Restart

Chase Ambrose used to be the biggest bully in school.  Along with his henchmen, Aaron and Bear, he terrorized everyone who wasn't on the football team.

But that was before, before he fell off the roof of his house, before he got amnesia...before.

Now, Chase doesn't remember anything about his old life, not his mom or his friends or the person he used to be.  The more he realizes the truth about the old Chase, the more horrified he is.  How could he have done all those terrible things?

Shoshanna hates Chase more than pretty much anyone.  He and his thugs bullied her twin brother relentless.  The last straw was the cherry bomb they planted inside the piano at one of Joel's performances.  Chase and his friends got community service, and Joel is miserable at a private school away from his family and friends.

Brendan has as much reason to hate Chase as anyone.  He was target number two right after Joel Weber.  At first, he isn't sure he believes Chase even has amnesia, but it doesn't take long to see a real change.  Plus, Chase is a great cameraman for Brendan's Youtube videos.

Even Chase isn't sure he's really changed, especially when he remembers the worst thing he did as old Chase.  Is it really possible to get a fresh start?

The newest offering from Gordon Korman does have it's fair share of humor, but it takes on a more serious tone dealing with bullying and identity.  I love the idea of seeing yourself from the outside.  Often people just keep doing the same things in the same way.  The new Chase not only doesn't remember being a bully, he is horrified at the things he's done.  This could start a good nature vs. nurture discussion.  It might be nice to get a fresh perspective on your own life.  Recommended!

The Stars Beneath Our Feet

It's only been a few months since Lolly's older brother, Jermaine, died.  He's still struggling with the loss.  He's never hungry, and he just doesn't enjoy things like he used to.  He's always enjoyed building with Lego kits, and his bedroom is filled with his completed projects, but he always follows the directions exactly.

When one of his brother's old friends brings him an architecture book for Christmas, Lolly started thinking for the first time about creating his own designs.  The unexpected gift of two trash bags full of Legos from his mother's girlfriend gets him started on his own creation.

When the city gets too big for his apartment, Lolly moves to an empty room in the building where he does after school at his apartments.  The quiet and the building help to ease the ache inside him until Big Rose shows up in his private sanctuary.  Lolly doesn't really know what's wrong with her, but she's big and never talks.  Eventually, their love of building things and architecture leads to a friendship between these unlikely companions.

Lolly's growth and struggle to deal with his brother's loss and his friendship with Rose are the best parts of this book.  The issues associated with being poor and brown in New York City are not handled so well.  The book has a tendency to get heavy-handed on those topics at times. David Barclay Moore's book is still well worth purchasing for middle school library collections.

Thunderhead

This book is amazing!  If you haven't read Scythe yet, get off your phone/computer, and go do that right now and enjoy the awesome.  Then you can pick up Thunderhead and be amazed once again at the writing prowess of Neal Shusterman. 

I won't write too much about the plot since I don't want to spoil anyone who hasn't read the first book or ruin the experience of allowing the plot of Thunderhead to unfold before you. 

Suffice it to say that Citra and Rowan are on divergent paths following the events of Scythe.  Citra is settling into her work as a scythe and developing her own style, but she still feels a disconnect between Citra, her true self, and Scythe Anastasia. 

Rowan has gone rogue.  He wears a black robe and calls himself Scythe Lucifer as he goes about his work of encouraging corrupt scythes to change their ways or suffer the consequences.

Many characters from the first book are back in surprising roles, and the plot takes unpredictable turns.  The Thunderhead introduces almost every chapter, and these brief statements ramp up the sense of unease permeating the novel.  You know things can't possibly end well for everyone, but the suspense of figuring it all out with keep you hooked.  The final few chapters will blow everything apart!

Highly recommended for grades 8 and up.

The First Rule of Punk

Malu does not want to move to Chicago with her mom.  Everything she loves, her dad and his awesome record store, are back home.  But now she's in Chicago a thousand miles away from her dad who understands her love for punk and with her mom, AKA SuperMexican, who just wants her to be a senorita.

Things do not start out well on the first day when she violates the dress code by wearing glittery eyeliner.  This, combined with her punk style, makes her a target for bullies. 

When she hear's about the annual school talent show, she decides to gather up some school misfits and form a band, but they are rejected because punk isn't traditional.  Malu and her friends refuse to give up.  They decide to find a way for themselves and all the other kids who don't fit it to share their talents.  Totally punk!

Celia Perez's debut novel is a solid middle school story about family, friendship, and fitting in with fun references to 80's punk and Mexican culture.  Malu makes zines to express her feelings, and these are interspersed throughout the story.