Book review - The Halloween Moon

 

Title: The Halloween Moon

Author: Joseph Fink

Genre: horror

Similar books: The Sisters of Straygarden Place by Hayley Chewins

                      Spell & Spindle by Michelle Shusterman

Rating:

 

a bit of a mixed bag

Summary (provided by publisher): Esther Gold loves Halloween more than anything in the world. So she is determined to go trick-or-treating again this year despite the fact that her parents think she is officially too old. Esther has it all planned out, from her costume to her candy-collecting strategy. But when the night rolls around, something feels . . . off.
No one is answering their door. The moon is an unnatural shade of orange. Strange children wander the streets, wearing creepy costumes that might not be costumes at all. And it seems like the only people besides Esther who are awake to see it all are her best friend, her school bully, and her grown-up next-door neighbor.
Together, this unlikely crew must find a way to lift the curse that has been placed upon their small town before it’s too late. Because someone is out to make sure Halloween never comes to an end. And even Esther doesn’t want to be trapped in this night forever.

My opinion: Most horror stories are truly only scary once. A truly frightening tale needs atmosphere, a constant sense of dread and wrong in the world. That's certainly a strength in this book. Early on we see creepy ice cream trucks, kids in tattered costumes. We  are set up with a once in a lifetime Halloween, the perfect time for something scary to happen. Unfortunately, that's where things start to go off the rails. What begins as a world just a little bit off quickly veers into increasing unreality. Add in a cliche cast of characters and oft repeated details and this book becomes tiresome. It's a shame, since the overall plot was interesting. I could have accepted the unreality of the plot, this complex tale of other dimensions and magic, if only the characters had felt more realistic.

More information: The Halloween Moon releases July 27.

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Sock puppet walrus

 I've been toying with the idea of selling sock puppets for a while now and I've finally decided to give it a shot. Here's my first design: a walrus.

Book Review - Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code

 

Title: Margie Kelly Breaks the Dress Code

Author: Bridget Farr

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Zero Tolerance by Claudia Mills

                     The Pants Project by Cat Clarke

Rating:

 

good to get kids thinking

Summary (provided by publisher): Margie Kelly's perfect skirt was dress coded on her very first day of middle school. Upset and embarrassed, Margie spends the whole day wearing oversized gym shorts. So much for starting sixth grade with confidence!
But when Margie realizes that the dress code is only applied to the female students and not the boys, Margie gets mad. Really mad.
The dress code is keeping girls stuck in detention all day and away from learning. The boys act like they own the school. And the teachers turn a blind eye to the hypocrisies taking place in the halls, classrooms, and clubs. Something has to change! And Margie knows just how to do it. She'll plan a school-wide protest with her best friend, Daniela, and fellow classmates Jamiya and Gloria.
But as Margie moves forward with her plans, she comes to realize some hard truths about herself. Will Margie recognize her own privilege and make meaningful change for all students?

My opinion: Dress codes are an easy way to introduce the idea of unequally enforced rules to kids. Young readers can understand the shame and discomfort of a character like Margie. They can also easily grasp the unfairness of kids receiving different punishments for the same violation. That's an important point that this book makes. Not only does the school enforce dress code only for girls, race plays a role in the punishments handed out. Margie must come to understand not only that, but also the risks involved for each kid who takes part in her protest. Farr invites the reader to consider all of the consequences of unfair rules and to question why administrations are so focused on what clothes kids wear in the first place. A solid introduction to ideas that play a stronger role in teen fiction.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 

Tokyo Ever After by Emiko Jean

The description of this book sounds strongly reminiscent of The Princess Diaries with the additional complication of culture clash. I'm hopeful that it will be less of a fairy tale story and more of a real exploration of absent parents and the cultural elements that influence the direction of our lives.

Non-fiction book review - Jop and Blip Wanna Know

 

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Jop and Blip Wanna Know by Jim Benton

As we gather from the full title of this book, it is not a text that takes itself too seriously. Structured as a graphic novel, robots Jop and Blip tackle three absurd questions. Now, Benton could make jokes of the whole thing. Instead, he looks at the actual science involved in each question. Take the title question - a penguin farting on Mars. First Jop and Blip determine what it would take to even get a penguin to the planet. Then, they look at the details of a penguin's digestive system. And finally, they break down the science of sound on Mars. Every aspect is broken down. The overall framework is centered on endless curiosity and open exploration. No question is too silly to explore and science can provide all kinds of answers. It encourages the reader to continue to ask questions without shame and guides them through the process of finding answers.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - The Verdigris Pawn

 

Title: The Verdigris Pawn

Author: Alysa Wishingrad

Genre: fantasy

Similar books: How to Save a Queendom by Jessica Lawson

                     The Goblin's Puzzle by Andrew S Chilton

Rating:

 

decent, if unremarkable

Summary (provided by publisher):  The heir to the Land should be strong. Fierce. Ruthless. At least, that’s what Beau’s father has been telling him his whole life, since Beau is the exact opposite of what the heir should be. With little control over his future, Beau is kept locked away, just another pawn in his father’s quest for ultimate power.
That is, until Beau meets a girl who shows him the secrets his father has kept hidden. For the first time, Beau begins to question everything he’s ever been told and sets off in search of a rebel who might hold the key to setting things right.
Teaming up with a fiery runaway boy, their mission quickly turns into something far greater as sinister forces long lurking in the shadows prepare to make their final move—no matter what the cost. But it just might be Beau who wields the power he seeks . . . if he can go from pawn to player before the Land tears itself apart. 

My opinion: This book doesn't work too hard to explain itself. The interworkings of the world have to be gathered from details. They are never stated straight out. All of the information is present but having to puzzle through it may be too much of a challenge for some readers. The bones of the plot - a privileged child becoming aware of the system's cruelty, an unlikely team going up against an oppressive system - are fairly standard. I like that there is no perfect solution. They find that some rebels are as bad as the system they are trying to overthrow, that some people with power are too self serving. The multiple perspectives are well handled though the pacing is a bit slow.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Swimming tin

 I have quite a back stock of empty altoid tins, so I spend a fair amount of time considering new ways to use them. Here's a design I plan to try out at craft fairs this fall. I've made some small sea creatures attached to a metal tab. They'll be kept in a tin painted with an ocean design, accompanied by a magnet on a handle, allowing the creature to "swim" on the inside of the tin.