Book review - Fast Pitch

 

Title: Fast Pitch

Author: Nic Stone

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Bump by Matt Wallace

                     My Life as a Diamond by Jenny Manzer

Rating:

 

well intentioned by a bit over simplified

Summary (provided by publisher): Shenice Lockwood, captain of the Fulton Firebirds, is hyper-focused when she steps up to the plate. Nothing can stop her from leading her team to the U12 fast-pitch softball regional championship. But life has thrown some curveballs her way.
Strike one: As the sole team of all-brown faces, Shenice and the Firebirds have to work twice as hard to prove that Black girls belong at bat.
Strike two: Shenice’s focus gets shaken when her great-uncle Jack reveals that a career-ending—and family-name-ruining—crime may have been a setup.
Strike three: Broken focus means mistakes on the field. And Shenice’s teammates are beginning to wonder if she’s captain-qualified.
It's up to Shenice to discover the truth about her family’s past—and fast—before secrets take the Firebirds out of the game forever.

My opinion: I'm not real big on sports stories but I'll give them a chance if I get the sense that they're trying to be more, that sports are used as a device for addressing a larger issue. And that's definitely the case here. The girls play softball but we don't get much technical sports talk or even descriptions of the games. Softball is simply a thing they do and a catalyst for addressing institutionalized racism. Those ideas - including how increased awareness changes Shenice's approach to games and her teammates - are morally complex and are thus not fully explored. The conclusion is pretty idealized and tidy. It ends quickly with everything neatly tied up, a result I found disappointing. Still, it will give a middle grade reader plenty to chew on.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - The Bright Family

 

Title: The Bright Family

Author: Matthew Cody and Derick Brooks

Genre: sci-fi graphic novel

Similar books: Lemonade Code by Jarod Pratt

                     Once Upon a Spacetime by Jeffrey Brown

Rating:

 

a solid read

Summary (provided by publisher): Meet the brilliant, overachieving Bright Family: While Mom’s off-planet literally saving the world and Dad’s holed up in his laboratory, 12-year-old Nia’s trying to win every robotics competition, and her younger brother, Jayden…well, actually, Jayden’s just trying to avoid doing his homework so has more time to daydream about kaiju and design giant robots.
But when a dimensional portal sends Mom and Dad who-knows-where, it’s up to Nia and Jayden (and their robot nanny, Dusty) to bring their parents home. The question is, where in the multiverse could they possibly be?
Through their travels, the Brights—kids and parents alike—learn how one person's actions can lead to consequences that affect the whole family, and sometimes even the entire multiverse!

My opinion: This book manages the plot elements quite well. We're never confused about what is happening. And we have a clear picture of the characters and their driving forces. Not only do we have these kids acknowledging their fears of inadequacy they are also discovering that their parents aren't perfect, that their desire for discovery is irresponsible at times, having consequences in each world they visit. It's a reminder of scientific and social responsibility that we an all use. The interactions and emotions are fairly simplified. There is little reflection or character development. Still, a solid read for middle graders.

More information: The Bright Family releases September 7.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 

The Icepick Surgeon by Sam Kean

I'm not much of a history buff but I am fascinated by stories of terrible happenings - murders, con artists, cults, and the like. So a book about crimes committed for the sake of science is a pretty compelling idea. I've been looking forward to this one for a while and am excited to give it a listen.

Non-fiction book review - Fred & Marjorie

 

Fred & Marjorie by Deborah Kerbel

I'm willing to bet that most kids don't give an thought to insulin at all, much less about how it was developed. So the average young reader will find this a bit of a hard sell. Which is a shame since its a pretty compelling read. It helps that Kerbel presents the information as a narrative. We learn about the characters involved and their motivations. Many will struggle with the animal experimentation as a concept. Still, a kid with an interest in medicine might enjoy this one.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Treasure in the Lake

 

Title: Treasure in the Lake

Author: Jason Pamment

Genre: fantasy graphic novel

Similar books: Mel the Chosen by Rachele Aragano

                      Believe Your Eyes by Cori Doerrfeld

Rating:

 

a cool idea

Summary (provided by publisher): Grand adventures stories often begin where you least expect them…
Iris knows this because she’s read them all. However, as a thirteen-year-old stuck in the tiny town of Bugden, real adventure seems like a distant dream. But when Iris and her best friend, Sam, stumble upon an unusually dry river on the outskirts of town, they’re led to a discovery beyond anything Iris has ever read about: a hidden city and a forgotten tale of friendship.
In Jason Pamment's middle grade graphic novel debut, perfect for fans of Hilda and This Was Our Pact, can Iris and Sam uncover the truth in time to keep their own friendship afloat, or will history repeat itself and pull them apart forever?

My opinion: What could be more interesting than discovering that there is a whole town hidden in the bed of a nearby river? This idea makes for pretty compelling reading. Pamment makes the most of this idea visually, playing with structure and time both. We see the town in it's prime and after the river has taken it's toll. The reality of what is happening can be a little hard to grasp but the illustrations are strong enough to carry us through confusing events. A bit of a challenging read but worth the effort.

More information: Treasure in the Lake releases September 7

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Say it Out Loud

 

Title: Say It Out Loud

Author: Allison Varnes

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman

                      Captain Superlative by J.S. Puller

Rating:

 

a solid school-centric read

Summary (provided by publisher): Charlotte Andrews is perfectly fine being quiet--in fact, she prefers it. When she doesn't speak, people can't make fun of her stutter. But when she witnesses bullying on the school bus and doesn't say anything, her silence comes between her and her best friend.
As if that wasn't bad enough, her parents signed her up for musical theater. Charlotte doesn't want to speak onstage, but at least she doesn't stutter when she sings. Then, just as she starts to find her voice, the arts program is cut. Charlotte can't stay silent anymore.
So she begins to write. Anonymous encouraging notes to her classmates. Letters to the school board to save the school musical. And an essay about the end of her best friendship--and her hope that she can still save it.
Words could save Charlotte Andrews and everything she believes in . . . if she just believes in herself enough to speak up.

My opinion: This is a largely character-driven book, a feature less common in work for a middle grade audience. Plenty of things happen in the story but Charlotte's desire to avoid attention is always at the center of things. It informs every action and interaction. It is both the source of conflict and her resolution. And Charlotte is a genuinely likeable character. She may be a bit frustrating at times in her reluctance to act, but she's also very observant and sees the goodness in her peers even when they appear cruel or otherwise unlikable. And through this plot Varnes shows the reader not only the power of simple acts of kindness to affect change but also how easy it is to be a part of the problem. How easy it is to be unkind or allow others to be cruel. A solid read.

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Picture books for everyone

 

The Clever Tailor by Srivhya Venkat

The story here is a simple one: the tailor makes a garment that he loves and wears until it is no longer presentable, at which point he remakes it into something for a family member. The cycle continues until it is completely worn out. It's a story of using our resources to their fullest. A solid message, especially in a throw-away culture. But what really makes this book shine is the illustrations. On each page the vibrant, patterned fabric flows across and illustrates the way it is used. It has an almost magical quality. Delightful

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley