The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly Historical Fiction Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars (Great!) Eleven-year-old Calpurnia Tate has the utter misfortune of being the only girl right in the middle of a family full of boys. Because of this, there are some expectations put on her by her mother. Calpurnia struggles to improve her sewing, knitting, and cooking because in 1899 a girl is expected to do these well. She really … Read more
Heart of a Shepherd by Rosanne Parry Juvenile Fiction Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Heart of a Shepherd is a touching and memorable story of family loyalty and faith. Ignatius “Brother” Alderman, nearly twelve, is in charge of the family ranch when his father leaves for Iraq with his Army Reserve Unit. Birthing calves, raising newborn lambs, and fighting wildfires are all part of a rancher’s duty, and Brother accepts it all … Read more
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger Juvenile Fiction Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Dwight, 7th grader, is kind of a dork. He’s awkward and he’s always doing weird things that make it clear he’s lacking in the social skills department. He’s also an origami folding genius. His greatest creation so far is an origami Yoda, which gives advice when Dwight puts him on his finger. Other kids are drawn … Read more
Angus, Thongs, and Full-Frontal Snogging Confessions of Georgia Nicolson series, #1 by Louise Rennison Funny Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) This book is a journal written by a fourteen year old British girl. She basically talks about all of these crazy things that are going on in her life. Her family is really funny. She has a cat who is half wild and is always eating odd things and … Read more
Artichoke’s Heart by Suzanne Supplee Realistic Fiction * * * * Stars Rosemary Goode has a love-hate relationship with food – she loves to eat it, but she hates what it’s doing to her. Her weight has been steadily climbing and she recently hit her all time high – 203lbs. Her mom and aunt are always on her case about taking the pounds off, and the Bluebirds (the popular girl clique in school) constantly make … Read more
Adored It Girl series #8 by Cecily Von Ziegesar Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * * Stars (Great!) Adored is the 8th novel in the It Girl series. Set around Christmas time, this book has many surprising gifts. The Secret Santa Gift Swap is turned into Secret Satan, causing many laughs and also anger. Jenny is being adored by a group of freshmen, giving the book its title, which eventually backfires. Brett is falling … Read more
Scarlett by Cathy Cassidy Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) Scarlett’s on her last, last chance after she gets thrown out of Greenhall Academy (she starts what amounts to a riot in the cafeteria when she shares her radical vegetarian agenda with her fellow students). Her mom sends her to live with her father, whom Scarlett hasn’t seen or spoken to in several years (Scarlett has already been sent to live with her … Read more
Charmed and Dangerous Clique series by Lisi Harrison Realistic Fiction Review #1 * * * Stars (Pretty good) Lisi Harrison goes back in time in Charmed and Dangerous to explain how the Pretty Committee was formed. Massie was in a different clique first called the Ahnnabees. She was fed up with them so she told them and her new charmes ended up scattered about Merri Lee’s New Year’s Eve Party. Kristn, Dylan, and Alicia each … Read more
A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban Realistic Fiction * * * * * Stars (Amazing!) Zoe Elias is ten, going on eleven, and she’s planning to be the next child prodigy playing piano at Carnegie Hall. Unfortunately, her father sidetracks her big plans by getting her an organ (the Perfectone D60) instead of the baby grand piano she’s got her heart set on. No matter. Zoe decides to become proficient at the Perfectone … Read more
Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata Realistic Fiction * * * Stars (Pretty good) I love how this book is sprinkled with Japanese words. And not just ones that you would hear anyway, but things like “kira-kira” – glittering – or “katsu” – triumph. This is the story of Katie’s family, how they move from a small Japanese community in Iowa to an even smaller Japanese community in Georgia. Katie, from the time she is born, is … Read more