A charming story of perseverance, family bonds, and the transformative power of food preparation.
In Bird’s middle-grade novel, a troubled seventh grader tries to turn his life around by taking up baking.
Northern Wisconsin resident Jackson Jefferson “Jack” Wilson, who was named after three U.S. presidents, has had a rough year-and-a-half. Since his mother's death, he’s been playing a game to see how much trouble he can get away with at school, so he can “feel like a winner at something.” When he gets into a tussle with another student and accidentally knocks his tooth out, he’s suspended for the second time; a third will mean expulsion. His father, Norm, wants him to clean up his act at home, and he encourages him to find a hobby—something positive toward which he can direct his energy. After watching The Marvelous Midwest Kids Baking Championship on TV, Jack is reminded of how often his mother used to bake and decides to give it a try himself. He sticks with it, using his mom’s old cookbook and other recipes from the library where she used to work. Soon, he decides to try to get on a future season of the show. Meanwhile, Norm is engaged in his own cooking competition, preparing for an upcoming competition with local restaurants involving chicken nuggets (or, as repeated endlessly in the book, nuggies). As both Jack and Norm work, occasionally joining forces to gather “nuggie intel,” the two start to repair their relationship. Over the course of this book, Bird does an excellent job of balancing the narrative with short chapters that alternate between present action, reflections on the past, and rising tension as the twin contests approach. Set in the authentic-feeling small town of Alwyn, Wisconsin, the story also boasts a pleasing regional specificity that’s often missing from many current middle-grade books: “Almost everybody here hunts and goes fishing, but I’m not into that kind of stuff. I don’t love being outside, and I’ve got bad aim.” Young readers will find themselves rooting for Jack to succeed, particularly as he faces increasing obstacles in the second half.
A charming story of perseverance, family bonds, and the transformative power of food preparation.Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9781645386919
Page Count: 268
Publisher: Orange Hat Publishing
Review Posted Online: June 5, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
After Castro’s takeover, nine-year-old Julian and his older brothers are sent away by their fearful parents via “Operation Pedro Pan” to a camp in Miami for Cuban-exile children. Here he discovers that a ruthless bully has essentially been put in charge. Julian is quicker-witted than his brothers or anyone else ever imagined, though, and with his inherent smarts, developing maturity and the help of child and adult friends, he learns to navigate the dynamics of the camp and surroundings and grows from the former baby of the family to independence and self-confidence. A daring rescue mission at the end of the novel will have readers rooting for Julian even as it opens his family’s eyes to his courage and resourcefulness. This autobiographical novel is a well-meaning, fast-paced and often exciting read, though at times the writing feels choppy. It will introduce readers to a not-so-distant period whose echoes are still felt today and inspire admiration for young people who had to be brave despite frightening and lonely odds. (Historical fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59643-168-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 14, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
A fast and funny alternative to the Wimpy Kid.
Black sixth-grader Jake Liston can only play one song on the piano. He can’t read music very well, and he can’t improvise. So how did Jake get accepted to the Music and Art Academy? He faked it.
Alongside an eclectic group of academy classmates, and with advice from his best friend, Jake tries to fit in at a school where things like garbage sculpting and writing art reviews of bird poop splatter are the norm. All is well until Jake discovers that the end-of-the-semester talent show is only two weeks away, and Jake is short one very important thing…talent. Or is he? It’s up to Jake to either find the talent that lies within or embarrass himself in front of the entire school. Light and humorous, with Knight’s illustrations adding to the fun, Jake’s story will likely appeal to many middle-grade readers, especially those who might otherwise be reluctant to pick up a book. While the artsy antics may be over-the-top at times, this is a story about something that most preteens can relate to: the struggle to find your authentic self. And in a world filled with books about wanting to fit in with the athletically gifted supercliques, this novel unabashedly celebrates the artsy crowd in all of its quirky, creative glory.
A fast and funny alternative to the Wimpy Kid. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-553-52351-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
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