Running Wild by Galadriel Watson
I've read my share of books about the amazing things animals can do. This is the first I've read, though, that really broke down how they can achieve those feats. More than just telling us about claws and muscles, Watson really breaks down the biomechanics of different movements. The language is very accessible, largely limited to a two syllable vocabulary and providing clear definitions for any unusual words. There are also comparisons to common objects and simple machine to assist the reader in understanding the concepts at play. I'd easily recommend this one to children and adults alike.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: This is My Brain in Love
Author: I. W. Gregorio
Genre:teen romance
Similar books: I Hate You Fuller James by Kelly Anne Blount
This Train is Being Held by Ismee Amiel Williams
Rating:
 |
| kinda nice |
Summary (provided by publisher): Jocelyn Wu has just three wishes for her junior year: To make it through without dying of boredom, to direct a short film with her BFF Priya Venkatram, and to get at least two months into the year without being compared to or confused with Peggy Chang, the only other Chinese girl in her grade.
Will Domenici has two goals: to find a paying summer internship, and to prove he has what it takes to become an editor on his school paper.
Then Jocelyn's father tells her their family restaurant may be going under, and all wishes are off. Because her dad has the marketing skills of a dumpling, it's up to Jocelyn and her unlikely new employee, Will, to bring A-Plus Chinese Garden into the 21st century (or, at least, to Facebook).
What starts off as a rocky partnership soon grows into something more. But family prejudices and the uncertain future of A-Plus threaten to keep Will and Jocelyn apart. It will take everything they have and more, to save the family restaurant and their budding romance.
My opinion: Teen romance is not really my genre of choice, so when one gains my respect like this one did, it's noteworthy. At first, the plot of this book was entirely predictable. But after the first third, it takes some interesting variations. Starting with the contract with Jocelyn's father and the early acknowledgment of their mutual attraction. And then we have the frank conversation about mental illness and it's stigma within certain populations, especially among certain ethnic groups. We see the shame associated with their condition in both families, the shame with medication tempered with real medical concern surround it's use. The mental illness element then becomes a true conversation, not just a lecture. And there are no magic cures, no sudden fix via therapy or medication either one. It's learning coping mechanisms but acknowledging that it's not always enough, that sometimes we need chemical assistance. That conversation alone makes this book worth reading.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
When I don't know what else to do with myself, I draw cards. It keeps me occupied and I can sell them at craft fairs. Here are four new designs I came up with this weekend.
Title: A Girl in Three Parts
Author: Suzanne Daniel
Genre: historical fiction
Similar books: The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot
The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman
Rating:
 |
| a thinker |
Summary (provided by publisher): A story of sisterhood, solidarity, and finding your place in a changing world, A GIRL IN THREE PARTS is part Eighth Grade, part Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, and entirely original.
Allegra Elsom is caught in the middle. Some days she's eleven, and others she feels closer to nineteen. Some days she knows too much, and others she feels hopelessly naive. Some days she is split in three, torn between conflicting loyalties to her grandmothers, Matilde and Joy, and her father, Rick--none of whom can stand to be in a room together since the decades-old tragedy that hit their family like a wrecking ball.
Allegra struggles to make peace in her family and navigate the social gauntlet at school while asking bigger questions about her place in the world: What does it mean to be "liberated"? What is it about "becoming a woman" that earns her a slap in the face? What does it mean to do the right thing, when everyone around her defines it differently?
As the feminist movement reshapes her Sydney suburb, Allegra makes her own path--discovering firsthand the incredible ways that women can support each other, and finding strength within herself to stand up to the people she loves.
Readers will not soon forget Suzanne Daniel's poignant debut, or the spirit of sisterhood that sings out from its pages.
My opinion: Many authors present us with a protagonist on the cusp of adolescence, learning what it means to grow up. They are learning what they think about issues, learning to stand up against small injustices. And that's the difference here. Because Allegra is confronted with both unfairness in her immediate environment and the larger injustice of being a woman in a world that does not value her. She sees abuse and oppression and the expectations of women. Even the ways that well meaning desires of the adults in our lives for us to have things "better" can put damaging pressure on us. The central idea is still that a girl must find her voice, to express her own desires and feelings and not simply fall into the role others have made for her. Due to the frank talk about domestic violence this is not a book for a very innocent reader. But for someone prepared to handle the emotional journey it's beautifully heartbreaking.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Jackaby by William Ritter
This book was a bit of a surprise for me when I first read it. A kind of combination of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who. I got a kick out of reading it. I'm hopeful that it will be a fun listen as well.
We are Power by Todd Hasak-Lowy
If you've ever wondered about nonviolent protest beyond lunch counter sit-ins, then you need this book. Hasak-Lowy takes us through several examples of activism in chronological order. This begins with Ghandi codifying what this form of protest means and applying it as a life philosophy. We traverse the globe between South Africa, Britain, the US, Czechoslovakia, and Sweden. We see different approaches to activism, be it through action, strike, sign wielding, or simply insistence at being acknowledged. We see the ways that their determination was challenged and the importance of compromise for peaceful resolution. And I like that there isn't any implication that this is the only way. Hasak-Lowy acknowledges that there are situations that can only be resolved with confrontation or moments when even the most peaceful person can be pushed too far. Still, we can all learn from these examples and find value in lesser known parts of history.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: Like Nothing Amazing Ever Happened
Author: Emily Blejwas
Genre: historical fiction
Similar books: The Marvels by Brian Selznick
Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt
Rating:
 |
| compelling |
Summary (provided by publisher): Justin doesn't know anything these days. Like how to walk down the halls without getting stared at. Or what to say to Jenni. Or how Phuc is already a physics genius in seventh grade. Or why Benny H. wanders around Wicapi talking to old ghosts. He doesn't know why his mom suddenly loves church or if his older brother, Murphy, will ever play baseball again. Or if the North Stars have a shot at the playoffs. Justin doesn't know how people can act like everything's fine when it's so obviously not. And most of all, he doesn't know what really happened the night his dad died on the train tracks. And that sucks.
But life goes on. And as it does, Justin discovers that some things are just unknowable. He learns that time and space and memory are grander and weirder than he ever thought, and that small moments can hold big things, if you're paying attention. Just like his math teacher said, even when you think you have all the information, there will be more. There is always more.
My opinion: At face value, this book has a couple of strikes against it. It has an historical setting which can be a hard sell for middle grade readers. And it doesn't have a strong central plot. The conflict is largely internal, Justin trying to figure out why his dad died and trying to understand things in the world around him. Largely, though, it's reminiscent of Catcher in the Rye. It's mostly just Justin thinking about things and realizing that life is more complex that he'd previously understood. It's about truly seeing things in life around you instead of just accepting the simple explanations. There's some subtle messaging about war, trauma, and cultural conflict but doesn't settle on any distinct message. This means that different readers may come away from it with different messages or gather new ideas on repeat reads.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
