My Life as an Ice Cream Sandwich by Ibi Zoboi. #MyLifeAsAnIceCreamSandwich #NetGalley
Fantastic story line! The character struggles are well written and the journey is even better! I had a difficult time following many of the references due to them revolving around Star Trek but it was still a good book. Ebony-Grace reluctantly spends the summer with her dad in Harlem after living with her mom and granddad for years. I was hoping for more of the rich story of Harlem. The relational, social and cultural aspects of the book made for a good read and one that I could better understand the world we live in.

I was provided with ARC from NetGalley.
The book had a really great, developed plot and characters, with the exception of Ebony-Grace. While she was fully developed, I don't think her portrayal was accurate in regards to twelve year-olds. Twelve year-olds don't live in their imaginations so much that they can't even function in society without relating it to their imaginary world. That is, unless they are on the Spectrum, and this is never indicated in the book. If Zoboi was intending to simply portray a twelve year-old who uses her imagination to cope with the new world she's been thrown into, I feel the character of Pablo Jupiter was more accurate. Also, I think too much was going on with the grandfather. He's in some kind of trouble that is never really explained (which the reader, even though they are in the middle-grade age range, would still expect a little more info on this), but apparently he's also sick, but then he's also apparently had lady-friends on the side. Did I understand that correctly? I think Zoboi could have just had him be sick and it would have sufficed. Then there is also a scene in the beginning when Ebony-Grace first gets to her father's where he is trying to get her to divulge possible secrets about her grandfather, but it's like that just went no where and was forgotten about. Overall, while the book had an excellent plot, the things mentioned above just leave me feeling like I missed something.

I really wanted to like this book, but it missed the mark for me. I wasn't able to connect to the characters which is a big part of how I relate to books. Parts of it were confusing as well. I am not sure my students will relate to the book either.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the text for an honest review.

Because I’ve loved Zoboi’s YA books, I was excited to see her put out a middle grade story. Ebony-Grace seems to have a close relationship with her grandfather since her parents are more focused on convincing each other that she should stay with them. She and her grandfather have constructed a kind of make-believe world related to his work with NASA. Unfortunately the story didn’t hook me and I abandoned the book, but I do intend to try again!

Ebony- Grace is an odd duck of a main character. She's a 12 year old girl stuck in her own head most of the time and really not prepared for the grown up world her peers are entering. It was a strange story, half fantasy, half realistic Harlem in the 1980s lit, but I enjoyed the settings, and character development. This book has value for middle graders who don't quite fit in no matter how hard they try to be "normal."

Definitely fell in love with the cover of this new middle grade novel set in mid-1980's Harlem. Ebony-Grace is quite a character and I wanted to like her. Her imagination and space adventures were impressive, but became repetitive. At times Ebony-Grace just seemed like a brat. The author most definitely helped me to feel like I really was in Harlem listening to that rap and hip hop. Perhaps I need to be a Trekkie to truly appreciate this one. The references to Uhura abound, but if I hear the term Sonic Boom one more time. . .

Thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Read 13% but did not finish. The language was too space-focused and detracted from the story.. I also found the main character very difficult to connect to.

This was difficult to read. The voice of the main character was confusing. Was she autistic? It just wasn’t clear.

This book was received as an ARC from PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group - Dutton Books for Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

From reading this book and examining the title I was expected a MUCH different direction of this book than meets the eye. I was expecting to read a book that was similar to The Hate You Give but I got more of First Rule of Punk and the connection with a multi-media conglomerate such as Star Wars made this book even more weirdly interesting with such a zany twist. Ebony Grace showed so much spunk and compassion for her street in Huntsville now turning into her favorite sci-fi series making life for her more enjoyable. I was very pleased with the direction this book went even though at first it was very shocking. I know this book at first will be surprising at first to our patrons but once they read it, they will absolutely love this.

We will consider adding this title to our JFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

It's 1984. Ebony-Grace is a twelve year old on her way from her happy life in Huntsville, Alabama where she lives with her beloved grandfather and mother to what she thinks is a one week stay in Harlem with her father. Her grandfather was one of the first black engineers at NASA. He fosters Ebony's interest in space and science fiction. She has a rich fantasy life as a space cadet. This does not lend itself well to friendships with other kids her age. As her stay in Harlem lengthens beyond the one week originally promised, Ebony-Grace continues to prefer fantasy to friendship and longs to see her grandfather. Questions arise about him which no one will answer and Ebony-Grace remains in the dark as to the goings on in Huntsville.
Ms. Zoboi draws a detailed picture of life in Harlem in 1984 and the awkwardness of a girl who does not fit in approaching teen hood. The graphically illustrated pages contribute to the science fiction setting that is Ebony Grace's preferred reality. Ebony-Grace is a strong female character with a definite mind of her own. She will inspire girls who like being different.

Ebony-Grace Norfleet is trapped between two real worlds and an imaginary world all her own. The challenges of growing up and staying young, imagination and reality, mom's house and dad's house and making new friends may just be too much for Ebony to handle. When she is somewhat suddenly sent to her father's house in Harlem for the summer, Ebony has to find the balance between her imaginary galactic world created with her Grandfather and the reality of the streets of Harlem. The change is not easy and seems to get harder each day. The writing and book style was unique and drew me in.

Prior to receiving an eARC, I had received a physical ARC through a local library. This is a tough one because of who the audience is supposed to be. Personally, I love well-written historical middle grade and young adult, but this just did not work for a middle grade. The main character is very hard to follow, and while the author has stated online that the main character is neurodivergent, this doesn't come across very well in the story. Additionally, because of the deep fascination with Star Trek, something that most of those students this age category will know nothing about it, it just doesn't feel right when it's intended for a middle grade audience.

I just couldn't finish this one. Gave it until page 75 and then gave up. I thought this would be great. Nerdy girl in 1980s Harlem who is obsessed with space and scifi. I loved that her granddaddy was a black engineer for NASA. I liked the Harlem setting, but Ebony Grace was just too much. Her imagination takes over in ways that are hard to explain. They make her an outcast in social situations and isolate her. She seemed so much younger than her age and it is not hard to believe that she had no friends other than her granddaddy. I wish it was better.

I struggled with the first third of this book - maybe I connected a little too much with the awkward in her own world Ebony-Grace.
A very real book filled with a lot of fantasy, I recommend this for readers who love realistic fiction but want something a little different, too.

I am still setting up my blog so here is my review posted on Goodreads for now: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2754592640?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

12-year-old, Ebony -Grace, lives in Huntsville, Alabama with her NASA engineer grandpa. When trouble arise, she decides to visit her dad in Harlem for a few weeks. She loves to imagine her life in space and the adventures she would have, but in Harlem she is having a hard time fitting in and making friends. She longs to go home, but her om and grandpa insist that she stays with her dad a while longer. Can Ebony-Grace find her way without giving up her love for her grandpa and for space? Can she make friends in Harlem? A touching look at a critical time in space history, the plot is well-developed and draws the reader into the story. Although some of the side characters are one-dimensional, readers will relate to Ebony-Grace’s struggles to fit in when you naturally stand out. Some 80s pop culture references may be lost on young readers, but those who enjoy realistic fiction, historical fiction, and stories about family and friendship will enjoy reading this book.

I received an ARC from the publisher courtesy of the SLJ'S Middle Grade Magic virtual conference in exchange for an honest review. I couldn't get behind this one. I'm not sure most middle grade readers will relate to Ebony Grace with ease. She's focused on imagining her life as a space mission in a way that removes her so far from reality, she can't relate to her peers. Additionally, it takes place in the 80's and leans heavily on some pop culture references (largely the original Star Trek series and its movie franchise) that very few middle grade readers would be familiar with. I did get the references and still felt they got in the way. It moved relatively slowly, and the ending felt rather abrupt and unsatisfying. I wanted to like this one but just couldn't get there.