The Question of Miracles

THE QUESTION OF MIRACLES by Elana Arnold. HMH, 2015 (February).

Iris and her family have moved to Oregon where she knows no one and where it seems to rain every single day. She is more than unhappy; she is miserable. She is still grieving the loss of her best friend, Sarah. She would give anything for a miracle to happen so that she could see her friend again. And then Iris meets Boris who is himself a sort of miracle. Boris, the mouth-breather, becomes Iris' friend. But Iris still wonders how some people can receive miracles while others do not. This incredible book examines faith, friendship, and family realistically for middle grade readers. Ladder to COALTOWN JESUS and GODLESS.

Fibs

THE 14 FIBS OF GREGORY K. by Greg Pincus. Scholastic, October 2013.

Gregory is not the math genius his father and older brother are. THAT is must one of the problems he is facing. He is not doing well in math; his best friend Kelly is moving, and he is fairly certain his mother and father will not let him go to Author Camp. As a matter of fact, there is talk of a meth camp for the summer. How would he survive that? Enter Gregory's math teacher, someone who sees the talent Gregory possesses even if it is not mathematical. Perhaps Mr. Davis might have some way for Gregory to pass math and get to go to Author Camp, too? Pincus blends humor (and some of it is mathematical), math (especially Fibonacci numbers), the power of words, and cooking and poetry in a novel sure to appeal to a wide range of readers. Ladder this with THE CANNING SEASON, A TANGLE OF KNOTS, and more. Oh, and use it in English class as well as Math class, too.

True Blue

THE TRUE BLUE SCOUTS OF SUGAR MAN SWAMP by Kathi Appelt. Atheneum, 2013.

Disclaimer: I love Kathi and her books. I am over the moon on her latest novel which features raccoons who scout from the front seat of an abandoned Desoto, a huge snake which guards Sugar Man, sort of a cousin to Sasquatch, some feral pigs who are impatient parents, and sugar pies. Oh, yeah, and the alligator wrestling Jaeger and no-good Sonny Boy. How do these seemingly disparate elements fit together? That is the magic of Kathi Appelt's storytelling, her wordsmithing, and her love for the swampland that is the setting for this story. I have written a much lengthier review for the Nerdy Book Club, so I will end this short blog entry with this: read this aloud to your kids come start of school. They, too, will love the humor and long for some sugar pie.

hard truths

THE TRUE TALE OF THE MONSTER BILLY DEAN TELT BY HISSELF by David Almond. Candlewick Press, January 2014.

From the opening sentence: "This tail is told by 1 that died at birth by 1 that came into the world in days of endless war & at the moment of disaster." to the last shattering chapter, this novel will capture readers and hold them hostage. Meet Billy Dean, a young boy who has lived in isolation never venturing beyond the confines of his house. His mother is the only constant in his life. Billy's father, a vaguely sinister figure, visits sporadically. From him, Billy begins to learn how to read and write somewhat. The crude writing, Billy's naïve yet worldly voice, and the mysteries at the center of this novel combine to create a singular effect (Poe would be envious) of horror committed on the innocent. Here is a story that must be experienced, swallowed in small bites, chewed thoroughly, and then read again from the beginning.

Splendid Splendors

SPLENDORS AND GLOOMS by Laura Amy Schlitz. Candlewick Press, 2012.

Gaspare Grisini and his two assistants, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall, are called to the home of Clara Wintermute to perform a puppet show for her birthday. Lizzie Beth and Parsefall are about the same age as Clara, and the three spend some time together before the show begins. It is Gaspare who returns after the show, ostensibly for a watch he left behind. Then, Clara goes missing, perhaps kidnapped. Scholitz ha fashioned a gothic mystery with elements of dark magic certain to compel the turning of page after page.

At the center

THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING by Linda Urban. Harcourt, 2013.

From the opening paragraph to the final pages of the last, Linda Urban charms readers with a trio of characters: Ruby, her best friend, Lucy, and her maybe new friend Nero. At the center of the story of the doughnut, the reason that the town of Bunning even exists. When Ruby's grandmother Gigi dies, Ruby regrets that she failed to listen to her grandmother one last time. Maybe what she was saying was so important, maybe it was something Ruby needs to know. And so there is a special wish, a speech at the annual parade, and some research into physics that need to be conducted. Maybe it is possible to make sense of Gigi's last words after all.