Just a quick bit of news

 This is just to say that I've finally got my act together and made an Etsy shop. I'm still building my inventory but I'd love if you took a look.

Pick 6: sports

While I’m not a fan of most things athletic myself, I must admit sports and the personalities that come along with athletics have great natural drama for stories. Competition reads well on the page and can provide other natural lessons on teamwork and fair play. Here are six books with strong athletic elements published in the last six months.

6 new sports stories: 

1. Match Point by Maddie Gallegos
2. Club Kick Out: Into the Ring by Stephani Mirel
3. Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz
4. Free Throws Friendships and Other Things We Fouled Up by Jenn Bishob
5. Skip by Sarah Burgess
6. You Owe Me One Universe by Chad Lucas
   

Graphic novel spotlight - Lunar New Year Love Story

 

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and Leuyen Pham

Don't let the title fool you. This is no drippy romance. Really, the book explores the concept of love more than the love between a particular pair. It utilizes a construction we've seen from Gene Luen Yang before in the Boxers and Saints duology - spirits that only individual characters can see. It is unclear whether these are actual spirits, hallucinations, or simply constructs of an over active imagination but that ambiguity works in the book's favor. Simply put, the spirits don't really matter. They are a device for the characters to come to terms with their families and past traumas. There's complexity to the plot that is worth dwelling on and picking through. The illustrations are complex as well, inviting us to sit on a single page for a while and appreciate everything that is going on. This slows the reading and allows us to fully grasp the plot. This is a prime example of how literary a graphic novel can truly be.

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Not the Worst Friend in the World

 

Title: Not the Worst Friend in the World

Author: Anne Rellihan 

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Ruby Lost and Found by Christina Li

                      Sofia Acosta Makes a Scene by Emma Otheguy

Rating:

 

exciting and reflective

Summary (provided by publisher): It’s the thirty-fourth day of sixth grade at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic School in Missouri, and eleven-year-old Lou wishes she could rewind time.
Lou wants to go back to the ninth day of sixth grade—the day before she fought with her best friend Francie and said the terrible, horrible things she can’t unsay. Or better yet, she would go back to fifth grade when Francie was still the Old Francie.
Then the new girl, Cece Clark-Duncan, passes Lou a mysterious note. It says she was kidnapped. (!) If Lou can help Cece, maybe she can prove she’s not the world’s worst friend.
But as observant Lou uncovers the complicated truth about Cece’s family, she starts to panic. Can she help Cece without hurting her? Or will Lou end up losing another friend instead?

My opinion: If you've ever read Harriet the Spy and wished for an updated version, then this is the book you've been looking for. The parallels are clear and are freely acknowledged within the text. Lou describes how Harriet inspired her activities. So of course we aren't surprised when things go about as well for Lou as they did for Harriet. That parallel aside, this book explores two important topics - personal responsibility and secret keeping. Throw in a heavy dose of changing friendships in the middle grade years and it makes for an honest, often uncomfortable, ultimately realistic read.

More information: Not the Worst Friend in the World releases February 6.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Drawing Deena

 

Title: Drawing Deena

Author: Hena Khan

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Front Desk by Kelly Yang

                     Iveliz Explains it All by Andrea Beatriz Arrango

Rating:

 

well balanced

Summary (provided by publisher): Deena’s never given a name to the familiar knot in her stomach that appears when her parents argue about money, when it’s time to go to school, or when she struggles to find the right words. She manages to make it through each day with the help of her friends and the art she loves to make.
While her parents’ money troubles cause more and more stress, Deena wonders if she can use her artistic talents to ease their burden. She creates a logo and social media account to promote her mom’s home-based business selling clothes from Pakistan to the local community. With her cousin and friends modeling the outfits and lending their social media know-how, business picks up.
But the success and attention make Deena’s cousin and best friend, Parisa, start to act funny. Suddenly Deena’s latest creative outlet becomes another thing that makes her feel nauseated and unsure of herself. After Deena reaches a breaking point, both she and her mother learn the importance of asking for help and that, with the right support, Deena can create something truly beautiful.

My opinion: There are a lot of aspects of this book that we can talk about and praise: the importance of creativity; perceptions of other people; family dynamics and the immigrant experience. But what I really want to focus on is Deena as a character. Khan has found the perfect balance in Deena, making her a universal character while keeping her Pakistani culture an essential element. Many kids will relate to her anxiety and fear, not knowing how to advocate for herself and needing to put up a front of being okay. While the specifics of the expectations upon her are defined by her experience, the general themes will be understood by a wider variety of readers.

More information: Drawing Deena releases February 6.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 

One Night in a Thousand Years by Craig Cunningham

I selected this one on the strength of the comparison to Dead Poets Society, but I had my doubts from the start. A story about young men finding a mentor and discovering truths about themselves and the world can be inspiring. It can also be a bit pretentious and self-aggrandizing. And I'm afraid this one leans in the latter direction. I'm all for teaching people to think for themselves, to ask questions and find their own path. There's just something about scenes of teenagers smoking pipes and writing inspirational quotes under an overpass that feels forced. And when you have white guys passing out samurai swords it's a bit cringy. I certainly understand what this book was trying to say. And it says it. There's no masking the intent of the novel. Perhaps that's part of what I don't like about it. There's no interpretation, no art to it. While Van Der Beek's narration suits the narrative, I can't say that I'd recommend the book on the whole.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Picture books for everyone

 

Not My Circus by Janet Sumner Johnson

A picture book is a great way to explore the meaning of an idiom with a group of kids, especially when you can do so with humor. While this book is built on a phrase that is a bit less common, it serves it's purpose well. Not to mention, it's quite entertaining. The tone falls somewhere between Imogene's Antlers and Click Clack Moo. Of course the scenario is silly (a little girl buys a collection of circus animals) and chaos ensues. But Olivia's systematic approach to problem solving serves as a good example to young readers. The messaging will work better with older kids than the very young.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.