Summerlost

Summerlost
Ally Condie

My rating: ★★★★½

ISBN: 978-0399187193
Publisher: Dutton Books
Date of publication: March 29, 2016
Age: Grades 5 - 8
Genre: Realistic Fiction

Themes: grieving, death, lost, Shakespeare, theater, friendship, love

It's the first real summer since the accident that killed Cedar's father and younger brother, Ben. Cedar and what’s left of her family are returning to the town of Iron Creek for the summer. They’re just settling into their new house when a boy named Leo, dressed in costume, rides by on his bike. Intrigued, Cedar follows him to the renowned Summerlost theatre festival. Soon, she not only has a new friend in Leo and a job working concessions at the festival, she finds herself surrounded by mystery. The mystery of the tragic, too-short life of the Hollywood actress who haunts the halls of Summerlost. And the mystery of the strange gifts that keep appearing for Cedar.

You may be surprised at my rating given my usual response to tragic MG fiction. But you know when a book just gets you right in the feels? Heartfelt, emotional, real...gahhhh, this was a good one. A good sad. I will say first, however, a lot of my emotional attachment is due to my personal attachment. Having grown up in Salt Lake City and traveled down to Cedar City many a summer to attend the Utah Shakespeare Festival (which is, in large part, what the book is based on) made this whole book sentimental for me. So I had to like it, at least initially.

It was Condie's fantastic writing and an amazing story that took my love even further. The prose is simple, chapters are short, the text is almost poetic—big contributors to the emotions behind the story (maybe too lyrical in places, for the target audience anyway). The characters themselves were realistic, each having a particular scene or statement that just felt like truth (e.g. Cedar's mom in Act II, Chapter 33—the feels!). The little subplots that contribute to the greater story in subtle, appreciative ways—just added a nice touch. All of it. So wonderful.

So now this brings me to the recommendation. Not every middle-grader is going to like this. No. But the tender-hearted ones, perhaps. Maybe. And I still want people to read it. It just takes the right person, the right mood, Just be prepared for sad. Such good sad. Sigh...I'm still bummed it's over.

Find it at your library or on Amazon

10 Awesome Activity Books for Middle-Graders

Activity books. Super under-appreciated, in my opinion. In the day of mindless social media and gaming, I think it's really nice to be able to hand a kid a book and say, "Here's a bunch of really cool ideas and activities, why don't you give it a browse?" But then again, there are SOO many diferent kinds of activity books to choose from! Where to start? What's even worth it? Well, this list may be able to get you started. Whether you're looking to expand your library collection, add more independent-learning-fun to your home schooling, or (better yet) looking to get your kids thinking and moving during the doldrums of summer vacation, hopefully this will get you inspired. Trust me, these books will get kids thinking creatively and having fun, just in time for summer!

The Extincts

The Extincts
Written by Veronica Cossanteli, illustrations by Roman Muradov

My rating: ★★½

ISBN: 978-1627794039
Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
Date of publication: February 9, 2016
Age: Grades 4 - 7
Genre: Fantasy, Realistic Fiction

Themes: extinct animals, mythological creatures, friendship, taxidermy, jobs

George is looking for a job in order to raise money for a new bike, so when he sees a help wanted ad for Wormestall Farm, he goes for it. Before long, he's embroiled in a madcap adventure involving creatures both (supposedly) extinct and (previously thought to be) mythological, a new friend (a girl!), and a maniacal taxidermist who wants the animals of Wormestall Farm in her own private collection...stuffed, of course.

This was one of those I spot on the library shelf and was curious. But...I wanted it to be so much more fun than it was. In the end, it was pretty flat and cliché. Or perhaps I should say Flat and Cliché (yes, be prepared for the Random Capitalization writing style). There's some pretty snarky and dark humor with some things gross and other things violent. Perhaps I was hoping for something like Fablehaven, but got a twisted 101 Dalmatians instead. There's not much to be said of the characters--they are quirky, fun, and pretty much what you'd expect (e.g. the villain is quite villainous, with no redeeming qualities). The extra half star, though, for an exciting ending and for Lo (best character, easily).

Oh yeah, and the illustrations...well, they're there. Not much to celebrate or complain about. Anyways, I'm not in a rush to recommend it, but if this sounds like your cup of tea, then go for it.

Find it at your library or on Amazon

Hippopotamister

Hippopotamister
John Patrick Green

My rating: ★★★★

ISBN: 978-1626722002
Publisher: First Second
Date of publication: May 10, 2016
Age: Grades K - 3
Genre: Graphic Novel

Themes: careers, zoos, hippopotamus, trying new things

The zoo isn't what it used to be. It's run down, and Hippo hardly ever gets any visitors. So he decides to set off for the outside with his friend Red Panda. To make it in the human world, Hippo will have to become a Hippopotamister: he'll have to act like a human, get a job, and wear a hat as a disguise. He's a good employee, whether he's a construction worker, a hair stylist, or a sous chef. But what he really needs is a job where he can be himself.

You know when a book ties in altogether perfectly by the end? That's what this did and it was so satisfying. The plot is really well done, with a good varied vocabulary for early readers. Plus, the illustrations are awesome, of course, being a graphic novel. Bonus! there's even a how-to section at the end for drawing the two main characters. I really liked this story.

However, the one small thing that bothered me a bit were the characters themselves. I wish the little red panda had owned up at the end or been more apologetic to Hippo about all the jobs he caused Hippo to lose. And Hippo was way too nice about it. So there wasn't a lot of depth there, which caused me some frustration. But hey, it is just a beginner book, so I can deal with it. So, really, overall I enjoyed this graphic novel and think a lot of young kids would enjoy it, too. Check it out!

Find it at your library or on Amazon