Miles Morales Spider Man by Jason Reynolds

Miles Morales is just another teenager trying to get through school, talk to girls and not make his parents angry.  Miles is on scholarship to a boarding school in Brooklyn.   He plays video games with his roommate Ganke. (More about him later!)  While trying to fit in and impress a girl named Alicia he makes a bad choice and the consequences get him suspended for a few days.  On top of all the normal teenage issues he is Spider Man and his super powers are acting weird. 

As Miles tries to get he live back together he keeps having nightmares that he can’t shake, even when he is awake.  His nightmares force him to come face to face with an evil plot being carried out by his racist history teacher. That is enough of a summary.  You have to read the book to find out more.

I want to start with the fact that Jason Reynolds is a master storyteller.  Miles Morales Spider Man is an incredible book.  I had trouble putting it down, and I purchased multiple copies to give a Christmas presents. 

Over the past few years there has been a lot of discussion about the lack of characters of color in middle-grade books.  Many of the books that had been published were not that good.  Luckily, the last couple of years we are finally getting well written books that have main characters of color.  Jason Reynolds is one of the authors that writes books that kids enjoy, and make them think. 

I am always seeking books that will make great read alouds or a book for book club.  Unfortunately, this book won’t work for me.  HOWEVER, if I taught fifth grade or middle school it would be a FANTASTIC read aloud.  The same goes for book club.  As I said earlier it was hard to put down.  Mr. Reynolds sucks the reader into the pages.  At times I felt like I was on the subway with Miles.  It is definitely a book I would put in the hands of many kids and in classroom libraries.  Thank you Jason Reynolds.   

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff

I found it!  You might be asking yourself, “What did Kyle find?”  I found my first chapter book read aloud of the 2014-2015 school year.  As you know finding that perfect first book is a daunting task, but after starting Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff  I knew it was the right one. 

The book starts off with the hero of our story finding out that he has to go to a new school.  The private school he attended didn’t think his academic abilities lived up to their standards.  Albie is just average.  At first Albie is devastated because Erlan, his best friend, goes to the same school.  However, quickly Albie likes his new school.  He has met a new friend, and his teacher is OK because she lets him read graphic novels and Captain Underpants.  During this time of transition his parents hire a new nanny to be with him after school.  Albie is not pleased about this because he is “too old” for a nanny or a baby sitter. 

Luckily Calista is not your average nanny.  (Actually, I think she probably is!)  She is new to New York City, so Albie gives her lessons on living in the City.  Because of Calista’s young age she doesn’t always make the best choices.  She does make Albie feel like he can be successful.  Something his hardly even seen father is capable of doing. 

The book takes place over a school year.  During that time we learn that Albie has really hard time learning. He can almost  get words correct on his spelling test.  He can almost read aloud with out stumbling over words.  In other words Albie is absolutely almost.  His best friend, Erlan, is considered highly gifted, but it doesn’t really bother the two.  This relationship is one of the things that drew me to this story.  I work in a school that  Garrison Keillor best describes at the beginning of every Prairie Home Companion, “all the children are above average."  The problem with this is that when students believe this and don’t achieve greatness etc. they often feel like failures.  This is for the kids that read above grade level etc.  For the kids that do struggle in this type of environment it can be devastating.  I’m not bashing my school.  It is a great school.  There is support in reading and math for kids that are “almost”.  I think that is one of the reasons I like this book.  It lets us average people (Yes, I was a solid C student, except in spelling were I was a strong F student) see other people like us in books. 

As the book ends Albie still hasn’t found his passion, or what he really enjoys, but he seems to be ok with that.  The ending is not sad, nor is it one where all of a sudden we find out the main character is fantastic at something.  At the end we discover that right know Albie is absolutely almost.