Saturday, March 10, 2012

Book Review: The Moon Over High Street by Natalie Babbitt


By: Natalie Babbitt
Published by: Scholastic Inc
Released on: March 1st, 2012
Source: ARC from publisher at ALA
Ages: 8 & up
3 stars: It's A Good Read
Purchase from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The new novel by Natalie Babbitt, author of Tuck EverlastingJoe Casimir needed help with the choice he had to make. But how do you choose the person who will help you choose? Mr. Boulderwall, the millionaire, knew exactly what he wanted Joe to choose. And millionaires are experts at making choices. Well, aren't they? But Vinnie, the number-two man down at Sope Electric, didn't much approve of millionaires. He said to Joe, "Listen, kid, all of 'em act like they're the only ones with a ticket to the show!" But he didn't have any real advice to offer. Joe's Gran didn't either, as it turned out, and neither did Aunt Myra. The good advice was there, though. Right across the street. Just waiting right across the street. There are a lot of good things just waiting. You'll see.

Set in the early 1960's, this story follows that of young Joe Casimir, a twelve old boy who's been raised by his grandmother following the tragic death of his parents as an infant. After an accident that lands his grandmother in the hospital, Joe is sent to spend the summer with his "Aunt" Myra. During his stay with her he not only learns what family, love and friendships is all about, but what it means to hold onto your dream. The Moon Over High Street is a story that tackles the theme about money, the working class, rich vs poor, family, friendship and love.

I really enjoyed the old fashioned feel this story has with the setting, the way things were done during this time period and the mannerisms of the characters. It really set the tone for the story. I also enjoyed getting to met Joe. He was a quiet, reserved character who slowly started to break out of his shell during his time with his Aunt. I felt like for the first time he was able to see what having family around him was all about. His time spent with his Aunt consisted of delicious homemade breakfasts, reading out in the hammock, sitting around the table talking, his first crush and his blossoming friendship with the girl across the street and a chance meeting with the local millionaire, Mr. Boulderwall. Much to the shock of Joe, his family and myself, Mr Bolderwall makes an offer to adopt. Faced with making a choice of sticking with his family and following his dreams, Joe has to decide if money will buy him the happiness he always wanted.

This story is a fun, good ole' fashion Middle Grade read that will even be easy to read for readers as young as 3rd and 4th grade. The story line is easy to follow, the words are easy to read and it's a fun, fast paced book. Each of the characters bring something to the story and are enjoyable to read about. Along with Joe, I loved Aunt Myra and Joe's fiery Grandmother. Being that I'm a reader who looks for a little bit more depth with the characters, normally I would say I needed a bit more of a connection to really love this book, but the way in which Natalie wrote each character works great for this story. I think fans of Natalie's will enjoy Joe's story.

Upcoming MG Releases

In celebration of MG Madness here on Mundie Kids I wanted to feature some of this month's upcoming releases. I've not been very faithful about posting upcoming MG releases on here like I do on Mundie Moms, because it's extremely time consuming hunting down all the MG releases, which is sad. It's much easier for me look up the YA releases than the MG, and even than the YA are time consuming as well. There's a lot of awesome MG books out there, and I'm hoping to make a bit more time to feature upcoming releases more faithfully on here.

Here's a look at some of this month's upcoming MG releases, some of which I'll be featuring here on the blog:

By: Natalie Babbitt
Published by: Scholastic Inc
Released on: 3.1.12

The new novel by Natalie Babbitt, author of Tuck EverlastingJoe Casimir needed help with the choice he had to make. But how do you choose the person who will help you choose? Mr. Boulderwall, the millionaire, knew exactly what he wanted Joe to choose. And millionaires are experts at making choices. Well, aren't they? But Vinnie, the number-two man down at Sope Electric, didn't much approve of millionaires. He said to Joe, "Listen, kid, all of 'em act like they're the only ones with a ticket to the show!" But he didn't have any real advice to offer. Joe's Gran didn't either, as it turned out, and neither did Aunt Myra. The good advice was there, though. Right across the street. Just waiting right across the street. There are a lot of good things just waiting. You'll see.

By: P.G. Kain
Published by: Aladdin
Released on: 3.6.12

Brittany Rush is the face of Gotta Have It candy bars, the hands of Write On pencils, the hair of Knot Me Not detangle spray and the voice of Mom, It’s Delicious! soups. Brittany has been appearing in commercials and print ads since her backside was the official derriere of Simply Dry Diapers. When Brittany showed up at a callback some girls would actually just get up and go home since they knew it was almost impossible to compete with her. However, a month after her twelfth birthday, Brittany’s mother tells her that the entire family is moving to Hong Kong for a year. Brittany is forced to take a brief but agonizing break from her commercial career. After a year of being just an anonymous kid in a foreign country, Brittany is more than ready to return stateside to her steady diet of go-see’s, auditions, callbacks and bookings in NYC. Within 48 hours of landing at JFK Brittany’s agent Judith Lister of the A Lister’s Agency has three go-see’s for Brittany. When she shows up to the first go-see, she expects the spotlight to start shining on her again but instead she finds that, in the year that she has been gone, she has changed from being the cute kid to watch out for to just one of the many pretty girls waiting her turn. Will Brittany be able to steal back her spotlight? Or will she discover there's more to life than being a commercial success?


By: Brandon Mull
Published by: Aladdin
To Be Released on: 3.13.12

The second epic installment of Brandon Mull’s #1 New York Times bestselling fantasy series!After the cliffhanger ending of A World Without Heroes, Jason is back in the world he’s always known—yet for all his efforts to get home, he finds himself itching to return to Lyrian. Jason knows that the shocking truth he learned from Maldor is precious information that all of his friends in Lyrian, including Rachel, need if they have any hope of surviving and defeating the evil emperor.

Meanwhile, Rachel and the others have discovered new enemies—as well as new abilities that could turn the tide of the entire quest. And as soon as Jason succeeds in crossing over to Lyrian, he’s in more danger than ever. Once the group reunites, they strive to convince their most-needed ally to join the war and form a rebellion strong enough to triumph over Maldor. At the center of it all, Jason and Rachel realize what roles they’re meant to play—and the answers are as surprising as they are gripping.


By: Ally Carter
Published by: Disney Hyperion
To Be Released on: 3.13.12

The last thing Cammie Morgan remembers is leaving the Gallagher Academy to protect her friends and family from the Circle of Cavan--an ancient terrorist organization that has been hunting her for over a year. But when Cammie wakes up in an alpine convent and discovers months have passed, she must face the fact that her memory is now a black hole. The only traces left of Cammie’s summer vacation are the bruises on her body and the dirt under her nails, and all she wants is to go home.

Once she returns to school, however, Cammie realizes that even the Gallagher Academy now holds more questions than answers. Cammie, her friends, and mysterious spy-guy Zach must face their most difficult challenge yet as they travel to the other side of the world, hoping to piece together the clues that Cammie left behind. It’s a race against time. The Circle is hot on their trail and willing stop at nothing to prevent Cammie from remembering what she did last summer.


By: Mark A Cooper
Published by: Sourcebooks
To Be Released on: 3.13.12

Scotland Yard has uncovered a sinister plot by the shadowy criminal gang known as the Triads. The powerful spy organization needs a man on the inside. Someone the Triad's Dragon Leader would never suspect. Someone like 12-year-old Jason Steed, in this follow-up to "Fledgling."


By: Kate Messner
Published by: Bloomsbury Walker
To Be Released on: 3.13.12

In the not-too-distant future, huge tornadoes and monster storms are a part of everyday life. Sent to spend the summer in the heart of storm country with her father in the special StormSafe community his company has developed, Jaden Meggs is excited to reconnect with her dad after he spent years researching storm technology in Russia. She’ll also be attending the exclusive summer science camp, Eye On Tomorrow, that her dad founded. There, Jaden meets Alex, a boy whose passion for science matches hers, and together they discover a horrible truth about her dad’s research that is putting countless lives at risk. As a massive tornado approaches, threatening to destroy everything in its path, Jaden is torn between loyalty to her dad and revealing his secret. Can she find the courage to confront her dad and save everyone from the biggest storm yet?


By: Hilary McKay
Published by: Margaret K. McElderry Books
To Be Released on: 3.20.12

The amazing and hilarious Casson family is back in this all-new novel from award-winning author Hilary McKay.Cadmium Casson is twelve years old the summer that everything changes. Not only are her closest friendships in jeopardy, but her mom is expecting a baby. And when the baby arrives early, Caddy’s world turns upside down. Her mother spends all her time at the hospital, and her father takes over the household, which of course turns into one chaotic (though hilarious) crisis after the next.

When her charmingly dense boyfriend dumps her, Caddy is at her wits’ end. Then she discovers that the fragile baby she is so afraid of losing is not an ending, but a beginning for her whole family. And that love and friendship don’t need to be destroyed by change—they can be strengthened. Another refreshingly wise, funny, and poignant novel from the inimitable Hilary McKay.


By: Maryrose Wood
Published by: Harper Collins Children
To Be Released on: 3.27.12


Of especially naughty children it is sometimes said, "They must have been raised by wolves."

The Incorrigible children actually were.

Thanks to the efforts of Miss Penelope Lumley, their plucky governess, Alexander, Beowulf, and Cassiopeia are much more like children than wolf pups now. They are accustomed to wearing clothes. They hardly ever howl at the moon. And for the most part, they resist the urge to chase squirrels up trees.

Despite Penelope's civilizing influence, the Incorrigibles still managed to ruin Lady Constance's Christmas ball, nearly destroying the grand house. So while Ashton Place is being restored, Penelope, the Ashtons, and the children take up residence in London. Penelope is thrilled, as London offers so many opportunities to further the education of her unique students. But the city presents challenges, too, in the form of the palace guards' bearskin hats, which drive the children wild--not to mention the abundance of pigeons the Incorrigibles love to hunt. As they explore London, however, they discover more about themselves as clues about the children's--and Penelope's--mysterious past crop up in the most unexpected ways. . . .

By: Marissa Burt
Published by: Harper Collins Childrens
To Be Released on: 4.3.12

In the land of Story, children go to school to learn to be characters: a perfect Hero, a trusty Sidekick, even the most dastardly Villain. They take classes on Outdoor Experiential Questing and Backstory, while adults search for full-time character work in stories written just for them.

In our world, twelve-year-old Una Fairchild has always felt invisible. But all that changes when she stumbles upon a mysterious book buried deep in the basement of her school library, opens the cover, and suddenly finds herself transported to the magical land of Story.But Story is not a perfect fairy tale. Una’s new friend Peter warns her about the grave danger she could face if anyone discovers her true identity. The devious Tale Keeper watches her every move. And there are whispers of a deadly secret that seems to revolve around Una herself....With the timeless appeal of books like A Wrinkle in Time and the breathtaking action of Inkheart, Storybound has all the makings of a new classic. Brimming with fantastical creatures, magical adventure, and heart-stopping twists, Storybound will leave readers wishing they too could jump through the pages into this enchanting fairy-tale world
I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves. ~ Anna Quindlen

Good children's literature appeals not only to
the child in the adult, but to the adult in the child.
~ Anonymous ~