Book review - When the Rain Came

 

Title: When the Rain Came

Author: Matt Eicheldinger

Genre: dystopia

Age range: teen

Similar book: Rebel Darling by Valerie Best

Summary (provided by publisher): “If we stay here, if we keep wandering without a real plan, we won’t last. Maybe The Hill is dangerous. But maybe it’s not. It’s the only plan we have.”

Seventeen-year-old Aurora knows how to survive. Life in the foster system has taught her how to stay quiet, stay smart, and stay ready. But nothing could prepare her for this: a never-ending storm that swallows cities, drowns forests, and turns the world into a flooded wasteland.

Trapped in a collapsing house with her strict prepper foster parents, Aurora is forced to live by their rules just to stay alive. Until the day they disappear without a trace.

Alone. Abandoned. And running out of time.

All Aurora has is a waterlogged scrap of paper and a name: “The Hill.” 

With looters closing in and the floodwaters rising higher each day, she’s left with one impossible choice—stay and wait for the storm to take her, or risk everything on a journey through the drowned remains of the world, to a find a place that may or not exist.

It’s forward or nothing.

What I liked: The scenario here is strong and reasonably plausible. We have a character with enough information to stand a chance of survival and a background that makes her flexible and willing to take chances. The pacing is strong and there is enough action to propel the reader forward

What I didn't like: The characters aren't especially complex. The plot takes some logical leaps. This is clearly the first in a series so the ending isn't particularly satisfying. While the individual moments are engaging the plot overall isn't especially beleivable.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non-fiction book review - Pretty Close But Not the Same

 

Pretty Close But Not the Same by Meg Fleming

This book straddles the line between standard picture book and non-fiction. In the non-fiction column , it is not a story book. There is no true plot. It's a basic comparison of similar animals, pointing out simple ways that the two differ. In the picture book column, it is fairly playful. The focus is more on having fun than strict scientific classifications. The text rhymes. It's a book that would be fun to enjoy with preschoolers and the simple illustrations will appeal to that age range as well.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Bowtie hairpins

 When I made my bowtie bowtie, I had an idea that you could also use it as a hairbow. Then, looking at my scraps, I realized that I had pieces that could be turned into pasta-sized bowties. And at that size, they were perfect for hairpins.

Listen with me

 

Three Sisters by David Macinnis Gill

At first, I was pretty on board with this book. It is, to be clear, a fairly standard survival book. We have three sisters and their dad trapped on a mountain during a natural disaster, balancing survival and grief. Along the way we learn a fair amount about hiking, survival skills, and the science of volcanoes. The final chapters, though, go rather off the rails. We move beyond just being trapped on a mountain due to a closed trail and some injuries to literally having to outrun an eruption. It tends to take away from the emotional impact of the plot as the physical challenges become increasingly extreme. This is not a book for the squeamish, nor for the skeptical.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

The Song of the Bees by Tim Chapman - Sent to live with his grandmother in Wisconsin, a boy and his new friends investigate what is happening to local bees.

What did you recently finish reading?

Found Sound by Meg Wolitzer and Charlie Panek - A boy living in the shadow of his prodigy younger brother investigates a mystery with his summer neighbor.

What do you think you'll read next?

When the Rain Came by Matthew Eicheldinger

Graphic novel spotlight - Harper Sharp, Kid Detective

 

Harper Sharp Kid Detective by Jarrett Williams

When it comes to kid appropriate mysteries, picking a book can be a bit dicey. Some are too intense. Others don't have much in the way of stakes. The most successful mysteries often center around school. Missing items or mysterious vandalism are relatable and can feel, in the context of a child's social world, meaningful. And that is the approach this book takes. Harper investigates defacement of posters in his school. If it were just the mystery this would be an acceptable but probably forgettable book. Williams elevates the novel by incorporating a great deal of economics in the plot. As he investigates, Harper is also learning the ins and outs of running a business. With brightly colored, dynamic illustrations this is a fun read.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

Morbid Curiosities by S. Hati - A girl attending an elite science academy discovers there is more to the school, it's experiments, and the strange happenings in the surrounding communities.

What did you recently finish reading?

Auntie Q's Golden Claws Nail Salon by Van Hoang - After getting in trouble a girl is sent to work off her debt at her estranged aunt's nail salon.

What do you think you'll read next?

Harper Sharp, Kid Detective by Jarrett Williams

Book review - Eureka

 

Title: Eureka

Author: Victoria Chang

Genre: historical fiction/verse novel

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Summary (provided by publisher): The year is 1885. San Francisco is dangerous for Chinese immigrants like twelve-year-old Mei Mei. She must venture on her own, without her family or friends, to Eureka, California, where it is supposedly safe.

But 300 miles from home, Mei Mei misses her Ma Ma's kindness, helping out in her Ba Ba's store, and playing hide-and-seek with her best friend, Hua Hua. Despite her fear and the increasing violence against her community, she finds hope in an unexpected friend, the giant Redwood trees, and a new dream: learning how to read in English. As the world around her grows more scary, Mei Mei discovers her own power, as well as the joy of found family, the importance of courage, and the nature of freedom.

What I liked: Oftentimes a verse novel focuses only on a character's thoughts and emotions, leaving us with little action or setting. This book manages to balance description with reflection. The resulting text is sparse but meaningful. It is able to reflect dangers and cruelty without becoming exploitative.

What I didn't like: The problems and solutions are a bit over-simplified and the exploration is, necessarily, fairly shallow. This is the sort of book you might use in conjunction with other, more in depth, information about racial violence in the 1880s.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 

Three Sisters by David Macinnis Gill

I've long been a fan of survival stories, so this book about sisters stranded on a mountain during a volcanic event sounds right up my alley. Let's give it a listen and see if it lives up to it's promise.

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

Where Ella Went by Laurie Morrison - When their friend and soccer captain leaves town without warning, a group of middle schoolers dig into what happened and why she left.

What did you recently finish reading?

Penelope Positano Sees it All by Katie Cotugno - Penelope is finally allowed to get a dog. She doesn't know what her perfect dog will be, just that she'll know it when she sees it.

What do you think you'll read next?

Coyote Queen by Jessica Vitalis

Book review - Tested

 

Title: Tested

Author: Anna Monders

Genre: dystopia

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: Flawed by Cecelia Ahern

Summary (provided by publisher): For as long as Mikayla can remember, her future has been laid out for her. As an Elite in a world divided by genetic Elites, Defectives, and Expendables, she’ll live up to her stellar Genetic Report Card score of ninety-four by excelling academically, gaining acceptance into the Elite Scholars program, and eventually working for GenIn, the company that saved humanity after the catastrophic Great Dying.

All seems to be going as planned until a surprise assignment during Mikayla’s class changes everything. Soon, she’s reconnecting with a friend she thought she’d lost forever and—for the first time in her life—questioning the society she has put her trust in.

But if Mikayla isn’t the model citizen she always believed herself to be, then who is she?

What I liked: Monders doesn't fully follow the standard dystopian fiction pattern. Most authors would have the protagonist realizing that the system is flawed and then leading a revolution against it. That's not where this book goes. Instead it's a bit slower, more about Mikayla beginning to question the system and the narrative she's always heard about the importance of the division. This is a book more about small changes and beginning to think for yourself than about true revolution.

What I didn't like: The small revolution approach cuts both ways. While it's more realistic, it also is less compelling. There isn't the excitement of taking down a damaging system. And the realizations that Mikayla has about human value are equally small and nebulous. The book is trying to help us see that everyone has value but never truly shows that.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - A Tale of Plagues and Perfumes

 

Title: A Tale of Plagues and Perfumes

Author: Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski

Genre: fantasy

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: Goat Magic by Kate Wheeler

Summary (provided by publisher): The last thing Nia wants is to be branded a "Sinsory." Where she comes from, that's just as deadly as the plagues that sweep through the land. That's why she keeps her unusually keen sense of smell a secret. Only two people in the city of Yerat know of her special abilities: her beloved Auntie and her best friend, Fox. But when the worst plague in a century hits their desert continent, all of that suddenly changes.

An invitation arrives in the shape of a jar of blackcurrant jam. Nia is asked to attend the Cloister, a select and secluded school for children with heightened senses. There she meets Scentiers, like her, but also Gazers, Whisper-Gatherers, and many more, whose sensory powers go far beyond what regular folk can smell, see, or hear.

It's there that Nia learns her nose knows far more than she ever dreamed . . . maybe enough to find the cure for the plague. Or even sniff out the sinister secrets hiding in the Cloister's walls.

What I liked: World building is the strongest feature of this book. Not only do we have a unique approach to magic - characters with specific sensory powers - but we also have distinctive settings. The individual elements work together well to create a complex plot where the setting plays vital roles. The characters are mostly believable.

What I didn't like: There are a fair number of leaps of logic and reliance on coincidence. And many of the twists are telegraphed pretty heavily far in advance of their eventual reveal. The magical elements will make this a hard sell for some.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Needlepoint

 It is one of my goals this year to use up some craft kits that I have had stored for months, even years. I just finished up this needlepoint kit that I was gifted some time ago, started, and promptly abandoned. 

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

What We Did to Survive by Megan Lally - While on Spring Break with her best friend, a teen goes on a disastrous boat trip.

What did you recently finish reading?

A Tale of Plagues and Perfumes by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski - When her ability as a Scentier gets her invited to join the Cloister, Nia becomes involved in a race to stop a deadly plague.

What do you think you'll read next?

Tested by Anna Monders

Book review - Olivia Gray Will Not Fade Away

 

Title: Olivia Gray Will Not Fade Away

Author: Ciera Burch

Genre: realistic fiction/magical realism

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: The School for Invisible Boys by Shaun David Hutchinson

Summary (provided by publisher): Seventh grade has just started, but Olivia Gray already knows this year is different. Her brother ignores her for his crush, and all her friends talk about is who likes who, something Olivia has never cared about—even when Robbie, the most popular boy in school, asks her to the fall formal. After unknowingly rejecting him, Olivia goes viral on the social app KruShh. As the chatter about Robbie and dating grows, Olivia starts to feel left out to the point of feeling invisible—literally.

Seen only by her new librarian and a friendly kid named Jules, Olivia flickers in and out of sight whenever the topic of romance comes up. As she begins to realize she might be asexual, Olivia struggles to actually use the label because of the negative perception behind it. All she wants is to be normal, but can she really fit in without disappearing completely?

What I liked: We are accustomed to books about middle grade simply focusing on fitting in. Certainly that is a strong element in this book. Olivia's behavior is largely driven by feeling like an outsider. But this isn't the only thing that makes her feel invisible. She Doesn't feel heard. And it's not just about the people that make her invisible. Even more, it's the people who make her seen, the places where she looks for answers. And the answers to her problems don't just come from others. This is very much a book about a kid needing to define herself and the struggles inherent in that.

What I didn't like: Like a lot of middle grade fiction, this book perhaps is a bit too positive. The overall message seems to be that most people will accept you if you give them a chance. And that simply isn't everyone's lived experience. Still, this book earns it's place in a conversation about gender, sexuality, and acceptance.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Curses and Other Buried Things

 

Title: Curses and Other Buried Things

Author: Caroline George

Genre: magical realism

Similar book: Impossible by Nancy Werlin

Age range: teen

Summary (provided by publisher): Blood holds all kinds of curses.

Seven generations of women in Susana Prather’s family have been lost to the Georgia swamp behind her house. The morning after her eighteenth birthday, she awakens soaked with water, with no memory of sleepwalking. No matter how she tries to stop it, she’s pulled from her safe bed night after night, haunted by her own family history and legacy. Now, the truth feels unavoidable: it’s only a matter of time before she loses her mind and the swamp becomes her grave.

Unless she can figure out how to break the curse.

When she isn’t sleepwalking, she’s dreaming of her great-great-great-great-grandmother, Suzanna Yawn, who set the curse in motion in 1855. Her ancestor’s life bears such similarity to her own that it might hold the key she seeks. Or it might only foretell tragedy.

As Susana seeks solutions in the past and the present, family members hold secrets tighter to their chests, friends grow distant, and old flames threaten to sputter and die. But Susana has something no one else has been able to seize: the unflagging belief that all curses can be broken and that love can help a new future begin.

What I liked: Most novels about curses center on breaking a curse. We get a brief introduction to how this character got cursed but the bulk of the plot focuses on the quest to gather rare ingredients or accomplish nearly impossible tasks. While that certainly plays a role in this book, George has allowed this plot to become something much more. This is a book as much about what it means to be or feel cursed and how the past is visited upon us as it is about breaking a specific curse. It is a plot as rooted in the characters' history as it is in the present. Thus the historical characters are as complex as the modern ones.

What I didn't like: The pacing is a bit slow at times. And this is a plot driven far more by emotion and internal motivation than it is by action. So if you're looking for a thrilling story this is not the right choice. But it does ask some interesting questions and gives the reader plenty to consider.

Advance Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Breakout

 

Title: Breakout

Author: Christina Wyman

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: Love is in the Hair by Gemma Cary

Summary (provided by publisher): Ellis Starr likes learning about active volcanoes. She does not like having acne that resembles them. But it’s not just cosplaying as a pepperoni pizza that has Ellis on the verge of erupting. Her mom’s hot-and-cold moods have the two of them butting heads nonstop—especially now that her mom is dating for the first time since her parents’ separation. Then there’s Ellis’s best friend, Aggy, whose own life—and skin—seems perfect. And who could forget that Ellis still needs to decide on a research topic for a big school project.

With eighth grade proving to be every bit as pesky as a new pimple, Ellis’s only bright spot is the time she spends with her aunt Lydia, whose adorable puppy, Rocco, is a natural stress reliever. (And perhaps the perfect subject for her project.) Maybe this season of breakouts can lead to a breakthrough about what Ellis needs to truly feel good in her own skin.

What I liked: If this were just a book about a kid dealing with problem skin, that would be enough. It's a topic that gets mentioned in middle grade fiction but seldom takes center stage. But Wyman doesn't let the topic stand on it's own. Instead, Ellis's acne is her own central focus but many other issues feed into that plot. This isn't just a book about acne - it's about the complexities of being a middle schooler.

What I didn't like: As you might expect, there's a little bit of grossness to the descriptions. It's not an especially comfortable read but there's enough here for most low to middle income kids to find some common ground.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

Olivia Gray Will Not Fade Away by Ciera Burch - While her peers become obsessed with crushes and her once close brother grows distant, Olivia feels increasingly invisible

What did you recently finish reading?

Breakout by Christina Wyman - A girl navigates her problem skin, changing friendships, school pressure, and her parents.

What do you think you'll read next?

Most Likely to Murder by Lish McBride

Bowtie

 I love a bowtie. 

Normally, I'm more of a fan of the sort you have to tie but when I spotted this one, I was inspired.

Here's my version, crafted from a scrap of t-shirt. I've added a strap and velcro to make it wearable, but you could also attach one to a headband or hairclip.

Latch Hook

 Did you ever make a latch hook kit? I had a couple as a kid and remember them fondly. So when I came across one in our craft supplies I decided to finish it. There were a few problems. The paper chart was missing so I had to interpret what was printed on the fabric best as I could (sometimes the printing is crooked). And the yarn we had wasn't sufficient. There wasn't enough orange and the brown and yellow were entirely missing (though weirdly there was a whole package of gray which never appears in the image). So I had to scavenge some other yarn from my stash to complete the project. And here's how it looks finished:

Of course, now I remember one other thing about doing these kits - I never know what to do with them when they're done. Attach it to a tote bag? Make a wall-hanging? What do you think?

Listen with Me

 

Some of Us Are Brave by Saadia Faruqi

At first, this book is pretty much exactly what I expected. We have three kids from different backgrounds, kids who either never interact or don't get along, thrown together by a natural disaster. Each kid comes into the situation with fears and motivations, aspects of their life that no one else knows about. Unsurprisingly, their journey to safety brings their secrets into the light and forces them to confront their fears. There's a point late in the novel where this has happened, where each kid has faced their fear and the group has reached safety. A lesser author would wrap up the novel there. Not Faruqi. Instead we get several more chapters as the characters continue to confront their pasts and deal with the way their lives have changed. It doesn't rest in simple solutions but shows us characters continuing to struggle and work towards change. This is no simple survival story. Absolutely a book worth reading, sharing, and discussing.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Lies We Tell About the Stars

 

Title: Lies We Tell About the Stars

Author: Susie Nadler

Genre: realistic fiction

age range: teen

Similar books: Looking For Alaska by John Green

                    Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley

Summary (provided by publisher): Celeste Muldoon is alone when the Big One finally hits, because, for the first time ever, her best friend stood her up after school. Nicky and Celeste share a birthday, matching tattoos, an obsession with the upcoming Mars mission, and pretty much everything else. So why did he ghost her on the day she needed him most?

As the quake’s death toll rises and days pass, Nicky and Celeste’s parents fear the worst. But Celeste doesn’t buy it. He couldn’t be dead. Nicky’d spent their senior year selling essays to rich kids and was about to get caught. He’d told Celeste about his plan to vanish, to reinvent himself and escape the disaster he’d created. The quake would be perfect cover.

But she can’t convince anyone that he could still be alive. Only Meo, a mysterious stranger who was somehow mixed up with Nicky, seems to believe, but Celeste has every reason to distrust him—even if her heart races whenever Meo shows up.

When Celeste finds Nicky’s notebook, it sends her and Meo on a quest across the broken city, up the coast through towns sheltering quake refugees, and eventually all the way to Florida, where the mission to Mars is about to lift off.

What I liked: This is more than just a book about the hunt for a missing person. In many ways, looking for Nicky is secondary to the plot of Celeste's avoidance of pretty much everything in her life. So this isn't a quest novel in the traditional sense. It is very much a tale of internal growth. As such, Celeste is a strong, dynamic character. She's quite often not likeable but she's relatable.

What I didn't like: The plot takes some slightly fantastic turns, points that stretch the bounds of believability a bit. It never goes too far though. And there is an element of privilege that the book briefly recognizes but never fully comes to terms with.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 

Some of Us are Brave by Saadia Faruqi

This tale of kids surviving in Houston during the floods of Hurricane Harvey promises both physical and emotional turmoil. 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - The Magic of Someday Soon

 

Title: The Magic of Someday Soon

Author: Michelle Lee

Genre: realistic fiction/magical realism

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: The Stars of Whistling Ridge by Cindy Baldwin

Summary (provided by publisher): Zoe longs to one day put down roots. Since her dad’s death, twelve-year-old Zoe September has drifted from place to place with her artist mother, the Up-cycle Magician. Then a new art project for her mom brings them to Maravel, Florida—her dad’s hometown. In Maravel, she discovers a delicious, enchanting secret among the sweet brews of her grandmother’s tea shop. But how will Zoe ever leave when her mom wants to get back on the road?

Teddy dreams of the day she can save her past. Twelve-year-old Teddy Martin has a mission: restore her great-grandparents’ legacy, Fossil Gardens, a theme park of artistic recreations of prehistoric animals. Desperate to rescue the last remaining sculptures, Teddy enlists the Up-cycle Magician’s help before they disappear forever. But with sinkholes threatening to swallow the decaying fossils, is Teddy in over her head?

Never underestimate the magic of someday soon. Things bubble and steam between Zoe and Teddy when they team up. But in working together to save Fossil Gardens, the girls discover something even more special—the possibility of your deepest wishes coming true in unexpected ways and a friendship that feels like home.

What I liked: Both Zoe and Teddy are strong characters, outside of the typical depiction of young girls. There's no boy-crazy or image obsessed characters here. These are girls struggling with their place in the world, with figuring out who they are. And their emotions are strong enough to make for quite compelling reading

What I didn't like: There's not much I don't like about this book. There are perhaps uncomfortable moments in the plot but they are never without purpose. Each moment is chosen to further the plot and it's emotional impact.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

Lies We Tell About the Stars by Susie Nadler - A teen searches for her missing best friend who disappeared during an earthquake.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Magic of Someday Soon by Michelle Lee - A girl always on the move with her artist mother and one desperate to hold onto the world as she knows it work together to save a pair of crumbling statues.

What do you think you'll read next?

Here for a Good Time by Kim Spencer

Godzilla

 I spotted this image while scrolling one day and was immediately inspired. I really wanted to make a plush Godzilla of my own. As luck would have it, I also had some fleece pajama pants that were wearing out that begged to be turned into something fun. I love the combination of the monstrous Godzilla with the playfulness of the reindeer fleece. And I was able to make the arms and legs jointed.

Book review - When Tomorrow Burns

 

Title: When Tomorrow Burns

Author: Tae Keller

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: The Witching Wind by Natalie Lloyd

Summary (provided by publisher): Once there was a tree. For two hundred years, there was a tree. There was a tree. There was a tree. Until the tree fell in a forest--and then there was a book.

When best friends Nomi, Vi, and Arthur were younger, they discovered a book of prophecies. It was so very comforting to know what was coming. But as the kids grew older, they forgot about the book.

Until the final prophecy started coming true.

Now, as seventh grade tests their friendship and wildfires threaten Seattle, the final prophecy promises fire and destruction. Nomi tries everything to prevent calamity. The only problem? She needs help...but Vi's acting strange and Arthur stopped talking to her.

Vi can't tell Nomi, but she's been texting the coolest boy in school, and it's going well--until that boy makes an unexpected request, and she must decide who she wants to be.

Meanwhile, Arthur joined the cross-country team, but he can't outrun the real reason he ended his friendship with Nomi. The best he can do is try to hide it.

As the prophecy escalates, past and present intersect, fate and friendship collide, and secrets spread like wildfire. Together, Nomi, Vi, and Arthur must face the future...even, and especially when it's so uncertain.

What I liked: We're dealing with an excellent cast of characters here. The primary characters, of course, but secondary characters as well. Each one has a distinct, often complex, motivation and approach. While not always likeable, they are realistic. And while this isn't always a comfortable read, the messaging is important without being heavy-handed.

What I didn't like: There are brief scenes from the past that introduce the perspective of trees. While these moments add to the whole narrative, they break up the pacing in a way that can become tiresome.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

When Tomorrow Burns by Tae Keller - Three kids hunt for a book of prophecy in hopes of stopping what could be the end of the world.

What did you recently finish reading?

Paradise Coast by Suzanne Young - In the wake of a storm and increasing unrest, a deeply stratified resort town must confront the secrets of it's past.

What do you think you'll read next?

The Magic of Someday Soon by Michelle Lee

Goblin puppet

 I set out to make a companion for my last puppet. I'm not sure that this one fits the bill but I do love it. I was going for a goblin sort of creature. The ears have a wire that feeds inside of the head so they can move around independently. Since the arms are tiny and purely decorative, the ears can wave and even "grip" things instead.

Book review - Hail Mariam

 

Title: Hail Mariam

Author: Huda Al-Marashi

Genre: realistic fiction

age range: middle grade

Similar book: Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte

Summary (provided by publisher): Sixth grade wasn’t supposed to be this complicated.

Iraqi American Mariam Hassan transfers to a local Catholic school and before her first day her parents remind her that she might be the first Muslim her classmates have ever met. No big deal, right? Just represent an entire religion while making new friends, keeping up with schoolwork, and figuring out who she is.

When Mariam’s younger sister, Salma, is diagnosed with a serious lung condition, her family faces endless doctor visits and sleepless nights. Mariam tries to lighten their burden and keep her own problems to herself—including the fact that she’s just been cast as Mary in the school’s Christmas nativity play.

Mariam wants to honor her faith and her new community, but she’s terrified of crossing a religious line. Can a Muslim girl be the lead in a Christian story? What will her family think? And why does she feel like every decision she makes represents all Muslims?

Mariam discovers that faith, much like friendships, isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. As she leans on her family, friends, and school community, she begins to see the power of interfaith cooperation and learns she doesn’t have to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.

What I liked: Mariam is a strong character. She's responsible and does a lot to take care of herself and her sister, but she's also still a child and her characterization reflects that. Her understanding of the world is very one note and it takes the bulk of the novel for her to gain a more nuanced understanding and start seeing the world as more complex.

What I didn't like: Salma is a more one-note character. She falls victim to the role of a lot of younger siblings in books - she's cute and innocent and has no complexity of her own. She is only there to create conflict and complication for Mariam. While I like the conversation this book introduces about religion and culture, the depth is lacking.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book reveiew - Choir Grrrl

 

Title: Choir Grrrl

Author: Ashley Granillo

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: Sofia Acosta Makes a Scene by Emma Otheguy

Summary (provided by publisher): Thirteen-year-old Alondra was born into a musical family.

Her dad, the former frontman of a famous alt-rock band, expects her and her sisters to follow in his footsteps. The girls have formed their own band, which will open for their dad during his comeback tour.

Despite secretly liking quieter music, Alondra is committed to preparing for the tour. She’ll do whatever it takes: Change the sound of her voice. Suppress her discomfort with some fans’ behavior. Act the part of a hardcore riot grrrl.

But when a classmate invites her to join a choir club, Alondra discovers a new way of making music. Choir lets her express herself in ways that the band doesn’t.

Afraid to upset the delicate balance in her family, Alondra secretly practices with the choir between shows with her sisters’ band―until her secrets are exposed. Will she be forced to choose between her two voices, or can she bring the different parts of her life into harmony?

What I liked: Typically when we have a book about a character with secret interests it's a sharp dichotomy. The parents want one thing for their kid who wants something completely different. I like that this book isn't so sharply defined. It's not that Alondra hates the music she performs with her sisters and only wants to do choir. This is a book that wants to reject rigidity and expectations and give kids space to explore themselves and their identity.

What I didn't like: This was an uncomfortable read for me since I struggle with characters lying and keeping secrets, knowing it's going to blow up in some dramatic way. Still, Granillo allows the mess to build in a natural way and similarly allows plenty of space for reconciliation. This can mean pacing is a bit slow but ultimately the strong characters make up for it. 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

Hail Mariam by Huda Al-Marashi - When her parents send her to a Catholic school, Mariam struggles with schoolwork, her sister's illness, and what it means to be the only Muslim in her school.

What did you recently finish reading?

Choir Grrl by Ashley Granillo - Alondra joins a choir club at school, keeping it a secret from her family who expect her to give her full attention to the alt-rock band she is in with her sisters, following in their father's footsteps.

What do you think you'll read next?

Paradise Coast by Suzanne Young

Pancake Tuesday

 I'm not Catholic. I've never observed Lent. But I love Pancake Tuesday. Who doesn't love an excuse to eat pancakes? This year I had the day off so I decided to make it an extreme Pancake Tuesday by having some form of pancakes at every meal.

Breakfast was mixed berry peanut butter pancakes.

Lunch was stir-fried vegetables with these Xi'an tofu and cabbage stuffed pancakes.

And to go with dinner I made zucchini fritters.

Non-fiction book review - Why Space Will Freak You Out

 

Why Space Will Freak You Out by Kimberly K. Arcand and Megan Watzke

Is the title of this book a bit extreme? Sure. It's certainly designed to play on a kid's fondness for the macabre. But the information it contains is solid. The actual text is informative without hyperbole. With photos and charts throughout there's plenty on each page to engage a reluctant reader.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

Goodbye, French Fry by Rin-rin Yu - A Chinese-American girl navigates difficult classmates, what it means to be Chinese, and the possibility of having to move.

What did you recently finish reading?

Postscript by Cory McCarthy - Some of the last humans figure out how to live when the world is falling apart.

What do you think you'll read next?

Choir Grrl by Ashley Granillo

Book review - Space for Saffron

 

Title: Space for Saffron

Author: Rie Neal

Age range: middle grade

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar book: Maizy Chen's Last Chance by Lisa Yee

Summary (provided by publisher): Curious ten-year-old Saffron Speiser-Green loves science—unfortunately, her “experiments” tend to end in more messes than actual answers. (Just ask the broken alarm clock that’s still at the bottom of her backpack.) Saffron has a plan, though—a blue ribbon in her school’s Project Showcase will show the world she means business.

But when Saffron’s beloved volcano project ruins the walls at Mama’s job and gets her fired, Saffron will do anything to make things right—including helping Mama convince her other mom, Mimi, that they should move to the Silicon Valley to run Gran’s coffee shop. Mama’s dream job is worth giving up the blue ribbon. Right?

Luckily for Saffron, her new friends in the Silicon Valley are busy preparing for a STEM Expo, and Saffron is determined to find a project “smart” enough to show everyone she belongs there. But the coffee shop? No customers, no vision, and…tons of debt. And if it closes, Saffron’s family will have to move again. After a class trip to the STEAMology Museum in San Francisco, though, Saffron knows how to save the café—and what to do for her STEM Expo project. But she’s going to need a lot of help.

What I liked: Saffron is sort of the modern Ramona or Clementine. She's clever and creative but also impulsive to a degree that often gets her into trouble. She is, in short, realistic. And while Saffron is disabled, her hearing issues are not central to the plot. They inform some of her behavior but that's all. It's inclusive without being a capital I issue. It's a relatively quick and engaging read.

What I didn't like: The focus of the plot can be a bit scattered. And it lacks the humor that we often see in impulsive characters. There's not a lot of depth to the plot but it's accessible.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - 16 Forever

 

Title: 16 Forever

Author: Lance Rubin

Age range: teen

Genre: light magical realism

Similar book: Noggin by John Corey Whaley

Summary (provided by publisher): It’s the morning of Carter Cohen’s 16th birthday, and everything’s going his way. 

He’s psyched and ready to get his driver’s license, his little brother’s not hogging the bathroom, and, man, something smells good for breakfast…

But when Carter bounds downstairs, Mom bursts into tears. It happened again. It’s Carter’s 16th birthday—for the sixth time. Every time he’s supposed to turn 17, he loops back a year. His memory gets wiped clean, his body ages backward—the rest of the world moves on, just not him.

Maggie Spear, on the other hand, has been dreading this day ever since she and Carter started dating. When she spies him in the halls and he doesn’t seem to know her at all, it’s obvious that it’s over between them. She can’t be in a relationship with someone who is just going to forget her again and again. Since Carter doesn’t remember that they’re together, then it’s probably better if she just pretends that they never were.

Except Carter senses that there’s more to their story than Maggie’s letting on, and Maggie’s keeping secrets of her own—but in the process of trying to let the other go, they find themselves falling in love all over again.

With Maggie soon leaving for college and Carter’s birthday quickly coming around again, will they be able to find a forever that isn’t stuck at 16? 

What I liked: Essentially, this is a time loop story. While the details of this book are a little different the heart of the plot is the same - Carter must figure out what caused him to loop and correct it, leading him to self-discovery. At least, that's what we think we're getting. The set up certainly suggests that course. But Rubin allows this plot to become much more. Certainly we explore the choices that might have lead to Carter looping. The plot transcends the simple self-discovery though. There's a broader exploration of the importance of communication and the complexities of relationships that allows the plot to move beyond the expected. This is more than simple entertainment.

What I didn't like: Some of the issues in this book are over-simplified. Characters are not especially deeply explored. Really, though, those are minor annoyances. Overall this is a solid read.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Microgreens

 Every year we plant a big garden, a bulk of the vegetables we will eat. Since some of the things I like are a bit more obscure I order some of my seeds which has to be done in December or January. It's a bright spot in the depths of winter, receiving seed packets and making plans for the garden. 

It can also be a problem. Once you have the seeds in hand there's this itch to plant things, to watch things grow and to eat fresh vegetables. The solution - microgreens. Buy some cheap lettuce, spinach, radish, and other edible greens seeds and plant them in a shallow tray of potting soil in a window. The greens won't get very big but you can eat them. And it's a constant reminder that Spring is, in fact, coming.

Book review - A Scar Like a River

 Title: A Scar Like a River

Author: Lisa Graff

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston

Summary (provided by publisher): Fallon Little has a secret—and it’s not how she got the enormous scar that divides her face in two.

Thirteen-year-old Fallon has only ever told one person what really happened on the day she got her scar. Why would she? The truth is dark, and Fallon has much brighter things to focus on, like being cast as the lead in the school play, and hanging out with her two best friends, Trent and Kaia. But when Fallon's uncle Geebie dies, his funeral ignites a wildfire of events that Fallon can't manage to tamp down. The school play is spiraling out of control, Fallon's impossible Aunt Lune comes to live with them, and Trent and Kaia might just be so into each other that there isn't room for Fallon in their friend group any more. And when secrets even worse than the one about Fallon's scar threaten to come to light, Fallon might not have the strength to keep them buried for much longer.

What I liked: This could easily have been a book just about dealing with trauma. Certainly what happened to Fallon informs every decision she makes. But it's not the entirety of the plot. The focus of the book is as much on standing up for yourself, making your voice heard, as it is about trauma. It's also about discovering the consequences of protest. It handles each reveal sensitively and realistically.

What I didn't like: This isn't so much a thing that I didn't like as something to bear in mind when recommending this book. It talks frankly and plainly about abuse. While this is never graphic and doesn't dwell on details, it also doesn't hide what happened to a character behind metaphor or leave us to fill in blanks. It depicts the abuse and the emotional fallout plainly. So be prepared to discuss and help young readers process the events of this novel.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

The Mighty Macy by Kwame Alexander - A verse novel about an anxious girl finding her voice and speaking up for things that matter to her.

What did you recently finish reading?

A Scar Like a River by Lisa Graff - Fallon has three big secrets that she's kept since the day she got her scar. Her uncle Geebie's funeral starts Fallon on a path of confronting her secrets and the changes in her life.

What do you think you'll read next?

Space for Saffron by Rie Neal

Book review - Winter White

 

Title: Winter White

Author: Annie Cardi

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: teen

Similar book: Dust by Alison Stine

Summary (provided by publisher): Pia and her brother, Max, live on an isolated farm in rural Maine, and it’s the only life they remember. Their father says the only way for them to stay protected is to stay on the farm. Pia doesn’t question it. Pia’s entire world turns upside down when her father breaks his leg, and she must be the one to venture into town to make farm deliveries. And then she sees him. Felix, a boy who is both a stranger and somehow familiar, makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself, her past, and her family. But no matter how she feels about Felix, she must always obey her father, above all else.

But Pia's feelings are too big to ignore, and the more she engages with Felix, the more she begins to see that there’s promise for her beyond the isolated world to which she’s grown accustomed. And the more she dreams about a better life, the more she wonders if her father is telling the truth about their family’s past. Pia knows her father and his friend Anthony are hiding something, and soon Pia must reckon with the damage her father is doing to their community and the damage he has done to their own lives.

What I liked:  By basing this book on a lesser-known Shakespeare play (I don't know anyone who would mention The Winter's Tale) Cardi has a plot framework with plenty of room for interpretation. No one is going to be offended by the way this plot is modernized. And it leans heavily into modern issues - specifically the opioid crisis. Pia is a strong relatable character in a fairly believable setting

What I didn't like: While the plot is mostly strong, there are a few points that suffer from having to fit into the framework of the original play. If you don't have the familiarity with the original plot these plot points feel strange and unnecessary. Additionally, the climax of the book is somewhat over the top in it's theatrics. So while it's an interesting exercise and a fun read, I don't know that this book would top my list of recommendations.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Cat toys

 I've been making catnip toys from upcycled t-shirt scraps for several years now and occasionally I like to introduce a new design. Here are a few I've been working on lately.

Graphic Novel Spotlight - Goat Magic

 

Goat Magic by Kate Wheeler

The premise here is a familiar one: a cursed royal and a peasant must break the curse and return the royal to her rightful place. Along the way they learn about each other and gain a greater understanding of their diverse experiences. We can guess a lot of the events from the set-up but that doesn't especially matter. The characters are strong and the art is even stronger. We have a lot of fun details feeding into the plot and the goats are fantastic. Plus we have female characters who are learning about different kinds of strength and who defend themselves. This is a solid choice for the average middle grade reader.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley