Archives de catégorie : Middle Grade

BLOOM de Kenneth Oppel volume 1

A trilogy laced with inventive science fiction elements but rooted in our present world

BLOOM
by Kenneth Oppell
Knopf, publication 2020

BLOOM is the first book in a trilogy (book #2 HATCH and #3 THRIVE each to come a year after) laced with inventive science fiction elements but rooted in the present world.
With heart-stopping thrills (chainsaws, helicopter journeys, extraordinary dreams!), BLOOM introduces the world to a dangerous new plant species, and three brave kids who may be the only ones capable of fighting it. Anaya is pretty much allergic to the world. Pollen, trees, most foods, you name it. Her allergies leave her face puffy, her nose constantly filled with snot, and her eyes glued shut with gunk. Leave it to her ex-best friend Petra to develop an allergy to water yet remain beautiful and popular. But Petra, for her part, can’t bathe, can’t swim, can’t even step outside in the rain without breaking out in hives. After a mysterious new species of tall black grass invades their Canadian island town, neither Anaya nor Petra is affected by its strange side effects. Neither is Seth, a new boy at their school with secrets of his own. As the unlikely trio rushes to solve the mystery of these new plants before their effects become life-threatening to everyone around them, they soon discover that they may know less about this sinister infestation, and themselves, than they originally thought.
Ken’s signature fast-pace plotting, engaging characters, and high stakes come to life in this incredible new series – with some lessons in botany mixed in! This is Ken’s first trilogy since the hugely successful Airborn series (and Silverwing before that).

THE CHANCE TO FLY de Ali Stroker & Stacy Davidowitz

“Making Your Limitations Your Opportunities.”

THE CHANCE TO FLY
by Ali Stroker & Stacy Davidowitz
Abrams, publication Spring 2021

An inspiring middle-grade novel about one young girl’s quest to defy not only gravity, but all expectations. Ali is the first wheelchair-bound actor to perform on Broadway and be nominated for a Tony Award, and won.
THE CHANCE TO FLY is about 14-year-old Nat Beacon, a Broadway superfan who uses a wheelchair, and the summer when she overcomes her fears to turn her fandom into stardom.
When 14-year-old Natalie “Nat” Beacon and her parents move across the country from San Francisco to Saddle Stream, New Jersey, Nat’s not sure what to expect. Although she’s a huge Broadway fan and wannabe actress, Nat was in a car accident when she was two and has used a wheelchair for as long as she can remember. Nat’s disability has prevented her from feeling ready to go out for school musicals or theatre-related extracurriculars up until this point, but when she stumbles upon an opportunity to audition for the Saddle Stream Broadway Bounders’ production of Wicked, Nat seizes her chance. While she doesn’t land a part, she’s thrilled to be picked for the ensemble, and the other cast members (well, most of them) are super cool and inclusive—especially Malik, the male lead and cutest boy Nat’s ever seen. With a few exceptions, getting to know her peers, the lakeside cast retreat, and arduous rehearsals go way better than Nat could have ever hoped, but when a lead has to back out a week before opening night, will Nat be able to take what she’s learned about herself over the summer to cast her fears and insecurities aside and “Defy Gravity” in every sense of the song title?
Nat navigates challenges, both of the universal middle grade sort (changing friendships, first crushes, body hang-ups, and fitting in) and others more specific to her disability (accessibility, prejudice, and limited opportunities because of what people think they know about her) as she makes true friends and learns to trust and stand up for herself—and all people with disabilities—in this middle grade novel full of heart, humor, and so much song. While we’ve seen significant efforts and progress with respect to inclusion and diversity in recent years, people with disabilities are still very underrepresented in the books and media we consume. Nat’s story is an opportunity to connect with young readers on this front and remind them that we all have limitations, but those don’t make us who we are—how we choose to address them does.

Stacy Davidowitz is the New York-based playwright, actress, screenwriter, and the author of Abrams’ Camp Rolling Hills series, as well as the tie-in books to the hit YouTube series Hanazuki.
Ali Stroker made history as the first actress who uses a wheelchair to appear on Broadway. She’s the first wheelchair user to graduate from the NYU Tisch drama program, and she has starred, recurred, and guested in numerous network television productions.

DOODLEVILLE de Chad Sell

Imaginative, surprising and utterly absorbing

DOODLEVILLE
by Chad Sell
Knopf, publication Book 1 June 2020

DOODLEVILLE, the new middle-grade graphic novel duology from acclaimed author and illustrator Chad Sell, tells the story of a group of young artists who must work together to save one of their creations in a battle between good and evil. North American rights sold to Knopf in a 2-book deal approaching six figures, with publication of book #1 set for June 2020 as a lead title .
Drew is just a regular artist. But there’s nothing ordinary about her art. Her doodles are mischievous… and rarely do they stick to Doodleville, the world she’s created in her sketchbook. Instead, Drew’s doodles prefer to explore the world outside. But after an inspiring class trip to the Art Institute of Chicago – where the doodles cause a bit too much trouble – Drew decides it’s time to take her artistic talents to the next level.
Enter the Leviathan – Levi, for short. He’s bigger and better than anything Drew has ever created before. He’s a monster, but a friendly one. That is, until Levi begins to wreak havoc on Drew’s other doodles – and on the heroes her classmates have dreamt up. Levi won’t be easily tamed, and it seems there is a link between the monster’s bad behavior and Drew’s feelings. With the help of her loyal art club friends, will she be able to save Doodleville – and Levi – before it’s too late?
Perfect for fans of Svetlana Chmakova’s Awkward and Raina Telgemeier’s Smile, DOODLEVILLE has the same irrepressible energy and expressive art style that earned Chad a phenomenal 5 starred reviews for his debut Cardboard Kingdom.

NAT ENOUGH de Maria Scrivan

A hilarious new illustrated middle grade series about self-confidence and hidden talents

NAT ENOUGH
by Maria Scrivan
Scholastic / Graphix, 2020

In the spirit of The Dork Diaries and the work of Raina Telgemeier comes a hilarious new illustrated middle grade series about self-confidence and hidden talents.
Natalie has never felt that she’s enough—athletic enough, stylish enough, or talented enough. And on the first day of middle school, Natalie discovers that things are worse than she thought—now she’s not even cool enough for her best friend, Lily! As Natalie tries to get her best friend back, she learns more about her true self and natural talents. If Natalie can focus on who she is rather than who she isn’t, then she just might realize she’s more than enough, just the way she is. Written and illustrated in the form of Nat’s sketchbook, NAT ENOUGH is a story about the power of self-love and acceptance, told with warmth and humor.
Maria Scrivan’s cartoons have been published in magazines, newspapers, books, and on national television.

THROWBACK de Peter Lerangis

Peter Lerangis, the New York Times bestselling author whose more than 160 books have sold over 5.5 million copies, returns with THROWBACK, the first book in an electrifying action-adventure trilogy about a boy who discovers that he alone may be able to alter the course of history

THROWBACK
(The Throwback Trilogy #1)
by Peter Lerangis
Harper Teen, Fall 2019

Think of me. And time will fly.
Those are the words that 13-year-old Corey Fletcher’s beloved grandfather, his Papou, left on his bedside before he disappeared a year ago.
Corey misses him desperately and refuses to give up hope that he’ll see his grandfather again. But as time passes it seems less and less likely, until the day Corey happens upon a vintage picture of the very block where he lives from 1862, and suddenly Corey finds himself transported back to that very place in time. The very place in time where Papou had been trapped. Without meaning to, Corey saves a life, changing the past in a way no time traveler ever has been able to before. When they return to the present, Papou explains that Corey may be the first known “throwback.” Plenty of people can time travel, but until now, no one had ever been able to alter the past. Suddenly, everyone is looking for Corey—to kidnap him, to use his powers for their gain— even to kill him. Papou warns Corey that, tempting as it may seem, using his powers is incredibly dangerous. But to Corey, the chance to right certain wrongs is too tempting, and so he goes back to the day his grandmother died, determined to save her. But when things go awry, Corey winds up all the way back in New York City in 1917. Lost and alone, Corey has to use his wits to find a way to make it back to the present alive without changing the past and, perhaps, forever altering his future.

Peter Lerangis is the author of more than 160 books, which have sold more than 5.5 million copies. These include the New York Times bestselling SEVEN WONDERS series, THE COLOSSUS RISES; LOST IN BABYLON; THE TOMB OF SHADOWS; THE CURSE OF THE KING; and THE LEGEND OF THE RIFT, and two books in the 39 CLUES series. Peter is a Harvard graduate with a degree in biochemistry. He has run a marathon and gone rock climbing during an earthquake-though not on the same day. He lives in New York City with his wife, musician Tina deVaron, and their two sons, Nick and Joe.