Picture books for everyone

 

Arnold the Super-ish Hero by Heather Tekavec

Superhero stories are pretty much always a win with young readers. In this case, we have a character with no powers. A character who has always just been an assistant but finds himself in a position to help when the "real" heroes are busy. The evil he fights is nothing big. He finds his niche in small problems. The suggestion is, of course, that we all can help, that no one is too weak or too small. And Arnold isn't perfect. He sometimes bumbles his way into a solution. A great choice for a kid who aspires to be super.

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Non-fiction book reivew - The Good Germ Hotel

 

The Good Germ Hotel by Kim Sung-hwa

The microbiome has become a subject of fascination for me so I was super excited to read this book. It does a solid job of explaining the role of microbes through the body with a primary focus on gut flora. We take the full journey of eating to elimination, learning the vital part bacteria play in breaking down and drawing nutrients from our food. There are plenty of easy to understand parallels and the tone is quite conversational. The illustrations feel a bit dated and cheesy but the information is strong. 

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Book review - Ophie's Ghosts

 

Title: Ophie's Ghosts

Author: Justina Ireland

Genre: historical fiction

Similar books: Root Magic by Eden Royce

                     Unstoppable Octobia May by Sharon Flake

Rating:

 

hits all the right notes

Summary (provided by publisher): Ophelia Harrison used to live in a small house in the Georgia countryside. But that was before the night in November 1922, and the cruel act that took her home and her father from her. Which was the same night that Ophie learned she can see ghosts.
Now Ophie and her mother are living in Pittsburgh with relatives they barely know. In the hopes of earning enough money to get their own place, Mama has gotten Ophie a job as a maid in the same old manor house where she works.
Daffodil Manor, like the wealthy Caruthers family who owns it, is haunted by memories and prejudices of the past—and, as Ophie discovers, ghosts as well. Ghosts who have their own loves and hatreds and desires, ghosts who have wronged others and ghosts who have themselves been wronged. And as Ophie forms a friendship with one spirit whose life ended suddenly and unjustly, she wonders if she might be able to help—even as she comes to realize that Daffodil Manor may hold more secrets than she bargained for.

My opinion: The general direction of this plot is pretty obvious from early on, but that's okay. In spite of predictability, the characters and atmosphere are well enough developed to make for a compelling read. We have a family broken by tragedy, held down by poverty and cruelty. Their situation is directly contrasted by the family they work for, a privileged family with no close ties. There's no affection at Daffodil manor, just carefully orchestrated roles. Even more importantly for a modern reader, the racism Ophie encounters isn't all in-you-face white-supremacy. She meets with a lot of micro-aggression, subtle slights that make her uncomfortable but for which she has no defenses. This provides a lot of opportunity for discussion with young readers. There are short chapters written from the perspective of the city, houses, the trolley, that take us out of the flow of the narrative but this is ultimately a minor annoyance rather than a real problem.

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Book review - Rule of Threes

 

Title: Rule of Threes

Author: Marcy Campbell

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Steering Toward Normal by Rebecca Petruck

                      Kinda Like Brothers by Coe Booth

Rating:

 

a nuanced plot with idealized characters

Summary (provided by publisher): How do you share a parent with a stranger?
Maggie’s accustomed to leading her life perfectly according to her own well-designed plans.
But when Maggie learns that she has a half-brother her own age who needs a place to stay, any semblance of a plan is shattered. Tony’s mom struggles with an addiction to opioids, and now she’s called upon Maggie’s dad—who’s also Tony’s dad—to take him in.
As Maggie struggles to reconcile her mom and dad’s almost-divorce, accept the Alzheimer’s afflicting her grandmother, and understand Tony’s own issues—ignorance is no longer an option. While Maggie can strive for—and even succeed in—a perfect design, when it comes to family, nothing is perfect, and tackling its complexities is only possible with an open heart.

My opinion: Discovering previously unknown family makes for an emotionally complex plot already. A half-sibling your own age is a truly stark betrayal. Maggie's life is in total disarray as she must redefine her family, deal with her grandmother's decline, and address the change in her friendships that comes with the middle grade years. Three issues, any of which can support a plot all on their own. It is, perhaps, too much for a middle grade book. No one issue is explored in any real depth. The characters are pretty idealized, naturally inclined towards kindness and consideration, very little of the general self-centeredness that typifies most preteens. It's not a subtle plot but might serve as a stepping stone for kids making the transition from the obvious plots of grade school fiction to more subtle and literary books.

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Pick 6: History

 I'm a fan of historical fiction for all ages, but especially for middle grade readers. I've always found historical fiction to be a good way to make a personal connection with a history lesson. It personalizes dry facts. Here are six historical fiction books, mostly for middle grade readers, published in the last six months.

6 New Historical novels

1. Stranger on the Home Front by Maya Chhabra
2. Just Like That by Gary D Schmidt
3. Soul Lanterns by Shaw Kuzki
4. Finding Junie Kim by Ellen Oh
5. Dawn Raid by Pauline Varlaga Smith
6. Incredible Doom by Matthew Bogart

Non-fiction book review - Mad for Ads

 

Mad for Ads by Erica Fyvie

Never have I read such a comprehensive breakdown of advertising. Fyvie takes us through the structure, methodology, and psychology of ads. We learn about the roles played by various members of advertising teams and technical terms for assorted parts of campaigns. None of this is explored in a great deal of depth but we do get a basic introduction to every aspect. This is an excellent resource for kids with an interest in business or wanting to understand the complex influence of advertising on our decision making. 

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Book review - My Contrary Mary

 

Title: My Contrary Mary

Author: Cynthia Hand, Brody Ashton, Jodi Meadows

Genre: alternate history

Similar books: Jackaby by William Ritter

                     Odd and True by Cat Winters

Rating:

 

fun and compelling

 

Summary (provided by publisher):Welcome to Renaissance France, a place of poison and plots, of beauties and beasts, of mice and . . . queens?
Mary is the queen of Scotland and the jewel of the French court. Except when she’s a mouse. Yes, reader, Mary is an Eðian (shapeshifter) in a kingdom where Verities rule. It’s a secret that could cost her a head—or a tail.
Luckily, Mary has a confidant in her betrothed, Francis. But things at the gilded court take a treacherous turn after the king meets a suspicious end. Thrust onto the throne, Mary and Francis face a viper’s nest of conspiracies, traps, and treason. And if Mary’s secret is revealed, heads are bound to roll

My opinion: Most depictions of Mary Queen of Scots don't paint her in an especially positive light. Typically she's shown and ruthless, vindictive. I admire that this book shows all of the royalty as essentially political pawns, especially given their relative youth. This book does, of course, take liberties with the timeline. I mean, we have functional magic in the form of shapeshifters and potions both. There are real prophetic visions (though these are largely played for humor - one of my favorite parts). But these elements are integrated with the historical facts relatively well. The villain dynamic is fairly sharp here. Villains are primarily after power, though some personal prejudice certainly comes into play. While the plot is predictable the characters are dynamic enough to keep us engaged and make for compelling reading.

More information: My Contrary Mary releases June 22.

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