Monday, March 12, 2018

HUNDRED PERCENT by Karen Romano Young

School Stories, Family Life, Friendship, Confidence, Kindness

From the Publisher
Christine Gouda, called Tink, and her best friend Jackie are entering sixth grade, and suddenly everything seems awkward and just plain wrong-boys are behaving differently, clothes do not fit the way they should, long term friendships suddenly seem tenuous, and most of all she needs a new nickname because "Tink" just does not fit anymore.

Booklist Review
Sixth grade seems like the perfect place for reinvention-or self-discovery-for Chris and her BFF Jackie. But their friendship strains as the girls develop at different rates and Jackie is invited into the cool kids' group. Chris tags along but isn't sure that's where she belongs, especially when her crush woofs at her, and her nerdy friend Matthew (aka Bushwhack) is considered a social pariah to be left behind. As in Stuck in the Middle (of Middle School) (2013), Young demonstrates her apt understanding of preteens, incorporating pertinent themes, such as the search for self-identity, the struggle to accept one's changing body, first crushes, the betrayal of friends, and the search for new ones. Luminous, witty writing and satirical banter between Chris and Bushwhack move the tale through the school year and offer hope that everyone can survive sixth grade. While not all of the plot is plausible, tweens will connect with Chris' struggle to find out who she is (and who she wants to be), and they'll rejoice as she emerges from her cocoon. Copyright 2014 Booklist Reviews.

My Comments
Thoughtful and authentic. This is perfect for a mature sixth grade girl. Although not a difficult read, it is a little long and focuses intently on everyday middle school social interactions and their meanings

 

Wednesday, March 07, 2018

HOW OSCAR INDIGO BROKE THE UNIVERSE (and put it back together again) by David Teague




Adventure, Science Fiction, Sports/Baseball, Courage, Time, Friendship, Divorce
Interest Level Grades 3-62017 - 246 pages

From the Publisher
"Oscar Indigo has never been good at baseball, so naturally he's nervous when he has to fill in for his team's injured All-Star, Lourdes. Luckily, Oscar has a mysterious gold watch that can stop time, which he uses to fake a game-winning home run. Now Oscar's the underdog hero of his town and even Lourdes wants to be his friend.

Oscar wants nothing more than to ask Lourdes for help, but what would a baseball star like her think of a guy whose fake home run actually destroyed the universe? But as he and Lourdes grow closer, Oscar understands that it isn't always what you do that makes you special--but who you are. And that confidence just might be the key to fixing the universe.

But the universe is a precarious place, and you can't just steal time without any consequences. If Oscar doesn't find a way to return the time he stole, the universe will unwind completely."

My CommentsWacky, fun, out there. I think it could be a hit (no pun intended) with upper elementary and middle school students. Would be a fun read aloud.