Collection of middle grade short stories.

One of two current reads

Just came in the mail!
2023 Winner of the Stonewall Award
2023 Winner of the Sydney Taylor Award
2023 Printz Honor Award

This book was NO WHERE on my radar 😳
And it‘s a debut book! Looking forward to starting this tomorrow… well in a few hours — I need some sleep.

I picked this up for the cover, purchased for the TJ Klune quote. Enjoying it for the three lovely women.

First graphic novel of 2022

First #huggable book of 2022!

#2022MGLGBTQ+

All I can say is: This book is #huggable

Okay, I‘ll say a little more: these characters are a delight, and I would read an entire series about them. As it is, this is a charming, feel good stand alone.
Loved it!

I came across a link to the podcast Primary Sources and Steve Sheinkin was being interviewed about his research on the tagged book. It was fascinating to hear about his process, specifically searching out primary sources, for this book about the Cold War. I‘m only a few chapters in, but Sheinkin does a great job writing about history for middle school and I love learning from him.

This one has been sitting on my bookshelf, patiently awaiting its turn. That time has come, thanks to my husband who chose my next genre.

I‘m a huge Criminal Minds fan and with it now off the air (we‘ll start the series from the beginning on Netflix when we finish with NCIS) I was intrigued by the premise of this thriller. Needed to be an early summer read since my daughter will be taking the bus in the fall. Read it on the plane to Hawaii.

Wow! It‘s been a year since my last post 😬
I‘m about half way and really enjoying the story. It‘s breaking my heart a little.

Starting this now. Pretty beautiful cover under the dust jacket 😊

You. Guys! This book, I expected to like. I did not expect to love it SO MUCH! The characters — all of them — were likable (well, maybe not so much Phillip and the queen). I don‘t get much into politics but I think I maybe understand the inner workings more now. Alex and Prince Henry‘s story — lovable.

I don‘t read much marketed outside of middle grade or YA but this one read like a YA. So good!

#huggable #2020lgbtq 🏳️‍🌈

This just came in the mail.

Next read. Set in 1986. Challenger, my 8th grade year. Historical fiction. Wow!

More than what I expected. This book! So Good; so much to love. I‘ll add a real review tomorrow

I wanted this in time for Poetry Month but, alas, the country shut down. I held off to support my local indie book store. So! bonus poetry month 😊 when I first learned of this gem, I didn‘t realize every word would have a poem, quote, & anecdote. Nor did I realize how many poetry forms would be introduced. I‘m so excited to dive in but I want it to last. So, one word a day and I will try my hand at the poetry form for that day‘s word.

I listened to this one on audible and oh.my.gosh!
#huggable I loved these characters from page one. So many times I wanted to shake them by the shoulders but then I would realize these are the authentic feelings of teens grappling with their identity and dealing with those around them. And then I just wanted to hug them tight.
I mostly listened while on walks and I ugly cried with no shame. I LOVE THESE KIDS
#2020YALGBTQ 🏳️‍🌈

50 years ago today—May 4, 1970
By total coincidence, I picked this up through curbside pick up at my favorite indie bookstore and just finished.

Powerful, 132 pages in verse.

Thank you for the birthday wishes. The Stay at home order went into effect March 16, 17, 18 — I no longer remember the actual date. March 28th, my daughter realized she & my husband hadn‘t bought a gift. Beginning April 4, she had my husband rehearsing secret skits. They worked together on the heart & my daughter painted Harry ❤️ All SO MUCH BETTER than anything from the store.
Thank you, COVID-19, for allowing creativity to flow.

My current read. I hope to get in one more for #middlegradeMarch

#2020middlegrade

Current read-aloud with my daughter (11). We read Little Women last year and saw the recent movie.
We are both enjoying this retelling 😊
#2020middlegrade #middlegrademarch

Up next, nature!
Photo pg. 9

Six (well, seven actually) unsolved missing persons cases. Some names well known, others not so much. I bought the book for the child author — Barbara Follett — story thinking maybe there was a connection to Follett, book company.
Each of 6 chapters gives a bio of the missing and theories of what happened. Some were more engaging than others but overall very interesting.

#middlegrademarch #2020middlegrade #2020mgnf

This gets a pick and 3 out of 5 stars. I like the graphic novel format but it didn‘t works so well for me. I had a hard time following the changes from courtroom to the streets. The original was written as a screenplay and for me that worked better. Still, a good choice.
#middlegrademarch #2020graphicnovel #2020middlegrade

20 years ago I read the original — Walter Dean Myers at his best IMO. What was great about it: writing format; it was written as a screen play which fits with the main character‘s future dreams. It was the first Michael L. Printz award winner.

I‘m excited to finally read this graphic adaptation.
#middlegrademarch #2020middlegrade #2020graphic

#huggable #middlegrademarch #2020middlegrade

Mila is receiving unwanted ate ya dinner the people closer to her are not giving her the support she expected. Mila finds support in unexpected places and it‘s refreshing to see how relationships grow over the course of the book.

This fall, my school experienced a situation that goes a little further than what Mila experiences. I would love to see this book read by all middle schoolers.

This was touching, inspirational, hard to read emotionally. Necessary.
So glad I stumbled across this one at the library, just days before they closed.

#middlegrademarch #2020middlegrade #2020mgnovelinverse #huggable

Stumbled across this one at the library last week.

I never really thought about the road to the first dinosaur. The narrative non-fiction feel makes this an accessible read, even if you never went through a dinosaur obsession.

#middlegrademarch #2020middlegrade

I read this 4 months ago when it came out and loved it! I wanted to make sure it was on the radar of the #middlegradeMarch readers 😊 Great story of two middle school girls “falling in like” and figuring out what the means. Told in verse, two perspectives. #huggable

Just started this today for #middlegradeMarch
Sadly, we had a situation of alleged sexual harassment happening in my school. But it was a girl harassing other girls 😢 I don‘t know all the specifics but it hurts my heart.

So good! #huggable

There was some predictability but the rest makes up for it. Riley is an awesome kid and everyone involved in the Red Club is equally cool — despite their differences. The budding relationship was fun to watch develop.

I want my daughter and all her friends to read this.

#middlegrademarch #2020middlegrade

Starting this one next for #middlegradeMarch

Read this in my youth, reread because daughter wants to see the movie. More mistreatment of animals than I remember but still a pick.

Who saw the movie? My daughter is very sensitive when it comes to animals being hurt. Thoughts?

Current read for #middlegradeMarch
Naomi shares poems about the trash she picks up on her adventures, reminding readers we all have a part to play in saving our planet.

#2020middlegrade
#2020poetry

I enjoyed this more than I expected to.
Loved the relationship between Ellie and Melvin
The science was pulled in nicely.
Mostly, I liked the absence of school drama. Keeping the focus on Melvin‘s need to get into building 24 without adding any bullying or other school drama was huge in my enjoyment of this story.

Next up for #middlegradeMarch
I‘ve been told this is one not to be missed...we‘ll see!

#2020middlegrade

Well done graphic biography.

#2020mggraphic #2020middlegrade #middlegrademarch

#2020mggraphic
#2020middlegrade #middlegrademarch

Similar to Raina Telgemeier and Invesible Emmy.
Natalie is finding the start to middle school hard since her best friend no longer wants to be friends. Very real look at middle school life. Friendships ending, new one beginning. This one was huggable.

This is #huggable !
After Maggie‘s grandma — who had dementia — forgets who Maggie is, Maggie begins saving random things to remember people, events, and feelings. She‘s afraid of forgetting.

There‘s trapshooting and a new friendship. Oh, and a temporary baby sister 😊

Elly Swartz shines a light on anxiety and hoarding in children, including a note from a child psychologist at the end. #middlegrademarch #2020middlegrade

Starting this for #middlegradeMarch
#overbookedclub

Fun, quick read I didn‘t know I needed to read!
Future western dystopia.... featuring lesbian and non-binary Librarians.

Adult title book talked at a YA event brought this book to my attention. Would have missed out on this gem otherwise. Set up for a possible sequel—I hope so!

#2020yalgbtq

#middlegradeMarch is just around the corner and I plan to start with the tagged book. I have no idea how many books I‘ll get through but this photo shows some I‘m looking forward to. That said, there is a very good chance something else will catch my eye — middle school librarian, I‘m always distracted when new books come into my libraries 😊

Started this one on Saturday. I‘m learning a lot.

Current read. Saw this in a display and since I had a request at work to add more mystery titles I grabbed it....it‘s pretty good so far (50 pages in).

First graphic novel ever to win the Newbery Award! Pretty exciting 😊

I‘m late in posting this ... I‘m surprised no one I follow posted it sooner.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2020/01/27/books/newbery-new-kid-je...

Current read; I hope to see the movie soon.
Given the student population I work with, I think this might make a good choice for a staff book study.

Current read and so far it‘s great.

Chinese New Year is approaching and it‘s the year of the Rat — my year! Getting a jump start with this tale.

#2020picturebooks

I was with my daughter at B&N to get a gift for my niece...just that, none for me. My niece is turning two so naturally I walked through the middle grade section to find the toddler books! I already had my arms full — no toddler stuff yet — when I spotted this on the new books display.

You know Auggie Pullman? Well, Nathaniel is a real life kiddo with the same craniofacial syndrome — Treacher Collins. And this is his memoir.
#2020mgnonfic