Found

Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Haddix opens this new series with her usual intrigue. Jonah and Chip are friends. Jonah has always known he was adopted, but Chip only finds out that he is adopted when both boys start receiving ominous letters indicating that they are the "missing." It turns out that they were part of a planeload of babies that landed thirteen years ago, and then disappeared after the babies were taken off the plane. Jonah and Chip, and Jonah's sister Katherine, try to find out all they can about their mysterious connections to the planeload of babies. As usual with Haddix, the characters are likeable and well-developed. She also doesn't disappoint as she takes us twisting and turning through problems encountered in their identity search to the perfect set up for the next book. Certainly a must read for middle school.



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Fever Crumb

Fever Crumb by Philip Reeve

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Fever Crumb was the adopted daughter of Dr. Crumb. He has often told her the story of how he found her in a basket and knowing he could not take her to the orphanage destroyed by the Skinner riots, he took her to his home. Fever grows up in a man's world of engineers. Her head is shaved and she is taught not to give into sentimentality. She must think and behave like an engineer, suppressing emotions. When she is sent on her first job to help Kit Solent on a secret archeology project, she has to travel the streets of London, where she is mistaken for a "Scriven", a mutant race of speckled people. The Scriven were virtually destroyed by bands of "Skinners" years before, but the fear of the race still exists among the Londoners. Solent rescues her from this first encounter, but the head of the Skinners has decided that she must be captured and destroyed. Fever has to elude her captors and in the process discovers who she really is. The story is actually the prequel to the "Hungry City Quartet," Reeves masterful steampunk series. I did not know this until after I read the book, proving that the book is truly a stand alone.



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The Kneebone Boy

The Kneebone Boy by Ellen Potter

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The Kneebone Boy is the story of the Hardscrabble children: Otto, Max and Lucia (pronounced Lu-CHEE-a according to the never revealed but easily guessed narrator. The Hardscrabble children are living with their father, Casper, in a town called Little Tunks, near London. Their Mum disappeared five years ago, and their dad goes away on trips to paint famous royalty. Their father is usually quite careful about having them stay with Mrs. Carnival while he is away, but when he has to leave in quite a hurry, he decides to have them stay with his cousin Angela in London. It turns out cousin Angela is away on a holiday when they arrive. Apparently, there was a miscommunication with the girl asked to walk Angela's dog. The resourceful Hardscrabble children, alone in London, find their way to their Great-aunt Haddie's castle folly in Snoring-By-the-Sea. Here they have an adventure trying to find the mysterious kneebone boy, who supposedly is captive in the real castle behind where Great-aunt Haddie is staying. Their stay not only involves adventure, but uncovers other mysteries in their lives. Reminiscent of The Series of Unfortunate Events, the story thoroughly charmed me. Definitely a must read for the middle school crowd.



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The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


The big question to be solved in this novel is whether or not the finger puppet created by "weird Dwight" really has the ability to give advice that can be trusted. Tommy documents several different first-hand accounts of experiences of fellow students and their encounters with Origami Yoda, Dwight's finger puppet. It seems that in most of the stories, Origami Yoda, really does have some amazing power, unlike his operator, Dwight. Since, no one believes Dwight could think of the answers that Origami Yoda gives, the Yoda must indeed be magical. Tommy's big question for Yoda is whether or not Sara likes him. Middle schoolers will have to decide for themselves whether or not Origami Yoda has magical powers. I think they will enjoy weighing the evidence. Fun story.



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Cosmic

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Finally, a book I can wholeheartedly recommend to my students. The story is about Liam Digby. He has always been called big for his age, but by the time he is twelve, he is sprouting facial hair and is often mistaken for an adult. Sometimes this comes in handy. He can pretend to be his friend Florida's dad as they go about town. When he hears about a contest for the best father, his eagerness to win a ride on the world's best thrill ride,leads him to enter as a dad. When he wins, he persuades Florida to come with him as his daughter. What he doesn't know is that the thrill ride is actually a trip into space, which is how he ends up as a twelve-year-old with four other twelve-year-olds in outer space. Ties into video gaming and the humor of middle school, makes this an entertaining adventure most students will enjoy.



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Spine Poetry

Since April is poetry month, some of our English classes have come to the library to create "spine poetry." First there was a review on how to find books in the library. Then the classes were divided into groups of five or six and their job was to find titles of books that fit together to make a poem. The students seemed to have a great time looking and creating. Here are some of the best of the creations:

The Kiss

Columbus

This is What I Did
Gorilla, My Love

Time

Weird Creatures

Wonderful activity for poetry month. The students were told that they could use their poems for National Poem in your Pocket day, April 14th. None of them seemed to take that suggestion seriously. (:

Moon Over Manifest

Moon Over Manifest by Clare Vanderpool

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Abilene Tucker, the twelve-year old daughter of Gideon Tucker, is sent to Manifest, Kansas by her father while he goes on a job for the railroad. The only thing Abilene knows about Manifest when she jumps off the train is that her daddy lived there for a time. It has been arranged for her to stay with Shady, the Pastor, who has been "filling in" as pastor for the last 14 years. Abilene brings life back into the town as she searches through a box of mementos and is able, through the help of the town "diviner," Ms. Sadie, to find links to the past. The story moves rather seamlessly from 1918 to 1936, as Ms. Sadie unravels the past of the town of Manifest in stories to Abilene. Abilene is determined to find out how her father fits into that past.
Vanderpool has done an excellent job of creating an historical picture of a small town in the Midwest, and the characters who inhabit that town. Although I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story, I am having some student readers read the book to see if the appeal for my middle school readers is there.



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