Non-fiction book review - Anatomical Oddities

 

Anatomical Oddities by Dr. Alice Roberts

Most books about the human body, unless you get quite deep into your study of anatomy, focus on the basic elements of our body systems and the major organs. Not this book. Here we learn about names for pathways and channels, aspects of organs and sectors of the brain. Dr. Roberts explains the function of these parts of the body and how they got such unusual names. The result is a combination of biology and medical history. It highlights how our understanding of bodily functions has changed. This is a fascinating read for anyone interested in scientific trivia. 

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Book review - Gone Wolf

 

Title: Gone Wolf

Author: Amber McBride

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: The Probability of Everything by Sarah Everett 

                      The Giver by Lois Lowry

Rating:

 

thought provoking

Summary (provided by publisher): In the future, a Black girl known only as Inmate Eleven is kept confined—to be used as a biological match for the president's son, should he fall ill. She is called a Blue—the color of sadness. She lives in a small-small room with her dog, who is going wolf more often—he’s pacing and imagining he’s free. Inmate Eleven wants to go wolf too—she wants to know why she feels so Blue and what is beyond her small-small room.
In the present, Imogen lives outside of Washington, D.C. The pandemic has distanced her from everyone but her mother and her therapist. Imogen has intense phobias and nightmares of confinement. Her two older brothers used to help her, but now she’s on her own, until a college student helps her see the difference between being Blue and sad, and Black and empowered.

My opinion: This is a book that is going to require some patience and emotional intelligence to properly process. At first, it seems quite straightforward. The narrative about Inmate Eleven is clear and easy to follow. The messaging is accessible and the general thrust of the plot is simple enough. Then, at a pivotal moment, the focus shifts. And we begin to understand what this book is really about. That's the point that requires a great deal more reflection and careful consideration to properly process. It's a fantastic read, well worth the effort.

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Stocking cap

 In addition to my Christmas crafts, I spent December making a stocking cap for my mother. This is a style that was popular when she was a kid but she never had one. I was determined that she would get one this year. The pattern I used was sized for a child but it took very little fiddling to get it adjusted for an adult head.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 1

 It's Christmas Eve and that means I like to reflect on the meaning of Christmas. This didn't turn out quite as I had planned. I was going to make a little pocket that I would applique to the front of the star. I think I like this version better.

Wishing each of you a joyful, peaceful Christmas.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 2

 If you've seen one of my countdowns before, you know I like to include at least one puppet. Some of my favorites have been inspired by holiday foods. And that includes this year's Christmas cookie.

The cookie is made primarily of a foam mattress pad covered with t-shirt scraps. The sprinkles are diamond painting gems. There's a bamboo skewer anchored in the top half and a channel made from a section of straw in the bottom half to allow for movement.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 3

 When I spotted this Christmas dinosaur online, I knew I wanted to make my own version. I made mine with cardboard and construction paper rather than wrapping it with yarn. It's a simple thing but one I rather enjoyed.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 4

 I wasn't going to make any Doctor Who themed Christmas crafts this year. Then I sat down to make a scottie dog pin out of felt and this happened instead.

 

that felt insisted on being K9

Once the Doctor Who door opened, I figured I'd just roll with it and made this ornament as well.

 

Crafty Christmas countdown: 5

 I've never been into the idea of a Christmas village but my opinion changed a little when I found these little wooden houses to paint. This year I just decorated the houses but it's possible that they will spawn a whole scene in future.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 6

 Ever start to fill someone's stocking and realize that something you bought won't fit? This has become a big problem in our house since we now share the stocking stuffer responsibility. Last year one person had to put everything they bought in plastic bags hanging next to the stockings. This year we decided to get ahead of the trouble by buying some of those folding bins for stocking overflow. And to keep them from being boring, I decorated them with craft foam.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 7

 Just one week left until Christmas! Today I took some felt penguins that I made ages ago and repurposed them into a wall decoration with some cord and pompoms.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 8

 I'm not a big fan of angels aesthetically so I don't make them often. When I include one in my crafts I prefer a simple rustic design, like this clothespin angel with a wire halo and overhead star.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 9

 I have made many, many finger puppets over the years but this is the first time I've tried this particular design. It's meant to be used with two fingers, allowing you to open the mouth in a pinching motion. 

Crafty Christmas countdown: 10

 I had one of these little pre-printed canvases in my craft storage and this seemed like the perfect time to use it. While it's not strictly Christmas themed, a little winter decor is always nice.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 11

 I saw a cute display online made from a square of cardstock and decided to make my own version with construction paper. You were meant to use paint and glue some items standing in the snow. Instead, I perched a sleigh hauling a tree in it. And since it looked empty, I added a giraffe pulling the sleigh. And a rock wearing a Santa hat.

 

Crafty Christmas countdown: 12

 Today's craft is another one from a kit. When I was a kid we used to get little cross stitch ornament kits as Christmas presents and I always loved doing them. So I got this one a year or two ago out of pure nostalgia. I had forgotten how satisfying cross stitch can be.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 13

Our property includes a lot of swamp land. Which means a lot of cedar trees. When out front railing needs decorated, then, it's only natural that we use cedar branches. I tied these down with some binders twine and finished it off with some red berries (no idea what kind - just red and nice looking).

Crafty Christmas countdown: 14

 One thing I love this time of year is craft kits. I love to buy pre-cut felt or foam shapes to glue together. Or, like this guy, a wooden shape to paint. This little skating gnome fits our decor nicely.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 15

 It's time for my annual Christmas card. As always, this was hand drawn with colored pencils (though I used a white paint marker for the highlights).

Crafty Christmas countdown: 16

 Have you ever seen the ornaments people make from puzzle pieces, usually painted to a uniform color? I wanted to try it myself but using the natural print of the pieces. We had some puzzles that were missing pieces so I salvaged a couple of handfuls to make these two ornaments.

Crafty Christmas countdown: 17

 I think my favorite Christmas theme is stars, so I tend to make a lot of them each year. This year I made this star shaped snowman from some scrap t-shirt, a few bits of felt, and a little flannel. He's sort of chubby and a bit reminiscent of Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

 

Crafty Christmas countdown: 18

 I like to make holiday peg dolls every year, usually inspired by some favorite show or movie. This year I chose Heat Miser and Snow Miser from The Year Without a Santa Claus.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 19

 I've come to enjoy punch needle quite a bit and I've always loved capybaras. So I made this little Santa capybara to hang on my wall.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 20

 When you find yourself unexpectedly babysitting, you dig into the memory banks and come up with a holiday craft to do with the kids. I made these wreaths from contact paper, construction paper, and sequins with a 5 year old and 2 year old.

And as a special treat for the 5 year old, we made this holiday puppy sock puppet while his sister napped.

Crafty Christmas countdown - 21

We don't want to leave out our animal friends during the holiday season so I thought I'd make a dog toy. I've made simple tug ropes in the past but decided this time to make a wreath. This was done with a simple overhand knot around a central core of cord for strength.

 

Crafty Christmas countdown - 22

 These little ornaments were simple to make but I think all the better for their simplicity. I used a base layer of white paint on some precut ornaments and added decoration with paint markers.

Crafty Christmas Countdown - 23

 I got this decoration for free last year because it was flawed. While I certainly didn't want to put it up as-is, I could see potential in it.

The first step was to pry off that bottom bar. I set that aside for use in a future project. While I was at it I pulled off the tree too. That left me with a nice surface to repaint. I find the red glitter too much, so I made it a more natural camper color. When I was satisfied with the overall look, I decorated it for Christmas with a little wreath and some red and green pennants.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 24

 It's December and that means it's time for my annual countdown to Christmas. We're starting small today with a simple trio of paper ornaments. I cut these shapes from scrapbook paper, added contrasting paper for the tops, and some interest with a bell in the center of each one. These ornaments could hang on the tree or would make nice wall decorations. 

Listen with me

 

The Wonderful World of James Herriot

When I started listening to this book I expected to get the most entertainment from the stories collected from the Herriot novels. The humor and straightforward tone of the writing is soothing and engaging. I figured the connections to Alf Wight's life experience might add some interesting context but it would take a back seat to his tales. In reality, the book nicely blends the two. We get snippets of the books of course but always as a method of discussing Alf's real life and more importantly, the greater context of life in the Yorkshire Dales. Most interesting of all is the historical picture we gain from the assorted stories. Alf's career was poised at a turning point in science and medicine and we can see the changes as we read the stories. The narration of the audio is personable and reflects the accents we expect from Herriot stories. Even if you've read All Creatures Great and Small or the other books a dozen times before, this audio is a worth addition to your collection.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Punch needle

 Have you ever tried punch needle? Its fairly easy to learn and you don't need much in the way of supplies. And there are some nice beginner kits on the market (I learned from this one). When I found myself in need of something do do with my hands last week I threw together this little balloon dog.

Listen with me

 

The Wonderful World of James Herriot

I wouldn't say that I'm a devoted fan of the James Herriot books, but I did enjoy All Creatures Great and Small, so this collection seems like a nice, calm listen. Let's give it a try together.

Book review - The Amazing Beef Squad

 

Title: The Amazing Beef Squad Never Say Die

Author: Jason Ross

Genre: humor

Similar books: The Terrible Two by Mac Barnett

                      The Capybara Conspiracy by Erica S Perl

Rating:

 

clever chaos

Summary (provided by publisher): Meet the Beef Squad: a group of unforgettable kids who are serious about pranks but also about doing whatever it takes to help the people and places they care about.
Nick Rhodes and his friends Pratchett, Hogue, and Jared--together known as Beef Squad--have got seventh grade totally hacked. They make perfect grades by day, pull spectacular pranks by night, play video games in between, and do it all with a zany sense of humor only they find funny. (Because someone has to celebrate National Asparagus Appreciation Day.) But seventh grade is about to strike back! Trouble at school and a secret from their town's Gold Rush past put Beef Squad on a collision course with Leonardville's most powerful forces. Now, with the help of robotics teammate Karla Woo, they decide to reveal what's going on, no matter the consequences.

My opinion: Stories about pranksters can be a tricky thing. As adults, we don't exactly want to endorse "bad" behavior. Yet these things are incredibly appealing to young readers. We love to read about characters getting away with something. The Beef Squad finds a decent balance. While a lot of their activities are about having fun without consequences, they also have a strong sense of justice. They go from simply trying to cause chaos to righting a wrong and keeping the true "villains" from destroying the town the love out of simple greed. With a cast of solid characters and a relatable small town setting, this is a book worthy of a middle grade audience.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Maggie Sparks and the Alien Invasion

 

Title: Maggie Sparks and the Alien Invasion

Author: Steve Smallman

Genre: humor

Similar books: Operation Bunny by Sally Gardner

                      Monkey Me and the Golden Monkey by Timothy Roland

Rating:

 

mostly silly

Summary (provided by publisher): Maggie Sparks does NOT fit in!
Especially not with Arthur’s new friends, who all love SCIENCE.
Maggie tries everything she can think of to be like them – even reading BORING science books. But nothing works! Then things go from bad to worse when an angry astronaut upsets Arthur. Thankfully, Maggie is a super powerful, super smart, super talented WITCH. She plans to use her powers to fix things, fit in and make Arthur’s dreams of exploring SPACE come true.
All she needs is a little magic … 

My opinion: I like the way Smallman combines friendship issues with chaotic magic. Children make split second decisions without considering consequences all of the time. When you add magical abilities to the mix all kinds of humor ensues. The plot progression, while strange, follows and internal logic so the reader can accept events without question. It's designed for early independent readers so the writing is simple and easy to follow.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - With or Without You

 

Title: With or Without You 

Author: Eric Smith

Genre: realistic fiction/teen romance

Similar books: Donuts and Other Proclamations of Love by Jared Reck

                     How I Got Skinny, Famous, and Fell Madly in Love by Ken Baker

Rating:

 

a decent twist on some standard elements

Summary (provided by publisher): All’s fair in love and (food truck) war.
Everyone knows Jordan Plazas and Cindy Ortiz hate each other.
According to many viral videos of their public shouting matches, the Plazas and Ortiz families have a well-known food truck rivalry. Jordan and Cindy have spent all of high school making cheesesteaks and slinging insults at each other across their shared Philadelphia street.
But the truth? They’re in love, and it’s all just an act for the tourists.
When the fake feud lands them a reality tv show pilot, Jordan and Cindy find themselves having to lie on a much bigger scale. Trapped between pursuing their dreams or their love, can they find a way to have their cheesesteak and eat it too?

My opinion: Individually, the elements of this novel are somewhat played out. You'd think we'd seen every variation on a family rivalry. Or a food truck rivalry. Or a reality tv rivalry. By combining all three, though, Smith has elevated the plot to something new and innovative. Especially since at the outset all of the rivalry is an act. They're playing the system to get what they want most. As the plot progresses, though, the act reveals true sentiment and a once clear relationship is muddied. While the arc of the plot is predictable it remains highly entertaining. Don't expect a lot of deep thinking with this one but if you're looking for something cozy and heart-warming this one probably fills the bill.

More information: With or Without You releases November 7.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - 15 Secrets to Survival

 

Title: 15 Secrets to Survival

Author: Natalie D Richards

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Paradise on Fire by Jewell Parker Rhodes

                      Out of Range by Heidi Lang

Rating:

 

one to think about

Summary (provided by publisher): When classmates Baxter, Abigail, Turner and Emerson break a school rule, they’re forced to travel to the middle of nowhere for an extra credit project. They think things can’t get much worse. After all, how will learning to survive in the wilderness help them stay out of trouble in school?
   What starts off as a weekend of team building takes a scary turn when their instructor goes missing and they are given nothing but pages of a survival guide to complete a series of challenges.
     They soon learn the woods around them have unexpected surprises. Will they discover a way to work together to find their teacher and overcome the dangers of winter in the mountains?

My opinion: As a rule, I'm a fan of survival stories. Personally I prefer the solo survivalist but when you get a book like this one, where a survival scenario forces disparate kids to work together, it achieves something different. Now, this book differs from the genre standard in that their scenario is, at least initially, organized. It's planned. This adds in elements of a puzzle plot, a type that tends to go over well with young readers. It's also the element of this book that give me the most pause. Because the book is built on the idea of these kids put in a potentially dangerous situation by someone they barely know. For an adult reader, it's full of red flags. The plot itself is decent, not terribly unexpected or complex. So it's a decent read that might spark some conversation but not one that would be my go-to first choice.

More information: 15 Secrets to Survival releases November 7 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non fiction book review - Operation Cupcake

 

Operation Cupcake by Bambi Edlund

This book is a fun object lesson in the functions of simple machines. We learn about the mechanics of each type of machine and how they make work easier. Edlund also goes beyond the very basics, showing how modifications allow us to do more complicated work. There is a simple plot with a two-fold payout: first the mice get their cupcake and then there is a humorous reveal as the humans discover the fallout of the titular operation. The text is well supported by cartoon illustrations. This is a great way to supplement your kid's science lesson.

Advanced reader copy provided by NetGalley

Books on screen - Nimona

 

Nimona by ND Stevenson

I haven't done one of these in a while but I finally watched Nimona this weekend and we have to talk about it. Because here's the thing: I love Nimona. I read it as a webcomic. When it was released as a print book I badgered my manager until she promised me we would buy a copy for the library. And when it was first announced that there was going to be a movie I was immediately ecstatic, immediately followed by apprehensive. I love the book so much that I was terrified that the movie would ruin it. That's why it took me four months to actually watch the thing.

Let's start by admitting that the movie makes some big changes. I could make a post much longer than this one pointing out all of the differences in characters, plot elements, even messaging between the book and the movie. But that's not why I wanted to talk about it today. I will very quickly say that I still like the book better. I think the humor is sharper and Ballister is a stronger character in the original form. There is one thing the movie does better, though: it asks better questions. When you read the book you can tell it started life as a web comic. It meanders around, making nonsense jokes and cackling at its own cleverness before it finds focus and tells a coherent story. The movie cuts all of that extraneous information (no matter how much I love it) and focuses the conflict. Most importantly instead of just being about a corrupt system it asks two important questions: once you've been judged is it possible to change perceptions; and why does society vilify things just for being different. The central emotion, then, isn't righteous indignation but weary desperation which lends the movie a maturity that the book lacks, even as it has been modified to be appropriate for a younger audience. It makes this a rare case where both forms are worth consuming though for entirely different reasons.