Pocket chickens

 A while back I started collecting ends of yarn too small for use in regular projects, tying them together into a wild mish-mash of colors. I had the vague notion of using them to make ... something. Apparently something means chickens. These simple little chickens are knitted in a tube and are small enough to fit in a pocket.

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

Lotus Bloom and the Afro Revolution by Sherri Winston - Lotus is thrilled to have the chance to attend the new arts focused school in her area. But protest is growing that the funding should have been sent to the local public school instead. Then Lotus's beloved afro begins to attract negative attention as well.

What did you recently finish reading?

So Witches We Became by Jill Baguchinsky - A group of girls are excited for a school vacation at an isolated island cabin. Then one girl's boyfriend arrives along with a mysterious fog. Something on the island is very wrong and it doesn't want them to leave.

What do you think you'll read next?

Fowl Play by Kristin O'Donnell

Graphic novel spotlight - SCRAM

 

SCRAM by Rory Lucey

Most kids have dreamed of discovering something rare or new: Bigfoot, dinosaurs, treasure, or ghosts. That's the idea at the heart of this book. A trio of friends set out in search of magical beings. They do their research and armed with a collection of facts they search for clues. Therein lies one of the benefits of this book. THey learn how to research and fact-check. There's an underpinning of media literacy throughout the story. Overall, though, it's a fun story focused more on humor than anything else. It's somewhat reminiscent of the Bad Machinery series, though aimed at a slightly younger audience.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Picture books for everyone - Every Here Has a There

 

Every Here Has a There by Margo Linn

For a non-fiction picture book to be appreciated by multiple age groups it has to serve a couple of functions. This book achieves that aim well. For small kids it functions as an opposite book. Up and Down. Empty and Full. Here and There. These concepts are stated plainly and well supported by simple illustrations. At the same time, the main body of the text walks us through the production and shipping of products internationally. It's a solid way to help kids question and understand where products in a store come from. A great way to help young readers understand a concept that we don't think much about.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Graphic novel spotlight - Woe

 

Woe by Lucy Knisley

Having followed Knisley on social media for a while, I've long enjoyed her comics about cats, especially the early ones about the aging cat Linney. If this book had only been a collection of Linney comics that would have been okay with me. But she's taken it beyond that simple construct. She's woven a narrative and reflection about the nature of owning cats into the collection. With the last section a more melancholy reflection on aging and loss, this is a charming and heart-felt story of cats and family.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

Book review - Riot Act

 

Title: Riot Act

Author: Sarah Lariviere

Genre: dystopia

Similar books: The Chaperone by M Hendrix

                      The Future Will Be BS Free by Will McIntosh

Rating:

believable and compelling

Summary (provided by publisher): In an alternate 1991, the authoritarian US government keeps tabs on everybody and everything. It censors which books can be read, what music can be listened to, and which plays can be performed.

When her best friend is killed by the authorities and her theater teacher disappears without a trace, Gigi decides to organize her fellow Champaign High School thespians to put on a production of Henry VI. But at what cost?

My opinion: Dystopian novels tend to focus all of their attention on action and high drama which makes for quick reads often lacking in depth. That is not the case here. The drama plays out in small ways, focusing more on characters and relationships than on larger societal issues. The problems of the culture certainly play into the plot but the focus is more on the people and what motivates them. The book is narrated by the dead friend referenced in the summary and his self-reflection can produce a sense of distance from the plot but overall it's an interesting read and worth reflecting upon.

Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley

WWW Wednesday

 What are you currently reading?

The Ghost Keeper by Johanna Taylor - Dorian can see ghosts and has made it his mission to help them move on. But now ghosts are telling him the Door to Death is locked and the key has gone missing.

What did you recently finish reading?

The Liars Society by Alyson Gerber - A girl finds herself at a prestigious private school. With the future opening up in front of her she finds herself in the view of a secret society.

What do you think you'll read next?

Time and Time Again by Chatham Greenfield