Non-fiction book review - The Untold Story of Sarah Keys Evans

 

The Untold Story of Sarah Keys Evans by Dr. Artika R Tyner

We tend to have the idea that the idea of bus boycotts started spontaneously with Rosa Parks. You don't have to do much research, though, to realize just how untrue that is. Like in this case. A full three years before the famous arrest, we encounter the story of Evans. If anyone had the right to demand a seat on a bus it was Evans, given her history of service. And as with Parks, she asked for her rights firmly but politely. This is a story that belongs in our Black history education, especially as it is easily understood by young readers. For older readers, it would be worth contrasting with Parks and Colvin to encourage a conversation about who deserves our attention and respect.

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Book review - The Famously Funny Parrott

 

Title: The Famously Funny Parrott

Author: Eric Daniel Weiner

Genre: humor/short stories

Similar books: Claude in the City by Alex T Smith

                     Sloth Sleuth by Cyndi Marko

Rating:

 

slightly offbeat fun

Summary (provided by publisher): Ride through Rubberwick in your Rolly Royce with Freddie and Peccary! This story collection is full of whimsical illustrations and laugh-out-loud adventures.
From solving problems like the mysterious knock-knocking door, to saving the day with a fresh batch of waffle batter, Freddie Parrott knows that he can always count on his loyal butler and best friend, Peccary.

My opinion: If P.G. Wodehouse had written about animals instead of adults the result might be this collection. Freddie is a bit scatterbrained with a wild sense of fashion, not unlike Bertie Wooster. Luckily his butler Peccary is there to keep him on track and remind him of details. There isn't a lot of complexity to these stories but they are a light-hearted bit of fun and would work well as a read-aloud in a classroom or as a family with a wider age-range of listeners since there's a little humor here for everyone.

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Book review - The Superteacher Project

 

Title: The Superteacher Project

Author: Gordon Korman

Genre: mild sci-fi

Similar books: Because of Mr. Terupt by Rob Buyea

                      Shine by J.J. Grabenstein

Rating: 

 

fun with some thought behind it

 

Summary (provided by publisher): Oliver Zahn, spitball champion and self-declared rule-wrecker of Brightling Middle School, is not a fan of his new homeroom teacher, Mr. Aidact. The guy is sort of stiff, never cracks a smile, and refers to them as “pupils.” The worst part is he catches Oliver before he can pull any of his signature pranks! It’s time for Oliver and his best friend, Nathan, to show the new teacher who’s boss.
But as the weeks go by, they start to realize that Mr. Aidact is not what they expected. He has an uncanny ability to remember song lyrics or trivia. When the girls’ field hockey team needs a new coach, he suddenly turns out to be an expert. He never complains when other teachers unload work on him—even when it’s lunchroom duty and overseeing detention. Against all odds, Mr. Aidact starts to become the most popular teacher at Brightling.
Still, Oliver and Nathan know that something is fishy. They’re determined to get to the bottom of the mystery: What’s the deal with Mr. Aidact?

My opinion: While this isn't the most mind-blowing book, it's a solid read for the middle grade set. It does encourage us to think about the relationship between student and teacher and what makes a good educator. The pacing is pretty spot on, balancing action and moments of reflection. It has some interesting speculation about technology and our potential reaction to A.I. which might inspire discussion among young readers. It never digs too deeply into the messaging or into character development but this isn't terribly uncommon in middle grade fiction.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Pick 6: Verse novels

 Verse novels aren't especially common or popular, though a few have broken through. You may have read an Ellen Hopkins book during their burst of popularity, or may have been assigned Sharon Creech's Love That Dog in school. It's a shame that more people don't read these books as verse novels are a great way to explore a concept through a character's internal, emotional journey. Here are six verse novels for kids and teens published in the past six months.

6 new verse novels:

1. Flipping Forward Twisting Backward by Alma FUllerton
2. The Hope of Elephants by Amanda Ransom Hill
3. Iveliz Explains it All by Andrea Arango
4. Rain Rising by Courtnie Comrie
5. Fly by Alison Hughes
6. Ode to a Nobody by Caroline Brooks DuBois
   

Book review - Bertie and the Alien Chicken

 

Title: Bertie and the Alien Chicken

Author:Jenny Pearson

Genre: humor

Similar books: Alien Nate by Dave Whammond

                     Alien Invasion in My Backyard by Ruben Bolling

Rating:

 

cute

Summary (provided by publisher): An alien chicken bent on exterminating Earth is disarmed by the power of friendship in this hilarious and heartfelt tale from Lollie-award-winning author Jenny Pearson.
Bertie is NOT looking forward to spending the summer holidays on stinky Long Bottom Farm. But things take an interesting turn when he encounters Nugget, the alien chicken. Nugget’s mission is to find the Earth’s most important resource and transport it back to Nurgle 7, and he needs Bertie’s help. But what could the Earth’s most valuable resource be, and can they find it in time to stop the Nurgles exterminating the Earth?!

My opinion: It will as no surprise to anyone that this is a very silly book. But that's okay. It doesn't take itself too seriously. Even so there is solid structure and even a redeeming message both about what we value and about the importance of research. It's a touch cheeky but doesn't rely too much on gross-out humor. Cute enough for a kid to enjoy reading.

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Possum

 Maybe it's strange, but I have a fondness for opossums. They're a little bit creepy with their squinty eyes, sharp little teeth, and scrabbly paws. But I think they're creepy cute. I've wanted to make a sock puppet opossum for a while now and I finally collected the right materials. One key - a long pink tongue that can hang out and let it play dead. And thanks to my mom who suggested rickrack for teeth.

Listen with me

 

The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

What a spectacular read! This is more than just a historical novel. Marsh weaves together three perspectives - two girls in the 1930s and a boy at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. While Matthew's story appears initially to just be a way to engage the reader with the historical plot, as the narrative unfolds we see more parallels. Certainly, this is a historical novel at heart. It's a tale of the Ukrainian famine and it's devastating effects on a trio of cousins. But it's also a tale of loss and fear, of isolation and your world being inexorably changed. That is part of where Matthew's story comes in. And at a higher level it is an introduction to narrative. As the characters discover, it matters who is telling the story and what their motivations might be. We learn about propaganda and state controlled media, the power of our news sources telling us what is and isn't true even without evidence. This is a story you can read multiple times and come away with a different point to reflect on each time.

More information: The Lost Year releases January 17. 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley