MG Historical Fiction: The Spy Catchers of Maple Hill by Megan Frazer Blakemore

Hazel Kaplansky is smart, inquisitive, relentless and would consider herself unique, certainly not odd, weird or boring.  Yet, having parents who run the graveyard situated behind your house doesn't really help with your image at school.  Hazel has always been a lover of a good mystery, Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden being her sleuthing role models. Being observant is very important to her.  Hazel carries a journal that she calls her "mysteries notebook" around where she catalogs all of her questions. Lately, Hazel has been taking to following the grave digger, Mr. Paul Jones.  When she observes him locking a box in the shed, her initial hunch is that he must be a Russian spy.  Hazel is growing up during the McCarthy time period, where Russian spies were thought to be lurking in her town, so Hazel begins to become very suspicious of Mr. Jones's actions.  When a new boy named Samuel shows up in school, Hazel is so impressed with his intelligence that she believes he is just the person who can help her prove that Mr. Jones is a spy.    

I recall reading about the Cold War era and McCarthy from school.  I can't say that I've seen a Middle Grade book written about it until now.  It was interesting to follow the details from Hazel's perspective taking in what she heard people saying around her, and from the newspaper articles she was reading.  She was very adamant in her convictions, yet also jumped to a lot of conclusions.  Her stockpiling of canned goods in the mausoleum as a make shift bomb shelter was quite amusing.   Most of all, I really enjoyed the relationship that she forms with Samuel.  He was the logical, reasonable one who had a process to his thinking. He made Hazel question the assumptions that she made and really search to gather more facts.  They were an endearing team.  I also enjoyed how Hazel was able to help Samuel resolve some of the issues surrounding his father, it was touching to see how much his friendship really meant to her.   

MG Review Historical Fiction: The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry

Every Sunday following church, the seven young ladies from Saint Etheldreda's School join their headmistress for a meal that they have prepared. On the day in question, the girls are serving veal to headmistress Constance Plackett and her younger brother, Mr. Aldous Godding.   While they will be enjoying bread with butter and baked beans. Suddenly, Mrs. Plackett drops dead, followed by her brother Aldous.  The young ladies suspect foul play and believe the two have been murdered. Concerned the headmistresses death will mean they will be sent home, they choose to band together and form the Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place.  Upon Smooth Kitty's encouragement, they plan to dispose of the bodies in the vegetable bed.  As the young ladies put their plan in motion, neighbors begin to arrive for a surprise party orchestrated by the late Mrs. Plackett's brother.  The young ladies must ensure no one finds out about the headmistress and her brothers death, while uncovering who the murderer is.  

I very much enjoyed the Victorian setting of The Sisters of Prickwillow Place and the girls that resided within the house.   The use of an adjective to describe the personality of each of the young ladies (pocked, stout, dour, dear, disgraceful, dull, and smooth), was interesting and unique.  I'm not certain whether this helped me really get to know each of the girls better or not, but the cover image certainly did.  All the girls are likable and their friendship and support of each other is what drew me into the story.  As well as unraveling which of the list of suspects had the true motive. Interestingly, Smooth Kitty was one of the girls that stood out to me the most. Probably because she selects herself to make all the plans to dispose of the bodies.  But, she isn't the only one who takes part in their scheme.  Louise with her science experiments is able to gather some of the valuable clues.  And where would they be without Alice?  Yet it really is each of their individual personality traits when combined that helps them to find the murderer. A boarding school mystery filled with humor and a delightful cast of characters.   

MG Historical Fiction: Dust of Eden by Mariko Nagai

Mina Masako Tagawa lives in Seattle with her mother, father, brother and grandpa.  Home has always been a mixture of Japanese and American influences.  Grandpa grows his roses and dad is a newspaper writer,  everything was going well for them until the bombing of Pearl Harbor.   Afterwards, Mina's father was taken away and the rest of the family was relocated to Camp Harmony in Washington and then to Minidoka relocation camp in Idaho. Life in the internment camp presents challenges to the entire family.  

The story is told in verse and relates the families experiences in being separated and taken from their home and relocated.   Not only is the story a glimpse at one families life, but it includes views from three different generations.  Their views and ideas are presented through Mina's poems and letters that she writes to her friend back in Seattle, to her father while he is imprisoned and later on to her brother when he enlists.  In return, Mina receives letters back from them detailing their own experiences, so that a broader picture of the impact on the family is felt.  Dust of Eden also delves into the idea of what it means to be an American,  a question that is raised as a writing assignment in Mina's school.  Mina's brother Nick, believes it means joining the US military to prove his loyalty and devotion to the country.  Mina at first uncertain comes to her own conclusions that include that being American means that America is her home.   Included at the back of the book is an authors note providing more of the historical details of the Japanese American internment camps as well as the inspiration for the story.  

MG Review: The Ellie McDodle Diaries: Ellie For President by Ruth McNally Barshaw

Ellie likes to Doodle in her sketch journal, she is such a wonderful doodler that her friends tell her that she should put her art on a blog.  They also start to make a a school magazine, that is until Ellie's art work of Principal Ping leaves them working for the school newspaper with a supervising teacher.   Being on the newspaper does have its advantages, especially when Ellie gets the scoop about class elections.  But now  that her friends are pushing her to run, does she have what it takes?



Ellie For President includes information about running for class elections, what it means to be a good candidate, fears about public speaking and how it's important to listen to your conscience.  Ellie has many flaws and is conflicted about running for office. She would rather spend her time on the school newspaper, but she also doesn't want to let her friends down.   She also struggles because the boy that she is crushing on is running for the election too.  How she resolves all of these seems to work.  The book is written in the form of a diary and given Ellie's passion for art,  there are many illustrations.  Barshaw includes step by step instructions to draw a bird or rabbit, how to make an origami butterfly, a flip book, and a  tri-fold butterfly note.  The Ellie McDoodle Diaries would appeal to eight to twelve year old MG readers that enjoy comic/diary style books. 

MG Review: Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Rampage: A Mystery with Hoverbots, Bristle Bots, and Other Robots You Can Build Yourself

Robot Army Rampage is the second book in the Nick and Tesla series.  11-year-old Nick and Tesla's parents are in Uzbekistan under special orders from the government to study soybean irrigation.  In the mean time, they have been staying with their scientist loving, Uncle Newt in the town of Half Moon Bay in California.  Nick and Tesla easily fit in with Uncle Newt in the laboratory, often completing science experiments side by side.  In Robot Army Rampage, Nick and Tesla's friend Silas has an emergency.  Silas's dad has had a rare mint condition comic book that has gone missing from his shop. The family was planning on using the proceeds from its sale to save the business.  Silas and DeMarco think that Nick and Tesla will be able to help find the comic book, but then a series of robberies occurs that rattles the town.  Nick and Tesla pair up with their friends to try and solve the mystery of who is behind the robberies and get back the comic book in time to save Silas's family from losing everything they have.

Nick and Tesla's Robot Army Rampage was written by Pflugfelder and Hockensmith.   An award-winning elementary school science teacher and an author of a series of mystery books.  Using their backgrounds in science and mystery writing, they have developed a story that will inspire children to explore and create using text to real life projects.   Included within the body of the book are full page "blueprints" with directions and illustrations that show how to take things found at home or a local hobby store to construct a Wander bot, a Bottle bot and even a Robo-roach.   Robot Army Rampage provides  a nice mix of science, a mystery to solve and construction projects that are likely to intrigue nine to twelve year old's. 

I received an uncorrected review copy from the publisher for free via Edelweiss for consideration for the 2014 Cybils award in Middle Grade Fiction.  

MG Review: Ice Dogs by Terry Lynn Johnson

Vicky's mom doesn't seem to understand her or the love she has for her dogs.  Dad is the only one who understood, but now that he is gone Vicky has no one but her dogs and dog sledding. Vicky wants to ensure that her dogs are the team to beat this year for the White Wolf race, so despite her mom's refusal to take her, Vicky sets out on her sled toward Cook's dog yard to discuss his race leaders.   Vicky believes she is prepared, because dad gave her all his knowledge about dog sledding, living in winter conditions, trapping and what supplies to bring. Vicky gathers everything she needs and heads out hoping to make it to the yard before the snow starts to fall.  Despite everything, Vicky becomes lost, and then finds a snowmobile crashed into a tree with Chris bleeding from his wounds.   Chris thinks he knows the way he came, so Vicky follows his directions.  When the two get more hopelessly lost, it will take everything they and Vicky's dogs have to get them back to safety.  

Johnson's knowledge of dog sledding and life during the winter in Alaska are very evident,  everything from cold snow, to freezing hands and feet.  It's the perfect kind of book for a cold winter day, but reading from the comfort of your home.   Ice Dogs immersed me in this cold harsh environment from the get go with its gripping details of Vicky and Chris's encountering a wolf and then a moose.  I never knew that moose could be so mean.  The hardships these two face in trying to prevent hypothermia while trying to find a path back to safety, holds a readers attention to be sure.  When they finally have a few things go their way, your brought back to the reality that time is running out for them. It's easy to become vested in Chris, Vicky and her dogs, there is a desire for them to succeed.   Both Vicky and Chris learn from their experience of being in the wild.  Chris having just moved from Toronto learns that he has no idea about the wilds of Alaska.  He starts out initially having this charming attitude, but quickly realizes that his lack of knowledge is what landed him in his situation. He also comes to realize a respect for Vicky and her skills and wants to learn how he can better help her get them home.  Chris has a few skills of his own that he brings to the table, which end up surprising Vicky too.  Johnson does a remarkable job illustrating that despite the best preparation, there are many obstacles that even Vicky couldn't have foreseen.  Vicky has this inner strength that comes through during the story, but also a vulnerable side as she opens up to Chris about her father and her fears about not being able to find a way out.   Overall, a riveting survival story recommended for 10 and up.

MG Review: Quinny & Hopper by Adriana Brad Schanen

Eight year old Quinny has just moved from New York City to Whisper Valley, and she's eager to find a new friend.  Quinny is outgoing, has lots of ideas and is very talkative.  Hopper is just the opposite, but Quinny can't resist his eyes. Hopper thinks that Quinny's teeth and dimples are charming, the two seem to hit it off.  They become even closer while trying to catch Freya, a chicken who has been running loose since its owner moved away.  Summer is looking to be lots of fun for the two of them, that is until they have a misunderstanding when school notices come out and Hopper decides that they aren't friends anymore.  Quinny then runs into Victoria, sparkly, glittery, swishy pink wearing Victoria.   Victoria makes Quinny her new BFF and tries to teach her the rules of third grade. Girls and boys can't be friends, accessories and the right clothes are important.  Quinny slowly realizes that the only one that Victoria thinks about is herself, but will Quinny and Hopper find a way to mend their friendship?




Quinny and Hopper reminded me so much of Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen. Alright, so maybe a younger version but still it was really cute.  Juli is the one who initiates the friendship in Flipped and Quinny's personality so reminded me of Juli's.  As in Flipped, the chapter's alternate the voices of Quinny and Hopper. They are very different from one another and this alternating voices allows their thoughts, feelings and views on a situation to shine.  So much so that you come to care about both of these main characters.    How they choose to describe each other is very cute and you really want their friendship to work out. Schanen accurately reflects the relationships that siblings may have.  Especially when Quinny and Hopper are seen bickering, giving "wet willies," teased by or have one of their siblings get them in trouble.  Most of all, I liked that Quinny kept her outgoing, boisterous personality and didn't give up on her friendship with Hopper just because Victoria thought she should.   The illustrations by Greg Swearingen are very well done, especially the facial expressions of the two children and add to the charm of the story.  Quinny and Hopper would appeal to children who enjoy books similar to Clemintine, and the Ramona series.