I wish this book [4.5 for me!] had received more attention than it did since it's important, moving, and insightful. The author, a journalist who workI wish this book [4.5 for me!] had received more attention than it did since it's important, moving, and insightful. The author, a journalist who works for the New York Times, spent several months in and around Chinle, Arizona, following the high school basketball team and its coach, Raul Mendoza, as he tries to shape his players as basketballers but also as human beings with a bright future. Naturally, there are many challenges to these tasks--sometimes even the young men themselves and the long, wearisome road trips necessary to reach some of the teams they'll play. While basketball is the focus here--or the excuse to publish the book--this is so much more than a book about a basketball team. Author Michael Powell conducted many interviews with individuals living on the Navajo Nation, including families of the team, fans--and basketball is SERIOUS business in Chinle--educators, even a ranger. While Powell acknowledges the isolation, poverty, abuse, addiction, and suicide that are so often a part of the boys' lives, he also celebrates their tenacity, determination, and spiritedness that they possess. Several parts of the narrative are downright poetic as Powell soaks in the culture, the awe-inspiring beauty of the land, and the warmth of his welcome even as he ruminates on what he's observing and feeling. The connection to this place is strong even while many of its residents, especially the youth, dream of a different, not necessarily better, life. Fans of those Netflix docudramas about basketball and football should love this one with its insight into a place and its inhabitants. ...more
Readers may wonder why Tibbles the Cat is of any importance as they move through this comic book explanation of an important science lesson learned inReaders may wonder why Tibbles the Cat is of any importance as they move through this comic book explanation of an important science lesson learned in New Zealand. After all, the cat is the pet of David Lyall, who moves to a small island near New Zealand with Tibbles in 1894 in order to become its lighthouse keeper. When Tibbles brings Lyall a bird that he's never seen before, this sets off all sorts of stirs in the scientific community, prompting ornithologists to come to the island to see the bird in its natural habitat. Alas, they find that Tibbles has been quite busy. I found this way of telling an important story with a warning about invasive species quite effective, supported as it is with sketches and that afore-mentioned comic book artistic style. Pet owners who let their cats roam freely outdoors might also see it as a cautionary tale....more
It took the author twenty years to write this particular story focusing on a little-known part of Holocaust history--the Nazi Lebensborn program. ThisIt took the author twenty years to write this particular story focusing on a little-known part of Holocaust history--the Nazi Lebensborn program. This effort to insure abundant future generations of Aryans with "pure" bloodlines involved women, some of whom volunteered to become pregnant for the honor it would bring, but it also had a cruel consequence since babies who weren't perfect were often killed. In this particular book, the protagonist, Allina Strauss is taken to Hochland Home after her family and village are destroyed and she is assaulted. She works there as a nurse, eventually tending to the children who are deemed slower or more flawed than the others and initiating a program to help develop the skills they've lost through neglect. (This part of the story is fictionalized.) Allina meets a high-ranking SS officer, Karl, who turns out to be nothing like she expects. His involvement in helping some of the Jewish children and families escape is part of his efforts to atone for his blind involvement in the Nazi Party when he was younger. While Allina and Karl might be considered ordinary or little cogs in the big picture, their actions are, indeed, heroic, and demonstrate that it is possible to stand up for one's beliefs and act against the wrongs that are in the world, even though those actions may come with a heavy price. Readers will be deeply invested in this story, told from the points of view of Allina and then of Karl as well as being bookended by another character's thoughts. The characters are complex, the setting unique, and the descriptions of people, places, and events carefully detailed. This is one of those books that will stay with readers for some time, prompting reflection about choices, sacrifice, and the power of love in the midst of impossible circumstances. I thoroughly enjoyed it, appreciating the author's attempt to bring to light this horrible practice of eugenics. I've read a couple of books about this topic so this one is unique in its focus. ...more
Although this book [2.5 for me!] wasn't my cup of tea, I'm sure its intended audience will gobble it up and wish that they too could dine on dinosaur Although this book [2.5 for me!] wasn't my cup of tea, I'm sure its intended audience will gobble it up and wish that they too could dine on dinosaur pie. The plot concerns Rory, whose mother purchases dinosaur pie for him at the local supermarket. The dish has a strange side effect as Rory and anyone else who eats it transforms into--you guessed it--a dinosaur. This might seem great fun at first, but as Rory and his two friends, Oleg and Daria, discover, it's also quite convenient when it comes to going to school, using the toilet, and just walking down the street. There are several moments that will prompt giggles from readers as Rory's mother endeavors to hold the store accountable, and as the youngsters search for an antidote. I confess that I giggled at Oleg's need for online validation and Rory's nickname for their teacher. There are several illustrations accompanying the text, making this a quick read that some fans of dinosaurs may enjoy. ...more
There continues to be something charming about this series set in Nigeria. Perhaps it's the books' protagonist, Anna Hibiscus, with her fondness for hThere continues to be something charming about this series set in Nigeria. Perhaps it's the books' protagonist, Anna Hibiscus, with her fondness for her home and extended family, including a rooster called Snow White. Maybe it's the unfamiliar setting. Or perhaps it's the almost hypnotic way each story is told. Or how relatable some of her adventures are, despite their setting. Whatever it may be, the same elements that have appealed to readers like me from the very first title in this series are still apparent in this, the sixth chapter book in the series. This time around Anna follows her grandparents to the village where both of them once lived. She's been told that travel on a crowded bus is fun, but that doesn't seem to be the case at first. Nor is it easy to get to the village after the bus drops her off since she must make her way through the bus. She also faces moments of being bullied by some of the village's youngsters due to her lighter skin. But as with every situation in which she has found herself in previous books, she eventually figures a way forward, solving problems with some sound advice from her elders. The illustrations, rendered in ink, capture some of the important moments in the book perfectly, and I wouldn't change a thing about the text or artwork. This one might be a good classroom read aloud choice. ...more
**spoiler alert** Unlike some readers, I liked The Plot, this novel's predecessor, more than this one [3.5 for me!]. This one started too slowly for m**spoiler alert** Unlike some readers, I liked The Plot, this novel's predecessor, more than this one [3.5 for me!]. This one started too slowly for me, but it gained steam as I moved through its pages. There are plenty of twists, turns, and surprises, and as the protagonist, Anna Williams-Bonner, the widow of a deceased writer, goes to great lengths to hide her past and put to rest any ghosts who might possibly haunt her. The ghosts, of course, aren't actual supernatural beings, but excerpts of a manuscript written by her brother, the contents of which bear a striking resemblance to her husband's novel and to her past. All this is interesting on its own merits, providing glimpses into the world of publishing and book tours as Anna travels around the country in support of her own book, but what makes the story even more interesting for me is how Anna justifies her actions, almost as though she's simply clearing the road of unnecessary traffic or removing leftovers that have started to mold. Don't read this one before The Plot, but once you've read that one, definitely dive into this one with its totally amoral protagonist. (Well, maybe not completely amoral--after all, she does save the cat!)...more
I liked this middle-grade science fiction story [3.5 for me!] a lot. I wasn't sure about its contents, based on the cover, but it drew me in from the I liked this middle-grade science fiction story [3.5 for me!] a lot. I wasn't sure about its contents, based on the cover, but it drew me in from the first page when Michael Rosario is stealing peaches from the grocery store in preparation for Y2K. Not only does Michael worry about what will happen then, but he worries about how hard his mother works. Twelve-year-old Michael is so relatable as he's small for his age, quiet, helpful, and picked on by others. He also has a caring heart as he feeds the stray cats in his apartment complex in Delaware and enjoys spending time with Mr. Mosley, who works in the complex. When he spots a strange boy, Ridge, hanging out nearby, Michael and his babysitter Gibby introduce themselves and are puzzled by his odd use of slang and strange clothing. As it turns out, Ridge is from the future, and he's traveled back in time to 1999 to see what the world is like. The way the story is told is interesting since part of it is straight narrative, and other parts are audio transcripts from 2199 as his mother and siblings try to bring him back. All this is interesting enough, bringing to mind at times Rebecca Stead's When You Reach Me, but what might resonate most with readers is Ridge's advice that Michael learn to live in the present and being fully engaged in the now rather than worrying constantly about the future or bemoaning the past. The notion of "the first state of being" is that present. This one is a fast read with interesting characters and a protagonist with flaws but good intentions as well as hints about what the planet's future will be like--no bees, no tigers, for instance. Some readers will feel cheated because Ridge doesn't explain a great deal about life in 2199, instead, simply saying that "it's complicated," which may make them feel cheated. Readers won't want to miss the Additional Excerpts at the back of the book. ...more
This one is a 2,5 for me. Despite the fact that hordes of readers loved this one and it garnered great critical reviews, it didn't work for me. And itThis one is a 2,5 for me. Despite the fact that hordes of readers loved this one and it garnered great critical reviews, it didn't work for me. And it's not that I'm offended by sexually frank descriptions or that I'm too young to have gone through menopause. I just felt frustrated by the protagonist, her midlife crisis, and her constant whining. Parts of the writing are funny, reflective, intense, but also, quite annoying as her planned cross-country drive from LA to NYC ends up being a short jaunt in which she decides to stay nearby, hire a decorator for her motel room [spending $20,000 to do so], and engage in a mating ritual with a young dancer who works for Hertz. Parts of her story are relatable as she mourns the loss of her youth, worries over menopause, and looks for meaning beyond that of a wife and mother, but she leaves quite a bit of wreckage in her wake. I didn't like her enough to care about her, unfortunately, and I didn't see the point of her journey. ...more
Set in Chicago during 2016-2017, this middle-grade novel in verse is structured like a football game with a preseason section, quarters, headings thatSet in Chicago during 2016-2017, this middle-grade novel in verse is structured like a football game with a preseason section, quarters, headings that are pertinent to the sport, and football tidbits. At first those tidbits seemed unnecessary to someone who has followed the game since she was a young girl, but eventually, I realized how they were meant to work and were woven into the plot itself. Perhaps this structure and the subject matter itself--the Muslim ban during President Donald Trump's presidency [Executive Order 13769]--captivated the judges for the National Book Award since this one won the prize for Young People's Literature. Kareem, the seventh-grade narrator, wants nothing more than to play quarterback for his school team. When Austin, the current QB, promises to help him get on the team in exchange for "help" on an assignment, Kareem is conflicted, but he also wants that acceptance and a chance to show what he can do on the field. As Austin leans on for even more help, Kareem grows increasingly uncomfortable, betraying himself, his culture, and Fadi, a newly arrived refugee. As often happens in these sorts of circumstances, his behavior grows erratic, and he tries to cover up some of his deceits. But actions have consequences, and the results of his actions have a domino effect on his whole family, particularly since his mother has traveled to Syria to bring back his ailing maternal grandfather and grandmother. Parts of this story filled my heart with emotion and with hope that things can and will get better, and the book clearly has value for class discussions about xenophobia, prejudices, and social activism, all topics that are nestled within the middle-school drama and humorous moments. ...more
I know my rating and comments will be in the minority here, but I found this book so disappointing. Not only are there punctuation errors throughout, I know my rating and comments will be in the minority here, but I found this book so disappointing. Not only are there punctuation errors throughout, a need for tight editing, but there are gaping holes in the plot, and the dialogue sounds completely stilted and inauthentic. That said, the book's premise was a promising one. A successful defense attorney ends up defending her husband, who is accused of murdering his mistress. That idea really struck me as having great potential since the attorney, Sarah Morgan, would surely struggle with her anger at his betrayal but also still love him enough to try to save his life. Since the story is told from alternating points of view--Sarah's and her husband, Adam's--readers are given insight into the motivations of both. But she's so over the top, and he's such a mousy, confused, self-pitying creatures, that it's hard to like either one of them. I suspected how this one would end very early on, and while there are some other possibilities hinted at throughout the story, the book ended exactly how I expected. I picked this one up because it had so many rave reviews, and while I acknowledge that tastes vary, for me, this one was far from perfect. ...more
Interestingly vibrant illustrations, created with watercolor and digital techniques, and strong, reflective text, showcase the possibilities art and cInterestingly vibrant illustrations, created with watercolor and digital techniques, and strong, reflective text, showcase the possibilities art and creativity have to change the world. Focusing on the efforts of Corita Kent, a Catholic nun whose work consisted of a combination of words and images and who encouraged her art students to break the rules, this picture book biography [3.5 for me!] profiles someone not often, if ever, mentioned in history books. And yet, this artist was quite influential. Since she was working during a historical period when the Catholic church and mainstream society was changing, she became a part of the revolution. Although she eventually left the church, she continued to use her own art to highlight issues, encourage change, and offer hope to others. It's impossible to read her story, examine the illustrations, and consider her impact without feeling inspired and energized to carry on her work. The book's title fits its contents perfectly since it's abundantly clear that Corita Kent put her whole heart into her work. Add this title to a collection of artists' biographies as well as one devoted to activists or individuals who have made a difference....more
In this the follow-up to the two previous popular titles featuring Gertie, the Littlest Yak, Gertie is less than pleased when warm temperatures promptIn this the follow-up to the two previous popular titles featuring Gertie, the Littlest Yak, Gertie is less than pleased when warm temperatures prompt Mummy Yak to move the herd elsewhere. Although her mother tells her that things don't make a place a home, Gertie doesn't listen, overloading her sled with all her books and favorite objects as well as her baby sister, Dot. Readers will be in awe at just how much stuff she piles on that sled, and they'll know that it won't be easy to haul all that stuff to the yaks' new home. Distracted by hauling the heavy load and gathering pinecones to help her remember her old place, Gertie doesn't notice when Dot disappears. Once she realizes this, she frantically unloads the sled to see if Dot is there. Someone else was watching out for Dot so all is well, and the book's positive, affirming message is summed up perfectly by Mummy: Home, she says, isn't "about what is around or above you, home is the herd that you love...and who loves you." Created with pencil and ink, scanned and digitally colored, the artwork is so child-friendly with all those long-haired yaks in their cuddly knitwear. While yaks might seem unlikely animals to feature in a children's picture book, they clearly have widespread appeal....more
Featuring two fetching pandas--a mother and a child--this fetching padded board book with softly-colored scenes of the animals' natural habitat, filleFeaturing two fetching pandas--a mother and a child--this fetching padded board book with softly-colored scenes of the animals' natural habitat, filled with abundant greens, contains some surprises. Unlike many other books for youngsters in which certain personality traits or experiences are what the parent longs for their child, this one focuses more on resilience, sharing joy, and the strength to deal with life's challenges. This one is just different enough from the usual ones to seem fresh and new, something that will make parent and child reach for it frequently. The thick padding is a bonus, guaranteeing a long life of usage. ...more
Originally published in Ukraine, this picture book [3.5 for me!] will surely join the other stories that are considered holiday classics. The plot is Originally published in Ukraine, this picture book [3.5 for me!] will surely join the other stories that are considered holiday classics. The plot is unique, and the protagonist, Little Hare, is so determined and charmingly rendered in the whimsical illustrations that the book is impossible to resist. Little Hare is awakened by a loud noise. When she investigates, she finds an enormous present, which she loads onto her sleigh and searches for its intended recipient. But even though she asks several other animals, none claim the present. As it turns out, this package and others were lost by Santa Claus due to a blizzard. Little Hare offers to help the Jolly Old Elf, and the presents are transported to the right animals. Little Hare also receives just the right gift, something that will be both fun and useful. Youngsters will love how everything turns out okay in the end even as they wonder about how challenging it must be to deliver so many presents under less-than-ideal weather conditions. I was completely charmed by this story. ...more
There's something fascinating and mysterious about narwhals with their long, pointed tusks. Youngsters interested in marine animals or those like me wThere's something fascinating and mysterious about narwhals with their long, pointed tusks. Youngsters interested in marine animals or those like me who find these unusual animals ever intriguing. With exquisite, inviting text, this picture book puts readers right into the head and body of a male narwhal during a year's journey. As always, Candace Fleming excels with her use of relatable descriptive words depicting the narwhal and its surroundings: for instance, the tusk is described as "green with algae and alive with sea lice" (unpaged), while its habitat is described thusly: "the whistle and wail of the wind, the rasp and groan of the ever-shifting sea" (unpaged). As the narwhal, readers joust with other males, head to the surface for air, sleep, feed, follow your pod in search of food, return to the Arctic ice, a journey that you will repeat for several years, if you survive. The text immerses readers in the narwhal's world and adds tension when almost impenetrable ice makes it hard to break through a crack where danger in the form of a polar bear looms. The artwork, created with Procreate and analogue features, is just as compelling as the text with a double-page close-up of the polar bear swiping at the narwhal's tusk as it emerges through a hole in the ice as well as close-ups of a walrus, orcas, and the narwhal and its pod, of course. Helpful back matter provides additional facts about narwhals, undoubtedly spurring some readers to want to learn even more. This picture book is a must-have, truly a must-have, for any elementary or intermediate science classroom library. It's impossible to finish the book without thinking of just how perilous a narwhal's existence is. And the fact that narwhals migrate along the same path--increasingly dangerous--as well as returning to a place where the ice is melting in unpredictable ways prompts justifiable concern for these unicorns of the Arctic. ...more
Reading this folktale [3.5] was a hoot. Twelve-year-old Mendel Schlotz is certainly well meaning, but for some reason--perhaps because he was cursed bReading this folktale [3.5] was a hoot. Twelve-year-old Mendel Schlotz is certainly well meaning, but for some reason--perhaps because he was cursed before birth--his good intentions always go awry. Even the simplest tasks such as setting the table for a meal or responding to questions in class end up causing a mess. Mendel just can't help it. But when Cossacks threaten the village of Lintvint, it's his quick thinking that saves the villagers. I won't spoil how this happens since there are several twists and turns as well as unexpected moments that make all the difference in the world. Middle grade readers will be familiar with the adage that sometimes our weaknesses can become our strengths. which makes Mendel's experiences all the more relatable, but they won't expect some of the events in this story or how that adage plays out. And ugh! a drink made from goat sweat! Even the thought of such a beverage will make readers shudder. The artwork and text fit together in an engaging way, making this read a delight from start to finish with plenty of humor, some pathos, and lots of suspense. There are surely plenty of Mendels out there who will see themselves in this one. ...more
As climate change makes summers unbearable, droughts more severe, and hurricanes more powerful in different parts of the world, it's important to be mAs climate change makes summers unbearable, droughts more severe, and hurricanes more powerful in different parts of the world, it's important to be mindful of the effects rising temperatures and changes in the environment are having on animals. This picture book, written with heartfelt, eye-opening text and illustrated exquisitely with mixed media artwork, provides a glimpse into how they changes are affecting polar bears, who depend on ice and snow to hunt for the food they need. It also offers some suggestions for actions youngsters can take. Even the image on the title page is haunting as a mother bear, body spread across two pages, gets ready to rise from where she's resting. She's eager to move since the first snowfall signals that it's time to head to her den where she will give birth to cubs. But the text and illustrations depict the struggle she had last year when the ice broke up earlier than usual, and food was hard to find. But this time, her slumber is interrupted because warmer temperatures threaten her den's solidity. She settles back down to sleep, eventually awakening and taking her cubs outside to find food. But areas that were once frozen are now slushy, and she worries about how the ice melts earlier each year, a sign that there may one day be no ice in the Arctic Ocean where the bears find their food. The author doesn't sugarcoat the peril in which this species finds itself, even stating that no one knows how the bears will survive with these changes in their habitat. It's a stark and moving reality check that will touch the hearts of anyone who cares about this planet and its animal inhabitants. The mother bear's concern over her future and the future of her offspring is palpable. Helpful back matter explaining climate change, its effects on polar bears, and how to help the bears is provided. Add this one to a collection about polar bears or one on climate change. I wish the large corporations and government agencies that deny climate change or don't acknowledge its effects on animals or their responsibility to make changes would read this book. ...more
The narrator, a young girl, doesn't have the best start to her family's Passover celebration, but the story her uncle Ezra tells about his first PassoThe narrator, a young girl, doesn't have the best start to her family's Passover celebration, but the story her uncle Ezra tells about his first Passover in the United States changes her attitude. Arriving at Ellis Island when he was nine, Ezra ends up spending the night with others from the ship, celebrating the holiday with what they have on hand, because authorities can't find his older brother, Mendel, who was supposed to meet him. Based on a family story, this one is quite charming, especially when the narrator focuses on Ezra not knowing how to eat a banana but sure about how to make a seder. The text and artwork have great child appeal, and young readers will probably reflect on the importance of family traditions after reading this one. ...more
What a clever way to handle tough topics! In this graphic novel with a variety of sizes of panels and different colored text for different speakers, mWhat a clever way to handle tough topics! In this graphic novel with a variety of sizes of panels and different colored text for different speakers, middle grader Lonnie is struggling to accept his parents' divorce and having two different homes as well as issues of identity, being different from classmates whose parents live together, and how to deal with conflict. These are hard topics, often shunned by parents and their offspring, and after his father picks him up after school each day, Lonnie buckles up for the ride and broaches some of those issues. Many readers will be familiar with the experience of being trapped in the car with a parent and how that affords them the chance to talk things out or simply remain silent and ignore any issues that might be troubling them. Kudos for Lonnie for holding his father accountable for his words and actions, including careless, dismissive remarks about a classmate's two moms and about therapy and mental health. The facial expressions of the characters speak volumes, and this book could serve as a starting place for other families such as Lonnie's as they have those challenging conversations. This is a fast but important read, easily enjoyed by its intended young audience but the adults in their lives as well. I loved how Lonnie's mother reprimanded her son and daughter, Nicole, for calling each other stupid, instead insisting that they are "young, gifted, and Black" (p. 10), and how they pick up on her assessment. While the conversations with Mom driving her children to their destinations aren't as deep as those Lonnie has with his father, they're still important as well. ...more
This was an impressive sophomore effort [3.5 for me!] from a writer who really knows how to develop characters and situations that will strike home foThis was an impressive sophomore effort [3.5 for me!] from a writer who really knows how to develop characters and situations that will strike home for teen readers. After all, most of us have faced turning points at which we had to make choices, sometimes feeling as though there's no good choice available. In the case of Reed Beckett, the narrator, the bad choices are all that stand between his sister Bea and him and disaster. Although Reed, 17, gets good grades, he could care less about school or applying for colleges since much of the responsibility for his sister falls on him, especially during stressful times. In fact, when it's clear that Bea, who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy, is in line for surgery, their mother goes AWOL with Seth, her latest boyfriend. For some reason, she thinks Reed can handle everything, including paying for the rent, buying groceries, and any hospital costs. The only way he can do this is to engage in some illegal activities, including making false IDs and providing answers to test questions. As Reed does his best to take care of Bea, he has help from an unexpected ally with whom he has a past that relates to the book's title. But how far will he have to go to keep afloat, and how long will he able to get away with his moneymaking schemes? Readers will enjoy the ups and downs in his relationship with Helena and the delightful personality of Bea as well as the way the siblings interact with one another. The scene in which the two go grocery shopping for the first time and follow another shopper who seems to know what she's doing is amusing but also realistic. On the other hand, it's hard to imagine a mother being as careless as Reed's, though. ...more