Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders by Geoff Herbach

Fat Boy vs. the Cheerleaders is the perfect summer read for not only middle and high school students, but also for those whose high school experience may not have been with the popular clique.  Gabe, aka “Chunk”, and his friends decide that they’ve had enough when their band camp is taken away from them so that the cheerleaders can have a dance team and a fancy new coach.  Gabe in particular has had enough.  For the past few years it seems like everything that was important to him has either left or been taken away.  His mom left, his dad has checked out, his best friend left to be part of the popular crowd, band camp is no more, and now his beloved band teacher is on a downward spiral.  Gabe has decided to take back his life.  He’s tried of letting people make fun of him and being the class clown.  He taps into his leadership bone and with help from some new friends, and grandpa, Gabe organizes an offbeat protest to take back the band.

I absolutely loved this book!  Gabe and his friends are the kind of kids that are so easy to cheer for.  They call themselves “geeks” in the book, but they’re the kids that care enough about each other and their school to really get things done.  They’re the movers and shakers of the future!  Let’s hear it for the nerds! 

Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen

Sometimes it’s fun to go back and “rediscover” books you’ve heard about but just never had an opportunity to read.  Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief has been just that kind of book for me.  I first heard of the Sammy Keyes books when my own boys were in elementary school.  I knew they were mysteries and were written by an author I was familiar with, Wendelin Van Draanen, but I just never got the chance to actually sit down and read one.  Well, that all changed this past month when my class launched its mystery round of book clubs.  I had carefully selected a wide range of mysteries for my students to choose from.  Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief was one of the few that I had not read yet myself, so I decided it would be my mystery book for book club.  After just finishing The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing (and getting to meet Sheila Turnage!) I was worried the book wouldn’t measure up.  So glad I was wrong!

Sammy Keyes is the urban equivalent of Mo LoBeau (aka Three Times Lucky and The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing).  Sammy’s had a somewhat rough start in life but has good people that love her and stand by her.  She’s quirky and tough; you just can’t help rooting for her and her friends.  Sammy’s mom abandoned her, or rather left her to live with her grandmother, while she went in search of her “big break”.  While Sammy’s not exactly thrilled about living secretly in a senor-housing complex, she loves her Gram and has found ways to occupy her time when she’s not at school or with her friend Marissa. One of her favorite activities is to people watch with Gram’s binoculars.  That is until she accidently views a robbery in progress at the hotel across the street, and then impulsively waves at the crook!  Now Sammy must solve the mystery of the hotel thief before he finds her.  The only problem is the police, specifically Officer Borsch, doesn’t’ believe her.

After listening in on a few student groups discussing this book, I knew I had to read it.  They were having lively discussions about possible clues, red herrings, and suspects.  Their conversations were so animated I knew the book had captivated them.  When I didn’t “assign” any reading over spring break, the students were actually asking if they could please finish the book early.   Once I started reading the book, I could not put it down.  Now that I’ve finished the book, I just don’t want to say good –bye to Sammy! Thank goodness there are more books in the series. I have a feeling they will be very popular in our class!

Stay Where You Are and Then Leave by John Boyne

Set in London, in the early 1900s, fans of Downton Abbey will be drawn to this book.  Although written for 9-12 year olds, this is a book that will mesmerize all ages. Alfie is only 5 when WWI starts.  He's too young to understand why his mum is upset when his dad Georgie feels he must do his duty and enlist.  But all too soon  Alfie is forced to grow up and do his "bit" as the war changes his life and the lives of everyone around him.  Then his father stops writing.  Alfie fears the worst despite his mother's claims that there's nothing to worry about, his father's on a "secret mission". Accidentally, Alfie discovers the truth, but is it too late? Is it too terrible for him to bear?  A powerful story, this novel starts out quietly enough but soon grabs at your heart and won't let go  until the last page.  The reader will be left with the most important message of all, we do what we do for love.  "It's the best reason in the world."

Winter Sky by Patricia Reilly Giff

Siria is a ‘fire chaser’.  She can’t seem to fight the urge to sneak out of her apartment whenever she hears sirens blare at night.  She’s on a mission.  She believes she’s the luck that will keep her firefighter father and the other firefighters, her extended family, safe.  So far she hasn’t been caught, and everyone has been safe. Only then the fires start happening more frequently, and closer to home!  Someone is starting the fires, but who?  Siria has to find out.  When evidence begins to point to someone close to her she’s devastated but she will do whatever she needs to keep her dad safe.

I was anxious to start reading this book as the author, Patricia Reilly Giff, wrote one of my favorite books, Pictures of Hollis Woods.  It took a little longer for me to get hooked on this book though, I think because there was so much happening in a relatively short amount of pages.  There’s the story of Siria chasing fires, the possible arsonist, her friendships with Douglas and Laila, the relationship between Siria and her father, the wolf-like dog, the mysterious homeless person, and Siria’s connections to the stars and constellations.  All of that packed onto just 152 pages!  I think this book could easily have been longer which would have allowed the reader to really connect with Siria and her adventures.  As it was, I was pulled in by the mystery, I needed to discover who was setting the fires and why.  There is also a moving message of friendship and family woven throughout the story and reflected on by Siria in the end.

I think students will be drawn to this book by the great cover art and will be taken in by the characters and the mystery of the fires.  This would also be a wonderful book to write more about.  I can easily imagine students writing a “back story”, writing more about Siria’s life at home, her friendships, life at school, and new mysteries she may move on to in the future.

Mock Newbery Club: The Results are In!

It’s hard to believe that tomorrow the American Library Association Newbery Award for the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children in 2013 will be awarded. It seems like just yesterday I was watching the awards with my class and we all started cheering like crazy when The One and Only Ivan won the award.  The students couldn’t stop talking about the books.  They not only wanted to read the winner (even though I had just finished reading the book as a class read-aloud) they were excited to read many of the other award winners and honorees as well.

This year I decided to try and start that motivation and excitement even earlier.  We kicked off our Mock Newbery Club on October 1st of 2013.  Our goal was simple, to read, discuss, review and rate as many new releases of middle grade fiction as possible in hopes of determining our “winner” for the Newbery Award.  Again, it seems hard to believe as I sit here and tally up the results, that we have reached the final day. I am so proud of our club.  In approximately 2 ½ months, 25 students have read, reviewed, discussed and rated over 66 books!  As of right now (this may be updated if I received more rating sheets on Monday morning) our current frontrunners are:

First place:  (Three-way tie):  Ghost Hawk, Sidekicked, The Wig in the Window

Second Place:  The Whizz Pop Chocolate Shop

Third Place:  Rump:  The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin

Fourth place: House of Secrets

Fifth Place:  Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace

Sixth Place:  Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library

Seventh Place:  (Two-way tie): Flora and Ulysses and Zebra Forest

Interesting to note, the two most popular books, read and rated by the most students, were Rump and Flora and Ulysses.  House of Secrets and Escape From Mr. Lemoncello’s Library were tied for second.  What motivated the students to read and keep reading all of the books?  First, I’d have to say it was probably the book trailers I showed during our kick-off meeting and next my excitement as I read the books.  I remember reminiscing about my own Nancy Drew antics growing up as I read The Wig in a Window, and telling my students I was too terrified to read House of Secrets at night.  I was positive a skeleton was going to come to life and walk through my door!  Next, author comments on student blog posts and author tweets were hugely popular!  Students couldn’t believe that “real authors” cared about what they thought.   Finally, as the students read more of the books themselves, they became each other’s motivation to read.  They have no idea how much it warmed my heart to hear them recommended books to each other!

We hope to watch the Newbery awards live tomorrow.  With yet another polar vortex bearing down on us, we may have to postpone our in school viewing party until it’s warmer, but I know many of us will be watching from home if necessary!

All My Noble Dreams and then What Happens by Gloria Whelan

It’s the early 1920s and Rosalind James, “Rosy” to her friends, feels as if she’s living two separate lives.  She a British girl living in India during a time when India, led by Gandhi, is desperately trying to gain their independence.  Rosy feels torn.  She loves India.  She loves the culture, the land, and most of all the people.  She helps her aunts run an orphanage and she has her own little school for Indian children.  She even secretly tutors an Indian girl.  However, Rosy can never forget that she is British and her well-to-do family wants her to behave as a “proper lady”. He father is a high-ranking official in the British Army with great respect for the British monarchy.  Rosy realizes she has a unique opportunity to help India when she is invited to a ball in Calcutta, which the visiting Prince of Wales will be attending.  However, the risks are great if she is caught.  Not only would she disgrace her family, she could be imprisoned for treason.

Historical fiction has always held a certain fascination for me.  I enjoy reading the books, knowing that they are based on actual events in history.  In the Author’s Note at the back of the book, Gloria Whelan shares with us the parts of the story that are true.  The character of Rosy (one of the “imaginary” parts) first came to life in one of her previous novels about India.  Then, after discovering that the Prince of Wales visited India in the 1921, Ms Whalen couldn’t stop thinking about what her character Rosy would had done if she had had the opportunity to meet the prince on his trip.  Hence, this book was born.  Now, after reading the book, I feel compelled to learn more about this time in history.

Billy the Kid Is Not Crazy by S.F. Guerra

Have you ever finished reading a book and felt sad because you weren’t ready to say good-bye to the characters?  That’s how I feel about Billy the Kid is Not Crazy.  First of all I should admit that the main reason I chose to read this book is that it is a 2013 book.  The cover didn’t grab me.  I paged through the book and actually worried it would be just another realistic fiction novel with the basic plot line:  character gets in trouble, gets out of trouble, life goes on as usual.  Thankfully, I ignored my first impressions and dove in, and quickly came to love Billy March and his family.

Billy is your typical fifth grader.  He has lots of energy, a vivid imagination that tends to take over whenever he gets bored (which in his case happens frequently).  Unfortunately for Billy the lines between imagination and reality tend to blur a little too often which causes friction between Billy, his parents and other adults like his teacher, especially when Billy ends up damaging something in the process.  Finally his parents have had enough.  Billy is afraid they want to send him away, but they have other plans.

I think many readers will easily be able to connect with Billy no matter what their age.  How many of us remember being grounded for what seemed like forever?  As Billy puts it, “That’s what being a kid is like:  you have two permanent police officers watching you all the time, even when you’re going to the bathroom.”  As a parent myself, I also found myself connecting with Billy’s parents, they’re busy, frustrated and just trying to figure out how to keep Billy from constantly getting into trouble.  But I also found myself wishing they would stop and just listen to Billy for once!  He’s so creative and has such a great imagination; they were completely missing out because they were too concerned with trying to make him fit their definition of good behavior.

Finally, watch out for the end of the book.  My favorite chapter was easily chapter 15.  It’s a roller coaster chapter filled with emotion that leaves you breathless.  Yes I did go back and read it twice!