Maizy Chen's Last Chance by Lisa Yea

 

2022 | 288 pages  |  Grades 3-7

Maizy and her mother come back to Last Chance, Minnesota for the summer to help her grandparents until her sick grandfather feels better. Her grandparents run a Chinese restaurant in a small town and they have been doing this their entire life. Maizy and her mom live in Los Angeles and Maisy has never even visited Last Chance. Turns out, grandfather is sicker than they thought and they stay longer. As a result, Maizy gets to know the people of the town and she spends much time with her grandfather. He teaches her poker and tells her stories of her great-great-grandfather and how he ended up running the Golden Palace in small-town Minnesota. 

I just loved spending the summer with Maizy and her family and was fascinated by the story of how a young man named Lucky came from China to San Francisco and eventually made his way to Minnesota to make a life. You learn about paper sons, the intercontinental railroad, racism, strength of character, and hardship. 

This book is contemporary with a dash of history. There is a mini-mystery but mostly it is a family story with lots of love and Chinese food. :) 

Packing for Mars for Kids by Mary Roach

2022 | 144 pages  |  Grades 4-7

The author, Mary Roach, has taken her adult book called Packing for Mars and rewritten it to be appropriate for kids. This is a non-fiction book that describes her research as she learns what it is like to be an astronaut. She focuses on the basics of life...like eating, going to the bathroom, keeping clean, and getting along with others. There is a lot of talk about bodily functions and grossness. It should really appeal to kids. "Are you getting the idea that life in space is kind of nasty?"...this quote from the book really sums up the majority of content. The last chapter truly addresses Mars. The other chapters cover the history of space travel and how scientists have made progress in making space missions more comfortable. After reading this book, you realize that space travel is truly difficult. 

This book is a fast read and should be a great choice for a reluctant reader. It includes photographs and is 144 pages long. Great for grades 4-7.

This book comes out on April 5th. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced egalley.

25 Books I Love | Middle Grade March Read-a-Thon

We have lots of great middle-grade books in the library!  Come on down and make a new book friend. Introduce your students to new book titles and authors. Read a new book or more for Middle-Grade March!

I collected 25 of my favorite middle-grade books that I have read recently.  I highly recommend all of them.  Check out my list!

25 Books