Shows readers that being kind is more important than belonging to the right clique.
Science-crazy seventh grader Lily Blake Cooper hopes that transferring to a new middle school will transform her from nerdy geek to social butterfly.
At Lily’s old school, mean girl Courtenay and her bevy made her life hell; looks and money seemed to be all that mattered. Before embarking on a fresh start, Lily devises a science experiment to try to solve the mystery of middle school popularity. However, science turns out not to be the ideal tool for making these life changes. Deciding to go by Blake and improving her wardrobe help, but the new school turns out to have plenty of pitfalls of its own. The coveted science club is superserious and less fun than the kitchen science Lily loves, not to mention that here the science-y kids rule, looking down on those who are less successful academically. A series of messy pranks target Lily and her classmates, and eventually a cruel prank which is hard to recover from socially is played on her. Although the characters tend toward two-dimensionality, the swiftly paced, first-person narrative keeps readers engaged, and the message that putting others down is wrong, no matter the reason, is valuable. Lily’s social awkwardness and lack of confidence will resonate with many tweens. Her growing ability to deal with whatever life throws at her is relatable and engaging. Most characters present White.
Shows readers that being kind is more important than belonging to the right clique. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: June 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-68027-0
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
Riveting, inspiring, and sometimes hilarious.
If you made a recording to be heard by the aliens who found the iPod, what would you record?
For 11-year-old Alex Petroski, it's easy. He records everything. He records the story of how he travels to New Mexico to a rocket festival with his dog, Carl Sagan, and his rocket. He records finding out that a man with the same name and birthday as his dead father has an address in Las Vegas. He records eating at Johnny Rockets for the first time with his new friends, who are giving him a ride to find his dead father (who might not be dead!), and losing Carl Sagan in the wilds of Las Vegas, and discovering he has a half sister. He even records his own awful accident. Cheng delivers a sweet, soulful debut novel with a brilliant, refreshing structure. His characters manage to come alive through the “transcript” of Alex’s iPod recording, an odd medium that sounds like it would be confusing but really works. Taking inspiration from the Voyager Golden Record released to space in 1977, Alex, who explains he has “light brown skin,” records all the important moments of a journey that takes him from a family of two to a family of plenty.
Riveting, inspiring, and sometimes hilarious. (Fiction. 10-14)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-18637-0
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick.
An elderly witch, a magical girl, a brave carpenter, a wise monster, a tiny dragon, paper birds, and a madwoman converge to thwart a magician who feeds on sorrow.
Every year Elders of the Protectorate leave a baby in the forest, warning everyone an evil Witch demands this sacrifice. In reality, every year, a kind witch named Xan rescues the babies and find families for them. One year Xan saves a baby girl with a crescent birthmark who accidentally feeds on moonlight and becomes “enmagicked.” Magic babies can be tricky, so Xan adopts little Luna herself and lovingly raises her, with help from an ancient swamp monster and a chatty, wee dragon. Luna’s magical powers emerge as her 13th birthday approaches. Meanwhile, Luna’s deranged real mother enters the forest to find her daughter. Simultaneously, a young carpenter from the Protectorate enters the forest to kill the Witch and end the sacrifices. Xan also enters the forest to rescue the next sacrificed child, and Luna, the monster, and the dragon enter the forest to protect Xan. In the dramatic denouement, a volcano erupts, the real villain attempts to destroy all, and love prevails. Replete with traditional motifs, this nontraditional fairy tale boasts sinister and endearing characters, magical elements, strong storytelling, and unleashed forces. Luna has black eyes, curly, black hair, and “amber” skin.
Guaranteed to enchant, enthrall, and enmagick. (Fantasy. 10-14)Pub Date: Aug. 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61620-567-6
Page Count: 400
Publisher: Algonquin
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
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