Arrow

Arrow
Author: Samantha Clark
Publisher: Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books (June 22, 2021)

Arrow is a fascinating novel with a broad theme of environmentalism couched in a very personal story of a boy who lives apart from other people in a lush, magical forest. As we read, we realize that most of the world has lost the equilibrium of the forest, and is a mix of barren, dry territory inhabited by the vast majority, and small oases of the wealthy who hog all the resources. Arrow must grapple with incursions from this outside world, but also learn how trust and reliance on others is the only way for the world to survive in the long run.

While that sounds heavy-handed as a description, as a novel it is far more intimate. Arrow's connection to the forest and the animals is deep and inspiring. This reminded me of Lois Lowry's The Giver with its deft blend of deep social issues and a child's processing of those issues from a very personal point of view. An excellent book that I think teachers would welcome.

I heartily recommend this.


Order Arrow on Amazon US, or find where you can order it from a local indie bookstore.

Tiny Infinities (review)

Tiny Infinities
Author: J.H. Diehl
Publisher: Chronicle Books (To be released May 8, 2018)
Borrowed ARC.


All 12-year-old Alice wants to do is focus on getting her name up on her swim team's record board, but life is way beyond her control. After a bad car accident, her mother is sullen and will barely leave her room. Her dad has moved out, and her brothers have gone to live with her aunt.

Furious and confused by the scattering of her family, Alice decides to move out to a tent in the backyard, and not move back inside until her parents come to their senses and her dad moves back home. Thus begins a long summer where Alice struggles to meet her cherished swimming goal, find a way to get her family back together, and maybe even help the little girl next door who watches Alice but never says a word.

TINY INFINITIES is a lovely, complex story which will tug at your heart and make you smile as well. Alice and Harriet, her new and confusing friend, are such real early teens, with all the complexities of figuring out both what is right and wrong, and what is right and wrong for YOU. One thing I especially love is how every other character, from Alice's mom and dad to little Piper next door, are drawn with both warm and depth, none falling into simple stereotypes or roles.

This is a phenomenal book, and I strongly recommend it for 11-14 year olds, and anybody else who remembers that age when life was complicated, out of your control, and yet full of promise. STEM friendly.

Five stars!

To be released in May 2018, but available for pre-order now.

On Amazon

The 11:11 Wish (review)

The 11:11 Wish
Author: Kim Tomsic
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (February 13, 2018)
Borrowed ARC.


Megan is starting 7th grade at a new school, and she's determined to leave her awkward, nerdy past behind, but middle school has a way of upending plans. Caught between two rivals before she even makes it to her first class, Megan has to use her wits to try and rescue her social status, but her wits aren't helping much. Just when social disaster seems certain, Megan happens to wish on a magic clock at 11:11 exactly, and mysterious, wonderful things start happening.

If only magic didn't come with such a high cost.

An absolutely charming romp through the intricacies of middle school politics, crushes and the desire to fit in, mixed with magic and math and mayhem. Against the poignant backdrop of a first year without mom, and a sister and dad who are struggling to cope as well, this story does a great job of wrapping everything up in a satisfying package.

I strongly recommend for tweens and teens. It's possible that the fashion-related elements will discourage some boys from reading, but that's their loss if it does. The embrace of STEM is very welcome.

Five stars!

Won't be released until February, but go ahead and pre-order it for your favorite teen today.

Amazon

Random Body Parts - Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse (review)

Random Body Parts: Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse

Author: Leslie Bulion
Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (March 1, 2015)
Review copy courtesy of publisher via NetGalley.

For Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, I had to let people know about this book coming out in about a week. There may be some who can resist a book with poetic riddles, science and gross imagery, but not me. With witty and intriguing poems that often slyly echo Shakespeare, entertaining illustrations and explanations for those youngsters who want to dive deeper into the science, this would be an excellent book for middle grade classrooms or homes.

A few of the words may be challenging, especially the more medical ones, but the author does a great job of explaining what they mean. Kids will enjoy learning some of the grosser words, and may well be heard repeating some of the clever phrases.

One riddle that I particularly enjoyed:

Wherefore Art Thou, Alveoli?
al VEE oh LI
al VEE oh LI
please tell me why
we must rely
on such small fry
to say goodbye
to carbon di-
oxide and then
how is it that you know
just when
to give us
oxygen
again?

My only quibble with the format of the book is that the solutions are too close to the riddles, though I understand it would have made the book much longer to put them on subsequent pages. I simply think kids might try a little harder to figure out the riddles (and feel smart when they do!) if the answers were more removed. On the other hand, I love that the poetic forms are explained at the end after the glossary. Yay, poetry.

Nonetheless, I would strongly recommend this for fifth and sixth graders interested in science, poetry, riddles or the human body.

Four out of five stars.

It has been quite a while since I have participated in Marvelous Middle Grade Monday, but I was glad to see that Shannon Whitney Messenger is still active. See her blog from today for many more MMGM links.