Sonnenblick, Jordan. The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade.

Sonnenblick, Jordan.  The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade. 2017. 193p.  $16.99  ISBN 978-0-545-86320-9  elem/ms  Conflict  E-BN

This one is a definite winner, for upper elementary and middle-school ages. Maverick is short, unpopular, and poor, and he lives with an alcoholic mother who doesn't really take care of him very well. Still, he has a lot of spunk and drive, as well as integrity, as he tries to live up to the example set by his late father, whom he regards as a hero. The dream of being the kind of person his father would have been proud of keeps Mav going, as he faces bullying, being his mother's care-giver, and never having enough money to be one of the "cool" kids. How he navigates through these depressing circumstances and comes out smiling at the end of the story makes for a very humorous, interesting novel that will keep readers turning pages to see what happens next.  Highly recommended from the author of Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie.

Summary: With humor and pathos, Sonnenblick tells the story of Maverick, a scrawny, impoverished kid from the wrong side of the tracks who tries to get along with everybody, even the bullies, while also aspiring to live up to his father’s reputation as a hero.

School stories, Bullying-Fiction                           --Carol Kennedy

Hymas, Allison K. Under Locker and Key.

Hymas, Allison K.  Under Locker and Key.  Simon & Schuster/Aladdin      2017  256p  $7.99  ISBN 978-14814-6342-3   ms/jr    Fantasy  VG-BN

Jeremy does not steal - he is a retrieval specialist.  If a wallet is stolen at his middle school, he can retrieve it and return it to the rightful owner before the day is over.  Classmate Becca is on a personal mission to catch him stealing.  When Jeremy hands over the master key to every locker based on false claims, it will take all his skill to return the key to the janitor.  He also will need help.  Due to the possible consequences he will not involve his friends.  His only choice is to team up with Becca.
    

The book uses great humor and action, which should entice every middle-school boy to read this book. Jeremy breaks many school rules but somehow manages to float above every situation. This reviewer’s only concern is how literally some readers may take the premise as something they too, could do.      

Recommended for enticing boys in middle school to read.  They will love this.

Summary: Jeremy is not a thief but a retrieval specialist - he recovers items that are lost or taken by someone else.  When he relies on false information to recover the school master locker key, it takes all his skill to make things right.  Middle school     

School stories, Thievery-Fiction                                  —Joan Theal

Schreiber, Joe. Con Academy.

Schreiber, Joe.  Con Academy.  Houghton Mifflin  2015  236p.  $17.99  ISBN 978-0-544-32020-8  hs  Conflict  E-BN       

When Shea, a con artist, enters a private school, he quickly finds out that his back story may unravel when a fellow con artist student threatens to out him.  He strikes a deal with the other boy to bring down the most powerful, often hated boy on campus.  The agreement is that the winner will get to stay at the prestigious Connaughton Academy, and the loser will be outed and have to leave campus.  Plenty of plot twists and turns interspersed with humor make this a book to remember, as well as its sheer number of cons within cons.  Shea even finds out that some people on campus are not the wealthy, do-gooders they seem to be, including the headmaster.   From the author of Au Revoir Crazy European Chick and its sequel, this novel keeps the reader’s attention while making the teen characters believable in their audacious behavior and their intentions to take down the big man on campus.  While this may seem like a beach read, it will appeal to both male and female readers who like an action-packed adventure. Serious questions are presented about the faces students put on while navigating their teen years. 

Summary: A con artist, Shea, cons his way into a private school.  There he meets a fellow con artist with whom he competes to see who will be the first to con the most powerful student on campus.  Lots of plot surprises, with enough humor along the way to make this memorable. Grades 8+      

School stories, Humor-Fiction                               --Lois McNicol

Aguirre, Ann. The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things.

Aguirre, Ann.  The Queen of Bright and Shiny Things.  Macmillan(Farrar Strauss/Feiwel&Friends/First Second/Henry Holt/Roaring Brook/Square Fish)     2015  328p  $17.99  ISBN 978-1-250-04750-2  hs  Conflict  E-BN

Sage is well liked at school. She is perpetually leaving complimentary post-it notes on the lockers of unsuspecting students who need a boost, especially those who are being bullied. She moved in with her aunt three years ago after a family tragedy and remembers what it was like to not fit in at school.  She has one friend, Ryan, who is her confidant, but even he knows little of her life prior to her moving in with her aunt.  A new boy in town, Shane, who has a troubling past, becomes friendly with Sage, and they find they have a lot in common.  As their relationship develops, Sage finds that having a variety of friends is fun and not scary, even though she is hiding a secret that she feels could turn her into a pariah.  Readers will come to care for Sage and Shane, and will empathize with the devastating feelings that Sage experiences when her secret is revealed. The cliques and high-school behavior are all too believable, as jocks bully the most susceptible students, and kids are relegated to various cliques: the stoners, brains, jocks, and eco freaks.  The novel features well-developed characters, a tight, believable plot, and just the right hint of secrecy, which is ultimately shattered in a devastating moment followed by a courageous reaction.  This would be a powerful read for those who need to know how to react to adversity positively.     

Summary: Sage has secrets that no one at school knows.  She navigates her way through her junior year at school being kind and eco conscious, and finding first love, all the while fearing that secrets from her past will torpedo her hopes for the future.  Grades 8-12.
           

School stories-Fiction, Conflict-Fiction                    --Lois McNicol

Harrison, Zac. Crash Landing.

Harrison, Zac.    Crash Landing.    Capstone/Stone Arch  2014  288p  ISBN 978-1-4342-6306-3     elem/ms    VG    Science fiction    

Young John Riley leaves home on a bus to go to boarding school.  He gets to boarding school all right -- but it’s Hyperspace High, the premier boarding high school in the galaxy.  Now he has to find a way to stay there.  The large type-face and campy book cover made this reader feel a bit leery.  But, once past the first five pages, I was caught.  The premise is not a new one -- mistaken identity leading to a unique opportunity -- but the use of a galactic, class A boarding school for youngsters gives it a new twist.  Young John is a bit of an over-achiever to begin with, and he finds his strengths in science, math and gaming to be a serious asset in his new school.  He makes friends fast and easily passes muster with the headmaster of the school.  Of course the school has bullies, but they are eventually shown up by the “good guys.”  Remember - all of this takes place on a huge space station with an intergalactic cast of students.  Again, a tad hokey, but still a fast, imaginative read.

Summary: Young John Riley leaves home on a bus to go to boarding school.  He gets to boarding school all right -- but it’s Hyperspace High, the premier boarding high school in the galaxy.  Now he has to find a way to stay there.        

School stories, Science fiction                          --Lynn Fisher    

Schreiber, Joe. Lenny Cyrus School Virus.

Schreiber, Joe.  Lenny Cyrus School Virus.      Houghton Mifflin  2013  284p  ISBN 978-0-547-89315-0  ms/jr  VG-BN      Fantasy    

Friends forever, Harlan and Lenny try to navigate the pitfalls of middle school.  Lenny is a geek, and he feels that his classmates shun him. He wants to get Zoey Andrews to notice him, so he comes up with an elaborate plan that involves shrinking himself, getting inside Zoey’s body, and traveling to her brain to change her mind about him.  At the same time, readers get a glimpse at the rivalries that develop as Aria and Mick put a bacterium in Zoey’s soda can so she will get sick and miss the play production in which Aria is starring. 

Readers will quickly see the humor in Lenny’s adventure as he meets first-hand the various tiny bodies that he has looked at through his microscope.  The author personalizes the various microorganisms with catchy names and some humorous illustrations.  Although this is a humorous novel, it does show that one should really evaluate the outcomes of an experiment and its impact on others.

Summary: This is a humorous account of a science experiment that goes wrong. Lenny Cyrus tries to find out more about Zoey (a girl he has liked since third grade). He does this by shrinking himself down to amoeba size and having his friend Harlan put him in her soda can.  It is an interesting and humorous ride through Zoey’s internal pathways.

     
School stories                                              --Linda McNeil