Book review - The Case of the Missing Hippo

Title: The Case of the Missing Hippo
Author: Laura James
Genre: mystery
Similar books: Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure by Alex T Smith
                      Didi Dodo, Future Spy by Tom Angelberger
Rating:

a fun early mystery

Summary (provided by publisher): In a small town on the banks of Lake Laloozee lives the world's greatest flamingo detective. His name is Fabio. He's not tall or strong, but slight and pink. And he's very, very clever.
When Fabio and his giraffe associate Gilbert drop in to the Hotel Royale for a relaxing glass of lemonade (pink, naturally), Fabio is persuaded to judge the hotel's talent contest. But when the most promising contestant--Julia the jazz-singing hippopotamus--goes missing, Fabio must put his thinking cap back on and solve the mystery!

My opinion: Mysteries for young readers can be tricky. You want stakes that the reader will care about, clues that make sense without being too obvious, red herrings that add complexity but not unnecessary confusion. This particular book is charming. The clues are more obscured than is typical for an elementary level mystery. This might make it frustrating for a young detective. I'll be interested to see what James does with further volumes in this series.

More information: The Case of the Missing Hippo releases August 6.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying

Title: A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: Briar and Rose and Jack by Katherine Coville
                      The Goblin's Puzzle by Andrew S Chilton
Rating: 

a solid read

Summary (provided by publisher): Twelve-year-old Rowan is destined to be Queen; her twin brother, Rhydd, to be Royal Monster Hunter. Rowan would give anything to switch places, but the oldest child is always next in line, even if she is only older by two minutes. She resigns herself to admiring her monster hunting aunt's glorious sword and joining her queen mother for boring diplomatic teas. But tragedy shatters the longstanding rule, and Rowan finds herself hunting the most dangerous monster of all: a gryphon. 
Accompanied by a feisty baby jackalope and a giant wolf that barely tolerates her, Rowan sets off on a journey that will see her join other unlikely allies: a boy with monster-hunting ambitions of his own, and a girl hiding dangerous motives. It will take all of Rowan's skills, both physical and diplomatic, to keep this adventure on track. The future of her kingdom depends on it.

My opinion: All of the elements necessary for a solid team-up novel are present here: characters from different worlds , with vastly different perspectives, must find a way to work together for their survival. They initially hate each other but come to realize this is simply because they don't understand each other. Once they are able to recognize their biases they begin to learn from one another and find the ways their strengths compliment each other. The structure is a familiar one and doesn't deviate much from expected territory. There are underlying messages of the restrictions of societal expectation, environmentalism, and centrist politics. The characters are likeable though somewhat thinly portrayed. Given that this is the first in a planned series, there's plenty of room for growth here and I look forward to seeing the directions Armstrong takes it.

More information: A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying releases August 6. 
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Pick 6: Mythological Beings

Goblins, elves, unicorns. Is there anything more fun to speculate about than mythological creatures? I mean, Harry Potter got a whole school subject about them. Authors often incorporate them into their stories, even when they don't really explore magic. Here are six books featuring mythological beings published in the past six months.

Six new books with mythological beings

1. Haphaven by Norm Harper
2. Ivy and the Goblins by Katherine Coville
3. Pilu of the Woods by Mai Nguyen
4. Ghost Hog by Joey Weiser
5. Forever Neverland by Susan Adrian
6. Knighthood for Beginners by Elys Dolan

Book review - The Boy at the Back of the Class

Title: The Boy at the Back of the Class
Author: Onjali Q Rauf
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Joseph's Big Ride by Terry Farrish
                      Drita, My Homegirl by Jenny Lombard
Rating:

well intentioned, less well executed

Summary (provided by publisher): There used to be an empty chair at the back of Mrs. Khan's classroom, but on the third Tuesday of the school year a new kid fills it: nine-year-old Ahmet, a Syrian refugee.
The whole class is curious about this new boy--he doesn't seem to smile, and he doesn't talk much. But after learning that Ahmet fled a Very Real War and was separated from his family along the way, a determined group of his classmates bands together to concoct the Greatest Idea in the World--a magnificent plan to reunite Ahmet with his loved ones.
Balancing humor and heart, this relatable story about the refugee crisis from the perspective of kids highlights the community-changing potential of standing as an ally and reminds readers that everyone deserves a place to call home. 

My opinion: I'm entirely on board with Rauf's aim with this book. Personally, though, I found the approach to be a misstep. There's a little too much "it's precious when kids misunderstand". The innocence of youth lighting the way for self-interested adults. That kind of thing. Adults may find that sweet but it doesn't always land with young readers. Even though I find the line by line reading less than ideal, though, I sill recommend this book. Because not enough authors are writing about refugees and the impact of war for a young audience. We need to see the stresses of refugees, the difficulty of fighting in to a new culture, especially when the media is full of voices condemning your very existence. Rauf even manages to add in messages about the complexity of dealing with bullies for kids and adults. This is a book that will speak to the right kid at the right moment.

More information: The Boy at the Back of the Class releases August 6
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Finish Line

That's it for me this read-a-thon. In the past 48 hours I read 25 hours and 29 minutes. I had hoped to hit 30 but had a couple of things come up that took me away from my books. 

In that time frame I read 11 complete books (one as audio) and started two others I've not completed yet.

Book 11 Complete - Comics Squad

Comics Squad: Lunch edited by Jennifer L Holm and Matthew Holm

Kid's favorite comic artists come together to create this collection of stories on the theme of lunch. These quick stories will entertain and just might introduce young readers to new authors.

Book 10 Complete - The Apostles' Creed

The Apostles' Creed by R. Albert Mohler

I had some reservations about starting a theological exploration this late in a readathon, but it turns out my fears were largely unfounded. While Mohler's exploration is thorough, it's also clear. He breaks down the Creed phrase by phrase, examining it's meaning and providing ample evidence of it's Biblical truth.