Non-fiction book review - Rise and Fall

 

Rise and Fall by Peter Allen

When we learn ancient history in school, we tend to learn very little. We get a few broad strokes on the "most important" civilizations, their contributions, and what came after them. This book is far more complete than anything I (at least) learned in grade school. Not only does it include exploration of a broad range of civilizations, many of which are often completely ignored by text books, but it looks both at the contributions and likely causes of their eventual collapse. If you have even a passing interest in history, this is a solid read.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

Glitter Gets Everywhere by Yvette Clark - After her mother's death from cancer, Kitty and her family move from London to New York.

What did you recently finish reading?

A Day at the Beach by Gary D. Schmidt and Ron Koertge - A collection of loosely connected vignettes of the experiences of kids at a beach.

What do you think you'll read next?

The Pecan Sheller by Lupe Ruiz-Flores

Non-fiction book review - Rabbitology

 

Rabbitology by Ilaria Demonti

Who doesn't love a rabbit? If your kid is a bunny enthusiast, this is a solid introduction to rabbit biology. It is a fairly complete encyclopedia including taxonomy, breeds, diet, and a comparison to hares and other lagomorphs. The illustrations are charming and included on every page (though in some cases photos may have been clearer). 

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - How to Be True

 

Title: How to Be True

Author: Daisy May Johnson

Genre: adventure

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon

Summary (provided by publisher): Edie Berger is a prankster, the daughter of activists, and a revolutionary in her own right. Paris is Edie’s home and her favorite place in the world. But when her parents decide to travel the globe fighting for good causes, Edie is left in the care of Odette, her strict grandmother—and, ultimately, shipped off to boarding school in England.

A school trip finds Edie back in the streets of Paris, exploring with her friends and forced to confront the grandmother who sent her away. But is there more to Odette than Edie realizes? Featuring madcap adventures, pastries, macarons, an intrepid army of first-years, a secret underground network of nuns, a truly excellent art heist, and lots of bravery, this is a story about loving with your whole heart and standing up for what you believe in.

What I liked: For all of its rather ridiculous details, this book manages to stay fairly grounded. The messaging is wide ranging. It not only stresses the importance of staying true to yourself but also encourages understanding and empathy. The characters all have at least a little complexity to their motivations and even our hero makes poor choices from time to time. It is both fun and heart-felt.

What I didn't like: I don't typically care much for an intrusive narrator in children's fiction. If not handled correctly it can become a way of talking down to the reader. Johnson handles the narration well, keeping it accessible. There are a number of footnotes in each chapter. While these notes are primarily amusing some readers will find them more irritating.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

The Girl and the Robot by Oz Rodriquez - Mimi's been trying to fix everything since her Papi was deported. Then she finds a robot that seems to have crashed down from space.

What did you recently finish reading?

Drew LeClair Gets a Clue by Katryn Bury - A cyberbully at school is the perfect distraction when Drew's mother leaves - for good this time.

What do you think you'll read next?

Cincinnati Lee, Curse Breaker by Heidi Heilig

Non-fiction book review - I'm a Dumbo Octopus

 

I'm a Dumbo Octopus by Anne Lambelet

I love a good informative graphic novel and this book fits that definition to a t. We are introduced to Grimpy, a dumbo octopus, who explains features common to cephalopods, telling the reader all about what makes each species amazing. These, though, are not features of Dumbo Octopi. So there is some plot here as Grimpy begins to feen like it isn't special and we get the expected messaging about how our differences are important and everyone has something to contribute. More importantly, Lambelet does not shy away from using correct scientific terms. Each word is explained in an easy to understand way. The result is a book that is both visually compelling and deeply informative.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Dino Poet

 

Title: Dino Poet

Author: Tom Angleberger

Genre: humor

Age range: upper elementary

Summary (provided by publisher): Get writing or get eaten! Dino Poet is on a mission: to write the first great poem—ever!

His lunch, a prehistoric frog, is also on a mission: to not get eaten! So when Frog tells Dino Poet that his poems stink, he decides lunch can wait . . . for now. The two set off into the wide, wild world, chasing life! Chasing poetry! Until a T-Rex starts chasing them.

What I liked: This is a great way to educate kids about poetry forms and to encourage creativity. As Dino Poet encounters different dinosaurs and situations Frog gives a quick introduction to a type of poem and encourages Dino to experiment. In the vein of Adventures in Cartooning, a little bit of plot prevents the information from becoming dull.

What I didn't like: The explanations of the forms are very brief, even incomplete. And the plot is quite thin as well. This isn't a book you're going to gain a lot from but it is entertaining.

More information: Dino Poet releases March 25

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Not Nothing

 

Title: Not Nothing

Author: Gayle Forman

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh

Summary (provided by publisher): Alex is twelve, and he did something very, very bad. A judge sentences him to spend his summer volunteering at a retirement home where he’s bossed around by an annoying and self-important do-gooder named Maya-Jade. He hasn’t seen his mom in a year, his aunt and uncle don’t want him, and Shady Glen’s geriatric residents seem like zombies to him.

Josey is 107 and ready for his life to be over. He has evaded death many times, having survived ghettos, dragnets, and a concentration camp—all thanks to the heroism of a woman named Olka and his own ability to sew. But now he spends his days in room 206 at Shady Glen, refusing to speak and waiting (and waiting and waiting) to die. Until Alex knocks on Josey’s door…and Josey begins to tell Alex his story.

As Alex comes back again and again to hear more, an unlikely bond grows between them. Soon a new possibility opens up for Alex: Can he rise to the occasion of his life, even if it means confronting the worst thing that he’s ever done?

What I liked: Alex, for all his faults, is a realistic, relatable character. Certainly he has made and continues to make bad choices. But we can see what lead him to those choices and his slowly developing desire to be better. With a complex cast of characters with at least a little nuance, this is a fast paced compelling read that puts a new spin on the ideas that we can learn from Holocaust stories.

What I didn't like: Alex and his issues are perhaps overly idealized, his problems too easily resolved. There are many elements that push the bounds of believability but it manages to remain at an acceptable level.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

Nothing Bad Happens Here by Rachel Ekstrom Courage - When she finds a body on the beach in Nantucket, Lucia starts investigating as a way of escaping the crushing grief that followed her to the island.

What did you recently finish reading?

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman - A troubled kid is sent to volunteer at a nursing home for community service and makes a surprising connection with the residents.

What do you think you'll read next?

The Many Hauntings of the Manning Family by Lorien Lawrence

Book review - Green Jolene and the Neighborhood Swap

 

Title: Green Jolene and the Neighborhood Swap

Author: Wendy Mass

Genre: realistic fiction

Age Range: elementary

Similar book: Mindy Kim and the Yummy Seaweed Business by Lyla Lee

Summary (provided by publisher): It all began (as the best stories do) with a very stinky backpack!

Jolene wouldn’t have guessed that the first day of summer vacation would start with her trying to figure out if the squishy object smelling up her backpack was a half-eaten tuna sandwich or a six-month-old plum! (It was both!) While dumping old food in the trash and bringing out the recycling, Jolene sees the huge boxes of stuff her new neighbors got delivered. She realizes how many of her own belongings she doesn’t use anymore. 

Horrified by the idea of contributing to overflowing landfills and trash-filled oceans, Jolene hatches a big plan to not only deal with her own stuff, but her whole neighborhood’s unwanted items as well. Of course, big plans never work out quite the way we think they will!  

Clad in her favorite rain boots, Jolene is ready to save the world. Or, at least, to tackle her own neighborhood’s stuff and find some surprising new allies along the way. 

What I liked: This is a very readable book. Jolene is a realistic character, simple in her presentation with an upbeat personality but with relatable problems. The narrative is easy to follow and well supported by illustrations that are worth seeking out in their own right. The earth friendly tips are easy to follow and are realistic for kids to enact. With a plot that includes more than just ecological concerns there's something in this book for everyone.

What I didn't like: Unsurprisingly, the ecological messaging is a bit heavy handed but doesn't go over the top. Jolene is an encouraging ambassador, not a harsh judge.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non-fiction book review - Zero! The Number That Almost Wasn't

 

Zero! The Number That Almost Wasn't by Sarah Albee

This is a great look at number systems throughout the world and across history. We don't put a lot of thought into the concept of zero but it's surprisingly complex and absolutely essential. With cartoon-style illustrations supporting the text and adding small doses of humor this is equal parts entertaining and informative. While the appeal may be limited it's worth the effort.

More information: Zero! releases March 11.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: series

 There's something wonderful about finding a good series. A solid adventure with the promise of more to come or beloved characters who we get to visit repeatedly. Especially for young or reluctant readers, if you can get someone started on a series you've guaranteed months of reading. With that in mind, here are six new books that are part of series.

Six new series books:

1. Pizza and Taco Best Christmas Ever by Stephen Shaskan
2. Squire Knight by Scott Chatler
3. Suri's Dragon by Jo Rioux
4. I am a Space Tiger by Jarod Rosello
5. Danger in the Dragon's Den by Megan Reyes
6. Prince and the Pawper by Stephanie Cooke

Book review - I am Made of Death

 

Title: I am Made of Death

Author: Kelly Andrew

Genre: horror

Age range: teen

Similar book: Beholder by Ryan La Sala

Summary (provided by publisher): Following the death of his father, Thomas Walsh had to grow up quickly, taking on odd-jobs to keep food on the table and help pay his gravely ill mother's medical bills. When he's offered a highly paid position as an interpreter for an heiress who exclusively signs, Thomas -- the hearing child of a Deaf adult -- jumps at the opportunity.

But the job is not without its challenges. Thomas is expected to accompany Vivienne wherever she goes, but from the start, she seems determined to shake him. To make matters worse, her parents keep her on an extremely short leash. She is not to go anywhere without express permission. She is not to deviate from her routine.

She is, most importantly, not to be out after dark.

A selective-mute, Vivienne Farrow hasn't said a word in years -- not since going missing in Red Rock Canyon when she was four years old. No one knows quite what happened to her out in the dark. They only know that the sound of her voice is now as deadly as a poison. Anyone who hears her speak suffers a horrible death.

Ever since that fatal family vacation, Vivienne has been desperately searching for a way to regain control of both her voice and her body. Because the face staring out of the mirror isn't hers. It's something with teeth.

Thankfully, Vivienne has a plan. She's finally found someone who claims to be able to perform a surgical exorcism. She just needs to find a way to get rid of Thomas first. But Thomas can't afford to walk away, nor is he willing to abandon the mysterious girl he's quickly falling for, no matter what dark powers threaten to swallow them both whole.

What I liked: A book like this one, with a possession that borders on body horror, the tendency can be to lean hard into the graphic violence. It becomes the largest source of horror. Andrew doesn't do that. If anything, the descriptions of the physical sensations and violence are overly tame. They are subdued to the point of becoming flat. If they were the only source of horror it would be dull. Instead, the focus becomes on the loss of control. And that's far more relatable than a simple gore-fest.

What I didn't like: For a horror novel, it can be a bit flat sometimes. And with complex machinations by shadowy organizations, it can be a bit hard to follow. At the resolution I wasn't entirely clear on what, exactly, had happened with each of these characters and their ultimate role in what happened to Vivienne.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

Glitch Girl by Ranie Oet - A verse novel about a middle grade kid with ADHD struggling with gender identity and navigating social relationships.

What did you recently finish reading?

Zero! The Number that Almost Wasn't by Sarah Albee - A kid's guide to the numeral zero, it's development, and the impact it has on the world.

What do you think you'll read next?

Not Nothing by Gayle Forman

Non-fiction book review - Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams

 

Jella Lepman and Her Library of Dreams by Katherine Paterson

While it is described as a picture book biography, this book extends beyond the standard picture book length and contains a great deal more text on each page. It is perhaps better described as an illustrated biography. Exploring the nature of life in Germany during and after the war, the topic is a heavy one but Paterson handles it gently. This is a book easy for young readers to understand and celebrates not only the achievements of this one person but also the power of art to change lives. With nearly old-fashioned illustrations, this is a very readable narrative and should be a nice addition to a young history buff's collection.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Listen with me

 

What Fell from the Sky by Adrianna Cuevas

When I selected this one I'd hoped that the combination of alien encounters and Cold War era Texas would allow Cuevas to explore some deeper themes and introduce some complexity to a fairly standard plot. I was not disappointed. We have the standard scenes of finding an alien and trying to figure out ways to communicate. And as is typical, the extraterrestrial is a stand-in for the character's sense of isolation, in this case in a racially stratified culture. While the messaging is rather heavy-handed the plot and characters are compelling enough to make this very readable.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Maple syrup

 I live on a sixty-some acre property that includes a fair number of maple trees. So we have occasionally tapped the trees and made maple syrup. The sap is running now so this week we cooked up our first batch for the year. Here's the result of cooking down the first run sap.

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

We Were Warned by Chelsea Ichaso - Legend has it anyone who trespasses on the abandoned Fairport Village resort is cursed to die, cursed by the former owner after she murdered her own son. Two teens have died already and Eden's senior class just held a party at the ruins.

What did you recently finish reading?

Down Came the Rain by Jennifer Mathieu - Two teens struggle with climate anxiety in the wake of a devastating hurricane.

What do you think you'll read next?

The Strongest Heart by Saadia Faruqi

Non-fiction book review - The Deadliest Big Cat

 

The Deadliest: Big Cat by Eleanor Spicer Rice

If you want to capture the attention of young readers there are a couple of key phrases that you can use: weird, gross, deadly. And the construction here is solid. First we learn about the big cats - how they're defined, where they're found, that sort of thing. Once we have a basic introduction we look at what might make them deadly. Then we look at how many human/cat encounters there are on average and the rate of fatality. It lays out all of the metrics and a clear calculation for why one might be considered deadlier than another. In spite of this, the focus is definitely on education and conservation rather than any sort of fear mongering. While the illustrations are perhaps a bit simplistic, they add to the appeal overall.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - The Underwood Tapes

 

Title: The Underwood Tapes

Author: Amanda Dewitt

Genre: mild sci-fi

Age range: teen

Similar book: Yesterday is History by Kosoko Jackson

Summary (provided by publisher): Thirty years ago, Grace’s mom left her hometown of Hermitage, Florida and never looked back—which is exactly why Grace thinks it’s the safest place to spend her summer now. Since her mom died in a car crash, Grace has been desperate to get away from the memories and reminders of her loss. Spending the summer transcribing cassette tapes for the Hermitage Historical Society might be boring, but boring is just what Grace needs.

Until she hears the voice of Jake Underwood—the boy who first recorded the cassette tapes back in 1992. When Grace realizes he can hear anything she records, despite thirty years of time between them, they strike up an impossible conversation through the tapes.

But the past isn’t any simpler than the present, and a mystery has haunted Hermitage through the generations. In the 1970’s, a hurricane made landfall and resulted in the tragic death of Jake’s uncle Charley. In a town as suffocatingly small as Hermitage, it’s impossible not to notice how no one talks about that storm, or Charley, and as the mystery unfurls, Grace can’t help but realize a worse truth: No one talks about Jake either. 

What I liked: Time travel(ish) narratives can be a tricky thing to maneuver. Discovering you have a way to communicate with the past always introduces the question: can you change what has already happened? Dewitt's handling of this question is stellar. Without the conversational nature of the tapes this would be a standard true crime investigation, with Grace digging into the town's secrets. Giving her an interactive link to the past humanizes the victims, reminds us that the people involved were real, not just names on a screen. And I feel like the ultimate conclusion is realistic as well.

What I didn't like: The tension isn't always consistent. This is less a mystery than it is a story of a relationship. While Grace and Jake are reasonably complex, the other characters leave a little something to be desired.

Advanced Reader Copy provided b NetGalley

Non-fiction book review - The Greatest Stuff on Earth

 The Greatest Stuff on Earth by Steve Tomecek

When  I was a kid we were fascinated by the book The Way Things Work which broke down the mechanics of all sorts of inventions. This is in many ways the literary grandchild of that book. Only it doesn't stop at inventions. Or mechanics. This is the deep science of a lot of things. The selection of topics feels a bit random but does amount to a fair amount of scientific understanding. It's a book you can pick up in fits and starts and always learn something new.

More information: The Greatest Stuff on Earth releases March 4.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

Bea Mullins Takes a Shot by Emily Deibert - After a bad experience on a basketball team, Bea vows never to play team sports again. But when circumstances for her to look into sports, she finds herself thrown onto a hockey team.

What did you recently finish reading?

Racing the Clouds by Sydney Dunlap - A car accident changed everything for Sage and opened the door to meeting her grandparents for the first time. Now she's uncovering secrets and finding out what happened to her family.

What do you think you'll read next?

The Quiet Unravelling of Eve Ellaway by Melanie Hooyenga

Listen With Me

 

What Fell From the Sky by Adrianna Cuevas

Stories about kids finding and helping aliens can be interesting. Add in a setting of Cold War era Texas and we could have a real winner. Let's give it a listen and find out.

Book review - Werewolf Hamlet

 

Title: Werewolf Hamlet

Author: Kerry Madden-Lunsford

Genre: realistic fiction

Age range: middle grade

Summary (provided by publisher): 10-year-old Angus is unique. He quotes Shakespeare and wants to stage a Werewolf Hamlet play for his 5th grade legacy project. Angus's 17-year-old brother, Liam, is like a werewolf now—Angus never knows if he'll be nice or mean or when he'll sneak out to get drunk or worse.

Meanwhile, tension continues to build for Liam's family in Los Angeles. Mom and Dad are going to default on the mortgage. Older sister Hannah is fed up and ready to move herself to Maine, and little sister Sidney doesn't really get what's happening. Then Liam goes missing, and Angus decides he has to find him.

A realistic, heartfelt look at the complexities of family relationships and struggles. Along with Angus's loveable charm, sense of humor, and desire to stage his original play, Werewolf Hamlet is sure to win its audience—on and off the page—over.

What I liked: The topics discussed in this book are pretty heavy. The family is losing their house and the relationships are increasingly tense. It becomes apparent pretty quickly that big brother Liam has a substance abuse problem. That could make for a pretty dreary read. But Madden-Lunsford manages to make the bulk of the plot fairly light-hearted without ever making light of the serious issues. It allows the characters to address what is happening without making the book too intense.

What I didn't like: While the relatively light text is mostly beneficial it does tend to make the plot feel almost silly and unrealistic at times. It's a fine balance that is mostly positive but can be a bit eye-roll inducing on occasion.

More information: Werewolf Hamlet releases February 18.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Cards

I decided I wanted to make Valentine's Day cards this year. I had some cards I'd made some errors on, so they seemed like the perfect base for some fun cards. I figured I'd just draw over the old designs. Because the cards I have are nice vibrant colors I thought I'd make them Pokemon themed. And that's where things went a bit off the rails. It seems I am incapable of being sincere when writing the sentiment on the card and I wanted these to be clever. So the result isn't exactly Valentines themed. Like, at all. But they are fun.

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

(S)kin by Ibi Zoboi - A verse novel about two girls with vastly different lives, pulled together by forces they don't understand and deep family secrets.

What did you recently finish reading?

Ruby Finley vs the Interstellar Invasion by K Tempest Bradford - Ruby finds a strange bug in her yard that seems to cut it's way out of her room through the window screen. When she posts about it online, strange men appear in her neighborhood.

What do you think you'll read next?

Werewolf Hamlet by Kerry Madden-Lunsford

Non-fiction book review - Akeem Keeps Bees

 

Akeem Keeps Bees by Kamal R Bell

I qualify this book as non-fiction because, while there is a sort of narrative framework to the text, the primary focus is on sharing information about the process of bee-keeping. We walk through a year on a farm and learn about bees along the way. And the information extends beyond just the basics of types of bees and the structure of a hive. We learn about pollination, bee lifecycles, and observable behaviors like swarming and bearding. The information is surprisingly complete and easy to understand. A strong introduction to beekeeping appropriate for a young audience.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic Novel spotlight: The Snips

 

The Snips: A Bad Buzz Day by Raul the Third

If you like a graphic novel that is a bit off beat, you may enjoy the Snips. It takes the standard middle grade team dynamic - a cast of characters with unique abilities, all necessary to complete a job - and applies that to fighting crime through hair styling. It is, simply put, the best kind of strange. It absolutely does not take itself seriously. The illustration style is reminiscent of early cartoons and the color palette is slightly muted so it never becomes overwhelming. There's no serious takeaway here, just a simple entertaining story.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Pick 6: ghosts

 Culturally, we have something of an obsession with ghosts. Sometimes it's a malicious haunting. Others, it's a spirit imparting wisdom to the living. These stories run the gamut from scary to funny and appeal to a wide ranging audience. Here are six books featuring ghosts published in the past six months.

Six new books featuring ghosts:

1. Jasmine is Haunted by Mark Oshiro
2. Taxi Ghost by Sophie Escabasse
3. The Hysterical Girls of St Bernadettes by Hanna Alkoff
4. Heebie Jeebies by Matthew Erman
5. The Keeper of the Key by Nicole Willso
6. Honeysuckle and Bones by Trisha Tobias

Non-fiction book review - Seeds of Discovery

 

Seeds of Discovery by Lori Alexander

The science of corn doesn't exactly sound thrilling. And if that's all this book was it would be a hard sell indeed. McClintock's story, though, is about much more than just corn. It's a story of determination, of defying societal and familial expectations. Even more than that, it's a story of finding the thing that thrills you and pursuing it. McClintock seems to have found real thrills in examining the heredity of corn. And through it, advanced our knowledge of DNA. Alexander tells the story in a traditional narrative fashion with asides explaining the science at the time and how it has advanced over time. The fact that corn is central here may still make it a bit of a hard sell but this book is absolutely worth the effort.

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

Freaks by Brett Riley - Bullied teens find themselves with superhuman abilities, on the hunt for creatures that have accidentally entered our world.

What did you recently finish reading?

It's Watching by Lindsey Currie - While researching a story for the school paper three kids get the attention of a ghost. Now they have a very short time to figure out what the ghost wants.

What do you think you'll read next?

Wicked Darlings by Jordyn Taylor

Book review - The Secret of Moonrise Manor

 

Title: The Secret of Moonrise Manor

Author: Stephanie Bearce

Genre: mystery

Age range: middle grade

Similar book: Premeditated Myrtle by Elizabeth C Bunce

Summary (provided by publisher): Raven Gallows lives in a funeral home and is determined to become a famous detective. Her first case is one close to home—find the truth surrounding her mother’s puzzling death six years ago. 

When a mummified man is discovered behind a wall at the Moonrise Manor Hotel, Raven is shocked to see that the body is clutching her mother’s gold and silver locket.  

Raven gathers her friends—Cosmina Wilde, who thinks she can talk to ghosts; Miles Farnsworth, who works at the haunted hotel; and Eric Wong, who possesses unparalleled computer skills—and sets out to learn the identity of the mummy. As they follow the clues, they discover more than they bargained for, including a stash of stolen art and a legend of a secret society. 

What I liked: It can be difficult to create a kid friendly mystery with meaningful stakes. After all, murders and crime can be too intense for some kids. But this book handles it well. After all, the central elements of this plot are a major art theft and a hidden corpse. By carefully avoiding any unnecessarily grim details we get a mystery with meaning without becoming gross or overly intense. 

What I didn't like: I wouldn't call it a negative, exactly, but there are some elements of the book that are perhaps too open ended. It doesn't decide, with any certainty, whether ghosts are even real much less secret societies and the truths about Raven's mother's death. This is the first book in a series so if you're wanting closure, don't start on this one yet.

More information: The Secret of Moonrise Manor releases February 5.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Everything We Never Had

 

Title: Everything We Never Had

Author: Randy Ribay

Age range: teen

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar book: Age 16 by Rosena Fung

Summary (provided by publisher): Watsonville, 1930. Francisco Maghabol barely ekes out a living in the fields of California. As he spends what little money he earns at dance halls and faces increasing violence from white men in town, Francisco wonders if he should’ve never left the Philippines.

Stockton, 1965. Between school days full of prejudice from white students and teachers and night shifts working at his aunt’s restaurant, Emil refuses to follow in the footsteps of his labor organizer father, Francisco. He’s going to make it in this country no matter what or who he has to leave behind.

Denver, 1983. Chris is determined to prove that his overbearing father, Emil, can’t control him. However, when a missed assignment on “ancestral history” sends Chris off the football team and into the library, he discovers a desire to know more about Filipino history―even if his father dismisses his interest as unamerican and unimportant.

Philadelphia, 2020. Enzo struggles to keep his anxiety in check as a global pandemic breaks out and his abrasive grandfather moves in. While tensions are high between his dad and his lolo, Enzo’s daily walks with Lolo Emil have him wondering if maybe he can help bridge their decades-long rift.

What I liked: We have four generations of men in this narrative. Four time periods and sets of challenges. Each generation influences the ones to come. And they all make mistakes. No single character is portrayed as fully wrong or fully innocent. They are human and have understandable motivations. Even as we see characters making choices that we know will harm themselves or others we can see why they make them.

What I didn't like: There's very little negative about this book. It is perhaps a bit long and slow paced for some readers but overall it's worth the effort.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Non fiction book review - Secrets of the Dead

 

Secrets of the Dead by Matt Ralphs

The appeal to this book is pretty clear. We take the mild ick/spook factor of the word "dead" and the clear influence of ancient Egypt in the central image. That alone is probably enough to get many kids to pick up this book. If they do, they won't be disappointed. There's plenty to read and learn about there. We of course get the exploration of the big discoveries - King Tut, Otzi, that sort of thing. But there are many other discoveries in this book as well from often over-looked cultures. With each entry we learn about the associated culture, the circumstances of the discovery, and what we have learned about history as a result. This is a solid read for fans of science and history alike.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner

 

Title: The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner

Author: Erin Stewart

Age range: middle grade

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar book: When Wishes Were Horses by Cynthia Voight

Summary (provided by publisher): Zoey Turner used to see magic everywhere. With a dad like Zoey’s, it was hard not to. Not only did they read The Magic of Ever After series together every day, they also used to create original stories together. Used to. Ever since her dad died unexpectedly last year, all Zoey sees is danger.

Fear has shrunk homeschooled Zoey’s life to the span of one block, where she keeps close to the people that she needs the most. Her mom is almost never out of sight, and Jada, the owner of Ever After Books, is always around to talk about their favorite fantasy trilogy. Zoey finally ventures outside her comfort zone for the chance to meet famed author Raven M. Wells, only for the outing to lead to a panic attack.

Instead of a signed book, Zoey ends up with a novelty pencil embossed with the phrase make your own magic that she uses to cope with her disappointment by writing a story like the ones she and her dad shared. The next day, Zoey is shocked to find her fantastical tale has come true. Emboldened by the pencil, Zoey takes risks she thought were long behind her in pursuit of her happy ending. But is she really in charge of how the story ends?

What I liked: For all of it's overtures towards magic, this book is quite grounded and realistic. The characters are believable, their motivations fairly typical of middle grade fiction. It doesn't push us to accept anything too weird.

What I didn't like: While it's a largely believable plot it does rest a bit too heavily on some coincidence. While the depiction of grief is nuanced, the relationships are otherwise fairly simple.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

Everything We Never Had by Randy Ribay - Four generations of Filipino men living in the United States

What did you recently finish reading?

All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson - A girl copes with grief after the sudden death of her best friend.

What do you think you'll read next?

The Secret of Moonrise Manor by Stephanie Bearce

Listen with me

 

Our Shouts Echo by Jade Adia

I can't quite settle on how I feel about this book. From the start, when it was clear that the protagonist's prepper tendencies were rooted in a traumatic incident, I was anticipating a dramatic reveal. Because Adia very carefully talks around what happened without ever making it clear. And that reveal never came. There were a couple of other grand dramatic encounters that I expected that were never realized. In that way Adia defies the cliche scenes but it may not be to the book's ultimate benefit. There is no emotional resolution to some pretty significant set up. While the characters are compelling and the line by line reading is engaging, the book on the whole left a little something lacking.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Needy Little Things

 

Title: Needy Little Things

Author: Channelle Desamours

Age range: teen

Genre: mystery

Similar book: To Whatever End by Lindsey Frydman

Summary (provided by publisher): Sariyah Lee Bryant can hear what people need—tangible things, like a pencil, a hair tie, a phone charger—an ability only her family and her best friend, Malcolm, know the truth about. But when she fulfills a need for her friend Deja who vanishes shortly after, Sariyah is left wondering if her ability is more curse than gift. This isn’t the first time one of her friends has landed on the missing persons list, and she’s determined not to let her become yet another forgotten Black girl.

Not trusting the police and media to do enough on their own, Sariyah and her friends work together to figure out what led to Deja’s disappearance. When Sariyah’s mother loses her job and her little brother faces complications with his sickle cell disease, managing her time, money, and emotions seems impossible. Desperate, Sariyah decides to hustle her need-sensing ability for cash—a choice that may not only lead her to Deja, but put her in the same danger Deja found herself in.

What I liked: I love this variant of the psychic ability. I've seen a lot of restrictions on abilities but they usually are limits on the moment a person sees or a need for physical contact. Sariyah's ability and its intrusive nature make for an excellent plot device.

What I didn't like: The mystery here, while initially compelling, never made a lot of sense to me and that only deepened as the plot progressed. It goes in directions that are too extreme. While it makes an effort to highlight the unequal treatment of missing persons based on race, the plot follows dubious logic that ultimately harms its message.

More information: Needy Little Things releases February 4.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

Digger by Deborah Cholette - A middle grade dystopian novel about kids in a race against time against a climate crisis.

What did you recently finish reading?

Needy Little Things  by Chanelle Desamours - A teen with the innate ability to give people the thing they most need searches for answers when her friend goes missing.

What do you think you'll read next?

A Better Nightmare by Megan Freeman

Book review - Under the Same Stars

 

Title: Under the Same Stars

Author: Libba Bray

Age range: teen

Genre: historical fiction

Similar books: Across So Many Seas by Ruth Behar

                    The Lost Year by Katherine Marsh (this one skews younger but has similar bones)

Summary (provided by publisher): It was said that if you write to the Bridegroom’s Oak, the love of your life will answer back. Now, the tree is giving up its secrets at last.

In 1940s Germany, Sophie is excited to discover a message waiting for her in the Bridegroom's Oak from a mysterious suitor. Meanwhile, her best friend, Hanna, is sending messages too—but not to find love. As World War II unfolds in their small town of Kleinwald, the oak may hold the key to resistance against the Nazis.

In 1980s West Germany, American teen transplant Jenny feels suffocated by her strict parents and is struggling to fit in. Until she finds herself falling for Lena, a punk-rock girl hell-bent on tearing down the wall separating West Germany from East Germany, and meeting Frau Hermann, a kind old lady with secrets of her own.

In Spring 2020, New York City, best friends Miles and Chloe are slogging through the last few months of senior year when an unexpected package from Chloe’s grandmother leads them to investigate a cold case about two unidentified teenagers who went missing under the Bridegroom’s Oak eighty years ago.

What I liked: It is apparent to the reader from very early on how these three narratives are connected. Sort of. We know that characters in the 80s and 2020 sections represent the older versions of characters from the earliest narrative; it isn't entirely clear until the end who is who, though. I spent a fair amount of my reading time guessing and changing my mind about identities. This is a deeply complex narrative but with enough in each section to drive the reader forward towards the inevitable conclusions.

What I didn't like: It is, perhaps, overly wordy at passages, lingering unnecessarily on some descriptions. And there is an element of predictability that will drive some readers away.

More information: Under the Same Stars releases February 4.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Danilo Was Here

 

Title: Danilo Was Here

Author: Tamika Burgess

Age range: middle grade

Genre: realistic fiction

Similar book: A Long Pitch Home by Natalie Dias Lorenzi

Summary (provided by publisher): Danilo Osorio Jr.’s baseball skills were once the pride of his father and entire hometown of El Chorrillo, Panamá. But that was then, and this is now…

Following 1989's Operation Just Cause, a US military invasion that left his neighborhood decimated, Danilo couldn’t care less about baseball or the father who abandoned him for opportunities in the States. Now Danilo’s focus is taking care of his mamá and sister and trying to save them all from needing to relocate to a refugee camp.

When Danilo unintentionally catches the eye of a baseball recruiter and is offered the opportunity to visit and train in California—the same place as his father’s last known address—he is tasked with deciding to go or stay. But if playing baseball could help him find his father and secure the extra funds his family needs, Danilo is willing to travel anywhere, even to the very country responsible for destroying his home.

Between his tough-as-nails baseball coach, ultracompetitive teammates, and overly enthusiastic host family, Danilo’s plans encounter some curveballs. And when his turn to bat finally comes, he’ll have to decide what and who he’s actually fighting for.  

What I liked: I'm all for a book that explores the impact of an historical event, especially one that we learn next to nothing about. Personally, I'm not sure that I could have told you that the US invaded Panama. Seeing the impact on the people of the region was certainly eye-opening. Not only do we learn about the destruction, Burgess is careful to point out the impact of relief efforts, the ways that it dehumanizes the victims. That makes for some pretty compelling reading.

What I didn't like: I won't say that I didn't like this, exactly, but I will admit that this is not a comfortable read. Danilo is very self-centered. While that's certainly normal for a character in this age group it makes for some pretty bad decision making and blindness to other's feelings. So this is not a book if you, like me, get itchy when characters are setting themselves up for embarrassment or to destroy their own friendships.

More information: Danilo Was Here releases January 21.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

What are you currently reading?

The Vanished Ones by Chad Lucas - When boys start disappearing from the Mission and no one in charge seems to care, a young trainee searches for answers.

What did you recently finish reading?

Safe Harbor by Padma Venkatraman- A verse novel about a young immigrant struggling to fit in.

What do you think you'll read next?

Under the Same Stars by Libba Bray

Headband

 Over the summer, a friend of mine gifted me with a rabbit. Galactus the Devourer of Worlds is a fuzzy French Lop and while she was still a baby when I got her she's now around 10 pounds of attitude and fur.

Much like my angoras, Galactus regularly sheds a great deal of soft fur and while it's not as long as angora fiber, I was quite certain that this fur could be spun.

Here's a small sample of the fiber.

And what it looks like spun, first as a single and then a plied yarn.

Once I had a small ball of yarn, I decided to crochet a headband for the friend who gave me Galactus in the first place. It's a simple design but super soft and should be quite warm.

Book review - The Secret of Honeycake

 

Title: The Secret of Honeycake

Author: Kimberly Newton Fusco

Age range: middle grade

Genre: historical fiction

Similar books: Light and Air by Mindy Nichols Wendell

                      Bea and the New Deal Horse by L. M. Elliot

Summary (provided by publisher): A recipe for The World’s Most Comforting, Twelve-Layer Honeycake:

1 quiet girl named Hurricane, who runs like the wind along the Mighty Atlantic with her old dog Brody-Bear.

1 imperious aunt, who steps up when Hurricane’s world turns upside down.

 1 kind-hearted boy, who helps wounded animals (and may smell a little of fish)

1 lonely and flea-bitten cat with a ragged ear and a crooked tail.

1 gentle chauffeur, who knows exactly what to say…and when not to say a thing.

Mix them all together in big, fancy house in the city.  What you get might surprise you.

What I liked: This is a surprisingly gentle story. With short chapters that say exactly what they need to, the reader moves quickly through the plot. Characters are allowed to develop naturally and while they aren't always likeable they are believable. All around, a solid read.

What I didn't like: Not much about this one jumps out as a problem for me. The historical setting may be a challenge for some but it doesn't lean too hard into those elements.

More information: The Secret of Honeycake releases January 21.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley