I Read Books for Young People

I love Miss Silver, a "personal inquiry" agent of old. She features in books that were written before I was born. She is genteel, old-fashioned even for her time, and very clever. People tell her things. But, her books were not written for young people.  (Kids could read these books. The author hints so broadly at certain characters' misdeeds that even I wrinkle my brow. Kids would probably be bored, though. Just saying.)

I do read books for young people and here are three that I read in the past month.

Pride and Premeditation by Tirzah Price. Jane Austen's character, Elizabeth Bennett, appears here as a feisty 17-year-old, who desperately wants to work in her father's law office. When a young gentleman acquaintance is accused of murdering his scoundrel of a brother-in-law, Lizzie "takes" the case. Being a young woman of the early 19th century, (please read the author's notes at the back of the book if historical accuracy is important to you), Lizzie is discouraged from investigating the murder by every single male in her sphere and even some of her female friends. Does that stop her? Indubitably not!

Her would-be client is represented at the bar by none other than the arrogant and irritating Darcy. Yep.

So we have all kinds of evil-doers here and a lot of social practices are flaunted. There is a bit of melodrama when the culprit is exposed. But it's the 19th century when footpads and villains of every stripe traveled the byways and alleys of London. 

 

Three Keys  by Kelly Yang. If you read Yang's triumphant debut Front Desk, then you will be all ready for this sequel. Mia and her parents are now the proud owners of the Calivista Motel - along with their many investors. BUT the year is 1995, and immigrants are not particularly welcome in California. A bill to severely restrict immigration into the state is up for a vote. Mia's sixth grade teacher is not impressed with Mia's writing at all and appears to approve of Proposition 187. And even though the Calivista Motel was on TV, a sign saying Immigrants Welcome causes business to drop. 

Mia and her best friend, Lupe, have to find ways to help the motel thrive, protect fellow students whose families are not here legally, and convince their teacher that Mia has talent. 

The book addresses an issue that still raise hackles here in the USA. A country of immigrants still fights over whether or not to keep our doors open.  Mia's family is stalwart in their support of other immigrants. When problems arise, it is Mia's friends who find the answers.

The book is an inspirational read. For us hardened adults, it may be too optimistic. But kids love it when kids save the day and the kids save the day in Three Keys.

 

Linked by Gordon Korman. Korman addresses vandalism, anti-semitism and racism in his latest book. This is a lot less fun that Korman's usual fare. When Michael runs back to school to fetch his forgotten phone, he discovers a huge swastika painted in the hallway. Michael is the president of the Art Club and his locker is full of paint so, guess who comes under suspicion.

This book concentrates on Michael, his circle of friends, Link, one of those friends who is a popular athlete and prankster, and Dana, the only Jewish student in the whole school. As more swastikas appear all over the school, Link discovers his family's connection to anti-semitism, the community revisits its shameful racist past and Dana finds herself the center of unwanted attention.

Then a social media vlogger moves into town to cover the frenetic attempts to "solve" this by making a paper chain to represent the Jews killed during the Holocaust. Michael spearheads this attempt. But the swastikas keep coming.

The ending stretched my credulity a bit. Then, I saw how Korman laid the framework for his climax. This is not my favorite Korman book, (The Unteachables is awesome), but it is a worthy effort.

Naked Mole Rat Saves the World - October 15th

Middle school is seriously bad enough without turning into a small hairless rodent in times of duress.

And is it true that a Naked Mole Rat Saves the World (by Karen Rivers) (Out on October 15th!)

Though kit (with a small k) has her own problems, such as having NO HAIR since birth, she needs to make life easier for her mom. kit's Mom had a brush with fame with a musical one-hit wonder. Now, she is afraid to leave their building.  So, kit picks up take-out. She goes to her doctor's appointments with a grown-up friend. Luckily, her mother's place of employment is right downstairs on the first floor. Luckily, kit has good friends who seem to understand without explanation.

Then, Clem falls, or is dropped by her twin, Jorge - on nationwide TV - as kit watched, at hom. They failed at their chance at fame as aerialists AND Clem is badly hurt.  In a matter of seconds kit is - whoosh - gone! A naked mole rat races through the building and out on the street. The first time it happens, kit - and probably the reader - wonders if it's not just kit's imagination. Then, it happens again - and again.

 How can kit get her Mom to go outside? How can she help Clem get back to being Clem after that awful fall? There is the small thing about Jackson, too, and the awful thing he told kit. And Jorge, what's his secret? What really happened that day on the tv show? Who is kit's dad? How can turning into a naked mole rat even be a thing?????

These are engaging characters with relatable problems. Readers will see themselves in kit and her struggles. In middle school, all students feel out of place. Friendships WILL change. Kids WILL question their roots. People will say hurtful or thoughtless things. Our parents and our siblings ARE the weirdest. BUT, true friends will remain true. Love will draw families closer together. We all evolve!

Hopefully, we won't all evolve into small hairless rodents.

Saturday Book Haul

A bookstore chain that I frequent is running a Book Haul for its members. I don't usually buy books.  I do the photo thing and then go to the library. But 50% off every book on the table - many of them 2019 books - how could I resist that?

Then, I added a new Phoebe and her Unicorn (I promise I will stop it. Honestly. Someday. But they are just so heavenly - like Marigold's Nostrils.) And a middle grade novel for which I might never read a review but the the subtitle "or We Nearly Died. A Lot." just called my name.

Here they are in their colorful glory.

 

 I will now explain my selection process.
1. A book by Gary D. Schmidt. That should be enough of a reason but this book features a butler.  Who doesn't love books with butlers in them? Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt

2. A book about food - doughnuts in particular. (Turns out, it's the second book in a series.)  It has doughnuts on the cover!  Come ON! The Doughnut King by Jessie Janowitz

3. Roller skates.  I can't roller skate.  I am obsessed with roller skates.  I am also afraid, as most people my age are, of breaking a hip. So I read about it. The Astonishing Maybe by Shaunta Grimes

Those are my 50% books.  The bookstore chain promised me a tote bag but, surprise, they were out of them.  When I asked the young - very young - maybe college aged clerk for a rain check, he did not know what I meant. "Rain check" dates me.  I am old.

The other books in the photo include Unicorn Bowling by Dana Simpson. We know why I bought that. Now, I want to go bowling, at which I do not dominate.

Last book - the one with the alluring subtitle; Shipwreckers: The Curse of the Cursed Temple of Curses - or - We Nearly Died. A Lot. by Scott D. Peterson and Joshua Pruett.

Problem: I went to the library yesterday and checked out these books. Sigh. These must be read first (except for Unicorn Bowling. Read it.).

PW's Middle grade booklist

Are you looking for new highly illustrated novels or non-fiction for your middle grade readers? Or titles about kids with physical challenges or learning differences?  The reviewers at Publisher's Weekly have your back.  A couple of weeks ago, they published an annotated booklist of books for the ever popular Middle School crowd - or ages 10 through 14 - that highlighted graphic novels, illustrated novels and the subjects of LGBTQIA+, physical challenges, such as failing eyesight or prosthetic limbs, and neurodiversity - think organic differences in perceiving the world or learning abilities.

Popular authors, such as former National Ambassador for Children's Literature, Jon Scieszka, best seller, Jeff Kinney, appear on this list.  James Patterson teams up with none other than Chris Grabenstein, of Mr. Lemoncello's Library, to introduce a rivalry between two mainstays of the pet world.

Check the titles out here.

The list is pretty awesome.

A Benefit SALE! and Three Middle Grade Books to Read this Summer!

That TBR pile never gets any shorter.  Here are three books to take off the pile but I received two in the mail this week. Will it ever end???  I hope not.

The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle by Christine Uss.  A foundling, an order of Mostly Silent Monks, a bike, a cycling hero, a "parenting" dilemma - and a girl who knows her own mind.  This is a lighthearted cross country adventure with a ghost, wonderful food, a mysterious woman in black and lots of fine friends on the way. I read the ARC. 💕

The Orphan Band of Springdale by Anne Nesbet. Gusta's father puts her on a bus to Springdale, ME, where Gusta's grandmother runs a home for orphans.  With Europe at war, and the USA considering joining in, Gusta's German last name causes some strife.  Her French horn, her love of music, and her habit of righting what she sees as wrong, result in a quick middle grade read.

Like Vanessa by Tami Charles.  In 1983, Vanessa, her PopPop and her cousin, watch as the Miss America crown goes to an African American for the very first time - Vanessa Williams.  13-year-old Vanessa dreams of singing on a stage.  The music teacher at school decides to start a pageant for the students.  While preparing for it, Vanessa finds her voice, her confidence, her courage and the answers to her father's pain and family secrets.
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CHILES' PLAY NEWS!!!
Dan and I are rehearsing for our second ever Skype show at a local library.  If it goes well, we may try to do something Skype-ish at a more public venue.  The library program is just for Summer Readers at that library.  (The program is at 10:30 am here, which is 11:30 pm in Japan! The world is round.)

Buy a CD!  Help immigrants!  Win a frankenbunny??? It could happen.

ALSO, if you haven't purchased the CD or a song from the CD, know this.  10% of every sale from Bandcamp or Amazon from now until August 15,  will go to ASAP, the Asylum Seekers Advocacy Project.   We hope this small effort will get families back together.  ASAP is a team of lawyers and social workers who help people seeking asylum in the US.  Since many of the families separated at our southern border are people LEGALLY seeking asylum, Dan and I hope that ASAP can help them stay together or be reunited.  That's 10% of the PURCHASE PRICE, not our "net proceeds".  Spread the word.