Review: Clean Getaway

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Scoob gets in trouble at school and his dad cancels their spring break trip. His grandma shows up in a motor home and asks if he's interested in a trip. He's already packed - why not? And so our adventure begins...

Scoob and G-ma head across the south stopping and learning about sites that were formative to the civil rights movement. This was an excellent middle grade read. The characters are fun, quirky, and surprisingly real.


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Review: Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Tristan is a boy who is sent to spend time with his grandparents after a terrible accident. He is left with his friend's notebook and time on his hands. His grandmother is a story teller, and a little bit superstitious. Tristan discovers a "tree" that ends up taking him places and introduces him to characters he never could have imagined.

This story weaves African and African American folklore into an action packed adventure story. I loved how the characters were expanded and fleshed out with the Gum Baby being a particular favorite. This is the first in a new series with will be well worth seeking out.


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Review: The Book of Boy

The Book of Boy by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Set in the middle ages, "Boy" is an orphan who is taken along on a quest through several villages with Rome as a destination. Along the way, clues abound as to the true identity of Boy and the pilgrim he is travelling with. I liked this book a lot, but it is not typical children's literature, and won't be for the mass audience, but I suspect those who like this book will LOVE this book.

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Review: The Great Treehouse War

The Great Treehouse War by Lisa Graff
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Winnie's parents have divorced and are obsessed with sharing everything about Winnie EXACTLY. Since the week has 7 days in it, that leaves one day (Wednesday) for Winnie to live on her own in her tree house - which is quite awesome. As Winnie's parents efforts become more and more ridiculous, Winnie decides she needs to take matters into her own hands and decides to protest. Her friends all join in because what kid doesn't have some reason to protest about their parents? What results is the "Great Treehouse War."

The book is cleverly written as a manuscript for a teacher. Of of Winnie's friends have put "post-it" notes in the book for clarification purposes. They are witty and true to each of the characters. Adults are most caricatures, but there are a few adults who are sympathetic. It's a fun book to read and to daydream about having an amazing tree house to escape to.

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Review: The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street

The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Vanderbeekers live in Harlem on 141st Street. They live in two floors of a converted brownstone. The family consists of a mother, father and 5 children. Their landlord, who lives on the top floor, has decided he will not renew their lease and they must find a new place to live.

This is my favorite children's book of 2020. The Vanderbeekers are a loving, yet quirky family. Each child is appreciated for their uniqueness. The neighborhood they live in is just like an large extended family. I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

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Review: Notorious

Notorious by Gordon Korman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

In this middle grade mystery we have Keenan, a boy who is recovering from TB. He's lived all over the word with his mom and stepdad who teach in international schools. He's currently recuperating at his dad's house on an island in a river that divides the US and Canada. Keenan meets and island native named ZeeBee (Zarabeth) and they become friends In it's heyday the island was a summer location for gangsters, and it is thought that one of the gangsters buried gold on the island.

This is a wonderful middle grade mystery. The characters are believable - mostly, and they mystery is fun.

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Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts One and Two by John Tiffany
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I liked this book as much upon the second reading as the first. Looking forward to seeing the play.

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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