MEANT TO BE by Jo Knowles

 

In MEANT TO BE readers are given a chance to learn more about Ivy, a quirky character from WHERE THE HEART IS. Ivy takes on the role of main character in this latest novel by Jo Knowles.

After finances force Ivy's family to leave their farm and move into an apartment complex, Ivy decides it might not be too bad. Sharing a room with her sister isn't exactly the greatest, but at least two new friends live right in the same building. Alice and Lucas make Ivy feel more at home than she did on the farm where she felt lonely most of the time.

Watching a cooking contest called Bake It to Make It! is a weekly event for the three new friends. After they watch the show, they try to replicate the dish and then share it with family and friends. Ivy's family enjoys the tasty pancakes she has been inspired to make while watching the show. 

Ivy also feels comfortable when she is pitching in to help the building caretaker. She changes lightbulbs, tightens nuts and bolts, and even refurbishes bicycles for the children of some of the tenants.

Just like all friendships and families, there are moments of tension that are sometimes difficult for Ivy to understand. She usually wants to talk about the conflicts, but she soon learns that sometimes staying quiet and patient is the best course.

MEANT TO BE is perfect for middle grade readers who are already Jo Knowles fans and even more perfect to create more loyal readers.

MARY UNDERWATER by Shannon Doleski

 

I love running across a new book that hasn't been on my radar. I found MARY UNDERWATER while attending the 1st Annual Northwest Ohio Teen Book Festival last weekend. Author Shannon Doleski was one of the guest speakers. She is a debut author currently living in Texas and her fresh voice is one I truly enjoyed.

Mary is a quiet girl who keeps to herself to avoid questions. Living on an island in the Chesapeake Bay means everyone knows everyone and everyone's business as well. Since Mary's father has just come home from prison, she isn't exactly eager to attract everyone's attention.

Having her father home means the possibility of physical abuse is a constant threat. Mary spends as much time as possible at school, at the library, or at her friend Lydia's house. She isn't sure if her mother even knows where she is most of the time but being anywhere that isn't home is best in Mary's opinion.

A surprise pairing with Kip Dwyer for a science project opens Mary's world to the idea that not everyone has negative opinions about her. In fact, Mary is attracted to Kip. He is funny and kind and loves the idea of creating a model submarine for their project. The model is so successful that Mary is determined to make a real submersible so she can escape the island.

Letting people into her world is not easy for Mary, but she recognizes that some people do want to help. There's Kip, her aunt Betty, a social worker, best friend Lydia, and a resident scientist on the island all play roles in getting Mary to open up and admit the dangers in her life.

MARY UNDERWATER combines emotion, family struggles, Saint Joan of Arc, and STEM into a magical story readers won't want to miss.

ON THE LINE by Paul Coccia and Eric Walters

 

I always find co-authored books fascinating to read. ON THE LINE may have two authors, but it flows seamlessly from start to finish. It appears that each author contributed his area of expertise to blend sports, family drama, and LGBTQ+.

Jordan is nervous about upcoming basketball tryouts. He is fairly certain he will make the team, but he doesn't want to get too cocky. His parents have been fighting a lot lately, too, which adds to his nervousness.

Tryouts go well and Jordan is made co-captain along with his best friend Junior and Aaron, the brother of a girl who also tries out for and makes the boys' team. Who would have ever thought he would be playing alongside a girl? Not just any girl either. Tammy is a girl Jordan has been crushing on for a while.

At first things are going well. The team is winning games and Jordan dances with Tammy and even kisses her. As far as his parents fighting, that has ended in a separation. His father moves out and into a small apartment above a friend's garage. Just as Jordan is adjusting to the change, his father announces he is gay. How could that be? Why didn't Jordan know?

Authors Paul Coccia and Eric Walters new novel ON THE LINE has a little something for everyone. The interaction between realistic middle school characters facing problems at school and at home provides plenty of relatable material for readers.  

AIR by Monica Roe

 

Emmie has used a wheelchair her entire life. Now she's in seventh grade and excited to test her independence. Well, she's always been independent thanks to her mother, but since her mother's death things have changed. 

Emmie's dad does the best he can, but he's busy working and taking night classes. His love of skateboards is what encouraged Emmie to try her wheelchair on the ramp he built long ago in the backyard. Now, because he is concerned about her safety, she has to sneak in time on the ramp when he isn't home. She loves the feeling of flying and doesn't mind the frequent crashes when she pushes just a bit too hard. She even started an online craft business in hopes of earning enough money to get a new wheelchair designed for extreme sports.

She's been eagerly anticipating seventh grade, but it isn't quite living up to her expectations. The new principal is constantly hovering and reminding her to keep her wheels on the ground, but wheelies are so tempting as she steers her way from class to class. An unexpected fall on an ill-constructed ramp increases his worry and earns Emmie an annoying classroom aide who follows her everywhere. Her dad didn't even try to talk them out of it, and now she's worried they might even stick her back in the resource room.

AIR by Monica Roe takes an inside look at what it is like to be a student who just wants people to ask if she needs help instead of assuming her special circumstances require their assistance. In this story about a determined, independent young girl, readers will learn that help can come in many different forms. Discussions of 504 plans, IEPs, and accessibility make this a realistic view of a student with special needs.

DEAR STUDENT by Elly Swartz

 

Autumn is nervous about starting middle school. There will be lots of new students from the other elementary schools feeding into the larger middle school. Her best friend has moved to California leaving Autumn to look for someone new.

Autumn is also adjusting to her family's move to the small apartment above the vet clinic where her mother works. By family Autumn means her mother and her little sister, not her father. He is in Ecuador working for the Peace Corps. It's been over a year, and Autumn is beginning to worry that it might be permanent. She's trying to be brave and honor her father's instructions to "seize the day" and try to do one new thing in middle school.

After learning about all the clubs and sports in middle school, Autumn decides to apply to be the new Dear Student. It would mean being the secret advice columnist for the school's newspaper. Being shy and quiet she thinks she might be pretty good in the role. When Mr. Baker pulls her aside and tells her he has chosen her to be the new Dear Student, Autumn is thrilled.

Being Dear Student is challenging but fun until Autumn finds herself torn between two of her new friends. What if her advice helps one friend but hurts another? Can she stand up for what she believes is right or will she need to compromise her own feelings to spare those of someone else?

In DEAR STUDENT author Elly Swartz explores the difficulties of friendship and staying true to oneself. Readers will learn from Autumn's hard decisions as well as the sacrifices she observes others making. Perfect for fans of Swartz's GIVE AND TAKE.

THE AQUANAUT by Dan Santat

 

Sophia's father was a marine explorer. When he died in an accident and went down with his ship, she began living with her uncle. Busy with his own marine experiments and trying to run Aqualand, he doesn't realize she has discovered something interesting of her own.

The Aquanaut is a diving suit controlled by sea creatures looking for a safer place to live then their old and dangerous ocean world. Sophia meets up with the Aquanaut and promises to take them to Aqualand and help them find a safe place. 

One mix-up after another occurs at the school science fair, at the aquarium, and in her uncle's marine lab. All the dangers threaten to destroy the Aquanaut, meaning Sophia and her uncle must save the day.

THE AQUANAUT is a graphic novel created by award-winning Dan Santat. As he explains the book is a labor of love that took over ten years to complete. Readers will quickly be drawn in by the colorful artwork and will easily become hooked on the creatures and characters that fill the pages. 

THE WOLVES ARE WAITING by Natasha Friend

 

Fifteen year old Nora is a star athlete, excellent student, and a parent-pleasing daughter. The night she decides to break from her long-time best friend to attend the frat fair at the local university, she didn't know it would change her life and many others. 

Nora remembers riding a few rides and buying a root beer, but the rest of the night is a blank until her best friend Cam is shaking her awake on a putting green at the golf course. Her panties are hanging from the flag stick and the rest of her clothes are disheveled. She soon learns there's a video showing her with three college guys standing above her about to do more than just remove her panties.

Her first reaction is to deny anything happened. Constant urging for Cam and ever growing evidence that other girls have been defiled by the college fraternity guys makes Nora question her initial reaction. When it becomes obvious that her own father, the Athletic Director at the university, may have been turning a blind eye to these sexual pranks and worse, Nora gains the courage to do more than just sit back and watch events unfold.

Author Natasha Friend takes on a tough topic in THE WOLVES ARE WAITING. Sexual assault needs to be confronted head on, and this book illustrates how a girl and her friends did just that. This fast-paced novel will grab readers in the first chapter and have them racing on to determine the fates of characters they will come to know and love.