Non-fiction book review - Amazing Athletes

 

Amazing Athletes by Marie-Claude Oullet

This book may initially be a hard sell for young readers in the US. Canadian paralympians are, on the surface, a pretty niche topic. But when you get into the details this is a fascinating read. The focus is nearly as much on the sports as it is about the athletes. And Ouellet keeps the focus on athletics, not on handicaps. I personally loved learning about the differences in paralympic sports and how some of the modified rules make these sports more challenging. A cool addition to a sports collection.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Beyond the Mapped Stars

 

Title: Beyond the Mapped Stars

Author: Rosalyn Eves

Genre: historical fiction

Similar books: The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

                     Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

Rating:

 

compelling and nuanced

Summary (provided by publisher): Seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Bertelsen dreams of becoming an astronomer, but she knows such dreams are as unreachable as the stars she so deeply adores. As a Mormon girl, her duty is to her family and, in a not too far away future, to the man who'll choose to marry her.
When she unexpectedly finds herself in Colorado, she's tempted by the total eclipse of the sun that's about to happen--and maybe even meeting up with the female scientists she's long admired. Elizabeth must learn to navigate this new world of possibility: with her familial duties and faith tugging at her heartstrings, a new romance on the horizon, and the study of the night sky calling to her, she can't possibly have it all...can she?

My opinion: Historical novels about teen girls are nearly always going to be focused on the war between duty and dreams. We tend to see girls who dream of a high achieving life while their parents expect them to be practical - either through marriage or a job. The conclusion of such stories is that following your dreams is worth it, even if it means leaving your family and home behind. I admire this book because it acknowledges that such a choice is not so simple. It's not just that Elizabeth has dreams; she genuinely wants to be a "good" daughter and a good Mormon. She wants to submit to the plan she feels God has for her. She has to learn to find balance, to dream but also stay practical. Her journey emphasizes that prioritizing her desires over everything else causes trouble. This doesn't mean that her desires are wrong, only that she must consider consequences before she makes decisions. While some of the problems and resolutions are idealized, the overall journey is engaging.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Sun dress update

I liked the simple shape of this dress, though I found it a bit plain and lacking in pockets.

I used some cookie cutters as stamps with fabric paint to add some visual interest. The skirt was a little longer than suits my shape so I cut several inches off the bottom. With the trimmed fabric I cut some squares for pockets which I also decorated with paint.

Book review - Velda the Awesomest Viking

 

Title: Velda the Awesomest Viking and the Voyage of Deadly Doom

Author: David MacPhail

Genre: humor

Similar books: How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

                     The Jolley-Rogers series by Jonny Duddle

Rating:

 

good fun

Summary (provided by publisher): Oi, you snivelling pig-dogs! Are you ready for a Viking adventure?
Velda is a small girl with a big axe. The only problem is, everyone thinks she can't be a proper Viking because she's "just a little girl". PURLEASE! She sets sail with Freya, captain of the dragonship Valkyrie, and her notoriously ferocious crew for a life of awesome adventure (and very loud belching).
But when the Valkyrie and her crew are captured by the Queen of the Saxons, Velda is the only one who can free her friends. The small and mighty Viking must travel to the mysterious Islands of Deadly Doom, but there's just one problem, er, well more than one, actually -- she doesn't have a ship, a crew, or a clue how to get there...
Join Velda on her quest as she makes some unlikely new friends and takes on terrifying tasks, all while proving she's the awesomest Viking around.

My opinion: Given the set-up, most readers can probably predict where this book is headed. That's okay. A standard plot gives MacPhail room to include a lot of silly details that will appeal to the average kid's sense of humor. There is some gross humor but nothing over the top. It's also worth noting that the strongest, bravest, most valuable members of the crew are female. It's nice to see female characters who are bold and aggressive and ultimately positive.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: Magic graphic novels

Spells, faeries, witches, giants. Magical elements seem to resonate with young readers and can make for really exciting reading. This is especially true when it comes to graphic novels. Strong illustrations add to the wonder of reading about magic. Here are six graphic novels published in the past six months that feature magic. 

6 new magic graphic novels

1. Sprite and the Gardener by Joe Whitt
2. Wynd: Flight of the Prince by James Tynion
3. The Okay Witch: The Hungry Shadow by Emma Steinkeller
4. The Accursed Vampire by Madeline McGrane
5. Mel the Chosen by Rachell Aragano
6. The Weirn Books by Svetlana Chmakova 
   

Non-fiction book review - Volcano

 

Volcano by Mary M Cerullo

Volcanoes are a subject we often falsely believe to be simple. A crack in the earth that spews out lava and ash, right? Even a simple book like this will prove just how inaccurate that belief actually is. Here we learn about different volcano forms and classifications; the most active volcanoes; the reasons they form and the warning signs that they may erupt. The information is presented with enough detail to inform but not so much that we get bogged down in dry science. The text is accessible, vocabulary terms well explained. There's even a section on folklore and people's relationships with volcanoes. All of the information is well supported by photos and charts.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - In the Wild Light

 

Title: In the Wild Light

Author: Jeff Zentner

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks

                     Paper Towns by John Green

Rating:

 

lovely

Summary (provided by publisher): Life in a small Appalachian town is not easy. Cash lost his mother to an opioid addiction and his Papaw is dying slowly from emphysema. Dodging drug dealers and watching out for his best friend, Delaney, is second nature. He's been spending his summer mowing lawns while she works at Dairy Queen.
But when Delaney manages to secure both of them full rides to an elite prep school in Connecticut, Cash will have to grapple with his need to protect and love Delaney, and his love for the grandparents who saved him and the town he would have to leave behind.

My opinion: At face value, this is a pretty simple story. Perhaps even predicable. For me, this does not matter. There's something about Zentner's writing style that makes me forgiving of apparent simplicity. For one thing, the characters are complex. Much of the page space is devoted not to events but to reflections. To Cash contemplating his history and his future. It's relative poverty and limited opportunities come face to face with privilege. We meet characters dealing with different prejudices and limitations. All together we have a plot that feels fairly inevitable and because the characters are realistic and nuanced we go along with them to that inevitable conclusion.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley