Graphic Novel Spotlight - Andre the Giant

Andre the Giant: Life and Legend by Box Brown

I've never been a wrestling fan. Prior to this book I had exactly 2 points of reference for Andre the Giant: the Nintendo game Wrestlemania and his appearance in "The Princess Bride". Even with that limited knowledge I suspected that this would be an interesting read. I certainly was not disappointed. Brown presents us with a complete picture of the man: a gentle soul, a hard drinker, a sometimes selfish person, and yet largely innocent. We see the good and bad in equal measure. Brown makes no apologies or excuses, though we do see how some early experiences may have influenced later behaviors. Even for non-fans this is a compelling read and the stylized illustrations suit the subject well.

 

Non-fiction book review - Gymnastics's G.O.A.T.

 

Gymnastics's G.O.A.T. by Joe Levit

 I'm the first to admit that I know almost nothing about gymnastics. I never learned any of those skills nor watched it on television, only learned a few names of famous gymnasts. So I can't speak to the accuracy of the ranking in this book. We're given a few of the individual's achievements, their record in competition and any especially difficult moves they achieved or developed. The downside to a book like this one is going to be  the freshness of the information. New athletes gain attention all the time so these rankings could become stale quickly. Still, an aspiring gymnast will likely enjoy this information.

More information: Gymnastics's G.O.A.T. releases August 1. 

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Book review - Fierce as the Wind

 

Title: Fierce as the Wind

Author: Tara Wilson Redd

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Bruised by Tanya Boteju

                     Breathe, Annie, Breathe by Miranda Kenneally

Rating: 

 

solid

 

Summary (provided by publisher): When Miho's boyfriend breaks up with her without warning, all she can see is red--the color of blinding fury and pain, and the color of the fire she sets in an oil drum on the beach, burning every scrap of their memories.
It's spring of senior year in Oahu, and while her friends are getting ready for college, Miho's deep in her misery, delivering pizzas on her bike. But then inspiration strikes: she'll do a triathlon. The training is brutal for a girl who has never even run a mile--though she can bike and swim. With the constant support of her friends and her dad, Miho digs deep to find just how fierce her determination is and how many obstacles she can overcome.

My opinion: I'm not an athlete and have never been much of a fan of stories where sports play a central role. In recent years, though, I've started running so the first time these sorts of stories make sense to me. Especially in books like this one. An Ironman doesn't have a lot of complex rules and team dynamics to understand. It is a person facing their own issues, fighting against their subconscious and their fears. And that's a big part of this book. It is so much more than Miho training for a race. She's dealing with her break up, with her negative self perception. The race itself becomes a symbol for the way she fears she is perceived by society. Now, Miho is the only truly complex character. The other characters have only simple character flaws, small elements that feed into Miho's challenges but which are easily overcome. I liked that all of the characters are flawed and that the novel doesn't wash away those flaws. It lets them be "bad" with the ability to change in future. And current "goodness" doesn't wash away any negative they did in the past. It is all a part of the person they are becoming. This book may not hold up to multiple reads but has enough complexity to leave us thinking as we read.

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Notecards

 Now that it's July, I realize that my fall craft fairs are much closer than I realized and it's time to get serious about building up my inventory. Here's a quartet of hand-drawn cards I'll be selling this fall.

Book review - The Stars of Whistling Ridge

 

Title: The Stars of Whistling Ridge

Author: Cindy Baldwin

Genre: magical realism

Similar books: The Seventh Wish by Kate Messner

                      Quintessence by Jess Redman

Rating: 

 

a nice example of the genre

Summary (provided by publisher): Ivy Mae Bloom is almost thirteen years old, her name is almost a complete sentence, and her family’s RV is almost a home. That’s one too many “almosts” for Ivy. She desperately wants a place to put down roots, but it’s her mama’s job as a fallen star to tend the magic underpinning the world—a job that’s kept Ivy’s family living on the road since before Ivy was born.
After Ivy steals Mama's entire supply of wish jars in the hopes of finding a place to call home, disaster strands her family in Whistling Ridge, North Carolina, with Mama's star sisters. Ivy falls for Whistling Ridge immediately—she just needs to convince her parents to stay.
But something is draining the magic from the town, and the star sisters can't pinpoint it. Ivy and her new friends find a clue in Whistling Ridge's history that might explain the mysterious threat...but if Whistling Ridge’s magic is fixed, Mama will need to move on. Ivy is faced with an impossible decision: How can she help the star sisters lift the curse if it means losing her best chance at a forever home?

My opinion: Middle grade fiction is carving out a solid space for magical realism and this is a decent example of the type. While it is set in the real world and largely follows the rules of our world, there is also magic. Magic which follows rules but is also a bit inexplicable. We're dealing here largely with wishes. But making a wish isn't as simple as wanting something. Wishes have consequences. It is in these consequences that we find the major conflict of the plot. We are looking at wishing gone awry, the poisonous nature of selfishness and resentment. Baldwin is also taking a look at how stories change over time, influenced by perspective and natural prejudice. Over all, a pretty cool read.

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Picture books for everyone

 

Thukpa for All by Praba Ram and Sheela Preuitt

At the surface, this is a very simple story. Tsering is walking home, inviting the people he encounters to join him as his grandmother is making Thukpa. While it is never stated plainly, we easily gather from context that Tsering is blind. The people he passes gently aid him in his journey and he recognizes places and people by sound and smell. A power cut allows Tsering to show his strengths as his assistance means that the family is able to finish making the thukpa. There are several elements you could focus on depending on the age and skill of kids you read this with. Its a cultural experience; a celebration of different skills and strengths; a tale of collective work as everyone contributes to the thukpa.

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Book Review - Hollow Chest

 

Title: Hollow Chest

Author: Brita Sandstrom

Genre: historical fiction

Similar books: Brilliant by Roddy Doyle

                      Stay Where You are and Then Leave by John Boyne

Rating:

 

lovely and thought-provoking

Summary (provided by publisher): Charlie has been having nightmares. Eyes watching him in the night, claws on his chest, holding him down. His dreams have been haunted for years, ever since German bombs rained down on London, taking his father’s life, taking his city’s spirit, taking his beloved brother, Theo, off to war in France.
Now Charlie is left to take care of his grandpa Fitz while his mother works, waiting for the day when Theo will come home. And with World War II nearly won, that day is almost here. Grandpa Fitz warns Charlie that soldiers sometimes come back missing a piece of themselves, but Charlie isn’t worried. Whatever Theo has lost, Charlie will help him find it.
When Theo finally does return, though, he is cold and distant. But Charlie refuses to accept that the brother he knew is gone, and soon, he discovers the reason for his brother’s change: war wolves. Terrifying ancient beasts who consume the hearts of those broken by grief.
The wolves have followed soldiers back home from the front. And if Charlie truly wants to save Theo, he’s going to have to find them and get his brother’s heart back. But can a heart that’s been eaten ever be replaced?

My opinion: Seldom do novels address mental illness in such a tangible way, portraying it as a thing that can be seen and battled. Giving it a face, like a pack of ravenous wolves, can make it easier for a child to understand even if they don't fully grasp the symbolism. It's tough to work your way through understanding symbolic characters. Sandstrom helps us out by giving the wolves blatant names: rage, regret, that sort of thing. We do get into the discussion of the role the individual wolves play in society, how they have changed, and the nature of their desires, which becomes a pretty high level of thinking. It's a well developed, important book but one I'd want to check in with a kid while they were reading. The base scenario and vocabulary are relatively simple but the concepts and emotions will be challenging for some.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley