Middle Grade Review: Dream On

 

Cassie has a hard time.

1. Her mom's attention is usually on a younger child

2. Cassie has a LOT of siblings

3. Her best friend moved and now they don't see each other as often

4. Another girl in class is trying to come between them

5. She's in between times - learning what is cool and what is babyish

6. She keeps being told that she's so sensitive

7. She wants to win a sweepstakes to make everyone else happy

My Thoughts: Finding your place is hard, especially when you're in that in between stage. My heart went out to poor Cassie. Friendships drama is hard to read, especially with mean girls. But I love how everything turned out. I wonder if this will be turned into a series; I wouldn't mind reading more about Cassie's friendship adventures. 

* Book sent for review

Why I read this graphic novel: I love the Best Friends series

Source: Book sent for Review

Library Recommendation: A must have graphic novel for your school and library's collection

Hand this to: readers struggling with friends or readers who love drama

Graphic Novel Review: Fresh Start

Ollie's used to moving (her dad is a diplomat) and creating a fresh start - which is great when you make a fool out of yourself. But it's also hard to keep friends when you're always moving. 

Ollie loves anime - particularly Quill. As she gets to know her classmates, she realizes that she might have judged them too soon. There are several who love anime - just like her. 

As she starts putting down roots, could everything be ripped away from her?

My Thoughts: This book was super cute. There was a lot of drama: friendship and family. Ollie's parents and her younger sister don't get along. Trouble bubbles up in the family. I love the addition of the hedgie. I really loved how the friendships developed - past and present. The illustrations are adorable. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have book for your school and graphic novel

Graphic Novel Review: Chickenpox

 

Abby's friends decide they want to hang at her house - for once. They think that being surrounded by her four siblings will be fun. Abby's always looking for ways to escape the chaos of her family. The day turns out as Abby expects - her siblings ruin the fun and drive her nuts. The next day her friends are talking negatively about her - saying she acted immaturely. Abby's not sure what to do, but the next day one of her friends is home sick with the chicken pox. 

Two weeks later, Abby and all her siblings also come down with the chicken pox. They are forced to quarantine together for up to ten days. Abby can't imagine anything worse. The house is noisy and everyone is fighting. Her dad has to leave for a business trip, making her the only one that can help their mom. Abby doesn't want to be responsible for her siblings. 

My Thoughts: This was a really fun read. I felt terrible for everyone in the house. Being sick is the worst, especially afterwards when you're feeling better but you're stuck in quarantine. I only have one sister and I can't imagine have three more. Even though most of the book took place during the sickness period - there's still lots of friendship drama and family drama. This is a quick read; I read it in one sitting because I wanted to know what happened. I did like how everything turned out.

Cover Thoughts: Captures the mood of the book

Source: Book sent for review

Library Recommendation: Highly recommended for your graphic novel school or public library collection

Middle Grade Review: Upstaged

It's the summer before high school starts and Ash can't wait to spend the summer at camp with their best friend and crush Ivy. It's going to be amazing. But nothing turns out as planned. They're not in the same bunch. Ivy gets the lead in the play and spends much of her time learning lines and choreography. Ash starts spending their time creating a masterpiece for the stage. They're the stage manager for the production. But the more time they spend apart, the more Ash becomes cranky. Will they have any time for fun this summer?

My Thoughts: This was a great graphic novel; I loved it. As someone who worked backstage at the theater, I enjoyed those parts of the book. Ash struggled with friendships this summer. There were people in their cabin that just wanted to hang out and be friends, but Ash couldn't see it. They were too focused on how everything was terrible. I did like how everything turned out. Lots of drama here!

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: Hand this one to all your theater kids! This is a fantastic graphic novel for your library's collection.

Graphic Novel Review: Clash

* Book 4 in the Click series * 

Olive's used to be friends with everyone - floating between groups is easy for her. Until Natasha arrives. Olive shows the new girl around school, but it's clear that Natasha isn't interested in being friends.

It's hard for Olive. She dismisses Natasha's mean comments - until she can't. She worries that her friends might choose Natasha over her...

My Thoughts:  I really enjoyed this book. I felt bad for Olive - especially the more she tried to hide her hurt feelings. There are so many feelings in middle school. I wanted to wrap Olive up in a hug. I felt terrible for her for dealing with all the friendship drama, the insecurities, and the meanness of Natasha. I did love how everything turned out. I do hope there are more Olive stories coming!

Oh and the art work is great too. I love the facial expressions. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: A must have series for your school and public libraries. 

Graphic Novel Review: Friends Forever

* Book 3 in the Friends series *

Shannon's in 8th grade and now has a solid group of friends. But she's still anxious and insecure. Shannon's figuring out how to be happy, how to be herself, and how to feel "normal."

My Thoughts: I adore this series - it's so thought provoking. Because Shannon goes through tough times. Middle school really is the worst. There are SO many feelings in middle school.  Friendship drama is so hard. Feeling insecure is terrible. It's hard figuring out boys. This book is heart wrenching and sad but also hopeful. I hope that this series continues through high school.

And this illustrations are amazingly good.

Cover Thoughts: Adorable

Source: My Library

Library Recommendation: This is a must have series for your school and public libraries.

Review: Keep it Together Keiko Carter

Keiko's about to start seventh grade, but she's not excited about all the changes happening. Her mom just went back to work full time. She wanted to join new clubs with her friends, but they don't have the same interests.

One of her best friends is concerned with finding boyfriends and attending the big fall dance. Her other best friend is interested in writing and the newspaper. And maybe one particular boy.

Suddenly Keiko's best friends aren't talking to each other. She's stuck in the middle, trying to hold everything together. But nothing seems to be working. Should she follow her heart or her desire to keep everything the same?

My Thoughts: I really loved this book and I'm so happy there's a companion novel coming. I felt terrible for Keiko as she navigated through all the changes in her life. But I also admired her for trying to make everyone happy and then for making herself happy. I liked her relationship with Carter. I loved both the dogs. There was the slight romance for two of the friends. And so much friend drama, but I loved the way everything turned out. There are a few instances of racism towards Keiko, which she handles. I can't wait to see what happens in the next book. Of course this book made me crave chocolate - and to reach out to my friends. 

Cover Thoughts: Adorable
Source: My library
Library Recommendation: A must have book for your school and public library

Graphic Novel Review: Real Friends

Shannon's best friend moved away. While she found a new best friend, it just wasn't the same. When Adrienne moves back, Shannon couldn't be happier. Everything will be back to normal.

Except it isn't. Adrienne's happy to be friends with Shannon, but she wants to hang out with other girls too. She becomes friends with the popular girls. Shannon joins them, but the popular girls don't seem to like her as much. And they are sometimes mean.

Shannon wishes they could break away from the group. But then she might have no friends. Is having no friends worse than having mean friends?

My Thoughts: A hard book to read, but I devoured it. It's hard to read because it's true and it hits home. Middle school is the worst for friendship and figuring out life. Girls are mean. You're insecure. It's just a cycle. I really liked this book and how it ended. It should be required reading for all middle schoolers because it's that good and that important. 

Cover Thoughts: Cute
Source: My Library

Librarian Recommendation: Buy this one immediately. And give it to everyone!

SummerTime Review: Nantucket Blue

Books perfect for the beach or to read by the pool

Cricket and Jules are almost like sisters - they spend so much time together. Cricket's beyond excited when she's invited to spend the summer with Jules and her family in Nantucket.

Then suddenly, Jules's mother dies, devastating both girls. Cricket tries to be there for her BFF, but Jules pushes her away. She also rescinds the summer invitation, saying it's a time for just family.

Cricket decides to take on a baby-sitting job on the island, just in case Jules needs her. Once she arrives, she discovers that the job is no longer available. She lands on her feet with the cleaning job at a nearby hotel.

Jules had no interest in her, but Cricket remains. Soon she's getting into a routine and enjoying herself despite the broken friendship.  Instead, she begins to fall for a guy - one who's off limits to her - a guy that if Jules knew about, would cause further damage to her friendship. Does it matter what your BFF thinks if you're not friends anymore?

My Thoughts: The perfect summer book that features friendship drama and romance. I love how most of the book focused on the friendship between the two girls - how they were there for each other - what went wrong- and if their friendship can be fixed. The friendship was full of misunderstanding and betrayals and broken hearts. I really enjoyed the quirky secondary characters that Cricket meets at the hotel. I liked the romance and how it changed things. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel featuring the following summer.

Cover Thoughts: I like it, but I wish it had been two girls instead of a romance cover
Source: My Library

Review: Reality Check

Charlie works at a coffee shop where her three best friends come hang out with her during her working hours. A scout spies them there one day and asks if they're interested in having their own reality show centered around Charlie.

Charlie's not sure she wants to do the show. What if it changes their amazing friendship? Her BFFs Keiran, Brooke, and Hallie really want to do the show. So she caves.

At first, it's weird in front of the cameras, but soon the girls don't notice the intrusion. They're spilling secrets, dating boys, and fighting with each other. When the first show airs, they're astonished to see how different it appears than their real life together.

Charlie notices a BIG change in her life. Her would be boyfriend doesn't want to be on T.V. - thus they can't go on dates together. She's fighting more with her friends - especially Brooke. Brooke isn't happy that the show centers on Charlie and begins to create her own star power. Keiran always has to baby-sit her siblings, making her life a tad on the boring side. Hallie wants to find true love, but in the reality world, that's really hard.

Will the girls survive the show with their friendship intact or will the cameras pull them apart as they swore they wouldn't?

My Thoughts: I really LOVE this author. This book sucked me in and devoured it. I couldn't stop reading it. I loved the angle of this book in the midst of all the reality T.V. shows (which I can't understand). I loved the friendships between the girls, the drama from the show, and their relationships with boys.

The Cover: A little creepy, but unique and thus eye-catching

Source: My Library