Counting by 7s

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book when I first started reading it, but the story grew on me. I ended up really liking it, and even shedding a few tears. It is the remarkable and tragic story of Willow Chance, a young girl who doesn't function like most of the world. She sees everything in terms of numbers, or spatially, well, just all very different from the way I think. She has a great mathematical and scientific mind, but, not many friends.She loves gardening and plants, too. And then, just as she is beginning middle school, her parents are killed in a car crash. Willow encounters a number of people who will alter her life forever, as she is getting ready to enter the foster care system. Very quirky characters, including her school guidance counselor, and at times the story is told through the adult's eyes, so readers have to stay on their toes.


View all my reviews

Dunk

Dunk by David Lubar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I loved David Lubar's Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie", and so I picked up this one from the Maxson library. Chad is a high school student with the whole summer before him, and, he lives at the Jersey shore. His dad is gone, and so it's just him and his mom, who is always taking courses at night to better herself. Chad is not an angel, but he's not a bad kid, either. This summer, he really wants a job at the dunk tank on the boardwalk. Chad feels that he would be great at insulting people, yelling at people, really speaking his mind from the cage. There is also a summer love interest, Gwen, to add to the drama of Chad's summer. His best friend, Jason, gets really sick, and Chad is dealing with a lot of issues that just might ruin his summer, and change his life. A coming of age story about friendships, responsibility, and the Jersey shore.


View all my reviews

Silhouetted by the Blue

Silhouetted by the Blue by Traci L. Jones
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Serena is a 7th grader who has a lot on her plate. She's trying out for the lead in her school play, The Wiz, and of course, trying to keep up with all the school work. But, there's more than that, she is acting as mom to her little brother, and coping with her dad who is suffering from depression. Serena's mom was killed in a car crash the year before, and her dad can't deal with his sorrow, to the point where he is ignoring his family. I like Serena, she is a great character, but as you read this book, you really wonder how she is going to make it, and will her family survive. Good story.


View all my reviews

Under the Mesquite

Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Lupita is the oldest of eight children, entering high school, and very ambitious. But, she knows her Mami is keeping a secret from them all, and when Lupita finds out that her mother has cancer, she feels her world slipping away. The family, living in Texas, is very close-knit, and Lupita's father has been working hard, trying to make a better life for all of them. Beautifully written in free style poetry, I was captivated by all of the characters,and moved by their story. I did shed a few tears, because losing a mother, whatever age you are, is one of the most difficult sorrows in life.


View all my reviews

Three Times Lucky

Three Times Lucky by Sheila Turnage
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I so enjoyed this book. The characters are quirky and real, with scoundrels and real-life heroes. I love books that have a small town setting, and this story takes place in Tupelo Landing in North Carolina, where everybody knows your name.  And what story would not be complete without a protagonist who was found one stormy night by a flooding river, and taken in by two very strange, but loving, adults? Enter a best friend who will do anything for you, and then, a murder, and you have a terrific read. This is one of those stories that can be enjoyed by both girls and boys, and is a good fit for grades 6-8.


View all my reviews

Anya's Ghost

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed this graphic novel very much. Anya, the main character, is a high school misfit, not having that many friends. She believes it is because she is a bit overweight, and her family has emigrated here from Russia. She has worked hard to lose her accent, but she is lonely. Walking alone in a park, she falls down an abandoned well, and meets a ghost. It seems as if this ghost really wants to help Anya, but of course, things take a bad turn. I loved Anya's mother.


View all my reviews

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo Da Vinci: Giants of Science #1 by Kathleen Krull
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I was rather disappointed in this book. da Vinci was such a fascinating man, painter and inventor, that I feel a book for young people must at least include illustrations of his many sketches. This book does not do that, and it's a shame. There are so many excellent biographies for middle school and high school readers today, which captivate our interests. I fear that when a middle school student takes this book off the shelf, and sees virtually no illustrations, maps or portraits, they will not give this book a chance. I know that this book is part of the Giants of Science series, and the author does not elaborate on the artistic side of da Vinci, but there could still be illustrations of his inventions. There is some very good information, and I do hope that some young people will at least try to read this.


View all my reviews

Beautiful Creatures

Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I know a lot of 8th grade girls are going to disagree with me, but I did not love this novel. I liked the setting, South Carolina, and the fact that there was a touch of Civil War history, and I did like the characters, Ethan and Lena, and I was rooting for them as a couple, but...
The story takes place in a small town, where Ethan is in high school, on the basketball team, but is mourning the death of his mom. His father has hidden himself away in his room, and so when Lena comes in to town and begins school, Ethan feels as if he instantly connects to her. That's probably because he has been dreaming about her every night, even though he had never met her before. But strange things happen around Lena, she can make windows shatter, and storms weak havoc.
I thought this was a bit drawn out, lots of repetition, but young ladies who love romance, psychic phenomena and weird families, will love this.


View all my reviews

Small as an Elephant

Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is another book about elephants, but really, this book is about a young boy named Jack who has a very dysfunctional mother. The story opens with Jack and his mom on a camping trip to Acadia National Park in Maine. When Jack wakes up on the first morning, his mother is gone. She has left him all alone at a campsite, and we learn that she has done crazy things like this in the past. He loves his mother, and so will not report this to the police, but actually tries to find her. I could not put this book down, because I was fascinated with how Jack managed to be on his own for a few days, trying to make his way back to the Boston area, and his apartment. It is also a story about mental illness, and how children suffer as a result of parents not seeking medical help.


View all my reviews

The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a wonderful story! This is the tale of Ivan, a silverback gorilla, who is living in captivity in a mall and video arcade off of I-95. He has two special friends, Stella, an elephant, and a small dog named Bob. His "domain" is small, and it's hard for him to remember what it was like as a young gorilla in the jungle. When a baby elephant comes to join this sorry circus, Stella is dying, but makes Ivan promise to take care of baby Ruth when she is gone.  This very simple, but heartwarming story, is beautifully written. I highly recommend it, even for reluctant readers.


View all my reviews

Helen Keller Courage in Darkness

Helen Keller: Courage in Darkness by Emma Carlson Berne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a fascinating biography of a very remarkable person. We all know that Helen Keller was some woman in history who was deaf and blind, but this book reveals so much more. Her life spanned some of the most interesting times in modern history, and this book intertwines these events with Helen's life smoothly and clearly.  There are many actual photographs, and so many things that I never knew. Helen actually was in silent movies, and in vaudeville. She took up many social causes, and of course, helped change the way the world views disabled people. She died in 1968! I would recommend this for 7th grade and up.


View all my reviews

Searching for Sarah Rector

Searching for Sarah Rector: The Richest Black Girl in America by Tonya Bolden
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is a book full of information, photos, sidebars, and notes. There is everything you wanted to know about the Oklahoma oil boom, the African-Americans who lived in Indian Territory during the early 1900's, and good people and bad people, of both races. I thought this would read more like the other informational books for middle school students that I love,  but unfortunately, this book left me with more questions than answers. The narrative does not flow like a story, in fact, it reads more like a dry history text. It seems as if there was just not enough actual data on Sarah Rector, and nothing in her own words, and so, it left me disappointed.


View all my reviews

The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano

The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano by Sonia Manzano
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The setting: El Barrio in NYC, during the turbulent late 60's. Evelyn is a young Puerto Rican girl, who lives with her mother and father, and is just at the point where she is trying to become her own person. She looks at her mother, and sees a tired old woman, who cares only about her dream to own a home. Her father, too, is always working in their store. And then, that summer of 1969, her grandmother walks into her life. This woman is the opposite of her mother, and Evelyn is caught in between the two women's constant arguing. Things are changing in the Barrio, as protests grow and a group of young people, The Young Lords, take over Evelyn's church, so that they can start a preschool in the neighborhood. There are clashes with the police, and Evelyn's grandmother is right there, protesting with the Young Lords. Evelyn has many decisions to make, as life begins to change for the people in her neighborhood.


View all my reviews

The Prince of Mist

The Prince of Mist by Carlos Ruiz Zafón
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book is a creepy, chilling story of a demon, kind of like maybe, Satan? It takes place in a seaside town someplace in Europe. It is during war time, and Max's father wants to move his family from the dangerous city, to a safer place. He finds a ramshackle house that holds a few, very dark secrets. Max and his sister meet Roland, who tells them the story of a shipwreck, which leads to a story about a sinister character named Dr. Cain. Well, of course Max and his sister, Alicia,  get caught up in the terror. Max's little sister is pushed down the stairs by an evil force, and is in a coma, and the demon is unleashed.


View all my reviews

Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai: Education Activist by Rebecca Rowell

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a very interesting biography of the young Pakistani girl who was attacked for standing up for something she and her family believed in--the freedom for girls to go to school. This may not sound that interesting for most middle school students, who sometimes think that school is boring, and cuts into their time on Facebook or YouTube. But for Malala, it was a major issue, because she lived in a place where the Taliban ruled, and they actually tried to assassinate her as she was coming home from school. The book is filled with lots of photos, and many sidebars with some good information on Pakistan, rights for girls, and what life is like in a typical town in Pakistan. 

View all my reviews

The Fault in Our Stars

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really liked Looking for Alaska, and so I was anticipating another excellent book from Mr. Green. I know a lot of teens have raved about this story, too. I was rather disappointed by it. The story is about two teens, Augustus and Hazel, who meet at a support group for teens battling cancer. Yikes, right? Mr. Green does not make this depressing, though, but rather amusing. They are extremely witty, intelligent teens, who are quite willing to face their horrific medical problems. I actually liked Hazel's parents, who come off as being very real people who are dealing with their teenage daughter who happens to be very sick. It's a love story, but more than that. I think girls will like this better than boys, and bring along your tissues.


View all my reviews

Divergent

Divergent by Veronica Roth
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I guess I should not be comparing this book with Hunger Games, but I can't help myself. Both books have a female character who appear to have great strength and endurance, and exhibit such bravery that it's mind boggling, but...I fell in love with Katnis, but never felt the same connection with Tris.  Both books take place in the future, in a dystopian world, but it seems that Tris' world is not as cruel, there is a government, and most people are taken care of. Don't get me wrong, Divergent is a good story, and it did keep me reading to the end. In Tris' world, at the age of sixteen you take a series of tests, and are placed in your community. There are a few exceptions, where you don't exactly fit, and you are considered Divergent, which can be dangerous. There is a love interest, and the training seems to go on and on, but the real action doesn't start until the last few chapters in the book. I'm not sure if I will read the next book in the series. We'll see.


View all my reviews

Inside Out and Back Again

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a beautiful, beautifully written story. This is based on the author's life as a young girl in Saigon, South Vietnam, just at the end of the Vietnamese War, and takes us all the way to Alabama. Ha's father, an officer in the their navy, has been missing, and her mother is trying to keep a roof over their heads, and food on the table for her and her three brothers. As the Communist troops draw closer, they realize they have to leave. With Canada, France or the USA as their choices, the family votes on the USA. They are sponsored by a kindly man from Alabama, who has a rather unkindly wife. Ha finds herself in school, an outcast, not speaking the language, and with some very mean children to deal with.  With it's simple, sparing style, the author gives us a glimpse into this very important year in Ha's life. A very quick read, but very memorable.


View all my reviews

Jefferson's Sons

Jefferson's Sons by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is an interesting tale of one of our most important Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson. Yes, the man who penned the Declaration of Independence did indeed own slaves on his plantation, Monticello, in Virginia. He was also the father of Sally Hemings' children, Beverly, Harriet, Madison, and Eston. Sally Hemings was one of Jefferson's slaves. The story is told through the eyes of all four children, who have been told that they will be free when they turn 21, as promised by Jefferson to their mother. Sally tells her children that when they leave Monticello, they will "pass" as white people, and live with all the advantages of white people at that time. I'm not sure all of the historic facts are accurate, and for sure, the dialogue is not, but it is an interesting piece of historical fiction.


View all my reviews

Within Reach My Everest Story

Within Reach: My Everest Story by Mark Pfetzer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is a very interesting story of a young boy's determination to climb Mt. Everest. It is not just a thirteen year-old's fantasy, Mark is so focused and willing, that he gives up at least 3 high school years to pursue this quest. It is told as if Mark is keeping a journal, from when he first discovers mountain climbing on a camping trip when he is in the seventh grade. Mark becomes obsessed with climbing, and like any obsessed kid, it becomes his heart's desire to find a way to eventually climb Everest. I will say, I am pretty amazed at how he came up with the money to do all the traveling, buy the equipment and train on "smaller" mountains until he goes for Everest. Obviously, he is not your typical teenager. This is an amazing journey, and it is told through Mark's teenage eyes.


View all my reviews

A dog's Life The Autobiography of a Stray

A Dog's Life: Autobiography of a Stray by Ann M. Martin
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Reading this book reminded me of Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell, which I read when I was a little girl, a long time ago. Even though I was a city girl, who had no pets at all, that book allowed me to see what a horse might be thinking or feeling as it meets up with both good and bad humans. Well, Ann M. Martin does a very good job on letting us see what life may be like for a stray dog. Squirrel and her brother Bone are born in a barn, and begin their lives as two close companions. As they grow a bit older, their mother leaves them, and eventually, Squirrel is on her own. There are good and bad humans, and good and bad animals, but the writing allows us to believe everything that Squirrel thinks and feels. This is a good story, even if you don't own a dog.


View all my reviews

Life As We Knew It

Life As We Knew It by Susan Beth Pfeffer
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

An interesting take on what life would be like if we had never recovered from Superstorm Sandy. I know many of the Plainfield students were without power and heat for over a week after that storm, so they may be able to relate to some of the things going on in this story. The moon has been hit by a huge meteor, and has moved closer to the earth, which causes major tsunamis, flooding, power outages, and earthquakes. Miranda lives with her mom and two brothers in a town in Pennsylvania, and they are coping with food shortages, oil shortages, and no electricity. We learn about all this through Miranda's journal. This is the first in a trilogy.


View all my reviews