Dear Mothman by Robin Gow

Dear Mothman by Robin Gow
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A tough novel in verse about a 6th grade trans child Nora but his close family and friends call him Noah at this request. Noah was best friends with Lewis and they were both trans; after Lewis dies in a car accident, Noah tries to deal with his grief by writing in a journal and leaving it at a favorite tree for Mothman, a cryptid Lewis & Noah believe in. How will Noah survive without his best friend, this is a must read for everyone!

View all my reviews

The In-Between: A Memoir in Verse by Katie Van Heidrich

The In-Between: A Memoir in Verse by Katie Van Heidrich
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Based on the author's life, this novel in verse details Katie and her siblings constant, surprise moves from place to place by her mother (who has some issues) and how it affects Katie at home, school, and with her visits to her Dad (now remarried to an Asian woman). I was so saddened by Katie's voice- her embarrassment, confusion, longing, and many unanswered questions. But this book also provides hope and determination by Katie and will resonate with middle grade & YA readers! Highly recommended!

View all my reviews

A Letter From Your Teacher On the Last Day of School by Shannon Olsen & illustrated by Sandie Sonke

A Letter From Your Teacher: On the Last Day of School by Shannon Olsen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Such a great read and this will be a present my K granddaughter and her mom, a K teacher will love celebrating a wonderful school year on the last day of school. With beautiful illustrations (by Sandie Sonke) the rhyming text by Shannon Olsen had me turning the pages, enjoying each and every high and low of the students as they become very special students and friends, ready for the next year of a new teacher and making new memories. Excellent for students, teachers & parents!

View all my reviews

The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell by Jordan Sonneblick

The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell by Jordan Sonnenblick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Jordan Sonneblick's memoir about his middle school years was funny but also achingly sad. His asthma medicine gave him so many side effects that really affected him in school. In addition, he had an awful teacher who really did not like him, took perverse pleasure in blaming him for everything, and caused him to really dislike school. His many stories about what happened to him during this time will provide humorous stories, anecdotes, and insight into the time he went to school (parents did not really support their children but listened to the teacher, which was so wrong in Jordan's case). I loved when Jordan had people he cared about---he appreciated and enjoyed a caregiver, his drum teacher, his new teacher at his new school; best yet was his dedication at the beginning of the book to a beloved teacher! Enjoyable and very insightful from Jordan's point of view- the reader gets the good Jordan and the bad Jordan experience!

View all my reviews

Life in the Balance by Jen Petro-Roy

Life in the Balance by Jen Petro-Roy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this awesome book for my 2nd #BitAboutBooks Winter Reading Challenge, Direction in the Title. Veronica is the only child of lawyer mom and home salesman dad. She loves softball; her mom and grandmother were stand out softball players and her ability is obvious. Looking forward to an All Star Team tryout; life crashes and burns when her mom reveals she will be going to rehab for alcoholism for 2 months. This changes so much for Veronica and as she decides how to tell her best friend, Claudia about her mom, Claudia has challenges too; her parents are separating. So Veronica does not tell tell Claudia and as time goes on she confides in another friend. Her dad tells her they may not be able to afford the fees for the All Star team, devastating Veronica. I loved Veronica's voice; her anger; her fears, and her vulnerability (that she hides from all). Middle grade readers will identify with the life choices, school drama and family dynamics, Petro-Roy so convincingly portrays in the characters of Veronica, Claudia, Libby, her mom, her dad and scary Coach Ortiz as they navigate the good times and the "new" times in this realistic story of family, addiction, and the many changes and struggles in the life of this young teen. Highly recommended!

View all my reviews

Ways To Make "Sunshine" by Renee Watson

Ways to Make Sunshine by Renée Watson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved Ryan Hart, her grit, her happiness, her drama, and her cooking. Ryan is a 6th grader with good friends, and a brother she constantly fights with. When her father loses his job at the post office, Ryan faces challenges and ways to make "sunshine" out of the new drama in her life and school. I liked her relationship with her parents and the way she and her friends figure things out. Middle grade readers will enjoy this first in the series with family, friendship and school dynamics!

View all my reviews

The Colors of the Rain by R.L. Toalson

The Colors of the Rain by R.L. Toalson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Many thanks to #jennlagarde for this stunner, compelling novel in verse on her Instagram Eight Amazeballs Novels in Verse recommendations!!! I could not put this book down; Paulie lives during 1972 as a 5th grader in Houston. His father, whom Paulie loved so much was killed and the details the adults tell him are very murky...his mom can't deal so he and his sister, Charlie, go to live with his aunt who is a school principal and has many secrets, too. I loved how art inspires Paulie, helps him deal, but so also do his grandparents, his aunt, his sister and his art teacher, Mr. Langley. It is the revelation of family secrets that help Paulie deal and become the kid his father and family would be proud of.

View all my reviews

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this book as part of the #yearofYA Middle Grade topic for our Sept chat to be held 10/9/ at 8PM EST; join us! This book is also considered a crossover for middle and YA. Students are given a chance to talk freely in a room for the last hour of school on Fridays and what evolves is friendship of the truest sort. But these kids vow to only share in this room and on Haley's recorder- an immigrant father in danger of being deported, a father in prison, family fortunes rising and falling and racial profiling are safely/richly explored in the ARTT room A Room to Talk. These students will grow, cry, laugh, and share deeply. A must read from awesome Jacqueline Woodson!!!

View all my reviews

Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds

Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love anything by Jason Reynolds and was so happy this was on the 2018 HUB Reading Challenge. Urban teen with Spider-Man heroics, Miles Morales life is not easy with his spidey sense going off in the classroom- getting him in trouble with his parents and the school. The only one he can confide in his is wacky friend and roommate. Will Miles be able to defeat the sinister forces at work in his school and community? I hope this will become a series because I want to follow more of Miles' heroics!

View all my reviews