Full Cicada Moon by Marilyn Milton

2018-2019 Maud Hart Lovelace Nomination List

Genre:  Free Verse/Historical Fiction

Grade Level: 4^th – 8th

Reading Level: 4.7 (5 points) 400 pages

Publisher: Dial Books (September 8, 2015)

My Rating: 3 out of 4

Readability: Lots of white space/easy to read

MHL Division: Division 2 or Crossover

Summary: 
n 1969, twelve-year-old Mimi and her family move to an all-white town in Vermont, where Mimi's mixed-race background and interest in "boyish" topics like astronomy make her feel like an outsider.

Our group really liked this book, but I got stalled or distracted and took a while to finish it. I finally flew through it when I came a plot point where Mimi tries to take shop so she can learn how to build things for science projects. She is told she must take home economics, yet she explains, she already knows how to cook and sew! What her classmates do in an example of civil disobedience is delightful! Since, I was once a home economics teacher, I felt very connected to this part of the book. I also was reading this book around the time of the eclipse of the sun on August 21^st. Mimi is very interested in the moon and this is often a subject in the poetry. She dreams of being an astronaut someday. 

This book touches on diversity, dreams, science, history and gives students another chance to read poetry that creates a story. Most of the poems carry on the story but occasionally you find a page that is just a beautiful poetry picture.  I think this is a good reading choice.  I gave it a 3 just because I found it a bit difficult to connect with it at first. 

This is Just a Test by Madelyn Rosenberg and Wendy Wa-Long Shang

2017 Copyright MG

Genre:  Humorous Coming of Age Story

Grade Level: 3^rd - 7th

Reading Level: 4.7 (7 points) 256 pages

Publisher: Scholastic Press (June 27, 2017)

My Rating: 4 out of 4

Readability: Easy to read and funny!

MHL Division: Division 1 or Crossover

Summary: 
In 1983, seventh-grader David Da-Wei Horowitz is caught in the middle of cultures, friends, and growing up as a Chinese Jewish American.

I think this book a great contender for our Maud Hart Lovelace list. It is funny and yet touches on issues that middle grade kids face. It also includes diversity. Adults will be particularly entertained by the cultural references to the early 80’s. 

The main character, David is part Chinese and part Jewish. Picture the two TV shows The Goldbergs and Fresh Off the Boat and you get an idea of how this book rolls. There is a clash between two feisty grandmothers from each culture who are also very funny. David deals with friendship, first love, and the scary situation of the Cold War with The Soviet Union and The United States and nuclear war possibilities. Take Away: Growing up in the 80’s is a lot like growing up in many other decades including this one. 

The Nordic Theory of Everything by Anu Partanen

Adult Read

Genre:  Nonfiction

My Rating: 4 out of 4

Readability: Fascinating to read about Finland’s society. I couldn't put it down.

Anu Partanen is a Finnish Journalist who met an American, fell in love and eventually married and moved to America in 2008. She writes this book as her commentary on the contrast between life in the United States versus Finland and the other Nordic countries. However, her focus is usually Finnish.

She covers the topics of family values, education, healthcare, business, employers and employees, government, and citizens. A phrase she uses many times during this book is the phrase “the Nordic theory of love.” Many of the decisions made by society are based on this theory.

As I read this book, it made me want to visit Finland even more than I already do.  She does talk about characteristics of the Finnish people that I think may still exist in my family today. It is fun to think about anyway.  She does paint a picture of how much greater the Finnish way of life is and wonders why Americans don’t progress forward. But, she also acknowledges that the people she has met in America, despite their difficulties in life, embrace it fully and are friendly, welcoming, and positive.

This book was a fun read for me and I found a lot of connections. I especially enjoyed reading about Finnish education.  

Webster: Tale of an Outlaw by Ellen Emerson White

2018-2019 Maud Hart Lovelace Reading List

Genre:  Animal Story

Grade Level: 3^rd- 7th

Reading Level: 4.7 (7 points) 256 pages

Publisher: Aladdin (November 3, 2015)

My Rating: 4 out of 4

Readability: Easy to read, funny, and heart warming!

MHL Division: Division 1 or Crossover

Summary:

When Webster the dog arrives at Green Meadows Farm, he has already been adopted, mistreated, and given away three times and is done with people, but the other animals at the shelter will not let him give up on the possibility of a special family. 

This is a true animal lover’s story about a black lab who has been mistreated and ends up at a very loving rescue animal farm for cats and dogs. However, Webster doesn’t think he is going to trust anyone again and tries to set off on his own as a tough dog. He even takes on the name The Bad Hat. As he escapes out of the shelter other animals come with him but always return to the farm. In fact, so does Webster where he begins to enjoy the company of his new friends and the late-night movie watching tradition. But, he always leaves again to try and make it on his own. Along the way, funny rescues happen. I begin thinking that Webster was kind of an accidental Superman in animal form. 

I recommend this book as a read aloud for teachers or a great read for any animal lover!  It is a feel good story and a great book to encourage adoption of rescue dogs. 

The Light Keeper's Legacy by Kathleen Ernst

 

Adult Read

Genre:  Mystery

My Rating: 4 out of 4

Readability: Fun to read since I visited this lighthouse.

The setting for this book is Rock Island which is above the tip of Door County, Wisconsin.  This summer I vacationed in Door County and did a day trip to Washington Island by ferry.  From Washington Island, you can take a small boat to the Rock Island State Park which is a primitive island for camping or day trippers.  There is also a historical light house that you can tour that is led by volunteer docents.  While I was visiting, I took a tour of this lighthouse.  I am glad I did, because the book was set on this location.

The time setting is 1982 with flashbacks to the late 1900’s when the lighthouse was operational and families lived on the island.  Chloe Ellefson

is a museum curator who is consulting with the committee which is restoring the historic lighthouse. She encounters a dead body and sets out to solve the mystery. As she researches the island, she finds out about the women who lived on the island in the past. The flashbacks are the stories about these women. Chloe begins see connections between the past and the present day lighthouse and mystery.

I just loved reading this after I had visited the island. I could picture everything so clearly! It was an interesting mystery because the author also presented another historical fiction story with an interesting twist.  Great read and essential if you visit Rock Island!

This book is part of mystery series with Chloe Ellefson solving mysteries with some history and a little romance.  Not too graphic but there are a few swear words. 

Two Naomis by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich and Audrey Vernick

2018-2019 Maud Hart Lovelace Reading List

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Grade Level: 4th-6^th

Reading Level: 4.3 (7 points) 208 pages

Publisher: Balzer + Bray (September 13, 2016)

My Rating: 3 out of 4

Readability: Easy to read story about modern preteen girls.

MHL Division: Division 1 

Summary: 
Other than their first names, Naomi Marie and Naomi Edith are sure they have nothing in common, and they wouldn't mind keeping it that way, until their divorced parents begin to date.

Naomi and Naomi have the same names and are the same ages and now their parents are dating! Neither one of them are excited about becoming best friends but their parents enroll them in a tech class to foster a new friendship. It doesn’t go so well and each one of them have reservations of their families becoming blended one.  There is also the added twist in that one Naomi is African American and the other one is white, yet this is not the main theme of book.

This is a good book and perfectly good book to recommend to girls.  I did not leave this book thinking that it was the best read or really inspired. However, I think this will fit the bill for many students. 

What Should I Read Next Podcast

What Should I Read Next - Modern Mrs. Darcy

I have another podcast to recommend today.  Anne Bogel has a weekly podcast where she interviews readers about their book interests and then recommends new books for them.  Throughout the interview lots of book titles are discussed! I have to say, sometimes the readers she interviews have book interests that are way out of my style of reading, however, I love the discussions. Anne has a wonderful voice which I think is perfect for audio. 

Anne also has a website called Modern Mrs. Darcy. I also noticed that she has a book club with lots of suggested titles for each month.  If you want to join this online book club, it is 10.00 a month. However, the suggested list of books are free! Since I would like to read a few more adult books, this might be a nice go to list of suggestions as well.  So, give this podcast a try! I have gotten hooked.

Young House Love Has a Podcast

http://www.younghouselove.com/category/podcast/

Today I am recommending a podcast!  I have been doing some painting in a couple bathrooms including the cabinets and so I discovered that listening to podcasts keep me entertained.  I use my ipad and then listen with a wireless headset that pairs to the ipad with bluetooth. Works great!

Young House Love has a blog which I used to read occasionally. It is about a young couple who do DIY projects on their home. It eventually became a full-time job for them along with writing a couple of books and becoming well known in the blogging and home improvement world.  They slowed down their blogging to pursue other projects.  I discovered that they are now doing a weekly podcast show.  Today they are on week #57.

I love listening to John and Sherry! They are funny and light hearted and I find myself laughing aloud at their conversations.  Sometimes they have guests to interview or they answer fan mail questions. Other shows deal with their current DIY projects and advice they can give from going through a project. They are down to earth, don't take themselves to seriously, and are always ready for challenges because they do like to be frugal!

Each show is about 40 minutes long and I have been listening to them week by week and back to back.  I haven't listened to them all, but I have spent hours in their company as I have been doing my own DIY projects. Give them a try!

The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah

  

Adult Read or High School

Genre:  Historical Fiction

My Rating: 5 out of 4

Readability: Couldn’t put it down, unforgettable, must read! 

Summary: 
Reunited when the elder's husband is sent to fight in World War II, French sisters Vianne and Isabelle find their bond as well as their respective beliefs tested by a world that changes in horrific ways. The plot contains graphic violence.

I asked someone last year what the best book they read was and they mentioned this title and so I purchased it at the Barnes and Noble book fair our school was hosting. It was the very best choice for purchase. I usually don’t read books again…. but I may just reread this one. I also am lending it out to several people already. (That is my joy…sharing books!) So, if you haven’t read this book, get it and read it!  It is GOOD!

I connected to characters and I was so amazed at the trials they went through knowing this was probably very typical of women during WWW II. It made me so thankful and inspired. This is a book I read on vacation and was so glad I could just read and read and read. Of course, it is always sad to come to end of a great book that you loved reading because you don’t know what you can even find to read next.  I felt that way when I finished reading Little House on the Prairie books in 3^rd grade. I wasn’t sure if I could ever find anything better!

So read this everyone and let me know what was your best book last year!

Cheating for the Chicken Man by Priscilla Cummings

2018-2019 Maud Hart Lovelace Reading List

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Grade Level: 5^th and up

Reading Level: 4.9 (10 points)

Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers (July 14, 2015)

My Rating: 4 out of 4

Readability: Great story, may need previous books to fully connect.

MHL Division: Division 2

Summary: 
High-school freshman Kate promised her dying father to look after her older brother, who is just back from juvenile detention. This year, that seems to involve paying off the bullies at school by doing their schoolwork.

This book has been getting good reviews from my reading group. They pointed out that it was the sequel from the book The Red Kayak which was a previous Maud Hart Lovelace nominee.  I discovered that it is actually the third book of a trilogy. A tragedy happens in the first novel that involves three friends and The Red Kayak is from the point of view of Brady. The Journey Back is from the point of view of Digger and Cheating for the Chicken Man is from the point of view of Kate who is JT’s sister.  I do think this book benefits from at least reading the first book to fully connect with the situations and issues. However, if you read this one first, you will probably be looking for the other titles to read.

There are a lot of issues going on this book. It involves bullying, environmental farm issues, ethical decisions, forgiveness, mental illness, grief and people who are learning to live and do the right things. Lots of issues to think about and discuss! Since it involves high school students, this book could also be classified as young adult too. 

In this story, Kate tries to help her brother, JT, who has just come home from one year in juvenile detention. JT’s former bullies are back tormenting him and Kate takes things into her own hands.  She also tries to deal with family situations and farming issues they have on their chicken farm on her own. Of course, without support, her ideas fall apart on her. This story shows us how one mistake can have repercussions for a long time. This is a type of book that teaches us more empathy for each other in our own lives. 

Buy all three books and read them one after another! Great realistic fiction. 

Towers Falling by Jewell Parker Rhodes

2018-2019 Maud Hart Lovelace Reading List

Genre:  Realistic Fiction

Grade Level: 4th-6^th

Reading Level: 3.3 (4 points)

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; 3rd edition (July 12, 2016)

My Rating: 4 out of 4

Readability: Easy to read, lots of white space and some pencil drawings. 

MHL Division: Division 1 or Crossover

Summary: 
While learning about September 11^th, fifth-grader Deja, who was born after the attacks, realizes how much the events still color her world.

Last year was the 15th anniversary of the 911 tragedy.  Several authors published books for middle grade students and both books are on the reading list.  I really liked Baskin’s book Nine, Ten: A September 11 Story, so reading this new title was a competition for me.  It turns out I liked both. This book seemed a little heavy with lessons at times but moved back to plot and character focus to redeem itself.

Towers Falling is a good choice for a younger group of kids and it has a lower reading level.  I also recommend watching the publisher's book trailer, posted above, which shows the pencil drawings sprinkled throughout the book. It does a good job explaining the book plot.

The main character, Deja, in this book lives in a homeless center in New York City with her family. When she goes to her new school which has a view of New York City skyline, she finds that they are going to be learning with a new curriculum which will help kids understand September 11, 2001.  She also makes some friends who are also new to the school. Together they bond and learn together.  Deja also learns about the reasons for the problems her family are experiencing which relate to this day in history.

This book would be a great read aloud!  Kids are very curious about 911 and this book would be a good choice.  

A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold

2017 Copyright

Genre:  Realistic

Grade Level: 2nd - 5th

Reading Level: 4.6 (3 points)

Length: 208 pages 

Publisher: Walden Pond Press (March 14, 2017)

My Rating: 4 out of 4

Readability: Fun, Fast, and Easy! (pictures and lots of white space)

MHL Division?: Division 1

Summary:  

Bat's mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter. But the minute Bat (Bixby Alexander Tam) meets the kit, he knows they belong together.

I got this book from a Junior LibraryGuild selection in May. I like getting these subscription boxes each month because they choose something that usually is a book many others will be reviewing and talking about. I feel like I have an inside scoop on the best books coming out.  I just upped my subscriptions to 4 books each month for my library. I have finally figured out that I can also do exchanges and pick out books that I want as well. 

A Boy Called Bat is a great book for elementary schools.  So many books I read are for grades 4 and up. This book could easily be given to a 1^st grader with advanced reading skills as well.  It would make a great read aloud for the younger grades too.

Bat is a third grader who is on the autism spectrum and so he has some unique and endearing personality qualities. When his mother, who is a vet, brings home a baby skunk, he is immediately connected. He tries to figure out how to keep this baby longer than what his mother plans. 

The plot is simple but I enjoyed the characters and their interactions. Bat’s mother and father are divorced and so you see how that plays out in the family dynamics. His sister is funny, his mother is loving, and his teacher is understanding of kids.  Overall, a sweet read! I would recommend this for a future MHL book. 

In the Footsteps of Crazy Horse by Joseph Marshall III

Maud Hart Lovelace 2018-2019 Reading List

·         Genre:  Realistic/Historical

·         Grade Level: 4th -  8th

·         Reading Level: 4.7 (4 points)

·         Length: 176 pages 

·         Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (November 10, 2015)

·         My Rating: 4 out of 4 

·         Readability: I abandoned on last read, but enjoyed it this time. (Slow Start)

·         Division: Division 2

·        Summary:  Teased for his fair coloring, Jimmy McClean travels with his grandfather, Nyles High Eagle, to learn about his Lakota heritage while visiting places significant in the life of Crazy Horse, the nineteenth-century Lakota leader and warrior.

I started reading this last year but ending up abandoning it because it was a slow start for me.  I gave it another chance since I have heard several people talk about how great this book is.  I also want to give this book with Native American characters a chance since we have so few of them for younger students.  

Jimmy is 3/4 Lakota and 1/4 Irish, but he looks Irish and so he is teased at school. His grandfather takes him on a trip to teach him about the history of his relative Crazy Horse who was a very great leader and warrior for the Lakota.  They stop at spots of importance in the life of Crazy Horse and Jimmy learns about the character of Crazy Horse who will be become a great influence to him in his new school year. 

This book is a must read for students! There is so little out there that describes historical life from the Native Indian perspective.  It was very sad to hear how unfairly the Lakota people and other tribes were treated by the United States.  I think that is information that students should be aware of. I highly recommend this book as a read aloud along with some background information. 

Free Verse by Sarah Dooley

  

Maud Hart Lovelace 2018-2019 Reading List

·         Genre:  Realistic

·         Grade Level: 5th - 7th

·         Reading Level: 4.7 (9 points)

·         Length: 352 pages

·         Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers (March 15, 2016)

·         My Rating: 4 out of 4

·         Readability: Takes time to develop...and then the story changes.

·         Division: Division 2

·        Summary:  Sasha is left alone after the deaths of her father and brother. With the help of a foster mom and newfound relatives, she learns to heal and express herself through poetry. The plot contains profanity.

This book started out slowly for me because it takes time to figure out what is going on! The author doesn't lay everything out for you but you discover things as you would when getting to know someone. Sash is the main character who experiences such sadness and grief in her life.  Her mother leaves the family when she is young, and then her father dies in a mining accident and then her brother and caregiver dies too.  She ends up in foster care. As you can imagine, Sasha has lots of anxiety and trauma which makes her a very difficult kid.  And then there is the running away and violent behavior that she displays in her actions. 

Suddenly the book changes and Sasha also has a change of residence. She becomes involved in a poetry club and discovers some release in her writing.  Her new cousin that she meets becomes a important piece in this part of the plot along with another dramatic problem. Poetry becomes an important part of her healing. 

This book started to take hold of me.  It is a different type of plot line and the book is even divided up into four parts.  A lot of sadness and trouble happens in this story.  Some is resolved and some isn't.  It is a lot like life....except I hope someone doesn't have to experience so much in a young life.  Unfortunately, it is probably familiar to some kids. 

I am not sure if this is going to be a story that will be for lots of kids but if they stick with it and don't mind a sad book, this will be a book for them.