Middle Grade Review: Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring

Me, Frida, and the Secret of the Peacock Ring by Angela Cervantes

Genres: Middle Grade, Mytery
Maturity Level: 2
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Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆

Paloma Marquez is traveling to Mexico City, birthplace of her deceased father, for the very first time. She’s hoping that spending time in Mexico will help her unlock memories of the too-brief time they spent together.

While in Mexico, Paloma meets Lizzie and Gael, who present her with an irresistible challenge: The siblings want her to help them find a valuable ring that once belonged to beloved Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. Finding the ring means a big reward — and the thanks of all Mexico. What better way to honor her father than returning a priceless piece of jewelry that once belonged to his favorite artist!

But the brother and sister have a secret. Do they really want to return the ring, or are they after something else entirely?

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Oh. My. Gosh. This book is so fun, and brilliant, and such a wonderful addition to the middle grade mystery genre!

Middle Grade Review: Watchdog

Watchdog by Will McIntosh

Genres: Middle Grade, Science Fiction, Dystopian
Maturity Level: 2
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Rating: ⋆⋆⋆

Thirteen-year-old twins Vick and Tara have built an incredible machine–a loyal robotic watchdog named Daisy. But, when local crime boss Ms. Alba schemes to add Daisy to her robot army, Vick and Tara must go to great lengths to protect their prized pet. Because Daisy is more than just any robot–she’s their constant protector, and together the three make a great team.

Vick and Tara are determined to stop the mob from tearing their little family apart. And they might just succeed! Sure, the evil Ms. Alba has more robot watchdogs, but none are as smart–or as faithful–as their Daisy. Plus, if things get too dangerous, Tara could always upgrade their pet. With her mechanical skills, she could make Daisy bigger, stronger, and a lot more intimidating!

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This was a fun book, and a good first dystopian for kids. But it didn’t blow me away.

Middle Grade Review: Finding Orion

Finding Orion by John David Anderson

Genre: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Maturity Level: 2
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Rating: ⋆⋆

Rion Kwirk comes from a rather odd family. His mother named him and his sisters after her favorite constellations, and his father makes funky-flavored jelly beans for a living. One sister acts as if she’s always onstage and the other is a walking dictionary. But no one in the family is more odd than Rion’s grandfather, Papa Kwirk. He’s the kind of guy who shows up on his motorcycle only on holidays, handing out crossbows and stuffed squirrels as presents. Rion has always been fascinated by Papa Kwirk, especially since his son—Rion’s father—is the complete opposite. Where Dad is predictable, nerdy, and reassuringly boring, Papa Kwirk is mysterious, dangerous, and cool.

Which is why, when Rion and his family learn of Papa Kwirk’s death and pile into the car to attend his funeral and pay their respects, Rion can’t help but feel that that’s not the end of his story. That there’s so much more to Papa Kwirk to discover.

He doesn’t know how right he is.

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There’s not really a tactful way to say this, so I’ll be blunt. I didn’t like this book and I wouldn’t give it to a kid.

Middle Grade Review: The Magic Misfits

The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris

Series: The Magic Misfits
Genres: Middle-Grade, Fiction
Maturity Level: 2
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Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

When street magician Carter runs away, he never expects to find friends and magic in a sleepy New England town. But like any good trick, things change instantly as greedy B.B. Bosso and his crew of crooked carnies arrive to steal anything and everything they can get their sticky fingers on.

After a fateful encounter with the local purveyor of illusion, Dante Vernon, Carter teams up with five other like-minded illusionists. Together, using both teamwork and magic, they’ll set out to save the town of Mineral Wells from Bosso’s villainous clutches. These six Magic Misfits will soon discover adventure, friendship, and their own self-worth in this delightful new series.

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I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. I loved everything about this book. I loved the writing, I loved the themes, I loved the puzzles and codes, I loved the magic, I loved the characters, I loved the friendship. It just made me feel so gosh darned GOOD.

Middle Grade Review: Lafayette!

Lafayette! by Nathan Hale

Series: Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales
Genres: Graphic Novel, Historical Fiction, Middle Grade
Maturity Level: 3
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Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆⋆

Gilbert du Motier became the Marquis de Lafayette at a young age, but he was not satisfied with the comforts of French nobility—he wanted adventure!

A captain at eighteen and a major general by nineteen, he was eager to prove himself in battle. When he heard about the Revolution going on in America, he went overseas and fought alongside Alexander Hamilton and George Washington for America’s independence.

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YOU GUYS! If you’re a teacher or librarian and haven’t heard of Nathan Hale, I can only assume you’ve been living under a box. He takes historical figures and events and makes them kid-friendly. They are graphic novels told with a sense of humor and historical accuracy.

Middle Grade Review: Jacky Ha-Ha

Jacky Ha-Ha by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein

Illustrations by: Kerascoët
Series: Jacky Ha-Ha
Genres: Middle-Grade, Humor
Maturity Level: 3
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Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆

With her irresistible urge to tell a joke in every situation–even when she really, really shouldn’t–twelve-year-old Jacky Ha-Ha loves to make people laugh. And cracking wise helps distract her from thinking about not-so-funny things in her life, like her mom serving in a dangerous, faraway war, and a dad who’s hardly ever home.

But no matter how much fun Jacky has, she can’t seem to escape her worries. So one starlit night, she makes a promise to keep her family together…even if she has to give up the one thing that makes her happy. But can she stop being Jacky Ha-Ha, if that’s who she really is?

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For middle-grade readers who are a fan of funny books with heart, Jacky Ha-Ha is sure to be a hit. But it doesn’t have the depth and high-quality writing of the best of the genre.

Review: The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl

The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty

Genres: Middle-Grade, Fiction
Maturity Level: 2
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Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆

Lucy Callahan was struck by lightning. She doesn’t remember it, but it changed her life forever. The zap gave her genius-level math skills, and ever since, Lucy has been homeschooled. Now, at 12 years old, she’s technically ready for college. She just has to pass 1 more test — middle school!

Lucy’s grandma insists: Go to middle school for 1 year. Make 1 friend. Join 1 activity. And read 1 book (that’s not a math textbook!). Lucy’s not sure what a girl who does calculus homework for fun can possibly learn in 7th grade. She has everything she needs at home, where nobody can make fun of her rigid routines or her superpowered brain. The equation of Lucy’s life has already been solved. Unless there’s been a miscalculation?

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This is one of those classic middle-grade books that I think appeals to adults more than kids. Don’t get me wrong, I think sixth and seventh graders would probably enjoy this book if they picked it up, but I don’t know that they would unless a teacher assigned it. It isn’t very universally appealing, it’s definitely going to catch the eyes of the outcasts and odd-balls.

Review: Because of Winn-Dixie

Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Genre: Middle-Grade Fiction
Maturity Level: 1
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Rating: ⋆⋆⋆

The summer Opal and her father, the preacher, move to Naomi, Florida, Opal goes into the Winn-Dixie supermarket—and comes out with a dog. A big, ugly, suffering dog with a sterling sense of humor. A dog she dubs Winn-Dixie. Because of Winn-Dixie, the preacher tells Opal ten things about her absent mother, one for each year Opal has been alive. Winn-Dixie is better at making friends than anyone Opal has ever known, and together they meet the local librarian, Miss Franny Block, who once fought off a bear with a copy of WAR AND PEACE. They meet Gloria Dump, who is nearly blind but sees with her heart, and Otis, an ex-con who sets the animals in his pet shop loose after hours, then lulls them with his guitar.

Opal spends all that sweet summer collecting stories about her new friends and thinking about her mother. But because of Winn-Dixie or perhaps because she has grown, Opal learns to let go, just a little, and that friendship—and forgiveness—can sneak up on you like a sudden summer storm.

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This is a sweet, touching book that I think is likely to go over the heads of the target audience. It’s a character-driven story about loneliness, and making friends, and learning to live with loss and abandonment. Elements of magical realism give it an almost whimsical feel, despite heavy themes. And while elements of this story will resonate with children, especially children of single parents, I personally think that too much of the book is sub-text for the vast majority of middle-grade readers to really catch on.

Review: Pictures of Hollis Woods

Pictures of Hollis Woods by Patricia Reilly Giff

Genres: Middle-Grade, Historical Fiction
Maturity Level: 2
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Rating: ⋆⋆⋆

In this Newbery Honor Book, a troublesome 12-year-old orphan, staying with an elderly artist who needs her, remembers the only other time she was happy in a foster home, with a family that truly seemed to care about her.

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Every adult historical fiction in the world it seems like is currently being written with the dual-timeline thing, and I’m just plain tired of it. But the way Giff used it in Pictures of Hollis Woods surprisingly …WORKED. (Also, this book might pre-date that trend, but who knows when it even started…) Partly it worked because this is a middle-grade book, which meant that it already felt less tired by nature of being different. Also I think it helped that both timelines are very close together and feature Hollis as the narrator. Finally, the past timeline is presented as a series of pictures, mostly pictures that Hollis drew. That really is what breathed fresh life into this worn-out trope.

Review: Click

Click by Kayla Miller

Series: Click
Genres: Graphic Novel, Middle-Grade
Maturity Level: 1
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Rating: ⋆⋆⋆⋆

Olive “clicks” with everyone in the fifth grade—until one day she doesn’t. When a school variety show leaves Olive stranded without an act to join, she begins to panic, wondering why all her friends have already formed their own groups . . . without her. With the performance drawing closer by the minute, will Olive be able to find her own place in the show before the curtain comes up?

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Oh my gosh, I loved this book! Librarians, teachers, parents, you have to get this book for the fifth grader in your life!