THE GRAY by Chris Baron

 

Sasha struggles with anxiety. He even has a name for it - the Gray. It describes the cloudy, misty emotional and physical feelings he gets when it overtakes him. The end result is often a sort of collapse, sometimes vomiting, and sometimes a rage which causes him to strike out. The day Jeremy bullied Sasha for the last time was the day Sasha used his algebra textbook to bash Jeremy in the face. It was also the day Sasha's parents decided to send him to stay with his aunt for a month.

Sasha remembers visits to his aunt's in the past. Her house is in the woods. There will be plenty of space and time to explore and hopefully escape the Gray. His therapist believes leaving video games and internet surfing behind for a month will reduce the stress and therefore reduce the Gray.

If only his uncle was there to help Sasha adjust. He knows his uncle also experienced the Gray, but now he's dead. Sasha will have to make do with remembered stories, the remains of wildlife carvings scattered by his uncle throughout the garden and surrounding woods. Visiting favorite spots also give Sasha a bit of comfort.

When his aunt arranges for Sasha to work at a local farm, he discovers the horses, especially one named Duke, help him relax. He also meets Eli. They work together and a tense friendship develops. It seems Sasha is not the only one struggling with inner demons. Will spending time away from the life he knows in the city help Sasha tame the Gray? Can he change in a way that will give his parents confidence that he can return home better able to handle life's stresses?

Author Chris Baron takes on anxiety and depression in this unique tale. Sasha's detailed description of what he feels when the Gray takes hold may help readers understand and relate to the anxiety felt by many. Baron also includes details of how Sasha uses breathing techniques and visualizations to calm his anxious feelings. 

LAND OF BROKEN PROMISES by Jane Kuo

 

LAND OF BROKEN PROMISES continues Anna's story as told in IN THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY by Jane Kuo. Anna and her parents are still working hard to create a successful restaurant. Their hard work is about to be threatened by circumstances that could ruin everything.

It is almost summer and Anna is wondering how she will spend her free time. All her classmates are talking about fun vacations or interesting summer camps they will be attending. Anna is pretty sure she'll just be working in the restaurant.

When Anna's mother finds a stash of papers in a cabinet in the kitchen, terrible news is revealed. The family's immigration papers and visas have expired. Anna and her parents are illegally in America and have been for over a year. A lawyer is located that might be able to help them, but it will cost $3000. How are they going to come up with that amount?

Author Jane Kuo takes readers back into the life of Anna. Just when she thought maybe things were improving, this immigration trouble threatens to end it all. Although LAND OF BROKEN PROMISES  is set in the 1980s, it covers a topic all too familiar today. Written in verse, Anna's story is relatable to any middle grade reader feeling life is often out of their control.

SKATING ON MARS by Caroline Huntoon

 

Skating is what makes the world go 'round for Mars. It is something to be shared with their dad who recently died. Being on the ice means feeling free and in control.

As a seventh grader Mars feels out of place at school, especially since their best friend Libby is in eighth grade and establishing a new group of friends. Mars and Libby are still close, but Mars isn't included unless the activity involves skating. Libby senses something is up and convinces Mars to confess. Mars opens up and admits that they are nonbinary. For quite some time Mars has been feeling lost. Being a girl or a boy hasn't fit. When they heard about identifying as nonbinary and did some research, it seemed to answer a lot of questions.

There are a lot more questions popping up though. Should they come out to their mom and sister? Can they skate as nonbinary? What would their dad have thought about his daughter Veronica becoming his child Mars?

Author Caroline Huntoon tackles an identity issue that has recently been causing drama. As a nonbinary individual they bring a realism and understanding to Mars and the experiences they encounter. Readers will learn about Mars's identity struggles, friendship and family issues, and competitive skating. There is a little something for everyone. I highly recommend this one.

IN THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY by Jane Kuo

 

It is 1980. Anna and her mother are waiting for the paperwork that will allow them to join Anna's father who has already traveled to America. Anna is excited but also afraid. Moving from Taiwan to America holds the promise of great things, but it also means a new life learning, a new language, and making new friends.

Anna's father moved months ago to meet a friend with a new business. It turned out that the so-called friend decided not to include Anna's father in the new business. Her parents have planned and worked across the great distance to arrange the purchase of a fast-food restaurant. Now as Anna and her mother are about to travel to what her father calls "the beautiful country," the hope is that this restaurant will be the answer to their dreams.

Learning English, learning the restaurant business, and dealing with bullies at school and at her parents' business are just a few of the challenges of living in America. Anna tries not to complain about their lack of money and their tiny apartment, but it sure doesn't seem like any of the promised dreams are even close to coming true.

Inspired by her own family's journey, author Jane Kuo uses verse to create this historical fiction tale about young Anna. Immigrant stories can offer a diversity that help readers who are living with immigrant challenges and those who want to learn more about it. Anna's story continues in LAND OF BROKEN PROMISES. Highly recommend for ages 10 and up.

GERNADE by Alan Gratz

 

It is WW II, and the Americans are attacking Okinawa. One young American Marine and one young Okinawan student are trying to survive.

Hideki is a new member of the Blood and Iron Student Crops. He is leaving his family in hopes of protecting them from the Japanese and Americans. Both groups are fighting for control of Okinawa. Hideki's people are caught in the middle. He's been given two grenades and the instructions to use one to kill an American and then use the second to kill himself if necessary.

Ray is an American Marine landing on the island to conquer it for the U.S. He is also armed with grenades and also a gun. Explosions are everywhere, from planes and ships. Ray is filled with fear and regrets the disagreement with his father that ended with him thinking enlisting was a reasonable response. 

Both Hideki and Ray are learning as they go. They move from one chaotic situation to another. Ray fears the Japanese and sympathizes with the Okinawans. He witnesses innocent refugees being slaughtered by the Japanese as they are used to bait American soldiers. Hideki thinks he might be safe with the Japanese only to find out they are no better than the Americans he views as monsters.

In his usual unique style author Alan Gratz takes readers into the story on both sides. GRENADE is full of action, terror, and courage. Who will survive the battle for Okinawa? Does anyone really win?

HOME AWAY FROM HOME by Cynthia Lord

 

Mia lives in Ohio, but she's visiting her grandmother in Maine. She feels like she has been sort of shoved out of the way. Her mother and her mother's boyfriend are back in Ohio hunting for a new house. When Mia returns, they will have sold the old house and moved to the new place wherever that ends up being. Right now she is worried about forgetting the memories from the old house and hoping she doesn't have to change schools.

Staying with grandma has some perks though. She can go into town by herself and wander around the woods. Mia loves nature and especially birds. She'll get to keep an eye on the eagles nesting on the point and watch them hunting for food for their new babies. What she didn't expect to see was a large white bird bigger than any she has ever seen.

Mia also didn't expect to meet a new friend, but someone new has moved in near her grandma. She finds out his name is Cayman. He is also interested in the new bird. In Mia's excitement to identify it before Cayman figures it out, she accidentally posts about it on a birding site which unleashes a bunch of birdwatchers. As they start pouring it to view the mystery bird, Mia finds out Cayman has a secret about his mother that might threaten their new friendship.

Cynthia Lord, known for her book RULES, takes readers on an adventure involving rare birds, a stray cat, and the ups and downs of friendship and family life in her latest release HOME AWAY FROM HOME. Perfect for upper elementary and middle grade readers.

A WORK IN PROGRESS by Jarrett Lerner

 

When there is a lot of hype about a new book, I always wonder if it will live up to all that pre-release chatter. Well, in the case of, A WORK IN PROGRESS the hype is well-deserved. 

Author Jarrett Lerner used his own experience as he created the character of Will Chambers. The experiences are true for many kids as they grow through years of crushing doubt and self-esteem issues that would take down even the most confident adults. Reading this book will help countless kids find a way to live more positively in a world often filled with negativity.

Will jots down his story in a sort of free verse in a notebook filled with his drawings and thoughts. He starts with the terrible memory of walking the hallway in 4th grade. He was stopped and confronted by Nick Fisher who called him FAT. Will says Nick "spat" the word FAT so all could hear. From that moment on Will realized that was how most people probably saw him. The world around him screamed THIN and he was FAT.

Not knowing how to seek help, Will began an up and down life of binge eating. He reasoned that if he just ate one sandwich at lunch and then ate what his thin mother fixed for dinner, he would be a more suitable size. Soon he was skipping lunch in favor of dinner only, and then he began passing on dinner. When this eating disorder caught up with him, the folks around him finally recognized there was a problem. How could he get to a size he found acceptable? Was it even something he needed to do? Could he learn to love himself as her was?

A WORK IN PROGRESS should be read by everyone. When we stop to consider, we are all a work in progress and can learn from Jarrett Lerner and his awesome character Will Chambers.

SUPERSTAR by Mandy Davis

 

Lester lives for science, especially stars and space. His father was an astronaut. He died when his NASA mission ship exploded upon re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Lester thinks about him often, but his mother is upset when anything reminds her of him.

Ever since his father's death, Lester has been homeschooled. Now his mother is getting a job, and Lester will be attending public school for the first time. He is nervous and worried because he isn't used to being around people except for his mother. She tells him that if he follows the rules everything will be fine. The only thing is Lester isn't sure what the rules are.

After some unpleasant ups and downs and some run-ins with a kid named Ricky, Lester is evaluated and diagnosed as having autism spectrum disorder. With the help of the school staff, the rules are made clear for Lester and learning how to deal with school becomes easier, that is except when it comes to Ricky.

Author Mandy Davis captures what it's like as a neurodiverse individual. Readers will relate to Lester as he deals with new experiences, learning about friendship, and adjusting to life's changes. SUPERSTAR is perfect for upper elementary and middle school collections.