#middleschoolnovels – Ink And Spine

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.

So this month I’ve been trying to read more “Middle School” books so that I can confidently recommend new novels to teachers in our schools. So besides increasing my book total for my reading goal for the year 2021 I found some REALLY good middle school reads that have been published over the last few years. Here are just a few:

Hello, Universe by Kelly Entrada,

A group of kids with totally different personalities become close friends after the universe throws them together to search for a missing boy.

Virgil Salina: a sixth-grade boy. So shy his family calls him “Turtle”. He is small for his age and therefore gets bullied by his classmates. He becomes slightly traumatized by his Lola’s (grandma’s) Filipino folktales about stones gobbling up young boys. Virgil has a guinea pig named Gullivar that is his best friend.

Valencia Somerset: is an 11-year-old girl who is questioning the existence of God however she stills talks to St. Rene. Valencia is deaf and suffers from nightmares of abandonment. She is tough and doesn’t think she needs a “gazillion friends” in fact her best friend is a stray dog she finds in the woods near he house.

Kaori Tanaka is a twelve-year-old girl who fancies herself a psychic and offers her services to anyone who isn’t an adult. She is confident and creative and always makes herself available to help people by giving them “readings”

Chett Bullins is a bully. He particularly likes picking on Virgil. He feels uncomfortable around Valencia because he believes she can read lips and therefore knows all his secrets. Chett is particularly preoccupied with finding and capturing a snake just to prove how tough he is to both his classmates and his father.

Themes of friendship, courage, and resiliency.

Black Brother Black Brother by Rhodes Jewell Parker

Donte and Trey are brothers. Donte hates school probably because he is one of the few black boys who attend and is therefore treated unjustly by the predominantly white student and faculty. To make matters worse, Donte’s brother Trey presents as white and doesn’t suffer racism. In trying to discover where he belongs in his world, Donte starts training under a former Olympic fencer Arden Jones and soon becomes a competitive fencer. Themes of bullying, racism, resilience, family, and friendship.

He Who Dreams by Florence Melanie

Our young protagonist John finds his identity in being one of the strongest soccer players at his school. One evening, as he is waiting for his little sister to finish her gymnastic class, he discovers an Indigenous dance class. Sensing a connection to the music, he forges a friendship with the dance teacher who encourages him to try Indigeninous dance himself. John tries to balance both the Irish and Cree sides of his culture but keeps his dancing a secret from his family as he navigates the mocking of his soccer teammates and the hostility of the boys in his dance class.

Themes of identity, family, culture, courage.

The Science of Unbreakable Things by Tae Keller

With the help of her friends, Natalie sets out to win a science competition so she can use the prize money to help her mother overcome depression by flying her to see a rare orchid known for surviving impossible odds. This story includes humorous illustrations and THE most engaging footnotes that help us love Natalie even more.

Themes of mental health, friendship, family.

Allergic by Megan Wagner Lloyd illustrated by Michelle Mee Nutter

Allergic is a graphic novel. It is a heartwarming story about Maggie who desperately wants a pet but is devastated because she is severely allergic to pet dander. Maggie takes it upon herself to outsmart her allergies and try to find a pet that she isn’t allergic to.

Themes of family, friendship, resiliency.

Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Mia Tang and her parents immigrate from China and take jobs managing a motel – a place where they not only work but live. Unfortunately, the owner of the motel is corrupt and takes advantage of the Tangs by not paying them a fair wage, and by taking the cost of any damages caused by hotel guests out of their paycheck. Although living in and managing the hotel has its hardships, Mia meets an assortment of hotel “residents” who are kind and helpful and end up being allies of the Tangs. Mia, being the precocious, brilliant 11-year-old she is ends up saving the ay for not only the hotel guests but for her own family.

Themes of inclusion, bullying, the immigrant experience, friendship, and resiliency.