Book review - Down a Dark Path

 

Title: Down a Dark Path

Author: Daniel Mayeri

Genre: mystery/graphic novel

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: the Bad Machinery series by John Allison

Summary (provided by publisher): Lucy and Frida Buford have never stepped foot outside their family farm in the Carolina Inner Banks. It’s the dead of July, and in the midst of yet another boring summer making jam for the family business, the girls are clamoring to be taken to the elusive town they’ve never been allowed to visit. Their father has always said that the outside world is a dangerous place, but danger is closer to home than they even know.

 There’s something in the nearby woods uprooting trees, scaring fish from the water, and scratching at Lucy’s window in the middle of the night. Lucy can’t shake the feeling that there’s a monster out and about—one with two pointy fangs who only comes out at night.

 It's up to these two sisters to discover what this monster wants. But the further they stray from home, the weirder things become. What’s really going on beyond the Buford family farm?

What I liked: This book finds a careful balance between the mysterious and the humorous. We have the central plot of Lucy and Frida which is largely atmospheric and spooky. But we also have the narration of the proprietors of the Bazaar and short bits of their narrative. This combination keeps the more serious central story from becoming too much for young readers. That central story is carefully paced and seeds small bits of the final reveal throughout.

What I didn't like: While the Bazaar story was interesting, the placement of those sections was at times disruptive. Because some of these sections are long it broke the flow of the farm story and I occasionally found it difficult to get back into the main story. 

More Information: Down a Dark Path is the second book in the Bizarre Bazaar series.

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Book review - Bittersweet in the Hollow

 

Title: Bittersweet in the Hollow

Author: Kate Pearsall

Genre: mystery

Age range: teen

Similar book: Needy Little Things by Channelle Desamours

Summary (provided by publisher): In rural Caball Hollow, surrounded by the vast National Forest, the James women serve up more than fried green tomatoes at the Harvest Moon diner, where the family recipes are not the only secrets.

Like her sisters, Linden was born with an unusual ability. She can taste what others are feeling, but this so-called gift soured her relationship with the vexingly attractive Cole Spencer one fateful night a year ago . . . A night when Linden vanished into the depths of the Forest and returned with no memories of what happened, just a litany of questions—and a haze of nightmares that suggest there’s more to her story than simply getting lost.

Now, during the hottest summer on record, another girl in town is gone, and the similarities to last year’s events are striking. Except, this time the missing girl doesn’t make it home, and when her body is discovered, the scene unmistakably spells murder.

As tempers boil over, Linden enlists the help of her sisters to find what’s hiding in the forest . . . before it finds her. But as she starts digging for truth—about the Moth-Winged Man rumored to haunt the Hollow, about her bitter rift with Cole, and even about her family—she must question if some secrets are best left buried.

What I liked: When characters have magical or psychic abilities, I always prefer that to come with clear limits and rules. And that is certainly the case here. Each member of the James family has amazing abilities but there are limits to their powers. They don't suddenly find loophole that help them. And their abilities also have clear consequences. With distinct, flawed characters and a setting that almost becomes a character itself, there's a lot to this book to appreciate.

What I didn't like: The mythology and setting become overly complex at times. While the origins of their abilities are an important aspect of the plot, the exploration of that history can bog down the reading at times. It's a book that takes a little persistence to get through, though it is largely worth the effort.

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Book review - The Secret Astronomers

 

Title: The Secret Astronomers

Author: Jessica Walker

Genre: realistic ficition

Age range: teen

Similar book: Because You'll Never Meet Me by Leah Thomas

Summary (provided by publisher): When a recent transfer student starts keeping her diary in the oldest textbook at the Green Bank High School library, the last thing she expects is to receive a response. Thus begins a sweeping tale of unlikely friendship and long-buried secrets between two secret pen pals at a rural West Virginia high school.

Copernicus is adrift and searching for answers after the sudden death of her mother, and leaving her cosmopolitan life in San Francisco behind. Kepler is a small-town girl with straight A's and big plans to be the first person in her family to go to college, despite her family's modest means. The two girls are so different from one another but united in their goal to solve a mystery that has riddled Green Bank for decades.

What I liked: At face value, this is a book about two very different teens trying to find out the secret in their town's past, but ultimately that mystery plays only a small role. Mostly this is a book about teens who are able to be truly honest with each other and be their genuine selves. Their interactions reveal their prejudices and blind spots and their anonymity allows them to be bluntly honest. The junk journal style allows for new discoveries on every page.

What I didn't like: While the format is novel and the pacing is quick, the back and forth can be a little tiresome and the moralizing a bit heavy handed. The final section, where the mystery finally takes the forefront, is a bit of an abrupt tonal shift and relies a bit too much on coincidence.

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Non-fiction book review - Why is Ramyeon Soup So Delicious?

 

Why is Ramyeon Soup So Delicious? by Lee Duckhwan and Seok Wonkyung

Like most people I took a chemistry class. But it never meant much to me. While I could understand in broad strokes that chemistry helps us understand the world, it didn't seem particularly applicable. Maybe I'd have felt differently if I'd had books like this one. Duckhwan and Wonkyung break down the science behind everyday things. We learn the chemistry of receptors and hormones, of how different chemicals interact with our bodies. The text is easily understood and can be read in big chunks or in small doses.

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Non-fiction book review - Science Comics

 

Computers: How Digital Hardware Works by Perry E. Metzger, Penelope Spector, and Jerel Dye

When it comes to understanding the science behind basically everything, it's hard to go wrong with the Science Comics series. While each volume takes a different approach information is always central. I'm especially fond of this one. For one thing, it doesn't try too hard to create a narrative. The science of computers is intimidating and trying to force it into a story would be too much. Instead we have a dynamic narrator who is simply focused on teaching us the science. Each concept is carefully relayed with plenty of real life examples to reinforce concepts. While the information remains dense it's more digestible in this format.

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Non-fiction book review - Defeated

 

Defeated by Martin Gitlin

Let's be real - politics aren't a huge selling point for young readers. Most of us don't have a great deal of interest in modern politics, much less historical. And candidates who lost aren't especially compelling reading. For the average person this is going to be a brief curiosity. While the text is quite readable the interest level is low so it's best absorbed in short bursts - read a single profile and put it down for a while. If you have a particular interest in the political system and how it has changed this makes for a solid resource as we explore shifts in political parties and the particulars of how our voting system has shifted.

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Book review - Scarlet Morning

 

Title: Scarlet Morning

Author: ND Stevenson

Genre: adventure

Age range: middle grade

Summary (provided by publisher): Viola and Wilmur have been waiting for their parents for fifteen boring years in the colorless town of Caveat. Their lives are a drudge of salt, trash, pirate stories, and what-ifs . . . until one very stormy night, when Captain Cadence Chase breaks down their door. They cut a deal with the captain: Chase can take their most prized possession, a mysterious book, but only if she takes them, too. After all, if their parents aren’t coming, Viola and Wilmur might as well have a grand adventure to find them.

Setting sail into the treacherous and beautiful world beyond Caveat, the two inseparable friends must uncover the facts behind legend—and the key to saving all of Dickerson’s Sea from obliteration—before the truth tears them apart.

What I liked: Stevenson's signature wry humor comes across nicely in this all text novel. We have a complex world with rules that we don't always understand but the intricacies are slowly laid out in a way that feels natural to the plot. The emotions are understated but realistic and the humor never gets in the way of the heart of the story.

What I didn't like: It's a bit slow to start. While the characters become more complex and complete as the book progresses, they are fairly basic in the early chapters. It feels like it takes a bit too long for the novel to find it's footing, like it doesn't initially take itself seriously enough.

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Book review - We're Not Safe Here

 

Title: We're Not Safe Here

Author: Rin Chupeco

Genre: horror

Age Range: teen

Similar book: What the Woods Took by Courtney Gould

Summary (provided by publisher): Wispy Falls is safe. The town motto is even "You'll be safe here!" But you aren't safe in the woods that surround the town. In the woods there are monsters. People go missing in the woods. And sometimes the monsters don't stay in the woods…maybe you aren't that safe in Wispy Falls.
A seventeen-year-old vlogger known as Storymancer is determined to get to the bottom of what's wrong in his town. A few years ago, his little brother went missing in the woods and no one, not even his parents, seemed to care enough to try and find him.
But for the first time, an actual body has been found in the woods, and Storymancer is using the opportunity to uncover the rotten core at the heart of Wispy Falls. To investigate the monsters that lurk in the shadows, and the people in town who might just want the monsters there after all.

What I liked: Chupeco has found a careful balance between horror and humor, leaning into the absurdity of a horror scenario but allowing the creepy atmosphere to keep the reader on edge. The novel masters jump scares in a way reminiscent of a horror movie. The air of the book is akin to a Jordan Peele movie.

What I didn't like: While the mixed format approach allows this book to stand out from the crowd it doesn't allow for a deep connection with the characters. They never feel like real people so we care less about what happens to them. While the concept held a lot of promise it feels like it is never truly realized.
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Book review - The Witching Wind

 

Title: The Witching Wind

Author: Natalie Lloyd

Genre: magical realism

Age Range: middle grade

Similar book: Savvy by Ingrid Law

Summary (provided by publisher):Eleven-year-old Roxie was excited to start sixth grade... until a mortifying incident at a pool party turns her into a middle school laughingstock. Roxie can't imagine enduring a full year of bullying and body shaming, so when her country music star Granny invites Roxie to join her on tour, she jumps at the chance to leave her troubles behind. But then Granny--who's been struggling with memory loss--goes missing, leaving Roxie without an escape plan... and without her best friend.

Grayson doesn't mind being sent to yet another foster home. Her older sister, Beanie, is about to turn eighteen, which means she'll be able to become Grayson's guardian. It won't be long until they live in the same house again. It won't be long until they get to be a real family. But when Beanie's birthday finally arrives, she doesn't show up to collect Grayson. She doesn't respond to calls or texts. It's almost like she's just... vanished.

Roxie knows Granny would never leave without saying goodbye. And Grayson is certain Beanie would never abandon her. So when the new friends learn about the Witching Wind that "steals" what people love most, Roxie and Grayson are certain they've discovered the truth. Granny and Beanie didn't just disappear--they were taken. And it's up to Roxie and Grayson to outwit the Witching Wind before it's too late.

What I liked: The characters here are strong. Roxie is a fairly standard middle grade girl: once cheerful and believing in possibilities but now hurt and bewildered by the changes in her peers. Grayson is delightfully aggressive and grumpy. She's no Pollyanna, not a disabled kid who is simply too good. These are kids full of flaws and struggles that they are trying to muddle through on their own. 

What I didn't like: At first I wasn't fond of the magical elements in the book. The titular wind felt a step too far. If it had been the sole focus of the book it may not have held much appeal. Since Lloyd instead makes the characters and their relationships the center and the wind only a tool for exploring larger themes I became more comfortable with those elements. It may still be a stretch for some but it's worth the effort.

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Non-fiction book review - The Lost Women of Science

 

The Lost Women of Science by Melina Gerosa Bellows and Katie Hafner

At first glance this is a fairly expected book - a series of profiles of women and their contributions to science. What sets this one apart is depth. These are not quick overviews. We learn at least a little about each woman's background and the importance of their contributions. Even more than that, we learn why they are overlooked. With multiple fields of science represented there is a fair range of information here. If you have any interest in lesser-known history this book is probably worth a look.

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Book review - Finding Lost

 

Title: Finding Lost

Author: Holly Goldberg Sloan

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: Gooseberry by Robin Gow

Summary (provided by publisher): Cordy Jenkins is searching for something that will change her life, and for the safety that vanished when her father died. She is convinced that if she just tries hard enough, she will find part of what her family lost, which will stop her mom from wanting to leave the small town she and her little brother have always called home. What Cordy finds instead is a muddy, hungry little dog with bad breath. And he's the start of her family's new beginning.

What I liked: The characters here are strong and realistic. Cordy and her family aren't perfect. Each person has enough flaws to ring true as real people. Their emotions are complex. It's a relatable story with reasonable scope.

What I didn't like: The plot is a bit idealized and predictable. A kid going through a rough patch connecting with a dog is a familiar plot and we generally know where such plots are headed. While it doesn't stand out dramatically from the crowd it remains pleasant and readable.

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Book review - Alice Eclair, Spy Extraordinaire

 

Title: Alice Eclair, Spy Extraordinaire - A Recipe for Trouble

Author: Sarah Todd Taylor

Genre: mystery

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: A Case of Grave Danger by Sophie Cleverly

Summary (provided by publisher): Baker by day, spy by night — Alice Éclair leads an exciting double life!
A mysterious message sends Alice on a mission aboard France's most glamorous train, the Sapphire Express . Alice must sneak on board posing as a pastry chef and discover which passenger is an enemy agent before they reach their final stop. But everyone on the train seems to be hiding something...
Armed with her whisk, her wits, and her will to succeed, Alice has a spy to catch.

What I liked: For a child spy, Alice is a suprisingly believable character. While she is exceptionally skilled, her reactions are appropriate for a child her age. She's not unflappable, unable to be manipulated. She's a kid, and a likeable one at that. The stakes are high without ever becoming too much for a young reader.

What I didn't like: The setting is war-time France. While that's interesting to me it might be a hard sell for a young reader. Still, Taylor handles it well and keeps us engaged.

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Non-fiction book review - Rebels, Robbers, and Radicals

 

Rebels, Robbers, and Radicals by Teri Kanefield

This book is more than just a simple break down of the contents of the Bill of Rights (as I had somewhat expected). Certainly each section presents us with the text of each amendment. More importantly, we are given examples of how each amendment has been interpreted throughout history. We see how Supreme Court cases and their decisions have influenced our understanding of our rights as they currently stand. This is a somewhat dense read but will go a long way to helping young readers understand their rights.

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Book review - Story Spinners

 

Title: Story Spinners    

Author: Cassandra Federman

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: young middle grade

Similar book: Stella and Marigold by Annie Barrows

Summary (provided by publisher): Big sister Kennedy and little sister Devon couldn’t be more different. Their shared room has a clear divide down the middle. On one, musical theater–loving Kennedy keeps things tidy. On the other, heavy metal fan Devon looks like she lives in an exploded toy store. When baby sister Eve moves in, her contribution is crying. Constant. Ear-piercing. Crying.

The added stress pushes the older girls to their breaking point, and they get into their biggest fight yet. In response, Mom and Dad crack down, seizing all beloved electronics until Kennedy and Devon can find a way to get along. Now stuck together with no distractions except Eve’s screaming, the two land on a desperate solution: tell Eve a bedtime story so epic that it puts her to sleep and gets her big sisters out of trouble.

Pizza aside, the only thing the girls have in common is their love of stories. But Kennedy’s fairy tales make Devon want to barf, and Devon’s nonsensical adventure stories make Kennedy want to tear her hair out. So they try to mash-up a story of true love, adventure, princesses, pirates, pirate-princesses, dragons, spiders, and…garbage trucks?

That’s a lot of story to spin. Will their hilarious fairy tale remix solidify their sisterly bond or break it forever after?

What I liked: Kennedy and Devon are distinct characters. And anyone who's ever had to share a space with a vastly different sibling will relate to this plot. While the girls' reactions are a bit extreme, the plot is well paced and mostly playful.

What I didn't like: The resolution of the difference between the sisters is perhaps oversimplified but it makes for a quick read. It doesn't dig deep into the issues or introduce many complications.

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Book review - Billions to Burn

 

Title: Billions to Burn

Author: Taylor Banks

Genre: adventure

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton

Summary (provided by publisher): Twelve-year-old Zeus Jones is just about the only person in the world who believes in his grandfather’s stories about the Harlem Renaissance. To be fair, they are a bit far-fetched. After all, what are the chances that there was a renowned magazine called Burn! whose headquarters literally burned down, destroying almost every single copy? And who would believe that a secret page was actually hidden amongst the ashes, said to be the key to unlocking a lost fortune? No one, that’s who. 

But when Zeus accidentally stumbles upon the secret page on the same day that his grandfather disappears without a trace, he finally has proof that his grandfather’s stories are more than just stories—they’re real. And now he knows that the secret page is more than just a secret page—it’s a treasure map, leading to a prize beyond all imagining. 

Follow the map, find the treasure, save his grandfather. Seems simple enough. But as Zeus and his friends work to solve the riddles of the map, long-buried secrets about the Harlem Renaissance, Black history, and Zeus’s own family are unraveled. And what’s more, they aren’t the only ones intent on seizing this prize. . .

What I liked: Banks deftly blends adventure and puzzle solving with elements of Black history, both positive and negative. As the characters work through the puzzles they discuss often overlooked people and events, moments of both tragedy and triumph. They address systemic racism and kinds of privilege in equal measure. This is not only an exciting story, it is an important one for discussion.

What I didn't like: The plot is often over the top, especially as regards the more villainous characters. And while the central characters are reasonably complex, many of the others are rather flat. If you're big into puzzle stories this is a decent choice but it won't suit everyone.

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Book review - Maeve Mulvaney Has Had Enough

 

Title: Maeve Mulvaney Has Had Enough

Author: Kelly Mangan

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution by Sherri Winston

Summary (provided by publisher): Fourteen-year-old Maeve feels more at home in the pages of her comics and sketchbook than she does in "Nowhereville" (her maybe-not-so-nice nickname for the small Florida town where her family just moved). In the comic-book version of her life, she's a brave superhero who always bests the bad guys. In reality? Not so much. 

When a bully at her new school makes her life miserable over her weight (and a sexist teacher defends him), Maeve isn’t sure what to do. Her mom thinks she should just cheer up, brush it off, and stay positive. But then Maeve hears from other misfit eighth graders who are also being picked on, and she decides that enough is enough.

Drawing inspiration from her comics, Maeve creates a feminist superhero club, hoping she and her new friends can inspire meaningful change in their community. But it turns out, fighting back without becoming the bully yourself is harder than it seems…

What I liked: Maeve's issues are complex. While she is largely victimized, she does bear some responsibility for things that happen to her. And the actions she takes aren't always admirable. Even when she makes the wrong choice, though, we can see what lead her to those actions. And the adults in her life are not blameless. There is the suggestion that empathy and social responsibility are lifelong processes.

What I didn't like: Some of the situations are a bit too extreme, the offenses so egregious as to be hard to believe. While these movements are few and far between, they don't go unnoticed.

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Non-fiction book review - Jellyfish Scientist

 

Jellyfish Scientist by Michelle Cusolito

I love a picture book biography as a way of introducing a figure. This is probably all going to be new information for most readers. Personally, I had never heard of Maude Delap and she's now top of my list of people to learn more about. This book does more than just tell us about the scientist, though. Through a surprisingly brief text with accessible vocabulary we learn not just about Delap but the process she used for studying jellyfish. So we get history, biology, and a breakdown of the scientific method all in one charming book.

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Book review - The Pecan Sheller

 

Title: The Pecan Sheller

Author: Lupe Ruiz-Flores

Genre: historical fiction

Age range: upper middle grade

Similar book: Rima's Rebellion by Margarita Engle

Summary (provided by publisher): In 1930s San Antonio, thirteen-year-old Petra dreams of going to college and becoming a writer.

But with her beloved father dead, two younger siblings to care for, and with a stepmother struggling to make ends meet, Petra has to drop out of school to shell pecans at a factory. Hoping it's only temporary, she tries not to despair over the grueling work conditions. But after the unhealthy environment leads to tragedy and workers' already low wages are cut, Petra knows things need to change. She and her coworkers go on strike for higher wages and safer conditions, risking everything they have for the hope of a better future.

What I liked: There's a clear progression of Petra's relationships both with her stepmother and with her job. We see how circumstance and the impetuous nature of youth drive her towards protest and also gain a clear understanding of the reluctance and situations that keep people in and unfair environment.

What I didn't like: The narrative is a bit too sparse at times, stating plainly what could be conveyed through "showing". We are never living the situation with the characters but are always quite aware that we are reading.

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Book review - A Day at the Beach

 

Title: A Day at the Beach

Author: Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: You are Here edited by Ellen Oh

Summary (provided by publisher): Here’s what’s so cool about the beach. Kids are everywhere! Kids you know, kids you want to know. Wandering from one blanket to another, from one family to another. Somebody’s mom reads a fat summer novel. Somebody’s dad snores with an iPad on his chest. Babies cry. Girls laugh. Frisbee players whoop! Kites in the perfect blue sky.  

Some kids bodysurf. Some don’t even like the water. They build sand cities for their friends and sand jails for the grown-ups, and when the tide comes in everything gets washed away. 

There’s the other world, where all kids hear is tomorrow, next week, next year. And then there’s the beach, where everything is right now! 

Why can’t every day be a day at the beach?

What I liked: With Schmidt and Koertge behind the narrative you know you're headed for tight, carefully chosen prose and emotional depth. This book is more of a collection of connected vignettes than a regular narrative so we never follow a character for long, but each moment is well explained and has its own impact over all.

What I didn't like: Since each vignette is quite short, there are moments when we are definitely left wanting more, storylines that are woefully incomplete.

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Non-fiction book review - Rise and Fall

 

Rise and Fall by Peter Allen

When we learn ancient history in school, we tend to learn very little. We get a few broad strokes on the "most important" civilizations, their contributions, and what came after them. This book is far more complete than anything I (at least) learned in grade school. Not only does it include exploration of a broad range of civilizations, many of which are often completely ignored by text books, but it looks both at the contributions and likely causes of their eventual collapse. If you have even a passing interest in history, this is a solid read.

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