My Life As A Potato

My Life As A Potato 

by Arianne Costner

Ben Hardy's bad luck with potatoes has followed him from California to his new school in Idaho!  When he accidentally injures the school mascot, Steve the Spud, Ben is forced to take his place. Not wanting anyone, especially his friends and his new crush Jayla, to find out that he's the one in the mascot's costume, Ben tries to keep his new role as Steve the Spud a secret. However, as Ben becomes more popular, he's finding it is harder to keep his secret mascot identity hidden. 

This entertaining realistic fiction is part of the 2021 - 2022 Maine Student Book Award list! This is s great choice for anyone looking for a humorous story.

Millionaires for the Month

Millionaires for the Month

by Stacy McAnulty

Would you like to be a millionaire for the month?   Felix and Benji have the chance to spend over five million dollars, but there is a twist.   Billionaire Laura Friendly has offered them a challenge that, if they win, will earn them ten million dollars!   However, the challenge involves spending just over five million dollars in a month.  Even if they win, they don't get to keep what they bought, but they'll have ten million dollars to keep!   If they lose the challenge, they not only lose all that they bought, but they also don't get any money.   Spending five million seems easy at first, but Felix and Benji soon learn that the rules Laura Friendly has given them makes it a lot more difficult to spend the money than they thought it would be.   Will they spend the money in time?

I found this to be a very entertaining book that offers many valuable lessons!   Felix and Benji learn a lot about the money, friendship, family, and themselves throughout the story.    

Author's website: http://www.stacymcanulty.com/

Book Trailer: 

The Best At It

The Best At It
by Maulik Pancholy

What is Rahul the best at?   He is determined to be the best at something.   Although he knows he is good at math, he is hesitant to join the Mathletes, preferring to try his hand at more exciting activities like football and acting.   Unfortunately, finding the one thing is is the best at proves to be more challenging than he thought.   Will he be able to find something that he can be the best at?

This is a touching, emotional story!   Rahul, in his quest to find what he can be the best at, also faces challenges, including hurtful interactions with a cruel school bully.   However, he also makes many important discoveries as he works to understand more about himself.   A wonderful realistic fiction  from the 2020 - 2021 Maine Student Book Award list!

Author's website: https://www.maulikpancholy.com/

The Eleventh Trade

The Eleventh Trade
by Alyssa Hollingsworth

When his grandfather's beloved rebab is stolen, Sami is determined to recover the missing instrument they brought with them when they escaped from Afghanistan.    With the help of a new friend, he is able to locate the rebab in a store, however he must pay $700 to get the instrument back.   Unable to pay, Sami soon discovers a creative method of raising the money: trading items.   Through a series of trades, Sami begins to raise the money he needs, but will he make enough in time to get the rebab back?

The Eleventh Trade is a powerful story about a young man facing challenges in a new country while struggling with the heartbreaks of his past.   This is an amazing selection from the current MSBA list!

Author's website: https://alyssahollingsworth.com/https://alyssahollingsworth.com/

You Go First

You Go First
by Erin Entrada Kelly

Charlotte and Ben live more than a thousand miles apart and have never met.    However, they are connected through their regular online Scrabble games.  When Ben faces an unexpected challenge at home, he feels the need to connect more with Charlotte, unaware that she has also recently encountered struggles of her own.   This story, which alternates between the two narrators, tells of the difficulties that Charlotte and Ben face at school and home over the course of a week. 

This is a powerful story and many readers will be able to connect to the different challenging situations, including struggles with family, school, and friends, that Charlotte and Ben deal with. 


Author's website: http://www.erinentradakelly.com/

Shouting at the Rain

Shouting at the Rain
by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

Storm-loving and frequently barefoot, Delsie is facing a summer of questions and challenges.   One of her best friends has suddenly abandoned her, choosing to instead spend her time with a new, mean girl.   Delsie, after spending her entire life living with her grandmother, is starting to wonder about her mother and why she left her so many years earlier.   As Delsie struggles to find answers, she is drawn to a new boy in town, Ronan, who comes with similar struggles of his own.

Shouting at the Rain is a wonderful, emotional story!   Many readers will be able to connect to Delsie and some of the issues that she, and her friend Ronan, are working through. 

Author's website: https://www.lyndamullalyhunt.com/

Book trailer:

The Unteachables

The Unteachables
by Gordon Korman

Imagine walking into your new classroom on the first day of school and finding your classmates roasting marshmallows over the trash can.   Meet the Unteachables,  a group of students that everyone, including their new teacher, has given up on.    The students in room 117 come with a variety of challenges and stories, yet share one thing in common: no one wants to teach them, including Mr. Kermit, who just wants to make it until the end of the year so he can retire.   Is there any hope for this group of unteachable students?

This is a very entertaining book!  As with many of his other books, Gordon Korman alternates narrators with each chapter, giving the reader insight into the different characters, including the teacher, Mr. Kermit.   With many humorous moments, this is a story that fans of Gordon Korman will want to check out! 

Author's website: http://gordonkorman.com/

Amal Unbound

Amal Unbound 
by Aisha Saeed

Growing up in a small Pakistani village, Amal loves school and dreams of becoming a teacher.  Unfortunately, the twelve-year-old's life takes a drastic, unexpected turn after a hostile interaction with a person who she later learns is a member of her village's ruling family.   Because of her actions, she is forced to leave her home and work as a servant for the ruling family in order to pay her family's debts.  As Amal struggles in her new situation, she faces the uncertainty of her future as she worries that she may be a servant for the Khan family forever. 

This is such a powerful, emotional story!  Amal is an amazing character facing a challenging situation.  While the story itself is fictional, the author's note at the end explains that character of Amal represents many girls who face similar situations.   I highly recommend this wonderful book!

Author's website: http://aishasaeed.com/

The Trail

The Trail
by Meika Hashimoto

There were 10 things on the list that Toby and Lucas were going to do during the summer before middle school.    There is now one last item to complete on that list, and Toby must do it alone.   The final task: hike to Mount Katahdin from their home, a 440 mile trek.   Will Toby be able to complete the daunting journey?

This is an emotional story full of a lot of action and adventure!   Fans of Lost on a Mountain in Maine will want to read this tale of a boy determined to fulfill a pact made with his best friend.

Train I Ride

Train I Ride
by Paul Mosier

It's a long train ride from California to Chicago for Rydr.  Because her grandmother can no longer care for her, she is forced to go live with a relative she's never met.   During the lengthy journey, Rydr learns more about some of her fellow passengers while, over time, heartbreaking details of her chaotic life emerge. 

This was a beautiful, emotional story that I could not put down until I finished!   Rydr is an amazing character that has faced many challenges and, despite putting on a tough, savvy exterior, struggles with the heartbreaks of her life. I highly recommend this outstanding book!

Forget Me Not

Forget Me Not
by Ellie Terry

Calliope and her mother are moving again.  It's hard for most people to constantly adjust to a new home and school, but for Calli it's extra difficult.  Calli has Tourette syndrome, causing her to uncontrollably make faces, movements, and sounds.  Even though she tries to hide it, eventually the other kids at school notice.   She has hope for a friend when she meets her new neighbor, but even he is reluctant because he's worried about what the others at school will think.   Will Calli ever find the acceptance, friendship, and permanent home that she has been hoping for? 

Another book that I would not put down until I finished!  I love how this story is told using two different narrators, alternating between Calli, whose chapters are told in verse, and her neighbor Jinsong.   This is a very powerful, emotional story that I highly recommend to my readers.

Author's website: http://ellieterry.com/

Book trailer:

Restart

Restart
by Gordon Korman

Imagine having no memory of your past.  That is what has happened to Chase Ambrose after he falls off his roof.  Amnesia has erased his memories, leaving him with no idea about who he was before the fall.   However, as he begins to learn more about his past, he realizes that the Chase he was before the fall may not be someone he wants to become again. 

What a powerful story!  I've always been a fan of Gordon Korman and this book was one of those that I picked up and would not put down until I was finished. As with many of the author's other books, Restart alternates between narrators, allowing the readers to connect with multiple characters who have been impacted by both the old and new Chase.  This is an outstanding book about second chances that I think many readers will enjoy.

Author's website: http://gordonkorman.com/

Book trailer: 

Me and Marvin Gardens

Me and Marvin Gardens 
by Amy Sarig King

Obe Devlin may have just discovered a new animal!  He knows a lot about the wildlife that lives around his home, but has never seen anything quite like this unusual, friendly, dog-sized creature that only eats plastic.   Obe is excited about his new discovery, but also worried about keeping him safe from a group of bullies that live nearby.   Will Obe be able to figure out what kind of animal Marvin Gardens is and where he came from?

This fantastic book is a great choice for readers who enjoy stories about animals and the environment.  In addition to the environmental theme, the story also deals with the friendship and bullying issues that Obe is encountering.  An excellent selection from the 2018 - 2019 Maine Student Book Award list! 

Sled Dog School

Sled Dog School 
by Terry Lynn Johnson

If Matt wants to pass math, he needs to do well on his extra credit assignment.   The assignment?  Start his own business.   Matt decides to run a sled dog school, but running his business proves to be full of many unexpected challenges, including finding students to attend his school.  Will he be able to successfully complete his assignment and save his grade?

This fun story is a great choice for fans of sled dogs!  Matt is a likeable character dealing with school issues that some readers will relate to.   Fans of author Terry Lynn Johnson's book Ice Dogs will want to give this book a try.

Author's website: http://terrylynnjohnson.com/

Book trailer:

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Garvey's Choice

Garvey's Choice
by Nikki Grimes

Told in verse, this wonderful book is the story of Garvey, a young man more interested in science than athletics, much to the disappointment of his father. At school he faces frequent bullying due to his weight. Things take an interesting turn, however, when Garvey becomes a soloist for the chorus. Will Garvey’s father approve of his new love of singing?

I flew through this book! I always tell my students that, if I open a book don’t budge from the couch until I’m done, then I know it’s a great choice for me. Garvey is a likable character and, the more I got to know him, the more I wanted things to go his way. Many readers will be able to relate to the situations that Garvey goes through in this story. I love how the story was told in verse, each page was like its own little poem. An author’s note at the end shares that the story is told using an ancient form of poetry called Tanka, and she also gives a breakdown of how it is written.

I had the opportunity to hear Garvey's Choice author Nikki Grimes speak at the recent American Library Association annual conference in Chicago earlier this summer.  What an outstanding person - I had not read any of her books until I read Garvey's Choice, but I will be sure to read more of her work soon!

Author's website: http://www.nikkigrimes.com/

The Losers Club

The Losers Club
by Andrew Clements

What's an avid reader to do when he is told he can't read at school? Start an after school reading club! When Alec's deep love of books yet again gets in the way of his schoolwork, his principal puts a restriction on his reading time in school. Alec finds a way around the principal's strict order by starting The Losers Club during the Extended Day Program at school, which will give him three extra hours of reading everyday. Alec's plan of reading in solitude are hampered, however, when more kids than he planned join the club, including his biggest bully.  Will Alec's club grow to be more than he ever expected it to be?

I'm a big Andrew Clements fan and this story made me wish for a Losers Club when I was in sixth-grade!  One of my favorite parts about this story is that many excellent books (Hatchet, The Lightning Thief, Cat in the Hat, and many others) are mentioned and my hope is that my students, after reading The Losers Club, will then want to read some of the stories the different characters
read.

Author's website: http://www.andrewclements.com/

Save Me a Seat

Save Me a Seat
by Sarah Weeks


Ravi is a new student from India trying to get through his first week at his new school in the United States. He is confident at first, but soon realizes fitting in will be a lot harder than he thought.Joe is not new but, like Ravi, he doesn't fit in, especially now that his only friends have moved away.  Joe and Ravi may have little in common but they do share at least one thing: a bully who is determined to make their lives miserable.

Save Me a Seat is a wonderful, emotional story of two boys who are struggling to fit in and and overcome challenges at school.   I found the story and the characters realistic and relatable.  Another great book from the new MSBA reading list!

Author's website: http://sarahweeks.com/

Slacker

Slacker
by Gordon Korman

Gaming is Cameron Boxer's life.  Unfortunately, after his video game obsession nearly causes a kitchen fire, his parents issue an ultimatum: find an extra social activity or lose his game system forever.  Having no interest in anything other than video games, Cam comes up with the perfect plan: start a fake school club so that his parents will believe he's doing something besides gaming.  He even has his friend Pavel hack into the school website and create a fake webpage for the club, thinking that no one will notice it.  However, someone does notice and Cam's made-up club, the Positive Action Group (P.A.G.) soon becomes the most popular club in school!  Suddenly the club that Cam made up to avoid other activities has now consumed his life.

What a great book!  I love how Gordon Korman alternated narrators throughout the story, giving the reader an opportunity to get to know each character better.  I found this story humorous, yet realistic, and very entertaining!

Author's website: http://gordonkorman.com/

Maxi's Secrets

Maxi's Secrets (or, what you can learn from a dog)
by Lynn Plourde

Being new isn't easy, but for Timminy it's extra hard: he's smaller than any other kid in his grade and his dad is the new assistant principal at his school. The one good thing about his family's move is Maxi, the Great Pyrenees puppy that his parents let him get. When Timminy realizes that Maxi is deaf, he decides to do whatever he can to help his active new puppy. Maxi, with her entertaining personality, also helps Timminy make new friends as well as breaks the ice between him and one of his bullies. Just as things seem to be getting better, however, Timminy and his family receive news about their beloved dog that will change everything.

This was such a wonderful book! I've always been a big fan of Lynn Plourde and was so excited to read her first chapter book!  This is definitely an emotional story and will likely bring tears to many readers.  I'll be honest, there are sad parts, but the most important part of this book is the bond betwen Timminy and Maxi and how this sweet dog helps Timminy learn to deal with the changes and struggles he encounters.   I highly recommend reading Maxi's Secrets!  

Author's website: http://www.lynnplourde.com/

Some Kind of Happiness

Some Kind of Happiness
by Claire Legrand

Forced to spend her summer with grandparents she has never met while her parents deal with their marital issues, eleven-year-old Finley finds an escape in her beloved notebook. In her notebook she writes lists as well as stories about Everwood, an imaginary place that she has created.  When she sees a large forest behind her grandparents’ home, she  realizes that this is the magical place that she has been writing about. Imagination combines with reality as she and her cousins turn the forest into a real-life Everwood. As she continues to struggle with frequent bouts of sadness and anxiety, Finely realizes her newly discovered Everwood is also home to a past tragic event and a long-hidden family secret.

Combining reality and fantasy, this is a wonderful story that I think many readers will enjoy.  This was one of those books I could not put down until I finished!

Author's website: http://www.claire-legrand.com/