This graphic novel is perfect for those youngsters who dream of creating their own comics. Basically a primer for how to do just that, the examples, aThis graphic novel is perfect for those youngsters who dream of creating their own comics. Basically a primer for how to do just that, the examples, advice, and even terminology are nestled within a story of four youngsters (Makayla, Howard, Lynda, and Art), all of whom are creative and interested in visual storytelling. The school librarian, Ms. Fatima, serves as their guide along the way. Although the characters aren't particularly well developed, there's still something about them that is relatable for the book's intended audience. For instance, one character is so frozen by perfectionism that she can barely finish a sketch, and another one is brimming with ideas but doesn't know how to pull them all together. If nothing else, this book will make youngsters such as these feel seen and perhaps even inspire more Cartoonists Clubs throughout the land. ...more
Janey, a fourth grader, is excited about living in the Caribbean on her family's boat, the Merimaid, but she also misses her best friend, Rae, and theJaney, a fourth grader, is excited about living in the Caribbean on her family's boat, the Merimaid, but she also misses her best friend, Rae, and the comforts of life onshore. When she meets another girl, Astrid, who is older than she is, she immediately gravitates to her and wishes her life were more like Astrid's. But as it turns out, Astrid isn't living the fairy tale existence Janey thinks she is. In fact, there are several scenes when her actions toward Janey are suspicious and downright cruel. This is one of those rare stories in which raw, honest emotions spill over on several pages despite the story's exotic setting. Clearly, growing up is not always as smooth sailing as might be expected. The colorful panels and relatable characters add to the pleasures of reading this one, which should be a hit with middle graders who love the sea or are looking for something a bit different in their reading choices. Since this is the first in a planned series, I will be eager to see where Janey's parents take her next. ...more
I've been aware of this author's ability to create memorable characters ever since reading his first one, She's Come Undone back in 1992. I was utterlI've been aware of this author's ability to create memorable characters ever since reading his first one, She's Come Undone back in 1992. I was utterly blown away by his ability to portray a woman struggling with self-esteem, identity, and body image so perfectly. This man, I told myself and the many others to whom I recommended the book, really understood those who are all too often overlooked, misunderstood, and forgotten. That's the case once again in this, his latest novel. The protagonist, Corby Ledbetter, isn't particularly sympathetic during the book's opening pages. He's in total denial about his addiction and his carelessness as well as his dishonesty toward his wife, Emily, about his job searches even as he tries to hold down the home fort while she pursues a teaching career. If his life has been falling apart before, it only gets worse once he accidentally runs over his twin son, Niko. Sentenced to three years in prison, Corby struggles to find a way forward and a way to forgive himself or to hope that his family can forgive him. The novel raises important questions about humanity, redemption, the justice system, and takes readers to some very dark and disturbing places as Corby deals with abusive guards and silence and anger from his wife. But ultimately, he is saved by the friendship of a gregarious cellmate, a prison librarian, and a mural that he initially paints reluctantly. There are several passages that brought me close to tears and others that made me smile, but this book doesn't offer any easy answers or resolutions to the questions it poses. As Corby's sentence nears its end, I wondered how everything would be resolved, and while I shouldn't have been surprised, given the timeframe, at how the author wraps everything up, I was, and I closed the book wondering about what might have been, for Corby and so many others like him. I'll be thinking about this story for some time. ...more
I'm certainly not the only person who is quick to grab a copy of a new book from S.A. Cosby. Having read three of his books, I know to expect snappy wI'm certainly not the only person who is quick to grab a copy of a new book from S.A. Cosby. Having read three of his books, I know to expect snappy writing, flawed characters, and gritty scenes of violence as well as a plot that could have been ripped from today's headlines. Roland Carruthers is enjoying a successful career as a financial planner in Atlanta when his sister, Neveah, summons him home. It seems that their father is in the hospital after a car crash. Once back in Jefferson Run, Virginia, where his father runs a crematory, Roland quickly realizes that the crash was no accident and that his brother, Dante, is in big trouble. As Roland sorts through the mess, trying to find a way to fix everything and thwart the thugs who want their money back as well as a heaping measure of revenge, Roland concocts a plan using his connections and money skills to thwart them. However, as his plan unfolds, he finds himself taking action in ways that are just as bad as those of the Black Baron Boys. Of course, he justifies his deeds because he's saving his family. Clearly, he's haunted by a childhood trauma when his mother disappointed, and the responsibility for that death is hinted at early on. Fast paced, gripping, and troubling, this is another winner from Cosby. ...more
The Samuelson family is a lot like most families. On the surface, all is well until the oldest son, Ellis, recently graduated from college, dies in a The Samuelson family is a lot like most families. On the surface, all is well until the oldest son, Ellis, recently graduated from college, dies in a freak accident. Not surprisingly, his death affects all the family members in different ways, and each ones tries to cope however they can. But as the novel proceeds, readers start to see the cracks in the veneer of the family's happiness, and secrets about each one start to spill out. Although some parts of this story are expected--Sib's secret alcoholism and a liaison, for instance--others are not, and readers are left to ponder the small and large moments that shape us and how joy is still possible amid tragedy. Well written and compelling, the novel [3.5 for me!] contains characters that are easy to embrace and about whom we want to know more. I'm glad to have discovered this author. ...more
It would be best to read the previous two titles in this, the Peapod Farm series, in order to appreciate the emotions and dynamics of the characters iIt would be best to read the previous two titles in this, the Peapod Farm series, in order to appreciate the emotions and dynamics of the characters in this one [3.5 for me!]. As Jen and Andy continue to struggle a bit with their relationship as sisters as part of a new family, they experience some conflicts, including one about clothing, crushes, responsibility, and their place in the world. The personal drama is interwoven with small but important moments such as maple sugaring, Andy's study of the Torah for her coming of age ceremony, farm tasks, building a snow cave, cutting a Christmas tree, and lighting a menorah. Knisley always somehow manages to blend humor and somber moments perfectly. ...more
In this installment featuring just about everyone's favorite twin sisters, Jessica and Elizabeth are dying to see their favorite singer in concert, buIn this installment featuring just about everyone's favorite twin sisters, Jessica and Elizabeth are dying to see their favorite singer in concert, but their parents won't give them permission to go. But as usual, Jessica finds it hard to hear the word "no," and she masterminds a plan that will allow her attendance. But things go awry quickly. Colorful art, clean panels, and a relatable scenario combine to make this an appealing read with a strong message about what happens when someone disobeys their parents and sneaks out. And how tangled is the web in which Jessica wraps herself at almost every step. ...more
The third book in this relatable and wonderfully diverse graphic novel series, this is a must-have for middle-school classrooms. Milo Castillo comes fThe third book in this relatable and wonderfully diverse graphic novel series, this is a must-have for middle-school classrooms. Milo Castillo comes from a long line of talented dancers, including his father and his abuela. But dancing doesn't come naturally to him, and after a handful of embarrassing dance-related incidents, Milo is even less confident about dancing. Blaming his problems on a curse, he decides that he will avoid the activity at all costs. But when his beloved abuela moves in, she takes him under her wing and helps him gain confidence and add his own special touches. The illustrations are crisp and fresh, and there are even a couple of interesting subplots involving his abuela's driving when she shouldn't be and one friend's crush on another classmate. The Brinkley Snowball Soiree will never be the same after Milo busts out his moves....more
The trio of wombats in this picture book [3.5 for me! are my kind of animals. Word-lovers, they share the joy of unique words with a duckling who happThe trio of wombats in this picture book [3.5 for me! are my kind of animals. Word-lovers, they share the joy of unique words with a duckling who happens to be in their path, changing her life. She's so enthused by their energy, intensity, and vocabulary, that she just has to share these new words with her family. Initially reluctant and definitely confused, they eventually succumb to the delights of these wonderful words, and the wombats head on their way, eager to spread word joy to the next animal they happen to meet. There are clever puns ["duck-tionary" and "verbivore" (for instance) that will entertain young readers. With its colorful illustrations filled with trees, water, and forest scenes, created with pen-and-ink, acrylic, watercolor, and digital techniques, this picture book would be a great resource and example, for budding writers, writers' workshop or a short lesson on word choice. ...more
Oh, how easy it is to be blinded by the fame and celebrity of someone else, especially when that person seems to be a friend. In the latest installmenOh, how easy it is to be blinded by the fame and celebrity of someone else, especially when that person seems to be a friend. In the latest installment of a blended Black family living in New York City, Sunday Saunders, who has far too many great ideas but who suffers from a lack of self-confidence, is determined to host a community musical with auditions and performances from various neighbors. But she doesn't know how to pull everything together, especially since she refuses the help of her sisters, Bo, Lil, and Lee, in favor of the promised assistance of television star Talitha Thomas, who has just moved into the neighborhood. Sunday's not the best at planning and organizing although she's creative and innovative, and readers will recognize early on that Talitha is more talk than action and that she's into the project for her own purposes. Even the book's title gives away what is essentially happening. Reading this humorous book with its realistic characters felt like pulling a warm blanket around me on a cold summer night. There's plenty of Black girl magic and familial and community love sprinkled throughout its pages. ...more
This graphic novel for older teens is a 2.5 for me. My low rating won't have any effect on its popularity because I'm certain many adolescents will loThis graphic novel for older teens is a 2.5 for me. My low rating won't have any effect on its popularity because I'm certain many adolescents will love dipping their toes in the world that has been created here. Brielle, a book-loving college freshman and Bear, co-captain of the school's rugby team, meet by chance in the bookstore and begin a friendship that just might become something more (or something different). Since Brielle centers her life and expectations around various Fairy Tale rules, readers will have a strong inkling of how everything is going to turn out as the two characters share some of their secrets and support each other. I got lots of Beauty and the Beast vibes while reading this one, which covers the fall through the beginnings of winter, and I'd have enjoyed it more with a bit more transition between some of the scenes since sometimes the leaps were rather jarring. Then, too, it all seemed so predictable and having been done before. Even with the modern setting and diverse characters, it failed to charm me the way that I had expected it to. I couldn't help wondering what else could possibly happen to necessitate another installment in the story. ...more
I'm continuing to love these Bibsy Cross books, perfect for a class read aloud, The fourth in the series, this one [3.5 for me, but higher if I were nI'm continuing to love these Bibsy Cross books, perfect for a class read aloud, The fourth in the series, this one [3.5 for me, but higher if I were near Bibsy's age!] covers an activity that may be familiar to many youngsters. Bibsy and her classmates are tasked with choosing what objects from their childhood that they want to place in a time capsule. Surprisingly, Bibsy struggles with this because she's not sure about putting something she values in storage and because she isn't sure what makes her and her classmates so special. While the character of Bibsy herself is part of what makes this book and series so special, there are other elements that add to its charm--her parents, how she and BFF Natia use phrases like "regular-pegular," and the spot-on depiction of her teacher, the appropriately named and long-suffering Mrs. Stumper, who can barely conceal her annoyance at all Bibsy's questions and need to share. Reading this book makes me wonder if my own teachers felt the same way about my own loquaciousness back in the day. Each page and each digital drawing in this title is suffused with love. ...more
As so many of us who are moving into our sixties and seventies have come to realize when looking in the mirror or facing surgeries or physical limitatAs so many of us who are moving into our sixties and seventies have come to realize when looking in the mirror or facing surgeries or physical limitations have come to realize, we're not eighteen anymore. That doesn't mean that there isn't any joy or changes left in our lives. While society, popular culture, and even modern medicine often seem to relegate older individuals to the sidelines or overmedicate them, that shouldn't be the case. Weaving science, years of experience, personal anecdotes, and literature in an engaging narrative, Louise Aronson makes a strong case for change within the medical profession and within ourselves and those around us. How strange it is that so few others have come to the same conclusions as Aronson has! Reading this book has made me want to rage, rage, rage against those who would relegate the aged and the elderly to the sidelines. A geriatrician, she raises important questions and examines her own initial and subsequent reactions to aging. This is one of those must-reads. ...more
I don't quite know how he does it, but this author always, always manages to tell stories in a way that makes me care about his characters, even thougI don't quite know how he does it, but this author always, always manages to tell stories in a way that makes me care about his characters, even though they are nothing like me, and prompts me to see the world as being a little brighter and humans as better than I have before. In his most recent title, he explores the power of friendship and artistic expression through the stories of four teens who spend a splendid summer together in a town by the sea. Their homes are not exactly sanctuaries as there is violence in some, death and dying in others, and carelessness in still others. But none of that matters when they're together. Their stories are told through the eyes of Ted, one of the boys, 25 years later, as he and Louisa, an 18-year-old artist, deal with loss and their connection to a recently deceased artist who has given her, a homeless girl, his most famous and most valuable painting. As usual with this particular writer, there are moments of immense pain and heartbreak, but there are also moments of joy and humor, and readers can't help but feel uplifted by his words and the time they have spent with these characters. ...more
An immersive mystery concerning a girl named Crow and her determination to learn more about her past, this excellent historical fiction will intrigue An immersive mystery concerning a girl named Crow and her determination to learn more about her past, this excellent historical fiction will intrigue many middle-grade readers. All of the characters, including twelve-year-old Crow, Osh, the man who cares for, and Maggie, their kind-hearted neighbor--yes, and even Mouse, the family cat--are well drawn and interesting even when they make mistakes or hold back their emotions. Set off the coast of Massachusetts, the book covers territory not found in most books for this age group, describing a leper colony on one of the islands and how the locals treated its residents or anyone like Crow that might be associated with it. As always, the author, Lauren Wolk, tackles big questions about family, destiny, and treasure with grace and thoughtfulness while describing this particular corner of the world with respect. ...more
Set in and around Spokane, Washington, this book [3.5 for me!] features flawed characters, several of whom are searching for some sort of redemption oSet in and around Spokane, Washington, this book [3.5 for me!] features flawed characters, several of whom are searching for some sort of redemption or a way to find their way back home. The central character, Rhys Kinnick, a former journalist who has gone off the grid to live on his family's land in the woods for several years, has surrounded himself with solitude and books as he tries to sort out the meaning of life and avoid the messiness of the outside world. He's had little to do with his daughter, Bethany, or his two grandchildren, Leah and Asher, but once the two of them land on his doorstep, he begins to regret his actions and what he's missed. But his daughter is in the midst of an identity crisis after the death of her mother and her husband, Shane's, increased involvement with a fundamentalist group that has a branch called AOL (Army of the Lord), and Rhys must find the youngsters after they've been kidnapped. There are some interesting twists and turns in the plot, but what sparkles here are the characters. Even the less important ones have stories and complexities that draw readers into the book. This is a fast read but one with layers and emotional resonance. ...more
While I realize that romance novels are formulaic and the ending rather predictable, I'd seen quite a lot of buzz around this book and decided to giveWhile I realize that romance novels are formulaic and the ending rather predictable, I'd seen quite a lot of buzz around this book and decided to give it a whirl. After all, the title and the premise sounded promising. Even though I'd read and not particularly enjoyed People We Meet on Vacation, also by this author, I figured it couldn't hurt to give the author another try. Unfortunately, this book, which so many reviewers seemed to find so original, reminded me of The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo except the subject of the possible bio, Margaret Ives, didn't have nearly as an interesting life as Evelyn did. I could forgive that since there were some interesting parts of her life story, but the romance between the two writers, Alice Scott and Hayden Anderson, just left me bored. There was all this business about holding back and not responding to each other physically but still doing everything except intercourse so that they wouldn't feel involved with each other or invested or have regrets that seemed old-fashioned and dated. It reminded me of how President Bill Clinton claimed not to have had sex with "that woman" back in the day when he meant not having penetrated her. Maybe romance fans will love this--clearly, they do, judging from the ratings, but for me, even the sexually charged passages don't redeem it enough for me to raise my rating to more than a 2.5. Haven't I read something quite like this, not just the Evelyn Hugo parts, before? Clearly, I'm not in the mood for love, at least when it's delivered in this particular predictable package. Perhaps the only redeeming point for me is that it was a quick read. ...more
This newest novel by the master writer, Joyce Carol Oates, is a 4.5 for me. I've read several of her previous books, and this one simply has to be couThis newest novel by the master writer, Joyce Carol Oates, is a 4.5 for me. I've read several of her previous books, and this one simply has to be counted among the best. It's intense, really intense, dark, insightful, and unforgettable. Others have compared the book's namesake, Francis Fox, to Tom Ripley, and that comparison seems apt to me in many respects since Mr. Fox, a newly hired English teacher at a prestigious boarding school, is just as devious in his own ways as Ripley. Somehow, he uses his charm and charisma and anyone that might be helpful to him to achieve his goals, whatever they might be. The way he strings along various adult women--his soul-mates--and middle-grade girls is just as fascinating as staring into the cold eyes of a predator in the wild. And yet, he often has the best intentions to turn over a new leaf, to be a better man, something he's never able to pull off because of the dark desires he simply cannot control. While this is quite the page-turner, with readers most likely unable to pull their eyes away from the tragedy unfolding in front of them, I didn't read it as a mystery since I was sure almost from the start who had killed this man. Instead, I read it with great appreciation for the descriptive powers of this author and her ability to see inside a sexual predator as well as her understanding of several complex characters whose emotions and vulnerable sides are revealed in all their rawness. Some of the passages about Fox's interactions with his students and how he uses grades as emotional leverages are simply brilliant, bringing to mind one of my all-time favorite YA novels, The Chocolate War, and the unforgettable Brother Leon. If there's a flaw to this one, it pertains to one character about whom little is revealed after Fox's death. This one will stick with me for a while as I consider what makes it so easy for some individuals to use and discard others so efficiently and what makes some individuals so easy to discard....more
Not only is this unique novel sweeping in its scope, moving back and forth in time and leaping from one character to another while also returning to tNot only is this unique novel sweeping in its scope, moving back and forth in time and leaping from one character to another while also returning to the night when one character disappears while walking along the beach with his daughter, but it's just as sweeping and massive in its writing. The author uses complex sentences, vivid descriptions, and small moments that capture the essence of her characters, and just when it seems that readers feel as though they know all about someone, that knowledge turns out to be untrue or incomplete. Since I knew nothing about how several individuals had been kidnapped and imprisoned in North Korea, much of the political aspect of this story was revelatory for me. There is so much to consider while pondering the slippery nature of memory and emotions here as well as family dynamics and how we choose to cope or simply continue on after great losses. It's a fascinating mystery that requires some patience on the part of readers, and the omission of great swaths of time may be problematic for some. But ultimately, everything fits together rather neatly, possibly prompting a reread to appreciate even more the author's storytelling and plotting abilities. I wasn't quite sure what to expect when starting this book, but I wasn't disappointed. As I reached the last pages, I found myself thinking about how little of what happens to us is actually in our control, something that the author makes quite clear. ...more
With its clever title and intriguing cover artwork, this YA novel [3.5 for me!] will attract many readers--and it should because the snappy, often-humWith its clever title and intriguing cover artwork, this YA novel [3.5 for me!] will attract many readers--and it should because the snappy, often-humorous writing holds up all the way through even while exploring an important and rarely discussed topic--undiagnosed endometriosis. The narrator, Delia Bridges, who is an academically successful high school senior bound for a bright future, sees all her dreams crash and burn after one disastrous mistake. For years, Delia suffered debilitating pain before and during her period, and her many appointments with doctors have left her with no answers to her problems. Fortunately for Delia, she has supportive friends and family, but her health issues prevent her from considering any possible romance. While Delia's specific issues are unique to her, many teen readers will draw inspiration from her journey and her determination to speak up and be heard. Perhaps some individuals in the health care professions will also read or hear about this book and realize that they need to listen to their patients, no matter their age. This is a strong debut with high teen appeal, and I'll be eager to read this author's next book. ...more