So Many Great New Books!

While I do spend a lot of my time reading, I have gotten a bit more time added to my life because my classroom has a student teacher right now who has taken over the full time teaching and grading. Here are some middle grade novels that are new releases that I enjoyed!

I Kill The Mockingbird - 4/5 stars. Three friends decide that the best way to honor a former teacher who has recently passed away would be to make To Kill A Mockingbird the must read book of the summer in their town. Their plot is so successful that the book becomes the center of a revolution of sorts and the trio must decide how to end the ordeal! I REALLY enjoyed this story! I loved all of the nods to other literature I have read. The innocent love story that develops throughout between Lucy (narrator) and Michael is totally believeable and fun to follow.  I thought the characters were likeable, but a rare find in today's world. Are there kids, tweens, eighth students who speak to their friends like these characters do? Probably, but not in great numbers...unfortunately.  And that combined with the background knowledge of literature I feel a reader would need to truly understand the references to the literature discussed in the novel, were what kept this book being rated a 5/5. I think it would be a great follow up to a student who actually reads To Kill A Mockingbird or a great read aloud so that the references could be discussed. It is a clever plot line. In much the same way that that I feel about Breadcrumbs, which is a fantastic read but needs fairy tale knowledge to understand many references, a reader who does not have background knowledge of more classic literature, mainly To Kill A Mockingbird, will miss so much while reading.  



Fish In A Tree - 5/5 stars - Ally is constantly in trouble and is no fan of school, but when a new teacher begins that might all be changing!
My favorite read over the last few weeks! I think I might make this my new read aloud for the beginning of the school year since so many of my students now come in having read Wonder , my favorite 6th grade read aloud, in elementary school. I think this will be a beautiful way to launch the school year and give us a common character to root for, as we do when we read about Auggie in Wonder. Readers who have loved Wonder, Flying Solo, and Because of Mr. Terupt should check this out too!



Great Greene Heist - 4/5 stars - Reformed Con man, Jackson Greene, might decide to come out of retirement if Keith Sinclair really decides to run for school president! Clever schemes, quick banter, and mulitple story lines that include crushes, gross lunch room food, and family interactions make this a must read for all middle school kids.
 FUN FUN FUN read! This is Ocean Eleven meets Middle School! I loved the multiple characters and story lines. The story was fast paced and clever. Definitely going on my read aloud list. Kids who liked Fourth Stall but haven't found much since that is similiar might enjoy this read. This book might pair well with Swindle as well.