Non-fiction book review - A Time of Fear

 

A Time of Fear by Albert Marrin

The Red Scare and the Cold War are, to my way of thinking, underrepresented in our history classes. The most we typically get is a brief mention that they happened and a vague overview of what they meant for the average citizen. As such, we typically see them as a backwards way of thinking that couldn't happen now. Marrin has set out to correct those perceptions. He gives us the full context: the rise of Communism and it's ties to Nazi Germany; the role of anarchists and the terror they perpetrated; espionage and moral panics. Finish reading this book and you will grasp what a complex issue this really is. Now, the actual writing is a bit clinical and dry so it won't appeal to all readers. For the young reader already interested in history, though, it's bound to be an eye-opener. 

More information: A Time of Fear releases March 30.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Secrets of Camp Whatever

Title: Secrets of Camp Whatever

Author: Chris Grine

Genre: fantasy graphic novel

Similar books: Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke

                     Lumberjanes by Noelle Stevenson

Rating: 

 

a promising new series

 

Summary (provided by publisher): Eleven year-old Willow doesn't want to go to her dad's weird old summer camp any more than she wants her family to move to the weird old town where that camp is located. But her family—and fate itself—seem to have plans of their own. Soon Willow finds herself neck-deep in a confounding mystery involving stolen snacks, suspected vampires, and missing campers, all shrouded in the sinister fog that hides a generation of secrets at Camp ... Whatever it's called. 

My opinion: Camp is a great setting for any book, but especially for a graphic novel. And especially when mythological beings are involved. Camp Whatever presents the reader with the perfect blend of spooky and funny. We have realistic kid characters: selfish, fearful, reckless, rude. They are also pretty accepting of the existence of monsters. They don't spend much time looking for alternate explanations for the odd occurrences. The villain, while a bit over the top, presents a genuine threat to both the human and monstrous characters. This is clearly an introductory volume and future volumes promise to be even stronger. Give this one a try if you have a fondness for the world of weird.

More information: Secrets of Camp Whatever releases March 16.

A magical skirt

 I recently got a great deal on a dress. At just a couple of dollars, this jersey knit dress was too good to pass up. Since it didn't fit quite right as a dress, I figured I'd deconstruct it and remake it as a skirt.

Since it had a seam at the waist, it was a simple matter to detach the bodice, which I've saved for a future project. I had planned to simply add some pockets, but once I got working on it I decided the fabric was a bit thin so I decided to line it with a contrasting fabric. And for a little extra fun, I made the pockets of the contrasting fabric as well. 

 I'm pretty happy with the overall result, though I may add space helmets to a couple of the unicorns if I can find some silver embroidery thread...

Book review - One Jar of Magic

 

Title: One Jar of Magic

Author: Corey Ann Haydu 

Genre: Magical realism

Similar books: Savvy by Ingrid Law

                      All the Answers by Kate Messner

Rating: 

 

more emotionally complex than I expected

Summary (provided by publisher): Magic is like a dream. Delightful. Terrifying. Unreal.
Rose Alice Anders is Little Luck. Lucky to be born into the Anders family. Lucky to be just as special and magical as the most revered man in town—her father. The whole town has been waiting for Rose to turn twelve, when she can join them in their annual capturing of magic on New Year’s Day and become the person she was born to be.
But when that special day finally comes, Rose barely captures one tiny jar of magic. Now Rose’s dad won’t talk to her anymore and her friendships have gotten all twisted and wrong. So when Rose hears whispers that there are people who aren’t meant for magic at all, she begins to wonder if that’s who she belongs with.
Maybe if she’s away from all the magic, away from her dad telling her who she’s meant to be, who she has to be, Rose can begin to piece together what’s truly real in a world full of magic. 

My opinion: Going into this book, I was anticipating a story about having to readjust when life doesn't go according to plan, when your expectations are not met. And that is certainly a part of this book. But it quickly becomes apparent that it's even more about parental expectations. The thin veneer of appearance and expectation that holds up an abusive household. It's clear pretty early on that the dad is at least emotionally abusive. There are references to needing to keep the house calm and quiet, to do things exactly as he wants them. It's a disturbing family dynamic. As the book progresses we see how toxic the relationship actually is, both towards the family and in the community at large. Haydu is exploring these ideas of perfection and what we should really expect out of life. Being a story mainly of emotional growth and shift, there isn't a great deal of action. The final scene are almost anti-climactic, just a series of smaller changes as characters chose new paths.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: animals

I'm often intrigued by the approach an author takes to a plot. This is especially true when they make the main characters animals. You can do things with animal characters that would seem implausible with humans. Simply by virtue of being animals, they encourage us to expand our suspension of disbelief. Not to mention they're usually cute and fun. Here are six new books published in the past six months that feature animal characters.

6 new books with animal protagonists:

1. Revver the Speedway Squirrel by Sherri Rinker
2. Horace and Bunwinkle by P J Gardner
3. Arlo and Pips: King of the Birds by Elise Gravel
4. Cat Ninja by Matthew Cody
5. Skunk and Badger by Amy Timberlake
6. The Animal Rescue Agency Case Files: Little Claws by Eliot Schrefer
   

Non-fiction book review - Bots and Bods

 

Bots and Bods by John Andrews

This is certainly a unique way to explore the inner workings of the human body. The main focus of the text is certainly more on human systems than on robots, though there are also sections that have no human analog. Mostly, robots are used as an object lesson to explain more complex systems. It's more than just bones, muscles, and nerves. It's how various system work together to create a functional whole. The terminology is accessible, eschewing strict biological terms except where necessary. Use this book in conjunction with lessons on the details of body systems to help children understand how their whole body works.

More information: Bots and Bods releases March 2.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - Sydney and Taylor Explore the Whole Wide World

 

Title: Sydney & Taylor Explore the Whole Wide World

Author: Jacqueline Davies

Genre: beginner chapter book

Similar books: Fox & Rabbit by Beth Ferry

                     Kitty and Dragon by Meika Hashimoto

Rating: 

 

basically what you'd expect

Summary (provided by publisher): Sydney is a skunk and Taylor is a hedgehog, but no matter how odd the pairing may seem, their friendship comes naturally. They live happily in their cozy burrow . . . until the day Taylor gets his Big Idea to go see the Whole Wide World. From mountains taller than a hundred hedgehogs, valleys wider than a thousand skunks, to the dangers that lie in the human world, Sydney and Taylor wanted to see it all. With a map and a dream, they bravely set off, soon discovering that the world is much bigger than they realized . . . 

My opinion: As with most beginner chapter books, the plot of this one is quite simple and follows a pretty predictable arc. This allows the young reader to easily follow the plot and focus more attention on reading skills and building comprehension. While they have big dreams of adventure, their exploration is very limited and constantly beset by complications in the form of natural barriers. While Sydney and Taylor are animals with some human characteristics (they talk, walk on hind legs, carry a backpack, etc) they also retain their animal instincts and often behave in standard animal ways. It's possible to use this book to discuss fantasy and reality in books with a young reader.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley