Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth

Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Huller is the story of Cal, a boy with fire red hair that has grown up in an orphanage that is located on the sunny side of an island located in the center of the earth.  The book tells a few interrelated and interesting stories.  The story of  the discovery of a giant screw that is found at both poles, how the screw is found and how it is unscrewed creating the hole in the earth that Cal's orphanage is located inside.  The story of Cal's father and most importantly the story of Cal.  The orphanage that Cal lives in is a strange place.  They have fire poles instead of stairs and the food is horrible.  Cal sneaks out every morning to watch a man skip stones in the great artic lake.

This is a very interesting middle grade book.  It has an outlandish setting and background that kids will love.  The orphanage has a creepy but interesting vibe to it and the idea of there being a screw at the north and south pole is really interesting.  The characters are all distinct and interesting with the secondary characters having distinct and interesting personalities.  This is a book full of quirky and original characters.  There isn't much action in the book but the unfolding landscape keeps the reader interested.

Appropriateness:  There isn't anything in this book that would upset parents.  There is absolutely no romance and although the orphanage is creepy and horrible there isn't any violence.  The almost exclusively male cast makes this a book that young boys will enjoy.  I would recommend this book to kids 10-14.

Rebel McKenzie

Rebel McKenzie by Candice Ransom follows twelve year old Rebel who is sent off to live with her poor sister to spend the summer babysitting her nephew after running away because she was upset about not being able to go to paleontology camp.  Rebel finds out that things are very difficult for her sister who is attending beauty school after a divorce.  The trailer is small and there isn't a lot of food.  She makes friends with the neighbors, decides to enter a pageant and end up making a difference in a lot of lives.

This is a great book that kids will love.  It's so nice to read a book with a character that is not excessively rich (that isn't specifically about poverty).  While some of the money situations are a bit difficult to read about it's not the focus of the book and it's not written to be tragic, just the setting for everything.  There's a great set of original characters including the two neighbor girls, one who is a snotty reigning pageant queen and the other who is a mess after the loss of her mother.  My only complaint about the book was that the ending wrapped up a little perfectly with some obnoxious behavior being rewarded. 

Appropriateness:  This is an easy and quick read that will be enjoyed by it's intended audience of 9-12 year old girls (although it's a little flighty for readers older than that).  The book will provide parents with a good opportunity to talk about poverty with their kids and how we take things for granted that others have to struggle to obtain.  There is no adult content, romance or violence.

Princess of the Wild Swans

Princess of the Wild Swans by Diane Zahler is a retelling of the Six Swans.  The story follows Meriel the only daughter in the kings household.  She adores her brothers and when her father comes home with a new wife who seems to resent their existence Meriel becomes worried.  After the new Queen sends her brothers to school Meriel is suspicious.  When she finds a new group of swans on the lake that seem like her brothers she knows that something is wrong.  She soon finds out that they've been enchanted and she must make them shirts out of stinging nettles and remain silent until the task is done.

This is a wonderful retelling.  Zahler does a fantastic job with these retellings in a way that makes them perfect for the middle grade readers who love princesses but have no desire to read a romantic story.  This book is full of magic, suspense and girl power.  I finished the book quickly and had a huge smile on my face when it was over.

Appropriateness:  This is a fantastic middle grade book that is also great for younger advanced readers.  The story is fun and interesting full of evil queens and princesses without the usual romance that you would find in fairytale retellings.  There is some nice vocabulary the lexile is 819.  I would recommend this book to readers 9-13 with the book being short and interesting enough for a read aloud.    

Alien on a Rampage

 Alien on a Rampage is the sequel to Aliens on Vacation.  This book begins with David returning to his grandmother's bed and breakfast for a second summer.  He's excited for another vacation full of responsibility and adventure.  Things aren't all he thought they would be.  Amy has taken over a lot of responsibility and Grandma's creepy alien repairman Scratchell seems to be hiding something big.  Can David save the hotel and the world?

This sequel was just as good as the first book in the series.  The mystery was more serious than in the first book but still filled with humor.  A great addition to this book was David's alien pet with an insatiable appetite.  I laughed and smiled and couldn't put the book down until I finished it. It reads like a funny Disney channel movie.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book and is has a great message.  I recommend this book to boys and girls 10-14 with it being completely appropriate for younger readers who aren't overwhelmed with the size of the book.

ARC provided by publisher

Chomp

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen follows Wahoo a boy whose father is an animal wrangler.  When a reality show contacts Wahoo's father Micky about providing animals to set up a survivalist's show he is reluctant but agrees because he needs to pay the bills.  Will Wahoo and Micky be able to handle the arrogant Derek Badger?

I loved this book.  It was engaging and funny without being afraid to tackle some heavy subjects.  I loved the setting with all of the animals and Derek Badger the fake survivalist and his reality show made for some really funny reading.  It reminded me of one of those great family movies that has you laughing throughout.  I sped though the book and was happy with the nice solid ending that wrapped everything up.

Appropriateness:  This book tackles some very difficult subjects but does so in a way that's age appropriate.  Wahoo's friend Tuna comes with them because her father who is a drunk who gave her a black eye.  Wahoo's family has dealt with financial difficulties due to his unemployment due to a medical disability.  I would recommend this book to readers 10-14 it's a nice starting point to talk about child and substance abuse and what to do if they suspect a friend is in trouble.

Review copy provided by Amazon Vine

The Sisters Grimm

The Fairy Tale Detectives, the first book in the Sisters Grimm series by Michael Buckley follows Sabrina and her sister Daphne who move in with their grandmother in a very strange town.  They immediately notice that there is something strange in the house and town.  They soon find out that the town they live in is filled with fairytale characters and they must solve a mystery to save their grandmother from a giant that is tearing up the town.

This is a fun series that intermediate and middle grade readers will enjoy.  It's got two spunky female characters who are self reliant and smart.  The mystery combines the familiar tales with an imaginative spin and also introduces the fact that the sanitized versions that our kids were introduced to are different than the originals which were much scarier. 

Appropriateness:  This is a great book for readers who have graduated into full chapter books.  The reading level is about 4.5 (lexile 840) and the book is just over three hundred pages.  The story has some minor violence (of the action variety) but is not very scary.  While the two main characters are female there are several male characters that boys will like and there is not even a hint of romance.  I would recommend this book to boys and girls 9-13 (or younger readers who can handle the size of the book).  It is interesting enough that it will work as a read aloud and first in a multi book series.

Something To Hold

Something To Hold by Katherine Schlick Noe tells the story of Kitty a white girl who moves onto an Indian reservation in the early 1960's with her father who works for the forest service.  Kitty's year starts out very rocky, she feels like an outsider in a world she doesn't understand.  She soon makes friends and finds herself confused by the differences in the way she is treated compared to her Indian classmates and neighbors.

This is a fantastic book, based on the authors own childhood, that explores what life was like for those on the reservation.  This is the type of book that belongs on a library shelf to be explored by kids for years to come.  It presents several complex issues such as racism, child abuse and injustices that Native Americans had to deal with.   I enjoyed Kitty's story and finished the book without putting it down.

Appropriateness:  There are some difficult topics in this book (addiction, abuse, racism) that are handled very appropriately for the intended audience although some adult discussion to the full context of these issues would be helpful for readers to get a full understanding of the topic.  Kitty is eleven and there is no romance.  I would recommend this book to readers 9-14.

Review Copy obtained from Amazon Vine

The Humming Room

The Humming Room by Ellen Potter is a modern retelling of The Secret Garden.  The tale begins when Roo's parents are killed.  After a short stay in foster care she is taken in by her uncle who lives in an old children's hospital that is located on an island.  Roo slowly explores the island and the home she is living in both of which are filled with secrets to be uncovered.

I loved this book.  It is a fantastic retelling for fans of the story (and for fans of the movie who aren't strong enough readers to tackle the original).  I loved all the characters and found myself really rooting for Roo.  The house is a character in itself with twists and turns that come to life.  The book is fantastic, it kept me interested and I sped through it excited to find out what would happen next. 

Appropriateness:  This is a great middle grade book that kids will love.  Roo comes from an abusive home where both of her parents are addicts.  I would recommend this book to readers 9-14.

All's Fair in Love, War, and High School

All's Fair in Love, war, and High School by Jeanette Rallison stars sarcastic cheerleader Samantha.  Samantha who is a catty cheerleader who spends time with her friends insulting everyone's fashion choices every morning.  When her ex-boyfriend Logan bets her that she can't spend the next two weeks without saying anything negative about anyone she's in for a challenge.

I've absolutely loved everything I've read recently by Jeanette Rallison but I figured I'd take her older books one at a time in case there happened to be a point where the quality dipped.  I found it with this book.  There was nothing exceptional about this book.  It seemed like one of those books that you would have found in your middle school library twenty years ago that wasn't great.  The main character is super shallow but predictability learns how to be a nicer person and gets the guy in the end (although not necessarily the one she knew she wanted).  It wasn't a bad book but it was nothing special.

Appropriateness:  There isn't any adult content in the book and the romance is very middle school.  I would recommend this book to readers 11-14 who are looking for a short easy to read romance.  The lexile is 800 putting it around a fourth grade reading level.

Sucks to Be Me

  Mina's parents are vampires and now Mina has several weeks to decide if she wants to change into a vampire and leave her life behind or stay human and loose her family. There are of course boys, best friends, the junior prom and teachers complicating her life.


This is a fun book for teens. It's a quick read and has a plot and characters that young teens will embrace. If you are a fan of Sarah Mlynowski's Magic in Manhattan series or Meg Cabot's paranormal romances then you will love this book. It is light and cute as opposed to deep sexy and scary like vampire books written for older teens.

Appropriateness:  This book has no sex scenes (and the only mentions of sex are related to sex talks with parents) which makes it appropriate for young teens and tweens who want to read about teenagers but aren't ready for books that have more adult themes. This is a perfect book for the middle school set.

Fetching

Fetching by Kiera Stewart stars Olivia a girl who lives with her grandmother a dog trainer.  Olivia and her friends have been bullied by the popular group at school so they decide to train them like dogs.  The girls find success with their methods but things are not as good on the top as they seem.

I really enjoyed this book.  While it's not the most original concept for adults it has a plot that teen and tween girls will love.  The story of girls coming up with a plan to knock the popular mean girls off the top rungs of middle school society is one that kids will love.  I enjoyed the varying characters.  The subplot about a girl who feels abandoned by her mother who is in a mental hospital is fantastic and really rounds out Olivia's character.

While some of the methods the girls (and boy) use aren't realistic there are some good lessons in the book.  The girls look for signs that the bullies are going to "attack" and deflect their behavior with distraction.  The girls have a bit of a physical transformation but nothing extreme.  Olivia gets some mascara, new jeans and some hair product, one of her friends starts wearing her hair away from her face which causes her acne to clear up a bit while another maintains her original way of dress which helps their self confidence.

Appropriateness:  This book has no adult content.  There is no romance beyond a couple crush comments.  The characters are eighth graders and nice kids.  I would recommend this book to girls 9-14.

Review copy provided by netgalley

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings

Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Helene Boudreau follows Jade who falls asleep in the tub and wakes up suddenly with a tail.  She soon learns that her Mother was a mermaid.  What she doesn't understand is how her mother the Mermaid drowned.  While walking by the lake she hears a voice and falls in and finds out that her mother is alive but has been kept as a prisoner in the lake.  Jade must figure out how to save her mother and keep her secret safe.

This was a very cute middle grade novel.  Jade is a spunky kid who doesn't need anyone to come to her rescue.  I loved the relationship that she has with her father and it's nice to read a book about a girl who has such a good relationship with her father.  It is a sweet and quick read that young readers will enjoy.

Appropriateness:  Jade is fourteen and acts like a middle schooler.  There is some period stuff that might make boys uncomfortable but besides that there is nothing inappropriate in the book.  There is a bit of romance which is mostly a crush.  I would recommend this book to readers 9-14.

Soldiers Game

 

Soldier's Game by James Killgore follows Ross, a young football (soccer) player named Ross as he learns the story of his great grandfather.  His great grandfather was a professional football player who (along with his entire team) joins the military and goes off to fight in the great war.

This is a fantastic book that combines sports and war history.  The reader is taken into the life of the soldier so they can really understand what it was like to be a soldier during world war one without feeling like you're stuck in a history book and the football sequences were fantastic.  There is a nice set of facts at the back so readers can get information about the war.  It is a short and quick read.

Appropriateness:  This is the perfect book for intermediate and middle school boys.  It is short (around 160 pages) and is full of sports and battle scenes that will encourage reluctant readers.  The war sequences are brutal but not graphic.  Ross is around 12 and while his great grandfather Jack is an adult the story is told in a way that will engage younger readers (a soccer star goes to war).  I would encourage teachers and librarians to get a copy to put on your shelf.

Review copy obtained by netgalley

The Midnight Zoo

The Midnight Zoo by Sonya Hartnett is a magical tale of three children who find a zoo in the midst of a war torn country.  Andrej, a Roma was forced to run with his brother and his baby sister after Nazi's capture his community.  At the zoo they find that the animals can talk and they share their stories.

This book felt more like real literature than most middle grade books do.  It has lots of big concepts that provide lots of potential for real thought and the prose was beautiful.  I do wish that there had been more of an overreaching plot to move the story along, however the stories of all the animals and the boys were engrossing and very well written.  There is some massive vocabulary in this book (along with beautiful descriptions) making this a good book for advanced readers.  However the book is short enough that it is finished quickly.

Appropriateness:  This book has a few difficult war scenes and asks questions that will require some higher level thinking skills (or help from an adult) to fully comprehend.  I would recommend this book to readers 10-14 with it appealing equally to boys and girls.

Review copy obtained from publisher (not sure how though, it just showed up so if you sent it to me thanks!)

Wildwood

Wildwood by Colin Meloy follows Prue and Curtis as they enter the Wildwood in search of Prue's baby brother who was kidnapped by a murder (the correct term for a flock) of crows.  The two are quickly enveloped into a fantastical land with talking animals and a great political battle and become important to the freedom of the Wildwood.

This is a great fantasy novel that kids will love.  The world building is excellent and it is full of adventure.  The characters are separate for a large portion of the book and the author does a good job of keeping the story moving while moving back and forth between the characters.  I found the book to be too long for the intended audience (it is over 500 pages) and think that will turn off many readers (it turned me off).  It is also fully in the fantasy genre and does not offer much for crossover readers.

 Appropriateness:  Curtis gets drunk off of blackberry wine in the first few chapters.  It is treated as a fantasy event (and frankly, it makes him look like an idiot) and is not treated as a fun or a good decision, he drinks the wine because he is not offered water.  It is not anything that would bother me as a parent.  There is however a large amount of gruesome violence that young children might find upsetting.  The back of my ARC says this book is for grades 3-7 and I disagree with that assessment.  The book is HUGE and there are some massive vocabulary words which lead me to believe that it is written at a far more difficult reading level than the average third or fourth grader could handle.  The length makes it too long to work as a read aloud.   I would recommend this book to readers in grades 5-8 who are fans of fantasy (both male and female).

ARC provided by publisher (not sure who actually sent me the book, it arrived at my house so if you sent it thanks! 

-- If you really want to be entertained go check out the reviews on Amazon.  There is a delightfully hysterical one star review that made me laugh, it has an absurd amount of not helpful results.

Into the Wild/ Out of the Wild

The book Into the Wild follows Julie who is the Daughter of Rapunzel.  Julie's mom and her fairy tale friends escaped from the wild years before and the wild has remained safely contained underneath Julie's bed.  When someone makes a wish at a magic wishing well the wild is released and townspeople are forced to reenact it's famous stories.  Julie must find her way through the wild, acting out pieces of fairy tales to rescue her mother and save the town from the wild and allow them to get back to their regular lives.

Into the Wild is a delightful mix of fairy tales.  It introduces readers to a large mix of fairy tales and the reader is made aware of the differences between the real versions and the Disney versions.  Julie is a spunky independent girl who is able to think and work independently and cares about her family and friends.

Appropriateness:  Aside from a little scariness this book is appropriate for all middle grade and young adult audiences.  Julie is twelve and her adventure would appeal to kids in the 9-13 year old range.  The lexile is 530 putting it at a third grade reading level making it a good book for reluctant readers.  

The sequel Out of the Wild follows Julie on another adventure fighting to save the world and it is also very good.
 

Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth

 Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Huller is the story of Cal, a boy with fire red hair that has grown up in an orphanage that is located on the sunny side of an island located in the center of the earth.  The book tells a few interrelated and interesting stories.  The story of  the discovery of a giant screw that is found at both poles, how the screw is found and how it is unscrewed creating the hole in the earth that Cal's orphanage is located inside.  The story of Cal's father and most importantly the story of Cal.  The orphanage that Cal lives in is a strange place.  They have fire poles instead of stairs and the food is horrible.  Cal sneaks out every morning to watch a man skip stones in the great artic lake.



This is a very interesting middle grade book.  It has an outlandish setting and background that kids will love.  The orphanage has a creepy but interesting vibe to it and the idea of there being a screw at the north and south pole is really interesting.  The characters are all distinct and interesting with the secondary characters having distinct and interesting personalities.  This is a book full of quirky and original characters.  There isn't much action in the book but the unfolding landscape keeps the reader interested.



Appropriateness:  There isn't anything in this book that would upset parents.  There is absolutely no romance and although the orphanage is creepy and horrible there isn't any violence.  The almost exclusively male cast makes this a book that young boys will enjoy.  I would recommend this book to kids 10-14.

Checkpoints

Checkpoints by Marilyn Levy tells the story of seventeen year old Noa who lives in Israel.  Noa lives in constant fear of suicide bombers and is frightened by Arabs in general.  When an incident happens locking down her sister's college campus Noa and her sister let an Arab girl stay with them in her dorm room.  This is the start of an unusual friendship.

This was a very good book that will help kids get a basic understanding of the situation in Israel.  While the story follows Noa who is a Jew we learn a little bit about the Palestinian viewpoint from her friendship with Maha and how complicated the situation really is.  My only real problem with the book was Noa's age.  I felt like the story was not complex enough for older teen readers and is really written for the middle grade audience.  If Noa was 12 or 14 this story would speak more to that audience.  I enjoyed the story and felt like I learned a bit without feeling like I was stuck in an afterschool special.

Appropriateness:  There is no adult content in this book.  There is a bit of romance but nothing that would put off even a very young reader.  I would recommend this book to readers 10-14.

Review copy provided by publisher

The Heroes of Olympus: The Lost Hero

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan is set in the same world as the Percy Jackson series.  This series is narrated by three characters.  Piper, a daughter of Athena whose movie star father has been kidnapped, Leo, a son of Hephaestus who can fix anything mechanical and who can withstand fire and Jason the son of Zeus who can not remember any of his past but who identifies with Romans.  These three heroes must solve the prophecy to rescue Hera who is being held against her will.

This was a fantastic introduction to a new series.  It was just enough familiar to make readers happy combined with enough new concepts and characters to make the series distinct and separate from the Percy Jackson series.  I loved the book and was able to tear through it very quickly.

Appropriateness: This book is much thicker and more descriptive than the last series and it has a bit of a romance thrown which makes it a tad more mature than the last series.  The Lexile is 660 putting it around a fourth grade level.  Because of it's length and literary references I would recommend this book to a middle school audience (although younger advanced readers who can handle the length will enjoy the book) this is a series that boys will love.

Vanished

Vanished by Sheela Chari stars Neela an Indian American who must solve a huge mystery when her Veena vanishes.  Neela brings her Veena (a traditional Indian instrument) to school to show her music class as they study world instruments.  While walking home she ducks into a church to escape the rain and stows her Veena in a closet.  When she leaves she finds that her Veena has vanished.  Neela's Veena was a gift from her grandmother in India and she finds out many special things while searching for it. 

I enjoyed reading about Neela's life.  Her parents are immigrants and she has to learn how to be both an American girl and an Indian daughter and her more traditional cousin.  I didn't however love the story.  It wasn't a light and easy read like I expect for books written for this age group.  It seemed more like one of those books that's on your teachers bookshelf that you read because you have to.  It's interesting enough but not anything that you would pick to read on your own.

Appropriateness:  I would recommend this book to readers from 10-14.  There is nothing that parents would find objectionable in the book.