Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by J.K. Rowling
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A welcome return to the world of Harry Potter! Harry, Ron and Hermione are now adults with children at Hogwarts. Harry's middle child, Albus and Draco's son Scorpius strike up a friendship on the Hogwart's Express. Both boys feel they don't fit and and have found it difficult to live in the shadow of their famous/infamous fathers. They come up with a solution, but it the process of carrying out their plan has unexpected consequences...

I liked the story very much. I loved going back to Harry's world. I found most of the characters very true to the characters in the books, with the exception of Ron. He seemed a bit too buffoonish to me. It's also important to remember that this is a play and lacks the full depth and richness of the books. I am looking forward to the day that I can see the play.

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Review: Better Nate Than Ever

Better Nate Than Ever by Tim Federle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Nate is a quirky almost 14 year old living in a small town outside of Pittsburgh. He's short, pudgy, unathletic, and loves the theater. He's bullied at school and ignored at home. His blue collar parents are in a crumbling marriage with the only bright spot in their family life being the older brother's athletic accomplishments. Nate, along with support from his best friend Libby, hatches a plan to run away (for 1 day only) to New York and audition for a Broadway play. This book is both fun and funny. Nate and Libby are those kids every school has - creative, smart, out of the box thinkers who are likely to be unremarkable during their time in school, but will grow up to be terrific adults.

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Review: Echo

Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This story begins and ends with a fairy tale. In between are three stories all involving music, especially harmonica music. The harmonica links three children who are years and miles apart. The stories are interesting. I especially liked the first two stories - one takes place in Germany just before WWII and the other taking place in Philadelphia a few years later. I don't think the third story was as fleshed out at the first two. The third story touched on Japanese internment camps, migrant workers, and losing a loved one in war. This story alone had enough content to be a book on it's own. I listened to this book on audio and it included the music that was described in the text. This really added a lot to the story. My biggest complaint with this book is the length. As a school librarian, I know this will be a hard sell for my students because of the book's length.

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Review: The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World's Most Notorious Nazi

The Nazi Hunters: How a Team of Spies and Survivors Captured the World's Most Notorious Nazi by Neal Bascomb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the well documented story of how Adolf Eichmann was found and brought to justice. The author tells the story with a narrative that compels the reader to keep going. Included in the documentation are primary documents that lend legitimacy to the story even though many of them are written in German or Hebrew. Until I read this book I didn't fully understand what the capture of Adolf Eichmann really meant. As an adult I learned a lot from reading this young adult book .

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Review: Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians

Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alcatraz is a boy who grows up in foster homes never knowing his parents and never feeling like he fits in. He's sent a box of sand for his birthday and shortly after a grandfather he never knew he had also appeared - and that's when the fun starts. He is a reluctant hero who must use his surprising gifts to save the world as we know it. The story is engaging and Alcatraz is a boy the reader roots for even though he writes his tale with a huge amount a skepticism and snark. This is a fun middle grade book.

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Review: The Map Trap

The Map Trap by Andrew Clements
My rating: 0 of 5 stars

Alton's view of the world is different than everyone else. He sees the world through maps. In addition to creating traditional maps, he also maps social situations, smells, and his teacher's brain! Maps help him to make sense of his world. All is well until his folder of maps is lost. If they fall into the wrong hands, Alton's sure to find trouble among his classmates. I found this to be reminiscent of Harriet the Spy for a new generation of middle grade readers.

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Review: After Eli

After Eli by Rebecca Rupp
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Not too many children's books deal so deftly with the aftermath of a death in the family. Danny's older brother is killed while serving in the army. We only meet Eli through memories Danny has, but we see the profound effect this loss has on the whole family. While the subject of this book is serious, the author still manages to find light moments to keep the story from becoming too dark and depressing.

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