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

Sonnenblick, Jordan. Are You Experienced?

Sonnenblick, Jordan.  Are You Experienced?  Macmillan/Feiwel & Friends  2013  294p  $17.99  ISBN 978-1-250-02564-7  jr/sr  Fantasy  VG-BN   

After sneaking into his dad's office, Jimi Hendrix-obsessed guitarist Rich is transported back in time to Woodstock, where he has the opportunity to meet his father as a teenager, as well as his uncle who died before Rich was born.  During his three-day stay, in addition to the opportunity to hear his musical idols perform live, Rich is able to save his uncle's life, and thereby change his father's life for the better in the present.  Historians and music lovers of either gender will find this a joy to read, even if they are not specifically fans of the music played at Woodstock, because author Sonnenblick's thorough research brings delightful realism to the portrayal of Woodstock without lingering on or flinching away from the less pleasant aspects, like people in bare feet walking over glass or the general squalor of an outdoor festival after several days of habitation by thousands of people.  Rich's experiences with both mind-altering substances and the free-love movement are tastefully handled, and the ending is hopeful despite Rich's apparent failure in his self-assigned mission.  It is a satisfying read overall.  

Summary: After sneaking into his dad's office, Jimi Hendrix-obsessed guitarist Rich is transported back in time to Woodstock, where he has the opportunity to change the future and save a life.

America 1960s-Fiction, Rock music-Fiction, Family-Fiction, Time travel-Fiction     

--Bethany Geleskie

Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip

Sonnenblick, Jordan     Curveball: The Year I Lost My Grip  

Scholastic/Grolier/Childrens Press/Watts   2012  285p  17.99 978-0-545-32069-6 ms/hs    E-BN       Realistic fiction

Peter Friedman doesn’t listen to his inner voice telling him not to pitch that one final ball that destroys his pitching arm forever.  After hearing the bad news that he will not be able to play baseball anymore, he tries to hide his disability from his best friend AJ as the two enter high school.  A parallel story involves Peter’s grandfather, a wedding photographer who is trying to hide Alzheimer’s from his family. 

Life leads Peter away from sports, but new doors open for him when he turns a negative into a positive and learns to accept disappointment and change.  With his mom’s encouragement, Peter enrolls in an "Introduction to Photography" class, only to discover that the material is way below him.  He has spent so much time with his grandfather that his photography skills are quite advanced.  When he wonders across the hall to "Advanced Photography", a classmate follows him, and leads to a new partnership taking photographs for the sports section of the yearbook, as well as a new romance.  Peter’s winter is a rough one as he watches his grandfather go downhill.  The action rises with his reluctance to tell his parents about the Alzheimer’s and his inability to tell AJ that he will never be able to pitch again! 

By the time the reader reaches the climax, he/she understands that there is something special about the characters, the story and the writing style of this book.  Author Jordan Sonnenblick is brilliant at taking a simple relationship between friends and making it real.  He captures the emotions of a high-school student as if he were one himself, and that is no easy feat.  He is equally brilliant at taking the simplified themes of friendship, family and truth and  building a story around them that will resound with young readers, both male and female.  With humor, drama, and a great plot, this is an excellent book that will not stay on the shelves of a library.         

E-BN  Martha Squaresky        Sports, Baseball, Alzheimer's disease