Teen Tuesday: Savvy by Ingrid Law

My granddaughter asked for Savvy by Ingrid Law for Christmas, so I bought one for her and one for me. I like to read what my kids read so we can book talk together.

In Mibs' family, your thirteenth birthday is one you probably should spend only with close family members because when they turn thirteen they get their savvy, which is a supernatural superpower. The problem is that you never know what your savvy will be until it unleashes on you and the world when you turn thirteen.

Mibs' father is injured in an accident right before her thirteenth birthday, so her mother and older brother are away at the hospital when her savvy hits her. She believes her savvy can help her father, so she stows away on a bus thinking it will take her to the hospital. Things don't quite work out the way she planned, but the result is an interesting, charming, fun, and sometimes scary story.

I enjoyed this story. The family reminds me of how I imagine the Weasleys from Harry Potter, a family with many quirks but a deep love for one another. The characters are likable and they experience growth throughout the story. They are imperfect - except for the mother, but she can't help it, which makes them even more likable. Lester, the bus driver, shows readers the importance of working hard to eliminate negative feedback from our minds.

I love Samson, the little brother, and I can't wait to read the next book to see what he does next.

The story contains a touch of romance. There is no swearing in this Newbery Honor book. The story is never too dark or scary. The mood is light and just right for young readers. The lexile is higher than I thought it would be at 1070L, but it has larger font with more white space than your average book which helps the eye track for easier reading. I found it a quick and easy read despite having 342 pages.

This book would be great for a middle school book-club as there are many good discussion points: superpowers, friendships, bullying, family, and many more. Becca, if your school uses this one for brown-bag, I'd love come sit in on the discussion because I'll bet the students would have a lot to say.

This is the first book in a series. Scumble is book two, and Switch is book three. 

I hope today brings you some time to crack open a book and spend as long as you'd like with it. What would you like your Savvy to be if you got to choose one?