Review by Amanda Smith

Gary Schmidt did it again! As in Ok For Now, Just Like That (HMH, 2021) takes place directly after The Wednesday Wars and follows a minor character from the Newbury Honor novel in their own coming of age story.

Meryl Lee Kowalski, Holling Hoodhood’s best friend, is sent to a Maine boarding school after a devastating personal loss. Surrounded by shallow, spoiled girls, strict teachers blinded by tradition and decorum, and disturbing news from the war in Vietnam, Meryl Lee battles to keep the Blank at bay.

But she also makes friends: Heidi with her hockey sticks; Mousy Marian (who learns to roar); and Bettey, a local girl employed by the school as serving staff. And Matt Coffin, the boy whose eyes tell Meryl Lee that he knows the Blank too.

And then there is Dr. Nora MacKnockater, headmistress of St. Elene Preparatory Academy for Girls, who inspires Meryl Lee with her assembly speech on the first day of school. There will be Obstacles, Dr MacKnockater said, but the girls should have Resolve. And then they will grow Accomplished. Dr. MacKnockater who can focus her searchlight eyes on Meryl Lee as if she can spot the Blank when it attempts to overcome Meryl Lee. Dr. MacKnockater who takes Matt Coffin in from the streets and helps him face his own dark past when he cannot run from it anymore.

Individually and together, under the protection and wisdom of Dr. MacKnockater, Meryl Lee and Matt resolve to overcome obstacles and challenge the status quo. The reader is swept along on their captivating journey to becoming increasingly Accomplished as they banish the Blank.
 
ON WRITING:
There is always so much to learn from a Gary Schmidt novel. One can get all wrapped up in his beautiful language use and unique turn of phrase. But more than anything else, Schmidt is a master at creating a rich and layered reading experience.

In this novel, he adds layers through different devices:  Just as in The Wednesday Wars and OK for Now, he uses classic literary works to emphasize character traits and showcase character development. For example, Meryl Lee draws parallels from The Wizard of Oz to her own life, while Matt dubs Dr. MacKnockater Bagheera after she reads The Jungle Book to him.
As another layer, Schmidt solidifies setting by weaving paraphrased song lyrics from the sixties through the novel in a delightfully sweet and original way.
Clever repetition, both in close proximity to emphasize emotion or heighten tension, as well as throughout the novel to bring deeper understanding, adds to the layers.
He also uses capitalization of abstract concepts, such as resolve, to make them concrete and real, and give them presence.
And he sprinkles in unexpected moments of laugh-out-loud humor to lighten the heaviness in both Meryl Lee and Matt’s stories.
All of these layers lead to a tight narrative and a truly satisfying read.

Learn more about Gary Schmidt and his books here.
 

​Review by Annie Cronin Romano

Who wants to go swimming inside a shipwreck in the middle of winter with a sea monster that lays a glowing ruby egg that can grant wishes? I do! I do! Sign me up! This book is a delight and swept me up from page one! With zingy humor and a fanciful cast of characters, MALAMANDER (Candlewick/Walker Books 2019) is a mystery/fantasy about two young orphans: one a worker at a hotel's "lost & foundery," the other a newcomer to town searching for the truth about what happened to her parents. Together, the go on a fantastically daring adventure, discovering along the way that all people are not as they seem and that some creatures are best left alone. Quick-moving, funny, engaging read! 

On Writing
Thomas Taylor creates a strong, atmospheric setting with his creation of the ocean side town of Eerie-on-Sea. The reader shudders at the whip of the icy wind off the water and tastes the salty fog hanging in the air. Taylor also excels at creating a sense of whimsy and magic that isn’t forced but rather is interwoven seamlessly into the plot. The pacing of this middle grade would keep even an antsy reader engaged, as Taylor hooks the reader from the get-go with questions of how and why a young boy, Herbert Lemon, would be employed in the “lost and foundery” of a hotel, then efficiently and smoothly slides into the appearance of a mysterious character, Violet Parma, outside the boy's window. Strong setting, intriguing charaters, curious unknowns...and you're off on an imaginative adventure!

~Review by Amanda Smith
 
Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca is a touching novel in verse about Reha, a first-generation Indian American girl who comes to terms with living in two worlds. As an immigrant and mother of first-generation American children, this novel truly resonated with me. Even though our countries of origin are different, LaRocca touches on universal immigrant experiences such as missing extended family and always feeling a little different or other. But Red, White, and Whole isn’t just about the immigrant experience. It is a tender look at mother-daughter relationships, and it is a beautiful coming of age story as Reha faces the unimaginable: her mother's battle with Leukemia. LaRocca entwines Indian folklore into the narrative to add another layer to her poignant storytelling and character development. Subtle repetition of key phrases and the calculating use of “red” and “white” throughout the novel bind the individual poems together – and the result is synergy:  a WHOLE that is greater than the sum of its parts.


On Writing:
LaRocca supports the main theme of "two worlds" with recurring images of the colors red and white, and how they relate to the parts of blood, as well as virtue and grief in Indian culture. Red, White and Whole is a study in repetition within a verse novel. LaRocca weaves threads and themes seamlessly throughout, often when the meaning of the phrases are altered by context or circumstances. The similarity of the words paired with the difference in context delivers a forceful emotional punch.

To learn more about Rajani, visit her website at www.rajanilarocca.com/

​Review by Annie Cronin Romano
 
Orphan Elizabeth Somers, an 11-year-old with a passion for anagrams and a love of reading, is angry about being sent to a hotel for her Christmas holiday while her miserly aunt and uncle go on a vacation she knows they cannot afford. But when Elizabeth arrives at Winterhouse, magic and mystery unfold. There’s the creepy couple—always dressed in black—who take an odd interest in Elizabeth’s reading habits, the curious book Elizabeth sneaks from the hotel library’s reference section, the kind hotel proprietor, Norbridge Falls, whose magic tricks and wisdom enchant Elizabeth from the moment she arrives, and the mysterious code hidden in plain sight in a Falls family portrait.  As Elizabeth and her new friend Freddy (who shares her love for anagrams) try to solve the code, Elizabeth realizes that Winterhouse is in jeopardy and she may be the only person who can save it. WINTERHOUSE (Henry Hold & Co., 2018) is a charming middle grade mystery full of intriguing puzzles, new friendships, and self-discovery. Get yourself a cup of cocoa, curl up under a blanket, and enjoy this atmospheric magical realism adventure! It's a backlist treasure!
 
On Writing
In WINTERHOUSE, Ben Guterson depicts the necessity of positive human connections as Elizabeth, a very lonely child, discovers there’s a learning curve in being a good friend and a joy that comes from friendship and from others truly wanting her company. Guterson’s atmospheric, vivid creation of the hotel is a solid example of a setting so well-developed it goes beyond mere backdrop to become another character in the story. And the magic continues: there are now two more books in the WINTERHOUSE series! To learn more about Ben Guterson’s work, visit his website at www.benguterson.com.

~Reviewed by Amanda Smith

“You control the story, you control the narrative, you control the power.” – High John

Tristan Strong carries a lot of stories with him. The stories of his father and grandfather’s boxing success, compared to his first-match failure. Or the story of how his best friend, Eddie died in a bus accident, while he survived.  The folk lore and African mythology his nana had told him. The journal in which Eddie collected those stories.

So, when a sticky little doll baby appears in Tristan room at his grandparents’ house in Alabama, squelches its way across the floor and nabs Eddie’s journal, Tristan fights hard to retrieve it. In the fight with Gum Baby, he punches a hole in the fabric that separates our world from the realm where folk heroes are gods of Midpass and African gods rule Alke. On his epic hero’s journey to stop the destruction caused by his punch, he meets a fascinating cast of gods, heroes, and villains. He travels to amazing cities; fights alongside fierce warriors; meets the pain of his past head-on; and discovers the strength of story and his power as Anansesem (magical storyteller) to wield it. He learns the rip between Midpass and Alke existed long before his careless fist caused the tear in the sky, and healing lies in telling all the stories of the past – even the painful ones.

TRISTAN STRONG PUNCHES A HOLE IN THE SKY (Rick Riordan Presents, Disney.Hyperion 2019) is Kwame Mbalia's powerful debut novel and Coretta Scott King honors recipient. It tells not only Tristan’s story, but also, through symbolism, the history of slavery and the Middle Passage. Bringing often untold African-American history, alongside West African Mythology adds a fascinating, educational and important layer to this novel. While one could read the novel as pure entertainment, I often paused my reading to research a character or name, and discovered deeper meaning. And some of the history on which Mbalai touches directly connects with current conversations around systemic racism.

However, the novel is never dull or didactic. Mbalai delivers mythology and history with huge doses of humor, Marvell-movie-like fast-paced-action, lovable characters, authentic dialogue, goosebump-inducing place-descriptions, and the most beautiful magic scene I have ever read. Mbalia’s use of language is decadent: smuggled in bits of internal rhyme, dashes of alliteration, sensational imagery, clever humor, and masterful never-forced use of dialect. Tristan Strong might be an Anansesem, but the true story weaver here is Kwame Mbalia!
 
On Writing:
Even though the entire novel is a perfect mentor text for use of language in world building, I was truly struck by the tightness of the first chapter, and would highly recommend it as a study in beginnings. At the end of page fourteen, internal and external conflict have been established, we know Tristan’s shame and struggles, names of African gods have been introduced, we have a mysteriously knowing Nana, and a strangely glowing journal that keeps showing up in unexpected places.  As Tristan Strong stated, “I mean really, what could go wrong?”
 
The sequel, TRISTAN STRONG DESTROYS THE WORLD will release October 6, 2020. I can hardly wait to revisit these characters and this world!
To learn more about Kwame Mbalia visit https://kwamembalia.com/
​

~ Reviewed by Amanda Smith
 
A WHALE OF A MISTAKE by Ioana Hobai (Page Street Kids, 2020) is a picture book about how anxiety can inflate a mistake to colossal proportions. The story gently  conveys how to find perspective and regain control. The protagonist makes a mistake which grows into a whale that swallows the protagonist and takes it out to sea. Along this wild ride, the protagonist feels trapped, powerless, and scared, but through observation and self-reflection, learns and grows, and eventually becomes brave enough to move on.

Hobai cleverly uses the whale, something concrete that young children can comprehend, as a metaphor for abstract, hard to pin-point emotions of guilt, anxiety and self-doubt. The watercolor illustrations bring the whale metaphor to life, and enhances the emotions through tumultuous swirls and stormy washes. The color story moves from dark bruise-like colors in the beginning towards light, bright and cheerful colors towards the end, reinforcing the emotional journey.  A WHALE OF A MISTAKE is written in simple language, making it easily accessible to young readers, yet the content is universal which makes this a great conversation starter for readers of any age regarding regret and self-reflection.
 
ON WRITING:
A WHALE OF A MISTAKE deals with universal emotions and themes. By writing the book in the second person, removing the need for gender specific pronouns, and addressing the reader directly, Hobai makes this a book with which all readers can identify.

Review by Annie Cronin Romano
​In SMALL SPACES, Ollie is a 6th grader whose mother died last year. Despite a strong, loving relationship with her father, Ollie is left reeling and angry after her mother’s death and often acts on her frustrations. She pacifies herself by pulling away from her father, friends, and teachers, preferring to escape into the pages of her books. One afternoon, Ollie grabs a book from a frenzied woman who is about to destroy it by tossing it into the creek. As Ollie begins reading the book, she finds herself stumbling into a ghostly world of disorienting mists and cryptic warnings. The next day, when the school bus breaks down along an isolated, foggy road after a field trip, Ollie’s reality and her book’s story inexplicably intertwine, leading Ollie to realize that this book is not simply a fictional legend. As darkness descends, Ollie and her two friends must take on eerie scarecrows and the cunning smiling man as they attempt to save themselves and their classmates from a terrifying fate. Guided by her mother's compass watch, Ollie learns that her mother’s love lives on and guides her even after the tragedy of death. SMALL SPACES (G.P. Putnam Sons, 2018) is a middle grade novel for children ages 10-12. This spooky adventure will keep youngsters turning the page long after they should have turned out the light.  

On Writing
Katherine Arden explores the complexity of losing a loved one from the child’s perspective while also depicting how others react to the fallout of the main character’s struggles. Throughout the story, Arden deftly portrays the array of emotions the main character experiences after a tragedy. Through Ollie’s two friends, Arden highlights the ability of young people to demonstrate patience, kindness and understanding even the wake of another’s difficult behavior. Written in third person, SMALL SPACES is a strong example of an adventurous, darkly atmospheric middle grade tale that does not shy away from revving up the eerie factor. To learn more about Katherine Arden’s work, visit her website at www.katherinearden.com.