Our 2014 Summer Recommendations

This list is compiled by Kate (11) and Kris. Some of our favorite (recent) Middle Grade reads.

We're excited about AT YOUR SERVICE by Jennifer Malone -- due out in August 2014

from Goodreads.com

Thirteen-year-old Chloe Turner wants nothing more than to follow in Dad’s footsteps as a respected concierge in a posh NYC hotel. After all, living at a hotel is heaven, and perks like free concert tickets and all-access passes to boutiques, restaurants, and attractions aren’t too shabby either.
When the spoiled brat child of an important guest is only placated by some quick thinking on Chloe’s part, Chloe is awarded the role of Junior Concierge. But she might be in over her head when tasked with tending to the every whim of three royal guests: a twelve-year-old princess who can’t stand Chloe, a cute fourteen year-old prince(!), and their ten-year-old sister, who has a nasty knack for getting herself lost. After the youngest princess slips Chloe’s care, Chloe and the remaining royals must embark on an event-filled hunt for her through NYC’s best tourist spots.

This is a fun, seat-of-the-pants adventure. 

THE EMERALD ATLAS by John Stephens

from Goodreads.com 

 Called “A new Narnia for the tween set” by the New York Times and perfect for fans of the His Dark Materials series, The Emerald Atlas brims with humor and action as it charts Kate, Michael, and Emma's extraordinary adventures through an unfo
rgettable, enchanted world.

These three siblings have been in one orphanage after another for the last ten years, passed along like lost baggage.

Yet these unwanted children are more remarkable than they could possibly imagine. Ripped from their parents as babies, they are being protected from a horrible evil of devastating power, an evil they know nothing about.

Until now.

Before long, Kate, Michael, and Emma are on a journey through time to dangerous and secret corners of the world...a journey of allies and enemies, of magic and mayhem.  And—if an ancient prophesy is correct—what they do can change history, and it is up to them to set things right.

From the author of Artemis Fowl, a great new time travel adventure. 

THE RELUCTANT ASSASSIN by Eoin Colfer

from Goodreads.com

The reluctant assassin is Riley, a Victorian boy who is suddenly plucked from his own time and whisked into the twenty-first century, accused of murder and on the run.

Riley has been pulled into the FBI's covert W.A.R.P. operation (Witness Anonymous Relocation Program). He and young FBI Agent Chevie Savano are forced to flee terrifying assassin-for-hire Albert Garrick, who pursues Riley through time and will not stop until he has hunted him down. Barely staying one step ahead, Riley and Chevie must stay alive and stop Garrick returning to his own time with knowledge and power that could change the world forever.

One of our favorite time travel novels (are you sensing a theme?)

THE TIME TRAVELERS
(also known as GIDEON THE CUTPURSE) by Linda Buckley-Archer

from Goodreads.com

Gideon Seymour, cutpurse and gentleman, hides from the villainous Tar Man. Suddenly the sky peels away like fabric and from the gaping hole fall two curious-looking children. Peter Schock and Kate Dyer have fallen straight from the twenty-first century, thanks to an experiment with an antigravity machine. Before Gideon and the children have a chance to gather their wits, the Tar Man takes off with the machine -- and Kate and Peter's only chance of getting home. Soon Gideon, Kate, and Peter are swept into a journey through eighteenth-century London and form a bond that, they hope, will stand strong in the face of unfathomable treachery.




We love this contemporary Middle Grade...lots of Broadway Show name dropping! 

BETTER NATE THAN EVER by Tim Federle

from Goodreads.com

 Nate Foster has big dreams. His whole life, he’s wanted to star in a Broadway show. (Heck, he'd settle for *seeing* a Broadway show.) But how is Nate supposed to make his dreams come true when he’s stuck in Jankburg, Pennsylvania, where no one (except his best pal Libby) appreciates a good show tune? With Libby’s help, Nate plans a daring overnight escape to New York. There's an open casting call for E.T.: The Musical, and Nate knows this could be the difference between small-town blues and big-time stardom

 
We love Disney, so this adventure around the parks is a favorite.

THE KINGDOM KEEPERS (DISNEY AFTER DARK) by Ridley Pearson 

from Goodreads.com

In this fantastical novel, Disney's Magic Kingdom suddenly becomes a bit eerie. Finn Whitman and four other teens have been hired as Disney World guides, but with an odd twist: With cutting-edge technology, they have been transformed into hologram projections capable of leading guests around the park. What begins as an exciting theme park job turns into a virtual nightmare as Finn and his pals attempt to thwart an uprising by a menacing group of Disney villains.

A fun mystery, with a twist ending. I love the friendship in this one.

THE WIG IN THE WINDOW by Kristen Kittscher

from Goodreads.com

Best friends and seventh graders Sophie Young and Grace Yang have made a game out of spying on their neighbors. On one of their midnight stakeouts, they witness a terrifying, bloody scene at the home of their bizarre middle-school counselor, Dr. Charlotte Agford (aka Dr. Awkward).

At least, they think they do. The truth is that Dr. Agford was only making her famous pickled beets! But when Dr. Agford begins acting even weirder than usual, Sophie and Grace become convinced that she’s hiding something—and they’re determined to find out what it is.

Soon the girls are breaking secret codes, being followed by a strange blue car, and tailing strangers with unibrows and Texas accents. But as their investigation heats up, Sophie and Grace start to crack under the pressure. They might solve their case, but will their friendship survive?

Perfect for fans of The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Wig in the Window is a smart, funny middle-grade mystery with a REAR WINDOW twist.

We haven't read this one yet, but we love Anna's other books, so we're really excited to pick this one up!

THE DIRT DIARY by Anna Staniszewski  

from Goodreads.com

 

WANTED: Maid for the most popular kids in 8th grade.

Cleaning up after the in-crowd gets Rachel all the best dirt.

Rachel can't believe she has to give up her Saturdays to scrubbing other people's toilets. So. Gross. But she kinda, sorta stole $287.22 from her college fund that she's got to pay back ASAP or her mom will ground her for life. Which is even worse than working for her mother's new cleaning business. Maybe. After all, becoming a maid is definitely not going to help her already loserish reputation.

But Rachel picks up more than smell socks on the job. As maid to some of the most popular kids in school, Rachel suddenly has all the dirt on the 8th grade in-crowd. Her formerly boring diary is now filled with juicy secrets. And when her crush offers to pay her to spy on his girlfriend, Rachel has to decide if she's willing to get her hands dirty..

Make a Mark: Meeting Peter H. Reynolds

On Saturday, I attended Draw On Day at the Blue Bunny Bookstore in Dedham, MA. The Blue Bunny is an adorable independent bookstore owned and operated by author/illustrator Peter H. Reynolds and his family. I took my wee artist and a friend--they are huge Judy Moody fans (the middle grade books that Peter illustrates) and they love to draw. And I wanted to meet Peter. It was a win/win.

The girls spent an hour on the floor drawing with Peter and a few other kids. What a wonderful experience to spend such quality time with a favorite artist. He showed them how artists can create art wherever they are (and on whatever they can find!). They drew on napkins, cardboard, the floor. He even had an orange that he'd created a character out of.

I chatted a bit with Peter about writing and agents--and how great they are for brainstorming and vetting your work (I couldn't agree more--shout out to Agent Vickie!). We also talked about how kids shouldn't ever stop creating, cause when they do, it's sometimes hard to get it back as an adult. He made the girls promise to "always make a mark" -- which is a wonderful philosophy for kids, as well as adults.

Thanks to Peter and the rest of the gang at the Blue Bunny! We'll be back!

THE POPULARITY PAPERS by Amy Ignatow

Okay, so technically, the blog series I hosted with Jon is over. But I read Amy Ignatow's Popularity Papers based on a recommendation by Kate Messner. And guess what? I found gay parents in a middle grade book. Not an issues book. But a regular old graphic-type novel. Just there. Adding to the fabric of the story. Adding to one of the character's, well, character.

From Goodreads:

Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang are best friends with one goal: to crack the code of popularity. Lydia’s the bold one: aspiring theater star, stick-fighting enthusiast, human guinea pig. Julie’s the shy one: observer and artist, accidental field hockey star, faithful recorder. In this notebook they write down their observations and carry out experiments to try to determine what makes the popular girls tick. But somehow, when Lydia and Julie try to imitate the popular girls, their efforts don’t translate into instant popularity. Lydia ends up with a bald spot, their parents won’t stop yelling, and Julie finds herself the number-one crush of Roland Asbjørnsen. Worse, they seem to be drifting farther and farther from their goal—and each other.
Amy Ignatow’s hilarious debut novel introduces the intrepid fifth-graders Julie and Lydia, whose quest to understand popularity may not succeed in the ways they want, but will succeed in keeping readers in stitches.

***

You might notice, gay parents aren't even mentioned in the blurb. Huh. Isn't that awesome? It's a great book--my eight-year-old is reading it as I type this. True, real life characters, awesome art and graphically cool, and a very fast read. There are also two sequels which I haven't yet read.


You can read more about Amy Ignatow at www.amyignatow.com.

PETER NIMBLE AND HIS FANTASTIC EYES by Jonathan Auxier

I had the fantastic good fortune to win an ARC of this book a few weeks ago from the author, Jonathan Auxier. I also won a t-shirt (note to self, add t-shirts to marketing ideas).

First of all, do you not LOVE this cover? There are so many little details about the story on this cover. From Peter's blindfold, to his burgle-sack, to the ravens. It sort of reminds me of Peter Pan--and while the story is NOT at all like Peter Pan, it does have a really spectacular magical quality and je ne sais quoi. (Did I just use French in this review???)


This is Jonathan Auxier's first novel. Though, from what I've read of his background, he's a screenwriter and journalist. I think he's found his calling in Middle Grade novelist. 

The voice has a little bit of a Lemony Snicket snark (pulling the reader in through a second person "speaking to the camera" style). I also love that the setting is sort of a 19th century London, though the town is never specified.



From Goodreads:


Now, for those of you who know anything about blind children, you are aware that they make the very best thieves. As you can well imagine, blind children have incredible senses of smell, and they can tell what lies behind a locked door- be it fine cloth, gold, or peanut brittle- at fifty paces. Moreover, their fingers are so small and nimble that they can slip right through keyholes, and their ears so keen that they can hear the faint clicks and clacks of every moving part inside even the most complicated lock. Of course, the age of great thievery has long since passed;today there are few child-thieves left, blind or otherwise. At one time, however, the world was simply thick with them. This is the story of the greatest thief who ever lived. His name, as you've probably guessed, is Peter Nimble.

This synopsis from Goodreads gives you a little hint of the voice. 

As you can probably already guess, I loved this book. I loved the character of Peter, with the combination of awesome thieving talent and his little boy naivety. Peter's friend, Sir Tode, is the most unusual sidekick I've ever seen--he's part horse, part kitten, and part knight. It gives him some unusual skills as well as some very difficult challenges (try sailing a ship with hooves when you're the size of a kitten).

There are some relatively violent scenes--I'd put this book firmly in the 10+ Middle Grade range (or younger if you think your child can handle some warring apes, plucky ravens, and homicidal brainwashed adults. Be prepared, creatures die.) 

If you want something different, a great adventure, or a book for reluctant readers (boys and girls), I'd highly recommend PETER NIMBLE AND HIS FANTASTIC EYES by Jonathan Auxier. 

I've had the pleasure of interviewing the author--stay tuned for that interview coming up this week or next.

Where ARE the gay parents in children's literature???

Thank you to everyone who tweeted or commented on the series that Jon Arnston and I have championed this week and last.

The good news is that there ARE gay parents present in children's literature. Just as there are gay children and teenagers. The bad news is there aren't nearly enough--it doesn't nearly reflect our actual society.

To me, it's important that middle grade and young adult books reflect the family structures of our target audience--of course that doesn't mean every book has to reflect every family. It's been good to find out that there are books out there who celebrate diverse family structures. I will continue to add to my reading list, and post reviews when I have them, under this banner (thanks to Jon for creating it!)

If you're interested in seeing the reading list, it's on this post, right here.

Please feel free to continue the dialogue!

IN OUR MOTHERS’ HOUSE by Patricia Polacco

This is part of a series spotlighting gay parents in Children’s Literature. Please visit Jonathan Arnston’s blog for more.

From Goodreads:

Marmee, Meema, and the kids are just like any other family on the block. In their beautiful house, they cook dinner together, they laugh together, and they dance together. But some of the other families don't accept them. They say they are different. How can a family have two moms and no dad? But Marmee and Meema's house is full of love. And they teach their children that different doesn't mean wrong. And no matter how many moms or dads they have, they are everything a family is meant to be.

My review:

IN OUR MOTHERS’ HOUSE is wordy for a traditional picture book. It's always interesting to see how the "rules" can be broken. Author/illustrator Patricia Polacco does what she does best—tells a lovely story with words and pictures. The story is told in first person from the perspective of the oldest child. And it brings them full circle to when the children are grown and having their own children.

I totally thought it was a true story, but the jacket flap says that Patricia wanted to showcase the family structures of many of the children she was meeting at her author visits. I love that.

Philomel, 2009

Visit Patricia Polacco at her website.

EARTHSHINE by Theresa Nelson

This is part of a series spotlighting gay parents in YA and MG. Please visit Jonathan Arnston’s blog for more. See my posts from earlier this week.

From School Library Journal: Twelve-year-old Slim's father, Mack, is dying of AIDS, which seems incongruous for a man who brings life into a room just by walking into it. When she reluctantly joins a group of contemporaries who have relatives dying of the disease, she meets Isaiah, 11, whose optimism makes her sad and hopeful at the same time. Slim's first-person narrative concentrates on herself, her father, and Larry, his lover and devoted companion, and their relationship with Isaiah and his loving mother.

Nelson uses all her tools skillfully. The violent swings of weather and natural phenomena of the Los Angeles area- hard rains, brilliant sun, an earthquake with its unsettling aftershocks-reflect Slim's roller-coaster emotions. Major and minor characters are real people and never case studies. And the author's use of language expresses both the action and underlying feelings while remaining true to the voice of the narrator. The gripping story, which includes a healthy dose of humor, ends gently with Mack's death. This special book should find a wide audience. Amy Kellman, The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

My review:  

I almost can’t say it better than Ms. Kellman, though that review was written in 1994. In fact, my only criticism of the book is that it is less contemporary than the one I reviewed yesterday, which certainly isn’t the book’s fault. It had me marveling that we don’t hear about people dying of AIDS in the same way as the early 90’s. The way the book is written, however, any disease could be substituted and it would still ring true. It’s a book about how a girl comes to terms with her family. She realizes that sometimes people don’t have to be related by blood to be family.

In particular, I loved the character of Larry. He quietly helps his partner leave this earth, while caring for Slim. Yes, you’ll cry at the end. Have hankies handy

EARTHSHINE seems to be classified as YA, but I’d say upper MG. Published by Laurel Leaf, 1994

Visit Theresa Nelson, here.