Tag Archives: middle grade

Butler Bookshelf

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November is National Native American Heritage Month, and a great way to celebrate is by reading some books that center Native American characters and history! This week’s Butler Bookshelf will highlight books by and about Native Americans, including Boozhoo!/Hello! written and illustrated by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley and translated by Mary Ann Corbiere. Boozhoo!/Hello! is a bilingual English and Anishinaabemowin picture book about forest animals found in Anishinaabe territories. Deers are eating, bees are buzzing, and otters are playing in this fun, whimsical story. The simple, rhythmic text engages with young readers, allowing them to learn both English and Anishinaabemowin simultaneously. The bold art in the Woodland style and bright colors will delight readers, drawing their attention to each animal and what they’re doing. Complete with author’s and translator’s notes about the inspiration and work behind the story and Anishinaabemowin language, Boozhoo!/Hello! is a wonderful addition to collections and storytime programs this month and throughout the year.

Check out more books about Native American history and characters below!

Boozhoo!/Hello!
Written and illustrated by Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley
Translated by Mary Ann Corbiere
Published by House of Anansi Press
Available now!

Gold Rush: The Untold Story of the First Nations Woman Who Started the Klondike Gold Rush
Written by Flora Delargy
Published by Wide Eyed Editions
Available now!

On a Wing and a Tear
Written by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Published by Heartdrum Imprint
Available now!

The Ribbon Skirt
Written and illustrated by Cameron Mukwa
Published by Graphix
Available now!

This Land: The History of the Land We’re On (Race to the Truth)
Written by Ashley Fairbanks
Illustrated by Bridget George
Published by Crown Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Once Upon a Time: A Review of King Alfred and the Ice Coffin

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King Alfred and the Ice Coffin
Kevin Crossley-Holland
Illustrated by Chris Riddell
Candlewick
November 12, 2024
Age 10-14

In a time when news and entertainment were shared by tellers welcomed to a fireside, King Alfred the Great sought to both bring in the views of outsiders and share the legends of his people. A soldier and scholar, known collector of stories, he invited travelers to share their adventures and tales with the West Saxons. From the trader, Wulfstan, they learned of the land of Maarahvas, its generous people, their curious funerary custom—ice coffins. Wulfstan regales the King and crowd with a harrowing story of his survival at sea and his return with a beautiful wife, a bag of gold, and a tale to tell. As a gesture of thanks, King Alfred would continue sharing Wulfstan’s “wonder-story” with his translation of other Latin stories to broaden the knowledge of his people.

Kevin Crossley-Holland, renowned for his work with folktale and myth, brings life to this blend of history and myth with lyrical language and humanizing perspective. Giving Alfred a thoughtful and curious demeanor, that strictly informational historic texts might not cover, offers a more intimate portrait of the man he may have been. Set in times after his battles against the Vikings, when he would have been able to expand on his goals of literacy and learning for the Saxon people. Uncomplicated vocabulary (other than character names) helps mellow the dramatic concept and complex sentence structure for middle grader readers. Poetic prose blends seamlessly with Chris Riddell’s delicate, yet detailed pencil illustrations. Watercolor and pastel give a soft-focus feel that enhances the fairytale-like qualities of the story. Sepia tones in the main story lend another level to the depth to the medieval setting, while he uses dramatic blues to set off Wulfstan’s story within a story. A fast-paced and lovely addition to folktale collections and a wonderful history-based recommendation for Arthurian legend seekers.

Butler Bookshelf

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This week’s Butler Bookshelf will highlight some graphic novels and memoirs in our collection, featuring Taxi Ghost written and illustrated by Sophie Escabasse. Adèle’s plan for winter break is to spend as much time as possible reading her favorite books at the library. But her plans change when she gets her first period and along with it, the ability to see ghosts! As Adèle meets more ghosts and learns more about the family secret she is now a part of, she becomes aware of some of the problems the ghosts are fighting against. When one ghost enlists her help to prevent luxury condominiums from being built, she realizes that this mission is her key to having an exciting winter break. But how can Adèle help the ghosts, and what exactly stands in their way? Accompanied by colorful, charming illustrations, Escabasse crafts a delightfully fun and entertaining story about a girl coming into her own and making new friends along the way.

Check out more graphic novels and memoirs below!

Dear Dad: Growing Up With a Parent in Prison – and How We Stayed Connected
Written by Jay Jay Patton, Antoine Patton, and Kiara Valdez
Illustrated by Markia Jenai
Published by Graphix and Kaepernick Publishing
Available now!

My Extremely Tiny Forest Adventure (Nell of Gumbling 2)
Written and illustrated by Emma Steinkellner
Published by Labyrinth Road
Avalailable now!

Taxi Ghost
Written and illustrated by Sophie Escabasse
Published by RH Graphic
Available now!

We Are Big Time
Written by Hena Khan
Illustrated by Safiya Zerrougui
Published by Alfred A. Knopf
Available now!

The Worst Ronin
Written by Maggie Tokuda-Hall
Illustrated by Faith Schaffer
Published by HarperAlley
Available now!

Butler Bookshelf

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This week’s Butler Bookshelf will highlight some new children’s fiction in the collection! We receive all kinds of books for kids, from chapter books to novels in verse to graphic novels, like this week’s feature, An Unlikely Pair, the first book in the Molly and the Bear series written and illustrated by Bob and Vicki Scott. When Molly is home alone for the first time, a bear sneaks into her house to eat the cookies her mom left on the table. Soon, Molly discovers that Bear is scared of everything in the woods, so she offers to let him live at her house. Even though it’s tough to keep Bear hidden from her parents, Molly has a summer full of adventures with Bear and her best friend, Harper. When school starts up again at the end of the summer, Molly decides to take Bear to school to be their class pet. How will her classmates, teachers, and parents react to her new friend when she reveals her secret? Bob and Vicki Scott use their extensive backgrounds in comics and animation to bring this story of friendship and overcoming your fears to life in a way that is sure to entertain middle grade readers.

Check out more children’s fiction below!

Basil and Dahlia: A Tragical Tale of Sinister Sweetness
Written by Joy McCullough
Illustrated by Shane Cluskey
Published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Available now!

Carter Avery’s Tricky Fourth-Grade Year
Written by Rob Buyea
Published by Delacorte Press
Available now!

The Fairy Tale Fan Club: Legendary Letters Collected by C.C. Cecily
Written by Richard Ayoade
Illustrated by David Roberts
Published by Walker Books
Available now!

Gracie Under the Waves
Written by Linda Sue Park
Published by Allida
Available now!

An Unlikely Pair (Molly and the Bear #1)
Written and illustrated by Bob Scott and Vicki Scott
Published by Aladdin
Available now!

Wings to Soar
Written by Tina Athaide
Published by Charlesbridge Moves
Available now!

Follow the Clues: A Review of A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall

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A Strange Thing Happened in Cherry Hall
Jasmine Warga
HarperCollins Childrens
Age 8-12
September 10, 2024

Stolen art, a floating girl, and a mystery-solving turtle make for a quirky and suspenseful whodunit. Introverted and outcast, Rami spends more time than he’d like at the Penelope L. Brooks Museum where his mom oversees the cleaning crew. When a painting is stolen from the Cherry Hall gallery, and he and his mom become suspects, Rami begins seeing a ghost girl hovering in that same gallery. And she looks an awful lot like the girl in the missing painting. With the help of a Veda, a clever classmate and aspiring detective, and an observant turtle named Agatha, he will unravel the story of the girl, the painting, and the theft at the Penelope.

In a story about the importance of being seen, Jasmine Warga explores the connection between art, understanding, and truth. As a child of Lebanese immigrants, Rami is an outcast at school, and too timid to make trouble. Veda, however, is a bold and quirky personality, willing to challenge him to be daring in an attempt to solve the mystery. Their tentative new friendship is drawn with thoughtful attentions to the changeable emotions and growing pains of middle school. Themes of friendship and the desire to be seen (by Rami and Veda, by the girl, and by Agatha) provide subtlety to balance the heavier aspects of loneliness and the immigrant experience. This gentle, yet thrilling early elementary school mystery combines brief chapters, a fast pace, and multiple narrators to appeal to a young audience without being entirely childish. Warga breaks the fourth wall in chapters narrated by Agatha to add context, and a touch of magical realism, for young readers. The best combination of a warm-hearted friendship and clue-laced mystery.

The Big Score: A Review of Faker

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Faker
Gordon Korman
Scholastic
Age 8-12
July 2, 2024


Is Trey really defined by what his family does? Confidence man, liar, criminal… Faker? Living a high-end life funded by his father’s career as a con artist, Trey and his little sister are in on the game, to reel in families in a series of prep schools and wealthy communities. Settling into what could be their biggest score yet—the big kahuna—a fictional electric car start-up looking for investors, he begins to question it all. An influential middle school ethics teacher and his activist daughter open Trey’s eyes to the morality of the “family business” and a growing disillusionment with how it affects those around him.

In the authentically conflicted voice of an adolescent boy, Korman gives this realistic fiction tale a twist. What if this boy was a con trying to go straight? Then he adds all the middle school conflict that comes with friendships, family drama, and questioning parental authority. Is Dad right that no one is hurt when you take from the rich? Brisk plotting and snappy dialog mirror the pace of Trey’s quickly developing conscience. “I can’t believe I ever thought it was anything more than stealing” (p. 170). Trey matures throughout the narrative, getting involved to rehab a local park and discovering that a new friend is also part of a con artist family, efficiently driving the final action. In a conveniently tidy conclusion, he makes a dramatic decision—they all go straight, return the money, and build the stable home life Trey always wanted. A funny and fast-paced coming of age story for middle schooler readers that want a side of crime with their family drama.

Use Your Voice: A Review of Your Vote Matters: How We Elect the US President

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Your Vote Matters: How We Elect the US President
Rebecca Katzman
Illustrated by Ellen Duda
Scholastic Inc
May 7, 2024
Age: 7-10

Selecting a new US President is no easy task, and neither is understanding how it all happens. With this fun and informative explanation of the process, journalist Rebecca Katzman introduces upper elementary schoolers to this aspect of the political process and just how important their voice is to the outcome. Combining civics, history, and governmental fun-facts (do you know how astronauts vote from space?), kids will cover basic facts about the presidency and government, campaigns, voting, the post-election-day process, and what it means to be president. This title is more than just a high-level overview and provides everything from a simple visual explanation of the three branches of government to a more complex, but age appropriate, discussion of the Electoral College. Katzman includes plenty of suggestions for how kids can get involved in the process—from watching debates to writing to politicians—even if they can’t vote for another 10 years. In largely unbiased language, with some swings to the left in discussions of voter suppression and the peaceful transition of power, past and present elections are explored and vocabulary explained with on-page definitions and a thorough glossary. Illustrator Ellen Duda creates a bright and visually engaging combination of drawings, photos, maps, and charts. The full-color, matte pages and dynamic organization help to make the information more accessible to this young audience. Knowing how elections work and our role in them is one of our civic duties. This primer on the election process will introduce political concepts and the importance of our vote as our voice in what matters.

Can You Keep a Secret?: A Review of The Enigma Girls

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The Enigma Girls: How Ten Teenagers Broke Ciphers, Kept Secrets, and Helped Win World War II
Candace Fleming
Scholastic
March 5, 2024
Age 8-12

It wasn’t just the boys doing their bit for the war effort during the harrowing years of World War II. Sibert Award-winner Candace Fleming follows The Enigma Girls, ten young women working with the British government, cracking ciphers and codes to help win the war. Based out of Station X at Bletchley Park, a once top secret center of the British intelligence, thousands of people (nearly ¾ of them young women, p. 237) worked night and day intercepting, decoding, transcribing, translating, and cataloging secret communications from German, Italian, and Japanese government and military leaders. Walking chronologically through the war years (1939-1945), Fleming introduces each woman as she’s recruited into the sphere of Bletchley Park, snippets of her life before, during, and after the conflict, and her often emotional reactions to the exhaustion, secrecy, and triumph of the work.

The brisk pace and simple, yet engaging prose of this narrative nonfiction title pull readers into the frantic feelings and tense atmosphere of Station X. Fleming balances that emotion with well-explained vocabulary and intra-chapter information about codes and code breaking. Extensive photo documentation of Europe at war and Bletchley Park in particular bring the horrors of war and high stakes of the work to vivid life. Due to the clandestine role that the women and Bletchley played in the war, primary source material from the time is limited. Fleming’s source notes show extensive research into the biographies and autobiographies of the women (most of them wrote of their wartime experiences once they were allowed), and archives in Britain and beyond. Other backmatter includes thorough source notes, photography credits, and author’s note, and an index to come (not included in the reviewed ARC).

A deftly crafted tribute to the unsung young women whose efforts often turned the tides of battle, saving the lives of allied servicemen.

Forgive Me?: A Review of The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman

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The Dubious Pranks of Shaindy Goodman
By Mari Lowe
Levine Querdio
Published November 7, 2023
Age 10-14

Awkward and excluded, 12-year-old Shaindy Goodman just wants to fit in with the girls at Bais Yaakov Middle School. When she’s invited by Gayil, the queen bee next door, to help with a series of pranks, she shrugs off her misgivings in favor of acceptance. Helping out with some harmless jokes, even if it means breaking into school, may be her chance to find friendship. Shaindy quickly realizes the pranks are more mean-spirited than high-spirited, and that only certain classmates are being targeted. Naïve to Gayil’s manipulation, she feels guilty but hopes for the best until the mischief and hard feelings are all pinned on her. As she finally understands Gayil’s acts of revenge for an unintended slight, she lets go of her own anger for lessons of penance, forgiveness, and taking responsibility for her actions.

Lowe uses the period of the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, as well as their lessons, as a frame for this middle grade drama of judgement and atonement. She crafts a well-rounded and sympathetic character in Shaindy, expressing a universal need for friendship and belonging, and the way tweens and teens often make poor decisions in search of them. The plot and pace of the title move quickly through the season, mirroring the way bad choices can often lead to snowballing consequences. Moments of lightness, Shaindy’s struggle with roller blades, and final closeness with her sister help temper more serious content and lead to a satisfying conclusion. In the penultimate scene, a classroom of girls offers each other silent acknowledgment of wrongs and forgiveness for them. The wise words of a teacher, “The hardest thing many of you will do in your lives… is admit you were wrong,” (p 155) is a life lesson for those of all ages and religious backgrounds.

Elementary!: A review of The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall

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The Improbable Tales of Baskerville Hall
Ali Standish
Harper Collins Children’s Books
Age 8-12
Available September 12, 2023

In a middle-grade twist on the Sherlock Holmes stories, a brilliant young Arthur Conan Doyle accepts a full scholarship to a mysterious school for exceptional students. In the hopes of providing a better life for his family, Arthur devotes himself to school, including the friendships, mysteries, and mayhem that one would expect of a 19th century English boarding school—eccentric students and professors, secret societies, magical clocks, and even a baby dinosaur. But when it comes time to submit to the questionable ethics of the secret society, and their promises of wealth and power, or do the right thing at the possible expense of his future, Arthur shows integrity to the end.

Standish borrows liberally from the Holmes novels with characters, like Dr. Watson, Jamie Moriarty, and Sherlock Holmes himself, named for many of the original Doyle’s most famous characters. Arthur himself is drawn as one would imagine a young Sherlock. These details, however, may be lost on young readers. The swiftly plotted and intricately detailed mystery can stand alone though, using its quirky characters and darkly atmospheric setting to draw the reader into its world and to rooting for the cast of diverse and well-crafted characters. Themes of friendship, integrity, and problem-solving run heavily through the novel and help to ground some of the more outlandish plot devices, like time travel and dinosaur hatching. And with a parting “the game is afoot” (p. 310), Standish sets the stage for a series of future adventures that junior sleuths will be sure to love.