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

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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.

Book review - Underdog City

 

Title: Underdog City

Author: Chris Negron

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Iveliz Explains it All by Andrea Beatriz Arango

                      The Summer of June by Jamie Sumner

Rating:

 

nice emotional complexity

Summary (provided by publisher): Mortimer Bray is not okay.
It seems like everything in his life is changing for the worse. After his own much-loved dog dies, he can’t bring himself to carry on with his dog-walking business; there’s a strange new girl who’s moved into the house next door; and suddenly there’s a buzzing feeling of anxiety in his head and heart when he’s faced with something new.
His neighborhood, Townsend Heights, used to feel like the most comfortable place in the world. But lately, it seems like everyone is arguing, and there’s uncertainty around every corner.
The neighborhood's only vacant lot is somehow behind it all, Mortimer is sure of that much. If he can unearth the lot's secret history, he just might stop the Heights from unraveling completely.
Mortimer can’t save Townsend Heights on his own. But when it comes to community, you’re never truly on your own—not as long as you’re willing to learn from the past, in order to do better in the future.

My opinion: As we would expect from a middle grade novel, changing friendships is a central issue. We also take on gentrification, racism, and mental illness. That could easily be too much for any novel much less one for this age group but Negron handles it well. It helps that the characters are strong. They read like real kids, their relationships with their peers and with adults realistic and genuine. While the details aren't especially relatable (not a lot of kids have an interest in public policy) the overall thrust of the plot is engaging.

More information: Underdog City releases October 31

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Sweetness All Around

 

Title: Sweetness All Around

Author: Suzanne Supplee

Genre: historical fiction

Similar books: Dawn Raid by Pauline Smith

                      Malcolm and Me by Robin Farmer

Rating: 

 

a pleasant read

Summary (provided by publisher): Almost-eleven-year-old Josephine is NOT pleased to be moving into the Happy World trailer park over the summer of 1974. She misses her beautiful bedroom with ballerinas on the wall and her pretty, well-dressed friends. Happy World isn’t happy. It’s dingy and depressing! Nothing like the world that headstrong Josephine wants for herself.
But when Josephine learns that her would-be next door neighbor in Happy World was kidnapped months ago, she develops a begrudging interest in her new home. A kidnapping is exciting—and all signs point to Josephine being meant to find ten-year-old Molly.
Despite her efforts to stay detached, Josephine investigates Molly’s disappearance with help from the eccentric cast of characters living in Happy World. It turns out the rough edges of her community are softer and sweeter than they first seemed. And the unexpected friendships she forms might be more precious than anything she's ever owned.

My opinion: The description of this book is going to make it sound like a mystery or a thriller. It's not, really. Yes, Josephine is looking into a kidnapping. But much more than that, this is a book about a girl learning to deal with changed circumstances. It's getting to know new people and adjusting to what life has put in your path. It's learning to be kind even when people are difficult. This is a character driven novel that takes Josephine from a not altogether likeable person to a more complex individual. While there are some less believable elements to the plot it is ultimately a well developed plot with a near timeless quality to the details.

More information: Sweetness All Around Releases October 24

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley