Book review - Rain Rising

 

Title: Rain Rising

Author: Courtne Comrie

Genre: verse novel/realistic fiction

Similar books: Anger is a Gift by Mark Oshiro

                     All the Broken Pieces by Ann E Burg

Rating:

 

a good one for reflection

Summary (provided by publisher): Rain is keeping a big secret from everyone around her: She's sad. All the time. Rain struggles with her image and feels inferior to her best friend, Nara. Not even her all-star student-athlete big brother (and personal superhero), Xander, can help Rain with her dark thoughts and low self-esteem.
And when Xander becomes the victim of violence at a predominantly white university, Rain’s life and mind take a turn for the worse. But when her favorite teacher, Miss Walia, invites her to an after-school circle group, Rain finds the courage to help herself and her family heal.
Like the rain, she is both gentle and a force, finding strength to rise again.

My opinion: This is a solid plot to explore in the verse novel format. While plenty happens in the book, the primary driver of the plot is emotional growth and the acknowledgement of mental illness. We want, then, more time spent reflecting than in the details of action. Plus, the events of the book are pretty harrowing. Since we are never in the moment, since all of the events are filtered through the lens of Rain's reactions, we have a little distance to keep it from becoming too intense for young readers.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - After Dark with Roxie Clark

 

Title: After Dark With Roxie Clark

Author: Brook Lauren Davis

Genre: Mystery

Similar books: Killing Time by Brenna Ehrlich

                      The Violent Season by Sara Walters

Rating:

 

intriguing characters, decent twists

Summary (provided by publisher): Roxie Clark has seen more dead bodies than your average seventeen-year-old. As a member of the supposedly-cursed Clark family, most of her ancestors have met tragic ends, including her own mother. Instead of fearing the curse, however, Roxie has combined her flair for performance and her gruesome family history into a successful ghost tour. But her tour never covers the most recent body she’s seen—her sister Skylar’s boyfriend, Colin Riley, found murdered in a cornfield.
A year after the murder, Roxie’s desperate to help Skylar find closure and start to heal. Instead, Skylar becomes fixated on finding the killer. As the sisters dig into what really happened, they discover that more than one person has been lying about that night. And the closer they get to the truth, the more Roxie starts to wonder if some scary stories might be better left untold.

My opinion: I liked this book rather more than I thought I would. It's more than just a murder mystery. It's an exploration of the ties between people, of the relationships we're born into and those we choose and the circumstances that strain relationships. The plot is not especially deep and some of the twists are predictable. But the characters are dynamic, deeply flawed and believable. Roxie is self-centered stubborn - in other words, a normal teenager. It may not hold up to repeat reads but for one off entertainment that leaves you with a couple of ideas to chew on, it's a solid choice.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic novel spotlight - Living With Viola

 

Living With Viola by Rosena Fung

This book is a solid portrayal of a character living with anxiety in a way easily understood by a middle grade audience. By presenting the anxiety as a shadow person, someone who whispers terrible thoughts in the protagonist's ears, we can see how anxiety can be ever-present and at times overwhelming. Add in the interpersonal issues that come with the middle grade years, cultural shame and pressure, and perceived parental expectations and it makes for a solidly complex plot. While the narrative lacks a bit in cohesion the illustrations and plot are overall strong. 

 

Non-fiction book review - Victory. Stand!

 

Victory. Stand! by Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, and Dawud Anyabwile

Smith's memoir tells the story behind a photo most of us have seen but know precious little about. The book is reminiscent of the March trilogy in visual style, structure, and intent. Smith tells the full truth of his story, both the good and the bad. There is no sensationalism here, no glossing over things we'd rather not talk about. It's a straightforward, honest narrative. It's a book I found quite engrossing and would not hesitate to read it again or to recommend it to others.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 

The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne by Jonathan Stroud

This one promises a combination of action/adventure/heist with the pathos of sci-fi/dystopia. Secrets and outlaws on the run. Should make for a fun listen.

Glitter pumpkin

 Do you have a Dollar Tree nearby? Have you seen these foam pumpkins?

They're a great shape but the color is a bit too bright. I bought one intending to paint it a slightly more realistic shade of orange and maybe redo the stem. Instead, this happened:

Realistic? No. Cooler looking than that bright orange? Absolutely.

Picture books for everyone

I Cannot Draw a Horse by Charise Mericle Harper

This book is a part of a growing trend of stories where the author/narrator talks directly to the reader or a character in a way that suggests interaction. We are not simply hearing a story, we're engaging in a conversation. In this case, the narrator interacts with a simply drawn cat, the cat demanding a horse and the narrator suggesting other additions to the story. Horses, we are told, are hard to draw so here is a different thing. The scene becomes increasingly silly, the cat's demands for a horse increasingly strong. It's bound to elicit giggles from a young audience. And because the illustrations are quite simple, based on easily replicated shapes, it encourages slightly older kids to draw their own versions of the illustrations, to take more chances with their drawing.

More information: I Cannot Draw a Horse releases October 11.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.