Carrying Mason (ZonderKidz, 2011) by Joyce Magnin was a touching story with a strong female lead. It’s also a historical novel set in the late 1950s.
Thirteen-year-old Luna has lost her best friend Mason. She really wants to help carry his casket, despite her daddy saying only men are pall bearers. After the funeral, Luna realizes more needs carrying–Mason’s mother. Luna is brave, caring, and fortunately, stubborn enough to resist Aunt Sapphire.
I love what Joyce says about this book on her website: “I wrote Carrying Mason because I wanted to deal with a child who needed and wanted to be challenged and to go against conventional wisdom in order to discover just how strong she really was. Carrying Mason deals with death and loss but that is not the focal point of the story. Luna’s journey to adulthood is the point.”
Booklist said about this book, “Delivers a positive message about standing up for those who cannot advocate for themselves.” Don’t miss it.
I recommended another of Joyce’s books here.
Tag: Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
The Tragically True Adventures of Kit Donovan
I really enjoyed The Tragically True Adventures of Kit Donovan (Albert Whitman & Company, 2017) by Patricia Bailey.
It’s 1905 in a Nevada mining town and just turned thirteen-year-old Kit has lost her mother, who made her promise to be a proper lady. It’s tough being one when she’s worried about Papa and the dangers in the mine, when the kids and teacher at school don’t like her, and because she’s responsible for her mother’s death. Well, indirectly, she’ll admit.
Kit is a character to love.
Here are the opening lines of the book: “I killed my mother. Twice, if I am to be completely honest–though she only died the one time.” How could you not read on? And when you do, you’ll find adventure, danger, friendships, and more.
This is Patricia Bailey’s debut novel–I hope she writes many more. However, meanwhile you can read some of her short stories and articles on her website here.
The Only Road
The Only Road (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2016) by Alexandra Diaz is a book I wish I could get everyone to read.
After the murder of his cousin Miguel, twelve-year-old Jaime and his fifteen-year-old cousin Angela either have to join the destructive gangs in their village or leave Guatemala. To keep them safe their families spend everything they have to get the two the United States where Jaime’s brother Tomas lives. But once the two are on their way, they are on their own. They face discovery by la migra, gang violence, death by train, hunger, thievery, thirst all in their quest for a safe place to live.
The Only Road is inspired by true events (not the author’s) and is a Pura Belpré Honor book!
Alexandra Diaz has this at the head of her website: “Writing: to experience life in someone else’s shoes.” That’s one of the reasons we read and why I’d like others to read this book.
Alexandra is also the author of Good Girls Don’t Lie–a YA novel–and other books. On her bio page there are lots of links to interviews, too.
The Wolf’s Boy
The Wolf’s Boy (Disney-Hyperion, 2016) by Susan Williams Beckhorn is a touching tale of a boy who struggles because he doesn’t fit in.
Twelve-year-old Kai has a club foot, so he’s not allowed to touch weapons, or hunt. When Kai rescues a motherless wolf club, he’s warned that she can’t eat the People’s food. As the yellow cub grows, the People look on her as a threat. With winter approaching Kai and Uff leave the village. How can a boy who can’t even hunt survive on his own?
This book is a Junior Library Guild Selection and a 2017 Notable Children’s Book. I love the cover too.
Read about Susan here where you can also see a picture of the stone house that she and her husband built themselves. And read about her other books here. She’s also an illustrator.
All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday
I loved All Rise for the Honorable Perry T. Cook (Katherine Tegen Books, 2016) by Leslie Connor! I’d have chosen it for a Newbery award. It’s a heart-wrenching story. I love Perry–I know, I’m gushing.
Perry T. Cook is pretty much a normal eleven-year-old, well, except for the part that he lives in a prison. But he gets to go “outside” to school. And this way he gets to be with his mom every day–she’s a resident on Cell Block C. Until the new district attorney discovers this arrangement at the Blue River Co-ed Correctional Facility and Perry is forced into foster care with the same DA’s family.
This story has a host of interesting characters. Did I say I love Perry?
Leslie Connor writes for Middle Grade readers, younger readers, and for teens. You can be entertained on her website while you check out those other books. I recommend reading her “My Life” page. I’m off to check out more of her books…
But meanwhile, really, read this book!