BONUS REVIEW: Ashton’s Dancing Dream by the Pitts sisters

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley and Zonderkidz in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Summary


When Ashton’s friend, Rani, announces that her dad’s been offered a promotion that would move the family to London, Ashton starts looking for a way to help her friend stay. Ashton, Rani, and their friend, June, decide to be in their elementary school spring talent show. The show, and the preparation, can be their reason for why Rani can’t move yet. The girls will use moves from a dance they performed at Christmas for their dance school to help simplify the preparation.

But when their full group – five girls in total – gets together, they can’t agree on anything. They bicker over music, dance moves, and the showcase dancer. Ashton’s perfect idea gets more and more complicated. And while her dad supports the idea of the talent show, he asks Ashton to consider that God’s plans aren’t always in line with our preferences. But Ashton hopes God wants Rani to stay too.

Review


This is a solid story with a lot of friendship pieces and a focus on taking your problems and burdens to God. Ashton experiences a power struggle with one of the other girls in the dancing group. There are times when they all forget it’s about having this experience with Rani, too. But there are good examples of sincere prayers and interpersonal effort to make peace, apologize, etc..

Another factor to the story that I didn’t mention in the summary is the arrival of a new student at the girls’ Christian school. Jasmyn is in a wheelchair, and Ashton is asked to be her school “buddy” and help her get acclimated. I loved Jasmyn’s part in the story. Ashton is a great friend and helper both at school and at church.

I appreciated Ashton’s efforts to stand up for Jasmyn. Rani makes some poor choices out of jealousy of Ashton’s new friendship. But I wish Ashton’s response had been stronger. Ashton does address the issue without prompting from anyone else. And Rani does apologize in part. But I felt like the most heinous choice on Rani’s part was to run off to a second floor of the house deliberately because she knows Jasmyn can’t go with them. It’s a blatant act of exclusion.  Yet when Rani apologizes, it’s more for what she said (saying the crocheting they are about to do is dumb) than what she did which was far worse. I’m concerned some readers will be hurt that this issue wasn’t addressed more directly.

I enjoyed the story, but there were moments when the writing pulled me out of the flow. This is a first person point of view book. But occasionally Ashton would look at someone and “know” what they were thinking either about themselves or even one time about a third character. First person can’t pull off all of that. I am hopeful that these moments were addressed in final edits.

This is book two in the series after Ansley’s Big Bake Off which focuses on Ashton’s older sister. Book 3, Amber’s Song, releasing in April 2021, will focus on Ashton’s twin sister. The characters have an older sister, Lena, who had her own series, Lena in the Spotlight (which was written by the authors’ older sister and their late mother, Wynter Pitts).

If you are looking for books for your middle grade reader with a blatant spiritual message, be sure to check out both series by the Pitts sisters. (CW: Unkindness to a person with a disability)

Rating: ♥♥♥*

*♥♥♥=Good/solid/fine

REVIEW: Friday Night Stage Lights by Rachele Alpine

Summary


Brooklyn had a life she loved in Oregon with her mom. They had their surprise pancake breakfasts and their two-person routines. And Brooklyn had her dance studio and her friends.

But when her mom married Stephen, they had to move to Texas because Stephen’s son, Tanner, was a high school football star. And in Texas, football is everything.

Brooklyn is getting sick of the all-football-all-the-time life in Texas. She hates the games. She hates that she’s lost a lot of her special connection with her mom because her mom has thrown herself into football-mom mode for Tanner. And now, her one sanctuary, her new dance studio, has been invaded – by football players.

The middle school team is doing conditioning at her studio, and Brooklyn has to help them as part of her application to the Texas School of the Arts. But the boys always goof around, and they are infuriating. But when Brooklyn’s dance partner for her TSOTA audition breaks his leg, one of those football players may be her only chance to salvage her audition.

Review


This was so fun! I’m not sure I’ve ever read an Aladdin MIX book that I haven’t enjoyed. When I see the multicolored strip at the edge of the book, I know I’m going to enjoy it. And this is a great example of the fun stories in the line.

Brooklyn is relate-able from the start – her frustration with her family and the football players who mock her passion for dance, her hurt feelings when everyone seems to put Tanner and football first, her connections with Tanner and Logan. I loved all of it. She also has some real dance issues to sort out – getting past a bad performance where she was injured, figuring out who she is dancing for, and deciding if TSOTA is really what she wants for her future.

As a football fan, I loved watching her soften towards the players and the game as she learned more about it. It’s a great reminder to try to understand new things before deciding they are awful just because they are unfamiliar.

I can’t wait to pass this one on to some students I know. I think they will enjoy Brooklyn, Logan and the rest of the folks in this story as much as I did. Highly recommend!

Rating: ♥♥♥♥½

REVIEW: Turn It Up! by Jen Calonita

Summary


Bradley Academy boasts two a capella groups on campus – the all-boys group, the Kingfishers and the all-girls group, The Nightingales. While the Kingfishers are at the top of their game, the Nightingales have had a string of bad luck. New co-captains (and best friends) Lidia and Sydney are hoping to end the five-year slump.

But before the school year even starts, the best friends are barely speaking. Sydney was supposed to be getting to know Lidia’s crush, Griffin, so she could point him in Lidia’s direction. But Griffin falls for Sydney instead, and Lidia sees him kiss Sydney. When Sydney tries to play it off as no big deal, hoping Lidia will get over it so they can get back to a capella, Lidia quits the Nightingales.

The girls’ huge fight is a distraction the Nightingales don’t need. It keeps people from auditioning and leaves Sydney with a rival as her “co-captain.” Can the Nightingales pull it together or are they doomed for good?

Review


It took me awhile to get into the rhythm of this one. I was frustrated with Sydney and didn’t have a lot of sympathy for her in the fight with Lidia. But I loved that the fight gave Lidia a chance to find her own path away from the Nightingales. That path had seemed chosen for her in some ways. I was thrilled that they author let Lidia follow a new course all the way through the story. Lidia’s storyline kept me reading.

This is a fairly simple plot. The tension and suspense is minor. The conflicts are, too. The biggest stakes were Julianna’s stage fright and the future of the Nightingales. But every story doesn’t need a life or death conflict.

This is a fun, clean and simple friendship story with a side of light romance (kissing, holding hands). I could hand this to any kid in 5th grade and up without hesitation. There are some open ended threads that could be woven into a sequel, and I would readily read it.

Rating: ♥♥♥♥

REVIEW: The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

Summary


Charlie thinks it’s a routine day of ice fishing – until the fish she reels in can talk! And the fish offers her a wish if she lets it go. Unfortunately for Charlie, magic wishes rarely go as planned. But fish and wishes take a back seat to more serious problems in Charlie’s family. If only magic wishes could fix everything.

The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

Review


I love Kate Messner! This story reminded me a lot of her book All the Answers. In both books, magical items  aren’t always the treasures they seem to be at first. The complications coming for Charlie’s family in The Seventh Wish put talking fish and dance dresses into perspective.

The author took some flak earlier this year when a school cancelled her visit because they felt the issue of addiction addressed in the book was too mature for middle grade readers. You can read about that kerfuffle here. I worked with addicts many years ago. I felt like The Seventh Wish handled the topic beautifully and in a very appropriate way for an upper elementary/middle school (and older) audience. Charlie’s reaction is logical and realistic for her age. The author doesn’t offer pat answers or miracle solutions – just honest, age-appropriate questions. (In this way, it reminds me of Still a Work in Progress). If you are looking for books about addictions for kids, I’d start here. Reading this out loud in a classroom, or reading it with students in a book group, or as a family could lead to amazing discussion.

As with any book for this age, students who aren’t ready for this topic will usually choose not to finish it, or they’ll keep reading and talk with a trusted adult about their questions. I would share this readily with students in the middle grade age group.

Rating:♥♥♥♥♥