Microgreens

 Every year we plant a big garden, a bulk of the vegetables we will eat. Since some of the things I like are a bit more obscure I order some of my seeds which has to be done in December or January. It's a bright spot in the depths of winter, receiving seed packets and making plans for the garden. 

It can also be a problem. Once you have the seeds in hand there's this itch to plant things, to watch things grow and to eat fresh vegetables. The solution - microgreens. Buy some cheap lettuce, spinach, radish, and other edible greens seeds and plant them in a shallow tray of potting soil in a window. The greens won't get very big but you can eat them. And it's a constant reminder that Spring is, in fact, coming.

Book review - A Scar Like a River

 Title: A Scar Like a River

Author: Lisa Graff

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: Shark Teeth by Sherri Winston

Summary (provided by publisher): Fallon Little has a secret—and it’s not how she got the enormous scar that divides her face in two.

Thirteen-year-old Fallon has only ever told one person what really happened on the day she got her scar. Why would she? The truth is dark, and Fallon has much brighter things to focus on, like being cast as the lead in the school play, and hanging out with her two best friends, Trent and Kaia. But when Fallon's uncle Geebie dies, his funeral ignites a wildfire of events that Fallon can't manage to tamp down. The school play is spiraling out of control, Fallon's impossible Aunt Lune comes to live with them, and Trent and Kaia might just be so into each other that there isn't room for Fallon in their friend group any more. And when secrets even worse than the one about Fallon's scar threaten to come to light, Fallon might not have the strength to keep them buried for much longer.

What I liked: This could easily have been a book just about dealing with trauma. Certainly what happened to Fallon informs every decision she makes. But it's not the entirety of the plot. The focus of the book is as much on standing up for yourself, making your voice heard, as it is about trauma. It's also about discovering the consequences of protest. It handles each reveal sensitively and realistically.

What I didn't like: This isn't so much a thing that I didn't like as something to bear in mind when recommending this book. It talks frankly and plainly about abuse. While this is never graphic and doesn't dwell on details, it also doesn't hide what happened to a character behind metaphor or leave us to fill in blanks. It depicts the abuse and the emotional fallout plainly. So be prepared to discuss and help young readers process the events of this novel.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

The Mighty Macy by Kwame Alexander - A verse novel about an anxious girl finding her voice and speaking up for things that matter to her.

What did you recently finish reading?

A Scar Like a River by Lisa Graff - Fallon has three big secrets that she's kept since the day she got her scar. Her uncle Geebie's funeral starts Fallon on a path of confronting her secrets and the changes in her life.

What do you think you'll read next?

Space for Saffron by Rie Neal

Book review - Winter White

 

Title: Winter White

Author: Annie Cardi

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: teen

Similar book: Dust by Alison Stine

Summary (provided by publisher): Pia and her brother, Max, live on an isolated farm in rural Maine, and it’s the only life they remember. Their father says the only way for them to stay protected is to stay on the farm. Pia doesn’t question it. Pia’s entire world turns upside down when her father breaks his leg, and she must be the one to venture into town to make farm deliveries. And then she sees him. Felix, a boy who is both a stranger and somehow familiar, makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself, her past, and her family. But no matter how she feels about Felix, she must always obey her father, above all else.

But Pia's feelings are too big to ignore, and the more she engages with Felix, the more she begins to see that there’s promise for her beyond the isolated world to which she’s grown accustomed. And the more she dreams about a better life, the more she wonders if her father is telling the truth about their family’s past. Pia knows her father and his friend Anthony are hiding something, and soon Pia must reckon with the damage her father is doing to their community and the damage he has done to their own lives.

What I liked:  By basing this book on a lesser-known Shakespeare play (I don't know anyone who would mention The Winter's Tale) Cardi has a plot framework with plenty of room for interpretation. No one is going to be offended by the way this plot is modernized. And it leans heavily into modern issues - specifically the opioid crisis. Pia is a strong relatable character in a fairly believable setting

What I didn't like: While the plot is mostly strong, there are a few points that suffer from having to fit into the framework of the original play. If you don't have the familiarity with the original plot these plot points feel strange and unnecessary. Additionally, the climax of the book is somewhat over the top in it's theatrics. So while it's an interesting exercise and a fun read, I don't know that this book would top my list of recommendations.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Cat toys

 I've been making catnip toys from upcycled t-shirt scraps for several years now and occasionally I like to introduce a new design. Here are a few I've been working on lately.

Graphic Novel Spotlight - Goat Magic

 

Goat Magic by Kate Wheeler

The premise here is a familiar one: a cursed royal and a peasant must break the curse and return the royal to her rightful place. Along the way they learn about each other and gain a greater understanding of their diverse experiences. We can guess a lot of the events from the set-up but that doesn't especially matter. The characters are strong and the art is even stronger. We have a lot of fun details feeding into the plot and the goats are fantastic. Plus we have female characters who are learning about different kinds of strength and who defend themselves. This is a solid choice for the average middle grade reader.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Puppet

 Several years ago, I made a sketch of a puppet that I wanted to make. 

this fellow

It was meant to be a muppet style puppet formed from foam and fleece. I found a tutorial and made the base of the head not long after making the sketch and there it sat. The half formed head has been in my craft supplies ever since, even moving states with me, waiting for me to figure out how to finish it. 

Suddenly this month it just clicked. I unfortunately don't have process photos for you because I finished it in the course of about two hours in a fit of productivity. The base of the puppet is a foam mattress pad covered in thin fleece. The hair is formed from scraps of a worn out t-shirt. The shirt is made from an old thermal. You'll notice the sleeves are actually inside out. I realized my error after I had them sewn in and haven't decided yet whether it bothers me enough to fix it. I might yet add some embellishments since I think he was maybe meant to be a space explorer in which case that should be a uniform top with some badges and maybe a zipper.

I also can't remember if I had named this character so if you have any suggestions feel free to leave them in the comments.