With the state of the world right now, this book about a young Black man in prison and the biases in the justice system seems especially timely. And I'm especially interested to hear the verse novel approach to this narrative. I don't expect that this will be an especially relaxing or comfortable listen but certainly an eye-opening one.
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.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Author: Kami Garcia
Genre: superhero/graphic novel
Similar books: Ms Marvel: No Normal by G. Willow Wilson
Wonder Woman: Warbringer by Louise Simonson
Rating:
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.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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:
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
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.
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.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
Author: Lavie Tidhar
Genre: mystery
Similar books: The Amelia Six by Kristin L. Gray
The Great Shelby Holmes by Elizabeth Eulberg
Rating:
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.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
