Book review - Needle and Thread

 

Title: Needle and Thread 

Author: David Pinckney

Genre: realistic fiction/graphic novel

Similar books: Be Dazzled by Ryan La Sala

                      This Train is Being Held by Ismee Amiel Williams

Rating:

 

basic and pleasant

Summary (provided by publisher): Choosing between living the life you want and living the life you're "supposed to have" is not always an easy choice. Noah, embracing his true-self, wants to pursue a career in costume design, something his loving, public service parents would never approve of. Azarie, the perfect, model daughter of a very stern, traditional family, dreams of embracing the hobbies she secretly loves, hobbies her social circle would never abide by. The two live different lives and their social statuses keep them from ever crossing paths until they have a chance encounter that exposes some common ground: the desire to be who they truly are. Together, the two set out to put it all on the line and show everyone what they're made of and what they want to achieve in the form of cosplay. Their growing friendship will be tested and their faith in themselves, as well as each other, will be tried.

My opinion: I've been fascinated by the recent trend of fashion as it's connected to cosplay. Where once cosplay was a weird thing that desperate nerds engaged in, now it is recognized as a legitimate skill worth applauding. Now, apart from the cosplay element, this is a pretty standard exploration of kids dealing with parental expectations. Both sets of parents express pretty extreme disapproval of the hobbies and interests of their kids. Noah's parents push him towards an interest in sports and a future in medicine, treating his sewing as a hobby that he will grow out of. Azarie's parents dictate every element of her life - her friends, her clothing, her behavior. The characters are pretty straightforward, the parents lacking in complexity.

More information: Needle and Thread releases September 15.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic Novel Spotlight - Death and Sparkles

 

Death and Sparkles by Rob Justus

If you're like me, you tend to find unicorns a bit sappy. Something about the idea of a perfect, pure being isn't especially compelling to me. Pair that same unicorn with death, though, and something wonderful happens. Death and Sparkles are the ultimate odd couple. Their day-to-day experiences are on opposite ends of the spectrum. They are literally stuck together, thrown into a quest. It will come as no surprise that their journey proves they have more in common than they expected and that their assumptions about each other and about the world are inaccurate. The plot is very tongue in cheek but still has real messages to share. An entertaining read that holds up to repeat reading.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non-fiction book review - Stolen Science

 

Stolen Science by Ella Schwartz

 It will come as no surprise to most of us that there are enough achievements "stolen" to fill a whole book. The achievements of non-white, non-male people are regularly diminished or hidden entirely. Schwartz is putting in a concerted effort to attribute discoveries and inventions appropriately, acknowledging that some credit should be shared and that some discoveries are a case of parallel innovation. Neither the science nor the scientists are explored in any depth but we get enough of an overview to keep us engaged.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

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