MMGM: So B. It

Today's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday pick:

So B. It, by Sarah Weeks

So B. It

Written by Sarah Weeks
Cover by Anna Palma
HarperCollins, 2004
Ages 8-12, Lexile 860L
245 pp, 42000 words


Themes:
Belonging, Search for a past, Coming-of-Age


Opening:
If truth was a crayon and it was up to me to put a wrapper around it and name its color, I know just what I would call it— dinosaur skin. I used to think, without really thinking about it, that I knew what color that was. But that was a long time ago, before I knew what I know now about both dinosaur skin and the truth.
       The fact is, you can't tell squat about the color of an animal just from looking at its bones, so nobody knows for sure what color dinosaurs really were. For years I looked at pictures of them, trusting that whoever was in charge of coloring them in was doing it based on scientific fact, but the truth is they were only guessing. I realized that one afternoon, sitting in the front seat of Sheriff Roy Franklin's squad car, the fall before I turned thirteen.

Thoughts:

Heidi lives with her mom, So B. It and almost with her next-door neighbor, Bernadette. Their quirky, tight-knit family is just right, until the questions about her mom's past pile up too high for Heidi to sit still any longer. She embarks on a journey to find answers, "to know" like other kids do. 

The powerful storytelling and spot-on voice leap off every page. These characters will live in your heart and linger in your mind long after the last page is turned. The author weaves clever dialogue, interesting plot twists and just a tiny bit of magical luck into the story in the perfect blend. She creates a coming-of-age journey which gets to life's basic questions of what's important, what is family, who am I with wit, charm, and gut-wrenching drama.

Grab a box of tissues and a rainy afternoon. When you're finished, find a friend and read it together. It's truly a book to be shared and pondered.

Bonus: 
1. I could recommend Sarah's books again and again. Here are links to my pages for Save Me A Seat and Pie. And for slightly younger readers, try the Oggie Cooder series.

2. The movie version premiered in select theaters October 6. I haven't seen it yet, but you can find more info on So B. It The Movie. It'll never be as good as the book, but the original is so amazing, I'm eager to see them try. Besides, I hope it will prompt new readers to pull a copy off the library shelves.

3.  Have you reviewed a book with a similar vibe? Leave your MG recommendations in the comments. Thanks!

Check out all the recommended titles for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday for October 9, 2017 available on Shannon Messenger's Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe.

Top Ten Hidden Gems of 2016

To join in or view other lists,
visit The Broke and Bookish

This week's Top Ten features Underrated/Hidden Gem Books I've Read In The Past Year Or So

 



See which books other bloggers are listing

for January 17, 2017 

Bingo Summer

1. Bingo Summer, by Dawn Malone

Dawn Malone's books are self-published, but she is every inch a writer. The writing in Bingo Summer was mature and well-developed. Malone is obviously dedicated to her craft. Her main character is likable and her family relationships interesting. This is a rare gem amid the culm.

You can read my Goodreads review here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1590689713

Squashed

2. Squashed, by Joan Bauer

Joan Bauer is a popular author, but her first book about a girl who raises prize pumpkins is a hard sell. The main character is as good as any of Bauer's other heroines. She struggles with her weight, her relationship to her widower dad, and the ever-present stress of blue ribbon competition.

You'll find my Marvelous Middle Grade Monday review here
http://bookish-ambition.blogspot.com/2016/11/mmgm-squashed.html



Evangeline Brown
and the Cadillac Motel

3. Evangeline Brown and the Cadillac Motel, by Michele Ivy Davis

This book may have been published before its time, because there are dozens of book of this ilk on shelves today which are far inferior, yet this one remains largely undiscovered. Evangeline (Eddie to her friends) and Farrell are genuine characters with realistic problems. The Cadillac Motel in Paradise, Florida is the perfect setting, with its anomalous inhabitants. The plot is by turns sweet and bittersweet. The best thing about underrated books is you can usually find a secondhand copy for pocket change. If you're planning to read the new Welcome to Wonderland series by Chris Grabenstein, maybe you should give this a try.

Read the glowing review on KidsPages
http://www.kidsreads.com/reviews/evangeline-brown-and-the-cadillac-motel

A Coalition of Lions

4. A Coalition of Lions, by Elizabeth Wein

Almost twenty years before Wein wrote Code Name, Verity, she penned a version of Arthurian legend which would take readers across two continents. A coalition of Lions is the second in the series, but works as a standalone novel. This book takes place in Askum, also known as Ethiopia. It introduces a host of exciting characters , brimming with political intrigue, reading like a well-played chess game.

You can read my Goodreads review here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1627377754

Eon

5. Eon, by Alison Goodman

My son loved this book, but it took me a while to get around to it. It was truly worth the wait. If you like high fantasy and spunky heroines, martial arts movies and feudal China, you are going to love Eon. Whether tackling gender identity, disability, love, or duty, the author hurtles forward and leaves the reader breathless with anticipation of the next installment. You might know this book as Rise of the Dragoneye or The Two Pearls of Wisdom, depending which continent you hail from.

I thought Jessica Harrison's review summed it up nicely
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705273247/Eon-not-your-average-dragon-fantasy.html?pg=all

When You Reach Me

6. When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead

No one should be surprised at the quality when reading a book by Rebecca Stead, but I was blown away. I didn't think it could possibly live up to the hype, but if anything, the praise fell short. I didn't think I'd ever read another of Rebecca's books which I liked as much as Liar & Spy. Now it's a toss up. So while this gem may not be hidden, it was certainly an unexpected delight.

You can read my Goodreads review here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1544074363

So B. It

7. So B. It, by Sarah Weeks

Another book I was sure was overrated. While Sarah Weeks's books are always entertaining and skillfully written, this one layers in so much more. It is poetic in its honesty. The voice, the humor, the irony leave me nearly speechless.

You can read my Goodreads review here
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/455489650

The Human Body

8. The Human Body: The Story of How We Protect, Repair, and Make Ourselves Stronger, by H. P. Newquist

Though I love non-fiction, I wasn't holding out hope for this book. The title lacks any draw and the cover promised a read as interesting as Grey's anatomy. What I found instead was a fascinating compendium from an unusual viewpoint, the history of man's efforts to repair and improve the human body. Sometimes gruesome, sometimes incredible, The Human Body is well-researched and well-organized, the kind of book in which kids can graze and ruminate, and even learn something.

You'll find my MMGM review and additional resources here
http://bookish-ambition.blogspot.com/2016/11/mmgm-human-body.html

Poop Detectives

9. Poop Detectives, Working Dogs in the Field, by Ginger Wadsworth

I had to include this book. I don't know if Poop Detectives will get the attention it deserves, but the book was a fascinating account of dog-training in environmental studies which will engage readers of all ages. I would never have believed I would recommend a book with that title. I still think it is both a shameless solicitation and an unfortunate misnomer. However, Wadsworth so skillfully covers her subject, making it entertaining and informative, that I am willing to forgive her anything. A hefty 80 pages, packed with photos and personal accounts of these lovable rescued dogs, this book is perfect for every classroom. And that's not a load of poop.

Jennifer at the Jean Little Library highlights more to love in her review
http://jeanlittlelibrary.blogspot.com/2017/01/poop-detectives-working-dogs-in-field.html

The Great Leopard Rescue

10. The Great Leopard Rescue, by Sandra Markle

Lastly, I've included a stunningly beautiful picture book. Again, it's not the type of book I would have expected to be riveting, but the subject and treatment are outstanding. The book follows the complex efforts of conserving an entire species, using the specifics of the Amur Leopard rescue to illustrate the various methods and obstacles. Educational and fascinating, this book is an eye-opening read for both adults and kids.

You can see my review for Perfect Picture Book Friday here
http://bookish-ambition.blogspot.com/2016/11/ppbf-great-leopard-rescue.html

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010. Everyone is welcome to join. Simply link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post and add your name to the Linky widget on that day's posts. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

MMGM: The Grand Plan to Fix Everything

Today's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday pick

The Grand Plan to Fix Everything,
by Uma Krishnaswami and Abigail Halpin

The Grand Plan To Fix Everything
Written by Uma Krishnaswami
Illustrated by Abigail Halpin

Atheneum Books For Young Readers, 2011
Ages 8-12
272 pages, 41000 words, 770L


Themes:
Humor, Bollywood, Separation, Moving


Opening:
       Dolly Singh's fabulous face floats across the screen of the TV in the living room. Two happy sighs float off the couch, one from Dini and the other from her best friend, Maddie.
       Dini is a Dolly fan. She has been forever, from the time she discovered that Dolly's first movie, in which she was just a kid, came out the day—the very day!—that Dini was born. You can't be more closely connected than that.
       Maddie is a fan because best friends share everything.


Thoughts:
Dini and Maddie are best friends. Their summer plans include attending Bollywood dance camp together. They don't include Dini's family moving to a village in India, miles from Mumbai and thousands of miles from each other.

Dini is adorable and her voice shines through. Her voice is authentic. Her fangirl side rings true with girls her age. That is not to say this story is realistic. It is a perfectly Bollywood-style fairytale, complete with happy ending.

I appreciate how the author writes about Dini's relationship with her parents. She is respectful, though she doesn't understand her parents' decisions. She allows her love for her parents to guide her thoughts and actions. I get tired of MCs who exhibit unbridled anger and allow disagreements to fester into actual hatred for family members. That may reflect some kids, but not the kind my children like reading about. Nothing turns my daughter off faster than an unreasonable  protagonist who must get her way, who lashes out at those closest to her. She's drawn to those who use their wits and perseverance to find their happily-ever-after.


Bonus: 
 1. If you enjoyed The Grand Plan to Fix Everything, you're in luck, Krishnaswami has written a sequel, The Problem With Being Slightly Heroic. Dini and Maddie are back in America. And so is Dolly Singh! Uma's other books for middle grader's include Book Uncle and Me and Naming Maya.

The Problem With Being Slightly Heroic,
second of the Dini books
 

Book Uncle and Me, Ages 7-10,
illustrated by Julianna Swaney.

Naming Maya, Ages 10-15

2. For more friendship books, check my MMGM review of Save Me A Seat, or pick up a copy of The Year of the Book, by Andrea Cheng, illustrations by Abigail Halpin, or Granny Torrelli Makes Soup by Sharon Creech.



Save Me a Seat,
by Sarah Weeks
and Gita Varadarajan

The Year of the Book,
by Andrea Cheng
and Abby Halpin

Granny Torrelli Makes Soup,
by Sharon Creech

 

3. Mia Wenjen and Valarie Budayr have developed Multicultural Children's Book Day. January 27, 2017 is designated to "raise awareness for the kid’s books that celebrate diversity" and "to get more of these of books into classrooms and libraries." I hope you will make an effort to share a book you love which features cross-cultural relationships or highlights cultural diversity.

#READYOURWORLD

4. If you haven't experienced an Indian filum (as Dini would say) my absolute favorite romantic comedy is Hum Tum. This picture's got it all love, music, and animation. Does it get any better?

Starring Saif Ali Khan and Rani Mukerji

Have you reviewed a Marvelous Middle Grade Book along this theme? Please leave the link in the comments below. Thanks!

Check out all the Marvelous Middle Grade Monday recommendations for January 2, 2017.

MMGM started way back in 2010 by Shannon Messenger, author of Keeper of Lost Cities. Each week, participating bloggers review our favorite books for ages 8-12. Why not join us?

MMGM: Save Me A Seat

Today's Marvelous Middle Grade Monday pick:

Save me a Seat,
by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan

Save Me A Seat

Written by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan
(Note:  I couldn't find a webite for Gita, but you can follow her on Twitter @GitaVarad1 )
Cover illustration by Mark Elliott
Scholastic, 2016
Ages 8-12, reading level 4.8,  Lexile 780
240 pages, 31,200 words


Themes:
Fitting In, Friendships, Diversity, Disability


Opening:
Most people in America cannot pronounce my name.
        On the first day at my new school, my teacher, Mrs. Beam, is brave enough to try. "Sur-yan-yay-nay," she says, her eyebrows twitching as she attempts to sound it out.
       "Sur-ee-ah-neh-RI-ya-nan," I say slowly.
       She tries again, but it is no better.
       "I'm going to have to work on that," she says with a laugh.
       I laugh too.
       Suryanarayanan is my surname. My first name is Ravi. It's pronounced rah-VEE, with a soft rah and a strong VEE. In Sanskrit, it means "the sun." In America, people call me RAH-vee, with the stress on the first syllable. That doesn't mean anything.


Thoughts:
Save Me A Seat was a guaranteed read because I love Sarah's Pie series and I am an incurable Indiaphile. Predictably, I couldn't put it down, but when my 20-yr old son asked where "that book with the lunch trays" had gone and even my husband was reading it in his spare time, I knew Save Me A Seat was priceless.

Ravi and Joe's voices are so believable and their relationships with their parents so authentic that readers are immediately drawn into their shoes and even adults are right back in those awkward middle school years. The message is gentle but persistent: Ask not a saint of his cast, ask of his knowledge or don't judge a book by its cover.

We often think we know how a new situation will turn out, but people can and do surprise us. Save Me A Seat is sweet and bittersweet, bursting some childhood illusions, but ultimately filling the gap with a rosy hope for the future.

Read it and recommend it to someone today.


Bonus: 

1. I love the double author interview from School Library Journal.

2. Sarah has written plenty of other amazing books. I most recommend Pie, cover by Mark Elliott and So B. It, cover by Anna Palma.


Reviewed by Joanne

Reviewed by Jasmine

3. For a book with a similar Indian-American vibe, I recommend the lovely and lighthearted Lowji Discovers America,by Candace Fleming, cover art by Tim Jessell  and one of my all-time favorites, The Grand Plan to Fix Everything, by Uma Krishnaswami, illustrated by Abigail Halpin.

4. Other MMGM bloggers recommend Mission Mumbai, by Mahtab Narsimhan, Cover by Kelley McMorris, and Chloe in India, by Kate Darnton, cover art by Elena and Anna Balbusso.


Lowji Discovers America,
 by Candace Fleming

The Grand Plan To Fix Everything,
by Uma Krishnaswami

Reviewed by Karen

Reviewed by Jess

Check out all the recommended titles for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday for October 3, 2016 available on Shannon Messenger's Ramblings of a Wannabe Scribe.

Feel free to leave your MG recommendations in the comments. Thanks!

Local Library Sale, Part 1

New novels for my home library.

Every year there's a huge tent erected in the side yard of the library and thousands of books pour in from donors, discards, and parts unknown. It's the highlight of our summer and provides a huge portion of  my summer reading list.

I scaled back a bit this year, but managed to snag some fabulous books:

Airborn, by Kenneth Oppel. This has been on my to read list For. Ever. Just tell me . . . why did I wait so long? Treasure Island meets Leviathan. A+

So B. It, by Sarah Weeks. Finally a book which meets (exceeds) it's hype. Even better than When You Reach Me, by Rebecca Stead. And have a box of tissues handy.

Under the Greenwood Tree, by Thomas Hardy. Have you seen the entertaining adaptation with Keeley Hawes?

A Slice of Pie

This morning I finished Pie, written by
Sarah Weeks.

Like a good pie, it only took me two days from start to finish.  I couldn't stop until the whole thing was gone.

 This warm middle grade novel, set in the mid-twentieth century, oozes all the charm of small town Pennsylvania.  It has the feel-good quality of a 50s adventure show,  but isn't afraid to tackle a few more serious issues like familial jealousy, personal identity, and loss.

Pie is so satisfying, you can even skip the whipped cream.

Courtesy of Food Clip Art

Bonus!  Pie included recipes for all the tasty concoctions in the book.  Get reading so you can get baking!