Battle of Books List with Reviews

Battle of the Books 2016-2017
The list is in! This is a list with reviews of the books from Amazon.com. I copied the link
from Common Sense Media if there was an entry for the book. There are a few mature
titles on the list. One of the titles (George) is about a transgender student. As a parent,
you have the right to choose what your child reads. Go through the list and decide what
is appropriate for your child.
Book Descriptions
Brosgol, Anya’s Ghost
(Graphic novel / Eisner Award & Harvey Award)
Anya could really use a friend. But her new BFF isn't kidding about the
"forever" part . . . Of all the things Anya expected to find at the bottom of
an old well, a new friend was not one of them. Especially not a new friend
who's been dead for a century. Falling down a well is bad enough, but
Anya's normal life might actually be worse. She's embarrassed by her
family, self-conscious about her body, and she's pretty much given up on
fitting in at school. A new friend―even a ghost―is just what she needs.
Or so she thinks. Spooky, sardonic, and secretly sincere, Anya's Ghost is a
wonderfully entertaining debut graphic novel from author/artist Vera Brosgol. – 2011
Kirkus Best Teen Book of the Year
Canales, Tequila Worm
(Pura Belpre Award)
From Booklist: Gr. 6-9. From an early age, Sofia has watched the
comadres in her close-knit barrio community, in a small Texas town, and
she dreams of becoming "someone who makes people into a family," as
the comadres do. The secret, her young self observes, seems to lie in
telling stories and "being brave enough to eat a whole tequila worm." In
this warm, entertaining debut novel, Canales follows Sofia from early
childhood through her teen years, when she receives a scholarship to
attend an exclusive boarding school. Each chapter centers on the vivid particulars of
Mexican American traditions--celebrating the Day of the Dead, preparing for a cousin's
quinceanera. The explanations of cultural traditions never feel too purposeful; they are
always rooted in immediate, authentic family emotions, and in Canales' exuberant
storytelling, which, like a good anecdote shared between friends, finds both humor and
absurdity in sharply observed, painful situations--from weathering slurs and other blatant
harassment to learning what it means to leave her community for a privileged,
predominately white school. Readers of all backgrounds will easily connect with Sofia
as she grows up, becomes a comadre, and helps rebuild the powerful, affectionate
community that raised her.
Common Sense Media Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/thetequila-worm
1
Card, Ender’s Game
(Hugo Award and Nebula Award)
School Library Journal: Grade 7 Up—This new young adult edition of
the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning classic sci-fi novel by Orson
Scott Card, winner of the Margaret A. Edwards Award for outstanding
lifetime contribution to writing for teens, includes an original postscript
by the author in which he discusses the origins of the novel is all about
leadership. The novel asks: What does it take to successfully lead men
into battle? The buggers have invaded Earth twice. The last time
mankind survived only because of the brilliance of Mazer Rackham, commander of the
International Fleet. Years later, a third invasion is feared and a new commander is
sought. Ender Wiggin is only six years old when he is plucked to succeed Rackham and
sent to the space station Battle School. He is isolated, ridiculed, bullied, and
persecuted—but he survives and thrives. Using his astonishing intelligence, the boy
learns to be a top-notch solider and, despite his youth and small stature, is quickly
promoted up the ranks. By the age of 12, Ender learns the art of command and earns the
respect and fear of his fellow soldiers.
Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/endersgame
Creech, Walk Two Moons
(Newbery Medal)
School Library Journal: Grade 6-9AIn this Newbery Award book by
Sharon Creech (HarperCollins, 1994), 13-year-old Salamanca Tree
Hiddle travels west with her Grams and Gramps to Lewiston, Idaho, the
destination from which her mother did not return. As Sal entertains her
grandparents with stories of her friend, Phoebe, who sees "lunatics"
around every corner, threads from many life stories are seamlessly
entwined. This pilgrimage wonderfully mirrors the journey of discovery
that is adolescence, as Sal's search for the truth about her mother becomes a journey of
discovery about much more. In vividly described incidents both humorous and
poignant, everyone's "story" is told. The reading by British actress Kate Harper is crisp
and well-paced, so that the layered, complex style doesn't confuse listeners. Harper
creates appropriate and wonderfully individual voices for everyone, especially the
irrepressible Phoebe. The rhythms of the reading effectively reflect the rhythms of the
story's back and forth motion and its lyrical language.
Common Sense Media Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/bookreviews/walk-two-moons
2
Dahl, The Witches
Amazon.com Review: This Roald Dahl classic tells the scary, funny and
imaginative tale of a seven-year-old boy who has a run-in with some reallife witches! "In fairy tales witches always wear silly black hats and black
cloaks and they ride on broomsticks. But this is not a fairy tale. This is
about REAL WITCHES. REAL WITCHES dress in ordinary clothes and look
very much like ordinary women. They live in ordinary houses and they
work in ordinary jobs. That is why they are so hard to catch." Witches, as
our hero learns, hate children. With the help of a friend and his somewhat-magical
grandmother, our hero tries to expose the witches before they dispose of him. Ages 7-12
Gino, George
School Library Journal: Gr 4–6—Before her mother and older brother Scott
come home, George has a few, treasured moments to experience life as
she's always wanted to live it. She looks in the mirror and calls herself
Melissa, combs her hair over her forehead to mimic the appearance of
bangs, and reads glossy magazines full of ads for lipstick, perfume, and
tampons. Once her mom and brother come home, however, the magazines
must go back to their secret hiding place. While George has no doubt she's
a girl, her family relates to her as they always have: as a boy. George hopes
that if she can secure the role of Charlotte in her class's upcoming production of
Charlotte's Web, her mom will finally see her as a girl and be able to come to terms with
the fact that George is transgender. With the help of her closest ally, Kelly, George
attempts to get the rest of the world to accept her as she is. While children can have a
sense of their gender identity as early as the age of three, children's literature is
shockingly bereft of trans* protagonists, especially where middle grade literature is
concerned. George offers more than the novelty of an LGBTQ coming-out story,
however. Here, what is most remarkable is the use of pronouns: While the world
interacts with George as if she is a boy, the narrator only refers to her with female
pronouns, which gives her girl-ness a stronger sense of validation. In addition, George
comments on the fact that, in past years, gays and lesbians have achieved a certain
amount of visibility and acceptance, while the trans* community is still largely ignored
and misunderstood. George's mother remarks that while she can handle having a gay
child, she simply can't accept her as "that kind of gay." For George, as is the case for
many LGBTQ youth, coming out is a process that she must repeat until she is properly
recognized. There is pain in George, but not without the promise of a better tomorrow,
even if tomorrow doesn't arrive as soon as it should. VERDICT A required purchase for
any collection that serves a middle grade population.
Common Sense Media Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/bookreviews/george
3
Hamilton, M. C. Higgins the Great
(Newbery Medal / National Book Award)
Amazon.com Review: From a perch on his 40-foot pole (a gift from his
father for swimming across the Ohio River), M.C. likes to slide his hand
over the rolling mountains, smooth out the sky, and fluff up the trees to the
south of Sarah's Mountain. To the north, though, no amount of pretending
can make the whine of bulldozers and deep gashes in the mountain
disappear. Ever since M.C.'s great-grandmother Sarah came here as a
runaway slave, Sarah's Mountain has been home to the Higgins family.
But now their home is threatened by the strip-mining that has left a giant slag heap
perched precariously above their house. Will the two strangers who appear in the hills
help M.C. save his family?
Reissued in celebration of its 25th anniversary, M.C. Higgins the Great has a power that
runs deeper than the coal seam snaking through M.C.'s mountain. The intensity of family
bonds, the depth of rural superstition, and the grim tragedy of environmental destruction
weave together in a story that is as complex as it is beautiful. Not surprisingly, Virginia
Hamilton, who has won every major award given to authors, received the Newbery
Medal, the National Book Award, and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for this
excellent novel. (Ages 13 and older)
Korman, Son of the Mob
(Young Reader’s Choice Award)
Publisher’s Weekly: The Sopranos (minus the vulgarity and violence)
meets Leave It to Beaver (minus the "aw-shucks" tone and dated
sensibility) in Korman's (No More Dead Dogs) brassy, comical caper.
With its razor-sharp dialogue and bullet-fast pace, this tale could fly on
either the small or big screen, yet it makes a page-turner of a novel.
Korman shapes a believable and likable crew-despite the less than
reputable profession of some. Many of the novel's conflicts revolve
around the fact that the affable narrator, 17-year-old Vince Luca,
refuses to become involved in the family "vending machine business." But of course,
since his father is the Mob boss, and his older brother serves as their father's loser
lackey, Vince cannot avoid being tainted (e.g., he lands in jail "because my sixteenthbirthday present [a Porsche] turns out to be hot"). Mom turns a deaf ear to the shady
goings-on, cooking up a steady storm in the kitchen and willing "to serve a sit-down
dinner for fifteen guys at four in the morning with ten minutes advance notice." Things
heat up when Vince begins dating-and eventually falls in love with-the daughter of the
FBI agent determined to bring down Vince's father. The boy also gets sucked into the
maelstrom when he loans money to one of his father's underlings for whom he feels
sorry. Funny and unexpectedly affecting, this will grab-and hold onto-even the most
reluctant of readers. Ages 12-up.
4
Lai, Inside Out and Back Again
(Novel told in Verse / Newbery Medal / National Book Award)
Booklist: After her father has been missing in action for nine years during
the Vietnam War, 10-year-old Hà flees with her mother and three older
brothers. Traveling first by boat, the family reaches a tent city in Guam,
moves on to Florida, and is finally connected with sponsors in Alabama,
where Hà finds refuge but also cruel rejection, especially from mean
classmates. Based on Lai’s personal experience, this first novel captures a
child-refugee’s struggle with rare honesty. Written in accessible, short
free-verse poems, Hà’s immediate narrative describes her mistakes—both
humorous and heartbreaking—with grammar, customs, and dress (she
wears a flannel nightgown to school, for example); and readers will be moved by Hà’s
sorrow as they recognize the anguish of being the outcast who spends lunchtime hiding
in the bathroom. Eventually, Hà does get back at the sneering kids who bully her at
school, and she finds help adjusting to her new life from a kind teacher who lost a son in
Vietnam. The elemental details of Hà’s struggle dramatize a foreigner’s experience of
alienation. And even as she begins to shape a new life, there is no easy comfort: her
father is still gone. Grades 4-8.
Common Sense Media Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/bookreviews/inside-out-and-back-again
Lord, Rules
(Newbery Medal / Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children’s Book Award)
School Library Journal: Grade 4-7-Twelve-year-old Catherine has
conflicting feelings about her younger brother, David, who is autistic.
While she loves him, she is also embarrassed by his behavior and feels
neglected by their parents. In an effort to keep life on an even keel,
Catherine creates rules for him (It's okay to hug Mom but not the clerk at
the video store). Each chapter title is also a rule, and lots more are
interspersed throughout the book. When Kristi moves in next door,
Catherine hopes that the girl will become a friend, but is anxious about her
reaction to David. Then Catherine meets and befriends Jason, a nonverbal paraplegic
who uses a book of pictures to communicate, she begins to understand that normal is
difficult, and perhaps unnecessary, to define. Rules of behavior are less important than
acceptance of others. Catherine is an endearing narrator who tells her story with both
humor and heartbreak. Her love for her brother is as real as are her frustrations with him.
Lord has candidly captured the delicate dynamics in a family that revolves around a
child's disability. Set in coastal Maine, this sensitive story is about being different, feeling
different, and finding acceptance. A lovely, warm read, and a great discussion starter.
Common Sense Media Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/bookreviews/rules
5
Mikaelsen, Touching Spirit Bear
(Nautilus Award)
School Library Journal: Grade 7 Up-Cole Matthews is a violent teen
offender convicted of viciously beating a classmate, Peter, causing
neurological and psychological problems. Cole elects to participate in Circle
Justice, an alternative sentencing program based on traditional Native
American practices that results in his being banished to a remote Alaskan
Island where he is left to survive for a year. Cynical and street smart, he
expects to fake his way through the preliminaries, escape by swimming off
the island, and beat the system, again. But his encounter with the Spirit Bear
of the title leaves him desperately wounded and gives him six months of hospitalization
to reconsider his options. Mikaelsen's portrayal of this angry, manipulative, damaged
teen is dead on. Cole's gradual transformation into a human kind of being happens in
fits and starts. He realizes he must accept responsibility for what he has done, but his
pride, pain, and conditioning continue to interfere. He learns that his anger may never
be gone, but that he can learn to control it. The author concedes in a note that the
culminating plot element, in which Peter joins Cole on the island so that both can learn
to heal, is unlikely. But it sure works well as an adventure story with strong moral
underpinnings. Gross details about Cole eating raw worms, a mouse, and worse will
appeal to fans of the outdoor adventure/survival genre, while the truth of the Japanese
proverb cited in the frontispiece, "Fall seven times, stand up eight" is fully and effectively
realized.
Park, Single Shard
(Newbery Medal)
School Library Journal: Gr 5-8-In this tale of courage and devotion, a
single shard from a celadon vase changes the life of a young boy and his
master. In 12th-century Korea, the village of Ch'ulp'o is famous for its
pottery. The orphan Tree-ear spends his days foraging for food for himself
and Crane-man, a lame straw weaver who has cared for him for many
years. Because of his wanderings, Tree-ear is familiar with all of the potters
in the village, but he is especially drawn to Min. When he drops a piece
Min has made, Tree-ear begins to work for him to pay off his debt, but
stays on after the debt is paid because he longs to learn to create beautiful pots himself.
Sent to the royal court to show the king's emissary some new pottery, Tree-ear makes a
long journey filled with disaster and learns what it means to have true courage. This
quiet story is rich in the details of life in Korea during this period. In addition it gives a
full picture of the painstaking process needed to produce celadon pottery. However,
what truly stands out are the characters: the grumpy perfectionist, Min; his kind wife;
wise Crane-man; and most of all, Tree-ear, whose determination and lively intelligence
result in good fortune. Like Park's Seesaw Girl (1999) and The Kite Fighters (2000, both
Clarion), this book not only gives readers insight into an unfamiliar time and place, but it
is also a great story
6
Paulsen, My Life in Dog Years
School Library Journal: Grade 4 Up. Paulsen reveals bits and pieces of
his own life story through his experiences with eight of his dogs. After a
heartfelt dedication to Cookie, the sled dog who saved his life, the author
introduces readers first to Snowball, the puppy he acquired when he was
seven years old and living in the Philippines, and then follows
chronologically with profiles of other canine companions. He concludes
with tales about Josh, the border collie with whom he currently shares a home. Paulsen
is a master storyteller with a dry wit. His description of his dog Fred, whom he claimed
was actually "nuclear in his capacity for destruction," and his account of his Great Dane
Caesar, who was so petrified of trick-or-treaters that he would hide in the bedroom
closet every Halloween with a housecoat over his eyes, are sure to elicit smiles. Paulsen
can also make readers sigh when he relates how Snowball saved him from being bitten
by a poisonous snake and how Cookie pulled him out of the water when he fell through
the ice while trapping beaver. The statement, "Josh...is a person. I do not think in my
heart that he is a dog," gives youngsters a real sense of how the man looks at these
animals. An attractive pen-and-ink sketch of the profiled animal opens each chapter.
This well-written, readable reminiscence serves as a tribute to the dogs in one person's
life, written by someone who considers them his best friends.
Shulman, Wells Bequest
School Library Journal: Gr 6-9-A mysterious visit from himself on a tiny time
machine with a beautiful girl prompts Leo to seek out H.G. Wells's The
Time Machine. That and the need to study historical robots for his sciencefair project lead him to discover the New York Circulating Material
Repository. There he finds not only the mysterious girl, but also a
wonderfully unique library that seems to have some magical properties. He
becomes a page and gains access to The Wells Bequest, a special collection
that houses many of the fantastical items from Wells's books, including the infamous
time machine. When another page threatens to destroy all of New York City with Nikola
Tesla's death ray, Leo and Jaya, the head page, go back in time to try to stop him.
Shulman once again crafts a marvelously engaging story that will have fantasy and sci-fi
readers hooked. Tidbits about H.G. Wells and other famous writers are sprinkled
throughout and will have readers seeking out their novels. In fact, this is a great tale that
explores many aspects of time travel and science fiction without overwhelming readers
in meticulous explanation. The adventure, danger, and hints of romance will have
readers swiftly turning pages, anxious to discover each new surprise. All libraries serving
middle-school readers will want to order this one.
Common Sense Media Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/thewells-bequest
7
Stead, When You
(Newbery Medal)
Reach Me
School Library Journal: Starred Review. Grade 5-8–Sixth-grader Miranda
lives in 1978 New York City with her mother, and her life compass is
Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time. When she receives a series of
enigmatic notes that claim to want to save her life, she comes to believe
that they are from someone who knows the future. Miranda spends
considerable time observing a raving vagrant who her mother calls the
laughing man and trying to find the connection between the notes and her
everyday life. Discerning readers will realize the ties between Miranda's
mystery and L'Engle's plot, but will enjoy hints of fantasy and descriptions of middle
school dynamics. Stead's novel is as much about character as story. Miranda's voice
rings true with its faltering attempts at maturity and observation. The story builds slowly,
emerging naturally from a sturdy premise. As Miranda reminisces, the time sequencing is
somewhat challenging, but in an intriguing way. The setting is consistently strong. The
stores and even the streets–in Miranda's neighborhood act as physical entities and
impact the plot in tangible ways. This unusual, thought-provoking mystery will appeal to
several types of readers.
Common Sense Media Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/bookreviews/when-you-reach-me
Steinbeck, The Pearl
Summary: Like his father and grandfather before him, Kino is a poor
diver, gathering pearls from the gulf beds that once brought great wealth
to the Kings of Spain and now provide Kino, Juana, and their infant son
with meager subsistence. Then, on a day like any other, Kino emerges
from the sea with a pearl as large as a sea gull's egg, as "perfect as the
moon." With the pearl comes hope, the promise of comfort and of
security....
A story of classic simplicity, based on a Mexican folk tale, The Pearl explores the secrets
of man's nature, the darkest depths of evil, and the luminous possibilities of love.
Common Sense Media: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-pearl
8
Stewart, Mysterious Benedict Society
(School Library Journal Book of the Year)
School Library Journal: Grade 5–9—After Reynie Muldoon
responds to an advertisement recruiting "gifted children looking for
special opportunities," he finds himself in a world of mystery and
adventure. The 11-year-old orphan is one of four children to
complete a series of challenging and creative tasks, and he, Kate,
Constance, and Sticky become the Mysterious Benedict Society.
After being trained by Mr. Benedict and his assistants, the four
travel to an isolated school where children are being trained by a
criminal mastermind to participate in his schemes to take over the world. The young
investigators need to use their special talents and abilities in order to discover Mr.
Curtain's secrets, and their only chance to defeat him is through working together.
Readers will challenge their own abilities as they work with the Society members to
solve clues and put together the pieces of Mr. Curtain's plan. In spite of a variety of
coincidences, Stewart's unusual characters, threatening villains, and dramatic plot twists
will grab and hold readers' attention. Fans of Roald Dahl or Blue Balliett will find a
familiar blend of kid power, clues, and adventure in Society, though its length may
daunt reluctant or less-secure readers. Underlying themes about the power of media
messages and the value of education add to this book's appeal, and a happy ending with
hints of more adventures to come make this first-time author one to remember.
Common Sense Media Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/themysterious-benedict-society
Tolkien, The Hobbit
From the Publisher: Bilbo Baggins, the hobbit, is a peaceful sort of cozy
hole in the Shire, a place where adventures are uncommon and rather
unwanted. So when the wizard Gandalf whisks him away on a treasure
hunting expedition with a troop of rowdy dwarves, he's not entirely
thrilled. Encountering ruthless trolls, beastly orcs, gigantic spiders, and
hungry wolves, Bilbo discovers within himself astonishing strength and
courage. And at the ultimate confrontation with the fearsome dragon
Smaug, the hobbit will brave the dangers of dark and dragon fire alone
and unaided. Brilliantly conceived to evoke Tolkien's richly imagined Middle Earth, this
production features an original score written for Renaissance era instruments outstanding
ensemble acting by the best performers available to the BBC and innovative sound
techniques designed to present a hobbit's eye view of Bilbo's adventures. A fitting tribute
to the centenary of J.R Tolkien's birth. The Hobbit will captivate longtime fans and the
newly initiated alike
Common Sense Media Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/the-hobbit
9
Williams-Garcia, One Crazy Summer
(National Book Award finalist / Coretta Scott King Award / Scott O’Dell Award /
Newbery Medal Honor)
Booklist: Eleven-year-old Delphine has only a few fragmented memories
of her mother, Cecile, a poet who wrote verses on walls and cereal boxes,
played smoky jazz records, and abandoned the family in Brooklyn after
giving birth to her third daughter. In the summer of 1968, Delphine’s father
decides that seeing Cecile is “something whose time had come,” and
Delphine boards a plane with her sisters to Cecile’s home in Oakland.
What they find there is far from their California dreams of Disneyland and
movie stars. “No one told y’all to come out here,” Cecile says. “No one wants you out
here making a mess, stopping my work.” Like the rest of her life, Cecile’s work is a
mystery conducted behind the doors of the kitchen that she forbids her daughters to
enter. For meals, Cecile sends the girls to a Chinese restaurant or to the local, Black
Panther–run community center, where Cecile is known as Sister Inzilla and where the
girls begin to attend youth programs. Regimented, responsible, strong-willed Delphine
narrates in an unforgettable voice, but each of the sisters emerges as a distinct,
memorable character, whose hard-won, tenuous connections with their mother build to
an aching, triumphant conclusion. Set during a pivotal moment in African American
history, this vibrant novel shows the subtle ways that political movements affect personal
lives; but just as memorable is the finely drawn, universal story of children reclaiming a
reluctant parent’s love. Grades 4-7.
Common Sense Media Review: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/bookreviews/one-crazy-summer
Zevin, Elsewhere
School Library Journal: Grade 7-10–What happens when you die? Where
do you go? What do you do? Zevin provides answers to these questions in
this intriguing novel, centering on the death of Liz Hall, almost 16 years
old and looking forward to all that lies ahead: learning to drive, helping
her best friend prepare for the prom, going to college, falling in love.
Killed in a hit-and-run accident, Liz struggles to understand what has
happened to her, grief-stricken at all she has lost, and incapable of seeing
the benefits of the Elsewhere in which she finds herself. Refusing to participate in this
new life, Liz spends her time looking longingly down at the family and friends back on
Earth who go on without her. But the new environment pulls her into its own rhythms.
Liz meets the grandmother she never knew, makes friends, takes a job, and falls in love
as she and the other inhabitants of Elsewhere age backward one year for each year that
they are there. Zevin's third-person narrative calmly, but surely guides readers through
the bumpy landscape of strongly delineated characters dealing with the most difficult
issue that faces all of us. A quiet book that provides much to think about and discuss.
10