Tag: middle grade

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Miracle’s Boys by Jacqueline Woodson

Sometimes, life gets too hard. How can the remnants of a family hold on to what was good?

In Miracle’s Boys, Jacqueline Woodson answers the question: how does a kid survive losing both parents before he’s reached adulthood? That question must pass through every child’s mind at some point in their growing-up years. I remember asking those questions around the age of ten. Who would take care of me? Would I ever be happy again?

Winner of the 2001 Coretta Scott King Author Award, the novel is told through the eyes of Lafayette, the youngest of three boys. Laf had lost his father years before and barely remembers him, but his mom died from insulin shock, and he didn’t know how to save her. He and his brothers, Charlie and Ty’ree deal with their grief and sense of helplessness in three different ways.

Ty’ree, the oldest, sacrifices his college scholarship to take a job and support his brothers so they can remain a family. Charlie already angry over his father’s accident, finds his “family” in gang activity, and ends up in a boys’ prison for armed robbery. Lafayette, has withdrawn into himself, keeping an emotional wall between himself and the rest of the world.

While Charlie has been gone for two years, Ty’ree and Laf manage to find a quiet, comfortable relationship, but once the still-angry Charlie returns, the boys have to figure out a new dynamic. Lafayette calls him “Newcharlie” because this middle brother is not the kindhearted boy from years before. Still, Laf has hope that something will change for the better.

The story progresses as each boy faces his fears and the obstacles of living in the inner city. Can Ty’ree keep Charlie in check, or will he lose his brother once and for all to the state? Can Charlie resist the temptation of the gangs, or is he willing to trade in his anger for acknowledging the pain of his loss? Can Lafayette get Charlie to remember what a great big brother he used to be, and can Laf ever get rid of the guilt for his lack of action when his mother was dying?

Pros

  1. The setting gives young readers an accurate view of the inner city without getting too graphic.
  2. Regardless of setting, all readers identify with the problems of family. How siblings relate to each other is a key component to the plot and theme.
  3. Woodson does a superb job in getting the reader to eagerly flip to the next page, and the next, and the next.

Cons

Woodson covers a lot of social issues in a small space which leaves us with a sense that some problems got solved too easily. But then again, the book is aimed at young readers, as one reviewer pointed out. Miracle’s Boys serves as an introduction to a complex society.

Discussion Questions

  1. If you had to depend on an older brother to take care of you, how do you think you would try to help out?
  2. Why do you think Charlie was the only brother who reacted in anger? (Hint: this becomes clear by the end of the book.)
  3. How was Lafayette able to steer away from the gangs in his neighborhood?

Conclusion

The novel is worth reading to discover what works out for the boys—and what doesn’t.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

Inside Out and Back Again is the second free verse middle grade novel that I’ve read and enjoyed recently. Perhaps, that’s because it’s the 2011 winner of the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature and a Newbery Honor Book for 2012.

The subject matter is also close to my heart: the plight of the Vietnamese refugees following the fall of Saigon in 1975. Using her own life story, Thanhha Lai creates a fictional version of ten-year-old Ha who leaves Saigon under siege, lives in a refugee camp for months, and arrives in Alabama to start her new life in America.

SYNOPSIS

The story opens in Vietnam where Ha’s father disappeared years ago, presumably captured by the North Vietnamese. Her mother works hard to feed and clothe Ha and her three older brothers. While I ached for the family’s struggles as they prepared to flee Vietnam, the story really caught my interest as they tried to adjust to a different culture. Ha can’t speak the language, she doesn’t like being treated like a small child since she can’t read at her grade level, and spelling in English makes no sense at all. I’m sure many of you agree! Some of the children in her class bully her, but a few are kind and reach out in friendship. As their first year in America unfolds, Ha depends on her brothers and her English tutor to survive in school. With each passing month, she gains a little more confidence and a few more insights into her new country.

Pros

  1. Thanhha Lai expertly weaves Vietnamese culture through much of the plot via Ha’s observations, actions, and emotions.
  2. The Author’s Note at the end of the book adds to the satisfaction as she describes what were true events in her story. AND she strongly encourages her readers to ask others to tell their story. She leaves us with a thought-provoking question: “How much do we know about those around us?”
  3. This is a book of hope. A little girl who goes through so much heartache, yet at the end looks forward to the next year of her life—that’s a story you want to read!

CONS

  1. After those three PROS above, could there be CONS?
  2. I’ll name one scene that made me uncomfortable—not that I believe it’s a CON, but a few Pharisees might consider this detrimental to the book. In order to be accepted by the neighborhood, the family agrees to be baptized. They don’t know why they should do this, but if it makes the Americans happy, they will oblige. I believe it was wrongful action by Ha’s sponsor, which isn’t the book’s fault. What happened in the story, happened.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

A study guide is available through Bookrags.com. http://www.bookrags.com/studyguide-inside-out-and-back-again/#gsc.tab=0

CONCLUSION

I’ll leave you with a fun aside. Name pronunciation always fascinates me. I assumed Thanhha Lai was pronounced Tonna Lie. Wrong. Teachingbooks.net has an audio of Thanhha Lai describing how to pronounce her name.  The closest I can describe it: Tang (voice rises) Ha (voice descends) Lie.

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Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

Set in 1934 Oklahoma, Out of the Dust inspires its readers with the indomitable human spirit in the midst of tragedy.

Once upon a time, thirteen-year-old Billie Jo had talent as a pianist.                Once upon a time, the family farm provided for their needs. Now, the crops have failed, the government has stepped in to “help,” her mother is dead, and her hands are burned, almost useless. Billie Jo can’t forgive herself, nor can she forgive her dad for his seeming apathy in the midst of their tragedies. She runs away.

Set in 1934 Oklahoma, Out of the Dust inspires its readers with the indomitable human spirit in the midst of tragedy. Billie Jo and her father heal over a period of almost two years, and she learns the meaning of home, however imperfect.

The story is written in free verse, something I normally wouldn’t care for, but in this novel, it works. The depth of Billie Jo’s hurt is told in a matter-of-fact style, an anecdote here, a wistful little episode there. Both story and form earned Karen Hesse the 1998 Newbery Medal.

Pros

  • The details provide an excellent sense of daily history during the Great Depression.
  • By the end of the story, Billie Jo (and the reader) are left with a sense of hope. Life has its seasons. She survived the worst she’s ever known, and it looks like a season of blessing is heading her way.

Cons

  • This story is marketed toward children eleven to thirteen years old. I’d raise the age by another year. Fifth-graders may have a hard time with the graphic word pictures of Billie Jo’s burned hands and the burns that her mother didn’t survive.
  • While I enjoyed the free verse style, others may not.
  • Discussion Questions
  1. Because of the Great Depression, many people who had made a good living on their farms became poor. What are some of the ways people reacted to the changes in their lives?
  2. The fire was an accident. Why did Billie Jo feel guilty?
  3. Why did Billie Jo run away from home?
  4. Do you think Billie Jo will be happy with her new stepmother?

 

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Sleepers by Darcy Pattison

Sleepers is the first in The Blue Planets Trilogy—notice the plural in Planets.

Based on the premise that Earth is not the only planet that can sustain life as we know it, the people on Rison, another blue planet, need to evacuate because their world is ready to implode. They seek refuge on Earth and propose a workable arrangement. The Risonians have gills, as well as lungs, and are perfectly capable of living underwater. They could reside on the ocean floor while Earthlings continued on the surface of the planet. As with any public project, opinions abound, and debate is fierce.

Fourteen-year-old Jake Rose, half-human and half alien, now lives on earth with his human grandparents while his mother, who is the Risonian ambassador to Earth, works to arrive at a peaceful compromise for both parties. Jake accidentally discovers that Earth’s elite ELLIS forces are trying to sabotage Mt. Rainier in hopes an eruption can be blamed on the Risonian aliens. Although he doesn’t realize it immediately, Jake himself may hold the key to prevent ELLIS from destroying their own planet. Meanwhile, Risonians have their own darker factions, and in the midst of interplanetary tensions, a mysterious illness affects some creatures and not others.

Pros

  1. Truly science fiction, Darcy Pattison offers her readers an entertaining education on volcanology, astronomy, and anatomy. The idea of a person with both gills and lungs fascinated me.
  2. Mysteries and suspense abound. Why does Blevins hate the Risonians? Why are seals dying in Puget Sound? Why has Em disappeared? Are there other Risonians already on earth—Sleepers? Will brown matter destroy earth in the same way that it destroyed Rison? Will Jake and his biological father be able to stop the saboteurs?
  3. The story is complex. Yes, the villains do evil things, but as Jake investigates them, he learns more of their history, which allows the reader to sympathize with Blevins and Hill.
  4. Pattison offers a romantic interest for Jake, the final ingredient to mix into a great YA story.

 

Cons

  1. Pattison gives no graphic details, but the moral ambivalence regarding Jake’s mom’s relationships with Blake Rose on earth and Swann Quad-de on Rison bothered me. This detail might go over the heads of some middle grade readers, but others will have questions, so parents, be prepared with an answer! Pattison, who is a Christian, provided me with one answer: not all cultures share Christian beliefs, Rison being one of those cultures.

 

Discussion Questions

  1. If you had both lungs and gills, where would you prefer to live? On land or under the sea?
  2. Mr. Blevins had to face consequences for his previous, dishonest actions. Was he right to be angry and seek revenge? Why or why not?
  3. Name one thing you learned about volcanoes through this novel.
  4. Is there really such a thing as brown matter? Do a little research and prove your answer!

 

 

 

 

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The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman

Synopsis

The Midwife’s Apprentice, 1996 Newbery Award winner, realistically depicts the Middle Ages (early fourteenth century) through the eyes of a preteen girl in a simple, narrative style with easy-to-read prose.

Alyce, aka Brat or Dung Beetle, is a street urchin in a small village. She survives as a beggar and a scavenger, eating from garbage heaps and sleeping in mounds of dung. The local midwife takes her in, not merely out of the goodness of her heart. While Alyce becomes known as the midwife’s apprentice, in reality the woman has only given her menial chores and gardening duties. She shows Alyce no affection and doesn’t teach the girl midwifery. Instead, Alyce gathers her small amount of courage, and in peril of being discovered, sneaks into cottages where the midwife has been called so she can observe what is done for mothers and babies. Eventually, Alyce displays skills that rival the midwife. But that is only the external story.

The internal growth going on in Alyce is what won Cushman the Newbery. In a cruel world, Alyce, who has received no encouragement to love others, exercises her God-given compassionate nature and finds her place in the world.

Pros

  1. Karen Cushman provides little known facts of the era, and I never tire of learning history.
  2. Not only does The Midwife’s Apprentice teach a slice of Western Civilization, Cushman also provides an author’s note sharing facts on the history of midwifery.
  3. For all that the style is not what today’s reader is used to, it’s short (my edition had 117 pages), and its simplicity makes it a quick read.
  4. With all the negatives in Alyce’s life, the author is able to portray simple joys through events the girl had never before experienced: the praise of a friend, the gaiety of a country fair, a bath in the river.

Cons

  1. The dialogue is a bit rough on the ears for twenty-first century preteens. The characters’ daily treatment of each other is enough to warrant family discussions!
  2. TMI. The nature of the midwife’s job may be more information than you wish your ten-year-old to absorb. Without being graphic in every detail, the author gives a no-holds-barred portrait of the hard work and messiness required in labor and delivery.
  3. With nothing sugar-coated as mentioned above, I’m not sure upper elementary school children are ready for this book, even though the protagonist starts out around twelve years old.

Discussion Questions

Pick a page, any page, and you will find several topics for discussion—from the harsh times of the Middle Ages to the puzzle of the midwife’s motivations in dealing with Alyce as she did. The woman has some redeeming qualities after all.

My Recommendation:

If you proactively guide your children in becoming aware of the darkness of humanity in the safety of your home, I recommend this novel wholeheartedly.

If you prefer to protect your children for a little while longer, then save it for another year, or five.

 

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The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

 

Synopsis

Esperanza lives in the projects in Chicago. She knows she’s poor, but not as poor as many of her neighbors. She knows the streets can be dangerous, and she fears people of a different color. She sees the abuse endured by some of her friends. Someday, Esperanza’s talents will help her escape the poverty and the violence, but she will never forget. This is her mission: to advocate for those who cannot leave Mango Street.

Recommended for children older than ten.

 

Pros

  1. The book’s setting will resonate with any child who lives in the setting of inner city poverty.
  2. The story is simple. It’s pithy. It grabbed this reader so she could not turn away. The author succeeded in her message and challenges us to do good for others where it is in our power to do so.

Cons

  1. Cisneros writes in short vignettes, which I normally do not enjoy, but these are tied together so well, I didn’t mind.
  2. I’m not sure if this story works for a middle grade reader, at least, not for a protected middle grade white girl like I was. The real life scenario of the inner city reads more like urban fantasy to kids who don’t live in the culture.

Discussion questions

  1. How is your life at home the same or different from Esperanza’s?
  2. How is your neighborhood the same or different from Esperanza’s?
  3. Esperanza meets several different kinds of people in her neighborhood. Who was your favorite, and why?

    Conclusion

Sandra Cisneros keeps Esperanza’s promise. While the story is not autobiographical, it does reflect the culture of her childhood. But I can’t help believe that the promise itself comes straight from the heart of Cisneros.

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The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper Book 2 of 5

 Synopsis:

Will Stanton, seventh son of a seventh son is turning eleven and this birthday marks the beginning  of his awakening as the last of the Old Ones. The Dark is Rising tells how Will, met by Merriman Lyon, comes to power in the modern world and must accumulate the six “signs” to help fight the rising Dark.

Pros:

  • This is a basic story about Good versus Evil and how everyone must at some point make a stand for one or the others.
  • The pros in this book is stunning example where art and popular stories merge into one well done novel. Susan Cooper is hitting her stride after book one and doesn’t seem to look back.
  • This was one of the first fantasy novels to break into the Newbery Awards, which was no small feat back when it was originally written.
  • The story is well paced and full of suspense and creepy backdrops, but that might fall under the Con category.

Cons:

  • I really can’t think of any, but if you have a problem Arthur tales and the legends of Cornwall England, this may not be the book for your reader.
  • Like in the review for Book One of the series, I don’t find this story antithetical to anyone’s beliefs unless you’re an atheist. Since this is only fiction, I can’t imagine anyone taking a story so literally that it would cause them problems.

Final Word:

I cannot say enough good about this novel. This was one of two novels responsible for turning me into a reader.If you have any qualms as an adult, I recommend you read it first before you turn it over to your young reader.

 

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Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper: Book 1 of 5

Synopsis

Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper is a  middle grade fantasy novel and the first of five in The Dark Is Rising series. It features the Drew children: Simone, Jane, and Barney vacationing with their parents in the fictional village of Trewissick.

The  children find an old manuscript with a map of the Cornwall coast in the ttic of the mansion they’re renting for the summer. When Barney discovers the map is related to King Arthur, they turn to their Great-uncle Merry. He confirms that the map is a reproduction of a much older map to an ancient relic of Britain, the children decide  to withhold the information from the adults and set themselves to treasure hunting. Merry does warn the children that there adults looking for the artifact, especially and organization called The Dark. Soon the summer activity turns dangerous as they are pursued by agents of The Dark, bent on possessing the relic for themselves.

  • Pros:

The book will be enjoyed by boys and girls since the protagonists are a sister and her brothers. The book isn’t spooky, but it is thrilling and has a lot of action that utilizes the supernatural as the backdrop of story.

Susan Cooper is a wonderful writer and took advantage of all the English folklore from the Cornwall region and uses it as a backdrop for all five  books. Of all the books, Over Sea, Under Stone is probably the weakest of the stories, but it was also the first of the series. This means that if you like book one, the next four only get better.  If you don’t like book one, try the next one because it gets better.

  • Cons:

The series is a fantasy series and will get darker as the books progress on, though in defense of Ms. Cooper, you will never find her books without hope or dreary. Some children might not enjoy the darker aspects of the story.

While the whole series takes advantage of the Arthur legend, the first book utilizes the Holy Grail legend as a backdrop.  While I don’t believe they are antithetical to Christian, or any other belief system (with the exception of Atheism), the Arthur legend does run parallel with Christian beliefs: so be warned, or encouraged.

  • Final Word

Susan Cooper is the reason I fell in love with reading fantasy as an eight year-old. Though I didn’t start with book one in the series, I still found this book fun to read. Two of her books in the series won Newberry Awards, which in the sixties and seventies, was unheard of because of the general disdain for fantasy.  Having said that, her work has continued to win acclaim and readers across the genres, which speaks volumes to the quality of her writing.

 

 

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The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes

“Everyone knows a Wanda.” I stole that from a recent Amazon review of The Hundred Dresses. Winner of the 1945 Newbery Honor Award, The Hundred Dresses has never been out of print. Why? Because it’s an ageless story about bullying.

Nineteen-forties America wasn’t familiar with cyber-bullying, but every generation has had to deal with sinful human nature, bullying being one of those sins. In this case, the bullying is among girls.

Wanda is a from a Polish immigrant family, she has a single father who’s doing his best to keep her clothed and clean and fed. But the wealthier girls in class notice Wanda wears the same blue dress every day. Wanda claims she has one hundred dresses in her closet, and of course, everyone laughs. The ringleader never lets her off the hook and baits her constantly.

The book is written from Maddie’s point-of-view. She’s one of the more popular girls in class, and she wants to keep it that way, so she never crosses the bully. But she feels guilty about not standing up for Wanda, especially when Wanda suddenly moves away.

Based on a true story from Eleanor Estes’s childhood, The Hundred Dresses teaches children the world over the painful lesson of causing someone else’s hurt.

Pros

  • The entire story is a lesson in empathy. Our world needs more of it!
  • While targeted for girls seven to ten years old, it’s a great story to read to younger children, or to read aloud in a small group of upper elementary students. And while considered too juvenile, even junior high and high school students will get the universal message of “Love your neighbor.”

Cons

  • Because it was written more than half a century ago, the illustrations and style of language are dated. That’s not a bad thing in and of itself. The language is perfectly understandable to any reader at a third-grade level (unlike Elizabethan English!), but if your child will only read a book with bright colors and high action, The Hundred Dresses is not his or her cup of tea.

Discussion Questions

  • Have you ever known a person like Wanda who was new and different and didn’t fit in with your classmates?
  • Maddie felt badly for Wanda. Why didn’t she do anything to help? Were her reasons good or bad? Why do you think so?
  • What did you think when Wanda sent Maddie one of her dresses?

Final Word

As you may have guessed from the last discussion question, Wanda really did have a hundred dresses! Each one was a beautiful creation.

 

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Painting the Rainbow by Amy Gordon

Painting the Rainbow is a beautiful, multi-generational story of the Greenwood family’s summer reunion. The Greenwoods appear healthy, supportive of one another, ideal—except for the mystery of Jesse’s death more than twenty years earlier.
Thirteen-year-old Holly narrates, but a neat twist is added. Her cousin, Ivy, also thirteen, provides point-of-view through her diary entries. The girls stumble upon various clues about their Uncle Jesse’s past, but no one will discuss it. Ivy’s dad, Jesse’s twin, goes ballistic if Jesse’s name is mentioned, and even their beloved grandmother Gigi refuses to enlighten them.

North Vietnam Flag 1965 By Lưu Ly
Japanese Flag World War II

Set in 1965 as the Vietnam War gears up, parallels between the generations become more and more focused, and the girls learn of an unusual connection between Uncle Jesse and a young Japanese man who came to their town shortly before World War II started.

Dozens of threads of the individual characters’ personalities and actions intertwine, and Amy Gordon weaves them skillfully into a sublime story tapestry—one I’ll read again.
And I rarely read a book twice.
Pros
1. The voice, the prose, the style—they all drew me in immediately. I didn’t want to put down the book. Forget lunch, dinner, housework, or writing tasks.
2. The story is a great vehicle to teach the issues of the 1960’s. We can see the results of those issues fifty years later.
3. Some books deal with dark subject matter and make me feel soiled by the end. Not with Painting the Rainbow. Every character, while containing a flaw, or two or three, is a realistic, valuable human being, and none of the flaws compromise a Christian reader’s values.
Cons
1. As per number three on my Pros list, the Greenwood family isn’t particularly Christian; however, they reflect moral values of the Golden Rule.
2. My own little pet peeve: the choice of Holly and Ivy for names of the main characters. Too cutesy of a combination!
Discussion questions
1. What were the repercussions of keeping a secret for twenty years?
2. How were the Japanese camps in America in 1942 similar to Nazi concentration camps? How were they different?
3. How was Jesse’s attitude toward war with Germany and Japan the same or different from Randy’s attitude toward the Vietnam War?
4. If you discovered a mystery about your family’s past, would you keep searching for answers like Holly did no matter if people got upset with you, or would you back off like Ivy wanted to?