Kate McMillan

Middle school drama slams into science, friendship and anxiety in a way which hits home and brings more than a few laughs along the way.

Maple can't wait to meet one of her idols, an astronaut, and is just waiting for her best friend, Sunny, to show up and stand in line with her. Not only is he late but brings someone with him, which derails her entire plans and, worse, marks her as 'unfun'. After that, Sonny seems to be avoiding her, but luckily, a new girl might just be the science partner show more Maple's been missing...even if she's a little odd. If Maple can keep things together, she might even win the science competition but life has never been easy for Maple and things have a tendency to run out of control.

This is written in diary form with days and very distinct times. There are 'letters' and text exchanges also added in to liven things up and help with the story flow. The amount of text is heavier than I expected but still light enough to slide nicely into the higher side of the chapter book category or low middle grade. Illustrations are heavily sprinkled in, which add to the story and add a little humor too.

The problems surrounding friendships, changing interests, and acceptance create the main messages as Maple steers her way through sixth grade. Her anxiety level is always high and steers her reactions and decisions. To say she's high-strung is almost an understatement. But she's easy to root for and identify with problems, which will ring familiar to the age group. The parents add a supportive foundation with enough quirky attributes to mix with the humor, and the older sister adds relationship difficulties in very unexpected ways. So, there's always something going on. The science adds inspiration, information, and humor to show how interesting it can be.

It's an entertaining tale and mixes heart and humor nicely. The plot pacing did have me skimming at times as Maple loves her drama, and I was more than a little surprised that she wasn't more upset in the beginning when she missed her big opportunity, but it's a fun read and sure to delight fans of Ellie McDoodle and such. show less

Friendship, working hard for goals, and middle grade life come together to form an adventure with laughs and important messages, too.

Maple can't believe it! Although she's been hard at work to stay fit with the latest fitness app, she scores an entire grade lower on the fitness test at school. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but Maple's life goal is to become an astronaut, and that requires top-scores on the fitness end. With her best friend at her side, she joins the Cross Country show more team...which is a little more work than she thought it would be. But Maple's determined. Unfortunately, other aspects of life keep popping up along the way until Maple wonders if she'll ever be able to keep up with the rest of the kids in her class and on her team.

This book is one for Wimpy Kid fans but with Maple and her best friend, definitely leans in the girl direction...theme wise as well. Now, that she has a best friend, who loves science and stuff like her...or at least, thinks differently than the rest of the kids in the class...her life has smoothed out on the social end as opposed to book one. Her determination rings loud and is inspiring as she truly does her best to stick to her goals. She just gets a bit distracted, at times, which adds more fun. Maple and her friend are enjoyable to follow as they hit one odd situation after the next. These still are very relatable things to the age group, which makes it a read to connect with and enjoy.

The illustrations meld with the humor and drama to draw in. These balance nicely with the text to create a quick read, which still exercises those reading skills. The other characters come across with little quirks to support Maple's personality even in these visual scenes. It increases the meaning of each relationship and lets the odd moments come across with the humor they deserve.

Family and friendship goodness hit every page, and there are several other messages included, too. This second book touch upon the problems sixth graders face (or about that age), and it should be noted that the topic of puberty is also addressed and woven in. But it melds nicely with the adventure. And it's great to see Maple staying true to her NASA dream...another aspect which makes her stand out.

Anyone who enjoyed the first book is sure to enjoy this next addition to the series. And those readers, who haven't met Maple yet and enjoy middle grade drama with silliness, might want to take a peek. show less

Borrowed it from the library and loved it so much I had to get a copy to keep. Have made four or five dishes from it so far and all have been really good. Most recipes are not long on ingredients and are good weeknight choices. Love it.

This is a wonderful collection of simple pasta dishes sure to please. It's beautifully laid out and has a recipe for everyone, including recipes for sauces, pasta (vegetarian, meat, and seafood versions), as well as salads and sides. There are no intimidating ingredient lists, just recipes that are sure to pique any appetite!

Sarah M. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.