Non-fiction book review - Epic Cardboard Adventures

Epic Cardboard Adventures by Leslie Manlapig

I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I fully applaud encouraging kids to explore their creativity with simple materials. Most of these projects can be made with cardboard, glue, tape, and paint. And they're more than just art projects. These are toys, props for make believe. Fantastic. On the other hand, we are given very specific, step by step directions. While I understand their necessity, there's no opportunity for personalization, nor even any encouragement to invent. I know that as a child I wouldn't have needed the book to suggest ways I could change a project but I've worked with enough kids to know that many do. They need someone to suggest that the reader needn't follow the directions exactly.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - Fum

Title: Fum
Author: Adam Rapp
Genre: realistic fiction/surrealism
Similar books: The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton
                      The True Tale of the Monster Billy Dean Telt by Hisself by David Almond
Rating:

truly odd

Summary (provided by publisher): What is it like to be a giant? Meet Corinthia Bledsoe, a seven-foot tall high-school junior who can predict the future.
Over seven feet tall and with a newfound ability to sense future events, Corinthia Bledsoe is far more than just another Midwestern high-school junior; she’s a force of nature. When she predicts with terrifying accuracy the outcome of a tornado that will hit her high school, leaving a cow standing midcourt in the Lugo Memorial field house, Corinthia finds herself at the epicenter of another kind of storm entirely. And as things get stranger and stranger — both in her small town and her own home — lives start to intersect in ways even Corinthia can’t foresee.

My opinion: There's weird and then there's weird. I kept expecting clearer elements of magic. We have prophecy, of a sort. I was waiting for the acknowledgement of Corinthia as a seer or something. We have a number of odd happenings, but the town just sort of rolls with it. It's sort of surreal. And we don't get any clear answers. Her brother, what's actually happening to Corinithia, her mother's other life, the volunteer at the school. All of these sub-plots are happening but don't resolve or even tie into the main plot in any significant way. In the end, it's hard to draw any conclusions or take away any messages. Too weird for me.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Wilber is a snappy dresser

While shopping at a thrift store, I happened upon a plush camel with a strangely long and dangly neck and legs. As I examined the camel I realized it had, at one point, been a marionette. Since it was still in good shape I decided to buy it and make it a puppet once more. I haven't decided, yet, if it will be a marionette or a rod puppet. While I decided on the format, I've been developing him into a character. Wilber (short for Wilberforce) is going to have a rather extensive wardrobe, I suspect. To begin with, he has a monocle and a collar with a necktie. The monocle was made from a piece of plastic packaging, wire, and hot glue. His collar was the cuff of an old polo shirt, the tie a bit of a sock.

 

Book review - Chaotic Good

Title: Chaotic Good
Author: Whitney Gardner
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell
                      All the Feels by Danika Stone
Rating:

nerdy fun

Summary (provided by publisher): Cosplay, comic shops, and college applications collide in this illustrated novel, perfect for fans of Adam Silvera and Noelle Steveson!
Cameron's cosplay creations are finally starting to earn her attention--attention she hopes to use to get into the CalArts costume design department for college. But after she wins a major competition, she inadvertently sets off a firestorm of angry comments from male fans online.
When Cameron's family moves the summer before her senior year, she hopes to complete her costume portfolio in peace and quiet away from the abuse.
Unfortunately, the only comic shop in town--her main destination for character reference--is staffed by a dudebro owner who challenges every woman who comes into the shop.
At her twin brother's suggestion, Cameron borrows a set of his clothes and uses her costuming expertise to waltz into the shop as Boy Cameron, where she's shocked at how easily she's accepted into the nerd inner sanctum. Soon, Cameron finds herself drafted into a D&D campaign alongside the jerky shop-owner Brody, friendly (almost flirtatiously so) clerk Wyatt, handsome Lincoln, and her brother Cooper, dragged along for good measure.
But as her "secret identity" gets more and more entrenched, Cameron's portfolio falls by the wayside--and her feelings for Lincoln threaten to make a complicated situation even more precarious in this geek girl anthem from You're Welcome, Universe author Whitney Gardner, complete with fully illustrated comic pages inked by Gardner herself.

My opinion: With nerd culture finally legitimized, it's time to take things a step further. Its time to take a harder look at the culture, to point out it's flaws. Nerds can be very harsh, especially to those perceived as posers and noobs. Anyone who doesn't like the thing we like the way we like it is inherently wrong. And many nerds are especially hard on girls. And Gardner takes us deep into the dark side of the nerd world, pointing out cruelty in abundance. We see sexism, cyber-bullying, and doxing. She also uses D&D as a metaphor for character's fears and failings. The lot is overly predictable. It wraps up neatly. Normally that level of predictability would be annoying but in this case its acceptable because the characters are so likeable. Not terribly complex but certainly likeable.

More information: Chaotic Good releases March 13.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Picture books for everyone

I Got a Chicken for My Birthday by Laura Gehl

It's a fairly universal experience, disappointment in a gift that we've been given. And the intent of the plot is clear: gratitude and looking past disappointment to see possibilities. It points us to that occasion when the gift we didn't want turns out to be a wonderful thing. It just does it in a fantastical way. It's silly fun with heart behind it. Little kids will enjoy the sillyness. Older kids could use it as a starting point for a creative project. What could their own chicken do?

More information: I Got a Chicken for my Birthday releases March 1.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non-fiction Book review - Ada Lovelace

Ada Lovelace by Isabel Sanchez Vegara

Lovelace is a figure I wish that I knew more about. Seriously, friends, this lady is the mother of Binary code! She's basically the reason we have computers. And yet when we teach Women's history we teach Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, and Clara Barton. That's about it. Kids need more female STEM heroes, which is where books like this one come into play. This is a very basic book. We are given only the simplest information. Vegara doesn't even use the term binary. Use this book to introduce the topic, to pique a child's interest.

More information: Ada Lovelace releases March 1.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Custom llama

In my family, we are fond of giving craft kits as gifts. And I have a well known fondness for llamas. So, it should come as no surprise that my Christmas gifts this year included this kit.

The kit included a sheet of felt, three colors of paint, pom poms, and some floss. To get the look that I wanted, I needed to add a little paint of my own. She's a pretty sweet creature.

Book review - You Can't Just Kiss Anyone You Want

Title: You Can't Just Kiss Anyone You Want
Author: Marzena Sowa
Genre: historical fiction/graphic novel
Similar books: The Silence of Our Friends by Mark Long
                      The Other Side of the Wall by Simon Schwartz
Rating:

Contemplative

Summary (provided by publisher): A little boy tries to kiss a little girl. No big deal. The little girl gets away and sends the little boy packing. Nothing more than an anecdote amongst many others of any normal childhood. But if this event takes place at school in a Socialist republic, half way through a propaganda movie, years before the wall is even showing the slightest sign of giving out... Well, it's asking for trouble. This is the story of two children in a society in which paranoia and obsessive control mean that even the most innocent gesture can be blown completely out of proportion.

My opinion: There are plenty of stories about life in Socialist countries and I applaud them all, especially those like this one. We need to see the dangers of totalitarian government, where your every actions is watched and questioned. Where people simply disappear and everyone just accepts it as normal. Even more than the starkness of the life we need the reminder of small rebellions. They can control what you say and do but never what you think. That's the focus of this book. Not revolution but making it through your every day life. It's a contemplative plot supported by clean lines and soft colors, remincent of the innocence of children's fiction in the 50s.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non-fiction book review - Bees, Bugs and Butterflies

Bees, Bugs & Butterflies by Ben Raskin

It's rather clever, centering you exploration of the insect world on a practical theme like your garden. This allows Raskin to not only explore features of the various insects but the ways that they work together and affect one another. We come to appreciate all species of insect, even those we might otherwise find distasteful. There are also activities that educate about and benefit these garden insects.

More information: Bees, Bugs, and Butterflies releases March 13.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - The Beauty That Remains

Title: The Beauty That Remains
Author: Ashley Woodfolk
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
                      Between Two Skies by Joanne O'Sullivan
Rating:

impressive and engrossing

Summary (provided by publisher): We've lost everything...and found ourselves.
Music brought Autumn, Shay, and Logan together. Death might pull them apart.
Autumn always knew exactly who she was: a talented artist and a loyal friend. Shay was defined by two things: her bond with her twin sister, Sasha, and her love of music. And Logan has always turned to writing love songs when his real love life was a little less than perfect.
But when tragedy strikes each of them, somehow music is no longer enough. Now Logan is a guy who can't stop watching vlogs of his dead ex-boyfriend. Shay is a music blogger who's struggling to keep it together. And Autumn sends messages that she knows can never be answered.
Despite the odds, one band's music will reunite them and prove that after grief, beauty thrives in the people left behind.

My opinion: It's ambitious to tie together plots of characters grieving three entirely unrelated deaths, but Woodfolk pulls it off. We are presented with three distinct events. They're linked by connections to a band rather than any links in the deaths. The characters grieve in a variety of ways but they are all struggling. They fail to relate to their families and peers. Their grief threatens to destroy their lives. They're absolutely deconstructing. Their grief is hard to watch but compelling nonetheless.

More Information: The Beauty That Remains releases March 6.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - Sadia

Title: Sadia
Author: Colleen Nelson
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Sidetracked by Diana Harmon Asher
                      A Long Pitch Home by Natalie Dias Lorensi
Rating:

nicely balanced

Summary (provided by publisher): Sadia wishes life in high school was as straightforward as a game of basketball.
Fifteen-year-old Sadia Ahmadi is passionate about one thing: basketball. Her best friend Mariam, on the other hand, wants to get noticed by the popular crowd and has started de-jabbing, removing her hijab, at school every morning. Sadia’s mom had warned her that navigating high school could be tricky. As much as she hates to admit it, her mom was right.
When tryouts for an elite basketball team are announced, Sadia jumps at the opportunity. Her talent speaks for itself. Her head scarf, on the other hand, is a problem; especially when a discriminatory rule means she has to choose between removing her hijab and not playing. Mariam, Sadia’s parents, and her teammates all have different opinions about what she should do. But it is Sadia who has to find the courage to stand up for herself and fight for what is right — on and off the court.

My opinion: At first glance, this appears to be an "issue" book. But really, what's wrong with that? A novel is a great way to get young readers to engage with a difficult topic, in this case racism and islamaphobia. But it's also more than that. Nelson uses this platform to explore sportsmanship, the ways we judge people, trauma. Sadia is judged by her appearance, yes, but she also judges Mariam for her decisions without considering her intense personal struggle. She takes actions that she thinks are best for others without considering their opinions. So we're left with some great discussion topics for middle grade readers. All with fairly round characters and easily understood writing.

More information: Sadia releases February 27.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic novel spotlight - Boxers & Saints

Boxers and Saints by Gene Luen Yang

I had heard of the Boxer Rebellion but never had the slightest clue what it was about or where it even took place until I read this duo. Yang presents us with the perspectives of two teens: one rebel and one Christian loyalist. Most importantly, each character's story is told completely. We see their motivations and their complete devotion to their cause. We see their lives intersect and the inevitable conflict. There is no editorializing, no clear "right" side. Simply conviction and loss. It's a compelling and complex story, worth reading repeatedly.

 

Book review - When Light Left Us

Title: When Light Left Us
Author: Leah Thomas
Genre: Sci-fi (but only slightly)
Similar books:Noggin by John Corey Whaley
                     Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley
Rating:

Best. Book. Ever.

Summary (provided by publisher): When the Vasquez siblings' father left, it seemed nothing could remedy the absence in their lives . . . until a shimmering figure named Luz appeared in the canyon behind their house.
Luz filled the void. He shot hoops with seventeen-year-old Hank's hands. He showed fourteen-year-old Ana cinematic beauty behind her eyelids. He spoke kindly to eight-year-old Milo. But then Luz left, too, and he took something from each of them. As a new school year begins, Hank, Ana, and Milo must carry on as if an alien presence never altered them. But how can they ever feel close to other people again when Luz changed everything about how they see the world and themselves?
In an imaginative and heartfelt exploration of human--and non-human--nature, Leah Thomas champions the unyielding bonds between family and true friends.

My opinion:Thomas continues to blow me away. I knew within 20 pages that I NEEDED to talk about this book. It can be a little hard to describe. At face value, it's about the aftermath of being possessed by an unknown being. At heart, though, it's about grief. loss, who we thing we are, the people we try to become, familial and romantic relationships, and the ways that other people perceive us. It's a deeply emotional book and Thomas succeeds in connecting us with the central core of characters. Each perspective is distinct and well developed. Some may find it a bit slow to start, but seriously folks hang in there. It's more than worth the effort. My recommendation: read it; love it; pass it along.

More information: When Light Left Us releases February 13
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Colored pencil organizer

This is one of those "necessity is the mother of invention" type craft projects. I have a growing collection of colored pencils and drawing pens. I used to keep them in a plastic tote but I found it frustrating to constantly dig through the bin for the right color. I needed a way to organize my drawing materials by color. I happened to have some crates from clementines among my craft supplies and like everyone I had a number of toilet paper tubes. A little bit of extra cardboard and some hot glue brings all of these things together into a much more manageable arrangement of pencils and pens.

 

Pick 6: retellings

Retellings seem to be a perennial feature in youth lit. It's a trend that I wholeheartedly support. I read every one I can get my hands on. Here are six books published in the last six months that are either direct retellings or in some way directly influenced by classical literature.


6 new classically influenced novels

1. Brave Red, Smart Frog by Emily Jenkis

2. The Little Red Wolf by Amelie Flechias

3. Doctor Who: Myths and Legends by Richard Dinnick

4. The Shakespeare Stories by Andrew Mathews and Tony Ross

5. The Great Shelby Holmes Meets Her Match by Elizabeth Eulbert

6. The Strange and Deadly Portraits of Bryony Gray by E. Latimer