Book review - The Queen Bee and Me

Title: The Queen Bee and Me
Author: Gillian McDunn
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Captain Superlative by J.S. Puller
                      If This Were a Story by Beth Turley
Rating:

a bit more complex than the standard

Summary (provided by publisher): Meg has always found comfort in her best friend Beatrix's shadow. Self-assured Beatrix is the one who makes decisions, and the girls have been a pair since kindergarten. But middle school has brought some changes in Beatrix, especially when Meg tries to step outside her role as sidekick.
A special science elective is Meg's first step away, but when she's paired with quirky new girl Hazel, Beatrix steps in to stake her claim on Meg. Meg is taken aback at how mean Beatrix can be--and how difficult it is to stand up to her friend. But as Meg gets to know Hazel while working on their backyard beehive project, she starts to wonder: Is being Beatrix's friend worth turning down the possibility of finding her own voice?
This pitch-perfect exploration of middle-school friendship dynamics brims with heart and hope, and will resonate with readers of all ages.

My opinion: We get a fair number of books about friendship trouble in the middle school years, especially between girls. McDunn takes a hard look at social dynamics among these girls. We see the manipulative "queen bee', the subservient friend who goes along and spreads gossip to appease the leader, and the outsider who lies to avoid things she doesn't want to talk about, who doesn't really know who to fit en even though she wants to. That's the difference with this book. The outsider wants friends but doesn't really know how to conform. She isn't Stargirl, a determined outsider, just a socially awkward kid. We see each girl learning to stand up for herself and the things she believes in. Each girl has lessons to learn, none of them completely villain or completely victim. It's socially complex and more reflective of real life than we typically see. A solid choice.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

What am I reading today?

Superluminous by Ian De Haes

Total read in March thus far: 35

Listen with me

I had some concerns going into Mortal Engines, primarily regarding genre. I was concerned that it would be hard to follow or maddeningly complex. Those concerns were quickly dismissed by the characters that fill this universe. While the plot wasn't especially innovative, I was blown away by these characters. There are no simple villains or heroes. The villains all have complex motivations and prove to have redeeming values. The heroes realize that they aren't always right, that even "good guys" can find themselves making decisions that hurt other people. I'm especially admiring of Hester. Seldom do we see female characters with heavy scars, driven solely by revenge. These are elements given almost exclusively to male characters.

As far as narration is concerned, Barnaby Edwards does distinct voices for major characters and lends emotional emphasis to the lines. He successfully blends into the story, so it becomes entirely about the plot and not at all about his voice.

If you have any fondness for sci-fi, especially books with a dystopian vibe, give this one a listen.

What am I reading today?

Silverworld by Diana Abu-Jaber

Total read in March thus far: 34

What am I reading today?

Alien Nate by Dave Whamond

Total read in March thus far: 29

What am I reading today?

Micah McKinney and the Boys of Summer by Nina Chapman

Total read in March thus far: 25

Book review - Pop Flies, Robo-Pets and Other Disasters

Title: Pop Flies, Robo-Pets, and Other Disasters
Author: Suzanne Kamata
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: A Talent for Trouble by Natasha Farrant
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Rating:

interesting

Summary (provided by publisher): Thirteen-year-old Satoshi Matsumoto spent the last three years living in Atlanta where he was the star of his middle-school baseball team—a slugger with pro potential, according to his coach. Now that his father's work in the US has come to an end, he's moved back to his hometown in rural Japan. Living abroad has changed him, and now his old friends in Japan are suspicious of his new foreign ways. Even worse, his childhood foe Shintaro, whose dad has ties to gangsters, is in his homeroom. After he joins his new school's baseball team, Satoshi has a chance to be a hero until he makes a major-league error.

My opinion: I like that this isn't your standard story of culture clash. This isn't a spoiled American kid learning about Japanese culture. This is a kid who lived in Japan, moved to the US for a while, and now has returned. He's a kid who doesn't fit in anywhere. He was out of place in the US but began to assimilate. So when the book begins and he is reintegrating his sense of coming home is disrupted by these changes he experienced. It takes that typical middle grade dilemma of trying to work out your place among your peers and ramps it up a couple of notches. I do feel like it leaves out some information, especially regarding the grandfather and the sister. There are elements related to Satoshi's feelings about them and their place in society that are hinted at but never really addressed. I would have liked to have seen more exploration of those issues instead of just his finding his place at school and on the baseball team.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley