Non fiction book review - Operation Cupcake

 

Operation Cupcake by Bambi Edlund

This book is a fun object lesson in the functions of simple machines. We learn about the mechanics of each type of machine and how they make work easier. Edlund also goes beyond the very basics, showing how modifications allow us to do more complicated work. There is a simple plot with a two-fold payout: first the mice get their cupcake and then there is a humorous reveal as the humans discover the fallout of the titular operation. The text is well supported by cartoon illustrations. This is a great way to supplement your kid's science lesson.

Advanced reader copy provided by NetGalley

Books on screen - Nimona

 

Nimona by ND Stevenson

I haven't done one of these in a while but I finally watched Nimona this weekend and we have to talk about it. Because here's the thing: I love Nimona. I read it as a webcomic. When it was released as a print book I badgered my manager until she promised me we would buy a copy for the library. And when it was first announced that there was going to be a movie I was immediately ecstatic, immediately followed by apprehensive. I love the book so much that I was terrified that the movie would ruin it. That's why it took me four months to actually watch the thing.

Let's start by admitting that the movie makes some big changes. I could make a post much longer than this one pointing out all of the differences in characters, plot elements, even messaging between the book and the movie. But that's not why I wanted to talk about it today. I will very quickly say that I still like the book better. I think the humor is sharper and Ballister is a stronger character in the original form. There is one thing the movie does better, though: it asks better questions. When you read the book you can tell it started life as a web comic. It meanders around, making nonsense jokes and cackling at its own cleverness before it finds focus and tells a coherent story. The movie cuts all of that extraneous information (no matter how much I love it) and focuses the conflict. Most importantly instead of just being about a corrupt system it asks two important questions: once you've been judged is it possible to change perceptions; and why does society vilify things just for being different. The central emotion, then, isn't righteous indignation but weary desperation which lends the movie a maturity that the book lacks, even as it has been modified to be appropriate for a younger audience. It makes this a rare case where both forms are worth consuming though for entirely different reasons.

Book review - Swarm

 

Title: Swarm

Author: Jennifer D. Lyle

Genre: horror/survival

Similar books: The Rain by Virginia Bergin

                      How We Became Wicked by Alexander Yates

Rating:

 

surprisingly reflective

Summary (provided by publisher): On a sunny September morning, the creatures first appear. Shur sees one of them hovering outside the window in history class: it looks like a giant butterfly, at first too beautiful and strange to seem like a threat. But when emergency alerts light up everyone's phones around her, she realizes something very, very wrong is happening outside. These… things are everywhere.
By the time Shur makes it back to her house with her brother, Keene, and their two best friends, it's clear they must face whatever comes next on their own. A terrifying species the world's never seen before has suddenly emerged, and few living things are safe. As the creatures swarm and attack outside, life for Shur and her friends becomes a survival game. They board the windows, stockpile supplies, and try to make sense of the news reports for as long as the power stays on.
Yet nothing can prepare them for what follows. The butterflies are only the beginning. The next onslaught will be deadlier, and even closer to home.

My opinion: It sounds like a pretty ridiculous concept for a book, monstrous butterflies attacking people. And if it had put more focus on attacks by the creatures it would likely have been laughable. But Lyle is smarter than that. There are a few attack scenes but they are brief and intense. The bulk of the book is about dealing with the fallout of the scenario. It's a group of teens trying to figure out survival on their own, especially when they are responsible for a small child. It's characters reflecting on who they are at their core, what things matter to them, and what sacrifices they are willing to make. As a result it's not an especially thrilling or intense book but it introduces ideas worth considering and discussing.

More information: Swarm releases November 7

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - With or Without You

 

Title: With or Without You

Author: Eric Smith

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: If it Makes You Happy by Claire Kann

                      Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love by Jared Reck

Rating:

 

a cute take on a standard dynamic

Summary (provided by publisher): All’s fair in love and (food truck) war.
Everyone knows Jordan Plazas and Cindy Ortiz hate each other.
According to many viral videos of their public shouting matches, the Plazas and Ortiz families have a well-known food truck rivalry. Jordan and Cindy have spent all of high school making cheesesteaks and slinging insults at each other across their shared Philadelphia street.
But the truth? They’re in love, and it’s all just an act for the tourists.
When the fake feud lands them a reality tv show pilot, Jordan and Cindy find themselves having to lie on a much bigger scale. Trapped between pursuing their dreams or their love, can they find a way to have their cheesesteak and eat it too?

My opinion: We've all read the star-crossed lovers plot. This is especially common in teen fiction when cooking and restaurants are involved. This book looks at that plot from a new angle, giving us feuding families as a marketing ploy and how that tactic can backfire when it becomes all consuming. It asks us to consider how far a person can and should go to make a family business successful. As is also standard in teen fiction we're looking at family pressures, the drive to succeed and the definitions of success. While it's not a deep read, it is an entertaining one. A solid choice for a cozy weekend when the weather is unpleasant.

More information: With or Without You releases November  

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Picture books for everyone

 

How This Book Got Red by Margaret Chiu Greanias

Much has been written about the importance of seeing yourself in books but this is the first time I've seen that idea as the premise of a picture book. And it does more than point out the importance - it offers a solution. The plot is simple. Books about pandas only ever talk about Giant Pandas, so Red Panda sets out to write her own. The plot takes us through the whole author journey: initial excitement for the project, frustrations and set backs, even fear that no one will care about your book. The final pages emphasize the importance of encouragement as well as diversity in books. This is a sweet story that encourages children to seek out different narratives and to contribute to change in the world.

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Super Magic Boy

 

Title: I Am a Dinosaur

Author: Jarod Rosello

Genre: graphic novel/humor

Similar books: Pizza and Taco by Stephen Shaskan

                      Grumpy Monkey by Suzanne Lang

Rating:

 

silly, lighthearted fun

Summary (provided by publisher): Hugo can do whatever he wants! He can climb a mountain! Smash a table! He can even transform into a dinosaur like his best friend, Dino. When Hugo and Dino are together, they can use their imagination to do anything...even clean up the mess afterward!

My opinion: In a plot reminiscent of The Cat in the Hat, Hugo and his friend engage in chaos. Once he discovers he can transform into a dinosaur, he feels free to behave however he likes. After all, who can stop a dinosaur. So the first section of this book will be a bit of wish fulfillment for young readers as Hugo indulges in all of the activities that his parents have forbidden. But it doesn't fully promote recklessness. While Dino continues to create chaos, Hugo begins to have concerns, recognizing the destruction they are causing. So there is an element of personal responsibility as well. Mostly, though, this is just a silly romp that is easily read and understood by kids beginning to read independently.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Flower treats - a crafting collaboration

 Since I left traditional employment in favor of freelancing and gig-work, I've had more time to experiment and collaborate. 

My mother decorated some flower pots a while ago for craft fairs but they haven't been selling well and she was looking for a way to draw more interest in them, especially for late fall/winter sales where people aren't thinking as much about flowers. Together we came up with this idea:

We made some rice crispy treats into rounds on sticks, giving them a flower sort of look. Packaged in the flower pots we thought they might make a nice gift basket.