Book Review: Pony by R. J. Palacio

I don't read much middle-grade fiction anymore, but when I saw Pony (and its author Palacio), I couldn't pass it up. I wasn't disappointed. Pony's appeal reaches much farther than the middle school population.

The book is magical and no specific time period is given that I could find, but it seems like it must be the mid-1800s, given the photography element. Silas and his father live an isolated life. His father, though uneducated, is very scientific and is working on a photographic process using chemicals beyond the common daguerreotype. Some mysterious men visit and want to take Silas and his father away so his father can help with some nefarious scheme requiring chemicals. His father negotiates with them to leave Silas, and he will come with them willingly. Silas is to stay put. 

But the next day, the pony that Silas was supposed to ride reappears, and Silas vows to find his father, even though it requires entering the deep, scary woods that aren't far from their home. Fortunately, he is always accompanied by his invisible friend, Mittenwool. Mittenwool has been with Silas for as long as he can remember, and he doesn't know why, but he provides a lot of comfort. 

Silas meets a U. S. Marshal in the woods who is hunting for some counterfeiters. Silas is convinced these are the men who took his father and convinces the Marshal to let him come along. So begins a big adventure, and Silas must be very brave. 

The best part for me is that once the part about Silas' father is over, there is still much more to the story. We learn about Silas in the future--and about his past. Somewhere I read that the crime you think happened isn't really the crime. Well, that's not entirely true, but there is much more to the story than just counterfeiting.

So I think that is all I'll say. The story is rich with details that I haven't mentioned, but given the author, I'm sure you can be confident in this selection. I recommend Pony to pretty much everyone. 

Published by Knopf BFYR, September 28, 2019
eARC obtained from NetGalley
304 pages

Rating: 5/5

---

Back to Annette's Book Spot Homepage Copyright © 2021 Annette's Book Spot. All Rights Reserved

Book Review: Hunger by Donna Jo Napoli

Hunger is a great introduction for younger teens to what is commonly known as the Irish Potato Famine.

The story is told from the perspective of a twelve-year-old girl, Lorraine. Her family are tenant farmers and Hunger depicts the extreme hardships of the Irish people during the long winter with no food.

Because of a chance meeting in the woods, Lorraine meets a rich English girl, Susannah, who is the landlord's daughter.  Susannah is privileged and has no idea of the suffering of her father's tenants. She has been told they are lazy. Lorraine tries to set her straight, and Susannah at least helps her with some additional food.

Starvation brings with it diseases and death, and Napoli doesn't shy away from this truth.  The English are not made to look very good.

The ending does leave the reader with some hope, but if you read the detailed history of Ireland at the end of the book, there is still a lot of hardship ahead for these people.

Hunger would be most appealing to middle-grade students, but older students with an interest can also learn from this tale. Hunger is a relatively short book and keeps your attention, so reluctant readers interested in historical fiction should be pointed to this one.

Published by Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman, February 13, 2018
eARC obtained from Edelweiss
272 pages

Rating: 4/5

---

Back to Annette's Book Spot Homepage Copyright © 2018 Annette's Book Spot. All Rights Reserved

Book Review: From Ant to Eagle by Alex Lyttle

I don't usually review middle school books.  I don't usually respond to publishers' direct requests unless it's a book or author I've heard of.  But I decided to read From Aunt to Eagle despite both of these conditions being true.  And I enjoyed it.

Cal is our narrator and he's a big brother to Sammy.  He reads to him and plays with him and basically keeps him entertained.  But then he meets a new girl, Aleta, and he doesn't have much time for Sammy any more.

Aleta has her own mysteries, and she disappears for days at a time.  Cal is so wrapped up in figuring out his relationship with Aleta that he challenges Sammy to some monumental tasks to keep him occupied. When Sammy gets sick and is diagnosed with cancer, Cal feels very guilty.

From Ant to Eagle follows a rather predictable path, but the story is engaging and kept my interest.  As I said, I don't usually read middle school books, and there's a reason for that.  From Ant to Eagle is definitely written for lower levels with short sentences and lots of telling rather than showing.  It makes for a fast read, but for me it becomes monotonous. I felt like the subject matter is appropriate for middle school, but the writing is a bit lower.

From Ant to Eagle has been compared to Wonder. I was affected much more by Wonder and I didn't really see the bullied, disfigured kid connection.  And Wonder had multiple narrators which really added to that story for me. But the comparison isn't really necessary.  From Ant to Eagle is an engaging journey all its own.

For the intended audience who enjoy "cancer books" From Ant to Eagle is a worthy addition to the field.

Published by Central Avenue, April 1, 2017
eARC obtained from the publisher
256 pages

Rating: 3.5/5

---

Back to Annette's Book Spot Homepage Copyright © 2017 Annette's Book Spot. All Rights Reserved

AudioBook Review: Confessions by Kanae Minato

What in interesting book Confessions is.  The unique way it is written makes it a very compelling read.

We begin with the end of the school year, when Yuko Moriguchi, a middle school teacher in Japan, is explaining to her students why she is retiring from teaching.  It seems that her 4-year-old daughter died in the school's swimming pool, and Moriguchi believes that she was murdered -- by two students in her class.

She is vengeful and explains what she has done to those students in a very matter-of-fact way.  Confessions continues with perspectives from the class president, the two murderers, and Moriguchi again.  As we hear their stories, we are exposed to the lives of these characters and how those experiences contributed to the events.

Even though we get some of the same story from each person, it isn't at all repetitive.  Because they each have such a different perspective.  What really grabbed me about this method of telling the story is how you can never truly know the motivations of people.  Since I work in a school and see hundreds of students, this is an important lesson for me.  Kids get into trouble. They do stupid things. But as much as I think I might know "why," I really have no idea.

In Confessions, the reader is told by Moriguchi why something happened, but then when you read another character's story, you realize there is so much more.  Things aren't always what they seem.  And each character adds to the story, telling an additional part. I did find the life histories a bit tedious at times, but all the detail also deepened my understanding of each character's place in the story.

We also get a glimpse of Japanese culture as it pertains to education and family life, and these traditions contribute to the actions of these characters.  The book is translated from the original Japanese, and I had no difficulty with the translation.

It's very creative, and I found myself more and more anxious about how everything was going to wrap up as the story progressed.

The narrators, Elaina Erika Davis and Noah Galvin do an excellent job.  Galvin sounds like a young kid (maybe he is?) They use Japanese names which are pronounced correctly (or seem to be...what do I know?)

There are twists and surprises, and well, the revenge? Hah.  Yes, there is revenge.  Is it appropriate?  Well, it's twisted, but I'll let you decide. I highly recommend Confessions if you are into murder and revenge stories.

Published by Mulholland, 2014, Hachette Audio
Audiobook obtained from the library
234 pages

Rating: 4/5

---

Back to Annette's Book Spot Homepage Copyright © 2017 Annette's Book Spot. All Rights Reserved

Audio Book Review: The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry

The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place is humorous and charming, if a little bit outrageous.

The students of St. Etheldreda's Academy decide to hide the deaths by poisoning of their headmistress and her brother. They died right at the dining room table, and because the girls didn't want to be sent back to their homes, they decide to create an elaborate ruse to convince everyone things are normal at the school.

Well it's a difficult task, but surprisingly they are able to pull it off. They are almost caught time and time again by the many visitors to the house but through their ingenuity and lots of luck, they manage. They are also trying to solve the murder mystery at the same time.

There are many surprising twists and turns, and the girls must come up with plausible (and sometimes not so plausible) explanations on the spur of the moment. The reader can see that this situation must inevitably fall apart, but going along on this wild ride is certainly worth your time. The ending is clever, and I really had no idea who the culprit was until exposed.

The narrator, Jayne Entwistle, is perfection. She's also the narrator of the Flavia de Luce audiobooks, which are some of my favorites.

The book is targeted for middle school, and I think that audience will enjoy The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place immensely. Audiobook fans should definitely give this one a try.

Published by Roaring Book Press, 2014, Listening Library (Audio)
Copy obtained from the library
368 pages

Rating: 4/5

---

Back to Annette's Book Spot Homepage Copyright © 2016 Annette's Book Spot. All Rights Reserved

Audio Book Review: Peter and the Starcatchers, by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson

While I found Peter and the Starcatchers to be a bit over the top, the intended audience will probably find this to be an excellent adventure.

Peter and the Starcatchers is a prequel to Peter Pan. How did Peter end up on that island? How did he learn to fly? How did Captain Hook's hand get bit off? Where did Tinkerbell come from?

In a nonstop, rip-roaring adventure on the sea and on a desert island, Barry and Pearson give us their interpretation. There is quite a bit of magic that serves to save the day. The reader gets several perspectives -- Peter's as well as Captain Stache (the pirate), Slank (the first mate from Peter's ship), the "cannibals" on the island, the mermaids, and maybe a few more.

There is a magical trunk that they are all after and it jumps from character to character; it is even in the mermaids' possession for a while. Every time we are SURE the bad guys will prevail (wink, wink). And I'll be darn if every time somehow the trunk gets away and passed on to someone else. The reader is "fooled" several times into thinking that all is well, the trunk and Peter and his friends are safe, only to watch the trunk get snatched away in some inventive escapade.

It's all very entertaining and exciting -- if you're ten years old. I found it to just go on a bit too long. I'm not a huge high fantasy fan and when magic saves the day (over and over) I just get bored.

The best part is that Jim Dale narrates the audio version. I mean really, he's incredible. I missed the illustrations in the book, but I got Jim Dale's voices instead.

I did enjoy how everything kind of ties up to the classic Peter Pan story at the end. Very clever. Definitely recommend Peter and the Starcatchers to your middle school kids. There are at least three more books in the series for those that can't get enough.

Published by Disney-Hyperion, 2004 (Brilliance Audio)
Audiobook obtained from SYNC YA Audiobooks
480 pages

Rating: 3/5

---

Back to Annette's Book Spot Homepage Copyright © 2015 Annette's Book Spot. All Rights Reserved

Book Review: The Prince Charming Starter Kit, by Carolyn Carter

The Prince Charming Starter Kit is a cute original story that will appeal to the middle school crowd.

McKenzie McIntyre has a huge crush on Evan Jacoby, but he doesn't seem to even know she exists. When her friend, Em, finds a mysterious website that offers a kit to make anyone into your Prince Charming, they decide to go for it.

The kit comes with Inspector Number 068 to help them with any problems, but no directions are included and the inspector is nowhere to be found. So, McKenzie decides to take matters into her own hands and use the kit as she sees fit. Of course things don't turn out as McKenzie expects.

McKenzie and Em are in the seventh grade, and this book is perfect for those kids. It's short, reads easily, and has a lot of dialog. It's a lighthearted book that will have you chuckling -- because the reader can see what McKenzie cannot.

I would have liked a bit more character development because I didn't feel the bond between McKenzie and Em. A little more back story of all the characters would have helped me settle in to the tale.

The writing is really done well. When there were descriptions, they were vivid and complete. I wish some more descriptions were included to pad out all the dialog, especially at the beginning of the book.

For being a self published work, The Prince Charming Starter Kit is very well edited. I didn't find any typos.

Carolyn Carter is a high school classmate of mine, and I'm so excited that she has written such a wonderful book. I can't wait to share it with my students.

Published by CreateSpace, August 17, 2014
Copy obtained from the library
198 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 4/5

---

Back to Annette's Book Spot Homepage Copyright © 2014 Annette's Book Spot. All Rights Reserved

Book Review: See You at Harry's, by Jo Knowles

What I got out of See You at Harry's was unexpected, but I still really enjoyed it.

I'm not big on reading blurbs. I just knew that we had middle school kids, an ice cream shop, and some family drama. Well, the "devastating event" referred to in the blurb is quite tragic, and sad. So, I shed some tears and, like I said, I wasn't expecting that.

Fern's family owns a restaurant, Harry's, so a lot of their lives revolve around supporting this business. Her dad drives the kids crazy with his hair-brained advertising schemes. Fern's little brother, 3-year-old Charlie, is a nuisance. Her older brother, Holden, is gay, but hasn't come out. Charlie is understandably upset when she realizes how he is bullied at school. And she has a really good friend Ran, who keeps her grounded and obviously has a crush on Fern. Well, it's obvious to everyone except Fern.

The characters are the stand out element in See You at Harry's. The family dynamics ring true. The story revolves around all of the characters trying to come to terms with this tragedy, and the reactions were very realistically portrayed.

The end is subtle. There is somewhat of a defining moment, and  you get the feeling that things are going to be OK, so I was comforted. See You at Harry's is touching and sweet. It's a sad but also a feel-good story. It's also a very quick read, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good contemporary. See You at Harry's is geared towards middle school kids, but I would easily recommend it to high school students too.

Published by Candlewick, 2012
Copy obtained from the library
310 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 4/5

---

Back to Annette's Book Spot Homepage Copyright © 2014 Annette's Book Spot. All Rights Reserved

Book Review: Choke, by Diana Lopez

Choke, while examining an important issue, is slow-paced enough that I'm not sure it will hold the attention of the middle schoolers at which it is aimed.

Windy, our narrator, and Elena are best friends. They aren't in the popular crowd, but they are "GP," which stands for "General Public." A new girl, Nina, starts attending their middle school and befriends Windy and Elena and helps to fend off the bulling they endure from the popular girls.

At first it seems Nina is the perfect friend, but slowly, she begins to separate Windy from Elena. She also wants Windy to become her "breath sister." Windy has no idea what this means, but she soon finds out.

What unfolds is completely predictable, and unfortunately, Choke comes off a little preachy. There is never any doubt why Choke was written. Also, there is much back story and very little action, so it's hard to be invested. The tense and dangerous choking game doesn't even occur for the first time until page 93 (ARC has 230 pages) and really only happens one other time in the book.

Not that I think there needs to be a lot of disturbing violence in a book, but there needs to be something interesting going on besides Windy secretly adopting a cat and her visits to her friend, Mrs. Vargas, at the old folks home. There is a somewhat interesting middle school dynamic -- liking boys, shopping, striving to be popular -- but it comes off very cliché. The writing is simple and easy, which bothered me, but is appropriate for the target group.

I understand Lopez' motivation for writing Choke. Hopefully those who read Choke will find the ending disturbing enough that they will never consider participating in this activity. There definitely needs to be more books that expose our young kids to the hazards of this "game." I just don't know if Choke will have wide appeal to middle school students.

Published by Scholastic Press, July 1, 2012
ARC obtained from the publisher
230 pages (qualifies for my Books You Can Read in a Day Challenge!)

Rating: 2.5/5

---

Back to Annette's Book Spot Homepage Copyright © 2012 Annette's Book Spot. All Rights Reserved