Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Book talk: Simon has a major crush, the only problem is he doesn't know who he's crushing on. After a pseudonymous post about not being openly gay in his high school, he met Blue. Blue and Simon have been messaging ever since, and Simon can't get enough of him. When another student discovers their e-mail conversations, everything is put in jeopardy. Simon is blackmailed with the threat of having not only his secrets revealed, but Blue's as well. How will he keep their secrets safe while staying true to himself? How far will the blackmail go? And most importantly, who is Blue?

Rave: I was a goner the moment I read the exchange ending in "I think you're cute and grammatical, too." I didn't know I could be so invested in a fictional relationship with a mystery crush. All the characters are fleshed out from the kid blackmailing Simon to his embarrassing but loving parents. The play brought me back to my own high school theatre days and the ending was simply perfect.

Every book its reader: I can't recommend this book enough. I've given it as a present and shoved my library's copies into plenty of hands. Great for those looking for a high school romance 8th grade and up.

Topics and Trends: LGBTQ, romance, school stories, high school theatre, secret admirers

Extras:

I'm not surprised this book has inspired a lot of people to make fan art & tributes, including this trailer:



The publishers made these two quote images to promote the book:

Bonus Quotes:

“He talked about the ocean between people. And how the whole point of everything is to find a shore worth swimming to.”

“Really, though, there are only two kinds of weather: hoodie weather and weather where you wear a hoodie anyway.”

Source: public library

Simon vs. the Homo Spaiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli: buy it or check it out today!

Brief Reviews Summer 2015 part 1

 
I appreciate the inherent humor of a wizard living in modern times and I always love a good detective story. The main appeal for me here though is that the audio books are narrated by James Marsters (who you may know as Spike from Buffy.) The plot was well-paced and the mystery intriguing, although I found the main character's attitude towards women concerning at times. I'm not sure that I'd continue reading them as regular books but I'll keep listening to the audiobooks as long as Marsters is narrating them! Storm Front by Jim Butcher: buy it or check it out today!

This book was just as delightful as the first. There was a bit more emphasis placed on romance than family this time around but it was still a pretty good balance of the two. Once again her family is fun to read about and the boys are endearing as they vie for her affections. I particularly enjoyed Lara Jean's volunteer work setting up dances for the retirement home and the game she revived with her former friends. My favorite aspect of the story was they way it explores bullying as rumors circle campus about the ski trip from the previous book and she's forced to confront the girl who started them and learn more about her perspective. Humor, heart, and fully realized characters make this a satisfying read on multiple levels. P.S. I Still Love You by Jenny Han: buy it or check it out today!

 I didn't always know what was happening in this book, but I did enjoy the ride. It's a very atmospheric novel and reminds me of gothic literature. The language is absolutely beautiful and I appreciated that it focused around a girl and her female ancestors. At times it felt like a regular contemporary novel with the protagonist worrying about her twin getting ahead of her in school and regular issues with friends and relationships. Then the novel would just go completely sideways as she talked about the strange house and spells and her compulsion to eat chalk. It was an occasionally bumpy ride but a fun one! White is for Witching by Helen Oyeyemi: buy it or check it out today!



This novel read a bit like a cross between a western and a hard-boiled detective novel. The setting was well depicted and the author's knowledge and love of the outdoors is clear. The characters were diverse and fascinating and the mystery took a lot of interesting turns. I haven't read the other books in the series, so I was at a bit of a disadvantage at times. I muddled through but I'd recommend reading them in order. The only part of the book that I didn't like was the way it enthusiastically embraced the kinky librarian stereotype. For obvious reasons that particular stereotype gets on my nerves and I'd like to see it put to rest. The subplot that revolved around that stereotype wasn't my favorite part of the novel, but the rest more than made up for it. Crazy Mountain Kiss by Keith McCafferty: buy it or check it out today!

 I like westerns and I was excited to read this gritty book with a female lead. I enjoy writing in dialect so I thought the narration was fun. I didn't mind the slow-burning romance either. The portrayal of native peoples left me uncomfortable though. It switched from the bloody warriors to the nobles savages stereotypes without much nuance. The book in general seemed to rely on tropes a bit too much and didn't have the depth I wanted it to have. I appreciated that Bowman included a native character in her main lineup, but I wish a bit more care and thought was put into her character and especially the overall portrayal of native cultures. Still, if you're just looking for a quick, gritty western this should satisfy you. Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman: buy it or check it out today!

The Art of Secrets Review

Book talk: Saba never imagined as she watched her apartment go up in flames that it would be the beginning of a grand mystery that would change her life for the better. Her school community rallies around her, led by two new kids who seem eager to make their mark. Saba's family moves into a luxurious apartment and an auction is organized to raise money for them. When the donation of a weird piece of art found in an alley turns out to be the work of a famous artist, tensions rise. Who should keep the money: Saba's family? The kids who found the art? The school? And just who set the fire in the first place? Read a series of notes, articles, and testimonies, put together the clues, and find out for yourself!

Rave: I am a complete sucker for epistolary novels, so I naturally loved the format of this book! I find it especially effective in mystery narratives where not all the characters can be trusted and you have to be on a sharp lookout for red herrings. The characters are wonderfully diverse and layered and even the teachers are portrayed like real people--shocking I know! A major subplot of the book involves outsider art, an area that I found fascinating and was compelled to further research on my own. The final conclusion was perfect and a completely satisfying ending to a compelling mystery.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to students 6th grade and up looking for a good mystery novel.

Topics and Trends: Chicago, outside artists, epistolary novels, mysteries, diversity

Extras: The author has his own website with more information about the book and links to websites about outsider and folk art.

Source: school library

The Art of Secrets  by James Klise: buy it or check it out today!

Blackbird Fly Review

Book talk: Twelve-year-old Apple Yengko moved from the Philippines to a small town in Louisiana when she was four, but she still doesn't feel like she fits in. She wishes her mother would cook normal meals while her mother thinks she's become too American. Things go from bad to worse when she ends up on the school's Dog Log, a list of the most unpopular girls. Even the few friends she has start to turn on her, afraid her Dog Log status will contaminate them. But just when she thinks she's lost everything she gains something new: she discovers a talent at the guitar that just might be enough to turn things around.

Rave: This book is a sweet story about friendship and finding your place in the world. Apple's struggles with bullying will ring true with many students and open the eyes and the hearts of others. The new friends that she makes are characters worth rooting for even as they struggle and make mistakes. Apple's passion for the guitar adds more appeal. Her struggles with her mother are deftly handled showing Apple's frustration without painting her mother as some unreasonable villain. The other children aren't portrayed as completely two dimensional either.

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to fans of Wendy Mass and the like looking for a sweet school story. It's about middle schoolers but I wouldn't hesitate to give it to a fourth grader looking for a story about older kids.

Topics and Trends: guitar, music, diversity, bullying, the Beatles, immigrants, popularity

Extras:

You can visit the author's website for more information http://www.erinentradakelly.com/

Source: school library

Blackbird Fly by Erin Entrada Kelly: buy it or check it out today!

Brief Reviews Spring 2015 part 1

I loved everything about Farthing. It's well-written and takes so many different themes and genres and weaves them together into something incredible.  The plot is a mystery that follows inspector Carmichael as he investigates a murder at party for the high society set in the English countryside. The setting is an alternate history where England has made an alliance with Hitler. The characters all have incredible depth and struggle with issues from antisemitism and homophobia to family pressures and political intrigue. The second book continues to develop the world and the consesquences of Carmichael's actions in the first book while centering on a different crime, one revolving around a theatre. I cannot recommend them highly enough. Farthing and Ha'Penny by Jo Walton: buy them or check them out today!

 I read this as an audiobook. It was narrated by the author, who wasn't quite as dynamic a reader as I would have liked, but the content was so interesting I kept listening. It covers a range of subjects, not all of which I'd normally read about on their own, but in this context I found them fascinating. This quote from the book shows just how much happened that summer: "Babe Ruth hit sixty home runs. The Federal Reserve made the mistake that precipitated the stock market crash. Al Capone enjoyed his last summer of eminence. The Jazz Singer was filmed. Television was created. Radio came of age. Sacco and Vanzetti were executed. President Coolidge chose not to run. Work began on Mount Rushmore. The Mississippi flooded as it never had before. A madman in Michigan blew up a school and killed forty-four people in the worst slaughter of children in American history. Henry Ford stopped making the Model T and promised to stop insulting Jews. And a kid from Minnesota flew across an ocean and captivated the planet in a way it had never been captivated before.” Recommended for anyone looking for a narrative nonfiction history book. One Summer: America, 1927 by Bill Bryson: buy it or check it out today!

 Perhaps my expectations were too high because I loved Seraphina so much, but I was not as big a fan of Shadow Scale. This book was on a much grander scale with different parts of the world explored and many new characters introduced. It was interesting to see more world building but it felt like a bit much at times, especially when what I really wanted was to see Seraphina and Lucian and the plot kept them apart for most of the novel. I missed the smaller, more personal scale of the first book. I feel like Hartman was trying to cover too much and please too many people. Still there was plenty to love about this novel and I enjoyed reading it. Hartman's writing is beautiful and she does an excellent job fleshing out the world and her new characters. I was definitely not a fan of the ending though, which felt too abrupt and was completely unsatisfying to me---which is too bad because it's the last book in the series. Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman: buy it or check it out today!

Another fun, fantasy re-telling of a classic fairy tale. If you enjoyed Cruel Beauty, you'll like this novella as well. I gulped it down in a morning. The setting is the same as her previous novel and the characters are pretty well-rounded. The step sisters avoid the over-the-top caricature they're given in many Cinderella stories and I like the dark twist on the fairy god mother. My favorite part was the relationship between Maia and the prince which is allowed to grow over time instead of magically happening over the course of a dance number. I wish it was longer and I'm looking forward to the next book in this world! Gilded Ashes by Rosamund Hodge: buy it or check it out today!

Something about this series just sucks me in, chews me up, then spits me out at the end. The political intrigue, the lush world building, and most of all the moral dilemmas and forbidden love that drive the plot. I like that there's often no clearly right choice and the characters are all completely cloaked in shades of grey. I'm definitely going to have to clear my day for reading when the next book comes out! The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski: buy it or check it out today!





I really wanted to like this book, but sometimes I feel like I'm in a one-sided relationship with geek culture. I enjoy and respect it, but it often doesn't seem to value or respect me. For the record I have played both table top RPGs and MMORPGs (yes, despite my ovaries!) so I was excited to read this book, especially because it had a female DM. But then it gets everything about the female characters so wrong! Svetlana does not seem as fully fleshed and real as Lesh, and not just because his character puts her on a ridiculous pedestal. There's also a lot of aspects that are mentioned but never really explained or dealt with in a way that left a sour taste in my mouth. For example one character using 'homo' constantly or it never really being clear if Lesh wants to be Svetlana or date her.  Most unexcusable to me is the fact that Svetlana is stalked and assaulted and somehow the author makes that about Lesh. I mean really who cares how Svetlana copes with having her privacy violated and her life endangered what's really important is how that affected the guy who likes her. Ugh!  Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff: buy it or check it out today!

 This book is a great introduction to writing and appreciating poetry and it's all narrated in the witty style of Stephen Fry. His humor turned what could have been dry discussions of the mechanics of meter into a delightful conversation. The poetry exercises were great as well and I enjoyed reading Fry's examples and trying them myself. I don't plan on becoming a poet, but it did help me appreciate the poetry of others better and it was fun to try. I'd highly recommend this to fans of either poetry or Stephen Fry. The Ode Less Travelled by Stephen Fry: buy it or check it out today!




 I greatly enjoyed my trip back into the world of Whistling Season in this companion novel set in Butte, Montana.  Once again Doig does a wonderful job evoking a certain time and place and populating it with a varied cast of characters that alternately tickled my funny bone and pulled my heartstrings. This book was particularly enjoyable for me because I was reading a copy my great uncle had annotated with notes involving the book's similarity to my great-grandfather's time spent in Butte around the same time period. Even without the personal connection I would have enjoyed this thoughtful and witty work of historical fiction. Work Song by Ivan Doig: buy it or check it out today!

Story of Owen Review

Book talk: Have you ever seen a dragon attack up close? Felt the heat from their flame on your skin and smelled the sulfur in the air? Most people run for cover as soon as one is spotted. It takes a special type of person to run toward that kind of danger. You need bravery, training, agility, skill, and a touch of madness. But slayers aren't the only ones crazy enough to seek out a dragon. Their trusty bards are always close behind. Everyone in Trondheim has great hopes for Owen, the youngest in a long line of dragonslayers. But before he can fulfill his destiny, he and his bard must face a more fearsome foe: his algebra test.

Rave: So many things to love about this novel: the way dragon slaying was woven into a whole alternate history, the way the adult characters are actually good for something while allowing the teens to shine, Owen's awesome dragonslaying and blacksmithing aunts who raise him, the platonic male/female friendship that drives the plot, not to mention the lost art of being a bard. The story is actually told from the perspective of the girl who becomes Owen's bard and it reminded me of Seraphina in that it goes into fascinating detail about music and how her knowledge of it colors her view of the world.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to fans of school and adventure stories. Or anyone that enjoys reading about dragons, so basically everyone. The characters are in 11th grade and the book could certainly be enjoyed by high schoolers (or adults) but there's nothing in it that would be inappropriate for younger readers. I'd say 6th grade and up.

Topics and Trends: dragons, LGTBQ, friendship, music and musicians, Canada, dragons, dragons, and dragons.

Source: school library

The Story of Owen: Dragon Slayer of Trondheim by E.K. Johnston: buy it or check it out today!

Brief Reviews Fall 2014 part 3

“Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a poor town of twelve thousand people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.”  Panic is a game that can change your life or take it away.  Every school day every student pays a dollar to the pot for the winner.  On the first day of summer any senior can enter the game by participating in the opening jump.  For the rest of summer, participants compete in challenges like walking on a slippery board 50 feet up with no net.  Secret judges watch their progress and eliminate the slow and the scared.  The winner walks away with enough money to change their life forever.  The losers sometimes can no longer walk at all.  But for $67,00 many think it's worth the risk.
This book was certainly gripping and kept me eagerly turning the pages.  The characters are well drawn and are perhaps best described as living lives of frantic desperation.  After all, to participate in these stunts you'd have to be pretty desperate.  This goes way beyond your average game of truth or dare.  The main character's mother struggles with substance abuse and the effect this has on her daughters is shown in an unflinching and deeply moving way.  Every participant is broken in some way and hoping that Panic will be the answer to all their problems.  Which brings me to my main (SPOILER) issue with the book--it is the answer to their problems.  The game itself is completely unethical from the way that they collect money like some high school mafia beating up kids who don't comply (a dollar a day adds up especially in a town with such prevalent poverty and the source of the money is never questioned or depicted as problematic) to the game itself where at one point they have to cross six lanes of a highway blindfolded.  That is insane.  It's mentioned that there were some deaths in previous years but there's no real consequences for any of the characters during the novel.  In fact at the end their experiences brought them all closer together so they're all coupled off, richer, and happier than they were before thanks to their participation in this immoral, illegal, and completely insane game.  There's not even any mention at the end that Panic should stop.  It seems like all the characters are content to let it continue in perpetuity and why wouldn't they?  It worked out pretty darn well for them!  If you're just looking for a quick paced read then this will fit the bill but do not try this at home. Panic by Lauren Oliver: buy it or check it out today!

 I was eager to read this story when I heard it was a retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac.  That play is very near and dear to my heart, which might have made my expectations unreasonably high, but the fact remains that I was sorely disappointed. Cyrano is the story of a noble, heroic figure with a gift for sword fighting and poetry whose disfigurement leads him to believe that his love, Roxanne, would never return his affections.  So he agrees to the nearest thing he can get--wooing her for the better-looking but less-eloquent Christian.  Christian turns out to be a heroic figure himself with some integrity and after winning Roxanne through Cyrano's letters insists that Cyrano tell her the truth because he wishes to be loved for the fool he is or not at all.  In this version Cyrano is a drug dealer and swindler who accepts payment to stalk a girl so he can help a jerky jock woo her.  Not only does the Christian figure lack the complexity of the original instead filling the usual stereotypical jock role but Cyrano's (completely serious) closing advice to a kid who wants to become popular is that he should become a drug dealer.  This story has a vague resemblance to the bare-bones plot points of the original but has very little of the poetry, complexity, or heart. Sway by Kat Spears: buy it or check it out today!

 I read this book for my book club.  It was billed to me as similar to Buffy but the comparison did not serve it well.  Buffy is both a feminist and geek icon as well as a cheerleader. Her empathy and understanding of others helps her fulfill her destiny as much as her powers.  The main character of this book meanwhile spends most of the novel judging every other character for everything from wearing hipster glasses "I mean, it’s the twenty-first century. There are fashionable options for eyewear." to when she says "--ew--role playing games." None of the characters were really sympathetic or even believable to me.  The boy who teases her (because he likes her and is apparently five) is a journalist and reads biographies of the greats and tries to take his profession seriously.  Yet he has no trouble throwing journalistic ethics out the window when it comes to printing rumors about his crush. Her boyfriend meanwhile pulls a total jerk move towards the end of the book that seems completely out of character and whose only explanation seems to be because it was convenient for the plot. Rebel Belle by Rachel Hawkins: buy it or check it out today!

This book was just as absurd and hilarious as the first.  It's like Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy for fantasy instead of sci-fi.  My favorite idea from this book was a light globe that runs off sarcasm.  If only I had one of those I'd never have to buy a light bulb again! Instead of describing the book I'll just share some of my favorite humorous quotes from it.
"The only time we get to fight the powers of darkness is during one of the kingdom’s frequent power cuts."
“If a shred of integrity fell into your soul, it would die a very lonely death.”
"'It’s complicated.' 'Love always is,' said the moose, sighing forlornly. 'I’m only a vague facsimile of a moose once alive, but I share some of his emotions. Ach, how I miss Liesl and the calves.'"
The Song of the Quarkbeast by Jasper Fforde: buy it or check it out today!

Absolutely Almost Review

Book talk: Albie has always been an 'almost'.  No matter how hard he tries his work is only ever almost good enough.  So he wasn't surprised when he found out that he was only almost good enough for his private school and he had to leave it for a public one.  That means no more school with his best friend, one in a set of two triplets whose family is now starring in their own reality TV show.  But Albie is starting to make new friends at his new school and they have a special math club there that is way better than sitting through regular math class.  Perhaps this new school year will be better after all. Or perhaps it will just turn out to be another 'almost.'

Rave:  I love how heartfelt this novel is without ever becoming saccharine (unless you count all the doughnut references.) I also like that it's a slice of life without any false climax or easy resolution.  Everything about the novel from the way the characters are drawn to the way events plays out seemed realistic to me except perhaps for how awesome his babysitter is but these flukes do happen.  Let me talk for a minute about the babysitter and the way she gets Albie to take his mind of his problems by making a cardboard tv and remote for him that she places in front of the window.  The math club teacher was another favorite of mine with his proclivity for puns ("Why didn’t the quarter roll down the hill with the nickel?...Because it had more cents") Albie's friends, both the camera-shy reality tv star and the new friend he makes, are great characters too.  The way the model airplane pictured on the cover becomes a physical manifestation of his relationship with his dad is at turns clever, heartbreaking, and hopeful.  The book is full of great characters, memorable small moments, and valuable life lessons.  If you're looking for a realistic school story this is an excellent choice.

Every book its reader:  Albie is in 5th grade but he reads as younger and I'd say it's fine for younger kids curious about older grades.  It would make a great class read-aloud because it's fairly fast paced and easy to understand with plenty of humor but brings up a lot of great discussion points

Bait & Hooks:  puns, protagonist of color (Albie is half Korean, half Swiss), humor, school story, superstar teacher, learning differences, inspiring artist, bullying, baked goods

Extras:

Lisa Graff has a great page for the book with interviews, reading guides, and further reading suggestions.

Source: ebook from public library

Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff: buy it or check it out today!

To All the Boys I've Loved Before Review

Book talk:  What would you do if everyone you've ever had a crush on got a letter from you pouring out everything you felt for them at the time?  That is exactly what happens to Lara Jean.  Every time she had a crush on a boy and she wanted to get over it she would sit down and write a letter.  She'd pour her heart into it because no one else would ever see it.  Or so she thought.  Then one day her special hat box that held her letters is taken to the Goodwill by her father on an overzealous housecleaning spree.  Someone puts them in the mailbox, and suddenly a guy she had a crush on years ago comes up to her in PE asking her about a strange letter he just received.  It gets worse.  One of the guys she had a crush on is now her older sister's boyfriend.

Rocks my socks:  The first time I heard the plot of the book described I had a visceral reaction to it.  I'm sure there are more mortifying situations than having to come face to face with every boy you've had a crush on, but I am hard-pressed to think of one.  The romance this creates is certainly unconventional and I enjoyed reading about it.  What kept me feverishly turning the pages until I finished it though was not the romantic relationships, but the ones between the sisters.  After all love triangles (or in this case, polygons) are a dime a dozen in YA fiction, but it's rare to find such well-developed relationships between sisters.  The tensions between them really drove the plot as much as the romantic tension did, which was refreshing.  I also connected with Lara Jean in a lot of ways, for example her quite sensible fear of driving (which I have overcome by moving to the Bay Area and no longer owning a car, pro tip!)  I can't wait for the next book!

Rocks in my socks:  nothing

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to anyone looking for a realistic school story with a touch of romance.  Those looking for stories about sisters or stories with Asian-American leads will also be glad to find this novel.  The romance never gets too heated.  I'd say it's fine for 6th grade and up.

Extras:

Jenny Han has her own author page with more info on her books and FAQs: http://www.dearjennyhan.com/

Source: Book Passage (I attended an event for the author and got her to sign my copy!)

To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

What Came from the Stars review

Book talk:  In a final act of defiance and glory, the Valorim forge a necklace containing their art and send it off into the stars before they fall to a dark lord.  It travels across light years and finally reaches a planet on a distant solar system--where it falls into Tommy Pepper's lunchbox.  Tommy Pepper unknowingly absorbs the art of the Valorim and soon he starts making paintings that come to life, speaking in a strange language, and referring to events that sound like they come from a fantasy novel.  At first his friends don't know what to make of it, but when the dark forces that conquered the Valorim come to Earth, they start to believe in his crazy talk.  

Rocks my socks:  This book is a unique mix of high fantasy, science fiction, and a realistic school story unlike anything I've read before.  The parts involving the Valorim are written in a high fantasy style involving plenty of invented words and archaic language patterns.  The parts involving Tommy and his family coping with their mother's death and getting along with his friends at school contains a lot of compelling characters and issues.  Both of them could easily make up their own story, but when the two combine it creates a fascinating hybrid.  The writing was superb in both styles and full of meaty issues, complex characters, and fantastic world-building.  I absolutely adored it!

Rocks in my socks:  none

Every book its reader:  Because this book is a combination of genres it is a bit more difficult to find its audience.  Those looking for a school story and unused to invented languages could be easily turned off by the writing in the sections about the Valorim while those looking for a fantasy adventure novel may not like the realistic sections.  But if you can keep an open mind and enjoy reading across different genres then this book is well worth reading.  I'd give it to 5th grade and up.

Extras:  

Gary D Schmidt has his own website

Source: ebook from the public library

What Came From the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt: buy it or check it out today!

A Dog Called Homeless

Book talk:  Cally used to be a real chatterbox, but after she sees her mother's ghost and no one believes her, she decides to stop talking.  What's the point if no one will listen?  Even as she stops, life keeps moving around her.  Her family has to move into a tiny apartment, her best friend betrays her, a neighbor teaches her a new way of talking, and she develops a special bond with a homeless dog.  If she wants to make a difference in their lives, she's going to have to learn how to make her father listen.

Rocks my socks:  I have a soft spot for Irish Wolfhounds, so I naturally enjoyed reading a book that features one so prominently.  I also liked the neighbor character who is blind and deaf and has a lot of spunk and wisdom. Overall this is a sweet, heart-warming story.

Rocks in my socks: I'm more inclined to shelve this under fantasy than realistic fiction.  The world they live in where everything miraculously works out bears little resemblance to reality, even leaving aside the bits that involve the mother's ghost.  Additionally, while I love Irish Wolfounds I don't think the book accurately portrays or takes into account the major time and financial commitment required to own one.  Adopting one should not be a surprise and is not a decision to be taken lightly.

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to students in 3rd to 5th grade looking for a sweet story.  Dog-lovers will enjoy the book in particular.

Extras:

Sarah Lean has a website

Here's some more info on Irish Wolfhounds for the curious:




Source: copy provided as part of faculty & staff book club

A Dog Called Homeless by Sarah Lean: buy it or check it out today!

Ask the Passengers Review

Book talk:  Have you ever felt trapped by love?  Because you worried that it wasn't reciprocated or appreciated or because you couldn't control it.  Astrid used to, until she started giving it all away.  It all started with airplanes.  She would send her love to every passing airplane: an outpouring without expecting anything back.  Then she started doing it all the time, with every person she met.  She thought that if she gave all her love away, no one person could control it and she would be free.  But when she falls in love with a cute girl from work, her relationships with everyone in her life will be tested.

Rocks my socks:  This novel tackles a lot of complex issues.  It naturally deals with identity and acceptance as Astrid struggles with what falling in love with Dee means and as she deals with the repercussions of sharing her feelings with her friends, family, and the larger community.  It also talks a lot about consent as Dee pressures Astrid to take the relationship faster than she wants.  I haven't read many YA novels that talk this explicitly about consent and the fact that not saying "no" isn't the same as saying "yes."  I think it's an important topic to talk about, so I'm glad King dives in. I also love that Astrid looks to an imaginary Socrates for advice.  The class project they have where they have to create their own paradox to argue and dress up like a Greek philosopher for the day sounds amazing!  Her parents certainly aren't role models but their faults are portrayed in a complex and realistic fashion. There's a lot of ambiguity with all of the characters as they make good and bad decisions.

Rocks in my socks:  I love the concept of Astrid sending her love up to the passengers on passing planes, but I wish King hadn't included the vignettes with the passenger stories. They are so short and they bring up a lot of meaty issues that really deserve more context.  Additionally, I don't like the supernatural element added by the passengers physically feeling this mysterious burst of love from Astrid.

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to students 8th grade and up looking for a character-driven school story.

Extras:

A.S. King has a website

Source: school library

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King: buy it or check it out today!

Rotten Review

Book talk:  JD comes back from Juvie with only a week left before school starts.  He has a lot to do before then: make up with his girlfriend, deflect all questions about where he spent the summer, and above all else make sure that no one ever finds out what he did to get himself arrested.  He's had a lot of time to plan what he's going to do, but there was one thing he wasn't expecting.  While he was gone, his mom adopted a dog.  Not just any dog either, but a big Rottweiler with a past as shady as JD's.  His mom called the dog Jon-Jon, but JD knows the perfect name for him: Johnny Rotten.

Rocks my socks:  Watching JD and Johnny learn to trust each other and struggle to make things right after their past mistakes was heartwarming.  The book was far from saccharine though.  JD and his friends aren't exactly model citizens and the tone of the story is true to Johnny's punk rock name.  I spent most of the book eagerly flipping the pages because I wanted to find out if Johnny was going to have to be put down.  I grew fond of JD as well.  His voice sounded authentic and his struggles were all realistically drawn.  The supporting characters are well rounded and Northrop avoids facile solutions to the complex problems that arise.

Rocks in my socks: none

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to students looking for a realistic fiction book, especially dog lovers.  It's more relationship than plot driven, but it has an edge and a humor to it that gives it appeal to a crowd beyond those looking for a sweet dog story.  I'd say 7th grade and up.  

Extras:  

Michael Northrop has a website with a blog, bio, and more information about his books.

Here's a video all about Rottweilers for those unfamiliar with the breed (let's face it I'll take any excuse to post animal videos):




Source: school library

Rotten by Michael Northrop: buy it or check it out today!

OCD, the Dude, and Me Review

Book talk:  It's senior year and Danielle can't wait for it to be over. With her frizzy red hair, quirky tastes, and OCD she sticks out like a sore thumb.  Despite all the trauma she endures at school, she finds it comforting to catalog her days there.  She accomplishes this through a color-coded binder in which she keeps all her English essays, notes, important e-mails, and day-to-day journals.  Experience school through her eyes and find out if Senior year will be the disaster she's expecting.

Rocks my socks:  I loved the epistolary format as Danielle included not only letters but essays, her teacher's comments on the essays, and her own comments on her teacher's comments.  I found the effect that The Big Lebowski had on her and the fact that it apparently has such a cult following amusing.  I haven't read many books about someone coping with mental illness: regularly taking medication, attending therapy, social skills classes, etc.  I really appreciated reading about her experiences and the perspective it provided.  There were many great characters like her aunt who was always ready with words of wisdom, her friend Daniel who introduced her to The Dude, and her pen pal Justine.  What really made the book though was Danielle and her frank descriptions of her life, her dreams, and her worries.

Rocks in my socks: zip

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to teens looking for a high school misfit story.  Anyone who has had to attend therapy or social skills groups themselves will particularly appreciate Danielle's experiences.  7th and up.

Extras:  

Lauren Roedy Vaughn has her own website.

Bonus Quotes: 

"Our mind is a crazy nightclub of cacophonous sound filled with strange images and one-night stands: our mind tells us lonely, loveless tales that leave us frightened but really have no lasting power." 


Source: school library

OCD, the Dude, and Me by Lauren Roedy Vaughn: buy it or check it out today!

Brief Reviews: Fall 2013 part 2

 (This is a review for the second book in a series and may contain spoilers for the first.  If you haven't read The Lies of Locke Lamora, read my review of it here.)
Locke and Jean are back and up to their old tricks.  This time they're targeting one of the most exclusive and richest places in the world: the Sinspire.  The casino is famous for its lavish ways as well as the way they deal with thieves: a long drop from the top of the tower and a bill for cleaning up the body from the courtyard below sent to the deceased's family.  Locke and Jean acquire a whole new crop of enemies while still fleeing from the last.  Once again the tangled web they weave left my head spinning as I tried to figure out who was betraying whom for what gain and how our boys could possibly make it out of the mess they got themselves into.  This time there was the added bonus of pirates!  I love a good sailing story!  What more could a girl ask for?  My only problem with the book was that I've grown overly fond of Locke and Jean, so after a while I started feeling awful for them as they narrowly escaped death only to face it once more.  Red Seas Under Red Skies by Scott Lynch: buy it or check it out today!

There's a lot to love in this story about two quirky teens finding acceptance. Bea and her mom rent costumes and photograph themselves re-enacting scenes from classic movies.  Bea bonds with another outcast student by communicating via a late-night radio program.  Bea's often macabre sense of humor regularly had me laughing out loud right from the beginning as she told the story of how she tried to name a gerbil Goebbels.  But despite enjoying all these disparate parts, I didn't really like the book overall.  They didn't quite add up to a cohesive whole.  I wish that a few of these ideas had been explored in more detail instead of covering so many things so briefly.  The ending was also unsatisfying.  If you read a lot of contemporary misfit stories and are looking for another, then it's worth picking up.  But there are plenty of others in the genre that I would recommend before this one.  How to Say Goodbye in Robot by Natalie Standiford: buy it or check it out today!

I read this for my FYA book club, and I'm not sure that I would have picked it up on my own.  As it was I had no idea what it was about when I started reading it on a plane this Thanksgiving and ended up crying like a baby in my seat.  There's a lot of things I liked about this book: the footnotes, the Hamlet references, and the quirky characters Leonard meets, but overall I can't say that I really enjoyed it.  Everyone is so universally cruel to Leonard.  Despite all that happens in the course of the novel nothing felt really resolved to me at the end.  I didn't feel as attached to Leonard as I thought I would considering all he goes through and I didn't really like any of the other characters either because of how they treat him.  Still, the book tackles a difficult subject unflinchingly and it deserves some praise for that.  Forgive me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick: buy it or check it out today!

Operation Yes Review

Book talk: This is a book about life in a military family.  Yes, and it's about improvisation.  Yes, and it's about a boy named Bo who is sick of being a Colonel's son. Yes, and it's about a girl named Gari whose mother gets shipped out to Iraq.  Yes, and despite all her efforts to prevent it Gari ends up moving in with her cousin Bo's family on an air force base.  Yes, and Bo and Gari do not get along.  Yes, and they are put in the same class with an insane teacher who tapes off part of the room and sticks a smelly, old couch in it.   Yes, and somehow she teaches them how to work together. Yes, and they find all the cracks in the school and try to fix them.  Yes, and it's about how learning how to take whatever life throws at you and say "Yes!"

Rocks my socks:  I think this is the first book I've read from the perspective of kids living on a military base.  It was an interesting window into a life I know very little about.  I liked that the story flipped back and forth between Bo and Gari's perspectives.  It was a great exercise in seeing how conflict can arise through miscommunication and bad timing.  I loved Miss Loupe and how she wove improvisation exercises into her class.  I've read a lot of theatre books, but not a lot that focus on improv.  I particularly enjoy how she took the improv mentality and applied to the real world.  It seems like a particularly useful skill to have, especially for kids like these that have to accept so many difficult situations that are beyond their control.

Rocks in my socks: The ending was a bit too pat for my tastes.

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to students 4th and up looking for a good school story.  Especially those with an interest in improv or military.

Extras:
Sarah Lewis Holmes has her own website.

Scholastic has a page about the book complete with a book talk.





Source: copy provided as part of faculty & staff book club

Operation Yes by Sara Lewis Holmes: buy it or check it out today!

Bluefish Review

Book talk:  All Travis wanted was to survive the school year.  Not make any friends or pass his classes with flying colors: just survive.  The one thing he had learned was not to expect much from anyone.  His parents died long ago and his grandfather is barely there.  Even his dog disappeared before the move.  He knew that his life would be awful and he had almost even accepted it.  But this year life would surprise Travis.  This year Travis's secrets will be revealed, and for good or for bad it will change his life forever.

Rocks my socks:  I love the sparse narrative of Travis's chapters.  A lot is left unsaid but so much is communicated.  Travis's emotions and his voice feel very authentic and Schmatz deals with a lot of difficult issues without descending into the saccharine or the cynical, which is no easy feat.  I also adored the contrast of Velveeta's narratives with her distinct flair and strong personality.  I appreciated that the friends that Travis made among his peers helped him out a lot, and that there were also adults who really came through in the end.  Of course the fact that the main helpful adult figures were a librarian and a reading teacher appealed to me.

Rocks in my socks:  none

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to teens looking for a quick and touching read.  It's high interest and low reading level, but there's plenty for advanced readers to grapple with and enjoy as well.  I read it for a book club and it made for an excellent discussion.  Some of the issues explored get intense, so I'd save it for 6th grade and up.

Extras:  

Pat Schmatz has a website

There's a discussion guide for the book at Candlewick's website

There's a good video book talk for this from 60 second recap:




Source: copy provided as part of faculty & staff book club

Bluefish by Pat Schmatz: buy it or check it out today!

Eleanor & Park Review

Book talk:  Have you ever heard a song that changed your life?  Did you ever listen to something on repeat until the batteries gave out?  There's a world of music Eleanor always wanted to listen to.  She'd write down the lyrics on her notebook and dream of owning her own music player.  But she never heard them, until she met Park.  Now she can't get enough of him or his music.  But Park looks like a protagonist from a story; everything seems to go right for him.   While Eleanor looks like she'll never fit in and knows just how hard life can be.  She knows it would never work out between them.  But she might just be crazy enough to try.

Rocks my socks:  I absolutely adored this novel and stayed up until the wee hours of the morning finishing it (despite the fact that I had to wake up early for a road trip.)  Eleanor and Park are both such endearing characters.  I couldn't ask for more delightfully quirky protagonists.  The author had a unique style as well and instead of the usual endless and cliche comparisons of eyes to oceans or galaxies she chose to describe Park's eyes as "so green they could turn carbon dioxide into oxygen."  I love it!  Instead of the same, worn-out references to Han and Leia she lets Eleanor boldly claim that she's Han Solo and Park decides "I'll be Boba Fett. I'll cross the sky for you."  *Swoon!*  On top of all that, Eleanor is not classically beautiful and does not have to undergo a make-over to become so before she can win Park.  He appreciates her for the unique person she is thinking "She never looked nice. She looked like art, and art wasn't supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something."  Then there's all the wonderful references to music and mix tapes.  Tapes were a bit before my time, but I clearly remember the thrill of getting a mixed CD from a boy and playing it on repeat.  Rowell captures this perfectly.  The whole novel captures the feelings of a passionate first love and bottles them up so that those who are too young to have experienced it can, and those for whom it is a distant memory can re-live the experience.  On top of all of that there is a lot of substance to the story ranging from themes of prejudice to abusive families.  Rowell deals with these topics deftly and provides the reader with hope without resorting to unrealistic miracles.

Rocks in my socks:  I wish Rowell had ended the story at the end of the school year.  Instead the last few chapters are a kind of epilogue that give a brief sketch of the following year.  These detracted from the story and I would have much preferred it if I had been left alone to decide what happens to Eleanor and Park for myself and debate it with other readers.

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to anyone looking for a good misfit story or an atypical romance set in a high school.  Audiophiles, particularly those who enjoy 80's punk will enjoy the music references throughout.  The novel deals with some dark issues around Eleanor's family, so I'd save it for at least 7th grade and up.

Extras:  

Rainbow Rowell has a great site with a blog, information about her and her books, and upcoming events.  Don't miss out the post with her playlists for Eleanor and Park.  It includes embedded videos with the songs and Rowell's commentary on why each song is there.

Macmillan has a page for the book complete with a discussion guide.

The book has not one, but three official trailers!  They're all short so you can easily watch them all:




Source: school library

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell: buy it or check it out today!

Hikaru No Go Review

Book talk:  Hikaru was just a normal kid, until he discovered a haunted go board.  Now he is possessed by the spirit of an ancient go master named Sai.  Hikaru tries to go on with his life like normal, but Sai won't let him.  So Hikaru seeks out go matches to calm the angry spirit.  At first, he had to be forced to play, but now he's starting to enjoy it.  Hikaru vows that some day he'll be strong enough to play against his rival by himself, but in the mean time he has to keep living his life as if he is a normal kid.  If anyone ever found out about Sai he'd be called a liar or freak or worse.

Rocks my socks:  I'm not a big chess player.  I don't like games that are all strategy or all luck.  I prefer games that balance the two evenly.  So, I didn't think I'd be that drawn into this story.  I'm happy to report that I was completely wrong.  The characters are interesting and the game is explained slowly instead of getting bogged down with exposition.  By the time the little lessons in how the game is played arrived I was eager to better understand what I had been reading about.  The games themselves are illustrated like epic battle scenes and the relationships between the characters are compelling.  I enjoyed reading about Hikaru as he grew as both a go player and a person.  He learns lessons in empathy and struggles with the morals of allowing Sai to play and learns how to take pride in the progress he makes even if it's no where near the level he can be at if he just allows Sai to take over.  What starts off as an annoying hanger-on girl character begins to evolve as she starts her own girl's go club and learns along with Hikaru.  Even the rival character is portrayed sympathetically as the reader discovers the kind of pressure he's under.  I gobbled up the five volumes I had quickly and am eager to read more.

Rocks in my socks: nothing

Every book its reader:  The battle scenes are all over a go board and the romance is minimal, so it's fine for anyone old enough to have an interest in the comic.  I'd say that's probably third grade and up, but if a younger kid wanted to try it I wouldn't stop her.  Fans of Pokemon, chess, and of course go will enjoy this tale of a kid training for tournament battles.

Extras:

Viz media has a page with information on the comic and the animated series

Sensei's library has a page with lots of extras and information about the series

You can watch the entire animated series online for free on Hulu

Here's a brief introduction to how to play the game for those that are curious:




Source: school library

Hikaru No Go vol. 1- 5 Story by Yumi Hotta Art by Takeshi Obata Supervised by Ukari Umezawa [5 Dan]: buy it or check it out today!

A Great and Terrible Beauty Review

Book talk:  There is nothing Gemma wants more than to go to London.  The English fashions she's required to wear were clearly not made with India's climate in mind.  Besides, she longs to come out to society and attend the dances she's heard so much about.  But when she finally gets what she wished for, it isn't worth the price and it's not what she expected at all.  Life in a finishing school is infuriating.  No one sees her for who she is. All anyone sees is the young lady they expect her to become: serving tea and smiling and remaining silent.  Which is perhaps why no one suspects a thing when she starts a secret society to explore the supernatural.

Rocks my socks:  I enjoyed reading about life at an English finishing school and Gemma was a wonderful lens through which to view the era.  Her relaxed upbringing in India has left her feisty and bold and everything else a proper young lady shouldn't be.  Watching her adjust to life in the confines of a boarding school was entertaining.  I particularly enjoyed her insights as to why women were treated the way they were in that era.  My favorite part though was the friendships that Gemma developed over the course of the novel.  A lot of emphasis was placed on the changing relationships of her clique of friends and it was interesting to read about and felt authentic.  I appreciated the way Gemma ended up gaining empathy for girls she once hated as she learned more about them and the story progressed.

Rocks in my socks:  I didn't enjoy the supernatural aspects as much as the historical perspective.  The supernatural plot was often confusing and disjointed and strained my credulity.  This is a personal bias of mine though so take the criticism with a grain of salt.  While I love fantasy I'm not a huge fan of the supernatural.

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to anyone looking for a supernatural story with a strong female lead.  It reminded me a lot of Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson, so fans of one book would enjoy the other.  I'd give it to 7th grade and up.

Extras:

Libba Bray has her own site with a page for the book as well as a blog, media, and more!

Random House has a site for the trilogy that is loaded with extras.

There is a Gemma Doyle wiki that you can explore and edit.

I love this trailer:



Source:  ebook from a public library

A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray: buy it or check it out today!