Nicole D. Collier

In this heartfelt story, Maya's settled life (being a soccer superstar with a happy family and great friends) is upended when her parents start to have problems. She's faced with the question whether her dedication to this sport is out of loyalty to her father and what it is she really wants. Maya tries to navigate her family's difficulties while finding meaning in fortune cookies, practicing her beloved flute, taking on a swimming challenge, and dealing with uncertainty on the soccer field. Maya is a relatable and lovable character that readers can't help but root for. Highly recommended read!… (mehr)

Recommended Ages: Gr. 4-6

Plot Summary: Jillian comes home in tears when she came home from school on the day that she knew the right answer but couldn't bring herself to buzz in to say it aloud. She wants to speak up, and she's very impressed with Rashida's ability to do it. That and Rashida's speed and brains are what helped her win last year's mind bender competition. Ms. W is telling Jillian she should consider the mind bender competition but she isn't sure. She wants to prove to her late Grammy Ruby that she can find herself but she honestly doesn't know how. Her best friend Marquez suggests training her heart. Will Jillian be able to do that?

Setting: somewhere in Georgia but a place where no one knows about chickens already

Characters:
Jillian - 5th grade
Mom - has lupus
Dad - in a band in his garage
Marquez - Jillian's best friend, confident and silly, worried about telling his dad that they don't want him back because his mom is finally happy with her French-speaking boyfriend
Rashida - very smart, one of the rare 4th grade winners of the Mind Bender competition, in Jillian's class
Ms. Warren. - Jillian's teacher, has a warm yet firm teaching style, kids want to do good by her
Grammy Ruby - was a weaver and taught Jillian to weave

Recurring Themes: shyness, confidence, grief, loss, lupus, competition, friendship, raising chickens

Controversial Issues: none

Personal Thoughts: Was a little slow but really good characters. The metaphor between Jillian coming out of her shell and the eggs/chicks her class is in charge of is obvious.

Genre: realistic fiction

Pacing: slow, very little action
Characters: decent character development--I knew a lot about the characters but it wasn't what kept me reading
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity:… (mehr)

First sentence: Even though I've never seen one in person, wood thrushes are my favorite bird of all time.

Premise/plot: Maya J. Jenkins has a vision of how she wants this summer to go. And it all begins with her winning MVP at the soccer banquet. She'll be a super-start at soccer camp. She'll prove her value and worth to everyone. She'll easily get invited to play on teams. She'll spend time with her closest friends with no friction. Her parents will quit fighting. But no matter how much she envisions this happily-ever-after or best-case-scenario version of events, reality is far, far, far different. And it all starts to fall apart over a few days. Her best friend gets MVP and, I believe, the very next day she learns that her parents will be doing a trial separation for the summer. Fortunately, she has a super-amazing-incredible Uncle to help her out. [Actually, her mother, her father, and her uncle are all really great at helping Maya or "MJ" out.]

This is the summer where Maya will begin to question who she is and what she wants....for example, does she really WANT soccer to be 'her thing'??? Does she want it be a time-consuming obsession??? Or is she merely 'friends' with soccer? What if she thinks about what she wants instead of what her parents want??? What if 'her thing' is music??? [Like her Uncle]

My thoughts: I enjoyed this coming of age middle grade novel. I love the focus on family and friendship. I think there's enough sports that those who seek out sports in their fiction will be satisfied yet for those who avoid sports won't be super-annoyed at all the sports talk. It's a hard balance between the two! I loved the level of characterization. The relationships felt so well done in this one. I particularly loved how she had a good, solid, close relationship with her parents and her uncle. It was great to see adults who clearly love her and value her work together to take care of her.

I definitely enjoyed this one.… (mehr)