Stuntboy, In The Meantime

Stuntboy, In The Meantime

by Jason Reynolds

Stuntboy, in The Meantime is a heavily illustrated novel that also includes some comic strip sections, and the writing and the art are both bursting with vibrant energy and fun. Portico Reeves is ten and lives in an apartment building that he considers a castle, which he loves because there are all kinds of different people with different stories living behind all of the doors. His best friend, Zola, lives there, as does his nemesis, Herbert Singletary the Worst, who constantly verbally attacks Portico and Zola. Portico has a lot of anxiety, mainly because his parents have decided to take two new apartments, one upstairs and one downstairs, and are fighting a lot about what items each will take. Portico is a sweet, anxious kid who desperately wants to protect other people from pain (his secret superhero identity is "Stuntboy," who takes the dangerous falls for all the people around him), but right now, his parents' marriage is imploding and he can't stop it or take away their pain. Stuntboy, In The Meantime is silly and funny and sweet.

I Walk with Vanessa

By Kerascoët

Wordless picture books are a wonderful way to encourage a child's literacy skills. Without language prompts. the child must infer what is happening in the story by using only the illustrations and their imagination. Through this practice they will develop comprehension as well as an overall understanding of story structure and plot. 

That said, the more important reason to read I Walk with Vanessa can be summed up in one word: kindness. After witnessing a boy be incredibly mean to a girl on the way home from school one day, the main character thinks and thinks about what she saw. It weighs so heavily on her mind that she is still hurting for the other girl when morning comes. But breakfast brings an "aha moment" when she comes up with a plan to show Vanessa support. Knocking on Vanessa's door, she cheerfully pulls her by the hand and walks to school alongside her. One of the lessons shown in the book is how kindness begets kindness as more and more classmates join the two new friends and the crowd surges onto the school grounds as a united force.

Kindness is contagious.

Scar Island

Scar Island

By Dan Gemeinhart

Jonathan Grisby is just a boy, but already he has committed a crime that has sent him to Slabhenge Reformatory School for Troubled Boys. 

 

Slabhenge is no ordinary place.  Located on a remote, rocky island, Slabhenge can only be reached by boat and keeps its young residents isolated from everything comforting and familiar.  The school itself is cold, damp and rat-infested.

The teachers are a cruel bunch and treat the boys like the worst sort of criminals, often torturing them on a device called the Sinner’s Sorrow. 

But an unlikely incident occurs, and the boys find themselves suddenly alone, with no adults whatsoever.  They can eat what they want and go to bed when they like.  

But their newfound freedom quickly disappears when Sebastian takes over.  Sebastian demands that the boys follow him, or else.  Those who do his bidding get the best bedrooms and food.  Those who cross him, beware.

Jonathan must make a choice.  Will he take the easy route and follow Sebastian?  Or will he do the right thing and stand up for all the other boys?

Creepy, disturbing, and totally riveting, Scar Island is a great read.  You won’t be able to put it down!

Hello, Universe

Hello, Universe

By Erin Entrada Kelly

Virgil Salinas is a shy boy who finds himself the target of bullying by Chet “the Bull” Bullens.  Virgil desperately wants to stand up for himself, but he just doesn’t have the confidence to do it.  Even his parents call him “Turtle” because he is so quiet.  The nickname makes him feel bad about himself, but he can’t even muster the courage to ask his parents to stop using it.

Virgil starts going to see a psychic to help him solve his problems.  Her name is Kaori Tanaka, and although she is a kid too, she believes she can tap into the powers of the universe to help guide other people.

Valencia Somerset is another of Kaori’s “clients”.  Valencia is deaf, but is able to rely on hearing aids and lip reading to help her communicate.  She is also the girl that Virgil most wants to talk to, but of course, he’s too shy to do it.

Alone in the woods one day, Virgil encounters Chet, and ends up in a dangerous, even life-threatening situation.  When he doesn’t meet Kaori at the appointed time, she begins to look for him.  By coincidence, Valencia joins the search.  But Kaori doesn’t believe in coincidences.  Did fate intervene to bring these kids together?

Hello, Universe is a novel about friendship, bullying, confidence and the power of the universe to bring the right people together at the right time. If you are looking for a feel-good, uplifting novel, try this one.

Be Prepared

Be Prepared

By Vera Brosgol

Vera is ten years old and struggles to make friends.  All the girls she knows have the “right” kinds of birthday parties, dolls and sleepovers.  They all go to summer camp while she stays home with her brother.  The girls in Vera’s class are all-American girls but Vera’s family is Russian.

When she finds out that there is a Russian summer camp, Vera begs to go.  Despite the cost, her mother finally relents and sends both Vera and her brother.

Vera is old enough to bunk with the teenage girls, but she quickly discovers that she is nothing like them.  She balks at the camp food and is positively disgusted by the toilet, known as the “Hollywood”.  Camp life is nothing like she expected.

But as the weeks go by, Vera finally gives up on trying to impress the older girls and makes a friend in the younger girls’ camp.  Suddenly, camp life seems better and better.

Be Prepared is a graphic novel that vividly depicts one girl’s struggle to fit in.  Vera Brosgol’s illustrations bring this story to life.  Be Prepared is actually the story of the author’s own struggles as a child.  Everyone has trouble fitting in at times – some kids, especially girls, may take solace in Vera’s story.  There is more to Be Prepared than pain, however.  There is also friendship, humour and triumph.

There is some mature content in this book, making it suitable for grade 6 and up.

The Infamous Ratsos Are Not Afraid

The Infamous Ratsos Are Not Afraid

By Kara LaReau
Illustrated by Matt Myers

Louie and Ralphie Ratso want to build an arcade – not a video game arcade, but the kind you find at a carnival.  They decide that if they get to work clearing out a vacant lot, they can transform it into the Big City FunTime Arcade.

But the house next to the vacant lot looks haunted.  Louie is especially scared of the house and the possible ghost that lives inside.

Meanwhile, at school, Ralphie is teased for helping a girl that everyone calls Stinky.  Before he knows it, the whole school is singing the K-I-S-S-I-N-G song about them.  Ralphie is afraid of being made fun of, but he doesn’t know what to do about it.

Luckily, Louie and Ralphie’s dad reminds them not to let their fears be the boss.

When part of the new arcade goes through the window at the haunted house, Louie has to retrieve it.  Can he face his fears and knock on the door?

Can Ralphie stand up to the bullying and teasing at school?

And can two little rats and all their friends really build the Big City FunTime Arcade?

The Infamous Ratsos Are Not Afraid is a lighthearted book about facing childhood fears and having fun.