Also Known as Elvis (Atheneum, 2014) by James Howe caught my attention by title alone. Later, I discovered it was a companion novel to a book called The Misfits which inspired No Name-Calling Week. There are two other companions. Looks like I have more reading to do!
Just-finished-7th-grade Skeezie knows his summer vacation won’t be like his best friends’, who are getting to do fun stuff, like go on vacation, or do something special with their dads. But he didn’t know his mother would make him get a job, besides take care of his little sisters. However, summer has some surprises in store for Skeezie Tookus, and some decisions he’ll have to make.
I loved Skeezie. Got mad at stuff and adults in his life, and wanted to go check out the Candy Kitchen myself.
Author James Howe has authored more than 90 books for kids, including co-authoring Bunnicula: A Rabbit Tale of Mystery. Read more here.
Category: MG Novels
middle grade novels (for 8-12 yo)
May B.
MG Adventure in Verse
May B. (Schwartz and Wade, 2012) by Caroline Starr Rose is written in sparse verse which is perfect for showing the lack of choice that May has when her parents tell her she has to live with another family, and the solitariness of the prairie and a soddy fifteen miles away from anyone. May’s parents tell her it will just be till Christmas. But, of course, it means an end to her schooling. May’s life takes a turn for the worse when she’s left all alone in the soddy and no way to communicate with anyone.
Growing up, Caroline Starr Rose fell in love with the Little House books. When she became a teacher, Caroline wondered what life must have been like for children who found school challenging. She set the story in Western Kansas and gave her main character what we now know of as dyslexia. Read more at her website, not only about this book and all it’s recognition, but about Caroline and her other books.
Absolutely Almost
I know the book is aimed at kids, but I think it is one both kids and parents should read. Absolutely Almost (Philomel, 2014) by Lisa Graff is one of those books that affects the kid in me and the parent in me. No one is great at everything–no matter what we think of others–and we often don’t reach or only almost reach our goals. So I feel Albie from the inside–that struggle of not quite fitting in. That feeling of not being good at anything (at least anything we can see as a kid.) But I also feel it on the parent side, where I’m desperately sorry for him and want to help make it right. The book is an NCTE Charlotte Huck Honor Book for Outstanding Fiction for Children.
Here’s a brief intro: Albie wasn’t supposed to hear when his grandfather says, “Not everybody can be the rock at the top of the rock pile.” But Albie knows he’s not good at figuring out how much to tip the delivery man bringing the Chinese food, which frustrates his parents. He also knows he was asked to leave Mountford Prep, which made his dad really mad. Even at his new school he can’t get a perfect on his spelling test, something else his dad is unhappy about. Why does everyone else figure out things quicker, faster? What can Albie do to make his parents proud of him?
There’s an interview with the author about why and how she wrote this book. Read it here. Find out more about Lisa Graff and her other books on her website.
Space Case
Space Case (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2014) by Stuart Gibbs is literally out-of-this-world, like on the moon. This scifi adventure/mystery is chock full of humor despite the seriousness of the situation.
Main character, twelve-year-old Dash, is stuck on Moon Base Alpha, which doesn’t match up to the promotional brochures; in fact, it’s so boring, he looks forward to school. That all changes when scientist Dr. Holtz “walks” out an airlock in the middle of the night. Since Dash overheard Dr. Holtz talking excitedly the night before, he knows the scientist has to have been murdered. But no one on base will believe him. And he’s not allowed to share the news with anyone on earth. In fact, he’s not supposed to talk about it at all. But if Dash is right, there’s a killer loose on base.
It’s a fun read. And, I just love the cover, Art Directed by Lucy Cummins.
If you want to learn about author Stuart Gibbs or want to check out his other books, go to his website here and/or read an interview of him here.
Rooftoppers
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
Rooftoppers (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2013) by Katherine Rundell is a very fun read, although twelve-year-old Sophie has a very big problem. The National Childcare Agency says Charles, the bachelor who rescued her from the sea when she was one and floating in a cello case, can’t be allowed to keep raising her. What will Sophie do without her beloved Charles? The two escape to Paris to search for her Sophie’s long lost mother. On this adventure, when Sophie goes on the roof of her hotel, she makes some unusual friends.
A mix of historical and fantasy, the book is winning awards. Rooftoppers is the winner of the 2014 Blue Peter Book Award and the 2014 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize, and was shortlisted for the 2014 CILIP Carnegie Medal.
You can read about the author here or follow her on twitter here. She has another book out, Cartwheeling in Thunderstorms, that I need to check out.