You know when you are searching for an apartment and you see certain words and instantly understand that they have a different meaning? Like, “garden apartment” means basement. Or, “charming” means old with low water pressure. Books are the same. We know “poignant,” “tender,” and “heartbreaking” all mean sad. But do kids know that? Do they know what these buzzwords actually mean? Take a look at how Solving for M by Jennifer Swender is being sold:
Perfect for fans of Raymie Nightingale and The Fourteenth Goldfish, this heartfelt middle-grade novel seamlessly melds STEAM content with first loss in an honest and striking debut.
When Mika starts fifth grade at the middle school, her neat life gets messy. Separated from old friends and starting new classes, Mika is far from her comfort zone. And math class is the most confusing of all, especially when her teacher Mr. Vann assigns math journals. Art in math? Who’s ever heard of such a thing?
But when challenges arise at home, Mika realizes there are no easy answers. Maybe, with some help from friends, family, and one unique teacher, a math journal can help her work out problems, and not just the math ones.
Debut author Jennifer Swender delivers poignant prose and illustrator Jennifer Naalchigar brings Mika’s journal to life in this perfect equation of honesty plus hope that adds up to a heartwarming coming-of-age story.
Would you know that this book puts Mika in a position to sit along the sidelines as her single Mom deals with a sudden and wholly unexpected diagnosis of melanoma? Would “challenges arise at home” instantly let an adult or child understand that Mika’s whole world is changed overnight with her mother’s illness? Does “messy” convey the idea that Mika’s hyper-supportive, organized, and involved is Mom suddenly spending days in bed and no one is explaining anything to Mika? I certainly didn’t.
I wish the publishers would make this more obvious. Because this is a really hard story to read but wonderfully written. There was so much to love about this book that had nothing to do with her Mother’s cancer that could easily be missed.
Some middle grade readers will love this book for highlighting the strangeness of making new friends when life-long ones are right there. This will resonate with so many 11-14 year olds who question why different schools and adolescence means that sometimes friends simply drift apart. No one is mad, they are just different. This book is also wonderful for showing the deep and abiding importance of giving people a second look.
But, without a little warning, this book becomes shockingly hard to read. This is especially true for kids whose parents are dealing with illnesses of their own. In a world full of trigger warnings, why can’t we give kids fair warning that there are some serious themes present? Or, do we simple expect that if they watch Disney / Pixar movies then they probably know someone will get sick or die anyway because it is everywhere in children’s media?
What this book did so masterfully, and what the world needs so much more of, is show the immeasurable importance of teachers in a child’s life. Mika has never been good at Math. She has the heart and soul of an artist. Her Math teacher has the students keep journals and uses their personal interests to connect them to new Math content. Mika uses art, her friend uses baking, and another friend attacks the subject from a science angle. While teaching them to love a difficult (and often hated) subject he also provides his students with a safe place to be every single day. And, in the chaos of middle school and the upheaval of her Mother’s diagnosis, Mika finds acceptance and peace in math class. In math class.
I liked this book. Tremendously. And I wouldn’t change a thing about it. But I do want parents and kids to know that the “challenge” this book is referring to is cancer. Some kids will be absolutely fine with everything this book has to offer. But, I would not recommend this book for the students and children in your life for whom anxiety is an issue or for those who have dealt with sickness and loss.
Tell me, please!
How do you feel about more frank thematic disclosure for children and middle grade books?
Only a middle grade book can successfully disguise itself as a spy thriller wrapped in fantasy and still educate its reader about the value of perspective and the importance of cultural awareness. The hilarious (or tragic!) story of The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge by M.T. Anderson and Eugene Yelchin pays homage to the famous travel writers of history while poking fun at the experiences of trying to bring your own ideals to a new land.
The Night Diary is the journal of twelve year old Nisha. She writes nightly to her Mama who died giving birth to Nisha and her twin brother, Amil. Her entries begin in July, 1947 and describe a childhood in India where Nisha’s daily life consists of going to school with the other girls, helping their cook, Kazi, make dinner, and playing with her brother. She lives a happy life with her physician Father and her Dadi. Nisha has as much trouble speaking her thoughts as her brother does reading his schoolwork. But her eloquent writing showcases a highly observant child who makes the perfect narrator for the dramatic changes to India during this time.
The Wild Robot introduces readers to robot Roz. After being shipwrecked on an island Roz awakens for the first time alone and surrounded by wilderness. As a robot she knows that she must have a purpose but what is it? She battles storms and dangerous animal attacks on the island before she understands that she must adapt to her environment in order to survive. As she begins to learn the language of the animals, make friends and form connections, the island starts to feel like home. But then, Roz’s past comes back to haunt her.
The Wild Robot Escapes begins with Roz on a farm. As she meets the owner of the farm and his two young children she tries to hatch a plan to return to her wild island and her animal family and friends. But how will a wild robot adapt to working in a civilized situation?
Small Spaces is a middle grade story by Katherine Arden. In it, a girl names Olivia (Ollie) meets a distraught woman tearfully attempting to toss a book into the water. Like any good and dedicated reader she bravely saves the book. When her class goes on a field trip to a local farm she is surprised to see the woman from the edge of the water there – and she is the farm’s owner! Soon terrifying things begin to happen. Is it the book? Or the woman?
I have had The Shades of Magic books on my to be read shelf for quite some time now but when City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab crossed my path I couldn’t resist reading it. I suppose this is precisely why my to be read shelf continues to grow – I have no self control. But, in the case of this particular book it was absolutely perfect as a 
The Supernatural Sleuthing Service, The Lost Legacy by 
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