Category Archives: Middle Grade 8-12

Review: The Paper Daughters of Chinatown (Adapted for Young Readers) by Heather B. Moore and Allison Hong Merrill

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Historical, Middle Grade 8-12, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,
The Paper Daughters of Chinatown by Heather B. Moore and Allison Hong Merrill

The Paper Daughters of Chinatown (Adapted for Young Readers)
Heather B. Moore and Allison Hong Merrill
Shadow Mountain
Published April 11, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Paper Daughters of Chinatown

Based on the true story of two friends who unite to help rescue immigrant women and girls in San Francisco’s Chinatown in the late 1890s.

When Tai Choi leaves her home in the Zhejiang province of China, she believes it’s to visit her grandmother. But despite her mother’s opposition, her father has sold her to pay his gambling debts. Alone and afraid, Tai Choi is put on a ship headed for “Gold Mountain” (San Francisco). When she arrives, she’s forced to go by the name on her forged papers: Tien Fu Wu.

Her new life as a servant is hard. She is told to stay hidden, stay silent, and perform an endless list of chores, or she will be punished or sold again. If she is to survive, Tien Fu must persevere, and learn who to trust. Her life changes when she’s rescued by the women at the Occidental Mission Home for Girls.

When Dolly Cameron arrives in San Francisco to teach sewing at the mission home, she meets Tien Fu, who is willful, defiant, and unwilling to trust anyone. Dolly quickly learns that all the girls at the home were freed from servitude and maltreatment, and enthusiastically accepts a role in rescuing more.

Despite challenges, Dolly and Tien Fu forge a powerful friendship as they mentor and help those in the mission home and work to win the freedom of enslaved immigrant women and girls.

My Review

First let me say that this was a really easy book to read. It took less than 24 hours to finish it, and I’d guess it took me something like two and a half hours to read.

I really liked that so much of the story is told from Tien Fu Wu’s perspective, even though her story is heartbreaking. I liked getting to follow her through her recovery to the point where she decided to help rescue other girls and where she was able to use her own experience to understand how to comfort other girls.

All I can say about Dolly Cameron is that she must have been truly a force to be reckoned with. I loved the way her friendship with Tien Fu Wu developed and the growth they both experienced along the way.

I haven’t read the adult version of this book, so I don’t know what content was removed. One of the things I wish this book had given a little more background information on was why the president and his wife visited the mission home. I wanted to understand how that happened. How did they know about the mission, and was there something that prompted them to visit?

Other than that, I thought the book did a great job describing the lives of girls like Tien Fu Wu and the obstacles that Dolly Cameron and the women at the mission faced in order to help them.

I think readers who enjoy books about history will definitely want to check this one out. The writing style seems more like narrative nonfiction, but it’s classified as a novel. Something about it reminded me of a book called LI JUN AND THE IRON ROAD by Anne Tait.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Representation
Tien Fu Wu and some other characters are Chinese. Dolly is white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Vague references to brothels. One scene discusses a girl forced to work as a prostitute. (The book doesn’t describe what this means.)

Spiritual Content
Dolly and other characters are Christian. Some of the Chinese women they rescue convert to Christianity, though they are not required to do so. Dolly and the other leaders also include traditional Chinese culture and language in the lessons at the school.

Violent Content
Brief descriptions of abuse. For example, Tien Fu Wu’s owner burned her face with a hot poker and pinched her arms, leaving bruises.

Drug Content
As they walk the streets, sometimes characters smell opium being smoked in the buildings nearby.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of THE PAPER DAUGHTERS OF CHINATOWN in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

6 Books That Will Get Your Kids Outside

Blogger's Favorites, Lists, Middle Grade 8-12, News and Fun, Nonfiction, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , ,

Earth Day is Saturday April 22, so I’ve been thinking about books that inspire me and my girls to plant a real live tree, spend time outdoors, or maybe try composting (this is going to happen this year!). I love reading books that help us connect with nature through activities or simple suggestions. Though this list is short, it’s pretty broad. You’ll find a book about using nature to navigate from one place to another with real activities teaching you to do so as well as a nature guide and a nature craft and activity book. All of these books made me want to get outside and really notice the world around me. I hope you find some new favorites on this list of books that will get your kids outside, too.

6 Books That Will Get Your Kids Outside

How to Go Anywhere (And Not Get Lost) by Hans Aschim

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: This book explains the science and history of navigation and sets up activities you can do outside to navigate using information from the natural world around you– trees, sun, stars, etc.

Ages: 8 up | Published March 30, 2021 | My Review

Outdoor School: Tree, Wildflower, and Mushroom Spotting by Mary Kay Carson and John D. Dawson

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: Part nature guide, part journal. Teaches about classes of plants as well as how to identify specific species according to its unique characteristics. Journal spaces allow you to record plant sightings, drawings, and other notes.

Ages: 10-14 | Published February 28, 2023 | My Review

Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults by Robin Wall Kimmerer

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I had heard really great things about the adult version of this book, so when I saw that there was a young adult version, I jumped at the chance to read and review it here. I loved the introspective questions, the history and ecology lessons woven together in perfect harmony.

Ages: 12 up | Published November 1, 2022 | My Review

The Environment: Explore, Create and Investigate by Jonathon Litton

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: I really liked the broad reach of the information it offers and pairs with experiments and activities. Perfect for use with a science unit or to inspire summer crafts.

Ages: 6-12 | Published September 22, 2020 | My Review

Girl Warriors by Rachel Sarah

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: 25 profiles of young climate activists under 25 years old, how they got started making changes and how their work impacts communities across the globe. I found these stories incredibly inspiring and hopeful.

Ages: 8 up | Published April 6, 2021 | My Review

Make This Book Wild by Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

What you need to know: A super fun craft and activity book. Each page has instructions for a craft or journal that requires going into nature in order to complete it. A perfect way to get creative kids outside touching and looking closely at nature.

Ages: 6-12 | Published April 12, 2022 | My Review

What books will get your kids outside to interact with nature?

Are there books that inspire you or your kids to step outside and feel the grass? Maybe plant a tree or garden? What are your family’s favorite books about being outside?

More Books on Nature and the Environment

Here’s another list of ten books about the environment and nature for young readers.

Review: Never Lore: Journey to Mt. Smolder by Bookerlunds

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,

Never Lore: Journey to Mt. Smolder
Taya Okerlund and Nathan Okerlund
Bookerlunds
Published March 31, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Never Lore: Journey to Mt. Smolder

NOTICE: Explosive content contained within. (Rebel boys and indomitable girls have always been a combustible combination.)

All the signs of Fairy’s unraveling were there: a strict rationing of pixie dust; the disappearance of a magical species; a reckless reliance on spies plucked from human orphanages. Annabelle was no orphan. Her father was perhaps the most infamous man in Childerbridge-and she’d never live down the shame of it, though she’d also never accept that the charges against him were true-not most of the time. 

She’ll have to go to the end of Never to prove what is true…about Never itself, about her father, and her own work-worn self.

My Review

I knew from the moment I read the cover copy that I wanted to read this book. It’s got a great voice and characters that drew me in immediately. I loved the smart, fun writing and the Peter-Pan-adjacent story.

Annabelle has a hard life, and then, like Alice, she finds herself transported to another world and involved in very foreign politics. I liked the way she handled the Lost Boys and the deliberate but also nontraditional ways she helped them. The scene with her and the mermaids was one of my favorites.

The story moves at a pretty quick pace– in a good way– and kept me turning its pages. It had some twists and turns and lots of unexpected moments, but I felt like they all fit together pretty well. I really liked the development of the relationship between Annabelle and Fetch.

I think fans of THE DRAGON WITH THE CHOCOLATE HEART by Stephanie Burgis or who enjoy middle grade fantasy will want to check this one out.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Major characters are white.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Annabelle’s father is a magician. She meets fairies and pixies and other magical creatures.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. One scene contains a battle between characters and a shadowy monster.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of NEVER LORE: JOURNEY TO MT. SMOLDER in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.

Review: Starfish by Lisa Fipps

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Middle Grade 8-12, Poetry, , , , , , ,

Starfish
Lisa Fipps
Nancy Paulsen Books – Penguin Young Readers
Published March 9, 2021

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Starfish

Ellie is tired of being fat-shamed and does something about it in this debut novel-in-verse.

Ever since Ellie wore a whale swimsuit and made a big splash at her fifth birthday party, she’s been bullied about her weight. To cope, she tries to live by the Fat Girl Rules–like “no making waves,” “avoid eating in public,” and “don’t move so fast that your body jiggles.” And she’s found her safe space–her swimming pool–where she feels weightless in a fat-obsessed world.

In the water, she can stretch herself out like a starfish and take up all the room she wants. It’s also where she can get away from her pushy mom, who thinks criticizing Ellie’s weight will motivate her to diet. Fortunately, Ellie has allies in her dad, her therapist, and her new neighbor, Catalina, who loves Ellie for who she is. With this support buoying her, Ellie might finally be able to cast aside the Fat Girl Rules and starfish in real life–by unapologetically being her own fabulous self.

My Review

I’ve heard so many great things about this book, and I can for sure say that none of them were exaggerated. I loved Ellie so much. She bares her soul on the page. I loved reading her journey from feeling crushed by shame to finding the confidence and self-love to stretch out and take up space like a starfish.

Ellie’s dad is awesome, too. There’s one scene where he’s just witnessed some of the hurtful things people say to Ellie, and he begins to cry. Even writing about it now, my eyes are all weepy. He doesn’t do everything perfectly (which just makes him all the more realistic), but it’s so clear he loves Ellie. I love that.

I also love Ellie’s relationship with Catalina. At first, she’s unsure of this new skinny girl. But as she gets to know Catalina, she realizes that Catalina knows about discrimination. Catalina treats Ellie the way she should be treated– loving her for who she is and gently challenging Ellie to learn to love herself, too.

STARFISH is a novel in verse, so it’s a quick read that will leap straight to your heart. I think readers who enjoyed RECKLESS, GLORIOUS GIRL by Ellen Hagan will love this one.

Content Notes

Content warning for bullying.

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Ellie is fat. Her dad is Jewish and her mom is Christian. Ellie celebrates both religions. Ellie’s next door neighbors are Mexican American.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Ellie celebrates Shabbat and Hanukkah as well as Christmas with her family.

Violent Content
Bullies at school and home say cruel things to Ellie. In one scene, students sabotage Ellie’s desk so that it breaks when she sits on it.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog.

Review: Make This Book Wild by Jo Shofield and Fiona Danks

Book Review and Content, Middle Grade 8-12, Nonfiction, , , , , , , ,

Make This Book Wild
Jo Schofield and Fiona Danks
Wide-Eyed Editions
Published April 12, 2022

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Make This Book Wild

From the authors behind The Stick Book and many other outdoor adventure favorites, this interactive one-of-a-kind creative scrapbook offers children an outlet for creativity inspired by the wild world. 
 
This truly unique book contains prompts for all kinds of creative activity based around the natural world around us, from drawing to writing to mixed-media collage.
 
Readers will be encouraged to draw on their creativity, to express themselves without fear of being judged, and to make their book really WILD!
 
They will need scissors, pens, paints, tape, glue and a magnifying glass, plus lots of wild materials and their wildest creativity, as this book becomes filled with keepsakes from their own outdoor adventures.
 
From finding the faces hidden in pictures of trees, to collecting ingredients for a spell to keep nature safe, to sticking the feathers back onto a mythical bird, these prompts and activities will provide hours and hours of entertainment as they take children on flights of fantasy through the natural world.
 
Readers can color outside the lines, do the activities in any order and go at their own pace.
 
The mixture of art, creative writing, collecting, games, wildlife-watching and imaginative prompts will appeal to kids with all kinds of interests, and there are no rules!

My Review

This is such a cute, imaginative book! I love that it pairs imagination and nature together, celebrating curiosity and creativity along with opportunities to learn about the world around us.

I requested this book hoping that my daughter would be able to use this for some outside activities. There are definitely some things in here that she can do, but some of the activities are probably better for older kids, like maybe eight or ten years old. I think she would love making berry ink and creating little fairy outfits out of leaves and flower petals. There’s another activity in which you mash up some banana and mix with water to create a food for butterflies. Then you watch to see if any come to eat. I’m sure she would love that, and the similar one for birds. Although, where we live, it’s likely the squirrels will show up first and try to eat all the bird snacks. Ha.

All in all, I’m really impressed with the cleverness and creative approach this book takes to nature. The book contains more than 60 activities to do outside (or do with items collected from outside). So, it provides a LOT of opportunities to visit nature and spend time noticing the natural world around us. I’m a huge fan. I’m also eager to see how many of these activities my daughter and I can try out together.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
None.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
The book contains pictures of fairies and dragons and things like that.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of MAKE THIS BOOK WILD in exchange for my honest review.

Review: Hamra and the Jungle of Memories by Hanna Alkaf

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , , , ,

Hamra and the Jungle of Memories
Hanna Alkaf
HarperCollins
Published March 28, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Hamra and the Jungle of Memories

A Malaysian spin on Little Red Riding Hood from the critically acclaimed author of The Girl and the Ghost, Hanna Alkaf.

Courage is the strongest magic there is.

On Hamra’s thirteenth birthday, she receives nothing but endless nagging and yet another errand to run in the Langkawi jungle that looms behind her home.

No one has remembered her special day.

And so, stifled and angry, Hamra ignores something she shouldn’t: the rules of the jungle.

Always ask permission before you enter. Hamra walks boldly in.

Never take what isn’t yours. Hamra finds the most perfect jambu and picks it.

Of course, rules exist for a reason, and soon an enormous weretiger is stalking her dreams, demanding payment for her crimes–and Hamra embarks on a quest deep into the jungle to set things right.

For fans of Ikegna and A Tale Dark and Grimm comes a story of a brave heroine, a beguiling villain, fantastical worlds, magical adventures, and a journey that will remind you that hope, friendship, and love endures all.

My Review

What a fun story! Hamra’s adventure in the jungle swept me away. I loved the way the story is introduced. In a few places, the narrator kind of steps back and tells us things about what’s coming. Sometimes that mechanic doesn’t work for me, but it really felt like it was a good fit for this particular story.

I loved the relationship between Hamra and her grandmother. It was heartbreaking to see the divide between them caused by her memory issues and her illness. Her hopefulness when her grandmother had a moment of clarity made me cry every time. I can remember so deeply feeling the same ache with my grandmother during her illness, too.

I also really loved the dynamics in the friendship between Hamra and Ilyas, her best friend and neighbor. He’s so nerdy and sweet in all the best ways. I loved his loyalty and also the moments he pushes back on Hamra when she’s getting to be too controlling. We all need someone in our lives who can remind us to be our better selves, and he definitely does that for Hamra without rescuing her or mentoring her, just being her friend.

The way the story explores Little Red Riding Hood is really cool, too. At first glance, it may not seem to be much the same story, but as you look closer, there are a lot of similarities, so I loved the way the author created those parallels in less obvious ways. For example, Hamra lives with her grandmother, so her quest through the jungle isn’t about bringing a basket of goodies to her grandmother’s house. But for Hamra, the whole goal of the quest is to provide a cure for her grandmother’s dementia– helping her grandmother get well.

All in all, I thought this was a really clever, deeply immersive story with so much heart. I think readers who enjoyed THE PLENTIFUL DARKNESS by Heather Krassner or THE FIREBIRD SONG by Arnee Flores will love the strong characters and atmospheric storytelling of HAMRA AND THE JUNGLE OF MEMORIES.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Representation
Hamra and other characters are Malaysian.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
A man and woman kiss on the mouth.

Spiritual Content
Hamra wears a hijab. She mentions daily prayers and practices Islam. She and her allies visit places and people from Malay folktales, like ghosts or elves.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. A group of men with spears surround Hamra and her friends. Multiple creatures threaten them. A tiger attacks its enemies. Hamra and her friends have to pull all the teeth from a dangerous creature.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of HAMRA AND THE JUNGLE OF MEMORIES in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own.