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Review by Gracie P.

Who would like this book? If you like stories about drama or friendship, you will love this incredible book.

The goods on this book: Wonder is about this kid named August He is 10 years old. August has a face disorder. He has never been to school because he has always been home-schooled. He goes to school for the first time, and you will go through all of his friendships and adventures through school.

The details: 315 pages; 2012    Review by Gracie P.

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Who would like this book? Readers grades 6 and up who are looking for books about overcoming unspeakable tragedy would want to read this excellent book.

The goods on this book? Henry K. Larsen, 13, has just moved with his father into a new apartment in a new city. They do not want to be known by IT and they do not speak about IT, but it looms over everything in their lives. Because of IT, Henry’s mother has had to move into a mental institution. The book reveals the event which becomes IT early in the story, but I want to keep it a surprise. The event itself is important, but what makes the book a total stand-out is the quirky combination of neighbors and friends that come into Henry’s life and how he deals with them as he and his family come to terms with IT. His family’s obsession with the Global Wrestling Federation event also adds a lot, including a feature illustration on the cover which might scare away some people who would actually really like the book. This book resonated with me in the same way as John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars in how it handles characters that are facing horrific situations, though it doesn’t include a romance. The subtitle explains a lot about the book: “who is only writing this because his therapist said he had to, which stinks.” Get to know Henry. Read this book!

The details: 243 pages; 2012            Review by Samrarian

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Review by Samrarian

Who would like this book? People interested in the transgender experience and music would appreciate this book. Its content makes it best for 8th grade and up.

The goods on this book: Gabe narrates his own story about transitioning to being the guy that he knows he is even though he was born as a girl and is known to all but his family and best friend as “Liz.” Gabe is counting the days to graduation from high school, when he feels that he can move and establish himself in his new identity. Meanwhile, his friendship with his hip grandfather-type neighbor nourishes his love of music and gains him a gig at spinning discs at the local radio station on Friday nights. Gabe calls his show “Beautiful Music for Ugly Children” and is able to be “Gabe” during this show, gaining a fan club called the Ugly Children Brigade that do his bidding. The narrative pushes toward an inevitable crisis climax that works because of the careful character development that has come before. Gabe’s story is significant to read, and Cronn-Mills includes a helpful explanation of vocabulary related to the transgender experience as an afterword.

The details: 271 pages; 2012       Review by Samrarian

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Review by Nick H.

Who would like this book? Both boys and girls, grades 6 and up, would like this book.

The goods on this book: The main character is named Oliver. He is a genius, and he is 12. He is the third richest person in the world and not many people know that, not even his family. In school everybody thinks he’s idiotic. He has bodyguards at school that protect him from boys. He loves his mom but despises his dad. His dad doesn’t like him very much because he thinks he’s idiotic. Oliver wants to be the class president because his dad was the class president when he was a kid. His dad was talking about how much it meant to him. Oliver wants to do it because it would mess up his dad’s entire childhood. I really love this book because it’s hilarious but has a bit of a serious side to it. It has a bit of bad language but besides that it’s all okay.

The details: 302 pages; 2009    Review by Nick H.

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Who would like this book? Mature readers, ages 13 and up (language, content), who are looking for a moving story of friendship that explores family relationships and sexual identity.

The goods on this book: It’s 1987 and the summer is a hot one in El Paso, Texas. Ari, 15 and bored, narrates the complex and moving story of his friendship with Dante, a friendship that starts with Dante’s offer to teach Ari to swim and the discovery that Ari’s complete name is Angel Aristotle. Their friendship grows through the summer as they have fun reading old comic books and fooling around as they ride the bus all over town. As Ari’s story unfolds, it’s clear that he is haunted by his own insecurities and by secrets that are being kept by both his mom and his dad. These secrets begin to emerge when a significant event happens. Without wanting to give away too much, I can say that Ari makes discoveries that bring him from boyhood to manhood, from lonely and lost to loved and self-aware. Sáenz’s writing is for patient, mature readers who appreciate clear prose that brings the reader into Ari’s world. It’s a moving exploration of sexual identity and of the power of love in family and friendships.

This book is a Printz Honor Book, 2013, an ALA Best Book 2013 nominee, an ORCA 2015 nominee, and a 2015 Battle of the Book selection at the Senior High level.

The details: 359 pages; 2012     Review by Samrarian

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Who would like this book? Readers, grades 5 and up, who like books with a first person narrator about friendship and overcoming odds, and who do not mind some sadness.

The goods on this book: Freak the Mighty, an amazing story of friendship, is told from the point of view of Maxwell Kane. Max has had a rough life and it shows in how he sees himself. He lives with his grandparents, Grim and Gram, because his father is in prison for having killed his mother. When the book begins, Max doesn’t seem to have anything going his way. He has a room in the basement where he hides his large frame and is apologetic about his lack of brain power. Then, Kevin moves in next door and everything changes for Max. Kevin, or “Freak,” has a serious birth defect that has prevented him from growing and caused him to walk with crutches. What Freak lacks in physical size, he makes up for in brain power and zest for life. He zeroes in on Max and together, with Freak on Max’s shoulders, they become “Freak the Mighty.” Their adventures, patterned after King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, are truly worth reading and make a significant impact on Max (and this reader). It’s great when they take on the bullies. Some of the minor characters are not completely believable, but this gripe is a minor one in light of the rich depth in the characters of Max and Freak. Originally published 21 years ago, this book holds up as a relevant and worthwhile read.

This book is a 2014-15 Battle of the Book selection.

The details: 1993; 169 pages                Review by Samrarian

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Review by Spencer D.

Who would like this book? Anyone who read the first book, who likes jokes, and who loves to read about crazy stories about adventures, and find out what happened after the first book. (I Funny)

The goods on this book: In the second book, Jamie Grimm, a kid who is in a wheel chair because of an automobile accident, goes to a regular middle school, where you have the regular bullies, Stevie Kosgrov, Useless, and Zits. Stevie named his two “pals,” and apparently, they don’t care. Anyway, Stevie is, you guessed it, Jamie’s cousin! Jamie lives with him and his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Smiley! (…Or Kosgrov) Jamie calls them the Smiley family, because they don’t really smile. Or laugh. Or do anything FUN. Whoopie. Jamie lives in the garage because there was not any room anywhere else in the house. So… Jamie has some alone time, in what some call it: Garage Life. (More like what I call it.) Anyway, Jamie tries to become the World’s Funniest Kid Comic, and something comes up… Very serious. Uncle Frank has a… problem. (sorry, NO spoilers! :D) Anyway, read on to find out what happens to Jamie Grimm!  😀

The details: 344 pages; 2013    Review by Spencer D.

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Review by Zoe D.

Who would like this book?

The goods on this book: Hate List is all about a school shooting that this girl named Valerie’s boy friend committed. The book is just telling you about who he shot, and if they died or if they lived. It is also telling you all about what happened after the shooting, like if someone died they would interview the family of the deceased. I wish that the book had more flashbacks of when the shooting happened. I also would have liked if the book was a little more detailed. I liked how the narrator explained everything really well. I also liked how the author made everything fit all together at the end.

The details: 408 pages; 2009   Review by Zoe D.

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Who would like tho book? Boys or girls, grades 4 to 7, who like puns and jokes that make you laugh in spite of yourself.

The goods on this book: Jamie Grimm has a tough life. He’s in middle school, he’s in a wheelchair, he lives with a new family in a new city, and his new brother is the biggest and meanest bully in his middle school. How does he handle it all? By telling jokes. Really lame jokes, such as the one about what the teacher said during roll call one day:
“Are you chewing gum, young man?”
“No, I’m Jamie Grimm.”
Jamie, it turns out, has a talent for telling jokes and an obsession with learning everything having to do with comedy. He also has two geeky friends, an uncle who combines yo-yoing with cooking, and a couple of girls who show an interest in him. When Jamie secretly enters a local comedy contest, the pressure is on to be funny. Throughout this book, the jokes come fast and furiously, both in the text and in the entertaining drawings. It is very difficult to argue with Jamie’s self-assessment: “I funny.”

The details: 303 pages; 2012   Review by Samrarian

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Review by Jaden L.

Who would like this book? You would probably have to be in your teens to fully enjoy this book. If you like a good romance, then you would like it also. Note that this isn’t like all other romances though. It also can be a bit of a mystery, like Stargirl herself.

The goods on this book: Meet the incredible, amazing, totally unique enigma that is Stargirl. She is everything, and nothing all at the same time. At least, that is how she describes herself. Captivated by Stargirl, Leo falls in love. When the people end up turning on her, he helps her change. But not all change is good. Will it destroy her? Or is this change for the better? One thing is for sure, though. Stargirl will always be a mystery.

The details: 208 pages; 2002    Review by Jaden L.

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