Captain Superlative

Captain Superlative
by J.S. Puller

From the publisher:
""Have no fear, citizens! Captain Superlative is here to make all troubles disappear!"

Red mask, blue wig, silver swimsuit, rubber gloves, torn tights, high top sneakers and . . . a cape? Who would run through the halls of Deerwood Park Middle School dressed like this? And why?

Janey-quick to stay in the shadows-can't resist the urge to uncover the truth behind the mask. The answer pulls invisible Janey into the spotlight and leads her to an unexpected friendship with a superhero like no other. Fearless even in the face of school bully extraordinaire, Dagmar Hagen, no good deed is too small for the incomparable Captain Superlative and her new sidekick, Janey.

But superheroes hold secrets and Captain Superlative is no exception. When Janey unearths what's truly at stake, she's forced to face her own dark secrets and discover what it truly means to be a hero . . . and a friend."

I will give this book to kids who love Wonder , but I didn't find it as good as that one. It had very touching moments, though, and a likable and relatable main character. Many students will connect with Plain Jane and with Janey! . I connected with her myself. In junior high I had my core group of friends and if they weren't around I tried to be as invisible as possible. Being the first one of my friends in the lunch room was pretty traumatizing, so knowing poor Jane was going to be all alone every day in that stressful place was heartrending. I also loved that Jane had an amazing father who loved her and encouraged her to try new things and stop being invisible, yet accepted her completely as she was.

As far as the plot goes, it pretty much gives a lot of it away in the first couple of pages and other plot points are easily guessed way before the end. I also found Captain Superlative a little cringe-worthy at times. However, I love this book's message of kindness and think it is important for middle school students - especially in our world right now. And I think that my students who loved Wonder will take to this one.

Areas of concern:
*Bullying
*One instance of domestic abuse

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 9-12

School Library Journal - Grades 4-7

The Adventurers Guild

The Adventurers Guild
by Zack Loran Clark &
Nick Eliopulos

From the publisher:
"Few ever asked to join the Adventurers Guild. . . . Their members often died young.

In one of the last cities standing after the world fell to monsters, best friends Zed Kagari and Brock Dunderfel have high hopes for the future. Zed desperately wishes to join the ranks of the Mages Guild, where his status as Freestone's only half elf might finally be an asset. Brock, the roguishly handsome son of merchants, is confident he'll be welcomed into the ranks of the Merchants Guild.

But just as it seems the boys' dreams have come true, their lives take a startling turn . . . and they find themselves members of the perilous Adventurers Guild.

Led by the fearsome Alabasel Frond, the guild acts as the last line of defense against the Dangers-hungry, unnatural beasts from otherworldly planes. And when the boys uncover a conspiracy that threatens all of Freestone, Zed, Brock, and their new allies-Liza, a fierce noble, and Jett, a brave dwarf-must prove their worth once and for all.

This start of a thrilling new series is sure to be a hit with readers who like their fantasies clever and action-packed, with tons of humor and heart."

This book is a fun start to a new series. The author does a great job of world building, there are secrets and mysteries to be solved, horrible monsters to be fought, new friends to be made, and a world to be saved. What more can you ask for in a middle grade fantasy? There was a feel of The Lord of the Rings with elves, dwarves and sorcerers. The action and suspense are almost non-stop, and the characters are well developed, likable and very intriguing. You will care about what happens to Zed, Brock, Jett, Liza and even Micah. Humor is laced throughout the book and the main characters all have fun relationships with each other - whether friendly or not. 
There are even drawings at the end to show what the monsters look like that are talked about. Students who love fantasy are sure to like this one, and the ending will ensure that they will want to go on with the series. 

Areas of concern:
*Fights between humans and horrible monsters.
*Intense moments where main characters lives are threatened.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12

School Library Journal - Grades 5-8

Something in Between

Something in Between
by Melissa de la Cruz

From the publisher:
"It feels like there’s no ground beneath me, like everything I’ve ever done has been a lie. Like I’m breaking apart, shattering. Who am I? Where do I belong?

Jasmine de los Santos has always done what’s expected of her. Pretty and popular, she’s studied hard, made her Filipino immigrant parents proud and is ready to reap the rewards in the form of a full college scholarship.

And then everything shatters. A national scholar award invitation compels her parents to reveal the truth: their visas expired years ago. Her entire family is illegal. That means no scholarships, maybe no college at all and the very real threat of deportation.

For the first time, Jasmine rebels, trying all those teen things she never had time for in the past. Even as she’s trying to make sense of her new world, it’s turned upside down by Royce Blakely, the charming son of a high-ranking congressman. Jasmine no longer has any idea where—or if—she fits into the American Dream. All she knows is that she’s not giving up. Because when the rules you lived by no longer apply, the only thing to do is make up your own."

I pretty much dislike all politicians and I don't pretend to know what the answer is for illegal immigrants in this country, but I do feel like this book is important to our country's situation right now. This book wasn't life-changing, and everything was solved too easily with some slightly flat writing, but I still think it is important to read it. It will make you think and will put a face on a serious problem. That being said, I didn't love it. Several plot lines felt very contrived, and I'm still trying to figure out how undocumented immigrants working as a bus driver and a hospital janitor could afford to buy a house in California. And the main character just happens to befriend a rich old lady, and the son of a congressman just happens to see her and fall in love with her. Also, the main character knows that she can be deported if she has any police involvement, but she keeps making stupid decisions that put her in situations where she could get arrested. However, it was interesting to get a glimpse into the Filipino culture, and I loved the strong, loving family unit that was portrayed. 

Areas of concern:
*A handful of cuss words - no "f" word, although there is a part where one of the characters is trying to text it over and over, but it keeps auto-correcting to "duck". (Okay, that was actually pretty amusing.)
*Quite a bit of teenage drinking and partying.
*Talk of secondary characters "hooking up".
*Making out by the main character and her boyfriend, but they don't feel ready to go any farther.
*Bullying of some young boys because of their illegal status.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 14+

School Library Journal - Grades 6-10
(*Those are really differing age groups.  I think I would go with grade 8 and up.)

Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not
by Ellie Terry

From the publisher:
 "A girl with Tourette syndrome starts a new school and tries to hide her quirks in this debut middle-grade novel in verse.

Astronomy-loving Calliope June has Tourette syndrome, so she sometimes makes faces or noises that she doesn't mean to make. When she and her mother move yet again, she tries to hide her TS. But it isn't long before the kids at her new school realize she's different. Only Calli's neighbor, who is also the popular student body president, sees her as she truly is—an interesting person and a good friend. But is he brave enough to take their friendship public? 

As Calli navigates school, she must also face her mother's new relationship and the fact that she might be moving, again, just as she starts to make friends and finally accept her differences."

This novel that combines verse and prose was a sweet, heart-wrenching read. I loved the combination of verse and prose - having Callie's perspective be in verse and Jinsong's in prose made it very easy to hear the different voices. My heart broke for Callie, not only because of the bullying at school, but also the things she had to deal with from her mother. And yet, I understood Jinsong only too well. It takes a very strong, confident person to be able to befriend someone so different, especially when your friends are the ones doing the bullying. I think the students at my school will really love this book because the favorite books right now are ones that deal with kids overcoming difficulties, and they are also loving the novels in verse right now (probably because they are such a quick read and help them out in our 20 Book Challenge). I have several students in mind who I can steer to this book. The only issue I may have had with this book is how the mother and doctor keep telling Callie to try to hide her Tourette's and not tell anyone about it. That doesn't seem very realistic for our day and age.

Areas of concern:
*A mother who has a different boyfriend constantly and moves her daughter from town to town when she breaks up with them. Mothers who put men before their children are disgusting to me.
*A kiss between two 7th graders.
*Bullying and very mean behavior from pretty much everyone at school. Where were the teachers and staff members?

Suggested Ages:
Booklist - Grades 5-8
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10-13

Stupid Fast

Stupid Fast
by Geoff Herbach

From the publisher:
"I, Felton Reinstein, am Stupid Fast. Seriously. The upper classmen used to call me Squirrel Nut, because I was little and jumpy. Then, during sophomore year, I got tall and huge and so fast the gym teachers in their tight shorts fell all over themselves. During summer, three things happened all at once. First, the pee-smelling jocks in my grade got me to work out for football, even though I had no intention of playing. Second, on my paper route the most beautiful girl I have ever seen moved in and played piano at 6 a.m. Third, my mom, who never drinks, had some wine, slept in her car, stopped weeding the garden, then took my TV and put it in her room and decided she wouldn’t get out of bed.

Listen, I have not had much success in my life. But suddenly I’m riding around in a jock’s pick-up truck? Suddenly I’m invited to go on walks with beautiful girls? So, it’s understandable that when my little brother stopped playing piano and began to dress like a pirate I didn’t pay much attention. That I didn’t want to deal with my mom coming apart."

This is an amazing story with wonderful characters and heart-wrenching issues. It would be wonderful for reluctant boy readers and yet, I cannot recommend it because of the horrible language - serious cussing and hard profanity. It is 311 pages and I marked 262 objectionable words or phrases - and that was not counting the gross vulgarities from the boys in the locker room and such. Not to mention the use of the word "retard" or "retarded" over and over again. We are very conscious of that word in our school and I was appalled at the constant use of it in this book. Do I need to go on another rant? Yes, that might be the way teenagers talk today, but why do that speak that way? Because that is what books like this and other media outlets are teaching them is normal or even cool. Why ruin this amazing story with language like that? It didn't get the point across any better. I understand that in moments of great stress or anxiety, some words may occur, but having them just be a part of speech for a 15 and 13 year old? No, no and no! It just makes me sad because this book could have been extraordinary. 

Areas of concern:
*Aforementioned bad language on practically every page.
*Vulgarities from teenage boys.
*A family dealing with severe mental illness.
*A small boy finds a parent after they committed suicide.
*Father issues (I don't want to give too much away)
*A teenager tries to kill another teenager and there are literally no consequences.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+
(*Mrs. Duke strongly disagrees with those recommended ages!)

The Luck Uglies

The Luck Uglies
by Paul Durham

From the publisher:
"The Luck Uglies is the first in a tween fantasy-adventure trilogy brimming with legends come to life, a charming wit, and a fantastic cast of characters-and is imbued throughout with the magic of storytelling.

Strange things are happening in Village Drowning, and a terrifying encounter has Rye O'Chanter convinced that the monstrous, supposedly extinct Bog Noblins have returned. 
Now Rye's only hope is an exiled secret society so notorious its name can't be spoken aloud: the Luck Uglies. As Rye dives into Village Drowning's maze of secrets, rules, and lies, she'll discover the truth behind the village's legends of outlaws and beasts...and that it may take a villain to save them from the monsters.

The first in a series, The Luck Uglies is an altogether irresistible cross of Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain, Stefan Bachmann's The Peculiar, and Chris Healy's The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom, overflowing with adventure, secrets, friendship, and magic."

I know I'm late to the ballgame on this one because all three books are already out, but better late than never. I found this to be a fun and magical start to a series. There were certain times it seemed to drag just a little, but for the most part it was exciting and riveting. I liked the main character, but sometimes got frustrated with her for making stupid decisions that endangered other people.

“In her long history of bad decisions, even Rye had to admit this one might be her worst.” 

I loved her family dynamic - her strong, loving mother, her adorable little sister (I can't wait to see what happens as she grows.... will she ever be potty-trained?), the mysterious stranger, Harmless, and the family pet, Shady (Nightshade Fur Bottom O'Chanter). I also loved her loyal friends, Folly and Quinn. The world building was very well done. I appreciated the humor that was laced throughout the book and that lightened up some very tense moments. There was action, suspense and intrigue, with evil antagonists and fantastic monsters. This is a great series for middle schoolers who love fantasy. 

Areas of concern:
*Violence and fighting, but nothing terribly graphic. If your child can handle Harry Potter and Percy Jackson, they can definitely handle the violence in this one.
*No cussing, but there are made-up words that are very bad in their society and the one word is used by the children several times - with mention that their mothers would kill them if they heard them use it.

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8+
School Library Journal - Grades 5-7

The Charmed Children of Rookskill Castle

The Charmed Children
of Rookskill Castle
by Janet Fox

From the publisher:
"Something is not right at Rookskill Castle, a rundown Scottish manor shrouded in mystery. The castle is a temporary boarding school for children escaping the Blitz, but soon it’s clear there is something terribly wrong. There are clues hinting that a spy is in the house, and there are undeniable signs of a sinister magic. When the children in the castle’s temporary boarding school begin disappearing one by one, it’s a race against the clock for twelve-year-old Kat Bateson, her two younger siblings, and their new best friend."

It took me a while to get into this one, which concerns me for my middle schoolers. You have to grab them and hold on with both hands to get them to read sometimes, so I'm not sure how this one will go over. Eventually the plot became very exciting and even creepy, so I think if they just keep going it will win them over. It also attempts a lot of plot lines, which might be hard for some of my students to keep track of and understand.... WWII and the Blitz, boarding school, magic, spying and mechanical things. The main character is a little annoying at times, but she has a lot on her plate. All in all, I mildly enjoyed it but was annoyed at the open ending and no sequel. 

Areas of concern:
*Some pretty gruesome magic goes on including trading fingers and limbs for special charms.
*Really evil person stealing the souls of children.
*A parent in grave danger from the Nazis

Suggested Ages:
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10+
School Library Journal - Grades 6+

Long Way Down

Long Way Down
by Jason Reynolds

From the publisher:
"A cannon. A strap.
A piece. A biscuit.
A burner. A heater.
A chopper. A gat.
A hammer
A tool
for RULE

Or, you can call it a gun. That’s what fifteen-year-old Will has shoved in the back waistband of his jeans. See, his brother Shawn was just murdered. And Will knows the rules. No crying. No snitching. Revenge. That’s where Will’s now heading, with that gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, the gun that was his brother’s gun. He gets on the elevator, seventh floor, stoked. He knows who he’s after. Or does he?

As the elevator stops on the sixth floor, on comes Buck. Buck, Will finds out, is who gave Shawn the gun before Will took the gun. Buck tells Will to check that the gun is even loaded. And that’s when Will sees that one bullet is missing. And the only one who could have fired Shawn’s gun was Shawn. Huh. Will didn’t know that Shawn had ever actually used his gun. Bigger huh. BUCK IS DEAD. But Buck’s in the elevator?

Just as Will’s trying to think this through, the door to the next floor opens. A teenage girl gets on, waves away the smoke from Dead Buck’s cigarette. Will doesn’t know her, but she knew him. Knew. When they were eight. And stray bullets had cut through the playground, and Will had tried to cover her, but she was hit anyway, and so what she wants to know, on that fifth floor elevator stop, is, what if Will, Will with the gun shoved in the back waistband of his jeans, MISSES.

And so it goes, the whole long way down, as the elevator stops on each floor, and at each stop someone connected to his brother gets on to give Will a piece to a bigger story than the one he thinks he knows. A story that might never know an END…if WILL gets off that elevator. 

This is a very unique read for me for a couple of reasons. A. I don't like novels in verse. I find them very disjointed and choppy and I miss all the little details. B. I don't tend to read urban/inner-city/gang type books as they are (thankfully) so far out of my scope of experience. However, I read this one because I wanted to make sure of the content before talking it up to any of my students. Once started it is very hard to put down. Luckily reading about 67 seconds on an elevator only takes about an hour of your time. The choppiness of the verse fits the story, and the layout adds to the plot as well. This book will go through my 8th grade boys like wildfire. But what will it teach them? That is the problem I have with this book. The dead people Will sees on the elevator seem too happy to see each other and there is a lot of camaraderie between them all. What would a grieving 15 year old take from that? He's feeling lost, alone and scared. Too me it seems like it would convince him that he wants to be with those dead people. That is just my opinion, and I know most other reviewers (and I'm sure the Newbery Committee) disagree with me. It was gripping, it was real, but did it really get the point across and did it glorify violence just a little bit too much for me? Will teenagers get the subtext that "The Rules" are stupid, or will they just see all of the characters' complete adherence to them? I'm not sure. 

Areas of concern:
*There is quite a bit of cussing, but not as much as I was expecting. The "f" word appears once with a handful of all of the other cuss words. I don't remember any profanity.
*The book begins with a young person getting shot and killed and many other murders are discussed.
*There is talk of dealing drugs and stealing.
*The main character is planning on a revenge shooting.
*A complete lack of role models of any kind. 

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 8+

Posted

Posted
by John David Anderson

From the publisher:
"From John David Anderson, author of the acclaimed Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, comes a humorous, poignant, and original contemporary story about bullying, broken friendships, and the failures of communication between kids.

In middle school, words aren’t just words. They can be weapons. They can be gifts. The right words can win you friends or make you enemies. They can come back to haunt you. Sometimes they can change things forever.

When cell phones are banned at Branton Middle School, Frost and his friends Deedee, Wolf, and Bench come up with a new way to communicate: leaving sticky notes for each other all around the school. It catches on, and soon all the kids in school are leaving notes—though for every kind and friendly one, there is a cutting and cruel one as well.

In the middle of this, a new girl named Rose arrives at school and sits at Frost’s lunch table. Rose is not like anyone else at Branton Middle School, and it’s clear that the close circle of friends Frost has made for himself won’t easily hold another. As the sticky-note war escalates, and the pressure to choose sides mounts, Frost soon realizes that after this year, nothing will ever be the same."

When I started this book, my main thought was how happy I was to read a book about a middle school boy that didn't contain stick figure drawings. Then I was disappointed because words were used that I could have lived without (not cussing, just vulgarities), and I started writing a rant in my head that went something like, "No! Don't tell me boys will be boys! They can be whatever we train them or teach them to be!". (I have 7 grandsons - I have very strong feelings about this topic :) .) However, those were the last negative feelings I had about this book because not long after that, you discover that the main character is a closet poet and that he loves Robert Frost. Eric Voss, you have unsuspected depth! He's smart, he's loyal, he's dealing with issues at home, and he is just trying to make it through life. And the unsuspected depth of other characters is revealed as time goes on as well. This book is REAL. We have all been there, middle school is tough. I tried to keep as low a profile as possible in junior high. Walking into the lunch room was the biggest stress of my day, with the exception of PE and showers. I had my "tribe" and they were all I needed. Everyone will see themselves in this book - the mean girls, the jocks, the nerds, the outsiders..... As a public school employee, I hate it when books portray bullying in schools and the teachers and administrators are either idiots who turn a blind eye, or completely callous. This book didn't do that. The administrators and teachers were actively involved in trying to fix and heal situations. Well done, Mr. John David Anderson. I will definitely be book talking this one and encouraging student's to read it. Aside from the unsuspected depth it is entertaining, funny and touching.

Areas of concern:
*Above-mentioned vulgarities, but they don't appear often at all.
*Maybe 2 swear words.
*Dysfunctional parents of varying degrees.
*Bullying. One of the main characters is accused of being gay several times throughout the book and is tormented for no reason at all. Other characters are trapped in the restroom and physically bullied.
I'm really reaching for those concerns - I would recommend this to one and all.

Suggested Ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 10-14
School Library Journal - Grades 5-8

A Path Begins (The Thickety, #1)

A Path Begins
The Thickey, #1
by J.A. White

From the publisher:
"The Thickety: A Path Begins is a spellbinding tale about a girl, the Thickety, and the power of magic. Fans of Neil Gaiman will love this thrilling new world.

When Kara Westfall was five years old, her mother was convicted of the worst of all crimes: witchcraft. Years later, Kara and her little brother, Taff, are still shunned by the people of their village, who believe that nothing is more evil than magic…except, perhaps, the mysterious forest that covers nearly the entire island. It has many names, this place. Sometimes it is called the Dark Wood, or Sordyr's Realm. But mostly it's called the Thickety.

The villagers live in fear of the Thickety and the terrible creatures that live there. But when an unusual bird lures Kara into the forbidden forest, she discovers a strange book with unspeakable powers. A book that might have belonged to her mother.

And that is just the beginning of the story."

This book was way too dark for me. It was thrilling, exciting, and definitely held your interest, but yikes, there was a lot of dark stuff going on. For instance - kidnapping, horrible beasts that do horrible things to people, a mother being killed in front of her 5 year old, intense bullying, lack of good adults, dark witchcraft, a terrifying forest, people being brought back to life and then killed again, addiction to dark magic..... I could go on and on. Early on, I chose not to get this for the Blevins Library, but I had several kids tell me it was an awesome series, so I purchased the whole set. One of my students told me that the first book was the darkest of the 4, so I'm hoping things improve in the other books. I won't be reading them. I you have sensitive kids, have them steer clear of this book. 

Areas of concern:
*See above - massive violence and disturbing, morbid things going on. 
Publisher's Weekly - Ages 8-12  (Wow, I very much disagree!)
School Library Journal - Grades 5-8

Suggested Ages:

Love, Life and the List

Love, Life and the List
by Kasie West

From the publisher,
"Seventeen-year-old Abby Turner’s summer isn’t going the way she’d planned. She has a not-so-secret but definitely unrequited crush on her best friend, Cooper. She hasn’t been able to manage her mother’s growing issues with anxiety. And now she’s been rejected from an art show because her work “has no heart.” So when she gets another opportunity to show her paintings Abby isn’t going to take any chances.

Which is where the list comes in.

Abby gives herself one month to do ten things, ranging from face a fear (#3) to learn a stranger’s story (#5) to fall in love (#8). She knows that if she can complete the list she’ll become the kind of artist she’s always dreamed of being. But as the deadline approaches, Abby realizes that getting through the list isn’t as straightforward as it seems… and that maybe—just maybe—she can’t change her art if she isn’t first willing to change herself.

This is the first in a set of three standalone books with crossover characters."

I love this author (Kasie West) for middle school students who love romance and like to read up in age. The characters are always upper high school, but she avoids things like bad teenage behavior and graphic making out. They are fun and frothy to read, with romance, humor and heart. That being said, I have noticed that almost all of her contemporary books remind me of other author's books. This one reminded me of Morgan Matson's Since You've Been Gone, which I loved. Kasie and I have had a little slump lately, and although this one wasn't my favorite, it was definitely a step above some of her others that I have read lately. 
Things I liked:
*The main character was snarky and funny.
*A loving, supportive, albeit slightly dysfunctional family unit.
*Cooper and Abby and their friendship.
*The main character experienced a lot of growth throughout the book.
*Deep emotions towards the end that were written so well I felt every emotion right along with Abby.

Things I didn't like:
*Abby and Cooper were amazing as best friends, but I didn't feel any chemistry between them.
*Cooper could be a real jerk. 
*The list played an important role and then just sort of petered out.
*I didn't love the ending and was actually rooting for it to end a completely different way. 

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+

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 Great and Only Barnum: The Tremendous, Stupendous Life of Showman P.T. Barnum

The Great and Only Barnum...
by Candace Fleming

From the publisher:
"Discover the true story of P.T. Barnum, the man who created the world-famous Barnum & Bailey Circus, as featured in the movie The Greatest Showman! 

The award-winning author of The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary, Amelia Lost, and Our Eleanor brings us the larger-than-life biography of showman P. T. Barnum. Known far and wide for his jumbo elephants, midgets, and three-ring circuses, here's a complete and captivating look at the man behind the Greatest Show on Earth. Readers can visit Barnum's American Museum; meet Tom Thumb, the miniature man (only 39 inches tall) and his tinier bride (32 inches); experience the thrill Barnum must have felt when, at age 60, he joined the circus; and discover Barnum's legacy to the 19th century and beyond. Drawing on old circus posters, photographs, etchings, ticket stubs--and with incredible decorative art by Ray Fenwick--this book presents history as it's never been experienced before--a show-stopping event!"

I read this after seeing the movie The Greatest Showman , and I have to say I like Hugh Jackman a lot better than I liked P.T. Barnum after reading this book. It is interesting that the things I didn't admire about P.T. Barnum (his treatment of his family, his lies and "humbuggery"...) were not shown in the movie, but conversely, the things I DID admire about the real man (he insisted his employees acted circumspectly and dressed modestly, he was a huge philanthropist...) were not brought out in the movie, either. I watched the movie with the director's commentary and he said, "We didn't let the truth stand in the way of a good story" (or something like that). He said they made the movie P.T. would have wanted about himself, and I think that is probably true. Who wouldn't want to be portrayed by Hugh Jackman?

Enough about the movie - the book itself was very interesting and informative. I liked the format with the circus-y font emblazoned across a whole page for every new chapter and the boxes with interesting facts on almost every page. I learned a lot, and it was never boring. But then, how could a book about the stupendous P.T. Barnum be boring?

Suggested Ages:
Kirkus Reviews - Ages 10-14
School Library Journal - Grades 6+

Rebel of the Sands

Rebel of the Sands
by Alwyn Hamilton

From the publisher:
"Mortals rule the desert nation of Miraji, but mythical beasts still roam the wild and remote areas, and rumor has it that somewhere, djinn still perform their magic.  For humans, it’s an unforgiving place, especially if you’re poor, orphaned, or female.

Amani Al’Hiza is all three.  She’s a gifted gunslinger with perfect aim, but she can’t shoot her way out of Dustwalk, the back-country town where she’s destined to wind up wed or dead.

Then she meets Jin, a rakish foreigner, in a shooting contest, and sees him as the perfect escape route. But though she’s spent years dreaming of leaving Dustwalk, she never imagined she’d gallop away on mythical horse—or that it would take a foreign fugitive to show her the heart of the desert she thought she knew.

Rebel of the Sands reveals what happens when a dream deferred explodes—in the fires of rebellion, of romantic passion, and the all-consuming inferno of a girl finally, at long last, embracing her power."

Whew, what a ride! This book is a piece of great storytelling and it sucked me in from page one. It has an incredibly original plot - other people have described it as a cross between a western and Arabian Nights - and characters that you will care deeply about. There is great sorrow and hardship for our heroine, and great growth and strength. It ends with quite a bit of closure, but enough still to come to make you want to get your hands on book 2 immediately. I really loved this one, however sometimes some of the First Beings seemed out of place of what was happening. I'm not sure why we needed the Nightmares or the Skinwalkers when the rest of the story was so gripping (were they First Beings? I'm actually not sure about that.). Maybe they will play a more important and necessary role in the coming books. There was enough of a romance in the book to keep it interesting, but it was in no way the main focus of the story. I really enjoyed the world that was created for this story, and that is saying something because I hate the desert. Seriously hate it. But reading this filled you with the mystique and romance of riding a flying carpet through the desert sky (yes, A Whole New World is now going through my head). As much as I would hate to have desert sand all over me - I don't even like having beach sand all over me - I could feel the love Amani had for her desert home. Well done, Alwyn Hamilton, I heartily recommend this one.

Areas of concern:
*There were upwards of about 20 combined swear words.
*A couple of pretty disturbing deaths.
*A very mild romance with a couple of kisses.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

School Library Journal - Grades 8+

The Thief

The Thief
by Megan Whalen Turner

From the publisher:
"The king's scholar, the magus, believes he knows the site of an ancient treasure. To attain it for his king, he needs a skillful thief, and he selects Gen from the king's prison. The magus is interested only in the thief's abilities. 

What Gen is interested in is anyone's guess. Their journey toward the treasure is both dangerous and difficult, lightened only imperceptibly by the tales they tell of the old gods and goddesses."

I've been in a YA reading slump lately. It's been a long time since something has reached out and grabbed me enough to keep me reading until I finish. We have a winner! I really liked this book and found it interesting, exciting, surprising, and full of fun. It is with horror that I have realized I don't have the second book of the series in my library. I will be remedying that oversight. This isn't a series that gets checked out a lot, so I will need to start pointing it out to students I know will love it. 

Gen was an interesting main character. There were times when he was obnoxiously cocky, but somehow you still love him. The other characters were a slow burn, but you learn to love them as well. I'm still surprised by a couple of things that come out in the end. Did not see those coming.

The world-building was very cool. I felt like I was actually seeing the dystopia (glad the author explained that) and the river ebbing and flowing, not to mention trying to come down a mountain on loose shale. I found the different countries' governments a little confusing, but I think that will all be explained more fully in the rest of the series. 

I actually liked the stories of the gods. Sometimes those kind of things slow the book down for me, but I felt like it really set things up for the story and helped me understand things better. 

All in all, I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it.

Areas of concern:
*The religion in this book consists of several gods, and the term Oh Gods, or gods-damn it is used several times.
*Some violence - nothing graphic.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 10+

Dark Breaks the Dawn

Dark Breaks the Dawn
by Sara B. Larson

From the publisher:
"On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless.

But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn onto the throne much sooner than she expected.

In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shapeshift, and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir. But not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price."

I liked this book, but didn't love it. People kept referring to it as a retelling of Swan Lake, and I was trying throughout the book to figure out how it was. After I finished I discovered it was like a prequel to Swan Lake, so the next book will probably be more like the story of the ballet. 
I found the world that was created very intriguing, although there was a lot I didn't understand. I enjoyed the characters, and liked reading from the points of view of several of them. It took me quite a while to get into the story, but once I did I liked it. But it was weird because most of the book is leading up to one big event, and then that event is over incredibly quickly. This was no The Two Towers where the battle scene lasts forever. It's hard to say too much about it without giving anything away, but I was very sad at the end and I want to know what happens in the next one, although some things can't be fixed. So, do I recommend it? Sure, I think there are a lot of people who will really love it.

Areas of concern:
*Violence and death.
*Talk of the queen needing to "bind" with someone and procreate quickly to save the kingdom.

Suggested Ages:

Booklist - Grades 7-10

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 12+

Dividing Eden

Dividing Eden
by Joelle Charbonneau

From the publisher:
"Twins Carys and Andreus were never destined to rule Eden. With their older brother next in line to inherit the throne, the future of the kingdom was secure.

But appearances—and rivals—can be deceiving. When Eden’s king and crown prince are killed by assassins, Eden desperately needs a monarch, but the line of succession is no longer clear. With a ruling council scheming to gain power, Carys and Andreus are faced with only one option—to take part in a Trial of Succession that will determine which one of them is worthy of ruling the kingdom.

As sister and brother, Carys and Andreus have always kept each other safe—from their secrets, from the court, and from the monsters lurking in the mountains beyond the kingdom’s wall. But the Trial of Succession will test the bonds of trust and family.

With their country and their hearts divided, Carys and Andreus will discover exactly what each will do to win the crown. How long before suspicion takes hold and the thirst for power leads to the ultimate betrayal? "

I have really enjoyed Joelle Charbonneau's other books, so I was looking forward to this one. I was very disappointed and almost didn't even finish it. I really hate it when I don't like the main characters. Why keep reading if I don't care what happens to these two stupid people? However, I soldiered on and did mildly enjoy the story and action, and did end up caring about one of the main characters when something was explained. 
I found the world building confusing and have no idea what the Xhelosi (I have no idea if I spelled that correctly, and I don't really care) were, or why or how they exist. I didn't understand how the kingdom and ruling family came to be, or how the kingdom interacts with other kingdoms. So many confusing things! 
I didn't hate this book like I thought I was going to for about 1/2 of it, but I definitely didn't love it. 

Areas of concern:
*A 17 year old main character who will sleep with anything in a skirt.
*Drug addiction in a character. 
*Some violence.
*Horribly dysfunctional family dynamic.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 13+

School Library Journal - Grades 7+