished product! I also cannot wait to share the title with my group of graphic novel loving rising sixth graders! 

The Seventh Voyage will be a hit with all your graphic novel fans, your sci-fi fans, as well as any thoughtful reader. 

Fact Friday: The Eye That Never Sleeps: how detective Pinkerton saved President Lincoln by Marissa Moss

Image: Abrams

The Eye That Never Sleeps: how detective Pinkerton saved President Lincoln by Marissa Moss. Illustrated by Jeremy Holmes. 48 p. Abrams Books for Young Readers, November, 2018. 9781419730641. (Review of finished copy purchased at ALAAC19)

Fact Friday features The Eye That Never Sleeps: how Detective Pinkerton saved President Lincoln by Marissa Moss. Have you ever wondered where the term "private eye" came from? You will find out in this intriguing picture book biography. Allan Pinkerton was born in Scotland. He grew up quite poor but very observant. As a young man, he agitated for worker's rights and was wanted by the government, so he fled to the U.S. with his bride and established a business as a cooper (barrel maker). He continued to observe though. While gathering wood for his barrels on a island, he noted the remnants of a campfire and wondered who would be on the island and for what. Turns out, it was a band of counterfeiters. As the headline of the Chicago Daily Tribune said, the "Cooper Becomes a Copper." Pinkerton was hired as the Chicago Police Department's first detective. 

After a year on the force, he founded his own agency and wrote his own manual for his trainees to study. By the 1850s his agency was well-known for solving murders and recovering stolen goods. Pinkerton was hired by the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad in 1860 to protect the railway from secessionists who were conspiring to blow up the tracks. During the investigation, Pinkerton heard rumors of a plot to assassinate President-Elect Abraham Lincoln. I will leave it to you to read about the thrilling details.

Helpful back matter includes a timeline, artist's note, author's note, source notes and a bibliography. The illustrations were digitally rendered to look like scratchboard. The palette is muted shades of purples, reds and orange. There's lots of spot art and speech bubbles adding visual appeal. The compelling narrative is somewhat dwarfed by the illustrations though, and is mostly relegated to the far left of each spread. This arrangement sort of lends itself to a sort of silent film effect. I found it a bit distracting and read through the text first, then backtracked and read the illustrations. (Click on the link to the page for the book on the Abrams website. There is a slide show of some of the spreads.)

This is definitely going in my Sixth Grade Picture Book Biography Unit! I had a short conversation with the author and her editor as she signed my book about back matter and what makes a good picture book biography. Remember, you are never too old for picture books. This one is terrific! 

Friday Memes: The World Ends in April by Stacy McAnulty

Book Beginnings is hosted by Rose City Reader and Friday 56 is hosted by Freda's Voice.

Image: Random House

The World Ends in April by Stacy McAnulty. 368 p. Random House Books for Young Readers, September 3,2019. 9781524767617.

Publisher synopsis: Is middle school drama scarier than an asteroid heading for Earth? Find out in this smart and funny novel by the author of The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl.

Every day in middle school can feel like the end of the world.

Eleanor Dross knows a thing or two about the end of the world, thanks to a survivalist grandfather who stockpiles freeze-dried food and supplies–just in case. So when she reads about a Harvard scientist’s prediction that an asteroid will strike Earth in April, Eleanor knows her family will be prepared. Her classmates? They’re on their own!

Eleanor has just one friend she wants to keep safe: Mack. They’ve been best friends since kindergarten, even though he’s more of a smiley emoji and she’s more of an eye-roll emoji. They’ll survive the end of the world together . . . if Mack doesn’t go away to a special school for the blind.

But it’s hard to keep quiet about a life-destroying asteroid–especially at a crowded lunch table–and soon Eleanor is the president of the (secret) End of the World Club. It turns out that prepping for TEOTWAWKI (the End of the World as We Know It) is actually kind of fun. But you can’t really prepare for everything life drops on you. And one way or another, Eleanor’s world is about to change.

First Line: Mack Jefferson, my best-and only-friend, reads to me from his Braille edition of The Outsiders.

Page 56:
     "You need to promise me, if you're worried about this or if you have more questions, talk to me, please. I know you get worked up about things."

      "Okay." And this is an absolute lie. I won't talk to Dad again until I have more proof. Until I can convince him this is real. As the asteroid gets closer to Earth, there's no way other scientists will stay quiet. There will be better pictures and more data. I have to be patient. Even though the world is ending in spring, that still two quarters of a school year away. And school years last forever.

I absolutely adored The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl and fell in love with this one on page one. And Science! Yay!

Review: Which One Doesn't Belong? Playing with shapes by Christopher Danielson

Image: Charlesbridge

Which One Doesn't Belong? Playing with shapes by Christopher Danielson. unpgd. Charlesbridge, February, 2019. 9781580899444. (Review of finished copy courtesy of publisher.)

When I opened my review box a while back and saw this colorful, appealing cover, two things happened nearly at once. First, I started to hum that Sesame Street ditty, "One of these things is not like the other/ One of these things doesn't belong/ Can you guess which thing is not like the other/ Before I finish my song?" Yeah. Then, I figured that after I read and reviewed it, I would send it on to either my husband's niece with young children or my husband's niece who teaches first grade or my elementary school librarian colleague or... You get the picture. 

No way! I am keeping it for my middle school library and using it in my Digital Media Classes. Why? Well, while I can certainly see its use in math classes, I want to use it as an introductory exercise in critical thinking. I am constantly telling my sixth through eighth graders that they need to back up their opinions with reasons or examples. This is usually with regard to book evaluations that I have them write when they cycle through my class. 

There are no wrong answers here! Granted, the example is rather simple. There is easy justification for each shape presented. That is generally the way with examples. The groupings become progressively harder though, requiring a bit more time to parse reasons. The beauty of the book? There are no wrong answers! "The important thing is to have a reason why." Exactly! I can't tell you how many times I have read something like, "The art in this book is amazing." Or, "The writing is really great." I write back something like, "Examples? How was the art amazing?" Or, "What made the writing great? Give examples." My students actually lose points for failing to give examples. I accept even the lamest connection because they made an attempt. I think I might be able to drive home my point with this fun exercise. #nevertoooldforpicturebooks for the win!

I saw on the Charlesbridge site that their's is a reissue and found an image from the original. I must say the colors used in the reissue really pop and increases appeal. Bravo art department! Great choices! There's a guide available and the author's website offers links to resources and blog postings. He's working on a book about patterns now.

Which One Doesn't Belong belongs everywhere!