Title: Sadia
Author: Colleen Nelson
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Sidetracked by Diana Harmon Asher
A Long Pitch Home by Natalie Dias Lorensi
Rating:
 |
| nicely balanced |
Summary (provided by publisher): Sadia wishes life in high school was as straightforward as a game of basketball.
Fifteen-year-old Sadia Ahmadi is passionate about one thing: basketball. Her best friend Mariam, on the other hand, wants to get noticed by the popular crowd and has started de-jabbing, removing her hijab, at school every morning. Sadia’s mom had warned her that navigating high school could be tricky. As much as she hates to admit it, her mom was right.
When tryouts for an elite basketball team are announced, Sadia jumps at the opportunity. Her talent speaks for itself. Her head scarf, on the other hand, is a problem; especially when a discriminatory rule means she has to choose between removing her hijab and not playing. Mariam, Sadia’s parents, and her teammates all have different opinions about what she should do. But it is Sadia who has to find the courage to stand up for herself and fight for what is right — on and off the court.
My opinion: At first glance, this appears to be an "issue" book. But really, what's wrong with that? A novel is a great way to get young readers to engage with a difficult topic, in this case racism and islamaphobia. But it's also more than that. Nelson uses this platform to explore sportsmanship, the ways we judge people, trauma. Sadia is judged by her appearance, yes, but she also judges Mariam for her decisions without considering her intense personal struggle. She takes actions that she thinks are best for others without considering their opinions. So we're left with some great discussion topics for middle grade readers. All with fairly round characters and easily understood writing.
More information: Sadia releases February 27.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang
I had heard of the Boxer Rebellion but never had the slightest clue what it was about or where it even took place until I read this duo. Yang presents us with the perspectives of two teens: one rebel and one Christian loyalist. Most importantly, each character's story is told completely. We see their motivations and their complete devotion to their cause. We see their lives intersect and the inevitable conflict. There is no editorializing, no clear "right" side. Simply conviction and loss. It's a compelling and complex story, worth reading repeatedly.
Title: When Light Left Us
Author: Leah Thomas
Genre: Sci-fi (but only slightly)
Similar books:Noggin by John Corey Whaley
Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
Rating:
 |
| Best. Book. Ever. |
Summary (provided by publisher): When the Vasquez siblings' father left, it seemed nothing could remedy the absence in their lives . . . until a shimmering figure named Luz appeared in the canyon behind their house.
Luz filled the void. He shot hoops with seventeen-year-old Hank's hands. He showed fourteen-year-old Ana cinematic beauty behind her eyelids. He spoke kindly to eight-year-old Milo. But then Luz left, too, and he took something from each of them. As a new school year begins, Hank, Ana, and Milo must carry on as if an alien presence never altered them. But how can they ever feel close to other people again when Luz changed everything about how they see the world and themselves?
In an imaginative and heartfelt exploration of human--and non-human--nature, Leah Thomas champions the unyielding bonds between family and true friends.
My opinion:Thomas continues to blow me away. I knew within 20 pages that I NEEDED to talk about this book. It can be a little hard to describe. At face value, it's about the aftermath of being possessed by an unknown being. At heart, though, it's about grief. loss, who we thing we are, the people we try to become, familial and romantic relationships, and the ways that other people perceive us. It's a deeply emotional book and Thomas succeeds in connecting us with the central core of characters. Each perspective is distinct and well developed. Some may find it a bit slow to start, but seriously folks hang in there. It's more than worth the effort. My recommendation: read it; love it; pass it along.
More information: When Light Left Us releases February 13
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
This is one of those "necessity is the mother of invention" type craft projects. I have a growing collection of colored pencils and drawing pens. I used to keep them in a plastic tote but I found it frustrating to constantly dig through the bin for the right color. I needed a way to organize my drawing materials by color. I happened to have some crates from clementines among my craft supplies and like everyone I had a number of toilet paper tubes. A little bit of extra cardboard and some hot glue brings all of these things together into a much more manageable arrangement of pencils and pens.
Retellings
seem to be a perennial feature in youth lit. It's a trend that I
wholeheartedly support. I read every one I can get my hands on. Here are
six books published in the last six months
that are either direct retellings or in some way directly influenced by
classical literature.
6 new classically influenced novels
1. Brave Red, Smart Frog by Emily Jenkis
2. The Little Red Wolf by Amelie Flechias
3. Doctor Who: Myths and Legends by Richard Dinnick
4. The Shakespeare Stories by Andrew Mathews and Tony Ross
5. The Great Shelby Holmes Meets Her Match by Elizabeth Eulbert
6. The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray by E. Latimer
Title: The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray
Author: E. Latimer
Genre: Horror
Similar books: Cast No Shadow by Nick Tapalansky
Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty
Rating:
 |
| intriguing |
Summary (provided by publisher): Bryony Gray is becoming famous as a painter in London art circles. But life isn't so grand. Her uncle keeps her locked in the attic, forcing her to paint for his rich clients . . . and now her paintings are taking on a life of their own, and customers are going missing under mysterious circumstances.
When her newest painting escapes the canvas and rampages through the streets of London, Bryony digs into her family history, discovering some rather scandalous secrets her uncle has been keeping, including a deadly curse she's inherited from her missing father. Bryony has accidentally unleashed the Gray family curse, and it's spreading fast.
With a little help from the strange-but-beautiful girl next door and her paranoid brother, Bryony sets out to break the curse, dodging bloodthirsty paintings, angry mobs and her wicked uncle along the way.
My opinion: In and of itself, this is a decent read. While the historical setting (not to mention the need for familiarity with A Picture of Dorian Gray) may be a bit of a barrier for some readers and character development isn't particularly complex, the plot is largely cohesive and follows an internal logic. It's interesting to compare it to the original novel. This novel is intended to be read like a sequel. It's events hinge on events in the original novel. Yet it achieves different ends. Dorian Gray is a morality tale, destruction by vanity and cruelty. Bryony's story, on the other hand, is more traditional horror. Yes, one can glean from it messages about agency and suffering from the sins of those who came before us, but at heart it's a story about out-smarting a curse.
More information: The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray releases February 13
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
I have a friend with whom I exchange weird gifts, often from thrift stores. Stuff like squirrel tongs and creepy bobble heads. And it's that last gift that is relevant in this case. Some people might look at a creepy old man bobble head, say "that's weird", and toss it in a box. I thought "this could be something". Bobble man decided to be Davros, one of many villains in the Doctor Who universe. Davros is sort of half-robot, so he needed some cardboard and hot glue assistance before his final paint job.
