23 Minutes

23 Minutes
by Vivian Vande Velde

 From the publisher:
"Fifteen-year-old Zoe has a secret ability: she can travel back in time twenty-three minutes to relive events she wants to change. But Zoe has learned from experience that this is more curse than gift. Things almost never end well and people just tend to think she’s crazy.

But when she steps into a bank to get out of the rain and finds herself in the middle of a robbery gone horrifyingly wrong, Zoe knows she’s the only one who can help. The problem is, she has only a limited number of tries to make things right. Plus, a single mistake could get her killed—and not even time travel could bring her back from that.

Zoe has always considered herself a loser, about as far from a heroine as a girl can get. Now she has to dig deep to find a strength she never thought she possessed."

Wow, what a ride! I had a great time reading this book. It had an amazing concept, it was full of excitement and tension, and you couldn't help liking the 2 main characters. It reminded me a little of the movie 50 First Dates because of how Zoe would have to explain everything to Daniel every time she went back because she is the only one who remembers anything during her playbacks. Does that sound confusing? It really isn't when Ms. Vande Velde explains it. I will definitely be talking this one up to my students.

Areas of concern:
*Many people get killed in different ways, but those deaths get undone in the "playbacks".
*Under 10 uses of the "d" and "s" words.
*The main character comes from a very dysfunctional family and lives in a group home.

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12-17

Booklist - Grades 7-10

The Deepest Breath

 From the publisher:

"

The Deepest Breath
by Meg Grehan

Stevie is eleven and loves reading and sea-creatures. She lives with her mum, and she's been best friends with Andrew since forever. Stevie's mum teases her that someday they'll get married, but Stevie knows that won't ever happen. There's a girl at school that she likes more. A lot more. Actually, she's a bit confused about how much she likes her. It's nothing like the way she likes Andrew. It makes her fizz inside. That's a new feeling, one she doesn't understand. Stevie needs to find out if girls can like girls - love them, even - but it's hard to get any information, and she's too shy to ask out loud about it. But maybe she can find an answer in a book. With the help of a librarian, Stevie finds stories of girls loving girls, and builds up her courage to share the truth with her mum. Written in accessible verse `chapters' and in a warm and reassuring style, The Deepest Breath will be of special relevance to young girls who are starting to realise that they are attracted to other girls, but it is also a story for any young reader with an open mind who wants to understand how people's emotions affect their lives. "

I have had students asking for LGBTQ+ books this year so I have been trying to get some that are age appropriate for middle school. This one is a sweet, tender look at an 11 year old girl who is recognizing feelings within herself that she doesn't understand. I thought the subject matter was dealt with in a very age-appropriate way. I don't like novels in verse, but my students do. I really liked how the author dealt with Stevie's anxieties as well. So many of our middle schoolers are dealing with high anxiety and I think they will relate to Stevie, who feels like she is underwater a lot of the time and is scared and anxious about many things. I loved the relationship between Stevie and her mum. I think my students who have been asking for LGBTQ+ books will connect with this particular book. 

Suggested Ages:
Booklist - Grades 4-7
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12

Nevermoor: The Trials of Morrigan Crow

Nevermoor: The Trials
of Morrigan Crow
by Jessica Townsend

 From the publisher:
"A breathtaking, enchanting new series by debut author Jessica Townsend, about a cursed girl who escapes death and finds herself in a magical world--but is then tested beyond her wildest imagination.

Morrigan Crow is cursed. Having been born on Eventide, the unluckiest day for any child to be born, she's blamed for all local misfortunes, from hailstorms to heart attacks--and, worst of all, the curse means that Morrigan is doomed to die at midnight on her eleventh birthday.

But as Morrigan awaits her fate, a strange and remarkable man named Jupiter North appears. Chased by black-smoke hounds and shadowy hunters on horseback, he whisks her away into the safety of a secret, magical city called Nevermoor.

It's then that Morrigan discovers Jupiter has chosen her to contend for a place in the city's most prestigious organization: the Wundrous Society. In order to join, she must compete in four difficult and dangerous trials against hundreds of other children, each boasting an extraordinary talent that sets them apart--an extraordinary talent that Morrigan insists she does not have. To stay in the safety of Nevermoor for good, Morrigan will need to find a way to pass the tests--or she'll have to leave the city to confront her deadly fate.

Perfect for fans of the Harry Potter series and Neil Gaiman, this fast-paced plot and imaginative world has a fresh new take on magic that will appeal to a new generation of readers. "

I really enjoyed this beginning to a new series. The story of a cursed child gripped me from the start. Her life was so sad and grim. The transition from that dark, gray world to the colorful Nevermoor was really fun. If I were a movie director, I would film the first part in black and white and then change to color when she gets to Nevermoor - like The Wizard of Oz movie. And I also pictured our heroine, Morrigan, as Wednesday Adams - which added to the black and white image in my head. She is described as very pale with dark black hair, so of course Wednesday popped into my head.
Besides the awesome world building, I also enjoyed the plot. I found it well-paced and interesting with times of humor and times of intensity. I only wish the whole series was complete so my students didn't have to wait a year for however many more books will be in the series (there are 3 out so far). I will talk this series up to my kids who loved Keeper of the Lost Cities and are tired of waiting for the next one in that series. I think they will really like it.

Areas of concern:
*The heroine is in danger a few times.
*The villain has murdered a lot of people.
*I think I only saw one instance of using a bad word.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12 (This seems quite young to me - I would say more 10+)

School Library Journal - Grades 5+

The Fourteenth Goldfish

 From the publisher:

The Fourteenth 
Goldfish
by Jennifer L. Holm

Galileo. Newton. Salk. Oppenheimer.
Science can change the world . . . but can it go too far?

Eleven-year-old Ellie has never liked change. She misses fifth grade. She misses her old best friend. She even misses her dearly departed goldfish. Then one day a strange boy shows up. He’s bossy. He’s cranky. And weirdly enough . . . he looks a lot like Ellie’s grandfather, a scientist who’s always been slightly obsessed with immortality. Could this pimply boy really be Grandpa Melvin? Has he finally found the secret to eternal youth?

I enjoyed this book and read it quickly in one sitting. I appreciated the family dynamics - a loving mother and father, although amicably divorced - and a grandfather living in the body of a 13 year old boy and still trying to tell his daughter what to do. It was all quite delightful. Working in a middle school, I know that girl drama at that age is REAL. I liked how the author dealt with that, and the growth that Ellie made through it all. I love all the science references and hope that students who read this will want to do more research because of it, and think of things like consequences. I will definitely recommend this to certain students.

No real areas of concern.

Suggested Ages: 
School Library Journal - Grades 5-7

Front Desk

From the publisher: 

Front Desk
by Kelly Yang

"Mia Tang has a lot of secrets.

Number 1: She lives in a motel, not a big house. Every day, while her immigrant parents clean the rooms, ten-year-old Mia manages the front desk of the Calivista Motel and tends to its guests.

Number 2: Her parents hide immigrants. And if the mean motel owner, Mr. Yao, finds out they've been letting them stay in the empty rooms for free, the Tangs will be doomed.

Number 3: She wants to be a writer. But how can she when her mom thinks she should stick to math because English is not her first language?

It will take all of Mia's courage, kindness, and hard work to get through this year. Will she be able to hold on to her job, help the immigrants and guests, escape Mr. Yao, and go for her dreams?"

For having such a cute-sy cover, this book is definitely NOT a fluff read. It deals with a lot of heart-wrenching issues and actually made me feel quite depressed. I hate the thought that these kind of things actually happened to people, and probably still do. What is wrong with humankind?! Why can't we treat each other with respect, civility and kindness? I would be tempted to think that some of these stories were blown out of proportion if not for the author's note at the end saying most of the stories came from her real life. I think it is good for middle schoolers (and everyone) to read these kind of books to open our eyes to the plight of those around us. I'm glad we have this in our library and I just wish the cover didn't look quite so juvenile so that it would checked out more.
I will add the caveat that I thought the ending was a little too unbelievable and unrealistic, but middle schoolers will love the happy ending.

Areas of concern:
*Bullying
*Racism
*An important character getting assaulted
*Extreme poverty

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 5-7

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12

The Bridge Home

The Bridge Home
by
Padma Venkatraman

 From the publisher:
When Viji and her sister, Rukku, whose developmental disability makes her overly trusting and vulnerable to the perils of the world, run away to live on their own, the situation could not be more grim. Life on the streets of the teeming city of Chennai is harsh for girls considered outcasts, but the sisters manage to find shelter on an abandoned bridge. There they befriend Muthi and Arul, two boys in a similar predicament, and the four children bond together and form a family of sorts. Viji starts working with the boys scavenging in trash heaps while Rukku makes bead necklaces, and they buy food with what little money they earn. They are often hungry and scared but they have each other--and Kutti, the best dog ever. When the kids are forced from their safe haven on the bridge, they take shelter in a graveyard. But it is now the rainy season and they are plagued by mosquitos, and Rukku and Muthu fall ill. As their symptoms worsen, Viji and Arul must decide whether to risk going for help--when most adults in their lives have proven themselves untrustworthy--or to continue holding on to their fragile, hard-fought freedom.

This was a hard one to put down and a very quick read. It was somehow both painful and uplifting. What these children go through is horrible, yet they persevere and stay true to each other. I love stories about families-by-choice. I think this book will open the eyes of some of our middle school students to what happens out in the world. Maybe it will make them a little more grateful for everything they have in their lives. I loved the main characters and found the story gripping. One of the parts I really appreciated was when Viji realized that even though she hated it when others didn't think Rukku could do things, she was also not helping her to live up to her potential. I loved the way the sisters took care of each other. And I loved Arul's faith in the midst of homelessness, extreme poverty, and horrible working conditions. I'm so glad the 4 found each other! They each had abilities that helped in their little family. I was very happy to find an adult in the book that was good and trustworthy, but sad there was only one. I really enjoyed reading it and I'm going to imagine that Viji not only becomes a teacher when she grows up, but a special needs teacher.

Areas of concern:
*An abusive father
*Running away from home
*Extreme poverty and hardship
*Several bad adults who were trying to take advantage of the children
*The death of a beloved character

Suggested Ages:
Booklist - Grades 5-7
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 10-14

Out of My Mind
by Sharon M. Draper

 From the publisher:
Melody is not like most people. She cannot walk or talk, but she has a photographic memory; she can remember every detail of everything she has ever experienced. She is smarter than most of the adults who try to diagnose her and smarter than her classmates in her integrated classroom - the very same classmates who dismiss her as mentally challenged because she cannot tell them otherwise. But Melody refuses to be defined by cerebral palsy. And she's determined to let everyone know it - somehow.

I really liked this book and it gave me all the feels, however there were some things that really bothered me. I didn't appreciate the portrayal of most of the teachers. Maybe it is just that our school is special and inclusive, but we love our special needs kids here - staff and students, alike. I have an elementary age special needs granddaughter in another city who has had amazing SpEd teachers and GenEd teachers who have loved her and taught her. So I really hated that even the "nice" teachers were a little clueless. I also didn't like the ending and thought it was unnecessary. I would rather have had the kids at school be more accepting and gone on with that storyline. That being said, I really did like the book and loved Melody. I can't imagine what it would be like to have so much intelligence and be trapped in a body you can't control. And our middle school students LOVE this book and they won't notice the things that bothered me. I think they will probably just learn from it and expand their minds on how people with disabilities should be loved, respected, and treated with kindness. I will highly recommend this to my students, as they have recommended it to me.

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