A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Books for Middle School

Reading Goals for the New Year

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Reading Goals for the New Year?   What type of easy blog challenge is this?   AH… SUPER EASY!!!!   Let’s have fun eh?   Where applicable I’ll link to reviews of books, or affiliate links through Amazon.  

I’ll cover books I plan to read with the lad, show you the piles of books I have to go through, and show you my current reads.   Books are fun no?

reading Goals for the New year

Reading with My Lad

One of my joys is daily reading with my lad.  We’ve been continuing our exploration into the World Wars. We had planned to read the Diary of Anne Frank next, but somehow we had a kids version and that was annoying, so we’ve moved onto Memories of Anne Frank and we are going to do Life behind the Wall when we are finished it. 

We have this whole section of books to choose from.  Will we get through them all?  Most definitely not!  But it’s good to have books to choose from and decide if we’ll read through on our own or together or decide we’d rather not.  🙂   Options!

Books to Answer Questions

My 15-year-old is struggling with issues of faith, questioning even the existence of God.  It’s hard sometimes to make sense of God.  So last year I picked up a number of books to help me in answering his questions. 

Why Trust the Bible I am enjoying going through.  I’ll have to re-read it to help solidify ideas.  I like how he sees Christ as central to the bible and works in trusting the bible from that angle.   Unearthing the bible we picked up to go with Drive Through History. 

I’ll be starting Core 52 with him most likely next week, give him, hopefully, more opportunities to ask questions.  That’s all I’m aiming for, opportunities to ask questions as together we learn. 

My Book Options

At my bedside I find these books.  I have to admit, some have been sitting here for more than a year!   But eventually I’ll get through them!

I won 2/3’s of these books that sit beside my comfy chair, not sure if I’ll ever read them, a couple of them intrigue though: Five little Indians and The back of the turtle. 

Audible Reads

I often find myself listening to books as I work around the house.  Right now in fact (since this is an easy post to write) I am listening to a book on Audible called Mad Ship. Membership is easy and gives you a book per month to read/listen to, for generally less than half the price of a new book. 

Review Books

My love of reading also spills out in telling others about the books that I read, or books that can be discovered.  Below… books waiting my review!

Reading Goals for the New Year

As you can see, I’ve lots of books I can choose from this year to read from.  Books of faith, fiction, non-fiction and books to review.  All sorts of interesting, alarming, learn-fromable, and sometimes fun reads. 

Do you have books you choose to read or do you just read from what you have available?  Buy, borrow, be gifted with, new or used, books are meant to be enjoyed!  Have fun in your discoveries this year!   If you have a mind to, tell me what your reading goals are for the new year.

Amazon Links

January 2021
reading goals for the new year

Top New Middle School Reads

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Every year I do a wrap-up post of my favourite books I reviewed from the past year. It’s good to remind myself about all I’ve done, as well as to really pick through the best of them.  So without further delay here are my top new middle school reads for you today. 

I will provide links to my reviews, and affiliate quick links if you are intrigued.  Helps my blog, doesn’t affect your bottom-line. 

Top New Middle School Reads

Non-Fiction Books

Fever year,  Graphic novel style about the Spanish Flue that hit during World War 1.  Well done, very informative, without being icky. 

On the Horizon.   Another World War book, this one of poetry.  Covering both sides of the war.  World War 2 hard-fought, pain on both sides of the equation.   Worth reading. 

This Light Between Us.  Fiction, yet, not-fiction.  A weaving between the two.  An excellent read about Japanese internment camps and the Nazi death camps.   Such a good book. 

How the moon landing affected people around the world.  For all Humankind.  An interesting read. 

The Radium Girls, such a fascinating read. Such a dangerous substance, new laws needing to be made, hardship for these girls.  A hard read, but sometimes it’s necessary to read hard things. 

Another WW2 book, Displacement draws us into the life of Japanese internment camps in a different way than the book above.  Graphic novel style. 

The Light Between us

Fiction

Some subjects are difficult to address.  Child Trafficking is one of them.   Invisible Boy sensitively addresses this issue. 

The last lie.  This book made me ask lots of questions, making me wonder about language and how it all works together.   

Fly on the Wall.   Caught between worlds, learning to be seen for who you are.   A combination book part graphic novel, part chapter book.  Worth reading indeed. 

In the mood for a doggie based mystery?   A Dog-friendly town might suit your needs perfectly. 

The Space between Lost and Found.  Dealing with a parent lost without being gone. A tough thing for a child. A story about how a young lady learns to cope with Alzheimer’s in her mom. 

A place at the table.  Girls, competition, cross-cultural challenges, and baking.  All make for an excellent middle school read. 

Lupe Wong won’t dance is a book I thoroughly enjoyed.  Might be something your middle schoolers might enjoy as well.  🙂 Strong-willed young lady tackles big (and small) issues. 

Middle School boys can be a lot of fun, Boys in the Back Row is all about those boys, music, and middle school struggles. 

My last book today might not appeal to all audiences based on the pandemic we are currently in.  The possible end scenario might alarm some people.  But Cleo Porter and the Body Electric showcases a young lady with a lot of determination.  It’s worth reading to see her action.  

A place at the table

How about you?   What top new middle school reads have you discovered this year?  It’s great to read new books and discover new authors to brighten our days and enliven our minds. 

Help with Novel Studies

fresh start

One of the things I love about having good books for middle schoolers to read is that it gives you the opportunity to lightly start novel studies. SchoolhouseTeachers.com has an analyzing, understanding and exploring literature course that you could take the bones of and help your children dig deeper into the books they love. 

With over 450 courses covering all grades from PreK through highschool, and four different ways to approach using this on-line resource.  It’s well worth looking into ST for all your homeschooling needs. 

Cleo Porter and the Body Electric

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Oh, sometimes you read a bit and it hits a bit close to home.  Cleo Porter and the Body Electric is one such book.  Imagine a world wide pandemic and countries take the ultimate step of isolating individuals and their families.  Now imagine that a medical emergency happens.  How would you handle it?   Follow along with Cleo’s response.

Cleo Porter and the body electric

Learning about Cleo Porter

Jake Burt has postulated the question: What would happen if you were isolated physically in a locked building after a global pandemic? What would happen if you knew someone needed help and only you could help them? Cleo Porter and the Body Electric helps us answer those questions.  Jake Burt, a grade five teacher and author, uses humour, wisdom, and a plucky character to bring this story to life for his readers. 

This middle-school, science fiction read takes place over 288 pages and is published by Feiwel and Friends.  I am reviewing this adventurous chapter book on behalf of Raincoast books.  Humour, folk wisdom, fear, determination, and a surprise twist round out this story.

From the Cover

In a future forever changed by a pandemic, a girl survives in total isolation.

A woman is dying. Cleo Porter has her medicine. And no way to deliver it.

Like everyone else, twelve-year-old Cleo and her parents are sealed in an apartment without windows or doors. They never leave. They never get visitors. Their food is dropped off by drones. So they’re safe. Safe from the disease that nearly wiped humans from the earth. Safe from everything. The trade-off?

They’re alone. Thus, when they receive a package clearly meant for someone else – a package containing a substance critical for a stranger’s survival – Cleo is stuck. As a surgeon-in-training, she knows the clock is ticking. But people don’t leave their units.

Not ever. Until now.

What you get

In this illustrated edition you’ll fid the occasional image.  Not a whole lot, but the ones you find help to showcase the story. 

You’ll find well written prose with well-developed characters.  The determination of Cleo shines forth.  She makes mistakes and then recovers from them.  It was so interesting watching Cleo having to think on her feet.  You can really see her intelligence and compassion showing through in everything that she does. 

Humour was scattered throughout,  causing me to guffaw at unexpected moments.  This had it’s benefits with a lad curious about what made me laugh.  I’ll be passing this book along to him later for reading. 

Should you get it?

The fact that this book is about the results of a pandemic and a world-wide response might hit too close to home for some readers.   Cleo Porter and the Body Electric takes its time building, but once it gets going is fairly fast-paced.   The issues of isolation are real as is the fear of being out in the world.  It’s like issues in the world today, and for some young people it might be too real, and yet for others, due to how these issues are addressed, it might help it all make more sense. 

I enjoyed the folk-wisdom of an older lady who talked about how she made the decisions that she did and how confusing it is to want to help when others let fear rule them. The ending was different than I expected which a delightful surprise.   Overall I found Jake Burt’s novel to be well-balanced.  

 

One Year at Ellsmere

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Oh, what a pleasant surprise!   One Year at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks caught me off-guard with how much I enjoyed it.   I have got to tell you all about this First-Second books, graphic novel.  It might be just the thing for your early teenage daughters!

One Year at Ellsmere

About One Year at Ellsmere

Faith Erin Hicks has put together a beautifully inked 176-page graphic novel.  Published by Firstsecondbooks, this is a wonderful middle school read, about a scholarship girl ending up at a prestigious academy for girls. 

You’ll find competition, bullying, real friendship, a mystery, and girls learning to stand for what is right. 

 

From the cover: Was boarding school supposed to be this hard?

When studious thirteen-year-old Juniper wins a scholarship to the prestigious Ellsmere Academy, she expects to find a scholastic utopia. But living at Ellsmere is far from ideal: She is labeled a special project,” Ellsmere’s queen bee is out to destroy her, and it’s rumored that a mythical beast roams the forest next to the school.

I loved watching friendship bloom between two outcasts, but I particulary enjoyed Jun’s refusal to be bullied.  Her attitude is one that I wished I had possessed as a teenager, it would have made life so much better!  🙂 

Should you get it?

I thoroughly enjoyed this illustrated novel, I found it well-written albeit a bit predictable. The characters were well-developed and very recognizable. 

There is some magic involved for those who are concerned about such things. It helps to resolve an issue.  One year at Ellsmere, overall, is a good book for middle school students.  I see it as more geared to girls than boys, but think boys could learn a few things as well!  🙂 

If you are doing a unit on bullying and want to have a discussion about how to handle it, the themes within could easily provide a spring board. 

The Porcupine Year

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I have not read any books by Louise Erdrich before.  After reading The Porcupine Year, I think I will look for her other two books!   This sequel is the third in the Birchbark House books, and even though I haven’t read the others in this series, I found it quite an enjoyable read. 

The Porcupine Year

The Details of The Porcupine Year

Published by  Harper Collins Publishers, this 224-page book that came in as a review book, but I haven’t a clue for who anymore. My guess is an email got deleted that shouldn’t have!  Anyways, it’s the sequel the Birchbark House and The Game of Silence. 

These books tell the story of Omakayas and her family.  They are an Objibwe family who lived in Minnesota and were forced by the USA government to find a new home.   This illustrated edition, explains some of the hardships caused by this relocation for this Native American family.  It also gives us a glimpse into American life in the 1800’s. 

From the Cover:

Omakayas was a dreamer who did not yet know her limits.

When Omakayas is twelve winters old, she and her family set off on a harrowing journey in search of a new home. Pushed to the brink of survival, Omakayas continues to learn from the land and the spirits around her, and she discovers that no matter where she is, or how she is living, she has the one thing she needs to carry her through.

Pencil drawings are scattered throughout the pages, helping us see some of the silliness. It also for me, helped me to truly picture, Omakayas and her family. 

16 chapters round out the pages, you’ll find author’s notes on the Objiwe language as well.  You’ll even learn how to pronounce Objiwe.  Very well done book that helps youth in grades 3-7 learn more about US History. 

One of the things I love about this story is that it’s easy for youth to read, and yet it would also make a great read out loud story.   The chapters are a nice length, with good pictures throughout, and flows nicely from one chapter to the next. 

Should you Get it?

YES!  It’s a thoroughly good read.  Tells a good story with a touch of conflict.  There’s sorrow as well as joy. There’s life and hope.  The Porcupine Year is a sweet story that teaches history as you read.  Well-worth reading. 

Tenderly told, with so much hope for the future despite the troubles they went through.  A good introduction to Native American history from a native’s perspective. 

The Boys in the Back Row

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I thoroughly enjoyed The Boys in the Back Row by Mike Jung.  What a great story about two boys, their friendship, and the problems they had along the way.  But mostly, friendship, from a boys perspective as opposed to from a girls perspective.   Amazon affiliate links will be used. 

Boys in the back row

What I am Reviewing

272 pages round out Mike Jung’s chapter book The Boys in the Back Row.  Middle School boys learning how to adjust to change, and how to continue friendship through it all.  I received a trade paperback ARC version from Raincoast Books.  Publisher Levine Querido c/o Chronicle Books has put together a finely crafted book with great characters, that help middle school readers ask themselves good questions. 

The Details

From the cover: Best friends Matt and Eric are hatching a plan for one big final adventure together before Eric moves away: during the marching band competition at a Giant Amusement Park, they will sneak away to a nearby comics convention and meet their idol-a famous comic creator. Without cell phones. Or transportation. Or permission. Of course, their final adventure together is more than just that-really, it’s a way for the boys to celebrate their friendship, and their honest love and support for one another. 

The artwork was very minimalistic, confined to chapter headings.  Eric and Matt, along with their classmates, are true-to-life characters.  The adventure that the boys came up with I could totally see boys coming up with.  One big blast with no-one the wiser!  What fun!

The book itself is comfortable in the hand, the font easier to read and the text appropriate for the middle grades.  

Should you get The Boys in the Back Row?

YES!  I thoroughly enjoyed this read.  It was great to follow Matt and Eric on their adventures.  Seeing their friendships, and enmities with other boys gave a real glimpse into the lives of middle school boys. 

The Boys in the Back Row is a good read.  I can totally see young guys really enjoying it as they race through the pages.  Well-written with believable characters.  You’ll laugh, and shake your head. Geeky kids having a good friendship, being surprised by classmates (sometimes for good or ill), and adventures expected and … unexpected!  

Living Books for World War 2

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Over this past year, my son has been working through a study on World War 2.   We’ve engaged in a number of different ways to do so, watching movies, working through a unit study from Home School in the Woods, doing small unit studies, using timeline figures, reading a lot of living books, and doing independent research.   He has learned a lot and has thoroughly enjoyed his research.  I thought I would share some of the living books for world war 2 that he has gone through. 

Living books for World War 2

Independent Reading

“MOM!  You have got to read this series.  It’s very interesting!”  The Series on Camp x by Eric Walters consumed my lad.  For a while, every time I saw him it seemed like he was reading yet another in the series.   He spent his time learning about Camp X, a camp for Canada’s spies. 

In this series you’ll find

  • Camp X
  • Camp 30
  • Fool’s Gold
  • Shell Shocked
  • Trouble in Paradise
  • Enigma

He also read Spy Smuggler which is the story of Paul Lelaud a 13 year old French boy who wants to fights the Germans. 

How to Lose WW2 by Bill Fawcett. This book is part of the How to Lose series, and focuses on errors made during the war. 

On the Horizon is a book of poetry that looks back on the lives of soldiers at Pearl Harbour as well as citizens in Hiroshima.  

living books for world war 2

Reading Together

One of my joys in life is reading books together with my lad, one to two chapters either at night before bed, or just after dad leaves for work.  It’s our time which I guard jealously… my son perhaps not quite so much.  🙂   

But we’ve read some good books this past year. All of these came in as review books and I’ve linked to the reviews I did of them. 

Not a living book

My lad has also read some less “living book” style books.  I picked up a few books for doing some research.  Sometimes it’s easier to just have a book at hand than to go to a library and have to return them before you are ready.  

Spies, Lies and Disguise was an excellent book.  Providing problems, and then the solutions to problems. 

World War II by R.G.Grant.  My son said, “This was a good book, I learned a lot!” 

Canada’s Wars: An Illustrated History by Jonathan Webb was an overview book.  “It just told me a bit about the wars Canada has been part of.  I liked it!”  It was a source of inspiration for a couple of research papers. 

So there you have it.  Have you had your students delve deeply into a subject?  How did you approach it?  Did you utilize living books?  Or perhaps unit studies or hands-on studies? How does your student like to engage in in-depth study?  My son has enjoyed the mix of living books for World War 2 alongside his independent research and unit studies.