Tag Archives: Sibling Relationships

YA – Plan A

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Caletti, Deb. Plan A. Labyrinth Road, 2023. 978-0-593-48555-2. 416 p. $21.99. Grades 9-12.

Ivy DeVries has a lot of opinions just like the other women in her family. Living in Paris, Texas, however, her opinions do not always align with the political and religious landscape of the town. When Ivy becomes pregnant after an encounter she refers to as “The Uglies,” she is stunned to learn that abortions are illegal in Texas. But Ivy has a life and a future ahead of her, so she makes the choice to get an abortion. Her mother, brother, and boyfriend Lorenzo (who is not the father) are completely supportive of her decision even if her friends and neighbors are not. She embarks on a road trip with Lorenzo with an end destination of her grandmother’s beach house in Oregon where she can safely and legally get the healthcare she needs. Along the way, Lorenzo and Ivy decide to stop at all the places around the world within the western United States: Lima, Florence, Rome, and more. Along the way, Ivy stays with different relatives and friends of the family only to find out that every woman she knows has some kind of story about the choices (or lack of choices) they had to make regarding their bodies. Throughout her journey, Ivy realizes the strength she has within herself to do what is right for HER.

THOUGHTS: Although this topic is a bit controversial, especially for a school library, the story is one that is absolutely necessary to tell. Caletti handles the topic with sensitivity and honesty while leaving out any graphic details. This book is so powerful and should be in high school libraries with supportive communities.

Realistic Fiction

MG – Tegan and Sara: Junior High

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Quin, Tegan and Sara. Tegan and Sara: Junior High. Farrar Straus Giroux, 2023. 978-1-516-05891-4. 298 p. $22.99. Grades 5-8.

Identical twins Tegan and Sara are starting 7th grade in a new school district now that they are living with their mother and stepfather. Unfortunately, middle school is not living up to the hype. The twins are in separate classes, dealing with first periods, and struggling to make new friends that they both like. The twins even start bickering for the first time in their lives. While navigating all of this, both twins are grappling with the idea that they might like girls, something they haven’t even shared with each other. Nothing seems to be going right until they discover a guitar stored in the garage and coated in dust. It belongs to their stepdad Bruce who, unbeknownst to them, was in a band back in the day. From the strum of the first chord, they are hooked. Tegan and Sara realize they have a natural gift for playing guitar and writing songs, and this closes the rift between them. They start a band and begin playing at friends’ parties. Once they realize they are stronger together, they take on junior high as a team.

THOUGHTS: Middle grade students may not know Tegan and Sara as indie rock stars that they are, but they are sure to relate to the semi-autobiographical book. Based on their adult memoir, the graphic novel version places Tegan and Sara in modern day rather than the 1990s when they actually attended high school. The illustrations are colorful and interspersed with Tegan and Sara’s inner thoughts that they only share with each other and now, the reader. This could be a great addition to middle grade libraries, especially for fans of the Sunny series and Raina Telegemeier.

Graphic Novel

Elem. – The Piper’s Promise

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Cypess, Leah. The Piper’s Promise. Delacorte Press, 2023. 978-0-593-17891-1. 281 p. $16.99. Grades 3-5.

The Piper’s Promise follows Clare whose brother is the pied piper who stole the children of Hamelin. Clare shows up to the town in order to offer her help to rescue and return the children. The mayor of Hamelin agrees, but insists that Clare must take his daughter Anna with her. As Clare and Anne go off on this adventure into the Faerie Realm, nothing is as it seems and the girls will encounter traps and try to stay away from the Rat Prince in order to accomplish their mission. But Clare knows there has to be a good reason why her brother took the children, and she is determined to find that out!

THOUGHTS: This is the third book in the Sisters Ever After series, but I think this can be read as a stand alone. There isn’t a ton of fantasy/world building within this book, so it’s extremely approachable for younger readers.

Fantasy

Elem./MG – Four Eyes

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Ogle, Rex, and Dave Valeza, illustrator. Four Eyes. Graphix. 2023. 978-1-338-57496-8. 218 p. $12.99. Grades 3-7.

In Four Eyes by Rex Ogle, with illustrations by Dave Valeza, Rex faces the many universal perils of starting middle school. He hasn’t had a growth spurt, the county’s recent redistricting means most of his friends aren’t at his new school, and money is tight at home despite his mom and step-dad’s best efforts. In addition, his vision problems are causing headaches and trouble taking accurate notes (no, WWII did not begin in 1989). The solution? Glasses! Glasses are expensive, though, and Rex must ask his father to help pay for them. His dad reluctantly agrees, but Rex’s new accessory triggers the school bullies to single him out. Even worse, Rex’s longtime friend Drew ditches him for the popular kids. Rex wonders if he can survive sixth grade with new glasses and no friends, until a new friend and some advice from his abuela help get his life back in focus. Bright artwork and a relatable protagonist will endear readers to the spectacle of Rex’s story.

THOUGHTS: This middle grade graphic novel chronicles the author’s own experience with getting glasses in sixth grade. It’s funny, heartfelt, and almost painfully real. 

Graphic Novel

Rex is dreading the start of middle school, especially when his best friend Drew suddenly seems too cool for him. In fact, Drew’s new friends from the football team constantly bully Rex while Drew stands by silently. In class, Rex finds that he cannot see the board, and he comes home with a splitting headache every day. That means Rex needs glasses. At first, he is excited about a cool gunmetal pair, but when his mother sees the price, she makes him go with a cheaper, uglier pair. His mom’s waitressing job and his stepfather’s landscaping business do not make a lot of money, and even though Rex’s dad pitches in from time to time, money is tight. This didn’t bother Rex too much before, but now, his ugly glasses mean Rex gets picked on even more. Rex sinks into self-pity and negativity until he has a conversation with his abuela, who lived a very difficult life in Mexico before she came to the United States. It puts his life into perspective. With the support of a new friend and a newfound confidence, Rex learns to love himself and find gratitude for all that his parents do for him. 

THOUGHTS: Rex Ogle’s Four Eyes is the first in a series of autobiographical graphic novels. The illustrations will draw in fans of Raina Telegemeier’s work and similarly, the theme of fitting in will resonate with middle school students. This story is touching yet funny; it would be a solid addition to middle grade graphic novel collections.

Graphic Novel

Elem. – The Midnight Club

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Goth, Shane. The Midnight Club. Owlkids, 2021. 978-1-771-47394-1. Unpaged. $19.95. Grades PreK-1. 

Milly and her older sister Becca are members of the Midnight Club. When the clock strikes midnight, they quietly slip downstairs to explore their darkened home. As any good club does, the Midnight Club has rules. The siblings must tiptoe around the criss-crossed shadows of the upstairs window panes. Another rule of this magical time at night is that they can do whatever they want–whether it be sitting in their father’s chair and sampling his jelly beans or trying on their mother’s coat. They are joined in their adventures by a third member of the club–Oliver the cat. When their eyes grow heavy and they begin to yawn, it’s time to bring the club meeting to an end and return to their room before they are discovered. Young Ling Kang’s watercolor, pencil and digital illustrations bathe the darkened house in hues of blue and purple, with yellow street lights shining in through windows. This helps to create the shadows that the girls use to make shapes on the wall during their nighttime escapades. 

THOUGHTS: A sibling secret club will be quite relatable to many children, as will the idea of embarking upon home-exploring adventures. Kang’s illustrations lend the story a sense of nighttime stillness and atmosphere perfect for night adventures. Recommended. 

Picture Book            Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

Elem. – Elsie

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Robert, Nadine. Elsie. Abrams, 2020. 978-1-419-74072-5. Unpaged. $16.99. Grades K-2. 

On nice and sunny Sundays, the seven siblings in the Filpot bunny family go fishing. Elsie doesn’t quite fit in with her older siblings–she would rather stay at home than go fishing. She’s a unique personality with her own way of doing things. This can cause conflict with her siblings, who try to convince her to do things the “right” way. Elsie would rather walk along the brook when the rest of the family wants to to walk through the woods. When Elsie wants to bait her hook with a buttercup, her siblings (who prefer traditional bait) exclaim that she shouldn’t do it and it won’t work! When the family eats their lunch, Elsie wants to feed her sandwiches to the ducklings. But when Elsie catches a large fish with her buttercup bait, her siblings realize that Elsie’s ideas, though different from their own, have merit and should be respected and valued. The text is enhanced by the detailed tempera and watercolor illustrations of Maja Kastelic. Each bunny has a unique appearance and the woodland setting is filled with flora and fauna to engage the attention of the reader.

THOUGHTS: This delightful bunny tale would make an ideal read aloud choice and could easily be integrated into lessons on respecting others opinions and viewpoints, acceptance, individuality, and more. Highly recommended.

Picture Book          Elizabeth Henry, Lampeter-Strasburg SD

YA – Again Again

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Lockhart, e. Again Again. Delacorte Press, 2020. 978-0-385-74479-9. 286 p. $18.99. Grades 7 and up.

After moving and family upheaval, Adelaide Buchwald is trying to find herself. It’s the summer between her junior and senior years, and she has taken a job as a dog walker (and watcher). As she deals with the dogs, her family dysfunction, lack of motivation and focus, a serious breakup, and a new crush, Adelaide reconciles herself with the “what is” but wishes for the “what could be.” When she meets Nick (or re-meets him), she begins to fantasize about how things should be or could be while trying to ignore what is. When Adelaide finally realizes that she must face who she is and what actually is, instead of “who she could be” or “what could be,” she begins the process of forgiveness: forgiveness of herself; forgiveness of her parents; forgiveness of her brother, and forgiveness of what will not be.

THOUGHTS: Again Again is a fun magical realism, romance. Adelaide plays through every situation in the hope of the best outcome (or possibly the worst outcomes). This trait may be very familiar to readers, especially teens, which adds to the connection to Adelaide; she is an easily understandable character. The text font changes as situations change from reality to Adelaide’s imagination. This is harder to follow when listening to the audio book, which is excellent, but easy to see when looking at the print novel. This is a sure-to-please lighthearted romance for all ages.

Romance          Erin Bechdel, Beaver Area SD
Magical Realism

YA – Turtle Under Ice

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Del Rosario, Juleah. Turtle Under Ice. Simon Pulse, 2020. 259 p. $18.99 978-15344-4295-5 Grades 9-12.

Teenage sisters Rowena and Ariana have drifted apart since the unexpected death of their mother several years ago. Rowena has thrown herself into soccer, becoming a respected top athlete on her team. Fearing change, Ariana has retreated into…nothing, and risks failing school. The sisters’ closeness has become a barrier as they both fear moving on, and as they both communicate less, and less honestly. Their father has remarried a woman they also love, and the family is incredibly hopeful about the arrival of their new half-sister. However, Maribel suffers a miscarriage, and the loss is too cruel for the sisters. “Our sister’s heart stopped beating/like our mother’s, unexpectedly/on a day that was otherwise/normal” (53).  Ariana vanishes, which leaves Rowena feeling angry and abandoned. This novel in verse is narrated by both sisters as they try to come to terms with this new grief, in addition to the unending grief of losing their mother. Slowly, both sisters discover that their grief has led them to close themselves off to others. Rowena tracks down Ariana at an art exhibit, where Ariana shows a painting “Turtle Under Ice” in memory of their mother. The relief comes very slowly as both girls see hope in Ariana’s art.

THOUGHTS: Del Rosario has a way with creating beautiful images with her words: “Our family…/is a frayed string of lights/that someone needs to fix/with electrical tape./It’s the electricity/that can’t get to us/because Mom’s bulb/has burned out,/so now the whole string is dark./But without the lights turned on/does anyone even notice/that we are broken?” (43-44). Ultimately, the insightful thoughts aren’t enough to save this novel from the monotonous weight of the crushing grief and depression, and the cover does little to draw in all but the most curious of readers. Recommended where novels in verse or multiple narrators are in heavy demand.

Realistic Fiction          Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD
Novel in Verse

MG – How to Be a Girl in the World

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Carter, Caela. How to Be a Girl in the World. Harper Collins Childrens, 2020. 294 p. $16.99 978-0-062-67270-4 Grades 5-8.

Lydia has spent the entire summer in pants, long sleeves, and turtlenecks, despite the heat, despite her single mom’s concerned comments, and despite friends’ odd looks. Lydia knows she’s not normal, and she doesn’t want to talk about it. Lydia, her biracial cousin Emma, and Lydia’s mom are proudly moving from an apartment to a dilapidated house of their own. Living in the house will require a huge amount of work (it’s chock full of dusty furniture left behind), but Lydia sees in it a chance to be safe. She would love to escape the nicknames, looks and comments of the boys at her private school. She shivers at men’s glances on the subway, or sitting too close. She feels extremely uncomfortable with her mom’s boyfriend Jeremy, whose hugs are just a little too long or too tight, and who assumes a greater friendliness with Lydia and Emma than Lydia would like. But no one else seems to notice any problem, so Lydia knows it’s her. She’s not normal, and if she can’t fix it, at least she can hide herself. Then maybe she’ll feel protected. In the new house, she finds a room full of herbs in jars and a book of spells. It’s exactly what she needs and even allows her to re-forge a connection with the best friend she’s ignored for the summer. They both try the spells, but the boys’ behavior and Jeremy’s behavior only becomes more troublesome, and an outburst from Lydia results in her being suspended from school. Lydia finally confides in her mother about the boys’ treatment of her, and her mother swiftly comes to her aid. When Lydia next explains Jeremy’s actions, her mother is devastated but resolute that Jeremy will never set foot in their house again. To Lydia, the revelatory message that she alone makes “the rules” concerning her body is freeing, and the new understanding and openness with those around her helps her to learn to own those rules.

THOUGHTS: This is a powerful, “ordinary” story that every middle school girl would benefit from reading. It’s for every girl who’s ever been told, “it’s no big deal,” “you’re such a baby,” “that’s part of being a girl,” etc. And it’s for every boy who’s ever been told, “she likes it,” “you’re just being a boy,” or “looking doesn’t hurt.”  Pair with Barbara Dee’s Maybe He Just Likes You.

Realistic Fiction          Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD

MG – Golden Arm

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Deuker, Carl. Golden Arm. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020. $17.99. 978-0-358-01242-9 . Grades 5-8.

Sixteen-year-old Laz Weathers may be slow, but he sees his future baseball prospects pretty clearly. His solid pitching gets no real training and won’t get noticed in his small, poor district. His own weak academics, his stutter, and his ‘tics’ in response to anxiety don’t do him any favors, either. It’s Laz’s younger half-brother, Alberto, who people respond to, and who will speak up when Laz can’t or won’t. But this summer, Alberto’s father has returned and moved in with their mom in their trailer park, causing initial resentment and adjustment by both boys. Laz convinces Alberto to stick with the scrappy baseball team led by Coach L—, who coaxes and cajoles thirteen youths to join the team, then badgers coaches of established teams to compete. Thanks to Laz’s pitching, they often win, which gets him noticed. Laz learns that his family must move (the trailer park will be razed for a high-rise) and that his district will eliminate baseball for his senior year. This allows Laz to join another team, if they’ll have him. A coach who noticed his “golden arm” will give Laz a chance, but can he leave when Alberto is being drawn into drug dealing? Just when Laz has the perfect chance to shine in a championship game, Laz learns his brother is in serious danger from his drug-abusing friends, and it doesn’t matter if Alberto has used, sold, or not–he’s the immediate target. Laz’s choices show his character and alter everything for his future.

THOUGHTS: Deuker shines with baseball scenes and infuses each interaction with tension and a sense of doom. This is hard to put down and will pull in baseball fans and non-fans (the sports writing is that superb). Readers will root for Laz, even as they see everything stacked against him. When the novel ends, I found myself wondering about a sequel showing Laz’s choices in a tough environment over the next 5-10 years, and how his integrity will be tested. This powerful, timeless novel melds baseball with the pressures of class status, mixes dreams with hard reality, and the result is a first-choice novel not to be missed.

Sports Fiction          Melissa Scott, Shenango Area SD