Pick 6: history

I'm a fan of historical fiction for all ages, but especially for middle grade readers. I've always found historical fiction to be a good way to make a personal connection with a history lesson. It personalizes dry facts. Here are six historical fiction books, mostly for middle grade readers, published in the last six months.

6 New Historical novels

1. Voices by David Elliot
2. Angel Thieves by Kathi Appelt
3. Julius Zebra: Entangled with the Egyptians by Gary Northfield
4. The Ballad of Yaya by Jean-Marie Omont
5. Lenny's Book of Everything by Karen Foxlee
6. Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos

Non fiction book review - Ada Lovelace and the Number-Crunching Machine

Ada Lovelace and the Number-Crunching Machine by Zoe Tucker

Picture book biographies can sometimes oversimplify a person's life, especially glossing over the more negative aspects. Tucker certainly doesn't take that route. We're told how Ada inherited negative personality traits from both her parents. She's described as moody and short tempered. But we also see how her determination and mathematical mind lead her to take a vague description for a calculating machine and develop a programing language to achieve that goal, drawing up designs and figuring out logistics. A great choice for a young reader needing a little inspiration.

More information: Ada Lovelace and the Number-Crunching Machine releases September 3.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - The Art of Taxidermy

Title: The Art of Taxidermy
Author: Sharon Kernot
Genre: historical fiction/verse novel
Similar books: Voices by David Elliot
                      Ebb and Flow by Heather Smith
Rating:

artistic, but not for everyone

Summary (provided by publisher): A heartbreaking verse novel about love and death, grief and beauty, and the very individual ways we make sense of it all.
Lottie, the daughter of German migrants, develops a fascination for death after losing her mother at a young age. When Lottie begins collecting dead animals, her aunt tries to redirect her energies into more 'feminine' activities. But her father encourages her interest, recognizing a scientist's curiosity.

My Opinion: I'm a big fan of verse novels, especially when the bulk of the plot focus on a character's inner journey or self exploration. When the author is good at imagery, making us feel along with the character it transcends story to become art. And that's certainly the case here. Even when I wasn't clear on the context of a moment, when I was confused about he actual plot, I was sharing Lottie's experience. A little more context for the setting and events in the world at large would have been nice. But this is a book to read more for how it's being told than what is being told. That style won't work for everyone but I enjoyed it.

More Information: The Art of Taxidermy releases August 23.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - The Other Half of Happy

Title: The Other Half of Happy 
Author: Rebecca Balcarcel
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly
                      Beyond the Green by Sharlee Mullins Glenn
Rating:

lots to think about here

Summary (provided by publisher): Quijana is a girl in pieces. One-half Guatemalan, one-half American : When Quijana's Guatemalan cousins move to town, her dad seems ashamed that she doesn't know more about her family's heritage. One-half crush, one-half buddy : When Quijana meets Zuri and Jayden, she knows she's found true friends. But she can't help the growing feelings she has for Jayden. One-half kid, one-half grown-up : Quijana spends her nights Skyping with her ailing grandma and trying to figure out what's going on with her increasingly hard-to-reach brother.
In the course of this immersive and beautifully written novel, Quijana must figure out which parts of herself are most important, and which pieces come together to make her whole. This lyrical debut from Rebecca Balcarcel is a heartfelt poetic portrayal of a girl growing up, fitting in, and learning what it means to belong.

My opinion: In our culture, there's this push for imigrants to assimilate. This can leave them and their children in a cultural limbo, not really fitting in with the general public but clearly isolated from their own family. Add in general struggles to fit in when you're in your middle school years, family with health problems, the worries that can come along with having a neuro-atypical sibling and you have a fair amount to explore in this book. Perhaps, one might argue, too much, especially when you add in first crushes and increasingly complex lies. This is not a comfortable read and doesn't resolve in neat and tidy ways. But it has a ring of truth that will resonate with middle graders.

More information: The Other Half of Happy releases August 20
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Picture books for everyone

Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle by Laura Purdie Salas

 Salas gives the reader a simple introduction to a surprising number of animals and their winter survival techniques in this little book. The illustrations and rhyming text will appeal to even the very young. Older children will learn a great deal from the text and the appendix.

More information: Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle releases September 3.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non fiction book review - Just Like Beverly

Just Like Beverly by Vicki Conrad

I read a lot of Cleary growing up. Basically every book I could get my hands on but I never read a biography. This one really spoke to me. We get the clear parallels between Beverly's early life and the characters she created. It's a biography in the vein of "famous people are just people". Beverly Cleary had no special training or background in writing. She was simply someone who saw a need and set herself to the task of fulfilling that need. The text is engaging but easy to understand. And I love that Hahn's illustrations are reminiscent of the original Cleary book illustrations.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - Cassandra Steps Out

Title: Cassandra Steps Out
Author: Isabelle Bottier
Genre: graphic novel
Similar books: Rise of the Zelphire by Karim Friha
                      Jonesy by Sam Humphries
Rating:

a quick read, could be better

Summary (provided by publisher): Cassandra has a gift. Animals can show her what they're thinking. And she's done keeping her talent a secret. In the first volume of the Cassandra: Animal Psychic series, Cassandra sets out to help pets and their people.
The trouble is, other parts of Cassandra's life are changing too. Her mom has a boyfriend she really likes, but his daughter can't stand Cassandra. And Cassandra's best friend is about to leave town. Not even her trusty dog Miss Dolly can make things feel okay. When Cassandra gets on the trail of a lost cat, will she be able to help its owners? Or will her first case be a flop?

My opinion: The cover image and concept skew towards a young middle grade audience, though Cassandra herself is a teen. The actual line to line writing is fairly stiff. Additionally, there are a number of side plots that remain under-developed. This was an idea with a fair amount of potential that is simply never realized. It's possible that future volumes will make it stronger. Decent for simple entertainment but I wouldn't go out of my way to seek it out.

More Information: Cassandra Steps Out releases September 3.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.