Book review - Kitty and Dragon

 

Title: Kitty and Dragon

Author: Meika Hashimoto

Genre: beginning chapter book

Similar books: Horace and Bunwinkle by PJ Gardner

                     Mercy Watson by Kate DiCamillo

Rating: 

 

cute

 

Summary (provided by publisher): Book 1 of this early reader series features three adorable stories about Kitty and Dragon—best friends, even when one of them is snoring, being messy, or having a sad day. Even though they are quite different from one another, Kitty and Dragon have learned that there’s nothing better than being together, just the way they are

My opinion: Kitty and Dragon is reminiscent of Henry and Mudge. This is the adventure in the commonplace, the exploration of friendship and conflicting personality types. While the plots are fairly standard, the illustrations are absolutely charming and Hashimoto adds enough little quirks to make the stories memorable. The writing is easy for a child to follow and well supported by the artwork.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Measuring Up

 

Title: Measuring Up

Author: Lil LaMotte

Genre: graphic novel/realistic fiction

Similar books: Original Recipe by Jessica Young

                      Front Desk by Kelly Yang

Rating: 

 

checks all the right boxes

Summary (provided by publisher): Twelve-year-old Cici has just moved from Taiwan to Seattle, and the only thing she wants more than to fit in at her new school is to celebrate her grandmother, A-má’s, seventieth birthday together.
Since she can’t go to A-má, Cici cooks up a plan to bring A-má to her by winning the grand prize in a kids’ cooking contest to pay for A-má’s plane ticket! There’s just one problem: Cici only knows how to cook Taiwanese food.
And after her pickled cucumber debacle at lunch, she’s determined to channel her inner Julia Child. Can Cici find a winning recipe to reunite with A-má, a way to fit in with her new friends, and somehow find herself too? 

My opinion: I'm a big fan of books for kids that have a focus on cooking, that show us kids exploring cuisines and experimenting with combinations. This particular book also goes deep on the ways that food is inextricably tied to culture. There's a whole sequence about rice and how it is cooked and used differently by different cultures. While the other plot elements (being the new kid, cultures clashing, parental expectation) are fairly standard for middle grade fiction, the exploration of food really sets this apart. The plot is easy to follow and makes for a very pleasant read.

More information:  Measuring Up releases October 27.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: horror

October means it's time for my annual list of horror stories. Who doesn't love a good scare in October? It's almost required to prepare for Halloween by scaring yourself silly. Here are six horror books published in the last six months.

6 new horror novels

1. Something is Killing the Children y James Tynion IV
2. The Glare by Margot Harrison
3. Beach Nightmare by Steve Foxe
4. Whispering Pines by Heidi Lang
5. The Inkberg Enigma by Jonathan King
6. The Mutant Mushroom Takeover by Summer Rachel Short
   

Non-fiction book review - Emmy Noether

Emmy Noether by Helaine Becker

Noether was a new name to me. After this book, she's among my favorite historical figures. She's an impressive figure. For her accomplishments to be sure, but even more because of her dedication.  She didn't care about compensation or recognition. She really only cared about the math. She didn't care that people thought her too loud, big, sloppy, or clumsy. She was completely herself. I already admire her for that. Her accomplishments are hard to explain to a child audience given that they deal with theoretical physics and mathematics, Still, I'm all for giving kids a wide variety of heroes Noether is one who hasn't gotten enough attention.

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Arlo and Pips

Title: Arlo and Pips: King of the Birds

Author: Elise Gravel

Genre: comedy/graphic novel

Similar books: Narwhal and Jelly by Ben Clanton

                     Fox and Rabbit by Beth Ferry

Rating:

 

a sneaky way to teach

Summary (provided by publisher): Like most crows, Arlo has a big brain. But Arlo has something else: a little pal who’s not afraid to tell him when he’s being insufferable!
In the first of three episodes, a battle of the brains and bird-to-bird banter soon turns into an unexpected friendship. Arlo and Pips' adventures include a visit the big city and the beach on their hunt for shiny things and French fries. Cool crow facts are included throughout the book.

My opinion: Gravel has two aims here. On the surface, this is a simple story about a braggy crow. Arlo boasts about how wonderful he is and Pips points out the flaws in what he says. It's Pips' rejoinders that allpw the second aspect to come into play - the science facts. For each thing Pips says, Arlo shares a true fact about crows that proves his boast. There's not much more to this plot but it's a fun little book for young readers.

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Cinders and Sparrows

Title: Cinders and Sparrows

Author: Stefan Bachman

Genre: fantasy

Similar books: The Cursed Inheritance of Henrietta Achilles by Haiko Hornig

                     The Bone Thief by Alyson Noel 

Rating:

 

a solid example of the genre

Summary (provided by publisher): Twelve-year-old Zita, an orphan and a housemaid, has resigned herself to a life of drudgery when a strange letter arrives, naming her the only living heir to the Brydgeborn fortune. Now the mistress of the castle, Zita soon realizes foul play led to the death of her family. And as she is guided through lessons in the art of witchcraft by the somewhat mysterious Mrs. Cantanker, Zita begins to wonder who is friend and who is foe.

My opinion: Orphans are pretty standard in middle grade fantasy. Especially the orphan who is lifted out a life of hard work to discover they have inhereted a magical legacy. In that aspect, this book is entirely what you would expect. And of course, Zita discovers that her family history is covering up some secrets. Finding her magical strengths leads her to the truth about what happened to her parents. There are a few surprises in the final chapters that I won't get into here (no spoilers) but overall this book treads familiar ground. A shame since ti's set in a world and magical worlds that held a lot of promise.
Advanced Reader copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

The Brave by James Bird

This audiobook promises a combination of culture clash, discovering your family, the sensitive portrayal of mental illness, and a kid learning self confidence. It could be perfection, so I'm pretty excited about this one.