Middle School Reviews

Looking for one more good summer read before the school year starts?  Look no further!  Here are some recommended books by Middle Schoolers who took part in the 10 in 10 summer reading challenge.

After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick
Reviewed by A.C., a rising 6th grader

This book is about a boy named Jeffrey who had cancer.  His older brother Steven went to Africa.  On Jeffrey's first day of high school met a boy named Tad who also had cancer.  He was Jeffrey's best friend.  Then Jeffrey met Lindsay and they fell in love.  I recommend this book to older kids.




Wooden Bones by Scott William Carter
Reviewed by E.S., a rising 7th grader

It's about what happens after Pinocchio becomes a boy.  He has magical powers, but when he uses them, he slowly turns back into a puppet.  I'd recommend this to people who like fantasy and fiction.





The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
Reviewed by J.K., a rising 8th grader

I'm still in suspense about the other people of Ember and if they found their way out!

Superhero Storytime was a success!

Superhero snacks, complete with a spinach cape!

 

 

 

 

Star Girl, working on her superhero costume...

Our Wilbur Statue Made the List!

Wellesley Free Library’s statue of Wilbur, Charlotte and Templeton from the classic children’s book Charlotte’s Web was featured in School Library Journal’s blog post “The Complete Listing of All Public Children’s Literature Statues in the United States!” Check out the article and remember  you can visit Wilbur and his friends in the children’s room! 

You can read School Library Journal's blog post by clicking here
Our statue is under "C" for Charlotte's Web!

Our new favorite book: Gus, the Dinosaur Bus by Julia Liu

From School Library Journal

PreS-K-When a long-necked dinosaur serves as the bus, none of the kids want to miss school. Though everyone loves Gus-the city even builds a special road just for him-the principal finally tires of complaints about him knocking down traffic lights and getting tangled in phone wires and removes him from the road. Relegated to the school gym, Gus makes a swimming pool with his tears and finds a new life as the school's playground, with a swing on his tail and his long neck serving as a slide. In tone and visual details, this gentle story is reminiscent of Syd Hoff's classic Danny and the Dinosaur (HarperCollins, 1958). Lynn's scratchy, childlike watercolor and pencil cartoons have a daydreamy quality that suits Liu's simple text. Gus's story holds universal appeal; even a dinosaur can learn to turn lemons into lemonade.-Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MDα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. 

 

Review

"In tone and visual details, this gentle story is reminiscent of Syd Hoff's classic Danny and the Dinosaur. . . . Gus's story holds universal appeal; even a dinosaur can learn to turn lemons into lemonade."
—School Library Journal
"The story's mild suspense is just right for the book's audience. . . And the kindly pea-green dino steals the show with his huge smile and even bigger heart."
—The Horn Book Magazine

Superhero Storytime with Miss Michele!

Come to the Main library on August 24th at 2:30 for a Superhero Storytime with Miss Michele.  We'll be reading stories and creating our own superhero costumes.  Recommended for ages 4-6 with their families, but all are welcome.

 

 

Middle School Reviews

The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen
Reviewed by T.N., a rising 6th grader

Very good book. It had good connections between the action, instead of just action all the time or being boring in between. I liked the characters and it had good character development but with the characters still likable at the beginning. Also I liked how things that that you thought were a fake turned out to be real.

Guys Read: Funny Business edited by Jon Scieszka
Reviewed by O.M., a rising 7th grader

These stories are so fun to read. I read this for summer reading, and I loved it. I don't know how the authors came up with all these funny ideas. I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

True Legend by Mike Lupica
Reviewed by J.C., a rising 8th grader

Mike Lupica is one of my favorite authors; I love all of his books. True Legend is definitely up there as one of my favorite novels by him. First, I liked it because it is a story about basketball, which I play, and is my favorite sport. Secondly, I liked it because I got really into it, thinking about Drew, the main character, and how he was changing for the worst. I also liked it because it celebrated unsung heroes, and all the pro athletes who never get credit for their talent. This truly is one of my favorite books I've read this summer.

Baby Sign Language resources

Check out the new resources about Baby Sign Language on our Parenting page!  And mark your calendar for Mondays November 25 through December 16 when Sheryl White will be joining us again to teach a 4-week baby sign class for pre-verbal babies.  Sign-up begins on November 18th.

Middle School Book Reviews: spotlight on Series

Check out these reviews of books that are the first in a series!





The Name of this Book is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
Reviewed by E.W., a rising 6th grader

When survivalist Cass, and logical Max-Ernest find out about the symphony of smells, they get caught up in a mystery about a dead magician, and two creepily pretty adults trying to figure out the secret to living forever.


 
 


I.Q Book 1: Independence Hall by Roland Smith
Reviewed by L.C., a rising 7th grader 

I loved this book!  It was the perfect blend of suspense and action.  I also like how it has lots of cliff hangers.






Uglies by Scott Westerfeld

Reviewed by S.S., a rising 8th grader
This book is the first book of the Uglies Series. In a perfect society of beautiful people called pretties, one that is too fat or skinny or too tall or short is considered an ugly. But great luck to uglies like Tally Youngblood, turning sixteen will bring an operation for prettiness, and you'll be sent down the river to New Pretty Town, a place where all pretties live. But when Tally befriends Shay, an ugly that runs away from being pretty, Tally will need to find Shay to turn her in, in order to become pretty. Or else, she'll be an ugly for a lifetime... I liked this book because of the internal and external conflicts of Tally are perfectly set. And how Tally takes risks are refuses to take "no" for an answer.

Middle School Book Reviews

More reviews by Middle Schoolers!



Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
Reviewed by V.I., a rising 6th grader

I loved the book because the author made me not want to put the book down once.






The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
Reviewed by B.Z., a rising 7th grader

This is a very good book. It was a real page-turner. I couldn't put the book down. Salim seems to disappear into thin air but it's a mystery that happens to actually be realistic. The ending was very satisfying.

Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha van Leer
Reviewed by C.Y., a rising 8th grader

I thought it was fascinating both that Jodi Picoult's daughter worked with her on this book and that there might be a dimension in a book when readers don't read it. This book was creative and thought-provoking... though I'm not sure if this qualifies as sci-fi or fantasy. Oliver is such a happy character, and Delilah is a perfect match for him. Edgar is so selfless in the end, and I thought the twist ending was both satisfying and hilarious. Overall, a great book, and one that I won't forget very easily.

Bluffton

 

 

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-Henry and his hometown of Muskegon, Michigan, may be ordinary, but neighboring Bluffton is anything but. The year is 1908, and vaudevillians have come to the resort town to relax for the summer. Intrigued by the visitors, Henry heads off to Bluffton and meets a young actor named Buster Keaton. The two boys quickly become friends, but each of them yearns for what the other has-Henry wants a life of show business and fame, while Buster wants a normal life filled with baseball and fishing. Phelan does an excellent job of showing an accurate portrayal of Buster Keaton, from his dangerous physical comedy routines to his alcoholic father; the facts flow so smoothly that it does not feel like historical fiction at all. Henry is undeveloped in the beginning and simply moves along Buster's story, but the character really comes into his own later on when feuding with Buster and trying to put on a show of his own. Phelan's watercolors are expertly rendered and soft in focus, but pop at just the right moments, simultaneously showing the sleepiness of the town, the glamour of show business, and the energy of summer. An author's note and some photos explain a bit more about the real Buster Keaton. Overall, Bluffton is a rich and engaging story with a lot of charm, and will be a great choice for early chapter-book readers and graphic-novel fans.-Peter Blenski, Greenfield Public Library, WIα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.            

 

 From Kirkus Reviews

 Thrilling—a spirited, poignant coming-of-age vignette and an intriguing window into a little-known chapter in vaudeville history.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)