Review: Slider ✭✭✭✭✭

Slider by Pete Hautman
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This story falls into the unusual subject category of competitive eating contests. David, the main character, is a fan of of Joey Chestnut and other big eaters. Home for the summer, David uses his Mom's credit card to order a famous half eaten hot dog. Unfortunately, his bid for $20 mistakenly turns into a bid for $2,000. David decides to enter a local pizza eating contest to earn the money back before the Visa bill arrives. Meanwhile, more is revealed about David's family, and how he fits in. David is a middle child stuck between an over-achieving college age sister with an annoying boyfriend, and a 10-year old brother, Mal, who has autism.

Many features make this story more than palatable (ha!) for middle-grade readers. The gross-out factor is huge with interesting facts about competitive eating. And David's relationship with Mal is very sweet, and at times, laugh out loud funny. This book will be devoured (ha, again!) by fans of Stuart Gibbs books. For maximum effect, read this book during June/July, then catch the famous Nathan's July 4 competitive eating contest on YouTube.



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Review: A World Below ✮✮✮✮✮

A World Below by Wesley King
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Wesley King, the author of the Edgar award-winning OCDaniel (great title!) has written an intriguing story that blends adventure with elements of historical fiction, fantasy and social issues. Mr. Baker is a middle school teacher who plans a field trip with his class to the Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. Some students are excited, others not so much. But they mostly come prepared with snacks and walking shoes. This class group includes Eric and Silvia, two students who don't exactly stand out, but don't really fit in, either.

The suspense begins when an earthquake hits, and the cavern collapses, separating Mr. Baker, Eric and the rest of the group. Eric begins to search for a way out and things get really interesting when he discovers a colony of humans living in this bizarre underground ecosystem. Meanwhile, anxiety-ridden Silvia is trying to lead the other students as they forage through giant mushroom forests searching for the others. All of the trapped parties need to find out if the cave-dwellers are friends or foes and if they'll help them find a way to escape the caverns. A large variety of readers should enjoy this captivating story. For another "below the earth" adventure story, try the Newbery award-winning Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly.

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Review: Hello, Universe ✭✭✭✭✭

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

It's no surprise that this book recently won the 2018 John Newbery Medal ("for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature.") This is a wondrous story about four children with very different backgrounds who cross paths in a unique way. Virgil, the lead character, is a sweet, sensitive boy who doesn't seem to quite fit in with his athletic family. However, he does seem to share a very special bond with his grandmother. As Virgil is walking to a friend's house, a bully causes him to become tangled up in a very dangerous situation. Will the other quirky characters be able to come to his rescue in time? The writing of this original story has a satisfying way of achieveing balance between breathtaking suspense and reflective calm. Hello, Universe should appeal to just about any young reader; it would also make a great read aloud or book club book.

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Review: The Blackthorn Key ✭✭✭✭✭

The Blackthorn Key by Kevin Sands
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many glowing reviews have already been written for The Blackthorn Key. Wonderful authors such as Stuart Gibbs and Ingrid Law give high recommendations for this series. With a setting of 1600s London, the author Kevin Sands has created an endearing protagonist in Christopher Rowe, apprentice to Master Apothecary Benedict Blackthorn. The story starts out with Christopher convincing his trusty sidekick Tom, that his experiment concocting explosives will not end badly (it does). Humor continues throughout the story, yet there also moments of genuine sadness, such as when Master Blackthorn lashes out at Christopher in anger, then is suddenly murdered. Christoper, using codes left by his master, works to solve how and why a dangerous cult is murdering apothecaries one by one. The characters, setting, plot, human and attention to detail all come together to make this one of my favorite adventure series. I can't wait to read the next two books! Please recommend this series to your fourth grade and up reader who loves a thrilling, yet nuanced adventure.



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Review: Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen ✭✭✭✭✭

Strongheart: Wonder Dog of the Silver Screen by Candace Fleming
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Before there was Lassie, there was Strongheart. This charming dog story is based on the true story of a police-trained German Shepherd who became a huge silent movie star. Beautiful black and white illustrations by Caldecott award-winning illustrator Eric Rohmann add to the appeal. Young readers third grade-up will love reading about this famous canine. Clever and fun dialogue from the silent movie era ("cat's whiskers!") will also delight readers. Go to this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8rEp... to see the only surviving movie footage of Strongheart in action.

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Save Me a Seat ✭✭✭✭✭

Two fifth grade boys are in the same class, but seem to have little in common at the outset of this realistic fiction story. Ravi and Joe narrate the story in alternating chapters divided up into sections titled after the daily school cafeteria offering. Ravi Suryanarayanan begins the story, and he is very excited to start school in his new country. He has just immigrated from to New Jersey from India with his family where he was a star student and cricket player. Joe, who has a learning disability, looks on with interest as Ravi's talents are under-appreciated by his new teacher. Joe also watches as Ravi awkwardly tries to make friends with an "ABCD" (American born Indian) boy who Joe knows is the class bully. Your reader's heart will ache as Dillon begins to execute a series of cruel and sneaky pranks on both Ravi and Joe.

Alternating narrative, short chapters, and a high interest topic make this a great book to recommend to reluctant readers. Sarah Weeks has a knack for writing about food, and she doesn't disappoint with her descriptions of both Indian and American dishes (recipes included!) Fans of Oggie Cooder, Pie and Honey all by the same author will love this book. For another similar read, point your middle grade reader to Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea.

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Whistling in the Dark ✭✭✭✭

Whistling in the Dark by Shirley Hughes is the story of 13-year old Joan and her family living in Liverpool, England during the Blitz. Unsettling nightly Nazi air raids are common, and strict rationing is a part of daily life. As if war with the Germans isn't enough to worry Joan, her mother and three siblings, there are other risky occurrences that hit very close to home. One is a mysterious man who is lurking around their home in the evenings. Another source of stress is the phony, creepy captain who visits frequently to woo Joan's mother. Finally, Joan discovers that locals are selling food and clothing on the black market for profit. Fortunately, Joan has a strong friendship in Doreen, and the two of them are able, at least in the early years, to escape to the cinema.

Shirley Hughes actually lived through the Liverpool Blitz as a young teen, and her remembrances of resilience and the bonding of family and friends comes through in her writing. The illustrations that open each chapter are informative and charming. This meaningful novel will be loved by young fans of historical fiction and World War II. Another book to recommend to young readers about this time and place would be The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

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A Season of Gifts ✮✮✮✮✮

A Season of Gifts by Richard Peck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Grandma Dowdel is a familiar and unforgettable character to readers of A Year Down Yonder, and A Long Way from Chicago. This is the third book in the series, but can certainly be read on its own. When the new pastor and his family move in next door to Mrs. Dowdel, they are in for a season of adventure. The family quickly gets up to speed on what it's like to have a 90-year old gun-toting, bully avenging, yet surprisingly tender-hearted neighbor. 12-year old Bob, the pastor's son,  receives a not-so welcome to town when he is cruelly pranked. Fortunately, Grandma helps him out of an extremely embarrassing, yet funny situation. Meanwhile, Bob's teenage sister, when she is not swooning over Elvis, is sneaking around with the local rebel. Can Grandma help smooth out this situation as well? In her gruff and unassuming way, she ends up helping this sweet family in a variety of ways, and her gifts are greatly appreciated. This book is terrific to read at any time, but like the movie A Christmas Story, this is a story that could be revisited annually as a holiday tradition. Readers will love this funny, warm slice of life.

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