Kids
ETIQUETTE AND ESPIONAGE by Gail Carriger
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Sophronia’s older sisters are refined and well-mannered Victorian ladies. But Sophronia is much more interested in climbing around in dumb waiters and tinkering with gadgets than more ladylike pursuits. So when a highly sought-after finishing school offers Sophronia a place at their academy, her mother ships Sophronia her off immediately. What her mother does not realize, however, is that Sophronia is a covert recruit to a finishing school that trains evil geniuses in espionage, assassination, and other fascinating arts–in addition to the requisite curtsying and handkerchief manipulation, of course. Sophronia’s curiosity and climbing skills thrust her into the middle of a skirmish between the school administrators, dangerous flywaymen, and her least favorite fellow pupil–the pompous Monique, who has stolen and hidden a very valuable prototype somewhere off school grounds. With help from her new school friends, the school’s young mechanics (the “sooties”), and her pet mechanimal (Bumbersnoot), Sophronia is determined to find the prototype before Monique or the flywaymen can get to it.
Set in an alternate 1850s England, this novel is part sci-fi and part fantasy. There is plenty of machinery to please steampunk fans, and some werewolves and vampires for those who prefer the supernatural. And for readers who enjoy stories about boarding school mischief (think the Marauder’s Map from Harry Potter), it is a very fun read! I highly recommend it to middle grade and teen readers.
FEVER, 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
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When her friend Polly dies of a mysterious fever, Matilda is in shock. It doesn’t seem possible that Polly could have been so healthy yesterday and dead by the morning. But in a few days’ time, the shock of Polly’s death is overshadowed by the terrifying reality of a yellow fever epidemic that leaves no one unscathed. When her mother falls ill, Mattie and her grandfather try to flee Philadelphia, only to fall ill themselves on the road. They recover and return to a changed city–full of crying orphans, ruthless thieves, mass graves, and starving survivors. In order to survive, Mattie must learn to defend herself, do her best to help the sick, and cling to the hope that her mother may still be alive.
This exciting historical survival story will appeal to middle grade and teen readers. If you liked Fever 1793, you might like A Time of Angels by Karen Hesse or An American Plague by Jim Murphy.
ONE DEAD SPY: THE LIFE, TIMES, AND LAST WORDS OF NATHAN HALE, AMERICA’S MOST FAMOUS SPY by Nathan Hale
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Revolutionary Captain Nathan Hale is about to be executed for spying on the British. While the British officer is fetching the hanging orders, the jovial hangman helps Nathan brainstorm some awesome Last Words. But when Nathan says “I regret that I have but one life to give for my country,” he is immediately swallowed by a giant book. It turns out those Last Words were so awesome that Nathan Hale made history! And his brief visit to the history book gives him a glimpse of some fascinating events that happen in the future. When the British officer returns, Nathan Hale delays his hanging by telling the story of the Revolutionary War and its outcome. And he promises to delay his hanging even further by telling about other dramatic historical events as the series of Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales continues.
This graphic novel series is great! Author/Artist Nathan Hale (illustrator of Rapunzel’s Revenge) brings American history to life with his artwork and infuses it with humor through the great framing story of the character Nathan Hale, the pompous British officer, and the comedic hangman. One Dead Spy is currently on the NYT Bestselling Graphic Novels list. Two sequels have been published so far (Big Bad Ironclad! and Donner Dinner Party). A fourth (Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood) comes out next month.
ALVIN HO: ALLERGIC TO GIRLS, SCHOOL, AND OTHER SCARY THINGS by Lenore Look
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Alvin Ho’s first day of second grade confirms his fears: he is still allergic to school. Since the first day of kindergarten, he hasn’t been able to speak a word at school, and second grade will be no different. Even worse, his desk buddy is once again Flea, who—despite having an eye patch and stiff leg that makes her look like a pirate—is a girl and therefore an undesirable desk buddy. But through many misadventures involving chicken pox, Shakespearean curse words, and Johnny Astro, Alvin struggles to make friends and avoid scary situations—which for Alvin, means practically everything.
The Alvin Ho series is funny, realistic fiction for readers who have transitioned from Easy Reader books to chapter books. The sense of humor and cartoon drawings may appeal to kids who enjoy the Junie B. Jones books and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books—particularly readers who are not experienced enough readers to tackle DWK on their own. I would recommend Alvin Ho to first through third grade readers who enjoy humor and/or realistic fiction.
ELLA ENCHANTED by Gail Carson Levine
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When Ella was a baby, a misguided fairy bestowed on her the “gift” of obedience; whenever anyone gives her a direct order, she must obey. Although the fairy’s curse presents certain challenges, growing up at home with her mother and her beloved fairy godmother (and cook), Mandy, Ella has never been ordered to do anything too dangerous. But when her mother dies, and her father decides to send her to finishing school, Ella’s world is turned upside down. Two spiteful girls discern her secret and begin to use her obedience against her. Through the terrors of finishing school, Dame Olga’s daughters, and run-ins with dangerous ogres, the only things that keep her spirits high are her friendship with Prince Char and the hope that one day she may be able to break her curse.
I just reread this childhood favorite, and it is just as funny and delightful now as it was when I was nine. Levine’s story is a brilliant spin-off of the Cinderella tale with fascinating, deep characters. You cannot help but fall in love with Ella, Char, and Mandy—for all of their goodness and their flaws. Although the reading level is appropriate for elementary schoolers (and the fractured fairytale will surely appeal to young readers), I would not hesitate to recommend this novel to teens as well. Ella and Char’s friendship and romance is sweet, funny, exciting, and full of love and self-sacrifice. I cannot recommend it highly enough to readers who enjoy fantasy and/or fractured fairytales! And now I really want to go home and slide down the banisters. . . .
ELIJAH OF BUXTON by Christopher Paul Curtis
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Elijah was the first free Black child born in the Canadian town of Buxton. His parents—as well as most of the adults in his town—were once enslaved in the United States who escaped to freedom in Canada. For Elijah and his friends, ringing the freedom bell when a new escapee arrives in Buxton is always exciting, but the true meaning of freedom becomes more real as Elijah grows toward adulthood and has some dangerous adventures of his own.
By exploring the history of slavery through the characters of a free town, Christopher Paul Curtis captures the utter joy of freedom in a rare and beautiful way. Even with enslavement such a recent and raw memory in his community, growing up in a free town, Elijah (like most of his readers) is somewhat naive and ignorant of what a captive life really feels like. This novel is Elijah’s coming-of-age story by which he comes to understand and appreciate more fully his family’s and community’s history. And through his story, the reader will come to experience the same. Curtis does not shy away from the horrors of slavery nor does he rely on violence and drama to propel his plot. I highly recommend this novel to middle grade readers who want to read some really good, character-driven historical fiction.
MRS. FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH by Robert C. O’Brien
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The first time Timothy fell ill, he had been a tiny mouseling and Jonathan Frisby had still been alive. But when Timothy falls ill with pneumonia, the widowed Mrs. Frisby must care for Timothy all on her own. The doctor mouse, Mr. Ages, advises Timothy to stay in bed for at least another month. Unfortunately, the Spring comes early and the Frisbys will be forced to move out of their home in the field before the farmer begins to plow. Fearing that the move will kill Timothy, Mrs. Frisby is prepared to take drastic measures to find a solution to her problem–even if it means visiting the wise old owl in his lair in the forest. But the meeting with the bird of prey is nothing like Mrs. Frisby expected. Although the owl is initially unwilling to help her, as soon as he learns her husband’s name, his demeanor changes. He advises her to visit the colony of rats living in the rosebush and to tell them her husband’s name. Confused, Mrs. Frisby does as the owl says. What she finds behind the rosebush is beyond anything she has ever dreamed, and she quickly learns that the rats of Nimh are no ordinary rats–and Jonathan Frisby was no ordinary mouse.
It is clear why this book has remained so popular for so long. The winner of the 1972 Newbery Medal is a brilliantly imagined book with an intricate and creative animal world and a thread of mystery and suspense that keeps the reader engaged to the very end. Through the actions of Mrs. Frisby’s family and the rats of Nimh, O’Brien illustrates the value of love, friendship, and self-sacrifice. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy animal stories, the inventors/scientists/gadgets side of science fiction, and stories where strong but ordinary characters act heroically.
If you liked Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, you might like Mousenet, I, Freddy, Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat, and Babe: the Gallant Pig.
WOLF BROTHER by Michelle Paver
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Torak can remember the exact moment that his life changed. He and Fa had been setting up camp, happy and laughing, when the bear exploded from the forest—the great demon bear that no hunter could destroy—and attacked Fa. Numb with shock and grief, Torak swears to Fa’s dying request. He will find the mountain of the World Spirit that no man has ever seen. He will trust the guide that the spirits send him, whoever or whatever it may be. And he will stay away from the clans, avoiding people at all costs, so that they do not hinder him. He will fulfill his quest or die trying.
The guide is certainly not what Torak expected. Almost as soon as Torak finds the orphaned wolf cub, he feels a connection between them. Though he does not know how, Torak can communicate with the wolf, understanding his wolf speech and speaking back with grunts, whines, and growls. Realizing that the wolf must be his guide, Torak follows the cub through the forest, hoping that the young wolf will lead him to the mountain of the World Spirit. But Torak forgets his father’s hunting advice—“Look behind you, Torak”—and before his quest is fully underway, he is captured by hunters from the Raven clan. Yet if he had not been captured, he never would have met Renn, learned about the prophecy, or discovered the secrets of his father’s past and the demon bear. Now, Torak is more determined than ever to find the mountain of the World Spirit—but first he must escape the clutches of the Ravens. . . .
I cannot recommend this audiobook highly enough! Sir Ian McKellen’s narration is phenomenal. The story itself is dark, suspenseful, and very exciting. It has all of the story elements you could ask for: action, mystery, complex and evolving characters, friendships and rivalries, puzzles to solve, and evil to defeat. I especially recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction and/or high fantasy and to dog lovers. Wolf Brother is the first in the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series.
If you liked Wolf Brother, you might like The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins, Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner, Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George, or Dreamwood by Heather Mackey.
EMMY AND THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING RAT by Lynne Jonell
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Emmy used to be happy, back when people noticed her, before her parents got rich and forgot she existed, traveling sometimes for months at a time and leaving Emmy with her terrible new nanny, Miss Barmy. Now the students in her class seem to look right through her; her teacher can’t even remember her name. In fact, the only creature who notices Emmy is her class pet rat–and for some reason, Emmy can hear him speak. One day, in a fit of rebelliousness, Emmy sets her rat free and decides to skip her gymnastics class and explore her town instead. That is how she happens upon Professor Vole’s rodent shop and sees Miss Barmy place a mysterious, secret order for rodents. What’s more, she finds a caged rat in the shop that is identical to the rat she set free. And the twin rat, along with all of the other rodents, are labeled with strange special powers. Sure that something sinister is happening, Emmy is determined to find out the secret of the rats and to stop Miss Barmy and Professor Vole from whatever evil they might be plotting. Unfortunately, Miss Barmy is on to her and it will take all of Emmy’s cleverness–and a lot of help from her friends Joe and the Rat–to solve the mystery before it’s too late.
This book is a fun, silly, and suspenseful story. It has plenty of mystery and intrigue to keep you turning pages, as long as you have a taste for the absurd and unbelievable. Personally, I enjoyed it and would recommend it to middle grade readers who like fantasy set in the real world.
If you liked Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat ,you might also like Mousenet and Whales on Stilts.
THE HIGHER POWER OF LUCKY by Susan Patron
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Because of her job cleaning up after the various “anonymous” meetings in her tiny California town, Lucky gets to hear a lot about how the alcoholics and smokers and gamblers hit “rock bottom” and found their Higher Power. Unfortunately, they never share the specifics of exactly how they found their Higher Power. Still, while she deals with her sadness over her mother’s death, her fears that her Guardian, Brigitte, will leave her, and her dreams of becoming a World Famous Scientist, Lucky is determined to find a Higher Power of her own.
Winner of the 2007 Newbery Award, The Higher Power of Lucky is a quirky, heart-warming coming-of-age story that focuses on themes of family and community. Although it is a slender book, it is intended for a middle grade audience.
If you liked The Higher Power of Lucky, you might like Rebel McKenzie by Candice Ransom, Savvy by Ingrid Law, Moon Over Manifest by Claire Vanderpool, and Saffy’s Angel by Hilary McKay.
Susan the Librarian 