Non-fiction book review - CRISPR

CRISPR by Yolanda Ridge

This is one of the most comprehensive explorations of gene editing that I personally have encountered. Complex but not excessively bogged down with technical jargon. A lay person can understand the content with a minimal amount of effort. We get first an explanation of DNA and genetic engineering, then the story of CRISPR and how scientist intend to use it. That's what we expect, of course, but Ridge doesn't stop there. There's a full exploration of the complications both scientific and moral. We look at how things might go wrong, how we might create new problems, and how gene editing might be misused. And it doesn't tell us what to think so much as it gives us questions to consider. A solid entry in the world of scientific texts.

More information: CRISPR releases September 8. 

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Book review - Teen Titans: Beast Boy

Title: Teen Titans Beast Boy

Author: Kami Garcia

Genre: superhero/graphic novel

Similar books: Ms Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson

                      Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Louise Simonson

Rating:

one I've been waiting for

Summary (provided by publisher): Garfield Logan has spent his entire life being overlooked. Even in a small town like Eden, Georgia, the seventeen-year-old with green streaks in his hair can't find a way to stand out--and the clock is ticking. Senior year is almost over. If Gar doesn't find a way to impress the social elite at Bull Creek High School, he will never know what it's like to matter. Gar's best friends, Stella and Tank, can't understand why he cares what other people think, and they miss their funny, pizza-loving, video game-obsessed best friend.
Then Gar accepts a wild dare out of the blue. It impresses the popular kids, and his social status soars. But other things are changing, too. Gar grows six inches overnight. His voice drops, and suddenly, he's stronger and faster. He's finally getting everything he wanted, but his newfound popularity comes at a price. Gar has to work harder to impress his new friends. The dares keep getting bigger, and the stakes keep getting higher.
When Gar realizes the extent of his physical changes, he has to dig deep and face the truth about himself--and the people who truly matter--before his life spirals out of control.

My opinion: The Teen Titans are an example of superheroes where we aren't overwhelmed with origin stories (with the exception of Robin). This is probably because we typically only see them in the context of their team while origin stories are the realm of solo books. So I was super excited to learn that DC was introducing this Teen Titans series, with books focused on the history of individual members. It began last year with Raven. Now we come to my personal favorite: Beast Boy. Garcia is digging into Gar's motivations. We see him as a jokster, with humor trying to cover up his feelings of inadequacy. Picolo's illustrations add a great deal of complexity to an otherwise simple story. This is really only an introductory volume but I look forward to seeing how the story develops.

More information: Check out the book trailer here.

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Book review - The Inkberg Enigma

Title: The Inkberg Enigma

Author: Jonathan King

Genre: mystery/graphic novel

Similar books: Bad Machinery series by John Allison

                     Rocket Robinson and the Pharoah's Fortune by Sean O'Neil

Rating:

 

interesting plot development

Summary (provided by publisher): Haven't you always thought there’s something WEIRD about this town, Miro?"
Miro and Zia live in Aurora, a fishing town nestled in the shadow of an ancient castle. Miro lives in his books; Zia is never without her camera. The day they meet, they uncover a secret. The fishing works, the castle, and the town council are all linked to an ill-fated 1930s Antarctic expedition. But the diary of that journey has been hidden, and the sea is stirring up unusual creatures. Something has a powerful hold over the town.
With Zia determined to find out more, Miro finds himself putting aside his books for a real adventure.

 

My opinion: King has created something of an homage to Lovecraft with this book. The parallels are certainly present. This is a fairly fanciful plot and yet it follows a clear internal logic. Each action has a consequence and leads to further plot complications. The characters are somewhat underdeveloped and the art is a bit flat. But the plot is reasonably engaging, especially for kids with an affinity for investigation and the mystical.

 

More information: The Inkberg Enigma releases September 1

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Graphic novel spotlight - Earthworm Jim Launch the Cow

  

 Earthworm Jim: Launch the Cow! by Doug TenNapel

If you're at all aware of the Earthworm Jim video game or short lived animated series, you know this book is going to be far from a traditional narrative. If this review is your first introduction to the character, allow me to give you a quick summary: a regular earthworm encounters a magical space energy and a high tech space suit which together turn him into the sentient (though rather dim) hero Earthworm Jim. He joins forces with Princess-What's-Her-Name, the genetically modified Peter Puppy who turns into a marauding monster when hurt or angry, and an unnamed mid-western farmer to fight off the evil Queen Slug-for-a-Butt and her minions Professor Monkey-for-a-Head and Psycrow. Weird, right? But to my way of thinking, it's the best kind of weird. It doesn't try too hard to fit into the workings of the real. Instead, it just asks us to follow along on a vaguely off-kilter mission that uses it's own internal logic. Kooky humor abounds, both visually and in the dialogue. If you have any affinity for chaotic humor, give Earthworm Jim a look.

 

Non-fiction book review - The Constitution Decoded

The Constitution Decoded by Katie Kennedy

There are some good very simple guides to the Constitution already on the market, but sometimes you want a little bit more. Sometimes you want more than just what the words mean. You want information about the application of our founding documents. You want to know what the rights spelled in the Constitution mean for individuals and for various levels of government. And that's where this book comes in. There is, of course, a plain language breakdown of what the Constitution literally says but equal space is given to application. This serves as a solid foundational guide for people wanting to understand their legal rights, accessible for middle grade and above.

More information: The Constitution Decoded releases September 1. 

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Book review - The Candy Mafia

Title: The Candy Mafia

Author: Lavie Tidhar

Genre: mystery

Similar books: The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray

                      The Great Shelby Holmes by Elizabeth Eulberg

Rating:

 

unique format

 

Summary (provided by publisher): In a city where candy is a crime and sugar is scandalous, Nelle Faulker is a 12-year-old private detective looking for her next client.
When notorious candy gangster Eddie de Menthe asks for her help to find a missing teddy bear, Nelle Faulkner is on the case. But as soon as the teddy turns up, Eddie himself goes missing! As a seemingly innocent investigation unravels into something more sinister, Nelle and her friends quickly find themselves swept up in a shady underworld of sweets smugglers, back alley deals, and storefront firebombs.
If Nelle has any hope of tracking down her missing client, first she'll have to unmask the true faces behind the smuggling ring. Can Nelle and her friends find a way to take the cake? Or will they come to a sticky end...?
 

My opinion: I've read my share of kids mysteries, ranging from lost objects to actual crimes, but this may be the first I've encountered with organized crime (Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew aside). And that's not the only thing that sets this book apart from the pack. The biggest difference is the tone. Tidhar has really captured the feel of the noir story. Nelle aims to be a traditional hard boiled detective, so her approach to investigation mimics the classic Sam Spade style. The whole book follows that standard format, the characters all extreme versions of their assorted types. Following a pattern means that the plot is fairly predictable but that's not too much of a problem. There's a large cast of characters and plenty going on to keep the plot moving. A fun little read.

More information: The Candy Mafia releases September 1.

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Book review - Scritch Scratch

Title: Scritch Scratch

Author: Lindsay Currie

Genre: horror

Similar books: The Ghost in Apartment 2R by Denis Markell

                      Mothman's Curse by Christine Hayes 

Rating:

lacking in atmosphere

Summary (provided by publisher): Claire has absolutely no interest in the paranormal. She's a scientist, which is why she can't think of anything worse than having to help out her dad on one of his ghost-themed Chicago bus tours. She thinks she's made it through when she sees a boy with a sad face and dark eyes at the back of the bus. There's something off about his presence, especially because when she checks at the end of the tour...he's gone.
Claire tries to brush it off, she must be imagining things, letting her dad's ghost stories get the best of her. But then the scratching starts. Voices whisper to her in the dark. The number 396 appears everywhere she turns. And the boy with the dark eyes starts following her.
Claire is being haunted. The boy from the bus wants something...and Claire needs to find out what before it's too late.

My opinion: What an excellent title for a horror story. Just reading those words, one can imagine the creepiness of hearing an unexplained scratching sound in the walls or the ceiling. It sets us up for a highly frightening atmosphere. And then rather lets us down. There are plenty of frightening events, of course, but there's no slow build, no constant underlying dread. The plot is pretty solid, teaching us about the history of Chicago tragedies. We have a cast of characters working together to identify and pacify the ghost and free them from the haunting. I like many of the elements, it's just missing that one vital piece.

More information: Scritch Scratch releases September 1 

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