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
I often feel a sense of anxiety and disappointment when a beloved classic is adapted or modernized. I need not have worried as in the hands of ColleenI often feel a sense of anxiety and disappointment when a beloved classic is adapted or modernized. I need not have worried as in the hands of Colleen AF Venable and illustrator Honie Beam, Barbara Park's oh, so real protagonist, Junie B. Jones, she springs fully to life in all her humorous, sometimes misguided glory. In this particular installment, Junie B. Jones is excited about her first day of school, but rumors about the yellow school bus prompt her to avoid it all costs. Naturally, this leads to all sorts of complications. If they aren't already familiar with Junie B. Jones, today's youngsters will surely fall in love with her through this depiction. Older folks who haven't read anything for pleasure in two decades will remember from their childhood this particular book's enticingly funny title and the idea of a "stupid smelly bus." ...more
Fans of Southern historical fiction and book clubs in search of a title worth reading and discussing are sure to enjoy this one [3.5 for me!], set durFans of Southern historical fiction and book clubs in search of a title worth reading and discussing are sure to enjoy this one [3.5 for me!], set during the 1930s and 1940s. The two protagonists, Del and Rae Lynn, haven't had easy lives, and readers may be shocked at the events that open their separate stories. While the slow burn of their relationship and the redemption they eventually find in each other is appealing, what sets this story apart from many others is how the author weaves in details about the turpentine camps and pine forests where their paths cross. Swallow Hill, which is one of those camps, is not the easiest or safest of places, and racism and sexism run rampant there. Amid the natural beauty of the setting, there is evil, anger, and violence, and kindness is often regarded as weakness. The descriptions are lush, sometimes raw, and the emotions and sentiments expressed are honest and just as appealing as the book's characters. I thoroughly enjoyed traveling back in time to learn more about longleaf pines and turpentine and considering what the land must have been like before so many of those pines were carelessly destroyed. ...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
Long before I moved to the Pacific Northwest, I read many books and articles about the serial killers who seemed to proliferate in the region. I oftenLong before I moved to the Pacific Northwest, I read many books and articles about the serial killers who seemed to proliferate in the region. I often wondered why there were so many of these individuals in the area. Perhaps they were just better publicized than others of their ilk or possibly there were plenty of serial killers out there who hadn't been caught or weren't known. I still don't have the answers to the questions posed by my younger self although this book and its author offer one possible one. Moving back and forth between the killers, their crimes and victims and the poisoning of the area, especially Tacoma, due to lead, copper, and arsenic, Murderland proposes that it's these chemicals, particularly lead, to which these serial killers had been exposed that contributed to their violence. Although I'm still not convinced after reading the book and considering her reasoning, it certainly is an interesting idea. The book covers plenty of familiar territory that anyone having read about serial killers such as Ted Bundy, the I-5 Killer, BTK, or the Night Stalker will already know, but she does so in such a fresh way, weaving in her own formative years and impressions of various events and moments in time, even television programs, songs, and political movements, that even the most jaded of readers will be intrigued, drawn into a world where home isn't particularly safe or nurturing and prompting questions about the value of human lives vs. progress and the bottom line. Although the small amount of time spent on the various murders and her tendency to jump from one serial killer to another can be rather jarring, especially initially, readers will finish the book impressed with the author's essay-writing ability and penchant for looking below the surface. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. ...more
All of my life I've been quick to pick up anything written by this master storyteller, liking some of his books more than others and relishing the surAll of my life I've been quick to pick up anything written by this master storyteller, liking some of his books more than others and relishing the surprises he often has for his readers. While he once again handles tension beautifully in this, his latest offering, building it minute by minute during the last portion, the plot ultimately didn't work for me. While the "Bill Wilson" character's need to atone for or seek atonement for initially unnamed acts, the more I read, the less his desire to pay back members of a jury who got the verdict in a case wrong made sense. And when the paths of this revenge-minded individual and that of a deluded pro-life supporter converge, I was disappointed and not even surprised. After all, there are plenty of troubled individuals out there, but must their anger always be traced to sexual identity or daddy issues? As another reviewer wrote, this one never made me flinch or buy into the narrative's premise, and even Holly Gibney, one of the characters from previous novels, seemed less intriguing than might be expected. I'm sure that Stephen King still has the ability to move, fascinate, and frighten his readers, but this one just didn't do much for me. Probably the best part of the book is the cover, which fits the book's contents quite well, prompting some consideration of justice. ...more
The protagonist and plot of this book [3.5 for me and a fast and engrossing read!] are great examples of how one shouldn't let outer appearances deceiThe protagonist and plot of this book [3.5 for me and a fast and engrossing read!] are great examples of how one shouldn't let outer appearances deceive them. After all, even the quietest of mild-mannered individuals--in this case, a middle-aged sweater-wearing librarian named Hana Babic--have stories and sometimes a dark past. For three decades Hana has lived in Minnesota, tending books and her farm as well as her memories of the Bosnian war for independence when Serbs and Bosnians fought. The story moves back in forth in time from the 1990s, mostly 1995, in rural Bosnia, and then years later, in Minnesota. Hana's quiet life is interrupted by the news of a friend's violent death. Naturally, this puts Hana on high alert as she tries to discover who knows her secrets. As she seeks to avenge her friend's death and protect the small life entrusted to her, Hana takes increasingly dangerous steps. Most readers in this country (the United States) probably know very little about the Bosnian war and some of the war crimes that occurred against Muslims during that time, making the sections entitled "Bosnia" in which Hana's experiences during the war are revealed in shocking detail eye-opening and disturbing. While there are some false notes sounded in the narrative, overall, this was a solid read, engaging, thoughtful, and fully rendering the long-term effects of trauma on teens like Hana. I can see why it's been garnering rave reviews, but it certainly isn't an easy read. ...more
Colorful photographs and minimal text introduce the concepts of time and color in this padded board book. There is even a clock to accompany each timeColorful photographs and minimal text introduce the concepts of time and color in this padded board book. There is even a clock to accompany each time from 1:00 to 10:00. Since each photo features a boat, youngsters may even enjoy identifying the similarities and difference among the watery means of transportation. ...more
Moving can be challenging, even for a house that is over a century old. Based on actual events and narrated by a Victorian house, this picture book foMoving can be challenging, even for a house that is over a century old. Based on actual events and narrated by a Victorian house, this picture book follows the building as its family leaves. The house is reluctant to move and leave all that's familiar behind. Streets are closed off, and all the action draws a crowd as the house is lifted off its foundation for transportation. It's not an easy ride as there are steep hills and tree limbs to deal with. Eventually, though, the house reaches just the right spot where its family is waiting. It will take a little while, but soon this spot will feel just like home. The creative artwork, rendered with watercolor and ink, is filled with rich details, abundant color and humorous images, including the house clutching two large red and green floral purses or carpetbags and its tiny feet and shoes beneath the structure as it's transported along the street. Not only is this story unique because of the perspective and personification, but it might bring comfort to youngsters who are having to move. After all, if a house can adjust to being moved, surely, they can. ...more
With rhyming lines and a beat similar to the classic "This Is the House That Jack Built," this picture book reminds readers that there are stories behWith rhyming lines and a beat similar to the classic "This Is the House That Jack Built," this picture book reminds readers that there are stories behind those couches and junk cars often seen in yards, especially in the South or in Appalachia. For their owners, they represent possibilities as well as serving of reminds of the past and happy times. The rhyming, lyrical lines will have readers believing that cars can literally fly and dreams can come true. The text and sumptuous illustrations, created with Photoshop, depict a night drive through the mountains perfectly. There are moody double-page spreads that play with the concept of light and dark, pages devoted to the couch, pages highlighting the car, and several double-page spreads that showcase the love between the members of this family, who savor this shared experience that is somehow made more magical and special because it's at night and because it's shared with kin. Their house may be simple, and their car may be old, but they have love and each other. Having ridden through the mountains at night a time or two, I can fully attest to their special splendor during those late hours when the dark, star-filled sky seems to stretch forever, offering endless possibilities. ...more
This gossipy but respectful work of historical fiction sheds light on the career of famed opera singer, Maria Callas, and her relationship with AristoThis gossipy but respectful work of historical fiction sheds light on the career of famed opera singer, Maria Callas, and her relationship with Aristotle Onassis. Organized just like a play or opera with a prologue and acts, the book immerses readers into the diva's performances as well as bits of her formative years, including her desire for her mother's love and acceptance, something she seems to have felt that she never received. The rich details of her rehearsals, singing and acting, her clothing, her jewelry, and the famous individuals around her elevate this story over others written during the same time period. Enormously talented, Callas seems to have bad luck with men, giving her heart to someone who collected shiny things, as the author puts it, and singing her heart out for someone who never really was able to hear her or appreciate her on her own merits. In the end readers realize that even a glamorous woman with so much going for her can be just like the rest of us, vulnerable, longing for acceptance and applause, and never quite satisfied. Small but important scenes describing how Maria, who once weighed over 200 pounds, denies herself more than a morsel of sweets or most foods in order to maintain her slender figure are heartbreaking but also telling. ...more
High school senior Diego Miguel Benevides [Benny to his best friend Lawson] dreams of what life could be like if he can leave his Texas neighborhood fHigh school senior Diego Miguel Benevides [Benny to his best friend Lawson] dreams of what life could be like if he can leave his Texas neighborhood far behind and go to college, a dream his alcoholic mother shares. But he has this friend who sells drugs and often asks for a ride from Benny. They are each other's ride-or-die, but as Lawson's involvement in the drug culture deepens, Benny becomes increasingly aware of the risks he is taking when he drives Lawson anywhere. Although Benny himself isn't selling anything and tries to distance himself from this enterprise, even sitting in the car reading books while Lawson does what he has to do, often picking up product. Bonded in part by the absence of their fathers, the teens are loyal to one another, and Lawson often tries to include Benny in some of the parties he attends. But the danger that Benny is in every time he takes his friend for a ride becomes increasingly clear over the course of the book, which follows them from September to May. Readers will be fully aware that this story won't have a happy ending, but they won't know for sure how everything will end. Gripping, intense, and a good companion to Jason Reynolds' Long Way Down, this novel in verse will prompt much discussion as readers consider what they might have done had they been in Benny's shoes as well as whether there were any solutions to the choices Lawson himself faced, given that he is basically his family's breadwinner. This is another fine book by the always-reliable Rex Ogle who has created characters who seem real and who face situations that are all-too familiar. His writing hits me right in the heart and then stays with me long after I finish one of his books....more
This thriller with lots of twists, turns, and surprises, is a 3.5 for me. It starts off strongly, compellingly, and many readers will put themselves iThis thriller with lots of twists, turns, and surprises, is a 3.5 for me. It starts off strongly, compellingly, and many readers will put themselves in the shoes of the protagonist, Camilla Deschamps, a London literary agent whose life is changed unexpectedly when her husband, Luke, also a writer, goes rogue and kidnaps three hostages in a warehouse, prompting a police stakeout and much media attention. Luke disappears, and Cam simply can't wrap her mind around what she knows about her husband's character and the actions of this criminal. Seven years pass, life goes on, and still, Cam wonders about his whereabouts and what made him act as he did. Eventually, she--and Niall, the hostage negotiator who tried to persuade Luke to surrender--learns the truth--and it's a shocker. Although parts of the last portion of the book seemed unrealistic to me, what makes this book worth reading is how easily it is to relate to Cam and to Niall, both with lost loves and regrets and how compelling it is to ponder how each of us might react if we had been in Cam's situation. What would we have done? What would we have felt? While I didn't expect things to turn out quite the way they did, I had my suspicions all along about one of the characters. Fans of thrillers with realistic female characters will be particularly interested in this book. ...more
Most youngsters love anything that moves, and board books like this one, part of the Make Tracks series, are sure to be popular. This sturdy book presMost youngsters love anything that moves, and board books like this one, part of the Make Tracks series, are sure to be popular. This sturdy book presents four different types of boats, a sailboat, a speedboat, a jet ski, and a fishing boat. Each one is labeled so that readers can learn various parts, and there is also a sentence or two that describes the boat. On the facing, right-hand page, there is a carved-out track along which they can slide small round discs bearing a replica of the boat to its destination. The book could serve as an introduction to boats or different forms of transportation. ...more
It's Halloween, and three best friends [Josie, Jackson, and Alison] are intent on gathering material for a story for the school paper that will insureIt's Halloween, and three best friends [Josie, Jackson, and Alison] are intent on gathering material for a story for the school paper that will insure their future tenure. The seventh graders plan to prove that a famous ghost rumored to haunt Bachelor's Grove Cemetery exists. But strange things begin to happen once they arrive. As a mysterious message lets them know, the countdown is on, leaving them only a few days left as they need to figure out who's haunting them and what he/she/they want/s. The author skillfully builds the tension and brings the youngsters to life as they keep secrets from their parents but also reach out to other adults who might possibly shed light on the history of the cemetery and free them from the ghost or ghosts who are haunting them. The deliciously eerie descriptions of fog in the cemetery, cold temperatures, mold, and slime on the walls of Josie's house, where they are staying, and flickering lights all add to the suspense. The fact that Jackson is still dealing with the loss of an aunt adds to the story's emotional impact. Readers also will realize that pranks and desecration in cemeteries aren't a good idea since the plots and tombstones mark the burial places of individuals who once mattered to others. This one held together nicely and kept me guessing. It's a 3.5 for me. ...more
In this short board book, perfect for beginning readers or as a lap read, Raccoon and his/her/their mother take a bus ride and then walk to various plIn this short board book, perfect for beginning readers or as a lap read, Raccoon and his/her/their mother take a bus ride and then walk to various places in the area. They stop at traffic lights, and Raccoon jumps in a puddle and cools off at one point. Their ultimate destination seems to be the local library where the little animal chooses a book to check out. The artwork is clean, crisp, and ideal for the intended audience, and parents or caregivers can even use the text and map at the back to help youngsters recall all the places Raccoon went and in what order. Raccoon's rambles just might alleviate any fears little ones have about going to unfamiliar places while providing reassurance as they visit places that they already recognize. ...more
Noah, a young boy with a red wagon in which a cat is riding, befriends Paloma, who is mourning the loss of her best friend, who has recently moved awaNoah, a young boy with a red wagon in which a cat is riding, befriends Paloma, who is mourning the loss of her best friend, who has recently moved away. The cat, Mitzvah, along with Paloma and her dog, Bucket, accompany Noah as he travels through the neighborhood, helping others, including an elderly woman carrying groceries. Even though Noah has only recently moved into the area, he seems able to spread sunshine and compassion everywhere he goes. And by the time Paloma goes home, she doesn't feel as alone as she did that morning. Now she has a whole community around her. She only had to look a bit to find them. The stylized artwork contains smiling children's faces and images of their furry friends. This one will warm readers' hearts while reminding them that small acts of kindness go a long way, rippling outward in a positive way. Even the back stories of the animals reveal compassion toward others. Add this one to a collection centered around kindness or how one person can make a difference. ...more
Author Michael Rosen seems to gravitate to intense topics explored honestly yet through the lens of hope. In his latest offering, based on actual expeAuthor Michael Rosen seems to gravitate to intense topics explored honestly yet through the lens of hope. In his latest offering, based on actual experiences, he tells the survival story of Eugene Handschuh and his father, Hungarian Jews living in Paris during the Nazi occupation. Captured on December 28, 1942, by the Nazis before they could escape, they were put in a prison camp and later put on a train with 1,200 others to be transported to Auschwitz when they managed to escape. Only 29 of the remaining passengers on that train survived. Throughout the narrative, Rosen emphasizes the importance of one day, one day that may change someone's life in a good way or a bad way. In order to survive, it became necessary to forget the past and not think about the future, and to keep in mind these words that are part of their survival story: "Get through one day and on to the next. One day at a time. One day after another" (unpaged). While the story is told simply, it's also an intense reading experience because of what these men endured and the close calls they had. The artwork, rendered in ink, charcoal, and pencil, is stirring with its sepia tones and subdued colors, all intended to reflect the bleakness and horror of those times. The significance of the brick walls on the endpapers and the gathering of so many different faces and shoulders on the book jacket cannot be misunderstood. Taken together, the book provides an intense, thoughtful reading experience that is sure to have readers thinking about the importance of each of those one days and how difficult it must have been to have any hope of surviving at all. ...more
Fifteen-year-old Ezra Cloud relocates to Red Gut Bay in Canada after he comes under suspicion after a violent incident resulting in two deaths. Still Fifteen-year-old Ezra Cloud relocates to Red Gut Bay in Canada after he comes under suspicion after a violent incident resulting in two deaths. Still dealing with the loss of his mother and his desire to live on the reservation and soak up indigenous ways, he's relieved in some ways to put Northeast Minneapolis behind him for a while and spend time with his grandparents. His father, a college professor, worries that he won't get justice since he and Matt, the boy whose house burned, had an encounter during school. Matt enjoys picking on Ezra and his best friend, Nora. Once Ezra arrives at his grandparents' home, he begins running traplines with his grandfather, staying in a remote cabin while learning survival skills and hearing his grandfather's stories, which include a heart wrenching story about the fates of two family members. The story contains plentiful descriptions of trapping, skinning, and preserving animals as well as encounters with various wildlife, including wolves and a majestic bear. Parts of the plot seemed outlandish or too convenient to me, but I still enjoyed watching Ezra grow into a confident young man. And while I understand that trapping animals for food and fur was necessary for survival, I hated to think of all those beautiful creatures dying because shoppers wanted fur coats. The book's cover is perfect for its content. ...more
Part of the Let's Go! board series for beginning readers, this one [2.5 for me! but higher for its intended audience] follows two youngsters as they hPart of the Let's Go! board series for beginning readers, this one [2.5 for me! but higher for its intended audience] follows two youngsters as they head off for a day on their bikes. They pack food and a map and leave the city for the great outdoors. The rhyming text and colorful artwork makes the ride and the reading move smoothly even though the children need to deal with an unexpected problem. In actuality, most parents would worry about little ones heading so far away without adult supervision, but the book serves as inspiration for what they might be able to do once they're a little older. There's just something empowering about being able to ride a bicycle as the wind blows through your hair and you feel strong, independent, and somehow free. ...more