Today's read... Unstuck by Barbara Dee

Today's read circles around a girl, who dreams of becoming a writer. So, yes, it caught my interest just b because of that. Plus, there's something about the cover, which has me looking back it again and again. Maybe the little dragon? Or maybe the flowers. I do enjoy yellow flowers. Anyway, I'm expecting themes surrounding friendship and other common, middle school issues. Knowing this author, it will be well done, too.

So, off we go and see if it grabs or not!

UNSTUCK

by Barbara Dee

Aladdin

Middle Grade Contemporary

320 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING...

FEBRUARY 27th!!!

From critically acclaimed author Barbara Dee comes a middle grade novel about a girl whose struggles with writer’s block set off unexpected twists and turns, both on and off the page.

Lyla is thrilled when her seventh-grade English language arts class begins a daily creative writing project. For the past year, she’s been writing a brilliant fantasy novel in her head, and here’s her chance to get it on paper! The plot to Lyla’s novel is super complicated, with battle scenes and witches and a mysterious one-toed-beast, but at its core, it’s about an overlooked girl who has to rescue her beautiful, highly accomplished older sister.

But writing a fantasy novel turns out to be harder than simply imagining one, and pretty soon Lyla finds herself stuck, experiencing a panic she realizes is writer’s block. Part of the problem is that she’s trying to impress certain people—like Rania, her best friend who’s pulling away, and Ms. Bowman, the coolest teacher at school. Plus, there’s the pressure of meeting the deadline for the town writing contest. A few years ago, Lyla’s superstar teen sister Dahlia came in second, and this time, Lyla is determined to win first prize.

Finally, Lyla confides about her writing problems to Dahlia, who is dealing with her own academic stress as she applies to college. That’s when she learns Dahlia’s secret, which is causing a very different type of writer’s block. Can Lyla rescue a surprisingly vulnerable big sister, both on the page and in real life?

GOODREADS   /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Life is anything but calm as a girl chases her writing dreams, while reality plays its own complicated twists and turns around her.

Lyla's entire life is off-balance with her best friend in a different school and her parents stressing out over her older sister's college preparations. At least, Lyla has the English writing assignment under control. After all, the most awesome story idea is waiting in her head to turn into written words. Except that getting the right words down is harder than she thought. Writer's block hits hard after the first sentence, not that she'll admit it...that's if she had someone to admit it to. While her best friend is finding new friends, which have nothing in common with Lyla, Lyla only seems to be somewhat-ish connecting with a girl, who has more animals than a zoo. All Lyla wants is someone to share her writing highs and lows with, but nobody seems to care. Not that it matters. If things continue, she won't have any friends left, anyway.

Lyla is a very, normal seventh grader, who is easy to connect with. The writing comes across naturally, as if Lyla were someone right in the room. It's written from her point of view, and during the first pages, she addresses the reader as if they were her friends. After this, it switches gears smoothly, and she dives into the story.  

Many readers will find something in Lyla they can see in their own lives. She has a loving family but not a perfect one, especially since her older sister and parents can't seem to agree. Then, there's the entire friend drama, which is a very real problem for this age group as friendships change as fast as the kids do themselves. The insecurities are understandable and easy to relate to. especially since no one seems to 'get' Lyla. This is, again, something many readers of the age group will have no problem seeing in their own lives and be curious to see how Lyla deals with it.

It's a quick, easy read thanks to the lighter writing style. Lyla comes across open and honest. Sometimes, she gets a bit off track, while others, she lets her drama-side flow. It adds the right amount of humor (along with Journey's animals) to add smiles and keep the story light. The messages are wholesome and surround family and friendship. Plus, there's an awesome teacher involved, too.

While readers, who dream of becoming writers, will see quite a bit of themselves in Lyla (and catch a few writing hints along the way), fans of friendship problems will also enjoy this one quite a bit.

And here she is...

Barbara Dee is the author of fourteen middle grade novels including Unstuck, Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet, Violets Are Blue, My Life in the Fish Tank, Maybe He Just Likes You, Everything I Know About You, Halfway Normal, and Star-Crossed. Her books have earned several starred reviews and have been named to many best-of lists, including The Washington Post’s Best Children’s Books, the ALA Notable Children’s Books, the ALA Rise: A Feminist Book Project List, the NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, and the ALA Rainbow List Top Ten. Barbara lives with her family, including a naughty cat named Luna and a sweet rescue hound named Ripley, in Westchester County, New York.

Today's read... Shock Wave by Sigmund Brouwer

Today's read is a quick dive into a thriller for young adults. Sometimes, a short read is all that's necessary, and this one is, hopefully, that. I'm expecting thrilling moments, high tension, and some action, too. Let's see if it can deliver all of that in under 150 pages.

SHOCK WAVE

by Sigmund Brouwer

Orca Book Publishers

YA Thriller

144 pages

COMING...

AUGUST 13th!!!

It’s the first week of summer and former army brat Jake Ballard is spending it alone at his uncle’s cottage while his mom gets treatment for PTSD.

Jake's boring day gets flipped upside down when a beautiful stranger asks him to help play a prank on her friends. But when an angry crime boss turns up at the cottage the next morning, Jake is sure of two things: the night before was a big mistake, and that girl was no prankster. And she is nowhere to be found.
Jake has twenty-four hours to return the stolen goods...or else. He has no other choice but to find the girl—and hopefully not find himself in any more trouble than he’s already in.

GOODREADS  /   FANTASTIC FICTION

MY TIDBITS

The tension soars high in this fast-paced read, where nothing is as it seems.

Jake's done with high school and isn't sure what to do next, especially since his mother is at treatment for PTSD thanks to her experiences as a military nurse. Luckily, his uncle has a small hut next to a dock, where he can take a quiet brake from life and think about things. When a strange girl convinces him to help her carry out a prank, he does his best to make sure everything's above board. Until it isn't. Suddenly, he finds himself threatened over stolen goods he knows nothing about, but if he doesn't figure it out within 24-hours, everything's going to go up in smoke around him.

This is part of a series of books put out by Orca Publishing, which gives intense stories for teens while keeping them accessible to those readers, who might still be struggling a bit. ..and it does an amazing job at it. Not only is it under 150 pages (no big book scares) and has a slightly larger font than many reads, but it soars along smoothly and grabs on every page. 

Jake is an easy-to-grasp-guy, who is just trying to figure out life...like so many his age. When things go array, it isn't because he acted 'stupid' but was really going against someone above his level. It makes him easy to stand with and root for. He comes across as naturally as the guy next door and his decisions, for the most part, make perfect sense.

It was hard to put this read down thanks to the high-tension and pacing. Every moment heads into another difficult turn, and there's even a bit of a mystery to keep the reader wondering how things are going to work out. It's a fun, quick read from beginning to end.

And here he is...

With close to three million books in print, Sigmund Brouwer writes for both children and adults. In the last ten years, he has given writing workshops to students in schools from the Arctic Circle to inner city Los Angeles. One of his latest novels, The Last Disciple, earned Sigmund an appearance on ABC's Good Morning America. Sigmund and his family live half the year in Nashville, Tennessee, and half the year in Red Deer, Alberta. The Talk: Reach for Your Dreams. It doesn't matter where you come from, it's where you decide to go in life that is important. Sigmund Brouwer encourages students to reach for their dreams, giving them fun and practical advice for the reading and writing skills that are the foundation of future success. The Presentation: Sigmund's presentations are an hour of high-level energy. He especially reaches out to reluctant readers and gears the talk to engage their attention. Audience size varies; often his presentations take place in the gym for the entire school, including kindergarten. (After the first half hour, the K-2 grades are dismissed, and the remainder of the presentation is focused on the older students.) There are no restrictions on audience size except for the space limitations of the gym. Smaller schools are welcome to invite another school to share in the cost of the presentation.

Today's read... The Kid by Jeff Schill

There was a time when Wild West movies were the absolute favorite. I've also noticed during the used book sales to support our little, local library that Western novels are grabbed up almost as fast as the romance reads. I'm aware that this is mostly thanks to the much older reading population, but I can't help but wonder if there are still horse-riding, boot-stomping, hat-wielding dreamers out there on the younger end of the age spectrum. If nothing else, it's been a very long time since I've seen a Western read for the middle grade audience hit my radar.  So of course, I picked this one up to take a peek (curiosity gets me every time).

Put on that bandana and get ready for some swirling dust and danger because I'm hoping for an exciting read.

THE KID

by Jeff Schill

Charlesbridge Moves

Upper Middle Grade Western

240 pages

ages 10 and up

COMING...

MAY 7th!!!

The Kid is the quickest draw in the West. Little does anyone know he isn’t real. A fast-paced, cleverly woven, witty middle grade western adventure.

It’s 1881 in Destiny, Colorado. Fourteen-year-old Henry Upton’s parents have died, and he’s trying to keep his three younger brothers together on the farm. Henry writes a story about The Kid, the fastest draw in the West, to keep people away from their parts. But his stories will soon put more than his family and the farm at risk.

Meanwhile, Herbert might lose his job as an editor at Gunslinger Magazine in Philadelphia if he can’t find out why the author of The Kid stories recently stopped sending them. The soft city slicker is headed out west to find the author.

And Snake-Eye Sam has set his sights on The Kid, whom he thinks is real. Sam has evil in his heart and jealousy in his veins. Breaking out of prison to shoot down The Kid is about the only thing that can cure the itch running down Sam’s spine.

Three storylines—plus Gunslinger Magazine‘s The Kid stories—intertwine and come together just as Snake Eye Sam and Herbert both arrive in Destiny. On Main Street at high noon, a master plan is put in place at the same time that Henry and the Destiny sheriff get what they need to keep the Upton brothers together.

Pull up for a tall frothy glass of sarsaparilla and enjoy this engaging and satisfying Western tale, full of quirky characters, snappy dialogue, and heart.

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

Outlaws barely know what hit them when The Kid keeps law and order in an unexpected way, guaranteeing that those pages keep turning until the very last page.

Henry is only fourteen-years-old, but with the passing of his mother and father, is responsible to care for his three younger brothers and keep the farm going, which isn't a big deal since their father made sure they knew what they were doing. However, the State will see things differently. To keep them from learning about his father's death and taking his brothers away, Henry makes a deal with the Sheriff and writes about a gunslinger, who resides in the area and is able to bring all outlaws to justice, and outlaws will think twice before going to their town. It's a success and soon The Kid becomes a national bestselling series. While most outlaws now steer clear in case The Kid truly appears, there is one who takes it as a challenge and travels far just to get there. And that outlaw breathes to kill.

I picked this one up because it sticks out among the other middle grade reads, and I'm glad I did. I should also mention that I've never really been a huge fan of Wild West stories but was very curious how a gunslinger tale would meld with today's ideologies. This worked better than I expected and was quite the fast-paced, exciting read.

The tale is written from several points of view—Henry, the east coast editor Herbert, and Snake Eye Sam. Each person's nickname (Boy, Editor, etc) is placed at the beginning of the chapter as well as the year and month, since the story doesn't unfold in one timeline. The Kid's fictional story is also included in chapters here and there. These appear in a typewriter-like font and are a nice addition. Not only are tiny aspects from Henry's life woven into The Kid's adventures, but these side tales do add an entertaining and interesting twist while the main story plays out. As to the other perspectives (the main story line), these take place on two different timelines (Henry's tale starts a year before those of Herbert and Snake Eye Sam). While the month and year is stated at the beginning of each chapter as well, the back and forth does make things a bit confusing at first. After the reader figures it out, though, things flow very well.

A fast-paced weave makes the adventure exciting from beginning to end, and the real danger keeps the tension high. Still, the characters aren't forgotten, either. Due to the tale being told in various perspectives, the reader gets to know the main characters well, and, especially Henry, is easy to root for. Henry's character clashes against that of his fictional character, The Kid, and still holds enough small similarities to hit the heart. Henry's desire to keep his brothers safe, his cleverness, and even his mistakes make him easy to sympathize with and support. Herbert also adds an unique sub-plot as he leaves his protected life to travel out West. His journey and views are so different than those of Snake Eye Sam, that it also creates an interesting contrast. As for Snake Eye Sam, he makes a terrific bad guy.

There are a couple of triggers surrounding death of a loved one and violent deaths (thanks to evil Snake Eye Sam), but the read is appropriate for tween and teen audiences. The messages surrounding family and perseverance are inspiring, and there are lovely character arcs for both Henry and Herbert. The high-noon stand-off brings everything to a well-laid peak and closes off with a few extra surprises. 

I was surprised by how much this read pulled me in and do recommend it to adventure and action fans, who would like to try something a bit different. 

 

Today's read... Today by Gabi Snyder

With last night's ice storm, I'm ready to let warmer thoughts soak into today's read. The topic of this picture book is time and the curious way it can seem to pass quickly or slowly. The cover already has a smile forming on my face, and I'm hoping the rest of this book does the same.

TODAY

by Gabi Snyder

Illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

Paula Wiseman Books

Picture Book

40 pages

ages 4 to 8

COMING...

JANUARY 30th!!!

This welcoming and joyful picture book reminds us that every moment can hold many surprises and to look for the wonder in every day.

Today may seem long before leaving for a summer vacation or short during the time away. The moments that make up the day are filled with surprises, joy, fun, and memories. This book guides young readers to keep their eyes and ears open so the day doesn’t slip by.

GOODREADS

MY TIDBITS

This is a comforting picture book, which delves into the wonder surrounding the changing perception of how fast or slow time passes.

Written in beautiful, flowing prose, this book journeys through different experiences, all of which readers can identify with and find familiar in their own lives. From the boredom of seemingly never-ending car rides to fun moments, while playing with friends, or even to the worries of anticipation, various situations demonstrate how the perception of time changes. Sometimes it's fast. Sometimes it's slow. It draws readers/listeners into thought and helps them recognize this in their own lives.

The illustrations carry careful details and make every scene vibrant in its own way. It's enjoyable to simply flip through the pages and let each moment settle in. There are situations readers can recognize from their own lives (or similar situations) and will be able to connect with the experience of passing time without too much trouble. The text flows extremely well with only a bit on each page, making this a great read aloud for even impatient audiences. It's warming, comforting, and enjoyable for both the listener and older/adult readers as well.

And here they are...

Gabi Snyder is the author of several picture books, including Two Dogs on a Trike, Listen, Today, and Look. She studied psychology at the University of Washington and creative writing at The University of Texas and is a member of SCBWI. When she’s not writing, she loves taking nature walks, visiting Little Free Libraries, and baking sweet treats. She lives in Oregon with her family. Learn more at GabiSnyder.com.

Stephanie Graegin is the illustrator of numerous books for children, including Super Manny Stands Up! by Kelly DiPucchio; Water in the Park by Emily Jenkins; Happy Birthday, Bunny! by Liz Garton Scanlon; Peace Is an Offering by Annette LeBox; and Listen by Gabi Snyder. She earned her BFA from the Maryland Institute College of Art and her MFA in printmaking from Pratt Institute, and she currently lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can visit her at Graegin.com.

Today's read... StarPassage: The Relic by Clark Rich Burbidge

Today's read should be an interesting one with unique twists and turns. I have read works from this author before and enjoyed his tales. This one heads in a science fiction direction and sends the main characters onto a trip through time. It involves a Christmas ornament (which kind of made me blink the first time I read the blurb after seeing the cover), but then, I don't have the impression that it's really a Christmas story. It does involve themes surround PTSD, which with my own son in the army isn't an unknown topic, and I know several families who deal with this. So, that aspect caught my attention. I'm not sure how all of this will mold together, but I'm excited to find out.

THE RELIC

StarPassage, Book One 

by Clark Rich Burbidge

Middle Grade Science Fiction / Religious / Time Travel

290 pages

ages 9 to 16

Teenagers Tim and Martie are desperate to end their parents’ downward spiral. Between their father’s PTSD and their mother’s depression, their family has reached a breaking point. Then an ancient Christmas ornament reveals its secrets, sending the siblings across the centuries on a search for hope. But Tim and Martie aren’t the only ones hunting through time. They’re being watched by dark figures—Trackers doomed to haunt history. These Trackers believe the teens’ ornament is their key to freedom, and they will do whatever it takes to steal it. What begins as an exciting adventure becomes a deadly race. Can Tim and Martie find the answers they seek before their enemy finds them? 

GOODREADS     /     AMAZON

   MY TIDBITS 

Action, time travel, history, family love, and rediscovering the hope only God can offer mix into an unique tale with unexpected twists and turns from beginning to end.

It's Christmas, but Tim and Martie can't feel anything surrounding the season's spirit. Family life is more than difficult with their father's PTSD, due to his military experiences, and their mother's depression. While wishing there was a way to get things back toward a normality, they discover a message etched into the back of the star on their tree. Before the know it, they're pulled through time. The Star makes it clear that it is leading them on a helpful path, which involves meeting historic figures and experiencing certain events. While this might offer the family a chance to heal, it's not exactly a safe undertaking. Not only can everything they do alter time in unknown ways, but the situations themselves become more dangerous with each visit, especially with the evil Trackers are on their tails. These shadow creatures live in the darkness of time and will do anything to get their hands on the Star.

The first pages hit a couple grabbing scenes. This (I'm going to call it) prologue sets the atmosphere and adds a bit of background but was also a little confusing since the real story starts when the characters appear. When Tim and Martie come in, the atmosphere shifts and soon gains sympathy and pulls at the heart strings. From there, the time travel starts but with clear purpose thanks to the messages, which appear on the Star. With each trip, the tension builds, allowing the reader to sink into both the characters and the story. While one aspect of the plot seems to be improving and finding a solution, another one digs in deeper and deeper. It makes it hard to put this read down and exciting to see what will happen next. 

There's an interesting weave of aspects, which despite their extreme differences, somehow come together well. While the Christmas season launches and ends everything, the plot centers around the year in between. So, it's not really a Holiday read. Instead, the main theme in this first read centers around the father's struggles with PTSD and the mother's depression. These are realistically and well-done...and themes which will hit home for certain readers. The religious aspect grounds and flows smoothly into the plot,  offering hope and encouragement with a wholesome dusting. Then, there's the scifi/time travel end, which adds an entirely different direction. Not only does this weave in lesser known moments of history, but then, even takes an exciting, fantastical twists with the evil Trackers. These shadows add constantly building tension and danger, putting more than the lives of Time and Martie on the line. 

This is sold as a read for 9 to 16 year-olds, but I'd put it into the solid, middle grade category. Tim and Martie (especially Martie) come across younger than teens. I was surprised when I revisited the blurb after reading this and discovered that Martie was even a teen. The subject material starts softer but does get more aggressive as the story goes on. Still, even this isn't beyond the middle grade range and will keep readers in the pages. This promises to be an exciting series with much more to come.

And here he is...

Contributor Bios Clark Burbidge was born and raised in the mountain valleys of the Rockies. He earned an MBA from the University of Southern California and a BS from the University of Utah. Clark and his wife, Leah, live near Salt Lake City, Utah, where they enjoy their blended family of ten children and five grandchildren. StarPassage is Clark’s seventh book. His award-winning works include the Giants in the Land trilogy and A Piece of A Story of Christ.