Book review - Wrecked

 

Title: Wrecked

Author: Heather Henson

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: What She Found in the Woods by Josephine Angelini

                      Burn Girl by Mandy Mikulencak

Rating:

 

stretches believability

Summary (provided by publisher): For as long as Miri can remember it’s been her and her dad, Poe, in Paradise—what Poe calls their home, hidden away from prying eyes in rural Kentucky. It’s not like Miri doesn’t know what her dad does or why people call him “the Wizard.” It’s not like she doesn’t know why Clay, her one friend and Poe’s right-hand man, patrols the grounds with a machine gun. It’s nothing new, but lately Paradise has started to feel more like a prison.
Enter Fen. The new kid in town could prove to be exactly the distraction Miri needs…but nothing is ever simple. Poe doesn’t take kindly to strangers. Fen’s DEA agent father is a little too interested in Miri’s family. And Clay isn’t satisfied with being just friends with Miri anymore. But what’s past is prologue—it’s what will follow that will wreck everything.

My opinion: I'm okay with the idea behind this book. A teen who grows up with a parent who manufactures/sells drugs is going to find that her perception of the world and of other people is profoundly affected by that reality. I think, though, that Henson tries too hard to make Poe an admirable or at least redeemable character. We get this hole other arc for him apart from his desire to keep their life isolated from prying eyes. The plot with the DEA stretched my willing suspension of disbelief almost to the breaking point. It pretends at being a deep exploration of character but instead treads largely familiar ground.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic novel spotlight - Surviving the Wild

 

Surviving the Wild series by Remy Lai

A quick glance will tell you most of what you need to know about the plot of these books. Most books about juvenile animals are intended to do a couple of things: teach us facts about the animal species and teach us to empathize with the animal and thus to be more open to conservation/ecology efforts. This is done through subtle coding, slipping in the message with cute behavior. First we see Rainbow and Star interacting with their mothers, learning to survive their natural environments. Then they are threatened by fires, habitat loss, hunting, etc. It's a pretty basic formula. We learn from the afterward in each book that these stories are based on real situations. The factual basis will be appealing to adults, the simple illustrations appealing to very young readers. 

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non-fiction book review - Blast Off!

 

Blast Off! by Suzanne Slade

If you're looking for books about women who were essential to our scientific history, add this one to your list. Most of us haven't heard of Mary Sherman Morgan but  after this quick read we'll all understand just how essential she was to the success of the space program. We learn about her less traditional educational background and how her own confidence allowed her to overcome her limitations. The illustrations are heavily saturated in color and are a bit busy at times but overall this is a charming book worth the read.

More information: Blast Off! releases April 12

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Falling Short

 

Title: Falling Short

Author: Ernesto Cisneros

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: The Great Wall of Lucy Wu by Wendy Wan-Long Shang

                      Athlete Vs Mathlete by W.C. Mack

Rating:

 

pleasant, if a bit predictable

Summary (provided by publisher): Isaac and Marco already know sixth grade is going to change their lives. But it won’t change things at home—not without each other’s help.
This year, star basketball player Isaac plans on finally keeping up with his schoolwork. Better grades will surely stop Isaac’s parents from arguing all the time. Meanwhile, straight-A Marco vows on finally winning his father’s approval by earning a spot on the school’s basketball team.
But will their friendship and support for each other be enough to keep the two boys from falling short?

My opinion: I can appreciate what Cisneros is trying to accomplish here. W have to very different boys trying to find their place in middle school and in their families. Both have complex relationships with their fathers though for vastly different reasons. We have characters coming up against traditional masculinity and it's tendency towards toxicity. They also see different kinds of bullying. Solid choices there. The plot is a bit idealized, though. There is some complexity with the fathers worth reading and considering.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Shadow box

 In the past couple of years I got interested in vinyl records. I rather enjoy scouring resale shops and yard sales for interesting music. That's how I found some children's records in bright colors. While I'm not especially fond of the movie Dumbo, I found the bright yellow 45 of "When I See an Elephant Fly" with a little cartoon of Dumbo on the label charming and knew right away that it would make fun wall art. 

I couldn't find a cheap frame of the right size but I did find this boxy plaque at the dollar store. 

Since the back is hollow, I flipped it and painted the inside to make a sort of shadow box instead of a traditional frame.

Book review - Air

 

Title: Air

Author: Monica Roe

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Song for a Whale by Lynne Kelly

                      Roll With It by Jamie Sumner

Rating:

 

a solid read, all around

Summary (provided by publisher): Twelve-year-old Emmie is working to raise money for a tricked-out wheelchair to get serious about WCMX, when a mishap on a poorly designed ramp at school throws her plans into a tailspin. Instead of replacing the ramp, her school provides her with a kind but unwelcome aide—and, seeing a golden media opportunity, launches a public fundraiser for her new wheels. Emmie loves her close-knit rural town, but she can’t shake the feeling that her goals—and her choices—suddenly aren’t hers anymore. With the help of her best friends, Emmie makes a plan to get her dreams off the ground—and show her community what she wants, what she has to give, and how ready she is to do it on her own terms.

My opinion: Sometimes in middle grade books we see a character with a need and the community pulling together to make it a reality. We don't often see the other side of that equation, where a very showy donation is made and no consideration is made for the things that would genuinely improve their life. In this book there is no denying that Emmie will benefit from a better wheelchair. But what will improve her life, and the lives of others like her, more is better accessibility in the school and around town. Through this narrative Roe is encouraging us to fully see people, to truly listen to them and make sure they have what they need. This is seen in the primary plot, of course, but also in Emmie's interactions with her father and her friends. She has to confront her own preconceived notions as well as dealing with other people's perceptions of her. All around a solid read.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Picture books for everyone

 

The Gardener of Alcatraz by Emma Bland Smith

Picture books seldom address prison at all, much less alternative theories of incarceration and rehabilitation. In telling the story of Elliot Michener, though, Smith has done exactly that. We see both the healing power of nature and the positive affects of finding purpose and fulfillment in a person's life. The narrative is easy enough to follow and is accompanied by cheerful and expressive illustrations. The underlying messages are a bit deeper and give an older child ideas of social justice and the implications of the carceral system to reflect upon

More information: The Gardener of Alcatraz releases April 5. 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley