Z is for Zoom by Ashley Parlett Malec
Most alphabet books are geared exclusively to the very young. Some authors, though, have started to make them multi age. These books do more than just introduce a word. They teach us about a concept. This particular alphabet book looks at the details of how a car works. We see different parts of the engine: the alternator, the drive shaft, spark plugs, and more. Due to the limits of the format (a single word per letter) the reader won't walk away with a complete understanding of a car engine but it's surely a far cry from "a is for apple". At the very least, it goes a long way towards demystifying mechanics.
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Running Wild by Galadriel Watson
I've read my share of books about the amazing things animals can do. This is the first I've read, though, that really broke down how they can achieve those feats. More than just telling us about claws and muscles, Watson really breaks down the biomechanics of different movements. The language is very accessible, largely limited to a two syllable vocabulary and providing clear definitions for any unusual words. There are also comparisons to common objects and simple machine to assist the reader in understanding the concepts at play. I'd easily recommend this one to children and adults alike.
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Title: This is My Brain in Love
Author: I. W. Gregorio
Genre:teen romance
Similar books: I Hate You Fuller James by Kelly Anne Blount
This Train is Being Held by Ismee Amiel Williams
Rating:
 |
| kinda nice |
Summary (provided by publisher): Jocelyn Wu has just three wishes for her junior year: To make it through without dying of boredom, to direct a short film with her BFF Priya Venkatram, and to get at least two months into the year without being compared to or confused with Peggy Chang, the only other Chinese girl in her grade.
Will Domenici has two goals: to find a paying summer internship, and to prove he has what it takes to become an editor on his school paper.
Then Jocelyn's father tells her their family restaurant may be going under, and all wishes are off. Because her dad has the marketing skills of a dumpling, it's up to Jocelyn and her unlikely new employee, Will, to bring A-Plus Chinese Garden into the 21st century (or, at least, to Facebook).
What starts off as a rocky partnership soon grows into something more. But family prejudices and the uncertain future of A-Plus threaten to keep Will and Jocelyn apart. It will take everything they have and more, to save the family restaurant and their budding romance.
My opinion: Teen romance is not really my genre of choice, so when one gains my respect like this one did, it's noteworthy. At first, the plot of this book was entirely predictable. But after the first third, it takes some interesting variations. Starting with the contract with Jocelyn's father and the early acknowledgment of their mutual attraction. And then we have the frank conversation about mental illness and it's stigma within certain populations, especially among certain ethnic groups. We see the shame associated with their condition in both families, the shame with medication tempered with real medical concern surround it's use. The mental illness element then becomes a true conversation, not just a lecture. And there are no magic cures, no sudden fix via therapy or medication either one. It's learning coping mechanisms but acknowledging that it's not always enough, that sometimes we need chemical assistance. That conversation alone makes this book worth reading.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
When I don't know what else to do with myself, I draw cards. It keeps me occupied and I can sell them at craft fairs. Here are four new designs I came up with this weekend.
Title: A Girl in Three Parts
Author: Suzanne Daniel
Genre: historical fiction
Similar books: The Art of Taxidermy by Sharon Kernot
The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman
Rating:
 |
| a thinker |
Summary (provided by publisher): A story of sisterhood, solidarity, and finding your place in a changing world, A GIRL IN THREE PARTS is part Eighth Grade, part Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, and entirely original.
Allegra Elsom is caught in the middle. Some days she's eleven, and others she feels closer to nineteen. Some days she knows too much, and others she feels hopelessly naive. Some days she is split in three, torn between conflicting loyalties to her grandmothers, Matilde and Joy, and her father, Rick--none of whom can stand to be in a room together since the decades-old tragedy that hit their family like a wrecking ball.
Allegra struggles to make peace in her family and navigate the social gauntlet at school while asking bigger questions about her place in the world: What does it mean to be "liberated"? What is it about "becoming a woman" that earns her a slap in the face? What does it mean to do the right thing, when everyone around her defines it differently?
As the feminist movement reshapes her Sydney suburb, Allegra makes her own path--discovering firsthand the incredible ways that women can support each other, and finding strength within herself to stand up to the people she loves.
Readers will not soon forget Suzanne Daniel's poignant debut, or the spirit of sisterhood that sings out from its pages.
My opinion: Many authors present us with a protagonist on the cusp of adolescence, learning what it means to grow up. They are learning what they think about issues, learning to stand up against small injustices. And that's the difference here. Because Allegra is confronted with both unfairness in her immediate environment and the larger injustice of being a woman in a world that does not value her. She sees abuse and oppression and the expectations of women. Even the ways that well meaning desires of the adults in our lives for us to have things "better" can put damaging pressure on us. The central idea is still that a girl must find her voice, to express her own desires and feelings and not simply fall into the role others have made for her. Due to the frank talk about domestic violence this is not a book for a very innocent reader. But for someone prepared to handle the emotional journey it's beautifully heartbreaking.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Jackaby by William Ritter
This book was a bit of a surprise for me when I first read it. A kind of combination of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Who. I got a kick out of reading it. I'm hopeful that it will be a fun listen as well.
We are Power by Todd Hasak-Lowy
If you've ever wondered about nonviolent protest beyond lunch counter sit-ins, then you need this book. Hasak-Lowy takes us through several examples of activism in chronological order. This begins with Ghandi codifying what this form of protest means and applying it as a life philosophy. We traverse the globe between South Africa, Britain, the US, Czechoslovakia, and Sweden. We see different approaches to activism, be it through action, strike, sign wielding, or simply insistence at being acknowledged. We see the ways that their determination was challenged and the importance of compromise for peaceful resolution. And I like that there isn't any implication that this is the only way. Hasak-Lowy acknowledges that there are situations that can only be resolved with confrontation or moments when even the most peaceful person can be pushed too far. Still, we can all learn from these examples and find value in lesser known parts of history.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: Like Nothing Amazing Ever Happened
Author: Emily Blejwas
Genre: historical fiction
Similar books: The Marvels by Brian Selznick
Pay Attention, Carter Jones by Gary D. Schmidt
Rating:
 |
| compelling |
Summary (provided by publisher): Justin doesn't know anything these days. Like how to walk down the halls without getting stared at. Or what to say to Jenni. Or how Phuc is already a physics genius in seventh grade. Or why Benny H. wanders around Wicapi talking to old ghosts. He doesn't know why his mom suddenly loves church or if his older brother, Murphy, will ever play baseball again. Or if the North Stars have a shot at the playoffs. Justin doesn't know how people can act like everything's fine when it's so obviously not. And most of all, he doesn't know what really happened the night his dad died on the train tracks. And that sucks.
But life goes on. And as it does, Justin discovers that some things are just unknowable. He learns that time and space and memory are grander and weirder than he ever thought, and that small moments can hold big things, if you're paying attention. Just like his math teacher said, even when you think you have all the information, there will be more. There is always more.
My opinion: At face value, this book has a couple of strikes against it. It has an historical setting which can be a hard sell for middle grade readers. And it doesn't have a strong central plot. The conflict is largely internal, Justin trying to figure out why his dad died and trying to understand things in the world around him. Largely, though, it's reminiscent of Catcher in the Rye. It's mostly just Justin thinking about things and realizing that life is more complex that he'd previously understood. It's about truly seeing things in life around you instead of just accepting the simple explanations. There's some subtle messaging about war, trauma, and cultural conflict but doesn't settle on any distinct message. This means that different readers may come away from it with different messages or gather new ideas on repeat reads.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley.
Last month I made a miniature bookcase from a box. And a while back I made a custom cow-headed doll. And those things have been sitting on a rail in my stairwell ever since. Recently I've taken to adding new things to that rail and it's becoming a sort of doll house for the cow-doll. She now has a furry slug pet. And a horse-robot companion. And a luchador bust on a desk. I anticipate more additions to her decor as time passes.
Title: Crossing the Farak River
Author: Michelle Aung Thin
Genre: realistic fiction
Similar books: Escape from Aleppo by N. H. Senzai
Running on the Roof of the World by Jess Butterworth
Rating:
Summary (provided by publisher): Fourteen-year-old Hasina is forced to flee everything she knows in this gripping account of the refugee crisis in Myanmar.
For Hasina and her younger brother Araf, the constant threat of Sit Tat, the Myanmar Army, is a way of life in Rakhine province—just uttering the name is enough to send chills down their spines. As Rohingyas, they know that when they hear the wop wop wop of their helicopters there is one thing to do—run, and don’t stop. So when soldiers invade their village one night, and Hasina awakes to her aunt's fearful voice, followed by smoke, and then a scream, run is what they do.
Hasina races deep into the Rakhine forest to hide with her cousin Ghadiya and Araf. When they emerge some days later, it is to a smouldering village. Their house is standing but where is the rest of her family? With so many Rohingyas driven out, Hasina must figure out who she can trust for help and summon the courage to fight for her family amid the escalating conflict that threatens her world and her identity.
Fast-paced and accessibly written, Hasina tackles an important topic frequently in the news but little explored in fiction. It is a poignant and thought-provoking introduction for young readers to the miliatry crackdown and ongoing persecution of Rohingya people, from the perspective of a brave and resilient protagonist.
My opinion: The conflict in Myanmar is one that Americans may be vaguely aware of but likely do not truly understand. Books like this one not only help us to understand the details of the conflict but also what life is like for the people directly affected. We are given a brief snapshot of normal life for the Rohingyas before the soldiers come and tear everything apart. The remainder of the book is the daily struggle to survive, the constant fear that the efforts they've put in won't be enough, the constant threat that the soldiers will return, and the gradual realization that there is no going back to life as it had been. The text doesn't really go into the role of social media on the persecution of the Rohingya, the element that I was actually aware of, choosing instead to humanize the conflict.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Rickety Stitch and the Gelatinous Goo series by Ben Costa and James Parks
As you might guess from the covers, this series centers on a skeleton bard and his friend, a block of goo. After they loose their jobs in a torture dungeon they set off on a quest to learn about Rickety's past and his connection to the legendary city of Epoli based on a few clues from a series of dreams and a half remembered song. The over-arching plot is a pretty standard quest. What makes these books shine is the offbeat humor and wide cast of characters. Costa and Parks find humor in both modern office settings and traditional quest elements. And what would be one-off throwaway characters in another series make repeat appearances in this series. The humor is the perfect blend of verbal and sight gags. If you're a fan of Jeff Smith's Bone, Chris Grine's Chickenhare, or Monty Python give Rickety Stitch a read.
Something Wonderful by Matt Ritter
There are plenty of picture books that introduce youngsters to the wonder of a seed growing. Usually these books focus on something as simple as a flower. Ritter's book, on the other hand, shows us something that most adults will be forced to admit is truly amazing. Starting with the moment that the fig seed lands in the branches of another tree and sends it's roots down to the ground. We see the whole process - the fig tree growing around and through the other tree, killing it; the leaves reaching the canopy and producing blossoms; those blossoms being pollinated by wasps and forming fruits around the wasp eggs; the fruits being eaten and the seeds spread by birds to start the process all over again. Even if much of the process is what we expect, that first stage of the roots growing down to the ground is truly wonderful.
More information: Something Wonderful releases April 22.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: The Green Children of Woolpit
Author: J. Anderson Coats
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: Impossible by Nancy Werlin
Estranged by Ethan M. Aldridge
Rating:
 |
| a serious journey |
Summary (provided by publisher): An eerie, spine-tingling fantasy about a young girl who discovers two otherworldly children—and an ancient bargain that threatens to destroy them all.
It is the autumn of 1160, and twelve-year-old Agnes is helping with the harvest when she hears a frightened voice calling from the nearby woods. When she goes to investigate, Agnes can’t believe what she sees. There, at the bottom of the deep wolf traps, are two children. They are shouting in a language no one understands—and their skin is bright green.
Agnes soon discovers that these are no ordinary children; in fact, they aren’t even human. They are of the Fair Folk, and they are here to take Agnes home to their world. Trusting that the Fair Folk cannot lie, Agnes agrees to venture underground. But she soon learns just how dangerous their world is—and what it will take to break the ancient bargain meant to keep her there.
My opinion: The tale of the green children has always struck me as inherently silly. Not Coats' version. This is a story that is taken entirely seriously. The beings involved here are not fairies; these are the fae. Immortal, joyless beings that have no care for humans. They make bargains and care only for their own desires. They take people as slaves, are cruel and capricious. It's more than just the cruelty of the faerie, though. It's the harshness of life in the feudal system. It's abandoned children living in a world that looks on them with suspicion and derision. These characters are under threat from the fae, from tha lord of the land, and from their own neighbors. Sure they take care of each other but they also sell one another out for advancement. This leaves us with characters learning to find satisfaction in daily life. There is no happily ever after, only minor victories.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
One of
the best things about fiction is the way that it opens up your world to
perspectives you wouldn't otherwise understand. It's even better when a
single book gives you multiple perspectives at once. Here are six book
published in the past six months that are presented from more than one
perspective.
6 new multiple perspective narratives
- We Used to Be Friends by Amy Spalding
- Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith
- This Train is Being Held by Ismee Williams
- Junk Magic and Guitar Dreams by T James Logan
- The Edge of Anything by Nora Shalaway Carpenter
- We are the WIldcats by Siobhan Vivian
The Spirit of Springer by Amanda Abler
I've never been super into whales like some. They're cool and all but they never really fascinated me. Nor am I typically entranced by the orphaned baby animal story. This one really captured me though. Not so much specifically because of Springer. To my mind the interest is in the process. How they identified first Sprinter's pod and then her individually. Who'd have know that whales have specific dialects? And then all of the challenges of returning her to her pod: health complications; assuring that she didn't get too comfortable with people; the physical transport; and the difficulty of finding a while that would take her in. Its a quick, easy to follow read that packs a lot of facts into a short number of pages.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Title: My Life as a Potato
Author: Arianne Costner
Genre: realistic fiction/comedy
Similar books: Shine! by J.J. Grabenstein
Mr. Bambuckle: Rule the School by Tim Harris
Rating:
 |
| quite fun |
Summary (provided by publisher): Ben Hardy believes he's cursed by potatoes. And now he's moved to Idaho, where the school's mascot is Steve the Spud! Yeah, this cannot be good.
After accidentally causing the mascot to sprain an ankle, Ben is sentenced to Spud duty for the final basketball games of the year. But if the other kids know he's the Spud, his plans for popularity are likely to be a big dud! Ben doesn't want to let the team down, so he lies to his friends to keep it a secret. No one will know it's him under the potato suit . . . right?
Life as a potato is all about not getting mashed! With laugh-out-loud illustrations throughout, hand to fans of James Patterson, Gordan Korman, Jeff Kinney, and Chris Grabenstein!
My opinion: Let's be honest: the plot of this book is entirely expected. Ben is trying to find his place in his new school. He's thrown into a situation well outside of his comfort zone while also trying to capture the attention and affection of the popular girl. So of course the thing he finds embarrassing turns out to be to his benefit. The popular kids are mean, shallow, and no good fir him while the outsiders are the good people and where he belongs. This is all what we expect from a middle grade school story. What I didn't expect was just how entertaining it would prove to be. It's genuinely humorous. The little details, like a kid in a potato costume doing stupid dances and trying to do a hand stand is pretty entertaining. The little details like that make this a solid bit of entertainment and one I'd easily recommend.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
In my continued effort to highlight ladies I admire I made another four peg dolls. Included in this group: Dolly Parton, Evonne Goolagong, Greta Thunberg, and Ida B Wells.
Title: Silverworld
Author: Diana Abu-Jabar
Genre: fantasy
Similar books: Changeling by William Ritter
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi
Rating:
 |
| not entirely typical |
Summary (provided by publisher): Sitti, Sami's Lebanese grandmother, has been ill for a while, slipping from reality and speaking in a language only Sami can understand. Her family thinks Sitti belongs in a nursing home, but Sami doesn't believe she's sick at all. Desperate to help, Sami casts a spell from her grandmother's mysertious charm book and falls through an ancient mirror into a world unlike any other.
Welcome to Silverworld, an enchanted city where light and dark creatures called Flickers and Shadows strive to live in harmony. But lately Flickers have started going missing, and powerful Shadow soldiers are taking over the land.
Everyone in Silverworld suspects that Shadow Queen Nixie is responsible for the chaos, which is bad enough. But could Nixie be holding Sami's grandmother in her grasp too? To save Sitti and Silverworld, Sami must brave adventure, danger, and the toughest challenge of all: change.
My opinion: The tone of this book is not standard of a middle grade novel. Its a bit more contemplative and artful, does not use the shorter, punchier, and more modern language we usually see. This can mean that the characters don't fully read a believable kids. They feel a touch old-fashioned. On the whole, though, that tone shift is a positive. At least, the plot is engaging enough that most kids won't be put off by the tone. This is a mythology and approach to magic that we don't see often enough. That alone makes this an appealing read. The characters and their relationship to magic keeps us reading. A pretty cool story worth the time.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Dewdrop by Katie O'Neill
O'Neill has done some surprising things with the story of Dewdrop. The setup is fairly standard: Dewdrop and friends are preparing for a festival, each wanting to show off a special skill. Dewdrop in particular is quite confident in her cheer-leading abilities. In their desire to compete, though, each creature begins to doubt their existing plain and their efforts to be more impressive leave them entirely unprepared. Dewdrop innocently reaffirms their initial joy in their skill. Thus the plot becomes not about being better than anyone else but about finding joy in activities and pushing aside concern over other peoples opinions. Dewdrop uses her skills to lift up her friends without ever having to diminish herself. Older kids will take away a valuable message. Younger kids may enjoy simply leafing through the pages and exploring the small elements of O'Neill's charming illustrations.
More information: Dewdrop releases May 26.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
Who Got Game? Baseball by Derrick Barnes
I've never been much interested in sports. I don't play them and have never cared to watch them. I am generally indifferent towards reading about them. But I rather enjoyed this one. It's all about extremes. Firsts, bests, worsts, and simply amazing stories. There are a few sections related to statistics and team management that were less interesting to me, but the parts about mascots were far more fascinating than I'd anticipated. If you like trivia, give this one a look.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley
