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

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt

The Underneath by Kathi Appelt. 2008.

Audience: 4-8 Grade; Ages 8-12 (seriously, SLJ and Booklist?! hard to believe.)

My Rating: 4*s of 5

Summary: An old hound that has been chained up at his hateful owner's run-down shack, and two kittens born underneath the house, endure separation, danger, and many other tribulations in their quest to be reunited and free.

Comments: Well, now that it got a Newbery Honor maybe kids will read this one, but otherwise I can't imagine many 4th-8th graders would have picked it up. Beautifully written in a mystical, folkloric tone, the story constantly doubles back on itself as if being told out loud over a period of time. This was hard for me to adjust to for the first 1/3 of the book. Once I caught the rhythm (and the rhythm itself picked up) I enjoyed the experience much more. Ranger, Puck, and Sabine are absolutely as lovable as Gar Face is deplorable. I skipped the main abuse passage which was thankfully quick and soon atoned for. I wish the big decision twist at the end had been more foreshadowed or written into the character because I felt it was a bit convenient as is (but hey, this is a "children's" book, right?). Overall, a wonderful reading experience that I will be curious to see how many kids choose to enjoy.

Awards: Newbery Honor Book 2009

Read-alikes:

The Sisters Grimm: The Fairy-Tale Detective (Book 1)

The Sisters Grimm: Fairy-Tale Detectives by Michael Buckley. 2005.
Audience: 10-12, Grades 4-6
My Rating: 3.5 *s of 5
Summary: Orphans Sabrina and Daphne Grimm are sent to live with an eccentric grandmother whom they have always believed to be dead.
Comments: Slow start, excellent grandmother character, cliff-hanger ending, clever characters, subtle detective clues.
Awards:
Read-alikes:

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street

The Penderwicks on Gardam Street by Jeanne Birdsall. 2008.

My Rating: 4*s out of 5
Audience: Ages 8-12/Grades 4-8
Summary: The four Penderwick sisters are faced with the unimaginable prospect of their widowed father dating, and they hatch a plot to stop him.
Comments: Fun read for girls, heightened/unrealistic dialogue, variety of ages/personalities to relate to, well paced, satisfying ending
Awards: 2009-2010 Bluebonnet nominee
Read-alikes: The Penderwicks