Building 903: a future of control without creativity

An intriguing opening that immediately invites questions of what happened to society? 

Electronics have taken over, nobody writes with their hands anymore. No stories exist, no playgrounds, no pets, no music or singing unless it's the anthem,  a continually surveilled society where people can be "taken away" and centenarians abound. Baby names were assigned a theme annually, only one world currency is used. There's quick corrective surgery from knee replacements to skin tightening. The leader who has been in power for decades runs unopposed and the voting age is raised to 27. Compulsory retirement at 100, except for the leader. Campaigning is illegal and punishments are tattooed to bodies. Everyone is rated by their cognitive abilities.  These are just glimpses into the world that Lois Lowry creates in her new book, Building 903. 

Set in the year 2099, this story focuses on the mysterious disappearance of one twin sibling, Theo, and the repercussions his absence has left his family, particularly for the remaining twin, Tessa. Tessa's 135-year-old neighbor may have some answers about where Theo went and when she leaves some clues with Tessa, the truth begins to be revealed.  Tessa must finally talk to her parents about the grief they all feel and try to find Theo before it's too late.

The main themes of the book are its greatest strengths:  censorship, activism, love and hope.  Each character presents another important facet to the story and without the cooperation of all of the characters, the satisfying conclusion would not be able to exist.  This story lends itself well to a book club or literature circle because each twist of the story needs to be discussed with other readers. From the very first page of the book the scene is set for a big reveal and Lowry does not disappoint!  

Much like her award-winning book, The Giver, and the rest of the series, this story will resonate with multiple generations of middle grade readers, teens and adults as they dive into the eerie, yet plausible world painted by Lowry. 

The First State of Being: a time traveling tale

The First State of Being by award winning author, Erin Entrada Kelly is unlike any book I have ever read. It's difficult to review the book without giving away spoilers that are important to the experience of reading the story.  I will do my best! 

The story is set in multiple times, both in the past (1999) and in the future. Kelly seamlessly takes the reader from the characters in the past to the future where their stories intertwine. Ridge, the mysterious teenager who appears one day in the apartment complex of neighbors, 12 year old Michael and his 15 year old babysitter, Gibby, changes their lives forever. The reader is right alongside Michael and Gibby as their minds are flooded with questions: Who is he and why is he there all alone? What is he wearing and how can Michael and Gibby keep him from getting kicked out by their complex manager?

As the story unfolds, readers dive into the personal lives of the main characters. Themes of friendship, crushes, family and trust abound in this story. It would be fitting for a book club since there is so much to discuss with other readers. I would definitely add this book to my school library and gift it to the middle grade readers in my life. 

70 Favorite Middle Grade Fantasy Books

Click HERE for a Google Slides presentation from Spring 2021 that included books from our school library.  I have added many more since then and will update the slideshow with our newer books from this Fall. 

In August of 2021 I recommended these reads for our 5th graders. These include Realistic Fiction, Fantasy, Scary, Historical Fiction, and soon I will add Biography and Nonfiction.  

Do you have more that you recommend? Add the title or series name in the comments below!

Black Boy Joy: a middle grades anthology

 

Black Boy Joy is a middle grades short story collection edited by Kwambe Mbalia and is full of stories written by contemporary Black male and nonbinary authors who know their audience and subject matter. The stories range from realistic fiction tales about fashion, friendship, crushes, deciding how to continue one's journey on finding their identity, music, customs and more.  Surprisingly, there are also science fiction and fantasy stories about gaming in other dimensions, mysterious realms of happiness, and challenges that require zero gravity and quick-witted problem solving.  My favorite parts of these stories are the strong community and family units that support the boys in all of the settings.  They are self-assured, confident people who are going through life's challenges either in real life or in a fantasy world, but overall, the themes they embody are universal.  

I am going to get this book for my school library and will share it with students, families, teachers, and community members. Readers will enjoy the variety of stories and formats.  There is even a story told through comics by the award winning author and illustrator, Jerry Craft.  This is a recommended title along the same vein of Ancestor Approved and Flying Lessons.  I hope that readers will appreciate short story collections and add them to their reading lives!

PET: a sci-fi view at society's monsters

PET an award-winning, sci-fi, young adult book by Nigerian writer, Akwaeke Emezi is a 200-page story that makes the reader think deeply about today's villains who lurk in the shadows and those operating in plain sight.  

Jam is a selective mute, trans girl who lives in the utopian society of Lucille with her artist mother and father.  When her mom paints a ferocious mash-up of creatures and it comes to life, Jam doesn't believe her eyes.  The creature, PET,  tells her it's there to hunt a monster but Jam thought all of the monsters were eliminated in her town.  The creature won't budge with its intention to fulfill its purpose.  Only then does Jam agree to help in order to get to the truth.  

The story grabbed my attention from the first chapter.  It would be a good read aloud for students to listen to and discuss what they think is going to happen in the book.  I loved how Jam relied on the library and  the librarian to get her access to the past through its collection to truly learn what happened before she was born and the angels took over.  It stresses the importance of studying history and looking for signs of it possibly repeating again. Jam thinks, 

"So, yes, people forget.  But forgetting is dangerous. Forgetting is how the monsters come back."  

Another part of this story that stands out is the way Jam's identity and relationships with her family and best friend are depicted.  Her transition to changing her gender is explained in the first chapter and but it's not the plot of the book at all.  Her family and best friend treat her with respect and value her identity, as does the rest of the community.   She is a strong, curious, brave person who faces a moral dilemma and the creature, PET, may or may not help her through it.  The whole time I was second-guessing who would be the monster and how it would unfold.  The ending completely satisfied my deep appreciation for the journey Emezi took me on and I look forward to reading more stories by them.

Here is an interview Emezi did with author, Christopher Myers, on their novel PET:

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky & Destroys the World: a journey into West African folklore

"Everybody wears life's scars a little differently." 

Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky by Kwame Mbalia is an adventure-filled story based on West African mythology and folklore.  7th grader, Tristan, is reeling over the loss of his first boxing match and also grieving over his best friend, Eddie. The only item that Tristan has left of Eddie is their shared journal where they'd recorded old stories recounted by Tristan's Nana.  When the journal goes missing during the night, Tristan chases the thief into a thicket of bottle trees on his grandparents' farm in Georgia. Although his grandparents warn him never to venture there, he feels like he doesn't have a choice. A struggle ensues and Tristan's strength actually tears into the thicket and he ends up falling through a passageway into another world, Alke.  In this world, mythical characters actually live and they need Tristan to restore order since he tore a rip in their sky allowing haints to enter.  The question is, will Tristan be the one to save the day when there are real heroes around, like, John Henry?  What is so special about their journal?

"May the stories you hear sound just as good the second time around."

In the second book, Tristan Strong Destroys the World, Kwame Mbalia continues Tristan's story.  He has returned safely to his grandparents' home.  During a boxing match in the barn he hears ghostly voices and sees people asking for help.  With help from the trickster, Anansi, Tristan learns that John Henry has been attacked and his hammer was stolen.  The sinister figure comes after Tristan and kidnaps his Nana.  Tristan has no choice but to return to Alke to save her and understand why she was taken in the first place. Upon returning to the other world, Tristan encounters new characters from West African mythology and folklore who will either help or hurt him.  This is a fast-paced, adventurous story that discusses how to deal with trauma in order to grow.  

"And you know, stories are easy to carry.  Don't weigh nothing. Don't cost nothing."

Both of these books' themes resonate with readers. Storytelling is an important part of these books because it's what groups of people rely on to continue their culture.  Mbalia has done that for a new generation of readers and even adults who may not have heard of many of the folklore characters in the stories.  Mbalia also creates a world of supportive people who drive one another forward despite fears of failure.  This sense of community is brought up when in the end of the second book when everyone is asked,

 "Who stepped up for you, when no one else would?"  

As a teacher and librarian, I would ask my students to share these important stories and consider who has their best interests at heart.  Another way that these books could be used with readers is to go back and read the original stories of the characters.  Some are more well-known but the others may require a bit more digging.  In those stories, how are the characters portrayed? Are they the same or different as Mbalia writes them?  

In 2020, Mbalia won the Coretta Scott King honor award for Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. The Coretta Scott King Award is given "to outstanding African American authors and illustrators of books for children and young adults that demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values. "