Sharon Verbeten

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

An unexpected, uncanny friendship

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Frank (short for Francesca) is tired of being the target of Neil Noble and his cadre of neighborhood bullies. She can’t shake them, can’t avoid them and doesn’t know where to turn. But when lumbering, awkward outsider Nick comes to her rescue, Frank finds herself drawn to—and repelled by—his weirdness. There’s no reason the two should be friends, but in an eerie way, they both need to be friends.

Soon, Frank visits Nick’s house, where she unearths odd and uneasy secrets and learns more about his unusual family. What are the strange shadows Frank sees? Where is the mysterious, mellifluous music coming from, and what does it mean? Is Nick in danger, and if he is, can Frank save him like he rescued her? Drawn in by the enchanting atmosphere—a combination of skilled text and dark drawings—readers will be eager to follow the familiar and haunting music along with Frank.

Similar to Neil Gaiman’s tales that intertwine real life and fantasy— often with a very thin dividing line—A.F. Harrold’s latest novel offers a story of friendship, loyalty and the unknown. With a creep factor enhanced by atmospheric illustrations by Levi Pinfold, The Song from Somewhere Else will entrance those making their own journeys from tweendom to adolescence.

 

This article was originally published in the July 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Frank (short for Francesca) is tired of being the target of Neil Noble and his cadre of neighborhood bullies. She can’t shake them, can’t avoid them and doesn’t know where to turn. But when lumbering, awkward outsider Nick comes to her rescue, Frank finds herself drawn to—and repelled by—his weirdness. There’s no reason the two should be friends, but in an eerie way, they both need to be friends.

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

War of words

Review by Sharon Verbeten

It’s hard for today’s digital-savvy teens to imagine life before smart phones. But that’s just what happens when Branton Middle School bans the devices due to student misuse and overuse. It doesn’t take long, however, for students to figure out other ways to keep their hands busy and their thoughts—both positive and negative—passed around.

Soon, yellow sticky notes dot school lockers. Then they start appearing everywhere, with sayings ranging from innocuous and funny to pointed and hurtful to downright mean. What no longer could be said anonymously via text is now sent, just as surreptitiously, on innocent-looking notes (which eventually become banned, too).

The lunchroom clique of Frost and his buddies get caught up in the war of words, and soon their own circle is threatened. New friends arrive, allegiances are formed (and broken), and along the way, the tight-knit group starts to wonder about their future. Will they remain friends? Will people stop taking sides? Will the sticky-note war continue? What happens when the words hit a little too close to home?

John David Anderson has put a contemporary twist on coming of age in the digital age, with a refreshing view of how sticks, stones and words can, indeed, hurt. Posted is a well-crafted middle grade novel addressing the timely topic of bullying.

It’s hard for today’s digital-savvy teens to imagine life before smart phones. But that’s just what happens when Branton Middle School bans the devices due to student misuse and overuse. It doesn’t take long, however, for students to figure out other ways to keep their hands busy and their thoughts—both positive and negative—passed around.

YA NonfictionYABiography

A biography of brotherly devotion

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Without Theo, there likely would have been no Vincent van Gogh as we know him. While other books and movies have taken on these curious and impassioned brothers, Deborah Heiligman’s impeccably researched biography hits all the right marks. Vincent and Theo is primarily based on letters the troubled artist and his art-dealer brother regularly wrote one another over the course of their lives.

The chapters are structured as “galleries” that peer into the van Goghs’ experiences with unrequited love, financial and emotional depression and the intensity of their bond. Vincent, the troubled and mentally ill painter, often becomes unmoored, tethered to reality only by Theo’s financial and emotional support. The brothers’ love is evident, yet their tug-of-war relationship is made clear from their turbulent exchanges. Heiligman’s exhaustive details cover everything from Vincent’s art career to his disheveled clothes and poor hygiene. Complete with a family tree, timeline and detailed bibliography, it’s unlikely a more thorough biography of the artist and his family could be written, especially for this age group.

 

This article was originally published in the May 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Without Theo, there likely would have been no Vincent van Gogh as we know him. While other books and movies have taken on these curious and impassioned brothers, Deborah Heiligman’s impeccably researched biography hits all the right marks. Vincent and Theo is primarily based on letters the troubled artist and his art-dealer brother regularly wrote one another over the course of their lives.

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

A novel-in-verse captures the magic of growing up

Review by Sharon Verbeten

This coming-of-age story opens with a lightning-bolt moment—literally the moment a young mother is struck by lightning and taken from her two toddlers. The narrative then flashes ahead 10 years—to 10-year-old Claire and 13-year-old Abigail, enjoying their usual summer at their lake house. But this year, everything is different: Dad and his new wife are expecting a baby.

This novel-in-verse alternates between Claire and Abigail’s voices while incorporating the perspective of the lake itself. Throughout these stanzas, Claire tries to come to terms with Abigail growing up: She’s calling herself “Abi” now, has taken a definite interest in boys and is distancing herself from her little sister. With nothing but change at every turn, Claire feels the seams of her family loosening. Growing up is hard; growing apart is even harder. 

Novels-in-verse must work double duty: The story must be compelling and the verse accessible and worthy of the story. Helen Frost, a Printz Honor-winning author, has done so seamlessly. Her mastery extends to her use of varied poetic forms, including acrostics, which incorporate lines from some of Frost’s favorite poems. 

 

This article was originally published in the March 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

This novel-in-verse alternates between Claire and Abigail’s voices while incorporating the perspective of the lake itself. Throughout these stanzas, Claire tries to come to terms with Abigail growing up: She’s calling herself “Abi” now, has taken a definite interest in boys and is distancing herself from her little sister. With nothing but change at every turn, Claire feels the seams of her family loosening. Growing up is hard; growing apart is even harder. 

Children's & YAPicture Book

A matter of perspective

Review by Sharon Verbeten

A Perfect Day opens with a warm sun—which would be the perfect start to most days, but especially for cat, whom we meet roaming through the flower bed. What could be more perfect? For dog, it’s a cool splash of water; for the birds, it’s a full feeder of seeds. It’s even shaping up to be a great day for squirrel, when he finds a corncob on the grass . . . until . . . enter Bear.

Bear’s just looking for his own perfect day, and in a delightfully cumulative fashion, he ends up enjoying the corncob, birdseed, cool water and a roll in the flowers—dashing everyone else’s perfect day.

Great pacing sets the tone for a charming tale of varying perspectives, both textually and visually, What is perfect for one creature is not the same for all, especially in the natural world. Slightly reminiscent of Kevin Henkes’ A Good Day, Lane Smith’s text is paired seamlessly with vibrant illustrations rendered in a warm, spring-toned palette. Visible paint strokes add dimension and personality to Smith’s animals, a technique that is especially effective at displaying the exuberance of the bear on his perfect day.

This is a gentle, joyous picture book for storytime, one-on-one reading or any perfect day. It’s another coup by Smith, a two-time Caldecott Honoree.

 

Sharon Verbeten is a freelance writer and children’s librarian in De Pere, Wisconsin.

A Perfect Day opens with a warm sun—which would be the perfect start to most days, but especially for cat, whom we meet roaming through the flower bed. What could be more perfect? For dog, it’s a cool splash of water; for the birds, it’s a full feeder of seeds. It’s even shaping up to be a great day for squirrel, when he finds a corncob on the grass . . . until . . . enter Bear.

YA FictionYA

Remembering you

Review by Sharon Verbeten

BookPage Teen Top Pick, February 2017

Oswald Pinkerton has an unfortunate moniker and a boyfriend who has disappeared. Ozzie is a thinker—perhaps too much so—and he wonders endlessly about how his boyfriend, Tommy, vanished. Not only is Tommy gone, but he’s been erased from the memories of everyone who ever knew him.

As Ozzie navigates school (the bullies, as well as a potential new love interest, Calvin), work (where he often sees Tommy’s mom) and friends (including gender-bending Lua), he also travels from therapist to therapist (reluctantly) to deal with issues relating to Tommy, his parents’ rocky divorce and a plane crash that nearly took his life.

At the Edge of the Universe tackles it all—relationships, gender issues, family angst, sexual abuse, alcoholism. It’s a heavy read, but a surprising page-turner. Author Shaun David Hutchinson (We Are the Ants) infuses the very likable yet troubled Ozzie with a lot of interest in and knowledge of the metaphysical world, but there is enough added drama and typical teen issues to keep readers wondering: Will Calvin and Ozzie become a couple? Will Tommy return? Is the universe really shrinking?

This is a well-composed, intelligent young adult read with contemporary themes and plenty of descriptive detail. Some of the issues aren’t pretty or easy, but today’s teens will thrill to Oswald’s story of great heart and big ideas.

 

Sharon Verbeten is a freelance writer and children’s librarian in De Pere, Wisconsin.

This article was originally published in the February 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Oswald Pinkerton has an unfortunate moniker and a boyfriend who has disappeared. Ozzie is a thinker—perhaps too much so—and he wonders endlessly about how his boyfriend, Tommy, vanished. Not only is Tommy gone, but he’s been erased from the memories of everyone who ever knew him.

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

A celebration of the Harlem Renaissance

Review by Sharon Verbeten

“We live in a time when life is hard for many people. Yet there is reason to hope and to dig deep for the strength hidden inside of us.” From award-winning poet Nikki Grimes comes this prophetic statement, which introduces One Last Word, a collection that combines Harlem Renaissance poetry with clever, thought-provoking and intricately formed poems of her own. 

Grimes begins her book with reflections on the notable poets of the early 20th-century Harlem Renaissance, which includes Countee Cullen, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes and other lesser-known poets, especially emerging women writers. They wrote about race, humanity’s role in the universe, anger, beauty and more. Grimes’ collection couldn’t come at a better time, as she notes: “These literary lights, writing at a time when the lynching of black men filled the news, were more than familiar with racial profiling, racial violence and every variety of injustice imaginable. Yet they ascended to great heights in spite of it all.”

In addition to their words ringing true, the real forte of this book are Grimes’ “golden shovel” poems, a challenging form in which she takes a line (or in some cases, a whole poem) and pens a new creation using the words from the original. Her poems are freshly made while echoing her predecessors.

Interspersed with colorful artwork from Sean Qualls, Christopher Myers, Javaka Steptoe and other lauded African-American illustrators, this is an important and timely poetry collection.

 

This article was originally published in the January 2017 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

“We live in a time when life is hard for many people. Yet there is reason to hope and to dig deep for the strength hidden inside of us.” From award-winning poet Nikki Grimes comes this prophetic statement, which introduces One Last Word, a collection that combines Harlem Renaissance poetry with clever, thought-provoking and intricately formed poems of her own. 

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Intersecting stories, shockingly different lives

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Clara didn’t even want to go shopping in the first place. But when the 12-year-old finds a mysterious note in a department store handbag, she feels compelled to act. The note, written by Yuming, a desperate girl in a Chinese sweatshop, begs for someone to rescue her from her captivity inside the “pink factory.”

Clara is dealing with the recent death of her adopted Chinese sister, Lola, and Clara believes she was meant to find the note: She couldn’t save Lola from cancer, but maybe she can save Yuming. After all, isn’t that what Lola would want her to do? Clara tells her parents about the note, but is convinced she is Yuming’s only hope. So after convincing her parents to take a trip to China—under the ruse of honoring Lola’s heritage—Clara attempts to find Yuming, who has planned an escape of her own. 

Ami Polonsky’s Threads is a powerful story, told through Clara and Yuming’s alternating perspectives. Both girls have soul-wrenching missions, both are willing to risk everything to accomplish them, and both ultimately need each other more than they think they do. Their intersecting stories speak of loss, but also of hope and the realization that we are more alike than different. All we want is respect, connections and a chance to be heard—which both Clara and Yuming come to realize.

 

This article was originally published in the November 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Clara didn’t even want to go shopping in the first place. But when the 12-year-old finds a mysterious note in a department store handbag, she feels compelled to act. The note, written by Yuming, a desperate girl in a Chinese sweatshop, begs for someone to rescue her from her captivity inside the “pink factory.”
Children's & YAMiddle Grade

An honest, warm tale of being young and transgender

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Tough baseball games are nothing for Shane Woods, a 12-year-old boy who loves pitching and hanging out with his friends. But soon, Shane’s secret—that he is transgender—may come out thanks to a school bully.

Shane’s proud of who he is and who he has become—thanks to his supportive mom (but not his father, who thinks this is a phase he will grow out of). Shane’s good friend Josh has always been there for him, but Shane wonders if he can share his secret with him. And when Shane’s story does come out, Josh is angry and upset that he didn’t open up to him.

Shane finds refuge in drawing his graphic novel—the images of which are scattered throughout the book, paralleling his own story of betrayal, exclusion and misunderstanding. He also seeks support through a gay-straight alliance, where he meets a trans girl who befriends him.

Much like the characters in his graphic novel, Shane forges ahead, learning to be at peace with himself while working toward his future, the ultimate unknown. The Other Boy offers an honest portrayal of a challenging journey, featuring a very likable, believable and real lead character.

Tough baseball games are nothing for Shane Woods, a 12-year-old boy who loves pitching and hanging out with his friends. But soon, Shane’s secret—that he is transgender—may come out thanks to a school bully.

YA FictionYALGBTQ Fiction

Being honest about self identity

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Sixteen-year-old Penelope, known as Pen, is a Portuguese girl who wears black, talks tough and struggles with who she is. She knows she’s a girl, but even though she doesn’t want to be girly, she doesn’t want to be a boy either. Pen’s identity crisis is one of the central issues of Girl Mans Up, but debut author M-E Girard takes the tale well beyond the stereotypical comments from Pen’s peers.

Pen not only learns to survive typical teenage problems, such as volatile, fickle friendships and old-school parents who try to turn her into someone she’s not, but also navigates the questions and expectations of her own sexuality and gender fluidity.

With raw, honest dialogue and vivid characterizations, Girl Mans Up will resonate beyond its intended audience. Many readers will identify with Pen, who wants more than anything to be allowed to be herself. Fortunately, the beautiful girl of Pen’s dreams sees beyond stereotypes to forge a true romantic relationship.

The truths that teens hold in their hearts—and the ones they sometimes show to the world—can be scary. “People should just be allowed to look in the mirror and see all kinds of possibilities,” Girard writes. “They should at least be able to see themselves reflected in there, even if they look all weird.”

Thanks to Girard, hopefully more students will be able to look inward and show respect outward as they embrace all differences.

 

This article was originally published in the September 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

Sixteen-year-old Penelope, known as Pen, is a Portuguese girl who wears black, talks tough and struggles with who she is. She knows she’s a girl, but even though she doesn’t want to be girly, she doesn’t want to be a boy either. Pen’s identity crisis is one of the central issues of Girl Mans Up, but debut author M-E Girard takes the tale well beyond the stereotypical comments from Pen’s peers.
Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Robots in middle school

Review by Sharon Verbeten

A school with a robotic vice principal/operating system? A robot student in the homeroom and lunchroom? Oh—ZARK! What kid wouldn’t love that?

That’s the unusual situation when “Fuzzy,” a $6 million government-issue robot, shows up at Vanguard One Middle School. Supposedly, as seventh-grader Max and her classmates believe, Fuzzy is part of a Robot Integration Program (RIP) at their high-tech school. But as Max and Fuzzy become friends—and traverse the halls and tween-angst world of middle school—Max unveils a more nefarious plot by none other than the school’s sinister, omniscient and computerized Vice Principal Barbara.

Kidnapping attempts, code cracking and even military intrigue intertwine in this highly creative middle grade novel from Tom Angleberger, author of the Origami Yoda series, and Paul Dellinger, a writer of science fiction and fantasy.

At the heart of it all, though, is a story of young friends navigating the rough waters of tweendom and middle school, all with “Big Brother” or, in this case, Vice Principal, watching, grading and, quite possibly, thwarting their every move.

Fuzzy is a tech-infused wild ride, with some suspenseful moments and brilliant twists—an ideal book for reluctant readers, young science fans and really anyone who wishes their best friend were a robot. 

A school with a robotic vice principal/operating system? A robot student in the homeroom and lunchroom? Oh—ZARK! What kid wouldn’t love that?

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Middle school worries

Review by Sharon Verbeten

Maggie the worrywart is starting middle school—but her worries go beyond school. The news reports on a murderer in their neighborhood. The neighbor’s rabbits may soon be someone’s dinner. The neighborhood bully might get a gun for his birthday . . . well, there’s just not much that Maggie finds calm about her little world.

With her omnipresent worries, stream-of-consciousness thinking and constant “deal making” to ensure her safety (for example, she must do everything in even numbers to ensure her preferred outcome), Maggie’s not unlike most tweens, really. But her OCD demeanor definitely impacts her two sisters and everyone around her. She worries when Dad doesn’t come home on time—“Please don’t let Dad’s plane crash, please don’t let Dad’s plane crash,” she repeats. And everyday occurrences take on weighted meaning in Maggie’s overwrought life. Several short chapters focus on Maggie’s mantras and behaviors as she checked that all the doors are locked and that no one is under the bed.

Life is hard when you’re 11, and everything around you is changing—not all for the better—and you realize that many things are not within your control. While this book may be relatable to others anxious about school, friends and the community at large, the repetitiveness of Maggie’s behaviors and stream-of-consciousness writing may be off-putting to some.

Maggie the worrywart is starting middle school—but her worries go beyond school. The news reports on a murderer in their neighborhood. The neighbor’s rabbits may soon be someone’s dinner. The neighborhood bully might get a gun for his birthday . . . well, there’s just not much that Maggie finds calm about her little world.

Children's & YAMiddle Grade

Different stories, different father-son dynamics

Review by Sharon Verbeten

The bond between father and son carries heft and import—and also joy, contempt, resentment and much more. The relationship presents a challenging dynamic at any age, but the question of the most important thing a father can do for his son is answered in different ways by different people. In this collection of seven vignettes, Newbery Medal-winning author Avi returns to the short-story form to take on this weighty subject. 

In one of the heavier stories, “Dream Catcher,” Paul is forced to meet the grandfather he never knew. Infused with sharp humor, “Tighty-Whities or Boxers” shows readers Ryan’s ingenious way of learning more about his potential stepfather. And in the more somber yet hopeful “Departed,” Luke arrives home to learn his father has died, and he continues to be haunted by his ghost. 

The questions here are universal: Where is home? What is family? How should I feel? And the situations presented hit upon pertinent and relatable themes—acceptance (or lack thereof), respect, anger, uncertainty, death, change and dysfunction. But along with the harsh realities, Avi’s characters experience awakenings and life-changing interludes as they seek to answer the titular question: What is the most important thing for fathers and sons? 

Avi is a master of just about anything he writes, and this collection is superbly crafted and ideal for discussions.

 

ALSO IN BOOKPAGE: Read our Q&A with Avi for The Most Important Thing.

This article was originally published in the May 2016 issue of BookPage. Download the entire issue for the Kindle or Nook.

The bond between father and son carries heft and import—and also joy, contempt, resentment and much more. The relationship presents a challenging dynamic at any age, but the question of the most important thing a father can do for his son is answered in different ways by different people. In this collection of seven vignettes, Newbery Medal-winning author Avi returns to the short-story form to take on this weighty subject.

Sign Up

Stay on top of new releases: Sign up for our newsletter to receive reading recommendations in your favorite genres.

Sign up now

Trending Features

All Features