I set out to make a companion for my last puppet. I'm not sure that this one fits the bill but I do love it. I was going for a goblin sort of creature. The ears have a wire that feeds inside of the head so they can move around independently. Since the arms are tiny and purely decorative, the ears can wave and even "grip" things instead.
Author: Huda Al-Marashi
Genre: realistic fiction
age range: middle grade
Similar book: Measuring Up by Lily LaMotte
Summary (provided by publisher): Sixth grade wasn’t supposed to be this complicated.
Iraqi American Mariam Hassan transfers to a local Catholic school and before her first day her parents remind her that she might be the first Muslim her classmates have ever met. No big deal, right? Just represent an entire religion while making new friends, keeping up with schoolwork, and figuring out who she is.
When Mariam’s younger sister, Salma, is diagnosed with a serious lung condition, her family faces endless doctor visits and sleepless nights. Mariam tries to lighten their burden and keep her own problems to herself—including the fact that she’s just been cast as Mary in the school’s Christmas nativity play.
Mariam wants to honor her faith and her new community, but she’s terrified of crossing a religious line. Can a Muslim girl be the lead in a Christian story? What will her family think? And why does she feel like every decision she makes represents all Muslims?
Mariam discovers that faith, much like friendships, isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection. As she leans on her family, friends, and school community, she begins to see the power of interfaith cooperation and learns she doesn’t have to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders.
What I didn't like: Salma is a more one-note character. She falls victim to the role of a lot of younger siblings in books - she's cute and innocent and has no complexity of her own. She is only there to create conflict and complication for Mariam. While I like the conversation this book introduces about religion and culture, the depth is lacking.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Author: Ashley Granillo
Genre: realistic fiction
Age range: middle grade
Similar book: Sofia Acosta Makes a Scene by Emma Otheguy
Summary (provided by publisher): Thirteen-year-old Alondra was born into a musical family.
Her dad, the former frontman of a famous alt-rock band, expects her and her sisters to follow in his footsteps. The girls have formed their own band, which will open for their dad during his comeback tour.
Despite secretly liking quieter music, Alondra is committed to preparing for the tour. She’ll do whatever it takes: Change the sound of her voice. Suppress her discomfort with some fans’ behavior. Act the part of a hardcore riot grrrl.
But when a classmate invites her to join a choir club, Alondra discovers a new way of making music. Choir lets her express herself in ways that the band doesn’t.
Afraid to upset the delicate balance in her family, Alondra secretly practices with the choir between shows with her sisters’ band―until her secrets are exposed. Will she be forced to choose between her two voices, or can she bring the different parts of her life into harmony?
What I liked: Typically when we have a book about a character with secret interests it's a sharp dichotomy. The parents want one thing for their kid who wants something completely different. I like that this book isn't so sharply defined. It's not that Alondra hates the music she performs with her sisters and only wants to do choir. This is a book that wants to reject rigidity and expectations and give kids space to explore themselves and their identity.
What I didn't like: This was an uncomfortable read for me since I struggle with characters lying and keeping secrets, knowing it's going to blow up in some dramatic way. Still, Granillo allows the mess to build in a natural way and similarly allows plenty of space for reconciliation. This can mean pacing is a bit slow but ultimately the strong characters make up for it.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
What are you currently reading?
Hail Mariam by Huda Al-Marashi - When her parents send her to a Catholic school, Mariam struggles with schoolwork, her sister's illness, and what it means to be the only Muslim in her school.
What did you recently finish reading?
Choir Grrl by Ashley Granillo - Alondra joins a choir club at school, keeping it a secret from her family who expect her to give her full attention to the alt-rock band she is in with her sisters, following in their father's footsteps.
What do you think you'll read next?
Paradise Coast by Suzanne Young
I'm not Catholic. I've never observed Lent. But I love Pancake Tuesday. Who doesn't love an excuse to eat pancakes? This year I had the day off so I decided to make it an extreme Pancake Tuesday by having some form of pancakes at every meal.
Breakfast was mixed berry peanut butter pancakes.
Lunch was stir-fried vegetables with these Xi'an tofu and cabbage stuffed pancakes.
Is the title of this book a bit extreme? Sure. It's certainly designed to play on a kid's fondness for the macabre. But the information it contains is solid. The actual text is informative without hyperbole. With photos and charts throughout there's plenty on each page to engage a reluctant reader.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
What are you currently reading?
Goodbye, French Fry by Rin-rin Yu - A Chinese-American girl navigates difficult classmates, what it means to be Chinese, and the possibility of having to move.
What did you recently finish reading?
Postscript by Cory McCarthy - Some of the last humans figure out how to live when the world is falling apart.
What do you think you'll read next?
Choir Grrl by Ashley Granillo
