Reading Level: Elementary

When Stars Are Scattered

Omar and his younger brother Hassan have spent most of their childhood inside the A2 block of the Kenyan refugee camp Dadaab. After fleeing from his family farm in Somalia and becoming separated from his mother, Omar’s main concern is always protecting his only remaining family member, his nonverbal brother Hassan. Not only does Omar shield Hassan from the grueling chores of finding water and cleaning the tent, but he also cares for his brother when Hassan suffers seizures, or when he is teased by the other kids for only saying one word: Hooyo—“Mamma.” Omar also hopes one day his mother will find him and Hassan, and so he keeps all days the same. So, when Omar has the opportunity to go to school, he knows it might be a chance to change their future…but it would also mean leaving his brother, his only remaining family member, every day.

When Stars are Scattered is an easy-to-read, beautifully illustrated graphic novel. Omar Mohamed’s story comes to life in this graphic novel about his childhood in a refugee camp. The story shows the heartbreaking events that lead to Omar going to a refugee camp when he was only four. Omar’s story chronicles the hunger, heartbreak, and harsh conditions he endured. The story also sheds light on other issues including women’s access to education, starvation, family loss, and the constantly looming struggle to get on the UN list that invites refugees to interview for resettlement. Despite difficulties, Omar is still able to create a sense of family and home in the midst of difficult situations.

Like all people, Omar is a complex character who struggles to make the right decisions. He also often has conflicting emotions. For example, Omar wonders if his mother is dead or alive. He thinks, “I love my mom, but sometimes I hate her for leaving us. It’s like these two feelings are tearing me apart.”

At one point, Omar wonders if school is a waste of time; however, his foster mom tells him, “Prepare yourself and educate yourself. So you can be ready when God reveals his plan to you.” Eventually,

Omar falls in love with the power of learning and the potential of resettlement. Omar begins to learn what it feels like to build a new life by focusing on what he is given, rather than remaining torn by what he has lost. It is in this way that Omar moves from searching the stars for his mother to actually feeling that, “Many years ago, we lost our mother. But maybe she is not gone. She is in the love that surrounds us and the people who care for us.”

The story teaches several important life lessons including not to judge others and to make the most of your life. Appreciating what you have is the overarching theme of When Stars Are Scattered. Omar’s best friend tells him, “I didn’t ask for this limp. But I didn’t ask to live in a refugee camp either. . . I guess you just have to appreciate the good parts and make the most of what you’ve got.” Despite his struggles, Omar makes the most of what he has been given and thanks God for the love of others.

Based upon the real-life story of Omar Mohamed, When Stars Are Scattered navigates themes of familial loss, grief, struggle, and finally, hope, all while addressing the permanent feeling of a temporary refugee camp and the heartbreak of a war-torn home country. Omar shares his story because he wants to encourage others to never give up on home. Omar says, “Things may seem impossible, but if you keep working hard and believing in yourself, you can overcome anything in your path.”

When Stars Are Scattered not only encourages others to remain persistent, but also sheds light on the conditions of the refugee camps without getting into a political debate on immigration. Instead, the graphic novel focuses on Omar’s story—his hardships, his hopes, his despair, and his desire to help others like him.

The narrative is occasionally intense and heavy in its consideration of grief and the lifestyle of a refugee, which may upset younger readers. However, the serious and very important subjects that When Stars are Scattered covers are overall presented in a digestible way for young readers. The graphics that illustrate the story are absolutely captivating for all, while the humor and uplifting optimism that perseveres throughout this novel can fill the hearts of any audience.

Sexual Content

  • Maryam’s family needs the money, so they allow Maryam to get married despite the fact that she is only in middle school. “Maryam’s husband is old, but he’s not too strict.”

Violence

  • When Hassan hugs a boy, the boy pushes him away. The boy tells Omar, “I don’t know why you bother taking care of this moron. He’s a waste of space. You should let him wander off into the bush to get eaten by lions.” Omar punches the boy, and they get into a fight. An older woman breaks up the fight.
  • While Omar is at school, Hassan wanders off and some kids “[take] his clothes, and… He’s pretty badly hurt.”
  • When Omar’s best friend says he’s going to America, Omar thinks about the resettlement process. He thinks, “I heard about one guy… His case was rejected by the UN and he couldn’t handle it. He… He killed himself.”
  • During an interview with the United Nations, Omar talks about the village he came from. Omar was playing under a tree when he heard men yelling at his father. Then, “Bang! Bang! Bang!” Omar ran to his mother, who told Omar to take his brother and run to the neighbor. The neighbor hides them inside, but “then I heard gunshots and screaming, and soon the whole village was running. There were angry men everywhere.” Omar and his brother run and stay with the people from the village, but they never see their mother again. The event is described over three pages.
  • When Fatuma describes her sons, she notes that “they were killed in Somalia” but there is not any explicit description as to how they were killed.
  • When Hassan tries to help Omar with collecting water one day, Omar gets frustrated and shoves Hassan, yelling “leave me alone!”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Some of the men in the refugee camp chew khat leaves. Omar explains that “a lot of men in camp chew Khat. They say it kind of helps you . . . forget things.”

Language

  • There are multiple times where some of the children are called by names based upon their physical appearance. For example, one child is called “Limpy” based upon a physical disability. Omar is also called “Dantey” for being quiet.
  • The story has some mild name-calling, such as idiot, jerk, and dodo head. For example, Omar thinks that one of the boys his age is “kind of a jerk.”
  • While walking to school, someone yells at two girls, “Hey it’s the mouse and the shrimp.” In reply, someone says, “Tall Ali… You’re like… A towering tree of an idiot.”
  • In class among the girls, A boy says, “You’re just jealous because you’re, what, number seventeen? I didn’t know we had seventeen girls in class. My goat could’ve done better than you.”
  • When Tall Ali becomes frustrated at Hassan for not understanding a game, he says to Omar, “ I don’t know why you bother taking care of this moron! He’s a waste of space. You should let him wander off into the bush to get eaten by lions!” Then he says to both Omar and Hassan, “Now I know why you’re orphans. That’s probably why your mom left you.”
  • When Jeri gives a presentation in school about how much he wants to be a teacher when he grows up, another classmate exclaims, “what a kiss-up.”
  • When Omar learns that all the teachers speak in English, he thinks, “Oh crud.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • When community leader Tall Salan tries to convince Omar to go to school, he says, “Omar, only God knows what will happen in the future.” Omar’s foster mom Fatuma also says, “I think you should look deep inside yourself and see what God is telling you to do. If this is God’s will, then He will make everything okay.”
  • Omar and his brother practice Islam. Because of this, Omar recognizes that “Like every morning, I hear the call to morning prayers over the loudspeakers. It’s early, but today I was already awake.” There is also a chapter dedicated to discussing the Holy Month of Ramadan. This chapter shows Omar and his friends celebrating Eid Al-Fitr, which is the holiday at the end of this month. It is also recognized that Omar’s camp, and others near it, have a “loudspeaker that, five times a day, called everyone to prayer.”
  • When Omar decides to go to school, he prays “that [he’s] making the right decision.”
  • Omar’s foster mom tells him that God has given Hassan gifts. “Hassan is considerate, helpful, and friendly.”
  • When the community comes together to help Hassan, Omar thinks, “We may be refugees and orphans, but we are not alone. God has given us the gift of love.”
  • During Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, Muslims are supposed to fast from sunrise to sunset. Even though many in the refugee camp are always hungry, “people in the camp fast anyway… Just because we’re poor and hungry doesn’t mean we can’t observe the holy month.”
  • During Eid, Omar prays “for me and Hassan. That we’ll find a way out of this refugee camp—that someday we will find a home.”
  • When a social worker brings Omar a school uniform, he thinks, “you just try your best, and God will find a way to help you when you need it.”
  • Even though life has dark moments, Omar believes that “God will deliver an answer, and you’ll find a faith out of the darkness. The kindness of strangers. The promise of new friends.”
  • When Omar is waiting to see if he will be resettled in America, he thinks, “We’ve done all we can. It’s in God’s hands now.”

by Hannah Olsson

 

 Land of the Cranes 

Nine-year-old Betita knows she is a crane. Papi has told her the story, from even before her family fled to Los Angeles to seek refuge from cartel wars in Mexico. Long before that, Aztecs came from a place called Aztlan, which is now the Southwest U.S. This place was called the land of the cranes. The Axtecs left Aztlan to establish their great city in the center of the universe -Tenochtitlan, modern-day Mexico City. But it was prophesied that their people would one day return to live among the cranes in their promised land. Papi tells Betita they are cranes that have come home.

Then one day, Betita’s beloved father is arrested by Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) and deported to Mexico. Betita and her pregnant mother are left behind, but soon they too are detained and must learn to survive in a family detention camp outside of Los Angeles. Even in cruel and inhumane conditions, Betita finds heart in her own poetry and in the community, she and her mother find in the camp. The voices of her fellow asylum seekers fly above the hatred keeping them caged, but each day threatens to tear them down lower than they ever thought they could be torn. Will Betita and her family ever be whole again?

Land of the Cranes is told from Betita’s point of view. Her voice comes through in the narration and in the poems she writes for her father. She also draws simple illustrations that help convey her emotions. Even though the story is told from a child’s point of view, younger readers may be upset by the harsh treatment and a brief description of sexual abuse.

Written in prose, Land of the Cranes has some beautiful language. However, Spanish words and phrases are scattered throughout the book, which may cause confusion for non-Spanish speakers. In an extended metaphor, Betita refers to her and her family as cranes. Expanding on this metaphor, when she thinks about her mother’s pregnancy Betita talks about the “egg” and the “nest.” One reason Betita is worried about the “egg hatching” is that “Mami has lost / two babies before. / They worry that this one / might get lost too.”

Land of the Cranes explores the “zero tolerance” policy of ICE detaining undocumented immigrants and the harsh condition of the detention centers. One of Salazar’s purposes for writing the book is to show an example of “a larger, tragic, and true story of the criminalization of migration that spans hundreds of years.”

Younger readers may be disturbed by Land of the Cranes because it deals with the difficult topic of immigration and families being torn apart. In addition, readers may have a difficult time understanding some of the language and when Spanish is used, there are not always context clues to help readers understand the words’ meanings. Despite this, Land of the Cranes would be an excellent book to use as a conversation starter. Sensitive readers may want to skip Land of the Cranes and read Efren Divided, which explores the same topics but uses a more child-friendly manner.

Sexual Content

  • A young woman has a girlfriend.
  • Betita’s friend tells her a secret. “There was a man who cooked our food / who would lock me in the closet with him. / He did things. / He told me it was supposed to feel good / but it didn’t. It hurt so bad, I threw up.”

Violence

  • Betita’s Tio, Pedro, was killed by a cartel. Papi says, “A cartel hurt Tio Pedro / made him disappear / when he didn’t give them / the money they wanted.”
  • A woman in the detention center explains why her family fled to America. She was fearful that the cartel would hurt her family. The woman saw the cartel “kill a man for not paying the rent on his cart. I knew we would be next.”
  • A woman guard tells Betita to undress. Betita stomps “my feet on her foot . . . The guard grabs me by the arm / shakes my body like a sheet /and starts to pull up my blouse.” The guard tries to “hit Mami,” but another guard stops her.
  • A young woman tries to fight the guards, who are putting her in a cell. “They get her up and open the / gate to our cell, and give her a shove. . . She lunges at one of the guards. / The guard’s fist smashed into her nose / which sends her back like a rag doll. / Then the other guard rushes her / while she is down / and kicks / and kicks/ and kicks/ her in the stomach / and in the face.”
  • Betita’s friend was taken to a detention camp for children. Her friend says the guards “hit the kids / who tried to run out of the doors or cried too loudly.”
  • While sleeping, a guard checks on the prisoners. “I count one kick in my face / while I slept, from a guard.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • At a quinceanera, “Tio Desiderio is on guard / at the bar, making sure some /of her pimply-faced guy friends / don’t try to get beer.”
  • Papi tells Betita that a cartel is “a group of men who sell / drugs / guns / and people / sometimes.”

Language

  • Several of the guards at the detention center call the prisoners “donkeys.” For example, a guard yells, “Burros, time to eat!”
  • The guards call the prisoners names including wetback, perra, and stupid.
  • Betita doesn’t like her friend’s “booger of a brother.”
  • When a guard pushes a prisoner, the prisoner yells, “Don’t push me, you piece of scum!”
  • Dang is used twice.
  • Freaking and damn are both used one time.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Betita’s mother thinks about her brother, who was killed by the cartel. “Mami lights a candle daily / to a small statue of La Vigen de Guadalupe / and a picture of Tio Pedro faded in the frame. . . She prays for protection under her breath.”
  • When her father is deported, Betita cuts a piece of her father’s pillow and “put it on Mami’s Virgencita / smoosh it between the moon / and the angel / and pray for protection. ‘Please, Virgencita, don’t / take Papi with you too.’”
  • When Betita and her mother are taken to a detention center, “Mami prays Tio Juan / will reach Fernanda and that she will / know where to find us. . . Virgencita, protect us, por favor, Mami says.”
  • Betita tells the story about how the Mexican people are cranes. “Several tribes including the Mexica / traveled south like cranes / when Huitzilopchitli. . .The god of war / announced his / prophecy that they /would move south / to build their great /civilization in the / ombligo of the world.”

Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus

Junie B. Jones is excited to start school, but she is NOT excited to ride the bus. When she gets on the bus, she meets Jim, who she decides she hates. Once at school, she enjoys her day but struggles using her inside voice. But after hearing about a kid who rode the bus and had chocolate milk poured on their head, Junie B. decides to hide in the school rather than take the smelly bus home.

Once the other students leave, Junie B. enjoys exploring the teacher’s desk, the nurse’s room, and the empty school halls. Eventually, though, she has to use the bathroom. When she finds all the doors are locked, she calls 911 and announces she is having an emergency. When emergency responders show up, Junie B. is finally reunited with her mother.

Junie B. is a spoiled child with no respect for others’ boundaries. She shouts, she calls people dumb, she demands to get her own way, and she does not listen to her parents or teachers. Even after causing a commotion by hiding in the school, her main thought is, “my mother got to take me home. And guess what? I didn’t have to ride on the stupid smelly bus.”

While Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus will no doubt entertain readers, the bigger question is whether parents want their children to read a story with a terrible role model. Unless Junie B. Jones starts learning kindness, empathy, and boundaries in the books to come, this series will be one that’s entertainment value fails to outweigh the life lessons that it imparts. If you’re looking for an entertaining series with a kinder main character check out the Jada Jones Series by Kelly Starling Lyons.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When thinking about a boy she doesn’t like, Junie B. thinks to herself “I can beat that boy up, I think.”
  • When a classmate shushes her, Junie B. “made a fist at him.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Junie B. thinks, “if loud, screechy noises get inside your head, you have to take an aspirin. I saw that on a TV commercial.”

Language

  • Junie B. calls things stupid with excessive frequency. Once she “had to quickly sit down in a stupid yellow chair. The same stupid color as the stupid yellow bus.”
  • Junie B. calls things dumb frequently. Once, she yells at a classmate, “HEY! WATCH IT, YOU DUMB JIM!”
  • Junie B. repeatedly says she hates her classmate Jim.
  • Junie B. messes up her nametag, then shouts “I HATE THIS STUPID DUMB CIRCLE!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Morgan Lynn

 

 

 

 

 

Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying

Junie B. is a spoiled child with no respect for others’ boundaries. She shouts, she loves getting away with things she knows she’s not supposed to do, and she does not listen to her parents or teachers. When a classmate bothers her, Junie makes “a fist at him” and then gets into a “scuffle.” Her response is to be excited when she doesn’t get into trouble.

While Junie B. Jones and Some Sneaky Peeky Spying will no doubt entertain readers, the bigger question is whether parents want their children reading a story with a terrible role model. For instance, Junie says an apology “is the words I’m sorry. Except you don’t actually have to mean it. ‘Cause nobody can even tell the difference.” She also willfully disobeys her mother’s instructions to stop spying on people.

While Junie B. Jones is the main character in all of the Junie B. Jones books, readers do not need to read the books in order. Easy vocabulary and simple sentence structure make the story accessible to young readers. Black and white illustrations appear every five to ten pages and will help readers understand the plot.

Kids will be entertained by Junie B.’s antics. However, since Junie B. Jones fails to learn from her mishaps, this story’s entertainment value fails to outweigh the poor life lessons that it imparts. If you’re looking for an entertaining series with a kinder main character check out the Jada Jones Series by Kelly Starling Lyons.

Sexual Content

  • While spying on her teacher, Junie B. sees her “and the strange man did a big smoochie kiss!”

Violence

  • When upset at her friend, Junie B. “made a fist at her. Except Mrs. saw me. And so I had to unfold it.”
  • When her grandmother says “curiosity killed the cat,” Junie B. says, “Where did the curiosity kill it? Was it in the street by my school? ‘Cause I saw a squished cat in the street by my school. Only Paulie Allen Puffer said it got runned over by the ice cream truck.”
  • When mad at Jim, Junie B. “made a fist at him. Then me and him got into a scuffle. . . Only guess what? I didn’t even get in trouble!”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • When Junie B. is being difficult, “Grandma Miller . . . took an aspirin.” A few minutes later, “Grandma took another aspirin.”

Language

  • Junie B. Jones says dumb and stupid often. When sent to her room for shouting and stomping, she thinks, “I never even heard of that dumb rule before.”
  • When angry at her mother, Junie B. “called Mother the name of pewie head” behind her mother’s back.
  • Junie B. says darn several times. When the store has no free samples, she says “darn it.”
  • Junie B. says, “Who the heck is that?” and “shoot” while spying on her teacher. She later says “shoot” when the principal finds her hiding place.
  • Junie B.’s friend calls her “big stinky.”
  • When the Principal calls Junie B.’s mother to tell her about the spying, Junie B. thinks, “Principal is a squealer.”
  • Junie B. tells her classmate’s grandmother that she hates him.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Morgan Lynn

 

 

 

The New Year Dragon Dilemma

Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are in San Francisco, home of the biggest Chinatown outside Asia. Their tour guide, Holden, is going to take them to the famous Chinese New Year parade. Best of all, Holden’s girlfriend, Lily, might be Miss Chinatown. She would get to ride a giant float and wear a crown!

During the parade, Miss Chinatown goes missing, and so does the crown. The police think Holden is behind the crime. Can Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose clear their friend’s name by finding the real crook?

While on vacation, Dink, Josh, and Ruth get to see some of San Francisco’s touristy areas. The kids have positive interactions with their tour guide, Holden. While with Holden, the kids listen to him and stay close by his side. Holden allows the children some freedom, but he is never far from sight. When the police accuse Holden of stealing Miss Chinatown’s crown, the kids are convinced that Holden is innocent and they follow the clues to prove that they are right.

As the kids look for clues to prove Holden’s innocence, they follow a man who they think is the culprit. At one point, Dink follows the man into a warehouse. However, Dink’s friends are nearby and come up with a plan to keep Dink safe. While exploring the city, Josh draws in his sketchbook, paying close attention to his surroundings. In the end, Josh’s power of observation helps solve the mystery.

The New Year Dragon Dilemma will delight young readers who are ready to jump into illustrated chapter books. The story’s short chapters and black and white illustrations make the story accessible to readers. Large illustrations appear every 2 to 4 pages. Many of the illustrations are full page and help readers understand the plot. Plus, readers can hunt through the pictures to find a hidden message.

The New Year Dragon Dilemma gives readers a peek into the Chinese New Year celebration. The festive atmosphere is the perfect backdrop for a mystery. Young sleuths will enjoy following the clues and fitting them together to solve the mystery. While young readers will enjoy the adventurous story, parents will appreciate that the curious kids are well mannered. For more mysteries set in San Francisco, readers should check out The San Francisco Splash by David A. Kelly.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Someone steals Miss Chinatown’s crown. She tells the police, “It was a man wearing a dragon mask. He pulled me down on the floor and took off my mask. Then he sprayed something in my face. It was awful, and it hurt my eyes. . . He put the bag over my head.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Josh teasingly calls Ruth, “Nosy Rosy.”
  • Josh asks, “Where the heck are we?”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

The Only Black Girls in Town

For over a decade, Alberta and her fathers, Elliott and Kadeem, have been the only Black people on their street in the town of Ewing Beach, California. That is, until a new family moves into the bed and breakfast across the street: Calliope Whitman and her daughter Edie. On the surface, it appears Edie and Alberta are opposites. Alberta has grown up in Ewing Beach for most of her life with her two very present dads. While Alberta grew up in a community dominated by White people, Edie grew up in the diverse county of Brooklyn. But these two girls have something they can strictly bond over: their Blackness and being 12, a time when bodies are going through intense and sudden change.

Alberta’s best friend is Laramie, a White girl, but Alberta and Edie share something special. One day while hanging out at the bed and breakfast, the pair discover a series of journals that were written from 1955 to 1968. They decide to uncover the mystery behind the journals and their writer, Constance. While unraveling the mystery, Alberta goes through many crises that center around her femininity, her Blackness, puberty, and friendships that seem to change way too fast.

Each girl in the main cast (Alberta, Edie, and Laramie) has their own issues and these issues are fleshed out with concise writing, giving the story a good pace while upholding the mystery of Constance. Laramie is dealing with the social hierarchy of middle school and her rapidly changing body, even to the extent of getting her first period and growing three inches in one summer. Edie is dealing with her parents separating and her father’s absence alongside his broken promises to see her. Alberta is exploring the complexities of change and confronting her Blackness and the Blackness of other characters such as Constance.

The Only Black Girls in Town is written from the perspective of Alberta, thus making the reader more sympathetic to her struggles as a 12-year-old girl coming of age. It is an amazing story that speaks on the complexities of race and puberty. Many readers will relate to the idea that hitting puberty means learning more about your own race. Colbert does an excellent job weaving themes of Blackness in her characters along with their changing bodies. The author tells readers that they are not alone in their journey of self-discovery, and she provides a diverse look at Black people.

The Only Black Girls in Town explores the theme that the experience with one’s Blackness is not uniform. For example, Black people do not dress uniformly as seen with Edie and Alberta’s clashing fashion sense. Black people come in a variety of shades: dark, light, medium brown, and even fair-skinned. Black people have different hair ranging from kinky curls to dreadlocks to straight. The story emphasizes that there is no mold for the Black experience. The Only Black Girls In Town also explores the subtlety of racism, often hidden in casual language like when the residential mean girl, Nicolette, demeans Alberta’s achievement as the best surfer in surf camp down to being Black or Laramie says Edie is “faking” her goth and punk self because she believes Black people to be monolithic in experience and appearance. While the White characters are not explicitly racist, their implicit bias is shown in dialogue such as Laramie not caring about the fact that Alberta’s new neighbor is Black and not understanding why Alberta is so excited. The book validates Alberta’s feelings of unease and that feeling of “this isn’t racist but feels racist.”

The Only Black Girls in Town is an amazing story that weaves the trials of middle school with the intricacies of race. The story balances lighthearted tones with a suspenseful mystery that heightens the drama between the characters. During a time where race relations have gradually become more complex and subtle, The Only Black Girls in Town is an important novel for all readers regardless of their race. This novel is for readers who would like a fun mystery and who want to learn about/explore the relationship between Blackness and coming of age.

Sexual Content

  • Laramie says, “Gavin tried to kiss me the other day. After school.” This kiss is mentioned two more times.
  • Laramie mentions that Gavin “would look at me different from how he looked at everyone else.”

 Violence

  • In a journal entry, Constance wrote about how she overheard her employers talking about the death of a boy. “They were speaking about the Negro boy who was killed down South.” Edie infers it’s about the historic murder of Emmett Till, who was lynched in 1955.
  • When Laramie talks about the party she went to, she mentions that Gavin “was going to kill Davis for bumping into a table with a sculpture of some old dude.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Because of her goth and punk fashion sense, Edie is called “Wednesday Addams” in reference to the popular character.
  • “Brat” is used a few times. For example, “Stephan McKee. He’s a total spoiled brat . . .”
  • In the journal entries discovered by the girls, the word “Negro(es)” is used multiple times.
  • The word “mulatto” is used once in a journal entry where Constance recalls an interaction with her colleague May who says, “I’m mulatto, Constance.” The term is used in reference to those who are half Black and half White.
  • In a journal entry, the reader can infer that Constance’s employer, Mrs. Ogden, uses a racial slur to describe Black people. “Mrs. Ogden said the Negroes were getting uppity since they won the Supreme Court case to desegregate the schools. But she didn’t use the word Negroes.”
  • There is a lot of language used to emphasize Alberta and Edie’s “otherness” due to being Black. For example, Nicolette tells Alberta, “It’s just that you’re like, different here and different there, but Irene tries to make it special for you. That’s cute.” in order to demean her achievement of being the best surfer in surf camp, given to her personally by their instructor.
  • The school’s vice-principal assumes Edie and Alberta are cousins because they are both Black.
  • Someone says Edie is a “poser” because, as Laramie puts it, they “don’t know a lot of Black people who dress like that.”
  • Weird is used to describe a lot of situations in the novel. For example, Laramie calls Edie’s black lipstick weird.
  • Constance writes “Lord have mercy on me” once.
  • Alberta says, “Oh my god!” once.
  • Alberta calls Nicolette a “barney” (“someone who’s not very good at surfing”).
  • Nicolette spreads a rumor about Laramie having an accident. Alberta says, “She told people you wet the bed?” Laramie reveals it’s about leaking during her period.
  • Edie tells Alberta about how she feels about her father not coming to visit her or call her when he says he would. Alberta says, “That really sucks Edie.”
  • Alberta and Laramie make a pact to never speak Nicolette’s name for the whole year, so Alberta refers to Nicolette as “She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.”
  • Nicolette says, “You know, Alberta, you could’ve just worn your regular clothes if you wanted to dress like a dork” when she tries to crash the Halloween party next door.
  • Laramie calls Nicolette a jerk while at Edie’s Halloween party. “Alberta is right. You’ve always been a jerk to her, and we should’ve called you on it a long time ago.”
  • Many times, Nicolette is referred to as “mean” and other varying superlatives.

 Supernatural

  • None

 Spiritual Content

  • None

by Emma Hua

A Thousand Questions

Mimi has a lot of questions, like why is her mother taking her to Pakistan to meet her grandparents? Why did her father leave Mimi and her mom? Where is Mimi’s dad now? Visiting Mimi’s grandparents in Pakistan might not answer all her questions, but she’s determined to figure some of them out.

Sakina wants nothing more than to attend school. Unfortunately, she has to help her father clean Mimi’s grandparents’ lavish house to make ends meet, so going to school for Sakina feels like a pipe dream. Plus she must pass the English language exam to even attend, and Sakina has no one to practice with. That is, until Mimi and her mother arrive from America.

In a meeting of cultures, Mimi and Sakina learn much from each other and eventually become friends. The family and class dynamics surrounding their lives present new ways of looking at the world and their places within it.

Split between Mimi and Sakina’s perspectives, A Thousand Questions tackles topics like class struggles, family relations, and cultural barriers. Mimi is from Houston, and although she and her mother don’t have a lot in the States, Mimi’s grandparents are wealthy in the Pakistani city of Karachi. Sakina is employed, along with her father (Abba), as a servant in Mimi’s grandparents’ household. The friendship between Mimi and Sakina isn’t encouraged at first, and often the differences in class come up when Mimi has more freedom (both financially and socially) than Sakina. Instead of fostering dislike between the two, Sakina is motivated to improve her English and attend school however she can.

Language is a large part of the book. Many of the characters speak Urdu, and Urdu and Arabic words are used throughout. Faruqi does an excellent job of giving contextual clues, so the language-hopping never feels confusing. A glossary is also included at the end of the book to help aid readers. Language is also used as a plot point. Mimi’s Urdu isn’t great, and Sakina’s English is ok, so the two teach each other. In this exchange of languages, there is also an exchange in cultures. The bond that Sakina and Mimi form is heartwarming, even if they don’t always see eye to eye.

Mimi also has a journal where she writes questions to her father. She misses him, and her letters are part of the narrative. Much of the book details her emotional journey as she learns about her parents’ lives and why her father left. At the end of the book, Mimi is able to reach a resolution and seems to make peace with her father’s leaving.

A Thousand Questions tackles important topics regarding culture, friendship, and family, and both Mimi and Sakina grow as people as they learn about each other. This book will appeal to people who are already familiar with Pakistan as well as to people who want to read about a strong friendship and culturally nuanced book. In A Thousand Questions, Mimi and Sakina’s friendship opens their eyes to the world around them, and it will certainly do the same for the reader. This book is a must-read for its diverse content and its ability to tell a moving story about friendship and family.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When Mimi was little, she “crashed [her] bike in the street outside [their] Houston apartment . . . and broke her leg in three places.”
  • When Mimi was five, she writes letters to her father who left her and her mother. Mimi never sends them. One day she writes, “Do you ever get angry? Not annoyed or irritated, like most people, but a deep angry that makes you throw something at the wall and watch it crack.” Mimi has not actually done this.
  • Sakina’s Abba has diabetes and collapses in the kitchen one day. Sakina, Mimi, and Nani hear “a loud crash” and they rush to get him to the hospital.
  • Sakina explains that Raheem, her neighborhood “goonda” or “gangster,” is “going around ordering people to vote for his candidate. Screaming, destroying things.”
  • Raheem broke into a neighbor’s house with his stick and broke things inside. Sakina describes, “Broken chairs and tables, a cracked mirror on the wall. Clothes strewn about on the floor.”
  • The goondas in Sakina’s neighborhood rob Sakina’s family. They don’t physically hurt anyone, but Raheem threatens to “tear [the house] down” if they don’t hand the money over.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Mimi’s family’s driver smokes. Sakina explains in English that the smoke “makes [her] eyes water.”
  • Mimi’s great-uncle smokes a cigar, and Mimi “wrinkles her nose at the smell.”

Language

  • Words like dumb, stupid, nuts, shut up, and weird are occasionally used.
  • Mimi’s grandmother, Nani, screams at one of the gardeners and accuses him of killing her rose bushes. She calls him a “ulloo-ka-patha.” Mimi doesn’t know what this means, and it isn’t explained further. The glossary in the back explains that it means “son of an owl; used as an insult” in Urdu.
  • Mimi’s mom calls Mimi’s father a “deadbeat.”
  • Mimi’s grandmother calls Sakina a “lazy oaf” and “fool.”
  • Mimi sometimes refers to Nani as “the dragon lady” because of Nani’s fierce temper.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Mimi has a traditional Pakistani dress that she wore twice for “the two Eid celebrations.”
  • Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr are two major Islamic holidays.
  • When things go wrong, Sakina’s father never gets worried. He always says, “It’ll be all right. God will provide.” Sakina doesn’t buy this, saying “God listens to rich people, not to people like Abba [her father] and [her].”
  • Abba frequently thanks God for the good things in their life.
  • The mosque down the street from Mimi’s grandparents’ house uses a loudspeaker to announce prayer times. Mimi describes, “a loudspeaker crackles to life, and a melodious sound fills the air around us. Allahu akbar. Allahu akbar. God is great. God is great.” This happens a few times throughout the book.
  • Mimi thinks to herself, “Maybe if I help Sakina with her admission test, God will reward me by bringing my dad back. And maybe pigs will fly.”
  • Mimi and Sakina talk about why poverty exists. Sakina says, “Abba says it is the will of God.” To this, Mimi replies, “How can God allow some people to have everything and others to have nothing? How can He be the Creator of both Pakistan and America? The two are like day and night. God is supposed to love us equally. Isn’t He?”
  • Malik, the family driver, joins in Mimi and Sakina’s conversation about God. He says, “God gives each of us free will to do whatever we want. Sometimes human beings are bad to each other. They steal and hurt and lie. They don’t take care of the less fortunate.”
  • Malik goes to do the “maghrib prayer” one evening.
  • Sakina and Mimi also attend the maghrib prayer. Mimi describes the scene, saying, “I wrap my scarf around my head and follow [Sakina’s] actions. Standing, sitting, prostrating. It’s familiar and strange at the same time, as if I’ve done this a thousand times in a dream. Oh God, if you’re there, send Dad to me. Please. Just for a few minutes, so I can hug him one time.” Mimi finds that she enjoys prayer time.
  • Sakina admits to Mimi that she hasn’t prayed “in a long time” because she finds “it hard to believe in God these days.”
  • Sakina lies to gain access to Mimi’s father’s workplace. Sakina thinks “the God that Abba believes in—the God I felt around me in that marketplace mosque—will forgive me.”
  • Mimi insists that her mom should be looking for Mimi’s father. Mimi’s mother replies, “He left us . . . Why would I go chasing after him? Why would I ever want to find him for God’s sake?”
  • Various characters make comments using “God” and “Allah” throughout.
  • Sakina’s mother, Amma, sees the money that Mimi and her mother have left for them. Amma says, “Mimi and her mother are angels of God.” Sakina isn’t as certain about this but does see the money as “a miracle.”
  • Before her exam, Sakina says “a quick little prayer under [her] breath.”
  • Occasionally, characters will say, “Alhamdolillah,” which means, “All praise to God” in Arabic. They also sometimes say “Inshallah,” which means, “God willing” in Arabic.

by Alli Kestler

 

The Rainstorm Brainstorm

It’s Aunt Miranda’s birthday! The WellieWishers want to give her something special, but they can’t agree on what it should be. Then, Kendall discovers the Tomorrow Pile. What looks like a bunch of old, dirty, broken-down things to the other girls looks like cool stuff with lots of potential to Kendall! Can the girls use it to make something wonderful?

Kendall’s friends play with her tools, but they forget to put them away. The next day, Kendall is upset because her tools are “muddy, messy, and ruined.” Once her friends see how upset Kendall is, they clean the tools and paint them so they look new. Kendall quickly forgives her friends and encourages them to use her tools to finish making Aunt Miranda’s surprise.

The Rainstorm Brainstorm shows how everyday items can be repurposed. As the girls work, they aren’t afraid to scrub, and clean, and cut vines. When the girls give Aunt Miranda her birthday gift, she says, “Thank you for clearing out that pile of old stuff for me—that’s a great present, too! The pile is gone, the stuff in the pile was reused, and I love the presents that you all worked together to make for me.”

The WellieWishers are introduced through pictures that appear on the first page. This diverse group of girls wears adorably bright clothes and wellie boots. All of the girls’ different personalities blend to make a wonderful friend group. Almost every page has a brightly colored illustration that helps the readers understand the plot. The girls’ facial expressions will also help the readers understand their emotions.

Young readers will want to grab The Rainstorm Brainstorm because of the adorably cute pictures. They will also be entertained by the story and learn important lessons about friendship. Young readers will enjoy the story’s rhyming words and how the girls sing songs. The book ends with a section “For Parents” that provides crafts ideas that correspond with the book. The Rainstorm Brainstorm will encourage readers to find everyday objects to turn into useful items such as a weather-vane, garden statues, or a birdhouse. Through the characters’ interactions, readers will learn the importance of sharing, working together, and forgiveness.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Great White Shark

In beautiful Cape Cod, a fatal Great White attack rocks the popular tourist destination. As the beaches are closed and locals grow angry, a recently arrived Barn Whimbril heads straight into the action. But with a group of local teens determined to surf no matter what gets in the way, can Barn safely investigate the attack or will he come face-to-face with the ocean’s most feared apex predator?”

The main protagonist, Barn, is an extremely likable character who is obsessed with sharks. He is joined by his two best friends, Margaret and Fin. Unlike the first installment of the series, Barn’s friends do not play a major role in the story, which may disappoint some readers. Instead of focusing on Barn’s friendships, in The Great White Shark Barn is isolated and spends too much time thinking.

When Barn makes enemies of some local boys, the group begins harassing Barn and his friends. The most vocal instigator is Vince. Like many readers, Barn is uncertain about how to deal with the bullies. When Vince and Barn are pulled out to sea, it is Barn’s knowledge that helps the two survive. Even though Vince and his friends are cruel to Barn, Barn doesn’t consider repaying them with violence. During all of Barn’s conflicts, he never allows hate to rule his emotions.

Barn’s enthusiasm and shark knowledge is a wonderful aspect of the story. Even when he comes face to face with sharks, Barn is still awed by them. While out in the ocean, Barn tells Vince, “They’re looking for food. We’re food. They don’t want to hurt you; they just want to eat you. If we’re lucky . . . they won’t bother us.” Barn’s calm attitude and his willingness to forgive Vince are both admirable traits.

The Great White Shark is not as entertaining as the first installment of the story. One reason is that there is very little interaction between Barn and his friends Margaret and Fin. In addition, some of Barn’s conflict comes from his uncertainty about his mom dating. While the first installment was a fast-paced action story that never had a dull moment, The Great White Shark has a much slower pace.

The Great White Shark will appeal to readers who love sharks and survival stories. One reason that Barn’s story is so captivating, is because Barn isn’t afraid to show his shark knowledge, but at the same time, he is uncertain when it comes to different aspects of his life—like his feelings for Margaret. Readers who want more shark action should read Surrounded by Sharks by Michael Northrop.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Barn’s dad was “killed in Afghanistan.”
  • Jimmy is killed by a great white shark. While surfing, “something fierce and horrible grabbed his leg. A pain more terrifying, more excruciating, than anything he had ever experienced ran like a million hornet stings to his brain. He screamed . . . The pain kept ringing and ringing and ringing in every cell.”
  • A great white shark eats a seal. “The shark tore into the crippled seal. The shark’s full head came out of the water and then it began thrashing back and forth, ripping the seal meat, scattering bits of flesh on the surface of the sea.”
  • A man begins shooting at a shark.
  • Vince intentionally runs into Barn. “In the next moment, a body smashed into his. The contact came so quickly, and so unexpectedly, that the impact knocked him off his feet and into the air. He landed with a thud in the sand. . . His wind had been knocked out of him.”
  • Vince starts harassing Barn’s friend, Margaret. Barn tries to help when he “ran as hard as he could at Vince. Vince sidestepped in time and stuck his leg out, and Barn piled right into the mounded beach. His face went into the sand, and his body crashed like an accordion behind him.” Barn is embarrassed, but not injured.
  • Vince and his friends corner Barn and shove him onto the beach. Vince forces Barn to take a surfboard out into the shark-filled ocean. The two boys get pulled out to sea by a riptide. Both end up in the hospital with hypothermia. Vince apologizes for his behavior.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Jimmy loved sports and was “a darn good surfer.”
  • There is some name calling, including idiot, dweeb, jerk, loser, and chicken.
  • Heck is used twice

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Fablehaven #1

Siblings Kendra and Seth spend the summer visiting their grandparents. The first week of their visit is confined by their grandfather’s strict rules to stay in the yard and not explore the property. Then Kendra uncovers a secret journal with a single note in it, “Drink the milk.”

 Kendra and Seth drink the milk the caretaker leaves out every morning for the butterflies, and suddenly their eyes are opened. The insects surrounding them transform into beautiful fairies and they learn the property, called Fablehaven, is a home for magical, mystical creatures. The siblings are not allowed to explore the property beyond the yard because it is full of dangerous beings. Then, on Midsummer’s Eve, the yard and home’s protections are lifted, and all creatures are allowed to roam free. The terror of the evening leads to a dangerous adventure that will require courage from the young siblings in order to save their family.

Fablehaven highlights the importance of courage, following rules, and loyalty. Seth and Kendra struggle with following rules they feel are unfair, even though the rules are in place to protect them. In the end, the siblings must surmount their fears and face a terrifying situation to overcome evil forces and save their family. The magical fights and demons in the book may be disturbing for some readers, but the scenes are brief and general in their description. However, some readers might find several of the scenes upsetting. For example, during the story, the children see their grandmother naked. Plus, she teaches them how to give a troll a massage, which sends him into a state of ecstasy.

Middle school readers will find they are able to relate to the siblings. Seth is a lovable, mischievous brother whose curiosity tends to get him into trouble. Kendra is more cautious and is frequently led out of her comfort zone by Seth. This novel is entertaining and largely plot-driven, following Seth and Kendra as they mature with their increasing responsibilities and knowledge.

Mull’s story has a slow start but the adventures that follow are worth the wait. The story’s interesting characters include witches, fairies, satyrs, imps, a troll, and a strange chicken. Despite the fantastical characters, Fablehaven’s world needs more descriptions. Still, the novel will leave the reader excited to pick up the next book in the series, Rise of the Evening Star. Readers who want a less upsetting and greatly suspenseful story that takes you into the fairy world, should read The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi & Holly Black.

Sexual Content

  • Fallen fairies, called imps, would be turned back into fairies if they were kissed by a true fairy. “In radiant bursts and sparks, every imp that was kissed transformed into a human-sized fairy!”

Violence

  • Kendra and Seth are warned of the dangers of the property’s pond by Lena, their grandfather’s associate. Lena says, “The pond can be a hazardous place. Return there now, and you would find friendly naiads beckoning you near the water in order to pull you under and drown you.”
  • When demons break into Seth and Kendra’s bedroom, one of the demons touches salt surrounding their bed. The salt causes the demon great pain and “his face and chest were charred.”
  • The siblings’ grandmother explains the necessity of taking a dangerous dart to visit the witch. She says, “This dart will slay any being that was ever mortal, including the enchanted or undead, if I can lodge it in a lethal place.”
  • Grandma Sorenson fires the dangerous dart at the witch. “The arrow took flight. . . Muriel shrieked and toppled back against the net of knotted ropes, a manicured hand covering the front of her shoulder. She rebounded forward, falling on her knees, panting, still clutching her shoulder, black feathers protruding between her slender fingers.”
  • Kendra needs some of the property’s giant cow’s blood for an elixir. She climbs up a ladder to get to its udder and “plunges the weed digger into the spongy flesh. The tool sank almost to the handle, and Viola made a terrified bellow.”
  • Kendra also needs her own blood for the elixir. “Gritting her teeth, she stuck her thumb with the pin and then squeezed two drops of blood into the mixture.”
  • The fairies and demons fight to try and imprison the escaped demon, Bahumat. The fighting begins when, “The winged beasts clawed their smaller opponents, but the fairies adroitly evaded the blows and slashed off their wings.” This violence is described over five pages.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • While the kids are asleep, Grandpa Sorenson has satyrs over for a party. He explains, “It was not a party for young people. As caretaker, your grandfather would never drink, but I can’t vouch for the satyrs.”
  • The satyrs lecture Seth and Kendra for foiling their plan to steal the ogresses’ soup, saying, “If you spoiled our wine, that would be another story.”
  • The satyrs explain they would like batteries for their television. The satyrs say, “Then we can trade for more. Gold, booze, you name it.”
  • Grandma Sorenson warns Kendra against smelling beautiful flowers. Grandma Sorenson says the flowers are “more addictive than most drugs. Sampling a lotus blossom awakens a craving that will never be silenced. Many have wasted their lives pursuing and consuming the petals of those bewitching flowers.”

Language

  • After meeting the satyrs, Seth describes them as “idiots.”

Supernatural

  • Grandpa Sorenson explains the dangers of Muriel, the witch. “Before long, she became enamored with the power of witchcraft. . . Her husband tried to help her, but she was already too demented.”
  • Grandpa Sorenson discusses the dangers of the Society of the Evening Star saying, “members of the Society consort with demons and practitioners of the black arts.”
  • Grandma Sorenson discusses the imprisoned demon. “Long ago, this land was possessed by a powerful demon named Bahumat. . . The natives made whatever offerings the demons seemed to require, but still they lived in fear.”
  • Grandma Sorenson discusses the danger of the witch, saying, “Muriel is a student of evil.”
  • At the end of the battle against the demon, Kendra looks around at the fairies surrounding her and reflects that she “had seen many fairies fall during the battle, but most had been revived and healed by the magic of their comrades.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Paige Smith

Scream for Ice Cream

Nancy and her friends think there is nothing more fun than ice cream in the summer. So when they find out that the owners of the local ice-cream factory are hosting a contest, the Clue Crew can’t wait to enter! Contestants must come up with brand-new flavors and they can use whatever ingredients they want! Nancy is sure that her entry—Clue Berry—will win.

But when a friend’s secret recipe goes missing, Nancy suspects that someone not-so-sweet is up to no good. Can Nancy and the Clue Crew find out who took the missing recipe?

Nancy and her friends work hard on creating their ice cream flavors, but that doesn’t stop them from encouraging their classmates to enter the contest as well. Even though the contest is important to the Clue Crew, they are more concerned with Deirdre and Kendra’s friendship. When the two are having friendship trouble, the Clue Crew jumps into action. In the end, Deirdre and Kendra’s friendship drama is resolved and the two remain best friends.

Scream for Ice Cream has enough suspects to keep the story interesting without becoming confusing. Readers will enjoy using their powers of observation to see if they can figure out who stole the ice cream before the big reveal at the story’s end. Most of the time the Clue Crew follows the rules as they search for clues. However, they do wait for an employee to be distracted so they can sneak into the ice cream factory.

The story’s conclusion is surprising, but nicely wraps up all of the story’s drama. Young mystery fans will enjoy the mystery as well as the story’s silly moments. Even though the Clue Crew’s ice cream is ruined three times, the girls don’t complain. Instead, they look forward to making more next year.

Black and white illustrations appear every 2 to 5 pages, which break up the text and help readers visualize the events in the plot. The last page of the book gives directions for making coffee-can ice cream. This modern version of Nancy Drew will be an entertaining summer read. After reading Scream for Ice Cream, readers with a sweet tooth will want some tasty ice cream of their own.

 

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When Cassidy’s sister grabs someone else’s ice cream and starts eating it, Cassidy yells, “Drop that spoon now, you little pest.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Dog Dog Goose

Lily lives with her girl, Maggie Rose. Once a stray, Lily was rescued by the kind people at the animal shelter run by Maggie Rose’s mom. Now she has a very important purpose: to rescue other animals.

A gaggle of orphaned baby geese think Lily is their mother. Lily doesn’t understand why the geese always want to be by her side, even when they are sleeping. Sometimes Lily just wants to do dog things, not gosling things. Plus, the goslings need to learn to fly so they can migrate. Can Lily find a way to teach them to fly?

Dog Dog Goose is told from Lily’s point of view, which gives the reader insight into Lily’s perspective on having a gaggle of goslings by her side. The goslings act adorably cute, and they also add a little humor to the story.

While the story focuses on Lily’s experience with a gaggle of goslings, the story also intersperses Maggie Rose’s family life. However, this book focuses on Maggie Rose’s brother, Bryan, who wants to adopt an older dog named Brewster. Bryan’s parents agree to allow him to adopt Brewster if he can earn the money for the adoption fee. In order to help Bryan, Maggie Rose and her older brother give Bryan money they earned. The two siblings donate their hard earned money without strings attached.

Animal lovers ready for chapter books will enjoy Dog Dog Goose. Realistic black and white illustrations that have splashes of pink appear every 1 to 3 pages. The short chapters and illustrations of the animals are adorably cute. The story has many facts about geese and the end of the book has more interesting information about Canadian geese. Even though this is the fourth book in the series, the books do not need to be read in order to be enjoyed.

Lily is admirable because of her kind nature and willingness to help other animals. The story also emphasizes the importance of keeping the goslings wild. Another positive attribute of the story is the family’s healthy interactions. When Bryan lies to his parents, he is appropriately punished and reminded of the importance of being truthful.

Dog Dog Goose is an entertaining story that has plenty of animal action that will keep readers engaged until the very end. The difficult vocabulary makes the story best for fluent readers. However, the short chapters and the character dialogue make the story a good choice to read aloud. Readers who enjoy this series will also enjoy Pet Rescue Adventures by Holly Webb.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Dog-Gone Danger

Kelsey and her friends, Becca and Leo, discover a purebred pug puppy in a run-down barn. Did he run away from home, or did someone intentionally abandon him? It’s another case for the Curious Cat Spy Club.

But before they can figure out the pug’s origins, a bigger mystery appears. Kelsey’s mom has disappeared! Kelsey is worried that it has something to do with her mom’s job as an animal control officer. Her dad and siblings think her mom is just taking a break from the family—after all, she has done this before. But Kelsey’s not convinced that her parents’ marital problems are the cause of her mom’s disappearance. With her two friends by her side, Kelsey vows to discover the truth.

Kelsey and her two friends, Leo and Becca, are all likable characters who want to protect animals. The three friends all have different talents, which add interest to the story. For instance, Leo loves to build gadgets, such as a smell-sniffing robot, while Becca is outgoing and can talk to anyone. Major, a retired search and rescue dog, also joins the Curious Cat Spy Club during their mission. Readers will enjoy looking at the clues to solve the mystery as well as the interplay between the characters.

In addition to the mother mystery, Dog-Gone Danger has some parental drama. Kelsey learns that her parents almost got a divorce. Meanwhile, Becca is frustrated because her mom is dating the sheriff. However, Becca uses this relationship to her advantage by using his personal phone number to call him.

One negative aspect of the story is when Kelsey and her friends sneak into several different buildings, trying to investigate her mom’s disappearance. They meet several potential suspects and learn new clues; however, the story downplays the danger of their actions.

Readers will enjoy the mystery, the dog action, and the friendship between the Curious Cat Spy Club. Dog-Gone Danger will appeal to both mystery fans and animal lovers. The best part of the book is the three friends, who help and support each other. In addition, the plot is easy to follow but has enough complexity to appeal to middle school readers.

Sexual Content

  • Kelsey has a crush on Leo. When Leo asks her to a school dance, Kelsey asks him, “When the dance is over, will you want to kiss me good night?” The embarrassed boy says, “Of course not!”

Violence

  • Kelsey’s mother goes to investigate a report of a biting dog. When the four-year-old girl who owns the dog sees Kelsey’s mom, the girl shoots her with a paintball gun.
  • While Kelsey’s mom is investigating a report, the villain grabs her. Kelsey’s mom says, “. . . I heard barking from the garage. When I went to check it out, someone came up behind me and threw a bag over my head. I was lifted up and shoved down into a dark prison.” She is locked in a bomb shelter, which has food and water.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Darn and drat are both used several times.
  • OMG is used as an exclamation six times.
  • The villain calls her sons imbeciles and idiots.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion

Iggy Peck is an architect at his very core: when he’s not making houses out of food, his head is up in the clouds, dreaming of design. So he’s totally blown away when Ada Twist’s Aunt Bernice inherits an old house from ice-cream mogul Herbert Sherbert that is filled with countless rooms from all his favorite architectural periods. But something’s not quite right . . .

Everyone says the house is haunted, and it seems that a number of priceless antiques—which were supposed to help Aunt Bernice pay for the house’s upkeep—have gone missing. If they can’t find those antiques, Aunt Bernice might lose the house forever. It will take all of Iggy’s knowledge of architecture and the help of the other Questioneers—Rosie Revere, Ada Twist, and Sofia Valdez—to solve the mystery and find the treasure!

Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion builds suspense because it has just the right amount of spooky, scary, and strange events. All of the events are eventually solved in a logical way. Iggy and his friends do some sleuthing, but they also research the Mysterious Mansion’s history and Iggy uses his knowledge of architecture to help solve the mystery.

The majority of the story focuses on the Mysterious Mansion’s history. Iggy discovers that two people who lived in the mansion died from the Spanish Flu. “People can still die from the flu, but it’s not as common because scientists invented new medicines and vaccines. People used to die of all kinds of diseases like measles and flu. Vaccines changed that.”

In addition, the spooky story also has humor. For instance, when Mrs. Bernice Twist inherits the mansion, the letter reads, “The Law Offices of Yabba, Dabba & Dew are not responsible for the actions of ghosts or anything that causes shivers, nightmares, heebie-jeebies, or worse. Especially worse.”

Most of the pages have large black, white, and green illustrations that will help readers envision the characters as well as understand the story’s plot. Other illustrations show drawings from Iggy’s notebook. However, younger readers may struggle with the story’s advanced vocabulary and the architectural lingo. However, the story’s use of imagery, onomatopoeia, and alliteration make Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion a fun story to read aloud. The story ends with information about art nouveau and art deco, information about “Weird, Wonderful, and Wonderfully Weird Cats,” and a recipe to make ice cream.

Readers familiar with The Questioneers Series will enjoy seeing the same cast of characters. Iggy and his friends are curious, resourceful, and able to think outside the box. Unfortunately, the conclusion has several events that are unbelievable. Despite this, readers will enjoy the mystery, the friendship, and the illustrations.  If you’re looking for another series that has smart, curious characters, check out the Ellie Engineer Series by Jackson Pearce and the Jada Jones Series by Kelly Starling Lyons.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Aunt Bernice, Ada, and Iggy try to open the mansion’s door when “the boards of the porch began to rise and fall like piano keys. A wave rolled from one end of the porch to the other and back again. . . Suddenly, the board beneath Aunt Bernice’s left foot rose up and sent her tumbling.” When they jump off the porch, the motion stops.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • The town folks believe that the Sherbert House is haunted by Herbert Sherbert and his wife. When Iggy stumbles upon the mansion, he thinks, “There were darker tales of a woman whose cries could be heard late at night if you dared to get close enough to the house to listen. They said the ghosts were looking for something—or someone!”
  • The Mansion begins to play music and then “the shutters of the Great Hall window slammed shut. Almost as quickly, they flew open again. The shutter opened and shut in rhythm with the music.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Out of the Ballpark

Before he hit 400 home runs, before he was named American League MVP, before he was ARod to millions of fans, he was Alex. He was just a kid who wanted to play baseball more than anything else in the world.

Baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez has drawn from his own childhood experiences to write Out of the Ballpark. Alex knows what it’s like to swing at a wild pitch or have a ball bounce right between his legs. Alex is determined not to let his mistakes set him back—even if it means getting up at the crack of dawn to work on his hitting and fielding before school starts.

Baseball fans will be drawn to Out of the Ballpark because of the brightly colored cover and Alex Rodriguez’s name. Alex struggles during a game, but during the championship, Alex’s grand slam won the game. Unfortunately, the story is predictable; however, the story does show the importance of hard work, determination, and practice.

The picture book is comprised of bright, cartoon-like pictures that capture the motion of the baseball games. The unique pictures often use two-page spreads to give the baseball field depth and to showcase the celebrating players. Out of the Ballpark is intended to be read aloud to a child, rather than for a child to read it for the first time independently. Each page has 1-6 sentences; however, some of the sentences are complex, which makes the pages text-heavy.

At the end of the story, readers will find a letter from Alex Rodriguez encouraging them to stay away from drugs, work hard, and respect their elders. There are also many pictures of him during his childhood. Even though the story is not memorable, Out of the Ballpark will appeal to baseball fans, and parents can use the story to start a conversation about achieving one’s dreams.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Storm Warning

Emily and her dog, Zack, have a special bond. But it’s more than that—they can read each other’s minds. Even more surprising, Zack knows when people are in trouble. Now, Emily and Zack are able to use their powers to save lives, though Emily is endangering hers in the process and making her parents worry.

When a hurricane warning is issued, everyone in town starts preparing for the worst while hoping for the best. After all, what are the odds of a hurricane actually hitting a small town in Maine? Emily and Zack don’t know what’s going to happen, but if the hurricane does arrive, are a girl and her dog enough to save a town from the destructive power of Mother Nature?

Unlike the first installment of the Dog Whisperer Series, Storm Warning lacks suspense and action. In order to establish Emily and Zack’s unusual ability to communicate, the story jumps back and forth between Emily’s school life and her personal life. In addition, the town is preparing for an upcoming hurricane. The multiple plot lines make the story disjointed. However, the scenes where Emily and Zack help injured people add some danger and excitement.

Middle school readers will relate to Emily, who wants more freedom and the ability to stay home by herself. While Emily’s family interactions show a healthy family unit, Emily’s parents struggle to balance Emily’s desire for freedom with their need to keep her safe. Several times, Emily runs after Zack in order to help an injured person and Emily’s parents react in appropriate ways. Even though Emily has a happy home life, she still struggles with the fact that she is adopted and has had no contact with her birth mother.

Most of the characters in this story were introduced in The Rescue, but Storm Warning further develops two key characters—Emily’s best friend, Bobby, and Mrs. Griswold, an elderly neighbor. For those who have read The Rescue, the development of these characters will help reinforce the idea that you should not make assumptions about others.

Unfortunately, Storm Warning has an anticlimactic conclusion with little emotional impact. In addition, Mrs. Griswold tells Emily a confusing fact about her birth mother that leaves Emily wondering if her adoptive parents have been dishonest about Emily’s parentage. However, the story thread is left hanging. Despite the lack of action, readers will enjoy the character development and Zack’s ability to sense a person in need. For maximum enjoyment readers should read The Rescue first. Those looking for a more suspenseful hurricane story should read Hurricane Rescue by Jennifer Li Shotz.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • Zack’s veterinarian gives the dog some pain medication to help with an injury.
  • Emily’s father breaks his ankle and takes two aspirin to help with the pain.

Language

  • An older storekeeper calls a boy a “young punk” and “riftraff.”
  • Emily gets sent to the principal’s office and sits next to two boys. One boy tells her they were being jerks.

Supernatural

  • Emily can read her dog Zack’s mind. “It was sort of—psychic. Which was really cool, but also kind of unnerving. They had the exact same dreams and nightmares pretty often, and there were sometimes when she would find herself thinking something and then realize that, no, Zackary was thinking it.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Mystery of the Moon Tower

Kyle is a new kid in town who likes to draw. Vic is a cool cheerleader who’s secretly a math whiz. Quiet Beth is a history buff, while goofball Harry likes performing magic tricks with the help of his patient wingman, Nate. These five kids are unlikely to form a team, for sure.

But then they’re thrown together at summer camp, where they watch a grainy old movie about the history of their town (Windrose) and one of its illustrious citizens of a bygone era: the intrepid explorer-inventor Henry Merriweather. He is the one who established their camp. And what is Merriweather’s Camp Pathfinders’ motto? Plus Ultra: more beyond!

The five kids soon find there is indeed “more beyond” in their pokey town with its weird weather and sudden geysers of smelly air. Deciphering a route of historical markers leads them to Merriweather’s old castle, which is lined with ornate, beautiful tiles in hallways that lead to secret rooms full of odd objects—and where time itself is warped!

Kyle, Vic, Beth, Harry, and Nate witness scenes from Merriweather’s past and realize his experiments and eccentricities are pointing toward a path that could lead to the rumored lost treasure of Windrose. The path takes them on a journey through time, through woods, and finally to the looming Moon tower. Will the kids be able to solve the mystery and find the treasure?

Readers who love Scooby Doo mysteries will love the spooky setting that shows the kids lost in a forest, an old castle, and a moon tower. However, unlike Scooby Doo, The Mystery of the Moon Tower’s plot is disjointed and there are a lot of plot holes. The kids hunt for tiles—many of them are attached to plaques detailing historical information—that will lead them to the treasure. However, the historical information is illegible and the characters do not discuss the information on the plaques. In addition, even though the tiles are important in solving the mystery, the reader is still left wondering why they are significant.

The graphic novels’ illustrations will appeal to many readers. The Windrose castle and the woods have wonderful details and the glowing blue light gives the setting a magical feel. The kids are a diverse group both in looks and personalities. Each page has 1 to 6 sentences of dialogue which appear in quote bubbles. The easy-to-read vocabulary makes the story accessible to even the most reluctant readers. Another positive aspect is that the five kids are all introduced at the beginning of the story, which helps the readers understand some of the character’s comments.

Even though The Mystery of the Moon Tower’s plot is underdeveloped, the story sets up what could potentially be an engaging sequel. In addition, the story may spark readers’ curiosity and have them researching Henry Mercer and the Mercer Museum of Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The Mystery of the Moon Tower will entertain mystery fans who like a spooky setting that delves into the past.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When he finds a hidden tile, Kyle says, “What the heck?”

Supernatural

  • The five kids see visions from the past.

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

Peter and the Starcatchers

Peter thinks life cannot get any worse after he and some other boys from the orphanage are dumped on a ship. They’re told that they are bound to become servants to a cruel king. But then strange things start happening on the ship: flying rats, talking porpoises, and a mysterious girl named Molly. The strange occurrences all center around one heavily guarded trunk. But when Peter tries to investigate, Molly gets in his way.

Molly’s father is a starcatcher, with a very important mission. He’s supposed to be transporting precious cargo on another ship. When Molly discovers the two trunk got switched and the precious cargo is on her ship, she knows she must guard it from an overly curious orphan boy. However, when the porpoises tell her a pirate is coming for the treasure, Molly may just have to trust Peter in order to stop the powerful treasure from falling into the wrong hands.

The first half of Peter and the Starcatchers bounces between Peter’s, the pirate Black Stache’s, and Molly’s father’s perspective, creating a fast-paced narrative as the three ships maneuver to steal or protect the treasure. The second half of the book takes place on a remote island, after Peter’s ship crashes onto an island reef. Again, the perspective changes frequently from a wide host of characters, but rather than being confusing, the changing perspectives create excitement and allow readers to see what is happening all over the island. Each character is developed enough to have a unique voice, and readers will enjoy watching as each person fights for a different goal.

The story has plenty of action and suspense, which may frighten more timid readers. Anyone who enjoys a swashbuckling adventure will be delighted by the frequent twists and turns as the different parties clash in their struggle for the treasure. By the end of the story, the island becomes quite crowded with people vying for the treasure, including: Peter and the other orphan boys, Molly, Black Stache and his pirates, the island natives, a group of newly-created mermaids, and Molly’s father with his team of Starcatchers. Each group is well-developed and richly described. Readers will love seeing the story from each group’s perspective—even the groups they are rooting against!

While the large cast of characters doesn’t allow for every individual to be deeply developed—for example, most of Black Stache’s crew are stereotypical pirates—every character is colorful and the more prominent characters are well-developed. Peter and Molly are both very likable and are realistically portrayed. For example, they act bravely but admit to being afraid. They also admit when they make mistakes and learn the importance of working together.

While Peter and the Starcatchers shows the importance of working together, its biggest successes are its wonderful cast of colorful characters and a nonstop, zig-zag plot that is packed full of adventure. This is not a traditional Peter Pan stories, but a delightfully creative take on the original tale. Readers will enjoy when aspects of the original story (mermaids, a crocodile, and a one-handed pirate) are revealed. While there are sequels, all of the main story lines are neatly tied up in this book, allowing readers to decide if they want to be satisfied with this adventure or reach for another.

 Sexual Content

  • Peter overhears Molly’s governess and Mr. Slank in a cabin. Molly’s governess says, “Oh, Mr. Slank! . . . You are a devil!” To which Slank replies, “’That I am . . . And you know what they say! . . . the devil take the hindmost!’ Then Peter hears Mrs. Bumbrake emit a very un-governess-like squeal, followed by what sounded like a slap, followed by some thumping, then more squealing, then more thumping and then much laughing.”
  • The pirate Black Stache has a secret weapon called “The Ladies.” Instead of normal sails on his pirate ship, “the sky above the pirate ship was filled with an enormous black brassiere—an undergarment of fantastic size, as if made for a giant woman. The twin mountains of fabric, funnel-shaped, pointed and bulged ahead of the breeze.”
  • Peter meets a mermaid. “She did not appear to be wearing any clothes, her only covering coming from her lush cascade of hair. Ordinarily this second thing would have gotten Peter’s full attention, but he was much distracted by the third thing, which was blood seeping from a deep gash in her forehead.”
  • A mermaid saves Peter from drowning. “Her mouth was touching his mouth, and—the strangest thing—her breath was becoming Peter’s breath.”

Violence

  • Grempkin, a man from the orphanage, likes cuffing boys on the ear when they annoy him. “ ‘OW!’ said Thomas, upon being cuffed a second time by Grempkin.”
  • Slank, the man in charge of Peter’s ship, also likes cuffing boys’ ears. “
  • When a man tries to abandon ship, a guard stops him with a whip. The man “had taken perhaps three long strides when the whip cracked . . . and wrapped itself around this man’s ankle like a snake. The sailor crashed to the deck . . . [Slank] drew back his leg and kicked the would-be escapee hard in the ribs.”
  • Molly tells Peter about His Royal Highness, King Zarboff the Third, and how, “if you don’t salute with these three fingers when you say his name, and he finds out, he has these very fingers cut off.”
  • When pirates board Molly’s father’s ship, the captain’s “men fought courageously, but the pirates outnumbered them two to one. He could not stomach watching his men be slaughtered in a hopeless cause.” The captain surrenders.
  • Molly and Peter try to throw the trunk with the treasure overboard. “Molly screamed as Slank, grabbing her by her hair, yanked her away from the trunk. Peter lunged forward, grabbed Slank’s arm, and sank his teeth into it, tasting blood. Now it was Slank’s turn to scream.”
  • Pirates board Peter’s ship, and Molly defends the trunk. “She lunged toward Stache, her green eyes blazing with fury. Before Stache could react, she had knocked him away from the trunk, her hands clawing at his face . . . his screams mingling with the roars of the giant, who had lunged forward to grab the escaping girl, only to be attached by the pirates who’d been watching him.”
  • Peter’s ship sinks in a storm. “The Never Land broke apart, whole sections of the deck tearing loose, the masts splintering like twigs. A crewman was pitched, screaming, into the sea; he was followed by another, and then another.” The boys manage to climb into a dory and survive.
  • Slank and his giant crewman, Little Richard, try to steal the trunk from mermaids. “The instant he moved, another she-fish . . . hissed and darted forward, snakelike, opening her own hideous mouth and clamping her needle-sharp teeth down on his right forearm. Slank whirled to shoot it, but Little Richard, bellowing in pain, moved faster; he brought his massive left fist down on the she-fish’s head. She emitted a blood-chilling screech and fell away into the dark water.” The struggle is described over two pages.
  • The mermaids attack again. “The water boiled ominously around them. Little Richard screamed as he was bitten on his right leg, then his left.” Little Richard survives.
  • Slank crashes the dory into a mermaid. “The bow lifted slightly, avoiding a direct collision with the trunk, but striking the defiant mermaid. Slank felt the thud in his feet. That’s one less to worry about.” The mermaid is knocked unconscious.
  • Slank holds a mermaid captive, “holding the knife at her neck.” The other mermaids try to rescue her. “From time to time the knife cut, or the whip connected, each time drawing a scream. The water around the longboat grew cloudy with blood. But the mermaids kept coming, coming, frothing the water around the unsteady longboat.” The fight is described over two pages.
  • Peter is knocked unconscious. “The clublike wooden handle of Little Richard’s whip, two feet of two-inch-diameter oak, slammed into Peter’s skull from behind. Peter instantly crumpled to the shallow water, unable to break his fall, and lay face down, motionless.”
  • Peter and Molly attack Slank with coconuts. “Blood streaming down his face, Slank lunged to his feet, flailing his arms as he staggered toward the lagoon, the children still clinging to his back and bashing him with coconuts.”
  • Slank threatens Molly with a knife, “leaving a thin line of blood on Molly’s neck.”
  • Molly fights to escape. “Slank grunted in pain as Molly drove her left heel into his nose, blood spurting instantly, the shock weakening his grip just enough for Molly to yank her right foot free of his grasp.”
  • When Peter jumps out of the way of Black Stache’s sword, Black Stache accidentally kills Fighting Prawn, the leader of the island natives. “In fact, [Peter] flew straight up, but so quickly did he launch himself that Stache never really saw it, and thus had no chance to stop the thrust of his sword, which continued right through, plunging deep into the chest of Fighting Prawn.”
  • Peter duels with Black Stache. “Peter twisted his body and shot to his right, and as he did he switched his knife to his left hand and slashed downward with it, and it happened too fast for him to see, but he could feel it as he flashed past, feel the knife finding a target, and then, as he shot upward, he heard the scream, and turned to look down upon the vision of Black Stache, holding his sword in his right hand, and looking in horror at the bleeding stump where the left had been.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Alf, a sailor, often desires grog (rum mixed with water, a popular sailor drink). “Are we done, then? . . . Because I could use some grog.”
  • The captain of the Never Land is known to have “never bothered to learn even the basics of seamanship, choosing instead to occupy his time consuming vast quantities of rum.” He is never shown drinking but he appears several times, stumbling around and giving nonsensical orders to the crew.
  • A sailor claims a spell was cast on him to make him fall asleep. Another sailor scoffs. “Not hardly. Too much rum, that’s your magic spell.”
  • The men on watch “found some rum somewhere” and are “flat on their backs, snoring.”
  • Peter plans to put the man on watch to sleep, by spiking his food with rum. “Peter was still not sure exactly what rum was, but he knew two things about it . . . The first was that sailors loved to drink it, and gulped it down whenever they had any. The second was that it made them sleep.” He knows the cook has a barrel of rum because “the cook spent far more time drinking rum than cooking.”
  • When pirates board, Slank tells them, “We have a few women . . . And plenty of rum. But if you think there’s treasure on this old scow, I’m afraid you’ll be disappointed.”

Language

  • A man tells Peter that his ship will be traveling for five weeks, “If a storm doesn’t blow you halfway to hell.”
  • Slank asks, “What the dickens are you doing?”
  • The pirates often call each other names, such as “bag of lice.”
  • Idjit is used several times. Captain Stache shouts, “I DON’T WANT YOUR BLEEDIN’ HAND, YOU IDJIT! . . . I WANT THE BLEEDIN’ SPYGLASS.”
  • Moron is used once. A pirate says, “You rock-headed, lobster-brained MORON!”
  • Peter calls Molly a rat, after she threatens to tattle on him.
  • Molly’s father thinks “damn” when he hears pirates are coming, and thinks “damn” again when someone nearly catches him.
  • Devil is used a few times. To distract a giant crocodile, Alf shouts, “COME ON, YOU DEVIL!” Slank later calls the mermaids “she-devils.”

Supernatural

  • A magic trunk does strange things to people who touch it. When Alf touches it, “Alf could see light now, swirling around his head, colors and sparkles, moving to music, dancing to the sound of . . . bells, yes, it was bells, tiny ones, by the sound of them.”
  • Peter sees “a rat floating in midair. Peter blinked his eyes, but there was no question: the rat was suspended in space, as if hanging from a string, but there was no string. As Peter and the guard stared at the rat, it waved its legs slowly, almost languidly, as if swimming, and began to drift toward the doorway.”
  • Starcatchers are “a small group of people . . . There have been Starcatchers on Earth for centuries, Peter. Even we don’t know how long. But our task is always the same: to watch for the starstuff, and to get to it, and return it, before it falls into the hands of the Others.” The Others misuse starstuff to gain power.
  • Starstuff is golden dust that sometimes falls from the sky as meteors and “has amazing power . . . Wonderful power. Terrible power. It . . . it lets you do things . . . It’s not the same for everybody. And it’s not the same for animals as for people.” Starstuff can heal, can make people fly, can make people strong. Molly explains that larger quantities are more dangerous and can kill a person, or turn a fish into a mermaid, horses into centaurs, and other transformations.
  • Starcatchers have learned the language of porpoises, which are extremely intelligent creatures. They work together often to find any starstuff that falls in the ocean. Molly speaks with a porpoise several times, in their language of clicks and squeaks.
  • Some fish are turned into mermaids by starstuff. “They were changing. And fast. They still had their tails, though these had grown longer and more graceful. In their midsections, their bodies narrowed and their skin changed abruptly, from rough green scales to a white, fleshy smoothness. . . a distinct head appeared, separating from the trunk by a slender neck. . . The mouth became smaller, and a bulge of flesh started to protrude above it; ears were sprouting on each side of the head.”
  • Molly’s father turns a bird into a fairy, to watch over Peter. “The fairy, in a shimmer of gold, sprang from Leonard’s hand and darted to Peter, flitting around his head, filling his ears with her magical bell sounds.”

Spiritual Content

  • Molly tells Peter that there seems to be a larger battle going on in the universe over the possession of starstuff. “‘Just as we have the Others and the Starcatchers here on Earth, there seems to be something similar going on up there.’ [Molly] pointed toward the sky.”

by Morgan Lynn

 

Cece Loves Science: Push and Pull

Ms. Curie wants her class to conduct an experiment. The class is going to learn about forces that move objects in different ways. Cece is extra excited because her dog, Einstein, is going to be part of the experiment. Cece is partnered with three of her classmates, including her friend Isaac.

Ms. Curie gives each group supplies that include a toy dump truck, a marble, dominoes and doggie treats. The group works together until they find the best way to use all of their supplies. Einstein helps too! After trying different things, the kids build a contraption that gives Einstein a doggie treat.

Push and Pull introduces the concept of force and motion in a child-friendly way that is easy to understand. The story uses several examples and also gives examples of how readers can have fun with push and pull. The end of the book has a four-word glossary. Push and Pull is intended for independent readers who are ready for complex plots and challenging vocabulary. Each page has 2 to 6 short sentences which makes it accessible to young readers.

Push and Pull introduces science in an engaging way. Cece and her group work together and everyone contributes. Readers will love Einstein, who also shows how push and pull work. Each page has large, brightly colored illustrations that show the science experiment in action. By the end of the book, readers will be ready to try an experiment of their own.

With lots of examples and positive classroom behavior Push and Pull would make an excellent pick for any beginning reader. The Cece Loves Science Series will encourage readers to be curious about their world. Those looking for more science related fun should add the Jada Jones Series by Kelly Starling Lyons to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Monsters Don’t Scuba Dive

Howie, Melody, Eddie, and Liza are spending their vacation at Camp Lone Wolf. The kids think that Mr. Jenkins is a werewolf because he is so hairy and he’s super strict. Then, when the kids get to camp, Mr. Jenkins introduces Nessie McFarland, who is going to teach the kids how to snorkel. Nessie loves being in the water and is nervous when she’s on land. Because of her shy demeanor and her strange looks, the kids are convinced that Nessie is the Loch Ness Monster. Will the kids be able to prove that Nessie is a monster?

 Monsters Don’t Scuba Dive will entertain mystery-loving readers. Even though the kids think Nessie is a monster, she is never portrayed in a scary or negative manner. For instance, when the kids fall out of a raft, the monster helps them make it back to shore safely. The fast-paced story never fully reveals whether or not Nessie is a monster. Instead, it leaves enough doubt that readers can make the decision on their own. Throughout the book, the Bailey School kids are reminded that every plant and animal deserves to live out its life in peace, including monsters.

Howie, Melody, Eddie, and Liza are relatable characters who work together to solve the mystery. However, the kids sometimes make bratty remarks to each other. For example, Howie shows his friends a book about monsters and Eddie says, “You have monsters in your head if you think I’m going to read a book on my vacation.” In addition, when the camp counselor is talking, Eddie often whispers complaints to his friends.

Monsters Don’t Scuba Dive allows young readers to wonder if monsters really exist without giving them the heebie-jeebies. The Bailey School Kids Series is perfect for emerging readers who are ready for chapter books because it has easy vocabulary, short chapters, and illustrations. The large, black-and-white illustrations focus on the characters and appear every 2 to 3 pages. The illustrations will help readers understand the plot and visualize the characters. However, Mr. Jenkins is a little bit creepy because he is so hairy and his smile shows all of his teeth, including his eyeteeth that “look like fangs.”

While parents might not like all of the kids’ behavior, Monsters Don’t Scuba Dive will entertain readers and make them excited about reading. Readers who want more monster action should check out the Desmond Cole Ghost Patrol Series by Andres Miedoso and the Notebook of Doom Series by Troy Cummings.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When the camp counselor tells the kids they will learn how to swim, Eddie says, “But this is our vacation. We shouldn’t have to learn a doggone thing!”
  • Eddie calls his friends names such as monster breath, water brains, and octopus brain.

Supernatural

  • None

 Spiritual Content

  • None

The Strangers

What makes you you? The Greystone kids thought they knew. Chess has always been the protector over his younger siblings, Emma loves math, and Finn does what Finn does best—acting silly and being adored. They’ve been a happy family, just the three of them and their mom.

But everything changes when reports of three kidnapped children reach the Greystone kids, and they’re shocked by the startling similarities between themselves and these complete strangers. The other kids share their same first and middle names. They’re the same ages. They even have identical birthdays. Who, exactly, are these strangers?

Before Chess, Emma, and Finn can question their mom about it, she takes off on a sudden work trip and leaves them in the care of Mrs. Morales and her daughter, Natalie. But puzzling clues left behind lead to complex codes, hidden rooms, and a dangerous secret that will turn their world upside down.

The Greystone kids discover a portal to a parallel universe that is frighteningly different from their own world. While The Strangers has an interesting premise, the story leaves readers with too many questions as well as some frustrating, unrealistic details. For example, several times the kids travel to the parallel world while Mrs. Morales waits in the car. And when Mrs. Morales unknowingly goes to the parallel universe, she doesn’t realize that she is in a different world. Instead of fully developing the parallel universe, the characters spend little time there. Most of the action comes from figuring out what happened to their mother and how they can decode their mother’s message.

Each chapter of the story switches between Chess’s, Emma’s, and Fin’s points of view. Each character’s picture appears at the beginning of the chapter, which helps the reader keep track of the changing point of view. Each character brings an interesting perspective to the story and allows readers to see how the events affect each person differently. In addition, key ideas and events are often repeated in order to help readers keep track of all of the important developments.

The Strangers will appeal to both mystery and fantasy fans. However, the complicated plot, difficult vocabulary, and switching points of view make The Strangers appropriate for strong readers. Full of interesting plot twists, The Strangers ends with a cliffhanger that will leave readers wondering what happens next. The Greystone kids’ story continues in the second book in the series, The Deceivers.

Sexual Content

  • Natalie’s mother is a private detective who “spies on men who are—let’s just say they’re not very good husbands. Mom gives the wives proof, so they have the upper hand in the divorce.”

Violence

  • The Greystone kids find out that their father was “killed.” When they find out, Chess says, “Dad’s car wreck wasn’t an accident? And Mom never told me?”
  • The Greystone kids’ mother was put on trial in front of the entire town. “The guards began marching away, shoving a few more people for no reason, as if the guards were just overgrown playground bullies.” The kids run from the guards and are never caught.
  • When Joe introduces himself to the kids, “rage swelled within him [Chess] now. He slammed the palms of his hands as hard as he could against Joe’s chest.”
  • In order to escape the guards, the kids begin throwing smoke bombs. No one is injured.
  • As the kids run from the guards, they enter an abandoned house. “Then a horrid thud sounded behind them. Daylight streamed in through a crack in the wall that hadn’t been there a moment before. Chess looked back and saw the blade of an ax coming through the drywall.” The kids are able to escape.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • When the kids go to a parallel universe, the air smells strange. They discover that the air makes people feel a particular feeling.

Language

  • Natalie tells her mom, “Not everyone goes around telling anyone who will listen what a scumbag their husband used to be.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

A Squirrelly Situation

When Travis finds an abandoned baby squirrel, he brings him home and names him Fluffy. Travis introduces Fluffy to his cat, and the cat welcomes the squirrel into her nest and begins to nurse the squirrel alongside her kitten. Soon, the kitten, named Thud, and the squirrel are running around the kitchen causing havoc.

Mother doesn’t think that Fluffy is such a great family pet, but she’s won over by Travis’s pleas. But when Fluffy is old enough to be put back in the wild, will Travis be able to say goodbye to his squirrelly friend?

Since A Squirrelly Situation is set in 1901, it has an old-fashioned feel in both the language and the illustrations. The story has black and white illustrations of the siblings and the adorable animals. Readers may want to hunt for the various animals are in each illustration. The large illustrations appear every 1 to 4 pages and will help readers understand the story’s plot. The story also has many interesting facts about squirrels.

Callie’s and Travis’s grandfather make a brief appearance and remind her of the importance of not jumping to the wrong conclusion. He says, “Keep in mind, Calpurnia, that there is no point in gathering information unless you are certain it is correct information.” The story also highlights the importance of forgiving others.

A Squirrelly Situation told from Callie’s point of view. Her scientific mind, curiosity, and caring nature make her an extremely likable character. The animals’ behavior and the hint of humor will keep readers interested until the very end. Because of the advanced vocabulary, younger readers will need help. However, the large text and short chapters make A Squirrelly Situation a good book to read aloud to younger readers. Proficient readers will enjoy the silly situations caused by the squirrel as well as the characters’ interactions.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • The town has a competition to see how many squirrels they could kill. A prize went to the boy who shot the most, and the boy who shot the largest squirrel. One boy tries to cheat by putting pellets in the squirrel’s body.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • When Callie and her grandfather go exploring, they hide from a wild boar. Callie doesn’t tell her parents they were in danger because, “Heck, they’d never let me out of my room ever again. What an idiot I was.”
  • When Fluffy allows someone to put him on a scale, someone says, “I’ll be danged.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Caramel Moon

Melli the Caramel Fairy can’t wait for the Caramel Moon Festival—the candy corn crops are picked in the moonlight and there’s a big celebration. When Melli notices that there is something wrong in the fields, she needs her friends to help figure out who—or what—is trying to ruin their treats.

One of the fairies tells Melli a story about Lupa the Sugar Fairy. “She was sure that a troll was stealing her sugar fruit chews and wanted to protect her candy. Lupa caught the troll in the middle of the night and sent him back over the Frosted Mountains. She was very brave.” Melli and her friends use the Lupa story to come up with a way to catch the candy stealing culprit. The story allows Melli to be brave and save the candy corn.

The third installment of the Candy Fairies Series focuses on Melli’s dilemma—she must find out why the candy corn isn’t growing properly. In order to trick the Chuchies, the fairies work together and come up with a plan to defeat them. Like the first two books in the series, the Chuchies are the predictable villain. This time around, the Chuchies are defeated when they eat too much candy.

Caramel Moon is a super sweet story about friendship. The fairies use candy language such as saying “sure as sugar” and “you can bet your sugar fruit chews.” The story begins with a map of the Candy Kingdom. The Peppermint Grove and other elements will remind readers of the game Candy Land. Black and white illustrations appear every 2 to 3 pages, and show the fairies wearing pretty dresses. Although most of the fairies look similar, one fairy is African American. The story is best suited for proficient readers who are ready for chapter books.

The friends emulate positive traits and are always willing to help each other. Part of Caramel Moon revolves around a favorite band, Sugar Pops, coming to sing. This element gives the story a more mature tone. In the end, Melli gets permission for her sister to enjoy the Sugar Pop’s show.

Even though the book is a series, readers do not have to read them in order. Caramel Moon is a sweet story that highlights the importance of asking for help and being kind to others, including your younger sisters. Young readers will enjoy spending time in Sugar Valley with the fairies. Readers looking for more fairy fun should also read Rainbow Magic: The Pet Fairies Series by Daisy Meadows.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • “Hot caramel,” “holy peppermint,” “licking lollipops,” and “choc-Caramel” are used as an exclamation.

Supernatural

  • The fairies have magical powers. For example, Melli spreads fine sugar dust over crops to help them grow quickly.

Spiritual Content

  • None

Maggie and the Wish Fish

Eight-year-old Maggie isn’t like other girls who live in the Enchanted Forest. She notices magical animals around her that no one else does – like flying pigs and geese that lay golden eggs.

Maggie hasn’t been getting along with her stepmother and stepbrother. It doesn’t help that flying pigs keep messing up her chores and getting her into trouble! One day while she’s near a lake, she catches a magical fish who promises to make her wish come true, but only if she frees him. Maggie wants a new family more than anything, but can she really trust a talking fish?

Even though Maggie works hard, her stepmother keeps punishing her. Every time Maggie gets into trouble, her stepmother withholds food. It’s a good thing there are wild berry bushes in the Enchanted Forest! Maggie’s stepmother is convinced that Maggie is a liar and a thief, so she throws Maggie out into the cold. Like a Disney fairytale, Maggie and the Wish Fish concludes with a happy ending where Maggie has a new home and a new friend.

Maggie and the creatures who live in the Enchanted Forest appear in black and white illustrations. The cute illustrations appear every 2 to 7 pages. Even though the trolls and the goblins are dangerous, they look cartoonish instead of frighteningly scary. One of the characters shares his journal with Maggie. The illustrated journal gives information about the magical animals and their habits. Readers who are not fluent will need help with some of the vocabulary. However, with short paragraphs, large text, and a simple plot, Maggie and the Wish Fish is accessible to readers ready for chapter books.

Young readers will enjoy the fairytale elements of Maggie and the Wish Fish. A mean step-family, arguing goblins, and talking animals combine to make a sweet story. The story contains enough suspense to keep readers interested and a satisfying ending that will leave readers with a smile. Readers who enjoy fairytales should add the Once Upon a Fairy Tale Series by Anna Staniszewski to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Maggie meets a girl who has a goose that lays golden eggs.
  • When goblins see Maggie, she chases them away with a piece of unicorn horn. “Unicorn horns destroyed poison. There was poison in goblins’ blood. Any goblin that even touched a unicorn horn would go poof! and vanish.”

Spiritual Content

  • None
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