Love Sugar Magic by Anna Meriana

"Caroline flipped quickly through the last few pages of the recipe book. "There are no My Mistake Meltaways or Oops-a-Daisy Pies.""page 192

Grade Level: 3-7

Reading Level: 5th

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Walden Pond Press (January 2, 2018)

Rating: 4 out of 4

Summary:

6th grader, Leonora Logroño’s family owns a bakery in Rose Hill, Texas, and each of the women in her family are brujas or witches. Leonora wants to try witchcraft too but her family says she is too young so so tries her magic in secret. She tries to help a friend with a romance problem by trying a magical recipe and because of her inexperience cause lots of humorous results. 

This book was chosen as the January book to read for Middle Grade at Heart Book Club.  It is featured on the blog MG Book Village.  I thought it sounded like a fun read and the cover was very appealing. I enjoyed reading it and it brought me back to the type of book I loved as a middle grade reader.  I never cared for the scary or too fantastical book. For some reason I liked the everyday people with magical abilities. Maybe it comes from all those Bewitched and I Dream of Jeanie TV shows! And just like in this book, Lenora ends up in some humorous trouble when she tries to bake up a love potion cookie to help her best friend out. 

Diversity is a big topic in children's literature and this book is a great blend of a contemporary American teen who has a rich Mexican heritage. The book is sprinkled with lots of Spanish and the celebration of the Day of the Dead is featured in the plotline. This is also a book girls would like. The only main boy character is the victim of the "love potion bake." With the cover being very pink and purple I would imagine boys will stay away! I give this a solid 4 out of 4 rating. 

Dunn Brother's Book Club - Little Fires Everywhere and Before We Were Yours

My goal this year is to read more adult fiction and so after talking with some people that felt the same, a book club was organized.  We meet at a local coffee shop once a month. Except in December, when we picked a book and decided to discuss both our December and January pick in January. 

Little did we know how much in common these books would have. Both were best books of the year on Good Reads for 2017. LIttle Fires Everywhere was voted best fiction book and Before We Were Yours was voted best historical fiction book. Both books have adoption and a desperation to have a family theme running through their stories.  I really liked the pairing. Following are some of my thoughts on each book. 

Little Fires Everywhere

Podcast Interview with Celeste Ng about book LIttle Fires Everywhere

Little Fires Everywhere is set in Shaker Heights, Ohio during the 90's. Shaker Heights is a real life planned community with lots of rules on keeping it a pristine and perfect town. The opening of the book starts with a fire where a teen has set fire to every bedroom in her home. We go back in time to find out why. 

One family in the community has spent much emotionally and financially trying to have a family. Finally, they adopt a Chinese baby as an infant. The baby had been abandoned on a step in their town. However, the birth mother comes back onto the scene and goes through the legal process to get her baby back. A woman and artist named Mia helps the young mother fight for her child. We learn that Mia has also dealt with keeping her own baby through some interesting circumstances. 

I found this book to move a little slower than I had anticipated with such a dramatic beginning.  It had a lot of focus on the teenagers in the book and several have commented that it could have been a YA book.  Overall, it was a good book but I was underwhelmed and expected more of the best book of the year!  There is some language in this book. 

Before We Were Yours

Podcast Interview with LIsa Wingate about book Before We Were Yours

When We Were Yours is based on a true story of a women named Georgia Tann who ran the Tennessee Children's Home Society and helped people to want to adopt children instead of letting them live in an orphanage until they were adults.  However, her dark side operated a black market and bought and sold and even stole children for profit.  Abuse and murder were also part of her schemes. 

The story goes back and forth between 1939 and current day. The historical story tells about a family of 5 children who  were taken away from their parents and sent to the Tennessee Children's Home where they were eventually separated and sold to couples who wanted a child.  The contemporary story is from the point of view of Avery Stafford, a female lawyer, who meets a woman at a nursing home who thinks she knows her. Avery begins to investigate and uncovers a secret her grandmother has kept all her life. 

I loved this book and once I got started, did not want to put it down.  It is a dramatic story which will drive you to the internet to see how much is true. And sadly, you will find out that this scandal of adoption really did happen.  There is some romance in the book and mystery and adventure.  There is little language and the violence that occurs is not graphically written.  You can give this book to your grandmother to read. (It is about grandmothers!)

Rumplestiltskin and Cruella DeVille

When I was reading these titles I thought about how they reminded me of some famous children's story characters. Rumpelstiltskin was the little man who made a deal with the miller's daughter to give up her daughter so she could save her life. I think the Chinese mother who gave up her baby was  in such a position. She and her daughter would have died if she hadn't given her up and she really had no choice. However, later, like the Queen, she fought to get her child back.  

Cruella Deville was the puppy stealer and seller of dalmation puppies in 101 Dalmations. The puppies themselves were able to overcome the evil woman and eventually find their way home. Georgia Tann was certainly Cruella. Unfortunately most children were never reunited with their families. But in the book When We Were Yours, May or Rill proved that she had fight to find her way back to her home as well. 

I rate Little Fires Everywhere a 3 out of 4 for a good book.
I rate Before We Were Yours a 4 out of 4 for a great book.  I will be recommending this book!

Ben Franklin's In My Bathroom! by Candace Fleming

"Yet even in my discombobulated state, I can assure you that I am unquestionably Benjamin Franklin." page 27

Grade Level: 2-5

Reading Level: 3rd

Hardcover: 272 pages

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (September 26, 2017)

Rating: 4 out of 4

Summary:

Through a time travel box, Nolan and his little sister Olive find Benjamin Franklin in their house and give him a tour of modern life.

I just loved this book!  It is a fast read and has lots of white space, humorous illustrations and every so often a story Ben Franklin tells is illustrated and told like a graphic novel.  I think it is a perfect book for kids who like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, or Dork Diaries.

In this story, a box mysteriously appears on the doorstep of Nolan and Olive's house.  They mess around with it and soon Benjamin Franklin appears.  He doesn't seem too concerned about his time travel incident but is really just fascinated by the modern world.  The best part was when they take him to the library, which he invented in his day, and the librarian thinks he is the guest speaker for the day. Of course he does a superior job!  Later, at the swimming pool he shows the kids his unique style of swimming. He has a way of charming the ladies during this scene.

As I was reading this book, you realize how the author took facts about the life of Benjamin Franklin and wove them into this humorous story. At the end she confirms some of the facts about him in an epilogue. Candace Fleming does mention in her bio that she wrote an in-depth biography about Benjamin Franklin and fell in love with him. She even baked him a cake for his 296^th birthday!  This book is a first book in a new series called “History Pals Series”.  There is a hint at the end of the book that Eleanor Roosevelt will be the next famous person to time travel to Nolan and Olive’s house. I look forward to promoting this series.

Tales From Deckawoo Drive series by Kate DiCamillo

"Leroy Ninker said "Yippie-i-oh" because Leroy Ninker had a dream. He wanted to be a cowboy." 

"Francine Poulet was an animal control officer. She hailed from a long line of animal control officers" 

"Baby closed her eyes, and again she saw the shooting stars. "I am going on a necessary journey." 

"Eugenia Lincoln believed in Getting Things Done." 

Grade Level: K-3

Reading Level: 3rd

Hardcover: 90 pages

Publisher: Candlewick

Rating: 3 out of 4

Summaries:

Leroy Ninker Saddles Up

Leroy has a hat, a lasso, and boots. What he doesn't have is a horse, until he meets Maybelline. When Leroy forgets the third and final rule of caring for Maybelline, disaster ensues. Book #1

Francine Poulet Meets the Ghost Raccoon

Talented Animal Control Officer Francine Poulet questions her skills when she confronts a screaming raccoon that may be a ghost. Book #2

Where Are You Going, Baby Lincoln?

Timid Baby Lincoln breaks free of her bossy sister and sets off on an unexpected journey. Book #3

Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package

What will it take for a cynical older sister to realize she's a born accordion player with music in her heart? Book #4

The fourth book in the series, Tales from Deckawoo Drive, arrived at the library the other day in my Junior Library Guild box.  I realized it was time to read these books because I wasn't really sure that they are in the correct location.  This series is a spin off from the Mercy Watson books and takes place in the neighborhood that Mercy lives.  Mercy appears in many of the books as well as the different characters popping in at various times in the four titles.  

I keep wanting to call this series Wackadoo Drive because the stories are truly wacky. They are like crazy dreams you might dream at night...just a little off of a normal neighborhood. Each book features a different character from Deckawoo Drive.  Chris Van Dusen illustrates about every other page with cartoon-like characters with funny expressions. Kate DiCamillo uses vocabulary that actually drove me to a dictionary at one point! These are books that would be great for teachers or parents to read to kids and then build some vocabulary at the same time for both reader and listener.

Even though the humor was a bit too weird from me, I bet I would enjoy them better reading them aloud.  They are books meant to be a bridge between the beginning readers and the longer fiction book.  I think I will keep them in the regular fiction section and encourage kids to pick them up if they want a quick read.  I am going to redefine their genre as humorous. Currently, I have classed them as adventure, animal story, and humorous.  Now that there are four books and I have read them, I have a better idea of a book will be in this series in the future.  

In the latest book, Eugenia Lincoln and the Unexpected Package, I was really touched by how Eugenia's sister Baby encourages her grumpy sister. I liked the theme of finding a hidden talent at any age.  Also, don't miss the author and illustrator summaries at the end of each book. They always have interesting comments about the book you just finished reading.  Here is what Van Drusen says in the latest book:  "If I were to send Eugenia Lincoln something to cheer her up, it probably wouldn't be an accordion, mainly because accordions are hard to draw. (I simplified!)"

Last in a Long Line of Rebels by Lisa Lewis Tyre

"We spent the summer figuring out a Civil War mystery and finding Gold!" page 80

Age Range: 9-12

Grade Level: 4th - 7th

Reading Level: 4.4

Hardcover: 288 pages

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books (September 29, 2015)

Rating: 4 out of 4

Summary

When the county announces that it is taking her house, Lou and her best friend, Benzer, endeavor to save the house by solving a mystery about a cache of Civil War gold stolen by her notorious ancestor.

Lou prays for an exciting summer and then she discovers that her family will have to leave their home because of an eminent domain issue with the city wanting to claim her family's land. This was not the excitement she was hoping for. Her best friends join her in figuring out how to protect Lou's home and in the process they discover a diary from the Civil War written by an ancestor she is named after - Louise Duncan Mayhew. Murder, thievery, heroes,The Underground Railroad, and the possibility of hidden gold are in the family history. They also begin to understand the role that slaves played in the Civil War and in their own family and how some of the prejudice still exists in their town today. 

The story takes place in the south in Tennessee and it has a humorous and madcap type of storyline. Each chapter starts with an excerpt from the diary of Louise Duncan Mayhew which gives you background to the history of the Civil War from a personal point of view. One of the characters I especially liked was the grandmother.  She is a funny, independent, and modern grandmother with plenty of comments and funny opinions. 

A touch of history, a lot of summer fun, and lessons to learn make this a good book for kids to read.  

Princess Cora and the Crocodile by Laura Amy Schlitz

"Dear Godmother, nobody listens to me...I am sick and tired of everything." page 13

Age Range: 4 - 8 years

Grade Level: Preschool - 3rd Grade 

Reading Level: 4.1

Hardcover: 80 pages

Publisher: Candlewick (March 28, 2017)

Rating: 4 out of 4

Summary

Unhappy queen-in-training Cora receives a pet crocodile from her fairy godmother, which disrupts her mundane daily routine.

This book is a picture book masquerading as chapter book. The audience is for younger students but it looks like a book for older students.. I put it into the Fiction section of my library but I think I will put it into my JR Fiction section instead.  It is really a "chapter book".  This is a kind of book that I call fiction on training wheels.  You get a lot of picture support, not too long of a story and the book is aimed at the lower grades in content.

This book is a cute story about a princess who longs for a dog but is told no repeatedly. The nanny says dogs are too dirty, the Queen says she is too busy to have a dog, and the King is too busy to answer her request. So, she writes to her Godmother and the next day a box with holes punched in the top appears in her room.  It is a crocodile....her new pet. The crocodile substitutes for the princess and she runs off and enjoys her day doing exactly what she wants to do. Meanwhile, the crocodile causes chaos in the castle. Changes are about to happen in Princess Cora's life after this crazy day. 

This would be a great read aloud for younger classes and perfect for the princes book requests!  I rate it a 4 out of 4. 

Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman

"Through her years of using Book Scavenger, she'd become accustomed to keeping an eye out for the odd detail." page 185

Age Range: 9 - 14 years
Grade Level: 4 - 6
Reading Level: 5.5
Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); First Edition, Fifth Printing edition (June 2, 2015)
Rating: 3 out of 4

Summary:
When 12-year-old Emily teams up with James to follow clues in an odd book, they hope to figure out its secrets before the men who attacked Emily's hero, publisher Garrison Griswold, come after them. 

This book is a dream story for those readers who love puzzles and codes. The entire book is based on a game played in San Francisco where Emily finds a book clue in a book scavenger game that hasn't even started yet. The inventor of the game was mugged and the first book clue was accidentally stashed. The criminals are after Emily and her book!

San Francisco, Edgar Allen Poe and the Beat Generation of authors are focuses of this book. Since most 4th - 6th graders have limited if any knowledge of these topics, I think it may be a stumbling block for some comprehension and interest in their reading. At least I found it true for me as an adult.  I wish the book had connections more in line with the grade level it targets.  

I got a good start to this book, but I found the ending to get long and wished for a quicker wrap up. Overall, I liked the main characters and the quirky family Emily lived with. I also felt that the teacher character in the book left us hanging. Perhaps he was a red herring and his appearance was to trick the reader into thinking he had more to do with the mystery. It looks he appears again in book #2.

I rate this book a 3 out of 4 because of my concerns about the background knowledge. I think such a game might be fun for a puzzle hobbyist!

Mr. Quisling is up to something mysterious, and Emily and James are on high alert. First, there's a coded note, and then Emily and James uncover a trail of encrypted messages in books by Mark Twain hidden through Book Scavenger. Book #2

Top 17 Middle Grade Books I Read This Year

These are the TOP 17 Middle Grade Books I read this year. 

I went through my list of books and chose the top 17 middle grade books. (Not necessarily 2017 copyright.)   Lots of great reading this year.  I read a total of 95 books in 2017.   I started keeping track of adult books later in the year and so this total includes all my reading after a certain point. My goal is to read more adult books this year so it is a good decision to keep track of them too!  Below are links to my book reviews.

Circus Mirandus

Connect The Stars

It Ain't So Awful Falafel

Maxi's Secret

My Diary from the Edge of the World

One Amazing Elephant

Real Friends

Refugee

Restart

Soar

Space Case

The Dragon with a Chocolate Heart

The Flinkwater Factor

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

The Someday Birds

The Unwanteds

Wishtree

Wolf Hollow

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah was my favorite adult book this year. I raved about it and gave my copy to many people to read. I have linked my review in the title above.  This is must read book!

Star of the North Book Nominee 2017-2018 Videos

I have four videos to share with you that are part of the Star of the North Nominees for 2017-2018. 

This is a selection of 10 quality new picture books that are shared with elementary kids in Minnesota. They get to vote on their favorite and the winner is proclaimed the Star of the North Book Winner for the year. 

I created three  videos with my favorite website called Adobe Spark.  I used the video feature to create two of the videos.

Last year, STEAM teacher, Mr. Jones did a video on Emmanuel's Dream which was a nomination for last year's list of books.  Our students loved it and are still asking for this book. One of the Rochester media specialists asked him to do another one for One Plastic Bag.  He did and we are pleased to use his video this year. 

Lost. Found. Narrated by Diane Yliniemi

Good Night Owl Narrated by Diane Yliniemi

The Night Gardener Narrated by Diane Yliniemi

One Plastic Bag Narrated by Mr. Jones - STEAM Teacher

   

My Newbery Contenders: Refugee & Wishtree

If I was on the Newbery committee this year, (I am not!) I would pick Refugee and Wishtree as winners! Both were well written and had a great story. Both books moved me and contain important themes about immigration and community.  Refugee is for grades 4 and up. Caution sensitive readers because it is intense. Wishtree is great for 2nd grade and up.  It would make a great classroom read aloud.

Here is my review of Refugee:  Refugee Review

Here is my review of Wishtree: Wishtree Review

Once Was a Time by Leila Sales

"Compared to being kidnapped, held at gunpoint, and time traveling, this plane ride is going to be one of the least scary things you've ever done." p 230

Age Range: 10- 13 years
Grade Level: 4 - 8
Lexile Measure: 820 (Grade 5.1)
Hardcover: 272 pages
Publisher: Chronicle Books (April 5, 2016)
Rating: 5 out of 4

Summary:
In 1940 England, Charlotte must decide whether to stay with her best friend or journey to another time and place.

This book combines the historical setting of  World War II  England with time traveling. I say it is a mash up of the books The War That Saved My LIfe and A Wrinkle in Time. I usually like time travel books but sometimes they can get too technical or confusing. This book doesn't go that far. Charlotte ends up  traveling from 1940 to current day in a small town in Wisconsin.  She has been raised by a father who is a scientist researching for the military on how to use time travel for military purposes. One night Charlotte and her best friend are kidnapped and threatened with their lives. Charlotte happens to see a time travel hole and dives in and ends up in Wisconsin. Even though no one can figure out where she came from she eventually finds herself in a very loving foster care home.  Of course, she tries to figure out how to get back to her past which includes much research in the local library. She makes the best of her situation but she is always tuned into how to get to her past. 

The conclusion of this book is most satisfying and makes this book such a great read.  I rated it 5 out of 4 because I just couldn't put it down and loved how the author ended her story.   

Super Max and the Mystery of Thornwood's Revenge by Susan Vaught

"Then I fired up my chair, whizzed to the back door, opened it, and blasted down the house's back ramp."  page 170

Age Range: 8 - 12 years
Grade Level: 3 - 7
Lexile Measure: 820 (Grade 5.5)
Hardcover: 352 pages
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (August 29, 2017)
Rating: 3 out of 4

Summary:
It is going to take more than a knack for electronics and a supercharged wheelchair for twelve-year-old Max to investigate a haunted mansion.

Super Max is a middle school girl who loves tinkering, technology, and figuring out ways to make her motorized wheelchair  extra powerful.  She was in a car accident when she was four years old and became paralyzed. Her single mother gave guardianship over to her grandfather who is the town Police Chief and Max lives with him. Her mother lives in California.  The story starts with a social media hacking that spreads throughout the town's computers. The hacker seems to be targeting Max's grandfather and so she begins her own investigation using friends in town who have access to computer expertise and the suspicious happenings at the haunted mansion. The mystery was not easy to figure out and there was plenty of action and spookiness to be a very good story.  

The Max character is very headstrong and independent.  You learn what it is like for a person to live with a wheelchair everyday.  The author really wanted this aspect of Max to be part of the story which I thought was a great way to understand handicap issues.  The characters were very interesting too.  I loved Max's grandfather and kept thinking of who would make a great character for him in the movies.  I pictured Gerald McRaney. (Major Dad).  Lavender, Max's best friend, Lavender's mother, the town mayor, and others were all well developed characters.  

I rated this book a 3 out of 4 because sometimes I just had a difficult time keeping up with what was happening and I would have to reread. Sometimes I didn't understand the references to mechanics or computers. Sometimes it was because if you weren't reading closely, you would miss a detail that was important to the continuation of the story. Was it the writing style or my reading style, I couldn't say but it was a book where the flow wasn't easy for me.  However, I hope this book is a series because I think it would be great to see how the author develops the story and continues with the characters.