Happy 2024

Throughout the year I read a number of books. Some are good, some less so. Most of my favorites end up here on my blog on featured reviews. Others are hard to describe or get pushed out by scheduling issues. So here's a short list of books that I read this year that I feel are worth your time but, for whatever reason, didn't post about already.

the Cat's Cradle series by Jo Rioux (ongoing)

We are the Beasts by Gigi Griffis

The Ghostkeeper by Johanna Taylor

the Marius Grey series by MR Fournet (ongoing)

Learning to Fall by Sally Engelfried

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko

Major Impossible by Nathan Hale

Unicorn Boy by Dave Roman

We Are Mayhem by Beck Rourke-Mooney

That's it for 2024. Anyone excited to see what 2025 will bring?

Christmas gifts

 Now that gift giving is done I can share with you some of the things I made as gifts this year. I did a fair amount of knitting and crocheting this year. 

First we have fish slippers for my mom. She'd had a pair of these that I made years ago in orange that finally completely wore out. So I made her new ones in this soft blue wool.

Next, for my gamer brother, a Link hat.

And for my sister, a pair of waffle weave mittens in woolease.

Non-fiction book review - Spices and Spuds

 

Spices and Spuds by Andy Warner

If you have any interest in history, social studies, or plants, this may be the book for you. Warner breaks down all the known history of a plant and how it has shaped society. From wood to agriculture, the spice trade to industrialization, it's all here. The book is divided into chapters focused on a kind of plant. It's structured like a graphic novel, though it is quite text heavy. This is not a book you're going to sit down and read all at once, but rather one to read slowly, allowing yourself time to absorb the information.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Dust

 

Title: Dust

Author: Alison Stine

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: The Truth About Everything by Bridget Farr

                      Klickitat by Peter Rock

Rating:

interesting ideas

Summary (provided by publisher): After her father has a premonition, Thea and her family move to the Bloodless Valley of southern Colorado, hoping to make a fresh start. But the rivers are dry, the crops are dying, and the black blizzards of Colorado have returned. Much like the barren land, Thea feels her life has stopped growing. She is barely homeschooled, forbidden from going to the library, and has no way to contact her old friends—all due to her parents’ fear of the outside world’s dangerous influence.

But to make ends meet, Thea is allowed to work at the café in town. There, she meets Ray, who is deaf. Thea, who was born hard of hearing, has always been pushed by her parents to pass as someone who can hear. Now, with Ray secretly teaching Thea how to sign, she begins to learn what she’s been missing—not just a new language but a whole community and maybe even a chance at love.

My opinion: Oftentimes, books featuring prepper families make the family head appear delusional, prepping for a disaster that is never going to happen. Stine takes a different approach. Thea's family are certainly preppers. They're living a "simpler" life. The problem becomes that they are prepping for the wrong emergency. It becomes apparent that there is a disaster on the way that they don't have the skills to handle. The result is a book that explores family, community, secrets, and ecology. While it takes a lot of expected directions, the journey is interesting enough to be worth a read especially as the description is visceral.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 1

If there's one thing most people don't need, it's more holiday jewelry but I can't seem to help myself. I made this mismatched set for myself and a set for my sister.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 2

 I doodled a little frog wearing a Santa hat and beard and immediately knew I wanted to do something with him. I copied the image onto a sheet of clear plastic and colored him with permanent markers. I added a layer of glitter glaze and a magnet to finish him off.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 3

 A couple of years ago I learned to punch needle. I try to make something with the skill every year, mostly so I remember how to do it. Christmas is a great time for punch needle because you can make a dynamic image fairly quickly. This camel is an original design and would look nice attached to a bag like a patch or as a part of a wall display. 

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 4

 I was only going to do one set of peg dolls this year, but then I found some little peg trees in my craft supplies that begged to be decorated. And you can't just do a tree. A tree needs a character with it. So I found a little peg wearing a hat and turned it into a bunny. I decorated these pegs with colored pencil rather than paint for a softer look.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 5

 It's time for another puppet. I was thinking about Christmas foods and settled on the Little Debbie's Christmas Tree Cake. I don't know that I've ever eaten them but the package is rather iconic. And as I was considering them I immediately imagined one of those cakes with a face. I fashioned my puppet out of foam with knit fabric stretched over it. The stripes are made from fabric paint and the sprinkles are glitter. The mouth is a loop of elastic with a string attached to manage the movement. 

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 6

 I have mentioned before that I have rabbits. They don't get a lot of toys and treats but at Christmas I like to give them something special. This year I fixed them some paper twist wreaths. I took sheets of packing paper that came in packages, spread on a mixture of chopped hay and dried fruit, rolled the paper the long way, and twisted the resulting logs into a wreath shape. I'll hang these wreaths in the pens for them to tear into on Christmas. For now, they are stored in a coffee can with a fun festive sticker.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 7

 We're big gnome fans in this house so it's no surprise that I found some little gnome woodcuts in my craft supplies. I decorated this one with permanent marker, with a little bit of rabbit fur on his beard.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 8

 I found this antler headband in my Christmas things. It was already kind of cheesy with the bells but I figured we could kick it up a notch. Some gold ink designs and sequins make it delightful.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 9

 Here we are in the single digits! Christmas is fast approaching so today I have for you Christmas cookies. When I was a kid my mother would make butter cookies for us to frost and decorate while we listened to selections from the Nutcracker Suite and it was a favorite holiday tradition. We got out of the habit as we got older but have recently brought it back. This year, in addition to some traditional shapes, I decided to make some chickens. I'm especially fond of the coconut covered chickens. They remind me of silkies.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 10

 This particular set of ornaments is likely to end up in my craft sale inventory. I love the simple look and the contrast of the gold ink.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 11

This paintable shark was hanging out in my craft supplies, so I figured I'd give him a Christmas makeover with green glitter paint and some earmuffs.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 12

 Would it be Christmas if I didn't make a sock puppet? Some years I try to pick a more traditional Christmas figure but this year I leaned into more of a "that's not normally something I associate with the holidays" theme. And this particular sock really wanted to be a rhino. So it's a rhino struggling to decorate.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 13

 I saw a simple wreath online and wanted to try it for myself. Some versions start by painting sheets of paper with watercolor but I used scrapbook paper in blue and green prints. Cut triangles of assorted size and glue them on your desired wreath shape. For extra interest I added some little paper rabbits and squirrels.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 14

 I always like to include a couple of practical projects in my Christmas crafting and bookmarks are always useful, so I whipped up these watercolor and ink bookmarks.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 15

 I used to make these upcycled buttons a lot so I decided to bring them back this year for Christmas. All you need is a button you no longer use, a little fabric, glue, and some decorations. I used cardstock scraps and sequins.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 16

 When I made my little Doctor Who tree, I knew it needed a topper. And after much debate I settled on a design: a fez and bow tie. They are a simple construction from colored paper.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 17

 Every year, I try to come up with a unique card with a meaningful verse. This is the design I came up with this year.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 18

 Holiday themed peg dolls have become one of my favorite crafting traditions. This year I decided to lean into the more obscure with this duo from Santa Claus Conquers the Martians. These are the child Martians, Bomar and Girmar.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 19

 I've never really been into the Krampus tradition, but I love the look. This is especially true when they lean cute. Hence, this little Krampus finger puppet.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 20

 I'm fond of the look of dried orange slices when used in Christmas decorating, but I've never had any to use. We don't get a lot of oranges and drying them seems like a lot of work. So to get the appearance of them on a garland, I made some out of cardstock with white charcoal lines. 

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 21

 When I spotted this perler bead design recently, I knew I wanted to try a version of it myself. These are my take on the idea.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 22

 As much as I enjoy a bunch of silly decorations during the holidays, I also like to craft with purpose. So I try to make at least a couple of useful projects during my countdown. This headband would be nice for a chilly day and could also fit into a large Christmas cracker in place of a tissue paper crown. I used this pattern, if you'd like to make one of your own.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 23

 I hadn't intended to make any Doctor Who themed crafts this December, but as I was unpacking my decorations, a little Doctor Who display started coming together. All it needed was a couple of decorations for my miniature tree. So I whipped up a couple of adipose and a Lady Cassandra. It might still need a star but that's a project for another day.

Crafty Christmas Countdown: 24

 It's December! That means I am back and beginning my annual holiday countdown where I share a Christmas or winter themed craft every day. Let's start with a simple one. I used a basic glass candle holder and decorated it with some paint. I was going for a rustic vibe here, so details were less important.

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

The Keeper of the Key by Nicole Willson - Rachel doesn't want to move. She certainly doesn't want to move in with her mom's boyfriend Geoff in his creepy old house and too many rules. And now she's having visions in the dead of night, warning her of something worse coming.

What did you recently finish reading?

Midnights With You by Clare Osongco - Deedee  can't seem to get along with her mom. They have an uneasy peace, mostly the result of Deedee following all of the rules, no matter how many times they change. She doesn't know why her mother is so strict but her interactions with the boy who just moved in next door lead her to dig deeper into her family history.

What do you think you'll read next?

The Boy Who Learned to Live by D. N. Moore

Book review - My So-Called Family

 

Title: My So-Called Family

Author: Gia Gordon

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Something Like Home by Andrea Beatriz Arango

                      Looking for True by Tricia Springstubb

Rating:

well-written and realistic

Summary (provided by publisher): It’s the first week of middle school, and Ash (don’t call her “Ashley”) already has a class assignment: Make a family tree. But how can Ash make a family tree if she doesn’t have a family? Ever since she was four years old, Ash has been in foster care, living with one so-called family after another. Now she’s stuck with Gladys. And the only place Ash feels safe is in the branches of her favorite tree, drawing in her sketchbook, hidden from the view of Gladys’ son Jordan.

As Jordan becomes harder to hide from, and more dangerous to be around, Ash isn’t sure who she can trust. A new friend, an old friend, some teachers at school? Sometimes the hardest part of asking for help is knowing who to ask.

My opinion: I have read many books about kids in foster care. Kids finding their "forever family." Kids attempting to reconcile with biological families. Kids who are being abused. Ash's story doesn't match any of those narratives. The situation with Jordan is certainly concerning. It's a bit more gray and makes it more understandable that Ash is reluctant to speak up and ask for help. We see how systems that are set up to protect her are, in this case, letting her down. This is not always a comfortable read but its an important one. 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

Each Night Was Illuminated by Jodi Lynn Anderson - Cassie doesn't sleep. She spends her nights worrying about her family and climate change. Then she reconnects with Elias, a boy she spent one summer day with when they were children. Under Elias's influence she spends sleepless nights wandering the town and hunting for ghosts. And questioning everything she thought she knew.

What did you recently finish reading?

Snow Drowned by Jennifer D Lyle - There are stories on Fall Island that the snow swallows people. Consumes them. Gracie has never believed them. But a record breaking storm is coming and Gracie is trapped on the island. And something strange is in the air.

What do you think you'll read next?

My So-Called Family by Gia Gordon

Non-fiction book review - On Track

 

On Track by Tom Adams

We all know a train kid, the ones who love Thomas the Tank and live for a glimpse of a passing engine. Many grow out of it but some don't and those are the kids this book is meant for. Adams walks the reader step by step through the development of rail travel, each innovation and misstep. There is plenty of detail about the technology involved but also a lot of emphasis on social change. We're learning a great deal here about globalization and industrialization and how these changes had both positive and negative impacts on our lives. This is a great choice if you have any interest in transportation, history, or sociology. It can be read in short burst or all at once and would work well as a supplemental text for a classroom or homeschool setting.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: humor

 If October is for all things spooky, let's shift gears and lean into the funny for November. Who doesn't love a good laugh while reading. Here's six funny novels published in the past six months.

Six new humor books:

1. The Monstrous Adventures of Mummy Man and Waffles by Steve Behling
2. An Unlikely Pair by Bob Scott
3. SCRAM by Rory Luchy
4. The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate Mckinnon
5. Bog Myrtle by Sid Sharp
6. Pizza and Taco: Best Christmas Ever by Stephen Shasken

Muff - or - How to keep your bunny with you all the time

 My hands get very cold. I wear mittens as soon as it is chilly. But when I started spinning angora fiber I had a thought that I might make an old-fashioned muff from the yarn.

Here's the yarn

I had vague ideas about knitting that muff. But when I finished my first ball of yarn I got a little bit of "good yarn anxiety" and put it away for a while. I finally got my yarn out again with a clearer plan. Instead of knitting, I decided to nalbind my muff, making the exterior with wool yarn (for sturdiness and extra warmth). The inner part is all angora and having your hands inside is like petting a rabbit constantly. I don't have directions for you because my approach to nalbinding tends more towards "vibes" than set patterns.

Book review - Every Story Ever Told

 

Title: Every Story Ever Told

Author: Ami Polonsky

Genre: Realistic Fiction

Similar books: Ruptured by Joanne Rossmassler Fritz

                      Sky Ropes by Sondra Soderborg

Rating:

Thoughtful

Summary (provided by publisher): Stevie Jane Cohen-Kaplan’s sheltered suburban life is shattered by a mass shooting at a festival in her town. In the aftermath, her brain feels broken. She can’t bear to visit her mom, recovering in the hospital under Stevie’s dad’s watchful eye, or to be pent up in her grandparents’ nearby Manhattan apartment.

To escape the apartment and her own thoughts, Stevie starts adventuring around New York City with her best friend, Avi, and a new therapy dog (in training). The trio starts chasing stories—about a neighbor’s life after the Holocaust, Stevie’s grandfathers who died of AIDS long before she was born, and even about her own mom’s activist upbringing. These stories may not bring Stevie all the way back to “normal,” but can they help her find a new version of herself?

My opinion: If Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close had been written for a child audience, the result might be something akin to this novel. It is a bit of a gut-punch read. These are capital B Big topics going on in this story - mass shooting, surviving the Holocaust, the AIDS crisis, and finding your way through PTSD. Each step of Stevie's journey is a painful one. She makes bad choices, can't explain her motivations. But we are deeply invested in her story from the beginning. A word on that beginning - the book opens before the shooting. Over the course of the first few chapters we live that shooting with her (as well as a couple of brief flashbacks). But while the events are described it is in the same fragmented way that Stevie experiences it. While there is no graphic violence there is blood and it may well be upsetting for middle grade readers. It is absolutely respectful but honest, so bear that in mind before selecting this book. 

More information: Every Story Ever Told releases October 29
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 

Tangleroot by Kalela Williams

Consider the set-up here - a girl forced to spend the summer at an old plantation with her high-achieving mother who is searching for details about family history. We're going to expect secrets uncovered about the slave-owning history of the town and probably some modern racism along with a confrontation between the girl and her mother. And all of that is present. There's nothing supernatural here, no ghosts haunting the place (though the early chapters certainly would have allowed for it). Ultimately, it's not even about confronting racism, exactly. Instead Williams has used a town's racist past as a method of exploring identity. Noni picks apart the history of the families that lived at Tangleroot, certainly, but she also ends up examining herself. She's asking what motivates her and the kind of person she wants to be. This is less of a thriller, though it has some big reveals and dramatic moments, and more of a piece that asks us to question behavior and attitudes. Not only is this one worth reading, it's probably worthy of a second or third pass to truly explore the ideas at play.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

Lonely Places by Kate Anderson - Chase's family has been living on the road for years, roaming the country in a converted school bus. They've settled for the year in a lookout tower in the middle of Pando. It should be a chance for Chase to work and earn some money, for her sister Guthrie to heal from a trauma. But strange things happen in Pando and Chase fears loosing her sister forever.

What did you recently finish reading?

Every Story Ever Told by Ami Polonsky - After a mass shooting at a street festival, Stevie feels like she's falling apart. With her best friend and her newly acquired therapy dog, she tracks down bits of her mother's history and starts putting herself together again.

What do you think you'll read next?

Let it Glow by Marissa Meyer and Joanne Levy

Book review - Giddy Barber Explodes in 11

 

Title: Giddy Barber Explodes in 11

Author: Dina Havranek

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar books: Wild Swans by Jessica Spotswood

                      Life Unaware by Cole Gibsen

Rating:

relatable

Summary (provided by publisher): Giddy Barber knows with certainty she’s going to become a mechanical engineer. What she doesn't know is the last time she smiled.

With her parents overworked and unavailable, it falls to Giddy to make sure her siblings stay on track. But she’s exhausted. When you’re the person everyone else turns to, what do you do when you hit a wall?

Giddy finds an answer online—if you can’t handle how things are going, shake them up. Is it sound advice? Unclear. But is Giddy willing to try anything? Absolutely. Putting eleven days on the clock, she’ll change her routine. But soon it becomes clear that some problems are bigger than what an online column can fix—her family is fracturing, her anxiety is mounting, and all she knows is this: Something. Has. To. Give.

My opinion: We're hearing increasing reports of teens who are stretched to the limit and struggling with stress and depression. So Giddy's situation is timely. We see a character who is not only tightly wound and over scheduled, she's desperately unhappy and has no idea what would make her happy. The advice she follows sets me a bit on edge. Not only does she pick it up from what sounds like a pretty questionable source, her method of following it is deeply flawed. So her decisions can be pretty cringe-inducing. And the tension builds steadily throughout the book. The titular explosion feels increasingly inevitable. The resolution is ultimately satisfying and addresses some of her poor decision-making. Certainly, I wouldn't recommend that any reader follow Giddy's method of fixing their life but it's a solid illustration of how desperately wrong and over-burdened teen's life can turn.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley