Book review - Dancing in the Storm

 

Title: Dancing in the Storm

Author: Amie Darnell Specht and Shannon Hitchcock

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Hidden Truths by Elly Swartz

                      Fight & Flight by Jules Machias

Rating:

 

overly stiff

Summary (provided by publisher): Kate’s life in Baton Rouge, full of friends and family, gymnastics and Girl Scouts, is just plain great. But then, at the age of twelve, she suddenly develops a mysterious shoulder pain that won’t go away . . . and that will change her life forever. It turns out that Kate has one of the rarest genetic disorders in the world, Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva. FOP causes bone to form in places in the body where it shouldn’t, and there’s no cure yet. Kate will need to learn how to live with this difficult new reality, helped by those close to her and by a new pen pal named Amie, who has been living with FOP for years.

My opinion: I think this book is well-intentioned. Not only is it informing the reader about a rare disorder, it also digs into reality for a disabled kid. It looks at how a diagnosis changes everything. Kate's friendships and relationships with her family are changed. She has to learn to advocate for herself. All good things to look at and discuss. The problem is it's a bit stiff and unnatural. Kate doesn't read like a real kid. She's a bit too perfect, too well balanced. She doesn't have flaws, doesn't make mistakes. It walks us through her journey but there's no real conflict.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pocket

 I am a big fan of pockets. I have to really like a pair of pants to buy it if it is lacking in functional pockets. And when you get a pocket-free pair, you still need a place to put your things. Sure, you can carry a bag but sometimes you need your hands free. So I crocheted myself a pocket out of some soft cotton yarn. It's big enough to hold my phone and a few other things and attaches to a belt And since it was a little plain, I attached a couple of buttons.

Book review - Lost Kites and Other Treasures

Title: Lost Kites and Other Treasures

Author: Cathy Carr

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold

                      When Sea Becomes Sky by Gillian McDunn

Rating: 

 

complex and believable

Summary (provided by publisher): Twelve-year-old Franny Petroski never lets anyone know how often she thinks of the charismatic, troubled mom who left her years ago—any more than she talks about the unaccountable things Mom did while she was still in the picture. Life with Nana is safe and secure, and Franny’s innovative art projects fill in any lonesome times.
But when Nana has an accident and Franny’s estranged uncle comes home to help out for a while, some long-guarded family secrets come to light. Franny has to use all of her courage, as well as all of her creativity, to come to terms with the discoveries she makes about her mother—and herself.

My opinion: We sometimes get the idea that for a kid in an unstable home, putting them in a different home will fix all of their problems. They get out of the chaos and everything is good. This book calls that into question. There's no denying that life with her Nana is better for Franny than life with her mom. But she still has questions and her family is full of secrets. The plot becomes about Franny expressing what she needs, finding her truth and becoming a complete person. It tells us a story of a family with all kinds of troubles, all of the fall out from mental illness. While the cast of characters is more adult than child, they are realistic and complex and make for compelling reading.

 Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

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