Title: Cape
Author: Kate Hannigan
Genre: historical fiction/superhero
Similar books: The Romeo and Juliet Code by Phoebe Stone
How I Became a Spy by Deborah Hopkinson
Rating:
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| fun and empowering |
Summary (provided by publisher): Josie O’Malley does a lot to help out Mam after her father goes off to fight the Nazis, but she wishes she could do more—like all those caped heroes who now seem to have disappeared. If Josie can’t fly and control weather like her idol, Zenobia, maybe she can put her math smarts to use cracking puzzles for the government.
After an official tosses out her puzzler test because she’s a girl, it soon becomes clear that an even more top-secret agency has its eye on Josie, along with two other applicants: Akiko and Mae. The trio bonds over their shared love of female superhero celebrities, from Hauntima to Zenobia to Hopscotch But during one extraordinary afternoon, they find themselves transformed into the newest (and youngest!) superheroes in town. As the girls’ abilities slowly begin to emerge, they learn that their skills will be crucial in thwarting a shapeshifting henchman of Hitler, and, just maybe, in solving an even larger mystery about the superheroes who’ve recently gone missing.
Inspired by remarkable real-life women from World War II—the human computers and earliest programmers called “the ENIAC Six”—this pulse-pounding adventure features bold action and brave thinking, with forty-eight pages of comic book style graphic panels throughout the book. Readers will want to don their own capes for an adventure, and realize they have the power to be a superhero, too!
My opinion: Hannigan combines the excitement of superheroes, the complexity of life in wartime, and the inspiring tale of early women in STEM into a fun and easy to follow novel for upper elementary kids. These disparate elements don't seem like they would work together well but Hannigan makes it work. In large part this is because the focus is on everyday life. The focus is on people who are dismissive of these girls because of their gender and/or their age. This allows them to easily maintain the double life necessary for a superhero, not to mention the extra demands placed on people due to the war. On it's own, a plot about superheroes during World War II might not be anything special. By adding in a fair amount of historical information about ENIAC and the role of war on the beginnings of the computer age the modern reader can see the connection between this historical plot and their own life. The character development in this book is perhaps a bit thin but it's the first in a series, so we can expect to see increasing complexity in future volumes.
A Likkle Miss Lou by Nadia L. Hohn
I love discovering figures through books. I was utterly unfamiliar with Louise Coverley before reading this little text. And I love the lessons we can take away from her story. Kids need all kinds of heroes, people who come from different places and different backgrounds, who fight for equality of all sorts. Louse Coverley proved that there is art in all sorts of speech, that a person doesn't have to talk a certain way to be respected, intelligent, and artistic. It can be hard to convince a child to read about an unfamiliar figure but Fernandes' illustrations are lovely and compelling. Visual appeal will go a long way to helping this book find an audience.
More information: A Likkle Miss Lou releases August 13.
Advance Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: Mother Tongue
Author: Julie Mayhew
Genre: realistic/literary fiction
Similar books: Trail of Crumbs by Lisa J Lawrence
Miles Away from You by A. B. Rutledge
Rating:
 |
| a lot going on |
Summary (provided by publisher): On the day she brings her sweet little sister, Nika, to school for the first time, eighteen-year-old Darya has already been taking care of her family for years. But a joyous September morning shifts in an instant when Darya’s rural Russian town is attacked by terrorists. While Darya manages to escape, Nika is one of hundreds of children taken hostage in the school in what stretches to a three-day siege and ends in violence. In the confusion and horror that follow, Darya and her family frantically scour hospitals and survivor lists in hopes that Nika has somehow survived. And as journalists and foreign aid workers descend on her small town, Darya is caught in the grip of grief and trauma, trying to recover her life and wondering if there is any hope for her future. From acclaimed author Julie Mayhew comes a difficult but powerful narrative about pain, purpose, and healing in the wake of senseless terror.
My opinion: Be prepared going into this book: it's a long, dense read. And culturally hard to grasp. Russian culture feels especially foreign. Layer on grief and the youthful desire for change and it's a busy plot. Darya is just post high school. She's at a natural transition point. Tragedy derails her attempts to figure out her future. All of her life redefines itself as viewed through a changed lens. Its at this point that the plot shifts, taking her to the city. So the plot is not only about grief, it's about a relative innocent faced with the cruelty and impersonal nature of life in the city. She's used and manipulated, all the while trying to figure out the kind of person she wants to become. These transitions between location and focus were a bit jarring. Foreknowledge of Russian culture and/or the patience for repeat reading would go a long way to understanding the full depth of this book.
More information: Mother Tongue releases August 13.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: The 47 People You'll Meet in Middle School
Author: Kristin Mahoney
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Hundred Percent by Karen Romano Young
The Encyclopedia of Me by Karen Rivers
Rating:
 |
| very readable |
Summary (provided by publisher): Dear Louie,
You've been asking and asking about what middle school is like, but I just thought they were annoying-younger-sister questions. Even though I am almost done with my first year, I can still remember when I thought middle school was a mystery, so I'll try to give you a leg up. I know middle school is a lot to figure out. But since I still haven't worked it all out yet, I'm happy to help as much as I can. That's what big sisters are for.
Love, Gus
Discover the ins and outs of middle school in this guide from an older sister to her younger sister. From tackling a new building to meeting new people like the assistant principal, the class pet, the Huggers, the renegade, the tomato kid, your old best friend's new best friend, this is a must-read for everyone starting middle school.
My opinion: More than any other stage in life, middle school seems to mark a turning point for most kids. Middle school is when they try on new personalities, when some turn mean and others loose their nerve. There is no shortage of books that explore the complex nature of relationships in the middle school years. It can be hard for an individual book to distinguish itself. Mahoney presents us with a strong effort here. The format is unique, presented as a list while still maintaining a linear narrative. The personal and school relationships are interwoven well. The issues associated with the divorce mix with the issues Gus experiences at school. A solid read for young readers, especially those struggling with the middle school transition.
More information: The 47 People You'll Meet in Middle School releases August 6.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
Vote! by Coral Celeste Frazer
The history of Women's Suffrage is important for modern females to understand. It's far longer and more complex than we are lead to believe in school. Frazer walks us step by step through the timeline, introducing us to important figures in the fight and the role they played in getting women the vote. We see how their paths intertwine and diverge, their differing approaches and ideologies. She also doesn't shy away from relaying the darker parts of the story - not only the abuses women faced but also the racism and classism they themselves practiced. We come to understand the influence of various territories and their desire for statehood on the movement on the whole, the complexities of suffrage at odds with emancipation, and various religions on the various attempts to ratify suffrage. This is no simple celebration of activists but an in depth look at a complex and long term struggle.
More information: Vote! releases August 6.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
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.
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.
