Topic: Friendship

The Lions of Little Rock

Twelve-year-old Marlee, who is shy and quiet, feels like her whole world is falling apart. And she’s sure that starting middle school is only going to make things worse until she meets Liz, the new girl. It may look as if they have nothing in common—Liz always knows the right thing to say, and Marlee can barely stand to speak up in class—but they become fast friends. Then, Liz is caught “passing” for white and leaves school without even a goodbye. Marlee decides she wants her friend back. But to stay friends, Marlee and Liz must be willing to take on segregation—and the dangers their friendship could bring to both families.

The Lions of Little Rock is historical fiction at its best. Not only is the story engaging, but it also sheds light on the struggle to desegregate schools in Little Rock Arkansas during the 1950s. The story focuses on Marlee and Liz, who refuse to give up their friendship just because they are of different races. Both girls help each other face their fears, and they encourage each other during difficult times. Through their interaction, Marlee comes to realize that, “A friend is someone who helps you change for the better. And whether you see them once a day or once a year, if it’s a true friend, it doesn’t matter.”

When someone finds out that Liz is passing as white, Marlee tries to understand her friend’s actions. Marlee’s family maid explains why passing as white is so dangerous. “If you’re really lucky, you lose your job or you’re kicked out of school. If you’re a little less lucky, you get beat up, but after a few weeks your injuries heal and you’re left alone. If you’re not lucky, a lynch mob comes and firebombs your house killing you and everyone you love.” Through Marlee and Liz as well as historical examples, the reader will come to understand racism.

Marlee changes from a timid girl who barely talks into a confident person who is willing to fight for what is right. Much of Marlee’s inspiration comes from the Little Rock Nine because they “believed they had a responsibility to make things better. Believed they could make things better, even though they were still just kids.” Marlee isn’t content to just watch the adults try to make a difference. Instead, despite her mother’s objections, Marlee joins the Woman’s Emergency Committee to Open Our Schools. As part of the organization, she helps fold pamphlets, talks to voters, and performs other small jobs that make a huge impact. In the end, Marlee learns the importance of standing up for herself and others.

The Lions of Little Rock won the New York Historical Society Children’s Book Prize. The entertaining story teaches important life lessons about friendship, facing fears, and finding your voice. The story is historically accurate; the author’s note at the end of the book explains which parts of the story were fictional and which events were factual. The book also includes three pages of discussion questions. Everyone should read The Lions of Little Rock because it will help readers understand racial tensions in the late 1950s as well as show the importance of making a difference in your world.

Sexual Content

  • Marlee has a crush on JT. When Marlee drops her pencils and begins gathering them, “JT handed me one of the pencils and our fingers touched and I could almost hear the wedding bells. . . By lunchtime I’d planned our honeymoon in Italy and was trying to decide if we should name our first son Orbit or Cosine. . .”

Violence

  • Marlee’s father invited a “colored minister” to speak at church. “The next day there was a note tucked in with our paper. It said, ‘You let your youngest walk to school tomorrow, she won’t make it.’ And it was signed, KKK.”
  • On Halloween, JT and his brother egg a house. JT’s brother tries to force Marlee to throw an egg at the house. Later a “colored boy” is arrested for the crime.
  • Marlee’s father tells her about Emmett Till. “He was a young Negro boy who went down to visit some relatives in Mississippi. One day someone saw him talking, some say flirting, with a white woman. . .He was murdered. . . He was only fourteen years old.”
  • The story implies that JT’s mother, Mrs. Dalton, is abused by her husband. Marlee “remembered her because she had a scar over her left eyebrow. . . JT had said once she’d got the scar when she tripped on the stairs.”
  • The story implies that JT’s father hits him. JT shows up at school with a black eye.
  • Someone tells Marlee about John Carter, “a colored man.” He was “taken by a mob of people. No one did anything. . . They hung him and shot him and dragged his body down the street and then burned him.”
  • Marlee was at the “colored pastor’s” house when she saw JT’s brother drive by several times. Everyone goes outside and then, “we suddenly heard a car pull up in front of the house. . . There was a crash and the sound of breaking glass. A screech of wheels, driving off. And then, an explosion.” No one is injured.
  • When the schools are integrated, protestors show up. In order to break up the protestors, “the firemen turned the hoses on. In an instant, the segregationists were soaked.” Several people are arrested, but no one is injured.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • Marlee compares people to drinks. When she meets Liz, she wonders if Liz is “like a shot of whiskey given to you by your older cousin.”
  • At a football game, Marlee sits by JT and one of his friends. The friend, “smelled funny, like a warm beer.”
  • Marlee and her sister used to go to a pond to have picnic lunches. “At night, sometimes teenagers would park there on dates or sneak off to drink beer.”
  • Marlee sees JT’s brother and his friend at the zoo. On the bench they are sitting at are “some beers.”

Language

  • Marlee thinks that someone is a jerk. Later, she tells her friend that, “JT is a jerk.”
  • Nigger(s) is used 4 times. Someone discovers that Liz was passing as white. JT’s brother tells Marlee, “We’ll find your little friend and show her whole family what we think of niggers who try to pass.”
  • Someone calls Marlee an idiot.
  • Several people call Marlee a “square” because she likes math.
  • Someone calls Marlee a coward.
  • Darn is used several times.
  • “Oh Lord” is used as an exclamation once.
  • After someone throws an explosive into a house, the person’s father asks, “What the hell were you thinking?”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Marlee has a hard time talking to her family’s maid, Betty Jean. Marlee “just stood there, helpless, praying Betty Jean would understand.”
  • At church, Marlee hears the Bible verse, “But even if you do suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed.” Often, when Marlee has to make a decision, she reminds herself of this verse.
  • Marlee goes to meet Liz at the colored movie theatre. When a woman questions Liz, Marlee “prayed for the lights to go down and the newsreel to start.”
  • When a “colored boy” is arrested for throwing eggs at a house, Marlee’s father bails the boy out of jail. When the boy’s mother sees him, she says, “Oh, thank God.”
  • Marlee’s church makes a float for the Christmas parade. The theme was from Matthew 19:14. “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
  • Marlee’s family goes on a plane. Her mother and sister are nervous. Marlee “thanked God that neither one of them had actually thrown up.”
  • Marlee’s mom is a substitute at Marlee’s school. Marlee “prayed no one would see us together.”
  • JT and his brother see Marlee in the woods. Marlee tries to distract them so they do not see Liz. She “started walking, praying they would follow me.”

Splat the Cat: The Rain Is a Pain

Splat can’t wait to try out his brand-new roller skates! When it starts to rain, Splat’s sure that his day will be ruined. He’s determined to have some skating fun, but everyone keeps scolding him. Isn’t there anything fun to do inside?

Younger readers will giggle at Splat’s newest adventure. Splat just wants to have some fun, but he keeps making a muddy mess. His mom, dad, and sister keep telling him, “Out, Splat, out!” The repetition is funny and leads to a surprise ending.

Every child will relate to Splat, who doesn’t mean to cause problems or make his family mad. Readers will love the bright-colored illustrations that show the muddy mess that Splat leaves behind. Splat’s facial expressions show Splat’s changing emotions and are at times humorous. Readers will have fun looking for the mouse that appears on almost every page.

Rain Is a Pain is intended for readers who are beginning to sound out words and sentences. Each page has 1-5 simple sentences and large illustrations. The Splat the Cat series uses realistic conflicts, fun illustrations, and a playful cat to engage readers. With nine books in the series, readers will have endless fun following Spat’s adventures.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches

Wendy’s sisters can fly fast, cackle loudly, and cast spells. Wendy can’t do all of those things and when Wendy loses her broomstick, she can’t even fly.

On Halloween, Wendy’s sisters fly into the night, planning on scaring people. They leave Wendy home in a dark house. When a lone tricker treater shows up dressed as a ghost, he asks Wendy to join him. Wendy and her new friend Roger go to his house to get Wendy a new broomstick. With the encouragement of Roger, Wendy is able to fly and cast spells. With Wendy’s newfound confidence, Wendy and Roger fly into the night.

After a fun Halloween, Wendy decides to teach her mean older sisters a lesson. She casts a spell so her two sisters can’t fly, and the sisters have to walk home. Wendy and her sisters learn that Wendy is a very good witch, even if she isn’t exactly like her sisters.

The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches is a fun Halloween story that readers will enjoy. Wendy is a friendly, relatable character who lacks self-confidence. With the help of Roger, Wendy learns that she doesn’t have to be like her sisters in order to be a good witch. Wendy changes Roger’s Halloween costume so he looks like a witch and the two friends have a fun Halloween. Wendy’s spells are silly and fun to read aloud.

The book’s illustrations use fall colors with pops of orange and purple. Even though Wendy and her sisters are witches with green skin, they are not frightening to look at. Readers will giggle as both Roger and his mother try to ride Wendy’s broomstick.  Most pages have a large illustration and oversized text. The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches has five short chapters with short paragraphs, which make the story the perfect bridge to chapter books.

The high-interest topic, fun illustrations, and easy-to-read format make The Witch Who Was Afraid of Witches a wonderful Halloween story. Many readers will relate to Wendy, who just wants her sisters to be nicer to her. In the end, Wendy learns that she does not need to have a frightening voice or a broom made of sassafras in order to be a good witch. More importantly, Wendy learns to accept her differences and becomes self-confident.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Dang is said once.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Wendy says a spell, “Frogs and lizards / Toads and newts / Buttons, raincoats / Hiking boots. Turn this ghost / Into a witch. / Presto, change-o / Make a switch.” The spell changes her friend’s robe from white to black.
  • To make a pointy hat for her friend, Wendy says, “Stew and brew / And cat and bat. / Give this witch / a pointed hat.”
  • To reverse both spells, Wendy says, “Broiled figs / And toasted toast. / Turn this witch / Back to a ghost.”
  • Wendy’s sisters stay out too late, and Wendy wants them to learn a lesson so she makes a spell. “Snakes and cakes / And pumpkin pie. / Oldest sister / You can’t fly. / Salt and pepper, / Bouncing ball. / Middle sister / You will fall.” Later, her sisters come home limping because they had to walk home.
  • Wendy reverses the spell so her sisters can fly again. “Oldest sister / You can fly. / All you have to do / is try. / Middle sister / Flying’s fun. / The spell I made / is now undone.”

 

 

Pumpkin Heads

Every autumn all through high school, Josiah and Deja have worked together at the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world. (Not many people know that the best pumpkin patch in the whole wide world is in Omaha, Nebraska, but it definitely is.) They say goodbye every Halloween, and they’re reunited every September first.

But this Halloween is different—Josiah and Deja are finally seniors, and this is their last season at the pumpkin patch. Their last shift together. Their last good-bye.

Josiah’s ready to spend the whole night feeling melancholy about it. Deja isn’t ready to let him. She’s got a plan: What if—instead of moping and the usual slinging lima beans down at the Succotash Hut—they went out with a bang? They could see all the sights! Taste all the snacks! And Josiah could finally talk to that cute girl he’s been mooning over for three years…

What if their last shift was an adventure?

For three years, Josiah has had a crush on Marcy, a girl he only sees when they work at the pumpkin patch. On the last night of work, Deja talks Josiah into skipping their shift so Josiah can find Marcy and finally talk to her. Reluctantly, Josiah goes along with Deja’s plan. Readers will fall in love with the two characters as they explore the pumpkin patch looking for Marcy. Josiah is shy, sweet, and afraid of rejection, while Deja is confident, outgoing, and completely determined to have Josiah meet the girl of his dreams.

Pumpkin Heads brings all the joys of fall to life—the food, the corn maze, the pumpkins, and the friends. Throughout it all, Deja and Josiah discuss the idea of fate versus free will. The two friends reminisce about their years working at the pumpkin patch and worry about what the future will bring. As the two race against time trying to find Marcy, the story includes some wonderful patches of humor. For example, when Josiah worries about leaving the succotash booth, Deja says, “For God’s sake, Josie—true love trumps lima beans!”

Pumpkin Heads will encourage readers to be bold and live without regrets. Although the plot is a bit predictable, the main characters are truly unique. In the end, Josiah realizes that people cannot be judged by their looks. The only way to truly know someone is to talk to them. The graphic novel is illustrated in the orange and brown hues of fall, and each page has 1-8 sentences of text. The story is a quick read that will leave readers with a smile.

 Sexual Content

  • Deja runs into an ex-girlfriend and an ex-boyfriend.
  • Deja and Josiah see a couple kissing in the corn maze.
  • Deja asks Josiah, “Are you about to kiss me?” Josiah freaks out. After a short conversation, they kiss.

Violence

  • A goat runs around smashing pumpkins and trying to ram people.

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • “Oh God” is used as an exclamation once.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • When Josiah and Deja show up at the succotash booth, a worker says, “Thank the Lord!”
  • Deja sees a girl crying, so she gives the girl a snack. Deja asks, “Why doesn’t God want me to have snacks?”

Some Places More Than Others

For her birthday, Amara wants to visit New York City and visit her father’s side of the family. She wants to meet her grandpa Earl and cousins in person. When her father has a business trip in New York, Amara is determined to get permission to go.

When Amara’s teacher gives the class “The Suitcase Project,” which requires Amara to look into her family’s past, Amara thinks this is the perfect way to convince her parents to allow her to go to New York. As Amara looks for family keepsakes, she looks at the family Bible and learns that her grandma Grace died on her birthday. After Amara overhears a conversation, she learns that her father hasn’t talked to his dad for twelve years. Amara isn’t sure how the two events are connected, but she’s determined to find out.

When Amara finally gets to New York City, it isn’t what she imagined. As she explores the city and asks questions, Amara learns more about this place, her father, and their history. Her experience helps her see how everything in her family connects and helped make Amara the person she is.

Some Places More Than Others explores family relationships and the shared events that combine to knit a family together. As Amara explores Harlem with her family, she begins to understand the importance of honoring those who came before her—Adam Clayton Powell, Harriet Tubman, Langston Hughes, etc. While the story doesn’t go into depth explaining the historical people’s contribution to society, readers will feel Amara’s awe and pride as she begins to understand how these people made her life possible.

Like all families, Amara’s family dynamics are complicated. Though she doesn’t always get along with her relatives, she knows that love binds them together. While in New York, Amara tries to help her father and grandfather put the past behind them and begin talking. The past has caused lingering pain and resentment in Amara’s father. However, by the end of the book, the two men are able to forge a new relationship. By watching her family, Amara learns that “The sign of true maturity is when you’re able to end the argument first, to forgive a person even if they haven’t asked for it.”

Middle-grade readers will relate to Amara, who is often confused and searching to find herself. She feels unloved because her mother wants her to be more girly and wear dresses. When Amara meets her cousins, their view helps Amara see how lucky she is to have a stable, two-parent household. However, Amara also struggles with her mother’s pregnancy. Because her mother has had a string of miscarriages, Amara is afraid to get excited about a new baby. Through Amara’s story, the reader will learn important lessons about family, forgiveness, and the people who shaped her. Even though Some Places More Than Others imparts important lessons, the lessons are integrated into the story and never feel like a lecture. While the characters are not well-developed, Some Places More Than Others would be a perfect way to introduce historical figures and the idea of exploring your family’s past. Readers who enjoy realistic fiction should add Caterpillar Summer by Gillian McDunn and Listen, Slowly by Thanhhá Lai to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • When in New York, Amara sees “two men are walking and holding hands.”

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • While waiting for a subway, Amara sees a “man leaning against the green pillar in the middle of the platform holding a sign that says, ‘I Ain’t Gonna Lie, I Just Want a Beer.’”

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Amara’s family attends a church service and they pray.
  • Before dinner, Amara’s family prays. For example, Amara’s father prays, “We thank you, God, not only for this food, but for this family. Bless us, and keep us, and please—” Amara interrupts and prays, “Let me go to New York with Dad to meet Dad’s side of the family.”
  • Several times Amara prays to her dead grandmother. For example, “I whisper a prayer to Grandma Grace, ask her to help me.”
  • While walking in New York, Amara sees “a man not too far away speaking into a megaphone about Jesus being the white man’s god.”
  • When Amara wakes up, she says a prayer. “God, please let my baby sister be okay.”
  • While traveling home, Amara whispers “a prayer for Mom, for my baby sister, for all of us.”

The Princess and the Fangirl

Everyone knows that Jessica Stone hates everything to do with the beloved sci-fi franchise Starfield. When she signed on to play the beloved Princess Amara, Jess was expecting to use the role as a springboard into bigger and better films. But being an actress in a sci-fi universe comes with an overwhelming amount of criticism. Jess can barely handle the hatred she gets from fans on the internet, and she certainly isn’t looking forward to being surrounded by them at the annual ExcelsiCon.

Starfield fangirl, Imogen Lovelace, practically grew up on the convention floor. Every year her family runs a booth at ExcelsiCon, but this year Imogen has her own mission. She wants to #SaveAmara from being killed off, and she’s got thousands of signatures on an online petition to prove she’s not the only one. When an unfortunate case of mistaken identity leaves Imogen onstage at a panel in Jessica’s place, Imogen takes the opportunity to speak out in favor of saving the Princess.

Jessica is furious, telling Imogen she will ruin her if she even attempts such a thing again. But when an incredibly confidential script to the Starfield sequel leaks online, and Jessica’s script is nowhere to be found, she’s afraid the blame will fall to her. Jess needs to expose the real culprit before the end of the Con or risk losing her career. The solution? Trade places with Imogen so she can scope out the Con herself, a plan that turns out to be much easier said than done.

The Princess and the Fangirl is a modern-day Prince and the Pauper with a fandom twist. Both Jessica and Imogen think they can gain something by stepping into each other’s shoes, but they both end up with an unexpected perspective. Jess is longing for anonymity and an escape from the harsh gaze of the Starfield fandom. She finds herself dropped right into the middle of it all, getting a first-hand look at how the stories she always viewed as inconsequential can bring people together. Meanwhile, Imogen, who is searching for a sense of purpose, is eager to use her newfound influence to right a few wrongs. But her peek behind the scenes reveals a disturbing darker side of Starfield that only Jessica Stone gets to see.

This story is technically a sequel to Geekerella, bringing readers back to ExcelsiCon one year later. There are a few cameos from familiar faces, but Geekerella can still stand on its own. Fans of romance will enjoy the fact that each of the girls has an adorable love interest, while the mystery of the leaked script will keep readers on their toes. Both Jessica and Imogen struggle with self-image issues that teen readers will find very relatable. And, like in Geekerella, Poston’s commentary on fandom is clever and meaningful: behind every Princess, there is a normal girl.

Sexual Content

  • Jess contemplates her role as Princess Amara, thinking about how she’d accepted the role expecting it to launch her career into more meaningful roles that wouldn’t require her to look “hot in a suffocating dress while running in heels.”
  • Imogen makes several sci-fi references, including a mention of “sexy David Tennant,” the actor who played the Tenth Doctor on the television series Doctor Who.
  • While onstage next to Darien, the actor who plays Prince Carmindor in the Starfield movie, Imogen thinks of him as “the love of [her] Tumblr life.”
  • Jess is jealous of how the Starfield fandom has grown to love Darien while they continue to harass her. “Darien sort of got the same blowback when he was announced to play Federation Prince Carmindor—which is how he met his girlfriend, btw—but it died off as the fandom embraced him. Now they write love letters about his inky-black eyelashes and immaculate abs while I get dissertations on how the small mole on the left side of my mouth has ruined the beauty of Princess Amara.”
  • Imogen tosses a #SaveAmara pin to a cosplayer in a “sexy Xenomorph” costume.
  • When one of Imogen’s moms asks the other to put a Captain America figurine on the top shelf of their display, she makes a joke that could be taken sexually. She says, “I could’ve sworn he belonged on the bottom.”
  • Imogen says that her little brother met his boyfriend in the astronomy lab. Although she thinks they probably “spent more time studying each other’s astrological compatibility than learning solar physics.”
  • Imogen doesn’t look like either of her moms. Imogen says, “…although Kathy carried both Milo and me. I look like the sperm donor apparently.”
  • Ethan, Jessica’s best friend, changes his shirt in front of her. Jessica thinks, “Sure he’s pretty cute, but my eyes don’t really linger. He’d be a catch if someone burns all of his nerd shirts and puts him in some jeans that actually show he has a butt.”
  • When Jessica looks through the comments on her social media, they include, “I can tell her where she can put those pretty lips” and “fixed her chest with small kitties lol [censored photo].”
  • Imogen literally runs into Ethan, spilling coffee all over him. Before she recognizes him as Jessica Stone’s rude assistant, she thinks that he’s hot. “He’s very very Hot like I-want-to-be-stuck-in-an-elevator-with-you hot, not we-are-now-mortal-enemies-because-I-just-spilled-my-coffee-on-you-while-not-paying-attention hot.”
  • Before trading places, Jessica makes a list of rules for Imogen to follow. Rule number four is, “Don’t flirt with anyone.”
  • Jessica doesn’t give her number out freely because someone “put it on an unsavory message board.”
  • Imogen thinks that contact lenses feel like “condoms for [her] eyeballs.”
  • Harper, Imogen’s friend, is selling her fan art out of a booth next to someone “hawking sexy pin ups of burly men.”
  • When Jess first sees Harper, her mind blanks because Harper “is very pretty, with delicate features, brown skin, and natural hair pulled into twin puffs on the sides of her head.”
  • Harper’s artwork is displayed on a board in the boot. Jessica describes it as a “copious amount of fan art of Princess Amara in the arms of various characters—men and women.”
  • Actor Vance Reigns is introduced as the villain for the Starfield Imogen finds him very attractive. “He is face meltingly hot. His shoulders and chest are broad, his torso tapers down to thin hips and sturdy legs. I mean, not that his legs wouldn’t be sturdy, but you know the kind of legs where you just know, under the molten-golden trousers, that he can basically smash watermelons between them? Yeah that’s the kind of thighs I’m picturing, and I think my knees have gone numb and dear god he’s too close.”
  • When Jess sees a picture of Princess Amara embracing a female Starfield character, she says, “I can’t help but blush seeing a girl with my likeness kissing the likeness of Fiona Oro who plays Zorine.”
  • Imogen notices that Ethan is wearing Captain America-themed shoes, “And then I’m just thinking of Ethan punching Nazis, and that’s kinda hot, actually.”
  • When Ethan heads off to watch a panel, Imogen says, “Have fun with the tres horny bois.”
  • Imogen thinks she can tell that Ethan likes Jess “by the way I caught him looking at me while I was posing for pictures with a seven-year-old Carmindor, the softness of his gaze, the curl of his lips upward ever so slightly. He must’ve forgotten for a second that I wasn’t the real Jess. Those looks are probably only for her.”
  • At the Stellar party, Jess sees two girls kiss goodbye. She thinks, “I don’t mean to stare but their kiss is so simple and easy, like saying see you later, that I don’t think any thought was put into it, I wish I knew what that was like.”
  • Harper and Jess tell each other about their first kisses. Harper says, “My first kiss was a seven-minutes-in-heaven thing. I was at a birthday party in middle school. It was…terrible.” Jess’s first kiss was on a movie set. Jess says, “He was older and I was, like, fifteen. His stubble was scratchy and it gave me a rash—and he smelled like weed. He’d been smoking all day.”
  • Jess realizes she has feelings for Harper. Jess thinks, “I have a crush on this girl with curly dark hair and ink smudges on her brown fingers and trouble tucked into her maroon-colored lips.”
  • Imogen, overwhelmed by her feelings, jumps on Ethan in the pool. “Turns out he’s a lot heavier than I thought, especially for a beanpole. And his torso is very solid. Are those abs I feel? Oh sweet baby Daleks, please don’t tell me Ethan actually has a nice bod.”
  • While in the pool, Imogen and Ethan are very close. Imogen thinks, “I have to remind myself that I can’t like him, but it’s hard when a droplet of water beads at the end of a lock of raven hair in front of his face, and falls on his cheek, and rolls down his cheek slowly, languidly, like I want to run my finger down his jawline. It’s like there’s no one else but us in the world, and his eyes navigate steadily to my lips.” They almost kiss, but Imogen pulls away at the last second.
  • After having spent the night talking to Harper, Jess thinks, “I am not a serial dater. I simply never cared… I’m not built to take a random person into a bedroom, I’m not wired to want those things, and so it made all those dates and chaste kisses with celebrities so easy.”
  • Jess dislikes the internet because it makes it easy for fans to forget about the people behind the characters. “Your hot take shouldn’t dehumanize me, or tell me that I’m wrong, or that I’m worthless, or a slut who slept on some casting couch for the role.”
  • Imogen’s ex-boyfriend shows up at a meet-and-greet. When they hug, “his hands slip low.”
  • While at dinner with Vance Reign, Imogen (disguised as Jess) discovers Vince has been trying to get the real Jess to go on a publicity date with him for a long time. He tries to kiss her, but she pushes him away.
  • Jess crashes the final Starfield panel. When she starts to leave, the director asks her where she’s going. Jess responds, “The horizon is wide, and I have a girl to kiss.”
  • Jess apologizes to Harper very publicly, and when the two of them are reunited, they kiss. Jessica says, “I give her the Starfield salute—You and I are made of stars—and I hope that’s enough. She smiles and presses her hands to mine in the same pose, and then slowly, finger by finger, they fall together—And she kisses me.” The description of the kiss is about half a page.
  • Imogen kisses Ethan. She takes “his face in my hands and pull him down to kiss me. He tastes like Cheerwine, his hands rising to cup the sides of my face.” The description lasts about half a page.
  • Jess and Harper meet to get coffee and kiss again. Jessica says, “I kiss her in front of the entire world, the first word on the first page of the rest of my life.”

Violence

  • When Jess discovers Imogen has taken her place on stage, she has some murderous thoughts. “I am going to kill her. I don’t even know her name but I don’t need her name to put her in an unmarked grave. I am going to chop her up into so many pieces that when alien archeologists find her bones in a thousand years they won’t even realize she was once human.”
  • Imogen’s younger brother calls her an embarrassing nickname. She tells him, “If you weren’t my brother and I didn’t love you, I’d strangle you with your own jockstrap.”
  • In a leaked scene from the Starfield sequel script, “A group of soldiers push CARMINDOR, tied up and beaten, into the middle of the council. CARMINDOR stumbles and collapses onto the dais. Blood drips from his mouth where he has been punched repeatedly.”
  • Imogen tells Ethan a story. “When I had to debate a guy over women’s reproduction he told me that women are too fragile to have control over their own bodies. I got kicked out of the club for kneeing him in the nards.”
  • Imogen’s ex-boyfriend, Jasper, shows up at a Jessica Stone meet and greet, causing trouble. Ethan steps in to get him to leave. “Jasper whirls around, fists clinched, ready to swing. I don’t have time to shout to Ethan that a punch is coming before he raises a hand and deflects the blow with his lower arm, grabbing Jasper by the shirt and pull-throwing him out through the nearest curtain.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Imogen claims to always be in the wrong place at the wrong time, like “delivering someone’s homework to a frat party when the cops show up.”
  • Harper invites Jess to join her at the Stellar Party, a space-themed party that her friends throw every year, where they “drink a little, sing some karaoke, stuff like that.”
  • In the hotel room where the Stellar Party is held, “on the kitchenette bar is a wall of liquor bottles and sodas.”
  • There is a drink at the Stellar Party called “Oh No.” Harper says, “Oh No is way more vodka than common sense.”
  • Imogen hugs her brother and notices that he smells like Stellar Party, “vape juice and Oh No.”

Language

  • Imogen uses the phrase “Starflame” in place of curse words frequently. “‘Starflame!’ I curse. ‘I’m so sorry.’”
  • When Imogen and Ethan run into each other a third time, she calls him a “nerfherder,” an insult from the Star Wars “‘He is possibly the worst nerfherder in the—’ I say, while at the same time he says, ‘She’s that monster of a girl I was telling you—’ We both stop mid-sentence.”
  • When Imogen puts on a wig in order to pass as Jess, she thinks “the whole bit about long hair being more feminine is Noxballs.”
  • Ethan gets upset at Imogen and calls her a “Rapscallion look-alike.”
  • After the incident with her ex-boyfriend, Imogen appreciates that the remaining fans in line are decent people, but she thinks, “I hate that some of the dickwads in their midst are not.”
  • Natalia Ford, the actress who originally played Amara, rescues Jess from a crowd of angry fans. Jess notices that she’s wearing a shirt “covered in a pattern of tiny, artistically rendered middle-fingers.”
  • Right before the final panel, the director is looking for Darien, who is busy helping enact the girl’s plan to reveal who stole the script. Imogen tells him, “He went to take a piss.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • When Imogen runs into her ex-boyfriend, she asks herself, “God why do I feel so horrible?”

by Evalyn Harper

 

Ida B: and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World

Ida B doesn’t like change. Every day, she has the same thing for breakfast: oats with raisins. Every day, she has the same thing for lunch: peanut butter on one slice of bread, milk, and an apple. Ida B also wants to spend “every day with her Mama and Daddy, Rufus and Lulu, the trees and the mountains and the snakes and the birds. All day, every day.”

When Ida B goes to kindergarten, she quickly changes from an inquisitive girl to a quiet, sullen one. Her parents decide to homeschool Ida B. Ida B is happy to spend every day with her parents. When the trees tell Ida B that trouble is coming, Ida B doesn’t think anything will really happen. When Mama gets cancer, Ida B is forced to return to school. Ida B feels betrayed and hardens her heart; she doesn’t want to ever be hurt again.

Instead of making friends at school, Ida B keeps her classmates away with glares. She refuses to talk to her parents, and she no longer goes to visit the trees. Ida B is determined to “stand there with my mouth closed tight, my lips zipped, glued, and stapled together to keep the angry words that were banging to get out…” The only bright spot in Ida B’s world is her teacher Mrs. W, who quietly encourages Ida B to share her feelings.

Ida B chronicles one girl’s struggle to deal with the changes that come with her mother’s cancer. Since Ida B is written from Ida B’s point of view, the reader will be able to understand her hurt and confusion. Ida B’s feelings are explained in ways that younger readers will understand. However, some readers may have difficulty understanding Ida B’s ability to talk to nature. Readers may also struggle with the story’s difficult vocabulary, such as forbearance, engulfing, dismemberment, and foe.

At the end of the story, Ida B learns the importance of apologizing and sharing her feelings with others. The story doesn’t end with a cheerful conclusion where every problem is solved. Instead, Ida B eventually shares her feelings, which lightens her burden. Even though Ida B teaches positive lessons, readers who love adventure and fantasy books may quickly become bored with Ida B’s story because it focuses on feelings rather than actions. However, anyone who has been faced with a difficult situation will relate to Ida B. Because much of the book revolves around Ida B thinking about her feelings and talking to nature, young readers may have a difficult time finishing the book. If you’re looking for realistic fiction that teaches life lessons, you may want to try Wish by Barbara O’Connor instead of Ida B.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Ida B angrily kicks a tree. “…I kicked its trunk as hard as I could so my foot ached something fierce, but I didn’t even whimper.”

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • When Ida B learns that her father is selling part of the orchard, “the only thing I cared about was putting together a plan to save me and my valley. But for all my wishing and hoping and sending out ten different kinds of prayers for a good one, not a single decent plan came out of me.”

Like a Love Story

Like a Love Story takes place in New York City in the late 1980s. The AIDS crisis is devastating gay communities, and activists are protesting the government’s reluctance to extend research or support to those affected. The narration rotates between three teenagers: Reza, Art, and Judy.

Reza is new in town, having recently immigrated to New York from Iran, where his family escaped a violent revolution. In the closet with a nearly hypochondriac fear of AIDS, Reza starts at a new school and soon meets Judy and Art, who have been best friends since childhood. Both Judy and Art are committed to gay culture and gay activism under the tutelage of Judy’s uncle Stephen, an AIDS patient and well-known member of the gay community. Art is an out-and-proud gay teenager, who is assertive and upfront about his identity. Brash and unafraid, Art is full of anger at the injustice of the AIDS crisis. Judy, a straight girl who shares Art’s love of Madonna and fashion, supports him in everything and shares his love of fashion and film.

A romance develops between Reza and Judy. But Reza, a closeted gay, knows he can only hold out for so long before his secret comes out. The first two acts of the novel largely concern their false relationship, eventual falling-out, and then the ensuing romance between Reza and Art. Each of the three narrators has a fairly equal stake in the plot, and each brings their own narration, perspective, and personality to the story. Like a Love Story is largely a coming-of-age story, but it is really three coming-of-age stories as each character grapples with their sexuality, their future, and their imminent emergence into the adult world.

Like a Love Story is essential reading for anyone who wants to learn about the AIDS crisis or the origins of the modern gay rights movement. Without preaching or lecturing, the narrative paints a rich and engaging portrait of the political climate through its three narrators. Each character in Like a Love Story has a completely unique voice; readers can open the book to any page and immediately know who is speaking.

Regardless of their own identities, readers will see themselves in the characters because of how authentically they are portrayed. Each character has uncertainty about their place in the world, an imperfect relationship with their parents, a faulty understanding of how the world works, and a yearning to belong—and readers get to see them grow as the story progresses.

 Like a Love Story has some of the most compelling adult figures in a genre where adults are often one-dimensional and cast to the side. The relationship that each teen has with their parents is complicated and imperfect, but masterfully written. It is genuinely heart-wrenching to see Art’s interactions with his homophobic parents, and it is genuinely moving to see Judy’s conversations with her mother evolve throughout the story.

Like a Love Story does not shy away from sexual content and depictions of sex acts, but it’s one of the few books that feels justified in its usage. Characters frequently talk of condoms and bodily fluids. The mechanics of AIDS transmission and the effects of the disease are explained as Uncle Stephen succumbs to infections. Readers who pick up this book in 2020 will already know the ending to some extent. Thanks to modern medicine, many people today can live full lives with HIV and new pharmaceuticals can help prevent transmission. However, the characters don’t know this, and they can only grieve the dead and dying members of their community while fighting for rights and recognition. The story highlights the importance of community, activism, and love.

Sexual Content

  • When asked how he knew he was gay, Art says, “I had a wet dream about Morrisey.”
  • During a make-out session, Judy tries to find out if Reza is aroused. “As nonchalant as I can, I move my hand down, feeling his crotch. I feel something hard. Is it him, or is it his zipper? I can’t even tell. I’ve never felt a hard-on before.”
  • Judy thinks, “Art told me once that the subway was the hottest place in the city, as in sexual heat, not physical temperature. He said that all those bodies rubbing against each other basically made it a clothed, co-ed bathhouse.”
  • Reza sees a naked male mannequin in a store window and thinks, “I look at the mannequin’s body and find myself getting a little hard. I cover my crotch with my hands. I imagine that Art is the mannequin, standing in the store window naked. How sick do you have to be to be turned on by a piece of plastic?”
  • After Reza sees a photo of Art, Reza thinks, “I need to stop thinking about him, and I know there’s only one way to do that. I lie back on my bed, close my eyes, and unzip my pants. I see Bartholomew Emerson Grant VI come to life, enter my room, climb into bed with me. He kisses me, undresses me, tells me not to be scared. But then he’s gone, and all I see are images of dying men with lesions.”
  • A big part of the second half of the plot is Reza’s shame and paranoia surrounding his sexual desires. Stephen teaches Art and Reza about safe sex and about how to use condoms safely. Stephen tells them, “If you want a tutorial, we can go home and practice with bananas. . . Lube is lubricant. Men need it, because we don’t naturally get wet down there . . . the jury is out on whether oral sex is safe or not, but my advice is to use a condom for that too.”
  • Stephen says, “The straight world has defined losing your virginity as intercourse. That’s their thing. But we get to define it for ourselves. And you never, ever have to do anything you don’t want to.”
  • Reza thinks, “I hate those words. Oral. Anal. I hate how graphic they are, how hostile they feel.”
  • In a photography darkroom, Art takes off his clothes for Reza. “There’s only one thing to take off. My boxer briefs. I remove them. I stand in front of him, exposed.” They kiss, but don’t do anything else.
  • Judy has an intimate moment with Reza’s brother, Saadi. As Judy makes out him, “It’s furious. Our tongues explore each other. Then his hands are all over me… his breath is heavy, and his hips are thrusting urgently. I feel what I never felt when Reza and I kissed, an erection. Saadi is so hard. He sits up and takes his polo off.” They don’t go all the way. “He wants to have sex, but I tell him I’m not ready.”
  • Art says, “The first time I read porn, I was twelve. I found my dad’s stash of Penthouse and Playboy magazines in the back of his closet. But Penthouse has these sex stories in them, and they were very hot because there were men in them.”
  • The characters all go to a Madonna performance wherein she masturbates onstage. The act is not described in detail.
  • When Art and Reza finally consummate their relationship, they use condoms and lube. Reza wraps “my legs around him, pulling him closer to me, or deeper into me, because he’s in me now. We thrust and grunt and sweat until we almost fall off the bed.” The scene takes up about three pages, but it is mostly dialogue and doesn’t go into more physical detail.

Violence

  • While attending a protest, Art hears bystanders say, “Hose those faggots down. They like that.”
  • During a protest, police officers “yank Art away and handcuff him.” The other police officer “pushes Reza to the ground.”
  • Some bullies begin to taunt Art, and he reacts violently. “My fingers tense into a fist. Before I know it, I leap out of my seat and tackle Darryl to the ground, taking him down like I’m one of the gorgeous ladies of wrestling. ‘Go to hell, you fucking ASSHOLE!’ I scream as he writhes below me, his scared, beefy body stronger than mine but unable to overpower the force of my rage. ‘Get off me, fag!’ he yells. ‘Not until I give you AIDS,’ I say, and I spit on his face.” Art describes later, “I pull Darryl’s foot toward my face. He pushes his leg up, kicking my chin hard in the process. My teeth hit my lips. My head doubles back, hits the wall with a thud… My eyes flicker with the shock of pain. When I open them, I see blood on my hand and on my shirt.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • At a party with some kids from school, Judy gets “drunk on fruit punch.” Her friend tells her, “You don’t want your parents to see you like this.”
  • When Uncle Stephen is on his deathbed, he asks for a glass of wine. Judy’s mom pours wine for him and a small glass for Judy.
  • Uncle Stephen has been taking morphine for his pain; by the time he dies, his bottle of morphine is empty.

Language

  • Profanity is used frequently. Profanity includes: fuck, shit, hell, ass, and damn.
  • “Oh my God” is often used as an exclamation.
  • Art is determined to reclaim the words “faggot” and “fag,” which is a recurring point throughout the story. Judy’s mom asks Art not to use the word because “I heard that word hissed at my brother like a dagger throughout his childhood, and I don’t want to hear it ever again.” They eventually agree to disagree.
  • After coming out, Reza has “heard every possible word a homosexual could be called . . . Faggot. Pansy. Mary. Butt pirate. Fruit. Turd burglar. Flamer. Nancy. Queen.”

Supernatural

  • Art can see “auras.” Readers might recognize them as a condition called synesthesia, but to Art they take on a spiritual and artistic significance. Art doesn’t “snap a photo unless I see its energy. I know they’re all black-and-white, but they have colors to me. Auras.”

Spiritual Content

  • Art says, “I think that if it weren’t for all the bullshit rules of Catholicism, then there would be no Madonna, because what is she if not a rebellion against all of this?”
  • In a church, Art thinks, “I don’t want to burn this place to the ground. What I want is to make them see that I AM HOLY. These thoughts of me and Reza, they are holy.”
  • A priest’s homily “makes multiple references to protecting ‘the unborn.’” Art thinks, “It’s amazing how gung-ho he is about saving the lives of fetuses, but then he turns a blind eye to all the actual humans DYING right in front of him.”
  • Art lights prayer candles in a church and thinks, “I know that I don’t believe in a God who can grant wishes, but if there’s even a chance that such a God exists, then I have some wishes I’d like granted.” He wishes for AIDS to be cured.

by Caroline Galdi

 

A Boy Called Bat #1

Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat) likes routine. When his mom, who is a veterinarian, is late coming home one day, Bat becomes upset. When Bat’s mom arrives, she has a good surprise. She has brought home a stray baby skunk that needs to be taken care of until they can hand him over to a wild animal shelter.

The minute Bat sees the baby skunk, he decides to become an expert skunk caregiver. Bat hopes his mother will change her mind and allow Bat to keep the baby skunk. Bat names the little skunk Thor and takes care of his needs. Bat even contacts a skunk expert in order to get advice about being a good caregiver. But can Bat convince his mom that Thor belongs with him?

Bat’s story doesn’t only focus on Bat’s love of the baby skunk, but it also shows how Bat doesn’t pick up on social cues. Through Bat’s eyes, the reader sees how Bat struggles to make eye contact, to understand others’ actions, and to make friends. Even though Bat is autistic, his difficulties are a natural extension of the story; Bat’s emotions are explained in a way that young readers will understand.

As Bat cares for Thor, he learns interesting information about skunks. Even though Bat is a good caregiver, the story makes it clear that Thor will need to be returned to the wild. Bat’s mother continually reminds Bat that wild animals should not be pets.

A Boy Named Bat is a sweet story that will appeal to animal lovers. Readers will relate to Bat and understand Bat’s desire to keep Thor as a pet. Adorable black and white illustrations appear every 3-7 pages and help readers visualize the characters. As readers learn about skunks, they will also see how Bat’s life is impacted because of his parent’s divorce. Even though the story focuses on Bat’s perspective, younger readers may have a difficult time with the advanced vocabulary. A Boy Named Bat is an entertaining story that would be an excellent choice for parents to read with their child. The story would lead to a discussion on many topics including animal care, family relationships, autism, and friendship.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

 Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Wish

Charlie has made a wish every day since fourth grade. Then, social services send Charlie to live in Colby with a family that Charlie has never met. Charlie doesn’t let that stop her from making the same wish, but now Charlie wonders if that wish will ever come true.

Charlie doesn’t get along with the “hillbilly” kids at school; however, her backpack buddy, Howard, just won’t go away. When Charlie sees a skinny stray dog, Howard promises to help her capture the dog. With Howard’s help, Charlie is able to befriend the dog who has captured her heart.

When Charlie’s sister, Jackie, comes to visit, Charlie begins to see things in a new light. Jackie points out all of the good things in Charlie’s new home. When Charlie’s social worker tells Charlie that she will soon go home to live with her mother, Charlie wonders why she isn’t excited by the news. After all, wasn’t Charlie hoping to leave Colby?

Charlie is an endearing character who desperately wants a normal family filled with love. Because of her unhappy family life, Charlie is filled with uncertainty and anger. Like many children, Charlie says things that she doesn’t mean, worries about fitting in, and dreams of a better life. Despite Charlie’s anger, Howard befriends Charlie, and she soon learns the true meaning of friendship.

Wish is a compelling story about Charlie’s struggle to understand her broken family life. Charlie’s strong voice allows the reader to understand both her anger and her confusion. Charlie is surrounded by an interesting cast of supporting characters that help her begin to heal. With the help of her foster parents, Gus and Bertha, Charlie begins to realize that possessions don’t make people blessed—love does.

Even though Wish deals with the difficulty of coming from a broken family, Charlie’s feelings are described in ways that young readers will understand. Even though the story focuses on Charlie’s internal struggle, the story contains enough action to propel the story forward. Wish is beautifully written, and each character jumps off the page.

When Charlie allows her anger to get the better of her, she is often surprised by Bertha’s kind reaction. Bertha tells Charlie, “You can’t judge people for the mistakes they make. You judge them for how they fix those mistakes.” In the end, Charlie realizes that she has a “real family,” even if it is different than a traditional two-parent household. Wish is written with compassion and insight that will help readers understand the importance of friendship and family.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • When a girl makes fun of Charlie’s boots, Charlie “kicked her skinny shin. Hard. The next few minutes were a blur of crying and hollering and tattling and then I found myself sitting in front of Mr. Mason, the principal.”
  • Charlie tells her friend about a time when “I got sent home from kindergarten the very first day for poking some boy with a pencil.” She said she used the pointy side of the pencil.
  • Bertha tells Charlie a story about when her mother was in elementary school. When a boy was being mean, Charlie’s mother “stomped over to that boy and bit him on the hand so hard he hollered like she’d cut his hand off with a butcher knife. Then ran home crying while she hollered cuss words at him.”
  • When a girl accuses Charlie of lying, Charlie gets angry and “before I knew it, I was standing over her with my fists balled up and my heart beating like crazy. I felt red-hot anger settle over me like a blanket. I wanted to stomp her perfect sneakers. I wanted to yank those butterfly barrettes out of her hair.” Charlie’s friend comes over and calms her down.
  • When a boy makes fun of Charlie’s friend, Charlie got angry and ran “straight at T.J., full steam ahead. I kept my arms stiff in front of me and bam! I shoved him so hard his head snapped back and he crashed face-first into the dirt. I confess I was more than a little surprised when he got right up and shoved me back, knocking me to the ground.” The vacation Bible school teacher breaks up the fight.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Dang and Darn are used often. For example, after Charlie kicks a girl, her friend asked her, “Dang, Charlie, why you gotta get so mad about that?”
  • Heck is used once. While talking to Bertha, Charlie wonders, “What the heck kind of question was that?”
  • Charlie calls her friend a “squirrel-eating hillbilly.” She also refers to the kids that live in Colby as hillbillies.
  • Charlie’s friend calls her a “quitter and a baby.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • Charlie goes to church with Bertha and Gus. Charlie “hadn’t been to church since I was little. Scrappy [her father] never wanted any part of it, calling those people do-gooders and Bible-thumpers, but Mama took me and Jackie for a while.”
  • When a snake gets into the house, Bertha stayed with a friend “for nearly a week until Gus swore on the Bible that it was gone.”
  • Charlie goes to a friend’s house for dinner. “So we sat at the table and before I knew what was happening, Howard grabbed my right hand and Dwight grabbed my left and they all bowed their heads while Burl said the blessing. He thanked the Lord for nearly everything under the sun, inkling the deviled eggs on the plate in front of him.”
  • When Charlie goes to dinner at a friend’s house, “everyone held hands and Dwight said the blessing and thanked the Lord for baked beans and new friends.”
  • Bertha and Gus invite friends over for dinner. Before eating, everyone “held hands while Mr. Odom said the blessing. Gus and Bertha weren’t the blessing type, but I guess they did it to be nice to their company. Mr. Odom sure had a lot of stuff to be thankful for, everything from this beautiful day to those turnip greens.”
  • Charlie attends vacation Bible school and learns songs.
  • Charlie thinks about “those good-hearted Odoms thanking the good Lord for me at their supper table.”

Project Middle School

Eleven-year-old Hope is excited to start JFK Middle School and be in advanced classes. However, Hope is nervous because for the first time, she won’t be in the same class as her best friend, Sam. When Hope heads to her first class, she discovers that middle school may be harder than she thought.

Hope makes her first embarrassing blunder in science. She makes her second embarrassing mistake in Spanish. When she goes to science club, Hope becomes frustrated because the boys don’t listen to any of the girls. That’s all just on the first day.

Hope may know a lot about science and her favorite superhero, Galaxy Girl, but that may not be enough to survive middle school. Can Hope navigate homework problems, changing friendships, and prove girls can do anything?

Hope has relatable problems that every middle school student can understand. She struggles to make friends, has embarrassing moments, and gets frustrated that others do not always listen to her and the other girls in the science club. In order to prove girls can do anything, Hope takes on more work than she can handle, which causes a colossal disaster. In the end, Hope and her peers are able to “acknowledge that failure is a key ingredient in success. Great scientists make mistakes all the time, and that’s how they learn and grow.”

Project Middle School is told from Hope’s point of view and focuses on both her home and school life. Even though the story has relatable conflicts, the story’s flow is choppy. Several of the events felt like they were incorporated to prove a point instead of being a natural extension of the story. For example, Hope asks a Latinx classmate if Spanish is her superpower. Hope then realizes that she shouldn’t make assumptions about other people.

Middle school readers will enjoy Project Middle School, which is told from Hope’s point of view. The story uses easy vocabulary and cartoon-like black and white illustrations. Large illustrations appear on almost every page. JFK Middle School’s students are diverse. The story teaches valuable lessons about not making assumptions and apologizing. The story illustrates that every voice counts. Despite this, Hope doesn’t have a clear voice and her story is bland. Even though Project Middle School isn’t a memorable story, middle school readers will understand Hope’s struggles as well as learn positive life lessons. Readers who enjoy Project Middle School should add You Go First by Erin Entrada Kelly to their reading list.

Sexual Content

  • During class, Hope accidentally reads the wrong page from the science textbook. She reads to the class, “The mating habits of fruit flies will be the main subject of this selection.”

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Darn is used once.
  • OMG is used as an exclamation four times. For example, when Hope’s friend sees her in the school hallway, the friend says, “OMG, Hope! I was just thinking about you.”
  • Hope calls her dogs “little fluff butts” twice.

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • When Hope goes up to the whiteboard, she was “praying no sweat marks are visible under my arms.”

Then Everything Went Wrong

Hilo can’t remember his past, so he decides to go back to his home planet. But D.J. won’t let Hilo return to his home alone and jumps through the portal before anyone can stop him. In order to hide their disappearance, Izzy makes a fake Hilo and a fake D.J. robot. The two friends need time to explore Hilo’s home planet. Will D.J.’s parents figure out that D.J. is missing?

Hilo knows he is supposed to save everyone, but what happens if danger appears when he is gone. As Hilo discovers his past, the military is quickly narrowing their search for him. Will Hilo discover the answers he needs before it’s too late?

With Hilo and D.J. on another planet, Izzy and Gina are forced to take drastic measures to hide their missing friends. Gina creates a fake Hilo and a fake D.J., but it’s impossible for her to make them act “normal.” Even though Izzy and the robots are supposed to blend in, they keep getting into fights at school. Polly appears on earth, which adds to the comical conflict. Despite the fights and the misunderstanding, it is clear that the friends will do anything to keep each other safe.

Then Everything Went Wrong is full of humor and heart. Izzy and Polly clearly don’t understand earth’s customs, and their well-intentioned mistakes will keep readers giggling. Izzy keeps telling everyone that she “knows how all of the pieces fit,” but does she know what’s best for everyone?

Brightly colored illustrations will capture readers’ attention, but readers will want to keep turning the pages because of the engaging story and the likable characters. The detailed illustrations show exaggerated facial expressions which will help readers understand the characters’ changing emotions.   For maximum enjoyment, the stories should be read in order. Even though the first chapter recaps the events in the previous books, the story’s plots build on each other.

The story hits on themes of friendship, fitting in, and the dangers of war. The book ends with a shocking cliff-hanger that will leave readers in suspense. Even though Then Everything Went Wrong is the fifth installment of the series, the plot continues to build and keep readers engaged. Hilo is a boy robot that readers will love.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Hilo decides to go back to his home planet, and D.J. refuses to be left behind. D.J. puts on Hilo’s spacesuit and goes through a portal. Hilo follows. They see space pigs and D.J. almost gets eaten by a space frog.
  • When Hilo and D.J. find Dr. Horizon’s secret lab, Hilo hits a button that begins a self-destruct countdown. Hilo creates a shield around himself and D.J. that protects them from the blast.
  • When a boy calls Polly a weirdo, she hits him. The boy falls on the ground and Polly jumps on his back and pulls his arm back.
  • When a group of girls yells at Polly, Polly says, “I won’t be fighting anyone.” A girl pushes Polly and fake Hilo and fake D.J. jump in to protect Polly. The fight is not described.
  • A woman tells Hilo a story about Tamir, who said, “I was a creature of rage and greed. I sought only to hurt and to conquer and to rule my world. . . I was born enslaved, beaten, starved, abused, and forced to work until the day I was strong enough to fight back.” Tamir changed when he felt love.
  • When the army shows up and wants to take Hilo, Gina shoots a beam of light out of her wand. It hits a man in the stomach and knocks him down, but doesn’t seriously injure him.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • For show and tell, Izzy says, “So, when I armpit fart—it attacks pigeons. . . If I cup my hand too much, it sounds too high and the pigeons don’t come. . . When I do my right armpit I can call seagulls.”
  • In the space void, D.J. asks, “does this place always smell like a gorilla’s armpit?”
  • Gina waves her wand at the portal and two big dogs come through. The dogs chase Izzy and Gina.
  • Polly says that the Furback Clan was “forced to make weapons for those dirt-snaking vermin.” Then he calls them, “Lizard poop.”
  • A military man says, “Dang it” three times.
  • Polly, disguised as a human girl, tells the class about “hippopotamus bees” that “weigh three tons, and carry twenty gallons of nectar in their pouches which are attached to their rather gigantic butts.” Polly then points to her butt.
  • A boy calls Polly a weirdo.

Supernatural

  • Gina sends a communication spell across dimensions.
  • Polly uses a “masking spell. It’ll change my appearance. I’ll look human.”
  • When Tamir went through a dimensional portal, the creature said, “In my world we call a door like that magic. Here you call it science. It’s mostly the same.”
  • Robots “don’t have emotions . . .But they feel. They’re so afraid.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Because of the Rabbit

On the last night of summer, Emma tags along with her father, who is a game warden, on a routine call. They’re supposed to rescue a wild rabbit from a picket fence, but instead, they find a little bunny. Emma convinces her father to bring him home for the night.

The next day, Emma starts public school for the very first time after years of being home-schooled. More than anything, Emma wants to make a best friend in school. But things don’t go as planned. On the first day of school, she’s paired with a boy named Jack for a project. He can’t stay on topic, he speaks out of turn, and he’s obsessed with animals. Jack doesn’t fit in, and Emma’s worried he’ll make her stand out. Emma and Jack bond over her rescue rabbit, but will their new friendship keep Emma from finding the new best friend she’s meant to have?

Because of the Rabbit combines several subplots into one story. Not only is Emma struggling with attending public school for the first time, but she also is upset that her brother, Owen, has less time for her. Emma’s family demonstrates healthy relationships and positive communication skills. Emma revisits tales that her grandfather shared with her. She also names her pet rabbit Monsieur Lapin after a character from her grandfather’s stories.

Attending public school isn’t an easy transition for Emma. The author does an excellent job describing Emma’s complex feelings in kid-friendly language. Like many students, Emma hopes to find a best friend and worries that telling the whole truth will make others dislike her. One of her classmates, who appears to have autism, is kind to Emma. Even though Emma likes spending time with the boy, she worries that others will judge her if she spends time with him. In the end, Emma learns that it is important to look at things from another person’s perspective. Emma realizes that “I’ve wanted them all to be the kind of friend I needed, but I hadn’t tried as hard to be the one they needed.”

Anyone who has ever been left out of a group or is facing a new school will relate to Emma. Because of the Rabbit is beautifully written and has many positive life lessons. However, the story focuses on Emma’s personal conflicts. Readers who enjoy fast-paced, adventure stories will have a difficult time staying engaged. Because of the short chapters and easy vocabulary, Because of the Rabbit would be an excellent story for a parent to read aloud to their child.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

Waking the Monsters

Mega robot monsters are popping up from the ground, and they’re too big for Hilo to battle on his own. Luckily, Gina can use her magic to help fight the battle. But the closer Hilo and Gina get to the secret behind the monsters, the closer they get to the secret of Hilo’s past. Do they really want to know what happened in the past?

Gina needs to help Hilo, but that means missing cheerleading practice and keeping her activities hidden from her mother. D.J. and Izzy are determined to keep their two friends safe, but every time a monster is powered down another one appears. With all of the unusual events, Hilo is now on the military’s radar. Can Hilo avoid being captured by the army? Is there any way that Hilo and his friend can stop the monster invasion?

The fourth installment of the Hilo Series has the same characters, but a host of new mechanical monsters that need to be defeated. Unlike the previous books, Waking the Monsters focuses on battle scenes. It takes Hilo and all of his friends working together to stop the creatures. Gina is allowed to shine by using her magical ability to help Hilo. Gina’s excitement at being Hilo’s “sidekick” brings humor to the fighting. During the battles, no one is seriously injured and the mechanical monsters are powered down instead of destroyed.

Hilo’s lost memory, the long battles, and the military joining the battle give Waking the Monsters a slightly darker tone than the previous books. However, Hilo’s desire to help others in creative ways will leave readers with a smile. The story has some humor based on farting and butts. For example, Izzy makes an owl that “farts roses” and she shows her friends how it works. Izzy also makes a chicken that speaks Portuguese and “when she gets mad, her butt falls off.”

Brightly colored illustrations will capture readers’ attention, but readers will want to keep turning the pages because of the engaging story and the likable characters. The detailed illustrations show exaggerated facial expressions which will help readers understand the characters’ changing emotions.  For maximum enjoyment, the stories should be read in order. Even though the first chapter recaps the events in the previous books, the story’s plots build on each other.

Readers will be endlessly curious about Hilo’s forgotten memory. The action-packed scenes, the friendships, and the mystery will keep readers turning the pages to the very end. If you’re looking for a story full of action and humor, the Hilo Series is a perfect choice.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Giant mechanical animals begin appearing from out of the ground. The first one, a giant turtle that breathes fire, is going to “smash a town.” Hilo and the turtle fight; Hilo blasts the turtle with an ice blast, and then the turtle hits Hilo who falls to the ground. The turtle then stomps on Hilo. Izzy does a “diagnostic scan” and figures out how to power down the turtle. The fight takes place over eight pages.
  • Over the next several days, other mechanical monsters pop up from the ground and Hilo fights them. One creature looks like an alligator. The fights take place over two pages.
  • A giant mechanical ape appears. The ape is able to detach his hand and grab Hilo. People run screaming as the ape gets closer to the town. Hilo’s suit is damaged and “his audio link in his helmet got bonked. He can’t hear [his friends].” A mechanical monkey and the army show up. Izzy makes a suit for Gina, who joins in the battle and she’s “fighting a giant robot monkey with magical wands.” The monkey learns how to “calibrate your blast and build up a resistance.” Gina uses magic to grow twine that wraps up the monkey. During the battle Hilo gets confused. Izzy is afraid that Hilo is “not in control and he might destroy the other robot.” Gina is able to create vines that go through the ape’s body; the vine takes down the ape by popping its arms off. The battle takes place over 21 pages.
  • While in a military institution, the scientist fixes the mechanical animal that then attacks. The scientist made the creature nine times stronger. Hilo shoots lasers at the creature’s head. Two army men shoot at the creature, but it deflects the shot and blows up the army men’s vehicle. Hilo saves the men and eventually takes the creature down with an ice blast. Hilo goes to sleep and falls to the ground. The scene takes place over eight pages.
  • While Hilo is injured a mechanical creature knocks over the military doctors and tries to communicate with Hilo. When the creature touches Hilo’s hand, it causes Hilo to remember the past. The creature shows Hilo’s home planet being destroyed and the creature says, “They made me into a weapon. They made me destroy my own kind. I asked them to let me stop. But they kept sending me back to destroy more. And more. And more. Just robots like you and me. Robots who were only doing what humans made them do.” Gina appears and uses magic against the creature. The scene takes place over two chapters.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • “Holy Mackerel” is used as an expression occasionally.

Supernatural

  • Polly is a magical warrior cat and an “apprentice sorceress third class.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

 The 26-Story Treehouse: Pirate Problem

Life is never boring in a 13-story treehouse, especially when you add 13 more stories! Andy and Terry have added a bumper car rink, a skate ramp with a crocodile-pit hazard, a mud-fighting arena, an antigravity chamber, an ice-skating pond with real ice-skating penguins, a mechanical bull named Kevin, an Automatic Tattoo Machine, an ice-cream parlor with seventy-eight flavors, and the Maze of Doom–a maze so complicated nobody has escaped. Fun seems endless in their new 26-story treehouse!

Distracted by their new, amazing stories, Andy and Terry do not notice their new book is due Friday until their publisher, Mr. Big Nose, threatens to fire them. While writing their book about how Andy, Terry, and Jill, their animal-friendly neighbor, met, Captain Woodenhead suddenly appears. Threatening to destroy the treehouse and enslave Andy, Terry, and Jill on his ship, the trio must outwit and outsmart the captain and his evil crew before time runs out. Can the boys save their treehouse and fight off the pirates all while writing their new book?

The Treehouse Series is an imaginative series for young readers who are reluctant to read. Griffiths and Denton created a silly story that will have young readers laughing from beginning to end. Along with their crazy slapstick scenarios, Griffiths and Denton teach readers about the importance of friendship. Andy, Terry, and Jill must work together throughout the book to solve their complex problems. Without each other, Andy, Terry, and Jill would never have been able to perform “open shark surgery,” fight off pirates or escape the Maze of Doom. Also, the funny black-and-white illustrations contribute to a positive reading experience and will help younger readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels.

However, The 26-Story Treehouse may upset some readers. Before his entire crew dies in a terrible shipwreck, Captain Woodenhead’s head is bitten off by a giant sea monster. Later in the book, he is pictured being eaten alive by man-eating sharks.

The 26-Story Treehouse has very simple vocabulary and sentence structure, reading more like a comic book rather than an actual chapter book. In the end, The 26-Story Treehouse is an easy-to-read story that will teach the reader practical lessons about friendship while causing readers to giggle.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • During a sea battle, Captain Woodenhead fights the large, greedy fish nicknamed Gorgonzola. “The pirate captain drew his cutlass and tried to spear Gorgonzola from the deck of his ship, but as he leaned over the side, the fiendish Gorgonzola leaped right out of the water and bit the pirate’s head clean off his neck!” After fashioning a new wooden head for himself, Captain Woodenhead was swallowed whole. Inside Gorgonzola’s stomach, he found some dynamite and his old head, which was moldy and waterlogged. After putting his head back on his shoulders, “he did what any self-respecting pirate captain would have done. He collected up all the barrels of dynamite, tied them together, lit the fuse, and blasted that beast to pieces!” Gorgonzola, a large sea monster, is pictured blasted to pieces for two pages.
  • If Andy and Terry don’t open the treehouse and let Captain Woodenhead in, he threatens to blow up the treehouse. The Captain yells, “Men, prepare the canon.”
  • After tricking the captain’s crew, Andy, Terry, and Jill are chased by Captain Woodenhead with a cutlass and gun in his hand. This is a one-page event.
  • At the end of the book, Captain Woodenhead threatens to kill Andy, Terry, and Jill. Then, the captain falls into the man-eating shark tank and there’s “a wild frenzy of flashing fins and teeth, and then all is quiet.” The Captain is eaten alive. This is illustrated over two pages and does show him in the mouth of a shark, but there is no blood or gore involved.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Jill uses “Dr. Numbskull’s Sleepy Shark Sleeping Potion” to sedate the man-eating sharks before their “open shark surgery.” During the surgery, the shark’s kidneys and intestines are shown along with some of the ridiculous things they have eaten.

Language

  • After getting lost in the Maze of Doom, one of the penguins blames it on his “stupid GPS!”
  • Andy thinks that using their man-eating shark tank as a washing machine was one of Terry’s dumbest ideas. “You know, Terry has done some dumb things in the past, but this has got to be the dumbest ever!”
  • When he struggles to put on his swimsuit before he enters the shark tank, Andy says, “Stupid tight wetsuit.”
  • Captain Woodenhead enslaves Andy and Terry and forces them to swab the poop deck. Terry exclaims, “Oh, gross, there’s poop on the poop deck.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

On Thin Ice

Lina’s excited about her class field trip to the aquarium. Lina has never ridden on a yellow school bus or gone to the aquarium before. When Lina finds out that her cousin will be visiting and going to school with her, Lina’s a little bit nervous. Because of his ice magic, Jack soon becomes the most popular kid in school. Lina is jealous of Jack’s ice magic skills and she is tired of him always showing off.

At the field trip, Lina and Jack see the penguins. Each one wants to prove that they can build the best ice sculpture. But soon their magic is out of control. Although the penguins love the ice slides and the mountains of snow, the other aquarium animals are in danger. Will the two cousin’s competition turn the aquarium animals into icicles? Will they ever learn to get along?

Readers will relate to Lina’s jealousy of her cousin’s ice magic skills. Lina and Jack get along fine when they are alone, but once Jack is around people he always shows off. In the end, both of them realize that jealousy can be dangerous. Eventually, Lina learns that Jack “thought that if everyone saw I was so good at winter magic, they’d ask me to come back and teach you again.” Even though their ice magic gets them into some cold situations, in the end, both Jack and Lina learn the importance of learning from each other.

Illustrated with cute black, white, and purple illustrations, On Thin Ice is perfect for any reader who dreams of being a princess. Even though Lina tries hard to be nice, she still makes mistakes.  On Thin Ice is told in a diary format using simple vocabulary. The paragraphs contain three or fewer sentences and have a variety of graphic elements to break the text into small portions. The easy-to-read story has relatable conflicts and highlights the importance of communication.

The cute illustrations include pictures of all of the characters and Lina’s activities. The bright purple-and-black illustrations appear on almost every page, and they include illustrations of binder paper with a list that helps readers understand the plot. For example, Lina makes a list of “things I’d noticed earlier this week.” In addition to the illustration, Lina’s grandfather’s words are in big, bold text, which will help the reader distinguish the speaker.

Readers who like friendship, magic, and animals will enjoy On Thin Ice. The story teaches about animals. The end of the book explains how blubber works and gives directions for an experiment. Parents will like the encouraging characters and the positive life lessons the story teaches. Scenes of a perfect pink palace in the sky are mixed with a regular school and kind characters to create a story that will please both parents and younger readers.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • Lina’s granddad is the North Wind and he created the jet streams. Both Lina and her cousin Jack are winterharts who can control snow and ice.
  • In Lina’s world, some people have different powers. “Skypainters make sunsets and rainbows. Sparkarachers create lightning and thunder. Stormsirrers make big storms, like hurricanes and tornadoes. Windtamers control the wind and the weather.”
  • When Lina was practicing her magic, she “stood up straight and tall. I let my breath out slowly and spread my fingers wide. The spray of the water froze in midair, making a sheet of ice that looked just like glass.”
  • Lina thinks back to when she was a baby. “The only memory I have of my cousin Jack is from a family reunion at Granddad’s castle when Jack froze my diaper.” Later Jack says, “you ran around the room screaming, ‘Butt cold! Butt cold!’”
  • Jack tries to help Lina control her power. Jack tells her “Focus your magic on just one snowflake, and allow your magic to flow out from there, building and building, crystal by crystal.”
  • While collecting bugs for a class project, Jack “was using his frost magic to stun the insects. That made them slow enough to catch in his jar. As soon as the insects warmed up, they were flying around again, totally fine.” When Lina tries ice magic on a spider, “all of a sudden a ball of snow formed above the spider and dumped right on top of him.” The spider is not injured.
  • Both Lina and Jack want to prove that they have better ice magic. While at the aquarium, they begin making ice sculptures for the penguins. Jack “waved his fingers at the glass, and formed a slide of his own with fancy curlicue decorations made out of spindly ice crystals.” Trying to make a better ice feature, Lina “made snow fall inside the exhibit. I used my powers to scoop the snow into a ramp that the penguins could use to launch themselves in the water.” The two make so many ice features that they endanger the other animals. An employee is able to turn up the thermostat so none of the animals are hurt.

Spiritual Content

  • None

 Middle School Mayhem

After being trapped in a locker for hours, Max Crumbly has discovered three burglars are planning to steal all the school’s new computers and his father’s vintage comic book. Max vows to stop them and get his book back. But after crashing through a ventilation shaft and landing on the burglar’s pizza, he is surrounded by three ruthless criminals. There is no hope in sight as Max is now trapped between the three burglars who are ready to tear him apart and three ruthless criminals. All of a sudden, Erin, his only friend at South Ridge Middle School, comes to the rescue. She shuts off all the lights giving Max valuable time to escape.

Trapped in the school, Max and Erin must get Max’s comic book back and trap the three burglars – Moose, Tucker, and Ralph – before the police arrive. After Max confines Moose in the cafeteria and Tucker in the gymnasium, it seems like Max might actually accomplish the impossible and outwit the thieves. But Ralph, the ringleader of the burglars, poses a much harder challenge for Max than his two cronies. Will Max be able to catch Ralph and save his dad’s comic book, or will he be caught by the most malicious criminal of them all?

Russell creates a character who is flawed just like any other boy his age but manages to work through his problems. Up against an impossible task, Max strives through self-doubt to outsmart and outwit the criminals to save the school’s new computer center. Throughout the book, Max grows as a person and he now considers the consequences of his actions. He also feels bad after he accidentally gets Erin grounded because she was helping him snoop around the school. Young readers can see Max as a role model. They can be inspired to work hard when all hope seems lost and help others whenever possible.

While parents might find the book repetitive and full of too much bathroom humor and slapstick comedy, younger readers will enjoy the story’s amusing mayhem. Many of the jokes come from Max either making a fool of himself or hurting the criminals in some way, like trapping Ralph in a room with a snake and setting his hair on fire. However, the large font, black-and-white illustrations, and consistently funny jokes will help young, reluctant readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels. Readers should read the first book in the series in order to understand this one. This book also ends with another cliffhanger, so make sure you have the next book in the series The Misadventures of Max Crumbly: Masters of Mischief.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Ralph grabbed onto Max’s cape in the ventilation shaft. Max rolled over onto his back, brought both of his knees to his chest, and then kicked with all his might. “The chunky soles of my lost-and-found motorcycle boots landed squarely on Ralph’s very sweaty and very surprised FACE!!”
  • Moose chases Max and grabs him by his collar. Moose accidentally “butt-dialed the burner on the stove and set himself on fire.” While on fire, Max dumps a bucket of slime on Moose, wraps him in plastic wrap, and ties him to a pole.
  • Max knocks Turner out in the gym and ties him up in a soccer net.
  • Max shoots a rocket at Ralph. It misses but lights Ralph’s toupee on fire. “As Ralph slowly walked toward me, I noticed the strangest thing. The top of his head was smoking.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Max knew middle school was going to be challenging, but he never “expected to end up DEAD in the computer lab, wearing a SUPERHERO COSTUME, with four slices of PIZZA stuck to my BUTT!”
  • The students at Max’s school nicknamed him “Barf” after he threw up on his bullies’ shoes.
  • After Moose and Tucker complain they are hungry, Ralph shouts, “How about I rip out your spleens and shove ‘em down your throats?! Then you won’t be hungry anymore, you MORONS!”
  • When grabbing Max, Ralph snarls, “Hold still, you little RAT!”
  • When Ralph gets stuck in a ventilation shaft, Moose and Tucker try to pull him out. Ralph’s saggy pants fall off and he is pictured in his underwear.
  • Max said that releasing his pet turtles into the wild when he was younger was “the STUPIDEST thing I’ve ever done in my life!!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

 

 

 

 

 

The Story Web

When Alice was little, she found a gigantic spider web deep in the forest. Her dad called it the Story Web and told her how its strands were woven from the stories that hold our world together.

Years later, Alice’s dad has gone away for reasons Alice is sure are her fault. Now she won’t even talk about her dad—and definitely no longer believes his far-fetched stories. But when animals in town start acting strangely, she can’t ignore them. The Story Web is in danger—and the fabric of their world is breaking. The only way to mend it is to tell honest tales from the heart, even if they are difficult to share.

The Story Web tackles some heavy issues including friendship, hurtful rumors, and PTSD. The story focuses on Alice; however, the story is told from a third-person point of view and often shifts; it includes both human and animal points of view. The always-changing points of view break up the story’s action and may confuse some readers.

Although the story has an interesting premise, the storyline tries to do too much and lacks action. Alice’s father was in the military and has PTSD. Despite this, Alice feels like she is responsible for making her father go away. Throughout the story, Alice reads letters from her father that have many references to The Odyssey by Homer. Greek gods and the theme of the hero’s journey are also incorporated into the story. Readers who are unfamiliar with the Greek references will be confused. Readers may also have difficulties with the advanced vocabulary, such as precocity, coalition, and reprobate.

The story highlights the importance of teamwork and discusses what makes a person heroic. Alice thinks, “Some superheroes want to be heroes. Like Batman or Captain America. They make it happen. Other ones don’t really have a choice.” Alice learns that being a hero isn’t like in the movies, instead “it’s showing up, doing your job—that’s what makes a hero.” Despite the positive messages, The Story Web may be difficult for readers to slog through.

 Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • There is a rumor that Melanie’s aunt is a witch. People say, “She’d cut off your toes and feed them to her birds. She’d cast a spell on you and turn you into a crow.”
  • When a boy sees Lewis, he talks badly about Alice in order to start a fight. A boy tells Lewis, “Are you going to punch me? Go on, do it! I can’t believe wimpy Lewis Marble is actually going to punch someone!” An adult intervenes before anything happens.
  • When the smoke alarm goes off, Alice’s father thinks he is back in the war. “He lunged toward her, grabbed her around the shoulder, and pulled her roughly to the floor. . . He pressed her into the floor. She felt the ridges of the linoleum on her cheek. ‘Dad,’ she said, struggling to breathe under the weight of his body.” When Alice’s father realizes what he did, he runs to his bedroom and locks the door.
  • While in a crowded room, a man accidentally shoots a gun. “The gunshot reverberated round the old room. It rattled the metal folding chairs. It echoed off the huge lights that hung like bells above them. . . Mr. Sykes stared at the gun, mystified. . . He’d dropped it, and it went off. The bullet flew the length of the room just above the floor and left a small hole in the cinder-block wall.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • Alice goes to a restaurant with her family and sees a man she knows. “Alan Sykes sat there, a golden-hued beer and a plate of cheese fries in front of him.”
  • Alice goes to the hospital to see her father, who is taking medication. Alice’s mother tells her, “I’ve been talking to the doctors the whole time, honey. They are being careful. It can be hard to get the dosage right, but what they have now seems good. . . I know that meds that work on your personality can seem weird and scary, but some people really need them. Like you wouldn’t look down on someone for taking acetaminophen for a headache, right? These meds are the same.”

Language

  • “What the—” is used twice.
  • “Oh my g—” is used once.
  • A boy calls Alice “Dingaling.”
  • Someone asks, “What kind of idiot would do that?”
  • Darn is used once.
  • Heck is used twice.

Supernatural

  • The story revolves around the Story Web, which is created when “the people tell their stories out loud or on paper, and the spiders weave them into the web. We’re always making and remaking it. It’s a very fragile thing.” The spiders gather the stories, weave them, and “the strands lace together, crisscrossing one another to make the fabric that ties the whole world together.”

Spiritual Content

  • Someone says that a true miracle is “when the supernatural world comes into the human world and helps out.”
  • Alice’s father taught her that “the constellations were set in the sky by the Greek gods whose stories he loved to tell.” The gods and constellations are described.

Jada Jones Dancing Queen

When the student council decides to host a dance as their next fundraiser, Jada feels nervous and queasy. She’s excited to give back, but she can’t dance! Still, she’s determined to help the cause and show she cares. She practices her moves, gets help from friends, and even does research at the library to prepare—but will it be enough to help her create change in her community?

Jada Jones Dancing Queen leaves the science behind and focuses on helping others. Jada Jones, the science-loving girl, is worried about what others will think of her less-than-perfect dance skills. Even though Jada’s friends and family try to teach Jada some dance moves, Jada worries about embarrassing herself. By the end of the story, Jada realizes her dance moves don’t need to be perfect. Like the previous books in the series, Jada Jones Dancing Queen has relatable characters, realistic conflicts, and reinforces real-life lessons.

When the student council begins encouraging others to show kindness, Jada witnesses several small acts that make a big difference. For example, students began complimenting others and one student helped a kindergartener tie his shoe. When the student council decides to raise money to purchase coats for kids in need, Jada makes it clear that everyone needs help at some point. Jada uses money that she had been saving for a rock tumbler to purchase a coat for the coat drive. The best aspects of the Jada Jones series is Jada’s positive behavior as well as the encouraging family interactions.

Jada’s struggle comes to life with black and white pictures that have a pop of purple. Jada Jones Dancing Queen is intended for readers who are transitioning to chapter books. The story has eight short chapters, easy vocabulary, and illustrations on almost every page. The story does have several pages with only text and some complicated sentence structure. Science-loving readers may also want to read Ellie, Engineer by Jackson Pearce and The Data Set series by Ada Hopper.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • None

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • None

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

The Great Big Boom

When Gina disappears into a portal, no one knows where she is. But Hilo knows that friends don’t let friends disappear. Hilo and D.J. know they must find Gina and bring her home. They know jumping into a portal will lead them on a dangerous adventure, but they are determined to get Gina back. Can they find Gina and make it back to Earth before the portal closes?

Readers will fall in love with Hilo, the lovable living machine from another planet. The Great Big Boom takes readers on an epic adventure to a world where two clans have been battling for centuries. As Hilo searches for a way home, he struggles with regaining his memories. Hilo is afraid that he will discover that he is truly evil.

In the battle scenes, the characters spend more time running away than fighting and none of the characters are seriously injured. Hilo and D.J. go to “Oshun, the last magical planet” and find their friend Polly who loves to tell puns. Polly introduces Hilo and D.J. to a clan of fierce-talking cats. Readers will giggle at the sibling arguments and the silly antics of the Furback Clan.

Brightly colored illustrations will capture readers’ attention, but readers will want to keep turning the pages because of the engaging story and the likable characters. The detailed illustrations show exaggerated facial expressions which will help readers understand the characters’ changing emotions.   For maximum enjoyment, the stories should be read in order. Even though the first chapter recaps the events in the previous books, the story’s plots build on each other.

Hilo’s story demonstrates how one person can make a positive impact on others. Hilo learns that a person can always change for the better and that past deeds do not have to define you. The Great Big Boom keeps readers entertained with mystery, fighting, magic, and wonderfully complex characters. At the end of the story, readers will be eager for Hilo’s next adventure, Waking the Monsters.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • The military surrounds Hilo and D.J. with tanks but when the two boys beginning crying, “I want my mommy! Waaaaaah!” the army men get confused. The boys are put in a holding cell. Hilo holds an object and recites a spell: “Time is the stone that falls. Time is the river that crawls. Turn the water and rock. Turn back the sun and the clock.” The orb “can erase the memories of an entire world from two sunsets.” After the spell, a man lets the kids out of the cell.
  • A giant hamster-like creature that is carrying an alligator creature chases D.J. and Hilo. Someone uses lasers to hit the alligator creature and the hamster-like creature in the butt. The two creatures run away.
  • An elephant squid grabs someone and D.J.’s sister uses a magical blast to shrink the elephant squid. When the squid shrinks, the person he captured kicks him.
  • Hilo and his friends are gobbled up by a fish, who takes them to a sorcerer. The fish spits the group out of its mouth.
  • The Scale Tale Clan tries to attack Hilo and his friends, but the house they are in begins grabbing them and punching them. The Scale Tale Clan is able to capture one creature. When Hilo goes to save his friend, the Scale Tale Clan surrounds him with weapons, but Hilo uses an electromagnetic pulse to disable the weapons. The two clans battle each other.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • The characters in the story call others names. For example, humans are called “hairless monkeys.” Other names creatures are called include putrid, slime-caked salamander, odorous toe crust from a troll’s diseased foot, snake face, and fish-bottomed dung herders.
  • Someone tells Hilo and D.J. that they stink “just like a buffalo’s keister.”
  • “Holy Mackerel” is used as an exclamation.

Supernatural

  • Hilo is a living, feeling machine that runs off of solar energy, can fly, and shoots lasers out of his hands.
  • Two kids use magic to turn their brother into a sandwich. Their mother shouts, “Turn your brother back before the cockroach eats him!”
  • Someone uses an incantation to bring Hilo’s memories back. The person chants, “Deep in the sea, below the murk. Beneath the cavers, trapped in dirt. Rise up from the ground, overturn the dark moss. Return to use the visions we have lost.”
  • A sorcerer uses a spell to put Hilo and his friends “inside of Hilo’s memories. Our bodies are entranced inside my house. Oh. . . We’re in Hilo’s head.”
  • The Scale Tale Clan has a “fire orb” that makes them weapons.

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

Idun and the Apples of Youth

Twelve-year-old Idun is confident that she can take care of the apples of youth–the magical and delicious golden apples that keep all of Asgard Academy’s gods and goddesses healthy and young. But when it comes to sharing her thoughts, Idun feels insecure. Instead, Idun keeps her feelings hidden inside.

When Loki makes a deal with a giant disguised as an eagle, Idun must figure out how to save herself and her magical orchards. How can Idun save the apples of youth so the gods and goddesses don’t age?

Readers will relate to Idun’s conflict: she isn’t sure when it’s best to share her thoughts or keep them secret. Instead of telling others what she thinks, she often stays silent, which causes her to feel hurt and unhappy. Although the conflict is relatable, the story’s plot is choppy and follows the same format as the previous book. Predictably, Loki is “a worm in a rotten apple” and causes the disappearance of the apples of youth. The only surprise is that any goddessgirl would trust Loki not to betray her.

Idun and the Apples of Youth is full of fun apple puns, surprising shapeshifting, and a crush-worthy boy-god. When the apples of youth disappear, everyone begins to age, which brings in some silly situations that will make readers smile. Through her experiences, Idun learns that “speaking up for yourself isn’t necessarily selfish.”

The Thunder Girls series does not need to be read in order; however, readers who are unfamiliar with Norse mythology will want to read the glossary first. The easy-to-read story will keep younger readers entertained as a new villain flies into the picture and traps Idun. Even when Idun is in a perilous situation, she doesn’t sit around waiting for someone to save her.

Readers interested in mythology but who aren’t ready to tackle the Percy Jackson series will enjoy the Thunder Girls series. Interesting characters, fashion, and just the right amount of blush-worthy scenes will keep readers interested until the very end.

Sexual Content

  • A boy might like Idun. “As far as she knew, no boy had ever crushed on her before. The idea that Bragi might like-like her sent a jumble of emotions surging through her—shyness and panic, but also a little thrill of excitement.”
  • Bragi tells Idun, “It’s kind of true that I like you. I mean, like-like you. . .You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know, that’s all.” Idun tells Bragi, “I like you, too.” Then she thinks that she “needed to think about what he’d told her for a while. If a crush was destined to happen between them, it would unfold in its own good time. No rush.”

Violence

  • While walking from a mall in the human world to the school, Idun stops to help a creature. “The creature whipped around to stare at her with its tiny eyes. . . ‘I’ve already found what I was looking for!’ it crowed. ‘Four tasty students! Ringy-ding-ding! And rooty-toot-toots! I’ll grind your bones and steal your boots!’” The girls run from the creature.
  • The large painted friezes that covered a wall come to life. The warriors in the friezes begin to attack. “With resounding battle cries, sculpted warriors hurled food across the room at foes on opposite walls. They grabbed turnips, carrots, potatoes, apples, bread rolls, and whatever else they found for ammo within their paintings.” The food fight lasts for three pages.
  • While on a skiing tip, Loki meets a giant eagle that is fixing a pot of soup. When the eagle begins drinking the soup, Loki yells at him to stop. Loki grabs a ladle and swings it at the eagle. “With one clawed foot, he [the eagle] grabbed the bowl end of the ladle as Loki swung it at him again. As Loki held fast to the handle end, the eagle chanted some sort of magic spell that went like this: ‘Deaked leadked geak!’’’ Loki is unable to drop the ladle, and the eagle flies off with Loki hanging off the ladle. Bragi and Honir ran outside and “they scooped up rocks from the ground and threw them at the eagle, trying to make it let loose of Loki. . . Much to Bragi’s surprise, as he was pondering various schemes, the eagle suddenly released Loki. Oomph! Loki fell flat on his back in the powdery snow.”
  • Loki and Idun plant apple seeds in Midgard. While planting, an eagle “came swooping from the trees toward them. ‘Whoa! Wait!’ yelled Idun as it seized her, hooking one of its claws in the back of her hangerock. At the same time, it lifted the handle of her half-full eski with its other claws.” When Idun yells for help, Loki runs away. The eagle takes Idun captive and locks her in a pantry.
  • Loki, who shapeshifted into a falcon, tries to fly Idun back to the school. When they are close, they see that the students pile sticks and shavings outside the wall. “Luckily, someone managed to strike flint and spark a fire just as she and the falcon dove over the wall. Whoosh! Flames shot up the very instant they were safely past. Hot on their tail, Thiazi the eagle-giant tried to pull back in time to dodge the fire. But without success. Pzzt!” When the eagle-giant saw Thor on the wall, he flew away.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • “Ymir’s eyeballs,” “Ymir’s nose,” and “Ymir’s elbows” are used as an exclamation. “Ymir was a frost giant who’d lived at the beginning of time. Slain by gods, his various body parts had been used to grown the nine worlds. And for some reason, everyone spoke of those body parts as slang.”
  • Loki calls a boy a loser.

Supernatural

  • Idun and her roommates go into a shop that has clothes that talk. When Freya puts on a cloak, she shapeshifts into a bird. When Freya puts the cloak on, “the new cloak tightened around her. Wings opened up from its sides. . . Freya took to the sky, her legs and booted feet becoming claws, and her head becoming that of a falcon with a sharp hooked beak.”
  • While planting apple seeds, he says a spell to help them grow. “Grow, little seeds. Sprout and blossom. May whatever you bear be healthy and awesome.”
  • When Idun is kidnapped, the students at the school no longer have the magical apples to keep them young. The students begin aging; this includes getting wrinkles, losing their hearing, and other problems that come with age. For example, “Once the most awe-inspiring, powerful god of all, Odin was now bent and frail.”
  • Idun was turned into an acorn that could speak. Eventually, “Loki murmured some magic words and poof. . . Idun was instantly her girlgoddess self again.”
  • The large painted friezes that cover a wall come to life. “These painted friezes cover all of the V’s walls and were peopled with heroic warriors who had died in battle. The warriors had been brought into the friezes by Odin’s Valkyries as painted figures that magically came to life toward the end of every meal.”
  • Freya has a marble that contains cats and a cart. When Freya says, “catnap,” the cats and cart grow. The first time Freya uses the marble she thinks, “if anyone had been watching at that moment, the cats and cart would’ve seemed to instantly disappear. However, in reality, they had only shrunk down to a single cat’s-eye marble.”
  • Freya has a necklace that has a “walnut-size, teardrop-shaped amber jewel dangling from its center. It gave her the power of prophecy.”
  • Loki can shapeshift. He has shoes that “were magic and allowed him to race like the wind, skimming over land and water.”
  • Idun sees Mimir, who “was bobbing up and down atop his water slide. Mimir had become detached from his body sometime in the past. But he—or rather, his head—had been magically brought back to life by Odin. And now that’s all he was—a head.”

Spiritual Content

  • The story focuses on Norse mythology and includes Norse gods and goddesses as characters.
  • The story focuses on Idun, who is the “girlgoddess of youth, and her magical and deliciously sweet golden apples were what kept all of the academy’s goddesses and gods healthy and youthful.” Every day Idun must pick the magical apples. “Plucking them from the trees was a task that only she could do. Because if anyone else—even Odin himself—were to so much as just touch one of the apples while it still clung to a tree, the apple would shrivel and disappear in a puff of smoke.”
  • Idun has a magic cart. “Idun pulled a tiny wooden box called an eski from the pocket of hangerock. When she gave her eski a shake and set it on the ground, it quickly expanded from the size of a single ice cube into a box large enough to hold today’s crop of apples.”
  • According to Norse mythology, “Long ago, the giant Ymir’s bones had become mountains; his hair, trees; his skull, the sky. Even his eyelashes became a wall that encircled the human world of Midgard.”

New Kid

Seventh-grader Jordan Banks loves drawing cartoons about his life. But instead of sending him to the art school of his dreams, his parents enroll him in a prestigious private school known for its academics, where Jordan is one of the few kids of color in his entire grade.

As he makes the daily trip from his Washington Heights apartment to the upscale Riverdale Academy Day School, Jordan soon finds himself torn between two worlds and not really fitting into either one. Can Jordan learn to navigate his new school culture while keeping his neighborhood friends and staying true to himself?

Jordan is an incredibly likable kid who struggles with fitting in at his new school where most of the students are affluent and white. Jordan’s experiences highlight the way privilege, bias, and racism affect people. New Kid tackles racism and colorism without feeling preachy; instead, Jordan and his friend Drew discuss how others treat them differently because they are African American. Both of the boys are frustrated that one of the white teachers doesn’t take the time to learn their names. When the teacher continues to get his name wrong, Jordan thinks it is worse than being called names because “They’re saying that you’re not even worth their time and are insignificant.”

Middle school readers will relate to Jordan’s struggles. Jordan wants to fit in at his new school, but he’s also afraid of losing his neighborhood friends. Readers will understand Jordan’s desire to be nice to a girl who is a bit odd, even though he doesn’t necessarily want to be her friend. Readers will be surprised by the caring way that Jordan solves the problem. Another positive aspect of the story is Jordan’s mother. She clearly loves Jordan, but sometimes her enthusiasm for hugs and taking pictures drives him crazy.

New Kid is an entertaining graphic novel that has brightly colored illustrations that are at times heartwarming and hilarious. Craft does an excellent job making the character’s feelings clear by focusing on the character’s facial expressions. Jordan’s artwork is shown in black and white illustrations, which highlights his feelings about a variety of topics, such as his mother’s picture taking, books written for African American kids, and his teacher. In the end, New Kid will entertain the reader and teach the importance of not judging others based on appearance as well as speaking up for what is right.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • Two boys get in an argument at lunch. When they begin pushing each other, one boy drops part of his lunch and steps on an apple. The boy falls, but is not injured.

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Someone calls a couple of the sophomores “real jerks.” Jordan’s grandmother told him, “You don’t have to like everyone, but you don’t have to be a jerk about it, either.”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

 

 

Saving the Whole World

Hilo doesn’t remember much about his past, but that’s not stopping him from settling into life on earth. Hilo has discovered bowling, knock-knock jokes, and some good friends. Strange portals begin opening up all over town, and strange creatures are coming through them. Hilo has a plan to send the giant mutant chickens, Viking hippo, and the millions of killer vegetables back to their homeworld. Can Hilo, D.J. and Gina send these creatures back to their worlds before they destroy the earth?

Saving the Whole World digs deeper into Hilo and his friends’ backgrounds as well as introduces a sorceress martial-arts cat named Polly. In addition to being a lot of fun, the ferocious Polly jumps into every battle. D.J.’s family also plays a positive role in the story. Readers will enjoy the hilarious awkward parental interactions. Readers will laugh out loud when D.J.’s mom finds monsters in her house and yells, “Monsters are in my kitchen! There’s a talking cat! And Hilo can fly! I need an explanation! Now!”

Hilo isn’t just a fun story about a super-strong robot boy. Saving the Whole World hits on topics such as family, friends, and fitting in. Several times Hilo reinforces the idea that “Trying to find stuff out is the best part of not knowing something.” Without sounding like a school lesson, Saving the Whole World introduces new vocabulary through Hilo’s speech. For example, Hilo says “Y’see, I lured Razorwark into this limbo. Lured. Isn’t it a great word? Lured: verb, past tense. To tempt a person or animal to do something or go somewhere.”

Brightly colored illustrations will capture readers’ attention, but readers will want to keep turning the pages because of the engaging story and the likable characters. The detailed illustrations show exaggerated facial expressions which will help readers understand the characters changing emotions.   For maximum enjoyment, the stories should be read in order. Even though, the first chapter recaps the events in the previous books, the stories’ plots build on each other.

The book ends in a cliff-hanger that will have readers reaching for the next book, The Great Big Boom. Viking hippos, a magical warrior cat, and attacking vegetables combine to make a wonderful story that all ages will enjoy. If you’re looking for a story full of action and humor, Hilo is a perfect choice.

Sexual Content

  • Lisa has a crush on Hilo. Whenever she sees him, a heart pops up over her head.

Violence

  • Hilo and his friends find a robot in the bowling alley. When Hilo talks to the robot, the robot slams Hilo into a wall. Then, the robot begins “chucking bowling balls. Hilo throws the robot into the snow, where it short-circuits. Hilo sends the robot back to its home planet.”
  • Hippopotamuses fall from a portal and Polly shoots them with a laser. Polly yells, “That’s right whale bellies!” Then the hippopotamuses fight back with their own lasers.
  • A monster robot falls from a portal and begins pounding a “mighty mart.” The robot grabs Hilo and Hilo uses his power to knock out the robot.
  • A jabberwocky appears. When Hilo and his friends try to put the big bird into a cage, the bird steps on Polly.
  • When four monsters appear in D.J.’s kitchen, D.J. throws tennis rackets at them. The monsters chase D.J. who runs outside and jumps on a trampoline. When the monsters follow, the trampoline breaks, and the monsters get stuck.
  • Rapscallions, living vegetation, begin taking over everything, including buildings. Hilo and his friends begin whacking them with maces and lasers. Hilo yells, “I think we’ve got these veggies on the run!” When it looks the vegetation might win, Hilo blasts them with ice. The rapscallions are sent through a portal to the void.
  • Razorwark controls another robot and grabs Hilo, so Hilo cannot help his friends. In an attempt to hurt Hilo’s friends, Razorwark opens a portal that sucks Gina up. When Razorwark tries to convince Hilo to join him, Hilo shoots the robot with his laser hands

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Hilo is in a space void. Hilo says the void smells “like a gorilla’s armpit.” Later Hilo gets “hurled into a new spot. Smells like elephant butt.”
  • Some kids call D.J. a dweeb.
  • “Holy Mackerel” is used as an expression occasionally.
  • While eating dinner, D.J. and his sibling discuss how mangos make Dexter “poop weird.”
  • When fighting hippopotamuses appear, Polly yells, “Come back and fight, you bloated, zit-caked boils from a troll’s butt.”
  • There is some name-calling. For example, space squid, bubble butt, phlegm-spitting ogre.
  • “Dang” is used twice.

Supernatural

  • Polly is a magical warrior cat and an “apprentice sorceress third class.”
  • Hilo is a living, feeling robot who can shoot lasers out of his hand. He discovers that he can also “freeze your hands with your breath and blast ice.”

Spiritual Content

  • None

Locker Hero

Max Crumbly is like any other teenage boy. He likes comic books and video games, and his uncanny ability to smell pizza from a block away has helped him out in some really sticky situations. However, after being homeschooled by his grandmother for years, Max is about to face the scariest thing ever: South Ridge Middle School. Awkward and alone, Max tries to make friends with the other students, but within days becomes the favorite target of the school bully, Doug “Thug” Thurston.

Despite Thug’s repeated attempts to throw him in his locker every day, Max succeeds in his attempt to make friends. He meets Brandon, his best friend in the world, at a pet store and they work at the local shelter together on weekends. Max also develops a crush on one of the most popular and smartest girls at his school, Erin. All the boys love Erin, especially Thug. When Erin meets Max, she is really nice to him and develops a small crush on him. Erin invites Max to help paint the backgrounds for the school play with her. But, after Erin tells Max that the play is canceled, they eventually stop speaking to each other, much to the dismay of Max.

But, all that drama is trivial after Thug traps Max in his locker on a Friday afternoon before a three-day weekend. Alone and with no way to call home, Max must find his way out of the school before he dies of starvation or boredom (whichever comes first). While in the locker, Max uncovers three criminals’ plots to rob the school of its brand new computer center. After the phone lines are cut, Max must find a way to singlehandedly stop the thieves and save the school. Will Max become the superhero he always wanted to be or will the thieves catch up to him?

Russell created a flawed character, who struggles with fitting in at his new school and being ‘hip’ and ‘cool’ around the other students. Throughout the book, Max grows as a person and rises above his middle school problems to think of others, like valuing saving the school’s computers above going home and taking a nap. At the end of the story, Max may inspire readers to put other people’s problems above their own.

Max Crumbly: Locker Hero is the companion series to Dork Diaries, but focuses on a male protagonist. Parents should be concerned about the book’s level of bathroom humor. Many of the jokes come from Max either unintentionally puking or peeing on other students, or just making a fool of himself. However, the black-and-white illustrations along with consistently funny jokes will help reluctant readers transfer their reading skills from picture books into full-fledged novels. Readers who are struggling with a new school or the transfer to middle school will enjoy this fun, easy-to-read story.

Similar to the movie Home Alone, the antics in Max Crumbly: Locker Hero’s are hard to believe, and the over-the-top action comes to an abrupt end. None of the story conflicts are resolved, which may upset some readers. Instead of wrapping up the story, Russell leaves off on a cliffhanger. Readers will want to jump into the next book in the series The Misadventures of Max Crumbly – Middle School Mayhem.

Sexual Content

  • None

Violence

  • After Thug finds out that Max isn’t Dark Vader’s son, he threatens to “beat my face into a pulp.”
  • One of Max’s favorite comic book superheroes, Electrostatic Man, “actually ZAPPED his OWN MOTHER with 10,000 watts,” killing her.
  • Ralph swears that once he gets his hands on Max, he’s “GONNA RIP HIS FACE OFF.”

Drugs and Alcohol

  • None

Language

  • Max believes that if he had superpowers, life in middle school would be better. He would never “miss the stupid bus again” because he could just fly to school.
  • In one of the images where Max draws himself flying, he gets pooped on by a bird. Max thinks, “Getting bombed by an angry bird is NOT cool.”
  • Max is calling his book THE MISADVENTURES OF MAX CRUMBLY and it will be “a highly detailed record of all the CRAP I’ve had to deal with! my experiences here at this school.”
  • Max has a socially anxious bladder and he pees when he gets nervous or scared. In one of his drawings, he imagines peeing on Thug.
  • One day in gym class, Max vomited on Thug’s shoe.
  • Max “had exactly forty-eight seconds to get my BUTT on the bus” before his big fight with Thug.
  • Max would have loved the janitor’s pretend rock and roll show “a lot better if I hadn’t been watching it from, you know …. INSIDE OF MY STUPID LOCKER!!”

Supernatural

  • None

Spiritual Content

  • None

by Matthew Perkey

 

 

 

 

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