A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Books for Middle School

Dawn Raid

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Dawn Raid) through Raincoast Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so.  🙂

It’s not every book that does this, but Dawn Raid, by Ms. Smith peaked my interest in an historical event.  Let me explain.  This past weekend I went camping with the family, I brought Dawn Raid along with me. As I read I would stop and talk to my lad about what I was reading.  I had never heard about the dawn raids in New Zealand before so this was all new to me. My son was quite surprised as well. It made for some interesting discussions that my hubby joined in on as well.  When I got home I headed to youtube to learn more.   I think every country has sad periods like this in it’s history don’t you? 

Racism is such a hard topic to have a discussion about isn’t it?  In the states they deal with it as we learned in Uncomfortable Conversations with a black Boy. In Canada we have the First Nations people which a book I am reading slowly communicates about, Five Little Indians.  But learning about it and how it affects people, helps to change behaviour a bit doesn’t it? 

About Dawn Raids

Anyways, we should probably get on with the book eh?  🙂    Dawn Raid was written by Pauline Vaeluaga Smith, she also started a small museum that helps people to better understand the dawn raids.  At 304 pages it is an easy read for most middle schoolers especially with illustrations on many of the pages.  Written from the point of view of a 13 year old girl.   She talks about family and school life, as well as life as an Islander in New Zealand.  Published by Levine Querido c/o Chronicle Books.   Reviewed for Raincoast books. 

One thing you need to understand.  Sofia’s family is of Islander stock.  They came over to New Zealand to help when they had a labour shortage.  Many stayed…some legally, some not so legally.  Other nations of the world did the same thing.  Coming to help, and sometimes overstaying their welcome.    The thing is, ONLY islander people were targetted in these Dawn Raids conducted by the government via the police force.  This is the story of one such Islander family. 

Details about Dawn Raid

13 year old Sofia, a New Zealand girl, gives us a first person account of her families life in the mid-1970’s.   We learn about her brothers who have more energy than brains. My son couldn’t believe the antics those boys got into. Their antics provided comic relief to the rest of the story.  A hard-working family teaching their children to be good citizens. 

The language is typical of a 13 year old and easily relatable to middle school age children.  For me it was a bit of a walk back into time with go-go boots and the Osmonds.  🙂 

Dawn Raid

Illustrations liberally dot the pages.  I appreciated the addition of maps so that I understood better just where those islands where.  There is a continent game I play on my phone but it’s not clear enough to really show the detail needed to see where all the islands are.  Having the maps helped me practice my geography skills for sure! 

I loved the natural way history and community flowed within the diary pages of Sofia.  I often felt like I was there helping Sofia do her milk run, or attending the doctor with her mom and younger brothers, and her father dealing with the oldest brother.  The fear of being woken up so early in the morning… Sofia expresses emotion well.  

Dawn Raid

Should you Get Dawn Raid?

Should Dawn Raid be part of your library?

It’s an interesting read.  I have to admit, when I first started I wondered what the purpose of this diary was.  But seeing how the family lived, how school life progressed and some of the daily life experiences shared.  Gradually the politics of the time were introduced until you wanted to know what would happen.  

If you are studying New Zealand, add this book to your shelves.  Gain some understanding about the politics of the time and what it meant to the people involved.  It would either be a good way to introduce the topic of racism in New Zealand or be a finish out the study.  It would also be a good way to show the racism isn’t just in Canada, or the United States, but is actually a world-wide concern. 

If you are just looking for a good story to read that tells of a family’s experience living in New Zealand during a hard rough time in it’s history, it’s a good read in and of itself!  🙂 

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy) through Raincoast Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so.  🙂

I have been having interesting conversation with my 16 year old lately, so when I was at the Honda Dealership the other day I brought this book along .. Uncomfortable Conversations with a black boy .. with me. I was anticipating a story type book with some questions at the end of it. Questions that I could then take home and use as a conversation starter with my lad.  That’s not quite what I received.  No stories, just tons of questions posited in a conversational style.  Not quite what I expected.   So let’s take and moment and talk shall we?

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy

The author’s premise and details

The author’s premise, is that through conversation, deep, open conversation we can more or less FIX the problems of racism.  That is necessary to have these deep conversations in order to make the world a better place for everyone in it.    

I can understand where he’s coming from.   He wants to open the eyes of people who aren’t black to the world as he sees it.   And if you can understand where a person is coming from, or… walk a mile in his shoes… you can better appreciate their day to day struggles and successes. 

So over the course of 13 chapers, divided into three sections, he asks a lot of questions.  Such as .. when you took history.. did you learn about black history?  When you succeeded in life … did your parents help you along the way?  Did you go to a school where teachers cared if you succeeded or failed?  Can you lose your life if someone tells a lie about you?  Do you think reverse racism exists? 

Throughout this 320 page book, he couples these questions with his answers, providing insights that you might not have been aware of.  Available in Kindle and hardcover, it is geared to youth 10-14.  

Roaring Book Press published the hardcover copy that I received for my review for Raincoast Books.  This tome is a youth version of Uncomfortable Conversations with a black man, named after a series of talks hosted by Emmanuel Acho entitled “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man”.

Breaking it down

As I mentioned earlier, 13 chapters, three sections.

First section: Me and You.  The section has six chapters along with an introductory chapter.  These chapters include such questions as Black or African American? What do you see when you see me?  Is there such a thing as white privilege?  What about cultural appropriation?  and more. 

Second Section: Us and Them.   In this section of four chapters Acho brings up systemis racism, reverse racism, who’s govening the government and justice for some. 

Third section: We.  Three chapters about fixing racism, how we can fight for change, and to be an ally for folks. 

That’s not the end though, he closes off with a variety of short talks, references, websites and resources. 

Some Specifics about Uncomfortable Conversations with a black boy

Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy contains a number of quotes, questions and shall I say it… conversation starters.   For instance: What do you do with a bunch of angry people?  Anger exists on both sides of this issue… is it always justified?  No.  But often times it is.  And either way, the anger still exists.  But this is the type of question asked in order to get us thinking and having conversations. 

uncomfortable conversations with a black boy

Thought-provoking quotes grace the start of each chapter.  Don’t you just love quotes that make you think?   ðŸ™‚  

Need to figure out good discussion questions for your students?   Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy will help you come up with all sorts of discussion questions. 

Each new section opens with a page like the following.  Those conversation bubbles also tend to proceed question asked within the following pages. 

My Thoughts

I think that teachers will adore this book, or if not adore, find it a useful tool in learning how to think, or consider ideas or rather … perspectives they might not have considered before. It has great value in presenting questions, and giving the ideas behind those questions.  Promoting good class room conversation. 

As a book to read, I was less than enamoured.  I found Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Boy to be preachy, and at times wrong. Like saying the black people can’t be racist because they don’t hold systemic power?  ANYONE can be racist, in a position of power or not.  I also refuse to believe that circumstances completely keep people from changing their lives.  Part of my struggle with this read I explained on instagram. If you approach life from the paradigm of faith in God you can clearly see how just conversation is not the answer.  Can it help?  For sure.  But ultimately, it’s not how racism will be solved. We are, as a people, thoroughly broken by sin invading our lives.   The only answer truly… is God. 

Does Acho try?   Yes, he does.  He goes an excellent job of encouraging us to ask difficult questions and to dig deep within ourselves as we answer those questions.   No surfacey … just say something nice to make him go away stuff… but a demand that we do more.  Acho really wants us to think and to grapple with these questions… in community. 

Archer and Zowie

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DISCLAIMER. I received this complimentary product through the Homeschool Review Crew.

Archer and Zowie, by Hans Bluedorn tells the story of two intrepid explorers.  Two friends, who are quite different from each other, go on an amazing, imaginative journey into space.  Told in dialogue form you get to “go along for the ride” seeing the world through their eyes.  How much more fun could middle school readers ask for?  What will they learn of friendship and self-esteem as they follow along with Archer and Zowie?

archer and zowie

The Basic details of Archer and Zowie

Archer and Zowie is written by Hans Bluedorn and is all about friendship and self-esteem.  You can hear parts of it being read on the Archer and Zowie page.  These two children are the best of friends, even if they are quite different from each other.  Throughout Archer and Zowie you can observe them using their skills as they imagine a variety of scenarios and extricate themselves from trouble.   They are carefree and very imaginative, and the story is told in their voice…. as if they are talking with the reader.   Written for youth 7-12 years old, and covering 234 pages, most middle school students will have no trouble finishing this book.  Hans Bluedorn has published and illustrated this book himself!  (and he won’t refund your money if you don’t like the illustrations). 

archer and zowie

Archer and Zowie comes in three formats: Kindle, audio and paperback.  I received a paperback copy and found it well made with a glossy cover.  It feels like a book that will last the most voracious reader. 

What do you get?

Mr. Bluedorn’s illustrations fit the theme and characters of Archer and Zowie fantastically. 

You’ll find 18 short and sweet chapters.  Some chapter headings are illustrated, most are not. 

archer and zowie chapter heading with illustration

The dialogue would be about what you expect from 10 year olds.  Funny, quirky, occasionally with some potty talk, and the odd insightful comment.   But that’s children right?  They talk about anything and everything that pops into their heads.  This makes the story real don’t you think? 

It’s not all dialogue though.  It would be difficult I think to write a story that was completely dialogue, you need to have context and description to round out a book well. 

Character development…watching characters grow and develop new thinking patterns, or discover new things about themselves, is fantastic!   Seeing the changes in Archer and Zowie between the first few chapters and the last is part of the fun of reading this story.   Even through imaginative play, children can learn and grow and become something more.  Simply wonderful that. 

Conflict happened.  Children get offended with each other. Danger threatens.  But they get through it. 

archer and zowie

Should you get Archer and Zowie?

Honestly, I initially struggled with reading Archer and Zowie.  The style of writing didn’t suit me.  So I did what I often do with books that aren’t working for me, read the ending first.  That got me intrigued!  Reading through the entire book probably took me an hour once I had the motivation to do so.  🙂   I had to see how they got from point a to b! 

I did hand it over to my lad to get his opinion as he’s 40 years younger than I am. 🙂   So… he’s closer to the target audience. 🙂   So far he says that he likes it. I will update when he is done. 🙂

 Is it my style no?  Do I want to read it again?  No.  But that doesn’t matter… what matters is this: is it suited for the audience it is intended?   Does it have a good story to tell?   Is there meaning to be found?   Do the characters learn anything about themselves or others and become more than they were at the beginning of the book?   If there’s conflict, do they find a way to resolve it? Can they figure out solutions to difficulties they find themselves in?

The answer to all these question is YES!  Resoundingly so.   

So, if your children like quirky, fun reads.  If they enjoy being immersed into the lives of other children’s imaginations, Archer and Zowie will be a fun read for them. 

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Social Media Links

For the Fallacy Detective (also a Hans Bluedorn book)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fallacydetective

For Hans Bluedorn
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hansbluedorn/

Read the Reviews!

27 members of the crew either reviewed Fallacy Detective or Archer and Zowie. I urge you to check out their reviews.

Hans Bluedorn Brings us Fallacy Detective and Archer & Zowie

The Year I Flew Away

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Year I Flew Away) through Raincoast Books.  Affiliate Links will be used, thank you for your support of my blog, costs you nothing to do so.  🙂

The Year I Flew Away tells the story of a young immigrant and her travels to America.  She has tons of decisions to make and lots of high hopes attached to the opportunity.  This tale shows us the results of her decision-making, the wonder of making friends, and the hardness of immigrant life. 

The Year I Flew Away

The Facts about The Year I Flew Away

The Year I Flew Away by Marie Arnold takes us into the life of Gabrielle and her move from Haiti to the United States in 1985. We start with her robust life in Haiti and move to her challenges facing a life in America.    Ms. Arnold takes us into the thinking process of Gabriella has she has to make multiple choices about what she will do to “Fit it” in America. 

Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, This middle school read runs at 256 pages.   Youth from grades 3-7 might enjoy it though I expect it would appeal more to those up through grade five. I am reviewing an advanced reader’s copy for Raincoast books. 

Marie Arnold walks us through the first few weeks of Gabrielle’s arrival in America.  She thought it would be an easy transition with lots of new friends and an easy living.  Things are harder than she anticipated.  Friendships are hard, fitting in difficult, and dealing with prejudice unexpected.   Magic becomes part of the equation.  

The Year I flew Away

The language is easy to read and fits well with the target audience.  Characters are well-defined and by the end of the book I felt like I knew them well. 

The use of magic, I found didn’t fit well and the book would have been better without it. 

Should The Year I Flew Away be on your bookshelf?

I don’t know.

There was much I liked.  A girl has opportunity to vastly improve her lot in life.  She’ll need to work hard, adjust to change, and make a variety of decisions.   Will she listen to those around her or do her own thing?  Will she learn from the decisions that she makes?  How will she handle adversity in whatever form it comes in?  I love those themes. 

I didn’t like the use of magic.  It mostly fit, the magical system, but … I suppose I struggled with the nastiness of the magic.   It wasn’t benign, but a deliberate attempt to subvert.   I liked how the good magic required her to think and put different pieces together.  The way it resolved felt wrong somehow….like it didn’t fit with the rest of the story.  Overall, The Year I Flew Away would have worked better without the magical elements. 

Overall it was a decent read, but it would a read I’d be happy enough to just borrow from the library, not one to keep on my bookshelf. 

Gone To the Woods

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (Gone to the Woods) through Raincoast Books.

Every once in a while you start a book thinking, meh, might good, might not be and then end up being surprised by your enjoyment of it.  Gone to the Woods is one of those books.  I laughed, I frowned, I groaned with frustration, and I cheered.  I saw a young man seeing hard things and making choices about what he would see.   Over time I got to see that young man think, grow, and become something more than.  I rejoiced in that journey.   Come, read Gone to the Woods.  I don’t think you’ll regret it. 

Affiliate links will be used in this review. No cost to you, but it does help encourage me in my journey here!  🙂 

Gone to the Woods

The Straight Facts

Gone to the Woods is a biographical study by the author of his own troubled upbringing.  From times of immense joy, to times of struggle, we watch a boy mature into a man.  Gary Paulsen speaks candidly, but not so candidly that he would alarm his readers.   Those readers are in the 8-12 year old bracket where they are venturing more into harder fiction, but still need to be mindful of what they read. 

Gone to the woods: surviving a lost childhood runs at 368 pages and is published by Farrar Straus Giroux.  Gary Paulsen is the author and I’m reviewing on behalf of Raincoast books. 

Telling You More

Gary Paulsen writes a book that draws the reader in, wondering how the boy in the book is faring now.  Has he be shipped off to another cousin, or up to gramma’s or still with his folks?  What part of the world was he living in now?  I loved when his Aunt Edy said “you’re our newest little potato.” We learned later what it meant to be a new potato and all the wonderfulness of that! 

We learn of his being shipped to relatives, of his parents coming to take him, of the brutality of war in Manila, of his grit in taking care of himself, and the random kindness of strangers.  Strangers who would give him work to do, and strangers who carefully noticed and found ways to encourage. 

It’s a beautiful book to hold in your hand to read.  Feels very solid and secure with a nice-sized font to facilitate easy reading.  The language used is appropriate to the reader. 

Should You Get Gone to the Woods?

If you enjoy Not always an easy read, you will enjoy knowing the story behind the stories.   Seriously.  I laughed, I occasionally commiserated, and I was thankful for kind people. 

In many many ways, Mr. Paulsen shows us in Gone to the Woods, how awful his missed childhood was.  He doesn’t tell the story in a “poor me” way, or with too much graphic detail (though there is some), but more in a matter-of-fact life wasn’t fun manner.   You will learn why he writes as he does, his survivalist instincts, his knowledge of what it means to be a soldier, and more.  

Not always an easy read, but told in such a matter-of-fact manner that it just becomes part of who he is.  You need to judge if your children are ready to learn about some of the subject matter he touches on.  These subjects include the brutality of war, alcoholism and neglect on the part of his parents, promiscuity, and gruesome death.  BUT it also talks about the kindness of family, the careful attention by a librarian, and how he thought everything through.  Thinking it all through is a vital part of surviving life don’t you suppose? 

Would it be a good book for middle school?  I think so.  Yes, it has difficult things that happen.  But you know what… , difficult things happen in life.  Being exposed to those difficult things is not a bad thing, and having them written about in a not graphic, but matter of fact manner should be okay for most youth.   NOW.. would I want an 8 year old?  Perhaps not, it would depend on the child involved. But 11 and up, I really wouldn’t have a lot of issues. 

The Sea-ringed world

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Disclosure: I received this complimentary product (The Sea-Ringed World) through Raincoast Books.

Have you ever taken the time to ponder the stories of those who were here before our ancestors came here? In The Sea-Ringed World we get to read 56 stories of the original inhabitants of the Americas.  Stories from the Hopi, Maya, Andean. Sioux and many others.  As we read their stories, native inspired art dot the pages. 

The Sea-Ringed World

The Basic Details

232 pages filled with the original history of the Americas. Stories that Maria Garcia Esperon helps to bring to life and awareness.  The artwork is done by Amanda Mijangos while David Bowles translates into English.  These stories focus on the Native America peoples of the Lower United States, Mexico, and Central and South Americas.   I am reviewing this book of the sacred stories of the Americas for Raincoast books.  These stories are geared to youth 8 – 14 years.

You’ll find 56 stories contained with in the pages of this hardcover book from Levine Querido publishing.  Each story is four pages long.   The stories come to us by way of the Hope, Mexica, Muisca, Andean, Guarani, Taino, Maya, Nahua, Mapuche, Blackfoot, and Ona peoples among others. 

Artwork is scattered throughout it’s pages, all are in the blue/black/white motif. Some feature plants (I think), others animals, and the rest a variety of scenes.  The artwork (to me) didn’t seem to be connected to the stories. 

Each story in The Sea-ringed World is predicated by poetry?  Moral?  Not sure what to call it.  These words do call you to pay attention to the main character or thought of the story that follows. 

Should you get it?

I know this isn’t the intent of the author, but one of the things I find interesting when I read the ancient stories of another people is how a kernel of God’s truth can be found within.  So when I read of a people became so evil that their god reigned down destruction upon them… I think of the God of the bible and the ark.    When I read of how all was good in the world… and then a trickster came along who wrecked havoc, and I think of God, the garden of Eden and how Satan tricked the woman. Even when the language isn’t the same kernels of truth can be seen, and it always surprises me. 

But that aside, it is interesting and helpful to get to know the stories of the people around you.  Knowing a person’s stories, and knowing a person’s past, helps you to gain insight in their now.  And that’s how you help to build a community.  The stories were varied and came from different sources which helped give glimpses into different original American cultures. 

These stories would be fun to use in a wide-variety of situations.  Discernment and truth-seeking classes with middle through highschool students.  Bedtime stories with elementary students.  Supplement to learning about Native Americans.   An addition to geography and history classes.  Learning about peoples of the world.  And I’m sure there are more situations that I haven’t even thought of.  🙂 

These Unlucky Stars

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Isn’t it nice when you finish a book and you think to yourself… I’m glad I read that!   These Unlucky Stars left me feeling like that.  So glad that I took the time to read it through.  I’d love to tell you all about Gillian McDunn’s touching middle school novel.   Affiliate links will be used in this review. 

These unlucky Stars

Annie is such an unlucky girl, who has learned to keep people away, and yet… people keep intruding.   Can she learn to trust anyone?  To let a door into her life crack open… just a bit?  Enter into.. sticky situation.  What will Annie do?  And thus the story unfolds as Annie works to solve her problem and learns a few things along the way. 

I loved seeing her heart…. Through all 288 pages, Gillian McDunn unwraps Annie’s character showing us her angst as she tries to do what is right, even when she knows she should have done better. Well-developed additional characters help to round out the story, each with their own struggles.   The whole community gathers around building a parade showcasing the rosy maple moth. 

Published by Bloomsbury books, I am reviewing on behalf of Raincoast books.  I received an advanced readers copy.  Geared for middle school, it is being released as a hardcover. 

What I liked

BUT Annie makes an error in judgment… and solves the problem.  Therein we find Gloria and her weird dog.  And yes… the dog is a tad bit weird. But Gloria is interesting, and watching the relationship between Gloria and Annie (as an adult reader) develop is just fun.  Thinking as a middle school reader, I think kids would see themselves in the awkwardness between the two.  This is a fun book to read, there were times when I laughed aloud.  Thoroughly enjoyable. 

I’m actually finding it hard to write this review because I enjoyed it and think most middle schoolers would as well.  It would be easy for them to see themselves in the story.  It’s hard to not tell you the whole story.

The characters were interesting, the back-stories made them so real. The way the community worked together and recognized the gifts of each other was heart-warming.  The struggles that Annie had are real ones, that could totally happen to any child.   

There was artwork scattered throughout.  All was just roughed in since I received an ARC.  Annie is a young artist, and it is her artwork featured. 

Should you get These Unlucky Stars?

Yes!  If you have middle schoolers who like to read real people stories where individuals their age solve problems in a realistic way.  Annie in These Unlucky Stars,  didn’t solve her problems in isolation, she had a community around her.  She needed to learn who to depend on and what errors in judgment she had made. Others around her also needed to learn this as well.  It was all-around well done and worthy of reading.   I would have liked to see more of the illustrations done so I could better tell you about them. I didn’t see anything objectionable within the covers.Â