Middle-Grade Novels
Echo
by Pam Muñoz Ryan
Alone in the woods one day, curious Otto stumbles upon three eccentric sisters who tell him of a prophecy that concerns a harmonica. But it's not just any harmonica. It's an enchanted harmonica that will connect Otto with three daring children from three different parts of the world before, during, and after the World Wars--Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California.
One part fairytale and three parts historical fiction, this epic story is best enjoyed in audio. Music plays a central role in the plot and is masterfully woven throughout the recording. Additionally, the audio contains a broad cast of voice-over actors who depict the international and regional dialects of the heroes and heroines with excellence.
Please note: The first few pages of the book include the mention of a witch and a few magical elements. Neither plays a prominent role in the story nor is depicted in a glamorous light. Each of the three historical portions ends rather abruptly, mid-tragedy. While all four stories come to a favorable end, the sudden jolt of plot in the middle of each climax may be alarming to some sensitive readers/listeners.
The Van Gogh Deception
by Deron Hicks
The truth is locked somewhere inside the boy. If only he could remember who he is, how he got to the National Gallery of Art in the first place, and why he's the key to uncovering the mastermind behind an international ring responsible for producing and selling fraudulent works of art.
In this fast-paced kid-friendly crime thriller, "Art" (as he is temporarily dubbed) and his foster sister Camille are on the run. They have no idea who they can trust but they are determined to find Art's missing dad, the only one who can prove that a Van Gogh painting is a fake.
Please note: There are three uses of "freakin'" in the text. Additionally, Camille lives with her mom but has never met her father who lives in a different state.
A Lion to Guard Us
by Clyde Robert Bulla
With her mother's recent passing, young Amanda must gather her courage and her two younger siblings and head to Jamestown in hopes of finding their father. He left more than three years ago to establish a new home for them all in the New World. If and when they finally make it across the wide blue ocean, will they even recognize him? Will he recognize them? Throughout their journey, the three children carry with them the only remaining keepsake that they have from their former life in England, a brass door knocker in the shape of a lion's head. It was a gift from their father and proof of his identity.
The Indian in the Cupboard
by Lynne Reid Banks
Unimpressed by his birthday gift--a second-hand figurine of a Native American hidden inside a plain wooden cupboard--Omri tosses it aside and heads to bed. The next day, he's surprised to find that the toy tribesman, an Iroquois named Little Bear, has come to life.
Soon, more toys are transformed inside the cupboard, including a cantankerous cowboy who believes Little Bear to be "savage." Omri does his best to keep the secret of the growing miniature world from those around him, but when tensions begin to build inside the wooden box, word gets out. How can Omri keep his little friends safe from his classmates and from each other?
Please note: This book has received criticism from some who view its depiction of cowboys and Native Americans as outdated and stereotypical. Truthfully, the cowboy's continued use of "injun" should elicit some parent-child dialogue about the appropriate representation of indigenous people in literature. However, the author's portrayal of Little Bear is respectful and shows him to be more clever, courageous, and skillful than any of his other tiny counterparts. The story will, no doubt, draw young readers to an appreciation of the Iroquois culture.
Parents, Be Aware
A Sky Full of Song
by Susan Lynn Meyer
The year is 1905. Eleven-year-old Shoshana, along with her family, has just moved to North Dakota from a small Ukrainian village in hopes of escaping the antisemitism sweeping their homeland. Trouble is, it seems that Jews are not very welcome in America either. Shoshana must choose to hide her ethnicity at school in order to fit in or continue to follow her faith and cultural customs in the face of criticism and scorn.
Things to know: While on the surface this book lives up to the acclaim it has received in many Christian circles, it does include several instances of offensive racial slurs including the word "kike." Additionally, the physical and emotional harm other students inflict on Shoshana might be troubling for sensitive readers. Other plot points worth consideration are as follows: several adult characters drink hard liquor, teens sneak to the woods to smoke cigarettes, one character yells, "g*dd*mit" when a cat claws at him, Shoshana shares her Jewish view of the crucifixion of Christ with her Christian classmates and contradicts Scripture, and a teenage boy pantomimes grabbing his penis and peeing in front of a group of girls.
Parents should also be aware that the story describes Shoshana's older sister starting her period for the first time. The entire incident is handled with great care, however. Her mother makes it clear that menstruation is a gift that while painful and inconvenient at times allows a woman to bear children.
Just for you, Mom
Counting the Cost
by Jill Duggar
As a woman who became a Christian at 15 in an IBLP church, I was hesitant to start this book because I was afraid it would be filled with salacious gossip, draped in bitterness, and dredge up all kinds of old memories I'd rather forget. I read Jinger Duggar Vuolo's book Becoming Free Indeed last spring and appreciated how she respectfully shared her story while still telling the truth about her childhood wounds. I wondered if her sister Jill would write as graciously.
While the aim of Jill's book was completely different than that of Jinger's, it too was honoring and appears (from an outsider's point of view) to be honest. Since the sudden cancellation of the 19 Kids & Counting show and her unexpected departure from its spin-off Jill & Jessa: Counting On, Jill has come under fire from both the tabloids and (it sometimes seems) those closest to her. This book is her attempt to set the record straight. Admittedly, there are two sides to every story. Human nature being what it is, storytellers will always slant the facts to their advantage. Somewhere in the middle is the actual truth. I'm sure this book and its colorful cast of characters is no exception.