Stay Where You Are And Then Leave

Stay Where You Are And Then Leave by John Boyne is a 245 page historical fiction novel set in London, England during World War I.  Historical fiction is such a great genre because you get a great story AND a history lesson all in one novel.  There are LOTS of historical fiction novels out there about World War II, but surprisingly not near as many about World War I.  This is a great read to learn more about what life felt like for civilians NOT fighting in the Great War, particularly children, and what they also did to help the war effort.  The book also sheds light on original diagnosis of "shell shock," (which we now call PTSD) and how doctors were noticing that while some soldiers came home physically scarred from the war, others were mentally scarred.

Alfie is a young boy growing up in London, England when war is declared on his 5th birthday, ruining his birthday party.  Suddenly Alfie realizes the grown ups are acting strange and not getting along - some support the way, some are against it.  Alfie's parents are immediately in disagreement when his father, who drives the milk cart for the community, says he wants to enlist.  Alfie's mother and grandmother are furious with him and beg him not to.  But Alfie's father shows up one evening in uniform and the family is torn apart.  Alfie's world flips upside down in a matter of days when his father leaves for war and suddenly Alfie's best friend across the street is plucked from her home with her father since he was born in Prague and a threat of being a spy.  Four years slowly pass and Alfie's five year old life is only a memory of better times.  His best friend is still gone and his mother is never home.  She now works long hours as a nurse at a hospital while taking on other odd jobs to help ends meet, like laundry and mending clothes.  Alfie and his mother never hear from his father anymore and Alfie is convinced he has died, but his mother continues to tell him his father is on a secret mission for the government, but Alfie senses something is not right.  Alfie begins skipping school most days a week to head to the King's Cross train station to shine shoes to help earn extra money for their family.  He meets all sorts of people at the train station, even shining the shoes of the Prime Minister.  One day a doctor has his shoes shined while waiting on his train. While having his shoes shined and reading through some of his medical records, the doctor drops the files and papers begin to blow through the train station.  Alfie helps to quickly collect them and as he hands them back to the doctor, he notices his father's name, birthday, and ID number on one of the files.  Alfie is shocked and now more determined than ever to find out the truth about his father and if he is still alive.

Stay Where You Are And Then Leave is a great read for anyone looking to learn more about World War I (which is covered in 6th grade history standards).  It is a male narrator, so I encourage this one for the guys as well as the girls.  Although this book is about war, it does not have a lot of graphic content.  However, I would still recommend this for older readers (not younger than 5th grade) because John Boyne does jump around in time quite a bit.  It will take a more avid reader to follow along with the story's action and properly follow the events.  It is also set in London, so there are some words and phrases common to the British language.  It is a very heartfelt story of a little boy who is confused about the big world events going on in the world around him, but just wants to help and do the right thing.  If you enjoy this novel, you may also enjoy The Boy In The Striped Pajamas and The Boy At The Top Of The Mountain, which are both historical fiction novels about World War II.        

The Unteachables

The Unteachables is a realistic fiction novel by Gordon Korman.  It is about 280 pages with short chapters that are about 5-8 pages each.  Gordon Korman has a unique structure in many of his books (including this one) that is all his own - each chapter is from a different character's perspective.  So while the novel is told in first person point of view, the reader gets the privilege of knowing the thoughts and emotions of many characters - and sometimes even secrets and events the other characters don't get to know.

Zachary Kermit used to be a great teacher - one of the best.  But a cheating scandal on a state test in his classroom sabotaged his teaching career.  The well-known scandal in the small town of Greenwich has haunted him through his entire career and even wrecked his relationship with the woman he was engaged to marry.  Since then, he has not been the same - doesn't connect with his students, doesn't care about the job, and generally burned out from teaching.  Now he is just one year away from retirement and just has to hang on until June until he can put this all behind him.  The superintendent of the school system has been trying to run him off for years, and now in one final, desperate attempt, he assigns Mr. Kermit to teach "The Unteachables" in room 117.  SCS-8 (the Self-Contained Special class for 8th graders) is a group of kids that have been given up on.  It is filled with troublemakers, academic failures, and social embarrassments.  The kids in this room have been put there by other teachers who see them as a lost cause - a place to put them until they can send them to the high school and become someone else's problem.  Elaine (that rhymes with pain) is the school's biggest bully and always a threat for physical torture, Parker is in the eighth grade and still cannot read a word, Aldo is well-known in the school for his anger management problems and can usually be found punching lockers or vending machines, Rahim doesn't even stay awake at school long enough to count his attendance, and "Barnstorm" Anderson used to be the school's star jock, but now that he is injured, teacher's aren't giving him As anymore and his lack of academic knowledge is certainly showing through.  Mr. Kermit walks into class (very late) on the first day to find the students with a fire in the classroom trash can and roasting marshmallows.  All they have to do is figure out how to survive each other for a year, which shouldn't be a problem, right?  Mr. Kermit isn't interested in teaching; "The Unteachables" are not interested in learning.  But it isn't that simple - especially when the superintendent is determined to run off Mr. Kermit before the end of the year.  The year certainly does not go as either group expected it to! 

I think The Unteachables is a great middle school book, especially because the events take place at a middle school.  Gordon Korman is a great middle school author that I often recommend to my classroom students.  His books are very realistic, but have a great dose of humor that often appeals to middle school readers - both boys and girls alike. The Unteachables have some interesting and unexpected characters that many readers will also enjoy.  I definitely recommend this lighthearted book for easy summer reading.  It definitely offers a great look at what can happen to a person when you find someone that believes in you!    
     

The False Prince

The False Prince is a fiction novel by Jennifer Nielsen.  This is a longer novel - about 350 pages.  For some readers, longer books can be scary or overwhelming, so this may be something to take into consideration in deciding if this is the "just right" book for you.  The novel is more fantasy fiction, with the events taking place in an older (unspecified) time of kings and queens in a fictional land called Carthya.  The book provides a map at the front of the book, which includes Carthya and the surrounding lands and seas.  This is the first book in a trilogy, followed by The Runaway King and The Shadow Throne. While the following books continue the story, I do think you could just read the first novel since it does not end on a cliffhanger.

The country of Carthya is about to find itself in a time of great turmoil.  The king, queen, and oldest son Darius, the heir to the throne, have just been murdered and it is only a matter of time before everyone in the kingdom learns of their fate.  When that happens, there will surely be a fatal struggle between the men of the court over who should then be the ruler of Carthya.  In a desperate attempt to prevent a civil war, one of the country's noblemen, Bevin Conner, devises a plan to save the kingdom.  Conner scours the country's orphanages to find 4 forgotten boys - Latamer, Sage, Rodan, and Tobias - who he will train for two weeks to take on the identity of the long-lost Prince Jaron, the king and queen's youngest son who disappeared four years ago when pirates attacked his ship.  Prince Jaron was assumed to be dead, as no one aboard the ship survived the attack and the ship's sinking.  But Prince Jaron's body was never recovered in the wreckage, so Conner is hoping to use one of the 4 boys as the returned prince to save the kingdom.  Conner, who was close to the royal family, trains the boys to think, act, speak, and even look like the long-lost Prince Jaron, who would be the rightful heir to the throne in his family's absence.  He has less than two weeks to turn one of these poor, orphaned, scraggly boys into Prince Jaron, enough to stand up to the court's scrutiny of his identity.  But the stakes are high, for the boys who will not be selected to assume the role of Prince Jaron will be killed to protect the secret of the newly crowned king.   

I have a confession: fantasy books are not my thing.  I prefer books that are based on reality or history more than fantasy or science fiction.  However, I L-O-V-E-D this book!  I would encourage you to add this one to your "Must Read" list!  This novel will certainly appeal to guys, as these 4 boys are up for the adventure and risk of leaving their former lives to become a king.  However, I think the girls will enjoy this read too.  If you were a fan of The Hunger Games, I think you will also enjoy this novel.  This is a fight to the death where there can only be one winner!  This book is packed with action that will leave you turning the pages, and certainly has a few unexpected twists!  I strongly encourage you to make The False Prince your next read!  This novel gets my vote as the next book to make into a movie!

Terror at Bottle Creek

Terror at Bottle Creek is a fiction novel by author Watt Key.  I would classify the book as action / adventure.  The events in the book happen quickly and will certainly keep you turning the pages!  While the characters and the hurricane are fictional, Watt Key's events take place in real locations that can be found in southern Alabama.  He explains in the "Author's Note" at the end of the novel that he has seen many hurricanes in his time and based the events in this book on the events in his life.  The book is just over 200 pages and has short chapters that keep the action going.

Cort is a high schooler who lives with his dad on a houseboat on the coast of Alabama just outside Mobile.  Cort's dad is a river guide and takes customers out for hunting and fishing excursions on the Mobile and Tensaw Rivers.  Cort's dad also helps manage the docks and boat slips at the Covall's property, where their houseboat is moored.  Mr. Stovall has recently passed away, so Cort and his dad help manage their property and take care of odd jobs around the house for Mrs. Covall and her two girls in exchange for being able to live on the property.  Cort's dad is struggling with the absence of Cort's mom, who has recently left them both and living away from the life of the river and surrounding swamp.  Cort has grown up in these parts, but beginning to question if the river life is meant for him as well. Hurricane Igor, a category 3 hurricane, is heading their direction, so Cort and his dad begin the routine of preparing for the storm by collecting supplies, boarding up windows, and taking care of the boats in the slips.  Cort and his dad have no choice but to stay with the Covalls since their houseboat is too much of a threat in the storm.  A few hours before the storm arrives, Cort's dad heads out for a few final supplies and never returns.  When he does not respond on their two-way radio, Mrs. Covall decides to head out looking for him before things get really bad.  Cort and the Covall girls, Francie and Liza, receive a call from Mrs. Covall that she has found Cort's dad and they are safe, but the road are impassable - meaning the kids will have to ride out the hurricane at the Covall house alone.  They have all the supplies they need and are prepared, but the night does not go as they hoped.  When the night takes a very unexpected turn for the worst, Cort is left to protect the girls in the midst of the storm - from the rain, winds, and destruction of the hurricane, but also from the wild animals of the south Alabama swamps that also seek refuge from the dangers of the storm.

I would certainly recommend this story to both guys and girls alike.  Cort is a kind and relatable young man, who will appeal to readers of all ages.  Watt Key is an Alabama native, so this book is great for Alabama folks used to the busy hurricane seasons and vast wildlife.  I would also recommend this book for readers who enjoyed the I Survived series in elementary school.  This novel has a similar feel to it and is packed with action and unexpected turns.  Watt Key is so descriptive in his telling, you will feel as if you are experiencing the dangers of the hurricane yourself!       

The Westing Game

The Westing Game is a fictional novel by Ellen Raskin.  This novel was originally published in 1978 and was the Newbery Award winner in 1979.  This mystery/suspense story is about 220 pages long, but will certainly have you eagerly turning the pages every step of the way!  While the Lexile reading level makes this book "ok" for readers starting in fourth grade, I do feel this is a true middle school book that only higher readers can understand and appreciate the mystery surrounding the events in the story.

The beautiful Sunset Towers has opened overlooking the gorgeous Lake Michigan.  Only 5 stories tall, the apartment building, constructed mostly of a glass exterior, also overlooks the Westing mansion atop the hill.  Six tenants are hand-picked and recruited to come live and some even work in the building - Flora Baumbach, J.J. Ford, Sydelle Pulaski, the Wexler family, the Hoo family, and the Theodorakis family. Soon after moving in, there are rumors that Mr. Westing has passed away in the large house on the hill.  After seeing smoke coming from the chimney of the large house, all the residents of Sunset Towers are certain something is going on and find themselves curious.  The tenets are then summoned to a meeting at the Westing mansion for a reading of Sam Westin's will.  In all, sixteen people are gathered together for the reading, where they are all named as heirs of his multi-million dollar estate.  But Sam Westing has one final game for the sixteen to be able to claim the money promised to them - to find out who took his life from him.  The will explains the rules of the game and even pairs the sixteen into eight groups of two.  Each pair is given a few words as their only clues, but each set of words are different.  With the help of their assigned partner, each pair sets out to find Sam Westing's murderer.  Can you figure out the mystery before the group does?

If you haven't read The Westing Game, this one needs to be on your "Must Read" list - even if you are an adult!  As I mentioned above, I would encourage this book for middle school or high schoolers; much of the puzzle could be too complicated for elementary school readers.  While this was written in the 70s, I do think it is a timeless classic and did not feel "dated" at all.  Guys or girls - if you love a good mystery, this is the book for you!  This is not a book for "easy" reading on the beach or by the pool.  To fully appreciate how the author presents the details and how the story unfolds, you do have to give this novel attention and concentration. I will admit I turned into a complete nerd and had pages of notes on each of the 16 heirs as I read.  Not that pages of notes are necessary, but I do love a good puzzle and I was determined to figure it out before the heirs!  The 3rd person omniscient point of view allows the reader to know what all the characters are thinking, which certainly gives the reader an advantage for the mystery.       

My Year in the Middle

My Year in the Middle is a fiction novel by Lila Quintero Weaver.  The novel is about 270 pages long, but is very fast paced.  With very short chapters (usually 4 -6 pages each), the story moves along quickly to cover part of Lu, the main character's, year in sixth grade.  While it is a fictional story, there are significant elements of historical fiction that could put this novel in both genres.  The author draws on her own experiences of growing up in the south in the 1970s, but has also done significant research for the events that take place in the novel to allow the reader to experience life in Alabama during the time of civil rights.

Lu Olivero is growing up in Red Grove, Alabama during the civil rights movement.  Her school has just integrated, but that's just on paper.  In each classroom, white kids are assigned to sit on one side of the room and black kids are assigned to sit on the other.  Lu is assigned to sit in the middle of the room because she and her family are from Argentina, so she technically does not "fit" into either side.  The town has become fixated on the upcoming election, where Governor Albert Brewer is up for reelection against former governor George Wallace.  The close race between the two men seems to fuel the racial tensions in the small Alabama city, which is also bleeding into Lu's school and friendships.  When Lu and her classmates start preparing for the upcoming Field Day, Lu learns she has a talent and passion for running.  She and another classmate, Belinda, find themselves in competition with one another daily in P.E. class.  The two decide to begin running together on the weekends and a friendship blossoms.  The problem is that Belinda is black, and suddenly Lu is being shunned and mocked for her friendship with Belinda and finds herself ostracized from her white friends at school. While Lu's best friend, Abigail, doesn't see a problem with Lu's new friend, she also isn't standing up for Lu or Belinda either.  Lu does not understand why everyone cannot look past skin color to see the person inside.  As the book goes on, many of Lu's friendships are put to the test and Lu begins to see who her true friends are as she has to decide for herself how she feels about the events that are taking place in her town.

I chose this book as my first read for the summer because of what is going on in our country.  There were lots of events in this book that mimic some of the events going on in our country today - racial equality, protests, and even an election year.  I would strongly recommend this book to upper elementary and middle school kids that are grappling with what is happening in our world today.  While this book does lend itself more to female readers because of a female narrator and Lu's own struggle with seeking gender equality from her mother's Argentine culture, I do think this book is a great way to lead into some good discussions at home about the things we are seeing in our world today.  Throughout the book Lu has to make many decisions about who she is and what she stands for.  Through many racial comments from friends and even other adults in her life, Lu has to decide if she will stand up for what she believes in and for her new friend, Belinda, and just how to do that.  I think My Year in the Middle shows how even the seemingly smallest of actions can have a big impact on others around us.     

An Elephant in the Garden

An Elephant in the Garden is another great novel by Michael Morpurgo.  This historical fiction novel is based on two true stories that are intertwined, which Morpurgo explains in the Author's Note at the end of the book.  The book consists of 4 parts - Ring of Truth, Ring of Fire, Ring of Steel, and Ring of Bells - and is just short of 200 pages.  The book begins in present day, but is interwoven with flashbacks to World War 2.

The book begins with a nurse at a nursing home.  Her young son, Karl, comes to work with her and sparks a connection with a resident there named Lizzie.  Lizzie is typically stubborn and somewhat rude, but has a soft spot for Karl, because he reminds her so much of her own little brother.  Lizzie opens up to Karl and his mother to share her experience in World War 2.  She tells them of her life in Dresden, Germany as a girl and how she remembers the start of the war.  Lizzie tells the two of how her father went off to war, first stationed in France.  Once he is gone, her mother, Mutti, begins working at the local zoo.  Mutti works there for years while their father is off fighting, and even is witness to the birth of one of the zoo's elephants, who she is given the honor of naming Marlene.  Mutti and Marlene form a very close bond, and when the small elephant's mother dies, Mutti begins staying at the zoo longer each night to be with Marlene.  When war breaks out and surrounding German cities have been bombed, the zoo director has to develop a plan for the zoo in the event Dresden is attacked.  The director shares with the Mutti and the other zoo employees that if the city is attacked, it has been decided that all dangerous animals - including the elephants - will be killed immediately to prevent them from escaping their enclosures and becoming a threat to the citizens of the city.  Mutti is heartbroken at this news.  So when the unimaginable happens - Dresden is bombed - Lizzie, Karl, and Muttie are forced to evacuate the city with thousands of others.  However, the three bring Marlene with them.  With very little to eat, no where to go, and the freezing cold of the middle of winter, the four set off across the countryside just trying to survive.  The four encounter a multitude of hardships along their journey, but their love for each other - including Marlene's love for her humans - keeps their hopes alive and their feet moving, despite their challenges along the way.

I would recommend this book for pre-teen and teen readers, both boys and girls. While it is a female narrator, which usually appeals more to female readers, I do think Lizzie's story will be enjoyed by all readers.  I would also recommend this book to animal lovers.  Marlene the elephant is just as important to this story as any of the other characters and the human-like attributes of an elephant are really shown through this novel.  While historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, I really enjoyed this one.  I love learning about historical events through the eyes of various characters and living their experiences.  This novel, however, really offers a different perspective of World War 2 and allows the reader to see what it felt like to be a civilian caught in the cross fire of war.  An Elephant in the Garden is a very touching story filled with love and danger and action and surprises.   

El Deafo

This fall I read the book El Deafo by Cece Bell.  I am embarrassed to say this book was my first graphic novel - ever.  The book is a Newberry Honor book and based on the author's own experiences from when she was a child.  The book is 233 pages and is in full color.  However, the book reads much faster than other novels because it is a graphic novel.

The story El Deafo is about a young girl (the author) who becomes ill with meningitis at the age of 4 and has to be hospitalized.  She recovers, but the illness has left her deaf.  Cece must learn how to navigate a new life - one where she struggles to understand and be understood.  She has to learn how to interact with people differently and live in a world that she is unfamiliar with.  Typical struggles for any child - friendships, self-esteem, fitting in, having a crush - all become astoundingly difficult with her condition.  She struggles with feelings of self-consciousness when figuring out how to wear her bulky hearing aid to school.  Cece really learns who her true friends are and who is willing to stick by her side, even when being Cece's friend is not always easy.  El Deafo explores these struggles and how Cece is able to cope with her differences.

I would highly recommend this novel to all pre-teen and teen readers.  While I think the novel does read a little easier for a girl since the narrator is a girl, I think it is the message that leaves the reader with so many memorable life lessons.  Cece opens up to share struggles that members of the hearing community would not even think about.  Even the simplest things - a sleep over, playing in the yard with friends - are some of the most difficult and stressful of tasks.  I highly encourage you to give this story an open mind to learn about the deaf community as an awareness to make us all better human beings.

Do NOT miss the author's note at the back of the book.  Cece Bell really gives us all a great reminder about life and how to treat our own abilities and struggles and how to view others in the same way.