Football Genius

Football Genius by Tim Green
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book that I have read by former NFL player Tim Green, and I enjoyed this one just as much as I enjoyed Football Hero. This book is set in Atlanta, and actually involves Green's former team, the Atlanta Falcons, but the story really is about Troy, a middle school-age boy who is a great quarterback, but who never gets to play. He feels it is because the coach plays favorites, (his son), and Troy also feels slighted because he does not have a dad. Troy does have two great friends, Tate, a girl who is a great kicker, and his friend Nathan. Troy has one other gift, a football sense, where he can anticipate what plays are going to happen on the field. It all leads to a great story, with some pretty exciting scenes.


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Wonder

Wonder by R.J. Palacio
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a very, very good story. I will certainly be getting it for the Maxson MS library collection. It seems as if writing about young people with different kinds of disabilities seems to be in vogue, as I had read Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper just a few weeks ago. This is the story of a boy, his mother and father, his sister, and the friends he meets as he enters school for the first time as a fifth grader. August was born with a rare condition, which has left his face so deformed, that most people gasp and look away when they see him. So, starting school in fifth grade is a huge step for him, and for all those people who care so much about him.
It is told by the different voices, but mostly by Auggie, and it is so well written that I could not put it down. A great read for all middle school students, (and adults, too.)


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Smiles to Go

Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I usually really love a Jerry Spinelli book. He has written so many beautiful books, like Maniac Magee, Stargirl, and one of my favorites, Who Put That Hair in My Toothbrush? I always used to read that one to my classes. Smiles to Go seems like a combination of a few of his novels. It is a love story with some science thrown in, but there is also sibling rivalry, friendship issues, and a lot of other good middle school angst. A good read for both boys and girls in 6th or 7th grade.


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My Voki

Children of the Great Depression

Children of the Great Depression by Russell Freedman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very good non-fiction book about the children who lived through the depression, from all areas of our country. There are photos of children from the rural south, the northern cities, and the migrant camps of California. There are pictures of kids hopping trains, and outside of a school in West Virginia. It amazes me that these kids grew up during this difficult time, and became the greatest generation--the heroes of WW II.
A great book to read, or, just to look at the incredible pictures.


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Out of My Mind

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is a wonderfully written book that every teacher and middle school student should read. This is the story of Melody, a remarkable 11 year-old who thinks thousands of words in her mind, but is not able to speak aloud. She has cerebral palsy, and terrific, supportive parents, and a wonderful neighbor who has always believed in her. The story is Melody's struggle to find a way to communicate with her world. It is also a story of good and very bad teachers, and kids who are cruel. I was very moved by this story. Bravo, Ms. Draper.


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"I'll Fight You For The Library" performed by Taylor Mali

Secret Saturdays

Secret Saturdays by Torrey Maldonado
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a very different kind of story about friendship. Justin and Sean are best friends, they have each other's back in school and on the streets. It's a rough neighborhood, Red Hook, Brooklyn, and the two boys do not want to fight with fists, but with words. School is important to them. And then, Sean begins to change, turning into a bully, and Justin wants to know why. The story rings true, and that could be because the author grew up in Red Hook, and was a teacher in a New York City public school. The dialogue is real, and so are the problems these two boys face. This is a book that middle school boys and girls might enjoy, if they give it a chance.


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Freaky Green Eyes

Freaky Green Eyes by Joyce Carol Oates
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a book that I could not put down. Francesca, or, Franky (as she likes to be called) is a 14 year-old, whose father is a famous retired football player- turned-announcer. She seems to have this great life, but very quickly, the reader discovers that Franky's father has a super short temper, is brutal and has his wife and children terrified of making him angry. This is a scary novel, that moves quickly. I would recommend this book for Maxson's mature 8th grade readers.


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Temple Grandin

Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World by Sy Montgomery
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a very interesting biography, dealing with a subject that many middle school students know very little about--autism. Temple Grandin was very lucky that she had such a brave and loving mother, because at the age of three, Temple's father wanted to put her away in a mental institution because she was not normal. She was diagnosed with autism, a disorder of the brain. This was way back in 1950, when most people had no idea what autism was.
This book does a wonderful job in explaining how Temple grew up, and was able to go to college. It tells this story with photographs and diagrams of Temple's work. Temple has been able to become a scientist and professor of animal science at Colorado State University, and has changed the livestock industry with her incredible designs for handling cattle. The author writes this story in a clear, straight-forward way. We see the many trials Temple had to deal with, as she learned what she needed to do to help change the world's view of people with autism.


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13: Thirteen stories that capture the agony and ecstasy of being thirteen

13: Thirteen Stories That Capture the Agony and Ecstasy of Being Thirteen by James Howe
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is a collection of short stories by some really good writers. I thought some of the stories were good, and some were just OK. I would definitely say the very last story, Tina the Teen Fairy, by Ann Martin and Laura Godwin was my favorite--short, cute, and funny. Some of the stories were way too serious, but a reader could always skip them. The stories are meant for both boys and girls, but I don't think too many middle school boys will find them that interesting.


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Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting

Truce: The Day the Soldiers Stopped Fighting by Jim Murphy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another very good non-fiction book from Jim Murphy--this time about the First World War. Murphy does a very good job explaining how the war began, without getting too complicated. There are actual photos and some illustrations of both sides, which brings this war to life. The remarkable truce that happened on a cold Christmas Eve during the fighting, is a remarkable story.


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Maximum Ride the Angel Experiment

The Angel Experiment by James Patterson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was non-stop action, from the opening pages right to the end, when I said to myself, "I think I really need to read the next book in the series". I'm not a particular fan of James Patterson, and the writing style in this book is pretty basic, but I will admit the action and dangerous situations will definitely keep middle school and high school students on the edge of their seats.
Max and her crew are on the run. They are a group of kids that have been genetically modified- they all have some kind of super power. Max, for example, has great strength. They escaped from the "school" where the scientists experimented on them as if they were lab rats. Oh, and by the way, they all have wings and can fly! Now, it looks like the scientists who created them, want them back in the lab. Lots of fun!


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The Truth about Truman School

The Truth about Truman School by Dori Hillestad Butler
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

An absolutely up-to-date book on social media and bullying on the middle school level. Zebby and Amr are friends, and they are not part of the "cool" kids at Truman Middle School. They decide to set-up a webpage, when the school newspaper becomes too restrictive. Zebby just wants to have a discussion on the important issues at Truman, but things go terrible wrong. The website takes off, but it becomes a forum to attack one particular girl. A quick read, told by the different voices of the students at Truman. Very realistic.


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City of Orphans

City of Orphans by Avi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another good story from Avi, with a tale of turn-of-the-century New York, very poor immigrant families, tough gangs and cruel gang bosses. This book is a detective story wrapped around a family story. The story moves along quickly, and young people today can see how life was quite difficult for the immigrants back in the old days. Children are working for very low wages in unsafe conditions, and there is no one to protect them. Maks, the main character, is a thirteen year-old newsboy, who is not in school, but works selling newspapers on the streets, to help out his family. His older sister, who works in the new, Waldorf Astoria hotel, gets arrested for stealing an expensive watch. It's up to Maks to try to get his sister out of jail. With the help of a new friend, a homeless orphan named Willa, the friends do their best to save Maks' sister.


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Things Not Seen

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A very different premise for a serious story--fifteen year-old Bobby wakes up one morning, and when he looks in the mirror, he can't see himself. He knows that he's there, he can feel himself, and he can wear clothing, but, he's invisible. His parents, who he didn't seem to get along with even before this happened, are not taking this well. They want him to hide, to tell no one, and Bobby feels that they are not getting what he is going through, they are only thinking about themselves. He meets a blind girl, Alicia, when he sneaks out to the library, and weirdly enough, they form a quick friendship.  Together they try to find a solution to Bobby's problem. Thought-provoking.


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I Know What You Did Last Summer

I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan


I read Lois Duncan's book, Killing Mr. Griffin many years ago, and enjoyed it. I thought it was a good story that 8th graders could really get in to, as Mr. Griffin is a hated high school English teacher. I know that this book, I Know What You Did Last Summer was made into a movie a few years back, so I was looking forward to the story. Unfortunately, it's almost the exact story as Mr. Griffin, the same premise. A group of young people, while out for a fun summer night, mistakenly hit a young boy riding his bike, and leave him for dead. They try to cover this up, instead of "doing the right  thing". A year later, they all start receiving ominous notes, making them believe that someone else knows their terrible secret. The story moves quickly, and does hold some suspense. Again, I think eighth graders will enjoy this..


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2013 National African American Read-In

2013 National African American Read-In
Our Read-In at Maxson is on Thursday, February 28th.

Climbing the Stairs

Climbing the Stairs by Padma Venkatraman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A very, very good story!This is very different from most of the books in the Maxson LMC. This story takes place in India, just at the start of WWII, which was also a time when the country was rebelling against British rule. The author does a terrific job of taking us inside the life of Vidya, a strong-willed fifteen year-old, who has dreams of going to college. Many Indian women at that time had no rights, and were treated like second-class citizens. There is a terrible attack on Vidya's father, which she feels responsible for, and her life takes a terrible turn. She is able to escape through books, and, a handsome young man who stands up for her. A family story, a story of India and its customs, a love story, all rolled into a well-written novel. I would recommend this to 7th and 8th grade young ladies, but boys may enjoy this, too.


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Ninth Ward

Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a beautiful story about a special twelve-year-old girl named Lanesha, who lives in New Orleans with Mama Ya-Ya. It is hurricane season, and Katrina is bearing down on the city. Lanesha is different from most of the 7th grade girls in her school, she has no friends, but Lanesha can "see" ghosts, she sees her own mother almost every day. The writing is beautiful, the tension builds as the big storm is about to hit, and Lanesha does what she has to do to survive. Good story, great characters.


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Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a very interesting and quirky book, and I have to admit, I don't think I've ever read such a weird story. Peculiar children is putting it mildly, these kids were downright scary. The story involves time travel, WWII, and some scary otherworldly beasts, that come together on a remote fishing island off of Scotland's coast. What was pretty unique about this book, is that there are "real" photographs to go along with the story, and you find yourself studying them. I was fascinated with the story, which becomes a page-turner, and I was slightly surprised at the ending.

This is a first novel for the author, Ransom Riggs, and I can't wait to see what comes next.


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