Non-fiction book review - Vote!

Vote! by Coral Celeste Frazer

The history of Women's Suffrage is important for modern females to understand. It's far longer and more complex than we are lead to believe in school. Frazer walks us step by step through the timeline, introducing us to important figures in the fight and the role they played in getting women the vote. We see how their paths intertwine and diverge, their differing approaches and ideologies. She also doesn't shy away from relaying the darker parts of the story - not only the abuses women faced but also the racism and classism they themselves practiced. We come to  understand the influence of various territories and their desire for statehood on the movement on the whole, the complexities of suffrage at odds with emancipation, and various religions on the various attempts to ratify suffrage. This is no simple celebration of activists but an in depth look at a complex and long term struggle.

More information: Vote! releases August 6.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - The Case of the Missing Hippo

Title: The Case of the Missing Hippo
Author: Laura James
Genre: mystery
Similar books: Mr. Penguin and the Lost Treasure by Alex T Smith
                      Didi Dodo, Future Spy by Tom Angelberger
Rating:

a fun early mystery

Summary (provided by publisher): In a small town on the banks of Lake Laloozee lives the world's greatest flamingo detective. His name is Fabio. He's not tall or strong, but slight and pink. And he's very, very clever.
When Fabio and his giraffe associate Gilbert drop in to the Hotel Royale for a relaxing glass of lemonade (pink, naturally), Fabio is persuaded to judge the hotel's talent contest. But when the most promising contestant--Julia the jazz-singing hippopotamus--goes missing, Fabio must put his thinking cap back on and solve the mystery!

My opinion: Mysteries for young readers can be tricky. You want stakes that the reader will care about, clues that make sense without being too obvious, red herrings that add complexity but not unnecessary confusion. This particular book is charming. The clues are more obscured than is typical for an elementary level mystery. This might make it frustrating for a young detective. I'll be interested to see what James does with further volumes in this series.

More information: The Case of the Missing Hippo releases August 6.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying

Title: A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: Briar and Rose and Jack by Katherine Coville
                      The Goblin's Puzzle by Andrew S Chilton
Rating: 

a solid read

Summary (provided by publisher): Twelve-year-old Rowan is destined to be Queen; her twin brother, Rhydd, to be Royal Monster Hunter. Rowan would give anything to switch places, but the oldest child is always next in line, even if she is only older by two minutes. She resigns herself to admiring her monster hunting aunt's glorious sword and joining her queen mother for boring diplomatic teas. But tragedy shatters the longstanding rule, and Rowan finds herself hunting the most dangerous monster of all: a gryphon. 
Accompanied by a feisty baby jackalope and a giant wolf that barely tolerates her, Rowan sets off on a journey that will see her join other unlikely allies: a boy with monster-hunting ambitions of his own, and a girl hiding dangerous motives. It will take all of Rowan's skills, both physical and diplomatic, to keep this adventure on track. The future of her kingdom depends on it.

My opinion: All of the elements necessary for a solid team-up novel are present here: characters from different worlds , with vastly different perspectives, must find a way to work together for their survival. They initially hate each other but come to realize this is simply because they don't understand each other. Once they are able to recognize their biases they begin to learn from one another and find the ways their strengths compliment each other. The structure is a familiar one and doesn't deviate much from expected territory. There are underlying messages of the restrictions of societal expectation, environmentalism, and centrist politics. The characters are likeable though somewhat thinly portrayed. Given that this is the first in a planned series, there's plenty of room for growth here and I look forward to seeing the directions Armstrong takes it.

More information: A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying releases August 6. 
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Pick 6: Mythological Beings

Goblins, elves, unicorns. Is there anything more fun to speculate about than mythological creatures? I mean, Harry Potter got a whole school subject about them. Authors often incorporate them into their stories, even when they don't really explore magic. Here are six books featuring mythological beings published in the past six months.

Six new books with mythological beings

1. Haphaven by Norm Harper
2. Ivy and the Goblins by Katherine Coville
3. Pilu of the Woods by Mai Nguyen
4. Ghost Hog by Joey Weiser
5. Forever Neverland by Susan Adrian
6. Knighthood for Beginners by Elys Dolan

Book review - The Boy at the Back of the Class

Title: The Boy at the Back of the Class
Author: Onjali Q Rauf
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Joseph's Big Ride by Terry Farrish
                      Drita, My Homegirl by Jenny Lombard
Rating:

well intentioned, less well executed

Summary (provided by publisher): There used to be an empty chair at the back of Mrs. Khan's classroom, but on the third Tuesday of the school year a new kid fills it: nine-year-old Ahmet, a Syrian refugee.
The whole class is curious about this new boy--he doesn't seem to smile, and he doesn't talk much. But after learning that Ahmet fled a Very Real War and was separated from his family along the way, a determined group of his classmates bands together to concoct the Greatest Idea in the World--a magnificent plan to reunite Ahmet with his loved ones.
Balancing humor and heart, this relatable story about the refugee crisis from the perspective of kids highlights the community-changing potential of standing as an ally and reminds readers that everyone deserves a place to call home. 

My opinion: I'm entirely on board with Rauf's aim with this book. Personally, though, I found the approach to be a misstep. There's a little too much "it's precious when kids misunderstand". The innocence of youth lighting the way for self-interested adults. That kind of thing. Adults may find that sweet but it doesn't always land with young readers. Even though I find the line by line reading less than ideal, though, I sill recommend this book. Because not enough authors are writing about refugees and the impact of war for a young audience. We need to see the stresses of refugees, the difficulty of fighting in to a new culture, especially when the media is full of voices condemning your very existence. Rauf even manages to add in messages about the complexity of dealing with bullies for kids and adults. This is a book that will speak to the right kid at the right moment.

More information: The Boy at the Back of the Class releases August 6
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Finish Line

That's it for me this read-a-thon. In the past 48 hours I read 25 hours and 29 minutes. I had hoped to hit 30 but had a couple of things come up that took me away from my books. 

In that time frame I read 11 complete books (one as audio) and started two others I've not completed yet.

Book 11 Complete - Comics Squad

Comics Squad: Lunch edited by Jennifer L Holm and Matthew Holm

Kid's favorite comic artists come together to create this collection of stories on the theme of lunch. These quick stories will entertain and just might introduce young readers to new authors.

Book 10 Complete - The Apostles' Creed

The Apostles' Creed by R. Albert Mohler

I had some reservations about starting a theological exploration this late in a readathon, but it turns out my fears were largely unfounded. While Mohler's exploration is thorough, it's also clear. He breaks down the Creed phrase by phrase, examining it's meaning and providing ample evidence of it's Biblical truth.

Book 9 Complete - Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown

Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett J Krosoczka

The Lunch Lady graphic novel series is always a safe bet for quick and funny entertainment. While the stories aren't complicated they are fun to read. Like an episode of Scooby Doo. That's especially true of this volume, set at summer camp and involving a swamp monster.

Book 8 Complete - Aru Shah and the End of Time

Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi

I was a pretty big fan of the Percy Jackson series when it was introduced and remain a fan of the construction so I was on board with the idea of this book. Chokshi presents us with a pair of female demi-gods, part of the Hindi mythology, on a mission to prevent the end of the world. They are, as is often the case in fables, deeply flawed and yet immensely likeable characters. Their flaws balance out their strengths, keeping them mostly human. I listened to this one as an audio book. It's well narrated, funny and exciting with a dynamic voice.

Book 7 Complete - Rainbow Brite

Rainbow Brite by Jeremy Whitley


I never watched Rainbow Brite when it was on tv (a bit before my time). I've never seen in in reruns or on streaming or anything like that. So I have no idea if this is an accurate representation of the plot of the original series. I do know that I like what I read. There's a fair amount of magic, to be certain. But there's a hint of science too, a brief explanation of the different wavelengths of light. This is a quirky book but tells a reasonably coherent story.

Book 6 Complete - Estranged

Estranged by Ethan M Aldridge

Changelings may be my favorite of the mythological beings and are, in my opinion, woefully under-represented in fiction. A good changeling story explores duality - the changeling and the human he replaced. And that's exactly what this graphic novel does. It examines the life of a magical being above ground and his human counterpart below, how each envies the other and brings a unique perspective into their interactions. Aldridge has created an involved world with a wide variety of creatures, each having a specific role to play in the social strata of the World Below. The illustration style is reminiscent of Ben Hatke's work and worth examining all on it's own.

Book 5 Complete - Moth & Whisper

Moth & Whisper by Ted Anderson and Jen Hickman

Imagine a world where your identity is your most valuable commodity, where you're tracked everywhere you go and it's basically illegal to be unknown. That's the world of this book. Anderson and Hickman introduce us to this world and to Nikki, a teen on the run, searching for missing parents. Parents who are the world's greatest thieves. Nikki has taken over both their roles while searching for information about their whereabouts. It's a complex world but one that's well portrayed visually so we aren't weighed down with expositional dialogue. The text and illustrations work together well to tell a complete story. This is a great book, both to read and to simply admire visually.

Book 4 Complete - The Lying Woods

The Lying Woods by Ashley Elston

Oddly enough, the whole "discovering that my rich dad is an embezzler" is an increasingly common theme in teen fiction these days. This is a fairly strong entry in the genre. We have elements of family secrets and worlds colliding; of the truth about a person's actions at odds with your emotional connection to them. And there are hints of The Count of Monte Cristo in the plot, so that's fun too. A truly solid read.

Book 3 Complete - Beyonders

Beyonders Volume 1 by Paul Jenkins and Wesley St. Claire

If you have any interest in secret societies, history mysteries, or conspiracy theories, than this is the book for you. Building off of the Voynich manuscript and the Antikythera mechanism, Jenkins spins a complex world of early computer programming and predictions, of secret societies at war with one another.

Book 2 complete - Little White Lies

Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Personally, I've never had much interest in debutantes. That high society stuff is a far cry from my own world experience. I can't deny that the ins and outs of this plot are compelling, though. Barnes has woven a complex plot of family secrets and the dark underbelly of polite society. We see a group of young ladies working a plot at multiple levels to reveal a series of dangerous secrets, all while presenting a front of refinement and class.

Book 1 Complete - How We Became Wicked

How We Became Wicked by Alexander Yates

Plague stories are usually a pretty exciting proposition. In this case, we have people transformed into a near childlike state of wonder and excitement but with a violent tendency. They are off hand about murder. They want to kill and are fairly open about that desire. No mindless zombies here. It makes their presence unsettling to be certain but not overly frightening. Yates does some interesting things with perspectives and timelines, revealing truths about the world in which his protagonists live in a metered way. Not especially pulse-pounding but an interesting read.

24 in 48 Readathon Starting Line

Hi friends! I find myself with a mostly free weekend, so I decided last minute to participate in the 24 in 48 Summer Readathon. This is a fun, low pressure readathon and a great way to check some titles off my TBR list. Check in with me over the next 24 (ish) hours and see how I'm faring.

Pika pika!

I wasn't interested in Pokemon during it's original surge of popularity. Then, as it continued, I didn't really understand it. Recently, I gave in and watched the show and bought my first pack of cards. It's safe to say I'm completely hooked now, a level of interest that's started to be reflected in my craft projects. Like this little pompom Pikachu and pokeball I made over the weekend.

 

Blog Tour Book review - Changeling

Title: The Oddmire: Changeling
Author: William Ritter
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: The Unicorn Quest by Kamilla Benko
                      Beyond the Deepwoods by Paul Stewart

Rating:

a great new series

Summary (provided by publisher): Magic is fading from the Wild Wood. To renew it, goblins must perform an ancient ritual involving the rarest of their kind—a newborn changeling. But when the night arrives to trade a human baby for a goblin one, something goes terribly wrong. After laying the changeling in a human infant’s crib, the goblin Kull is briefly distracted. By the time he turns back, the changeling has already perfectly mimicked the human child. Too perfectly: Kull cannot tell them apart, so he leaves both babies behind.
Tinn and Cole are raised as human twins, neither knowing what secrets may be buried deep inside one of them. When they are thirteen years old, a mysterious message arrives, calling the brothers to be heroes and protectors of magic. The boys must leave their sleepy town and risk their lives in the Wild Wood, journeying through the Deep Dark to reach the goblin horde and uncover who they truly are.

My opinion: To my mind, changelings are a vastly under-explored mythological creature so I'm thrilled to read any book that examines the life of a changeling. Especially when the resulting book is as charming as this one. Ritter shows us several perspectives and motivations: the changeling, the human raised alongside him, the mother that raised them, and the goblin that attempted the swap. We see a world that is in flux, magic perilously hanging on and a darkness that threatens everything. And each character has a motivation. Sometimes these motivations intertwine, sometimes they are at odds with one another. And perspectives that are at odds one chapter may align the next. That sounds messy and confusing but the flow is nearly seamless.The ideas are complex but accessible even for a young middle grade audience. I look forward to seeing the directions Ritter will take this series.

More information: Changleling releases July 16.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Graphic Novel Spotlight - Nightlights

 Nightlights by Lorena Alvarez

The plot of this book is a simple one: Sandy's art is influenced by a parasitic being, sewing self doubt so she comes to rely on its validation in order to continue creating. the arc is a simple one and the characters have little depth. That doesn't particularly matter. The enjoyment of this book is not about the plot. It's all about the art. Each illustration is incredibly detailed, with a great sense of motion and magic. It's complex and you can spend hours just admiring it.

Toddler dress

Ever since I started experimenting with refashioning t-shirts, I've wanted to make a toddler dress. Since my niece is a teenager, though, I've never had anyone to make a dress for. Luckily for me, my cousin's little girl just had her first birthday. The perfect excuse for me to make this little adjustable length dress with matching headband.

 

Book review - Wilder Girls

Title: Wilder Girls
Author: Rory Power
Genre: sci-fi
Similar books: Green Class by Jerome Hamon
                      Viral Nation by Shaunta Grimes Rating:

not as compelling as I'd hoped

Summary (provided by publisher): It's been eighteen months since the Raxter School for Girls was put under quarantine. Since the Tox hit and pulled Hetty's life out from under her.
It started slow. First the teachers died one by one. Then it began to infect the students, turning their bodies strange and foreign. Now, cut off from the rest of the world and left to fend for themselves on their island home, the girls don't dare wander outside the school's fence, where the Tox has made the woods wild and dangerous. They wait for the cure they were promised as the Tox seeps into everything.
But when Byatt goes missing, Hetty will do anything to find her, even if it means breaking quarantine and braving the horrors that lie beyond the fence. And when she does, Hetty learns that there's more to their story, to their life at Raxter, than she could have ever thought true.

My opinion: I want to start by pointing out that some of the promotional material for this novel makes a comparison to Lord of the Flies, a comparison that didn't ring true to me. This novel is a world with the trappings of society already stripped away, but without descending into complete savagery as in Golding's novel. Power's characters have abandoned unnecessary etiquette. They don't revel in cruelty but rather acknowledge that a certain about of aggression is necessary for survival. Beyond the decent of society, this is a story of disease, climate change, and scientific experimentation. A capricious and sometimes cruel government. We get the contrast of the remaining rules of devolved society with the ongoing cruelty of structured society. It's a sometimes interesting exploration but wasn't as engaging as I'd hoped. The characters remain emotionally distant.
More information: Wilder Girls releases July 9.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.

Book review - Knighthood for Beginners

Title: Knighthood for Beginners
Author: Elys Dolan
Genre: Humor/fantasy
Similar books: Julius Zebra series by Gary Northfield
                      The Jolley Rogers series Rating: 

silly fun

Summary (provided by publisher): Meet Dave (a dragon who wants to become a knight) and his trusty steed (a German-speaking, worldly goat named Albrecht) in this illustrated, laugh-out-loud chapter book.
Dave is terrible at all the things dragons are supposed to be good at: hoarding gold, eating villages, telling riddles...and don’t even ask about his knitting skills. So when he becomes the first dragon ever to fail the Dragon Test, he finds a book called Knighthood for Beginners and decides he’s found his destiny! Before long, Dave is decked out in a new suit of armor and is off on a series of adventures with his trusty steed—a German-speaking, life coach, explorer, and goat named Albrecht. The ultimate goal? Dave the dragon being knighted by the King of Castletown.

My opinion: This novel has the perfect humor construction for young readers: characters are oblivious to facts that will be obvious to the reader. Knights who are fooled by a mustache on a dragon. A king who doesn't recognize that a goat is not a person. That kind of thing. It will likely have young readers in giggles, and might just elicit a chuckle or two from parents. Even better, very little of the humor resorts to the gross out factor. It's not especially complicated but remains fairly innocent and has an underlying message of acceptance.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley