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Book Reviews, Middle-Grade Book Reviews · May 14, 2019

REVIEW| ANNIE’S LIFE IN LISTS

ANNIE'S LIFE IN LISTS - Book Review

Summary: Annie’s Life in Lists

Annie’s Life in Lists has been on my TBR since the day it debuted! I was so intrigued by the concept of a book written completely in lists and also by the sweet description.

Annie is a shy fifth-grader with a remarkable memory for people, their idiosyncrasies, and life’s moments in general. Things change for Annie after her knack for remembering seemingly leads her family to moving from Brooklyn, NY to a tiny town called Clover Gap.

Now, Annie and her family have to adjust to a new town that is vastly different from the city living they’re used to. Her parents also have to cope with financial insecurity and Annie and her brother struggle to make friends — each for different reasons. In honor of Annie’s love for lists, it’s only right that my favorite things about this book be in list format.

The Good

What I loved:

  1. Annie. Annie is the sweetest, cleverest, and most insightful young protagonist I’ve read in a while. Yet, she is utterly believable; never for a second contrived. She is truly the star of this book and I felt like I was in her mind as I read all the lists. Her way of observing the world and her astute comments make this book a joy to read.
  2. Annie’s family. I really do enjoy reading about parents with unconventional jobs in middle-grade literature. Annie’s mom is a freelance graphic designer (ding, ding!) while her dad is an engineer. Her relationship with her brother, Ted, especially her list of 10 ways to annoy your big brother made my heart so happy.
  3. The way author Kristin Mahoney handles families going through financial stress. Annie’s parents are concerned about their finances, and the way that affects Annie is so true-to-life, as anyone whose parents ever had money issues growing up would know.
  4. The strong themes of standing up for yourself, making room in friend circles, and letting friendships evolve. I love a good book about friendships, and the new friends Annie makes, as well as the sensitive way she approaches friendships is heartwarming.
  5. This book hits a bunch of other issues: racism, love for nature and small towns, and the value of honest communication in all relationships.

[bctt tweet=”With an endearing protagonist, Annie’s Life in Lists by @KMcMahoney tackles coping with a move, handling the evolution of friendships, and finding home in a new place.” username=”afomaumesi”]

Overall

I LOVED this book! Annie’s Life in Lists is a uniquely written, sweet portrayal of a young girl finding her voice and loving it. With an endearing protagonist, this book tackles coping with a move, handling the evolution of friendships, and finding home in a new place. I’m officially a Kristin Mahoney fan and can’t wait to read her next middle-grade novel, The 47 People You’ll Meet in Middle School. If you like quirky books — like books written entirely in list format — about family and friendships in a small town, Annie’s Life in Lists is for you.

[bctt tweet=”If you like quirky books — like books written entirely in list format — about family and friendships in a small town, Annie’s Life in Lists is for you.” username=”afomaumesi”]


Buy This Book

Annie's Life in Lists

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Have you read this book? What did you think? What are your favorite quirky books? I’d love to know!

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Posted In: Book Reviews, Middle-Grade Book Reviews

About the Author

Afoma Umesi is the founder and blogger at Reading Middle Grade. She's a writer and editor with a deep love for children's literature. Her favorite genre is contemporary realistic fiction, but she'll never say no to a graphic novel. Read More…

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Comments

  1. Natalia Collini says

    July 30, 2020 at 9:44 pm

    My daughter (another Annie) has struggled to find a book that she could really get into reading until now. She has been engrossed by this book in list style format and is asking me for more just like it. Do you have any recommendations? I love your review!

    Reply
    • Afoma Umesi says

      July 31, 2020 at 7:39 pm

      Hi Natalia! I’m happy to hear your daughter is enjoying ANNIE. It’s tough to think of another list book; I’m yet to find one like that! But I will keep an eye out and use this comment thread if I run into one. Feel free to share if you find any as well.

      Reply
    • Afoma Umesi says

      September 25, 2020 at 5:18 am

      Hi Natalia! Excellent news for you 🙂 I found another book in lists! It’s called ALWAYS, ABIGAIL https://amzn.to/3j5LQuz

      Reply

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🕵️‍♀️ a new mystery for spelling bee fa 🕵️‍♀️ a new mystery for spelling bee fans

If you’ve been looking for more high-stakes mysteries for tweens, let me introduce you to THE WINTERTON DECEPTION! Meet 13-year-old twins Hope and Gordon. They’ve just found out that their dad was Brandon Winterton (of the wealthy dictionary magnate family). Unfortunately, Hope can’t stand rich people, especially since the twins and their mom are barely making ends meet and living in a motel. But their fortune is about to change.

When Gordon enters the family into the Winterton Bee, they’re thrust into into the midst of family’s secrets, with a deadly enemy, and a scavenger hunt set up by the family’s dead matriarch. 

This is a fast-paced mystery with plenty to gnaw on between the twin relationship, family drama, character development, and flashbacks that help readers learn more about the Winterton family.

So happy that more and more mysteries are coming out for readers in the 6th-8th grades. This one does touch a bit on addiction and there’s a scene where the kids’ lives are in danger but all ends well!

It’s out at the end of October! 🤩

#mysteriesforkids #middlegradebooks #bookstagram
👯‍♀️ TWINS in middle grade literature 💕 

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Since then, we’ve seen more depictions of twins, including Varian Johnson’s TWINS (a graphic novel about twin sisters Francine and Maureen entering 6th grade), MIRROR TO MIRROR by Rajani LaRocca, and Hope and Gordon in THE WINTERTON DECEPTION (review to come)!

And of course, these two books, TWIN CITIES and SAVING SUNSHINE (which I just started and am loving)! While these stories will appeal to twins, I think everyone who’s ever been curious about twins will love getting a glimpse into what life feels like as one half of a whole. 

Which middle grade twin stories have you read and loved? 😍 

#middlegrade #twinbooks #mglit #bookstagram #booksbooksbooks
📰 a beautiful graphic novel about speaking the 📰 a beautiful graphic novel about speaking the truth 

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Besides the wonderfully imaginative and powerful storyline, loved the visuals and the diversity representation in this graphic novel. The main character has a bad leg and gets around with a walking stick, which is something rarely depicted in graphic novels (and it’s barely even discussed—it just is!).

Although, this book is closer to fantasy (but without magical elements), it’s set in a Renaissance-style Italian village, so it could work for lovers of realistic fiction too.

Look out for it in November! Have you read this graphic novel? Thoughts? Is it on your radar already?

#graphicnovels #mglit #booksforkids
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Looking for an upper middle grade book about ballet, friendships, and body image? Meet TURNING POINT. 

This book focuses on Monique (Mo) and Rasheeda (Sheeda)’s friendship and how it changes over a summer when both girls are drawn into different pursuits. Mo is off at a ballet intensive with Mila, while Sheeda is stuck at church (with her church “friends”) feeling like she has no life.

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I’d say her books are great for kids ages 12+
Have you read any books by this author? Which ones are your favorites?

#booksbooksbooks #mglit #bookstagram
🇲🇽Twins on opposite sides I’d seen this b 🇲🇽Twins on opposite sides

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Twins Luisa and Fernando find their paths diverging as they’re entering sixth grade. Luisa will be attending middle school in the US just across the border from Fernando’s school in Mexico. There, they come to face to face with different, but equally pressing challenges that threaten to tear them apart.

I really enjoyed this book. The side by side depictions of both kids parallel lives, the way the illustrations celebrate Mexican culture, living, and traditions, and the heartwarming way the twins find their way back to each other. 

I’d recommend this one to 6th graders and up (heads up for content warning: text mentions and depicts illicit drug use by a minor, although portrayed in a negative light) as a fascinating look into Mexican culture, life as a twin, and finding your own identity.

#kidlit #graphicnovels #mglit #booksforkids
♠️ on spades and what it means to be a man An ♠️ on spades and what it means to be a man

Ant isn’t your average 10 year old. He loves a good game of spades and he and his best friend are planning to revamp their reputation after losing badly at the last spades tournament. But things are changing in Ant’s life. His dad is acting weird, asking him to hide things from his mom. There’s a new girl in class who Ant maybe likes and who plays spades better than many boys he knows. 

When his best friend is grounded, Ant teams up with Shirley, hoping to impress his father and finally be tough like Joplin men should be. But instead, he learns what it really means to be a man—and it’s not about never crying.

There’s SO MUCH going on in this story, but the author does a stunning job of keeping all the threads in place. I was very surprised by all the protagonist has to manage at his age and the fact that it all remains believable. The story is told by Ant’s ancestor, lending a touch of magic realism. There are also many details about playing a game of spades and I loved, loved the audiobook narrator.

If you’re looking for a meatier middle grade book perfect for kids ages 9-12 (and older, really—love the cover!) looking for books that balance levity and relatability with real issues like toxic masculinity, parental addiction, friendship issues, and crushes.

#mglit #middlegrade #middlegradebookies #kidlit #booksforkids
❤️ a protagonist for the times Willow (Lolo) ❤️ a protagonist for the times

Willow (Lolo) Weaver’s summer is not going well. Her grandfather has recently died, her grandma isn’t herself and she’s given away her grandfather’s foster dog, Hank. Lolo’s mother is heavily pregnant and Lolo is in summer school because she didn’t do too well in her last exams. On top of that their lake town isn’t a lake town anymore because the lake’s been drained and smells awful now. 

Lolo wants to help her grandmother feel better and she’s convinced that getting back her grandfather’s dog will do the trick. The only problem is that the dog now belongs to someone else. So Lolo gets on Pop’s boat to steal Hank back—only to run into her summer school classmate, Noah (who’s the new dog owner).

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🎸 believe the hype I was very nervous about re 🎸 believe the hype

I was very nervous about reading a book about a kid with cancer, but there’s no better author than Rob Harrell to do this. 

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If you’re in the WINK fan club, you just got a new member 😉

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