Review: Pay Attention, Carter Jones

Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Carter Jones is facing some tough times. He's about to enter middle school, he has 3 younger sisters, his dad is deployed to Germany, and his mom is sad much of the time. When out of the blue, on the first morning of school a butler arrives and offers his services to the family. The butler had worked for Carter's recently deceased grandfather and was now available to Carter's family. Carter's very American family took some time adjusting to the very British butler, but he worked to win everyone's trust and heart.

This book was a delight - a cross between Mary Poppins and Downton Abbey. The author uses the game of cricket as a way to guide Carter in a very gentlemanly way. Each chapter begins with a fact or rule about cricket, and as the book progresses so does our knowledge of the game. The butler helps Carter navigate through difficult revelations and is a lovely presence for an adolescent with no male role model for guidance. My only hesitation about recommending this book to the middle grade readers at my school is the unfamiliarity American students have with cricket. With a little thoughtful scaffolding this is a book that will be enjoyed by many.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. #PayAttentionCarterJones #NetGalley

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Review: Amina's Voice

Amina's Voice by Hena Khan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Amina is a 6th grader whose family immigrated here from Pakistan when she was a baby. She has a beautiful voice and a big case stage fright.

This story packs a lot into a few hundred pages. We see how friendships change as children grow older, we see how important family dynamics are, we see what it's like to live with each foot solidly placed in two different cultures, and most importantly we get to see what discrimination feels like.

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Review: Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow

Jake Ransom and the Skull King's Shadow by James Rollins
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jake Ransom and his sister Kady are the children of famous archaeologists. Their parent's camp was attacked while on a dig in Mexico and they are missing, presumed dead. The British Museum is hosting an exhibit of their latest finds and have invited Jake and Kady to attend. They fly to London and their world is changed forever.

This is a rollicking good read - think Indiana Jones meets Jurassic Park. First in a series for middle grade readers.

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Review: The Dragonet Prophecy

The Dragonet Prophecy by Tui T. Sutherland
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is the story of five young dragons (dragonets) and their journeys. It is suspected they are the dragons of prophecy and the dragons who will stop the wars in their land and save all dragons.

I was a bit skeptical about this book, but I have several students who LOVE dragon books so I gave it a try and what a world I tumbled into!! The author has very thoughtfully created different breeds of dragons with very specific attributes and alliances. The dragonets have very distinct voices and characters. Initially I felt obligated to read this book, but soon I was hooked and raced to get back to it. This is Game of Thrones for dragons!!

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Review: What Is Poetry?: The Essential Guide to Reading and Writing Poems

What Is Poetry?: The Essential Guide to Reading and Writing Poems by Michael Rosen
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

I fully expected to like this book. As a school librarian I see that students love poetry and it's taught at only the most superficial level - haiku, acrostics etc. I found this book written in a less than engaging fashion, the poems chosen as examples were not inspiring, and the text was too dense. Since I read the ARC, I'm hoping the last was corrected in the final book. I'm also not sure who this book was really intended for. The style of prose and the content seemed a bit incongruous to me. I'm sad about this, because I like Michael Rosen's other books.

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Review: Refugee

Refugee by Alan Gratz
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is the story of Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud. They are three children living in different times and different parts of the the world, but they are all refugees. They are attempting to escape war, persecution, or political unrest. Their safety and freedom comes at a very high price. This book tells of their journeys.

Alan Gratz has created an incredible book. He bases all three stories on historical events and people. He doesn't whitewash the journeys of the refugees, but the book is not exploitatively violent. He has put a human face on this complicated issue, and presents it in such a way that it becomes accessible to the middle grade reader.

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Review: Ghost Boys

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is Jerome's story. He's a 12 year old, 7th grader living in Chicago. He's bullied at school and lives in a neighborhood that is not safe for him to play outside. He lives with his parents, sister and grandmother. His family is intact and loving, but both parents work at minimum wage jobs. They value education and hard work, and see college as a part of Jerome's future, but Jerome's future ends in a dramatically different way.

Wow! Jewell Parker Rhodes is not afraid to tackle tough issues, and make them accessible for the middle grade reader. She speaks some truths that are very hard to hear, especially if you are a white middle class reader. She weaves in many different issues including a glimpse of what life is like for the policeman and his family. She also gives us some historical context through Emmett Till's story - which is very difficult to read. There are no winners here. Reality is so different for young, urban, black males that it's hard for me to understand what it might be like for them. This book helps.

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