by Ginger Heller ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 16, 2010
An earnest and sometimes inspiring story of an extraordinary middle schooler.
A debut middle-grade novel about a boy, a blog and a mission.
Marco Polo Blackberry is just another student at Benjamin Franklin Middle School near Chicago—or is he? Marco is interested in the stock market, so he invests a bit of money into a secret account at a brokerage firm his father uses, and bam: He makes $10,000. After chatting with his network of pals around the globe via his blog, he learns about the problems of civil war and starvation in Africa. When Hakim, an African friend of one of his pals, begs for help for his hungry, dying people, Marco snaps into action, leveraging his $10,000 against the corn market and turning it into $500,000. Can he use his newfound earnings to help Hakim and his villagers, or will he be too late? The plot of Heller’s debut novel has potential, but it’s dragged down by too many secondary characters. The rambling story has the structure of an overwrought Rube Goldberg gizmo, and many, many pieces must fall into place before it reaches its climax. That said, Marco is pretty rad for a middle schooler—a millennial Ferris Bueller—and although he’s just a bit smart-alecky, his voice is spot-on for a kid of his age and intelligence. Many other authors have used the framing device of a child’s blog, and, in many instances, they use it incorrectly. Unfortunately, such is the case here: Although it’s charming to think that a child could create his own blog and network of international friends, he would have to be a very serious programmer to pull it off. Also, although Marco’s stock market adventures are among the best parts of the book, the description of how the grain and corn markets work may go over younger readers’ heads. However, Marco is an excellent role model for kids, and this book shows that one person can indeed make a difference in the lives of others.
An earnest and sometimes inspiring story of an extraordinary middle schooler.Pub Date: Feb. 16, 2010
ISBN: 978-1502556356
Page Count: 312
Publisher: Vico Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 17, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Marti Dumas illustrated by Stephanie Parcus ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 11, 2017
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
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A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Paul Langan Ben Alirez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2004
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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