SET ME FREE by Ann Clare LeZotte

 

It's been three years since Mary Lambert was kidnapped to be a "live specimen" to be studied by an awful man. Mary lived on Martha's Vineyard and was one of many residents born completely deaf. The deaf community there was looked at as just as normal as anyone else. The people created a sign language known as MVSL - Martha's Vineyard Sign Language which paved the way later for ASL - American Sign Language.

Mary is now 14 and has been offered a position teaching a young, deaf girl at a manor on the mainland. Mary doesn't know much about her responsibilities or the situation with the girl other than she has been known to be a difficult charge. Since Mary is independent and would one day like to adventure to other areas to teach, she sees this as the perfect opportunity to test her meddle.

When Mary arrives at the Vale, she is welcomed by a former friend but not by the head of the staff, a Mr. Norwich. He refuses to let her meet her charge for days so Mary devises a way to sneak into the third floor to see the girl. She is appalled by the girl's living conditions and to see that she is actually chained with no means of escape.

Mary is determined to make some progress with the girl, but many obstacles keep her from doing her job as she believes it should be done. The more time Mary spends at the Vale, the more she realizes there are frightening secrets about the girl and her place at the manor. Just as Mary overcame her difficulties in SHOW ME A SIGN by Ann Clare LeZotte, she demonstrates courage and tenacity as she struggles to help this young girl.

Sprinkled with historic facts about the Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod area, the native population and their mistreatment by the early settlers, and information about the deaf community, SET ME FREE is a fascinating read.

ALLERGIC by Megan Wagner Lloyd & Michelle Mee Nutter

 

Author Megan Wagner Lloyd's graphic novel ALLERGIC hits the mark in a number of areas. Family dynamics, friendship, and pet love, plus all the obstacles it entails are sure to have a variety of readers  finding ways to connect with this realistic story and the colorful art provided by illustrator Michelle Mee Nutter.

Maggie has twin, younger brothers and her mother is just a few months away from giving birth to another baby. Things are always happening in their house, but Maggie doesn't always feel a part of it. More than anything, she wants a dog. She knows her brothers will be too busy for a dog, and her parents' focus will be on the new baby so that means the dog will really be hers.

The long-awaited trip to the pet store finally takes place. A cute little puppy is now part of the family. Unfortunately, it doesn't take long for Maggie to display alarming signs of allergy. A visit to the doctor reveals she is severely allergic to animals with fur or feathers. The cute little puppy is returned to the pet store.

Maggie does some research on pets without fur or feathers but doesn't find a successful fit. Life is looking pretty bleak. Even a new next door neighbor friendship becomes rocky when the friend gets a dog. Now Maggie can't go next door, and Claire has to change clothes when she comes over to Maggie's house.

Going to a new school, getting weekly allergy shots, and preparing for the new baby all add to the stress in Maggie's life. Will she ever get what she wants? Will things ever go her way? Pick up a copy of ALLERGIC and find out.

ACROSS THE TRACKS by Alverne Ball & Stacey Robinson

 

*Thank you to the publisher for providing this copy for ALAN conference participants.

ACROSS THE TRACKS is a graphic presentation of the history of Greenwood, OK, Black Wall Street, and the Tulsa Race Massacre. In 1906 O. W. Gurley founded the Greenwood community. After its formation, countless black professionals, business owners, and others created a community opposite the railroad tracks from Tulsa, OK. 

From 1906 until 1921, Greenwood grew. Starting with a grocery store, Greenwood welcomed African Americans like nowhere else in the United States. Schools, a huge theater, a library, hotels and restaurants, and clothing stores lined its streets. Land sold and homes were built and Black-owned businesses thrived despite Jim Crow laws that crippled other parts of the nation. The great Booker T. Washington declared the famous Greenwood Avenue to be the Black Wall Street.

On May 31, 1921, Dick Rowland, a young black man, was accused of attacking a white woman in an elevator. This sparked the Tulsa Race Massacre that destroyed most of Greenwood. Many people are not familiar with this terrible event in U.S. history, but thanks the creators of ACROSS THE TRACKS, young people can now read about it and learn that determined Black citizens proudly rebuilt much of what was destroyed.

SWITCH by A.S. King

 

Truda Becker lives in confusing times. Her family is currently a mess. Her mother left without explanation, her older sister, also gone, left behind lies and destruction, her brother keeps to himself, and her father builds. The rest of the world is frozen in time and has been for almost a year. The reason for this is unclear, but Truda believes it might be an attempt to set things right.

There is a switch in Truda's house that her father seems to protect with his life. He has built a series of ever-growing boxes to guard the switch. Now the house, which looks normal from the outside, is filled with box after box. The occupants crawl through a maze of inner connecting corridors and tunnels to get from one room to the next. Recently, some unknown force has the house rotating so the walls are the floors and everything is jumbled. 

Truda divides her time between school where she has become a sudden javelin throwing champion and home where she spends all night pulling nails with a crowbar. When her mother finally returns, it looks like life might be improving, but first the family must confront secrets and make apologies before they can straighten out their lives. 

Author A.S. King's latest novel SWITCH might be a reflection of the restricted lives we are living during a worldwide pandemic. It may also be a warning / reminder that it is within our power / energy to keep the world in line. SWITCH is a challenging read that will leave readers with much to contemplate.

BAD SISTER by Charise Mericle Harper & Rory Lucey

 

Author Charice Mericle Harper shares some of her childhood with readers in BAD SISTER. Those with siblings will no doubt relate to this graphic novel on some level. Charice's role as the bad sister will speak to older siblings who spent countless hours tormenting a younger sibling while other readers will relate to Charice's little brother as the one being tormented.

Each chapter focuses on a power held by the bad sister as she consistently makes life miserable for her little brother. Daniel is the perfect target for experiments, torture, blame, and just plain fun times. There are times when Charice discusses the uncontrollable impulses she felt to pick on Daniel. Other times she shares the regret she felt when Daniel is injured because of one of her schemes. 

Illustrator Rory Lucey brings everything to life in colorful, action-filled artwork. This author and illustrator team have truly hit the right combination sure to connect with readers of all sorts.

FRANKIE & BUG by Gayle Forman

 

Bug lives in Venice, California, with her mother and her older brother. She is excited that summer is just around the corner, until her mother breaks the bad news. Instead of having her brother Danny hang out with her and watch her while her mother is at work, she is going to be meeting someone new. Danny has informed everyone that they must now call him Daniel and that he needs his "space." Whatever that means, Bug is now forced to hang out with Frankie from Ohio.

Frankie is coming to spend the summer with his uncle Philip who lives in the apartment above Bug. He doesn't seem interested in anything Bug likes to do. He, for sure, doesn't what anything to do with going to the beach - Bug's favorite place in the whole world.

Bug's mother works in the mayor's office and is spending lots of extra time there because of a rash of killings by a criminal everyone is calling the Midnight Marauder. Bug learns that Frankie has been following reports of the murders and has made it his goal to catch the Midnight Marauder. Well, maybe that sounds interesting. Bug even suggests she might know who is responsible. She's always been terrified of the Hermit who lives in a huge, scary house down the street. Together maybe they can catch him.

This is also the summer that Bug is about to learn some family secrets that will leave her wondering about the world and her place in it. Author Gayle Forman ventures into the world of middle grade fiction with FRANKIE & BUG. Her characters leap off the page and her view of some of life's complications in the mid 1980s will have readers captivated. This book kept me up late reading and wanting to know more.

STUNTBOY, IN THE MEANTIME by Jason Reynolds

 

Portico Reeves has a secret identity. He lives his normal life as a kid living in the Skylight Gardens apartment complex. He has a sort of new best friend named Zola. His other identity is Stuntboy. He has super moves that make him amazing and help him defend the Castle, his name for Skylight Gardens.

His new friend Zola lives in the apartment almost next door. She has been helping him a lot lately. It seems like every time he enters his own apartment his parents are arguing. He is pretty sure they are arguing because he has heard they will soon be moving into two apartments, and they can't agree on which apartment gets what furnishings. Whenever Portico comes in during an argument, his parents tell him everything is ok, and "in the meantime" he should go see Zola.

One of the main issues facing Portico besides his parents is Herbert Singletary the Worst. He lives in the half-door between Portico and Zola's apartments. He is always in the middle of any trouble at Skylight Gardens. Portico's alter-ego of Stuntboy is ever ready to deal with problems like Herbert Singletary the Worst. 

Popular author Jason Reynolds has teamed up with illustrator Raul the Third to create this middle grade illustrated novel. Readers will immediately connect with Portico (Stuntboy) and his eventual realization that all the arguing between his parents is signaling their pending divorce. Portico's life problems will be easy for readers to relate to and identifying with him will make the story truly meaningful.

Click this link to watch an interview with author Jason Reynolds and Stephen Colbert. 

ROXY by Neal Schusterman & Jarrod Schusterman

 

Father and son writing team, Neal Schusterman and Jarrod Schusterman, have delivered a total gut punch in their new collaboration, ROXY. If you decide to pick this one up, be prepared to spend some hours reading because it's a difficult one to put down.

Ivy and Issac are siblings living fairly traditional teenage lives. Ivy is the oldest by a year and tends to be the problem child of the family. Her parents have sought help for her careless behavior including medication - Adderall. In the past she has refused to take it, but with the threat of not graduating on time, she decides to fill her prescription and actually begin using it.

Ivy doesn't admit to her parents that she is following doctor's orders, but things are looking up for her at school and beyond. Unfortunately, financial problems have her parents distracted so they aren't noticing the things they probably should. 

Issac, always worried about Ivy's risky behavior, has been keeping an eye on her, and while at a party, he throws a few punches to defend her and ends up with a badly sprained ankle. Normally not that big a deal but, Issac is worried about his soccer performance since it promises to be a gateway to college especially now with his parents' money trouble. He finally seeks medical advice that leads to a prescription for a pain killer.

Playing in the background for these two teens is a party life hosted by countless party gods who disguise themselves in friendly forms designed to lure in unsuspecting humans. There's Addison (Adderall), Roxicodone (Roxy), Al (alcohol), Phineas (Morphine), and many, many more. Addison and Roxy enter into a contest to see which sibling they can eventually "conquer."

ROXY is a powerful and sometimes disturbing look into the dangerous world of drugs and addiction. Our teens are extremely vulnerable as these despicable "characters" lurk everywhere with easy promises of fun and freedom from troubles and pain. ROXY is a must read I will be sharing with many.

WILLODEEN by Katherine Applegate

 

Katherine Applegate, author of THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN and WISHTREE, has just release another hit. WILLODEEN takes readers into a world of both fantasy and realism. Combining imagined creatures with real world problems, Applegate emphasizes the importance of the environment and the actions necessary to preserve the delicate balance that makes everything work.

Willodeen lives with two aging aunts. A fire destroyed her previous home and killed her mother, father, and brother. She spends most of her time wandering in the forest exploring nature. Living in Perchance means awaiting the annual Autumn Faire that celebrates the famous migration of the hummingbears. This year there is concern because no one has seen any hummingbears arriving to nest in the blue willows. How can there be a Faire if there are no hummingbears?

Willodeen has also noticed that the number of screechers living in the area has dwindled. No one likes the pests known for their awful odor and their frightening cries. Hunters have been killing them for the reward offered to rid Perchance of this annoyance. Willodeen believes she witnessed the death of the one remaining screecher.

When she meets a young boy named Connor, Willodeen discovers there is someone else just as concerned about the fate of the hummingbears and screechers as she is. One day Willodeen stumbles across something she thinks could be the result of magic. She discovers a baby screecher she immediately bundles up and carries home. Figuring out how to care for the creature takes both Willodeen and Connor's problem solving. When it is discovered the screecher loves eating peacock snails, another magical thing begins to happen. Could the presence of screechers be the answer to getting the hummingbears to return?

LONG ROAD TO THE CIRCUS by Betsy Bird,

 

If you are looking for some light-hearted entertainment set in small town Michigan, give LONG ROAD TO THE CIRCUS a try. A 12 year old girl, a retired circus performer, ostriches, and plenty of action make this new release well worth reading.

Suzy lives on a farm in the tiny town of Burr Oak, Michigan. She wants more than anything to leave the farm and this town someday. One of the few people she knows who left is her Uncle Fred, but he and his wife and baby have just returned. He doesn't appear happy to be back or to be working on the farm with Suzy's father.

It doesn't take long for Suzy to notice Uncle Fred sneaking off each morning. She immediately decides to follow him. Anything has to better than all the chores her parents pile on since it is summer vacation. 

Suzy discovers Uncle Fred is going to a neighboring farm owned by Madame Maranette, known for her years with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Madame is another person born in Burr Oak who left and then returned. Suzy has heard gossip about the Madame but hasn't really paid attention. Now Uncle Fred seems to be in ka-hoots with the woman.

When Suzy learns about the ostriches on the Madame's farm, she is hooked. Maybe this is just the answer for getting out of Burr Oak. Suzy convinces Uncle Fred she should be helping him with the Madame's crazy plan. That's when the adventure truly begins.

Author Betsy Bird, a native of Michigan, joins up with award winning illustrator David Small, also of Michigan, to create this fun-filled illustrated novel. Thanks to Michigan teacher Colby Sharp for the recommendation.

APOLLO 11 Q & A: 175+ FASCINATING FACTS FOR KIDS by Kelly Milner Halls

 

I can't believe how much I learned from this new release by author Kelly Milner Halls. It is filled with fun facts that follow the Apollo 11 mission from start to finish.

The Space Race between the United States and the Soviet Union helped fuel our nation's desire for space travel. Today we watch and marvel at the modern attempts to explore more and more of our universe, but it is easy to forget the early missions that got us to the present. This book presents facts in a Q & A format to highlight everything from early spacesuits and astronaut preparation to descending on the moon and the moon walk, to the return journey and recovery. 

The addition of colorful pictures and "Did You Know" facts make this great for reading cover to cover or perfect for reading as short passages. Anyone interested in space travel history will want to get their hands on a copy.

Thank you to the publisher for this review copy.

NOTHING BURNS AS BRIGHT AS YOU by Ashley Woodfolk

 

Author Ashley Woodfolk explores the struggles of love in her novel in verse titled NOTHING BURNS AS BRIGHT AS YOU. Two girls form a fast friendship that takes them on an emotional ride. One girl is looking for more than friendship and believes there is room in the relationship for more than the other girl is willing to give. 

Understanding a love that doesn't click all the usual boxes makes it difficult especially when others don't recognize this love as normal. Filled with risk taking and both emotional and physical intensity, NOTHING BURNS AS BRIGHT AS YOU is the perfect read for those struggling with queer relationships or love that doesn't fit a traditional mold.