Two Great Middle Grade Books

August 31, 2023 ~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

The Umbrella Makers Son by Katrina Leno

Leno creates an alternate world called Erde, where a young boy named Oscar Buckle lives with his father in a city called Roan in the country of Terra. In Roan, it rains. In fact, it rains so frequently that they have forty-seven types of rain. Oscar’s favourite rain is a gentle “web”, which sounds perfect for sitting indoors with a cup of tea and a book and watching it fall gently from the skies. One type of rain you do NOT want to encounter is a Blanderwheel…a Blanderwheel has the potential to be violent enough to kill you.

Oscar comes from a long line of umbrella makers. You would think that umbrella making would be a perfect business to be in, especially in the city of Roan. Alas, business hasn’t been great because of the competition; Brawn Industries (the makers of cheap umbrellas that break after one use) seems to have an edge on the market. Oscar may have to quit school to work with his father to make ends meet. On top of the financial crisis and being pulled from school, Oscar’s best friend Saige is moving far and away to a completely different area of Roan.

The one thing that gives Oscar just a wee bit of joy is the Night Market, when Oscar has one final good time with his best friend and forgets about his worries, even if it’s just for a couple of hours. But the Night Market proves to be more than just an outing for Oscar; he is given a quest of sorts by a visiting Seer who asks 11-year-old Oscar to find out why the rain in Roan has become potentially destructive. Is it environmental? Industrial sabotage? Or is magic afoot?

This novel has so much potential for cross-curricular use. The multitude of images and footnotes adds an element of “historical text” to this fantasy fiction. The graphics and glossary give an Environmental Science and design bent.

This is a wonderful novel filled with a tonne of potential for the classroom.

Opinions and Opossums by Ann Braden

Ok, I loved this book. Our main character Agnes is of the age where she is starting to attend Confirmation classes; the only thing is, she doesn’t think she believes in the same God that is portrayed in the Old Testament, a God that “punished Saul because he didn’t kill absolutely everyone? Who got mad at Eve for taking a bite of an apple?” (Braden pg. 26). In fact she finds inspiration and strength more so in the words of Maya Angelou “tell your truth to yourself first” than she does in the Old Testament. And horror upon horrors, she might actually believe God is a woman and not the old white man with a long flowing beard!! However, it is difficult for Agnes to converse with anyone about this heavy stuff because it goes against everything she is being taught in school and at church. The only adult she feels she can actually be herself with is the neighbour lady, Gracy, who is a wonderfully odd duck in her own way (just wait until you read about her obsession with opossums!). There is also her friend Mo, who is struggling to articulate who they are to a world that seems set on the status quo.

It is an important book in this age where dialogue, introspection and independent thought are vital. This novel has the potential for some incredible classroom discussion. Short, impactful and funny.

What About Will by Ellen Hopkins

January 18, 2022 ~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

So I’m looking for new books for junior high classrooms. NEW books. Not Holes, or Hatchet or The Outsiders. NEW titles. I found one. And, read it in a day and I loved it. I even teared up at the end.

What About Will is written by Ellen Hopkins. Now for those of you who have spent any time in a junior or senior high school library know that Hopkin’s novels are ALWAYS signed out. This is interesting because she writes her novels in verse and, in my experience, most students don’t immediately gravitate towards verse.

Hopkins’s novels often deal with difficult themes using intense issues such as drug abuse, physical abuse, and sex trafficking, to name a few. What About Will, however, deals with a serious issue but in a heartwarming and empowering way.

The story is told from the viewpoint of 12-year-old Trace. Trace’s life is pretty awesome; he lives with his mother and father and his big brother Will whom he adores.

One day though, Trace’s life takes a dramatic turn when Will is tackled in a football game and suffers a serious concussion. Will recovers but, he no longer is “Will”. He is angry, in pain, shoves those whom he loves away from him, and starts to make decisions that put his life at risk. The stress of the accident causes his parents to divorce, and soon, Trace feels the need to tippy-toe around any serious issues he is experiencing in order to spare his loved ones’ stress. Even if it means keeping secrets that can turn out to be fatal.

Trace is a kind-hearted, selfless young man who just wants to keep those he loves safe and together. Unfortunately, he finds that no amount of good intentions on his part can sway the choices of others.

I really loved this novel so much that I’m including it in a book collection for Junior High Teachers to use for classroom book clubs. If I were still in the classroom I would try and possess several copies to use for literature circles or independent novel studies. It’s accessible to most readers because of its format. Students will not be overwhelmed by the number of words on the page or vocabulary.

When Stars are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed

January 11, 2022 ~ Lisa Helm ~ Leave a comment

“ And yet, the stars are not lost. They form patterns. Constellations. If you know how to look, there are stories woven into the very essence of stars” (When Stars are Scattered).

Graphic novel grades 8-12

Themes displacement, political unrest, resilience, family, loyalty

The story takes place over three significant times in the life of our protagonist: as a child, as a teenager, and as a young man.

The brothers Omar and Hassan live in a refugee camp in Kenya. When the story begins, they have already lived in the camp for seven years after fleeing Somalia under the threat of violence. Tragically, during this time, their father was killed and their mother went missing. The refugee camp in which they live is incredibly large with markets, clinics, schools, and neighbourhoods of various wealth.

Omar would love to go to school but doesn’t because he fears for the safety of his little brother Hassan. Hassan is nonverbal and because of the traumatic experiences in Somalia, becomes extremely distressed when Omar leaves him.. Eventually, Omar gets the chance to attend school, with the help of their neighbour and guardian Fatuma who agrees to care for Hassan. At school, Omar realized that the only way he will be able to leave the refugee camp is to become educated enough to impress the UN workers who visit. Then, with luck, he will eventually succeed in his “interview’ to be placed in a new country.

The day-to-day life of a political refugee is detailed in this novel. At times it the novel describes the violence the boys experienced while fleeing Somalia and the violence Hassan faces in the camp itself. This violence, however, is not gratuitous or graphic. This graphic novel is an effective and engaging way to present the realities of a refugee camp through the convincing and empathetic voice of someone who has actually lived it.

This novel would be very suitable for book clubs in jr. and sr. high. Several cross-curricular connections can be made with Social Studies and Religious Studies. The various themes offer opportunities for depth of discussion and reflection.

If not used as part of classroom study, it definitely should be made a part of every school or classroom library.