The Reading Circle

Middle Grade Must-Reads – Once Upon a Tim

November 29, 2022December 1, 2022 Seth Harris

Once Upon a Tim (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
Written by Stuart Gibbs
Illustrated by Stacy Curtis

There are more fairy tales than we know what to do with. And among that avalanche of books, there are a nearly countless number of Damsel-In-Distress + Knight-In-Shining-Armor tales. But I can guarantee you none of them are like this one. Seemingly inspired by Monty Python, author Stuart Gibbs has penned an age-appropriate satire of chivalrous literature. Tim is a peasant, like his parents before him, their parents before them, etc. But he doesn’t want to remain a peasant; Tim wants to travel and see the world. An opportunity arises when the Stinx kidnaps Princess Grace of the neighboring kingdom (it’s like a Sphinx but smellier). Prince Ruprecht announces a call for all brave enough to join him on his quest to save her.

Tim jumps at the opportunity but so does his best friend, Belinda. But girls can’t be knights, right? Belinda doesn’t care and disguises herself as a boy to go with Tim. They quickly find only them and the “village idiot” shows up…but don’t underestimate this supposed “idiot.” The party journeys through a landscape where everything is the X of Doom (i.e., Forest of Doom, River of Doom). The sense of humor here never lets up and makes the book a perfect pick for a wisecracking kid. It’s also a quick read at 160 pages. Oh, your kid wants more? There’s already a sequel, The Labyrinth of Doom, with promises of more to come!

author spotlight, humor, illustration

Author Spotlight – Melanie Watt

November 24, 2022December 1, 2022 Seth Harris

Melanie Watt is a French-Canadian who has loved art and being silly since she was a child. One of her earliest cartoon obsessions was the Garfield comic strip which she drew many times over. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design from the University of Quebec – Montreal. In 1999, Watts discovered children’s book writing while taking a design class about illustration. She created Leon, a chameleon character, and wrote a story to go with her drawings. By 2001, Leon the Chameleon was published and became her first book. From there, Watts would create Scaredy Squirrel, her most consistent character who has appeared in six books & counting.

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animals, family, nature

Book List: Going On a Camping Trip

November 22, 2022 Seth Harris

The Camping Trip (Candlewick)
Written & Illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann

For ages: 3-7
Ernestine has never been camping but is excited beyond description about it. Aunt Jackie arrives and takes the girl and her cousin out into the wilderness. We follow them on the car ride as they keep themselves amused and then when they help setting up the camping spot. Ernestine is met with some surprises though. When she goes swimming in the lake only to find there are fish there, very much unlike the pool at the YMCA. Ernestine deals with homesickness and some discomfort but finds camping is actually more fun than she imagined. Some s’mores and a star lit night help cap off the first of what will be many camping trips.

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humor, illustration, spotlight

Spotlight: This is a Taco/No Such Thing

November 17, 2022October 27, 2022 Seth Harris

This is a ~~Squirrel~~ Taco (Oni Press)
Written by Andrew Cangelose
Illustrated by Josh Shipley

For ages: 3-7
This is the story of Taco the Squirrel. But it’s also a book sharing actual facts about squirrels. Taco has agreed to help children learn about his species by being the focus of the book’s illustrations. Unfortunately, mistakes are made, and he is mislabeled as a flying squirrel, making him a hawk’s target. At this point, Taco finds a red marker and starts editing the book to add more of what he loves, tacos. The result is an excursion in silliness, wordplay, and irony.

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fantasy, middle grade

Middle-Grade Must-Read – The Midnight Children

November 15, 2022 Seth Harris

The Midnight Children (Henry Holt & Co [BYR])
Written by Dan Gemeinhart

If you have students that are fans of Strange Things, this will be a must-buy middle-grade novel. It captures that sense of small-town life when a supernatural element is introduced into it, how these new arrivals reshape people’s thinking, opening their minds to bigger things. Ravani Foster is a timid young boy growing up in Slaughterville, named for its central employment hub, a cattle slaughterhouse. One night, as Ravani gazes wistfully out his bedroom window, a truck drives down the street, and seven children jump out. They take up residency in the empty house across the street. Ravani becomes intrigued with them, especially Virginia, who is his age.

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author spotlight, illustration

Author Spotlight – Chris Van Allsburg

November 10, 2022October 27, 2022 Seth Harris

Jumanji and The Polar Express made Chris Van Allsburg a well-known figure in children’s literature, but his career consists of many more books. Born in 1949 to a Dutch family in Boston, Chris started making art when he was a child. While attending the College of Architecture and Design at the University of Michigan, he majored in sculpture. Chris obtained a master’s degree in the field at the prestigious Rhode Island School of Design but struggled with making art and paying bills. A series of sketches he made on the side caught his wife’s eye, and she suggested that Chris use them in a children’s book. The result was The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, not his best work but a stepping stone. As of 2022, Chris has written and/or illustrated 22 books. His art was also used for the covers of a 1994 edition of The Chronicles of Narnia. I hope you find a new read here or explore his bibliography and pick up something new.

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censorship, history, middle grade

Middle Grade Must-Reads – Attack of the Black Rectangles

November 1, 2022October 25, 2022 Seth Harris

Attack of the Black Rectangles (Scholastic Press)
Written by Amy Sarig King

In America today there is a growing problem with far right-wing reactionary behavior. A small but loud subset of the population is creating a lot of difficulties in public education by making wild accusations about what happens inside schools. I’m sure you’ve seen the nonsense claims of CRT (a law school theory) being taught in schools, that “furries” are allowed to use litter boxes in schools, and that teachers are grooming children to become transgender. It’s absolute psychopathy used by fascistic political forces to gain power in the country. As educators, we have an obligation to aggressively push back in any way we can against this rhetoric. We must educate our students on media literacy and critical thinking, so they do not get swallowed up in this frenzy.

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