The Girl Who Drank the Moon

The Girl Who
Drank the Moon
by Kelly Barnhill

From the publisher:
"Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. They hope this sacrifice will keep her from terrorizing their town. But the witch in the forest, Xan, is kind and gentle. She shares her home with a wise Swamp Monster named Glerk and a Perfectly Tiny Dragon, Fyrian. Xan rescues the abandoned children and deliver them to welcoming families on the other side of the forest, nourishing the babies with starlight on the journey. 

One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic. Xan decides she must raise this enmagicked girl, whom she calls Luna, as her own. To keep young Luna safe from her own unwieldy power, Xan locks her magic deep inside her. When Luna approaches her thirteenth birthday, her magic begins to emerge on schedule--but Xan is far away. Meanwhile, a young man from the Protectorate is determined to free his people by killing the witch. Soon, it is up to Luna to protect those who have protected her--even if it means the end of the loving, safe world she’s always known.
 
The acclaimed author of The Witch’s Boy has created another epic coming-of-age fairy tale destined to become a modern classic."

I loved this book! I could take everything I said about Kelly Barnhill's The Witch's Boy and use it for this book as well (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...).   The Girl Who Drank the Moon is also a magical, lyrical fairy tale that promotes love, family, courage and forgiveness. There were parts of this book that sang, there were parts that wept, and there were parts that made my heart pound with excitement. I want to turn around and start reading it all over again. 

The characters were all so alive and real. There are quite a few that are intrinsically important to the story, but we don't know why until things all get wrapped up in the end. I loved them all so much and for such differing reasons. Fyrian was hysterical; Xan was loving and kind and good; Luna was adorably mischievous but spread such love; Antain was wise beyond his years; the poor, mad mother was so tortured; Glerk, the wise poet of the swamp, reminded me of Aslan. Around all of these characters were magic, sorrow, love and hope, all swirled together in a delicious way.

As with  The Witch's Boy, this one would make a wonderful read-aloud as a family or classroom. I highly, highly recommend it for middle grade on up through adults. 

Areas of concern:
*Babies are taken away from their families and "sacrificed" to the witch (nothing bad actually happens to the babies - they are given to good families who love them).
*There is a villain who is quite evil, but masks it with supposed goodness.
*A character is disfigured during an attack by magical creatures.

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 5-8
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10+

Masterminds

Masterminds
by Gordon Korman

From the publisher:
"From bestselling author Gordon Korman comes a thrilling new middle grade trilogy about a group of kids living in a Pleasantville-type town who discover a dark secret that connects them to some of the greatest criminal masterminds of their time.

Eli Frieden lives in the most boring town in the world: Serenity, New Mexico. Only thirty kids live in the idyllic town, where every lawn is perfectly manicured and everyone has a pool and a basketball hoop. Honesty and kindness are the backbone of the community. There is no crime in this utopia.

Eli has never left town…. Why would he ever want to? But everything changes the day he and his friend Randy bike to the edge of the city limits. Eli is suddenly struck with a paralyzing headache and collapses. Almost instantly, a crew of security—or “Purple People Eaters,” as the kids call them—descend via helicopter. Eli awakens in the hospital, and the next day, Randy and his family are gone.

As Eli convinces his friends Tori and Malik to help him investigate Randy’s disappearance, it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems in Serenity. As the clues mount to reveal a shocking discovery, the kids realize they can trust no one—least of all their own parents. So they hatch a plan for what could be the greatest breakout in history—but will they survive? And if they do, where do they go from there?

This first book in a thrilling new series from the middle grade “mastermind” Gordon Korman is sure to be a hit with his myriad fans.. "

This is a very fun and exciting book. It is told from the different perspectives of five 13 year olds who live in the most perfect town in all of the land. They discover some terrible secrets about their perfect little town and their perfect lives that changes everything for them. It has a very gripping story line, and makes you want to grab the next book as quickly as you can the second you finish. The characters are all likable, but more than that they are interesting . Once you know their secret, it is fascinating to look at them in a different light. I can definitely see why my students love this one. I will be recommending it to everyone.

Areas of concern:
*Possible death of a main character.
*Parents and all adults end up being the enemy. (One of my pet peeves, however in this one it is very understandable and necessary.)\

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 5-8

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12
*I think 8 and 9 are a little young for this one.  I would say at least 10 and up.*

Six of Crows

Six of Crows
by Leigh Bardugo

From the publisher:
"Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge
A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager
A runaway with a privileged past
A spy known as the Wraith
A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums
A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes 

Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first."

Whew, this one is quite the roller coaster ride! My breathlessness may have been accentuated by the abrupt ending. I read it on my Kindle, and I was only at 87% and something VERY BIG had just happened, I scrolled to the next page and it said, "Acknowledgments". What?! There was a big excerpt from Shadow and Bone after the acknowledgments - thus the 87% ending. If you read the large hard copy of this book, the ending won't be quite as much of a shock as it was for me. 
I loved these characters! They had all been through SO much at such a young age. I liked hearing their stories from their own point of view, you could feel their pain and anger and so many other emotions. The plot was ridiculously intricate and intriguing, and the action intense. This book can be read without reading the author's other Grisha series, but I think I would have understood some things better if I had re-read Shadow and Bone (I read it years ago) and the rest of the series (which I never read). However, I still loved it and took what I read at face value instead of having back stories for things. 
One of my 8th graders told me last year that this had become her favorite book. I hesitated ordering it for our middle school library because some of the reviewers were recommending it for 9th grade and up. There are definitely areas of concern, but it is really good and I think our 8th graders will love it.

Areas of concern:
*A lot of fighting and violence, but nothing terribly graphic (although there is talk of main characters slitting throats and breaking necks).
*A main character is captured by slavers at a young age and sold into prostitution. She manages to escape the brothel after a few years, but is naturally very traumatized by that experience. Nothing graphic is described.
*There are only about 6 or 9 instances of bad language, but one of those is the "f" word. 
*Intense situations abound.
*A drug that is being given to a certain group of people is one of the main story lines.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+

The Lie Tree

The Lie Tree
by Frances Hardinge

From the publisher:
"Winner of the Costa Book of the Year 2015, The Lie Tree is a dark and powerful novel from universally acclaimed author, Frances Hardinge. 

It was not enough. All knowledge- any knowledge - called to Faith, and there was a delicious, poisonous pleasure in stealing it unseen.

Faith has a thirst for science and secrets that the rigid confines of her class cannot supress. And so it is that she discovers her disgraced father's journals, filled with the scribbled notes and theories of a man driven close to madness. Tales of a strange tree which, when told a lie, will uncover a truth: the greater the lie, the greater the truth revealed to the liar. Faith's search for the tree leads her into great danger - for where lies seduce, truths shatter . . ."

I'm at a loss as to what to say about this book. It was weird, it was dark, it was beautiful, it was enthralling. It gave me a Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children kind of vibe, but don't ask me to explain why. Maybe the wonderful weirdness of both. This is not a feel-good book. It is uncomfortable, maddening, and bewitching. I didn't really like any of the characters, but I was drawn into Faith's descent. I don't know that this is actually a children's book - possibly more young adult. I'm not sure how many of my students will be drawn into it, even though it is quite gripping. Overall it is beautifully written and magically crafted.

Areas of concern:
*Murder of an important character.
*A young girl placing herself in very dangerous situations.
*An overarching darkness.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 13+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+

with their eyes: September 11th: The View From a High School at Ground Zero

with their eyes:
September 11th:
The View From a High
School at Ground Zero
by Anna Thoms

From the publisher:
"Tuesday, September 11, started off like any other day at Stuyvesant High School, located only a few blocks away from the World Trade Center. The semester was just beginning, and the students, faculty, and staff were ready to begin a new year.

But within a few hours on that Tuesday morning, they would all share an experience that transformed their lives.

Now, on the tenth anniversary of September 11th, we remember those who were lost and those who were forced to witness this tragedy. Here, in their own words, are the firsthand stories of a day we will never forget."

Very different perspective on the events of September 11th. Here are some random ramblings on what I read:
*I think it would be interesting to do some sort of follow-up on the people in the book. Have they been affected by PTSD, or health issues due to the particles in the air? 
*I recently visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum and saw the flag that was put on the fallen towers. I wish I would have known the story behind it when I was there. 
*I was struck by the thoughts of one of the high school students who was so angry with the out-of-town visitors who were taking pictures and treating it as a tourist attraction. He wanted to tell them that when something that meant a lot to them was blown up in their backyard, that he would make sure to come and take pictures there.
*The story of the young man whose family had left their windows open that day and when they were finally allowed to return to their home, the dust and debris were everywhere. 
*The resiliency of youth was very apparent. Some of them hardly seemed affected at all, aside from the trial of having to go to another school for a few weeks.

 
There were many more things that touched me or made me think. I just did a genre book talk with a 7th grade student. She had read Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story, and was using it for her historical fiction genre book. Wow. Something that we lived through and changed our world is now history for my students. That is why it is important to have these kind of books available for them to read. And I loved that is wasn't just from the students' perspective, but custodians, teachers, administrators and even a lunch lady. Fascinating, traumatic, and touching stories!

Areas of concern:
*There is some language as they interviewed people and used their exact words - even the uh's, um's, like's... So the "s" word was used a handful of times, and the "f" word appears 3 times. I was actually pretty impressed that was all that was in it considering the circumstances.
*There is nothing graphic mentioned, but there were disturbing allusions to the events of September 11th. 

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 13+
School Library Journal - Grades 7+

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

Miss Peregrine's Home 
for Peculiar Children
by Ransom Riggs

From the publisher:
"A mysterious island. An abandoned orphanage. A strange collection of curious photographs.

A horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive.

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows."

This book always looked way too creepy for me. However, many of my students love this series, so I thought I would see what I was missing. It was not that creepy - it was gory and violent at times, but not necessarily weird or creepy. Okay, maybe it was weird and a little creepy. All in all it was reasonably gripping and exciting. I thought it was an interesting premise, but sometimes it felt very disjointed. When I got to the end of the book and saw the pictures from the movie, I couldn't remember anything about the twins. I remembered their picture, but couldn't remember their names or what they did. Sometimes it felt like the author just wanted to use one of his old, creepy pictures so he threw in a character and then forgot about them. (And speaking of the movie..... Emma is the levitating girl and Olive has the fire?! Why?) 
There were other things that bothered me about this one as well. The whole romance-with-your-grandfather's-soul-mate thing was kind of yucky. You'll have to read it to understand, but I was disturbed by it. There was some pretty gruesome violence. And I never felt completely connected to the characters. I thought Jacob was obnoxious at the beginning, and it never really explained the reasons for that. And why did he have no friends? I didn't feel like that was explained either, just used and made necessary so he wouldn't care about leaving. 
However, it is imaginative, I loved the setting and I loved the time-loop concept. I can see why the kids seem to love it.

Areas of concern:
*Around 50 uses of cussing and/or vulgarities (depending on whether you're a Yank or a Brit).
*Already stated gruesome violence (disgusting monsters who eviscerate and eat sheep and a couple of the characters in the book - among other things).
*Weird romance which involves kissing. (The boy is 16 and the girl is something like 83 but is stuck in a time-loop at age 16. When she was really 16, she was in love with the boy's grandfather.)
*Trusted adults either acting like idiots or villains. 

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 8+

Interference

Interference
by Kay Honeyman

From the publisher:
"I will not get involved…I will not get involved…I will not get involved…

As a congressman’s daughter in Washington, DC, Kate Hamilton always pushes to make things right. But when a scandal sends her family to Red Dirt, Texas, she decides to step back for a while. She’ll take pictures for her portfolio. She’ll volunteer at her aunt’s animal shelter. And most of all, she’ll stay out of politics (including her father’s latest election) and away from guys (especially after her ex’s betrayal).

But…

If Kate’s political skills can be useful in Red Dirt, should she really let them go to waste? After all, her friend Ana Gomez and quarterback Kyle Stone would be a perfect match. Her dad’s campaign could benefit from a teenage perspective. The irritatingly handsome Hunter Price should learn he doesn’t know everything…When Kate’s plans backfire, she must find the soul beneath her DC spin, and risk her heart—the biggest involvement of all."

The front cover of this book says, " Friday Night Lights meets Jane Austen's Emma ...", and that is a pretty perfect description. This is a very fun book that I read in practically one sitting. Even though the main character does a lot of stupid things, she is still likeable (so reminiscent of Emma ). It is interesting to see her progression and growth throughout the story. 
One of the questions I ask my students when they are book talking with me is, "Does the setting enhance the story, and is it important to the plot?". The answers for this book are yes and yes. I could feel the West Texas sun and dirt, and nowhere on earth is high school football as important as West Texas. 
I also enjoyed seeing the growth of the family as they came together after some hard times. The political aspect was intriguing and added to the tension of the storyline. 
I loved the secondary characters from Hunter (the slow buildup to a romance), Ana (the nice girl who helps the main character become a better person), the new campaign manager (who adds a lot of humor), to the protagonists who were spot-on.
I thought this was a really fun book, and I appreciated the lack of bad language (even from the jocks!) .

Areas of concern:
*The main character's ex-boyfriend causes a scandal by posting pictures of her on the internet. In one of the pictures she appears drunk, but in reality she was just imitating a fellow party-goer who WAS drunk. 
*At a party after a football game, a drunk player tries to force his attentions on a character. She gets away.
*An ex-boyfriend spreads ugly rumors about a girl and how far she went (the rumors aren't true) and she is bullied throughout the book.
***I thought it was a pretty clean read. No bad language and just a couple of sweet kisses***

Suggested Ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 13-17
School Library Journal - Grades 9+
*Mrs. Duke thinks that because of the absence of bad language and the very light, slow-building romance, it is okay for older middle schoolers.*