Book review - Treasure in the Lake

 

Title: Treasure in the Lake

Author: Jason Pamment

Genre: fantasy graphic novel

Similar books: Mel the Chosen by Rachele Aragano

                      Believe Your Eyes by Cori Doerrfeld

Rating:

 

a cool idea

Summary (provided by publisher): Grand adventures stories often begin where you least expect them…
Iris knows this because she’s read them all. However, as a thirteen-year-old stuck in the tiny town of Bugden, real adventure seems like a distant dream. But when Iris and her best friend, Sam, stumble upon an unusually dry river on the outskirts of town, they’re led to a discovery beyond anything Iris has ever read about: a hidden city and a forgotten tale of friendship.
In Jason Pamment's middle grade graphic novel debut, perfect for fans of Hilda and This Was Our Pact, can Iris and Sam uncover the truth in time to keep their own friendship afloat, or will history repeat itself and pull them apart forever?

My opinion: What could be more interesting than discovering that there is a whole town hidden in the bed of a nearby river? This idea makes for pretty compelling reading. Pamment makes the most of this idea visually, playing with structure and time both. We see the town in it's prime and after the river has taken it's toll. The reality of what is happening can be a little hard to grasp but the illustrations are strong enough to carry us through confusing events. A bit of a challenging read but worth the effort.

More information: Treasure in the Lake releases September 7

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Book review - Say it Out Loud

 

Title: Say It Out Loud

Author: Allison Varnes

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: The Loud Silence of Francine Green by Karen Cushman

                      Captain Superlative by J.S. Puller

Rating:

 

a solid school-centric read

Summary (provided by publisher): Charlotte Andrews is perfectly fine being quiet--in fact, she prefers it. When she doesn't speak, people can't make fun of her stutter. But when she witnesses bullying on the school bus and doesn't say anything, her silence comes between her and her best friend.
As if that wasn't bad enough, her parents signed her up for musical theater. Charlotte doesn't want to speak onstage, but at least she doesn't stutter when she sings. Then, just as she starts to find her voice, the arts program is cut. Charlotte can't stay silent anymore.
So she begins to write. Anonymous encouraging notes to her classmates. Letters to the school board to save the school musical. And an essay about the end of her best friendship--and her hope that she can still save it.
Words could save Charlotte Andrews and everything she believes in . . . if she just believes in herself enough to speak up.

My opinion: This is a largely character-driven book, a feature less common in work for a middle grade audience. Plenty of things happen in the story but Charlotte's desire to avoid attention is always at the center of things. It informs every action and interaction. It is both the source of conflict and her resolution. And Charlotte is a genuinely likeable character. She may be a bit frustrating at times in her reluctance to act, but she's also very observant and sees the goodness in her peers even when they appear cruel or otherwise unlikable. And through this plot Varnes shows the reader not only the power of simple acts of kindness to affect change but also how easy it is to be a part of the problem. How easy it is to be unkind or allow others to be cruel. A solid read.

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Picture books for everyone

 

The Clever Tailor by Srivhya Venkat

The story here is a simple one: the tailor makes a garment that he loves and wears until it is no longer presentable, at which point he remakes it into something for a family member. The cycle continues until it is completely worn out. It's a story of using our resources to their fullest. A solid message, especially in a throw-away culture. But what really makes this book shine is the illustrations. On each page the vibrant, patterned fabric flows across and illustrates the way it is used. It has an almost magical quality. Delightful

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Non-fiction book review - Amazing Athletes

 

Amazing Athletes by Marie-Claude Oullet

This book may initially be a hard sell for young readers in the US. Canadian paralympians are, on the surface, a pretty niche topic. But when you get into the details this is a fascinating read. The focus is nearly as much on the sports as it is about the athletes. And Ouellet keeps the focus on athletics, not on handicaps. I personally loved learning about the differences in paralympic sports and how some of the modified rules make these sports more challenging. A cool addition to a sports collection.

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Book review - Beyond the Mapped Stars

 

Title: Beyond the Mapped Stars

Author: Rosalyn Eves

Genre: historical fiction

Similar books: The Hired Girl by Laura Amy Schlitz

                     Under a Painted Sky by Stacey Lee

Rating:

 

compelling and nuanced

Summary (provided by publisher): Seventeen-year-old Elizabeth Bertelsen dreams of becoming an astronomer, but she knows such dreams are as unreachable as the stars she so deeply adores. As a Mormon girl, her duty is to her family and, in a not too far away future, to the man who'll choose to marry her.
When she unexpectedly finds herself in Colorado, she's tempted by the total eclipse of the sun that's about to happen--and maybe even meeting up with the female scientists she's long admired. Elizabeth must learn to navigate this new world of possibility: with her familial duties and faith tugging at her heartstrings, a new romance on the horizon, and the study of the night sky calling to her, she can't possibly have it all...can she?

My opinion: Historical novels about teen girls are nearly always going to be focused on the war between duty and dreams. We tend to see girls who dream of a high achieving life while their parents expect them to be practical - either through marriage or a job. The conclusion of such stories is that following your dreams is worth it, even if it means leaving your family and home behind. I admire this book because it acknowledges that such a choice is not so simple. It's not just that Elizabeth has dreams; she genuinely wants to be a "good" daughter and a good Mormon. She wants to submit to the plan she feels God has for her. She has to learn to find balance, to dream but also stay practical. Her journey emphasizes that prioritizing her desires over everything else causes trouble. This doesn't mean that her desires are wrong, only that she must consider consequences before she makes decisions. While some of the problems and resolutions are idealized, the overall journey is engaging.

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Sun dress update

I liked the simple shape of this dress, though I found it a bit plain and lacking in pockets.

I used some cookie cutters as stamps with fabric paint to add some visual interest. The skirt was a little longer than suits my shape so I cut several inches off the bottom. With the trimmed fabric I cut some squares for pockets which I also decorated with paint.

Book review - Velda the Awesomest Viking

 

Title: Velda the Awesomest Viking and the Voyage of Deadly Doom

Author: David MacPhail

Genre: humor

Similar books: How to Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell

                     The Jolley-Rogers series by Jonny Duddle

Rating:

 

good fun

Summary (provided by publisher): Oi, you snivelling pig-dogs! Are you ready for a Viking adventure?
Velda is a small girl with a big axe. The only problem is, everyone thinks she can't be a proper Viking because she's "just a little girl". PURLEASE! She sets sail with Freya, captain of the dragonship Valkyrie, and her notoriously ferocious crew for a life of awesome adventure (and very loud belching).
But when the Valkyrie and her crew are captured by the Queen of the Saxons, Velda is the only one who can free her friends. The small and mighty Viking must travel to the mysterious Islands of Deadly Doom, but there's just one problem, er, well more than one, actually -- she doesn't have a ship, a crew, or a clue how to get there...
Join Velda on her quest as she makes some unlikely new friends and takes on terrifying tasks, all while proving she's the awesomest Viking around.

My opinion: Given the set-up, most readers can probably predict where this book is headed. That's okay. A standard plot gives MacPhail room to include a lot of silly details that will appeal to the average kid's sense of humor. There is some gross humor but nothing over the top. It's also worth noting that the strongest, bravest, most valuable members of the crew are female. It's nice to see female characters who are bold and aggressive and ultimately positive.

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Pick 6: Magic graphic novels

Spells, faeries, witches, giants. Magical elements seem to resonate with young readers and can make for really exciting reading. This is especially true when it comes to graphic novels. Strong illustrations add to the wonder of reading about magic. Here are six graphic novels published in the past six months that feature magic. 

6 new magic graphic novels

1. Sprite and the Gardener by Joe Whitt
2. Wynd: Flight of the Prince by James Tynion
3. The Okay Witch: The Hungry Shadow by Emma Steinkeller
4. The Accursed Vampire by Madeline McGrane
5. Mel the Chosen by Rachell Aragano
6. The Weirn Books by Svetlana Chmakova 
   

Non-fiction book review - Volcano

 

Volcano by Mary M Cerullo

Volcanoes are a subject we often falsely believe to be simple. A crack in the earth that spews out lava and ash, right? Even a simple book like this will prove just how inaccurate that belief actually is. Here we learn about different volcano forms and classifications; the most active volcanoes; the reasons they form and the warning signs that they may erupt. The information is presented with enough detail to inform but not so much that we get bogged down in dry science. The text is accessible, vocabulary terms well explained. There's even a section on folklore and people's relationships with volcanoes. All of the information is well supported by photos and charts.

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Book review - In the Wild Light

 

Title: In the Wild Light

Author: Jeff Zentner

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: The Quantum Weirdness of the Almost Kiss by Amy Noelle Parks

                     Paper Towns by John Green

Rating:

 

lovely

Summary (provided by publisher): Life in a small Appalachian town is not easy. Cash lost his mother to an opioid addiction and his Papaw is dying slowly from emphysema. Dodging drug dealers and watching out for his best friend, Delaney, is second nature. He's been spending his summer mowing lawns while she works at Dairy Queen.
But when Delaney manages to secure both of them full rides to an elite prep school in Connecticut, Cash will have to grapple with his need to protect and love Delaney, and his love for the grandparents who saved him and the town he would have to leave behind.

My opinion: At face value, this is a pretty simple story. Perhaps even predicable. For me, this does not matter. There's something about Zentner's writing style that makes me forgiving of apparent simplicity. For one thing, the characters are complex. Much of the page space is devoted not to events but to reflections. To Cash contemplating his history and his future. It's relative poverty and limited opportunities come face to face with privilege. We meet characters dealing with different prejudices and limitations. All together we have a plot that feels fairly inevitable and because the characters are realistic and nuanced we go along with them to that inevitable conclusion.

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Book review - Hide and Don't Seek

 

Title: Hide and Don't Seek 

Author: Anica Mrose Rissi

Genre: horror/short stories

Similar books: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz

                      The Fearsome Foursome by Amicus Arcane

Rating:

 

I get the appeal

Summary (provided by publisher):A game of hide-and-seek goes on far too long…
A look-alike doll makes itself right at home…
A school talent-show act leaves the audience aghast…
And a summer at camp takes a turn for the braaaains…
This collection of all-new spooky stories is sure to keep readers up past their bedtimes, looking over their shoulders to see what goes bump in the night.

My opinion: This style of book has enduring appeal. The short story format is an excellent one to introduce horror to young readers. They get the scare without having to invest days or weeks into reading the build up of character and complex rules to explain fear. This collection is more technology focused than the standard bearer of horror collections: Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark. Still, we can see the relationship between them as well as the influence of "Black Mirror". Personally I don't find these stories especially scary but I can see where they might induce dread in a young reader.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

 

Graphic Novel Spotlight - Pax Samson

 

Pax Samson: The Cookout by Rashad Doucet

Superheroes are the standard when we're talking about graphic novels. Most people expect the standards: Superman, Spider-man, that sort of thing. These stories explore the pressures of the superhero life, the need to keep a secret identity, balancing personal lives. Stuff that isn't especially relatable for kids. That leads to books like Pax Samson, the story of a world with many superheroes. Our hero is learning how to be a hero, practicing and building up his abilities. He has other interests too and is allowed to explore them. He fights villains but also gathers rare ingredients for new recipes. Both of his interests are given equal value by the author and the characters. The plot also explores the history of this world and the effects of perspective. Enough nuance to make it good for discussion but not so much as to make it a difficult read.

 

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Non-fiction book review - Pando

 

Pando by Kate Allen Fox

I've had a minor obsession with Pando since I learned about it from a podcast a while back. I was eager to see how Fox would present the information. This is a fairly basic introduction to the organism and it's history, with an emphasis on preservation and the importance of ecology. If you're looking for a way to show kids that there is more to trees than they think, give Pando a look.

More information: Pando releases August 15. 

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Book review - Buried Beneath

 

Title: Buried Beneath

Author: Kelly Ann Hopkins

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: The Library of Lost Things by Laura Taylor Namey

                      Lucky Girl by Jamie Pacton

Rating:

 

it has some problems

Summary (provided by publisher): On the outside, Shelly Frank lives a normal teenage life, balancing her gas station job and a budding new relationship with a boy from school. But on the inside, she’s harboring a dark secret: her mother is an extreme hoarder. Within the pristine, outer walls of their beautiful New Jersey home, Shelly and her mother are living amidst piles of collected trash from her mother’s disorder, and Shelly is at her breaking point.
By some miracle, Shelly is offered a chance to escape when she receives a plane ticket to Florida from her estranged father, but she’s met with a decision: should she flee this life of filth and seize the opportunity of a future in the Sunshine State? Or should she risk her own health and sanity by staying with her mother who is helpless without her? When Shelly becomes gravely sick from years of living in her mother’s nest, her decision is staring her in the face. She needs to save herself, but her mother is willing to do everything in her power to prevent that from happening.

My opinion: The base elements of this book are becoming standard: a single mother with a hoarding disorder and the daughter trying to live a "normal" life within the chaos. There are a few elements that make this one stand out from the crowd. For one, the hoarding doesn't have a distinct trigger. It's a part of a complex net of mental disorders that also means it is not easily resolved. Her mother can't seem to track reality. And that begins my trouble with this book. The mother character in particular has no consistent characterization. And the other people in Shelly's life are extremely idealized. Each plot element goes to an extreme. This makes the book increasingly difficult to accept. While I liked some parts of it, especially the conclusion, I found the overall package too much to swallow.

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Small cards

 A bargain on a stack of small sized, brightly colored cardstock inspired me to try making some mini greeting cards. I draw full sized cards with colored pencil and focus on realistic images. In this smaller format I decided to try more cartoon type drawings.

 

My first attempt did not go well, prompting these mostly black images to cover up my mistakes.

Book review - Kind of Sort of Fine

 

Title: Kind of Sort of Fine

Author: Spencer Hall

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Life Unaware by Cole Gibsen

                      The Secret Science of Magic by Melissa Keil

Rating:

 

better than I expected

Summary (provided by publisher): Senior year of high school is full of changes.
For Hayley Mills, these changes aren’t exactly welcome. All she wants is for everyone to forget about her very public breakdown and remember her as the overachiever she once was—and who she’s determined to be again. But it’s difficult to be seen as a go-getter when she’s forced into TV Production class with all the slackers like Lewis Holbrook.
For Lewis, though, this is going to be his year. After a summer spent binging 80s movies, he’s ready to upgrade from the role of self-described fat, funny sidekick to leading man of his own life—including getting the girl. The only thing standing in his way is, well, himself.
When the two are partnered up in class, neither is particularly thrilled. But then they start making mini documentaries about their classmates’ hidden talents, and suddenly Hayley is getting attention for something other than her breakdown, and Lewis isn’t just a background character anymore. It seems like they’re both finally getting what they want—except what happens when who you’ve become isn’t who you really are?

My opinion: Let's get one thing out of the way - this book is pretty predictable. Its ultimately a teen romance and thus can only end a couple of ways. Hall has successfully elevated the plot, though. Hayley and Lewis could follow simple character arcs - Hayley learning to loosen up and be okay with making mistakes, Lewis learning to take chances for things that he cares about. Instead they both make a fair amount of progress following their same old toxic patterns. They both seem like they are at the bottom at the book's opening but we eventually discover they have much farther to fall. They make huge mistakes in the name of fixing things. Their choices and relationships aren't simple. This standard plot isn't turned completely on its ear but it's tilted enough that we look at some new angles and examine behaviors through a different lens.

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Picture books for everyone

 

Except Antarctica by Todd Sturgell

The premise here is fairly simple: the narrator tells us that turtles live on every continent but Antarctica. A contrary turtle sets out to prove that wrong. As it makes the journey south, it meets with a number of other animals which also are not found in Antarctica. Each animal joins in the journey out of curiosity, desire for company, a sense of adventure. The premise and it's eventual resolution is all a bit silly but should hit the right level of humor for elementary age kids. Each page also includes a couple of facts about an animal, giving it a small degree of educational value.

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Non-fiction book review - Mass Incarceration, Black Men, and the Fight for Justice

 

Mass Incarceration, Black Men, and the Fight for Justice by Cicely Lewis

We can be lead to believe by our history books that racism is over, that the Emancipation Proclamation immediately ended slavery. This book endeavors to show us otherwise. Lewis discusses the prison industrial complex and how Jim Crow laws contributed to the modern system. Now, all we get here is a very brief overview. This makes it accessible to reluctant readers but paints an incomplete picture. For instance, the only examples of Jim Crow laws we get are segregation in bus seating and schools. Even so, it encourages kids to think critically and question the corruption in our system which makes this inherently valuable.

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Book review - Tips for Magicians

 

Title: Tips for Magicians

Author: Celesta Rimington

Genre: magical realism

Similar books: Savvy by Ingrid Law

                     A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd

Rating:

 

a solid exploration

Summary (provided by publisher): Harrison Boone used to sing. His mom was a famous soprano who performed in all the great theaters. But when she died unexpectedly last year, the music stopped for Harrison too. He finds comfort in practicing magic tricks to become a master magician.
If only Harrison knew the right magic to stop his dad from hitting the road for a new job and sending him to live with his aunt Maggie in an art village named Muse in the southern Utah desert. The residents of Muse believe in a magical entity that used to grant wishes to the winner of the town's annual art contest, but the muse hasn't been seen in years.
Can Harrison connect with his inner artist, find the missing muse, and win the wish that will give him back a normal life?

My opinion: At first I thought that magic would only be a metaphor in this book. We don't get far into this plot, though, before we realize that it is literal. It is a different portrayal of magic than we typically see. This isn't a person with powers. Magic is more of a force or a spirit. A thing with motivations and emotions. That personality, while not something fully explored, plays a vital role in the development of the plot. It becomes something of a metaphor for grief and depression. We see a wide variety of characters trying to cope with assorted forms of loss with varying degrees of success. We learn about the importance of expression, be that through art or through conversation, to deal with our problems. This is a solid use of magical realism to deal with every day issues. A solid read for the middle grade set.

More information: Tips for Magicians releases August 17.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Dog toys

I have quite a stash of brightly colored t-shirts, some that purchased for crafting and others that have been cycled out of my wardrobe. I've made skirts, baby clothes, and now dog toys. These toys are super easy to make. Cut your shirts into long strips maybe 1.5-2 inches wide. A gentle pull on these strips lets them curl into more of a cord.

 

Use four of these cords in a round stitch, like you might use when weaving a lanyard out plastic lacing.