Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce. 2010.

Audience: Grades 5-8, ages 10-14.

My Rating: 4*s of 5

Summary: Twelve-year-old Liam, who looks like he is thirty and is tired of being treated like he is older than he actually is, decides he is going to pose as the adult chaperone on the first spaceship to take civilians into space, but when he ends up in outer space with a group of kids and no adult supervision, he must think fast to make things right.

Comments: Another Cottrell Boyce winner. This one is so different from Millions that there is no need to compare. A rare juvenile book that is a positive portrait of a dad. Funny, warm, great dialogue, and fantastic views of space.

Awards:

Read-alikes: George's Secret Key to the Universe by Hawking

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies (audio)

The Girl Who Threw Butterflies by Mick Cochrane. 2009.
Audience: Grades 5th-9th. Ages 10+.

My Rating: 4.5*s of 5
Summary: Eighth-grader Molly's ability to throw a knuckleball earns her a spot on the baseball team, which not only helps her feel connected to her recently deceased father, who loved baseball, it helps in other aspects of her life, as well.
Comments: A wonderfully written book--so much so that even this monotonous narrator (Maria Cabezas) can't ruin it. Captivating, real character development, well balanced, and subtly yet satisfyingly ended. A story as delicate and interesting as the butterfly pitches Molly throws. Impossible to resist the urge to play catch after reading this one!

Awards:
Read-alikes: Zen and the Art of Faking it by Sonnenblick, Dairy Queen by Murdock