Middle School Confidential: What’s Up With My Family?, by Annie Fox

Rating: 5/5

The word “family” evokes many feelings; some happy, others nostalgic.

Sometimes we would like to think it stops at that. In reality, happiness and nostalgia are also accompanied by anger, worries and problems that plague every family, which range in scope and intensity. Some can hang these negative feelings in a closet and put on a happy face in the morning as they walk out the door. Others carry their feelings tucked under their clothes—an uncomfortable fit that is difficult to hide—or buried deep in the pit of their stomach, struggling to claw their way out. Still others constantly work through their problems and grow as individuals and as a family.

That’s just us adults. Imagine how these problems affect kids.

When I was still a middle school teacher, I witnessed many students suffering due to family problems they were ill-equipped to deal with. Those who felt they could confide in a grownup would share concerns like: “My dad hates me because he’s having a new baby with a lady who is not my mom”; “My sister got pregnant and she’s just sixteen”; and “My family is worried I might end up in jail.”
While it is helpful to talk to these children and send them to a guidance counselor who can begin to work with the child and family, it is important for kids to learn about others who are dealing with similar issues. Many kids feel constantly talked down to by adults and family members, so they are more open to shared experiences and plans of action suggested by other kids their own age.

In her third book in the series, Middle School Confidential: What’s Up With My Family?, Annie Fox once again provides this vicarious experience for children, where they can find questions and advice from other kids from various backgrounds who also struggle with family problems. The book again incorporates a magazine-like design and beautiful graphic novel-style illustrations by Matt Kindt, which are always a visual treat. New, reluctant and returning readers of this series will easily be attracted by this style, as it encourages the reader to scan, choose and interact with any page in any order. The quizzes, character conversations and kids’ quotes invite the reader to form part of a conversation and constantly explore ways to actively participate and work effectively in a family.

What’s Up With My Family? simply and straightforwardly states some of the most annoying, problematic and emotionally difficult family situations, such as Mateo’s case, whose family will not stop asking questions and invading his privacy, to the child who is forced to only interact with other children from his family’s culture. As always with this series, the rose-colored lenses are tossed in favor of reality, which every child can appreciate. There is no lecture, nor does it speak down to the reader. The text is a safe place to ask, wonder, reflect and look for more information on family issues.

Annie Fox delivers valuable, practical advice on family relationships with real life examples that tug at the heartstrings. I highly recommend this book to children, families and educators. Though its intended audience is middle school children, all families can find some comfort and friendly advice between the pages of this book.

Amidst the questions, confusion, anger and fuel-ish thoughts in the family, the need for things to change is always at the forefront. For this to happen, there is one concept from the book that should be pervasive. As Annie Fox writes: “It has to start with you.”

Check out her site here.
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Middle School Confidential: Real Friends vs the Other Kind, by Annie Fox

Rating: 5/5

Middle school is a time for new experiences, new environments and new friends. But it is also a time where the meaning of friendship gets complicated. Suddenly old friends are not so friendly anymore and new friends don’t act in ways a friend should act.

Friendship is one of the most important aspects of middle school life, but what makes a true friend? How should kids handle the difficulties in making, maintaining and losing friendships?

In her second book in the series, Middle School Confidential: Real Friends vs. the Other Kind, Annie Fox delivers another powerful, helpful and entertaining book for kids. Jack, Abby, Mateo, Jen, Chris and Michelle are entering another stage in their lives and it all begins with a seemingly simple question: what exactly do we mean when we call someone a friend?

To answer the question, Annie Fox does not step in to preach, comfort or give a straight answer. Instead the characters and information sent in by real kids serve to create a guide of questions kids can ask themselves when evaluating their friendships. The characters are faced with many problems that threaten to break apart their friendship, including a new friend who has ulterior motives, a budding romance that gets bossy, a friend who stopped eating and more.

Ultimately, the book encourages readers to make informed decisions on their own. Kids can appreciate this straightforward, no-nonsense way of dealing with a problem. There are no easy solutions, but the book is full of possibilities, which is exactly what kids need to handle their problems with friendship.

The format is the same as in the first book, with a magazine-like design coupled with graphic illustrations by Matt Kindt. Reluctant readers could easily be attracted by this style where they can flip to any page in the book to get the information they need without having to read the entire book. This alone encourages the reader to keep flipping the pages until the book has been read from cover to cover.

Some of the sections of the book include: Friendship Dilemmas;  I Wasn’t Such a Good Friend; Don’t Add to the Garbage; Apologies; What’s a Friend Supposed to Do?; so-called friend; and Making New Friends. One of my favorite sections is the “Labeled and Judged Files”, where real kids share their experiences jumping to conclusions and making snap judgments only to find out that they made a mistake by judging a book by its cover.

Like Annie states in this book, never forget that “the most important part comes from inside”.

Check out her site here.
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Rumplestiltskin’s Daughter, by Diane Stanley

Rating: 5/5

Rumpelstiltskin is not an evil little creature intent on taking a woman’s firstborn child in exchange for her life. He’s actually a sweet man who is vertically challenged and wants nothing more than to be a father…if only a woman would marry him!

In this new spin on the classic Rumpelstiltskin tale, Meredith is offered marriage to the king in exchange for a certain amount of gold, which she must spin from straw overnight or the king will take her life. When Rumpelstiltskin shows up with an offer, she’d rather marry him!

Years later, their daughter goes to shop in town with her father’s golden coins. The king recognizes the gold and puts her in the same predicament as her mother. No little man comes to her rescue, but with cunning and compassion she escapes death and teaches the king a valuable lesson.

This is a beautifully illustrated story that keeps you wondering what will happen next. Topics include fatherhood, independence, empathy, charity and the value of work.

This story is a step in the right direction, where characters are not constricted to the gender box and are free to work for what they want with compassion and intelligence. I highly recommend it for all ages.

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Middle School Confidential: Be Confident in Who You Are, by Annie Fox

In the years I was still a middle school teacher, students would come up to me with difficult questions which I would try my best to answer, or send them to someone who could help. You might be familiar with some of these questions: “Why is it that I can never be good enough?”; “Why doesn’t anyone like me?”; “I try to be more like X. Why can’t I be more like X?”

Regardless how much I (or the school counselor) tried to help and soothe their insecurities, my students were rarely satisfied and struggled daily to fit in. In their eyes we were, after all, “clueless” grownups who were out of touch with today’s middle school realities. We can try to relate. We can even pull up painful memories from the past and share our stories. However, while the advice we give can be helpful, kids will appreciate and relate better with ideas and advice from other kids their own age.

Rating: 5/5

This is exactly what Annie Fox’s easy to read Middle School Confidential series provides. I had the opportunity to read book one of the series, Be Confident in Who You Are, and was hooked from page one. (Actually I was hooked on the cover first, illustrated by Matt Kindt, but don’t tell anyone! Repeat after me: never judge a book by its cover.)

The book is both a visual and intellectual treat. Boys and girls learn how to deal with bullies, friendships and self esteem issues while navigating pages written partly in graphic-novel style and designed to look like a magazine. This will certainly attract habitual and reluctant readers alike! Readers feel free to read the book from cover to cover or flip through the pages, stopping at a section of interest. They are also encouraged to stop once in a while to take quizzes, ask themselves questions, put themselves in someone else’s shoes and, (the best part), read what other kids their age have to say about being confident in who you are!

Don’t assume that this book is illustrated in pink, nor written with rose-colored lenses. Hard questions are asked and kids from all backgrounds are given voice: from the tallest kid in the classroom to the gay student who is terrified of coming out to family and friends.  The frankness in every kid’s shared frustration or idea is refreshing and real.

The book does not boast a quick method for fitting in or being liked by everyone. It simply states reality and gives advice on how to build confidence and play to your strengths. It does not lecture, nor does it speak down to the reader. In a friendly, engaging voice, the text provides the reader with a safe place to ask and wonder about those tough middle school questions.

Some of the sections of the book include: Sometimes I just Lose It; Meet The Opinionator; and I Don’t Get It. My favorite part, and one that applies to tweens and adults alike, is the Relax & Re-Center section, where Annie Fox lists some ways to reduce stress. It’s so effective, by step five I’m not only relaxed, but laughing.

In case you’re wondering, step one is to stop whatever you are doing. By the time you get to step five your eyes are closed, you’re focused on breathing and then…”Relax your hands and fingers, feet and toes. Relax your butt muscles…”

After you’ve relaxed those butt muscles (and hopefully had a good laugh like I did), head over to Annie Fox’s website to learn more about her other books and advice for students, parents and teachers.
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Moja Means One: Swahili Counting Book, by Muriel Feelings, Ill. by Tom Feelings

Rating: 5/5

Awards (1971/1972): Caldecott Honor Book; American Library Association Notable Children’s Book; School Library Journal’s Best Books of the Year; Child Study Association Books of the Year

This informative book is about so much more than learning to count to ten in Kiswahili (which we learn from the book is the correct way to refer to the language, instead of “Swahili”).

Muriel Feelings and her husband, Tom Feelings, did a beautiful job of depicting life in East Africa. Each new number is accompanied by a double-spread black and white painting and a sentence providing many insights: from the types of instruments played to facts about the Nile River.

The book invites readers to engage with each page by learning to pronounce the Kiswahili numbers and getting just enough information about East African life to inspire curiosity to find out more.

If you are looking for a good book to get children ages 4-8  interested in other cultures and learning new languages, as well as acquire counting skills, I highly recommend this book.

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Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude, by Kevin O’Malley, Ill. Carol Heyer & Scott Goto

Rating: 5/5

The battle of the sexes IS ON!

I had so much fun reading this book, which is great for both boys and girls (Even older ones like me that are not in the grades 3-5 range!).

Two characters are struggling for control of a fairy tale that’s gone out of control. The girl begins telling the boy a story about a princess and her eight ponies. The boy is bored and decides to spice things up. He interrupts the girl and introduces a cool motorcycle dude who battles the evil giant who had stolen the princess’ ponies. Annoyed by the interruption and changes to the story, the girl interrupts the plot yet again. Now the princess takes matters into her own hands!

Silly as it sounds, when I shared this book with a friend, she read it out loud to me, changing voice and attitude as the characters struggled for control of their invented fairy tale. I laughed so much I was near tears!

This is really a great book to share and role-play. It also features different artistic styles and colors, which highlight the changes in tone and mood.

Overall, a 5/5 rating. Thanks for making me laugh!

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Stink: The Incredible Shrinking Kid, by Megan McDonald and Ill. Peter H. Reynolds

Rating: 4.5/5

It’s Judy Moody’s little brother!

Stink is tired of being short and constantly being reminded of it–especially by his sister, Judy Moody. One day he asks her to measure him and he discovers that he shrunk during the day!

This is a funny and light-hearted story where we follow the humorous adventures of Stink Moody from his dismay at growing shorter to the unfortunate disaster with the class newt. He doesn’t let anything get him down. In fact, for his president’s day project he is letting the world know all about the shortest president of the United States: James Madison!

Readers of Judy Moody will love this story, which inspires laughter and curiosity.

Topics include: friendship, responsibility, growing up, presidents, and family.

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How to Steal a Dog, by Barbara O’Connor

Rating: 4.5/5

Ok, ok, I admit it…I have not posted lately though I said I would. No excuses, folks, just a lot of work! Without further ado, here is the review of How to Steal a Dog.

This is a heartwarming story about a little girl that has to ask herself some very tough questions in order to make some very tough decisions.

One day, Georgina’s father left the house and never came back. Since then, she and her brother have been living in the family’s rickety car, hoping their mother can make enough money to get them a place to live. Despair slowly eats away at her as her little brother’s hair gets dirtier and dirtier and she can’t afford to complete her school projects so her grades begin to plummet. One day she sees a $500 reward sign for a lost dog and gets an idea: steal a dog, wait for the reward sign, then return said dog and get the money. Easy…right?

I love this story. Georgina is lovable and realistic and the reader can’t help but wonder if, under the same circumstances, we would do the same. The boundaries between right and wrong are blurred and frayed, and without being preachy, the writer makes the reader consider some very tough questions such as: “Should Georgina hope and depend on her father coming back? Is she right in feeling that she might not love him anymore? Is she right in feeling resentful towards her mother because she has not been able to find them a home? Is it ok for her to steal a dog for reward money, even if she really takes care of it and makes sure it’s safe?”

Topics included in this book are: family, relationship between siblings, homelessness, abandonment, friendship, responsibility, animal cruelty and becoming an outcast.

I’m glad to have seen this book on some schools’ reading lists and I hope more teachers read and share it with their students.

**Note**

How to Steal a Dog was nominated for the Rhode Island Children’s Book Award. Check out what readers have said!

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The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo

Rating: 4.5/5

This is one of those stories that frustrated me at first, but was a good read. In the end I couldn’t decide if I wanted to smile or shed a few tears. I’m still not sure! At first I really disliked that Edward was such a stuck-up little china rabbit, but by the end, I couldn’t help but like him.

Edward Tulane is a unique little china rabbit made for a little girl. She loves him and dotes on him, but Edward can’t help but feel bored of it all. Quite simply, he doesn’t know how to love, so he doesn’t care about the little girl or anything else except being treated well and not compared to a doll. One day, the family takes a long journey on a ship and he is accidentally thrown overboard. His miraculous adventure begins there as he struggles to stay sane and hopeful that he will be rescued and returned to his owner.

As the years pass, Edward is loved by many people, from hobos to an elderly couple, and he is equally mistreated by others. The story is beautifully told and each of Edward’s new homes comes with new adventures and hurdles to surmount. Slowly he begins to learn about love and of the dangers it entails, such as being brokenhearted and full of despair.

I recommend this for younger readers and as a bedtime story. It encourages discussion of loss, learning to love, treating others as you would want to be treated, the importance of taking care of what you love, and humility.
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Gossamer, by Lois Lowry

Rating: 4.5/5

Littlest One’s touch is soft as gossamer; an asset to any dream-giver. As she learns to gather fragments to give back to humans in form of revitalizing dreams, whether nostalgic or happy, she learns about the importance of hope. As she practices to be  a proper dream-giver for a lonely old woman, an angry little boy enters the picture and she realizes it’s going to take all of her strength to save the child from the evil nightmares of the Horde of Sinisteeds.

The reader also glimpses the lives of the old woman who decides to be the foster parent of a little boy; the angry boy who has been abused by his father and torn from his mother’s side; and a mother who struggles to get her life together so she can get her little boy back. They are all desperate to find relief from loneliness.

I enjoyed reading this story and it felt as if I were a child again, being read to by a parent or grandparent. It’s the kind of story that makes you want to snuggle under the covers, free to imagine creatures like Littlest One hiding behind a pillow, listening intently.

There is a good balance of serious topics such as abuse, broken family, and solitude with the lighter and kindhearted nature of Littlest One and her kin. My only disappointment was that Littlest One is too sweet and too naive. I kept expecting her to fall dangerously close to becoming a Sinisteed because of the violence in the little boy’s past, but she remains pure and unswayable, which I found hard to believe.

Still, this is a very enjoyable book with a lot to say about the value of family and the importance of hope. I recommend this book, especially as a read-aloud to be shared with family.

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