Magnificent Middle Grade Week: It's Raining Cupcakes

by: Lisa Schroeder

published by: Aladdin

publish date: March 2010

Twelve-year-old Isabel is dying to get out of Oregon. She spends her free time in the library, reading and dreaming about faraway places. When her mom decides to open a cupcake shop in their little town of Willow, Isabel feels just like buttercream frosting to a cupcake-stuck. It seems as if it will be another disappointing summer, until Isabel learns of a baking contest. If she can come up with a winning recipe, she might have a chance of competing in the bake-off in New York City! But Isabel's best friend, Sophie, is also entering the contest, and things always seem to go Sophie's way. To make matters worse, Isabel and her mom don't exactly see eye-to-eye on the type of recipe Isabel should enter. In this sweet treat by popular teen author Lisa Schroeder, Isabel discovers that maybe it's not about where you go in life as much as it is about enjoying the view from wherever you are.


This was a really cute book. I thought it had some important lessons in it about dealing with jealousy in friendships. Isabel feels like her friend Sophie always gets whatever she wants. Isabel frustrated with her feelings of coming in second to Sophie quite often. In the end, she learns to work out these problems.

The one aspect of this book I didn't particularly enjoy was the attitude of Isabel's mother. She seemed to be suffering from depression or bipolar disorder. I don't know exactly what was going on there. I understand that it's an issue that some kids do have to face, but it seemed to bring the whole book down a lot. If there was some explanation perhaps, on a kid level, of what the problem was, maybe it would have made a lot more sense. Maybe. I'm looking at it from the viewpoint of an adult though, a kid might not notice it or care, I don't know.

However, overall I did like the book a lot. I loved all the cupcakes mentioned in the book and there were recipes at the end. It would be a great book for an older middle grader and they might want to try out the recipes.

Giveaway winners!!

Announcing the winners of our recent giveaways:

Back to the Books Blog Hop:

Pack #1 - Velvet Huber

Pack #2 - Kayla



Egypt: The Uprising Giveaway:

Jessica has won 1 e-copy of the book.


Winners, check your e-mails!

Kari & Autumn

MMGW - Throwback Thursday Edition #2: Into the Dream

Author: William Sleator
First Published in 1979 by Scholastic

Paul has a recurring nightmare, about a small boy in awful danger. When he learns that his classmate Francine has it, too, the two of them join forces to solve the mystery and save the boy—before their bad dream becomes a terrifying reality.

When we decided to do a Middle Grade Week, I knew immediately, that I was going to re-read and review Into The Dream. It has always been a long time favorite of mine from when I was younger. I even still have my original copy. It has this cover: and it is dog-eared and worn from frequent reading. I'm not sure what it is about this one that has always stuck with me. After reading it as an adult, I still love it!

The author throws you right into the story and it doesn't slow down until the end. Every night, Paul has started to have the same weird dream that haunts him during the day. He then finds out his classmate, Francine, is having them as well. The two form an uneasy friendship as they search for answers to explain their shared dream. They also find out that they can read each other's minds. I don't want to give away too much of the plot as I think it would spoil it for you.

As I was reading, I kept wondering how different this would story would have been had it been written now. With the change in technology, the kids would have been able to do their research much faster. Instead, they have to rely on the library archives. Remember when there was no Internet? Since I read my older copy, I don't know if the author has updated the later versions. I hope not, I think it would change the story too much.

I look forward to sharing this with my kids when they are middle school age. I found nothing that wasn't appropriate for the middle grade level. Share it with your kids. I hope they love it as well!

--Kari

MMGW - Throwback Thursday Edition #1: The Agony of Alice

Author: Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
First Published in 1985 by Aladdin (Simon & Schuster inprint)

Life, Alice McKinley feels, is just one big embarrassment. Here she is, about to be a teenager and she doesn't know how. It's worse for her than for anyone else, she believes, because she has no role model. Her mother has been dead for years. Help and advice can only come from her father, manager of a music store, and her nineteen-year-old brother, who is a slob. What do they know about being a teen age girl?

What she needs, Alice decides, is a gorgeous woman who does everything right, as a roadmap, so to speak. If only she finds herself, when school begins, in the classroom of the beautiful sixth-grade teacher, Miss Cole, her troubles will be over. Unfortunately, she draws the homely, pear-shaped Mrs. Plotkin. One of Mrs. Plotkin's first assignments is for each member of the class to keep a journal of their thoughts and feelings. Alice calls hers "The Agony of Alice," and in it she records all the embarrassing things that happen to her.

When I was looking for a couple of Throwback Thursday reads for our Magnificent Middle Grade Week, I wanted to read something I had never read before. The librarian in the children's room at my local library was very helpful in pointing out a few series that I missed in the 80's. The Agony of Alice first came out in 1985, so it was probably "too young" for me since I was in high school by then.

I really enjoyed this book. Alice reminded me of myself at age 11. Embarrassing things always seemed to happen to me and I was always wanted to disappear. Alice lives with her father and older brother who have no clue how to relate to a girl. Her father calls her "Al" and her brother doesn't know that jeans come in girls sizes as well as boys. Her relationship with her family makes for some amusing scenes, such as the time a younger Alice asks her brother what a period is after hearing some older girls talking about theirs. He tell her it looks like a comma without the tail and goes at the end of a sentence. That had me cracking up.

Alice learns a lot about being yourself over the course of her sixth grade year. She also learns that the outer package may be beautiful, but the inside can be very ugly. Not everything that is good comes in a pretty package. I think that any middle grade age girl would enjoy this one. Even though it was written in 1985, it is still relevant to today. They will be able to relate to the social awkwardness and pains of being a tween.

The Agony of Alice is the first in a series that follows Alice McKinley from middle school through high school. There are 3 "prequels", as well, that have Alice in elementary school. A visit to her website showed that Ms. Naylor is still writing Alice books and has 2 or 3 more planned. I like the idea of a series that a young girl can read as she moves from sixth grade through high school along with Alice. I know that the later books, when Alice is in high school, deal with more mature subjects. But, from what I can see by the synopses, they are subjects that a lot of high school kids deal with every day. I also found that the "Alice" series has been on the list for top 10 most challenged books in the 1990s and into the 2000s. Just that alone makes me want to read them all!

If you missed this series, give it a shot. If you are worried about content, read them before passing them on to your daughters. As I always say, use your own discretion.

-Kari

Magnificent Middle Grade Week: The Throne of Fire (The Kane Chronicles #2)

Author: Rick Riordan
Publisher: Hyperion Books (May 2011)

Ever since the gods of Ancient Egypt were unleashed in the modern world, Carter Kane and his sister Sadie have been in trouble. As descendants of the House of Life, the Kanes have some powers at their command, but the devious gods haven't given them much time to master their skills at Brooklyn House, which has become a training ground for young magicians.

And now their most threatening enemy yet - the chaos snake Apophis - is rising. If they don't prevent him from breaking free in a few days' time, the world will come to an end. In other words, it's a typical week for the Kane family.

To have any chance of battling the Forces of Chaos, the Kanes must revive the sun god Ra. But that would be a feat more powerful than any magician has ever accomplished.

First they have to search the world for the three sections of the Book of Ra, then they have to learn how to chant its spells. Oh, and did we mention that no one knows where Ra is exactly?

The Throne of Fire is the second in the Kane Chronicles. I also enjoyed the first one, The Red Pyramid, but I liked this one better. I felt like I was getting less of a history lesson and more adventure. That was my biggest complaint about The Red Pyramid. This time around, Sadie and her Brother Carter Kane must find the god Ra and prevent Anubis from entering the mortal world.

I felt like the kids grew into their own in this one. Their relationship with each other became stronger. I loved Sadie. She is like a breath of fresh air. She says it like it is and her thoughts often caused laugh out loud moments for me. Carter isn't as full of personality, but he is slowly growing on me. Along with many of the same characters from the first book, we are introduced to a few new faces. I thought they brought a freshness to the story. Walt was just too sweet for words and Bes was a great god. I would love to see a drawing of him in his Hawaiian shirt and speedo.

The Throne of Fire is more serious than The Red Pyramid. The siblings face more loss in this one. While sad, the loss is necessary to give them strength for the battle ahead. It is also filled with many battles as in the first one. The end of the book does give some resolution, but there is also a cliffhanger of sorts. I hope the next book comes out soon to see if Sadie and Carter can save the world and put the selfish gods in their places.
I feel this series is very similar to the Percy Jackson series, which I loved. There are battles, selfish gods, and children who must battle evil to save the world. Despite that, I am enjoying it. I wouldn't call this a stand alone novel. There is a lot of back story in the first one that I think is necessary for this one, so I recommend reading them in order.

I think any Middle Grade reader who is a fan of Percy Jackson will enjoy this series as well!

--Kari

Magnificent Middle Grade Week: The Orphan of Awkward Falls

by:  Keith Graves
published by:  Chronicle Books
published date:  September 28, 2011

When thirteen-year-old Josephine moves to Awkward Falls she can't help but snoop around the dilapidated mansion next door. She finds a little more than she bargained for when she is captured by the strange characters who live there: an ancient automaton who serves as a butler, a cat patched together with a few odd parts, and most surprising of all, a boy named Thaddeus Hibble. Meanwhile, the most feared patient in the Asylum for the Dangerously Insane is on the loose. Fetid Stenchley has escaped in the most dramatic fashion, and there is only one thing on his mind...revenge. Unfortunately for Thaddeus and Josephine, he's headed their way. Can these unlikely friends stop Stenchley before he destroys them all? Full of hilariously spooky details, surprising twists, and haunting black and white illustrations, Keith Graves delivers a suspenseful and engaging first novel. Inspired by the classic tales of Frankenstein and mad scientists, with a splash of contemporary technology, the wonderfully tense action and gory descriptions will hook boys from the start, while Josephine provides a clever and unique heroine that girls will adore.

I will admit from the very beginning I only read the first 100 pages of this book.  I got a copy of it at ALA thinking that my 4th grader might like it (or the 6th grader down the street).  I started reading it first for MMG Week.  I'm glad I did. 

In the first 100 pages there were a bevy of reason why I don't think I'd want my daughter to read this book until she was older, if at all.   It starts off in an insane asylum for criminals.  Fetid Stenchley is not only a murderer but he's a cannibal as well and after an open skull electric shock treatment that is witnessed by dozens, he escapes.  Josephine moves to the same town that this is going on.  The her first night she's taken against her will by a robot to the basement of a strange boy that does Frankenstein like experiments. 

The recommended ages of this book are 9-12.  I personally don't think cannibalistic murderers are appropriate for children of that age range. 

Guest Blogger and Giveaway - Rosanne Lortz

Today we have with us, Rosanne Lortz, author of From the West: Book I of the Chronicles of Tancred.

Publisher: Madison Street Publishing (September 2011)

Haunted by guilt from the past and nightmares of the future, a young Norman named Tancred takes the cross and vows to be the first to free Jerusalem from the infidels. As he journeys to the Holy Land, he braves vast deserts, mortal famine, and the ever-present ambushes of the enemy Turks—but the greatest danger of all is deciding which of the Crusader lords to trust. A mysterious seer prophesies that Tancred will find great love and great sorrow on his journey, but the second seems intent on claiming him before he can find the first. Intrigues and passions grow as every battle brings the Crusaders one step closer to Jerusalem. Not all are destined to survive the perilous road from the West.

Giveaway details: I have been generously given 1 paperback copy of Ms. Lortz's book to share with you. This giveaway is open internationally. Just leave a comment with a working e-mail address. This giveaway will be open until September 8. A winner will be chosen using random.org. I will notify the winner by e-mail.

Ms. Lortz writes:

FALLING IN LOVE WITH HISTORICAL FICTION

I grew up in a house stuffed with bookcases, oak monstrosities full of overburdened shelves double-stacked with books. My mother was, and still is, a great collector of books, especially the classics. The Odyssey and Herodotus’ Histories found haphazard places on one shelf while The Count of Monte Cristo and War and Peace elbowed for room in the adjoining bookcase. It was a library that the Great Books Foundation would have taken pride in, and a library I hope to inherit someday.

Although the term “classic” is hard to define, most lexicographers would agree that any book trying to attain to that exalted category must “stand the test of time.” A classic is, by necessity, from an older world and a past era. When reading a classic, you take an excursion into history. Perhaps it was the ease of access, perhaps it was a hereditary obsession—but suffice it to say that growing up in this environment, I too became enamored with the classics and, in the process, with the stories of the past. After the rich tapestry of Ivanhoe, Kidnapped, Pride and Prejudice, and A Portrait of a Lady, contemporary fiction seemed too thin a garment to wear. For me, the classics were the first step on the road to becoming a devotee of historical fiction.

It was only a small leap from the classics into the world of “classic” historical fiction. I devoured the adventures of Rafael Sabatini’s Captain Blood and learned that Ben Hur, the novel, was even more exhilarating than the movie version with Charlton Heston. I scoured the library and used bookstores to get my hands on every book written by Howard Pyle, Samuel Shellabarger, Rosemary Sutcliff, and Edith Pargeter (AKA Ellis Peters). When I go back and look at the copyright dates for my favorite novels during this period of my life, I see they fall anywhere between the late 1800’s and the 1970’s. Everything was put into print at least a decade before I was born.

In a very definite way, these older books written by authors from previous generations shaped my ideas and ideals for what historical fiction should be. Historical fiction is a grand adventure, the story of a person, an event, or an era that engages the senses and the imagination of the reader. Historical fiction carves a window into the past with as clear a pane of glass as the author’s writing can render. Individuals, both ordinary and extraordinary, come alive before our eyes: soldiers, saints, mothers, miscreants, kings, cobblers, and every kind of human being born on this earth. Events, both commonplace and momentous, unfold like a roll of cloth with all the wrinkles and nubs that “real” life brings our way. All this, I discovered, was the grandeur and gift of historical fiction.

Later, after I had broadened my literary horizons enough to compare my canon of favorite books to something else, I began to realize what historical fiction was not. And as I nitpicked my way through books I did not enjoy, I considered the nuts and bolts of what made a good historical novel. Historical fiction is not airplane reading with sentences no longer than twelve words apiece and cliffhangers at the end of every three-page chapter. (And yet, it must embody the element of action if it is to engage the reader….) Historical fiction is not a vehicle for erotica with period clothes portrayed solely for the purpose of unlacing them and casting them aside. (And yet, it sparkles best when placed in a setting of romance….) Historical fiction is not an excuse for moralism with characters woodenly forced into exemplifying archetypical virtues and vices. (And yet, it does teach us by showing the good and evil within previous generations….) Sometimes, by discovering what we do not admire, we can discover more truths about the things that we do—and it was during this more “critical” period of my reading life that my love for historical fiction became refined and reinforced.

Historical fiction is a genre I fell in love with long ago and the relationship continues until this very day. Eventually, my enthusiasm for it led me to write my own historical novels--I Serve: A Novel of the Black Prince (2009) and Road from the West: Book I of the Chronicles of Tancred (Sept. 2, 2011). Becoming a writer, as well as a reader, of the genre has increased my appreciation all the more, and I fully intend to let that appreciation—just like my mother’s book collection—grow and grow until there is no more space to hold it.

Thank you for joining us Ms. Lortz! - Kari

About the author:
Rosanne E. Lortz is a Reformed Christian, a medieval enthusiast, and a native of Portland, Oregon. She graduated from New St. Andrews College. in 2005 with a B. A. in Liberal Arts and Culture. For the last five years, she has taught classes in history, literature, and music at King's Academy, a small private school in Oregon City, Oregon. She married David Spears in December of 2009 and gave birth to two adorable twin boys in November of 2010. Her website can be found here.

Magnificent Middle Grade Week: Reel Life Staring Us

by:  Lisa Greenwald
published by:  Amulet Books
publish date:  September 1, 2011

Rockwood Hills Junior High is known for the close-knit cliques that rule the school. When arty new girl Dina gets the opportunity to do a video project with queen bee Chelsea, she thinks this is her ticket to a great new social life. But Chelsea has bigger problems than Dina can imagine: her father has lost his job, and her family is teetering on the brink. Without knowing it, Dina might just get caught in Chelsea’s free fall.



I'm going to confess that I really liked this book.  I'm a 30 something grown woman and I read this book in one sitting because it was so cute.  I really liked Dina. 

This would be a great book for a girl heading into middle school or a girl moving to a new school in middle school.  It talked a lot about trying to fit in at a new school. 

I didn't find anything in this book objectionable from a parental standpoint.  The one thing that was a little bit iffy was that the kids in this book were obviously obscenely rich.  $300 for a pair of jeans?  Does anybody actually pay that?  That was the only thing that sort of raised my eyebrow, but that was it.

Magnificent Middle Grade Week: Touch Blue

by:  Cynthia Lord

publisher:  Scholastic

publish date:  August 1, 2010

The state of Maine plans to shut down her island’s schoolhouse, which would force Tess’s family to move to the mainland--and Tess to leave the only home she has ever known. Fortunately, the islanders have a plan too: increase the numbers of students by having several families take in foster children. So now Tess and her family are taking a chance on Aaron, a thirteen-year-old trumpet player who has been bounced from home to home. And Tess needs a plan of her own--and all the luck she can muster. Will Tess’s wish come true or will her luck run out? Newbery Honor author Cynthia Lord offers a warm-hearted, humorous, and thoughtful look at what it means to belong--and how lucky we feel when we do.

This was a wonderful book.  I loved how vividly island life was portrayed.  There's a blurb inside the book about how this story is based on the author's actual experience with her time teaching on an island where the families took in foster children in order to keep the school open.

Tess is a great character.  She's amazingly courageous and fiercely loyal to her family.  Aaron was interesting and I was very curious to see how his story was going to turn out.  I think this story would appeal to young girls and boys equally. 

Magnificent Middle Grade Week: Wonderstruck

Since school has either started or is about to start for all the little munchkins out there, we decided that we would do a week of Middle Grade books.

First up is Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick.  It's going to be published on September 13th by Scholastic Press.

Set fifty years apart, two independent stories—Ben's told in words and Rose's in pictures—weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder.

Ever since his mom died, Ben feels lost.
At home with her father, Rose feels alone.

He is searching for someone, but he is not sure who.
She is searching for something, but she is not sure what.

When Ben finds a mysterious clue hidden in his mom's room,
When a tempting opportunity presents itself to Rose

Both children risk everything to find what's missing.



First off, don't let the size of this book intimidate you.  It's over 600 pages, but well over half of those pages are illustrated.  Many of the pages with writing on them have very little writing on them.  It was actually a very quick read. 

I really liked this book.  I happened to really enjoy how the two stories entertwined.  It was very clever.  I liked the way Rose's story was told almost entirely in pictures.  It was an interesting technique.  The illustrations in this book were wonderful.

From the viewpoint of a parent I didn't have any concerns about children reading this book. 

Bedbugs

by:  Ben Winters
published by:  Quirk Publishing
publish date:  September 6, 2011

Susan and Alex Wendt have found their dream apartment.

Sure, the landlady is a little eccentric. And the elderly handyman drops some cryptic remarks about the basement. But the rent is so low, it’s too good to pass up.

Big mistake. Susan soon discovers that her new home is crawling with bedbugs . . . or is it? She awakens every morning with fresh bites, but neither Alex nor their daughter Emma has a single welt. An exterminator searches the property and turns up nothing. The landlady insists her building is clean. Susan fears she’s going mad—until a more sinister explanation presents itself: she may literally be confronting the bedbug problem from Hell.

I live in deep south Louisiana and fortunately bedbugs haven't become a serious problem here...yet.  At least I don't think so.   After reading this book, I hope they don't ever.  This book freaked me out.  In areas where bedbugs are a problem are people really psycho about not getting them?  In this book people wouldn't visit this family because they thought they had bedbugs and their friend wouldn't let them spend the night because they didn't want to get the bugs.  Is it really that bad?

Though the book was well written and really freaky, I did not like Susan at all.  She was a stay at home mom with only ONE kid and had a nanny.  At one point the nanny get fired and Susan calls her husband to see if he'll come home early because she's had to watch the child by herself all day.  Uhh what?  I was talking to my husband about that and we agreed he'd probably kill me!

This book is a psychological thriller and a horror book rolled into one.  I wouldn't recommend it if you have a weak stomach, there were some parts that really grossed me out.  It was a great read though in terms of a horror novel.  It would definitely make a great scary movie.