This Librarian's Quick Picks: Children of Exile

Children of Exile
by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Simon & Schuster (2016)
Middle grade science fiction

Summary:

For the past twelve years, adults called “Freds” have raised Rosi, her younger brother Bobo, and the other children of their town, saying it is too dangerous for them to stay with their parents, but now they are all being sent back. Since Rosi is the oldest, all the younger kids are looking to her with questions she doesn’t have the answers to. She’d always trusted the Freds completely, but now she’s not so sure.

Why You'll Love It:

• It's a perfect next read for kiddos who loved Haddix's Shadow Children series.
• Haddix's tone and language and the absence of graphic violence make this an ideal selection for younger readers eager for a dystopian novel. 
• Fast-paced action, plot twists, and cliff-hanger chapter endings will keep readers on the edge of their seats.

Who Should Read It:

Great for 4th-8th graders.

What Else You Should Read:

• City of Ember series by Jeanne DuPrau
• School of the Dead by Avi
• Psi Chronicles series by Lana Krumwiede

Spread the middle grade love! Visit Marvelous Middle Grade Monday for more great MG literature.

Books by Theme: If You Like Alan Bradley...

Flavia de Luce, Canadian author Alan Bradley's precocious 11-year-old chemistry-loving creation, has charmed mystery readers since her award-winning debut in 2009's The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. In a small 1950s English village, clever Flavia tinkers around the chemistry lab in the large country home she shares with her eccentric widower father and quarrelsome older sisters -- and she occasionally solves a murder. While there isn't another sleuth quite like daring, droll Flavia, some of the books below might interest her smitten fans.

Inspector Armand Gamache mysteries by Louise Penny

The Armand Gamache and Flavia De Luce mysteries are intelligent, character centered, cozies set in small towns. Although the locales and time periods differ, the conversational tone and feel are similar. They also share casts of eccentric secondary characters as well as unique investigators.

Mary Russell and Sherlock Holmes mysteries by Laurie R. King

If you prefer your settings English and your young heroines fearless, the precocious young women in these historical mystery series should be your cup of tea. However, while Mary Russell ages throughout that series, 11-year-old Flavia de Luce does not.

Maisie Dobbs novels by Jacqueline Winspear

Despite the age difference between these two sleuths, who investigate during different historical periods, readers who enjoy intelligent characters, well-depicted British settings, and strong, resourceful female protagonists may enjoy both the 11-year-old Flavia and the slightly older Maisie Dobbs.

Mini Review: Fat Girl Walking by Brittany Gibbons

Fat Girl Walking
by Brittany Gibbons
Dey Street Books (2015)
Memoir/Humor

What's It All About?

Told through a series of larger-than-life snapshots, a hilarious memoir in essays about love, sex, marriage, motherhood, bikinis, and loving your body, no matter what size you are from the acclaimed blogger and body image advocate.

Brittany Gibbons has been a plus size her whole life. But instead of hiding herself in the shadows of thinner women, Brittany became a wildly popular blogger and national spokesmodel--known for stripping on stage at TedX and standing in Times Square in a bikini on national television, and making skinny people everywhere uncomfortable.

Who Should Read It?

If you love brutally honest memoirs that might make you alternately cringe and pee your pants a little, read this one. Great for fans of Jen Lancaster and Laurie Notaro. 4 stars.



What Else Should I Read?

• Big Girl by Kelsey Miller
• I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron

What If I Don't Believe You?

Don't take my word for it! Read these other reviews:

Slashed Beauty | A Daily Pinch | Shower Sweat Repeat

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Dara Palmer's Major Drama

Dara Palmer's Major Drama
by Emma Shevah
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky (July 2016)
Fiction

Summary:

Dara Palmer dreams of being an actress, but when she does not get a part in the school play she wonders if it is because of her different looks as an adopted girl from Cambodia, so Dara becomes determined not to let prejudice stop her from being in the spotlight.

Why You'll Love It:

• Dara is a winning, fittingly overdramatic character who starts to grow once she takes a more serious look her life and those in it. 
• With themes of transracial adoption, racism, identity, friendship, and sibling rivalry (not to mention a hyperactively decorated page design), there's a lot going on here, but Shevah's novel raises interesting questions without attempting to neatly answer them all.
• Crawford-White's charming doodle illustrations along the margins reflects Dara's inner monologues throughout the book.

Who Should Read It:

Great for 3rd-6th graders...and here's the discussion guide.

What Else You Should Read:

• Dream On, Amber by Emma Shevah
• Five, Six, Seven, Nate! by Tim Federle
• Misadventures of the Family Fletcher by Dana Alison Levy

P.S. I've discovered a great place to find more middle grade books! Check out Marvelous Middle Grade Monday for more suggestions.

#lifegoals

That's all for today, folks...

Books By Theme: If you like Ann Patchett...

Ann Patchett is the author of six novels, The Patron Saint of Liars, Taft, The Magician's Assistant, Bel Canto, Run, and State of Wonder. She was the editor of Best American Short Stories, 2006, and has written three books of nonfiction, Truth & Beauty, about her friendship with the writer, Lucy Grealy, What now? an expansion of her graduation address at Sarah Lawrence College, and, most recently, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage, a collection of essays that examines the theme of commitment. 

If you've read and enjoyed Patchett's work, you'll probably like these authors too!
(Click on each author's name for their full list of works.)

Anne Tyler

Though Anne Tyler's writing is down to earth and Ann Patchett's contains hints of magical realism, both authors show deep insight into human nature in their thoughtful, somewhat bittersweet, character-driven novels. Both develop themes defining friendship and family in contemporary America; and how different yet interlinked people respond to significant life events.

Sara Gruen

Literary fiction writers Ann Patchett and Sara Gruen, both favorites of book groups, write thought-provoking works of social commentary. Their novels feature richly layered characters, complex moral dilemmas, beautifully crafted prose, and evocative, often exotic settings.

Gloria Naylor

Both authors create moving, character-driven novels, often with a hint of magical realism. In prose that skillfully shifts from direct to poetic, psychological and social issues play out between families, friends, and the contemporary American world around them. Their insights can be bittersweet but they promote hope in a thoughtful manner.