MG Book Review: Zero Tolerance, by Claudia Mills

General Information
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux
Year of publication: 2013
# of chapters: 40
# of pages: 231
Genre: Contemporary
Website: www.claudiamillsauthor.com




Plot summary (from Amazon):
Seventh-grader Sierra Shepard has always been the perfect student, so when she sees that she accidentally brought her mother's lunch bag to school, including a paring knife, she immediately turns in the knife at the school office. Much to her surprise, her beloved principal places her in in-school suspension and sets a hearing for her expulsion, citing the school's ironclad no weapons policy. While there, Sierra spends time with Luke, a boy who's known as a troublemaker, and discovers that he's not the person she assumed he would be--and that the lines between good and bad aren't as clear as she once thought. Claudia Mills brings another compelling school story to life with Zero Tolerance.

Positive Points

Because of the deep POV style, I could really connect with Sierra's thoughts and emotions. She sounded just like a twelve-year-old. I also love the character growth in this story. Sierra is going through a lot and is growing in the process. In the end, she's a little older, a little more open-minded, a little bolder.

This book was very well written. It kept me interested from beginning to end, although the beginning was a bit slow. But from the middle on, I couldn't stop reading.

I was a bit like Sierra as a kid, never getting in trouble at school, proud of my good grades, horrified at the thought of doing something bad, like missing a class or failing a test. It made me laugh to remember those school days and how I used to be. It was interesting to see this kind of character getting in trouble for bringing a knife to school by mistake and facing detention, and even possible expulsion!

Negative Points
I really can't find anything negative to say about this book. Except maybe that the beginning was a little slow.

Oh, and there were a few swear words, including calling the school secretary a bitch. But even Sierra is uncomfortable with this word, although she's now using it for the first time. In this case, it kind of goes with the plot and I would say it's acceptable. I normally don't like swear words in middle grade books, but in this particular book, there was a reason for using them.

What makes this book unique
Not many stories have a model student as a main character.

Overall Impression
I saw a review of this book on a blog I follow, and it was on my to-read list for a long time. I'm glad I finally got to read it. Claudia Mills is one talented author.

My Rating:

Thinking of purchasing this book? I'll make it easy for you:

MG Book Review: Flip, by David Lubar

General Information
Publisher: Tor
Year of publication: 2003
# of chapters: too many to count
# of pages: 300
Genre: Science Fiction
Website: www.davidlubar.com




Plot summary (from Amazon):
If you could become anyone in the world, who would you be?

Did you ever wish you could be anyone else but who you are? Twins Ryan and Taylor do it all the time. Now their dream is about to come true. They've discovered mysterious alien disks that allow them to "flip"--to become legendary heroes from the past.

But who?

Positive Points

The chapters were extremely short, a few pages each. As a result, I kept reading one more chapter, and one more, a lot faster than I would have if the chapters had been longer. This would appeal to reluctant readers. The chapters alternated among several characters' POVs, which in this book added a lot to the story.

The parent-child relationships and the effects it had on the kids were painfully realistic. I just wanted to slap the dad for saying certain things to his son.

I love the duality of the twins: the girl is a good student, always neat and organized and on time; the boy never finishes anything (or so his dad says), gets in trouble at school, and often gets grounded. It's interesting to see the story from both viewpoints, and from the bully's viewpoint as well. Every character felt real. I love the brother-sister relationship. The author has a good grasp of what it's like to be a kid.

In this book, the kids find disks from outer space that allows them to personify historical figures and experience their world. I had fun trying to figure out what characters the kids changed into, which was sometimes revealed only later. But at some point, it gave me that uneasy feeling; those discs could be compared to using drugs, escaping your reality for a while and being in a different state of mind. I'm not sure if it was the author's intention or not.

Negative Points
There were a few mild swear words, which I don't think belong to MG novels. This book was in the YA section in the library, although the characters are in eighth grade. I guess it's one of those in-between books that could either be upper MG or younger YA.

Other than that, I really can't find anything negative to say. Very well written and fun to read.

What makes this book unique
I've never read anything quite like this: very, very short chapters; so many POVs; sci-fi mixed with historical mixed with contemporary. I loved everything about it.

Overall Impression
The summary from Amazon doesn't do it justice. I'm glad my kids recommended I read it. I might not have picked it up otherwise. Great read!

My Rating:

Thinking of purchasing this book? I'll make it easy for you:

MG Book Review: The Mapmaker and the Ghost, by Sarvenaz Tash

General Information
Publisher: Walker & Company
Year of publication: 2012
# of chapters: 35
# of pages: 242
Genre: Adventure / Historical Fiction / Paranormal
Website: sarvenaztash.blogspot.com



Plot summary (from Amazon):
Goldenrod Moram loves adventure, especially when it comes in the form of mapmaking. An avid fan of the legendary explorers Lewis and Clark, she decides to start her own exploring team, the Legendary Adventurers, and to spend her summer vacation discovering the unmapped forest right behind her home. This simple task is complicated by a series of unique events-a chance encounter with a mysterious old lady has her searching for a legendary blue rose. Another, more unfortunate, encounter lands her in the middle of a ragtag bunch of nicknamed ruffians. Throw in the trapped spirit of Meriwether Lewis himself and her well-meaning but nuisance of a little brother, and Goldenrod Moram is in for the quest of a lifetime . . .

Positive Points

This story combines adventure (exploring a forest to draw a map), historical (Lewis and Clark), paranormal (a ghost), and fantasy (a blue rose that blooms only every fifty years). The blue rose and the ghost play a role in the plot, especially around the end, in this otherwise realistic story. Is this what we would call magical realism? Interesting genre.

The author definitely has strong writing skills. The story was told from multiple POVs, but it works well in this story. I especially liked the chapters told in Goldenrod's younger brother's voice, Birch. He sounded just like a real little kid.

The characters were very interesting and unique in their own ways. 

Negative Points
The six members of the Gross-Out Gang each had two names: a real name and a nickname. It was hard to remember them. I had to make a list to keep track.

What makes this book unique
The combinations of genres, as I mentioned earlier, is what made this book special. And if you like maps and exploration, this book is definitely for you.

Overall Impression
A little confusing at times with all the names and nicknames, but overall a very enjoyable read that appealed to the explorer in me.

My Rating:

Thinking of purchasing this book? I'll make it easy for you:

MG Book Review: Wishing Will, by Daniel Harvell

General Information
Publisher: self-published
Year of publication: 2014
# of chapters: 17 + epilogue
# of pages: (e-book)
Genre: Fantasy
Website: danielharvell.com




Plot summary (from website):
Outcast middle schooler Will Cricket wants a new look, popular friends, cool parents and enough coordination to dribble a basketball - but he never actively pursues any of it. Instead, Will makes wishes.

When the magical wishing corporation known as the Sky Castle Network and Enterprises (a.k.a. the SCENE) agrees to grant him his ultimate wish to be someone different, he must work for his reward. Becoming a super-powered agent for the organization, Will teams up with a celestial wish agent with delusions of Hollywood stardom, a shape-changing half-Genie, a narcoleptic Dreamweaver and a stick-in-the-mud wish lawyer.

Together, they grant the wishes of Will’s classmates and family members, helping the same people who pick on Will every day. As if these challenges weren't enough, there's a mystery surrounding his peculiar grandmother and a malevolent force bent on enslaving humanity. Will might have to fight not only for his wish but also for the entire world!

Positive Points

I love the theme of wishing throughout the novel (starting with the title): shooting stars, repeated numbers, wishbones, four-leaf clovers, and expressions such as "Be careful what you wish for."

The plot hooked me from the first few pages. I couldn't put it down, despite the negative points listed below. What a fantastic story! The main character, an overweight kid who is basically a nobody at the beginning of the book, has to grant seven wishes in seven days anonymously, using one different special ability each day (which he discovers on that very day), in order for his own wish to come true. I totally loved it! And Will's character growth throughout the novel was a big plus (no pun intended).

The characters were interesting ... okay, a little wacky, but I found them original and fascinating, especially Tang (short for Tangible), the half-genie kid with changing hair color; Hollywood, the star (no, literally!); and the crazy grandma, who made me laugh so much!

Negative Points

I ran across some formatting, grammar, and spelling mistakes. In my Kindle version, the text was in two different font sizes, randomly alternating between small and medium, which was quite distracting and could have been caught with one simple proofread. Normally, numbers up to one hundred are spelled out in fiction works. Other grammar and spelling mistakes, such as Spider-Man (should be one word), were sprinkled throughout the story. Nothing that can't easily be fixed with a light proofread, but it was distracting.

The writing could have been stronger at times. It was pretty good in general but some dialogues seemed forced, stating facts the characters should already know, more for the sake of informing the reader.  Some action scenes were not realistic; for example, Will's door cracks open, but before his dad gets in, a whole lot of action happens. How long does it take to open a door? There were redundant details and telling at times, such as "(...) so bright he couldn't see anything. Effectively blind, (...)"

What makes this book unique
The theme about wishing and the use of superpowers are what I found the most interesting. That, and the crazy grandma. And Tang. Okay, I'll stop.

Overall Impression
I just wish this book had been traditionally published. Even with the use of a professional editor, self-published authors run the risk of publishing a book with errors and spots of poor writing, which one single editor can't catch in one single pass. But despite the negative points I mentioned, which might have caused me to put a book down and not review it, this was definitely worth my time. With a little more polishing, it could potentially become a bestseller. And judging by the epilogue, I think there might be a sequel coming. I hope there is!

My Rating:

Thinking of purchasing this book? I'll make it easy for you:

MG Book Review: Jesper Jinx and the Sneezing Season, by Marko Kitti

(Book #2 in the Jesper Jinx series)

General Information
Publisher: self-published
Year of publication: 2014
# of chapters: 6
# of pages: (e-book)
Genre: Contemporary
Website: www.jesperjinx.co.uk


Plot summary (from Amazon):
Jesper Jinx is eleven, and probably the unluckiest person in all of Puffington Hill. Everything he touches seems to end up in sweet disaster. Hence his nickname 'Jinx'.

It's Spring time in Puffington Hill, and the most unforgettable Sneezing Season ever for Jesper! In this book, packed full of new wonderfully wicked adventures, you're going to get to know Chloe, Jesper's long time future-girlfriend, and meet a Purple Buzzard from the tropical island of Buzzupurplu. Also, there's Rosie, the grinning Squirrel with an attitude and the infamous Diary Wars.

Positive Points

I enjoyed reading book one, and I was delighted when the author sent me book two to review. I noticed some of the negative points I had mentioned in the first book are not present in this second book. I love seeing authors improving their writing skills with each book they write. Now I'm looking forward to book three!

I love the characters and the humor in this short, easy-to-read book. I believe it would appeal to kids 8-12 years old who are too old for picture books but not quite ready for full-length MG novels yet.

The illustrations are very cool and complement the story perfectly. 

Negative Points
I found a few mistakes, not many, but I wish this book could be traditionally published. Just a little more editing would make this book perfect.

What makes this book unique
This book is a collection of loosely connected short stories, all with the same main character. Easy to read and humorous, Love it!

Overall Impression
I believe it would appeal to reluctant readers in particular, or anyone who likes a light, short read.

My Rating:

Thinking of purchasing this book? I'll make it easy for you:

MG Book Review: Karmack, by J.C. Whyte

General Information
Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing
Year of publication: 2013
# of chapters: 24
# of pages: (e-book)
Genre: Fantasy
Website: karmack.webs.com




Plot summary (from Amazon):
A strange little creature enters the lives of three tough guys at Higgins Elementary. And from that point on, pranks come back like boomerangs, smacking the bullies right in their fifth grade butts!

Sully, the leader of the gang, is the only one who can see this creature, which he names Karmack. Sully learns that the creature’s job is to balance all the bad pranks the bullies have pulled over the years. Karmack warns that if this fails, “dreadful, awful doom” awaits them all.

Sully soon realizes that he must save not only himself but his friends, who have no idea why they keep getting boomeranged by Karmack!

Positive Points

I love the theme: what goes around comes around, quite literally in this book. And the main character, a fifth-grade bully, learns it the hard way, with a little help from Karmack, a creature only he can see.

It was interesting to see Sully's thought process and character growth throughout the novel. Not many books are told from a bully's viewpoint. I absolutely love the ending! It was a bit predictable, but it still made me tear up. And I'm not an emotional reader.

I love stories that teach a lesson without being too "preachy." This is one of them. 

Negative Points
The writing could have been a lot stronger. I nearly stopped reading after a few chapters, but I'm glad I didn't. The story itself is really good, but the way it is told could be a lot better. There were a lot of POV shifts, hopping from one character to another in the same chapter, which distracted me. It would have been better to stick to Sully's thoughts and emotions, telling the story strictly as he would perceive it. I also noticed a lot of "telling" rather than "showing." With a little revision, this story could really shine and be used for character education.

What makes this book unique
This is the first children's book I read that teaches about karma. Great theme! In this book, it's pushed to the extreme, but I'm sure young readers can learn a thing or two and think about how this relates to them in their own lives. I have my reservations about karma, but I still think it's a fascinating topic.

Overall Impression
The story is amazing, but the writing could have been a lot stronger.

My Rating:

Thinking of purchasing this book? I'll make it easy for you:

MG Book Review: Sugar and Ice, by Kate Messner

General Information
Publisher: Walker & Company
Year of publication: 2010
# of chapters: 24
# of pages: 271
Genre: Contemporary
Website: www.katemessner.com




Plot summary (from the website):
For Claire Boucher, life is all about skating on the frozen cow pond and in the annual Maple Show right before the big pancake breakfast on her family’s maple farm. But all that changes when Claire is offered a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — a scholarship to train with the elite skaters in Lake Placid. Tossed into a world of mean girls on ice, where competition is everything, Claire soon realizes that her sweet dream come true has sharper edges than she could have imagined. Can she stand up to the people who want her to fail and find the courage to decide which dream she wants to follow?

Positive Points

The themes of maple sugar and ice skating reminded me of Canada, where I grew up. In fact, I started reading this book on the way to a sugar shack near Quebec City. And I could relate with skating on a frozen pond; my school had an outdoor ice rink and we skated during lunch break. I never skated professionally, though, and there weren't any competitive mean girls making trouble.

The main character promotes good values: overcoming challenges, nearly giving up but continuing to pursue a goal worth reaching, keeping her dignity in the face of adversity, helping a family business, balancing sports and school.

I don't know much about figure skating, but the scenes were believable and so well written that I could picture them in my mind, as if I were watching the Olympics. It gave me a glimpse of what athletes go through when they are seriously training for competition.

Negative Points
I wasn't expecting a book about bullying, judging by the cover and the title. The mean girls were mentioned in the blurb, but they were very mean. Destroying-personal-property mean. Which is fine, there are lots of MG novels about bullying, but I wish the cover or the blurb had given me a hint of what to expect. I thought it would be a fluffy sweet tale about maple syrup and a wanna-be ice skating champion. It was a lot deeper than that.

What makes this book unique
There are many books about skating, and many books about bullying, but this book combines both, with a touch of maple sugar to make it sweeter. The Fibonacci numbers were also a good side theme, for those who like math.

Overall Impression
I would recommend this book to anyone who is into competitive sports. Or maple syrup. Or both.

My Rating:

Thinking of purchasing this book? I'll make it easy for you:

MG Book Review: Skylar Robbins: The Mystery of Shadow Hills, by Carrie Cross

General Information
Publisher: Teen Mystery Press
Year of publication: 2013
# of chapters: 44
# of pages: (e-book)
Genre: mystery
Website: www.skylarrobbins.com

Next in the series: 
The Mystery of the Hidden Jewels
(December 9, 2014)

Plot summary (from Amazon):
Thirteen-year-old sleuth Skylar Robbins is horrified to learn that she'll be stuck at her bullying cousin Gwendolyn's creepy mansion for the summer. She has no idea how much excitement and danger awaits her in Malibu’s Shadow Hills.

As soon as Skylar arrives at the estate, unexplainable events begin to happen. She discovers a hidden garden in the huge back yard, and her new friend Kat pronounces it the perfect place to perform spells. Practical Skylar is skeptical, until the magic appears to start working.

Is Kat a real middle school witch and a true friend, or is she just interested in the cute stable boy? Did she use magic to control Skylar’s body, or was it all part of a complicated hoax? Who or what is making those terrifying noises up in Shadow Hills at night?

Rumors are flying and the locals are afraid. Kat challenges Skylar to take increasingly dangerous risks while she tries to solve the mystery. Armed with her detective tools, brains, and a huge dose of courage, Skylar will face her deepest fears to find the truth.

Positive Points

What could be more interesting than a detective story mixed with witchcraft and a touch of magic? I was going to mention that some parents and teachers might object to teaching witchcraft to kids in a novel, but after reading the whole book, I see what the author intended to accomplish and I found it cleverly done. Keep an open mind when reading this book. Witchcraft is intriguing, and I must admit I loved learning about it, but I especially like the lessons learned around the end.

The cover is amazing! Bonus point for that. I remember seeing it on an e-mail from The Fussy Librarian, and it caught my eye. I'm glad I received a copy to review.

I really love the character growth in this story and how everything turned out in the end. I don't want to say anything specific and spoil it for potential readers, but I liked how everything wasn't quite the way it seemed. There were plenty of intriguing elements that kept me turning the pages.

I like the diversity of characters: a witch in training, a deaf boy, a tall and skinny African-American guy who's excellent at drawing, an annoying chubby cousin, a dyslexic best friend.

Another bonus point for teaching me how to lift fingerprints. Not that I'll ever need to, but it's interesting.

Negative Points
There was a little too much telling for my taste, too many details that could have been revealed in scenes throughout the novel instead of being spelled out for the reader at the beginning: the content of her detective kit, how her cousin is like, her mom's hair color compared to hers. I find it more satisfying as a reader to discover things little by little or to reach my own conclusions instead of being told; for example, I would have preferred reading a scene about her interacting with her cousin and realizing they really don't get along, instead of having some back story of what has already happened, followed by "My cousin and I did not get along."

The text messages were annoying to read. I'm the type of person who spells out every word when I text, so reading "Wish u w here to help me explore. N 2 go 2 school w me." was a little jarring. Do kids really still text like this? I know they did with flip phones, but now phones have full keyboards, so the texting style changed. I could be wrong. My kids do the opposite than in this book; they add extra letters, such as in "I'm soooooo maddddddd!"

What makes this book unique
I always like a good detective story, but this one also had witchcraft and magic in the mix, which made it even more interesting. How does a practical, down-to-earth detective deal with the occult? Interesting combination.

Overall Impression
Despite the negative points, I really enjoyed reading this book. I wish I had time to read it a second time, now that I know the ending.

My Rating:

Thinking of purchasing this book? I'll make it easy for you:

MG Book Review: House of Secrets, by Chris Columbus and Ned Vizzini

General Information
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Year of publication: 2013
# of chapters: 77
# of pages: (e-book)
Genre: Fantasy
Website: wikipedia
Next book in the series: Battle of the Beasts (2014)


Plot summary (from Amazon):
Hailed as “a breakneck, jam-packed roller coaster of an adventure” by J. K. Rowling, this New York Times bestseller is the first installment in the explosive tween fantasy series by famed Hollywood director Chris Columbus (of Harry Potter fame) and bestselling author Ned Vizzini (It’s Kind of a Funny Story).

Siblings Brendan, Eleanor, and Cordelia Walker once had everything they could ever want. But everything changed when Dr. Walker lost his job. Now the family must relocate to an old Victorian house, formerly the home of occult novelist Denver Kristoff—a house that simultaneously feels creepy and too good to be true. By the time the Walkers realize that one of their neighbors has sinister plans for them, they’re banished to a primeval forest way off the grid.

Bloodthirsty medieval warriors patrol the woods around them, supernatural pirates roam the neighboring seas, and a power-hungry queen rules the land. To survive, the siblings will have to be braver than they ever thought possible—and to fight against their darkest impulses. The key may lie in their own connection to the secret Kristoff legacy. But as they unravel that legacy, they’ll discover that it’s not just their family that’s in danger . . . it’s the entire world.

Positive Points

The cover and the title are what first hooked me. I won a free book in a contest on Claire Caterer's blog, and I chose this one out of several books listed.

The fact that it was co-written by Chris Columbus, producer of Gremlins and The Goonies and director of Mrs. Doubtfire, caught my attention. I was curious to see what kind of book this would be. The result: it reads more like an action movie script than a novel. If you love nonstop action from beginning to end, this is for you. This is clearly a plot-driven book, as opposed to a character-driven book. Not much character growth happening here (wait, this should go with the negative points).

Numerous references to modern elements (Need for Speed, Lady Gaga, iPad) will make this book outdated a few years from now, but it grounds the novel in modern days, which can also be good. Today's kids can relate.

Negative Points
The POV shifts were distracting, hopping from one character's thoughts and feelings to another in the same chapter, sometimes even in the same paragraph. As an author, this is something I was told not to do. The story should be told from the view point of only one character at a time, in clear sections or paragraph if more than one. But would a regular reader mind it that much? I read some of the reviews on Amazon and found out that many readers had a hard time identifying with the characters and really caring for them. Could this be related? A deeper, limited POV would have helped the reader connect with the main character, and there should only be one or two. This book had way too many POVs.

There was too much violence, in graphic details, for a MG book. Reference to vivisection (dissecting someone alive) didn't seem appropriate for kids 8-12 years old. Is it just me? There were also some mild swear words (damn, hell).

The kids reminded me of the orphans in A Series of Unfortunate Events: older sister, brother in the middle, and younger sister (not a baby, in this book, but still).

What makes this book unique
No other book I know combines a giant, medieval warriors, pirates, and a witch, all in the same book.

Overall Impression
Not the best read, but entertaining and action-packed. I just wish it had been better written.

My Rating:

Thinking of purchasing this book? I'll make it easy for you:

Book Review: Watership Down, by Richard Adams

General Information
Publisher: Rex Collings
Year of Publication: 1972
# of chapters: 50 (4 parts)
# of pages: 484
Genre: Adventure
Website: 
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watership_Down



Plot summary (from Wikipedia):
Watership Down is a classic adventure novel, written by English author Richard Adams, published by Rex Collings Ltd of London in 1972. Set in south-central England, the story features a small group of rabbits. Although they live in their natural environment, they are anthropomorphised, possessing their own culture, language (Lapine), proverbs, poetry, and mythology. Evoking epic themes, the novel follows the rabbits as they escape the destruction of their warren and seek a place to establish a new home, encountering perils and temptations along the way.

Sequel: Tales from Watership Down (1996)


Positive Points
This book reminds me of Animal Farm in some ways, but with much cuter characters. Its length and vocabulary, along with the political models depicted in this book, make it more of an adult book than a children's book. But the story is about a bunch of bunnies going on an adventure, so it could also appeal to children. I guess back in 1972 when it was written, there was no such thing as children's novels. There were just novels. I found it in the Young Adult section of my library.

This book was written with an omniscient POV, which was popular back then. The narrator knows everything there is to know about every character, and even things they themselves don't know. It works well for this type of story.

I can understand why this is a classic. The story is very well written, the characters are endearing (especially Fiver, my favorite), and chapters end with a cliffhanger to keep you turning the page. I became very attached to this bunch of rabbits, and I hoped they would all be safe and settle in a peaceful warren in the end.

Negative Points
The rabbit vocabulary was a bit annoying. I had to keep checking the glossary to find out what the words meant. For example, pfeffa means a cat. I must admit that it did add to the story in some way, having the rabbits speak "Lapine," but couldn't they just use regular, English words? It seemed overly complicated to me to have so many words in a language nobody knows. A few would have been enough.

There is a little quote at the beginning of each chapter (and there are many, many chapters). They distracted from the story and were difficult to understand at times. These quotes don't mean much out of context.

What makes this book unique
Not many stories are written from the point of view of rabbits. Their way of thinking is simple, yet they have their own political systems. I could analyze what each system represents in our real world, but I'm not into politics so much. I don't want to work that hard when I read a novel.

Overall Impression
The book was a bit lengthy, but it kept me interested throughout. Cute story, with some depth and character growth and a lot of action. What is there not to love?

My Rating:

Thinking of purchasing this book? I'll make it easy for you: