Class Act, by Jerry Craft

 The newest book by Newbery Award winning author Jerry Craft, and a companion to New Kid. I do not read a lot of graphic novels, but I read the "big" ones, like Smile, Lumberjanes, Real Friends, and Brave, to name a few. But Class Act is my favorite graphic novel to date! I LOVE this book! It is laugh-out-loud funny, and not just once, but many times throughout the book! There are so many insightful elements placed within these pages, it will make you laugh, your parents laugh, maybe even your pet dog or cat, too! As soon as I finished I wanted to read it again because I know there are things I missed along the way. It is clear that Craft spent a long time thinking about every aspect of this book and story...it is the best graphic novel I have read! Not the only good one, but I have not enjoyed any other graphic novel any more than I enjoyed this one. You have to read this! 5 paws!

Before the Ever After, by Jacqueline Woodson

 The latest release by award-winning author Woodson, known for her adult books, picture books (Show Way), and YA/teen books (After Tupac and D Foster, Locomotion, Feathers). Ever After is a story told by narrator ZJ, the young son of an NFL star who has suffered too many concussions throughout his football career and now is becoming a shell of the person he once was, not very long ago. It is a very real look at the other side of stardom, in this case the stardom that comes along with professional sports in the U.S.  The book is written in verse, and like all that Woodson puts her pen to, it is written very well. She gives a very human voice to characters who live realistic lives. Her characters are often African-American, which gives readers a perspective not seen in enough YA books today (although that is slowly changing, thanks to Woodson, Jason Reynolds, Angie Thomas, Christopher Paul Curtis, and the late Walter Dean Myers, among a few others).

Ever After is a good story, and an important one, especially for readers who loves sports, as I do, and dream of one day becoming the next great sport hero. A worthy dream, but not one without possible life-changing risks. 4 paws.

Squint, by Chad Morris and Shelly Brown

 Another of this season's exceptional OBOB list for middle school! Squint is the story of Flint, who has severe eye troubles, and his friend McKell, who is navigating a new school and some severe family issues. Together they challenge each other to be better versions of themselves, someone that the other knows they can be, with a clearer vision (get it?) of themselves and the people and world around them.

Similar in some ways to Wonder, although not quite as eloquent, Squint is the second book by this writing duo, and a decent book. I found myself wanting to keep reading and find out what happens next, and occasionally I also felt like Disney had a role in this story (meaning the outcomes appeared to be too perfect, even though they all did not turn out that way, to the both author's credit). A little slow at times, a little sappy at times, but overall not too much of either, and a nice dose of empathy-building reality. Not great, but good, and worth reading, especially if a book like Wonder or Counting by 7s is what you enjoy! 4 paws!

Skyhunter, by Marie Lu

 Here are 5 things you should know about pugs, and me in particular: 

1. I am a loud sleeper - I snore a lot, even when I'm awake...it's a pug thing, and I'm proud of it. 

2. I'm not much for exercise, but as a protector of my humans, I'm top of the breed pile! 

3. I'm smarter than my brother in most ways, but not all - he is pretty cute, but I read and write, so...that's hard to beat. It's like being the sibling of Einstein, right? I mean, not an even playing field. For him, I mean.

4. Will work for food. Almost any food. Almost any work. Almost any time. 

5. Marie Lu is my favorite author of 2020!

Skyhunter is Lu's latest, and as much a page-turner as Legend or Warcross! I also read her historical fiction/fantasy story, Kingdom of Back, earlier this year, which is my all-time fave Lu book so far. So Skyhunter is good, but not Kingdom good...if Skyhunter was written by anyone else it would easily be 5 paws! But because Lu is so exceptional at storytelling, she starts at 4 paws, and only gets 5 when she exceeds even her own standards. 

Skyhunter, a futuristic, dystopian science fiction meets fantasy novel, is really good - a page turner! Not amazing like Kingdom was, but as good as her other really good books. She writes on the same amazing level as Leigh Bardugo, who I need to read more of, and better than Veronica Roth (who's also good, but not this good). Lu is as good as Suzanne Collins. As good as Holly Black. She knows what she's doing with a story!

Skyhunter is clearly the first book in a series, without question, based on its ending. If you haven't read her books before, this is a good one to start with. Or any, for that matter. She is an elite YA/teen author. Only because Kingdom of Back was SO good am I giving this 4 paws instead of 5. But if anyone else had written this, easy 5 paw rating. Read this!

Refugee, by Alan Gratz

 Another in the OBOB middle level series for this year, and what a strong list of books this year's seems to be! Refugee is no exception...I have seen Gratz's books before, and the covers are all done in the same colors and style, and his work is historical fiction, which I love, but I've never gotten started on one before...until now.

This book is powerful. Heartbreaking. Important. A page-turner! Maddening. Sad. Hopeful. Moving. Motivating. The story of three young people and their families, in three different times in history, all fleeing their homes and countries to survive the brutal conditions that are developing where they live. Escaping the Nazi's was not easy, or even usually successful, but that is what Josef and his family are trying to do. Escaping Castro's Cuba was equally difficult, as was trying to escape a war-torn Syria, but these three world tragedies happened, and in some cases are still happening, and Gratz does a great job of giving each a human face. Many human faces, actually.

This book will give you deeper insight to what is in the newspaper headlines each day. Headlines are easy to ignore...this book is not. I will definitely be reading his other books. 5 paws!

The Next Great Paulie Fink, by Ali Benjamin

 Another OBOB book this season, and one I was excited to read ever since seeing Benjamin's other book, The Thing About Jellyfish, on the bookstore shelves. That book looks really good, and I still can't wait to read it! Paulie Fink is decent realistic fiction with some of the usual themes that other YA realistic fiction books have: moving to a new town and school, fitting in, making friends, etc. This one has a few new twists to it, such as Paulie Fink, someone we as readers don't meet until well into the story. And the bullying that Caitlyn, the main character and narrator, did at her previous school. Something she grapples with and unwinds throughout this book.

Paulie Fink isn't a bad book, but it just never got going for me. The themes are mostly the usual, and none of them were dissected like they might have been to make this book really stand out. It's a good read, and a decent OBOB choice, and some of you may really like it. But for me, it was good but not great, decent but not stellar, and not bad but not my favorite OBOB book of this season. I still want to read Jellyfish, though, so apparently it wasn't so bad that I never want to read anything else my this author. If that's a positive, go with it. 3 paws and a wag (for being part of OBOB).

The Lovely War, by Julie Berry

 War is not lovely, unless it is the backdrop for a pair of love stories told by author Julie Berry. Narrated by Aphrodite and Ares, the goddess of love and the god of war, respectively, four people navigate the horrors of World War 1, racism, family, love and loss, and the definition of "home" in this beautifully told story. I have not read a Berry book before, but would look for her at the library after reading The Lovely War. The way she tells this story is creative and unique, and the writing flows wonderfully, even if the chapters get a little choppy at times. If you enjoy better-than-average romance stories, you must read this! If you like historical fiction, especially war fiction, this may appeal to you as well, as the details of WW1 are more than most YA books I've read. Even if you enjoy mythology, you'll likely appreciate the narration in this story, even if it's the backdrop for the main themes. Not for every middle age reader, this one will appeal to stronger readers at the upper ends of middle school and into high school. If you fall into those categories, do yourself a favor and read this! 5 paws!

Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made, by Stephan Pastis

 Book 1 in this fun 7-book series by the creator of the Pearls Before Swine comic strip. Timmy Failure runs his own detective agency, along with his polar bear partner Total. Obstacles to his success are many, including his mother, school and his "idiot" best friend. Fans of Wimpy Kid, Big Nate, even Dork Diaries and Max Crumbly should really love this! It's fun, creative, smart, but light, too. This will make you smile a lot, laugh out loud a few times, and want to read the next book - what more could you ask for? 4 paws!

If I Ever Get Out Of Here, by Eric Gansworth

 Another OBOB book for the current season, If I Ever Get Out Of Here by Eric Gansworth is a book I can't decide whether to love or hate. I think I feel both.

I'm sure I've read this before, and I really hated to read it again with so many other good books waiting for me.  But much of it didn't feel like a repeat, so maybe I didn't, which I love. This story involved bullying, which I hate (the bullying, not the story). The bully didn't always get what he deserved, which is the real world, which I hate. The story spent a lot of time at middle school, and the adults there didn't do much of anything to help the main character, Lewis, with the bully, which I hate. As the pug of a teacher, I know teachers work very hard to watch out for every young person, which I love. But they don't see everything, which I hate. Kids can be cruel, which I hate. And kids can be amazing, caring and helpful, which I love. The story involves how Native Americans have, and are, treated in the United States, much of which I hate. It also involves the differences between people who have financial means to live comfortably, and others who don't. Living in the richest country in the world, I hate that divide existing. I didn't like - but didn't really hate - how sarcastic Lewis could be in this book. But I understood why he might be that way, which I hate. Lewis, in all, is wonderful, and I loved his character. His friend George is also wonderful, and I loved him, too. Everyone is so...human in this story.

This is one that may stay on your mind for a while...4 paws for that!

A Wolf Called Wander, by Roseanne Parry

 Portland author Parry is a friend of OBOB, having had a few books be part of that awesome program over the last few years. As such, I am always excited to see something new from her, and A Wolf Called Wander is a wonderful addition to her titles!

Wander is the fictionalized account of Oregon wolf OR-7, who was tracked across Oregon as he traveled over 1,000 miles before finally finding a mate and starting a wolf family not far from Springfield, in the Rogue River Valley, where he still lives today. Parry wrote his imagined story from his own point of view, which could have been too silly or trite, but in Parry's capable hands, it was beautifully done.

I could not put this book down, and when I had to I couldn't wait to pick it up again and continue! It is written in a very simple style, and will be easily accessible by all middle graders, as well as late elementary readers, I think. It is a beautiful story, beautifully told, and about an Oregon creature every Oregonian should learn about and know. Cheers for Wander! 5 paws!