I AM THE WALRUS N.O.A.H. Files (Book 1) by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman

 

I Am the Walrus by Neal Shusterman and Eric Elfman

Science Fiction, Humor, Animal Defenses Fiction, Genetic Engineering Fiction, Survival, Alien Contact

2023; 392 pages

Description
Horn Book Magazine (March/April, 2023)
Fourteen-year-old Noah Prime is late for school and collides with classmate Sahara on his way in, although he can’t remember how it happened. But that’s not the only strange thing that happens that week. He suddenly freezes up and topples over when confronted by bullies, embarrasses himself on the dance floor with Sahara, and performs a difficult gymnastics routine with ease on the first try. Noah’s best friend, Ogden, gradually works out that when Noah is stressed, he exhibits the defense mechanisms of various animals: bird, possum, penguin, chimpanzee, and -- when he is accidentally trapped with Sahara in a refrigerated meat locker -- walrus. Early in the novel, the reader is given teasing glimpses into further mysteries. A boy named Noah Tercero is captured and killed in Argentina, as is Noah Secundus in England. Do they have similar abilities? And does the same fate await Noah Prime -- or can he figure things out with the help of Ogden and Sahara? With brisk pacing, offbeat humor, and endearingly quirky characters, the plot grows more outlandish with each chapter, which is perhaps fitting for a book whose title alludes to a famously nonsensical Beatles song. Shusterman and Elfman (co-authors of the Accelerati trilogy) deliver the goods in this entertaining science fiction romp, leaving readers eager for the next installment. Jonathan Hunt March/April 2023 p.80

My Comments
Still reading!

ALEBRIJES by Donna Barba Higuera

 

Alebrijes by Adonna Barba Higuera

Dystopian, Science Fiction, Fantasy and Magic, Survival, Hispanic-Latino

2023; 404 pages

Description

Booklist starred (August 2023 (Vol. 119, No. 22))
Grades 5-8. Upon a desolate Earth, an enclave of humans has established a society amid hostile surroundings, including a wyrmfield inhabited by subterranean monsters straight out of Tremors. A harsh caste system has landed orphaned 13-year-old Leandro and his little sister, Gabi, in the Pox (Pocatel’s slum) with the other Cascabeles, who work the potato fields each day under the watchful eye of the Pocatelan guards. Longing for a better life, Leandro has planned an escape, but everything is ruined when he is arrested for stealing and sentenced to three years’ exile. Curiously, it will only be his mind that is held captive—uploaded into a tiny piece of Old-World tech called a spark. The physician performing the procedure secretly offers Leandro a deal in which she will place his spark into a hummingbird drone if he will search for her missing daughter, who is also in drone form. He accepts, knowing he and Gabi can leave Pocatel should he succeed. The high-stakes adventure awaiting Hummingbird Leandro is enthralling and studded with surprises that spur the narrative onward. Beautiful, imaginative writing fills this dystopian sf novel. Though it exposes cruelty and corruption, it raises up storytelling, culture, and kindness as stronger yet, giving a satisfying nod to Higuera’s Newbery Award–winning The Last Cuentista (2021) in the process. A wondrous addition to any collection.

My Comments

Still reading!

WINGS OF FIRE (Series) by Tui Sutherland

 

Wings of Fire (Series - 15 Books)

The Dragonet Prophecy (Book 1) by Tui Sutherland

Fantasy, Dragons, Survival, Adventure, Friendship, Courage

Text and Graphic Novel formats

2012; 304 pages

Description

Booklist (May 15, 2012 (Vol. 108, No. 18))

Grades 4-7. One stormy night on an island of warring dragon tribes, five eggs from five separate tribes are stolen from their nests. The eggs hatch in a secret location, and the dragonets are raised to fulfill a destiny they neither understand nor wish to face. They tire of the secrecy that has dictated their lives at the behest of the shadowy organization the Talons of Peace, and they look for any opportunity to break free. When that opportunity finally comes, it has ramifications they could never possibly imagine. As the first title in a multiple volume series, this gets down to the business of introducing readers to the key players in what is set to be an epic saga. While a lot happens in this first book, Sutherland has taken time to flesh out the characters and make each vital to the story, rather than simply overwhelming in their numbers. Dramatic battle scenes, double-crosses, and one seriously deranged queen makes Wings of Fire a series that should have broad appeal for middle-grade fantasy fans.

My Comments

I am hooked! Literally binge listening and reading to this series. Absolutely wonderful. Good for upper elementary (there are some really mean dragons and some violence), but the little dragonets offer counterpoints of peaceful resolution to conflict, loyalty, kindness, and bravery. A winner for kids (and adults like me) who like dragons and action!

CITY SPIES (Series) by James Ponti

 

City Spies (Book 1-Series) by James Ponti
Spies Fiction, Adventure, Foster Children, Relationship Skills

2020; 378 pages

Description
Booklist (December 15, 2019 (Vol. 116, No. 8))
Grades 4-7. Caught hacking into the NYC juvenile justice system's computers, 12-year-old Sara Martinez faces years in detention centers, but a British secret agent rescues her and takes her to Scotland. There she joins his small, top-secret team of gifted young spies, each recruited from a different continent. Sara, renamed Brooklyn, trains with Paris, Rio, Kat, and Sydney for a few short weeks before joining the team for a mission in Paris. They are realistically wary of their newest member until she earns their trust. Working undercover as students attending a summit on the environment, they plan to break into a secret research facility and outwit an evil genius. A television writer and producer as well as the author of Framed (2016) and its sequels, Ponti writes a well-paced story laced with suspense, wit, and entertaining dialogue. Events unfold within colorful Parisian settings that include the Eiffel Tower, the Catacombs, and a deceptively shabby-looking hotel run by British Intelligence. Laying the groundwork for a new series, this brisk adventure features mysteries, intrigues, and five clever young heroes.

My Comments
High action, page-turner. A lot of fun interlaced with introspection and emotional growth. This is not a difficult read although almost 400 pages.

REZ DOGS by Joseph Bruchac

 

Rez Dogs by Joseph Bruchac

Realistic Fiction, Native Americans, Abenaki Indians, COVID-19, Dogs, Grandparents, Novels in Verse

2021;184 pages

Description

Horn Book Magazine (September/October, 2021)
In this verse novel, Malian, a Penacook girl, is visiting her grandparents on the Penacook reservation when shelter-in-place orders are given due to COVID-19. Malian misses her parents and friends, but she spends time with a dog that has mysteriously appeared, and she enjoys listening to her grandparents' retellings of traditional stories. They also tell her about some of the more difficult parts of their history that have affected their nation, such as boarding schools and forced sterilizations, all touched on by Bruchac (Peacemaker, rev. 7/21) in an accessible and age-appropriate way. Ultimately, Malian's grandparents remind her that their people have survived pandemics before, through caring for one another. Young readers will be able to understand Malian's situation, including technological struggles in connecting to her remote classroom. The book's ending -- in which Malian waits eagerly but with mixed emotions for her parents to pick her up -- raises relatable questions of home, friendship, and belonging. Nicholl Denice Montgomery September/October 2021 p.90

My Comments

Upper elementary-middle school. A gentle story that keeps moving despite the quiet life on the Reservation during COVID. The grandparents' stories, the dog, remote school, and Malian's Penacook friends add richness to this deceptively simple book. This is the kind of story that stays with you.

LIA AND BECKETT'S ABRACADABRA by Amy Noelle Parks

 

Lia and Beckett's Abracadabra by Amy Noelle Parks

Realistic Fiction, Romantic Comedy, Magicians

2022; 296 pages

Description

Kirkus Reviews starred (May 15, 2022)

Two teens from rival families fall for each other during a stage-magic competition. Seventeen-year-old Lia Sawyer has just dumped her latest short-lived boyfriend when her eccentric Grandma Matilda, who has been missing, invites her and her older sister, Emma, to compete in a summerlong contest in Mirror Lake, Wisconsin, a lakefront resort town known for its magic shows and as the headquarters of the Society of American Conjurers. Her first day there, Lia has a meet-cute with Beckett Blackwell, the handsome, college-bound grandson of Henry Blackwell, a legendary local magician who’s also Matilda’s first husband and former stage partner. Despite their instant chemistry, the two must balance their attraction with their individual desires to win. The romance sizzles with slow-burn longing. The story also explores the sexist nature of the male-dominated magic industry that historically relegated women to being glamorously outfitted assistants in ways that will be interesting even to those unfamiliar with the culture of this community. Lia is a clever and delightful protagonist, and Beckett is a brooding and selfless love interest. The author crafts captivating descriptions of the various magic acts and ensures that even the supporting characters have fleshed-out storylines. Most characters are White; Beckett’s mother is from India. An enchanting enemies-to-lovers romance. (Romance. 12-18)

My Comments

Fun romance! An interesting look into the magic industry and magic tricks.  Appropriate for middle schoolers as well a good bet for high schoolers looking for a light read.

PERSEPOLIS by Marjane Satrapi

 

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Graphic Novel, Autobiography, Iran, Iranian Revolution 1979, High School

2000-2003

Description

 Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna, facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming--both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.

Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom, Persepolis is "a dazzling singular achievement" (Salon) from one of the most highly regarded, uniquely talented graphic artists at work today. (The publisher)

My Comments

A powerful and engaging historical perspective on the Islamic Revolution. A classic.