Running away from his abusive uncle, Nick stumbles upon Evil Wizard
Books, and its crusty proprietor. Could the old man really be a wizard?
Nick doubts it -- until the evil wizard declares Nick his apprentice and
enchants him so that he can't leave the property. Nick is sure that
Smallbone doesn't mean to teach him any magic -- but maybe he's stubborn
enough to learn on his own...
This is an enjoyable read for fans
of children's fantasy. It's quirky, with hints of darkness, but not
anything that will be too scary or upsetting for sensitive readers. I
enjoyed it, but didn't find it so compelling that I couldn't put it
down. I think it would be a good, cozy wintertime read.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
Kid Lit Geek
Friday, October 18, 2019
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Best Friends by Shannon Hale
As she enters sixth grade, Shannon is feeling pretty good about things.
She’s sharing a locker with Jen, the most popular girl in school, so
she’s definitely part of the in-crowd. Things can get confusing, though:
the imaginative games she used to love aren’t cool any more, sometimes
the popular kids are mean, which she knows is wrong, and then there are
boys... and the rules for interacting with them seem to have changed.
Sometimes all of these things make her so nervous that her stomach
hurts. Plus, next year she will be in middle school. Will all of the
rules change again?
This is Hale’s second graphic memoir, and while I’d definitely recommend it to readers who enjoyed the first one, I think it stands well on its own. I really enjoyed it, and I’m sure that the intended audience will love it even more.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
This is Hale’s second graphic memoir, and while I’d definitely recommend it to readers who enjoyed the first one, I think it stands well on its own. I really enjoyed it, and I’m sure that the intended audience will love it even more.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
Zlateh the Goat and Other Stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer, illustrated by Maurice Sendak
A collection of Yiddish tales, some funny, others quite touching. The
title story, the last in the book, was one of the latter, and probably
my favorite in this volume. Many are set around Hanukkah, so this would
be a perfect read for that time of year. If you have an interest in
Eastern European Jewish village tales, or enjoy short story collections
in general, this one is actually lovely.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Guts by Raina Telgemeier
In fifth grade, Raina struggles with anxiety-related stomach problems, plus teasing from another girl in her class.
I expect that readers who enjoy Telgemeier's other memoirs will like this one as well, though she's younger here, so readers new to her might benefit from starting with this one. I liked it well enough, though I didn't relate as strongly as I had expected I would. I liked how the book normalized therapy and pointed out that a lot more people go to therapy than talk about it.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
I expect that readers who enjoy Telgemeier's other memoirs will like this one as well, though she's younger here, so readers new to her might benefit from starting with this one. I liked it well enough, though I didn't relate as strongly as I had expected I would. I liked how the book normalized therapy and pointed out that a lot more people go to therapy than talk about it.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
Pumpkinheads by Rainbow Rowell, illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks
Deja and Josiah have been pumpkin patch besties all through high school.
Now, it's their last night working at the patch, and Deja is determined
that it's going to be epic. She's going to eat all of her favorite
snacks, and she's going to get Josie to finally talk to the girl from
the fudge shoppe that he's been mooning over since the first day of
orientation. Hijinks ensue.
As I fully expected, this book was adorable. The ending was satisfying (if not particularly surprising), and I laughed several times. If you enjoy graphic novels with romance and humor, this one is for you. Plus, it's the perfect read to get in the mood for fall.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
As I fully expected, this book was adorable. The ending was satisfying (if not particularly surprising), and I laughed several times. If you enjoy graphic novels with romance and humor, this one is for you. Plus, it's the perfect read to get in the mood for fall.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Elisabeth grew up in one of the Great Libraries, and her dream has
always been to become a librarian, caretaker to the grimoires,
dangerous, sentient books of magic. When mysterious events occur, she
finds herself caught up in and falsely accused of a plot that could
bring to an end the Great Libraries, and the larger world as well. She
also finds herself in the company of the sorcerer Nathaniel Thorn, whom
she doesn’t trust... at least, not at first...
I was bound to enjoy this library-centric fantasy. It’s a stand-alone, which is also a point in its favor. My listening experience of the audiobook was broken up because I didn’t get it finished before it went back, and then I had to wait a few weeks to get it again. So, I’m not sure I’m a good judge of the pacing in this case. I will say that I’m not sure what I think of the ending. I like it, but I’m not sure I approve of it. (If you’ve read the book, I’d be glad to discuss what I mean by that!) Recommended for readers of YA fantasy.
(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)
I was bound to enjoy this library-centric fantasy. It’s a stand-alone, which is also a point in its favor. My listening experience of the audiobook was broken up because I didn’t get it finished before it went back, and then I had to wait a few weeks to get it again. So, I’m not sure I’m a good judge of the pacing in this case. I will say that I’m not sure what I think of the ending. I like it, but I’m not sure I approve of it. (If you’ve read the book, I’d be glad to discuss what I mean by that!) Recommended for readers of YA fantasy.
(Reviewed from an e-audiobook borrowed through my library system.)
Blubber by Judy Blume
When the mean girl in Jill’s class targets another girl, nicknaming her
“Blubber” and playing all kinds of mean pranks, Jill goes along with it,
but what will happen when things go too far?
Man, children can be little monsters. Blume captures that in this book; she doesn’t pull any punches (and neither do some of the characters). Protagonist Jill isn’t particularly likable, but she’s a great study of how one can be drawn into bullying behavior even without specific negative intentions. I noted with interest all of the changes in the sorts of freedoms kids had at the time the book was written as compared to now. I’m not sure what modern-day kids would make of this story. I thought I had read it long ago, but maybe I missed this one? I don’t know if I’d recommend it to kids, but I can see it being useful in an anti-bullying discussion, maybe paired with a more recent text.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
Man, children can be little monsters. Blume captures that in this book; she doesn’t pull any punches (and neither do some of the characters). Protagonist Jill isn’t particularly likable, but she’s a great study of how one can be drawn into bullying behavior even without specific negative intentions. I noted with interest all of the changes in the sorts of freedoms kids had at the time the book was written as compared to now. I’m not sure what modern-day kids would make of this story. I thought I had read it long ago, but maybe I missed this one? I don’t know if I’d recommend it to kids, but I can see it being useful in an anti-bullying discussion, maybe paired with a more recent text.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
Monday, October 14, 2019
Camp by Kayla Miller
Olive and her friend Willow are off to summer camp, and Olive is super
excited about all of the fun activities to try and the new friends she
will make. Willow is a bit more apprehensive, and when they arrive at
camp, she becomes clingy and controlling, wanting Olive to do everything
with her. Can their friendship survive two weeks of this tug-of-war?
This sequel to Click stands fine on its own and can be read independently of the other book. It's another great, realistic exploration of the kind of friendship issues that a normal, outgoing kid might face, without buying into the common tropes of bullies and mean girls and friends growing apart at puberty. It's also a fun summer camp story that embraces all of the positive experiences camp can offer, but doesn't really touch on any of the inconveniences (so it's a very different sort of summer camp story than, for instance, Vera Brosgol's Be Prepared). Kids who enjoy Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale will eat this up.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
This sequel to Click stands fine on its own and can be read independently of the other book. It's another great, realistic exploration of the kind of friendship issues that a normal, outgoing kid might face, without buying into the common tropes of bullies and mean girls and friends growing apart at puberty. It's also a fun summer camp story that embraces all of the positive experiences camp can offer, but doesn't really touch on any of the inconveniences (so it's a very different sort of summer camp story than, for instance, Vera Brosgol's Be Prepared). Kids who enjoy Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale will eat this up.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
Last Bus to Everland by Sophie Cameron
Life's not going so great for Brody: his family is in financial
difficulties, the neighborhood mean girls have picked him as their
favorite target, and he'll never be as smart or important or appreciated
as his genius brother James. One day, when the mean girls have
kidnapped his beloved cat, he's unexpectedly rescued by a boy with
enormous blue papier-mâché wings, Nico, who invites Brody to come to a
specific place at a very specific time. Intrigued, Brody shows up, half
expecting that he's been the butt of yet another unkind joke -- but then
Nico and his friends arrive, and together they step through a door into
another world. Everland is a place of pure wish-fulfillment, where
nobody can get hurt and everybody can be whoever they want to be.
However, as time goes on, Brody learns that the doors that lead to
Everland from different parts of their world are disappearing. Before
their door disappears, Brody and Nico must make a choice. Nico is
determined to stay in Everland, but can Brody leave behind his family
and real-world friends?
I loved this gritty, bittersweet fantasy. In general, I'm a fan of books that play with the tropes of portal fantasy, as this one does. Brody's hardships felt legitimate, and it was hard to guess what decision he would make in the end. If you enjoy this sort of fantasy, this one is highly recommended.
(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)
I loved this gritty, bittersweet fantasy. In general, I'm a fan of books that play with the tropes of portal fantasy, as this one does. Brody's hardships felt legitimate, and it was hard to guess what decision he would make in the end. If you enjoy this sort of fantasy, this one is highly recommended.
(Reviewed from an advance copy, courtesy of the publisher.)
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Ordinary Girls by Blair Thornburgh
It’s a tumultuous year for sisters Ginny and Plum, as Ginny agonizes
over college applications, their family struggles financially, and Plum
forms a secret friendship (or maybe more?) with one of the most unlikely
boys she can imagine.
I had heard that this was inspired by Sense and Sensibility, and while there is a practical sister and a high-strung one, a dead father and problems with money, don’t go into this expecting a retelling. That’s not to say it isn’t charming! I thought the relationship between the sisters was particularly well done, and the story revels in classic literature references (Austen, the Brontës, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Rilke, Rossetti, Dickinson...) and a handful of film and classical music grace notes. (They also watch a lot of HGTV, which cracked me up a little every time.) If this sort of family drama is your thing, you’ll love this book.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
I had heard that this was inspired by Sense and Sensibility, and while there is a practical sister and a high-strung one, a dead father and problems with money, don’t go into this expecting a retelling. That’s not to say it isn’t charming! I thought the relationship between the sisters was particularly well done, and the story revels in classic literature references (Austen, the Brontës, Little Women, Anne of Green Gables, Rilke, Rossetti, Dickinson...) and a handful of film and classical music grace notes. (They also watch a lot of HGTV, which cracked me up a little every time.) If this sort of family drama is your thing, you’ll love this book.
(Reviewed from a copy borrowed through my library system.)
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