Refugee by Alan Gratz

I have to say this was my absolute favorite book in the Scholastic Book Fair Preview Pack.  Loved Refugee by Alan Gratz!

There are 3 stories from different historical events.  Each one is told from Josef, Isabel, and Mahmoud.  Josef's story is from Germany during the time of the Holocaust and a group of Jewish refugees sail to Cuba on the St. Louis.  Isabel's story is from Cuba and there's a famine.  Fidel Castro encourages unhappy citizens to leave the country and try to make it to America.  Finally, the story of Mahmoud is current Syrian refugees fleeing their homes.

All of the stories are informative and moving.  I thought the author did a clever job of entwining their narratives.  This is a definite must read!

In the Shadow of the Sun by Anne Sibley O'Brien

Looking for something different?  In the sea of young adult novels, that starts to seem somewhat usual, this book is nothing like you've read before.  It's set in North Korea - I've never read a book with this setting before.  Definitely intriguing!

In the Shadow of the Sun by Anne Sibley O'Brien came with the fall Scholastic Book Fair Preview Pack I ordered.  I did enjoy it.  It's definitely got the adventure and drama in it.  Some parts get a little bogged down, but I think it was the author's intent to make sure the voices of the North Korean citizens and Mia, the main character, got heard.  Mia is South Korean, and was adopted when she was a baby.  The author adopted a Korean girl, and knows the struggles these young teens face when trying to fit in to an American family.

The story starts with Mia, her brother, and father on tour in North Korea.  The mother was going to go, but the grandmother got sick and she needed to stay behind to take care of her.  During the structured tour, Mia's dad is arrested.  Mia and her brother escape and decide to make it to safety at the Chinese border.  Their journey is dangerous, but through it they discover their insecurities and help each other become stronger.  I won't give away too much of the story!

I would recommend this book especially to those looking for something unique, especially where the story takes place.  North Korea is in the news, and this novel could help us see their country through their eyes.

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge

Here's another book from the Scholastic Fall Book Fair Preview Pack, but it's not going to get as good of a review.  While it is definitely well written, I just don't see a middle school student enjoying this read.  It's historical fiction, but on a subject you would be hard pressed to find a young teen interested in.

The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge starts with a family having to leave behind their home in England after some kind of scandal.  The father is not only a pastor, but also an anthropologist, who's made a claim many cannot accept.  They move to an island, which currently is in the middle of a big promising dig.

The main character is the daughter, Faith.  She adores her father, but does not have a great relationship with her snobby high society mother.  Right after they arrive on the island Faith's father "commits suicide" because of the stress from his unusual claim, but Faith doesn't believe it.  Trying to prove her father's innocence and find the true murderer, she uncovers an even more mysterious find - the lie tree.  This plant feeds on the lies others say...

It's an intriguing read, but I found myself thinking... would a middle schooler want to read this?  Sadly, I don't think so.

Disappeared by Francisco X. Stork

This is a great read from the Scholastic Fall Book Fair Preview Pack, Disappeared by Francisco Stork.  Set in the border town of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, the narratives alternate between a sister and brother.  Both face difficult decisions - one is trying to expose the girl kidnapping ring after her best friend becomes one of the victims, and the other is being pressured to help smuggle drugs into the US.  Lots of suspense and drama!

Students looking for a fast paced tension filled book, direct them towards this title, and it will fulfill their wish!  Featured on the preview video, this novel would make for a wise purchase at the book fair.

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley

Circus Mirandus by Cassie Beasley is the fantasy pick for this year's Sequoyah Intermediate Book List.  Have you ever wondered if the stories your grandfather told you are true?  Surely these wild tales can only be made up, right?  This is what Micah has always been lead to believe.  But when his grandpa Ephraim is on his death bed, he tells Micah the stories are indeed real.  Now Micah must try to figure out how to get into the mysterious circus and find Lightbender, the greatest magician.  Micah must believe in the magic and persuade the magician to keep his promise.  

With a little help from a great friend and the drama of a mean old aunt, this book will please those looking for a fun fantasy read.

Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

Next on the list... the book for Wisconsin is Dairy Queen by Catherine Murdock.  This was a little hard to get into.  Subject matters was a little boring , not going to lie.  Finally about half way the book did take a turn and got a little more exciting.  The book's not bad, but not a great choice for building up the middle school collection either.

D.J. is the hard working daughter of a dairy farmer.  Suddenly her life becomes a routine of getting up early, milking the cows, cleaning the cow pens and equipment, working on the farm, milking the cows again, cleaning the milking machinery, and going to bed to start it all over again.  Her father hurt his hip and, with her two older brothers gone playing football, she's the only one left to take care of the daily operations of the family dairy farm.  The big problem... her dad is critical of everything, including her work on the farm.  He's already scared away the older brothers when they moved out of the house during a Christmas argument.

The dad used to coach football before his father passed away and left him the dairy farm.  He still has a great coaching buddy, Jimmy Ott, at the rival high school.  He sends his quarterback, Brian, to help D.J. on the farm, and asks if she'll train him on the side.  Well, D.J. does help improve Brian's football skills, and Brian helps her realize how important communication is for families.

I'm not going to spoil the rest, but there is an interesting twist as D.J. begins to realize there's more to life then being the self-sacrificing daughter.

Empty Places by Kathy Cannon Weichman

This school year I dedicated one bulletin board for a reading challenge - for myself and hopefully other teachers and students.  It my Read Along Road Trip Challenge - I'm trying to read a book with the setting from each of the states.  Every time I finish one, I print out the book cover and then cut it to the shape of the state - kind of like a giant puzzle.  to get me started, I did include the books I read this past summer on the Sequoyah Intermediate Book List.  I figure it's this school year's list and maybe it would help peak interest for them.  I was able to include 4 of these books - Boy in the Black Suit for New York, Blackbird Fly for Louisiana, I Am Princess X for Washington, and Orbiting Jupiter for Maine.  The Seventh Most Important Thing is perfect for Washington, D.C.; however, I don't have a good "puzzle piece" for this one, and it would be so tiny.  I will probably just include on the side of the big puzzle map.

In my quest for more states, I found this book in a stack of to be read books.  It definitely fits for my Kentucky pick.  Empty Places by Kathy Cannon Weichman is all about a struggling family in the hills of Kentucky, Harlan County to be exact in 1932.  The mother has run off, and the father is a hard working coal miner and an alcoholic.  The older sister, Raynelle, has taken the place as the mothering figure even though she is just a teen herself.  The older brother, Pick, is determined to get out.  He has no intention in following in his father footsteps as a cola miner.  The younger sister, Blissie, who is a ray of sunshine in a grim situation.  Then there's Adabel, the voice of the narration.  She just wants to remember things, especially why her Mama left seven years ago.

I would classify this as a historical fiction and coming of age book as Adabel learns the truths about her family.  It a good read, but I don't think it'll appeal to many teens wanting to read the next best novel.