The Benefits of Being an Octopus

The Benefits of Being
an Octopus
by Ann Braden

From the publisher:
"Some people can do their homework. Some people get to have crushes on boys. Some people have other things they’ve got to do.

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer.

At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they're in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it’s best if no one notices them.

Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she’s not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia’s situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they’re better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she’s ever had?

This moving debut novel explores the cultural divides around class and the gun debate through the eyes of one girl, living on the edges of society, trying to find her way forward."

You know it's a good book when you are just taking it out of the box, getting it ready for check out, leafing through it, and suddenly you're hooked and read it all in one sitting. I have a lot of students who will love this book if I can just get them to check it out. The cover is not very conducive for check out, unfortunately, but the story is lovely. The main character has way too much to deal with in her short life. I felt very connected to her even though my childhood couldn't have been more different from hers in the socio-economic sense. Like Zoey, I was very shy and just wanted to blend into the background in Jr. High/Middle School. Getting up in front of people was a huge deal for me. I think students can connect to this character on many different levels. I appreciate the glimpse into a different lifestyle, it reminded me of some of the things our students live with every day. Thankfully there was a concerned adult (Ms. Rochambeau) who really tried to bring our main character out of her shell and aim her towards a better life. I did feel like a lot of things were left unanswered at the end of the book and that our heroine was still in a precarious position, but such is life.
(And am I the only one who chanted, "We rendezvous with Rochambeau, consolidate their gifts" over and over in my head while reading this? And once Hamilton gets in your head, it doesn't leave.)

Areas of concern:
*A very dysfunctional family situation.
*Emotional abuse/control
*Bullying
*Discussion of gun control - pros and cons 

Suggested Ages:

Book List - Grades 4-7

School Library Journal - Grades 5-8

Caraval

Caraval
by Stephanie Garber

From the publisher:
"Remember, it’s only a game…

Scarlett Dragna has never left the tiny island where she and her sister, Tella, live with their powerful, and cruel, father. Now Scarlett’s father has arranged a marriage for her, and Scarlett thinks her dreams of seeing Caraval—the faraway, once-a-year performance where the audience participates in the show—are over.

But this year, Scarlett’s long-dreamt-of invitation finally arrives. With the help of a mysterious sailor, Tella whisks Scarlett away to the show. Only, as soon as they arrive, Tella is kidnapped by Caraval’s mastermind organizer, Legend. It turns out that this season’s Caraval revolves around Tella, and whoever finds her first is the winner.

Scarlett has been told that everything that happens during Caraval is only an elaborate performance. Nevertheless she becomes enmeshed in a game of love, heartbreak, and magic. And whether Caraval is real or not, Scarlett must find Tella before the five nights of the game are over or a dangerous domino effect of consequences will be set off, and her beloved sister will disappear forever.

Welcome, welcome to Caraval…beware of getting swept too far away."

The feelings I have for this book are quite similar to those I had after reading The Night Circus, and there are actual similarities in the stories as well. So I will use some of the exact sentences I used for that book. "My 4 star rating doesn't really mean "really liked it", it's actually more like "amazing on many levels, but not sure how I really feel about it". What imagination and creativity went into this!" 
For a lot of the book I was thinking, "What the heck is going on?!", yet it was mesmerizing and I couldn't stop reading (once I really got into the story). The writing is incredible, so beautiful and gripping. So many secrets! Who to trust? Who to like? The setting of Caraval is amazingly unique and magical. I would like to see what the director of The Greatest Showman would do with a movie of this. There is one part where the main character starts seeing only in black and white, unless it is something really important for her to notice, and I can imagine that being put on the big screen - it would be beautiful!
This book has action, adventure, heroes and villains (although you're not always clear which is which), romance, magic, character growth, and above all - sisterly love. And that sounds like I just described Frozen, but it is nothing like that :) . It was amazing, but do I recommend it for middle school students? Maybe 8th graders, but no younger.

Areas of concern:
*Serious abuse.
*Steamy romance - although it was kind of more a feeling of steamy than actual graphic steaminess, if that makes sense.
*Several disturbing murders - one off stage and 2 right in front of us.

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 9-12

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 13+

The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade

The Secret Sheriff of
Sixth Grade
by Jordan Sonnenblick

From the publisher:
"In sixth grade, bad things can happen to good kids. Bullies will find your weakness and jump on it. Teachers will say you did something wrong when really you didn't mean to do anything wrong. The kids who joke the loudest can drown out the quieter, nicer kids.

Maverick wants to change all that. One of the last things his father left him was a toy sheriff's badge, back when Maverick was little. Now he likes to carry it around to remind him of his dad -- and also to remind him to make school a better place for everyone . . . even if that's a hard thing to do, especially when his own home life is falling apart.

The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade is a story about standing up for yourself -- and being a hero at home and in the halls of your school."

Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Jordan Sonnenblick is one of my all-time favorite middle school books. That being said, I really liked this one, but it didn't have quite the impact that DGADP had for me. There was something I just couldn't put my finger on. While there were parts I loved, there were also parts where I was just kind of, "Hmmmm". Luckily, the parts I loved far outweighed the "Hmmm" parts. 
I loved the main character, Maverick (I kept expecting a reason behind his name but never got one..... hmmmm). I felt the pain of his circumstances and his desire to rise above them. When he first started school, I was getting defensive because so many of the adults seemed mean and clueless, and I hate that in books. However, some of them came around and we found out they were very caring (although several remained completely clueless..... hmmmm). 
This book naturally made me think of my school. We have many students who are in several of the situations portrayed in this book. I like to think that we are being as proactive and concerned as possible, but what is slipping through the cracks? 

As usual in a Jordan Sonnenblick book, I need to let quotes do the selling.

One of the many times our main character winds up in the assistant principal's office (of whom he is terrified), he notices a sign on the wall that says, 
Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. 
At that point Maverick realizes that the assistant principal isn't there to terrorize him, but maybe, just possibly, to help him. 

Towards the end of the story when Maverick realizes that he doesn't have any real life heroes in his life to look up to and emulate, he has this thought, 
I wasn't sure what my path would be, but I knew I didn't want to be like any of them. Each, in their own way, spent life being ruled by the exact same things they feared. 
We never find out whether he is actually able to overcome the legacy he is left, but you sure are rooting for him!

Although there is resolution at the end of the story we are left wondering about many things, but I guess that is life. I tend to like my books tied up in neat packages with a bow on top, but sometimes it is good to have to think. Jordan Sonnenblick always gives us a lot of intense topics to deal with, but his signature humor is very much a part of the story. I definitely recommend this one!

Areas of concern:
*Scenes of abuse of a parent and a child
*Alcoholism
*The sadness of a father killed in a firestorm in Afghanistan
*Bullying
(All of these things are very gently dealt with.)

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 10-13

One for the Murphys

One for the Murphys
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

From the publisher:
"Twelve-year-old Carley Connors can take a lot. Growing up in Las Vegas with her fun-loving mother, she's learned to be tough. But she never expected a betrayal that would land her in a foster care. When she's placed with the Murphys, a lively family with three boys, she's blindsided. Do happy families really exist? Carley knows she could never belong in their world, so she keeps her distance.

It's easy to stay suspicious of Daniel, the brother who is almost her age and is resentful she's there. But Mrs. Murphy makes her feel heard and seen for the first time, and the two younger boys seem determinded to work their way into her heart. Before she knows it, Carley is protected the boys from a neighbourhood bullly and even teaching Daniel how to play basketball. Then just when she's feeling like she could truly be one of the Murphys, news from her mother shakes her world."

I read this book in one sitting and really enjoyed most of it. Some things didn't ring true for me, but I am not familiar with the foster care system (unless you count TV shows), so maybe some of the things that bothered me really could happen. 
To begin with, this book is extremely popular in our middle school library, and believe me, I would rather have 6th - 8th graders reading this over A Child Called It . It is a kinder, gentler look at abuse and the foster care system. Middle school students do love reading these kinds of books. I hope it teaches them empathy and compassion for other students who might be in this situation. 
I thought the main character, Carley, was very believable in her feelings and the walls she had around herself. I cared about her immensely, and had teary eyes several times throughout the story. I was happy to see a foster family that was so functional and normal. I loved Mrs. Murphy and the whole family of Murphys. And I was thrilled to see a best friend who was a Musical Theatre Nerd! That was an un-looked for bonus. I loved the reference to track 18 on the WickedCD, which is the song For Good . However, I thought it would have been better to mention some of the words from it that make it so meaningful to Toni and Carley's situation. Practically every word in the lyrics fits their friendship.

The things that bothered me:
*The police officer who came to the house and pretty much bullied her. I have a feeling that would never happen in real life with an unrepresented minor - at least I hope so.
*The nearly absent social worker. Aren't they supposed to check up on them quite frequently? Especially right after being placed with a new family? 
*I definitely didn't like the ending and would have loved an epilogue 10+ years later.

Areas of concern:
*This is a book about a girl placed in a foster home because of violent abuse at home, so there is talk of the abuse and the damage it has had on the main character.
*Bullying at school.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10+

School Library Journal - Grades 5-8

A Shadow Bright and Burning

A Shadow Bright 
and Burning
by Jessica Cluess

From the publisher:
"I am Henrietta Howel. The first female sorcerer. The prophesied one. Or am I?

Henrietta Howel can burst into flames. When she is brought to London to train with Her Majesty's sorcerers, she meets her fellow sorcerer trainees, young men eager to test her powers and her heart. One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her. As Henrietta discovers the secrets hiding behind the glamour of sorcerer life, she begins to doubt that she's the true prophesied one. With battle looming, how much will she risk to save the city--and the one she loves?"

Well, here's an exciting book for you.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I love the relationship that we see right away between Henrietta and Rook, although more is revealed later on, it is nice to see their practically symbiotic relationship. They need each other. But it is also fun to see Henrietta have new experiences. I loved all of the characters! "The boys" are awesome, but I felt like it was Magnus, Blackwood, and then all the others that we didn't get to know as well until quite a bit farther into it. I'm sure they will all have major roles in the next book. On the description from the publisher it says, "One will challenge her. One will fight for her. One will betray her." I really thought I knew which one it was that was going to betray her, so I was nervous throughout because I really like the one I suspected, but so far, so good on that head. Ugh, it is so hard to write reviews without spoilers!! But regardless, the characters were all so important in their different ways, from sorcerers to magicians to we-thought-you-were-dead people. And everyone's backstories were also very crucial to the story as a whole.
The setting of Victorian England almost put me off of this book because I hate steampunk, but there was no steampunk here, just magic. It was so interesting to see the alternate, magical, warding-off-demons Victorian London and the queen herself. 
All in all, I was very impressed with this book. I believe it is a debut novel by a new author and I very much look forward to what she brings in the future. There is action, magic, horror, fear, possible romance (from several different places), humor and all sorts of twists. I think I see where several things are going in the next book, but I have no idea how we're going to get there. All of that was done in a way that still kept it appropriate for a middle school audience. Well done, Jessica Cluess, you are on my radar.

Areas of concern:
*I only noticed one use of the *d* word and no other bad language.
*Terrifying monsters that attack. 
*Intense situations
*Mild sexual harassment at the very beginning of the book, but the character escapes from that environment.
*There is one quite big make-out scene and mention is made of a hand going up a leg, but that is as far as it goes.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+

The War That Saved My Life

The War That Saved My Life
by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

 From the publisher:
"A Wall Street Journal's Best Children's Book of 2015
A Newbery Honor Book

An exceptionally moving story of triumph against all odds set during World War 2, from the acclaimed author of Jefferson’s Sons and for fans of Number the Stars.
 
Nine-year-old Ada has never left her one-room apartment. Her mother is too humiliated by Ada’s twisted foot to let her outside. So when her little brother Jamie is shipped out of London to escape the war, Ada doesn’t waste a minute—she sneaks out to join him.
 
So begins a new adventure of Ada, and for Susan Smith, the woman who is forced to take the two kids in. As Ada teaches herself to ride a pony, learns to read, and watches for German spies, she begins to trust Susan—and Susan begins to love Ada and Jamie. But in the end, will their bond be enough to hold them together through wartime? Or will Ada and her brother fall back into the cruel hands of their mother?
 
This masterful work of historical fiction is equal parts adventure and a moving tale of family and identity—a classic in the making."

I thought this book did an exquisite job of showing how abuse affects a child. The main character, Ada, has been horribly abused her whole life, and all readers will be relieved when she escapes and has the chance at a new life. However, life doesn't suddenly turn rosy for her. She has trouble accepting kindness and compassion and feels completely out of place. Her new guardian reads the book Alice in Wonderland to Ada and her brother, Jamie, and this is what Ada thinks:

“It was us, I thought. Jamie and me. We had fallen down a rabbit hole, fallen into Susan’s house, and nothing made sense, not at all, not anymore.” 

It is both heartbreaking and heartwarming to watch Ada's journey to finding the strength in herself. Sometimes it is 1 step forward and 2 steps back, but slowly and surely she progresses. The patience of her guardian, Susan, is remarkable, but we are also shown how taking upon herself the guardianship of 2 abused children makes Susan grow and come out of herself. I thought the ending faltered a little bit, but all in all I really enjoyed this book. It doesn't match up to my favorite WWII-child-evacuee book, which is Good Night, Mr. Tom  by Michelle Magorian, but it is a pretty respectable second place. 

Areas of concern:
*Horrible abuse of a disabled child. Sensitive readers could be very disturbed by all of it.
*A handful of British cuss words.
*There is a very subtle inference of a homosexual relationship, but I'm quite sure the targeted age group for this book won't pick up on it.

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 5-8

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 9-12