Guest Review: The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade

The following review is from guest reviewer and librarian Sandy Brandon. Sandy is the librarian at Montwood Middle School in El Paso, Texas, and currently a member of Texas Bluebonnet Program Committee, Texas Library Association. 

The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade
by Jordan Sonnenblick
Scholastic Press
2017
193 pages
ISBN: 9780545863209

Available August 29, 2017

Jordan Sonnenblick has done it again! With his signature wit and wisdom, Sonnenblick introduces middle grade readers to Maverick Falconer, an all-too-tiny sixth grade student.

Maverick's life is anything but perfect, but he makes the best of difficult situations he finds himself in. Throughout the book, Maverick faces serious struggles at school and home. Sonnenblick handles tough issues with humor and sensitivity.

Maverick is going into sixth grade and he is much smaller than the other students at school. He is weak, and everyone knows it, especially the bullies at school. He faces bullies in his home life as well. This year, Maverick decides, he is going to change and be stronger. He is ready to make positive changes at school and in his own home. Armed with his small, plastic sheriff's star (a prized possession his father gave him before he passed away), Maverick is prepared. If only he can overcome his own bullies!

The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade handles serious issues many students face: bullying, neglect, alcoholism and abusive relationships. Maverick Falconer's heartbreaking struggle to make his life better is handled with empathy. Sonnenblick's rare gift of hilarity does not disappoint. Readers will laugh and cry and hopefully show a new appreciation and understanding for each person's unique situation.

Highly recommended grades 4 and up. Perfect for reluctant readers.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this ARC from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review nor did Sandy Brandon.

Southern Charmer: Tupelo Honey

 

Tupelo Honey
(Kindle)
Lis Anna-Langston
Mapleton Publishers
2016
247 pages

Now available as Kindle

Tupelo Honey will tug at your heartstrings and sing off the pages.  Set in the 1970s in a small Southern town, the story of young Tupelo begins with a picture of her daily existence. Tupelo's home life can only be described as broken and painful. Her mother is a wretched, broken, mean drug addict with a salty mouth and she shows Tupelo no motherly love but instead inflicting  intense abuse--both  physical and mental. Thank goodness for the kindness of strangers. Mother's then boyfriend Nash is charming and sweet to Tupelo and believes in her. He becomes a constant in her life even though her crazy mother continues to push him away. Eventually Nash is lost to Tupelo when her mother grabs her and takes a "vacation" to California. Tupelo is homesick and using her wits figures out a way to trick a cop into sending her home. What Tupelo lacks in parents, she makes up in moxie.

Another coping mechanism is the existence of Moochi, Tupelo's imaginary dog/man friend who helps her out in tight situations. Tupelo is able to hold conversations with him and he gives her good advice and ideas.

Grandmother Marmalade does all she can for her granddaughter--taking her in when her own daughter has a bout with drugs or booze. Marmalade has her hands full with her two grown sons. Mental illness cuts a large swath in this family with both of Tupelo's uncles suffering from possible schizophrenia.

Readers will love Tupelo and empathize with her struggles to find a home and be loved. Through heartbreak, pain, fair, loss, desperation, Tupelo never loses her enthusiastic voice. Tupelo Honey is a wonderful book that teaches us  many lessons about love and family. It is a shame that it contains profanity which may keep it off of middle grade and middle school lists. I understand the use of the profanity. It is used primarily by Tupelo's drugged out, no good mother.

Readers will cheer for  Tupelo as she navigates the problem adults which seem to plague her life. When she sees Nash again I wanted to jump up and down for her! This is one book that proves that although  you can't choose your family, you can  choose where you belong.

Highly recommended grade 5-up with warning of profanity, drug abuse, violence.

The Boy in the Black Suit

The Boy in the Black Suit
by Jason Reynolds
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
2015
272 pages
ISBN: 9781442459502

Poignant and heartbreaking yet warm and hopeful, The Boy in the Black Suit is a story of one boy's struggle to understand the meaning of life and let go the grief of his beloved  mother's untimely death. Seventeen year old Matthew (Matt) Miller just wants life to be normal again and have people treat him like everything is normal. After his mother's funeral, the kids at school ignore him, their eyes downcast when he walks by, or worse, they whisper about him. He knows he makes them uncomfortable, but he just wants someone to say "hello." Trying to keep busy and act normal, Matt decides to get a job after school.

While filling out an application at the local fast food chicken shack, Cluck Bucket, Matt runs into Mr. Ray, the local mortician. Mr. Ray offers Matt a job in the funeral home. He promises Matt won't have to touch dead people. Mostly Matt will set up chairs and flowers, clean up, and generally help out. The pay is good, so Matt takes the job. Matt's best friend Chris comes around and they have a few words about Matt's mom, clearing the air and taking away the awkward silence. Chris tells Matt he saw his father outside the local bar getting really wasted with neighborhood no-goodnik and drunkard Robbie Ray.

Matt's worst suspicions come true. His father has hit the bottle after over 20 years sober. Instead of reaching out  for his son or even trying to strengthen the family bond, his weak father continues to fuel his grief with alcohol.  One night, Matt's father is hit by a car and has to spend time in the hospital and in the rehabilitation hospital. Trying to keep it normal, Matt keeps going to school and helping at the parlor. One day, Matt sees a funeral speech given by a young girl. In her speech to her grandma, Love is brave and strong. Matt is moved by the beauty of it and by the girl's conviction. He wants to know what she knows; he wants to be as strong as she is. So he stays after the funeral, hoping to meet the girl--he's seen her before, running the counter at Cluck Bucket.

When Matt meets Love, all is right with the world. First love (pun, intended)  is always special and it's no different for Matt. He's smitten instantly and walks on air. He even appreciates Chris's good natured ribbing about his "girlfriend." Love introduces Matt to a world he's never even thought about, a world that he's happy to be a part of again.

Author Jason Reynolds gets it right. This feels like a book about a teen growing up in the streets of New York. The dialog is true and spot on. Matt's relationships with Love and Chris and with elders Mr. Ray, the Candy Man and his father also ring true.

Highly, highly recommended for grade 7-up. Some mature content: alcoholism, death, murder, violence, drug use by minor characters. Some mild profanity.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received the arc from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

Horror Pick: Doctor Sleep (The Shining, book 2)

Doctor Sleep
by Stephen King
Scribner
2013
528 pages

Spooky, scary and creepily grotesque doesn't begin to describe the terror of Doctor Sleep. Somewhere out there on America's highways and byways, you might see a convoy of Winnebagos driven by baby boomers and elderly retirees. You may not think anything of it, unless you've entered the terrifying world of Doctor Sleep.

Dan Torrence (the child in The Shining) is now all grown up. Having survived the nightmare that was the Overlook, Dan has spent years lying to himself and relying on the bottle for solace. He finally turns to AA for help, and the shining is quiet for a little while. He is still in touch with the Overlook's cook Dick Hallorann who has helped him understand the shining and his powers since childhood. When Dan is summoned by a young girl named Abra, he turns to Dick again for help.

Abra has the shining, too, and it's strong. That's what attracts Rose and her group of life-sucking vampires who feed off the shining from children. The True Knot travels from campground to campground feeding off the shining of tragedies. When 9/11 happened, they fed well off the steam of the dying. Since then, their canisters of saved "steam" is dwindling, and Rose is getting nervous. What will happen to her band of paranormal gypsies if there is no more steam? She will lose her power and die. Rose can't let that happen. She feels a strong presence somewhere on the east coast and sends her scouts out to search for this young beacon of hope.

Dan and Abra are connected, and she reaches out to Dan though messages on a chalkboard and later, she is able to connect telepathically. Sometimes Abra feels someone else besides Dan is in her head and she is afraid. Dan teachers her how to set traps and scare to intruder off, but Rose is powerful. Abra has a vision of a young boy she calls "baseball boy," and she knows he is somehow the key to destroying the True Knot.

As the True Knot moves closer to Abra, Dan and Dick hatch a plan to save her and unravel the True Knot (yes, pun intended) and destroy them. It will take all three of them...and then some...to face the demons and win. Like The Stand, Doctor Sleep is the ultimate good versus evil battle.

Doctor Sleep is King at his masterful best; no one can build suspenseful excitement and fearful anticipation like King. He even takes a playful jab at fellow horror genre writer Dean Koontz--just for grins.

Highly, highly recommended for anyone who loves a great story and every Stephen King fan grade 9 and up. Language, mature situations, violence, alcoholism, sobriety issues.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)

The Prince of Denial

The Prince of Denial
by Doug Wilhelm
Long Stride Books
2013
212 pages

Available October 7, 2013 (tentative date from publisher)

Casey is hiding a secret. He's keeping it together for himself and for his dad. If he can run home and clean things up...if he can make dinner and do his chores...if he can get his homework done...if he can go to school on time and keep up his grades...if he can wear a false smile and pretend nothing is wrong...then everyone will believe it, right?

When his best friend Oscar pushes him, Casey gets defensive, claiming he has "stuff to do." Oscar wonders why Casey can't hang out anymore. Why does he always have to rush home?

Casey is beginning to show cracks in his put on fascade. He's getting short tempered. He's yelling at friends. People are beginning to notice. When his aunt Julie asks him to help her, Casey doesn't know what to do. Should he rat out his dad?

The Prince of Denial shows how families can get damaged by substance abuse. One member may be the user, but the use affects the entire family dynamic.

I was surprised there were no hotline phone numbers for alcohol abuse or Al-Anon listed in the back of the book. Teens who are drawn to this story may be searching for answers. It would be helpful to have some links to helpful information sites and hotline numbers.

Recommended grade 8-up. Although Casey is in middle school, his problem/solution is for more mature readers.

FTC Required Disclaimer: I received this book from the author. I did not receive monetary compensation for this review.

This review has been posted in compliance with the FTC requirements set forth in the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (available at ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005revisedendorsementguides.pdf)