Today, I’m reviewing six MG reads. I hope these bite-sized reviews will be enough to feed your fiction addiction!
Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt Published by Scholastic Press on April 4, 2023
Genres: Contemporary, Middle Grade, Verse
Pages: 288
Source: Edelweiss
Cover Artist: Luna Valentine
My rating:
A extraordinary novel-in-verse about a neurodivergent girl who comes to understand and celebrate her difference.
Selah knows her rules for being normal.
She always, always sticks to them. This means keeping her feelings locked tightly inside, despite the way they build up inside her as each school day goes on, so that she has to run to the bathroom and hide in the stall until she can calm down. So that she has to tear off her normal-person mask the second she gets home from school, and listen to her favorite pop song on repeat, trying to recharge. Selah feels like a dragon stuck in a world of humans, but she knows how to hide it.
Until the day she explodes and hits a fellow student.
Selah's friends pull away from her, her school threatens expulsion, and her comfortable, familiar world starts to crumble.
But as Selah starts to figure out more about who she is, she comes to understand that different doesn’t mean damaged. Can she get her school to understand that, too, before it’s too late?
Good Different is a poignant novel in verse about a girl who learns to advocate for herself and finally let go of her quest to be “normal.” Selah has always felt different than her peers. She realizes that she doesn’t experience the world the same way they do, and she has created a list of rules for herself that she needs to follow in order to fit in. She doesn’t always understand why the rules work, but she knows that they do. But following those rules is a full-time job, and it can be completely exhausting for her. Then she hears about autism, and the pieces of her life suddenly click into place. She begins to realize that different doesn’t necessarily mean bad–but she has to help other people in her life see that too. Seeing the world through Selah’s eyes will be enlightening for a lot of kids but will also feel eerily familiar to many neurodivergent readers; the first-person verse is particularly effective at showing us how Selah feels when the world gets overwhelming. It’s an eye-opening portrayal of neurodivergence that will help kids see that there is beauty in our differences.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via Edelweiss so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat Published by Candlewick Press on April 12, 2022
Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade
Pages: 368
Length: 7 hours and 21 minutes
Source: Library
Cover Artist: Christina Chung
My rating:
A high-seas adventure set in a Thai-inspired fantasy world.
As assistant to Mangkon’s most celebrated mapmaker, twelve-year-old Sai plays the part of a well-bred young lady with a glittering future. In reality, her father is a conman—and in a kingdom where the status of one’s ancestors dictates their social position, the truth could ruin her. Sai seizes the chance to join an expedition to chart the southern seas, but she isn’t the only one aboard with secrets. When Sai learns that the ship might be heading for the fabled Sunderlands—a land of dragons, dangers, and riches beyond imagining—she must weigh the cost of her dreams.
The Last Mapmaker explores colonialism and classism and the many possible paths to creating your own destiny. Sai lives in a society that judges a person’s worth based on her lineage. Since she was born into a poor family and her father is known as nothing more than a petty criminal, her future looks bleak. When she has an opportunity to assist a famous mapmaker on a voyage to discover new lands, she sees a way to escape and make a new life for herself. But not everyone on the ship is sailing toward the same goal, and Sai has to decide where her loyalties lie and how much she’s willing to sacrifice to get the life she’s always wanted. The story takes quite a few twists and turns and features moral quandaries (faced by morally gray characters–my favorite kind) with plenty of adventure and intrigue to hold middle grade readers’ attention!
I listened to the audiobook version of this book, which was narrated by the talented Sura Sui.
Answers in the Pages by David Levithan Published by Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers on May 10, 2022
Genres: Contemporary, Middle Grade
Pages: 176
Source: NetGalley
Cover Artist: Jill De Haan
My rating:
A bold, timely novel about speaking up and coming out as parents lobby to ban a beloved book from the school curriculum by New York Times-bestselling author David Levithan.
When Donovan left his copy of The Adventurers on the kitchen counter, he didn't think his mom would read it--much less have a problem with it. It's just an adventure novel about two characters trying to stop an evil genius...right?
But soon the entire town is freaking out about whether the book's main characters are gay, Donovan's mom is trying to get the book removed from the school curriculum, and Donovan is caught in the middle.
Donovan doesn't really know if the two boys fall in love at the end or not--but he does know this: even if they do, it shouldn't matter. The book should not be banned from school.Interweaving three connected storylines, David Levithan delivers a bold, fun, and timely story about taking action (whether it's against book censors or deadly alligators...), being brave, and standing up for what's right.
I wish this story about book banning didn’t feel so incredibly timely, but here we are. It seems that every day we move a little closer to a dystopian reality, and this book is where it starts. But one thing I loved about Answers in the Pages is the compassion it shows for the mom in the story. Donovan’s mom is on a crusade to “protect” her son from what she sees as a topic that’s too mature for him, not realizing she’s trying to shield him from his own identity. And even though Donovan disagrees with her stance and a lot of people are mad at her for trying to get the book banned, she’s never portrayed as a villain, but as a misguided parent who thinks she’s doing the right thing for her kid. I’m certain this nuanced approach can open doors to conversation instead of slamming them shut. Donovan’s story is one of self-discovery, but his mom also needs to make a few discoveries along the way as well. And as bleak as the topic of book banning is, this story ultimately gives us a glimpse of hope.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Momo Arashima Steals the Sword of the Wind by Misa Sugiura Series: Momo Arashima #1
Published by Labyrinth Road on February 28, 2023
Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Retellings
Pages: 384
Source: NetGalley
Cover Artist: Vivienne To
My rating:
All Momo wants for her twelfth birthday is a normal life--a life like everyone else's. At home, she has to take care of her absentminded widowed mother. At school, kids ridicule her for mixing up reality with the magical stories her mother used to tell her.
But then Momo's mother falls gravely ill, and a death hag straight out of those childhood stories attacks Momo at the mall, where she's rescued by a talking fox . . . and "normal" goes out the window. It turns out that Momo's mother is a banished Shinto goddess who used to protect a long-forgotten passageway to Yomi--a.k.a. the land of the dead. That passageway is now under attack, and countless evil spirits threaten to escape and wreak havoc across the earth.
Joined by Niko the fox and Danny--her former best friend turned popular jerk, whom she never planned to speak to again, much less save the world with--Momo must embrace her (definitely not normal) identity as half human, half goddess to unlock her divine powers, save her mother's life, and force the demons back to Yomi.
A middle grade fantasy steeped in Japanese folklore that explores the boundaries of friendship. Momo stopped believing in her mother’s fairy tales long ago, once she realized not everyone saw the spirit world the way she did. And sure enough, once she stopped “imagining” fantastical things around her, they went away. Fast forward years later, and Momo is suddenly confronted with a talking fox and attacked by a death hag straight out of her mother’s stories. Turns out Momo has to–you guessed it–save the world. The book is fast-paced and full of adventure. What separates this one from similar stories is Momo’s companion–her ex-best-friend-turned-bully. Momo hasn’t wanted anything to do with Danny since he became one of the jerky popular kids. And she’s not at all sure she wants his help now, but for better or worse, he can see the death hag when it attacks and enter the spirit world, so she’s stuck with him. I liked the way the book explored the demise of their friendship and the social pressures to fit in. Race and culture are explored since Danny is an Asian boy adopted by a white family and is encouraged to pursue things that will help him assimilate with his classmates instead of standing out. The book delves into these issues without demonizing any of the characters, which is a tough balance. In the end, the book will get kids thinking about what makes a bully and how social pressures can make you do things you might not otherwise do. There are no perfect characters in this book (and that includes Momo), which mirrors the real world. Overall, I’d say this is a great start to a new series!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
How Do Meerkats Order Pizza?: Wild Facts about Animals and the Scientists Who Study Them by Brooke Barker Illustrator: Brooke Barker
Published by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers on November 22, 2022
Genres: Middle Grade, Non-Fiction
Pages: 200
Source: The Publisher
My rating:
In this “pleasing and informative” (Kirkus Reviews) illustrated nonfiction book for middle grade readers, Brooke Barker of Sad Animal Facts introduces readers to incredible animals and the bizarre things human scientists do to understand them.
Did you know that crows never forget a face? Or that jaguars have a favorite cologne? Have you ever wondered how to pet a yeti crab? Or whether dogs can tell if you’re smiling? And just what is a burrowing bettong?
Meet these weird, wonderful animals and the equally weird and wonderful scientists who study them. From crafting fake poop to slurping up bugs with a straw, there’s nothing these amazing humans won’t do to help us learn more about the animals around us. Packed with fascinating facts, this hilarious book from the bestselling creator of Sad Animal Facts reveals secrets like why roosters crow and how meerkats make decisions as a group—and how humans can better understand the wild creatures we share the planet with.
This fun non-fiction read highlights several animal researchers and the unique creatures that they study. The style is light and fun (with the animals themselves often commenting and adding a bit of humor) and perfect for browsing. It doesn’t go terribly in-depth into any one researcher, but instead presents a short vignette about the ways each scientist works and some of the discoveries they made. Often, it even talks about early experiences that the scientists had growing up that led to them becoming an animal scientist. Kids will learn interesting tidbits about animal research and each creature–like the fact that gar eggs and young are toxic, which is one of the reasons these prehistoric creatures are still around!
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
Welcome to Monsterville by Laura Shovan Illustrator: Michael Rothenberg
Published by Apprentice House Press on April 25, 2023
Genres: Middle Grade, Verse
Pages: 46
Source: The Publisher
My rating:
Welcome to Monsterville, where the residents are anything but ordinary. The monsters here are “friendly! thoughtful! shy and scary,” much like their human neighbors. Readers will meet a monster house who plays hopscotch and makes the sidewalks quake, laugh at a bubblegum-headed monster’s epic tantrum, and cry with a monster called Sadness.
This quirky collection of illustrated poems is a celebration of friendship, emotional intelligence, and creative play as a form of healing.
This unconventional book of poems is both quirky and heartfelt. It tackles the many “monsters” that live within us in emotional forms. Some of the poems are delightfully humorous (I loved “The Walk”) and others are more contemplative (two of my favorites are “When I Cry” and “Archie Pellago”). Kids will laugh at the crazy monster illustrations, and they’ll be sure to find at least a few of these poems to connect to.
***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher so I could provide an honest review. No compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***
But how do Meerkats order pizza? I love the title and cover. Too cute! I adore books like Good Different that celebrate differences. Good for everyone, but so critical for the target age group
These all look really good. I didn’t know David Levithan had a middle grade book, but this one does sound very timely. Good Different sounds really good too. Thanks for bringing these to my attention!