Gordon Korman’s latest book is another one I can’t wait to make available for middle school readers. The story blends the past, present and hope for the future of a small Colorado town as it struggles with its racist past, swastikas appearing in the middle school, and a group of middle school students trying to change the message for their town for the future. After having tolerance education following the appearance of the first swastika and watching in dismay as the swastikas keep showing up, the students hatch a plan similar to the famous paperclip project to make a paper chain of six million links to represent the 6 million Jewish lives lost in the Holocaust. Whether or not they can complete the massive chain and where to store it are just part of the problems the students encounter. The story is told in multiple voices of students around town which helps the reader see the issue from many lenses. Korman’s masterful hand creates a story that is both funny and heartrending at the same time. He has a true understanding of what makes middle school kids tick and his characters are layered and believable. I also liked that he threw in a bit about how social media can complicate, and perhaps help, a problem once the scope of an issue is no longer just local but spread to the whole world. It is a story of facing our past -even the one we may not be very proud of – and using the present to help heal, forgive, and move forward into a better future.
Author Archives: Kim Matthews
The Girl from the Sea, by Molly Knox Ostertag
This graphic novel is a sweet LGBQT+ romance perfect for middle and high school readers. It tells the story of Morgan and the selkie she meets again, Keltie, and their new romantic relationship. Their romance is complicated by Morgan’s fears of coming out, a recent separation of her parents, and an ecological subplot involving Keltie’s concern for her seal friends’ safety with new environmental hazards on the horizon. I enjoyed the colorful graphics and the sprinkled text format used by Morgan and her other school friends. The combination of styles was an interesting change of pace. Morgan’s worries about coming out and her secret relationship with Keltie felt believable. I was really rooting for them to figure it all out. The ecological sub-plot felt a bit contrived and less believable, but ultimately, I was oohing and ahhing over the sweet ending of the book. The illustrations are well done, bright, and energetic. I enjoyed the multi-ethnic cast of characters, including the selkie. Middle school and high school readers looking for a sweet, gentle, gender-bending romance will be charmed by the tender connection Morgan and Keltie have, along with feeling sympathy for the concerns they both have that complicate their relationship. Even though the ecological sub-plot is not really believable in its outcome, the human (human-selkie) connection absolutely is believable and worth the read – right down to the surprise twist at the end. I can see myself handing this book to many middle school readers!