Book review - The Swag is in the Socks

 

Title: The Swag is in the Socks

Author: Kelly J Baptist

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Say it Out Loud by Allison Varnes

                      Being Clem by Lena Cline-Ransome

Rating:

 

 basic but pleasant

Summary (provided by publisher): Xavier Moon is not one to steal the show. He’s perfectly content to play video games and sit at his bedroom window watching the neighborhood talk outside.
But for Xavier’s twelfth birthday, he receives a pair of funky socks and a challenge from his great-uncle, Frankie Bell, saying it’s time to swag out and speak up. First on the list: get into the legendary Scepter League. Xavier’s grandfather, great-uncle, and father were all invited to join the elite boys’ after-school club that admits only the most suave and confident young men. Xavier has never had the courage to apply before, but his wild socks are getting him some big attention, so maybe it’s time to come out of the shadows and follow in his family's footsteps. Or maybe Xavier will march down a new path altogether.

My opinion: At heart, this is a fairly standard of a kid learning to be a man, defining the sort of person he's going to become and the steps he will take to get there. He's learning to embrace elements of his personality, to worry less about the perception of his peers. There are a few unique details but the general thrust of the plot is exactly what we would expect. Solid messaging, though.

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Non-fiction book review - Know Your Rights and Claim Them

 

Know Your Rights and Claim Them

This book is a part of a trend that I've been noticing recently - explanations of foundational documents aimed at youths. This makes sense. Teens are primed for education and developmentally at a stage where they are becoming more politically aware. And it's important for all of us to understand our rights and the consequences of violations. I was not aware of this particular document, though. I didn't know that there was an internationally recognized declaration of the rights of children. This particular book is fairly dry and academic, so you're going to have to work to convince teens it's worth understanding. It would make a decent addition to homeschooling curriculum.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - The School Between Winter and Fairyland

 

Title: The School Between Winter and Fairyland

Author: Heather Fawcett

Genre: fantasy

Similar books: Hooky by Miriam Bonastre Tur

                      The Hatmakers by Tamzin Merchant

Rating:

 

largely expected but still pleasant

Summary (provided by publisher): Twelve-year-old Autumn Malog is a servant at the enchanting Inglenook School, where young magicians study to become the king’s future monster-hunters. Along with her Gran and three too many older brothers, she works as a beastkeeper, tending to Inglenook’s menagerie of terrifying monsters.
But when she isn’t mucking out the wyvern stalls or coaxing the resident boggart to behave, Autumn searches for clues about her twin brother’s mysterious disappearance. Everyone else thinks he was devoured by the feared Hollow Dragon, but Autumn is convinced she’s heard—and glimpsed—him calling to her from within the castle walls. But who will believe a lowly servant?
So when Cai Morrigan, the “Chosen One” prophesied to one day destroy the Hollow Dragon, comes to her for help, Autumn agrees on one condition: Together, they’ll search for her brother and uncover the dark truth at the heart of enchanting Inglenook School once and for all.

My opinion: We have a fair number of common elements here. There's a magical boarding school; a stratified society; a prophecy that will change the course of the entire world. We also have vastly different characters thrown together, each working to their own end. Fawcett devotes a fair amount of space to the nature and personality of assorted magical creatures, almost as much as is devoted to the actual plot. Now, the exploration of the class divide is more subtle than we typically see in middle grade fiction. We simply see the realities of their lives and are left to draw our own conclusions. The foreshadowing doesn't pay off the way we would expect and the messaging may be a bit too subtle for many readers. Entertaining but not engrossing.

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Listen with me

 

So Many Beginnings by Bethany C Morrow

I wouldn't say that Little Women is my favorite book, but I was briefly obsessed with it so I'm often intrigued by retellings of the idea. I look forward to seeing how Morrow handles this particular version.

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Book review - The Heist Age

 

Title: The Heist Age

Author: Doug Paleo

Genre: humor/graphic novel

Similar books: Investigators by John Green

                      Didi Dodo series by Tom Angleberger

Rating:

 

silly but fun

Summary (provided by publisher): Dinotown is under attack! In this adventure, the Dinomighties face new icy villains led by Bully Mammoth. This colossal meanie will stop at nothing to ​get his grubby tusks on the world's most valuable painting: the Dino Lisa . . . even if it means putting a deep freeze on Dinotown. How will the Dinomighties heat things up in order to outsmart and ice out Bully and his big bad crew of furry doofs and manage to save their hometown along with the most precious piece of art in the whole wide world?

My opinion: A funny story with dinosaur secret agents? Talk about a guaranteed win with the average kid. Obviously, we're not meant to take this very seriously, which is a good thing since the plot logic is a bit thin. But it's easy to follow, easily read by a newly independent reader, and not too obnoxious for a parent reading along.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic novel spotlight - Beast Boy Loves Raven

Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven by Kami Garcia 

This is the third team up between Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo exploring the world of the Teen Titans. While these are stories that have been examined in comics in the past, this version is strongly character driven, as much about Beast Boy and Raven as people as it is about their powers. While they battle evil and seek out the source of their powers, they also struggle just to be teenagers and figure out their place in the world. Each character has had a book of their own and this volume brings them together, with the promise of more of our favorite Titans to come. While most comics focus on Robin and Starfire as the central duo, I appreciate the focus largely on Raven in this series. Beast Boy becomes a support and foil for the more serious Raven. The story is strong and the art even stronger. If you have any appreciation for standard comics, give this series a look. 

 

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Non-fiction book review - Animals to the Rescue

 

Animals to the Rescue by Sandra Markle

I was rather obsessed with helper animal stories in upper elementary school, so I can see the appeal of this book. And there are certainly unusual stories here. Like using elephants for earthquake recovery. I'd not heard of that before. I foresee this one going over quite well with young audiences.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley