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Grade 6 Hallway, Periods 5-6
October 22, 2018
FEATURING

SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL by Patricia MacLachlan

Historical Fiction, Blended Families, Pioneers, Farm Life, Westward Expansion.

58 pages

From the Publisher

"This beloved Newbery Medal-winning book is the first of five books in Patricia MacLachlan's chapter book series about the Witting family.

Set in the late nineteenth century and told from young Anna's point of view, Sarah, Plain and Tall tells the story of how Sarah Elisabeth Wheaton comes from Maine to the prairie to answer Papa's advertisement for a wife and mother. Before Sarah arrives, Anna and her younger brother Caleb wait and wonder. Will Sarah be nice? Will she sing? Will she stay?

This children's literature classic is perfect for fans of Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House on the Prairie books, historical fiction, and timeless stories using rich and beautiful language. Sarah, Plain and Tall gently explores themes of abandonment, loss and love.

Read the rest of the Sarah books by Patricia MacLachlan: Skylark, Caleb's Story, More Perfect than the Moon, and Grandfather's Dance."

My Comments

Timeless. simply written with beautiful imagery, MacLachlan successfully conveys feelings of loss, courage, acceptance, and love. Consider this book for small reading groups, English Language Learners, or historical fiction collection for middle grades.

AMAL UNBOUND by Aisha Saeed

Realistic Fiction, Multicultural, Courage, Resistance, Family

226 pages

From the Publisher

"Saeed's timely and stirring middle-grade debut is a celebration of resistance and justice."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

The compelling story of a girl's fight to regain her life and dreams after being forced into indentured servitude.

Life is quiet and ordinary in Amal's Pakistani village, but she had no complaints, and besides, she's busy pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher one day. Her dreams are temporarily dashed when--as the eldest daughter--she must stay home from school to take care of her siblings. Amal is upset, but she doesn't lose hope and finds ways to continue learning. Then the unimaginable happens--after an accidental run-in with the son of her village's corrupt landlord, Amal must work as his family's servant to pay off her own family's debt.

Life at the opulent Khan estate is full of heartbreak and struggle for Amal--especially when she inadvertently makes an enemy of a girl named Nabila. Most troubling, though, is Amal's growing awareness of the Khans' nefarious dealings. When it becomes clear just how far they will go to protect their interests, Amal realizes she will have to find a way to work with others if they are ever to exact change in a cruel status quo, and if Amal is ever to achieve her dreams.

My Comments 

Love, love, absolutely love this one. Accessible for a wide reading level, great discussion points, and educational. Winner all the way! 

THE LIFTERS by Dave Eggers

Adventure, Fantasy, Magic, Friendship, Courage

From the Publisher

"Twelve-year-old Granite "Gran" Flowerpetal has just moved from the sunny coast to a hilly inland town full of trouble and mystery. He feels unheard at home and invisible at school--and then there's the issue of the many buildings in town collapsing into the earth. What can be done? One person, Gran's intriguing but difficult-to-please classmate, Catalina Catalan, knows what to do. But she avoids Gran like the plague. Will she reveal what happens underground? Will she tell Gran about the Hollows? The Lifters? And how the town, and the world, might be saved?"

My Comments

Intriguing. A little strange. What I found interesting is the fact that none of the adults in the book confronted the reality that the town was sinking. They continued as if this was a normal situation. You can interpret it metaphorically or take it on the face as a good adventure story.

OLD & NEW SCIENCE FICTION IN THE LIBRARY!

A few new titles and series out of many!

• Circus Galacticus by Deva Fagan
• City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
• The Keys to the Kingdom by Garth Nix
• The Pendragon Series by D.J. MacHale   
• Rule of Three by Eric Walters
• So You Want to Be a Jedi by Adam Gidwitz 
• The Six by Mark Alpert (HS)
• Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements
• The Wild Robot by Peter Brown 
• Zeroes Series by Scott Westerfeld

DESCRIPTIONS

"Orphan Trix, daughter of astronauts, struggles to connect with others in her world. When the Circus Galacticus comes to town, Trix, discovering a place she fits in, blasts off on an intergalactic adventure. Fagan's science-fiction tale, complete with space artifacts, a mysterious masked man, and a bevy of whimsical aliens, also contains family secrets, developing friendships, and lessons in diversity and acceptance." (Horn Book Guide, Spring 2012)

 

.THE CITY OF EMBER SERIES"The city of Ember was built as a last refuge for the human race. But now with terrifying blackouts sweeping through the streets, Lina and Doon know it's only a matter of time before the lights go out and never come back on again. When Lina finds part of an ancient message, she's sure it holds a secret that will save Ember. Together, she and Doon explore long-forgotten parts of their dying city as they race to solve the mystery. If they succeed, they will have to convince everyone to follow them into danger and an exciting new world. But if they fail? The lights will burn out and the darkness will close in forever." (Publisher)

THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM  SERIES by Garth Nix
"One mysterious house is the doorway to a very mysterious world--where one boy is about to venture and unlock a number of fantastical secrets! "  (Publisher)

7 Books...one for each day of the week
MISTER MONDAY through LORD SUNDAY!

PENDRAGON SERIES
"The scary adventures of Bobby Pendragon who, having learned that he is a traveler--someone who can ride "flumes" through time and space--is off to alternative dimensions." (Follett) 

RULE OF THREE SERIES by Eric Walters
" One shocking afternoon, computers around the globe shut down in a viral catastrophe. At sixteen-year-old Adam Daley's high school, the problem seems to be a typical electrical outage, until students discover that cell phones are down, municipal utilities are failing, and a few computer-free cars like Adam's are the only vehicles that function. Driving home, Adam encounters a storm tide of anger and fear as the region becomes paralyzed. Soon as resources dwindle, crises mount, and chaos descends..." (Publisher)

 SO YOU WANT TO BE A JEDI by Adam Gidwitz
"Acclaimed, New York Times best-selling author Adam Gidwitz delivers a captivating retelling of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back like you've never experienced before, infusing the iconic, classic tale of good versus evil with a unique perspective and narrative style that will speak directly to today's young readers while enhancing the Star Wars experience for core fans of the saga." (Publisher)  

 THE SIX by Mark Alpert
Adam, crippled by muscular dystrophy, and five other terminally ill teenagers sacrifice their bodies and upload their minds into weaponized robots to battle a dangerously advanced artificial intelligence program bent on destroying humanity.

 THINGS NOT SEEN by Andrew Clements
"When fifteen-year-old Bobby wakes up and finds himself invisible, he and his parents and his new blind friend Alicia try to find out what caused his condition and how to reverse it." (Publisher)

 THE WILD ROBOT by Peter Brown
"Roz the robot discovers that she is alone on a remote, wild island with no memory of where she is from or why she is there, and her only hope of survival is to try to learn about her new environment from the island's hostile inhabitants." (Follett)

ZEROES SERIES by Scott Westerfeld
"Superheroes Fiction/Interpersonal Relations - Told from separate viewpoints, teens Scam, Crash, Flicker, Anonymous, Bellwether, and Kelsie, all born in the year 2000 and living in Cambria, California, have superhuman abilities that give them interesting but not heroic lives until they must work as a community to respond to a high stakes crisis. Don't call them heroes. But these six Californian teens have powers that set them apart." (Publisher)

SCARY BOOKS! Mary Downing Hahn

Ghosts and Mysteries!

Mary Downing Hahn is the queen of downright scary...but just perfect for middle school. Always a winner. Can't keep her on the shelf so we keep her books stocked! Check out our library catalog to see the list of her books, or just go to Hahn in the middle school section of the library.

https://follett.eastchester.k12.ny.us/

TRACK SERIES by Jason Reynolds

Realistic Fiction, Sports, Friendship, African American, Courage

From the Publisher

 "Ghost. Lu. Patina. Sunny. Four kids from wildly different backgrounds with personalities that are explosive when they clash. But they are also four kids chosen for an elite middle school track team--a team that could qualify them for the Junior Olympics if they can get their acts together. They all have a lot to lose, but they also have a lot to prove, not only to each other, but to themselves."

My Comments

Absolute winner for middle school. Put this right up there alongside other sports authors, Walter Dean Myers, and a wide range of realistic fiction authors.  

HELLO UNIVERSE by Erin Entrada Kelly

Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Bullies, Hearing Impaired, Missing Children

313 pages

Newbery Award 2018

From the Publisher

Winner of the Newbery Medal

"A charming, intriguingly plotted novel."--Washington Post

Newbery Medalist Erin Entrada Kelly's Hello, Universe is a funny and poignant neighborhood story about unexpected friendships.

Told from four intertwining points of view--two boys and two girls--the novel celebrates bravery, being different, and finding your inner bayani (hero). "Readers will be instantly engrossed in this relatable neighborhood adventure and its eclectic cast of misfits."--Booklist

In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his crazy-about-sports family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and she loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister, Gen, is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just stop being so different so he can concentrate on basketball.

They aren't friends, at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

The acclaimed and award-winning author of Blackbird Fly and The Land of Forgotten Girls writes with an authentic, humorous, and irresistible tween voice that will appeal to fans of Thanhha Lai and Rita Williams-Garcia.

"Readers across the board will flock to this book that has something for nearly everyone--humor, bullying, self-acceptance, cross-generational relationships, and a smartly fateful ending."--School Library Journal

My Comments

Great for incoming grade 6 summer reading lists and class discussions. Accessible and high interest for a wide audience. Great plot creates suspense with realistic, loveable characters.

Highly recommend. Give to teachers.

THE WILD ROBOT by Peter Brown

Science Fiction; Wildlife, Survival

Description
"In THE WILD ROBOT, when a cargo ship goes down in a storm, a crate with a robot washes up on an island. Curious otters activate it, and ROZZUM unit 7134 comes to life and introduces herself: "You may call me Roz." Though the island isn't a welcoming habitat for a robot, Roz has been programmed to be curious, so she observes the animals to see how they survive and mimics them. At first, the animals think she's a monster and try to mobilize against her, but Roz wins them over by helping them. She also adopts an orphan gosling and builds a shelter to save her animal friends from a cruel winter. Will she be reclaimed by reconnaissance robots looking for her? " -Commonsense Media https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-wild-robot

My Comments
Good hook in beginning with suspense. Interesting to read how Roz solves the problems of survival.  Good introductory choice for kids who like robots and science fiction.

See sequel: Escape...!

CHILD SOLDIER: When Boys and Girls are Used in War by Jessica Dee Humphreys and Michel Chikwanine

Graphic Novel, Refugees, War, Africa, Memoir

47 pages.

From the Publisher

"Michel Chikwanine was five years old when he was abducted from his school-yard soccer game in the Democratic Republic of Congo and forced to become a soldier for a brutal rebel militia. Against the odds, Michel managed to escape and find his way back to his family, but he was never the same again. After immigrating to Canada, Michel was encouraged by a teacher to share what happened to him in order to raise awareness about child soldiers around the world, and this book is part of that effort. Told in the first person and presented in a graphic novel format, the gripping story of Michel's experience is moving and unsettling. But the humanity he exhibits in the telling, along with Claudia Davila's illustrations, which evoke rather than depict the violent elements of the story, makes the book accessible for this age group and, ultimately, reassuring and hopeful. The back matter contains further information, as well as suggestions for ways children can help. This is a perfect resource for engaging youngsters in social studies lessons on global awareness and social justice issues, and would easily spark classroom discussions about conflict, children's rights and even bullying. Michel's actions took enormous courage, but he makes clear that he was and still is an ordinary person, no different from his readers. He believes everyone can do something to make the world a better place, and so he shares what his father told him: ?If you ever think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping in a room with a mosquito.'"

My Comments

Powerful storytelling. Extremely successful in portraying the tragedy and injustice of using children as soldiers - the cruelty, the evilness of this practice. Teachers and parents should read first to be aware of the contents, but the authors manage to be truthful in an age appropriate delivery. They offer valuable resources for more information and ideas for young people to take action. A valuable addition to the library collection.

There are not many middle school age appropriate books written on this extremely disturbing topic, but portions of A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beal may be useful. Another memoir,  Facing the Lion: Growing Up Masaii in the African Savannah by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton tells the inspiring story of how a village in Kenya supported a young boy in his quest for education.  

ENDLING: THE LAST by Katherine Applegate

Fantasy, Adventure, Endangered Species

From the Publisher

New York Times bestseller!

First Katherine Applegate thrilled readers with the action-packed Animorphs series. Then she stole our hearts with the award-winning The One and Only Ivan. Now she takes us on an unforgettable journey in this first book of an epic middle grade series!

Byx is the youngest member of her dairne pack. Believed to possess remarkable abilities, her mythical doglike species has been hunted to near extinction in the war-torn kingdom of Nedarra.

After her pack is hunted down and killed, Byx fears she may be the last of her species. The Endling. So Byx sets out to find safe haven, and to see if the legends of other hidden dairnes are true.

Along the way, she meets new allies--both animals and humans alike--who each have their own motivations for joining her quest. And although they begin as strangers, they become their own kind of family--one that will ultimately uncover a secret that may threaten every creature in their world.

Building upon the success of her critically acclaimed novels such as The One and Only Ivan, Crenshaw, and Wishtree, while also returning to her action-packed fantasy roots of Animorphs, the Endling series is Katherine Applegate at her finest. With its enthralling characters, unique setting, and gripping adventure, this series is the perfect next read for fans of Rick Riordan, Brian Jacques, and Tui T. Sutherland.

My Comments

Medium difficulty for grade 6 and up. A lot of action! Byx may be the last Dairn on the planet. Strong female characters, some humor, and a few violent scenes so warn the readers. Give this to students who like theHunger Owl series.

TIMMY FAILURE: MISTAKES WERE MADE by Stephen Pastis

Detective & Mystery Stories, Humor

From the Publisher
Chapter Book - Meet "detective" Timmy Failure, star of the kids' comedy of the year--created by New York Times, best-selling cartoonist Stephan Pastis. Eleven-year-old Timmy Failure, is the clueless, comically self-confident CEO of the best detective agency in town, perhaps even the nation . Add his impressively lazy business partner, a very large polar bear named Total. Throw in the Failuremobile, Timmy's mom's Segway, and what you have is Total Failure, Inc.


My Comments
Siily and entertaining. A good choice for students who love The Wimpy Kid series.

ORPHAN SUN by Gill Harvey

Historical Egypt, Ancient Egypt, Mystery, Romance, Orphans
310 pages

Publisher's Description
"Visit www.orphanofthesun.com for excerpts, history, maps and more!
Meryt-Re should consider herself lucky: her aunt and uncle take good care of her, a boy in the village wants to marry her, and the village itself is favored by the kings because it is home to the builders of the great Egyptian tombs. But as a teenage girl in Ancient Egypt, Meryt struggles with an uncle who wants to get rid of her, a village in turmoil over its leadership, and people not being quite as honest as they seem. Suspected of witchery and assumed to be ungrateful, Meryt must find her own way to happiness as she uncovers mysteries the rest of the village is too preoccupied to acknowledge.Reviews 'Harvey deftly weaves historically accurate details of daily life in sun-scorched Set Maat into an intriguing plot. Fascinating fodder for budding Egyptologists.' -Kirkus Reviews"

My Comments
Page turning, nail biter, mystery with a little romance. Harvey brings Ancient Egypt alive with a great story.

THE UNDERNEATH by Kathi Appelt

Animal Tales, Fantasy, Survival, Dogs, Cats, Bayou

Newbery Honor 2009, ALA Notable, Starred Reviews

320 pages. 

From the Publisher (Atheneum Books for Young Readers)
There is nothing lonelier than a cat who has been loved, at least for a while, and then abandoned on the side of the road.
A calico cat, about to have kittens, hears the lonely howl of a chained-up hound deep in the backwaters of the bayou. She dares to find him in the forest, and the hound dares to befriend this cat, this feline, this creature he is supposed to hate. They are an unlikely pair, about to become an unlikely family. Ranger urges the cat to hide underneath the porch, to raise her kittens there because Gar-Face, the man living inside the house, will surely use them as alligator bait should he find them. But they are safe in the Underneath...as long as they stay in the Underneath.

Kittens, however, are notoriously curious creatures. And one kitten's one moment of curiosity sets off a chain of events that is astonishing, remarkable, and enormous in its meaning. For everyone who loves Sounder, Shiloh, and The Yearling, for everyone who loves the haunting beauty of writers such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, Flannery O'Connor, and Carson McCullers, Kathi Appelt spins a harrowing yet keenly sweet tale about the power of love -- and its opposite, hate -- the fragility of happiness and the importance of making good on your promises. (the publisher)

My Comments
An intriguing book. Gar-Face is terrifying so consider the reader. A lot of story threads that do manage to come together. Not an easy read. Give to kids who love old folk-tales with magic interwoven. A good read aloud.

ANCIENT EGYPT FICTION

CLEOPATRA'S MOON

by Vicky Alvear Schecter

YA Grades 7-10, 355 pages

"Cleopatra Selene, daughter of Cleopatra VII, is taken to Rome when Egypt is invaded and her parents die. There she carves out a life for herself, confronts hatred, finds love, and always seeks the power to reclaim Egypt as her rightful land. The large, complex story is an intelligently written and stately meditation on fate, free will, and political power." Hornbook Comment

Good for avid readers who like romance and adventure. A portrait of Cleopatra through the eyes of her daughter, it brings alive the experience of living through a momentous period in history that continues to fascinate us today.

MUMMY

by Kathleen Duey

Robert Gould's Time Soldiers Book #5

96 Pages

"Time travel, adventure, and teamwork abound in the time Solders series. Six friends enter a swirling light and pass into historic eras." (Back cover description)

Comment

Vivid graphic novel style images support an exciting text that succeeds in portraying important topics such as social order, pyramids, rituals, and respect for a culture's artifacts.

THE NIGHT DIARY by Veera Hiranandani

Historical Fiction, Diaries Fiction, Refugees, Multicultural
264 pages

From the Publisher (Dial Books for Young Readers)

In the vein of Inside Out and Back Again and The War That Saved My Life comes a poignant, personal, and hopeful tale of India's partition, and of one girl's journey to find a new home in a divided country

It's 1947, and India, newly independent of British rule, has been separated into two countries: Pakistan and India. The divide has created much tension between Hindus and Muslims, and hundreds of thousands are killed crossing borders.

Half-Muslim, half-Hindu twelve-year-old Nisha doesn't know where she belongs, or what her country is anymore. When Papa decides it's too dangerous to stay in what is now Pakistan, Nisha and her family become refugees and embark first by train but later on foot to reach her new home. The journey is long, difficult, and dangerous, and after losing her mother as a baby, Nisha can't imagine losing her homeland, too. But even if her country has been ripped apart, Nisha still believes in the possibility of putting herself back together.

Told through Nisha's letters to her mother, The Night Diary is a heartfelt story of one girl's search for home, for her own identity...and for a hopeful future.

 My Comments

Hiranandani succeeds in portraying the tragic effects of prejudice and ethnic conflict through the eyes of a young girl. An important topic.

BOB by Wendy Mass & Rebecca Stead

Fantasy, Friendship, Trust, Grandmothers, Families
201 pages
Starred Reviews

Illustrated by Nicholas Gannon

From the Publisher (Feiwell & Friends-MacMillan)

"It's been five years since Livy and her family have visited Livy's grandmother in Australia. Now that she's back, Livy has the feeling she's forgotten something really, really important about Gran's house.

It turns out she's right.

Bob, a short, greenish creature dressed in a chicken suit, didn't forget Livy, or her promise. He's been waiting five years for her to come back, hiding in a closet like she told him to. He can't remember who--or what--he is, where he came from, or if he even has a family. But five years ago Livy promised she would help him find his way back home. Now it's time to keep that promise.

Clue by clue, Livy and Bob will unravel the mystery of where Bob comes from, and discover the kind of magic that lasts forever."

Wendy Mass and Rebecca Stead, two masterminds of classic, middle-grade fiction come together to craft this magical story about the enduring power of friendship.

My Comments
This is a sweet story that tugs at your heart. It's also a page turner! Who is Bob? It all comes together at the end, but you have to read it to find out! Five stars. Grades 3-6

FORGOTTEN FIRE by Adam Bagdarsarian

Armenia History, World War II Atrocities, Historical Fiction

Eleanor Schuster - highly recommended
Horn Book Magazine (November/December, 2000)"Forgotten Fire is a vividly, even horrifically, evoked novel about the genocide carried out against Armenians in Turkey during World War I. Like narrator Vahan Kenderian, who is twelve when the novel begins, a reader can't really prepare for this relentless tragedy before it unfolds. The son of a prominent Armenian lawyer, Vahan carries himself with "the confidence of a boy who has grown up in luxury and knows that he will always be comfortable, always well fed, always warm in winter and cool in summer." His innocence reaches a swift and brutal end. In chilling succession, his father is taken away and presumably killed; his two older brothers are shot dead in their backyard while the rest of the family watches; his older sister swallows fatal poison to avoid being raped by Turkish soldiers; and, most graphic of all, his grandmother is smashed in the head with a rock, then run through with a bayonet while she kneels to drink from a river choked with Armenian corpses. Bagdasarian pulls readers into these and numerous other wrenching scenes with the same photographic detail he uses to shape a fleeting glimpse of peacetime Bitlis, Vahan's beloved hometown in the mountains, and it is hard to turn away from his intense prose even when you feel you can no longer bear it. That the book is based on Bagdasarian's great-uncle's experiences gives it further gravity."

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