Make Way for Dyamonde Daniel by Nikki Grimes

Dyamonde Daniel is one smart cookie, just ask her! She's a sassy girl who loves math and isn't afraid to stand up for herself or others. But when Free, the other new kid at school, starts making trouble and scaring other students with his attitude, Dyamonde decides it's time introduce herself.

I really enjoyed this book. Nikki Grimes has created a very unique and real voice. Dyamonde has real worries and stresses, but her attitude toward how to solve them and how she approaches life is refreshing. She doesn't whine about or mope, she takes it all in stride and continues to forge ahead. Her life is something that anyone could relate to, and the theme of viewing life through math is adorable.

Dyamonde's efforts to get to know Free and understand where his attitude comes from is rather delightful. Free's father lost his job, and now his family has had to move into a small apartment with his grandparents to make ends meet. As a school librarian, this is something that happens frequently; and Free's surly response to this is one that I see often.

Dyamonde's straightforward perspective on life and the themes of friendship and change are fantastic. I am excited to book-talk this with my students. I read the book in about fifteen minutes, and it seems rather perfect for anyone around the age of nine.

N.E.R.D.S.: National Espionage and Rescue Defense Society by Michael Buckley

Jackson is on his way to being the most popular boy at Nathan Hale Elementary. Charming, athletic, and good looking, Jackson Jones has it made. So what if he likes to pick on the weirdos and nerds that don't fit in? Jackson is doing the world a service by keeping them in their place. That is until he discovers that he must get the motherload of braces. In a flash he is at the bottom of the barrel and he must find new pursuits, like observing (otherwise known as spying) his ex-friends, teachers, and peers and discovering all their secrets.  The only ones that seem to elude him are five losers that are always getting out of class. By pure chance Jackson hides in a locker that he sees them sneak into and finds himself in a secret lair. After finding himself and his braces upgraded he discovers that these five geeks routinely save the world and have spectacular nano-technology abilities to help them:

Mathilda Choi's asthma inhalers give her the abilities to fly and throw fire. She has exceptional fighting abilities and can use anything as a weapon. Heathcliff Hodges has huge buckteeth and can hypnotize anyone with them. Duncan Dewey loves to eat glue and can secrete a sticky substance from his pores allowing him to climb the walls and stick to anything. Julio Escala is ADD and harnesses his hyperactivity for super strength and speed. Ruby Peet is the team leader and is allergic to everything, including negative emotions and lying. They are not only united in saving the earth, nerdiness, and special abilities, but also their hatred of Jackson Jones. As everything seems to falling apart for the N.E.R.D.S. - with a new administrator and a douche bag new agent - they are put onto a new important case saving scientists and keeping Dr. Jigsaw from rearranging the continents. Will the agents be able to pull together and reevaluate their perspectives of each other and how they work to save the world? I listened to this in my car going to to and from work.

You can either read the rest of this review to discover why I didn't like this or you can stop here with the knowledge that I didn't like this. It doesn't really deserve a longer review, but I will go into detail because as a Wandering Librarian that's what I do.