Graphic novel spotlight - SCRAM

 

SCRAM by Rory Lucey

Most kids have dreamed of discovering something rare or new: Bigfoot, dinosaurs, treasure, or ghosts. That's the idea at the heart of this book. A trio of friends set out in search of magical beings. They do their research and armed with a collection of facts they search for clues. Therein lies one of the benefits of this book. THey learn how to research and fact-check. There's an underpinning of media literacy throughout the story. Overall, though, it's a fun story focused more on humor than anything else. It's somewhat reminiscent of the Bad Machinery series, though aimed at a slightly younger audience.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Picture books for everyone - Every Here Has a There

 

Every Here Has a There by Margo Linn

For a non-fiction picture book to be appreciated by multiple age groups it has to serve a couple of functions. This book achieves that aim well. For small kids it functions as an opposite book. Up and Down. Empty and Full. Here and There. These concepts are stated plainly and well supported by simple illustrations. At the same time, the main body of the text walks us through the production and shipping of products internationally. It's a solid way to help kids question and understand where products in a store come from. A great way to help young readers understand a concept that we don't think much about.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic novel spotlight - Woe

 

Woe by Lucy Knisley

Having followed Knisley on social media for a while, I've long enjoyed her comics about cats, especially the early ones about the aging cat Linney. If this book had only been a collection of Linney comics that would have been okay with me. But she's taken it beyond that simple construct. She's woven a narrative and reflection about the nature of owning cats into the collection. With the last section a more melancholy reflection on aging and loss, this is a charming and heart-felt story of cats and family.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Riot Act

 

Title: Riot Act

Author: Sarah Lariviere

Genre: dystopia

Similar books: The Chaperone by M Hendrix

                      The Future Will Be BS Free by Will McIntosh

Rating:

believable and compelling

Summary (provided by publisher): In an alternate 1991, the authoritarian US government keeps tabs on everybody and everything. It censors which books can be read, what music can be listened to, and which plays can be performed.

When her best friend is killed by the authorities and her theater teacher disappears without a trace, Gigi decides to organize her fellow Champaign High School thespians to put on a production of Henry VI. But at what cost?

My opinion: Dystopian novels tend to focus all of their attention on action and high drama which makes for quick reads often lacking in depth. That is not the case here. The drama plays out in small ways, focusing more on characters and relationships than on larger societal issues. The problems of the culture certainly play into the plot but the focus is more on the people and what motivates them. The book is narrated by the dead friend referenced in the summary and his self-reflection can produce a sense of distance from the plot but overall it's an interesting read and worth reflecting upon.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

The Ghost Keeper by Johanna Taylor - Dorian can see ghosts and has made it his mission to help them move on. But now ghosts are telling him the Door to Death is locked and the key has gone missing.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Liars Society by Alyson Gerber - A girl finds herself at a prestigious private school. With the future opening up in front of her she finds herself in the view of a secret society.

What do you think you'll read next?

Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield

Book review - Perry Homer Ruins Everything

 

Title: Perry Homer Ruins Everything

Author: Beth Vrabel

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Clean Getaway by Nic Stone

                      Far From Fair by Elana K Arnold

Rating:

mostly silly, with a little heart

Summary (provided by publisher): Perry Homer is bad news, just like the rest of his troublemaking family. His parents skip out on restaurant bills. Uncle Manny uses his legal training to get free stuff. Perry’s cousins use their coding skills to scam people. On a disastrous vacation to Lindsborg, “the nicest town in America,” Perry’s siblings steal their new favorite toys from local businesses and set the town’s whimsical Swedish decorations ablaze. The Homers are worthy of the nickname the local news gives them—the Bad Family—and they’re having a blast.
Perry thinks he could be good. His favorite teacher, Miss Penelope, recommended him for a scholarship at the prestigious Ithaca School, and it’s his chance to change things. He just has to get home from Lindsborg and show up for the interview.
Still, that’s easier said than done. After the Homers get kicked off their plane, Perry comes up with one last scheme to keep them pointed toward home. But can Perry really make it to Ithaca—or is it his fate to ruin everything?

My opinion: Start with a road trip. Add in a family of scammers with a son who wants to be better. It sounds like a recipe for a pretty nonsense, madcap story. And at the outset, that's what we get. Ridiculous cons and a family that never quits. Perry is initially sympathetic and then a little bit uptight. Our affection for him wanes. At about that point, though, Vrabel starts slipping in more serious notes, seeding the narrative with a more grounded reality that makes for much more compelling reading and ultimately a pleasant book.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 

A Game Most Foul by Alison Gervais

A girl participating in a summer writing program in London gets caught up in the mysterious disappearance of her classmate and the strange behavior of her professor, Dr. Watson. A mystery, even one that hints at supernatural elements, is generally entertaining and a solid choice for an audio book. Let's find out if this one lives up to it's promise.