Killer Style by Serah-Marie McMahon and Alison Matthews David
With every industry there is value in examining the dark side. Sure, fashion has value. It tells us about culture, can be a vehicle for change. It can also be incredibly dangerous. McMahon and David take us through several examples of the dangers. We see the physical dangers of wearing fashions like restricted movement and fire hazards; dangers in production like industrial poisons and factory conditions; social dangers like sweat shops. The cases span a range of history and are careful to point out any myths connected to each story. It's a fascinating read and would be a good choice for teens and tweens with an interest in fashion or social justice.
More information: Killer Style releases April 15.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
Title: The Next Great Paulie Fink
Author: Ali Benjamin
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Surviving the Applewhites by Stephanie Tolan
Operation Frog Effect by Sarah Sheerger
Rating:
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| A pleasant read |
Summary (provided by publisher): When Caitlyn Breen begins her disorienting new life at the rural Mitchell School--where the students take care of real live goats and study long-dead philosophers, and where there are only ten other students in the entire seventh grade--it seems like nobody can stop talking about some kid named Paulie Fink.
Depending on whom you ask, Paulie was either a hilarious class clown, a relentless troublemaker, a hapless klutz, or an evil genius. One thing's for sure, though: The kid was totally legendary. Now he's disappeared, and Caitlyn finds herself leading a reality-show-style competition to find the school's next great Paulie Fink. With each challenge, Caitlyn struggles to understand a person she never met...but it's what she discovers about herself that most surprises her.
Told in multiple voices, interviews, and documents, this funny, thought-provoking novel from the bestselling author of The Thing About Jellyfish is a memorable exploration of what makes a hero--and if anyone, or anything, is truly what it seems.
My opinion: Initially, I wasn't a fan of this book. I found Caitlyn frustrating. She constantly judges everyone and everything around her. Admittedly her new school is atypical but she seem determined to be unhappy there, unwilling to try out anything new. The constant negativity is grating. Things start to turn a corner when her classmates call her out on her attitude. And it was around this time that I realized I had become emotionally engaged in the plot. I cared about these characters and their school, their growing understanding of bullying and the difference between a person's true self and their public front. These are largely standard topics for middle grade fiction but are masterfully handled by Benjamin in a story enjoyable to read and re-read.
More information: The Next Great Paulie Fink releases April 16.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Speechless by Adam P. Schmitt
Grief is a complicated thing. Especially when you didn't particularly like the deceased person. Schmitt takes the reader through those complex emotions in a darkly humorous, often uncomfortable, but ultimately edifying way.
Doctor Who Archives Volume 3 by Tony Lee
Doctor Who is always a solid read and perfect for the late night hours (when I actually read this, before falling asleep for a couple of hours - whoops!). Adventure and humor without a lot of complex though. This collection introduces a number of new characters, a couple of complete story arcs, and contains the conclusion of a larger arc as well.
An Assassin's Guide to Love and Treason by Virginia Boecker
I think my favorite part about this book is the insanity it paints around the original productions of Shakespeare plays. Constant changes to the text during rehearsal. Men dressed as women and, at times, playing up that reality. The historical context of the plot to assassinate the queen was certainly interesting but it couldn't hold a candle to the image of Shakespeare wandering around like a madman, needlessly inventing words.
My Life as a Diamond by Jenny Manzer
I'm not a sports oriented person. At all. So I generally avoid sports themed books. The exception: when sports are a metaphor for a greater life lesson. And that's the case here. I find that baseball, in particular, is often used as a life metaphor and it works for me. This is a delightful, heartwarming story of self-acceptance and rising above other people's judgement.
It Wasn't Me by Dana Alison Levy
Breakfast Club meets school mystery. A disparate group of middle schoolers realize they don't know much about each other as they are forced to work through which of them committed an act of bullying. My expectations were pretty low but Levy blew me away. While the resolution is exactly what you might expect, the journey is worth it.
