Alistair Grim's Odditorium by Gregory Funaro

Date Published: January 6, 2015
ISBN: 1484708997
Genre: Middle grade, fantasy
Publisher:  Disney Hyperion
Themes: Adventure, mystery, humor, magic

Add it on: Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes And Noble

About the Book: Grubb, age twelve (or thereabouts), has never known anything beyond his miserable existence as a chimney sweep, paid only in insults and abuse by his cruel master. All of that changes the day he stows away in the coach belonging to a mysterious guest at the inn that he is tasked with cleaning. Grubb emerges from Alistair Grim's trunk and into the wondrous world of the Odditorium. Fueled by a glowing blue energy that Grubb can only begin to understand, the Odditorium is home to countless enchanted objects and an eccentric crew that embraces Grubb as one of their own. There's no time for Grubb to settle into his new role as apprentice to the strange, secretive Mr. Grim. When the Odditorium comes under attack, Grubb is whisked off on a perilous adventure. Only he can prevent the Odditorium's magic from falling into evil hands—and his new family from suffering a terrible fate. Grubb knows he's no hero. He's just a chimney sweep. But armed with only his courage and wits, Grubb will confront the life-or-death battle he alone is destined to fight.
First Line: "The odd was the ordinary at Alistair Grim's."

What Others Are Saying: "Told in the engaging brogue of an apprentice chimney sweeper, this novel seems to have all the ingredients for a fun middle grade read, blending fantasy with Dickensian-esque fiction. Although the initial ideas and characters have strong promise, the execution of the story is rather ordinary." —School Library Journal

"Funaro's world building and characters are fascinating, and the fast pace and overstuffed plot-from war in the air to a daring escape from sea sirens-make for an exciting story. Funaro's first book for young readers has all the playfulness of classic adventures like The Phantom Tollbooth and the intrigue of newer steampunk novels, making it a clever mash-up of mystery and merriment, ideal for kids who loved Percy Jackson and Harry Potter." —Booklist

Bloggers Weigh In:

Mundie Kids

Geekerydo

Fantasy Book Critic

What I Thought: When Grub, the protagonist finds himself at the Odditorium, he begins a nonstop adventure. The pace throttles high and doesn't stop while adding strange magical characters, powerful power sources and legends and myths all rolled into fast moving world. Amazingly, Funaro eases out new information at just the right concentration of eccentric and detail to make this a fun ride. Grub is a great character, but I was hungry for more character development which I hope to see in the next in the series. 

About The Author: Gregory Funaro

Website

Twitter

Gregory Funaro grew up in Cranston, Rhode Island, and wrote his first story, The Ghost in the Window, in the fourth grade. He considers this to be his finest work, but unfortunately it has been lost to time. Following high school Greg majored in theatre at the University of New Hampshire, and after various acting gigs, received his AM in Theatre Arts from Brown University and an MFA in Acting from the FSU/Asolo Conservatory. Greg teaches drama at East Carolina University, and is busy working on the next book in the Odditorium series.

Add on Goodreads

The Choice by Cindy Cipriano

Date Published: June 9, 2015 

ISBN: 9781922200181
Genre: Middle grade, fantasy
Publisher: Odyssey Books
Themes: friendship, family, home, loyalty
Add it on: Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes And Noble

The is the second book in The Sidhe series, see my review of the first, The Circle, here.

About The Book: For Calum Ranson, seventh grade brings changes in his relationship with his parents and his friends, and a confrontation with his bully. Calum’s talents have also developed to a level unheard of in the Sidhe world, and he surprises everyone when he cleverly catches the person responsible for casting Finley out from the Otherworld.
When Calum goes against everything he knows is right, he makes a choice that may cost him his friendship with Laurel. An old friend steps in, but her mysterious ways leave Calum questioning her motivation.
  
In the second book of the Sidhe Series, Calum, Laurel, and Hagen reunite in their search for Finley. And while many things have changed, Calum remains steadfast in his belief that Finley is still alive and that Calum will bring him home. —Goodreads

First Line: " Are you sure you saw it?" Calum asked, running his hand through his light brown hair. "You saw the glowing?"

What Others Are Saying: 
"The Choice is filled with lessons about friendship, morals, love, and loyalty. And written in such a deep and profound way that I find lacking among most YA authors today. With this book, itself, I already wanted to know about what will happen to Finley. The Choice is an engaging read and the description of the Sidhe’s world was vivid in my mind. And I wanted to be part of it." —Plethoric Thoughts

"...rarely will you find a story so involved, so deep and mysterious. Cipriano didn't "dumb down" anything, as some YA authors are known to. She assumed that teens would understand or strive to understand every emotion, every name and every element of the story." —Kelly Smith Reviews


What I Thought: Again, Cipriano doesn't disappoint as she weaves her fantasy involving the Gaelic myth of the Sidhe, a fae population living among humans. I love the characters and their seeming normalcy even with their extraordinary powers they are struggling to balance. The estrangement that the knowledge of their difference creates between Callum and Laurel due to Laurel's parents inability to accept Callum and his family is palpable. I'm sure any tween or teen that has experienced that kind of prejudice when a parent has difficulty trusting and at the same time protecting their child can relate to Callum and Laurels experience. This is a great read and I highly recommend it!

About The Author: Cindy Cipriano
Website
The Sidhe Series
Twitter
Interview on Writer And Authors
  
Who: Cindy Cipriano lives in North Carolina and has taught middle school science since 2001. She was named a North Carolina Outstanding Science Teacher in 2009 by the North Carolina Science Teachers Association. In 2012, Cindy received the Burroughs Wellcome Fund PRISM award for innovative teaching. Cindy has a M.Ed. and is a National Board Certified Teacher. She is also a North Carolina Certified Environmental Educator. Cindy is a member of the Drawbridge Writers Group, and the Triad Writers Group. Cindy enjoys speaking at conferences and is available for conference presentations, book club meetings, or other author visits.

MMGM: The In-Between by Barbara Stewart

About The Book: When Elanor’s near-death experience opens a door to a world inhabited by bold, beautiful Madeline, she finds her life quickly spiraling out of control

Fourteen-year-old Elanor Moss has always been an outcast who fails at everything she tries—she's even got the fine, white scars to prove it. Moving was supposed to be a chance at a fresh start, a way to leave behind all the pain and ugliness of her old life. But, when a terrible car accident changes her life forever, her near-death experience opens a door to a world inhabited by Madeline Torus . . . Madeline is everything Elanor isn’t: beautiful, bold, brave. She is exactly what Elanor has always wanted in a best friend and more—their connection runs deeper than friendship. But Madeline is not like other girls, and Elanor has to keep her new friend a secret or risk being labeled “crazy.” Soon, though, even Elanor starts to doubt her own sanity. Madeline is her entire life, and that life is drastically spinning out of control. Elanor knows what happens when your best friend becomes your worst enemy. But what happens when your worst enemy is yourself?

First Line: I was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

What Others Are Saying: "Stewart conveys with gripping conviction the differences in Ellie's perceptions and those of Ellie's mother. Ellie sees, hears, and feels Madeline though her mother does not, or at least says she does not. The creepiness of the story is intensified by the reader's growing awareness that Madeline is much more than Ellie's ghostly BFF. In the vein of V. C. Andrews, Stewart has created a taut psychological drama that teens will adore." —School Library Journal

Stewart’s debut novel is a riveting page-turner with real empathy and compassion. The journal format clarifies Ellie’s different stages and lends a wonderful voyeuristic appeal. —Booklist

Written in journal form, the scenes change as Ellie enters new periods in her life and begins new journals. Readers, then, encounter only the unreliable narrator, and it is they who will decide if events have been real or imagined.
      A most intriguing book and debut. —Kirkus

Bloggers Weigh In:
Teen Ink

This Ain't Livin

Xpresso Reads

What I Thought: If you're looking for a light summer read, this isn't the book. If, however, you're looking to escape into a world full of twists and turns that force you to question what's real and what's only in the mind of the protagonist you will enjoy this ride. Fast moving, constantly readjusting your perspective as Ellie moves through the ordinary, only to discover that there is no such thing as ordinary. What is real and what is in her mind? That's up to you to decide. 

About The Author: Barbara Stewart

Website

Author Interview

Who:  "I spent the first nineteen years of my life wanting to be someone else: Laura Ingalls, Elton John, Nancy Spungen, Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe, Sylvia Plath. It was hard finding work as any of those people, so I went to college. That was hard, too, because I had to pick a major. I was interested in a lot of things—psychology, sociology, history—but none of them screamed "career" at me.

And then my English professor asked if I wanted to write a short story for extra credit. I gave it a shot. And then I wrote another and another…I couldn’t stop. I knew what I wanted to do." —Author's Website


Tomorrow is the last day for the It's NOT Just A Dog Blog Tour and Giveaway! With over 900 entries and over a 100 new likes on the Project Madison Fan page it's been a fun month-long run. If you haven't yet entered you have one more day for a chance to win some awesome prizes! 

MMGM: Ghost Hawk by Susan Cooper

Published: August 27th 2013
ISBN: 1442481412
Genre: Middle grade, historical fiction
Publisher: Margaret K. Mcelderry Book
Themes: Native American, early American history, family, friendship

Add it on: Goodreads, / Amazon / Barnes And Noble/ *Indie Bound*

About The Book: On the winter day Little Hawk is sent into the woods alone, he can take only a bow and arrows, his handcrafted tomahawk, and the amazing metal knife his father traded for with the new white settlers. If Little Hawk survives three moons by himself, he will be a man.
John Wakely is only ten when his father dies, but he has already experienced the warmth and friendship of the nearby tribes. Yet his fellow colonists aren’t as accepting of the native people. When he is apprenticed to a barrel-maker, John sees how quickly the relationships between settlers and natives are deteriorating. His friendship with Little Hawk will put both boys in grave danger.

The intertwining stories of Little Hawk and John Wakely are a fascinating tale of friendship and an eye-opening look at the history of our nation. Newbery Medalist Susan Cooper also includes a timeline and an author’s note that discusses the historical context of this important and moving novel.

First Line: He had left his canoe in the river, tied to a branch of a low-growing cherry tree.

What Others Are Saying: "Ghost Hawk is a treasure.... Beautifully written, vivid with its manifest love for the land, it is a story of suffering and survival, both tragic and heroic."—(Karen Cushman, author of the Newbery Medal winner The Midwife's Apprentice)

"Well-researched and elegant historical fantasy... Cooper demonstrates, as Little Hawk says, “Change is made by the voice of one person at a time.” —(Publishers Weekly, starred review)

"Cooper has written a richly plotted, lyrical, and near-epic novel...this is simply an unforgettable reading experience." —(Booklist, starred review)

"[A] sensitive portrayal of an unusual friendship."—(Kirkus Reviews)

"Cooper here demonstrates that there’s plenty of magic left in her pen, delivering a powerful and memorable novel."—(The Horn Book)


Bloggers Weigh In:
The Uninterrupted Reader
A Dream Of Books
As The Crow Flies (And Reads)
American Indians In Children's Literature


What I Thought: I was raised with the understanding that many of our ancestor's treatment of Native and African Americans was and often continues to be abusive. And though I understand the critique of the "White Savior" themes that are often portrayed in movies and literature, I believe that there is another perspective. The hope that if I were to live in that time, I would be strong enough to stand up to those that bully and abuse others based on ignorance and fear. We that hope and want to believe that see ourselves in these stories and are inspired by them. Not with the idea that we are superior, but that we would make choices in favor of respect and honoring other people.

Defining any group of people into a generalized perception, whether it's black, brown of white, only serves to deepen the gap. I believe Cooper did a good job demonstrating the multiple dynamics that existed in that time. One of my favorite parts is when Little Hawk tells John that it is John's open minded outlook that gives him the ability to see from other points of view and it will lead him to make good choices. Unlike those unwilling to see beyond what they know and reach out to those that are different as equally important human beings. What a great message for our children to embrace. The ability to question, wonder, always seeking understanding and connection. 

About The Author: Susan Cooper
Website
Facebook
Video Interview on Reading Rockets

Who: Susan Cooper is the author of the classic five-book sequence The Dark is Rising, which won a Newbery Medal, a Newbery Honor Award, and two Carnegie Honor Awards. Born in England, she was a reporter and feature writer for the London Sunday Times before coming to live in the United States. Her writing includes books for children and adults, a Broadway play, films, and Emmy-nominated screenplays. Her most recent books for children are King of Shadows and Victory, and for adults a portrait of Revels founder Jack Langstaff called The Magic Maker. In 2012, Susan was given the Margaret A. Edwards Award and in 2013 she received the World Fantasy Award for life achievement. Her children’s novel Ghost Hawk was published in 2013. Susan lives and writes in Marshfield, Massachusetts.

MMGM: What I Came To Tell You by Tommy Hays

Published: September 24, 2013
ISBN: 1606844334
Genre: Middle grade, contemporary
Publisher: Egmont, USA
Themes: friendship, family, place, home, loss
Add it on: Goodreads, / Amazon / Barnes And Noble/ *Indie Bound*

About the Book: Since his mother died earlier this year, Grover Johnston (named after a character in Thomas Wolfe's Look Homeward Angel) has watched his family fall to pieces as his father throws himself into his work rather than dealing with the pain. Left to care for his younger sister, Sudie, Grover finds solace in creating intricate weavings out of the natural materials found in the bamboo forest behind his North Carolina home, a pursuit that his father sees only as a waste of time.

But as tensions mount between father and son, two unlikely forces conspire to lead the Johnstons on a new path -- a presence that seems to come to Grover in his darkest moments and new tenants in the rental house across the street who have come from deep in the Carolina hills and plopped themselves right into Grover's life. The families seem so different but become increasingly intertwined, bound together in unexpected ways. Until one devastating disaster threatens to tear them apart.

Tender, touching, and utterly compelling, What I Came to Tell You, the first middle-grade novel from critically acclaimed Asheville author Tommy Hays, is a story of grief, love, and hard-won redemption.

First Line: Before their mother became Buddhist, she would take Grover and his sister to the First Presbyterian Church downtown.

What Others Are Saying: "Though the book spans just a few months, it's packed with incident and complex connections between a range of characters. Hays is especially strong at depicting the network of people, old and young, who help Grover and his family move through their grief and, along the way, save his beloved forest." --Publishers Weekly, STARRED review

"Hays’ story is filled with touching honesty and youthful wisdom, all of which help undergird Grover’s own discovery of the healing power of family, love, and art." —Booklist Review

Bloggers Weigh In:

Pen and Prose

The Reading Life

Vicki Lane Mysteries

What I Thought: "What I Came To Tell You," is the kind of book that starts out quiet, builds slowly, ends too soon and leaves an emotional punch that stays with you long afterward. This would be an excellent book to read-aloud, because it may begin too slowly for some middle grade readers. These types of books are few and far between and often lost in the action-packed fantasy and non-stop humor books that fill our middle grade shelves. The characters alone are worth the trip to Asheville, North Carolina, where the book is set. As an educator, I see several wonderful tie-ins for integrated curriculum: art-weaving, math-grids, literature-Wolfe, science-nature and conservation. I still have a great desire to create my own weaving of twigs, grasses and leaves. I highly recommend this book because of it's themes and opportunities for dialogue. 

Photo by Michael Mauney

About The Author: Tommy Hays

Website

Facebook

Interview with Jo Maeder

Who: Executive Director of the Great Smokies Writing Program and Lecturer in the Master of Liberal Arts program at UNC Asheville. He teaches in the MFA Creative Writing Program at Murray State University.

His adult novel, The Pleasure Was Mine, was a Finalist for the SIBA Fiction Award in 2006, and has been chosen for numerous community reads, including the One City, One Book program in Greensboro and the Amazing Read in Greenville, SC. The novel was read on National Public Radio’s “Radio Reader” and South Carolina ETVRadio’s “Southern Read”. His other adult novels are Sam’s Crossing, which has been recently re-released, and In the Family Way, winner of the Thomas Wolfe Memorial Literary Award.

A member of the National Book Critics Circle, he received his BA in English from Furman University and graduated from the MFA Program for Writers at Warren Wilson College. He lives in Asheville with his wife, Connie, and their two children, Max and Ruth. —Authors Website

Be sure to stop by the other MMGM book reviewers. You can find them in my sidebar...

And last, but not least, I have a giveaway going on over at Goodreads!

 

MMGM: Flight of Blue by A.E. Howard

Published: July 24, 2012
ISBN: 1477666303
Genre: Middle grade, fantasy 

Publisher: Elder Tree Books
Themes: friendship, bravery, compassion
Add it on: Goodreads, / Amazon / Barnes And Noble/ *Indie Bound*

About The Book: A cursed traffic light. A rip in the fabric of the world. A sorcerer injured on a quest for revenge.
Kai and Ellie embark on a journey to return the sorcerer to his home. Entangled in events that could destroy the world, Kai must choose if he will accept the role he was born to play, but isn't sure he wants.

Kai's view of the world is shattered when Reginald, an Opossum sorcerer with attitude, speaks. Reginald becomes an unwilling guide, and Kai finds himself on a journey where every discovery only leads to more questions. With time running out as the Realm of Darkness pushes through, he must learn all he can about himself and his parents' past to find a way to close the rip between the Realms before his world vanishes. But truth is more dangerous than illusion, and he finds the fate of the world resting on his ability to wield his newly discovered magic.

A page-turning blend of non-stop action and memorable characters, Flight of Blue puts a timeless theme in a modern setting where compassion, loyalty, courage, and friendship can stand in the face of great evil, and overcome.

First Line: It was one of those fall days where the air calls you outside, where leaves crunch deliciously under your feet, the sky is an impossible blue, and school, even if you like school, is pure torture.

What Others Are Saying: I don't remember a dull moment in the story. The pacing was perfect making it almost impossible to put the story down. I wanted to know what was going to happen, but I didn't want to miss a single detail in the meantime (even the chapter titles are intriguing). — Felicia Wetzig

"Evokes memories of epic adventure tales and magic realms we pretend not to imagine as adults... The story makes us think about the reality of the world in the way a good Sci-Fi book does while providing comic relief though a self important, naked Opossum." —Kate Tagai, blogger

More Bloggers Weigh In:

Brian Clopper

Crystal In Bookland

Bibliophile's Corner

What I Thought: If you're looking for a book filled with magic, talking animals, mysterious worlds and adventure, Flight of Blue is the perfect choice. I was reticent since I'd heard it compared to Narnia and Harry Potter. Don't misunderstand, I love those, I just prefer fresh new adventures with original characters and worlds in my fantasy reads. Howard delivered. This was a totally new spin on common themes of friendship, loyalty and saving the world. Kai, the reluctant hero is energetic and curious like any twelve-year-old. A great book for middle grade boys and girls. 

About The Author: 

A.E. Howard

Website

Blog

Facebook

Twitter

Who: Once upon a time there was a little girl who read a book and thought, one day, I’ll find another world. Many years later, after a near death experience at a traffic light, she passed a possum dying on the side of the road. She stopped, and with its dying breaths, the possum imparted a tale so wondrously strange, she drove home realizing the new world she’d been searching for was right there all along. So she embarked on a quest of mythic proportions, traveled far and wide to the farthest corners of this world to uncover its secrets. Now she’s bringing the story to you.

MMGM: The Tale of Mally Biddle by M.L. LeGette

Published: November 21st 2012
ISBN: 1481003208
Genre: YA fiction, fairy tales and fantasy, historical fiction Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Themes: adventure, friendship, loyalty, bravery, class
Add it on: Goodreads, / Amazon / Barnes And Noble/ *Indie Bound*

About The Book: When Mally Biddle agreed to spy upon the King of Lenzar and his overbearing knights she knew she was heading into danger. She didn’t know she’d find a family unlike any other.

Posing as a servant in Bosc Castle, Mally serves tea and restocks the fires for the most dangerous men in the kingdom. Her goal is to learn the truth of what happened sixteen years ago, when the infant princess met her death … a death that has more questions than answers.

Along her search for the truth, Mally meets the energized Lita Stump, the strict and matriarchal Meriyal Boyd, and the opinionated Archibald Diggleby. Then of course there are the knights: Sir Leon Gibbs who is slicker than a greased hog, Adrian Bayard, hot tempered and violent, and the worst of the lot: Sir Illius Molick, Captain of the Knights. And then there is Maud, a mysterious woman who just might know everything…

First Line: He sat at a small table in a dark corner.

One Great Line: “You know what I know, Mally. Now you must decide what to believe.”

What Others Are Saying: "This was a delightful book filled with excitement and more than a little espionage. Mally is a bright, strong character that is far from happy playing the delicate victim. She speaks up for herself and stands up for what is right, she doesn't hide her talents, but uses them to help those around her and she is loyal and protective of her friends and family. While I admit it was a bit predictable, it was still a fun read. This would be a fantastic book for a young girl and I think boys would enjoy the adventure in it as well. I especially appreciate that it is a book I could recommend to a ten- or twelve-year-old and not worry about inappropriate content. It is a very sweet book and very well written." — Smart Girls Read

More Bloggers Weigh In:

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

WitchMag's Boekenplank

Fly High

What I Thought: Mally is a stong heroine and I enjoyed following her adventure. LaGette did an excellent job of flushing out her character, often showing the precarious balance of fear and bravery one must have to survive. The "Gooseberry wine, blackberry mead, five-year-old cheddars the size of wagon wheels..." descriptions of food or the "large, black rat (that) sat on the counter, his bald tail wrapped...," all served to created a sense of being there. This is a great adventure, even though Mally is seventeen, this is appropriate for the younger teens and advanced young readers. I recommend this highly as an historical fiction that portrays a time of knights and kings and the contrasting realities of the servants. 

About The Author: M.L. LaGette

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Who: Melissa LeGette lives in Georgia where she helps run a family farm, so her nails are a fright.Her imaginary world is always fantastical.

When: Oddly enough it was my mom who suggested the profession. I was busily penning my first novel and telling her all about it when she asked, “Melissa what do you want to do when you grow up?” (I was probably 15 at the time.) I said, “I don’t know.” (And I really didn’t.) She then said, “Why don’t you be a writer?” The question rather blew me away. It had never dawned on me that I could be a writer. But it was so obvious. I haven’t looked back since.Oddly enough it was my mom who suggested the profession. I was busily penning my first novel and telling her all about it when she asked, “Melissa what do you want to do when you grow up?” (I was probably 15 at the time.) I said, “I don’t know.” (And I really didn’t.) She then said, “Why don’t you be a writer?” The question rather blew me away. It had never dawned on me that I could be a writer. But it was so obvious. I haven’t looked back since.

Celebrating TEEN Read Week: Listening For Lucca by Suzanne Lafleur

In support of ALA's Teen Read Week I'll be highlighting a new TEEN read each day. Happy reading!

Published: August 16, 2013
ISBN: 0385742991
Genre: Middle grade
Publisher: Wendy Lamb Books
Themes: family, mystery, friendship, history, time travel
Add it on: Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes And Noble/ *Indie Bound*

About The Book: "I'm obsessed with abandoned things." Siena's obsession began a year and a half ago, around the time her two-year-old brother Lucca stopped talking. Now Mom and Dad are moving the family from Brooklyn to Maine hoping that it will mean a whole new start for Lucca and Siena. She soon realizes that their wonderful old house on the beach holds secrets. When Siena writes in her diary with an old pen she found in her closet, the pen writes its own story, of Sarah and Joshua, a brother and sister who lived in the same house during World War II. As the two stories unfold, amazing parallels begin to appear, and Siena senses that Sarah and Joshua's story might contain the key to unlocking Lucca's voice.

What Others Are Saying:  Starred Review, Publishers Weekly, June 17, 2013:  “LaFleur (Eight Keys) offers an enticing blend of history, mystery, and family, perfect for fans of Rebecca Stead’s When You Reach Me.”

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2013:
"Tender and brave, Siena is a heroine to be admired... All is well in this lovely and magical tale."

What I Thought: What I loved most about this book were the characters. Sienna is wonderful and I found myself relating to her. Even better, her family members all had their own kind of quirk. There wasn't a character that sat flat on the page. Even going into the past the characters were substantial. A wonderful story with heartwarming connections that stay with you after the book has ended.

About The Author: Suzanne LaFleur

Website

Facebook

Who: I grew up outside Boston in Newton, and later Natick, MA. During the school year I went to Catholic school, did a lot of homework, and read a couple books a week. During the summer I read a couple books a day and spent hours swimming and playing outside at our local pool or beach. I was very much a planner, dreamer, and writer, creating plays and shows for my siblings and the neighborhood kids to be in and filling up entire notebooks with novels. I always read late into the night and slept with a book under my pillow.
I went to college in Lexington, VA at Washington and Lee, where I studied English and European History; I went to grad school in New York City at The New School, where I studied Writing for Children.

No Ordinary Excuse by Michelle Adams

Date Published: February 11, 2012

ISBN: 0987232517
Genre: middle grade fiction, contemporary
Themes: Family, honesty, choices, school
Publisher: Odyssey Books
  
About The Book: ‘I put on my imaginary thinking cap. Mine is a hot pink, domed helmet with purple lightning bolts on the sides. It pulls down from a long spring coil above my bed… So with my cap in place, I started thinking of possible homework excuses. Maybe I could tell Miss Haven that I’d spent the last two weeks under alien hypnosis and they’d erased any memory of a school project…’
Meet twelve year old Gemma Martin. She wants to be an actress, but school is getting in the way. Gemma has used all of the usual excuses to avoid her homework, but this time she’s facing serious consequences and must rely on her vivid imagination to create the most extraordinary homework excuse ever. Initially, Gemma’s stolen project story skyrockets her popularity, but it isn’t long before things start to spiral out of control and Gemma is headed for disaster. No Ordinary Excuse is the story of how our biggest mistakes are often our greatest teachers. —Goodreads

  

First Line: I've never been a morning person; especially not a Monday morning person, and I probably would've done things differently if this story had started on another day.

What Other's Are Saying: "Debut junior fiction author Michelle Adams delivers some poignant life lessons without being preachy, and her tween-speak dialogue is simply spot-on." —The Daily Telegraph.

"No Ordinary Excuse was an absolute pleasure to read. Gemma had me laughing hysterically and cringing. Michelle Adams has produced a thought provoking and hilarious novel that teaches us that sometimes our biggest mistakes are our greatest teachers." —Gold Coast Bulletin 

Book Bloggers Weigh In:

Lindsay and Jane's Views and Reviews 

Writing Through Rose Colored Glasses

Polliwog Blog

What I Thought: I've had a repeating dream for years. I'm frantically pawing through my jam-packed locker, papers and books falling on top of me, to find an assignment that is due. The feelings are intense. I totally related to Gemma. I don't know how many times my report card or notes from teachers would read: "Pam is not using her intellectual or creative abilities." So when I read this delightful romp through middle-school with Gemma and her crazy adventure. She creates the most outlandish excuse for not having her homework ready to turn in and I was immediately transported back to my middle grade years. Adam's Tween speak is excellent and I loved Gemma's character. This is a great read about telling the truth but isn't at all heavy handed in it's message. 

My Analysis:

1. POV: First person, Gemma.
2. 168 pages
3. The Hook: Gemma remembers her social studies project is due and she forgot to do the project.

4. Inciting event: Gemma tells Miss Haven that her completed project has disappeared.
5. Plot and Pace: There seems to be too much space between the hook and the inciting event but other than that once the plan has begun the story races and doesn't stop until the end.
6. Voice: Adam's Tween voice for Gemma is incredibly realistic. 

Photo by Katrina Cram Photography

About The Author:

Michelle Adams

Website

Twitter

Pinterest

Blog

Who: Michelle Adams is not of the modern, fast-paced world. She exists in a realm where everyone has enough time to hear a good story, and the joy of growing and cooking your own food is the norm. Neighbours trade things over the fence and a tribe of children trample through the house on a daily basis. Some of them live here, but many others float in and out upon wafting aromas or wandering welcome bubbles. This is a happy place where the magic of imagination is alive and well.—Odyssey Books

Click on over to the other MMGM bloggers listed in my sidebar for some great reads to add to your TBR lists.

Next week:  Mirage by Jenn Reese [Book 2 of the Above World Series.] You can see my review of her spectacular first book here.

MMGM: Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood

Date Published: January 1, 2012

ISBN: 0545331803

Genre: Historical Fiction
Themes: Bullying, racism, discrimination, friendship 

About The Book: A Mississippi town in 1964 gets riled when tempers flare at the segregated public pool.
As much as Gloriana June Hemphill, or Glory as everyone knows her, wants to turn twelve, there are times when Glory wishes she could turn back the clock a year. Jesslyn, her sister and former confidante, no longer has the time of day for her now that she’ll be entering high school. Then there’s her best friend, Frankie. Things have always been so easy with Frankie, and now suddenly they aren’t. Maybe it’s the new girl from the North that’s got everyone out of sorts. Or maybe it’s the debate about whether or not the town should keep the segregated public pool open.

Augusta Scattergood has drawn on real-life events to create a memorable novel about family, friendship, and choices that aren’t always easy.—Goodreads

First Line: What was taking Frankie so long?

What Others Are Saying: "Though occasionally heavy-handed, this debut offers a vivid glimpse of the 1960s South through the eyes of a spirited girl who takes a stand."—Kirkus Reviews

"Scattergood’s effective snapshot of the fight against segregation, one town at a time, makes personal the tumultuous atmosphere of the times." —Publishers Weekly


Other Blogger Reviews:
Barbara Ann Watson
Nerdy Book Club
Beth Fish Reads

What I Thought: Reading Glory Be was like climbing into a time machine and landing in early 1960. Scattergood did an excellent job of setting up the conflict and it's effects on the characters who were complicatedly real. The thick smell of humidity and chlorine and the sound of life guard whistles were vividly evoked. I especially appreciated how the author portrayed the complicated issues.

About The Author:

Augusta Scattergood

Website

Blog

NPR Interview

Mr. Shu (Check out this 5th grade teacher review and awesome trip to Mississippi!)

Who:  "When I was a little girl, I read Nancy Drew books. Then I moved to Cherry Ames. But my grandmother was a fourth grade teacher who gave me books on every single birthday. I loved Little Women, Alice in Wonderland, and many books that she thought were better than Nancy and Cherry. By seventh grade, I liked to brag about the longest book I’d read: Gone With the Wind (1048 pages).

Most of my family still lives in Mississippi. I try to visit my sister when her figs are ripe and ready to pick. I also like to cook and have a recipe for fig pizza. Figs are NOT yucky, no matter what anybody says." —Excerpt from author's website.

There are some awesome reviews today with the other Marvelous Middle Grade Monday reviewers, don't miss them!

Next Week: The Beyonders by Brandon Mull