The Mysterious Benedict Society

The Mysterious
Benedict Society
by Trenton Lee Stewart

From the publisher:
""Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?" 

Dozens of children respond to this peculiar ad in the newspaper and are then put through a series of mind-bending tests, which readers take along with them. Only four children-two boys and two girls-succeed. Their challenge: to go on a secret mission that only the most intelligent and inventive children could complete. To accomplish it they will have to go undercover at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened, where the only rule is that there are no rules. But what they'll find in the hidden underground tunnels of the school is more than your average school supplies. So, if you're gifted, creative, or happen to know Morse Code, they could probably use your help."

I finally got around to reading this one after several students told me how wonderful it is. I'm glad some of my students love it, but I can't see all of my students loving it. I had to force myself to read it clear up until about 65% of the way through. And, oh my goodness, the suspension of disbelief that has to go on to read this! (Minor spoilers ahead.) Men from L.I.V.E. come to kidnap these children and take them to the school, and then a couple of days later the children are driven there and dropped off and no one notices? They even use their real names and no one bats an eyelash. And then they communicate by nighttime Morse Code transmissions from their bedroom window and no one notices? It is supposed to be a super secure place and they just flash lights out their window and then watch the mainland for signals back, which no one notices either. *Sigh* 

This book seems like it is trying to be like A Series of Unfortunate Events, but without the tongue-in-cheek wit and wonderful weirdness of those books. And about 3 times the length of one of them. However, once again I have several students who love this series, so it doesn't matter what I think. For middle schoolers this is a fun, semi-exciting start to a series. For adults, maybe not so much.

Areas of concern:
*Children being stolen and used for nefarious purposes.
*Children being punished severely for minor or no infractions.

Suggested Ages:

Kirkus Reviews - Ages 11-13

School Library Journal - Grades 5-9

The Fall

The Fall
by James Preller

From the publisher:

"Through his journal a boy deals with the death of a classmate, who committed suicide as a result of bullying.

The summer before school starts, Sam's friend and classmate Morgan Mallen kills herself. Morgan had been bullied. Maybe she kissed the wrong boy. Or said the wrong thing. What about that selfie that made the rounds? Morgan was this, and Morgan was that. But who really knows what happened?

As Sam explores the events leading up to the tragedy, he must face a difficult and life-changing question: Why did he keep his friendship with Morgan a secret? And could he have done something—anything—to prevent her final actions?

As he did in Bystander, James Preller takes an issue that faces every student and school in the country, and makes it personal, accessible, and real. "

I am very careful about books I put in our school library that are about suicide. I don’t want to have any books that glorify it, which I feel some of the YA books do these days. I bought this one because of the many reviews that I read that said it was appropriate for middle school. It is a very quick, easy read and is a good book for reluctant readers. It has very short chapters and keeps your interest (for the most part). The author did a good job of helping the reader to feel the guilt and pain that the main character, Sam, was feeling. I liked that it was obvious that Morgan’s decision (the girl who committed suicide) wasn’t just about one person or one event. There were many things, along with her own poor choices, that factored into her depression and ultimate decision about suicide. Those puzzle pieces are placed together as the book progresses, because at the beginning you feel like you know exactly who and what is to blame. Aren’t those the kind of judgments we always make when someone commits suicide? We want to have a nice little package that tells us exactly what led to it and who or what is to blame. But we can never accurately judge because that person is now gone and can’t tell us what they were thinking or feeling. But as this book evolves, we are led to see there were many other influences at work. Towards the end of the book, there is a very telling conversation:

“I never loved anyone, she said. Ever. Please make that your gift to me.
‘What?’
Love someone. Live long and love someone with all your heart, she told me.”

One thing that was kind of distracting was that I believe this was set in middle school – at least the voices felt very young to me – but the timeline of events didn’t seem to work for middle school. If it was middle school, the characters had to have been in 7th grade because Morgan’s older sister was still at the school, and Mr. Laneway, the counselor, mentions that he liked Sam’s essay from last year. That means that the event that set off the mean girl would have had to happen in 5th or 6th grade, and I just didn’t buy that, so that was a little distracting. 

All in all, I think this is a sensitive and thoughtful look at teenage suicide. It demonstrated the lasting effects that one person can have, whether he or she even knows it. Hopefully any middle schoolers who read this will realize what an impact they can have when they choose to be kind, even if it is just to say a weak, “hi”. 

Areas of concern:
*Teenage suicide.
*Serious cyberbullying goes on.
*Talk of “hooking up” at a very young age.
*Several uses of the “s” word and a couple of the “a” word.

Suggested Ages:

Publisher's Weekly - Ages 9-14

School Library Journal - Grades 6-9

Prairie Evers

Prairie Evers
by Ellen Airgood

From the publisher:
"A sweet, spirited ten-year-old embarks upon the adventure of first friendship in this sparkling debut

Prairie Evers is finding that socialization isn't all it's cracked up to be. She's been homeschooled by her granny and has learned the most from traipsing through nature. But now she has to attend public school, and feels just like her chickens--cooped up and subject to the pecking order. School is a jolt for Prairie until she meets Ivy, her first true friend. But while raising chickens and the great outdoors have given Prairie wisdom and perspective, nothing has prepared her for the give and take of friendship. When Prairie finds out that Ivy's home may not be the best place for Ivy, Prairie must corral all her optimism and determination to hatch a plan to help.

Fabulous writing and a narrator full of personality distinguish this lively middle-grade novel."

I enjoyed this book about an ordinary, everyday girl who is going through some changes in her life. I love how it starts and ends with the same sentence, it brings the book full circle in the life of Prairie. Prairie is a very likeable character with a loving family and a kind heart. However, she is never saccharine. One of my favorite things about her is at the end when a character moves into her home, she struggles a little bit with jealousy and possessiveness. She has to work to understand ot I enjoyed this book about an ordinary, everyday girl who is going through some changes in her life. I love how it starts and ends with the same sentence, it brings the book full circle in the life of Prairie. Prairie is a very likeable character with a loving family and a kind heart. However, she is never saccharine. One of my favorite things about her is at the end when a character moves into her home, she struggles a little bit with jealousy and possessiveness. She has to work to understand other people's feelings, but she eventually comes around. This is a sweet, good story. Areas of concern: Prairie's best friend, Ivy, comes from a very difficult home life. There are major issues there, which I won't delineate because that would give things away, but they are dealt with gently and shouldn't cause too much concern to parents. Suggested Ages: Booklist - Grades 4-7 Kirkus Reviews - Ages 9-12

Keeper of the Lost Cities

Keeper of the Lost Cities
by Shannon Messenger

From the publisher:
"Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.

Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.”
There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory—secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.

In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first."

My feelings about this book are kind of a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Usually when books are billed as being "the next Harry Potter" I end up hating them because they are nothing like Harry Potter and I get mad that someone made me think it was. But this book is very much like Harry Potter, and for some reason that kind of annoyed me at times. Yet that was just a fleeting feeling every now and then, because otherwise I loved this book! There is action, adventure, impressive wor...more My feelings about this book are kind of a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Usually when books are billed as being "the next Harry Potter" I end up hating them because they are nothing like Harry Potter and I get mad that someone made me think it was. But this book is very much like Harry Potter, and for some reason that kind of annoyed me at times. Yet that was just a fleeting feeling every now and then, because otherwise I loved this book! There is action, adventure, impressive world building, suspense, and there are some pretty amazing characters. Quite frankly, I loved having a main character who was considered fascinating because she had brown eyes. That has definitely never happened to me. But who to trust?! I kind of wished that there was one authority figure that I completely trusted (like Dumbledore, of course), but I didn't have complete trust in any of them. There are many, many secrets being held onto by all the adults in this book, but in a way that added to the intrigue. I know there are at least 4 books planned in this series, but if the author does one book for every year of the character's school life, then there should be even more coming. I can't wait to get my hands on the next one. I did love how it actually had an ending, although you know there is much more to come, we had a nice resolution for now (again like Harry Potter).  This isn't checked out very much in my library so I need to start talking it up because the kids will love it! If you or your student loved Harry Potter, I think you will both love Sophie, Fitz, Dex and Keene. I know I did. Areas of concern: There is suspense and sadness, but not really much violence. Suggested Ages: School Library Journal - Grades 5-8