Middle School Book Reviews - Spotlight on Graphic Novels!

Each week we will be posting reviews from a rising 6th, 7th, and 8th grader who are participating in our 10 in 10 challenge (read 10 books in 10 weeks) this summer.  Check back regularly to get recommendations from kids like you!

This week's focus is graphic novels:

Robot Dreams by Sara Varon
Reviewed by A.C., a rising 6th grader

This book is about a dog and a robot who are best friends.  They go to the beach together and dog wants robot to go in the water with him.  That's when the trouble starts.  This book has no words so you get to make them up.  Happy reading!


Drama by Raina Telgemeier
Reviewed by K.W., a rising 7th grader

Callie loves theater but can't sing so she decides to join stage crew.  The actors having drama on and off stage makes it crazy! When she meets two brothers, her year takes a turn.  I love this book.  The story was great.  The characters seemed real.  The artwork was fabulous. 5 out of 5.

Level Up by Gene Luen Yang
Reviewed by K.W., a rising 8th grader

I really enjoyed this book.  It was fun and interesting to read from beginning to end! It was funny and had a good lesson in the end.  I would definitely recommend this book to someone!

Our favorite new book: Odd Duck by Cecil Castellucci

Theodora is a perfectly normal duck. She may swim with a teacup balanced on her head and stay north when the rest of the ducks fly south for the winter, but there's nothing so odd about that.

Chad, on the other hand, is one strange bird. Theodora quite likes him, but she can't overlook his odd habits. It's a good thing Chad has a normal friend like Theodora to set a good example for him.

But who exactly is the odd duck here? Theodora may not like the answer.

Sara Varon (Robot Dreams) teams up with Cecil Castellucci (Grandma's Gloves) for a gorgeous, funny, and heartwarming examination of the perils and pleasures of friendship.

 "Varon’s gentle art and Castellucci’s nuanced writing combine in a sweet, quiet tale that celebrates the joys of being unique." -- Booklist * "This clever celebration of individuality delights." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review "A lively friendship story that shows it’s more fun to be different than “normal,” and most fun of all to be different with a buddy." -- The Horn Book * "Warm and with solid insight into the nature of quirk, this title will amuse most readers, and it may be a welcome balm for those who feel a bit different." -- School Library Journal, starred review

 

 

 

About the Author

Cecil Castellucci's books include Boy Proof (Candlewick, 2005), The Plain Janes (Minx/DC Comics, 2007), and The Year of the Beasts (Roaring Brook, 2012). She collaborated with artist Sara Varon on Odd Duck, a graphic novel for young readers. She is the YA editor of the Los Angeles Review of Books and a two time Macdowell Fellow. She lives in Los Angeles.
Originally from the Chicago area, Sara Varon now resides in Brooklyn, New York. When not drawing, she likes to visit the flowers in her yard and pet the neighborhood dogs. Like Theodora, she might be considered an odd duck. Her books include Robot Dreams, Bake Sale, Chicken and Cat, and Chicken and Cat Clean Up. Odd Duck is her most recent graphic novel.