Sardines by Sashi Kaufman – Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Sardines

Sashi Kaufman, Author

Quill Tree Books, Fiction, Oct. 18, 2022

Pages: 304

Suitable for ages: 8-12

Themes: Loss, Identity, Family secrets, Mental illness, Middle School, Bullying, Friendships, Trust, Hope

Book Jacket Synopsis:

Lucas Barnes knows it’s possible to stand out in middle school and still feel completely invisible. That’s what happens after his older brother, Charlie, dies and his mom disappears.

Stuck at aftercare every day until his dad can pick him up, Lucas gets to know Anna, the popular girl; Cat, the basketball star; Robbie, who’s nice to everyone and funny; and Finn, the new kid.

Between games of Sardines played in the woods behind school, they realize that each of them has a secret wish — something he or she desperately wants — and that by working together, they might actually have the power to make each wish come true. Lucas knows what he wants more than anuthing, but he isn’t sure if he can trust the group with his families secrets.

Told with humor and heart, Sardines is for any kid who’s felt second best or out of place, a book about an unlikely crew thrown together by fate and held together by friendship.

Why I like Sardines:

Sashi Kaufman’s debut novel is a heartwarming and original story about loss, identity, mental health, bullying and friendship. She nails the rocky transition for 6th grade students entering middle school. Many are still kids who like to play and aren’t ready for the pressures they encounter.

I admit I was drawn to Sardines because of the beautiful cover. It just spoke to me. When I read the summary, I was sold.

This is a character-driven story with Lucas, narrating. He deals with his brother’s death, his mother’s disappearance and his strained relationship with his father. Lucas knows his mother was very sad after Charlie’s death, but he doesn’t understand why she left and why she hasn’t attempted to contact him. .

All five kids, Lucas, Robbie, Anna, Cat and Finn, are from different backgrounds, yet they manage to forge an unlikely friendship at the after school program. They connect over Sardines, a game of hide-and-seek. And they find a tree fort in the woods where they meet after school. While Lucas is the main character, I admit my favorite character is Finn, who memorizes the atlas. He’s smart, confident, and a bit quirky. Little is known about him, but he holds the group together. Finn comes up with the idea to collect acorn caps in a jar. Once full, each person shares a secret wish that the others will help come true. This takes their relationship to a whole new level of trust and devotion. No one knows Finn’s wish until the end.

The story is realistic, relatable and messy. But there is growth and hope for this group of friends. And it is nice to see the growth in Lucas’s dad. Sardines really is a compelling middle grade story about resilience and the power of friendship. This novel will be popular with students.

Sashi Kaufman writes for kids and young adults, including The Other Way Around and Wired Man and Other Freaks of Nature. She’s a middle school teacher in southern Maine, where she lives with her family. When she’s not reading or writing she likes to hike, explore, and eat ice cream. Visit her online at http://www.sashikaufman.com

Greg Pattridge hosts Marvelous Middle Grade Monday posts on his wonderful Always in the Middle website. Check out the link to see all of the wonderful reviews by KidLit bloggers and authors.

*Reviewed from a library copy.

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Makana is a Gift by Janet Lucy

Makana is a Gift

Makana es un Regalo/ Bilingual version

Janet Lucy, Author

Alexis Cantu, Illustrator

Seven Seas Press, Nonfiction, Jun. 13, 2022

Suitable for ages: 4-8

Themes: Sea turtles, Marine life, Oceans, Pollution, Plastics, Purpose, Identity

Opening: “The Sun glistened on the water like gold glitter, where a little green seat turtle was basking on the surface of the warm turquoise water of Turtle Cove.”

Publisher’s Synopsis:

One bright morning a little green sea turtle basks on the surface of Turtle Cove, where he arrived the night before. He hatched from a nest on a shore hundreds of miles away, and has spent the first six years of his life swimming through the ocean. Here in Turtle Cove he meets the inhabitants—a wise elder turtle, Kato, and other sea creatures. He admires the unique features of an octopus and starfish, and wishes he could swim with a school of fish. He observes the gulls and terns flying freely overhead, and begins to question his identity.

Makana is a Gift is the story of a young sea turtle’s quest to understand his unique purpose, who and why he is, while waiting to be given his name. One morning while hungry for breakfast, he mistakes a plastic bag for a jellyfish, takes a bite as many sea turtles do, and must seek help to survive this too common, life-threatening experience.

In the end, he understands that all creatures are needed to help and care for each other; he too has a unique and essential purpose; that life is a gift, and so is he. In Hawaiian, Makana means gift, and thus he receives his name.

Why I like Makana is a Gift:

Janet Lucy’s storytelling is magical. Her prose has a gentle rhythm that reminds one of the lapping waves. Packed with fascinating facts, beautiful watercolor illustrations and a lovely theme about identity and finding your purpose, Makana’s journey will fuel curious young minds and inspire the next generation of nature lovers. It will definitely appeal to children who have a passion for learning about marine wildlife and a special interest in ocean creatures and all things hidden beneath the sea.

Children will learn about how a mother sea turtle makes a nest in the sand and lays around 100 eggs the size of ping pong balls. The sun warms the sand as the little turtles develop in about two months. Once they begin to hatch, they crawl to the ocean, hoping they won’t meet predators along the way. If they reach the water, they will be on their own.

Sea turtles and marine life need protection from the plastic bags and straws that they mistake for food, as Makana discovers. It is important for children to learn how vulnerable sea turtles and marine life can be to the plastics carelessly dumped into the oceans by humans.

Makana means gift in the lovely Hawaiian language and is such a beautiful and fitting title for Lucy’s book. It is a reminder that nature (and life) is a gift and needs to be cherished and protected by all of us. I highly recommend Makana is a Gift for school libraries.

Resources: There is a Discussion & Activities Guide, links to Resources, and a list of Books and Documentaries at the end of the story. Encourage children to draw or paint a sea turtle and the other marine life Makana meets in the ocean. If you live near a beach, plan a day to clean up the plastics you see before they reach the ocean.

Janet Lucy, MA, is the award-winning author of Mermaid Dreams/Suenos de Sirena, multi-award winning The Three Sunflowers/Lost Tres Girasoles , and co-author of Moon Mother, Moon Daughter – Myths and Rituals that Celebrate a Girl’s Coming of Age. Janet is the Director of Women’s Creative Network in Santa Barbara, California, where she is a teacher and consultant, facilitates women’s writing groups and leads international retreats. She can often be found in or near the water. Visit Janet Lucy at her website.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for a review.

The Heart of Mi Familia by Carrie Lara

The Heart of Mi Familia

Carrie Lara, Author

Christine Battuz, Illustrator

Magination Press, Fiction, Nov. 10, 2020

Suitable for ages: 4-8

Themes: Bicultural families, Intergenerational relationships, Identity, Culture, Traditions, Bilingual

Opening: “In my home, two worlds become one. My family is a mix of dos culturas, I am bicultural.”

Book Jacket Synopsis:

My mommy was born in the United States. My daddy was born in Central America. In, my home, two worlds become one.

Follow a young girl as she works with her abuela and her grandma to create a wonderful birthday present for her brother that celebrates her multicultural family and honors both sides and generations of her family. This follow up to the award winning Marvelous Maravilliso: Me and My Beautiful Family is a must-read for all families.

Why I like this book:

Carrie Lara has written a heartwarming story about a little girl who is proudly shares her bicultural family. Her mother was born in the United States and her family traveled on a ship from Europe. Her dad was born in Central America and came to the US by bus with his parents as a boy. She shares her culturally-rich visits to her abuela’s home near the ocean during the summer months. And she visits her grandparent’s vineyard home in the autumn, when the pumpkins are ripe for picking.

The story is laced with a lot of Spanish words that children will easily remember. The girl shares how lucky she is to visit and celebrate two different cultures because she can include all those traditions — foods, music, games, artwork and language — at home in her own blended family gatherings.

This story is based on the author’s own bicultural family life experiences. So she speaks from experience. It is a treasure for bicultural families to use as a discussion book with their children. Kids need to see themselves in stories. And, teachers will find creative ways to use it in their classrooms! Christine Battuz’s illustrations are beautiful! They are colorful and happy, and love of family shines through each illustration.

Resources: There is a Reader’s Note to parents to help them work with their children to acknowledge the differences, encourage them to explore their cultural histories, talk about cultural identity and help them deal with discrimination. A must read for teachers too!

Carrie Lara specializes in working with children and families on child and human development, including foster and adoptive youth, those with learning disabilities and special education, and children dealing with trauma, using attachment-based play therapy. She lives in Sonoma County, CA. Visit her at FB @authorcarrielara.

*Reviewed from a copy provided by the publisher in exchange for a review.

For Black Girls Like Me by Mariama J. Lockington

For Black Girls Like Me

Mariama J. Lockington, Author

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Fiction, Jul. 30, 2019

Suitable for Ages: 9-11

Themes: Idenity, African-American, Interracial adoptions, Family problems, Mental illness, Moving,

Opening: “I am a girl but most days I feel like a question mark. People throw their looks at me. Then back at my mama sister and papa. Who are all as white as oleander. Then they look back at me. Black as a midnight orchard.”

Bookjacket Synopsis:

Makeda June Kirkland is eleven-years old, adopted, and black. Her parents and big sister are white, and even though she loves her family very much Keda often feels left out. When Keda’s family moves from Maryland to New Mexico, she leaves behind her best friend, Lena — the only other adopted black girl she knows — for a new life. In New Mexico, everything is different. At home, Keda’s sister is too cool to hang out with her anymore, and at school, she can’t seem to find one true friend.

Through it all, Keda can’t help but wonder: What would it feel like to grow up with a family that looks like me? Keda has a constant dialogue in her head with the birth mother she never knew.

In this deeply felt coming-of-age story, about family, sisterhood, music, race, and identity, Mariama J. Lockington draws on some of the motional truths from her own experiences of growing up with an adoptive white family. For Black Girls Like Me is for anyone who has ever asked themselves: How do you figure out where you are going if you don’t know where you came from?

Why I like this book:

Mariama J. Lockington has penned an intimate and emotional debut novel that will touch reader’s souls. It is about a girl being adopted into an interracial family. The author uses many of her own personal experiences to share Keda’s inner turmoil of feeling both “loved and lonely” in her white family. This rarely-told story is long overdue and will resonate with many transracial adoptees.

There is beauty in Lockington’s book. She is a very lyrical writer, so there are many poetic turns of phrases. Her writing tone is rich and and is enhanced with Keda’s musical lyrics, poems, letters, and a journal that carries her heart back and forth through the postal mail to Lena, her bestie. The journal is a lifeline and bond for both. It’s a creative inclusion in the narrative. The plot is multilayered and courageous.

The characters are authentic and complicated. Keda is deeply sensitive, observant and curious about her birth mother. At school she dislikes the never ending questions about her hair, her adoption, and her biological mother. Most of all, she doesn’t like the accusations of being “too proper” and “talking so white.” Keda’s life may feel complex, but she is resilient. She is a talented song writer and her music is her freedom from lonliness and hurt. She finds a soulmate in singer Billie Holiday’s blues music.

Making friends is easy for Eve, Keda’s older white sister. Eve is popular and distant, leaving Keda without a friend. Their family is musical. Mama is a prodigy – a talented solo violinist who left the stage when she started a family. Papa is a talented celloist, who heads out on a worldwide concert tour after their move to New Mexico. However Mama’s mental health issues emerge and spiral out of control. The sisters are thrown together to grapple with big decisions.

For Black Girls Like Me raises timely questions about race, identity, and mental health issues that will foster excellent classroom discussions. It is an outstanding work of fiction and belongs in every school library. Keda’s life may feel messy but it is full of courage, hope and promise.

Favorite Quotes:

“So you’re like Obama? An Oreo!” / Kinda. Wait. What’s an Oreo? / “You know when you’re all black on the outside but really white on the inside?” (Page 37)

Questions I have for black girls (with hair) like me: Who decides what kind of hair is beautiful? Do you ever just want to tell your mom: “White lady stop! You don’t know what you’re doing!” Do you remember the first black woman to ever washed your hair? What did it feel like? Did it hurt? Or did it feel like home? (Page 134)

“I am a girl becoming a woman. People throw their puzzled looks at me and I know they’re wondering: Who does she look like? But I am learning to say: Me. I look like me. I am a girl becoming a woman.” (Page 317)

Mariama J. Lockington is an adoptee, writer, and nonprofit educator. She has been telling stories and making her own books since the second grade, when she wore short-alls and flower leggings every day to school. Her work has appeared in a number of magazines and journals, including Buzzfeed News Reader, and she is the author of the poetry chapbook The Lucky Daughter. Mariama holds a Masters in Education from Lesley University and Masters in Fine Arts in Poetry from San Francisco State University. She lives in Lexington, KY with her partner and dapple haired dachshund, Henry.

Greg Pattridge hosts Marvelous Middle Grade Monday posts on his wonderful Always in the Middle website. Check out the link to see all of the wonderful reviews by KidLit bloggers and authors.

*Reviewed from a library copy.

The Length of a String by Elissa Brent Weissman

The Length of a String

Elissa Brent Weissman, Author

Dial Books for Young Readers, Fiction, May 1, 2018

Suitable for Ages: 10-14

Themes: Adoption, Identity, Family relationships, Jews, African Americans, Holocaust

Synopsis:

Imani is adopted by a Jewish family. Now that she’s turning 13, she knows exactly what she wants as her big bat mitzvah gift: to find her birth parents. She loves her family and her Jewish community in Baltimore, but she has always wondered where she came from, especially since she’s black and almost everyone she knows is white.

When her mom’s grandmother–Imani’s great-grandma Anna–passes away, Imani discovers an old journal among her books. It’s Anna’s diary from 1941, the year she was twelve and fled Nazi-occupied Luxembourg alone, sent by her parents to seek refuge in Brooklyn, New York. Imani keeps the diary a secret for a while, only sharing it with her best friend, Madeline. Anna’s diary chronicles her escape from Holocaust-era Europe and her journey to America and her new life with a Jewish adoptive family. She continues to write to her sister Belle about the tall New York sky scrapers, shopping in supermarkets, eating Chinese food, modeling fur coats, and playing Chinese checkers, until news about her family stops. She fears the worst and puts down her pen.

Imani decides to make Anna’s story her bat mitzvah research project. She uncovers some important information about the war and Luxembourg. As Imani reads Anna’s diary, she begins to see her own family and her place in it in a new way.

Why I like this book:

The author skillfully weaves two stories, one from the present and another from the past, using characters that you will feel like you know intimately. This is a very different holocaust story because it focuses on the identity of Jewish and African-American girls (70 years a part) and their search for self, something that readers will find relevant. The setting, the unforgettable characters, and the plot create an engaging reading experience. The ending is unexpected and very satisfying.

You learn about Anna Kirsch and the painful decision her family makes in deciding which of their seven children to smuggle to America as the Nazi’s begin to occupy Luxembourg. Anna is selected and separated from her identical twin sister, Belle, the other half of her heart. On the ship she begins to write Belle daily letters daily chronicling her journey so that she keeps their connection alive. Anna lives with loving strangers, Hannah and Max, a Jewish family who open their hearts and home to her. Anna is essentially adopted, like Imani. She continues to write to Belle about her adventures until news about her family stops.

My children are adopted, each responding differently like Imani and her adopted El Salvadoran brother. Like Imani, my daughter had so many questions about her past. What were her ethnic roots? Who did she look like? Why was she adopted? Like Imani’s family, we ran a genetic DNA test for our daughter so she had a sense of her heritage. This eventually led to her finding two biological sisters this past year. Now she has answers and it has brought her peace as an adult. We need more MG and YA books for adopted children who are trying to figure out who they are and need to see themselves in stories.

Elissa Brent Weismann’s novel is a captivating story that is a departure from her humorous Nerd Camp series. Her website includes teacher resources and curriculum for all of her books.

Greg Pattridge is the host for Marvelous Middle Grade Monday posts on his wonderful Always in the Middle website. Check out the link to see all of the wonderful reviews by KidLit bloggers and authors.

Little Worlds by Geraldine Collet

Géraldine Collet, Author

Sébastien Chebret, Illustrator

Magination Press, Fiction, Feb. 15, 2018

Suitable for Ages: 4-8

Themes: Imagination, Dreaming, Play, Identity, Empathy

Opening: It’s a well-known fact that everybody has their own little world!

Synopsis: A little world is any place where a child’s imagination is free to blossom. When Pablo wants his own space, he climbs into his treehouse and listens to the birds singing. Marion likes to crawl into a tent in her living room and build castles with her cat. Frank and Melvin retreat to their grandfather’s workshop and invent things. Clara dreams of stars and galaxies. Martin wears his knight outfit and takes on dragons. Books carry Lili to far-away places. Marek and Simon play on a wall in a war zone and dream of a world without war.

Why I like this book:

Géraldine Collet book shows a diverse group of children in their own self-constructed little worlds as they explore and freely play, develop their own identities, and learn to understand others. It is ideal for kids who just want to play, have fun or dream about possibilities. Sébastien Chebret’s warm and colorful illustrations are both playful and pensive.

Collet’s book invites lively conversations between children and their parents. Parents will find her book nostalgic as they remember their favorite places to imagine, create, and dream. I think of my brothers heading to the creek and woods to explore the world, while I climbed to the tops of trees and sang my heart out. What a special way to listen and discover your child’s favorite places to dream and play. And it’s an opportunity to share your favorite memories together. When you listen, you encourage and your child to explore, experiment, imagine and pursue their different passions.

Resources: There is a “Note to Parents and Caregivers” by Julia Martin Burch, PhD, with more information on ways to encourage your child’s imagination and identity, while also fostering a sense of empathy for others.

Every Friday, authors and KidLit bloggers post a favorite picture book. To see a complete listing of all the Perfect Picture Books (PPB) with resources, please visit author Susanna Leonard Hill’s website.

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Beyond the Bright Sea

Lauren Wolk, Author

Dutton Children’s Books, May 2, 2017

Suitable for Ages: 9-12

Themes: Abandonment, Orphan, Identity, Family, Love, Elizabeth Islands, Sea

Prologue Opening: “My name is Crow. When I was a baby, someone tucked me into an old boat and pushed me out to sea. I washed up on a tiny island, like a seed riding the tide. It was Osh who found me and took me in. Who taught me how to put down roots, and thrive on both sun and rain, and understand what it is to bloom.”

Synopsis: Twelve-year-old Crow has lived her entire life on a tiny, isolated piece of the beautiful Elizabeth Islands in Massachusetts. Set adrift in a small boat when she was just hours old, Crow’s only companions are Osh, the man who rescued and raised her, and Miss Maggie, their fierce and affectionate neighbor across the sandbar. Even though Miss Maggie sent telegraphs to the other Elisabeth Islands asking if anyone was looking for a new-born, there were no responses. The rest of the islanders are afraid Crow was born on Penikese Island, which housed a colony of lepers. They keep their distance and won’t allow her to attend school with their children.

Crow feels a connection to Penikese and knows in her heart the island is part of her history. One night she spots a mysterious fire burning across the water on Penikese. She convinces Osh and Miss Maggie to take her there. Little does Crow know her quest will lead her down a path of self-discovery, danger and a villain who thinks she has something he wants.

Why I recommend this book:

Lauren Wolk’s Beyond the Bright Sea is a brilliantly crafted novel that is mysterious, breathtaking and heartbreaking. It is set in 1925 on the tiny island of Cuttyhunk where Osh and Crow experience an unlikely new beginning together. The untamed beauty of the sea and island becomes a powerful character that weaves their lives together. The setting, the characters, the plot and the gorgeous imagery create an extraordinary experience for readers.

The characters are complex and memorable. Crow is a determined, curious and resilient girl. Her greatest gift is her intuition which nudges her to piece together the puzzle that reveals her own history. It is a joy to experience the story narrative through her innocent, yet wise character. Osh is a quiet and kind-hearted man with secrets of his own. He leaves a world at war behind him to live alone on Cuttyhunk. Crow’s unexpected arrival by sea changes Osh’s solitary life and he becomes a caring and protective father. Crow grows up happy and safe with Osh teaching her everything she needs to know about the ocean, the moon, the tides and the weather. Miss Maggie is outspoken with a voice like thunder and a heart that embraces Crow with grand-motherly affection. She schools Crow since she isn’t permitted to attend classes with the locals. Miss Maggie is the only one on the island who isn’t afraid of Crow. Both Osh and Miss Maggie support Crow’s journey to uncover her past.

The plot is courageous, gripping, and dangerous. Wolk’s deliberate pacing keeps readers fully engaged and wondering what will happen next. There are secrets, unexpected surprises and some harrowing moments for all the characters. Crow learns that family is about the people who care about you no matter what. Wolk nicely pulls everything together in a realistic and satisfying ending.

Lauren Wolk is an award-winning poet and author of the critically acclaimed Wolf Hollow, described by The New York Times Book Review as “full of grace and stark, brutal beauty.” She is a graduate of Brown University with a degree in English Literature. She lives on Cape Cod. Visit Wolk at her website.

Check other Middle Grade review links on author Shannon Messenger’s Marvelous Middle Grade Monday post.