Graphic Novel Spotlight - Superman of Smallville

Superman of Smallville by Art Baltazar and Franco Aureliani

Some time ago, I complained that the major comics companies weren't producing child friendly titles with familiar characters, that the rare limited run titles were so dumbed down that it was an insult to the characters. And then DC Comics introduced DC Zoom, an imprint specifically for young readers. These titles usually feature young versions of the heroes. This particular book is a young Clark Kent, just beginning to explore his role as Superman. His concerns are more than just those of the standard kid. He fights villains, faces killer robots. These conflicts are easily resolved and pose no real danger. This book isn't exactly what I wanted but it's a start. 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Non fiction book review - Cryptid Creatures

Cryptid Creatures by Kelly Milner Halls

I find the approach to cryptids in this book refreshing. Halls is fairly scientific. The reader is presented with the history of the creature (generally in the form of eyewitness reports), any tangible evidence like tracks or photographs, and the likelihood of the creature being proven to exist. Through these profiles the reader learns about animal habitats and what is needed for scientific proof. While this book will have the most appeal for cryptid enthusiasts, there are elements the skeptic can enjoy as well.

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Book review - Charlie THorne and the Last Equation

Title: Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation
Author: Stuart Gibbs
Genre: action adventure
Similar books: Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz
                      Jack and the Geniuses by Bill Nye
Rating:

excitement with issues to ponder

Summary (provided by publisher): Charlie Thorne is a genius.
Charlie Thorne is a thief.
Charlie Thorne isn’t old enough to drive.
And now it’s up to her to save the world…
Decades ago, Albert Einstein devised an equation that could benefit all life on earth—or destroy it. Fearing what would happen if the equation fell into the wrong hands, he hid it.
But now, a diabolical group known as the Furies are closing in on its location. In desperation, a team of CIA agents drags Charlie into the hunt, needing her brilliance to find it first—even though this means placing her life in grave danger.
In a breakneck adventure that spans the globe, Charlie must crack a complex code created by Einstein himself, struggle to survive in a world where no one can be trusted, and fight to keep the last equation safe once and for all.

My opinion: The first thing that strikes me about this book is that Charlie is a kid. Yes, she's a genius who does impossible things. But she's ultimately unprepared for violence and terrorism. Being attacked leaves her in pain and in tears. Seeing death leads her to vomit. She mouths off to people and fails to think through her decisions. She's a teen and ultimately makes teen mistakes. Her adventure forces her to look at her life and the decisions she's making, to start considering responsibility and making decisions for more than just her own good. It's puberty on a macro scale. It asks the reader to consider, too, the implications of world altering technology and the responsibility of those who create it.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - The Okay Witch

Title: The Okay Witch
Author: Emma Steinkellner
Genre: magic/graphic novel
Similar books: Haphaven by Norm Harper
                      The City on the Other Side by Mairghread Scott
Rating:

a solid read

Summary (provided by publisher): Magic is harder than it looks.
Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she’s about to discover that witches aren’t just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder’s Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth’s family is at the center of it all! When Moth’s new powers show up, things get totally out-of-control. She meets a talking cat, falls into an enchanted diary, and unlocks a hidden witch world. Secrets surface from generations past as Moth unravels the complicated legacy at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.
In this spellbinding graphic novel debut, Emma Steinkellner spins a story packed with humor and heart about the weird and wonderful adventures of a witch-in-progress.

My opinion: There are a lot of things I like about this story. Yes, there's magic. But it's magic with rules. Moth doesn't just do magic. She has to learn and overextending her abilities has a cost. So does her mother attempting a large spell after years of denying her magic. It's implied that magic takes a toll on the body unless you are acclimated. I also like that the villain isn't straight up evil. We're dealing with inter-generational feuds, a mayor who has been raised on the idea that magic is inherently evil. In another book he'd be totally hard nosed, ready to burn them alive. He's able to see the light, though. Away from the influence of the ghosts, he can be made to see their perspective. A solid story with unique elements and absolutely charming art.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: adoption and foster care

Fiction provides us with an opportunity to explore a variety of family and life situations, to understand a perspective apart from our own. Especially poignant are stories about adoption and foster care. These stories help us to explore what family really means. Here are six stories about adoption and fostering published in the past six months.

6 new stories about adopted or foster kids

1.  How to Make Friends With the Dark by Kathleen Glasgow
2. Extraordinary Birds by Sandy Stark-Mcginnis
3. Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos
4. Hotel Dare by Terry Blau
5. Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia
6. I Have No Secrets by Penny Joelson

Book review - Some Places More Than Others

Title: Some Places More Than Others
Author: Renee Watson
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcarcel
                      Amina's Voice by Hena Khan Rating:

pretty lovable

Summary (provided by publisher): All Amara wants for her birthday is to visit her father's family in New York City--Harlem, to be exact. She can't wait to finally meet her Grandpa Earl and cousins in person, and to stay in the brownstone where her father grew up. Maybe this will help her understand her family--and herself--in new way.
But New York City is not exactly what Amara thought it would be. It's crowded, with confusing subways, suffocating sidewalks, and her father is too busy with work to spend time with her and too angry to spend time with Grandpa Earl. As she explores, asks questions, and learns more and more about Harlem and about her father and his family history, she realizes how, in some ways more than others, she connects with him, her home, and her family.

My opinion: As I read through this book, I was initially unimpressed. The exploration of family secrets is fairly standard. In fact, it has some notable plot failings. There are moments that don't make much sense. Even the inciting incident - Amara's mother is insistent that she is too young to visit New York. Then suddenly, without explanation, she not only changes her mind, she expects Amara to help mend the rift between her father and grandfather. And for a rift that has lasted over a decade, it's resolved quickly, with a calm conversation. I'd also complain that her dad is very dismissive of Amara's feelings regarding her relationship with her mother. Amara says that she feels like she doesn't live up to her mother's expectations, the very thing that lies between the father and grandfather, but the father waves this away. Even with all of these concerns, I still love this book. I love the exploration of the ways that a place make us who we are, that we are more than just our experiences. We are generations of history. And that is a beautiful idea to contemplate.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - More to the Story

Title: More to the Story
Author: Hena Khan
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: The Other Half of Happy by Rebecca Balcarel
                      The Mighty Heart of Sunny St. James by Ashley Herring Blake
Rating:

not as good as I wanted it to be

Summary (provided by publisher): When Jameela Mirza is picked to be feature editor of her middle school newspaper, she’s one step closer to being an award-winning journalist like her late grandfather. The problem is her editor-in-chief keeps shooting down her article ideas. Jameela’s assigned to write about the new boy in school, who has a cool British accent but doesn’t share much, and wonders how she’ll make his story gripping enough to enter into a national media contest.
Jameela, along with her three sisters, is devastated when their father needs to take a job overseas, away from their cozy Georgia home for six months. Missing him makes Jameela determined to write an epic article—one to make her dad extra proud. But when her younger sister gets seriously ill, Jameela’s world turns upside down. And as her hunger for fame looks like it might cost her a blossoming friendship, Jameela questions what matters most, and whether she’s cut out to be a journalist at all...

My opinion: The plot of this book didn't really head any of the places I expected it to go. On the one hand, I like having my expectations subverted. On the other hand, it feels like the plot changed lanes without warning. There were plot elements that were introduced but never resolved. Reading that this was inspired by Little Women certainly adds some context to the plot, but without that background all we have are plot holes. Now, there is some messaging that has a lot of value. Khan introduces the reader to microagressions, to the right way to talk to a seriously ill or grieving person. They'd be better if they'd been integrated naturally into the plot rather than being relayed as instructions by characters.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.