I’ve subscribed to Middle Grade Carousel for a long time, but have not participated in any of their challenges. I think it’s time to change that. I read a lot of middle grade for my teaching, but have a lot of books on my shelf at home which I have not gotten to yet. Participating in the challenge will give me motivation and guidance for deciing which to read next. For now, I’m just deciding on one book for the month, but will hopefully get to more.
The theme for April is “Some Friendly Competition”. The book I chose from my shelf is Much Ado About Baseball by Rajani LaRocca. I’ll give you updates as I read.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with and advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
Title: Dogtown
Authors: Katherine Applegate and Gennifer Choldenko
Illustrator: Wallace West
Publisher: MacMillan Children’s Publishing Group
Publication Date: September 19, 2023
Description:
Dogtown is a shelter for stray dogs, misbehaving dogs, and discarded robot dogs, whose owners have outgrown them.
Chance, a real dog, has been in Dogtown since her owners unwittingly left her with irresponsible dog-sitters who skipped town.
Metal Head is a robot dog who dreams of being back in a real home.
And Mouse is a mouse who has the run of Dogtown, pilfering kibble, and performing clever feats to protect the dogs he loves.
When Chance and Metal Head embark on an adventure to find their forever homes, there is danger, cheese sandwiches, a charging station, and some unexpected kindnesses along the way.
My Thoughts:
Al Capone Does My Shirts and The One and Only Ivan are two of my favorite middle grade books. So, when I saw that the authors were collaborating, I had to have the book. But, I love the other books so much that I worried it might be a disappointment. I shouldn’t have doubted Applegate and Choldenko. This is one of the sweetest, cutest, funniest middle grade books I’ve read.
Like the Ivan series, the book is told in first point of view from an animal’s perspective, a dog named Chance. Chance is stuck in Dogtown, a shelter for both real and electronic dogs, after his owners leave him with an irresponsible dog-sitter and he is in an accident. Every dog there is hoping to find their forever home. But one dog, Metal Head, is determined to break out. Chance doesn’t usually like robot dogs, but he and Metal Head form a friendship as they go on an adventure.
I love the clever way she describes things focused on smell and how the dogs have a “group wag” to celebrate. Dogtown has a warm message friendship and using your heart. This book will pull on your heartstrings while making you laugh. The authors also include hints at the end about helping shelter dogs other than just adopting them. This is sure to be another classic added to these authors’ stellar lists.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free digital advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I meant to post this one yesterday on release day, but didn’t get to it. The good news is it’s available now, and I highly recommend you get your hands on a copy.
Title: The One and Only Ruby
Author: Katherine Applegate
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication Date: May 2, 2023
Book Description:
Ruby’s story picks up a few months after the events of The One and Only Bob. Now living in a wildlife sanctuary, Ruby’s caretaker from the elephant orphanage in Africa where she grew up is visiting. Seeing him again brings back a flood of memories both happy and sad of her life before the circus, and she recounts the time she spent in the African savannah to Ivan and Bob.
In the timeless way that only Katherine Applegate could craft, this highly anticipated novel in verse is the perfect mix of heartfelt and humorous, poignant and sweet. Artist Patricia Castelao returns to the world of Ivan and his friends with gorgeous black-and-white interior illustrations to complete the story.
The One and Only Ruby features first-person narrative; author’s use of literary devices (personification, imagery); and story elements (plot, character development, perspective).
This highly anticipated middle grade novel is an excellent choice for tween readers in grades 5 to 8, for independent reading, homeschooling, and sharing in the classroom.
My Thoughts:
I love this series so much! Applegate does such a good job of balancing sweet moments, humor and animal rights. The short chapters are great for kids who are intimidated by big books.In this story Ruby is preparing to celebrate her tuskday, which is an important milestone for any young elephant. This causes her to reflect on her past. She shares the story of her time in Africa with her friends. In her short life Ruby has seen both the best and worst of humanity. We also learn about favorite elephant passtimes like floppy-running. I love Ruby as a narrator, her voice is a perfect blend of innocence and wisdom beyond her years.
This is book three in the series. I have not read The One and Only Bob yet, and that didn’t seem to matter. You should definitely read The One and Only Ivan first though, or a lot of the story won’t make sense to you.
When Rylan’s best friend ditches him for the cool kids, Rylan thinks a summer spent working on a French farm will be the perfect chance to reconnect. But he doesn’t count on his long-lost father showing up. This funny, touching novel is perfect for fans of Gary D. Schmidt and John David Anderson.
Rylan O’Hare has been drifting apart from his best friend, Wilder, for months. Wilder’s family became mega-rich when his mom invented an app that reminds people to drink water, and now he barely has time for Rylan. So when Wilder invites Rylan to join him at a summer farming program in France (all expenses paid), Rylan see it as a chance to repair the friendship. Not only that, but he’ll get to learn French, milk goats, and eat lots (and lots) of cheese.
But before they take off, Rylan’s mom drops a bomb: His dad (whom he hasn’t spoken to since he was three) lives in France, too, and he wants to meet.
Between being swarmed by bees, pooped on by pigeons, and sprayed with goat milk, Rylan’s great French escape isn’t quite what he thought it would be. Even worse, Wilder ditches him for some cool French kids he meets along the way. And Rylan still can’t decide whether or not he should actually meet his father.
But somewhere in all the chaos, Rylan begins to find his way, and he realizes that sometimes you have to release old expectations to discover new destinations.
My Thoughts:
The premise of this story is not new. A kid reluctantly is sent away for a summer program and gets a new outlook on life. A couple of things make this story unique, though. First, I thought it was a realistic portrayal of adolescent behavior and how their friendships evolve. Second, the message differed from the usual themes of second chances and forgiveness. While there was an element of that, it emphasizes that you should surround yourself with the people that will support you. This is a message I don’t think young people hear enough. I did feel that the plot was a little rushed, and plot points could have been more developed in some spots. But, as a whole, it is an excellent middle grade read.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing with a free ebook copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Description:
Jordan, Drew, Liam, Maury, and their friends from Riverdale Academy Day School are heading out on a school trip to Paris. As an aspiring artist himself, Jordan can’t wait to see all the amazing art in the famous City of Lights.
But when their trusted faculty guides are replaced at the last minute, the school trip takes an unexpected–and hilarious–turn. Especially when trying to find their way around a foreign city ends up being almost as tricky as navigating the same friendships, fears, and differences that they struggle with at home.
Will Jordan and his friends embrace being exposed to a new language, unfamiliar food, and a different culture? Or will they all end up feeling like the “new kid”?
My Thoughts
Usually when the first book in a series is as unique as The New Kid, the rest of the series can be a dissapppointment because it doesn’t feel as fresh. But this series keeps getting better. I would recommend reading them in order, so that you know the characters and their relationships.
The kids at Riverdale Academy Day School don’t go on run-of-the-mill field trips. They go places like Paris, Alaska and the Civil Rights Trail. Jordan is in the group that goes to Paris. In this new setting, the kids discover things about each other they never knew.
It is tough to find books with the silliness kids love while also making them think. Craft openly says he writes books he wished he had as a kid, and kids today are grateful to have them. School Trip is filled with puns and dad jokes that had me laughing out loud. But, it also addresses head-on the issues POC face. I loved that the kids had a natural, open dialogue about their feelings.
As their name implies, Jaundice and Kale Bland live boring lives. They rarely leave the house, eat oatmeal everyday, never wear color and their favorite book is a dictionary. Then one day, they’re dragged out of their boring lives and drawn into adventure when a band of female pirates kidnaps them.
My Thoughts:
I love the use of language in this book. They’re are vocabulary words at the beginning of each chapter. It’s filled with puns, irony and wit. This was a very quick read, but it’s a book you want to read over and over because you’ll pick up on new things with each reading.
After years of being teased for her lisp, Daisy hates the spotlight. Her brother Sorrel (known as Squirrel) is the opposite. He dreams of being a YouTube superstar. But, Daisy’s parents have strictly forbidden their son with Downs Syndrome from any social media, fearing cyberbullying. Daisy doesn’t agree with them. Squirrel could really use an ego boost. His girlfriend broke up with him and the Special Olympics have been canceled.
So, when Daisy’s social studies teacher gives an assignment to change the world, Daisy decides she will make Squirrel’s dreams come true. She pairs with her former bully, Miguel, to help Squirrel become a star and save the Special Olympics. Along the way she discovers not only can people change, they can change the world.
My Thoughts:
I received an ARC ebook of this book for a tbr books and beyond tour. I thought it was the exact direction middle grade books should be going. There is lots of representation for different cultures, abilities and LGBTQ+, but that’s not really what it’s about. It’s just telling the story of making a difference with characters who happen to be diverse.
Mia Tang and her parents are Chinese immigrants. But, living in America isn’t the dream they imagined. Her parents have a job managing a motel. It’s all they can do to keep up with the cleaning, so Mia runs the front desk. She turns out to be really good at the job. Mia has a gift for making connections with the guests, and solving problems. Nevertheless, Mr. Yao, the horrid refuses to pay them fairly or even take precautions for their safety. It seems they’re trapped in a terrible situation, until Mia finds out about an essay contest with a motel as a prize.
My thoughts:
I love Mia as a protagonist. She calls out all the unfairness and prejudices that her family faces while still maintaining the optimism of a child. When she sees an injustice she finds a way to solve it. I also found some of her misunderstandings due to language or her age, entertaining. Overall, it’s an entertaining read which also addresses deeper themes.
Robot Dreams is a graphic novel with few words. When a dog orders a robot in the mail, they become fast friends. Then, a trip to the beach leaves Robot rusty. Dog doesn’t know how to fix his robot friend, and ends up abandoning him on the beach. Dog tries to replace his robot friend, but no one is the same. Meanwhile Robot is daydreaming about better places while he is left lying on the beach.
My Thoughts:
As a reading teacher, I normally wouldn’t recommend a book with so few words. But this book lends itself to a lot of meaningful discussion, while also appealing to kids with it’s playful characters. This book could really work for any age. Young children would enjoy the fun animal characters, while older kids would pick up on the bigger themes about friendship and loss.
I’m so excited to participate in my first Book Tour with TBR And Beyond Tours and to help spread the word about this wonderful book!
Book Info:
Daisy Woodworm Changes the World by Melissa Hart
Genre: Middle Grade Contemporary
Publishing Date: November 8, 2022
Synopsis:
When her social studies teacher assigns each student a project to change the world for the better along with an oral report, Daisy fears the class bully—who calls her Woodworm— will make fun of her lisp. Still, she decides to help Sorrel fulfill his dream of becoming a YouTube fashion celebrity despite their parents’ refusal to allow him on social media.
With the help of her best friend Poppy, and Miguel—the most popular boy in school and her former enemy—Daisy launches Sorrel’s publicity campaign. But catastrophe strikes when her parents discover him online along with hateful comments from a cyberbully.
If Daisy has any hope of changing the world, she’ll have to regain her family’s trust and face her fears of public speaking to find her own unique and powerful voice.
My review
We need more books like Daisy Woodworm Changes the World. It has such a positive message about how everyone can make a difference. It doesn’t have to be a huge change that affects the entire world, but can be something as simple as helping someone else achieve their goals. There’s also an emphasis on working together.
I also loved the way diverse characters were represented in this book. The book features characters from different racial backgrounds, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ parents. But, that’s just part of who the characters are, not the focus of the plot. It was nice to see a diverse community that felt natural.
My rating: 5 stars
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Favorite Quotes
“But any etymologist worth her microscope would tell you people-like insects-went through metamorphosis all the time.”
“I hated that, how you could be going about your business, and then you caught sight of yourself-not just your reflection, but your eyes-and it was like meeting upwith your conscience, or something. Creepy.”
“…if you know what your goal is, and you know to ask for help in a way that makes people care, it doesn’t matter how young you are. You really can change the world.”
“If you want to change the world…cross-pollination is key!”
I’m an Oregon-based author, journalist, and instructor for the MFA in Creative Writing program at Southern New Hampshire University. My essays and articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, The Boston Globe, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times, Real Simple, Orion, High Country News, The Rumpus, Brevity, Woman’s Day, The Advocate, Parents, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Hemispheres, and numerous other publications.
I’m the author of The Media Adventurer’s Handbook: Decoding Persuasion in Everyday News, Ads, and More (World Citizen Comics, 2023), Daisy Woodworm Changes the World (Jolly Fish, 2022), Better with Books: 500 Diverse Books to Ignite Empathy and Encourage Self-Acceptance in Tweens and Teens(Sasquatch, 2019), the award-winning middle-grade novel Avenging the Owl(Sky Pony, 2016), the memoir Wild Within: How Rescuing Owls Inspired a Family (Lyons, 2007), and the memoir Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood(Seal, 2005).
I’m a contributing editor at The Writer Magazine, and I teach frequently at writing conferences, libraries, universities, and bookstores. I grew up near Los Angeles with my younger brother, who has Down syndrome. I live in Eugene with my husband and teen daughter, where I love to run and hike long-distance, cross country ski, kayak, cycle, cook, and roam the Pacific Northwest as an amateur naturalist.
