Flight of the Puffin by Ann Braden

 Middle school is such a weird time. As an educator, I witness firsthand every year how friendships change or are dropped, how kiddos start exploring to find their own niches and how some kiddos suddenly become "cool".  In Flight of the Puffin, Braden explores the stories of four young people who each have their own battles to fight.

I read a quote in a blog called A Learning A Day which went something like "we spend life trying to justify the story we have in our head". In other words, perception is reality, thus, a person who other people may perceive as a bully may not view themselves as such. Libby, lives in a household with some people who display bullying tendencies and sometimes but she prefers to doodle and engage in creative pursuits.  Vincent, a kid who knows a lot of random facts is forced to confront bullies who have started making his life difficult.  T has decided to leave home as life there had become difficult. Last but not least is Jack, perhaps the bravest kid I have seen in a novel in some time.

Even in the midst of their own struggles, they each found a way to reach out to other young people struggling with their own battles; this small gesture was what touched me the most.  Often, as adults we spend a lot of time trying to teach kids to be kind but we live in a world where sometimes  kindness isn't always cool.  Some read alikes to this novel are Auggie and Me by R.J. Palacio, Paper Things by Jennifer Jacobson and Don't Judge Me by Lisa Schroeder

Moonwalking by Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann

 I came across this book in one of the (many) book blogs I peruse and put it on hold at my local library. When it arrived  I tore through it in a couple of days (this was made easy by the fact that it is a  novel in verse).  This novel explores themes of friendship, identity, neurodivergence, prejudice... but all in a very accessible manner.

Set in New York in the 80s, the novel features a ton of pop culture references across many cultures. As a child of the 80s myself I loved the cultural references but I imagine that today's young'uns will have to Google some of them.  The story is told from the alternating perspectives of two young boys. JJ's family has had to move to another part of the city and he starts at a new school.  It's at this school he  meets Pierre, a really smart kid whose mother is suffering with some undisclosed mental issues.  JJ is a keen observer of his surroundings and his insight into some of the goings on around him are very thought provoking.




Both boys are quirky but I got the sense that Pierre was a bit more accepting of his own quirkiness than JJ.  Perhaps some experiences in the past have made JJ less open to trusting new kids.  The boys bond because of their shared quirkiness and also introduce each other to a variety of different things, Although the ending wasn't exactly what I would call happy, I was okay with it because not all stories have a happy ending and it's good for kids to see that.  I would recommend this book for ages 9 and up.  Some similar reads told from various perspectives and that deal with similar themes to this novel are Hope Larson's All Summer Long, Steven Frank's Armstrong and Charlie and  Paula J. Chase's Turning Point.

Marcus Makes a Movie by Kevin Hart

Funnyman Kevin Hart has written books for adults and with this novel, Marcus Makes a Movie, he  makes a foray into authoring children's books with this novel aimed at younger readers.  

In this book, we meet Marcus a boy who in addition to playing videogames with his best friend , spends a lot of time writing a comic featuring superhero Toothpick who fights a malevolent presence called The Dark. When his dad enrolls him in an after school film club he meets a girl called Sierra. Sierra, at first comes off as sassy but as the two get acquainted they discover that they are both creatives. She  knows a ton about film making and is extremely patient and kind with Marcus. Marcus, for his part, learns about the nuts and bolts of film making and a little bit bout himself.

 

I for one learned a few things about the whole film making process and I am sure young readers will as well. Yes, it's easy to make a quick video on TikTok or YouTube but a full length film is a process that requires a ton of fortitude, grit and a can-do mentality because there will be hiccups along the way.

Some read alikes are Jake the fake keeps it real by Craig Robinson,  Elvin Link by Drew Dernavich and Max Crumbly by Rachel Renee Russell.

Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus by Dusti Bowling

 I do not know how I would feel  or act if I had grown up without an appendage.  I cannot even begin to imagine if my children were born without an appendage. Aven Green was born without both arms but through sheer force of will, spunk and some extremely supportive parents has managed to learn to do many daily things that folks with arms may well take for granted.

As we meet Aven, her family is about to move to Arizona, a place that is unlike any place Aven has been. To make it worse, her parents are now managing the most rundown Western theme park you'll ever see. Like any kid, she worries about readjusting to a new friend group and playing sports but unlike other kids she also has to worry about not being noticed and deal with the accompanying weirdness that usually follows. (I loved her wacky way of dealing with some of this.)

 

Aven somehow finds herself hanging out with Connor, a classmate with his own set of challenges and through Aven's curiosity they set about trying to solve some nagging questions that she simply must find the answer to. The resulting events are unexpected but heartwarming. I found myself marveling that even for kids with various levels of difficulties, they were each able to survive and thrive in different ways.

We know that when humans read and interact with other cultures that it helps create empathy and this book more than many others of its ilk will help in that regard. This book will resonate with ages 10 and above. Some read alikes are Roll With It by Jamie Sumner, Forget Me Not by Ellie Terry and  The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty.

Thanks a Lot, Universe by Chad Lucas

 To be able to tie together a ton of disparate themes in one novel is the mark of a skilled author and Canadian Chad Lucas brings us this wonderful read about friendship and navigating the twisting, shifting waters of middle school all while dealing with family drama. I especially liked that one of the characters was originally from my native Trinidad!

In Thanks a Lot, Universe we meet Brian, an anxious kiddo who sometimes has what he describes as SAWS when in social situations. Instead of messing up by saying the wrong thing he clams up and keeps his head down and thus has earned an unflattering nickname from his peers.  Brian has a supportive and loving family but when an unthinkable event happens, he must dig deep within himself to find the strength he needs.

We also meet Ezra, one of Brian's teammates on the basketball team who is finding that he has some complicated feelings of his own in addition to dealing with the slow attenuation of a lifelong friendship. When Ezra finds out that a teammate is in crisis, he has to decide if and how to help out his teammate in their time of need.

I love seeing novels centered on the complicated feelings (angst) that boys experience and, moreover that they can choose kindness even in the face of cruel words and actions and even if it may make them a social pariah. I know that middle school drama is pretty much the same anywhere you go, but I think American kids will be surprised to learn that those kids have a ton in common with them. In thisday and age when bullying is rampant, I loved seeing several upstanders in this novel. 

This book will be a hit with ages 10 and above. Some read alikes are The Brave by James Bird, Turtle boy by M. Evan Wolkenstein and Alan Cole is not a coward by Eric Bell.

The House that Wasn't There by Elana K. Arnold

 Every family has secrets but as a child one usually doesn't know this. Indeed, part of the process of growing up is when children learn family secrets either by accident or by design. Sometimes it is only when one has sufficiently matured that one can see why some secrets are better left buried.

In The House that Wasn't There we meet Alder, a rising sixth grader who lives with his mom in a comfy house in a comfy neighborhood. His biggest worry is how to navigate the transition to middle school.  For the most part, his life follows some predictable patterns and then one random day a girl moves in next door and her family commits what to Alder's, is an egregious act. Because of this both families get off on the wrong foot. However, some curious events keep happening to both kids and because of this they will have to decide if to work together to figure out the weird events.

Deftly mixing some coming-of-age drama with some fantastical,  this story explores the definition of family and the ties that bind people together across generations. Arnold uses many vivid images in the book and in one section she describes an impromptu feast and I could almost taste the food shared. One takeaway for young readers is that things have a way of working themselves out if given enough time.

This is a wonderful feel good story that I recommend for grades four and up. Some read alikes are Shouting at the Rain by Lynda Hunt, Sharon Creech's Moo and The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon.

The Season of Styx Malone by Kekla Magoon

As a father of a teen and a tween I sometimes worry about them making good choices when they are with their friends. When they do make the occasional misstep we discuss what if anything they learned in the process. Peer pressure is such a tough part of growing up and with ever younger access to technology kids feel pressure to conform, or to dress and act a certain way. 

I have reviewed other books by Kekla Magoon on this blog before and I quite admire her focus on young men of color and their experiences. I am a firm believer in younger readers being exposed to all types of cultures through literature.

In The Season of Styx Malone we meet two boys who have a regular life in safe albeit somewhat sleepy town. Caleb, the somewhat impetuous  younger brother thinks that perhaps it is a bit too safe.  His older brother Bobby Gene prefers to play things safe and would much rather follow his parents' advice when confronted with difficult decisions. When the boys meet a young man called Styx, their world view shifts forever.

Styx it seems has secrets that he can't or prefers not to share with the somewhat sheltered brothers. He has  been exposed to the harsh realities of life earlier than the brothers. In them, Styx  sees a chance at a nuclear family structure and maybe even a chance at friendship. In him, the boys see adventure and a chance to do things they would not normally do.

Young men of color are not often seen by the world as innocent but Magoon expertly shows the naivete of the boys and the great pains that their parents have taken to ensure this.  This is a Coretta Scott King Honor book and I highly recommend it for ages 10 and up. Some read alikes are Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis and The great Greene Heist by Varian Johnson.