Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
Echo (Scholastic Press, 2015) by Pam Muñoz Ryan is a 2016 Newbery Honor book–my vote is for the top award as it is so amazing.
Four stories, four different time periods, different cultures, and a prophecy, a promise and a harmonica are all woven together in an unexpected way. Otto’s story is very short, but it kicks off with mystery when he gets lost in the forest. He must pass the harmonica on at the right time. Over sixty years later we meet Friedrich struggling with hiding his birthmark in a country gone crazy labeling someone like him a defective–welcome to Nazi Germany. He finds and passes on the harmonica. Next we jump two years later to an orphanage for destitute children in Pennsylvania to be with Mike who is trying to make sure he and his little brother stay together . . . somehow. Again, the harmonica plays an important part. Seven years later we meet Ivy in California dealing with prejudice for her Hispanic background and another family’s Japanese heritage. The harmonica comes to her, too.
Each of the three main stories were heart-jerking and so important for kids (and adults) today to hear. I love how the book is resolved. This really is a must read! (It’s also a New York Times bestseller.)
The author is an eclectic writer with books in the following categories: novels, picture books, early readers, and short stories in anthologies. Learn more about her here.
Category: MG Novels
middle grade novels (for 8-12 yo)
The Seventh Wish
I’ve been a fan of Kate Messner‘s since I read The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z, Her newest novel The Seventh Wish (Bloomsbury USA Childrens, 2016) doesn’t disappoint as it explores the old phrase of “be careful what you wish for.”
Charlie Brennan is originally on the ice fishing to earn money for a fancy Irish dancing dress, but when she pulls up a magical talking fish, she starts wishing for a lot of different things. The wishes don’t work out as Charlie had hoped. Then her life gets seriously messed up when her college age sister has a crisis that cancels her trip to the feis (dance competition.)
Readers will sympathize with twelve-year-old Charlie and enjoy meeting her friends and discovering their problems. Flour babies, anyone? I now know a lot more about ice fishing and Irish dance than I ever have before–love those bonuses when reading a story.
Sadly, this book experienced some censorship earlier this year. It blows my mind that it did. Here’s an interview with Kate on the topic.
A fun place to visit on Kate Messner’s website is her photo gallery. There you can see places where she did research, items she tasted or touched for research, and more.
All Four Stars
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
All Four Stars (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2014) by Tara Dairman is deliciously funny and definitely appropriate for any foodie.
Eleven-year-old Gladys Gatsby secretly cooks gourmet food when her parents aren’t at home, since they think cooking is nuking something in the microwave. They also don’t know Gladys’ dream of being a restaurant critic. But she gets a lot of practice after she catches the kitchen on fire–practice in writing up food disasters, that is. With a ban on cooking and orders to go out and make friends, the school essay contest sounds like a solution to her problems.
This book has an engaging main character and a satisfying ending. I’m not the only one to think so, because the book has received awards, including a 2015 Crystal Kite, and been put on state lists.
According to the author’s website, parts of the book “were written in a mall in Brazil, a guesthouse in Morocco, and coffeehouses in Argentina, Cameroon, Gabon, and Tanzania.” Recipes from the book are on the website here. Tara Dairman also includes recipes in her blog from time to time.
Two more books have followed the first: The Stars of Summer is second in the trilogy, and the third is Stars So Sweet.
Just My Luck
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
Just My Luck (Harper, 2016) by Cammie McGovern is a touching story.
Fourth grader Benny Barrows has so much to worry about–not being able to ride his bike, Dad’s accident might be his fault, finding a new friend, the new contest at school… He doesn’t think anyone else has more problems than they do which makes it hard to follow his mom’s advice of thinking about someone else’s problem and trying to help them.
The author created a sympathetic and believable character in Benny. Cammie McGovern also writes YA and adult books. Read more here.
The Thief of Mirrors
The Thief of Mirrors (Capstone Young Readers, 2016) by P.D. Baccalario was a fun read set in Applecross, Scotland, well, mostly set in Applecross. There’s a trip on the Incognito Bus, a visit to the Sunken Castle, plus a puppet who talks in rhyme, and of course a villain.
Thirteen-year-old Finley McPhee has just had one of the best summers of his life until his older brother Doug ruined it. Doug’s got the scorpion key and likes Aiby Lily, the girl Finley likes. Doug says he’ll give the key back in three days, after the meeting that Finley is not invited to. But when everyone is missing, Finley has to go to the rescue.
The book was originally published in Italy in 2013. The translation was well done, except copying editing didn’t catch some errors. Turns out it is book 4 in the Enchanted Emporium series, so I’ll have to catch up on those. But the book stood alone just fine.
Here’s info about the author here.