The Boy from Tomorrow

The Boy from Tomorrow

Camille DeAngelis

Amberjack Publishing

May 8, 2018

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Author Information:

Website: http://www.cometparty.com/

Twitter:  cometparty

Other books by Camille DeAngelis

https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/317741.Camille_DeAngelis

Description from Amberjack Publishing:

Josie and Alec both live at 444 Sparrow Street. They sleep in the same room, but they’ve never laid eyes on each other. They are twelve years old and a hundred years apart.

The children meet through a hand-painted talking board—Josie in 1915, Alec in 2015—and form a friendship across the century that separates them. But a chain of events leave Josie and her little sister Cass trapped in the house and afraid for their safety, and Alec must find out what’s going to happen to them.

Can he help them change their future when it’s already past?

Tiger Oma’s Thoughts:

After reading the description of this book, I knew I had to read it.

Once again Amberjack Publishing does not disappoint with this middle school fantasy book!  I loved
The Boy from Tomorrow.

The friendship that develops throughout this book is heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time.
There were parts where I laughed and yes, parts where I teared up.  I loved the way these two children
connected, comforted and helped each other through difficult times all the while, influencing each
future along the way.

The characters in the book were wonderfully written. The selfishness of the mother makes you want to
slap her while the playfulness of Cass draws you into the story. Josie and Alec are children that middle
schoolers would love to have as friends. But I must confess, Mrs. Gibbons was my favorite. The
characters in this book make it appealing to both boys and girls.

The topics explored in this story are very realistic.  Middle schoolers worry about some of the same
things Josie and Alec worried about. It shows that child abuse, divorcing parents, death, neglectful
parents, protecting siblings, and trust have been important for many generations.

I believe this book would be an excellent choice for a novel study. In fact, I am working on a unit
involving this book for my 6th grade ELA classroom.  

Some ideas I am tossing around:

Reading the literature that is discussed in the book.
1915-1919 in America
Differences between 1915 and now
Spiritualism in the early 1900s
Inventions
Women’s Suffrage
Writing dialogue by creating a conversation between Alec and Josie
Writing an ending where they  meet
Writing some of the missing years
Researching someone that was alive 100 years ago
How vocabulary has changed since 1915
The expectations for children during each period
Time travel

I am very excited about incorporating this book into my curriculum.

Like Vanessa

Like Vanessa

By Tami Charles

Expected to publish March 13, 2018, by Charlesbridge

I received a copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads description of Like Vanessa

Like Vanessa is the middle school version of Moxie. It is a no-nonsense story of a young eighth-grade girl growing up in the “hood.” At the beginning of the story, Nessy, and her very dysfunctional family: Pop Pop and TJ are watching the Miss America Pageant.  Vanessa Williams is the first black Miss America.   Nessy is so thrilled because she is now one step closer to her dream of becoming Miss America.  The only problem is Nessy is nothing like Queen Vanessa Williams.

Like Vanessa is the story of Nessy’s journey from watching Miss America on the couch to being in her middle school’s pageant. Nessy must learn how to deal with her skin color, her dysfunctional family, her imperfect body and all the other stress of being in middle school.

I enjoyed reading this book.  I really like how the author, Tami  Charles, made me feel like I was right there with Nessy-feeling all her highs and lows in life.  Nessy is a very lovable character that all middle school girls will be able to relate. It is a book, which once I started, I found it very hard to put down.

I also like the fact that there is a middle school teacher that takes Nessy under her wing and helps mold her into a charming young woman.

Moxie

Moxie

By Jennifer Mathieu

Published September 19, 2017

by Roaring Brook Press

Author Information:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenmathieu

Moxie Website: http://moxiegirlsfightback.com

Other Books by Jennifer Mathieu

The Truth About Alice

Devoted

Afterward

Goodreads description

I received a copy of Moxie from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Moxie was a “fly under the radar” read for me. I was cruising Netgalley one night and

happened upon the picture of the cover.  I was intrigued; I read the description of the book and knew I had to read it.  I am so glad I did.  It is such an empowering book!

I must confess, as soon as I read the dedication for Moxie, I knew I would love this book! “Revenge is best served cold, you jerk.”

I think Moxie is a very inspiring book.  It shows that one person can make a difference and cause positive change. A girl secretly inspired by her rebel mother from the 1990s unites the girls of her high school to fight the sexist, privileged football players.

Even in 2018,  news stories bombard the girls with stories about sexist males taking advantage and degrading women.  Moxie is the perfect book for girls to read to empower them to understand that they do not have to take it!  I am not saying Moxie will make the readers all “Rebel Girls,” but it will give them the confidence that we should encourage all young women to have.  As I read this book, all I could think about was, I hope my daughters would have enough moxie to stand up for what is right. Sadly, many girls live humiliation similar to that experienced by the girls in this book.  Some towns are behind the times and think the world revolves around the boys and their sports. Girls’ take a back seat and sometimes are not even acknowledged. This generation of girls needs to make a stand and announce to the world that they are not taking it anymore. Moxie is a great starting point for this type of action.

I think all middle school and high school girls should read this book and get their moxie on!!!!! I only wish this book had been around when I was younger.

Berserker

Berserker

by Emmy Laybourne

Published October 10th 2017

by Feiwel & Friends

Author information

Website: http://www.emmylaybourne.com

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Berserker description from Goodreads

Berserker is not the kind of book I usually read.  Good thing one of my New Year’s resolutions is to expand my mind by reading books I usually wouldn’t.  I did judge this book by its cove when I decided to read it.  The blood intrigued me.  

Berserker is an adventure story that starts with Henne and her family in Norheimsund,

Norway, and Owen in Chouteau County, Montana. Both are running from the past

and trying to start a new life in the untamed west.  

I had high hopes for this book in the very beginning. I loved when the book was

about the Nytte and its gifts. I only wish there would have been more focus on the

history of the Nytte. Once the characters travel from Norway to America, I started

to lose interest.  I felt the book was very predictable. This book follows the

time-tested formula of two people that fate brings together falling in love, despite all

odds. I guess I was disappointed that the book did not fit the cover.  It was not what I was expecting.

Romance readers will like this book.  I would consider it a “rookie” romance book

because the “love” is not graphic, but it is hinted at throughout the story.

Cuckoo Song

By Frances Hardinge

Published May 8th, 2014 by Pan MacMillan

Author Information:

Website: http://www.franceshardinge.com/

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/FrancesHardinge

Literary Awards for Cuckoo Song

British Science Fiction Association Award Nominee
for
Best Novel 2014

Milwaukee County Teen Book Award Nominee
(2016)

British Fantasy Award for Robert Holdstock Award
(best fantasy novel) (2015)

Carnegie Medal Nominee (2015)

James Herbert Award Nominee (2015)

The Magnolia Award for 9-12 (2017)

Cuckoo Song description from Goodreads

I checked out this book from Missouri Libraries 2 Go through my membership at the Barry
Lawrence County Regional Library.

Once again, Frances Hardinge has captured my undivided attention. I have had the

privilege of reading two other books by this outstanding author: The Lie Tree and

A Skinful of Shadows. Both books are ones I continually recommend to my middle
school students. The Cuckoo Song will now be among those titles I recommend.  

I was hooked in the first chapter of the book.  It immediately starts with a mystery that
grabs you

and will not let go until the last page of the book.  As I was reading this book, I kept

thinking, “AHHHH, I have this figured out,” but no.  Don’t get me wrong; I did solve several

of the mysteries, but Hardinge would throw in another twist and another and another and

another until I twisted all the way around and the book makes perfect sense. It is masterfully

written that way. Frances’ writing reminds me of her character The Architect. You think you

are seeing one thing but the angles and light distort it into something else. I also love

Hardinge’s style where everything is connected.  She is the Seinfeld of YA Books.

Everything circles back around to complete the story.

The characters in this book are another reason it is so hard to put down.  All through the

book, you want to slap, pinch, and scream at little sister, Pen. Celeste and Piers will also

make you want to pull out your hair.  Triss, the main character, is so well written.  She

has several layers that are perfectly revealed when the time is right. Many of these layers

caught me by surprise. Triss is a character that you don’t really know how you feel about

her and her actions until the end of the book.  The Architect, The Shrike, Mr. Grace and the

Besiders complete this wonderful cast of characters.

The setting is in England, a few years after the Great War.  The sub-settings are so

imaginative and spellbinding. You will be transported to places far beyond your own

imagination. They are places where you feel like you would like to hang around but at the

same time, you want to run screaming into reality. I wish they played a bigger part in the book.  

The plot includes treachery, secrets, betrayal, rescue plans, henchmen, magical powers,

and pages full of action. There were times when I was reading so quickly because I couldn’t

wait to see what was happening next.  The Cuckoo Song walks a fine line between horror

/creepy and fantasy. I prefer the creepy/horror but with The Architect, The Shrike,

Mr. Grace and the Besiders there is a sense of fantasy.  The horror/creepy would not workwithout the fantasy, and the fantasy would not work without the horror/creepy.

It wasn’t until close to the end of the book that I understood the connection between the title

and the book.  Ingeniously done, Francis!

I would love to use this book in my classroom. It is packed with similes, metaphors and
beautifullywritten personification.  I also think it would be a very interesting character study to

analyze how Triss/Not-Triss changes throughout the book.  I also think the sub-settings

would be great to use as the inspiration for an art project. I would love to see middle schoolers

interrupt Hardinge’s descriptions.  This book would also be a great book club read.

It will appeal to all different kinds of readers.

Back

Due to a family emergency and the passing of my mother, I have been offline for several months. 

I am happy to announce that I am back.  I have truly missed reading and reviewing books. Hopefully, I can be at full speed in the next few weeks. 

I look forward to sharing my "unbiased opinion" with you and your friends.  Please share my blog with other readers and reviews.

The Dazzling Heights

The Dazzling Heights

By Katharine McGee

Published by HarperCollins

August 29, 2017

The Thousandth Floor series

Book #1: The Thousandth Floor

Book #2: The Dazzling Heights

Book #3: The Towering Sky-August 28, 2018

The Dazzling Heights description from Goodreads

I checked this book out from the Barry Lawrence Regional Library to read and review.

I finished The Dazzling Heights last night after a late, “I have to stay up until I finish this book because I can’t bear the thought of not knowing what happens because if I don’t finish it tonight, I’ll just die,” marathon. When I finished, I just sat in bed staring at the last sentence,

“And then there was nothing more.”

Katharine, how could you!!!!!! I felt like I was on the top floor of the Tower grasping for breath.  My head was spinning, and I had to keep tapping my Kindle to make sure that it really was the end. I have to hand it to you, Katharine, you are the master at leaving me wanting more!!! Bravo! I have already put the release date for The Towering Sky on my calendar because I do not want to miss finding out what happens in this remarkable series.

If you haven’t guessed, I love this book! Before I started reading it, I was a little nervous because sometimes authors can’t keep a series going or the second book is not as good as the first.  I didn’t need to worry.  The Dazzling Heights picks up right where The Thousandth Floor left off and is the perfect book two to this series.

There are several things I like about The Dazzling Heights. First, the characters are as intriguing as ever. Now, I must confess, my opinion changed about a couple of them, and sometimes not for the better. My emotions about some of the characters reminded me of the new mirror towers in the book. One minute I feel like I love the character and everything is good-like the white tower, then in the next sentence or two, I am shifted to the dark tower and am hating the character and his/her actions. All the characters show their pure and dark side. After two books, I am still trying to figure out who the main character is.  At first, I thought Avery, but then I thought Leda? Atlas? Now I can’t make up my mind.  All the characters are equally the main character because the characters’ stories are so wonderfully woven together that you can’t tell where one begins and the other one ends.

I also love how the plot twists and turns throughout the story.  One of my favorite things is that characters are always at the right place at the right time to cause the most confusion and chaos! They also unknowingly say or do just the wrong thing to cause a new twist. I love how I am kept guessing throughout the book. I still have lots of questions that I hope are answered in book #3. I’d list them here, but some might be considered spoilers and I wouldn’t want to ruin anyone’s read of The Dazzling Heights!

Lastly, I love the world that I am taken to in this book.  The parks, plazas, bars, spas, ballrooms, terraces, and restaurants are perfect places for the cheating, backstabbing, lying, and conniving to take place.

This is a book that will have lots of YA talking. I just hope I am included in some of the discussions!!!

A Skinful of Shadows

A SKINFUL OF SHADOWS

By Frances Hardinge

To be published October 17, 2017

Amulet Press

In exchange for an honest review, I received a complimentary copy from Amulet Press through NetGalley.

A SKINFUL OF SHADOWS description from Goodreads

A Skinful of Shadows is masterly written. The reader is drawn into a world of family secrets, unlikely alliances, questionable loyalties, and intrigue.  As I was reading, I was confident I knew where the story was going, but to my surprise, it took the perfect twist or turn I never could have predicted. This book is very creepy and will remain under your skin long after you finish the book. After finishing the book, I set it down and stared at the cover marveling at how A Skinful of Shadows is the perfect title for this book.

I was instantly drawn to this book because the author is Frances Hardinge. She is the author of The Lie Tree, one of my all time favorite books. After I saw the cover for A Skinful of Shadows, I knew I had to read it. I am so glad I did. It was next to impossible to put down. I’m afraid my “real” life suffered because I was so caught up in Makepeace’s life.  

http://www.franceshardinge.com/index.html

The Thousandth Floor

The Thousandth Floor

By Katharine McGee

Published by HarperCollins

August 30, 2016

The Thousandth Floor description from Goodreads

I checked this book out from the Barry Lawrence Regional Library to read and review.

I just completed Katharine McGee’s book, The Thousandth Floor. I am totally at a loss for words. I want to tell you first off that I really really really really “fell” for this book!  This book is a must read.

The Thousandth Floor is full of very stereotypical high school characters.  After saying this, I must amend that McGee adds depth to these characters.  Each fits a mold except for one little exception that makes him/her totally unique.The story’s format is single chapters told from different characters’ points of view, which makes the story multi-perspective, adding to its appeal. As the reader, you know all that is going on, but the characters do not. At first, I thought there was no way this book will ever tie all these single characters into one complete story.  I was wrong. If asked, I’m not sure I could choose a favorite character. I felt hatred, empathy, compassion, and love for all. My feelings for each character changing with every page turn. McGee is a master at weaving diverse characters and storylines into a beautifully written book.

I love the setting of this book: a huge two-mile high super skyscraper that is basically a city spread out over a 1000 floors.  It has malls, restaurants, schools, houses, apartments, and parks.

This story contains all the great features that attract YA readers: romance, jealousy, heroes, villians, high fashion, mystery, betrayal, and brand new and unimaginable technology.

I must admit, I freaked when I got near the end of the book.  At about 80%, I realized that all my questions would not be answered in this book.  It is part of a series. I know better than to start a series without having the next book ready to read. I immediately got online and reserved book #2: The Dazzling Heights. I can’t wait to continue reading the rest of this series. I believe you will be hooked too!!!

Elsie Mae Has Something To Say

Elsie Mae Has Something To Say

By Nancy J. Cavanaugh

Published by SOURCEBOOKS Jabberwocky

Sept. 5, 2017

I received a complimentary copy of Elsie Mae Has Something To Say from SOURCEBOOKS Jabberwocky through NetGalley.

Elsie Mae Has Something To Say description from Goodreads.

Elsie Mae Has Something To Say is a book that touches the heart of all its readers. It is packed with adventure, family, love, friendship, and a little mystery. It reminds me of A Year Down Yonder and A Long Way From Chicago.

This book will be a favorite of middle school readers because it is a story about a little girl in a setting that few middle schoolers have ever visited and are only exposed to it through television shows like Swamp People.  The Okefenokee Swamp is filled with gators and quick sand, but it is also filled with Elsie Mae’s family, swamp traditions and culture. The swamp offers adventures that are only possible in its murky, still waters. Children will relate to the possibility of Okefenokee Swamp being destroyed for a shipping company to build a canal because they are bombarded with scenarios like this in today’s news. They will cheer for Elise Mae as she fights to save a place she loves and treasures. Elsie Mae is a heroine and proves even children can make a difference in the world.

Readers will also fall in love with the characters. The perspective of Elsie Mae allows the reader to view the characters through the eyes of a young girl. All readers will be able to relate to Elsie Mae when she thinks that her summer will be ruined when cousin Henry James comes to stay in the swamp. Of course the adults love him because he is such a sweet Bible quoting want-to-be preacher, but Elsie Mae sees none of that. She only finds him annoying, as will the readers.  Everyone has had a cousin Henry James!  Huck, Grandma, Grandpa, Uncle Owen and Uncle Lone will also find very special places in the reader’s heart.

Elsie Mae Has Something To Say can be a great teaching tool in the ELA classroom. It can be used in activities about:

• character traits
• reader’s opinion of characters changing throughout a book
• environmental awareness
• letter writing
• dialect in dialogue

I also think a great writing activity might be to have students write additional chapters about Elsie Mae, Henry, and Huck in the Okefenokee Swamp.