Restart, by Gordon Korman

      Ever wanted to ride your tricycle through the carwash just to see what would happen?  Yeah, me neither.  But that's exactly what happened in an early scene of Gordon Korman's latest middle grades read, Restart.  And that scene is how I'm going to start my Book Talk for Restart when school starts up again.  Just the image of a boy riding through a carwash on a tricycle with a GoPro on his head, while his friend videos from the observation window!  I laugh every time, and it's what got my son interested in the book.

      Restart isn't really about insane children, although there are other funny scenes involving middle school YouTubers.  (Leaf Man, anyone?)  It's actually a refreshing story about a boy who wakes up with amnesia after being knocked out by a head injury.  

      Your heart really goes out to the kid - until he gets home and starts looking at the pictures on his phone.  There's a heart sinking moment for both the reader and the character as he realizes that although he doesn't remember it, he is the school's worst bully.  He knows that he needs to change his ways - but the question is, will he be able to?  Most kids in the school are terrified of him and may not give him another chance.  And the worst part is that he doesn't remember what he's done to kids, so he doesn't know what problems he needs to fix.

     The point of view is what makes this story great.  I think that it would have been tedious to read the book from the sole perspective of the bully.  However, each chapter is narrated by a different character - Chase the ex-bully, his former bully friends, and his former victims.  Each character has a different take on "old Chase" vs. "new Chase," and it's fascinating to watch his relationships with his classmates change.

      Plus, there's that tricycle scene....

      Highly recommended for any middle grader.  Most of them are going to react well to all the YouTube references.  And I think that boys especially are going to get a kick out of this book.  This would be great for either a read-aloud or a read-alone.
      

Superstar, by Mandy Davis

      Superstar is Mandy Davis' debut middle grades novel about a boy with high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  Lester is a fifth grader who is starting his first year of public school after being homeschooled.  The book explores the challenges he faces as he adapts to new surroundings.

      I felt that the description of Lester's reactions to his world were accurate.  In that sense, there are students who would find this book interesting.  Lester has a very black and white take on everything, interpreting idioms such as "hold onto your hat" literally.  At the beginning of the novel, he really doesn't show any interest in the feelings of others.  His emotional outbursts in class are certainly reflective of his frustrations.

       Other parts of the book just didn't ring true for me.  First, a school cannot diagnose a child with any medical condition, let alone ASD.  That appears to be what happens in this book.  Coupled with the fact that it's vague as to whether Lester's mom knew he had ASD to begin with, the parts pertaining to Lester's IEP seemed strange to me.  Then there are oddities that don't happen in schools in my area - teachers leaving the class alone in the room, the resource teacher having a lot of free time with zero or one student.  That's the kind of thing my students question when we read a book together.

      One reviewer called parts of the book funny, but I'm not sure which parts those were.  The themes in this book are pretty intense, and I was just mostly concerned for Lester throughout the book.  On top of Lester's frustrations at school, his home life is also tough.  Lester's father, an astronaut, has died in a reentry accident.  His mother is overly protective of Lester as a result, and is dealing with grief and anxiety of her own.  These are tough themes in a middle grades book, and at times it seemed to be too much.

      I originally thought this book might be good to give to students who are themselves on the spectrum, or who have befriended students on the spectrum.  However, I felt that the book wrapped things up a little too neatly at the end.  Lester shows a remarkable turnaround after his IEP, and by the end of the book is acting largely like his autism is nearly cured.  The same goes for his mother's anxiety.  That might be frustrating for someone who is really struggling with autism and isn't getting such a happy ending in real life.  

      Who is the right student for this book?  This all being said, I think the book still has value in a classroom.  We're seeing so many more cases of ASD, and a book told from the perspective of an autistic student will help spread awareness.  It might serve better as a read aloud, since the issues in the book warrant discussion.  Beyond a read aloud, I'd reserve this book for students who are more mature, who are sensitive to the feelings of others, or who specifically want to know more about autism.  

      All in all, I applaud Mandy Davis for stepping out and writing a novel about this subject.  It is much needed.

Real Friends, by Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham

     I've read quite a few books this summer, as teachers do.  But I don't think that a book has quite nudged my heart the way Real Friends did.  I read the whole thing from start to finish - not tough, as it's a graphic novel.  But I doubt I would have put it down even if it had been a 400 page tome complete with index.  

     But I'm glad it wasn't.  The graphic novel format is perfect for this book, because the message in this book should be accessible to every girl in grades 4-6.  And honestly, parts of the story were better because they were in graphic format.  Pham's art melded so perfectly with Hale's words that the story had a more powerful impact.  

     Shannon is your typical middle grades girl - unique in her own way, but socially awkward in a way that all girls of that age are.  She really just wants one good friend, Adrienne.  But Adrienne joins up with a clique of girls.  Shannon must do what she can to fit in, or she'll lose her best friend.  

     What follows is close to the heart of probably every girl.  Sometimes Shannon fits in, and other times she doesn't.  Sometimes the clique's bully is kind to Shannon, but other times she isn't.  Not only that, but Shannon deals with the same struggles within her large family.  She becomes extremely anxious, with stomach aches, time off from school, and OCD to go with her anxiety.  

     Shannon uses everything she can think of to help her through her situation, including her faith, but nothing prevents her from reaching the point of critical mass.  She finally decides to stand up for herself and be the person she's always wanted to be.  In the process, she learns how to be more comfortable with who she is.

     This book had a real impact on me.  I wish this book had been around when I was in the middle grades.  And I suspect that most girls and women would feel the same way.  This book reaches out to that hurting girl in all of us, the one who just wishes people would like her for who she is.  A book like this validates the emotions that every girl feels, and allows girls to realize they are not alone.

     Real Friends should be required reading for every girl in the middle grades.  It's definitely finding a special place on my classroom shelves, and I plan on making this one my first Book Talk on the first day of school this year.  It's a great book for parents and teachers to read and discuss with their girls.

Book Review - The Summer of Bad Ideas, by Kiera Stewart

Summer Reading + Wyoming Skies =
The Perfect Combination!

     I'd been looking forward to reading Kiera Stewart's new release about a girl trying to reinvent herself over summer vacation - but I will admit that I purposely held off so I could read it on my own summer trip. And I can tell you, reading a book about humid Florida summers is quite refreshing when you're in a Yellowstone snowstorm in the middle of June!  

     This middle grades read captures the essence of the age level perfectly.  Edith is a 12 year old girl whose world is turned upside down when her only friend ditches her for someone less... boring.  At the same time, Edith's estranged grandmother, Petunia, dies unexpectedly.  Edith's family must travel to Florida to clean out Petunia's house.  Edith is left with the realization that her life is more boring than she thought... until she arrives in Florida to find that not only was Petunia some kind of Reptile Whisperer, but that Edith's got a cousin her own age who is anything but boring.

     While cleaning their grandmother's house, the cousins find a list that Petunia had written when she was a teen - a carpe diem list of ideas to have a fabulous summer.  Edith takes it to heart, embarking on a quest to complete Petunia's list.  What follows is a highly entertaining, often funny tale of crazy ideas, new friendships, and Edith's ultimate understanding that she doesn't need to let her fears control her.  

     I absolutely loved this book, and didn't want to put it down.  I loved how it describes the insecurities and lack of social skills that so often plague girls of this age.  It reminded me of summer adventures I spent with my own cousins at this age, and of a summer in which I, too, made a list that was intended to define myself as a person.  I think Edith's emotions and reactions in this book are spot on, and I was inspired by the growth she makes during the course of the book.  

     I would recommend the book to any girl in 5th grade or higher.  I'm definitely giving a Book Talk on this book during the first week of school this year! 

Book Review - Orphan Island, by Laurel Snyder

 I always tell my students that the best books have more than one theme.  Orphan Island is one of those books.  It would take more than one reading to truly appreciate this middle grade fantasy for what it is.  There is so much depth to this story, so many beautiful layers to unwrap and savor.  It isn't just a book to be read and shelved, but a book that begs to be discussed and enjoyed with other readers.  

Jinny is a tween who shares an island with 8 other orphans of different ages.  The island is a paradise - much like Neverland, but without pirates and crazy clock-ticking crocodiles.  Within this paradise, each of the 9 orphans works together for the common good. They are a family, and it's a beautiful family for the reader to get to know.

There's one caveat, however.  Only 9 orphans may stay on the island. Each year, a mysterious green boat arrives, bringing a new child and taking the oldest child away to an unknown destination. The next oldest child must step up as the new Elder, taking care of the new orphan and teaching the others what he or she has learned about life and survival.  Each child knows that the final day will come when he or she must choose to step into the boat and leave the island to the younger children.  Jinny's preparation for that final day makes up the plot of this book.

I would love to teach this book.  There are so many paired texts that would work well with it.  Peter Pan is an obvious choice, but there are several others that are referenced in this story - Where the Wild Things Are, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and Alice in Wonderland come to mind.  There could also be tie-ins to religious themes for my parochial school friends.  My only pause is that Jinny's menstrual cycle is briefly mentioned - although not in great detail - so the book may be better for the upper range of the middle grades.  There isn't anything else that would be of concern to the middle grades teacher.

Ultimately, readers who discuss this book are going to answer these questions:
1. Should you choose to grow up, or not?
2. What are the repercussions if you keep choosing childish
    behavior?
3. What is your responsibility to children younger than you?
4.  What is your responsibility to take care of your world and
     environment?
5.  What is the best way to teach others?
6.  When does being protective of someone turn into enabling?    
     What effect does this have on a person?

I highly recommend this book, either for your own enjoyment or as a teacher.  But set aside a day to read it, because you won't be able to put it down.