Thoughts on Olive's Ocean by Kevin Henkes

Martha wasn't really friends with Olive. Sure, they were in the same class at school, but they never really talked or anything. Martha hadn't thought much about Olive even after a tragic accident takes Olive's life. But when Olive's mother brings Martha a page out of Olive's journal written about Martha, suddenly Martha can't stop thinking about Olive even while on a family vacation in Florida.

Having heard lots of wonderful things about this story, I guess I expected too much. I thought it was predictable and tried to hard to be sentimental. Maybe I had my expectations set way too high, but I really didn't like it as much as I wanted to like it. C rating.

Thoughts on Benny and Omar by Eoin Colfer

I picked Benny and Omar to read, because I simply adore Colfer's Artemis Fowl series. I was a bit nervous, wondering if I'd like something other than fantasy by Colfer. (Also liked Wish List, Supernaturalist, and Airman, but not as much as Artemis and Holly.) The description didn't leave me much hope. Okay, an Irish boy moving to Tunisia and befriending a Tunisian boy. Doesn't sound too exciting, but I'm willing to try.

While definitely not a favorite, I found a lot to like here, especially the humor. Omar's English skills (learned from watching TV) were the highlight of the book for me. For the two boys to communicate just by using ad slogans and catch phrases from television shows, gives the reader an idea of Colfer's genius. Just trying to envision the conversations between the boys had me chuckling.

I wish the story moved quicker, for I think many readers won't stick with it. And that's my biggest complaint with the book. Too slow. I also wonder how much my students will connect with these characters. Will they be able to identify with Benny's insecurities, even though he uses unfamiliar slang? That will be the biggest test.

C+ rating.

Last Week's Reading (9/3-9/9)

Last week, I didn't have much time for reading and only completed three of the five I had pulled. Two were great and the other one was just so-so.

Wish by Joseph Monninger

Bee’s brother, Tommy, knows everything there is to know about sharks. He also knows that his life will be cut short by cystic fibrosis. And so does Bee.
 
That’s why she wants to make his wish-foundation-sponsored trip to swim with a great white shark an unforgettable memory.
 
But wishes don’t always come true. At least, not as expected. Only when Bee takes Tommy to meet a famous shark attack survivor and hard-core surfer does Tommy have the chance to live one day to the fullest.
 
And in the sun-kissed ocean off a California beach, Bee discovers that she has a few secret wishes of her own. . . .

I was disappointed with Wish, for it took way too long for the story to develop. The story started off well, with Bee traveling with her mom and her brother to California for his "wish" trip to dive to see sharks. I was still with the story until they get to California -- that's when I got bored. See, I thought the story was actually about the shark dive. Nope. It's really not. It's what happens AFTER that's important. I wish there was a way to speed up the first part with the dive, for it's really just backstory. Maybe it would have kept me interested and I wouldn't have to force myself to pick it up to get to the good parts. I think there were a lot of good story ideas that were thrown together and didn't mesh well. I liked Bee and Tommy. I really wanted to care about them, but in the end, I really didn't. C rating.

The Fourth Stall by Chris Rylander

Do you need something? Mac can get it for you. It's what he does—he and his best friend and business manager, Vince. Their methods might sometimes run afoul of the law, or at least the school code of conduct, but if you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can pay him, Mac is on your side. His office is located in the East Wing boys' bathroom, fourth stall from the high window. And business is booming.

Or at least it was, until one particular Monday. It starts with a third grader in need of protection. And before this ordeal is over, it's going to involve a legendary high school crime boss named Staples, an intramural gambling ring, a graffiti ninja, the nine most dangerous bullies in school, and the first Chicago Cubs World Series game in almost seventy years. And that's just the beginning. Mac and Vince soon realize that the trouble with solving everyone else's problems is that there's no one left to solve yours.

Just the premise of this book will get you wanting to read it. What's not to like with a story about a guy that runs his business from the fourth stall in the boy's bathroom at school? Awesome. I can't say I was surprised about anything that happened, for I had my suspicions about the snitch as well as what was going on with Mac's best friend, Vince. But, even though I knew who did it, I still wanted to know how it all worked out. I noticed that there are two sequels. Must purchase them. Great fun! B+ rating.

Belly Up by Stuart Gibbs

Twelve-year-old Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt Fitzroy has murder on his hands and trouble on his tail. He believes that Henry, the hippopotamus at the brand-new FunJungle, has been murdered. The zoo’s top brass claim the hippo went belly up the natural way, but Teddy and his feisty friend Summer McCraken have other ideas. Could the culprit be FunJungle’s animal-hating head of operations? Or is it FunJungle’s owner—Summer’s dad—a man who is much more concerned about money than animal welfare? The deeper Teddy and Summer dig, the more danger they’re in—because when it comes to hippo homicide, the truth can’t be caged!

Gibbs is a genius -- a mystery set in a zoo where the star attraction, a nasty hippo, is murdered. Who would have thought that would make for such a funny and entertaining story? I loved this story and found it difficult to put down. If I'd have had the time, I would have finished in one sitting. You can tell this story is meant to be funny, just look at the cover. What I really liked was how the humor is over the top, but at the same time not hit me over the head obvious. It's more where you take a step back from the story and you realize that all the characters are really caricatures, each with his own silly foible. Being from Texas, I generally hate it when the stereotypical Texan is used as a character. I could forgive it here, because I could tell it was all in jest. The mystery is good, and I think it'll keep the reader guessing until the end. Loved it! B+ rating.

Book Read: Lawn Boy by Gary Paulsen

Lawn Boy is one of those books you can read in a super short amount of time. I finished it in about an hour. "Lawn Boy" is a boy who receives his grandfather's old ride-on lawn mower as a gift on his twelfth birthday. He uses it to start a lawn service company that expands beyond his wildest belief. With the help of a stock broker neighbor, Lawn Boy invests his money, adds employees, and even invests in a prizefighter.

Kind of a crazy story, but it somehow works. I can see many of Paulsen's fans enjoying this one, especially because of its length and fast-paced action. I rate it a C+ mainly because I have too many questions about the actions of the adults in this story.

Grace's Twist by Melissa J. Morgan (Camp Confidential #3)

Grace's Twist is third in the "Camp Confidential" series. This one features Grace and how she must learn to deal with a bully from another bunk. On top of that, she's afraid to let her friends know the reason why she can't audition for the play, nor go with them to the water park. Nothing here to stand out above other books, but those that liked the first two in the series will probably enjoy. I give it a C.

Eight Keys by Suzanne LaFleur

Elise is starting sixth grade and nothing seems to be going right in middle school. Her best friend, Franklin, is embarrassing. Her locker partner, Amanda, makes fun of Elise and smashes her lunch every day. The school work is hard and she's fallen behind. When Elise finds a key hanging in the barn with her name on it, she begins unlocking a puzzle left behind by her deceased father -- literally unlocking, since the puzzle is the contents of the rooms behind eight locked doors upstairs in the barn. Each room helps Elise in her journey to better understand herself and what is important in her life.

I was a bit worried that there would be too many similarities with Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life by Wendy Mass, when I realized the story was about a puzzle left behind by a dead parent. But, after finishing the book, I think that's about all that was similar. Suzanne LaFleur ties in the awkward changes each preteen experiences when dealing with new friends, old friends, and even includes a confrontation with a bully. Elise uses the messages left to her by her father as a way to accept the new, while still embracing and appreciating the old.

I think readers who appreciate an introspective story will enjoy this one. B rating.

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet by Erin Dionne

Hamlet Kennedy just wants to fit in. Eighth grade is hard enough without being in the spotlight, but thanks to a genius little sister and her Shakespearean professor parents that's exactly where she finds herself. Okay, it's weird enough having to live with a name like Hamlet, but how would you like to have a class with your seven-year-old sister? When Hamlet's English and History teachers decide to do a 'Salute to Shakespeare' unit, Hamlet just knows her parents will parade through her school in period costumes and embarrass her further.

The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet is all about fitting in, or rather, not standing out. Many a middle school student spends three years trying to be just like everyone else. For Hamlet, there's no way she can do it. Having her little sister in the same school, much less the same class is a major reason. I loved how she desperately tries to seem like her neighbor, while knowing that there's no way she can. Her cringe of embarrassment at having her classmates actually see her mother's odd dress is exactly how many eighth graders feel about their parents. Most parents aren't as exaggeratedly embarrassing as Hamlet's, but I know most middle schoolers feel exactly the same way as Hamlet about their own parents. How Hamlet resolves her feelings and eventually embraces her uniqueness will have readers cheering.

A fun read about the highs and lows of being in middle school, The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet will be a must read for anyone who dreams of just fitting in. I give it a B+.

The Steps by Rachel Cohn

Annabel is going to visit her dad over Christmas vacation in Australia and finally meet her steps. Feeling left out and missing her dad over the two years he's been gone, Annabel begins her trip with the idea that she will convince her dad to return to NYC with her. During her stay, Annabel's jealousy slowly turns to friendship and more with her new extended family.

Ideally suited for middle grades readers, I'd recommend it for grades 5 and 6 especially. The Steps portrays the difficulty kids experience when their parents remarry and suddenly people with nothing in common are thrown together as siblings. I found this a solid story, filled with funny episodes in order to make for an entertaining read. Some of the pop references are dated, which may cause some readers to dislike the book. (References to the movie Titanic and the Friends TV show.) My grade? A 'B.'

Slob by Ellen Potter

Owen is the fattest boy in his school. He's teased some, and especially picked on by his P.E. coach who seems to want to make his life extra-miserable. Owen tries hard not to let school bring him down, for at home his specialty is inventing things. Right now, he's working on building a TV that will show events from the past. Specifically, the past that was two years ago. That's when his parents were killed in a robbery of their deli and the murderer was never caught. He's hoping that his invention will give him a clue.

For me, Slob didn't start off particularly interesting. In fact, it was rather painful to read about the despicable behavior of the coach towards Owen, knowing his life was hard enough without that extra jab from an adult. I was over 50 pages into the story, before I even had a hint of what this story was about (and why I should keep on reading). I don't know too many teens that would give a story that much time or pages to hook them. Once I finally found out what's the deal with the book, it wasn't that much of a hardship to pick it up and finish. The last quarter of the book redeems the slow start, but I doubt most will make it that far. My grade? A 'C.'

Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Amal, an Australian teen of Palestinian descent, decides to wear the hijab (the Muslim head scarf) at the end of her winter break. She's just a normal teenager, embarrassed by her father's behavior and disagreeing with her mother over the state of her bedroom. After donning the hijab, Amal learns to deal with the odd stares and questions from classmates and friends with lots of humor.

I could tell just by the title, Does My Head Look Big in This?, this story is told with lots of humor. Amal's first person narrative gives a spotlight to her humor, where I could imagine her as a typical teen adjusting to the changes in her life. Although I don't know much about the Muslim culture, I didn't feel lost, because the author used Amal to explain the differences. By using a humorous tone in this novel, the author was able to explore some of the conflicts a young Muslim must face in today's world without changing the feel of the novel.

I think this will appeal to many teen girls, whether they are Muslim or not. Anyone who has to deal with making an important decision and standing up for it will feel camaraderie with Amal, for this story is more about growing up than growing up Muslim. Most enjoyable story -- a 'B' grade from me.

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick

Ever since hearing that there would be a sequel to Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie, I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. I loved, loved, loved DGADP - one of my favorite books of all time. I wanted to know what happened with Jeffrey and Steven later on and After Ever After gives us that story.

Jeffrey is now in eighth grade, and still struggling with the effects of being a cancer survivor. Yes, he's cancer-free, but he has a limp and some slight brain damage that leads him to sort out things slower. With Steven away in Africa, Jeffrey doesn't have his big brother close by to go to for advice, and he must muddle through some typical eighth-grade problems, from school to girls, alone.

I didn't immediately feel the connection to this story that I did for DDADP, probably because Steven wasn't in the story as much as I'd like. But, it really didn't take too many chapters until I was attached to Jeffrey. Mr. Sonnenblick grasps the nature and attitude of middle school students and these characters feel real. I could easily see these kids walking down the halls of the school where I work. Like Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie, After Ever After is an emotional story. I focused on one aspect of the story, thinking "please no," so that I was blindsided by the ending.

After Ever After will appeal to many teens with its heart-tugging events and true-to-life characters. It's not necessary to read Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie before reading this one, but Jeffrey's story now will mean more having followed his cancer treatments with him in the previous book. My one biggest critique is that Steven was almost an afterthought here, and I would have loved to have seen more of him. All-in-all, a fabulous book and highly recommended to all. I give it an 'A'!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

I held out for a very long time, before reading any of the Wimpy Kid books. I wasn't sure I was going to like them, no matter how much kids raved about them. I finally broke down and decided to read the first one, just to "see." I sure was curious as to why these books appeal to all kids, boys or girls, high or low ability. Well, it didn't take me long to understand.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid is a super fast read, and I finished it in one sitting. Not only is it easy to read, but the story keeps your interest and you hate to put it down. The illustrations on each page enhance the story, so that each are integral to the action. I felt like you couldn't have one without the other.  Honestly, I was feeling Greg's pain, even though I'm not a boy and not in sixth grade. I think everyone can understand the feelings of uncertainty Greg faces starting middle school and looking for a way to make himself stand out from the others and at the same time fit in.

Excellent story, written in the ideal format (a combination of journal and comic), Diary of a Wimpy Kid deserves all the raves and attention. Now, I must read more about Greg, but finding these books on the shelf may be the hardest part. I give it a B+.

Sarah and the Naked Truth by Elisa Carbone

Sarah and her two best friends -- Olivia and Christina -- each find herself in a situation where she must decide how much of the truth to tell. Is it worth rocking the boat to tell all or is it better to leave things as is?

From that description, Sarah and the Naked Truth sounds like a story that preaches to you, and that's far from the truth. Sarah and friends act like normal kids -- they play together, have fun, but aren't perfect. I loved how situations that could have been disastrous are turned into a funny, sometimes silly, happening.

The intended audience is a bit younger than middle schoolers, but I can see it being popular with 4th-5th graders. I give it a solid 'B.'

Leap of Faith by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley

Abby is expelled from her middle school after she pulls a knife on another student (who just happens to be the son of the principal). Left with limited choices, her parents decide to enroll her in Catholic school. Abby's not very religious. She and her parents don't attend church. Once in her new school, Abby discovers that she loves her drama class and acting in the school plays. Over time, Abby develops faith in God and trust in a friend in order to tell others what happened at her old school and why.

Leap of Faith is one of those novels that you will either like or you'll not finish. For some people, a story where a person's faith in God is the central theme will make them uncomfortable. Others will embrace such a tale. While I'm not a Catholic, I could still relate to Abby's questioning of God and why bad things happen in the world. I liked how the events leading up to her one instance of violence (the knife) wasn't revealed until the end. It let the reader imagine the instance and wonder what could have made her *snap*. It was heartbreaking to read about Abby's relationship with her parents and how they ignored her most of the time. At least, you could see a hope for improvement towards the end of the story. This is a story that won't appeal to everyone, but I think those that enjoy stories of faith and finding one's self will appreciate it. I give it a B.

The Sweetheart of Prosper County by Jill S. Alexander

I first heard about The Sweetheart of Prosper County from the 2010-2011 Texas Lone Star Reading List. After reading the description, I couldn't help but put it towards the top of my TBR. A couple of things caught my eye: (1.) It's set in small town Texas. (2.) It features a girl involved with FFA.

Austin Gray's goal for the next year is to be the FFA (Future Farmers of America) Sweetheart and ride of the hood of a pickup in next year's Christmas parade. Austin sets out gung-ho to reach her goal by joining FFA and getting a rooster to raise, but is hampered by the town bully and her overprotective mother. You see, Austin's mother still grieves for Austin's father who died in a car accident six years ago. Through the events of the story, Austin gains a better understanding for her mother and together the two begin to work through the pain of losing her father.

At first glance, one may think Austin's goal is a bit shallow, but come on, this IS a teen. It's EXACTLY the sort of goal a girl of 14/15 would have. She really wants to be accepted by her classmates and is looking for a niche. There is a ton of work involved in caring for an animal, so she shows more dedication towards reaching her goal than just a superficial one. I adored the characters -- some quirky, some determined, some shallow. They all felt real! The description of small town Texas life was dead-on, including the glimpse of the politics of the town.

I've already begun to recommend this book to many students and can't wait to recommend to many others. It's a story that those living in a rural town will recognize and those that don't will get a glimpse of the real rural life -- more than the stereotypes. Jill Alexander has made my "watch" list. I will definitely be looking for more from her in the future.  This is a strong 'B+' for me, Super!

Girls in Pants by Ann Brashares

After reading the first two "Sisterhood" books, I had to read the third one. I wanted to find out what happens to Bridget, Tibby, Carmen & Lena as they get older.

Girls in Pants starts with the four girls graduating from high school. Each has a different plan for college next year and this is their last summer together. The pants, once again, serve as a way for the girls to connect while all experiencing pivotal moments in their lives.

At first, I wasn't very interested in the story. It seemed slow-moving and all I noticed was each girl complaining, whining about something. I was not in the mood for such a story and was tempted to put it back. Thankfully, as the story progressed, I noticed less and less complaining and immersed myself in each of their lives -- their hopes and dreams, their fears about the changes taking place in their lives. It's probably because I can remember the summer before leaving for college and identify with exactly what they are feeling, that I became enamored. This is exactly how I felt and hoped at that point in my life. The more I read, the more I fell in love with the story. Things don't end up sunshine and rainbows for each of the girls, but it's definitely hopeful. Each much struggle through some sort of trial or hardship and grows as a result. I do like that. An 'A' story for me, memorable.