Children's Review: Caleb and Kit

Note: Top Shelf Text received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

It's no secret that middle grade is my favorite subset within children's literature. I love middle grade as a whole, but recently I've found myself feeling uninspired by the titles I've picked up. Caleb and Kit, however, left my love for middle grade reinvigorated, and I can't wait to recommend this title to students, colleagues, and friends this year.

Caleb and Kit is a story told from the first person perspective of Caleb, a twelve year-old boy who lives in the suburbs with his mother and older brother. Throughout the course of the novel, Caleb experiences many challenges that come with being twelve. He has his first crush (and subsequently makes various silly decisions because of it), has to face an unkind peer at school, and has his first experience with lying to his parents.

More challenging, though, is Caleb's unique circumstance: he has cystic fibrosis. As a person with CF, Caleb lives with a strict routine, and he struggles to come to terms with the impact that his needs have on his family and friends. On top of that, Caleb's family dynamic is changing, with his father's engagement to a girlfriend who doesn't seem interested in Caleb at all. All of this feels a bit overwhelming to Caleb, but he finds relief in a new friendship with a very odd girl named Kit. They meet in the forest between their houses, and there Caleb can forget all about the various hard things going on in his life. Except that Kit is running away from something too, and soon the outside world creeps into their magical haven. This story gave me Bridge to Terabithia vibes, what with the forest setting and strong, imaginative friendship between these two characters.

In addition to feeling emotionally invested in these characters and their lives, I also learned a lot through reading this book. Cystic fibrosis is a chronic illness that I knew of but wasn't familiar with, and because the story was told from the perspective of Caleb, I was able to learn a lot about the daily life of someone with CF. My friend Katharine, (who you may know from Instagram as @kathareads and who blogs over at From A to Pink) also has cystic fibrosis and recently read this novel too. I was waiting for her opinion on the portrayal of CF, and after reading she commented that this was one of the most authentic portrayals she's read. I really hope to see this title gain more attention this year, and you can bet it'll be on my list for a certain book club (hint, hint) in the future.

This title will be released on September 12, 2017.

Bottom-Line Rating: 5/5
(Wholeheartedly endorsed for readers of all ages.)

Title: Caleb and Kit

Author: Beth Vrabel

Publisher: Running Press Books

Price: Pre-order for $10 on Amazon

ISBN: 076246223

Format: Hardcover

Source: Running Press Books

Children's Review: Tricked (Fairy Tale Reform School #3)

{on Goodreads}

Last week we went from an almost-sixty degree day to three straight snow days -- granting me a five-day weekend and a subsequent case of cabin fever. Before the restlessness set in, I was super excited to tackle some of the books in my to-read pile for this month and I ended up spending two days reading the first three books in the Fairy Tale Reform School series, a new-to-me middle grade series. I had originally signed on to review the third book, but as I am a strict consecutive-order reader, that meant I still needed to experience the first and second installments before diving into the third.

Now, after having finished all three, I would still recommend reading the series in order, but I will say that I thought the third book was the best of the series so far and slightly redeemed it in my eyes. Would I highly recommend this to middle grade readers? Probably not. It wasn't a series that hooked me. However, we all know that sometimes a book isn't the right book -- for a specific person. I was not the right reader for these books. I tried really hard to get engaged and feel invested but, alas, it felt like work to get through these.

I tend to shy away from giving harsher reviews on here (authors, I feel for you), so first I want to share what drew me into the book. Of course, that cover. It's whimsical and cute and definitely eye-catching. It's also a fairy tale series, and we all know that's one of my favorite genres. I thought the premise was creative too: a reform school for criminal fairy tale characters (think the Evil Queen, the Big Bad Wolf, etc.), and a redeeming main character. Gilly Cobbler is a petty thief, true, but she only does it to help her family survive. Her large family lives in an old boot, and demand for cobblers is low in the kingdom of Enchantsia. After stealing one too many times, Gilly is sentenced to Fairy Tale Reform School (FTRS). There she meets a gang of friends, including an ogre and a fairy.

In the first two books, Gilly and her friends manage to save Enchantsia from doom, and Gilly battles with a newfound hero complex and some friendship troubles. In Tricked, the third installment, Enchantsia is once again threatened -- this time by Rumplestilkskin. It's up to Gilly and her friends to complete a quest in order to stop him.

What I wasn't such a fan of: the characters. They felt so shallow and despite incredibly obvious clues being dropped with reckless abandon, realizations seemed to jump out of nowhere, making it seem like characters had really limit thought processes. I really felt like (as a teacher of the middle-grade audience) that not enough credit was given to readers. They catch on a lot faster than you might think, and this all felt a little fake. There were some great themes in the books, but none were very well developed so the lessons weren't very impactful -- both for the characters and the reader. I liked the plot of Tricked -- the adventure aspect was the most compelling part of the reading experience, but in the end the series fell a little flat for me overall.

In terms of recommending the Fairy Tale Reform School series, I'd say it's worth a try for middle grade readers who enjoy this type of book in general. It may be that, as an older reader, I'm reading it from too much of a teacher perspective. Tricked will be available for purchase on March 7th, and is available now for pre-order.

Bottom-Line Rating: 2/5

Title: Tricked (Fairy Tale Reform School #3)

Author: Jen Calonita

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Price: Pre-order for $10

ISBN: 1492637955

Format: E-book

Source: Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this text by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Review: The Crooked Sixpence (The Uncommoners #1)

{on Goodreads}

I'm sure you can guess what first drew me in to this new middle grade series. (Hint: always judge a book by its cover.) It was both the cover illustration (whimsical & quirky) and the title that made me want to preview this new series for you before its release next week on January 31st. 

Fun fact: Jennifer Bell was a long-time children's bookseller before she became a writer. I love supporting booksellers-turned-authors -- only they see how truly difficult it is to write and successfully sell a book from both sides of the process. Freshman authors rarely hit their stride on the first try, and while I won't be granting this book 5 stars, I'll continue to follow the series when the second is released in June. 

The Crooked Sixpence introduces us to Ivy and Seb Sparrow, siblings who are staying with their grandmother when a strange chain of events ends with them standing in the ransacked living room of their now-hospitalized grandmother, staring at a very creepy and threatening message etched into the wall.

We can see you now.

Soon a pair of suspicious-looking police officers show up at their door, rambling about things the children don't understand and threatening them with...toilet brushes? Nothing makes sense, but the children know one thing: they need to run.

So begins Ivy and Seb's foray into the world of uncommoners and the market of Lundinor. They learn that hidden beneath London lies a market full of uncommon goods -- things that seem like ordinary objects but serve peculiar purposes -- and that only a select population of people are uncommoners, those who can use these items for their alternate purposes. This is the part of the book that I both loved and felt was underdeveloped. Bell's world building was super creative, and while I saw some comments online about it being too similar to Harry Potter, I actually felt that it was very different and appreciated the quirkiness of it. I only wish that there was more of an explanation, more time spent revealing the world to our protagonist and therefore to the reader. I thought that the characters could use a bit more substance too and am hoping to see that in the next installment.

In terms of plot, I enjoyed reading about the adventure of the siblings and the people that help them along the way, and I liked that there was a bit of a mystery component as well. Though there was some resolution at the end, Bell left a thread open for the next adventure, and I'm looking forward to seeing the return of some of these characters -- especially our remaining villain.

From a seasoned reader perspective, this was a solid freshman release with some things to be improved in the next, but I could see a middle grade reader really enjoying both the adventure and the world building. I'd recommend this to fans of Harry Potter, The Mysterious Benedict Society, and The Mister Max trilogy.

Bottom-Line Rating: 3/5

Title: The Crooked Sixpence (The Uncommoners #1)

Author: Jennifer Bell

Publisher: Random House, 2017

Price: Pre-order from Amazon for $10

ISBN: 0553498436

Format: E-book

Source: Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this text by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Currently Coveting {January}

If you read my 2017 Reading Resolutions then you know that one of my goals this year is to spend more time reading the books that I love. With that goal in mind, I picked out a few titles that I'm coveting this month. My reading time is pretty packed this month (new releases galore!) but these are some of the books I'm hoping to get to when I have a spare slot in my to-read list. There are a lot of great books coming out this month, but if you want the sneak peek for the whole year, check out The Great 2017 Book Preview from The Millions.

A Perilous Undertaking by Deanna Raybourn // I read & reviewed the first in this series last year and really enjoyed it. I'm always interested in mysteries but add a strong female detective into the mix and I'm hooked. The historical fiction element is an added bonus. I'm looking forward to picking this up after I've finished the latest installment in the Inspector Gamache novels -- my current mystery read. 

Release date: January 10th

The Chosen Maiden by Eva Stachniak // This story features elements of Russian historical fiction, the world of professional ballet, and that tenuous relationship between siblings who are both prodigies in the same field. I read The Winter Palace by Stachniak and really enjoyed both her writing and her attention to historical detail. 

Release date: January 17th

The Jolly Regina by Kara LaReau // This new series has been compared to A Series of Unfortunate Events and The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place  -- two of my favorite series to recommend for middle grade fiction fans. The series features the unintentional adventures of the Bland sisters aboard a pirate vessel. The cover art is adorable and I am so on board for a new witty series. Fun fact: the author for this series edited my all-time favorite (modern) children's novel: The Tale of Despereaux. So I'm willing to bet she'll be an author to follow in the future.

Release date: January 10th

Books for Living by Will Schwalbe // My non-fiction pick for the month. In this, Schwalbe explores the role that books play in our modern society and the books that help us to navigate our universal questions. Each chapter features a book, with stories about how the book influenced him and the people in his life that are tied to it. You know I love books about books, and this seems like a perfect fit for the beginning of a new year.

***

What are you looking forward to reading this month?

Currently Coveting {December}

Oh my goodness. I'm ashamed to say that it has been months since I posted a Currently Coveting list.

Not that I haven't been coveting -- and buying -- books in that time.

My most recent purchases have been this and this for my December book club reads, and I am so excited for our book club discussion at the end of this month.

Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine by Sarah Lohman

I've recently started cooking almost all the meals in my family (I just headed up my very first Thanksgiving this year) and I've become really interested in how to use spices to flavor healthy, fresh food. Since I started eating mostly clean a few years ago, I have found spices to be my biggest resource in the kitchen. This exploration of the eight flavors that unite American cooking seems like a great way to learn more about the cultural history of the country, in addition to being a resource for great recipes.

The Glass Universe by Dava Sobel

I'm craving a good story about fascinating, intelligent women and this seems to be just the right fit. It just came out yesterday and tells the story of the women who worked as "human computers" for the Harvard Observatory. Those women went on to make significant contributions to astronomy. 

The Long Way Home by Louise Penny

Are you tired of hearing me talk about Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series? I have been working my way through them since the summer. Shown above is the tenth in the series, which is on my to-read list for this weekend. I have been lucky so far in that my library was fully stocked with every volume in the series except this one, so when I went to snatch it from the shelf I was so disappointed to find that I would have to wait for a hold copy to come in. I'm telling you, this is one of the best series that I have ever (ever) read.

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

This has been recommended to me several times (most recently by my grandmother), and I've heard that it is lovely as an audiobook. It's in the same category as The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry. I'm looking forward to picking it up soon.

Penny Dreadful by Laurel Snyder

Sadly, I haven't been reading much middle grade lately. Sometimes (okay, often) being in school all day makes me want to read only adult fiction when I get home. I'm hoping to reignite my love for children's lit this month. Penny Dreadful looks like a great place to start.

Children's Review: The Great Shelby Holmes

{on Goodreads}

I am a huge fan of Sherlock Holmes, so when I saw this new middle grade series pop up, I couldn't resist taking a sneak peek. My college roommate and I both love the iconic detective in all his forms and I liked the idea of a female/male team. The Great Shelby Holmes is written from the perspective of John Watson, an eleven year-old boy who has just moved to NYC with his military mom after his parents' recent divorce. 

On the first day in his new city, John meets his neighbor, a verbose and sassy girl named Shelby Holmes. Shelby's not used to making friends, but soon enough John proves himself to be a valuable sidekick and she decides to bring him along on her latest case: the kidnapping of a prize-winning show dog belonging to a schoolmate. The plot itself isn't anything new in this book -- in fact, the dognapping was really the least interesting part of it, as I felt that the level of the plot could have really been raised had the crime been something more serious than a kidnapped pet. However, I really liked the friendship themes that went on through the book. Even though Shelby may be the incredible detective, Watson was a good model for a caring friend, which is poignant for kids at this time of year when a new school year means forming new friendships. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this to my students, and I'll definitely follow the series in the future to see how that friendship grows. For those who want to help get this into the hands of young readers, there's still time to purchase a pre-order copy on Amazon before The Great Shelby Holmes hits shelves on September 6th!

Bottom Line Rating: 4/5

Title: The Great Shelby Holmes

Author: Elizabeth Eulberg

Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Children's

Price: $9.65 to pre=order on Amazon

ISBN: 1681190516

Format: E-book

Source: Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this text by the publishers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Kids' Summer Reading Challenge

Back again with a new summer reading challenge, and this time it's for the littles in your life! I made this challenge with only four categories because I wanted children to feel successful with it -- no matter what level they're reading at! It should be fun and easy to rise to this challenge. In addition to my grown-up summer reading challenge, I'll be reading children's literature to fulfill these categories too, so I've included some suggestions for middle grade novels (my biggest area of expertise) in each category below, however, this challenge could easily be met with picture books or with early chapter books as well.

You can download the PDF version here.

#1: Read a book that takes place in a far-off land (real or imaginary)
This is a category that my always growing to-read stack could easily fulfill. I love fantasy books, so I'm going to take it in that direction with Alistair Grimm's Odditorium, which I was given last summer and still haven't read. I also just purchased Gail Carson Levine's Fairest, so that's a contender for this category too.

My recommendations: 
Hunt for the Pyxis by Zoë Ferraris
Island of the Aunts by Eva Ibbotson
House of Secrets by Chris Columbus

#2: Read a non-fiction book about something or someone that you find interesting
For this one, I'd like to read the Young Reader's Edition of I am Malala, a young woman whom I find both inspiring and interesting. I really haven't read too many memoirs or biographies for kids, but I'm thinking Roald Dahl's autobiography might be a good pick too.

#3 Read the first book in a new series
I'm hoping to read The Ability for this, which is a highly rated fantasy series that I've had my eye on for a while. I have a ton of middle grade series listed on my middle grade shelf on Goodreads, if you're looking for a selection to choose from. I highly recommend The Mysterious Benedict Society and The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series. They are two of my absolute favorites.

#4 Read a book about a book
This is always a favorite category of mine. (I even wrote a whole list of books about books for adults!) I recommend The Forbidden Library, but Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library is a favorite among my students so I think I'll be reading that one this summer, along with Book Scavenger. (All three of these books could work for the first book in a series category too!)


I'm in the camp of teachers who believe that it doesn't really matter what your child is reading this summer, as long as they are reading a lot!! Reading is such a great way for kids to relax (screen-free) during the summer time, and buddy-reading with your kids can be a catalyst for great conversations. If you're looking for other ways to make reading fun this summer, you can read my post from a few years ago here.


I'm realizing I have a whole lot of books on my to-read list for this summer, so you can bet that I'm officially starting on that list this weekend! If you're looking for picks tailored to the little in your life (or for yourself), feel free to shoot me an e-mail at topshelftext@gmail.com!

Happy Reading!
-Madeleine-

Author Interview: I.J. Brindle, Author of Balthazar Fabuloso in the Lair of the Humbugs

Greetings from my new favorite spot! I'm currently soaking up the sunshine and spending my days buried in a book while lounging on an island off the coast of Georgia, and let me tell you, I am loving it. You can keep up with my vacation reads on Instagram (@topshelftext), if you're so inclined.

This week I'm bringing you something new: an author interview! I.J. Brindle's new middle grade fiction novel, Balthazar Fabuloso in the Lair of the Humbugs, debuts on May 1st. I am always looking for new fiction to recommend to my students, and I jumped at the chance to read a book that I thought looked both funny and appealing to boy readers -- who are, let's face it, the hardest to find good books recommendations for. Balthazar is one of those quirky books that will appeal to readers who like sassy characters and absolutely ridiculous plots. Balthazar's family is eccentric, to say the least -- they perform wacky magic shows for a living -- but here's the real trick: the magic that they "perform" is actually real. That's right, every one of them has a particular power, that is, except for Balthazar. At the age of 11, it looks like he'll just turn out to be an ordinary kid. One day, in the middle of a performance, Balthazar's entire family disappears without rhyme or reason. It's up to him to save them, and the task set out before him seems nothing if not overwhelming for a kid without any magic. I can see this appealing to my students who are super hard to find books for, and I'd simply recommend it as a crazy adventure. I will say that there were a few points in the book that made me cringe -- jokes that I thought were in bad taste, or things that I found too inappropriate for my fourth graders. For that reason, I'd highly recommend this for those on the older end of the middle grade age group (11 and up), or for readers who are a bit more mature.

Now that you know the premise of the book, let's have a chat with I.J. Brindle!

What was the inspiration behind the book?

My first inspiration was this experience I had in seventh grade. I was staying in Quebec with a host family on some kind of a school exchange trip and they were nice and it was my first time away from home and their house smelled different from my house and the room I was staying in was really different from my room so I couldn’t really sleep. So instead, I spent all my nights reading this classic fantasy series I had with me. I absolutely loved it, but it left me with this out-of-sorts feeling. In part because I was homesick and sleep deprived, but also I couldn’t stop thinking about how, as much as I loved the world I was reading about, it was this somewhere-else world I would never, in real life, get to be a part of, and as much as I admired the hero, he was this mystical prodigy super-magic-genius that I would never be. I wanted a book that showed the possibility of the magic I often felt just floating beneath the surface of my own quirky, random, everyday life. So I wrote to try to do that for the seventh-grade me and for anyone else who ever gets that feeling.

It was also inspired by my firstborn, Theo, who believed in this book before it existed and grilled me about all the little nonexistent details until they became real, and by my sister, Mary, who has been drawing in sketchbooks since before I could scribble and who had the best knife collection, comic book collection and taxidermy animal collection of any kid in St. Catharines.

What makes this book special to you? What important message do you feel it brings to young readers?

A fancy-pants Russian novelist once wrote “any instant of life if deeply enough probed becomes a doorway to infinity.” I believe this idea holds true for people as well as instants.

I would love it if young readers came away from this book being a bit more aware of the incredible power that lies in being deeply true to who you are, even if it’s not who anyone else wants you to be and even if you’re not even quite sure what that is yet.

What inspired you to write, and when did you know you would become an

author?

I think the first clue I would become a writer was in preschool when I used to horrify unsuspecting adults by spicing up stories about my life with alarming details I borrowed off the news. Back then they called it lying. Then somewhere along the line I figured out if I did the same thing but called it fiction, I could have the same kind of fun without the scolding after. I always planned to become an author at some point—and also to buy an island that I'd specifically set aside for authors and readers. I'm still working on the island part.

What advice do you have for aspiring young writers?

Read lots, watch carefully and be real—especially when you’re making stuff up.

***

If you're interested in pre-ordering a copy of Balthazar Fabuloso in the Lair of the Humbugs before its release on May 1st, you can get a copy here on Amazon, or if you'd like to read an excerpt (and see the CCSS connections), you can view the publisher's listing here.

A big thank you (and congratulations on this first novel) to I.J. Brindle, and also to the fun and friendly team at Holiday House Books, who were kind enough to send a copy to Top Shelf Text! (Please note that all opinions are my own, and have not been influenced by my partnership with Holiday House Books).

I'm off to soak up some more of that sunshine!

Happy Reading!

-Madeleine-

 
  



Children's Review: The Fires of Invention

{on Goodreads}

Note: This title will be released from the publisher on September 29, 2015.

Fires of Invention is the first in a new middle grade series that is sure to be a hit with both girl and boy readers. In this first installment, we are introduced to the world of Cove, a sheltered and strict community buried deep in the center of a mountain. Inside the walls of Cove, the community is separated into levels, each one filling a need for the population. Readers see Cove through the eyes of Trenton Coleman, a 13 year-old boy who has a penchant for creativity and a dangerous impulse to improve upon the mechanical objects that surround him. Unfortunately for Trenton, creativity is forbidden in Cove, and inventions are so feared that being an inventor is equivalent to being the worst kind of criminal. I thought that this was the most unique thing about this book -- I talk a lot about world building on here, and this series has a dystopian premise (which has been overplayed in recent years) but also some really interesting touches that makes it stand out from the ever-growing crowd of dystopian novels. The idea that creativity is so forbidden that the mere speaking of the word "invention" could cause shivers is one that I think could prompt some great discussions for young readers about the power of words and why freedom of expression is so important.

Trenton first runs into trouble when he builds a new machine to impress a girl in his class (typical pre-teen antics), only to wind up threatened by the highest authorities in Cove. To make up for his crimes, Trenton offers to perform a dangerous stunt. In trying to recompense, Trenton discovers something unique -- a tool otherwise unknown to the mechanics of Cove. Which means that someone (other than Trenton) has been inventing. Though Trenton tries to resist the pull of new discoveries, he finds himself involved with a girl named Kallista, whose own quest for answers aligns with Trenton's mystery. The two of them band together and soon discover that there are great and dangerous secrets buried inside the walls of Cove, and that without their help, the people that they love will never discover the truth about the world in which they live.

Though I liked Trenton's character and really enjoyed seeing all of these discoveries made from his perspective, which was torn between those he loved (who feared authority) and Kallista (who did not), my favorite character was Kallista and I would love to see the story from her perspective as well. Female readers who find themselves drawn towards more traditionally masculine roles and hobbies (in this book, mechanics) will appreciate how Savage took that gender role and completely obliterated it. I think it's rare to find books that have strong male and female characters that work together so nicely and still have authentic conflicts and I have to applaud Savage for that. The story is engaging the entire way through-- with mysterious clues and lots of secrecy that are mirrored in the mechanics as Trenton and Kallista fit together a mysterious invention left behind by Kallista's father. When the truth was unveiled, I was shocked and wanting to pick up the next book immediately, though no word yet on when it will be out. I will certainly be purchasing this for my classroom library and would recommend it for middle grade readers who enjoy fantasy worlds and dystopian themes.

Bottom Line Rating: 5/5

Title: Fires of Invention (The Mysteries of Cove #1)

Author: J. Scott Savage

Publisher: Shadow Mountain Publishing

Expected Publication Date: September 29, 2015

Price: $17.99

Pre-Order on Amazon

Pre-Order on Barnes & Noble

ISBN: 1629720925

Format: E-book

Source: Advanced Reader Copy provided by Net Galley

Note: Top Shelf Text was provided with a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own!

Looking Forward To: Fall Middle Grade Books

Today is our first day of school and I am all aflutter with nervousness and excitement for the new school year! We've been working away in our classroom to set up and though I've been in the building for several weeks now, today is going to be a whole different story! I'm channeling some of my favorite teachers from childhood (my sixth grade teacher and Ms. Frizzle come to mind) and I already can't stop smiling! Fourth grade, here I come!

Other things I'm looking forward to lately? This list of middle grade books arriving this fall!

I have to say that since I've starting working with publishers, I love that feeling of being able to read a book before the general public, but the best feeling is being able to rave about those reads to all of you. I love helping to launch books and I look forward to each month's new reads with lots of anticipation. That doesn't mean, however, that I'm privy to every new book before it comes out. In fact, I've come across a slew of upcoming books lately that have positively piqued my interest. It's not likely I'll be getting around to them very soon, but I'm still very tempted to pre-order quite a few of them. (Those pre-order prices are hard to beat!)

A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano // Published September 1, 2015

A Sliver of Stardust by Marissa Burt // Expected publication: October 20, 2015

A Pocketful of Murder by R.J. Anderson// Expected publication: September  8, 2015

The Weaver's Riddle: Mist & Whispers by C.M. Lucas // Expected publication: September 21, 2015

The Peddler's Road by Matthew Cody // Expected publication: October 27, 2015

Any of these catch your eye? Have a middle grade book that you're looking forward to reading this fall? Share below!