Stella Endicott and the Anything-Is-Possible Poem by Kate DiCamillo

Stella Endicott and the Anything-Is-Possible Poem by Kate DiCamillo. Illustrated by Chris Van Dusen. Candlewick Press, 2020. Children's chapter book.

In this, the fifth book in the Tales from Deckadoo Drive series, the story is about second grader, Stella Endicott. Stella loves school. She loves her teacher. She loves her neighborhood. But, when Horace Broom, another second grader questions her truthfulness, the fun begins. Of course, the children end up as friends, but the adventures that get them there are quirky, down-to-earth, and hilarious.

DiCamillo's writing is so smooth that it is a pleasure to read. She always teaches something: in this case, all about metaphors AND the planets!  Readers will flock to their libraries to find out more about Baby Lincoln, Mercy Watson, and the other neighbors on Deckadoo Drive.  Put some paper out as students will want to write their own poems as well.

Death in Rough Water by Francine Mathews

Death in Rough Water by Francine Mathews. SOHO Press, 2016. Fiction. Crime, detectives.

A fun summer who done it for anyone who loves Nantucket! Detective Merry Folger works under her father, the police chief. When her childhood friend, Adelia's father dies on his fishing boat, Del returns to the island with her two-year-old daughter in tow. Soon Merry is pulled into even more turmoil with more lives in danger. Mathews gets the trivia right and readers will feel like they are right there, too.

Check out other titles in this series or look for the author's other series starring Jane Austen and written under the name Stephanie Barron.

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson

Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson. William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, 2019. Fiction mystery.

Amy is a wife, mother, stepmom, and friend. She seems quite normal as a member of her neighborhood book club. But, when a new woman named Roux appears at a meeting, Roux challenges the women to a "game" and their secrets all begin to appear. Even Amy and her friend, Char, have secrets. The teen, Luca, is astonishingly handsome and immediately appeals to Amy's stepdaughter, Maddy. As Amy tries to put together the pieces of information that Roux and Luca drop like red herrings, the plot takes creepy twists and unexpected turns. Can Amy protect those she loves as well as her past? This cul-de-sac will keep you reading until far too late in the night!

Kent State by Deborah Wiles

  Kent State by Deborah Wiles. Scholastic, 2020. Middle school and up.

During the turbulent times of the late 1960's, America was divided over the War in Viet Nam. On May 4, 1970, at Kent State University in Ohio, the National Guard was called to quell a student protest on the campus. Pandemonium ensued. Four students were shot and killed.

Deborah Wiles uses this real event to provide voices that represent many of the people who were there. From students to community members to guardsmen and others, people of diverse beliefs and cultures speak about what they saw and felt. Told in blocks of spoken text by unnamed characters, the book would make a dramatic impact as a spoken performance. Wiles uses her extensive research to describe what happened at Kent State and to encourage readers to take a stand for what they believe in.

Gold Rush Girl by Avi

Gold Rush Girl by Avi. Candlewick Press, 2020. Historical fiction.
In 1848 Providence, Rhode Island, young Victoria Blaisdell longs for adventure and to be out from under Aunt Lavinia's stern instructions on how to be a proper young woman. When her father decides to go to California to search for gold, Victoria and her younger brother, Jacob, go, too. Sickly Mother stays behind, hoping to join them later.

In California, Tory finds not only adventure, but danger, friends, work, and a new sense of identity and self- worth. Jacob disappears and only Tory, Sam, and Thad (a Mod Squad team of teenagers if ever there was one) may be able to find him and rescue him from a kidnapping in time to save his life. The ending is neatly tied up so that young readers can enjoy the danger, but, yet not be too scared. Tweens will probably want to read more about early California, the gold rush, and earthquakes.

No one does adventure better than Avi. The pacing, the historic details, and the narrative itself move the story. The characters themselves have interesting back stories and skills that contribute to the plot. Senor Rosales even teaches Tory a good bit of Spanish! So many people abandoned their ships to rush to the gold fields that Rotten Row became an area of floating, disintegrating ships. Avi ties the locations in with a map of San Francisco and where such ships have been found.

Half Moon Street by Alex Reeve

Half Moon Street by Alex Reeve. Felony and Mayhem Press, 2018. Mystery.      Ready for a Victorian mystery  that will take you back to the times of Charles Dickens' London? This unusual mystery stars Leo Stanhope, a neatly dressed young man who works at the morgue. But, Leo's big secret is that he was born a female. He thinks he is in love with Maria, a beautiful prostitute, and dreams of a future with her. Alas, murder comes between them and Leo is the prime suspect.

Thus, begins an adventure to find the killer, save a loyal friend with the only means at Leo's disposal, outwit a wealthy landlord who is both greedy and deadly, to find a job that doesn't require blood and death exposure, and to keep himself safe.

The details are extensive, the writing smooth. The novel is dense, rich with the atmosphere of soot and dirt. Leo Stanhope just may be the hero in a whole new series. Give him a chance!

Spindle and Dagger by J. Anderson Coats

  Spindle and Dagger by J. Anderson Coats. Candlewick Press, 2020. Fiction.        The teen heroine of this medieval tale, set in 1109 Wales, will need both spindle and dagger in order to  survive and make a life. A warband has set upon her home and killed her family. Elen is taken away to become the property of Owain, the son of the leader,  a son who longs to be recognized for bravery and prowess. Elen treats a wound that would have killed Owain and spins a lie to protect herself. Owain thinks if he keeps Elen near and safe that she will ensure that Saint Elen protects him.

So Elen has a home travelling with the violent band of brigands, but longs to get away and find a real and safe home. When Owain abducts Nest, a beautiful mother and her three small children who is the wife of a Norman warlord, Elen begins to see that she might have a better future.

The Welsh names are a bit confusing, but readers of medieval tales will relish this Welsh tale. The sexual nature of Elen's kidnapping and life make this at least a young adult tale, but her story is well written. It is refreshing that Elen is not a superheroine, uses no magic, and thinks much like a typical teenager might. A historical note in the back talks about the Middle Ages and the actual historical fighting and skirmishes that are the basis for these events.