Tracy MackCritiques

Rory, a young artist, idolizes her father, who is a professional artist. But when she walks in on her father kissing the woman who is modeling for him, her world is rocked. She refused to talk to him afterward, and soon he leaves the family. Neither Rory nor her mother are getting along all right, and Rory won't even talk to her best friend about it, or the school art teacher who so admires her work.
Divorce and its affect on children is a topic that is relevant to so many, and yet doesn't seem to be a frequent subject of middle grade novels. I applaud Mack for tackling it. I would have liked more three-dimensional portrayals of both of Rory's parents; the reader doesn't get to know either of them very well. Rory is painfully self-absorbed. To a degree, I think most middle school age kids are self-absorbed and self-focused, but Rory never seems to give a thought to what either of her parents are actually going through, or her best friend, and she never really does. The conclusion of the book does not involve her growing particularly in that respect.½

Birdland
Opinion--
If I were to rate this book it would be a 9-10. This reason is because it’s not the book I expect the story to be really good. This book is about Jed and Flyer. They are filming a documentary of their neighborhood until they run into someone that can help Jed. Jed’s brother Zeke died young and he is trying to connect to his brother. Zeke died of diabetes. Zeke was in a band before he died and he was called Bird.
Summary—
Jed and Flyer are out in their town filming a documentary. They went from Avenue A to Avenue B and so on. After that they went into the subway to get some money from playing music. They didn’t get much. Then a drunken guy came up and talks crap about their music so they left. On their way out Jed noticed a girl who he thinks can help him connect to Zeke. Later on Jed and Kiki (the girl) become good friends and he helps her. He helps her get into school and he lets her live with him. They go to school and they present the documentary to the class and his brothers poems.

The ragamuffin boys known as the Baker Street Irregulars help Sherlock Holmes solve the mysterious deaths of a family of circus tightrope walkers.

A touching story about a girl trying to figure out her relationships with her family, her best friend, and herself. It is simply-told with a feel-good ending. Mack's art background brings a unique touch to the narration as seen through the eyes of a young artist who thinks in colors. Because of this, some beautiful images unfold. Mack is very talented in creating simple, but attractive imagery. Overall, a nice read, especially for a young audience.

Reviewed by Michaela Pallante aka "Mickey" for TeensReadToo.com

Everyone loves a good mystery, and there are no better mysteries than those involving Sherlock Holmes.

In his newest case, Holmes is hired to investigate a murder at a local circus and calls upon his new assistants - The Baker Street Irregulars - for help.

The Baker Street Irregulars are a group of young orphan boys who live very near Mr. Holmes. Led by the two oldest boys, Ozzie and Wiggins, they improve their own detective skills by helping Mr. Holmes whenever and wherever he needs them.

Set in Victorian London, this story is action-packed and fast-paced. Ozzie and Wiggins, along with the other boys, add excitement to the mystery at hand. The characters speak in Victorian slang, which really helps the reader get into the setting, but it makes me worry that some readers may get confused. However, there is a glossary provided in the back of the book. Also included are pieces about Victorian slang, the Science of Deduction, and Victorian hats and transportation, which were very fun and interesting to read.

THE FALL OF THE AMAZING ZALINDAS really keeps you guessing and is perfect for younger male readers.

A good crime/mystery novel for younger readers. It involves the under-recognized assistants to Sherlock Holmes, the Baker Street Irregulars. These are a gang of very enterprising street boys who help Holmes fight London's 19th century crime and occasionally solve mysteries themselves.
This story involves a crime against the Crown, circus performers and some master criminals pulling the strings.

Jed and his family are trying to cope with the death of his older brother. They’re not sure if he killed himself or if his death was accidental. Jed finds it difficult to speak to anyone except Flyer without stuttering. Jed’s father buries himself with work and stops participating in some of the families Jewish traditions. Flyer, Jed’s best friend, is trying to cope with his parents separation and likely divorce. In the mean time, Jed and Flyer are creating a documentary about their neighborhood. Jed tries to help Kiki, a homeless girl, who he believes his dead brother Zeke may have been writing about in his journal.This book is a very quick read and may appeal to reluctant readers. In general, it's appropriate for middle school readers and above.

Una nueva aventura con Sherlock Holmes pero con un grupo de niños como protagonistas, unos pequeños detectives que ayudan al mítico detective

Fourteen-year-old, tongue-tied Jed spends winter break working on a school project filming a documentary about his East Village, New York City, neighborhood, where he is continually reminded of his older brother, Zeke, a promising poet who died the year before.

cute mystery novel, the un-recognized helpers to sherlock holmes, a gang of street boys who fight London's crime and solve mysteries

Twelve-year-old Rory begins to lose the passion for making art that she shares with her father after she finds him kissing his female model and fears for the safety of her parents' marriage.
Lexile: 650