The Eyes & the Impossible

This year's Newbery-Award- winning novel by Dave Eggers centers on a wild dog named Johannes in a park whose role was to be the Eyes for all of the animals.  He is to report to the Elder bison who are the Keepers of the Equilibrium in the park.  When Johannes meets a newly-arrived herd of sheep, his world is shaken and he hatches a plan to help his friends get their freedom.  It has a cast of great characters who all play their roles in the park.  However enjoyable, I am apparently missing what makes this award-winning.  (FIC EGG)

Home Away From Home

Cynthia Lord's latest does not disappoint.  In this realistic fiction novel, we meet Mia who is spending the summer with her Grandma in Maine while her mom and future stepdad sell their house.  Mia is excited to have her grandmother all to herself until she discovers a next-door neighbor boy who is way too close to her grandmother, in her opinion.  They soon develop a friendship as they discover a rare bird visiting the island who is threatening the local eaglet celebrities.  Mia breaks a rule and the consequences snowball in a frightening direction.  Can she make it right?  Will she lose her new friend and the trust of her family?  (FIC LOR)

Nell and the Netherbeast

 

This is a fun mystery-fantasy story.  Nell and her sister are spending the summer with their aunt who owns a Bed and Breakfast.  Before they go, Nell finds a "cat" in an alley that she knows is not a cat.  She brings the beast with her and become fast friends.  When they arrive at the inn, the place is falling apart, even though it was fine the last time they were there.  They soon discover that there is a ghost in the basement and Nell and the Netherbeast have to figure out what he is mad about before their aunt loses the inn forever.  (FIC RUL)

A Work in Progress

Another heart-wrenching book, similar to Starfish, which documents the damage of body shaming.  Jarrett Lerner, like Lisa Fipps, shares his personal experience in this beautiful novel in verse.  One comment in fourth grade sent him on a journey of self-loathing until he finds his people and he can learn to accept and love himself again.    (FIC LER)

Opinions and Opossums

This latest short novel by Ann Braden (Flight of the Puffin) was a lovely story about a girl named Agnes who realizes that the opossum she and her neighbor save in the road needs to evolve from its usual behavior of freezing and hiding.  She sees the parallels in her own life, especially in her confirmation class.  Should she continue with it?  Does she even believe in the God they teach?  She and her best friend Mo write stories and her new stories about opossums help her sort out her feelings about her complacency and give her the courage to stand up and stand out.  This is a must-have for middle school shelves, but I think I will pass on this one for my K-5 collections as I think very few students at this age will relate.  (FIC BRA)

Skunk and Badger

When Skunk shows up on Badger's front step and says he is his new roommate, Badger is shocked.  Who is this Skunk?  He can't possibly live here.  Badger has important work to do.  And a SKUNK?  Who can live with a skunk?  But even opposites can become best friends. (FIC TIM)

Ways to Make Sunshine

Renee Watson introduces us to Ryan, a strong, confident fourth-grader who is trying to live up to the meaning of her name:  LEADER.  The reviews compare her to Ramona Quimby.  In this first of a series, Ryan faces some challenges:  a talent show, her dad losing his job, and a new house.  All the while, she tries to make sunshine out of the bad and live up to her name.  (FIC WAT)