Book review - Clean Getaway

Title: Clean Getaway
Author: Nic Stone
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
                      Some Places More Than Others by Renee Watson
Rating:

a bit disappointing

Summary (provided by publisher): How to Go on an Unplanned Road Trip with Your Grandma:
  •  Grab a Suitcase: Prepacked from the big spring break trip that got CANCELLED.
  •  Fasten Your Seatbelt: G'ma's never conventional, so this trip won't be either.
  •  Use the Green Book: G'ma's most treasured possession. It holds history, memories, and most important, the way home.
What Not to Bring:
  •  A Cell Phone: Avoid contact with Dad at all costs. Even when G'ma starts acting stranger than usual.
Set against the backdrop of the segregation history of the American South, take a trip with New York Times bestselling Nic Stone and an eleven-year-old boy who is about to discover that the world hasn't always been a welcoming place for kids like him, and things aren't always what they seem--his G'ma included. 

My opinion: There are certainly things I like about this book. I especially like the parallels between G'ma's experience with racism and societal expectations and Scoob's. It makes it clear both how much the world has changed and yet racism remains. There are ways life is easier for Scoob yet he must be more mindful of his actions. By highlighting the differences it points out how truly unfair our current reality is. That makes this book worth a read. But I didn't love many of the plot elements. I found several plot twists entirely too predictable. And I'm concerned that the subtlety of the final chapters will be lost on many readers.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: Comedy

There are a lot of ways to refocus your life at the start of a new year. You can read something super meaningful. Sometimes, though, it's nice to lighten things up. To start 2020 on a positive note, here are 6 funny books published in the past 6 months.

6 new comedies:

1. AstroNuts by Jon Scieszka
2. The Secret of Shadow Lake by Joe McGee
3. Laser Moose and Rabbit Boy: Time Trout by Doug Savage
4. Seafoam: A Friend for Madison by Jorry Keith
5. Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys: The Mystery of the Missing Adults by Scott bryan Wilson
6. Kid Normal and the Rogue Heroes by Greg James

Non-fiction book review - Mamie on the Mound

Mamie on the Mound by Leah Henderson

We don't get enough stories of women and people of color in the early years of sports. Mamie on the Mound aims to help remedy that. This is a truly remarkable story, one of women facing racial and gender discrimination, having to constantly prove themselves in ways that their male counterparts never need to do. We see Mamie taking inspiration from other innovators. We see the change she affected and the ways she responded to criticism with dignity. It's well illustrated and has a simple vocabulary making it quite accessible. Small children will appreciate it at face value. For older kids it could park a more complex conversation about continued biases in modern sports. For sports fans and indoor types alike.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - Me and Banksy

Title: Me and Banksy
Author: Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: That Girl Lucy Moon by Amy Timberlake
                      Zero Tolerance by Claudia Mills
Rating:

good conversation starter

Summary (provided by publisher): Dominica's private school is covered in cameras, and someone is hacking into them and posting embarrassing moments for the whole school to see. Like Ana picking her nose. When Dominica quickly changes her shirt from inside out in what she thinks is the privacy of a quiet corner in the library, she's shocked -- and embarrassed -- to discover a video has captured this and is currently circulating amongst her schoolmates. So mortifying, especially since over the past three years, they've had a half-dozen school talks about social media safety.
Who has access to the school security cameras and why are they doing this? Dominica and her best friends, Holden and Saanvi, are determined to find out, and in the process start an art-based student campaign against cameras in the classroom.

My opinion: Taken on the whole, I had some problems with this book. The plot was taken to extremes that really challenged my willing suspension of disbelief. Kyi has pushed too many elements to the extreme. I would still recommend middle graders read this book. I liked the example it presents. These kids see an injustice. They try to report it and are dismissed. When the adults in their lives fail to set things straight they have to matters into their own hands. They put together an act of protest intended to get people talking. Kyi is showing the reader the power of the individual and of conversation to effect change.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Shelf marker

Ages ago, when I first got some good art markers, I drew some llamas on cardstock. I've been using them to mark where the graphic novel I'm currently reading belongs on the book shelf ever since. They're starting to show their age, though, mostly missing their legs and ears. So I decided to replace them with something a little bit sturdier. I made a tentacle out of a cereal box and kind of love how it looks peeking out between the books.

 

Book review - Broken Strings

Title: Broken Strings
Author: Eric Walters and Kathy Kacer
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Dara Palmer's Major Drama by Emma Shevah
                      The Marvels by Brian Selznick
Rating:

A genuinely compelling read

Summary (provided by publisher): It's 2002. In the aftermath of the twin towers -- and the death of her beloved grandmother -- Shirli Berman is intent on moving forward. The best singer in her junior high, she auditions for the lead role in Fiddler on the Roof, but is crushed to learn that she's been given the part of the old Jewish mother in the musical rather than the coveted part of the sister. But there is an upside: her "husband" is none other than Ben Morgan, the cutest and most popular boy in the school.
Deciding to throw herself into the role, she rummages in her grandfather's attic for some props. There, she discovers an old violin in the corner -- strange, since her Zayde has never seemed to like music, never even going to any of her recitals. Showing it to her grandfather unleashes an anger in him she has never seen before, and while she is frightened of what it might mean, Shirli keeps trying to connect with her Zayde and discover the awful reason behind his anger. A long-kept family secret spills out, and Shirli learns the true power of music, both terrible and wonderful.

My opinion: There's a lot to like about this book. When Shirli doesn't get the part she wants in the play, she learns embrace and appreciate her new role. But that doesn't stop her wishing. While she's happy to play the mother she still longs to play the daughter. A new appreciation doesn't wipe away the old desire.
The book takes us somewhat back in time here, to a world just post 9/11. A world with a much smaller cell phone presence and where kids don't yet feel constantly unsafe. Where we weren't yet at war but islamaphobia was beginning to rear it's ugly head. And we view all these elements through the lens of the Holocaust. The parallels aren't explicitly drawn but a savvy reader will make that connection.
While some plot points are a bit too random, overall it's a joy to read and leaves the reader with elements to reflect upon. It might be well suited to a book club discussion.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Picture books for everyone

Edwina: The Dinosaur Who Didn't Know She Was Extinct by Mo Willems

Most people who spend any time reading to small children are familiar with the work of Mo Willems, either through the Pigeon or Elephant and Piggie. My favorite of his books, though, is Edwina. Edwina is a dinosaur well loved by her community. She's friendly and helpful. She also shouldn't exist, a source of consternation for a little boy named Reginald Von Hoobie-Doobie. The plot is simple - Reginald tries to convince people that Edwina should be extinct and he is constantly thwarted. It's silly and utterly charming. Very young children will enjoy this book at a surface level. Reginald's name alone never fails to elicit giggles. Older children are entertained by the nonsense of the plot. It never fails to entertain and holds up to repeat reads.